Reducing Diffusible Hydrogen Contents of Shielded Metal Arc Welds Through Addition of Flux-Oxidizing Ingredients

This investigation examined the feasibility of using flux modification in the form of the addition of oxidizing ingredients to reduce the as-deposited hydrogen content of basic-type shielded metal arc welds. Additions of up to 16.3% micaceous iron oxide (MIO) to the flux formulation of an E7018-1 type electrode lowered the diffusible weld hydrogen content by approximately 70%. This can be attributed to the formation of oxygen, which lowers the partial pressure of hydrogen in the arc atmosphere, and the reaction of FeO (formed on dissociation of MIO) with hydrogen. The partitioning of deoxidizing elements (manganese and silicon) between the weld metal and slag on addition of MIO to the flux coating was also examined, but the influence of flux additions on the weld mechanical properties and the electrode operating characteristics was not evaluated during the course of this investigation.     

Securing energy efficiency as a high priority: scenarios for common appliance electricity consumption in Thailand

Between 1995 and 2008, Thailand’s energy efficiency programs produced an estimated total of 8,369 GWh/year energy savings and 1,471 MW avoided peak power. Despite these impressive saving figures, relatively little future scenario analysis is available to policy makers. Before the 2008 global financial crisis, electricity planners forecasted 5–6% long-term increases in demand. We explored options for efficiency improvements in Thailand’s residential sector, which consumes more than 20% of Thailand’s total electricity consumption of 150 TWh/year. We constructed baseline and efficient scenarios for the period 2006–2026, for air conditioners, refrigerators, fans, rice cookers, and compact fluorescent light bulbs. We drew on an appliance database maintained by Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand’s voluntary labeling program. For the five appliances modeled, the efficiency scenario results in total savings of 12% of baseline consumption after 10 years and 29% of baseline after 20 years. Approximately 80% of savings come from more stringent standards for air conditioners, including phasing out unregulated air conditioner sales within 6 years. Shifting appliance efficiency standards to current best-in-market levels within 6 years produces additional savings. We discuss institutional aspects of energy planning in Thailand that thus far have limited the consideration of energy efficiency as a high-priority resource.     

双芯片张光分插复用器的理论分析和设计

本文介绍了双芯光纤光分插复用器的工作原理、结构和功能,并利用耦合模理论分析了器件的工作特性,讨论了各部分参数对上／下路特性的影响。结果表明,为同时实现上路和下路功能,应尽可能使用强光纤光栅以缩短光纤的长度并同时维持高反射效率。     

汽车ABS/ASR/ACC集成化系统

叙述了ACC系统和ABS/ASR系统在改善汽车高速行驶主动安全性方面的功用 ,阐述了ACC系统是ABS/ASR系统功能的延伸、逻辑的发展及它们之间的内在联系 ,指出了在ABS/ASR的基础上只需增加测距装置和添加巡航控制子程序 ,就可方便地实现ABS/ASR/ACC集成化系统 ,并给出了集成化系统的控制框图和控制方法 ,论述了ABS/ASR/ACC集成化系统比孤立的ABS/ASR和ACC系统的优越性 .     

高速4气门直喷柴油机可变进气涡流的研究

根据在压缩末期喷雾油束末端的撞壁速度与涡流速度的相对关系。建立了喷雾油束,燃烧室形状和涡流强度关系的数学模型。计算了某4气门直喷柴油机随转速变化所要求的最佳涡流比;设计了带涡流控制阀的双进气道,在稳流气道试验台上对这些气道的涡流比和流量系数随气道人口面积变化的影响进行了试验。结果发现,在4气门直喷柴油机中,很容易通过关闭一个进气道实现最佳涡流比的调节。     

5G双频组网策略研究与应用

2.6 GHz和4.9 GHz双频组网中,用户驻留策略取决于4.9 GHz小区的建设用途,根据不同需求有不同的策略和配置方案.本文基于实际网络经验,结合用户体验和业务需求,提出了5G双频网策略的配置建议.     

Analysis of the role of inhibition in shaping responses to sinusoidally amplitude-modulated signals in the inferior colliculus

Neurons in the central nucleus of the inferior colliculus (ICc) typically respond with phase-locked discharges to low rates of sinusoidal amplitude-modulated (SAM) signals and fail to phase-lock to higher SAM rates. Previous studies have shown that comparable phase-locking to SAM occurs in the dorsal nucleus of the lateral lemniscus (DNLL) and medial superior olive (MSO) of the mustache bat. The studies of MSO and DNLL also showed that the restricted phase-locking to low SAM rates is created by the coincidence of phase-locked excitatory and inhibitory inputs that have slightly different latencies. Here we tested the hypothesis that responses to SAM in the mustache bat IC are shaped by the same mechanism that shapes responses to SAM in the two lower nuclei. We recorded responses from ICc neurons evoked by SAM signals before and during the iontophoretic application of several pharmacological agents: bicuculline, a competitive antagonist for gamma-aminobutyric acid-A (GABAA) receptors; strychnine, a competitive antagonist for glycine receptors; the GABAB receptor blocker, phaclofen, and the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor blocker, (-)-2-amino-5-phosphonopentanoic acid (AP5). The hypothesis that inhibition shapes responses to SAM signals in the ICc was not confirmed. In >90% of the ICc neurons tested, the range of SAM rates to which they phase-locked was unchanged after blocking inhibition with bicuculline, strychnine or phaclofen, applied either individually or in combination. We also considered the possibility that faster alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methylisoxazole-4-propionic acid (AMPA) receptors follow high temporal rates of incoming excitation but that the slower NMDA receptors could follow only lower rates. Thus at higher SAM rates, NMDA receptors might generate a sustained excitation that "smears" the phase-locked excitation generated by the AMPA receptors. The NMDA hypothesis, like the inhibition hypothesis, was also not confirmed. In none of the cells that we tested did the application of AP5 by itself, or in combination with bicuculline, cause an increase in the range of SAM rates that evoked phase-locking. These results illustrate that the same response property, phase-locking restricted to low SAM rates, is formed in more than one way in the auditory brain stem. In the MSO and DNLL, the mechanism is coincidence of phase-locked excitation and inhibition, whereas in ICc the same response feature is formed by a different but unknown mechanism.     

Modulation of T cell and monocyte function in the spleen following infection of pigs with African swine fever virus

Infection of pigs with many strains of African Swine Fever Virus (ASFV) has been shown to cause a loss or marked decrease in the ability of splenocytes to respond to mitogens. These observations have been extended by cell fractionation and reconstitution experiments to show that the mitogen stimulated proliferative capacity of both the CD4+ and CD8+ T cells is affected. Similarly, monocytes which are directly infectable by virus, are functionally defective as antigen presenting cells when added to mitogen stimulated normal T cells. Interestingly, the same T cells which respond poorly in mitogenic assays can be activated by stimulation through the CD3 receptor. In contrast to the defective mitogenic response of T cells, B cell function, as assessed by stimulation through the CD40 ligand in vitro remains intact. There is no evidence for apoptosis in either the T cells or the B cells recovered from the spleens of ASFV infected animals 1-5 days following infection. Although the number of leucocytes which can be recovered from the infected spleen decreases rapidly with progression of the disease, the proportion of the different cell phenotypes remains constant. Thus decreased activity of lymphocytes in lymphoid tissue from ASFV infected animals appears to be directly attributable to infection of the monocytes.     

An essential role for protein phosphatases in hippocampal long-term depression

The effectiveness of long-term potentiation (LTP) as a mechanism for information storage would be severely limited if processes that decrease synaptic strength did not also exist. In area CA1 of the rat hippocampus, prolonged periods of low-frequency afferent stimulation elicit a long-term depression (LTD) that is specific to the stimulated input. The induction of LTD was blocked by the extracellular application of okadaic acid or calyculin A, two inhibitors of protein phosphatases 1 and 2A. The loading of CA1 cells with microcystin LR, a membrane-impermeable protein phosphatase inhibitor, or calmodulin antagonists also blocked or attenuated LTD. The application of calyculin A after the induction of LTD reversed the synaptic depression, suggesting that phosphatase activity is required for the maintenance of LTD. These findings indicate that the synaptic activation of protein phosphatases plays an important role in the regulation of synaptic transmission.     

Scimitar syndrome in infancy

OBJECTIVES: The objectives of this study were to determine the anatomic and physiological factors most responsible for the severe symptoms and poor prognosis of infants with scimitar syndrome. BACKGROUND: Whereas the diagnosis of scimitar syndrome is often made incidentally in older children and adults who undergo chest radiography for diverse reasons, infants in whom the diagnosis is made typically present with severe symptoms and have a poor prognosis. METHODS: The clinical, catheterization and imaging data of 13 consecutive infants with scimitar syndrome who underwent cardiac catheterization in the 1st 6 months of life were reviewed, with emphasis on the pulmonary artery pressure, pulmonary and cardiovascular anatomy, therapeutic interventions and outcome. RESULTS: Twelve of the 13 infants had pulmonary hypertension at the time of diagnosis. Six patients died despite specific treatment. Eleven of 13 infants had associated cardiac malformations and 9 had large systemic arterial collateral channels to the right lung. Seven patients had anomalies involving the left side of the heart, especially varying degrees of hypoplasia of the left heart or aorta, and six of these patients died. Ten patients underwent surgical or transcatheter therapy in the 1st year of life. Systemic arteries to the right lung were ligated in three patients and occluded by transcatheter embolization in four. Balloon angioplasty was carried out in two patients, one with stenosis of the left-sided pulmonary veins and one with stenosis of the anomalous right pulmonary vein. The latter had placement of a balloon-expandable stent. In both patients, pulmonary vein stenosis progressed. Six patients had surgical repair of associated cardiovascular anomalies, and two required repair of extracardiac congenital anomalies. Occlusion of the anomalous systemic arteries was generally associated with clinical improvement, but congestive heart failure and pulmonary hypertension recurred in those patients with associated cardiovascular anomalies, whose condition subsequently responded after correction of the shunt lesions. CONCLUSIONS: The severe symptoms and pulmonary hypertension found in infants with scimitar syndrome have many causes. Anomalous systemic arterial supply, pulmonary vein stenosis and associated cardiovascular anomalies play a significant role, and the ultimate outcome of individual infants depends on the feasibility of treating these anomalies in early infancy.