Seismic behavior of geosynthetic-reinforced retaining walls backfilled with cohesive soil

This study investigates the seismic performance of geosynthetic-reinforced modular block retaining walls backfilled with cohesive, fine grained clay-sand soil mixture. Shaking table tests were performed for three ½ scaled (wall height 190 cm) and ¼ scaled model walls to investigate the effects of backfill type, the influence of reinforcement length and reinforcement stiffness effects. The El Centro and Kobe earthquake records of varying amplitudes were used as base acceleration. Displacement of the front wall, accelerations at different locations, strains on the reinforcements, and the visual observations of the facing and the backfill surface were used to evaluate the seismic performance of model walls. The model walls were subjected to rigorous shaking and the walls did not exhibit any stability problems or signs of impending failure. The maximum deformations observed on the models with cohesive backfill was less than half of the deformation of the sand model. The load transfers between the geogrid and cohesive soil was comparable to that of sand and hence the needed reinforcement length was similar as well. As a result; the model walls with cohesive backfills performed within acceptable limits under seismic loading conditions when compared with granular backfilled counterparts.     

Tangeretin Ameliorates Glucose-Induced Podocyte Injury through Blocking Epithelial to Mesenchymal Transition Caused by Oxidative Stress and Hypoxia

Podocyte injury inevitably results in leakage of proteins from the glomerular filter and is vital in the pathogenesis of diabetic nephropathy (DN). The underlying mechanisms of podocyte injury facilitate finding of new therapeutic targets for DN treatment and prevention. Tangeretin is an O-polymethoxylated flavone present in citrus peels with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. This study investigated the renoprotective effects of tangeretin on epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition-mediated podocyte injury and fibrosis through oxidative stress and hypoxia caused by hyperglycemia. Mouse podocytes were incubated in media containing 33 mM glucose in the absence and presence of 1–20 μM tangeretin for up to 6 days. The in vivo animal model employed db/db mice orally administrated with 10 mg/kg tangeretin for 8 weeks. Non-toxic tangeretin inhibited glucose-induced expression of the mesenchymal markers of N-cadherin and α-smooth muscle actin in podocytes. However, the reduced induction of the epithelial markers of E-cadherin and P-cadherin was restored by tangeretin in diabetic podocytes. Further, tangeretin enhanced the expression of the podocyte slit diaphragm proteins of nephrin and podocin down-regulated by glucose stimulation. The transmission electron microscopic images revealed that foot process effacement and loss of podocytes occurred in diabetic mouse glomeruli. However, oral administration of 10 mg/kg tangeretin reduced urine albumin excretion and improved foot process effacement of diabetic podocytes through inhibiting loss of slit junction and adherenes junction proteins. Glucose enhanced ROS production and HIF-1α induction in podocytes, leading to induction of oxidative stress and hypoxia. Similarly, in diabetic glomeruli reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and HIF-1α induction were observed. Furthermore, hypoxia-evoking cobalt chloride induced epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) process and loss of slit diaphragm proteins and junction proteins in podocytes, which was inhibited by treating submicromolar tangeretin. Collectively, these results demonstrate that tangeretin inhibited podocyte injury and fibrosis through blocking podocyte EMT caused by glucose-induced oxidative stress and hypoxia.     

Temperature cycling and its effect on mechanical behaviours of highporosity chalks

Temperature history can have a significant effect on the strength of water-saturated chalk.In this study,hydrostatic stress cycles are applied to understand the mechanical response of chalk samples exposed to temperature cycling between each stress cycle,compared to the samples tested at a constant temperature.The total accumulated strain during a stress cycle and the irreversible strain are reported.Chalk samples from Kansas(USA)and Mons(Belgium),with different degrees of induration(i.e.amount of contact cementation),were used.The samples were saturated with equilibrated water(polar)and nonpolar Isopar H oil to quantify water weakening.All samples tested during 10 stress cycles with varying temperature(i.e.temperature cycled in between each stress cycle)accumulated more strain than those tested at constant temperatures.All the stress cycles were performed at 30℃.The two chalk types behaved similarly when saturated with Isopar H oil,but differently when saturated with water.When saturated with water,the stronger Kansas chalk accumulated more total strain and more irreversible strain within each stress cycle than the weaker Mons chalk.     

Effects of ethylene-octene copolymer (POE) on the brittle to ductile transition of high-density polyethylene/POE blends

Three kinds of ethylene-octene copolymers (POE) were melt-blended with high-density polyethylene (PE-HD) in different proportions. Detailed characterizations were conducted to analyze their structural differences of POE and its effects in toughening PE-HD. The higher molecular weight POE can improve the toughness of PE-HD. 60:40 PE-HD/POE is elongated to break up to 700% while impact strength is 84.7 kJ/m² at −30°C, which is 21-fold of PE-HD. In the brittle to ductile transition (BDT) during impact, the fracture mechanism changes from the crazing mode to the shear yield-plastic deformation mode. The BDT temperature decreases as the POE molecular weight and its content increase. The interface strength in tension is estimated to access their effects. The Boltzmann-type models were successfully extended to describe the typical S-shaped curves in BDT of notched impact strength vs POE content or temperature. The supplementary decay model is suggested for the attenuation in toughening. Transition map in impact is proposed to select the use range of composition (c ) and temperature (T ) for high toughness. The curves are converted into 3D graph of T -c -impact strength for illustrating their coupling-separate effects, and further into the contour map of impact strength in T -c space for finding their partial equivalence.     

Suitability,efficiency and microbiological safety of novel physical technologies for the processing of ready‐to‐eat meals,meats and pumpable products

Consumer studies and market reports show an increase in consumption of ready‐to‐eat (RTE) foods. Although conventional processing technologies can in most cases produce safe products, they can also lead to the degradation of nutritional compounds and negatively affect quality characteristics. Consumers strongly prefer food that is minimally processed with the maximum amount of health‐promoting substances. Novel processing technologies as pre‐ or post‐treatment decontamination methods or as substitutes of conventional technologies have the potential to produce foods that are safe, rich in nutrient content and with superior organoleptic properties. Combining novel with conventional processes can eliminate potential drawbacks of novel technologies. This review examines available scientific information and critically evaluates the suitability and efficiency of various novel thermal and nonthermal technologies in terms of microbial safety, quality as well as nutrient content on the production of RTE meals, meats and pumpable products.     

双河油田注入水适应性及注水井酸化解堵研究

考察了双河油田双河联、江河联注入水堵塞地层的因素;膨胀性黏土，悬浮固体颗粒。细菌及悬浮污油。含膨胀性黏土的双河南、双河北及不含膨胀性黏土的双江岩心粉，在注入水中相对于地层水中的体积膨胀度分别为14．5％、11．1％及0．02％；注入100PV不含悬浮颗粒的等体积比地层水、注入水混合水使双河、双江岩心渗透率分别下降7％和4％、9％和7％。注入水中悬浮颗粒引起岩心渗透率下降，粒径越大、颗粒浓度越大、注入量越大，则渗透率越低。在粒径2．1μm或颗粒浓度3mg／L前后下降幅度变化较大。注入水中硫酸盐还原菌引起岩心渗透率下降，含菌量越大则渗透率开始下降时的注水量越小，注入含菌50个／L的水100PV使岩心渗透率下降7％。岩心对注水合油量敏感，注入含油量20mg／L的水50PV使岩心渗透率下降20％。在岩心注水实验中渗透率下降最严重的是双河南岩心，其次是双河北岩心．江河岩心较轻，注入精细过滤水的双河北岩心渗透率下降大大减少．说明悬浮固体是造成注水堵塞的主要因素。为了解除双河油田注水井的堵塞，研制了含黏土稳定剂、缓蚀剂、铁离子稳定剂、互溶剂的土酸液，与南阳油田使用的低伤害酸液一起，用于1口注水井的解堵，效果良好。图7表4参5。     

露天转地下联合开采技术探讨

针对复杂型锰矿开采提出了由露天转地下联合开采技术，与其它采矿方法相比较，这种方法提高了回采率，降低了采矿成本。     

Inhibition of microbial growth in ready‐to‐eat food stored at ambient temperature by modified atmosphere packaging

This study was undertaken to develop a modified atmosphere package to control microbial growth in ready‐to‐eat (RTE) products stored at ambient temperature. Ethanol and/or limonene associated with modified atmosphere (CO₂ : O₂ : N₂ = 30% : 5% : 65%) was used to inhibit the growth of total air‐borne microorganisms and Escherichia coli in RTE products stored at 25°C. The results indicated that 0.05% ethanol vapour in the headspace was effective to inhibit the growth of air‐borne microorganisms and E. coli at 25°C for 72 h in a model study, and the effectiveness was related to ethanol content. Both 73 ppm limonene and 0.05% ethanol vapour enhanced the bacteriostatic effect of modified atmosphere in RTE sushi roll products, and no off‐flavour was detected using this formulated gas; however, no significant inhibitory effect was observed for RTE cold noodle products. This study concludes that combinations of carbon dioxide, ethanol or limonene vapours are effective to inhibit microbial growth in RTE food at ambient temperature, and the outcome may be due to the hurdle effect. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

大庆长垣以东地区深层天然气输导特征及成藏

大庆长垣以东地区深层天然气输导通道主要由断裂、不整合面和砂体构成。该区砂体横向分布不稳定，物性差，不是天然气侧向长距离运移的输导通道，但可以起到衔接输导作用。输导通道时该区天然气成藏与分布起到了重要控制作用，主要表现在断裂将天然气输导致上覆不同储集层中聚集成藏。不整合面和砂体将天然气输导到四周古隆起上聚集成藏。沿断裂输导的天然气形成以断层为主的构造气藏。沿不整合面和砂体输导的天然气形成以地层及岩性为主的气藏。沿断裂输导运移聚集的天然气在剖面上呈串多层分布，沿不整合面和砂体输导运移聚集的天然气在平面上呈环状分布。     

国产风机盘管空调系统常见问题分析

分析了国产风机盘管使用中常见的问题,指出机组因风量不足、冷量风量匹配不合理以及风机盘管某些设备故障,导致了风机盘管精度低、舒适性差、能耗高等一系列问题。指出应引起空调设计和运行维护人员的注意。