Mine operating accurate stability control with optical fibersensing and Bragg grating technology: the European BRITE/EURAM STABILOSproject

Recent developments of stability control in mines, essentially based on Ge-doped fiber Bragg gratings (FBG) are reported including results about the different aspects of the system: accurate characterizations of FBG, sensor network topology and multiplexing method, user interface design and sensor packaging     

Dynamics of urban and rural housing stocks in China

The massive migration flows from rural to urban areas in China, combined with an expected decline in the total population over the next decades, leads to two important challenges for China's housing: the growth of its urban housing stock and the shrinkage of rural housing. The rural and urban housing systems in China were analyzed using a dynamic material flow analysis model for the period 1900–2100 for several scenarios assuming different development paths for population, urbanization, housing demand per capita, and building lifetime. The simulation results indicate that new housing construction is likely to decline for several decades due to the fast growth over the past 30 years and the expected increased longevity of dwellings. Such an oscillation of new construction activity would have significant implications for the construction industry, employment, raw material demand, and greenhouse gas emissions to produce the construction materials. Policy and practical options for mitigating the negative impacts are considered.

Les flux migratoires massifs des zones rurales vers les zones urbaines en Chine, conjugués à un déclin prévu de la population totale au cours des prochaines décennies, entraînent deux défis importants pour le logement en Chine : la croissance de son parc de logements urbains et la diminution des logements ruraux. Les systèmes de logements ruraux et urbains en Chine ont été analysés en utilisant un modèle d'analyse dynamique des flux de matériaux sur la période 1900-2100 appliqué à plusieurs scénarios supposant différentes voies de développement concernant la population, l'urbanisation, la demande de logements par habitant et la durée de vie des bâtiments. Les résultats de la simulation indiquent qu'il est probable que la construction de logements neufs diminuera pendant plusieurs décennies en raison de la croissance rapide des 30 dernières années et de l'accroissement prévu de la durée de vie des logements. Une telle oscillation de l'activité de construction de logements neufs aurait d'importantes implications pour l'industrie du bâtiment, l'emploi, la demande en matières premières et les émissions de gaz à effet de serre résultant de la production des matériaux de construction. Les choix politiques et pratiques qui permettraient d'en atténuer les effets négatifs sont envisagés.

Mots clés: parcs de bâtiments, demande de constructions neuves, analyse dynamique des flux de matériaux, parc de logements, durée de vie, tendances, urbanisation, Chine     

Porous,Sintered Glass‐Ceramics from Inorganic Polymers Based on Fayalite Slag

The present paper deals with the synthesis of porous, sintered glass‐ceramics obtained at temperatures below 1150°C, originating from inorganic polymers based on fayalite slag. Firing led to the evaporation of water, dehydroxylation, and oxidation of Fe²⁺ above 345°C. For heating >700°C, the Si–O stretching band shifted from the 1160 and 750 cm^?1 to the 1255 and 830 cm^?1 region, due to a structural reorganization of the amorphous phase, whereas Fe–O bands appeared at 550 cm^?1. The final microstructure consisted predominantly of an amorphous phase, hematite, and franklinite. The open porosity and compressive strength decreased and increased, respectively, as the firing temperature increased. The final values suggest properties comparable to that of structural lightweight concrete, still, the materials synthesized herein, are lighter, and made primarily from secondary resources.     

Solution Structure of the Leader Sequence of the Patellamide Precursor Peptide,PatE1–34

The solution structure of the leader sequence of the patellamide precursor peptide was analysed by using CD and determined with NOE‐restrained molecular dynamics calculations. This leader sequence is highly conserved in the precursor peptides of some other cyanobactins harbouring heterocycles, and is assumed to play a role in targeting the precursor peptide to the post‐translational machinery. The sequence was observed to form an α‐helix spanning residues 13–28 with a hydrophobic surface on one side of the helix. This hydrophobic surface is proposed to be the site of the initial binding with modifying enzymes.     

The impact of treatment time and smoking on local control and complications in T1 glottic cancer

Low frequency impedance measurements of pure egg lecithin (phosphatidylcholine) bilayers have revealed the presence of four layers which can be attributed to the acyl chain, carbonyl, glycerol bridge and phosphatidylcholine regions of the lecithin molecule. Measurements on bilayers formed in the presence of unoxidised-cholesterol revealed that cholesterol molecules were located in the hydrocarbon region of the bilayer with its hydroxyl groups aligned with the carbonyl region of the lecithin molecules. Measurements of oxidised-cholesterol lecithin bilayers revealed that these molecules protruded less into the hydrocarbon region and their polar hydroxyl group aligned with the glycerol bridge region of the lecithin molecule.     

Atmospheric transport of polybrominated diphenyl ethers and polychlorinated biphenyls to the Baltic Sea

The atmospheric transport of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) was compared by measuring concentrations in air and deposition on an island located in the central basin of the Baltic Sea. Median sigmaPBDE and sigmaPCB concentrations (gaseous + particle) were 8.6 and 7.4 pg m(-3), respectively. Airborne PCBs were mainly found in the gaseous phase, while most of the PBDEs were detected on particles, which agrees with predicted particle/gas distributions. SigmaPBDE levels were dominated by the decabrominated BDE209 followed bythe tetrabrominated BDE47 and pentabrominated BDE99. BDE209 is a marker for the environmental distribution of the commercial deca-BDE formulation (>99.5% BDE209), whereas BDE47 and BDE99 are markers for the commercial penta-BDE mixture. General correlations between PBDEs and PCBs suggested similarities in sources and transport mechanism, while more detailed examination of the data identified notable behaviors and exceptions. Differences in regression slopes among tetra-, penta-, and decabrominated PBDEs may reflect different transport processes and the change in usage pattern. Tetra- and pentabrominated PBDEs may originate from secondary sources such as air surface exchange in a manner similar to that of the PCBs, while the deca-BDE209 formulation still has primary sources. The tribrominated BDE17 was also detected and is proposed to be a breakdown product due to atmospheric debromination processes. PBDEs had higher washout ratios than PCBs, explaining their higher concentrations compared to PCBs in precipitation (median of 6.0 and 0.5 ng L(-1) for sigmaBDE and sigmaPCB concentrations ("dissolved" + particle), respectively) than in air. The calculated yearly deposition of PBDEs and PCBs indicated that the atmospheric input of PBDEs to the Baltic Proper is currently exceeding that of the PCBs by a factor of 40, while that of the PCBs is decreasing.     

Trace organic solutes in closed-loop forward osmosis applications: Influence of membrane fouling and modeling of solute build-up

In this study, trace organics transport in closed-loop forward osmosis (FO) systems was assessed. The FO systems considered, consisted of an FO unit and a nanofiltration (NF) or reverse osmosis (RO) unit, with the draw solution circulating between both units. The rejection of trace organics by FO, NF and RO was tested. It was found that the rejection rates of FO were generally comparable with NF and lower than RO rejection rates. To assess the influence of fouling in FO on trace organics rejection, FO membranes were fouled with sodium alginate, bovine serum albumin or by biofilm growth, after which trace organics rejection was tested. A negative influence of fouling on FO rejection was found which was limited in most cases, while it was significant for some compounds such as paracetamol and naproxen, indicating specific compound-foulant interactions. The transport mechanism of trace organics in FO was tested, in order to differentiate between diffusive and convective transport. The concentration of trace organics in the final product water and the build-up of trace organics in the draw solution were modeled assuming the draw solution was reconcentrated by NF/RO and taking into account different transport mechanisms for the FO membrane and different rejection rates by NF/RO. Modeling results showed that if the FO rejection rate is lower than the RO rejection rate (as is the case for most compounds tested), the added value of the FO-RO cycle compared to RO only at steady-state was small for diffusively and negative for convectively transported trace organics. Modeling also showed that trace organics accumulate in the draw solution.     

Influence of central command and ergoreceptors on the splanchnic circulation during isometric exercise

The splanchnic circulation can make a major contribution to blood flow changes. However, the role of the splanchnic circulation in the reflex adjustments to the blood pressure increased during isometric exercise is not well documented. The central command and the muscle chemoreflex are the two major mechanisms involved in the blood pressure response to isometric exercise. This study aimed to examine the behaviour of the superior mesenteric artery during isometric handgrip (IHG) at 30% maximal voluntary contraction (MVC). The pulsatility index (PI) of the blood velocity waveform of the superior mesenteric artery was taken as the study parameter. A total of ten healthy subjects [mean age, 21.1 (SEM 0.3) years] performed an IHG at 30% MVC for 90 s. At 5 s prior to the end of the exercise, muscle circulation was arrested for 90 s to study the effect of the muscle chemoreflex (post exercise arterial occlusion, PEAO). The IHG at 30% MVC caused a decrease in superior mesenteric artery PI, from 4.84 (SEM 1.57) at control level to 3.90 (SEM 1.07) (P = 0.015). The PI further decreased to 3.17 (SEM 0.70) (P = 0.01) during PEAO. Our results indicated that ergoreceptors may be involved in the superior mesenteric artery vasodilatation during isometric exercise.     

Lisuride treatment of Alzheimer''s disease. A preliminary placebo-controlled clinical trial of safety and therapeutic efficacy

The approach to nasal bone classic corrective rhinoplasty is an almost-blind technique, where the results depends on feeling by the surgeon's hand. To overcome these drawbacks, endoscopic-assisted corrective rhinoplasty and septoplasty were performed for 16 cases of deviated noses between January 1995 and May 1997. The average follow-up period was 18 months. All patients were evaluated by symmetrical nasal pyramid, recurrence of the bony deflection, and septal deviation. The postoperative courses were satisfactory in most cases, with few complications. Compared with 28 cases of classic rhinoplasty, the patient satisfaction rate was high (87.5% in endoscopic-assisted rhinoplasty, 71.4% in classic rhinoplasty), and the complication and revision rate was low (0% in endoscopic-assisted rhinoplasty, 14.3 and 7.1% in classic rhinoplasty). But extra time (about 40 min) and greater expense were required for endoscopic-assisted rhinoplasty. It appeared to us that endoscopic control during corrective rhinoplasty and septoplasty is a big step toward obtaining better results in bony and cartilage resection with extreme precision under monitor control and magnification. This technique is not an open approach but permits one to see more of the nasal skeleton and bony septum, the cause of the deformity, and the immediate effect of the corrective measures used. The use of an endoscope in corrective rhinoplasty for deviated noses provides an expanded field of vision, direct manipulation of lesions, and better aesthetic and functional results.