κ-Opioid Signaling in the Lateral Hypothalamic Area Modulates Nicotine-Induced Negative Energy Balance

Several studies have reported that nicotine, the main bioactive component of tobacco, exerts a marked negative energy balance. Apart from its anorectic action, nicotine also modulates energy expenditure, by regulating brown adipose tissue (BAT) thermogenesis and white adipose tissue (WAT) browning. These effects are mainly controlled at the central level by modulation of hypothalamic neuropeptide systems and energy sensors, such as AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK). In this study, we aimed to investigate the kappa opioid receptor (κOR)/dynorphin signaling in the modulation of nicotine’s effects on energy balance. We found that body weight loss after nicotine treatment is associated with a down-regulation of the κOR endogenous ligand dynorphin precursor and with a marked reduction in κOR signaling and the p70 S6 kinase/ribosomal protein S6 (S6K/rpS6) pathway in the lateral hypothalamic area (LHA). The inhibition of these pathways by nicotine was completely blunted in κOR deficient mice, after central pharmacological blockade of κOR, and in rodents where κOR was genetically knocked down specifically in the LHA. Moreover, κOR-mediated nicotine effects on body weight do not depend on orexin. These data unravel a new central regulatory pathway modulating nicotine’s effects on energy balance.     

Topology optimization for crashworthiness of thin-walled structures under axial crash considering nonlinear plastic buckling and locations of plastic hinges

Although topology optimization is established for linear static problems, more effort is required for solving nonlinear plastic problems. A new topology optimization approach with equivalent static loads (ESLs) is suggested to find the optimum topologies and locations of plastic hinges of thin-walled crash boxes by considering crash-induced deformation, the main crash energy-absorbing mechanism. Together with finite element method crashworthiness analyses, considering all nonlinearities with rate-dependent plasticity, the method was developed using an appropriate time-incremental scheme of ESLs without removing any high values of loads. Analyses show that the crash boxes with optimum topologies have energy-absorbing capabilities equivalent to the original structure. The proposed method is evaluated for two crashes: a crash box at low speed and a double cell subjected to high-speed collision. The results indicate that this method captures nonlinear crushing behaviours and accurate locations of plastic hinges where, if proper reinforcements are made, energy absorption can be enhanced.     

The potential of energy flexibility of space heating and cooling in Portugal

This study assesses the potential of energy flexibility of space heating and cooling for a typical household under different geographical conditions in Portugal. The proposed approach modifies the demand through the optimization of the thermostat settings using a genetic algorithm to reduce either operational costs or interaction with the grid. The results show that the used energy flexibility indicator expresses the available potential and that flexibility depends on several factors, namely: i) thermal inertia of the archetypical household; ii) the time of use electricity tariffs; iii) users’ comfort boundaries; and iv) the geographical location of the houses.     

Ballistic behavior of plain and reinforced concrete slabs under high velocity impact

This work presents a numerical simulation of ballistic penetration and high velocity impact behavior of plain and reinforced concrete slabs. In this paper, we focus on the comparison of the performance of the plain and reinforced concrete slabs of unconfined compressive strength 41 MPa under ballistic impact. The concrete slab has dimensions of 675 mm × 675 mm × 200 mm, and is meshed with 8-node hexahedron solid elements in the impact and outer zones. The ogive-nosed projectile is considered as rigid element that has a mass of 0.386 kg and a length of 152 mm. The applied velocities vary between 540 and 731 m/s. 6 mm of steel reinforcement bars were used in the reinforced concrete slabs. The constitutive material modeling of the concrete and steel reinforcement bars was performed using the Johnson-Holmquist-2 damage and the Johnson-Cook plasticity material models, respectively. The analysis was conducted using the commercial finite element package Abaqus/Explicit. Damage diameters and residual velocities obtained by the numerical model were compared with the experimental results and effect of steel reinforcement and projectile diameter were studies. The validation showed good agreement between the numerical and experimental results. The added steel reinforcements to the concrete samples were found efficient in terms of ballistic resistance comparing to the plain concrete sample.     

大位移井钻柱振动规律研究与应用

在大位移井钻井工程中钻柱受着各种振动，当各种振动共振时，钻柱承受着非常大的动载，很容易受损，同时，钻柱的振动影响着井壁的稳定，严重威胁着井下的作业安全。以大位移井近井底的钻柱为研究对象，分析了钻柱振动行为所遵循的规律。采用线性分析法，获得了大位移井钻柱横向振动和扭转振动的频谱方程。同时获得了钻柱各种共振频率的分布。经分析表明：大位移井钻柱的横向振动和扭转振动的共振频率与实际钻井转速非常接近，应合理选择转速以减小钻柱共振的发生。文章的分析研究为大位移井钻柱动态行为的研究提供了理论依据。     

一种弯曲抽油杆打捞工具

为安全、快速、有效地解决顶部极度弯曲、径向变形尺寸很大的落井抽油杆打捞难题,研制了一种在套管内打捞弯曲抽油杆的工具。该工具把以往从落物顶端引入打捞改为从落物侧面引入打捞,使复杂的井下故障处理简单化,从而缩短修井周期,减少修井费用,及时恢复油井生产。该项技术先后在江苏油田6口油井上应用,成功率100%,验证了工具的独特性和可靠性。     

Field Static Load Test on Kao-Ping-Hsi Cable-Stayed Bridge

Field load testing is an effective method for understanding the behavior and fundamental characteristics of a cable-stayed bridge. This paper presents the results of field static load tests on the Kao-Ping-Hsi cable-stayed bridge, the longest cable-stayed bridge in Taiwan, before it was open to traffic. A total of 40 loading cases, including the unit and distributed bending and torsion loading effects, were conducted to investigate the bridge behavior. The atmospheric temperature effect on the variations of the main girder deflections was also monitored. The results of static load testing include the main girder deflections, the flexural strains of the prestressed concrete girder, and the variations of the cable forces. A three-dimensional finite-element model was developed. The results show that the bridge under the planned load test conditions has linear superposition characteristics and the analytical model shows a very good agreement with the bridge responses. Further discussion of deflection and cable forces of the design specifications for a cable-stayed bridge is also presented.     

A new monitoring system for piping systems in fossil fired power plants

A CEC-funded project has been performed to tackle the problem of producing an advanced Life Monitoring System (LMS) which would calculate the creep and fatigue damage experienced by high temperature pipework components. Four areas were identified where existing Life Monitoring System technology could be improved:

1. 1. the inclusion of creep relaxation

2. 2. the inclusion of external loads on components

3. 3. a more accurate method of calculating thermal stresses due to temperature transients

4. 4. the inclusion of high cycle fatigue terms.

The creep relaxation problem was solved using stress reduction factors in an analytical in-elastic stress calculation. The stress reduction factors were produced for a number of common geometries and materials by means of non-linear finite element analysis. External loads were catered for by producing influence coefficients from in-elastic analysis of the particular piping system and using them to calculate bending moments at critical positions on the pipework from load and displacement measurements made at the convenient points at the pipework. The thermal stress problem was solved by producing a completely new solution based on Green's Function and Fast Fourier transforms. This allowed the thermal stress in a complex component to be calculated from simple non-intrusive thermocouple measurements made on the outside of the component. The high-cycle fatigue problem was dealt with precalculating the fatigue damage associated with standard transients and adding this damage to cumulative total when a transient occurred.

The site testing provided good practical experience and showed up problems which would not otherwise have been detected.     

底部两层框架-抗震墙砖房抗震能力的分析方法与设计控制

提出了底部两层框架 -抗震墙砖房框剪层和砖混层的极限受剪承载力、侧移刚度、极限剪力系数计算公式 ,并基于设置不同数量抗震墙的底部两层框架 -抗震墙砖房的实例计算和弹塑性时程分析 ,给出了结构砖混过渡层与相邻框剪层的极限剪力系数比和侧移刚度比的合理取值及薄弱楼层位置判别和破坏状态评定的方法和原则。