Densification mechanism during reactive hot pressing of B4C-ZrO2 mixtures

The densification behaviors of pure B₄C and B₄C-ZrO₂ mixtures were compared during hot pressing. The results showed that in-situ formed ZrB₂ effectively enhanced the densification process of B₄C-ZrO₂ mixtures, more significantly during the intermediate stage. Within the relative density ranging from 0.75 to 0.90, the B₄C-15?wt%ZrO₂ mixture (B15Z) achieved the maximum densification rate as twice much as that of pure B₄C. The stress exponent n>3 indicated plastic deformation was the dominant densification mechanism of B15Z. The viscosities of plastic flow were evaluated using Murray-Rodger-William equation and the viscosity of B15Z was only a quarter of that in pure B₄C. The sintering activation energy was calculated to be 305.9?kJ/mol for pure B₄C and 197?kJ/mol for B15Z, respectively. It was proposed that the lower viscosity of plastic flow and activation energy accelerated the sliding and propagating motions of plastic flow, by which underlain the enhanced densification behaviors of B₄C-ZrO₂ mixtures.     

The Gut Microbiota: A Potential Gateway to Improved Health Outcomes in Breast Cancer Treatment and Survivorship

Breast cancer is the most frequently diagnosed cancer in women worldwide. The disease and its treatments exert profound effects on an individual’s physical and mental health. There are many factors that impact an individual’s risk of developing breast cancer, their response to treatments, and their risk of recurrence. The community of microorganisms inhabiting the gastrointestinal tract, the gut microbiota, affects human health through metabolic, neural, and endocrine signaling, and immune activity. It is through these mechanisms that the gut microbiota appears to influence breast cancer risk, response to treatment, and recurrence. A disrupted gut microbiota or state of ‘dysbiosis’ can contribute to a biological environment associated with higher risk for cancer development as well as contribute to negative treatment side-effects. Many cancer treatments have been shown to shift the gut microbiota toward dysbiosis; however, the microbiota can also be positively manipulated through diet, prebiotic and probiotic supplementation, and exercise. The objective of this review is to provide an overview of the current understanding of the relationship between the gut microbiota and breast cancer and to highlight potential strategies for modulation of the gut microbiota that could lead to improved clinical outcomes and overall health in this population.     

Modeling Impact of ROADM Intra-Node Add/Drop Contention on a Single Node Lightpath Blocking Performance

We propose an analytical model to evaluate the lightpath blocking performance for a single ROADM node with intra-node add/drop contention,in which the number of lightpaths that can be added/dropped with the same wavelength is limited by the add/drop contention factor.Different models of traffic load per nodal degree are considered to validate the effectiveness of the analytical model.The simulation results show that the proposed analytical model is effective in predicting the performance for different values of add/drop contention factor C and for variable offered loads at the node.The add/drop contention factor shows an important impact on the lightpath blocking performance and properly raising the contention factor can significantly improve the lightpath blocking performance.When the add/drop contention factor C exceeds a certain level,the performance of a ROADM with intra-node contention is close to that of a contentionless ROADM.     

回采巷道过断层施工技术

受断层影响,巷道过断层期间掘进速度缓慢,影响采掘接替和矿井生产效率。为了更好地促进矿井生产,以23上04轨顺掘进为研究对象,采用FLAC 3D软件模拟巷道过断层时巷道围岩变形量和塑性区范围,并将围岩划分为正常围岩、过渡带和破碎带3部分。根据模拟结果可知,围岩变形量和塑性区范围都在过渡带开始增大,在破碎带达到最大值。巷道采用后退卧底法过断层,并对断层破碎带及时采用锚网索、注浆、U型钢棚进行支护,通过联合支护相互配合,可以共同提高巷道支护强度,增强巷道顶帮抗变形能力。     

自制简易注浆器在境外隧洞工程施工中的应用

在乌干达卡鲁玛尾水隧洞工程前期施工中,由于国内注浆设备尚未到达,乌干达及周边国家难于买到,为了解决前期锚杆、小导管注浆等问题,项目部利用已进场的管材及乌干达能买到的材料、物资,成功地自行研制了简易锚杆、小导管注浆器,并得到了实际应用,从而保证了工程顺利开工,并取得了较好的经济效益。实际应用表明:该设备具有制作简单、操作方便、经济实用的特点。     

Analysis of the ionospheric variability based on wavelet decomposition

In this work,the ionospheric variability is analyzed by applying the wavelet decomposition technique to the noontime fo F2,F10.7,interplanetary magnetic field(IMF)Bz,Ap,and lower thermospheric temperature at pressure of 10?4 h Pa in 2002.Results show that the variance of periodic oscillations in the ionosphere is largest in the 2–4-day period and declines with the increase of the period.The maximum variance of the periodic oscillations in solar irradiation is in the 16–32-day period.For geomagnetic activities,most of the variance is about equally distributed on intervals of periods shorter than 32 days.Variance distributions of IMF Bz and lower thermospheric temperature are similar to those of the ionosphere.They show the maximum in the 2–4-day period and decline with the increase of the period.By analyzing the distributions of the variances,the potential connections between the ionosphere and the external sources are discussed.     

Structural dependence of microwave dielectric properties of spinel structured Mg2(Ti1-xSnx)O4 solid solutions: Crystal structure refinement,Raman spectra study and complex chemical bond theory

Mg₂(Ti_1-xSn_x)O₄ (x?=?0–1) ceramics were prepared through conventional solid-state method. This paper focused on the dependence of microwave dielectric properties on crystal structural characteristics via crystal structure refinement, Raman spectra study and complex chemical bond theory. XRD spectrums delineated the phase information of a spinel structure, and structural characteristic of these compositions were achieved with the help of Rietveld refinements. Raman spectrums were used to depict the correlations between vibrational phonon modes and dielectric properties. The variation of permittivity is ascribed to the Mg₂(Ti_1-xSn_x)O₄ average bond covalency. The relationship among the B-site octahedral bond energy, tetrahedral bond energy and temperature coefficient are discussed by defining on the change rate of bond energy and the contribution rate of octahedral bond energy. The quality factor is affected by systematic total lattice energy, and the research of XPS patterns illustrated that oxygen vacancies can be effectively restrained in rich oxygen sintering process. Obviously, the microwave dielectric properties of Mg₂(Ti_1-xSn_x)O₄ compounds were obtained (${\epsilon }_r$= 12.18, $Q\times f$?=?170,130?GHz, ${\tau }_f$?=??53.1?ppm/°C, x?=?0.2).     

Microstructures and mechanical properties of B4C-TiB2-SiC composites fabricated by ball milling and hot pressing

B₄C-TiB₂-SiC composites were fabricated via hot pressing using ball milled B₄C, TiB₂, and SiC powder mixtures as the starting materials. The impact of ball milling on the densification behaviors, mechanical properties, and microstructures of the ceramic composites were investigated. The results showed that the refinement of the powder mixtures and the removal of the oxide impurities played an important role in the improvement of densification and properties. Moreover, the formation of the liquid phases during the sintering was deemed beneficial for densification. The typical values of relative density, hardness, bending strength, and fracture toughness of the composites reached 99.20%, 32.84?GPa, 858?MPa and 8.21?MPa?m^1/2, respectively. Crack deflection, crack bridging, crack branching, and microcracking were considered to be the potential toughening mechanisms in the composites. Furthermore, numerous nano-sized intergranular/intragranular phases and twin structures were observed in the B₄C-TiB₂-SiC composite.