MICROSTRUCTURE AND MECHANICAL BEHAVIOUR OF Al-Li-Zr AND Al-Li-Cu-Mg-Zr ALLOYS

The aging response,tensile and impact properties of two kinds of Al-Li based alloys havebeen studied.The microstructure,deformation as well as fracture behaviour in the alloys wereobserved with SEM and TEM.It was found that the mechanisms of deformation and fracturefor different heat-treated alloys with the same chemical composition are quite different.Thecauses leading to the drop of ductility,toughness as well as anisotropy in peak-aged alloyshave been analysed.Finally,possible methods to improve the ductility and toughness of the al-loys have been discussed.     

Multi-objective Topology Optimization of Thermo-mechanical Compliant Mechanisms

The material characteristics of a structure will change with temperature variation,and will induce stress within the structure.Currently,the optimal design for the topology of compliant mechanisms is mainly performed in single physical field.However,when compliant mechanisms work in high temperature environments,their displacement outputs are generated not only by mechanical load,but also by the temperature variation which may become the prominent factor.Therefore,the influence of temperature must be considered in the design.In this paper,a novel optimization method for multi-objective topology of thermo-mechanical compliant mechanisms is presented.First,the thermal field is analyzed with finite-element method,where the thermal strain is taken into account in the constitutive relation,and the equivalent nodal thermal load is derived with the principle of virtual work.Then the thermal load is converted into physical loads in elastic field,and the control equation of the thermo-mechanical compliant mechanism is obtained.Second,the mathematical model of the multi-objective topology optimization is built by incorporating both the flexibility and stiffness.Meanwhile,the coupling sensitivity function and the sensitivity analysis equations of thermal steady-state response are derived.Finally,optimality criteria algorithm is employed to obtain numerical solution of the multi-objective topology optimization.Numerical examples show that the compliant mechanisms have better performance and are more applicable if the temperature effect is taken into account in the design process.The presented modeling and analysis methods provide a new idea and an effective approach to topology optimization of compliant mechanisms in electrothermic coupling field and multiphysics fields.     

A NEW MINERAL——FLUORBRITHOLITE-(CE)

The new mineral fluorbritholite-(Ce)occurs innepheline syenite,marble xenoliths,sodalite syenite xenoliths andpegmatite dikes at Mont St.Hilaire,Quebec.It is associatedmainly with analcine,microcline,aegirine,zircon,biotite,Pyro-phanite,astrophylite,ancylite,natrolite,monazite etc.The mineral is hexagonal,P6_3/m,with a 9.517 (5) (?),c 6.983(4)(?),c/a 0.7337,v 547.7(8)(?),Z=2.The strongest Xray powder diffraction lines and their relative intensities(visual)are:2.851(100),2.821(30),2.753(30),1.970(20),1.969(30)(for MSH-3).Fluorbritholite-(Ce) crystal is shown prismatic.Its colouris pale yellow,tan,reddish-brown.Streak colourless to palebrown;Lustre adamantine;OPaque to translucent;Hardness 5;Brittle;Cleavage{0001}distinct;Fracture even to conchoidal;Density 4.66(1)(meas) or 4.66g/cm~3(calc.);Non-fluorscent.Optically umaxial(-),ω 1.792 (5),ε1.786(5) in Na light;Nonpleochroic.Electron microprobe analyses correspond to ((Ce_(1.69) La_(1.02)Na_(0.82) Nd_(0.44) Sr_(0.30) Ca_(0.17) Mn_(0.17) Y_(0.09) Pr_(0.06)     

High-basicity determination in mixed water-alcohol solutions by a dual optical sensor approach

The activity of NaOH is known to be significantly affected by the presence of an alcohol in aqueous solutions. A novel linear relationship between (deltaA/deltaC(alcohol)) and C(base) was found in the highly alkaline, mixed H2O-ROH solutions (R = Me, Et, i-Pr). The use of this linear relationship led to a dual-transducer approach to decompose the optical signals of optical base sensors and to give base and alcohol concentrations in concentrated NaOH-H2O-ROH solutions ([OH-] = 0.05-3.6 M). The scope of the new dual-sensor approach was evaluated, and errors in C(base) and C(alcohol) were analyzed. The optical base sensors consist of sol-gel SiO2-ZrO2-organic polymer composites doped with high-pKa indicators. The pKa(s) of the indicators encapsulated in the composite films were determined and found to be affected by the composition of the sol-gel composites. Optical sensors and their uses in multicomponent systems are of intense current interest.( 1-7) In the multicomponent systems, the activity of the analyte and sensor response are often affected by change in ionic strength. For optical sensors that are based on indicator equilibria involving the analyte as their transducing mechanism, such effect is particularly significant. The concentrations of both the analyte and other chemicals affect ionic strength, and the sensor response to concentration of the analyte is thus often indistinguishable from those of other chemicals. An accurate measurement of each component in these multicomponent systems is actively studied. Several approaches have been developed to correct ionic strength in optical sensing for the pH region and solutions of low-to-medium ionic strength. (1-9) We recently reported a dual-transducer approach to measure acid concentrations (2-9 M HCl) in salt-containing, concentrated strong acids such as MClx-HCl (M = Li, Ca, Al) solutions. (10) This approach was shown to reduce the error in C(acid) from, for example,     

中国海绵城市——一座巨型绿色屋顶实验室

绿色屋顶是雨洪管理中一项重要的低影响开发（LID）措施。由于气候变化和城市快速发展,LID雨洪管理策略对于当下全球的城市设计都至关重要,尤其是在经济蓬勃发展历来又饱受洪水灾害的中国。气候变化导致降水事件及雨水径流峰值流速难以准确预测。面对建筑布局日益稠密、不透水下垫面日益增多的中国城市,设计师们需要随时做好应对城市雨洪问题的准备。2015年提出的“海绵城市”战略为在城市尺度下应用和监测绿色屋顶效益提供了机会。目前业内大多数国际性绿色屋顶的研究应用都局限于小型控制实验区,借海绵城市建设之东风有机会将应用实验扩展到城市规模。中国雨洪管理智慧的历史可以追溯至5 000年前,现今中国正处于成为大尺度绿色屋顶实践世界领先者的机遇期。因此,LID应是城市设计的驱动力量而非事后补救措施。景观设计师不仅能够从场地、城市和区域3个层面上对场地及其周围环境进行全面解读,而且对需要实施LID的其他因素也有全面认知。为探究中国雨洪管理结构提供了新的视角,对景观设计师如何参与LID实践提出了建议。     

散热器和低温水辐射采暖系统不同连接方式及控制策略动态仿真

散热器和低温水辐射采暖系统最佳连接方式一直是业界探讨的重要课题之一。本文以动态模型为手段,模拟和分析直接、混水泵及间接连接方式系统动态响应和能耗。仿真结果表明,地板热情性的提高延长了室内温度达到稳态时间;地暖系统直接连接方式是不适宜的;混水泵和间接连接系统可节省燃料消耗约17％。从控制角度看,间接连接系统具有更好的稳定性和控制精度。     

SHIRAZ: an automated histology image annotation system for zebrafish phenomics

Histological characterization is used in clinical and research contexts as a highly sensitive method for detecting the morphological features of disease and abnormal gene function. Histology has recently been accepted as a phenotyping method for the forthcoming Zebrafish Phenome Project, a large-scale community effort to characterize the morphological, physiological, and behavioral phenotypes resulting from the mutations in all known genes in the zebrafish genome. In support of this project, we present a novel content-based image retrieval system for the automated annotation of images containing histological abnormalities in the developing eye of the larval zebrafish.     

Determination of plasma concentrations of propofol associated with 50% reduction in postoperative nausea

BACKGROUND: Subhypnotic doses of propofol possess direct antiemetic properties. The authors sought to determine the plasma concentration of propofol needed to effectively manage postoperative nausea and vomiting. METHODS: Patients aged 18-70 yr who were classified as American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status 1 or 2 and had surgery during general anesthesia were approached for the study. Only patients who had nausea (verbal rating score > 5 on a 0- to 10-point scale), retching, or vomiting in the postanesthetic care unit participated. Propofol was administered to these patients to achieve target plasma concentrations of 100, 200, 400, and 800 ng/ml using a computer-assisted continuous infusion device. Target concentrations were increased every 15 min until patients described at least a 50% reduction in symptoms on the verbal rating score. An arterial blood sample was obtained at each step. The measured plasma propofol concentrations were used to analyze data. Blood pressure, heart and respiratory rates, arterial blood saturation, sedation score, and overall satisfaction with treatment were recorded. RESULTS: Of the 89 patients who consented to the study, 15 patients met entry criteria and were enrolled. Five of these patients also had retching or vomiting when they entered the study. Fourteen patients responded successfully to treatment. One patient did not achieve the required response at plasma concentrations of 830 ng/ml. Hence the success rate for the treatment of postoperative nausea and vomiting was 93%. Among patients who responded, the median plasma concentration associated with an antiemetic response was 343 ng/ml. There was no difference in sedation scores from baseline and no episodes of desaturation. Hemodynamic parameters were stable during the study. CONCLUSIONS: Propofol is generally efficacious in treating postoperative nausea and vomiting at plasma concentrations that do not produce increased sedation. Simulations indicate that to achieve antiemetic plasma propofol concentrations of 343 ng/ml, a bolus dose of 10 mg followed by an infusion of approximately 10 microg x kg(-1) x min(-1) are necessary.     

Effect of Substructure on the Thermoelectric Power of aβ-Quenched ZrCrFe Alloy

β-quenching a Zr-1.15 wt％Cr-0.10 wt％Fe alloy produces a martensitic or a Widmanst(a|¨)tten transforma-tion morphology,or a mixture of the two,depending on the cooling rate.For the Widmanst(a|¨)tten structure,orthe mixed martensitic-Widmanst(a|¨)itten structure,a grain boundary phase is observed at most prior-β grainboundaries.X-ray line broadening analysis and the thermoelectric power(TEP)measurements of thesequenched samples show that not only the solubility of alloying elements in α-Zr matrix,but also substructure(microstrain,crystallite size and dislocation density)have an effect on TEP.Thus,TEP measurements are verywell suited for following the structural transformations taking place in Zr alloys during fabrication.     

Hydrogen peroxide production by monoamine oxidase during ischemia-reperfusion in the rat brain

Monoamine oxidase (MAO) as a source of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) was evaluated during ischemia-reperfusion in vivo in the rat brain. H2O2 production was assessed with and without inhibition of MAO during and after 15 min of ischemia. Metabolism of H2O2 by catalase during ischemia and reperfusion was measured in forebrain homogenates using aminotriazole (ATZ), an irreversible H2O2-dependent inhibitor of catalase. Catecholamine and glutathione concentrations in forebrain were measured with and without MAO inhibitors. During ischemia, forebrain blood flow was reduced to 8% of baseline and H2O2 production decreased as measured at the microperoxisome. During reperfusion, a rapid increase in H2O2 generation occurred within 5 min as measured by a threefold increase in oxidized glutathione (GSSG). The H2O2-dependent rates of ATZ inactivation of catalase between control and ischemia-reperfusion were similar, indicating that H2O2 was more available to glutathione peroxidase than to catalase in this model. MAO inhibitors eliminated the biochemical indications of increased H2O2 production and increased the catecholamine concentrations. Mortality was 67% at 48 h after ischemia-reperfusion, and there was no improvement in survival after inhibition of MAO. We conclude that MAO is an important source of H2O2 generation early in brain reperfusion, but inhibition of the enzyme does not improve survival in this model despite ablating H2O2 production.