Mechanism of improvement in the strength and volume change behavior of lime stabilized soil

An attempt has been made to bring out the influence on strength and volume change behavior of fabric changes and new cementitious compound formation in a soil upon addition of various lime contents and with curing periods. The effects of changes in fabric of treatment with various lime contents (0, 2,4 and 6%) and with curing periods (0, 7, 14 and 28 days) have been evaluated by one-dimensional consolidation tests, in terms of void ratio changes and compressibility. The strength of soil treated with different lime contents with curing periods up to 28 days, and with the optimum lime content of 6% up to one year has been determined by unconfined compression tests. Comparison of effects of lime on the strength and volume change behavior of the soil brings out that the formation of flocculated fabric and cation exchange significantly reduces the compressibility of soil but marginally increases the strength. Cementation of soil particles and filling with cementitious compounds of the voids of flocculated fabric in the soil marginally reduces the compressibility but significantly increases the strength. Thus, the mechanism of volume change behavior of soil treated with lower lime content at short curing periods is distinctly different from that of the soil treated with optimum lime content at longer curing periods. This is consistent with the increase in the permeability caused by the addition from 2 to 4% lime and the decrease following the addition of 6% lime. Changes consistent with mechanical behavior have been determined by scanning electron microscope, X-ray diffraction and thermal analyses, energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer and pH value in microstructure, mineralogy, chemical composition and alkalinity, respectively. (C) 2015 Published by Elsevier B.V.

Regulation of Growth, Cell Shape, Cell Division, and Gene Expression by Second Messengers (p)ppGpp and Cyclic Di-GMP in Mycobacterium smegmatis

The alarmone (p)ppGpp regulates transcription, translation, replication, virulence, lipid synthesis, antibiotic sensitivity, biofilm formation, and other functions in bacteria. Signaling nucleotide cyclic di-GMP (c-di-GMP) regulates biofilm formation, motility, virulence, the cell cycle, and other functions. In Mycobacterium smegmatis, both (p) ppGpp and c-di-GMP are synthesized and degraded by bifunctional proteins Rel(Msm) and DcpA, encoded by rel(Msm) and dcpA genes, respectively. We have previously shown that the Delta rel(Msm) and Delta dcpA knockout strains are antibiotic resistant and defective in biofilm formation, show altered cell surface properties, and have reduced levels of glycopeptidolipids and polar lipids in their cell wall (K. R. Gupta, S. Kasetty, and D. Chatterji, Appl Environ Microbiol 81:2571-2578, 2015, http://dx.doi.org/10.1128/AEM.03999-14). In this work, we have explored the phenotypes that are affected by both (p) ppGpp and c-di-GMP in mycobacteria. We have shown that both (p) ppGpp and c-di-GMP are needed to maintain the proper growth rate under stress conditions such as carbon deprivation and cold shock. Scanning electron microscopy showed that low levels of these second messengers result in elongated cells, while high levels reduce the cell length and embed the cells in a biofilm-like matrix. Fluorescence microscopy revealed that the elongated Delta rel(Msm) and Delta dcpA cells are multinucleate, while transmission electron microscopy showed that the elongated cells are multiseptate. Gene expression analysis also showed that genes belonging to functional categories such as virulence, detoxification, lipid metabolism, and cell-wall-related processes were differentially expressed. Our results suggests that both (p) ppGpp and c-di-GMP affect some common phenotypes in M. smegmatis, thus raising a possibility of cross talk between these two second messengers in mycobacteria. IMPORTANCE Our work has expanded the horizon of (p) ppGpp and c-di-GMP signaling in Gram-positive bacteria. We have come across a novel observation that M. smegmatis needs (p) ppGpp and c-di-GMP for cold tolerance. We had previously shown that the Delta rel(Msm) and Delta dcpA strains are defective in biofilm formation. In this work, the overproduction of (p) ppGpp and c-di-GMP encased M. smegmatis in a biofilm-like matrix, which shows that both (p) ppGpp and c-di-GMP are needed for biofilm formation. The regulation of cell length and cell division by (p) ppGpp was known in mycobacteria, but our work shows that c-di-GMP also affects the cell size and cell division in mycobacteria. This is perhaps the first report of c-di-GMP regulating cell division in mycobacteria.

The MHP36 line of murine neural stem cells expresses functional CXCR1 chemokine receptors that initiate chemotaxis in vitro.

Chemokines help to establish cerebral inflammation after ischemia, which comprises a major component of secondary brain injury. The CXCR4 chemokine receptor system induces neural stem cell migration, and hence has been implicated in brain repair. We show that CXCR1 and interleukin-8 also stimulate chemotaxis in murine neural stem cells from the MHP36 cell line. The presence of CXCR1 was confirmed by reverse transcriptase PCR and immunohistochemistry. Interleukin-8 evoked intracellular calcium currents, upregulated doublecortin (a protein expressed by migrating neuroblasts), and elicited positive chemotaxis in vitro. Therefore, effectors of the early innate immune response may also influence brain repair mechanisms.

Shear deformation analysis on laser-induced reverse bulging and plugging

A new kind of failure mode is observed in circular brass foils in which their peripheries are fixed and their surfaces are subjected to a long pulsed laser over a central region. The failure is classified into three stages; they are referred to as thermal bulging, localized shear deformation and perforation by plugging. A distinct feature of the failure mode is that bulging and plugging occurred in the direction opposite to the incident laser beam. To study the failure mode, we investigate the non-linear response of heated, non-homogeneous circular plates. Based on the large deflection equations of Berger [J. Appl. Mech. 22 (3), 465-472 (1965)], Ohnabe and Mizuguchi [Int. J. Non-Linear Mech. 28 (4), 365-372 (1993)] and the parabolic shear deformation theory of Bhimaraddi and Stevens [J. Appl. Mech. 51 (1), 195-198 (1984)], we have derived new coupled governing equations of shear deformation and deflection. The new equations are solved, for the plate with a clamped edge, by the Galerkin and iterative methods. The numerical results for the shear deformation distribution are in good agreement with the experimental observation.

Determination Ofinterfacial Mechanical Parameters For An Al/Epoxy/Al2O3 System Byusing Peel Test Simulations

Peel test measurements and simulations of the interfacial mechanical parameters for the Al/Epoxy/Al2O3 system are performed in the present investigation. A series of Al film thicknesses between 20 and 250 microns and three peel angles of 90, 135 and 180 degrees are considered. Two types of epoxy adhesives are adopted to obtain both strong and weak interface adhesions. A finite element model with cohesive zone elements is used to identify the interfacial parameters and simulate the peel test process. By simulating and recording normal stress near the crack tip, the separation strength is obtained. Furthermore, the cohesive energy is identified by comparing the simulated steady-state peel force and the experimental result. It is found from the research that both the cohesive energy and the separation strength can be taken as the intrinsic interfacial parameters which are dependent on the thickness of the adhesive layer and independent of the film thickness and peel angle.

Energy Principle And Nonlinear Electric-Mechanical Behavior Of Ferroelectric Ceramics

Many experimental observations have shown that a single domain in a ferroelectric material switches by progressive movement of domain walls, driven by a combination of electric field and stress. The mechanism of the domain switch involves the following steps: initially, the domain has a uniform spontaneous polarization; new domains with the reverse polarization direction nucleate, mainly at the surface, and grow though the crystal thickness; the new domain expands sideways as a new domain continues to form; finally, the domain switch coalesces to complete the polarization reversal. According to this mechanism, the volume fraction of the domain switching is introduced in the constitutive law of the ferroelectric material and used to study the nonlinear constitutive behavior of a ferroelectric body in this paper. The principle of stationary total potential energy is put forward in which the basic unknown quantities are the displacement u(i), electric displacement D-i and volume fraction rho(I) of the domain switching for the variant I. The mechanical field equation and a new domain switching criterion are obtained from the principle of stationary total potential energy. The domain switching criterion proposed in this paper is an expansion and development of the energy criterion established by Hwang et al. [ 1]. Based on the domain switching criterion, a set of linear algebraic equations for determining the volume fraction rho(I) of domain switching is obtained, in which the coefficients of the linear algebraic equations only contain the unknown strain and electric fields. If the volume fraction rho(I) of domain switching for each domain is prescribed, the unknown displacement and electric potential can be obtained based on the conventional finite element procedure. It is assumed that a domain switches if the reduction in potential energy exceeds a critical energy barrier. According to the experimental results, the energy barrier will strengthen when the volume fraction of the domain switching increases. The external mechanical and electric loads are increased step by step. The volume fraction rho(I) of domain switching for each element obtained from the last loading step is used as input to the constitutive equations. Then the strain and electric fields are calculated based on the conventional finite element procedure. The finite element analysis is carried out on the specimens subjected to uniaxial coupling stress and electric field. Numerical results and available experimental data are compared and discussed. The present theoretic prediction agrees reasonably with the experimental results.

Tratamiento silvicultural, monitoreo y repoblación con iguana (Iguana iguana) en bosque de galeria de la unidad productiva hacienda Las Mercedes sur del lago Xolotlán

El estudio fue realizado en la Unidad Productiva “Hacienda Las Mercedes” patrimonio de la Universidad Nacional Agraria (UNA). El objetivo fue contribuir a la conservación del Bosque de Galería mediante la aplicación del tratamiento silvicultural de enriquecimiento y repoblación con la especie Iguana iguana. La metodología se desarrolló iniciando con una visita de reconocimiento a La ribera de la Presa Los Sábalos (sitio de la plantación forestal) y a la ribera Presa Las Mercedes (sitio para la repoblación con iguanas). El experimento de de repoblación forestal inició con el establecimiento de seis parcelas con especies forestales ( Pithecellobium saman (jacq) Bent, Swietenia humilis Zucc, Guazuma ulmifolia Lam, Calycophyllum candidissimum (Vahl) DC, Albizzia caribeae (Urb).B&R y Dalbergia retusa Hemsl) en un área de 0.22 ha. Dentro de cada parcela se ubicó una parcela útil (16 individuos) para realizar el levantamiento de datos dasométricos (altura cm, diámetro basal mm y sobrevivencia) y análisis estadístico. Luego se identificaron las especies vegetales presentes en la plantación y se monitoreo (caracterización del sitio) de Iguana iguana (Iguana verde) y Ctenosaura similis (Garrobo negro también conocida como iguana rayada), para lo cual se establecieron seis transeptos (156 m, 200 m, 209 m, 212 m, 190 m y 198 m) en 4.9 ha con la aplicación del método de King. Posteriormente se estableció la repoblación con la especie Iguana iguana; para ello se introdujeron 18 hembras y 6 machos. Por último se realizo el procesamiento y análisis de la información obtenida. Los mayores incrementos promedios totales y mensuales en altura y diámetro basal se presentaron en C. candidissimum (Vahl) DC (21.93 cm y 3.655 cm y 0.34 mm y 0.057 mm). En la sobrevivencia los valores de excelente (100%) lo obtuvieron las especies C. candidissimum (Vahl) DC y D. retusa Hemsl y entre los buenos resultaron G. ulmifolia (76%) y S. humilis (67%). La sobrevivencia promedio de las especies forestales establecidas fue de (87 %). 10 especies vegetales fueron identificadas (Elitraria imbricata, Baltimora recta, Sida acuta, Lantara camara, Rowolfio tetrafila, Commelina difusa, Priva lappulaceae, Mimosa pudica, Datura stramonium y Solanum? americanum). En el primer monitoreo no se encontró Iguana iguana solo la Ctenosaura similis (52 individuos), observado en los transeptos 2, 4 y 6 (en sitios con árboles grandes y frondosos, distantes de la fuente de agua. Después de la repoblación, la especie Iguana iguana (51 individuos) se observó en los transectos 2, 5 y 6 (en sitios próximos a fuentes de agua, árboles pequeños. Y Ctenosaura similis (48 individuos) se observó en los transectos 2, 3, 4 y 6.

Effective elastic modulus of bone-like hierarchical materials

A shear-lag model is used to study the mechanical properties of bone-like hierarchical materials. The relationship between the overall effective modulus and the number of hierarchy level is obtained. The result is compared with that based on the tension-shear chain model and finite element simulation, respectively. It is shown that all three models can be used to describe the mechanical behavior of the hierarchical material when the number of hierarchy levels is small. By increasing the number of hierarchy level, the shear-lag result is consistent with the finite element result. However the tension-shear chain model leads to an opposite trend. The transition point position depends on the fraction of hard phase, aspect ratio and modulus ratio of hard phase to soft phase. Further discussion is performed on the flaw tolerance size and strength of hierarchical materials based on the shear-lag analysis.

求解流体力学反问题的数学方法及应用

以亚、跨声速翼型设计问题为例，提出一种求解流体力学反问题的新方法。

Análisis financiero de la Unión de Cooperativas de Cafes Especiales Cordillera Isabelia R.L. (UCCEI-RL), Matagalpa, 2010-2013

El Análisis Financiero se utiliza para diagnosticar la situación y perspectiva interna, sin embargo, evaluar la capacidad de una cooperativa para permanecer solvente involucra mucho más que evaluar los recursos líquidos disponibles al cierre de un período contable, se debe tomar en cuenta, cuánto efectivo recibe la empresa durante el año, cuáles son las fuentes de ingresos de efectivo, a cuánto ascienden los desembolsos que se han hecho en el año. Para responder a estas interrogantes se hace necesario analizar el comportamiento de los indicadores financieros de la cooperativa. El trabajo consiste en un estudio de caso que tiene por objetivo analizar la sostenibilidad financiera de la la Unión de Cooperativas de Cafés Especiales Cordillera Isabelia R.L (UCCEI - R.L), Matagalpa, 2010 – 2013, a través del análisis de los principales indicadores fianacieros aplicables a la cooperativa: estructur a de costos, análisis financiero mediante el metodo dinàmico, punto de equilibrio, ratios financieros. La investigación es cuantitativa, no experimental basada en un estudio de caso, retrospectiva de corte transversal, se centra en el análisis financiero de la Unión de Cooperativas de Cafés Especiales Cordillera Isabelia R.L. Para la realización del trabajo se consolidó informacion contable de la empresa para la obtención de estructuras de costos, estados financieros, cálculos de los ratios y punto de equilibrio. Los servicios que oferta la empresa, son el beneficiado de café pergamino y la comercialización de café oro verde, de estos dos servicios en el que se incurre en mayores costos es en el servicio de beneficiado de café. La relación ingresos versus costos de producción total en cada uno de los servicios ofertados, el servicio que genera mayores ingresos es la comercialización (exportación), teniendo un comportamiento creciente en los cuatro periodos en estudio. En cambio, el servicio de beneficiado presenta un déficit en los ingresos, esto por la tarifa de venta establecida en los estatutos de UCCEI, la cual, se mantiene desde hace cinco años en 0.198 centavos dólar por kilogramo, menor a la tarifa de mercado que es de 0.33 centavos dó lar por kilogra mo beneficiado. El punto de equilibrio fue superado en los periodos 2011 al 2013, lo que significa que se han recuperado los costos variables, más los costos fijos asociados a las operaciones de la empresa, permitiendo la obtención de excedentes en estos periodos. La empresa cooperativa, ha sido una empresa Suficientemente sólida, evidenciándose en el comportamiento de los activos versus pasivos, donde los activos circulantes promedios en los cuatro periodos (60.71 por ciento) son mayores a los pasivos circulantes promedios (54.90 por ciento). En el analisis de la rentabilidad por el metodo Dupont, demuestra que no se obtuvo rentabilidad en el 2010, sino hasta el año 2011 con 0.05, incrementando en el 2012 a 0.10 y disminuyò en el 2013 a 0.09, por la baja de los ingresos por ventas y por ende de los excedentes. La empresa cooperativa es sostenible en términos financieros tomando en cuenta el comportamiento de los principales indicadores financieros, punto de equilibrio y la rentabilidad

涂布流动和涂布材料的流变性能

本文列举涂布工艺的实例,给出基本流动方程。叙述了涂布材料流变性质的某些例子。评述了:①棱形条纹;②斜面流动的稳定性;③“桔皮”现象;④在表面张力作用下薄膜表面变平的过程;⑤三相线的奇异性。最后,为了很好地理解涂布现象,考虑了旋转甩涂过程。