Enhanced photocatalytic activity of ultra-high aspect ratio ZnO nanowires due to Cu induced defects

We report the synthesis of ZnO nanowires in ambient air at 650 degrees C by a single-step vapor transport method using two different sources Zn (ZnO nanowires-I) and Zn:Cu (ZnO nanowires-II). The Zn:Cu mixed source co-vaporize Zn with a small amount of Cu at temperatures where elemental Cu source does not vaporize. This method provides us a facile route for Cu doping into ZnO. The aspect ratio of the grown ZnO nanowires-II was found to be higher by more than five times compared ZnO nanowires-I. Photocatalytic activity was measured by using a solar simulator and its ultraviolet-filtered light. The ZnO nanowires-II shows higher catalytic activity due to increased aspect ratio and higher content of surface defects because of incorporation of Cu impurities.

Increasing Critical Sensitivity of the Load/Unload Response Ratio before Large Earthquakes with Identified Stress Acclumulation Pattern

The Load/Unload Response Ratio (LURR) method is proposed for short-to-intermediate-term earthquake prediction [Yin, X.C., Chen, X.Z., Song, Z.P., Yin, C., 1995. A New Approach to Earthquake Prediction — The Load/Unload Response Ratio (LURR) Theory, Pure Appl. Geophys., 145, 701–715]. This method is based on measuring the ratio between Benioff strains released during the time periods of loading and unloading, corresponding to the Coulomb Failure Stress change induced by Earth tides on optimally oriented faults. According to the method, the LURR time series usually climb to an anomalously high peak prior to occurrence of a large earthquake. Previous studies have indicated that the size of critical seismogenic region selected for LURR measurements has great influence on the evaluation of LURR. In this study, we replace the circular region usually adopted in LURR practice with an area within which the tectonic stress change would mostly affect the Coulomb stress on a potential seismogenic fault of a future event. The Coulomb stress change before a hypothetical earthquake is calculated based on a simple back-slip dislocation model of the event. This new algorithm, by combining the LURR method with our choice of identified area with increased Coulomb stress, is devised to improve the sensitivity of LURR to measure criticality of stress accumulation before a large earthquake. Retrospective tests of this algorithm on four large earthquakes occurred in California over the last two decades show remarkable enhancement of the LURR precursory anomalies. For some strong events of lesser magnitudes occurred in the same neighborhoods and during the same time periods, significant anomalies are found if circular areas are used, and are not found if increased Coulomb stress areas are used for LURR data selection. The unique feature of this algorithm may provide stronger constraints on forecasts of the size and location of future large events.

Load-Unload Response Ratio and Accelerating Moment/Energy Release Critical Region Scaling and Earthquake Prediction

The main idea of the Load-Unload Response Ratio (LURR) is that when a system is stable, its response to loading corresponds to its response to unloading, whereas when the system is approaching an unstable state, the response to loading and unloading becomes quite different. High LURR values and observations of Accelerating Moment/Energy Release (AMR/AER) prior to large earthquakes have led different research groups to suggest intermediate-term earthquake prediction is possible and imply that the LURR and AMR/AER observations may have a similar physical origin. To study this possibility, we conducted a retrospective examination of several Australian and Chinese earthquakes with magnitudes ranging from 5.0 to 7.9, including Australia's deadly Newcastle earthquake and the devastating Tangshan earthquake. Both LURR values and best-fit power-law time-to-failure functions were computed using data within a range of distances from the epicenter. Like the best-fit power-law fits in AMR/AER, the LURR value was optimal using data within a certain epicentral distance implying a critical region for LURR. Furthermore, LURR critical region size scales with mainshock magnitude and is similar to the AMR/AER critical region size. These results suggest a common physical origin for both the AMR/AER and LURR observations. Further research may provide clues that yield an understanding of this mechanism and help lead to a solid foundation for intermediate-term earthquake prediction.

Effect of Cold Rolling Ratio and Heating Rate of Batch Annealing on Textures of Micro-Carbon Steel Sheet

在四辊冷轧试验机和Gleeble-1500试验机上进行了热轧微碳钢板的冷轧和退火试验。用D/max-RC衍射仪测量了试样的,/”层织构,并用Roe软件进行了ODF分析。研究表明,所研究的热轧微碳深冲板压下率约为75%,退火升温速度为20-40℃/h时,试样为{111}织构特征；压下率较大(80%)时,退火织构为较弱的{111}组分。无论{111}织构还是非{111}织构都是在形核阶段开始形成,在晶粒长大优先长大,受到定向形核和选择生长双重机制的作用。

Influence of the thickness ratio of air layer to liquid layer on the onset of Benard-Marangoni convection

An experimental investigation of the onset of Benard-Marangoni convection has been performed in a liquid layer of rectangular configuration. The critical temperature difference was measured via the detections of both temperature field pattern (IR-imaging) on the free surface and fluid convection (PIV) in the liquid layer. The critical temperature difference or the critical Marangoni number was given. The experiments were performed for a fixed depth of air layer and a changeable depth of the liquid layer, and then the influence of the thickness ratio of the air layer to liquid layer on the Marangoni instability was studied.

Simulation of the Load-Unload Response Ratio and Critical Sensitivity in the Lattice Solid Model

The Load-Unload Response Ratio (LURR) method is an intermediate-term earthquake prediction approach that has shown considerable promise. It involves calculating the ratio of a specified energy release measure during loading and unloading where loading and unloading periods are determined from the earth tide induced perturbations in the Coulomb Failure Stress on optimally oriented faults. In the lead-up to large earthquakes, high LURR values are frequently observed a few months or years prior to the event. These signals may have a similar origin to the observed accelerating seismic moment release (AMR) prior to many large earthquakes or may be due to critical sensitivity of the crust when a large earthquake is imminent. As a first step towards studying the underlying physical mechanism for the LURR observations, numerical studies are conducted using the particle based lattice solid model (LSM) to determine whether LURR observations can be reproduced. The model is initialized as a heterogeneous 2-D block made up of random-sized particles bonded by elastic-brittle links. The system is subjected to uniaxial compression from rigid driving plates on the upper and lower edges of the model. Experiments are conducted using both strain and stress control to load the plates. A sinusoidal stress perturbation is added to the gradual compressional loading to simulate loading and unloading cycles and LURR is calculated. The results reproduce signals similar to those observed in earthquake prediction practice with a high LURR value followed by a sudden drop prior to macroscopic failure of the sample. The results suggest that LURR provides a good predictor for catastrophic failure in elastic-brittle systems and motivate further research to study the underlying physical mechanisms and statistical properties of high LURR values. The results provide encouragement for earthquake prediction research and the use of advanced simulation models to probe the physics of earthquakes.

Influences of the Fish-Mouth Project and the Groins on the Flow and Sediment Ratio of the Yangtze River Waterway

A depth-integrated two-dimensional numerical model of current, salinity and sediment transport was proposed and calibrated by the observation data in the Yangtze River Estuary. It was then applied to investigate the flow and sediment ratio of the navigati

UK guidance on the initial evaluation of an infant or an adolescent with a suspected disorder of sex development

It is paramount that any child or adolescent with a suspected disorder of sex development (DSD) is assessed by an experienced clinician with adequate knowledge about the range of conditions associated with DSD. If there is any doubt, the case should be discussed with the regional team. In most cases, particularly in the case of the newborn, the paediatric endocrinologist within the regional DSD team acts as the first point of contact. The underlying pathophysiology of DSD and the strengths and weaknesses of the tests that can be performed should be discussed with the parents and affected young person and tests undertaken in a timely fashion. This clinician should be part of a multidisciplinary team experienced in management of DSD and should ensure that the affected person and parents are as fully informed as possible and have access to specialist psychological support. Finally, in the field of rare conditions, it is imperative that the clinician shares the experience with others through national and international clinical and research collaboration. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

High Aspect Ratio (L/D) Riser Viv Prediction Using Wake Oscillator Model

A two-dimensional (2-D) vortex-induced vibration (VIV) prediction model for high aspect ratio (LID) riser subjected to uniform and sheared flow is studied in this paper. The nonlinear structure equations are considered. The near wake dynamics describing the fluctuating nature of vortex shedding is modeled using classical van der Pol equation. A new approach was applied to calibrate the empirical parameters in the wake oscillator model. Compared the predicted results with the experimental data and computational fluid dynamic (CFD) results. Good agreements are observed. It can be concluded that the present model can be used as simple computational tool in predicting some aspects of VIV of long flexible structures. (C) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Medidas alternativas de la pobreza en el Gran Buenos Aires, 1995-2006

Resumen: En este trabajo, calculamos y analizamos el Índice de Severidad de la pobreza o squared poverty gap para el Gran Buenos Aires, en el período 1995-2006. Este índice es una de las tres medidas más conocidas correspondientes a la clase FGT (Foster, Greer and Thorbecke 1984), aunque menos utilizada que la incidencia o head count ratio (calculado por el INDEC), y la brecha de pobreza o poverty gap. El Índice de Severidad de la pobreza tiene en cuenta no sólo la distancia que separa a los pobres de la línea de pobreza (como en el caso de la brecha de pobreza) sino también la desigualdad entre los pobres. Es decir, le da un mayor peso a los hogares que están más alejados de la línea de pobreza. Por lo tanto, este índice cumple con el axioma de transferencia, a diferencia de los otros dos. Calculamos el Índice de Severidad tanto a nivel hogares como individuos. Además, realizamos una descomposición del índice por grupos – según la situación laboral, el nivel de educación, el tamaño del hogar, la edad y el sexo del jefe de hogar; y calculamos el riesgo relativo de cada grupo. Realizamos también una comparación entre los índices de incidencia (INDEC) y severidad. Concluimos presentando los índices de incidencia y severidad para todo el país, y su descomposición por regiones, para el año 2006.

Effect Of A Negative Poisson Ratio In The Tension Of Ceramics

The effect of a negative Poisson ratio is experimentally revealed in the tension deformation of a natural layered ceramic. This effect can increase the volume strain energy per unit volume by 1100% and, simultaneously, decrease the deformation strain energy per unit volume by about 44%, so that it effectively enhances the deformation capacity by about 1 order of magnitude in the tension of the material. The present study also shows that the physical mechanisms producing the effect are attributed to the climbing on one another of the nanostructures in the natural material, which provides a guide to the design of synthetic toughening composites.

Reconsideration On The Role Of The Specific Heat Ratio In Arrhenius Law Applications

Arrhenius law implicates that only those molecules which possess the internal energy greater than the activation energy E-a can react. However, the internal energy will not be proportional to the gas temperature if the specific heat ratio gamma and the gas constant R vary during chemical reaction processes. The varying gamma may affect significantly the chemical reaction rate calculated with the Arrhenius law under the constant gamma assumption, which has been widely accepted in detonation and combustion simulations for many years. In this paper, the roles of variable gamma and R in Arrhenius law applications are reconsidered, and their effects on the chemical reaction rate are demonstrated by simulating one-dimensional C-J and two-dimensional cellular detonations. A new overall one-step detonation model with variable gamma and R is proposed to improve the Arrhenius law. Numerical experiments demonstrate that this improved Arrhenius law works well in predicting detonation phenomena with the numerical results being in good agreement with experimental data.

The Newest Developments Of Load-Unload Response Ratio (Lurr)

The Load Unload Response Ratio (LURR) method is an intermediate-term earthquake prediction approach that has shown considerable promise. It is inspiring that its predictions using LURR have been improving. Since 2004 we have made a major breakthrough in intermediate-term earthquake forecasting of the strong earthquakes on the Chinese mainland using LURR and successfully predicted the Pakistan earthquake with magnitude M 7.6 on October 8, 2005. The causes for improving the prediction in terms of LURR have been discussed in the present paper.