Aggregation of an anionic porphyrin with chiral metal complexes and the competitive binding influences of a surfactant and a polyelectrolyte

The non-covalent interactions of chiral metal complexes with the achiral 5,10,15,20-tetrakis (4-sulonatophenyl) porphyrin (H(4)TTPS(2-)) have been investigated by UV-vis and circular dichroism (CD) spectra. The results show that under acidic environments, only the chiral complex cations ([CoBr(NH(3))(en)(2)](+), [Co(en)(3)](3+), [Ru(phen)(3)](2+)) could interact with H(4)TTPS(2-) to form chiral aggregates, accompanied with the metal-centered chirality information transferred to the formed J-aggregates. However, the chiral complex anion ([Co(edta)](-)) does not cause the self-assembly process. The competitive binding interactions between an achiral water-soluble cationic surfactant (N-hexadecyltrimethyl ammonium chloride, CTAC) and a cationic polyelectrolyte (polyallylamine, PAA) with the chiral metal complex H(4)TTPS(2-) J-aggregates, respectively, were also investigated. It was found that chiral-symmetry-breaking phenomena occur in the cationic surfactant induced event. In the case of a cationic polyelectrolyte, it could change the conformational flexibility of the H(4)TTPS(2-) aggregates. These results may lead us to understand the possible mechanism of the supramolecular self-assembly process by the non-covalent interactions.National Natural Science Foundation of China[20973136, 20877099, 20972183]; State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs[20080208]; Hunan High Education Research Fund[06C068]; GUCAS (A B); Ministry of Science and Technology of China[2008AA100801]; Guangdong Province[2010B090300031]; CAS[2010B090300031

BacHBerry: BACterial Hosts for production of Bioactive phenolics from bERRY fruits

BACterial Hosts for production of Bioactive phenolics from bERRY fruits (BacHBerry) was a 3-year project funded by the Seventh Framework Programme (FP7) of the European Union that ran between November 2013 and October 2016. The overall aim of the project was to establish a sustainable and economically-feasible strategy for the production of novel high-value phenolic compounds isolated from berry fruits using bacterial platforms. The project aimed at covering all stages of the discovery and pre-commercialization process, including berry collection, screening and characterization of their bioactive components, identification and functional characterization of the corresponding biosynthetic pathways, and construction of Gram-positive bacterial cell factories producing phenolic compounds. Further activities included optimization of polyphenol extraction methods from bacterial cultures, scale-up of production by fermentation up to pilot scale, as well as societal and economic analyses of the processes. This review article summarizes some of the key findings obtained throughout the duration of the project

A New Calculation Method of Cutterhead Torque Considering Shield Rolling Angle

The existing cutterhead torque calculation method usually simplifies the characteristics of the shield, which ignores the rolling angle. In this paper, the cross-river shield project of Wuhan Metro Line 8 is taken as the research focus. Firstly, the measured data of the cutterhead torque (CT), the rolling angle and rotation direction were analyzed. Then on this basis, the penetrability, tunneling thrust, and rolling angle were taken as the influential factors to analyze CT sensitivity. Finally, based on the theoretical calculation model, a modified solution of CT was obtained considering the rolling angle. The results show that the rolling angle can be reduced to zero by changing the direction of the cutterhead rotation; the rolling angle has a greater impact on CT than the other two factors as shown through the analysis of the range difference and Statistical Product and Service Solutions (SPSS) method. As the absolute value of the rolling angle increases, CT also increases, and the relationship between them is linear. To a certain extent, the rolling angle of the shield can reflect the difficulty of tunneling and the running status. By monitoring the rolling angle of the shield, the prediction of CT can be more in line with the actual construction conditions

A New Calculation Method of Cutterhead Torque Considering Shield Rolling Angle

The existing cutterhead torque calculation method usually simplifies the characteristics of the shield, which ignores the rolling angle. In this paper, the cross-river shield project of Wuhan Metro Line 8 is taken as the research focus. Firstly, the measured data of the cutterhead torque (CT), the rolling angle and rotation direction were analyzed. Then on this basis, the penetrability, tunneling thrust, and rolling angle were taken as the influential factors to analyze CT sensitivity. Finally, based on the theoretical calculation model, a modified solution of CT was obtained considering the rolling angle. The results show that the rolling angle can be reduced to zero by changing the direction of the cutterhead rotation; the rolling angle has a greater impact on CT than the other two factors as shown through the analysis of the range difference and Statistical Product and Service Solutions (SPSS) method. As the absolute value of the rolling angle increases, CT also increases, and the relationship between them is linear. To a certain extent, the rolling angle of the shield can reflect the difficulty of tunneling and the running status. By monitoring the rolling angle of the shield, the prediction of CT can be more in line with the actual construction conditions

Dewatering Characteristics and Inflow Prediction of Deep Foundation Pits with Partial Penetrating Curtains in Sand and Gravel Strata

The dewatering of deep foundation pits excavated in highly permeable geology usually requires waterproofing technologies to relieve groundwater flow. However, no effective prediction formula is yet available for determining water inflow in the presence of partial penetrating curtains. In this study, a dewatering project with partial penetrating curtains is analyzed via a finite difference method to show evident three-dimensional (3D) seepage characteristics. The standard curve and distortion functions are established under the assumption of an equivalent well by quantifying the blocking effects; thus, the empirical inflow prediction formulas for steady flow are further developed. Moreover, a dewatering design method based on the prediction formulas is proposed and applied to the field dewatering project in sand and gravel strata. Measured results show that dewatering efficiency is considerably enhanced by 3D flow, forming appropriate pressure distributions for dewatering construction. The uplift pressure below the pit bottom is controlled within a 25% safety margin to verify the reliability of the design method

Calculation of Friction Force for Slurry Pipe Jacking considering Soil-Slurry-Pipe Interaction

This paper aims to provide a new approach to predict the friction resistance of slurry pipe jacking. Friction force usually constitutes the main component of jacking force. It can be calculated by multiplying an effective friction coefficient and the normal force acting on the external surface of the pipe. This effective friction coefficient is introduced to reflect the effect of contact state of pipe soil slurry, highly affected by the effect of lubrication and the interaction of pipe soil slurry. Firstly, by making some reasonable assumptions, the analytical formula of the effective friction coefficient is obtained, in which the critical quantity of contact (contact angle or width) is calculated by using the Persson contact model. Then, the analytical formula of normal force of circular pipeline is derived, which needs to determine the vertical soil pressure. To allow for a better prediction, three typical silo models are introduced and compared. Finally, a method for calculating the friction resistance of slurry pipe jacking is established. The main difference from the existing method is that this method takes into full consideration the influence of lubrication, soil properties (such as internal friction angle, cohesion, and void ratio), and design parameters (such as buried depth, overcut, and pipe diameter). By using reasonable silo models, the predicted results are in good agreement with the measured values collected from 10 in situ cases, which proves that the new approach can provide accuracy prediction of friction resistance for slurry pipe jacking with various soil conditions, and it may help for better future design and less construction costs

FABRICATION OF ALUMINA NANOWIRES FROM POROUS ALUMINA MEMBRANES BY ETCHING IN PHOSPHORIC ACID SOLUTION

Alumina nanowires (ANWs) with high aspect ratios were synthesized by the chemical etching of porous alumina membranes (PAMs) in phosphoric acid solution. The morphology and structure of ANWs were analyzed by SEM and XRD, respectively. The results showed that the typical features of ANWs are around 35 nm in diameter and around 20 μm in length, the crystalline structure of the ANWs was amorphous, which was in accordance with that of the PAMs. Furthermore, the morphology of the PAMs was characterized by AFM and SEM in detail. On the basis of AFM and SEM observations, a possible formation mechanism of ANWs was discussed, and the inhomogeneous of the dissolution between the triple points and the side walls was considered to be the essential factor deciding the formation of ANWs.Alumina nanowires, porous alumina membrane, chemical etching

Analysis of Seepage Characteristics of a Foundation Pit with Horizontal Waterproof Curtain in Highly Permeable Strata

At present, jet-grouted horizontal waterproof curtain reinforcement has become an essential method for deep foundation pit groundwater control. However, there is still a lack of an effective theoretical calculation method for horizontal waterproof curtain reinforcement, and there is little research on the seepage laws of foundation pits under different horizontal waterproof curtain conditions. Based on Darcy’s seepage theory, theoretical analysis models of deep foundation pit seepage were established considering the effect of a horizontal curtain in a highly permeable formation. Through the established models, the calculation method of the water inflow and the water pressure under the condition of a horizontal curtain was derived. Then through indoor tests, the reliability of the theoretical calculation method was verified. Furthermore, the established theoretical calculation method is used to analyze the influence of various factors on the water inflow and the water pressure, such as the ratio of hydraulic conductivity of the horizontal curtain to surrounding soil, thickness, and reinforcement position of the horizontal curtain. It is found that the hydraulic conductivity ratio has the most significant influence on the seepage characteristics of the foundation pit. Finally, the design method was applied to an example of the horizontal waterproof curtain of the foundation pit, which is located at Juyuanzhou Station in Fuzhou (China). The water inflow per unit area is 0.36 m3/d in the foundation pit, and this implies that the design method of the horizontal waterproof curtain applied for the excavation case is good and meets the requirements of design and safety