Influence of rock mass properties on tunnel inflow using hydromechanical numerical study

One of the primary geotechnical problems encountered during tunnel construction involves the inflow of groundwater into the tunnel. Heavy inflows make tunnel construction difficult and result in higher costs and delays in construction period. Therefore, it is essential to estimate the volume and rate of water inflow that is likely to appear in the tunnel. In this research, water inflow to the tunnel was calculated using numerical hydromechanical analysis. Effect of rock mass properties including fracture characteristics (normal and shear stiffness, hydraulic aperture, dilation angle, and fracture nonlinear behavior) on inflow was studied using a two-dimensional distinct element method. Results show that fracture properties play important role in inflow to the tunnel and must be considered in prediction of inflow to the tunnel. Based on numerical analysis results, inflow of groundwater into the tunnel increases with the increasing of normal and shear stiffness, dilation angle, and hydraulic aperture of rock mass fractures. The measured inflow with considering nonlinear fracture behavior was more than the calculated inflow with linear constitutive behavior

Effective combination of arugula vermicompost, chitin and inhibitory bacteria for suppression of the root-knot nematode Meloidogyne javanica and explanation of their beneficial properties based on microbial analysis.

Root-knot nematodes (Meloidogyne spp.) are dangerous parasites of many crops worldwide. The threat of chemical nematicides has led to increasing interest in studying the inhibitory effects of organic amendments and bacteria on plant-parasitic nematodes, but their combination has been less studied. One laboratory and four glasshouse experiments were conducted to study the effect on M. javanica of animal manure, common vermicompost, shrimp shells, chitosan, compost and vermicompost from castor bean, chinaberry and arugula, and the combination of arugula vermicompost with some bacteria, isolated from vermicompost or earthworms. The extract of arugula compost and vermicompost, common vermicompost and composts from castor bean and chinaberry reduced nematode egg hatch by 12-32% and caused 13-40% mortality of second-stage juveniles in vitro. Soil amendments with the combination vermicompost of arugula + Pseudomonas. resinovorans + Sphingobacterium daejeonense + chitosan significantly increased the yield of infected tomato plants and reduced nematode reproduction factor by 63.1-76.6%. Comparison of chemical properties showed that arugula vermicompost had lower pH, EC, and C/N ratio than arugula compost. Metagenomics analysis showed that Bacillus, Geodermatophilus, Thermomonas, Lewinella, Pseudolabrys and Erythrobacter were the major bacterial genera in the vermicompost of arugula. Metagenomics analysis confirmed the presence of chitinolytic, detoxifying and PGPR bacteria in the vermicompost of arugula. The combination of arugula vermicompost + chitosan + P. resinovorans + S. daejeonense could be an environmentally friendly approach to control M. javanica

Effective combination of arugula vermicompost, chitin and inhibitory bacteria for suppression of the root-knot nematode Meloidogyne javanica and explanation of their beneficial properties based on microbial analysis

Root-knot nematodes (Meloidogyne spp.) are dangerous parasites of many crops worldwide. The threat of chemical nematicides has led to increasing interest in studying the inhibitory effects of organic amendments and bacteria on plant-parasitic nematodes, but their combination has been less studied. One laboratory and four glasshouse experiments were conducted to study the effect on M. javanica of animal manure, common vermicompost, shrimp shells, chitosan, compost and vermicompost from castor bean, chinaberry and arugula, and the combination of arugula vermicompost with some bacteria, isolated from vermicompost or earthworms. The extract of arugula compost and vermicompost, common vermicompost and composts from castor bean and chinaberry reduced nematode egg hatch by 12–32% and caused 13–40% mortality of second-stage juveniles in vitro. Soil amendments with the combination vermicompost of arugula + Pseudomonas. resinovorans + Sphingobacterium daejeonense + chitosan significantly increased the yield of infected tomato plants and reduced nematode reproduction factor by 63.1–76.6%. Comparison of chemical properties showed that arugula vermicompost had lower pH, EC, and C/N ratio than arugula compost. Metagenomics analysis showed that Bacillus, Geodermatophilus, Thermomonas, Lewinella, Pseudolabrys and Erythrobacter were the major bacterial genera in the vermicompost of arugula. Metagenomics analysis confirmed the presence of chitinolytic, detoxifying and PGPR bacteria in the vermicompost of arugula. The combination of arugula vermicompost + chitosan + P. resinovorans + S. daejeonense could be an environmentally friendly approach to control M. javanica

Seismological and field observations from the 1990 November 6 Furg (Hormozgan) earthquake: a rare case of surface rupture in the Zagros mountains of Iran

We document a unique example of a co-seismic surface rupture in the Zagros mountains of SE Iran. Using P- and SH-waveform inversion, aftershock distributions and field observations we show that the Mw 6.4 1990 November 6 Furg (Hormozgan) earthquake was associated with ∼15 km of south-facing surface ruptures with an average vertical displacement of ∼1 m. Earthquakes of Mw 6-7 are common in the Zagros mountains of Iran. However, no co-seismic surface ruptures associated with thrust faulting have been reported before now, and blind thrusting appears to be more common. Source parameters determined from seismology and measurements from the surface ruptures indicate slip on a fault dipping ∼30°N. Although there is likely to be considerable uncertainty in at least some locations, the aftershock activity measured in the month following the earthquake appears to be broadly confined to a diffuse area around the northward-dipping fault. The geomorphology of the epicentral region contains indications of both long-term Quaternary uplift and cumulative fault scarps from repeated earthquakes. The Furg earthquake probably occurred on a reactivated section of the High Zagros fault, a geological suture from the early history of the Iran-Eurasia collision. The 1990 earthquake is likely to have ruptured to the surface because of its unusual location in the High Zagros zone, away from the present-day focus of seismic activity in the Simply Folded zone of the Zagros. It is possible that other sections of the High Zagros sutures still have the potential to generate earthquakes. © 2005 RAS

The effect of Aqueous, Ethanolic extracts ofRheum ribeson insulin sensitivity, inflammation, oxidative stress in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial

Type 2 diabetes mellitus, one of the most common chronic metabolic disorders, occurs when the body is unable to utilize insulin effectively. Hyperglycemia, one of the most common characteristics of diabetes, is related to the development of several diabetic adverse effects, which lead to an elevation in oxidative stress and inflammation responses. Among the current therapeutic options, such as hypoglycemic drugs and insulin therapy, which have limitations, there has been much attention given to the use of traditional medicinal plant that modulate hyperglycemia, inflammation, improve oxidative stress, and prevent diabetes-induced complications. Therefore, the aim of the current study is to investigate whether the consumption of aqueous and ethanolic Rheum extractions improve insulin sensitivity, inflammation and oxidative status in subjects with T2DM. Sixty patients with T2DM (male and female) were recruited in this double-blind, randomized and controlled clinical trial from the Institute of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. The participants were randomly allocated into three groups aqueous extract (n = 20), ethanolic extract (n = 20) and control (n = 20) who were given three Rheum ribes capsules daily for 6 weeks. A significant elevation in the quantitative insulin-sensitivity check index (QUICKI) was observed at the end of study in the aqueous extracts (P = 0.03) and also ethanolic extracts (P = 0.01) of Rheum extract groups compared to initial values. At the end of study, there was also a significant reduction in levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) in ethanolic extracts (P = 0.002) compared to initial values; however, intervention with aqueous extracts had no effect on malondialdehyde. There was also a significant reduction of high sensitivity C-reactive protein in ethanolic extracts (P = 0.001) and aqueous extracts (P = 0.001) groups at the end of study compared to initial values. At the end of the study, there were significant differences in the insulin, ethanolic extract group compared to control group. It appears that the ethanolic extract is more effective than the aqueous extract of Rheum ribes in diabetic patients. Rheum ribes intake may have favorable effects on insulin sensitivity, malondialdehyde and high sensitivity C-reactive protein in diabetic patients. © 2020 Elsevier Gmb

Seismological and field observations from the 1990 November 6 Furg (Hormozgan) earthquake: a rare case of surface rupture in the Zagros mountains of Iran.

We document a unique example of a co-seismic surface rupture in the Zagros mountains of SE Iran. Using P- and SH-waveform inversion, aftershock distributions and field observations we show that the Mw 6.4 1990 November 6 Furg (Hormozgan) earthquake was associated with ∼15 km of south-facing surface ruptures with an average vertical displacement of ∼1 m. Earthquakes of Mw 6–7 are common in the Zagros mountains of Iran. However, no co-seismic surface ruptures associated with thrust faulting have been reported before now, and blind thrusting appears to be more common. Source parameters determined from seismology and measurements from the surface ruptures indicate slip on a fault dipping ∼30◦N. Although there is likely to be considerable uncertainty in at least some locations, the aftershock activity measured in the month following the earthquake appears to be broadly confined to a diffuse area around the northward-dipping fault. The geomorphology of the epicentral region contains indications of both long-term Quaternary uplift and cumulative fault scarps from repeated earthquakes. The Furg earthquake probably occurred on a reactivated section of the High Zagros fault, a geological suture from the early history of the Iran–Eurasia collision. The 1990 earthquake is likely to have ruptured to the surface because of its unusual location in the High Zagros zone, away from the present-day focus of seismic activity in the Simply Folded zone of the Zagros. It is possible that other sections of the High Zagros sutures still have the potential to generate earthquakes