Slope Stability Analysis Considering Sliding Effect of Upper Body

Owing to the human engineering activities, the phenomenon that new landslide happen on the upper part of the old sliding body can be found everywhere. This kind of slope consisting of two sliding bodies, which are upper body and lower body, is named as double-sliding-body slope. Its stability is usually analyzed according to two slopes. However, the effect of new landslide movement on the stability of entire slope system is not taken into account. In this paper, sliding effect of upper body is analyzed, and the formula considering sliding effect of upper body is derived based on Sarma method for analysis of entire slope. Theoretical analysis and a case history indicate that the spasmodic motion of upper body has bad effect on the lower body stability; Sliding along the top face of lower body, the effect on the lower body is disadvantageous during starting instant. Nevertheless, the bad effect will disappear and transform as the advantageous effect as descending of the slope gradient and sliding acceleration. For the slope controlling, the sliding effect of upper body should be considered in the stability analysis of double-sliding-body slope, thus it will help us recognizing and mastering or forecasting the evaluative trend of double-siding-body slope. Further reliable scientific basis can be provided in order to make effective controlling measures.特集 : 「資源、新エネルギー、環境、防災研究国際セミナー

深部軟岩坑道用ハイコンベックス・ストリップボルトを用いた複合支保技術に関する研究

Based on the systematic analysis of mechanical characteristics for deep roadway excavated in soft strata, the high convex strip-bolting support technology was put forward, and a numerical analysis was carried out by FLAC3D. The process of general bolting support and high convex strip-bolting support of deep soft rock roadway were simulated. The results indicate that the convex bed of strip-band can adapt to large deformation of high pre-stressed bolting, and the high strength and high rigidity of strip can bear large axial force and moment of flexion. In addition, bolting and anchoring combined support can control the deformation of rock masses by transferring the strength of deep strata, and bolt-grouting can form stress-relief region in deep and generates high strength invert arch at shallow which can afford some support resistances. A case study is also presented and the results of field measurement show that the new support system is suitable for roadways excavated in weak rocks.特集 : 「資源、新エネルギー、環境、防災研究国際セミナー

Atomic-layer-deposited ultrafine MoS2 nanocrystals on cobalt foam for efficient and stable electrochemical oxygen evolution

Ultrafine molybdenum sulfide (MoS2) nanocrystals are grown on a porous cobalt (Co) foam current collector by atomic layer deposition (ALD) using molybdenum hexacarbonyl and hydrogen sulfide as precursors. When used to catalyze the oxygen evolution reaction (OER), the optimal Co@MoS2 electrode, even with a MoS2 loading as small as 0.06 mg cm-2, exhibits a large cathodic shift of ca. 200 mV in the onset potential (the potential at which the current density is 5 mA cm-2), a low overpotential of only 270 mV to attain an anodic current density of 10 mA cm-2, much smaller charge transfer resistance and substantially improved long-term stability at both low and high current densities, with respect to the bare Co foam electrode, showing substantial promise for use as an efficient, low-cost and durable anode in water electrolyzers.L. F. Liu acknowledges the support of the FCT Investigator grant (no. IF/01595/2014) and the Exploratory grant (No. IF/01595/2014/CP1247/CT0001) from the Portuguese Foundation of Science & Technology (FCT). D. H. Xiong and W. Li are thankful for the financial support from Marie Curie Action COFUND fellowships (NanoTrainforGrowth, Grant Agreement no. 600375) under the FP7 framework. D. H. Xiong also acknowledges the financial support from the China Postdoctoral Science Foundation (No. 2015 T80847). This work was partly funded by the European Commission Horizon 2020 project "CritCat" (Grant Agreement No. 686053).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

CCL21/CCR7 Prevents Apoptosis via the ERK Pathway in Human Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Cells

Previously, we confirmed that C-C chemokine receptor 7 (CCR7) promotes cell proliferation via the extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) pathway, but its role in apoptosis of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cell lines remains unknown. A549 and H460 cells of NSCLC were used to examine the effect of CCL21/CCR7 on apoptosis using flow cytometry. The results showed that activation of CCR7 by its specific ligand, exogenous chemokine ligand 21 (CCL21), was associated with a significant decline in the percent of apoptosis. Western blot and real-time PCR assays indicated that activation of CCR7 significantly caused upregulation of anti-apoptotic bcl-2 and downregulation of pro-apoptotic bax and caspase-3, but not p53, at both protein and mRNA levels. CCR7 small interfering RNA significantly attenuated these effects of exogenous CCL21. Besides, PD98059, a selective inhibitor of MEK that disrupts the activation of downstream ERK, significantly abolished these effects of CCL21/CCR7. Coimmunoprecipitation further confirmed that there was an interaction between p-ERK and bcl-2, bax, or caspase-3, particularly in the presence of CCL21. These results strongly suggest that CCL21/CCR7 prevents apoptosis by upregulating the expression of bcl-2 and by downregulating the expression of bax and caspase-3 potentially via the ERK pathway in A549 and H460 cells of NSCLC

Lactate-Mediated Epigenetic Reprogramming Regulates Formation of Human Pancreatic Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts

Even though pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is associated with fibrotic stroma, the molecular pathways regulating the formation of cancer associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are not well elucidated. An epigenomic analysis of patient-derived and de-novo generated CAFs demonstrated widespread loss of cytosine methylation that was associated with overexpression of various inflammatory transcripts including CXCR4. Co-culture of neoplastic cells with CAFs led to increased invasiveness that was abrogated by inhibition of CXCR4. Metabolite tracing revealed that lactate produced by neoplastic cells leads to increased production of alpha-ketoglutarate (aKG) within mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). In turn, aKG mediated activation of the demethylase TET enzyme led to decreased cytosine methylation and increased hydroxymethylation during de novo differentiation of MSCs to CAF. Co-injection of neoplastic cells with TET-deficient MSCs inhibited tumor growth in vivo. Thus, in PDAC, a tumor-mediated lactate flux is associated with widespread epigenomic reprogramming that is seen during CAF formation

Band Offsets and Interfacial Properties of HfAlO Gate Dielectric Grown on InP by Atomic Layer Deposition

Abstract X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy have been used to determine interfacial properties of HfO2 and HfAlO gate dielectrics grown on InP by atomic layer deposition. An undesirable interfacial InPxOy layer is easily formed at the HfO2/InP interface, which can severely degrade the electrical performance. However, an abrupt interface can be achieved when the growth of the HfAlO dielectric on InP starts with an ultrathin Al2O3 layer. The valence and conduction band offsets for HfAlO/InP heterojunctions have been determined to be 1.87 ± 0.1 and 2.83 ± 0.1 eV, respectively. These advantages make HfAlO a potential dielectric for InP MOSFETs