Peculiarities of britlle and ductile materials destruction and deformation during the explosion of industrial shaped charges

Purpose. To study the laws of deformation and destruction of brittle and ductile rocks and concretes under explosion of industrial shaped charges. Methods. In experiments, the following methods of investigation were used: method of contact sensors for determination of jet velocity; determination of the ultrasonic wave velocity in the concrete samples; methods of optical and electronic microscopy; X-ray phase analysis; measuring and visual analysis of the dimensions and nature of deformation and destruction zones. Findings. The work describes the experimental data on the destruction of barriers made of concrete, granite, steel ST 3, AMC-n alloy, and zinc by the explosions of shaped charges of serial production with porous liners. Calculation formulas for estimating the radius of a destruction zone of geomaterials and rocks in case of a semi-infinite barrier are suggested. The calculation method is based on the estimation of energy impact on the rock by jet penetration velocity into the barrier. Jet velocities are determined experimentally and by engineering methods. The reasons for deviations in the hole shape and deflection of the destruction zone from the symmetry axis were determined. Originality. The modes of penetration of shaped jets into rocks of different porosity, the size of the fracture zone around the hole and the causes and mechanisms of the deviations of the hole shape from the symmetric one are established. Practical implications. The results of the research will be used to design blasting-and-perforation operations in geotechnological wells and can be used to design initiating devices for borehole charges.Мета. Дослідження закономірностей деформування й руйнування крихких і пластичних гірських порід та бетонів при вибуху промислових кумулятивних зарядів. Методика. Метод контактних датчиків для визначення швидкості струменя; визначення швидкості ультразвукових хвиль у зразках бетону; оптична та електронна мікроскопія; рентгенофазний аналіз; вимірювання й візуальний аналіз розмірів та характеру зон деформування і руйнування. Результати. В роботі описані експериментальні дані про деформацію та руйнування перешкод з бетону, граніту, пінобетону, сталі Ст 3, сплаву АМЦ-н і цинку вибухами кумулятивних зарядів серійного виробництва з пористим облицюванням. Запропоновано розрахункові формули для оцінки радіусу зони руйнування геоматеріалів і гірських порід у разі напівнескінченної перешкоди. Визначено причини відхилень форми отвору і зони руйнування від осі симетрії. Наукова новизна. Визначено режими проникнення кумулятивних струменів у породи різної пористості, розміри зони руйнування навколо отвору, а також причини і механізми відхилення форми отвору від симетричної. Практична значимість. Результати досліджень будуть використані для проектування вибухо-прострілочних робіт у геотехнологічних свердловинах і можуть бути використані для конструювання ініціюючих пристроїв свердловинних зарядів.Цель. Исследование закономерностей деформирования и разрушения хрупких и пластичных горных пород и бетонов при взрыве промышленных кумулятивных зарядов. Методика. Метод контактных датчиков для определения скорости струи; определение скорости ультразвуковых волн в образцах бетона; оптическая и электронная микроскопия; рентгенофазный анализ; измерение и визуальный анализ размеров и характера зон деформирования и разрушения. Результаты. В работе описаны экспериментальные данные о деформировании и разрушении преград из бетона, гранита, пенобетона, стали Ст 3, сплава АМЦ-н и цинка взрывами кумулятивных зарядов серийного производства с пористыми облицовками. Предложены расчетные формулы для оценки радиуса зоны разрушения геоматериалов и горных пород в случае полубесконечной преграды. Определены причины отклонений формы отверстия и зоны разрушения от оси симметрии. Научная новизна. Определены режимы проникания кумулятивных струй в породы различной пористости, размеры зоны разрушения вокруг отверстия, а также причины и механизмы отклонения формы отверстия от симметричной. Практическая значимость. Результаты исследований будут использованы для проектирования взрыво-прострелочных работ в геотехнологических скважинах и могут быть использованы для конструирования инициирующих устройств скважинных зарядов.The authors extend their sincere gratitude to the staff of Scientific Research Centre “Materialoobrobka vybukhom” (Processing Materials by Explosion) of the Paton Institute of Electric Welding affiliated with the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine for the assistance in organization and conducting of the research. We would like to express special thanks to S.I. Kochetkov for the provided data on the velocity of longitudinal sound in solid sandy rocks, and to V.P. Bugaits for the assistance in experiments

Opposite, bidirectional shifts in excitation and inhibition in specific types of dorsal horn interneurons are associated with spasticity and pain post-SCI

Spasticity, a common complication after spinal cord injury (SCI), is frequently accompanied by chronic pain. The physiological origin of this pain (critical to its treatment) remains unknown, although spastic motor dysfunction has been related to the hyperexcitability of motoneurons and to changes in spinal sensory processing. Here we show that the pain mechanism involves changes in sensory circuits of the dorsal horn (DH) where nociceptive inputs integrate for pain processing. Spasticity is associated with the DH hyperexcitability resulting from an increase in excitation and disinhibition occurring in two respective types of sensory interneurons. In the tonic-firing inhibitory lamina II interneurons, glutamatergic drive was reduced while glycinergic inhibition was potentiated. In contrast, excitatory drive was boosted to the adapting-firing excitatory lamina II interneurons while GABAergic and glycinergic inhibition were reduced. Thus, increased activity of excitatory DH interneurons coupled with the reduced excitability of inhibitory DH interneurons post-SCI could provide a neurophysiological mechanism of central sensitization and chronic pain associated with spasticity

Charge carrier injection into insulating media: single-particle versus mean-field approach

Self-consistent, mean-field description of charge injection into a dielectric medium is modified to account for discreteness of charge carriers. The improved scheme includes both the Schottky barrier lowering due to the individual image charge and the barrier change due to the field penetration into the injecting electrode that ensures validity of the model at both high and low injection rates including the barrier dominated and the space-charge dominated regimes. Comparison of the theory with experiment on an unipolar ITO/PPV/Au-device is presented.Comment: 32 pages, 9 figures; revised version accepted to PR

Functional Characterization of Lamina X Neurons in ex-Vivo Spinal Cord Preparation

Functional properties of lamina X neurons in the spinal cord remain unknown despite the established role of this area for somatosensory integration, visceral nociception, autonomic regulation and motoneuron output modulation. Investigations of neuronal functioning in the lamina X have been hampered by technical challenges. Here we introduce an ex-vivo spinal cord preparation with both dorsal and ventral roots still attached for functional studies of the lamina X neurons and their connectivity using an oblique LED illumination for resolved visualization of lamina X neurons in a thick tissue. With the elaborated approach, we demonstrate electrophysiological characteristics of lamina X neurons by their membrane properties, firing pattern discharge and fiber innervation (either afferent or efferent). The tissue preparation has been also probed using Ca2+ imaging with fluorescent Ca2+ dyes (membrane-impermeable or -permeable) to demonstrate the depolarization-induced changes in intracellular calcium concentration in lamina X neurons. Finally, we performed visualization of subpopulations of lamina X neurons stained by retrograde labeling with aminostilbamidine dye to identify sympathetic preganglionic and projection neurons in the lamina X. Thus, the elaborated approach provides a reliable tool for investigation of functional properties and connectivity in specific neuronal subpopulations, boosting research of lamina X of the spinal cord

Foaming agent effect on the phosphate flotation

The foaming agent effect of different chemical nature (pine oil, T-66 reagent, alcohols, kaprol) on the phosphate flotation by carboxyl collectors was investigated. It was established that the main flotation concentrate yield, the flotation rate and extraction of useful components (P2O5) in the foam product increases during the phosphate flotation by tall oil in the presence of pine oil or hexyl alcohol with increasing its consumption

Spinal PKCα inhibition and gene-silencing for pain relief: AMPAR trafficking at the synapses between primary afferents and sensory interneurons

Upregulation of Ca2+-permeable AMPA receptors (CP-AMPARs) in dorsal horn (DH) neurons has been causally linked to persistent inflammatory pain. This upregulation, demonstrated for both synaptic and extrasynaptic AMPARs, depends on the protein kinase C alpha (PKCα) activation; hence, spinal PKC inhibition has alleviated peripheral nociceptive hypersensitivity. However, whether targeting the spinal PKCα would alleviate both pain development and maintenance has not been explored yet (essential to pharmacological translation). Similarly, if it could balance the upregulated postsynaptic CP-AMPARs also remains unknown. Here, we utilized pharmacological and genetic inhibition of spinal PKCα in various schemes of pain treatment in an animal model of long-lasting peripheral inflammation. Pharmacological inhibition (pre- or post-treatment) reduced the peripheral nociceptive hypersensitivity and accompanying locomotive deficit and anxiety in rats with induced inflammation. These effects were dose-dependent and observed for both pain development and maintenance. Gene-therapy (knockdown of PKCα) was also found to relieve inflammatory pain when applied as pre- or post-treatment. Moreover, the revealed therapeutic effects were accompanied with the declined upregulation of CP-AMPARs at the DH synapses between primary afferents and sensory interneurons. Our results provide a new focus on the mechanism-based pain treatment through interference with molecular mechanisms of AMPAR trafficking in central pain pathways

О возможности снижения зависимости Беларуси от внешнего газового энергоносителя

The paper contains data on brown coal reserves in Belarus. Method of underground gasification of coal is described in the paper. The paper reveals advantages of underground gasification of coal in comparison with traditional methods (underground and open ones) of coal mining. Problems of underground gasification of brown coal in Belarus are stated in the paper.В статье приводятся данные о запасах бурого угля в Беларуси. Описывается способ подземной газификации угля (ПГУ). Показаны преимущества ПГУ по сравнению с традиционными способами (подземным и открытым) добычи угля. Указаны также проблемы подземной газификации бурых углей в Беларуси

О проблемах утилизации отходов производства

The paper gives data on accumulation of industrial waste and domestic garbage in the world and ecological threat to the existence of civilization itself. The paper reveals necessity of urgent development of waste-free production processes and utilization of solid domestic garbage and industrial waste on the basis of environmental safety.В статье приведены данные о накоплении промышленных и бытовых отходов в мире и экологической угрозе существованию цивилизации. Подчеркнута необходимость безотлагательного создания безотходных производств и утилизации твердых бытовых и производственных отходов на безопасной для статьи окружающей среды основе