The effects of local voids and imperfections of surrounding rock on the performance of existing tunnel lining

Local voids and imperfections may exist around the tunnel due to reasons such as inadequate back infill behind the lining, insufficient local lining thickness, ground water erosion, and other imperfect construction related activities. Such local voids and imperfections generally will lead to local contact loss and discontinuity in the ground-lining interaction. This paper evaluates the effect of local voids and imperfections developing around the tunnel vault area on the mechanical performance of tunnel lining. Based on field investigation results, a series of voids and imperfections with different geometries are defined to reflect cases resulting from different causes. Numerical parametric analyses were performed to investigate how those voids and imperfections influence the internal force and the safety factor of the lining, and the reinforced concrete lining were modelled with the smeared crack model to examine the development of cracking directions and patterns. Furthermore, the numerical approach was verified by comparing with field investigations and measurements. This study aims to investigate the most unsafe situation due to local voids and imperfections around the tunnel, and the modelled cracking feature shows a way to preliminary evaluate the possible local voids and imperfections behind tunnel lining based on field observation

Reversed anisotropies and thermal contraction of FCC (110) surfaces

The observed anisotropies of surface vibrations for unreconstructed FCC metal (110) surfaces are often reversed from the "common sense" expectation. The source of these reversals is investigated by performing ab initio density functional theory calculations to obtain the surface force constant tensors for Ag(110), Cu(110) and Al(110). The most striking result is a large enhancement in the coupling between the first and third layers of the relaxed surface, which strongly reduces the amplitude of out-of-plane vibrations of atoms in the first layer. This also provides a simple explanation for the thermal contraction of interlayer distances. Both the anisotropies and the thermal contraction arise primarily as a result of the bond topology, with all three (110) surfaces showing similar behavior.Comment: 13 pages, in revtex format, plus 1 postscript figur

Flexible Near-Field Wireless Optoelectronics as Subdermal Implants for Broad Applications in Optogenetics

In vivo optogenetics provides unique, powerful capabilities in the dissection of neural circuits implicated in neuropsychiatric disorders. Conventional hardware for such studies, however, physically tethers the experimental animal to an external light source, limiting the range of possible experiments. Emerging wireless options offer important capabilities that avoid some of these limitations, but the current size, bulk, weight, and wireless area of coverage is often disadvantageous. Here, we present a simple but powerful setup based on wireless, near-field power transfer and miniaturized, thin, flexible optoelectronic implants, for complete optical control in a variety of behavioral paradigms. The devices combine subdermal magnetic coil antennas connected to microscale, injectable light-emitting diodes (LEDs), with the ability to operate at wavelengths ranging from UV to blue, green-yellow, and red. An external loop antenna allows robust, straightforward application in a multitude of behavioral apparatuses. The result is a readily mass-producible, user-friendly technology with broad potential for optogenetics applications.114419Ysciescopu

Static coupling effect of a two-degree-of-freedom direct drive induction motor

Two-degree-of-freedom motors are capable of producing linear, rotary, and helical motion, and thus have widespread applications in special industries. In this study, a new concept- static coupling effect is studied in the two-degree-of-freedom direct-drive induction motor (2DoFDDIM). The proposed approach is based on the image method and the three-dimensional (3D) finite-element method. The image method model is established to analyse its reasons and predict the main effects, which are then verified by the proposed 3D finite-element static coupling model and experiments. The induced voltages and currents are produced in the static part and induced torque or force is obtained, even though the static part is not energised. It is concluded that the static coupling effect increases with the supply frequency and is influenced by the stator winding configuration. Thus, the existence of the static coupling effect is confirmed, which must be taken into account in future optimisation and precise control of the 2DoFDDIM

IL11 activates pancreatic stellate cells and causes pancreatic inflammation, fibrosis and atrophy in a mouse model of pancreatitis

Interleukin-11 (IL11) is important for fibrosis and inflammation, but its role in the pancreas is unclear. In pancreatitis, fibrosis, inflammation and organ dysfunction are associated with pancreatic stellate cell (PSC)-to-myofibroblast transformation. Here, we show that IL11 stimulation of PSCs, which specifically express IL11RA in the pancreas, results in transient STAT3 phosphorylation, sustained ERK activation and PSC activation. In contrast, IL6 stimulation of PSCs caused sustained STAT3 phosphorylation but did not result in ERK activation or PSC transformation. Pancreatitis factors, including TGFβ, CTGF and PDGF, induced IL11 secretion from PSCs and a neutralising IL11RA antibody prevented PSC activation by these stimuli. This revealed an important ERK-dependent role for autocrine IL11 activity in PSCs. In mice, IL11 was increased in the pancreas after pancreatic duct ligation, and in humans, IL11 and IL11RA levels were elevated in chronic pancreatitis. Following pancreatic duct ligation, administration of anti-IL11RA to mice reduced pathologic (ERK, STAT, NF-κB) signalling, pancreatic atrophy, fibrosis and pro-inflammatory cytokine (TNFα, IL6 and IL1β) levels. This is the first description of IL11-mediated activation of PSCs, and the data suggest IL11 as a stromal therapeutic target in pancreatitis

Moments of the Hadronic Invariant Mass Spectrum in B --> X_c l nu Decays at Belle

We present a measurement of the hadronic invariant mass squared (M^2_X) spectrum in charmed semileptonic B meson decays B --> X_c l nu based on 140 fb^-1 of Belle data collected near the Y(4S) resonance. We determine the first, the second central and the second non-central moments of this spectrum for lepton energy thresholds ranging between 0.7 and 1.9 GeV. Full correlations between these measurements are evaluated.Comment: published version of the paper (one figure added, minor changes in the text); 16 pages, 3 figures, 10 table

Proximity effect at superconducting Sn-Bi2Se3 interface

We have investigated the conductance spectra of Sn-Bi2Se3 interface junctions down to 250 mK and in different magnetic fields. A number of conductance anomalies were observed below the superconducting transition temperature of Sn, including a small gap different from that of Sn, and a zero-bias conductance peak growing up at lower temperatures. We discussed the possible origins of the smaller gap and the zero-bias conductance peak. These phenomena support that a proximity-effect-induced chiral superconducting phase is formed at the interface between the superconducting Sn and the strong spin-orbit coupling material Bi2Se3.Comment: 7 pages, 8 figure

Centrality Dependence of the High p_T Charged Hadron Suppression in Au+Au collisions at sqrt(s_NN) = 130 GeV

PHENIX has measured the centrality dependence of charged hadron p_T spectra from central Au+Au collisions at sqrt(s_NN)=130 GeV. The truncated mean p_T decreases with centrality for p_T > 2 GeV/c, indicating an apparent reduction of the contribution from hard scattering to high p_T hadron production. For central collisions the yield at high p_T is shown to be suppressed compared to binary nucleon-nucleon collision scaling of p+p data. This suppression is monotonically increasing with centrality, but most of the change occurs below 30% centrality, i.e. for collisions with less than about 140 participating nucleons. The observed p_T and centrality dependence is consistent with the particle production predicted by models including hard scattering and subsequent energy loss of the scattered partons in the dense matter created in the collisions.Comment: 7 pages text, LaTeX, 6 figures, 2 tables, 307 authors, resubmitted to Phys. Lett. B. Revised to address referee concerns. Plain text data tables for the points plotted in figures for this and previous PHENIX publications are publicly available at http://www.phenix.bnl.gov/phenix/WWW/run/phenix/papers.htm

The role of self-gentrification in sustainable tourism: Indigenous entrepreneurship at Honghe Hani Rice Terraces World Heritage Site, China

This article examines three forms of tourism gentrification occurring within the newly inscribed (2013) Honghe Hani Rice Terraces UNESCO World Heritage Site in Yunnan, China. The indigenous Hani and Yi communities who populate this remote mountainous area, possess distinct cultural practices that have supported the rice terrace ecosystem for centuries. This article draws on interviews and non-participant observation conducted with inhabitants and newcomers to analyse the types of gentrification occurring within the site. We argue that indigenous cultural practices, and consequently rice cultivation in the area, are threatened by gentrifier-led and state-led gentrification combined with high levels of outward migration of indigenous persons. This could pose a significant threat to the sustainability of tourism at this site and may ultimately compromise the site’s World Heritage Status. In the midst of these dangers, some indigenous people are shown to be improving their socioeconomic standing – and becoming “middle class” or “gentry” – particularly through adopting entrepreneurial strategies gleaned from their encounters with outside-gentrifiers and tourists. This article proposes the concept of “self-gentrification” as a way to describe individuals who seek to improve themselves and their own community, while under threat of gentrification

Global Search for New Physics with 2.0/fb at CDF

Data collected in Run II of the Fermilab Tevatron are searched for indications of new electroweak-scale physics. Rather than focusing on particular new physics scenarios, CDF data are analyzed for discrepancies with the standard model prediction. A model-independent approach (Vista) considers gross features of the data, and is sensitive to new large cross-section physics. Further sensitivity to new physics is provided by two additional algorithms: a Bump Hunter searches invariant mass distributions for "bumps" that could indicate resonant production of new particles; and the Sleuth procedure scans for data excesses at large summed transverse momentum. This combined global search for new physics in 2.0/fb of ppbar collisions at sqrt(s)=1.96 TeV reveals no indication of physics beyond the standard model.Comment: 8 pages, 7 figures. Final version which appeared in Physical Review D Rapid Communication