Effects of a flexible net barrier on the dynamic behaviours and interception of debris flows in mountainous areas

Flexible net barriers are a new type of effective mitigation measure against debris flows in valleys and can affect the kinematic energy and mass of debris flows. Here, ten flume tests were performed to study the dynamic behaviours of debris flows with differences in volumes, concentrations(solid volume fraction), and travel distances after interception by a uniform flexible net barrier. A high-speed camera was used to monitor the whole test process, and their dynamic behaviours were recorded. A preliminary computational framework on energy conversion is proposed according to the deposition mechanisms and outflow of debris flow under the effects of the flexible net barrier. The experimental results show that the dynamic interaction process between a debris flow and the flexible net barrier can be divided into two stages:(a) the two-phase impact of the leading edge of the debris flow with the net and(b) collision and friction between the body of the debris flow and intercepted debris material. The approach velocity of a debris flow decreases sharply(a maximum of 63%) after the interception by the net barrier, and the mass ratio of the debris material being intercepted and the kinetic energy ratio of the debris material being absorbed by the net barrier are close due to the limited interception efficiency of the flexible net barrier, which is believed to be related to the flexibility. The energy ratio of outflow is relative small despite the large permeability of the flexible net barrier.

Microfluidic-based single cell trapping using a combination of stagnation point flow and physical barrier

Single cell trapping in vitro by microfluidic device is an emerging approach for the study of the relationship between single cells and their dynamic biochemical microenvironments. In this paper, a hydrodynamic-based microfluidic device for single cell trapping is designed using a combination of stagnation point flow and physical barrier.The microfluidic device overcomes the weakness of the traditional ones, which have been only based upon either stagnation point flows or physical barriers, and can conveniently load dynamic biochemical signals to the trapped cell. In addition, it can connect with a programmable syringe pump and a microscope to constitute an integrated experimental system.It is experimentally verified that the microfluidic system can trap single cells in vitro even under flow disturbance and conveniently load biochemical signals to the trapped cell. The designed micro-device would provide a simple yet effective experimental platform for further study of the interactions between single cells and their microenvironments.

A Numerical Modelling Method of Fractured Reservoirs with Embedded Meshes and Topological Fracture Projection Configurations

Projection-based embedded discrete fracture model(pEDFM)is an effective numerical model to handle the flow in fractured reservoirs,with high efficiency and strong generalization of flow models.However,this paper points out that pEDFM fails to handle flow barriers in most cases,and identifies the physical projection configuration of fractures is a key step in pEDFM.This paper presents and proves the equivalence theorem,which explains the geometric nature of physical projection configurations of fractures,that is,the projection configuration of a fracture being physical is equivalent to it being topologically homeomorphic to the fracture,by analyzing the essence of pEDFM.Physical projection configurations of fractures may be rigorously established based on this theorem,allowing pEDFM to obtain physical numerical results for many flow models,particularly those with flow barriers.Furthermore,a natural idea emerges of employing flow barriers to flexibly‘cut’the formation to quickly handle the flow problems in the formation with complex geological conditions,and several numerical examples are implemented to test this idea and application of the improved pEDFM.

Magnetic resonance imaging and cell-based neurorestorative therapy after brain injury

Restorative cell-based therapies for experimental brain injury, such as stroke and traumatic brain injury,substantially improve functional outcome. We discuss and review state of the art magnetic resonance imaging methodologies and their applications related to cell-based treatment after brain injury. We focus on the potential of magnetic resonance imaging technique and its associated challenges to obtain useful new information related to cell migration, distribution, and quantitation, as well as vascular and neuronal remodeling in response to cell-based therapy after brain injury. The noninvasive nature of imaging might more readily help with translation of cell-based therapy from the laboratory to the clinic.

Turbulent boundary layer separation control using plasma actuator at Reynolds number 2000000

An experimental investigation was conducted to evaluate the effect of symmetrical plasma actuators on turbulent boundary layer separation control at high Reynolds number. Compared with the traditional control method of plasma actuator, the whole test model was made of aluminum and acted as a covered electrode of the symmetrical plasma actuator. The experimental study of plasma actuators＇ effect on surrounding air, a canonical zero-pressure gradient turbulent boundary, was carried out using particle image velocimetry （PIV） and laser Doppler velocimetry （LDV） in the 0.75 m × 0.75 m low speed wind tunnel to reveal the symmetrical plasma actuator characterization in an external flow. A half model of wing-body configuration was experimentally investigated in the 3.2 m low speed wind tunnel with a six-component strain gauge balance and PIV. The results show that the turbulent boundary layer separation of wing can be obviously suppressed and the maximum lift coefficient is improved at high Reynolds number with the symmetrical plasma actuator. It turns out that the maximum lift coefficient increased by approximately 8.98% and the stall angle of attack was delayed by approximately 2° at Reynolds number 2 ×10……6. The effective mechanism for the turbulent separation control by the symmetrical plasma actuators is to induce the vortex near the wing surface which could create the relatively large- scale disturbance and promote momentum mixing between low speed flow and main flow regions.