Lateral earth pressure of granular backfills on retaining walls with expanded polystyrene geofoam inclusions under limited surcharge loading

Existing studies have focused on the behavior of the retaining wall equipped with expanded polystyrene(EPS)geofoam inclusions under semi-infinite surcharge loading rather than limited surcharge loading.In this paper,the failure mode and the earth pressure acting on the rigid retaining wall with EPS geofoam inclusions and granular backfills(henceforth referred to as EPS-wall),under limited surcharge loading are investigated through two-and three-dimensional model tests.The testing results show that different from the sliding of almost all the backfill in the EPS-wall under semi-infinite surcharge loading,only an approximately triangular backfill slides in the wall under limited surcharge loading.The distribution of the lateral earth pressure on the EPS-wall under limited surcharge loading is non-linear,and the distribution changes from the increase of the wall depth to the decrease with the increase of the limited surcharge loading.An approach based on the force equilibrium of a differential element is developed to predict the lateral earth pressure behind the EPS-wall subjected to limited surcharge loading,and its performance was fully validated by the three-dimensional model tests.

Key Factors to Consider When Introducing a New Vaccine in Low-Income Settings: Lessons from Malawi Expanded Program on Immunization

Introduction: As new vaccines become available, countries must assess the relevance to introduce them into their vaccination schedules. Malawi has recently introduced several new vaccines and plans to introduce more. This study was conducted to identify key factors that need to be considered when deciding to introduce a new vaccine and current challenges faced by low and middle income countries using Malawi as an example. Methodology: The study employed a desk review approach, examining published literature from various sources such as PubMed, Medline, and Google Scholar. Policy documents from organizations like the World Health Organization, GAVI the Alliance, and the Ministry of Health for Malawi were also included. A total of 99 articles and documents on new vaccine introduction, challenges of immunization, policy documents in immunization and health systems strengthening were included. The review focused on addressing five key areas critical to new vaccine introduction namely: the need for a vaccine, availability of the vaccine, safety and effectiveness of the vaccine, demand for the vaccine, and the prudent use of public or private funds. Results: Malawi considered the burden of cervical cancer and the significance of malaria in the country when introducing the HPV and malaria vaccines. The country opted for vaccines that can be handled by the cold chain capacity and available human resources. Despite that malaria vaccine and Typhoid Conjugate Vaccine trials were done in country, there are limited vaccine safety and efficacy trials conducted in Malawi, leading to a reliance on WHO-prequalified vaccines. Demand for newly introduced vaccines varied, with high demand for Oral Cholera Vaccine during a cholera outbreak, while demand for COVID-19 vaccines decreased over time. Although cost-effectiveness studies were limited in the country, 2 studies indicated that Typhoid Conjugate Vaccine and malaria vaccine would be cost effective. All these have been implemented despite having challenges like lack of accurate surveillance data, inadequate cold chain capacity, limited safety and efficacy vaccine clinical trials, political influence, and limited funding. Conclusion: Despite several challenges Malawi set a good example of the careful considerations required before introducing a new vaccine. The process involves data review, priority setting, precise planning, and consultation with stakeholders. Low-income countries should invest in vaccine safety, efficacy, and cost-effectiveness trials.

Compression properties of cost-efficient porous expanded clay reinforced AA7075 syntactic foams fabricated by industrial-oriented die casting technology

In today’s manufacturing industries,hard competition between rival firms makes it compulsory for researchers to design lighter and cheaper machine components due to the megatrends of cost-effectiveness and anti-pollution.At this point,aluminum syntactic foams(ASFs)are new-generation engineering composites and come into the upfront as a problem-solver.Owing to their features like low density,sufficient elongation,and perfect energy absorption ability,these advanced foams have been considerably seductive for many industrial sectors nowadays.In this study,an industrial-oriented automatic die casting technology was used for the first time to manufacture the combination of AA7075/porous expanded clay(PEC).Micro evaluations(optical and FESEM)reveal that there is a homogenous particle distribution in the foam samples,and inspections are compatible with the other ASF studies.Additionally,T6 aging heat treatment was operated on one half of the produced foams to explore the probable impact of aging on the compressive responses.Attained results show that PEC particles can be an alternative to expensive hollow spheres used in the previous works.Besides,a favorable relationship is ascertained between the aging treatment and mechanical properties such as compression strength and plateau strength.

Study of Rice Husks and Expanded Polystyrene Composites for Construction Applications

In the current context of environmental challenges, this study focuses on developing innovative and eco-friendly composites using rice husk and recycled expanded polystyrene. This dual-responsibility approach valorizes a by-product like rice husk, often considered waste, and reuses polystyrene, a plastic waste, thereby contributing to CO2 emission reduction and effective waste management. The manufacturing process involves dissolving recycled polystyrene into a solvent to create a binder, which is then mixed with rice husk and cold-compacted into composite materials. The study examines the impact of two particle sizes (fine and coarse) and different proportions of recycled polystyrene binder. The results show significant variations in the mechanical characteristics of the composites, with Modulus of Rupture (MOR) values varying from 2.41 to 3.47 MPa, Modulus of Elasticity (MOE) ranging from 223.41 to 1497.2 MPa, and Stiffness Coefficient (K) from 5.04 to 33.96 N/mm. These characteristics demonstrate that these composites are appropriate for various construction applications, including interior decoration, panel claddings, and potentially for furniture and door manufacturing when combined with appropriate coatings. This study not only highlights the recycling of agricultural and plastic waste but also provides a localized approach to addressing global climate change challenges through the adoption of sustainable building materials.

基于SCI-EXPANDED的世界大豆研究动态分析

基于Web of Science平台的SCI—EXPANDED数据库，采用文献计量学方法，以世界和中国发表于1995—2013年的大豆相关研究论文为检索对象，分析了不同国家、机构、作者和期刊的论文数目及引用频次、学科分布和论文语种等情况。借助CiteSpaceⅢ信息可视化软件绘制大豆研究的科学知识图谱，直观地展示和分析了大豆研究的知识基础和前沿领域。结果表明：1995—2013年SCI—EXPANDED数据库共收录17576篇大豆相关研究论文，发文的36190位作者来自122个国家的5879个机构。论文数目呈波动增长态势，美国、巴西、中国、日本和韩国大豆相关研究论文数目居前5位；美国农业部所属机构、艾奥瓦州立大学和伊利诺伊大学等机构的论文质量较高。发表大豆相关论文数目位居世界前5位的作者为美国科学家Hartman G L、Shoemaker R C、Boerma H R、Nelson R L和加拿大科学家Cober E R。载文量排名前5位的期刊分别是Crop Science、Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry、Journal of the American Oil Chemists Society、Agronomy Journal和Pesquisa Agropecuaria Brasileira。论文主要集中在植物学、农艺学、食品科学和技术、农业一跨学科、应用化学、生物化学和和分子生物学等学科。大豆分子生物学、植物保护、遗传育种、加工和品质、转基因技术、豆粕饲料和生物柴油研究是世界大豆研究的前沿领域。中国大豆研究的整体规模和水平均已位于世界前列，但在国际高影响力刊物上发表的论文数量还不多，国际影响力有待进一步提升。

基于SCI-EXPANDED的植物蛋白质组学文献计量分析

[目的]从文献计量角度分析1999～2012年植物蛋白质组学研究状况。[方法]以SCI-EXPANDED数据库为检索对象,根据不同国家、机构和作者的发文量,文献被引频次和载文期刊的分布情况等方面分析1999～2012年国际和国内的植物蛋白质组学研究热点。[结果]近5年关于植物蛋白质组学的文献发表量激增,美国在该领域具有绝对的领先优势,我国近年来的研究产出增长迅速。亚细胞蛋白质组学、植物响应胁迫蛋白质组学、翻译后修饰蛋白质组学和蛋白质相互作用等多个方面的基础研究是国际上近几年的研究热点;植物响应胁迫蛋白质组学、亚细胞蛋白质组学以及翻译后修饰蛋白质组学则是我国近几年的热点研究方向。[结论]近年来我国在植物蛋白质组学研究领域发展较快,但与国际领先水平相比,还有一定差距。

2016—2020年长江科学院发表的科技论文被SCI、EI和CPCI收录情况分析

利用SCI、EI和CPCI三大索引数据库对2016—2020年长江科学院所发表论文进行检索统计,运用文献计量法,从所收录论文的数量、专业、著者、作者群分布情况包括作者群年龄、学历、职称等方面进行统计、归纳和分析,并与前5 a统计数据比较,从产出论文这一侧面了解和反映长江科学院近几年来科研、专业和人才结构情况:科研实力和国际影响力得到较大增强,在保持传统专业科研实力的同时,新兴专业的科研实力也迅速提升,对外合作加强,拥有较高层次的科研人才队伍且趋于年轻化。研究结果可为长江科学院学科建设和科研绩效评估提供数据参考。

河南省农业科技文献计量分析——基于2014—2023年10545篇SCI论文

【目的】对近十年河南省农业科技论文进行计量分析,为优化河南省农业科研管理提供数据支撑。【方法】基于WoS核心合集数据库的10 545篇论文,利用VOSviewer、Gephi等文献计量工具,构建国家地区、机构、作者之间的合作网络。【结果】发文量排名前三的单位是河南农业大学、河南工业大学和河南科技大学;发文量排名前三的个人是张全国、张改平和汪学德;作者共现网络共识别出14个研究团队。【结论】河南省农业科技论文在全国排在第十位,与先进地区有一定的差距。今后应加强团队建设,瞄准前沿领域,取得一批世界一流的研究成果。

诌议2004年美国SCI-Expanded收录中国大陆科技期刊

报道了2004年SCIE收录中国大陆科技期刊的情况,分析了期刊及论文被SCIE收录的意义,最后,就如何正确使用和看待SCI评价指标谈了作者的看法。

Experimental study on thermal and mechanical properties of tailings-based cemented paste backfill with CaCl_(2)·6H_(2)O/expanded vermiculite shape stabilized phase change materials

CaCl_(2)·6H_(2)O/expanded vermiculite shape stabilized phase change materials(CEV)was prepared by atmospheric impregnation method.Using gold mine tailings as aggregate of cemented paste backfill(CPB)material,the CPB with CEV added was prepared,and the specific heat capacity,thermal conductivity,and uniaxial compressive strength(UCS)of CPB with different cement-tailing ratios and CEV addition ratios were tested,the influence of the above variables on the thermal and mechanical properties of CPB was analyzed.The results show that the maximum encapsulation capacity of expanded vermiculite for CaCl_(2)·6H_(2)O is about 60%,and the melting and solidification enthalpies of CEV can reach 98.87 J/g and 97.56 J/g,respectively.For the CPB without CEV,the specific heat capacity,thermal conductivity,and UCS decrease with the decrease of cement-tailing ratio.For the CPB with CEV added,with the increase of CEV addition ratio,the specific heat capacity increases significantly,and the sensible heat storage capacity and latent heat storage capacity can be increased by at least 10.74%and 218.97%respectively after adding 12%CEV.However,the addition of CEV leads to the increase of pores,and the thermal conductivity and UCS both decrease with the increase of CEV addition.When cement-tailing ratio is 1:8 and 6%,9%,and 12%of CEV are added,the 28-days UCS of CPB is less than 1 MPa.Considering the heat storage capacity and cost price of backfill,the recommended proportion scheme of CPB material presents cement-tailing ratio of 1:6 and 12%CEV,and the most recommended heat storage/release temperature cycle range of CPB with added CEV is from 20 to 40℃.This work can provide theoretical basis for the utilization of heat storage backfill in green mines.

Study on Sustained-Release Pesticides Blended with Fosthiazate-Stearic Acid/Expanded Perlite

The low utilization rate of pesticides makes the migration of pesticides in water and soil,which brings great harm to the ecosystem.The development of pesticide carriers with good drug loading capacity and release control abil-ity is an effective method to realize effective utilization of pesticides and reduce pesticide losses.In this work,fosthiazate-stearic acid/expanded perlite sustained-release particles were successfully prepared by vacuum impregnation using expanded perlite(EP)as carrier,fosthiazate(FOS)as model pesticide and stearic acid(SA)as hydrophobic matrix.The structure and morphology of the samples were studied by BET,FT-IR,TGA,XRD,DSC and SEM.The effects of different mass ratios of FOS to SA on loading capacity and release rate at 24 h were investigated.The sustained release behavior of FOS-SA/EP at different temperatures and pH values was investigated by static dialysis bag method.The results showed that FOS and SA were adsorbed in EP pores by physical interaction.With the mass ratios of FOS to SA decreasing from 7:3 to 3:7,the 24 h release rate of FOS-SA/EP decreased from 18.77%to 8.05%,and the drug loading decreased from 461.32 to 130.99 mg/g.FOS-SA/EP showed obvious temperature response at 25℃,30℃ and 35℃,the cumulative release rate(CRR)of 200 h were 33.38%,41.50%and 51.17%,respectively.When pH=5,the CRR of FOS was higher than that of pH=7,and the CRR of FOS for 200 h were 49.01%and 30.12%,respectively.At different temperatures and pH=5,the release mechanism of FOS-SA/EP belongs to the Fickian diffusion mechanism;When pH=7,the diffusion mechanism is dominant,and the dissolution mechanism is complementary.

破“五唯”“SCI至上”背景下综合性医药卫生类科技普刊的发展策略

在破“五唯”“SCI至上”背景下,分析探讨综合性医药卫生类科技普刊发展中存在的优势、劣势、机会和挑战,为抓住机遇,直面挑战,在现有人才队伍建设的基础上,应充分利用学科特色与优势,并提出了应对策略。

Experimental study on lightweight expanded clay at particle level:Breakage of isolated grains

In this study,more than 1500 particles of lightweight expanded clay aggregate(LECA)are individually loaded up to breakage,following different patterns of contact(from 2 to 7)using a purpose-built apparatus.Consequently,a statistical model for predicting the number of fragments into which a grain breaks as a function of the number of contacts and their diameter is proposed.The number of fragments is found to follow a statistical binomial-type distribution function that depends on the number of contacts.In addition,a model based on Bayesian networks,capable of assessing the number of fragments and their size(measured as normalized weight)as a function of the number of contacts,is implemented.The proposed method is applicable when performing discrete element method(DEM)simulations on granular media in which grain breakage plays a relevant role.

ZnO-Embedded Expanded Graphite Composite Anodes with Controlled Charge Storage Mechanism Enabling Operation of Lithium-Ion Batteries at Ultra-Low Temperatures

As lithium(Li)-ion batteries expand their applications,operating over a wide temperature range becomes increasingly important.However,the lowtemperature performance of conventional graphite anodes is severely hampered by the poor diffusion kinetics of Li ions(Li^(+)).Here,zinc oxide(ZnO) nanoparticles are incorporated into the expanded graphite to improve Li^(+)diffusion kinetics,resulting in a significant improvement in lowtemperature performance.The ZnO-embedded expanded graphite anodes are investigated with different amounts of ZnO to establish the structurecharge storage mechanism-performance relationship with a focus on lowtemperature applications.Electrochemical analysis reveals that the ZnOembedded expanded graphite anode with nano-sized ZnO maintains a large portion of the diffusion-controlled charge storage mechanism at an ultra-low temperature of-50℃ Due to this significantly enhanced Li^(+)diffusion rate,a full cell with the ZnO-embedded expanded graphite anode and a LiNi_(0.88)Co_(0.09)Al_(0.03)O_(2)cathode delivers high capacities of 176 mAh g^(-1)at20℃ and 86 mAh g^(-1)at-50℃ at a high rate of 1 C.The outstanding low-temperature performance of the composite anode by improving the Li^(+)diffusion kinetics provides important scientific insights into the fundamental design principles of anodes for low-temperature Li-ion battery operation.

The Chinese Journal of Cancer is indexed in Science CitationIndex(SCI) Expanded

On July 22,2014,the Chinese Journal of Cancer(CJC)received a notification from Thomson Reuters that the publications of our journal starting from 2012 have been accepted for coverage in Science Citation Index Expanded,available at the Web of Science,Core Collection,Biological Abstracts,and Biosis Previews.What this means in practical terms is that CJC will receive its first official impact factor(IF)in 2015.This is an important milestone in the history

Nursing Care and Causative Analysis of Grade IV Capsular Contracture Following Breast Cancer Expander Implantation

Objective: By observing the treatment and nursing care of a patient with Grade IV capsular contracture following breast cancer expander implantation and subsequent Stage II reconstruction, we aim to analyze the reasons for the formation of capsular contracture after Stage I expander implantation and prevent its recurrence following Stage II reconstruction. Methods: In May 2020, the patient noticed an increase in the size of a breast mass. In August, she underwent AC-THP neoadjuvant chemotherapy, followed by a “right breast-conserving nipple-areolar subglandular excision + right axillary lymph node dissection + expander implantation” surgery in November 2020. Radiation therapy began in January 2021. During radiation therapy, the patient experienced severe breast hardening, distortion, tenderness, and was diagnosed with Grade IV capsular contracture. To relieve the capsular contracture, the patient underwent a “contracted capsule incision and release procedure + removal of the right breast expander + right breast implantation” surgery in July 2021. Postoperatively, measures were taken to prevent incision infection, emphasizing aseptic techniques, ensuring smooth negative pressure drainage, reducing skin flap tension, monitoring skin flap blood supply, actively preventing subcutaneous effusion and hematoma, and applying appropriate compression dressings. Results: The patient was discharged after the removal of the drainage tube. During the postoperative follow-up at 3 and 6 months, there was no recurrence of capsular contracture, and the breast appeared full, upright, and relatively soft. There were no complications such as hematoma, infection, breast implant rupture, breast sagging, or displacement. The patient had a good outcome without additional financial or surgical burdens. Conclusion: The occurrence of Grade IV capsular contracture in the patient is generally related to infection after Stage I expander implantation, improper compression dressing, excessive saline injection causing content infiltration, and radiation therapy. Therefore, it is recommended to enhance the intraoperative and postoperative prophylactic use of antibiotics after Stage I expander implantation. Intermittent saline injection after surgery, with the amount of saline gradually increasing rather than filling all at once, is advisable. This helps the breast tissue gradually adapt to expansion, reducing the risk of capsular contracture. Postoperatively, patients should be instructed to wear pressure garments and breast elastic bandages while intensifying breast monitoring during radiation therapy and increasing postoperative follow-up.

Heuristic Expanding Disconnected Graph:A Rapid Path Planning Method for Mobile Robots

Existing mobile robots mostly use graph search algorithms for path planning,which suffer from relatively low planning efficiency owing to high redundancy and large computational complexity.Due to the limitations of the neighborhood search strategy,the robots could hardly obtain the most optimal global path.A global path planning algorithm,denoted as EDG*,is proposed by expanding nodes using a well-designed expanding disconnected graph operator(EDG)in this paper.Firstly,all obstacles are marked and their corners are located through the map pre-processing.Then,the EDG operator is designed to find points in non-obstruction areas to complete the rapid expansion of disconnected nodes.Finally,the EDG*heuristic iterative algorithm is proposed.It selects the candidate node through a specific valuation function and realizes the node expansion while avoiding collision with a minimum offset.Path planning experiments were conducted in a typical indoor environment and on the public dataset CSM.The result shows that the proposed EDG*reduced the planning time by more than 90%and total length of paths reduced by more than 4.6%.Compared to A*,Dijkstra and JPS,EDG*does not show an exponential explosion effect in map size.The EDG*showed better performance in terms of path smoothness,and collision avoidance.This shows that the EDG*algorithm proposed in this paper can improve the efficiency of path planning and enhance path quality.

Expandable endoprostheses in skeletally immature patients:Where we are

Approximately 45 percent of malignant bone tumors are seen under the age of 16 and one of the important results of growth plate sacrification in patients with immature skeletons is limb inequality.Until the early 1990s,the treatment options for these patients were rotationplasty or amputation.Multimodal approaches that combine imaging,chemotherapy,and surgical techniques have enabled the development of limb-preserving methods with satisfactory results.In order to overcome inequality problems,expandable prostheses have been developed in the 1980s.Extendable endoprosthesis replacements have been improved over the years and are now an established and safe alternative.Noninvasive prostheses appear to be advantageous compared to minimally invasive expandable prostheses that require multiple surgical procedures,but the complication rate remains high.Therefore,although expandable prostheses are not the definitive answer to the treatment of bone sarcomas in skeletally immature children,they are still a suitable interim choice until full adulthood is achieved.Due to reported high complication rates,the procedures require significant experience and are recommended for use only in specialized cancer centers.