Raw sewage is widely used on agricultural soils in urban areas of developing countries to meet water shortages. Although it is a good source of plant nutrients, such sewage also increases the heavy metal load to soils...Raw sewage is widely used on agricultural soils in urban areas of developing countries to meet water shortages. Although it is a good source of plant nutrients, such sewage also increases the heavy metal load to soils, which may impact the food chain. Management options for sewage contaminated soils includes addition of nontoxic compounds such as lime, calcium sulfate and organic matter, which form insoluble metal complexes, thus reducing metal phytoavailability to plants. In this paper we review the variation in irrigation quality of sewage at different sites and its impact on the quality of soils and vegetables. Although quality of sewage was highly variable at source, yet the effluent from food industries was relatively safe for irrigation. In comparison effluent samples collected from textile, dyeing, calendaring, steel industry, hospitals and clinical laboratories, foundries and tanneries were hazardous with respect to soluble salts, sodium adsorption ratio and heavy metals like zinc, copper, iron, manganese, nickel, cobalt and cadmium. The sewage quality in main drains was better than that at the industry outlet, but was still not safe for irrigation. In general, higher accumulation of metals in fruits and vegetable roots was recorded compared to that in plant leaves, Edible parts of vegetables （fruits and/or leaves） accumulated metals more than the permissible limits despite the soils contained ammonium bicarbonate diethylenetriaminepentaacetie acid extractable metals within a safe range. In either case further scientific investigations are needed to ensure safe management strategies. Cadmium appeared to be the most threatening metal especially in leafy vegetables. It is advisable to avoid leafy vegetables cultivation in sewage irrigated areas everywhere to restrict its entry into food chain.展开更多
The number of diabetic patients has recently been increasing all over the world together with lifestyle changes including sedentary life and high-calorie diet intake, and as a result the increase in these suffering fr...The number of diabetic patients has recently been increasing all over the world together with lifestyle changes including sedentary life and high-calorie diet intake, and as a result the increase in these suffering from diabetes mellitus has become a global issue. Diabetic animal models play a key role in bettering our understanding of the pathophysiology of diabetes and in developing new therapies for the disease. Diabetes is classified into two types, type 1 and type 2, and type 2 diabetes is chiefly caused by a depletion of insulin secretion in the pancreas and insulin resistance in peripheral tissues. The Goto-Kakizaki (GK) rat and the Spontaneously Diabetic Torii (SDT) rat are genetic non-obese type 2 diabetic models, and the both rats are considered to be suitable models for investigating the etiology of the depletion of insulin secretion and impaired glucose tolerance. In this review, we overviewed the outline of pathophysiological features in GK rats and SDT rats, including biological parameters and pharmacological responses.展开更多
The main purpose of this article is to demonstrate that electromagnetic and gravitational phenomenology are two different expressions of the same interaction that we can call “universal interaction”. In order to rea...The main purpose of this article is to demonstrate that electromagnetic and gravitational phenomenology are two different expressions of the same interaction that we can call “universal interaction”. In order to reach the aim, it is therefore necessary to imagine the matter in a slightly different way, as well as equivalent, to what has been done until today by the literature everywhere accepted. Even if differently imagined, this proposed structure of matter cannot and must not escape from reflecting the measurements and phenomenologies widely experimented in laboratories all over the world. In the proposed model the proton radius;the electron mass;the Avogadro constant;the existence and the mass of neutron and the existence of neutrino are theoretically derived. The main consequence is therefore a more general rewriting of Newton’s law of universal gravitation. A definitive value for the universal gravitational constant is proposed.展开更多
Due to the shortages of natural sands along the east coast of Australia in particular and the need to fully utilise fines produced in quarry operations, progress has been made in utilising blends of manufactured sands...Due to the shortages of natural sands along the east coast of Australia in particular and the need to fully utilise fines produced in quarry operations, progress has been made in utilising blends of manufactured sands and natural sands in concrete pavements. This paper documents some of the constraints in utilising larger proportions of manufactured sands in concrete pavements. These constraints are mainly caused by the current level of knowledge regarding the impact of manufactured sands on skid and abrasion resistance of concrete pavements. This paper presents a brief review of literature on this subject in the USA, France and UK. It also briefly documents work recently carried out in Australia by CCAA （Cement Concrete and Aggregates Australia）, referring to the skid and abrasion resistance of concrete pavements using manufactured sands. The paper concludes that there is no relationship between the free silica content and the skid resistance. With regard to the abrasion resistance, it is rather the curing conditions and the compressive strength that are more important in achieving good results.展开更多
Flue gases exhausted from thermal power plants contain more than 50% of the fuel thermal energy. In the present work, experimental investigation was carried out to study the utilization of thermal energy in flue gases...Flue gases exhausted from thermal power plants contain more than 50% of the fuel thermal energy. In the present work, experimental investigation was carried out to study the utilization of thermal energy in flue gases to enhance the performance of modified solar chimney consisting of Savonius wind rotor. A modified solar chimney model was designed and fabricated to carry out experimental measurement. The model consists of thermal energy conversion unit; Savonius wind rotor and a chimney. The thermal energy in the flue gas transfers to the air particles in the air channel across the absorber plate and results in upward air stream due to the buoyancy effect. With an 9 absorber area of 2.36 re＇and flue gas mass flow rate of0.18 kg/s, air velocity＇ of 4.1 m/s was achieved at the top of the thermal unit. Increasing the mass flow rate of the flue gas to 0.24 kg/s enhances the air velocity to be 4.6 m/s. The results have demonstrated the possibility＇ of utilizing the thermal energy in the waste flue gas to enhance the performance of a solar chimney and facilitate the continuous operation during the absence of the sun.展开更多
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the hemostasis effect of spleen-invigorating, Qi-replenishing and blood-arresting formula, on a zebrafish models with simvastatin-induced hemorrhage, and with symptom pattern caused by spleen...OBJECTIVE: To investigate the hemostasis effect of spleen-invigorating, Qi-replenishing and blood-arresting formula, on a zebrafish models with simvastatin-induced hemorrhage, and with symptom pattern caused by spleen failing to control blood, in terms of theory of Traditional Chinese Medicine(TCM).METHODS: In the first experiment, 60 AB strain wild type zebrafishes were randomly assigned into two groups: normal group and model group. The model group was treated with 50 μM simvastatinfor 24 h. The second experiment: The melanin allele mutated Albino strain zebrafishes were divided into normal, model, A group and B group. The observational parameters were as follows: blood flow, velocity of movement, hemorrhage ratio and improvement ratio of hemorrhage.RESULTS: Hemorrhage ratio: in the first experiment, brain hemorrhage ratio was 75%. In the second experiment, heart hemorrhage ratio was 65%.Blood flow: compared with the normal group,there was a significantly decrease in the model group(P < 0.001). Velocity of movement: in the first experimental, compared with the normal group,there was a significantly decrease in the model group(P < 0.001). Improvement ratio of hemorrhage: agents A had little effect in heart hemorrhage of the zebrafish; agents B could reduce heart hemorrhage ratio of the zebrafish, and increase the improvement ratio of hemorrhage.CONCLUSION: The manifestation of zebrafish model with simvastatin-induced hemorrhage is basically similar to that of the clinical symptom pattern caused by spleen's failure to control blood. The Spleen-invigorating, Qi-replenishing and Blood-arresting Formula can reduce the heart hemorrhage ratio of zebrafish induced by simvastatin, and increase the Improvement ratio of hemorrhage.展开更多
文摘Raw sewage is widely used on agricultural soils in urban areas of developing countries to meet water shortages. Although it is a good source of plant nutrients, such sewage also increases the heavy metal load to soils, which may impact the food chain. Management options for sewage contaminated soils includes addition of nontoxic compounds such as lime, calcium sulfate and organic matter, which form insoluble metal complexes, thus reducing metal phytoavailability to plants. In this paper we review the variation in irrigation quality of sewage at different sites and its impact on the quality of soils and vegetables. Although quality of sewage was highly variable at source, yet the effluent from food industries was relatively safe for irrigation. In comparison effluent samples collected from textile, dyeing, calendaring, steel industry, hospitals and clinical laboratories, foundries and tanneries were hazardous with respect to soluble salts, sodium adsorption ratio and heavy metals like zinc, copper, iron, manganese, nickel, cobalt and cadmium. The sewage quality in main drains was better than that at the industry outlet, but was still not safe for irrigation. In general, higher accumulation of metals in fruits and vegetable roots was recorded compared to that in plant leaves, Edible parts of vegetables （fruits and/or leaves） accumulated metals more than the permissible limits despite the soils contained ammonium bicarbonate diethylenetriaminepentaacetie acid extractable metals within a safe range. In either case further scientific investigations are needed to ensure safe management strategies. Cadmium appeared to be the most threatening metal especially in leafy vegetables. It is advisable to avoid leafy vegetables cultivation in sewage irrigated areas everywhere to restrict its entry into food chain.
文摘The number of diabetic patients has recently been increasing all over the world together with lifestyle changes including sedentary life and high-calorie diet intake, and as a result the increase in these suffering from diabetes mellitus has become a global issue. Diabetic animal models play a key role in bettering our understanding of the pathophysiology of diabetes and in developing new therapies for the disease. Diabetes is classified into two types, type 1 and type 2, and type 2 diabetes is chiefly caused by a depletion of insulin secretion in the pancreas and insulin resistance in peripheral tissues. The Goto-Kakizaki (GK) rat and the Spontaneously Diabetic Torii (SDT) rat are genetic non-obese type 2 diabetic models, and the both rats are considered to be suitable models for investigating the etiology of the depletion of insulin secretion and impaired glucose tolerance. In this review, we overviewed the outline of pathophysiological features in GK rats and SDT rats, including biological parameters and pharmacological responses.
文摘The main purpose of this article is to demonstrate that electromagnetic and gravitational phenomenology are two different expressions of the same interaction that we can call “universal interaction”. In order to reach the aim, it is therefore necessary to imagine the matter in a slightly different way, as well as equivalent, to what has been done until today by the literature everywhere accepted. Even if differently imagined, this proposed structure of matter cannot and must not escape from reflecting the measurements and phenomenologies widely experimented in laboratories all over the world. In the proposed model the proton radius;the electron mass;the Avogadro constant;the existence and the mass of neutron and the existence of neutrino are theoretically derived. The main consequence is therefore a more general rewriting of Newton’s law of universal gravitation. A definitive value for the universal gravitational constant is proposed.
文摘Due to the shortages of natural sands along the east coast of Australia in particular and the need to fully utilise fines produced in quarry operations, progress has been made in utilising blends of manufactured sands and natural sands in concrete pavements. This paper documents some of the constraints in utilising larger proportions of manufactured sands in concrete pavements. These constraints are mainly caused by the current level of knowledge regarding the impact of manufactured sands on skid and abrasion resistance of concrete pavements. This paper presents a brief review of literature on this subject in the USA, France and UK. It also briefly documents work recently carried out in Australia by CCAA （Cement Concrete and Aggregates Australia）, referring to the skid and abrasion resistance of concrete pavements using manufactured sands. The paper concludes that there is no relationship between the free silica content and the skid resistance. With regard to the abrasion resistance, it is rather the curing conditions and the compressive strength that are more important in achieving good results.
文摘Flue gases exhausted from thermal power plants contain more than 50% of the fuel thermal energy. In the present work, experimental investigation was carried out to study the utilization of thermal energy in flue gases to enhance the performance of modified solar chimney consisting of Savonius wind rotor. A modified solar chimney model was designed and fabricated to carry out experimental measurement. The model consists of thermal energy conversion unit; Savonius wind rotor and a chimney. The thermal energy in the flue gas transfers to the air particles in the air channel across the absorber plate and results in upward air stream due to the buoyancy effect. With an 9 absorber area of 2.36 re＇and flue gas mass flow rate of0.18 kg/s, air velocity＇ of 4.1 m/s was achieved at the top of the thermal unit. Increasing the mass flow rate of the flue gas to 0.24 kg/s enhances the air velocity to be 4.6 m/s. The results have demonstrated the possibility＇ of utilizing the thermal energy in the waste flue gas to enhance the performance of a solar chimney and facilitate the continuous operation during the absence of the sun.
基金Supported by National Program on Key Basic Research Program(973 Program)Project(No.2013CB531705)--Study on the Visceral Picture Theory of "Spleen Governs Transportation and Transformation-controls blood"
文摘OBJECTIVE: To investigate the hemostasis effect of spleen-invigorating, Qi-replenishing and blood-arresting formula, on a zebrafish models with simvastatin-induced hemorrhage, and with symptom pattern caused by spleen failing to control blood, in terms of theory of Traditional Chinese Medicine(TCM).METHODS: In the first experiment, 60 AB strain wild type zebrafishes were randomly assigned into two groups: normal group and model group. The model group was treated with 50 μM simvastatinfor 24 h. The second experiment: The melanin allele mutated Albino strain zebrafishes were divided into normal, model, A group and B group. The observational parameters were as follows: blood flow, velocity of movement, hemorrhage ratio and improvement ratio of hemorrhage.RESULTS: Hemorrhage ratio: in the first experiment, brain hemorrhage ratio was 75%. In the second experiment, heart hemorrhage ratio was 65%.Blood flow: compared with the normal group,there was a significantly decrease in the model group(P < 0.001). Velocity of movement: in the first experimental, compared with the normal group,there was a significantly decrease in the model group(P < 0.001). Improvement ratio of hemorrhage: agents A had little effect in heart hemorrhage of the zebrafish; agents B could reduce heart hemorrhage ratio of the zebrafish, and increase the improvement ratio of hemorrhage.CONCLUSION: The manifestation of zebrafish model with simvastatin-induced hemorrhage is basically similar to that of the clinical symptom pattern caused by spleen's failure to control blood. The Spleen-invigorating, Qi-replenishing and Blood-arresting Formula can reduce the heart hemorrhage ratio of zebrafish induced by simvastatin, and increase the Improvement ratio of hemorrhage.
