First-trimester maternal serum human thyroid-stimulating hormone in chromosomally normal and Down syndrome pregnancies

Maternal serum human thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) levels were investigated in chromosomally normal and Down syndrome pregnancies to determine whether TSH can be used as a marker for Down syndrome in the first trimester. Measurements were conducted on stored serum samples collected from 23 Down syndrome pregnancies and 115 unaffected pregnancies before chorionic villus sampling (CVS), between 9 and 11 completed weeks of pregnancy. The samples were matched for gestational age, maternal age, maternal weight and duration of storage of the serum sample. Maternal TSH concentration was slightly decreased in Down syndrome pregnancies, with a median of 0.84 multiples of the median (MoM). Maternal serum human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) concentration was slightly elevated in Down syndrome pregnancies, with a median of 1.03 MoM. Both differences were not significant applying matched rank analysis (p=0.50 for TSH and p=0.43 for hCG). The association between TSH and hCG in unaffected pregnancies was also measured. The Spearman correlation coefficient between TSH and hCG was −0.21 which was statistically significant (p=0.02, 95% confidence interval −0.38 to −0.03). However, it was concluded that TSH is not a useful marker for distinguishing Down syndrome-affected pregnancies from normal pregnancies in the first trimester. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

江苏体应变数字台网地震尾波的衰减关系与震级

体积式应变仪能记录全球大震,根据江苏体应变数字台网记录的全球大震波形,给出了测定地震尾波衰减系数、台网震级公式、震级标准差以及单台校正值的方法。由衰减经验关系lgA=G-klgτ导出的地震尾波应变双振幅A随尾波推移时间τ的衰减系数k=1.415,并取得以M(PEK)震级为基准的地震尾波应变台网震级公式MDC=4.02+1.04lgτ+0.74lgA±0.02,给出了江苏5个体应变台站的震级校正值,计算了近年内全球发生的35个地震震级值,平均震级标准差为0.11。尾波多点测量改善了7.6级以上大震MDC的精度,用该方法测量全球大震不存在震级"饱和"问题。     

基于四阶B-样条最小二乘法的油气管道凹痕缺陷应变计算方法

针对油气管道上的凹痕缺陷,ASME B31.8提出采用基于应变的评价方法,但在内检测数据到应变求解的过程中,缺少噪声消除和轮廓拟合的相关方法。提出了采用四阶B-样条最小二乘拟合算法将检测数据进行噪声消除和轮廓拟合,实现从含有噪声的检测数据到应变求解的应变评价方法。采用文中所提方法和有限元方法,详细计算了几种典型凹痕的轴向弯曲应变、环向弯曲应变及其总应变。对比结果表明,该方法不仅能够较为精确的计算出弯曲应变值,还能得到较准确的弯曲应变分布情况。环向弯曲应变受在线检测工具精度的限制存在一定误差。计算发现,现有标准中忽略了环向薄膜应变分量,这使得总应变的计算结果不够准确。     

基于体积应变含瓦斯煤增透率模型及采动响应研究

为获得含瓦斯煤开采过程中渗透率的采动响应规律,从孔隙率的基本定义出发,通过引入增透率来反映单位体积改变下煤体渗透率的变化,建立了基于体积应变的含瓦斯煤增透率模型。基于增透率模型,结合工程实例采用Comsol Multiphysics模拟了含瓦斯煤开采过程中增透率的变化规律,并开展了增透率采动响应的试验研究。研究结果表明:增透率模型可对采动裂隙网络形成的煤层透气性进行定量评价研究,采动是影响含瓦斯煤增透率的关键因素,受采动影响,煤体体积应变、增透率的变化规律均基本一致,煤体膨胀变形、增透率随采煤工作面的推进逐渐增大,增透率的变化滞后于体积应变的变化,且越靠近工作面煤层增透效果和瓦斯抽采效果越好;沿煤层倾向,回风巷侧最大瓦斯抽采量大于运输巷侧,煤体增透率亦大于运输巷侧。依据增透率的采动响应规律调整瓦斯抽采孔与工作面的角度,可增加抽采量,降低工作面瓦斯浓度。