Safety-related conclusions for the application of ultrasound in explosive atmospheres

International safety regulations such as EN 1127-1 consider ultrasound to be an ignition source. Currently, applications of ultrasound in explosive atmospheres have to comply with a threshold value of 1 mW/mm². However, it is unclear as to how this intensity has to be measured and, therefore, this threshold value is poorly defined. Moreover, it is based on theoretical estimations in analogy to other ignition sources and there are no publications or significant records on these estimations. Within a research project at PTB, it has now been investigated experimentally in relation to worst-case considerations including airborne ultrasound, focused MHz ultrasound in liquids and acoustic cavitation. On the basis of the results of the research it is now possible to revise the current regulations and to specify measures for safe operation of ultrasonic applications in explosive atmospheres. In this context, for ultrasound coupled directly to gaseous atmospheres a new threshold value of 170 dB (re. 20 μPa) can be suggested, and for ultrasonic applications in liquids, an augmentation can be made to the threshold to 400 mW/mm².     

Attitudes to prenatal screening,diagnosis and research among pregnant women who accept or decline an alpha-fetoprotein test

The aim of the study was to describe the opinion of pregnant women who had accepted or declined an alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) test, not only on AFP screening in general, but also on whether every pregnant woman should be offered amniocentesis (AC)/chorionic villus sampling (CVS) and an ultrasound scan for fetal malformations. An additional aim was to describe pregnant women's attitudes concerning continued research in the prenatal field. The study was performed as a questionnaire study in two regions over a 1-year period from 1 October 1988 to 30 September 1989. Results are based on answers from 3331 women who had taken an AFP test and 336 women who had declined the offer of a test. A total of 79 per cent of the women thought that an AFP test, 70 per cent that an ultrasound scan for fetal malformations, and 26 per cent that AC or CVS should be offered to all pregnant women. Fifty-nine per cent of the women were positive towards continued research in the prenatal field. Women who had had an AFP test were generally much more positive towards screening and research than women who had declined, who were generally against. Women who had left school without a high school degree were on average more positive towards the screening issues than women who had this degree. In conclusion, the results obtained in this study strongly suggest that women's attitudes are very dependent on how the prenatal screening programme is already organized in their local area.     

Achondrogenesis type 2 diagnosed by transvaginal ultrasound at 12 weeks' gestation

Ultrasound examination at 12 weeks' gestation revealed severe generalised subcutaneous oedema in a pregnancy at risk for achondrogenesis type II. Transvaginal scanning confirmed the oedema and suggested abnormal limb development. The prenatal diagnosis was confirmed by X-ray examination after transvaginal termination.     

青岛海洋环境碳纤维复合材料与低合金钢电偶腐蚀研究

目的 探究碳纤维复合材料在舰船应用时与金属材料的电偶腐蚀问题。方法 针对一种典型舰船用碳纤维增强乙烯基树脂复合材料,在青岛海洋大气环境下开展0.5、1、1.5、2 a期的自然曝晒试验,进而采用电化学分析手段考察其与低合金钢的电偶腐蚀效应,结合老化机制探究碳纤维复合材料的老化行为对其与钢电偶腐蚀的影响。结果及结论 在青岛大气环境曝晒不同周期的复合材料试样,开路电位与低合金钢相差较大,存在较高的电偶腐蚀倾向。随曝晒时间的延长,复合材料表面微裂纹不断产生、扩展,导致电化学反应活性点增多,两者电偶电流密度随之增大。在青岛海洋大气环境下暴露2 a后,碳纤维增强乙烯基树脂复合材料与低合金钢的电偶电流为0.356 9 μA/cm²,两者的电偶腐蚀敏感性达到B级。     

基于标准化降水蒸散指数的陕西省近50 a干旱特征分析

基于陕西省18 个气象站点1961-2010 年实测气象资料,利用标准化降水蒸散指数(SPEI),通过计算各站历年逐月的SPEI 指数值,统计近50 a 各站点出现的干旱过程,分析了陕西省历年、历年各季及月尺度上的干旱发生频率、覆盖面积和干旱发生强度,揭示了陕西省干旱发生的时空和强度演变特征。研究结果表明,近50 a 来陕西省干旱发生频率呈明显的增长趋势,尤其是1990 年以来的近20 a;陕西省在年、春、夏、秋、冬及月尺度上均有干旱发生。其中,秋季干旱最为严重,春季次之。在年代际变化方面,全省以20 世纪90 年代干旱最为严重,2000 年以来的干旱次之;干旱出现既有全省性的大范围干旱,也有区域性的局部干旱,分布极不均匀,总体分布特征是北多南少;干旱发生强度分布呈现出关中最强、陕南次之、陕北最弱的特点。     

异丙醇助水热法制备钛酸铋粉体的光催化性能

以B(iNO)3·35H2O和T(iSO)42为反应物,用异丙醇助水热法制备了钛酸铋光催化剂,并研究不同水热温度和水热时间对样品光催化活性的影响。用XRD表征了样品的结构,UV-vis漫反射测试显示含有Bi12TiO20的样品的吸收带发生了红移,BET测试表明样品的比表面积远远高于化学溶剂分解法制备的钛酸铋的比表面积。以甲基橙为模拟污染物,评价了样品的光催化性能,发现当水热反应温度为140℃,水热反应时间为2.5h时,样品的光催化活性最高,且超过P25。     

湖南罕见的一次低温雨雪冰冻灾害天气分析及预警预报

2008年1月中旬至2月初,湖南出现历史上罕见的低温、雨雪、冰冻灾害天气。对此次冰冻灾害进行了分析并与历史同期进行了比较,结果表明：此次冰冻灾害天气的主要特征是影响范围广、持续时间长、灾害强度大。＂拉尼娜＂事件和大气环流异常为此次持续的灾害性天气提供了重要的气候背景,在此背景下欧亚大气环流的持续稳定则是此次湖南持续低温雨雪灾害的直接原因。通过对这次冰冻灾害的成因分析,得出了冰冻预报的着眼点,提出了各级气象台站如何做好预报预警服务的基本思路,为冰冻灾害天气的准确预报、预警服务提供参考,对各级台站重大灾害性天气的预报服务和应急响应,具有重要的指导意义。     

一种有机硅改性丙烯酸防污涂料的研究

目的通过在丙烯酸树脂分子中引入有机硅,制备一种具有低表面能的有机硅改性丙烯酸树脂CP-CC021。方法探讨合成工艺中有机硅单体和引发剂含量以及添加纳米级Si O2粒子填料对涂层性能的影响规律。结果获得了最大接触角的最佳工艺条件,添加纳米Si O2粒子增大了涂层的表面粗糙度,在涂层表面形成了大量微-纳结构状的突起,显著提高涂层的疏水性能。结论有机硅单体(VTMS)质量分数为23.0%,引发剂(AIBN)质量分数为0.50%,纳米Si O2粒子添加量(质量分数)为7.4%,得到的涂层接触角为126.1°。     

岷江上游大沟流域驱动植被退化的人为干扰体研究

研究了岷江上游大沟流域内的人为干扰体,分析了干扰的类型、强度、频率及其时空变化特征,揭示了不同干扰类型及其特性对植被退化的作用、干扰体与人口增长、植被退化等的关系．结果表明：大沟流域人为干扰类型多达８种,但优势的干扰类型是砍伐薪材和牲畜放牧．从近３０ａ的干扰强度变化看,以８０年代初的干扰强度最大,并在近２０ａ内保持很高的干扰强度水平;干扰强度的年内变化表现为春末、夏、秋大而冬、早春小．近４０ａ来的干扰频率愈趋增高,年内表现为春秋季干扰频率最高,夏季中等,而冬季最小．人为干扰的空间差异十分明显,反映出人为干扰的现状及其对植被的破坏强度差异,即由村寨向沟尾和高海拔区、由近及远、由低到高,形成“钟形”干扰格局．认为大沟流域植被的严重退化是所有人为干扰长期共同驱动的结果,与该区人口及其需求迅速增长密切相关．结果还表明,不同性质的干扰对植被的影响作用具协同性,同一干扰体长期连续对植被的影响具累加和放大的作用