[en] Using detailed consumer expenditure survey data and a flexible semiparametric dynamic demand model, this paper estimates the price elasticity and fuel efficiency elasticity of gasoline demand at the household level. The goal is to assess the effectiveness of gasoline taxes and vehicle fuel efficiency standards on fuel consumption. The results reveal substantial interaction between vehicle fuel efficiency and the price elasticity of gasoline demand: the improvement of vehicle fuel efficiency leads to lower price elasticity and weakens consumers’ sensitivity to gasoline price changes. The offsetting effect also differs across households due to demographic heterogeneity. These findings imply that when gasoline taxes are in place, tightening efficiency standards will partially offset the strength of taxes on reducing fuel consumption. - Highlights: • Model household gasoline demand using a semiparametric approach. • Estimate heterogeneous price elasticity and fuel efficiency elasticity. • Assess the effectiveness of gasoline taxes and efficiency standards. • Efficiency standards offset the impact of gasoline taxes on fuel consumption. • The offsetting effect differs by household demographics

[en] Sulfated zirconia catalysts are proposed for the reversible hydrolysis of ethyl lactate instead of liquid acids. Sulfated zirconia catalysts were prepared by precipitation-impregnation method. The zirconium hydroxide was produced from zirconium oxychloride by adding aqueous ammonia and then impregnated in sulfuric acid. The solid samples were obtained by filtration and evaporation of the mixtures, respectively. After the samples were calcined, the sulfated zirconia catalysts were prepared. The results showed that the catalyst prepared by evaporation has higher catalytic activity. The physicochemical characteristics of the sulfated zirconia catalysts were studied by thermal analysis, X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), temperature programmed desorption of ammonia (NH_3-TPD) and N_2 adsorption-desorption, respectively. By the precipitation-impregnation-evaporation method, the optimal sulfated zirconia catalyst of tetragonal phase was prepared under liquid-solid ratio of 5ml/g, 1 mol/L of H_2SO_4 and calcination at 650 .deg. C for 3 h. The conversion of the ethyl lactate was 87.8% in 3 h at 85 .deg. C with the catalyst loading 2 wt% and initial molar ratio of water to ethyl lactate 20 : 1

[en] In order to improve the interlaminar delamination resistance of the carbon-fiber/epoxy composite laminates, short fibers were applied between layers. The effects of length, density, type of short fiber on mode I fracture toughness(G_IC) and mode II fracture toughness (G_IIC) were investigated by three-factor and four-level orthogonal test combined with range analysis and scanning electron microscope observation. Finally, parameter optimization and test verification. The results show that the order of factors influencing G_IC and G_IIC within the selected parameters are: fiber type, fiber density and fiber length. When Kevlar fibers with a length of 11mm and a density of 20g·m^-2 were laid between layers, the G_IC was 451.4J·m^-2, which was 82.2% higher than that of the specimens without short fibers in the layers. Kevlar fibers with a length of 11 mm and a density of 5g·m^-2 were layered with a G_IIC of 2034.3 J·m^-2, which was increased by 240.5% compared with the specimens without short fibers in the interlayer. (paper)

[en] The piezoelectric shunt damping circuit using current mode approach is imposed to control the vibration of a cantilever beam. Firstly, the simulated inductance with large values are designed for the corresponding RL series shunt circuits. Moreover, with an example of cantilever beam, the second natural frequency of the beam is targeted to control for experiment. By adjusting the values of the equivalent inductance and equivalent resistance of the shunt circuit, the optimal damping of the shunt circuit is obtained. Meanwhile, the designed piezoelectric shunt damping circuit stability is experimental verified. Experimental results show that the proposed piezoelectric shunt damping circuit based on current mode circuit has good vibration control performance. However, the control performance will be reduced if equivalent inductance and equivalent resistance values deviate from optimal values. (paper)

[en] Austenitic steel is a candidate material for Supercritical Water-Cooled Reactor. This study is to investigate stress corrosion cracking behavior of HR3C under effect of supercritical water chemistry. A transition phenomenon of water parameters was monitored during a pseudo critical region by water quality experiments at 650degC and 30 MPa. The stress-strain curves and fracture time of HR3C were obtained by slow strain rate tensile tests in supercritical water at 620degC and 25 MPa. The concentration of dissolved oxygen was 200-1000 μg/kg and the strain rate was 7.5 × 10"-"7/s. Recent results showed the failure mode was dominated by intergranular brittle fracture. The relations of oxygen concentration and fracture time were nonlinear. 200-500 μg/kg of oxygen accelerated the cracking but a longer fracture time was measured when oxygen concentration was increased to 1000 μg/kg. Chromium depletion occurred in the oxide layer at the tip of cracks. Grain size increased and chain precipitated phases was observed in the fractured specimens. These characteristics were considered to be contributive to the intergranular stress corrosion cracking. (author)

[en] Based on the theory of Klein-Gordon scalar field particles, the Hawking radiation of a higher-dimensional Kerr-anti-de Sitter black hole with one rotational parameter is investigated using the beyond semi-classical approximation method. The corrections of quantum tunnelling probability, Hawking temperature and Bekenstein-Hawking entropy are also included. (authors)

[en] If a Loss-of-Coolant-Accident (LOCA) inside the reactor building were to occur, it could generate debris. Debris that could accumulate on the sump screens would increase head loss across the resulting debris bed and sump screen. Furthermore, materials within containment could dissolve or corrode, and result in precipitation or corrosion products which could add to the debris load and further increase head loss across the debris bed and sump screen. This head loss might be sufficiently large such that it might exceed the net positive suction head (NPSH) margin of the RIS and EAS pumps, which would challenge the safety function of RIS and EAS system.This paper describes the impact of chemical effect on sump strainer head loss in a power plant in China. The test fluid used representative plant coolant chemistry, and the test fluid temperature was controlled to simulate the post-LOCA plant coolant temperature profile. Water samples were taken periodically during the test and then analyzed for elemental concentrations of the Al, Si, Na, Ca. Following the tests, we can conclude that no visible precipitation was noted during the test. The aluminium coupon was corroded, but did not form precipitation in the solutions during the test. The available Ca ions in TSP environment were potentially related to the Ca_3(PO_4)_2 precipitation. Overall, Ca ICP levels were reducing over time which may indicate that the Ca was used to form precipitate. Although the chemical reaction occurred and precipitation formed during the test, it didn't have remarkable impact on the sump strainer head loss. (author)

[en] As a novel activator in the process of angiogenesis, CD93 may be an important molecular target for tumor surveillance, therefore, ¹²⁵I -anti-CD93 mAb was prepared to study the biological distribution and the characteristics of phosphor screen imaging of ¹²⁵I-anti-CD93 mAb in tumor-bearing mice, to explore its targeting to A549 lung cancer and the feasibility of CD93 positive tumor monitoring. Radionuclide markers ¹²⁵I-anti-CD93 mAb and ¹²⁵I-IgG were prepared and identified; A549 lung cancer bearing mice model was established.¹²⁵I-labeled anti-CD93 monoclonal antibody was injected into tail vein, and ¹²⁵I-IgG was used as control.Biological distribution and phosphorus screen autoradiography were performed at different time after injection; HE staining and CD93 immunohistochemical staining were performed on tumor tissues.Quantitative data (x-bar + s) were statistically processed by statistical software, and t-test was used for data between groups, P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.The results showed that the labeling rate, specific activity and radiochemical purity of ¹²⁵I-anti-CD93 mAb and ¹²⁵I-IgG were 91.37% and 90.24%, 1096.44 MBq/mg and 1082.88 MBq/mg, 96.49% and 94.82% respectively, and the stability of the two markers was still above 90% after 72 hours, there was no statistical difference between the two (normal saline group P = 0.93, t = 0.09, serum group P = 0.13, t = 1.90). Biological distribution of the tumor-bearing mice showed that ¹²⁵I-anti-CD93 mAb were mainly metabolized through the liver and kidney, the tumor tissue (6.42 ± 0.71)% ID/g and the T/NT (tumor/contralateral muscle) uptake ratio was 4.45 ± 0.86 at 48 hours after injection, significantly higher than the control group ¹²⁵I-IgG group (2.45 ± 0.33/1.71 ± 0.24 ), P < 0.05, t = 3.07 and P < 0.01, t = 5.10. The results of dynamic whole body phosphorus screen autoradiography showed that the contours of two groups was clear at 24 hours, and the most clear tumor imaging of the experimental group was obtained at 48 hours after the injection, the tumor radioactivity uptake ratio (tumor area/opposite area) was 3.34 ± 0.18, significantly higher than that of the control group (1.62 ± 0.19), P < 0.01, t = 6.52. Immunohistochemical staining showed that the tumor was highly expressed CD93. ¹²⁵I-anti-CD93 mAb is easy to prepare and has good targeting effect on A549 lung cancer tissue.There CD93 may be a new molecular probe for CD93 positive tumor monitoring. (authors)

[en] The chemical bond parameters of Y-123, Eu-123, Pr-123 and Gd-123 compounds have calculated using the chemical bond theory of complex crystals. Their hardness have been predicted by the chemical bond definition of hardness. The calculated results indicate that the Ba-O and RE-O types of bond have a lower covalent character and the Cu-O types of bond have greater covalency. The hardness values increase as the unit cell volume of the rare earth superconductor structures decrease

[en] In this paper, considering the quantum effect of electrons in a super-strong magnetic field, the influence of a super-strong magnetic field on the chemical potential of a non-zero temperature electron is analyzed, the rates of β decay under the super-strong magnetic field are studied, and then we compare them with the case without a magnetic field. Here, the nucleus ⁶³Co is investigated in detail as an example. The results show that a magnetic field that is less than 10¹⁰ T has little effect on the electron chemical potential and β decay rates, but the super-strong magnetic field that is greater than 10¹⁰ T depresses the electron chemical potential and improves the β decay rates clearly. (authors)