Experimental Research Research Articles

Investigation of the Stability Mechanism of Stimulus-Responsive Wormlike Micelle-CO2 Foams in the Oil Phase.

Foam flooding is an important tool for reservoir development. This study aims to further investigate the interaction between stimulus-responsive wormlike micelle (WLM)-CO2 foams and crude oil. We performed micromorphology experiments as our major studies and used molecular dynamics simulations as an auxiliary tool for interfacial analysis. We utilized foam generation, liquid separation, and defoaming as the entry points of experimental research and energy as the quantitative assessment index to investigate the dynamic process of the action of different oil contents and oil phase types in a DOAPA@NaSal-H+ foam system. We also examined the role of NaSal in the generation and development of the foam system. Results indicated that the law of crude oil's effect on foam could be summarized as "low contents are beneficial and high contents are harmful." In addition, although the DOAPA@NaSal-H+ foam system has high compatibility for saturated and aromatic hydrocarbons, it is highly suitable for application in reservoir environments with relatively high asphaltene and resin contents. Through combined experimental and simulation approaches, we clarified the law governing the stability of the DOAPA@NaSal-H+ foam system in different oil-containing environments, identified the key role of NaSal, and provided a reference for the targeted application of the DOAPA@NaSal-H+ foam system in different oil reservoirs.

COOPERATIVE LEARNING: ITS EFFICACY IN IMPROVING TECHNOLOGY AND LIVELIHOOD EDUCATION PERFORMANCE

This study investigated the efficacy of an 8-week cooperative learning strategy as an intervention to improve the performance of technology and livelihood education among the Grade 7 students at Sagayen National High School. To gather data, a quantitative research design, specifically an experimental design, was employed. The results of the experiment indicated a positive result in the performance of the subjects after they participated in the intervention. These findings suggested that implementing a cooperative learning strategy could be an effective strategy to provide additional support and address the learning deficiencies of students. Moreover, this study contributed valuable insights to the field of education by expanding the knowledge base through an exploration of cooperative learning strategies and their potential to enhance student achievement. KEYWORDS: cooperative learning, student performance, experimental research design, quantitative research, Philippines

Characteristics of laser induced plasma near a flat gas-liquid interface and its effect on the performance of Laser induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) detection.

Abstract Moving the laser focus to the vicinity of the gas-liquid interface is the key point for many new enhanced and new methods to improve the quality of spectral signals in water LIBS detection. Understanding the generation and evolution characteristics of the plasma induced by pulsed laser near the gas-liquid interface is of great significance for the establishment of evolution models and improvement of these new LIBS methods. In this paper, a set of slow horizontal flow auxiliary system is established to provide an ideal flat gas-liquid two-phase interface experimental condition. Experimental research on vertical incidence plane system was conducted using techniques such as time-resolved imaging, plasma characterization diagnosis, and spectral analysis. And the detection capabilities of the system were also tested. The characteristics and mechanisms of LIBS near the gas-liquid two-phase interface were investigated with the laser incident on the sample along the vertical direction. Simulation of the laser beam focusing process and observation of laser beam spot images show that the shift of plasma generation position relative to the focal point results from the refraction of the laser beam entering the solution from the air and the ‘interface effect’ of propagation on the vertical direction. Moreover, the plasma forms only the optical power density surpasses the breakdown threshold. In this work, plasma with smaller size, rounder shape, stronger radiation, higher temperature, and higher density can be produced when the focus position is in the liquid column 0.3 mm away from the upper interface. Simultaneously, for example, the Mg ion line at 285.213 nm, the obtained spectral intensity to signal-to-background ratio reaches the maximum value, and a better spectral signal can be obtained, which is 2-4 times of other positions, and the detection limits of the elements Na, Mg, and Ca also reach the lowest level, with 1.6-2.4 times of the detection limit of other focusing positions for Mg and 1.4-1.7 times for Ca, respectively.

Construction of TiO2/WO3/TiO2 double heterojunction films for excellent electrochromic performance

Electrochromic devices are applied extensively to camouflages, smart windows, heat insulation layers, and automobile rearview mirrors, etc. The amorphous WO3 is a very attractive electrochromic material, whereas it suffers from degradation of optical modulation and reversibility on ion exchange owing to those deep trapped ions with irreversible reaction behavior. Herein, we designed and, by using magnetron sputtering, prepared a composite film with TiO2/WO3/TiO2 double heterojunctions, which is capable of eliminating the deep trapped ions by itself under ultraviolet light (UV) assistance. The electrochromic device based on this composite film, after being recovery by short-time UV irradiation, can maintain a high transmission modulation of 94.72% after 7000 cycles of the voltammetry measurement. This feature allows the device to maintain its initial electrochromic performance after prolonged use. Moreover, the double heterojunction structure can reduce colouring time and enormously improve the colouration efficiency (CE) of electrochromic devices. Experimental research shows that when the thickness of the bottom and upper TiO2 layer of the WO3 film was 145.5 nm and 97.0 nm, respectively, the CE of electrochromic devices reached a perfectly high value (479.3 cm2/C), being much higher than that of WO3 devices (69.5 cm2/C). Functions of the TiO2/WO3/TiO2 double heterojunction in electrochromic device were investigated by combining theoretical analysis and experiment validation, and these results provide a general framework for developing and designing superior electrochromic materials and devices.

First‐Principles Investigations of Lithium Manganese Phosphate Cathode Materials: Advances and Prospects

Lithium manganese phosphate (LiMnPO4) has been considered as promising cathode material for electric vehicles and energy storage. However, its durability and capability still face challenges. The first‐principles calculations are a powerful tool to explore the fundamentals of LiMnPO4 cathode materials. Hereby, the recent advances and prospects in the application of first‐principles calculations boosting LiMnPO4 cathode material for lithium‐ion batteries are analyzed and reviewed. Based on the results from density functional theory calculation and experimental research verification, the micromechanism research progress of the influence of ion doping on the electronic conductivity, lithium‐ion diffusion, working voltage, and stability of LiMnPO4 are summarized in detail. On top of a brief outlook, further elaboration is made on the direction of continuing relevant research.

Experimental research on combined magnetic separation and flotation for coal gasification fine slag

ABSTRACT To address the challenging issue of achieving high-precision carbon-ash separation in coal gasification fine slag, magnetic separation and flotation techniques were employed to study their respective separation effect. Optimization tests were conducted to determine the optimal magnetic field gradient and magnetic field intensity, and the ash content of magnetic separation concentrates was 72.18%, with a reduction of 7.28% compared to the sample. Additionally, the magnetic separation tailings exhibited an ash content of 93.99%. Through flotation tests, the optimum conditions for kerosene and composite collector was established. The ash content of flotation concentrates decreased by 16.39% compared to the sample, and the ash content of flotation tailings was 95.83%. A comparative analysis revealed that the combined separation process outperforms single separation methods in reducing the ash content of the concentrates, and realize the further quality improvement and separation effect. Detailed analysis of magnetic characteristics and XRD, XPS analysis studies on the sample and the products, indicated that the magnetic separation effectively pre-removes a certain amount of magnetic high ash minerals. Furthermore, the collector treatment significantly increased hydrophobicity difference between residual carbon and ash matter, which ultimately enhancing the flotation effect.

The use of Guthrie’s theory in a combination of stimulus and response

Eliminating punishment can lead to a lack of focus or the emergence of bad habits that can affect the teaching and learning process. Stimulus and response should be given continuously as Guthrie suggested. The Contiguous Conditioning Theory created by Edwin Ray Guthrie (1886-1959) says the punishment given during the learning process is needed to change a person's behavior, exercises and tests or tests need to be done to get used to the stimulus that is needed. The purpose of this research are 1) to find the effects of using punishment, reward, exercise, and test (fatigue method), 2) to find The Contiguous Conditioning Theory using fatigue method in one single trial learning can be a new technique in learning English. It is experimental research. The result shows the Guthrie theory of fatigue method in one single trial learning is considered appropriate. The use of punishment and rewards gives a better stimulus. The experiment group has a better average point.

Effect of the Axial Profile of a Ceramic Grinding Wheel on Selected Roughness Parameters of Shaped Surfaces Obtained in the Grinding Process with a Dual-Tool Grinding Head

The use of CNC equipment that integrates several machining operations eliminates downtime due to changes in setup and clamping of workpieces in more than one machining device. A review of CNC equipment and tools known from the literature and from manufacturers’ offerings indicates that new technical solutions are being developed to integrate two or more technological operations. However, these examples have numerous limitations and are mostly not suitable for machining surfaces with complex shapes. An example of such solutions is the use of a dual-tool grinding head, which integrates the process of rough grinding with a ceramic grinding wheel and finish grinding with a flexible grinding wheel. Unfortunately, it has the disadvantage of being limited by the angular shape of the ceramic grinding wheel, making it unable to adapt to the complex geometries of the shaped surfaces being ground. The need to overcome this limitation became the motivation for the research work described in this article. By means of experimental research, it was verified what effect the radial outline on the periphery of a ceramic grinding wheel realized by rough grinding would have on the surface roughness parameters obtained in the process of grinding shaped surfaces. For this purpose, grinding processes using a ceramic wheel with a conical and radial outline were compared. The result of the study was a summary of the surface roughness parameters Sa, St, Sq, Spk, Str, and Sds obtained after two-stage machining (rough and finish grinding). The obtained analysis results showed that changing the axial outline of the ceramic grinding wheel makes it possible to significantly expand the range of applications of the dual-tool head without negatively affecting the quality of the machined surface. Thus, such an improvement will make it possible to increase the applicability of the head by grinding shaped surfaces with a radial profile of curvature.

No Peace Without Punishment? Reintegrating Islamic State “Collaborators” in Iraq

Abstract How does variation in the severity of punishment affect public opinion toward the reintegration of former enemy “collaborators” after war? We study this question in the context of Iraq where the Islamic State, an armed rebel group, captured and governed a population of more than five million Iraqi citizens between 2014 and 2017. Building upon extensive fieldwork and interviews in Iraq, we designed a survey experiment that randomly varied the severity of sentences in hypothetical scenarios of civilians who supported the Islamic State in non-violent roles (e.g., cleaners, cooks, and wives of fighters). The experiment allows us to estimate the causal effects of punishment on attitudes toward reintegration. We find that a long prison sentence (fifteen years) does not increase the likelihood of participants’ willingness to allow the reintegration of former collaborators; instead, a noncarceral punishment (community service) has a small but statistically significant positive effect. Our most striking findings show that noncarceral and community-based justice mechanisms can significantly increase the likelihood of successful reintegration after punishment. Fifteen percent of respondents who were initially opposed to the return of former collaborators into their communities said that they would be willing to change their judgment and support reintegration if they were asked to do so by a tribal or religious leader, or if the offender completes a noncarceral rehabilitation program. These findings suggest that noncarceral, restorative, and community-based justice mechanisms may be equally or potentially more effective than long-term incarceration for achieving the objectives of rehabilitation and eventual reintegration of former nonviolent offenders. This Article advances the field of comparative empirical legal scholarship by providing an innovative experimental research design that can be replicated by scholars studying other contexts to help answer important questions about the causal effects of criminal justice policies.

Cellular mechanisms of ion and acid-base regulation in teleost gill ionocytes.

The mechanism(s) of sodium, chloride and pH regulation in teleost fishes has been the subject of intense interest for researchers over the past 100 years. The primary organ responsible for ionoregulatory homeostasis is the gill, and more specifically, gill ionocytes. Building on the theoretical and experimental research of the past, recent advances in molecular and cellular techniques in the past two decades have allowed for substantial advances in our understanding of mechanisms involved. With an increased diversity of teleost species and environmental conditions being investigated, it has become apparent that there are multiple strategies and mechanisms employed to achieve ion and acid-base homeostasis. This review will cover the historical developments in our understanding of the teleost fish gill, highlight some of the recent advances and conflicting information in our understanding of ionocyte function, and serve to identify areas that require further investigation to improve our understanding of complex cellular and molecular machineries involved in iono- and acid-base regulation.

A commentary on "Exosomes miRNA-499a-5p targeted CD38 to alleviate anthraquinone induced cardiotoxicity: experimental research".

A commentary on "Exosomes miRNA-499a-5p targeted CD38 to alleviate anthraquinone induced cardiotoxicity: experimental research".

Impact of Reward Mechanisms on Consumers’ Willingness to Use Intelligent Express Packaging Recycling Cabinets: A Case Study in China

The use of express packaging and its recycling produces large amounts of carbon dioxide. In order to achieve China’s “dual carbon” goal, this study adopted a literature research method to explore the idea of intelligent express packaging recycling cabinets. Based on the current design and use of intelligent express packaging recycling cabinets, new ideas for their improvement are proposed. This study also explored methods for improving people’s willingness to use intelligent express packaging recycling cabinets through experimental research and quantitative analysis. The results show that a reward mechanism has a significant effect on people’s willingness to use intelligent express packaging recycling cabinets. Of the two types of rewards, immediate rewards, compared to delayed rewards, can further increase people’s use of intelligent express packaging recycling cabinets. Gain and loss trade-offs play a mediating role between a reward mechanism and people’s willingness to use it, and consumers make that choice after weighing up the advantages and disadvantages. If consumers feel that it is worthwhile to protect the environment, in terms of the rewards they obtain compared to the time and effort they have to spend using intelligent express packaging recycling cabinets, and that the gain outweighs the loss, they will be inclined to use this system. Environmental responsibility plays a moderating role in mediating the trade-off between gains and losses. In the context of low environmental responsibility, cash rewards lead to greater gain and loss trade-offs compared to point rewards, while in the context of high environmental responsibility, there is no difference between cash rewards and point rewards. This study provides ideas for the design and promotion of the use of intelligent express packaging recycling cabinets, with the goal of effectively improving the recycling rate of express packaging waste.

A Review on Submarine Geological Risks and Secondary Disaster Issues during Natural Gas Hydrate Depressurization Production

The safe and efficient production of marine natural gas hydrates faces the challenges of seabed geological risk issues. Geological risk issues can be categorized from weak to strong threats in four aspects: sand production, wellbore instability, seafloor subsidence, and submarine landslides, with the potential risk of natural gas leakage, and the geological risk problems that can cause secondary disasters dominated by gas eruptions and seawater intrusion. If the gas in a reservoir is not discharged in a smooth and timely manner during production, it can build up inside the formation to form super pore pressure leading to a sudden gas eruption when the overburden is damaged. There is a high risk of overburden destabilization around production wells, and reservoirs are prone to forming a connection with the seafloor resulting in seawater intrusion under osmotic pressure. This paper summarizes the application of field observation, experimental research, and numerical simulation methods in evaluating the stability problem of the seafloor surface. The theoretical model of multi-field coupling can be used to describe and evaluate the seafloor geologic risk issues during depressurization production, and the controlling equations accurately describing the characteristics of the reservoir are the key theoretical basis for evaluating the stability of the seafloor geomechanics. It is necessary to seek a balance between submarine formation stability and reservoir production efficiency in order to assess the optimal production and predict the region of plastic damage in the reservoir. Prediction and assessment allow measures to be taken at fixed points to improve reservoir mechanical stability with the numerical simulation method. Hydrate reservoirs need to be filled with gravel to enhance mechanical strength and permeability, and overburden need to be grouted to reinforce stability.

Performance study of novel metal corrosion probes based on the adjust method of series and parallel connections

Abstract Rod-type metal corrosion probes based on electromechanical impedance (EMI) technique can quantitatively assess the amount of corrosion, which have a promising application in pipeline corrosion monitoring and have received more and more attention. In the design of piezoelectric smart devices, electrical series and parallel connections are very important and effective adjust method to improve the device performance, but it is yet to be used in the probe design. In this work, a kind of novel metal corrosion probe with two piezoelectric elements in series and parallel connections was proposed, and its performance was investigated comprehensively by combining theoretical analysis with experiment research. Theoretical models of the proposed probe in the longitudinal vibration mode for both series and parallel connections were established, and verified by the experimental results. Influences of the thicknesses of piezoelectric layer and ceramic layer on the probe performance were analyzed. Artificial quantitative corrosion tests and accelerated corrosion tests were designed to evaluate the quantitative corrosion monitoring capacity. Temperature sensitivity tests were conducted to study the temperature dependence. The wireless impedance measurement was performed to confirm the online monitoring ability. Comparisons for the probe performance between the series and parallel connections were also presented. This work provided a comprehensive understanding for this kind of novel probe, which is beneficial to develop low-cost, high-precision, high-stability pipeline corrosion real-time monitoring technology.

The Impact of English Cartoons on Pronunciation of Chinese Children English Learning----A Research Proposal

This paper aims to investigate the effectiveness of English cartoons in helping Chinese children adjust their English pronunciation. The primary participants will be primary school students just beginning their English language learning journey. Through reviewing previous studies and conducting experimental research, this piece of work aims to improve current teaching methods for primary school students. The study adopts a quantitative data analysis approach, utilizing t-tests and ANCOVA to analyze the participants pronunciation scores before and after watching English cartoons. Conducting such a test is certainly worthwhile, as the results will provide researchers interested in exploring the function of cartoons in pedagogical theories with a firsthand model and, hopefully, a repeatable experimental method. The conclusions of this research may also assist schools and educational institutions in better-utilizing cartoons and other similar mediums, promoting productive development in children's education. Although this research will be conducted with certain limitations, such as age restrictions among participants and potential external factors related to using cartoons as a new media in traditional educational methods, researchers have recognized these challenges. They will make every effort to regulate them.

Suppression PCR-Based Selective Enrichment Sequencing for Pathogen and Antimicrobial Resistance Detection on Cell-Free DNA in Sepsis—A Targeted, Blood Culture-Independent Approach for Rapid Pathogen and Resistance Diagnostics in Septic Patients

Sepsis is a life-threatening syndrome triggered by infection and accompanied by high mortality, with antimicrobial resistances (AMRs) further escalating clinical challenges. The rapid and reliable detection of causative pathogens and AMRs are key factors for fast and appropriate treatment, in order to improve outcomes in septic patients. However, current sepsis diagnostics based on blood culture is limited by low sensitivity and specificity while current molecular approaches fail to enter clinical routine. Therefore, we developed a suppression PCR-based selective enrichment sequencing approach (SUPSETS), providing a molecular method combining multiplex suppression PCR with Nanopore sequencing to identify most common sepsis-causative pathogens and AMRs using plasma cell-free DNA. Applying only 1 mL of plasma, we targeted eight pathogens across three kingdoms and ten AMRs in a proof-of-concept study. SUPSETS was successfully tested in an experimental research study on the first ten clinical samples and revealed comparable results to clinical metagenomics while clearly outperforming blood culture. Several clinically relevant AMRs could be additionally detected. Furthermore, SUPSETS provided first pathogen and AMR-specific sequencing reads within minutes of starting sequencing, thereby potentially decreasing time-to-results to 11–13 h and suggesting diagnostic potential in sepsis.

Experimental research on vibration reduction characteristics of adhesively bonded beam structures with acoustic black hole geometry

Beam structures are widely used in industrial applications such as automobiles, aircraft, naval architecture, trains, and buildings. The vibration characteristics of beams are inherent phenomenon and directly affect usage comfort and service life, but more dangerously may damage the structure due to excessive vibrations that are transmitted through the surrounding structure of the system. Vibration reduction of beam structures is a continuous challenge for industrial applications. It is important to reduce vibrations of the beam structures for stability. In this study, experimental research on vibration reduction characteristics of adhesively bonded beam structures with Acoustic Black Hole technique is presented. The Acoustic Black Hole, which is a geometry, tapered with a power-law profile enables vibration reduction by decreasing the velocity and the wavelength of vibration. The inherent natural vibration properties called modal parameters such as the natural frequencies, damping, and mode shapes of the beam structure with and without damping layer using power-law profile having various the Acoustic Black Hole length and exponent values were investigated and evaluated with experimental modal analysis. For validation, natural frequencies are determined numerically by the finite element method, and then compared with results obtained by the experimental modal analysis. The overall results indicated that the Acoustic Black Hole has ability to significantly suppress the vibration level and showed the capability of enhancing the damping efficiency when using the damping layer attached to the Acoustic Black Hole length of the beam structure.

An Integrated Mathematical Model on Thermal Phenomena in the Cutting Process

The paper presents theoretical and experimental research to unify the dynamic and thermal phenomena in a single comprehensive model of the cutting process identify parameters that characterize the state of the system and provide quick information on the rate at which to produce the wear for tool edges and how it can be influenced. Experimental and theoretical research on the temperature of the tool edge and the medium intensity of wear established similarities between the evolutions of the two phenomena that lead to the conclusion that by modeling the evolution of the thermal phenomenon can be determined the evolution of the medium intensity of wear.

Identification and Optimization Study of Cavitation in High Power Torque Converter

Aiming at the phenomenon that a high-power torque converter is susceptible to cavitation, which leads to performance degradation, first, a transient flow field model of the torque converter is established, and CFD simulation and experimental research on the torque converter are carried out to find out the speed ratio region where cavitation occurs in the torque converter as well as the rule of occurrence of cavitation, and then the cavitation identification method based on the difference between the inlet and outlet flow of the torque converter is proposed. Then, the transient flow process inside the torque converter is analyzed, and it is pointed out that the angle between the inlet angle of the stator and the outlet angle of the turbine of the torque converter, i.e., the fluid inflow injection deviation angle is an important factor affecting the cavitation phenomenon. By adjusting the key parameters of the stator blade bone line, the fluid inflow deviation angle of the torque converter stator is optimized, so that the speed ratio range of cavitation under large load conditions is greatly reduced from the original 0–0.5 (50%) to 0–0.15 (15%). Meanwhile, in terms of test performance, the nominal torque of the torque converter is greatly improved under the premise of ensuring that the performance is basically unchanged, in which the nominal torque of the test zero speed is increased by 28.7%, and the cavitation of the torque converter has been greatly improved.

The Structural Design of and Experimental Research on a Coke Oven Gas Burner

A novel low-NOx burner was proposed in this study to achieve the stable and clean combustion of low- and medium-calorific-value gas and promote energy sustainability, and the influence of the gas pipe structure on the burner’s characteristics was studied with coke oven gas as a fuel. A 40 kW burner test bench was established to conduct cold-state experiments to investigate the influences of the gas pipe structure on the aerodynamic characteristics of the burner. We performed numerical simulations on both a 40 kW burner and a 14 MW prototype burner to investigate the thermal performance of the burners and their impact on low NOx emissions. The experimental results showed that increasing the deflection angle of the gas pipe nozzle direction relative to the circumferential tangent direction, the high-velocity zone and the high-concentration zone of the flow field move towards the central axis. Increasing the bending angle of gas pipe nozzle direction relative to the axis direction caused the high-velocity zone and the high-concentration zone to move upstream direction of the jet. The simulation reveals that the NO concentration at the exit cross-section of the combustion chamber of the 14 MW prototype burner is 17.00 mg/m3 (with 3.5% oxygen content). A recommended design structure of the burner was proposed, with a deflection angle of 0°and a bending angle of 0° for the No. 3 gas pipe, and a deflection angle of 15° and a bending angle of 30° for the No. 4 gas pipe.