SUMMARYThe phylogenetic and epidemic relationships of 104 clinical isolatesof Clostridium difficilefrom three hospitals of different geographical and population sources in China were investigated by multilocus sequence typing. Twenty-two sequence types (STs) were identified, four of which, ST117, ST118, ST119 and ST129, were novel. No geographically specific and host population-specific phylogenetic lineages were found and there was no correlation between geographical origin or host population and strain genotype. ST37 was the dominant type in our survey but the four novel STs underline the high genetic diversity and unique polymorphisms inC. difficilefrom China.
Based on the principle of vacuum counter-pressure casting, a low gas pressure infiltration technology was developed to fabricate the Ni-coated carbon fiber reinforced A357 alloy composites. The soundness and microstructure of the as-cast composites were investigated. The results show the relative density increases with the increase of melt temperature, while it firstly increases and then declines as the fiber temperature and infiltration pressure increased. The enhancement of melt and fiber temperature can eliminate the incomplete infiltration defects and improve the uniformity of fiber distribution. The insufficient infiltration pressure leads to some micro-pores in the matrix alloy. However, the over high fiber temperature and infiltration pressure may result in the separation of nickel coating and the fiber aggregation respectively, both of which are responsible for the partial un-infiltrated or insufficient filling defects. The appropriate infiltration parameters identified in this study could provide a reference for inhibition of the hazard interfacial reactions by optimizing the low gas pressure infiltration process.
The flow behaviors under different filling pressures were observed using electrode contact method. The relationships of recorded time and related point location were analyzed and deduced in terms of the flow tendency. The flow behavior figures were plotted at different time according the relationship. It was found that the unstable flow pattern takes place because filling cross-sectional area changes abruptly from the flow behavior figures. According to energy conservation and mass conservation theory, the relationship of flow velocity and filling pressure was established. Combining this relationship and critical flow velocity, the judgment equation of critical filling pressure was achieved.
The solidification and defects of Al/SiC and Al/C composites were investigated by directional solidification techniques. The solidification and defects of Al/SiC composites are greatly influenced by temperature gradients, solidification rates, the size of SiC particles and the chemical composition of magnesium, but slightly by the volume fraction of SiC particles and the chemical composition of silicon. The solidification shrinkage feeding of Al/C composites is greatly improved by hybridizing carbon fiber bundles with 3 vol% of SiC particles. A model of the solidification feeding was proposed and the solidification feeding distance was derived according to the preform geometry.
The dimensional accuracy of shells and binders of investment casting which incorporation with selective laser sintering is investigated. The results show that the dimensional accuracy of colloidal silica is higher than that of ethyl silicate, and the dimensional variation rate of investment casting shells produced with colloidal silica is much lower than ethyl silicate shells. Moreover, colloidal silica possesses better performance on environmental protection and production cost control. These indicate that the comprehensive properties of colloidal silica are better than that of ethyl silicate. Meanwhile, the average dimensional variation rate of the single colloidal silica shell and the ethyl silicate-colloidal silica alteration shell was almost identical and it was much lower than that of the other shells which were produced in this study. This means two kinds of shells are optimized in all five types of shells studied in the aspect of dimensional accuracy. The unique properties of two shells show clearly direction to choose the type of shell.
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