OPTIMAL INVESTMENT IN THE PROTECTION OF A VULNERABLE BIOLOGICAL RESOURCE

It is assumed that the probability of destruction of a biological asset by natural hazards can be reduced through investment in protection. Specifically a model, in which the hazard rate depends on both the age of the asset and the accumulated invested protection capital, is assumed. The protection capital depreciates through time and its effectiveness in reducing the hazard rate is subject to diminishing returns. It is shown how the investment schedule to maximize the expected net present value of the asset can be determined using the methods of deterministic optimal control, with the survival probability regarded as a state variable. The optimal investment pattern involves “bang-bang-singular” control. A numerical scheme for determining jointly the optimal investment policy and the optimal harvest (or replacement) age is outlined and a numerical example involving forest fire protection is given.     

基于CCD图像的火灾空间定位方法

大空间中火源的空间位置的定位,一直是火灾自动探测与自动扑救中的难点。研究了一种利用单一CCD摄像头进行火灾自动空间定位的方法。根据计算机视觉原理,利用固定在自动消防水炮末端的CCD摄像头随水炮旋转扫描时的角度、位移变化,将CCD摄像头在不同位置所拍摄的图像中火源图像坐标和火源的空间坐标建立联系,从而实现了火源空间位置的自动定位。     

铁基添加剂增强细水雾灭火性能的实验研究

采用实验模拟的方法,研究了添加氯化亚铁的细水雾在不同添加剂浓度、不同喷头压力下,熄灭不同性质的液体池火的性能。实验结果表明:添加有氯化亚铁的细水雾,其灭火性能发生了显著变化。存在一个最佳的灭火浓度,其对应的灭火时间最短,耗水量最少,灭火效率最高。细水雾喷头的工作压力和燃料的性质也对细水雾的灭火性能有影响:工作压力越大,细水雾的平均灭火时间越短。在相同的实验条件下,细水雾扑灭煤油池火的时间要短于扑灭酒精池火的时间。     

基于突变论的林火蔓延分析

在对森林火灾进行能量和质量守恒分析的基础上,把尖点突变模型应用于森林火灾蔓延的预测,使突变理论在 森林火灾的模型中从理论上有了初步的应用。文中计算了林火发生突变时的一些分歧点,分析了林火突变的特点和变化规 律。     

火力发电厂废水中悬浮物处理的影响因素探讨

对火力发电厂废水中悬浮物处理的影响因素如pH值、水温、接触介质、进水水质、混凝剂加入量等进行分析，对主要影响因素水温和混凝剂加入量进行了试验分析，制定出废水悬浮物处理的合理方案。     

早期火灾图像监测技术的应用与比较

本文对可提供图像信息的火灾物理现象进行了具体分析，讨论了利用摄像技术进行早期火灾探测的可能性、使用条件以及图像监测技术在火灾探测中的地位和作用，进行了若干种图像监测技术的对比实验，得出了相应的结论。     

Flammability studies of 3-methyl pyridine/water system

In industrial processes, information on the safety property of chemicals is essentially crucial for safe handling during unit operations. Ensuring the safe use of combustible or flammable substances in processes is unlikely without detailed investigations of their flammability characteristics and related hazards. We studied 3-methyl pyridine (3-picoline), e.g., flammability limits (LFL/UFL), maximum explosion pressure (P _max), maximum explosion pressure rise (dP/dt)_max, minimum oxygen concentration (MOC), vapor deflagration index (K _g), and characterized the influence of inert steam (H₂O) on critical parameters for 3-picoline/water mixtures at 270°C, 1 atm, various oxygen concentrations, and vapor mixing ratios (100/0, 30/70, 10/90 and 5/95 vol.%) with a 20-L-Apparatus in simulated conditions, respectively. The results showed that the flammability characteristics of 3-picoline_(aq) all increased with the oxygen concentration. However, as the composition of inert steam increased, the flammability parameters and the degree of fire and explosion hazards were significantly reduced, instead. This study elucidated the flammability properties of 3-picoline mixed with inert steam. The conclusions could be applied to proactively prevent the relevant processes from incurring fire and explosion accidents.     

Prostaglandin D2 synthase and its post-translational modifications in neurological disorders

Prostaglandin D2 synthase (PGDS) (beta-trace protein) is a highly abundant cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) glycoprotein. A number of studies have been performed to determine the potential value of this protein for the diagnosis of various neurological disorders. The measurement of total PGDS levels in CSF has proved marginally useful for this purpose, but promising results were obtained while investigating changes in the posttranslational modifications (PTM) pattern. Using 2-DE analysis, we previously showed that PGDS is differentially expressed in ante- and post mortem CSF samples. In the present study, we examined whether the PGDS isoforms may help to distinguish stroke and neurodegenerative disease patients from healthy subjects. The pattern of PGDS PTM was analyzed in CSF from patients with various neurological disorders (n = 44) using IEF/immunoblotting techniques. Strong alterations of this pattern were detected in patients with different forms of degenerative dementia. These findings are consistent with PGDS being altered in some neurological diseases and provide new opportunities for clinical applications.     

The use of TG-FTIR technique for the assessment of hydrogen bromide emissions in the combustion of BFRs

The TG-FTIR technique was used in the present study to investigate the thermal degradation behaviour of materials containing brominated flame retardants under fire conditions. Time-temperature profiles and oxygen concentrations typical of selected fire scenarios were reproduced in the thermogravimetric analyzer, while the characterization of the gaseous products generated was performed by the simultaneous FTIR analysis. FTIR analysis combined with the use of specific calibration procedures allowed the quantitative estimation of the gaseous products evolved as a function of experimental conditions. The results obtained allowed the straightforward assessment and the comparison of the quantities of hydrogen bromide formed in the oxidation and thermal degradation of pure brominated flame retardants and of flame retarded materials of industrial interest. Hydrogen bromide yields resulted dependent on the experimental conditions used, such as oxygen concentration and heating rate. Although TG-FTIR experiments only provide a representation of the actual heterogeneous combustion products in real fire conditions, the coupled TG-FTIR technique proved to be a straightforward experimental methodology allowing one to obtain reference data on the nature and quantities of the macropollutants generated in a fire. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.