Intercalation of lithium into Ag-CNTs sample is reported here. We have used a nano-porous silver foam as a frame for deposition of the CNTs inside the pores by electrophoresis deposition (EPD) technique. By using chronopotentiometry method, we have noticed that the Li storage capacity of the prepared Ag-CNTs electrode was improved noticeably in comparison with literature. In addition, a very good functional stability for the prepared electrode has been tested during subsequent cycles of charge /discharge (C&D) procedures. By scanning the cycle's regulated current from 0.2 up to 1.0 mA, it was shown that in the range of 0.4-0.6 mA reversibility of the C&D capacity became optimum and the voltage profiles were converged, as well.

Foam injection is becoming a standard conditioning agent when tunnelling with an earth-pressure balanced shield, resulting in an increasing interest in this technique. The tech-nique is mostly based on empirical rules and experience. To be able to determine what foam and how may foam has to be injected for different soils, it is necessary to knowthe mechanical parameters of the foam-water-soil mixture. This paper describes a comprehen-sive set of tests that hasbeen performed to evaluate the effect that foam, foam types, and foam parameters have on the shear strength of sandysoil. Four different foam agents and one type of polymer were used during the tests. The foam production processwas per-formed by a foam generator, which was constructed by the authors. Shear strength tests were carried out in aconventional direct shear box measuring 60x60 mm. The test results show a decrease in the internal friction angle andan increase in soil compressibility for foamed soil, where the changes are functions of soil gradation, foam types, andfoam pa-rameters. It appears that another agent (such as bentonite slurry) needs to be added to coarse-grained soils tocondition the soil effectively by increasing the fine content and re-ducing the number of large voids. The test resultsalso show that the effect of different foaming agents on the shear strength of fine sand is not noticeable.

In this study performance of mixes with w/c ratio of 0.5 and foam contents of 20, 35 and 50%, with regards to absorption, capillary absorption and chloride ingress, were determined and compared to those of a base mix with the same proportions but without foam incorporation. A structural grade foam concrete with w/c ratio of 0.4 and foam content of 20% was also considered together with a conventional concrete of equal strength level. The results show that foam incorporation results in decreased absorption and capillary absorption and increased chloride diffusion. The discrepancy is due to the presentation of absorption results on a total concrete volume basis. By considering these results on paste volume basis, which is the penetrable phase, absorption results show the same trend as the chloride diffusion results. Incorporation of 20, 35 and 50 percent foam into the base mix resulted in increases of 12, 27 and 50 percent in paste absorption and 18, 55 and 155 percent in chloride diffusion values, respectively. Increased foam volume resulted in larger and more connected air voids. Although foamed porosity has a negative effect on penetration characteristics, the structural grade foam concrete with its lower w/c ratio achieved similar levels of performance as the base mix and performed better than the conventional concrete of equal strength level.

Background: Viral hepatitis is one of common infectious diseases and known as health problem around the world. Present cross-sectional study was performed to determine the association between HBeAg and HBVDNA in patients who referred to Royan Institute for Reproductive Biomedicine and Amiralmomenin Hospital (Islamic Azad University) between 2012 and 2015. Materials and methods: In this cross-sectional study, 222 patients were assessed and their HBe-Ag and HBV-DNA were analyzed by serological and molecular assays to determine the association between HBeAg and HBV-DNA for infectivity of infection. The results were gathered and recorded in the study checklist. Results: 222 chronic HBsAg positive carriers, including 74 (33. 2%) female and 148 (66. 8%) male were studied. Of studied population, 10(6. 8%) HBeAg positive, 108 (75. 5%) HBeAb positive and 94 (42. 34%) HBV DNA were detected. Level of detectable HBV-DNA was significantly higher in patients with HBeAg positive in compare with patients with negative HBe Ag (, P<0. 001). Conclusion: According to study findings, there is clinical association between HBe Ag positive and HBVDNA level and we can use HBeAg for assessing the infectivity of HBV infection.

Introduction & Objective: Biological treatment is a new established technology for the air pollutants. This technology can be an alternative for physical and chemical treatment methods. Among bioreators, the Bioactive Foamed Emulsion Reactor (BFER) is a new alternative that has not the problems of the conventional ones. In this reactor bed clogging in the conventional bioreactor was resolved by bioactive foam as a substitute of packing bed. The pollutant absorption has been increased using biocompatible organic phase in liquid. This reactor can be used for higher inlet toluene concentration. The objective of this study was designing and optimizing the operational parameters of BFER for toluene treatment.Materials & Methods: In the first step of this experimental-analytic study, the toluene degradation microorganisms were identified, extracted and concentrated for injection to bioreactor. Then the effect of several parameters such as Kind and concentration of organic phase,and residence time oxygen content on bioreactor performance were studied and the optimum conditions were selected for continuous operation. The continuous operation of bioreactor was monitored at the optimum conditions.Results: Experimental results showed that the residence time of 15s, oxygen content of 40%, and the 4 % (v/v) n-hexadecane as organic phase were the optimum conditions. The average elimination capacity (EC) and removal efficiency of bioreactor were 231.68 g/m3h and 88.44% respectively for the inlet concentration about of 1 g/m3. The statistical developed model predicted that the maximum EC of this reactor could reach to 426.21 g/m3h.Conclusion: Since the elimination capacity of this reactor is several times more than the other bioreactors, it has the potential to be applied instead of biofilters and biotrickling filters.