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Titanium and titanium alloys possess low density, high specific strength, and excellent corrosion resistance, but are expensive and have low formability at room temperature. Therefore, to reduce cost and achieve excellent properties, titanium and titanium alloys are jointed with aluminum and its alloys, which are inexpensive and have low density and excellent room temperature formability. Cladding is a widely used solid-state bonding technique, and the post-heat treatment of titanium/aluminum clad materials is required to improve their interfacial properties, which is important to ensure the reliability of Ti/Al-clad materials. The interfacial properties of Ti/Al-clad materials are significantly affected by changes in the microstructure and mechanical properties after the post-heat treatment. Thus, in this study, the relationship between the microstructure and mechanical properties at the interface of Ti/Al-clad materials was analyzed after the post-heat treatment at several different temperatures. The thick diffusion and intermetallic compound layer was formed with post-heat treatment owing to the active diffusion of Al atoms. As a result, their uniaxial and nanomechanical properties were varied with the interfacial characteristics of the Ti/Al-clad material.

This paper presents very large complete band gaps at low audible frequency ranges tailored by gradient-based design optimizations of periodic two- and three-dimensional lattices. From the given various lattice topologies, we proceed to create and enlarge band gap properties through controlling neutral axis configuration and cross-section thickness of beam structures, while retaining the periodicity and size of the unit cell. Beam neutral axis configuration and cross-section thickness are parameterized by higher order B-spline basis functions within the isogeometric analysis framework, and controlled by an optimization algorithm using adjoint sensitivity. Our optimal curved designs show much more enhanced wave attenuation properties at audible low frequency region than previously reported straight or simple undulated geometries. Results of harmonic response analyses of beam structures consisting of a number of unit cells demonstrate the validity of the optimal designs. A plane wave propagation in infinite periodic lattice is analyzed within a unit cell using the Bloch periodic boundary condition.

Background: The beneficial effects of ginsenoside species have been well demonstrated in a number of studies. However, the function of ginsenoside Ro (GRo), an oleanane-type saponin, has not been sufficiently investigated. Thus, the aim of the present study was to investigate the anti-inflammatory effects of GRo in vitro using the Raw 264.7 mouse macrophage cell line treated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS), and to clarify the possible mechanism of GRo involving heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), which itself plays a critical role in self-defense in the presence of inflammatory stress., Methods: Raw 264.7 cells were pretreated with GRo (up to 200μM) for 1 h before treatment with 1 μg/mL LPS, and both cell viability and inflammatory markers involving HO-1 were evaluated., Results: GRo significantly increased cell viability in a dose dependent manner following treatment with LPS, and decreased levels of reactive oxygen species and nitric oxide. GRo decreased inflammatory cytokines such as nitric oxide synthase and cyclooxygenase-2 induced by LPS. Moreover, GRo increased the expression of HO-1 in a dose dependent manner. Cotreatment of GRo with tin protoporphyrin IX, a selective inhibitor of HO-1, not only inhibited upregulation of HO-1 induced by GRo, but also reversed the anti-inflammatory effect of GRo in LPS treated Raw 264.7 cells., Conclusion: GRo induces anti-inflammatory effects following treatment with LPS via upregulation of HO-1.

During the past several decades, early rehabilitation programs for the care of patients with colorectal surgery have gained popularity. Several randomized controlled trials and meta-analyses have confirmed that the implementation of these evidence-based detailed perioperative care protocols is useful for early recovery of patients after colorectal resection. Patients cared for based on these protocols had a rapid recovery of bowel movement, shortened length of hospital stay, and fewer complications compared with traditional care programs. However, most of the previous evidence was obtained from studies of early rehabilitation programs adapted to open colonic resection. Currently, limited evidence exists on the effects of early rehabilitation after laparoscopic rectal resection, although this procedure seems to be associated with a higher morbidity than that reported with traditional care. In this article, we review previous studies and guidelines on early rehabilitation programs in patients undergoing rectal surgery. We investigated the status of early rehabilitation programs in rectal surgery and analyzed the limitations of these studies. We also summarized indications and detailed protocol components of current early rehabilitation programs after rectal surgery, focusing on laparoscopic resection.

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It has been shown that the accumulation of prion in the cytoplasm can result in neurodegenerative disorders. Synthetic prion peptide 106-126 (PrP) is a glycoprotein that is expressed predominantly by neurons and other cells, including glial cells. Prion-induced chronic neurodegeneration has a substantial inflammatory component, and an increase in the levels of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) may play an important role in neurodegenerative development and progression. However, the expression of MMPs in PrP induced rat astrocytes and microglia has not yet been compared. Thus, in this study, we examined the fluorescence intensity of CD11b positive microglia and Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein (GFAP) positive astrocytes and found that the fluorescent intensity was increased following incubation with PrP at 24 hours in a dose-dependent manner. We also observed an increase in interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) protein expression, which are initial inflammatory cytokines, in both PrP induced astrocytes and microglia. Furthermore, an increase MMP-1, 3 and 11 expressions in PrP induced astrocytes and microglia was observed by real time PCR. Our results demonstrated PrP induced activation of astrocytes and microglia respectively, which resulted in an increase in inflammatory cytokines and MMPs expression. These results provide the insight into the different sensitivities of glial cells to PrP.

Chemical investigation of the EtOH extract of Morus alba L. (Moraceae), as guided by free radical scavenging activity, furnished 5,7-dihydroxycoumarin 7-methyl ether (1), two prenylflavones, cudraflavone B (2) and cudraflavone C (3), and oxyresveratrol (4). Compounds 1 and 4 showed superoxide scavenging effects with the IC(50) values of 19.1 +/- 3.6 and 3.81 +/- 0.5 microM, respectively. Compound 4 exhibited a DPPH free radical scavenging effect (IC(50) = 23.4 +/- 1.5 microM). Compounds 2 and 4 showed hepatoprotective effects with EC(50) values of 10.3 +/- 0.42 and 32.3 +/- 2.62 micro, respectively, on tacrine-induced cytotoxicity in human liver-derived Hep G2 cells.