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This study aimed to explore the expressions of interleukin-12 (IL-12) and its receptors IL-23R and IL12RB2 in patients with lumbar disc herniation (LDH) before and after treatment and their relationship with clinical efficacy. A total of 172 LDH patients undergoing surgical treatment in Wuhan Third Hospital, Tongren Hospital of Wuhan University were enrolled as the study group, and 170 healthy subjects as the control group. 5 mL of fasting venous blood was taken before surgery (T0), 1 d (T1), 3 d (T2), 5 d (T3) and 7 d (T4) after treatment respectively. The concentrations of IL-12, IL-23R and IL12RB2 in the two groups were detected, and the correlation between them and the treatment duration and clinical efficacy was analyzed. The study group showed significantly higher serum IL-12, IL-23R and IL12RB2 than the control group before treatment (P < 0.001). In the study group, IL-12, IL-23R and IL-12RB2 were the lowest at T4 (P < 0.001), followed by T3 (P < 0.001). There was no significant difference in IL-23R at T1 and T0 (P > 0.050), and in IL12RB2 at T1 and T2 (P > 0.050). Spearman rank correlation showed that IL-12, IL-23R, IL12RB2 were negatively correlated with treatment duration in the study group (P < 0.001), and were positively correlated with clinical efficacy (P < 0.001). In conclusion, the concentrations of serum IL-12, IL-23R and IL12RB2 in LDH patients are significantly higher than those in normal controls. Moreover, the concentrations are closely related to the rehabilitation of patients and are expected to become therapeutic targets for LDH.

SMPC (shape memory polymer composites) has many advantages as a hinge of spacedeployable antenna. The structure of the SMPC hinge is designed and tested in this paper. The basicmechanical properties of composites are calculated. Through finite element simulation, the bendingmoment of the positive and reverse of the lamella with the bending angle as the lamella with the fiberdifferent content, the bending of the lamella with different bending distances was simulated, and thecurves of bending moment with bending angle in different bending distances were obtained. Hingebending process simulation shows when the hinge begins to bend, the stress of the inner positivebending lamella is larger. The stress of the outside bending lamella increases with the increase of thebending angle. As for the relationship of moment-angle, the process of unfolding of the hinge isbasically the same as that of the lamellae. However, the hinge bending moment is much greater thanthe single layer lamella bending moment. The hinge with the structure of back-to-back can increasethe structure stiffness and the bending resilience ability. The tested moment of the hinge is similar tothe simulation result.

A planar measurement approach is presented to obtain the radiation pattern, by which rotation operations can be removed or reduced for a source with narrow and divergent viewing angle, respectively. The Étendue conservation is applied to derive the intensity distribution relationship between planar and spherical surfaces, which is further used for the radiation feature measurement on planar systems. As an indirect approach, sampling position distribution and measurement sensitivity is then discussed. Four application scenarios of the method are proposed and experimentally studied, including: 1D, 3D wireframe, pattern reconstruction for Monte Carlo ray-tracing planar data and 3D pattern estimation for luminaires. 1D radiation pattern obtained by classical goniophotometer method is employed as an evaluation standard, and experiments indicate that the results agree well between the two approaches. Therefore, the planar measurement can be applied as an alternative or supplementary method of the goniophotometer to test angle-dependent attributes of sources.

This study aimed to investigate the relationship between dose and radiation-induced liver disease (RILD) in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) receiving 3-dimensional conformal radiotherapy (3DCRT). Twenty-three patients with HCC who received conventional fractionated 3DCRT, including 7 who were diagnosed with classic RILD, were enrolled in this retrospective investigation. Cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) scans were acquired at the time of treatment for each patient. The beams from each patient's treatment plan were applied to each pretreatment CBCT (the modified CBCT or mCBCT) to construct the delivered dose distribution of the day considering inter-treatment anatomy changes. The daily doses were summed together with the help of deformable image registration (DIR) to obtain the adjusted cumulative dose (Dadjusted). The dose changes to the normal liver between the original planned dose (Dplan) and Dadjusted were evaluated by V20, V30, V40, and the mean dose to normal liver (MDTNL). Univariate analysis was performed to identify the significant dose changes. Among the 23 patients, the liver V20, V30, V40, and MDTNL showed significant differences between Dplan and Dadjusted, with average values of these parameters increased by 4.1%, 4.7%, 4.5%, and 3.9 Gy, respectively (p

Off-axis optical system can meet the needs of focus, FOV and optical distortion, the requirement of the optical system for space-borne off-axis mapping camera can be met well. In view of the strict requirements to the linear array horizontality and consistency of confocal plane for all FOV and all spectral, a method of computer aided adjustment model is proposed for quick alignment and test of the focal plane. Compare the traditional method, this method can both improve the efficiency and achieve high accuracy of alignment and test of the focal plane. The alignment and test result to a type long focal length mapping camera indicate that uniformity of the focal plane for all CCDs less than ±0.05mm and the linear array horizontality less than ±1 ′ .The result shows that this method is feasible and efficient. So it can provide a reference to fasten alignment and test of the focal plane for other space-borne off-axis mapping camera.

The individual differences and flexible muscular tissue upon bone make it difficult to realize high accuracy hand motion tracking. A full-pose estimation method is proposed by fusing measurements from an Inertial and Magnetic Measurement Unit (IMMU) in structurized magnetic field derived from a marked permanent magnet. Rather than eliminating the non-geomagnetic field, we realize spatial hand motion estimation (including both the location and orientation) by introducing structurized magnetic field to provide increased physical field dimensions without involving field coupling. The IMMU orientation is derived by using the pose matrix expressed by quaternion with complementary filter. Then, 3D position is localized by solving the magnetic inverse problem with derived orientation. Experiments on a developed platform show that the mean individual orientation error of roll, pitch and yaw attitude angle is 0.61°, 0.52° and 0.92°, respectively. In continuous path tracking, the mean localization error and mean orientation error around Z-axis motion and around X-axis motion is (1.56 mm, 0.12°) and (1.2 mm, 0.10°), respectively. The mean full-pose estimation process time is 1.6 ms. This method provides high-precision full-pose estimation for hand gesture recognition.

A visible-light driven photoelectrochemical (PEC) aptasensor is described that is capable of detecting chloramphenicol (CAP). It is based on the use of a TiO2 based nanorod array (NRA) sensitized with Eu(III)-doped CdS quantum dots. The NRA absorbs visible-light and while strongly depressing the recombination of photogenerated charges, thereby improving photo-to-current conversion efficiency. The introduction of Eu(III) ions promotes the charge transformation and utilization, and this results in a further increase of photocurrent. The NRA was employed as the photoactive material for the fabrication of a PEC aptasensor. CAP-binding aptamers were immobilized on a fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) electrode that was modified with the NRA. The aptasensor was applied to the determination of CAP by monitoring the decrease in photocurrent (at a typical voltage of 0 V) that is caused by the formation of the aptamer-CAP complex. Under optimal conditions, the response is linear in the 1.0 pM to 3.0 nM CAP concentration range, with a detection limit of 0.36 pM (at S/N = 3). The method was applied to the determination of CAP in spiked milk samples where it gave satisfactory results.

It is widely believed that large composite materials are difficult to build a ship which is longer than 40 meters because of lack of structural stiffness. Up to now, the ships, 72-meter in length, made of glass fiber reinforced composite have been in serve abroad, while 35 meters in China. Therefore, it’s absolutely necessary to study the problem about the stiffness of the 70-metre composite materials hulls. Start from integration design and finite element analysis of composite materials and structure, the influences of material component, laminated angle and laminated sequences of composite materials’ hull on the dynamic stiffness and static stiffness of the ship are studied to explore the method of improving stiffness. The result show that, in the conditions of having the same molded surface, ship's weight and applied stress, it can improve the ship’s longitudinal stiffness to reach standard requirements by using the part of the high modulus fiber as well as the high modulus fiber laying on the outboard of the hull.

Background/Aims: Current therapies for spinal cord injury (SCI) have limited efficacy, and identifying a therapeutic target is a pressing need. Sarcoplasmic/endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ ATPase 2 (SERCA2) plays an important role in regulating calcium homeostasis, which has been shown to inhibit apoptosis. Exendin-4 has been shown to inhibit the apoptosis of nerve cells in SCI, which can also improve SERCA2 expression. In this study, we sought to determine whether exendin-4 plays a protective role in a rat model of SCI via SERCA2. Methods: To investigate the effects of exendin-4 on SCI, a rat model of SCI was induced by a modified version of Allen’s method. Spinal cord tissue sections from rats and western blot analysis were used to examine SERCA2 expression after treatment with the long-acting glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor exendin-4 or the SERCA2 antagonist 5(6)-carboxyfluorescein diacetate N-succinimidyl ester (CE). Locomotor function was evaluated using the Basso Beattie Bresnahan locomotor rating scale and slanting board test. Results: Cell apoptosis was increased with CE treatment and decreased with exendin-4 treatment. Upregulation of SERCA2 in female rats with SCI resulted in an improvement of motor function scores and histological changes. Conclusion: These findings suggest that exendin-4 plays a protective role in a rat model of SCI through SERCA2 via inhibition of apoptosis. Existing drugs targeting SERCA2 may be an effective therapeutic strategy for the treatment of SCI.

The present study investigated the effects of vitamin D deficiency on T cell subsets in patients with spinal tuberculosis. In addition, the influence of vitamin D deficiency was investigated on the expression of cytokines IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-α in intervertebral disc lesions of patients. One hundred and seventeen patients with spinal tuberculosis who received operative treatment in the Department of Orthopedics in Wuhan City Third Hospital from March 2012 to March 2015 were collected. The patients were divided depending upon vitamin D content into the control group (64 cases, vitamin D content 50 nmol/l). Immunofluorescence method was applied to determine the content of T cell subsets in both groups of patients. Intervertebral disc lesion tissues of two groups of patients were obtained during surgery then treated with HE staining and immunohistochemical staining. The values of average optical density obtained under light microscope were observed as the expression quantities of IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-α, to explore the relationship between vitamin D and the expression of cytokines. When vitamin D is lacking, the expression of T lymphocyte subsets in patients with spinal tuberculosis significantly decreased. Compared with experimental group, the difference was statistically significant (P

This paper works on the vibration control of the space truss structure. The damper made of viscoelastic composite was designed according to the configuration parameters of the truss structure. The parameters of damper were obtained by using the method of modal strain energy. The optimal position configuration of the damper was determined. The truss in the time domain and frequency domain was analyzed. The dynamic characteristics of three structures which are without damper, with damper in the random position configuration and with damper in the optimal position configuration were compared in the sweep excitation and pulse excitation. The result shows that the structure with damper in the optimal position configuration has a great improvement in the amplitude of vibration in the first resonance region and the amplitude attenuation of the truss. The space truss structure with viscoelastic composite damper has excellent vibration control effect.

Using GT-POWER to simulate a diesel engines injection timing, calibrating simulation model has been done according to experimental data. Analysis of the effect on engine power characteristics and emission characteristics caused by different pre-injection timing and main injection timing is the main work. The simulation results show that, the output torque and NOx increased when the injection timing is advanced. In contrast, the soot emission is decreased when the injection timing is advanced.

In order to get the deployable antenna with light weight but large size and high stiffness, this study investigated SMPC self-deployable driver mechanism based on the deformation mechanism of SMPC, and designed the SMPC space deployable antenna. The laminated shell structure with two pieces of back-to-back configuration was analyzed. Finite element analysis revealed that the reasonable central angle of the laminated shell cross-section was 90°. The ends fixing structure of the SMPC hinge was given. The function and structure of the hoop truss deployable antenna were designed to meet the functional and accuracy requirements.

The concrete-filled glass fiber reinforced gypsum wall panel is a kind of panel that the inside cavums of the glass fiber hollow gypsum panel are filled with concrete, which can be used as the bearing wall of a building. The influences of eccentricity distance and height to thickness ratio on the bearing capacity of the compression wall panels were studied, and the failure mechanism and bearing capacity of compression wall panels were gained through the experiments of twenty-seven(nine groups) axial compression wall panel specimens and twenty-seven(nine groups) eccentric compression wall panel specimens. The analysis results indicate that the bearing capacity of compression wall panels is obviously affected by the eccentricity distance and height to thickness ratio, and there is a linear relation between bearing capacity and eccentricity distance. The bearing capacity calculation formula of the concrete-filled glass fiber reinforced gypsum wall panel is obtained by regression analysis, which provides reliable gist for structural design of concrete-filled glass fiber reinforced gypsum wall panel buildings.

Background Excessive dermal scarring is characterized by an overabundant deposition of extracellular matrix caused by fibrosis. The purpose of this study was to modify a rodent model of cutaneous healing for use in the development of compounds to minimize scarring, and to test the model with a small molecule inhibitor of transforming growth factor-β type I receptor, activin receptor-like kinase 5, because this class of inhibitors has been demonstrated to be effective in minimizing fibrosis in other organs. Methods The rodent model of cutaneous healing consists of uniform full-thickness incisional dermal wounds in rats. Wounds were allowed to heal by secondary intention, generally over a 14-day period. The usefulness of the model was tested by the application of an activin receptor-like kinase 5 inhibitor, CP-639180. Activin receptor-like kinase 5 inhibition antagonizes the transforming growth factor-β pathway, and was used to determine whether there was an effect on collagen deposition in wounds. The compound was applied once per day for 7 days starting at postwounding day 0 or 7 (early or late treatment regimens). Wounds were analyzed histologically for collagen deposition and biochemically for quantification of collagen changes. Results Early and late treatment regimens with the activin receptor-like kinase 5 inhibitor significantly reduced collagen deposition without impairing wound healing. Conclusions Application of a small molecular inhibitor of activin receptor-like kinase 5 appears to significantly reduce collagen deposition in rat dermal wounds as reported here for the first time. Activin receptor-like kinase 5 inhibition may offer a novel approach to reducing proliferative scars in humans because collagen accumulation is a core event in scarring.

The dynamic fracture problems of the piezoelectric materials with antiplane moving crack are analysed by using function of complex variable in the paper. The results show that the coupled elastic and electric fields inside piezoelectric media depend on the speed of the crack propagation, and have singularity at the crack tip. The stress intensity factor is independent of the speed of the crack propagation, which is identical to the conclusion of purely elasticity. Moreover, independent of the electric loading, the dynamic energy release rate can be expressed by the stress intensity factor and enlarge with the increase of crack speed. High speed of the crack moving could impede the crack growth. At the same time, the crack can be propagated into either curve or bifurcation if the crack speed is higher than the critical speed.

We present a general approach to speeding up a family of multi-relational data mining algorithms that using ID propagation to obtain the information needed for building decision tree classifier from relational database. Preliminary results of our experiments suggest that the proposed method can yield 1-2 orders of magnitude reductions in the running time of such algorithms without any deterioration in the accuracy of results. The proposed modifications enhance the applicability of decision tree algorithms to significantly relational databases that would otherwise be not feasible in practice.