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The initial interaction mechanism is very important for the design and safety of nano-scale composite energetic materials composed of ammonium dinitramide (ADN) and nitrocellulose (NC). The thermal behaviors of ADN, NC and an NC/ADN mixture under different conditions were studied by using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) with sealed crucibles, an accelerating rate calorimeter (ARC), a self-developed gas pressure measurement instrument and a DSC-thermogravimetry (TG)—quadrupole mass spectroscopy (MS)—Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) combined technique. The results show that the exothermic peak temperature of the NC/ADN mixture shifted forward greatly in both open and closed circumstances compared to those of NC or ADN. After 585.5 min under quasi-adiabatic conditions, the NC/ADN mixture stepped into the self-heating stage at 106.4 °C, which was much less than the initial temperatures of NC or ADN. The significant reduction in net pressure increment of NC, ADN and the NC/ADN mixture under vacuum indicates that ADN initiated the interaction of NC with ADN. Compared to gas products of NC or ADN, two new kinds of oxidative gases O2 and HNO2 appeared for the NC/ADN mixture, while NH3 and aldehyde disappeared. The mixing of NC with ADN did not change the initial decomposition pathway of either, but NC made ADN more inclined to decompose into N2O, which resulted in the formation of oxidative gases O2 and HNO2. The thermal decomposition of ADN dominated the initial thermal decomposition stage of the NC/ADN mixture, followed by the oxidation of NC and the cation of ADN. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Levosimendan (LEVO) is a positive inotropic drug which could increase myocardial contractility and reduce the mortality rate in cardiac surgical patients. However, Whether LEVO is associated with postoperative bleeding and blood transfusion in cardiac surgical patients is controversial. Therefore, the current study was designed to investigate the impact of LEVO administration on bleeding and blood transfusion requirement in off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting (OPCAB) patients. Methods: In a retrospective analysis, a total of 292 patients, aged 40–87 years, undergoing elective OPCAB between January 2019 and July 2019, were divided into LEVO group (n = 151) and Control group (n = 141). Patients in LEVO group continuously received LEVO at a rate of 0.1–0.2 μg kg−1 min−1 after anesthesia induction until 24 hours after OPCAB or patients in Control group received no LEVO. The primary outcome was postoperative chest drainage volume. The secondary outcomes were reoperation for postoperative bleeding, transfusion requirement of red blood cells (RBCs), fresh frozen plasma (FFP) and platelet concentrate (PC), etc. Comparisons of two groups were performed with the Student's t -test or Wilcoxon-Mann-Whitney test. Results: There was no significant difference with respect to chest drainage volume ((956.29 ± 555.45) ml vs (1003.19 ± 572.25) ml, p = 0.478) and the incidence of reoperation for postoperative bleeding (1.32% vs 1.42%, p = 0.945) between LEVO group and Control group. The transfusion incidence and volume of allogeneic RBCs, FFP, and PC were comparable between two groups. Conclusions: LEVO administration was neither associated with more postoperative blood loss nor increased allogeneic blood transfusion requirement in OPCAB patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rhynchophylline (RIN) and isorhynchophylline (IRN) are extracted from Uncaria rhynchophylla, which are used to treat Alzheimer's disease. However, the massive accumulation of RIN and IRN in U. rhynchophylla requires exogenous stimulation. Ethylene is a potential stimulant for RIN and IRN biosynthesis, but there is no study on the role of ethylene in RIN or IRN synthesis. This study investigated the regulation of ethylene in RIN and IRN biosynthesis in U. rhynchophylla. An increase in the content of RIN and IRN was observed that could be attributed to the release of ethylene from 18 mM ethephon, while ethylene released from 36 mM ethephon reduced the content of RIN and IRN. The transcriptome and weighted gene co-expression network analysis indicated the up-regulation of seven key enzyme genes related to the RIN/IRN biosynthesis pathway and starch/sucrose metabolism pathway favored RIN/IRN synthesis. In comparison, the down-regulation of these seven key enzyme genes contributed to the reduction of RIN/IRN. Moreover, the inhibition of photosynthesis is associated with a reduction in RIN/IRN. Photosynthesis was restrained owing to the down-regulation of Lhcb1 and Lhcb6 after 36 mM ethephon treatment and further prevented supply of primary metabolites (such as α-d-glucose) for RIN/IRN synthesis. However, uninterrupted photosynthesis ensured a normal supply of primary metabolites at 18 mM ethephon treatment. AP2/ERF1, bHLH1, and bHLH2 may positively regulate the RIN/IRN accumulation, while NAC1 may play a negative regulatory role. Our results construct the potential bidirectional model for ethylene regulation on RIN/IRN synthesis and provide novel insight into the ethylene-mediated regulation of the metabolism of terpenoid indole alkaloids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A solution strategy of a distillation‐membrane separation process based on genetic programming algorithm (GP) is proposed. It can automatically match diverse membrane materials according to different azeotropic systems and generate various integrated processes. For the membrane, which is still in the experimental research stage, a theoretical prediction method of membrane cost is recommended. Taking the benzene‐cyclohexane system as an example, a GO‐AgNPs/PI membrane and polyurethane membrane were matched, respectively, and the optimal integrated processes can be obtained. The GP strategy provides a strong guidance for the comprehensive design and optimization of distillation‐membrane separation by using various new membranes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We studied the contribution of the light chain to functions of human monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) by measuring the relationships between the rate of mutations and cross-reactivity, binding affinity and neutralization activity. We analyzed 12 mAbs of two clonal families specific to the V2 region of HIV-1 derived from two chronically HIV-1 infected individuals. The clonal mAbs exhibited a range of reactivities, and the clones with superior properties were associated with the rate of mutations and the presence of particular mutated residues in the light chains, but not in the heavy chains. Our observations suggest that for some antibodies, the light chains play a vital role in antibody evolution toward more efficient ones and also suggest the importance of optimal residues rather than the rate of mutations in the variable fragment of the antibody. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Knee implants with different anterior lip heights have a similar wear rate during different daily activities. • The location of maximum wear depth was similar among the three tibial inserts tested with different lip heights. • The tibial insert with the highest lip showed slight anterior wear scaring due to anterior contact during swing phase. A high anterior lip on a total knee prosthesis is an effective way of reducing anterior translation, but the effect on joint wear is unclear. Using finite element analysis (FEA), this study quantitatively compared wear rates and anterior contact stresses in three posterior stabilized knee prostheses with different heights for the anterior lip during six daily activities (walking, stair ascent, stair descent, sit-to-stand, pivot turn and crossover turn). The wear rate and location of maximum wear depth were similar for the three lip heights tested, but the knee with the highest anterior lip also showed slight anterior wear scaring due to articular contact stress during swing phase, which was highly dependent on the shape of the contact interface. This study illustrates that tibial inserts with a high anterior lip maintain a wear rate similar to moderate and low lip posterior stabilized designs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Schizophrenia is a complex mental illness with significant sex differences. Cognitive impairment is common in patients with schizophrenia, even in remission. This study was designed to examine the sex differences in the relationship between cognitive impairment and clinical correlations with first-episode drug-naïve (FEDN) schizophrenia. Methods: 93 FEDN patients (male/female = 45/48) and 160 controls (male/female = 74/86) were enrolled to compare the sex differences in cognitive functions measured by the MATRICS Consensus Cognitive Battery (MCCB). Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) and Hamilton Depression Scale (HAMD) were used to evaluate patients' clinical symptoms. We compared cognitive impairment with sociodemographic characteristics and measures of different genders, as well as group-by-sex interactions. Results: Our results showed that male patients had significantly lower scores for symbol coding, digital sequence, and verbal learning than female patients, while the healthy controls showed similar sex differences. In female patients, multiple linear regression analysis confirmed that PANSS negative symptoms and general psychopathology scores, HAMD total score, and education level were independent contributors to MCCB total score. In male patients, only education was an independent contributor to MCCB total score. Conclusions: These findings revealed significant sex differences in cognitive impairments and clinical symptoms in FEDN, which will be worthy of a follow-up study of schizophrenia in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study investigates the global buckling behavior of sandwich beams with graded lattice cores. The continuous equivalent theory is utilized to construct a discrete graded lattice core sandwich beam for a continuously varying gradient beam, whose material properties vary with position. A theoretical model of sandwich beams with graded lattice cores is established using the energy method. Finite element models are developed in ABAQUS to validate the theoretical results. Furthermore, four sets of specimens were manufactured and tested to validate the theoretical analysis methods used. The effects of the graded parameters and geometric parameters on the critical buckling load of sandwich beams with graded lattice cores are discussed. The graded lattice sandwich beams exhibit global buckling when the graded parameter is small, with the influence on buckling performance being minor. However, as the graded parameter increases, the graded lattice sandwich beams experience local buckling, and their buckling resistance weakens. Therefore, graded parameters that are too large and cause local buckling should be avoided in gradient design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and aim: We previously identified forkhead box (FOX) O4 mRNA as a predictor in gastric cancer (GC). However, the underlying mechanism has yet to be elucidated. We aimed to illustrate the mechanism by which FOXO4 regulated glycolysis under hypoxia in GC. Methods: FOXO4 protein expression was investigated by immunohistochemical staining of 252 GC and their normal adjacent tissues. We restored or silenced FOXO4 expression in GC cell lines to explore the underlying mechanisms. Results: FOXO4 was downregulated in GC. Loss of FOXO4 expression was validated in univariate and multivariate survival analysis as an independent prognostic predictor for overall survival (P < 0.05) and disease‐free survival (P<0.05). Restored FOXO4 expression significantly impaired the glycolysis rate in GC cells, while silencing FOXO4 expression enhanced glycolysis rate. FOXO4 expression was inversely associated with maximum standardized uptake value in mice models and patient samples. Mechanistically, FOXO4 bound to the glycolytic enzyme lactate dehydrogenase (LDH)A promoter and inactivated its activity in a dose‐dependent manner (P < 0.05). Finally, we determined that FOXO4 was a transcriptional target of hypoxia‐inducible factor (HIF) ‐1α, which is central in response to hypoxia. Conclusions: Our data suggested that FOXO4 plays a key role in the regulation of glycolysis in GC, and disrupting the HIF‐1α‐FOXO4‐LDHA axis might be a promising therapeutic strategy for GC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of hot-pressing sintering on the phase composition, microstructure, thermal and electrical properties of AlN ceramics with CeO 2 –CeF 3 additives were studied. During hot-pressing sintering, high pressure reduced the grain boundary phase CeAlO 3 and decreased the concentration of oxygen in AlN ceramics. The hot-pressing sintered AlN samples had a much higher thermal conductivity of 191.9 W/m·K than pressureless sintered ones because of the great reduction of grain boundary phases and oxygen impurities in AlN ceramic. As the carbon content in hot-pressing sintered sample was very high, carbon contamination led to the decrease in electrical resistivity and changes in polarization mechanisms for AlN ceramics. The relaxation peak in the dielectric temperature spectrum with an activation energy of 0.64 eV for hot-pressing sintered samples was caused by electrons from free carbon at low temperature. Overall, hot-pressing sintering can effectively increase the thermal conductivity and change the electrical properties of AlN ceramics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• This study analyzed the current challenges in orthopedic implant development. • The reasons for gap between pre-clinical tests and clinical outcomes were analyzed. • Implant design, material failure and surgical alignment were analyzed by examples. • Some prospects were proposed for developing pre-clinical tests. The market for orthopedic implants is growing rapidly with the increasing prevalence of orthopedic diseases in an aging society. Different designs and materials have been developed over the years and have, in general, shown excellent results in pre-clinical testing. However, there have been incidences of serious complications when novel implants or materials are put into clinical use, with some well-known cases being metallosis in patients implanted with metal-on-metal hip replacements and osteolysis from polyethylene wear debris generated in hip and knee joint replacements. Unforeseen factors related to new designs, materials and surgical techniques can lead to different outcomes for pre-clinical testing and clinical use. While often an excellent indicator of a device's performance in clinical settings, pre-clinical testing does sometime fail to predict critical flaws in implant development. This article aims to explore the gaps in the current approach to testing. The ISO international standard of pre-clinical testing should be modified to more adequately capture actual clinical use of the implant and simulate daily activities. This article will also introduce modern methods for implant development, such as FEM, 3D printing and computer-aided orthopedic surgery, which can be widely applied to improve pre-clinical testing procedures and reduce the incidence of surgical malalignment by analyzing biomechanical performance, planning surgical procedure and providing surgical guide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of oxidation in air on the phase composition, microstructure, flexural strength and thermal property of AlN ceramics was investigated. Oxidation was found to produce a continuous oxide layer on the surface of AlN samples. The flexural strength and thermal conductivity of AlN ceramics significantly improved after oxidation at 1000 °C and 1100 °C. Residual stress in the AlN ceramic matrix was enhanced by oxidation. The enhanced residual compressive stresses inhibited crack propagation and reduced interfacial thermal resistance, thereby improving the flexural strength and thermal conductivity of AlN ceramics. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy was further used to analyze the defects in AlN ceramics. The increase in fitting grain resistance revealed a decrease in aluminum vacancy concentration in oxidized AlN sample, which resulted in high thermal conductivity. Therefore, oxidation at a certain temperature is pretty effective to obtain excellent performance for AlN ceramics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Single radius knee implants were introduced to reduce the level of paradoxical anterior femoral translation (AFT) during mid-flexion after total knee arthroplasty. Findings from clinical and experiment studies are inconsistent, which may be due to the different loading conditions and articular conformities of the knee implants studied. The aim of this study is to analyze how variations in these two factors affect the mid-flexion stability of a single radius knee prosthesis.Methods: Six daily activities (walking, stair ascent, stair descent, sit-to-stand, pivot turn and crossover turn), and three articular conformity ratios (low, moderate and high) were considered. The resulting AFTs from the 18 finite element models were analyzed.Results: For low conformity knees, the worst case activity (the greatest AFT) was sit-to-stand with an AFT of 6.2 mm, while for the moderate conformity the worst case was crossover turn and pivot turn. For high conformity, all activities produced a relatively small AFT ranging from 0 mm to 1.8 mm, which more closely resembles natural knee motion. In addition, no AFT was recorded during stair ascent for all three conformities (low, moderate, high).Conclusions: This study demonstrated that the amount of AFT is highly dependent on the activity being undertaken and the articular conformity of the knee prosthesis, and the worst case activity depends on the knee conformity. The clinical relevance of this study is that it offers valuable information towards the design of improved knee prostheses and selection of knee implants for clinical use.Level Of Evidence: II. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • This study introduces a testing method for recording movements of the knee joint. • A novel testing jig was developed to track the medial and lateral movements. • The test system developed in this study required many factors to be validated. • The system developed in this study is a direct and reliable in vitro test method. Abstract The primary intent of anatomical knee implants is to replicate the motions of a normal knee joint. In developing such designs, a preclinical evaluation of kinematic behavior is needed. This study introduces an in vitro testing method for recording movements of the knee joint. A novel testing jig was developed and incorporated into a knee simulator setup alongside a motion capture system to directly track the medial and lateral movements of a knee prosthesis. The test system developed in this study required a number of factors to be validated; (i) gait inputs to the knee simulator (result: 0.37–1.575% error), (ii) validity of global coordinate system in the motion capture system, (iii) the position of flexion facet centers (FFCs) detected by the motion capture system (result: a maximum error of 0.08 mm in AP direction and 0.3 mm in SI direction), (iv) local coordinate system in the motion capture system (result: 1.09% error for the measurement of flexion angle), (v) that FFC results were in good agreement with inputs. In conclusion, the system developed in this study for recording FFC is a direct and reliable in vitro test method for analyzing the kinematics of a knee prosthesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background The wear properties of knee implants need to be thoroughly evaluated prior to clinical use to ensure implant longevity. ISO 14243-1:2009 and ASTM F3141-17 are the two standards typically used for evaluating wear, with the ISO standard being more common; ASTM F3141-17 was first released in 2015. The aim of this study is to compare differences between these two standards in terms of wearing on a knee prosthesis. Methods Using finite element analysis based on Archard's law, this study evaluated anterior-posterior and internal-external motion, contact area, contact force, contact stress, volumetric wear rate, wear depth, and wear distribution on the knee prosthesis. Findings The results show that simulations performed according to ASTM F3141 produced knee kinematics that were more similar to human gait. The maximum wear depth occurred on the medial side of the tibia. However, the region of peak contact stress did not always correspond with the region of the maximum wear depth, indicating that considering the contact stress alone is not sufficient for evaluating wear as the sliding distance also plays an important role. The resulting wear region from the ASTM F3141 simulation was smaller but deeper than the wear region from the simulation per ISO 14243-1. However, the volumetric wear rates were very similar, with 13.48–55.26 mm3/million for ASTM F3141 and 13.64–54.9 mm3/million for ISO 14243-1. Interpretation The resulting rate of wear is almost identical between ISO 14243-1 and ASTM F3141. However, there are differences in wear contours and wear depth. Highlights • This study compared differences between ASTM F3141 and ISO 14243-1. • ASTM F3141 produced knee kinematics that were more similar to human gait. • Simulations according to ASTM F3141 and ISO 14243-1 produce similar volumetric wear rates. • The wear region from the ASTM F3141 was smaller but deeper than ISO 14243-1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Carbon fiber reinforced silicon carbide (C/SiC) corrugated lattice core composite sandwich panels fabricated by precursor infiltration and pyrolysis (PIP) were treated at temperatures ranging from 1400 °C to 1800 °C. The effects of high temperature annealing on the physical and mechanical properties of the composite sandwich panels were investigated. With the annealing temperature increasing, the compression properties of the composite sandwich structures increased initially and then decreased reversely. Out of the three samples, the compression strength and the modulus of the specimen treated at 1400 °C are maximal at 3.50 MPa and 54.45 MPa, suggesting the optimal annealing temperature for mechanical properties is 1400 °C. Two competing mechanisms including crystallization and carbothermal reduction determined the mechanical properties of the composite sandwich structures. Furthermore, the high temperature mechanical properties of C/SiC corrugated lattice core composite sandwich panels after heat treatment were investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The effects of two-step sintering on the microstructure, mechanical and thermal properties of aluminum nitride ceramics with Yb 2 O 3 and YbF 3 additives were investigated. AlN samples prepared using different sintering methods achieved almost full density with the addition of Yb 2 O 3 –YbF 3. Compared with the one-step sintering, the grain sizes of AlN ceramics prepared by the two-step sintering were limited, and the higher flexural strength and the larger thermal conductivity were obtained. Moreover, the electrochemical impedance spectroscopy of AlN ceramic was associated with thermal conductivity by analyzing the defects and impurities in AlN ceramics. The fitting grain resistance and the activation energy for the grain revealed the lower concentrations of aluminum vacancy in the two-step sintered AlN ceramics, which resulted in the higher thermal conductivity. Thus, mechanical and thermal properties for AlN ceramics were improved with Yb 2 O 3 and YbF 3 additives sintered using two-step regimes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ISO 14243 is the governing standard for wear testing of knee prostheses, but there is controversy over the correct direction of anterior-posterior (AP) displacement and loading and the correct direction of tibial rotation (TR) angles and torque. This study aimed to analyze how altering the direction of AP and TR affected wear on the tibial insert. Modifications to the conditions specified in ISO 14243–1 and ISO 14243–3 were also proposed. As such, five loading conditions were applied to FEA models of a knee prosthesis: (1) Modified ISO 14243–3 with positive AP displacement and TR angle, (2) ISO 14243–3:2004 with negative AP displacement and positive TR angle, (3) ISO 14243–3:2014 with positive AP displacement and negative TR angle, (4) Modified ISO 14243–1 with positive AP load and TR torque, and (5) ISO 14243–1:2009 with negative AP load and positive TR torque. This study found that changing the input directions for AP and TR according to ISO 14243–1 and 14243–3 had an influence on the wear rate and wear contours on the tibial insert model. However, the extent of wear varies depending on the design features of the tibial insert and shape of the input curves. For displacement control according to ISO 14243–3, changing the direction of AP displacement had a marked influence on the wear rate (272.77%), but changing the direction of TR angle had a much lower impact (2.17%). For load control according to ISO 14243–1, reversing the AP load (ISO 14243–1:2009) only increased the wear rate by 6.73% in comparison to the modified ISO 14243–1 conditions. The clinical relevance of this study is that the results demonstrate that tibial wear is affected by the direction of application of AP and TR. Incorrect application of the loading conditions during the design stage may lead to an ineffective preclinical evaluation and could subsequently influence implant longevity in clinical use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a major cause of death and disability, also resulting in long-term serious neurological impairment in survivors. However, the pathogenesis of TBI has not been fully understood. Jun dimerization protein 2 (JDP2) is a member of the AP-1 family of transcription factors, containing a basic region-leucine zipper motif. JDP2 plays essential roles in various cellular processes, including differentiation, apoptosis, senescence and aging. In the study, we attempted to explore the effects of JDP2 on TBI progression both in vivo and in vitro. The wild type (WT) and JDP2 knockout (KO) mice were employed in our study and were subjected to TBI. The results showed that JDP2-deficient mice exhibited improved cognitive functions in TBI mice. The inflammatory cytokines, glial amount and apoptosis, as well as the protein of cleaved Caspase-3 were significantly increased after TBI in WT mice, and all these up-regulation were significantly mitigated by JDP2 knockout in mice. We also found that TBI induced JDP2 expression in hippocampus of mice. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) also stimulated JDP2 expression levels in astrocytes isolated from WT mice, indicating the critical role of JDP2 in TBI. Suppressing Caspase-3 activation could reduce LPS-induced inflammation in astrocytes. Consistent with the results in vivo, LPS-induced inflammatory response and apoptosis were reversed by JDP2 deficiency in cells. Notably, we found that over-expressing JDP2 could further promoted inflammation, apoptosis and Caspase-3 activation induced by LPS. Collectively, JDP2 knockout effectively attenuate TBI in vivo and in vitro through blocking Caspase-3 activation, providing a potential therapeutic target for TBI or even other neurological disorders. Highlights • JDP2 deficiency attenuates cognitive performance induced by TBI in mice. • JDP2 deficiency attenuates apoptosis in cortex of TBI mice. • JDP2 increases Caspase-3 activation to promote inflammation and apoptosis in LPS-stimulated astrocytes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of yttrium fluoride (YF 3) on the densification behavior, microstructure, phase composition and thermal conductivity of aluminium nitride (AlN) ceramics with yttrium oxide (Y 2 O 3) and YF 3 additives were studied. Since YF 3 provided liquid phases and promoted densification at a lower temperature, the sintering temperature required to reach the full density of AlN samples decreased with the increase in YF 3 content. Appropriate addition of YF 3 could improve the thermal conductivity of AlN ceramics, but the values of thermal conductivity decreased as YF 3 increased further. It is attributed to the ability of YF 3 to react with oxygen impurity was worse than that of Y 2 O 3. Moreover, the reducing atmosphere significantly affected the phase composition, and the oxygen content in grain boundary phases decreased at 1750 °C and 1800 °C. Therefore, the proper proportion of Y 2 O 3 –YF 3 additives could simultaneously improve densification and the thermal conductivity of AlN samples at a low sintering temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to investigate how dietary supplementation of tea polyphenols (TP) and tea catechins (TC) affect laying performance, albumen quality, ovomucin composition, and magnum morphology of laying hens in the late phase of production. Two hundred seventy Hy-Line Brown laying hens (64 wk old) were assigned to a basal diet (the control), the basal diet supplemented with 200 mg/kg tea polyphenols (TP200) or 200 mg/kg tea catechins (TC200). Each treatment had 6 replicates with 15 hens each. The feeding trial lasted 10 wks. Over the course of the trial, dietary supplementation with TP200 significantly increased the egg production (EP) and improved the feed conversion ratio (FCR) in wk 6 to 10 and wk 1 to 10 (P < 0.05). The albumen height and the Haugh unit (HU) of hens fed TP200 were higher than those of hens fed the control diet at wks 8 and 10 (P < 0.05). However, there were no significant differences in the albumen height and the HU between the TP200 and TC200 groups (P > 0.05). The SDS-PAGE analysis indicated that bands of the ovomucin fractions in the TP200 group had the highest intensity compared with those of the control and TC200 groups. Compared with the control, there was a significant increase in protein sulfhydryl (SH) content of the albumen in the TP200 group at the end of experiment, while a significant decrease in protein carbonyl content and protein surface hydrophobicity (P < 0.05). There were also obvious increase in the height and width of the primary folds, epithelial cell height, and cilia height of the simple columnar epithelium in the TP200 group compared with the control and TC200 groups (P < 0.05). In conclusion, dietary supplementation with 200 mg/kg TP can improve performance, albumen quality, and magnum morphology of aged hens. In addition, TP rather than TC could improve the health status of the magnum for aged layers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

(Ba 0.6 Sr 0.4 ) 0.85 Bi 0.1 TiO 3 (abbreviated as BSBT) ceramics doped with x wt% Zn 2 P 2 O 7 ( x  = 0, 1, 5, 10, 15) were synthesized. The influence of Zn 2 P 2 O 7 on microstructures and electrical properties of BSBT ceramics were studied. Microstructural observation indicated that Zn 2 P 2 O 7 doping could inhibit the growth of grain and improve the microstructure homogeneity of BSBT ceramics. Dielectric measurements exhibited a relaxor-like characteristic for all samples. Breakdown strength measurements indicated that undoped BSBT ceramics owned a breakdown strength of 122 kV/cm. However, with increasing Zn 2 P 2 O 7 content, the breakdown strength enhanced monotonously, and the maximum breakdown strength reached 326 kV/cm at x  = 15. Meanwhile, the energy storage efficiency was improved greatly by Zn 2 P 2 O 7 addition. The results suggest that BSBT ceramics doped with Zn 2 P 2 O 7 could be taken for a candidate for energy storage applications. In addition, the correlation between energy storage efficiency and interface polarization was qualitatively discussed by complex impedance spectra. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the rapid development of e-commerce, how to grasp the main influence factors and promote the employment potential of e-commerce service industry? The employment influencing factors of e-commerce service industry and its influence degree are discussed. The employment influencing factors model is proposed by partial least squares method. The research indicates that economic growth, urbanization, e-commerce development, human capital and informatization has the positive role in promoting the employment of e-commerce service industry; the opening degree has a crowding-out effect on employment; while the role of technological progress in employment is not clear. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

45wt%Ba0.55Sr0.45TiO3-55wt%MgO composites prepared by heterogeneous precipitation method and sol-gel method were synthesized. Coating layer was obviously observed in the calcined BST/MgO particles prepared by heterogeneous precipitation method and sol-gel method, but it disappeared in the composites after sintering because of the grain growth of MgO. Compared to the sample prepared by conventional solid-state reaction method, higher tunability and higher dielectric constant while lower dielectric loss was achieved in the BST/MgO composites prepared by heterogeneous precipitation method and sol-gel method. This result was attributed to the difference of Mg element content in BST grain. This study shows that using the heterogeneous precipitation and sol-gel method effectively improved the properties of the BST/MgO composites. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

In this study, we investigated the effect of the two flavonoids, baicalin (baicalein 7-O-- d-glucuronic acid) and its aglycone, baicalein (5,6,7-trihydroxyflavone), after encapsulation into amorphous calcium polyphosphate (Ca-polyP) microparticles on mineralization of primary human osteoblasts (phOSB). Both flavonoids, which come from root extracts of Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi, are used in Traditional Chinese Medicine, and are nontoxic in cells up to a concentration of 3g/ml. The morphogenetically active, energy-rich Ca-polyP particles with a stoichiometric P:Ca ratio of 1:2 are degraded by cellular alkaline phosphatase (ALP) to ortho-phosphate used for bone hydroxyapatite formation. Here we show that the flavone-loaded Ca-polyP microparticles are readily taken up by phOSB, resulting in the accumulation of polyP around the nuclei and the formation of intracellular vesicles containing the ALP. In addition, we demonstrate that baicalin/baicalein causes a rise of the intracellular calcium [Ca]i a level which markedly is augmented after encapsulation into Ca-polyP, through activation of the phospholipase C. Moreover, both flavones, either alone or associated with Ca-polyP microparticles, upregulate the expression of the osteoblast calcium efflux channel, the plasma membrane Ca-ATPase (PMCA), while the expression of ALP, which promotes bone mineralization, is induced by Ca-polyP and by the flavones only if present in the Ca-polyP-microparticle-associated form. As a result, the extent of bone mineralization is markedly enhanced. Based on the two-armed activating function, new applications of baicalin/baicalein as a component of nutriceuticals for osteoporosis prevention or bone implants can be envisaged. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the rapid development of network and information technology, how to grasp the main influence factors and promote the healthy development of modern service industry? Based on the time series data from year 2000 to 2013, this paper analyzes the status quo of modern service industry in China and discusses its influence factors. This paper proposes the influence factor model of the development of modern service industry by grey relational analysis, and analyzes the influence factors and their contributions using weighted relational degree. The results indicate: (1) despite the fast development speed of modern service industry, its value-added proportion is relatively low; (2) the most critical factors affecting the development of modern service industry are informatization, marketization, urbanization and industrialization; education development and economic development have a little impact. In order to promote its development, this paper puts forward some rational suggestions in the aspects of strengthening information construction, deepening market reform, promoting industrial upgrading and optimizing internal structure, and providing sufficient material conditions and specialized personnel. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The effect of raw material on properties of Ba0.55Sr0.45TiO3/MgO composites was studied. The Ba0.55Sr0.45TiO3was prepared by BaCO3, SrCO3, TiO2and BaTiO3, SrTiO3. The MgO was prepared by heavy magnesium oxide, light magnesium oxide and basic magnesium carbonate, respectively. The crystalline phases of all ceramics were the same. Whereas, the grain size, lattice parameters, microwave dielectric properties and tunability of the samples were different. Overall, the Ba0.55Sr0.45TiO3/MgO composites, in which BST were prepared from BaCO3, SrCO3and TiO2, and MgO was prepared by heavy magnesium oxide, exhibited excellent properties ofϵr= 141.55,Q × f= 905 GHz and nr= 7.16% (E = 3 kV/mm). [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper presents a theoretical investigation in free vibration of a functionally graded beam which has variable material properties along the beam length and thickness. It is assumed that material properties vary through the length according to a simple power law distribution with an arbitrary power index and have an exponential gradation along the beam thickness. The characteristic equations are derived in closed form. The governing equation can analytically reduce to the classical forms of Euler–Bernoulli beams if the gradient index disappears. Analytical solutions of the natural frequencies are obtained for graded beams with clamped-free and hinged–hinged end supports. Results show that the variations of material properties in the beam length and thickness have a strong influence on the natural frequencies. It is also shown that there exists a critical frequency depending on the gradient parameter. The natural frequencies have an abrupt jump when across its critical frequencies. The derived results can be useful for designing non-homogeneous beams which may be required to vibrate with a particular frequency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of eutectic addition of 0.8LiF–0.2CaF 2 on microwave dielectric properties and structure of MgO ceramics were investigated. Addition of LiF–CaF 2 decreased the sintering temperature of MgO ceramics to 900 °C but did not affect the dielectric properties of the ceramics. The dielectric constant ( ε r ) and temperature coefficient of the resonant frequency ( τ f ) of MgO ceramics were not influenced by the LiF–CaF 2 eutectic content within the range of 0.02–0.08. However, the quality factor ( Q×f ) was dependent on the amount of LiF–CaF 2 added. Moreover, open or closed sintering condition influenced the microstructure and microwave dielectric properties of LiF–CaF 2 -doped MgO ceramics. The X-ray diffraction and impedance spectroscopy analyses indicated that Li and Ca substitution for Mg and F substitution for O occurred in MgO ceramics, and a high amount of F was incorporated into the MgO lattice under closed sintering condition. Overall, 0.96MgO–0.04(0.8LiF–0.2CaF 2 ) ceramics sintered at 950 °C in an open crucible exhibited excellent microwave dielectric properties of ε r =9.18, Q×f =130198 GHz and τ f =−65 ppm/°C. This study shows that eutectic addition of LiF–CaF 2 effectively decreases the sintering temperature of MgO without deteriorating the ceramic performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The HIV vaccine-induced neutralizing antibodies (Abs) display low rates of mutation in their variable regions. To determine the range of neutralization mediated by similar human monoclonal Abs (mAbs) but derived from unselected chronically HIV-1 infected subjects, we tested a panel of 66 mAbs specific to V3, CD4 binding site (CD4bs) and V2 regions. The mAbs were tested against 41 pseudoviruses, including 15 tier 1 and 26 tier 2, 3 viruses, showing that the neutralization potency and breadth of anti-V3 mAbs were significantly higher than those of the anti-CD4bs and anti-V2 mAbs, and only anti-V3 mAbs were able to neutralize some tier 2, 3 viruses. The percentage of mutations in the variable regions of the heavy (VH) and light (VL) chains varied broadly in a range from 2% to 18% and correlated moderately with the neutralization breadth of tier 2, 3 viruses. There was no correlation with neutralization of tier 1 viruses as some mAbs with low and high percentages of mutations neutralized the same number of viruses. The electrostatic interactions between anti-V3 mAbs and the charged V3 region may contribute to their neutralization because the isoelectric points of the VH CDR3 of 48 anti-V3 mAbs were inversely correlated with the neutralization breadth of tier 2, 3 viruses. The results demonstrate that infection-induced antibodies to CD4bs, V3 and V2 regions can mediate cross-clade neutralization despite low levels of mutations which can be achieved by HIV-1 vaccine-induced antibodies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To compare the therapeutic effects of metformin (Met) and laparoscopic ovarian drilling (LOD) in clomiphene and insulin-resistant patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (CIRPCOS). Methods: A total of 110 patients were randomly divided into two groups. One group was administered Met ( n = 55), while the other group underwent LOD ( n = 55). Rates of ovulation, pregnancy, and abortion were compared between both groups. Results: Rates of normal menstruation, ovulation, and pregnancy in the LOD group were higher than in the Met group: 76.4 % (42/55) vs. 58.2 % (32/55), P < 0.04; 50.8 % (11/258) vs. 33.5 % (94/281), P < 0.001; 38.2 % (21/55) vs. 20.0 % (11/55), P < 0.03. The difference in the early abortion rate between both groups was not statistically significant. Conclusions: Although Met can significantly improve a patient's insulin resistance, we found that in patients diagnosed with CIRCPOS, LOD can be much more effective in improving rates of normal menstruation, ovulation, and pregnancy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background The significance of ABCB11 variants have been studied in some cholestatic diseases, but this is not clear in transient neonatal cholestasis ( TNC). The aim of the present study was to explore the association between ABCB11 variants and TNC. Methods This was a case-control study. A total of 192 children with TNC referred to a tertiary referral hospital in eastern China were enrolled as subjects, and 196 healthy children were selected as controls. Part of the promoter and exons of the ABCB11 gene were sequenced directly. The single nucleotide polymorphism ( SNP) site of V444A was tested using fluorescent quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Potential consequences of variants were predicted using bioinformatics software. The biochemistry indices were compared between the patients with or without possibly pathogenic variants/mutations. Results Twenty-eight variants, including 14 novel ones, were detected. Four novel, possibly pathogenic mutations (I416I, K436N, R928Q and IVS7+5G>A) were detected in six subjects. The γ-glutamyltransferase level of these six was lower than in the others ( P = 0.054). The genotype distribution of the four common SNP sites, V444A, A535A, A865V and A1082A, was not significantly different between TNC patients and controls. Conclusions Approximately 3% of TNC cases can be attributed to ABCB11 mutations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Starting from the investigation on the detailed flow pattern, finite analytic numerical method is developed to solve the two-dimensional fluid flows in heterogeneous porous media. It is shown that only for some specific permeability distributions the pressure has the piecewise linear distribution, where harmonic average scheme works very well. In general case, the pressure will have the power-law behavior and its gradient will diverge as approaching the node joining the different permeability areas. The nodal flow effects cause the flow fingering into the high permeability region. It is a challenge problem to numerically describe the nodal fingering effects. With the help of the specific properties of pressure and its gradient around the node, a local analytical nodal solution is derived and then applied to construct a finite analytic numerical scheme. Numerical examples show that the detailed flow pattern can be reconstructed with the proposed numerical scheme under few grid refinements. Only with 2×2 or 3×3 subdivisions, the proposed numerical scheme can provide rather accurate solutions. The convergent speed of the numerical scheme is independent of the permeability heterogeneity. In contrast, the refinement ratio for the grid cell needs to be increased dramatically to get an accurate result when the traditional numerical method is used for strong heterogeneous cases. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The production of human monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) has been improved recently using the single B cell and PCR technology. A number of new anti-HIV-1 mAbs directed to various epitopes were produced by selecting single B cells from HIV positive individuals using the HIV-1 envelope (Env) proteins, and we tested whether the peptide can select B cells specific to a particular Env epitope. Using the fluorescently-labeled peptide tetramer representative of the V3 loop of HIV-1 Env gp120 for staining the B cells derived from one HIV-1 infected donor, four clonal human mAbs were produced with specificity to the V3 region. The clonality of the four V3 mAbs was based on the usage of the same immunoglobulin genes and almost identical sequence of CDRs. The amino acid changes were present only in the framework and, possibly, they could be related to the differences observed in the relative affinity binding of these four mAbs to V3 antigen. One representative V3 mAb displayed very potent neutralizing activity to one of two viruses tested. This study shows the feasibility of utilizing a peptide tetramer to select epitope-specific B cells and produce mAbs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary Activation of NF-κB pathway and co-stimulatory system CD40/CD40L promotes the inflammation, which plays a key role in the failure of islet graft. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine if simultaneous blockade of CD40/CD40L and IκB/NF-κB pathways could protect islet graft. Streptozocin-induced diabetic Wistar rats were transplanted intraportally with 2000 IEQ islets isolated from Sprague-Dawley rats. The rats were divided into five groups: nontreatment group, AdGFP-treated group, Ad-IκBα-treated group, Ad-sCD40LIg-treated group, and Ad-IκBα-IRES2-sCD40L-treated group. The islet graft mean survival time (MST), insulin expression of islet grafts, and the levels of cytokines in peripheral blood, were measured for the animals in each group. Our study confirmed that islet cells transfected with low doses of adenovirus could achieve high transfection efficiency, and would not affect the function of islet cells ( P > 0.05). Splenocytes cultured with Ad-IκBα-IRES2-CD40L-transfected islets resulted in homospecific hyporesponsiveness. The islet graft MST ( >100 d) in the Ad-IκBα-IRES2-sCD40L-treated group was dramatically prolonged compared with that in the nontreatment group (7.1 ± 1.16 d). In addition, TNF-α, IL-1β, and IFN-γ were diminished in the Ad-IκBα-IRES2-sCD40L-treated group, which was commensurate with the reduced cellular infiltration ( P < 0.01). Simultaneous blockade of the CD40/CD40L and IκB/NF-κB pathways could effectively extend the survival of islet grafts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Non-aqueous gelcasting and dry pressing were used to prepare 45wt% Ba0.6Sr0.4TiO3–55wt% MgO (BSTM) ceramics. The effects of different forming methods on the microstructures and dielectric properties of the BSTM ceramics were investigated. The densities of the BSTM ceramics prepared by non-aqueous gelcasting are lower but more uniform than that of the BSTM ceramics prepared by dry pressing. The XRD analysis illustrates that phase compositions are completely the same no matter what forming method is adopted. The SEM results show that the BSTM green samples and sintered ceramics prepared by non-aqueous gelcasting are more uniform than that prepared by dry pressing. Furthermore, it is found that the BSTM ceramics prepared by non-aqueous gelcasting have higher and more uniform dielectric constant, tunability and loss tangent (measured at 10kHz and 20°C). Meanwhile, the BSTM ceramics prepared by non-aqueous gelcasting have higher dielectric constant and lower Q × f value (namely more loss) when they are measured at microwave frequencies. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Dynamic renormalization group (RNG) analysis is applied to the investigation of the behavior of the infrared limits of weakly rotating turbulence. For turbulent flow subject to weak rotation, the anisotropic part in the renormalized propagation is considered to be a perturbation of the isotropic part. Then, with a low-order approximation, the coarsening procedure of RNG transformation is performed. After implementing the coarsening and rescaling procedures, the RNG analysis suggests that the spherically averaged energy spectrum has the scaling behavior E(K) ∝ K-11/5 for weakly rotating turbulence. It is also shown that the Coriolis force will disturb the stability of the Kolmogorov -5/3 energy spectrum and will change the scaling behavior even in the case of weak [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Ferromanganese [Fe/Mn] crusts formed on basaltic seamounts, gain considerable economic importance due to their high content of Co, Ni, Cu, Zn and Pt. The deposits are predominantly found in the Pacific Ocean in depths of over 1000m. They are formed in the mixing layer between the upper oxygen-minimum zone and the lower oxygen-rich bottom zone. At present an almost exclusive abiogenic origin of crust formation is considered. We present evidence that the upper layers of the crusts from the Magellan Seamount cluster are very rich in coccoliths/coccolithophores (calcareous phytoplankton) belonging to different taxa. Rarely intact skeletons of these unicellular algae are found, while most of them are disintegrated into their composing prisms or crystals. Studies on the chemical composition of crust samples by high resolution SEM combined with an electron probe microanalyzer (EPMA) revealed that they are built of distinct stacked piles of individual compartments. In the center of such piles Mn is the dominant element, while the rims of the piles are rich in Fe (mineralization aspect). The compartments contain coccospheres usually at the basal part. Energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) analyses showed that those coccospheres contain, as expected, CaCO3 but also Mn-oxide. Detailed analysis displayed on the surface of the coccolithophores a high level of CaCO3 while the concentration of Mn-oxide is relatively small. With increasing distance from the coccolithophores the concentration of Mn-oxide increases on the expense of residual CaCO3. We conclude that coccoliths/coccolithophores are crucial for the seed/nucleation phase of crust formation (biomineralization aspect). Subsequently, after the biologically induced mineralization phase Mn-oxide deposition proceeds “auto”catalytically. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Human anti-V3 monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) generated from HIV-1 infected individuals display diversity in the range of their cross-neutralization that may be related to their immunogenetic background. The study of the immunoglobulin (Ig) variable region gene usage of heavy chains have shown a preferential usage of the VH5-51 gene segment which was detected in 35% of 51 human anti-V3 mAbs. In contrast, human mAbs against other envelope regions of HIV-1 (anti-Env), including the CD4-binding domain, the CD4-induced epitope, and gp41 preferentially used the VH1-69 gene segment, and none of them used the VH5-51 gene. Furthermore, the usage of the VH4 family by anti-V3 mAbs was restricted to only one gene segment, VH4-59, while the VH3 gene family was used at a significantly lower frequency by all of the analyzed anti-HIV-1 mAbs. Multivariate analysis showed that usage of VH gene segments was significantly different between anti-V3 and anti-Env mAbs, and compared to antibodies from healthy subjects. In addition, the anti-V3 mAbs preferentially used the JH3 and D2-15 gene segments. The preferential usage of selected Ig gene segments and the characteristic pattern of Ig gene usage by anti-V3 mAbs can be related to the conserved structure of the V3 region. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This paper addresses the application of Genetic Programming (GP) to the synthesis of heat-integrated complex distillation system and the flowsheet of complex separation can be expressed directly using GP''s special hierarchical structure. A series of unique encoding method and solution strategy is proposed and some evolutionary factor is improved based on the domain knowledge of chemical engineering. A shortcut method is applied to calculate all required design parameters. Conventional and complex columns, thermally coupled (linked) side strippers and side rectifiers, fully thermally coupled columns as well as heat integration between any different columns are simultaneously considered. Two illustrating examples are presented to demonstrate the effective computational strategies. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: A novel hybrid filter based on gradient approximation by upwind scheme is proposed to restore images corrupted by impulsive and Gaussian noises, and simultaneously to preserve the details. In this work, the gradient is approximated by the hybrid upwind scheme, and then the impulses are separated according to the characteristic classification. The remaining pixels are processed by Gaussian filter (GF) with their corresponding weights that are acquired from the hybrid upwind scheme and are distinct in edges and smooth domains. The simulation results demonstrate that the proposed filter achieves better performance in restoring the images corrupted by different noise while the details are preserved. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Pyrazolon derivatives were reported to have cytotoxicity to some tumour cells. In the present study, we investigated the effect of Lgf-YL-9 on cytotoxicity and cell apoptosis in human epidermoid carcinoma drug-sensitive parental KB cells and multidrug resistant (MDR) KBv200 cells. Lgf-YL-9 exhibited potent cytotoxicity not only to KB cells but also to KBv200 cells, and the IC50 were 3.81 and 3.45μg/mL in KB cells and KBv200 cells, respectively. Importantly, Lgf-YL-9 effectively inhibited tumour growth of KB cell xenografts in nude mice. Lgf-YL-9-induced cell apoptosis was confirmed by chromatin condensation, DNA fragmentation, Annexin-V and propidium iodide (PI) double-staining assay and poly(ADP–ribose) polymerase (PARP) cleavage. Furthermore, Lgf-YL-9-mediated apoptosis in KB cells and KBv200 cells was accompanied by the loss of mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨ m), the release of cytochrome c, and the activation of caspases-3, -7, and -9, but not by intercalating to DNA. Although Lgf-YL-9-induced apoptosis was associated with the decrease of ΔΨ m, reactive oxygen species (ROS) reduction was interestingly observed in both cell lines. The data suggest that Lgf-YL-9 has similar cytotoxicity to drug-sensitive parental KB cells and MDR KBv200 cells. Lgf-YL-9-induced apoptosis is involved in a new ROS-independent mitochondrial dysfunction pathway, but not in intercalating to DNA. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Based on solving the Navier–Stokes equations in the two-dimensional percolation porous media for 500 different configurations, the scaling relations for the fluid permeability k and the inertial parameter β in the Forchheimer equation are studied. In the vicinity of the critical threshold pc, the fluid permeability k and the inertial parameter β will crossover from the fractal behaviors: k∼L−μ1, β∼Lμ2, where μ1&ap;1.0, μ2&ap;2.0 for the small size L, to the constants: k∼(p−pc)α1, β∼(p−pc)−α2, where α1&ap;4/3, α2&ap;8/3, α2&ap;8/3. Compared to the viscous flow, the resistance to flow will have a larger critical exponent for the finite Reynolds number flows. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

We study the statistical properties of fluid flows in percolation porous media at very low Reynolds number by numerical simulations for 20,000 different configurations. It is shown that there are some important differences between fluid flows in macroscopically homogeneous and fractal porous media. For fluid flows in macroscopically homogeneous media, the pressure is definite, but the velocity is random and depends on the structural details of porous media. The permeability k for fluid flows in fractal changes with the size L as k∼L−α where α&ap;1.0, not approaching the constant expected from Darcy''s law. The statistical distribution of pressure in fractal is independent of the size L and can be approximated by a function of the triangular shape. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

By analyzing the experimental data, the statistical properties of 2D turbulent wake of a heated cylinder are studied. The coherent structures may have the stronger effect upon the transverse velocity and temperature than the longitudinal velocity. In the near wake, the transverse velocity v and the temperature T have the bimodal distribution and the χ2 distribution, respectively. But the distribution of the longitudinal velocity u is near the Gaussian even in the near wake. The statistical distributions for the velocity differences and the temperature differences are studied. In the near wake, the pdfs of the transverse velocity differences are concave functions only for the time separations nΔt: nc1. Otherwise, they will be the convex functions. The pdf of the temperature difference will change from the nearly exponential distribution to the Gaussian distribution as the time separation nΔt increasing in the near wake. Using the detrended fluctuation analysis, it is found out that the longitudinal velocity and temperature have the long-range correlation with the exponent α&ap;0.7 in the near and intermediate wake and the transverse velocity has the weakly anti-correlation with the exponent α&ap;0.44 in the intermediate wake. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Plasma cell mastitis (PCM) and granulomatous mastitis (GM) are the most common inflammatory diseases constituting nonbacterial mastitis (NBM). However, the pathogenesis of NBM remains unclear. In this study, risk factors for NBM were assessed, as well as the pathological features of PCM and GM. The levels of C3/C3a-C3aR and C5/C5a-C5aR1 of tissues were detected by IHC and WB. Exosomes were isolated from serum and identified by transmission electron microscopy. Then, C3 and C5 levels were detected in peripheral blood, and exosomes were assessed by flow cytometry and immunoelectron microscopy. Obesity and prolonged lactation were risk factors for NBM. The infiltration of plasma cells and lymphocytes around the dilated catheter in PCM and the formation of granulomatous structures in GM were the respective pathological features. C3/C3a-C3aR and C5/C5a-C5aR1 levels were elevated in PCM and GM tissue samples. There were no differences in peripheral blood levels of C3 and C5, while C3a and C5a were highly expressed in exosomes. These results suggest that the complement family is activated in PCM and GM, exosomes enrich C3a and C5a, and mediate the spread of inflammation. These findings provide new insights into the molecular mechanisms of PCM and GM and identify therapeutic targets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Physical quantities have the sharp changes at the matrix-fracture interface. • Three flow patterns appear near the m-f interface under the assumptions of steady flow and vanishing capillary pressure in fracture. • The local analytical solutions are applied to construct a numerical scheme. • The scheme can calculate the matrix-fracture exchange flux accurately. • The scheme dramatically improves the computational accuracy. The discrete fracture model (DFM) has been widely used to describe the flow problems in fractured media. In low-permeability media with conductive fractures embedded in, there is large capillary pressure contrast between fracture and matrix. It may cause very sharp changes of physical quantities near the matrix-fracture interface, which makes it difficult to calculate the matrix-fracture transfer flux accurately in the traditional DFM. In this article, mathematical analysis for the flow characteristics near the matrix-fracture interface is present. Three flow patterns can be distinguished for the two-phase steady flow across the matrix-fracture interface under the assumption of negligible capillary pressure in fracture. The analytical solutions for the three different patterns are derived and then employed to construct an alternative numerical scheme of calculating matrix-fracture transfer flow rate. Numerical examples show that the calculated results of the proposed model are in agreement with the reference solution. It indicates that the proposed model can overcome the difficulty of accurately predicting the matrix-fracture transfer flux in the traditional numerical scheme and then dramatically improve the computational accuracy for the two-phase flow in low-permeability reservoirs with conductive fractures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A comprehensive solution strategy for the distillation-membrane separation integration process based on intelligent genetic programming (GP) is carried out in Visual Studio platform with C++ language. Two examples are given to verify the feasibility and extensibility of the GP. In one example, the cost of carbon dioxide emission is introduced. • Genetic programming was used in energy-saving optimization of azeotrope separation. • Two integration processes are optimized with different azeotropic systems. • The optimal integration process will change with the cost of carbon dioxide emission. The separation of industrial azeotropes by a new integrated process of distillation-membrane separation has the prominent advantages for energy saving and environmental protection. In view of the variety of industrial azeotrope types, this paper proposes a comprehensive solution strategy based on intelligent genetic programming (GP) for the distillation-membrane separation integration process. Based on Visual Studio platform, GP is written by C++ language. This algorithm can quickly calculate the economic optimal distillation-membrane separation process for any azeotrope separation. In this paper, the tert -Butanol-water azeotrope, the 2- Propanol-water azeotrope and the Pervap® 2510 membrane are taken as calculation examples to verify the feasibility and extensibility of the algorithm. The cost of carbon dioxide emission is taken into account.The results show that the algorithm can quickly and accurately search the optimal integrative process of various feed conditions and carbon dioxide emission conditions. The analysis of multiple optimal data shows that the membrane area has great influenced by the change of feed composition, which further influences the membrane separation cost. The cost models of various kinds of membranes can be modified at any time, thus it can be helpful for the future industrial application and further modification of membrane which is still in the experimental stage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]