bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Fiber Laser Welding of Fuel Cladding and End Plug Made of La2O3 Dispersion-Strengthened Molybdenum Alloy
Authors: An Geng , Sun Jun , Sun Yuanjun , Cao Weicheng , Zhu Qi , Bai Qinglin , Zhang Linjie
Published: June 2018

The study investigated the laser lap welding of fuel cladding and end plug made of molybdenum (Mo) alloy. The research results showed that the tensile strength of the welded joint when a weld was located at the Mo tube was significantly larger than that at the fit-up gap between the fuel cladding and end plug. Moreover, preheating can also greatly increase the tensile strength of the lap joint. The weld zone was filled with bulky coarse columnar crystal structures while there were numerous coarse recrystallized structures in the heat affected zone (HAZ). The weld zone and HAZ were both subjected to a significant softening. The tensile strength and elongation rate of fuel cladding made of Mo alloy were about 750 MPa and 36.7%, respectively. The welded joint did not undergo any plastic deformation during the tensile process and presented a brittle fracture. Under the optimum processing conditions, the tensile strength of the welded joint reached 617 MPa, taking up 82.3% that of the base metal. The results of composition analysis indicated that there was only Mo inside the columnar crystals in weld zone while significant oxygen segregation was observed at the grain boundary. This was the main reason causing that the strength of welded joint was lower than that of the base metal. Additionally, under the optimum processing conditions, there were numerous slender columnar crystals on the cross section of the joint entering the weld zone in fuel cladding side from that in end plug side where the crystals were nucleated and grew upwards. The analysis results suggested that the presence of these slender columnar crystals crossing the interface between fuel cladding and end plug was favorable for improving the capacity of the joint for bearing the shear loads.
Understanding the Influence of Interface Morphology on the Performance of Perovskite Solar Cells
Authors: Salado Manuel , Calió Laura , Contreras-Bernal Lidia , Idígoras Jesus , Anta Juan Antonio , Ahmad Shahzada , Kazim Samrana
Published: June 2018

In recent years, organo-halide perovskite solar cells have garnered a surge of interest due to their high performance and low-cost fabrication processing. Owing to the multilayer architecture of perovskite solar cells, interface not only has a pivotal role to play in performance, but also influences long-term stability. Here we have employed diverse morphologies of electron selective layer (ESL) to elucidate charge extraction behavior in perovskite solar cells. The TiO2 mesoporous structure (three-dimensional) having varied thickness, and nanocolumns (1-dimensional) with tunable length were employed. We found that a TiO2 electron selective layer with thickness of about c.a. 100 nm, irrespective of its microstructure, was optimal for efficient charge extraction. Furthermore, by employing impedance spectroscopy at different excitation wavelengths, we studied the nature of recombination and its dependence on the charge generation profile, and results showed that, irrespective of the wavelength region, the fresh devices do not possess any preferential recombination site, and recombination process is governed by the bulk of the perovskite layer. Moreover, depending on the type of ESL, a different recombination mechanism was observed that influences the final behavior of the devices.
Spray-Drying of Electrode Materials for Lithium- and Sodium-Ion Batteries
Authors: Vertruyen Benedicte , Eshraghi Nicolas , Piffet Caroline , Bodart Jerome , Mahmoud Abdelfattah , Boschini Frederic
Published: June 2018

The performance of electrode materials in lithium-ion (Li-ion), sodium-ion (Na-ion) and related batteries depends not only on their chemical composition but also on their microstructure. The choice of a synthesis method is therefore of paramount importance. Amongst the wide variety of synthesis or shaping routes reported for an ever-increasing panel of compositions, spray-drying stands out as a versatile tool offering demonstrated potential for up-scaling to industrial quantities. In this review, we provide an overview of the rapidly increasing literature including both spray-drying of solutions and spray-drying of suspensions. We focus, in particular, on the chemical aspects of the formulation of the solution/suspension to be spray-dried. We also consider the post-processing of the spray-dried precursors and the resulting morphologies of granules. The review references more than 300 publications in tables where entries are listed based on final compound composition, starting materials, sources of carbon etc.
Microscopic Electron Dynamics in Metal Nanoparticles for Photovoltaic Systems
Authors: Kluczyk Katarzyna , Jacak Lucjan , Jacak Witold , David Christin
Published: June 2018

Nanoparticles—regularly patterned or randomly dispersed—are a key ingredient for emerging technologies in photonics. Of particular interest are scattering and field enhancement effects of metal nanoparticles for energy harvesting and converting systems. An often neglected aspect in the modeling of nanoparticles are light interaction effects at the ultimate nanoscale beyond classical electrodynamics. Those arise from microscopic electron dynamics in confined systems, the accelerated motion in the plasmon oscillation and the quantum nature of the free electron gas in metals, such as Coulomb repulsion and electron diffusion. We give a detailed account on free electron phenomena in metal nanoparticles and discuss analytic expressions stemming from microscopic (Random Phase Approximation—RPA) and semi-classical (hydrodynamic) theories. These can be incorporated into standard computational schemes to produce more reliable results on the optical properties of metal nanoparticles. We combine these solutions into a single framework and study systematically their joint impact on isolated Au, Ag, and Al nanoparticles as well as dimer structures. The spectral position of the plasmon resonance and its broadening as well as local field enhancement show an intriguing dependence on the particle size due to the relevance of additional damping channels.
Reduction of nosocomial infections and mortality attributable to nosocomial infections in pediatric intensive care units in Lithuania
Authors: Gurskis Vaidotas , Ašembergienė Jolanta , Kėvalas Rimantas , Miciulevičienė Jolanta , Pavilonis Alvydas , Valintėlienė Rolanda , Dagys Algirdas
Published: June 2018

Objective. The aim of the study was to identify the most important risk factors for nosocomial infections, evaluate the incidence rates and risk changes after the multimodal intervention, and to assess mortality attributable to nosocomial infections. Material and methods. This was a prospective surveillance study. Data were collected from January 2005 until December 2007 in three pediatric intensive care units. All patients aged between 1 month and 18 years hospitalized in units for more than 48 hours were included in the study. The patients were divided into preintervention (2006) and postintervention (2007) groups. The multimodal intervention included education of the staff and implementation of evidencebased infection control measures. Results. A total of 755 children were included in the study. Major risk factors for nosocomial infections were identified: mechanical ventilation, central line, intracranial pressure device, and tracheostomy. Overall, the incidence rate (15.6 vs. 7.5 cases per 100 patients, P=0.002), incidence density (19.1 vs. 10.4 cases per 1000 patient-days, P=0.015), and the incidence of pneumonia (5.6 vs. 1.9 per 100 patients, P=0.016) have decreased in the postintervention as compared with the preintervention group. The relative risk reduction, absolute risk reduction, and number needed to treat were statistically significant for ventilator-associated pneumonia (66.5%, 3.7%, 27, respectively; P=0.016). There was no significant difference in survival time by the presence of nosocomial infection (83.67 patient-days without vs. 74.33 patient-days with infection, P>0.05) Conclusions. The most important risk factors for nosocomial infections were mechanical ventilation, central line, intracranial pressure device, and tracheostomy. After the multimodal intervention, there was a statistically significant decrease in the incidence rates of nosocomial infections and the risk reduction for ventilator-associated pneumonia. No significant impact of nosocomial infections on mortality was determined.
Parameters of the spectral analysis of the heart rate variability in treating depression
Authors: Andruškevičius Sergejus
Published: June 2018

The objective of this work was to study circadian rhythms of the indicators of the spectral analysis of the heart rate variability in case of depression. Materials and methods. A total of 37 patients, with a mean age of 46.7±10.3 years, were examined. According to the International Classification of Disease, 10th revision (ICD-10), endogenous depression was diagnosed for all of them (F 31.3–31.4, F 32.0–32.2, F 33.0–33.2). To assess the variability of the heart rhythm, the spectral analysis was used. The patients were examined at 1 AM, 7 AM, 1 PM, 7 PM prior to the beginning of treatment, following one week, and upon leaving the inpatient department. The control group consisted of 15 mentally healthy people. Results. Before the beginning of treatment, desynchronization of circadian rhythms of the indicators studied and the sleep-wake cycle, the increase in the spectrum power within lowfrequency (LF) range, and the decrease in the spectrum power within high-frequency (HF) range were observed. Reduction of depression symptoms was followed by resynchronization of the rhythms under study, with a spectrum power within LF range being increased and that within HF range – decreased. Conclusions. Changes in depression symptoms and chronobiological disorders testify to their close pathogenetic link.
Inpatients’ opinion on quality of health care
Authors: Brogienė Daiva , Gurevičius Romualdas
Published: June 2018

The aim of the study was to assess the inpatients’ opinion on the quality of hospital care based on the factor analysis and to identify the problem-oriented fields in quality of care. Material and methods. A multistage stratified probability sampling was performed in 22 general hospitals in Lithuania. A total of 2060 questionnaires were distributed during November 2006 and February 2007. The response rate was 97.38%; 2006 inpatients responded to the questionnaire; 1917 questionnaires (93.06%) were eligible for analysis. The modified survey instrument of Picker Institute Europe was used for inpatients. The method of survey was follows: each discharged inpatient filled out the questionnaire on the day of his/her discharge. The assessment of quality of care involved such aspects as patients’ communication with medical personnel, organizational issues and coordination of care, patients’ possibility of participation in medical decision-making, physical environment, accessibility to services, and safety of health care. Results. Six dimensions were identified from the factor analysis, explaining 51.48% of the variance. Cronbach alpha was 0.7931 for all dimensions. The majority (91.9%) of respondents evaluated health care services as good and very good. Inpatients were most satisfied with communication with their doctors. Even 91.5% of respondents noted that the doctors provided enough information about their health and treatment. The majority of inpatients gave high positive responses on respect showed to them and confidence with doctors. Correlation analysis confirmed a stronger positive correlation among three items of the global assessment of the quality and patients’ ratings on respect and confidence. Several problems were highlighted in the field of patients’ autonomy. The possibility of participation in medical decision-making was the dimension with the lowest level of patients’ rating. Less than half (42.3%) of inpatients noted that they did not have a possibility of participation in medical decision-making to the extent they were willing. Conclusions. Patients gave highly positive responses on the overall evaluation of the quality of health care services. The priority field in the improvement of health care quality is to create more possibilities for patients’ participation in medical decision-making. Results of the present study indicate that future studies need to include more detailed measurements of patients’ autonomy as dynamic changes are observed today in this field.
Use of recombinant activated factor VII
Authors: Reingardienė Dagmara , Lažauskas Robertas
Published: June 2018

Recombinant activated factor VII (rFVIIa) has been used in the treatment of various congenital and acquired hemostatic disorders for more than 10 years. Hemostasis is initiated by the FVIIa bound to tissue factor (TF), which constitutes only approximately 1% of total amount of the FVII protein existing in the blood. rFVII becomes activated only after the binding to the TF, released at the site of tissue injury. The efficiency of rFVIIa in the treatment of such life-threatening hemorrhagic states like hemophilia reaches up to 76–84%. rFVIIa is successfully used in the treatment of congenital deficiency of factor VII. It normalizes prothrombin time in the patients with the liver diseases and in cases of overdose of indirect anticoagulants. It is also useful for patients suffering from thrombocytopenia, thrombocyte function disorders, hemophilia A and B with development of inhibitors. rFVIIa allows overcoming uncontrollable hemorrhages, etc. It is supposed that rFVIIa is becoming a universal hemostatic drug.
The value of 99mTc-MIBI myocardial perfusion imaging in differentiation of heart failure conditioned by global left ventricular systolic impairment
Authors: Ragaišytė Nijolė , Kavoliūnienė Aušra , Vaicekavičius Edvardas , Navickas Ramūnas , Kulakienė Ilona , Venclovienė Jonė , Laukaitienė Jolanta , Janėnaitė Jūratė , Janavičius Arnoldas
Published: June 2018

Objective. The global left ventricular systolic impairment with left ventricular dilatation can manifest due to idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy or ischemic heart disease and can present a similar clinical picture of severe heart failure. The aim of our investigation was to assess a differential diagnostic value of resting 99mTc-MIBI myocardial perfusion defects in evaluation of the etiology of heart failure. Material and methods. The data of 2D echocardiography, coronary angiography, and myocardial gated single photon emission computed tomography with 99mTc-MIBI investigation were evaluated in 43 patients with global left ventricular systolic impairment, characterized by left ventricular end-diastolic diameter of ≥65 mm and ejection fraction of £40%. The idiopathic dilative cardiomyopathy was diagnosed in 26 patients (Group 1) and ischemic heart failure – in 17 patients (Group 2). The area and the degree (severity) of myocardial perfusion defects (AMPD and DMPD) at rest in regions supplied by three coronary arteries were evaluated in all the patients. Results. The area of perfusion defects in the left anterior descending (LAD) and right coronary artery (RCA) regions in dilative cardiomyopathy patients was smaller than in ischemic heart failure patients (1.43±0.9 vs 2.53±0.53, P=0.001, and 2.19±0.6 vs 2.82±0.56, P=0.02). The degree of perfusion defects was also less severe in the same circulation regions (1.39±0.93 vs 2.59±0.6, P=0.01, and 1.6±0.46 vs 2.71±0.15, P=0.001). We have designed a logistic regression model expressed by formula x=2.52AMPDrca+2.47AMPDlad+2.21DMPDrca. Idiopathic dilative cardiomyopathy was predicted when x was £16 and ischemic heart failure when x was >16. The sensitivity in predicting idiopathic dilative cardiomyopathy was 94.44%, and the specificity was 88.24%. Conclusion. The difference in the area and degree of 99mTc-MIBI myocardial perfusion defects at rest in patients with heart failure caused by idiopathic dilative cardiomyopathy or ischemic heart failure is measurable and has a predictive value for differentiation of the etiology of global left ventricular systolic impairment.
Analysis of cardiac and pulmonary complication probabilities after radiation therapy for patients with early-stage breast cancer
Authors: Utehina Olga , Popovs Sergejs , Purina Dace , Slosberga Ingrida , Vevere Ilga , Emzins Dzintars , Berzins Juris , Valuckas Konstantinas , Janulionis Ernestas , Miller Albert
Published: June 2018

Objective. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the radiobiological implications of clinical use of respiratory-gated techniques for postoperative radiation therapy of early-stage left-sided breast cancer after breast-conserving surgery. Material and methods. Radiation therapy treatment plans of 80 patients with early-stage breast cancer (stage I–II), receiving whole breast irradiation after breast-conserving therapy, were analyzed. The control group consisting of 47 patients received standard radiation therapy, and the respiratory-gated group consisting of 33 patients received deep inspiration-gated radiation therapy. Normal tissue complication probabilities (NTCP) for cardiac mortality and for clinical radiation-induced pneumonitis were calculated for all patients included in present study, using relative seriality model. NTCP data were analyzed for 113 radiation therapy plans, which included free breathing plans for the respiratory-gated groups. Results. Pneumonitis probability was 0.6% (range 0.0–2.8%) and 0.3% (0.0–1.2%) for control and respiratory-gated group, respectively. Cardiac mortality was 1.3% (0.0–5.0%) and 0.2% (0.0–2.8%) for control and respiratory-gated group, respectively. Using respiratory-gated radiation therapy, NTCP was reduced in comparison with the control group by 83% (P<0.00001) and by 55% (P=0.01270) for cardiac mortality and for clinical radiation-induced pneumonitis, respectively. Conclusions. Use of respiratory-gated radiation therapy, for postoperative treatment of earlystage breast cancer, significantly reduces excessive cardiac mortality probability and pulmonary complication probability, as compared to standard radiation therapy techniques. This is especially important from heart complication probability point of view, as cardiac mortality remains one of the important issues of postoperative breast irradiation in patients with early stage breast cance
Nutritional habits of middle-aged schoolchildren from Kaunas town and Raseiniai district
Authors: Škėmienė Lina , Ustinavičienė Rūta , Radišauskas Ričardas , Kirvaitienė Jolita , Lažauskas Robertas , Sabonaitytė Sandra
Published: June 2018

Objective. To evaluate nutritional habits of middle-aged schoolchildren living in a town and district of Lithuania. Material and methods. The 8th–9th-grade schoolchildren were questioned by an anonymous questionnaire. A total of 329 students, 169 from Kaunas and 160 from Raseiniai district, participated in the study. Results. Only half of students reported that they had breakfast (61.3% of schoolboys and 47.6% of schoolgirls). More students from the district had dinner in the school canteen as compared to Kaunas students. Only 14.0% of schoolchildren followed nutrition regimen (14.8% of students from Kaunas and 13.1% of students from Raseiniai always had their meal at the same time). Every second schoolboy and schoolgirl consumed vegetables and fruits every day. Whole grain bread was consumed every day similarly frequently by students from Kaunas and Raseiniai, 25.4% and 18.8%, respectively; the students from Kaunas consumed skim milk more frequently, 26.0% and 11.9%, respectively (P<0.05). Confectionery was consumed more frequently by schoolchildren from Kaunas as compared to schoolchildren from Raseiniai district (63.9% vs. 55.0%); however, it was consumed more frequently by boys than girls. Less than one-fourth of Kaunas students (20.7%) consumed potato chips every day, whereas the percentage of the students from Raseiniai district was only 10.0% (P<0.05). Pizzas, kebabs, and hamburgers were consumed more frequently by schoolboys than schoolgirls. Knowledge of healthy nutrition was obtained mainly from media by 48.6% of students; every eighth student got this information from parents, every tenth from physicians, and 7.0% from teachers. Conclusions. Middle-aged students from both Kaunas town and Raseiniai district did not follow nutrition regimen; half of them did not have their breakfast before going to school. Fruits and vegetables as recommended foods were consumed by half of the participants; every fourth student consumed skim milk, and every fifth student consumed whole grain bread. The students more frequently consumed such foods as confectionery and smoked meat, which are not recommended (every second student); every fourth had an intake of carbonized drinks (the students from Kaunas more frequently) and potato chips (the students from Kaunas more frequently), and every tenth consumed pizzas and fried potatoes. More than half of students obtained knowledge of healthy nutrition from media, and every tenth – from the physicians.
Assessing needs of families with premature newborns in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
Authors: Vaškelytė Alina , Butkevičienė Rūta , Klemmac David
Published: June 2018

The aim of this study was to identify needs of families with premature newborns in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, perceived by parents and nurses. The study was conducted in the Kaunas Perinatal Center, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Hospital of Kaunas University of Medicine. The sample consisted of 181 parents and 37 nurses. The NICU Family Needs Inventory was used for data collection. The instrument included five dimensions of needs. Reliability of the scale was identified as 0.94 using Cronbach’s a. Results. The importance of the needs by parents was prioritized as following: assurance, proximity, information, support, and comfort, and by nurses – assurance, information, proximity, support, and comfort. The needs for assurance, proximity, and information were significantly more important for parents as compared with nurses. Needs for support were significantly more important for nurses. Forty-seven (83.9%) items (out of 56) were identified as important by parents and 49 (87.5%) items – by nurses. Both parents and nurses identified the same 7 items within the group of 10 most important. Parents and nurses identified the same 7 items within the group of 10 least important. Conclusions. Both groups of respondents identified needs for assurance as the most important for parents. The needs for comfort were perceived as the least important by parents and nurses. All groups of needs, except the needs for support, were significantly more important for parents as compared with nurses. Both parents and nurses identified the same 44 items (out of 56) as important for parents in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. The 10 most important need statements and 10 least important need statements were identified by parents and nurses.
The effectiveness of long-term rehabilitation in patients with cardiovascular diseases
Authors: Vasiliauskas Donatas , Jasiukevišiene Lina , Kubilius Raimondas , Arbašiauskaite Ruta , Dovidaitiene Dovile , Kriaušiuniene Loresa
Published: June 2018

Background. Screening results of EuroAspire III study have revealed the failure of effective correction of cardiovascular risk factors in all 22 participating EU countries. How long should cardiac rehabilitation programs last to impact motivation for lifestyle change? Aim and objectives. To compare the impact of long-term (6 months) rehabilitation versus short-term (4 weeks) rehabilitation on the reduction of risk factors and cardiac events, as well as on the use of cardioprotective drugs. Methods. Study contingent of 150 patients, suffering from functional class III-IV (NYHA) chronic heart failure caused by ischemic and hypertensive cardiomyopathy, was subjected to complex rehabilitation: exercise training, dietary corrections, and smoking cessation. The patients were divided into two groups: long-term rehabilitation group (n=80) and short-term rehabilitation group (n=70). Blood pressure, body mass index, dietary habits, dyslipidemia, sedentary lifestyle, smoking, chronic fatigue, and use of cardioprotective drugs were evaluated in all patients at the onset of study, after 4 weeks, and 6 months. Cardiovascular events were estimated throughout the whole 6-month period. Results. In the long-term rehabilitation group, there was a significant reduction (P<0.05) in systolic blood pressure (151±9.2 vs. 135±9.7 mm Hg), diastolic blood pressure (92.3±6.5 vs. 75.4±3.8 mm Hg,) body mass index (35.4±3.5 vs. 27.2±4.8 kg/m2), dyslipidemia (56.3 vs. 23.4%), sedentary lifestyle (31.3 vs. 4.7%), and smoking (10.0 vs. 0%). The impact of a short-term rehabilitation was not significant. Because of cardiac events, 13 patients (16.3%) in the long-term rehabilitation group and 26 (16.3%) in the short-term rehabilitation group failed to complete the 6-month study (P<0.05). The following change in drug use pattern was noted in the long-term rehabilitation group: nitrates, 74 vs. 65%; digitalis, 42 vs. 32%; antiarrhythmic agents, 15 vs. 10%; statins, 36 vs. 20% (P<0.05). During 6 months, in both groups, because of better physician monitoring, there was no decrease in the use of major cardioprotective drugs, such as antiaggregants, beta-blockers, and ACE inhibitors. Conclusions. Long-term (6 months) versus short-term (4 weeks) rehabilitation of cardiovascular patients significantly reduces manifestation of major cardiovascular risk factors, the rate of cardiac events, chronic fatigue and improves the use of cardioprotective drugs.
Late results of coronary revascularization with saphenous vein and internal thoracic artery grafts
Authors: Kinduris Šarūnas , Sakalauskas Juozas , Verseckaitė Raimonda , Kaklauskaitė Gintarė
Published: June 2018

Objective. To evaluate the patency of saphenous vein and internal thoracic artery grafts by coronary system using angiographies performed in symptomatic patients after coronary artery bypass grafting. Material and methods. From 1999 to 2006, 685 patients (mean age, 59.1±11.8 years) had angiography of 538 internal thoracic and gastroepiploic artery and 1644 saphenous vein grafts. There were 580 (84.7%) males. The mean period from operation to the performance of reangiogram was 73.3±53.5 months. Graft failure was defined as >95% stenosis. The saphenous vein was grafted to the left anterior descending artery in 106 (6.4%), to the diagonal artery in 364 (22.1%), to the obtuse marginal artery in 629 (38.3%), and to the right coronary artery in 545 (33.1%) cases. Results. During the study, 1496 (68.97%) grafts were patent, and 686 (31.0%) had failed. Unadjusted 1-, 5-, 10-, and >10-year patency was 91.0%, 89.9%, 90.1%, and 75% for internal thoracic arteries and 79.9%, 68.6%, 57.4%, and 51.0% for saphenous veins, respectively. Conclusions. Internal thoracic arteries demonstrate better patency than saphenous veins except when grafting moderately stenosed coronary arteries. When bypassing coronary arteries with less than 70% stenosis, saphenous veins may be a better choice.
The Association between Age, Comorbidities and Use of Radiotherapy in Women with Breast Cancer: Implications for Survival
Authors: Efird Jimmy T. , Hunter Sharyn , Chan Sally , Jeong Sarah , Thomas Susan L. , Jindal Charulata , Biswas Tithi
Published: June 2018

Background: Radiotherapy (RT) plays an important role in the management and survival of patients with breast cancer. The aim of this study was to examine the association between age, comorbidities and use of RT in this population. Methods: Patients diagnosed with breast cancer from 2004–2013 were identified from the American College of Surgeons National Cancer Database (NCDB). Follow-up time was measured from the date of diagnosis (baseline) to the date of death or censoring. Adjusted hazard ratios (aHR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) were used as the measure of association. Results: Independently of comorbidities and other important outcome-related factors, patients >65 years of age who received RT survived significantly longer than those who did not receive RT (aHR = 0.53, 95% CI = 0.52–0.54). However, as women aged, those with comorbidities were less likely to receive RT (adjusted p-trend by age < 0.0001). Conclusions: The development of decision-making tools to assist clinicians, and older women with breast cancer and comorbidities, are needed to facilitate personalized treatment plans regarding RT. This is particularly relevant as the population ages and the number of women with breast cancer is expected to increase in the near future.
Acupuncture and Neural Mechanism in the Management of Low Back Pain—An Update
Authors: Lim Tiaw-Kee , Ma Yan , Berger Frederic , Litscher Gerhard
Published: June 2018

Within the last 10 years, the percentage of low back pain (LBP) prevalence increased by 18%. The management and high cost of LBP put a tremendous burden on the healthcare system. Many risk factors have been identified, such as lifestyle, trauma, degeneration, postural impairment, and occupational related factors; however, as high as 95% of the cases of LBP are non-specific. Currently, LBP is treated pharmacologically. Approximately 25 to 30% of the patients develop serious side effects, such as drowsiness and drug addiction. Spinal surgery often does not result in a massive improvement of pain relief. Therefore, complementary approaches are being integrated into the rehabilitation programs. These include chiropractic therapy, physiotherapy, massage, exercise, herbal medicine and acupuncture. Acupuncture for LBP is one of the most commonly used non-pharmacological pain-relieving techniques. This is due to its low adverse effects and cost-effectiveness. Currently, many randomized controlled trials and clinical research studies have produced promising results. In this article, the causes and incidence of LBP on global health care are reviewed. The importance of treatment by acupuncture is considered. The efforts to reveal the link between acupuncture points and anatomical features and the neurological mechanisms that lead to acupuncture-induced analgesic effect are reviewed.
Thermal Mechanical Processing of Press and Sinter Al-Cu-Mg-Sn-(AlN) Metal Matrix Composite Materials
Authors: Sweet Gregory A. W. , Wells Mary A. , Taylor Alan , Hexemer Richard L. , Donaldson Ian W. , Bishop Donald Paul
Published: June 2018

The forging of sintered aluminum powder metallurgy alloys is currently viewed as a promising industrial technology for the manufacture of complex engineered products. The powder metallurgy process facilitates the use of admixed ceramic particles to produce aluminum metal matrix composites. However, fundamental data on the thermal-mechanical response of commercially relevant powder metallurgy alloy systems under varying conditions of temperature and strain rate are lacking. To address this constraint, the current study investigates the thermal-mechanical processing response of a family of metal matrix composite materials that employ a commercially exploited base alloy system coupled with admixed additions of aluminum nitride. Industrially-sintered compacts were tested under hot compression using a Gleeble 3500 thermal-mechanical test system to quantify their flow behavior. The nominal workability was assessed as a function of material formulation, sintered preform condition, and processing parameters (temperature and strain rate). Optical metallography and electron backscatter diffraction were used to observe the grain evolution through deformation. Full densification was achieved for materials with ceramic concentrations of 2% volume or less. Zener-Hollomon constituent analyses were also completed to elucidate a more comprehensive understanding the flow behavior inherent to each material. Flow behavior varied directly with the sintered density, which was influenced by the concentration and nature of ceramic particulate.
Effect of Silicon on the Microstructure and Performance of the New Binary Deep Eutectic Ti–Cu–Zr–Ni-Based Filler Metal
Authors: Gao He , Wei Fuxiang , Sui Yanwei , Qi Jiqiu , He Yezeng , Meng Qingkun
Published: June 2018

This study designed (Ti0.55Cu0.20Zr0.15Ni0.10)1−xSix amorphous alloys based on binary deep eutectics and examined the effect of silicon (Si) on the amorphous forming ability of the filler alloys. The results show that a certain amount of Si added to the filler metals could improve the amorphous forming ability of the alloys. Under the same experimental conditions, the Ti0.55Cu0.20Zr0.15Ni0.10 filler metal with 0.5 wt % Si had the strongest amorphous forming ability compared to the other filler alloys containing different amounts of Si; its reduced glass transition temperature (Trg) was 0.5554, and its supercooled liquid phase region width (∆Tx) reached 60 °C. The (Ti0.55Cu0.20Zr0.15Ni0.10)99.5%Si0.5% filler metal designed in these experiments presented good amorphous forming ability and wettability. The brazed joint of SiC and TC4 obtained with this amorphous filler metal showed a shear strength of 102 MPa, indicating an increase of 122% compared to the brazed joint obtained with the filler metal without Si.
Effects of Tempering on the Microstructure and Properties of a High-Strength Bainite Rail Steel with Good Toughness
Authors: Zhu Min , Xu Guang , Zhou Mingxing , Yuan Qing , Tian Junyu , Hu Haijiang
Published: June 2018

An advanced bainite rail with high strength–toughness combination was produced in a steel mill and the effects of tempering on the microstructure and properties of the bainite rail steel were investigated by optical microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, electron back-scattering diffraction and X-ray diffraction. Results indicate that the tensile strength, elongation and impact toughness were about 1470 MPa, 14.5% and 83 J/cm2, respectively, after tempering at 400 °C for 200 min. Therefore, a high-strength bainite rail steel with good toughness was developed. In addition, the amount of retained austenite (RA) decreased due to bainite transformation after low-temperature tempering (300 °C) and RA almost disappeared after high-temperature tempering (500 °C). Moreover, as the tempering temperature increased, the tensile strength of the rail head first decreased due to the decreased dislocation density and carbon content in bainite ferrite and the coarseness of bainite ferrite, and then increased because of carbide precipitation at high-temperature tempering. Furthermore, RA played a significant role in the toughness of bainite rail. The elongation and toughness of the rail obviously decreased after tempering at 500 °C for 200 min because of the disappearance of RA and appearance of carbides.
The Microstructural Characterization and Mechanical Properties of 5 vol. % (TiBw + TiCp)/Ti Composite Produced by Open-Die Forging
Authors: Han Jianchao , Lü Zhidan , Zhang Changjiang , Zhang Shuzhi , Zhang Hongzhou , Lin Peng , Cao Peng
Published: June 2018

In this study, a Ti composite reinforced with 5 vol. % (TiBw + TiCp) was fabricated by an in situ casting route. Open die forging in (α + β) phase region was conducted on the composite casting. The microstructures of the as-forged composite pancake are inhomogeneous in terms of matrix microstructure and distribution of reinforcements. The matrix grains are gradually refined from the periphery to centre of the pancake. The reinforcements TiBw and TiCp tend to be uniformly distributed in the centre region. It is suggested that the microstructure difference can be mainly ascribed to the temperature variation from the periphery to the centre. The tensile testing results show that the centre region of the composite pancake exhibits higher strength than the peripheral region. The mechanical behaviour of the composite pancake with the temperature is discussed.
Admittance of Atomic and Molecular Junctions and Their Signal Transmission
Authors: Sakai Akira
Published: June 2018

Atom-sized contacts of metals are usually characterized by their direct current (DC) conductance. However, when atom-sized contacts are used as device interconnects and transmit high frequency signals or fast pulses, the most critical parameter is not their DC conductance but their admittance Y(ω), in particular its imaginary part ImY(ω). In this article, I will present a brief survey of theoretical and experimental results on the magnitude of Y(ω) for atom-sized contacts of metals. Theoretical contact models are first described and followed by numerical evaluation of ImY(ω) based on these models. As for experiments on Y(ω), previous experiments conducted under time-varying biases are surveyed, and then the results of direct signal transmission through atom-sized contacts are discussed. Both theoretical and experimental results indicate that ImY(ω) is negligibly small for typical atom-sized contacts for signal frequencies up to 1 GHz.
Automated Cell Treatment for Competence and Transformation of Escherichia coli in a High-Throughput Quasi-Turbidostat Using Microtiter Plates
Authors: Hans Sebastian , Gimpel Matthias , Glauche Florian , Neubauer Peter , Cruz-Bournazou Mariano Nicolas
Published: June 2018

Metabolic engineering and genome editing strategies often lead to large strain libraries of a bacterial host. Nevertheless, the generation of competent cells is the basis for transformation and subsequent screening of these strains. While preparation of competent cells is a standard procedure in flask cultivations, parallelization becomes a challenging task when working with larger libraries and liquid handling stations as transformation efficiency depends on a distinct physiological state of the cells. We present a robust method for the preparation of competent cells and their transformation. The strength of the method is that all cells on the plate can be maintained at a high growth rate until all cultures have reached a defined cell density regardless of growth rate and lag phase variabilities. This allows sufficient transformation in automated high throughput facilities and solves important scheduling issues in wet-lab library screenings. We address the problem of different growth rates, lag phases, and initial cell densities inspired by the characteristics of continuous cultures. The method functions on a fully automated liquid handling platform including all steps from the inoculation of the liquid cultures to plating and incubation on agar plates. The key advantage of the developed method is that it enables cell harvest in 96 well plates at a predefined time by keeping fast growing cells in the exponential phase as in turbidostat cultivations. This is done by a periodic monitoring of cell growth and a controlled dilution specific for each well. With the described methodology, we were able to transform different strains in parallel. The transformants produced can be picked and used in further automated screening experiments. This method offers the possibility to transform any combination of strain- and plasmid library in an automated high-throughput system, overcoming an important bottleneck in the high-throughput screening and the overall chain of bioprocess development.
Lunar and Martian Silica
Authors: Kayama Masahiro , Nagaoka Hiroshi , Niihara Takafumi
Published: June 2018

Silica polymorphs, such as quartz, tridymite, cristobalite, coesite, stishovite, seifertite, baddeleyite-type SiO2, high-pressure silica glass, moganite, and opal, have been found in lunar and/or martian rocks by macro-microanalyses of the samples and remote-sensing observations on the celestial bodies. Because each silica polymorph is stable or metastable at different pressure and temperature conditions, its appearance is variable depending on the occurrence of the lunar and martian rocks. In other words, types of silica polymorphs provide valuable information on the igneous process (e.g., crystallization temperature and cooling rate), shock metamorphism (e.g., shock pressure and temperature), and hydrothermal fluid activity (e.g., pH and water content), implying their importance in planetary science. Therefore, this article focused on reviewing and summarizing the representative and important investigations of lunar and martian silica from the viewpoints of its discovery from lunar and martian materials, the formation processes, the implications for planetary science, and the future prospects in the field of “micro-mineralogy”.
Improved Performance of Perovskite Light-Emitting Diodes by Quantum Confinement Effect in Perovskite Nanocrystals
Authors: Chen Lung-Chien , Tseng Zong-Liang , Lin Dai-Wei , Lin Yu-Shiang , Chen Sheng-Hui
Published: June 2018

In this study, we demonstrate an easy and reliable solution-processed technique using an extra adductive in the perovskite precursor solution. Using this method, a dense and uniform morphology with full surface coverage and highly fluorescent films with nanoscale crystal grains can be obtained. The high exciton binding energy in the resulting films employing octylammonium bromide (OAB) adductives proved that high fluorescence originated from the quantum confinement effect. The corresponding perovskite light-emitting diodes (PeLEDs) that were based on this technique also exhibited excellent device performance.
Preparation and In-Vitro Assessment of Hierarchal Organized Antibacterial Breath Mask Based on Polyacrylonitrile/Silver (PAN/AgNPs) Nanofiber
Authors: Kharaghani Davood , Khan Muhammad , Shahzad Amir , Inoue Yuma , Yamamoto Takayuki , Rozet Selene , Tamada Yasushi , Kim Ick
Published: June 2018

In this report, we designed and synthesized polyacrylonitrile/silver (PAN/AgNPs) nanofibers via an in-situ method to obtain a washable with high-dispersed silver nanoparticles membrane to form the hierarchically organized antibacterial mask to prevent the two-way effect of bacteria from person to environment and environment to person. For this objective, the electrospun PAN nanofibers were stabilized via the heating method. Different amounts of AgNPs were loaded into the PAN nanofibers by using silver nitrate and sodium hydroxide solutions. The basic results showed that AgNPs was homogenously loaded in PAN nanofiber matrixes. Furthermore, the release profile based on two-stage release theory showed that when the negligible amount of AgNPs was loaded into the nanofibers, the release significantly decreased, whereas antibacterial activity increased. The greatest potential antibacterial activity of the lowest amount of AgNPs showed controllable AgNPs release from PAN nanofibers that has a direct relationship with the washability and could promote the application of the produced product.
Combined Use of C. butyricum Sx-01 and L. salivarius C-1-3 Improves Intestinal Health and Reduces the Amount of Lipids in Serum via Modulation of Gut Microbiota in Mice
Authors: Long Miao , Yang Shuhua , Li Peng , Song Xin , Pan Jiawen , He Jianbin , Zhang Yi , Wu Rina
Published: June 2018

The study was conducted to investigate whether combined use of C. butyricum Sx-01 and L. salivarius C-1-3 could improve the intestinal health and reduce the lipid levels in sera of mice and whether these benefits were related to regulating the intestinal microflora. Eighty Kunming male mice were divided into four groups with five replicates per group and four mice per replicate. Mice in the control group were administrated with 0.2 mL normal saline; mice in three experimental groups were daily orally administrated with 4 × 108 cfu of L. salivarius, 4 × 108 cfu of C. butyricum, and a combination thereof (2 × 108 cfu of L. salivarius, and 2 × 108 cfu of C. butyricum), respectively. The experiment lasted for 14 days. The results showed that the average daily feed intake (ADFI) and feed/gain (F/G) ratio of growing mice underwent no significant changes (p > 0.05); however, the average daily gain (ADG) tended to increase over short periods of time. The activities of SOD and GSH-Px in serum in the combination group were significantly increased (p < 0.05); The triglyceride, and total cholesterol, contents in serum in the combined treatment group were significantly decreased (p < 0.05); The total volatile fatty acids and butyric acid in faecal matter of mice in the experimental groups were all significantly increased at 14 days (p < 0.05); The length of villi, and the mucosal thickness of colon and caecum (p < 0.05) were significantly improved; The relative abundance of some bacteria with antioxidant capacity or decomposing cholesterol capacity or butyrate producing capacity was increased, while the relative abundance of some pathogenic bacteria was decreased in the colon. Furthermore, our results showed that the beneficial effects of the combined use of the two strains was higher than that of single use. Overall, the results demonstrated that the combined use of C. butyricum Sx-01 and L. salivarius C-1-3 can significantly improve intestinal health and reduce the amount of lipids in sera of mice. The reason for these effects might be that besides their own probiotic effects, combined use of the two strains could regulate the intestinal microflora.
Bleached Kraft Eucalyptus Fibers as Reinforcement of Poly(Lactic Acid) for the Development of High-Performance Biocomposites
Authors: Delgado-Aguilar Marc , Reixach Rafel , Tarrés Quim , Espinach Francesc , Mutjé Pere , Méndez José
Published: June 2018

Poly(lactic acid) (PLA) is one of the most well-known biopolymers. PLA is bio-based, biocompatible, biodegradable, and easy to produce. This polymer has been used to create natural fiber reinforced composites. However, to produce high-performance and presumably biodegradable composites, the interphase between PLA and natural fibers still requires further study. As such, we aimed to produce PLA-based composites reinforced with a commercial bleached kraft eucalyptus pulp. To become a real alternative, fully biodegradable composites must have similar properties to commercial materials. The results found in this research support the competence of wood fiber reinforced PLA composites to replace other glass fiber reinforced polypropylene composites from a tensile property point of view. Furthermore, the micromechanics analysis showed that obtaining strong interphases between the PLA and the reinforcement is possible without using any coupling agent. This work shows the ability of totally bio-based composites that fulfill the principles of green chemistry to replace composites based on polyolefin and high contents of glass fiber. To the best knowledge of the authors, previous studies obtaining such properties or lower ones involved the use of reagents or the modification of the fiber surfaces.
Pedestrian Dharma: Slowness and Seeing in Tsai Ming-Liang’s Walker
Authors: Ng Teng-Kuan
Published: June 2018

This paper studies the ways that Walker, a short film by the Malaysian-Taiwanese auteur Tsai Ming-Liang, visualizes the relationship between Buddhism and modernity. Via detailed film analysis as well as attention to sources in premodern Buddhist traditions, this paper argues that its filmic performance of Zen walking meditation serves two functions: To present slowness and simplicity as prophetic counterpoints against the dizzying excesses of the contemporary metropolis; and to offer contemplative attentiveness as a therapeutic resource for life in the modern world. By instantiating and cultivating critical shifts in viewerly perspective in the manner of Buddhist ritual practice, Walker invites us to envision how a place of frenetic distraction or pedestrian mundaneness might be transfigured into a site of beauty, wonder, and liberation.