bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Formaldehyde-Free Wood Composite Fabricated Using Oil Palm Starch Modified with Glutardialdehyde as the Binder
Authors: Mohamad Amini Mohd Hazim , Hashim Rokiah , Sulaiman Nurul Syuhada
Published: April 2019

Oil palm trunk is a kind of biomass rich in starch content. Oil palm trunk waste was available throughout the year in Malaysia and Indonesia due to continuous felling of nonproductive, over 25-year-old trees. Even though some manufacturers were using it in plywood and veneer production, they are hard to handle which later becomes less favorable raw materials due to a high moisture content where combination with a high starch content quickly attracts fungus and wood-decaying agents. The objective of this work was to evaluate properties of experimental wood composite panels, manufactured using oil palm-extracted starch modified with glutardialdehyde (OPSMG) as a binder. Different analyses were employed to characterize the properties of the samples besides evaluation of bending, internal bonding strength, and dimensional stability of the panels. Characterization on the functional group using the FT-IR analysis showed presence of aldehyde groups and ketone stretching vibrations at 1736.05 cm−1 and 1596.25 cm−1, which proves the presence of glutardialdehyde besides formation of bonding between the OPSMG and the woody materials. The XRD analysis showed the starch modification had lowered the crystallinity index which in turn increased the strength of the manufactured wood composites. The OPSMG wood composites were also found to have lower thermal stability, as evaluated using the TGA analysis. It was recorded that the maximum modulus of rupture for OPSMG wood composites was achieved at the 0.80 g/cm3 density level with an average value of 15.446 N/mm2 which showed 38.00% increment in strength between those two types of wood composites. Thickness swelling after immersion in water can still be improved by incorporating the moisture-repellent material later. After analyzing the results, it was concluded that modified oil palm starch has the potential to be used as an environment friendly binder for wood composite making.
Membrane Transport of Nonelectrolyte Solutions in Concentration Polarization Conditions: Hr Form of the Kedem–Katchalsky–Peusner Equations
Authors: Batko Kornelia M. , Ślęzak Andrzej
Published: April 2019

In this paper, the Kedem–Katchalsky equations in matrix form for nonhomogeneous ternary nonelectrolyte solutions were applied for interpretation of transport through the membrane mounted in horizontal plane. Coefficients Hijr, Hijr, and Hdetr=detHr (for nonhomogeneous solutions), Hij and Hdet=detH (for homogeneous solutions) (i, j ∈ {1, 2, 3}, r = A, B), ψij=HijA−HijB/Hij, and ψdet=HdetA−HdetB/Hdet were calculated on the basis of experimentally determined coefficients (Lp, σ1, σ2ω11, ω22, ω21, ω12, ζ1r, and ζ2r) for glucose in aqueous ethanol solutions and two configurations of the membrane system. From the calculations, it results that the values of coefficients H12r, H13r, H22r, H23r, H32r, H33r, and Hdetr depend nonlinearly on solution concentration as well as on a configuration of membrane system. Besides, the values of coefficients H21r, H12, H21, H22, H33r, and Hdet depend linearly on solution concentration. The value of coefficients H13, H23, and H33 do not depend on solution concentration. The coefficients ψ12, ψ13, ψ22 = ψ23, ψ32 = ψ33, and ψdet depend nonlinearly on solution concentration and for C¯1 ≈ 9.24 mol m−3 are equal to zero. For C¯1 < 9.24 mol m−3, the values of coefficients ψ12 and ψ13 are negative and for C¯1 > 9.23 mol m−3, positive. In contrast, the values of coefficients ψ22 = ψ23, ψ32 = ψ33, and ψdet for C¯1 < 9.24 mol m−3 are positive and for C¯1 > 9.24 mol m−3, negative. For ψ = 0, we can observe nonconvective state, in which concentration Rayleigh number reaches the critical value RC = 1691.09, for ψ<0 is convective state with convection directed straight down and for ψ>0 is convective state with convection directed straight up.
Applicability of Oral Fluid and Dried Blood Spot for Hepatitis B Virus Diagnosis
Authors: Villar Livia Melo , Bezerra Cristianne Sousa , Cruz Helena Medina , Portilho Moyra Machado , Flores Geane Lopes
Published: April 2019

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is one of the major causes of chronic liver disease worldwide; however most of individuals are not aware about the infection. Oral fluid and dried blood spot (DBS) samples may be an alternative to serum to HBV diagnosis to increase the access to diagnosis in remote areas or high-risk groups. The main objective of this review is to give an insight about the usefulness of oral fluid and DBS for detecting HBV markers. Several groups have evaluated the detection of HBsAg, anti-HBc, and anti-HBs markers in oral fluid and DBS samples demonstrating 13 to 100% of sensitivity and specificity according different groups, sample collectors, and diagnosis assays. In the same way, HBV DNA detection using oral fluid and DBS samples demonstrate different values of sensitivity according type of collection, studied group, extraction, and detection methods. Thus, serological and molecular diagnostic tests demonstrated good performance for detecting HBV using oral fluid and DBS according some characteristics and could be useful to increase the access to the diagnosis of HBV.
A Study on the Normal Transmission of a One‐Dimensional P‐Wave across a Single Nonlinear Joint in a Rockmass
Authors: Sun Dening , Li Yuanhui , Chen Xu , Yang Qinglin
Published: April 2019

The presence of nonlinear discontinuities in a rockmass makes the stress wave propagation rules in a continuous medium not applicable. In an attempt to reveal the transmission laws of a one‐dimensional P‐wave across a single nonlinear joint in a rockmass, a recurrence equation is deduced using a semianalytical and seminumerical method from the nonlinear wave equation by introducing the static Bandis−Barton (BB) model for a single rock joint. Parametric studies are conducted to analyze the effects of the joint position and incident wave frequency. Results demonstrated that incident one‐cycle sinusoidal pulse shifted into a wave that had two lobes after propagation in nonlinear rock within a certain distance. The wave then became a wave with two lobes in a different shape after normal transmission across a nonlinear single joint. The amplitude of the recorded waveform before the joint had an obvious inverse correlation with the frequency of the incident pulse. In addition, the amplitude of the transmitted waveform had a positive correlation with the incident pulse within a fixed distance from the joint. The magnitude of the transmission coefficient increased with the incident wave frequency. The conclusions drawn from this study provide a reference for the assessment of the stability of rock structures when they are subjected to dynamic disturbance.
Factors Influencing Public Concern about Environmental Protection: An Analysis from China
Authors: Yang Xinlei , Dong Xiucheng , Jiang Qingzhe , Liu Guixian
Published: April 2019

This paper uses the Baidu Index to construct indicators for measuring the public's environmental concerns in 288 prefecture-level cities in China from 2011 to 2016 and validates the public's attention to the effectiveness of environmental indicators by using provincial panel data from public environmental reports. Through the analysis of urban heterogeneity, the impact on the development of informatisation on the public's concern for the environment is considered. Also studied is the cross-cutting effect of the level of informatisation and education, the government's environmental regulation power, economic development level, and environmental pollution level on the public's concern for the environment. The influence coefficients were 0.018, 0.147, 0.689, 0.620, 0.106, and 0.089, respectively. Through subsample heterogeneity analysis, we found that the level of informatisation will also indirectly promote public attention to the environment by strengthening the influence of the government's environmental regulation power on the public's attention to the environment.
Molecular Drivers of Potential Immunotherapy Failure in Adrenocortical Carcinoma
Authors: Fiorentini Chiara , Grisanti Salvatore , Cosentini Deborah , Abate Andrea , Rossini Elisa , Berruti Alfredo , Sigala Sandra
Published: April 2019

Adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) is a rare, highly aggressive cancer, often insensitive to conventional chemotherapeutics agents. Early diagnosis, followed by radical surgical resection plus/minus adjuvant mitotane therapy, is nowadays the only valuable option. Unfortunately, one out of four patients has metastatic disease at diagnosis and most of radically resected ACC patients are destined to recur with local or metastatic disease. Numerous efforts aimed at identifying molecular alterations crucial for ACC pathogenesis have been extensively conducted, with the hope to develop new treatments. Indeed, multiple genes and pathways have been identified as potentially targetable in ACC patients; however, despite the strong preclinical rationale, translational findings to clinical trials led to date to disappointing results. The immunotherapeutic intervention targeting T-cell checkpoint molecules has been proposed as well, but results obtained in early studies indicate that ACC patients would be unlikely to benefit from immunotherapy. Genetic alterations of different pathways involved in ACC carcinogenesis are also known substrates of resistance to immunotherapy. Among them, β-catenin gene CTNNB1 and TP53 gene are frequently mutated in ACC samples. Overactivation of the β-catenin pathway and loss of p53 protein function are potential tumor-intrinsic factors that, impacting on the ability of ACC cells to recruit dendritic cells, leading to T-cell exclusion, put this tumor among those that are potentially resistant to immunotherapy. Moreover, the steroid phenotype, which implies glucocorticoids hypersecretion in a subset of ACC, contributes to generating an immunosuppressive microenvironment. Here, we review clinical results of immunotherapy in ACC and we highlight molecular mechanisms driving immunotherapy failure in ACC, suggesting possible approaches to overcome resistance.
Numerical Simulation of the Static and Dynamic Aerodynamics of a UAV under Wake Flows
Authors: Mi Bai-gang , Zhan Hao
Published: April 2019

Frequent flight conflicts will be observed as the number of aircrafts increases, and such conflicts will cause unprecedented challenges in flight safety; thus, the flight characteristics of small aircrafts under the wake flow of a large airliner should be thoroughly analyzed. Combined with the sliding mesh technique, a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) method is proposed in this paper to simulate three wake flow patterns, i.e., wingtip vortex, jet flow, and propeller slipstream, and then, the static and dynamic derivatives that represent the stability of the fly wing under the wake flow are identified by using the least squares method. The results demonstrate that both the steady and unsteady aerodynamics of the fly wing are affected by wake flows: wingtip vortices increase the lift-to-drag ratio and considerably change the dynamic damping; jet flow reduces both the static and dynamic damping; and propeller slipstream leads to slow variations in the dynamic damping and decreases in the lift-to-drag ratio.
Fault Detection of Insulators Using Second‐order Fully Convolutional Network Model
Authors: Chen Jingwen , Xu Xin , Dang Hongshe
Published: April 2019

As the traditional methods of insulator fault detection rely on the low‐level feature extraction of images and classifier design, it is difficult to achieve fault detection of insulator for images with complex background. To address this issue, a fault detection method using second‐order full convolutional network (SOFCN) is proposed in this paper. Firstly, the first‐order FCN is used to learn the image features to segment insulator areas from images with complex background. Secondly, the mathematical morphology reconstruction operation is used to improve the segmentation result to get the accurate localization of the insulator areas. Finally, the FCN network is used again to detect the insulator fault and obtain the fault region. Experiments show that the proposed SOFCN is not only able to obtain accurate insulator region, but also able to effectively suppress the interference of noninsulator region. Compared to the conventional methods, the proposed SOFCN obtains higher recognition accuracy without feature extraction and the selection of a classifier. Moreover, the computational complexity of the proposed method is low. Furthermore, compared to the classical CNN and FCN segmentation methods, the proposed SOFCN can effectively suppress complex background interference to improve the accuracy of insulator fault detection.
Data-Driven Approaches to Mining Passenger Travel Patterns: “Left-Behinds” in a Congested Urban Rail Transit Network
Authors: Chen Xing , Zhou Leishan , Bai Zixi , Yue Yixiang , Guo Bin , Zhou Hanxiao
Published: April 2019

The “left-behind” phenomenon occurs frequently in Urban Rail Transit (URT) networks with booming travel demand, especially during peak hours in a complex URT network, which makes passenger travel patterns more complicated. This paper proposes a methodology to mine passenger travel patterns based on fare transaction records from automatic fare collection (AFC) systems and Automatic Vehicle Location (AVL) data from Communication Based Train Control (CBTC) Systems or tracking systems. By introducing the concept of a sequence, a space-time-sequence trajectory model is proposed to simulate a passenger’s travel activities, including when they are left-behind. The paper analyzes passenger travel trajectory links and estimates the weight of each feasible trajectory under tap-in/tap-out constraints. The station time parameters, including access/egress and transfer walking-time parameters, are important inputs for the model. The paper also presents a maximum-likelihood approach to estimate these parameters from AFC transaction data and AVL data. The methodology is applied to a case study using AFC and AVL data from the Beijing URT network during peak hours to test the proposed model and algorithm. The estimation results are consistent with the results obtained from the authorities, and this finding verifies the feasibility of our approach.
Study on Rock Burst Event Disaster and Prevention Mechanisms of Hard Roof
Authors: Zhou Nan , Liu Hengfeng , Zhang Jixiong , Yan Hao
Published: April 2019

Coal mining under hard roofs is jeopardized by rock burst‐induced hazards. In this paper, mechanisms of hard roof rock burst events and key techniques for their prevention are analyzed from the standpoint of energy evolution within geological conditions typical of the hard roofs found in Chinese coal mines. Equations used to calculate the total strain energy densities of the coal‐rock mass and hard roof working face are derived. Moreover, several failure‐causing energy evolution rules are analyzed under various conditions. Various rock roof and coal mass thicknesses and strengths are considered, and a method of preventing hard roof rock burst events is proposed. The results obtained show that rock burst events can be facilitated by high stress concentrations, significant accumulation of strain energy in the coal‐rock mass, and rapid energy release during roof breakage. The above conditions are subdivided into two classes: energy accumulation and energy release. The total strain energies of the coal mass and working faces in the roof are positively correlated with the roof thickness, roof strength, and coal mass strength. The coal mass strength primarily influences the overall accumulation of energy in the working face, and it also has the largest effect on the total energy release (i.e., the earthquake magnitude).
Clinical Evaluation of LASEK for High Myopia Correction between the Triple-A Profile and the Zyoptix Tissue Saving Profile
Authors: Li Min , Shi Yuehui , Sun Lina , Liu Lin , Qu Chen , Zou Jun
Published: April 2019

Purpose. To compare the effects of correcting high myopia using the MEL®90 Triple-A profile LASEK at a 500 Hz pulse rate (Triple-A group) versus the Zyoptix tissue-saving ablations of Technolas 217z laser platform at 100 Hz (TS group).Methods. This retrospective study included 50 eyes in the Triple-A group and 42 eyes in the TS group with manifest refraction spherical equivalent (MRSE) of −6 diopters (D) to −10 D. We compared uncorrected distance visual acuity, MRSE, corrected distance visual acuity, and postoperative complications at 1 month, 3 months, and 6 months.Results. At 6 months after refractive surgery, the efficacy index of Triple-A group was significantly higher than that of the TS group (1.03 ± 0.12 vs 1.00 ± 0.11,P=0.04). The MRSE postoperatively in the Triple-A group was significantly lower than that in the TS group (0.25 ± 0.18 vs 0.38 ± 0.23,P<0.01). The safety indices in the two groups were almost the same after 6 months of surgery (1.03 ± 0.07 vs 1.04 ± 0.11,P=0.63). The proportion of eyes which achieved ±0.13 D was significantly higher in the Triple-A group than that in the TS group at 1 month (80% vs 59.5%,P=0.03), 3 months (82% vs 61.9%,P=0.03) and 6 months (84% vs 64.3%,P=0.03). The changes in refraction 6 months after surgery comparing with 1 month after surgery were 0.12 ± 0.10 D in the Triple-A group and 0.13 ± 0.08 D in the TS group (P=0.56). All (100%) of the patients in the Triple-A group and 50% of the patients in the TS group had a UDVA of 20/16 at 6 months after surgery (P<0.01). The induced spherical aberrations and total HOAs in the Triple-A group were significantly lower than those in the TS group (0.17 ± 0.02 μm vs 0.23 ± 0.02 μm,P<0.01; 0.20 ± 0.04 μm vs 0.39 ± 0.03 μm,P<0.01) at 6 months after surgery. The mean reduced corneal thickness was 113.06 ± 10.5 μm in the Triple-A profile group and 121.43 ± 23.46 μm in the TS group (P=0.02). No patient in either group had haze and high intraocular pressure 6 months after surgery.Conclusion. For treatment of high-myopia patients, the Triple-A profile was more effective, predictable, and accurate than the Zyoptix tissue-saving profile. Meanwhile, the Triple-A profile had less induced spherical aberrations, total HOAs, and cornea ablation depth than the Zyoptix tissue-saving profile. Patients in the Triple-A group with 500 Hz pulse rate treatment achieved superior results. The two surgical procedures were equivalent in terms of safety and stability.
A Hybrid Smoothed Finite Element Method for Predicting the Sound Field in the Enclosure with High Wave Numbers
Authors: Wang Haitao , Zeng Xiangyang , Lei Ye
Published: April 2019

Wave‐based methods for acoustic simulations within enclosures suffer the numerical dispersion and then usually have evident dispersion error for problems with high wave numbers. To improve the upper limit of calculating frequency for 3D problems, a hybrid smoothed finite element method (hybrid SFEM) is proposed in this paper. This method employs the smoothing technique to realize the reduction of the numerical dispersion. By constructing a type of mixed smoothing domain, the traditional node‐based and face‐based smoothing techniques are mixed in the hybrid SFEM to give a more accurate stiffness matrix, which is widely believed to be the ultimate cause for the numerical dispersion error. The numerical examples demonstrate that the hybrid SFEM has better accuracy than the standard FEM and traditional smoothed FEMs under the condition of the same basic elements. Moreover, the hybrid SFEM also has good performance on the computational efficiency. A convergence experiment shows that it costs less time than other comparison methods to achieve the same computational accuracy.
Malaria Risk Stratification and Modeling the Effect of Rainfall on Malaria Incidence in Eritrea
Authors: Kifle Meron Mehari , Teklemariam Tsega Tekeste , Teweldeberhan Adam Mengesteab , Tesfamariam Eyasu Habte , Andegiorgish Amanuel Kidane , Azaria Kidane Eyob
Published: April 2019

Background. Malaria risk stratification is essential to differentiate areas with distinct malaria intensity and seasonality patterns. The development of a simple prediction model to forecast malaria incidence by rainfall offers an opportunity for early detection of malaria epidemics. Objectives. To construct a national malaria stratification map, develop prediction models and forecast monthly malaria incidences based on rainfall data. Methods. Using monthly malaria incidence data from 2012 to 2016, the district level malaria stratification was constructed by nonhierarchical clustering. Cluster validity was examined by the maximum absolute coordinate change and analysis of variance (ANOVA) with a conservative post hoc test (Bonferroni) as the multiple comparison test. Autocorrelation and cross-correlation analyses were performed to detect the autocorrelation of malaria incidence and the lagged effect of rainfall on malaria incidence. The effect of rainfall on malaria incidence was assessed using seasonal autoregressive integrated moving average (SARIMA) models. Ljung–Box statistics for model diagnosis and stationary R-squared and Normalized Bayesian Information Criteria for model fit were used. Model validity was assessed by analyzing the observed and predicted incidences using the spearman correlation coefficient and paired samples t-test. Results. A four cluster map (high risk, moderate risk, low risk, and very low risk) was the most valid stratification system for the reported malaria incidence in Eritrea. Monthly incidences were influenced by incidence rates in the previous months. Monthly incidence of malaria in the constructed clusters was associated with 1, 2, 3, and 4 lagged months of rainfall. The constructed models had acceptable accuracy as 73.1%, 46.3%, 53.4%, and 50.7% of the variance in malaria transmission were explained by rainfall in the high-risk, moderate-risk, low-risk, and very low-risk clusters, respectively. Conclusion. Change in rainfall patterns affect malaria incidence in Eritrea. Using routine malaria case reports and rainfall data, malaria incidences can be forecasted with acceptable accuracy. Further research should consider a village or health facility level modeling of malaria incidence by including other climatic factors like temperature and relative humidity.
Effect of Hydrothermal Coupling on Physical and Dynamic Mechanical Properties of Sandstone
Authors: Zhang Rong-rong , Yuan Pu
Published: April 2019

Split‐Hopkinson pressure bar (SHPB) tests were conducted for sandstone after recurrent heat‐cool (H‐C) cycles. Physical and mechanical properties, damage, and fracture characteristics of sandstone after the H‐C cycle were explored. Additionally, the damage variable and release rate of damage strain were defined to describe the damage degree of the sandstone specimen after recurrent H‐C cycles. Finally, the relationship between mass fractal dimension of fragmentation and cycling number was discussed. Results show that the P‐wave velocity and density decrease with the increase of cycling number, while the porosity increases. It was found that the dynamic compressive strength and relative elastic modulus decrease with the increase of cycling number. 20 cycles is the critical point for the low temperature (L‐T) group and moderate temperature (M‐T) group, while it is 4 cycles for the high temperature (H‐T) group. With the increase of cycling number, both the damage variable and release rate of damage strain of rock increase, while the destruction degree of sandstone becomes greater, and the corresponding fragments show more evenly.
Albizia julibrissin Ameliorates Memory Loss Induced by Insomnia in Drosophila
Authors: Chang Jui-Shu , Liu Hsin-Ping , Cheng Jack , Chen Chao-Jung , Hwang Su-Lun , Tseng Chi-Chuan , Hsu Lee-Fen , Lin Wei-Yong
Published: April 2019

In clinical practice in Taiwan, Albizia julibrissin is the most prescribed Chinese herbal medicine for insomnia. Short-term insomnia and hypnotic use both attenuate cognitive functions, especially learning memory. In previous studies, A. julibrissin exhibits sedative activity, antidepressant-like effects, and protection of learning and memory against amnesia. However, whether A. julibrissin ameliorates memory loss caused by short-term sleep deprivation is not clear. We utilized the sleep-deprived Drosophila model and olfactory associative learning-memory assay to test the effects of A. julibrissin on sleep-deprivation induced memory loss. We found that A. julibrissin ameliorated 3-hour memory but not 1-hour memory or instant learning. The findings might be applied to an anticipated short-term sleep disturbance.
Comparison of Nonimage- and Fluoroscopy-Guided Interlaminar Epidural Block: A Matched Paired Analysis in the Same Individuals
Authors: Yoon Syn-Hae , Park Hanwool , Lee Kunhee , Han Haesol , Kang Keum Nae , Lee Gunn , Han Yun A , Choi Seong-Soo
Published: April 2019

Background. Although fluoroscopic guidance is recommended highly for more accurate lumbar interlaminar epidural steroid injection (L-ESI), many physicians still use a nonimage-guided approach for L-ESIs. However, because of its associated risk of radiation and increased medical expense, the cost-effectiveness and safety of fluoroscopy-guided ESI have been called into question. The goal of this retrospective matched paired analysis in the same individuals was to assess the effectiveness and prevalence of complications of nonimage-guided L-ESI compared to those of fluoroscopy-guided L-ESI. Methods. Between 2015 and 2016, 94 patients who received both nonimage- and fluoroscopy-guided L-ESIs were analyzed retrospectively. The changes of the numeric rating scale (NRS) in pain intensity and functional outcome and the differences in the number of complications between blind and fluoroscopy-guided L-ESIs in the same individuals were evaluated by a matched paired analysis. Results. Of the 94 patients, the differences in NRS before and after the procedure were 1.29 (95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.94–1.65) for the nonimage-guided group and 1.64 (95% CI = 1.28–2.01) for the fluoroscopy-guided group (p=0.16). More subjective functional improvement was observed in fluoroscopy-guided L-ESI (57, 60.6%) than in nonimage-guided L-ESI (47, 50.0%) without statistical significance (p=0.16). Nine (9.6%) patients in the nonimage-guided group experienced complications related to the procedure overall compared to 4 (4.3%) in the fluoroscopy-guided group (p=0.27). Conclusions. In this study, both blind and image-guided L-ESI techniques included similar extents of postprocedural outcomes and complications. Physicians should consider the risks associated with the two different techniques overall and develop ways to individualize the procedure to decrease the risk of complications and improve the positive outcomes of lumbar epidural steroid injections.
Morphological Characteristics of the Thymus and Spleen and the Subpopulation Composition of Lymphocytes in Peripheral Blood during Systemic Inflammatory Response in Male Rats with Different Resistance to Hypoxia
Authors: Dzhalilova Dzhuliia Sh. , Kosyreva Anna M. , Diatroptov Mikhail E. , Zolotova Natalia A. , Tsvetkov Ivan S. , Mkhitarov Vladimir A. , Makarova Olga V. , Khochanskiy Dmitry N.
Published: April 2019

On the model of the systemic inflammatory response (SIRS), induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS), the morphological and functional changes in the thymus and spleen and the subpopulation composition of peripheral blood lymphocytes of rats differing in resistance to hypoxia were studied. It was demonstrated that the level of endotoxin in blood serum after 3 hours of LPS administration in susceptible-to-hypoxia rats was 64 times higher than in the control group, while in tolerant-to-hypoxia animals it was only 8 times higher in 6 hours. After 24 hours of LPS injection, only in susceptible-to-hypoxia rats did the level of C-reactive protein in blood serum increase. There is a difference in the dynamics of morphological changes of lymphoid organs after LPS injection in tolerant- and susceptible-to-hypoxia animals. After 3 hours of LPS administration, the tolerant-to-hypoxia rats showed no changes in the thymus, spleen, and subpopulation composition of lymphocytes in peripheral blood. After 6 hours there was only a decrease in B-lymphocytes and increase in cytotoxic T-lymphocytes and NK cells. After 1 day of LPS injection, the tolerant-to-hypoxia rats had devastation in PALS of the spleen. After 3 hours of LPS injection the susceptible-to-hypoxia animals had reactive changes in the lymphoid organs: decrease of the thymus cortex, narrowing of the marginal zones of spleen lymphoid follicles, widening of their germinal centers, and a decrease in the absolute number of cytotoxic T-lymphocytes, NK cells, and B-lymphocytes. After 24 hours of LPS injection the tolerant-to-hypoxia animals had a greater absolute number of T-lymphocytes and NK cells in comparison with the susceptible rats. Thus, in animals with different resistance to hypoxia the LPS-induced SIRS is characterized by different dynamics of morphological and functional changes of the thymus and spleen. The obtained data will serve as a basis for the development of new individual approaches to the prevention and treatment of infectious and inflammatory diseases.
Phellodendri Cortex: A Phytochemical, Pharmacological, and Pharmacokinetic Review
Authors: Sun Yue , Lenon George Binh , Yang Angela Wei Hong
Published: April 2019

Background. Phellodendri Cortex (PC) or Huang Bai. According to the scientific database of China Plant Species and Chinese pharmacopeia 2015 edition, PC has two main species which are Phellodendron amurense Rupr (PAR) or “Guan Huang bai” in Chinese and Phellodendron chinense Schneid (PCS) or “Chuan Huang bai” in Chinese. The crude drugs of PAR and PCS are also called Phellodendri amurensis cortex (PAC) and Phellodendri chinense cortex (PCC), respectively. The medicinal part of the plant is the dried trunk bark. PC has comprehensive therapeutic effects which include anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, anticancer, hypotensive, antiarrhythmic, antioxidant, and antipyretic agents. The exact ingredients in PC and its species are not fully summarised. Aim of the Study. This study was designed to review and evaluate the pharmacological actions of compounds and to explore the pharmacokinetic knowledge of PC and its species and to also identify the chemical compound(s) with a potential therapeutic effect on atopic dermatitis. Methods. “Huang Bai” and its English, botanical, and pharmaceutical names were used as keywords to perform database search in Encyclopaedia of traditional Chinese Medicines, PubMed, EMBASE, MEDLINE, Science Direct, Scopus, Web of Science, and China Network Knowledge Infrastructure. The data selection criteria included all the studies that were related to the phytochemical, pharmacological, and pharmacokinetic perspectives of PC and its species or their active constituents. More importantly, the voucher number has been provided to ensure the genuine bark of PC used as the medicinal part in the studies. Results. 140 compounds were summarized from PC and its species: specifically, 18 compounds from PCC, 44 compounds from PCS, 34 compounds from PAC, and 84 compounds from PAR. Obacunone and obaculactone are probably responsible for antiatopic dermatitis effect. PC and its species possess a broad spectrum of pharmacological actions including anti-inflammatory effect, antibacterial effect, antiviral effect, antitumor effect, antigout effect, antiulcer effect, neuroprotective effect, and antiatopic dermatitis effect. PC could widely distribute in plasma, liver, spleen, kidney, and brain. Berberine may be responsible for the toxic effect on the susceptible users with hemolytic disease or in the peripartum and neonatal period. Conclusions. The compounds of the crude bark of PC and its subspecies have showcased a wide range of pharmacological effects. Pharmacological efficacies of PC are supported by its diverse class of alkaloid, limonoid, phenolic acid, quinic acid, lignan, and flavonoid. Obacunone and obaculactone could be the bioactive compounds for atopic dermatitis management. PC and its subspecies are generally safe to use but extra care is required for certain conditions and group of people.
Numerical Simulation of Ionospheric Disturbance Generated by Ballistic Missile
Authors: Zhu Jinyuan , Fang Hanxian , Xia Fan , Wan Tao , Tan Xiaolin
Published: April 2019

To provide theoretical guidance for the detection of ballistic missiles by skywave over-the-horizon radar, this paper first analyses the best way to detect ballistic missiles based on the rocket detection mechanism. Then using the diffusion model, chemical reaction model, and plasma diffusion model of neutral gas in the ionosphere, this paper studies the distribution of electrons and analyses the disturbance effect on the ionosphere caused by the release of ballistic missile exhaust plume in the ionosphere. Moreover, this paper considers the flight speed of the ballistic missile and the flow of the exhaust plume. Then the effects of different seasons, locations, and time zones on the release are compared. The results show that H2O can effectively dissipate background electrons to form spindle-shaped holes after release in the ionosphere. The height of the cavity radius corresponds to the peak of electron density of the background ionosphere, and the daytime dissipation is stronger than the nighttime dissipation, dissipation at low latitude is stronger than that at high latitude, and the seasonal difference is not obvious.
Microstructure Characteristics of GFRP Reinforcing Bars in Harsh Environment
Authors: El-Hassan Hilal , El Maaddawy Tamer
Published: April 2019

Fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) composites have been suggested as corrosion-resistant alternatives to traditional steel reinforcement in concrete structures. Within this family of composites, glass fiber reinforced polymers (GFRPs) have been gaining momentum as the primary selection of FRP for construction applications. Despite being advantageous, its wide adoption by the industry has been hindered due to the degradation of its performance in severe environmental conditions. As such, significant studies have been carried out to assess the mechanical properties of GFRP bars subject to different conditioning schemes. However, the inconsistencies and wide variations of results called for more in-depth microstructure evaluation. Accordingly, this paper presents a critical review of existing research on the microstructure of GFRP reinforcing bars exposed to various conditioning regimes. The review analysis revealed that sustained load limits set by codes and standards were satisfactory for nonaggressive environment conditions but should be updated to include different conditioning regimes. It was also found that conditioning in alkaline solutions was more severe than concrete and mortars, where test specimens experienced irreversible chemical degradation, more hydroxyl group formation, and more intense degradation to the microstructure. The progression of hydrolysis was reported correlatively through an increase in hydroxyl groups and a decrease in the glass transition temperature. While moisture uptake was the primary instigator of hydrolysis, restricting it to 1.6% could limit the reduction in tensile strength to 15%. Further, the paper identifies research gaps in the existing knowledge and highlights directions for future research.
TiO2Coating and UV Photofunctionalization Enhance Blood Coagulation on Zirconia Surfaces
Authors: Shahramian Khalil , Abdulmajeed Aous , Kangasniemi Ilkka , Söderling Eva , Närhi Timo
Published: April 2019

This in vitro study was designed to evaluate the effect of sol-gel derived TiO2coating on blood coagulation, blood protein adsorption, and platelet response on zirconia surfaces. Square-shaped zirconia (n=96) (10x10x2 mm) was cut, ground, sintered, and finally cleansed ultrasonically in each of acetone and ethanol for 5 minutes. Three experimental groups (n=32) were fabricated: (a) zirconia coated with sol-gel derived TiO2, (b) zirconia coated with sol-gel derived TiO2and treated with ultraviolet (UV) irradiation for 1 hour, and (c) non-coated zirconia as control. The coatings were prepared from tetraisopropyl orthotitanate solution by dip-coating. The thrombogenicity of the specimens was evaluated using a whole blood kinetic clotting time method where the extent of blood clotting was evaluated at 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, and 60 minutes (n=4/time point, total n=24/group). Scanning electron microscope images were taken to observe platelet morphologies after 1-hour incubation with platelet-rich plasma (PRP) (n=5/group). Surface characteristics were visualized using atomic force microscopy (n=1/group). Adsorption of plasma proteins and fibronectin on each surface was studied by gel electrophoresis (n=2/group). Significant differences were observed in blood coagulation between the test groups at 20-, 30-, 40-, and 50-minute time points (p<0.005). UV treated TiO2coated specimens showed fastest blood coagulation followed by TiO2coated and non-coated specimens. Furthermore, platelets appeared at a higher activation state on coated specimens. Gel electrophoresis revealed no difference in protein adsorption among the experimental groups. In summary, TiO2coatings promoted blood coagulation, and it was further enhanced by UV treatment, which has the potential to hasten the wound healing process in vivo.
Change in the Microviscosity of Erythrocyte Membranes and Proteins in Blood Plasma after Graphene Oxide Addition: The ESR Spectroscopy Study
Authors: Karachevtsev V. A. , Kartel N. T. , Ivanov L. V. , Lyapunov A. N. , Nardid O. A. , Cherkashina Ya. O. , Ivanov A. Yu.
Published: April 2019

The change in the microviscosity of erythrocyte membranes and the proteins in blood plasma after graphene oxide addition is studied by the ESR spectroscopy exploiting two spin probes with different lipophilic components in the structures. Experiments with charged spin probe 2 embedded into the erythrocyte membrane showed that the introduction of graphene oxide in small concentrations (∼70 μg/ml) into a suspension of erythrocytes did not lead to significant changes in the microviscosity of their membranes. Correlation times of hydrophobic spin probe 1 adsorbed to hydrophobic pockets of plasma proteins demonstrate a gradual slowdown at the graphene oxide injection into blood plasma that indicates a small deformation of the hydrophobic cavity of protein at the adsorption. However, this protein binding with graphene oxide does not cause the displacement of the spin probe from their hydrophobic cavities, which is evidence about small changes in the protein secondary structure. The obtained results indicate the insignificant cytotoxicity effect of small concentrations of graphene oxide for erythrocytes and blood plasma.
Intrathyroidal Thymic Tissue in an Adolescent with Graves’ Disease: Case Report and Review of Current Literature
Authors: Eng Liane , Underland Lisa , Lam Leslie
Published: April 2019

Intrathyroidal thymic tissue (ITT) is a benign entity found in children and young adolescents that often mimics a concerning thyroid nodule with microcalcifications on ultrasound. It is challenging for the clinician to distinguish between these two entities, which may lead to unnecessary invasive procedures. We report an adolescent female patient with Graves’ disease who underwent total thyroidectomy for a thyroid nodule concerning for malignancy for which the surgical pathology ultimately revealed ITT. As ITT is rarely found beyond childhood, the concurrent Graves’ disease may have led to persistence of thymic tissue in this patient. Several sonographic features can help in differentiating ITT from a concerning thyroid nodule. Once identified, ITT should be followed by serial imaging with anticipation of decreasing size or complete resolution over time.
Effect of Rare Earth Ce on the Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of 34CrNiMo6 Steel for Wind Turbine Main Shaft
Authors: Ge Yanming , Wang Kehong
Published: April 2019

The effect of rare earth Ce on mechanical properties is studied by investigating the precipitates evolution during heat treatment of 34CrNiMo6 steel. Five different rare earth Ce contents are carried out with the same holding time 3 hours. Then, the mechanical properties of 34CrNiMo6 steel are obtained under steady state conditions and impact conditions, respectively. The strength decreases while the elongation after breakage increases with the rare earth Ce content increasing. The impact absorbing energy at 20°C and −40°C increases with the rare earth Ce content increasing. Based on the experimental results, the recommended rare earth Ce content is 0.05 wt.%. The differences in mechanical properties among the different rare earth Ce contents may be the nucleation rate and growth of precipitates under different conditions. The spherification degree of cementite is more complete with rare earth Ce content, resulting in the decrease of mechanical properties and improvement of ductility.
Living with Chronic Pain: A Qualitative Study of the Daily Life of Older People with Chronic Pain in Chile
Authors: Rodríguez Iyubanit , Abarca Esmeralda , Herskovic Valeria , Campos Mauricio
Published: April 2019

One of the main causes of chronic pain in older people is spine deformity, an abnormal curvature of the spine. The purpose of this study is to improve understanding of the experience of chronic pain produced by spinal deformity in older people and understand how cultural factors may affect this experience. A qualitative study was performed with 10 older people. Participants were encouraged to describe a typical day in their life, including the factors that affect their pain and how their quality of life had been affected since experiencing chronic pain. The semistructured interviews were transcribed and analyzed using open coding. Pain caused by spine deformity produces disability, affecting how older people perform their daily activities, causing them to adapt their households and physical positions to perform these tasks, albeit slowly or incompletely. Chronic pain also affects emotional states and social relationships because older people become unable to undertake physical activities that they performed in the past. The close relationship with adult children and friends, typical in Latin cultures, is a source of comfort and support. At a community level, adaptation of public services (such as public transportation) must be improved.
Dynamic Credit Quality Evaluation with Social Network Data
Authors: Sewe Stanley , Ngare Philip , Weke Patrick
Published: April 2019

We investigate the filtering problem where the borrower’s time varying credit quality process is estimated using continuous time observation process and her (in this paper we refer to the borrower as female and the lender as male) ego-network data. The hidden credit quality is modeled as a hidden Gaussian mean-reverting process whilst the social network is modeled as a continuous time latent space network model. At discrete times, the network data provides unbiased estimates of the current credit state of the borrower and her ego-network. Combining the continuous time observed behavioral data and network information, we provide filter equations for the hidden credit quality and show how the network information reduces information asymmetry between the borrower and the lender. Further, we consider the case when the network information arrival times are random and solve stochastic optimal control problem for a lender having linear quadratic utility function.
Influences of Vibration Parameters on Formability of 1060 Aluminum Sheet Processed by Ultrasonic Vibration-Assisted Single Point Incremental Forming
Authors: Yang Mingshun , Bai Lang , Li Yan , Yuan Qilong
Published: April 2019

With increasing design complexities of thin-walled parts, the requirement of enhanced formability has impeded the development of the single point incremental forming (SPIF) process. In the present research, the ultrasonic vibration-assisted single point incremental forming (UV-SPIF) method was introduced to increase the formability of sheet metals. AL1060 aluminum alloy was adopted as the experimental material, and a truncated cone part was considered as the research object. The simulation model of UV-SPIF was established to analyze the distribution of plastic strains in the formed part. A forming angle was selected as the measuring index of formability of the aluminum sheet, and the influences of different vibration parameters on formability were evaluated. An experimental platform was devised to verify the accuracy of the obtained simulation results. It was found that ultrasonic vibration effectively improved the forming limit of the sheet. When the amplitude was 6 µm and the frequency was 25 kHz, the sheet yielded the best formability with the largest forming angle of 67 degrees.
Preference and Values of Stroke Interventions, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Authors: Alamri Reem , Alhazzani Adel , Alqahtani Saeed A. , Al-Alfard Hayfa , Mukhtar Shahad , Alshahrany Khadejah , Asiri Faisal
Published: April 2019

Background. Acute ischemic stroke (AIS) occurs when there is a sudden occlusion of the arterial blood supply to part of the brain resulting in sudden focal neurological deficits. Recent major clinical trials of reperfusion therapy had proved the efficacy of timely stroke intervention to restore blood flow. Development of acute stroke protocols waiving the informed consent to obtain necessarily brain images or provide thrombolytic therapy is important to streamline and organize efforts to achieve the goal of early intervention and better functional outcome. Objective. This study aims to identify the preference and values of acute stroke interventions standard of care therapy without informed consent in the absence of surrogate decision-makers. Methods. A cross-sectional survey was conducted in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia using an electronic questionnaire. The questionnaire addressed the patients' preference of acute stroke protocol waiving the informed consent for hyperacute brain images and delivering thrombolytic therapy or mechanical thrombectomy in absence of surrogate. All Saudi population aging from 18 to 65 years were invited to participate. Results. The study included 2004 participants with ages ranging from 18 to 65 years with mean age of 30.1 years. About 66% of the participants were females and 95% were Saudi. Overall, 90.5% of the participants agreed on performing computed tomography angiography (CTA) by the medical staff for the acute strokes without consenting followed by 79% for thrombolytic therapy, 70.8% for mechanical thrombectomy, and only 49.3% for acute lifesaving surgical intervention. Conclusion. Researchers found that the high percentage of participants had favorable response and positive perception toward providing acute stroke intervention and mechanical thrombectomy without informed consent. However, the study showed skeptical acceptance among participants regarding invasive surgical measures.