Increase In Diameter Research Articles

Abstract LB1-01: immediate breast surgery versus deferral of surgery in women aged 70+ years with operable breast cancer: patient-level meta-analysis of the three randomised trials among 1,082 women

Abstract Background: Endocrine therapy alone, with breast surgery offered only at local progression, is still sometimes considered for older women with operable early breast cancer, but the long-term risks of deferring surgery are uncertain. We evaluated long-term outcomes in the three unconfounded randomised trials that compared immediate breast surgery plus tamoxifen versus tamoxifen alone. None of these trials scheduled radiotherapy or chemotherapy. Methods: Individual patient data meta-analyses compared effects on breast cancer outcomes in 3 trials, initiated in the 1980s, among 1082 women (age ≥70, all to receive tamoxifen for at least 5 years) comparing immediate surgery versus surgery only in the event of local progression. Primary outcomes were time to locoregional failure, to distant recurrence, and to breast cancer mortality. Locoregional failure was defined as any locoregional recurrence after surgery or, if no immediate surgery, ≥25% increase in tumour diameter. Age-adjusted intent-to-treat log-rank analyses, stratified by nodal status, were used to estimate first-event-rate ratios (RRs). Results: Median age at randomisation was 76 (IQR 73-80) years, and 63% (666/1082) had clinically estimated tumour diameter >20 mm. Mean follow-up while still alive was 7.3 woman-years. Of 518 women allocated immediate surgery, 45.7% had mastectomy, 47.3% had breast-conserving surgery, and 7.0% had neither. Locoregional failure was greatly reduced by allocation to immediate surgery (RR=0.24, 95% CI 0.19-0.30, p<0.00001). This extreme RR was little affected by age, disease stage, or time period. Although the proportional reduction in the annual rate of locoregional failure was similar during years 0-1, 2-4 and 5-9, the absolute reduction in locoregional failure was mainly before year 5 (Kaplan-Meier 5-year risks 12.1% vs 45.8%). On average over the whole follow-up period the rates of distant recurrence (RR=0.72, 0.57-0.90, p=0.003), breast cancer mortality (RR=0.68, 0.54-0.86, p=0.002), and all-cause mortality (RR=0.83, 0.72-0.97, p=0.016) were also reduced, but these benefits emerged only after years 0-1. The distant recurrence rate ratio was 0.97 (0.67-1.42) during years 0-1 after randomisation, 0.73 (0.49-1.07) during years 2-4 and 0.52 (0.36-0.76) after year 5 (trend: p=0.012). Conclusion: In early breast cancer, immediate breast surgery greatly reduces locoregional progression rates during the first 5 years and approximately halves the annual rates of distant recurrence and of breast cancer death after the first 5 years, despite having had little clinically apparent effect on distant recurrence rates during the first few years. These findings could indirectly inform the planning and interpretation of trials of less extreme de-escalation of surgery or radiotherapy. Citation Format: Robert Hills, CoRosie Bradley, Jeremy Braybrooke, Lucy Davies, David Dodwell, Gurdeep Mannu, Paul McGale, Mike Clarke, Hongchao Pan, Richard Berry, Richard Peto, Carolyn Taylor, Jonas Bergh, Sandra Swain, Stewart Anderson, Allan Hackshaw, Tom Bates, Eleftherios Mamounas, Giorgio Mustacchi, John Robertson, Richard Gray. immediate breast surgery versus deferral of surgery in women aged 70+ years with operable breast cancer: patient-level meta-analysis of the three randomised trials among 1,082 women [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium 2024; 2024 Dec 10-13; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Clin Cancer Res 2025;31(12 Suppl):Abstract nr LB1-01.

Numerical Modelling and Parametric Study of Steel-Concrete Composite Slim-Floor Flexural Beam Using Dowel Shear Connectors

The use of steel-concrete composite slim-floor beams with dowel shear connectors is uncommon, and the design rules provided in Eurocode 4 for composite construction are not directly applicable to the slim-floor composite beam. In this paper, a finite element model is developed, followed by a parametric study that examines the effects of various shear connector parameters on the structural behaviour of composite beams. The comparison and analysis show that the load-bearing capacity increases with a bigger concrete dowel, as long as the shear connection degree is less than 100% and the dowel diameter is not greater than 80 mm; the load-bearing capacity goes up about 5–10% for every 10 N/mm2 increase in concrete strength and about 2% for every 4 mm increase in rebar diameter in the dowel; also, the dowel central spacing has a big impact on the structural behaviour. The composite beams showed great flexibility, with the end slip at the highest load being more than 6 mm and the maximum load declining by less than 15% when the midspan deflection reached L/30. The proposed calculation method for bending moment resistance is more than 90% accurate for composite beams that have a shear connection degree greater than 40%. The findings from this research provided more profound insights into the behaviour of this type of slim-floor composite beam.

Abstract P5-10-05: Differences in drug efficacy between primary and metastatic sites and their prognosis for de novo stage IV breast cancer: an exploratory analysis of a phase III trial, JCOG1017

Abstract Background: Breast cancer is a highly heterogeneous disease, and there is a biological diversity. Biological factors such as estrogen receptor, progesterone receptor, and HER2 receptor may vary between primary and metastatic sites in breast cancer. This variation could influence treatment responses in stage IV breast cancer. This exploratory analysis aims to differentiate drug efficacy and long-term prognosis between primary and metastatic sites in patients with de novo stage IV breast cancer. Methods: In JCOG1017, patients diagnosed with de novo stage IV breast cancer received primary systemic therapy (PST) according to subtypes after first registration. In this analysis, the efficacy of PST was evaluated prior to second registration (about 3 months post-initiation of systemic therapy), using both JCOG1017 criteria (progressive disease [PD] defined as a 10% or greater increase in long diameter) and additionally RECIST v1.1 criteria. In addition, the efficacy at about 6 months of PST in only patients with non-PD response at the second registration and assigned systemic therapy alone group was evaluated. Patients were categorized based on their treatment responses at primary versus metastatic sites into four groups: discordant group I (primary non-PD and metastatic PD), concordant group I (both primary and metastatic PD), discordant group II (primary PD and metastatic non-PD), and concordant group II (both primary and metastatic non-PD). We assessed clinicopathologic characteristics, including subtype of primary tumor and menopausal status, and overall survival (OS). Results: Of 570 patients who enrolled in JCOG1017, 315 patients were included in this analysis. In the evaluation at second registration using JCOG1017 criteria, the proportions of each group were 21.3% (67/315) for discordant group I, 8.3% (26/315) for concordant group I, 0.3% (1/315) for discordant group II, and 56.2% (177/315) for concordant group II. There were 14.0% (44/315) of patients with not evaluable. The overall discordance proportion of treatment effect between primary and metastatic sites was 25.1%. Subtype-specific discordance proportions were notably higher in luminal (28.9%) and triple-negative (25.0%) subtypes compared to HER2-enriched (11.1%). Menopausal status did not significantly impact discordance proportions (pre: 25.3% (24/95): post: 25.0% (44/176)). However, among the triple-negative subtype, the discordance proportion is much higher in the premenopausal population (45.5%:5/11) than in the postmenopausal population (7.7%:1/13). Median survival times were 3.8 years for discordant group I, 4.6 years for concordant group I, 1.7 years for discordant group II, and 5.7 years for concordant group II. No differences in prognosis were observed between discordant and concordant groups I. However, differences in prognosis between discordant and concordant groups II tended to be observed. The Kaplan-Meier curve for OS is similar based on both evaluation by JCOG1017 criteria and RECIST v1.1. Conclusions: We found a difference in the treatment efficacy of PST between primary and metastatic sites in the early phase of treatment for stage IV breast cancer, and most cases were primary non-PD and metastatic PD. In the early phase of PST for de novo stage IV breast cancer, not only primary tumors but also metastatic sites need to be examined. Citation Format: Kiyo Tanaka, Akihiko Shimomura, Makoto Ishitobi, Takashi Yamanaka, Takahiro Tsukioki, Hiroji Iwata, Fumikata Hara, Tomomi Fujisawa, Keita Sasaki, Ryo Sadachi, Riku Kajikawa, Takehiko Sakai, Yasuaki Sagara, Hideo Shigematsu, Yukinori Ozaki, Kazuki Nozawa, Kazuki Sudo, Yoichi Naito, Kaori Terada, Toshiyuki Ishiba, Haruhiko Fukuda, Tadahiko Shien. Differences in drug efficacy between primary and metastatic sites and their prognosis for de novo stage IV breast cancer: an exploratory analysis of a phase III trial, JCOG1017 [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium 2024; 2024 Dec 10-13; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Clin Cancer Res 2025;31(12 Suppl):Abstract nr P5-10-05.

Dynamics and Structural Changes in the Janj Mixed Old-Growth Mountain Forest: Continuing Decline of Conifers

Old-growth forests are rare in Europe, yet they play a critical role in biodiversity and carbon storage. This study examines the structural dynamics of the Janj old-growth forest in the Dinaric Alps using repeated field measurements from 2011 and 2021 at 39 systematically arranged 12 m radius plots. All trees (DBH ≥ 7.5 cm), regeneration (10 cm height to 7.5 cm DBH), and coarse woody debris (CWD) were assessed. Results revealed that total basal area declined by 3.5 m2 ha−1 over the decade, primarily driven by significant reductions in stem density for silver fir (p = 0.001) and Norway spruce (p = 0.001). In contrast, European beech maintained a stable basal area throughout the study period. Moreover, silver fir exhibited a significant increase in mean diameter (p = 0.032) and a pronounced rise in regeneration individuals (t = 3.257, p = 0.002). These findings underscore a gradual compositional shift towards European beech dominance, with conifers facing higher mortality in larger diameter classes. The substantial volume of CWD (463 m3 ha−1) highlights advanced decay dynamics consistent with mature forest conditions. This study emphasizes the value of repeated measurements to capture subtle yet important successional changes in primeval forests, which is essential for conservation planning and sustainable forest management.

Amyloid-induced mitochondrial network disruption in neurons monitored by STED super-resolution imaging.

Disruptions in mitochondrial metabolism are accompanied by morphological changes in mitochondrial network caused by amyloid-beta (Aβ). In the study, mitochondrial network analysis is performed using stimulated emission depletion (STED) super-resolution fluorescence microscopy to examine alterations in neurons exposed to Aβ in vitro. A detailed analysis of mitochondrial network in healthy neurons and those exposed to Aβ is performed using STED compared to conventional laser-scanning confocal fluorescence microscopy. The functional analysis is applied to mitochondrial volume, surface area, branch length, diameter, junctions, and endpoints. Neurons incubated with or without Aβ were also stained with fluorescent mitochondrial function indicators. In neurons exposed to Aβ, the number of mitochondria increases by 2.6 times, while their total volume decreases by 2.2 times. As a result, the volume and surface area per mitochondrion decrease by 6-fold and 4-fold, respectively. Increases in sphericity, branch diameter, and donut-like structures are observed. The total mitochondrial length is 3.7-fold reduced, while the number of branches is 2.5-fold decreased, and the branch count is 7.5-fold reduced. Additional measurements reveal decreased mitochondrial membrane potential, increased reactive oxygen species generation, and reduced cell viability. This may indicate that Aβ exposure causes significant oxidative stress, mitochondrial integrity loss, and ultimately neuronal death. Aβ induces mitochondrial fragmentation, thickening, increased sphericity, and deformation of mitochondrial matrix in neurons. The results provide insights into the impact of Aβ on neurons and show the aptitude of the high-resolution STED microscopy diagnostic tool for neurodegenerative diseases.

Numerical simulation of particle dispersion distribution in the wake of an isolated rotating wheel

Vehicle dust poses an increasingly severe threat to human health and driving safety. To delve into the impact mechanisms of various factors on the distribution of dust particles around vehicle wheels, the computational fluid dynamics method was employed for numerical simulation. Furthermore, the proper orthogonal decomposition method was used to decompose the flow field, extract the principal modes, and reveal the interaction mechanisms between flow field structure changes and the movement of dust particles. The results indicate that particle diameter variation did not significantly alter the overall spatial distribution state or residence time of particles; an increase in particle diameter reduced the number of particles in each cross-section, with the POD-decomposed flow field showing consistent results, and the power spectral density of the three being around 32.73. An increase in vehicle speed led to a more symmetrical distribution of particles and reduced their residence time. Under crosswind conditions, increased crosswind angle alters particle distribution by reducing particle count and elevating diffusion height. At a crosswind angle of 10°, the power spectral density reaches 91.89, indicating enhanced susceptibility of particles to low-frequency disturbances.

Failure characteristics and numerical simulation of corrosion control in welding seams and T-zone of the water injection pipeline

Abstract The water injection pipeline is the main facility of water injection development in oilfields. With the complexity of water injection mediums and the extension of service years, the frequency of pipeline corrosion failure increases year by year. Corrosion failures are particularly prevalent at welding seams and T-zones, but a comprehensive understanding of their corrosion characteristics and mechanisms remains limited. Therefore, this paper studied corrosion failure behaviors of welding seams and T-zone in water injection pipelines under typical working conditions through laboratory experiments and numerical simulations and proposed the anti-corrosion measure of the loose joint “blind pipes”. The results indicate that combined effects of solid particle erosion, galvanic corrosion, crack corrosion, and under-deposit corrosion cause different degrees of cracks in the corrosion product layer of the water injection pipeline, ultimately forming compounds such as Fe2O3 and Fe3O4. As flow velocity increases, flow field changes become more pronounced in welding seams and T-zone, exacerbating erosion and corrosion. However, compared with small-bore pipelines, the erosion and corrosion are alleviated with the increase in diameter. In addition to anti-corrosion coating and adding fungicide to the injection medium, the application of loose joint “blind pipes” effectively stabilizes the flow field, thereby reducing both flow velocity and corrosion rates in the T-zone. When the length and diameter of the blind pipe meet L=3D, the maximum flow velocity and corrosion rate decrease by 8.9% and 23.8%, respectively, which effectively helps to prevent and control corrosion perforation in high-pressure water injection pipelines.

An Investigation of the Flashing Process of Liquid Xenon in a Refueling Pipe

To investigate the phenomenon of liquid xenon flashing in a filling pipeline, the two-phase flow in a pipe is calculated and analyzed by using a one-dimensional homogeneous equilibrium model (HEM) and a two-dimensional mixture model. The distribution of xenon two-phase flow parameters along the pipeline is observed by the numerical solution of a one-dimensional HEM and simulation by Fluent. The comparison and analysis of the results of different models show that the one-dimensional HEM can quickly attach the critical mass flux faster than Fluent’s simulation under the given filling conditions, which verifies the rationality and rapidity of the numerical solution in calculating the flash process. The influence of the diameter and length of the pipeline on the flashing process of liquid xenon is analyzed by a one-dimensional theoretical model. The results show that the geometric parameters of the pipeline have a great impact on the mass flow rate and the position of the initial phase transition point, but have little effect on the void fraction at the outlet. An increase in pipe diameter and pipeline length delays the onset of phase transition. Compared with liquid oxygen and liquid nitrogen, liquid xenon is more likely to undergo a phase transition. The phase change kinetics of oxygen and nitrogen are roughly 70% as fast as those of xenon.

Optimizing Plasma Discharge Intensities and Spraying Intervals for Enhanced Growth, Mineral Uptake, and Yield in Aeroponically Grown Lettuce

Sustainable agriculture necessitates innovative solutions to enhance plant growth while optimizing resource efficiency. Plasma discharge generates reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (NH4+, NO3−, and NO2−), which form plasma-activated water upon dissolution, affecting the nutritional solution pH and electrical conductivity (EC) and, consequently, plant development. Four treatments were applied, resulting from combining high or low plasma discharge intensities at 45 or 60 min spray intervals: low plasma discharge with a 45 min interval (T1), low plasma discharge with a 60 min interval (T2), high plasma discharge with a 45 min interval (T3), and high plasma discharge with a 60 min interval (T4). The experiment followed a 4 × 5 × 2 factorial design comprising the four treatments, five replications per treatment, and two independent experimental repeats, resulting in forty experimental units. Each unit contained 12 lettuce plants, for a total of 480 plants. The multivariate analysis of variance confirmed statistically significant treatment effects. The combination of high plasma intensity and a 45 min spray interval significantly increased the growth parameters and yield as compared with the other treatments. In particular, compared with T1, which produced the lowest values across all measured parameters, T3 resulted in a 97% increase in leaf area, a 72% increase in stem diameter, a 49% increase in leaf number, a 44% increase in leaf width, and a 30% increase in leaf length. Additionally, T3 increased edible yield by 210% and total biomass production by 203% compared with T1. These results demonstrate the combined effect of plasma intensity and spraying frequency in optimizing plant development in aeroponic systems. As far as mineral uptake is concerned, T3 increased the nitrogen, potassium, phosphorus, calcium, and magnesium concentrations by 18.2%, 16.7%, 32.3%, 20.2%, and 11.2%, respectively, compared with T1. The regression analysis further validated the robustness of the findings, indicating plasma intensity to be a dominant factor. Enhanced mineral uptake (N, P, K, Ca, and Mg) and consistent growth trends across treatments highlighted the significance of plasma technology in optimizing plant growth, yield, and nutrient absorption, suggesting it is a sustainable and efficient approach to modern agriculture.

EXPERIMENTAL INVESTIGATION OF FEMTOSECOND LASER ABLATION AND MICRO-HOLE GEOMETRY IN Al6061/Al2O3 COMPOSITES

The study aimed to create good quality micro-holes to improve the efficiency of heat exchangers. Al6061 was chosen as the material for the fabrication of heat exchangers and to improve its strength it was reinforced with 10 wt.% of alumina. The composite was fabricated using stir casting technology. Tensile strength and hardness of the composites were determined. Micro-holes were drilled on the composites using femtosecond laser micromachining center. Parameters like laser fluence, repetition rate, and pulse overlap ratio were varied to find the ablation threshold, hole diameter, and hole depth. The micro-hole features were observed through a profilometer and scanning electron microscopy analysis. On observation, it was found that as the laser fluence increased, the ablation threshold values of the composites decreased. A saturation point was reached in the ablation value as the repetition rate increased. The increase in the laser fluence led to the increase in hole diameter and hole depth at various repetition rates. Increase in the repetition rate decreased the ablation threshold value but increased the hole depth and hole diameter. Better hole geometry was detected at a laser fluence of 2.49[Formula: see text]J/cm2 and 10[Formula: see text]kHz repetition rate. At high repetition rate and pulse overlap, cracks, and recast layers were observed due to high accumulation of heat in those areas.

Recycling Spent Synthesis Liquor for Enhanced Production of ZIF‐67: Characterization and Morphological Insights

This study reports the preparation and characterization of zeolitic imidazolate framework‐67 (ZIF‐67) through the recycling of spent synthesis liquor containing unreacted 2‐methylimidazole. The recycling enhances the yield of ZIF‐67 while maintaining the dodecahedral rhombic morphology of the particles. In the first synthesis, a molar ratio of 1:26 (Co2:2‐methylimidazole) results in particles with an average diameter of 230 nm and a surface area of 1374 m2 g−1. The first recycling step produces ZIF‐67 particles that doubl in diameter and surface area, reaching 520 nm and 1690 m2 g−1, respectively. In the second recycling step, the particles further increase to 1040 nm in diameter and 1806 m2 g−1 in surface area. This increase in diameter is attributed to changes in the metal‐to‐ligand ratio, which affects the nucleation and growth rates. Increased surface area is linked to a reduction in the average micropore diameter, which decreases from 1.42 nm (first synthesis) to 1.37 nm (second recycling step). There is a 6 m2 g−1 increase in surface area for every 0.001 cm3 g−1 increase in the volume of micropores. This indicates that the spent liquor can be utilized in consecutive batches to produce ZIF‐67, minimizing reagent waste.

The Fiber Cell-Specific Overexpression of COMT2 Modulates Secondary Cell Wall Biosynthesis in Poplar

Wood, as a natural and renewable resource, plays a crucial role in industrial production and daily life. Lignin, as one of the three major components of the plant cell secondary wall, plays a key role in conferring mechanical strength and enhancing stress resistance. The caffeic acid-O-methyltransferase (COMT) family of oxygen-methyltransferases is a core regulatory node in the downstream pathway of lignin biosynthesis. Here, our report shows that caffeic acid-O-methyltransferase 2 (COMT2) exhibits high conservation across several species. Tissue expression analysis reveals that COMT2 is specifically highly expressed in the secondary xylem of Populus tomentosa stems. We demonstrated that the specific overexpression of COMT2 in fiber cells of Populus tomentosa led to a significant increase in plant height, stem diameter, internode number, and stem dry weight. Furthermore, we found that the specific overexpression of COMT2 in fiber cells promotes xylem differentiation, lignin accumulation, and the thickening of the secondary cell wall (SCW) in fiber cells. Our results indicate that key downstream lignin biosynthesis enzyme genes are upregulated in transgenic plants. Additionally, mechanical properties of stem bending resistance, puncture resistance, and compressive strength in the transgenic lines are significantly improved. Moreover, we further created the DUFpro:COMT2 transgenic lines of Populus deltoides × Populus. euramericana cv ‘Nanlin895’ to verify the functional conservation of COMT2 in closely related poplar species. The DUFpro:COMT2 Populus deltoides × Populus. euramericana cv ‘Nanlin895’ transgenic lines exhibited phenotypes similar to those observed in the P. tomentosa transgenic plants, which showed enhanced growth, increased lignin accumulation, and greater wood strength. Overall, the specific overexpression of the caffeic acid O-methyltransferase gene COMT2 in poplar stem fiber cells has enhanced the wood biomass, wood properties, and mechanical strength of poplar stems.

THE ANISOTROPIC VELOCITY MODEL OF INTERNAL ACOUSTIC EMISSION SIGNALS IN ZELKOVA WOOD AND THE INFLUENCE OF HOLES ON THEIR PROPAGATION PROCESS

In this article, an acoustic emission (AE) source was generated through pencil-lead break (PLB). On Zelkova schneideriana specimens featuring central through-holes with diameters ranging from 8 to 16 mm, the time-difference-of-arrival (TDOA) in combination with the least squares fitting approach was utilized to establish an anisotropic model of the AE wave velocity within the wood as it varies with the detection angle. Then, a pulse signal was generated through a signal generator to analyze the influence of the holes on the peak values of AE signals at different angles. The results indicate that when the propagation angle is less than 80°, the AE wave velocity rises rapidly with the increase of the angle and eventually approximates the longitudinal wave velocity along the grain. The AE signal peak emerged in the direction approximately 30° for the specimen without holes. In the presence of holes, as the hole diameter increases, the variation trend of AE peak amplitudes within an angular range of -18° to +18° relative to the hole center becomes progressively smoother, with a concurrent reduction in their mean value. This distinct characteristic can serve as a robust indicator for identifying internal hole defects in wood.

Beneficial Soil Fungi Isolated from Tropical Fruit Crop Systems for Enhancing Yield and Growth in Dragon Fruit in Ecuador

Rhizospheric fungi are emerging as a critical research component in dragon fruit (Hylocereus spp.) production systems. Introducing beneficial non-native fungi is increasingly common due to their positive effects on plant growth, yield, and pathogen suppression. However, this practice may disrupt soil microbial communities, and commercial isolates often show limited adaptation to local conditions. This study aimed to identify native beneficial soil fungi associated with dragon fruit cultivation on the Ecuadorian coast and evaluate their effect on commercial production. Fungal isolates from four dragon fruit plantations were identified using microscopy and genetic sequencing (ITS, EF-1α, and beta-tubulin). The selected fungi were isolates closely related to Talaromyces tumuli, Trichoderma asperellum, and Paecilomyces lagunculariae. All isolates were tested for pathogenicity using detached cladode assays at the laboratory, and non-phytopathogenic monomorphic cultures were further evaluated in the field under a randomized complete block design consisting of T. asperellum, Talaromyces tumuli, a combination of both, and a water control. The combination of T. asperellum and Talaromyces spp. showed a favorable trend in terms of the plants’ vegetative development. However, inoculating Talaromyces tumuli into the commercial plants exhibited a slow response during the first 20 days of the field evaluations. Still, it resulted in a significant increase in the fruit’s diameter and weight, with increases of 88.23% and 67.64%, respectively, compared to those in the control. T. asperellum presented a lower number of fruits per plant, although it showed an increase in fruit diameter and weight. In conclusion, using the native beneficial fungi T. asperellum and T. tumuli contributes positively to the dragon fruit production system.

Effects of Particle Diameter and Permeability on Air Cooling Performance of a Porous Bed

This study investigates varying particle diameters and porosity to improve the cooling performance of a porous bed. It also considers actual and scaled-down clinker bed sizes. The result from the study was validated with existing data from actual-size clinker beds. For the actual size, predicted air outlet temperature, when compared to the experimental and numerical simulation results produced deviation of –5.46% and +1.65% respectively. For the scaled down-sizes, the air outlet temperature when compared with the actual size of experimental result, yielded deviations of 3.96% and 4.9% because the scaled sizes have 3 and 9 scale factors, respectively. The initial increase in air outlet temperature was minimal, but as the diameter increased, the temperature reduction became significant. The rate of air outlet temperature decrease was slightly consistent from 0.1 to 0.5, but widens as porosity increases. However, as porosity increases, the rate widens. Furthermore, it was discovered that, the heat transfer rate between air and clinker decreases less significantly between diameters of 0.01 to 0.02 m, but increases as porosity increases to 0.6, 0.7, and 0.8, resulting in a significant reduction. The study concluded that as clinker particle diameter increases, outlet temperature also increases, pressure drop decreases, with a significant decrease observed between 0.01 and 0.02 m and porous bed with scale factor 9 had high pressure drop values as the other three bed sizes showed similar results.

Photobiomodulatory Effects of Low-Power LED Light on Cultured Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells.

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the photobiomodulatory (PBM) effects of low-power light-emitting diode (LED) irradiation on cultured human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs), focusing on changes in cellular metabolic activity and morphology. Materials and Methods: HUVECs were cultured and divided into three groups: control (no irradiation), red LED (655 nm), and blue LED (455 nm). Cells were irradiated once with a total energy dose of 4 J over 60 s. Cellular metabolic activity was assessed at 0, 1, 3, and 6 h post-irradiation using the WST-8 assay. Morphological changes were examined 3 h post-irradiation using rhodamine-phalloidin staining and confocal laser scanning microscopy. Results: Red LED irradiation significantly enhanced metabolic activity immediately and at 3 h post-irradiation compared to the control group. Blue LED irradiation showed a non-significant trend toward increased metabolic activity at 1 and 3 h. Morphometric analysis revealed increases in cell area, perimeter, and Feret diameter in both LED-irradiated groups, with more pronounced changes observed in the red LED group. Conclusions: Low-power red LED light (655 nm) effectively promotes metabolic activation and induces morphological changes in vascular endothelial cells, suggesting its potential application in angiogenesis and wound healing. Due to its safety and accessibility, LED-based PBM may serve as a promising therapeutic modality for soft tissue regeneration in both clinical and home-care settings.

Bubble flow configurations generated by ejector type bubble generator

Bubble flow configurations generated by an ejector bubble generator were captured using a high-speed video camera and extracted into several images. The air flow and nozzle diameter were varied during the test in ranges of 0.1-1.5 lpm and 1.17-3.5 mm, respectively. The results reveal that in general the bubble flow structure coming out from the bubble generator is divided into three regions, namely the entrance, bubble swarm, and bubble dispersed region. It is found that there is a higher time delay of bubble production when the air flow and the nozzle diameter decrease. On the other hand, the bubble production time is longer, if the air flow and the nozzle diameter increase.

Lateral Deformation Mechanisms of Piles in Coastal Regions Under Seawall Surcharge Loading and Mitigation Using Deep Cement Mixing (DCM) Piles

In coastal regions with thick, soft soil deposits, bridge pile foundations are susceptible to lateral displacements induced by the construction of adjacent seawalls. This study employs a three-dimensional nonlinear finite element framework to investigate the lateral deformation mechanisms of rock-socketed bridge piles under seawall surcharge loading in soft soils, considering the effects of both immediate construction and long-term consolidation. A parametric analysis is performed to evaluate the effectiveness of deep cement mixing (DCM) piles in mitigating pile displacements, focusing on key design parameters, including DCM pile length, area replacement ratio, and elastic modulus. The results reveal that horizontal pile displacements peak at the pile head post-construction (25 days: 25 mm) and progressively decrease during consolidation, shifting the critical displacement zone to mid-pile depths (20 years: 12 mm). Bending moment analysis identifies persistent positive moments at the rock-socketed interface. Increasing pile stiffness marginally reduces displacements (a < 1 mm reduction for a 22% diameter increase), while expanding the seawall–pile distance to 110 m decreases displacements by 72–84%. DCM pile implementation significantly mitigates short-term (48% reduction) and long-term (54% reduction) displacements, with optimal thresholds at a 30% area replacement ratio and a 40.5 MPa elastic modulus. This study provides critical insights into time-dependent soil–pile interaction mechanisms and practical guidelines for optimizing coastal infrastructure design to minimize surcharge-induced impacts on adjacent pile foundations.

NUMERICAL SIMULATION OF WC-Co PARTICLE DEPOSITION BY HVOF SPRAYING

WC-Co coatings exhibit the unsurpassed wear resistance needed to maximize the wear resistance of various technological components, thus expanding their service lives and prolonging product lifespans. HVOF thermal spraying is an established coating process that offers advantages such as low porosity, low oxide content and strong adhesion in the final products. Finite element modeling was utilized to study both the deformation behavior of particles and the bonding mechanisms following impacts of WC-Co particles in various states with the substrate during HVOF spraying. Numerical results demonstrate that velocity has a more significant effect on impact deformation than temperature. Furthermore, particles at high temperatures and velocities exhibit higher degrees of deformation and higher bonding rates after impact. Additionally, as particle diameter increases, both the compression and flattening rates decrease, and the time required to bond with the substrate increases.

Scour Depth Around Cylinders Under Combined Effects of River Flow and Tidal Currents

The safety of coastal structures is a growing global concern due to the combined effects of strong tides and river flow. In this study, the local scour around cylinders under the influence of tides combined with river flows was investigated numerically. When only tidal current is considered, the distribution of vorticity and excess shear stress on the bed varies periodically with the inflow velocity. The scour depth gradually increased. When coupling the river flow and tidal current, the scour depth on the river side is 1.3 times deeper than that on the tide side; the relative scour depth (the ratio of scour depth to pile diameter, S/D) deepened linearly with the increase of river flow intensity. In the river–tide-coupled condition, the impact of river flow on scour is greater under fixed-bed conditions than under movable-bed conditions. Under fixed-bed conditions, the maximum scour depth in the river–tide-coupled case is 3.94 times larger than that in the tide case. The relative scour depth gradually decreased with the increase in the relative diameter of the cylinder. The scour hole becomes more asymmetric with the increased cylinder diameter. The scour process became slower and the scour rate was smaller when tidal periods increased. The findings supplement the mechanism of local scour under river–tide coupling and provide guiding significance for pile foundation protection in an estuary.