Maximum Clearance Research Articles

Online Search with Maximum Clearance

We study the setting in which a mobile searcher must locate a hidden target in a bounded or unbounded search domain, with no information about the hider's position. In particular, we consider online search, in which the performance of the search strategy is evaluated by its worst case competitive ratio. We introduce a multi-criteria search problem in which the searcher has a budget on its allotted search time, and the objective is to design strategies that are competitively efficient, respect the budget, and maximize the total searched ground. We give analytically optimal strategies for the line and the star domains, and efficient heuristics for general networks.

Effect of larval density and algal concentration on growth, survival and feeding rates of the scallop Nodipecten subnodosus (Sowerby, 1835)

The scallop Nodipecten subnodosus is the largest pectinid species targeted in Mexico for hatchery seed production. Thus, effects of larval density (LD = 5, 10 and 15 ml−1) and food concentration (FC = 15,000; 30,000; 45,000 and 60 cells ml−1) were assessed on survival (S) and growth. Clearance (CR) and ingestion rates (IR) were also studied. Lowest S was observed at 15,000 cells ml−1 (19%–22%), while S > 50% prevailed at ≥30,000 cells ml−1. Both LD and FC significantly affected gross growth rate (GGR), with maximal values (7.3 µm d−1) observed at 5 larvae ml−1. Mean GGR of 6.1 to 6.9 µm d−1 was recorded at 10–15 larvae ml−1 and 45,000 to 60,000 cells ml−1. Maximal CR (13.8–23 ml larva−1 h−1) was recorded at 15 cells ml−1. Ingestion rates increased as FC increased, reaching asymptotic values (9.7–11.5 cells larva−1 min−1) at 45,000 and 60,000 cells ml−1. Allometric IR—Shell height exponents increased (b = 1.1 to 1.9) as FC increased. The combined results suggest that N. subnodosus larvae may be reared at stocking densities from 5 to 15 larva ml−1 and reach maximal GGR if fed 45,000 to 60,000 cells ml−1.

Intersection Sight Distance Characteristics of Turbo Roundabouts

A turbo roundabout uses spiral circulatory roads for effectively counteracting the problems faced in modern multilane roundabouts. First developed in 1996, the turbo roundabout has an advantage over the conventional roundabout regarding capacity and safety. Turbo roundabouts are still in the developing phase in North America, but even in the European subcontinent where they exist in large numbers, reliable analytical studies on the critical parameters of roundabout visibility are lacking. Visibility (sight distance) helps to shape the geometry of the intersection and aids in safety. This paper presents the mathematical characteristics of the intersection geometry and intersection sight distance (ISD) of the turbo roundabout. Mathematical formulas are presented for the sight distance from the approaching vehicle to the conflicting-entering and circulating vehicles. The maximum lateral clearances to the conflicting vehicles are derived using mathematical optimization. The developed analytical method is verified graphically using AutoCAD. To assist in practical applications, design aids for the maximum lateral clearance are presented. The presented method and design aids should aid in promoting safety at turbo roundabouts.

The Pattern of Day Case (Ambulatory) Percutaneous (PCNL): A Descriptive Retrospective Study from a Tertiary Care Hospital

Background: Percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) has experienced remarkable development and alteration since it was first described in 1976 by Fernstorm et al. It has also experienced miniaturization of equipment, improvement in operative systems, and refining renal access methods leading to the achievement of maximum clearance of stone while causing minimal morbidity. For example, in endourological practice, when the patient is subjected to PCNL, he traditionally needs programmed inpatient admission, as part of their recovery, it is applicable as an outpatient method in properly selected cases. Objectives: We aimed at evaluating the safety and applicability of the outpatient PCNL procedure. Methods: This retrospective study was done on 210 cases of tubeless PCNL performed by a single urologist at our institute from January 2016 to January 2019. Patients’ mean age (134 males and 76 females) was 57 ± 11.8 years, and 7 patients aged 8 - 12 years. There were 71 pelvic or calyceal solitary stones, 62 non-complete staghorn stones, 17 ureteral stones, 32 renal + ureteric stones (simultaneous renal and ureteral stones) , and 28 complete staghorn stones. The average stone size was 3.5 ± 2.8 (range: 0.7 to 11.8 cm). Results: The mean operation duration was 85.0 ± 29.4 min, and the mean hospital stay was 21.7 ± 3.4 h. Out of 210 patients, 6 patients had longer stay due to high-grade fever and 3 patients due to severe pain, and also 7 patients refused discharge due to personal and social reasons. Our ambulatory PCNL rate was 97 % ( 194 out of 210). Within 72 h, 5 patients were readmitted due to high-grade fever, 3 patients due to haematuria, and 4 patients due to pain and dysuria, and all patients were discharged 2 - 4 days after conservative treatment. Thus, the readmission rate was 6.18% (12 cases were readmitted out of 194 cases). Patients showed a blood transfusion rate of 1.4 %. Also, 19 cases (9.02%) were found with post-operative fever, and no urosepsis was reported. No pulmonary complications and mortality were noted. No re-exploration was done, and no major leak was noted. The angio-embolization rate was 0.59%. We did not use HEMO-SEAL technology, cautery, or suture in the tracks. Conclusions: In conclusion, the outpatient PCNL procedure is an applicable and feasible procedure under selected criteria; however, more investigations using a larger sample size are needed.

Failure analysis on abnormal blockage of electro-hydraulic servo valve in digital electric hydraulic control system of 125 MW thermal power plant

Electro-hydraulic servo-valves, which are considered as the crucial core element of digital electric hydraulic control system, are widely applied in thermal power plants. In this paper, motivated by the long stable operation of thermal power plant, an abnormal blockage failure of the electro-hydraulic servo valve in digital electric hydraulic control system of 125 MW thermal power plant was investigated systematically. Three body abrasive wear was identified as the main failure mechanism. Comprehensive analysis results finally revealed that the unqualified material of the valve spool with abnormal coarse carbides caused by improper preparation process was ascribed to be the root cause of the failure. During the operation, the abnormal coarse carbides acted as stress concentration source and were peeled off from the valve spool under the effect of the friction between the feedback wire and the valve spool. After that, the exfoliated carbides served as third bodies, resulting in three body abrasive wear. In this process, some of the carbides with size exceeding 5 μm driven by fire-resistant oil entered the clearance between the valve spool and the valve sleeve, leading to the abnormal blockage failure since the maximum allowable clearance was 5 μm. Countermeasures were then proposed to address corresponding problems. Considering that practical failure of the electro-hydraulic servo-valves is seldom reported before, the finding of the paper could be helpful for better understanding the failure mechanisms of the electro-hydraulic servo-valves under actual service conditions.

Partial caging: a clearance-based definition, datasets, and deep learning

Caging grasps limit the mobility of an object to a bounded component of configuration space. We introduce a notion of partial cage quality based on maximal clearance of an escaping path. As computing this is a computationally demanding task even in a two-dimensional scenario, we propose a deep learning approach. We design two convolutional neural networks and construct a pipeline for real-time planar partial cage quality estimation directly from 2D images of object models and planar caging tools. One neural network, CageMaskNN, is used to identify caging tool locations that can support partial cages, while a second network that we call CageClearanceNN is trained to predict the quality of those configurations. A partial caging dataset of 3811 images of objects and more than 19 million caging tool configurations is used to train and evaluate these networks on previously unseen objects and caging tool configurations. Experiments show that evaluation of a given configuration on a GeForce GTX 1080 GPU takes less than 6 ms. Furthermore, an additional dataset focused on grasp-relevant configurations is curated and consists of 772 objects with 3.7 million configurations. We also use this dataset for 2D Cage acquisition on novel objects. We study how network performance depends on the datasets, as well as how to efficiently deal with unevenly distributed training data. In further analysis, we show that the evaluation pipeline can approximately identify connected regions of successful caging tool placements and we evaluate the continuity of the cage quality score evaluation along caging tool trajectories. Influence of disturbances is investigated and quantitative results are provided.

Small Airways Disease, Biomarkers and COPD: Where are We?

The response to treatment and progression of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) varies significantly. Small airways disease (SAD) is being increasingly recognized as a key pathological feature of COPD. Studies have brought forward pathological evidence of small airway damage preceding the development of emphysema and the detection of obstruction using traditional spirometry. In recent years, there has been a renewed interest in the early detection of SAD and this has brought along an increased demand for physiological tests able to identify and quantify SAD. Early detection of SAD allows early targeted therapy and this suggests the potential for altering the course of disease. The aim of this article is to review the evidence available on the physiological testing of small airways. The first half will focus on the role of lung function tests such as maximum mid-expiratory flow, impulse oscillometry and lung clearance index in detecting and quantifying SAD. The role of Computed Tomography (CT) as a radiological biomarker will be discussed as well as the potential of recent CT analysis software to differentiate normal aging of the lungs to pathology. The evidence behind SAD biomarkers sourced from blood as well as biomarkers sourced from sputum and broncho-alveolar lavage (BAL) will be reviewed. This paper focuses on CC-16, sRAGE, PAI-1, MMP-9 and MMP-12.

Optimization of spline bearing capacity considering the influence of assembly sequence

Splines have been widely using in aerospace and other fields. Their reliability has important impact on the capability of mechanical equipment. When a slot on the internal spline is combined with different teeth on the external spline due to machining errors,, different tooth clearances are generated. Therefore, when the spline is assembled in different sequences, the loads on the spline teeth will be different, which can affect the bearing capacity of the spline. However, in the actual assembly process of the spline, this effect has not been considered. To overcome the issue as listed above, a method for optimizing spline assembly sequence is proposed. First of all, the calculation method of the tooth clearances depended on the spline assembly sequence is established. Then, a spline load distribution model is proposed, and the spline assembly sequence is optimized by the maximum clearance method. Compared with the traditional random assembly method, the results show that the mean value of the maximum nominal tangential force of the spline is reduced by 25%. The obtained results can be used to guide the high reliability design of the spline.

Inertial sensor-based gait parameters reflect patient-reported fatigue in multiple sclerosis

BackgroundMultiple sclerosis (MS) is a disabling disease affecting the central nervous system and consequently the whole body’s functional systems resulting in different gait disorders. Fatigue is the most common symptom in MS with a prevalence of 80%. Previous research studied the relation between fatigue and gait impairment using stationary gait analysis systems and short gait tests (e.g. timed 25 ft walk). However, wearable inertial sensors providing gait data from longer and continuous gait bouts have not been used to assess the relation between fatigue and gait parameters in MS. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the association between fatigue and spatio-temporal gait parameters extracted from wearable foot-worn sensors and to predict the degree of fatigue.MethodsForty-nine patients with MS (32 women; 17 men; aged 41.6 years, EDSS 1.0–6.5) were included where each participant was equipped with a small Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) on each foot. Spatio-temporal gait parameters were obtained from the 6-min walking test, and the Borg scale of perceived exertion was used to represent fatigue. Gait parameters were normalized by taking the difference of averaged gait parameters between the beginning and end of the test to eliminate inter-individual differences. Afterwards, normalized parameters were transformed to principle components that were used as input to a Random Forest regression model to formulate the relationship between gait parameters and fatigue.ResultsSix principal components were used as input to our model explaining more than 90% of variance within our dataset. Random Forest regression was used to predict fatigue. The model was validated using 10-fold cross validation and the mean absolute error was 1.38 points. Principal components consisting mainly of stride time, maximum toe clearance, heel strike angle, and stride length had large contributions (67%) to the predictions made by the Random Forest.ConclusionsThe level of fatigue can be predicted based on spatio-temporal gait parameters obtained from an IMU based system. The results can help therapists to monitor fatigue before and after treatment and in rehabilitation programs to evaluate their efficacy. Furthermore, this can be used in home monitoring scenarios where therapists can monitor fatigue using IMUs reducing time and effort of patients and therapists.

Preliminary study to determine the maximum safe speed of vehicles based on rolling moments and vehicle skid to reduce of driving accidents

Indonesia is one of the countries with the highest death rate due to road traffic accidents. Research on vehicle safety needs to be done immediately. Some travel companies, rental vehicles, and tourism vehicles have made permit speed regulations, but the basis for selecting these limits is not scientific. In this study will be presented how to determine the maximum speed allowed in a vehicle scientifically, and how to calculate the speed of the permit can be a reference to other vehicles. This research method is analytical and experimental methods. The normal force of the wheel when the vehicle turns will be different, where the normal force of the wheel inside will first be lifted due to rolling force, and will have an impact on the skid that might occur. So, this is becoming a reference in calculating the vehicle’s maximum clearance speed. The maximum speed allowed of the vehicle under study depends on the turning radius. Therefore, knowing the wheel’s normal force from various conditions and the maximum speed of the vehicle, a safety warning system can be developed in the future to avoid vehicle accidents.

Numerical Investigation on Flow Field Distribution of Eccentric Compressors Based on Steady and Unsteady CFD Methods

The tip clearance has an important effect on the performance of an engine compressor. While the impact of tip clearance on a concentric compressor has been widely explored in previous research, the flow field distribution of an eccentric compressor has only been minimally explored. Both the steady and unsteady computational fluid dynamics (CFD) methods have been widely used in the studies of concentric axial-compressors, and they have similar simulation results in terms of flow field. However, they have been rarely applied to axial-compressors with non-uniform tip clearance to investigate their flow field. In this paper, ANSYS CFX is used as CFD software, and both steady and unsteady CFD methods are applied to study a single rotor of ROTOR67 to investigate the compressor characteristic line and flow field under different eccentricity conditions. The results show that non-uniform tip clearance creates a non-uniform flow field at the inlet and tip regions over the whole operating range. The circumferential position where the flow coefficient and the axial velocity are the smallest occurs at a position close to the maximum tip clearance and is located on the side deviating toward the direction of rotation of the rotor. Compared with steady CFD, unsteady CFD has better predictive capability for the flow field distribution in axial compressors with non-uniform tip clearance.

Failure analysis on unexpected leakage of electro-hydraulic servo valve in digital electric hydraulic control system of 300 MW thermal power plant

Electro hydraulic servo valves, which are used to transform weak electric signals into high power hydraulic energy, are the crucial part of digital electric hydraulic control system. In this paper, inspired by the safety operation of the digital electric hydraulic control system, an unexpected leakage failure of the electro-hydraulic servo valve in the digital electric hydraulic control system of 300 MW thermal power plant was studied in depth. Systematical analysis results finally revealed that this unexpected failure was caused by pitting corrosion induced by chloride ions, which are initiated from improper cleaning agent containing trichloroethane. It reacted with the phenolic compounds came from the degradation of the fire-resistant oil, giving rise to the production of the chloride ions. Passive film on the contacting surface was then destroyed by the chloride ions, leading to the formation of naked areas where the pitting corrosion occurred. After that, the coarse carbides with size exceeding 5 μm in the naked areas were peeled off from the contacting surface under the effect of the pitting corrosion, resulting in the blockage of the servo valve since the maximum allowable clearance between valve spool and valve sleeve was 5 μm. This eventually hindered the movement of the valve spool and caused the unexpected leakage failure. Considering that the failure of the electro-hydraulic servo-valves caused by corrosion is seldom reported before, the achievement of the paper could enhance the understanding of the failed mechanism of the electro hydraulic servo valves under actual service condition.

Adding Haptic Feedback to Virtual Environments With a Cable-Driven Robot Improves Upper Limb Spatio-Temporal Parameters During a Manual Handling Task.

Physical interactions within virtual environments are often limited to visual information within a restricted workspace. A new system exploiting a cable-driven parallel robot to combine visual and haptic information related to environmental physical constraints (e.g. shelving, object weight) was developed. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact on user movement patterns of adding haptic feedback in a virtual environment with this robot. Twelve healthy participants executed a manual handling task under three conditions: 1) in a virtual environment with haptic feedback; 2) in a virtual environment without haptic feedback; 3) in a real physical environment. Temporal parameters (movement time, peak velocity, movement smoothness, time to maximum flexion, time to peak wrist velocity) and spatial parameters of movement (maximum trunk flexion, range of motion of the trunk, length of the trajectory, index of curvature and maximum clearance from the shelf) were analysed during the reaching, lowering and lifting phases. Our results suggest that adding haptic feedback improves spatial parameters of movement to better respect the environmental constraints. However, the visual information presented in the virtual environment through the head mounted display appears to have an impact on temporal parameters of movement leading to greater movement time. Taken together, our results suggest that a cable-driven robot can be a promising device to provide a more ecological context during complex tasks in virtual reality.

Plasticity in the grazing ecophysiology of Florenciella (Dichtyochophyceae), a mixotrophic nanoflagellate that consumes Prochlorococcus and other bacteria

AbstractMixotrophic nanoflagellates can account for more than half of the bacterivory in the sunlit ocean, yet very little is known about their ecophysiology. Here, we characterize the grazing ecology of an open‐ocean mixotroph in the genus Florenciella (class Dictyochophyceae). Members of this class were indirectly implicated as major consumers of Prochlorococcus and Synechococcus in the oligotrophic North Pacific Subtropical Gyre, but their phagotrophic capabilities have never been investigated. Our studies showed that Florenciella readily consumed Prochlorococcus, Synechococcus, and heterotrophic bacteria, and that the ingested prey relieved nutrient limitations on growth. Florenciella grew faster (3 d−1) in nitrogen‐deplete medium given sufficient live Synechococcus, than in nitrogen‐replete K medium (2 d−1), but it did not grow in continuous darkness. Grazing rates were substantially higher under nutrient limitation and showed a hint of diel variability, with rates tending to be highest near the end of the light period. An apparent trade‐off between the maximum clearance rate (5 nL Florenciella−1 h−1) and the maximum ingestion rate (up to ∼ 10 prey cells Florenciella−1 h−1) across experiments suggests that grazing behavior may also vary in response to prey concentration. If the observed grazing rates are representative of other open‐ocean mixotrophs, their collective activity could account for a significant fraction of the daily cyanobacterial mortality. This study provides essential parameters for understanding the grazing ecology of a common marine mixotroph and the first characterization of mixotrophic nanoflagellate functional responses when feeding on unicellular cyanobacteria, the dominant marine primary producers in the oligotrophic ocean.

Collagen Peptides from Swim Bladders of Giant Croaker (Nibea japonica) and Their Protective Effects against H2O2-Induced Oxidative Damage toward Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells.

Five different proteases were used to hydrolyze the swim bladders of Nibea japonica and the hydrolysate treated by neutrase (collagen peptide named SNNHs) showed the highest DPPH radical scavenging activity. The extraction process of SNNHs was optimized by response surface methodology, and the optimal conditions were as follows: a temperature of 47.2 °C, a pH of 7.3 and an enzyme concentration of 1100 U/g, which resulted in the maximum DPPH clearance rate of 95.44%. Peptides with a Mw of less than 1 kDa (SNNH-1) were obtained by ultrafiltration, and exhibited good scavenging activity for hydroxyl radicals, ABTS radicals and superoxide anion radicals. Furthermore, SNNH-1 significantly promoted the proliferation of HUVECs, and the protective effect of SNNH-1 against oxidative damage of H2O2-induced HUVECs was investigated. The results indicated that all groups receiving SNNH-1 pretreatment showed an increase in GSH-Px, SOD, and CAT activities compared with the model group. In addition, SNNH-1 pretreatment reduced the levels of ROS and MDA in HUVECs with H2O2-induced oxidative damage. These results indicate that collagen peptides from swim bladders of Nibea japonica can significantly reduce the oxidative stress damage caused by H2O2 in HUVECs and provides a basis for the application of collagen peptides in the food industry, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics.

A new household ultrasonic cleaning method for pyrethroids in cabbage

Pyrethroid is widely used in developing countries and is a potential threat to human health. So putting forward an effective pyrethroid cleaning method is of vital importance. Clearance of fenpropathrin, cypermethrin and deltamethrin in cabbage by using ultrasonic treatment accompanied with different baking soda concentrations were investigated in this study. The results of response surface methodology showed that the maximum clearance rate was 70.61% for fenpropathrin under the optimal power, treated time, treated temperature and baking soda concentration, which were 260.02 W, 10 min, 20.15 °C and 0.014 g/mL, respectively. Similarly, the maximum removal efficiency was 73.72% for cypermethrin under 240 W, 13.84 min, 19.53 °C and 0.014 g/mL, and 92.15% for deltamethrin under 238.99 W, 12.42 min, 25 °C and 0.013 g/mL. The clearance rate of pyrethroid by this method was significant higher (P<0.05) than traditional cleaning methods (bathing and running water washing). The contents of the compositions such as vitamin C, total soluble sugar, protein and dietary fiber, texture and sensory evaluation of cabbage were not found obvious changes after the ultrasonic treatment combined with baking soda (P>0.05). Results showed that ultrasonic treatment combined with baking soda was an effective way to eliminate the fenpropathrin, cypermethrin and deltamethrin in cabbage without influencing cabbage quality.

ANALYSIS ON CONSTRUCTION DEFORMATION AND SUPPORTING STRUCTURE OF TWO-STEP AND THREESECTION EXCAVATION METHOD FOR SUPER LARGER SPAN HIGHWAY TUNNEL

The super larger span tunnel is a common form of highway reconstruction and expansionprojects in recent years. In order to determine the stability of tunnel structure of the two-step andthree-section excavation method of the III-level surrounding rock mass of the super larger spanhighway, the field test method was adopted. Relying on the Laohushan Tunnel in Jinan, Shandong,China, the deformation and the structure performance of the super larger span tunnel in III-levelsurrounding rock mass are analyzed, and the safety of the tunnel and the support structure isevaluated on this basis. The results show that the maximum settlement of the arch section of theGrade III surrounding rock section is 12.5mm, and the maximum clearance convergence is 5.8mm.Both of them are much smaller than the design reserved deformation of 80mm. The maximumpressure of the surrounding rock is 0.091MPa, showing that the force acting on the supportingstructure by surrounding rock mass is small. The inner and outer arched parts of the steel frameare subject to large stresses, and most of them are tensile stresses. The maximum stress of thesteel frame is 283 MPa, and occurs at the inner side of right arch waist. Although the local stressexceeds the yield strength of the steel (235 MPa), it does not exceed its ultimate compressivestrength of 400 MPa, and the tensile and compressive stress values of the other inner and outerparts do not exceed the yield strength. Mainly, the maximum stress appears on the left side wall,reaching 4.83 MPa, which is far less than the ultimate compressive strength of sprayed concrete(11.9 MPa). For super larger span highway tunnels, located in III-level surrounding rock mass,constructed by two-step and three-section excavation method, the initial support effectivelycontrolled the tunnel deformation, the supporting structures were fully protected and the tunnelstructure was stable. The super larger span tunnel is a common form in the road reconstructionand expansion project in recent years. In order to determine the stability of tunnel structure of thetwo steps and three excavation method of the III-level surrounding rock mass of the super largerspan highway, the field test method was adopted. Relying on the Laohushan Tunnel, thedeformation and the structure performance of the super larger span tunnel in III-level surroundingrock mass were analyzed. The results show that the maximum settlement of arch of the III-levelsurrounding rock mass is 12.5mm in super larger span highway tunnel, and the maximumclearance convergence is 5.8mm. Both of them are smaller than the design reserved deformationof 80mm. The maximum surrounding rock mass pressure is 0.091MPa, the force acting on thesupporting structure by surrounding rock mass are small. The inner and outer arched parts of the steel frame bear larger stress, and are mostly tensile stress. The maximum stress on inner side ofthe steel frame is 283 MPa, and occurs at the right arch waist. The maximum stress on the outerside of the steel frame is184 MPa, and occurs at the vault. The steel frame plays an important rolein the initial support, however the force does not reach the yield strength of the steel. The shotcreteis subjected to pressure, the maximum stress appears on the left side wall is 4.83 MPa, which ismuch smaller than the ultimate compressive strength of shotcrete of 25 MPa. So for super largerspan highway tunnels, located in III-level surrounding rock mass, constructed by two-step andthree-excavation method, the whole structure is stable.

Evaluation of Amateur and Professional Tattoo Removal by the Q Switched Nd:YAG Laser

Background: A tattoo is visible and permanent pigmentation of the skin secondary to the deliberate or accidental deposition of exogenous pigment within the dermis. A variety of procedures have been used to remove tattoos, such as laser therapy, surgical excision, and dermabrasion. QS laser treatment can result in good cosmetic outcomes and complete or near-complete removal of many unwanted tattoos.Objective: to evaluate the QS Nd:YAG laser effects for amateur and professional tattoos removal.Materials &amp; Methods: The study was done on 293 tattoo lesions from 176 patients (in both genders) , there were 239 amateur tattoos (136 patients) and 54 professional tattoos(40 patients). Tattoos on a wide range of body sites (limbs, feet, face, chest, shoulders and legs) were treated. Ages were between 17- 60 years. In this work, tattoos were divided to amateur and professional tattoos. A Q-switched Nd:YAG laser system was used throughout this study. All tattoos containing black and blue pigment were treated at 1064 nm. Tattoos containing red pigment were treated at 5 32nm. Treatment was scheduled at 4-6 weeks intervals and continued until maximum clearance of the tattoo was achieved, and the number of sessions varies from one to five sessions. For assessment of degree of lightening the method proposed by Lanigan was used: grade 1, complete response (&gt; 95% lightening); grade 2, excellent response (76–95% lightening); grade 3, good response (51–75% lightening); grade 4, fair response (26–50% lightening); grade 5, poor response (0–25% lightening).Results: Amateur tattoos were often more numerous than professional tattoos. Eighty per cent of tattoos (198 of 239) were clinically clear at the time of analysis, this included 70.7% (169 of 239) which were ? 95% clear. Overall 56.6% of amateur tattoos were clinically clear after two treatments, and 82% (110 of 134) were clinically clear after 2-3 treatments, while the clinical clearance rate was 40% after six treatments for professional black tattoos. It is anticipated that response rates will increase when tattoos at an early stage of treatment receive further treatments,and P value was (0.004) which mean that there is significant difference between two groups.Conclusion: Amateur tattoos generally require fewer treatment sessions and the response is better than professional tattoos.

Osthole inhibited the activity of CYP2C9 in human liver microsomes and influenced indomethacin pharmacokinetics in rats

Osthol, a pharmacologically active ingredient in various traditional Chinese medicines, is predominantly metabolized by CYP2C9. It may be co-administered with other drugs which are metabolized by CYP2C9 in clinical medicine. However, CYP2C9*1/*2/*3 genotype on the pharmacokinetics of osthole and its metabolic diversity between rat and human are unclear.In this study, we investigated the effects of osthole on enzyme activity of CYP2C11/CYP2C9 in rat liver microsomes (RLMs) and human liver microsomes (HLMs), to distinguish metabolic manner of osthole in different species. Interestingly, we found that osthole inhibits the activity of CYP2C11 in a non-competitive manner in RLMs, while inhibits CYP2C9 activity in a competitive manner in pooled HLMs. Then, the effects of CYP2C9*1/*2/*3 allele on the pharmacokinetics of osthole were identified. In human CYP2C9 isoform, the Ki value of 21.93 μM (CYP2C9*1), 18.10 μM (CYP2C9*2), 13.12 μM (CYP2C9*3) indicate that there are individual differences in the inhibition of osthole on CYP2C9 activity.We investigated how the indomethacin pharmacokinetics was affected by osthole in SD rat. To estimate the area under the curve (AUC), maximum plasma concentration (Cmax) and apparent clearance (CL/F), indomethacin (10 mg/kg) was given orally combined with osthole (20 mg/kg) in adult SD rat. We found the value of PK on indomethacin, such as the AUC0–∞, was from 176.40 ± 17.29 to 173.74 ± 27.69 μg/ml h–1, Cmax from 9.02 ± 1.24 to 9.89 ± 0.82 μg/ml and CL/F from 0.11 ± 0.01 to 0.12 ± 0.04 mg/kg/h which were unsignificantly changed compared with the control groups. However, the Tmax was prolonged from 2.00 ± 0.00 h to 7.33 ± 1.15 h, and T1/2 increased from 8.38 ± 2.30 h to 11.37 ± 2.11 h. These results indicate that osthole could potentially affect the metabolism of indomethacin in vivo.

Investigating the transient liquid phase bonding (TLPB) behaviour of a Palladium containing Ni-B based braze filler metal

ABSTRACT A cyclic DSC method has been adapted to study the TLPB behaviour and isothermal solidification rate (IS) in an IN625/CPW475 base metal/filler metal joint at 1000°C. Analysis of the DSC data resulted in a prediction of the maximum brazing clearance (MBC) as a function of braze time. The rate of IS was determined to be linear with the square root of time with a rate constant k = 4.59 µm/min1/2, once the braze temperature and isothermal conditions were reached. During transient heating from the solidus temperature up to the braze temperature there is a region of rapid boron uptake by the base metal and an accelerated growth rate of the IS zone (ISZ). This initial ISZ layer, 2wISZi was predicted to be 29.5 µm. In the current case of an initial gap width of 80 µm, this initial ISZ represents 36% of the gap width.