Thick Sections Research Articles

Structural condition of container material long-term used for hydrogen

The paper shows the structural condition of the container wall material, which has been used for a long time under hydrogen storage conditions. The features of the structure are shown depending on the thickness and direction of the wall section. There are signs of deterioration of the structure near the inner surface of the container wall caused by the intense interaction with hydrogen.

Investigation of Parameters Affecting Rotational Behavior of Cold-Formed Steel Connection

This study aims to understand the behavior of connection, which holds an important key to efficient designs of the cold-formed steel structure. The focus is on examining parameters that affect the rotational stiffness and behavior of the cold-formed steel connection made of single-lipped channel sections with a bolt and gusset plate system. The numerical study has been conducted using component-based finite element analysis, with the studied parameters including bolt diameters, number of bolts in the group, size of the bolt group, thickness of the cold-formed steel cross-section, and thickness of the connecting plate. The effect of the variables is evaluated and explained by comparison. The result of the study reveals that the rotational behavior of the connection depends on the details of the assembly. For the given base connection, the parameters that give the greatest effect on the rotation stiffness and the moment capacity are the number of bolts and the bolt diameters, whereas the parameter that provides the least effect is the bolt spacing. On the other hand, the bolt group size is the most influential parameter for the member connection. For both types of connections, the thickness of the cold-formed steel section and the thickness of the gusset plate have shown limited effect on stiffness and strength. Using different variables in assembling the connection can also lead to different failure types, either bolt failure or excessive bolt hole deformation, which leads to plate failure. Doi: 10.28991/CEJ-2023-09-11-08 Full Text: PDF

Cure characterisation and prediction of thermosetting epoxy for wind turbine blade manufacturing

In the wind industry, the increasing length of turbine blades and the use of thick composite sections make it vital to understand the thermoset and the underlying curing process. In this study, the curing of a specific thermoset epoxy for application in wind turbine blades is characterised by differential scanning calorimetry. The thermoset is analysed under dynamic and isothermal conditions to determine the complex cure behaviour under these various conditions. The data is fitted to determine firstly; the cure kinetics of the material through a kinetic model. Secondly; the phenomenon of the glass transition temperature Tg is studied to predict the development of Tg as a function of the degree of cure. Thirdly, a Diffusion-Kinetic model was utilised to make more accurate cure predictions based on the interaction between kinetic chemical reactions and diffusion control affecting the reaction rate through the incorporation of the glass transition temperature. A simple experimental framework for validating the diffusion-kinetic model was used to make a final validation of the model predictions on a larger scale. A set of final parameters is presented for application in a full diffusion-kinetic model for cure predictions and simulations beyond this study.

Effective measurement of starch and dry matter content in fresh cassava tubers using interactance Vis/NIR spectra

The quality of cassava in this study was indexed according to the starch content (SC) and dry matter content (DM). The NIR spectroscopy had the potential to measure changes in SC and DM of field-grown cassava. However, due to the non-homogenous nature of cassava root and its unpredictable shape, measuring it using NIR spectroscopy presents a challenge. Therefore, the model developed from different scanning method (horizontal and vertical lines) and surface (original surface, removed brownish outer layer, and fresh surface) were compared. To demonstrate that the model performance could improve by using a few significant wavelengths, its accuracy was compared using either the full wavelength or individual wavelengths selected by bootstrapping soft shrinkage analysis (BOSS) and competitive adaptive reweighted sampling (CARS) methods. Finally, the impact of physical properties (sample sections, peel thickness, varieties, and ages) on model error were determined. The prediction accuracy was found to depend on the scanning method. Since the model developed using horizontal spectra obviously obtained highest accuracy. The difference in surface had no effect on accuracy based on the horizontal spectra. Therefore, original surface scanning was chosen due to its non-destructive performance. The prediction model using the CARS-PLSR method was considered appropriate for predicting SC and BOSS-PLSR for predicting DM, providing R2cal, r2val, SEP, and ratio of prediction to standard deviation (RPD) of 0.69, 0.66, 3.18%, and 1.81, respectively; and 0.63, 0.54, 4.15%, and 1.50, respectively. In addition, the sample section, variety and peel thickness of the cassava root were not effected in the error of prediction.

PSIV-9 Salmate Dha+ Fish Oil Supplement Fed to Boars and Impact on Sperm Production and Spermatogenesis

Abstract Previous studies have found omega-3 fatty acid supplementation increased sperm production in boars, but the mechanism has not been demonstrated. The current study was undertaken to determine if the increase in sperm production was due to a reduction in germ cell apoptosis during spermatogenesis. Mature Duroc boars (438 to 686 days of age) were fed either a control diet of corn, soybean meal, 5% fiber, plus vitamins and minerals per NRC requirements or the control diet plus a proprietary blend of fish oil, Salmate DHA+ supplemented diet with 1.83 gm DHA (Docosahexaenoic Acid, c22:6 omega3) from 26 gm Salmate DHA+ (The Ballard Group, Inc. and Feedworks USA, LTD.) ∙animal-1∙day-1 added to the control diet. The control diet was fed to all boars (n = 10) for 62 days and then Salmate DHA+ was added to the diet of 5 of the boars while the other 5 continued the control diet for another 62 days. At the end of the experiment all boars were slaughtered, the testes collected, slices removed, fixed with Karnovsky’s fixative, post-fixed with 70% ethanol, embedded with acrylic resin, 2-micron sections taken, and sections stained with Toluidine Blue. During the control and Salmate DHA+ feeding, boars were on routine semen collection. The boar stud provided the date of collection, total sperm collected, and age of individual boars. To confirm the impact on sperm production, semen data was evaluated for all boars on the first 62 days of the control diet (before period) and then for control and Salmate DHA+ boars from day 22 to 62 after Salmate DHA+ feeding started (after period). A total of 107 ejaculates were evaluated in the study. Total sperm per ejaculate (X 109) of the control boars was 105.7 ± 7.3 vs. 110.9 ± 10.4 in the before vs. after period (P >0.05). The total sperm per ejaculate (X 109) in the Salmate DHA+ boarswas 103.4 ± 5 vs. 122.8 ± 7 in the before vs. after period (P < 0.05). To examine apoptosis via histology, the number of round spermatids (RS) and Sertoli cells (SC) were counted in 10 stage 1 seminiferous tubules for each boar with adjustments made for cell nucleoli or nuclei size and thickness of the histology section. The ratio of RS/SC or Sertoli Cell Index was then determined to estimate how many RS survived apoptosis in spermatogenesis. The Sertoli Cell index was 9.46 ± 0.84 vs. 15.03 ± 0.97, respectively, for Control and Salmate DHA+ boars (P < 0.01). The number of RS/SC increased 1.59-fold due to Salmate DHA+ treatment and may explain the increased sperm per ejaculate after Salmate DHA+treatment. The exact mechanism of how apoptosis was reduced however awaits further research. Work was supported by The Ballard Group, Inc and Feedworks USA, LTD.

Lymphatic vessels accompanying dorsal and basal dural sinuses in the human brain

Recent investigations showed the presence of meningeal lymphatic vessels (mLVs) along the superior sagittal and transverse dural sinuses which drain both fluid and immune cells from the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) to the deep cervical lymph nodes. This study uses immunohistochemistry (IHC) and the Western Blot technique to show the presence of mLV accompanying the dorsal (superior sagittal, inferior sagittal, transverse, sigmoid, and straight) and basal (cavernous, sphenoparietal, superior, and inferior petrosal) dural sinuses in the human brain. Samples for IHC were obtained from dorsal and basal meningeal dural sinuses of 3 human cadavers and 3 autopsies. Routine histological techniques were carried out for the specimens. Podoplanin (PDPN, lymphatic vessel endothelial cell marker) and CD31 (vascular endothelial cell marker) IHC staining were applied to the 5 µm thick paraffin sections. Furthermore, PDPN and CD31 protein expressions were evaluated using Western Blot to the tissue samples from the same regions of 4 autopsies. Two consecutive sections from each sinus were PDPN, and CD31 was stained to differentiate blood vessels (BV) from mLV. The IHC staining showed the presence of mLVs accompanying both dorsal and basal dural sinuses. The mLVs accompanying the dorsal dural sinuses had a larger dimensions range compared to the basal dural sinuses. However, the number of mLVs along the basal dural sinuses was more than the mLVs along the dorsal ones. Further, fluid channels were closely localized to the mLV, with varying diameters and densities. Western Blotting technique showed the presence of PDPN expression in both dorsal and basal dural sinus samples. The knowledge of the presence of mLV along both dorsal and basal dural sinuses in humans can increase the understanding of how mLV contributes to the brain lymphatic circulation and may help understand the neuropathophysiological processes of various neurological diseases.

Spatial Proteomics toward Subcellular Resolution by Coupling Deep Ultraviolet Laser Ablation with Nanodroplet Sample Preparation.

Multiplexed molecular profiling of tissue microenvironments, or spatial omics, can provide critical insights into cellular functions and disease pathology. The coupling of laser microdissection with mass spectrometry-based proteomics has enabled deep and unbiased mapping of >1000 proteins. However, the throughput of laser microdissection is often limited due to tedious two-step procedures, sequential laser cutting, and sample collection. The two-step procedure also hinders the further improvement of spatial resolution to <10 μm as needed for subcellular proteomics. Herein, we developed a high-throughput and high-resolution spatial proteomics platform by seamlessly coupling deep ultraviolet (DUV) laser ablation (LA) with nanoPOTS (Nanodroplet Processing in One pot for Trace Samples)-based sample preparation. We demonstrated the DUV-LA system can quickly isolate and collect tissue samples at a throughput of ∼30 spots/min and a spatial resolution down to 2 μm from a 10 μm thick human pancreas tissue section. To improve sample recovery, we developed a proximity aerosol collection approach by placing DMSO droplets close to LA spots. We demonstrated the DUV-LA-nanoPOTS platform can detect an average of 1312, 1533, and 1966 proteins from ablation spots with diameters of 7, 13, and 19 μm, respectively. In a proof-of-concept study, we isolated and profiled two distinct subcellular regions of the pancreas tissue revealed by hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining. Quantitative proteomics revealed proteins specifically enriched to subcellular compartments.

Comparison of thermal characteristics of three modifications of gravity heat pipe with threaded evaporator at different inclination angles

In this paper, the thermal characteristics of three modifications of a gravity heat pipe with a threaded evaporator (cylindrical, semi-flattened, and flattened) under natural convection conditions are experimentally investigated. That is considered to be of practical interest for the use in energy-efficient passive cooling systems of electronics for various purposes (LED lighting devices, batteries of electric vehicles, transmission modules of radars, etc.). The length of the gravity heat pipe was 230 mm, the primary diameter was 12 mm, the thickness of the flattened sections was 5.5 mm, and the working fluid was Freon 141b. The input power was varied from 5 W to 50 W (in 5 W increments) at tilt angles of 0°, 15°, 30°, 45°, 60°, and 90°. This paper presents the analysis of the flattening effect on various parameters, including the temperature in the heating zone, temperature distribution along the length of the gravity heat pipe, thermal resistance, and effective thermal conductivity. It is established that the semi-flattened heat pipe exhibits the best thermal characteristics. Moreover, this study reveals the influence of the orientation of the flattened part of the gravity heat pipe relative to the horizontal plane (parallel or perpendicular to it) on its thermal characteristics. The results obtained indicate the prospects of using semi-flattened and flattened gravitational heat pipes with a threaded evaporator in passive air-cooling systems for electronics with input power values up to 50 W, for example, in passive cooling systems for LED devices, power amplifiers for transmitting modules, etc.

Solidification analysis for variable thickness aluminum castings: simulation and chill design insights

Manufacturing high-quality casting parts with complex geometries requires high engineering skill and precision. One essential quality concern is isolated hot spots within the castings, often in thick sections. Each hot spot must be consistently fed or mitigated through directional solidification techniques. The impact of various mold sands and the geometry of chill parts on solidification direction was investigated using specialized casting and general-purpose simulation programs. A parametric optimization method was employed to analyze directional solidification to adjust the geometry of the chill parts. The results indicate that employing diverse mold sands to enhance cooling in the thick sections was a viable strategy for achieving directional solidification in parts where the feeding pathway is obstructed due to changes in cross-section. Furthermore, the study revealed that intricate details in the chill part’s geometry are not critical; however, a minimum volume (or weight) was necessary for adequate directional solidification. Lastly, an easily applicable mathematical model has been developed to determine the required volume of chill parts to ensure successful directional solidification.

Effects of Meningic Extract on Testicular Torsion/Detorsion

Introduction: Testicular torsion leads to impaired blood supply to the testicles and ischaemia. The incidence is higher especially in newborns and adolescents. As in the treatment of many diseases, various plant combinations are used to prevent the damage caused by testicular torsion-detorsion. In this study, we aimed to investigate the protective effect of meningic (Pistacia terebinthus L.) extract on testicular torsion-detorsion (T/D) injury histopathologically.&#x0D; Materials and Methods: The 24 animals used in our experiment were randomly divided into 3 groups. Testicular tissues were stained with hematoxylin-eosin and PAS stains to evaluate histological changes. Modified Johnsen scoring was then performed.&#x0D; Results: In the sham group sections, seminiferous tubules were regular and germinal epithelium at various stages of spermatogenesis was seen in 4-5 rows on the basal lamina. In PAS stained sections of the sham group, the basement membrane was regular. In the sections of T/D group, destruction of seminiferous tubules, dilatation and congestion were observed in the vessels in the interstitial area. Thickening of the basal laminae of the seminiferous tubules was also detected in the sections of the T/D group stained with PAS. In the sections of meningic + T/D group, a partial recovery was observed in the seminiferous tubules. The basal lamina thickness in PAS-stained sections of meningic + T/D group was found to be close to normal. According to the results of modified Johnsen score analysis, there was a significant difference between the groups (p&lt;0.05).&#x0D; Conclusion: In our study, it was concluded that meningih extract partially protects the testis and its functions.&#x0D; Keywords: Testicular injury, torsion, detorsion, meningic extract

Experimental and numerical investigation of cold-formed steel telescopic studs under compression

This paper presents a thorough experimental and numerical investigation into the structural behaviour of a novel cold-formed steel (CFS) telescopic stud system under axial compression. A total of 40 specimens were tested, considering variations in screw configurations, steel grades, and section thicknesses. The test results revealed that tilting and bearing led to failure in all screw connections. In comparison to the single-screw connection with a gap at the middle of the web, the telescopic studs with 2 screws in the web, 2 screws in the flanges, and 4 screws in both the web and flanges showed approximately 35–37% higher strengths. A nonlinear explicit dynamic finite element model was then developed and validated against the test results in terms of its connection strengths and failure modes. The experimental results were compared with the design strengths determined by the current design standards (AISI S100 (2016), AS/NZS 4600 (2018), Eurocode 3 (2006), BS5950–5 (1998) and GB50018 (2002).). The comparison results revealed that the AISI S100 (2016) and AS/NZS 4600 (2018) are conservative, underestimating the connection strengths of telescopic studs with different screw layouts by 1–13%.

Blood flow restriction training on physical parameters in elite male canoe athletes.

To investigate the effect blood flow restriction (BFR) exercises on muscle size, strength and athletic performance in elite canoe athletes aged 18 to 25 years. This was a randomized controlled trial. The participants were divided into 2 groups: the intervention group (INT-gr) (n = 17, age: 18.59 ± 0.71 years) and the control group (CONT-gr) (n = 16, age: 18.81 ± 1.11 years). Anthropometric measurements, muscle size measured by ultrasound (US), strength measurements with an isokinetic dynamometer, and ergometer performance with an indoor ergometer were conducted before and after the exercise program. Knee flexion and extension and leg press one-repetition maximum (1 RM) tests were performed to determine the participants' training program. The INT-gr performed 1 RM 30% resistance training + BFR for 8 weeks, while the CONT-gr performed 1 RM 30% resistance training (RT) without BFR with their routine training program. US was used to measure the cross sectional area (CSA) and thickness of the quadriceps femoris (QF) and Hamstring (H) muscles in the pre-post design, and the isokinetic dynamometer was used to measure the strength of bilateral 60˚/s and 300˚/s peak torque (PT) values of the QF and H. Sports performance was tested on an indoor ergometer at distances of 200, 500, and 1000 m. The changes in bilateral rectus femoris (RF) CSA and VL thickness measurements in the INT-gr were significant (P < .05). Ergometer performance measurements showed a significant improvement over CONT-gr at all distances (P < .05). In terms of strength scores measured by the isokinetic dynamometer, the right QF and H 300˚/s and the left QF 60˚/s PT values were significantly in favor of INT-gr. BFR exercises are effective to increase strength, muscle size, and ergometer performance in elite canoe athletes.

Fatal upper aerodigestive tract obstruction in an East Asian finless porpoise (Neophocaena asiaeorientalis sunameri): findings in post-mortem computed tomography.

The present case report aims to outline the post-mortem findings of an East Asian finless porpoise with upper aerodigestive tract obstruction using different post-mortem computed tomography (PMCT) visualization techniques and discusses the potential cause of death of this individual. A dead-stranded adult male East Asian finless porpoise was recovered from the Northern coast of Jeju Island, Republic of Korea. The carcass was frozen in Jeju National University within 2h upon first reported. The PMCT examinations were performed at 120 kVp, 200 mAs with a section thickness of 1mm. The scan field of view (sFOV) was set to 400mm. Four image rendering techniques, including multi-planar reconstruction, three-dimensional volume rendering, perspective volume rendering, and minimum intensity projection technique, were used to aid the diagnosis of upper aerodigestive tract obstruction in the stranded finless porpoise. Conventional necropsy was performed to provide a complete necropsy report. Using PMCT, a Sebastidae of 24cm measured length was found to be lodged in the left pharyngeal food channel and esophagus of the finless porpoise. Hard rays of the pectoral fin of the lodged fish have impaled the esophageal mucosa. Fishing gear was found to embed at the dorsal side of the lodged fish. The trachea was compressed ventrally and the arytenoepiglottic tube opening has been narrowed, which may precipitate to the finless porpoise difficult breathing. Pulmonary hyperinflation, pulmonary edema, pneumothorax, pneumopericardium, and pneumorrhachis were observed. This case report represents the first documentation of potential radiological indicators of upper aerodigestive tract obstruction in the East Asian finless porpoise using PMCT. Spatial location of the lodged item could be rendered in situ as the time of death. It has demonstrated that PMCT could provide objective measurements to adjunct the necropsy findings in diagnosis of fatal aerodigestive tract obstruction in stranded cetaceans.

Long-term organotypic brain slices cultured on collagen-based microcontact prints: A perspective for a brain-on-a-chip

Organotypic brain slices are three-dimensional 150 µm–thick sections of a postnatal day 10 mouse and can be cultured for several weeks in vitro. In such brain slices the complex cellular connections are preserved with a high viability. These brain slices can be connected to collagen-loaded microcontact prints to develop a simple brain-on-a-chip model. Using the microcontact printing technique, many peptides or proteins can be printed onto a semipermeable membrane and linked to brain slices. On these microcontact prints, brain-derived nerve fibers grow out, or microglia can get activated and migrate out, or also new brain vessels can be formed. Such a brain-on-a-chip model may allow to develop new drugs or a diagnostic method for neurodegenerative diseases.

PROTECTIVE ROLE OF OLIVE OIL IN THE DOXORUBICIN INDUCED OVARIAN TOXICITY IN FEMALE RATS

Background: The pathophysiological effect of chemotherapy on female reproductive system is complex. The current study aimed to determine the protective effect of olive oil extract against doxorubicin induced ovarian toxicity in female rats. Methods: This was an analytical experimental randomized control study carried out in the Department of Anatomy, Peshawar Medical College. Twenty-four female rats weighing 200–250 g were included and were divided into 3 groups, i.e., control group, experimental group-I and experimental group-II. Animals were weighed at the beginning of the experiment and before their sacrifice. The ovaries were obtained after their sacrifice. Five (5) µm thick sections were cut and stained with H &amp; E stain, and Massan Trichome to see the changes the ovarian follicles. Data was entered and analysed on SPSS-20. Independent sample t-test and Chi-square test were used to measure the difference between and within groups, and p?0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: A significant increase in the mean weight of rats in control group and experimental group-II was observed (p&lt;0.05) while a post-experiment significant decrease in the mean body weight of rats in experimental group-I was seen (p&gt;0.05). There was no significant difference in number of primordial and secondary ovarian follicles within the groups (p&gt;0.05) while a statistical significant difference in number on primary ovarian follicles, atretic follicles and nuclear fragments within the groups (p&lt;0.05). Conclusion: The co-administration of olive oil has shown a protective effects against the doxorubicin induced ovarian toxicity in female rats. Pak J Physiol 2023;19(3):31–5

Numerical and experimental investigation of the melt removal mechanism and burr formation during laser cutting of metals

During laser fusion cutting, burr forms when the molten metal does not sufficiently exit the interaction zone. When it forms on the lower edge of the cut flank, burr becomes a factor limiting quality. Previous research has shown that a temporally regular and spatially localized melt flow can prevent the formation of burr. However, the high dynamics of the subprocesses involved can cause intrinsic instabilities that disrupt the flow and reduce the efficiency of the melt ejection. This paper presents a study on the correlation between process parameters, melt flow properties, and burr formation. It includes an experimental observation of the melt-flow dynamics using high-speed videography. In addition, a Computational Fluid Dynamics model was set up to examine fundamental flow properties, some of which are not observable experimentally. The dependency of the burr formation on the liquid Weber and Reynolds numbers is analyzed, and it is demonstrated how the magnitude and allocation of vapor pressure gradients in the kerf decisively affect melt ejection and burr formation. Additionally, a previously unknown melt ejection regime is identified in the thick section range, which occurs at feed rates close to the maximum cutting speed under specific high-power process conditions. This regime is characterized by a significantly increased process efficiency that could open up a new high-speed process window.

Midgut health of Apis mellifera workers on oral administration of Lactobacillus rhamnosus and organic acids

A study about the provision of Lactobacillus rhamnosus NR_113332) and organic acids was carried out. 108 colony-forming units of probiotics were provided to the caged workers with and without the addition of 2.99% lactic acid, 2.91% acetic acid, and 1.96% acetic acid. After two weeks of oral administration, on termination, five bees were collected and dissected from each cage, and their midguts were cut into 8 μm thick sections by microtome. Subsequently, these histologically processed preparations were observed under camera fitted microscope. It was observed that the experimental workers were provided with diets: (pollen+ 50% w/v sucrose in 1.96% acetic acid, pollen+ L. rhamnosus in 50% w/v sucrose in distilled water, pollen+ L. rhamnosus in 50% w/v sucrose in 2.99% lactic acid, pollen+ L. rhamnosus in 50% w/v sucrose in 2.91% acetic acid, pollen+ L. rhamnosus in 50% w/v sucrose in 1.96% acetic acid) had a considerable quantity of peritrophic membranes. The mean midgut lumen diameters (µm2) were 373.33 ± 98.38, 296.67 ± 23.33, 243.33 ± 71.72, 426.67 ± 40.55, 576.67 ± 93.87 as compared to control’s 240.00 ± 30.55. The provision of probiotic and organic acids resulted in a slightly disturbed midgut epithelial wall, the presence of more quantity of peritrophic membranes, saved regeneration crypts, more gastric cells discharging, and some cytoplasmic vacuolization of caged worker bees. Our study suggests that probiotics and organic acids can be used as an environmentally friendly apipromotor, but verification by field studies is needed.

An intelligent workflow for sub-nanoscale 3D reconstruction of intact synapses from serial section electron tomography

BackgroundAs an extension of electron tomography (ET), serial section electron tomography (serial section ET) aims to align the tomographic images of multiple thick tissue sections together, to break through the volume limitation of the single section and preserve the sub-nanoscale voxel size. It could be applied to reconstruct the intact synapse, which expands about one micrometer and contains nanoscale vesicles. However, there are several drawbacks of the existing serial section ET methods. First, locating and imaging regions of interest (ROIs) in serial sections during the shooting process is time-consuming. Second, the alignment of ET volumes is difficult due to the missing information caused by section cutting and imaging. Here we report a workflow to simplify the acquisition of ROIs in serial sections, automatically align the volume of serial section ET, and semi-automatically reconstruct the target synaptic structure.ResultsWe propose an intelligent workflow to reconstruct the intact synapse with sub-nanometer voxel size. Our workflow includes rapid localization of ROIs in serial sections, automatic alignment, restoration, assembly of serial ET volumes, and semi-automatic target structure segmentation. For the localization and acquisition of ROIs in serial sections, we use affine transformations to calculate their approximate position based on their relative location in orderly placed sections. For the alignment of consecutive ET volumes with significantly distinct appearances, we use multi-scale image feature matching and the elastic with belief propagation (BP-Elastic) algorithm to align them from coarse to fine. For the restoration of the missing information in ET, we first estimate the number of lost images based on the pixel changes of adjacent volumes after alignment. Then, we present a missing information generation network that is appropriate for small-sample of ET volume using pre-training interpolation network and distillation learning. And we use it to generate the missing information to achieve the whole volume reconstruction. For the reconstruction of synaptic ultrastructures, we use a 3D neural network to obtain them quickly. In summary, our workflow can quickly locate and acquire ROIs in serial sections, automatically align, restore, assemble serial sections, and obtain the complete segmentation result of the target structure with minimal manual manipulation. Multiple intact synapses in wild-type rat were reconstructed at a voxel size of 0.664 nm/voxel to demonstrate the effectiveness of our workflow.ConclusionsOur workflow contributes to obtaining intact synaptic structures at the sub-nanometer scale through serial section ET, which contains rapid ROI locating, automatic alignment, volume reconstruction, and semi-automatic synapse reconstruction. We have open-sourced the relevant code in our workflow, so it is easy to apply it to other labs and obtain complete 3D ultrastructures which size is similar to intact synapses with sub-nanometer voxel size.

Protective effect of paeoniflorin in diabetic nephropathy: A preclinical systematic review revealing the mechanism of action.

Paeoniflorin (PF), the main active glucoside of Paeonia Lactiflora, has many pharmacological activities, such as inhibition of vasodilation, hypoglycemia, and immunomodulation. Although the current evidence has suggested the therapeutic effects of PF on diabetic nephropathy (DN), its potential mechanism of action is still unclear. A systematic review and meta-analysis of the existing literature on paeoniflorin treatment in DN animal models was performed to evaluate the efficacy and mechanism of PF in DN animal models. The risk of bias in each study was judged using the CAMARADES 10-item quality checklist with the number of criteria met varying from 4 / 10 to 7 / 10, with an average of 5.44. From inception to July 2022, We searched eight databases. We used the Cochrane Collaboration's 10-item checklist and RevMan 5.3 software to assess the risk of bias and analyze the data. Three-dimensional dose/time-effect analyses were conducted to examine the dosage/time-response relations between PF and DN. Nine animal studies were systematically reviewed to evaluate the effectiveness of PF in improving animal models of DN. Meta-analysis data and intergroup comparisons indicated that PF slowed the index of mesangial expansion and tubulointerstitial injury, 24-h urinary protein excretion rate, expression of anti-inflammatory mediators (mRNA of MCP-1, TNF-α, iNOS, and IL-1 β), and expression of immune downstream factors (P-IRAK1, TIRF, P-IRF3, MyD88, and NF-κBp-p65). Furthermore, modeling methods, animal species, treatment duration, thickness of tissue sections during the experiment, and experimental procedures were subjected to subgroup analyses. The present study demonstrated that the reno-protective effects of PF were associated with its inhibition on macrophage infiltration, reduction of inflammatory mediators, and immunomodulatory effects. In conclusion, PF can effectively slow down the progression of DN and hold promise as a protective drug for the treatment of DN. Due to the low bioavailability of PF, further studies on renal histology in animals are urgently needed. We therefore recommend an active exploration of the dose and therapeutic time frame of PF in the clinic and in animals. Moreover, it is suggested to actively explore methods to improve the bioavailability of PF to expand the application of PF in the clinic.

Investigation of cold work effect, Karren (AISI) and ECCS (Euro Code3) equations validity and tension failure modes in thick plate cold-formed steel angle sections

In this study, tensile behavior of thick cold-formed steel angles with the thickness ranges from 2 to 15 mm was investigated experimentally. For the comparison purposes, corresponding steel strips were also tested and the yield stress, ultimate strength and over-strength factor, and tension failure modes of the two sets of specimens were compared. In order to verify the accuracy of Karren equation in predication of the average yield stress of the studied thick cold-formed steel angles, the results of experimental study was compared with that of this equation. The Karren equation was expanded to account for the effects of virgin plate ductility and inside bend radius of cold-formed steel angle section in determination of the over-strength factor and accordingly, practical design curves were proposed. ECCS(Euro Code3) formula was discussed and in order to evaluation of its accuracy, its calculated results were compared with the test results and Karren(AISI) equation calculated results, tension failure modes of the cold-formed and hot rolled angles and their tension stress distribution caused of cold work effect was studied.