Value Of Fi Research Articles

Antibacterial Activity And Stability Test Of Bidara Leaf Extract Toothpaste (Ziziphus mauritiana Lam) Against The Growth Of Streptococcus Mutans

Bidara leaf extract (BLE) with a concentration of 20% proven to inhibit the growth of Streptococcus mutans bacteria with an inhibitory zone of 12.00 mm. The content compounds in bidara leaves includes alkaloids, flavonoids, tannins and saponins. The purpose of this study was determine the physical properties, stability and antibacterial activity of toothpaste preparations with differences in the concentration of BLE, namely FI(15%), FII(20%) and FIII(25%). The extraction method used is remaceration with 70% ethanol solvent, while the antibacterial activity inhibition method uses slurry diffusion. Results valuation of physical properties of pH parameters FI(7.4±0.1); FII(7.1±0.1) and FIII(7.0±0.1), viscosity parameters FI(5,581.5±61.25); FII (5,801.9±9.60) and FIII (6,000.7±8.01). From results of the Onewayanova test, the difference extract concentration has a significant effect on pH and viscosity parameters (p-value<0.05). While the value of foam formation FI(7.4±0.1); FII(7.3±0.3) and FIII(7±0.1), from the results of Onewayanova test difference in extract concentration did not have a significant effect on the foam formation parameter (p-value>0.05). The results of stability T-test differences in the concentration of toothpaste extracts are stable on pH parameters, and FI on foam formation parameters due to sig.values (2-tailed<0.05). While the difference in toothpaste extract concentration is unstable in viscosity parameters and FII, FIII in foam formation parameters due to sig.values (2-tailed<0.05). In antibacterial testing, BLE toothpaste preparations all formulas can inhibit the growth of Streptococcus mutans bacteria with inhibitory zones FI(4.39±0.45cm), FII(5.44±0.49cm) and FIII(8.38±0.28cm). Based on these results, it can be concluded that FIII is the best formula with the largest inhibitory zone value.

Study on the Removal of Oxide Scale Formed on 300 M Steel Special-Shaped Hot Forging Surfaces during Heating at Elevated Temperature by a High-Pressure Water Descaling Process

Numerical simulations and experiments were utilized to study the removal of oxide scale formed on 300 M steel special-shaped hot forging surfaces during heating at elevated temperature by a high-pressure water descaling process. Specifically, the experimental setup of the special-shaped hot forging was designed and manufactured according to the descaling parameters and simulation results obtained from the hot rolling process. The force states of three typical hot forging surfaces impinged by high-pressure water jets were analyzed. Moreover, the mechanism of the high-pressure water descaling process was proposed based on the research results. The numerical simulations and experimental results revealed that the velocity distribution of the high-pressure water jets is relatively different in various areas of the special-shaped hot forging surfaces. Therefore, the descaling performance is synergistically influenced by the velocity of the high-pressure water jet and the shape of the special-shaped hot forging. Given a certain spray pressure, the value of impact force Fi plays a significant role in the descaling of the typical hot forging. The larger the value of Fi on the typical hot forging surface, the easier it is to remove the oxide scale, and vice versa. Accordingly, the difficulty of removing the oxide scale formed on the 300 M steel special-shaped hot forging surfaces during heating at elevated temperature by a high-pressure water descaling process is in the following order: plane surface < convex surface < concave surface. Additionally, only the inner-layer FeO of the oxide scale remained after the high-pressure water descaling process due to the appearance of FeO-Fe2SiO4 eutectic in the FeO layer.

Public-Public Collaboration for Food Safety Risk Management: Essence, Modes, and Identification of Key Influencing Factors Using DANP.

ObjectiveFood safety risk management is an important cross-boundary issue from both theoretical and practical standpoints. Because food safety has the social attributes of public goods, public-public collaboration can be considered a particularly important mode of cross-boundary governance. The study aims to provide a theoretical basis for the Chinese government to promote public-public collaboration for food safety risk management by identifying key factors.MethodsBased on a review of literature across diverse fields, such as political science, sociology, and new public governance, this study discusses the essence, modes, and dilemma of public-public collaboration for food safety risk management using practical explorations in various countries as the main thread and taking into account the actual situation in China. Moreover, this study quantitatively analyzes the relationships between the dimensions and factors affecting public-public collaboration and identifies key dimensions and factors using the Decision-making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory-based Analytic Network Process (DANP).ResultsAmong the 20 factors in the calculation results of DANP, Lawmaking has the highest value of (fi+ei) (7.022) and ranks sixth in terms of influence weight. The (fi+ei)value of Professionalism (6.993) ranks second and its influence weight ranks fourth. The (fi+ei) value of Administrative enforcement (6.722) ranks fifth, and its influence weight ranks seventh. The (fi+ei) value of Improvement of the social environment (6.699) ranks sixth, and its influence weight ranks fifth. The (fi+ei) value of Legal authorization (6.614) ranks seventh, and its influence weight ranks tenth. Data analysis indicated that these are the five key factors affecting the governance capacity in public-public collaboration for food safety risk management.ConclusionThe legal basis is the most important dimension affecting public-public collaboration. Legislation-based governance, administrative law enforcement–based governance, and social environment improvement–based governance in the behavior and capabilities dimension, professionalism in the basic characteristics dimension, and laws and regulations in the legal basis dimension are the five key factors.

Synthesis of nano-α mangostin based on chitosan and Eudragit S 100.

Alpha-mangostin is a xanthone compound isolated from the mangosteen plant (Garcinia mangostana L.), which has various pharmacological activities. However, in its utilization alpha-mangostin is unstable and shows low solubility in the oral delivery system. Nanoparticles can deliver specific drugs to their workplace and increase the solubility. The objectives of this study were to create and characterize the alpha-mangostin nanoparticles based on chitosan and Eudragit® S 100. The nanoparticles were made by the ionic gelation method with comparisons core: Coating FI (1:2), FII (1:1), and FIII (2:1). Nanoparticles powder obtained using the spray pyrolysis method. Characterization using Fourier transform infrared indicates that the nanoparticles have been coated properly, and no damage occurred in the formula. The particle sizes for FI, FII, and FII are 373.381 ± 138.023 nm, 398.333 ± 184.977 nm, and 326.567 ± 130.366 nm, respectively, with a smooth surface. The entrapment efficiency value of FI, FII, and FIII are, respectively, 99.7692%, 99.6535%, and 99.476%. Alpha-mangostin was successfully encapsulated in chitosan-tripolyphosphate polymer by ionic gelation method and then coated with Eudragit S 100. Alpha-mangostin chitosan-eudragit nanoparticles (core: Polymer ratio of 1:2) yielded more entrapment efficiency.

Clinical Value of Serum Fibrosis Biomarkers in Prediction of Esophageal Varices in Cirrhotic Patients

AbstractBackground: Esophageal varices is one of the major com-plications of portal hypertension, occur in approximately 30%-70% of cirrhotic patients. As portal hypertension is a consequence of liver fibrosis, serum fibrosis biomarkers could serve as non invasive predictors for esophageal varices and their grades.Aim of Study: Determine the frequency and grading of esophageal varices in a group of cirrhotic patients with no history of upper gastrointestinal bleeding, and also evaluate and compare the predictive value of APRI, AAR, FIB-4, FI, and king scores in predicting the presence of varices and their grade.Patients and Methods: One hundred and one cirrhotic patients were included in the study. The diagnosis of liver cirrhosis was based on clinical, laboratory and ultrasonographic data. An upper GIT endoscopic examination was performed for all patients for the diagnosis of presence or absence of esophageal varices. Serum fibrosis biomarkers were calculated from data available on the first day hospital admission and used as prognostic indicators for presence and grade of esophageal varices.Results: Patients with esophageal varices had significantly lower mean values of platelet counts and albumin levels than those without esophageal varices (p=0.015, p=0.045; respec-tively). Also there was a significant difference between patients with and without esophageal varices as regard FI score (p= 0.016). Patients with medium to large esophageal varices had significantly lower mean values of platelet counts than those with no to mild esophageal varices. Also there was a significant difference between patients with medium to large esophageal varices and those with no to mild esophageal varices as regard FI, FI B-4 and King scores (p=0.003, p=0.001, p=0.017; respectively). The FI score was accurate in predicting presence of esophageal varices in cirrhotic patients. Using 3.52 cut-off value, a prediction of presence or absence of EV could be made in 62.4% of cirrhotic patients. FIB-4 (cut off value 3.64), FI (cut off value 3.65) and King (cut off value 26.65) scores may perform better in prediction of high grade esopha-geal varices than in prediction of presence of esophageal varices.Conclusion: Fibrosis index prediction score at cut off value 3.52 is a moderately sensitive noninvasive tool that can predict the presence of esophageal varices in cirrhotic patients with acceptable accuracy. Thus can reduce the burden and make screening for esophageal varices less stressful for the patients. The combination of FI score (cut off value 3.64), FIB-4 score (cut off value 3.65) and King's score (cut off value 26.65) could be used as an initial screening tests to detect patients with high risk EV for whom endoscopy may be more beneficial. Hence the benefit of doing upper endoscopy overweight the burden of this maneuver.

The frailty index is a predictor of cause-specific mortality independent of familial effects from midlife onwards: a large cohort study

BackgroundFrailty index (FI) is a well-established predictor of all-cause mortality, but less is known for cause-specific mortality and whether familial effects influence the associations. Middle-aged individuals are also understudied for the association between FI and mortality. Furthermore, the population mortality impact of frailty remains understudied.MethodsWe estimated the predictive value of FI for all-cause and cause-specific mortality, taking into account familial factors, and tested whether the associations are time-dependent. We also assessed the proportion of all-cause and cause-specific deaths that are attributable to increased levels of frailty. We analyzed 42,953 participants from the Screening Across the Lifespan Twin Study (aged 41–95 years at baseline) with up to 20 years’ mortality follow-up. The FI was constructed using 44 health-related items. Deaths due to cardiovascular disease (CVD), respiratory-related causes, and cancer were considered in the cause-specific analysis. Generalized survival models were used in the analysis.ResultsIncreased FI was associated with higher risks of all-cause, CVD, and respiratory-related mortality, with the corresponding hazard ratios of 1.28 (1.24, 1.32), 1.31 (1.23, 1.40), and 1.23 (1.11, 1.38) associated with a 10% increase in FI in male single responders, and 1.21 (1.18, 1.25), 1.27 (1.15, 1.34), and 1.26 (1.15, 1.39) in female single responders. No significant associations were observed for cancer mortality. No attenuation of the mortality associations in unrelated individuals was observed when adjusting for familial effects in twin pairs. The associations were time-dependent with relatively greater effects observed in younger ages. Before the age of 80, the proportions of deaths attributable to FI levels > 0.21 were 18.4% of all-cause deaths, 25.4% of CVD deaths, and 20.4% of respiratory-related deaths in men and 19.2% of all-cause deaths, 27.8% of CVD deaths, and 28.5% of respiratory-related deaths in women. After the age of 80, the attributable proportions decreased, most notably for all-cause and CVD mortality.ConclusionsIncreased FI predicts higher risks of all-cause, CVD, and respiratory-related mortality independent of familial effects. Increased FI presents a relatively greater risk factor at midlife than in old age. Increased FI has a significant population mortality impact that is greatest through midlife until the age of 80.

Correlation between bispectral index, end-tidal anaesthetic gas concentration and difference in inspired-end-tidal oxygen concentration as measures of anaesthetic depth in paediatric patients posted for short surgical procedures.

Background and Aims:Measurement of end-tidal anaesthetic gas concentrations (ETAG) is currently a pragmatic indicator for monitoring anaesthetic depth. We aimed to assess the performance of ETAG for sevoflurane (ETAG-sevo) with bispectral index (BIS) and difference between inspired and end-tidal oxygen concentration (Fi−Et)O2% in measuring anaesthetic depth in toddlers and preschool children. Primary outcome was to correlate BIS with ETAG-sevo. Secondary outcome was to correlate (Fi−Et)O2% with ETAG-sevo and to derive cut-off value of (Fi−Et)O2%which corresponds with light planes of anaesthesia [minimum alveolar concentration (MAC <0.6)].Methods:Thirty patients between 1 and 5 years of age undergoing short procedures were included. ETAG, MAC, BIS and (Fi−Et)O2% were measured at intubation, maintenance phase, last 15 min of surgery, end of surgery, extubation, recovery. Pearson's correlation coefficient was used to measure correlation. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were used to derive cut-off value of (Fi−Et)O2% which corresponded with MAC <0.6.Results:BIS correlated poorly with ETAG at all time intervals. Significant correlation was seen between (Fi−Et)O2% and ETAG at intubation (P = 0.042), last 15 min of surgery (P = 0.019) and end of surgery (P = 0.001). Cut-off value >7 was obtained for (Fi−Et)O2% corresponding to MAC <0.6 at extubation with area under ROC curve0.955 (95% confidence interval 0.811–0.997), with sensitivity 0.8571 and specificity 1.00.Conclusion:BIS was an unreliable measure of anaesthetic depth. (Fi−Et)O2% values >7 corresponded with light planes of anaesthesia.

EFFECT OF DIETARY ENERGY LEVELS WITH OR WITHOUT SELENIUM AND CHOLINE SUPPLEMENTATION ON PERFORMANCE OF BROILER CHICKENS

This research was conducted to study the impact of using two levels of ME (recommended (R) and R-150 Kcal/Kg diet) and each with four type of addition (without Se or choline supplementation, 0.1 mg Se/Kg diet in the form of organic Se as Sel-Plex (Se yeast), 0.10% of choline and 0.05 mg Se/Kg diet + 0.05% choline in 2 x 4 factorial arrangement (giving eight dietary treatments) on growth performance of Cobb broiler chickens. Accordingly, a total number of 192 one-day old unsexed Cobb broiler chickens were firstly fed a control diet for five days. At six day of age, chicks were randomly allotted to the dietary treatments, birds were divided into eight treatments (24 birds each) and each treatment contained three replicates (eight birds each). Results obtained could be summarized in the following: Performance: Chicks fed diet containing recommended level of ME (R)-150 Kcal/Kg diet had significantly higher values of LBW at 41 days and LBWG, FI, GR, PI during the period from 6 to 41 days, while, chicks fed diet containing R had significantly lower values during the same previous periods. Chicks fed R-150 Kcal/Kg had the best FC, CPC and CCR during the period from 25 to 41 days, and those fed R-150 Kcal/Kg had the best CCR during the period from 6 to 41 days. Type of addition and interaction due to level of ME effect X type of addition (experimental treatments) had insignificant effect on LBW, LBWG, FC, CPC, CCR, GR and PI during the periods from 25 to 41 and 6 to 41 days (finisher and over all experimental period). Chicks fed diet containing R with 0.05 mg Se/Kg diet and 0.05% choline had higher value of FI during the period from 6 to 41 days. Slaughter parameters% and blood constituents: neither level of ME, type of addition nor interaction due to level of ME effect X type of addition had any significant effect on slaughter parameters% and blood constituents except, type of addition with dressing% and bursa, which was significantly affected. Chicks fed diet containing 0.1 mg Se/Kg diet as Sel-Plex had higher value of dressing percentage. Also, interaction due to level of ME effect X type of addition, which was significantly affected of total leucocytes. Chicks fed diet containing R-150 Kcal/Kg diet with 0.1% choline had higher value of total leucocytes at the end of the experiment. GSH-PX activity were significantly (P≤0.01) affected by level of ME and type of addition, chicks fed 0.1 mg Se/Kg diet as Sel-Plex had higher value of GSH-PX at 41 days. Chemical composition of broiler meat: Level of ME, type of addition and interaction due to level of ME effect X type of addition had insignificant effect on chemical composition of broiler meat, except, moisture %, which was significantly affected. Economic efficiency (EEf): EEf values during the period from 6 to 41 days of age improved in chicks fed all experimental diets, except, chicks fed diet containing recommended level of ME with 0.05 mg Se/Kg diet as Sel-Plex plus 0.05% choline (the lowest corresponding values, being 0.126 and 95.74%, respectively), as compared with those fed the control diet. Chicks fed diet 7 (R-150 Kcal/Kg diet plus 0.1% choline) had the best Economic and relative efficiency values being 0.251 and 191.34%, respectively. It would be concluded that: It can be concluded that, dietary ME can be reduced from the recommended level up to 150 Kcal/Kg diet and supplement these diets with 0.1 mg Se/Kg diet as Sel-Plex or/and 0.1% choline without affecting Cobb broiler performance.

Kajian Kepuasan Pengguna Rumah Bantuan Cinta Kasih Panteriek Banda Aceh

Post-disaster earthquake and tsunami December 26, 2004 Aceh region suffered a devastation in the field of infrastructure is quite wide, especially housing that amounted to ± 123,000 units. The construction of relief housing for disaster victims by relocating one of them is located in the village of Panteriek Lueng Bata district of Banda Aceh under the name of Cinta Kasih Housing built by Tzu Chi volunteers (Yayasan Budha Tzu Chi Indonesia) of 716 houses. This study aims to determine the level of satisfaction of the people who use Rumah Cinta Kasih Panteriek assistance and analyze the dominant factors of satisfaction level from the location, building design, product quality, facilities and infrastructure. Determination of this research sample using slovin formula obtained 83 house units as a sample of 486 housing units that have not changed shape. Methods used mix methods between qualitative and quantitative where in the primary data collection using cluster sampling technique, then the data is analyzed by index frequency. This research begins with a pre-survey process where tested the questionnaire to determine the level of validity and reliability on each item question tested to 10 respondents. Pre-survey results show that the validity value of 0,31 – 0,70greater than 0.3 while the reliability value 0,86 greater than 0,6 with the sense that the questionnaire is feasible used in this study. The results showed that as many as 16% of respondents answered very satisfied and 28% answered satisfied; 21% answered quite satisfied; 15% answered not satisfied; and 20% of respondents answered very dissatisfied with the Cinta Kasih Panteriek. The dominant factor causing dissatisfaction of the householder is clean water (PDAM or drilled well) with value FI = 0,28; (FI = 0,36), land area (FI = 0,38), and house size (FI = 0,38). While the most dominant factor of the satisfaction of home users is access to the highway with the value of FI = 0,80. From the results of this study it can be concluded that the main cause of dissatisfaction of people in Cinta Kasih Panteriek caused by inadequate network of water supply as basic human needs in carrying out its activities.

CHANGES IN VOLATILE COMPOUNDS DURING ORTHODOX BLACK TEA (Camellia sinensis) MANUFACTURING

The content of volatile compounds in tea leaves at different stages of OTD black tea manufacture was measured. Aroma concentrate was prepared by Brewed Extraction Method (BEM) and analyzed by GC/MS. The results showed that volatile compounds were products of lipid breakdown (groupI) and derivatives from terpenoids, carotenoids and amino acids (group II). During processing the changes of group I and group II were significantly different from each others and effect to the flavour index. A gradual increase of percentage relative content from 16.72 to 18.09 in the group I volatile compounds was noticed during withering. While during fermentation, the sum of group II compounds content was higher than than that of group I compounds therefore the value of flavour index, and the value of FI is higher than 1.

A frailty index predicts post-liver transplant morbidity and mortality in HIV-positive patients

BackgroundWe hypothesized that frailty acts as a measure of health outcomes in the context of LT. The aim of this study was to explore frailty index across LT, as a measure of morbidity and mortality. This was a retrospective observational study including all consecutive 47 HIV+patients who received LT in Modena, Italy from 2003 to June 2015.Methodsfrailty index (FI) was constructed from 30 health variables. It was used both as a continuous score and as a categorical variable, defining ‘most frail’ a FI > 0.45. FI change across transplant (deltaFI, ΔFI) was calculated as the difference between year 1 FI (FI–Y1) and pre-transplant FI (FI–t0). The outcomes measures were mortality and “otpimal LT” (defined as being alive without multi-morbidity).ResultsMedian value of FI–t0 was 0.48 (IQR 0.42–0.52), FI–Y1 was 0.31 (IQR 0.26–0.41). At year five mortality rate was 45%, “optimal transplant” rate at year 1 was 38%. All the patients who died in the post-LT were most frail in the pre-LT. ΔFI was a predictor of mortality after correction for age and MELD (HR = 1.10, p = 0.006) and was inversely associated with optimal transplant after correction for age (HR = 1.04, p = 0.01).ConclusionsWe validated FI as a valuable health measure in HIV transplant. In particular, we found a relevant correlation between FI strata at baseline and mortality and a statistically significant correlation between, ΔFI and survival rate.

Els marcadors discursius sobre l'arrel &lt;i&gt;fi&lt;/i&gt;. Anàlisi contrastiva català-castellà

Summary: This study presents a contrastive analysis of three pairs of Catalan and Spanish reformulative discourse markers that contain the word fi: en fi / en fin, al cap i a la fi / al fin y al cabo and en definitiva / en definitiva. The specific goals of the paper are: (a) to discern the similarities and differences between the instructions they establish; (b) to study their position in the utterance (initial, medial, final) and their co-occurrence with other conjunctions and (c) to discuss whether their pragmatic functions can be attributed to their morphological patterns and to their degree of grammaticization. Findings suggest that, even though there aren’t differences between the two languages analyzed, there are important differences between the three pairs of markers analyzed: in the instructions that each of them carries out and in their utterance position, and in their co-occurrence with other conjunctions. This study proves that, in practice, the three pairs of reformulative markers are not exchangeable in all discourse contexts, and they cannot be considered synonymous. Finally, despite their degree of grammaticization, their pragmatics functions can be attributed to the value of the word fi. Keywords: Discourse markers, reformulation, contrastive analysis, recapitulation, conclusion

Особливості кореляції рівня функції та спастичності паретичної кінцівки за різних видів тканинної нейротрансплантації на моделі спінальної травми

Мета роботи: дослідити кореляцію рівня спастичності та функції паретичної кінцівки за різних видів тканинної нейротрансплантації на моделі спінальної травми.Матеріали і методи. Тварини – білі безпородні щури-самці (5,5 міс, ~350 г), групи: “контроль” – лівобічний перетин половини поперечника спинного мозку на рівні Т11 (n=16), “ТТНЦ” – аналогічна травма + негайна трансплантація тканини нюхової цибулини зрілого щура в зону ураження спинного мозку (n=34); “ТТФМ” – трансплантація тканини фетального мозочка щура (Е18) за аналогічних умов (n=15); “ТТФН” — трансплантація тканини фетальної нирки щура (Е18) за аналогічних умов (n=8). Дослідження показника функції (ПФ) та показника спастичності (ПС) задньої іпсилатеральної кінцівки (ЗІК) – шкала Basso–Beattie–Bresnahan (ВВВ) та шкала Ashworth відповідно.Результати дослідження та їх обговорення. ТТНЦ забезпечує достовірну перевагу ПФ ЗІК із максимумом на 3-му тижні (3,7±0,5 бала ВВВ) з подальшим поступовим зменшенням до (2,4±0,6) бала ВВВ (24-й тиждень), зменшує вираження спастичності у ранньому періоді травми. ТТФМ перетворює динаміку ПФ ЗІК з прогредієнтної у константну з коливаннями ПФ ЗІК у межах 3–3,6 бала ВВВ протягом усього експерименту, достовірно підвищує рівень спастичності протягом 1–3-го тижня, у подальшому стабілізує ПС ЗІК на рівні 1,8–2,1 бала Ashworth. ТТФН зумовлює наявність прогредієнтної (1-й місяць) та прогредієнтно-константної (6–24-й тиждень) фаз динаміки ПФ ЗІК, достовірно потенціюючи спастичність протягом перших двох тижнів процесу. У динаміці спостереження характерна відсутність кореляції між середніми значеннями ПФ та ПС ЗІК для групи “ТТФМ”, слабка додатна кореляція для групи “контроль”, помірна додатна кореляція для групи “ТТФН”, сильна від’ємна кореляція для групи “ТТНЦ”. Кореляційний аналіз індивідуальних значень ПФ та ПС ЗІК впродовж експерименту та на кожному з термінів спостереження свідчить про переважання від’ємної кореляції між ними.Висновок. Варіативність кореляції між ПФ та ПС ЗІК свідчить про суттєві відмінності широти охоплення супраспінальними впливами популяції мотонейронів ЗІК, їхнього виживання впродовж експерименту за різних видів нейротрансплантації.

Experimental and numerical study on the circumferential pressure distribution on the wall of a 90° elbow pipe with circular section

The 90° elbow is used as the pressure difference sensor to measure the helium mass flow rate in HTR-PM. Water experiments and numerical simulation with a 1/3 scaled model are conducted to study the pressure distribution on the wall of the elbow. Pressure information around the elbow with the inner diameter of 80mm and the ratio of bending radius to diameter of 1.5 is measured by utilizing compactly arranged pressure tappings on the wall of the elbow, and compared with numerical results obtained by using the RNG k-ε model. The influence of pressure tapping hole on the measuring results is analyzed to evaluate the origin of the measurement error. The results reveal that the shape of the circumferential pressure distribution curve is similar to a sine wave and the FFT method is applied to analyze the phase-frequency characteristics. Reconstruction equation is put forward to describe the circumferential pressure distribution with the FFT results. The value of the frequency fi and phase φi of the ith sinusoidal component is determined by the flow symmetry, and equations are proposed to calculate the theoretical values.

Influence of aggregate morphology on the mechanical performance of asphalt mixtures

Aggregate particles strongly influence the behaviour and performance of asphalt mixtures. This study applies a refined version of a recently developed microstructure generator (MG) to computationally produce random aggregate particles with controlled shape parameters (i.e. angularity index [AI] and form index [FI]). These sets of aggregates were used to generate virtual microstructures of asphalt mixtures that were transferred to finite elements and subjected to mechanical loading. A main advantage of using the MG to produce several random microstructures of asphalt mixtures is that it permits to capture the heterogeneity inherent to the material and, therefore, to include the uncertainty related to its mechanical response. The results showed that virtual specimens with aggregates having low values of AI (at a constant value of FI) and high values of FI (at a constant value of AI) presented lower damaged area and smaller overall modulus of the mixture.

Prediction of Instability and Mechanism of Multi-Factor Comprehensive Action on Mine Goaf

In allusion to phenomenon of large instability of underground goaf, research is carried on prediction of instability and mechanism of multi-factor comprehensive action. Firstly, according to large number of examples of instability disaster in mines at home and abroad, influence factors of goaf stability was analyzed, including characteristics of surrounding rock, conditions of engineering geology, engineering properties, structure parameters of goaf and other artificial mining and time etc; then, using BP neural network to establish the comprehensive function matrix RSE, and putting forward a prediction index Fi, this index can be real-time tracking on the actual change conditions of surrounding rock scene in mining goaf, showing the comprehensive action results of each factor on steady state of underground goaf engineering system; finally, on the basis of 36 samples, the stable value and interval value of the corresponding multi-factor comprehensive action index Fi can be obtained after calculation by using comprehensive function matrix RSE. An actual example showed that, value of multi-factor comprehensive action index Fi was-0.8159 in goaf of an iron mine, which was in instability state.

Stress Intensity Factor of an Edge Interface Crack in a Bonded Finite Plate under Arbitrary Material Combination Subjected to Tension

Although a lot of interface crack problems were previously treated, few solutions are available under arbitrary material combinations. This paper deals with an edge interface crack in bonded finite and semi-infinite plates under tension. Then, the effects of material combination on the stress intensity factors are discussed. A useful method to calculate the stress intensity factor of interface crack is presented with focusing on the stresses at the crack tip calculated by the finite element method. The stress intensity factors are indicated in charts under arbitrary material combinations. For small edge interface crack, it is found that the dimensionless stress intensity factors FI and FII are not always finite depending on Dundurs' parameters α and β. In the present study, the variations of the dimensionless stress intensity factors FI and FII are clarified under arbitrary material combination with varying the relative crack length a/W. It is found that when a/W ≤ 0.4 the value of FI increases with increasing α and when a/W ≥ 0.4 the value of FI decreases with increasing α.

Gross growth efficiency as a function of food intake level in the “Pulpito” Octopus tehuelchus: A multimodel inference application

Multimodel inference theory was used to investigate the relationship between gross growth efficiency (GGE) and food intake level (FI) in Octopus tehuelchus for immature octopus kept at 10 °C and 15 °C. Multimodel inference was carried out using the model averaging methodology over the entire set of candidate models. The main results indicated that in O. tehuelchus GGE is an increasing and asymptotic function of FI showing a maximum approaching the partial growth efficiency (PGE). The model-averaged estimates of PGE and maintenance level (MaL) did not differ from those estimated using the rectilinear relationship between growth and FI in previous work. For FI higher than MaL, both GGE and PGE were higher in immature octopus at 10 °C than octopus at 15 °C. It is noteworthy that as FI increases to a satiability state, the difference between GGE at 10 °C and 15 °C decreases as a potential function of FI. These results would indicate that O. tehuelchus maximizes the energy used in growth by keeping a constant MaL for any value of FI. Multimodel inference theory proved to be an efficient tool to build averaged functions taking each candidate model into account. On the other hand, the present work presents a method to understand the intensity feeding needed to reach an optimum growth efficiency, avoiding wasting of food, work energy and investment for octopus rearing or culture activities.

Value of prostate volume measurement using transabdominal ultrasonography for the improvement of prostate-specific antigen-based cancer detection

To examine value of prostate-speci fi c antigen (PSA) adjusted by prostate volume measured using transabdominal ultrasonography in prostate cancer detection among men with elevated PSA. 238 men aged 79 years or younger with serum PSA levels of 2.0-20.0 ng/mL and normal digital rectal examination fi ndings were studied in terms of total and free PSA, prostate volumes with transrectal (TRUS) and transabdominal (TAUS) ultrasonography and transition zone volumes with TRUS prior to transrectal 10-core biopsy. In addition to sole PSA values and the free-to-total PSA ratio, volume-adjusted PSA values, PSA densities determined by TRUS (PSAD(TRUS)), and TAUS (PSAD(TAUS)), and PSA transition zone densities (PSATzD) were compared using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. Prostate cancer was diagnosed in 58 (24.4%) of the 238 men who underwent prostate biopsies. Of the areas under ROC curves (AUC) of studied parameters, PSATzD (AUC 0.751) was the best and signi fi cantly superior to PSAD(TAUS) (AUC 0.664, P = 0.007). However, PSAD(TAUS) exceeded PSA (AUC 0.559, P = 0.004) and showed potential capability of a one-fourth reduction in unnecessary biopsies without spoiling sensitivity (90%). Cancer detection rate was only 4.2% in the 48 patients whose prostate volume in TAUS was > 50 mL and PSAD(TAUS) was < 0.075. Since PSAD(TRUS) and PSATzD were signi fi cantly superior to PSAD(TAUS), TRUS is feasible as the standard fashion to determine prostate volume in the diagnosis of prostate cancers. However, TAUS is also worthwhile as it can improve the prostate cancer detection using sole PSA, and primary use of TAUS has the potential to reduce the substantial number of unnecessary biopsy safely.

Nonlinearity of current-voltage characteristics of the gramicidin channel and the structure of gramicidin molecule

A sensitive method for measuring current-voltage (IV) characteristics of the type I( U) ≈ χ U(1 + β U 2) was employed to study the influence oflipid composition and cholesterol on ionic transport through gramicidin D channels. The nonlinearity coefficient f) of the IV characteristics depended on the electrolyte concentration c, the lipid composition and the cholesterol content. The value of fi was proportional to log( c) for different phospholipids. Considerable differences in β were found for 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (POPC) and choline plasmalogen bilayer lipid membranes (BLMs) at relatively low ionic strengths ( c ≈ 0.01–0.03 M KCl). In this range β < 0 and its absolute value was less for the POPC BLM than for choline plasmalogen. Considerable differences were also found between zwitterionic phospholipids and negatively charged soybean phosphatidylcholine (SBPC) in the concentration range tested (0.01–3 M). Also, the slope of the graph of β versus log( c) was less for SBPC than for the other phospholipids. Almost no differences in the dependence of β on log( c) were found between chargeless lipids (glycerolmonooleate(GMO)) and zwitterionic phospholipids. The addition of 33 mol% cholesterol to egg phosphatidylcholine (eggPC) leads to a decrease in the slope of β versus log( c); at a higher cholesterol concentration (66 mol%) this slope changes sign and 18 > 0 at all electrolyte concentrations. The value of β correlates well with the order parameter S determined by spin probe I 12,3 as a function of cholesterol concentration. Presentation of experimental data in terms of the profile of standard electrochemical potential and ion-channel macromolecule shape in the framework of an electrodiffusion model of ion transport allows the influence of lipid composition and cholesterol on the gramicidin channel to be explained.