AIM: To investigate electroacupunture(EA) at the acupoints of Stomach Meridian of Foot-Yangming(SMFY), Gallbladder Meridian of Foot-Yangming(SMFY) on gastric mucosal intestinal trefoil factor (ITF) gene expre...AIM: To investigate electroacupunture(EA) at the acupoints of Stomach Meridian of Foot-Yangming(SMFY), Gallbladder Meridian of Foot-Yangming(SMFY) on gastric mucosal intestinal trefoil factor (ITF) gene expression detection in stress-induced rats with gastric mucosal lesion, and to explore the regulatory mechanism and significance of EA-related gastric mucosal protective effect. METHODS: Forty rats were randomly divided into 4 groups: Blank group, Model group, Model group+EA at acupoints of SMFY group("SMFY group"), and Model group+EA at acupoints of GMFY group(GMFY group). All rats (except blank group) were made model by water immersion and restraint stress (WRS). Then the gastric mucosa tissue in each rat was taken off alter assessment of gastric mucosal lesion index(GUI), and the expression of ITF mRNA of the tissues was detected by reverse transcdption-polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR) method. RESULTS: Compared with Model group(S4.3± 1.34), the GUI value in SMFY group (31±2.211 decreased significantly(P〈0.01), so did that in GMFY group (39.8± 1.62, P〈0.05), meanwhile GUI value in SMFY group was significantly lower than in GMFY group(P〈0.01). Compared with Model group (0.65±0.01), EA had a tendency to improve the expression of gastric mucosal ITFmRNA gene: such tendency existed in GMFY group (0.66±0.01) but with no signficant difference(P〉 0.05), in SMFY group(0.76±0.01) with an extremely obvious difference (P〈0.01), furthermore the expression in SMFY group was significantly higher than in GMFY group (P〈 0.01).CONCLUSION: The gastric mucosal protective effect by EA at the acupoints of SMFY and GMFY was related to the expression variance of ITF, indicating certain meridian specificity exists, It could be one proof for the TCM theory "Relative pardcularity between SMFY and stomach".展开更多
随着影视制作技术的快速发展,一部部令人耳目一新、制作精良的影视剧持续推出,留给观众深刻印象的不仅有引人入胜的剧情画面表达,也有细致精美的片头片尾及细节文字的画面包装,如个性的字幕设计或者唯美的片头片尾包装等。本文将介绍如...随着影视制作技术的快速发展,一部部令人耳目一新、制作精良的影视剧持续推出,留给观众深刻印象的不仅有引人入胜的剧情画面表达,也有细致精美的片头片尾及细节文字的画面包装,如个性的字幕设计或者唯美的片头片尾包装等。本文将介绍如何运用After Effects CC 2018的Particular插件制作唯美粒子发散特效,达到提升影视中的图片包装效果。展开更多
Based on the survey data of public meteorological services,differences between users' needs for public meteorological services were analyzed by using Maslow's hierarchy of needs and the principle of informatio...Based on the survey data of public meteorological services,differences between users' needs for public meteorological services were analyzed by using Maslow's hierarchy of needs and the principle of information availability in behavioral economics. The results show that users' needs for meteorological services follow certain laws,and the public's needs for meteorological information are driven by physiological needs firstly and then by safety needs,while they are driven by upper needs finally. Meanwhile,users' needs for meteorological services have particularity.Under special backgrounds,there are certain differences between users' needs and laws of basic needs,and users' needs are inconsistent with the " ideal needs" of meteorological departments. Studying the laws and particularity of differences between users' needs for meteorological services in detail is conducive to a survey of the public's needs for meteorological services and improvement of meteorological service quality.展开更多
From the perspective of the poverty of stimulus argument and the cognitive development theory, this paper attempts to reveal the mechanism of language acquisition. The poverty of stimulus argument theoretically proves...From the perspective of the poverty of stimulus argument and the cognitive development theory, this paper attempts to reveal the mechanism of language acquisition. The poverty of stimulus argument theoretically proves the hypothesis that based on their finite linguistic experience, children can construct their complete language knowledge system. Language acquisition is the process of acquisition of core grammar and of mental representation of vocabulary. Parameter values must be set in the process of children's core grammar acquisition. Vocabulary of natural language is stored and processed in the form of conceptual representation, which is associated with syntactic structures by projection rules and bounded by various well-formed rules. The cognitive development theory claims that language acquisition is a development process of universal grammar into particular grammar, which is redescribed at a higher level.展开更多
The General Office of the CPC Central Committee issued the Opinions on Deepening the Reform of Oil and Gas System in 2017.Since then,the implementation works has been gradually rolled out.Among them,the operation mech...The General Office of the CPC Central Committee issued the Opinions on Deepening the Reform of Oil and Gas System in 2017.Since then,the implementation works has been gradually rolled out.Among them,the operation mechanism reform of the oil and gas pipeline network is the most remarkable,attributing to the adjustment of organizational structure and operating model.Some discussions stress particularity of the oil and gas industry.展开更多
Adobe After Effects因其可以高效且精确地创建无数种引人注目的动态图形和震撼人心的视觉效果在影视后期合成处理中有着普遍的应用。而在通过After Effects进行创作的过程中,各种插件又让人们如虎添翼。在这里,笔者总结了一个利用AE第...Adobe After Effects因其可以高效且精确地创建无数种引人注目的动态图形和震撼人心的视觉效果在影视后期合成处理中有着普遍的应用。而在通过After Effects进行创作的过程中,各种插件又让人们如虎添翼。在这里,笔者总结了一个利用AE第三方插件——Trapcode Particular来制作一个看上去具有一种"往事随风"意味的特效制作方法。展开更多
Regional inequality is a core issue in geography,and it can be measured by several approaches and indexes.However,the global inequality measures can not reflect regional characteristics in terms of spatiality and non-...Regional inequality is a core issue in geography,and it can be measured by several approaches and indexes.However,the global inequality measures can not reflect regional characteristics in terms of spatiality and non-mobility,as well as correctly explore regional inequality in particular directions.Although conventional between-group inequality indexes can measure the inequality in particular directions,they can not reflect the reversals of regional patterns and changes of within-group patterns.Therefore,we set forth a new approach to measure regional inequality in particular directions,which is applicable to geographic field.Based on grouping,we established a new index to measure regional inequality in particular directions named Particular Direction Inequality index(PDI index),which is comprised of between-group inequality of all data and between-group average gap.It can reflect regional spatiality and non-mobility,judge the main direction of regional inequality,and capture the changes and reversals of regional patterns.We used the PDI index to measure the changes of regional inequality from 1952 to 2009 in China.The results show that:1) the main direction of China's regional inequality was between coastal areas and inland areas;the increasing extent of inequality between coastal areas and inland areas was higher than the global inequality;2) the PDI index can measure the between-region average gap,and is more sensitive to evolution of within-region patterns;3) the inequality between the northern China and the southern China has been decreasing from 1952 to 2009 and was reversed in 1994 and 1995.展开更多
The burning of crop residues emits large quantities of atmospheric aerosols.Published studies have developed inventories of emissions from crop residue burning based on statistical data.In contrast,this study used sat...The burning of crop residues emits large quantities of atmospheric aerosols.Published studies have developed inventories of emissions from crop residue burning based on statistical data.In contrast,this study used satellite-retrieved land-cover data(1 km×1 km)as activity data to compile an inventory of atmospheric pollutants emitted from the burning of crop residues in China in 2015.The emissions of PM10,PM2.5,VOCs,NOx,SO2,CO,and NH3 from burning crop straw on nonirrigated farmland in China in 2015 were 610.5,598.4,584.4,230.6,35.4,3329.3,and 36.1 Gg(1 Gg=109 g),respectively;the corresponding emissions from burning paddy rice residues were 234.1,229.7,342.3,57.5,57.5,1122.1,and 21.5 Gg,respectively.The emissions from crop residue burning showed large spatial and temporal variations.The emissions of particulate matter and gaseous pollutants from crop residue burning in nonirrigated farmland were highest in east China,particularly in Shandong,Henan,Anhui,and Sichuan provinces.Emissions from burning paddy rice residue were highest in east and central China,with particularly high levels in Shandong,Jiangsu,Zhejiang,and Hunan provinces.The monthly variations in atmospheric pollutant emissions were similar among different regions,with the highest levels observed in October in north,northeast,northwest,east,and southwest China and in June and July in central and south China.The developed inventory of emissions from crop residue burning is expected to help improve air quality models by providing high-resolution spatial and temporal data.展开更多
The boundary element method for the modal analysis of freevibration for 3-D anisotropic structures using particular solutionshas been developed. The complete polynomials of order two are used toconstruct the particula...The boundary element method for the modal analysis of freevibration for 3-D anisotropic structures using particular solutionshas been developed. The complete polynomials of order two are used toconstruct the particular solutions for general anisotropic materials.The numerical results for 3-D free vibra- tion analysis of anisotropic cantilever beam by the method presented is in goodagreement with the results us- ing the Ritz technique. Foranisotropic materials, the numerical results calculated form theproposed method are in good agreement with the results from MSC.NASTRAN.展开更多
The study on source apportionment of particular pollutants in ambient air at a petrochemical enterprise is the ba-sis of the control over air pollution. Through analyzing particular pollutants in the samples collected...The study on source apportionment of particular pollutants in ambient air at a petrochemical enterprise is the ba-sis of the control over air pollution. Through analyzing particular pollutants in the samples collected from one petrochemi- cal enterprise in northwestern China, the sources of particular pollutants were discussed. The test results showed that con- centrations of particular pollutants in different sites were remarkably different. Results showed that the sampling sites with higher concentrations of particular pollutants, including toluene, xylenes, NH3 and H2S, were located at the boundary of the petrochemical enterprise. Instead, the concentrations of NMHC in the ambient air sampling sites were higher than those at the boundary of the petrochemical enterprise. The sampling sites with higher concentrations of particular pollutants were located in the area that was close to the petrochemical enterprise. The results obtained from the Pearson correlation co- efficients analyses, the factor analyses, and x^2-tests of the particular pollutants had revealed that NH3, H2S, toluene and xylenes at all sampling sites came from the same source, while NMHC might come from some other sources besides the petrochemical enterprise.展开更多
Based on the nonlocal theory and Mindlin plate theory,the governing equations(i.e.,a system of partial differential equations(PDEs)for bending problem)of magnetoelectroelastic(MEE)nanoplates resting on the Pasternak e...Based on the nonlocal theory and Mindlin plate theory,the governing equations(i.e.,a system of partial differential equations(PDEs)for bending problem)of magnetoelectroelastic(MEE)nanoplates resting on the Pasternak elastic foundation are first derived by the variational principle.The polynomial particular solutions corresponding to the established model are then obtained and further employed as basis functions with the method of particular solutions(MPS)to solve the governing equations numerically.It is confirmed that for the present bending model,the new solution strategy possesses more general applicability and superior flexibility in the selection of collocation points.The effects of different boundary conditions,applied loads,and geometrical shapes on the bending properties of MEE nanoplates are evaluated by using the developed method.Some important conclusions are drawn,which should be helpful for the design and applications of electromagnetic nanoplate structures.展开更多
The ever-increasing demand for light weighted hard materials for transportation industries encouraged researchers to develop composites with excellent mechanical properties which can transform it into more economical ...The ever-increasing demand for light weighted hard materials for transportation industries encouraged researchers to develop composites with excellent mechanical properties which can transform it into more economical and eco-friendly.Reinforcing the metals with carbonaceous nanomaterials are progressively in focus due to their excellent capability to inculcate and tailor the properties of MMCs.In the present research,a hybrid nanocomposite of MWCNT-Graphene-AZ31 Mg alloy has been developed by using variable tool rotation speeds with friction stir processing(FSP).Optimized reinforcement ratio of 1.6%vol.MWCNT and 0.3%vol.of graphene have been used with variable tool rotation speeds,whereas other processing parameters are kept constant.The developed specimens were investigated using standard testing equipment for evaluating and comparing the mechanical properties on the basis of the microstructure of the processing regions and their morphological analysis,according to the ASTM standards.The obtained results revealed an improvement of 19.72%in microhardness and 77.5% of compressive strength in comparison with the base metal AZ 31 Magnesium alloy,with a tool rotational speed of 1400rpm.The values of tensile stress and percentage area reduction were recorded as less than that of the base metal matrix,but an increasing trend has been observed in the values of both with the improvement on rotational speeds of the tool.The effectual strengthening mechanisms are analyzed on the bases of SEM images and observed that discussed and found that grain refinement strengthening is the major contributor to the strength of the nanocomposite.展开更多
Nonlinear solution of reinforced concrete structures, particularly complete load-deflection response, requires tracing of the equilibrium path and proper treatment of the limit and bifurcation points. In this regard, ...Nonlinear solution of reinforced concrete structures, particularly complete load-deflection response, requires tracing of the equilibrium path and proper treatment of the limit and bifurcation points. In this regard, ordinary solution techniques lead to instability near the limit points and also have problems in case of snap-through and snap-back. Thus they fail to predict the complete load-displacement response. The arc-length method serves the purpose well in principle, received wide acceptance in finite element analysis, and has been used extensively. However modifications to the basic idea are vital to meet the particular needs of the analysis. This paper reviews some of the recent developments of the method in the last two decades, with particular emphasis on nonlinear finite element analysis of reinforced concrete structures.展开更多
基金Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China No. 90209023
文摘AIM: To investigate electroacupunture(EA) at the acupoints of Stomach Meridian of Foot-Yangming(SMFY), Gallbladder Meridian of Foot-Yangming(SMFY) on gastric mucosal intestinal trefoil factor (ITF) gene expression detection in stress-induced rats with gastric mucosal lesion, and to explore the regulatory mechanism and significance of EA-related gastric mucosal protective effect. METHODS: Forty rats were randomly divided into 4 groups: Blank group, Model group, Model group+EA at acupoints of SMFY group("SMFY group"), and Model group+EA at acupoints of GMFY group(GMFY group). All rats (except blank group) were made model by water immersion and restraint stress (WRS). Then the gastric mucosa tissue in each rat was taken off alter assessment of gastric mucosal lesion index(GUI), and the expression of ITF mRNA of the tissues was detected by reverse transcdption-polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR) method. RESULTS: Compared with Model group(S4.3± 1.34), the GUI value in SMFY group (31±2.211 decreased significantly(P〈0.01), so did that in GMFY group (39.8± 1.62, P〈0.05), meanwhile GUI value in SMFY group was significantly lower than in GMFY group(P〈0.01). Compared with Model group (0.65±0.01), EA had a tendency to improve the expression of gastric mucosal ITFmRNA gene: such tendency existed in GMFY group (0.66±0.01) but with no signficant difference(P〉 0.05), in SMFY group(0.76±0.01) with an extremely obvious difference (P〈0.01), furthermore the expression in SMFY group was significantly higher than in GMFY group (P〈 0.01).CONCLUSION: The gastric mucosal protective effect by EA at the acupoints of SMFY and GMFY was related to the expression variance of ITF, indicating certain meridian specificity exists, It could be one proof for the TCM theory "Relative pardcularity between SMFY and stomach".
文摘随着影视制作技术的快速发展,一部部令人耳目一新、制作精良的影视剧持续推出,留给观众深刻印象的不仅有引人入胜的剧情画面表达,也有细致精美的片头片尾及细节文字的画面包装,如个性的字幕设计或者唯美的片头片尾包装等。本文将介绍如何运用After Effects CC 2018的Particular插件制作唯美粒子发散特效,达到提升影视中的图片包装效果。
基金Supported by the Meteorological Science and Technology Program of Zhejiang Meteorological Bureau(2015YB04)
文摘Based on the survey data of public meteorological services,differences between users' needs for public meteorological services were analyzed by using Maslow's hierarchy of needs and the principle of information availability in behavioral economics. The results show that users' needs for meteorological services follow certain laws,and the public's needs for meteorological information are driven by physiological needs firstly and then by safety needs,while they are driven by upper needs finally. Meanwhile,users' needs for meteorological services have particularity.Under special backgrounds,there are certain differences between users' needs and laws of basic needs,and users' needs are inconsistent with the " ideal needs" of meteorological departments. Studying the laws and particularity of differences between users' needs for meteorological services in detail is conducive to a survey of the public's needs for meteorological services and improvement of meteorological service quality.
文摘From the perspective of the poverty of stimulus argument and the cognitive development theory, this paper attempts to reveal the mechanism of language acquisition. The poverty of stimulus argument theoretically proves the hypothesis that based on their finite linguistic experience, children can construct their complete language knowledge system. Language acquisition is the process of acquisition of core grammar and of mental representation of vocabulary. Parameter values must be set in the process of children's core grammar acquisition. Vocabulary of natural language is stored and processed in the form of conceptual representation, which is associated with syntactic structures by projection rules and bounded by various well-formed rules. The cognitive development theory claims that language acquisition is a development process of universal grammar into particular grammar, which is redescribed at a higher level.
文摘The General Office of the CPC Central Committee issued the Opinions on Deepening the Reform of Oil and Gas System in 2017.Since then,the implementation works has been gradually rolled out.Among them,the operation mechanism reform of the oil and gas pipeline network is the most remarkable,attributing to the adjustment of organizational structure and operating model.Some discussions stress particularity of the oil and gas industry.
文摘Adobe After Effects因其可以高效且精确地创建无数种引人注目的动态图形和震撼人心的视觉效果在影视后期合成处理中有着普遍的应用。而在通过After Effects进行创作的过程中,各种插件又让人们如虎添翼。在这里,笔者总结了一个利用AE第三方插件——Trapcode Particular来制作一个看上去具有一种"往事随风"意味的特效制作方法。
基金Under the auspices of National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.40971101)Main Direction Program of Knowledge Innovation of Chinese Academy of Sciences(No.KZC X2-YW-321-05)
文摘Regional inequality is a core issue in geography,and it can be measured by several approaches and indexes.However,the global inequality measures can not reflect regional characteristics in terms of spatiality and non-mobility,as well as correctly explore regional inequality in particular directions.Although conventional between-group inequality indexes can measure the inequality in particular directions,they can not reflect the reversals of regional patterns and changes of within-group patterns.Therefore,we set forth a new approach to measure regional inequality in particular directions,which is applicable to geographic field.Based on grouping,we established a new index to measure regional inequality in particular directions named Particular Direction Inequality index(PDI index),which is comprised of between-group inequality of all data and between-group average gap.It can reflect regional spatiality and non-mobility,judge the main direction of regional inequality,and capture the changes and reversals of regional patterns.We used the PDI index to measure the changes of regional inequality from 1952 to 2009 in China.The results show that:1) the main direction of China's regional inequality was between coastal areas and inland areas;the increasing extent of inequality between coastal areas and inland areas was higher than the global inequality;2) the PDI index can measure the between-region average gap,and is more sensitive to evolution of within-region patterns;3) the inequality between the northern China and the southern China has been decreasing from 1952 to 2009 and was reversed in 1994 and 1995.
基金Under the auspices of National Key R&D Program of China(No.2017YFC0212303,2017YFC0212304)Key Research Program of Frontier Sciences,Chinese Academy of Sciences(No.QYZDB-SSW-DQC045)+1 种基金National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.41775116)Youth Innovation Promotion Association of Chinese Academy of Sciences(No.2017275).
文摘The burning of crop residues emits large quantities of atmospheric aerosols.Published studies have developed inventories of emissions from crop residue burning based on statistical data.In contrast,this study used satellite-retrieved land-cover data(1 km×1 km)as activity data to compile an inventory of atmospheric pollutants emitted from the burning of crop residues in China in 2015.The emissions of PM10,PM2.5,VOCs,NOx,SO2,CO,and NH3 from burning crop straw on nonirrigated farmland in China in 2015 were 610.5,598.4,584.4,230.6,35.4,3329.3,and 36.1 Gg(1 Gg=109 g),respectively;the corresponding emissions from burning paddy rice residues were 234.1,229.7,342.3,57.5,57.5,1122.1,and 21.5 Gg,respectively.The emissions from crop residue burning showed large spatial and temporal variations.The emissions of particulate matter and gaseous pollutants from crop residue burning in nonirrigated farmland were highest in east China,particularly in Shandong,Henan,Anhui,and Sichuan provinces.Emissions from burning paddy rice residue were highest in east and central China,with particularly high levels in Shandong,Jiangsu,Zhejiang,and Hunan provinces.The monthly variations in atmospheric pollutant emissions were similar among different regions,with the highest levels observed in October in north,northeast,northwest,east,and southwest China and in June and July in central and south China.The developed inventory of emissions from crop residue burning is expected to help improve air quality models by providing high-resolution spatial and temporal data.
基金the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No.19872011)
文摘The boundary element method for the modal analysis of freevibration for 3-D anisotropic structures using particular solutionshas been developed. The complete polynomials of order two are used toconstruct the particular solutions for general anisotropic materials.The numerical results for 3-D free vibra- tion analysis of anisotropic cantilever beam by the method presented is in goodagreement with the results us- ing the Ritz technique. Foranisotropic materials, the numerical results calculated form theproposed method are in good agreement with the results from MSC.NASTRAN.
基金supported by the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities(No.13CX06055A)Key Technology Development Projects of Qingdao Economic and Technological Development Zone(No.2013-1-58)
文摘The study on source apportionment of particular pollutants in ambient air at a petrochemical enterprise is the ba-sis of the control over air pollution. Through analyzing particular pollutants in the samples collected from one petrochemi- cal enterprise in northwestern China, the sources of particular pollutants were discussed. The test results showed that con- centrations of particular pollutants in different sites were remarkably different. Results showed that the sampling sites with higher concentrations of particular pollutants, including toluene, xylenes, NH3 and H2S, were located at the boundary of the petrochemical enterprise. Instead, the concentrations of NMHC in the ambient air sampling sites were higher than those at the boundary of the petrochemical enterprise. The sampling sites with higher concentrations of particular pollutants were located in the area that was close to the petrochemical enterprise. The results obtained from the Pearson correlation co- efficients analyses, the factor analyses, and x^2-tests of the particular pollutants had revealed that NH3, H2S, toluene and xylenes at all sampling sites came from the same source, while NMHC might come from some other sources besides the petrochemical enterprise.
基金Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.11872257 and 11572358)the German Research Foundation(No.ZH 15/14-1)。
文摘Based on the nonlocal theory and Mindlin plate theory,the governing equations(i.e.,a system of partial differential equations(PDEs)for bending problem)of magnetoelectroelastic(MEE)nanoplates resting on the Pasternak elastic foundation are first derived by the variational principle.The polynomial particular solutions corresponding to the established model are then obtained and further employed as basis functions with the method of particular solutions(MPS)to solve the governing equations numerically.It is confirmed that for the present bending model,the new solution strategy possesses more general applicability and superior flexibility in the selection of collocation points.The effects of different boundary conditions,applied loads,and geometrical shapes on the bending properties of MEE nanoplates are evaluated by using the developed method.Some important conclusions are drawn,which should be helpful for the design and applications of electromagnetic nanoplate structures.
文摘The ever-increasing demand for light weighted hard materials for transportation industries encouraged researchers to develop composites with excellent mechanical properties which can transform it into more economical and eco-friendly.Reinforcing the metals with carbonaceous nanomaterials are progressively in focus due to their excellent capability to inculcate and tailor the properties of MMCs.In the present research,a hybrid nanocomposite of MWCNT-Graphene-AZ31 Mg alloy has been developed by using variable tool rotation speeds with friction stir processing(FSP).Optimized reinforcement ratio of 1.6%vol.MWCNT and 0.3%vol.of graphene have been used with variable tool rotation speeds,whereas other processing parameters are kept constant.The developed specimens were investigated using standard testing equipment for evaluating and comparing the mechanical properties on the basis of the microstructure of the processing regions and their morphological analysis,according to the ASTM standards.The obtained results revealed an improvement of 19.72%in microhardness and 77.5% of compressive strength in comparison with the base metal AZ 31 Magnesium alloy,with a tool rotational speed of 1400rpm.The values of tensile stress and percentage area reduction were recorded as less than that of the base metal matrix,but an increasing trend has been observed in the values of both with the improvement on rotational speeds of the tool.The effectual strengthening mechanisms are analyzed on the bases of SEM images and observed that discussed and found that grain refinement strengthening is the major contributor to the strength of the nanocomposite.
文摘Nonlinear solution of reinforced concrete structures, particularly complete load-deflection response, requires tracing of the equilibrium path and proper treatment of the limit and bifurcation points. In this regard, ordinary solution techniques lead to instability near the limit points and also have problems in case of snap-through and snap-back. Thus they fail to predict the complete load-displacement response. The arc-length method serves the purpose well in principle, received wide acceptance in finite element analysis, and has been used extensively. However modifications to the basic idea are vital to meet the particular needs of the analysis. This paper reviews some of the recent developments of the method in the last two decades, with particular emphasis on nonlinear finite element analysis of reinforced concrete structures.