Missionary Impulses and American Isolationism and Expansionism

Isolationism and expansionism are two themes of American diplomacy. From the beginning of the state’s history, isolationism and expansionism have manifested themselves as two policy imperatives in American diplomacy. On the surface, isolationism and expansionism represent contradictory attitudes and assumptions about America’s proper relationship with the outside world: isolationism advocates diplomatic and military non-entanglement in world affairs; expansionism urges active involvement in external affairs. But in a deeper sense, both isolationism and expansionism are manifestations of American sense of mission, the belief that the US has a special role to perform for all nations in the world. Isolationism is a passive approach to accomplish that mission: it emphasizes the exemplary nature of their country. Expansionism stresses the need for active involvement to achieve that mission; thus, is an active approach to American mission.

Study on a conical bearing for acceleration-sensitive equipment

Seismic isolation effectively reduces seismic demands on building structures by isolating the superstructure from ground vibrations during earthquakes.However,isolation strategies give less attention to acceleration-sensitive systems or equipment.Meanwhile,as the isolation layer’s displacement grows,the stiffness and frequency of traditional rolling and sliding isolation bearings increases,potentially causing self-centering and resonance concerns.As a result,a new conical pendulum bearing has been selected for acceleration-sensitive equipment to increase self-centering capacity,and additional viscous dampers are incorporated to enhance system damping.Moreover,the theoretical formula for conical pendulum bearings is supplied to analyze the device’s dynamic parameters,and shake table experiments are used to determine the proposed device’s isolation efficiency under various conditions.According to the test results,the newly proposed devices have remarkable isolation performance in terms of minimizing both acceleration and displacement responses.Finally,a numerical model of the isolation system is provided for further research,and the accuracy is demonstrated by the aforementioned experiments.

Dynamic analysis of a novel multilink-spring mechanism for vibration isolation and energy harvesting

Due to technical limitations,existing vibration isolation and energy harvesting(VIEH)devices have poor performance at low frequency.This paper proposes a new multilink-spring mechanism(MLSM)that can be used to solve this problem.The VIEH performance of the MLSM under harmonic excitation and Gaussian white noise was analyzed.It was found that the MLSM has good vibration isolation performance for low-frequency isolation and the frequency band can be widened by adjusting parameters to achieve a higher energy harvesting power.By comparison with two special cases,the results show that the MLSM is basically the same as the other two oscillators in terms of vibration isolation but has better energy harvesting performance under multistable characteristics.The MLSM is expected to reduce the impact of vibration on high-precision sensitive equipment in some special sites such as subways and mines,and at the same time supply power to structural health monitoring devices.

Optimal design for rubber concrete layered periodic foundations based on the analytical approximations of band gaps and mapping relations

The seismic performance of rubber concrete-layered periodic foundations are significantly influenced by their design,in which the band gaps play a paramount role.Aiming at providing better designs for these foundations,this study first proposes and validates the analytical formulas to approximate the bounds of the first few band gaps.In addition,the mapping relations linking the frequencies of different band gaps are presented.Furthermore,an optimal design method for these foundations is developed,which is validated through an engineering example.It is demonstrated that ensuring the superstructure’s resonance zones are completely covered by the corresponding periodic foundation’s band gaps can achieve satisfactory vibration attenuation effects,which is a good strategy for the design of rubber concrete layered periodic foundations.

Seismic control of multi-degrees-of-freedom structures by vertical mass isolation method using MR dampers

Vertical mass isolation(VMI)is one of the novel methods for the seismic control of structures.In this method,the entire structure is assumed to consist of two mass and stiffness subsystems,and an isolated layer is located among them.In this study,the magnetorheological damper in three modes:passive-off,passive-on,and semi-active mode with variable voltage between zero and 9 volts was used as an isolated layer between two subsystems.Multi-degrees-of-freedom structures with 5,10,and 15 floors in two dimensions were examined under 11 pairs of near field earthquakes.On each level,the displacement of MR dampers was taken into account.The responses of maximum displacement,maximum inter-story drift,and maximum base shear in controlled and uncontrolled buildings were compared to assess the suggested approach for seismic control of the structures.According to the results,the semi-active control method can reduce the response by more than 12%compared to the uncontrolled mode in terms of maximum displacement of the mass subsystem of the structures.This method can reduce more than 16%and 20%of the responses compared to the uncontrolled mode in terms of maximum inter-story drift and base shear of the structure,respectively.

Prediction of Damping Capacity Demand in Seismic Base Isolators via Machine Learning

Base isolators used in buildings provide both a good acceleration reduction and structural vibration control structures.The base isolators may lose their damping capacity over time due to environmental or dynamic effects.This deterioration of them requires the determination of the maintenance and repair needs and is important for the long-termisolator life.In this study,an artificial intelligence prediction model has been developed to determine the damage and maintenance-repair requirements of isolators as a result of environmental effects and dynamic factors over time.With the developed model,the required damping capacity of the isolator structure was estimated and compared with the previously placed isolator capacity,and the decrease in the damping property was tried to be determined.For this purpose,a data set was created by collecting the behavior of structures with single degrees of freedom(SDOF),different stiffness,damping ratio and natural period isolated from the foundation under far fault earthquakes.The data is divided into 5 different damping classes varying between 10%and 50%.Machine learning model was trained in damping classes with the data on the structure’s response to random seismic vibrations.As a result of the isolator behavior under randomly selected earthquakes,the recorded motion and structural acceleration of the structure against any seismic vibration were examined,and the decrease in the damping capacity was estimated on a class basis.The performance loss of the isolators,which are separated according to their damping properties,has been tried to be determined,and the reductions in the amounts to be taken into account have been determined by class.In the developed prediction model,using various supervised machine learning classification algorithms,the classification algorithm providing the highest precision for the model has been decided.When the results are examined,it has been determined that the damping of the isolator structure with the machine learning method is predicted successfully at a level exceeding 96%,and it is an effective method in deciding whether there is a decrease in the damping capacity.

Potential role of hippocampal neurogenesis in spinal cord injury induced post-trauma depression

It has been reported both in clinic and rodent models that beyond spinal cord injury directly induced symptoms, such as paralysis, neuropathic pain, bladder/bowel dysfunction, and loss of sexual function, there are a variety of secondary complications, including memory loss, cognitive decline, depression, and Alzheimer's disease. The largescale longitudinal population-based studies indicate that post-trauma depression is highly prevalent in spinal cord injury patients. Yet, few basic studies have been conducted to address the potential molecular mechanisms. One of possible factors underlying the depression is the reduction of adult hippocampal neurogenesis which may come from less physical activity, social isolation, chronic pain, and elevated neuroinflammation after spinal cord injury. However, there is no clear consensus yet. In this review, we will first summarize the alteration of hippocampal neurogenesis post-spinal cord injury. Then, we will discuss possible mechanisms underlie this important spinal cord injury consequence. Finally, we will outline the potential therapeutic options aimed at enhancing hippocampal neurogenesis to ameliorate depression.

Near resonance vibration isolation on a levered-dual response(LEDAR)Coulomb-damped system by differential preloads/offsets in linear springs

The levered-dual response(LEDAR)Coulomb-damped system attains near resonant vibration isolation by differential preloads/offsets in linear springs.It takes the advantages of both the preloads/offsets in linear springs and the guiderail friction for realizing different levels of vibration isolation.The isolation capacities are investigated on the strategies with both the horizontal and vertical guiderails,with the horizontal rail only,and without guiderails.The compressive preloads generally result in the consumption of most of the initial excitation energy so as to overcome the potential threshold.The isolation onsets at the frequency ratio of 1∓0.095 on the left-hand side(LHS)and the right-hand side(RHS)of the lever are relative to the load plate connector.The observed near resonant isolation thus makes the LEDAR system a candidate for the isolation of the mechanical systems about resonance while opening a path for simultaneous harvesterisolation functions and passive functions at extreme frequencies.

Impact of surface-reflected seismic waves on the seismic isolation performance of circular tunnel isolation layers

Seismic isolation is an effective strategy to mitigate the risk of seismic damage in tunnels.However,the impact of surface-reflected seismic waves on the effectiveness of tunnel isolation layers remains under explored.In this study,we employ the wave function expansion method to provide analytical solutions for the dynamic responses of linings in an elastic half-space and an infinite elastic space.By comparing the results of the two models,we investigate the seismic isolation effect of tunnel isolation layers induced by reflected seismic waves.Our findings reveal significant differences in the dynamic responses of the lining in the elastic half-space and the infinitely elastic space.Specifically,the dynamic stress concentration factor(DSCF)of the lining in the elastic half-space exhibits periodic fluctuations,influenced by the incident wave frequency and tunnel depth,while the DSCF in the infinitely elastic space remain stable.Overall,the seismic isolation application of the tunnel isolation layer is found to be less affected by surface-reflected seismic waves.Our results provide valuable insights for the design and assessment of the seismic isolation effect of tunnel isolation layers.

Dynamic plugging regulating strategy of pipeline robot based on reinforcement learning

Pipeline isolation plugging robot (PIPR) is an important tool in pipeline maintenance operation. During the plugging process, the violent vibration will occur by the flow field, which can cause serious damage to the pipeline and PIPR. In this paper, we propose a dynamic regulating strategy to reduce the plugging-induced vibration by regulating the spoiler angle and plugging velocity. Firstly, the dynamic plugging simulation and experiment are performed to study the flow field changes during dynamic plugging. And the pressure difference is proposed to evaluate the degree of flow field vibration. Secondly, the mathematical models of pressure difference with plugging states and spoiler angles are established based on the extreme learning machine (ELM) optimized by improved sparrow search algorithm (ISSA). Finally, a modified Q-learning algorithm based on simulated annealing is applied to determine the optimal strategy for the spoiler angle and plugging velocity in real time. The results show that the proposed method can reduce the plugging-induced vibration by 19.9% and 32.7% on average, compared with single-regulating methods. This study can effectively ensure the stability of the plugging process.

Dielectric Resonator Magnetoelectric Dipole Arrays with Low Cross Polarization,Backward Radiation,and Mutual Coupling for MIMO Base Station Applications

Dielectric resonator magnetoelectric dipole(DRMED)arrays with enhanced isolation,reduced cross-polarization,and backward radiation are proposed for base station(BS)applications.The proposed antenna comprises an elevated dielectric resonator antenna(DRA)on a small metal plate above a sizeable common ground plane.The DRA is designed in its T Eδ11 mode,acting like a magnetic dipole.The surface current excited by the differential probes flowing on the small ground plane is equivalent to an electric dipole.Since these two equivalent dipoles are orthogonal,they have the magnetoelectric dipole characteristics with reduced backward radiation.Meanwhile,the small ground planes can be treated as decoupling structures to provide a neutralization path to cancel the original coupling path.A linearly-polarized 4-element prototype array was verified experimentally in previous work.Here,a dual-polarized DRMED antenna is presented to construct a 2-element and 4×4 array for BS applications.To investigate its MIMO performance,sophisticated multi-cell scenario simulations are carried out.By using the proposed dualpolarized DRMED array,the cellular system capacityis improved by 118.6%compared to a conventional DRA array.This significant MIMO system improvement is mainly due to the reduced backward radiation and,therefore,reduced inter-cell interferences.Measurements align well with the simulations.

No-touch isolation technique in emergency pancreaticoduodenectomy for neoplastic hemorrhage: Two case reports and review of literature

BACKGROUND Emergency pancreaticoduodenectomy(EPD)is a rare event for complex periam-pullary etiology.Increased intraoperative blood loss is correlated with poor post-operative outcomes.CASE SUMMARY Two patients underwent EPD using a no-touch isolation technique,in which all arteries supplying the pancreatic head region were ligated and divided before manipulation of the pancreatic head and duodenum.The operative times were 220 and 239 min,and the blood loss was 70 and 270 g,respectively.The patients were discharged on the 14^(th) and 10^(th) postoperative day,respectively.Thirty-two patients underwent EPD for the treatment of neoplastic bleeding.The mean operative time was 361.6 min,and the mean blood loss was 747.3 g.The comp-lication rate was 37.5%.The in-hospital mortality rate was 9.38%.CONCLUSION The no-touch isolation technique is feasible,safe,and effective for reducing intraoperative blood loss in EPD.

Actuator and sensor fault isolation in a class of nonlinear dynamical systems

Fault isolation in dynamical systems is a challenging task due to modeling uncertainty and measurement noise,interactive effects of multiple faults and fault propagation.This paper proposes a unified approach for isolation of multiple actuator or sensor faults in a class of nonlinear uncertain dynamical systems.Actuator and sensor fault isolation are accomplished in two independent modules,that monitor the system and are able to isolate the potential faulty actuator(s)or sensor(s).For the sensor fault isolation(SFI)case,a module is designed which monitors the system and utilizes an adaptive isolation threshold on the output residuals computed via a nonlinear estimation scheme that allows the isolation of single/multiple faulty sensor(s).For the actuator fault isolation(AFI)case,a second module is designed,which utilizes a learning-based scheme for adaptive approximation of faulty actuator(s)and,based on a reasoning decision logic and suitably designed AFI thresholds,the faulty actuator(s)set can be determined.The effectiveness of the proposed fault isolation approach developed in this paper is demonstrated through a simulation example.

The Role of Jasmonates as Antibulbing Substances in the Bulb Formation of Onion

Onion plants form spherical bulbs under long-day conditions.Substances regulating bulb formation remain unknown.In the course of chemical studies on the bulb formation,α-linolenic acid was isolated from onion extracts as an antibulbing substance,the amount of which was synchronized with the bulb formation.Since allene oxide synthase inhibitor canceled the antibulbing activity ofα-linolenic acid,it was disclosed that jasmonic acid concerns this regulation.Structure-activity-relationship study revealed that its(3R,7S)stereochemistry is necessary for showing its antibulbing activity.It is concluded that(3R,7S)-jasmonate derived fromα-linolenic acid actually participates in the regulation of bulb formation.

Sher: A Secure Broker for DevSecOps and CI/CD Workflows

GitHub Actions, a popular CI/CD platform, introduces significant security challenges due to its integration with GitHub’s open ecosystem and its use of flexible workflow configurations. This paper presents Sher, a Python-based tool that enhances the security of GitHub Actions by automating the detection and remediation of security issues in workflows. Self-Hosted Ephemeral Runner, or Sher, acts as a broker between GitHub’s APIs and a customizable, isolated environment, analyzing workflows through a static rules engine and automatically fixing identified issues. By providing a secure, ephemeral runner environment and a dynamic analysis tool, Sher addresses common misconfigurations and vulnerabilities, contributing to the resilience and integrity of DevSecOps practices within software development pipelines.

Non-enzymatic methods for isolation of stromal vascular fraction and adipose-derived stem cells:A systematic review

BACKGROUND Adipose-derived stem cells(ADSCs)and the stromal vascular fraction(SVF)have garnered substantial interest in regenerative medicine due to their potential to treat a wide range of conditions.Traditional enzymatic methods for isolating these cells face challenges such as high costs,lengthy processing time,and regulatory complexities.AIM This systematic review aimed to assess the efficacy and practicality of nonenzymatic,mechanical methods for isolating SVF and ADSCs,comparing these to conventional enzymatic approaches.METHODS Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines,a comprehensive literature search was conducted across multiple databases.Studies were selected based on inclusion criteria focused on non-enzymatic isolation methods for SVF and ADSCs from adipose tissue.The risk of bias was assessed,and a qualitative synthesis of findings was performed due to the methodological heterogeneity of the included studies.RESULTS Nineteen studies met the inclusion criteria,highlighting various mechanical techniques such as centrifugation,vortexing,and ultrasonic cavitation.The review identified significant variability in cell yield and viability,and the integrity of isolated cells across different non-enzymatic methods compared to enzymatic procedures.Despite some advantages of mechanical methods,including reduced processing time and avoidance of enzymatic reagents,the evidence suggests a need for optimization to match the cell quality and therapeutic efficacy achievable with enzymatic isolation.CONCLUSION Non-enzymatic,mechanical methods offer a promising alternative to enzymatic isolation of SVF and ADSCs,potentially simplifying the isolation process and reducing regulatory hurdles.However,further research is necessary to standardize these techniques and ensure consistent,high-quality cell yields for clinical applications.The development of efficient,safe,and reproducible non-enzymatic isolation methods could significantly advance the field of regenerative medicine.

Seismic Response Analysis of Steel Structure Isolation System Under Long-Period Seismic Motion

To analyze the seismic response of steel structure isolation systems under long-period seismic motion,a 9-story steel frame building was selected as the subject.Five steel structure finite element models were established using SAP2000.Response spectrum analysis was conducted on the seismic motion to determine if it adhered to the characteristics of long-period seismic motion.Modal analysis of each structural model revealed that the isolation structure significantly prolonged the structural natural vibration period and enhanced seismic performance.Base reactions and floor displacements of various structures notably increased under long-period seismic motion compared to regular seismic activity.Placing isolation bearings in the lower part of the structure proved more effective under long-period seismic motion.In seismic design engineering,it is essential to consider the impact of long-period seismic motion on structures and the potential failure of isolation bearings.

Optimization of Cellulose Nanocrystal Isolation from Ayous Sawdust Using Response Surface Methodology

This study focuses on the extraction of cellulose nanocrystals (CNC), from microcrystalline cellulose (MCC), derived from Ayous sawdust. The process involves multiple steps and a large amount of chemical products. The objective of this research was to determine the effects of factors that impact the isolation process and to identify the optimal conditions for CNC isolation by using the response surface methodology. The factors that varied during the process were the quantity of MCC, the concentration of sulfuric acid, the hydrolysis time and temperature, and the ultrasonic treatment time. The response measured was the yield. The study found that with 5.80 g of microcrystalline cellulose, a sulfuric acid concentration of 63.50% (w/w), a hydrolysis time of 53 minutes, a hydrolysis temperature of 69˚C, and a sonication time of 19 minutes are the ideal conditions for isolation. The experimental yield achieved was (37.84 ± 0.99) %. The main factors influencing the process were the sulfuric acid concentration, hydrolysis time and temperature, with a significant influence (p < 0.05). Infrared characterization results showed that nanocrystals were indeed isolated. With a crystallinity of 35.23 and 79.74, respectively, for Ayous wood fiber and nanocrystalline cellulose were observed by X-ray diffraction, with the formation of type II cellulose, thermodynamically more stable than native cellulose type I.

Analysis of the Current Situation and Influencing Factors of Social Isolation Among the Elderly in the Community

Objective: To investigate the current situation of social isolation among the elderly in the community, and to analyze its influencing factors. Methods: A total of 265 elderly people were selected to conduct the survey using the general information questionnaire and the Chinese version of the social isolation scale for the elderly. Results: The social isolation score of the elderly was (20.15 ± 0.23). Factors such as age, education level, economic status, and social participation ability influenced the social isolation score (P < 0.05). Conclusion: The social isolation of the elderly is more serious, and the social isolation can be alleviated by improving the level of education and the economic situation and strengthening social participation.

A Shift to Isolationism？

Developments over the past year have led to serious, widespread concern that the world could be returning to a more isolationist stance. It is perhaps the greatest threat ever levelled at the post-war globalization movement and all of its supporting architecture. This paper argues that due to the unusual nature of the last business cycle, the general public has become impatient with the existing economic and in particular, international trade architecture. It also points out that its typical defenders are unsure of how to do so. In response, what is suggested is that logic puts definite limits on how much change is actually likely to occur, and if so, which strategic responses are most appropriate.