Background: A new rapid Immunochromatographic test (ICT) kit (MPT64 TB Ag Kit) for detection of MPT64 Antigen in M. tuberculosis (MTB) isolates used for rapid identification of MTB isolates developed by SD (Standard D...Background: A new rapid Immunochromatographic test (ICT) kit (MPT64 TB Ag Kit) for detection of MPT64 Antigen in M. tuberculosis (MTB) isolates used for rapid identification of MTB isolates developed by SD (Standard Diagnostics) Bio line, South Korea was evaluated. The ICT is a rapid, reliable and cheaper method that can be used instead of conventional biochemical tests for confirming MTB in culture isolates in resource limited laboratories. The study also evaluated the ability of ICT to detect MPT64-Antigen before the micro MGIT could signal positive. Material/Methods: A total of 450 sputum samples of individual patients were used for the study. 152 isolates of Mycobacteria were recovered from solid and liquid media. These strains were tested for the detection of MPT64-antigen. H37Rv strain was served as the positive reference control and also used for early detection of Antigen experiment. Findings: The development of bands on both test and sample region when H37Rv strain was tested were seen (MPT64 antigen positive). When 138 MTB isolates were tested, it showed a similar banding pattern indicating 100% sensitivity. MPT64 band formation was not detected in any of the 14 isolates indicating 100% specificity. Both PPV & NPV were 100%. All the isolates negative for MPT64 Ag were confirmed as MOTT by conventional bio-chemical PNBA. The H37Rv strain showed a faint band from the 2nd day onwards from inoculation till 3rd day in the earlier Antigen detection experiment. Conclusion: Rapid identification of MTB culture isolate is a pressing need for diagnosis and proceeding to perform drug susceptibility testing. MPT64 TB Ag detection ICT kit is a rapid, reliable method, good substitute for molecular identification methods, and conventional biochemical test which is time-consuming and technically demanding. The early detection of Antigen can be used as an effective tool in diagnosis.展开更多
This investigation deals with the intelligent system for parallel fault-tolerant diagnostic tests construction. A modified parallel algorithm for fault-tolerant diagnostic tests construction is proposed. The algorithm...This investigation deals with the intelligent system for parallel fault-tolerant diagnostic tests construction. A modified parallel algorithm for fault-tolerant diagnostic tests construction is proposed. The algorithm is allowed to optimize processing time on tests construction. A matrix model of data and knowledge representation, as well as various kinds of regularities in data and knowledge are presented. Applied intelligent system for diagnostic of mental health of population which is developed with the use of intelligent system for parallel fault-tolerant DTs construction is suggested.展开更多
The imminent danger of the Covid-19 pandemic has accelerated research in pharmaceuticals that either target the viral Spike proteins fusion with ACE2 receptors,or the infectious RNA replication that often overwhelms i...The imminent danger of the Covid-19 pandemic has accelerated research in pharmaceuticals that either target the viral Spike proteins fusion with ACE2 receptors,or the infectious RNA replication that often overwhelms immune defences.The scope of this review was to elucidate the main human vulnerabilities to Covid-19,including the accumulation of ACE2 receptors in testes,adipose tissue,thyroid,heart and kidneys that escalate viral affinity in males,the aged,and certain medical conditions,including diabetes,CVD,and pulmonary diseases.Pre-existing inflammation inherent in obesity may exacerbate the“cytokine storm,”a rampaging immune reaction during the course of Covid-19 that is deleterious to the host.We examined the molecular dynamics illustrating the action of new therapeutics necessary for Covid-19 patients;the estradiol advantage hypothesis;alternative therapies including hormone replacement procedures and mesenchymal stem cells;plus preventive and protective interventions.The current perspective also explored the primary components of dysregulated health predisposing individuals to Covid-19,including hormonal imbalance,increased lipids and lipoproteins,thyroid dysfunction,degraded fitness,and age-related testosterone decline accompanied by cortisol increase that provokes stress eating behaviours and weight accumulation.Obesity increases the probability of Covid-19 infection due to its abundance of ACE2 receptors;while physical activity may decrease Covid-19 vulnerability,by reducing fat and increasing muscle mass that manifests a relatively inhibited ACE2 expression.Several weight management solutions feature lasers and radiofrequency which diminish subcutaneous adiposity but do not enhance fitness.A data metanalysis of seven recently published clinical studies on 95 obese individuals,73 males and 22 females with an average BMI of 30.9,demonstrated visceral fat reduction combined with increased skeletal muscle mass.It also revealed a statistically significant decrease in BMI,lipids,lipoproteins,inflammation and toxicity as measured by CRP,Creatinine and Bilirubin respectively,juxtaposed by optimally healthier levels of Cortisol,Testosterone,Free T3,IGF-1,Insulin,and the appetite controlling hormones Leptin and Ghrelin.展开更多
Ceramic coatings were prepared on Ti-6Al-4V alloy in NaAlO2 solution by micro-plasma oxidation (MPO). The salt spray tests of the coated samples and the substrates were carded out in a salt spray test machine. The p...Ceramic coatings were prepared on Ti-6Al-4V alloy in NaAlO2 solution by micro-plasma oxidation (MPO). The salt spray tests of the coated samples and the substrates were carded out in a salt spray test machine. The phase composition and surface morphology of the coatings were investigated by XRD and SEAM. Severe corrosion occurred on the substrate surface, while there were no obvious corrosion phenomena on the coated samples. The coatings were composed of Al2TiO5 and a little α-Al2O3 and mille TiO2, and the salt spray test did not change the composition of the coatings. The weight loss rate of the coatings decreased with increasing MPO time because of the increase in density and thickness of the coatings. The surface morphology of the coatings was influenced by salt spray corrosion test. Among the coated samples, the coating prepared for 2 h has the best corrosion resistance under salt spray test.展开更多
The beneficial acclimation hypothesis (BAH) predicts that animals acclimated to a particular temperature have enhanced performance or fitness at that temperature in comparison with animals acclimated to other temperat...The beneficial acclimation hypothesis (BAH) predicts that animals acclimated to a particular temperature have enhanced performance or fitness at that temperature in comparison with animals acclimated to other temperatures. The BAH has been tested by a variety of empirical examinations, and was rejected by some of them. In order to provide new evidences for the BAH, the effects of acute and acclimation temperature (AT) on locomotor performance of Macrobiotus hufelandi (Tardigrada: Macrobiotidae) were investigated. The tardigrades were collected from Nanwutai, Qinling Mountains which traverse from west to east in central China. The subjects were acclimated to either 2℃ or 22℃ for 2 weeks. The animal was transferred onto a frosted slide and allowed to walk freely at the performance temperature (PT) 2℃ or 22℃. Only one individual was tested per test bout, which lasted from three to five minutes. To avoid occurrence of thermal acclimation effect, the standard adaptation time was limited to 1.5 min. Each subject was tested for once at the same PT, and was tested only at one PT. A total of 25 individuals were tested and measured at the same PT. The locomotor performance of the animals was recorded with a digital video camera mounted on a microscope at 4×10 amplification and replayed on a PC. Every subject was identified. Walking speed (WS) and percentage of time moving (PTM) at both PTs (2℃ or 22℃) were selected as the rate parameters of locomotor performance. The two-way repeated measures ANOVA with a significance level of α= 0.05 and Duncan multiple range test were used to analyze the data. WS of the animals acclimated to and tested at the same temperatures was significantly faster than that for animals acclimated to and tested at the different temperatures, similarly, PTM of the animals acclimated to 22℃ and tested at 22℃ was significantly greater than PTM of animals acclimated to 22℃ and tested at 2℃, which indicated that the animals acclimated to a particular temperature have enhanced locomotor performance in that temperature relative to the animals acclimated to that temperature in other thermal environment. WS of the animals acclimated to 22℃ and tested at 22℃ was significantly faster than WS of animals acclimated to 2℃ and tested at 22℃, PTM of the animals acclimated to 22℃ and tested at 22℃ was significantly greater than PTM of animals acclimated to 2℃ and tested at 22℃. These results supported the BAH. It could be concluded that the PT and thermal acclimation as well as the interaction between the PT and AT significantly influence the locomotor performance of M.hufelandi, and that, despite the existence of a few results of this study that don’t support the BAH, some results of this study support for this hypothesis, and that the animals acclimated to a particular temperature have enhanced locomotor performance in that temperature relative to the animals acclimated to that temperature in other thermal environment, implying that any performance temperature that deviates from the acclimation temperature could cause the reduction of the walking speed which is closely related to the fitness of the M.hufelandi.展开更多
Two new regularization algorithms for solving the first-kind Volterra integral equation, which describes the pressure-rate deconvolution problem in well test data interpretation, are developed in this paper. The main ...Two new regularization algorithms for solving the first-kind Volterra integral equation, which describes the pressure-rate deconvolution problem in well test data interpretation, are developed in this paper. The main features of the problem are the strong nonuniform scale of the solution and large errors (up to 15%) in the input data. In both algorithms, the solution is represented as decomposition on special basic functions, which satisfy given a priori information on solution, and this idea allow us significantly to improve the quality of approximate solution and simplify solving the minimization problem. The theoretical details of the algorithms, as well as the results of numerical experiments for proving robustness of the algorithms, are presented.展开更多
Long-span bridges are special structures that require advanced analysis techniques to examine their performance. This paper presents a procedure developed to model the Confederation Bridge using 3-D beam elements. The...Long-span bridges are special structures that require advanced analysis techniques to examine their performance. This paper presents a procedure developed to model the Confederation Bridge using 3-D beam elements. The model was validated using the data collected before the opening of the bridge to the public. The bridge was instrumented to conduct fullscale static and dynamic tests. The static tests were to measure the deflection of the bridge pier while the dynamic tests to measure the free vibrations of the pier due to a sudden release of the static load. Confederation Bridge is one of the longest reinforced concrete bridges in the world. It connects the province of Prince Edward Island and the province of New Brunswick in Canada. Due to its strategic location and vital role as a transportation link between these two provinces, it was designed using higher safety factors than those for typical highway bridges. After validating the present numerical model, a procedure was developed to evaluate the performance of similar bridges subjected to traffic and seismic loads. It is of interest to note that the foundation stiffness and the modulus of elasticity of the concrete have significant effects on the structural responses of the Confederation Bridge.展开更多
Based on corrosion damage data of 10 years for a type of aircraft aluminum alloy, the statistical analysis was conducted by Gumbel, Normal and two parameters Weibull distribution function. The results show that alumin...Based on corrosion damage data of 10 years for a type of aircraft aluminum alloy, the statistical analysis was conducted by Gumbel, Normal and two parameters Weibull distribution function. The results show that aluminum alloy structural member has the corrosion history of pitting corrosion—intergranular corrosion—exfoliation corrosion, and the maximum corrosion depth is in conformity to normal distribution. The accelerated corrosion test was carried out with the complied equivalent airport accelerated environment spectrum. The corrosion damage failure modes of aluminum alloy structural member indicate that the period of validity of the former protective coating is about 2.5 to 3 years, and that of the novel protective coating is about 4.0 to 4.5 years. The corrosion kinetics law of aluminum spar flange was established by fitting corrosion damage test data. The law indicates two apparent corrosion stages of high strength aluminum alloy section material: pitting corrosion and intergranular corrosion/exfoliation corrosion. The test results agree with the statistical fit result of corrosion data collected from corrosion member in service. The fractional error is 5.8% at the same calendar year. The accelerated corrosion test validates the corrosion kinetics law of aircraft aluminum alloy in service.展开更多
Selective Laser Melting (SLM) shows a big potential among metal additive manufacturing (AM) technologies. However, the large thermal gradients and the local melting and solidification processes of SLM result in the pr...Selective Laser Melting (SLM) shows a big potential among metal additive manufacturing (AM) technologies. However, the large thermal gradients and the local melting and solidification processes of SLM result in the presence of a significant amount of residual stresses in the as built parts. These internal stresses will not only affect mechanical properties, but also increase the risk of Stress Corrosion Cracking (SCC). A twister used in an air extraction pump of a condenser to create a swirl in the water, was chosen as a candidate component to be produced by SLM in 316 L stainless steel. Since the main expected damage mechanism of this component in service is corrosion, corrosion tests were carried out on an as-built twister as well as on heat treated components. It was shown that a low temperature heat treatment at 450℃ had only a limited effect on the residual stress reduction and concomitant corrosion properties, while the internal stresses were significantly reduced when a high temperature heat treatment at 950℃ was applied. Furthermore, a specific stress corrosion sensitivity test proved to be a useful tool to evaluate the internal stress distribution in a specific component.展开更多
A maximum test in lieu of forcing a choice between the two dependent samples t-test and Wilcoxon signed-ranks test is proposed. The maximum test, which requires a new table of critical values, maintains nominal α whi...A maximum test in lieu of forcing a choice between the two dependent samples t-test and Wilcoxon signed-ranks test is proposed. The maximum test, which requires a new table of critical values, maintains nominal α while guaranteeing the maximum power of the two constituent tests. Critical values, obtained via Monte Carlo methods, are uniformly smaller than the Bonferroni-Dunn adjustment, giving it power superiority when testing for treatment alternatives of shift in location parameter when data are sampled from non-normal distributions.展开更多
Superior properties of maraging steels make them suitable for the fabrication of components used for military applications like missile covering, rocket motor casing and ship hulls. Welding is the main process for fab...Superior properties of maraging steels make them suitable for the fabrication of components used for military applications like missile covering, rocket motor casing and ship hulls. Welding is the main process for fabrication of these components, while the maraging steels can be fusion welded using gas tungsten arc welding(GTAW) process. All these fabricated components require longer storage life and a major problem in welds is susceptible to stress corrosion cracking(SCC). The present study is aimed at studying the SCC behaviour of MDN 250(18% Ni) steel and its welds with respect to microstructural changes. In the present study, 5.2 mm thick sheets made of MDN 250 steel in the solution annealed condition was welded using GTAW process. Post-weld heat treatments of direct ageing(480 C for 3 h), solutionizing(815 C for 1 h) followed by ageing and homogenizing(1150 C for 1 h) followed by ageing were carried out. A mixture of martensite and austenite was observed in the microstructure of the fusion zone of solutionized and direct aged welds and only martensite in as-welded condition. Homogenization and ageing treatment have eliminated reverted austenite and elemental segregation. Homogenized welds also exhibited a marginal improvement in the corrosion resistance compared to those in the as-welded, solutionized and aged condition. Constant load SCC test data clearly revealed that the failure time of homogenized weld is much longer compared to other post weld treatments, and the homogenization treatment is recommended to improve the SCC life of GTA welds of MDN 250 Maraging steel.展开更多
The correlation between outdoor exposure and indoor accelerated corrosion test for high polymer materials was investigated according to the variation of the functional group of exposure models aged. Environment aging ...The correlation between outdoor exposure and indoor accelerated corrosion test for high polymer materials was investigated according to the variation of the functional group of exposure models aged. Environment aging intensities at different zones ( Wuhan and Lasa with the same latitude ) and the influences of indoor accelerating factors including water and ultraviolet on weathering performant.e of high polymer materials were also studied by comparing different indoor accelerated corrosion testing results. The experimental results show that : by testing variations of carbonyl exponent of polythene ( which represented the degradation behavior of high polymer materials due to ultraviolet oxidation of douIole bond) and ultraviolet absorbance of polycarbonate (which represented the degradation behavior of high polymer materials due to abevacuation of branched chain ), the degradation behavior of high polymer materials could be studied. Carbonyl exponent of polythene exposed in Wuhan and Lasa for 1 year was equal to that exposed in indoor cycle ultraviolet for 128 h anti 170 It, respectively, the ultraviolet absorbance of polycarbonate exposed in Wuhan for 1 year was equal to that exposed in indoor cycle ultraviolet for 240 h. The ratio of environment aging intensity of Lasa to Wuhan was around 1.2. With the prolongation of cycle accelerated ultraviolet exposure time, the variations of carbonyl exponent of polythene and the ultraviolet absorbance of polycarbonate were in the same shape of first order exponential decay curiae. Accompanied with ultraviolet, the effect of water condensated on the sample on weathering performance of polythene was more .significant than that of polycarbonate.展开更多
As the proportion of renewable energy increases, the interaction between renewable energy devices and the grid continues to enhance. Therefore, the renewable energy dynamic test in a power system has become more and m...As the proportion of renewable energy increases, the interaction between renewable energy devices and the grid continues to enhance. Therefore, the renewable energy dynamic test in a power system has become more and more important. Traditional dynamic simulation systems and digital-analog hybrid simulation systems are difficult to compromise on the economy, flexibility and accuracy. A multi-time scale test system of doubly fed induction generator based on FPGA+ CPU heterogeneous calculation is proposed in this paper. The proposed test system is based on the ADPSS simulation platform. The power circuit part of the test system is setup up using the EMT(electromagnetic transient simulation) simulation, and the control part uses the actual physical devices. In order to realize the close-loop testing for the physical devices, the power circuit must be simulated in real-time. This paper proposes a multi-time scale simulation algorithm, in which the decoupling component divides the power circuit into a large time scale system and a small time scale system in order to reduce computing effort. This paper also proposes the FPGA+CPU heterogeneous computing architecture for implementing this multitime scale simulation. In FPGA, there is a complete small time-scale EMT engine, which support the flexibly circuit modeling with any topology. Finally, the test system is connected to an DFIG controller based on Labview to verify the feasibility of the test system.展开更多
AIM: This study was undertaken to evaluate the hepatic effects of silybum marianum on non alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). METHODS: In 72 patients affected by NAFLD, main metabolic, hepatic and anti-inflammatory...AIM: This study was undertaken to evaluate the hepatic effects of silybum marianum on non alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). METHODS: In 72 patients affected by NAFLD, main metabolic, hepatic and anti-inflammatory parameters were assayed after 3 mo of a restricted diet and before silymarin treatment (twice a day orally). The brightness of liver echography texture (hepatorenal ratio brightness) was also defined at same time. These evaluations were repeated after 6 mo of treatment. RESULTS: Serum levels of some metabolic and anti-inflammatory data nonsignificantly lowered after 6 mo of silymarin. On the contrary, Steato test, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase were significantly (P < 0.001) reduced. Instead, the AST/ALT ratio unchanged. Finally, the hepatorenal brightness ratio, as an index of hepatic steatosis, significantly (P < 0.05) dropped. CONCLUSION: The obtained results indicate that silymarin appears to be effective to reduce the biochemical, inflammatory and ultrasonic indices of hepatic steatosis. Some parameters indicative of early stage of atherosclerosis were also lowered.展开更多
The susceptibility of welded joint for the X65 pipeline steel to H_2S stress corrosion cracking (SCC) is investigated. SCC tests on the steel are carried out in the environment based on NACE TM-01-77 solution with sat...The susceptibility of welded joint for the X65 pipeline steel to H_2S stress corrosion cracking (SCC) is investigated. SCC tests on the steel are carried out in the environment based on NACE TM-01-77 solution with saturated gaseous H_2S. The threshold stress intensity factor and crack propagation velocity are calculated according to wedge-opening loading (WOL) specimens. The three-dimensional elastic-plastic finite element analysis of WOL specimens is performed by using the FEM programming package ANSYS. Stress field and concentration of hydrogen distribution property ahead of the crack tip are obtained. This paper surveyed the microstructure of welded joint and studied on the mechanical properties of X65 pipeline steel. It provides experimental basis for studying stress corrosion. The results of numerical analysis are consistent with conclusions of stress corrosion test.展开更多
The water Cherenkov detector array(WCDA) is an important part of the large high-altitude air shower observatory(LHAASO),which is in a research and development phase.The central scientific goal of LHAASO is to explore ...The water Cherenkov detector array(WCDA) is an important part of the large high-altitude air shower observatory(LHAASO),which is in a research and development phase.The central scientific goal of LHAASO is to explore the origin of high-energy cosmic rays of the universe and to push forward the frontier of new physics.To simplify the WCDA's readout electronics,a prototype of a front-end readout for an application-specific integrated circuit(ASIC) is designed based on the timeover-threshold method to achieve charge-to-time conversion.High-precision time measurement and charge measurement are necessary over a full dynamic range[1-4000photoelectrons(P.E.)].To evaluate the performance of this ASIC,a test system is designed that includes the front-end ASIC test module,digitization module,and test software.The first module needs to be customized for different ASIC versions,whereas the digitization module and test software are tested for general-purpose use.In the digitization module,a field programmable gate array-based time-todigital converter is designed with a bin size of 333 ps,which also integrates an inter-integrated circuit to configure the ASIC test module,and a universal serial bus interface is designed to transfer data to the remote computer.Test results indicate that the time resolution is better than 0.5 ns,and the charge resolution is better than 30%root mean square(RMS) at 1 P.E.and 3%RMS at 4000 P.E.,which are beyond the application requirements.展开更多
The microstructure of welded joint is surveyed and the mechanical properties of X65 pipeline steel are studied in this paper, which provides experimental basis of performance effect on stress corrosion. H 2S stress co...The microstructure of welded joint is surveyed and the mechanical properties of X65 pipeline steel are studied in this paper, which provides experimental basis of performance effect on stress corrosion. H 2S stress corrosion cracking (SCC) tests on the steel are carried out in the environment based on NACE TM- 01-77 solution. The threshold stress intensity factor and crack propagation velocity for base metal and HAZ are obtained. The susceptibility of welded joint for X65 pipeline steel to H 2S stress corrosion cracking is investigated. The programming package ANSYS of finite element model (FEM) is used to perform the three-dimensional elastic-plastic finite element analysis of WOL specimens. Stress field and concentration of hydrogen distribution property of the crack tip are obtained.展开更多
To investigate the seismic response of the steel-strip reinforced soil retaining wall with fullheight rigid facing in terms of the acceleration in the backfill, dynamic earth pressure in the backfill, the displacement...To investigate the seismic response of the steel-strip reinforced soil retaining wall with fullheight rigid facing in terms of the acceleration in the backfill, dynamic earth pressure in the backfill, the displacements on the facing and the dynamic reinforcement strain distribution under different peak acceleration, a large 1-g shaking table test was performed on a reduced-scale reinforced-earth retaining wall model. It was observed that the acceleration response in non-strip region is greater than that in potential fracture region which is similar with the stability region under small earthquake,while the acceleration response in potential fracture region is greater than that in stability region in middle-upper of the wall under moderately strong earthquakes. The potential failure model of the rigid wall is rotating around the wall toe. It also was discovered that the Fourier spectra produced by the inputting white noises after seismic wave presents double peaks, rather than original single peak, and the frequency of the second peak trends to increase with increasing the PGA(peak ground amplitude) of the excitation which is greater than 0.4 g. Additionally,the non-liner distribution of strip strain along the strips was observed, and the distribution trend was not constant in different row. Soil pressure peak value in stability region is larger than that in potential fracture region. The wall was effective under 0.1 g-0.3 g seismic wave according to the analyses of the facing displacement and relative density. Also, it was discovered that the potential failure surface is corresponds to that in design code, but the area is larger. The results from the study can provide guidance for a more rational design of reinforced earth retaining walls with full-height rigid facing in the earthquake zone.展开更多
BACKGROUND Carcinoembryonic antigen(CEA)and cytology in pancreatic cystic fluid are suboptimal for evaluation of pancreatic cystic neoplasms.Genetic testing and microforceps biopsy are promising tools for pre-operativ...BACKGROUND Carcinoembryonic antigen(CEA)and cytology in pancreatic cystic fluid are suboptimal for evaluation of pancreatic cystic neoplasms.Genetic testing and microforceps biopsy are promising tools for pre-operative diagnostic improvement but comparative performance of both methods is unknown.AIM To compare the accuracy of genetic testing and microforceps biopsy in pancreatic cysts referred for surgery.METHODS We performed a literature search in Medline,Scopus,and Web of Science for studies evaluating genetic testing of cystic fluid and microforceps biopsy of pancreatic cysts,with endoscopic ultrasound with fine-needle aspiration(EUSFNA)prior to surgery and surgical pathology as reference standard for diagnosis.We evaluated the diagnostic accuracy for:1-benign cysts;2-mucinous low-risk cysts;3-high-risk cysts,and the diagnostic yield and rate of correctly identified cysts with microforceps biopsy and molecular analysis.We also assessed publication bias,heterogeneity,and study quality.RESULTS Eight studies,including 1206 patients,of which 203(17%)referred for surgery who met the inclusion criteria were analyzed in the systematic review,and seven studies were included in the meta-analysis.Genetic testing and microforceps biopsies were identical for diagnosis of benign cysts.Molecular analysis was superior for diagnosis of both low and high-risk mucinous cysts,with sensitivities of 0.89(95%CI:0.79-0.95)and 0.57(95%CI:0.42-0.71),specificities of 0.88(95%CI:0.75-0.95)and 0.88(95%CI:0.80-0.93)and AUC of 0.9555 and 0.92,respectively.The diagnostic yield was higher in microforceps biopsies than in genetic analysis(0.73 vs 0.54,respectively)but the rates of correctly identified cysts were identical(0.73 with 95%CI:0.62-0.82 vs 0.71 with 95%CI:0.49-0.86,respectively).CONCLUSION Genetic testing and microforceps biopsies are useful second tests,with identical results in benign pancreatic cysts.Genetic analysis performs better for low-and high-risk cysts but has lower diagnostic yield.展开更多
文摘Background: A new rapid Immunochromatographic test (ICT) kit (MPT64 TB Ag Kit) for detection of MPT64 Antigen in M. tuberculosis (MTB) isolates used for rapid identification of MTB isolates developed by SD (Standard Diagnostics) Bio line, South Korea was evaluated. The ICT is a rapid, reliable and cheaper method that can be used instead of conventional biochemical tests for confirming MTB in culture isolates in resource limited laboratories. The study also evaluated the ability of ICT to detect MPT64-Antigen before the micro MGIT could signal positive. Material/Methods: A total of 450 sputum samples of individual patients were used for the study. 152 isolates of Mycobacteria were recovered from solid and liquid media. These strains were tested for the detection of MPT64-antigen. H37Rv strain was served as the positive reference control and also used for early detection of Antigen experiment. Findings: The development of bands on both test and sample region when H37Rv strain was tested were seen (MPT64 antigen positive). When 138 MTB isolates were tested, it showed a similar banding pattern indicating 100% sensitivity. MPT64 band formation was not detected in any of the 14 isolates indicating 100% specificity. Both PPV & NPV were 100%. All the isolates negative for MPT64 Ag were confirmed as MOTT by conventional bio-chemical PNBA. The H37Rv strain showed a faint band from the 2nd day onwards from inoculation till 3rd day in the earlier Antigen detection experiment. Conclusion: Rapid identification of MTB culture isolate is a pressing need for diagnosis and proceeding to perform drug susceptibility testing. MPT64 TB Ag detection ICT kit is a rapid, reliable method, good substitute for molecular identification methods, and conventional biochemical test which is time-consuming and technically demanding. The early detection of Antigen can be used as an effective tool in diagnosis.
文摘This investigation deals with the intelligent system for parallel fault-tolerant diagnostic tests construction. A modified parallel algorithm for fault-tolerant diagnostic tests construction is proposed. The algorithm is allowed to optimize processing time on tests construction. A matrix model of data and knowledge representation, as well as various kinds of regularities in data and knowledge are presented. Applied intelligent system for diagnostic of mental health of population which is developed with the use of intelligent system for parallel fault-tolerant DTs construction is suggested.
文摘The imminent danger of the Covid-19 pandemic has accelerated research in pharmaceuticals that either target the viral Spike proteins fusion with ACE2 receptors,or the infectious RNA replication that often overwhelms immune defences.The scope of this review was to elucidate the main human vulnerabilities to Covid-19,including the accumulation of ACE2 receptors in testes,adipose tissue,thyroid,heart and kidneys that escalate viral affinity in males,the aged,and certain medical conditions,including diabetes,CVD,and pulmonary diseases.Pre-existing inflammation inherent in obesity may exacerbate the“cytokine storm,”a rampaging immune reaction during the course of Covid-19 that is deleterious to the host.We examined the molecular dynamics illustrating the action of new therapeutics necessary for Covid-19 patients;the estradiol advantage hypothesis;alternative therapies including hormone replacement procedures and mesenchymal stem cells;plus preventive and protective interventions.The current perspective also explored the primary components of dysregulated health predisposing individuals to Covid-19,including hormonal imbalance,increased lipids and lipoproteins,thyroid dysfunction,degraded fitness,and age-related testosterone decline accompanied by cortisol increase that provokes stress eating behaviours and weight accumulation.Obesity increases the probability of Covid-19 infection due to its abundance of ACE2 receptors;while physical activity may decrease Covid-19 vulnerability,by reducing fat and increasing muscle mass that manifests a relatively inhibited ACE2 expression.Several weight management solutions feature lasers and radiofrequency which diminish subcutaneous adiposity but do not enhance fitness.A data metanalysis of seven recently published clinical studies on 95 obese individuals,73 males and 22 females with an average BMI of 30.9,demonstrated visceral fat reduction combined with increased skeletal muscle mass.It also revealed a statistically significant decrease in BMI,lipids,lipoproteins,inflammation and toxicity as measured by CRP,Creatinine and Bilirubin respectively,juxtaposed by optimally healthier levels of Cortisol,Testosterone,Free T3,IGF-1,Insulin,and the appetite controlling hormones Leptin and Ghrelin.
基金the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 50171026)the Natu-ral Science Foundation of Heilongjiang Province, China (No. E2007-36).
文摘Ceramic coatings were prepared on Ti-6Al-4V alloy in NaAlO2 solution by micro-plasma oxidation (MPO). The salt spray tests of the coated samples and the substrates were carded out in a salt spray test machine. The phase composition and surface morphology of the coatings were investigated by XRD and SEAM. Severe corrosion occurred on the substrate surface, while there were no obvious corrosion phenomena on the coated samples. The coatings were composed of Al2TiO5 and a little α-Al2O3 and mille TiO2, and the salt spray test did not change the composition of the coatings. The weight loss rate of the coatings decreased with increasing MPO time because of the increase in density and thickness of the coatings. The surface morphology of the coatings was influenced by salt spray corrosion test. Among the coated samples, the coating prepared for 2 h has the best corrosion resistance under salt spray test.
文摘The beneficial acclimation hypothesis (BAH) predicts that animals acclimated to a particular temperature have enhanced performance or fitness at that temperature in comparison with animals acclimated to other temperatures. The BAH has been tested by a variety of empirical examinations, and was rejected by some of them. In order to provide new evidences for the BAH, the effects of acute and acclimation temperature (AT) on locomotor performance of Macrobiotus hufelandi (Tardigrada: Macrobiotidae) were investigated. The tardigrades were collected from Nanwutai, Qinling Mountains which traverse from west to east in central China. The subjects were acclimated to either 2℃ or 22℃ for 2 weeks. The animal was transferred onto a frosted slide and allowed to walk freely at the performance temperature (PT) 2℃ or 22℃. Only one individual was tested per test bout, which lasted from three to five minutes. To avoid occurrence of thermal acclimation effect, the standard adaptation time was limited to 1.5 min. Each subject was tested for once at the same PT, and was tested only at one PT. A total of 25 individuals were tested and measured at the same PT. The locomotor performance of the animals was recorded with a digital video camera mounted on a microscope at 4×10 amplification and replayed on a PC. Every subject was identified. Walking speed (WS) and percentage of time moving (PTM) at both PTs (2℃ or 22℃) were selected as the rate parameters of locomotor performance. The two-way repeated measures ANOVA with a significance level of α= 0.05 and Duncan multiple range test were used to analyze the data. WS of the animals acclimated to and tested at the same temperatures was significantly faster than that for animals acclimated to and tested at the different temperatures, similarly, PTM of the animals acclimated to 22℃ and tested at 22℃ was significantly greater than PTM of animals acclimated to 22℃ and tested at 2℃, which indicated that the animals acclimated to a particular temperature have enhanced locomotor performance in that temperature relative to the animals acclimated to that temperature in other thermal environment. WS of the animals acclimated to 22℃ and tested at 22℃ was significantly faster than WS of animals acclimated to 2℃ and tested at 22℃, PTM of the animals acclimated to 22℃ and tested at 22℃ was significantly greater than PTM of animals acclimated to 2℃ and tested at 22℃. These results supported the BAH. It could be concluded that the PT and thermal acclimation as well as the interaction between the PT and AT significantly influence the locomotor performance of M.hufelandi, and that, despite the existence of a few results of this study that don’t support the BAH, some results of this study support for this hypothesis, and that the animals acclimated to a particular temperature have enhanced locomotor performance in that temperature relative to the animals acclimated to that temperature in other thermal environment, implying that any performance temperature that deviates from the acclimation temperature could cause the reduction of the walking speed which is closely related to the fitness of the M.hufelandi.
文摘Two new regularization algorithms for solving the first-kind Volterra integral equation, which describes the pressure-rate deconvolution problem in well test data interpretation, are developed in this paper. The main features of the problem are the strong nonuniform scale of the solution and large errors (up to 15%) in the input data. In both algorithms, the solution is represented as decomposition on special basic functions, which satisfy given a priori information on solution, and this idea allow us significantly to improve the quality of approximate solution and simplify solving the minimization problem. The theoretical details of the algorithms, as well as the results of numerical experiments for proving robustness of the algorithms, are presented.
文摘Long-span bridges are special structures that require advanced analysis techniques to examine their performance. This paper presents a procedure developed to model the Confederation Bridge using 3-D beam elements. The model was validated using the data collected before the opening of the bridge to the public. The bridge was instrumented to conduct fullscale static and dynamic tests. The static tests were to measure the deflection of the bridge pier while the dynamic tests to measure the free vibrations of the pier due to a sudden release of the static load. Confederation Bridge is one of the longest reinforced concrete bridges in the world. It connects the province of Prince Edward Island and the province of New Brunswick in Canada. Due to its strategic location and vital role as a transportation link between these two provinces, it was designed using higher safety factors than those for typical highway bridges. After validating the present numerical model, a procedure was developed to evaluate the performance of similar bridges subjected to traffic and seismic loads. It is of interest to note that the foundation stiffness and the modulus of elasticity of the concrete have significant effects on the structural responses of the Confederation Bridge.
基金Project(513270301) supponed by the National Natural Science Foundation of China
文摘Based on corrosion damage data of 10 years for a type of aircraft aluminum alloy, the statistical analysis was conducted by Gumbel, Normal and two parameters Weibull distribution function. The results show that aluminum alloy structural member has the corrosion history of pitting corrosion—intergranular corrosion—exfoliation corrosion, and the maximum corrosion depth is in conformity to normal distribution. The accelerated corrosion test was carried out with the complied equivalent airport accelerated environment spectrum. The corrosion damage failure modes of aluminum alloy structural member indicate that the period of validity of the former protective coating is about 2.5 to 3 years, and that of the novel protective coating is about 4.0 to 4.5 years. The corrosion kinetics law of aluminum spar flange was established by fitting corrosion damage test data. The law indicates two apparent corrosion stages of high strength aluminum alloy section material: pitting corrosion and intergranular corrosion/exfoliation corrosion. The test results agree with the statistical fit result of corrosion data collected from corrosion member in service. The fractional error is 5.8% at the same calendar year. The accelerated corrosion test validates the corrosion kinetics law of aircraft aluminum alloy in service.
文摘Selective Laser Melting (SLM) shows a big potential among metal additive manufacturing (AM) technologies. However, the large thermal gradients and the local melting and solidification processes of SLM result in the presence of a significant amount of residual stresses in the as built parts. These internal stresses will not only affect mechanical properties, but also increase the risk of Stress Corrosion Cracking (SCC). A twister used in an air extraction pump of a condenser to create a swirl in the water, was chosen as a candidate component to be produced by SLM in 316 L stainless steel. Since the main expected damage mechanism of this component in service is corrosion, corrosion tests were carried out on an as-built twister as well as on heat treated components. It was shown that a low temperature heat treatment at 450℃ had only a limited effect on the residual stress reduction and concomitant corrosion properties, while the internal stresses were significantly reduced when a high temperature heat treatment at 950℃ was applied. Furthermore, a specific stress corrosion sensitivity test proved to be a useful tool to evaluate the internal stress distribution in a specific component.
文摘A maximum test in lieu of forcing a choice between the two dependent samples t-test and Wilcoxon signed-ranks test is proposed. The maximum test, which requires a new table of critical values, maintains nominal α while guaranteeing the maximum power of the two constituent tests. Critical values, obtained via Monte Carlo methods, are uniformly smaller than the Bonferroni-Dunn adjustment, giving it power superiority when testing for treatment alternatives of shift in location parameter when data are sampled from non-normal distributions.
基金Financial assistance from Defence Research Development Organization (DRDO)
文摘Superior properties of maraging steels make them suitable for the fabrication of components used for military applications like missile covering, rocket motor casing and ship hulls. Welding is the main process for fabrication of these components, while the maraging steels can be fusion welded using gas tungsten arc welding(GTAW) process. All these fabricated components require longer storage life and a major problem in welds is susceptible to stress corrosion cracking(SCC). The present study is aimed at studying the SCC behaviour of MDN 250(18% Ni) steel and its welds with respect to microstructural changes. In the present study, 5.2 mm thick sheets made of MDN 250 steel in the solution annealed condition was welded using GTAW process. Post-weld heat treatments of direct ageing(480 C for 3 h), solutionizing(815 C for 1 h) followed by ageing and homogenizing(1150 C for 1 h) followed by ageing were carried out. A mixture of martensite and austenite was observed in the microstructure of the fusion zone of solutionized and direct aged welds and only martensite in as-welded condition. Homogenization and ageing treatment have eliminated reverted austenite and elemental segregation. Homogenized welds also exhibited a marginal improvement in the corrosion resistance compared to those in the as-welded, solutionized and aged condition. Constant load SCC test data clearly revealed that the failure time of homogenized weld is much longer compared to other post weld treatments, and the homogenization treatment is recommended to improve the SCC life of GTA welds of MDN 250 Maraging steel.
基金Funded by Ministry of Science and Technology of China (No.50499331)
文摘The correlation between outdoor exposure and indoor accelerated corrosion test for high polymer materials was investigated according to the variation of the functional group of exposure models aged. Environment aging intensities at different zones ( Wuhan and Lasa with the same latitude ) and the influences of indoor accelerating factors including water and ultraviolet on weathering performant.e of high polymer materials were also studied by comparing different indoor accelerated corrosion testing results. The experimental results show that : by testing variations of carbonyl exponent of polythene ( which represented the degradation behavior of high polymer materials due to ultraviolet oxidation of douIole bond) and ultraviolet absorbance of polycarbonate (which represented the degradation behavior of high polymer materials due to abevacuation of branched chain ), the degradation behavior of high polymer materials could be studied. Carbonyl exponent of polythene exposed in Wuhan and Lasa for 1 year was equal to that exposed in indoor cycle ultraviolet for 128 h anti 170 It, respectively, the ultraviolet absorbance of polycarbonate exposed in Wuhan for 1 year was equal to that exposed in indoor cycle ultraviolet for 240 h. The ratio of environment aging intensity of Lasa to Wuhan was around 1.2. With the prolongation of cycle accelerated ultraviolet exposure time, the variations of carbonyl exponent of polythene and the ultraviolet absorbance of polycarbonate were in the same shape of first order exponential decay curiae. Accompanied with ultraviolet, the effect of water condensated on the sample on weathering performance of polythene was more .significant than that of polycarbonate.
基金supported by the State Grid Science and Technology Project (Title: Technology Research On Large Scale EMT Real-time simulation customized platform, FX71-17-001)
文摘As the proportion of renewable energy increases, the interaction between renewable energy devices and the grid continues to enhance. Therefore, the renewable energy dynamic test in a power system has become more and more important. Traditional dynamic simulation systems and digital-analog hybrid simulation systems are difficult to compromise on the economy, flexibility and accuracy. A multi-time scale test system of doubly fed induction generator based on FPGA+ CPU heterogeneous calculation is proposed in this paper. The proposed test system is based on the ADPSS simulation platform. The power circuit part of the test system is setup up using the EMT(electromagnetic transient simulation) simulation, and the control part uses the actual physical devices. In order to realize the close-loop testing for the physical devices, the power circuit must be simulated in real-time. This paper proposes a multi-time scale simulation algorithm, in which the decoupling component divides the power circuit into a large time scale system and a small time scale system in order to reduce computing effort. This paper also proposes the FPGA+CPU heterogeneous computing architecture for implementing this multitime scale simulation. In FPGA, there is a complete small time-scale EMT engine, which support the flexibly circuit modeling with any topology. Finally, the test system is connected to an DFIG controller based on Labview to verify the feasibility of the test system.
文摘AIM: This study was undertaken to evaluate the hepatic effects of silybum marianum on non alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). METHODS: In 72 patients affected by NAFLD, main metabolic, hepatic and anti-inflammatory parameters were assayed after 3 mo of a restricted diet and before silymarin treatment (twice a day orally). The brightness of liver echography texture (hepatorenal ratio brightness) was also defined at same time. These evaluations were repeated after 6 mo of treatment. RESULTS: Serum levels of some metabolic and anti-inflammatory data nonsignificantly lowered after 6 mo of silymarin. On the contrary, Steato test, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase were significantly (P < 0.001) reduced. Instead, the AST/ALT ratio unchanged. Finally, the hepatorenal brightness ratio, as an index of hepatic steatosis, significantly (P < 0.05) dropped. CONCLUSION: The obtained results indicate that silymarin appears to be effective to reduce the biochemical, inflammatory and ultrasonic indices of hepatic steatosis. Some parameters indicative of early stage of atherosclerosis were also lowered.
文摘The susceptibility of welded joint for the X65 pipeline steel to H_2S stress corrosion cracking (SCC) is investigated. SCC tests on the steel are carried out in the environment based on NACE TM-01-77 solution with saturated gaseous H_2S. The threshold stress intensity factor and crack propagation velocity are calculated according to wedge-opening loading (WOL) specimens. The three-dimensional elastic-plastic finite element analysis of WOL specimens is performed by using the FEM programming package ANSYS. Stress field and concentration of hydrogen distribution property ahead of the crack tip are obtained. This paper surveyed the microstructure of welded joint and studied on the mechanical properties of X65 pipeline steel. It provides experimental basis for studying stress corrosion. The results of numerical analysis are consistent with conclusions of stress corrosion test.
基金supported by the Knowledge Innovation Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences(KJCX2-YW-N27)the CAS Center for Excellence in Particle Physics(CCEPP)
文摘The water Cherenkov detector array(WCDA) is an important part of the large high-altitude air shower observatory(LHAASO),which is in a research and development phase.The central scientific goal of LHAASO is to explore the origin of high-energy cosmic rays of the universe and to push forward the frontier of new physics.To simplify the WCDA's readout electronics,a prototype of a front-end readout for an application-specific integrated circuit(ASIC) is designed based on the timeover-threshold method to achieve charge-to-time conversion.High-precision time measurement and charge measurement are necessary over a full dynamic range[1-4000photoelectrons(P.E.)].To evaluate the performance of this ASIC,a test system is designed that includes the front-end ASIC test module,digitization module,and test software.The first module needs to be customized for different ASIC versions,whereas the digitization module and test software are tested for general-purpose use.In the digitization module,a field programmable gate array-based time-todigital converter is designed with a bin size of 333 ps,which also integrates an inter-integrated circuit to configure the ASIC test module,and a universal serial bus interface is designed to transfer data to the remote computer.Test results indicate that the time resolution is better than 0.5 ns,and the charge resolution is better than 30%root mean square(RMS) at 1 P.E.and 3%RMS at 4000 P.E.,which are beyond the application requirements.
文摘The microstructure of welded joint is surveyed and the mechanical properties of X65 pipeline steel are studied in this paper, which provides experimental basis of performance effect on stress corrosion. H 2S stress corrosion cracking (SCC) tests on the steel are carried out in the environment based on NACE TM- 01-77 solution. The threshold stress intensity factor and crack propagation velocity for base metal and HAZ are obtained. The susceptibility of welded joint for X65 pipeline steel to H 2S stress corrosion cracking is investigated. The programming package ANSYS of finite element model (FEM) is used to perform the three-dimensional elastic-plastic finite element analysis of WOL specimens. Stress field and concentration of hydrogen distribution property of the crack tip are obtained.
基金founded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.51708163)Research Program of the Ministry of Transport of the People’s Republic of China(Grant No.2013318800020)Doctoral Innovation Fund Program of Southwest Jiaotong University(Grant No.D-CX201703)
文摘To investigate the seismic response of the steel-strip reinforced soil retaining wall with fullheight rigid facing in terms of the acceleration in the backfill, dynamic earth pressure in the backfill, the displacements on the facing and the dynamic reinforcement strain distribution under different peak acceleration, a large 1-g shaking table test was performed on a reduced-scale reinforced-earth retaining wall model. It was observed that the acceleration response in non-strip region is greater than that in potential fracture region which is similar with the stability region under small earthquake,while the acceleration response in potential fracture region is greater than that in stability region in middle-upper of the wall under moderately strong earthquakes. The potential failure model of the rigid wall is rotating around the wall toe. It also was discovered that the Fourier spectra produced by the inputting white noises after seismic wave presents double peaks, rather than original single peak, and the frequency of the second peak trends to increase with increasing the PGA(peak ground amplitude) of the excitation which is greater than 0.4 g. Additionally,the non-liner distribution of strip strain along the strips was observed, and the distribution trend was not constant in different row. Soil pressure peak value in stability region is larger than that in potential fracture region. The wall was effective under 0.1 g-0.3 g seismic wave according to the analyses of the facing displacement and relative density. Also, it was discovered that the potential failure surface is corresponds to that in design code, but the area is larger. The results from the study can provide guidance for a more rational design of reinforced earth retaining walls with full-height rigid facing in the earthquake zone.
文摘BACKGROUND Carcinoembryonic antigen(CEA)and cytology in pancreatic cystic fluid are suboptimal for evaluation of pancreatic cystic neoplasms.Genetic testing and microforceps biopsy are promising tools for pre-operative diagnostic improvement but comparative performance of both methods is unknown.AIM To compare the accuracy of genetic testing and microforceps biopsy in pancreatic cysts referred for surgery.METHODS We performed a literature search in Medline,Scopus,and Web of Science for studies evaluating genetic testing of cystic fluid and microforceps biopsy of pancreatic cysts,with endoscopic ultrasound with fine-needle aspiration(EUSFNA)prior to surgery and surgical pathology as reference standard for diagnosis.We evaluated the diagnostic accuracy for:1-benign cysts;2-mucinous low-risk cysts;3-high-risk cysts,and the diagnostic yield and rate of correctly identified cysts with microforceps biopsy and molecular analysis.We also assessed publication bias,heterogeneity,and study quality.RESULTS Eight studies,including 1206 patients,of which 203(17%)referred for surgery who met the inclusion criteria were analyzed in the systematic review,and seven studies were included in the meta-analysis.Genetic testing and microforceps biopsies were identical for diagnosis of benign cysts.Molecular analysis was superior for diagnosis of both low and high-risk mucinous cysts,with sensitivities of 0.89(95%CI:0.79-0.95)and 0.57(95%CI:0.42-0.71),specificities of 0.88(95%CI:0.75-0.95)and 0.88(95%CI:0.80-0.93)and AUC of 0.9555 and 0.92,respectively.The diagnostic yield was higher in microforceps biopsies than in genetic analysis(0.73 vs 0.54,respectively)but the rates of correctly identified cysts were identical(0.73 with 95%CI:0.62-0.82 vs 0.71 with 95%CI:0.49-0.86,respectively).CONCLUSION Genetic testing and microforceps biopsies are useful second tests,with identical results in benign pancreatic cysts.Genetic analysis performs better for low-and high-risk cysts but has lower diagnostic yield.