Finite Element Simulation Analysis of a Novel 3D-FRSPA for Crawling Locomotion

A novel three-dimensional-fiber reinforced soft pneumatic actuator(3D-FRSPA)inspired by crab claw and human hand structure that can bend and deform independently in each segment is proposed.It has an omni-directional bending configuration,and the fibers twined symmetrically on both sides to improve the bending performance of FRSPA.In this paper,the static and kinematic analysis of 3D-FRSPA are carried out in detail.The effects of fiber,pneumatic chamber and segment length,and circular air chamber radius of 3D-FRSPA on the mechanical performance of the actuator are discussed,respectively.The soft mobile robot composed of 3D-FRSPA has the ability to crawl.Finally,the crawling processes of the soft mobile robot on different road conditions are studied,respectively,and the motion mechanism of the mobile actuator is shown.The numerical results show that the soft mobile robots have a good comprehensive performance,which verifies the correctness of the proposedmodel.This work shows that the proposed structures have great potential in complex road conditions,unknown space detection and other operations.

A novel box-counting method for quantitative fractal analysis of threedimensional pore characteristics in sandstone

Fractal theory offers a powerful tool for the precise description and quantification of the complex pore structures in reservoir rocks,crucial for understanding the storage and migration characteristics of media within these rocks.Faced with the challenge of calculating the three-dimensional fractal dimensions of rock porosity,this study proposes an innovative computational process that directly calculates the three-dimensional fractal dimensions from a geometric perspective.By employing a composite denoising approach that integrates Fourier transform(FT)and wavelet transform(WT),coupled with multimodal pore extraction techniques such as threshold segmentation,top-hat transformation,and membrane enhancement,we successfully crafted accurate digital rock models.The improved box-counting method was then applied to analyze the voxel data of these digital rocks,accurately calculating the fractal dimensions of the rock pore distribution.Further numerical simulations of permeability experiments were conducted to explore the physical correlations between the rock pore fractal dimensions,porosity,and absolute permeability.The results reveal that rocks with higher fractal dimensions exhibit more complex pore connectivity pathways and a wider,more uneven pore distribution,suggesting that the ideal rock samples should possess lower fractal dimensions and higher effective porosity rates to achieve optimal fluid transmission properties.The methodology and conclusions of this study provide new tools and insights for the quantitative analysis of complex pores in rocks and contribute to the exploration of the fractal transport properties of media within rocks.

Biomechanical analysis of an absorbable material for treating fractures of the inferior orbital wall

AIM:To investigate the biomechanical properties and practical application of absorbable materials in orbital fracture repair.METHODS:The three-dimensional(3D)model of orbital blowout fractures was reconstructed using Mimics21.0 software.The repair guide plate model for inferior orbital wall fracture was designed using 3-matic13.0 and Geomagic wrap 21.0 software.The finite element model of orbital blowout fracture and absorbable repair plate was established using 3-matic13.0 and ANSYS Workbench 21.0 software.The mechanical response of absorbable plates,with thicknesses of 0.6 and 1.2 mm,was modeled after their placement in the orbit.Two patients with inferior orbital wall fractures volunteered to receive single-layer and double-layer absorbable plates combined with 3D printing technology to facilitate surgical treatment of orbital wall fractures.RESULTS:The finite element models of orbital blowout fracture and absorbable plate were successfully established.Finite element analysis(FEA)showed that when the Young’s modulus of the absorbable plate decreases to 3.15 MPa,the repair material with a thickness of 0.6 mm was influenced by the gravitational forces of the orbital contents,resulting in a maximum total deformation of approximately 3.3 mm.Conversely,when the absorbable plate was 1.2 mm thick,the overall maximum total deformation was around 0.4 mm.The half-year follow-up results of the clinical cases confirmed that the absorbable plate with a thickness of 1.2 mm had smaller maximum total deformation and better clinical efficacy.CONCLUSION:The biomechanical analysis observations in this study are largely consistent with the clinical situation.The use of double-layer absorbable plates in conjunction with 3D printing technology is recommended to support surgical treatment of infraorbital wall blowout fractures.

Cookie Baking Process Optimization and Quality Analysis Based on Food 3D Printing

In order to obtain better quality cookies, food 3D printing technology was employed to prepare cookies. The texture, color, deformation, moisture content, and temperature of the cookie as evaluation indicators, the influences of baking process parameters, such as baking time, surface heating temperature and bottom heating temperature, on the quality of the cookie were studied to optimize the baking process parameters. The results showed that the baking process parameters had obvious effects on the texture, color, deformation, moisture content, and temperature of the cookie. All of the roasting surface heating temperature, bottom heating temperature and baking time had positive influences on the hardness, crunchiness, crispiness, and the total color difference(ΔE) of the cookie. When the heating temperatures of the surfac and bottom increased, the diameter and thickness deformation rate of the cookie increased. However,with the extension of baking time, the diameter and thickness deformation rate of the cookie first increased and then decreased. With the surface heating temperature of 180 ℃, the bottom heating temperature of 150 ℃, and baking time of 15 min, the cookie was crisp and moderate with moderate deformation and uniform color. There was no burnt phenomenon with the desired quality. Research results provided a theoretical basis for cookie manufactory based on food 3D printing technology.

AHermitian C^(2) Differential Reproducing Kernel Interpolation Meshless Method for the 3D Microstructure-Dependent Static Flexural Analysis of Simply Supported and Functionally Graded Microplates

This work develops a Hermitian C^(2) differential reproducing kernel interpolation meshless(DRKIM)method within the consistent couple stress theory(CCST)framework to study the three-dimensional(3D)microstructuredependent static flexural behavior of a functionally graded(FG)microplate subjected to mechanical loads and placed under full simple supports.In the formulation,we select the transverse stress and displacement components and their first-and second-order derivatives as primary variables.Then,we set up the differential reproducing conditions(DRCs)to obtain the shape functions of the Hermitian C^(2) differential reproducing kernel(DRK)interpolant’s derivatives without using direct differentiation.The interpolant’s shape function is combined with a primitive function that possesses Kronecker delta properties and an enrichment function that constituents DRCs.As a result,the primary variables and their first-and second-order derivatives satisfy the nodal interpolation properties.Subsequently,incorporating ourHermitianC^(2)DRKinterpolant intothe strong formof the3DCCST,we develop a DRKIM method to analyze the FG microplate’s 3D microstructure-dependent static flexural behavior.The Hermitian C^(2) DRKIM method is confirmed to be accurate and fast in its convergence rate by comparing the solutions it produces with the relevant 3D solutions available in the literature.Finally,the impact of essential factors on the transverse stresses,in-plane stresses,displacements,and couple stresses that are induced in the loaded microplate is examined.These factors include the length-to-thickness ratio,the material length-scale parameter,and the inhomogeneity index,which appear to be significant.

The Clinical Value of Ultrasound Image Texture Analysis in the Diagnosis of Uterine Adhesions

Purpose: This review examines the diagnostic value of transvaginal 3D ultrasound image texture analysis for the diagnosis of uterine adhesions. Materials and Methods: The total clinical data of 53 patients with uterine adhesions diagnosed by hysteroscopy and the imaging data of transvaginal three-dimensional ultrasound from the Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University from June 2022 to August 2023 were retrospectively analysed. Based on hysteroscopic surgical records, patients were divided into two independent groups: normal endometrium and uterine adhesion sites. The samples were divided into a training set and a test set, and the transvaginal 3D ultrasound was used to outline the region of interest (ROI) and extract texture features for normal endometrium and uterine adhesions based on hysteroscopic surgical recordings, the training set data were feature screened and modelled using lasso regression and cross-validation, and the diagnostic efficacy of the model was assessed by applying the subjects’ operating characteristic (ROC) curves. Results: For each group, 290 texture feature parameters were extracted and three higher values were screened out, and the area under the curve of the constructed ultrasonographic scoring model was 0.658 and 0.720 in the training and test sets, respectively. Conclusion Relative clinical value of transvaginal three-dimensional ultrasound image texture analysis for the diagnosis of uterine adhesions.

A Bioinformatics Analysis of FAM3A to Identify its Potential Role as a Biomarker in Liver Hepatocellular Cancer

Liver hepatocellular cancer(LIHC)is positioned as the third cancer with the highest mortalities worldwide,and high mortalities are associated with late diagnosis and recurrence.This study advances bioinformatics analysis of FAM3A expression in LIHC to evaluate its potential as a prognostic,diagnostic and therapeutic biomarker.Bioinformatics tools such as UALCAN,GEPIA2,KM plotter,TIMER2 and cBioPortal are employed to conduct analysis.Initially,the expression analysis revealed up-regulation of FAM3A in LIHC based on various variables.Further,the study observed that FAM3A methylation regulates expression as variation in methylation level of FAM3A was assessed in LIHC.Moreover,this over-expression of FAM3A results in poor overall survival(OS)in LIHC patients.All of these proposed that FAM3A has a role in the progression and development of LIHC.While examined association of FAM3A expression and infiltration level of CD8+T cells in LIHC patients using TIMER2 revealed that FAM3A has a positive correlation with purity in LIHC that highlights the molecular landscape.Analysis of genetic alteration revealed minute role of FAM3A in LIHC still provides valuable insight.Overall,our findings reveal that FAM3A has potential as diagnostic,therapeutic and prognostic biomarkers in LIHC.

A Building Information Modeling-Life Cycle Cost Analysis Integrated Model to Enhance Decisions Related to the Selection of Construction Methods at the Conceptual Design Stage of Buildings

Life Cycle Cost Analysis (LCCA) provides a systematic approach to assess the total cost associated with owning, operating, and maintaining assets throughout their entire life. BIM empowers architects and designers to perform real-time evaluations to explore various design options. However, when integrated with LCCA, BIM provides a comprehensive economic perspective that helps stakeholders understand the long-term financial implications of design decisions. This study presents a methodology for developing a model that seamlessly integrates BIM and LCCA during the conceptual design stage of buildings. This integration allows for a comprehensive evaluation and analysis of the design process, ensuring that the development aligns with the principles of low carbon emissions by employing modular construction, 3D concrete printing methods, and different building design alternatives. The model considers the initial construction costs in addition to all the long-term operational, maintenance, and salvage values. It combines various tools and data through different modules, including energy analysis, Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), and Life Cycle Cost Analysis (LCCA) to execute a comprehensive assessment of the financial implications of a specific design option throughout the lifecycle of building projects. The development of the said model and its implementation involves the creation of a new plug-in for the BIM tool (i.e., Autodesk Revit) to enhance its functionalities and capabilities in forecasting the life-cycle costs of buildings in addition to generating associated cash flows, creating scenarios, and sensitivity analyses in an automatic manner. This model empowers designers to evaluate and justify their initial investments while designing and selecting potential construction methods for buildings, and enabling stakeholders to make informed decisions by assessing different design alternatives based on long-term financial considerations during the early stages of design.

Introduction of New Method on Engineering Risk Assessment:Engineering Errors and Effects Analysis(3EA)

Construction and commissioning accidents investigation shows that engineer’s errors in basic and detailed phases are the main causes.It will be gained more efficiency of investment when a relevant method is applied for error identification and risk assessment in basic and detailed phases.Most of risk assessment methods are related to construction phase,meanwhile hidden risks that were happen in previous phases cannot be found by these methods.Although HAZOP study can be applied in detail phase but it can help to find process defections.Importance of identifying risks in basic and detailed phases is to apply preventive actions against birth and grows risks.This risk assessment method can reduce costs and improve environmental protection,safety,and reliability of designs.The main purpose of this study is to identify engineer’s errors and analyse their HSE effects.The method is applied in seven oil and gas engineering projects in Iran,raising the level of engineer’s attention to safety precautions and environmentally-friendly design,reducing the cost of improving the level of safety and environmental protection,improving environmental protection,safety,and design reliability,and improving procedures related to design process and control have been achieved.

Multivariate adaptive regression splines analysis for 3D slope stability in anisotropic and heterogenous clay

Little research can be found in relation to the stability of anisotropic and heterogenous soils in three dimensions.In this paper,we propose a study on the three-dimensional(3D)undrained slopes in anisotropic and heterogenous clay using advanced upper and lower bounds finite element limit analysis(FELA).The obtained stability solutions are normalized,and presented by a stability number that is a function of three geometrical ratios and two material ratios,i.e.depth ratio,length ratio,slope angle,shear strength gradient ratio and anisotropic strength ratio.Numerical results are compared with experimental data in the literature,and charts are presented to cover a wide range of design parameters.Using the multivariate adaptive regression splines(MARS)analysis,the respective influence and sensitivity of each design parameter on the stability number and the failure mechanism are investigated.An empirical equation is also developed to effectively estimate the stability number.

Carbon Chain Length Determines Inhibitory Potency of Perfluoroalkyl Sulfonic Acids on Human Placental 3β-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenase 1:Screening,Structure-Activity Relationship,and In Silico Analysis

Objective This study aimed to compare 9 perfluoroalkyl sulfonic acids(PFSA)with carbon chain lengths(C4–C12)to inhibit human placental 3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase 1(3β-HSD1),aromatase,and rat 3β-HSD4 activities.Methods Human and rat placental 3β-HSDs activities were determined by converting pregnenolone to progesterone and progesterone secretion in JEG-3 cells was determined using HPLC/MS–MS,and human aromatase activity was determined by radioimmunoassay.Results PFSA inhibited human 3β-HSD1 structure-dependently in the order:perfluorooctanesulfonic acid(PFOS,half-maximum inhibitory concentration,IC50:9.03±4.83μmol/L)>perfluorodecanesulfonic acid(PFDS,42.52±8.99μmol/L)>perfluoroheptanesulfonic acid(PFHpS,112.6±29.39μmol/L)>perfluorobutanesulfonic acid(PFBS)=perfluoropentanesulfonic acid(PFPS)=perfluorohexanesulfonic acid(PFHxS)=perfluorododecanesulfonic acid(PFDoS)(ineffective at 100μmol/L).6:2FTS(1H,1H,2H,2H-perfluorooctanesulfonic acid)and 8:2FTS(1H,1H,2H,2H-perfluorodecanesulfonic acid)did not inhibit human 3β-HSD1.PFOS and PFHpS are mixed inhibitors,whereas PFDS is a competitive inhibitor.Moreover,1–10μmol/L PFOS and PFDS significantly reduced progesterone biosynthesis in JEG-3 cells.Docking analysis revealed that PFSA binds to the steroid-binding site of human 3β-HSD1 in a carbon chain length-dependent manner.All 100μmol/L PFSA solutions did not affect rat 3β-HSD4 and human placental aromatase activity.Conclusion Carbon chain length determines inhibitory potency of PFSA on human placental 3β-HSD1 in a V-shaped transition at PFOS(C8),with inhibitory potency of PFOS>PFDS>PFHpS>PFBS=PFPS=PFHxS=PFDoS=6:2FTS=8:2FTS.

Dynamic response analysis of liquefiable ground due to sinusoidal waves of different frequencies of shield construction

Vibration induced by shield construction can lead to liquefaction of saturated sand.Based on FLAC3D software,a numerical model of tunnel excavation is established and sinusoidal velocity loads with different frequencies are applied to the excavation face.The pattern of the excess pore pressure ratio with frequency,as well as the dynamic response of soil mass under different frequency loads before excavation,is analyzed.When the velocity sinusoidal wave acts on the excavation surface of the shield tunnel with a single sand layer,soil liquefaction occurs.However,the ranges and locations of soil liquefaction are different at different frequencies,which proves that the vibration frequency influences the liquefaction location of the stratum.For sand-clay composite strata with liquefiable layers,the influence of frequency on the liquefaction range is different from that of a single stratum.In the frequency range of 5-30 Hz,the liquefaction area and surface subsidence decrease with an increase in vibration frequency.The research results in this study can be used as a reference in engineering practice for tunneling liquefiable strata with a shield tunneling machine.

Amplification and Bioinformatics Analysis of vscN Gene from Vibrio alginolyticus

[Objectives]The paper was to clone and analyze bioinformatics of vscN gene from Vibrio alginolyticus.[Methods]A pair of specific primers was designed based on the vscN gene sequence of V.alginolyticus HY9901.The full length of vscN gene was amplified by PCR and bioinformatics analysis was performed.[Results]The vscN gene was 1323 bp in total,encoding 440 amino acids,with the theoretical molecular weight of 47.86 kD and the theoretical pI value of 5.89.The online prediction showed that there was no signal peptide and no transmembrane region in VscN.The amino acid sequence had 10 N-myristoylation sites,8 phosphorylation sites(2 protein kinase C phosphorylation sites,6 casein kinase II phosphorylation sites),1 amidation site,11 microbody C-terminal target signal sites,1 ATP/GTP binding site motif A(P ring),and 1 ATPaseαandβsubunit specific site.Homology analysis showed that the VscN protein of V.alginolyticus had high homology with that of V.antiquarius,with a similarity of 95.14%.Phylogenetic tree analysis showed that the VscN of V.alginolyticus was clustered into the same subgroup as that of V.diabolicus and V.antiquarius.Functional domain analysis of VscN protein showed that it had Pfam and AAA domains,and involved in the regulation of bacterial virulence.The three-dimensional structure model of VscN simulated by SWISS-MODEL software was similar to the structure of flagellate-specific ATPase FliH-FliI complex.[Conclusions]The results lay a foundation for further study on the regulatory mechanism of VscN protein on bacterial virulence.

Stochastic analysis of excavation-induced wall deflection and box culvert settlement considering spatial variability of soil stiffness

In this study, a three-dimensional (3D) finite element modelling (FEM) analysis is carried out to investigate the effects of soil spatial variability on the response of retaining walls and an adjacent box culvert due to a braced excavation. The spatial variability of soil stiffness is modelled using a variogram and calibrated by high-quality experimental data. Multiple random field samples (RFSs) of soil stiffness are generated using geostatistical analysis and mapped onto a finite element mesh for stochastic analysis of excavation-induced structural responses by Monte Carlo simulation. It is found that the spatial variability of soil stiffness can be described by an exponential variogram, and the associated vertical correlation length is varied from 1.3 m to 1.6 m. It also reveals that the spatial variability of soil stiffness has a significant effect on the variations of retaining wall deflections and box culvert settlements. The ignorance of spatial variability in 3D FEM can result in an underestimation of lateral wall deflections and culvert settlements. Thus, the stochastic structural responses obtained from the 3D analysis could serve as an effective aid for probabilistic design and analysis of excavations.

The Deformation Analysis of the 3D Alignment Control Network Based on the Multiple Congruence Models

In the construction and maintenance of particle accelerators,all the accelerator elements should be installed in the same coordinate system,only in this way could the devices in the actual world be consistent with the design drawings.However,with the occurrence of the movements of the reinforced concrete cover plates at short notice or building deformations in the long term,the control points upon the engineering structure will be displaced,and the fitness between the subnetwork and the global control network may be irresponsible.Therefore,it is necessary to evaluate the deformations of the 3D alignment control network.Different from the extant investigations,in this paper,to characterize the deformations of the control network,all of the congruent models between the points measured in different epochs have been identified,and the congruence model with the most control points is considered as the primary or fundamental model,the remaining models are recognized as the additional ones.Furthermore,the discrepancies between the primary S-transformation parameters and the additional S-transformation parameters can reflect the relative movements of the additional congruence models.Both the iterative GCT method and the iterative combinatorial theory are proposed to detect multiple congruence models in the control network.Considering the actual work of the alignment,it is essential to identify the competitive models in the monitoring network,which can provide us a hint that,even the fitness between the subnetwork and the global control network is good,there are still deformations which may be ignored.The numerical experiments show that the suggested approaches can describe the deformation of the 3D alignment control network roundly.

A Comparative Analysis of the New -3(-n) - 1 Remer Conjecture and a Proof of the 3n + 1 Collatz Conjecture

This scientific paper is a comparative analysis of two mathematical conjectures. The newly proposed -3(-n) - 1 Remer conjecture and how it is related to and a proof of the more well known 3n + 1 Collatz conjecture. An overview of both conjectures and their respective iterative processes will be presented. Showcasing their unique properties and behavior to each other. Through a detailed comparison, we highlight the similarities and differences between these two conjectures and discuss their significance in the field of mathematics. And how they prove each other to be true.

鸭甲型肝炎病毒3型信阳株的分离鉴定及遗传演化分析

为了解信阳地区鸭甲型肝炎病毒3型的遗传变异特性,对信阳市发生疑似肝炎的金定雏鸭进行9种常见病毒PCR/RT-PCR检测,同时采集病鸭肝脏组织无菌处理后,尿囊腔接种10日龄SPF鸭胚进行病毒分离,并对分离毒株进行全基因组和VP1基因序列分析。结果:成功分离到1株鸭甲型肝炎病毒3型(DHAV3),命名为HNXY23;接种病毒的鸭胚发育不良,死亡胚体全身呈出血水肿;序列比对和系统发育树表明,分离株HNXY23属于DHAV3 GⅠ基因型,与2022年分离株HB-1、HZ-1、HZ-2和HZ-3亲缘关系较近;利用DNAMAN软件比对31株DHAV3 VP1氨基酸位点变异情况,发现在184、187、195、206和209位这5个氨基酸位点有较为明显的变化差异。本研究结果丰富了信阳地区DHAV3的分子流行病学资料,为进一步研究DHAV3的致病机制奠定了基础。

胡萝卜14-3-3基因家族的鉴定与分析

以胡萝卜为试材,采用分子生物学和生物信息学方法对胡萝卜14-3-3基因家族各成员进行鉴定,研究分析其理化特性、基因结构、保守结构域、复制事件、系统进化及顺式作用元件,以期为进一步研究胡萝卜14-3-3蛋白的功能提供参考依据。结果表明:胡萝卜中共鉴定到11个14-3-3基因,不均匀分布在6条染色体上,含有3~7个外显子,其中1对基因发生片段复制事件;编码的蛋白序列长度为236~264 aa,分子量为26.64~30.14 kD,等电点为4.65~5.33,具有7个Motif,全部为酸性非分泌型蛋白,定位在细胞核。系统进化分析显示,胡萝卜14-3-3蛋白分为ε类(3个)与非ε(8个)类2个亚族。此外,顺式作用元件分析结果表明,胡萝卜14-3-3基因含有大量激素与逆境胁迫相关元件。

调节阀多测点空化诱导振动敏感性分析

针对调节阀阀体不同测点处对流道内空化敏感性存在差异问题,开展了不同测点处空化诱导振动的差异性研究和空化发展状态敏感程度分析。搭建了调节阀空化振动加速度信号采集试验平台,同步采集了多测点处调节阀空化诱导振动的加速度信号。提出了加速度级比率和重心频率两个表征参数,并利用1/3倍频程谱对调节阀空化振动信号频谱进行划分,最终得到对空化发展最敏感的频带和测点位置。结果表明:调节阀阀体同一表面测点振动信号呈现相似性,不同表面测点信号差异性较大,即调节阀振动信号表现为各向异性;空化状态的发展主要引起中心频率10000 Hz以上的频带振动强度增大,适合作为监测调节阀空化状态的特征频带。

阶段矿房法二步骤采场地压控制研究

在阶段矿房二步骤开采时,为了减小上盘岩移量,常采纳采场中部切槽并向上盘、下盘两侧回采,从而缩短采场暴露时间,以便减小上盘岩移量。当地压达到流变发生的条件后,缩短采场暴露时间并不能有效控制上盘巷道发生岩移破坏。为此,利用三维连续体快速拉格朗日分析数值模拟采场上盘地压,并根据流变理论分析,采纳低松弛预应力大直径钢绞线锚索支护上盘顶板以便减小上盘地压,从而克服发生流变变形的应力条件。结果表明:在上盘岩体上施加支护抗力可减小或消除高地压导致的流变变形;采纳7排7.0 m长的锚索、每排6根支护上盘顶板后大幅度减小了上盘岩移量,但采场第2分层上排锚索及一步骤采场第3分层局部锚索的锚固力超过设计值;采纳8排7.0 m长的锚索、一步骤采场每排7根、二步骤采场每排6根支护上盘顶板后,即使回采底柱,锚索锚固力也不会达到设计值。监测表明,大直径钢绞线锚索支护后上盘岩移量减小到一般不超过6 mm。