Seismic stability of expansive soil slopes reinforced by anchor cables using a modified horizontal slice method

Earthquake-induced slope failures are common occurrences in engineering practice and pre-stressed anchor cables are an effective technique in maintaining slope stability,especially in areas that are prone to earthquakes.Furthermore,the soil at typical engineering sites also exhibit unsaturated features.Explicit considerations of these factors in slope stability estimations are crucial in producing accurate results.In this study,the seismic responses of expansive soil slopes stabilized by anchor cables is studied in the realm of kinematic limit analysis.A modified horizontal slice method is proposed to semi-analytically formulate the energy balance equation.An illustrative slope is studied to demonstrate the influences of suction,seismic excitations and anchor cables on the slope stability.The results indicate that the stabilizing effect of soil suction relates strongly to the seismic excitation and presents a sine shape as the seismic wave propagates.In higher and steeper slopes,the stabilizing effect of suction is more evident.The critical slip surface tends to be much more shallow as the seismic wave approaches the peak and vice versa.

Swelling behaviors of heterogeneous red-bed mudstone subjected to different vertical stresses

In this study,the axial swelling strain of red-bed mudstone under different vertical stresses are measured by swell-under-load method,and the microstructure of mudstone after hygroscopic swelling is studied by mercury intrusion porosimetry(MIP).The weakening coefficient and Weibull distribution function are introduced into the coupling model of mudstone moisture diffusion-swelling deformation-fracture based on finite-discrete element method(FDEM).The weakening effect of moisture on mudstone's mechanical parameters,as well as the heterogeneity of swelling deformation and stress distribution,is considered.The microcrack behavior and energy evolution of mudstone during hygroscopic swelling deformation under different vertical stresses are studied.The results show that the axial swelling strain of mudstone decreases with increase of the vertical stress.At low vertical stresses,moisture absorption in mudstone leads to formation of cracks caused by hydration-induced expansion.Under high vertical stresses,a muddy sealing zone forms on the mudstone surface,preventing further water infiltration.The simulation results of mudstone swelling deformation also demonstrate that it involves both swelling of the mudstone matrix and swelling caused by crack expansion.Notably,crack expansion plays a dominant role in mudstone swelling.With increasing vertical stress,the cracks in mudstone change from tensile cracks to shear cracks,resulting in a significant reduction in the total number of cracks.While the evolution of mudstone kinetic energy shows similarities under different vertical stresses,the evolution of strain energy varies significantly due to the presence of different types of cracks in the mudstone.The findings provide a theoretical basis for understanding the hygroscopic swelling deformation mechanism of red-bed mudstone at various depths.

The“depict”strategy for discovering new compounds in complex matrices:Lycibarbarspermidines as a case

The comprehensive detection and identification of active ingredients in complex matrices is a crucial challenge.Liquid chromatography coupled with high-resolution mass spectrometry(LC-HRMS)is the most prominent analytical platform for the exploration of novel active compounds from complex matrices.However,the LC-HRMS-based analysis workflow suffers from several bottleneck issues,such as trace content of target compounds,limited acquisition for fragment information,and uncertainty in interpreting relevant MS2 spectra.Lycibarbarspermidines are vital antioxidant active ingredients in Lycii Fructus,while the reported structures are merely focused on dicaffeoylspermidines due to their low content.To comprehensively detect the new structures of lycibarbarspermidine derivatives,a“depict”strategy was developed in this study.First,potential new lycibarbarspermidine derivatives were designed according to the biosynthetic pathway,and a comprehensive database was established,which enlarged the coverage of lycibarbarspermidine derivatives.Second,the polarity-oriented sample preparation of potential new compounds increased the concentration of the target compounds.Third,the construction of the molecular network based on the fragmentation pathway of lycibarbarspermidine derivatives broadened the comprehensiveness of identification.Finally,the weak response signals were captured by data-dependent scanning(DDA)followed by parallel reaction monitoring(PRM),and the efficiency of acquiring MS2 fragment ions of target compounds was significantly improved.Based on the integrated strategy above,210 lycibarbarspermidine derivatives were detected and identified from Lycii Fructus,and in particular,170 potential new compounds were structurally characterized.The integrated strategy improved the sensitivity of detection and the coverage of low-response components,and it is expected to be a promising pipeline for discovering new compounds.

Self-Triggered Set Stabilization of Boolean Control Networks and Its Applications

Set stabilization is one of the essential problems in engineering systems, and self-triggered control(STC) can save the storage space for interactive information, and can be successfully applied in networked control systems with limited communication resources. In this study, the set stabilization problem and STC design of Boolean control networks are investigated via the semi-tensor product technique. On the one hand, the largest control invariant subset is calculated in terms of the strongly connected components of the state transition graph, by which a graph-theoretical condition for set stabilization is derived. On the other hand, a characteristic function is exploited to determine the triggering mechanism and feasible controls. Based on this, the minimum-time and minimum-triggering open-loop, state-feedback and output-feedback STCs for set stabilization are designed,respectively. As classic applications of self-triggered set stabilization, self-triggered synchronization, self-triggered output tracking and self-triggered output regulation are discussed as well. Additionally, several practical examples are given to illustrate the effectiveness of theoretical results.

Acellular dermal matrices in reconstructive surgery;history,current implications and future perspectives for surgeons

Large-scale defects of body in the reconstructive surgical practice,and the help-lessness of their repair with autologous tissues,have been an important factor in the development of artificial biological products for the temporary,definitive,or staged repair of these defects.A major advance in the field of plastic and other reconstructive surgery in this regard has been the introduction and successful use of acellular dermal matrices(ADMs).In recent years,not only the type of tissue from which ADMs are produced,product range,diversity and areas of use have increased,but their use in reconstructive fields,especially in post oncologic breast surgery,has become highly regarded and this has favored ADMs to be a potential cornerstone in specific and well-defined surgical fields in future.It is essential that reconstructive surgeons become familiar with some of the ADM’s as well as the advantages and limitations to their use.This review not only provides basic science and clinical evidence of the current use of ADMs in wide range of surgical fields but also targets to keep them as an important backdrop in the arma-mentarium of reconstructive surgeons.Brief considerations of possible future directions for ADMs are also conducted in the end.

Effect of degree of saturation on stresses and pore water pressure in the subgrade layer caused by railway track loading

Purpose-The experiments of this study investigated the effect of the subgrade degree of saturation on the value of the stresses generated on the surface and the middle(vertical and lateral stresses).The objectives of this study can be identified by studying the effect of subgrade layer degree of saturation variation,load amplitude and load frequency on the transmitted stresses through the ballast layer to the subgrade layer and the stress distribution inside it and investigating the excess pore water pressure development in the clay layer in the case of a fully saturated subgrade layer and the change in matric suction in the case of an unsaturated subgrade layer.Design/methodology/approach-Thirty-six laboratory experiments were conducted using approximately half-scale replicas of real railways,with an iron box measuring 1.5×1.031.0 m.Inside the box,a 0.5 m thick layer of clay soil representing the base layer was built.Above it is a 0.2 m thick ballast layer made of crushed stone,and on top of that is a 0.8 m long rail line supported by three 0.9 m(0.1×0.1 m)slipper beams.The subgrade layer has been built at the following various saturation levels:100,80,70 and 60%.Experiments were conducted with various frequencies of 1,2 and 4 Hz with load amplitudes of 15,25 and 35 kN.Findings-The results of the study demonstrated that as the subgrade degree of saturation decreased from 100 to 60%,the ratio of stress in the lateral direction to stress in the vertical direction generated in the middle of the subgrade layer decreased as well.On average,this ratio changed from approximately 0.75 to approximately 0.65.Originality/value-The study discovered that as the test proceeded and the number of cycles increased,the value of negative water pressure(matric suction)in the case of unsaturated subgrade soils declined.The frequency of loads had no bearing on the ratio of decline in matric suction values,which was greater under a larger load amplitude than a lower one.As the test progressed(as the number of cycles increased),the matric suction dropped.For larger load amplitudes,there is a greater shift in matric suction.The change in matric suction is greater at higher saturation levels than it is at lower saturation levels.Furthermore,it is seen that the load frequency value has no bearing on how the matric suction changes.For all load frequencies and subgrade layer saturation levels,the track panel settlement rises with the load amplitude.Higher load frequency and saturation levels have a greater impact.

Highly Aligned Ternary Nanofiber Matrices Loaded with MXene Expedite Regeneration of Volumetric Muscle Loss

Current therapeutic approaches for volumetric muscle loss(VML)face challenges due to limited graft availability and insufficient bioactivities.To overcome these limitations,tissue-engineered scaffolds have emerged as a promising alternative.In this study,we developed aligned ternary nanofibrous matrices comprised of poly(lactide-co-ε-caprolactone)integrated with collagen and Ti_(3)C_(2)T_(x)MXene nanoparticles(NPs)(PCM matrices),and explored their myogenic potential for skeletal muscle tissue regeneration.The PCM matrices demonstrated favorable physicochemical properties,including structural uniformity,alignment,microporosity,and hydrophilicity.In vitro assays revealed that the PCM matrices promoted cellular behaviors and myogenic differentiation of C2C12 myoblasts.Moreover,in vivo experiments demonstrated enhanced muscle remodeling and recovery in mice treated with PCM matrices following VML injury.Mechanistic insights from next-generation sequencing revealed that MXene NPs facilitated protein and ion availability within PCM matrices,leading to elevated intracellular Ca^(2+)levels in myoblasts through the activation of inducible nitric oxide synthase(i NOS)and serum/glucocorticoid regulated kinase 1(SGK1),ultimately promoting myogenic differentiation via the m TOR-AKT pathway.Additionally,upregulated i NOS and increased NO–contributed to myoblast proliferation and fiber fusion,thereby facilitating overall myoblast maturation.These findings underscore the potential of MXene NPs loaded within highly aligned matrices as therapeutic agents to promote skeletal muscle tissue recovery.

The Jaffa Transform for Hessian Matrix Systems and the Laplace Equation

Hessian matrices are square matrices consisting of all possible combinations of second partial derivatives of a scalar-valued initial function. As such, Hessian matrices may be treated as elementary matrix systems of linear second-order partial differential equations. This paper discusses the Hessian and its applications in optimization, and then proceeds to introduce and derive the notion of the Jaffa Transform, a new linear operator that directly maps a Hessian square matrix space to the initial corresponding scalar field in nth dimensional Euclidean space. The Jaffa Transform is examined, including the properties of the operator, the transform of notable matrices, and the existence of an inverse Jaffa Transform, which is, by definition, the Hessian matrix operator. The Laplace equation is then noted and investigated, particularly, the relation of the Laplace equation to Poisson’s equation, and the theoretical applications and correlations of harmonic functions to Hessian matrices. The paper concludes by introducing and explicating the Jaffa Theorem, a principle that declares the existence of harmonic Jaffa Transforms, which are, essentially, Jaffa Transform solutions to the Laplace partial differential equation.

Classical Correlations vs Quantum Correlations—Similarities, Differences, Opportunities

Classical Correlations were founded in 1900 by Karl Pearson and have since been applied as a statistical tool in virtually all sciences. Quantum correlations go back to Albert Einstein et al. in 1935 and Erwin Schrödinger’s responses shortly after. In this paper, we contrast classical with quantum correlations. We find that classical correlations are weaker than quantum correlations in the CHSH framework. With respect to correlation matrices, the trace of classical correlation matrices is dissimilar to quantum density matrices. However, the off-diagonal terms have equivalent interpretations. We contrast classical dynamic (i.e., time evolving) stochastic correlation with dynamic quantum density matrices and find that the off-diagonal elements, while different in nature, have similar interpretations. So far, due to the laws of quantum physics, no classical correlations are applied to the quantum spectrum. However, conversely, quantum correlations are applied in classical environments such as quantum computing, cryptography, metrology, teleportation, medical imaging, laser technology, the quantum Internet and more.

Avoiding the Use of Lagrange Multipliers. II. Constrained Extrema of Functionals and the Evaluation of Constrained Derivatives

A method for determining the extrema of a real-valued and differentiable function for which its dependent variables are subject to constraints and that avoided the use of Lagrange multipliers was previously presented (Corti and Fariello, Op. Res. Forum 2 (2021) 59). The method made use of projection matrices, and a corresponding Gram-Schmidt orthogonalization process, to identify the constrained extrema. Furthermore, information about the second-derivatives of the given function with constraints was generated, from which the nature of the constrained extrema could be determined, again without knowledge of the Lagrange multipliers. Here, the method is extended to the case of functional derivatives with constraints. In addition, constrained first-order and second-order derivatives of the function are generated, in which the derivatives with respect to a given variable are obtained and, concomitantly, the effect of the variations of the remaining chosen set of dependent variables are strictly accounted for. These constrained derivatives are valid not only at the extrema points, and also provide another equivalent route for the determination of the constrained extrema and their nature.

Benzodiazepines in complex biological matrices: Recent updates on pretreatment and detection methods

Benzodiazepines(BDZs)are used in clinics for anxiolysis,anticonvulsants,sedative hypnosis,and muscle relaxation.They have high consumptions worldwide because of their easy availability and potential addiction.They are often used for suicide or criminal practices such as abduction and drug-facilitated sexual assault.The pharmacological effects of using small doses of BDZs and their detections from complex biological matrices are challenging.Efficient pretreatment methods followed by accurate and sensitive detections are necessary.Herein,pretreatment methods for the extraction,enrichment,and preconcentration of BDZs as well as the strategies for their screening,identification,and quantitation developed in the past five years have been reviewed.Moreover,recent advances in various methods are summarized.Characteristics and advantages of each method are encompassed.Future directions of the pretreatment and detection methods for BDZs are also reviewed.

Numerical Solutions of Fractional Variable Order Differential Equations via Using Shifted Legendre Polynomials

In this manuscript,an algorithm for the computation of numerical solutions to some variable order fractional differential equations(FDEs)subject to the boundary and initial conditions is developed.We use shifted Legendre polynomials for the required numerical algorithm to develop some operational matrices.Further,operational matrices are constructed using variable order differentiation and integration.We are finding the operationalmatrices of variable order differentiation and integration by omitting the discretization of data.With the help of aforesaid matrices,considered FDEs are converted to algebraic equations of Sylvester type.Finally,the algebraic equations we get are solved with the help of mathematical software like Matlab or Mathematica to compute numerical solutions.Some examples are given to check the proposed method’s accuracy and graphical representations.Exact and numerical solutions are also compared in the paper for some examples.The efficiency of the method can be enhanced further by increasing the scale level.

Materials Selection of Thermoplastic Matrices of Natural Fibre Composites for Cyclist Helmet Using an Integration of DMAIC Approach in Six Sigma Method Together with Grey Relational Analysis Approach

Natural fibre reinforced polymer composite(NFRPC)materials are gaining popularity in the modern world due to their eco-friendliness,lightweight nature,life-cycle superiority,biodegradability,low cost,and noble mechanical properties.Due to the wide variety of materials available that have comparable attributes and satisfy the requirements of the product design specification,material selection has become a crucial component of design for engineers.This paper discusses the study’s findings in choosing the suitable thermoplastic matrices of Natural Fibre Composites for Cyclist Helmet utilising the DMAIC,and GRA approaches.The results are based on integrating two decision methods implemented utilising two distinct decision-making approaches:qualitative and quantitative.This study suggested thermoplastic polyethylene as a particularly ideal matrix in composite cyclist helmets during the selection process for the best thermoplastic matrices material using the 6σtechnique,with the decision based on the highest performance,the lightest weight,and the most environmentally friendly criteria.The DMAIC and GRA approach significantly influenced the material selection process by offering different tools for each phase.In the future study,selection technique may have been more exhaustive if more information from other factors had been added.

In Vitro Evaluation of Two Tissue Substitutes for Gingival Augmentation

Three-dimensional collagen matrices of porcine origin are being used as substitutes for soft tissue grafts in periodontal plastic surgery in search of aesthetic and natural results. This in vitro study aimed to compare Fibro-Gide® (GeistlichBiomaterials) and Mucoderm® (BotissBiomaterials) matrices during the initial phase of soft tissue formation. For this purpose, samples of 5 × 5 mm were obtained, and then human fibroblasts were plated on them. After 24, 48 and 72 h, cell viability was assessed using an MTT assay, and the secretion of type I collagen, MMP-2, TIMP-1 and TIMP-2 was analyzed by ELISA immunoassay. The control group (C) consisted of cells plated on polystyrene without the matrices. The morphology of the surfaces was also examined using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), as was the average roughness (Ra) of the samples by a profilometer. Topographic analysis revealed that roughness was significantly higher on Mucoderm® than on Fibro-Gide® (p 0.05). The synthesis of type I collagen, MMP-2 and TIMP-1 were significantly higher from cells plated on Fibro-Gide® than on Mucoderm®, in all time points (p ® than on Mucoderm® (p ® induced an increase in type I collagen, MMP-2 and TIMP-1 and TIMP-2.

Stationary Measures of Three-State Quantum Walks with Defect on the One-Dimension Lattice

In this paper, we focus on the space-inhomogeneous three-state on the one-dimension lattice, a one-phase model and a two-phase model include. By using the transfer matrices method by Endo et al., we calculate the stationary measure for initial state concrete eigenvalue. Finally we found the transfer matrices method is more effective for the three-state quantum walks than the method obtained by Kawai et al.

Second Approximation of the Generalized Planetary Equation Based upon Golden Metric Tensors

In this paper, we consider the Post Einstein Planetary equation of motion. We succeeded in offering a solution using second approximation method, in which we obtained eight exact mathematical solutions that rebel amazing theoretical results. To the order of C-2, two of these exact solutions are reduced to the approximate solutions from the method of successive approximations.

On Unitary N-Dilations for Tuples of Circulant Contractions and von Neumann’s Inequality

We introduce the spectral mapping factorization of tuples of circulant matrices and its matrix version. We prove that every tuple of circulant contractions has a unitary N-dilation. We show that von Neumann’s inequality holds for tuples of circulant contractions. We construct completely contractive homomorphisms over the algebra of complex polynomials defined on .

Prediction of Subcellular Localization of Eukaryotic Proteins Using Position-Specific Profiles and Neural Network with Weighted Inputs

Subcellular location is one of the key biological characteristics of proteins. Position-specific profiles （PSP） have been introduced as important characteristics of proteins in this article. In this study, to obtain position-specific profiles, the Position Specific lterative-Basic Local Alignment Search Tool （PSI-BLAST） has been used to search for protein sequences in a database. Position-specific scoring matrices are extracted from the profiles as one class of characteristics. Four-part amino acid compositions and lst-7th order dipeptide compositions have also been calculated as the other two classes of characteristics. Therefore, twelve characteristic vectors are extracted from each of the protein sequences. Next, the characteristic vectors are weighed by a simple weighing function and inputted into a BP neural network predictor named PSP-Weighted Neural Network （PSP-WNN）. The Levenberg-Marquardt algorithm is employed to adjust the weight matrices and thresholds during the network training instead of the error back propagation algorithm. With a jackknife test on the RH2427 dataset, PSP-WNN has achieved a higher overall prediction accuracy of 88.4% rather than the prediction results by the general BP neural network, Markov model, and fuzzy k-nearest neighbors algorithm on this dataset. In addition, the prediction performance of PSP-WNN has been evaluated with a five-fold cross validation test on the PK7579 dataset and the prediction results have been consistently better than those of the previous method on the basis of several support vector machines, using compositions of both amino acids and amino acid pairs. These results indicate that PSP-WNN is a powerful tool for subcellular localization prediction. At the end of the article, influences on prediction accuracy using different weighting proportions among three characteristic vector categories have been discussed. An appropriate proportion is considered by increasing the prediction accuracy.

首发青年期广泛性焦虑障碍患者认知功能损害与内分泌的相关研究

目的:探索首发青年期广泛性焦虑障碍(GAD)患者的认知功能特征及其与下丘脑-垂体-肾上腺轴(HPA轴)外周血皮质醇和脑-垂体-甲状腺轴(HPT轴)甲状腺激素水平的相关性。方法:比较31例首发青年期GAD患者(GAD组)与20名健康对照者(对照组)在临床特征、MATRICS共识认知成套测验(MCCB)7个领域的认知功能得分及外周血皮质醇和甲状腺激素浓度的差异及其相关性。结果:GAD组在注意/警觉性、推理及问题解决和视觉学习领域得分低于对照组(P<0.05或P<0.01)。GAD组HAMA总分与皮质醇浓度呈正相关,与MCCB各分量表及总分呈负相关(P<0.05或P<0.01);病程与T4浓度呈负相关(P<0.05);TSH水平与注意/警觉性得分呈负相关(P<0.05)。结论:首发青年期GAD患者存在HPA轴、HPT轴活动的紊乱以及认知功能不同方面的受损。