A New Thermodynamic Calculation Method for Binary Alloys Part II:Exploring the Correction Factor Function

A new method of revising activity values has been derived based on the so called correction factor function for binary alloys with a large difference between two components. The correction factor is a function of physical properties formed by the difference of two components. Its absolute value increases with the enhancement of the difference in the character of components. It can be either positive or negative and the rules for selecting the sign of correction factor have been analyzed. Results are in good agreement with the experimental values.

Multi-factor analysis of initial poor graft function after orthotopic liver transplantation

BACKGROUND: In the early period of orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT), initial poor graft function (IPGF) is one of the complications which leads to primary graft non-function (PGNF) in serious cases. This study set out to establish the clinical risk factors resulting in IPGF after OLT. METHODS: Eighty cases of OLT were analyzed. The IPGF group consisted of patients with alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and/or aspartate aminotransferase (AST) above 1500 IU/L within 72 hours after OLT, while those in the non-IPGF group had values below 1500 IU/L. Recipient-associated factors before OLT analyzed were age, sex, primary liver disease and Child-Pugh classification; factors analyzed within the peri-operative period were non-heart beating time (NHBT), cold ischemia time (CIT), rewarming ischemic time (RWIT), liver biopsy at the end of cold ischemia; and factors analyzed within 72 hours after OLT were ALT and/or AST values. A logistic regression model was applied to filter the possible factors resulting in IPGF. RESULTS: Donor NHBT, CIT and RWIT were significantly longer in the IPGF group than in the non-IPGF group; in the logistic regression model, NHBT was the risk factor leading to IPGF (P < 0.05), while CIT and RWIT were possible risk factors. In one case in the IPGF group, PGNF appeared with moderate hepatic steatosis. CONCLUSIONS: Longer NHBT is an important risk factor leading to IPGF, while serious steatosis in the donor liver, CIT and RWIT are potential risk factors.

Improved theory of generalized meteo-ballistic weighting factor functions and their use

It follows from the analysis of artillery fire errors that approximately two-thirds of the inaccuracy of indirect artillery fire is caused by inaccuracies in the determination of the meteo parameters included in fire error budget model.Trajectories calculated under non-standard conditions are considered to be perturbed.The tools utilized for the analysis of perturbed trajectories are weighting factor functions(WFFs)which are a special kind of sensitivity functions.WFFs are used for calculation of meteo ballistic elements B(ballistic wind w B,densityρB,virtual temperatureτB,pressure p B)as well.We have found that the existing theory of WFF calculation has several significant shortcomings.The aim of the article is to present a new,improved theory of generalized WFFs that eliminates the deficiencies found.Using this theory will improve methods for designing firing tables,fire control systems algorithms,and meteo message generation algorithms.

Relationship between brain—derived neurotrophic factor and cognitive function of obstructive sleep apnea/hypopnea syndrome patients

Objective:To determine the relationship between the blood serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor（BDNF） level and cognitive function deterioration in patients with obstructive sleep apnea/ hypopnea syndrome（OSAHS）,and to explore the possible mechanism of cognitive impairment. Methods:Twenty-eight male OSAHS patients and 14 normal males（as controls） were enrolled in the study.Polysomnography and the Montreal cognitive assessment（MoCA） were conducted. The blood serum BDNF levels were measured using ELISA.Results:The OSAHS group had significantly decreased blood serum BDNF levels compared with the control group（t=-10.912, P=0.000）.The blood serum BDNF level of the subjects was significantly positively associated with the MoCA score（r=0.544,P=0.000）,significantly negatively associated with the apneahypopnea index（AHI） and shallow sleep（S1+S2）（AHI:r=-0.607,P=0.000;S1+S2:r =-0.768,P= 0.000）,and significantly positively associated with the lowest SaO2（LSO）,slow wave sleep（S3+S4）, and rapid eye movement sleep（REM）（LSO:r=0.566,P = 0.000;S3+S4:r=0.778,P=0.000;REM: r=0.575,P=0.000）.Conclusions:OSAHS patients have significantly decreased blood serum BDNF levels compared with the control.Nocturnal hypoxia as well as the deprivation of slow wave sleep and REM may lead to the decreased serum BDNF level of OSAHS patients.This decreased blood serum BDNF level may contribute to the cognitive impairment in OSAHS.

Expression pattern and function analyses of the MADS thranscription factor genes in wheat(Triticum aestivum L.) under phosphorusstarvation condition

supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China （31201674 and 31371618）;the National Transgenic Major Program, China （2011ZX08008）

Engineering personalized neural tissue using functionalized transcription factors

Diseases and disorders of the central nervous system often require significant interventions to restore lost function due to their com- plexity. Examples of such disorders include Parkinson＇s disease, Alzheimer＇s disease, multiple sclerosis, traumatic brain injury, and spinal cord in）ury. These diseases and disorders result trom healthy cells being destroyed, which in turn causes dysfunction in the cen- tral nervous system, The death of these cells can trigger a cascade of events that affect the rest of the body, causing symptoms that become progressively worse over time. Developing strategies for repairing the damage to the central nervous system remains chal- lenging, in part due to its inability to regenerate.

Linear QSAR Regression Models for the Prediction of Bioconcentration Factors of Chloroanilines in Fish by Density Functional Theory

Density functional theory（DFT）-B3LYP level with the 6-311G＊＊（d,p） basis set was used to calculate a set of molecular quantum chemical descriptors of 12 chloroanilines. Quantitative structure-activity relationship（QSAR） models of the bioconcentration factors（BCF） of the anilines in fish were established using some of the following calculated descriptors： EHOMO, ENHOMO, ELUMO, ENLUMO, ΔE1（= ELUMO- EHOMO）, ΔE2（= ENLUMO- ENHOMO）, dipole moment（μ）, molecular volume（V）, vibrational energy of 0 K（Ev）, thermodynamic energy（E）, heat capacity（Cv）, entropy（Sm） and the charge of benzene ring（Qph）. Using the variable selection and leaps-and-bounds regression, the quantum chemical descriptors derived directly from the molecular structures were employed to develop a linear QSAR model between the bioconcentration factors（BCF） and two descriptors（Sm, ENHOMO） of 12 chloroanilines. Statistically, the most significant one is a two-parameter linear equation with the correlation coefficient（R^2） of 0.981 and cross-validated correlation coefficient（Rcv^2） of 0.967. The established QSAR model has good stability and predictability based on the results from Rcv2 of leave-one-out cross-validation, AIC, FIT and tα/2. The quantum chemical analyses were performed from two aspects of frontier molecular orbital and entropy. The results show that two structural describers are crucial to the bioconcentration activity of chloroanilines.

Mudskipper interleukin-34 modulates the functions of monocytes/macrophages via the colony-stimulating factor-1 receptor 1

Interleukin-34(IL-34)is a novel cytokine that plays an important role in innate immunity and inflammatory processes by binding to the colonystimulating factor-1 receptor(CSF-1R).However,information on the function of IL-34 in fish remains limited.In the present study,we identified an IL-34 homolog from mudskippers(Boleophthalmus pectinirostris).In silico analysis showed that the mudskipper IL-34(BpIL-34)was similar to other known IL-34 variants in sequence and structure and was most closely related to an orange-spotted grouper(Epinephelus coioides)homolog.BpIL-34 transcripts were constitutively expressed in various tissues,with the highest level of expression found in the brain.Edwardsiella tarda infection significantly up-regulated the mRNA expression of BpIL-34 in the mudskipper tissues.The recombinant mature BpIL-34 peptide(rBpIL-34)was purified and used to produce anti-rBpIL-34 IgG.Western blot analysis combined with PNGase F digestion revealed that native BpIL-34 in monocytes/macrophages(MOs/MФs)was N-glycosylated.In vitro,rBpIL-34 treatment enhanced the phagocytotic and bactericidal activity of mudskipper MOs/MФs,as well as the mRNA expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines like tumor necrosis factorα(BpTNF-α)and BpIL-1βin these cells.Furthermore,the knockdown of mudskipper CSF-1R1(BpCSF-1R1),but not mudskipper BpCSF-1R2,significantly inhibited the rBpIL-34-mediated enhanced effect on MO/MФfunction.In conclusion,our results indicate that mudskipper BpIL-34 modulates the functions of MOs/MФs via BpCSF-1R1.

On factorization of certain entire function

ＯｎｆａｃｔｏｒｉｚａｔｉｏｎｏｆｃｅｒｔａｉｎｅｎｔｉｒｅｆｕｎｃｔｉｏｎＦｅｎｇＺｉｘｉｎ（ＤｅｐａｒｔｍｅｎｔｏｆＭａｔｈｅｍａｔｉｃｓ，ＳｏｕｔｈｗｅｓｔＣｈｉｎａＮｏｒｍａｌＵｎｉｖｅｒｓｉｔｙ，Ｃｈｏｎｇｑｉｎｇ６３０７１５）Ｏｎｆａｃｔ...

Scalp electroacupuncture at the Baihui acupoint (DU 20) improves functional recovery in rats with cerebral ischemia Association with increased expression of vascular endothelial growth factors

In this study, we induced cerebral infarction in rats by occluding the right middle cerebral artery, and tested the effects of electroacupuncture at the Baihui acupoint （DU 20）. Motor and sensory function was tested using Garcia’s scale and motor weakness grading, and the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor in the brain was quantified using immunoblotting and immunohistochemistry. We found that scalp electroacupuncture at DU 20 significantly improved motor performance and sensory function in rats with stroke, and this was accompanied by an increased expression of vascular endothelial growth factor in the ischemic brain tissue and peri-ischemic area. In addition, Pearson correlation analysis showed that the improvements in functional recovery were correlated with the increased expression of vascular endothelial growth factor.

A UNIVERSAL ANALYTIC POTENTIAL-ENERGY FUNCTION BASED ON A PHASE FACTOR

Using a field equation with a phase factor, a universal analytic potential-energy function applied to the interactions between diatoms or molecules is derived, and five kinds of potential curves of common shapes are obtained adjusting the phase factors. The linear thermal expansion coefficients and Young's moduli of eleven kinds of face-centered cubic (fcc) metals - Al, Cu, Ag, etc. are calculated using the potential-energy function; the computational results are quite consistent with experimental values. Moreover, an analytic relation between the linear thermal expansion coefficients and Young's moduli of fcc metals is given using the potential-energy function. Finally, the force constants of fifty-five kinds of diatomic moleculars with low excitation state are computed using this theory, and they are quite consistent with RKR (Rydberg-Klein-Rees) experimental values.

SYNTHESIS OF THERMAL RESPONSE FACTORS AND Z-TRANSFER FUNCTION COEFFICIENTS FOR CALCULATION OF ROOM TEMPERATURE VARIATION

A new method is presented for getting the general thermal response factors and z-transfer functioncoefficients of a room by synthesizing them from the thermal response factors of different parts of the thermalinsulation structure. How to use the general thermal response factors and z-transfer function coefficients toca1culate the indoor air temperature variation directly is also studied. It is shown through practical use that it iseasy to program with the methods presented in this paper and the calculated results are reliable.

<i>Ratanasampil</i>(Tibetan Medicine, RNSP) Reduces <i>β</i>-Amyloid Protein (Aβ) and Pro-Inflammatory Factor Levels and Improves Cognitive Functions in Mild-to-Moderate Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) Patients Living at High Altitude

Ratanasampil (RNSP) is a traditional Tibetan medicine used for the treatment of stroke and cerebrovascular diseases. Previous discoveries that RNSP can reduce β-amyloid protein levels and increase learning and memory in Alzheimer’s mouse models (Tg2576) led us to investigate whether RNSP can improve cognitive functions in Alzheimer’s patients. In this study, 146 AD patients living in Qinghai province received either one gram or 0.33 gram daily of RNSP for 16 weeks. Placebo patients received Piracetam. Serum Aβ40 and Aβ42 levels were measured at the beginning of the study and after 4 and 16 weeks of treatment. Compared to the same group before treatment, MMSE scores, ADAS-cog scores and ADL scores were significantly improved (p 0.05, p > 0.05). After 16-week treatment, serum TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6 and Aβ42 levels were significantly decreased (p < 0. 01) in the high-dose RNSP group, whereas no significant differences were found in the low-dose and placebo groups. The Aβ42/Aβ40 ratio was significantly decreased after 4-week and 16-week treatment in the high-dose RNSP group (p < 0. 05, p < 0.01). Furthermore, serum Aβ42 concentrations had a strong positive correlation with TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6 levels. There were no observable adverse effects in either treatment or control groups. We conclude that further clinical trials of RNSP in Alzheimer disease are warranted.

Diet and Rat Strain as Factors in Nervous System Function and Influence of Confounders

The necessity for understanding normal human cognitive processes and behavior, and themechanisrns which result in dysfunction in these processes are dependant on utilization of a suitable animal model. In order to develop pharmaceutical agents to alleviate mental disturbances and enable the individual to cope within the norms of society, it is incumbent upon investigators to choose a species in which pharmacokinetic principles are established and resemble those of hurnans. The choice of rats in cognition research studies has specific advantages in that these anirnals possess similar pharrnacodynamic parameters to hurnans. Further advantages include availability, low cost, ease of breeding, maintenance and an extensive literature database which enable comparisons to present findings. However, there are substantial differences in the perforrnance of various rat strains in tasks of learning, memory, attention, and responses to stress or drugs. In addition to rat strain, quantity of thed also exerts profound consequences on animal behavior. The aim of this review is to demonstrate that there are differences in the central nervous systern responsivencess of rat strains to chemicals and these could be related to factors such as source of supplier, type and quantity of feed, or season of the year. It is also evident that the genotype differs amongst strains and this may be responsible for the observed differences in CNS sensitivity to chemicals. Strain differences must be identified and taken into consideration in interpretation of assessrnent of neurobehavioural functions. It is also incumbent upon the investigators to utilize healthy (diet-controlled) animal models.

Weight Function Method for Stress Intensity Factor of Internal Surface Semi-elliptical Crack in Elliptical Holes

The hatches for inspecting are usually designed with elliptical holes in airplane structures, so computation of the stress intensity factor of three dimensional crack at elliptical holes is pivotal for damage tolerance analysis of these structures. In this paper, weight function is derived for a two dimensional through cracks at elliptical holes by applying a compounding method. Stress intensity factor formulas for an internal surface semi-elliptical crack in elliptical holes are obtained wing the three dimensional weight function method. Stress intensity factors for an internal surface semi-elliptical crack in elliptical holes under remote tension are computed. At the same time, research on how radius of curvature for elliptical holes affect stress intensity factors was conducted. Stress intensity factors decrease when radius of curvature increases. Some results and conclusions which are of practical value are given.

SEMI-WEIGHT FUNCTION METHOD ON COMPUTATION OF STRESS INTENSITY FACTORS IN DISSIMILAR MATERIALS

Semi_weight function method is developed to solve the plane problem of two bonded dissimilar materials containing a crack along the bond. From equilibrium equation, stress and strain relationship, conditions of continuity across interface and free crack surface, the stress and displacement fields were obtained. The eigenvalue of these fields is lambda. Semi_weight functions were obtained as virtual displacement and stress fields with eigenvalue?_lambda. Integral expression of fracture parameters, K Ⅰ and K Ⅱ, were obtained from reciprocal work theorem with semi_weight functions and approximate displacement and stress values on any integral path around crack tip. The calculation results of applications show that the semi_weight function method is a simple, convenient and high precision calculation method.

The Khuri-Jones Threshold Factor as an Automorphic Function

The Khuri-Jones correction to the partial wave scattering amplitude at threshold is an automorphic function for a dihedron. An expression for the partial wave amplitude is obtained at the pole which the upper half-plane maps on to the interior of semi-infinite strip. The Lehmann ellipse exists below threshold for bound states. As the system goes from below to above threshold, the discrete dihedral (elliptic) group of Type 1 transforms into a Type 3 group, whose loxodromic elements leave the fixed points 0 and ∞ invariant. The transformation of the indifferent fixed points from -1 and +1 to the source-sink fixed points 0 and ∞ is the result of a finite resonance width in the imaginary component of the angular momentum. The change in symmetry of the groups, and consequently their tessellations, can be used to distinguish bound states from resonances.

Association of Fibrin Monomer Polymerization Function, Cerebrovascular Risk Factors and Ischemic Cerebrovascular Disease in Old People

In order to investigate the association of fibrin monomer polymerization function (FMPF) with traditional cerebrovascular risk factors and ischemic cerebrovascular disease in old people. 1∶1 paired case-control comparative study was performed for FMPF and traditional cerebrovascular risk factors on 110 cases of old ischemic cerebrovascular disease and 110 controls matched on age, sex and living condition. The results showed that cerebrovascular risk factors were more prevalent in case group than in control group. In the case group, FMPF was significantly higher than in control group. There was a significant positive correlation between hypertension and fibrin monomer polymerization velocity (FMPV), hypertension and fibrinogen (Fbg), alcohol consumption and Fbg, but no significant correlation between diabetic mellitus, smoking and FMPF was found. Among the parameters of blood lipids, there were significant positive correlations between total cholesterol (TC) and parameters of FMPF to varying degrees, triglycerides (TG) and FMPV, TG and Fbg. Our results also showed there were significant linear trends between TC and FMPV (P<0. 001), TC and Fbg (P=0. 0087), TG and FMPV/Amax (maximum absorbance)(P=0. 0143) respectively. Multiple logistic regression analysis revealed that FMPF in case group remained significantly higher than control group after adjustment of all risk factors that were significant in univariate analysis. It was concluded that there is a possible pathophysiological link between FMPF and cerebrovascular risk factors. An elevated FMPF is associated with ischemic cerebrovascular disease and an independent risk factor of this disease. In old people, detection of FMPF might be a useful screening to identify individuals at increased cerebrothrombotic risk.

The effect of endotoxin and tumor necrosis factor on hepatic function of rats

Objective To investigate the effect of endotoxin and tumor necrosis factor(TNF)on hepatic function of rats.Method Prepare hepatic cell suspension by filling male SD rats’ livers with collagenaseⅠ,culture in DMEM medium,and add endotoxin and TNF in it.After 24hours detect GPT,GOT in supernatant fluid.Result The activity of GPT and GOT in superna tant fluid increased after adding en dotoxin and TNF .Conclusion The system of hepatic cell membrane c ould be damaged severely after acted by endotoxin and TNF.

Do Birth Season and Sex Affect Adult Lung Function as Early Life Factors?

Objectives: Although lung function decline is a normal ageing process, it can be potentiated by risk factors. However, the potential impact of early life factors on lung function decline has been scarcely studied. The aim of this study was to investigate the potential correlation between birth season and adult lung function. Methods: We enrolled 1008 South Korean patients (530 men and 478 women;age range, 40 - 80 years) who were hospitalized for urological surgery, irrespective of respiratory disease. All patients underwent the pulmonary function test before any surgery or procedure. Based on their birth season, the patients were divided into two groups (spring, summer, and fall vs. winter). Results: Forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1), and FEV1 % predicted of men born in winter were lower than those of men born in other seasons. Univariate and multivariate analyses using linear regression models also showed that birth season was a significant predictive factor for FVC, FEV1, and FEV1 % predicted in men. However, birth season was not correlated with lung function in women. Among male ever-smokers, FEV1 and FEV1 % predicted were lower for men born in winter than for those born in other seasons. Conclusions: Unlike women, men born in winter had lower lung function than did men born in other seasons. These results suggest that birth season might be an early life factor that predicts airway function. Furthermore, birth season has different effects on adult lung function depending on the patient’s sex.