Assessing cutter-rock interaction during TBM tunnelling in granite:Large-scale standing rotary cutting tests and 3D DEM simulations

The widespread utilisation of tunnel boring machines(TBMs)in underground construction engineering requires a detailed investigation of the cutter-rock interaction.In this paper,we conduct a series of largescale standing rotary cutting tests on granite in conjunction with high-fidelity numerical simulations based on a particle-type discrete element method(DEM)to explore the effects of key cutting parameters on the TBM cutter performance and the distribution of cutter-rock contact stresses.The assessment results of cutter performance obtained from the cutting tests and numerical simulations reveal similar dependencies on the key cutting parameters.More specifically,the normal and rolling forces exhibit a positive correlation with penetration but are slightly influenced by the cutting radius.In contrast,the side force decreases as the cutting radius increases.Additionally,the side force shows a positive relationship with the penetration for smaller cutting radii but tends to become negative as the cutting radius increases.The cutter's relative effectiveness in rock breaking is significantly impacted by the penetration but shows little dependency on the cutting radius.Consequently,an optimal penetration is identified,leading to a low boreability index and specific energy.A combined Hertz-Weibull function is developed to fit the cutter-rock contact stress distribution obtained in DEM simulations,whereby an improved CSM(Colorado School of Mines)model is proposed by replacing the original monotonic cutting force distribution with this combined Hertz-Weibull model.The proposed model outperforms the original CSM model as demonstrated by a comparison of the estimated cutting forces with those from the tests/simulations.The findings from this work that advance our understanding of TBM cutter performance have important implications for improving the efficiency and reliability of TBM tunnelling in granite.

Primary tuberculosis of nasopharynx(adenoid)-A rare presentation

Tuberculosis has global presence and no part of human body is immune to it,most frequent site beings lungs.Nasopharyngeal tuberculosis is a rare type oJ extrapulmonary tuberculosis comprising onlv less than 1%of tuberculosis found in the upper respiratory tract.The authors are presenting here a case of primary tubereulousis affecting the nasopharynx(adenoids) which is one of the rare differential diagnosis of nasopharyngeal mass.Isolated nasopharyngeal tuberculosis is a rare condition even in the endemic areas.In literature there are varied clinical presentations of nasopharyngeal luberculosis.Tuberculosis should be one of the differential diagnosis of nasopharyngeal lesion.Biopsy and histologic study should be performed in every patient to avoid misdiagnosis.When treated properly,nasopharyngeal luberculosis carries a excellent progno.sis,and complete resolution of disease is the rule.

Retinoschisis at Macular Area in Highly Myopic Eye by Optic Coherence Tomography

Purpose:To improve our understanding of macular schisis in highly myopic eyes. Methods:From 2002.6-2003.12, the highly myopic eyes(>6D) which has macular schisis found by OCT at our hospital were included in the study. Each eye then received further examinations including visual acuity,refractive error and ultra-sonography. Then the results were analyzed to find the characteristic of the entity. Results:During that period, OCT found macular schisis in 38 highly myopic eyes from 36 patients. Their vision was low, and their average axial length and refractive error were 29.6mm and -10.5D respectively. The appearance and the area of the schisis are different among the eyes. But the schisis can be largely divided into two types: inner and outer schisis. They can exit independently or concurrently in the same eye. And the schisis was often accompanied by other macular findings, like retinal detachment, macular hole. Conclusion:Macular schisis in highly myopic eyes is not uncommon in the clinic. OCT is useful in its diagnosis.

Pediatric allergic conjunctivitis and allergic rhinitis

Objective： To assess the relationship between allergic conjunctivitis（AC） and allergic rhinitis（AR） in pediatric ophthalmology and E.N.T outpatient clinic. Methods：Eight hundred and ninety two patients were enrolled in survey during Mar. 2005-Jan. 2007, 407 allergic conjunctivitis cases were placed in the ophthalmology clinic group and 485 allergic rhinitis cases were from the E.N.T clinic. The comorbid disorders, histories, symptoms, signs of patients were recorded. Type 1 allergy was tested in 479 cases by a specific IgE antibody blood test. Eosinophils were detected in superficial conjunctival scrapings of the superior tarsal conjunctiva and mucosa surface scrapings of middle nasal meatus in 88 cases with both diseases. Results：302（74%）, 374（92%）, 116（29%） in 407 cases with allergic conjunctivitis had concomitant eczema, rhinitis and asthma, respectively; 334（69%）, 430（89%）, 145（30%） in 485 cases with allergic rhinitis had concomitant eczema, allergic conjunctivitis and asthma, respectively. The prevalence of allergic conjunctivitis concomitant allergic rhinitis and allergic rhinitis concomitant allergic conjunctivitis had no significant difference（x2=2,6, P 〉 0.05）. The prevalence of allergic conjunctivitis and allergic rhinitis concomitant eczema and asthma also had no significant difference （x2=3.08; x2=0.21, P 〉 0.05）. The degree of severity of two kinds of disease symptoms is not parallel, in the patients with seasonal allergic conjuctivitis（SAC） and perennial allergic conjunctivitis（PAC）, the clinical signs of AR were always severer（x2=258.2, P 〈 0.05） than those of AC. However, the results coincided with the cases with vernal keratoconjuctivitis（VKC）（x2=66.5, P 〈 0.05）; Eosinophils were revealed in 50（57%） conjunctival scrapings and nasal mucosa scrapings（x2=1.5, P〉 0.05）, 47（53%） cases had positive results in both scrapings. The main aeroallergens were house dust mites, house dust and fungi, and the main food-allergens were fish, crab and shrimp. Conclusion：The two disorders were shown to share more similarities than differences, as suggested that allergic conjunctivitis should be considered in future guidelines on preventing the development of rhinitis and asthma in children.

Agglomerative Approach for Identification and Elimination of Web Robots from Web Server Logs to Extract Knowledge about Actual Visitors

In this paper we investigate the effectiveness of ensemble-based learners for web robot session identification from web server logs. We also perform multi fold robot session labeling to improve the performance of learner. We conduct a comparative study for various ensemble methods (Bagging, Boosting, and Voting) with simple classifiers in perspective of classification. We also evaluate the effectiveness of these classifiers (both ensemble and simple) on five different data sets of varying session length. Presently the results of web server log analyzers are not very much reliable because the input log files are highly inflated by sessions of automated web traverse software’s, known as web robots. Presence of web robots access traffic entries in web server log repositories imposes a great challenge to extract any actionable and usable knowledge about browsing behavior of actual visitors. So web robots sessions need accurate and fast detection from web server log repositories to extract knowledge about genuine visitors and to produce correct results of log analyzers.

VERTIGO TREATED WITH SCALP ACUPUNCTURE

Vertigo is a clinical symptom of variousetiological mechanisms,functional or organ-ic;treatment is therefore different accordingto the type of the disease.Since 1980,the au-thors treated 65 cases of vertigo with goodeffects by scalp acupuncture,the results arereported as follows.

Traditional Chinese medicine for treatment of coronavirus disease 2019:a review

prevalence.A number of clinical workers and researchers have made great efforts to understand the pathogenesis and clinical characteristics and develop effective drugs for treatment.However,no effective drugs with antiviral effects on severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 have been discovered currently.Traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)has gained abundant experience in the treatment of infectious diseases for thousands of years.In this review,the authors summarized the clinical outcome,pathogensis and current application of TCM on coronavirus disease 2019.Further,we discussed the potential mechanisms and the future research directions of TCM against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2.

3D point cloud data to quantitatively characterize size and shape of shrub crops

Size and shape are important properties of shrub crops such as blueberries,and they can be particularly useful for evaluating bush architecture suited to mechanical harvesting.The overall goal of this study was to develop a 3D imaging approach to measure size-related traits and bush shape that are relevant to mechanical harvesting.3D point clouds were acquired for 367 bushes from five genotype groups.Point cloud data were preprocessed to obtain clean bush points for characterizing bush architecture,including bush morphology(height,width,and volume),crown size,and shape descriptors(path curveλand five shape indices).One-dimensional traits(height,width,and crown size)had high correlations(R^(2)=0.88–0.95)between proposed method and manual measurements,whereas bush volume showed relatively lower correlations(R^(2)=0.78–0.85).These correlations suggested that the present approach was accurate in measuring one-dimensional size traits and acceptable in estimating three-dimensional bush volume.Statistical results demonstrated that the five genotype groups were statistically different in crown size and bush shape.The differences matched with human evaluation regarding optimal bush architecture for mechanical harvesting.In particular,a visualization tool could be generated using crown size and path curveλ,which showed great potential of determining bush architecture suitable for mechanical harvesting quickly.Therefore,the processing pipeline of 3D point cloud data presented in this study is an effective tool for blueberry breeding programs(in particular for mechanical harvesting)and farm management.

THE CONTROL OF POLYMETHACRYLATE MOLECULAR STRUCTURE BY GROUP TRANSFER POLYMERIZATION

INTRODUCTION Group transfer polymerization (GTP) is a method for controlling the structure of acrylic polymers in which reactive chain ends are covalentiy bound to a trimethylsilyl group. In the presence of a catalyst, monomer inserts into these chain ends between the silyl group and the last monomer unit. The process is illustrated by equation (1) for methyl methacrylate. GTP is a living polymerization, i. e., there is little or no chain termination and no chain transfer. A significant advantage of GTP is that it

A FIXED POINT APPROACH TO THE STABILITY OF A GENERAL MIXED ADDITIVE-CUBIC EQUATION ON BANACH MODULES

Using a fixed-point method, we establish the generalized Hyers-Ulam stability of a general mixed additive-cubic equation： f（kx ＋ y） ＋ f（kx - y） = kf（x ＋ y） ＋ kf（x - y） ＋ 2f（kx） - 2kf（x） in Banach modules over a unital Banach algebra.

Cysticercosis of the neck:a case report

The neck is a rare site for cysticercosis.Very few cases of cysticercosis presenting in the neck have been reported.We report one such case creating diagnostic dilemma.

Deduction and Validation of an Eulerian-Eulerian Model for Turbulent Dilute Two-Phase Flows by Means of the Phase Indicator Function-Disperse Elements Probability Density Function

A statistical formalism overcoming some conceptual and practical difficulties arising in existing two-phase flow (2PHF) mathematical modelling has been applied to propose a model for dilute 2PHF turbulent Hows. Phase interaction terms with a clear physical meaning enter the equations and the formalism provides some guidelines for the avoidance of closure assumptions or the rational approximation of these terms. Continuous phase averaged continuity, momentum, turbulent kinetic energy and turbulence dissipation rate equations have been rigorously and systematically obtained in a single step. These equations display a structure similar to that for single-phase flows. It is also assumed that dispersed phase dynamics is well described by a probability density function (pdf) equation and Eulerian continuity, momentum and fluctuating kinetic energy equations for the dispersed phase are deduced. An extension of the standard k-e turbulence model for the continuous phase is used. A gradient transport model is adopted for the dispersed phase fluctuating fluxes of momentum and kinetic energy at the non-colliding, large inertia limit. This model is then used to predict the behaviour of three axisymmetric turbulent jets of air laden with solid particles varying in size and concentration. Qualitative and quantitative numerical predictions compare reasonably well with the three different sets of experimental results, studying the influence of particle size, loading ratio and flow confinement velocity.

Tuberculous retropharyngeal abscess without cervical spine TB

Tuberculous retropharyngeal abscess is a rare presentation.It is present in adults usually due to involvement of cervical spine by tuberculosis.Retropharyngeal space usually gets involved in children due to pyogenic organisms or secondary to trauma.Here is a case of tuberculous retropharyngeal abscess in an adult female,with pulmonary tuberculosis.The patient was not having tuberculous involvement of cervical spine and was managed surgically by aspirating the retropharyngeal abscess transorally and AKT Category I.

Blood pressure,prevalence of hypertension and hypertension related complications in Nigerian Africans:A review

To review studies on hypertension in Nigeria over the past five decades in terms of prevalence,awareness and treatment and complications.Following our search on Pubmed,African Journals Online and the World Health Organization Global cardiovascular infobase,1060 related references were identified out of which 43 were found to be relevant for this review.The overall prevalence of hypertension in Nigeria ranges from 8%-46.4% depending on the study target population,type of measurement and cut-off value used for defining hypertension.The prevalence is similar in men and women(7.9%-50.2% vs 3.5%-68.8%,respectively) and in the urban(8.1%-42.0%) and rural setting(13.5%-46.4%).The pooled prevalence increased from 8.6% from the only study during the period from 1970-1979 to 22.5%(2000-2011).Awareness,treatment and control of hypertension were generally low with attendant high burden of hypertension related complications.In order to improve outcomes of cardiovascular disease in Africans,public health education to improve awareness of hypertension is required.Further epidemiological studies on hypertension are required to adequately understand and characterize the impact of hypertension in society.

Positive Field-Cooled Susceptibility in Multiply Connected Type-I Superconductors

A detailed analysis of the magnetic response of field-cooled type-I superconducting hollow cylinders shows that the so-called “paramagnetic Meissner effect” can take place in opportunely devised multiply connected superconductors. Adopting simple circuital analogs of the latter superconducting systems, the magnetic susceptibility of micro-cylinders with one or two holes is studied by means of energy considerations.

Clinical Application of a Microbiological Study on Chronic Suppurative Otitis Media

Our prospective study conducted over a period of 9 months includes 100 samples of ear discharge collected from 90 patients suffering from tubo-tympanic type of chronic suppurative otitis media (CSOM). The ear discharge which is collected with sterile swabs is subjected to Gram’s staining and culture of the causative organism. Antibiotic sensitivity test of cultured bacterial growth is undertaken to know the susceptibility of the causative organism. Of the 100 samples, 62 were culture positive where Pseudomonas aeruginosa was the most common pathogen followed by Staphylococcus aureus. Most of the cultured organisms in our study were sensitive to drug Ciprofloxacin. The outcome of our study enabled us to set an empirical medical treatment for an early resolution of ear discharge and inflammation in our patients with CSOM as we could understand the aetiological pathogens and their susceptibility pattern. Effective medical treatment in obtaining a discharge free ear prior to surgical treatment led us to improve the surgical outcome in our patients with CSOM.

Epiglottic Schwannoma: A Case Report

Most common site of schwannoma in larynx is aryepiglottic fold and false cords. Epiglottis involvement is rare. The ultimate diagnosis is based on the histologic demonstration of characteristic spindle cells with typical nuclear palisading and positive immunohistochemistry for S-100 protein, but negative for a-smooth muscle actin, CD34, and vimentin. Effective treatment is complete excision.

Parapharygeal Space Tumours—Surgical Approach and Role of Tumour Markers

Both benign and malignant tumors may arise from any of the structures contained within the parapharyngeal space. Parapharyngeal space is difficult to reach and formidable area to approach by any surgeon. Due to its deep placement and approximation to vital structures, not only is tumour involving this space a difficult task to manage for the surgeon, but even its diagnosis may elude the doctor. Even the battery of clinical, biochemical or radiological tests diagnosis remains a difficult objective. We aim to provide an adjunct mode of aiding the diagnosis in the form of tumour markers. Though tumour markers alone are not sufficient, with the help of other tests, the diagnosis can be reached in a fairly accurate measure.

General Solution and Stability of Quattuordecic Functional Equation in Quasi β-Normed Spaces

In this paper, we introduce the following quattuordecic functional equation f(x+7y)-14f(x+6y)+91f(x+5y)-364f(x+4y)+1001f(x+3y)-2002f(x+2y)+3003f(x+y)-3432f(x)+3003f(x-y)-2002f(x-2y)+1001f(x-3y)-364f(x-4y)+91f(x-5y)-14f(x-6y)+f(x-7y)=14!f(y), investigate the general solution and prove the stability of this quattuordecic functional equation in quasi β-normed spaces by using the fixed point method.

Clinical Study on Deviated Nasal Septum and Its Associated Pathology

Deviated nasal septum is a frequently occurring condition that can cause nasal obstruction in an individual. It may result in permanent changes in the nasal and sinus mucosa because of altered ventilation of the nasal cavity. The present study makes an attempt to review its incidence and its associated pathology. Our study involves two groups of patients with 100 patients in each group. The first group consists of patients who are having nasal obstruction as a chief complaint and have deviated nasal septum. The second group consists of patients with either ear or throat complaints without any nasal symptoms, but were noted to have deviation of nasal septum on examination. An analysis was made to determine whether any particular type of deviation is more prone to develop pathology than other types. Our study shows that an “S” shaped deviation is more prone to be associated with ear, nose and throat pathology.