The effect of Hf and Ta on the microstructure of powder metallurgy Ni-based superalloys after heat treatment was investigated. Hf and Ta change the distribution and main components of MC carbides, ...inhibiting TiC carbides precipitate along prior particle boundaries by forming stable Hf- and Ta-rich carbides inside powders during the process of hot isostatic pressing. The partition of Hf and Ta in
γ
′ phase causes the repartition of other elements in
γ
and
γ
′ phases, which leads to the change of the lattice mismatch of
γ
and
γ
′ phases. The size of secondary
γ
′ precipitates increases and their shapes transform from spheres to cuboids when Hf or Ta content is raised, and some secondary
γ
′ precipitates begin to split in high Hf and Ta content. This transformation of morphology is related to the increase of the lattice mismatch of
γ
and
γ
′ phases, and the increase in size and volume fraction of secondary
γ
′ precipitates.
The internal transport barrier (ITB) has been obtained in ELMy H-mode plasmas by neutron beam injection and lower hybrid wave heating on the Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST). The ...ITB structure has been observed in profiles of ion temperature, electron temperature, and electron density within < 0.5. It was also observed that the ITB formation is stepwise. Due to the ITB formation, the confinement quality H98y2 increases from 1 to 1.1 and the normalized beta, βN, increases from 1.5 to near 2. The fishbone activity observed during the ITB phase suggests the central safety factor q(0) ∼ 1. Transport coefficients are calculated by particle balance and power balance analysis, showing an obvious reduction after the ITB formation.
Background
Aberrant epithelial remodeling with the ectopic expression of p63 (basal cell markers) is an important pathologic phenomenon seen in chronically inflamed airway epithelium such as in nasal ...polyps (NPs).
Methods
Biopsies were obtained from 55 NP patients and 18 healthy controls (inferior turbinate). Among NP patients, 15 were treated with oral and nasal steroids, so that two sets of NP biopsies were taken before and after the treatments. p63, Ki67, type IV β‐tubulin, and cell cycle markers were investigated in these specimens.
Results
The number of p63+ cells is significantly higher in both hyperplastic (1.53‐fold, P < 0.0001) and squamous metaplastic (2.02‐fold, P < 0.0001) epithelium from NPs than from healthy controls. There are three types of proliferative basal cells (p63+/Ki67+) which are in different phases of the cell cycle, such as G1 phase (type I cells), S to G2 phase (type II cells), and mitosis (type III cells). Of importance, some type I cells may arrest after proliferation although they may still be p63+/Ki67+. In healthy epithelium, the ratio of the type I and II cells is almost 50:50. However, less type II cells are found in hyperplastic epithelium (34.85%, P = 0.012) and in squamous metaplastic epithelium (30.77%, P = 0.02) together with the presence of type III cells (3.45%, P = 0.01). These findings were not changed after steroid treatments.
Conclusions
An increase of poorly proliferated basal cells forming multiple layers, which may stain for basal cell markers but does not form a proper epidermal barrier, is an important histopathologic phenomenon in aberrant remodeled epithelium of NPs.
A size-dependent functionally graded piezoelectric beam model is developed using a variational formulation. It is based on the modified strain gradient theory and Timoshenko beam theory. The material ...properties of functionally graded piezoelectric beam are assumed to vary through the thickness according to a power law. The new model contains three material length scale parameters and can capture the size effect, unlike the classical beam theory. To illustrate the new functionally graded piezoelectric beam model, the static bending and free vibration problems of a simply supported beam are numerical solved. These results may be useful in the analysis and design of smart structures constructed from piezoelectric materials.
Background and purpose
The association between migraine and transient global amnesia (TGA) is not determined. Only two clinic‐based studies showed that TGA patients had a higher frequency of migraine ...history. Our population‐based study aimed to investigate whether migraine patients were associated with a higher risk of developing TGA.
Methods
Patients with migraine aged ≥18 years were identified from the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database between 2005 and 2009. Each migraine patient was randomly matched to one subject without migraine or other headache disorders based on age, sex and cardiovascular comorbidities. Patients with antecedent stroke, epilepsy or TGA were excluded. Both cohorts were followed up until the end of 2010. The incidence rates of TGA were compared and risk factors were identified.
Results
A total of 158 301 patients in the migraine cohort and 158 301 patients in the matched control cohort were enrolled. During a mean follow‐up of 3.0 years (range 0–6 years), the migraine cohort had a greater risk of developing TGA than the control cohort 7.59 vs. 3.06 per 100 000 person‐years, incidence rate ratio (IRR) = 2.48, P = 0.002. Compared with the matched cohort, only female migraine patients aged 40–60 years showed a significantly higher risk of TGA IRR = 3.18 (1.31–8.82), P = 0.005. Of note, the incidence rates did not differ between migraine patients with and without aura.
Conclusions
This population‐based study demonstrates that migraine is associated with an increased risk of TGA, particularly in female patients aged 40–60 years.
Contact.
The NASA New Frontiers asteroid sample return mission Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, and Security–Regolith Explorer (OSIRIS-REx) has provided a large amount of ...data on the asteroid (101955) Bennu, including high-quality spectra obtained by the OSIRIS-REx Visible and InfraRed Spectrometer (OVIRS).
Aims.
To better constrain the surface properties and compositional variations of Bennu, we studied the visible and near-infrared spectral behavior across the asteroid surface by means of a statistical analysis aiming to distinguish spectrally distinct groups, if present.
Methods.
We applied the
G
-mode multivariate statistical analysis to the near-infrared OVIRS spectra to obtain an automatic statistical clustering at different confidence levels.
Results.
The statistical analysis highlights spectral variations on the surface of Bennu. Five distinct spectral groups are identified at a 2
σ
confidence level. At a higher confidence level of 3
σ
, no grouping is observed.
Conclusions.
The results at a 2
σ
confidence level distinguish a dominant spectral behavior group (group 1, background) and four small groups showing spectral slope variations, associated with areas with different surface properties. The background group contains most of the analyzed data, which implies a globally homogeneous surface at the spectral and spatial resolution of the data. The small groups with redder spectra are concentrated around the equatorial ridge and are associated with morphological surface features such as specific craters and boulders. No significant variation is detected in the band area or depth of the 2.74
μ
m band, which is associated with hydrated phyllosilicate content. The spectral slope variations are interpreted as a consequence of different regolith particle sizes, and/or porosity, and/or space weathering, that is, the presence of more or less fresh material. The OSIRIS-REx mission primary sampling site, Nightingale, and a boulder known as the Roc, are redder than the background surface.
BACKGROUND: Bicyclol was used for treating idiosyncratic acute drug-induced liver injury (DILI) in a phase II trial. This study was aimed at evaluating the efficacy and safety of bicyclol 25 and 50 ...mg thrice a day (TID) for treating acute DILI caused by anti-TB drugs in the light
of the trial results.METHODS: We analysed clinical data of patients with TB drug-induced DILI in the trial database. The primary endpoint was reduction in serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels after 4 weeks of treatment compared to baseline.RESULTS: Overall, 148
patients were included, with respectively 48, 52 and 48 patients included in the control (456 mg polyene phosphatidylcholine TID), high-dose (50 mg bicyclol TID) and low-dose (25 mg bicyclol TID) groups. ALT levels decreased by respectively â-"149.0 (IQR â-"299.3
to â-"98.3 (), â-"225.5 (IQR â-"309.3 to â-"181.8 ) and â-"242.5 (IQR â-"364.8 to â-"153.8) U/L in the control, high-dose and low-dose groups (P < 0.001).
The ALT normalisation rates at weeks 1, 2, 4, 6 and 8 were higher in the high- and low-dose groups, while adverse events and serious adverse events were similar across groups.CONCLUSIONS: Bicyclol (25 and 50 mg TID) is effective and safe in treating anti-TB DILI, and bicyclol 50
mg TID showed higher efficacy.
This paper presents the mean-variance (MV) model to solve the power system economic dispatch with wind power integrated, based on the optimal power flow problem. The MV model considers the profit and ...risk simultaneously under the environment of uncertain wind power, which is formulated as a multi-objective optimization problem. The MGSOMP (multiple-group search optimizer with multiple producers) is proposed to solve the MV model to find Pareto solutions, based on GSOMP (group search optimizer with multiple producers). Then the preference ranking organization method is used for decision making to determine the final dispatch solution. The MV model and MGSOMP are tested on the modified IEEE 30-bus and 118-bus power systems, respectively. Simulation results show that the MV model is well applicable to solve power system dispatch considering wind power integrated, and MGSOMP can obtain more convergent and better diversified Pareto solutions, compared with GSOMP.
•The mean-variance (MV) model is presented to solve power system dispatch problems with uncertain wind power integrated.•The optimization algorithm, multiple-group search optimizer with multiple producers (MGSOMP), is proposed to solve the MV model.•The preference ranking organization method is used for decision making to determine the final dispatch solution.
Trehalose, which plays important roles in resistance to abiotic stresses and preservation of biological activity in plants, is synthesized by two key enzymes, trehalose-6-phosphate synthase (TPS) and ...trehalose-6-phosphate phosphatase (TPP). Therefore, the expressions of the TPS and TPP genes directly affect trehalose synthesis and stress resistance of plants. In this study, CkTPS and CkTPP from Caragana korshinskii were identified, and the role of trehalose synthesis in the adaptation of this desert plant to adverse conditions was investigated. Higher CkTPS and CkTPP expressions were observed in the roots, whereas expressions were much lower in leaves and stems, and their expressions were upregulated under drought stress. Histochemical analyses showed that β-glucuronidase expression driven by the CkTPS and CkTPP promoters was strongly induced by abiotic stresses and phytohormones, such as abscisic acid, gibberellin, methyl jasmonate, and mannitol, which suggests that trehalose synthesis may be regulated by various signaling pathways. To determine the functional mechanism underlying the role of trehalose synthesis in regulating drought response in plants, CkTPS and CkTPP were introduced into Arabidopsis. Compared to wild-type (WT) plants, these transgenic plants showed higher germination rate, survival, less damage, better shoot growth, and longer roots under drought stress. Moreover, transgenic plants had a significantly higher content of proline, chlorophyll, trehalose, and activities of antioxidant enzymes, including superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD) and catalase (CAT), and lower malondialdehyde (MDA) content than WT controls. Double-transgenic plants carrying CkTPS and CkTPP showed better growth and stronger drought tolerance than either single transgenic plant line. These results provide a theoretical and experimental basis for further understanding the function and regulatory mechanism of CkTPS and CkTPP, as well as the possibility of their application for improving drought tolerance in crops through genetic engineering.
•Effects of a combination of fibrolytic and amylolytic enzymes in dairy cows,•Enzyme addition increased α-amylase and xylanase activity in rumen fluid,•Enzyme addition increased the blood albumin to ...globulin ratio, and total and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol concentrations,•Enzyme addition enhanced milk performance and tended to improve feed efficiency in cows.
We hypothesised that adding a combination of fibrolytic and amylolytic enzymes to the diet of early-lactation dairy cows would improve rumen enzyme activity and bacterial diversity, promote energy metabolism, and benefit milk production in cows. Twenty multiparous early-lactation (90 ± 5 d) Holstein cows with similar body conditions were randomly allocated to control (CON, n = 10) and experimental (EXP, n = 10) groups in a completely randomised single-factor design. The CON was fed only a basal total mixed ration diet, and the diet of the EXP was supplemented with a combination of fibrolytic and amylolytic enzymes at 70 g/cow/d (cellulase 3 500 CU/g, xylanase 2 000 XU/g, β-glucanase 17 500 GU/g, and amylase 37 000 AU/g). The experiment lasted 28 days, with 21 days for adaptation and 7 days for sampling. Enzyme addition increased the activity levels of α-amylase and xylanase, and the ammonia-N concentration (P < 0.05) tended to increase the activity of β-glucanase (P = 0.08) in rumen fluid. However, there was no significant difference in the rumen bacterial richness and diversity, phylum (richness > 0.1%) or genus (richness > 1%) composition between the CON and EXP groups (P > 0.05). A tendency of difference was found between CON and EXP (R = 0.22, P = 0.098) in principal component analysis. Ten genera showed different abundances across the CON and EXP groups (linear discriminant analysis effect size, linear discriminant analysis > 2). EXP increased the ratio of albumin to globulin and the concentrations of total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (P < 0.05) and tended to increase triglycerides (P = 0.09) in blood. Milk yield, 3.5% fat-corrected milk yield and energy-corrected milk yield increased with enzyme supplementation (P < 0.05). The production levels of milk fat and lactose increased, but the percentage of solids, not fat and protein, decreased in EXP (P < 0.05). Although the DM intake was not affected, the feed efficiency tended to increase (P = 0.07) in EXP. In conclusion, dietary supplementation with a mixture of fibrolytic and amylolytic enzymes on multiparous early-lactation dairy cows increased α-amylase and xylanase activity levels in rumen fluid, enhanced milk performance and tended to improve the feed efficiency in cows.
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