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Viscosity modifiers are inherent to many lubricating multigrade oils as they reduce the temperature dependence on the viscosity of the oil, thus increasing the viscosity index. However, direct evidence of physical mechanisms to which viscosity modifiers increase viscosity index is still lacking due to the lack of appropriate analysis tools. Here, we report a method using dynamic light scattering (DLS) to study the solution behavior and coil size change of ethylene-propylene copolymers as well as polyoctadecylmethacrylate at 1.0 wt. % in a polyalphaolefin oil. The usefulness and limitations of the DLS for monitoring polymer coil size and dynamic solution behavior in oil are discussed.

This paper analyses the effects of productivity and country size on the extent of trade structure diversification. Using a testable version of the Ricardian model, we show that relative export variety is an outcome of two forces: a relative productivity change (technological progress) and a relative country size change (labour force growth). The model predictions are validated empirically using product-level trade data for a sample of 132 countries (1988–2014), including 53 low-income countries. We find a robust positive relationship between export variety and the countries’ relative productivity, as well as a negative relationship between export variety and the expansion of foreign economies (i.e., the growth of the RoW). The effect of technology differences on export variety is driving diversification especially at the beginning of the development process. The results are robust to changes in the measurement of export variety (also in terms of economic complexity), in the set of control variables, or in the estimation methods.

Performing the Critical Chain Scheduling (CCS) and Buffer Management (BM) in project management has recently risen as one of the most popular project management approaches. The critical Chain Scheduling (CCS) approach is replacing the traditional scheduling method to reduce the uncertainty associated with time schedules. The research highlights the importance of critical chain scheduling in project execution by investigating using buffers in the critical paths and the feeding baths in project management using a real case study. The case study was studied by analyzing the schedule provided and then implementing CCS and BM using four different methods. The methods are cut and paste (C&PM), the root square method (RSEM), the Adaptive procedure with resource tightness, and the Adaptive procedure with network density (APND). The buffer size obtained for each method was determined. From the result got, for project buffer in adaptive approach with network density method yields a larger buffer size compared to the adaptive procedure with resource tightness method. While for feeding buffer also show that APND resulted in a larger buffer size than APRT. Finally, the proposed buffer size was investigated and simulated using the What if approach.

Background and purpose In radiotherapy, treatment response is generally evaluated many weeks after end of the treatment course. If the treatment outcome could be predicted during radiotherapy better tumour control could be achieved through timely adaptation of the treatment strategy. In this study intra-treatment change based on the diffusion MRI outlined viable tumour volume (VTV) was assessed and compared to the standard GTV to study their outcome prediction capacity. Materials and methods Thirty-eight brain metastases from twenty-one cancer patients were analysed in this prospective trial. Diffusion and structural MRI was acquired on a 1 T machine before, during, and at follow-up 2–3 months after radiotherapy. The VTV was defined as a region with high cellularity using high b-value diffusion MRI scans. Further, the diffusivity of the VTV was derived as the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC). Treatment outcome was determined using RECIST defined bounds in the T1W MRI follow-up scan. Longitudinal statistical analysis was performed using a linear mixed effect model. Results The GTV declined in both responding and non-responding (significantly) tumours with inseparable rates during radiotherapy. The VTV volume fraction reduced significantly in the responding tumours only. The ADC of the VTV increased significantly in responding metastases whereas it decreased in non-responding metastases. Furthermore, no association between baseline tumour size or primary disease and outcome was observed. Conclusion GTV size change during radiotherapy is not a reliable predictor of outcome in brain metastases. On the other hand, change in the volume fraction of VTV and diffusivity of VTV shows ability to stratify treatment outcome.

The present study aims to determine the probability of glacial lake outburst flooding (GLOF) in the Himalaya. Here, a total of 4198 glacial lakes with larger dimensions (>0.01 km2) were considered. A fusion between Object-based classification (OBC) and Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) was applied for unbiased results, involving the fifteen most essential predictors. The previously studied threshold values of predictors were used in OBC to determine GLOF prone lakes. On the other hand, earthquake, lake freeboard, moraine dam steepness, avalanches, and lake size change rate were prioritized for the AHP method. Individually, OBC and AHP methods identified 107 and 224 critical lakes. However, as a fusion of the above techniques (GIS overlay analysis), our study identified 60 critical lakes, followed by 164 and 3974 glacial lakes with medium and lower probability of GLOF. 95% of the higher GLOF-probable lakes are concentrated in the Kosi (33), Pelkhu (7), and Tista (5) river basins; sub-regionally coincide with Sikkim, Everest, Bhutan and Langtang region.

Background Rathke cleft cysts (RCCs) are known sellar/suprasellar lesions that can grow and become symptomatic. For most asymptomatic lesions, stability is a typical outcome of surveillance; however, random relapse or cyst size fluctuation may also be observed. The conventional treatment for growing cysts is transsphenoidal removal. Methods A literature review was conducted according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines. For significance, all journals were screened. Only records of tissue diagnosed RCCs with changes in size were included. Age and sex at diagnosis, size of the lesion, symptoms (if any), pituitary dysfunction, follow-up period, and size reduction were included in the data items. Results A total of 4 articles where selected after the second exclusion method. Three articles where case series and one was a case report. Eight total patients where histologically proven to have Rathke cleft cysts which fluctuated in size without intervention. Conclusion This review shows that RCCs can decrease or fluctuate in size following a dynamic process that is not fully understood. In the absence of symptoms, a larger cyst or an absolute increase in a cyst size, which may traditionally provoke an early surgical intervention, should be assessed and managed carefully to avoid potentially unneeded surgical morbidity.

Equations estimating body mass were used to depict a near 5-million-year history of size change in pocket gophers and cotton rats from the Meade Basin of southwestern Kansas. Although phyletic size decrease was noted in Sigmodon minor and Geomys minor and size increase in Geomys quinni, no long-term intra-basin size trends were observed. Immediately following the Huckleberry Ridge ash-fall at 2.11 Ma, the small Pliocene cotton rat S. minor became extinct, a large cotton rat entered the basin, two gophers became extinct, and two new ones entered the basin. Assuming the same rodent contingent at the Short Haul locality as at the Aries A site, between deposition of the Borchers and Short Haul assemblages, minimally about 0.12 million years, 40% of the Meade Basin rodent fauna turned over and Microtus dispersed into North America across Beringia. Geochemical environmental proxy data did not identify significant climatic events in the Borchers Badlands Pleistocene sequence; consequently it is possible that a super-eruption from the Yellowstone caldera was at least partly responsible for size shifts in cotton rats and pocket gophers and significant modifications to the Meade Basin rodent community., This work was supported by the National Geographic Society [5963-97, 6547-99]; National Science Foundation [EAR 0307582, EAR 1338262].

The study of patterns of electric fields intensity indicators and amagnetic induction in the Pushkin municipal area of Saint Petersburg has been executed. It is established that intensity of electric fields reaches significant sizes only near to air high-voltage transmission lines. Magnetic induction over admissible levels is not noted, but within city territory its size change largely that had been represented on the original map. The dependence of indicators of magnetic induction on the land use and building of territories in Pushkin is rather simple: the minimum values are registered in the parks, squares and boulevards, the averages are in the built-up territories, the raised are in anomalies. Magnitudes over hygienic standard are not noted. Magnitudes over the approximate safer limit 400nTl are observed in Pushkin area only in places of underground cables. As awhole, the Pushkin area is characterized by the indicators of magnetic induction lowered in comparison with another cities.

Despite widespread evidence that mating and intrasexual competition are costly, relatively little is known about how these costs dynamically change male and female phenotypes. Here, we test multiple hypotheses addressing this question in replicate flocks of red junglefowl (Gallus gallus). First, we test the interrelationships between social status, comb size (a fleshy ornament) and body mass at the onset of a mating trial. While comb size covaried positively with body mass across individuals of both sexes, comb size was positively related to social status in females but not in males. Second, we test for changes within individuals in body mass and comb size throughout the mating trial. Both body mass and comb size declined at the end of a trial in both sexes, suggesting that mating effort and exposure to the opposite sex are generally costly. Males lost more body mass if they (a) were socially subordinate, (b) were chased by other males or (c) mated frequently, indicating that subordinate status and mating are independently costly. Conversely, females lost more body mass if they were exposed to a higher frequency of coerced matings, suggesting costs associated with male sexual harassment and female resistance, although costs of mating per se could not be completely ruled out. Neither competitive nor mating interactions predicted comb size change in either sex. Collectively, these results support the notion that sex‐specific costs associated with social status and mating effort result in differential, sex‐specific dynamics of phenotypic change., We present empirical evidence that social status and mating behaviours are associated with sex‐specific dynamic changes in body mass, but not ornament expression, in replicate groups of polygynandrous red junglefowl (Gallus gallus). Photo by Dom Cram.

Nanotwinned cubic boron nitride (nt-cBN) with remarkable hardness, toughness, and stability has attracted widespread attention due to its distinct scientific and industrial importance. The key for nt-cBN synthesis is to adopt an onion-like BN (oBN) nano-precursor and induce phase transition under high pressure. Here, we found that the size change of oBN used greatly affected the mechanical performance of products. With the precursor size decreasing from ~320 to 90 nm, the Vickers hardness of nanostructured products improved from 61 to 108 GPa, due to the fact that large oBN nanoparticles possessed more flattened, orderly and graphite-like shell layers, in sharp contrast to the highly wrinkled and imperfect layers in small-diameter nanoparticles, thus resulting in the apparent reduction of ultrafine-twin substructure in the synthetic products. This study reveals that only small oBN precursor could produce complete ultrafine nt-cBN with outstanding performance. A practical route was proposed to further improve the performance of this important material.

Urgency of the research. Measuring small displacements is an important task of engineering geodesy. Measurements with an error in the range 0.001 mm - 0.1 mm are called technical measurements. Special equipment and methods of working on it are developed to perform such measurements. Control lines and sample measures are used for metrological verification of equipment. The temperature has the greatest effect on the change in the size of the equipment. The development of methods for high-precision fixation of small displacements from temperature changes is an urgent task. Target setting. It is difficult to measure small displacement with high accuracy. Interferometers are used for this purpose. A new high-precision method for measuring small displacements is proposed. Investigate the possibility of using the proposed method to determine the linear extension of the control lines. Actual scientific researches and issues analysis. Open access publications on linear expansion of material, devices and methods of fixing small movements are considered. Uninvestigated parts of general matters defining. Use of clock-type indicators instead of interferometers. Research of change of the size of control lines at temperature change. Checking the formulas of thermal linear expansion for a specific test sample. The research objective. Investigate the change in length of control lines from temperature using clock-type indicators. The statement of basic materials. The use of clock-type indicators allows to track the change in the size of the control lines when the temperature changes, and in turn allows to check the formula of thermal linear expansion for a particular sample, and not just to fix the size. We also found that a rapid change in temperature, more than 1.50 to ten minutes, causes a nonlinear change in the length of the studied samples. This fact must be taken into account when measuring with control lines in the field at sharp temperature drops. The correlation coefficients of size change from temperature and size change over time under the influence of temperature are calculated. To control the obtained results, the change in the length of the control lines was determined using a laser interferometer. With a temperature change of 8.50 C, the control meter changed its size by 0.18 mm and 0.16 mm (respectively, laser interferometer and clock-type indicator). Conclusions. A method for determining small displacements using a clock-type indicator is proposed. The correlation coefficients of the change in time under the influence of temperature change are established. The coefficients of linear expansion for brass and steel are specified. The practical value of the research is that the proposed method allows for metrological verification (extraordinary, running) of standards of length without the use of classical standards such as laser interferometers., Актуальність теми дослідження. Вимірювання малих переміщень є важливим завданням інженерної геодезії. Виміри з похибкою діапазону 0,001–0,1 мм називають технічними. Для виконання таких вимірювань розробляють спеціальне обладнання та методики роботи на ньому. Контрольні лінійки та взірцеві міри використовують для метрологічної повірки обладнання. Найбільше на зміну розміру виробу впливає температура. Розробка методів для високоточної фіксації малих переміщень від зміни температури є актуальним завданням. Постановка проблеми. Виміряти мале переміщення з високою точністю дуже складно. Для цього використовують інтерферометри. Запропонувати новий високоточний метод вимірювання малих переміщень. Дослідити можливість використання пропонованого методу для визначення лінійного розширення контрольних лінійок. Аналіз останніх досліджень і публікацій. Розглянуто публікації у відкритому доступі щодо лінійного розширення матеріалу, приладів та методів фіксації малих переміщень. Виділення недосліджених частин загальної проблеми. Використання індикаторів годинникового типу замість інтерферометрів. Дослідження зміни розміру контрольних лінійок у разі зміни температури. Перевірка формул температурного лінійного розширення для конкретного досліджуваного взірця. Мета статті. Дослідити зміну довжини контрольних лінійок від температури з використанням індикаторів годинникового типу. Виклад основного матеріалу. Використання індикаторів годинникового типу дає змогу відслідковувати зміну розміру контрольних лінійок у разі зміни температури і, у свою чергу, дає можливість перевірки формули температурного лінійного розширення для конкретного досліджуваного взірця, а не тільки фіксувати розмір. Також нами встановлено, що швидка зміна температури, більше ніж на 1,50 до десяти хвилин, викликає нелінійну зміну довжини досліджуваних взірців. Цей факт необхідно враховувати під час вимірювань контрольними лінійками в польових умовах при різких перепадах температури. Обчислені коефіцієнти кореляції зміни розміру від температури та зміни розміру в часі під впливом температури. Для контролю одержаних результатів було визначено зміну довжини контрольних лінійок з використанням лазерного інтерферометра. Зі зміною температури у 8.50 С контрольний метр змінив свій розмір на 0,18 та 0,16 мм (відповідно лазерний інтерферометр і індикатор годинникового типу). Висновки відповідно до статті. Запропоновано методику визначення малих переміщень використовуючи індикатор годинникового типу. Встановлено коефіцієнти кореляції зміни величини в часі під впливом зміни температури. Уточнено коефіцієнти лінійного розширення для латуні та сталі. Практична цінність проведених досліджень у тому, що запропонована методика дозволяє проводити метрологічну перевірку (позачергову, біжучу) еталонів довжини без застосування класичних еталонів таких, як лазерні інтерферометри.

PURPOSE OF COMMENTARY: Acquiring knowledge on drug disposition and action in infant is challenging because of the problem of sparse and unbalanced data obtained for each individual infant due to the limited blood volume as well as the issue of extensive inter-subject and intra-subject variability in drug exposure and response due to the fast growth and dynamic maturation changes in infants. This commentary highlights the importance of using population-based pharmacometric models to improve knowledge on drug disposition and action in infants. RECENT FINDINGS: Pharmacometric modeling remains to be critical in clinical pharmacology research in infants. Many pediatric covariate models developed for scaling of drug clearance use a combination of allometric weight scaling to account for size change and a sigmoid function of antenatal development and postnatal maturation to characterize the age-related maturation. To expedite the development of safe and effective dosing regimens in infants, a number of strategies have been proposed recently, including the use of pediatric covariate model obtained from one drug for extrapolation to other drugs undergoing similar elimination pathways, as well as the combination of opportunistic clinical studies and population-based pharmacometrics models. SUMMARY: Population-based pharmacometric modeling plays a pivotal role in clinical pharmacology research in infants. Most of the covariate models reported so far focus on antibiotics undergoing renal elimination. Novel modeling strategies have been proposed recently to facilitate clinical pharmacology research and expedite the dose optimization process in infants.

The present study examined the effects of small-sided and conditioned games (SSCGs) manipulating tactical rules (ball-possession [BP] vs goal-scoring with goalkeepers [GS]) and pitch size (square [SP] vs rectangular [RP]) on the running performance and technical skills of young soccer players. Ten male soccer players (chronological age: 12.45 ± 0.51 years; body mass: 41.99 ± 7.97 kg; height: 152.85 ± 10.03 cm) were monitored using GPS units during SSCG formats. The distance covered at different running intensities and number of technical actions were used in analyses. SSCG-induced changes in 30 m sprint and CMJ performances were also evaluated. Compared to BP, GS elicited significantly lower distances covered at low intensity running (p=0.003; d=-0.95), more sprints (p=0.050; d=0.67), and longer distances covered in terms of walking (p=0.035; d=2.60) and sprinting (p=0.029; d=0.75); (ii) number of passes (short [p=0.002; d=1.10] and long [p=0.013; d=0.82]) were more frequent during BP than GS games, while RP game format allowed for greater occurrence of long passes (p=0.036; d=0.64) than under the SP condition; (iii) jumping and sprinting performance did not change (p>0.05) using different SSCG formats. In conclusion, GS games demand more sprint running episodes in terms of number and distance covered than BP games. In addition, RP game formats can be used to increase the occurrence of longer passes in young soccer players aged 11-13 years. Resumo O estudo examinou os efeitos de diferentes jogos reduzidos e condicionados (JRC): manipulando as regras táticas (posse de bola (BP) vs. marcar gols com goleiro (GS)) e o formato do campo (quadrado vs. retangular) sobre o desempenho físico e técnico em jovens jogadores de futebol. Dez jogadores do sexo masculino (idade: 12,45 ± 0,51 anos; massa corporal: 41,99 ± 7,97 kg; altura: 152,85 ± 10,3 cm) foram monitorados através do sistema de posicionamento global e os JRC gravados em vídeo. A distância percorrida em diferentes intensidades e o número de ações técnicas para os 4 diferentes JRC foram usadas para análise. O efeito dos JRC sobre o desempenho no teste de sprints de 30 m e altura do salto vertical também foram analisadas. Os JRC para GS provocaram distâncias significativamente menores em corrida de baixa intensidade (p=0.003; d=-0.95) e mais sprints (p=0.050; d=0.67) e maiores distâncias caminhando (p=0.035; d=2.60) e em sprint (p=0.029; d=0.75) comparado ao BP; (ii) o número de passes (curtos [p=0.002; d=1.10] e longos [p=0.013; d=0.82]) é maior nos JRC de BP que GS. O formato retangular permite maior ocorrência de passes longos que o modelo quadrado (p=0.036; d=0.64); (iii) o desempenho de salto vertical e velocidade não mudou (p>0.05) após os JRC. Concluindo, ações envolvendo sprints em número e distância são maiores no JRC com GS comparado ao BP, enquanto que JRC de BP favorecem o desenvolvimento do passe. Por fim, o campo retangular com BP estimula a realização de passes mais longos em jovens jogadores.

A new method for controlling segregation delicately based on the centroid of independent segregation points in an alloy macrostructure is established using Voronoi polygon method. Voronoi polygon area is found to nearly obey the log-normal distribution, which shows that a polygon may reflect a new solidifying unit. The relationship between Voronoi polygon characteristics and carbon segregation extent (segregation ratio) is investigated at different locations. In a pure columnar grain zone, the segregation extent worsens as the Voronoi polygon size decreases; in an equiaxed grain zone, this extent worsens as the size increases. A near-equilibrium solidification model for polygons under different conditions is studied, and the results are consistent with the aforementioned finding of segregation ratio. Compared with a secondary arm spacing, the fractal dimension of the solidification structure may be a better method to describe the characteristics of the solidification structure and the size change of Voronoi polygons as to relevant segregation. Thus, this study proposes a new experimental method that depicts the macrostructure from a different perspective, i.e., the segregation point instead of the solidification structure. The formation of Voronoi polygons created by segregation points during solidifying should be divided into two stages, i.e., appearance of the segregation point and determination of the polygon's outline. The segregation extent can be controlled by altering the size of the relevant Voronoi polygon, which is a unique alternative strategy for improving the uniformity of element distribution rather than simultaneously considering nucleus formation, solidification structure growth, and liquid flow as to the complex process of segregation formation.

This study investigates the size changes of tropical cyclones (TCs) traversing the Philippines based on a 37-yr statistical analysis. TC size is defined by the radius of 30-kt (≈15.4 m s−1) wind speed (R30) from the best track data of the Japan Meteorological Agency. A total of 71 TCs passed the Philippines during 1979–2015. The numbers of size increase (SI; 36) and size decrease (SD; 34) cases are very similar; however, the last 15 years have seen more SI cases (17) than SD cases (11). SI and SD cases mostly occur along northerly and southerly paths, respectively, after TCs pass the Philippines. Before landfall, SI cases have small initial sizes and weak intensities, but SD cases have larger initial sizes and stronger intensities. After landfall, most SI cases are intensifying storms, and most SD cases are nonintensifying storms. Composite analyses of vertical wind shear, absolute angular momentum flux, relative humidity, and sea surface temperature between SI and SD cases are compared. All of these values are larger in SI cases than in SD cases. Furthermore, the interdecadal difference in the ratio of the numbers of SI to SD cases reveals an unusually high number of SI cases during 2001–15. The synoptic patterns between 1979–2000 and 2001–15 are analyzed. The high SI ratio in the latter period is related to strong southwesterly wind in the south of the South China Sea that raised relative humidity, warmed the sea surface, and increased import of angular momentum flux.

In many situations, inhaled droplets experience phase change in the human nasal passages during the breathing cycle. The associated size change of droplets can significantly influence the transport and deposition patterns in the nasal cavity. In this study, the transport, evaporation, and deposition of inhaled droplets under unsteady cyclic breathing conditions were simulated. A computational model of the nasal cavity was developed from magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans of the nose of a healthy male and a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) method was used to solve the governing equations of airflow and droplet motion. The Lagrangian trajectory approach was then used to investigate the transport and deposition of droplets. The size change of droplets was simulated using a convection–diffusion controlled model. In order to evaluate the effects of evaporation on transport and deposition of droplets, two inhaled compounds (water and linalool) with different saturation vapor pressures were simulated. The results showed substantial differences between the evaporation behavior of water and linalool droplets. Water droplets, which is more volatile than linalool drops, with the initial diameter ≤ 8 µm completely evaporated while complete evaporation of linalool droplets was observed for the initial diameter

BACKGROUND: Sizing of flow diverters (FDs) stent in the treatment of intracranial aneurysms is a challenging task due to the change of stent length after implantation. OBJECTIVE: To quantify the size change and assess the error in length prediction in 82 simulated FD deployments. METHODS: Eighty-two consecutive patients treated with FDs were retrospectively analyzed. Implanted FD length was measured from angiographic images and compared to the nominal sizes of the implanted device. Length change was obtained by subtracting the nominal length from the real length and dividing by the nominal length. Implanted devices were simulated on 3-dimensional models of each patient. Simulation error was obtained by subtracting real length from simulated length and dividing by the real length of the FD. Subanalysis was done using ANOVA. Statistical significance was set to P < .05, and bootstrap resampling was used. RESULTS: When assessing the length change of the FD after implantation, changes of 30% in average and up to 80% with reference to the nominal length of the device were observed. The simulation results showed a lower error of 3.52% in averagewith a maximum of 30%. Paired t-test showed nonsignificant differences between measured and real length (P=.07, with the mean of differences at 0.45 mm, 95% confidence interval [-0.950 0.038]). CONCLUSION: Nominal length is not an accurate sizing metric when choosing the size of an FD irrespective of the brand and manufacturer. Good estimation of the final length of the stent after deployment as expressed by an error of 3.5% in average. Fil: Narata, Ana Paula. Inserm; Francia. Universite de Tours; Francia Fil: Blasco, Jordi. Hospital Clinic Barcelona; España Fil: Roman, Luis San. Hospital Clinic Barcelona; España Fil: Macho, Juan Miguel. Hospital Clinic Barcelona; España Fil: Fernandez, Hector. Galgo Medical Sl; España Fil: Moyano, Raquel Kale. Galgo Medical Sl; España Fil: Winzenrieth, Renaud. Galgo Medical Sl; España Fil: Larrabide, Ignacio. Universidad Nacional del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina

Article, INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CLOTHING SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY. 29(1):84-95 (2017)

In this work, SiC particles with different sizes have been effectively introduced into Cu melts based on Ti–SiC system, and the types and microstructures of Ti–SiC reaction products are varied with the SiC size change. With small size, SiC can absolutely react with Ti to form TiC particles and Ti5Si3, while large SiC cannot react completely. In the latter case, besides TiC particles and Ti5Si3, the core–shell particles, including Cu@TiC, SiC@TiC, carbon derived from silicon carbide (SiC-CDC) @TiC and ternary layers SiC@SiC-CDC@TiC, can be formed. It is considered that the reaction of Ti–SiC in Cu melts not only has two alternative reaction path ways but also has two stages. The first stage is the instantaneous reaction between Ti and SiC during the addition and start with TiC formation, which realizes the reactive wetting of SiC by Cu melts and leads to the eventual formation of TiC or SiC@TiC core–shell particles. The second stage is the reaction between Ti and residual SiC in Cu melts which starts with the transformation of SiC into SiC-CDC and leads to the eventual formation of Cu@TiC, SiC-CDC@TiC or SiC@SiC-CDC@TiC core–shell particles.

Purpose The optimal size of the I-Gel® remains unclear since the manufacturer's weight-based formula (size 3 for weight 90 kg) for the laryngeal mask airway I-Gel® is not evidence-based. We hypothesised that sex may also guide the choice of I-Gel® size. Methods Insertion success rates of the I-Gel® chosen according to the weight-based formula were prospectively recorded and compared with those of a patients’ cohort ventilated with an I-Gel® chosen according to the sex-based formula recorded. Two periods of 18 months were randomised in three independent hospitals in France to study each choice strategy. Patients requiring I-Gel® size change were compared with those who where successfully ventilated with the initially chosen device. Complications linked to the I-Gel® and factors for changing the size of the I-Gel® were also recorded and analysed. Results Data from 900 patients were prospectively collected in the three participating centres. The overall initial ventilation was inadequate in 80 cases, including 7% (n = 31) in the weight-based group and 3% (n = 13) in the sex-based group (P = 0.01). In the weight-based group, changing size of I-Gel® was successful in 28 (90%) cases. In the sex-based group, changing size of I-Gel® was useful in 1 case only. Endotracheal tube insertion was necessary in 15 cases despite changing I-Gel® size, including 3 cases in the weight-based group and 12 cases in the sex-based group. Ease of insertion and postoperative pharyngo-laryngeal problems were similar between groups with or without changing size of I-Gel®. Conclusion Adequate ventilation is achieved most of the time using size selection for the I-Gel® laryngeal mask airway according to the manufacturer's weight-based formula. However, our results suggest that the sex-based formula in healthy, anaesthetised, adult patients may also be appropriate for I-Gel® size choice.

Background Bevacizumab improves symptoms via reducing the peritumoral edema and/or normalizing blood brain barrier, and occasionally via reducing the tumor size. However, the effect against active cystic components has not been documented yet. Materials and Methods Between 2008 and 2018, 139 patients with primary or metastatic brain tumors were treated with bevacizumab (BEV) in our institution. The images and symptoms before and after administration of BEV were examined, and changes in size of cysts were evaluated as follows: CR (complete disappearance), PR (reduction by ≥50%), MR (reduction by ≥25%), SD (size change, Patients with cyst showed significant improvement in symptoms after the treatment with bevacizumab (BEV) compared to patients without cyst. Bevacizumab is effective against progressively increasing cysts. Although cyst reduction effect and tumor response and/or overall survival are independent, BEV may be effective in patients who are symptomatic due to cystic enlargement.

The plant reactions on Al-stress include i.a. change of the surface area of the roots, which in the physicochemistry of plants characterizes the transport of water and ions through the root. The object of this study is the specific surface area of the roots of plants which are tolerant to aluminium, such as rye. Plants of rye were grown in a nutrient solution for 14 days at pH 4.5 in the presence of Al3+ ions of concentration 10, 20, and 40 mg dm−3. The control plants were grown continuously at pH 7 or pH 4.5 without Al3+. The apparent surface area and adsorption energy of the plants roots were determined from water vapour adsorption – desorption data. The apparent surface area of roots growing in the aluminium was (with respect to control) statistically significantly lower. There were no statistically significant differences in the apparent surface area of the roots which grew in pH 7, pH 4.5 without Al3+. The average water vapour adsorption energy of the root surface, under stress conditions decreased. In the roots grown in the presence of Al+3, there was a slight decrease in high energy adsorption centres and an increase in the amount of low-energy centres.

The objective this research was to investigate pre-chilling time (1, 4, 8 and 24 h) on the histomorphology and physicochemical properties of catfish fillets during frozen storage (1, 4, 12 and 24 weeks). With the extended pre-chilling (4 °C) and frozen storage (−18 °C) time, cells of catfish fillet were gradually dissociated in three aspects: size change, dispersion and breakage by ice crystals. Catfish fillets pre-chilled for 24 h or stored for more than 12 weeks showed apparent higher cell structure damage than other treated groups. The Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) results showed that the activity of hydrogen protons was progressively enhanced with the storage time up to the 4 weeks and then decreased. With the increasing frozen storage period, pH of catfish samples were transferred from weakly alkali to weakly acid, shear force and whiteness of frozen channel catfish fillets was progressively decreased (P

A stimulus surrounded by smaller/larger stimuli appears larger/smaller (Ebbinghaus illusion). We examined whether the Ebbinghaus illusion would depend on the retinal or perceived size of the surrounding stimuli. The flash-lag effect, where a flashed stimulus perceptually lags moving stimuli, was used to dissociate the retinal from perceived size of the surrounding stimuli. Two sets of four surrounding disks changed their size smoothly: one with larger disks shrinking, the other with smaller disks expanding. Two identical central disks were presented briefly at various timings relative to the moment when the surrounding disks were physically identical in their size (coincidence time). A significant flash-lag effect was observed for size change (Experiment 1). Participants reported the two central disks being in equal size when they appeared only slightly before the coincidence time. However, this asynchrony was not significantly different from zero and was significantly smaller than the perceptual delay expected from the flash-lag effect (Experiment 2). These results suggest that the Ebbinghaus illusion depends more on the retinal than perceived size of the surrounding stimuli.

Tissue-clearing techniques have received great attention for volume imaging and for the potential to be applied in optical diagnosis. In principle, tissue clearing is achieved by reducing light scattering through a combination of lipid removal, size change, and matching of the refractive index (RI) between the imaging solution and the tissue. However, the contributions of these major factors in tissue clearing have not been systematically evaluated yet. In this study, we experimentally measured and mathematically calculated the contribution of these factors to the clearing of four organs (brain, liver, kidney, and lung). We found that these factors differentially influence the maximal clearing efficacy of tissues and the diffusivity of materials inside the tissue. We propose that these physical properties of organs can be utilized for the quality control (Q/C) process during tissue clearing, as well as for the monitoring of the pathological changes of tissues.

Although several studies have demonstrated that the size of harvested lymph nodes can be a prognostic predictor in colorectal cancer patients, some considered the size of freshly harvested nodes and others assessed the size after formalin fixation. Because the size change of lymph nodes during fixation has not been fully investigated, we conducted the present study comparing the size of lateral lymph nodes that were surgically harvested from rectal cancer patients, before and after formalin fixation. A total of 19 consecutive patients diagnosed with rectal adenocarcinoma who underwent total mesorectal excision and dissection of lateral pelvic sidewall lymph nodes were prospectively enrolled. The largest diameters of lymph nodes were measured immediately after manual harvest and after formalin fixation. The ratio of post-fixation size to pre-fixation size and the size difference between pre- and post-fixation were assessed for each lymph node. The average ratio (± standard deviation) of post-fixation size to pre-fixation size was 0.88 ± 0.40, with median value of 0.8. The size of the lymph nodes decreased by an average of 1.04 mm after fixation, and the median size change after fixation was a 1-mm decrease. Although measuring lymph node size after formalin fixation can be a viable alternative to measuring the size of fresh lymph nodes before fixation, a 10 to 20% shrinkage or 1-mm size reduction should be considered when interpreting the examination findings.

Nanotechnology-based antitumor drug delivery systems, known as nanocarriers, have demonstrated their efficacy in recent years. Typically, the size of the nanocarriers is around 100 nm. It is imperative to achieve an optimum size of these nanocarriers which must be designed uniquely for each type of delivery process. For pH-responsive nanocarriers with programmable size, changes in pH (~6.5 for tumor tissue, ~5.5 for endosomes, and ~5.0 for lysosomes) may serve as an endogenous stimulus improving the safety and therapeutic efficacy of antitumor drugs. This review focuses on current advanced pH-responsive nanocarriers with programmable size changes for anticancer drug delivery. In particular, pH-responsive mechanisms for nanocarrier retention at tumor sites, size reduction for penetrating into tumor parenchyma, escaping from endo/lysosomes, and swelling or disassembly for drug release will be highlighted. Additional trends and challenges of employing these nanocarriers in future clinical applications are also addressed.

AIM: To analyse the change in size on follow-up of hepatic adenomas (HAs) and adenomatosis, and to investigate the relationship of imaging features with size change. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study included 44 patients (142 lesions) who underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or computed tomography (CT) for diagnosis and follow-up of HA. The imaging features and percentage change in maximum tumour dimension were observed over a follow-up duration of up to 139 months. RESULTS: With an average follow-up of 43 months, 37% lesions decreased in size, 58% were stable, 4% increased; one lesion regressed completely. Adenomas were stratified into size groups (0.05). Percent size change was different for lesions followed for ≤12 months (−7.2%) compared with lesions followed for 13e60 months (−20.5%), and those followed for ≥60 months (−23.5%; p0.05). CONCLUSION: Most adenomas were either stable or regressed on follow-up. Size change was independent of baseline size. After an initial size decrease within 5 years, no further size reduction was noted on extended follow-up. The percent size change in the HA-H and HA-I subtype was similar.

The flexible fixture has been applied in many areas because it can adapt to the workpiece shape and size change, such as aircraft integral structure parts manufacturing, and air surface parts manufacturing, aircraft assembly. Due to the use of flexible fixture, greatly reducing the manufacturing cost and improves the production efficiency. In this paper, the design of flexible clamping platform is studied and the application is showed in a case. Through comparing the simulated results, it is found that flexible fixture with the follow-up support has higher accuracy.

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to produce an upper garment model for three-dimensional (3D) pattern making. This model will take into account ease allowance and silhouette, and will be used to propose a size-changing method. Design/methodology/approach - The authors used two real garment bodices with a surface suitable for pattern development. The garments were fitted to a designated dummy body and scanned. Using the scanned data, the authors made those upper garment basic models suitable for 3D pattern making. Using one model, the authors produced two bodice patterns, one with the original seam lines and the other with seam lines that differed from the original ones, and then compared them with the original jacket bodice. To construct garment models that were different in size from the basic model, the authors calculated multiplication factors of cross-sectional dimensions (in the front, back and lateral directions) between the basic garment and the actual garment shape worn on a body for each basic model. Using the multiplication factors, the authors made two different size garment models from two different size dummies for each basic model. The authors used these models to make patterns and garments. Findings - The reproduced jackets had similar shapes, silhouettes and ease allowances to the original jacket. Two garments of different sizes for each original jacket were made using the multiplication factors, and these garments also had similar silhouettes to the original jacket. Research limitations/implications - The implications of the work could be the new size-changing method. Originality/value - Using the modeling method, the authors were able to make complex new garment models that take into account ease allowance and silhouette. The ability to size these models up or down using multiplication factors could be a substitute for the grading method., Article, INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CLOTHING SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY. 27(6):852-869 (2015)

Void defects such as porosity, shrinkage, and the formation of gas cavities cannot be completely avoided during the casting process. One current method that improves the quality of these products is the use of a forging or rolling process. Further research on the evolution behavior of voids during processing is necessary. To this effect, the present study investigates the evolution behavior of a few different sizes of voids during the hot rolling process. Evolution behavior is analyzed by finite-element simulation and laboratory experimentation. Analysis focused on the stress field surrounding a void during the rolling process. Results showed that voids changed shape from spherical to ellipsoid, and as the rolling pass increased became smaller and more irregular. The upper and lower surfaces of the voids bonded together after the last rolling pass. Voids of varying size change shape in a similar manner, however, by analyzing their hydrostatic integration it was observed that smaller voids bond more readily than larger ones. The results demonstrate favorable agreement between experimental and simulated results.

This paper investigates the optimization of biomass terminal equipment deployment. A mixed integer linear programming model is developed and applied to minimize the terminal’s investment and operational costs related to dedicated and partially used or shared equipment between a terminal’s operational steps. The results minimize annual terminal costs through equipment and infrastructure selection and utilization. Tipping points where the technology and equipment type or size change in relation to the increasing throughput are highlighted. Analytical results emphasize the importance of storage costs in all biomass terminals, as well as the critical influence of operational costs in larger facilities.

In the last years, a wide range of methods allowing to reconstruct past population size changes from genome-wide data have been developed. At the same time, there has been an increasing recognition that population structure can generate genetic data similar to those produced under models of population size change. Recently, Mazet et al. (Heredity 116:362–371, 2016) showed that, for any model of population structure, it is always possible to find a panmictic model with a particular function of population size changes, having exactly the same distribution ofT2(the coalescence time for a sample of size two) as that of the structured model. They called this function IICR (Inverse Instantaneous Coalescence Rate) and showed that it does not necessarily correspond to population size changes under non-panmictic models. Besides, most of the methods used to analyse data under models of population structure tend to arbitrarily fix that structure and to minimise or neglect population size changes. Here, we extend the seminal work of Herbots (PhD thesis, University of London, 1994) on the structured coalescent and propose a new framework, the Non-Stationary Structured Coalescent (NSSC) that incorporates demographic events (changes in gene flow and/or deme sizes) to models of nearly any complexity. We show how to compute the IICR under a wide family of stationary and non-stationary models. As an example we address the question of human and Neanderthal evolution and discuss how the NSSC framework allows to interpret genomic data under this new perspective.

To study the effect of Al2O3 inclusions on pitting corrosion in steel, our researchers utilized industrial pure iron as the raw material with the addition of a proper amount of pure aluminum powder to form Al2O3 inclusions. Corrosion experiments were performed by exposing the samples to a 6% FeCl3 solution at room temperature (25 °C) for different lengths of time. Microscopic corrosion morphology was observed by scanning electron microscope (SEM), and the size change of the inclusions was quantitatively analyzed with Image Pro Plus. The experimental results showed that pitting corrosion arose preferentially around the Al2O3 inclusions, and that pitting corrosion initiated at the junction of the Al2O3 inclusions. The steel matrix dissolved and micro-cracks occurred as the Al2O3 inclusions that were buried shallowly below the surface of the steel matrix promoted corrosion of the steel matrix. As corrosion progressed, the shallowly buried Al2O3 inclusions began to appear on the surface, and the small, shallow inclusions fell off and formed micro pits. Furthermore, the clustered distribution of alumina inclusions had a greater effect on pitting initiation than the alumina inclusions distributed alone.

Compared to other common control measures, the downflow booth is a costly engineering control used to contain airborne dust or particles. The downflow booth provides unidirectional filtered airflow from the ceiling, entraining released particles away from the workers’ breathing zone, and delivers contained airflow to a lower level exhaust for removing particulates by filtering media. In this study, we designed and built a mobile downflow booth that is capable of quick assembly and easy size change to provide greater flexibility and particle control for various manufacturing processes or tasks. An experimental study was conducted to thoroughly evaluate the control performance of downflow booths used for removing airborne particles generated by the transfer of powdered lactose between two containers. Statistical analysis compared particle reduction ratios obtained from various test conditions including booth size (short, regular, or extended), supply air velocity (0.41 and 0.51 m/s or 80 and 100 feet per minute, fpm), powder transfer location (near or far from the booth exhaust), and inclusion or exclusion of curtains at the booth entrance. Our study results show that only short-depth downflow booths failed to protect the worker performing powder transfer far from the booth exhausts. Statistical analysis shows that better control performance can be obtained with supply air velocity of 0.51 m/s (100 fpm) than with 0.41 m/s (80 fpm) and that use of curtains for downflow booths did not improve their control performance.

International audience; Cyclosporine A eye drops are used at concentrations ranging from 0.5 to 20 mg/mL to treat a variety of ophthalmic diseases. Cyclosporine A formulations at high concentrations are difficult to manufacture because of cyclosporine's lipophilicity, and generally require an oil based vector. In this study, we investigated the physicochemical and microbiological stability of two high concentrations (10 mg/mL and 20 mg/mL) of an ophthalmic cyclosporine A micellar solution in a low density polyethylene multidose eyedropper, at two conservation conditions (5 °C and 25 °C), before and with simulated use. Analyses used were the following: visual inspection, cyclosporine quantification by a stability-indicating liquid chromatography method, osmolality and pH measurements and turbidity. A complementary analysis by dynamic light scattering was implemented to evaluate potential particle formation or micelle size change. In the in-use study, cyclosporine quantification was also performed on the drops emitted from the multidose eyedroppers. Our results show that the cyclosporine micellar formulation retains good physicochemical and microbiological stability, as all parameters stayed within acceptable range limits, however a higher variability in cyclosporine concentrations was observed for 20 mg/mL units stored at 25 °C. The in-use study showed that cyclosporine concentrations in the emitted drops were also within acceptable range limits. The micellar formulation presented in this study can therefore be stored at 5 °C or at ≤ 25 °C for up to 6 months.

Objective: To evaluate the recurrence rate and outcome of pterygium surgery with amniotic membrane transplantation (AMT) and intraoperative mitomycin C (MMC). Methods: This prospective clinical study included patients with pterygium who were candidates for pterygium excision. After the surgical excision, intraoperative local MMC were applied in the standard protocol followed by AMT. The outcome measures were recurrence and the size change of lesion. Kaplan-Meier estimation and regression analyses were performed. Findings: Fifty five eyes of 55 consecutive patients including 30 male (54.5%) and 25 female (45.5%) with mean age of 47.12 ± 15.95 years were operated. The mean follow-up period was 15.21 ± 2.67 months. The overall recurrence rate was 34.5% (19/55 cases). The estimated recurrence time for larger size of pterygium before surgery was short and marginally significant (17.14 ± 0.58 month in size of ≤3.0 mm versus. 18.56 ± 0.60 month in size of

Backgroud Herniation pits (HPs) have been considered to be an incidental finding, but recently femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) has been proposed as a possible cause of their formation. The findings on bone scans of HPs are variable in the literature: some showed increased uptake; the majority did not. We hypothesized that serial changes in image findings of HPs would explain the reason for the variable bone scan findings. Methods Four patients (5 hips) were followed up for more than 7 years. All patients were women and regularly underwent bone scintigraphy after the diagnosis of breast cancer. Small lesions with increased uptake were first detected on bone scintigraphy at the age of 44 to 64 years. In all cases, the lesions were confirmed by magnetic resonance imaging and follow-up bone scintigrams were taken regularly. Four lesions were also evaluated by computed tomography. Changes in the size of the pits and the intensity of the increased uptake on bone scintigraphy were evaluated. Results On the bone scintigrams, the lesions with increased uptake were detected in the femoral neck at 5-20 months after previous negative bone scintigraphy. There had been no events or symptoms associated with the newly detected increased uptake. On follow-up scans, the intensity of the uptake decreased gradually and the areas of increased uptake disappeared completely at 14-50 months after their first appearance. In 3 cases (2 patients), the pit size increased during follow-up. Conclusions The areas of increased uptake on bone scintigraphy gradually disappeared in all cases and the increase in pit size was frequent. There was no case in which signs or symptoms suggestive of FAI were noticed.

Fossils in the immediate aftermath of mass extinctions are often of small size, a phenomenon attributed to the Lilliput Effect (temporary, size reduction of surviving species). There has been little attempt to study size trends during subsequent recovery intervals nor has the relationship between size, diversity and environmental controls been evaluated. Here we examine the recovery following the end-Triassic mass extinction amongst bivalves of the British Lower and Middle Lias. Three distinct phases of size change are seen that are independent of other recovery metrics: initially bivalves are small but the Lilliput Effect is a minor factor, the majority of small taxa belong to new species that undergo a later within-species size increase (the Brobdingnag Effect) throughout the subsequent Hettangian Stage. New species that appeared during the Hettangian were also progressively larger and Cope's Rule (size increase between successive species) is seen – notably amongst ammonites. The size increase was reversed during the Sinemurian Stage, when bivalves once again exhibited small body sizes. During the Pliensbachian Stage another phase of size increase occurred with further evidence of the Brobdingnag Effect. These three phases of size change are seen across all suspension feeding ecological guilds of bivalve but are not expressed among deposit feeders. Local environmental conditions explain some aspects of size patterns, but factors such as temperature, marine oxygenation and sea level, do not correlate with the long-term size trends. The Brobdingnag Effect may reflect increased availability/quality of food during the recovery interval: a factor that controlled bivalve size but not evolution.