Search

The trochanteric soft tissue attenuates impact force or absorbs impact energy during a fall on the hip (thereby helps to reduce a risk of hip fracture). While the benefits should be affected by contractions of muscles spanning the hip joint, no information is available to date. We examined how the stiffness (force attenuation capacity) and energy absorption of the trochanteric soft tissue were affected by hip muscle activation during a fall. Thirteen healthy young individuals (5 males, 8 females) participated in the pelvis release experiment. Falling trials were acquired with three muscle contraction conditions: 0-20% ("relaxed"), 20-50% ("moderate"), and 60-100% ("maximal") of the maximal voluntary isometric contraction of the gluteus medius muscle. During trials, we measured real-time force and deformation behaviour of the trochanteric soft tissue. Outcome variables included the stiffness and energy absorption of the soft tissue. The stiffness and energy absorption ranged from 56.1 to 446.9 kN/m, and from 0.15 to 2.26 J, respectively. The stiffness value increased with muscle contraction, and 59% greater in "maximal" than "relaxed" condition (232.2 (SD = 121.4) versus 146.1 (SD = 49.9)). However, energy absorption decreased with muscle contraction, and 58.9% greater in "relaxed" than "maximal" condition (0.89 (SD = 0.63) versus 0.56 (SD = 0.41)). Our results provide insights on biomechanics of the trochanteric soft tissue ("natural" padding device) during impact stage of a fall, suggesting that soft tissues' protective benefits are largely affected by the level of muscle contraction.

Background Quercetin (QE) is an antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, flavonoid compound. It was shown that islets are susceptible to oxidative stress due to their inherent low antioxidant capacity. In the present study, we investigated whether treatment of mouse islets with QE could enhance their function before transplantation. Methods Balb/c mouse islets were treated with various concentrations of QE and their viability, function, and nitric oxide (NO) and the expression of inducible NO synthase (iNOS) were determined before and after cytokine treatment. The expression of antioxidant genes was determined. Apoptosis and apoptosis-associated gene expression was measured using INS-1 cells with or without QE treatment before and after cytokine treatment. Results The QE-treated islets and INS-1 cells showed higher cell function compared to untreated control. The expression of heme oxygenase-1, manganese-dependent superoxide dismutase, and B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2) were enhanced, and the expression of NO, iNOS, and Bcl-2-associated X protein were reduced before and after cytokine treatment. Conclusions Our results show that QE could enhance the viability and reduce apoptosis of mouse islets and improve their function before transplantation.

Fatigue tests were conducted on round bar specimens of a solution-treated and air-cooled Cu-Ni-Si alloy with high solute concentrations of 6% Ni and 1.5% Si. This alloy was strengthened by disc-shaped Ni2Si precipitates, a few tens of nanometers in diameter, formed during air cooling. The results were compared with those of a conventional solution-treated Cu-Ni-Si alloy cooled by water quenching. The correlation between the tensile and fatigue strengths of the two alloys differed completely from the general tendency that enhanced tensile strength brings an increase in fatigue strength. Indeed, the fatigue strength of the air-cooled Cu-Ni-Si alloy was 1.1 times higher than that of the water-quenched alloy, while the tensile strength was only 75% that of the water-quenched alloy. Moreover, the electrical conductivity of the air-cooled specimens in International Annealed Copper Standard (IACS) percentage points was 1.7 times higher than that of the water-quenched specimens. The physical background for the superior fatigue strength of the air-cooled Cu-Ni-Si alloy, including the role of microstructure, is discussed.

The effect of microstructure on the fatigue strength of age-hardened Cu–6Ni–1.5Si alloy was investigated in this study. The aging was conducted at 500 °C for 0.5 h for the precipitation of disk-shaped δ-Ni2Si precipitates (continuous precipitates) and 3 h for the discontinuous precipitation of fiber-shaped, stable δ-Ni2Si precipitates to strengthen the Cu matrix. The tensile strength of 0.5 h-aged specimens was about 1.3 times greater than that of the 3 h-aged counterparts, but with inferior electrical conductivity. Despite the considerable difference in tensile strength, no notable difference in fatigue strength was observed between 0.5 h- and 3 h-aged specimens. The 3 h-aged specimens had superior electrical conductivity without sacrificing fatigue strength of the 0.5 h-aged specimens. The physical background of high-cycle fatigue strength in Cu–6Ni–1.5Si alloys with continuous precipitates and discontinuous precipitates is discussed considering the microstructure-sensitive behavior of fatigue cracks.

From global gyrokinetic simulations of toroidal ion temperature gradient-driven (ITG) turbulence, we identify two distinguished regimes where zonal flow generation and its radial pattern formation is governed by either phases or amplitudes of the turbulence spectrum. When the unstable region is wider than the correlation length of ITG modes, the zonal flow structure changes in a turbulence time scale. We newly uncover that the radial phases of ITG modes determine the evolution of the zonal flow structure. Synchronization of mode phases induced by the global zonal flow drives a fine-scale zonal flow pattern. With a narrow unstable region comparable to the mode correlation length, the phase effect almost vanishes. In this regime, we recover that the modulational instability promptly amplifies a coherent zonal flow, leading to a lower turbulence saturation level. This finding explains the reduction of turbulent transport at a narrow width of the strong gradient region, which has been attributed to the system size effects in ion-scale gyrokinetic turbulence.

Background The transplantation of isolated pancreatic islets is a promising treatment for diabetes. Curcumin has been used for its pharmacologic effects, such as antidiabetic and anti-inflammatory activities. Tetrahydrocurcumin (THC), one of the major metabolites of curcumin, has been reported to have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. This study examines the hypothesis that preoperative THC treatment can attenuate ischemic damage and apoptosis before islet transplantation. Methods Islets isolated from Balb/c mice were randomly divided into 2 groups and cultured in medium supplemented with or without THC. In vitro islet viability and function were assessed. After treatment with a cytokine cocktail consisting of tumor necrosis factor-α, interferon-β, and interleukin-1β, islet cell viability, function, and apoptotic status were determined. Proteins related to apoptosis were analyzed using INS-1 cell after streptozocin treatment. Results There was no difference in cell viability between the 2 groups. Islets cultured in the medium supplemented with THC showed 1.3-fold higher glucose-induced insulin secretion than the islets cultured in the medium without THC. After treatment with a cytokine cocktail, glucose-induced insulin release, and NO of the islets were significantly improved in THC-treated islets compared with islets not treated with THC. Apoptosis was significantly decreased, and B-cell lymphoma-2 was elevated in the THC-treated group. The streptozocin-treated INS-1 cell produced significantly higher levels of and B-cell lymphoma-2-associated X protein, caspase-3, and caspase-9 than INS-1 treated with THC. Conclusions These results suggest that preoperative THC administration enhances islet function before transplantation and attenuates the cytokine-induced damage associated with apoptosis.

Background A widespread scabies infestation, associated with long-term residence in nursing homes, is becoming an issue in high-income countries. Mineral oil examination is regarded as the gold standard in diagnosing scabies, but the sensitivity of this method is generally low - approximately 50%. Molecular techniques may contribute to enhancing the sensitivity of current tests for laboratory diagnosis of human scabies. Objectives To develop new primers for a nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for the cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (cox1) gene of Sarcoptes scabiei var. hominis to increase the sensitivity of a previously developed conventional PCR. Methods Patients with clinically suspected scabies underwent dermoscopy-guided skin scraping with microscopic examination. The diagnosis was positive for scabies when mites or eggs were found under the microscope, and patients were then designated as 'microscopy positive'. Patients who presented with negative microscopic results were placed in the 'microscopy-negative' group. Skin scrapings were collected from both groups for PCR. Results Of the total 63 samples, 28 were microscopy positive and 35 were negative with no differences in sex and age between the two groups. All microscopically proven cases of scabies were positive using the cox1 nested PCR. Among microscopy-negative samples, S. scabieiDNA was detected in nine. If sensitivity of the cox1 nested PCR is considered 100% [95% confidence interval (CI) 90·5-100], then sensitivity of microscopy is 75·7% (95% CI 58·8-88·2; P = 0·004). Conclusions Nested PCR can be successfully used as an alternative method for diagnosing suspected scabies. Therefore, infection control measures and treatments can be initiated before significant transmission occurs, minimizing the risk of outbreaks.

Background Crepidiastrum denticulatum (CD) is a well-known, traditionally consumed vegetable in Korea, which was recently reported to contain bioactive compounds with detoxification and antioxidant properties. Ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) is a major problem after renal transplantation. Furthermore, inflammatory responses to IRI exacerbate the resultant renal injury. In the present study, we investigated whether CD extract exhibits renoprotective effects against IR-induced acute kidney injury in mice. Materials and methods Renal IRI was induced in male C57BL/6 mice by bilateral renal pedicle occlusion for 30 minutes followed by reperfusion for 48 hours. CD extract (75 mg/kg) was administered orally 5 days before IRI. Results Treatment with CD extract significantly decreased blood urea nitrogen and serum creatinine levels as well as kidney tubular injury. CD also prevented IRI-induced renal glutathione depletion and increased malondialdehyde levels. Western blotting and reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction indicated that CD extract significantly attenuates inducible nitric oxide synthase and toll-like receptor 2/4 protein levels 48 h after IRI. The expression of tumor necrosis factor-α and interleukin-1β was significantly decreased in the CD extract treatment group. Conclusion CD extract improved acute renal IRI through its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. These findings suggest that CD extract is a potential therapeutic agent for acute ischemia-induced renal damage.

For low-cycle fatigued, ultrafine grained copper, processed by equal channel angular pressing, a unique crack growth direction, either inclined at 45° or perpendicular to the loading direction, was observed around the circumference of round bar specimens. In addition, the perpendicular cracks showed a 45° deflected crack face toward the center of the specimens. To clarify the growth behavior of such inclined and deflected cracks, the role of the deformation mode at the crack-tip areas was discussed in terms of the surface damage caused by cyclic stressing and the mixed-mode deformation at the crack tips. The preexistent shear-bands/shear-cracks around the crack tips and the in-plane shear-mode deformation at the crack tips assisted the formation of shallow inclined- and deep deflected-cracks. To quantitatively estimate the severity of mechanical damage at the crack tips, the comparative stress intensity factor range under combined mode I, II and III conditions were calculated. The crack growth rate along the growth direction at the surface and bottom for inclined and deflected surface-cracks was discussed in terms of the comparative stress intensity factor range.

The results of combined experimental and theoretical study of substitutional and clustering effects in the structure of Pb-doped TiO2-hosts (bulk ceramics and thin-film morphologies) are presented. Pb-doping of the bulk and thin-film titanium dioxide was made with the help of pulsed ion-implantation without posterior tempering (Electronic Structure Modulation Mode). The X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) qualification of core-levels and valence bands and Density-Functional Theory (DFT) calculations were employed in order to study the yielded electronic structure of Pb-ion modulated TiO2 host-matrices. The combined XPS-and-DFT analysis has agreed definitely with the scenario of the implantation stimulated appearance of PbO-like structures in the bulk morphology of TiO2:Pb, whereas in thin-film morphology the PbO2-like structure becomes dominating, essentially contributing weak O/Pb bonding (PbxOy defect clusters). The crucial role of the oxygen hollow-type vacancies for the process of Pb-impurity “insertion” into the structure of bulk TiO2 was pointed out employing DFT-based theoretical background. Both experiment and theory established clearly the final electronic structure re-arrangement of the bulk and thin-film morphologies of TiO2 because of the Pb-modulated deformation and shift of the initial Valence Base-Band Width about 1 eV up.

Cellulose producing bacterial strain was isolated from citrus fruit juice fungus. The isolated strain was identified as Gluconacetobacter sp. gel_SEA623-2 based on several morphological characteristics, biochemical tests, and 16S rRNA conducted. Culture conditions for bacterial cellulose production by SEA623-2 were screened in static trays. Conditions were extensively optimized by varying the kind of fruit juice, pH, sugar concentration, and temperature for maximum cellulose production. SEA623-2 has a high productive capacity in citrus processing medium, but not in other fruits. The optimal combination of the media constituents for bacterial cellulose production is as follows: 10% citrus juice, 10% sucrose, 1% acetic acid, and 1% ethanol at 30°C, pH 3.5. Bacterial cellulose produced by SEA623-2 has soft physical properties, high tensile strength, and high water retention value. The cellulose produced by the selected bacteria is suitable as a cosmetic and medical material.

International audience

International audience

Cu-6Ni-1.5Si alloy having fully fiber-shaped discontinuous precipitates was fabricated by overaging (DP specimen), and subsequently cold-rolled down to 80% reduction in area (CR-DP specimen). The tensile and fatigue strengths of DP and CR-DP specimens were compared to those of CP specimen with nano-sized continuous precipitates by normal aging. The CR-DP specimen showed the highest tensile and fatigue strengths among the specimens tested, and comparable electrical conductivity to the DP specimen. The reason for such an excellent combination of tensile strength, fatigue strength and electrical conductivity was discussed based on the change in microstructure and surface states during stressing.

Constant and two-step stress amplitude tests were conducted to study the surface crack growth mechanism of ultrafine-grained copper processed by equal channel angular pressing (ECAP) in high- and low-cycle fatigue regimes. The crack growth direction varied depending on the location on the circumference of the round bar specimen and applied stress amplitude. On the surface where an intersection between the shear plane of final pressing and the specimen’s surface made an angle of 45° with respect to the loading axis, the crack grew with a 45° inclination to the loading axis at stress amplitudes ≥ 180 MPa. At stress amplitudes

The formation mechanism of inclined fatigue-cracks in ultrafine-grained Cu processed by equal channel angular pressing was studied by using a partially notched specimen in which a fatal natural crack was introduced, to a specific site of the smooth surface was feasible regardless of microstructural inhomogeneity caused by the processing. The crack growth direction depended on the location along the circumferential direction of the round bar specimen and on the applied stress amplitudes. The role of the microstructure and deformation mode at the crack-tip areas on the formation behavior of fatal cracks is discussed in terms of the microstructural evolution caused by cyclic stressing and the mixed-mode stress intensity factor. The in-plane shear mode deformation at the crack tip assisted the formation of the inclined crack paths and the unique crack face profile.

Fatigue tests were conducted on round-bar specimens to understand the fatigue behavior of precipitate-strengthened Cu–6Ni–1.5Si alloy. Aging at 500 °C for 0.5 h produced δ-Ni 2 Si precipitates in the matrix, homogeneously and heterogeneously precipitated δ-Ni 2 Si particles, and a precipitate-free zone around the grain boundaries. The cracks were initiated at the grain boundaries, followed by growth along the crystallographic slip planes in the adjacent grains. Crack propagation from the crack origin along the grain boundaries was occasionally observed. The physical background of fatigue damage is discussed in light of the role of microstructure on the behavior of fatigue cracks.

Background Transplantation of isolated islets is a promising treatment for diabetes. Red ginseng (RG) is steamed ginseng and has been reported to enhance insulin secretion–stimulating and anti-apoptotic activities in pancreatic β-cells. In this study, we examined the hypothesis that pre-operative RG treatment enhances islet cell function and anti-apoptosis and investigated whether RG improves islet engraftment by transplant of a marginal mass of syngeneic islets pretreated with RG in diabetic mice. Methods Balb/c mice were randomly divided into 2 groups, and 1 group was administered RG (400 mg/kg/day orally) for 7 days before islet isolation. In vitro islet viability and function were assessed. After cytokine treatment, cell viability, function, and apoptosis of islet cells were analyzed. Furthermore, we studied the effects of RG in a syngeneic islet graft model. A marginal mass of syngeneic mouse islets was transplanted into diabetic hosts. Results Islet pretreatment with RG showed 1.4-fold higher glucose-induced insulin secretion than did control islets. RG pretreatment upregulated B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2) expression and downregulated Bcl-associated X protein (BAX), caspase-3, and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) expression. Glucose-induced insulin release, NO, and apoptosis were significantly improved in RG-pretreated islets compared with cytokine-treated islets. RG-pretreated mice exhibited improved marginal mass islet graft survival compared with controls. Conclusions These results suggest that pre-operative RG administration enhanced islet function before transplantation and attenuated cytokine-induced damage associated with apoptosis. These studies indicate that inhibition of apoptosis by RG significantly improved islet cell and graft function after isolation and transplantation, respectively.

Background Eupatilin, a pharmacologically active flavone derived from Artemisia species, is known to have antioxidant and antiinflammatory activities. Ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) is a major critical event that commonly occurs after liver transplantation and resection. Furthermore, inflammatory responses to IRI exacerbate the resultant hepatic injury. In this study, we investigated whether eupatilin protects against IR-induced acute liver injury in mice. Materials and Methods Partial (70%) hepatic IRI was induced in male C57BL/6 mice by portal triad pedicle occlusion for 90 minutes followed by reperfusion for 6 hours. Eupatilin (10 mg/kg body weight, oral) was administered 4 days before the IRI. Results Treatment with eupatilin significantly decreased serum alanine aminotransferase and serum aspartate aminotransferase as well as liver histologic changes. Eupatilin also prevented hepatic glutathione depletion and increased malondialdehyde levels induced by IRI. Western blotting indicated that eupatilin significantly increased the levels of heat shock protein and B-cell lymphoma 2 protein, attenuated inducible nitric oxide synthase, and cleaved caspase-3 levels 6 hours after IRI. The expression of the Toll-like receptor 2/4, and phosphorylated nuclear factor of kappa light polypeptide gene enhancer in B-cells inhibitor was significantly decreased in the eupatilin pretreatment group. Conclusions Eupatilin improved the acute hepatic IRI by reducing inflammation and apoptosis. These findings suggest that eupatilin is a promising therapeutic agent against acute IR-induced hepatic damage.

Zeolite A and 13X were prepared by a hydrothermal treatment using fly ash after alkali fusion. The alkali-fusion condition was optimized to a 1:1.2 fly ash/NaOH weight ratio at 500 °C for 1 h, and highly crystalline zeolite A and 13X were obtained at 100 °C for 4 h and 90 °C for 12 h, respectively. Both products exhibited high Ca2+ ion-exchange capacity (184 and 134 mg/g) and stable CO2 capture cyclic performance (145 and 220 mg/g).

【The bioelectrical impedance (BI) for the young and the elderly was measured using bioelectrical impedance spectroscopy (BIS). First, while applying a current of $600{\mu}A$ to the foot and hand, BI was measured at 50 frequencies ranging from 5 to 1000 kHz. The BI for young subjects was considerably lower than that for old subjects since young subjects have more lean mass (hydration). The prediction marker was 0.74 for young subjects and 0.78 for old subjects. Second, a Cole-Cole diagram was obtained for young subjects and old subjects, indicating the different characteristic frequencies. At 50 kHz, the average phase angle was $7.8^{\circ}$ for young subjects whereas that was $6.1^{\circ}$ for old subjects. Third, BIVA was analyzed for young subjects and old subjects. The vector length was 210.89 [ ${\Omega}/m$ ] for young subjects and 326.12 [ ${\Omega}/m$ ] for old subjects. At 50 kHz, the resistance (R/H) and the reactance ( $X_C/H$ ) divided by height were 208.94 [ ${\Omega}/m$ ] and 28.68 [ ${\Omega}/m$ ] for young subject, and 324.33 [ ${\Omega}/m$ ] and 34.09 [ ${\Omega}/m$ ] for old subjects.】

Bioelectrical impedance (BI) at popliteal regions was measured using a bioelectrical impedance measurement system (BIMS), which employs the multi-frequency and the two-electrode method. Experiments were performed as follows. First, a constant AC current of 800 μA was applied to the popliteal regions (left and right) and the BI was measured at eight different frequencies from 10 to 500 kHz. When the applied frequency greater than 50 kHz was applied to human’s popliteal regions, the BI was decreased significantly. Logarithmic plot of impedance vs. frequency indicated two different mechanisms in the impedance phenomena before and after 50 kHz. Second, the relationship between resistance and reactance was obtained with respect to the applied frequency using BI (resistance and reactance) acquired from the popliteal regions. The phase angle (PA) was found to be strongly dependent on frequency. At 50 kHz, the PA at the right popliteal region was 7.8o slightly larger than 7.6o at the left popliteal region. Third, BI values of extracellular fluid (ECF)and intracellular fluid (ICF) were calculated using BIMS. At 10 kHz, the BI values of ECF at the left and right popliteal regions were 1664.14 Ω and 1614.08 Ω, respectively. The BI values of ECF and ICF decreased sharply in the frequency range of 10 to 50 kHz, and gradually decreased up to 500 kHz. Logarithmic plot of BI vs. frequency shows that the BI of ICF decreased noticeably at high frequency above 300 kHz because of a large decrease in the capacitance of the cell membrane.

Porous covalent triazine polymer networks (PCTPs) with BET surface areas of 1200 and 523 m 2 g −1 , respectively, were prepared via a single step Friedel–Crafts reaction of cyanuric chloride with tetra-reactive 1,1,2,2-tetraphenylethylene (PCTP-1) or tetraphenylsilane (PCTP-2). PCTP-1 exhibited a high CO 2 uptake capacity of up to 216.5 mg g −1 at 273 K/1 bar with an isosteric heat of adsorption of 44.5–22.6 kJ mol −1 , whereas PCTP-2 showed somewhat less CO 2 adsorption (152 mg g −1 at 273 K/1 bar) and a lower heat of adsorption (30.2–7.4 kJ mol −1 ) due to the lower amount of nitrogen incorporated within the structure. Both PCTP networks showed significantly enhanced CO 2 /N 2 selectivity compared to the same analogues with similar networks. Eight consecutive CO 2 adsorption–desorption cycles of both PCTPs confirmed the high stability and reversibility of the networks. PCTP-1 also exhibited a significantly high CO 2 storage capacity of 528 mg g −1 at 300 K/35 bar with high CO 2 /CH 4 selectivity. The excellent performance of the CO 2 uptakes and the inexpensive synthesis of PCTP-1 are promising for CO 2 adsorption and separation.

As the most feasible solution beyond FinFET technology, a gate-all-around Multi-Bridge-Channel MOSFET (MBCFET) technology is successfully demonstrated including a fully working high density SRAM. MBCFETs are fabricated using 90% or more of FinFET processes with only a few revised masks, allowing easy migration from FinFET process. Not only on-target but also multiple Vt is achieved in challengingly limited vertical spacing between channels. Also, reliability of MBCFETs is shown to be comparable to that of FinFETs. Three representative superior characteristics of MBCFET compared to FinFET have been demonstrated — better gate control with 65 mV/dec sub-threshold swing (SS) at short gate length, higher DC performance with a larger effective channel width (Weff) at reference footprint, and design flexibility with variable nanosheet (NS) widths. The optimization of the standard cell design by using variable NS width is evaluated. The usefulness of MBCFET as a multi-purpose performance provider is proven by the modulation of effective capacitance (Ceff), effective resistance (Reff) and frequency by Weff control. Finally, mass production feasibility with MBCFET is proven through a fully working high density SRAM circuit.

Despite the fact that unaddressed delays in clinical trial operation could severely compromise the overall effort invested, there seems to be a lack of concerted effort in reforming such delays. This study evaluated the composite effect of initiatives in reforming trial operation efficiency. A high-volume academic medical center in Korea has implemented various initiatives to improve the trial operation efficiency by expediting times from institutional review board (IRB) submission to approval, from IRB submission to trial open for subject enrollment, and from trial open to first patient-in. The initiatives include implementation of the protocol preliminary review, parallel processing of the clinical trial agreement review in line with the protocol submission to the IRB, and involvement of project manager for operational risk management. Times from IRB submission to approval, from IRB submission to trial open, and from trial open to first patient-in before and after implementation of initiatives were compared. The median time required in IRB approval was meaningfully shorter in the postinitiative group (19 vs 14 days; P

Delays in trial opening should be considered critical for the sake of not only the sponsor but the patients, as they may result in inequities of care. The Asan Medical Center, in Seoul, Korea, implemented a trial activation initiative in July 2012, in an aim to expedite the trial initiation timeline. Time intervals between trial initiation steps and the rate of institutional review board (IRB) and clinical trial agreement (CTA) parallel submission were assessed. A higher rate of parallel IRB and CTA submissions was observed after initiative implementation (25.5% vs 52.3%; P

International audience

Using a statistical correlation analysis, we compute evolution of the magnetic Kubo number during an edge pedestal collapse in nonlinear reduced magnetohydrodynamic simulations. The Kubo number is found not to exceed the unity in spite of performing the simulation with a highly unstable initial pressure profile to the ideal ballooning mode. During the edge pedestal collapse, the Kubo number is within the values of $0.2$ and $0.6$ suggesting that the quasilinear diffusion model is sufficient to explain the energy loss mechanism during the pedestal collapse. Temporal evolution of poloidal correlation lengths of pressure fluctuations resembles with that of the Chirikov parameter and the Kubo number; while radial correlation lengths of the pressure fluctuations are strongly correlated with the radial width of the magnetic stochastic layer., Comment: 10 pages, 13 figures, Submitted to Physics of Plasmas

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The ability of sparse temporal acquisition to minimize the effect of scanner background noise is of utmost importance in auditory fMRI; however, it has considerably lower temporal efficiency and resolution than the conventional continuous acquisition method. The purpose of this study was to determine whether sparse sampling could be applied to resting-state research by comparing its results with those obtained by using continuous acquisition. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We identified resting-state networks by using independent component analysis and measured their functional connectivity strength in 14 healthy subjects who underwent two 6-minute sparse (60 volumes) and continuous (360 volumes) imaging sessions. To account for the sample size difference, an additional continuous dataset was generated by temporally matching the continuous dataset to 60 volumes of the sparse dataset. RESULTS: Consistent resting-state network maps were produced through all 3 datasets. Scanner background noise did not appear to affect the spatial constitution of the networks, whereas a larger sample size influenced it substantially. The strength of the intranetwork connectivity was similar through the 3 datasets. CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicated that continuous acquisition is a recommended technique that should be applied in most of the resting-state studies due to its superior temporal efficiency and increased statistical power. The use of sparse temporal acquisition should be restricted to very particular conditions when continuous scanner noise is unacceptable.

Systematic investigation of atomic structure of N-ion implanted TiO2 (thin films and bulk ceramics) was performed by XPS measurements (core levels and valence bands) and first-principles density functional theory (DFT) calculations. In bulk samples experiment and theory demonstrate anion N->O substitution. For the thin films case experiments evidence valuable contributions from N2 and NO molecule-like structures and theoretical modeling reveals a possibility of formation of these species as result of the appearance of interstitial nitrogen defects on the various surfaces of TiO2. Energetics of formation of oxygen vacancies and its key role for band gap reduction is also discussed., 19 pages, 6 figures, 3 tables, accepted in Appl. Surf. Sci

Highlights: • Chemical solution deposited La-doped Bi{sub 2}Fe{sub 4}O{sub 9} thin film. • Structural, electrical and multiferroic properties were investigated. • La-doped Bi{sub 2}Fe{sub 4}O{sub 9} exhibited enhanced electrical and multiferroic properties. - Abstract: Thin films of (Bi{sub 2−x}La{sub x})Fe{sub 4}O{sub 9} (x = 0 and x = 0.05) were prepared on Pt(1 1 1)/Ti/SiO{sub 2}/Si(1 0 0) substrates by using a chemical solution deposition method to investigate structural, microstructural, electrical and multiferroic properties. Both the thin films were crystallized in mullite type phases with orthorhombic structures containing no secondary and impurity phases, which was confirmed by X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy studies. The (Bi{sub 1.95}La{sub 0.05})Fe{sub 4}O{sub 9} thin film exhibited improved electrical and multiferroic properties at room-temperature. The leakage current density of the (Bi{sub 1.95}La{sub 0.05})Fe{sub 4}O{sub 9} thin film was one order of magnitude lower than that of the Bi{sub 2}Fe{sub 4}O{sub 9} thin film. Furthermore, in the thin film form, (Bi{sub 2−x}La{sub x})Fe{sub 4}O{sub 9} exhibited better stability against electrical breakdowns and enhanced multiferroic properties.

It is indispensable to evaluate fracture energy as the bonding strength of adhesive at composite material with aluminum foam. This specimen is designed with tapered double cantilever beam by British standards (BS 7991 and ISO 11343). 4 kinds of specimens due to m values of 2, 2.5, 3 and 3.5 are manufactured and compared each other with the experimental results. Adhesive fracture energy is calculated from the formulae of British standards. The value of m is the gradient which is denoted as the length and the height of specimen. As m becomes greater at static experimental result, the maximum load becomes higher and the displacement becomes lower. And the critical fracture energy becomes higher. As m becomes less at fatigue experimental result, the displacement becomes higher and the critical fracture energy becomes higher. Fracture behavior of adhesive can be analyzed by this study and these experimental results can be applied into real field effectively. The stability on TDCB structure bonded with aluminum foam composite can be predicted by use of this experimental result. Adhesive fracture energy is calculated from the formulae of British standards. Based on correlations obtained in this study, the fracture behavior of bonded material would possibly be analyzed and aluminum foam material bonded with adhesive would be applied to a composite structure in various fields, thereby analyzing the mechanical and fracture characteristic of the material.

This study involved an investigation of the structural, electrical, and multiferroic properties of a BiCrO3/BiFeO3 (BCO/BFO) double-layered thin film that was prepared on a Pt(1 1 1)/Ti/SiO2/Si(1 0 0) substrate by using a chemical solution deposition method. X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy studies revealed the formation of tetragonal and rhombohedral structures for the BCO/BFO double-layered thin film without any detectable secondary phases. A saturated ferroelectric hysteresis loop with a remnant polarization (2Pr) of 37 μC/cm2 and a coercive field (2Ec) of 1004 kV/cm at an applied electric field of 1154 kV/cm and a ferromagnetic hysteresis loop with a 2Mr value of 0.044 emu/cm2 and a 2Hc value of 276 Oe at a magnetic field of 10 kOe were observed for the BCO/BFO double-layered thin film at room temperature. The leakage current density of the BCO/BFO double-layered thin film was 2.88×10−4 A/cm2 at an external electric field of 100 kV/cm. The enhanced multiferroic properties observed for the BiCrO3/BiFeO3 thin film correlated with its net effects, such as a decrease in the oxygen vacancy density, a stabilization of the perovskite structure, and small changes in the lattice parameter caused by compressive strain resulting from the coupling of the BiFeO3 and BiCrO3 layers.

X-type zeolite with mesoporosity (Meso-13X) was prepared by using dimethyloctadecyl[3-(trimethoxysilyl)propyl]ammonium chloride as a mesopore-generating agent, and then modified with polyethylenimine (PEI) through a physical impregnation method to form a hybrid material (Meso-13X-PEI). Meso-13X with and without PEI was characterized by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), N2 adsorption–desorption isotherm at 77 K, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Meso-13X-PEI exhibited higher CO2 capture capacity than PEI-modified zeolite 13X owing to its larger pore volume that accommodates more amine species inside the pore structure, and the mesoporosity also can facilitate dispersion of PEI molecules inside the pore channels. Compared to zeolite 13X, Meso-13X-PEI showed much higher CO2 capture selectivity (against N2) as well as higher CO2 capture capacity at relatively high temperature (e.g. 100 °C) and dilute CO2 concentration relevant to post-combustion conditions.

The over threshold carbon-loadings (~50 at.%) of initial TiO2-hosts and posterior Cu-sensitization (~7 at.%) was made using pulsed ion-implantation technique in sequential mode with 1 hour vacuum-idle cycle between sequential stages of embedding. The final Cx-TiO2:Cu samples were qualified using XPS wide-scan elemental analysis, core-levels and valence band mappings. The results obtained were discussed on the theoretic background employing DFT-calculations. The combined XPS and DFT analysis allows to establish and prove the final formula of the synthesized samples as Cx-TiO2:[Cu+][Cu2+] for the bulk and Cx-TiO2:[Cu+][Cu0] for thin-films. It was demonstrated the in the mode of heavy carbon-loadings the remaining majority of neutral C-C bonds (sp3-type) is dominating and only a lack of embedded carbon is fabricating the O-C=O clusters. No valence base-band width altering was established after sequential carbon-copper modification of the atomic structure of initial TiO2-hosts except the dominating majority of Cu 3s states after Cu-sensitization. The crucial role of neutral carbon low-dimensional impurities as the precursors for the new phases growth was shown for Cu-sensitized Cx-TiO2 intermediate-state hosts., 27 pages, 7 figures, accepted to Solid State Sciences

Stress-controlled fatigue tests of ultrafine-grained copper round-bar specimens were conducted. Although the crack paths inclined 45° and 90° to the loading-axis were observed in the different locations, crack faces were extended along one set of maximum shear-stress planes, corresponding to the final ECAP shear plane. Profile of crack faces was examined, showing the aspect ratios of 0.38 and 1.10 for the cracks with 45° and 90° inclined path directions with respect to the loading-axis, respectively. The role of deformation mode at the crack tip on shear-banding and crack growth behavior were discussed in terms of the mixed-mode stress intensity factor.

Background The transplantation of isolated islets is thought to be an attractive approach for curative treatment of diabetes mellitus. Panax ginseng has been used in oriental countries for its pharmacologic effects, such as antidiabetic and antiinflammatory activities. 20(S)-ginsenoside Rg3 (Rg3), an active ingredient of ginseng saponins, has been reported to enhance insulin secretion–stimulating and antiapoptotic activities in pancreatic beta cells. We performed this study to examine the hypothesis that preoperative Rg3 administration can enhance islet cell function and antiapoptosis before islet transplantation. Methods Balb/c mice were randomly divided into 2 groups according to the administration of Rg3 after islet isolation. Mouse islets were cultured in medium supplemented with or without Rg3. In vitro, islet viability and function were assessed. After treatment of islets with a cytokine cocktail (tumor necrosis factor α, interferon-γ, and interleukin-1β), cell viability, function, and apoptosis were assessed. Results Cell viability was similar between the 2 groups. Islets cultured in medium supplemented with Rg3 showed 2.3-fold higher glucose-induced insulin secretion than islets cultured in medium without Rg3. After treatment with a cytokine cocktail, glucose-induced insulin release, total insulin content of islets, and apoptosis were significantly improved in Rg3-treated islets compared with cytokine-treated islets. Cytokine-treated islets produced significantly higher levels of nitric oxide (NO) than islets treated with Rg3. Conclusions These results suggest that preoperative Rg3 administration enhanced islet function before islet transplantation and attenuated both cytokine-induced damage associated with NO production and apoptosis. Rg3 administration might be a prospective management to enhanced islet function and ameliorate early inflammation after transplantation.