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Myocardia-Related Transcription Factors-A (MRTF-A), which is enriched in the hippocampus and cerebral cortex, has been shown to have a protective function against ischemia hypoxia-induced neuronal apoptosis. However, the function of MRTF-A on β-amyloid peptide (Aβ)-induced neurotoxicity and autophagy dysfunction in Alzheimer's disease is still unclear. This study shows that the expression of MRTF-A in the hippocampus of Tg2576 transgenic mice is reduced, and the overexpression of MRTF-A mediated by lentiviral vectors carrying MRTF-A significantly reduces the accumulation of hippocampal β-amyloid peptide and reduces cognition defect. Overexpression of MRTF-A inhibits neuronal apoptosis, increases the protein levels of microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3-II (MAP1LC3/LC3-II) and Beclin1, reduces the accumulation of SQSTM1/p62 protein, and promotes autophagosomes-Lysosomal fusion

The composite beams having high-strength steel (HSS) and high-strength concrete (HSC) can fully exploit the mechanical behavior of both materials. However, the published research on the structural behavior of composite beams using HSS and HSC is limited. In order to study the influences of shear connection degree and concrete strength on the flexural performance of composite beams using HSS and HSC, four composite beam specimens were constructed and loaded under four-point bending test in the present study. The test results showed that the failure mechanism of the fully connected composite beams was the bending failure of steel beam and crushing failure of concrete slab. The failure mode of the partially connected composite beams was the shear failure of stud connectors and bending failure of steel beam. The composite beams having 65% and 162% shear connection degree achieved the load bearing capacity of 18.8% and 25.3% higher than the composite beam having 38% shear connection degree. With the shear connection degree increased, the bending bearing capacity of the composite beam was enhanced. The concrete strength had no obvious impact on the flexural capacity of the composite beam having HSS and HSC. Moreover, the analytical models were put forward to predict the flexural capacity and bending stiffness of the composite beam using HSS and HSC.

Magnesium phosphate cement (MPC) received increased attention in recent years, but MPC-based concrete is rarely reported. The micro-steel fibers (MSF) were added to MPC-based concrete to enhance its ductility due to the high brittleness in tensile and flexural strength properties of MPC. This paper investigates the effect of MSF volume fraction on the mechanical properties of a new pattern of MPC-based concrete. The temperature development curve, fluidity, cubic compressive strength, modulus of elastic, axial compressive strength, and four-point flexural strength were experimentally studied with 192 specimens, and a scanning electron microscopy (SEM) test was carried out after the specimens were failed. Based on the test results, the correlations between the cubic compressive strength and curing age, the axial and cubic compressive strength of MPC-based concrete were proposed. The results showed that with the increase of MSF volume fraction, the fluidity of fresh MPC-based concrete decreased gradually. MSF had no apparent influence on the compressive strength, while it enhanced the four-point flexural strength of MPC-based concrete. The four-point flexural strength of specimens with MSF volume fraction from 0.25% to 0.75% were 12.3%, 21.1%, 24.6% higher than that of the specimens without MSF, respectively.

LncRNAs are highly expressed in the CNS and regulate pathophysiological processes. However, the potential role of lncRNAs inischemic stroke (IS) remains unknown. In this study, we investigated the functions and possible molecular mechanism of lncRNA paternal expressed gene 11 antisense (PEG11as) in this process.Middle cerebral artery occlusion/reperfusion (MCAO/R) mice model and N2a cells model from oxygen-glucose deprivation/reoxygenation (OGD/R) were used to simulate cerebral I/R in vivo and in vitro. High-throughput sequencing (RNA-Seq) was used todetect differential expression of lncRNAs in cerebral I/R. QRT-PCR was used to detect the expression of PEG11as and miR-342-5p. Bioinformatics analysis, FISH, luciferase reporter assay, RIP, Western blot, and immunofluorescence were used to detect the interaction between PEG11as, miR-342-5p and PFN1. The effect on neuronal apoptosis was analyzed using loss-of-function combined with TUNEL, Hoechst, and caspase3 activity assays.254 lncRNAs were differentially expressed in MCAO1h/R6h mice. Among them, PEG11as was significantly up-regulated. PEG11as down-regulated could markedly attenuate the brain infarct volume, alleviate neurological deficit in vivo, and effectively promote neuron survival, attenuate neuronal apoptosis both in vivo and in vitro. FISH assay discovered that PEG11as was mainly located in the cytoplasm. Furthermore, we demonstrated that PEG11as was able to bind miR-342-5p to inhibit miR-342-5p activity, whereas the down-regulated of miR-342-5p resulted in profilin 1 (PFN1) overexpression and thus promoting apoptosis.This study suggests that PEG11as regulates neuronal apoptosis by miR-342-5p/PFN1 axis, which may contribute to our understanding of pathogenesis and provide a potential therapeutic option for cerebral I/R.

The timber board interlayer is applied as the formwork for the pouring of concrete slab in various practical applications of timber–concrete composite structures, with the rehabilitation of timber buildings, in particular. At present, there are few studies performed to study the shear stiffness of inclined screws in timber–concrete composite beams with timber board interlayer. In this article, eight groups of shear tests were carried out to study the shear stiffness of inclined screws in timber–concrete composite beams with timber board interlayer. The key parameters included the embedment depth of the screw connector into timber, screw diameter, the thickness of concrete slab, and concrete strength. As indicated by the test results, the shear stiffness of the inclined screws was improved as the embedment depth of screw into timber and screw diameter increased. When the embedded depth of screw into concrete remained unchanged, the thickness of concrete slab and concrete strength exhibited no significant impact on the shear stiffness of inclined crossing screws. On the basis of the theory of a beam on a two-dimensional elastic foundation, the calculation method for predicting the shear stiffness of inclined screw in timber–concrete composite beams with interlayer was proposed. The comparisons demonstrated that the shear stiffness of inclined screw can be well predicted using the calculation method.

Purpose The monocarbonyl analogs of curcumin (MCACs) have been widely studied for their promising antitumor activity. Pyrazole is a five-membered aromatic heterocyclic system with various bioactivities incorporated frequently in drugs. However, few of MCACs inspired pyrazole analogues were investigated. To search for more potent cytotoxic agents based on MCACs, a series of new 1,5-diaryl/heteroaryl-1,4-pentadien-3-ones inspired pyrazole moiety was synthesized and evaluated on their anti-colon cancer activities. Methods Fifteen new compounds were synthesized and characterized by spectral datum, and then they were tested preliminarily by MTT assay for their cytotoxic activities against a panel of four human cancer cell lines, namely, gastric (SGC-7901), liver (HepG2), lung (A549), and colon (SW620) cancer cells. Compound 7h exhibited excellent selectivity and outstanding anti-proliferation activity against SW620 cells among these 15 compounds. Further, the mechanisms were investigated by transwell migration and invasion assay, clonogenic assay, cell apoptosis analysis, cell cycle analysis, Western blot analysis. Results The IC50 value of 7h against SW620 cells was 12 nM, being more potent than curcumin (IC50 = 9.36 μM), adriamysin (IC50 = 3.28 μM) and oxaliplatin (IC50 = 13.33 μM). Further assays showed that 7h inhibited SW620 cell migration, invasion and colony formation obviously, which was due to its ability to induce cell cycle arrest in the G2/M and S phases and apoptosis. Western blot assay revealed that 7h decreased the protein expression of ATM gene, which may primarily contribute to its anticancer activity against SW620 cells. Conclusion A new MCACs 7h was synthesized and found to exhibit excellent anti-proliferation activity against SW620 cells. Further studies indicated that 7h exerted its anticancer activity against SW620 cells probably via decreasing the ATM protein expression. The present study suggested that 7h was a promising candidate as an anti-colon cancer drug for future development.

Recently, magnesium phosphate cement (MPC) has received extensive research attention due to its fast construction, excellent bonding performance, and eco-friendly environment. Thus, some sc...

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are reportedly involved in the regulation of physiological and pathophysiological processes. However, the potential role of lncRNAs in stroke remains largely undefined. Here, RNA-Seq analysis of lncRNAs found that the lncRNA PEG11as (PEG11as) levels were significantly increased in ischemic brain tissue in a transient middle cerebral artery occlusion/reperfusion (tMCAO/R) mouse model of stroke. To explore the role of PEG11as in stroke, the lentivirus containing PEG11as silencing construct(siRNA-PEG11as) was microinjected intracerebroventricularly into male or transfected to N2a cells and then exposed to tMCAO/R or oxygen-glucose deprivation/reoxygenation (OGD/R). Knockdown of PEG11as expression significantly reduced infarct volume, alleviated neuronal deficits and inhibited neuronal apoptosis in tMCAO/R mice. Mechanistically, as an endogenous microRNA-874-3p (miR-874-3p) sponge, PEG11as silencing inhibited miR-874-3p activity, resulting in downregulation of ATG16L1 expression and subsequent inhibition of neuronal apoptosis by regulating autophagy. Overall, the results of this current study indicate that PEG11as is involved in the pathophysiology of cerebral ischemia, thus providing translational evidence that PEG11as can be envisioned as a novel biomarker or/and therapeutic target for stroke.

A new type of structural element, the timber-concrete composite beam, exhibited excellent structural performance. The notched connector is widely used in timber-concrete composite systems as a result of its considerable shear capacity and stiffness. Six groups of push-out tests were performed to investigate the shear performance of the notched connectors for the timber-concrete composite beams, with consideration to the varying concrete types, the shear length of the timber, and whether the notch was reinforced. From the test results, the notched connectors that corresponded to the shear fracture of concrete or timber had a low shear capacity and poor ductility. Notched connectors that simultaneously failed at the concrete slab (via shear force), as well as at the lag screw reinforcement point during bending presented the greatest shear capacity. This was followed by the notched connectors that exhibited diagonal-compression failure at the concrete slab. Screw fasteners in the notch were shown to improve the strength, ductility, and post-peak behavior of the notched connectors. In addition, the concrete type, the shear length of the timber, and whether the notch was reinforced were found to have no major influence on the slip modulus of the notched connectors.

Hybrid fiber-reinforced polymer–concrete–steel double-skin tubular columns are a novel form of hollow columns that combine two traditional construction materials (i.e. concrete and steel) with fiber-reinforced polymer composites. Hybrid fiber-reinforced polymer–concrete–steel double-skin tubular columns consist of an inner tube made of steel, an outer tube made of fiber-reinforced polymer, and a concrete layer between the two tubes. Existing studies, however, are focused on hybrid fiber-reinforced polymer–concrete–steel double-skin tubular columns with fibers of the fiber-reinforced polymer tube oriented in the hoop direction or close to the hoop direction. In order to investigate the effect of fiber angles (i.e. the fiber angle between the fiber orientation and the longitudinal axis of the fiber-reinforced polymer tube), monotonic axial compression tests were conducted on hybrid fiber-reinforced polymer–concrete–steel double-skin tubular columns with an fiber-reinforced polymer tube of ±45°, ±60°, or ±80° fiber angles. There were two types of steel tubes adopted for these hybrid fiber-reinforced polymer–concrete–steel double-skin tubular columns. The fiber-reinforced polymer tube thickness was also investigated as an important parameter. Experimental results showed that the confinement effect of the fiber-reinforced polymer tube increased with the increase of the absolute value of fiber angles, whereas the ultimate axial strain of hybrid fiber-reinforced polymer–concrete–steel double-skin tubular columns decreased with the increase of the absolute value of fiber angles. An existing stress–strain model, which was developed on the basis of hybrid fiber-reinforced polymer–concrete–steel double-skin tubular columns with an fiber-reinforced polymer tube of ±90° fiber angles, is verified using the test results of this study. For the compressive strength of the confined concrete in hybrid fiber-reinforced polymer–concrete–steel double-skin tubular columns, the existing model provides conservative predictions for specimens with a ±80° fiber-reinforced polymer tube, overestimated predictions for specimens with a ±60° fiber-reinforced polymer tube, and close predictions for specimens with a ±45° fiber-reinforced polymer tube.

Ductile shear connectors are often applied in timber-concrete composite beams. The relative interface slip of such kind of composite beams will affect the mechanical performance of the composite beams and result in structural nonlinearity. Gamma method which adopts effective bending stiffness to reflect semi-rigid connection is recommended in Eurocode 5. The effective bending stiffness is irrelevant to external loads and calculation points of the composite beam. However, actual bending stiffness distribution along the beam is variable due to that shear connectors are subjected to different shear force. In order to verify the accuracy of gamma method, four-point bending tests of a total of three glulam-concrete composite beams with lag screw connectors and one pure glulam beam were conducted in this article. The failure mode, bearing capacity, and load–deflection relationship were investigated in the experiment. Meanwhile, push-out tests of composite beams were also conducted for determination of the force–displacement relationship of ductile shear connectors. Then, numerical simulation using beam-truss model was established for investigation on the mechanism of composite beams. Finally, theoretical analysis of composite beams considering the effect of interface slip was also presented. Comparing results from gamma method with the presented method, it is shown that both methods can calculate deflection at serviceability limit state with high precision. However, non-uniform distribution of actual bending stiffness cannot be reflected by gamma method.

Concrete-filled fiber-reinforced polymer tubes are a novel form of composite columns, which are particularly attractive for structural members in harsh environments and seismic regions due to their corrosion resistance and ductile behavior. Over the past two decades, many studies have been conducted on concrete-filled fiber-reinforced polymer tubes under axial compression, and many stress–strain models have been proposed. However, existing studies mainly focused on concrete-filled fiber-reinforced polymer tubes with only hoop fibers. In order to investigate the effect of fiber angles (i.e. the fiber angle between the fiber orientation and the longitudinal axis of fiber-reinforced polymer tube), this study conducted axial compression tests of 42 concrete-filled fiber-reinforced polymer tubes with ±80°, ±60°, or ±45° fiber angles. These concrete-filled fiber-reinforced polymer tubes were constructed using normal-strength concrete or high-strength concrete. Fiber-reinforced polymer tube thickness was also investigated as an important parameter. In order to clarify the effect of fiber angles on the properties of fiber-reinforced polymer tubes, axial compression tests on 15 short fiber-reinforced polymer tubes and tensile split-disk tests on 75 fiber-reinforced polymer rings were conducted. Experimental results indicate that fiber angles had significant influences on the hoop properties of fiber-reinforced polymer tube; the confinement effect of fiber-reinforced polymer tube and the peak stress of the confined concrete decreased with the decrease of the absolute value of fiber angles, while the ultimate strain of the confined concrete increased with the decrease of the absolute value of fiber angles. Two existing stress–strain models, which were developed mainly on test results of concrete confined by fiber-reinforced polymer tubes with only hoop fibers, are capable of providing reasonably accurate predictions for concrete-filled fiber-reinforced polymer tubes with ±80° and ±60° fiber angles, but it underestimates the ultimate axial strain of concrete-filled fiber-reinforced polymer tubes with ±45° fiber angles.

The mechanical performance of shear connectors has an important effect on the load bearing capacity and the bending stiffness of timer-concrete composite (TCC) beams. Most studies reported so far have focused on the shear behavior of the single inclined screw working only under shear–tension stress. However, there are few researches on the shear behavior of inclined cross screws. In this paper, a total of thirty-six push-out tests were conducted to investigate the shear behavior of the inclined cross lag screws for glulam-concrete composite beams. Based on the push-out test results, the influences of concrete strength, screw diameter, penetration length of screw into timber, screw inclination angle and screw arrangement with respect to the shear plane on the shear bearing capacity and slip modulus were investigated in detail. Two types of failure mechanisms of inclined cross lag screws were observed from the push-out tests: cone expulsion of concrete ahead of the shear-compression loaded screw and the shear-tensile loaded screw withdrawn from timber. When the inclined screws worked only under shear-compression load, the screw connectors were in the worst stress state. Since the direction of interface shear force in timber-concrete composite beams changed constantly under seismic load, the optimal screw arrangement was the crossed screws working simultaneously under shear-compression and shear–tension load. In addition, the analytical models were proposed to predict the shear bearing capacity and slip modulus of the inclined cross screws, and the calculated results were in good agreement with the test results.

In this research, experimental research and finite element modelling of glulam-concrete composite (GCC) beams were undertaken to study the flexural properties of composite beams containing timber board interlayers. The experimental results demonstrated that the failure mechanism of the GCC beam was the combination of bend and tensile failure of the glulam beam. The three-dimensional non linear finite element model was confirmed by comparing the load-deflection curve and load-interface slip curve with the experimental results. Parametric analyses were completed to explore the impacts of the glulam beam height, shear connector spacing, timber board interlayer thickness and concrete slab thickness on the flexural properties of composite beams. The numerical outcomes revealed that with an increase of glulam beam height, the bending bearing capacity and flexural stiffness of the composite beams were significantly improved. The timber boards were placed on top of the glulam members and used as the formwork for concrete slab casting. In addition, the flexural properties of composite beams were improved with the increase of the timber board thickness. With the elevation of the shear connector spacing, the ultimate bearing capacity and bending stiffness of composite beams were decreased. The bending bearing capacity and flexural rigidity of the GCC beams were ameliorated with the increase of concrete slab thickness.

In the present study, we investigated the role of lncRNA mus distal-less homeobox 6 antisense 1 (DLX6-AS1) during cerebral impairment induced by stroke. DLX6-AS1 levels were upregulated during ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) and downregulation of DLX6-AS1 reduced acute injury and ameliorated long-term neurological impairments induced by cerebral I/R in mice. Additionally, silencing of DLX6-AS1 significantly decreased the neuronal apoptosis in vivo and in vitro. Furthermore, inhibition of miRNA-149-3p led to enhance the apoptosis, which confirmed that DLX6-AS1 could sponge miR-149-3p. Finally, BOK was predicted to be the target of miR-149-3p using TargetScanVert software. And the silencing of DLX6-AS1 inhibited BOK expression both in vivo and in vitro, which was reversed by a miR-149-3p inhibitor. At meantime, BOK promoted OGD/R induced apoptosis in N2a cells. Therefore, this suggests that miR-149-3p sponging by DLX6-AS1 may lead to cerebral neuron I/R-induced impairments through upregulation of apoptotic BOK activity, which offers a new approach to the treatment of stroke impairment.

When a lag screw with a large diameter is used as the shear connector in timer-concrete composite beams, the procedure of pre-drilling is required during the construction process. In this paper, a new type of lag screw was proposed to omit the pre-drilling step. To investigate the shear behavior of the self-tapping lag screws for glulam-lightweight concrete composite beams, a total of 18 push-out tests were conducted. Based on the push-out test results, the influences of concrete type, screw diameter, and penetration length of screw into timber on the load-carrying capacity were analyzed in detail. The push-out test results showed that the concrete type had no remarkable effect on the load-carrying capacity. The load-carrying capacity was improved with increased screw diameter and penetration length. In addition, an analytical model for load-carrying capacity of lag screw connectors was proposed based on the push-out test results. By comparisons, it was found that the timber-timber and steel-timber models proposed in Eurocode 5 made very conservative predictions on the load-carrying capacity of lag screws. The results of the analytical method presented in this paper showed a better agreement with the experimental results.

Recently, perfobond connectors for steel-concrete composite structures have received extensive research attention due to their excellent bonding and fatigue performance, and the construction convenience. However, the research on the long-term behavior of perfobond connectors was seldom reported. This paper presents the results of laboratory tests on perfobond connectors, including twenty short-term specimens and six long-term specimens. Parametric study was conducted to investigate the influence of the hole diameter in the connector, the number of the holes, the thickness of the connector, the concrete strength as well as the diameter of the transverse rebar on the shear performance of perfobond connectors. For the short-term test series, the failure modes of the connector, the load-slip response, the ultimate shear bearing capacity and the load-strain curves of transverse rebar were studied. For the long-term test series, the transverse rebar strain, the relative slip between the steel beam and the concrete slab and the stress around the holes with duration of loading were discussed. The shear performance of perfobond connectors after long-term loading was also investigated. Finally, based on the test data from both this paper and open literature, a model was proposed to predict the shear bearing capacity of perfobond connectors.

Autophagy and apoptosis are involved in the development of a variety of cancers. Fucoxanthin is a natural compound known to have antitumor effects, so we aimed to explore its effects on autophagy and apoptosis in gastric cancer SGC7901 cells. Specifically, we performed methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium assay, transmission electron microscopy, real-time polymerase chain reaction, Western blot analysis, immunofluorescence assay, and cell apoptosis analysis to clarify the role of fucoxanthin in SGC-7901 cells. Our results indicate that fucoxanthin significantly inhibits the viability of SGC-7901 cells, effectively inducing both autophagy and apoptosis by up-regulating the expressions of beclin-1, LC3, and cleaved caspase-3 (CC3), and by down regulating Bcl-2. Fucoxanthin-induced autophagy also seems to occur before, and may promote apoptosis.

SHP2 is a new promising target for anti-cancer drug discovery. A series of novel phenylhydrazonopyrazolone derivatives was synthesized by a more convenient method, and their chemical structures were characterized by various spectroscopic methods. The inhibitory effects of these compounds on SHP2 enzyme and SHP2-dependent cancer cell H1975 were evaluated. The compound 11f with IC50 value of 3.38 μmol/L exhibited more potent antitumor activity against H1975 cell than GS-493 (IC50 = 20.92 μmol/L). Molecular dynamics simulation of compound 11f displayed a possible mode of interaction between this compound and SHP2 enzyme.

A novel method for nonlinear parameter identification of partially composite beams using long-gauge strain responses is proposed in this paper. Firstly, theoretical analysis shows that neutral axis position of timber beam and concrete slab can be estimated by measured long-gauge strain and material properties. Then, distribution of curvature, bending stiffness, deflection and interface slip can be determined by identified neutral axis position. Secondly, timber-concrete composite beams connected by ductile connectors with different degree of composite action are designed to verify the presented method. Experimental results show that the estimated parameters (neutral axis position, bending stiffness and interface slip) can clearly reflect and quantify the deterioration process of partially composite beams. Meanwhile, both global and local responses can be predicted by long-gauge strain sensors. The predicted responses (deflection at mid-span and strain along the beam height) agree well with the test results when partially composite action is considered, the errors will be unacceptable without considering partially composite action. Hence, the presented method can be utilized for better understanding of mechanical properties of partially composite beams and performance assessment of existing composite structures.

In this paper, magnesium phosphate cement (MPC) based high strength concrete (HSC) was first introduced into steel–concrete composite beams due to its better durability, good antirust performance, high early strength and eco-friendly. Twenty-four push-out specimens were conducted to examine the static behavior of headed stud connector in steel-MPC based HSC composite beams, including 21 MPC based concrete specimens and 3 normal concrete specimens. The failure modes, load-slip behavior, ductility, shear stiffness and shear capacity of stud connector were investigated. The effect of stud height, stud diameter, concrete strength and concrete type were also discussed. The test results showed that the shear behavior was greatly improved with the increase of the stud diameter. The aspect ratio, concrete strength and type had minor effect on the shear capacity of stud embedded in MPC based HSC concrete, while the shear stiffness and ductility were obviously affected. Furthermore, according to the existing equations and current design codes, the test results and calculated results of shear stiffness, load-slip behavior and shear capacity were compared and analyzed. Finally, an empirical equation considering stud diameter was put forward to assess the load-slip relationship of headed stud embedded in MPC based HSC.

The timber-concrete composite beam characterized by good mechanical behavior, low susceptibility to vibration and high sound insulation has a wide application in high-rise and long-span timber structures. However, the published study on the fire resistance of TCC beam is limited. In this research, one short-term failure test at ambient temperature and five full-scale fire tests were performed on the glulam-concrete composite beams. The influences of the load ratio, presence of timber board and fire-rated gypsum plasterboard on the temperature field and fire resistance were investigated in detail. The test results showed that the fire resistance of the composite beam was decreased with the increase of the load ratio. The composite beam with timber board interlayer outperformed the beam without the interlayer in terms of fire resistance. Moreover, the fire-rated gypsum plasterboard protection on the glulam beam could effectively improve the fire resistance of the composite beam. The finite element models of the composite beams were established to predict the temperature field of composite beams under fire. The average temperature values of concrete slabs under different fire times were obtained from numerical simulations. Considering the influence of high temperature on the glulam beam , concrete slab and shear connectors , the calculation methods of load carrying capacity and bending stiffness of the composite beam under fire were proposed.

Quantitative assessment of strengthened concrete structures using self-sensing fiber-reinforced polymer sheets is presented in this article. First, strain distribution along the height of a structure induced by pre-tension force (initiate state) is theoretically estimated. Second, the procedure for parameter estimation of prestressed fiber-reinforced polymer–strengthened structures under external load using measured and pre-tension force–induced strain is established, and nonlinearity caused by random cracks is considered in the method. Both local parameters (neutral axis position, bending stiffness distribution, strain distribution along the cross section, etc.) and global parameter (deflection) of structures can be accurately estimated by measured long-gauge strain responses. Finally, both prestressed fiber–reinforced polymer–strengthened and reinforced concrete beams installed with long-gauge fiber Bragg grating sensors have been experimentally investigated to prove the effectiveness of this method. Experimental results indicate that the estimated neutral axis height and local bending stiffness can reflect initiation of random cracks and deterioration process of structures under increasing external load. Meanwhile, the estimated strain along the beam height and deflection at mid-span agree well with the measured ones, which further verifies the accuracy of the estimated neutral axis position affected by randomly appeared cracks. Hence, the method can be utilized for assessment and maintenance of fiber-reinforced polymer–strengthened structures.

This paper focused on the behavior of steel–concrete composite beam (SCCB) to reinforced-concrete (RC) column exterior joint with single plate shear (SPS) connection under monotonic loading. Four SCCB to RC column exterior joints were constructed, and the test parameters were the longitudinal reinforcement ratio and high-strength bolt diameter. The failure modes, moment-rotation responses, strain distribution along composite beam depth, strain distribution of anchor bar and the influence of parameters were investigated. Compared with open literature, the influence of RC slab was also discussed. Finally, a calculation model accounting for the influence of RC slab was proposed to evaluate the yield moment and ultimate moment capacity of the joint under hogging moment. The test results showed that the longitudinal reinforcement ratio (ρsl), high-strength bolt diameter (db) and the RC slab effect had a great influence on static behavior of the SCCB to RC column joints with SPS connection. When ρsl was increased from 0.57% to 0.98%, the ultimate moment was increased by 40.3%. When db was increased from 16 mm to 20 mm, the ultimate moment was increased by 10.9%. Compared with the joints without RC slab, the ultimate moment of joints with RC slab was increased by 118% to 254%. Moreover, the proposed model provided a good prediction and laid a foundation for the design of SCCB to RC column joints with SPS connection.

Environmental experts have made great efforts to control pharmaceutical pollution. However, the control of emerged environmental problems caused by medicines should draw more attention of pharmacy and pharmacovigilance researchers. Ecopharmacovigilance (EPV) as a kind of pharmacovigilance for the environment is recognized worldwide as crucial to minimize the environmental risk of pharmaceutical pollutants. But continuing to treat the pollution of pharmaceuticals as a group of substances instead of targeting individual pharmaceuticals on a prioritized basis will lead to a significant waste of resources. Considering vulture population decline caused by non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) residues, we presented a global-scale analysis of 139 reports of NSAIDs occurrence across 29 countries, in order to provide a specific context for implementing EPV. We found a heavy regional bias toward research in Europe, Asia and America. The top 5 most frequently studied NSAIDs included ibuprofen, diclofenac, naproxen, acetaminophen and ketoprofen. The profile of NSAIDs was dominated by acetaminophen in wastewater influents and effluents. Ibuprofen was the most abundant NSAID in surface water. Only 9 NSAIDs were reported in groundwater samples. And majority of NSAIDs were detected in solid matrices at below 1μg/g except for ketoprofen, diclofenac and ibuprofen. From a pharmacy perspective, we get some implication and propose some management practice options for EPV implementation. These include: Further popularizing and applying the concept of EPV, together with developing relevant regulatory guidance, is necessary; More attention should be paid to how to implement EPV for the pollution control of older established drugs; Triggering "a dynamic watch-list mechanism" in conjunction with "source control"; Implementing targeted sewage treatment technologies and strengthening multidisciplinary collaboration; Pharmaceutical levels in aquatic organisms as biological indicators for monitoring pharmaceutical pollution within the water environment; Upgrading drinking water treatment plants with the aim of removing pharmaceutical residues; Paying more attention to EPV for pharmaceuticals in solid matrices.

Mechanical behavior of the shear connections has a significant influence on both the load-carrying capacity and the bending stiffness of timber-concrete composite (TCC) beams. All the studies reported so far have concentrated on the performance of TCC connections in mature concrete. The performance of shear connections for TCC beams at early concrete ages, however, has not been investigated yet. This information is essential to evaluate the structural behavior of TCC floors or bridges during construction. In this paper, a total of 18 push-out tests with concrete ages ranging from 12 h to 28 days are performed, to investigate the early-age performance of lag screw shear connections in the lightweight concrete. Development of concrete strength with time is also analyzed. At the concrete ages shorter than 7 days, both the stiffness and strength of the screw connectors increase evidently with time, which follows the same growth trend with the concrete strength. After a 7-day cure, screw shear connections reach almost 100% of both the 28-day serviceability slip modulus and shear strength. Material properties of the glulam and the screw fastener are decisive in the shear performance of connections when the concrete hardens to some degree. Based on the experimental results, the accuracy of the design methods proposed in Eurocode 5 is evaluated. In addition, by non-linear regression of the experiment data, expressions to predict the development of load-carrying capacity and serviceability slip modulus for screw shear connections before 28 days are established.

Eco-pharmacovigilance (EPV) is a practical and powerful approach to minimize the potential risks posed by pharmaceutical residues in environment. However, it is impracticable to practise rigorous and unitary EPV process for all the existing and new pharmaceuticals. Here, we focused on non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), and discussed the necessity and potential opportunities of practising EPV of NSAIDs. We found that the consumption of NSAIDs is huge and ubiquitous across the globe. NSAIDs were worldwidely reported as one of the most dominant and frequently detected groups in environmental matrices including wastewater, surface water, suspended solids, sediments, groundwater, even drinking water. Besides, there is definitive evidence for the adverse impacts of NSAID residues on scavenging birds and aquatic species. These data suggested the necessity of implementing EPV of NSAIDs. From the perspective of drug administration, we identified some things that can be done as management practice options for EPV implementation on NSAIDs.