Abstract A reinforced concrete (RC) column improved with central large-diameter butted steel rods (CLBSR column) has been proposed to increase the limit value of the axial compression ratio. This paper presents the seismic behavior analysis of CLBSR columns subjected to low-cycle reciprocating loading. The CLBSR columns were also compared with the RC column improved with central large-diameter steel rods (CLSR column) and the RC column improved with central reinforcement bars (CRB column) under the same experimental conditions. The typical failure modes, hysteretic curves, skeleton curves, stiffness degradation, and energy dissipation capacity were all investigated. The improved PARK damage model obtained the corresponding relationships between the damage indices and the damage state of each column. The test results indicated that the CLBSR columns and CLSR columns had similar seismic behavior, but were slightly inferior to the CRB columns. Overall, the butt joint of large-diameter steel rods had little effect on the seismic behavior.

Abstract Xingnaojing (XNJ) injection was used to treat pneumonia and stroke in clinic in China, but with poor patient compliance. Xingnaojing nanoemulsion for intranasal delivery was developed to improve it. This article tried to evaluate the mucosal irritation of Xingnaojing nanoemulsion and investigate cellular uptake mechanism of its encapsulated lipophilic drugs. The toad palate model and rat nasal mucosa model were used to study the nasal ciliotoxicity and nasal mucosal irritation of nanoemulsion to evaluate its safety intranasally. The cellular uptake mechanism was studied by Calu-3 cell model. Coumarin 6 was encapsulated in nanoemulsion and the endocytic pathways were studied by cellular uptake experiments after being treated with different inhibitors. In toad palate model, the cilia movement of Xingnaojing nanoemulsion group last for 467.40 ± 39.02 min, which was obviously longer than deoxycholate group (90.60 ± 15.40 min). Studies on rats showed that the damage caused by nanemulsion is capable of being recovered. Nanoemulsion uptake was reduced obviously when cells were treated with wortmannin, and it also decreased about 13% when the temperature reduced from 37ºC to 4ºC. Mucosal irritation caused by nanoemulsion is low and the damage is recoverable. The cellular uptake of Xingnaojing nanoemulsion is energy-dependent, and macropinocytosis was the most important pathway for cellular uptake.

RESUMO Com o rápido desenvolvimento e aplicação da tecnologia da computação, o estudo da psicologia esportiva é uma das principais tarefas de pesquisa nas universidades atuais. As escalas psicológicas precisam ser convertidas de acordo com as tecnologias da informação atuais. Tendo em vista que os métodos antigos não satisfazem a demanda crescente, aplica-se a escala psicométrica baseada no algoritmo genético no campo da psicologia esportiva para construir o modelo de pesquisa. Utiliza-se o processo de hierarquia analítica para comparar os pesos dos indicadores. No modo de pesquisa da psicologia esportiva, aplica-se a capacidade auxiliar da escala psicológica para melhorar a aplicação da psicologia esportiva.

ABSTRACT With the rapid development and application of computer technology, the study of sports psychology is one of the major research tasks in current universities. The psychological scales need to be converted according to current computer technologies. Because the old-fashioned methods cannot meet the increasing demand, application of psychometric scale based on genetic algorithm in sports psychology is applied to construct the research model. Analytic hierarchy process is used to compare the weights of indicators. In the research mode of sports psychology, the auxiliary ability of college psychological scale is applied to improve the application of sports psychology ability.

RESUMEN Con el rápido desarrollo y la aplicación de la tecnología de la computación, el estudio de la psicología deportiva es una de las principales tareas de investigación en las universidades actuales. Las escalas psicológicas precisan ser convertidas de acuerdo con las tecnologías de la información actuales. Teniendo en vista que los métodos antiguos no satisfacen la demanda creciente, se aplica la escala psicométrica basada en el algoritmo genético en el campo de la psicología deportiva para construir el modelo de investigación. Se utiliza el proceso de jerarquía analítica para comparar los pesos de los indicadores. En el modo de investigación de la psicología deportiva, se aplica la capacidad auxiliar de la escala psicológica para mejorar la aplicación de la psicología deportiva.

In order to investigate the hot deformation behaviors of Invar36 alloy, isothermal compressive tests were conducted on a Gleeble 1500 thermo-mechanical simulator at the temperatures of 873, 948, 1023, 1098 and 1173 K and the strain rates of 0.01, 0.1, 1 and 10 s−1. The effects of strain, temperature and strain rate on flow stress were analyzed, and a dynamic recrystallization type softening characteristic with unimodal flow behavior is determined. An artificial neural network based on back-propagation algorithm was proposed to handle the complex deformation behavior characteristics. The ANN model was evaluated in terms of correlation coefficient and average absolute relative error. A comparative study was performed on ANN model and constitutive equation by regression method for Invar36 alloy. Finally, the ANN model was applied to the finite element simulation, and an experimental study on trial hot forming of a V-shaped part was conducted to demonstrate the precision of the finite element simulation based on predicted flow stress data by ANN model. The results have sufficiently showed that the well-trained ANN model with BP algorithm is able to deal with the complex flow behaviors of Invar36 alloy and has great application potentiality in hot deformation.

Abstract In this study, antioxidant peptides were prepared from hairtail surimi by hydrolysis. Response surface methodology coupled with a Box-Behnken design was applied to optimize hydrolysis conditions. The optimum conditions were determined as: 12.1 h incubation time, 44.74 °C incubation temperature and enzyme concentration 1858.85 U/g. The amino acid compositions analysis showed most abundant amino acid in hairtail surimi antioxidant peptides (HAP) was Glutamic acid followed by Aspartic acid and Lysine. In addition, the fraction of HAP with a molecular weight less than 3 kDa showed the strongest antioxidant activity among the 4 fractions obtained by ultrafiltration. Furthermore, HAP showed good stability in mild acidic, alkaline, or salt solutions, in in vitro digestive juice, and upon heating. In conclusion, hairtail surimi might be a good source to produce antioxidant peptides, which can be used as a natural antioxidant in food industry.

Resumo Objetivo: Embora haja um reconhecimento cada vez maior dos custos da externalidade do baixo desempenho ambiental das empresas, ainda há diferenciais significativos entre as empresas na gestão do desempenho ambiental. Baseamo-nos nas teorias da gestão estratégica para investigar os fatores que contribuem para esses diferenciais. Metodologia: Usando uma amostra da pesquisa de 2015 com pequenas e médias empresas chinesas, investigamos empiricamente a tese alternativa de que o motivo da maximização do lucro constitui a heurística adequada para a gestão de desempenho dos fatores da responsabilidade social corporativa. Resultados: A capacidade verde das empresas é um agregado do comércio verde e dos investimentos que as empresas fazem em iniciativas verdes complementares ao seu modelo de negócio estratégico. O nível de aspiração de lucro das empresas tem influência negativa sobre sua programação verde, ao passo que a liderança transformacional tem influência positiva. Contribuições: Desenvolvemos sete proposições representadas como relações algébricas para interpretar esses fatores.

Abstract Purpose: Even though there is a growing recognition of the externality costs of low environmental performance by firms, there continue to be significant inter-firm differentials in environmental performance management. We build on the theories of strategic management to inquire into the factors contributing to these differentials. Design/methodology/approach: Using a 2015 survey sample of Chinese small and medium enterprises, we empirically investigate the alternative thesis that the profit maximization motive constitutes the appropriate heuristic for the performance management of corporate social responsibility factors. Findings: The green capability of a firm is an aggregate of green trading and the investments that the firm has made in green initiatives that are complementary to its strategic business model. The profit aspiration level of firms has a negative influence on their green programing, while transformational leadership has a positive influence. Originality/value: We develop seven propositions represented as algebraic relationships to interpret these factors.

Many researchers have shown that pretreatment plasma fibrinogen levels are closely correlated with the prognosis of patients with lung cancer (LC). In this study, we thus performed a meta-analysis to systematically assess the prognostic value of pretreatment plasma fibrinogen levels in LC patients. A computerized systematic search in PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science and China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) was performed up to March 15, 2018. Studies with available data on the prognostic value of plasma fibrinogen in LC patients were eligible for inclusion. The pooled hazard ratios (HRs) and odd ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were used to evaluate the correlation between pretreatment plasma fibrinogen levels and prognosis as well as clinicopathological characteristics. A total of 17 studies with 6,460 LC patients were included in this meta-analysis. A higher pretreatment plasma fibrinogen level was significantly associated with worse overall survival (OS) (HR: 1.57; 95% CI: 1.39-1.77; p=0.001), disease-free survival (DFS) (HR: 1.53; 95% CI: 1.33-1.76; p=0.003), and progression-free survival (PFS) (HR: 3.14; 95% CI: 2.15-4.59; p<0.001). Furthermore, our subgroup and sensitivity analyses demonstrated that the pooled HR for OS was robust and reliable. In addition, we also found that a higher fibrinogen level predicted advanced TNM stage (III-IV) (OR=2.18, 95% CI: 1.79-2.66; p<0.001) and a higher incidence of lymph node metastasis (OR=1.74, 95% CI: 1.44-2.10; p=0.02). Our study suggested that higher pretreatment plasma fibrinogen levels predict worse prognoses in LC patients.

A novel method for the determination of aflatoxins B1, B2, G1, and G2 (AFB1, AFB2, AFG1, AFG2) in animal feed samples based on magnetic solid-phase cleanup and novel pre-column derivatization has been developed. In this work, synthesized polyvinylpyrrolidone-coated Fe3O4 magnetic nanoparticles were applied as adsorbents for rapid cleanup for extracts of animal feed samples. The purified extract was then derivatized with trifluoroacetic acid coupling ultraviolet irradiation which enabled the weakly fluorescent AFB1 and AFG1 transformed into their highly fluorescent hemiacetals derivatives. Afterward aflatoxins were separated and quantified by reverse phase liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection. The results indicated that four AFs presented excellent linear response with correlation coefficients > 0.996 and recoveries ranged from 86.7 to 108.9% with relative standard deviations (RSDs) from 3.6 to 6.4%. The limits of detection (LODs) were 0.0392, 0.2429, 0.0842, 0.4556 ng mL-1 for AFB1, AFB2, AFG1 and AFG2, respectively.

Aggrecanase-2 (ADAMTS5) gene is responsible for aggrecan degradation that may contribute to cartilage destruction in a mouse osteoarthritis (OA) model. We aimed to investigate the effects of ADAMTS5 gene polymorphisms on OA risk in a Chinese population. A total of 300 OA patients and 300 controls were recruited and their genotypes for ADAMTS5 gene rs226794 and rs2830585 polymorphisms were determined using a custom-by-design 48-Plex single nucleotide polymorphism Scan™ kit. ADAMTS5-associated genes were identified by co-expression analysis and their functions were investigated by Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes analyses. Bioinformatics analysis showed that ADAMTS5 was significantly related to the components, structural constituent, and organization of the extracellular matrix. The rs2830585 polymorphism, but not rs226794 polymorphism, was significantly associated with an increased risk of knee OA. Stratified analysis further confirmed this significant association in patients at age ≥55 years. In conclusion, the ADAMTS5 rs2830585 polymorphism may be involved in the development of knee OA by destroying the extracellular matrix, but this finding should be further confirmed by larger studies.

Abstract Surveillances and interventions on antibiotics use have been suggested to improve serious drug-resistance worldwide. Since 2007, our hospital have proposed many measures for regulating surgical prophylactic antibiotics (carbapenems, third gen. cephalosporins, vancomycin, etc.) prescribing practices, like formulary restriction or replacement for surgical prophylactic antibiotics and timely feedback. To assess the impacts on drug-resistance after interventions, we enrolled infected patients in 2006 (pre-intervention period) and 2014 (post-intervention period) in a tertiary hospital in Shanghai. Proportions of targeted pathogens were analyzed: methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus spp. (VRE), imipenem-resistant Escherichia coli (IREC), imipenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (IRKP), imipenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (IRAB) and imipenem-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa (IRPA) isolates. Rates of them were estimated and compared between Surgical Department, ICU and Internal Department during two periods. The total proportions of targeted isolates in Surgical Department (62.44%, 2006; 64.09%, 2014) were more than those in ICU (46.13%, 2006; 50.99%, 2014) and in Internal Department (44.54%, 2006; 51.20%, 2014). Only MRSA has decreased significantly (80.48%, 2006; 55.97%, 2014) (p < 0.0001). The percentages of VRE and IREC in 3 departments were all <15%, and the slightest change were also both observed in Surgical Department (VRE: 0.76%, 2006; 2.03%, 2014) (IREC: 2.69%, 2006; 2.63%, 2014). The interventions on surgical prophylactic antibiotics can be effective for improving resistance; antimicrobial stewardship must be combined with infection control practices.

Arrangement of tracheid radial pits is frequently superficially mentioned in extant gymnosperm wood anatomy descriptions. However, pit arrangement is a key character for delimiting fossil-genera and fossil-species in gymnosperm woods. We propose two new indices for measuring and quantifying the radial pit arrangement in fossil and extant woods. The first one, contiguity percentage index (Cp), indicates if the pits are contiguous (=in contact or touching) or overlapping with the adjacent upper and lower pits, and has values from 0 to 100%. The second one, seriation index (Si), is an average of the seriation of the pits and is given as a numerical value equal or greater than 1; when pits are exclusively ordered in uniseriate columns the wood has a value of 1. These indices are useful for quantifying the pit arrangement and for helping to characterize the type of radial pitting (araucarian/ mixed/abietinean), particularly in fossil woods. These new indices also allow to express these two characters (contiguity and seriation) as continuous, making them more suitable for certain taxonomic or statistical analysis.

La disposición de las punteaduras en las paredes radiales es frecuentemente mencionada superficialmente en descripciones de maderas actuales de gimnospermas. Sin embargo, la disposición de las punteaduras es un caracter fundamental para delimitar los géneros y especies fósiles en maderas de gimnospermas. Proponemos dos nuevos índices para medir y cuantificar la disposición de las punteaduras en maderas fósiles y actuales. El primero, índice del porcentaje de la contigüidad (Cp) indica si las punteaduras son contiguas (=en contacto o tocándose) o solapadas con las punteaduras superiores e inferiores adyacentes y tiene valores del 0 al 100%. El segundo, índice de seriación (Si) es la media de la seriación de las punteaduras y es un valor númerico igual o mayor a 1; cuando las punteaduras son exclusivamente uniseriadas tiene un valor de 1. Estos nuevos índices son útiles para cuantificar la disposición de las punteaduras y para ayudar a caracterizar el tipo de punteaduras radiales (araucarioides/mixtas/abietinoides), particularmente en maderas fósiles. Asimismo, tales índices permiten expresar estos dos caracteres (contigüidad y seriación) como continuos, lo cual es más adecuado para ciertos análisis taxonómicos o estadísticos.

PURPOSE: To investigate the effect of remote ischemic post-conditioning (RIPoC) against ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury on flaps of rats. METHODS: Sprague-Dawley rats were randomized into the Sham, Control, RIPoC1 and RIPoC2 groups. All the animals were submitted to a 5×4 cm superficial inferior epigastric artery flap. Eight hours of flap ischemia was induced and two protocols of limb RIPoC were applied. Tissue MDA level and SOD activity in 24-h reperfusion were assessed. Flap survival was assessed 7 days postoperatively. RESULTS: Compared to the Control group, the RIPoC1 group showed statistically decreased MDA level at 6-, 12-, and 24-h reperfusion (P = 0.01, P < 0.01 and P < 0.01, respectively), and statistically increased SOD activity at 12- and 24-h reperfusion (P < 0.05 and P < 0.01, respectively). Flap survival rate on the 7th day was significantly higher in the RIPoC1 group than the control group (47.9 ± 6.4 vs . 29.4 ± 7.1 %, P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: Three cycles of 5-min Limb remote ischemic post-conditioning rather than a single cycle of 15-min limb RIPoC has protective effect on flaps against ischemia-reperfusion injury by attenuating oxidative stress.