Seismic evaluation of asymmetric wall systems using a modified three-dimensional capacity spectrum method

This paper proposes a modified three-dimensional capacity spectrum method to efficiently evaluate the seismic behavior of a building structure with asymmetric walls, where twisting is induced due to lateral loading. This method utilizes the demand surfaces and capacity curves that are created based on the inelastic earthquake response and seismic capacity of the asymmetric wall system, respectively. These two parameters are calculated from the displacement, torsional rotation angle and force coordinates of the structure under seismic loading. The seismic retrofit strategy of existing structures can be effectively determined by applying the proposed three-dimensional capacity spectrum method. In this procedure, a new performance point indicating the enhanced performance of the structure can be easily found by the modification of demand surfaces or capacity curves. The seismic evaluation and retrofitting strategies based on this approach are also discussed

Lattice-patterned LC-polymer composites containing various nanoparticles as additives

In this study, we show the effect of various nanoparticle additives on phase separation behavior of a lattice-patterned liquid crystal [LC]-polymer composite system and on interfacial properties between the LC and polymer. Lattice-patterned LC-polymer composites were fabricated by exposing to UV light a mixture of a prepolymer, an LC, and SiO2 nanoparticles positioned under a patterned photomask. This resulted in the formation of an LC and prepolymer region through phase separation. We found that the incorporation of SiO2 nanoparticles significantly affected the electro-optical properties of the lattice-patterned LC-polymer composites. This effect is a fundamental characteristic of flexible displays. The electro-optical properties depend on the size and surface functional groups of the SiO2 nanoparticles. Compared with untreated pristine SiO2 nanoparticles, which adversely affect the performance of LC molecules surrounded by polymer walls, SiO2 nanoparticles with surface functional groups were found to improve the electro-optical properties of the lattice-patterned LC-polymer composites by increasing the quantity of SiO2 nanoparticles. The surface functional groups of the SiO2 nanoparticles were closely related to the distribution of SiO2 nanoparticles in the LC-polymer composites, and they influenced the electro-optical properties of the LC molecules. It is clear from our work that the introduction of nanoparticles into a lattice-patterned LC-polymer composite provides a method for controlling and improving the composite's electro-optical properties. This technique can be used to produce flexible substrates for various flexible electronic devices

Sex- and Age-Related Changes in Connexin 43 Expression in Normal Rat Bladder

Purpose Gap junctions are intercellular channels to facilitate electrical and metabolic communication between adjacent cells. Connexin 43 is the most predominant type of connexin expressed on rat detrusor muscle cells. We investigated the connexin 43 expressions in various age groups of either sex in normal rats. Methods Eighty Sprague-Dawley rats were used for analysis. Each group was quantified by 8 rats at 1 week, 2 weeks, 1 month, 3 months, and 6 months of age in either sex. In each animal, bladder was removed without any kind of intervention and fresh-frozen in liquid nitrogen. Total RNA extraction was done with easy-BLUE total RNA extraction kit. Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction was done for connexin 43 and glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase as an internal control using ImProm-II Reverse Transcription System. Results In female rats, no age-related change was detected in connexin 43 expressions. In male rats, connexin expression at 3 months of age showed significant decrease compared with 1 week, 2 weeks, and 6 months of age (P<0.05). When connexin expression at the same age in male and female were compared, only 3 months group in male showed significant decrease than the same age group in female. Conclusions Our data suggest that the expressions of connexin 43 mRNA in normal detrusor muscle cell showed age-related changes especially in male rats. Although it is difficult to interpret these findings at this stage, age should be considered as a possible compounding factor affecting connexin 43 expressions in male rats

Bintrafusp Alfa, a Bifunctional Fusion Protein Targeting TGF-β and PD-L1, in Patients with Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Resistant or Refractory to Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors

Bintrafusp alfa; Bifunctional; Non-small cell lung cancerBintrafusp alfa; Bifuncional; Càncer de pulmó de cèl·lules no petitesBintrafusp alfa; Bifuncional; Cáncer de pulmón de células no pequeñasBackground Bintrafusp alfa is a first-in-class bifunctional fusion protein composed of the extracellular domain of transforming growth factor beta receptor II (a TGF-β “trap”) fused to a human immunoglobulin G1 monoclonal antibody blocking programmed cell death 1 ligand 1 (PD-L1). We report the efficacy and safety in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) that progressed following anti-PD-(L)1 therapy. Materials and Methods In this expansion cohort of NCT02517398—a global, open-label, phase I trial—adults with advanced NSCLC that progressed following chemotherapy and was primary refractory or had acquired resistance to anti-PD-(L)1 treatment received intravenous bintrafusp alfa 1200 mg every 2 weeks until confirmed progression, unacceptable toxicity, or trial withdrawal. The primary endpoint was best overall response (by Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors version 1.1 adjudicated by independent review committee); secondary endpoints included safety. Results Eighty-three eligible patients (62 [74.7%] treated with ≥3 prior therapies) received bintrafusp alfa. Four patients (3 primary refractory, 1 acquired resistant) had confirmed partial responses (objective response rate, 4.8%; 95% CI, 1.3%-11.9%), and 9 had stable disease. Tumor cell PD-L1 expression was not associated with response. Nineteen patients (22.9%) experienced grade ≥3 treatment-related adverse events, most commonly asthenia (3 [3.6%]) and fatigue, eczema, and pruritus (2 each [2.4%]). One patient had grade 4 amylase increased. One patient died during treatment for pneumonia before initiation of bintrafusp alfa. Conclusion Although the primary endpoint was not met, bintrafusp alfa showed some clinical activity and a manageable safety profile in patients with heavily pretreated NSCLC, including prior anti-PD-(L)1 therapy. Tumor responses occurred irrespective of whether disease was primary refractory or had acquired resistance to prior anti-PD-(L)1 therapy.This study was funded by Merck (CrossRef Funder ID: 10.13039/100009945) and was previously part of an alliance between Merck and GlaxoSmithKline, in accordance with Good Publication Practice (GPP3) guidelines (http://www.ismpp.org/gpp3)

Age-related changes of ocular parameters in Korean subjects

Aims: To evaluate the age-related variations of ocular parameters in Korean subjects. Methods: We recruited 314 normal subjects who visited the department of Ophthalmology between January 2007 and October 2007. Refraction, axial length, corneal curvature, white-to-white distance, anterior chamber depth, corneal endothelial cell density, and retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness were measured using auto-refractive keratometer, intraocular lens master, noncontact specular microscope, and optical coherence tomography. Result: In correlation analysis, from 19 to 82 years, hyperopic shift showed a strong positive statistical correlation with age (r = 0.553, P < 0.001). Corneal curvatures increased (r = 0.221, P < 0.001), while axial length (r = -0.506, P < 0.001), anterior chamber depth (r = -0.491, P < 0.001) and white-to-white distance (r = -0.205, P < 0.001) decreased with age. Also, corneal endothelial cell density was lower in older patients than in younger patients (r = -0.409, P < 0.001). Compared to younger patients, RNFL thickness was lower in the older patients as well, in all quadrants (superior, r = -0.283, P < 0.001; inferior, r = -0.230, P < 0.001; nasal, r = 0.025, P = 0.676; and temporal, r = -0.393, P < 0.001). According to multiple regression analysis, out of the six parameters measured, only hyperopic shift, anterior chamber depth and corneal endothelial cell density (P, 0.05) had statistically significant correlation with age. Conclusion: Some of the ocular parameters changed with aging. Hyperopic shift, shallowing anterior chamber depth, and reduction of corneal endothelial cell density were only definitely related to age

Quantitative agreement of Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interactions for domain-wall motion and spin-wave propagation

The magnetic exchange interaction is the one of the key factors governing the basic characteristics of magnetic systems. Unlike the symmetric nature of the Heisenberg exchange interaction, the interfacial Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction (DMI) generates an antisymmetric exchange interaction which offers challenging opportunities in spintronics with intriguing antisymmetric phenomena. The role of the DMI, however, is still being debated, largely because distinct strengths of DMI have been measured for different magnetic objects, particularly chiral magnetic domain walls (DWs) and non-reciprocal spin waves (SWs). In this paper, we show that, after careful data analysis, both the DWs and SWs experience the same strength of DMI. This was confirmed by spin-torque efficiency measurement for the DWs, and Brillouin light scattering measurement for the SWs. This observation, therefore, indicates the unique role of the DMI on the magnetic DW and SW dynamics and also guarantees the compatibility of several DMI-measurement schemes recently proposed.Comment: 24 pages, 5 figure

Initial serum sodium concentration determines the decrease in sodium level after terlipressin administration in patients with liver cirrhosis

BACKGROUND: Terlipressin, as a prodrug of vasopressin, has agonistic effects on the V1 receptor and partial agonistic effects on renal vasopressin V2 receptors. However, its effects on serum sodium concentration are controversial. METHODS: This study retrospectively investigated 127 patients with liver cirrhosis to examine the incidence and risk factors for the decrease in serum sodium level following terlipressin administration. RESULTS: Terlipressin was prescribed for bleeding control (99) and management of hepatorenal syndrome (28). Serum sodium level decreased from 134.0 ± 6.5 mmol/L to 130.4 ± 6.2 mmol/L during or after terlipressin treatment (P < 0.001) in all patients. In 45 patients (35.4%), the serum sodium concentration decreased by > 5 mmol/L, in 29 patients (22.8%); by 5–10 mmol/L; and in 16 patients (12.6%), by > 10 mmol/L. Five patients in the latter group showed neurological manifestations. In the univariate analysis, several factors including age, purpose of use, serum creatinine, and Model for End-Stage Liver Disease score, representing liver function, were significantly associated with the decrease in serum sodium after terlipressin administration. However, a multivariate analysis revealed that only initial sodium level was the most powerful predictor of terlipressin-induced reduction in serum sodium. CONCLUSION: An acute reduction in serum sodium concentration was not uncommon during terlipressin treatment, and the baseline serum sodium level was closely related to the reduction in serum sodium concentration

A simple iterative independent component analysis algorithm for vibration source signal identification of complex structures

ABSTRACT:Independent Component Analysis (ICA), one of the blind source separation methods, can be applied for extracting unknown source signals only from received signals. This is accomplished by finding statistical independence of signal mixtures and has been successfully applied to myriad fields such as medical science, image processing, and numerous others. Nevertheless, there are inherent problems that have been reported when using this technique: insta- bility and invalid ordering of separated signals, particularly when using a conventional ICA technique in vibratory source signal identification of complex structures. In this study, a simple iterative algorithm of the conventional ICA has been proposed to mitigate these problems. The proposed method to extract more stable source signals having valid order includes an iterative and reordering process of extracted mixing matrix to reconstruct finally converged source signals, referring to the magnitudes of correlation coefficients between the intermediately separated signals and the signals measured on or nearby sources. In order to review the problems of the conventional ICA technique and to vali- date the proposed method, numerical analyses have been carried out for a virtual response model and a 30m class submarine model. Moreover, in order to investigate applicability of the proposed method to real problem of complex structure, an experiment has been carried out for a scaled submarine mockup. The results show that the proposed method could resolve the inherent problems of a conventional ICA technique

Pixel-isolation liquid crystals formed by polarization-selective UV-curing of a prepolymer containing cinnamate oligomer

A pixel isolated liquid crystal display was fabricated by polarization-selective anisotropic photoreaction of a prepolymer containing a cinnamate oligomer. The cinnamate oligomer was mainly distributed on the surface region of a UV-cured polymer wall. Anisotropic photo-dimerization of cinnamate moiety was achieved by polarized UV exposure. It was found that the polymer walls containing cinnamate dimers formed by polarized UV exposure showed ordered orientation of LC molecules at the boundary of the polymer walls resulting in electro-optic performance improvement. © 2010 Optical Society of America.1