Preparation of Ag/Cu/Ti Nanofluids by Spark Discharge System and Its Control Parameters Study

This study selected silver, copper, and titanium as the research objects to explore the relationship between nanofluids properties and electrical discharge machining (EDM) processes. Regarding the products, UV-visible spectroscopy (UV-Vis) was applied to measure the concentration distribution of nanofluids; zeta-size analysis is applied for measuring nanometal particles’ Zeta-Potential and the size distribution of metallic particles in the fluid. Finally, various instruments, including scanning electron microscope (SEM), were applied to observe the shape, size, and composition ratio of metal particles after processing. According to the experimental results, the control of the discharge pulse time, in addition to affecting the concentration of metallic liquid and temperature in the process, affects the size of the metal particles after the process. As the resistivity of silver and copper is very low, at about 15×10-9 Ω·m, if TON is set to between 10~50 μs, good preparation efficiency can be obtained. The resistivity of titanium is 420×10-9 Ω·m, which is much larger than that of silver or copper. Hence, TON should be set to approximately 100 μs to achieve a good discharge success rate

The IPIN 2019 Indoor Localisation Competition—Description and Results

IPIN 2019 Competition, sixth in a series of IPIN competitions, was held at the CNR Research Area of Pisa (IT), integrated into the program of the IPIN 2019 Conference. It included two on-site real-time Tracks and three off-site Tracks. The four Tracks presented in this paper were set in the same environment, made of two buildings close together for a total usable area of 1000 m 2 outdoors and and 6000 m 2 indoors over three floors, with a total path length exceeding 500 m. IPIN competitions, based on the EvAAL framework, have aimed at comparing the accuracy performance of personal positioning systems in fair and realistic conditions: past editions of the competition were carried in big conference settings, university campuses and a shopping mall. Positioning accuracy is computed while the person carrying the system under test walks at normal walking speed, uses lifts and goes up and down stairs or briefly stops at given points. Results presented here are a showcase of state-of-the-art systems tested side by side in real-world settings as part of the on-site real-time competition Tracks. Results for off-site Tracks allow a detailed and reproducible comparison of the most recent positioning and tracking algorithms in the same environment as the on-site Tracks

Associations between brain-derived neurotrophic factor val66met polymorphism, melancholic feature, and treatment refractoriness in patients with treatment-resistant depression

Background: Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) Val66Met polymorphism is related to the pathophysiology of treatment-resistant depression (TRD). But whether the Val66Met polymorphism is associated with the clinical manifestations of TRD (such as treatment refractoriness and melancholic and anxious distress features) remains unclear. Methods: Totally, 106 patients with TRD were genotyped for the BDNF Val66Met polymorphism. We used the 17-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale evaluate depressive symptoms (melancholic and anxious distress features) and Maudsley Staging Method to measure treatment refractoriness. Logistic regression models were constructed to study the relationships among the Val66Met polymorphism, melancholic or anxious distress features, and treatment refractoriness. Results: The risk of Val/Met heterozygosity was associated with significantly greater melancholic features than that of Val/Val homozygosity (odds ratio [95% confidence interval (CI)] = (4.67 [1.16–14.24], p < 0.05). The melancholic feature in Val/Met heterozygosity was significantly higher to have the risk in treatment refractoriness than that of Val/Val homozygosity odd ratio (95% CI) = (6.42 [1.70–24.25], p < 0.05). Conclusion: Patients with TRD carrying the BDNF Val/Met genotype are more likely to present with melancholic feature, which is in turn related to high treatment refractoriness

Rapid and Efficient Synthesis of Silver Nanofluid Using Electrical Discharge Machining

The electrical discharge machining (EDM) system has been proven feasible as a rapid and efficient method for silver nanofluid preparation. This study prepared the silver nano-fluid via EDM and investigated the relationship between its process parameters and product characteristics. The prior study had found that the silver nano-fluid prepared by EDM contained both silver nanoparticles and silver ions. Silver ions had revealed the cause of the high suspension of the silver nanoparticles. To examine the relationship between the stability of silver nanofluid and the process parameters, this study quantified the relationship of process parameters to the material removal rate (MRR) of silver electrode and silver ion output rate (IOR) in the fluid, in order to achieve the most effective process parameter condition. Furthermore, the stability of silver nano-fluid was analyzed by various devices, including UV-Vis spectroscopy, size-distribution, and Zeta-potential analyzer. The effects of MRR, IOR, particle size, Zeta-potential, and optical properties of silver nanofluid under different process parameters are also discussed

Charcoals Evaluation Regarding the Effect of Preservative–Treated Woods Leached Metal Loss on Water–Based Environment

This study used the adsorption of charcoals (bamboo charcoal and Bey–Charng charcoal) to evaluate the effect of the metal components leached from CCA– and ACQ–treated woods on water–based environment, especial for water quality and fish (Oreochromis hybrids) body in a 48–week long period. The retention contents of CrO3, As2O5, and CuO in the CCA–treated wood were 1.15, 0.44, and 0.12 kg/cm3, respectively, after 48 weeks; the retention content of CuO in the ACQ–treated wood was 0.13 kg/cm3. The iodine value of bamboo charcoal and Bey–Charng charcoal was 146.99 mg/g and 109.85 mg/g, respectively, before testing, and the methylene blue adsorption value was 712.13 mg/g and 642.36 mg/g, which decreased with time after 48 weeks. According to the water quality analysis results, the electrical conductivity of water with charcoals was higher than that without charcoals at the initial stage, and the pH value of that with charcoals was kept above 7. After the test, the contents of heavy metals Cr, As, and Cu ions in the water without charcoals were 0.038, 0.697, and 0.709 ppm; the contents in the water with charcoals were 0.020–0.022, 0.472–0.469, and 0.001–0.139 ppm, respectively, the As content was higher than the drinking water standard (0.01 ppm) of the Environmental Protection Administration, Executive Yuan, and the Cr and Cu contents were lower than the standard 0.05 and 1.0 ppm. Therefore, the adsorption of charcoals has a certain effect of preservative– treated woods leached metal loss on the water quality in water–based environment

A novel approach to enhancing ganoderic acid production by Ganoderma lucidum using apoptosis induction.

Ganoderma lucidum is one of most widely used herbal medicine and functional food in Asia, and ganoderic acids (GAs) are its active ingredients. Regulation of GA biosynthesis and enhancing GA production are critical to using G. lucidum as a medicine. However, regulation of GA biosynthesis by various signaling remains poorly understood. This study investigated the role of apoptosis signaling on GA biosynthesis and presented a novel approach, namely apoptosis induction, to increasing GA production. Aspirin was able to induce cell apoptosis in G. lucidum, which was identified by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase mediated dUPT nick end labeling assay positive staining and a condensed nuclear morphology. The maximum induction of lanosta-7,9(11), 24-trien-3α-01-26-oic acid (ganoderic acid 24, GA24) production and total GA production by aspirin were 2.7-fold and 2.8-fold, respectively, after 1 day. Significantly lower levels of GA 24 and total GAs were obtained after regular fungal culture for 1.5 months. ROS accumulation and phosphorylation of Hog-1 kinase, a putative homolog of MAPK p38 in mammals, occurred after aspirin treatment indicating that both factors may be involved in GA biosynthetic regulation. However, aspirin also reduced expression of the squalene synthase and lanosterol synthase coding genes, suggesting that these genes are not critical for GA induction. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report showing that GA biosynthesis is linked to fungal apoptosis and provides a new approach to enhancing secondary metabolite production in fungi

Amongst Women Stratified to Receive Endocrine Therapy on the Basis of Their Tumor Estrogen and Progesterone Receptor Levels, Those with Higher Tumor Progesterone Receptor Levels Had a Better Outcome Than Those with Lower Levels of Tumor Progesterone Receptor

Background: To realize the association between stratified expression levels of ER and PgR and long-term prognosis of breast cancer patients who received adjuvant hormone therapy, this study aimed to propose better prognostic cut-off levels for estrogen receptor (ER) and progesterone receptor (PgR). Methods: Patients who received adjuvant hormone therapy after surgical intervention were selected. The ER and PgR status and their effects on breast cancer-specific survival (BCSS) and disease-free survival (DFS) over 5 and 10 years were evaluated. Next, subgroups were generated based on ER and PgR expression percentage and Allred scores. Survival curves were constructed using the Kaplan–Meier method. Results: ER and PgR expression were significantly associated with better prognosis in 5 years, whereas only PgR expression was significantly associated during the 10-year follow-up. The optimal cut-off values for better 5-year BCSS were ER > 50%; ER Allred score > 7; PgR ≥ 1%; or PgR Allred score ≥ 3; the corresponding values for DFS were ER > 40%; ER Allred score > 6; PgR > 10%; or PgR Allred score ≥ 3. In the long-term follow-up, PgR of > 50% or Allred score of > 5 carriers revealed a better prognosis of both BCSS and DFS. Conclusion: Patients with a PgR expression > 50% or an Allred score > 5 exhibited better 10-year BCSS and DFS