An Enhanced Plane Wave Expansion Method to Solve Piezoelectric Phononic Crystal with Resonant Shunting Circuits

An enhanced plane wave expansion (PWE) method is proposed to solve piezoelectric phononic crystal (PPC) connected with resonant shunting circuits (PPC-C), which is named as PWE-PPC-C. The resonant shunting circuits can not only bring about the locally resonant (LR) band gap for the PPC-C but also conveniently tune frequency and bandwidth of band gaps through adjusting circuit parameters. However, thus far, more than one-dimensional PPC-C has been studied just by Finite Element method. Compared with other methods, the PWE has great advantages in solving more than one-dimensional PC as well as various lattice types. Nevertheless, the conventional PWE cannot accurately solve coupling between the structure and resonant shunting circuits of the PPC-C since only taking one-way coupling from displacements to electrical parameters into consideration. A two-dimensional PPC-C model of orthorhombic lattice is established to demonstrate the whole solving process of PWE-PPC-C. The PWE-PPC-C method is validated by Transfer Matrix method as well as Finite Element method. The dependence of band gaps on circuit parameters has been investigated in detail by PWE-PPC-C. Its advantage in solving various lattice types is further illustrated by calculating the PPC-C of triangular and hexagonal lattices, respectively

Diagnostic value of urine sCD163 levels for sepsis and relevant acute kidney injury: a prospective study

BACKGROUND: Sepsis is a common syndrome in critically ill patients and easily leads to the occurrence of acute kidney injury (AKI), with high mortality rates. This study aimed to investigate the diagnostic value of urine soluble CD163 (sCD163) for identification of sepsis, severity of sepsis, and for secondary AKI, and to assess the patients’ prognosis. METHODS: We enrolled 20 cases with systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS), 40 cases with sepsis (further divided into 17 sepsis cases and 23 severe sepsis cases) admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU), and 20 control cases. Results for urine sCD163 were recorded on the day of admission to the ICU, and AKI occurrence was noted. RESULTS: On the day of ICU admission, the sepsis group exhibited higher levels of urine sCD163 (74.8 ng/ml; range: 47.9-148.3 ng/ml) compared with those in the SIRS group (31.9 ng/ml; 16.8-48.0, P < 0.001). The area under the curve (AUC) was 0.83 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.72-0.94, P < 0.001) the sensitivity was 0.83, and the specificity was 0.75 (based on a cut-off point of 43.0 ng/ml). Moreover, the severe sepsis group appeared to have a higher level of sCD163 compared with that in the sepsis group (76.2; 47.2-167.5 ng/ml vs. 74.2; 46.2-131.6 ng/ml), but this was not significant. For 15 patients with AKI, urine sCD163 levels at AKI diagnosis were significantly higher than those of the remaining 35 sepsis patients upon ICU admission (121.0; 74.6-299.1 ng/ml vs. 61.8; 42.8-128.3 ng/ml, P = 0.049). The AUC for urine sCD163 was 0.688 (95% CI: 0.51-0.87, P = 0.049). Sepsis patients with a poor prognosis showed a higher urine sCD163 level at ICU admission (98.6; 50.3-275.6 ng/ml vs. 68.0; 44.8-114.5 ng/ml), but this was not significant. Patients with AKI with a poor prognosis had higher sCD163 levels than those in patients with a better prognosis (205.9; 38.6-766.0 ng/ml vs. 80.9; 74.9-141.0 ng/ml), but this was not significant. CONCLUSIONS: This study shows, for the first time, the potential value of urine sCD163 levels for identifying sepsis and diagnosing AKI, as well as for assessment of patients’ prognosis. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ChiCTR-ONC-1000081

Hyponatremia in Children With Bacterial Meningitis

Background: Hyponatremia has frequently been described as a common complication associated with bacterial meningitis, though its frequency and clinical course in children with bacterial meningitis are unclear. The present study aimed to investigate the frequency, clinical characteristics, and prognosis associated with pediatric hyponatremia due to bacterial meningitis.Methods: We performed a retrospective review of children with bacterial meningitis provided with standard care. One hundred seventy-five children were included. We documented all participants' symptoms and signs, laboratory and microbiological data, radiological findings, and complications that occurred during their hospital admission. Disease severity was determined using the maximum Pediatric Cerebral Performance Category (PCPC) and minimum Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS). Residual deficits were assessed using PCPC at discharge.Results: Hyponatremia (&lt;135 mmol/L) was seen in 116 (66.4%) of the patients assessed and was classified as mild (130–135 mmol/L) in 77, moderate (125–129 mmol/L) in 26, and severe (&lt;125 mmol/L) in 13. Hyponatremia was associated with a shorter duration of symptoms before admission, higher CSF white cell counts, and a longer duration of hospitalization. Moderate and severe hyponatremia were associated with an increase in convulsions, impaired consciousness, altered CSF protein levels, higher maximum PCPC scores, and lower minimum GCS scores. Severe hyponatremia was further associated with the development of systemic complications including shock, multiple organ dysfunction syndrome, respiratory failure requiring mechanical ventilation, and an increase in poor outcome (PCPC ≥ 2). Hyponatremia was not associated with the development of neurologic complications. Logistic regression analyses revealed that convulsions (OR 12.09, 95% CI 2.63–56.84) and blood glucose levels &gt; 6.1 mmol/L (OR 8.28, 95% CI 1.65–41.60) predicted severe hyponatremia.Conclusion: Hyponatremia occurred in 66.4% of the assessed pediatric bacterial meningitis patients. Moderate and severe hyponatremia affected the severity of pediatric bacterial meningitis. Only severe hyponatremia affected the short-term prognosis of patients with pediatric bacterial meningitis. We recommend that patients with pediatric bacterial meningitis who exhibit convulsions and increased blood glucose levels should be checked for severe hyponatremia. Further studies are needed to evaluate the effectiveness of treatment of hyponatremia

Incorporating electrical impedance tomography to transpulmonary pressure-guided PEEP in severe ARDS with pneumothorax and multiple cavitations: a case report

Pneumothorax is a potentially fatal complication in patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), presenting challenges in determining the optimal positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) level to prevent atelectasis without exacerbating the pneumothorax. This case report describes the successful application of transpulmonary pressure and electrical impedance tomography (EIT) at the bedside to guide PEEP selection in a patient with ARDS complicated by pneumothorax due to methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infection. By using minimal PEEP to maintain positive end-expiratory transpulmonary pressure and visualizing lung reopening with EIT, the optimal PEEP level was reaffirmed, even if traditionally considered high. The patient’s condition improved, and successful weaning from the ventilator was achieved, leading to a transfer out of the intensive care unit.Clinical trial registration: https://clinicaltrials.gov/show/NCT04081142, identifier NCT04081142

Demonstration of laser-produced neutron diagnostic by radiative capture gamma-rays

We report a new scenario of time-of-flight (TOF) technique in which fast neutrons and delayed gamma-ray signals were both recorded in a millisecond time window in harsh environments induced by high-intensity lasers. The delayed gamma signals, arriving far later than the original fast neutron and often being ignored previously, were identified to be the results of radiative captures of thermalized neutrons. The linear correlation between gamma photon number and the fast neutron yield shows that these delayed gamma events can be employed for neutron diagnosis. This method can reduce the detecting efficiency dropping problem caused by prompt high-flux gamma radiation, and provides a new way for neutron diagnosing in high-intensity laser-target interaction experiments

Levinas on the Relationship between Pleasure and the Good

The article discusses the relationship between pleasure and the Good in Levinas&rsquo;s ethics. Firstly, the paper points out that, for Levinas, pleasure and the Good are both essentially related to sensibility, except that pleasure is concerned with the self-affection of sensibility, and the Good is concerned with the hetero-affection of sensibility. The self-affection of pleasure and enjoyment enables the subject to locate and contract itself, and thus to establish an inner and separated self. Meanwhile, the Good is originated from the hetero-affection of the call of the transcendent Other, and is embodied in an involuntary suffering for the other&rsquo;s suffering, weakness, and needs. Secondly, the paper argues that the relationship between pleasure and the Good is highly tensional. On the one hand, the Good does interrupt the egoism of life and its pleasure. On the other hand, pleasure actually constitutes a necessary condition for the Good, rather than something that must be rejected. The intersection of pleasure and the Good constitutes an insurmountable and irreducible tension within subjectivity. Finally, the paper places Levinas&rsquo;s ethics in a dialogue with hedonism, virtue ethics, asceticism, and deontology, and regards Levinas&rsquo;s ethics as a new paradigm for understanding the relationship between pleasure and the Good in the history of Western ethics

The River God Cult and the Reshaping of Political Authority—Reading Inscriptions from the Hezhong Area in Tang China

The River God cult held a significant place in state rituals in imperial China. While scholars have primarily focused on the evolution of the River God sacrificial system, with its interplay of the official granting of noble titles and popular beliefs, this paper offers a further examination of the River God cult. By reading the “Stele of the (Shrine) Temple for the River God honored as the Duke of Numinous Source” (hedushen lingyuangong cimiao bei 河瀆神靈源公祠廟碑), created in the Tang Dynasty, this study explores the interactive relationship between the River God cult and state power in the Hezhong 河中area during that time period. We contend that the traditional River God cult and the participation of both officials and civilians in common rituals throughout past dynasties not only created a concentration of historical memories and reverent emotions but also established a strong social foundation for belief in the River God within the Hezhong region. This cult attracted both state endorsement and popular support. Thus, Guo Ziyi 郭子儀 (697–781), a famous military general in the Tang Dynasty, sought to renovate a temple and erect a monument for the River God. This monument was to serve as a cultural symbol that would strengthen the connection between the state and the local community, and hence ease the social tensions in the Hezhong area after the An Lushan Rebellion. In sum, such a construction would enhance the psychological and cultural identity of the people with both the mandate of heaven and the Tang imperial authority

Analysis of a micro piezoelectric vibration energy harvester by nonlocal elasticity theory

A theoretical model of a micro piezoelectric energy harvester is proposed based on the nonlocal elasticity theory, which is operated in the flexural mode for scavenging ambient vibration energy. A nonlocal scale is defined as the product of internal characteristic length and a constant related to the material. The dependences of performance of the harvester upon the nonlocal scale and the scale ratio of the nonlocal scale to the external characteristic parameter are investigated in detail. Numerical results show that output power of the harvester decreases, and resonance frequency reduces gradually at first then increases rapidly when nonlocal scale increases. The results of nonlocal elasticity theory are compared with that of classic beam theory. All the results are helpful for material and structure design of the micro piezoelectric energy harvester

Sinterability, microstructure and compressive strength of porous glass ceramics from metallurgical silicon slag and waste glass

Porous glass-ceramics have been prepared by the direct sintering of powder mixtures of metallurgical silicon slag and waste glass. The thermal behavior of silicon slag was examined by differential thermal analysis and thermogravimetry to clarify the foaming mechanism of porous glass-ceramics. The mass loss of silicon slag below 700 degrees C was attributed to the oxidation of amorphous carbon from residual metallurgical coke in the silicon slag, and the mass gain above 800 degrees C to the passive oxidation of silicon carbide. The porosity of sintered glass-ceramics was characterized in terms of the apparent density and pore size. By simply adjusting the content of waste glass and sintering parameters (i.e. temperature, time and heating rate), the apparent density changed from 0.4 g/cm(3) to 0.5 g/cm(3), and the pore size from 0.7 mm to 1.4 mm. In addition to the existing crystalline phases in the silicon slag, the gehlenite phase appeared in the sintered glass-ceramics. The compressive strength of porous glass-ceramics firstly increased and then decreased with the sintering temperature, reaching a maximal value of 1.8 MPa at 750 degrees C. The mechanical strength was primarily influenced by the crystallinity of glass-ceramics and the interfaces between the crystalline phases and the glassy matrix. These sintered porous glass-ceramics exhibit superior properties such as light-weight, heat-insulation and sound-absorption, and could found their potential applications in the construction decoration. (C) 2016 Elsevier Ltd and Techna Group S.r.l. All rights reserved