Three-dimensional semi-analytical solutions for the transient response of functionally graded material cylindrical panels with various boundary conditions

In this paper, a 3D semi-analytical method is proposed by introducing the Durbin's Laplace transform, as well as its numerical inversion method, state space approach and differential quadrature method to analyse the transient behaviour of functionally graded material cylindrical panels. Moreover, to investigate the effectiveness of the proposed semi-analytical solution, four boundary conditions are used to undertake the analyses. Comparing the proposed approach with other theoretical methods from the literatures, we see better agreements in the natural frequencies. Besides, the semi-analytical solution acquires nearly the same transient response as those obtained by ANSYS. Convergence studies indicate that the proposed method has a quick convergence rate with growing sample point numbers along the length direction, so do layer numbers increase along the radial direction. The effects of thickness/outer radius ratio, length/outer radius ratio and functionally graded indexes are also studied. When carbon nanotube is added to functionally graded material cylindrical panel, the composite structures have been reinforced greatly. The proposed 3D semi-analytical method has high accuracy for the analysis of composite structures. This study can serve as a foundation for solving more complicated environments such as fluid–structure interaction of flexible pipe or thermal effect analysis of functionally graded material in aerospace field

Gestational Folic Acid Administration Alleviated Maternal Postpartum Emotional and Cognitive Dysfunction in Mice

Gestational folic acid (FA) supplementation has been widely recognized for its benefits in preventing offspring defects, but its effect on postpartum females has not yet been adequately assessed. The occurrence of emotional and cognitive dysfunction is common in postpartum women, and its treatment remains limited. Considering the promising results of FA in various psychiatric disorders both in human and redents, we tested the effect of gestational FA administration on postpartum psychiatric behavioral phenotypes and the implicated brain-related mechanisms in a murine model. FA was administered orally in both the hormone-stimulated-pregnancy (HSP) model and pregnant mice at doses of 1 and 5 mg/kg. Postpartum behavioral results showed that the disorders of cognitive performance, depressive, and anxiety-related behaviors were all alleviated in the 5 mg/kg FA group. However, the general development of their offspring remained unaffected. Immunofluorescence and immunoblot results revealed that FA pretreatment significantly activated the maternal hippocampal BDNF-related pathway. Morphological studies have confirmed that FA promotes hippocampal neurogenesis. Moreover, synaptic plasticity and synaptic transmission are enhanced. All of these hippocampal changes play critical roles in rescuing neuronal function and behaviors. Thus, our data suggest that gestational FA administration has a therapeutic effect that improves cognition and reduces depression and anxiety in a murine postpartum model. This may be developed as a preventive and adjuvant therapeutic option for pregnant women

Adoptive Immunotherapy in Postoperative Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

<div><p>Background</p><p>Adoptive immunotherapy (AI) has been applied in the treatment of non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients, but the value of postoperative AI has been inconclusive largely as a result of the small number of patients included in each study. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to address this issue for patients with postoperative NSCLC.</p><p>Methods</p><p>Pubmed, Embase, Cochrane Library were searched for randomized controlled trials comparing adoptive immunotherapy with control therapies in postoperative NSCLC patients. The primary endpoint was overall survival. Hazard ratio (HR) was estimated and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated using a fixed-effect model.</p><p>Results</p><p>Compared with control therapies, analyses of 4 randomized controlled trials (472 patients) showed a significant benefit of adoptive immunotherapy on survival (hazard ratio [HR] 0.61, 95% CI 0.45–0.84, p = 0.002), and a 39% reduction in the relative risk of death (no evidence of a difference between trials; p = 0.16, I² = 42%). In subgroup analyses by treatment cycles and treatment regimen, significant OS benefit was found in combination therapy of AI with chemotherapy, regardless of whether or not the treatment cycles were more than 10 cycles.</p><p>Conclusion</p><p>Adoptive immunotherapy has the potential to improve overall survival in postoperative NSCLC. The findings suggest this is a valid treatment option for these patients. Further randomized clinical trials are urgently needed.</p></div

Forest plot of hazard ratio (HR) of overall survival in AI group versus control group.

<p>Forest plot of hazard ratio (HR) of overall survival in AI group versus control group.</p

Characteristics of Included Studies for Meta-Analysis.

<p>Characteristics of Included Studies for Meta-Analysis.</p

The total funnel plot of all groups.

<p>The total funnel plot of all groups.</p

Risk of bias in included studies.

<p>Risk of bias in included studies.</p

Selection and evaluation process of the eligible studies in the meta-analysis.

<p><i>From</i>: Moher D, Liberati A, Tefclaff J, Altman DG, The PRISMA Group (2009). /deferred Reporting /terns for Systematic Reviews and Meta- Analyses: The PRISMA Statement. PLoS Med 6(7): e1000097. doi:<a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed1000097" target="_blank">10.1371/journal.pmed1000097</a> For more information, visit <a href="http://www.prisma-statement.org" target="_blank">www.prisma-statement.org</a>.</p

Results of subgroup analysis according to treatment line, treatment regimens for Meta-Analysis.

<p>Results of subgroup analysis according to treatment line, treatment regimens for Meta-Analysis.</p