470 research outputs found

    Increasing Precision of Batch Pipe Forming Method Using Burring and Ironing of Large Diameter Steel Pipe in FEM Analysis

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    This paper describes increasing precision of Batch Pipe Forming Method Using Burring and Ironing of Large Diameter Steel Pipe in FEM Analysis. Branch pipes are one of the components of the piping system in a factory that serves as a flow path for gases and fluids. The bifurcated tube is formed by burring as a typical molding technique. The burring process is to form a branch pipe by raising the peripheral portion of the prepared hole formed in the mother pipe. There is a problem that the cutting of the edge is required in the post process. Therefore, a branch pipe batch forming method has been developed in which burring processing that does not require a cutting step in the subsequent step is combined with ironing processing using FEM analysis. The purpose of this research is to improve the accuracy of FEM analysis in the branch pipe batch forming method using burring process and ironing process by cutting the material into a cylindrical shape and performing a compression test to obtain the deformation resistance of the actual material. The experimental results were compared with the analytical results and approximately good agreement was obtained

    A Pilot Study: The Beneficial Effects of Combined Statin-exercise Therapy on Cognitive Function in Patients with Coronary Artery Disease and Mild Cognitive Decline.

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    Objective Hypercholesterolemia, a risk factor in cognitive impairment, can be treated with statins. However, cognitive decline associated with "statins" (HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors) is a clinical concern. This pilot study investigated the effects of combining statins and regular exercise on cognitive function in coronary artery disease (CAD) patients with prior mild cognitive decline. Methods We recruited 43 consecutive CAD patients with mild cognitive decline. These patients were treated with a statin and weekly in-hospital aerobic exercise for 5 months. We measured serum lipids, exercise capacity, and cognitive function using the mini mental state examination (MMSE). Results Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels were significantly decreased, and maximum exercise capacity (workload) was significantly increased in patients with CAD and mild cognitive decline after treatment compared with before. Combined statin-exercise therapy significantly increased the median (range) MMSE score from 24 (22-25) to 25 (23-27) across the cohort (p<0.01). Changes in body mass index (BMI) were significantly and negatively correlated with changes in the MMSE. After treatment, MMSE scores in the subgroup of patients that showed a decrease in BMI were significantly improved, but not in the BMI-increased subgroup. Furthermore, the patients already on a statin at the beginning of the trial displayed a more significant improvement in MMSE score than statin-naïve patients, implying that exercise might be the beneficial aspect of this intervention as regards cognition. In a multivariate logistic regression analysis adjusted for age >65 years, sex, and presence of diabetes mellitus, a decrease in BMI during statin-exercise therapy was significantly correlated with an increase in the MMSE score (odds ratio: 4.57, 95% confidence interval: 1.05-20.0; p<0.05). Conclusion Statin-exercise therapy may help improve cognitive dysfunction in patients with CAD and pre-existing mild cognitive decline

    On the Alternative Movies in China

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    “另类电影”是二十世纪九十年代以来,中国电影界出现的一种新的创作倾向。“另类电影”的导演们处于现代/后现代生存环境中,面临中国社会从传统农业向现代工业的重大转型。他们在直视现实,独立思考,保持个性的创作原则之上,一反主流电影(主旋律电影和商业电影)的民族寓言的宏大叙事,把镜头的意象指向了城市“深描”和个人记忆的书写,追求质朴、写实的美学风格。他们还采用独特的制片方式、传播途径来对抗主流电影。对民间与个人、历史与现在、文化与文明的思考,则具体体现出他们在精神内涵上的特质。 本文结合本雅明、阿多诺的“文化工业”理论、利奥塔的“宏大叙事”理论、福柯的“话语权力”理论和陈思和提出的“民间”概念,从作...“Alternative movies” is a new artistic trend of movies, which came out in the field Chinese movies in 1990s, which brings Chinese movies to the pluralism pattern. With Walter Benjamin and T.W.Adorno ’s major key words, cultural industry and the basic principle of Michel Foucault ’s theory, discourse, I analyzes the characteristics of alternative movies throughout its subject matter, content, and s...学位:文学硕士院系专业:人文学院中文系_戏剧戏曲学学号:20010103

    Human metaphase chromosome consists of randomly arranged chromatin fibres with up to 30-nm diameter

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    Wako, T., Yoshida, A., Kato, J. et al. Human metaphase chromosome consists of randomly arranged chromatin fibres with up to 30-nm diameter. Sci Rep 10, 8948 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-65842-z

    Phenotypic change of macrophages in the progression of diabetic nephropathy; sialoadhesin-positive activated macrophages are increased in diabetic kidney

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    Inflammatory process is involved in pathogenesis of diabetic nephropathy, although the activation and phenotypic change of macrophages in diabetic kidney has remained unclear. Sialoadhesin is a macrophage adhesion molecule containing 17 extracellular immunoglobulin-like domains, and is an I-type lectin which binds to sialic acid ligands expressed on hematopoietic cells. The aim of this study is to clarify the activation and phenotypic change of macrophages in the progression of diabetic nephropathy. We examined the expression of surface markers for pan-macrophages, resident macrophages, sialoadhesin, major histocompatibility complex class II and alpha-smooth muscle actin in the glomeruli of diabetic rats using immunohistochemistry at 0, 1, 4, 12, and 24 weeks after induction of diabetes by streptozotocin. Expression of type IV collagen and the change of mesangial matrix area were also measured. The mechanism for up-regulated expression of sialoadhesin on macrophages was evaluated in vitro. The number of macrophages was increased in diabetic glomeruli at 1 month after induction of diabetes and the increased number was maintained until 6 months. On the other hand, sialoadhesin-positive macrophages were increased during the late stage of diabetes concomitantly with the increase of alpha-smooth muscle actin-positive mesangial cells, mesangial matrix area and type IV collagen. Gene expression of sialoadhesin was induced by stimulation with interleukin (IL)-1 beta and tumor necrosis factor-alpha but not with IL-4, transforming growth factor-beta and high glucose in cultured human macrophages. The present findings suggest that sialoadhesin-positive macrophages may contribute to the progression of diabetic nephropathy

    High revivability of vitrified-warmed bovine mature oocytes after recovery culture with alpha-tocopherol

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    online publication: 27 January 2015The objective of this study was to investigate whether developmental competence of vitrified–warmed bovine oocytes can be improved by antioxidant treatment during recovery culture. In experiment 1, one of the two antioxidants (either l-ascorbic acid or α-tocopherol) was added as a supplement to the recovery culture medium to which postwarming oocytes were exposed for 2 h before IVF. The exposure to α-tocopherol had a positive effect on rescuing the oocytes as assessed by the blastocyst yield 8 days after the IVF (35.1–36.3% vs 19.2–25.8% in untreated postwarming oocytes). Quality of expanding blastocysts harvested on Day 8 was comparable between α-tocopherol-treated vitrification group and fresh control group in terms of total cell number and chromosomal ploidy. In experiment 2, level of reactive oxygen species, mitochondrial activity, and distribution of cortical granules in α-tocopherol-treated postwarming oocytes were assessed. No obvious differences from the control data were found in these parameters. However, the treatment with α-tocopherol increased the percentage of zygotes exhibiting normal single aster formation (90.3% vs 48.0% in untreated postwarming oocytes; 10 h post-IVF). It was concluded that α-tocopherol treatment of vitrified–warmed bovine mature oocytes during recovery culture can improve their revivability, as shown by the high blastocyst yield and the higher mean total cell number in the blastocysts.ArticleREPRODUCTION. 149(4):347-355 (2015)journal articl

    Involvement of B cells in the development of systemic sclerosis

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    Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a rare intractable systemic disease that causes fibrosis and vasculopathy against a background of autoimmune abnormalities. Although the etiology is not yet fully understood, the type of autoantibodies detected in SSc is closely associated with disease severity and prognosis, supporting that those autoimmune abnormalities play an important role in the pathogenesis of SSc. Although the direct pathogenicity of autoantibodies found in SSc is unknown, many previous studies have shown that B cells are involved in the development of SSc through a variety of functions. Furthermore, a number of clinical studies have been conducted in which B-cell depletion therapy has been tried for SSc, and many of these studies have found B-cell depletion therapy to be effective for SSc. However, the involvement of B cells in pathogenesis is complex, as they not only promote inflammation but also play an inhibitory role. This article outlines the role of B cells in the development of SSc, including the latest research

    Engineering research and development of magnetically levitated high-temperature superconducting coil system for mini-RT project

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    A magnetically levitated superconducting coil system is being developed using high temperature superconductors for examining a new magnetic confinement of high-beta plasmas. A miniature double-pancake coil was fabricated with a Bi-2223 Ag-sheathed tape for the purpose of developing a floating control using laser displacement gauges. The coil was inductively excited with liquid nitrogen cooling and successfully levitated in the air. A persistent current switch is also being developed with a Bi-2223 Ag-0.3wt%Mn-sheathed tape, and a prototype model was successfully tested
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