Postural balance in individuals with knee osteoarthritis during stand-to-sit task

Objective: Stand-to-sit task is an important daily function, but there is a lack of research evidence on whether knee osteoarthritis (knee OA) affects the postural balance during the task. This study aimed to compare individuals with knee OA and asymptomatic controls in postural balance and identify kinematic and lower extremity muscle activity characteristics in individuals with knee OA during the stand-to-sit task. Methods: In total, 30 individuals with knee OA and 30 age-matched asymptomatic controls performed the 30-s Chair Stand Test (30sCST) at self-selected speeds. Motion analysis data and surface electromyography (sEMG) were collected while participants performed the 30sCST. To quantify postural balance, the displacement of the center of mass (CoM) and the peak instantaneous velocity of the CoM were calculated. The kinematic data included forward lean angles of the trunk and pelvic, range of motion (RoM) of the hip, knee, and ankle joints in the sagittal plane. The averaged activation levels of gluteus maximus, vastus lateralis, vastus medialis, rectus femoris, biceps femoris (BF), tibialis anterior (TA), and medial head of gastrocnemius muscles were indicated by the normalized root mean square amplitudes. Results: Compared with the asymptomatic control group, the knee OA group prolonged the duration of the stand-to-sit task, demonstrated significantly larger CoM displacement and peak instantaneous CoM velocity in the anterior-posterior direction, reduced ankle dorsiflexion RoM, greater anterior pelvic tilt RoM, and lower quadriceps femoris and muscles activation level coupled with higher BF muscle activation level during the stand-to-sit task. Conclusion: This study indicates that individuals with knee OA adopt greater pelvic forward lean RoM and higher BF muscle activation level during the stand-to-sit task. However, these individuals exist greater CoM excursion in the anterior-posterior direction and take more time to complete the task. This daily functional activity should be added to the rehabilitation goals for individuals with knee OA. The knee OA group performs reduced ankle dorsiflexion RoM, quadriceps femoris, and TA activation deficit. In the future, the rehabilitation programs targeting these impairments could be beneficial for restoring the functional transfer in individuals with knee OA

The evaluation of experimental data in fast range for n + 56

Iron is one of the five materials selected for evaluation within the pilot international evaluation project CIELO. Analysis of experimental data for n+56Fe reaction is the basis for constraining theoretical calculations and eventual creation of the evaluated file. The detail analysis was performed for inelastic cross sections of neutron induced reactions with 56Fe in the fast range up to 20 MeV where there are significant differences among the main evaluated libraries, mainly caused by the different inelastic scattering cross section measurements. Gamma-ray production cross sections provide a way to gain experimental information about the inelastic cross section. Large discrepancies between experimental data for the 847-keV gamma ray produced in the 56Fe(n,n1'γ) reaction were analyzed. In addition, experimental data for elastic scattering cross section between 9.41∼11 MeV were used to deduce the inelastic cross section from the unitarity constrain

Crack Detection of Reinforced Concrete Member Using Rayleigh-Based Distributed Optic Fiber Strain Sensing System

Early detection of crack is critical for the maintenance of reinforced concrete (RC) structures. In this study, a distributed optical fiber (DOF) sensing system with Rayleigh Optical Frequency Domain Reflectometry (OFDR) technique was deployed to a member of RC structure in a full-scale laboratory experiment, which was subjected to a monotonic lateral load. With the aid of a high space resolution (up to 1 mm) and measurement accuracy (±1 micro strain) interrogator (OSI-S by Semicon), continuous strain measurements inside of the RC member are elaborately implemented. The result of crack detection by the analysis of the measured tensile strain profiles is in excellent agreement with the visually observable cracks mapped during the test. This confirms the ability of the optical fiber inside of RC members to capture cracks on concrete surface. Moreover, the recognition of crack orientation and depth is accomplished by comparing strain measurements of optical fibers installed at multiple locations

Systematic on fission fragment mass distribution of 235U fission

Based on the fission fragment mass distribution data up to 20 MeV measured by Hambsch with double kinetic energy method (KEM) and other chain yield data measured with radio active method (RAM), the systematic of fission fragment mass distribution was investigated by using 5 Gaussian model. A code of nonlinear least squares method was developed and the parameters, called discrete parameters, were deduced by fitting the experimental data at each energy point measured. The discrete parameters as functions of energy were fitted with second order functions by least squares method, so that the parameters, called systematic parameters, can be calculated at any energy point. With the systematic, the yields of any mass A at any energy in the region from 0 to 20 MeV can be calculated. The calculated results could reproduce the experimental data measured with KEM well, but show somewhat systematical difference from the data measured by RAM, which reflects there is some systematical difference between the two kinds of measured data. The possible reason is that the data measured by KEM need more complicated accurate corrections

Formation of disinfection by-products after pre-oxidation with chlorine dioxide or ferrate

The effect of pre-oxidation with chlorine dioxide (ClO2) or ferrate (Fe(VI)) on the formation of disinfection by-products (DBPs) during chlorination or chloramination was tested with natural waters from 12 sources (9 surface waters, 1 groundwater, and 2 wastewater effluents). DBPs investigated included trihalomethanes (THM), chloral hydrate (CH), haloketones (HK), haloacetonitriles (HAN) and trichloronitromethane (TCNM), chlorite and chlorate. Chlorite and chlorate were found in the ClO2-treated waters. Application of 1 mg/L ClO2 ahead of chlorination reduced the formation potential for THM by up to 45% and the formation of HK, HAN and TCNM in most of the samples. The CH formation results were mixed. The formation of CH and HK was enhanced with low doses of Fe(VI) (1 mg/L as Fe), but was greatly reduced at higher doses (20 mg/L Fe). Fe(VI) reduced the formation of THM, HAN and TCNM in most of the samples. Reduced potential for the formation of NDMA was observed in most of the samples after both ClO2 and Fe(VI) pre-oxidation. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

Identification of a novel macrophage-related prognostic signature in colorectal cancer

Abstract Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most prevalent and deadliest illnesses all around the world. Growing proofs demonstrate that tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) are of critical importance in CRC pathogenesis, but their mechanisms remain yet unknown. The current research was designed to recognize underlying biomarkers associated with TAMs in CRC. We screened macrophage-related gene modules through WGCNA, selected hub genes utilizing the LASSO algorithm and COX regression, and established a model. External validation was performed by expression analysis using datasets GSE14333, GSE74602, and GSE87211. After validating the bioinformatics results using real-time quantitative reverse transcription PCR, we identified SPP1, C5AR1, MMP3, TIMP1, ADAM8 as potential biomarkers associated with macrophages in CRC

Covariance analysis for total neutron cross sections based on a microscopic optical model potential

The deterministic simple least square (LS) approach is employed in the covariance analysis of the total neutron cross section (n,tot) calculated by a microscopic optical potential, CTOM, which is based on a fundamental theory − Dirac Brueckner Hartree Fock. The sensitivity to the CTOM parameters is firstly systematically calculated for 77 stable nuclei in the range 12C–208Pb within neutron energy 5–200 MeV. Then, an equivalent covariance of experimental data (EVexp) is constructed to describe the experimental data uncertainties and the systematic difference between experimental data and CTOM calculation. The variance and covariance of EVexp matrix are both evaluated via the Gaussian analysis to the ratios of measured (n,tot) cross sections and the CTOM calculations. In addition, a technique named “selection of effective points (SEP)” is suggested additionally to reduce the influence of the Peelle's Pertinent Puzzle problem in this work

Evaluated Nuclear Data for Nuclides within the Thorium-Uranium Fuel Cycle

The report descibes the production of improved evaluated nuclear data files to allow more accurate design calculations of innovative fuel cycle concepts involving the thorium-uranium fuel cycle. The nuclides of primary interest for evaluation are: 232Th, 231,232Pa and 232,233,234,236U.JRC.DG.D.5-Nuclear physic

The updated version of the Chinese Evaluated Nuclear Data Library (CENDL-3.1) and China nuclear data evaluation activities

Chinese Evaluated Nuclear Data Library third version (CENDL-3.1) contains the nuclear data evaluated works which were performed during the period of 1995-2005 at China Nuclear Data Center (CNDC) in cooperation with the China Nuclear Data Coordination Network (CNDCN), including the neutron data for about 200 nuclides in ENDF/B-6 format in energy region of 10-5 eV - 20 MeV. For the most important nuclei the comparisons with other nuclear data libraries (ENDF, JENDL, BROND, JEFF...) have been performed, and the benchmark testing for the most important nuclei also have been done. CNDC and CNDCN also have got a lot of progress in the fields of nuclear data theory study, model and code developments, and nuclear database establishment, etc. The status of CENDL-3 and some progress of the nuclear data evaluation studies in the past several years will be introduced in this presentation