Mechanical Morphological And Rheological Properties Of Polyamide 6 Organo-Montmorillonite Nanocomposites.

Polyamide (PA6) nanocomposites containing 4 wt% organo-montmorillonite (OMMT) were melt-compounded followed by injection molding

Higher-order Petri net models based on artificial neural networks

AbstractIn this paper, the properties of higher-order neural networks are exploited in a new class of Petri nets, called higher-order Petri nets (HOPN). Using the similarities between neural networks and Petri nets this paper demonstrates how the McCullock-Pitts models and the higher-order neural networks can be represented by Petri nets. A 5-tuple HOPN is defined, a theorem on the relationship between the potential firability of the goal transition and the T-invariant (HOPN) is proved and discussed. The proposed HOPN can be applied to the polynomial clause subset of first-order predicate logic. A five-clause polynomial logic program example is also included to illustrate the theoretical results

Least third-order cumulant method with adaptive regularization parameter selection for neural networks

AbstractThis paper introduces an interesting property of the least third-order cumulant objective function. The property is that the solution is optimal when the gradients of Mean Squares error and third-order cumulant error are zero vectors. The optimal solutions are independent of the value of regularization parameter λ. Also, an adaptive regularization parameter selection method is derived to control the convergences of Mean Squares error and the cumulant error terms. The proposed selection method is able to tunnel through the sub-optimal solutions, of which the locations are controllable, via changing the value of the regularization parameter. Consequently, the least third-order cumulant method with the adaptive regularization parameter selection method is theoretically capable of estimating an optimal solution when it is applied to regression problems

Circulating Levels of Adipocyte and Epidermal Fatty Acid–Binding Proteins in Relation to Nephropathy Staging and Macrovascular Complications in Type 2 Diabetic Patients

OBJECTIVE—To investigate the relationships of serum adipocyte fatty acid–binding protein (A-FABP) and epidermal fatty acid–binding protein (E-FABP) with renal dysfunction and macrovascular complications in type 2 diabetic patients

Ionization degree of the electron-hole plasma in semiconductor quantum wells

The degree of ionization of a nondegenerate two-dimensional electron-hole plasma is calculated using the modified law of mass action, which takes into account all bound and unbound states in a screened Coulomb potential. Application of the variable phase method to this potential allows us to treat scattering and bound states on the same footing. Inclusion of the scattering states leads to a strong deviation from the standard law of mass action. A qualitative difference between mid- and wide-gap semiconductors is demonstrated. For wide-gap semiconductors at room temperature, when the bare exciton binding energy is of the order of T, the equilibrium consists of an almost equal mixture of correlated electron-hole pairs and uncorrelated free carriers.Comment: 22 pages, 6 figure

A bispecific chimeric antigen receptor molecule enhances T cell activation through dual immunological synapse formation and offsets antigen escape in glioblastoma

Background Antigen escape tumor cell variants prevail in tumors recurring after treatment with chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells with a single specificity. Recurrent tumors preserve alternative non-targeted tumor associated antigens. Hypothesis A bispecific CAR will mitigate antigen escape enhancing the antitumor activity of T cells. Methods and results HER2 and IL13Rα2 are currently targeted in Phase I glioblastoma (GBM) trials using CAR T cells. We created a bispecific CAR molecule with a HER2-specific scFv joined in tandem to an IL13Rα2-binding moiety in the CAR exodomain (Tandem CAR) and a CD28.ζ signaling endodomain. We used computational modeling to interrogate this design. GBM patients' Tandem CAR T cells showed distinct binding to soluble HER2 and IL13Rα2 and killed primary autologous GBM cells. Three-dimensional reconstitution and quantification of confocal images of the Tandem CAR T cell/tumor interface revealed enhanced bifunctional immunological synapses compared to conventional CARs. Further, Tandem CAR T cells exhibited significantly enhanced inexhaustible activation dynamics when compared to conventional HER2 or IL13Rα2 CAR T cells and better controlled established GBM in an orthotopic murine model by offsetting both HER2 and IL13Rα2 escape. Conclusion Tandem chimeric antigen receptors enhance T cell activation and mitigate antigen escape through bifunctional immunological synapse formation in GBM

Knowledge Sharing Idiosyncrasies of University Students in Ghana

Part 6: Decision Making and Knowledge ManagementInternational audienceThis study explored the factors affecting knowledge sharing behaviour of students in a higher institution of learning. Using a model derived from the Social Cognitive Theory and the Theory of Reason Action, six hypotheses were tested from a cross-sectional data collected from 371 undergraduate students on a 4-year degree programme in the University of Ghana. Five out of the six hypotheses were supported. The results showed that the knowledge sharing behaviour (KSB) of the students was significantly related to five of the human and environmental factors (F=639.9, df=5, 290, p<0.05) with a co-efficient of variation of R2=0.917 (91.7%). The knowledge sharing behavior of the students was, however, not significantly dependent on their personal characteristics. The study makes a case for increased attention in understanding the human and environmental factors of knowledge sharing since knowledge sharing is largely a people activity shaped by culture

Cost calculation and prediction in adult intensive care: A ground-up utilization study

Publisher's copy made available with the permission of the publisherThe ability of various proxy cost measures, including therapeutic activity scores (TISS and Omega) and cumulative daily severity of illness scores, to predict individual ICU patient costs was assessed in a prospective “ground-up” utilization costing study over a six month period in 1991. Daily activity (TISS and Omega scores) and utilization in consecutive admissions to three adult university associated ICUs was recorded by dedicated data collectors. Cost prediction used linear regression with determination (80%) and validation (20%) data sets. The cohort, 1333 patients, had a mean (SD) age 57.5 (19.4) years, (41% female) and admission APACHE III score of 58 (27). ICU length of stay and mortality were 3.9 (6.1) days and 17.6% respectively. Mean total TISS and Omega scores were 117 (157) and 72 (113) respectively. Mean patient costs per ICU episode (1991 $AUS) were$6801 ($10311), with median costs of$2534, range $106 to$95,602. Dominant cost fractions were nursing 43.3% and overheads 16.9%. Inflation adjusted year 2002 (mean) costs were $9343 ($ AUS). Total costs in survivors were predicted by Omega score, summed APACHE III score and ICU length of stay; determination R2, 0.91; validation 0.88. Omega was the preferred activity score. Without the Omega score, predictors were age, summed APACHE III score and ICU length of stay; determination R2, 0.73; validation 0.73. In non-survivors, predictors were age and ICU length of stay (plus interaction), and Omega score (determination R2, 0.97; validation 0.91). Patient costs may be predicted by a combination of ICU activity indices and severity scores.J. L. Moran, A. R. Peisach, P. J. Solomon, J. Martinhttp://www.aaic.net.au/Article.asp?D=200403

Multi-response analysis in the material characterisation of electrospun poly (lactic acid)/halloysite nanotube composite fibres based on Taguchi design of experiments: fibre diameter, non-intercalation and nucleation effects

Poly (lactic acid) (PLA)/halloysite nanotube (HNT) composite fibres were prepared by using a simple and versatile electrospinning technique. The systematic approach via Taguchi design of experiments (DoE) was implemented to investigate factorial effects of applied voltage, feed rate of solution, collector distance and HNT concentration on the fibre diameter, HNT non-intercalation and nucleation effects. The HNT intercalation level, composite fibre morphology, their associated fibre diameter and thermal properties were evaluated by means of X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), imaging analysis and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), respectively. HNT non-intercalation phenomenon appears to be manifested as reflected by the minimal shift of XRD peaks for all electrospun PLA/HNT composite fibres. The smaller-fibre-diameter characteristic was found to be sequentially associated with the feed rate of solution, collector distance and applied voltage. The glass transition temperature (T g) and melting temperature (T m) are not highly affected by varying the material and electrospinning parameters. However, as the indicator of the nucleation effect, the crystallisation temperature (T c) of PLA/HNT composite fibres is predominantly impacted by HNT concentration and applied voltage. It is evident that HNT’s nucleating agent role is confirmed when embedded with HNTs to accelerate the cold crystallisation of composite fibres. Taguchi DoE method has been found to be an effective approach to statistically optimise critical parameters used in electrospinning in order to effectively tailor the resulting physical features and thermal properties of PLA/HNT composite fibres

Age- and sex-specific physical fitness reference and association with body mass index in Hong Kong Chinese schoolchildren

There is lacking a population-based study on the fitness level of Hong Kong schoolchildren, and it seems that increasing childhood obesity prevalence has shifted the classification of healthy fitness, with ‘underfit’ as normal. This cross-sectional territory study aimed to develop an age- and sex-specific physical fitness reference using a representative sample of children aged 6–17 and to determine the associations with body mass index in schoolchildren. The study analyzed Hong Kong School Physical Fitness Award Scheme data covering grade 1 to grade 12 students’ physical fitness and anthropometric measurements from 2017 to 2018. This reference was established without the impact due to COVID-19. Four aspects of physical fitness tests were measured using a standardized protocol, including (i) upper limb muscle strength, (ii) one-minute sit-up, (iii) sit-and-reach, and (iv) endurance run tests. The generalized additive model for location, scale, and shape was used to construct the reference charts. A Mann–Whitney U test was used to compare the mean differences in age, weight, and height, and a Pearson’s chi-square test was used to examine the distributions of sex groups. A Kruskal–Wallis test was used to compare the group differences in BMI status, followed by the Dunn test for pairwise comparisons. A 5% level of significance was regarded as statistically significant. Data of 119,693 students before the COVID-19 pandemic were included in the analysis. The association between physical fitness level and BMI status varied depending on the test used, and there were significant differences in fitness test scores among BMI groups. The mean test scores of the obese group were lower in most of the tests for both boys and girls, except for handgrip strength. The underweight group outperformed the obese group in push-ups, one-minute sit-ups, and endurance run tests, but not in handgrip strength. In conclusion, a sex- and age-specific physical fitness reference value for Hong Kong Chinese children aged 6 to 17 years old is established, and this study demonstrated a nonlinear relationship between BMI status and physical fitness. The reference will help to identify children with poor physical fitness to offer support and guidance on exercise training. It also serves as a baseline for assessing the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Hong Kong students’ physical fitness