A study on the failure prediction of composite laminates in bending

Failure prediction for composite materials under given loading conditions is important for efficient design in structural applications. Over the past several decades, there are numerous failure criteria proposed to more accurately predict the failure composite laminates. A lot of research was conducted to evaluate and validate the failure prediction capability for failure criteria. The most failure criteria are studied for in-plane loading conditions. Mechanical behavior of composite laminates varies depending on the loading conditions. Even if failure criterion is accurate under the in-plane loads, it cannot be accurate for out-of-plane loads such as bending. In many industrial structures, composite laminates is under out-of-plane load as well as in-plane loads. For the structural stability of the composite structures, it is important to accurately predict failure of composite laminates under bending. In this study, the failure prediction of composite laminates under bending is investigated. The non-linear finite element analysis using Arc-length method is performed. 2D strain-based interactive failure theory [1] that is more accurately final failure of composite laminate under multi-axial loading is applied to predict the final failure of composite laminates under bending. In order to compare the accuracy of the failure predictions, a 3-point bending test are performed for un-symmetric cross-ply [0/90]8 and quasi-isotropic [0/±45/90]2s composite laminates. Also, it is compared with the other failure criteria such as maximum strain, maximum stress and Tsai-Wu theories. Finally, the predicted results using 2D strain-based interactive failure theory more agree well with the experiment than other failure theories. Acknowledgements This work was supported under the framework of Aerospace Technology Development Program (No. 10074270, Development of Manufacturing Core Technology for 3-Dimnesional Woven Integrated Composite Wing Structure of 5,000 Pound VLJ Aircraft) funded by the Ministry of Trade, Industry & Energy (MOTIE, Korea) This work was supported by the New & Renewable Energy Core Technology Program of the Korea Institute of Energy Technology Evaluation and Planning (KETEP) granted financial resource from the Ministry of Trade, Industry & Energy, Republic of Korea. (No. 20143030021130) References [1] S. Y. Lee and J. H. Roh, “Two-dimensional strain-based interactive failure theory for multidirectional composite laminates,” Composite Part B: Engineering, vol. 69, pp.69-75, 2015

(Un)willingness to communicate in English among Korean study abroad students in the Philippines

Internationalization has prompted schools to send out students in study-abroad programs. Many inbound international students come to the Philippines often to learn the English language at lower tuition costs, lower costs of living, and well-trained teachers. Among Koreans, many feel strongly motivated to learn English, yet many remain unwilling to communicate in real-life situations. The researchers explore the notion of (un)willingness to communicate among ten Korean EFL learners in study abroad programs in Manila. Findings from an indepth focus group discussion support previous studies within the Korean social context, in that the participants generally exhibit unwilling-to-communicate tendencies. Three themes that explain this phenomenon were identified: communicative situation’s level of formality, learners’ intercultural sensitivity, and their subject matter anxiety. Both level of formality and subject matter anxiety support willingness to communicate (WTC) as a situationally-dependent construct. However, intercultural sensitivity seemed to be a mixture of intercultural complex (IC) and L1 audience sensitivity (L1AS) previously found among learners within the Korean school system. It could then be that, as a factor of WTC in a study abroad context, intercultural sensitivity involves a knowledge of ‘Non-Korean world’, i.e., the Filipino language learning context, and an intense awareness of the inequalities perceived between Koreans and their Non-Korean audience. Results may assist communication coaches, international programs staff, and language teachers in minimizing the ‘generalized baggage’ that Korean learners carry around and bring with them when communicating in a foreign language

Evaluation of the efficacy of ivermectin against Theileria orientalis infection in grazing cattle

Background Raising cattle on pastures is known to be beneficial for animal welfare and cost reduction. However, grazing is associated with the risk of contracting tick-borne diseases, such as theileriosis. Here, the efficacy of ivermectin against these diseases and associated clinical symptoms were evaluated. Results A total of 68 cattle from a grazing cattle farm were selected and divided into two groups: the control group (17 cattle) with no preventive treatment and the ivermectin-treated group (51 cattle) in which cattle were treated with pour-on ivermectin prior to grazing. The infection rates of Theileria orientalis and the red blood cell (RBC) profile (e.g., RBC count, hematocrit value, and hemoglobin concentration) were compared in the spring (before grazing) and summer (during grazing) between the two groups. Based on PCR amplification of the major piroplasm surface protein (MPSP) gene, 12 cattle were positive for T. orientalis infection. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that the isolates identified in this study consisted of three MPSP types (1, 2, and 7). The T. orientalis infection rate in the control group during grazing was 3-fold higher than that in the ivermectin-treated group. Moreover, differences in RBC parameters during grazing were greater in the control group than in the ivermectin-treated group. In particular, the hematocrit value was significantly reduced in the control group. Conclusions The results of this study demonstrated that ivermectin had protective effects against T. orientalis infection and RBC hemolysis in grazing cattle.This work was supported by the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Korea and the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF2017R1A2B2005685). This research was partially supported by Technology Development Program (Project No. 1116043–1) for Bio-industry, Ministry for Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, Republic of Korea. The funders had no role in the study design, data collection and analysis, interpretation of results, writing of the report, decision to submit the paper for publication

Meridianin C inhibits the growth of YD-10B human tongue cancer cells through macropinocytosis and the down-regulation of Dickkopf-related protein-3

Meridianin C is a marine natural product known for its anti‐cancer activity. At present, the anti‐tumour effects of meridianin C on oral squamous cell carcinoma are unknown. Here, we investigated the effect of meridianin C on the proliferation of four different human tongue cancer cells, YD‐8, YD‐10B, YD‐38 and HSC‐3. Among the cells tested, meridianin C most strongly reduced the growth of YD‐10B cells; the most aggressive and tumorigenic of the cell lines tested. Strikingly, meridianin C induced a significant accumulation of macropinosomes in the YD‐10B cells; confirmed by the microscopic and TEM analysis as well as the entry of FITC‐dextran, which was sensitive to the macropinocytosis inhibitor amiloride. SEM data also revealed abundant long and thin membrane extensions that resemble lamellipodia on the surface of YD‐10B cells treated with meridianin C, pointing out that meridianin C‐induced macropinosomes was the result of macropinocytosis. In addition, meridianin C reduced cellular levels of Dickkopf‐related protein‐3 (DKK‐3), a known negative regulator of macropinocytosis. A role for DKK‐3 in regulating macropinocytosis in the YD‐10B cells was confirmed by siRNA knockdown of endogenous DKK‐3, which led to a partial accumulation of vacuoles and a reduction in cell proliferation, and by exogenous DKK‐3 overexpression, which resulted in a considerable inhibition of the meridianin C‐induced vacuole formation and decrease in cell survival. In summary, this is the first study reporting meridianin C has novel anti‐proliferative effects via macropinocytosis in the highly tumorigenic YD‐10B cell line and the effects are mediated in part through down‐regulation of DKK‐3

The Relationship Between Coronary Artery Calcification and Bone Mineral Density in Patients According to Their Metabolic Syndrome Status

Background and Objectives: The extent of coronary artery calcification (CAC) is closely related to total atherosclerotic plaque burden. However, the pathogenesis of CAC is still unclear. Conditions such as diabetes mellitus, renal failure, smoking, and chronic inflammation have been suggested to link vascular calcification and bone loss. In the present study, we hypothesized that bone loss can contribute to the pathogenesis of CAC in patients with the chronic inflammatory condition that accompanies metabolic syndrome (MetS). The objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between CAC and bone mineral density (BMD) in patients with MetS and in patients without MetS, by using coronary multidetector-row computed tomography (MDCT). Subjects and Methods: Data from 395 consecutive patients was analyzed retrospectively. From the MDCT database, only those patients who underwent both coronary MDCT and dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry within an interval of one month, were selected. The presence of MetS was determined by the updated criteria as defined by the Third Adult Treatment Panel Report of the National Cholesterol Education Program. Results: In patients with MetS, a significant correlation was found between CAC and age {odds ratio (OR)=1.139, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.080 to 1.201, p<0.001}, CAC and male sex (OR=3.762, 95% CI 1.339 to 10.569, p=0.012), and CAC and T-score of L-spine (OR=0.740, 95% CI 0.550 to 0.996, p=0.047) using a forward multiple logistic regression analysis model including clinical variables of gender, age, lipid profile, body mass index, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, smoking, and BMD. But in patients without MetS, BMD by itself was not found to contribute to CAC. Conclusion: BMD was inversely correlated with CAC only in patients with MetS. This finding suggests that low BMD accompanied by MetS, may have significant clinical implications

Non-Dipper Pattern is a Determinant of the Inappropriateness of Left Ventricular Mass in Essential Hypertensive Patients

Background and Objectives: Inappropriately high left ventricular mass (iLVM) is known to be related to cardiovascular prognosis. A non-dipper pattern has a greater mean left ventricular (LV) mass than the dipper pattern in hypertensive patients. However, the appropriateness of LV mass in dipper or non-dipper patterns has not been adequately investigated. The aim of this study was to define the relationship between nocturnal dipping and the appropriateness of LV mass. Subjects and Methods: Using the ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) database, the data of 361 patients who underwent ABPM and echocardiography was analyzed retrospectively. Appropriateness of LV mass was calculated as observed/predicted ratio of LV mass (OPR) using a Korean-specified equation. Nocturnal dipping was expressed as percent fall in systolic blood pressure (BP) during the night compared to the day. Results: Daytime, nighttime and 24 hours BP in hypertensive patients was 140.4 +/- 14.8 mmHg, 143.7 +/- 15.2 mmHg and 129.4 +/- 20.0 mmHg, respectively. OPR was 106.3 +/- 19.9% and nocturnal dipping was 10.2 +/- 10.9 mmHg. In a multiple linear regression model, 24 hours systolic BP (beta=0.097, p=0.043) and nocturnal dipping (beta=-0.098, p=0.046) were independent determinants of OPR as well as age (beta=0.130, p=0.025) and body mass inde

The Relationship Between Ambulatory Arterial Stiffness Index and Blood Pressure Variability in Hypertensive Patients

Background and Objectives: Ambulatory arterial stiffness index (AASI) is well known as a predictor of cardiovascular mortality in hypertensive patients. Mathematically, AASI reflect the standard deviation (SD) of blood pressure (BP) variation. AASI is measured higher levels in non-dipper than dipper. Thus, AASI has a possibility of not only reflecting arterial stiffness but also BP variability and/or autonomic nervous dysfunction. Subjects and Methods: Consecutive data from 418 untreated hypertensive patients were analyzed retrospectively. We examined the association between the 24-hour ambulatory BP monitoring (ABPM) parameters and AASI. Results: AASI had a simple correlation with age (R=0.189, p<0.001), relative wall thickness (RWT) (R=0.115, p=0.019), left ventricular mass index (LVMI) (R=0.192, p<0.001), average systolic BP (SBP) (R=0.232, p<0.001), average pulse pressure (PP) (R=0.363, p<0.001), SD of diastolic BP (DBP) (R=-0.352,p<0.001), SD of PP (R=0.330, p<0.001), SD of heart rate (HR) (R=-0.268, p<0.001), and nocturnal dipping (R=-0.137, p=0.005). In multiple linear regression analysis model including clinical parameters and 24 hour-ABPM parameters, independent predictors of AASI were SD of PP (beta=1.246, p<0.001), SD of DBP (beta=-1.067, p<0.001), SD of SBP (beta=-0.197, p<0.001), and non-dipper (beta=0.054, p=0.033). Conclusion: AASI is closely correlated with BP variability. The result of this study shows that AASI is not only a parameter for arterial stiffness, but also a parameter for BP variability

Identification of MYC as an antinecroptotic protein that stifles RIPK1-RIPK3 complex formation

The underlying mechanism of necroptosis in relation to cancer is still unclear. Here, MYC, a potent oncogene, is an antinecroptotic factor that directly suppresses the formation of the RIPK1-RIPK3 complex. Gene set enrichment analyses reveal that the MYC pathway is the most prominently down-regulated signaling pathway during necroptosis. Depletion or deletion of MYC promotes the RIPK1-RIPK3 interaction, thereby stabilizing the RIPK1 and RIPK3 proteins and facilitating necroptosis. Interestingly, MYC binds to RIPK3 in the cytoplasm and inhibits the interaction between RIPK1 and RIPK3 in vitro. Furthermore, MYC-nick, a truncated form that is mainly localized in the cytoplasm, prevented TNF-induced necroptosis. Finally, down-regulation of MYC enhances necroptosis in leukemia cells and suppresses tumor growth in a xenograft model upon treatment with birinapant and emricasan. MYC-mediated suppression of necroptosis is a mechanism of necroptosis resistance in cancer, and approaches targeting MYC to induce necroptosis represent an attractive therapeutic strategy for cancer

Transcriptional regulatory networks of tumor-associated macrophages that drive malignancy in mesenchymal glioblastoma.

BACKGROUND: Glioblastoma (GBM) is a complex disease with extensive molecular and transcriptional heterogeneity. GBM can be subcategorized into four distinct subtypes; tumors that shift towards the mesenchymal phenotype upon recurrence are generally associated with treatment resistance, unfavorable prognosis, and the infiltration of pro-tumorigenic macrophages. RESULTS: We explore the transcriptional regulatory networks of mesenchymal-associated tumor-associated macrophages (MA-TAMs), which drive the malignant phenotypic state of GBM, and identify macrophage receptor with collagenous structure (MARCO) as the most highly differentially expressed gene. MARCO CONCLUSIONS: Collectively, our study characterizes the global transcriptional profile of TAMs driving mesenchymal GBM pathogenesis, providing potential therapeutic targets for improving the effectiveness of GBM immunotherapy