Global superconvergence in combinations of Ritz-Galerkin-FEM for singularity problems

AbstractThis paper combines the piecewise bilinear elements with the singular functions to seek the corner singular solution of elliptic boundary value problems. The global superconvergence rates O(h2−δ) can be achieved by means of the techniques of Lin and Yan (The Construction and Analysis of High Efficient FEM, Hobei University Publishing, Hobei, 1996) for different coupling strategies, such as the nonconforming constraints, the penalty integrals, and the penalty plus hybrid integrals, where δ(>0) is an arbitrarily small number, and h is the maximal boundary length of quasiuniform rectangles −qij used. A little effort in computation is paid to conduct a posteriori interpolation of the numerical solutions, uh, only on the subregion used in finite element methods. This paper also explores an equivalence of superconvergence between this paper and Z.C. Li, Internat. J. Numer. Methods Eng. 39 (1996) 1839–1857 and J. Comput. Appl. Math. 81 (1997) 1–17

Are CEOs judged on their companies' social reputation?

How consequential is social reputation for a CEO's career? We find that the CEOs of those firms with greater strengths (controversies) on corporate social responsibilities (CSR) are more (less) likely to serve on external boards, and they hold more (fewer) outside directorships. CEOs lose board seats after the media expose their companies in negative environmental and social news. More nuanced analyses show that workplace diversity and supply-chain human rights are most consequential among the social and environmental dimensions of CSR. Our study demonstrates that CEOs are judged on their companies' social reputation in the director labor market. Our results also suggest that social reputation plays an important role i

Manufacturing cost estimation based on a deep-learning method

In the era of the mass customisation, rapid and accurate estimation of the manufacturing cost of different parts can improve the competitiveness of a product. Owing to the ever-changing functions, complex structure, and unusual complex processing links of the parts, the regression-model cost estimation method has difficulty establishing a complex mapping relationship in manufacturing. As a newly emerging technology, deep-learning methods have the ability to learn complex mapping relationships and high-level data features from a large number of data automatically. In this paper, two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) convolutional neural network (CNN) training images and voxel data methods for a cost estimation of a manufacturing process are proposed. Furthermore, the effects of different voxel resolutions, fine-tuning methods, and data volumes of the training CNN are investigated. It was found that compared to 2D CNN, 3D CNN exhibits excellent performance regarding the regression problem of a cost estimation and achieves a high application value

Autophagy protects against palmitate-induced apoptosis in hepatocytes

BACKGROUND: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, one of the most common liver diseases, has obtained increasing attention. Palmitate (PA)-induced liver injury is considered a risk factor for the development of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Autophagy, a cellular degradative pathway, is an important self-defense mechanism in response to various stresses. In this study, we investigated whether autophagy plays a protective role in the progression of PA-induced hepatocytes injury. RESULTS: Annexin V-FITC/PI staining by FCM analysis, TUNEL assay and the detection of PARP and cleaved caspase3 expression levels demonstrated that PA treatment prominently induced the apoptosis of hepatocytes. Meanwhile, treatment of PA strongly induced the formation of GFP-LC3 dots, the conversion from LC3I to LC3II, the decrease of p62 protein levels and the increase of autophagosomes. These results indicated that PA also induced autophagy activation. Autophagy inhibition through chloroquine pretreatment or Atg5shRNA infection led to the increase of cell apoptosis after PA treatment. Moreover, induction of autophagy by pretreatment with rapamycin resulted in distinct decrease of PA-induced apoptosis. Therefore, autophagy can prevent hepatocytes from PA-induced apoptosis. In the further study, we explored pathway of autophagy activation in PA-treated hepatocytes. We found that PA activated PKCα in hepatocytes, and had no influence on mammalian target of rapamycin and endoplasmic reticulum stress pathways. CONCLUSIONS: These results demonstrated that autophagy plays a protective role in PA-induced hepatocytes apoptosis. And PA might induce autophagy through activating PKCα pathway in hepatocytes

Granitic magma evolution to magmatic-hydrothermal processes vital to the generation of HREEs ion-adsorption deposits: Constraints from zircon texture, U-Pb geochronology, and geochemistry

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Using Rhodamine 123 Accumulation in CD8+ Cells as a Surrogate Indicator to Study the P-Glycoprotein Modulating Effect of Cepharanthine Hydrochloride In Vivo

The purpose of this study was the use of rhodamine 123 (Rho123) accumulation in peripheral blood CD8+cells as a surrogate indicator to evaluate the modulating effect of P-glycoprotein (P-gp) inhibitors in the multidrug resistance (MDR) tumor-bearing mouse model. Rho123 was administered to mice, and the fluorescence level in CD8+ cells was measured. Cepharanthine hydrochloride (CH) and verapamil (VER), two P-gp inhibitors, were administered to mice 1 hour prior to Rho123 administration in vivo or added to peripheral blood 1 hour prior to Rho123 addition ex vivo. The tumor inhibition effect of 5-fluorouracil/adriamycin/cisplatin (FAP) protocol plus CH was also investigated. A concentration- or dose-response relationship was shown between the concentration and dose of CH and Rho123 accumulation or the antitumor activity. In conclusion, the measurement of Rho123 accumulation in CD8+ cells provides a surrogate assay for the screening of candidate P-gp inhibitors in preclinical trials, and CH is effective in modulating P-gp-mediated MDR in vivo

Granitic magma evolution to magmatic-hydrothermal processes vital to the generation of HREEs ion-adsorption deposits: Constraints from zircon texture, U-Pb geochronology, and geochemistry

The key point for further prospecting of heavy rare earth elements (HREE) ion-adsorption deposit is to figure out the granites that could generate HREE ion-adsorption mineralization in weathering processes. In this study, we present a detailed study of zircons from granites associated with Zudong, Dabu, and Xinfeng HREE ion-adsorption deposits in South China. The zircons were studied with regards to their texture, crystallinity, U-Pb dating, and geochemistry. The zircons from these granites all can be subdivided into two types. The type-1 zircons show oscillatory zonation and have Th/U and Zr/Hf mass ratios of 0.4–1.0 and 30–50, respectively. These textural and geochemical features indicate crystallization in a fractionated magma. The type-2 zircons are unzoned, occasionally porous, and have a low crystallinity. They occasionally rim type-1 zircons. The type-2 zircons show significantly higher F, P, Hf, Th, U, and REE contents, but display lower ZrO2 and SiO2 contents and lower Th/U, Zr/Hf, La/Yb ratios than those of the type-1 zircons. These geochemical features are consistent with zircon formation in a volatile-HREE-rich magmatic-hydrothermal transition stage. Under these conditions, the HREEs were also hosted in volatile-rich REE mineral phases including synchysite-(Y), aeschynite-(Y), calcybeborosilite-(Y), and atelisite-(Y), which have been observed in these HREE deposits. These volatile-rich REE mineral phases can easily be dissolved during weathering and release HREE3+ to generate ion-adsorption HREE deposits. Therefore, we conclude that the granitic magma progression to a volatile-HREE-rich magmatic-hydrothermal system is vital for the generation of HREE ion-adsorption deposits. The long-term Mesozoic extension of the South China favors the generation of highly fractionated granites and is thus important for the generation of HREE ion-adsorption deposits. Furthermore, the zircons generated in a volatile-rich environment could be used to determine the HREE ion-adsorption mineralization potential of granites