基于有限元模拟的超声应力系数标定及分析*

应力系数的标定作为超声应力检测最为关键的环节,直接决定应力检测结果的准确性。传统的应力系数试验标定对于被测物的表面粗糙度、耦合剂厚度、声匹配块与被测物接触力等因素十分敏感,但缺少基本参照值。基于COMSOL建立多物理场耦合的超声应力检测模型,施加不同的拉伸载荷,计算临界折射纵波到达时间与不同应力值之间的关系,模拟标定45#钢的超声应力系数为13.7MPa/ns。单轴水平拉伸试验标定的45#钢应力系数为16.5MPa/ns。结果表明,通过两种方法标定的应力系数较为接近,试验标定的应力系数偏大,这是由于有限元方法能够消除试验过程中各种不确定因素对声时精确测量所造成的影响,能够更加纯粹的反映材料的声弹性效应,因此具有作为基础数据的参考价值。有限元方法作为传统试验方法的补充,可以减小试验标定数据的离散性,提高超声应力检测结果的可信度。     

Conditions to Control Furan Ring Opening during Furfuryl Alcohol Polymerization

The chemistry of biomass-derived furans is particularly sensitive to ring openings. These side reactions occur during furfuryl alcohol polymerization. In this work, the furan ring-opening was controlled by changing polymerization conditions, such as varying the type of acidic initiator or the water content. The degree of open structures (DOS) was determined by quantifying the formed carbonyl species by means of quantitative ¹⁹F NMR and potentiometric titration. The progress of polymerization and ring opening were monitored by DSC and FT-IR spectroscopy. The presence of additional water is more determining on ring opening than the nature of the acidic initiator. Qualitative structural assessment by means of ¹³C NMR and FT-IR shows that, depending on the employed conditions, poly(furfuryl alcohol) samples can be classified in two groups. Indeed, either more ester or more ketone side groups are formed as a result of side ring opening reactions. The absence of additional water during FA polymerization preferentially leads to opened structures in the PFA bearing more ester moieties.     

Acid–Base Equilibrium and Self-Association in Relation to High Antitumor Activity of Selected Unsymmetrical Bisacridines Established by Extensive Chemometric Analysis

Unsymmetrical bisacridines (UAs) represent a novel class of anticancer agents previously synthesized by our group. Our recent studies have demonstrated their high antitumor potential against multiple cancer cell lines and human tumor xenografts in nude mice. At the cellular level, these compounds affected 3D cancer spheroid growth and their cellular uptake was selectively modulated by quantum dots. UAs were shown to undergo metabolic transformations in vitro and in tumor cells. However, the physicochemical properties of UAs, which could possibly affect their interactions with molecular targets, remain unknown. Therefore, we selected four highly active UAs for the assessment of physicochemical parameters under various pH conditions. We determined the compounds’ pK_a dissociation constants as well as their potential to self-associate. Both parameters were determined by detailed and complex chemometric analysis of UV-Vis spectra supported by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. The obtained results indicate that general molecular properties of UAs in aqueous media, including their protonation state, self-association ratio, and solubility, are strongly pH-dependent, particularly in the physiological pH range of 6 to 8. In conclusion, we describe the detailed physicochemical characteristics of UAs, which might contribute to their selectivity towards tumour cells as opposed to their effect on normal cells.     

Phosphorylation of ERK-Dependent NF-κB Triggers NLRP3 Inflammasome Mediated by Vimentin in EV71-Infected Glioblastoma Cells

Enterovirus 71 (EV71) is a dominant pathogenic agent that may cause severe central nervous system (CNS) diseases among infants and young children in the Asia-pacific. The inflammasome is closely implicated in EV71-induced CNS injuries through a series of signaling pathways. However, the activation pathway of NLRP3 inflammasome involved in EV71-mediated CNS injuries remains poorly defined. In the studies, EV71 infection, ERK1/2 phosphorylation, and activation of NLRP3 are abolished in glioblastoma cells with low vimentin expression by CRISPR/Cas9-mediated knockdown. PD098059, an inhibitor of p-ERK, remarkably blocks the vimentin-mediated ERK1/2 phosphorylation in EV71-infected cells. Nuclear translocation of NF-κB p65 is dependent on p-ERK in a time-dependent manner. Moreover, NLRP3 activation and caspase-1 production are limited in EV71-infected cells upon the caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE) administration, an inhibitor of NF-κB, which contributes to the inflammasome regulation. In conclusion, these results suggest that EV71-mediated NLRP3 inflammasome could be activated via the VIM-ERK-NF-κB pathway, and the treatment of the dephosphorylation of ERK and NF-κB inhibitors is beneficial to host defense in EV71-infected CNS.     

Role of Natural Compounds and Target Enzymes in the Treatment of Alzheimer’s Disease

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a progressive neurological condition. The rising prevalence of AD necessitates the rapid development of efficient therapy options. Despite substantial study, only a few medications are capable of delaying the disease. Several substances with pharmacological activity, derived from plants, have been shown to have positive benefits for the treatment of AD by targeting various enzymes, such as acetylcholinesterase (AChE), butyrylcholinesterase (BuChE), β-secretase, γ-secretase, and monoamine oxidases (MAOs), which are discussed as potential targets. Medicinal plants have already contributed a number of lead molecules to medicine development, with many of them currently undergoing clinical trials. A variety of medicinal plants have been shown to diminish the degenerative symptoms associated with AD, either in their raw form or as isolated compounds. The aim of this review was to provide a brief summary of AD and its current therapies, followed by a discussion of the natural compounds examined as therapeutic agents and the processes underlying the positive effects, particularly the management of AD.     

桑蚕种良卵率调查中样本间卵粒数的偏差控制方法

桑蚕种良卵率是蚕种质量检验的重要指标,控制样本间卵粒数的偏差是保证良卵率准确性的关键。通过对桑蚕卵粒重的调查分析,得出其分布服从正态分布。若从一批蚕种中抽取1g卵作为样本,则来自同一总体的2个样本的卵粒数之差不超过16粒,其置信概率为95%;当置信概率取99%时,两个样本的卵粒数之差不超过21粒。文章为蚕业生产提供了一种实用的克卵粒数偏差控制方法。     

晶面指数必互质

通过平面方程证明了晶面指数必无公因子.     

旋光晶体的寻常折射率与左旋光和右旋光折射率的关系

由光的波动方程证明,若介质为旋光物质,则其极化率张量χ一定有非对角对称的共轭虚元素,并导出了旋光晶体的寻常折射率no与左旋光折射率nL和右旋光折射率nR之间的关系.将理论分析结果与实验数据相对照,结果完全吻合.     

Effect of Poly(methacrylic acid) on the Cytokine Level in an In Vivo Tumor Model

Cancer is a leading cause of mortality globally. Despite remarkable improvements in cancer-treatment approaches, disease recurrence and progression remain major obstacles to therapy. While chemotherapy is still a first-line treatment for a variety of cancers, the focus has shifted to the development and application of new approaches to therapy. Nevertheless, the relationship between immune response, neoplastic diseases and treatment efficiency is not fully understood. Therefore, the aim of the study was to investigate the immunopharmacological effects of methacrylic acid homopolymer in an in vivo tumor model. Materials and methods: Monomeric methacrylic acid was used to synthesize polymers. Methacrylic acid was polymerized in dioxane in the presence of 4-Cyano-4-[(dodecylsulfanylthiocarbonyl)sulfanyl]pentanoic acid. To study the molecular weight characteristics of PMAA by GPC, carboxyl groups were preliminarily methylated with diazomethane. An experimental cancer model was obtained by grafting RMK1 breast cancer cells. The serum levels of IL-6, IL-10, IL-17, transforming growth factor β1 (TGF-β1), and tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) were measured by ELISA. Results: The effect of PMAA on the serum concentrations of several cytokines was studied upon its single administration to laboratory animals in early neoplastic process. The IL-6, IL-17 and TGF-β1 concentrations were found to change significantly and reach the level observed in intact rats. The IL-10 concentration tended to normalize. Conclusion: The positive results obtained are the basis for further studies on the effect of methacrylic-acid polymers with different molecular-weight characteristics on the neoplastic process.     

An Encryption Algorithm for Region of Interest in Medical DICOM Based on One-Dimensional eλ-cos-cot Map

Today, with the rapid development of the Internet, improving image security becomes more and more important. To improve image encryption efficiency, a novel region of interest (ROI) encryption algorithm based on a chaotic system was proposed. First, a new 1D eλ-cos-cot (1D-ECC) with better chaotic performance than the traditional chaotic system is proposed. Second, the chaotic system is used to generate a plaintext-relate keystream based on the label information of a medical image DICOM (Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine) file, the medical image is segmented using an adaptive threshold, and the segmented region of interest is encrypted. The encryption process is divided into two stages: scrambling and diffusion. In the scrambling stage, helical scanning and index scrambling are combined to scramble. In the diffusion stage, two-dimensional bi-directional diffusion is adopted, that is, the image is bi-directionally diffused row by column to make image security better. The algorithm offers good encryption speed and security performance, according to simulation results and security analysis.