• Computers and Concrete
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• v.8 no.5
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• pp.563-581
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• 2011

The signal-based acoustic emission (AE) characterization of concrete fracture process utilizing home-programmed AE monitoring system was performed for three kinds of static loading tests (Cubic-splitting, Direct-shear and Pull-out). Each test was carried out to induce a distinct fracture mode of concrete. Apart from monitoring and recording the corresponding fracture process of concrete, various methods were utilized to distinguish the characteristics of detected AE waveform to interpret the information of fracture behavior of AE sources (i.e. micro-cracks of concrete). Further, more signal-based characters of AE in different stages were analyzed and compared in this study. This research focused on the relationship between AE signal characteristics and fracture processes of concrete. Thereafter, the mode of concrete fracture could be represented in terms of AE signal characteristics. By using cement-based piezoelectric composite sensors, the AE signals could be detected and collected with better sensitivity and minimized waveform distortion, which made the characterization of AE during concrete fracture process feasible. The continuous wavelet analysis technique was employed to analyze the wave-front of AE and figure out the frequency region of the P-wave & S-wave. Defined RA (rising amplitude), AF (average frequency) and P-wave & S-wave importance index were also introduced to study the characters of AE from concrete fracture. It was found that the characters of AE signals detected during monitoring could be used as an indication of the cracking behavior of concrete.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.15 no.5
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• pp.529-540
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• 2018

The influences of initial damage paths and aftershock (AS) spectral shape on the assessment of AS collapse fragility are investigated. To do this, a four-story ductile reinforced concrete (RC) frame structure is employed as the study case. The far-field earthquake records recommended by FEMA P695 are used as AS ground motions. The AS incremental dynamic analyses are performed for the damaged structure. To examine the effect of initial damage paths, a total of six kinds of initial damage paths are adopted to simulate different initial damage states of the structure by pushover analysis and dynamic analysis. For the pushover-based initial damage paths, the structure is "pushed" using either uniform or triangle lateral load pattern to a specified damage state quantified by the maximum inter-story drift ratio. Among the dynamic initial damage paths, one single mainshock ground motion or a suite of mainshock ground motions are used in the incremental dynamic analyses to generate a specified initial damage state to the structure. The results show that the structure collapse capacity is reduced as the increase of initial damage, and the initial damage paths show a significant effect on the calculated collapse capacities of the damaged structure (especially at severe damage states). To account for the effect of AS spectral shape, the AS collapse fragility can be adjusted at different target values of ${\varepsilon}$ by using the linear correlation model between the collapse capacity (in term of spectral intensity) and the AS ${\varepsilon}$ values, and coefficients of this linear model is found to be associated with the initial damage states.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.181-189
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• 2008

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of $Ca^{2+}$, $HCO_3{^-}$ and BSA on the in vitro capacitation-associated protein tyrosine phosphorylation, hyperactivation and acrosome reaction in guinea pig sperm. Caudal epididymal sperm were incubated in four different groups: modified TALP (Tyrode's albumin lactate pyruvate) or TALP without one of the medium constituents ($Ca^{2+}$, $HCO_3{^-}$ and BSA). After incubation for the required time (0 h, 0.5 h, 1 h, 3 h, 5 h, and 7 h), sperm were removed for further experiment. The capacitation effect was assessed by CTC (Chlortetracycline) staining. Western blotting and indirect immunofluorescence were used to analyze the level and localization of tyrosine phosphorylation. The results showed that guinea pig sperm underwent a time-dependent increase in protein tyrosine phosphorylation during the in vitro capacitation and the percentage of protein tyrosine phosphorylated sperm increased from 36% to 92% from the beginning of incubation to 7 h incubation. Also, there was a shift in the site of phosphotyrosine-specific fluorescence from the head of sperm to both the head and the flagellum. Moreover, an absence of $Ca^{2+}$ or $HCO_3{^-}$ inhibited in vitro hyperactivation and acrosome reaction and decreased the phosphorylation of the proteins throughout the period of in vitro capacitation. However, an absence of BSA could not influence these processes if substituted by polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) in the medium.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.24 no.5
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• pp.67-88
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• 2007

Objectives : To present proper protocol as global standard- clinical study about acupuncture treatment, and to demonstrate effectiveness of Sa-am Acupuncture treatment for obesity. Methods : We randomly allocated participants to treatment group 1 and 2. The group 1 is treated by real acupuncture and the group 2 is treated by Kim Sham Acupuncture. We treated Bi-jang seung-gyeok (脾臟勝格) ; Daedon(LR1), EunBaek(SP1) Gyoung-geo(LU8) Sang-gu(SP5), to both group. Primary outcomes were measured by the Body Composition Analysis(Inbody. Korea). Secondary outcomes were measured by Blood Cholesterol, Triglyceride, HDL, LDL Cholesterol. Results : After treatment, the group 1 shown significant weight loss that analysed by Kruskal-Wallis certification, but didn't show notable change in body fat, total cholesterol, triglyceride, HDL cholesterol, LDL cholesterol. Group 2 didn't show significant change in body weight, body fat, triglyceride, HDL cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, but total cholesterol was notably decreased. Controled group was not changed in body weight, body fat. Aftter treatment, 3 groups didn't show significant change in body weight, body fat, triglyceride, HDL cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, total cholesterol.

• BMB Reports
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• v.40 no.3
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• pp.358-367
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• 2007

A novel mannose-binding tuber lectin with in vitro antiproliferative activity towards human cancer cell lines and antiviral activity against HSV-II was isolated from fresh tubers of a traditional Chinese medicinal herb, Typhonium divaricatum (L.) Decne by a combined procedure involving extraction, ammonium sulfate precipitation, ion exchange chromatography on DEAE-SEPHAROSE, CM-SEPHAROSE and gel-filtration on sephacryl S-200. The apparent molecular mass of the purified Typhonium divaricatum lectin (TDL) was 48 kDa. TDL exhibits hemagglutinating activity toward rabbit erythrocytes at 0.95 $\mu$g/ml, and its activity could be strongly inhibited by mannan, ovomucoid, asialofetuin and thyroglobulin. TDL showed antiproliferative activity towards some well established human cancer cell lines, e.g. Pro-01 (56.7 $\pm$ 6.8), Bre-04 (41.5 $\pm$ 4.8), and Lu-04 (11.4 $\pm$ 0.3). The anti-HSV-II activity of TDL was elucidated by testing its HSV-II infection inhibitory activity in Vero cells with $TC_50$ and $EC_50$ of 5.176 mg/ml and 3.054 $\mu$g/ml respectively. The full-length cDNA sequence of TDL was 1145 bp and contained an 813-bp open reading frame (ORF) encoding a 271 amino acid precursor of 29-kDa. Homology analysis showed that TDL had high homology with many other mannose-binding lectins. Secondary and three-dimensional structures analyses showed that TDL is heterotetramer and similar with lectins from mannose-binding lectin superfamily, especially those from family Araceae.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.8 no.5
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• pp.501-524
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• 2011

Recent studies have discovered that a conventional passive isolation system may suffer from an excessive isolator displacement when subjected to a near-fault earthquake that usually has a long-period velocity pulse waveform. Semi-active isolation using variable friction dampers (VFD), which requires a suitable control law, may provide a solution to this problem. To control the VFD in a semi-active isolation system more efficiently, this paper investigates experimentally the possible use of a control law whose control logic is similar to that of the anti-lock braking systems (ABS) widely used in the automobile industry. This ABS-type controller has the advantages of being simple and easily implemented, because it only requires the measurement of the isolation-layer velocity and does not require system modeling for gain design. Most importantly, it does not interfere with the isolation period, which usually decides the isolation efficiency. In order to verify its feasibility and effectiveness, the ABS-type controller was implemented on a variable-friction isolation system whose slip force is regulated by an embedded piezoelectric actuator, and a seismic simulation test was conducted for this isolation system. The experimental results demonstrate that, as compared to a passive isolation system with various levels of added damping, the semi-active isolation system using the ABS-type controller has the better overall performance when both the far-field and the near-fault earthquakes with different PGA levels are considered.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.965-971
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• 2016

Aims: To investigate the distribution of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations, and explore any relationships with clinical characteristics in non-small-cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) patients. Materials and Methods: EGFR mutations were assessed by ADx-ARMS in 261 NSCLC patients from West China Hospital of Sichuan University. Relationships between EGFR mutation and clinical characteristics were analyzed by SPSS. Results: The EGFR mutation rate was 48.7% (127/261), 19-del and L858R mutations occurred predominantly, accounting for 33.1% and 40.9%, respectively, in mutated cases. Moreover, 10.2% patients were found to carry double mutations. EGFR mutations occurred more frequently in women (57.5%) than in men (41.8%) (P=0.01), and were more frequent in non-smokers (61.2%) than in former or current smokers (31.2%) (P<0.00). In addition, they were more common in adenocarcinomas (52.8%) and adenosquamous carcinomas (42.8%) than in squamous cell carcinomas (14.8%) (p<0.00). However, only smoking history and pathological types, rather than gender, proved to be associated with EGFR mutations on multivariate logistic regression analysis. No significant differences in pathological stage and metastasis status were found between EGFR wild-type and mutated cases, although EGFR mutation type was related to pathological type (p=0.00) - 19-del, L858R and other mutation types respectively occurred in 34.2%, 42.5% and 23.3% of adenocarcinomas, but in 14.3%, 0% and 85.7% of non-adenocarcinomas. Conclusions: The EGFR mutation rate was 48.7% in NSCLCs in Southwest China, so that nearly 40% patients might benefit from targeted therapies. Smoking status and pathological types were independent predictors of EGFR mutation, while EGFR mutation type was related to only pathological type, rather than smoking status.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.1651-1655
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• 2012

Background: Our aim was to investigate the efficacy of the Pap test in combination with the ThinPrep cytological test (TCT) in screening for cervical cancer in China. Design: From March 2006 to October 2008, 988 women with the mean age $46.4{\pm}10.5$ years (range, 23-80 years) were recruited to receive cervical cancer screening. Pap test results ${\geq}$ grade III and TCT findings ${\geq}$ ASCUS/AGUS were considered abnormal. Subjects with a Pap test result ${\geq}$ grade IIb received TCT. Colposcopy and biopsies were performed in all participants, and final diagnosis was based on pathological findings. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV) and Youden index for predicting CIN I or above were determined. Results: The sensitivity, specificity, PPV, NPV and Youden index of the Pap test were 43.1%, 97.2%, 70.0%, 91.9%, and 40.3%, respectively. The same values for TCT in predicting CIN were 80.0%, 63.2%, 16.0%, 97.3%, and 43.2%, respectively. The two tests in combination gave values for predicting CIN of 64.8%, 87.6%, 43.6%, 94.4%, and 53.5%, respectively. Combined testing exhibited the highest Youden index (53.4%). Conclusion: The Pap test with a reduced threshold in combination with the TCT has high sensitivity and high specificity in screening for cervical cancer.

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.21 no.6
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• pp.903-916
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• 2012

We need to use aesthetic landscape assessment(ALA) as the means of riparian buffer zone(RBZ) management. This study verified the political validity of designation policy of RBZ and land purchase policy. The purpose of this study was to propose RBZ landscape management strategies through ALA of RBZ in Gyeongan Stream for the better attractive and healthy riparian landscapes. The natural type landscape units(LUs) covered 40.9% of the entire area and the cultivated land type LUs covered 20.58%. Landscape assessment consisted of landscape quality and landscape integration assessment. The criteria for assessing landscape quality(LQ) were naturalness, interest, uniqueness, and landscape function. LQ was ranked into five grades using a matrix. The landscape integration assessment consisted of an inner integration assessment in each LU and outer integration assessment among LUs. To review the propriety of designating the riparian area and the riparian ecological belt, differences in ecological appraisal and aesthetic valuation were reviewed through a t-test, Oneway ANOVA, and logistic analysis. The results of ALA, 29.15% of the entire area scored at grade 1 in LQ, while 31.95% scored at grade 5, indicating that grade 5 areas occupied a high share. Surveyed areas were divided into designated RBZ and undesignated RBZ. Results indicated that designated RBZ scored grade 1 in LQ took up 33.2% of the total, significantly higher than the 23.3% taken up by undesignated RBZ. When examined according to buffer distance, grade 1 areas within 50m took up 50.2% of the total area, lower than the 32.7% at buffer distances of 500m-1km. Results indicated a 1% statistically significant difference. Accordingly, analysis was undertaken for the expansion of designation of the riparian area and the selection of appropriate land for formation of a riparian ecological belt, and was designated at priority 1 and 2 for land purchase. This study can also contribute to the formation of a riverine eco-belt through discovery of design factors for upgrading the ecology, aesthetics, and landscape of the riparian area and application in determining land purchase priorities.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.55 no.5
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• pp.505-512
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• 2017

Toxoplasma gondii cathepsin C proteases (TgCPC1, 2, and 3) are important for the growth and survival of T. gondii. In the present study, B-cell and T-cell epitopes of TgCPC1 were predicted using DNAstar and the Immune Epitope Database. A TgCPC1 DNA vaccine was constructed, and its ability to induce protective immune responses against toxoplasmosis in BALB/c mice was evaluated in the presence or absence of the adjuvant ${\alpha}-GalCer$. As results, TgCPC1 DNA vaccine with or without adjuvant ${\alpha}-GalCer$ showed higher levels of IgG and IgG2a in the serum, as well as IL-2 and $IFN-{\gamma}$ in the spleen compared to controls (PBS, pEGFP-C1, and ${\alpha}-GalCer$). Upon challenge infection with tachyzoites of T. gondii (RH), $pCPC1/{\alpha}-GalCer$ immunized mice showed the longest survival among all the groups. Mice vaccinated with DNA vaccine without adjuvant (pCPC1) showed better protective immunity compared to other controls (PBS, pEGFP-C1, and ${\alpha}-GalCer$). These results indicate that a DNA vaccine encoding TgCPC1 is a potential vaccine candidate against toxoplasmosis.