• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.28 no.6
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• pp.761-777
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• 2021

This study presents a numerical investigation on the sensitivity of electromechanical (EM) impedance responses to inner damaged concrete of a prestressed anchorage zone. Firstly, the Ottosen yield criterion is selected to simulate the plasticity behavior of the concrete anchorage zone under the compressive loading. Secondly, several overloading cases are selected to analyze inner damage formations in the concrete of the anchorage zone. Using a finite element (FE) model of the anchorage zone, the relationship between applied forces and stresses is analyzed to illustrate inner plasticity regions in concrete induced by the overloading. Thirdly, EM impedance responses of surface-mounted PZT (lead-zirconate-titanate) sensors are numerically acquired before and after concrete damage occurrence in the anchorage zone. The variation of impedance responses is estimated using the RMSD (root-mean-square-deviation) damage metric to quantify the sensitivity of the signals to inner damaged concrete. Lastly, a novel PZT skin, which can measure impedance signatures in predetermined frequency ranges, is designed for the anchorage zone to sensitively monitor the EM impedance signals of the inner damaged concrete. The feasibility of the proposed method is numerically evaluated for a series of damage cases of the anchorage zone. The results reveal that the proposed impedance-based method is promising for monitoring inner damaged concrete in anchorage zones.

• International Journal of Oral Biology
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.83-89
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• 2011

Substantia gelatinosa (SG) neurons receive synaptic inputs from primary afferent $A{\delta}$- and C-fibers, where nociceptive information is integrated and modulated by numerous neurotransmitters or neuromodulators. A number of studies were dedicated to the molecular mechanism underlying the modulation of excitability or synaptic plasticity in SG neurons and revealed that second messengers, such as cAMP and cGMP, play an important role. Recently, cAMP and cGMP were shown to downregulate each other in heart muscle cells. However, involvement of the crosstalk between cAMP and cGMP in neurons is yet to be addressed. Therefore, we investigated whether interaction between cAMP and cGMP modulates synaptic plasticity in SG neurons using slice patchclamp recording from rats. Synaptic activity was measured by excitatory post-synaptic currents (EPSCs) elicited by stimulation onto dorsal root entry zone. Application of 1 mM of 8-bromoadenosine 3,5-cyclic monophosphate (8-Br-cAMP) or 8-bromoguanosine 3,5-cyclic monophosphate (8-Br-cGMP) for 15 minutes increased EPSCs, which were maintained for 30 minutes. However, simultaneous application of 8-BrcAMP and 8-Br-cGMP failed to increase EPSCs, which suggested antagonistic cross-talk between two second messengers. Application of 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine (IBMX) that prevents degradation of cAMP and cGMP by blocking phosphodiesterase (PDE) increased EPSCs. Co-application of cAMP/cGMP along with IBMX induced additional increase in EPSCs. These results suggest that second messengers, cAMP and cGMP, might contribute to development of chronic pain through the mutual regulation of the signal transduction.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.44 no.4
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• pp.627-636
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• 2020

Background: Cultivation of medicinal crops, which synthesize hundreds of substances for curative functions, was focused on the synthesis of secondary metabolites rather than biomass accumulation. Nutrition is an important restrict factor for plant growth and secondary metabolites, but little attention has been given to the plasticity of nutrient uptake and secondary metabolites synthesis response to soil nitrogen (N) change. Methods: Two year-field experiments of Sanqi (Panax notoginseng), which can synthesize a high level of saponin in cells, were conducted to study the effects of N application on the temporal dynamics of biomass, nutrient absorption, root architecture and the relationships between these parameters and saponin synthesis. Results: Increasing N fertilizer rates could improve the dry matter yields and nutrient absorption ability through increasing the maximum daily growth (or nutrient uptake) rate. Under suitable N level (225 kg/ha N), Sanqi restricted the root length and surface and enhanced the root diameter and N uptake rate per root length (NURI) to promote nutrient absorption, but the opposite status of Sanqi root architecture and NURI was found when soil N was deficient. Furthermore, increasing N rates could promote the accumulation of saponin in roots through improving the NURI, which showed a significant positive relationship with the content of saponin in the taproots. Conclusion: Appropriate N fertilizer rates could optimize both root architecture and nutrient uptake efficiency, then promote both the accumulation of dry matter and the synthesis of saponins.

• Transactions of Materials Processing
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• v.26 no.6
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• pp.341-347
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• 2017

Flexibly-reconfigurable roll forming (FRRF) is a novel sheet metal forming technology conducive to produce multi-curvature surfaces by controlling strain distribution along longitudinal direction. Reconfigurable rollers could be arranged to implement a kind of punch die set. By utilizing these reconfigurable rollers, desired curved surface can be formed. In FRRF process, three-dimensional surface is formed from two-dimensional curve. Thus, it is difficult to predict the forming result. In this study, a regression analysis was suggested to construct a predictive model for a longitudinal curvature of FRRF process. To facilitate investigation, input parameters affecting the longitudinal curvature of FRRF were determined as maximum compression value, curvature radius in the transverse direction, and initial blank width. Three-factor three-level full factorial experimental design was utilized and 27 experiments using FRRF apparatus were performed to obtain sample data of the regression model. Regression analysis was carried out using experimental results as sample data. The model used for regression analysis was a quadratic nonlinear regression model. Determination factor and root mean square root error were calculated to confirm the conformity of this model. Through goodness of fit test, this regression predictive model was verified.

• Transactions of Materials Processing
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• v.29 no.5
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• pp.282-289
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• 2020

Flexible roll forming is an advanced sheet-metal-forming process that allows the production of parts with various cross-sections. During the flexible process, material is subjected to three-dimensional deformation such as transverse bending, inhomogeneous elongations, or contraction. Because of the effects of process variables on the quality of the roll-formed products, the approaches used to investigate the roll-forming process have been largely dependent on experience and trial- and-error methods. Web-warping is one of the major shape defects encountered in flexible roll forming. In this study, an SVR model was developed to predict the web-warping during the flexible roll forming process. In the development of the SVR model, three process parameters, namely the forming-roll speed condition, leveling-roll height, and bend angle were considered as the model inputs, and the web-warping height was used as the response variable for three blank shapes; rectangular, concave, and convex shape. MATLAB software was used to train the SVR model and optimize three hyperparameters (λ, ε, and γ). To evaluate the SVR model performance, the statistical analysis was carried out based on the three indicators: the root-mean-square error, mean absolute error, and relative root-mean-square error.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.42 no.2
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• pp.175-181
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• 2011

Oxidative stress or accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) leads neuronal cellular death and dysfunction, and it contributes to neuronal degenerative disease such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease and stroke. Glutamate is one of the major excitatory neurotransmitter in the central nervous system (CNS). Glutamate contributes to fast synaptic transmission, neuronal plasticity, outgrowth and survival, behavior, learning and memory. In spite of these physiological functions, high concentration of glutamate causes neuronal cell damage, acute insults and chronic neuronal neurodegenerative diseases. Heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) enzyme plays an important role of cellular antioxidant system against oxidant injury. NNMBS020, the water-insoluble fraction of the 70% EtOH extract of root barks of Dictamnus dasycarpus, showed dominant neuroprotective effects on glutamate-induced neurotoxicity in mouse hippocampal HT22 cells by induced the expression of HO-1 and increased HO activity. In mouse hippocampal HT22 cells, NNMBS020 makes the nuclear accumulation of Nrf2 and stimulates extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) pathway. The ERK MAPK pathway inhibitor significantly reduced NNMBS020-induced HO-1 expression, whereas the JNK and p38 inhibitors did not. In conclusion, the water-insoluble fraction of the 70% EtOH extract of root barks of D. dasycarpus (NNMBS020) significantly protect glutamate-induced oxidative damage by induction of HO-1 via Nrf2 and ERK pathway in mouse hippocampal HT22 cells.

• Transactions of Materials Processing
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.144-150
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• 2020

In this paper, we propose the generation of a double enveloping worm thread profile with a non-developable ruled surface. Thread surface machining cuts all the way from the tip to the tooth root at one time, like full-face contact machining, rather than cutting several times like point machining. This cutting can reduce the cutting duration and achieve the smooth surface that does not require a grinding process for the threaded surface. The mathematical model of the cutting process was developed from theoretical equations, and the tooth surface was generated using two parameters and modeled in the CATIA using the generated Excel data. Additionally, the machining process of the worm was simulated in a numerical control simulation system. To verify the validity of the proposed method, the deviation between the modeling and the workpiece was measured using a 3D measuring machine.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.52 no.8
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• pp.1724-1731
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• 2020

Low cycle fatigue tests on the hydrogenated welding seam of Zr-Sn-Nb alloy at room temperature and 360 ℃ had been carried out by using the funnel-shaped flat specimens. The relationships between nominal stress & strain directly measured across the funnel and local stress & strain at the root of the funnel are given by considering cyclic plasticity correction. The results show that the fatigue resistance of welding seam at room temperature is only slightly better than that at 360 ℃. Probabilistic fatigue life curves are obtained by using a two-parameter power function.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.3 no.5
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• pp.445-462
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• 1995

Previous studies of a stepped cantilever with two straight segments under a suddenly applied constant force (a step load) applied at its tip have shown that the validity of deformation mechanisms is governed by certain geometrical restrictions. Single and double-hinge mechanisms have been proposed and it is shown in this paper that for a stepped cantilever with a stronger tip segment, i.e. $M_{0.1}$ > $M_{0.2}$, where $M_{0.1}$ and $M_{0.2}$ are the dynamic fully plastic bending moments of the tip and root segments, respectively, the family of possible yield mechanisms is expanded by introducing new double and triple-hinge mechanisms. With the aid of these mechanisms, it is shown that all initial deformations can be derived for a stepped cantilever regardless of its geometry and the magnitude of the dynamic force applied.

• Transactions of Materials Processing
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.348-357
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• 2003

In order to construct the extrusion die surface of arbitrarily shaped sections, an automatic surface construction method based on NURBS surface and area mapping method is proposed in the present work. A center point fur area mapping is determined by introducing the mapping concept based on constant area proportionality between original billet and final product. The characteristic points of inlet profile are determined using the traditional area mapping method and the root finding numerical method. The inlet and outlet profiles are precisely described with NURBS curves using the characteristic points of entry and exit sections. For the construction of NURBS surface, an interpolation method for the pre-determined two section curves has been developed to be used in the generation of interior control points and weights. To show the validity of the proposed method, automatic die surface generation is carried out for the several kinds of shaped sections.