Rapid assessment of suspension bridge deformation under concentrated live load considering main beam stiffness: An analytical method

Wen-ming Zhang,Jia-qi Chang,Xing-hang Shen,Xiao-fan Lu,Tian-cheng Liu 국제구조공학회 2023 Structural Engineering and Mechanics, An Int'l Jou Vol.88 No.1

With the gradual implementation of long-span suspension bridges into high-speed railway operations, the main beam’s bending stiffness contribution to the live load response permanently grows. Since another critical control parameter of railway suspension bridges is the beam-end rotation angle, it should not be ignored by treating the main beam deflection as the only deformation response. To this end, the current study refines the existing method of the main cable shape and simply supported beam bending moment analogy. The bending stiffness of the main beam is considered, and the main beam’s analytical expressions of deflection and rotation angle in the whole span are obtained using the cable-beam deformation coordination relationship. Taking a railway suspension bridge as an example, the effectiveness and accuracy of the proposed analytical method are verified by the finite element method (FEM). Comparison of the results by FEM and the analytical method ignoring the main beam stiffness revealed that the bending stiffness of the main beam strongly contributed to the live load response. Under the same live load, as the main beam stiffness increases, the overall deformation of the structure decreases, and the reduction is particularly noticeable at locations with original larger deformations. When the main beam stiffness is increased to a certain extent, the stiffening effect is no longer pronounced.

A randomized sham-controlled trial of manual acupuncture for infertile women with polycystic ovary syndrome

Pan Wen,Li Feng-xing,Wang Qiao,Huang Zouqin,Yan Yu-ming,Zhao Ling,Shen Xue-yong 한국한의학연구원 2022 Integrative Medicine Research Vol.11 No.2

Background: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a complex polygenic disease and is one of the most common endocrinological and reproductive disorders. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of acupuncture combined with herbal medicine among infertile females with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Method: A total of 86 women with PCOS, experiencing infertility, were recruited and randomly assigned to receive either manual acupuncture (MA) or sham acupuncture (SA) twice per week for three menstrual cycles. Both groups received herbal medication. The evaluations were conducted after three menstrual cycles and 24 weeks’ follow-up. Results: The trial was completed by 79 (91.86%) of the 86 randomly selected patients. During this study, the pregnancy rate in the MA group (46.34%) was significantly higher than the SA group (18.42%), with a P-value of 0.008. Moreover, the ovulation rate of the MA group (58.14%) was higher than that of the SA group (45.74%), with a P-value of 0.046. The improvement rate of PCOS score and testosterone level showed a statistical difference between the two groups (P-values were <0.05). There were no other differences between the two groups. Sex hormones level, including E2, T, P, LH, and LH/FSH were significantly lower after intervention in the MA group (P-values were <0.05) compared with baseline, while only the progesterone level was reduced in the SA group (P-value = 0.008). Conclusion: Manual acupuncture combined with herbal medicine may be clinically useful for infertile women with PCOS in improving pregnancy and ovulation rate. Trial Registration: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry: ChiCTR1800014997.

Reference gene selection for transcriptional profiling by RT-qPCR in the 28-spotted larger potato ladybird

Zhang Yu-Xing,Tan Qiao,Shen Chen-Hui,Wu Jian-Jian,Wu Yi-Kuan,Li Wen-Ze,Jin Lin,Li Guo-Qing 한국응용곤충학회 2022 Journal of Asia-Pacific Entomology Vol.25 No.2

Henosepilachna vigintioctomaculata is one of the most serious defoliates attacking potatoes. However, studies on functional genes have greatly been limited due to the insufficiency of effective and stable endogenous references to normalize RT-qPCR data. In this report, nine housekeeping genes (RPL4, RPL6, RPL13, RPL32, RPS18, ACT, EF1α, GAPDH and α-TUB) involved in different biological processes were selected. Their expression levels under diverse experimental conditions including developmental stages, tissues, temperatures and host plants were determined using RT-qPCR technology. The tested candidate genes were comprehensively ranked based on five alternative stability analysis methods (Ct value, geNorm, NormFinder, BestKeeper and ReFinder). The results revealed that the optimal internal reference genes varied under different experimental conditions. Any gene pair among the five candidates (RPL4, RPL13, RPL32, RPS18 and EF1α) was a suitable reference gene set under different temperatures and on different host plants. A combination of RPL6 and RPL13 was recommended as the best reference gene set across different developmental stages. A pair of RPS18 and EF1α was ranked as the optimal reference gene combination within different tissues. The most suitable reference genes were RPS18 and RPL13 under four different experimental conditions. Our findings not only establish an accurate and reliable normalization of RT-qPCR data, but also lay a solid foundation for further functional gene researches in H. vigintioctomaculata

中国安徽省农村居民消费实证性研究

Wang Hao,황창주,Shen Wen Xing,장철인 한국비교정부학회 2008 한국비교정부학보 Vol.12 No.1

Starting the rural residents consumption and expanding the rural market are a fundamental measurement to construct new countryside, realize a well-off society and keep sustainable development of economy. So it is necessary to research the rural residents consumption. Taking Anhui rural residents as the research object to analyze consumption level and consumption structure of the rural residents by the combination of qualitative and quantitative analysis in Anhui province. Through analysis the rural residents consumption character from the consumption concept, consumption psychology and consumption behavior, it proposes main restricted factors of the rural residents consumption: rural public goods, rural circulation system and rural residents income. Basing on that forming concrete ideas for starting the rural residents consumption: to develop the rural market, to raise farmers’ income, to increase the financial transfer payments, to guide credit funds of financial institutions to enter the rural areas, to form a reasonable income gap, to improve the rural consumption tendency, and to take effective means to purify the rural residents consumption environment.

Evaluation of Several Screening Approaches for Detection of Cervical Lesions in Rural Shandong, China

Zong, Li-Ju,Zhang, You-Zhong,Yang, Xing-sheng,Jiang, Jie,Cui, Bao-Xia,Qiao, Yun-Bo,Li, Li,Jiang, Kan,Zhang, Wen-Jing,Kong, Bei-Hua,Shen, Keng Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention 2015 Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention Vol.16 No.5

Purpose: The study was designed to: (1) investigate the prevalence of high-risk human papillomavirus (HR-HPV) infection and cervical neoplasia; and (2) evaluate clinical performance of visual inspection with acetic acid/ Lugol's iodine (VIA /VILI), Pap smear, high-risk human papillomavirus (HR-HPV) DNA test for detecting cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grade 2 or worse (CIN2+) and (3) explore appropriate screening approach in rural areas of Shandong Province. Materials and Methods: A total of 3,763 eligible women from Yiyuan County in Yimeng mountainous areas of rural Shandong, China, were enrolled and underwent Pap smear, HR-HPV DNA testing by Hybrid Capture 2 (HC2), and VIA /VILI tests. Women positive in any test were referred to colposcopy and biopsy as indicated. Results: The prevalence of HR-HPV infection among all enrolled women was 11.1% and that in healthy women was 9.9%. In total 33 cases of CIN1, 16 cases of CIN2, 6 cases of CIN3 but none of cervical cancer were detected and the crude prevalence of CIN2+ was 0.58%. For detecting CIN2+, the sensitivity of HR-HPV DNA testing, VIA/VILI, Pap smear was 90.9%, 77.3%, 81.8%, respectively. Pap smear had the best specificity of 98.2%, followed by HR-HPV DNA testing with specificity of 89.4%, VIA/VILI had the lowest specificity of 81.2%. Colposcopy referral rate of HR-HPV DNA testing, VIA/VILI, Pap smear was 11.1%, 18.5%, 2.3%, respectively. Conclusions: Our results suggest that HR-HPV DNA testing alone might be appropriate for primary cervical cancer screening in rural low-resource areas of Shandong Province, China.

The Risk Factors and Outcomes for Radiological Abnormalities in Early Convalescence of COVID-19 Patients Caused by the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron Variant: A Retrospective, Multicenter Follow-up Study

Wang Hong,Yang Qingyuan,Li Fangfei,Wang Huiying,Yu Jing,Ge Xihong,Gao Guangfeng,Xia Shuang,Xing Zhiheng,Shen Wen 대한의학회 2023 Journal of Korean medical science Vol.38 No.8

Background: The emergence of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 omicron variant has been triggering the new wave of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) globally. However, the risk factors and outcomes for radiological abnormalities in the early convalescent stage (1 month after diagnosis) of omicron infected patients are still unknown. Methods: Patients were retrospectively enrolled if they were admitted to the hospital due to COVID-19. The chest computed tomography (CT) images and clinical data obtained at baseline (at the time of the first CT image that showed abnormalities after diagnosis) and 1 month after diagnosis were longitudinally analyzed. Uni-/multi-variable logistic regression tests were performed to explore independent risk factors for radiological abnormalities at baseline and residual pulmonary abnormalities after 1 month. Results: We assessed 316 COVID-19 patients, including 47% with radiological abnormalities at baseline and 23% with residual pulmonary abnormalities at 1-month follow-up. In a multivariate regression analysis, age ≥ 50 years, body mass index ≥ 23.87, days after vaccination ≥ 81 days, lymphocyte count ≤ 1.21 × 10-9/L, interleukin-6 (IL-6) ≥ 10.05 pg/mL and IgG ≤ 14.140 S/CO were independent risk factors for CT abnormalities at baseline. The age ≥ 47 years, presence of interlobular septal thickening and IL-6 ≥ 5.85 pg/mL were the independent risk factors for residual pulmonary abnormalities at 1-month follow-up. For residual abnormalities group, the patients with less consolidations and more parenchymal bands at baseline could progress on CT score after 1 month. There were no significant changes in the number of involved lung lobes and total CT score during the early convalescent stage. Conclusion: The higher IL-6 level was a common independent risk factor for CT abnormalities at baseline and residual pulmonary abnormalities at 1-month follow-up. There were no obvious radiographic changes during the early convalescent stage in patients with residual pulmonary abnormalities.