Experimental Comparison of Bernoulli Gripper and Vortex Gripper

Xin Li,Ning Li,Guoliang Tao,Hao Liu,Toshiharu Kagawa 한국정밀공학회 2015 International Journal of Precision Engineering and Vol. No.

A Bernoulli gripper and a vortex gripper are types of pneumatic grippers that have similar functions but different working principles. They are widely used for performing gripping, transferring, and placing operations in automated production lines. This study systematically compares the two grippers and provides an objective reference to enable users to choose an appropriate gripper. First, we present the working principles of both grippers. Then, we measure the curves of suction force, air consumption, and upstream pressure; furthermore, we analyze and compare the energy consumption from the viewpoint of the entire pneumatic system. The results reveal the relationships with the air consumption and total energy consumption. Next, we measure the pressure distribution formed on the upper surface of the workpiece. From the experimental results, the principles of the two grippers are stated and compared. Furthermore, we use the pressure distribution data to estimate the deformation and inner stress of the workpiece. The influence of the grippers on the workpiece are analyzed and compared from a material mechanics viewpoint. Finally, we use three types of rough surfaces to qualitatively evaluate and compare the performance of the grippers when gripping a workpiece with a rough surface

Clinicopathologic Characteristics and Prognoses for Multicentric Occurrence and Intrahepatic Metastasis in Synchronous Multinodular Hepatocellular Carcinoma Patients

Li, Shi-Lai,Su, Ming,Peng, Tao,Xiao, Kai-Yin,Shang, Li-Ming,Xu, Bang-Hao,Su, Zhi-Xiong,Ye, Xin-Ping,Peng, Ning,Qin, Quan-Lin,Chen, De-Feng,Chen, Jie,Li, Le-Qun Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention 2013 Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention Vol.14 No.1

Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common cancers worldwide, and the outcomes for patients are still poor. It is important to determine the original type of synchronous multinodular HCC for preoperative assessment and the choice of treatment therapy as well as for the prediction of prognosis after treatment. Aims: To analyze clinicopathologic characteristics and prognoses in patients with multicentric occurrence (MO) and intrahepatic metastasis (IM) of synchronous multinodular hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Methods: The study group comprised 42 multinodular HCC patients with a total of 112 nodules. The control group comprised 20 HCC patients with 16 single nodular HCC cases and 4 HCC cases with a portal vein tumor emboli. The mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) D-loop region was sequenced, and the patients of the study group were categorized as MO or IM based on the sequence variations. Univariate and multivariate analyses were used to determine the important clinicopathologic characteristics in the two groups. Results: In the study group, 20 cases were categorized as MO, and 22 as IM, whereas all 20 cases in the control group were characterized as IM. Several factors significantly differed between the IM and MO patients, including hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg), cumulative tumor size, tumor nodule location, cirrhosis, portal vein and/or microvascular tumor embolus and the histological grade of the primary nodule. Multivariate analysis further demonstrated that cirrhosis and portal vein and/or microvascular tumor thrombus were independent factors differentiating between IM and MO patients. The tumor-free survival time of the MO subjects was significantly longer than that of the IM subjects ($25.7{\pm}4.8$ months vs. $8.9{\pm}3.1$ months, p=0.017). Similarly, the overall survival time of the MO subjects was longer ($31.6{\pm}5.3$ months vs. $15.4{\pm}3.4$ months, p=0.024). The multivariate analysis further demonstrated that the original type (p=0.035) and Child-Pugh grade (p<0.001) were independent predictors of tumor-free survival time. Cirrhosis (p=0.011), original type (p=0.034) and Child-Pugh grade (p<0.001) were independent predictors of overall survival time. Conclusions: HBeAg, cumulative tumor size, tumor nodule location, cirrhosis, portal vein and/or microvascular tumor embolus and histological grade of the primary nodule are important factors for differentiating IM and MO. MO HCC patients might have a favorable outcome compared with IM patients.

Polysaccharide of Atractylodes macrocephala Koidz Enhances Cytokine Secretion by Stimulating the TLR4–MyD88–NF-κB Signaling Pathway in the Mouse Spleen

Bing-Xin Li,Wan-Yan Li,Yun-Bo Tian,Si-Xuan Guo,Yun-Mao Huang,Dan-Ning Xu,Nan Cao 한국식품영양과학회 2019 Journal of medicinal food Vol.22 No.9

Polysaccharide of Atractylodes macrocephala Koidz (PAMK) has been reported to have beneficial effects on regulation of immune responses in mammals and poultry. Nonetheless, the immunoregulatory mechanism of action of PAMK remains unclear. The Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) signaling cascade has been proved as a classic polysaccharide-regulated pathway. The aim of this study was to explore the effects of PAMK on the TLR4 signaling pathway in the regulation of spleen function in mice. Ninety-six 5-week-old BALB/c female mice were randomly allocated into four groups with three replicates per group and eight mice per replicate in a single-factor completely randomized experimental design. The control group was fed a basic diet (PAMK free); the other three groups were fed 100, 200, or 400 mg/kg PAMK for 28 days. The spleen index, concentrations of cytokines, and mRNA and protein expression levels of genes related to TLR4 signaling were determined in spleen tissue. Compared with the control group, the spleen index significantly increased in all treatment groups. Concentrations of interleukin 2 (IL-2), IL-4, interferon γ (IFN-γ), and tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) in the medium-PAMK group also increased significantly. PAMK in the medium-PAMK group significantly increased both mRNA and protein expression of TLR4, myeloid differentiation factor 88 (MyD88), TNFR-associated factor 6 (TRAF6), TRAF3, and nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) in the spleen. In conclusion, PAMK may increase immune-response capacity of the spleen in mice via TLR4–MyD88–NF-κB signaling.

Malignant Transformation Rate and P53, and P16 Expression in Teratomatous Skin of Ovarian Mature Cystic Teratoma

Zhu, Hai-Li,Zou, Zhen-Ning,Lin, Pei-Xin,Li, Wen-Xia,Huang, Ye-En,Shi, Xiao-Xin,Shen, Hong Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention 2015 Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention Vol.16 No.3

Objective: To investigate the incidence of malignant transformation and P53 and P16 expression in teratomatous skin of ovarian mature cystic teratoma. Materials and Methods: Data on ovarian teratoma specimens in nearly 10 years were reviewed. P53 and P16 expression were detected by immunohistochemistry in 25 cases of teratomatous skin of ovarian mature cystic teratoma, 20 cases of squamous cell carcinoma and 2 cases of squamous cell carcinoma originated from teratomatous skin. Results: Of 1913 cases of ovarian mature cystic teratoma in nearly 10 years, only two cases of squamous cell carcinoma were found in teratomatous skin, with malignant transformation rate of 0.1045%. P53 expression was detected in 2 cases squamous cell carcinoma originated from teratomatous skin and P16 overexpression in one. There were no expressions of P53 and P16 in 25 cases of teratomatous skin of ovarian mature cystic teratoma. Of 20 cases of squamous cell carcinoma P53 overexpression (positive rate of 55%) was detected in 11 cases, P16 overexpression (positive rate of 35%) in 7 cases. The positive rates of P53 and P16 expression in squamous cell carcinomas were significantly higher than that in the teratomatous skins (p< 0.001, p= 0.002). Conclusions: There was low risk of malignant transformation in teratomatous skin of ovarian mature cystic teratoma which can be explained by lower P53 and P16 expressionin teratomas than that in squamous cell carcinoma.

Reuse of Spent FCC Catalyst for Removing Trace Olefins from Aromatics

Xin Pu,Jin-ning Luan,Li Shi 대한화학회 2012 Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society Vol.33 No.8

Pretreatment of spent FCC catalyst and its application in remove trace olefins in aromatics were investigated in this research. The most effective pretreatment route of spent FCC catalyst was calcining at 700 oC for 1 h, washing with 5% oxalic acid solution in ultrasonic reactor and dried. Treated spent FCC catalyst was modified with metal halides, then to prepare catalyst to remove trace olefins in aromatics. X-ray diffraction, Pyridine- FTIR, N2 adsorption-desorption and inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometer (ICP-OES) were used to investigate the pretreatment process. The result showed that the performance of the treated spent FCC catalyst was much greater than that of the spent FCC catalyst, which indicted the possibility and improvement of this research.

Effects of Down-regulation of HDAC6 Expression on Proliferation, Cell Cycling and Migration of Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma Cells and Related Molecular Mechanisms

Li, Ning,Tie, Xiao-Jing,Liu, Pei-Jie,Zhang, Yan,Ren, Hong-Zheng,Gao, Xin,Xu, Zhi-Qiao Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention 2013 Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention Vol.14 No.2

Objective: To study the effects of down-regulation of HDAC6 expression on proliferation, cell cycling and migration of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) cells and related molecular mechanisms. Methods: ESCC cell line EC9706 cells were randomly divided into untreated (with no transfection), control siRNA (transfected with control siRNA) and HDAC6 siRNA (transfected with HDAC6 small interfering RNA) groups. Effects of HDAC6 siRNA interference on expression of HDAC6 mRNA and protein in EC9706 cells were investigated by semi-quantitative RT-PCR, Western blotting and immunocytochemistry methods. Effects of down-regulation of HDAC6 expression on cell proliferation, cell cycle, and cell migration were studied using a CCK-8 kit, flow cytometry and Boyden chambers, respectively. Changes of mRNA and protein expression levels of cell cycle related factor (p21) and cell migration related factor (E-cadherin) were investigated by semi-quantitative RT-PCR and Western blotting methods. Results: After transfection of HDAC6 siRNA, the expression of HDAC6 mRNA and protein in EC9706 cells was significantly downregulated. In the HDAC6 siRNA group, cell proliferation was markedly inhibited, the percentage of cells in G0/G1 phase evidently increased and the percentage of cells in S phase decreased, and the number of migrating cells significantly and obviously decreased. The mRNA and protein expression levels of p21 and E-cadherin in the HDAC6 siRNA group were significantly higher than those in the untreated group and the control siRNA group, respectively. Conclusions: HDAC6 siRNA can effectively downregulate the expression of HDAC6 mRNA and protein in EC9706 cells. Down-regulation of HDAC6 expression can obviously inhibit cell proliferation, arrest cell cycling in the G0/G1 phase and reduce cell migration. The latter two functions may be closely related with the elevation of mRNA and protein expression of p21 and E-cadherin.

Baseline-free damage detection method for beam structures based on an actual influence line

Ning-Bo Wang,Wei-Xin Ren,Tian-Li Huang 국제구조공학회 2019 Smart Structures and Systems, An International Jou Vol.24 No.4

The detection of structural damage without a priori information on the healthy state is challenging. In order to address the issue, the study presents a baseline-free approach to detect damage in beam structures based on an actual influence line. In particular, a multi-segment function-fitting calculation is developed to extract the actual deflection influence line (DIL) of a damaged beam from bridge responses due to a passing vehicle. An intact basis function based on the measurement position is introduced. The damage index is defined as the difference between the actual DIL and a constructed function related to the intact basis, and the damage location is indicated based on the local peak value of the damage index curve. The damage basis function is formulated by using the detected damage location. Based on the intact and damage basis functions, damage severity is quantified by fitting the actual DIL using the least-square calculation. Both numerical and experimental examples are provided to investigate the feasibility of the proposed method. The results indicate that the present baseline-free approach is effective in detecting the damage of beam structures.

First principles calculation of boron diffusion in fcc-Fe

Xin Zhang,Xianglong Li,Ping Wu,Sen Chen,Shiping Zhang,Ning Chen,Xiulan Huai 한국물리학회 2018 Current Applied Physics Vol.18 No.10

The diffusion mechanism of boron in fcc-Fe was studied by first-principles calculations. The sites where B atoms tend to occupy and the diffusion behavior were calculated. Results indicated that the main mechanism of boron diffusion in fcc-Fe was the B–monovacancy complex mechanism instead of the interstitial mechanism. The diffusion coefficient D1 of the B–monovacancy complex mechanism was calculated without considering the backward jump of the B atoms. The calculated D1=1.26×10−4×exp(–2.01eV/kBT) m2·s−1 is consistent with the reported results from experiments.

Fluid-structure interaction analysis of heat exchanger with torsional flow in the shell side

Xin Gu,Guan Wang,Qianxin Zhang,Cheng Chen,Ning Li,Weijie Chen 대한기계학회 2022 JOURNAL OF MECHANICAL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY Vol.36 No.1

Based on the theory of fluid-structure interaction (FSI), the flow characteristics and mechanical properties of torsional flow heat exchanger (TFHX) and cross torsional flow heat exchanger (CTFHX) were numerically studied. The simulation results were compared with the experimental results to verify the reliability of the numerical simulation. The results show that the pressure drop of CTFHX decrease is 30.31-32.56 % lower than that of TFHX, and the heat transfer coefficient is found to lower by 16.8-18.5 %, but the comprehensive performance h/∆P is increased by 14.8-17.9 %. There is also a higher stress around the baffle holes, and the influence of temperature load on stress is much greater than that of pressure load. Moreover, the linearization results of hazardous locations show that CTFHX has greater stress. This study provides theoretical guidance for the structural optimization and equipment maintenance of heat exchanger.

Intrapleural or Intraperitoneal Lobaplatin for Treatment of Patients with Malignant Pleural Effusion or Ascites

Huang, Xin-En,Wei, Guo-Li,Huo, Jie-Ge,Wang, Xiao-Ning,Lu, Yan-Yan,Wu, Xue-Yan,Liu, Jin,Xiang, Jin,Feng, Ji-Feng Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention 2013 Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention Vol.14 No.4

Aims: To explore efficacy and side effects of intrapleural or intraperitoneal lobaplatin for treating patients with malignant pleural or peritoneal effusions. Methods: Patients in Jiangsu Cancer Hospital and Research Institute with cytologically confirmed solid tumors complicated with malignant pleural effusion or ascites were enrolled into this study. Lobaplatin (20-30 $mg/m^2$) was intrapleurally or intraperitoneally infused for patients with malignant pleural effusion or ascites. Results: From 2012 to 2013, intrapleural or intraperitonea lobaplatin was administered for patients with colorectal or uterus cancer who were previous treated for malignant pleural effusion or ascites. Partial response was achieved for them. Main side effects were nausea/vomiting, and bone marrow suppression. No treatment related deaths occurred. Conclusion: Intrapleural or intraperitoneal infusion of lobaplatin is a safe treatment for patients with malignant pleural effusion or ascites, and the treatment efficacy is encouraging.