Aerospace and military defense fields are posing higher requirement on the lightweight feature of structures. Subject of this study is the Aluminum Alloy 5A02 /CFRTP (Carbon Fiber Reinforced Thermo-Plastic) laminates. In the paper, aluminum alloy was anodized, compression molding and 3D printing were adopted to prepare Carbon Reinforced Aluminum Laminates (CARALL) with two different structures: the solid core structure and the honeycomb structure, and the prepared specimens were then tested for mechanical properties via tensile test and three-point bending test, and compared with the performance of the conventional aluminum alloy. The results show that under the condition of a same thickness, the tensile strength of CARALL specimens with the molded solid core structure and the 3D printed honeycomb structure reaches 256Mpa and 186MPa, respectively, which is 85.5% and 34.8% higher than that of the tensile strength of Al 5A02; under different bending modes, the maximum bending strength is 682Mpa and 525Mpa, respectively, which is 62.4% and 25.5% higher than that of Al 5A02. When the specimens are subject to tensile force, the separation of the metal layer and the fiber layer is the primary failure form, the fiber layer fractures, and the metal layer exhibits the necking phenomenon as the metal fibers are being pulled out. During the bending process, for different bending forms, there’re great differences in the bending strength of CARALL specimens prepared by the same method, the failure modes of the specimens vary greatly as well, and this is determined by the tensile strength of the carbon fiber layer and the tensile strength of AL 5A02. Enhancing the bonding strength between the metal layer and the fiber layer can improve the mechanical properties of CARALL. These research findings can provide a reference for the lightweight design of metals and Fiber Metal Laminates (FMLs).

ABSTRACT Due to their excellent mechanical properties, Carbon fiber reinforced aluminum laminates (CARALL) are widely used in aerospace, transportation, military and navigation fields. In this study, a method of preparing CARALL by molding process was introduced. We used this method to obtain two kinds of CARALL, Al-CFRP-Al laminated plate and CFRP-Al-CFRP laminated plate. Then we tested their tensile properties. The experimental results indicated that the tensile properties of Al-CFRP-Al laminates were 865.1 MPa, while the tensile properties of CFRP-Al-CFRP laminates were 718.2 MPa. In comparison to pure aluminum alloy, the tensile strength of both laminates had been significantly improved. By observing the microstructure of the fiber layer of the laminated plate, it was found that the carbon fiber is a brittle material, and its fiber bundle can effectively enhance the material properties during the tensile process. Finally, the tensile failure behavior of the prepared CARALL was analyzed by finite element simulation, which further confirmed that the use of carbon fiber composite can effectively enhance the tensile properties of aluminum alloy. Through this study, the tensile properties of aluminum alloy were successfully enhanced by CFRP, which provided a method for the study of aluminum alloy performance enhancement.

ABSTRACT With its excellent fatigue performance and high damage tolerance and other irreplaceable advantages, FMLs have gradually increased the demand in aerospace, rail transit, ship and other fields, and have put forward higher requirements for the speed and accuracy of its performance test and index evaluation. In this paper, the methods of performance test, analysis and index evaluation of FMLs are introduced from three aspects with carbon fiber and composite materials, mechanical properties and numerical simulation technology, details the common test methods, the latest technology and progress, and analyzes their advantages and disadvantages, so as to provide direction and reference for the performance test method and index evaluation of FMLs. Finally, the main development directions of the current performance testing methods and index evaluation of FMLs are briefly discussed. aerospace transit fields paper materials progress disadvantages Finally discussed

Abstract Nowadays brown rice (BR) and germinated brown rice (GBR) have aroused great interest of consumers, due to the higher nutrition compared with polished rice. In this study, the nutritional and bioactive compositions of BR and GBR samples prepared by 6 early indica rice cultivars and 12 middle indica rice cultivars from three producing areas were investigated. The free amino acid (215.75 mg/100 g), γ-aminobutyric acid (18.04 mg/100 g) and ferulic acid (195.9 μg/ g) content in early indica rice cultivars after germinated were significantly higher (P < 0.05) than those of other cultivars. In addition, principal component analysis and orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis models were able to identify BR and GBR, quercetin and p-coumaric acid were the most differential metabolites of all tested rice samples after germinated. The results provided the potential of early indica rice on functional food processing.

Abstract The study was designed to investigate the effects of cryopreservation on bovine, ovine, and goat sperm motility, acrosome structure, enzyme activity, and fertilization ability. Percentage of sperm with hyaluronidase enzyme (HYD) activity was detected by a modified sodium hyaluronate-gelatin membrane. The N-α-benzoyl-DL-arginine-p-nitroanilide (BNPNA) method was used to assess the sperm acrosome enzyme (ACE). The mean percentage of sperm acrosome integrity dropped significantly (P < 0.01) after cryopreservation. The ACE activity of bovine sperm (100.48) was higher (P < 0.01) than that of ovine (57.88) or goat sperm (50.30), while the percentage of sperm with HYD activity of bovine (71.10%) and ovine (67.60%) sperm was higher than that of goat sperm (58.52%) after cryopreservation (P < 0.01). Sperm motility was positively correlated with the activity of the two acrosome enzymes before and after cryopreservation (P < 0.01). Cryopreservation had a negative effect on acrosomal morphology, motility, and acrosomal enzyme activity in their sperm. The fertilization ability of ovine and goat sperm decreased significantly after cryopreservation, but that of frozen bovine sperm did not differ significantly when compared with fresh sperm. There was no significant difference between ovine and goat sperm indices, except for percentage of sperm with HYD activity.

Abstract Purpose To investigate the effects of Chemically Extracted Acellular Nerves (CEANs) when combined with Adipose-Derived mesenchymal Stem Cell (ADSC) transplantation on the repair of sciatic nerve defects in rabbits. Methods A total of 71 six-month-old Japanese rabbit were used in this study. Twenty rabbits served as sciatic nerve donors, while the other 51 rabbits were randomly divided into Autologous Nerve Transplantation Group (ANT, n=17), CEAN group (n=17) and CEAN-ADSCs group (n=17). In all these groups, the rabbit’s left sciatic nerves were injured before the experiment, and the uninjured sciatic nerves on their right side were used as the control (CON). Electrophysiological tests were carried out and sciatic nerves were prepared for histomorphology and stretch testing at 24 weeks post-transplant. Results There were significant differences between ANT and Con groups in amplitude (AMP): P=0.031; motor nerve conduction velocity (MNCV): P=0.029; Maximum stress: P=0.029; and Maximum strain P=0.027. There were also differences between the CEAN and CEAN+ADSCs groups in AMP: P=0.026, MNCV: P=0.024; Maximum stress: P=0.025 and Maximum strain: P=0.030. No significant differences in these parameters were observed when comparing the ANT and CEAN+SACN groups (MNCV: P=0.071) or the CEAN and ANT groups (Maximum stress: P=0.069; Maximum strain P=0.077). Conclusion Addition of ADSCs has a significant impact on the recovery of nerve function, morphology, and tensile mechanical properties following sciatic nerve injury.

Abstract Objective: To discover potentially modifiable perioperative predictors for renal replacement therapy (RRT) in patients with cardiac surgery-associated acute kidney injury (CSA-AKI). Methods: A cohort of 1773 consecutive cardiac surgery patients with postoperative acute kidney injury (AKI) from January 2013 to December 2015 were included retrospectively. AKI was defined according to the Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) criteria. The primary outcome was CSA-AKI requiring renal replacement therapy (AKI-RRT). The initiation of RRT was based on clinical judgment regarding severe volume overload, metabolic abnormality (e.g., acidosis, hyperkalemia), and oliguria. Patients with AKI-RRT were matched 1:1 with patients without AKI-RRT by a propensity score, to exclude the influence of patients' demographics, comorbidities, and baseline renal function. Multivariable regression was performed to identify the predictors in the matched sample. Results: AKI-RRT occurred in 4.4% of the entire cohort (n=78/1773), with 28.2% of in-hospital mortality (n=22/78). With the propensity score, 78 pairs of patients were matched 1:1 and the variables found to be predictors of AKI-RRT included the contrast exposure within 3 days before surgery (odds ratio [OR]=2.932), central venous pressure (CVP) >10 mmHg on intensive care unit (ICU) admission (OR=1.646 per mmHg increase), and erythrocyte transfusions on the 1st day of surgery (OR=1.742 per unit increase). Conclusion: AKI-RRT is associated with high mortality. The potentially modifiable predictors found in this study require concern and interventions to prevent CSA-AKI patients from worsening prognosis.

Abstract Purpose: To investigate the impact of bone mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) intervention on the viscoelasticity of sciatic nerve in rats with chronic alcohol intoxication (CAI). Methods: The CAI rat models were prepared, divided into model groups, and treated with either BMSCs or basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF). Then the rats underwent electrophysiological test and the serum levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and metallothionein (MT) were measured. Histological observation, stress relaxation test, and creep test were performed for the sciatic nerve of the CAI model in each group. Results: The MDA level of group BMSC was significantly lower (p<0.05) than that of groups MOD (the CIA model) and bFGF. The SOD and MT levels were higher in group BMSC than in groups MOD and bFGF (p<0.05). The motor nerve conduction velocity and amplitude were higher in group BMSC than in groups MOD and bFGF (p<0.05). The amounts of 7200s stress reduction and 7200 s strain increase of the sciatic nerve in group BMSC were greater than those in groups bFGF and MOD (p<0.05). Conclusion: Bone mesenchymal stem cells can improve the metabolism of free radicals, restore the tissue morphology and viscoelasticity of the chronic alcohol intoxication animal model, and positively affect the repairing of the injured sciatic nerve.

Abstract Objective: To assess the clinical value of four models for the prediction of cardiac surgery-associated acute kidney injury (CSA-AKI) and severe AKI which renal replacement therapy was needed (RRT-AKI) in Chinese patients. Methods: 1587 patients who underwent cardiac surgery in the department of cardiac surgery in the Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, between January 2013 and December 2013 were enrolled in this research. Evaluating the predicting value for cardiac surgery-associated AKI (AKICS score) and RRT-AKI (Cleveland score, SRI and Mehta score) by Hosmer-Lemeshow goodness-of-fit test for the calibration and area under receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) for the discrimination. Results: Based on 2012 KDIGO (Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes) AKI definition, the incidence of AKI and RRT-AKI was 37.4% (594/1587) and 1.1% (18/1587), respectively. The mortality of AKI and RRT-AKI was 6.1% (36/594) and 66.7% (12/18), respectively, while the total mortality was 2.8% (44/1587). The discrimination (AUROC=0.610) for the prediction of CSA-AKI of AKICS was low, while the calibration (x2=7.55, P=0.109) was fair. For the prediction of RRT-AKI, the discrimination of Cleveland score (AUROC=0.684), Mehta score (AUROC=0.708) and SRI (AUROC=0.622) were not good; while the calibration of them were fair (Cleveland score x2=1.918, P=0.166; Mehta score x2=9.209, P=0.238; SRI x2=2.976, P=0.271). Conclusion: In our single-center study, based upon valve surgery dominant and less diabetes mellitus patients, according to KDIGO AKI definition, the predictive value of the four models, combining discrimination and calibration, for respective primary event, were not convincible.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the impact of the baseline status of patients with hepatitis B virus-associated acute-on-chronic liver failure on short-term outcomes. METHODS: A retrospective study was conducted that included a total of 138 patients with hepatitis B virus-associated acute-on-chronic liver failure admitted to the Department of Infectious Diseases, Taihe Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, from November 2013 to October 2016. The patients were divided into a poor prognosis group (74 patients) and a good prognosis group (64 patients) based on the disease outcome. General information, clinical indicators and prognostic scores of the patients’ baseline status were analyzed, and a prediction model was established accordingly. RESULTS: Elder age, treatment with artificial liver support systems and the frequency of such treatments, high levels of white blood cells, neutrophils, neutrophil count/lymphocyte count ratio, alanine aminotransferase, gamma-glutamyl transferase, total bilirubin, urea, and prognostic scores as well as low levels of albumin and sodium were all significantly associated with the short-term outcomes of hepatitis B virus-associated acute-on-chronic liver failure. The predictive model showed that logit (p) = 3.068 + 1.003 × neutrophil count/lymphocyte count ratio - 0.892 × gamma-glutamyl transferase - 1.138 × albumin - 1.364 × sodium + 1.651 × artificial liver support therapy. CONCLUSION: The neutrophil count/lymphocyte count ratio and serum levels of gamma-glutamyl transferase, albumin and sodium were independent risk factors predicting short-term outcomes of hepatitis B virus-associated acute-on-chronic liver failure, and the administration of multiple treatments with artificial liver support therapy during the early stage is conducive to improved short-term outcomes.

ABSTRACTIn this study, ten trace elements in Ziziphora clinopodioidesLam., Lamiaceae, from different regions, periods and parts in Xinjiang were determined by atomic absorption spectrometry following microwave-assisted acid digestion. The decreasing sequence of elements levels was K > Ca > Mg > Fe > Cu > Zn > Na > Mn > Cd > Pb. Chemometric approaches, such as correlation analysis, principal component analysis, and hierarchical cluster analysis were applied to classify Z. clinopodioides according to its elements contents. Principal component analysis revealed 83.51% of the variance with the first four principal component variables. Hierarchical cluster analysis indicated five groups from the eighteen regions, and the result of classification can correspond to the geographical distribution for the most regions. Variation in the elements exhibited a decreasing trend, but of different types in the studied periods. Elemental contents distributed in leaves were higher than those in flowers and stems. Therefore, chemometric approaches could be used to analyze data to accurately classify Z. clinopodioides according to origins. This study provided some elemental information on chemotaxonomy, diversity, changing pattern, distribution, and metabolism of Z. clinopodioides at spatial and temporal levels, and could be used as a reference of planting and quality standards.

ABSTRACT We compared the morphology of the erythrocytes of five anurans, two toad species - Bufo gargarizans (Cantor, 1842) and Duttaphrynus melanostictus (Schneider, 1799) and three frog species - Fejervarya limnocharis (Gravenhorst, 1829), Microhyla ornata (Duméril & Bibron, 1841), and Rana zhenhaiensis (Ye, Fei & Matsui, 1995). We then reconstructed the ancestral state of erythrocyte size (ES) and nuclear size (NS) in amphibians based on a molecular tree. Nine morphological traits of erythrocytes were all significantly different among the five species. The results of principal component analysis showed that the first component (49.1% of variance explained) had a high positive loading for erythrocyte length, nuclear length, NS and ratio of erythrocyte length/erythrocyte width; the second axis (28.5% of variance explained) mainly represented erythrocyte width and ES. Phylogenetic generalized least squares analysis showed that the relationship between NS and ES was not affected by phylogenetic relationships although there was a significant linear relationship between these two variables. These results suggested that (1) the nine morphological traits of erythrocytes in the five anuran species were species-specific; (2) in amphibians, larger erythrocytes generally had larger nuclei.

ABSTRACTPurpose:To evaluate the clinical efficacy of flexible ureteroscope (F-URS) combined with holmium laser lithotripter in treating renal calculi in horseshoe kidney.Materials and Methods:From November 2010 to December 2013, the medical history and charts of sixteen patients (mean age 42.9±11.6 years, range 26-66 years), including 13 males and 3 females were analyzed retrospectively. Mean stone burden was 29±8 mm (range 17-42 mm2). Mean stone digitized surface area (DSA) was 321±94 mm2 (range 180-538 mm2). Under spinal anesthesia in a modified lithotomy position with the head down, rigid ureteroscope was placed firstly into the ureter to reach the level of the pelvis, a zebra guide wire was inserted and following the removal of the rigid ureteroscope, an ureteral access sheath was positioned along the guide wire, then passed the URF P-5 flexible ureteroscope into the renal cavities over the guidewire. After locating the stones, holmium laser lithotripsy was performed.Results:The average operative time was 92±16 minutes (range 74-127 min.). No major complications were encountered. Ten patients obtained stone-free status with one session, four obtained stone-free status after two sessions. Single session stone-free rate was 62.5%, overall stone-free rate was 87.5%. Two patients have small residual stones in the lower pole.Conclusions:F-URS combined with holmium laser lithotripter and nitinol basket, is safe and effective in dealing with moderate stone diameter (<30 mm) in HSKs with high clearance rates and low complication rates.