• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.25 no.5
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• pp.325-342
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• 2023

The damping modification factor (DMF) is used to modify the 5%-damped response spectrum to produce spectral values that correspond to other necessary damping ratios for seismic design. The DMF has been the subject of numerous studies, and it has been discovered that seismological parameters like magnitude and distance can have an impact on it. However, DMF formulations incorporating these seismological parameters cannot be directly applied to seismic design because these parameters are not specified in the present seismic codes. The goal of this study is to develop a formulation for the DMF that can be directly applied in seismic design and that takes the effects of magnitude, distance, and site conditions into account. To achieve this goal, 16660 ground motions with magnitudes ranging from 4 to 9 and epicentral distances ranging from 10 to 200 km are used to systematically study the effects of magnitude, distance, and site conditions on the DMF. Furthermore, according to the knowledge that magnitude and distance affect the DMF primarily by changing the spectral shape, a spectral shape factor is adopted to reflect influences of magnitude and distance, and a new formulation for the DMF incorporating the spectral shape factor is developed. In comparison to the current formulations, the proposed formulation provides a more accurate prediction of the DMF and can be employed directly in seismic design.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.30 no.5
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• pp.483-492
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• 2019

In the current study, the influence of the initial lateral (sweep) shape and the cross-sectional twist imperfection on the lateral torsional buckling (LTB) response of doubly-symmetric steel I-beams was investigated. The material imperfection (residual stress) was not considered. For this objective, standard European IPN 300 beam with different unbraced span was numerically analyzed for three imperfection cases: (i) no sweep and no twist (perfect); (ii) three different shapes of global sweep (half-sine, full-sine and full-parabola between the end supports); and (iii) the combination of three different sweeps with initial sinusoidal twist along the beam. The first comparison was done between the results of numerical analyses (FEM) and both a theoretical solution and the code lateral torsional buckling formulations (EC3 and AISC-LRFD). These results with no imperfection effects were then separately compared with three different shapes of global sweep and the presence of initial twist in these sweep shapes. Besides, the effects of the shapes of initial global sweep and the inclusion of sinusoidal twist on the critical buckling load of the beams were investigated to unveil which parameter was considerably effective on LTB response. The most compatible outcomes for the perfect beams was obtained from the AISC-LRFD formulation; however, the EC-3 formulation estimated the $P_{cr}$ load conservatively. The high difference from the EC-3 formulation was predicted to directly originate from the initial imperfection reduction factor and high safety factor in its formulation. Due to no consideration of geometric imperfection in the AISC-LFRD code solution and the theoretical formulation, the need to develop a practical imperfection reduction factor for AISC-LRFD and theoretical formulation was underlined. Initial imperfections were obtained to be more influential on the buckling load, as the unbraced length of a beam approached to the elastic limit unbraced length ($L_r$). Mode-compatible initial imperfection shapes should be taken into account in the design and analysis stages of the I-beam to properly estimate the geometric imperfection influence on the $P_{cr}$ load. Sweep and sweep-twist imperfections led to 10% and 15% decrease in the $P_{cr}$ load, respectively, thus; well-estimated sweep and twist imperfections should considered in the LTB of doubly-symmetric steel I-beams.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.87 no.4
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• pp.363-373
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• 2023

Since the first family of structure-dependent methods can simultaneously integrate unconditional stability and explicit formulation in addition to second order accuracy, it is very computationally efficient for solving inertial problems except for adopting auto time-stepping techniques due to no nonlinear iterations. However, an unusual stability property is first found herein since its unconditional stability interval is drastically different for zero and nonzero damping. In fact, instability might occur for solving a damped stiffness hardening system while an accurate result can be obtained for the corresponding undamped stiffness hardening system. A technique of using a stability factor is applied to overcome this difficulty. It can be applied to magnify an unconditional stability interval. After introducing this stability factor, the formulation of this family of structure-dependent methods is changed accordingly and thus its numerical properties must be re-evaluated. In summary, a large stability factor can result in a large unconditional stability interval but also lead to a large relative period error. As a consequence, a stability factor must be appropriately chosen to have a desired unconditional stability interval in addition to an acceptable period distortion.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.29 no.11
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• pp.1616-1624
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• 2016

The aim of present experiment was to investigate the effect of protein reduction in commercial broiler chicken rations with incorporation of de-oiled rice bran (DORB) and supplementation of limiting amino acids (valine, isoleucine, and/or tryptophan) with ration formulation either on total amino acid (TAA) or standardized ileal digestible amino acids (SIDAA). The experimental design consisted of $T_1$, TAA control; $T_2$ and $T_3$, 0.75% and 1.5% protein reduction by 3% and 6% DORB incorporation, respectively by replacing soybean meal with supplemental limiting amino acids to meet TAA requirement; $T_4$, SIDAA control, $T_5$ and $T_6$, 0.75% and 1.5% protein reduction by DORB incorporation (3% and 6%) with supplemental limiting amino acids on SIDAA basis. A total of 360 dold fast growing broiler chicks (Vencobb-400) were divided into 36 homogenous groups of ten chicks each, and six dietary treatments described were allocated randomly with six replications. During 42 days trial, the feed intake was significantly (p<0.05) reduced by TAA factor compared to SIDAA factor and protein factor significantly (p<0.05) reduced the feed intake at 1.5% reduction compared to normal protein group. This was observed only during pre-starter phase but not thereafter. The cumulative body weight gain (BWG) was significantly (p<0.05) reduced in TAA formulations with protein step-down of 1.5% ($T_3$, 1,993 g) compared to control ($T_1$, 2,067 g), while under SIDAA formulations, BWG was not affected with protein reduction of 1.5% ($T_6$, 2,076 g) compared to $T_4$ (2,129 g). The feed conversion ratio (FCR) was significantly (p<0.05) reduced in both TAA and SIDAA formulations with 1.5% protein step-down ($T_3$, 1.741; $T_6$, 1.704) compared to respective controls ($T_1$, 1.696; $T_4$, 1.663). The SIDAA formulation revealed significantly (p<0.05) higher BWG (2,095 g) and better FCR (1.684) compared to TAA formulation (2,028 g; 1.721). Intake of crude protein and all limiting amino acids (SID basis) was higher in SIDAA group than TAA group with resultant higher nitrogen retention (4.438 vs 4.027 g/bird/d). The nitrogen excretion was minimized with 1.5% protein reduction (1.608 g/bird) compared to normal protein group (1.794 g/bird). The serum uric acid concentration was significantly reduced in $T_3$ (9.45 mg/dL) as compared to $T_4$ (10.75 mg/dL). All carcass parameters were significantly (p<0.05) higher in SIDAA formulation over TAA formulation and 1.5% protein reduction significantly reduced carcass, breast and thigh yields. In conclusion, the dietary protein can be reduced by 0.75% with TAA formulation and 1.5% with SIDAA formulation through DORB incorporation and supplementation of limiting amino acids and among formulations, SIDAA formulation was better than TAA formulation.

• International Journal of Aeronautical and Space Sciences
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.63-76
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• 2009

A study on the interference effects of overlapping tandem rotors in forward flight is conducted using the time-marching free-wake panel method which adopts field velocity boundary integral formulation. The conventional boundary integral formulation is numerically unstable for the cases when the blade and the wake are in close proximity to each other. In order to avoid this problem, this study applies the field velocity method and modifies the boundary integration formulation. The improved method is used for the parametric study on the advance ratio and the distance between the rotors. These are the parameters that most affect the interference of the tandem rotor in forward flight. Comparison of the aerodynamic performance shows that the horizontal distance between the rotors negligibly influences the overlap-induced power factor for high advance ratio. In addition, it shows that the overlap-induced power factor is inversely proportional to the squared vertical distance between the rotors, and that the overlap-induced power factor increases to a certain extent and decrease back as the advance ratio increases.

• Journal of Pharmaceutical Investigation
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.99-107
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• 1998

The objective of this study was to develop effective oral formulations of rhEGF for gastric ulcer healing using polycarbophil. hydroxypropylcellulose(HPC) and sucralfate as its bioadhesive bases. Cytoprotective effects of rhEGF, cell proliferation and differentiation. on the ulcers induced by ethanol or acetic acid in rats were studied. rhEGF release from HPC formulation was much faster than that from polycarbophil formulation. HPC formulation combined with small amount of sucralfate showed much slower release of rhEGF than only HPC base only. rhEGF preparations with bioadhesive polymers showed better effects on the healing of gastric ulcers than EGF solution when administered orally. When rhEGF preparations were administered at once and the animals were under starvation, polycarbophil formulation showed better effect on gastric ulcers than HPC formulation. Otherwise, when rhEGF preparations were given more than three times and the rats were fed normally, HPC formulation showed good healing efficacy of ulcers compared to polycarbophil formulation. rhEGF showed dose-dependent effect on the healing of both chronic and acute ulcers.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.45-53
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• 2013

Korean red ginseng, the processed root of Panax ginseng Meyer, has been frequently used for various therapeutic purposes in oriental medicine. The present study investigated the possible effect of Korean red ginseng extract (RGE) for the treatment of liver fibrosis in mice injected with carbon tetrachloride ($CCl_4$) for 4 wk. Liver injuries were assessed by blood biochemistry and histopathology in mice treated with $CCl_4$ alone or $CCl_4$+ RGE (30, 100, and 300 mg/kg). Concomitant treatment with RGE and $CCl_4$ (three times/wk for 4 wk) effectively inhibited liver fibrosis as evidenced by decreases in plasma alanine and aspartate aminotransferases, as well as by the percentages of degenerative regions, numbers of degenerative hepatocytes, and collagen accumulation in hepatic parenchyma. Treatment with $CCl_4$ for 4 wk increased mRNA levels of transforming growth factor ${\beta}1$ and plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 in fibrogenic liver, whereas RGE (30, 100, and 300 mg/kg) significantly blocked the induction of fibrogenic genes by $CCl_4$. Similarly, RGE also prevented transforming growth factor ${\beta}1$-mediated induction of fibrogenic genes in human hepatic stellate cell lines. More importantly, RGE markedly reduced the number of ${\alpha}$-smooth muscle actin-positive cells in liver tissue. This study implies that RGE efficaciously protects against the liver fibrosis induced by chronic $CCl_4$ treatment, and may therefore have potential to treat liver disease.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.6 no.5
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• pp.377-390
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• 2009

In this paper an improved one-dimensional frame element for modelling of reinforced concrete beams and columns subjected to impact is presented. The model is developed in the framework of a flexibility fibre element formulation that ignores the shear effect at material level. However, a simple shear cap is introduced at section level to take account of possible shear failure. The effect of strain rate at the fibre level is taken into account by using the dynamic increase factor (DIF) concept for steel and concrete. The capability of the formulation for estimating the element response history is demonstrated by some numerical examples and it is shown that the developed 1D element has the potential to be used for dynamic analysis of large framed structures subjected to impact of air blast and rigid objects.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.27 no.7
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• pp.797-805
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• 2004

LPD vectors are non-viral vehicles for gene delivery comprised of polycation-condensed plasmid DNA and liposomes. Here, we described a novel anionic LPD formulation containing protamine-DNA complexes and pH sensitive liposomes composed of DOPE and cholesteryl hemisuccinate (Chems). Central composite design (CCD) was employed to optimize stable LPD formulation with small particle size. A three factor, five-level CCD design was used for the optimization procedure, with the weight ratio of protamine/DNA ($X_1$), the weight ratio of Chems/DNA ($X_2$) and the molar ratio of Chems/DOPE in the anionic liposomes ($X_3$) as the independent variables. LPD size ($Y_1$) and LPD protection efficiency against nuclease ($Y_2$) were response variables. Zeta potential determination was utilized to define the experimental design region. Based on experimental design, responses for the 15 formulations were obtained. Mathematical equations and response surface plots were used to relate the dependent and independent variables. The mathematical model predicted optimized $X_1-X_3$ levels that achieve the desired particle size and the protection efficiency against nuclease. According to these levels, an optimized LPD formulation was prepared, resulting in a particle size of 185.3 nm and protection efficiency of 80.22％.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.53 no.11
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• pp.3543-3562
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• 2021

The methods and performance of a 3D pin-by-pin neutronics code based on the 2D/1D decoupling method are presented. The code was newly developed as an effort to achieve enhanced accuracy and high calculation performance that are sufficient for the use in practical nuclear design analyses. From the 3D diffusion-based finite difference method (FDM) formulation, decoupled planar formulations are established by treating pre-determined axial leakage as a source term. The decoupled axial problems are formulated with the radial leakage source term. To accelerate the pin-by-pin calculation, the two-level coarse mesh finite difference (CMFD) formulation, which consists of the multigroup node-wise CMFD and the two-group assembly-wise CMFD is implemented. To enhance the accuracy, both the discontinuity factor method and the super-homogenization (SPH) factor method are examined for pin-wise cross-section homogenization. The parallelization is achieved with the OpenMP package. The accuracy and performance of the pin-by-pin calculations are assessed with the VERA and APR1400 benchmark problems. It is demonstrated that pin-by-pin 2D/1D alternating calculations within the two-level 3D CMFD framework yield accurate solutions in about 30 s for the typical commercial core problems, on a parallel platform employing 32 threads.