Development of an evaluation method for quantitative driveability in heavy-duty vehicles

Subjective evaluations by experienced test drivers are primarily used to assess the driveability of vehicles in automotive companies. However, these evaluations are limited in terms of repeatability, incur costs, and require much time. Therefore, this study introduces a method of quantitatively evaluating the driveability of heavy-duty vehicles to circumvent these limitations. A vehicle experiment is conducted to measure data from an electronic control unit and an accelerometer to assess the driveability of heavy-duty vehicles. The evaluation indices for driveability are selected from previous studies on the objective and subjective methods of evaluating driveability according to various driving conditions. The indices include engine start, idle, acceleration, deceleration, constant speed, and start-up driving conditions. This research presents a quantitative evaluation method using the calculated values of each index and the correlated weighting factors of indices obtained from the regression analysis of the subjective evaluations. The driveability of heavy-duty vehicles is quantitatively evaluated under various driving conditions based on the proposed method. Results of the quantitative evaluation are similar to those of the subjective evaluations, and the proposed method is determined applicable in evaluating the driveability of heavy-duty vehicles.     

Effect of nanoparticle surface functionality on microdomain orientation in block copolymer thin films under electric field

The electric field induced microdomain orientations has been an interesting research topic. In this article, the effect of nanoparticle surface functionality on microdomain alignments in block copolymer/nanoparticle hybrid thin films was investigated with transmission electron microscopy experiments. The presence of gold nanoparticles influenced the microdomain orientation behaviors of block copolymer/nanoparticle thin films. The possibility for complete alignment normal to the substrate was illustrated by controlling electric field strength, concentration, and surface ligands of nanoparticles. This work provides basic and essential data to understand the properties and behaviors of emerging block copolymer/nanoparticle hybrid thin films.     

Analysis and application of nonleaky uniplanar structures with conductor backing

Novel conductor-backed uniplanar structures, including the nonleaky CPW and slotline, are analyzed and applied to the active antenna design. Both the spectral domain analysis and finite-difference time-domain techniques are used to simulate these circuits and to justify the numerical results. The measured gain of the novel active antenna is 1.7 dB higher than the conventional CPW antenna due to the unidirectional radiation of conductor-backed circuits. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Chemical composition and antioxidant activity of Korean cactus (Opuntia humifusa) fruit

The chemical composition and antioxidant activities of the Korean cactus (Opuntia humifusa, OH) fruit were investigated in this study. Major minerals in the OH fruit were P, Ca, and Mg. Total dietary fiber content was 22.8% and the soluble dietary fiber/insoluble dietary fiber ratio was 1:1.3. An 80% ethanol extract was used to investigate antioxidant activities based on DPPH radical scavenging ability as well as total phenolic and flavonoid content. OH fruit extract from 80% ethanol was sequentially fractionated according to the polarity of solvents. Among various fractions, the ethyl acetate fraction showed the highest antioxidant activity as well as the highest total phenolic and total flavonoid contents compared to other fractions. The most abundant phenolic acid in the ethyl acetate fraction was ferulic acid, followed by protocatechuic acid. The most abundant flavonoid was taxifolin, followed by myricetin. The results suggested that OH fruit could be a good potential source of antioxidant.     

纤维/气凝胶泡沫混凝土的制备与性能研究

气凝胶因具有低导热系数、高孔隙率、轻质等优异特性而备受关注,同时还具有高疏水性及良好的吸声和减震功能.实验以气凝胶为填充材料,玻璃纤维丝为增强体,制备了一种新型超轻质纤维/气凝胶泡沫混凝土.结果 表明:玻璃纤维的掺入促进了泡沫混凝土的成型,在超轻泡沫混凝土制备过程中起到至关重要的作用.当纤维含量为0.9％时,导热系数为0.058 W/(m·K),其密度为205 kg/m3,远低于普通泡沫混凝土的导热系数(0.08～0.25 W/(m· K))与密度(300～1600 kg/m3).抗压强度为0.32 MPa,符合泡沫混凝土标准JG/T 266-2011中A03级抗压强度的要求.     

Effect of substrate on the phase transformation of TiO2 in pearlescent pigment

The TiO₂/substrate pearlescent pigments were prepared by the hydrolysis of TiOCl₂ on the substrate followed by a calcinations process. The natural mica (muscovite), synthetic mica (fluorophlogopite) and -alumina flake were selected as the substrates for pearlescent pigments. The effect of substrate on the anatase to rutile (A–R) phase transformation of TiO₂ was studied. The A–R phase transformation of TiO₂ during the preparation of pearlescent pigments and their proportion in the TiO₂ layer have been analyzed by XRD measurements. The phase compositions of TiO₂ layer in each pearlescent pigment are quite different depending on the substrates. The TiO₂ layer deposited on -alumina has higher rutile fraction than those on the natural and synthetic mica. The XPS analysis showed that the cations originally present in the substrates diffused into the TiO₂ layer. The TiO₂ layer deposited on -alumina contains Al, while those on the natural and synthetic mica substrates contain Si and K in addition to Al. The metal cations diffusing from the substrate into TiO₂ layer might retard the A–R phase transformation of TiO₂. The suppressing effect on the A–R transformation of TiO₂ by mixed cations seems to be much stronger than that of single cation, resulting in relatively higher rutile fraction in the case of TiO₂ layer deposited on -alumina.     

Development of a Multiplex and Cost-Effective Genotype Test toward More Personalized Medicine for the Antiplatelet Drug Clopidogrel

There has been a wide range of inter-individual variations in platelet responses to clopidogrel. The variations in response to clopidogrel can be driven by genetic polymorphisms involved in the pathway of absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion, and the target receptor P2Y12. A set of genetic variants known for causing variations in clopidogrel responses was selected, which included CYP2C19*2, *3, *17, CYP2B6*4, *6, *9, CYP3A4*18, CYP3A5*3, MDR1 2677G > T/A, 3435C > T, and P2Y12 H2 (742T > C). The simultaneous detection of these 10 variants was developed by using a multiplex PCR and single-base extension (MSSE) methodology. The newly developed genotyping test was confirmed by direct DNA sequencing in the representative positive control samples and validated in an extended set of 100 healthy Korean subjects. Genotyping results from the developed MSSE exhibited a perfect concordance with the direct DNA sequencing data and all of variants tested in 100 healthy Korean subjects were in agreement with Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium (p > 0.05). The present molecular diagnostic studies provide an accurate, convenient, and fast genotyping method for the detection of multiple variants. This would be helpful for researchers, as well as clinicians, to use genetic information toward more personalized medicine of clopidogrel and other antiplatelet drugs in the future.     

Simvastatin Attenuates the Oxidative Stress,Endothelial Thrombogenicity and the Inducibility of Atrial Fibrillation in a Rat Model of Ischemic Heart Failure

Increased atrial oxidative stress has an important role in inducing and maintaining atrial fibrillation (AF), and the activation of the small GTPase Rac1 contributes to the oxidative stress. We investigated the relationship of Rac1, atrial endothelial thromboprotective markers and AF inducibility and if simvastatin has a potential beneficial effect on a myocardial infarction (MI)-induced heart failure (HF) rat model. Rats were randomized into three groups (shams, MI group and simvastatin treatment group) and underwent echocardiography, AF induction studies and left atrial (LA) fibrosis analysis. Atrial Rac 1, sodium calcium exchanger (I_NCX), sarcoplasmic reticulum calcium ATPase (SERCA), endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) and induced nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) were measured. AF inducibility, AF duration and LA fibrosis were significantly higher in the MI group (p < 0.001 vs. sham), which were significantly reduced by simvastatin (p < 0.05 vs. MI). The reduced expressions of atrial eNOS, SERCA, thrombomodulin, tissue factor pathway inhibitor and tissue plasminogen activator in the MI group were significantly improved by simvastatin. Furthermore, the increased expression of atrial iNOS, I_NCX and Rac1 activity were significantly decreased by the simvastatin. Oxidative stress, endothelial dysfunction and thrombogenicity are associated with the promotion of AF in a rat model of ischemic HF. These were associated with increased Rac1 activity, and simvastatin treatment prevents these changes.