[en] Objective: To investigate the relationship between changes of serum leptin levels and glomerulosclerosis index, TGF-β₁ expression at glomerulus as well as degree of ECM proliferation in rats after 5/6 nephrectomy. Methods: Eight rats underwent two-stage 5/6 nephrectomy to establish a progressive glomeruloselerosis model. Six weeks after the second operation, the rats were sacrificed, the renal tissue was examined with routine pathological sections for study of glomerulosclerosis as well as with immunohistochemical studies for TGF-β₁, collagen IV and fibronectin expressions. Six rats underwent sham operation served as controls. Serum creatinine, urea nitrogen and leptin levels were measured in all these animals. Results: The serum levels of leptin were significantly higher in rats after 5/6 nephrectomy than the rats with sham operations (14.88 ± 1.46ng/ml vs 10.84 ± 2.67ng/ml, P < 0. 01 ). Serum levels of leptin were positively correlated with the glomeruloselerosis index and collagen IV, fibronectin expressions ( P < 0.01 ). Conclusion: Hyperleptinemia may be one of the causative factors of development of glomerulosclerosis. (authors)

[en] Objective: To study the possible protective effect of combined captopril and lovastatin treatment on kidney function through lowering of serum TNF-α levels in rat models of adriamycin nephropathy. Methods: Male rat models of nephropathy (24h urinary protein > 100rog, n = 120) were successfully prepared with intravenous injection of adriamycin (5.5rog/kg). The models were divided into 4 equal numbered groups (n=30) (1) not specifically treated (2) treated with captopril (30mg/kg/d) garage (3) treated with lovastatin (15 mg/kg/d) gavage (4) treated with captopril and lovastatin combined at the above dosage. Serum TNF-α, albumin, cholesterol and triglyceride levels and 24h urine protein contents were determined in 6 models from each group at 2,4 and 6 weeks. Results: The serum TNF-α, cholesterol and triglyceride levels were significantly lower in the models of 3 treated groups than those in untreated models, especially with the combined treated ones. The 24h urinary protein excretion was reduced with elevated serum albumin levels. Conclusion: Combined administration of captopril and lovastatin resulted in the lowest serum TNF-α levels with most favorable protection of renal function in rat models of nephropathy induced by adriamycin. (authors)

[en] Objective: To investigate the effect of low molecular weight heparin (LMWH) treatment on TNF-α expression in rat models of nephrotic syndrome (NS). Methods: Fourty-eight rat models of nephrotic syndrome (proteinuria over 100 mg/d) were successfully prepared with i.v. adriamycin. After two weeks, half of the models (n=24) were treated with intrapenitoneal LMWH (200u/kg/d). Animals were sacrificed in the two groups of models at the end of 2nd, 3rd and 4th week. The 24h urinary protein, ser- tun albumin and TNF-α levels were measured in these animals. Results: In the nephrotic syndrome models, the serum TNF-α levels were significantly higher than those in the 18 control rats. The levels were positively correlated with the amount of 24h proteinuria (P<0.01). In the models treated with LMWH, the serum TNF-α levels decreased, 24h proteinuria decreased with increased serum albumin (vs the corresponding values in those models without LMWH treatment, P<0.05 or P<0.01). Conclusion: LMWH treat- merit could decrease the serum TNF-α levels in rat models of nephrotic syndrome, which might be one of the nephro-protective mechanisms of LMWH. (authors)

[en] Based on the characteristics of TMSR-SF1, the reactor body design and optimization method via multi-specialty coupling analysis was proposed in this paper. Referring to existing mature design codes and combining structure and function requirements of TMSR-SF1 reactor body, the structure drawing for the reactor body was presented firstly, then shielding design analysis, heat transfer and temperature field analysis, and mechanical analysis were carried out. Finally, the reactor body design of TMSR-SF1 has been preliminarily realized by using the multi-specialty coupling repeated iteration analysis, which satisfied the function of TMSR-SF1. Furthemore, reactor structure material selection demonstration and manufacturing feasibility analysis were also performed to ensure the engineering implementability of the structure design. (authors)

[en] Highlights: • Analytical study on thermal buckling of cylindrical shells with non-uniform thickness is conducted. • The general formulas of buckling temperature and modes are obtained. • Results are validated by the Galerkin method and the finite difference method. • The presented formulas can be applied to evaluate thermal stability capacity of the cylinder. This paper presents an analytical study on thermal buckling of cylindrical shells with non-uniform thickness, which is common in engineering practice. Firstly, the shell thickness is assumed to be arbitrary in the axial direction. After solving the basic partial differential equations by the perturbation method, buckling temperature and modes in terms of thickness function and geometric sizes of the shell are obtained. Using the presented formulas, this paper deeply analyzes and discusses cosine distributed and stepwise thicknesses. For simple cosine distributed thickness, the classical Galerkin method is applied to derive buckling temperature factors, while stepwise thickness is verified by the finite difference method. Results from the Galerkin method and the finite difference method are in accordance with those by presented formulas in this paper. Furthermore, the influence of parameters in thickness functions and buckling modes on buckling temperature factors is discussed, and some interesting conclusions are drawn. The presented buckling temperature formulas can be applied to evaluate stability capacity of the cylinder used in thermal environment.

[en] Assuming axisymmetric buckling and according to the adjacent equilibrium criterion, a buckling critical stress formula of a perfect tank wall is first obtained through analysis of elastic–plastic buckling carried out by J₂ plastic flow theory. Furthermore, combining the current tank seismic design standards and the results obtained in this paper, a new critical buckling stress formula of the tank wall is derived after correction for material plasticity by introducing a plasticity influence coefficient. Comparisons between the results obtained and those from the relevant formulas in the design standards of America, Japan, China and Europe are also performed. Our research shows that under interaction of high hydraulic and axial compression, the material properties of the tank wall change rapidly, and the buckling strength of the tank wall also decreases rapidly. The relation between the tank wall buckling critical stress and the hydraulic pressure is similar to Rotter's semi-empirical formula. The results presented in this paper can provide technical support in further protection of large oil storage tanks. Graphical abstract: These are buckling critical stresses of 5 × 10⁴ m³ oil tank calculated by four standards and formulas obtained in this paper. With the increase of circumferential stress of the tank wall, buckling critical stresses from America, Japan and China standards keep constant, while values calculated by Europe standard and formulas in this paper decrease. This phenomenon is attributed to material plasticity. Highlights: ► We propose a simplified analytic model for large oil storage tank suffered elastic–plastic buckling. ► Elastic-plastic buckling analysis of a large oil storage tank was carried out by incremental theory of plasticity. ► A critical stress calculation formula of tank wall instability considering the correction of material plasticity was derived. ► Buckling strength of the tank wall would decrease rapidly under the interaction of high hydraulic pressure and axial pressure.

[en] Highlights: • On the basis of the equilibrium Midema's model, the non-equilibrium magnetron sputtering Midema's model was constructed by using the single atomic collision theory. • The Gibbs free energy of the crystalline phase and amorphous phase of the Ag-Mo system were calculated, the energy curves are convex and are basically greater than zero. • Some physical parameters of Ag and Mo are basically inconsistent with the valence rule in the Hume-Rothery's rules, indicating that Ag atoms had a tendency to dissolve into Mo lattice under the non-equilibrium magnetron sputtering condition, which corresponds to the experiment result. The Miedema's model is a phenomenology for studying the thermodynamics of transition binary metals. In this paper, the magnetron sputtering non-equilibrium Miedema's model was constructed by using the single atomic collision theory. The Gibbs free energy diagrams of the crystalline and amorphous phase of the Ag-Mo system were calculated by using this model, the curves were convex and were greater than zero. Combined with the valence rule in the Hume-Rothery's rules, it was found that Ag atoms had a tendency to dissolve into Mo lattice under the non-equilibrium magnetron sputtering condition. The experimental results showed that metastable Mo(Ag) solid solution was formed in the Mo-rich region, which corresponds to the calculated Gibbs free energy curves under the constraints of the Hume-Rothery's rule.