Impact force detection using an energy flow estimator with piezoelectric sensors

Currently, there are numerous methods for estimating impact locations. One is to find more detailed information because the system becomes complicated. Another method is to reduce energy, for which various autonomic energy harvesting methods have been developed. However, the occupied energy is still small. This paper proposes a simple, rapid, and low-powered impact estimation method based on energy flow direction estimation through a pair of piezoelectric sensors. The estimation energy flow is expressed by a Poynting vector subsequently linked to piezoelectric sensor voltage outputs. The presented approach is verified by numerical simulations and experiments.     

In-silico product formulation design through latent variable model inversion

Two of the first important decisions to take in the development of a solid oral drug product are the selection of excipients that are to be mixed with the active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) in a commercial formulation, and the manufacturing route. This work proposes to use a latent variable model methodology presented in a previous work (Polizzi and García-Muñoz, Int. J. Pharm., 2011, 418, 235–242) to enable the in-silico design of new product formulations. A constrained optimization framework is used to invert the underlying model in order to select the best excipients and concentrations for a given API to ensure the achievement of a pharmaceutical blend with a desired profile of particle, powder and compact mechanical properties. The approach is verified by designing a new pharmaceutical formulation for direct compression, using an API that was previously formulated via a wet granulated process. The experimental results confirm the effectiveness of the method. The proposed methodology can act as an important tool to guide and accelerate the decision making process in pharmaceutical product development, while minimizing the required experimentation as well as the raw materials consumption. The approach can be extended to consider other constraints (or targets) such as stability, as long as there is a mathematical way to relate the targets (e.g., degradation extent) to the incoming formulation.     

Study of the Crack Deviation Angle in Adhesive Ruptures of Ceramic Adhesively-Bonded Assemblies

Mechanical tests are commonly used to characterize structural adhesively-bonded assemblies since they give rise to typical values such as rupture load, stress, strain or energy. It is shown herewith, that for a single lap compression-shear test, it can also be of great interest to analyse the bonded assembly after rupture. The investigated fracture surfaces can reveal the presence of normal stresses in the joint and a valuation of their intensity can be done, from the crack deviation angle value. Actually, for adhesive ruptures, a transition zone exists where the crack propagates from one interface to the other. It is demonstrated from the failure occurrence that the deviation angle value does not depend on the adhesive itself but on distributions in the joint of different kinds of stresses (shear and normal ones). In addition to experimental angle measurements, numerical modelling was performed with the finite element computer code ANSYS. Experimental values match numerical values.     

Impact of Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) on Immunosuppressive Therapy in Lung Transplantation

Lung transplant patients present important variability in immunosuppressant blood concentrations during the first months after transplantation. Pharmacogenetics could explain part of this interindividual variability. We evaluated SNPs in genes that have previously shown correlations in other kinds of solid organ transplantation, namely ABCB1 and CYP3A5 genes with tacrolimus (Tac) and ABCC2, UGT1A9 and SLCO1B1 genes with mycophenolic acid (MPA), during the first six months after lung transplantation (51 patients). The genotype was correlated to the trough blood drug concentrations corrected for dose and body weight (C₀/D_c). The ABCB1 variant in rs1045642 was associated with significantly higher Tac concentration, at six months post-transplantation (CT vs. CC). In the MPA analysis, CT patients in ABCC2 rs3740066 presented significantly lower blood concentrations than CC or TT, three months after transplantation. Other tendencies, confirming previously expected results, were found associated with the rest of studied SNPs. An interesting trend was recorded for the incidence of acute rejection according to NOD2/CARD15 rs2066844 (CT: 27.9%; CC: 12.5%). Relevant SNPs related to Tac and MPA in other solid organ transplants also seem to be related to the efficacy and safety of treatment in the complex setting of lung transplantation.     

Thermogravimetric study of thermal degradation of polyetherimide

Thermal stability in nonoxidizing atmosphere of a polyetherimide (PEI) is investigated by thermogravimetry (TG). It is observed that thermal degradation of this product consists of two overlapping processes, which are conveniently separated by fitting the TG curves to mixtures of generalized logistic functions. Thus, each process is represented by a single function. The analysis of the fitting parameter values obtained for the main degradation process in different isothermal and heating ramp conditions allows to obtain insightful kinetic parameters (critical temperature, energy barrier, and reaction‐order) which allow to make predictions in both isothermal and nonisothermal contexts. There is a minimum temperature for each process to occur and a ramp‐energy barrier related to the process rate. In the ramp context, the values of these two parameters explain that, although one process starts at lower temperature, it proceeds at a very low rate until reaching temperatures at which the other process goes much faster. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2015 , 132, 42329.     

Physico‐chemical,thermal, and mechanical approaches for the characterization of solubilized and solid state chitosans

This study was conducted on the both solid and solubilized chitosans to propose an approach for the physico‐chemical, thermal and mechanical characterizations of this polysaccharide. The polysaccharide used was a 90% deacetylated chitosan having a molecular weight of 98.4 kDa. The flow property of chitosan solutions was evaluated revealing a shear‐thinning behavior. The thermal characterization was carried out by studying heat specific capacity, glass transition temperature, and thermal conductivity on chitosan dried specimens (solid state). Their T_g were measured by DSC and confirmed by DMA at 102 and 122°C depending on concentrations of initial chitosan solutions. The mechanical characterization was conducted by analyzing Young modulus, tensile strength, and elongation at break of chitosan specimens. They exhibited a higher elongation at break and a lower tensile strength when made from high concentrated chitosan solution (9% w/v). Differences in mechanical behavior of specimens were explained by differences of crystallinity. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2015 , 132, 41257.     

Accumulation of phosphorus fractions in typic Hapludalf soil after long-term application of pig slurry and deep pig litter in a no-tillage system

In this paper we explore the accumulation of different phosphorus (P) fractions in soil submitted to successive applications of pig slurry (PS) and deep pig litter (DL). After 88?months of no-till crop cycles, soil samples were collected in the following treatments: control (C), PS applications equivalent to 90 and 180?kg?N?ha^?1 (PS90 and PS180), and DL applications equivalent to 90 and 180?kg?N?ha^?1 (DL90 and DL180). The cumulative application of P of the C, PS90, PS180, DL90 and DL180 treatment was 0, 303, 606, 825 and 1650?kg P ha^?1, respectively. The soil samples were then submitted to P chemical fractionation. Successive applications of 303 and 606?kg P ha^?1 in PS form and 825 and 1.650?kg P ha^?1 in DL form increased P levels down to 20?cm depth, especially in the labile inorganic fraction extracted by anion exchange resin and 0.5?M NaHCO₃ and to a lesser extent extracted by 0.1?M NaOH. Successive additions of PS180 and DL180 increased the levels of organic P extracted by 0.5?M NaHCO₃, 0.1?M NaOH and 0.5?M NaOH, and successive applications of PS and DL caused P accumulation in the soil profile, especially in labile fractions. This increased the availability to plants, but also increases the potential for environmental contamination.     

Phospholipase D and phosphatidate phosphohydrolase activities in rat cerebellum during aging

Aging is a process that affects different organs, of which the brain is particularly susceptible. PA and DAG are central intermediates in the phosphoglyceride as well as in the neutral lipid biosynthetic pathway, and they have also been implicated in signal transduction. Phospholipase D (PLD) and phosphatidate phosphohydrolase (PAP) are the enzymes that generate PA and DAG. The latter can be transformed into MAG by diacylglycerol lipase (DGL). In the present study, we examine how aging modulates the PLD, PAP, and DGL isoforms in cerebellar subcellular fractions from 4-(adult),28-, and 33-mon-old (aged) rats. Pl-4,5-bisphosphonate (PIP₂)-dependent PLD, PAP1, and DGL1 were distributed in different percentages in all cerebellum subcellular fractions. On the other hand, PAP2 and DGL2 activities were observed in all subcellular fractions except in the cytosolic fraction. Aging modified the enzyme distribution pattern. In addition, aging decreased nuclear (45%), mitochondrial-synaptosomal (55%), and cytosolic (71%) PAP1 activity and increased (28%) microsomal PAP1 activity. DGL1 activity was decreased in nuclear (85%) and mitochondrial-synaptosomal (63%) fractions by aging. On the other hand, PIP₂-dependent PLD activities were increased in the mitochondrial-synaptosomal fraction. PAP2 and DGL2 were increased in the microsomal fraction by 87 and 114%, respectively, and they were decreased in the nuclear fraction. The changes observed in cerebellum PAP1 and DGL1 activities from aged rats with respect to adult rats could be related to modifications in lipid metabolism. Differential PA metabolization during aging through PIP₂-dependent PLD/PAP2/DGL2 activities could be related to alterations in the neural signal transduction mechanisms.     

Extension of Einstein's Law for Power‐Law Fluid to Describe a Suspension of Spherical Particles: Application to Recycled Polymer Flow

In this work, Einstein's equation is extended considering a power‐law suspending fluid without any Newtonian approximation. To validate the developed equation, an experimental setup is carried out. Polypropylene (PP) and polyethylene (PE) are injected at different volume fractions. The pressure drops measured in a cylindrical die are analyzed. The results show that the developed relationship allows better prediction of the viscosity of PP/PE blends compared to existing laws. During the recycling of PP, some pollutants are likely to be present in the polymer, mostly PE which tends to form a heterogeneous melt with PP. At low volume fractions, PE disperses mostly as solid spheres in PP due to its higher viscosity, but the viscosity of the PP/PE mixtures is hard to predict. Several studies have derived equivalent viscosity equations for dispersed spherical suspensions in shear‐thinning polymers. Nevertheless, these equations mainly refer to Einstein's equation for suspended spheres in Newtonian fluids. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 59:E387–E396, 2019. © 2019 Society of Plastics Engineers     

Foxp3 Silencing with Antisense Oligonucleotide Improves Immunogenicity of an Adjuvanted Recombinant Vaccine against Sporothrix schenckii

Background: In recent years, there has been great interest in developing molecular adjuvants based on antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) targeting immunosuppressor pathways with inhibitory effects on regulatory T cells (Tregs) to improve immunogenicity and vaccine efficacy. We aim to evaluate the immunostimulating effect of 2′OMe phosphorothioated Foxp3-targeted ASO in an antifungal adjuvanted recombinant vaccine. Methods: The uptake kinetics of Foxp3 ASO, its cytotoxicity and its ability to deplete Tregs were evaluated in murine splenocytes in vitro. Groups of mice were vaccinated with recombinant enolase (Eno) of Sporothix schenckii in Montanide Gel 01 adjuvant alone or in combination with either 1 µg or 8 µg of Foxp3 ASO. The titers of antigen-specific antibody in serum samples from vaccinated mice (male C57BL/6) were determined by ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay). Cultured splenocytes from each group were activated in vitro with Eno and the levels of IFN-γ and IL-12 were also measured by ELISA. The results showed that the anti-Eno antibody titer was significantly higher upon addition of 8 µM Foxp3 ASO in the vaccine formulation compared to the standard vaccine without ASO. In vitro and in vivo experiments suggest that Foxp3 ASO enhances specific immune responses by means of Treg depletion during vaccination. Conclusion: Foxp3 ASO significantly enhances immune responses against co-delivered adjuvanted recombinant Eno vaccine and it has the potential to improve vaccine immunogenicity.