Cobalt doped glass for the fabrication of percolated glass–alumina functionally graded materials

The present research was focused on the development of a new glass to produce glass–alumina FGMs. The glass formulation, belonging to the CaO–ZrO₂–SiO₂ system, was doped with cobalt, by adding a small molar percentage (about 0.1 mol%) of CoO, in order to obtain a blue glass, which could be useful to appreciate the final compositional gradient. The glass was accurately characterized, evaluating its thermal behaviour, its mechanical properties, and its attitude to crystallize during a thermal treatment. Subsequently, the glass was used to produce glass–alumina FGMs via percolation and the so obtained specimens were analysed in order to evaluate the effect of the glass infiltration. The possible development of new crystal phases, in particular, was tested via micro X-ray diffraction and the elastic properties gradient associated with the compositional gradient was measured via depth-sensing Vickers microindentation.     

Acute bilateral striatal necrosis in an infant: CT and MRI

We report a case of acute bilateral striatal necrosis in an infant. CT and MRI findings are described.     

Transgenic mice secreting coronavirus neutralizing antibodies into the milk

Ten lines of transgenic mice secreting transmissible gastroenteritis coronavirus (TGEV) neutralizing recombinant monoclonal antibodies (rMAbs) into the milk were generated. The rMAb light- and heavy-chain genes were assembled by fusing the genes encoding the variable modules of the murine MAb 6A.C3, which binds an interspecies conserved coronavirus epitope essential for virus infectivity, and a constant module from a porcine myeloma with the immunoglobulin A (IgA) isotype. The chimeric antibody led to dimer formation in the presence of J chain. The neutralization specific activity of the recombinant antibody produced in transiently or stably transformed cells was 50-fold higher than that of a monomeric rMAb with the IgG1 isotype and an identical binding site. This rMAb had titers of up to 10(4) by radioimmunoassay (RIA) and neutralized virus infectivity up to 10(4)-fold. Of 23 transgenic mice, 17 integrated both light and heavy chains, and at least 10 of them transmitted both genes to the progeny, leading to 100% of animals secreting functional TGEV neutralizing antibody during lactation. Selected mice produced milk with TGEV-specific antibody titers higher than 10(6) as determined by RIA, neutralized virus infectivity by 10(6)-fold, and produced up to 6 mg of antibody per ml. Antibody expression levels were transgene copy number independent and integration site dependent. Comicroinjection of the genomic beta-lactoglobulin gene with rMAb light- and heavy-chain genes led to the generation of transgenic mice carrying the three transgenes. The highest antibody titers were produced by transgenic mice that had integrated the antibody and beta-lactoglobulin genes, although the number of transgenic animals generated does not allow a definitive conclusion on the enhancing effect of beta-lactoglobulin cointegration. This approach may lead to the generation of transgenic animals providing lactogenic immunity to their progeny against enteric pathogens.     

Criticality Analysis for Maintenance Purposes: A Study for Complex In‐service Engineering Assets

The purpose of this paper is to establish a basis for a criticality analysis, considered here as a prerequisite, a first required step to review the current maintenance programs, of complex in‐service engineering assets. Review is understood as a reality check, a testing of whether the current maintenance activities are well aligned to actual business objectives and needs. This paper describes an efficient and rational working process and a model resulting in a hierarchy of assets, based on risk analysis and cost–benefit principles, which will be ranked according to their importance for the business to meet specific goals. Starting from a multicriteria analysis, the proposed model converts relevant criteria impacting equipment criticality into a single score presenting the criticality level. Although detailed implementation of techniques like Root Cause Failure Analysis and Reliability Centered Maintenance will be recommended for further optimization of the maintenance activities, the reasons why criticality analysis deserves the attention of engineers and maintenance and reliability managers are precisely explained here. A case study is presented to help the reader understand the process and to operationalize the model. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A new hydroxyapatite-based biocomposite for bone replacement

Since the 1970s, various types of ceramic, glass and glass–ceramic materials have been proposed and used to replace damaged bone in many clinical applications. Among them, hydroxyapatite (HA) has been successfully employed thanks to its excellent biocompatibility. On the other hand, the bioactivity of HA and its reactivity with bone can be improved through the addition of proper amounts of bioactive glasses, thus obtaining HA-based composites. Unfortunately, high temperature treatments (1200 °C ÷ 1300 °C) are usually required in order to sinter these systems, causing the bioactive glass to crystallize into a glass–ceramic and hence inhibiting the bioactivity of the resulting composite. In the present study novel HA-based composites are realized and discussed. The samples can be sintered at a relatively low temperature (800 °C), thanks to the employment of a new glass (BG_Ca) with a reduced tendency to crystallize compared to the widely used 45S5 Bioglass®. The rich glassy phase, which can be preserved during the thermal treatment, has excellent effects in terms of in vitro bioactivity; moreover, compared to composites based on 45S5 Bioglass® having the same HA/glass proportions, the samples based on BG_Ca displayed an earlier response in terms of cell proliferation.     

Sensitivity Analysis to Operational Parameters of the Offset Well During Fast-SAGD Process in Naturally Fractured Reservoir

Few studies were done to investigate performance of the Fast steam-assisted gravity damage (SAGD) recovery method especially in naturally fractured reservoirs (NFR). The authors studied some cyclic steam stimulated operational parameters effects on the Fast-SAGD performance in NFR. A synthetic 2D homogenous model was constructed by Computer Modelling Group's (CMG) and simulated using the STARS module. Comparison between SAGD and Fast-SAGD recovery methods in this model shows great increase in the oil production but small increase of thermal efficiency in the Fast-SAGD recovery method. Simulation outcomes represent 17% increment in ultimate recovery factor but small reduction in steam-oil ratio. Results show that increasing the number of offset cycles and injection period yield increment in the oil production. Increasing the offset injection rate causes growth in the oil production, but has an optimal value. By increasing the distance between the offset well and SAGD well pairs up to a certain value, oil production increases but decreases after that point. This is due to the ability of the fractures in making connection between the steam chambers in higher distances. When production bottom-hole pressure decreases, the heated oil in near well region is subjected to more pressure drop and causes more oil to be produced. More offset wells result in higher production but simultaneously lower recovery factors. Increasing and decreasing soak time as the last investigated parameter did not affect the trend of production anyway.     

A new potassium-based bioactive glass: Sintering behaviour and possible applications for bioceramic scaffolds

Providing structural support while maintaining bioactivity is one of the most important goals for bioceramic scaffolds, i.e. artificial templates which guide cells to grow in a 3D pattern, facilitating the formation of functional tissues. In the last few years, 45S5 Bioglass^® has been widely investigated as scaffolding material, mainly for its ability to bond to both hard and soft tissues. However, thermal treatments to improve the relatively poor mechanical properties of 45S5 Bioglass^® turn it into a glass-ceramic, decreasing its bioactivity. Therefore, the investigation of new materials as candidates for scaffold applications is necessary. Here a novel glass composition, recently obtained by substituting the sodium oxide with potassium oxide in the 45S5 Bioglass^® formulation, is employed in a feasibility study as scaffolding material. The new glass, named BioK, has the peculiarity to sinter at a relatively low temperature and shows a reduced tendency to crystallize. In this work, BioK has been employed to realize two types of scaffolds. The obtained samples have been fully characterized from a microstructural point of view and compared to each other. Additionally, their excellent bioactivity has been established by means of in vitro tests.     

Triode plasma nitriding and PVD coating: A successful pre-treatment combination to improve the wear resistance of DLC coatings on Ti6Al4V alloy

Diamond-like carbon (DLC) coatings have found great applicability in the automotive industry because of their low friction coefficient and high wear resistance. Nevertheless, their tribological performance can be greatly reduced on soft substrates such as titanium alloys. The hard DLC coating cannot usually follow elastic and plastic deformation of the substrate without failing. In order to overcome this property mismatch between hard coating and soft substrate, triode plasma nitriding was applied as a pre-treatment to improve the mechanical properties of the Ti6Al4V alloy and further enhance the load support for the DLC coating. DLC and multilayered TiN/DLC, CrN/DLC CrAlN/DLC coatings were deposited onto “standard” and plasma nitrided Ti6Al4V substrates. Triode plasma nitriding increased the load-bearing capacity of the coating/substrate system, as higher critical adhesion loads were recorded for DLC coatings on plasma nitrided Ti6Al4V substrates. This treatment also reduced the wear rate of the DLC coating/substrate. Further load support and lower wear rates were achieved by using TiN, CrN and CrAlN as intermediate layers on plasma nitrided Ti6Al4V substrates.     

Nanostructured thin films prepared from cluster beams

Plasma polymer nanostructures were prepared by cluster beam deposition. The nanocluster source assembled in our laboratory is implementing a 2 in. planar magnetron operated in radio-frequency mode and follows the Haberland concept. Clusters were deposited on glass or silicon substrates without mass separation in order to get high deposition rates. C:H plasma polymer clusters with a typical size of about 100 nm (measured by AFM) were prepared by RF discharge in argon/hexane atmosphere. The influence of deposition conditions was studied with respect to size distribution (AFM and SEM), chemical and physical properties (XPS and FTIR) of resultant clusters.     

Awakening of intensive care patients after prolonged continuous sedation

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relevance of the Symptom Checklist 90-R Obsessive-Compulsive subscale to cognition in individuals with brain tumor. DESIGN: A prospective study of patients assessed with a neuropsychological test battery. SETTING: A university medical center. PATIENTS: Nineteen adults with biopsy-confirmed diagnoses of malignant brain tumors were assessed prior to aggressive chemotherapy. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Included in the assessment were the Mattis Dementia Rating Scale, California Verbal Learning Test, Trail Making Test B, Symptom Checklist 90-R, Mood Assessment Scale, Beck Anxiety Inventory, and Chronic Illness Problem Inventory. RESULTS: The SCL 90-R Obsessive-Compulsive subscale was not related to objective measures of attention, verbal memory, or age. It was related significantly to symptoms of depression (r = .81, P < .005), anxiety (r = .66, P < .005), and subjective complaints of memory problems (r = .75, P < .005). Multivariate analyses indicated that reported symptoms of depression contributed 66% of the variance in predicting SCL 90-R Obsessive-Compulsive Scores, whereas symptoms of anxiety contributed an additional 6% (P < .0001). CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggest that the SCL 90-R is best viewed as an indicator of unidimensional emotional distress and somatic effects of structural brain injury.