Aeroelastic analysis of a troposkien-type wind turbine blade

The linear aeroelastic equations for one curved blade of a vertical axis wind turbine in state vector form are presented. The method is based on a simple integrating matrix scheme together with the transfer matrix idea. The method is proposed as a convenient way of solving the associated eigenvalue problem for general support conditions

Brain glucose utilization in systemic lupus erythematosus with neuropsychiatric symptoms: A controlled positron emission tomography study

In contrast to morphological imaging [such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or computed tomography], functional imaging may be of advantage in the detection of brain abnormalities in cases of neuropsychiatric systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Therefore, we studied 13 patients (aged 40±14 years, 11 female, 2 male) with neuropsychiatric SLE who met four of the American Rheumatism Association criteria for the classification of SLE. Ten clinically and neurologically healthy volunteers served as controls (aged 40±12 years, 5 female, 5 male). Both groups were investigated using fluorine-18-labelled fluorodeoxyglucose brain positron emission tomography (PET) and cranial MRI. The normal controls and 11 of the 13 patients showed normal MRI scans. However, PET scan was abnormal in all 13 SLE patients. Significant group-to-group differences in the glucose metabolic index (GMI=region of interest uptake/global uptake at the level of the basal ganglia and thalamus) were found in the parieto-occipital region on both sides: the GMI of the parieto-occipital region on the right side was 0.922±0.045 in patients and 1.066±0.081 in controls (P<0.0001, Mann WhitneyU test), while on the left side it was 0.892±0.060 in patients and 1.034±0.051 in controls (P=0.0002). Parietooccipital hypometabolism is a conspicuous finding in mainly MRI-negative neuropsychiatric SLE. As the parieto-occipital region is located at the boundary of blood supply of all three major arteries, it could be the most vulnerable zone of the cerebrum and may be affected at an early stage of the cerebrovascular diseas

Evaluation of the cytotoxicity and genotoxicity of aristolochic acid I - A component of Aristolochiaceae plant extracts used in homeopathy

The medicinal plants Aristolochia clematitis L. as well as Asarum europaeum L., representatives of the plant family Aristolochiaceae and mentioned in the German Homeopathic Pharmacopeia, contain aristolochic acid. We found that the mother tinctures of A. clematitis and A. europaeum inhibited DNA synthesis in human hepatoma HepG2 cells in a dose-dependent manner. One of the components of the plant extract, aristolochic acid I (AAI), is linked to the development of nephropathy and urothelial cancer in humans. Therefore, we also evaluated the cytotoxicity and genotoxicity of AAI in HepG2 cells. Cell proliferation was inhibited concentration-dependently by AAI using BrdU-ELISA and colony forming assay. AAI formed DNA adducts (measured by P-postlabeling), induced chromosomal aberrations (micronuclei) and DNA strand breaks. DNA damage induced by AAI led to an arrest of cells in the S-phase which was associated with the increased expression of p53 and p21 proteins. The results are discussed under consideration of former studies

Translational models for vascular cognitive impairment: a review including larger species.

BACKGROUND: Disease models are useful for prospective studies of pathology, identification of molecular and cellular mechanisms, pre-clinical testing of interventions, and validation of clinical biomarkers. Here, we review animal models relevant to vascular cognitive impairment (VCI). A synopsis of each model was initially presented by expert practitioners. Synopses were refined by the authors, and subsequently by the scientific committee of a recent conference (International Conference on Vascular Dementia 2015). Only peer-reviewed sources were cited. METHODS: We included models that mimic VCI-related brain lesions (white matter hypoperfusion injury, focal ischaemia, cerebral amyloid angiopathy) or reproduce VCI risk factors (old age, hypertension, hyperhomocysteinemia, high-salt/high-fat diet) or reproduce genetic causes of VCI (CADASIL-causing Notch3 mutations). CONCLUSIONS: We concluded that (1) translational models may reflect a VCI-relevant pathological process, while not fully replicating a human disease spectrum; (2) rodent models of VCI are limited by paucity of white matter; and (3) further translational models, and improved cognitive testing instruments, are required

Early response monitoring during [¹⁷⁷Lu]Lu-PSMA I&T therapy with quantitated SPECT/CT predicts overall survival of mCRPC patients: subgroup analysis of a Swiss-wide prospective registry study.

To assess early tumor response with quantitated SPECT/CT and to correlate it with clinical outcome in metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) patients treated with &lt;sup&gt;177&lt;/sup&gt; Lutetium-PSMA I&amp;T therapy. Single-center, observational study, part of the prospective Swiss national cancer registry study investigating the safety and efficacy of [ &lt;sup&gt;177&lt;/sup&gt; Lu]Lu-PSMA I&amp;T (EKNZ: 2021-01271) in mCRPC patients treated with at least two cycles of [ &lt;sup&gt;177&lt;/sup&gt; Lu]Lu-PSMA I&amp;T 6-weekly. After the first and second cycle quantitated SPECT/CT (Symbia Intevo, Siemens) was acquired 48 h after injection (three fields of view from head to thigh, 5 s/frame) and reconstructed using xQuant® (48i, 1 s, 10-mm Gauss). Image analysis: The PSMA-positive total tumor volumes (TTV) were semi-automatically delineated using a SUV threshold of 3 with MIMencore® (version 7.1.3, Medical Image Merge Software Inc.). Changes in TTV, highest tumor SUVmax, and total tumor SUVmean between cycles 1 and 2 were calculated and grouped into a) stable or decrease and b) increase. Serum PSA levels were assessed at each therapy cycle and at follow-up until progression or death. Changes in TTV, PSA, SUVmax, and SUVmean were correlated with PSA-progression-free survival (PSA-PFS) and the overall survival (OS) using the Kaplan-Meier methodology (log-rank test). Between 07/2020 and 04/2022, 111 patients were screened and 73 finally included in the data analysis. The median follow-up was 8.9 months (range 1.4-26.6 months). Stable or decreased TTV at cycle 2 was associated with longer OS (hazard ratio (HR) 0.28, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.09-0.86, p &lt; 0.01). Similar, stable, or decreased PSA was associated with longer OS (HR 0.21; CI 0.07-0.62, p &lt; 0.01) and PSA-PFS (HR 0.34; 95% CI 0.16-0.72, p &lt; 0.01). Combining TTV and PSA will result in an augmented prognostic value for OS (HR 0.09; CI 0.01-0.63; p &lt; 0.01) and for PSA-PFS (HR 0.11; CI 0.02-0.68; p &lt; 0.01). A reduction of SUVmax or SUVmean was not prognostically relevant, neither for OS (p 0.88 and 0.7) nor for PSA-PFS (p 0.73 and 0.62, respectively). Six weeks after initiating [ &lt;sup&gt;177&lt;/sup&gt; Lu]Lu-PSMA I&amp;T, TTV and serum PSA appear to be good prognosticators for OS. Combined together, TTV + PSA change demonstrates augmented prognostic value and can better predict PSA-PFS. Larger studies using TTV change prospectively as an early-response biomarker are warranted for implementing management change towards a more personalized clinical practice

Historical trend of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in a sediment core from Osaka Bay during the Meghalayan

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are produced by incomplete combustion of biomass and fossil fuel, yet PAHs have been rarely analyzed in coastal sediment cores as a tracer for human activities before industrialization. The aim of this study was to assess if the historical trend of PAHs can be related to past human activities. To this end, we have determined the concentrations of PAHs in a 9 m-long sediment core from Osaka Bay, which records history of the last 2400 years. The concentration of PAHs before the beginning of the 17th century CE, the beginning of the peaceful Edo period, was consistently low (<100 ng g⁻¹) and mainly comprised of smoke-derived PAHs reflecting the natural background. A relative higher abundance of 4−6 ring PAHs from the early 17th century CE and a higher PAH concentration from the early 18th century CE until approximately 1800 CE agreed with a population increase, Cu smelting activities and increasing combustion of charcoal. The constant PAH concentration until the late 19th century CE overlapped with a decline in the population in the Osaka area. An increasing PAH concentration from the late 19th century CE marked the beginning of industrialization in the Modern age. The peak in PAH concentration in 1945 CE was likely caused by burning of wooden structures due to air raids on Osaka City. A second peak around 1980 CE indicated the introduction of cleaner energies. We conclude that PAHs in coastal sediment cores can be used to reconstruct past human activities

Harmonic Forcing Amplitude Effects in Globally Unstable Transonic Wing Flow

This work concerns the phenomenon of shock buffet and its mutual interaction with the flexible wing structure. The latter aspect is key to our contribution, since, even though renewed interest in edge-of-the-envelope flow unsteadiness can be observed in recent years, the multidisciplinary aeroelastic interaction is typically overlooked. Previous work by Timme [1] applied stability theory to a large aircraft wing, specifically the NASA Common Research Model, to reveal a global instability linked to shock buffet. Herein, we expand upon that work by adding the dimension of wing vibration to scrutinise its impact on the flow unsteadiness. We consider fluid-structure interaction solving the unsteady Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes equations with an industry-grade computational fluid dynamics solver to model the aerodynamics and a modal structural model of the actual wind-tunnel geometry to describe the flexible wing. Our focus experimental flow condition is a reference free-stream Mach number of 0.85 with a chord Reynolds number of 5 × 106 and a supercritical angle of attack of 3.75◦ . Results show that the initial aerodynamic unsteadiness, when started from a well converged static aeroelastic solution (validated with wind-tunnel data), is nearly independent of the presence of the flexible wing structure as long as the amplitudes are small. Indeed wing vibration follows the dominant shock-buffet excitation. Once transitioned into the non-linear aerodynamic regime (while noting that at the time of writing a longer time history is still required), most of the structural degrees-of-freedom are active close to their respective natural frequencies and also within the shock-buffet frequency range. An aeroelastic global stability analysis presented in our companion paper [2] has revealed that several of these modes become unstable due to the fluid-structure coupling. Overall the impact of the flexible wing results in lower amplitudes in integrated aerodynamic coefficients with a broader frequency content peaking around the first bending frequencies and the shock-buffet frequency range, which is in contrast to the rigid (yet statically deformed) wing where the shock-buffet excitation clearly dominates