Development of a maximum entropy approach for the thermomecanical modelling of the rotary friction welding process

A multi-physics modelling of rotary friction welding process based on a Maximum Entropy approach is proposed. This approach will be able to solve coupled thermomechanical problems. Because strains are very high locally around the welded area, the remeshing time in a classical finite element method is very important. The use of this meshless method should reduce simulations time and the numerical diffusion phenomena

Hospital discharges-based search of acute flaccid paralysis cases 2007-2016 in Italy and comparison with the National Surveillance System for monitoring the risk of polio reintroduction

Background: Acute flaccid paralysis (AFP) surveillance has been adopted globally as a key strategy for monitoring the progress of the polio eradication initiative. Hereby, to evaluate the completeness of the ascertainment of AFP cases in Italy, a hospital-discharges based search was carried out. Methods: AFP cases occurring between 2007 and 2016 among children under 15 years of age were searched in the Italian Hospital Discharge Records (HDR) database using specific ICD-9-CM diagnostic codes. AFP cases identified between 2015 and 2016 were then compared with those notified to the National Surveillance System (NSS). Results: Over a 10-year period, 4163 hospital discharges with diagnosis of AFP were reported in Italy. Among these, 956 (23.0%) were acute infective polyneuritis, 1803 (43.3%) myopathy, and 1408 (33.8%) encephalitis, myelitis and encephalomyelitis. During the study period, a decreasing trend was observed for all diagnoses and overall the annual incidence rate (IR) declined from 5.5 to 4.5 per 100,000 children. Comparing NSS with HDR data in 2015-2016, we found a remarkable underreporting, being AFP cases from NSS only 14% of those recorded in HDR. In particular, the acute infective polyneuritis cases reported to NSS accounted for 42.6% of those detected in HDR, while only 0.9% of myopathy cases and 13.1% of encephalitis/myelitis/encephalomyelitis cases have been notified to NSS. The highest AFP IRs per 100,000 children calculated on HDR data were identified in Liguria (17.4), Sicily (5.7), and Veneto (5.1) Regions; regarding the AFP notified to the NSS, 11 out of 21 Regions failed to reach the number of expected cases (based on 1/100,000 rate), and the highest discrepancies were observed in the Northern Regions. Overall, the national AFP rate was equal to 0.6, therefore did not reach the target value. Conclusions: AFP surveillance data are the final measure of a country's progress towards polio eradication. The historical data obtained by the HDR have been useful to assess the completeness of the notification data and to identify the Regions with a low AFP ascertainment rate in order to improve the national surveillance system

Camera traps for evaluating ungulate densities and interspecific interactions in the Beaver Hills region of Alberta

Interspecific interactions and species-habitat interactions are primary drivers in shaping distributions of wildlife populations across variable landscapes. The aspen parkland is a highly productive and heterogenous ecosystem characterized by a mosaic of habitat types maintained by disturbance that supports diverse ungulate assemblages. Elk Island National Park (EINP) and Cooking Lake – Blackfoot Provincial Recreation Area (BPRA) are two fenced natural areas in the Beaver Hills region of central Alberta where aspen parkland is being conserved. These areas maintain high densities of native ungulates including elk (Cervus elaphus), moose (Alces alces), white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus), and mule deer (O. hemionus), with plains bison (Bison bison bison) and wood bison (B. bison athabascae) also inhabiting EINP. My first objective was to use camera traps to estimate ungulate densities in EINP and BPRA, and to evaluate cameras as a viable alternative to aerial ungulate surveys (AUS). I applied the time-in-front-of-the-camera (TIFC) method and compared TIFC density estimates to AUS densities, identifying strengths and weaknesses for both approaches per species. We collected data from 43 cameras in EINP between December 2016 and October 2020, and 23 cameras in BPRA from April 2019 to August 2020. I estimated yearly densities in the north and south sections of EINP (2017-2019), and in BPRA (2019). Moose had the lowest discrepancy between approaches, bison TIFC density estimates were lower than AUS densities, and elk TIFC density estimates were higher the AUS densities. I was also able to provide deer TIFC density estimates in EINP and BPRA in the absence of aerial survey data. Overall, I found that the TIFC and AUS approaches were complementary, where the AUS performed better for species in open habitats, while TIFC performed better for surveying species in closed habitats. My second objective was to evaluate spatiotemporal overlap and interspecific interactions between bison and elk in EINP. Bison and elk have overlapping habitat use and diet and are the primary focus of ungulate management in EINP. I examined distributions of both species in relation to season, landscape characteristics, anthropogenic features, and heterospecifics using generalized linear models (GLMs). I then examined seasonal daily activity patterns of bison and elk and calculated the degree of overlap. The spatial analysis revealed that bison counts were positively associated with higher proportions of open habitats across seasons and in areas farther from water in summer and fall but had no associations with distance to water in winter. Bison removal year was a significant predictor variable for bison counts in winter when the bison roundup takes place. Spatial modeling revealed that elk avoided areas with high linear feature density across seasons. During fall and winter, I observed higher elk counts associated with bison presence. Temporal activity patterns revealed that elk were crepuscular in all three seasons, but bison activity patterns varied with diurnal activity being more common in the summer, crepuscular activity in winter, and intermediate activity patterns in the fall. Coefficients of overlap between elk and bison were high in all three seasons with the greatest difference in daily activity patterns in summer and the highest overlap in winter when both species showed strong crepuscular activity. Despite the fenced perimeter in EINP resulting in high ungulate densities, limited dispersal, and low predation, our data show similar patterns of habitat use and interactions between bison and elk to those in other systems. Spatiotemporal partitioning between bison and elk does not appear necessary to coexist in the aspen parkland. Future research should focus on ungulate impacts to vegetation in relation to fluctuating ungulate densities and interspecific interactions. Continued monitoring and active management are necessary to protect the ecological integrity of these natural areas for years to come

PRESTIGIO RING: “An 80-year-old man living with HIV resistant to all four antiretroviral classes and desiring treatment simplification”

People aging with 4 antiretroviral class resistant HIV are a very challenging population. It is difficult to build up a fully suppressive regimen, and the high prevalence of comorbidities and polypharmacy may cause drug-drug interactions and put adherence at risk. We herein present the case of an 80-year-old man, participating in the PRESTIGIO registry, asking for a reduction in his antiretroviral burden while on polypharmacy for his comorbidities

Potential of wickerhamomyces anomalus in glycerol valorization

Five-carbons polyalcohols, such as xylitol and arabitol, and microbial oils are important targets for biotechnological industries. Polyalcohols can find application as low-calories sweeteners and as building block in the synthesis of valuable compounds, while lipids are interesting for both biofuel and food industry. The osmophilic yeast Wickerhamomyces anomalus WC 1501 was preliminary known to produce arabitol from glycerol. Production kinetics were investigated in this study. Production was not growth-associated and occurred during a nitrogen-limited stationary phase, in presence of an excess of carbon source. Typical bioreactor batch cultures, carried out with 160 g/L glycerol, yielded 16.0 g/L arabitol in 160 h. A fed-batch process was developed, in which growth is carried out batchwise in a balanced medium containing 20 g/L glycerol, and arabitol production is induced at the entrance into the stationary phase with a pulse of concentrated glycerol to provide the remaining 140 g/L carbon source. At the end of the process 18.0 g/L arabitol were generated. Under these conditions, the yeast also accumulated intracellular triacylglycerols, with fatty acids of 16-18 carbons bearing 0 to 2 unsaturations, reaching up the 23% of biomass dry weight. Therefore, W. anomalus WC 1501 is a good candidate for the development of a fermentative process yielding arabitol and has potential also as oleaginous yeast for producing lipids, further improving the interest in this strain for glycerol biorefinery. The utilization of a fed-batch process allows to carry out distinct growth and production phases and thus allows the optimization of both phases separately, in order to achieve the highest concentration of catalytic biomass during growth and the maximum efficiency during production. This strain deserves further investigation to better exploit its biotechnological potential in the valorization of glycerol

evaluation of liver fibrosis concordance analysis between noninvasive scores apri and fib 4 evolution and predictors in a cohort of hiv infected patients without hepatitis c and b infection

Background. There is lack of data on the incidence of liver fibrosis (LF) progression in patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) monoinfection and risk factors for LF. Methods. We performed an observational prospective study in a cohort of HIV-infected patients who had initiated highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). FIB-4 and aspartate aminotransferase (AST)-to-platelet ratio index (APRI) were assessed. The concordance between the 2 scores was assessed by weighted kappa coefficient. Kaplan-Meier analysis was used to estimate the incidence of LF. Cox regression analysis was used to assess the predictors of transition. Results. A total of 1112 patients were observed for a mean of 2249 days of follow-up. The concordance between FIB-4 and APRI was moderate (kappa = .573). The incidence of transition to higher FIB-4 classes was 0.064 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.056―0.072) per person-year of follow-up (PYFU), whereas the incidence of transition to higher APRI classes was 0.099 (95% CI, 0.089-0.110) per PYFU. The incidence of transition to FIB-4 >3.25 was 0.013 per PYFU (95% CI, 0.010-0.017) and 0.018 per PYFU (95% CI, 0.014―0.022) for APRI >1.5. In multivariate analyses, for transition to higher classes, HIV RNA level 3.25 and APRI> 1.5 as study outcomes. Conclusions. Overall, our results suggest a possible benefit associated with earlier HAART initiation, provided that the effectiveness of HAART is sustained and treatment with DDX is avoided

An alarm signal for the medical world addressed from the pathological anatomy service in the Republic of Moldova

Department of Morphopathology, Nicolae Testemitsanu State University of Medicine and Pharmacy Chisinau, the Republic of Moldova, Department of Microscopic Morphology/Histology, Angiogenesis Research Center, Victor Babes University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Timisoara, RomaniaBackground: Maintaining the quality and safety of pathology services is crucial for the efficient delivery of health care. However, pathology is, perhaps, the least understood of the medical specialties. In particular, the scope of pathology and the integral role it plays in all areas of medicine are not well recognized even by some of those working in health care environments. Strategic partnerships have as the main goal the enlargement of collaborative research and partnership on national and international level, mainly, but not exclusively in European Research Area. There is a perceived need for improved management practices, use of new technologies, and increased use of some categories of the personnel. Issues with the employment program were mentioned, including tracking, matching people to jobs, training, and finding more opportunities. There was a call for greater visibility in the community (both medical and scientific). The problems facing pathology teaching and pathology teachers mirror those of most other medical disciplines, namely a lack of time and money, and competing pressures from many other sources. Conclusion: There is the danger of producing doctors who cannot explain disease to their patients, who abuse laboratories and who have no interest in pursuing pathology as a career, leading to a slow and possibly irreversible decline in pathology as a medical profession

Formation of metal wire arrays via electrodeposition in pores of Si, Ge and III–V semiconductors

Access full text - https://doi.org/10.1002/pssa.200674352Deep straight macropores in n-type Si have been completely filled with copper (Cu). Homogeneous metal deposition inside the deep pores was achieved by means of electroplating using a solution containing only CuSO4 mixed with H2SO4 and an optimized process that begins at the bottom of the pores. Pores as deep as 150 µm could be filled without encountering the so-called “bottleneck” effect. Straight macropores with diameters below 100 nm and extreme aspect ratios in InP could be filled with Cu using a pulsed process. Interconnected pores extending in the available set of 111 directions in 100 GaAs and forming domains could not be filled with Cu; instead the volume occupied by the pore domain was completely filled with Cu; i.e. the porous structure was destroyed. A possible reason for this new effect will be given

Pore Etching in III-V and II-VI Semiconductor Compounds in Neutral Electrolyte

Access full text - https://doi.org/10.1149/1.2771076We propose to use a neutral electrolyte based on an aqueous solution of instead of commonly used aggressive acids or alkaline electrolytes for the purpose of electrochemical nanostructuring of and substrates. It is shown that the process of material porosification can be controlled by the conditions of anodic etching. A photoluminescence analysis of the porous structures obtained and referenced to the as-grown substrate demonstrates that an effective passivation of the surface occurs during anodization in this electrolyte. The results obtained pave the way for the development of optoelectronic devices based on electrochemically nanostructured and compounds, particularly for high-efficiency solar cells