Propulsion Working Group report

Existing technology limits and performances, high payoff technologies, propulsion technologies, electric propulsion systems, and advanced bipropellant systems are outlined

Principles and Applications of Cardio-immunology in Heart Failure

Cardio-immunology is an emerging field at the intersection of cardiology and immunology, focusing on the role of the immune system in cardiovascular disease. Heart failure (HF), in particular, is considered an immunologic phenomenon. However, attempts to modulate the immune system for treating HF have been largely unsuccessful. In this thesis we examined various aspects of immune activation in HF.In Chapter 2 we summarized the immunomodulatory properties of current treatments for HF, we summarized previous and ongoing clinical studies of immunomodulatory treatments for HF and discussed potential future applications. In Chapters 3 and 4, the association between circulating interleukin-6 and clinical characteristics and prognosis in patients with HF was evaluated. Elevated interleukin-6 levels were associated with a worse prognosis, as well as specific clinical characteristics and blood measurements. In Chapter 5, biomarker analyses identified processes related to interferon-γ signaling and T cell co-stimulation as having the most consistent associations with all-cause mortality in patients with HF. Chapter 6 revealed that autoantibodies against autonomic nervous system receptors had limited prognostic value in patients with HF, although anti-β1 seropositivity was independently associated with a higher likelihood of hospitalization for HF. In Chapter 7, white blood cell profiling in patients with HF provided prognostic and pathophysiologic information, suggesting its potential use for risk stratification and patient selection for immunomodulatory treatments.Overall, this thesis contributes to the understanding of immune activation in HF and lays the foundation for further research in cardio-immunology for preventive, diagnostic/prognostic, and therapeutic applications

Automating the processing steps for obtaining bone tissue engineered substitutes : from imaging tools to bioreactors.

Bone diseases and injuries are highly incapacitating and result in a high demand for tissue substitutes with specific biomechanical and structural features. Tissue engineering has already proven to be effective in regenerating bone tissue but has not yet been able to become an economically viable solution due to the complexity of the tissue which is very difficult to be replicated, eventually requiring the utilization of highly labour-intensive processes. Process automation is seen as the solution for mass production of cellularized bone tissue substitutes at an affordable cost by being able to reduce human intervention as well as reducing product variability. The combination of tools such as medical imaging, computer-aided fabrication and bioreactor technologies, which are currently used in tissue engineering, shows potential to generate automated production ecosystems which will in turn enable the generation of commercially available products with widespread clinical application.The authors would like to acknowledge the partial support by the European Network of Excellence EXPERTISSUES (NMP3-CT-2004-500283). Pedro Costa would also like to acknowledge the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology for his PhD grant (SFRH/BD/62452/2009)

The effect of the gene for polledness on conception rate and litter size in the Damascus goat

International audienc

GAMIFICATION OF WAREHOUSING ACTIVITIES: EXPLORING PERSPECTIVES OF WAREHOUSE MANAGERS IN THE UK

Purpose The purpose of this study is to explore perspectives of warehouse managers’ on gamification of warehousing activities such as receiving, put-away, order picking, and shipping. This study explores potential benefits and obstacles of gamification in warehousing context. Research Approach A largely qualitative study which involves in depth interviews with eight warehouse managers from the United Kingdom. The interview protocol is a refined replication of methodology to gain insights from practitioners found in Lummus et al. (2001). Findings and Originality Gamification is applicable in the warehousing context with potential benefits such as improved worker engagement, increased morale and productivity, enforced competition, increased accuracy, and skills development. However there are also limitations, for instance limited resources, game tolerance with time, intense planning required, ethical implications, and ensuring fairness for all players should be considered before the implementation. Research Impact Although this study is limited to perspectives of UK warehousing managers the selected sample operates in the varied range of market sectors thus enabling the authors to generate a breadth of perspectives. Practical Impact A profile of perspectives of UK warehouse managers in relation to gamification of warehousing activities is presented

The Sphinx’s riddle: cardiovascular involvement in autoimmune rheumatic disease

Factors leading to Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) in Autoimmune Rheumatic Diseases (ARD) include: a) atherosclerosis and macro-microvascular coronary artery disease b) pericardial, myocardial and vascular inflammation c) heart valve disease d) heart failure and e) pulmonary hypertension. Cardiology utilizes various non-invasive imaging modalities, such as rest/stress Electrocardiogram (ECG), echocardiography, nuclear imaging and more recently Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance (CMR) to detect ischemic or inflammatory disease in ARD. Exercise ECG is a reliable prognostic test for identification of patients either very unlikely or very likely to have cardiac events. However, this is not the case for intermediate risk patients. In stress echocardiography the diagnostic end point for the detection of myocardial ischemia is the induction of a transient worsening in regional function during stress. It provides similar diagnostic and prognostic accuracy as radionuclide stress perfusion, but at a lower cost and without radiation exposure. Stress Myocardial Perfusion Scintigraphy (MPS) is a non-invasive imaging modality for patients with suspected coronary artery disease, but has important limitations including radiation exposure, imaging artefacts and low spatial resolution, which preclude detection of small myocardial scars commonly found in ARD. By identifying early stages of inflammation and perfusion defects, CMR can shed light on the exact pathophysiologic background of myocardial lesions, even if the underlying ARD seems stable. However, high cost and lack of availability and expertise limit wider adoption. Hopefully, CMR will not have the same fate as Oedipous, who despite answering the Sphinx’s riddle successfully, finally came to a bitter end; for in the case of CMR overcoming fate is, in fact, in our hands

Bioactivity Studies on Titania Coatings and the Estimation of Their Usefulness in the Modification of Implant Surfaces

Morphologically different titania coatings (nanofibers (TNFs), nanoneedles (TNNs), and nanowires (TNWs)) were studied as potential biomedical materials. The abovementioned systems were produced in situ on Ti6Al4V substrates via direct oxidation processes using H2O2 and H2O2/CaCl2 agents, and via thermal oxidation in the presence of Ar and Ar/H2O2. X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy have been used to structurally characterize the produced materials. The morphology changes on the titanium alloy surface were investigated using scanning electron microscopy. The bioactivity of the samples has been estimated by the analysis of the produced titania coatings’ biocompatibility, and by the determination of their ability to reduce bacterial biofilm formation. The photoactivity of the produced nanocoatings was also analyzed, in order to determine the possibility of using titania coated implant surfaces in the sterilization process of implants. Photocatalytic activity was estimated using the methylene blue photodegradation kinetics, in the presence of UV light