In this second international permeability benchmark, the in-plane permeability values of a carbon fabric were studied by twelve research groups worldwide. One participant also investigated the ...deformation of the tested carbon fabric. The aim of this work was to obtain comparable results in order to make a step toward standardization of permeability measurements. Unidirectional injections were thus conducted to determine the unsaturated in-plane permeability tensor of the fabric. Procedures used by participants were specified in the guidelines defined for this benchmark. Participants were asked to use the same values for parameters such as fiber volume fraction, injection pressure and fluid viscosity to minimize sources of scatter. The comparison of the results from each participant was encouraging. The scatter between data obtained while respecting the guidelines was below 25%. However, a higher dispersion was observed when some parameters differed from the recommendations of this exercise.
► Information on the role of wild hosts of African swine fever virus (ASFV) is scarce and difficult to produce. ► Extrapolation of information of wild hosts from other regions can be misleading and ...complicate our understanding of the disease. ► There is urgent need to validate diagnostic methods and develop non invasive diagnostic tools for ASFV detection in wild pigs. ► Experimental infections in captive colonies of wild hosts can provide fundamental information to understand the sylvatic cycle of ASFV.
African swine fever (ASF) is a major limiting factor for pig production in most of the countries in Sub-Saharan Africa and the Indian Ocean. In the absence of vaccine, a good understanding of the ecology and epidemiology of the disease is fundamental to implement effective control measures. In selected countries of Southern and East Africa, the association between Ornithodoros moubata ticks and warthogs has been described in detail in the literature. However, for many other countries in the region, information related to the sylvatic cycle is lacking or incomplete. In West African countries, for instance, the role of wild pigs in the epidemiology of ASF has never been demonstrated and the existence and potential impact of a sylvatic cycle involving an association between soft ticks and warthogs is questionable. In other countries, other wild pig species such as the bushpigs (Potamochoerus spp.) can also be asymptomatically infected by the virus but their role in the epidemiology of the disease is unclear and might differ according to geographic regions. In addition, the methods and techniques required to study the role of wild hosts in ASF virus (ASFV) epidemiology and ecology are very specific and differ from the more traditional methods to study domestic pigs or other tick species. The aim of this review is (i) to provide a descriptive list of the methodologies implemented to study the role of wild hosts in African swine fever, (ii) to compile the available knowledge about the sylvatic cycle of ASFV in different regions of Sub-Saharan Africa and the Indian Ocean in addition to the one that has been described for East and Southern Africa, and (iii) to discuss current methodologies and available knowledge in order to identify new orientations for further field and experimental surveys.
We report the first measurements of a self-healing polymer that combines a microencapsulated liquid healing agent and shape memory alloy (SMA) wires. When a propagating crack ruptures the embedded ...microcapsules, the liquid healing agent is automatically released into the crack where it contacts a solid catalyst embedded in the matrix. The SMA wires are then activated to close the crack during the healing period. We show that dramatically improved healing performance is obtained by the activation of embedded SMA wires. We conclude that improved healing is due to a reduction of crack volume as a result of pulling the crack faces closed, and more complete polymerization of the healing agent due to the heat produced by the activated SMA wires.
Display omitted
We report the development of an intrinsic healing glass fibre reinforced polymer (GFRP) composite based on a disulphide-containing organic-inorganic thermoset matrix. Thermomechanical experiments ...showed that the newly developed matrix has a combination of a Young's modulus value in the range of (800–1200 MPa), the ability to multiple thermally induced healing delamination (70–85 °C), and processability by conventional vacuum infusion process that is not yet reported in literature. The composite mechanical properties and the extent of healing were determined by flexural, fracture and low-velocity impact testing. Small sized (<cm2) damage could be partially healed multiple times using a minimal healing pressure to ensure a good alignment of the damaged interfaces. The level of healing can be enhanced, even for large (>cm2) damage, by increasing the healing pressure provided the location of the primary damage is concentrated within the matrix phase. The polymer matrix composite introduced here represents a significant step forward from the often mechanically inferior intrinsically self-healing composites towards structural self-healing composites.
Response to antidepressant therapy is highly variable among individuals. Pharmacogenomic (PGx) testing presents an opportunity to guide drug selection while optimizing therapy outcomes and/or ...decreasing the risk for toxicity.
A patient with multiple comorbidities, including severe major depressive disorder (MDD), experienced adverse drug events and undesirable response to multiple antidepressant medications (i.e., bupropion, escitalopram, and venlafaxine). A clinical pharmacist assessed significant drug-gene, drug-drug, and drug-drug-gene interactions as well as other clinical factors to provide recommendations for antidepressant therapy optimization.
This case highlights the importance of PGx testing and the key role of pharmacists in identifying and mitigating drug-related problems and optimizing drug therapy in patients with MDD.
Healing of epoxy resins can be accomplished using a combination of embedded ethyl phenylacetate (EPA) solvent loaded capsules and shape memory alloy (SMA) wires. Upon crack formation, the EPA solvent ...diffuses in the resin and induces swelling which tends to close the crack, while the SMA wires upon heating reduce the crack gap and foster residual epoxy cure. The kinetics of EPA diffusion in the epoxy matrix were measured so as to evaluate the swelling thickness versus time, and concentration at saturation. The largest healable crack gap was found to be 30 μm after 24 h. EPA solvent was shown to lower the curing reaction kinetics and the glass transition temperature (
T
g
) of the epoxy, as well as its stiffness and strength. Healing efficiency was assessed using long-groove tapered double cantilever beam (TDCB) test samples, with embedded SMA wires across the crack plane. The healing efficiency greatly improved when the crack gap was reduced to 30 μm, from 24% for samples without SMA wires to 78% for samples with SMA wires activated according to an optimized scenario.
Display omitted
In the framework of the development of capsule-based self-healing composites, this work investigates whether the capsules containing self-healing agents, dispersed on dry glass fibre reinforcements, ...influence their packing and longitudinal and transverse permeability properties. Solvent-filled urea–formaldehyde capsules have been produced and their morphology and thermal behaviour characterised for self-healing applications. Glass woven 2×2 twill fabrics were functionalised with capsules spread by manual sieving. Packing and permeability measurements were performed as a function of capsule content. Of practical interest for further manufacturing of self-healing composites by vacuum-assisted resin infusion moulding, the presence of capsules in the range of 125–250μm diameter was found to modify the compression response, leading to higher total porosity for a given applied pressure, from 0.5 to 0.55 with capsules at 1bar. The longitudinal permeability was multiplied by a factor of about 6, whereas the transverse permeability was not affected.
Shape memory alloys and their composites are often associated with the term smart material. In probing whether this is justified, we first attempt to define the term, then provide an opinion on the ...potential and remaining hurdles for SMAs and their composites to constitute smart materials, based on recent research.
In this international permeability benchmark exercise, in-plane permeability data for two reinforcement fabrics, obtained using a total of 16 different experimental procedures, were compared. ...Although, for each procedure, the results appear consistent, different procedures result in a scatter of up to one order of magnitude in principal permeability values for each fabric at any given fibre volume fraction. The ratio of the principal permeability values varies by factors of up to 2. While experimental uncertainties and variability of the specimens affect the scatter in results for any single series of experiments, it is suspected that the main source of scatter in results from different procedures is related to human factors. Aiming at standardisation of measurement methods and interchangeability of results, “good practice” guidelines will be formulated in order to eliminate sources of scatter.
A difunctional cycloaliphatic epoxy monomer was cationically photo-polymerized in the presence of a diaryliodonium salt photoinitiator and an isopropyl thioxanthone photosensitizer at different ...temperatures and UV intensities. The photo-polymerization kinetics and structure formation were analysed using photo-DSC, IR spectroscopy and photo-rheology. An autocatalytic relation was used to model the conversion state with Arrhenius and power-law relationships for temperature and light intensity dependence. Conversion was found to depend on sample thickness, following the Beer–Lambert law. Photo-rheology measurements showed that the system vitrified before gelation at ambient temperature, and after gelation at high temperature under intense UV illumination. Time temperature transformation and time intensity transformation diagrams were built. Moreover, isothermal dark-curing enabled significant conversion increases up to the occurrence of vitrification, while thermal post-curing above Tg led to conversion as high as 71%. Thermo-mechanical measurements enabled to quantify Tg and the effects of the increase in conversion provided by thermal post-curing.
Display omitted
PDF
