PEG-based hydrogels are used widely in exploratory tissue engineering applications but in general lack chemical and structural diversity. Additive manufacturing offers pathways to otherwise ...unattainable scaffold morphologies but has been applied sparingly to cross-linked hydrogels. Herein, monomethyl ether poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) and PEG–diol were used to initiate the ring-opening copolymerization (ROCOP) of maleic anhydride and propylene oxide to yield well-defined diblock and triblock copolymers of PEG–poly(propylene maleate) (PPM) and ultimately PEG-poly(propylene fumarate) (PPF) with different molecular mass PEG macroinitiators and block length ratios. Using continuous digital light processing (cDLP), hydrogels were photochemically printed from an aqueous solution which resulted in a 10-fold increase in elongation at break compared to traditional diethyl fumarate (DEF) based printing. Furthermore, PPF–PEG–PPF triblock hydrogels were also found to be biocompatible in vitro across a number of engineered MC3T3, NIH3T3, and primary Schwann cells.
This paper seeks to characterise the relationship between civil society and mining in Minas Gerais, Brazil, between 2000 and 2020 by observing the actions of three different groups in resisting the ...expansion of mining. The analysis points to the existence of a plurality of forms of engagement, organisation and ways of establishing relations between civil society and the state and the market. It also reveals tension between different ways of framing the mining problem by civil society, of posing this problem publicly and establishing ways to confront it. Three sets of actors are identified: (i) environmental NGOs, who are market-oriented; (ii) groups with looser ties who are more radical; and (iii) social movements aligned with the identities of a state-orientated traditional left. My analysis suggests that the divergence in framing the context by these three different groups hinders the construction of a substantive public debate on the mining issue in Brazil. The article is divided into three parts. First, it briefly outlines the process of mining expansion in Brazil, starting in the mid-2000s, highlighting its economic impact. Second, it considers the relationship between civil society articulation and deliberation. Third, it characterises the constitution of these different civil society groups who have established interactions with market and state actors that fostered this expansion.
The patatin-like phospholipase domain containing 3 (PNPLA3, also called adiponutrin, ADPN) is a membrane-bound protein highly expressed in the liver. The genetic variant I148M (rs738409) was found to ...be associated with progression of chronic liver disease. We aimed to establish a protein purification protocol in a yeast system (Pichia pastoris) and to examine the human PNPLA3 enzymatic activity, substrate specificity and the I148M mutation effect. hPNPLA3 148I wild type and 148M mutant cDNA were cloned into P. pastoris expression vectors. Yeast cells were grown in 3L fermentors. PNPLA3 protein was purified from membrane fractions by Ni-affinity chromatography. Enzymatic activity was assessed using radiolabeled substrates. Both 148I wild type and 148M mutant proteins are localized to the membrane. The wild type protein shows a predominant lipase activity with mild lysophosphatidic acid acyl transferase activity (LPAAT) and the I148M mutation results in a loss of function of both these activities. Our data show that PNPLA3 has a predominant lipase activity and I148M mutation results in a loss of function.
•The PNPLA3 148I wild type protein has a predominantly triglyceride hydrolase activity.•The PNPLA3 I148M substitution results in a loss of function.•P. pastoris is a suitable model to produce highly purified recombinant PNPLA3 protein.•P. pastoris is a suitable model to produce functional recombinant PNPLA3 protein.
This paper presents a new numerical approach to model the heat transmission over long pipes, such as those encountered in district heating networks. The model is suitable for fast and accurate ...simulation of complex network dynamics. For fast calculation, the model is based on the method of characteristics. For high accuracy, the model splits the water thermal capacity between the turbulent core and the boundary layer. Compared with the finite-volume method and the node method, the proposed model shows accurate results at a lower computational expense and without introducing artificial smoothing of temperature waves. The model is validated by monitoring data of pronounced temperature transients in real pipes at low and high Reynolds numbers. The results confirm the need to properly model the thermal capacity of water, because at a low Reynolds number, the boundary-layer thickness is considerable, and the temperature difference between the water core and the pipe wall is not negligible.
•Heat-transmission model based on the method of characteristics.•Inclusion of the thermal capacity effect related to the turbulent boundary layer.•Calculation 103 times faster than the finite-volume method at the same level of accuracy.•Very good agreement with experimental data.
Develop recommendations for women's health issues and family planning in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and/or antiphospholipid syndrome (APS).
Systematic review of evidence followed by modified ...Delphi method to compile questions, elicit expert opinions and reach consensus.
Family planning should be discussed as early as possible after diagnosis. Most women can have successful pregnancies and measures can be taken to reduce the risks of adverse maternal or fetal outcomes. Risk stratification includes disease activity, autoantibody profile, previous vascular and pregnancy morbidity, hypertension and the use of drugs (emphasis on benefits from hydroxychloroquine and antiplatelets/anticoagulants). Hormonal contraception and menopause replacement therapy can be used in patients with stable/inactive disease and low risk of thrombosis. Fertility preservation with gonadotropin-releasing hormone analogues should be considered prior to the use of alkylating agents. Assisted reproduction techniques can be safely used in patients with stable/inactive disease; patients with positive antiphospholipid antibodies/APS should receive anticoagulation and/or low-dose aspirin. Assessment of disease activity, renal function and serological markers is important for diagnosing disease flares and monitoring for obstetrical adverse outcomes. Fetal monitoring includes Doppler ultrasonography and fetal biometry, particularly in the third trimester, to screen for placental insufficiency and small for gestational age fetuses. Screening for gynaecological malignancies is similar to the general population, with increased vigilance for cervical premalignant lesions if exposed to immunosuppressive drugs. Human papillomavirus immunisation can be used in women with stable/inactive disease.
Recommendations for women's health issues in SLE and/or APS were developed using an evidence-based approach followed by expert consensus.
The aim of the study was to assess different outcome measures in a cohort of ambulant boys with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) over 12 months in order to establish the spectrum of possible changes ...in relation to age and steroid treatment.
The study is a longitudinal multicentric cohort study. A total of 106 ambulant patients with DMD were assessed using the 6-minute walk test (6MWT) and North Star Ambulatory Assessment (NSAA) at baseline and 12 months. Clinical data including age and steroid treatment were collected.
During the 12 months of the study, we observed a mean decline of 25.8 meters in the 6MWT with a SD of 74.3 meters. On NSAA, the mean decline was 2.2 points with a SD of 3.7. Not all the boys with DMD in our cohort showed a decline over the 12 months, with young boys showing some improvement in their 6MWT and NSAA scores up to the age of 7. NSAA and the 6MWT had the highest correlation (r = 0.52, p < 0.001).
This study provides longitudinal data of NSAA and 6MWT over a 12-month period. These data can be useful when designing a clinical trial.
The paper presents a numerical study where a hybrid CFD-Chemical Reactor Network (CRN) approach is used to predict pollutant emissions in a tubular combustor for aero-engine applications. A ...fully-automated clustering of the simulated flow field with the generation of a reactor network representative of the main flow features is exploited. Similar cells are detected and grouped using a two step approach, the first one based only on aerodynamic criteria for turbulent flows followed by a chemical refinement based on mixture fraction. A formulation for turbulent diffusion fluxes is introduced in the reactor code to model species and energy exchanges between reactors. Three different operating conditions are studied for which measured NOx and CO are available. Results highlight the importance of including turbulent diffusion in the network solution. The accurate prediction of pollutant emissions at different load points confirms that CFD-CRN is a valid and flexible approach for preliminary assessment of aero-engine combustor emissions in the design phase.
This work deals with the mapping of industrial excess heat recovery through district heating. In this paper a methodology to estimate industrial waste heat recovery in a given territory is presented ...and applied. The method is particularly suitable for a relatively large, but limited, geographical region, with a significant number of industrial facilities. The multiplicity of available methodologies to calculate heat recovery from industrial energy consumptions and the related input data variety generate a wide range of results. The intent is to handle the variety of results and to include the uncertainty related to input data quality thanks to the application of Multicriteria Decision Analysis techniques. The presented methodology is then applied to a real case study of new district heating project in Italy. The plan is to connect the city of Milano to a large CHP plant 25 km far, which is currently wasting 80% of its rejected heat. The aim of the case study is to quantify the industrial excess heat that could be recovered along the new district heating. The elaborated methodology has been applied to estimate the recoverable heat potential in five alternative paths and to find the one allowing maximum recovery.
•Mapping of potential industrial excess heat recovery through district heating.•Multicriteria Decision Analysis technique used to handle input data uncertainty.•Application of the methodology to real case study in Italy.
•A solar DSG system integrated into an industrial process in Jordan is presented.•A numerical model is developed on purpose.•In situ monitoring data are analyzed and compared to expected ...performance.•Drawbacks affecting performance and plant stability are explained.•Optimization of existing system is presented.
The aim of this paper is to present and analyze the monitoring data of an innovative solar Direct Steam Generation plant for industrial processes. The objective is to quantify and evaluate the performance for two different periods of approximatively two weeks each, in winter and in summer. Pressure distribution, pressure drops and liquid level variation are compared to expected results for two characteristic days, one in each period. An innovative flow pattern analysis is presented and some optimizations are proposed to improve energy performance and plant stability. To perform this analysis a new steady-state model based on few monitoring inputs is developed.
The result of the analysis for both periods shows a very good agreement between expectation and monitoring results, as long as the system is cleaned frequently. It quantifies the cleaning impact with a deviation of more than 40% in performance before and after cleaning after a period of 33 days of non-cleaning in summer. The simulation results for system head loss during start-up and shut down periods show lower values than observed due to unexpected steam in the downward pipes. A small optimization of the system layout could minimize this effect and improve the system performance. The analysis of the liquid level in winter 2015/2016 led to a new control strategy to minimize start-up losses, which had been implemented in April 2016, the results have been observed in summer 2016. Lastly, the flow pattern analysis shows that harmful flow patterns as stratified flow and dry-outs had successfully been avoided, and the main flow pattern in the steam region is stratified-wavy.
Bat caves are very special roosts that harbour thousands of bats of one or more species. Such sites may hold an incredible "dark fungal diversity" which is still underestimated. We explored the ...culturable fungal richness in the air, on bats, and in the guano in a bat cave in Brazil's Caatinga dry forest. Fungal abundance was 683 colony-forming units (CFU) in the guano, 673 CFU in the air, and 105 CFU on the bats. Based on morphological and phylogenetic analysis of ITS, LSU, and TUB2 sequences, fungal isolates of 59 taxa belonging to 37 genera in the phyla Ascomycota (28 genera, including Aspergillus, Penicillium, Cladosporium, and Talaromyces), Basidiomycota (eight genera, including Rhodotorula and Schizophyllum), and Mucoromycota (only Rhizopus) were identified. The fungal richness in the air was 23 taxa (especially Aspergillus taxa), mainly found at 15 m and 45 m from the cave entrance; on the bodies of bats it was 36 taxa (mainly Aspergillus taxa), especially on their wing membranes (21 taxa, nine of which were exclusively found in this microhabitat); and in guano 10 fungal taxa (especially Aspergillus and Penicillium) were found. The fungal richness associated with guano (fresh and non-fresh) was similar from bats with different eating habits (insectivorous, frugivorous, and haematophagous). Sampling effort was not sufficient to reveal the total fungal taxa richness estimated. Eight (21.6%) of the 37 genera and 17 (53.1%) of the 32 identified fungal species are reported for the first time in caves. Our results highlight bat caves in Brazil as hotspots of fungal diversity, emphasizing the need to protect such special roosts.
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