Moonjohannesen5746

The passive nature leads to the reduction in the available actuator-sensor (AS) pairs while the directionality makes the signal processing a challenge. The proposed two-step methodology overcomes these shortcomings of FBG sensors. In the first step the amplitude weighted elliptical approach is used to identify the hotspots due to the inadequate number of AS pairs, the elliptical approach is not sufficient for damage localization. Therefore, in order to further localize the damage the edge reflection based ray-tracing approach is implemented in the second step. Through the two step method, the damage is accurately located. The paper provides the proof of concept of the proposed methodology on an aluminum plate with simulated damage. The results indicate, that indeed the two-step methodology allows accurate damage localization and overcomes the possibility of false detections.The effective management of tissue integration and immunological responses to transplants decisively co-determines the success of soft and hard tissue reconstruction. The aim of this in vivo study was to evaluate the eligibility of extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT) with respect to its ability to modulate angiogenesis and immune response to a collagen matrix (CM) for tissue engineering in the chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) assay, which is performed with fertilized chicken eggs. CM were placed on the CAM on embryonic development day (EDD) 7; at EDD-10, ESWT was conducted at 0.12 mJ/mm2 with 500 impulses each. One and four days later, angiogenesis represented by vascularized area, vessel density, and vessel junctions as well as HIF-1α and VEGF gene expression were evaluated. Furthermore, immune response (iNOS2, MMP-9, and MMP-13 via qPCR) was assessed and compared between ESWT- and non-ESWT-groups. At EDD-14, the vascularized area (+115% vs. +26%) and the increase in vessel junctions (+751% vs. +363%) were significantly higher in the ESWT-group. ESWT significantly increased MMP-9 gene expression at EDD-11 and significantly decreased MMP-13 gene expression at EDD-14 as compared to the controls. Using the CAM assay, an enhanced angiogenesis and neovascularization in CM after ESWT were observed. Furthermore, ESWT could reduce the inflammatory activity after a latency of four days.Oral appliances (OA), a common treatment modality for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), are not suitable for patients with nasal obstruction. Rhinomanometry, the gold standard technique to assess nasal airway resistance, is not readily available in sleep dentistry clinics. We demonstrate the use of a portable lightweight peak nasal inspiratory flow (PNIF) rate meter to objectively assess nasal airflow and utilized the Nasal Obstruction Symptom Evaluation (NOSE) scale to subjectively assess nasal obstruction in 97 patients with OSA and 105 healthy controls. We examined the correlations between the following variables between the groups demographics, body mass index, PNIF, NOSE scale scores, apnea-hypopnea index (AHI), minimum SpO2 (SpO2min), Mallampati classification, and Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) scores. Patients with OSA had significantly lower PNIF values and higher NOSE scores than controls. In the patient group, PNIF was not significantly correlated with AHI, SpO2min, Mallampati classification, or NOSE or ESS scores. Lower PNIF values and higher NOSE scores suggested impaired nasal airflow in the OSA group. As daytime PNIF measurement bears no relationship to AHI, this cannot be used alone in predicting the suitability of treatment for OSA with OA but can be used as an adjunct for making clinical decisions.The effects of combining 0.1-5 wt % graphene nanoplatelet (GNP) and 3-30 wt % phosphorous flame retardant, 9,10- dihydro-9-oxa-10-phosphaphenanthrene-10-oxide (DOPO) as fillers in epoxy polymer on the mechanical, flame retardancy, and electrical properties of the epoxy nanocomposites was investigated. GNP was homogeneously dispersed into the epoxy matrix using a solvent-free three-roll milling process, while DOPO was incorporated into the epoxy resin by mechanical stirring at elevated temperature. The incorporation of DOPO reduced the crosslinking density of the epoxy resin. When using polyetheramine as a hardener, the structural rigidity effect of DOPO overshadowed the crosslinking effect and governed the flexural moduli of epoxy/DOPO resins. The flexural moduli of the nanocomposites were improved by adding GNP up to 5 wt % and DOPO up to 30 wt %, whereas the flexural strengths deteriorated when the GNP and DOPO loading were higher than 1 wt % and 10 wt %, respectively. Limited by the adverse effects on mechanical property, the loading combinations of GNP and DOPO within the range of 0-1 wt % and 0-10 wt %, respectively, in epoxy resin were further studied. Flame retardancy index (FRI), which depended on three parameters obtained from cone calorimetry, was considered to evaluate the flame retardancy of the epoxy composites. DOPO showed better performance than GNP as the flame retardant additive, while combining DOPO and GNP could further improve FRI to some extent. With the combination of 0.5 wt % GNP and 10 wt % DOPO, improvement in both mechanical properties and flame retardant efficiency of the nanocomposite was observed. Such a combination did not affect the electrical conductivity of the nanocomposites since the percolation threshold was at 1.6 wt % GNP. Tacrine mw Our results enhance the understanding of the structure-property relationship of additive-filled epoxy resin composites and serve as a property constraining guidance for the composite manufacturing.The growing resistance of bacteria to many antibiotics that have been in use for several decades has generated the need to discover new antibacterial agents with structural features qualifying them to overcome the resistance mechanisms. Thus, novel pyridothienopyrimidine derivatives (2a,b-a,b) were synthesized by a series of various reactions, starting with 3-aminothieno[2,3-b]pyridine-2-carboxamides (1a,b). Condensation of compounds 1a,b with cyclohexanone gave 1'H-spiro[cyclohexane-1,2'-pyrido[3',2'4,5]thieno[3,2-d]pyrimidin]-4'(3'H)-ones (2a,b), which in turn were utilized to afford the target 4-substituted derivatives (3a,b-8a,b). In vitro antibacterial activity evaluations of all the new compounds (2a,b-8a,b) were performed against six strains of Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria. The target compounds showed significant antibacterial activity, especially against Gram-negative strains. Moreover, the compounds (2a,b; 3a,b; 4a,b; and 5a,b) that exhibited potent activity against Escherichia coli were selected to screen their inhibitory activity against Escherichia coli topoisomerase II (DNA gyrase and topoisomerase IV) enzymes.