Pyrolysis of plastic waste for liquid fuel production as prospective energy resource

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sharuddin, S. D. A.; Abnisa, F.; Daud, W. M. A. W.; Aroua, M. K.

2018-03-01

The worldwide plastic generation expanded over years because of the variety applications of plastics in numerous sectors that caused the accumulation of plastic waste in the landfill. The growing of plastics demand definitely affected the petroleum resources availability as non-renewable fossil fuel since plastics were the petroleum-based material. A few options that have been considered for plastic waste management were recycling and energy recovery technique. Nevertheless, several obstacles of recycling technique such as the needs of sorting process that was labour intensive and water pollution that lessened the process sustainability. As a result, the plastic waste conversion into energy was developed through innovation advancement and extensive research. Since plastics were part of petroleum, the oil produced through the pyrolysis process was said to have high calorific value that could be used as an alternative fuel. This paper reviewed the thermal and catalytic degradation of plastics through pyrolysis process and the key factors that affected the final end product, for instance, oil, gaseous and char. Additionally, the liquid fuel properties and a discussion on several perspectives regarding the optimization of the liquid oil yield for every plastic were also included in this paper.

A review of plastic waste biodegradation.

PubMed

Zheng, Ying; Yanful, Ernest K; Bassi, Amarjeet S

2005-01-01

With more and more plastics being employed in human lives and increasing pressure being placed on capacities available for plastic waste disposal, the need for biodegradable plastics and biodegradation of plastic wastes has assumed increasing importance in the last few years. This review looks at the technological advancement made in the development of more easily biodegradable plastics and the biodegradation of conventional plastics by microorganisms. Additives, such as pro-oxidants and starch, are applied in synthetic materials to modify and make plastics biodegradable. Recent research has shown that thermoplastics derived from polyolefins, traditionally considered resistant to biodegradation in ambient environment, are biodegraded following photo-degradation and chemical degradation. Thermoset plastics, such as aliphatic polyester and polyester polyurethane, are easily attacked by microorganisms directly because of the potential hydrolytic cleavage of ester or urethane bonds in their structures. Some microorganisms have been isolated to utilize polyurethane as a sole source of carbon and nitrogen source. Aliphatic-aromatic copolyesters have active commercial applications because of their good mechanical properties and biodegradability. Reviewing published and ongoing studies on plastic biodegradation, this paper attempts to make conclusions on potentially viable methods to reduce impacts of plastic waste on the environment.

Recent advances in high performance poly(lactide): from "green" plasticization to super-tough materials via (reactive) compounding.

PubMed

Kfoury, Georgio; Raquez, Jean-Marie; Hassouna, Fatima; Odent, Jérémy; Toniazzo, Valérie; Ruch, David; Dubois, Philippe

2013-01-01

Due to its origin from renewable resources, its biodegradability, and recently, its industrial implementation at low costs, poly(lactide) (PLA) is considered as one of the most promising ecological, bio-sourced and biodegradable plastic materials to potentially and increasingly replace traditional petroleum derived polymers in many commodity and engineering applications. Beside its relatively high rigidity [high tensile strength and modulus compared with many common thermoplastics such as poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET), high impact poly(styrene) (HIPS) and poly(propylene) (PP)], PLA suffers from an inherent brittleness, which can limit its applications especially where mechanical toughness such as plastic deformation at high impact rates or elongation is required. Therefore, the curve plotting stiffness vs. impact resistance and ductility must be shifted to higher values for PLA-based materials, while being preferably fully bio-based and biodegradable upon the application. This review aims to establish a state of the art focused on the recent progresses and preferably economically viable strategies developed in the literature for significantly improve the mechanical performances of PLA. A particular attention is given to plasticization as well as to impact resistance modification of PLA in the case of (reactive) blending PLA-based systems.

Recent advances in high performance poly(lactide): from “green” plasticization to super-tough materials via (reactive) compounding

PubMed Central

Kfoury, Georgio; Raquez, Jean-Marie; Hassouna, Fatima; Odent, Jérémy; Toniazzo, Valérie; Ruch, David; Dubois, Philippe

2013-01-01

Due to its origin from renewable resources, its biodegradability, and recently, its industrial implementation at low costs, poly(lactide) (PLA) is considered as one of the most promising ecological, bio-sourced and biodegradable plastic materials to potentially and increasingly replace traditional petroleum derived polymers in many commodity and engineering applications. Beside its relatively high rigidity [high tensile strength and modulus compared with many common thermoplastics such as poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET), high impact poly(styrene) (HIPS) and poly(propylene) (PP)], PLA suffers from an inherent brittleness, which can limit its applications especially where mechanical toughness such as plastic deformation at high impact rates or elongation is required. Therefore, the curve plotting stiffness vs. impact resistance and ductility must be shifted to higher values for PLA-based materials, while being preferably fully bio-based and biodegradable upon the application. This review aims to establish a state of the art focused on the recent progresses and preferably economically viable strategies developed in the literature for significantly improve the mechanical performances of PLA. A particular attention is given to plasticization as well as to impact resistance modification of PLA in the case of (reactive) blending PLA-based systems. PMID:24790960

3D Printer-Manufacturing of Complex Geometry Elements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ciubară, A.; Burlea, Ș L.; Axinte, M.; Cimpoeșu, R.; Chicet, D. L.; Manole, V.; Burlea, G.; Cimpoeșu, N.

2018-06-01

In the last 5-10 years the process of 3D printing has an incredible advanced in all the fields with a tremendous number of applications. Plastic materials exhibit highly beneficial mechanical properties while delivering complex designs impossible to achieve using conventional manufacturing. In this article the printing process (filling degree, time, complications and details finesse) of few plastic elements with complicated geometry and fine details was analyzed and comment. 3D printing offers many of the thermoplastics and industrial materials found in conventional manufacturing. The advantages and disadvantages of 3D printing for plastic parts are discussed. Time of production for an element with complex geometry, from the design to final cut, was evaluated.

Numerical Control/Computer Aided Manufacturing (NC/CAM), A Descom Study

DTIC Science & Technology

1979-07-01

CAM machines operate directly from computers, but most get instructions in the form of punched tape. The applications of NC/CAM are virtually...Although most NC/CAM equipment is metal working, its applications include electronics manufacturing, glass making, food processing, materiel handling...drafting, woodworking, plastics and inspection, just to name a few. Numerical control, like most technologies, is an advancing and evolutionary process

Technique for the application of a streamer-type fish tag

USGS Publications Warehouse

Joeris, Leonard S.

1953-01-01

Principal features of the technique are: attachment of the plastic tag by means of a nylon-thread loop prepared in advance of field work; use of a curved surgical needle with cutting edge and a split eye for application of the tag. The procedures for splitting the needle's eye and for applying the tag are described and illustrated by a series of photographs.

Review of advanced catheter technologies in radiation oncology brachytherapy procedures

PubMed Central

Zhou, Jun; Zamdborg, Leonid; Sebastian, Evelyn

2015-01-01

The development of new catheter and applicator technologies in recent years has significantly improved treatment accuracy, efficiency, and outcomes in brachytherapy. In this paper, we review these advances, focusing on the performance of catheter imaging and reconstruction techniques in brachytherapy procedures using magnetic resonance images and electromagnetic tracking. The accuracy of catheter reconstruction, imaging artifacts, and other notable properties of plastic and titanium applicators in gynecologic treatments are reviewed. The accuracy, noise performance, and limitations of electromagnetic tracking for catheter reconstruction are discussed. Several newly developed applicators for accelerated partial breast irradiation and gynecologic treatments are also reviewed. New hypofractionated high dose rate treatment schemes in prostate cancer and accelerated partial breast irradiation are presented. PMID:26203277

Advances in the Development of Processing - Microstructure Relations for Titanium Alloys (Postprint)

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-05-06

10.1002/9781119296126.ch29 14. ABSTRACT (Maximum 200 words) Advances in the fundamental understanding of microstructure evolution and plastic flow during...Abstract Advances in the fundamental understanding of microstructure evolution and plastic flow during primary and secondary processing of titanium...generation of rolling-direction secondary tension stresses. Important factors in such failures have been deduced to include the plastic properties and the

Laser-Material Interactions for Flexible Applications.

PubMed

Joe, Daniel J; Kim, Seungjun; Park, Jung Hwan; Park, Dae Yong; Lee, Han Eol; Im, Tae Hong; Choi, Insung; Ruoff, Rodney S; Lee, Keon Jae

2017-07-01

The use of lasers for industrial, scientific, and medical applications has received an enormous amount of attention due to the advantageous ability of precise parameter control for heat transfer. Laser-beam-induced photothermal heating and reactions can modify nanomaterials such as nanoparticles, nanowires, and two-dimensional materials including graphene, in a controlled manner. There have been numerous efforts to incorporate lasers into advanced electronic processing, especially for inorganic-based flexible electronics. In order to resolve temperature issues with plastic substrates, laser-material processing has been adopted for various applications in flexible electronics including energy devices, processors, displays, and other peripheral electronic components. Here, recent advances in laser-material interactions for inorganic-based flexible applications with regard to both materials and processes are presented. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Advances in Discrete Dislocation Dynamics Modeling of Size-Affected Plasticity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

El-Awady, Jaafar A.; Fan, Haidong; Hussein, Ahmed M.

In dislocation-mediated plasticity of crystalline materials, discrete dislocation dynamics (DDD) methods have been widely used to predict the plastic deformation in a number of technologically important problems. These simulations have led to significant improvement in the understanding of the different mechanism that controls the mechanical properties of crystalline materials, which can greatly accelerate the future development of materials with superior properties. This chapter provides an overview of different practical applications of both two-dimensional and three-dimensional DDD simulations in the field of size-affected dislocation-mediated plasticity. The chapter is divided into two major tracks. First, DDD simulations focusing on aspects of modeling size-dependent plasticity in single crystals in uniaxial micro-compression/tension, microtorsion, microbending, and nanoindentation are discussed. Special attention is directed towards the role of cross-slip and dislocation nucleation on the overall response. Second, DDD simulations focusing on the role of interfaces, including grain and twin boundaries, on dislocation-mediated plasticity are discussed. Finally, a number of challenges that are withholding DDD simulations from reaching their full potential are discussed.

Plastics recycling: challenges and opportunities.

PubMed

Hopewell, Jefferson; Dvorak, Robert; Kosior, Edward

2009-07-27

Plastics are inexpensive, lightweight and durable materials, which can readily be moulded into a variety of products that find use in a wide range of applications. As a consequence, the production of plastics has increased markedly over the last 60 years. However, current levels of their usage and disposal generate several environmental problems. Around 4 per cent of world oil and gas production, a non-renewable resource, is used as feedstock for plastics and a further 3-4% is expended to provide energy for their manufacture. A major portion of plastic produced each year is used to make disposable items of packaging or other short-lived products that are discarded within a year of manufacture. These two observations alone indicate that our current use of plastics is not sustainable. In addition, because of the durability of the polymers involved, substantial quantities of discarded end-of-life plastics are accumulating as debris in landfills and in natural habitats worldwide. Recycling is one of the most important actions currently available to reduce these impacts and represents one of the most dynamic areas in the plastics industry today. Recycling provides opportunities to reduce oil usage, carbon dioxide emissions and the quantities of waste requiring disposal. Here, we briefly set recycling into context against other waste-reduction strategies, namely reduction in material use through downgauging or product reuse, the use of alternative biodegradable materials and energy recovery as fuel. While plastics have been recycled since the 1970s, the quantities that are recycled vary geographically, according to plastic type and application. Recycling of packaging materials has seen rapid expansion over the last decades in a number of countries. Advances in technologies and systems for the collection, sorting and reprocessing of recyclable plastics are creating new opportunities for recycling, and with the combined actions of the public, industry and governments it may be possible to divert the majority of plastic waste from landfills to recycling over the next decades.

Plastics recycling: challenges and opportunities

PubMed Central

Hopewell, Jefferson; Dvorak, Robert; Kosior, Edward

2009-01-01

Plastics are inexpensive, lightweight and durable materials, which can readily be moulded into a variety of products that find use in a wide range of applications. As a consequence, the production of plastics has increased markedly over the last 60 years. However, current levels of their usage and disposal generate several environmental problems. Around 4 per cent of world oil and gas production, a non-renewable resource, is used as feedstock for plastics and a further 3–4% is expended to provide energy for their manufacture. A major portion of plastic produced each year is used to make disposable items of packaging or other short-lived products that are discarded within a year of manufacture. These two observations alone indicate that our current use of plastics is not sustainable. In addition, because of the durability of the polymers involved, substantial quantities of discarded end-of-life plastics are accumulating as debris in landfills and in natural habitats worldwide. Recycling is one of the most important actions currently available to reduce these impacts and represents one of the most dynamic areas in the plastics industry today. Recycling provides opportunities to reduce oil usage, carbon dioxide emissions and the quantities of waste requiring disposal. Here, we briefly set recycling into context against other waste-reduction strategies, namely reduction in material use through downgauging or product reuse, the use of alternative biodegradable materials and energy recovery as fuel. While plastics have been recycled since the 1970s, the quantities that are recycled vary geographically, according to plastic type and application. Recycling of packaging materials has seen rapid expansion over the last decades in a number of countries. Advances in technologies and systems for the collection, sorting and reprocessing of recyclable plastics are creating new opportunities for recycling, and with the combined actions of the public, industry and governments it may be possible to divert the majority of plastic waste from landfills to recycling over the next decades. PMID:19528059

Society of the plastic industry process emission initiatives

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mcdermott, Joseph

1994-01-01

At first view, plastics process emissions research may not seem to have much bearing on outgassing considerations relative to advanced composite materials; however, several parallel issues and cross currents are of mutual interest. The following topics are discussed: relevance of plastics industry research to aerospace composites; impact of clean air act amendment requirements; scope of the Society of the Plastics Industry, Inc. activities in thermoplastic process emissions and reinforced plastics/composites process emissions; and utility of SPI research for advanced polymer composites audiences.

Compaction of Space Mission Wastes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fisher, John; Pisharody, Suresh; Wignarajah, K.

2004-01-01

The current solid waste management system employed on the International Space Station (ISS) consists of compaction, storage, and disposal. Wastes such plastic food packaging and trash are compacted manually and wrapped in duct tape footballs by the astronauts. Much of the waste is simply loaded either into the empty Russian Progress vehicle for destruction on reentry or into Shuttle for return to Earth. This manual method is wasteful of crew time and does not transition well to far term missions. Different wastes onboard spacecraft vary considerably in their characteristics and in the appropriate method of management. In advanced life support systems for far term missions, recovery of resources such as water from the wastes becomes important. However waste such as plastic food packaging, which constitutes a large fraction of solid waste (roughly 21% on ISS, more on long duration missions), contains minimal recoverable resource. The appropriate management of plastic waste is waste stabilization and volume minimization rather than resource recovery. This paper describes work that has begun at Ames Research Center on development of a heat melt compactor that can be used on near term and future missions, that can minimize crew interaction, and that can handle wastes with a significant plastic composition. The heat melt compactor takes advantage of the low melting point of plastics to compact plastic materials using a combination of heat and pressure. The US Navy has demonstrated successful development of a similar unit for shipboard application. Ames is building upon the basic approach demonstrated by the Navy to develop an advanced heat melt type compactor for space mission type wastes.

Texture developed during deformation of Transformation Induced Plasticity (TRIP) steels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bhargava, M.; Shanta, C.; Asim, T.; Sushil, M.

2015-04-01

Automotive industry is currently focusing on using advanced high strength steels (AHSS) due to its high strength and formability for closure applications. Transformation Induced Plasticity (TRIP) steel is promising material for this application among other AHSS. The present work is focused on the microstructure development during deformation of TRIP steel sheets. To mimic complex strain path condition during forming of automotive body, Limit Dome Height (LDH) tests were conducted and samples were deformed in servo hydraulic press to find the different strain path. FEM Simulations were done to predict different strain path diagrams and compared with experimental results. There is a significant difference between experimental and simulation results as the existing material models are not applicable for TRIP steels. Micro texture studies were performed on the samples using EBSD and X-RD techniques. It was observed that austenite is transformed to martensite and texture developed during deformation had strong impact on limit strain and strain path.

Plastics, the environment and human health: current consensus and future trends

PubMed Central

Thompson, Richard C.; Moore, Charles J.; vom Saal, Frederick S.; Swan, Shanna H.

2009-01-01

Plastics have transformed everyday life; usage is increasing and annual production is likely to exceed 300 million tonnes by 2010. In this concluding paper to the Theme Issue on Plastics, the Environment and Human Health, we synthesize current understanding of the benefits and concerns surrounding the use of plastics and look to future priorities, challenges and opportunities. It is evident that plastics bring many societal benefits and offer future technological and medical advances. However, concerns about usage and disposal are diverse and include accumulation of waste in landfills and in natural habitats, physical problems for wildlife resulting from ingestion or entanglement in plastic, the leaching of chemicals from plastic products and the potential for plastics to transfer chemicals to wildlife and humans. However, perhaps the most important overriding concern, which is implicit throughout this volume, is that our current usage is not sustainable. Around 4 per cent of world oil production is used as a feedstock to make plastics and a similar amount is used as energy in the process. Yet over a third of current production is used to make items of packaging, which are then rapidly discarded. Given our declining reserves of fossil fuels, and finite capacity for disposal of waste to landfill, this linear use of hydrocarbons, via packaging and other short-lived applications of plastic, is simply not sustainable. There are solutions, including material reduction, design for end-of-life recyclability, increased recycling capacity, development of bio-based feedstocks, strategies to reduce littering, the application of green chemistry life-cycle analyses and revised risk assessment approaches. Such measures will be most effective through the combined actions of the public, industry, scientists and policymakers. There is some urgency, as the quantity of plastics produced in the first 10 years of the current century is likely to approach the quantity produced in the entire century that preceded. PMID:19528062

Plastics, the environment and human health: current consensus and future trends.

PubMed

Thompson, Richard C; Moore, Charles J; vom Saal, Frederick S; Swan, Shanna H

2009-07-27

Plastics have transformed everyday life; usage is increasing and annual production is likely to exceed 300 million tonnes by 2010. In this concluding paper to the Theme Issue on Plastics, the Environment and Human Health, we synthesize current understanding of the benefits and concerns surrounding the use of plastics and look to future priorities, challenges and opportunities. It is evident that plastics bring many societal benefits and offer future technological and medical advances. However, concerns about usage and disposal are diverse and include accumulation of waste in landfills and in natural habitats, physical problems for wildlife resulting from ingestion or entanglement in plastic, the leaching of chemicals from plastic products and the potential for plastics to transfer chemicals to wildlife and humans. However, perhaps the most important overriding concern, which is implicit throughout this volume, is that our current usage is not sustainable. Around 4 per cent of world oil production is used as a feedstock to make plastics and a similar amount is used as energy in the process. Yet over a third of current production is used to make items of packaging, which are then rapidly discarded. Given our declining reserves of fossil fuels, and finite capacity for disposal of waste to landfill, this linear use of hydrocarbons, via packaging and other short-lived applications of plastic, is simply not sustainable. There are solutions, including material reduction, design for end-of-life recyclability, increased recycling capacity, development of bio-based feedstocks, strategies to reduce littering, the application of green chemistry life-cycle analyses and revised risk assessment approaches. Such measures will be most effective through the combined actions of the public, industry, scientists and policymakers. There is some urgency, as the quantity of plastics produced in the first 10 years of the current century is likely to approach the quantity produced in the entire century that preceded.

Plasticity following early-life brain injury: Insights from quantitative MRI.

PubMed

Fiori, Simona; Guzzetta, Andrea

2015-03-01

Over the last decade, the application of novel advanced neuroimaging techniques to study congenital brain damage has provided invaluable insights into the mechanisms underlying early neuroplasticity. The concept that is clearly emerging, both from human and nun-human studies, is that functional reorganization in the immature brain is substantially different from that of the more mature, developed brain. This applies to the reorganization of language, the sensorimotor system, and the visual system. The rapid implementation and development of higher order imaging methods will offer increased, currently unavailable knowledge about the specific mechanisms of cerebral plasticity in infancy, which is essential to support the development of early therapeutic interventions aimed at supporting and enhancing functional reorganization during a time of greatest potential brain plasticity. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Advanced Polymer For Multilayer Insulating Blankets

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Haghighat, R. Ross; Shepp, Allan

1996-01-01

Polymer resisting degradation by monatomic oxygen undergoing commercial development under trade name "Aorimide" ("atomic-oxygen-resistant imidazole"). Intended for use in thermal blankets for spacecraft in low orbit, useful on Earth in outdoor applications in which sunlight and ozone degrades other plastics. Also used, for example, to make threads and to make films coated with metals for reflectivity.

Forging; Heat Treating and Testing; Technically Oriented Industrial Materials and Process 1: 5898.05.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dade County Public Schools, Miami, FL.

The course provides students with advanced and exploratory experience in the area of plastic deformation of metals and in the changing of the physical characteristics of metals by the controlled application and timed removal of heat. Course content includes goals, specific objectives, safety in forge work, forging tools and equipment, industrial…

Advanced Welding Tool

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1982-01-01

Accutron Tool & Instrument Co.'s welder was originally developed as a tool specifically for joining parts made of plastic or composite materials in any atmosphere to include the airless environment of space. Developers decided on induction or magnetic heating to avoid causing deformation and it also can be used with almost any type of thermoplastic material. Induction coil transfers magnetic flux through the plastic to a metal screen that is sandwiched between the sheets of plastic to be joined. When welder is energized, alternating current produces inductive heating on the screen causing the adjacent plastic surfaces to melt and flow into the mesh, creating a bond on the total surface area. Dave Brown, owner of Great Falls Canoe and Kayak Repair, Vienna, VA, uses a special repair technique based on operation of the Induction Toroid Welder to fix canoes. Whitewater canoeing poses the problem of frequent gashes that are difficult to repair. The main reason is that many canoes are made of plastics. The commercial Induction model is a self-contained, portable welding gun with a switch on the handle to regulate the temperature of the plastic melting screen. Welder has a broad range of applications in the automobile, appliance, aerospace and construction industries.

Nanotechnology and regenerative therapeutics in plastic surgery: The next frontier.

PubMed

Tan, Aaron; Chawla, Reema; G, Natasha; Mahdibeiraghdar, Sara; Jeyaraj, Rebecca; Rajadas, Jayakumar; Hamblin, Michael R; Seifalian, Alexander M

2016-01-01

The rapid ascent of nanotechnology and regenerative therapeutics as applied to medicine and surgery has seen an exponential rise in the scale of research generated in this field. This is evidenced not only by the sheer volume of papers dedicated to nanotechnology but also in a large number of new journals dedicated to nanotechnology and regenerative therapeutics specifically to medicine and surgery. Aspects of nanotechnology that have already brought benefits to these areas include advanced drug delivery platforms, molecular imaging and materials engineering for surgical implants. Particular areas of interest include nerve regeneration, burns and wound care, artificial skin with nanoelectronic sensors and head and neck surgery. This study presents a review of nanotechnology and regenerative therapeutics, with focus on its applications and implications in plastic surgery. Copyright © 2015 British Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons. All rights reserved.

Functional and esthetic outcome enhancement of periodontal surgery by application of plastic surgery principles.

PubMed

Hürzeler, M B; Weng, D

1999-02-01

The closure of surgical wounds in a layer-by-layer fashion, a common principle of plastic surgery, is applied in this article to the field of periodontal surgery with the introduction of a new flap design. The suggested technique is indicated with all periodontal procedures that aim for hard and soft tissue augmentation (guided bone regeneration, mucogingival surgery, or plastic periodontal surgery) where passive, tension-free wound closure is fundamental for wound healing and a successful functional and esthetic outcome. By means of a series of incisions, buccal and lingual flaps are split several times; this results in a double-partial thickness flap and a coronally positioned palatal sliding flap, respectively. Thus, several tissue layers are obtained and the passive advancement of flaps becomes possible for the coverage of augmented areas. Wound closure with microsurgical suture material is accomplished in a multilayer approach, which ensures adaptation and closure of the outer tissue layers without any tension. Two case reports demonstrate the new plastic periodontal approach.

Automated 4D analysis of dendritic spine morphology: applications to stimulus-induced spine remodeling and pharmacological rescue in a disease model

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Uncovering the mechanisms that regulate dendritic spine morphology has been limited, in part, by the lack of efficient and unbiased methods for analyzing spines. Here, we describe an automated 3D spine morphometry method and its application to spine remodeling in live neurons and spine abnormalities in a disease model. We anticipate that this approach will advance studies of synapse structure and function in brain development, plasticity, and disease. PMID:21982080

Twin Screw Extruders as Continuous Mixers for Thermal Processing: a Technical and Historical Perspective.

PubMed

Martin, Charlie

2016-02-01

Developed approximately 100 years ago for natural rubber/plastics applications, processes via twin screw extrusion (TSE) now generate some of the most cutting-edge drug delivery systems available. After 25 or so years of usage in pharmaceutical environments, it has become evident why TSE processing offers significant advantages as compared to other manufacturing techniques. The well-characterized nature of the TSE process lends itself to ease of scale-up and process optimization while also affording the benefits of continuous manufacturing. Interestingly, the evolution of twin screw extrusion for pharmaceutical products has followed a similar path as previously trodden by plastics processing pioneers. Almost every plastic has been processed at some stage in the manufacturing train on a twin screw extruder, which is utilized to mix materials together to impart desired properties into a final part. The evolution of processing via TSEs since the early/mid 1900s is recounted for plastics and also for pharmaceuticals from the late 1980s until today. The similarities are apparent. The basic theory and development of continuous mixing via corotating and counterrotating TSEs for plastics and drug is also described. The similarities between plastics and pharmaceutical applications are striking. The superior mixing characteristics inherent with a TSE have allowed this device to dominate other continuous mixers and spurred intensive development efforts and experimentation that spawned highly engineered formulations for the commodity and high-tech plastic products we use every day. Today, twin screw extrusion is a battle hardened, well-proven, manufacturing process that has been validated in 24-h/day industrial settings. The same thing is happening today with new extrusion technologies being applied to advanced drug delivery systems to facilitate commodity, targeted, and alternative delivery systems. It seems that the "extrusion evolution" will continue for wide-ranging pharmaceutical products.

Stress evolution in elastic-plastic electrodes during electrochemical processes: A numerical method and its applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wen, Jici; Wei, Yujie; Cheng, Yang-Tse

2018-07-01

Monitoring in real time the stress state in high capacity electrodes during charge-discharge processes is pivotal to the performance assessment and structural optimization of advanced batteries. The wafer curvature measurement technique broadly employed in thin-film industry, together with stress analysis using the Stoney equation, has been successfully adopted to measure in situ the stress in thin film electrodes. How large plastic deformation or interfacial delamination during electrochemical cycles in such electrodes affects the applicability of Stoney equation remains unclear. Here we develop a robust electrochemical-mechanical coupled numerical procedure to investigate the influence of large plastic deformation and interfacial failure on the measured stress in thin film electrodes. We identify how the constitutive behavior of electrode materials and film-substrate interfacial properties affect the measured stress-capacity curves of electrodes, and hence establish the relationship of electrode material parameters with the characteristics of stress-capacity curves. Using Li-ions batteries as examples, we show that plastic deformation and interfacial delamination account for the asymmetric stress-capacity loops seen in in situ stress measurements. The methods used here, along with the finite-element code in the supplementary material, may be used to model the electrode behavior as a function of the state of charge.

Historical Overview of Stem Cell Biology and Fat Grafting.

PubMed

Varghese, Jajini; Mosahebi, Afshin

2017-07-01

The last two decades have seen significant advances within the field of adipose stromal cell transfers, with novel clinical applications being published every few months. This article gives a brief historical overview of the development of stem cell biology and fat grafting. © 2017 The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, Inc. Reprints and permission: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Overview of Facial Plastic Surgery and Current Developments

PubMed Central

Chuang, Jessica; Barnes, Christian; Wong, Brian J. F.

2016-01-01

Facial plastic surgery is a multidisciplinary specialty largely driven by otolaryngology but includes oral maxillary surgery, dermatology, ophthalmology, and plastic surgery. It encompasses both reconstructive and cosmetic components. The scope of practice for facial plastic surgeons in the United States may include rhinoplasty, browlifts, blepharoplasty, facelifts, microvascular reconstruction of the head and neck, craniomaxillofacial trauma reconstruction, and correction of defects in the face after skin cancer resection. Facial plastic surgery also encompasses the use of injectable fillers, neural modulators (e.g., BOTOX Cosmetic, Allergan Pharmaceuticals, Westport, Ireland), lasers, and other devices aimed at rejuvenating skin. Facial plastic surgery is a constantly evolving field with continuing innovative advances in surgical techniques and cosmetic adjunctive technologies. This article aims to give an overview of the various procedures that encompass the field of facial plastic surgery and to highlight the recent advances and trends in procedures and surgical techniques. PMID:28824978

Advances in synthetic biology of oleaginous yeast Yarrowia lipolytica for producing non-native chemicals.

PubMed

Darvishi, Farshad; Ariana, Mehdi; Marella, Eko Roy; Borodina, Irina

2018-07-01

Oleaginous yeast Yarrowia lipolytica is an important industrial host for the production of enzymes, oils, fragrances, surfactants, cosmetics, and pharmaceuticals. More recently, improved synthetic biology tools have allowed more extensive engineering of this yeast species, which lead to the production of non-native metabolites. In this review, we summarize the recent advances of genome editing tools for Y. lipolytica, including the application of CRISPR/Cas9 system and discuss case studies, where Y. lipolytica was engineered to produce various non-native chemicals: short-chain fatty alcohols and alkanes as biofuels, polyunsaturated fatty acids for nutritional and pharmaceutical applications, polyhydroxyalkanoates and dicarboxylic acids as precursors for biodegradable plastics, carotenoid-type pigments for food and feed, and campesterol as a precursor for steroid drugs.

Structural studies with the use of XRD and Mössbauer spectroscopy of new high Manganese steels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jablonska, Magdalena Barbara

2014-04-01

New high-strength austenitic and austenitic-ferritic manganese steels represent a significant potential in applications for structural components in the automotive and railway industry due to the excellent combination of high mechanical properties and good plasticity. They belong to the group of steels called AHSS (Advanced High Strength Steels) and UHSS (Ultra High Strength Steels). Application of this combination of properties allows a reduction in the weight of vehicles by the use of reduced cross-section components, and thus to reduce fuel consumption. The development and implementation of industrial production of such interesting and promising steel and its use as construction material requires an improvement of their casting properties and susceptibility to deformation in plastic working conditions. In this work, XRD, Transmission Mössbauer Spectroscopy and Conversion Electron Mössbauer Spectroscopy were employed in a study of the new high-manganese steels with a austenite and austenite-ferrite structure. The influence of the plastic deformation parameters on the changes in the structure, distribution of ferrite and disclosure of the presence of carbides was determined. The analysis of phase transformations in various times using CEMS method made possible to reveal their fine details.

Granisetron Transdermal Patch

MedlinePlus

... patch. Each patch is stuck onto a thin plastic liner and a separate rigid plastic film. Do not open the pouch in advance, ... cut the patch into pieces. Peel the thin plastic liner off of the printed side of the ...

Augmented reality in dentistry: a current perspective.

PubMed

Kwon, Ho-Beom; Park, Young-Seok; Han, Jung-Suk

2018-02-21

Augmentation reality technology offers virtual information in addition to that of the real environment and thus opens new possibilities in various fields. The medical applications of augmentation reality are generally concentrated on surgery types, including neurosurgery, laparoscopic surgery and plastic surgery. Augmentation reality technology is also widely used in medical education and training. In dentistry, oral and maxillofacial surgery is the primary area of use, where dental implant placement and orthognathic surgery are the most frequent applications. Recent technological advancements are enabling new applications of restorative dentistry, orthodontics and endodontics. This review briefly summarizes the history, definitions, features, and components of augmented reality technology and discusses its applications and future perspectives in dentistry.

Chitosan coatings onto polyethylene terephthalate for the development of potential active packaging material

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zemljič, Lidija Fras; Tkavc, Tina; Vesel, Alenka; Šauperl, Olivera

2013-01-01

In this paper advanced surface treatment of PET plastic film is presented for introduction of antimicrobial properties as a potential application for food (as for example meat) packaging material. Adsorption/desorption of chitosan onto PET plastic film surface was studied using several analytical techniques such as: X-Ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS), ATR-FTIR spectroscopy and titrations. Kinetic desorption of chitosan from PET surface was analysed by polyelectrolyte titration and spectrophotometric Ninhydrine reaction. Standard antimicrobial test ASTM E2149-01 was performed for functionalised PET materials in order to determine their antimicrobial properties; i. e. to measure the reductions of some of the meat pathogens; such as bacteria Salmonella enterica, Campylobacter spp., Escherichia coli, Listeria monocytogenes and fungi Candida albicans.

Advances and trends in structural and solid mechanics; Proceedings of the Symposium, Washington, DC, October 4-7, 1982

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Noor, A. K. (Editor); Housner, J. M.

1983-01-01

The mechanics of materials and material characterization are considered, taking into account micromechanics, the behavior of steel structures at elevated temperatures, and an anisotropic plasticity model for inelastic multiaxial cyclic deformation. Other topics explored are related to advances and trends in finite element technology, classical analytical techniques and their computer implementation, interactive computing and computational strategies for nonlinear problems, advances and trends in numerical analysis, database management systems and CAD/CAM, space structures and vehicle crashworthiness, beams, plates and fibrous composite structures, design-oriented analysis, artificial intelligence and optimization, contact problems, random waves, and lifetime prediction. Earthquake-resistant structures and other advanced structural applications are also discussed, giving attention to cumulative damage in steel structures subjected to earthquake ground motions, and a mixed domain analysis of nuclear containment structures using impulse functions.

Spiking Neural Network With Distributed Plasticity Reproduces Cerebellar Learning in Eye Blink Conditioning Paradigms.

PubMed

Antonietti, Alberto; Casellato, Claudia; Garrido, Jesús A; Luque, Niceto R; Naveros, Francisco; Ros, Eduardo; D' Angelo, Egidio; Pedrocchi, Alessandra

2016-01-01

In this study, we defined a realistic cerebellar model through the use of artificial spiking neural networks, testing it in computational simulations that reproduce associative motor tasks in multiple sessions of acquisition and extinction. By evolutionary algorithms, we tuned the cerebellar microcircuit to find out the near-optimal plasticity mechanism parameters that better reproduced human-like behavior in eye blink classical conditioning, one of the most extensively studied paradigms related to the cerebellum. We used two models: one with only the cortical plasticity and another including two additional plasticity sites at nuclear level. First, both spiking cerebellar models were able to well reproduce the real human behaviors, in terms of both "timing" and "amplitude", expressing rapid acquisition, stable late acquisition, rapid extinction, and faster reacquisition of an associative motor task. Even though the model with only the cortical plasticity site showed good learning capabilities, the model with distributed plasticity produced faster and more stable acquisition of conditioned responses in the reacquisition phase. This behavior is explained by the effect of the nuclear plasticities, which have slow dynamics and can express memory consolidation and saving. We showed how the spiking dynamics of multiple interactive neural mechanisms implicitly drive multiple essential components of complex learning processes.  This study presents a very advanced computational model, developed together by biomedical engineers, computer scientists, and neuroscientists. Since its realistic features, the proposed model can provide confirmations and suggestions about neurophysiological and pathological hypotheses and can be used in challenging clinical applications.

Reconstructive Surgery of Auricular Defects: An Overview.

PubMed

Ebrahimi, Ali; Kazemi, Alireza; Rasouli, Hamid Reza; Kazemi, Maryam; Kalantar Motamedi, Mohammad Hosein

2015-11-01

Despite the ongoing advances in surgical procedures and promising progress in bioengineering techniques, auricular reconstruction remains a significant challenge in plastic surgery. There are different causes for acquired auricular defects, including trauma, tumor ablation and burns. The management options for upper, middle and lower third auricular defects are briefly reviewed in the current paper. Original research papers investigating the plastic surgeons, otolaryngologists and maxillofacial surgeons in approaching the complicated issue of auricular reconstruction published from January 1995 to December 2014 were aggregated and used in the current study. Utilizing autologous stem cell populations to treat craniofacial defects is a promising field of ongoing investigations. Studies show that cartilage stem/progenitor cells (CSPCs) are highly chondrogenic and can produce elastic reconstructive material with long-term tissue restoration. Auricular reconstruction surgery is a challenging plastic procedure that requires great expertise and expert knowledge of the various techniques available. Novel techniques in the fields of reconstructive bioengineering and regenerative medicine are promising but further research is required before widespread clinical application.

Recent progress on thin-film encapsulation technologies for organic electronic devices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, Duan; Yang, Yong-Qiang; Chen, Zheng; Tao, Ye; Liu, Yun-Fei

2016-03-01

Among the advanced electronic devices, flexible organic electronic devices with rapid development are the most promising technologies to customers and industries. Organic thin films accommodate low-cost fabrication and can exploit diverse molecules in inexpensive plastic light emitting diodes, plastic solar cells, and even plastic lasers. These properties may ultimately enable organic materials for practical applications in industry. However, the stability of organic electronic devices still remains a big challenge, because of the difficulty in fabricating commercial products with flexibility. These organic materials can be protected using substrates and barriers such as glass and metal; however, this results in a rigid device and does not satisfy the applications demanding flexible devices. Plastic substrates and transparent flexible encapsulation barriers are other possible alternatives; however, these offer little protection to oxygen and water, thus rapidly degrading the devices. Thin-film encapsulation (TFE) technology is most effective in preventing water vapor and oxygen permeation into the flexible devices. Because of these (and other) reasons, there has been an intense interest in developing transparent barrier materials with much lower permeabilities, and their market is expected to reach over 550 million by 2025. In this study, the degradation mechanism of organic electronic devices is reviewed. To increase the stability of devices in air, several TFE technologies were applied to provide efficient barrier performance. In this review, the degradation mechanism of organic electronic devices, permeation rate measurement, traditional encapsulation technologies, and TFE technologies are presented.

[Modern aspects of surgical treatment of locally advanced pelvic cancer].

PubMed

Solovyov, I A; Vasilchenko, M V; Lychev, A B; Ambartsumyan, S V; Alekseev, V V

2015-09-01

The aim of investigation is to improve surgical treatment of patients with locally advanced pelvic cancer. The basis of investigation is 186 patients with locally advanced pelvic cancer. The average age of patients is 65.2 ± 5.2 years (from 43.7 to 88.4 years). Among them are 112 women and 74 men. In the period from 2007 to 2015 they were carried out combined (101 patients) and expanded (85 patients) surgical intervention in the department of naval surgery of the Military medical academy after S.M.Kirov. Pelvic evisceration was performed in 63 cases. Both patients were performed isolated vascular hyperthermic chemical pelvic perfusion. Indications for plastic surgery of peritoneum pelvic were: total infralitoral pelvic evisceration (9 patients), dorsal infralitoral pelvic evisceration (11 cases) and expanded abdominoperineal rectum extirpation (34 patients). Plastic surgery with autogenouse tissues was performed to 43 patients, with reticulate explants--to 11 patients. The rate of postoperative complications was 40.2%. The rate of postoperative lethality was 8%. Expanded and combined operations of pelvic at patients with locally advanced cancer without absolute contra-indications can be performed irrespective of age. Plastic surgery of peritoneum pelvic after total and dorsal infralitoral pelvic evisceration and expanded abdominoperineal rectum extirpation indicated in all cases. The easiest method is plastic surgery with greater omentum or peritoneum pelvic. Plastic surgery with reticulate explants is performed when autoplastic is impossible.

Advances in maskless and mask-based optical lithography on plastic flexible substrates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barbu, Ionut; Ivan, Marius G.; Giesen, Peter; Van de Moosdijk, Michel; Meinders, Erwin R.

2009-12-01

Organic flexible electronics is an emerging technology with huge potential growth in the future which is likely to open up a complete new series of potential applications such as flexible OLED-based displays, urban commercial signage, and flexible electronic paper. The transistor is the fundamental building block of all these applications. A key challenge in patterning transistors on flexible plastic substrates stems from the in-plane nonlinear deformations as a consequence of foil expansion/shrinkage, moisture uptake, baking etc. during various processing steps. Optical maskless lithography is one of the potential candidates for compensating for these foil distortions by in-situ adjustment prior to exposure of the new layer image with respect to the already patterned layers. Maskless lithography also brings the added value of reducing the cost-of-ownership related to traditional mask-based tools by eliminating the need for expensive masks. For the purpose of this paper, single-layer maskless exposures at 355 nm were performed on gold-coated poly(ethylenenaphthalate) (PEN) flexible substrates temporarily attached to rigid carriers to ensure dimensional stability during processing. Two positive photoresists were employed for this study and the results on plastic foils were benchmarked against maskless as well as mask-based (ASML PAS 5500/100D stepper) exposures on silicon wafers.

Coupling continuum dislocation transport with crystal plasticity for application to shock loading conditions

DOE PAGES

Luscher, Darby Jon; Mayeur, Jason Rhea; Mourad, Hashem Mohamed; ...

2015-08-05

Here, we have developed a multi-physics modeling approach that couples continuum dislocation transport, nonlinear thermoelasticity, crystal plasticity, and consistent internal stress and deformation fields to simulate the single-crystal response of materials under extreme dynamic conditions. Dislocation transport is modeled by enforcing dislocation conservation at a slip-system level through the solution of advection-diffusion equations. Nonlinear thermoelasticity provides a thermodynamically consistent equation of state to relate stress (including pressure), temperature, energy densities, and dissipation. Crystal plasticity is coupled to dislocation transport via Orowan's expression where the constitutive description makes use of recent advances in dislocation velocity theories applicable under extreme loading conditions.more » The configuration of geometrically necessary dislocation density gives rise to an internal stress field that can either inhibit or accentuate the flow of dislocations. An internal strain field associated with the internal stress field contributes to the kinematic decomposition of the overall deformation. The paper describes each theoretical component of the framework, key aspects of the constitutive theory, and some details of a one-dimensional implementation. Results from single-crystal copper plate impact simulations are discussed in order to highlight the role of dislocation transport and pile-up in shock loading regimes. The main conclusions of the paper reinforce the utility of the modeling approach to shock problems.« less

Nanotechnology and regenerative therapeutics in plastic surgery: The next frontier

PubMed Central

Tan, Aaron; Chawla, Reema; Natasha, G; Mahdibeiraghdar, Sara; Jeyaraj, Rebecca; Rajadas, Jayakumar; Hamblin, Michael R.; Seifalian, Alexander M.

2015-01-01

Summary The rapid ascent of nanotechnology and regenerative therapeutics as applied to medicine and surgery has seen an exponential rise in the scale of research generated in this field. This is evidenced not only by the sheer volume of papers dedicated to nanotechnology but also in a large number of new journals dedicated to nanotechnology and regenerative therapeutics specifically to medicine and surgery. Aspects of nanotechnology that have already brought benefits to these areas include advanced drug delivery platforms, molecular imaging and materials engineering for surgical implants. Particular areas of interest include nerve regeneration, burns and wound care, artificial skin with nanoelectronic sensors and head and neck surgery. This study presents a review of nanotechnology and regenerative therapeutics, with focus on its applications and implications in plastic surgery. PMID:26422652

New developments in flexible cholesteric liquid crystal displays

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schneider, Tod; Davis, Donald J.; Franklin, Sean; Venkataraman, Nithya; McDaniel, Diaz; Nicholson, Forrest; Montbach, Erica; Khan, Asad; Doane, J. William

2007-02-01

Flexible Cholesteric liquid crystal displays have been rapidly maturing into a strong contender in the flexible display market. Encapsulation of the Cholesteric liquid crystal permits the use of flexible plastic substrates and roll-to-roll production. Recent advances include ultra-thin displays, laser-cut segmented displays of variable geometry, and smart card applications. Exciting technologies such as simultaneous laser-edge sealing and singulation enable high volume production, excellent quality control and non-traditional display geometries and formats.

Possible Role of Green Chemistry in Addressing Environmenal Plastic Debris: Scientific, Economic and Policy Issues

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bayha, K. M.

2016-02-01

Plastics have revolutionized modern life, replacing other raw materials in a vast array of products, due to their ease in molding and shaping, as well as superior recalcitrance to wearing and aging. However, this functional benefit makes plastic one of the most problematic pollutants, since they accumulate as environmental debris for decades and possibly for centuries. Rightfully so, programs addressing plastic debris typically involve efforts to reduce consumption, reuse plastic products and recycle them when usefulness is complete. However, some of these options can be problematic for certain applications, as well as in countries that lack efficient municipal solid waste or recycling facilities. The principles of Green Chemistry were developed to help scientists design chemical products that reduce or eliminate the use or generation of hazardous substances. These principles have also been applied to developing sustainable or greener polymers for use in consumer plastics. For instance, the EPA's Green Chemistry Program awards the Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge Awards each year, with a large percentage of awards having gone to developments in greener polymers. Many of these advancements involve the development of sustainable bio-based, more degradable or more recyclable polymers that deliver significant environmental benefits. This presentation is meant to address what role the development of truly greener polymers might have in addressing environmental plastic debris in parallel with efforts to reduce, reuse and recycle. The intention is to evaluate the issues posed by traditional polymer types, address the ultimate goals of alternative polymer development and evaluate research on current alternative polymer technologies, in order to objectively assess their usefulness in addressing environmental plastic debris accumulation. In addition, the scientific, policy and market issues that may be impeding accurate development, evaluation and implementation of alternative polymers will be discussed.

Wood-Based Nanotechnologies toward Sustainability.

PubMed

Jiang, Feng; Li, Tian; Li, Yiju; Zhang, Ying; Gong, Amy; Dai, Jiaqi; Hitz, Emily; Luo, Wei; Hu, Liangbing

2018-01-01

With over 30% global land coverage, the forest is one of nature's most generous gifts to human beings, providing shelters and materials for all living beings. Apart from being sustainable, renewable, and biodegradable, wood and its derivative materials are also extremely fascinating from a materials aspect, with numerous advantages including porous and hierarchical structure, excellent mechanical performance, and versatile chemistry. Here, strategies for designing novel wood-based materials via advanced nanotechnologies are summarized, including both the controllable bottom-up assembly from the highly crystalline nanocellulose building block and the more efficient top-down approaches directly from wood. Beyond material design, recent advances regarding the sustainable applications of these novel wood-based materials are also presented, focusing on areas that are traditionally dominated by man-made nonrenewable materials such as plastic, glass, and metals, as well as more advanced applications in the areas of energy storage, wastewater treatment and solar-steam-assisted desalination. With all recent progress pertaining to materials' design and sustainable applications presented, a vision for the future engineering of wood-based materials to promote continuous and healthy progress toward true sustainability is outlined. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

From microsystems technology to the Saenger II space transportation system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vogels, Hanns Arnt

The role of space projects as drivers and catalysts of technology advances is discussed and illustrated from the perspective of the West German aerospace industry, summarizing a talk presented at the 1986 meeting of the German aerospace society DGLR. The history of space-transportation-system (STS) technology since the 1950s is traced, emphasizing the needs for greater payload weights and lower costs, and the design concept of Saenger II, a proposed two-stage ESA STS employing a hypersonic jet transport aircraft as its first stage, is outlined. It is argued that experience gained in developing the rocket-launched Hermes STS will be applicable to the second stage of Saenger II. Recent developments in microsystems (combining microelectronics, micromechanics, and microoptics), advanced materials (fiber-reinforced plastics, metals, and ceramics), and energy technology (hydrogen-based systems and solar cells) are surveyed, and their applicability to STSs is considered.

Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation for clinical applications in neurological and psychiatric disorders: an overview.

PubMed

Machado, Sergio; Arias-Carrión, Oscar; Paes, Flávia; Vieira, Renata Teles; Caixeta, Leonardo; Novaes, Felipe; Marinho, Tamires; Almada, Leonardo Ferreira; Silva, Adriana Cardoso; Nardi, Antonio Egidio

2013-10-01

Neurological and psychiatric disorders are characterized by several disabling symptoms for which effective, mechanism-based treatments remain elusive. Consequently, more advanced non-invasive therapeutic methods are required. A method that may modulate brain activity and be viable for use in clinical practice is repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS). It is a non-invasive procedure whereby a pulsed magnetic field stimulates electrical activity in the brain. Here, we focus on the basic foundation of rTMS, the main stimulation parametters, the factors that influence individual responses to rTMS and the experimental advances of rTMS that may become a viable clinical application to treat neurological and psychiatric disorders. The findings showed that rTMS can improve some symptoms associated with these conditions and might be useful for promoting cortical plasticity in patients with neurological and psychiatric disorders. However, these changes are transient and it is premature to propose these applications as realistic therapeutic options, even though the rTMS technique has been evidenced as a potential modulator of sensorimotor integration and neuroplasticity. Functional imaging of the region of interest could highlight the capacity of rTMS to bring about plastic changes of the cortical circuitry and hint at future novel clinical interventions. Thus, we recommend that further studies clearly determine the role of rTMS in the treatment of these conditions. Finally, we must remember that however exciting the neurobiological mechanisms might be, the clinical usefulness of rTMS will be determined by its ability to provide patients with neurological and psychiatric disorders with safe, long-lasting and substantial improvements in quality of life.

Filling a Plastic Bag with Carbon Dioxide: A Student-Designed Guided-Inquiry Lab for Advanced Placement and College Chemistry Courses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lanni, Laura M.

2014-01-01

A guided-inquiry lab, suitable for first-year general chemistry or high school advanced placement chemistry, is presented that uses only inexpensive, store-bought materials. The reaction of sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) with aqueous acetic acid (vinegar), under the constraint of the challenge to completely fill a sealable plastic bag with the…

Strabismus

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Nystagmus

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Uveitis

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Retinoblastoma

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Ocular Melanoma

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Herpes Keratitis

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Cataract Surgery

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Black Eye

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Ocular Hypertension

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Corneal Ulcer

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Bacterial Keratitis

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Fungal Keratitis

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Eye Symptoms

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Protective Eyewear

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Preoperative Testing

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Eye Allergies

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Key textbooks in the development of modern american plastic surgery: the first half of the twentieth century.

PubMed

Haddock, Nicholas T; McCarthy, Joseph G

2013-07-01

A number of historical texts published during the first half of the twentieth century played a pivotal role in shaping and defining modern plastic surgery in the United States. Blair's Surgery and Diseases of the Mouth and Jaws (1912), John Staige Davis's Plastic Surgery: Its Principles and Practice (1919), Gillies's Plastic Surgery of the Face (1920), Fomon's Surgery of Injury and Plastic Repair (1939), Ivy's Manual of Standard Practice of Plastic and Maxillofacial Surgery, Military Surgery Manuals (1943), Padgett and Stephenson's Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (1948), and Kazanjian and Converse's The Surgical Treatment of Facial Injuries (1949) were reviewed. These texts were published at a time when plastic surgery was developing as a distinct specialty. Each work represents a different point in this evolution. All were not inclusive of all of plastic surgery, but all had a lasting impact. Four texts were based on clinical experience from World War I; one included experience from World War II; and two included experience from both. One text became a military surgical handbook in World Wars I and II, playing an important role in care for the wounded. History has demonstrated that times of war spark medical/surgical advancements, and these wars had a dramatic impact on the development of reconstructive plastic surgery. Each of these texts documented surgical advancements and provided an intellectual platform that helped shape and create the independent discipline of plastic surgery during peacetime. For many future leaders of plastic surgery, these books served as their introduction to this new field.

Using Statistical Analysis Software to Advance Nitro Plasticizer Wettability

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Shear, Trevor Allan

Statistical analysis in science is an extremely powerful tool that is often underutilized. Additionally, it is frequently the case that data is misinterpreted or not used to its fullest extent. Utilizing the advanced software JMP®, many aspects of experimental design and data analysis can be evaluated and improved. This overview will detail the features of JMP® and how they were used to advance a project, resulting in time and cost savings, as well as the collection of scientifically sound data. The project analyzed in this report addresses the inability of a nitro plasticizer to coat a gold coated quartz crystalmore » sensor used in a quartz crystal microbalance. Through the use of the JMP® software, the wettability of the nitro plasticizer was increased by over 200% using an atmospheric plasma pen, ensuring good sample preparation and reliable results.« less

Practicing Fireworks Safety

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What Is Cellulitis?

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Bell's Palsy Symptoms

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What Is Glaucoma?

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Preventing Eye Injuries

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Cataract Vision Simulator

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Chalazia and Styes

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Retinopathy of Prematurity

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What Is Hemangioma?

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Elasto-Plastic Analysis of Tee Joints Using HOT-SMAC

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Arnold, Steve M. (Technical Monitor); Bednarcyk, Brett A.; Yarrington, Phillip W.

2004-01-01

The Higher Order Theory - Structural/Micro Analysis Code (HOT-SMAC) software package is applied to analyze the linearly elastic and elasto-plastic response of adhesively bonded tee joints. Joints of this type are finding an increasing number of applications with the increased use of composite materials within advanced aerospace vehicles, and improved tools for the design and analysis of these joints are needed. The linearly elastic results of the code are validated vs. finite element analysis results from the literature under different loading and boundary conditions, and new results are generated to investigate the inelastic behavior of the tee joint. The comparison with the finite element results indicates that HOT-SMAC is an efficient and accurate alternative to the finite element method and has a great deal of potential as an analysis tool for a wide range of bonded joints.

Toward a convergence of regenerative medicine, rehabilitation, and neuroprosthetics.

PubMed

Aravamudhan, Shyam; Bellamkonda, Ravi V

2011-11-01

No effective therapeutic interventions exist for severe neural pathologies, despite significant advances in regenerative medicine, rehabilitation, and neuroprosthetics. Our current hypothesis is that a specific combination of tissue engineering, pharmacology, cell replacement, drug delivery, and electrical stimulation, together with plasticity-promoting and locomotor training (neurorehabilitation) is necessary to interact synergistically in order to activate and enable all damaged circuits. We postulate that various convergent themes exist among the different therapeutic fields. Therefore, the objective of this review is to highlight the convergent themes, which we believe have a common goal of restoring function after neural damage. The convergent themes discussed in this review include modulation of inflammation and secondary damage, encouraging endogenous repair/regeneration (using scaffolds, cell transplantation, and drug delivery), application of electrical fields to modulate healing and/or activity, and finally modulation of plasticity.

Thermoplastic microfluidic devices and their applications in protein and DNA analysis

PubMed Central

Liu, Ke; Fan, Z. Hugh

2013-01-01

Microfluidics is a platform technology that has been used for genomics, proteomics, chemical synthesis, environment monitoring, cellular studies, and other applications. The fabrication materials of microfluidic devices have traditionally included silicon and glass, but plastics have gained increasing attention in the past few years. We focus this review on thermoplastic microfluidic devices and their applications in protein and DNA analysis. We outline the device design and fabrication methods, followed by discussion on the strategies of surface treatment. We then concentrate on several significant advancements in applying thermoplastic microfluidic devices to protein separation, immunoassays, and DNA analysis. Comparison among numerous efforts, as well as the discussion on the challenges and innovation associated with detection, is presented. PMID:21274478

Gender Authorship Trends of Plastic Surgery Research in the United States.

PubMed

Silvestre, Jason; Wu, Liza C; Lin, Ines C; Serletti, Joseph M

2016-07-01

An increasing number of women are entering the medical profession, but plastic surgery remains a male-dominated profession, especially within academia. As academic aspirations and advancement depend largely on research productivity, the authors assessed the number of articles authored by women published in the journal Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. Original articles in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery published during the years 1970, 1980, 1990, 2000, 2004, and 2014 were analyzed. First and senior authors with an M.D. degree and U.S. institutional affiliation were categorized by gender. Authorship trends were compared with those from other specialties. Findings were placed in the context of gender trends among plastic surgery residents in the United States. The percentage of female authors in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery increased from 2.4 percent in 1970 to 13.3 percent in 2014. Over the same time period, the percentage of female plastic surgery residents increased from 2.6 percent to 32.5 percent. By 2014, there were more female first authors (19.1 percent) than senior authors (7.7 percent) (p < 0.001). As a field, plastic surgery had fewer female authors than other medical specialties including pediatrics, obstetrics and gynecology, general surgery, internal medicine, and radiation oncology (p < 0.05). The increase in representation of female authors in plastic surgery is encouraging but lags behind advances in other specialties. Understanding reasons for these trends may help improve gender equity in academic plastic surgery.

Get Screened at 40

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What is Color Blindness?

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Retinal Detachment Vision Simulator

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Eye Injuries at Home

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Smoking and Eye Health

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Recommended Types of Sunglasses

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What Is Diabetic Retinopathy?

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Amblyopia: Lazy Eye Diagnosis

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Eyeglasses for Vision Correction

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Central Serous Retinopathy Treatment

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Amblyopia: Lazy Eye Treatment

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Microvascular Cranial Nerve Palsy

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Characterization of terahertz waves on foreign materials of composite materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Im, Kwang-Hee; Kim, Sun-Kyu; Chiou, Chien-Ping; Jung, Jong-An

2018-04-01

Carbon-fiber reinforced plastics (CFRP) are widely utilized due to their comparatively high performance in engineering structures. It is well understood that a nondestructive technique would be very beneficial. A new terahertz radiation has been recognized for its importance in technological applications. Recently, T-ray (terahertz ray) advances in technology and instrumentation have provided a probing field on the electromagnetic spectrum. In carbon composites, the penetration characterization of T-ray waves was fundamentally investigated in order to measure the painting thickness. Also, another study dealt with THz scan images of honeycomb sandwich composite panels using a refractive index (n), an absorption coefficient (α), the electrical conductivity of glass fiber embedded epoxy matrix composites, and carbon fiber reinforced plastics (CFRP) skin. For experiments, a method of detecting FRP composites with impact damage is presented, which utilizes aluminum wires intertwined with woven carbon fibers as they are inserted into the surface of the CFRP honeycomb sandwich panels. Intensive characterization of T-ray for the nondestructive evaluation (NDE) of carbon composite reinforced plastics (CFRP) composites is discussed in relation to the E-field influence with CFRP composite laminates.

Plastic Deformation of Micromachined Silicon Diaphragms with a Sealed Cavity at High Temperatures

PubMed Central

Ren, Juan; Ward, Michael; Kinnell, Peter; Craddock, Russell; Wei, Xueyong

2016-01-01

Single crystal silicon (SCS) diaphragms are widely used as pressure sensitive elements in micromachined pressure sensors. However, for harsh environments applications, pure silicon diaphragms are hardly used because of the deterioration of SCS in both electrical and mechanical properties. To survive at the elevated temperature, the silicon structures must work in combination with other advanced materials, such as silicon carbide (SiC) or silicon on insulator (SOI), for improved performance and reduced cost. Hence, in order to extend the operating temperatures of existing SCS microstructures, this work investigates the mechanical behavior of pressurized SCS diaphragms at high temperatures. A model was developed to predict the plastic deformation of SCS diaphragms and was verified by the experiments. The evolution of the deformation was obtained by studying the surface profiles at different anneal stages. The slow continuous deformation was considered as creep for the diaphragms with a radius of 2.5 mm at 600 °C. The occurrence of plastic deformation was successfully predicted by the model and was observed at the operating temperature of 800 °C and 900 °C, respectively. PMID:26861332

Quantifying yield behaviour in metals by X-ray nanotomography

PubMed Central

Mostafavi, M.; Bradley, R.; Armstrong, D. E. J.; Marrow, T. J.

2016-01-01

Nanoindentation of engineering materials is commonly used to study, at small length scales, the continuum mechanical properties of elastic modulus and yield strength. However, it is difficult to measure strain hardening via nanoindentation. Strain hardening, which describes the increase in strength with plastic deformation, affects fracture toughness and ductility, and is an important engineering material property. The problem is that the load-displacement data of a single nanoindentation do not provide a unique solution for the material’s plastic properties, which can be described by its stress-strain behaviour. Three-dimensional mapping of the displacement field beneath the indentation provides additional information that can overcome this difficulty. We have applied digital volume correlation of X-ray nano-tomographs of a nanoindentation to measure the sub-surface displacement field and so obtain the plastic properties of a nano-structured oxide dispersion strengthened steel. This steel has potential applications in advanced nuclear energy systems, and this novel method could characterise samples where proton irradiation of the surface simulates the effects of fast neutron damage, since facilities do not yet exist that can replicate this damage in bulk materials. PMID:27698472

Contact Lenses for Vision Correction

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Contact Lens-Related Eye Infections

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Sun, UV Radiation and Your Eyes

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Blood Pressure Drugs and AMD

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Recognizing and Treating Eye Injuries

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Nearsightedness Linked to Years in School

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Botulinum Toxin (Botox) for Facial Wrinkles

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Non-Proliferative Diabetic Retinopathy Vision Simulator

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Eye Health in Sports and Recreation

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Testing Children for Color Blindness

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What Is Age-Related Macular Degeneration?

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Neutron response characterization for an EJ299-33 plastic scintillation detector

DOE PAGES

Lawrence, Chris C.; Febbraro, Michael; Massey, Thomas N.; ...

2014-05-10

Organic scintillation detectors have shown promise as neutron detectors for characterizing special nuclear materials in various arms-control and homeland security applications. Recent advances have yielded a new plastic scintillator - EJ299-33 - with pulse-shape-discrimination (PSD) capability. Plastic scintillators would have a much expanded range of deployment relative to liquids and crystals. Here in this paper, we present a full characterization of pulse height response to fission-energy neutrons for an EJ299-33 detector with 7.62-by-7.62-cm cylindrical active volume, and compare with an EJ309 liquid scintillator in the same assembly. Scintillation light output relations, energy resolutions, and response matrices are presented for bothmore » detectors. A Continuous spectrum neutron source, obtained via the bombardment of 27Al with 7.44-MeV deuterons at the Edwards Accelerator Facility at Ohio University, was used for the measurement. A new procedure for evaluating and comparing PSD performance is presented which accounts for the effect of the light output relation on the ability to detect low energy neutrons. The EJ299-33 is shown to have considerable deficit in matrix condition, and in PSD figure of merit when compared to EJ309, especially when neutron energy is taken into account. Furthermore the EJ299 is likely to bring a modest PSD capability into a array of held applications that are not accessible to liquids or crystals.« less

[Legal Framework of Autologous Fat Usage in Point-of-Care Treatments in Plastic and Aesthetic Surgery - Risks of Criminal Prosecution and Infringement of Medical Law Due to Pharmaceutical Regulations].

PubMed

Faltus, T

2016-08-01

The use of autologous fat, especially for (stem) cell-assisted lipotransfer in plastic and aesthetic surgery, has regularly been regarded as the manufacture and application of so called Advanced Therapy Medicinal Products (ATMP). However, the in-house production of such pharmaceuticals at the point-of-care (PoC) in the surgeon's practice is not permitted without an official manufacturing license. Therefore, before beginning such treatments, a pharmaceutical manufacturing license has to be granted to the surgeon to avoid criminal prosecution and negative consequences due to infringement of professional regulations. Because such a license is linked to compliance with GMP standard, in-house manufacturing of such pharmaceuticals also implies extra technical and personnel expenses. The surgeon is obliged to check that the available autologous fat based applications are in compliance with pharmaceutical legislation. Repeated infringements of pharmaceutical regulations are incompatible with medical reliability - a prerequisite for the license to practice medicine. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Toward the design of alkynylimidazole fluorophores: computational and experimental characterization of spectroscopic features in solution and in poly(methyl methacrylate).

PubMed

Barone, Vincenzo; Bellina, Fabio; Biczysko, Malgorzata; Bloino, Julien; Fornaro, Teresa; Latouche, Camille; Lessi, Marco; Marianetti, Giulia; Minei, Pierpaolo; Panattoni, Alessandro; Pucci, Andrea

2015-10-28

The possibilities offered by organic fluorophores in the preparation of advanced plastic materials have been increased by designing novel alkynylimidazole dyes, featuring different push and pull groups. This new family of fluorescent dyes was synthesized by means of a one-pot sequential bromination-alkynylation of the heteroaromatic core, and their optical properties were investigated in tetrahydrofuran and in poly(methyl methacrylate). An efficient in silico pre-screening scheme was devised as consisting of a step-by-step procedure employing computational methodologies by simulation of electronic spectra within simple vertical energy and more sophisticated vibronic approaches. Such an approach was also extended to efficiently simulate one-photon absorption and emission spectra of the dyes in the polymer environment for their potential application in luminescent solar concentrators. Besides the specific applications of this novel material, the integration of computational and experimental techniques reported here provides an efficient protocol that can be applied to make a selection among similar dye candidates, which constitute the essential responsive part of those fluorescent plastic materials.

Considerations in recycling of wood-plastic composites

Treesearch

J.E. Winandy; N.M. Stark; C.M. Clemons

2004-01-01

Wood-plastic composite decking has made major advances in material performance, processing and user acceptance. The growth of wood-plastic composite decking in North America has grown from less than 1 % in mid- 0's to over 10% today with growth projected by several studies to reach +20% before the end of this decade (2010). Preservative-treated wood decking...

Harnessing neuroplasticity for clinical applications

PubMed Central

Sur, Mriganka; Dobkin, Bruce H.; O'Brien, Charles; Sanger, Terence D.; Trojanowski, John Q.; Rumsey, Judith M.; Hicks, Ramona; Cameron, Judy; Chen, Daofen; Chen, Wen G.; Cohen, Leonardo G.; deCharms, Christopher; Duffy, Charles J.; Eden, Guinevere F.; Fetz, Eberhard E.; Filart, Rosemarie; Freund, Michelle; Grant, Steven J.; Haber, Suzanne; Kalivas, Peter W.; Kolb, Bryan; Kramer, Arthur F.; Lynch, Minda; Mayberg, Helen S.; McQuillen, Patrick S.; Nitkin, Ralph; Pascual-Leone, Alvaro; Reuter-Lorenz, Patricia; Schiff, Nicholas; Sharma, Anu; Shekim, Lana; Stryker, Michael; Sullivan, Edith V.; Vinogradov, Sophia

2011-01-01

Neuroplasticity can be defined as the ability of the nervous system to respond to intrinsic or extrinsic stimuli by reorganizing its structure, function and connections. Major advances in the understanding of neuroplasticity have to date yielded few established interventions. To advance the translation of neuroplasticity research towards clinical applications, the National Institutes of Health Blueprint for Neuroscience Research sponsored a workshop in 2009. Basic and clinical researchers in disciplines from central nervous system injury/stroke, mental/addictive disorders, paediatric/developmental disorders and neurodegeneration/ageing identified cardinal examples of neuroplasticity, underlying mechanisms, therapeutic implications and common denominators. Promising therapies that may enhance training-induced cognitive and motor learning, such as brain stimulation and neuropharmacological interventions, were identified, along with questions of how best to use this body of information to reduce human disability. Improved understanding of adaptive mechanisms at every level, from molecules to synapses, to networks, to behaviour, can be gained from iterative collaborations between basic and clinical researchers. Lessons can be gleaned from studying fields related to plasticity, such as development, critical periods, learning and response to disease. Improved means of assessing neuroplasticity in humans, including biomarkers for predicting and monitoring treatment response, are needed. Neuroplasticity occurs with many variations, in many forms, and in many contexts. However, common themes in plasticity that emerge across diverse central nervous system conditions include experience dependence, time sensitivity and the importance of motivation and attention. Integration of information across disciplines should enhance opportunities for the translation of neuroplasticity and circuit retraining research into effective clinical therapies. PMID:21482550

Foundation of the American Academy of Ophthalmology

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Four Fantastic Foods to Keep Your Eyes Healthy

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Retinal Detachment: Torn or Detached Retina Diagnosis

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Retinal Detachment: Torn or Detached Retina Treatment

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Amblyopia: What Is the Cause of Lazy Eye?

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What Is a Pinguecula and a Pterygium?

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[Application of biodegradable plastic film to reduce plastic film residual pollution in Chinese agriculture].

PubMed

Yan, Changrong; He, Wenqing; Xue, Yinghao; Liu, Enke; Liu, Qin

2016-06-25

Plastic film has become an important agriculture production material in recent years. Over the past three decades, the amount and application area of plastic film have increased steadily, and in 2014, which are 1.4 million tons and more than 180 million hm² respectively. It plays a key role for ensuring the supply of agricultural goods in China. Meanwhile, plastic film residual pollution becomes more and more serious, and in some regions, the amount of plastic film residues has reached over 250 kg/hm². In part of the Northwest region, soil structure of farmland has been destroyed by plastic film residues and then crop growth and farming operations were suppressed. It is recognized as a good choice to replace plastic film with biodegradable plastic film, an effective measure to solve the plastic film residue pollution. Now, it is in a critical stage of study and assessment of biodegradable plastic film in China and fortunately some biodegradable plastic films show effects in the production of potatoes, peanuts and tobacco. Overall, a series of challenges has still been faced by the biodegradable plastic film, mainly including improving the quality of biodegradable plastic products, such as tensile strength, flexibility, improving the controllability of rupture and degradation, enhancing the ability of increasing soil temperature and preserving soil moisture, and to satisfy the demand of crops production with mulching. In addition, it is essential to reduce the cost of the biodegradable film and promote the application of biodegradable film on large-scale. With the development of biodegradable plastic technology and agricultural production environment, the application of the biodegradable film will have a good future.

Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation for Clinical Applications in Neurological and Psychiatric Disorders: An Overview

PubMed Central

Machado, Sergio; Arias-Carrión, Oscar; Paes, Flávia; Vieira, Renata Teles; Caixeta, Leonardo; Novaes, Felipe; Marinho, Tamires; Almada, Leonardo Ferreira; Silva, Adriana Cardoso; Nardi, Antonio Egidio

2013-01-01

Neurological and psychiatric disorders are characterized by several disabling symptoms for which effective, mechanism-based treatments remain elusive. Consequently, more advanced non-invasive therapeutic methods are required. A method that may modulate brain activity and be viable for use in clinical practice is repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS). It is a non-invasive procedure whereby a pulsed magnetic field stimulates electrical activity in the brain. Here, we focus on the basic foundation of rTMS, the main stimulation parametters, the factors that influence individual responses to rTMS and the experimental advances of rTMS that may become a viable clinical application to treat neurological and psychiatric disorders. The findings showed that rTMS can improve some symptoms associated with these conditions and might be useful for promoting cortical plasticity in patients with neurological and psychiatric disorders. However, these changes are transient and it is premature to propose these applications as realistic therapeutic options, even though the rTMS technique has been evidenced as a potential modulator of sensorimotor integration and neuroplasticity. Functional imaging of the region of interest could highlight the capacity of rTMS to bring about plastic changes of the cortical circuitry and hint at future novel clinical interventions. Thus, we recommend that further studies clearly determine the role of rTMS in the treatment of these conditions. Finally, we must remember that however exciting the neurobiological mechanisms might be, the clinical usefulness of rTMS will be determined by its ability to provide patients with neurological and psychiatric disorders with safe, long-lasting and substantial improvements in quality of life. PMID:25610279

IOL Implants: Lens Replacement and Cataract Surgery (Intraocular Lenses)

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People with Increased Risk of Eye Damage from UV Light

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Study Finds a Connection between Glaucoma and Sleep Apnea

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Recombination rate plasticity: revealing mechanisms by design

PubMed Central

Sefick, Stephen; Rushton, Chase

2017-01-01

For over a century, scientists have known that meiotic recombination rates can vary considerably among individuals, and that environmental conditions can modify recombination rates relative to the background. A variety of external and intrinsic factors such as temperature, age, sex and starvation can elicit ‘plastic’ responses in recombination rate. The influence of recombination rate plasticity on genetic diversity of the next generation has interesting and important implications for how populations evolve. Further, many questions remain regarding the mechanisms and molecular processes that contribute to recombination rate plasticity. Here, we review 100 years of experimental work on recombination rate plasticity conducted in Drosophila melanogaster. We categorize this work into four major classes of experimental designs, which we describe via classic studies in D. melanogaster. Based on these studies, we highlight molecular mechanisms that are supported by experimental results and relate these findings to studies in other systems. We synthesize lessons learned from this model system into experimental guidelines for using recent advances in genotyping technologies, to study recombination rate plasticity in non-model organisms. Specifically, we recommend (1) using fine-scale genome-wide markers, (2) collecting time-course data, (3) including crossover distribution measurements, and (4) using mixed effects models to analyse results. To illustrate this approach, we present an application adhering to these guidelines from empirical work we conducted in Drosophila pseudoobscura. This article is part of the themed issue ‘Evolutionary causes and consequences of recombination rate variation in sexual organisms’. PMID:29109222

Group psychotherapy and neuro-plasticity: an attachment theory perspective.

PubMed

Flores, Philip J

2010-10-01

This article selectively highlights relevant areas of neuroscience research which have direct application for attachment theory and group psychotherapy. Emerging evidence from the neurosciences is revealing that the developing brain of the infant, sculpted by the earliest attachment relationships, continues to be malleable in adulthood and can be profoundly influenced by ongoing relationships throughout one's lifespan. Advances in the neurosciences are also supporting the idea that strong attachment bonds and external interpersonal interactions that arise within the context of these attachments are registered as a person's neurophysiology and neurobiology. Attachment theory in particular provides a common language and conceptual framework from which the contributions from the neurosciences can be made applicable to group psychotherapy.

Shaping metallic glasses by electromagnetic pulsing

PubMed Central

Kaltenboeck, Georg; Demetriou, Marios D.; Roberts, Scott; Johnson, William L.

2016-01-01

With damage tolerance rivalling advanced engineering alloys and thermoplastic forming capabilities analogous to conventional plastics, metallic glasses are emerging as a modern engineering material. Here, we take advantage of their unique electrical and rheological properties along with the classic Lorentz force concept to demonstrate that electromagnetic coupling of electric current and a magnetic field can thermoplastically shape a metallic glass without conventional heating sources or applied mechanical forces. Specifically, we identify a process window where application of an electric current pulse in the presence of a normally directed magnetic field can ohmically heat a metallic glass to a softened state, while simultaneously inducing a large enough magnetic body force to plastically shape it. The heating and shaping is performed on millisecond timescales, effectively bypassing crystallization producing fully amorphous-shaped parts. This electromagnetic forming approach lays the groundwork for a versatile, time- and energy-efficient manufacturing platform for ultrastrong metals. PMID:26853460

Understanding thermally activated plastic deformation behavior of Zircaloy-4

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kumar, N.; Alomari, A.; Murty, K. L.

2018-06-01

Understanding micromechanics of plastic deformation of existing materials is essential for improving their properties further and/or developing advanced materials for much more severe load bearing applications. The objective of the present work was to understand micromechanics of plastic deformation of Zircaloy-4, a zirconium-based alloy used as fuel cladding and channel (in BWRs) material in nuclear reactors. The Zircaloy-4 in recrystallized (at 973 K for 4 h) condition was subjected to uniaxial tensile testing at a constant cross-head velocity at temperatures in the range 293 K-1073 K and repeated stress relaxation tests at 293 K, 573 K, and 773 K. The minimum in the total elongation was indicative of dynamic strain aging phenomenon in this alloy in the intermediate temperature regime. The yield stress of the alloy was separated into effective and athermal components and the transition from thermally activated dislocation glide to athermal regime took place at around 673 K with the athermal stress estimated to be 115 MPa. The activation volume was found to be in the range of 40 b3 to 160 b3. The activation volume values and the data analyses using the solid-solution models in literature indicated dislocation-solute interaction to be a potential deformation mechanism in thermally activated regime. The activation energy calculated at 573 K was very close to that found for diffusivity of oxygen in α-Zr that was suggestive of dislocations-oxygen interaction during plastic deformation. This type of information may be helpful in alloy design in selecting different elements to control the deformation behavior of the material and impart desired mechanical properties in those materials for specific applications.

Combined use of videoendoscopy and X-ray imaging for improved monitoring of stenting application

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cysewska-Sobusiak, A. R.; Sowier, A.; Skrzywanek, P.

2005-09-01

The subject of this paper concerns advanced techniques of procedures and imaging used in minimally invasive surgery and in non-operable cases of the alimentary tract tumor therapy. Examples of videoendoscopy and X-ray imaging used for the application of stents (prostheses) and catheters allowing for the performance of diagnostic and endo-therapeutic procedures are described. The possibility was indicated to elaborate a new method of proceeding in tumor therapy in the patients for whom the methods used so far were ineffective. In the paper examples of combined imaging the application of metallic stents and plastic catheters allowing for the performance of diagnostic and therapeutic procedures are presented. The cases shown refer to tumor located in the esophagus and in the bile and pancreatic ducts.

Exercise and Drinking May Play a Role in Vision Impairment Risk

MedlinePlus

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Choosing Wisely When It Comes to Eye Care: Antibiotics for Pink Eye

MedlinePlus

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Plasticity Modelling in PM Steels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Andersson, M.; Angelopoulos, V.

2017-12-01

Simulations are continuously becoming more and more important to predict the behaviour of materials, components and structures. Porous materials, such as PM, put special demands on the material models used. This paper investigates the application of the Gurson material model to PM steels. It is shown how the model can be calibrated to material data. The results are also applied to an indentation test, where it's demonstrated that experimental results can be reproduced with some accuracy. Limitations of the model, and the potential to use more advanced material models are also discussed.

Infrastructure Retrofit Design via Composite Mechanics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chamis, Christos, C.; Gotsis,Pascal K.

1998-01-01

Select applications are described to illustrate the concept for retrofitting reinforced concrete infrastructure with fiber reinforced plastic laminates. The concept is first illustrated by using an axially loaded reinforced concrete column. A reinforced concrete arch and a dome are then used to illustrate the versatility of the concept. Advanced methods such as finite element structural analysis and progressive structural fracture are then used to evaluate the retrofitting laminate adequacy. Results obtains show that retrofits can be designed to double and even triple the as-designed load of the select reinforced concrete infrastructures.

Advanced plastic scintillators for fast neutron discrimination

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Feng, Patrick L; Anstey, Mitchell; Doty, F. Patrick

2014-09-01

The present work addresses the need for solid-state, fast neutron discriminating scintillators that possess higher light yields and faster decay kinetics than existing organic scintillators. These respective attributes are of critical importance for improving the gamma-rejection capabilities and increasing the neutron discrimination performance under high-rate conditions. Two key applications that will benefit from these improvements include large-volume passive detection scenarios as well as active interrogation search for special nuclear materials. Molecular design principles were employed throughout this work, resulting in synthetically tailored materials that possess the targeted scintillation properties.

Nitric oxide-releasing antibacterial albumin plastic for biomedical applications.

PubMed

Jones, Alexander; Pant, Jitendra; Lee, Eliza; Goudie, Marcus J; Gruzd, Alexey; Mansfield, Joel; Mandal, Abhyuday; Sharma, Suraj; Handa, Hitesh

2018-06-01

Designing innovative materials for biomedical applications is desired to prevent surface fouling and risk of associated infections arising in the surgical care patient. In the present study, albumin plastic was fabricated and nitric oxide (NO) donor, S-nitroso-N-acetylpenicillamine (SNAP), was incorporated through a solvent swelling process. The albumin-SNAP plastic was evaluated in terms of mechanical and thermal properties, and bacterial adhesion to the plastic surface. Thermal and viscoelastic analyses showed no significant difference between albumin-SNAP plastics and pure, water-plasticized albumin samples. Bacteria adhesion tests revealed that albumin-SNAP plastic can significantly reduce the surface-bound viable gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus and gram-negative Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacterial cells by 98.7 and 98.5%, respectively, when compared with the traditional polyvinyl chloride medical grade tubing material. The results from this study demonstrate NO-releasing albumin plastic's potential as a material for biomedical device applications. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part A: 106A: 1535-1542, 2018. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Bio-based and biodegradable plastics for use in crop production.

PubMed

Riggi, Ezio; Santagata, Gabriella; Malinconico, Mario

2011-01-01

The production and management of crops uses plastics for many applications (e.g., low tunnels, high tunnels, greenhouses, mulching, silage bags, hay bales, pheromone traps, coatings of fertilizers or pesticides or hormones or seeds, and nursery pots and containers for growing transplants). All these applications have led some authors to adopt the term "plasticulture" when discussing the use of plastic materials in agriculture and related industries. Unfortunately, the sustainability of this use of plastics is low, and renewability and degradability have become key words in the debate over sustainable production and utilization of plastic. Recently, researchers and the plastics industry have made strong efforts (i) to identify new biopolymers and natural additives from renewable sources that can be used in plastics production and (ii) to enhance the degradability (biological or physical) of the new ecologically sustainable materials. In the present review, we describe the main research results, current applications, patents that have been applied for in the last two decades, and future perspectives on sustainable use of plastics to support crop production. The article presents some promising patents on bio-based and biodegradable plastics for use in crop production.

Design of a plastic minicolpostat applicator with shields.

PubMed

Weeks, K J; Montana, G S; Bentel, G C

1991-09-01

A plastic intracavitary applicator system for the treatment of cancer of the uterine cervix is described. This applicator has a minicolpostat and a mechanism for affixing the tandem to the colpostats. Traditional afterloading refers only to the radioactive source. Both the source and the ovoid shield are afterloaded together in this applicator in contrast to traditional afterloading systems which afterload the source alone. A potential advantage of our applicator system is that it allows high quality CT localization because the sources and shields can be removed and the applicator is made of plastic. The advantages and disadvantages of this variation to the Fletcher system as well as other aspects of applicator design are discussed. An experimentally verified dose calculation method for shielded sources is applied to the design problems associated with this applicator. The dose distribution calculated for a source-shield configuration of the plastic applicator is compared to that obtained with a commercial Fletcher-Suit-Delclos (FSD) applicator. Significant shielding improvements can be achieved for the smallest diameter ovoid, that is, in the minicolpostat. The plastic minicolpostat dose distributions are similar to those produced by the conventional larger diameter colpostats. In particular, the colpostat shielding for rectum and bladder, which is reduced in the metal applicator's minicolpostat configuration, is maintained for the plastic minicolpostat. Further, it is shown that, if desired, relative to the FSD minicolpostat, the mucosa dose can be reduced by a suitable change of the minicolpostat source position.

Determining Crack Tip Field Parameters for Elastic-Plastic Materials via an Estimation Scheme

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-07-01

of the Materials Laboratory was the Project Monitor for this study of the application of the Nonlinear Fracture Mechanics (NLFM) parameters to the...fracture mechanics (LEFM) is applicable . If the plastic zone size is large, compared to the case of small scale yielding, LEFM is not applicable . The...above HRR field equations are applicable only for the case of stationary cracks. 2.2 PARAMETER DETERMINATION For elastic-plastic materials, the

The Rise of Technology in Plastic Surgery Education: Is the Textbook Dead on Arrival (DOA)?

PubMed

Waltzman, Joshua T; Tadisina, Kashyap K; Zins, James E

2016-02-01

Over the past decade there has been a dramatic rise in the use of technology. Evaluating our use of technology is crucial to advancing the next generation of plastic surgeons. The goals of this study were to assess the current use of technology by residents, help Program Directors allocate financial resources, and predict the future of technology and education. A 17-question online survey was emailed to American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery resident/fellow members (n = 447). The survey evaluated current use of technology, preferred use of educational resources, and directions for the future. Ample space was allocated for free response questions. The response rate was 40%. The average age of respondents was 32 years old (standard deviation 3.7). The majority (86.5%) of residents own iPhones, and 90% of residents own tablets. There was a heavy daily reliance on smartphone technology. Sixty percent of residents used physical textbooks on a weekly basis. The Plastic Surgery Education Network was used on a weekly basis by 42% of residents. In contrast, 78% of residents were not aware of, or had never used, the readily available digital aesthetic resource (RADAR) Resource iPad application. In order to remain at the forefront of education, we as a specialty need to adapt with technology. Program Directors should support integrating technology with electronic access to educational materials. There exists an opportunity in resident education to increase awareness and utilization of the RADAR Resource. The future of plastic surgery education will be reliant on platforms like the iPhone and iPad to conveniently provide large volumes of information with only a finger touch. © 2015 The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, Inc. Reprints and permission: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Pathways to Academic Leadership in Plastic Surgery: A Nationwide Survey of Program Directors, Division Chiefs, and Department Chairs of Plastic Surgery.

PubMed

Fishman, Jordan E; Pang, John Henry Y; Losee, Joseph E; Rubin, J Peter; Nguyen, Vu T

2018-06-01

Many aspire to leadership in academic plastic surgery yet there is no well-documented pathway. Information regarding plastic surgery residencies and program directors was obtained from the American Medical Association's FREIDA database. The division chief or department chair (academic head) of every academic plastic surgery program was identified. One Internet-based survey was distributed to academic heads; another, to program directors. Ninety academic heads were identified, 35 of whom also serve as program director. Sixty-seven unique program directors were identified. There was a 51 percent academic head response rate and a 65 percent program director response rate. Academic plastic surgery is overwhelmingly administered by midcareer men. The average program director was appointed at age 45 and has served for 7 years. She or he was trained through the independent track, completed additional training in hand surgery, and is a full professor. She or he publishes two or three peer-reviewed manuscripts per year and spends 9 hours per week in administration. The average academic head was appointed at age 45 and has held the position for 12 years. She or he was trained in the independent model, completed fellowship training, and is a full professor. She or he publishes five peer-reviewed manuscripts per year and spends 12 hours per week involved in administration. Program directors and academic heads serve nonoverlapping roles. Few program directors will advance to the role of academic head. Successful applicants to the program director position often serve as an associate program director and are seen as motivated resident educators. In contrast, those faculty members selected for the academic head role are academically accomplished administrators with business acumen.

40 CFR 63.800 - Applicability.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... and products surface coating (subpart MMMM of this part). (2) Surface coating of plastic parts and products other than plastic components of wood furniture that meets the applicability criteria for plastic... costs associated with the purchase and installation of air pollution control equipment (e.g...

40 CFR 63.800 - Applicability.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... and products surface coating (subpart MMMM of this part). (2) Surface coating of plastic parts and products other than plastic components of wood furniture that meets the applicability criteria for plastic... costs associated with the purchase and installation of air pollution control equipment (e.g...

40 CFR 63.800 - Applicability.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... and products surface coating (subpart MMMM of this part). (2) Surface coating of plastic parts and products other than plastic components of wood furniture that meets the applicability criteria for plastic... costs associated with the purchase and installation of air pollution control equipment (e.g...

[The history of plastic surgery in Israel].

PubMed

Wiser, Itay; Scheflan, Michael; Heller, Lior

2014-09-01

The medical institutions in the country have advanced together with the development of the state of Israel. Plastic surgery, which has progressed significantly during the 20th century, has also grown rapidly in the new state. The arrival of Jewish plastic surgeons from all over the world with the knowledge and experience gained in their countries of origin, as well as the need for reconstructive surgical treatment for many combat injured soldiers, also contributed to the development of plastic surgery. This review tells the story of plastic surgery in Israel, since its foundation until nowadays. This article reviews the work of the founders of plastic surgery in Israel, indicating significant milestones in its development, and clinical and scientific contribution to the international plastic surgery profession. Moreover, the article describes the current condition of the field of plastic surgery in Israel and presents the trends and the future challenges facing the next generation of plastic surgery in Israel.

Organic scintillators with pulse shape discrimination for detection of radiation (Conference Presentation)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mabe, Andrew; Carman, M. Leslie; Glenn, Andrew M.; Zaitseva, Natalia P.; Payne, Stephen A.

2016-09-01

The detection of neutrons in the presence of gamma-ray fields has important applications in the fields of nuclear physics, homeland security, and medical imaging. Organic scintillators provide several attractive qualities as neutron detection materials including low cost, fast response times, ease of scaling, and the ability to implement pulse shape discrimination (PSD) to discriminate between neutrons and gamma-rays. This talk will focus on amorphous organic scintillators both in plastic form and small-molecule organic glass form. The first section of this talk will describe recent advances and improvements in the performance of PSD-capable plastic scintillators. The primary advances described in regard to modification of the polymer matrix, evaluation of new scintillating dyes, improved fabrication conditions, and implementation of additives which impart superior performance and mechanical properties to PSD-capable plastics as compared to commercially-available plastics and performance comparable to PSD-capable liquids. The second section of this talk will focus on a class of small-molecule organic scintillators based on modified indoles and oligophenylenes which form amorphous glasses as PSD-capable neutron scintillation materials. Though indoles and oligophenylenes have been known for many decades, their PSD properties have not been investigated and their scintillation properties only scantily investigated. Well-developed synthetic methodologies have permitted the synthesis of a library of structural analogs of these compounds as well as the investigation of their scintillation properties. The emission wavelengths of many indoles are in the sensitive region of common photomultiplier tubes, making them appropriate to be used as scintillators in either pure or doped form. This work was performed under the auspices of the U.S. Department of Energy by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory under Contract DE-AC52-07NA27344. This work has been supported by the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Nonproliferation Research and Development (NA-22) and by the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA).

The role of water on the structure and mechanical properties of a thermoplastic natural block co-polymer from squid sucker ring teeth.

PubMed

Rieu, Clément; Bertinetti, Luca; Schuetz, Roman; Salinas-Zavala, Cesar Ca; Weaver, James C; Fratzl, Peter; Miserez, Ali; Masic, Admir

2016-09-02

Hard biological polymers exhibiting a truly thermoplastic behavior that can maintain their structural properties after processing are extremely rare and highly desirable for use in advanced technological applications such as 3D-printing, biodegradable plastics and robust composites. One exception are the thermoplastic proteins that comprise the sucker ring teeth (SRT) of the Humboldt jumbo squid (Dosidicus gigas). In this work, we explore the mechanical properties of reconstituted SRT proteins and demonstrate that the material can be re-shaped by simple processing in water and at relatively low temperature (below 100 °C). The post-processed material maintains a high modulus in the GPa range, both in the dry and the wet states. When transitioning from low to high humidity, the material properties change from brittle to ductile with an increase in plastic deformation, where water acts as a plasticizer. Using synchrotron x-ray scattering tools, we found that water mostly influences nano scale structure, whereas at the molecular level, the protein structure remains largely unaffected. Furthermore, through simultaneous in situ x-ray scattering and mechanical tests, we show that the supramolecular network of the reconstituted SRT material exhibits a progressive alignment along the strain direction, which is attributed to chain alignment of the amorphous domains of SRT proteins. The high modulus in both dry and wet states, combined with their efficient thermal processing characteristics, make the SRT proteins promising substitutes for applications traditionally reserved for petroleum-based thermoplastics.

40 CFR 463.1 - Applicability.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... PLASTICS MOLDING AND FORMING POINT SOURCE CATEGORY General Provisions § 463.1 Applicability. (a) This part applies to any plastics molding and forming process that discharges or may discharge pollutants to waters of the United States or that introduces pollutants into a publicly owned treatment works. Plastics...

3D Printing: current use in facial plastic and reconstructive surgery.

PubMed

Hsieh, Tsung-Yen; Dedhia, Raj; Cervenka, Brian; Tollefson, Travis T

2017-08-01

To review the use of three-dimensional (3D) printing in facial plastic and reconstructive surgery, with a focus on current uses in surgical training, surgical planning, clinical outcomes, and biomedical research. To evaluate the limitations and future implications of 3D printing in facial plastic and reconstructive surgery. Studies reviewed demonstrated 3D printing applications in surgical planning including accurate anatomic biomodels, surgical cutting guides in reconstruction, and patient-specific implants fabrication. 3D printing technology also offers access to well tolerated, reproducible, and high-fidelity/patient-specific models for surgical training. Emerging research in 3D biomaterial printing have led to the development of biocompatible scaffolds with potential for tissue regeneration in reconstruction cases involving significant tissue absence or loss. Major limitations of utilizing 3D printing technology include time and cost, which may be offset by decreased operating times and collaboration between departments to diffuse in-house printing costs SUMMARY: The current state of the literature shows promising results, but has not yet been validated by large studies or randomized controlled trials. Ultimately, further research and advancements in 3D printing technology should be supported as there is potential to improve resident training, patient care, and surgical outcomes.

Aspects of the homeostaic plasticity of GABAA receptor-mediated inhibition

PubMed Central

Mody, Istvan

2005-01-01

Plasticity of ligand-gated ion channels plays a critical role in nervous system development, circuit formation and refinement, and pathological processes. Recent advances have mainly focused on the plasticity of channels gated by excitatory amino acids, including their acclaimed role in learning and memory. These receptors, together with voltage-gated ion channels, have also been known to be subjected to a homeostatic form of plasticity that prevents destabilization of the neurone's function and that of the network during various physiological processes. To date, the plasticity of GABAA receptors has been examined mainly from a developmental and a pathological point of view. Little is known about homeostatic mechanisms governing their plasticity. This review summarizes some of the findings on the homeostatic plasticity of tonic and phasic inhibitory activity. PMID:15528237

Paying and playing with plastic. The meaning of plastics, plasticity, and plastic surgery.

PubMed

Williams, D

1996-11-01

Plastics are not only the proverbial everyday commodity, but they also permeate almost every aspect of medical devices, from technology to clinical application. This article addresses some of the confusing features of plasticity as they relate to the materials called plastics, to the phenomena of material plasticity, and to the clinical and biological usage of the word.

Fate of four phthalate plasticizers under various wastewater treatment processes.

PubMed

Armstrong, Dana L; Rice, Clifford P; Ramirez, Mark; Torrents, Alba

2018-05-18

The fate of four phthalate plasticizers during wastewater treatment processes at six different wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) was investigated. Concentrations of benzyl butyl phthalate (BBP), di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), diisononyl phthalate (DiNP), and diisodecyl phthalate (DiDP) were determined prior to either aerobic or anaerobic (conventional and advanced) treatment, after treatment, and in final, dewatered solids. Despite their elevated use worldwide, the fate of DiNP and DiDP during wastewater treatment have not been well characterized. DEHP was readily degraded during aerobic treatments while anaerobic digestion resulted in either no significant change in concentrations or an increase in concentration, in the case of more advanced anaerobic processes (thermal hydrolysis pretreatment and a two-phase acid/gas process). Impacts of the various treatment systems on DiNP, DiDP, and BBP concentrations were more varied - anaerobic digestion led to significant decreases, increases, or no significant change for these compounds, depending on the treatment facility, while aerobic treatment was generally effective at degrading the compounds. Additionally, thermal hydrolysis pretreatment of sludge prior to anaerobic digestion resulted in increases in DiNP, DiDP, and BBP concentrations. The predicted environmental concentrations for all four compounds in soils after a single biosolids application were calculated and the risk quotients for DEHP in soils were determined. The estimated toxicity risk for DEHP in soils treated with a single application of sludge from any of the six studied WWTPs is lower than the level of concern for acute and chronic risk, as defined by the US EPA.

Applications and societal benefits of plastics.

PubMed

Andrady, Anthony L; Neal, Mike A

2009-07-27

This article explains the history, from 1600 BC to 2008, of materials that are today termed 'plastics'. It includes production volumes and current consumption patterns of five main commodity plastics: polypropylene, polyethylene, polyvinyl chloride, polystyrene and polyethylene terephthalate. The use of additives to modify the properties of these plastics and any associated safety, in use, issues for the resulting polymeric materials are described. A comparison is made with the thermal and barrier properties of other materials to demonstrate the versatility of plastics. Societal benefits for health, safety, energy saving and material conservation are described, and the particular advantages of plastics in society are outlined. Concerns relating to littering and trends in recycling of plastics are also described. Finally, we give predictions for some of the potential applications of plastic over the next 20 years.

Advanced automobile steels subjected to plate rolling at 773 K or 1373 K

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Torganchuk, Vladimir; Belyakov, Andrey; Kaibyshev, Rustam

2017-12-01

The high manganese steels exhibiting the effects of twinning-induced plasticity (TWIP) and transformation-induced plasticity (TRIP) demonstrate an excellent combination of enhanced formability, strength and ductility. Such unique mechanical properties make high-manganese steel the most attractive material for various applications, including the segment of advanced automobile steels. The strain hardening in such steels can be achieved through martensitic transformation, when the stacking fault energy (SFE) is about 10 mJ m-2, and/or twinning, when SFE is about 20 to 50 mJ m-2. The actual mechanical properties of high-Mn steels could vary, depending on the conditions of thermo-mechanical processing. In the present study, the effect of rolling temperature on the microstructure and mechanical properties of 18% Mn steels was clarified. The steels hot rolled at 1373 K were characterized by uniform almost equiaxed grains with near random crystallographic orientations that resulted in relatively low yield strengths of 300-360 MPa, followed by pronounced strain hardening that led to the total elongation above 60%. In contrast, the steels warm rolled at 773 K were characterized by flattened grains with a strong rolling texture and high yield strengths of 850-950 MPa combined with a total elongation of about 30%.

Material model validation for laser shock peening process simulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Amarchinta, H. K.; Grandhi, R. V.; Langer, K.; Stargel, D. S.

2009-01-01

Advanced mechanical surface enhancement techniques have been used successfully to increase the fatigue life of metallic components. These techniques impart deep compressive residual stresses into the component to counter potentially damage-inducing tensile stresses generated under service loading. Laser shock peening (LSP) is an advanced mechanical surface enhancement technique used predominantly in the aircraft industry. To reduce costs and make the technique available on a large-scale basis for industrial applications, simulation of the LSP process is required. Accurate simulation of the LSP process is a challenging task, because the process has many parameters such as laser spot size, pressure profile and material model that must be precisely determined. This work focuses on investigating the appropriate material model that could be used in simulation and design. In the LSP process material is subjected to strain rates of 106 s-1, which is very high compared with conventional strain rates. The importance of an accurate material model increases because the material behaves significantly different at such high strain rates. This work investigates the effect of multiple nonlinear material models for representing the elastic-plastic behavior of materials. Elastic perfectly plastic, Johnson-Cook and Zerilli-Armstrong models are used, and the performance of each model is compared with available experimental results.

Opportunities and Barriers to Resource Recovery and Recycling from Shredder Residue in the United States

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nayak, Naren; Apelian, Diran

2014-11-01

Shredder residue is the by-product remaining after ferrous and nonferrous metals have been recovered from the processing of vehicles, white goods, and peddler scrap. Shredder residue consists of glass, plastics, rubber, dirt, and small amounts of metal. It is estimated that 5-7 million tons of this shredder residue are landfilled each year in the United States. Technical advancements, coupled with European Union directives and the economic climate, have transformed the recycling of shredder residue in Europe. In the United States, however, regulatory controls and the cheap cost of landfill have worked against the advancement of recycling and recovery of this resource. The Argonne National Laboratory, which is funded by the U.S. Department of Energy, has investigated the effectiveness of recycling shredder residue into polymers. Other research has examined the use of shredder residue in waste-to-energy applications. To improve our ability to process and recycle shredder residue, an investigation of the regulatory, economic, and technological challenges was undertaken. The objective was to conduct a comprehensive review of work done to date, to document the composition of typical shredder output and to identify potential recoverable items (residual metals, plastics, rubber, foam, etc.). Along with uncovering potential new markets, the research would identify the technical, regulatory, and economic barriers to developing those markets.

Mechanisms of Long Non-Coding RNAs in the Assembly and Plasticity of Neural Circuitry.

PubMed

Wang, Andi; Wang, Junbao; Liu, Ying; Zhou, Yan

2017-01-01

The mechanisms underlying development processes and functional dynamics of neural circuits are far from understood. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have emerged as essential players in defining identities of neural cells, and in modulating neural activities. In this review, we summarized latest advances concerning roles and mechanisms of lncRNAs in assembly, maintenance and plasticity of neural circuitry, as well as lncRNAs' implications in neurological disorders. We also discussed technical advances and challenges in studying functions and mechanisms of lncRNAs in neural circuitry. Finally, we proposed that lncRNA studies would advance our understanding on how neural circuits develop and function in physiology and disease conditions.

Laser hybrid joining of plastic and metal components for lightweight components

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rauschenberger, J.; Cenigaonaindia, A.; Keseberg, J.; Vogler, D.; Gubler, U.; Liébana, F.

2015-03-01

Plastic-metal hybrids are replacing all-metal structures in the automotive, aerospace and other industries at an accelerated rate. The trend towards lightweight construction increasingly demands the usage of polymer components in drive trains, car bodies, gaskets and other applications. However, laser joining of polymers to metals presents significantly greater challenges compared with standard welding processes. We present recent advances in laser hybrid joining processes. Firstly, several metal pre-structuring methods, including selective laser melting (SLM) are characterized and their ability to provide undercut structures in the metal assessed. Secondly, process parameter ranges for hybrid joining of a number of metals (steel, stainless steel, etc.) and polymers (MABS, PA6.6-GF35, PC, PP) are given. Both transmission and direct laser joining processes are presented. Optical heads and clamping devices specifically tailored to the hybrid joining process are introduced. Extensive lap-shear test results are shown that demonstrate that joint strengths exceeding the base material strength (cohesive failure) can be reached with metal-polymer joining. Weathering test series prove that such joints are able to withstand environmental influences typical in targeted fields of application. The obtained results pave the way toward implementing metalpolymer joints in manufacturing processes.

Adaptive Plasticity in the Healthy Language Network: Implications for Language Recovery after Stroke

PubMed Central

2016-01-01

Across the last three decades, the application of noninvasive brain stimulation (NIBS) has substantially increased the current knowledge of the brain's potential to undergo rapid short-term reorganization on the systems level. A large number of studies applied transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) in the healthy brain to probe the functional relevance and interaction of specific areas for different cognitive processes. NIBS is also increasingly being used to induce adaptive plasticity in motor and cognitive networks and shape cognitive functions. Recently, NIBS has been combined with electrophysiological techniques to modulate neural oscillations of specific cortical networks. In this review, we will discuss recent advances in the use of NIBS to modulate neural activity and effective connectivity in the healthy language network, with a special focus on the combination of NIBS and neuroimaging or electrophysiological approaches. Moreover, we outline how these results can be transferred to the lesioned brain to unravel the dynamics of reorganization processes in poststroke aphasia. We conclude with a critical discussion on the potential of NIBS to facilitate language recovery after stroke and propose a phase-specific model for the application of NIBS in language rehabilitation. PMID:27830094

46 CFR 160.053-1 - Applicable specifications.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

...: SPECIFICATIONS AND APPROVAL LIFESAVING EQUIPMENT Work Vests, Unicellular Plastic Foam § 160.053-1 Applicable... plastic foam work vests are manufactured, form a part of this subpart: (1) Military specification: MIL-L-17653A—Life Preserver, Vest, Work Type, Unicellular Plastic. (2) [Reserved] (b) Copies on file. Copies of...

46 CFR 160.053-1 - Applicable specifications.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

...: SPECIFICATIONS AND APPROVAL LIFESAVING EQUIPMENT Work Vests, Unicellular Plastic Foam § 160.053-1 Applicable... plastic foam work vests are manufactured, form a part of this subpart: (1) Military specification: MIL-L-17653A—Life Preserver, Vest, Work Type, Unicellular Plastic. (2) [Reserved] (b) Copies on file. Copies of...

46 CFR 160.053-1 - Applicable specifications.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

...: SPECIFICATIONS AND APPROVAL LIFESAVING EQUIPMENT Work Vests, Unicellular Plastic Foam § 160.053-1 Applicable... plastic foam work vests are manufactured, form a part of this subpart: (1) Military specification: MIL-L-17653A—Life Preserver, Vest, Work Type, Unicellular Plastic. (2) [Reserved] (b) Copies on file. Copies of...

46 CFR 160.053-1 - Applicable specifications.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... plastic foam work vests are manufactured, form a part of this subpart: (1) Military specification: MIL-L-17653A—Life Preserver, Vest, Work Type, Unicellular Plastic. (2) [Reserved] (b) Copies on file. Copies of...: SPECIFICATIONS AND APPROVAL LIFESAVING EQUIPMENT Work Vests, Unicellular Plastic Foam § 160.053-1 Applicable...

"Phantom" publications among plastic surgery residency applicants.

PubMed

Chung, Christina K; Hernandez-Boussard, Tina; Lee, Gordon K

2012-04-01

Previous studies in other medical specialties have shown a significant percentage of publications represented in residency applications are not actually published. A comprehensive evaluation of applicants to plastic surgery residency over an extended period has not been previously reported in the literature. The purpose of our study was to determine the incidence of misrepresented or "phantom" publications in plastic surgery residency applicants and to identify possible predisposing characteristics. We used the Electronic Residency Application Services database to our plastic surgery residency program during a 4-year period from 2006 to 2009. Applicant demographic information and listed citations were extracted. Peer-reviewed journal article citations were verified using robust methods including PubMed, Institute for Scientific Information (ISI) Web of Knowledge, and Google. Unverifiable articles were categorized as phantom publications and then evaluated with respect to applicant demographic information and characteristics. During the 4-year study period, there were 804 applications (average, 201 applicants per year). There was a total of 4725 publications listed; of which, 1975 had been categorized as peer-reviewed journal articles. Two hundred seventy-six (14%) of peer-reviewed publications could not be verified and were categorized as phantom publications. There was an overall significant positive trend in percentage of phantom publications during the 4 application years (P = 0.005). A positive predictive factor for having phantom publications was being a foreign medical graduate (P = 0.02). A negative predictive factor for phantom publications was being a female applicant (P = 0.03). There also appeared to be a positive correlation with the number of publications listed and likelihood of phantom publications. Among plastic surgery residency applicants, we found a significant percentage of unverifiable publications. There are several possible explanations for our findings, which include the fact that plastic surgery is a highly sought-after specialty and applicants may feel the need to appear competitive to residency programs. Publications are an important aspect of the residency selection process and factors into applicant ranking, but our study suggests publications listed in plastic surgery residency applications may not necessarily be an accurate representation of actual published articles. Program directors and faculty are advised to scrutinize listed publications carefully when evaluating applicants.

Plasticity in functional traits in the context of climate change: a case study of the subalpine forb Boechera stricta (Brassicaceae).

PubMed

Anderson, Jill T; Gezon, Zachariah J

2015-04-01

Environmental variation often induces shifts in functional traits, yet we know little about whether plasticity will reduce extinction risks under climate change. As climate change proceeds, phenotypic plasticity could enable species with limited dispersal capacity to persist in situ, and migrating populations of other species to establish in new sites at higher elevations or latitudes. Alternatively, climate change could induce maladaptive plasticity, reducing fitness, and potentially stalling adaptation and migration. Here, we quantified plasticity in life history, foliar morphology, and ecophysiology in Boechera stricta (Brassicaceae), a perennial forb native to the Rocky Mountains. In this region, warming winters are reducing snowpack and warming springs are advancing the timing of snow melt. We hypothesized that traits that were historically advantageous in hot and dry, low-elevation locations will be favored at higher elevation sites due to climate change. To test this hypothesis, we quantified trait variation in natural populations across an elevational gradient. We then estimated plasticity and genetic variation in common gardens at two elevations. Finally, we tested whether climatic manipulations induce plasticity, with the prediction that plants exposed to early snow removal would resemble individuals from lower elevation populations. In natural populations, foliar morphology and ecophysiology varied with elevation in the predicted directions. In the common gardens, trait plasticity was generally concordant with phenotypic clines from the natural populations. Experimental snow removal advanced flowering phenology by 7 days, which is similar in magnitude to flowering time shifts over 2-3 decades of climate change. Therefore, snow manipulations in this system can be used to predict eco-evolutionary responses to global change. Snow removal also altered foliar morphology, but in unexpected ways. Extensive plasticity could buffer against immediate fitness declines due to changing climates. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Plastics in soil: Analytical methods and possible sources.

PubMed

Bläsing, Melanie; Amelung, Wulf

2018-01-15

At least 300 Mio t of plastic are produced annually, from which large parts end up in the environment, where it persists over decades, harms biota and enters the food chain. Yet, almost nothing is known about plastic pollution of soil; hence, the aims of this work are to review current knowledge on i) available methods for the quantification and identification of plastic in soil, ii) the quantity and possible input pathways of plastic into soil, (including first preliminary screening of plastic in compost), and iii) its fate in soil. Methods for plastic analyses in sediments can potentially be adjusted for application to soil; yet, the applicability of these methods for soil needs to be tested. Consequently, the current data base on soil pollution with plastic is still poor. Soils may receive plastic inputs via plastic mulching or the application of plastic containing soil amendments. In compost up to 2.38-1200mg plastic kg -1 have been found so far; the plastic concentration of sewage sludge varies between 1000 and 24,000 plastic items kg -1 . Also irrigation with untreated and treated wastewater (1000-627,000 and 0-125,000 plastic items m -3 , respectively) as well as flooding with lake water (0.82-4.42 plastic items m -3 ) or river water (0-13,751 items km -2 ) can provide major input pathways for plastic into soil. Additional sources comprise littering along roads and trails, illegal waste dumping, road runoff as well as atmospheric input. With these input pathways, plastic concentrations in soil might reach the per mill range of soil organic carbon. Most of plastic (especially >1μm) will presumably be retained in soil, where it persists for decades or longer. Accordingly, further research on the prevalence and fate of such synthetic polymers in soils is urgently warranted. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Cognitive training and plasticity: Theoretical perspective and methodological consequences

PubMed Central

Willis, Sherry L.; Schaie, K. Warner

2013-01-01

Purpose To provide an overview of cognitive plasticity concepts and findings from a lifespan developmental perspective. Methods After an evaluation of the general concept of cognitive plasticity, the most important approaches to study behavioral and brain plasticity are reviewed. This includes intervention studies, experimental approaches, cognitive trainings, the study of facilitating factors for strategy learning and strategy use, practice, and person-environment interactions. Transfer and durability of training-induced plasticity is discussed. Results The review indicates that methodological and conceptual advances are needed to improve the match between levels of behavioral and brain plasticity targeted in current developmental research and study designs. Conclusions The results suggest that the emphasis of plasticity studies on treatment effectiveness needs to be complemented by a strong commitment to the grounding of the intervention in a conceptual framework. PMID:19847065

Advanced bulk processing of lightweight materials for utilization in the transportation sector

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Milner, Justin L.

The overall objective of this research is to develop the microstructure of metallic lightweight materials via multiple advanced processing techniques with potentials for industrial utilization on a large scale to meet the demands of the aerospace and automotive sectors. This work focused on (i) refining the grain structure to increase the strength, (ii) controlling the texture to increase formability and (iii) directly reducing processing/production cost of lightweight material components. Advanced processing is conducted on a bulk scale by several severe plastic deformation techniques including: accumulative roll bonding, isolated shear rolling and friction stir processing to achieve the multiple targets of this research. Development and validation of the processing techniques is achieved through wide-ranging experiments along with detailed mechanical and microstructural examination of the processed material. On a broad level, this research will make advancements in processing of bulk lightweight materials facilitating industrial-scale implementation. Where accumulative roll bonding and isolated shear rolling, currently feasible on an industrial scale, processes bulk sheet materials capable of replacing more expensive grades of alloys and enabling low-temperature and high-strain-rate formability. Furthermore, friction stir processing to manufacture lightweight tubes, made from magnesium alloys, has the potential to increase the utilization of these materials in the automotive and aerospace sectors for high strength - high formability applications. With the increased utilization of these advanced processing techniques will significantly reduce the cost associated with lightweight materials for many applications in the transportation sectors.

40 CFR 238.10 - Purpose and applicability.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... DEGRADABLE PLASTIC RING CARRIERS General Provisions § 238.10 Purpose and applicability. The purpose of this part is to require that plastic ring carriers be made of degradable materials as described in §§ 238.20 and 238.30. The requirements of this part apply to all processors and importers of plastic ring...

40 CFR 238.10 - Purpose and applicability.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... DEGRADABLE PLASTIC RING CARRIERS General Provisions § 238.10 Purpose and applicability. The purpose of this part is to require that plastic ring carriers be made of degradable materials as described in §§ 238.20 and 238.30. The requirements of this part apply to all processors and importers of plastic ring...

40 CFR 238.10 - Purpose and applicability.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... DEGRADABLE PLASTIC RING CARRIERS General Provisions § 238.10 Purpose and applicability. The purpose of this part is to require that plastic ring carriers be made of degradable materials as described in §§ 238.20 and 238.30. The requirements of this part apply to all processors and importers of plastic ring...

40 CFR 238.10 - Purpose and applicability.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... DEGRADABLE PLASTIC RING CARRIERS General Provisions § 238.10 Purpose and applicability. The purpose of this part is to require that plastic ring carriers be made of degradable materials as described in §§ 238.20 and 238.30. The requirements of this part apply to all processors and importers of plastic ring...

40 CFR 238.10 - Purpose and applicability.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... DEGRADABLE PLASTIC RING CARRIERS General Provisions § 238.10 Purpose and applicability. The purpose of this part is to require that plastic ring carriers be made of degradable materials as described in §§ 238.20 and 238.30. The requirements of this part apply to all processors and importers of plastic ring...

Application of dynamic milling in stainless steel processing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shan, Wenju

2017-09-01

This paper mainly introduces the method of parameter setting for NC programming of stainless steel parts by dynamic milling. Stainless steel is of high plasticity and toughness, serious hard working, large cutting force, high temperature in cutting area and easy wear of tool. It is difficult to process material. Dynamic motion technology is the newest NC programming technology of Mastercam software. It is an advanced machining idea. The tool path generated by the dynamic motion technology is more smooth, more efficient and more stable in the machining process. Dynamic motion technology is very suitable for cutting hard machining materials.

Plastic waste associated with disease on coral reefs.

PubMed

Lamb, Joleah B; Willis, Bette L; Fiorenza, Evan A; Couch, Courtney S; Howard, Robert; Rader, Douglas N; True, James D; Kelly, Lisa A; Ahmad, Awaludinnoer; Jompa, Jamaluddin; Harvell, C Drew

2018-01-26

Plastic waste can promote microbial colonization by pathogens implicated in outbreaks of disease in the ocean. We assessed the influence of plastic waste on disease risk in 124,000 reef-building corals from 159 reefs in the Asia-Pacific region. The likelihood of disease increases from 4% to 89% when corals are in contact with plastic. Structurally complex corals are eight times more likely to be affected by plastic, suggesting that microhabitats for reef-associated organisms and valuable fisheries will be disproportionately affected. Plastic levels on coral reefs correspond to estimates of terrestrial mismanaged plastic waste entering the ocean. We estimate that 11.1 billion plastic items are entangled on coral reefs across the Asia-Pacific and project this number to increase 40% by 2025. Plastic waste management is critical for reducing diseases that threaten ecosystem health and human livelihoods. Copyright © 2018, The Authors, some rights reserved; exclusive licensee American Association for the Advancement of Science. No claim to original U.S. Government Works.

SU-F-T-63: Dosimetric Relevance of the Valencia and Leipzig HDR Applicators Plastic Cap

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Granero, D; Candela-Juan, C; Vijande, J

Purpose: Utilization of HDR brachytherapy treatment of skin lesions using collimated applicators, such as the Valencia or Leipzig is increasing. These applicators are made of cup-shaped tungsten material in order to focalize the radiation into the lesion and to protect nearby tissues. These applicators have an attachable plastic cap that removes secondary electrons generated in the applicator and flattens the treatment surface. The purpose of this study is to examine the dosimetric impact of this cap, and the effect if the cap is not placed during the HDR fraction delivery. Methods: Monte Carlo simulations have been done using the codemore » Geant4 for the Valencia and Leipzig applicators. Dose rate distributions have been obtained for the applicators with and without the plastic cap. An experimental study using EBT3 radiochromic film has been realized in order to verify the Monte Carlo results. Results: The Monte Carlo simulations show that absorbed dose in the first millimeter of skin can increase up to 180% for the Valencia applicator if the plastic cap is absent and up to 1500% for the Leipzig applicators. At deeper distances the increase of dose is smaller being about 10–15%. Conclusion: Important differences have been found if the plastic cap of the applicators is absent in the treatment producing an overdosage in the skin. The user should have a checklist to remind him check always before HDR fraction delivery to insure the plastic cap is placed on the applicator. This work was supported in part by Generalitat Valenciana under Project PROMETEOII/2013/010, by the Spanish Government under Project No. FIS2013-42156, and by a research agreement with Elekta Brachytherapy, Veenendaal, The Netherlands.« less

Advances and trends in structures and dynamics; Proceedings of the Symposium, Washington, DC, October 22-25, 1984

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Noor, A. K. (Editor); Hayduk, R. J. (Editor)

1985-01-01

Among the topics discussed are developments in structural engineering hardware and software, computation for fracture mechanics, trends in numerical analysis and parallel algorithms, mechanics of materials, advances in finite element methods, composite materials and structures, determinations of random motion and dynamic response, optimization theory, automotive tire modeling methods and contact problems, the damping and control of aircraft structures, and advanced structural applications. Specific topics covered include structural design expert systems, the evaluation of finite element system architectures, systolic arrays for finite element analyses, nonlinear finite element computations, hierarchical boundary elements, adaptive substructuring techniques in elastoplastic finite element analyses, automatic tracking of crack propagation, a theory of rate-dependent plasticity, the torsional stability of nonlinear eccentric structures, a computation method for fluid-structure interaction, the seismic analysis of three-dimensional soil-structure interaction, a stress analysis for a composite sandwich panel, toughness criterion identification for unidirectional composite laminates, the modeling of submerged cable dynamics, and damping synthesis for flexible spacecraft structures.

What Makes a Plastic Surgery Residency Program Attractive? An Applicant's Perspective.

PubMed

Atashroo, David A; Luan, Anna; Vyas, Krishna S; Zielins, Elizabeth R; Maan, Zeshaan; Duscher, Dominik; Walmsley, Graham G; Lynch, Michael P; Davenport, Daniel L; Wan, Derrick C; Longaker, Michael T; Vasconez, Henry C

2015-07-01

Plastic surgery is among the most competitive specialties in medicine, but little is known about the attributes of programs that are most attractive to successful applicants. This study aimed to understand and provide insights regarding program characteristics that are most influential to students when ranking plastic surgery programs. An anonymous online survey was conducted with newly matched plastic surgery residents for the integrated and combined Match in 2012 and 2013. Subjects were queried regarding their demographics, qualifications, application experiences, and motivations for residency program selection. A total of 92 of 245 matched plastic surgery residents (38 percent) responded to the survey. The perception of resident happiness was the most positive factor influencing program ranking, followed by high operative volume, faculty mentorship, and strong research infrastructure. Perception of a program as "malignant" was the most negative attribute. Applicants with Step 1 scores greater than 245 received significantly more interviews (p =0.001) and considered resident benefits less important (p < 0.05), but geographic location more important (p =0.005). Applicants who published more than two articles also received more interviews (p =0.001) and ranked a strong research infrastructure and program reputation as significantly more important (p < 0.05). Forty-two percent of applicants completed an away rotation at the program with which they matched, and these applicants were more likely to match at their number one ranked program (p = 0.001). Plastic surgery applicants have differing preferences regarding the ideal training program, but some attributes resonate. These trends can guide programs for improvement in attracting the best applicants.

Applications and societal benefits of plastics

PubMed Central

Andrady, Anthony L.; Neal, Mike A.

2009-01-01

This article explains the history, from 1600 BC to 2008, of materials that are today termed ‘plastics’. It includes production volumes and current consumption patterns of five main commodity plastics: polypropylene, polyethylene, polyvinyl chloride, polystyrene and polyethylene terephthalate. The use of additives to modify the properties of these plastics and any associated safety, in use, issues for the resulting polymeric materials are described. A comparison is made with the thermal and barrier properties of other materials to demonstrate the versatility of plastics. Societal benefits for health, safety, energy saving and material conservation are described, and the particular advantages of plastics in society are outlined. Concerns relating to littering and trends in recycling of plastics are also described. Finally, we give predictions for some of the potential applications of plastic over the next 20 years. PMID:19528050

Production of microbial polyester by fermentation of recombinant microorganisms.

PubMed

Lee, S Y; Choi, J I

2001-01-01

Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) can be produced from renewable sources and are biodegradable with similar material properties and processibility to conventional plastic materials. With recent advances in our understanding of the biochemistry and genetics of PHA biosynthesis and cloning of the PHA biosynthesis genes from a number of different bacteria, many different recombinant bacteria have been developed to improve PHA production for commercial applications. For enhancing PHA synthetic capacity, homologous or heterologous expression of the PHA biosynthetic enzymes has been attempted. Several genes that allow utilization of various substrates were transformed into PHA producers, or non-PHA producers utilizing inexpensive carbon substrate were transformed with the PHA biosynthesis genes. Novel PHAs have been synthesized by introducing a new PHA biosynthesis pathway or a new PHA synthase gene. In this article, recent advances in the production of PHA by recombinant bacteria are described.

Better vacuum by removal of diffusion-pump-oil contaminants

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Buggele, A. E.

1975-01-01

The complex problem of why large space simulation chambers do not realize true ultimate vacuum was investigated. Some contaminating factors affecting diffusion pump performance were identified, and some advances in vacuum distillation-fractionation technology were achieved which resulted in a two-decade-or-more lower ultimate pressure. Data are presented to show the overall or individual contaminating effects of commonly used phthalate ester plasticizers of 390 to 530 molecular weight on diffusion pump performance. Methods for removing contaminants from diffusion pump silicone oil during operation and for reclaiming contaminated oil by high-vacuum molecular distillation are described. Conceptual self-cleansing designs and operating procedures are proposed for modifying large diffusion pumps into high-efficiency distillation devices. The potential exists for application of these technological advancements to other disciplines, such as medicine, biomedical materials, metallurgy, refining, and chemical (diffusion-enrichment) processing.

Microbial enzymes for the recycling of recalcitrant petroleum-based plastics: how far are we?

PubMed

Wei, Ren; Zimmermann, Wolfgang

2017-11-01

Petroleum-based plastics have replaced many natural materials in their former applications. With their excellent properties, they have found widespread uses in almost every area of human life. However, the high recalcitrance of many synthetic plastics results in their long persistence in the environment, and the growing amount of plastic waste ending up in landfills and in the oceans has become a global concern. In recent years, a number of microbial enzymes capable of modifying or degrading recalcitrant synthetic polymers have been identified. They are emerging as candidates for the development of biocatalytic plastic recycling processes, by which valuable raw materials can be recovered in an environmentally sustainable way. This review is focused on microbial biocatalysts involved in the degradation of the synthetic plastics polyethylene, polystyrene, polyurethane and polyethylene terephthalate (PET). Recent progress in the application of polyester hydrolases for the recovery of PET building blocks and challenges for the application of these enzymes in alternative plastic waste recycling processes will be discussed. © 2017 The Authors. Microbial Biotechnology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd and Society for Applied Microbiology.

Marine pollution. Plastic waste inputs from land into the ocean.

PubMed

Jambeck, Jenna R; Geyer, Roland; Wilcox, Chris; Siegler, Theodore R; Perryman, Miriam; Andrady, Anthony; Narayan, Ramani; Law, Kara Lavender

2015-02-13

Plastic debris in the marine environment is widely documented, but the quantity of plastic entering the ocean from waste generated on land is unknown. By linking worldwide data on solid waste, population density, and economic status, we estimated the mass of land-based plastic waste entering the ocean. We calculate that 275 million metric tons (MT) of plastic waste was generated in 192 coastal countries in 2010, with 4.8 to 12.7 million MT entering the ocean. Population size and the quality of waste management systems largely determine which countries contribute the greatest mass of uncaptured waste available to become plastic marine debris. Without waste management infrastructure improvements, the cumulative quantity of plastic waste available to enter the ocean from land is predicted to increase by an order of magnitude by 2025. Copyright © 2015, American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Editing the Neuronal Genome: a CRISPR View of Chromatin Regulation in Neuronal Development, Function, and Plasticity.

PubMed

Yang, Marty G; West, Anne E

2016-12-01

The dynamic orchestration of gene expression is crucial for the proper differentiation, function, and adaptation of cells. In the brain, transcriptional regulation underlies the incredible diversity of neuronal cell types and contributes to the ability of neurons to adapt their function to the environment. Recently, novel methods for genome and epigenome editing have begun to revolutionize our understanding of gene regulatory mechanisms. In particular, the clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/Cas9 system has proven to be a particularly accessible and adaptable technique for genome engineering. Here, we review the use of CRISPR/Cas9 in neurobiology and discuss how these studies have advanced understanding of nervous system development and plasticity. We cover four especially salient applications of CRISPR/Cas9: testing the consequences of enhancer mutations, tagging genes and gene products for visualization in live cells, directly activating or repressing enhancers in vivo , and manipulating the epigenome. In each case, we summarize findings from recent studies and discuss evolving adaptations of the method.

Plastic biliary stent patency in patients with locally advanced pancreatic adenocarcinoma receiving downstaging chemotherapy.

PubMed

Ge, Phillip S; Hamerski, Christopher M; Watson, Rabindra R; Komanduri, Srinadh; Cinnor, Birtukan B; Bidari, Kiran; Klapman, Jason B; Lin, Cui L; Shah, Janak N; Wani, Sachin; Donahue, Timothy R; Muthusamy, V Raman

2015-02-01

Plastic stents in patients with biliary obstruction caused by pancreatic adenocarcinoma are typically exchanged at 3-month intervals. Plastic stents may have reduced durability in patients receiving chemotherapy. To determine the duration of plastic biliary stent patency in patients undergoing chemotherapy for pancreatic adenocarcinoma. Retrospective, multicenter cohort study. Three tertiary academic referral centers. A total of 173 patients receiving downstaging chemotherapy for locally advanced or borderline resectable pancreatic adenocarcinoma from 1996 to 2013. Placement of 10F or larger plastic biliary stents. Primary outcome was overall duration of stent patency. Secondary outcomes included the incidence of premature stent exchange (because of cholangitis or jaundice) and hospitalization rates. A total of 233 plastic stents were placed, and the overall median duration of stent patency was 53 days (interquartile range [IQR] 25-99 days). Eighty-seven stents were removed at the time of surgical resection, and 63 stents were exchanged routinely per protocol. The remaining 83 stent exchanges were performed for worsening liver function test results, jaundice, or cholangitis, representing a 35.6% rate of premature stent exchange. The median stent patency duration in the premature stent exchange group was 49 days (IQR 25-91 days) with a 44.6% hospitalization rate. The overall rate of cholangitis was 15.0% of stent exchanges, occurring a median of 56 days after stent placement (IQR 26-89 days). Retrospective study. Plastic biliary stents placed during chemotherapy/chemoradiation for pancreatic adenocarcinoma have a shorter-than-expected patency duration, and a substantial number of patients will require premature stent exchange. Consideration should be given to shortening the interval for plastic biliary stent exchange. Copyright © 2015 American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Injection moulding of plastic parts with laser textured surfaces with optical applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pina-Estany, J.; García-Granada, A. A.; Corull-Massana, E.

2018-05-01

The purpose of this work is to manufacture micro and nanotextured surfaces on plastic injection moulds with the aim of replicating them and obtaining plastic parts with optical applications. Different patterns are manufactured with nanosecond and femtosecond lasers in order to obtain three different optical applications: (i) homogeneous light diffusion (ii) 1D light directionality and (iii) 2D light directionality. Induction heating is used in the injections in order to improve the textures degree of replication. The steel mould and the plastic parts are analyzed with a confocal/focus variation microscope and with a surface roughness tester. A mock-up and a luminance camera are used to evaluate the homogeneity and luminance of the homogeneous light diffusion application in comparison with the current industrial solutions.

Chondrocutaneous helix rim advancement flap: two classical and two new modifications for very large defects of the ear.

PubMed

Valesky, E M; Kaufmann, R; Meissner, M

2015-11-01

The plastic reconstruction of the ear after microscopically controlled tumor surgery is a particular challenge. The chondrocutaneous helix rim advancement flap (CHRAF) is perfectly suited for the repair of different defects of the helix and even defects beyond. Here, we describe two known and two new modifications of the CHRAF that enlarge the scope of application in tumor surgery of the ear. We demonstrate the different techniques and practical application of the repair and evaluate the benefits and limitations. The CHRAF and its modifications is an excellent method for repair of various defects of the helical region of the ear. The CHRAF and its modifications proves to be an good alternative to other methods of closure by preserving the anatomical contour and mechanical and acoustic functions in a single-staged procedure with excellent aesthetic results. The two new modifications we introduced here, enlarge the known armentarium for very large defects of the upper pole and the mid-helix of the ear. © 2014 European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology.

Modeling NIF experimental designs with adaptive mesh refinement and Lagrangian hydrodynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Koniges, A. E.; Anderson, R. W.; Wang, P.; Gunney, B. T. N.; Becker, R.; Eder, D. C.; MacGowan, B. J.; Schneider, M. B.

2006-06-01

Incorporation of adaptive mesh refinement (AMR) into Lagrangian hydrodynamics algorithms allows for the creation of a highly powerful simulation tool effective for complex target designs with three-dimensional structure. We are developing an advanced modeling tool that includes AMR and traditional arbitrary Lagrangian-Eulerian (ALE) techniques. Our goal is the accurate prediction of vaporization, disintegration and fragmentation in National Ignition Facility (NIF) experimental target elements. Although our focus is on minimizing the generation of shrapnel in target designs and protecting the optics, the general techniques are applicable to modern advanced targets that include three-dimensional effects such as those associated with capsule fill tubes. Several essential computations in ordinary radiation hydrodynamics need to be redesigned in order to allow for AMR to work well with ALE, including algorithms associated with radiation transport. Additionally, for our goal of predicting fragmentation, we include elastic/plastic flow into our computations. We discuss the integration of these effects into a new ALE-AMR simulation code. Applications of this newly developed modeling tool as well as traditional ALE simulations in two and three dimensions are applied to NIF early-light target designs.

Experimental and Analytical Seismic Studies of a Four-Span Bridge System with Innovative Materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cruz Noguez, Carlos Alonso

As part of a multi-university project utilizing the NSF Network for Earthquake Engineering Simulation (NEES), a quarter-scale model of a four-span bridge incorporating plastic hinges with different advanced materials was tested to failure on the three shake table system at the University of Nevada, Reno (UNR). The bridge was the second test model in a series of three 4-span bridges, with the first model being a conventional reinforced-concrete (RC) structure. The purpose of incorporating advanced materials was to improve the seismic performance of the bridge with respect to two damage indicators: (1) column damage and (2) permanent deformations. The goals of the study presented in this document were to (1) evaluate the seismic performance of a 4-span bridge system incorporating SMA/ECC and built-in rubber pad plastic hinges as well as post-tensioned piers, (2) quantify the relative merit of these advanced materials and details compared to each other and to conventional reinforced concrete plastic hinges, (3) determine the influence of abutment-superstructure interaction on the response, (4) examine the ability of available elaborate analytical modeling techniques to model the performance of advanced materials and details, and (5) conduct an extensive parametric study of different variations of the bridge model to study several important issues in bridge earthquake engineering. The bridge model included six columns, each pair of which utilized a different advanced detail at bottom plastic hinges: shape memory alloys (SMA), special engineered cementitious composites (ECC), elastomeric pads embedded into columns, and post-tensioning tendons. The design of the columns, location of the bents, and selection of the loading protocol were based on pre-test analyses conducted using computer program OpenSees. The bridge model was subjected to two-horizontal components of simulated earthquake records of the 1994 Northridge earthquake. Over 340 channels of data were collected. The test results showed the effectiveness of the advanced materials in reducing damage and permanent displacements. The damage was minimal in plastic hinges with SMA/ECC and those with built-in elastomeric pads. Conventional RC plastic hinges were severely damaged due to spalling of concrete and rupture of the longitudinal and transverse reinforcement. Extensive post-test analytical studies were conducted and it was determined that a computational model of the bridge that included bridge-abutment interaction using OpenSees was able to provide satisfactory estimations of key structural parameters such as superstructure displacements and base shears. The analytical model was also used to conduct parametric studies on single-column and bridge-system response under near-fault ground motions. The effects of vertical excitations and transverse shear-keys at the bridge abutments on the superstructure displacement and column drifts were also explored.

Modeling and Characterization of Near-Crack-Tip Plasticity from Micro- to Nano-Scales

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Glaessgen, Edward H.; Saether, Erik; Hochhalter, Jacob; Smith, Stephen W.; Ransom, Jonathan B.; Yamakov, Vesselin; Gupta, Vipul

2010-01-01

Methodologies for understanding the plastic deformation mechanisms related to crack propagation at the nano-, meso- and micro-length scales are being developed. These efforts include the development and application of several computational methods including atomistic simulation, discrete dislocation plasticity, strain gradient plasticity and crystal plasticity; and experimental methods including electron backscattered diffraction and video image correlation. Additionally, methodologies for multi-scale modeling and characterization that can be used to bridge the relevant length scales from nanometers to millimeters are being developed. The paper focuses on the discussion of newly developed methodologies in these areas and their application to understanding damage processes in aluminum and its alloys.

Modeling and Characterization of Near-Crack-Tip Plasticity from Micro- to Nano-Scales

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Glaessgen, Edward H.; Saether, Erik; Hochhalter, Jacob; Smith, Stephen W.; Ransom, Jonathan B.; Yamakov, Vesselin; Gupta, Vipul

2011-01-01

Methodologies for understanding the plastic deformation mechanisms related 10 crack propagation at the nano, meso- and micro-length scales are being developed. These efforts include the development and application of several computational methods including atomistic simulation, discrete dislocation plasticity, strain gradient plasticity and crystal plasticity; and experimental methods including electron backscattered diffraction and video image correlation. Additionally, methodologies for multi-scale modeling and characterization that can be used to bridge the relevant length scales from nanometers to millimeters are being developed. The paper focuses on the discussion of newly developed methodologies in these areas and their application to understanding damage processes in aluminum and its alloys.

Cloud-Based Applications for Organizing and Reviewing Plastic Surgery Content

PubMed Central

Luan, Anna; Momeni, Arash; Lee, Gordon K.

2015-01-01

Cloud-based applications including Box, Dropbox, Google Drive, Evernote, Notability, and Zotero are available for smartphones, tablets, and laptops and have revolutionized the manner in which medical students and surgeons read and utilize plastic surgery literature. Here we provide an overview of the use of Cloud computing in practice and propose an algorithm for organizing the vast amount of plastic surgery literature. Given the incredible amount of data being produced in plastic surgery and other surgical subspecialties, it is prudent for plastic surgeons to lead the process of providing solutions for the efficient organization and effective integration of the ever-increasing data into clinical practice. PMID:26576208

Plastic Brains and the Dialectics of Dialectics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Loxley, Andrew; Murphy, Colette; Seery, Aidan

2014-01-01

This article advances the thinking of Lima, Ostermann and Rezende's "Marxism in Vygotskian approaches to cultural studies of science education" and Mark Zuss' response to their paper. Firstly, it introduces Catherine Malabou's concept of plasticity, from which Hegel's dialectic can be re-read as historical materialist…

Method for compression molding of thermosetting plastics utilizing a temperature gradient across the plastic to cure the article

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Heier, W. C. (Inventor)

1974-01-01

A method is described for compression molding of thermosetting plastics composition. Heat is applied to the compressed load in a mold cavity and adjusted to hold molding temperature at the interface of the cavity surface and the compressed compound to produce a thermal front. This thermal front advances into the evacuated compound at mean right angles to the compression load and toward a thermal fence formed at the opposite surface of the compressed compound.

Developmental plasticity: Friend or foe?

PubMed

Michels, Karin B

2017-01-01

Developmental plasticity - the concept that adaptation to changing and unfavorable environmental conditions are possible but may come at the price of compromised health potentials - has evolutionary grounding as it facilitates survival but dissents with fundamental evolutionary principles in that it may advance the lesser fit. It is an important cornerstone of the Developmental Origins of Health and Disease (DOHaD). Unlike evolutionary adaptation developmental plasticity may be short-lived and restricted to one or few generations and inheritance is uncertain. Potential mechanisms include epigenetic modifications adopted in utero which may not transmit to the next generation; future insights may allow adjustments of the outcomes of developmental plasticity.

46 CFR 160.053-1 - Applicable specifications.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

...: SPECIFICATIONS AND APPROVAL LIFESAVING EQUIPMENT Work Vests, Unicellular Plastic Foam § 160.053-1 Applicable... plastic foam work vests are manufactured, form a part of this subpart: (1) Military specification: MIL-L...

Managing malignant biliary obstruction in pancreas cancer: Choosing the appropriate strategy

PubMed Central

Boulay, Brian R; Parepally, Mayur

2014-01-01

Most patients with pancreatic cancer develop malignant biliary obstruction. Treatment of obstruction is generally indicated to relieve symptoms and improve morbidity and mortality. First-line therapy consists of endoscopic biliary stent placement. Recent data comparing plastic stents to self-expanding metallic stents (SEMS) has shown improved patency with SEMS. The decision of whether to treat obstruction and the means for doing so depends on the clinical scenario. For patients with resectable disease, preoperative biliary decompression is only indicated when surgery will be delayed or complications of jaundice exist. For patients with locally advanced disease, self-expanding metal stents are superior to plastic stents for long-term patency. For patients with advanced disease, the choice of metallic or plastic stent depends on life expectancy. When endoscopic stent placement fails, percutaneous or surgical treatments are appropriate. Endoscopic therapy or surgical approach can be used to treat concomitant duodenal and biliary obstruction. PMID:25071329

Endocannabinoid signaling and synaptic function

PubMed Central

Castillo, Pablo E.; Younts, Thomas J.; Chávez, Andrés E.; Hashimotodani, Yuki

2012-01-01

Endocannabinoids are key modulators of synaptic function. By activating cannabinoid receptors expressed in the central nervous system, these lipid messengers can regulate several neural functions and behaviors. As experimental tools advance, the repertoire of known endocannabinoid-mediated effects at the synapse, and their underlying mechanism, continues to expand. Retrograde signaling is the principal mode by which endocannabinoids mediate short- and long-term forms of plasticity at both excitatory and inhibitory synapses. However, growing evidence suggests that endocannabinoids can also signal in a non-retrograde manner. In addition to mediating synaptic plasticity, the endocannabinoid system is itself subject to plastic changes. Multiple points of interaction with other neuromodulatory and signaling systems have now been identified. Synaptic endocannabinoid signaling is thus mechanistically more complex and diverse than originally thought. In this review, we focus on new advances in endocannabinoid signaling and highlight their role as potent regulators of synaptic function in the mammalian brain. PMID:23040807

27 CFR 555.183 - Importation of plastic explosives on or after April 24, 1997.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 27 Alcohol, Tobacco Products and Firearms 3 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Importation of plastic... EXPLOSIVES Marking of Plastic Explosives § 555.183 Importation of plastic explosives on or after April 24, 1997. Persons filing Form 6 applications for the importation of plastic explosives on or after April 24...

Modeling Near-Crack-Tip Plasticity from Nano- to Micro-Scales

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Glaessgen, Edward H.; Saether, Erik; Hochhalter, Jake D.; Yamakov, Vesselin I.

2010-01-01

Several efforts that are aimed at understanding the plastic deformation mechanisms related to crack propagation at the nano-, meso- and micro-length scales including atomistic simulation, discrete dislocation plasticity, strain gradient plasticity and crystal plasticity are discussed. The paper focuses on discussion of newly developed methodologies and their application to understanding damage processes in aluminum and its alloys. Examination of plastic mechanisms as a function of increasing length scale illustrates increasingly complex phenomena governing plasticity

Phenological shifts in North American red squirrels: disentangling the roles of phenotypic plasticity and microevolution.

PubMed

Lane, Jeffrey E; McAdam, Andrew G; McFarlane, S Eryn; Williams, Cory T; Humphries, Murray M; Coltman, David W; Gorrell, Jamieson C; Boutin, Stan

2018-06-01

Phenological shifts are the most widely reported ecological responses to climate change, but the requirements to distinguish their causes (i.e. phenotypic plasticity vs. microevolution) are rarely met. To do so, we analysed almost two decades of parturition data from a wild population of North American red squirrels (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus). Although an observed advance in parturition date during the first decade provided putative support for climate change-driven microevolution, a closer look revealed a more complex pattern. Parturition date was heritable [h 2  = 0.14 (0.07-0.21 (HPD interval)] and under phenotypic selection [β = -0.14 ± 0.06 (SE)] across the full study duration. However, the early advance reversed in the second decade. Further, selection did not act on the genetic contribution to variation in parturition date, and observed changes in predicted breeding values did not exceed those expected due to genetic drift. Instead, individuals responded plastically to environmental variation, and high food [white spruce (Picea glauca) seed] production in the first decade appears to have produced a plastic advance. In addition, there was little evidence of climate change affecting the advance, as there was neither a significant influence of spring temperature on parturition date or evidence of a change in spring temperatures across the study duration. Heritable traits not responding to selection in accordance with quantitative genetic predictions have long presented a puzzle to evolutionary ecologists. Our results on red squirrels provide empirical support for one potential solution: phenotypic selection arising from an environmental, as opposed to genetic, covariance between the phenotypic trait and annual fitness. © 2018 European Society For Evolutionary Biology. Journal of Evolutionary Biology © 2018 European Society For Evolutionary Biology.

Plastics in Building.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Skeist, Irving, Ed.

The evaluation and use of plastics in the construction industry are explained. The contributors offer extensive, timely, and thoroughly researched data on the chemistry, properties, functions, engineering behavior, and specific applications of plastics to building requirements. The major subjects discussed in depth are--(1) the role of plastics in…

Total Reconstruction of the Auricle: Our Experiences on Indications and Recent Techniques

PubMed Central

Storck, K.; Staudenmaier, R.; Buchberger, M.; Strenger, T.; Kreutzer, K.; von Bomhard, A.; Stark, T.

2014-01-01

Introduction. Auricular reconstruction is a great challenge in facial plastic surgery. With the advances in surgical techniques and biotechnology, different options are available for consideration. The aim of this paper is to review the knowledge about the various techniques for total auricular reconstruction based on the literature and our experience. Methods. Approximately 179 articles published from 1980 to 2013 were identified, and 59 articles were included. We have focused on the current status of total auricular reconstruction based on our personal experience and on papers of particular interest, published within the period of review. We have also included a prospective view on the tissue engineering of cartilage. Results. Most surgeons still practice total auricular reconstruction by employing techniques developed by Brent, Nagata, and Firmin with autologous rib cartilage. Within the last years, alloplastic frameworks for reconstruction have become well established. Choosing the reconstruction techniques depends mainly on the surgeon's preference and experience. Prosthetic reconstruction is still reserved for special conditions, even though the material is constantly improving. Tissue engineering has a growing potential for clinical applicability. Conclusion. Auricular reconstruction still receives attention of plastic/maxillofacial surgeons and otolaryngologists. Even though clinical applicability lags behind initial expectations, the development of tissue-engineered constructs continues its potential development. PMID:24822198

Progress in radiation processing of polymers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chmielewski, Andrzej G.; Haji-Saeid, Mohammad; Ahmed, Shamshad

2005-07-01

Modification in polymeric structure of plastic material can be brought either by conventional chemical means or by exposure to ionization radiation from ether radioactive sources or highly accelerated electrons. The prominent drawbacks of chemical cross-linking typically involve the generation of noxious fumes and by products of peroxide degradation. Both the irradiation sources have their merits and limitations. Increased utilization of electron beams for modification and enhancement of polymer materials has been in particular witnessed over the past 40 years. The paper highlights several recent cases of EB utilization to improve key properties of selected plastic products. In paper is provided a survey of radiation processing methods of industrial interest, encompassing technologies which are already commercially well established, through developments in the active R&D stage which show pronounced promise for future commercial use. Radiation cross-linking technologies discussed include: application in cable and wire, application in rubber tyres, radiation vulcanization of rubber latex, development of radiation crosslinked SiC fiber, polymer recycling, development of gamma compatible pp, hydrogels etc. Over the years, remarkable advancement has been achieved in radiation processing of natural polymers. Role of radiation in improving the processing of temperature of PCL for use as biodegradable polymer, in accelerated breakdown of cellulose into viscose and enhancement in yields of chitin/chitosan from sea-food waste, is described.

Research and development program for the development of advanced time-temperature dependent constitutive relationships. Volume 1: Theoretical discussion

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cassenti, B. N.

1983-01-01

The results of a 10-month research and development program for the development of advanced time-temperature constitutive relationships are presented. The program included (1) the effect of rate of change of temperature, (2) the development of a term to include time independent effects, and (3) improvements in computational efficiency. It was shown that rate of change of temperature could have a substantial effect on the predicted material response. A modification to include time-independent effects, applicable to many viscoplastic constitutive theories, was shown to reduce to classical plasticity. The computation time can be reduced by a factor of two if self-adaptive integration is used when compared to an integration using ordinary forward differences. During the course of the investigation, it was demonstrated that the most important single factor affecting the theoretical accuracy was the choice of material parameters.

[The applications of periodontal gingival surgery. Ⅱ: alternative materials].

PubMed

Mao, Er-Jia

2018-04-01

The main purposes of periodontal graft surgery include achieving root coverage, improving the clinical attachment level and keratinized tissue, and advancing the procedure of periodontal plastic surgery. Autogenous graft, such as subepithelial connective tissue graft-based procedure, provide the best outcomes for mean and complete root coverage, as well as increase in keratinized tissue. However, a disadvantage of the procedure is in the location of the operation itself: the additional surgical site (palate). Therefore, clinicians are always looking for graft substitutes. This article will discuss the evidence supporting the use of 1) acellular dermal matrix (ADM); 2) xenogeneic collagen matrix (XCM); 3) recombinant human platelet-derived growth factor (rhPDGF); 4) enamel matrix derivative (EMD); 5) guided tissue regeneration (GTR); 6) living cellular construct (LCC), all of which are used in conjunction with coronally advanced flaps as alternatives to autogenous donor tissue. The decision tree for treatments of Miller recession-type defects are also discussed.

Interdisciplinary cantilever physics: Elasticity of carrot, celery, and plasticware

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pestka, Kenneth A.

2014-05-01

This article presents several simple cantilever-based experiments using common household items (celery, carrot, and a plastic spoon) that are appropriate for introductory undergraduate laboratories or independent student projects. By applying Hooke's law and Euler beam theory, students are able to determine Young's modulus, fracture stress, yield stress, strain energy, and sound speed of these apparently disparate materials. In addition, a cellular foam elastic model is introduced—applicable to biologic materials as well as an essential component in the development of advanced engineering composites—that provides a mechanism to determine Young's modulus of the cell wall material found in celery and carrot. These experiments are designed to promote exploration of the similarities and differences between common inorganic and organic materials, fill a void in the typical undergraduate curriculum, and provide a foundation for more advanced material science pursuits within biology, botany, and food science as well as physics and engineering.

Technical Note: Dosimetry of Leipzig and Valencia applicators without the plastic cap

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Granero, D., E-mail: dgranero@eresa.com; Candela-Juan, C.; Vijande, J.

2016-05-15

Purpose: High dose rate (HDR) brachytherapy for treatment of small skin lesions using the Leipzig and Valencia applicators is a widely used technique. These applicators are equipped with an attachable plastic cap to be placed during fraction delivery to ensure electronic equilibrium and to prevent secondary electrons from reaching the skin surface. The purpose of this study is to report on the dosimetric impact of the cap being absent during HDR fraction delivery, which has not been explored previously in the literature. Methods: GEANT4 Monte Carlo simulations (version 10.0) have been performed for the Leipzig and Valencia applicators with andmore » without the plastic cap. In order to validate the Monte Carlo simulations, experimental measurements using radiochromic films have been done. Results: Dose absorbed within 1 mm of the skin surface increases by a factor of 1500% for the Leipzig applicators and of 180% for the Valencia applicators. Deeper than 1 mm, the overdosage flattens up to a 10% increase. Conclusions: Differences of treating with or without the plastic cap are significant. Users must check always that the plastic cap is in place before any treatment in order to avoid overdosage of the skin. Prior to skin HDR fraction delivery, the timeout checklist should include verification of the cap placement.« less

Advanced Restoration Therapies in Spinal Cord Injury

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-07-01

stimulation in a mouse model of chronic SCI induces cortical plasticity as measured by resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs- fMRI ...that enables us to examine the dynamics of myelin formation. We will also further our imaging work by developing methodology to use rs- fMRI for examination of cortical plasticity in response to FES.

Knowledge and perception of plastic surgery among tertiary education students in Enugu, South-East Nigeria.

PubMed

Isiguzo, C M; Nwachukwu, C D

2016-01-01

Knowledge, perception, and acceptance of plastic surgery among any population are influenced by channel of presentation. A good understanding of the public awareness will define the way plastic surgery services will be provided. To assess the knowledge, awareness of availability, and acceptance of plastic surgery practice in Enugu, South East Nigeria. A questionnaire-based prospective study. The electronic media is the most common medium of awareness. Less than half the sample knew about the existence of plastic surgeons in Enugu even though a large proportion was aware of the existence of plastic surgery as a specialty. The concentration of plastic surgeons in a center is directly related to awareness of plastic surgery services in that facility. The most common esthetic procedure done by a plastic surgeon in Enugu is tattoo removal and scar refashioning. Orthopedic surgeons are thought to be key players in the management of burn patients as much as the plastic surgeons due to the "SIGNPOST EFFECT." The level of awareness is high in the sampled population with associated increase in acceptance of its practice and willing utilization. All public hospitals should be encouraged to employ the services of plastic surgeons. Appropriate branding of specialized hospitals where plastic surgery service is available will advance the practice significantly.

Hot-melt extrusion--basic principles and pharmaceutical applications.

PubMed

Lang, Bo; McGinity, James W; Williams, Robert O

2014-09-01

Originally adapted from the plastics industry, the use of hot-melt extrusion has gained favor in drug delivery applications both in academia and the pharmaceutical industry. Several commercial products made by hot-melt extrusion have been approved by the FDA, demonstrating its commercial feasibility for pharmaceutical processing. A significant number of research articles have reported on advances made regarding the pharmaceutical applications of the hot-melt extrusion processing; however, only limited articles have been focused on general principles regarding formulation and process development. This review provides an in-depth analysis and discussion of the formulation and processing aspects of hot-melt extrusion. The impact of physicochemical properties of drug substances and excipients on formulation development using a hot-melt extrusion process is discussed from a material science point of view. Hot-melt extrusion process development, scale-up, and the interplay of formulation and process attributes are also discussed. Finally, recent applications of hot-melt extrusion to a variety of dosage forms and drug substances have also been addressed.

40 CFR 463.10 - Applicability; description of the contact cooling and heating water subcategory.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) EFFLUENT GUIDELINES AND STANDARDS PLASTICS MOLDING AND FORMING POINT... heating water subcategory are processes where process water comes in contact with plastic materials or plastic products for the purpose of heat transfer during plastics molding and forming. ...

40 CFR 463.10 - Applicability; description of the contact cooling and heating water subcategory.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) EFFLUENT GUIDELINES AND STANDARDS PLASTICS MOLDING AND FORMING POINT... heating water subcategory are processes where process water comes in contact with plastic materials or plastic products for the purpose of heat transfer during plastics molding and forming. ...

The threshold of regulation and its application to indirect food additive contaminants in recycled plastics.

PubMed

Bayer, F L

1997-01-01

Recycled plastics have been used in food-contact applications since 1990 in various countries around the world. To date, there have been no reported issues concerning health or off-taste resulting from the use of recycled plastics in food-contact applications. This is due to the fact that the criteria that have been established regarding safety and processing are based on extremely high standards that render the finished recycled material equivalent in virtually all aspects to virgin polymers. The basis for this conclusion is detailed in this document.

Industrial innovations for tomorrow: Advances in industrial energy-efficiency technologies. Degradable plastic made from potato peels

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

Stimulated by public demand and state and federal legislation, industry has begun to develop bio- and photo- degradable plastics. so far, however, none of these degradable plastics meets all of the criteria for success - adequate physical and mechanical properties for the desired use, cost-effectiveness, and 100% degradability. Polylactic acid (PLA) plastic is one degradable plastic that shows promise. It has the desired properties and is 100% degradable. However, PLA plastic made by conventional techniques is not cost effective. Made from lactic acid, which is typically made form petroleum using a very costly synthesis process. Lactic acid can also bemore » made from carbohydrates (starches), found in food processing wastes such as potato wastes, cheese whey, and sorghum. Conversion of starch to simple sugars, and fermentation of these sugars can produce lactic acid.« less

Paper electronics.

PubMed

Tobjörk, Daniel; Österbacka, Ronald

2011-05-03

Paper is ubiquitous in everyday life and a truly low-cost substrate. The use of paper substrates could be extended even further, if electronic applications would be applied next to or below the printed graphics. However, applying electronics on paper is challenging. The paper surface is not only very rough compared to plastics, but is also porous. While this is detrimental for most electronic devices manufactured directly onto paper substrates, there are also approaches that are compatible with the rough and absorptive paper surface. In this review, recent advances and possibilities of these approaches are evaluated and the limitations of paper electronics are discussed. Copyright © 2011 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Composite Materials

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1988-01-01

Langley Research Center researchers invented an advanced polymer, a chemical compound formed by uniting many small molecules to create a complex molecule with different chemical properties. The material is a thermoplastic polyimide that resists solvents. Other polymers of this generic type are soluble in solvents, thus cannot be used where solvents are present. High Technology Services (HTS), Inc. licensed technology and is engaged in development and manufacture of high performance plastics, resins and composite materials. Techimer Materials Division is using technology for composite matrix resins that offer heat resistance and protection from radiation, electrical and chemical degradation. Applications of new polymer include molding resins, adhesives and matrix resins for fiber reinforced composites.

40 CFR 463.10 - Applicability; description of the contact cooling and heating water subcategory.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) EFFLUENT GUIDELINES AND STANDARDS (CONTINUED) PLASTICS MOLDING AND... cooling and heating water subcategory are processes where process water comes in contact with plastic materials or plastic products for the purpose of heat transfer during plastics molding and forming. ...

76 FR 175 - Continental Structural Plastics Including On-Site Leased Workers From Kelly Services and Time...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-01-03

... Plastics Including On-Site Leased Workers From Kelly Services and Time Staffing; North Baltimore, OH... Adjustment Assistance on December 31, 2008, applicable to workers of Continental Structural Plastics, North... Baltimore, Ohio location of Continental Structural Plastics. The Department has determined that these...

40 CFR 463.10 - Applicability; description of the contact cooling and heating water subcategory.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) EFFLUENT GUIDELINES AND STANDARDS (CONTINUED) PLASTICS MOLDING AND... cooling and heating water subcategory are processes where process water comes in contact with plastic materials or plastic products for the purpose of heat transfer during plastics molding and forming. ...

Aerospace Materials Process Modelling

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-08-01

development of advanced technologies for the fabrication of close-tolerance parts, in conjunction with the development of advanced materials, plays a key...1883. 17. Gegel, H. L., et al., "Materials Modeling and Intrinsic Workability for Simulation of Bulk Deformiti6n," Advanced Technology of Plasticity, Vol...process in the last three decades. As a result of technological advances gained in aerospace industry there has been an increasing demand for the

Spinal Cord Injury-Induced Dysautonomia via Plasticity in Paravertebral Sympathetic Postganglionic

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-10-01

their near anatomical inaccessibility. We have solved the accessibility problem with a strategic methodological advance. We will determine the extent...inaccessibility. We have solved the accessibility problem with a strategic methodological advance. We will determine the extent to which paravertebral

76 FR 4283 - Foreign-Trade Zone 153-San Diego, CA; Application for Manufacturing Authority; Abbott...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-01-25

..., Murrieta. The facilities are used for the production of cardiovascular devices including stents, catheters... finished product) include: resins, plastic tubing, stent components, plastic packaging, plastic clips...

Thermal Cycle Reliability and Failure Mechanisms of CCGA and PBGA Assemblies with and without Corner Staking

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ghaffarian, Reza

2008-01-01

Area array packages (AAPs) with 1.27 mm pitch have been the packages of choice for commercial applications; they are now starting to be implemented for use in military and aerospace applications. Thermal cycling characteristics of plastic ball grid array (PBGA) and chip scale package assemblies, because of their wide usage for commercial applications, have been extensively reported on in literature. Thermal cycling represents the on-off environmental condition for most electronic products and therefore is a key factor that defines reliability.However, very limited data is available for thermal cycling behavior of ceramic packages commonly used for the aerospace applications. For high reliability applications, numerous AAPs are available with an identical design pattern both in ceramic and plastic packages. This paper compares assembly reliability of ceramic and plastic packages with the identical inputs/outputs(I/Os) and pattern. The ceramic package was in the form of ceramic column grid array (CCGA) with 560 I/Os peripheral array with the identical pad design as its plastic counterpart.

Recycling of plastic waste: Presence of phthalates in plastics from households and industry.

PubMed

Pivnenko, K; Eriksen, M K; Martín-Fernández, J A; Eriksson, E; Astrup, T F

2016-08-01

Plastics recycling has the potential to substitute virgin plastics partially as a source of raw materials in plastic product manufacturing. Plastic as a material may contain a variety of chemicals, some potentially hazardous. Phthalates, for instance, are a group of chemicals produced in large volumes and are commonly used as plasticisers in plastics manufacturing. Potential impacts on human health require restricted use in selected applications and a need for the closer monitoring of potential sources of human exposure. Although the presence of phthalates in a variety of plastics has been recognised, the influence of plastic recycling on phthalate content has been hypothesised but not well documented. In the present work we analysed selected phthalates (DMP, DEP, DPP, DiBP, DBP, BBzP, DEHP, DCHP and DnOP) in samples of waste plastics as well as recycled and virgin plastics. DBP, DiBP and DEHP had the highest frequency of detection in the samples analysed, with 360μg/g, 460μg/g and 2700μg/g as the maximum measured concentrations, respectively. Among other, statistical analysis of the analytical results suggested that phthalates were potentially added in the later stages of plastic product manufacturing (labelling, gluing, etc.) and were not removed following recycling of household waste plastics. Furthermore, DEHP was identified as a potential indicator for phthalate contamination of plastics. Close monitoring of plastics intended for phthalates-sensitive applications is recommended if recycled plastics are to be used as raw material in production. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Intravital imaging of dendritic spine plasticity

PubMed Central

Sau Wan Lai, Cora

2014-01-01

Abstract Dendritic spines are the postsynaptic part of most excitatory synapses in the mammalian brain. Recent works have suggested that the structural and functional plasticity of dendritic spines have been associated with information coding and memories. Advances in imaging and labeling techniques enable the study of dendritic spine dynamics in vivo. This perspective focuses on intravital imaging studies of dendritic spine plasticity in the neocortex. I will introduce imaging tools for studying spine dynamics and will further review current findings on spine structure and function under various physiological and pathological conditions. PMID:28243511

Evolution, current status and advances in application of platelet concentrate in periodontics and implantology

PubMed Central

Agrawal, Amit Arvind

2017-01-01

Platelet concentrates (PC) [platelet-rich plasma (PRP) and platelet-rich fibrin (PRF)] are frequently used for surgical procedures in medical and dental fields, particularly in oral and maxillofacial surgery, plastic surgery and sports medicine. The objective of all these technologies is to extract all the elements from a blood sample that could be used to improve healing and promote tissue regeneration. Although leukocyte rich and leukocyte poor PRP’s have their own place in literature, the importance of non-platelet components in a platelet concentrate remains a mystery. PC have come a long way since its first appearance in 1954 to the T-PRF, A-PRF and i-PRF introduced recently. These PC find varied applications successfully in periodontics and implant dentistry as well. However, the technique of preparation, standing time, transfer process, temperature of centrifuge, vibration, etc., are the various factors for the mixed results reported in the literature. Until the introduction of a proper classification of terminologies, the PC were known by different names in different countries and by different commercial companies which also created a lot of confusion. This review intends to clarify all these confusion by briefing the exact evolution of PC, their preparation techniques, recent advances and their various clinical and technical aspects and applications. PMID:28560233

Evolution, current status and advances in application of platelet concentrate in periodontics and implantology.

PubMed

Agrawal, Amit Arvind

2017-05-16

Platelet concentrates (PC) [platelet-rich plasma (PRP) and platelet-rich fibrin (PRF)] are frequently used for surgical procedures in medical and dental fields, particularly in oral and maxillofacial surgery, plastic surgery and sports medicine. The objective of all these technologies is to extract all the elements from a blood sample that could be used to improve healing and promote tissue regeneration. Although leukocyte rich and leukocyte poor PRP's have their own place in literature, the importance of non-platelet components in a platelet concentrate remains a mystery. PC have come a long way since its first appearance in 1954 to the T-PRF, A-PRF and i-PRF introduced recently. These PC find varied applications successfully in periodontics and implant dentistry as well. However, the technique of preparation, standing time, transfer process, temperature of centrifuge, vibration, etc ., are the various factors for the mixed results reported in the literature. Until the introduction of a proper classification of terminologies, the PC were known by different names in different countries and by different commercial companies which also created a lot of confusion. This review intends to clarify all these confusion by briefing the exact evolution of PC, their preparation techniques, recent advances and their various clinical and technical aspects and applications.

Stent selection for both biliary and pancreatic strictures caused by chronic pancreatitis: multiple plastic stents or metallic stents?

PubMed

Gupta, Rajesh; Reddy, D Nageshwar

2011-09-01

Endoscopic stenting is an effective treatment option in the management of both benign biliary strictures and pancreatic ductal strictures. Plastic stents and self-expandable metal stents have been used with variable success for the management of both benign biliary strictures and pancreatic ductal strictures caused by chronic pancreatitis. Fully covered self-expandable metal stents of improved design represent a major technological advance which has added to the endoscopic armamentarium. Both multiple plastic stents and covered self-expandable metal stents have shown promising results. However, data to support the use of self-expandable metal stents over multiple plastic stents or vice versa are still lacking.

[The taphonomic aspects of cadaverous changes in corpses, buried in the plastic foils].

PubMed

Stuller, F; Straka, L; Macko, V; Krivos, D; Krajcovic, J; Novomeský, F

2008-10-01

The forensic expertise of the 6 human bodies, being murdered in organised crime activities, had been realised by the authors. All the cadavers were packed in plastic bags or plastic foils, then buried to the illegal graves, being prepared in advance. The detail overlook and autopsy of the bodies had disclosed, that due of almost airtight sealing of the cadavers in plastic materials, the postmortal cadaverous changes went on much slower and were manifested under a different picture, as seen in the human cadavers being buried in the standard wooden coffins. The authors point out the peculiarities of such a postmortal changes, with particular focusing on the estimation of postmortal period.

Brain plasticity in the adult: modulation of function in amblyopia with rTMS.

PubMed

Thompson, Benjamin; Mansouri, Behzad; Koski, Lisa; Hess, Robert F

2008-07-22

Amblyopia is a cortically based visual disorder caused by disruption of vision during a critical early developmental period. It is often thought to be a largely intractable problem in adult patients because of a lack of neuronal plasticity after this critical period [1]; however, recent advances have suggested that plasticity is still present in the adult amblyopic visual cortex [2-6]. Here, we present data showing that repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) of the visual cortex can temporarily improve contrast sensitivity in the amblyopic visual cortex. The results indicate continued plasticity of the amblyopic visual system in adulthood and open the way for a potential new therapeutic approach to the treatment of amblyopia.

Evaluation of biodegradable plastics for rubber seedling applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mansor, Mohd Khairulniza; Dayang Habibah A. I., H.; Kamal, Mazlina Mustafa

2015-08-01

The main negative consequence of conventional plastics in agriculture is related to handling the wastes plasticand the associated environmental impact. Hence, a study of different types of potentially biodegradable plastics used for nursery applications have been evaluated on its mechanical,water absorption propertiesand Fourier transform infra-red (FTIR) spectroscopy. Supplied samples from different companies were designated as SF, CF and CO. Most of the polybags exhibited mechanical properties quite similar to the conventional plastics (polybag LDPE). CO polybag which is based on PVA however had extensively higher tensile strength and water absorption properties. FTIR study revealed a characteristics absorbance of conventional plastic, SF, CF and CO biodegradable polybag are associated with polyethylene, poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PBAT), polyethylene and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) structures respectively.

Melatonin enhances vertical bone augmentation in rat calvaria secluded spaces.

PubMed

Shino, Hiromichi; Hasuike, Akira; Arai, Yoshinori; Honda, Masaki; Isokawa, Keitaro; Sato, Shuichi

2016-01-01

Melatonin has many roles, including bone remodeling and osseointegration of dental implants. The topical application of melatonin facilitated bone regeneration in bone defects. We evaluated the effects of topical application of melatonin on vertical bone augmentation in rat calvaria secluded spaces. In total, 12 male Fischer rats were used and two plastic caps were fixed in the calvarium. One plastic cap was filled with melatonin powder and the other was left empty. Newly generated bone at bone defects and within the plastic caps was evaluated using micro-CT and histological sections. New bone regeneration within the plastic cap was increased significantly in the melatonin versus the control group. Melatonin promoted vertical bone regeneration in rat calvaria in the secluded space within the plastic cap.

Development of Advanced Life Prediction Tools for Elastic-Plastic Fatigue Crack Growth

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gregg, Wayne; McGill, Preston; Swanson, Greg; Wells, Doug; Throckmorton, D. A. (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

The objective of this viewgraph presentation is to develop a systematic approach to improving the fracture control process, including analytical tools, standards, guidelines, and awareness. Analytical tools specifically for elastic-plastic fracture analysis is a regime that is currently empirical for the Space Shuttle External Tank (ET) and is handled by simulated service testing of pre-cracked panels.

[Carbon fiber-reinforced plastics as implant materials].

PubMed

Bader, R; Steinhauser, E; Rechl, H; Siebels, W; Mittelmeier, W; Gradinger, R

2003-01-01

Carbon fiber-reinforced plastics have been used clinically as an implant material for different applications for over 20 years.A review of technical basics of the composite materials (carbon fibers and matrix systems), fields of application,advantages (e.g., postoperative visualization without distortion in computed and magnetic resonance tomography), and disadvantages with use as an implant material is given. The question of the biocompatibility of carbon fiber-reinforced plastics is discussed on the basis of experimental and clinical studies. Selected implant systems made of carbon composite materials for treatments in orthopedic surgery such as joint replacement, tumor surgery, and spinal operations are presented and assessed. Present applications for carbon fiber reinforced plastics are seen in the field of spinal surgery, both as cages for interbody fusion and vertebral body replacement.

Residency characteristics that matter most to plastic surgery applicants: a multi-institutional analysis and review of the literature.

PubMed

Sinno, Sammy; Mehta, Karan; Squitieri, Lee; Ranganathan, Kavitha; Koeckert, Michael S; Patel, Ashit; Saadeh, Pierre B; Thanik, Vishal

2015-06-01

The National Residency Matching Program Match is a very unique process in which applicants and programs are coupled to each other based on a ranking system. Although several studies have assessed features plastic surgery programs look for in applicants, no study in the present plastic surgery literature identifies which residency characteristics are most important to plastic surgery applicants. Therefore, we sought to perform a multi-institutional assessment as to which factors plastic surgery residency applicants consider most important when applying for residency. A validated and anonymous questionnaire containing 37 items regarding various program characteristics was e-mailed to 226 applicants to New York University, Albany, University of Michigan, and University of Southern California plastic surgery residency programs. Applicants were asked to rate each feature on a scale from 1 to 10, with 10 being the most important. The 37 variables were ranked by the sum of the responses. The median rating and interquartile range as well as the mean for each factor was then calculated. A Wilcoxon signed rank test was used to compare medians in rank order. A total of 137 completed questionnaires were returned, yielding a 61% response rate. The characteristics candidates considered most important were impressions during the interview, experiences during away rotations, importance placed on resident training/support/mentoring by faculty, personal experiences with residents, and the amount of time spent in general surgery. The characteristics candidates considered least important were second-look experiences, compensation/benefits, program reputation from Internet forums, accessibility of program coordinator, opportunity for laboratory research, and fellowship positions available at the program. Applicants value personal contact and time spent in general surgery when selecting residency programs. As the number of integrated programs continues to grow, programs will benefit from learning what factors their applicants value most.

The influence of the Product Liability Act, governmental regulation, and medical economics on medical devices and their clinical applications.

PubMed

Hirose, T T

1996-12-01

The advancement of medical technology constantly demands the introduction of safer and more efficient medical instruments and devices. Recent litigation and rulings against the manufacturers of breast implants and the subsequent refusal of major plastic companies to supply materials to them are seriously threatening the production and development of other permanent implants such as ventricular assist devices and even disposable catheters. In addition, government overregulation also discourages and hinders production and clinical applications of new instruments. Current trends such as cost effectiveness measures and economic restraints imposed by government agencies and managed care systems are endangering investments from the medical and industrial communities to exploit more expensive and sophisticated instrument technologies. The resultant lack of grant money and pressure from animal rights advocates also suppress experimentation on primates and domestic laboratory animals.

CFRP mirror technology for cryogenic space interferometry: review and progress to date

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jones, Martyn L.; Walker, David; Naylor, David A.; Veenendaal, Ian T.; Gom, Brad G.

2016-07-01

The FP7 project, FISICA (Far Infrared Space Interferometer Critical Assessment), called for the investigation into the suitability of Carbon fiber Reinforced Plastic (CFRP) for a 2m primary mirror. In this paper, we focus on the major challenge for application, the development of a mirror design that would maintain its form at cryogenic temperatures. In order to limit self-emission the primary is to be cooled to 4K whilst not exceeding a form error of 275nm PV. We then describe the development of an FEA model that utilizes test data obtained from a cryogenic test undertaken at the University of Lethbridge on CFRP samples. To conclude, suggestions are made in order to advance this technology to be suitable for such an application in order to exploit the low density and superior specific properties of polymeric composites.

49 CFR 192.285 - Plastic pipe: Qualifying persons to make joints.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... 49 Transportation 3 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Plastic pipe: Qualifying persons to make joints... Materials Other Than by Welding § 192.285 Plastic pipe: Qualifying persons to make joints. (a) No person may make a plastic pipe joint unless that person has been qualified under the applicable joining procedure...

49 CFR 192.285 - Plastic pipe: Qualifying persons to make joints.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... 49 Transportation 3 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Plastic pipe: Qualifying persons to make joints... Materials Other Than by Welding § 192.285 Plastic pipe: Qualifying persons to make joints. (a) No person may make a plastic pipe joint unless that person has been qualified under the applicable joining procedure...

49 CFR 192.285 - Plastic pipe: Qualifying persons to make joints.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... 49 Transportation 3 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Plastic pipe: Qualifying persons to make joints... Materials Other Than by Welding § 192.285 Plastic pipe: Qualifying persons to make joints. (a) No person may make a plastic pipe joint unless that person has been qualified under the applicable joining procedure...

49 CFR 192.285 - Plastic pipe: Qualifying persons to make joints.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 49 Transportation 3 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Plastic pipe: Qualifying persons to make joints... Materials Other Than by Welding § 192.285 Plastic pipe: Qualifying persons to make joints. (a) No person may make a plastic pipe joint unless that person has been qualified under the applicable joining procedure...

75 FR 16843 - Core Manufacturing, Multi-Plastics, Inc., Division, Sipco, Inc., Division, Including Leased...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-04-02

... Manufacturing, Multi-Plastics, Inc., Division, Sipco, Inc., Division, Including Leased Workers of M-Ploy... Manufacturing, Multi-Plastics, Inc., Division and Sipco, Inc., Division, including leased workers of M-Ploy... applicable to TA-W-70,457 is hereby issued as follows: ``All workers of Core Manufacturing, Multi-Plastics...

Macroscopic tensile plasticity by scalarizating stress distribution in bulk metallic glass

PubMed Central

Gao, Meng; Dong, Jie; Huan, Yong; Wang, Yong Tian; Wang, Wei-Hua

2016-01-01

The macroscopic tensile plasticity of bulk metallic glasses (BMGs) is highly desirable for various engineering applications. However, upon yielding, plastic deformation of BMGs is highly localized into narrow shear bands and then leads to the “work softening” behaviors and subsequently catastrophic fracture, which is the major obstacle for their structural applications. Here we report that macroscopic tensile plasticity in BMG can be obtained by designing surface pore distribution using laser surface texturing. The surface pore array by design creates a complex stress field compared to the uniaxial tensile stress field of conventional glassy specimens, and the stress field scalarization induces the unusual tensile plasticity. By systematically analyzing fracture behaviors and finite element simulation, we show that the stress field scalarization can resist the main shear band propagation and promote the formation of larger plastic zones near the pores, which undertake the homogeneous tensile plasticity. These results might give enlightenment for understanding the deformation mechanism and for further improvement of the mechanical performance of metallic glasses. PMID:26902264

Brain plasticity and motor practice in cognitive aging.

PubMed

Cai, Liuyang; Chan, John S Y; Yan, Jin H; Peng, Kaiping

2014-01-01

For more than two decades, there have been extensive studies of experience-based neural plasticity exploring effective applications of brain plasticity for cognitive and motor development. Research suggests that human brains continuously undergo structural reorganization and functional changes in response to stimulations or training. From a developmental point of view, the assumption of lifespan brain plasticity has been extended to older adults in terms of the benefits of cognitive training and physical therapy. To summarize recent developments, first, we introduce the concept of neural plasticity from a developmental perspective. Secondly, we note that motor learning often refers to deliberate practice and the resulting performance enhancement and adaptability. We discuss the close interplay between neural plasticity, motor learning and cognitive aging. Thirdly, we review research on motor skill acquisition in older adults with, and without, impairments relative to aging-related cognitive decline. Finally, to enhance future research and application, we highlight the implications of neural plasticity in skills learning and cognitive rehabilitation for the aging population.

40 CFR 414.11 - Applicability.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... ORGANIC CHEMICALS, PLASTICS, AND SYNTHETIC FIBERS General § 414.11 Applicability. (a) The provisions of... establishments that manufacture the organic chemicals, plastics, and synthetic fibers (OCPSF) products or product... Intermediates, Dyes, and Organic Pigments, (5) SIC 2869—Industrial Organic Chemicals, Not Elsewhere Classified...

40 CFR 414.11 - Applicability.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... ORGANIC CHEMICALS, PLASTICS, AND SYNTHETIC FIBERS General § 414.11 Applicability. (a) The provisions of... establishments that manufacture the organic chemicals, plastics, and synthetic fibers (OCPSF) products or product... Intermediates, Dyes, and Organic Pigments, (5) SIC 2869—Industrial Organic Chemicals, Not Elsewhere Classified...

40 CFR 414.11 - Applicability.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... ORGANIC CHEMICALS, PLASTICS, AND SYNTHETIC FIBERS General § 414.11 Applicability. (a) The provisions of... establishments that manufacture the organic chemicals, plastics, and synthetic fibers (OCPSF) products or product... Intermediates, Dyes, and Organic Pigments, (5) SIC 2869—Industrial Organic Chemicals, Not Elsewhere Classified...

40 CFR 414.11 - Applicability.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... ORGANIC CHEMICALS, PLASTICS, AND SYNTHETIC FIBERS General § 414.11 Applicability. (a) The provisions of... establishments that manufacture the organic chemicals, plastics, and synthetic fibers (OCPSF) products or product... Intermediates, Dyes, and Organic Pigments, (5) SIC 2869—Industrial Organic Chemicals, Not Elsewhere Classified...

Recent advances in continuum plasticity: phenomenological modeling and experimentation using X-ray diffraction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Edmiston, John Kearney

This work explores the field of continuum plasticity from two fronts. On the theory side, we establish a complete specification of a phenomenological theory of plasticity for single crystals. The model serves as an alternative to the popular crystal plasticity formulation. Such a model has been previously proposed in the literature; the new contribution made here is the constitutive framework and resulting simulations. We calibrate the model to available data and use a simple numerical method to explore resulting predictions in plane strain boundary value problems. Results show promise for further investigation of the plasticity model. Conveniently, this theory comes with a corresponding experimental tool in X-ray diffraction. Recent advances in hardware technology at synchrotron sources have led to an increased use of the technique for studies of plasticity in the bulk of materials. The method has been successful in qualitative observations of material behavior, but its use in quantitative studies seeking to extract material properties is open for investigation. Therefore in the second component of the thesis several contributions are made to synchrotron X-ray diffraction experiments, in terms of method development as well as the quantitative reporting of constitutive parameters. In the area of method development, analytical tools are developed to determine the available precision of this type of experiment—a crucial aspect to determine if the method is to be used for quantitative studies. We also extract kinematic information relating to intragranular inhomogeneity which is not accessible with traditional methods of data analysis. In the area of constitutive parameter identification, we use the method to extract parameters corresponding to the proposed formulation of plasticity for a titanium alloy (HCP) which is continuously sampled by X-ray diffraction during uniaxial extension. These results and the lessons learned from the efforts constitute early reporting of the quantitative profitability of undertaking such a line of experimentation for the study of plastic deformation processes.

Neural plasticity and behavior - sixty years of conceptual advances.

PubMed

Sweatt, J David

2016-10-01

This brief review summarizes 60 years of conceptual advances that have demonstrated a role for active changes in neuronal connectivity as a controller of behavior and behavioral change. Seminal studies in the first phase of the six-decade span of this review firmly established the cellular basis of behavior - a concept that we take for granted now, but which was an open question at the time. Hebbian plasticity, including long-term potentiation and long-term depression, was then discovered as being important for local circuit refinement in the context of memory formation and behavioral change and stabilization in the mammalian central nervous system. Direct demonstration of plasticity of neuronal circuit function in vivo, for example, hippocampal neurons forming place cell firing patterns, extended this concept. However, additional neurophysiologic and computational studies demonstrated that circuit development and stabilization additionally relies on non-Hebbian, homoeostatic, forms of plasticity, such as synaptic scaling and control of membrane intrinsic properties. Activity-dependent neurodevelopment was found to be associated with cell-wide adjustments in post-synaptic receptor density, and found to occur in conjunction with synaptic pruning. Pioneering cellular neurophysiologic studies demonstrated the critical roles of transmembrane signal transduction, NMDA receptor regulation, regulation of neural membrane biophysical properties, and back-propagating action potential in critical time-dependent coincidence detection in behavior-modifying circuits. Concerning the molecular mechanisms underlying these processes, regulation of gene transcription was found to serve as a bridge between experience and behavioral change, closing the 'nature versus nurture' divide. Both active DNA (de)methylation and regulation of chromatin structure have been validated as crucial regulators of gene transcription during learning. The discovery of protein synthesis dependence on the acquisition of behavioral change was an influential discovery in the neurochemistry of behavioral modification. Higher order cognitive functions such as decision making and spatial and language learning were also discovered to hinge on neural plasticity mechanisms. The role of disruption of these processes in intellectual disabilities, memory disorders, and drug addiction has recently been clarified based on modern genetic techniques, including in the human. The area of neural plasticity and behavior has seen tremendous advances over the last six decades, with many of those advances being specifically in the neurochemistry domain. This review provides an overview of the progress in the area of neuroplasticity and behavior over the life-span of the Journal of Neurochemistry. To organize the broad literature base, the review collates progress into fifteen broad categories identified as 'conceptual advances', as viewed by the author. The fifteen areas are delineated in the figure above. This article is part of the 60th Anniversary special issue. © 2016 International Society for Neurochemistry.

Stem cells: a revolution in therapeutics-recent advances in stem cell biology and their therapeutic applications in regenerative medicine and cancer therapies.

PubMed

Mimeault, M; Hauke, R; Batra, S K

2007-09-01

Basic and clinical research accomplished during the last few years on embryonic, fetal, amniotic, umbilical cord blood, and adult stem cells has constituted a revolution in regenerative medicine and cancer therapies by providing the possibility of generating multiple therapeutically useful cell types. These new cells could be used for treating numerous genetic and degenerative disorders. Among them, age-related functional defects, hematopoietic and immune system disorders, heart failures, chronic liver injuries, diabetes, Parkinson's and Alzheimer's diseases, arthritis, and muscular, skin, lung, eye, and digestive disorders as well as aggressive and recurrent cancers could be successfully treated by stem cell-based therapies. This review focuses on the recent advancements in adult stem cell biology in normal and pathological conditions. We describe how these results have improved our understanding on critical and unique functions of these rare sub-populations of multipotent and undifferentiated cells with an unlimited self-renewal capacity and high plasticity. Finally, we discuss some major advances to translate the experimental models on ex vivo and in vivo expanded and/or differentiated stem cells into clinical applications for the development of novel cellular therapies aimed at repairing genetically altered or damaged tissues/organs in humans. A particular emphasis is made on the therapeutic potential of different tissue-resident adult stem cell types and their in vivo modulation for treating and curing specific pathological disorders.

Biodegradation of plastics: current scenario and future prospects for environmental safety.

PubMed

Ahmed, Temoor; Shahid, Muhammad; Azeem, Farrukh; Rasul, Ijaz; Shah, Asad Ali; Noman, Muhammad; Hameed, Amir; Manzoor, Natasha; Manzoor, Irfan; Muhammad, Sher

2018-03-01

Plastic is a general term used for a wide range of high molecular weight organic polymers obtained mostly from the various hydrocarbon and petroleum derivatives. There is an ever-increasing trend towards the production and consumption of plastics due to their extensive industrial and domestic applications. However, a wide spectrum of these polymers is non-biodegradable with few exceptions. The extensive use of plastics, lack of waste management, and casual community behavior towards their proper disposal pose a significant threat to the environment. This has raised growing concerns among various stakeholders to devise policies and innovative strategies for plastic waste management, use of biodegradable polymers especially in packaging, and educating people for their proper disposal. Current polymer degradation strategies rely on chemical, thermal, photo, and biological procedures. In the presence of proper waste management strategies coupled with industrially controlled biodegradation facilities, the use of biodegradable plastics for some applications such as packaging or health industry is a promising and attractive option for economic, environmental, and health benefits. This review highlights the classification of plastics with special emphasis on biodegradable plastics and their rational use, the identified mechanisms of plastic biodegradation, the microorganisms involved in biodegradation, and the current insights into the research on biodegradable plastics. The review has also identified the research gaps in plastic biodegradation followed by future research directions.

Practical Aspects of Access Network Indoor Extensions Using Multimode Glass and Plastic Optical Fibers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Keiser, Gerd; Liu, Hao-Yu; Lu, Shao-Hsi; Devi Pukhrambam, Puspa

2012-07-01

Low-cost multimode glass and plastic optical fibers are attractive for high-capacity indoor telecom networks. Many existing buildings already have glass multimode fibers installed for local area network applications. Future indoor applications will use combinations of glass multimode fibers with plastic optical fibers that have low losses in the 850-nm-1,310-nm range. This article examines real-world link losses when randomly interconnecting glass and plastic fiber segments having factory-installed connectors. Potential interconnection issues include large variations in connector losses among randomly selected fiber segments, asymmetric link losses in bidirectional links, and variations in bandwidths among different types of fibers.

X-ray detection properties of plastic scintillators containing surface-modified Bi2O3 nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hiyama, Fumiyuki; Noguchi, Takio; Koshimizu, Masanori; Kishimoto, Shunji; Haruki, Rie; Nishikido, Fumihiko; Fujimoto, Yutaka; Aida, Tsutomu; Takami, Seiichi; Adschiri, Tadafumi; Asai, Keisuke

2018-05-01

Plastic scintillators containing Bi2O3 nanoparticles (NPs) were developed as detectors for X-ray synchrotron radiation. A hydrothermal method was used to synthesize the NPs that had average particle sizes of less than 10 nm. Higher NP concentration led to a higher detection efficiency at 67.4 keV. The light yield of the scintillator containing 5 wt % Bi2O3 NPs was comparable with or higher than that of the commercially available plastic scintillator, EJ 256. The time resolution of the developed scintillation detector equipped with each sample scintillator was approximately 0.6 ns. Dispersion of nanoparticles within plastic scintillators is generally applicable and has wide application as a method for preparation of plastic scintillators for detecting X-ray synchrotron radiation.

Editing the Neuronal Genome: a CRISPR View of Chromatin Regulation in Neuronal Development, Function, and Plasticity

PubMed Central

Yang, Marty G.; West, Anne E.

2016-01-01

The dynamic orchestration of gene expression is crucial for the proper differentiation, function, and adaptation of cells. In the brain, transcriptional regulation underlies the incredible diversity of neuronal cell types and contributes to the ability of neurons to adapt their function to the environment. Recently, novel methods for genome and epigenome editing have begun to revolutionize our understanding of gene regulatory mechanisms. In particular, the clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/Cas9 system has proven to be a particularly accessible and adaptable technique for genome engineering. Here, we review the use of CRISPR/Cas9 in neurobiology and discuss how these studies have advanced understanding of nervous system development and plasticity. We cover four especially salient applications of CRISPR/Cas9: testing the consequences of enhancer mutations, tagging genes and gene products for visualization in live cells, directly activating or repressing enhancers in vivo, and manipulating the epigenome. In each case, we summarize findings from recent studies and discuss evolving adaptations of the method. PMID:28018138

Flexible plastic, paper and textile lab-on-a chip platforms for electrochemical biosensing.

PubMed

Economou, Anastasios; Kokkinos, Christos; Prodromidis, Mamas

2018-06-26

Flexible biosensors represent an increasingly important and rapidly developing field of research. Flexible materials offer several advantages as supports of biosensing platforms in terms of flexibility, weight, conformability, portability, cost, disposability and scope for integration. On the other hand, electrochemical detection is perfectly suited to flexible biosensing devices. The present paper reviews the field of integrated electrochemical bionsensors fabricated on flexible materials (plastic, paper and textiles) which are used as functional base substrates. The vast majority of electrochemical flexible lab-on-a-chip (LOC) biosensing devices are based on plastic supports in a single or layered configuration. Among these, wearable devices are perhaps the ones that most vividly demonstrate the utility of the concept of flexible biosensors while diagnostic cards represent the state-of-the art in terms of integration and functionality. Another important type of flexible biosensors utilize paper as a functional support material enabling the fabrication of low-cost and disposable paper-based devices operating on the lateral flow, drop-casting or folding (origami) principles. Finally, textile-based biosensors are beginning to emerge enabling real-time measurements in the working environment or in wound care applications. This review is timely due to the significant advances that have taken place over the last few years in the area of LOC biosensors and aims to direct the readers to emerging trends in this field.

Synthetic scaffolds with full pore interconnectivity for bone regeneration prepared by supercritical foaming using advanced biofunctional plasticizers.

PubMed

Salerno, Aurelio; Diéguez, Sara; Diaz-Gomez, Luis; Gómez-Amoza, José L; Magariños, Beatriz; Concheiro, Angel; Domingo, Concepción; Alvarez-Lorenzo, Carmen; García-González, Carlos A

2017-06-30

Supercritical foaming allows for the solvent-free processing of synthetic scaffolds for bone regeneration. However, the control on the pore interconnectivity and throat pore size with this technique still needs to be improved. The use of plasticizers may help overcome these limitations. Eugenol, a GRAS natural compound extracted from plants, is proposed in this work as an advanced plasticizer with bioactive properties. Eugenol-containing poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) scaffolds were obtained by supercritical foaming (20.0 MPa, 45 °C, 17 h) followed by a one or a two-step depressurization profile. The effects of the eugenol content and the depressurization profile on the porous structure of the material and the physicochemical properties of the scaffold were evaluated. The combination of both processing parameters was successful to simultaneously tune the pore interconnectivity and throat sizes to allow mesenchymal stem cells infiltration. Scaffolds with eugenol were cytocompatible, presented antimicrobial activity preventing the attachment of Gram positive (S. aureus, S. epidermidis) bacteria and showed good tissue integration.

Elevational differences in developmental plasticity determine phenological responses of grasshoppers to recent climate warming.

PubMed

Buckley, Lauren B; Nufio, César R; Kirk, Evan M; Kingsolver, Joel G

2015-06-22

Annual species may increase reproduction by increasing adult body size through extended development, but risk being unable to complete development in seasonally limited environments. Synthetic reviews indicate that most, but not all, species have responded to recent climate warming by advancing the seasonal timing of adult emergence or reproduction. Here, we show that 50 years of climate change have delayed development in high-elevation, season-limited grasshopper populations, but advanced development in populations at lower elevations. Developmental delays are most pronounced for early-season species, which might benefit most from delaying development when released from seasonal time constraints. Rearing experiments confirm that population, elevation and temperature interact to determine development time. Population differences in developmental plasticity may account for variability in phenological shifts among adults. An integrated consideration of the full life cycle that considers local adaptation and plasticity may be essential for understanding and predicting responses to climate change. © 2015 The Author(s) Published by the Royal Society. All rights reserved.

Endocannabinoid signaling and synaptic function.

PubMed

Castillo, Pablo E; Younts, Thomas J; Chávez, Andrés E; Hashimotodani, Yuki

2012-10-04

Endocannabinoids are key modulators of synaptic function. By activating cannabinoid receptors expressed in the central nervous system, these lipid messengers can regulate several neural functions and behaviors. As experimental tools advance, the repertoire of known endocannabinoid-mediated effects at the synapse, and their underlying mechanism, continues to expand. Retrograde signaling is the principal mode by which endocannabinoids mediate short- and long-term forms of plasticity at both excitatory and inhibitory synapses. However, growing evidence suggests that endocannabinoids can also signal in a nonretrograde manner. In addition to mediating synaptic plasticity, the endocannabinoid system is itself subject to plastic changes. Multiple points of interaction with other neuromodulatory and signaling systems have now been identified. In this Review, we focus on new advances in synaptic endocannabinoid signaling in the mammalian brain. The emerging picture not only reinforces endocannabinoids as potent regulators of synaptic function but also reveals that endocannabinoid signaling is mechanistically more complex and diverse than originally thought. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Occurrence of phthalates in aquatic environment and their removal during wastewater treatment processes: a review.

PubMed

Gani, Khalid Muzamil; Tyagi, Vinay Kumar; Kazmi, Absar Ahmad

2017-07-01

Phthalates are plasticizers and are concerned environmental endocrine-disrupting compounds. Due to their extensive usage in plastic manufacturing and personal care products as well as the potential to leach out from these products, phthalates have been detected in various aquatic environments including drinking water, groundwater, surface water, and wastewater. The primary source of their environmental occurrence is the discharge of phthalate-laden wastewater and sludge. This review focuses on recent knowledge on the occurrence of phthalate in different aquatic environments and their fate in conventional and advanced wastewater treatment processes. This review also summarizes recent advances in biological removal and degradation mechanisms of phthalates, identifies knowledge gaps, and suggests future research directions.

Application of ozone for the removal of bisphenol A from water and wastewater--a review.

PubMed

Umar, Muhammad; Roddick, Felicity; Fan, Linhua; Aziz, Hamidi Abdul

2013-02-01

The extensive use of Bisphenol A (BPA) in the plastics industry has led to increasing reports of its presence in the aquatic environment, with concentrations of ng L(-1) to μg L(-1). Various advanced oxidation processes, including ozonation, have been shown to effectively degrade BPA. This paper reviews the current advancements in using ozone to remove BPA from water and wastewater. Most of the published work on the oxidation of BPA by ozone has focused on the efficiency of BPA removal in terms of the disappearance of BPA, and the effect of various operational parameters such as ozone feed rate, contact time and pH; some information is available on the estrogenic activity of the treated water. Due to increasing operational reliability and cost effectiveness, there is great potential for industrial scale application of ozone for the treatment of BPA. However, there is a significant lack of information on the formation of oxidation by-products and their toxicities, particularly in more complex matrices such as wastewater, and further investigation is needed for a better understanding of the environmental fate of BPA. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Application of a Model for Quenching and Partitioning in Hot Stamping of High-Strength Steel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, Bin; Liu, Zhuang; Wang, Yanan; Rolfe, Bernard; Wang, Liang; Zhang, Yisheng

2018-04-01

Application of quenching and partitioning process in hot stamping has proven to be an effective method to improve the plasticity of advanced high-strength steels (AHSSs). In this study, the hot stamping and partitioning process of advanced high-strength steel 30CrMnSi2Nb is investigated with a hot stamping mold. Given the specific partitioning time and temperature, the influence of quenching temperature on the volume fraction of microstructure evolution and mechanical properties of the above steel are studied in detail. In addition, a model for quenching and partitioning process is applied to predict the carbon diffusion and interface migration during partitioning, which determines the retained austenite volume fraction and final properties of the part. The predicted trends of the retained austenite volume fraction agree with the experimental results. In both cases, the volume fraction of retained austenite increases first and then decreases with the increasing quenching temperature. The optimal quenching temperature is approximately 290 °C for 30CrMnSi2Nb with the partition conditions of 425 °C and 20 seconds. It is suggested that the model can be used to help determine the process parameters to obtain retained austenite as much as possible.

Experimental and Numerical Investigations of Applying Tip-bottomed Tool for Bending Advanced Ultra-high Strength Steel Sheet

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mitsomwang, Pusit; Borrisutthekul, Rattana; Klaiw-awoot, Ken; Pattalung, Aran

2017-09-01

This research was carried out aiming to investigate the application of a tip-bottomed tool for bending an advanced ultra-high strength steel sheet. The V-die bending experiment of a dual phase steel (DP980) sheet which had a thickness of 1.6 mm was executed using a conventional bending and a tip-bottomed punches. Experimental results revealed that the springback of the bent worksheet in the case of the tip-bottomed punch was less than that of the conventional punch case. To further discuss bending characteristics, a finite element (FE) model was developed and used to simulate the bending of the worksheet. From the FE analysis, it was found that the application of the tip-bottomed punch contributed the plastic deformation to occur at the bending region. Consequently, the springback of the worksheet reduced. In addition, the width of the punch tip was found to affect the deformation at the bending region and determined the springback of the bent worksheet. Moreover, the use of the tip-bottomed punch resulted in the apparent increase of the surface hardness of the bent worksheet, compared to the bending with the conventional punch.

40 CFR 414.11 - Applicability.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... ORGANIC CHEMICALS, PLASTICS, AND SYNTHETIC FIBERS General § 414.11 Applicability. (a) The provisions of... establishments that manufacture the organic chemicals, plastics, and synthetic fibers (OCPSF) products or product...-Made Fibers, (3) SIC 2824—Synthetic Organic Fibers, Except Cellulosic, (4) SIC 2865—Cyclic Crudes and...

[Sleep-wake cycle and memory consolidation].

PubMed

Baratti, Carlos M; Boccia, Mariano M; Blake, Mariano G; Acosta, Gabriela B

2007-01-01

Although several hypothesis and theories have been advanced as explanations for the functions of sleep, a unified theory of sleep function remains elusive. Sleep has been implicated in the plastic cerebral changes that underlie learning and memory, in particular those related to memory consolidation of recently acquired new information. Despite steady accumulations of positive findings over the last ten years, the precise role of sleep in memory and brain plasticity is unproven at all. This situation might be solved by more integrated approaches that combine behavioral and neurophysiological measurements in well described in vivo models of neuronal activity and brain plasticity.

Dynamic rupture simulations on complex fault zone structures with off-fault plasticity using the ADER-DG method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wollherr, Stephanie; Gabriel, Alice-Agnes; Igel, Heiner

2015-04-01

In dynamic rupture models, high stress concentrations at rupture fronts have to to be accommodated by off-fault inelastic processes such as plastic deformation. As presented in (Roten et al., 2014), incorporating plastic yielding can significantly reduce earlier predictions of ground motions in the Los Angeles Basin. Further, an inelastic response of materials surrounding a fault potentially has a strong impact on surface displacement and is therefore a key aspect in understanding the triggering of tsunamis through floor uplifting. We present an implementation of off-fault-plasticity and its verification for the software package SeisSol, an arbitrary high-order derivative discontinuous Galerkin (ADER-DG) method. The software recently reached multi-petaflop/s performance on some of the largest supercomputers worldwide and was a Gordon Bell prize finalist application in 2014 (Heinecke et al., 2014). For the nonelastic calculations we impose a Drucker-Prager yield criterion in shear stress with a viscous regularization following (Andrews, 2005). It permits the smooth relaxation of high stress concentrations induced in the dynamic rupture process. We verify the implementation by comparison to the SCEC/USGS Spontaneous Rupture Code Verification Benchmarks. The results of test problem TPV13 with a 60-degree dipping normal fault show that SeisSol is in good accordance with other codes. Additionally we aim to explore the numerical characteristics of the off-fault plasticity implementation by performing convergence tests for the 2D code. The ADER-DG method is especially suited for complex geometries by using unstructured tetrahedral meshes. Local adaptation of the mesh resolution enables a fine sampling of the cohesive zone on the fault while simultaneously satisfying the dispersion requirements of wave propagation away from the fault. In this context we will investigate the influence of off-fault-plasticity on geometrically complex fault zone structures like subduction zones or branched faults. Studying the interplay of stress conditions and angle dependence of neighbouring branches including inelastic material behaviour and its effects on rupture jumps and seismic activation helps to advance our understanding of earthquake source processes. An application is the simulation of a real large-scale subduction zone scenario including plasticity to validate the coupling of our dynamic rupture calculations to a tsunami model in the framework of the ASCETE project (http://www.ascete.de/). Andrews, D. J. (2005): Rupture dynamics with energy loss outside the slip zone, J. Geophys. Res., 110, B01307. Heinecke, A. (2014), A. Breuer, S. Rettenberger, M. Bader, A.-A. Gabriel, C. Pelties, A. Bode, W. Barth, K. Vaidyanathan, M. Smelyanskiy and P. Dubey: Petascale High Order Dynamic Rupture Earthquake Simulations on Heterogeneous Supercomputers. In Supercomputing 2014, The International Conference for High Performance Computing, Networking, Storage and Analysis. IEEE, New Orleans, LA, USA, November 2014. Roten, D. (2014), K. B. Olsen, S.M. Day, Y. Cui, and D. Fäh: Expected seismic shaking in Los Angeles reduced by San Andreas fault zone plasticity, Geophys. Res. Lett., 41, 2769-2777.

Nanotwinned and hierarchical nanotwinned metals: a review of experimental, computational and theoretical efforts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, Ligang; He, Xiaoqiao; Lu, Jian

2018-02-01

The recent studies on nanotwinned (NT) and hierarchical nanotwinned (HNT) face-centered cubic (FCC) metals are presented in this review. The HNT structures have been supposed as a kind of novel structure to bring about higher strength/ductility than NT counterparts in crystalline materials. We primarily focus on the recent developments of the experimental, atomistic and theoretical studies on the NT and HNT structures in the metallic materials. Some advanced bottom-up and top-down techniques for the fabrication of NT and HNT structures are introduced. The deformation induced HNT structures are available by virtue of severe plastic deformation (SPD) based techniques while the synthesis of growth HNT structures is so far almost unavailable. In addition, some representative molecular dynamics (MD) studies on the NT and HNT FCC metals unveil that the nanoscale effects such as twin spacing, grain size and plastic anisotropy greatly alter the performance of NT and HNT metals. The HNT structures may initiate unique phenomena in comparison with the NT ones. Furthermore, based on the phenomena and mechanisms revealed by experimental and MD simulation observations, a series of theoretical models have been proposed. They are effective to describe the mechanical behaviors of NT and HNT metals within the applicable scope. So far the development of manufacturing technologies of HNT structures, as well as the studies on the effects of HNT structures on the properties of metals are still in its infancy. Further exploration is required to promote the design of advanced materials.

Effects of Normal Aging on Visuo-Motor Plasticity

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Roller, Carrie A.; Cohen, Helen S.; Kimball, Kay T.; Bloomberg, Jacob J.

2001-01-01

Normal aging is associated with declines in neurologic function. Uncompensated visual and vestibular problems may have dire consequences including dangerous falls. Visuomotor plasticity is a form of behavioral neural plasticity which is important in the process of adapting to visual or vestibular alteration, including those changes due to pathology, pharmacotherapy, surgery or even entry into a microgravity or underwater environment. In order to determine the effects of aging on visuomotor plasticity, we chose the simple and easily measured paradigm of visual-motor re-arrangement created by using visual displacement prisms while throwing small balls at a target. Subjects threw balls before, during and after wearing a set of prisms which displace the visual scene by twenty degrees to the right. Data obtained during adaptation were modeled using multilevel analyses for 73 subjects aged 20 to 80 years. We found no statistically significant difference in measures of visuomotor plasticity with advancing age. Further studies are underway examining variable practice training as a potential mechanism for enhancing this form of behavioral neural plasticity.

The synchronous improvement of strength and plasticity (SISP) in new Ni-Co based disc superalloys by controling stacking fault energy.

PubMed

Xu, H; Zhang, Z J; Zhang, P; Cui, C Y; Jin, T; Zhang, Z F

2017-08-14

It is a great challenge to improve the strength of disc superalloys without great loss of plasticity together since the microstructures benefiting the strength always do not avail the plasticity. Interestingly, this study shows that the trade-off relationship between strength and plasticity can be broken through decreasing stacking fault energy (SFE) in newly developed Ni-Co based disc superalloys. Axial tensile tests in the temperature range of 25 to 725 °C were carried out in these alloys with Co content ranging from 5% to 23% (wt.%). It is found that the ultimate tensile strength (UTS) and uniform elongation (UE) are improved synchronously when microtwinning is activated by decreasing the SFE at 650 and 725 °C. In contrast, only UTS is improved when stacking fault (SF) dominates the plastic deformation at 25 and 400 °C. These results may be helpful for designing advanced disc superalloys with relatively excellent strength and plasticity simultaneously.

Effects of normal aging on visuo-motor plasticity

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Roller, Carrie A.; Cohen, Helen S.; Kimball, Kay T.; Bloomberg, Jacob J.

2002-01-01

Normal aging is associated with declines in neurologic function. Uncompensated visual and vestibular problems may have dire consequences including dangerous falls. Visuo-motor plasticity is a form of behavioral neural plasticity, which is important in the process of adapting to visual or vestibular alteration, including those changes due to pathology, pharmacotherapy, surgery or even entry into microgravity or an underwater environment. To determine the effects of aging on visuo-motor plasticity, we chose the simple and easily measured paradigm of visual-motor rearrangement created by using visual displacement prisms while throwing small balls at a target. Subjects threw balls before, during and after wearing a set of prisms which displace the visual scene by twenty degrees to the right. Data obtained during adaptation were modeled using multilevel modeling techniques for 73 subjects, aged 20 to 80 years. We found no statistically significant difference in measures of visuo-motor plasticity with advancing age. Further studies are underway examining variable practice training as a potential mechanism for enhancing this form of behavioral neural plasticity.

Thermodynamically consistent relations involving plasticity, internal energy and thermal effects.

PubMed

Schreyer, H L; Maudlin, P J

2005-11-15

Experimental data associated with plastic deformations indicate that the temperature is less than that predicted from dissipation based on plastic work. To obtain reasonable correlation between theoretical and experimental results, the plastic work is often multiplied by a constant beta. This paper provides an alternative thermodynamic framework in which it is proposed that there is an additional internal energy associated with dislocation pile-up or increase in dislocation density. The form of this internal energy follows from experimental data that relates flow stress to dislocation density and to equivalent plastic strain. The result is that beta is not a constant but a derived function. Representative results for beta and temperature as functions of effective plastic strain are provided for both an uncoupled and a coupled thermoplastic theory. In addition to providing features that are believed to be representative of many metals, the formulation can be used as a basis for more advanced theories such as those needed for large deformations and general forms of internal energy.

Diode Lasers used in Plastic Welding and Selective Laser Soldering - Applications and Products

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reinl, S.

Aside from conventional welding methods, laser welding of plastics has established itself as a proven bonding method. The component-conserving and clean process offers numerous advantages and enables welding of sensitive assemblies in automotive, electronic, medical, human care, food packaging and consumer electronics markets. Diode lasers are established since years within plastic welding applications. Also, soft soldering using laser radiation is becoming more and more significant in the field of direct diode laser applications. Fast power controllability combined with a contactless temperature measurement to minimize thermal damage make the diode laser an ideal tool for this application. These advantages come in to full effect when soldering of increasingly small parts in temperature sensitive environments is necessary.

Plastic packaged microcircuits: Quality, reliability, and cost issues

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pecht, Michael G.; Agarwal, Rakesh; Quearry, Dan

1993-12-01

Plastic encapsulated microcircuits (PEMs) find their main application in commercial and telecommunication electronics. The advantages of PEMs in cost, size, weight, performance, and market lead-time, have attracted 97% of the market share of worldwide microcircuit sales. However, PEMs have always been resisted in US Government and military applications due to the perception that PEM reliability is low. This paper surveys plastic packaging with respect to the issues of reliability, market lead-time, performance, cost, and weight as a means to guide part-selection and system-design.

Natural biopolymer-based nanocomposite films for packaging applications.

PubMed

Rhim, Jong-Whan; Ng, Perry K W

2007-01-01

Concerns on environmental waste problems caused by non-biodegradable petrochemical-based plastic packaging materials as well as the consumer's demand for high quality food products has caused an increasing interest in developing biodegradable packaging materials using annually renewable natural biopolymers such as polysaccharides and proteins. Inherent shortcomings of natural polymer-based packaging materials such as low mechanical properties and low water resistance can be recovered by applying a nanocomposite technology. Polymer nanocomposites, especially natural biopolymer-layered silicate nanocomposites, exhibit markedly improved packaging properties due to their nanometer size dispersion. These improvements include increased modulus and strength, decreased gas permeability, and increased water resistance. Additionally, biologically active ingredients can be added to impart the desired functional properties to the resulting packaging materials. Consequently, natural biopolymer-based nanocomposite packaging materials with bio-functional properties have a huge potential for application in the active food packaging industry. In this review, recent advances in the preparation of natural biopolymer-based films and their nanocomposites, and their potential use in packaging applications are addressed.

PILOT-SCALE EVALUATION OF NEW RESIN APPLICATION EQUIPMENT FOR FIBER- REINFORCED PLASTICS

EPA Science Inventory

The article gives results of a pilot-scale evaluation of new resin application equipment for fiber- reinforced plastics. The study, an evaluation and comparison of styrene emissions, utilized Magnum's FIT(TM) nozzle with conventional spray guns and flow coaters (operated at both ...

Non-invasive brain stimulation in children: applications and future directions

PubMed Central

Rajapakse, Thilinie; Kirton, Adam

2013-01-01

Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is a neurostimulation and neuromodulation technique that has provided over two decades of data in focal, non-invasive brain stimulation based on the principles of electromagnetic induction. Its minimal risk, excellent tolerability and increasingly sophisticated ability to interrogate neurophysiology and plasticity make it an enviable technology for use in pediatric research with future extension into therapeutic trials. While adult trials show promise in using TMS as a novel, non-invasive, non-pharmacologic diagnostic and therapeutic tool in a variety of nervous system disorders, its use in children is only just emerging. TMS represents an exciting advancement to better understand and improve outcomes from disorders of the developing brain. PMID:24163755

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lawrence, Chris C.; Febbraro, Michael; Massey, Thomas N.

Organic scintillation detectors have shown promise as neutron detectors for characterizing special nuclear materials in various arms-control and homeland security applications. Recent advances have yielded a new plastic scintillator - EJ299-33 - with pulse-shape-discrimination (PSD) capability. Plastic scintillators would have a much expanded range of deployment relative to liquids and crystals. Here in this paper, we present a full characterization of pulse height response to fission-energy neutrons for an EJ299-33 detector with 7.62-by-7.62-cm cylindrical active volume, and compare with an EJ309 liquid scintillator in the same assembly. Scintillation light output relations, energy resolutions, and response matrices are presented for bothmore » detectors. A Continuous spectrum neutron source, obtained via the bombardment of 27Al with 7.44-MeV deuterons at the Edwards Accelerator Facility at Ohio University, was used for the measurement. A new procedure for evaluating and comparing PSD performance is presented which accounts for the effect of the light output relation on the ability to detect low energy neutrons. The EJ299-33 is shown to have considerable deficit in matrix condition, and in PSD figure of merit when compared to EJ309, especially when neutron energy is taken into account. Furthermore the EJ299 is likely to bring a modest PSD capability into a array of held applications that are not accessible to liquids or crystals.« less

Parametric Investigation on Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Ultrasonic spot welded Aluminium to Copper sheets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prasad Satpathy, Mantra; Das Mohapatra, Kasinath; Sahoo, Ananda Kumar; Sahoo, Susanta Kumar

2018-03-01

Ultrasonic welding is one of the promising solid state welding methods which have been widely used to join highly conductive materials like aluminum and copper. Despite these applications in the automotive field, other industries also have a strong interest to adopt this process for joining of various advanced alloys. In some of its applications, poor weld strength and sticking of the workpiece to the tool are issues. Thus, an attempt has been taken in the present study to overcome these issues by performing experiments with a suitable range of weld parameters. The major objectives of this study are to obtain a good joint strength with a reduced sticking phenomenon and microstructure of Al-Cu weld coupons. The results uncovered the mechanical strength of the joint increased up to 0.34 sec of weld time and afterward, it gradually decreased. Meantime, the plastic deformation in the weld zone enhanced the formation of an intermetallic layer of 1.5 μm thick, and it is composed of mainly Al2Cu compound. The temperature evolved during the welding process is also measured by thermocouples to show its relationship with the plastic deformation. The present work exemplifies a finer understanding of the failure behavior of joints and provides an insight of ultrasonic welding towards the improvement in the quality of weld.

Plastic flexible films waste management - A state of art review.

PubMed

Horodytska, O; Valdés, F J; Fullana, A

2018-04-21

Plastic flexible films are increasingly used in many applications due to their lightness and versatility. In 2014, the amount of plastic films represented 34% of total plastic packaging produced in UK. The flexible film waste generation rises according to the increase in number of applications. Currently, in developed countries, about 50% of plastics in domestic waste are films. Moreover, about 615,000 tonnes of agricultural flexible waste are generated in the EU every year. A review of plastic films recycling has been conducted in order to detect the shortcomings and establish guidelines for future research. This paper reviews plastic films waste management technologies from two different sources: post-industrial and post-consumer. Clean and homogeneous post-industrial waste is recycled through closed-loop or open-loop mechanical processes. The main differences between these methods are the quality and the application of the recycled materials. Further research should be focused on closing the loops to obtain the highest environmental benefits of recycling. This could be accomplished through minimizing the material degradation during mechanical processes. Regarding post-consumer waste, flexible films from agricultural and packaging sectors have been assessed. The agricultural films and commercial and industrial flexible packaging are recycled through open-loop mechanical recycling due to existing selective waste collection routes. Nevertheless, the contamination from the use phase adversely affects the quality of recycled plastics. Therefore, upgrading of current washing lines is required. On the other hand, household flexible packaging shows the lowest recycling rates mainly because of inefficient sorting technologies. Delamination and compatibilization methods should be further developed to ensure the recycling of multilayer films. Finally, Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) studies on waste management have been reviewed. A lack of thorough LCA on plastic films waste management systems was identified. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Starch plastics packaging and agriculture applications

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The environmental impact of petroleum-based plastics is a growing concern throughout the world. Containers and packaging comprise the largest sector of municipal solid waste and are a major component of pollution on both land and sea. Although the benefits of plastics in many consumer and industrial...

75 FR 29974 - Application(s) for Duty-Free Entry of Scientific Instruments

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-05-28

... portions of vertebrate and invertebrate organisms embedded in plastic resins and cut into thin sections... vertebrate and invertebrate organisms embedded in plastic resins and cut into thin sections mounted on... Use: The instrument will be used to examine portions of vertebrate and invertebrate organisms embedded...

40 CFR 60.390 - Applicability and designation of affected facility.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... Performance for Automobile and Light Duty Truck Surface Coating Operations § 60.390 Applicability and... facilities in an automobile or light-duty truck assembly plant: each prime coat operation, each guide coat... to coat plastic body components or all-plastic automobile or light-duty truck bodies on separate...

40 CFR 60.390 - Applicability and designation of affected facility.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... Performance for Automobile and Light Duty Truck Surface Coating Operations § 60.390 Applicability and... facilities in an automobile or light-duty truck assembly plant: each prime coat operation, each guide coat... to coat plastic body components or all-plastic automobile or light-duty truck bodies on separate...

40 CFR 60.390 - Applicability and designation of affected facility.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... Performance for Automobile and Light Duty Truck Surface Coating Operations § 60.390 Applicability and... facilities in an automobile or light-duty truck assembly plant: each prime coat operation, each guide coat... to coat plastic body components or all-plastic automobile or light-duty truck bodies on separate...

Additive Manufacturing: From Form to Function

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-01-01

embedded electronics in clothing that could allow additional protective benefits and health monitoring options.13 AM has also enabled proof-of-concept...the International Space Station (ISS) in September 2014 to test plastics . The second 3D printer was delivered to the ISS in April 2016. In addition...was developed by the Innovative Advanced Concepts program. The sensor is essentially a transparent sheet of plastic with printed elec- tronics that

Endourethral MRI Guidance for Prostatic RF Ablation

DTIC Science & Technology

2005-06-01

head (3 cm wide) attached to a 24-cm plastic handle,. Copper tape and then covered with a coat of protective plastic. In addition, bazooka baluns made...in the perineum , advanced posterior surface. This arrangement was used to mimic the into the prostatic urethra, and fixated in the prostate by...are inserted through the perineum placed in the left lateral decubitus position to maximize and into the prostate gland, commonly under ultrasound

Climate change and timing of avian breeding and migration: evolutionary versus plastic changes

PubMed Central

Charmantier, Anne; Gienapp, Phillip

2014-01-01

There are multiple observations around the globe showing that in many avian species, both the timing of migration and breeding have advanced, due to warmer springs. Here, we review the literature to disentangle the actions of evolutionary changes in response to selection induced by climate change versus changes due to individual plasticity, that is, the capacity of an individual to adjust its phenology to environmental variables. Within the abundant literature on climate change effects on bird phenology, only a small fraction of studies are based on individual data, yet individual data are required to quantify the relative importance of plastic versus evolutionary responses. While plasticity seems common and often adaptive, no study so far has provided direct evidence for an evolutionary response of bird phenology to current climate change. This assessment leads us to notice the alarming lack of tests for microevolutionary changes in bird phenology in response to climate change, in contrast with the abundant claims on this issue. In short, at present we cannot draw reliable conclusions on the processes underlying the observed patterns of advanced phenology in birds. Rapid improvements in techniques for gathering and analysing individual data offer exciting possibilities that should encourage research activity to fill this knowledge gap. PMID:24454545

[Application of patient card technology to health care].

PubMed

Sayag, E; Danon, Y L

1995-03-15

The potential benefits of patient card technology in improving management and delivery of health services have been explored. Patient cards can be used for numerous applications and functions: as a means of identification, as a key for an insurance payment system, and as a communication medium. Advanced card technologies allow for the storage of data on the card, creating the possibility of a comprehensive and portable patient record. There are many types of patient cards: paper or plastic cards, microfilm cards, bar-code cards, magnetic-strip cards and integrated circuit smart-cards. Choosing the right card depends on the amount of information to be stored, the degree of security required and the cost of the cards and their supporting infrastructure. Problems with patient cards are related to storage capacity, backup and data consistency, access authorization and ownership and compatibility. We think it is worth evaluating the place of patient card technology in the delivery of health services in Israel.

Selection criteria for the integrated model of plastic surgery residency.

PubMed

LaGrasso, Jeffrey R; Kennedy, Debbie A; Hoehn, James G; Ashruf, Salmon; Przybyla, Adrian M

2008-03-01

The purpose of this study was to identify those qualities and characteristics of fourth-year medical students applying for the Integrated Model of Plastic Surgery residency training that will make a successful plastic surgery resident. A three-part questionnaire was distributed to the training program directors of the 20 Integrated Model of Plastic Surgery programs accredited by the Residency Review Committee for Plastic Surgery by the Accreditation Council on Graduate Medical Education. The first section focused on 19 objective characteristics that directors use to evaluate applicants (e.g., Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Society membership, United States Medical Licensing Examination scores). The second section consisted of 20 subjective characteristics commonly used to evaluate applicants during the interview process. The third section consisted of reasons why, if any, residents failed to successfully complete the training program. Fifteen of the 20 program directors responded to the questionnaire. The results showed that they considered membership in the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Society to be the most important objective criterion, followed by publications in peer-reviewed journals and letters of recommendation from plastic surgeons known to the director. Leadership capabilities were considered the most important subjective criterion, followed by maturity and interest in academics. Reasons residents failed to complete the training program included illness or death, academic inadequacies, and family demands. The authors conclude that applicants who have achieved high academic honors and demonstrate leadership ability with interest in academics were viewed most likely to succeed as plastic surgery residents by program directors of Integrated Model of Plastic Surgery residencies.

The Role of Neuromodulators in Cortical Plasticity. A Computational Perspective

PubMed Central

Pedrosa, Victor; Clopath, Claudia

2017-01-01

Neuromodulators play a ubiquitous role across the brain in regulating plasticity. With recent advances in experimental techniques, it is possible to study the effects of diverse neuromodulatory states in specific brain regions. Neuromodulators are thought to impact plasticity predominantly through two mechanisms: the gating of plasticity and the upregulation of neuronal activity. However, the consequences of these mechanisms are poorly understood and there is a need for both experimental and theoretical exploration. Here we illustrate how neuromodulatory state affects cortical plasticity through these two mechanisms. First, we explore the ability of neuromodulators to gate plasticity by reshaping the learning window for spike-timing-dependent plasticity. Using a simple computational model, we implement four different learning rules and demonstrate their effects on receptive field plasticity. We then compare the neuromodulatory effects of upregulating learning rate versus the effects of upregulating neuronal activity. We find that these seemingly similar mechanisms do not yield the same outcome: upregulating neuronal activity can lead to either a broadening or a sharpening of receptive field tuning, whereas upregulating learning rate only intensifies the sharpening of receptive field tuning. This simple model demonstrates the need for further exploration of the rich landscape of neuromodulator-mediated plasticity. Future experiments, coupled with biologically detailed computational models, will elucidate the diversity of mechanisms by which neuromodulatory state regulates cortical plasticity. PMID:28119596

A plastic surgeon's guide to applying smartphone technology in patient care.

PubMed

Workman, Adrienne D; Gupta, Subhas C

2013-02-01

The vast array of information technology available to plastic surgeons continues to expand. With the recent introduction of smartphone application ("app") technology to the market, the potential for incorporating both social media and app technology into daily practice exists. The authors describe and evaluate the smartphone applications most pertinent to plastic surgery. Smartphone apps from all available markets were analyzed for various factors, including popularity among general consumers, ease of use, and functionality. Using various advertising guidelines from plastic surgery societies as well as the US Food and Drug Administration, each app's content was further analyzed within the context of ethical obligations. The apps with the highest number of ratings were those offering the option to upload photos and morph each photo according to the user's own preference. The title of apps also appears to play a role in popularity. A majority of apps demonstrated the same features available on websites. The applicability of social media marketing via smartphone apps has the potential to change future patient-surgeon interactions by offering more personalized and user-friendly encounters. The role of smartphone apps is important to the future of plastic surgery as long as plastic surgeons maintain an active role in the development of these apps to ensure their value.

Development of a highly transparent superamphiphobic plastic sheet by nanoparticle and chemical coating.

PubMed

Wong, Ten It; Wang, Hao; Wang, Fuke; Sin, Sau Leng; Quan, Cheng Gen; Wang, Shi Jie; Zhou, Xiaodong

2016-04-01

A highly transparent superamphiphobic plastic sheet was developed. The plastic sheet polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) was spin-coated on a glass substrate. Synthesized silica nanoparticles were sprayed on PMMA, followed by fluorosilane drop-coating. The results of contact angle measurements show that the developed PMMA sheet has superamphiphobic properties with high advancing contact angles for water (154°), toluene (139°), and silicone oil (132.9°). The amphiphobicity of the plastic sheet can be tuned by the surface coverage of the silica nanoparticles distributed on the PMMA surface. The surface coverage of the nanoparticles on our PMMA sheet is about 20%, and it agrees with our contact angle calculations for the sheet with and without nanoparticles. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Performance Stability of Silicone Oxide-Coated Plastic Parenteral Vials.

PubMed

Weikart, Christopher M; Pantano, Carlo G; Shallenberger, Jeff R

2017-01-01

A new packaging system was developed for parenteral pharmaceuticals that combines the best attributes of plastic and glass without their respective drawbacks. This technological advancement is based on the synergy between high-precision injection-molded plastics and plasma coating technology. The result is a shatter-resistant, optically clear, low-particulate, and chemically durable packaging system. The demand for this product is driven by the expanding market, regulatory constraints, and product recalls for injectable drugs and biologics packaged in traditional glass materials. It is shown that this new packaging system meets or exceeds the important performance characteristics of glass, especially in eliminating the glass delamination and breakage that has been observed in many products. The new packaging system is an engineered, multilayer, glass-coated plastic composite that provides a chemically stable contact surface and oxygen barrier performance that exceeds a 2 year shelf life requirement. Evaluation of the coating system characteristics and performance stability to chemical, temperature, and mechanical extremes are reported herein. LAY ABSTRACT: A new packaging system for parenteral pharmaceuticals was developed that combines the best attributes of plastic and glass without their respective drawbacks. This technological advancement is based on the synergy between high-precision injection-molded plastics and plasma coating technology. The result is a shatter-resistant, optically clear, low-particulate, and chemically durable packaging system. It is shown that this new packaging system meets or exceeds the important performance characteristics of glass, especially in eliminating the glass delamination and breakage that has been observed in many products. The new packaging system is an engineered, multilayer, glass-coated plastic composite that provides a chemically stable contact surface and oxygen barrier performance that exceeds a 2 year shelf life requirement. Evaluation of the coating system characteristics and performance stability to chemical, temperature, and mechanical extremes are reported herein. © PDA, Inc. 2017.

46 CFR 164.015-1 - Applicable specifications and standards.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

..., CONSTRUCTION, AND MATERIALS: SPECIFICATIONS AND APPROVAL MATERIALS Plastic Foam, Unicellular, Buoyant, Sheet... following specification and standard, of the issue in effect on the date the plastic foam material is... be kept on file by the plastic foam manufacturer with this subpart. (1) The Federal Specification and...

46 CFR 164.015-1 - Applicable specifications and standards.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

..., CONSTRUCTION, AND MATERIALS: SPECIFICATIONS AND APPROVAL MATERIALS Plastic Foam, Unicellular, Buoyant, Sheet... following specification and standard, of the issue in effect on the date the plastic foam material is... be kept on file by the plastic foam manufacturer with this subpart. (1) The Federal Specification and...

Impact of plastic mulching on nitrous oxide emissions in China's arid agricultural region under climate change conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, Yongxiang; Tao, Hui; Jia, Hongtao; Zhao, Chengyi

2017-06-01

The denitrification-decomposition (DNDC) model is a useful tool for integrating the effects of agricultural practices and climate change on soil nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions from agricultural ecosystems. In this study, the DNDC model was evaluated against observations and used to simulate the effect of plastic mulching on soil N2O emissions and crop growth. The DNDC model performed well in simulating temporal variations in N2O emissions and plant growth during the observation period, although it slightly underestimated the cumulative N2O emissions, and was able to simulate the effects of plastic mulching on N2O emissions and crop yield. Both the observations and simulations demonstrated that the application of plastic film increased cumulative N2O emissions and cotton lint yield compared with the non-mulched treatment. The sensitivity test showed that the N2O emissions and lint yield were sensitive to changes in climate and management practices, and the application of plastic film made the N2O emissions and lint yield less sensitive to changes in temperature and irrigation. Although the simulations showed that the beneficial impacts of plastic mulching on N2O emissions were not gained under high fertilizer and irrigation scenarios, our simulations suggest that the application of plastic film effectively reduced soil N2O emissions while promoting yields under suitable fertilizer rates and irrigation. Compared with the baseline scenario, future climate change significantly increased N2O emissions by 15-17% without significantly influencing the lint yields in the non-mulched treatment; in the mulched treatment, climate change significantly promoted the lint yield by 5-6% and significantly reduced N2O emissions by 14% in the RCP4.5 and RCP8.5 scenarios. Overall, our results demonstrate that the application of plastic film is an efficient way to address increased N2O emissions and simultaneously enhance crop yield in the future.

An Overview of Materials Structures for Extreme Environments Efforts for 2015 SBIR Phases I and II

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nguyen, Hung D.; Steele, Gynelle C.

2017-01-01

Technological innovation is the overall focus of NASA's Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program. The program invests in the development of innovative concepts and technologies to help NASA's mission directorates address critical research and development needs for Agency projects. This report highlights innovative SBIR 2015 Phase I and II projects that specifically address areas in Materials and Structures for Extreme Environments, one of six core competencies at NASA Glenn Research Center. Each article describes an innovation, defines its technical objective, and highlights NASA applications as well as commercial and industrial applications. Ten technologies are featured: metamaterials-inspired aerospace structures, metallic joining to advanced ceramic composites, multifunctional polyolefin matrix composite structures, integrated reacting fluid dynamics and predictive materials degradation models for propulsion system conditions, lightweight inflatable structural airlock (LISA), copolymer materials for fused deposition modeling 3-D printing of nonstandard plastics, Type II strained layer superlattice materials development for space-based focal plane array applications, hydrogenous polymer-regolith composites for radiation-shielding materials, a ceramic matrix composite environmental barrier coating durability model, and advanced composite truss printing for large solar array structures. This report serves as an opportunity for NASA engineers, researchers, program managers, and other personnel to learn about innovations in this technology area as well as possibilities for collaboration with innovative small businesses that could benefit NASA programs and projects.

Early behavioral intervention, brain plasticity, and the prevention of autism spectrum disorder.

PubMed

Dawson, Geraldine

2008-01-01

Advances in the fields of cognitive and affective developmental neuroscience, developmental psychopathology, neurobiology, genetics, and applied behavior analysis have contributed to a more optimistic outcome for individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). These advances have led to new methods for early detection and more effective treatments. For the first time, prevention of ASD is plausible. Prevention will entail detecting infants at risk before the full syndrome is present and implementing treatments designed to alter the course of early behavioral and brain development. This article describes a developmental model of risk, risk processes, symptom emergence, and adaptation in ASD that offers a framework for understanding early brain plasticity in ASD and its role in prevention of the disorder.

Key technologies for manufacturing and processing sheet materials: A global perspective

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Demeri, Mahmoud Y.

2001-02-01

Modern industrial technologies continue to seek new materials and processes to produce products that meet design and functional requirements. Sheet materials made from ferrous and non-ferrous metals, laminates, composites, and reinforced plastics constitute a large percentage of today’s products, components, and systems. Major manufacturers of sheet products include automotive, aerospace, appliance, and food-packaging industries. The Second Global Symposium on Innovations in Materials Processing & Manufacturing: Sheet Materials is organized to provide a forum for presenting advances in sheet processing and manufacturing by worldwide researchers and engineers from industrial, research, and academic centers. The symposium, sponsored by the TMS Materials Processing & Manufacturing Division (MPMD), was planned for the 2001 TMS Annual Meeting, New Orleans, Louisiana, February 11 15, 2001. This article is a review of key papers submitted for publication in the concurrent volume. The selected papers present significant developments in the rapidly expanding areas of advanced sheet materials, innovative forming methods, industrial applications, primary and secondary processing, composite processing, and numerical modeling of manufacturing processes.

Non-coding RNAs in Prostate Cancer: From Discovery to Clinical Applications.

PubMed

Ceder, Yvonne

2016-01-01

Prostate cancer is a heterogeneous disease for which the molecular mechanisms are still not fully elucidated. Prostate cancer research has traditionally focused on genomic and epigenetic alterations affecting the proteome, but over the last decade non-coding RNAs, especially microRNAs, have been recognized to play a key role in prostate cancer progression. A considerable number of individual microRNAs have been found to be deregulated in prostate cancer and their biological significance elucidated in functional studies. This review will delineate the current advances regarding the involvement of microRNAs and their targets in prostate cancer biology as well as their potential usage in the clinical management of the disease. The main focus will be on microRNAs contributing to initiation and progression of prostate cancer, including androgen signalling, cellular plasticity, stem cells biology and metastatic processes. To conclude, implications on potential future microRNA-based therapeutics based on the recent advances regarding the interplay between microRNAs and their targets are discussed.

Dreaming in plastic

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Korzhov, Marianna; Andelman, David; Shikler, Rafi

2008-07-01

Plastic is one of the most versatile materials available. It is cheap, flexible and easy to process, and as a result it is all around us - from our computer keyboards to the soles of our shoes. One of its most common applications is as an insulating coating for electric wires; indeed, plastic is well known for its insulating characteristics. It came as something of a surprise, therefore, when in the late 1970s a new generation of plastics was discovered that displayed exactly the opposite behaviour - the ability to conduct electricity. In fact, plastics can be made with a whole range of conductivities - there are polymer materials that behave like semiconductors and there are those that can conduct as well as metals. This discovery sparked a revolution in the electronics community, and three decades of research effort is now yielding a range of stunning new applications for this ubiquitous material.

AlGaInN laser diode technology for free-space and plastic optical fibre telecom applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Najda, S. P.; Perlin, P.; Suski, T.; Marona, L.; Bóckowski, M.; Leszczyński, M.; Wisniewski, P.; Czernecki, R.; Kucharski, R.; Targowski, G.; Watson, S.; Kelly, A. E.; Watson, M. A.; Blanchard, P.; White, H.

2016-03-01

Gallium Nitride laser diodes fabricated from the AlGaInN material system is an emerging technology for laser sources from the UV to visible and is a potential key enabler for new system applications such as free-space (underwater & air bourne links) and plastic optical fibre telecommunications. We measure visible light (free-space and underwater) communications at high frequency (up to 2.5 Gbit/s) and in plastic optical fibre (POF) using a directly modulated GaN laser diode.

Dissecting the Components of Long-Term Potentiation

PubMed Central

Blundon, Jay A.; Zakharenko, Stanislav S.

2009-01-01

The formation of memories relies on plastic changes at synapses between neurons. Although the mechanisms of synaptic plasticity have been studied extensively over several decades, many aspects of this process remain controversial. The cellular locus of expression of long-term potentiation (LTP), a major form of synaptic plasticity, is one of the most important unresolved phenomena. In this article, we summarize some recent advances in this area made possible by the development of new imaging tools. These studies have demonstrated that LTP is compound in nature and consists of both presynaptic and postsynaptic components. We also review some features of presynaptic and postsynaptic changes during compound LTP. PMID:18940785

Applications of aerospace technology in industry, a technology transfer profile: Plastics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1971-01-01

New plastics technology bred out of the space program has moved steadily into the U.S. economy in a variety of organized and deliberate ways. Examples are presented of the transfer of plastics know-how into the plants and eventually the products of American business.

40 CFR 63.5787 - What if I also manufacture fiberglass boats or boat parts?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... CATEGORIES National Emissions Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants: Reinforced Plastic Composites... the reinforced plastic composites you manufacture are used in manufacturing your boats, you are not... applicability criteria in § 63.5785, and produce reinforced plastic composites that are not used in fiberglass...

40 CFR 463.20 - Applicability; description of the cleaning water subcategory.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... (CONTINUED) EFFLUENT GUIDELINES AND STANDARDS PLASTICS MOLDING AND FORMING POINT SOURCE CATEGORY Cleaning... the cleaning water subcategory are processes where water comes in contact with the plastic product for... equipment, such as molds and mandrels, that contact the plastic material for the purpose of cleaning the...

Stress Intensity Factor Plasticity Correction for Flaws in Stress Concentration Regions

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Friedman, E.; Wilson, W.K.

2000-02-01

Plasticity corrections to elastically computed stress intensity factors are often included in brittle fracture evaluation procedures. These corrections are based on the existence of a plastic zone in the vicinity of the crack tip. Such a plastic zone correction is included in the flaw evaluation procedure of Appendix A to Section XI of the ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code. Plasticity effects from the results of elastic and elastic-plastic explicit flaw finite element analyses are examined for various size cracks emanating from the root of a notch in a panel and for cracks located at fillet fadii. The results ofmore » these caluclations provide conditions under which the crack-tip plastic zone correction based on the Irwin plastic zone size overestimates the plasticity effect for crack-like flaws embedded in stress concentration regions in which the elastically computed stress exceeds the yield strength of the material. A failure assessment diagram (FAD) curve is employed to graphically c haracterize the effect of plasticity on the crack driving force. The Option 1 FAD curve of the Level 3 advanced fracture assessment procedure of British Standard PD 6493:1991, adjusted for stress concentration effects by a term that is a function of the applied load and the ratio of the local radius of curvature at the flaw location to the flaw depth, provides a satisfactory bound to all the FAD curves derived from the explicit flaw finite element calculations. The adjusted FAD curve is a less restrictive plasticity correction than the plastic zone correction of Section XI for flaws embedded in plastic zones at geometric stress concentrators. This enables unnecessary conservatism to be removed from flaw evaluation procedures that utilize plasticity corrections.« less

[Application of thermosetting plastics to eliminate undercuts].

PubMed

Bielawski, T

1989-01-01

The author proposes to utilize the properties of thermosetting plastics used in other fields to use them in prosthetics in order to eliminate undercuts. Application of extra equipment in claspograph in the form of studs of three dimension makes formation of undercuts' blockade easier improving the result of work at the same time.

Mechanical properties of wood fiber composites under the influence of temperature and humidity

Treesearch

Yibin Xue; David Veazie; Cindy Glinsey; Meagan Wright; Roger M. Rowell

2003-01-01

Woodfiber-thermoplastic composites (WPC) have received considerable attentions from the forest product industry for civil engineering applications due to its superior properties over wood and plastics alone. Particularly WPCs can be easily fabricated using traditional plastic processing techniques. The major limitation in the applications of WPCs is the poor...

75 FR 56098 - Amitraz; Receipt of Application for Emergency Exemption, Solicitation of Public Comment

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-09-15

... Dakota's economy. Varroa mite outbreaks are also associated with colony virus problems. The Applicant proposes to make no more than two treatments (plastic strips impregnated with amitraz) per year in beehives... the plastic strips to be hung in the beehives during the spring or fall if varroa mite infestations...

Applications of nanocomposites and woodfiber plastics for microcellular injection molding

Treesearch

Lih-Sheng Turng; Mingjun Yuan; Hrishikesh Kharbas; Herman Winata; Daniel F. Caulfield

2003-01-01

The paper reviews the processing advantages and challenges of microcellular injection molding and presents recent research results on applications of nanocomposites and woodfiber-plastic composites as well as new process develop for the microcellular injection molding process. In particular, two types of polyamide (PA-6) neat resins and their filled counterparts, such...

PVC as pharmaceutical packaging material. A literature survey with special emphasis on plasticized PVC bags.

PubMed

Van Dooren, A A

1991-06-21

In this report the state of the art with respect to PVC as pharmaceutical packaging material is described. A general introduction into the applications of PVC is followed by a description of its production process. The metabolic effects of the monomer of PVC, vinyl chloride and of the most commonly used plasticizer diethylhexylphthalate are mentioned. Special attention is given to the pharmaceutical properties of plasticized PVC bags in comparison to other plastics and the environmental aspects of waste PVC disposal. Although there are emotional and political queries regarding the future use of PVC as a (pharmaceutical) packaging material, we conclude that there is no scientific justification for a total or partial ban of PVC. PVC will remain a fact of life as a cheap, versatile, high-performance and well-investigated plastic material for medical and pharmaceutical applications, to be replaced by newer plastics only for certain well-defined indications where the requirements of the plastic to be used are so specific that it will economically and technically be justified to use another polymer. Community and hospital pharmacists have to be prepared for a role in intake of waste plastic disposables, probably against deposit money, in order to fulfil the logistics needed for recycling.

Tailoring plasticity of austenitic stainless steels for nuclear applications: Review of mechanisms controlling plasticity of austenitic steels below 400 °C

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meric de Bellefon, G.; van Duysen, J. C.

2016-07-01

AISI 304 and 316 austenitic stainless steels were invented in the early 1900s and are still trusted by materials and mechanical engineers in numerous sectors because of their good combination of strength, ductility, and corrosion resistance, and thanks to decades of experience and data. This article is part of an effort focusing on tailoring the plasticity of both types of steels to nuclear applications. It provides a synthetic and comprehensive review of the plasticity mechanisms in austenitic steels during tensile tests below 400 °C. In particular, formation of twins, extended stacking faults, and martensite, as well as irradiation effects and grain rotation are discussed in details.

Simulation of finite-strain inelastic phenomena governed by creep and plasticity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Zhen; Bloomfield, Max O.; Oberai, Assad A.

2017-11-01

Inelastic mechanical behavior plays an important role in many applications in science and engineering. Phenomenologically, this behavior is often modeled as plasticity or creep. Plasticity is used to represent the rate-independent component of inelastic deformation and creep is used to represent the rate-dependent component. In several applications, especially those at elevated temperatures and stresses, these processes occur simultaneously. In order to model these process, we develop a rate-objective, finite-deformation constitutive model for plasticity and creep. The plastic component of this model is based on rate-independent J_2 plasticity, and the creep component is based on a thermally activated Norton model. We describe the implementation of this model within a finite element formulation, and present a radial return mapping algorithm for it. This approach reduces the additional complexity of modeling plasticity and creep, over thermoelasticity, to just solving one nonlinear scalar equation at each quadrature point. We implement this algorithm within a multiphysics finite element code and evaluate the consistent tangent through automatic differentiation. We verify and validate the implementation, apply it to modeling the evolution of stresses in the flip chip manufacturing process, and test its parallel strong-scaling performance.

Intrinsic Bauschinger effect and recoverable plasticity in pentatwinned silver nanowires tested in tension.

PubMed

Bernal, Rodrigo A; Aghaei, Amin; Lee, Sangjun; Ryu, Seunghwa; Sohn, Kwonnam; Huang, Jiaxing; Cai, Wei; Espinosa, Horacio

2015-01-14

Silver nanowires are promising components of flexible electronics such as interconnects and touch displays. Despite the expected cyclic loading in these applications, characterization of the cyclic mechanical behavior of chemically synthesized high-quality nanowires has not been reported. Here, we combine in situ TEM tensile tests and atomistic simulations to characterize the cyclic stress-strain behavior and plasticity mechanisms of pentatwinned silver nanowires with diameters thinner than 120 nm. The experimental measurements were enabled by a novel system allowing displacement-controlled tensile testing of nanowires, which also affords higher resolution for capturing stress-strain curves. We observe the Bauschinger effect, that is, asymmetric plastic flow, and partial recovery of the plastic deformation upon unloading. TEM observations and atomistic simulations reveal that these processes occur due to the pentatwinned structure and emerge from reversible dislocation activity. While the incipient plastic mechanism through the nucleation of stacking fault decahedrons (SFDs) is fully reversible, plasticity becomes only partially reversible as intersecting SFDs lead to dislocation reactions and entanglements. The observed plastic recovery is expected to have implications to the fatigue life and the application of silver nanowires to flexible electronics.

Racial and Ethnic Diversity of U.S. Plastic Surgery Trainees.

PubMed

Silvestre, Jason; Serletti, Joseph M; Chang, Benjamin

Increased diversity of U.S. physicians can improve patient communication and mitigate health disparities for racial minorities. This study analyzes trends in racial and ethnic diversity of plastic surgery residents. Demographic data of surgical residents, medical students, and integrated plastic surgery residency applicants were obtained from the Association of American Medical Colleges. Data for college students and the general population were obtained from the U.S. Census for comparison with plastic surgery. Interspecialty differences and temporal trends in racial composition were analyzed with chi-square tests. From 1995 to 2014, Asian and Hispanic plastic surgery residents increased nearly 3-fold (7.4%-21.7%, p < 0.001) and 2-fold (4.6%-7.9%, p < 0.001), respectively. African American plastic surgery residents did not increase significantly (3.0%-3.5%, p = 0.129). Relative to the U.S. population, Hispanics (range: 0.1-0.5-fold) and African Americans (range: 0.1-0.4-fold) were underrepresented, whereas Asians (range: 2.2-5.3-fold) were overrepresented in plastic surgery. A "bottleneck" existed in the pipeline of African American and Hispanic plastic surgery residents. Significant differences in racial composition existed between plastic surgery and other surgical disciplines, which varied over time. The percentage of Hispanic (10.6% vs 7.0%, p = 0.402) and African American (6.4% vs 2.1%, p < 0.001) plastic surgery residency applicants exceeded those in residency. Hispanics and African Americans are underrepresented in plastic surgery residency relative to whites and Asians. This study underscores the need for greater initiatives to increase diversity in plastic surgery residency. Copyright © 2016 Association of Program Directors in Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Plasticity Induced by Intermittent Theta Burst Stimulation in Bilateral Motor Cortices Is Not Altered in Older Adults

PubMed Central

Dickins, Daina S. E.; Sale, Martin V.

2015-01-01

Numerous studies have reported that plasticity induced in the motor cortex by transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is attenuated in older adults. Those investigations, however, have focused solely on the stimulated hemisphere. Compared to young adults, older adults exhibit more widespread activity across bilateral motor cortices during the performance of unilateral motor tasks, suggesting that the manifestation of plasticity might also be altered. To address this question, twenty young (<35 years old) and older adults (>65 years) underwent intermittent theta burst stimulation (iTBS) whilst attending to the hand targeted by the plasticity-inducing procedure. The amplitude of motor evoked potentials (MEPs) elicited by single pulse TMS was used to quantify cortical excitability before and after iTBS. Individual responses to iTBS were highly variable, with half the participants showing an unexpected decrease in cortical excitability. Contrary to predictions, however, there were no age-related differences in the magnitude or manifestation of plasticity across bilateral motor cortices. The findings suggest that advancing age does not influence the capacity for, or manifestation of, plasticity induced by iTBS. PMID:26064691

Developmental phenotypic plasticity helps bridge stochastic weather events associated with climate change.

PubMed

Burggren, Warren

2018-05-10

The slow, inexorable rise in annual average global temperatures and acidification of the oceans are often advanced as consequences of global change. However, many environmental changes, especially those involving weather (as opposed to climate), are often stochastic, variable and extreme, particularly in temperate terrestrial or freshwater habitats. Moreover, few studies of animal and plant phenotypic plasticity employ realistic (i.e. short-term, stochastic) environmental change in their protocols. Here, I posit that the frequently abrupt environmental changes (days, weeks, months) accompanying much longer-term general climate change (e.g. global warming over decades or centuries) require consideration of the true nature of environmental change (as opposed to statistical means) coupled with an expansion of focus to consider developmental phenotypic plasticity. Such plasticity can be in multiple forms - obligatory/facultative, beneficial/deleterious - depending upon the degree and rate of environmental variability at specific points in organismal development. Essentially, adult phenotypic plasticity, as important as it is, will be irrelevant if developing offspring lack sufficient plasticity to create modified phenotypes necessary for survival. © 2018. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

Long-Term Plasticity of Neurotransmitter Release: Emerging Mechanisms and Contributions to Brain Function and Disease.

PubMed

Monday, Hannah R; Younts, Thomas J; Castillo, Pablo E

2018-04-25

Long-lasting changes of brain function in response to experience rely on diverse forms of activity-dependent synaptic plasticity. Chief among them are long-term potentiation and long-term depression of neurotransmitter release, which are widely expressed by excitatory and inhibitory synapses throughout the central nervous system and can dynamically regulate information flow in neural circuits. This review article explores recent advances in presynaptic long-term plasticity mechanisms and contributions to circuit function. Growing evidence indicates that presynaptic plasticity may involve structural changes, presynaptic protein synthesis, and transsynaptic signaling. Presynaptic long-term plasticity can alter the short-term dynamics of neurotransmitter release, thereby contributing to circuit computations such as novelty detection, modifications of the excitatory/inhibitory balance, and sensory adaptation. In addition, presynaptic long-term plasticity underlies forms of learning and its dysregulation participates in several neuropsychiatric conditions, including schizophrenia, autism, intellectual disabilities, neurodegenerative diseases, and drug abuse. Expected final online publication date for the Annual Review of Neuroscience Volume 41 is July 8, 2018. Please see http://www.annualreviews.org/page/journal/pubdates for revised estimates.

A Systematic Review of Smartphone Applications for Plastic Surgery Providers: Target Audience, Uses, and Cost.

PubMed

Reusche, Ryan; Buchanan, Patrick J; Kozlow, Jeffrey H; Vercler, Christian J

2016-01-01

The growth and acceptance of smartphones among clinicians has been remarkable over the last decade. Over 87% of doctors use a smartphone or tablet capable of running third-party software known as applications (apps). In the field of plastic surgery, apps have been designed for personal practice development, education, clinical tools and guidelines, and entertainment. This study reviews the literature on apps related to plastic surgery and determines the number and types of apps available. A systematic review of the literature was performed to find articles written about plastic surgery applications. Queries were run in the Apple iPhone iOS App store and Google Play using the term "plastic surgery." Apps were reviewed for ratings, downloads, and cost. In addition, apps were categorized based on purpose. Categories include practice development, media/literature, clinical tool and guideline apps, or recreation. The literature search yielded 8 articles for review, 2 articles focused on categorizing apps and 6 articles focused on describing useful apps. Searching Apple's iTunes (iOS) store identified 273 and Google Play identified 250 apps related to plastic surgery; since 2013, a 62%, and 580% increase, respectively. The iOS store included practice development (46%), recreation (26%), media/literature (14%), and clinical tool and guideline (11%). Google Play store included recreation apps (44%), practice development (24%), clinical tools and guidelines (11%), and media and literature (9%). Apps related to the field of plastic surgery are increasing in prevalence. The content of these apps are variable, and the majority are intended for marketing and development of private practices. Apps linking to literature, texts, study materials, and clinical tools and guidelines are developed for both practicing plastic surgeons and surgical trainees. Finding "useful" apps takes time because searches are often complicated by a variety of apps.

Plastic solid waste utilization technologies: A Review

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Awasthi, Arun Kumar; Shivashankar, Murugesh; Majumder, Suman

2017-11-01

Plastics are used in more number of applications in worldwide and it becomes essential part of our daily life. In Indian cities and villages people use the plastics in buying vegetable as a carry bag, drinking water bottle, use of plastic furniture in home, plastics objects uses in kitchen, plastic drums in packing and storage of the different chemicals for industrial use, use plastic utensils in home and many more uses. After usage of plastics it will become part of waste garbage and create pollution due to presence of toxic chemicals and it will be spread diseases and give birth to uncontrolled issues in social society. In current scenario consumption of plastic waste increasing day by day and it is very difficult to manage the plastic waste. There are limited methodologies available for reutilization of plastic waste again. Such examples are recycling, landfill, incineration, gasification and hydrogenation. In this paper we will review the existing methodologies of utilization of plastic waste in current scenario

Microstructure characterization of advanced protective Cr/CrN+a-C:H/a-C:H:Cr multilayer coatings on carbon fibre composite (CFC).

PubMed

Major, L; Janusz, M; Lackner, J M; Kot, M; Major, B

2016-06-01

Studies of advanced protective chromium-based coatings on the carbon fibre composite (CFC) were performed. Multidisciplinary examinations were carried out comprising: microstructure transmission electron microscopy (TEM, HREM) studies, micromechanical analysis and wear resistance. Coatings were prepared using a magnetron sputtering technique with application of high-purity chromium and carbon (graphite) targets deposited on the CFC substrate. Selection of the CFC for surface modification in respect to irregularities on the surface making the CFC surface more smooth was performed. Deposited coatings consisted of two parts. The inner part was responsible for the residual stress compensation and cracking initiation as well as resistance at elevated temperatures occurring namely during surgical tools sterilization process. The outer part was responsible for wear resistance properties and biocompatibility. Experimental studies revealed that irregularities on the substrate surface had a negative influence on the crystallites growth direction. Chromium implanted into the a-C:H structure reacted with carbon forming the cubic nanocrystal chromium carbides of the Cr23 C6 type. The cracking was initiated at the coating/substrate interface and the energy of brittle cracking was reduced because of the plastic deformation at each Cr interlayer interface. The wear mechanism and cracking process was described in micro- and nanoscale by means of transmission electron microscope studies. Examined materials of coated CFC type would find applications in advanced surgical tools. © 2016 The Authors Journal of Microscopy © 2016 Royal Microscopical Society.

Direct in situ observation of metallic glass deformation by real-time nano-scale indentation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gu, Lin; Xu, Limei; Zhang, Qingsheng; Pan, Deng; Chen, Na; Louzguine-Luzgin, Dmitri V.; Yao, Ke-Fu; Wang, Weihua; Ikuhara, Yuichi

2015-03-01

A common understanding of plastic deformation of metallic glasses (MGs) at room temperature is that such deformation occurs via the formation of runaway shear bands that usually lead to catastrophic failure of MGs. Here we demonstrate that inhomogeneous plastic flow at nanoscale can evolve in a well-controlled manner without further developing of shear bands. It is suggested that the sample undergoes an elasto-plastic transition in terms of quasi steady-state localized shearing. During this transition, embryonic shear localization (ESL) propagates with a very slow velocity of order of ~1 nm/s without the formation of a hot matured shear band. This finding further advances our understanding of the microscopic deformation process associated with the elasto-plastic transition and may shed light on the theoretical development of shear deformation in MGs.

16 CFR 1611.36 - Application of act to particular types of products.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... ACT REGULATIONS STANDARD FOR THE FLAMMABILITY OF VINYL PLASTIC FILM Rules and Regulations § 1611.36...) Multilayer fabric and wearing apparel with a film or coating on the uncovered or exposed surface. Plastic film or plastic-coated fabric used, or intended for use, as the outer layer of disposable diapers is...

16 CFR 1611.36 - Application of act to particular types of products.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... ACT REGULATIONS STANDARD FOR THE FLAMMABILITY OF VINYL PLASTIC FILM Rules and Regulations § 1611.36...) Multilayer fabric and wearing apparel with a film or coating on the uncovered or exposed surface. Plastic film or plastic-coated fabric used, or intended for use, as the outer layer of disposable diapers is...

16 CFR 1611.36 - Application of act to particular types of products.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... ACT REGULATIONS STANDARD FOR THE FLAMMABILITY OF VINYL PLASTIC FILM Rules and Regulations § 1611.36...) Multilayer fabric and wearing apparel with a film or coating on the uncovered or exposed surface. Plastic film or plastic-coated fabric used, or intended for use, as the outer layer of disposable diapers is...

40 CFR 60.50a - Applicability and delegation of authority.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

...) Pyrolysis/combustion units that are an integrated part of a plastics/rubber recycling unit (as defined in § 60.51a) are not subject to this subpart if the owner or operator of the plastics/rubber recycling... feedstocks produced by plastics/rubber recycling units are not subject to this subpart. (l) The following...

40 CFR 60.50a - Applicability and delegation of authority.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

...) Pyrolysis/combustion units that are an integrated part of a plastics/rubber recycling unit (as defined in § 60.51a) are not subject to this subpart if the owner or operator of the plastics/rubber recycling... feedstocks produced by plastics/rubber recycling units are not subject to this subpart. (l) The following...

40 CFR 60.50a - Applicability and delegation of authority.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

...) Pyrolysis/combustion units that are an integrated part of a plastics/rubber recycling unit (as defined in § 60.51a) are not subject to this subpart if the owner or operator of the plastics/rubber recycling... feedstocks produced by plastics/rubber recycling units are not subject to this subpart. (l) The following...

40 CFR 60.50a - Applicability and delegation of authority.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

...) Pyrolysis/combustion units that are an integrated part of a plastics/rubber recycling unit (as defined in § 60.51a) are not subject to this subpart if the owner or operator of the plastics/rubber recycling... feedstocks produced by plastics/rubber recycling units are not subject to this subpart. (l) The following...

40 CFR 60.50a - Applicability and delegation of authority.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

...) Pyrolysis/combustion units that are an integrated part of a plastics/rubber recycling unit (as defined in § 60.51a) are not subject to this subpart if the owner or operator of the plastics/rubber recycling... feedstocks produced by plastics/rubber recycling units are not subject to this subpart. (l) The following...

78 FR 39707 - Foreign-Trade Zone (FTZ) 277-Western Maricopa County, Arizona; Notification of Proposed...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-07-02

....; (Plastic Containers) Goodyear, Arizona The Greater Maricopa Foreign Trade Zone, Inc. (GMFTZ), grantee of... plastic containers for industrial/commercial materials handling applications. Pursuant to 15 CFR 400.14(b... would be able to choose the duty rate during customs entry procedures that applies to the plastic...

Plastic scintillators modifications for a selective radiation detection

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hamel, Matthieu; Bertrand, Guillaume H.V.; Carrel, Frederick

2015-07-01

Recent developments of plastic scintillators are reviewed, from January 2000 to June 2015. All examples are distributed into the main application, i.e. how the plastic scintillator was modified to enhance the detection towards a given radiation particle. The main characteristics of these newly created scintillators and their detection properties are given. (authors)

The Application of Three-Dimensional Surface Imaging System in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery.

PubMed

Li, Yanqi; Yang, Xin; Li, Dong

2016-02-01

Three-dimensional (3D) surface imaging system has gained popularity worldwide in clinical application. Unlike computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging, it has the ability to capture 3D images with both shape and texture information. This feature has made it quite useful for plastic surgeons. This review article is mainly focusing on demonstrating the current status and analyzing the future of the application of 3D surface imaging systems in plastic and reconstructive surgery.Currently, 3D surface imaging system is mainly used in plastic and reconstructive surgery to help improve the reliability of surgical planning and assessing surgical outcome objectively. There have already been reports of its using on plastic and reconstructive surgery from head to toe. Studies on facial aging process, online applications development, and so on, have also been done through the use of 3D surface imaging system.Because different types of 3D surface imaging devices have their own advantages and disadvantages, a basic knowledge of their features is required and careful thought should be taken to choose the one that best fits a surgeon's demand.In the future, by integrating with other imaging tools and the 3D printing technology, 3D surface imaging system will play an important role in individualized surgical planning, implants production, meticulous surgical simulation, operative techniques training, and patient education.

On the combined gradient-stochastic plasticity model: Application to Mo-micropillar compression

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Konstantinidis, A. A., E-mail: akonsta@civil.auth.gr; Zhang, X., E-mail: zhangxu26@126.com; Aifantis, E. C., E-mail: mom@mom.gen.auth.gr

2015-02-17

A formulation for addressing heterogeneous material deformation is proposed. It is based on the use of a stochasticity-enhanced gradient plasticity model implemented through a cellular automaton. The specific application is on Mo-micropillar compression, for which the irregularities of the strain bursts observed have been experimentally measured and theoretically interpreted through Tsallis' q-statistics.

Tissue engineering for urinary tract reconstruction and repair: Progress and prospect in China.

PubMed

Zou, Qingsong; Fu, Qiang

2018-04-01

Several urinary tract pathologic conditions, such as strictures, cancer, and obliterations, require reconstructive plastic surgery. Reconstruction of the urinary tract is an intractable task for urologists due to insufficient autologous tissue. Limitations of autologous tissue application prompted urologists to investigate ideal substitutes. Tissue engineering is a new direction in these cases. Advances in tissue engineering over the last 2 decades may offer alternative approaches for the urinary tract reconstruction. The main components of tissue engineering include biomaterials and cells. Biomaterials can be used with or without cultured cells. This paper focuses on cell sources, biomaterials, and existing methods of tissue engineering for urinary tract reconstruction in China. The paper also details challenges and perspectives involved in urinary tract reconstruction.

NanoSPD activity in Ufa and International Cooperation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reshetnikova, N.; Salakhova, M.

2014-08-01

This report presents main achievements of R&D activities of the Institute of Physics of Advanced Materials of Ufa State Aviation Technical University (IPAM USATU, Ufa, Russia) with a special attention to innovative potential of nanostructured metals and alloys produced by the severe plastic deformation (SPD) techniques. Several examples of the first promising applications of bulk nanostructured materials (BNM) as well as potential competing technologies are considered and discussed. The authors would like to focus special emphasis on international cooperation in view of numerous emerging projects as well as different conferences and seminars that pave the way to close and fruitful cooperation, working visits and exchange of young scientists. The possibilities of international cooperation through various foundations and programs are considered.

Simultaneous observation of chemomechanical coupling of a molecular motor.

PubMed

Nishizaka, Takayuki; Hasimoto, Yuh; Masaike, Tomoko

2011-01-01

F(1)-ATPase is the smallest rotary molecular motor ever found. Unidirectional rotation of the γ-shaft is driven by precisely coordinated sequential ATP hydrolysis reactions in three catalytic sites arranged 120° apart in the cylinder. Single-molecule observation allows us to directly watch the rotation of the shaft using micron-sized plastic beads. Additionally, an advanced version of "total internal reflection fluorescence microscope (TIRFM)" enables us to detect binding and release of energy currency through fluorescently labeled ATP. In this chapter, we describe how to set up the system for simultaneous observation of these two critical events. This specialized optical setup is applicable to a variety of research, not only molecular motors but also other single-molecule topics.

Challenges for Complex Microbial Ecosystems: Combination of Experimental Approaches with Mathematical Modeling

PubMed Central

Haruta, Shin; Yoshida, Takehito; Aoi, Yoshiteru; Kaneko, Kunihiko; Futamata, Hiroyuki

2013-01-01

In the past couple of decades, molecular ecological techniques have been developed to elucidate microbial diversity and distribution in microbial ecosystems. Currently, modern techniques, represented by meta-omics and single cell observations, are revealing the incredible complexity of microbial ecosystems and the large degree of phenotypic variation. These studies propound that microbiological techniques are insufficient to untangle the complex microbial network. This minireview introduces the application of advanced mathematical approaches in combination with microbiological experiments to microbial ecological studies. These combinational approaches have successfully elucidated novel microbial behaviors that had not been recognized previously. Furthermore, the theoretical perspective also provides an understanding of the plasticity, robustness and stability of complex microbial ecosystems in nature. PMID:23995424

NASA Tech Briefs, May 1993. Volume 17, No. 5

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1993-01-01

Topics include: Advanced Composites and Plastics; Electronic Components and Circuits; Electronic Systems; Physical Sciences; Materials; Computer Programs; Mechanics; Machinery; Fabrication Technology; Mathematics and Information Sciences; Life Sciences.

APPLICATIONS OF THE PLASTIC FILM TECHNIQUE IN THE ISOLATION AND STUDY OF ANAEROBIC BACTERIA

PubMed Central

Shank, J. L.

1963-01-01

Shank, J. L. (Swift & Co., Chicago, Ill.). Applications of the plastic film technique in the isolation and study of anaerobic bacteria. J. Bacteriol. 86:95–100. 1963.—The use of plastic films as oxygen barriers on the surface of agar pour plates, in conjunction with thioglycolate and other selective and differential agents, allows the primary isolation and enumeration of clostridia and other anaerobes. Quantitative studies reveal little if any inhibition of the test organisms under these conditions, and toxin production, where it occurs, is shown to be virtually unimpaired. Images PMID:14051828

A review of simulation platforms in surgery of the temporal bone.

PubMed

Bhutta, M F

2016-10-01

Surgery of the temporal bone is a high-risk activity in an anatomically complex area. Simulation enables rehearsal of such surgery. The traditional simulation platform is the cadaveric temporal bone, but in recent years other simulation platforms have been created, including plastic and virtual reality platforms. To undertake a review of simulation platforms for temporal bone surgery, specifically assessing their educational value in terms of validity and in enabling transition to surgery. Systematic qualitative review. Search of the Pubmed, CINAHL, BEI and ERIC databases. Assessment of reported outcomes in terms of educational value. A total of 49 articles were included, covering cadaveric, animal, plastic and virtual simulation platforms. Cadaveric simulation is highly rated as an educational tool, but there may be a ceiling effect on educational outcomes after drilling 8-10 temporal bones. Animal models show significant anatomical variation from man. Plastic temporal bone models offer much potential, but at present lack sufficient anatomical or haptic validity. Similarly, virtual reality platforms lack sufficient anatomical or haptic validity, but with technological improvements they are advancing rapidly. At present, cadaveric simulation remains the best platform for training in temporal bone surgery. Technological advances enabling improved materials or modelling mean that in the future plastic or virtual platforms may become comparable to cadaveric platforms, and also offer additional functionality including patient-specific simulation from CT data. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Near-infrared fluorescence image-guidance in plastic surgery: A systematic review.

PubMed

Cornelissen, Anouk J M; van Mulken, Tom J M; Graupner, Caitlin; Qiu, Shan S; Keuter, Xavier H A; van der Hulst, René R W J; Schols, Rutger M

2018-01-01

Near-infrared fluorescence (NIRF) imaging technique, after administration of contrast agents with fluorescent characteristics in the near-infrared (700-900 nm) range, is considered to possess great potential for the future of plastic surgery, given its capacity for perioperative, real-time anatomical guidance and identification. This study aimed to provide a comprehensive literature review concerning current and potential future applications of NIRF imaging in plastic surgery, thereby guiding future research. A systematic literature search was performed in databases of Cochrane Library CENTRAL, MEDLINE, and EMBASE (last search Oct 2017) regarding NIRF imaging in plastic surgery. Identified articles were screened and checked for eligibility by two authors independently. Forty-eight selected studies included 1166 animal/human subjects in total. NIRF imaging was described for a variety of (pre)clinical applications in plastic surgery. Thirty-two articles used NIRF angiography, i.e., vascular imaging after intravenous dye administration. Ten articles reported on NIRF lymphography after subcutaneous dye administration. Although currently most applied, general protocols for dosage and timing of dye administration for NIRF angiography and lymphography are still lacking. Three articles applied NIRF to detect nerve injury, and another three studies described other novel applications in plastic surgery. Future standard implementation of novel intraoperative optical techniques, such as NIRF imaging, could significantly contribute to perioperative anatomy guidance and facilitate critical decision-making in plastic surgical procedures. Further investigation (i.e., large multicenter randomized controlled trials) is mandatory to establish the true value of this innovative surgical imaging technique in standard clinical practice and to aid in forming consensus on protocols for general use.Level of Evidence: Not ratable.

Effect of plasticizer type and concentration on physical properties of biodegradable films based on sugar palm (arenga pinnata) starch for food packaging.

PubMed

Sanyang, M L; Sapuan, S M; Jawaid, M; Ishak, M R; Sahari, J

2016-01-01

In this study, sugar palm starch (SPS) films were developed using glycerol (G), sorbitol (S) or their combination (GS) as plasticizers at the ratio of 15, 30 and 45 (wt)% using casting technique. The addition of plasticizers to SPS film-forming solutions helped to overcome the brittle and fragile nature of unplasticized SPS films. Increased plasticizer concentration resulted to an increase in film thickness, moisture content and solubility. On the contrary, density and water absorption of plasticized films decreased with increasing plasticizer concentration. Raising the plasticizer content from 15 to 45 % showed less effect on the moisture content and water absorption of S-plasticized films. Films containing glycerol and glycerol-sorbitol plasticizer (G, and GS) demonstrated higher moisture content, solubility and water absorption capacity compared to S-plasticized films. The results obtained in this study showed that plasticizer type and concentration significantly improves film properties and enhances their suitability for food packaging applications.

A novel approach to enhance the accuracy of vibration control of Frames

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Toloue, Iraj; Shahir Liew, Mohd; Harahap, I. S. H.; Lee, H. E.

2018-03-01

All structures built within known seismically active regions are typically designed to endure earthquake forces. Despite advances in earthquake resistant structures, it can be inferred from hindsight that no structure is entirely immune to damage from earthquakes. Active vibration control systems, unlike the traditional methods which enlarge beams and columns, are highly effective countermeasures to reduce the effects of earthquake loading on a structure. It requires fast computation of nonlinear structural analysis in near time and has historically demanded advanced programming hosted on powerful computers. This research aims to develop a new approach for active vibration control of frames, which is applicable over both elastic and plastic material behavior. In this study, the Force Analogy Method (FAM), which is based on Hook's Law is further extended using the Timoshenko element which considers shear deformations to increase the reliability and accuracy of the controller. The proposed algorithm is applied to a 2D portal frame equipped with linear actuator, which is designed based on full state Linear Quadratic Regulator (LQR). For comparison purposes, the portal frame is analysed by both the Euler Bernoulli and Timoshenko element respectively. The results clearly demonstrate the superiority of the Timoshenko element over Euler Bernoulli for application in nonlinear analysis.

Upcycling: converting waste plastics into paramagnetic, conducting, solid, pure carbon microspheres.

PubMed

Pol, Vilas Ganpat

2010-06-15

The recent tremendous increase in the volume of waste plastics (WP) will have a harmful environmental impact on the health of living beings. Hundreds of years are required to degrade WP in atmospheric conditions. Hence, in coming years, in addition to traditional recycling services, innovative "upcycling" processes are necessary. This article presents an environmentally benign, solvent-free autogenic process that converts various WP [low density polyethylene (LDPE), high density polyethylene (HDPE), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polystyrene (PS), or their mixtures] into carbon microspheres (CMSs), an industrially significant, value-added product. The thermal dissociation of these individual or mixed WP in a closed reactor under autogenic pressure ( approximately 1000 psi) produced dry, pure powder of CMSs. In this paper, the optimization of process parameters such as the effect of mixing of WP with other materials, and the role of reaction temperature and time are reported. Employing advanced analytical techniques, the atomic structure, composition, and morphology of as-obtained CMSs were analyzed. The room-temperature paramagnetism in CMSs prepared from waste LDPE, HDPE, and PS was further studied by electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR). The conducting and paramagnetic nature of CMSs holds promise for their potential applications in toners, printers, paints, batteries, lubricants, and tires.

Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation in Stroke Rehabilitation: A Review of Recent Advancements

PubMed Central

Gomez Palacio Schjetnan, Andrea; Faraji, Jamshid; Metz, Gerlinde A.; Tatsuno, Masami; Luczak, Artur

2013-01-01

Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a promising technique to treat a wide range of neurological conditions including stroke. The pathological processes following stroke may provide an exemplary system to investigate how tDCS promotes neuronal plasticity and functional recovery. Changes in synaptic function after stroke, such as reduced excitability, formation of aberrant connections, and deregulated plastic modifications, have been postulated to impede recovery from stroke. However, if tDCS could counteract these negative changes by influencing the system's neurophysiology, it would contribute to the formation of functionally meaningful connections and the maintenance of existing pathways. This paper is aimed at providing a review of underlying mechanisms of tDCS and its application to stroke. In addition, to maximize the effectiveness of tDCS in stroke rehabilitation, future research needs to determine the optimal stimulation protocols and parameters. We discuss how stimulation parameters could be optimized based on electrophysiological activity. In particular, we propose that cortical synchrony may represent a biomarker of tDCS efficacy to indicate communication between affected areas. Understanding the mechanisms by which tDCS affects the neural substrate after stroke and finding ways to optimize tDCS for each patient are key to effective rehabilitation approaches. PMID:23533955

SU-E-T-208: Comparison of MR Image Quality of Various Brachytherapy Applicators for Cervical Cancer

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Soliman, A; Elzibak, A; Fatemi, A

2015-06-15

Purpose: To compare the quality of Magnetic Resonance (MR) images of a recently-proposed novel direction-modulated brachytherapy (DMBT) tandem applicator against two conventional clinical applicators, using the current MRI clinical protocol. Methods: Three tandem applicators were compared: (1) tungsten-based DMBT applicator, (2) conventional plastic applicator and (3) conventional stainless steel applicator. Physical dimensions were 5.4, 3.8 and 3.2 for tandems (1), (2) and (3), respectively. Each applicator was placed in the same water-phantom and independently scanned using the same parameters and coil settings on a 1.5 T 450w GE scanner. Images were acquired using T2-weighted turbo-spin-echo (TSE) with 8-channel body coil.more » Acquisition parameters were TR/TE =7000/108 ms; acquisition matrix = 320 x 256; 30 slices with 4 mm thickness and 0.5 gap; pixel bandwidth = 122 Hz and voxel size = 0.5 x 0.625 mm2 and number of excitations (NEX) = 4. Multiple acquisitions were obtained in para-sagittal and para-axial views (with respect to the tandem axis) for each applicator. Diameters of the tandem were measured at multiple angles and multiple locations and compared to the physical dimensions of the corresponding tandems. Results: Minimal susceptibility artifact was observed with the DMBT and the plastic tandems. The stainless steel tandem produced significantly larger artifact than the first two tandems. The average diameter of the DMBT applicator measured 5.94 ± 0.3 mm. The average diameter of the plastic tandem measured 3.9 ± 0.1 mm. The maximum extent of artifact was 1.5 mm and 0.7 mm for DMBT and plastic tandems, respectively. The susceptibility artifact induced by the stainless steel tandem prevented the measurement of its diameter, and the edges of the tandem could not be identified in any acquisition. Conclusion: This work demonstrated that the plastic and the tungsten-based DMBT tandem applicators are both suitable for MRI-guided brachytherapy of cervical cancer.« less

AM OLED using a-Si TFT backplane on flexible plastic substrate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sarma, Kalluri R.; Schmidt, John; Roush, Jerry; Chanley, Charles; Dodd, Sonia R.

2004-09-01

Amorphous silicon TFT technology continues to show promise for fabricating large area high resolution flexible AM OLED displays. This paper describes the recent progress in the flexible AM OLED development efforts at Honeywell since our publication in this conference's proceedings in 2003, describing the feasibility of fabricating a 64x64 pixel AM OLED on a flexible plastic substrate. In this paper we describe the design, and fabrication of a 160x160(x3) pixel AM OLED on a flexible plastic substrate with an equivalent 80cgpi resolution. Flexibility characteristics of the fabricated displays are discussed. Further advances and improvements required for extending the size and resolution of flexible AM OLED displays are discussed.

Local Plasticity of Al Thin Films as Revealed by X-Ray Microdiffraction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Spolenak, R.; Brown, W. L.; Tamura, N.; MacDowell, A. A.; Celestre, R. S.; Padmore, H. A.; Valek, B.; Bravman, J. C.; Marieb, T.; Fujimoto, H.; Batterman, B. W.; Patel, J. R.

2003-03-01

Grain-to-grain interactions dominate the plasticity of Al thin films and establish effective length scales smaller than the grain size. We have measured large strain distributions and their changes under plastic strain in 1.5-μm-thick Al0.5%Cu films using a 0.8-μm-diameter white x-ray probe at the Advanced Light Source. Strain distributions arise not only from the distribution of grain sizes and orientation, but also from the differences in grain shape and from stress environment. Multiple active glide plane domains have been found within single grains. Large grains behave like multiple smaller grains even before a dislocation substructure can evolve.

A Review on Landfill Management in the Utilization of Plastic Waste as an Alternative Fuel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hidayah, Nurul; Syafrudin

2018-02-01

Wastes from landfills originate from many spheres of life. These are produces as a result of human activities either domestically or industrially. The global plastic production increased over years due to the vast applications of plastics in many sectors. The continuous demand of plastics caused the plastic wastes accumulation in the landfill consumed a lot of spaces that contributed to the environmental. In addition, economic growth and development also increased our demand and dependency on plastics which leads to its accumulation in landfills imposing risk on human health, animals and cause environmental pollution problems such as ground water contamination, sanitary related issues, etc. The management and disposal of plastic waste have become a major concern, especially in developing cities. The idea of waste to energy recovery is one of the promising techniques used for managing the waste of plastic. Hence, this paper aims review at utilizing of plastic as an alternative fuel.

Critical concerns, solutions and guidelines for use of plastic encapsulated microcircuits for space flight applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Virmani, Nick; Shaw, Jack

1997-01-01

Some of the concerns and risk mitigation procedures for using plastic encapsulated microcircuits (PEMs) for space applications are discussed. Despite their advantages, PEMs cannot be implemented in all space applications by replacing military parts numbers with their commercial counterparts in product designs and part lists. The technical and procurement concerns are summarized, and suggestions for high reliability procurements are given. The ability to withstand deleterious environmental effects and to meet mission critical reliability is the key to the successful use of PEMs for space applications.

Plastic welder

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Buckley, J. D.; Fox, R. L.; Swain, R. J.

1980-01-01

Low-cost, self-contained, portable welder joins plastic parts by induction heating. Welder is useable in any atmosphere or in vacuum and with most types of thermoplastic; plastic components can be joined in situ. Device is applicable to aerospace industry and in automobile, furniture, and construction industries. Power requirements are easily met by battery or solar energy. In welder, toroidal inductor transfers magnetic flux through thermoplastic to screen. Heated screen causes plastic surface on either side to melt and flow into it to form joint.

CT-based MCNPX dose calculations for gynecology brachytherapy employing a Henschke applicator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, Pei-Chieh; Nien, Hsin-Hua; Tung, Chuan-Jong; Lee, Hsing-Yi; Lee, Chung-Chi; Wu, Ching-Jung; Chao, Tsi-Chian

2017-11-01

The purpose of this study is to investigate the dose perturbation caused by the metal ovoid structures of a Henschke applicator using Monte Carlo simulation in a realistic phantom. The Henschke applicator has been widely used for gynecologic patients treated by brachytherapy in Taiwan. However, the commercial brachytherapy planning system (BPS) did not properly evaluate the dose perturbation caused by its metal ovoid structures. In this study, Monte Carlo N-Particle Transport Code eXtended (MCNPX) was used to evaluate the brachytherapy dose distribution of a Henschke applicator embedded in a Plastic water phantom and a heterogeneous patient computed tomography (CT) phantom. The dose comparison between the MC simulations and film measurements for a Plastic water phantom with Henschke applicator were in good agreement. However, MC dose with the Henschke applicator showed significant deviation (-80.6%±7.5%) from those without Henschke applicator. Furthermore, the dose discrepancy in the heterogeneous patient CT phantom and Plastic water phantom CT geometries with Henschke applicator showed 0 to -26.7% dose discrepancy (-8.9%±13.8%). This study demonstrates that the metal ovoid structures of Henschke applicator cannot be disregard in brachytherapy dose calculation.

Fabrication of plastic microparts on wafer level

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Weber, Lutz; Ehrfeld, Wolfgang; Begemann, Marc; Berg, Udo; Michel, Frank

1999-08-01

In the recent years micromolding has become one of the most important key technologies of microengineering. At the current state of art, the mass fabrication of plastic microparts for a wide range of applications like telecommunications, sensors, medical technology and biochemistry is feasible. Here a micro motor, plastic optical waveguides, a micro pump, and nanotiterplates are presented.

Laser cutting plastic materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vancleave, R. A.

1980-08-01

A 1000 watt CO2 laser was demonstrated as a reliable production machine tool for cutting of plastics, high strength reinforced composites, and other nonmetals. More than 40 different plastics were laser cut, and the results are tabulated. Applications for laser cutting described include fiberglass reinforced laminates, Kevlar/epoxy composites, fiberglass reinforced phenolics, nylon/epoxy laminates, ceramics, and disposal tooling made from acrylic.

16 CFR § 1611.36 - Application of act to particular types of products.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... FABRICS ACT REGULATIONS STANDARD FOR THE FLAMMABILITY OF VINYL PLASTIC FILM Rules and Regulations § 1611... inner side. (f) Multilayer fabric and wearing apparel with a film or coating on the uncovered or exposed surface. Plastic film or plastic-coated fabric used, or intended for use, as the outer layer of disposable...

A novel biobased plasticizer of epoxidized cardanol glycidylether: Synthesis and application in soft poly(vinyl chloride) films

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

A novel plasticizer derived from cardanol, epoxied cardanol glycidyl ether (ECGE), was synthesized and characterized by 1H-NMR and 13C-NMR. Effects of the ECGE combined with dioctyl phthalate (DOP), a commercial plasticizer, in soft poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) films were studied. Dynamic mechanical a...

On the Fracture Toughness and Stable Crack Growth in Shape Memory Alloys Under Combined Thermomechanical Loading

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jape, Sameer Sanjay

Advanced multifunctional materials such as shape memory alloys (SMAs) offer unprecedented improvement over conventional materials when utilized as high power output solid-state actuators in a plethora of engineering applications, viz. aerospace, automotive, oil and gas exploration, etc., replacing complex multi-component assemblies with compact single-piece adaptive components. These potential applications stem from the material's ability to produce large recoverable actuation strains when subjected to combined thermomechanical loads, via a diffusionless solid-to-solid phase transition between high-temperature cubic austenite and low-temperature monoclinic martensite crystalline phases. To ensure reliable design, functioning and durability of SMA-based actuators, it is imperative to develop a thorough scientific knowledge base and understanding about their fracture properties i.e. crack-initiation and growth during thermal actuation, vis-a-vis the phase transformation metrics (i.e. transformation strains, hysteresis, and temperatures, critical stresses for phase transformation, etc.) and microstructural features (grain size, precipitates, and texture). Systematic experimental and analytical investigation of SMA fracture response based on known theories and methodologies is posed with significant challenges due to the inherent complexity in SMA thermomechanical constitutive response arising out of the shape memory and pseudoelastic effects, martensite detwinning and variant reorientation, thermomechanical coupling, and transformation induced plasticity (TRIP). In this study, a numerical analysis is presented that addresses the fundamental need to study fracture in SMAs in the presence of aforementioned complexities. Finite element modeling with an energetics based fracture toughness criterion and SMA thermomechanical behavior with nonlinearities from thermomechanical coupling and TRIP was conducted. A specific analysis of a prototype boundary value fracture problem yielded results similar to those obtained experimentally, viz. stable crack growth with transformation toughening, dependence of failure cycle on bias load and catastrophic failure during cooling, and are explained using classical fracture mechanics theories. Influence of TRIP as a monotonically accumulating irrecoverable plastic strain on the crack-tip mechanical fields in case of stationary and advancing cracks is also investigated using the same computational tools. Thermomechanical coupling in shape memory alloys, which is an important factor when utilized as solid-state actuators manifests itself through the generation and absorption of latent of transformation and leads to non-uniform temperature distribution. The effect of this coupling vis-a-vis the mechanics of static and advancing cracks is also analyzed using the energetics based approach.

Industrial applications of THz systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wietzke, S.; Jansen, C.; Jördens, C.; Krumbholz, N.; Vieweg, N.; Scheller, M.; Shakfa, M. K.; Romeike, D.; Hochrein, T.; Mikulics, M.; Koch, M.

2009-07-01

Terahertz time-domain spectroscopy (THz TDS) holds high potential as a non-destructive, non-contact testing tool. We have identified a plethora of emerging industrial applications such as quality control of industrial processes and products in the plastics industry. Polymers are transparent to THz waves while additives show a significantly higher permittivity. This dielectric contrast allows for detecting the additive concentration and the degree of dispersion. We present a first inline configuration of a THz TDS spectrometer for monitoring polymeric compounding processes. To evaluate plastic components, non-destructive testing is strongly recommended. For instance, THz imaging is capable of inspecting plastic weld joints or revealing the orientation of fiber reinforcements. Water strongly absorbs THz radiation. However, this sensitivity to water can be employed in order to investigate the moisture absorption in plastics and the water content in plants. Furthermore, applications in food technology are discussed. Moreover, security scanning applications are addressed in terms of identifying liquid explosives. We present the vision and first components of a handheld security scanner. In addition, a new approach for parameter extraction of THz TDS data is presented. All in all, we give an overview how industry can benefit from THz TDS completing the tool box of non-destructive evaluation.

The lobular transposition flap: a useful adjunct to reconstruct helical defects.

PubMed

Saleh, D B; Tan, J; Mohammed, P; Majumder, S

2012-07-01

We detail our adjunct to Antia and Buch's chondrocutaneous advancement flap for helical reconstruction. It is simple, reliable and negates the need for transfer of the defect to the lobule and/or V-Y advancement of the helical crus. Copyright © 2011 British Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Design of advanced beams considering elasto-plastic behaviour of material

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tolun, S.

1992-10-01

The paper proposes a computational procedure for precise calculation of limit and ultimate or design loads, which must be carried by an advanced aviation beam, without permanent distortion and without rupture. Among several stress-strain curve representations, one that is suitable for a particular material is chosen for applied loads, yield, and failure load calculations, and then nonlinear analysis is performed.

Interfacial interactions between plastic particles in plastics flotation.

PubMed

Wang, Chong-qing; Wang, Hui; Gu, Guo-hua; Fu, Jian-gang; Lin, Qing-quan; Liu, You-nian

2015-12-01

Plastics flotation used for recycling of plastic wastes receives increasing attention for its industrial application. In order to study the mechanism of plastics flotation, the interfacial interactions between plastic particles in flotation system were investigated through calculation of Lifshitz-van der Waals (LW) function, Lewis acid-base (AB) Gibbs function, and the extended Derjaguin-Landau-Verwey-Overbeek potential energy profiles. The results showed that van der Waals force between plastic particles is attraction force in flotation system. The large hydrophobic attraction, caused by the AB Gibbs function, is the dominant interparticle force. Wetting agents present significant effects on the interfacial interactions between plastic particles. It is found that adsorption of wetting agents promotes dispersion of plastic particles and decreases the floatability. Pneumatic flotation may improve the recovery and purity of separated plastics through selective adsorption of wetting agents on plastic surface. The relationships between hydrophobic attraction and surface properties were also examined. It is revealed that there exists a three-order polynomial relationship between the AB Gibbs function and Lewis base component. Our finding provides some insights into mechanism of plastics flotation. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Plasticity and stability of visual field maps in adult primary visual cortex

PubMed Central

Wandell, Brian A.; Smirnakis, Stelios M.

2010-01-01

Preface It is important to understand the balance between cortical plasticity and stability in various systems and spatial scales in the adult brain. We review measurements of adult plasticity in primary visual cortex (V1), a structure that has a key role in distributing visual information. There are claims of plasticity at multiple spatial scales in adult V1, but many inconsistencies in the data raise questions about the extent and nature of such plasticity. Understanding is further limited by a lack of quantitative models to guide the interpretation of the data. These problems limit efforts to translate research findings about adult cortical plasticity into significant clinical, educational and policy applications. PMID:19904279

40 CFR 463.30 - Applicability; description of the finishing water subcategory.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... (CONTINUED) EFFLUENT GUIDELINES AND STANDARDS PLASTICS MOLDING AND FORMING POINT SOURCE CATEGORY Finishing... the finishing water subcategory are processes where water comes in contact with the plastic product...

40 CFR 463.30 - Applicability; description of the finishing water subcategory.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... (CONTINUED) EFFLUENT GUIDELINES AND STANDARDS PLASTICS MOLDING AND FORMING POINT SOURCE CATEGORY Finishing... the finishing water subcategory are processes where water comes in contact with the plastic product...

America's fertile frontier: how America surpassed Britain in the development and growth of plastic surgery during the interwar years of 1920-1940.

PubMed

Fraser, James F; Hultman, Charles Scott

2010-05-01

Most historians agree that modern plastic surgery was born out of the efforts of reconstructive surgeons in World War I (WW I). In a single British hospital, over 8000 wounded soldiers were treated for disfiguring facial wounds. These gruesome injuries provided surgeons with enough cases to make unprecedented advances in tissue reconstruction. After the war, however, surgeons returned to civilian society where they found relatively few cases to support their new niche. In England, plastic surgery failed to establish itself while, in the United States, plastic surgeons had much greater success in founding their new specialty. Emphasizing this trend is the staggering statistic that, at the outbreak of World War II (WW II), the US boasted 60 trained plastic surgeons compared with only 4 in Britain. This article analyzes a variety of primary sources (speeches, journal articles, letters, and live interviews) obtained from several libraries and special collections to argue that the relative success of US plastic surgery in the interwar period (1920-1940) can be attributed to (1) the efforts of pioneering American plastic surgeons (Varaztad Kazanjian, Vilray Blair, and John Davis), (2) the post-Flexner report restructuring of US medical training, and (3) a much warmer reception both by the US public and general surgical community to plastic surgery.

Plastic Surgery Undergraduate Training: How a Single Local Event Can Inspire and Educate Medical Students.

PubMed

Khatib, Manaf; Soukup, Benjamin; Boughton, Oliver; Amin, Kavit; Davis, Christopher R; Evans, David M

2015-08-01

Plastic surgery teaching has a limited role in the undergraduate curriculum. We held a 1-day national course in plastic surgery for undergraduates. Our aim was to introduce delegates to plastic surgery and teach basic plastic surgical skills. We assessed change in perceptions of plastic surgery and change in confidence in basic plastic surgical skills. The day consisted of consultant-led lectures followed by workshops in aesthetic suturing, local flap design, and tendon repair. A questionnaire divided into 3 sections, namely, (1) career plans, (2) perceptions of plastic surgery, and (3) surgical skills and knowledge, was completed by 39 delegates before and after the course. Results were presented as mean scores and the standard error of the mean used to calculate data spread. Data were analyzed using the Mann-Whitney U test for nonparametric data. Career plans: Interest in pursuing a plastic surgery career significantly increased over the course of the day by 12.5% (P < 0.0005).Perceptions: Statistically significant changes were observed in many categories of plastic surgery, including the perception of the role of plastic surgeons in improving patient quality of life, increased by 18.31% (P = 0.063). Before the course 10% of delegates perceived plastic surgery to be a superficial discipline and 20% perceived that plastic surgeons did not save lives. After completing the course, no delegates held those views.Surgical skills: Confidence to perform subcuticular and deep dermal sutures improved by 53% (P < 0.0001) and 57% (P < 0.0001), respectively. Delegates' subjective understanding of the basic geometry of local flaps improved by 94% (P < 0.0001). Interestingly, before the course, 2.5% of delegates drew an accurate modified Kessler suture compared with 87% of on completion of the course. A 1-day intensive undergraduate plastic surgery course can significantly increase delegates' desire to pursue a career in plastic surgery, dispel common misconceptions about this field, and increase their confidence in performing the taught skills. The results of this course demonstrate that a 1-day course is an effective means of teaching basic plastic surgery skills to undergraduates and highlights the potential role for local plastic surgery departments in advancing plastic surgery education.

How to write a journal article for PSN.

PubMed

Hotta, Tracey

2015-01-01

Are you considering writing a journal article for Plastic Surgical Nursing? This official journal of the American Society of Plastic Surgical Nurses presents the latest advances in plastic and reconstructive surgical nursing practice. The journal features clinical articles covering a wide variety of surgical and nonsurgical procedures. Patient education techniques and research findings are also included, as well as articles discussing the ethical issues and trends in this expanding clinical nursing specialty. This is a perfect forum to share your knowledge with others in the plastic surgery field, resulting in improved patient care. The editorial board is established and available to assist you in the writing process. It is important to know that you do not have to be an academic scholar to write an article; instead, you have information that you would like to share. This article is intended to provide key points to follow to make sure that writing your article is a positive experience.

How to Write a Journal Article for PSN.

PubMed

Hotta, Tracey

Are you considering writing a journal article for Plastic Surgical Nursing? This official journal of the American Society of Plastic Surgical Nurses presents the latest advances in plastic and reconstructive surgical nursing practice. The journal features clinical articles covering a wide variety of surgical and nonsurgical procedures. Patient education techniques and research findings are also included, as well as articles discussing the ethical issues and trends in this expanding clinical nursing specialty. This is a perfect forum to share your knowledge with others in the plastic surgery field, resulting in improved patient care. The editorial board is established and available to assist you in the writing process. It is important to know that you do not have to be an academic scholar to write an article; instead, you have information that you would like to share. This article is intended to provide key points to follow to make sure that writing your article is a positive experience.

The role of epithelial plasticity in prostate cancer dissemination and treatment resistance

PubMed Central

Bitting, Rhonda L.; Schaeffer, Daneen; Somarelli, Jason A.; Garcia-Blanco, Mariano A.

2014-01-01

Nearly 30,000 men die annually in the USA of prostate cancer, nearly uniformly from metastatic dissemination. Despite recent advances in hormonal, immunologic, bone-targeted, and cytotoxic chemotherapies, treatment resistance and further dissemination are inevitable in men with metastatic disease. Emerging data suggests that the phenomenon of epithelial plasticity, encompassing both reversible mesenchymal transitions and acquisition of stemness traits, may underlie this lethal biology of dissemination and treatment resistance. Understanding the molecular underpinnings of this cellular plasticity from preclinical models of prostate cancer and from biomarker studies of human metastatic prostate cancer has provided clues to novel therapeutic approaches that may delay or prevent metastatic disease and lethality over time. This review will discuss the preclinical and clinical evidence for epithelial plasticity in this rapidly changing field and relate this to clinical phenotype and resistance in prostate cancer while suggesting novel therapeutic approaches. PMID:24414193

Elastic-plastic models for multi-site damage

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Actis, Ricardo L.; Szabo, Barna A.

1994-01-01

This paper presents recent developments in advanced analysis methods for the computation of stress site damage. The method of solution is based on the p-version of the finite element method. Its implementation was designed to permit extraction of linear stress intensity factors using a superconvergent extraction method (known as the contour integral method) and evaluation of the J-integral following an elastic-plastic analysis. Coarse meshes are adequate for obtaining accurate results supported by p-convergence data. The elastic-plastic analysis is based on the deformation theory of plasticity and the von Mises yield criterion. The model problem consists of an aluminum plate with six equally spaced holes and a crack emanating from each hole. The cracks are of different sizes. The panel is subjected to a remote tensile load. Experimental results are available for the panel. The plasticity analysis provided the same limit load as the experimentally determined load. The results of elastic-plastic analysis were compared with the results of linear elastic analysis in an effort to evaluate how plastic zone sizes influence the crack growth rates. The onset of net-section yielding was determined also. The results show that crack growth rate is accelerated by the presence of adjacent damage, and the critical crack size is shorter when the effects of plasticity are taken into consideration. This work also addresses the effects of alternative stress-strain laws: The elastic-ideally-plastic material model is compared against the Ramberg-Osgood model.

[Progress on metaplasticity and its role in learning and memory].

PubMed

Wang, Shao-Li; Lu, Wei

2016-08-25

Long-term potentiation (LTP) and long-term depression (LTD) are two major forms of synaptic plasticity that are widely considered as important cellular models of learning and memory. Metaplasticity is defined as the plasticity of synaptic plasticity and thus is an advanced form of plasticity. The history of synaptic activity can affect the subsequent synaptic plasticity induction. Therefore, it is important to study metaplasticity to explore new mechanisms underlying various brain functions including learning and memory. Since the concept of metaplasticity was proposed, it has aroused widespread concerns and attracted numerous researchers to dig more details on this topic. These new-found experimental phenomena and cellular mechanisms have established the basis of theoretical studies on metaplasticity. In recent years, researchers have found that metaplasticity can not only affect the synaptic plasticity, but also regulate the neural network to encode specific content and enhance the learning and memory. These findings have greatly enriched our knowledge on plasticity and opened a new route to study the mechanism of learning and memory. In this review, we discuss the recent progress on metaplasticity on following three aspects: (1) the molecular mechanisms of metaplasticity; (2) the role of metaplasticity in learning and memory; and (3) the outlook of future study on metaplasticity.

Toxicology and occupational hazards of new materials and processes in metal surface treatment, powder metallurgy, technical ceramics, and fiber-reinforced plastics.

PubMed

Midtgård, U; Jelnes, J E

1991-12-01

Many new materials and processes are about to find their way from the research laboratory into industry. The present paper describes some of these processes and provides an overview of possible occupational hazards and a list of chemicals used or produced in the processes. The technological areas that are considered are metal surface treatment (ion implantation, physical and chemical vapor deposition, plasma spraying), powder metallurgy, advanced technical ceramics, and fiber-reinforced plastics.

Microbial biotechnology addressing the plastic waste disaster.

PubMed

Narancic, Tanja; O'Connor, Kevin E

2017-09-01

Oceans are a major source of biodiversity, they provide livelihood, and regulate the global ecosystem by absorbing heat and CO 2 . However, they are highly polluted with plastic waste. We are discussing here microbial biotechnology advances with the view to improve the start and the end of life of biodegradable polymers, which could contribute to the sustainable use of marine and coastal ecosystems (UN Sustainability development goal 14). © 2017 The Authors. Microbial Biotechnology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd and Society for Applied Microbiology.

40 CFR 463.30 - Applicability; description of the finishing water subcategory.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... (CONTINUED) EFFLUENT GUIDELINES AND STANDARDS (CONTINUED) PLASTICS MOLDING AND FORMING POINT SOURCE CATEGORY.... Processes in the finishing water subcategory are processes where water comes in contact with the plastic...

46 CFR 181.115 - Applicability to existing vessels.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... plastic, or sheathed on the interior in fiber reinforced plastic, must comply with the requirements of..., Marine Inspection (OCMI) on or after March 11, 1996, must comply with the regulations of this part...

46 CFR 181.115 - Applicability to existing vessels.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... plastic, or sheathed on the interior in fiber reinforced plastic, must comply with the requirements of..., Marine Inspection (OCMI) on or after March 11, 1996, must comply with the regulations of this part...

77 FR 13390 - Notice of Intent To Grant an Exclusive License

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-03-06

... grant to Brain Plasticity, Inc., One Montgomery St., Suite 710, San Francisco, California 94104-4505... these inventions, as Brain Plasticity, Inc., submitted a complete and sufficient application for a...

40 CFR 463.30 - Applicability; description of the finishing water subcategory.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... (CONTINUED) EFFLUENT GUIDELINES AND STANDARDS (CONTINUED) PLASTICS MOLDING AND FORMING POINT SOURCE CATEGORY.... Processes in the finishing water subcategory are processes where water comes in contact with the plastic...

Sublimation-assisted graphene transfer technique based on small polyaromatic hydrocarbons

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Mingguang; Stekovic, Dejan; Li, Wangxiang; Arkook, Bassim; Haddon, Robert C.; Bekyarova, Elena

2017-06-01

Advances in the chemical vapor deposition (CVD) growth of graphene have made this material a very attractive candidate for a number of applications including transparent conductors, electronics, optoeletronics, biomedical devices and energy storage. The CVD method requires transfer of graphene on a desired substrate and this is most commonly accomplished with polymers. The removal of polymer carriers is achieved with organic solvents or thermal treatment which makes this approach inappropriate for application to plastic thin films such as polyethylene terephthalate substrates. An ultraclean graphene transfer method under mild conditions is highly desired. In this article, we report a naphthalene-assisted graphene transfer technique which provides a reliable route to residue-free transfer of graphene to both hard and flexible substrates. The quality of the transferred graphene was characterized with atomic force microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and Raman spectroscopy. Field effect transistors, based on the naphthalene-transfered graphene, were fabricated and characterized. This work has the potential to broaden the applications of CVD graphene in fields where ultraclean graphene and mild graphene transfer conditions are required.

Polymer subtrates for dry-coupled ultrasonic transducers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Komsky, Igor N.

2003-07-01

Dry-coupled inspection techniques are very important for applications on components with non-uniform surfaces and for inspections of advanced materials or coatings that are porous or otherwise sensitive to the application of water, gel, or some other ultrasonic couplants. To overcome the problems associated with the liquid coupling medium, a number of polymer films have been developed to transmit the ultrasound through a dry interface. These materials are very flexible so even low pressure loading is sufficient to adapt the films to the irregular inspection surfaces. Several polymer films have been evaluated to develop dry-coupled substrates for transducer modules. The modules will be utilized to detect and characterize fatigue cracks and corrosion spots in the aircraft structures. Ultrasonic properties of the polymer films were measured and compared with the properties of plastic or rubber-like materials commonly used for ultrasonic applications. Experiments have been carried out to analyze propagation of longitudinal and shear waves in the films. Two different types of the ultrasonic modules with the flexible polymer substrates are being developed. The influence of the surface condition on the module performance was evaluated for both types of the modules.

Novel Super-Elastic Materials for Advanced Bearing Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dellacorte, Christopher

2014-01-01

Tribological surfaces of mechanical components encounter harsh conditions in terrestrial, marine and aerospace environments. Brinell denting, abrasive wear and fatigue often lead to life-limiting bearing and gear failures. Novel superelastic materials based upon Ni-Ti alloys are an emerging solution. Ni-Ti alloys are intermetallic materials that possess characteristics of both metals and ceramics. Ni-Ti alloys have intrinsically good aqueous corrosion resistance (they cannot rust), high hardness, relatively low elastic modulus, are chemically inert and readily lubricated. Ni-Ti alloys also belong to the family of superelastics and, despite high hardness, are able to withstand large strains without suffering permanent plastic deformation. In this paper, the use of hard, resilient Ni-Ti alloys for corrosion-proof, shockproof bearing and gear applications are presented. Through a series of bearing and gear development projects, it is demonstrated that Ni-Tis unique blend of materials properties lead to significantly improved load capacity, reduced weight and intrinsic corrosion resistance not found in any other bearing materials. Ni-Ti thus represents a new materials solution to demanding tribological applications.

[Analysis of the application and funding projects of National Natural Science Foundation of China in the field of burns and plastic surgery from 2010 to 2016].

PubMed

Zhang, Z C; Dou, D; Wang, X Y; Xie, D H; Yan, Z C

2017-02-20

We analyzed the data of application and funding projects of the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) during 2010-2016 in the field of burns and plastic surgery and summarized the NSFC funding pattern, the research hotspots, and weaknesses in this field. The NSFC has funded 460 projects in the field of burns and plastic surgery, with total funding of RMB 227.96 million. The scientific issues involved in the funding projects include orthotherapy against malformations, wound repair, basic research of burns, skin grafting, scars prevention, and regeneration of hair follicle and sweat glands. The research techniques involved in the funding projects are diversified. NSFC plays an important role in the scientific research and talents training in the field of burns and plastic surgery.

Biological Production of Methane from Lunar Mission Solid Waste: An Initial Feasibility Assessment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Strayer, Richard; Garland, Jay; Janine, Captain

A preliminary assessment was made of the potential for biological production of methane from solid waste generated during an early planetary base mission to the moon. This analysis includes: 1) estimation of the amount of biodegradable solid waste generated, 2) background on the potential biodegradability of plastics given their significance in solid wastes, and 3) calculation of potential methane production from the estimate of biodegradable waste. The completed analysis will also include the feasibility of biological methane production costs associated with the biological processing of the solid waste. NASA workshops and Advanced Life Support documentation have estimated the projected amount of solid wastes generated for specific space missions. From one workshop, waste estimates were made for a 180 day transit mission to Mars. The amount of plastic packaging material was not specified, but our visual examination of trash returned from stocktickerSTS missions indicated a large percentage would be plastic film. This plastic, which is not biodegradable, would amount to 1.526 kgdw crew-1 d-1 or 6.10 kgdw d-1 for a crew of 4. Over a mission of 10 days this would amount to 61 kgdw of plastics and for an 180 day lunar surface habitation it would be nearly 1100 kgdw . Approx. 24 % of this waste estimate would be biodegradable (human fecal waste, food waste, and paper), but if plastic packaging was replaced with biodegradable plastic, then 91% would be biodegradable. Plastics are man-made long chain polymeric molecules, and can be divided into two main groups; thermoplastics and thermoset plastics. Thermoplastics comprise over 90% of total plastic use in the placecountry-regionUnited States and are derived from polymerization of olefins via breakage of the double bond and subsequent formation of additional carbon to carbon bonds. The resulting sole-carbon chain polymers are highly resistant to biodegradation and hydrolytic cleavage. Common thermoplastics include low density polyethylene (packaging, bags), high density polyethylene (bottles, containers, pipes), polystyrene (tanks, containers), polypropylene (tanks, containers), and polyvinylchloride (pipes, containers). Thermoset plastics are formed by the condensation of alcohols or amines to form polyesters or polyamides, and are typically solidified after heating. As opposed to the linear structure of thermoplastic, thermoset plastics have a cross-linked structure which results in higher strength. The most common thermoset plastic is polyurethane which is used for coatings, insulation, paints, and packing. Given both the concerns over pollution reduction and energy conservation, significant efforts are underway on Earth to evaluate biodegradable plastics made from renewable feedstocks; the following summarizes the current state of these efforts. Production of biodegradable plastics involves either the introduction of biodegradable or photo-oxidizable components into the polymer chain or the use of biodegradable polymers themselves. The first approach is based on the observation that polyolefins of low molecular weight (<500 Da) are biodegradable. Insertion of structures susceptible to either photoor chemical degradation within the overall polyolefins chain (which are of 4 - 28 kDa molecular weight), can produce segments sufficiently small to be assimilated and degraded by microorganisms. Biodegradable polymers based strictly on nonpetroleum, biologically-based material have been developed, including some which are used to make currently marketed products. Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) are polyesters which are accumulated as carbon storage materials by microorganisms under nutrient limiting conditions. MirelTM , a "bioplastic" based on stocktickerPHA produced from microbial fermentation of sugars or oils from vegetables crops, is being produced by TellesTM . The company markets MirelTM bioplastics for use in molding, coatings, films, adhesives, and fibers. Another type of bioplastic is based on polylactic acid, or stocktickerPLA. Starch, typically from corn, is fermented by bacteria to yield lactic acid which is then used to synthesize the stocktickerPLA polymer. stocktickerPLA can be degraded via a combination of abiotic hydrolysis and microbial degradation. NatureWorks LLC markets stocktickerPLA-based plastics (NatureWorks R , IngeoTM ) for a variety of applications, including high-value films, rigid thermoformed food and beverage containers, coated papers and boards and other packaging applications. This review suggests that biodegradable plastics may be feasible for use on near-term lunar missions. Biodegradable plastics products are commercially available, and cost, the main limitation to terrestrial use, is not an issue for the small-scale, specialty use by NASA. If the plastic content of the lunar mission solid waste stream is biodegradable, then a potential yield of methane from the waste can be estimated. Investigators at the placePlaceTypeUniversity of PlaceNameFlorida have reported on a three-stage anaerobic composting system for treatment of solid wastes expected in an Advanced Life Support System for space surface habitation. Their system, a sequential batch anaerobic composter (SEBAC) has been demonstrated for a variety of terrestrial solid wastes. Results for methane production rate from a simulated stocktickerALS solid waste of inedible rice crop debris, paper, and simulated feces averaged 0.30 L CH4 per gdw volatile solids (VS, i.e., organic matter) added. If we extrapolate from their results and assume that the VS in space mission solid waste is 100% biodegradable, then a potential for 620 LCH4 crew-1 d-1 might be obtained with a comparable SEBAC. For a crew of four, 2480 LCH4 d-1 (or 110.7 molesCH4 d-1 , 1772 gCH4 d-1 , or 3.90 lbCH4 d-1 )., would be produced. Over a 180 day surface habitation, this generation rate would yield a total of 446,000 LCH4 (319 kgCH4 , 702 lbCH4 ). The next step in this effort is to estimate the costs of biological processing system required to convert the solid waste steam to methane. We will employ equivalent system mass (ESM) analysis to define the costs of the system in terms of energy, mass, and manpower required for processing, allowing for a better estimation of the net benefit of this in situ resource utilization approach.

Ceramic Processing

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

EWSUK,KEVIN G.

1999-11-24

Ceramics represent a unique class of materials that are distinguished from common metals and plastics by their: (1) high hardness, stiffness, and good wear properties (i.e., abrasion resistance); (2) ability to withstand high temperatures (i.e., refractoriness); (3) chemical durability; and (4) electrical properties that allow them to be electrical insulators, semiconductors, or ionic conductors. Ceramics can be broken down into two general categories, traditional and advanced ceramics. Traditional ceramics include common household products such as clay pots, tiles, pipe, and bricks, porcelain china, sinks, and electrical insulators, and thermally insulating refractory bricks for ovens and fireplaces. Advanced ceramics, also referredmore » to as ''high-tech'' ceramics, include products such as spark plug bodies, piston rings, catalyst supports, and water pump seals for automobiles, thermally insulating tiles for the space shuttle, sodium vapor lamp tubes in streetlights, and the capacitors, resistors, transducers, and varistors in the solid-state electronics we use daily. The major differences between traditional and advanced ceramics are in the processing tolerances and cost. Traditional ceramics are manufactured with inexpensive raw materials, are relatively tolerant of minor process deviations, and are relatively inexpensive. Advanced ceramics are typically made with more refined raw materials and processing to optimize a given property or combination of properties (e.g., mechanical, electrical, dielectric, optical, thermal, physical, and/or magnetic) for a given application. Advanced ceramics generally have improved performance and reliability over traditional ceramics, but are typically more expensive. Additionally, advanced ceramics are typically more sensitive to the chemical and physical defects present in the starting raw materials, or those that are introduced during manufacturing.« less

Recent Progress in Discrete Dislocation Dynamics and Its Applications to Micro Plasticity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Po, Giacomo; Mohamed, Mamdouh S.; Crosby, Tamer; Erel, Can; El-Azab, Anter; Ghoniem, Nasr

2014-10-01

We present a self-contained review of the discrete dislocation dynamics (DDD) method for the numerical investigation of plasticity in crystals, focusing on recent development and implementation progress. The review covers the theoretical foundations of DDD within the framework of incompatible elasticity, its numerical implementation via the nodal method, the extension of the method to finite domains and several implementation details. Applications of the method to current topics in micro-plasticity are presented, including the size effects in nano-indentation, the evolution of the dislocation microstructure in persistent slip bands, and the phenomenon of dislocation avalanches in micro-pillar compression.

16 CFR § 1611.34 - Only uncovered or exposed parts of wearing apparel to be tested.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... COMMISSION FLAMMABLE FABRICS ACT REGULATIONS STANDARD FOR THE FLAMMABILITY OF VINYL PLASTIC FILM Rules and... applicable procedures set forth in section 4(a) of the act. Note: If the outer layer of plastic film or... shall be tested under part 1611—Standard for the Flammability of Vinyl Plastic Film. If the outer layer...

Plastics in automobiles. (Latest citations from Materials Business File). Published Search

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

The bibliography contains citations concerning the use of plastic to replace metallic parts in automobiles. Citations discuss the advantages of easy assembly, part consolidation, weight savings, durability, aesthetics, and economics. Examples of specific applications, types of plastic and their formulation are included. (Contains a minimum of 187 citations and includes a subject term index and title list.)

Plastics in automobiles. (Latest citations from Materials Business file). Published Search

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

The bibliography contains citations concerning the use of plastic to replace metallic parts in automobiles. Citations discuss the advantages of easy assembly, part consolidation, weight savings, durability, aesthetics, and economics. Examples of specific applications, types of plastic and their formulation are included. (Contains 50-250 citations and includes a subject term index and title list.) (Copyright NERAC, Inc. 1995)

Plastic responses to elevated temperature in low and high elevation populations of three grassland species.

PubMed

Frei, Esther R; Ghazoul, Jaboury; Pluess, Andrea R

2014-01-01

Local persistence of plant species in the face of climate change is largely mediated by genetic adaptation and phenotypic plasticity. In species with a wide altitudinal range, population responses to global warming are likely to differ at contrasting elevations. In controlled climate chambers, we investigated the responses of low and high elevation populations (1200 and 1800 m a.s.l.) of three nutrient-poor grassland species, Trifolium montanum, Ranunculus bulbosus, and Briza media, to ambient and elevated temperature. We measured growth-related, reproductive and phenological traits, evaluated differences in trait plasticity and examined whether trait values or plasticities were positively related to approximate fitness and thus under selection. Elevated temperature induced plastic responses in several growth-related traits of all three species. Although flowering phenology was advanced in T. montanum and R. bulbosus, number of flowers and reproductive allocation were not increased under elevated temperature. Plasticity differed between low and high elevation populations only in leaf traits of T. montanum and B. media. Some growth-related and phenological traits were under selection. Moreover, plasticities were not correlated with approximate fitness indicating selectively neutral plastic responses to elevated temperature. The observed plasticity in growth-related and phenological traits, albeit variable among species, suggests that plasticity is an important mechanism in mediating plant responses to elevated temperature. However, the capacity of species to respond to climate change through phenotypic plasticity is limited suggesting that the species additionally need evolutionary adaptation to adjust to climate change. The observed selection on several growth-related and phenological traits indicates that the study species have the potential for future evolution in the context of a warming climate.

Canary in a coal mine: does the plastic surgery market predict the american economy?

PubMed

Wong, Wendy W; Davis, Drew G; Son, Andrew K; Camp, Matthew C; Gupta, Subhas C

2010-08-01

Economic tools have been used in the past to predict the trends in plastic surgery procedures. Since 1992, U.S. cosmetic surgery volumes have increased overall, but the exact relationship between economic downturns and procedural volumes remains elusive. If an economic predicting role can be established from plastic surgery indicators, this could prove to be a very powerful tool. A rolling 3-month revenue average of an eight-plastic surgeon practice and various economic indicators were plotted and compared. An investigation of the U.S. procedural volumes was performed from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons statistics between 1996 and 2008. The correlations of different economic variables with plastic surgery volumes were evaluated. Lastly, search term frequencies were examined from 2004 to July of 2009 to study potential patient interest in major plastic surgery procedures. The self-payment revenue of the plastic surgery group consistently proved indicative of the market trends approximately 1 month in advance. The Standard and Poor's 500, Dow Jones Industrial Average, National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations, and Standard and Poor's Retail Index demonstrated a very close relationship with the income of our plastic surgery group. The frequency of Internet search terms showed a constant level of interest in the patient population despite economic downturns. The data demonstrate that examining plastic surgery revenue can be a useful tool to analyze and possibly predict trends, as it is driven by a market and shows a close correlation to many leading economic indicators. The persisting and increasing interest in plastic surgery suggests hope for a recovering and successful market in the near future.

Learning to learn – intrinsic plasticity as a metaplasticity mechanism for memory formation

PubMed Central

Sehgal, Megha; Song, Chenghui; Ehlers, Vanessa L.; Moyer, James R.

2013-01-01

“Use it or lose it” is a popular adage often associated with use-dependent enhancement of cognitive abilities. Much research has focused on understanding exactly how the brain changes as a function of experience. Such experience-dependent plasticity involves both structural and functional alterations that contribute to adaptive behaviors, such as learning and memory, as well as maladaptive behaviors, including anxiety disorders, phobias, and posttraumatic stress disorder. With the advancing age of our population, understanding how use-dependent plasticity changes across the lifespan may also help to promote healthy brain aging. A common misconception is that such experience-dependent plasticity (e.g., associative learning) is synonymous with synaptic plasticity. Other forms of plasticity also play a critical role in shaping adaptive changes within the nervous system, including intrinsic plasticity – a change in the intrinsic excitability of a neuron. Intrinsic plasticity can result from a change in the number, distribution or activity of various ion channels located throughout the neuron. Here, we review evidence that intrinsic plasticity is an important and evolutionarily conserved neural correlate of learning. Intrinsic plasticity acts as a metaplasticity mechanism by lowering the threshold for synaptic changes. Thus, learning-related intrinsic changes can facilitate future synaptic plasticity and learning. Such intrinsic changes can impact the allocation of a memory trace within a brain structure, and when compromised, can contribute to cognitive decline during the aging process. This unique role of intrinsic excitability can provide insight into how memories are formed and, more interestingly, how neurons that participate in a memory trace are selected. Most importantly, modulation of intrinsic excitability can allow for regulation of learning ability – this can prevent or provide treatment for cognitive decline not only in patients with clinical disorders but also in the aging population. PMID:23871744

Cerebellar Influence on Motor Cortex Plasticity: Behavioral Implications for Parkinson’s Disease

PubMed Central

Kishore, Asha; Meunier, Sabine; Popa, Traian

2014-01-01

Normal motor behavior involves the creation of appropriate activity patterns across motor networks, enabling firing synchrony, synaptic integration, and normal functioning of these networks. Strong topography-specific connections among the basal ganglia, cerebellum, and their projections to overlapping areas in the motor cortices suggest that these networks could influence each other’s plastic responses and functions. The defective striatal signaling in Parkinson’s disease (PD) could therefore lead to abnormal oscillatory activity and aberrant plasticity at multiple levels within the interlinked motor networks. Normal striatal dopaminergic signaling and cerebellar sensory processing functions influence the scaling and topographic specificity of M1 plasticity. Both these functions are abnormal in PD and appear to contribute to the abnormal M1 plasticity. Defective motor map plasticity and topographic specificity within M1 could lead to incorrect muscle synergies, which could manifest as abnormal or undesired movements, and as abnormal motor learning in PD. We propose that the loss of M1 plasticity in PD reflects a loss of co-ordination among the basal ganglia, cerebellar, and cortical inputs which translates to an abnormal plasticity of motor maps within M1 and eventually to some of the motor signs of PD. The initial benefits of dopamine replacement therapy on M1 plasticity and motor signs are lost during the progressive course of disease. Levodopa-induced dyskinesias in patients with advanced PD is linked to a loss of M1 sensorimotor plasticity and the attenuation of dyskinesias by cerebellar inhibitory stimulation is associated with restoration of M1 plasticity. Complimentary interventions should target reestablishing physiological communication between the striatal and cerebellar circuits, and within striato-cerebellar loop. This may facilitate correct motor synergies and reduce abnormal movements in PD. PMID:24834063

Recent activities in flame retardancy of wood-plastic composites at the Forest Products Laboratory

Treesearch

Robert H. White; Nicole M. Stark; Nadir Ayrilmis

2011-01-01

For a variety of reasons, wood-plastic composite (WPC) products are widely available for some building applications. In applications such as outdoor decking, WPCs have gained a significant share of the market. As an option to improve the efficient use of wood fiber, the USDA Forest Service, Forest Products Laboratory (FPL), has an extensive research program on WPCs....

NASA Tech Briefs, April 1994. Volume 18, No. 4

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1994-01-01

Topics covered: Advanced Composites and Plastics; Electronic Components and Circuits; Electronic Systems; Physical Sciences; Materials; Computer Programs; Mechanics; Machinery/Automation; Manufacturing/Fabrication; Mathematics and Information Sciences; Life Sciences; Books and Reports.

New perspectives in plastic biodegradation.

PubMed

Sivan, Alex

2011-06-01

During the past 50 years new plastic materials, in various applications, have gradually replaced the traditional metal, wood, leather materials. Ironically, the most preferred property of plastics--durability--exerts also the major environmental threat. Recycling has practically failed to provide a safe solution for disposal of plastic waste (only 5% out of 1 trillion plastic bags, annually produced in the US alone, are being recycled). Since the most utilized plastic is polyethylene (PE; ca. 140 million tons/year), any reduction in the accumulation of PE waste alone would have a major impact on the overall reduction of the plastic waste in the environment. Since PE is considered to be practically inert, efforts were made to isolate unique microorganisms capable of utilizing synthetic polymers. Recent data showed that biodegradation of plastic waste with selected microbial strains became a viable solution. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Recent advances in fixation of the craniomaxillofacial skeleton.

PubMed

Meslemani, Danny; Kellman, Robert M

2012-08-01

Fixation of the craniomaxillofacial skeleton is an evolving aspect for facial plastic, oral and maxillofacial, and plastic surgery. This review looks at the recent advances that aid in reduction and fixation of the craniomaxillofacial skeleton. More surgeons are using resorbable plates for craniomaxillofacial fixation. A single miniplate on the inferior border of the mandible may be sufficient to reduce and fixate an angle fracture. Percutaneous K-wires may assist in plating angle fractures. Intraoperative computed tomography (CT) may prove to be useful for assessing reduction and fixation. Resorbable plates are becoming increasingly popular in orthognathic surgery and facial trauma surgery. There are newer operative techniques for fixating the angle of the mandible. Also, the utilization of the intraoperative CT provides immediate feedback for accurate reduction and fixation. Prebent surgical plates save operative time, decrease errors, and provide more accurate fixation.

Away Rotations and Matching in Integrated Plastic Surgery Residency: Applicant and Program Director Perspectives.

PubMed

Drolet, Brian C; Brower, Jonathan P; Lifchez, Scott D; Janis, Jeffrey E; Liu, Paul Y

2016-04-01

Although nearly all medical students pursuing integrated plastic surgery residency participate in elective rotations away from their home medical school, the value and costs of these "away" rotations have not been well studied. The authors surveyed all integrated plastic surgery program directors and all applicants in the 2015 National Residency Matching Program. Forty-two program directors and 149 applicants (64 percent and 70 percent response rate, respectively) completed the survey. Applicants reported 13.7 weeks spent on plastic surgery rotations during medical school, including a mean of 9.2 weeks on away rotations. Average reported cost for away rotations was $3591 per applicant. Both applicants and program directors most commonly reported "making a good impression" (44.6 percent and 36.6 percent, respectively) or finding a "good-fit" program (27.7 percent and 48.8 percent, respectively) as the primary goal for away rotations. Almost all applicants (91.1 percent) believed an away rotation made them more competitive for matching to a program at which they rotated. Program directors ranked a strong away rotation performance as the most important residency selection criterion. Twenty-seven percent of postgraduate year-1 positions were filled by an away rotatorm and an additional 17 percent were filled by a home medical student. Away rotations appear to be mutually beneficial for applicants and programs in helping to establish a good fit between students and training programs through an extended interaction with the students, residents, and faculty. In addition, making a good impression on a senior elective rotation (home or away) may improve an applicant's chance of matching to a residency program.

40 CFR 60.720 - Applicability and designation of affected facility.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... in which plastic parts for use in the manufacture of business machines receive prime coats, color... Performance for Industrial Surface Coating: Surface Coating of Plastic Parts for Business Machines § 60.720...

Performance of europium-doped strontium iodide, transparent ceramics and bismuth-loaded polymer scintillators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cherepy, N. J.; Payne, S. A.; Sturm, B. W.; O'Neal, S. P.; Seeley, Z. M.; Drury, O. B.; Haselhorst, L. K.; Rupert, B. L.; Sanner, R. D.; Thelin, P. A.; Fisher, S. E.; Hawrami, R.; Shah, K. S.; Burger, A.; Ramey, J. O.; Boatner, L. A.

2011-09-01

Recently discovered scintillators for gamma ray spectroscopy - single-crystal SrI2(Eu), GYGAG(Ce) transparent ceramic and Bismuth-loaded plastics - offer resolution and fabrication advantages compared to commercial scintillators, such as NaI(Tl) and standard PVT plastic. Energy resolution at 662 keV of 2.7% is obtained with SrI2(Eu), while 4.5% is obtained with GYGAG(Ce). A new transparent ceramic scintillator for radiographic imaging systems, GLO(Eu), offers high light yield of 70,000 Photons/MeV, high stopping, and low radiation damage. Implementation of single-crystal SrI2(Eu), Gd-based transparent ceramics, and Bi-loaded plastic scintillators can advance the state-of-the art in ionizing radiation detection systems.

Neural circuit rewiring: insights from DD synapse remodeling.

PubMed

Kurup, Naina; Jin, Yishi

2016-01-01

Nervous systems exhibit many forms of neuronal plasticity during growth, learning and memory consolidation, as well as in response to injury. Such plasticity can occur across entire nervous systems as with the case of insect metamorphosis, in individual classes of neurons, or even at the level of a single neuron. A striking example of neuronal plasticity in C. elegans is the synaptic rewiring of the GABAergic Dorsal D-type motor neurons during larval development, termed DD remodeling. DD remodeling entails multi-step coordination to concurrently eliminate pre-existing synapses and form new synapses on different neurites, without changing the overall morphology of the neuron. This mini-review focuses on recent advances in understanding the cellular and molecular mechanisms driving DD remodeling.

Performance of Europium-Doped Strontium Iodide, Transparent Ceramics and Bismuth-loaded Polymer Scintillators

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cherepy, N J; Payne, S A; Sturm, B W

2011-08-30

Recently discovered scintillators for gamma ray spectroscopy, single crystal SrI{sub 2}(Eu), GYGAG(Ce) transparent ceramic and Bismuth-loaded plastics, offer resolution and fabrication advantages compared to commercial scintillators, such as NaI(Tl) and standard PVT plastic. Energy resolution at 662 keV of 2.7% is obtained with SrI{sub 2}(Eu), while 4.5% is obtained with GYGAG(Ce). A new transparent ceramic scintillator for radiographic imaging systems, GLO(Eu) offers high light yield of 70,000 Photons/MeV, high stopping, and low radiation damage. Implementation of single crystal SrI{sub 2}(Eu), Gd-based transparent ceramics, and Bi-loaded plastic scintillators can advance the state-of-the art in ionizing radiation detection systems.

Environmentally relevant concentrations of microplastic particles influence larval fish ecology.

PubMed

Lönnstedt, Oona M; Eklöv, Peter

2016-06-03

The widespread occurrence and accumulation of plastic waste in the environment have become a growing global concern over the past decade. Although some marine organisms have been shown to ingest plastic, few studies have investigated the ecological effects of plastic waste on animals. Here we show that exposure to environmentally relevant concentrations of microplastic polystyrene particles (90 micrometers) inhibits hatching, decreases growth rates, and alters feeding preferences and innate behaviors of European perch (Perca fluviatilis) larvae. Furthermore, individuals exposed to microplastics do not respond to olfactory threat cues, which greatly increases predator-induced mortality rates. Our results demonstrate that microplastic particles operate both chemically and physically on larval fish performance and development. Copyright © 2016, American Association for the Advancement of Science.

[The behavior of fiber-reinforced plastics during laser cutting].

PubMed

Emmrich, M; Levsen, K; Trasser, F J

1992-06-01

The pattern of the organic emissions, which are produced by processing of fibre reinforced plastics (epoxy resins reinforced by aramid and glass fibres and phenol resins reinforced by aramid fibre) with laser beam was studied and the concentrations of the main components determined. Despite the application of plastic materials with different chemical structures, the observed patterns are very similar. Mainly aromatic hydrocarbons are emitted, especially benzene and toluene, as well as some heteroatom-containing aromatic hydrocarbons (e.g. phenol). By use of oxygen as process gas the emissions during cutting of glass fibre reinforced plastics can be reduced, while they will be constantly high with aramid fibre reinforced plastics.

Art and Plastic Surgery.

PubMed

Fernandes, Julio Wilson; Metka, Susanne

2016-04-01

The roots of science and art of plastic surgery are very antique. Anatomy, drawing, painting, and sculpting have been very important to the surgery and medicine development over the centuries. Artistic skills besides shape, volume, and lines perception can be a practical aid to the plastic surgeons' daily work. An overview about the interactions between art and plastic surgery is presented, with a few applications to rhinoplasty, cleft lip, and other reconstructive plastic surgeries. This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266.

Use of indicator chemicals to characterize the plastic fragments ingested by Laysan albatross.

PubMed

Nilsen, Frances; David Hyrenbach, K; Fang, Jiasong; Jensen, Brenda

2014-10-15

Laysan albatross (Phoebastria immutabilis) ingest plastic marine debris of a wide range of shape, sizes and sources. To better characterize this plastic and provide insights regarding its provenance and persistence in the environment, we developed a simple method to classify plastic fragments of unknown origin according to the resin codes used by the Society of Plastics Industry. Known plastics were analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy (GC-MS) to identify indicator chemicals characteristic of each plastic resin. Application of this method to fragments of ingested plastic debris from boluses of Laysan albatross from Kure Atoll, Hawai'i, yielded proportions of 0.8% High Density Polyethylene, 6.8% Polystyrene, 8.5% Polyethylene Terephthalate, 20.5% Polyvinyl Chloride and 68.4% Polypropylene. Some fragments were composed of multiple resin types. These results suggest that infrequently recycled plastics are the dominant fragments ingested by albatross, and that these are the most prevalent and persistent resin types in the marine environment. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Review, mapping and analysis of the agricultural plastic waste generation and consolidation in Europe.

PubMed

Briassoulis, Demetres; Babou, Epifania; Hiskakis, Miltiadis; Scarascia, Giacomo; Picuno, Pietro; Guarde, Dorleta; Dejean, Cyril

2013-12-01

A review of agricultural plastic waste generation and consolidation in Europe is presented. A detailed geographical mapping of the agricultural plastic use and waste generation in Europe was conducted focusing on areas of high concentration of agricultural plastics. Quantitative data and analysis of the agricultural plastic waste generation by category, geographical distribution and compositional range, and physical characteristics of the agricultural plastic waste per use and the temporal distribution of the waste generation are presented. Data were collected and cross-checked from a variety of sources, including European, national and regional services and organizations, local agronomists, retailers and farmers, importers and converters. Missing data were estimated indirectly based on the recorded cultivated areas and the characteristics of the agricultural plastics commonly used in the particular regions. The temporal distribution, the composition and physical characteristics of the agricultural plastic waste streams were mapped by category and by application. This study represents the first systematic effort to map and analyse agricultural plastic waste generation and consolidation in Europe.

A mechanically driven form of Kirigami as a route to 3D mesostructures in micro/nanomembranes.

PubMed

Zhang, Yihui; Yan, Zheng; Nan, Kewang; Xiao, Dongqing; Liu, Yuhao; Luan, Haiwen; Fu, Haoran; Wang, Xizhu; Yang, Qinglin; Wang, Jiechen; Ren, Wen; Si, Hongzhi; Liu, Fei; Yang, Lihen; Li, Hejun; Wang, Juntong; Guo, Xuelin; Luo, Hongying; Wang, Liang; Huang, Yonggang; Rogers, John A

2015-09-22

Assembly of 3D micro/nanostructures in advanced functional materials has important implications across broad areas of technology. Existing approaches are compatible, however, only with narrow classes of materials and/or 3D geometries. This paper introduces ideas for a form of Kirigami that allows precise, mechanically driven assembly of 3D mesostructures of diverse materials from 2D micro/nanomembranes with strategically designed geometries and patterns of cuts. Theoretical and experimental studies demonstrate applicability of the methods across length scales from macro to nano, in materials ranging from monocrystalline silicon to plastic, with levels of topographical complexity that significantly exceed those that can be achieved using other approaches. A broad set of examples includes 3D silicon mesostructures and hybrid nanomembrane-nanoribbon systems, including heterogeneous combinations with polymers and metals, with critical dimensions that range from 100 nm to 30 mm. A 3D mechanically tunable optical transmission window provides an application example of this Kirigami process, enabled by theoretically guided design.

A mechanically driven form of Kirigami as a route to 3D mesostructures in micro/nanomembranes

PubMed Central

Zhang, Yihui; Yan, Zheng; Nan, Kewang; Xiao, Dongqing; Liu, Yuhao; Luan, Haiwen; Fu, Haoran; Wang, Xizhu; Yang, Qinglin; Wang, Jiechen; Ren, Wen; Si, Hongzhi; Liu, Fei; Yang, Lihen; Li, Hejun; Wang, Juntong; Guo, Xuelin; Luo, Hongying; Wang, Liang; Huang, Yonggang; Rogers, John A.

2015-01-01

Assembly of 3D micro/nanostructures in advanced functional materials has important implications across broad areas of technology. Existing approaches are compatible, however, only with narrow classes of materials and/or 3D geometries. This paper introduces ideas for a form of Kirigami that allows precise, mechanically driven assembly of 3D mesostructures of diverse materials from 2D micro/nanomembranes with strategically designed geometries and patterns of cuts. Theoretical and experimental studies demonstrate applicability of the methods across length scales from macro to nano, in materials ranging from monocrystalline silicon to plastic, with levels of topographical complexity that significantly exceed those that can be achieved using other approaches. A broad set of examples includes 3D silicon mesostructures and hybrid nanomembrane–nanoribbon systems, including heterogeneous combinations with polymers and metals, with critical dimensions that range from 100 nm to 30 mm. A 3D mechanically tunable optical transmission window provides an application example of this Kirigami process, enabled by theoretically guided design. PMID:26372959

Recent advances in biopolymers and biopolymer-based nanocomposites for food packaging materials.

PubMed

Tang, X Z; Kumar, P; Alavi, S; Sandeep, K P

2012-01-01

Plastic packaging for food and non-food applications is non-biodegradable, and also uses up valuable and scarce non-renewable resources like petroleum. With the current focus on exploring alternatives to petroleum and emphasis on reduced environmental impact, research is increasingly being directed at development of biodegradable food packaging from biopolymer-based materials. The proposed paper will present a review of recent developments in biopolymer-based food packaging materials including natural biopolymers (such as starches and proteins), synthetic biopolymers (such as poly lactic acid), biopolymer blends, and nanocomposites based on natural and synthetic biopolymers. The paper will discuss the various techniques that have been used for developing cost-effective biodegradable packaging materials with optimum mechanical strength and oxygen and moisture barrier properties. This is a timely review as there has been a recent renewed interest in research studies, both in the industry and academia, towards development of a new generation of biopolymer-based food packaging materials with possible applications in other areas.

Recent advances in surface functionalization techniques on polymethacrylate materials for optical biosensor applications.

PubMed

Hosseini, Samira; Ibrahim, Fatimah; Djordjevic, Ivan; Koole, Leo H

2014-06-21

Biosensor chips for immune-based assay systems have been investigated for their application in early diagnostics. The development of such systems strongly depends on the effective protein immobilization on polymer substrates. In order to achieve this complex heterogeneous interaction the polymer surface must be functionalized with chemical groups that are reactive towards proteins in a way that surface functional groups (such as carboxyl, -COOH; amine, -NH2; and hydroxyl, -OH) chemically or physically anchor the proteins to the polymer platform. Since the proteins are very sensitive towards their environment and can easily lose their activity when brought in close proximity to the solid surface, effective surface functionalization and high level of control over surface chemistry present the most important steps in the fabrication of biosensors. This paper reviews recent developments in surface functionalization and preparation of polymethacrylates for protein immobilization. Due to their versatility and cost effectiveness, this particular group of plastic polymers is widely used both in research and in industry.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zhang, Yihui; Yan, Zheng; Nan, Kewang

Assembly of 3D micro/nanostructures in advanced functional materials has important implications across broad areas of technology. Existing approaches are compatible, however, only with narrow classes of materials and/or 3D geometries. This article introduces ideas for a form of Kirigami that allows precise, mechanically driven assembly of 3D mesostructures of diverse materials from 2D micro/nanomembranes with strategically designed geometries and patterns of cuts. Theoretical and experimental studies demonstrate applicability of the methods across length scales from macro to nano, in materials ranging from monocrystalline silicon to plastic, with levels of topographical complexity that significantly exceed those that can be achieved usingmore » other approaches. A broad set of examples includes 3D silicon mesostructures and hybrid nanomembrane-nanoribbon systems, including heterogeneous combinations with polymers and metals, with critical dimensions that range from 100 nm to 30 mm. Lastly, a 3D mechanically tunable optical transmission window provides an application example of this Kirigami process, enabled by theoretically guided design.« less

Transcranial magnetic stimulation and neuroplasticity.

PubMed

Pascual-Leone, A; Tarazona, F; Keenan, J; Tormos, J M; Hamilton, R; Catala, M D

1999-02-01

We review past results and present novel data to illustrate different ways in which TMS can be used to study neural plasticity. Procedural learning during the serial reaction time task (SRTT) is used as a model of neural plasticity to illustrate the applications of TMS. These different applications of TMS represent principles of use that we believe are applicable to studies of cognitive neuroscience in general and exemplify the great potential of TMS in the study of brain and behavior. We review the use of TMS for (1) cortical output mapping using focal, single-pulse TMS; (2) identification of the mechanisms underlying neuroplasticity using paired-pulse TMS techniques; (3) enhancement of the information of other neuroimaging techniques by transient disruption of cortical function using repetitive TMS; and finally (4) modulation of cortical function with repetitive TMS to influence behavior and guide plasticity.

Development of design, qualification, screening, and application requirements for plastic encapsulated solid-state devices for space applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

1981-12-01

Test data were collected on 1035 plastic encapsulated devices and 75 hermetically scaled control group devices that were purchased from each of five different manufacturers in the categories of (1) low power Schottsky TTL (bipolar) digital circuits; (2) CMOS digital circuits; (3) operational amplifier linear circuits; and (4) NPN transistors. These parts were subjected to three different initial screening conditions, then to extended life testing, to determine any possible advantages or trends for any particular screen. Several tests were carried out in the areas of flammability testing, humidity testing, high pressure steam (auroclave) testing, and high temperature storage testing. Test results are presented. Procurement and application considerations for use of plastic encapsulated semiconductors are presented and a statistical analysis program written to study the log normal distributions resulting from life testing is concluded.

Development of design, qualification, screening, and application requirements for plastic encapsulated solid-state devices for space applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1981-01-01

Test data were collected on 1035 plastic encapsulated devices and 75 hermetically scaled control group devices that were purchased from each of five different manufacturers in the categories of (1) low power Schottsky TTL (bipolar) digital circuits; (2) CMOS digital circuits; (3) operational amplifier linear circuits; and (4) NPN transistors. These parts were subjected to three different initial screening conditions, then to extended life testing, to determine any possible advantages or trends for any particular screen. Several tests were carried out in the areas of flammability testing, humidity testing, high pressure steam (auroclave) testing, and high temperature storage testing. Test results are presented. Procurement and application considerations for use of plastic encapsulated semiconductors are presented and a statistical analysis program written to study the log normal distributions resulting from life testing is concluded.

[Some similarities between the work of M.C. Escher and plastic surgery].

PubMed

Marck, K W

2002-12-21

At first sight there would appear to be no similarities between the work of the Dutch graphic artist M.C. Escher and plastic surgery. M.C. Escher was a gifted graphic artist who produced a large collection of work. Most of his fame is due to the works that play with symmetry, space and infinity and leave the viewer astounded. However, how Escher came to produce these works is less well known. A theory which he developed himself formed the basis of the regular plane division. It later became apparent that this theory almost completely agreed with the mathematics of plane division. Two movements (isometries) defined in mathematics, translation and rotation, are equivalent to two techniques for transferring local skin in plastic surgery, namely, advancement and transposition. Escher's performance on the plane of a sheet of paper and a plastic surgeon's performance on the plane of the skin, therefore have a similar mathematical background. Escher has visualised these mathematical rules in an unusual and artistic manner, whereas plastic surgeons apply these rules in the grace of an elastic and healing nature.

16 CFR § 1610.34 - Only uncovered or exposed parts of wearing apparel to be tested.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... applicable procedures set forth in § 1610.6. (b) If the outer layer of plastic film or plastic-coated fabric... part 1611—Standard for the Flammability of Vinyl Plastic Film. If the outer layer adheres to all or a... characteristics of the film or coating, the uncovered or exposed layer shall be tested in accordance with part...

Different Approaches for Ensuring Performance/Reliability of Plastic Encapsulated Microcircuits (PEMs) in Space Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gerke, R. David; Sandor, Mike; Agarwal, Shri; Moor, Andrew F.; Cooper, Kim A.

1999-01-01

This paper presents viewgraphs on Plastic Encapsulated Microcircuits (PEMs). Different approaches are addressed to ensure good performance and reliability of PEMs. The topics include: 1) Mitigating Risk; and 2) Program results.

Fabrication and characterization of polymer blends and composites derived from biopolymers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sharma, Suraj

This research focuses on fabricating blends and composites from natural polymers especially from proteins and natural epoxy, and describing the properties of plastics made from them. Specifically, plastic samples from partially denatured feathermeal and bloodmeal proteins, derived from the animal co-products (rendering) industry, were successfully produced through a compression molding process. The modulus (stiffness) of the material obtained was found to be comparable with that of commercial synthetic materials, such as polystyrene, but was found to have lower toughness characteristics, which is a common phenomenon among plastics produced from animal and plant proteins. Therefore, this study explored blending methods for improving the toughness. Plastic forming conditions for undenatured animal proteins such as chicken egg whites albumin and whey, used as a model, were established to prepare plastics from their blends with animal co-product proteins. The resultant plastic samples from these biomacromolecular blends demonstrated improved mechanical properties that were also compared with the established theoretical models known for polymer blends and composites. Moreover, plastics from albumin of chicken egg whites and human serum have demonstrated their potential in medical applications that require antibacterial properties. Another natural polymer vegetable oil-based epoxy, especially epoxidized linseed oil, showed significant potential to replace petroleum-derived resins for use as a matrix for composites in structural applications. Moreover, the research showed the benefits of ultrasonic curing, which can help in preparing the out-of-autoclave composites.

NASA Tech Briefs, May 1997. Volume 21, No. 5

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1997-01-01

Topics covered include: Advanced Composites, Plastics and Metals; Electronic Components and Circuits; Electronic Systems; Physical Sciences; Materials; Computer Programs; Mechanics; Machinery/Automation; Manufacturing/Fabrication; Mathematics and Information Sciences; Life Sciences; Books and Reports.

NASA Tech Briefs, April 1996. Volume 20, No. 4

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1996-01-01

Topics covered include: Advanced Composites and Plastics; Computer-Aided Design and Engineering; Electronic Components and Circuits; Electronic Systems; Physical Sciences; Materials; Computer Programs; Mechanics; Machinery/Automation; Manufacturing/Fabrication; Mathematics and Information; Books and Reports.

Design of a Nanoscale, CMOS-Integrable, Thermal-Guiding Structure for Boolean-Logic and Neuromorphic Computation.

PubMed

Loke, Desmond; Skelton, Jonathan M; Chong, Tow-Chong; Elliott, Stephen R

2016-12-21

One of the requirements for achieving faster CMOS electronics is to mitigate the unacceptably large chip areas required to steer heat away from or, more recently, toward the critical nodes of state-of-the-art devices. Thermal-guiding (TG) structures can efficiently direct heat by "meta-materials" engineering; however, some key aspects of the behavior of these systems are not fully understood. Here, we demonstrate control of the thermal-diffusion properties of TG structures by using nanometer-scale, CMOS-integrable, graphene-on-silica stacked materials through finite-element-methods simulations. It has been shown that it is possible to implement novel, controllable, thermally based Boolean-logic and spike-timing-dependent plasticity operations for advanced (neuromorphic) computing applications using such thermal-guide architectures.

Semicircular thermocouple needle depth gauge for cryoprocedures.

PubMed

Pappenfort, R B

1981-06-01

A semicircular thermocouple needle depth gauge made of an aluminum alloy drilled with tracks at different angles to place thermocouple needles at various depths below the surface is described herein. Its shape offers definite advantages over circular jigs (templates) when doing cryoexperimentation and when used clinically. The material of which it is made is more durable than plastic. Grommets that firmly snap in place within the inner rim of the instrument permit accurate placement of liquid gas spray, cryoprobes, and other applicators directly over the thermocouple needle tips. This is of special importance when doing cryoexperiments. Furthermore, with this design, the advancing ice front and possible liquid gas runoff are more easily seen. By using both halves it is suitable for monitoring the temperature when freezing large tumors at two different sites and a different depths.

[Occlusion: current situation and prospect in view of holistic integrative medicine].

PubMed

Wang, M Q; Liu, X D

2017-08-09

The rise of holistic integrative medicine (HIM) is an inevitable consequence of modern medical development which emphasizes the change from specialization to integration of the most advanced medical knowledge. It does not mean a simple collection of the medical theories, but means the digestion of those theories for the clinical practical application. Because occlusal therapy is characterized as not only a high level of individualization, but also a relation to many stomatology and other disciplines, such as plastic surgery, orthopedics, neurosciences and psychology. It needs the HIM to guide the clinical practice. With undertaking occlusal therapy, to avoid the limitation due to the excessive specialized disciplines, and to provide effective treatment plans for abnormal occlusion induced diseases, it is necessary to develop the discipline of the holistic integrative stomatology.

Biosensor-based engineering of biosynthetic pathways

DOE PAGES

Rogers, Jameson K.; Taylor, Noah D.; Church, George M.

2016-03-18

Biosynthetic pathways provide an enzymatic route from inexpensive renewable resources to valuable metabolic products such as pharmaceuticals and plastics. However, designing these pathways is challenging due to the complexities of biology. Advances in the design and construction of genetic variants has enabled billions of cells, each possessing a slightly different metabolic design, to be rapidly generated. However, our ability to measure the quality of these designs lags by several orders of magnitude. Recent research has enabled cells to report their own success in chemical production through the use of genetically encoded biosensors. A new engineering discipline is emerging around themore » creation and application of biosensors. Biosensors, implemented in selections and screens to identify productive cells, are paving the way for a new era of biotechnological progress.« less

Nature Neuroscience Review

PubMed Central

Maze, Ian; Shen, Li; Zhang, Bin; Garcia, Benjamin A.; Shao, Ningyi; Mitchell, Amanda; Sun, HaoSheng; Akbarian, Schahram; Allis, C. David; Nestler, Eric J.

2014-01-01

Over the past decade, rapid advances in epigenomics research have extensively characterized critical roles for chromatin regulatory events during normal periods of eukaryotic cell development and plasticity, as well as part of aberrant processes implicated in human disease. Application of such approaches to studies of the central nervous system (CNS), however, is more recent. Here, we provide a comprehensive overview of currently available tools to analyze neuroepigenomics data, as well as a discussion of pending challenges specific to the field of neuroscience. Integration of numerous unbiased genome-wide and proteomic approaches will be necessary to fully understand the neuroepigenome and the extraordinarily complex nature of the human brain. This will be critical to the development of future diagnostic and therapeutic strategies aimed at alleviating the vast array of heterogeneous and genetically distinct disorders of the CNS. PMID:25349914

Mammary Stem Cells: Premise, Properties, and Perspectives.

PubMed

Lloyd-Lewis, Bethan; Harris, Olivia B; Watson, Christine J; Davis, Felicity M

2017-08-01

Adult mammary stem cells (MaSCs) drive postnatal organogenesis and remodeling in the mammary gland, and their longevity and potential have important implications for breast cancer. However, despite intense investigation the identity, location, and differentiation potential of MaSCs remain subject to deliberation. The application of genetic lineage-tracing models, combined with quantitative 3D imaging and biophysical methods, has provided new insights into the mammary epithelial hierarchy that challenge classical definitions of MaSC potency and behaviors. We review here recent advances - discussing fundamental unresolved properties of MaSC potency, dynamics, and plasticity - and point to evolving technologies that promise to shed new light on this intractable debate. Elucidation of the physiological mammary differentiation hierarchy is paramount to understanding the complex heterogeneous breast cancer landscape. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Clinical applications of dynamic infrared thermography in plastic surgery: a systematic review

PubMed Central

John, Hannah Eliza; Niumsawatt, Vachara; Whitaker, Iain S.

2016-01-01

Background Infrared thermography (IRT) has become an increasingly utilized adjunct to more expensive and/or invasive investigations in a range of surgical fields, no more so than in plastic surgery. The combination of functional assessment, flow characteristics and anatomical localization has led to increasing applications of this technology. This article aims to perform a systematic review of the clinical applications of IRT in plastic surgery. Methods A systematic literature search using the keywords ‘IRT’ and ‘dynamic infrared thermography (DIRT)’ has been accomplished. A total of 147 papers were extracted from various medical databases, of which 34 articles were subjected to a full read by two independent reviewers, to ensure the papers satisfied the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Studies focusing on the use of IRT in breast cancer diagnosis were excluded. Results A systematic review of 29 publications demonstrated the clinical applications of IRT in plastic surgery today. They include preoperative planning of perforators for free flaps, post operative monitoring of free flaps, use of IRT as an adjunct in burns depth analysis, in assessment of response to treatment in hemangioma and as a diagnostic test for cutaneous melanoma and carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). Conclusions Modern infrared imaging technology with improved standardization protocols is now a credible, useful non-invasive tool in clinical practice. PMID:27047781

Demonstration of finite element simulations in MOOSE using crystallographic models of irradiation hardening and plastic deformation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Patra, Anirban; Wen, Wei; Martinez Saez, Enrique

This report describes the implementation of a crystal plasticity framework (VPSC) for irradiation hardening and plastic deformation in the finite element code, MOOSE. Constitutive models for irradiation hardening and the crystal plasticity framework are described in a previous report [1]. Here we describe these models briefly and then describe an algorithm for interfacing VPSC with finite elements. Example applications of tensile deformation of a dog bone specimen and a 3D pre-irradiated bar specimen performed using MOOSE are demonstrated.

Is "Snapchat Dysmorphia" a Real Issue?

PubMed

Ramphul, Kamleshun; Mejias, Stephanie G

2018-03-03

It was observed that in early 2018, several newspapers raised a concern about the negative effects of social media applications, such as Snapchat and Instagram, on users related to the choice of plastic surgeries. Several plastic surgeons have shared their experiences whereby they encountered requests sounding similar to what a "filtered" Snapchat picture would look like, with one plastic surgeon even having a patient who actually produced a "filtered" image. There are several red flags to look out for in such patients, and proper management in those cases should include counseling and not plastic surgery.

Development of a new approach based on midwave infrared spectroscopy for post-consumer black plastic waste sorting in the recycling industry.

PubMed

Rozenstein, Offer; Puckrin, Eldon; Adamowski, Jan

2017-10-01

Waste sorting is key to the process of waste recycling. Exact identification of plastic resin and wood products using Near Infrared (NIR, 1-1.7µm) sensing is currently in use. Yet, dark targets characterized by low reflectance, such as black plastics, are hard to identify by this method. Following the recent success of Midwave Infrared (MWIR, 3-12µm) measurements to identify coloured plastic polymers, the aim of this study was to assess whether this technique is applicable to sorting black plastic polymers and wood products. We performed infrared reflectance contact measurements of 234 plastic samples and 29 samples of wood and paper products. Plastic samples included black, coloured and transparent Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET), Polyethylene (PE), Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC), Polypropylene (PP), Polylactic acid (PLA) and Polystyrene (PS). The spectral signatures of the black and coloured plastic samples were compared with clear plastic samples and signatures documented in the literature to identify the polymer spectral features in the presence of coloured material. This information was used to determine the spectral bands that best suit the sorting of black plastic polymers. The main NIR-MWIR absorption features of wood, cardboard and paper were identified as well according to the spectral measurements. Good agreement was found between our measurements and the absorption features documented in the literature. The new approach using MWIR spectral features appears to be useful for black plastics as it overcomes some of the limitations in the NIR region to identify them. The main limitation of this technique for industrial applications is the trade-off between the signal-to-noise ratio of the sensor operating in standoff mode and the speed at which waste is moved under the sensor. This limitation can be resolved by reducing the system's spectral resolution to 16cm -1 , which allows for faster spectra acquisition while maintaining a reasonable signal-to-noise ratio. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The influence of polycarboxylate-type super-plasticizers on alkali-free liquid concrete accelerators performance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guo, Wenkang; Yin, Haibo; Wang, Shuyin; He, Zhifeng

2017-04-01

Through studying on the setting times, cement mortar compressive strength and cement mortar compressive strength ratio, the influence of alkali-free liquid accelerators polycarboxylate-type super-plasticizers on the performance of alkali-free liquid accelerators in cement-based material was investigated. The results showed that the compatibility of super-plasticizers and alkali-free liquid accelerators was excellent. However, the dosage of super-plasticizers had a certain impact on the performance of alkali-free liquid accelerators as follows: 1) the setting times of alkali-free liquid accelerators was in the inverse proportional relationship to the dosage of super-plasticizers; 2)the influence of super-plasticizers dosage on the cement mortar compressive strength of alkali-free liquid accelerators was related to the types of accelerators, where exist an optimum super-plasticizers dosage for cement mortar compressive strength at 28d; 3)the later cement mortar compressive strength with alkali-free liquid accelerators were decreasing with the increment of the super-plasticizers dosage. In the practical application of alkali-free liquid accelerators and super-plasticizer, the dosage of super-plasticizer must be determined by dosage optimization test results.

Spike-Timing Dependent Plasticity in Unipolar Silicon Oxide RRAM Devices

PubMed Central

Zarudnyi, Konstantin; Mehonic, Adnan; Montesi, Luca; Buckwell, Mark; Hudziak, Stephen; Kenyon, Anthony J.

2018-01-01

Resistance switching, or Resistive RAM (RRAM) devices show considerable potential for application in hardware spiking neural networks (neuro-inspired computing) by mimicking some of the behavior of biological synapses, and hence enabling non-von Neumann computer architectures. Spike-timing dependent plasticity (STDP) is one such behavior, and one example of several classes of plasticity that are being examined with the aim of finding suitable algorithms for application in many computing tasks such as coincidence detection, classification and image recognition. In previous work we have demonstrated that the neuromorphic capabilities of silicon-rich silicon oxide (SiOx) resistance switching devices extend beyond plasticity to include thresholding, spiking, and integration. We previously demonstrated such behaviors in devices operated in the unipolar mode, opening up the question of whether we could add plasticity to the list of features exhibited by our devices. Here we demonstrate clear STDP in unipolar devices. Significantly, we show that the response of our devices is broadly similar to that of biological synapses. This work further reinforces the potential of simple two-terminal RRAM devices to mimic neuronal functionality in hardware spiking neural networks. PMID:29472837

The second green revolution? Production of plant-based biodegradable plastics.

PubMed

Mooney, Brian P

2009-03-01

Biodegradable plastics are those that can be completely degraded in landfills, composters or sewage treatment plants by the action of naturally occurring micro-organisms. Truly biodegradable plastics leave no toxic, visible or distinguishable residues following degradation. Their biodegradability contrasts sharply with most petroleum-based plastics, which are essentially indestructible in a biological context. Because of the ubiquitous use of petroleum-based plastics, their persistence in the environment and their fossil-fuel derivation, alternatives to these traditional plastics are being explored. Issues surrounding waste management of traditional and biodegradable polymers are discussed in the context of reducing environmental pressures and carbon footprints. The main thrust of the present review addresses the development of plant-based biodegradable polymers. Plants naturally produce numerous polymers, including rubber, starch, cellulose and storage proteins, all of which have been exploited for biodegradable plastic production. Bacterial bioreactors fed with renewable resources from plants--so-called 'white biotechnology'--have also been successful in producing biodegradable polymers. In addition to these methods of exploiting plant materials for biodegradable polymer production, the present review also addresses the advances in synthesizing novel polymers within transgenic plants, especially those in the polyhydroxyalkanoate class. Although there is a stigma associated with transgenic plants, especially food crops, plant-based biodegradable polymers, produced as value-added co-products, or, from marginal land (non-food), crops such as switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.), have the potential to become viable alternatives to petroleum-based plastics and an environmentally benign and carbon-neutral source of polymers.

Effect of Boron Addition on Microstructural Evolution and Room-Temperature Mechanical Properties of Novel Fe66- x CrNiB x Si ( x = 0, 0.25, 0.50 and 0.75 Wt Pct) Advanced High-Strength Steels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Askari-Paykani, Mohsen; Shahverdi, Hamid Reza; Miresmaeili, Reza

2016-11-01

In this study, the Vickers hardnesses and room-temperature uniaxial tensile behaviors of four Fe66- x CrNiB x Si ( x = 0 (0B), 0.25 (25B), 0.50 (50B), and 0.75 (75B) wt pct) advanced high-strength steels (AHSSs) in the as-hot-rolled and heat-treated (1373 K (1100 °C)/2 h + 973 K (700 °C)/20 min) conditions were investigated. Microstructural evolution after solidification, hot rolling, heat treatment, and uniaxial tensile tests of 0B, 25B, 50B, and 75B AHSSs was also characterized using field emission gun scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction. The tensile behaviors of the 0B, 25B, 50B, and 75B AHSSs were manifested by an excellent combination of strength and ductility over 34.7 and 47.1 GPa pct, 36.9 and 42.3 GPa pct, 45.9 and 46.4 GPa pct, and 11.9 and 47.8 GPa pct, respectively, arising from microband-induced plasticity in the 0B, 50B, and 75B AHSSs and transformation-induced plasticity in the 25B specimens. All specimens in the as-hot-rolled and heat-treated states showed an austenitic matrix grain. Adding boron to the base alloy (0B) resulted in grain refinement, M2B dispersion, precipitation hardening, and solid solution strengthening, which led to an increase in strength. The results of the present work show promise for automotive applications that require excellent properties and reduced specific weight.

Energy-Based Facial Rejuvenation: Advances in Diagnosis and Treatment.

PubMed

Britt, Christopher J; Marcus, Benjamin

2017-01-01

The market for nonsurgical, energy-based facial rejuvenation techniques has increased exponentially since lasers were first used for skin rejuvenation in 1983. Advances in this area have led to a wide range of products that require the modern facial plastic surgeon to have a large repertoire of knowledge. To serve as a guide for current trends in the development of technology, applications, and outcomes of laser and laser-related technology over the past 5 years. We performed a review of PubMed from January 1, 2011, to March 1, 2016, and focused on randomized clinical trials, meta-analyses, systematic reviews, and clinical practice guidelines including case control, case studies and case reports when necessary, and included 14 articles we deemed landmark articles before 2011. Three broad categories of technology are leading non-energy-based rejuvenation technology: lasers, light therapy, and non-laser-based thermal tightening devices. Laser light therapy has continued to diversify with the use of ablative and nonablative resurfacing technologies, fractionated lasers, and their combined use. Light therapy has developed for use in combination with other technologies or stand alone. Finally, thermally based nonlaser skin-tightening devices, such as radiofrequency (RF) and intense focused ultrasonography (IFUS), are evolving technologies that have changed rapidly over the past 5 years. Improvements in safety and efficacy for energy-based treatment have expanded the patient base considering these therapies viable options. With a wide variety of options, the modern facial plastic surgeon can have a frank discussion with the patient regarding nonsurgical techniques that were never before available. Many of these patients can now derive benefit from treatments requiring significantly less downtime than before while the clinician can augment the treatment to maximize benefit to fit the patient's time schedule.

Plasticity - Theory and finite element applications.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Armen, H., Jr.; Levine, H. S.

1972-01-01

A unified presentation is given of the development and distinctions associated with various incremental solution procedures used to solve the equations governing the nonlinear behavior of structures, and this is discussed within the framework of the finite-element method. Although the primary emphasis here is on material nonlinearities, consideration is also given to geometric nonlinearities acting separately or in combination with nonlinear material behavior. The methods discussed here are applicable to a broad spectrum of structures, ranging from simple beams to general three-dimensional bodies. The finite-element analysis methods for material nonlinearity are general in the sense that any of the available plasticity theories can be incorporated to treat strain hardening or ideally plastic behavior.

The use of stem cells in aesthetic dermatology and plastic surgery procedures. A compact review of experimental and clinical applications

PubMed Central

Nowacki, Maciej; Kloskowski, Tomasz; Pietkun, Katarzyna; Zegarski, Maciej; Pokrywczyńska, Marta; Habib, Samy L.; Drewa, Tomasz

2017-01-01

The aim of this paper was to collect currently available data related to the use of stem cells in aesthetic dermatology and plastic surgery based on a systemic review of experimental and clinical applications. We found that the use of stem cells is very promising but the current state of art is still not effective. This situation is connected with not fully known mechanisms of cell interactions, possible risks and side effects. We think that there is a big need to create and conduct different studies which could resolve problems of stem cells use for implementation into aesthetic dermatology and plastic surgery. PMID:29422816

The use of stem cells in aesthetic dermatology and plastic surgery procedures. A compact review of experimental and clinical applications.

PubMed

Nowacki, Maciej; Kloskowski, Tomasz; Pietkun, Katarzyna; Zegarski, Maciej; Pokrywczyńska, Marta; Habib, Samy L; Drewa, Tomasz; Zegarska, Barbara

2017-12-01

The aim of this paper was to collect currently available data related to the use of stem cells in aesthetic dermatology and plastic surgery based on a systemic review of experimental and clinical applications. We found that the use of stem cells is very promising but the current state of art is still not effective. This situation is connected with not fully known mechanisms of cell interactions, possible risks and side effects. We think that there is a big need to create and conduct different studies which could resolve problems of stem cells use for implementation into aesthetic dermatology and plastic surgery.

Factors impacting successfully competing for research funding: an analysis of applications submitted to the Plastic Surgery Foundation.

PubMed

Hume, Keith M; Giladi, Aviram M; Chung, Kevin C

2015-02-01

Federal research funding is decreasing, forcing specialty organizations to have an increasingly important position in developing and fostering research. As the research and innovation arm of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, The Plastic Surgery Foundation has a key role in supporting promising plastic surgery research. Understanding the grant review process and factors that contribute to funding well-written grant funding applications is essential for aspiring academic surgeons. All research grant applications submitted to The Plastic Surgery Foundation in 2012 and 2013 were evaluated. Each reviewer comment was assessed independently by two study team members and classified into key weakness categories. The chi-square test was used to compare results between funded and unfunded grants. Linear regression identified which critique elements corresponded to changes in scores, and logistic regression identified elements that predicted funding. The authors analyzed 1764 comments from 240 applications. Of these, 55 received funding. Funded grants had significantly fewer reviewer comments in four of five weakness categories. As expected, funded grants received better (lower) scores. Concerns in the categories of plan for execution and other elements/grantsmanship significantly affected score and odds of funding. Ensuring that a grant addresses all required elements is important for receiving a low reviewer score. Our study demonstrates that plan for execution and grantsmanship influence reviewer scoring more than others. Investigators must clearly address items associated with conducting their experiments and performing the analysis. Investigators must also give equal attention to elements of overall quality and completeness to optimize chances of funding.

Clinical Application of Platelet-Rich Fibrin in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery: A Systematic Review.

PubMed

Yu, Panxi; Zhai, Zhen; Jin, Xiaolei; Yang, Xiaonan; Qi, Zuoliang

2018-04-01

Platelet-rich fibrin (PRF) has been applied in the clinical field for more than a decade, but largely in oral surgery and implant dentistry. Its utilization in plastic and reconstructive surgery is limited and lacking a comprehensive review. Hence, this article focuses on the various clinical applications of PRF pertaining to the plastic and reconstructive field through a systematic review. In this review, articles describing the clinical application of PRF in plastic and reconstructive surgery were screened using predetermined inclusion and exclusion criteria. The articles were summarized and divided into groups based on the utilization of PRF. The effects and complications of PRF were analyzed and concluded. Among the 634 articles searched, 7 articles describing 151 cases are eligible. PRF was applied on 116 (76.8%) wounds to facilitate tissue healing, and the complete wound closure rate was 91.4% (106/116). Otherwise, PRF was applied in 10 (6.6%) cases of zygomaticomaxillary fracture to reconstruct orbital floor defects and in 25 (16.6%) cases of facial autologous fat grafts to increase the fat retention rate successfully. There is no report of PRF-related complications. PRF could facilitate wound healing, including the healing of soft tissues and bony tissues, and facilitate fat survival rate. Further studies are needed to test the mechanism of PRF and expand its scope of application in plastic and reconstructive surgery. This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266 .

EVALUATION OF RECYCLED PLASTIC LUMBER FOR MARINE APPLICATIONS

EPA Science Inventory

This report presents an evaluation of the recycled plastic materials (RPM) produced by California Recycling Company (CRC). his evaluation is performed under the Municipal Waste Innovative Technology Evaluation (MITE) Program of the U.S. EPA, Risk Reduction Engineering Laboratory....

EVALUATION OF RECYCLED PLASTIC LUMBER FOR MARINE APPLICATIONS

EPA Science Inventory

This report presents an evaluation of the recycled plastic materials (RPM) produced by California Recycling Company (CRC). This evaluation is performed under the Municipal Waste Innovative Technology Evaluation (MITE) Program of the U.S. EPA, Risk Reduction Engineering Laboratory...

All-natural bio-plastics using starch-betaglucan composites.

PubMed

Sagnelli, Domenico; Kirkensgaard, Jacob J K; Giosafatto, Concetta Valeria L; Ogrodowicz, Natalia; Kruczała, Krzysztof; Mikkelsen, Mette S; Maigret, Jean-Eudes; Lourdin, Denis; Mortensen, Kell; Blennow, Andreas

2017-09-15

Grain polysaccharides represent potential valuable raw materials for next-generation advanced and environmentally friendly plastics. Thermoplastic starch (TPS) is processed using conventional plastic technology, such as casting, extrusion, and molding. However, to adapt the starch to specific functionalities chemical modifications or blending with synthetic polymers, such as polycaprolactone are required (e.g. Mater-Bi). As an alternative, all-natural and compostable bio-plastics can be produced by blending starch with other polysaccharides. In this study, we used a maize starch (ST) and an oat β-glucan (BG) composite system to produce bio-plastic prototype films. To optimize performing conditions, we investigated the full range of ST:BG ratios for the casting (100:0, 75:25, 50:50, 25:75 and 0:100 BG). The plasticizer used was glycerol. Electron Paramagnetic Resonance (EPR), using TEMPO (2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-1-oxyl) as a spin probe, showed that the composite films with high BG content had a flexible chemical environment. They showed decreased brittleness and improved cohesiveness with high stress and strain values at the break. Wide-angle X-ray diffraction displayed a decrease in crystallinity at high BG content. Our data show that the blending of starch with other natural polysaccharides is a noteworthy path to improve the functionality of all-natural polysaccharide bio-plastics systems. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Developmental plasticity of murine and human Foxp3(+) regulatory T cells.

PubMed

Liston, Adrian; Piccirillo, Ciriaco A

2013-01-01

Murine and human CD4(+) regulatory T (Treg) cells expressing the Forkhead box p3 (Foxp3) transcription factor represent a distinct, highly differentiated CD4(+) T cell lineage that is programmed for dominant self-tolerance and control of immune responses against a variety of foreign antigens. Sustained Foxp3 expression in these cells drives the differentiation of a regulatory phenotype and ensures the stability of their suppressive functions under a variety of inflammatory settings. Some recent studies have challenged this premise and advanced the notion that Foxp3(+) Treg cells manifest a high degree of functional plasticity that enables them to adapt and reprogram into effector-like T cells in response to various inflammatory stimuli. The concept of Treg cell plasticity remains highly contentious, with a high degree of variation in measured plasticity potential observed under different experimental conditions. In this chapter, we propose a unifying model of Treg cell plasticity, which hypothesizes that the stable fates of regulatory and effector T (Teff) cell lineages allow transient plasticity into the alternative lineage under a discrete set of microenvironmental influences associated with, respectively, the initiation and resolution phases of infection. This model utilizes a theoretical framework consistent with the requirements for effective immune regulation and accounts for both the extraordinary long-term stability of Treg cells and the observed fate plasticity. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Does greater thermal plasticity facilitate range expansion of an invasive terrestrial anuran into higher latitudes?

PubMed

Winwood-Smith, Hugh S; Alton, Lesley A; Franklin, Craig E; White, Craig R

2015-01-01

Temperature has pervasive effects on physiological processes and is critical in setting species distribution limits. Since invading Australia, cane toads have spread rapidly across low latitudes, but slowly into higher latitudes. Low temperature is the likely factor limiting high-latitude advancement. Several previous attempts have been made to predict future cane toad distributions in Australia, but understanding the potential contribution of phenotypic plasticity and adaptation to future range expansion remains challenging. Previous research demonstrates the considerable thermal metabolic plasticity of the cane toad, but suggests limited thermal plasticity of locomotor performance. Additionally, the oxygen-limited thermal tolerance hypothesis predicts that reduced aerobic scope sets thermal limits for ectotherm performance. Metabolic plasticity, locomotor performance and aerobic scope are therefore predicted targets of natural selection as cane toads invade colder regions. We measured these traits at temperatures of 10, 15, 22.5 and 30°C in low- and high-latitude toads acclimated to 15 and 30°C, to test the hypothesis that cane toads have adapted to cooler temperatures. High-latitude toads show increased metabolic plasticity and higher resting metabolic rates at lower temperatures. Burst locomotor performance was worse for high-latitude toads. Other traits showed no regional differences. We conclude that increased metabolic plasticity may facilitate invasion into higher latitudes by maintaining critical physiological functions at lower temperatures.

Contribution of plastic waste recovery to greenhouse gas (GHG) savings in Spain.

PubMed

Sevigné-Itoiz, Eva; Gasol, Carles M; Rieradevall, Joan; Gabarrell, Xavier

2015-12-01

This paper concentrates on the quantification of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of post-consumer plastic waste recovery (material or energy) by considering the influence of the plastic waste quality (high or low), the recycled plastic applications (virgin plastic substitution or non-plastic substitution) and the markets of recovered plastic (regional or global). The aim is to quantify the environmental consequences of different alternatives in order to evaluate opportunities and limitations to select the best and most feasible plastic waste recovery option to decrease the GHG emissions. The methodologies of material flow analysis (MFA) for a time period of thirteen years and consequential life cycle assessment (CLCA) have been integrated. The study focuses on Spain as a representative country for Europe. The results show that to improve resource efficiency and avoid more GHG emissions, the options for plastic waste management are dependent on the quality of the recovered plastic. The results also show that there is an increasing trend of exporting plastic waste for recycling, mainly to China, that reduces the GHG benefits from recycling, suggesting that a new focus should be introduced to take into account the split between local recycling and exporting. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Chemical Industry: A New Interdisciplinary Course for Secondary Schools.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nae, Nehemia; And Others

1980-01-01

Describes an advanced high school course which incorporates an industrial approach into the chemistry curriculum. Presents three case studies as examples taken from the local chemistry industry--the production of copper, bromine, and plastics. (CS)

NASA Tech Briefs, May 1998. Volume 22, No. 5

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1998-01-01

Topics include: special coverage on advanced composites, plastics and metals, electronic components and circuits, electronic systems, physical sciences, computer software, mechanics, machinery/automation, manufacturing/fabrication book and reports, and a special section of Electronics Tech Briefs.

Microplastics: addressing ecological risk through lessons learned.

PubMed

Syberg, Kristian; Khan, Farhan R; Selck, Henriette; Palmqvist, Annemette; Banta, Gary T; Daley, Jennifer; Sano, Larissa; Duhaime, Melissa B

2015-05-01

Plastic litter is an environmental problem of great concern. Despite the magnitude of the plastic pollution in our water bodies, only limited scientific understanding is available about the risk to the environment, particularly for microplastics. The apparent magnitude of the problem calls for quickly developing sound scientific guidance on the ecological risks of microplastics. The authors suggest that future research into microplastics risks should be guided by lessons learned from the more advanced and better understood areas of (eco) toxicology of engineered nanoparticles and mixture toxicity. Relevant examples of advances in these two fields are provided to help accelerate the scientific learning curve within the relatively unexplored area of microplastics risk assessment. Finally, the authors advocate an expansion of the "vector effect" hypothesis with regard to microplastics risk to help focus research of microplastics environmental risk at different levels of biological and environmental organization. © 2015 SETAC.

Cognitive Plasticity and Cortical Modules

PubMed Central

Mercado, Eduardo

2009-01-01

Some organisms learn to calculate, accumulate knowledge, and communicate in ways that others do not. What factors determine which intellectual abilities a particular species or individual can easily acquire? I propose that cognitive-skill learning capacity reflects (a) the availability of specialized cortical circuits, (b) the flexibility with which cortical activity is coordinated, and (c) the customizability of cortical networks. This framework can potentially account for differences in learning capacity across species, individuals, and developmental stages. Understanding the mechanisms that constrain cognitive plasticity is fundamental to developing new technologies and educational practices that maximize intellectual advancements. PMID:19750239

Cognitive Plasticity and Cortical Modules.

PubMed

Mercado, Eduardo

2009-06-01

Some organisms learn to calculate, accumulate knowledge, and communicate in ways that others do not. What factors determine which intellectual abilities a particular species or individual can easily acquire? I propose that cognitive-skill learning capacity reflects (a) the availability of specialized cortical circuits, (b) the flexibility with which cortical activity is coordinated, and (c) the customizability of cortical networks. This framework can potentially account for differences in learning capacity across species, individuals, and developmental stages. Understanding the mechanisms that constrain cognitive plasticity is fundamental to developing new technologies and educational practices that maximize intellectual advancements.

[Contribution of French surgeons to reconstructive microsurgery].

PubMed

Grinfeder, C; Pinsolle, V; Pelissier, P; Martin, D; Baudet, J

2005-02-01

The authors report the contribution of French surgeons and particularly the plastic surgeons to the reconstructive microsurgery since 1972. Different domains are reviewed: animal experimentation, anatomical studies, reimplantations, free tissular transfer, free bone transfer, strategic original concept of transfer, free toes transfer, microsurgical reconstruction of malformative hand, free lymphatic transfer, nervous microsurgery, flap prefabrication, allotransplantations and the future of microsurgery. Three societies have the place of honour: the French Society of Plastic Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery, the Group for Advancement of Microsurgery and the World Society for Reconstructive Microsurgery.

Periodontal plastic surgery of gingival recessions at single and multiple teeth.

PubMed

Cairo, Francesco

2017-10-01

This manuscript aims to review periodontal plastic surgery for root coverage at single and multiple gingival recessions. Techniques are assessed based on biological principles, surgical procedures, prognosticative factors and expected clinical and esthetic outcomes. The use of coronally advanced flap, laterally sliding flap, free gingival graft, the tunnel grafting technique, barrier membranes, enamel matrix derivative, collagen matrix and acellular dermal matrix are evaluated. The clinical scenario and practical implications are analyzed according to a modern evidence-based approach. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Effect of biofumigation with brassica pellets combined with Brassicaceae cover crops and plastic cover on the survival and infectivity of inoculum of Phytophthora nicotianae Breda de Haan.

PubMed

Rodríguez-Molina, M Carmen; Serrano-Pérez, Paula; Palo, Carolina

2016-07-01

Biofumigation with defatted seed meal of Brassicaceae in the form of pellets has several advantages over the incorporation of fresh Brassicaceae crops to control soil-borne diseases. Two field experiments were established to evaluate the effect of biofumigation with brassica pellets on the survival and infectivity of Phytophthora nicotianae Breda de Haan inoculum introduced before treatments. In the spring experiment the incorporation of additional Brassicaceae cover crop (Brassica nigra L. and Sinapis alba L.) was tested, and in the summer experiment two brassica pellet doses were applied. Biofumigation with brassica pellets in spring (3000 kg ha(-1) with and without plastic) or in summer (3000 kg ha(-1) with or without plastic; 6000 kg ha(-1) without plastic) had no significant effect on the survival of P. nicotianae, regardless of the incorporation of additional Brassicaceae cover crop in spring. Reduction in infectivity in spring was related to the application of plastic, especially when combined with brassica pellets and Brassicaceae crop. In summer, soil temperature was the main factor in the inactivation of the inoculum, especially when plastic was applied, and no additional inactivation was achieved with brassica pellets. In spring and summer, biofumigation with brassica pellets had no effect on the survival of P. nicotianae. Application of plastic in spring may reduce infectivity. Soil temperature is the main factor in the inactivation of inoculum in summer, especially when plastic is applied. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry.

Design Optimization and Fatigue Analysis of Laser Stake Welded Connections

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-06-01

critical areas. m Recently, the application of hybrid metal-to-composite structures is found in a widening number of engineering disciplines due to the... applications , and as a result, LBW is rather prevalent in the automotive industry. * 6 I I There are two types of laser welding processes, conduction and...plastic deformation. Beyond the elastic limit, another concept, Elastic-Plastic Fracture Mechanics ( EPFM ) comes into the picture. Although it is an

Application of visible spectroscopy in waste sorting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Spiga, Philippe; Bourely, Antoine

2011-10-01

Today, waste recycling, (bottles, papers...), is a mechanical operation: the waste are crushed, fused and agglomerated in order to obtain new manufactured products (e.g. new bottles, clothes ...). The plastics recycling is the main application in the color sorting process. The colorless plastics recovered are more valuable than the colored plastics. Other emergent applications are in the paper sorting, where the main goal is to sort dyed paper from white papers. Up to now, Pellenc Selective Technologies has manufactured color sorting machines based on RGB cameras. Three dimensions (red, green and blue) are no longer sufficient to detect low quantities of dye in the considered waste. In order to increase the efficiency of the color detection, a new sorting machine, based on visible spectroscopy, has been developed. This paper presents the principles of the two approaches and their difference in terms of sorting performance, making visible spectroscopy a clear winner.

Smart apps for the smart plastic surgeon

PubMed Central

Venkataram, Aniketh; Ellur, Sunderraj; Kujur, Abha Rani; Joseph, Vijay

2015-01-01

Smartphones have the ability to benefit plastic surgeons in all aspects of patient care and education. With the sheer number of applications available and more being created everyday, it is easy to miss out on apps which could be of great relevance. Moreover, the range of android applications available has not been extensively discussed in the literature. To this end, we have compiled an exhaustive list of android smartphone applications, which we feel can help our day to day functioning. The apps have been extensively reviewed and neatly described along with all their potential uses. In addition, we have made an effort to highlight ‘non-medical’ or efficiency apps which can improve departmental functioning. These apps have not been described in prior articles, and their functionality might not be known to all. We believe that the technology savvy plastic surgeon can make maximum use of these apps to his benefit. PMID:25991890

Application of Thermo-Mechanical Measurements of Plastic Packages for Reliability Evaluation of PEMS

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sharma, Ashok K.; Teverovsky, Alexander

2004-01-01

Thermo-mechanical analysis (TMA) is typically employed for measurements of the glass transition temperature (Tg) and coefficients of thermal expansion (CTE) in molding compounds used in plastic encapsulated microcircuits (PEMs). Application of TMA measurements directly to PEMs allows anomalies to be revealed in deformation of packages with temperature, and thus indicates possible reliability concerns related to thermo-mechanical integrity and stability of the devices. In this work, temperature dependencies of package deformation were measured in several types of PEMs that failed environmental stress testing including temperature cycling, highly accelerated stress testing (HAST) in humid environments, and bum-in (BI) testing. Comparison of thermo-mechanical characteristics of packages and molding compounds in the failed parts allowed for explanation of the observed failures. The results indicate that TMA of plastic packages might be used for quality evaluation of PEMs intended for high-reliability applications.

GABAergic Inhibition in Visual Cortical Plasticity

PubMed Central

Sale, Alessandro; Berardi, Nicoletta; Spolidoro, Maria; Baroncelli, Laura; Maffei, Lamberto

2010-01-01

Experience is required for the shaping and refinement of developing neural circuits during well defined periods of early postnatal development called critical periods. Many studies in the visual cortex have shown that intracortical GABAergic circuitry plays a crucial role in defining the time course of the critical period for ocular dominance plasticity. With the end of the critical period, neural plasticity wanes and recovery from the effects of visual defects on visual acuity (amblyopia) or binocularity is much reduced or absent. Recent results pointed out that intracortical inhibition is a fundamental limiting factor for adult cortical plasticity and that its reduction by means of different pharmacological and environmental strategies makes it possible to greatly enhance plasticity in the adult visual cortex, promoting ocular dominance plasticity and recovery from amblyopia. Here we focus on the role of intracortical GABAergic circuitry in controlling both developmental and adult cortical plasticity. We shall also discuss the potential clinical application of these findings to neurological disorders in which synaptic plasticity is compromised because of excessive intracortical inhibition. PMID:20407586

Innovative thermoplastic chitosan obtained by thermo-mechanical mixing with polyol plasticizers.

PubMed

Matet, Marie; Heuzey, Marie-Claude; Pollet, Eric; Ajji, Abdellah; Avérous, Luc

2013-06-05

Chitosan shows a degradation temperature lower than its melting point, which prevents its development in several applications. One way to overcome this issue is the plasticization of the carbohydrate. In this work plasticized chitosan was prepared by a thermo-mechanical kneading approach. The effects of different non-volatile polyol plasticizers (glycerol, xylitol and sorbitol) were investigated. The microstructure and morphology were determined using FTIR, XRD, TEM and SEM in order to understand the plasticization mechanism. Sorbitol, which is the highest molecular weight polyol used, resulted in plasticized chitosan with the highest thermal, mechanical and rheological properties. On the other hand, the sample plasticized with glycerol, the lowest molecular weight polyol, had the most important amorphous phase content and the lowest thermal, mechanical and rheological properties. Also, when the polyol content increased in the formulation, the plasticized chitosan was more amorphous and consequently its processability easier, while its properties decreased. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The impact of Polycomb group (PcG) and Trithorax group (TrxG) epigenetic factors in plant plasticity.

PubMed

de la Paz Sanchez, Maria; Aceves-García, Pamela; Petrone, Emilio; Steckenborn, Stefan; Vega-León, Rosario; Álvarez-Buylla, Elena R; Garay-Arroyo, Adriana; García-Ponce, Berenice

2015-11-01

Current advances indicate that epigenetic mechanisms play important roles in the regulatory networks involved in plant developmental responses to environmental conditions. Hence, understanding the role of such components becomes crucial to understanding the mechanisms underlying the plasticity and variability of plant traits, and thus the ecology and evolution of plant development. We now know that important components of phenotypic variation may result from heritable and reversible epigenetic mechanisms without genetic alterations. The epigenetic factors Polycomb group (PcG) and Trithorax group (TrxG) are involved in developmental processes that respond to environmental signals, playing important roles in plant plasticity. In this review, we discuss current knowledge of TrxG and PcG functions in different developmental processes in response to internal and environmental cues and we also integrate the emerging evidence concerning their function in plant plasticity. Many such plastic responses rely on meristematic cell behavior, including stem cell niche maintenance, cellular reprogramming, flowering and dormancy as well as stress memory. This information will help to determine how to integrate the role of epigenetic regulation into models of gene regulatory networks, which have mostly included transcriptional interactions underlying various aspects of plant development and its plastic response to environmental conditions. © 2015 The Authors. New Phytologist © 2015 New Phytologist Trust.

Epigenetic Basis of Neuronal and Synaptic Plasticity.

PubMed

Karpova, Nina N; Sales, Amanda J; Joca, Samia R

2017-01-01

Neuronal network and plasticity change as a function of experience. Altered neural connectivity leads to distinct transcriptional programs of neuronal plasticity-related genes. The environmental challenges throughout life may promote long-lasting reprogramming of gene expression and the development of brain disorders. The modifications in neuronal epigenome mediate gene-environmental interactions and are required for activity-dependent regulation of neuronal differentiation, maturation and plasticity. Here, we highlight the latest advances in understanding the role of the main players of epigenetic machinery (DNA methylation and demethylation, histone modifications, chromatin-remodeling enzymes, transposons, and non-coding RNAs) in activity-dependent and long- term neural and synaptic plasticity. The review focuses on both the transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression levels, including the processes of promoter activation, alternative splicing, regulation of stability of gene transcripts by natural antisense RNAs, and alternative polyadenylation. Further, we discuss the epigenetic aspects of impaired neuronal plasticity and the pathogenesis of neurodevelopmental (Rett syndrome, Fragile X Syndrome, genomic imprinting disorders, schizophrenia, and others), stressrelated (mood disorders) and neurodegenerative Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and Huntington's disorders. The review also highlights the pharmacological compounds that modulate epigenetic programming of gene expression, the potential treatment strategies of discussed brain disorders, and the questions that should be addressed during the development of effective and safe approaches for the treatment of brain disorders.

In situ photoimmunotherapy: a tumour-directed treatment for melanoma.

PubMed

Naylor, M F; Chen, W R; Teague, T K; Perry, L A; Nordquist, R E

2006-12-01

We report a new immunological treatment for advanced cutaneous melanoma which combines laser stimulation with topical application of a toll-like receptor agonist. This treatment, in situ photoimmunotherapy (ISPI), provides an alternative to traditional therapies for melanoma patients with cutaneous metastases. A 6-week cycle of ISPI is carried out on cutaneous metastases located in a designated 20 x 20 cm treatment area: 2 weeks of pretreatment with twice-daily topical applications of imiquimod (5% cream under plastic occlusion), with a laser treatment session at week 2 and again at week 4. Topical imiquimod is continued for the entire 6-week cycle. Two patients with late-stage melanoma were treated with ISPI. Patient 1 had the primary tumour and local metastases on the left arm, as well as metastatic tumours in the lungs [American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) stage IV]. Patient 2 had a head and neck melanoma with multiple local metastases (AJCC stage IIIC), which had failed repeated attempts at surgical resection and high-dose radiation therapy. Patient 1 is now free of all clinically detectable tumours (including the lung metastases) >20 months after the first treatment cycle. Patient 2 has been free of any clinical evidence of the tumour for over 6 months. These two cases demonstrate that ISPI can clear local tumour and trigger beneficial systemic responses, with a side-effect profile that compares favourably with other treatments for advanced melanoma.

Recent advances in lactic acid production by microbial fermentation processes.

PubMed

Abdel-Rahman, Mohamed Ali; Tashiro, Yukihiro; Sonomoto, Kenji

2013-11-01

Fermentative production of optically pure lactic acid has roused interest among researchers in recent years due to its high potential for applications in a wide range of fields. More specifically, the sharp increase in manufacturing of biodegradable polylactic acid (PLA) materials, green alternatives to petroleum-derived plastics, has significantly increased the global interest in lactic acid production. However, higher production costs have hindered the large-scale application of PLA because of the high price of lactic acid. Therefore, reduction of lactic acid production cost through utilization of inexpensive substrates and improvement of lactic acid production and productivity has become an important goal. Various methods have been employed for enhanced lactic acid production, including several bioprocess techniques facilitated by wild-type and/or engineered microbes. In this review, we will discuss lactic acid producers with relation to their fermentation characteristics and metabolism. Inexpensive fermentative substrates, such as dairy products, food and agro-industrial wastes, glycerol, and algal biomass alternatives to costly pure sugars and food crops are introduced. The operational modes and fermentation methods that have been recently reported to improve lactic acid production in terms of concentrations, yields, and productivities are summarized and compared. High cell density fermentation through immobilization and cell-recycling techniques are also addressed. Finally, advances in recovery processes and concluding remarks on the future outlook of lactic acid production are presented. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Striking a Better Integration of Work and Life: Challenges and Solutions.

PubMed

Cheesborough, Jennifer E; Gray, Sylvia S; Bajaj, Anureet K

2017-02-01

Plastic surgeons are a diverse group but share a drive for excellence and dedication to their patients and the advancement of the specialty. Long hours at work and the need to be on call have limited the time that many have to spend on activities outside of the workplace. Reconciliation of the demands of surgery and private life can at times seem impossible. A failure to achieve balance between work and home life is associated with reduced job and life satisfaction, impaired mental health, family conflict, and ultimately burnout. Although the obstacles are many and varied, the authors have attempted to identify the challenges and propose solutions. The authors focus on women in plastic surgery in this article, but acknowledge that these issues are not unique to women or plastic surgery.

Plasticity of the aging brain: new directions in cognitive neuroscience.

PubMed

Gutchess, Angela

2014-10-31

Cognitive neuroscience has revealed aging of the human brain to be rich in reorganization and change. Neuroimaging results have recast our framework around cognitive aging from one of decline to one emphasizing plasticity. Current methods use neurostimulation approaches to manipulate brain function, providing a direct test of the ways that the brain differently contributes to task performance for younger and older adults. Emerging research into emotional, social, and motivational domains provides some evidence for preservation with age, suggesting potential avenues of plasticity, alongside additional evidence for reorganization. Thus, we begin to see that aging of the brain, amidst interrelated behavioral and biological changes, is as complex and idiosyncratic as the brain itself, qualitatively changing over the life span. Copyright © 2014, American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Regulation of AMPA receptors by phosphorylation.

PubMed

Carvalho, A L; Duarte, C B; Carvalho, A P

2000-10-01

The AMPA receptors for glutamate are oligomeric structures that mediate fast excitatory responses in the central nervous system. Phosphorylation of AMPA receptors is an important mechanism for short-term modulation of their function, and is thought to play an important role in synaptic plasticity in different brain regions. Recent studies have shown that phosphorylation of AMPA receptors by cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA) and Ca2+- and calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII) potentiates their activity, but phosphorylation of the receptor subunits may also affect their interaction with intracellular proteins, and their expression at the plasma membrane. Phosphorylation of AMPA receptor subunits has also been investigated in relation to processes of synaptic plasticity. This review focuses on recent advances in understanding the molecular mechanisms of regulation of AMPA receptors, and their implications in synaptic plasticity.

Comparison of biocompatibility and adsorption properties of different plastics for advanced microfluidic cell and tissue culture models.

PubMed

van Midwoud, Paul M; Janse, Arnout; Merema, Marjolijn T; Groothuis, Geny M M; Verpoorte, Elisabeth

2012-05-01

Microfluidic technology is providing new routes toward advanced cell and tissue culture models to better understand human biology and disease. Many advanced devices have been made from poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) to enable experiments, for example, to study drug metabolism by use of precision-cut liver slices, that are not possible with conventional systems. However, PDMS, a silicone rubber material, is very hydrophobic and tends to exhibit significant adsorption and absorption of hydrophobic drugs and their metabolites. Although glass could be used as an alternative, thermoplastics are better from a cost and fabrication perspective. Thermoplastic polymers (plastics) allow easy surface treatment and are generally transparent and biocompatible. This study focuses on the fabrication of biocompatible microfluidic devices with low adsorption properties from the thermoplastics poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA), polystyrene (PS), polycarbonate (PC), and cyclic olefin copolymer (COC) as alternatives for PDMS devices. Thermoplastic surfaces were oxidized using UV-generated ozone or oxygen plasma to reduce adsorption of hydrophobic compounds. Surface hydrophilicity was assessed over 4 weeks by measuring the contact angle of water on the surface. The adsorption of 7-ethoxycoumarin, testosterone, and their metabolites was also determined after UV-ozone treatment. Biocompatibility was assessed by culturing human hepatoma (HepG2) cells on treated surfaces. Comparison of the adsorption properties and biocompatibility of devices in different plastics revealed that only UV-ozone-treated PC and COC devices satisfied both criteria. This paper lays an important foundation that will help researchers make informed decisions with respect to the materials they select for microfluidic cell-based culture experiments.

Plasticity and regeneration in the injured spinal cord after cell transplantation therapy.

PubMed

Nori, Satoshi; Nakamura, Masaya; Okano, Hideyuki

2017-01-01

Spinal cord injury (SCI) typically damages the long axonal tracts of the spinal cord which results in permanent disability. However, regeneration of the injured spinal cord is approaching reality according to the advances in stem cell biology. Cell transplantation therapy holds potential to lead to recovery following SCI through some positive mechanisms. Grafted cells induce plasticity and regeneration in the injured spinal cord by promoting remyelination of damaged axons, reconstruction of neural circuits by synapse formation between host neurons and graft-derived neurons, and secreting neurotrophic factors to promote axonal elongation as well as reduce retrograde axonal degeneration. In this review, we will delineate (1) the microenvironment of the injured spinal cord that influence the plasticity and regeneration capacity after SCI, (2) a number of different kinds of cell transplantation therapies for SCI that has been extensively studied by researchers, and (3) potential mechanisms of grafted cell-induced regeneration and plasticity in the injured spinal cord. © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Long-term potentiation and long-term depression: a clinical perspective

PubMed Central

Bliss, Timothy V.P.; Cooke, Sam F

2011-01-01

Long-term potentiation and long-term depression are enduring changes in synaptic strength, induced by specific patterns of synaptic activity, that have received much attention as cellular models of information storage in the central nervous system. Work in a number of brain regions, from the spinal cord to the cerebral cortex, and in many animal species, ranging from invertebrates to humans, has demonstrated a reliable capacity for chemical synapses to undergo lasting changes in efficacy in response to a variety of induction protocols. In addition to their physiological relevance, long-term potentiation and depression may have important clinical applications. A growing insight into the molecular mechanisms underlying these processes, and technological advances in non-invasive manipulation of brain activity, now puts us at the threshold of harnessing long-term potentiation and depression and other forms of synaptic, cellular and circuit plasticity to manipulate synaptic strength in the human nervous system. Drugs may be used to erase or treat pathological synaptic states and non-invasive stimulation devices may be used to artificially induce synaptic plasticity to ameliorate conditions arising from disrupted synaptic drive. These approaches hold promise for the treatment of a variety of neurological conditions, including neuropathic pain, epilepsy, depression, amblyopia, tinnitus and stroke. PMID:21779718

Upcycling : converting waste plastics into paramagnetic, conducting, solid, pure carbon microspheres.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Pol, V.

2010-06-15

The recent tremendous increase in the volume of waste plastics (WP) will have a harmful environmental impact on the health of living beings. Hundreds of years are required to degrade WP in atmospheric conditions. Hence, in coming years, in addition to traditional recycling services, innovative 'upcycling' processes are necessary. This article presents an environmentally benign, solvent-free autogenic process that converts various WP [low density polyethylene (LDPE), high density polyethylene (HDPE), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polystyrene (PS), or their mixtures] into carbon microspheres (CMSs), an industrially significant, value-added product. The thermal dissociation of these individual or mixed WP in a closed reactormore » under autogenic pressure (1000 psi) produced dry, pure powder of CMSs. In this paper, the optimization of process parameters such as the effect of mixing of WP with other materials, and the role of reaction temperature and time are reported. Employing advanced analytical techniques, the atomic structure, composition, and morphology of as-obtained CMSs were analyzed. The room-temperature paramagnetism in CMSs prepared from waste LDPE, HDPE, and PS was further studied by electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR). The conducting and paramagnetic nature of CMSs holds promise for their potential applications in toners, printers, paints, batteries, lubricants, and tires.« less

Long-lasting antifog plasma modification of transparent plastics.

PubMed

Di Mundo, Rosa; d'Agostino, Riccardo; Palumbo, Fabio

2014-10-08

Antifog surfaces are necessary for any application requiring optical efficiency of transparent materials. Surface modification methods aimed toward increasing solid surface energy, even when supposed to be permanent, in fact result in a nondurable effect due to the instability in air of highly hydrophilic surfaces. We propose the strategy of combining a hydrophilic chemistry with a nanotextured topography, to tailor a long-lasting antifog modification on commercial transparent plastics. In particular, we investigated a two-step process consisting of self-masked plasma etching followed by plasma deposition of a silicon-based film. We show that the deposition of the silicon-based coatings on the flat (pristine) substrates allows a continuous variation of wettability from hydrophobic to superhydrophilic, due to a continuous reduction of carbon-containing groups, as assessed by Fourier transform infrared and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopies. By depositing these different coatings on previously nanotextured substrates, the surface wettability behavior is changed consistently, as well as the condensation phenomenon in terms of microdroplets/liquid film appearance. This variation is correlated with advancing and receding water contact angle features of the surfaces. More importantly, in the case of the superhydrophilic coating, though its surface energy decreases with time, when a nanotextured surface underlies it, the wetting behavior is maintained durably superhydrophilic, thus durably antifog.

Studies on the effect of storage time and plasticizers on the structural variations in thermoplastic starch.

PubMed

Schmitt, H; Guidez, A; Prashantha, K; Soulestin, J; Lacrampe, M F; Krawczak, P

2015-01-22

Starch was combined with plasticizers such as glycerol, sorbitol, glycerol/sorbitol and urea/ethanolamine blends by means of high shear extrusion process to prepare thermoplastic starch (TPS). Effect of storage time and plasticizers on the structural stability of melt processed TPS was investigated. Morphological observation, X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy reveal that melt extrusion process is efficient in transforming granular starch into a plasticized starch for all plasticizer compositions. XRD analysis highlights major changes in the microstructure of plasticized starch, and dependence of crystalline type and degree of crystallinity mainly on the plasticizer composition and storage time. Dynamical mechanical analysis (DMA) yields a decrease of the peak intensity of loss factor with aging time. The effect of ageing on tensile strength also appears to be highly dependent on the plasticizer composition. Thus, through different plasticizer combinations and ageing, starch-based materials with significant differences in tensile properties can be obtained, which may be tuned to meet the requirements of a wide range of applications. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

[Effects of plastic film mulching and nitrogen application rate on net global warming potential in semiarid rain-fed maize cropland].

PubMed

Liu, Jian Can; Wang, Ze Lin; Yue, Shan Chao; Li, Shi Qing

2018-04-01

A one-year field experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of plastic film mulching (FM) and nitrogen application rates applied to rain-fed maize fields on net global warming potential (Net GWP) and greenhouse gas intensity (GHGI) at the Changwu Agricultural and Ecological Experimental Station. Both GWP and GHGI were affected by the plastic film mulching and nitrogen application rate. Under the FM treatment, maize yield ranged from 1643 to 16699 kg·hm -2 , the net GWP (CO 2 -eq) ranged from 595 to 4376 kg·hm -2 ·a -1 , and the GHGI (CO 2 -eq) ranged from 213 to 358 kg·t -1 . The grain yield of maize, net GWP and GHGI for the UM (no mulching) treatment were 956 to 8821 kg·hm -2 , 342 to 4004 kg·hm -2 ·a -1 and 204 to 520 kg·t -1 , respectively. The results suggested that plastic film mulching could simultaneously improve grain yield and decrease GHGI in rain-fed cropland along with nitrogen fertilizer of 250 kg·hm -2 .

Is "Snapchat Dysmorphia" a Real Issue?

PubMed Central

Mejias, Stephanie G

2018-01-01

It was observed that in early 2018, several newspapers raised a concern about the negative effects of social media applications, such as Snapchat and Instagram, on users related to the choice of plastic surgeries. Several plastic surgeons have shared their experiences whereby they encountered requests sounding similar to what a "filtered" Snapchat picture would look like, with one plastic surgeon even having a patient who actually produced a "filtered" image. There are several red flags to look out for in such patients, and proper management in those cases should include counseling and not plastic surgery. PMID:29732270

Determination of post-shakedown quantities of a pipe bend via the simplified theory of plastic zones compared with load history dependent incremental analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vollrath, Bastian; Hübel, Hartwig

2018-01-01

The Simplified Theory of Plastic Zones (STPZ) may be used to determine post-shakedown quantities such as strain ranges and accumulated strains at plastic or elastic shakedown. The principles of the method are summarized. Its practical applicability is shown by the example of a pipe bend subjected to constant internal pressure along with cyclic in-plane bending or/and cyclic radial temperature gradient. The results are compared with incremental analyses performed step-by-step throughout the entire load history until the state of plastic shakedown is achieved.

Plastic Encapsulated Microcircuits (PEMs) Reliability Guide

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sandor, M.

2000-01-01

It is reported by some users and has been demonstrated by others via testing and qualification that the quality and reliability of plastic-encapsulated microcircuits (PEMs) manufactured today are excellent in commercial applications and closely equivalent, and in some cases superior to their hemetic counterparts.

Plasticizer endocrine disruption: Highlighting developmental and reproductive effects in mammals and non-mammalian aquatic species.

PubMed

Mathieu-Denoncourt, Justine; Wallace, Sarah J; de Solla, Shane R; Langlois, Valerie S

2015-08-01

Due to their versatility, robustness, and low production costs, plastics are used in a wide variety of applications. Plasticizers are mixed with polymers to increase flexibility of plastics. However, plasticizers are not covalently bound to plastics, and thus leach from products into the environment. Several studies have reported that two common plasticizers, bisphenol A (BPA) and phthalates, induce adverse health effects in vertebrates; however few studies have addressed their toxicity to non-mammalian species. The aim of this review is to compare the effects of plasticizers in animals, with a focus on aquatic species. In summary, we identified three main chains of events that occur in animals exposed to BPA and phthalates. Firstly, plasticizers affect development by altering both the thyroid hormone and growth hormone axes. Secondly, these chemicals interfere with reproduction by decreasing cholesterol transport through the mitochondrial membrane, leading to reduced steroidogenesis. Lastly, exposure to plasticizers leads to the activation of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors, the increase of fatty acid oxidation, and the reduction in the ability to cope with the augmented oxidative stress leading to reproductive organ malformations, reproductive defects, and decreased fertility. Copyright © 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Association between Phthalate Exposure and the Use of Plastic Containers in Shanghai Adults.

PubMed

Dong, Rui Hua; Zhang, Han; Zhang, Mei Ru; Chen, Jing Si; Wu, Min; Li, Shu Guang; Chen, Bo

2017-10-01

Consuming phthalates may be due to the presence of food contact materials, such as plastic containers. In this study, we investigated the association between plastic container use and phthalate exposure in 2,140 Shanghai adults. Participants completed a questionnaire on the frequency of using plastic containers in different scenarios in the previous year (e.g., daily, weekly) and on the consumption of plastic-packaged foods in the previous three days (yes or no). Urinary phthalate metabolites were used to assess the association between phthalate exposure and the use of plastic containers. The metabolites of di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) were the most frequently detected in urine. The results revealed that phthalate exposure was associated with consumption of plastic-packaged breakfast or processed food items in the previous three days. The consumption of these two food items had strong synergistic effects on increasing urinary concentrations of most phthalate metabolites. Our results of plastic-packaged breakfast and processed food may be explained by the use of flexible plastic containers, indicating the importance of risk assessment for the application of flexible plastic containers. Copyright © 2017 The Editorial Board of Biomedical and Environmental Sciences. Published by China CDC. All rights reserved.

Shape Memory Alloy Modeling and Applications to Porous and Composite Structures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, Pingping

There has been a growing concern about an exciting class of advanced material -- shape memory alloys (SMAs) since their discovery several decades ago. SMAs exhibit large reversible stresses and strains owing to a thermoelastic phase transformation. They have been widely used in many engineering fields including aerospace, biomedical, and automotive engineering, especially as sensors, actuators, bone implants and deployable switches. The behavior of SMAs is very complex due to the coupling between thermal and mechanical effects. Theoretical and computational tools are used in this dissertation to investigate the mechanical behavior of SMA and its related structures for seeking better and wider application of this material. In the first part of this dissertation, we proposed an improved macroscopic phenomenological constitutive model of SMA that accounts for all major mechanical behaviors including elasticity, phase transformation, reorientation and plasticity. The model is based on some previous work developed in the Brinson group, and the current efforts are focused on plasticity, the application of a pre-defined strain, unification of notations, and other coding-related work. A user subroutine script VUMAT is developed to implement the constitutive model to the commercial finite element software Abaqus. Typical simulation results based on the model are presented, as well as verification with some experimental results. In the second part, we apply the developed constitutive model to a series of two-dimensional SMA plates with structured arrays of pores to investigate the structural response, especially the stress, strain, phase transformation, and plastic fields. Results are documented about the coupling of the elastic, transformation and plastic fields about the arrays of pores. Theoretical and experimental DIC results are also utilized to validate some simulation results. Conclusions are then drawn to provide understanding in the effect of pores and the underlying mechanism of pore interactions in the SMA foams. Additionally, the influence of geometric features including the number, size and locations of pores are studied to guide the design and optimization of porous SMAs. Thirdly, modeling and simulation are performed on a series of cracked self-healing SMA composite systems. These composites are to be applied in aeronautic structures where fatigue crack initiation and propagation is a significant safety and economic concern, based on a liquid-assisted SMA self-healing technology. We develop a modeling approach in Abaqus to create composite models with the as-is or pre-strained SMA wires. The modeling approach is validated by two simulation cases following the experiment setups. The amount of crack closure in the SMA-reinforced MMC is then focused, especially on the role of the SMA reinforcement, the softening property of the matrix, and the effect of pre-strain in the SMA. Composites with various geometric configurations of SMA are also created to study how the number, location, length and orientation of the SMA wires would affect the crack closure and self-healing behavior. These studies, from three aspects, provide deep insights to SMA and its related applications from the modeling and simulation point of view, which can further guide the development and application of this unique material.

Off-fault plasticity in three-dimensional dynamic rupture simulations using a modal Discontinuous Galerkin method on unstructured meshes: Implementation, verification, and application

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wollherr, Stephanie; Gabriel, Alice-Agnes; Uphoff, Carsten

2018-05-01

The dynamics and potential size of earthquakes depend crucially on rupture transfers between adjacent fault segments. To accurately describe earthquake source dynamics, numerical models can account for realistic fault geometries and rheologies such as nonlinear inelastic processes off the slip interface. We present implementation, verification, and application of off-fault Drucker-Prager plasticity in the open source software SeisSol (www.seissol.org). SeisSol is based on an arbitrary high-order derivative modal Discontinuous Galerkin (ADER-DG) method using unstructured, tetrahedral meshes specifically suited for complex geometries. Two implementation approaches are detailed, modelling plastic failure either employing sub-elemental quadrature points or switching to nodal basis coefficients. At fine fault discretizations the nodal basis approach is up to 6 times more efficient in terms of computational costs while yielding comparable accuracy. Both methods are verified in community benchmark problems and by three dimensional numerical h- and p-refinement studies with heterogeneous initial stresses. We observe no spectral convergence for on-fault quantities with respect to a given reference solution, but rather discuss a limitation to low-order convergence for heterogeneous 3D dynamic rupture problems. For simulations including plasticity, a high fault resolution may be less crucial than commonly assumed, due to the regularization of peak slip rate and an increase of the minimum cohesive zone width. In large-scale dynamic rupture simulations based on the 1992 Landers earthquake, we observe high rupture complexity including reverse slip, direct branching, and dynamic triggering. The spatio-temporal distribution of rupture transfers are altered distinctively by plastic energy absorption, correlated with locations of geometrical fault complexity. Computational cost increases by 7% when accounting for off-fault plasticity in the demonstrating application. Our results imply that the combination of fully 3D dynamic modelling, complex fault geometries, and off-fault plastic yielding is important to realistically capture dynamic rupture transfers in natural fault systems.