Modelling the mechanical aspects of the curing process of magneto-sensitive elastomeric materials

In this paper, a phenomenologically motivated magneto-mechanically coupled finite strain elastic framework for simulating the curing process of polymers in the presence of a magnetic load is proposed. This approach is in line with previous works by Hossain and co-workers on finite strain curing modelling framework for the purely mechanical polymer curing (Hossain et al., 2009b). The proposed thermodynamically consistent approach is independent of any particular free energy function that may be used for the fully-cured magneto-sensitive polymer modelling, i.e. any phenomenological or micromechanical-inspired free energy can be inserted into the main modelling framework. For the fabrication of magneto-sensitive polymers, micron-size ferromagnetic particles are mixed with the liquid matrix material in the uncured stage. The particles align in a preferred direction with the application of a magnetic field during the curing process. The polymer curing process is a complex (visco) elastic process that transforms a fluid to a solid with time. Such transformation process is modelled by an appropriate constitutive relation which takes into account the temporal evolution of the material parameters appearing in a particular energy function. For demonstration in this work, a frequently used energy function is chosen, i.e. the classical Mooney-Rivlin free energy enhanced by coupling terms. Several representative numerical examples are demonstrated that prove the capability of our approach to correctly capture common features in polymers undergoing curing processes in the presence of a magneto-mechanical coupled load.

Main objectives and new aspects of combination treatment of hypertension

AIM: To review the various pharmacological approaches currently proposed for the treatment of hypertension. RESULTS: With the evolution of pharmacological treatment of hypertension, various classes of agent (diuretics, beta-blockers, angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors, calcium antagonists and alpha 1-blockers) have become available for the initiation of antihypertensive therapy. As monotherapy, each type of agent will normalize blood pressure in about half of all hypertensive patients. Replacing one drug with another that acts through a different mechanism improves the probability of controlling blood pressure. Another way to increase the number of responders is to increase the dose; however, this often results in more side effects. A preferable way of improving efficacy is to combine low doses of drugs that have different impacts on the cardiovascular system, thus opposing the compensatory responses that tend to limit the blood pressure drop. CONCLUSION: Low-dose drug combinations are generally well tolerated and the treatment of hypertension can be simplified by using fixed-dose combinations. These combinations have the potential to become a valuable alternative in the initiation of antihypertensive therapy.

Update on basic and clinical aspects of eosinophilic oesophagitis.

The identification of a distinct syndrome, designated eosinophilic oesophagitis (EoE), with its own clinical and histopathological characteristics, was first described in the early 1990s. Meanwhile intense research has uncovered many molecular, immunological and clinical aspects of this chronic-inflammatory disorder. This article focuses exclusively on basic and clinical insights of EoE gathered during the last few years. Regarding aetiopathogenesis it has become clear that EoE is a food-triggered disease with milk and wheat as the dominant culprit food categories. However, it is still debated whether a disturbed mucosal integrity allowing allergens to cross the mucosal barrier, or changes in wheat and milk manufacturing might induce these inflammatory responses. Furthermore, basic science and clinical studies have accordingly confirmed that a chronic eosinophilic inflammation leads to a remodelling of the oesophagus with micro- and macro-morphological alterations, ending in a strictured oesophagus with impaired function. Fortunately, long-term therapeutic trials, using either topical corticosteroids or dietary allergen avoidance, have demonstrated that this sequela can be prevented or even reversed. This finding is of clinical relevance as it supports the initiation of a consistent anti-inflammatory therapy. Nevertheless, EoE is still an enigmatic disease and the long list of unanswered questions will certainly stimulate further research.

Development and validation of the Transition to Retirement Questionnaire

The aim of this study was to present the initial validation of a new questionnaire, the Transition to Retirement Questionnaire (TRQ) and to study its relationship with resistance to change and personality dimensions. Based on Schlossberg's typology of the retired, the TRQ is designed to assess five dimensions related to personal perceptions of transition to retirement, retirement, and personal plans and activities. The sample consisted of 1,054 professionally active or retired adults from the Swiss French-speaking Canton of Vaud. Exploratory principal components and confirmatory factor analyses highlighted a five-factor solution that fit coherently with Schlossberg's typology. Moreover, TRQ dimensions were related to resistance to change tendencies and personality dimensions. The TRQ seems to be an interesting tool for use in research but also for interventions with young retirees or people preparing for retirement.

Some aspects of the neuronal cytoskeleton in development.

The review is focused on developmental aspects of the neuronal cytoskeleton, its molecular composition and the intracellular distribution of its elements. It includes a survey of the molecular properties of several cytoskeletal proteins such as tubulins, microtubule-associated proteins, neurofilament subunits, actins and brain spectrins. Furthermore it is addressed how microtubules, neurofilaments, microfilaments and the spectrin-based membrane cytoskeleton are involved in the generation of the neuronal cytoarchitecture, and how changes in the molecular composition of the cytoskeleton during the differentiation process of a neuron may correlate with cell function.

Genetic aspects of normal and disturbed sleep.

Sleep disorders commonly involve genetic susceptibility, environmental effects, and interactions between these factors. The heritability of sleep patterns has been shown in studies of monozygotic twins, and sleep electroencephalogram patterns offer a unique genetic fingerprint which may assist in the identification of genes involved in the regulation of sleep. Genetic factors are also thought to play a role in sleep disorders; narcolepsy is a disabling sleep condition and research has revealed the complexity of underlying genetic and environmental influences in the development of this disorder. An understanding of sleep regulation at the molecular level is essential in the identification of new targets for the treatment of sleep disorders, and genome-wide association studies for both normal sleep and sleep disorders may shed new light on the molecular architecture of mechanisms regulating these behaviours.

Dosimetric aspects of a national survey of diagnostic and interventional radiology in Switzerland.

The effective dose delivered to the patient was determined, by modeling, for 257 types of examinations covering the different modalities of diagnostic and interventional radiology. The basic operational dosimetric quantities considered were obtained from the parameters of the examinations on the basis of dosimetric models. These models required a precise characterization of each examination. The operational dosimetric quantities were converted into doses to organs and effective doses using appropriate conversion factors. The determination of the collective effective dose to the Swiss population requires a number of corrections to account for the variability of several parameters: sensitivity of the detection system, age, gender, and build of the patient. The use of various dosimetric models is illustrated in this paper for a limited number of examination types covering the different radiological modalities, for which the established typical effective doses are given. With regard to individual doses, the study indicated that the average effective doses per type of examination can be classified into three levels: (a) the weakly irradiating examinations (less than 0.1 mSv), which represent 78% of the examinations and 4% of the collective dose, (b) the moderately irradiating examinations (between 0.1 mSv and 10 mSv), which represent 21% of the examinations and 72% of the collective dose, (c) the strongly irradiating examinations (more than 10 mSv), which represent 1% of the examinations and 24% of the collective dose.

The significant behavioral aspects of adopted children within successful adoption in Romania

The human behavior is giving the entire picture of a person. The behavior is based on a complex combination of personal innate factors, experience and education and the social network within which the individual is integrated. Each moment the complex individual factors face external and internal environmental aspects which in turn, generate proactive and retroactive reactions. The adoption process is an important and challenging social experiment, bringing to the adopted child a new affiliation, social network, experiences and educational standards. This comes in his/her life after the trauma of losing his biological affiliation and social and emotional support. Which are the significant characteristics of the adopted child's behavior? Which are the behavioral characteristics of the adoptive child that guarantee the success of the domestic adoptions in Romania? These are the questions we are going to answer here based on the research done within FISAN(6) project. The 32 children, 11-16 years old, adopted by Romanian families, during the early ages (0-4 years), were evaluated with complex evaluation tools for children and parents. The adoptive families participating in the research live in the Western counties of Romania.Successful adoption is defined as secure attachment of the adopted child. The conclusions emphasize the importance of: the pro-social behavior, the loving behavior showed to the parents, the assertive behavior, the differentiations between parents and people outside the family, and between the two parents, and the humor. These behaviors displayed by the adopted children are the ingredients of a successful integration within the adoptive family.