From a micro-polymeric pipe to a mini-polymeric pulsating heat pipe

Paper presented at the 6th International Conference on Heat Transfer, Fluid Mechanics and Thermodynamics, South Africa, 30 June - 2 July, 2008.In this work, a preliminary study related to the design and manufacturing of a micro polymeric pipe for micro heat exchangers was performed. Among possible polymeric materials, a thermoplastic copolyester elastomer composed of polybuthylene-terephthalate, as crystalline phase, and long glycol chains, as the amorphous one (Hytrel® 6356, Dupont) was selected, both unloaded and loaded with 7 % w/w carbon powder. A microextrusion process was set up to obtain microtubes and the thermo-mechanical characteristics of the produced pipes were studied. Thermal properties of extruded Hytrel® remained almost the same, in terms of melting temperature (Tm ≅ 208 °C) and enthalpy change of fusion (ΔH ≅ 45 mJ/mg), although the material was C-loaded. The thermomechanical tests performed on unloaded and C-loaded Hytrel® microtubes at 25 and 70 °C (possible working temperature) detected a considerable increase in the mechanical properties of C-loaded Hytrel®, compared to the unloaded one. In particular, a relevant improvement of the elastic modulus at 70 °C for the C-loaded microtubes was observed, demonstrating a better thermal stability at high temperature. Moreover, the fabrication of a micro heat exchanger prototype and prteliminary tests with different cooling fluids confirmed the possibility of using Hytrel® for electronic applications, as a good thermal exchange was evidenced.vk201

Three-Layered Silk Fibroin Tubular Scaffold for the Repair and Regeneration of Small Caliber Blood Vessels: From Design to in vivo Pilot Tests

Silk fibroin (SF) is an eligible biomaterial for the development of small caliber vascular grafts for substitution, repair, and regeneration of blood vessels. This study presents the properties of a newly designed multi-layered SF tubular scaffold for vascular grafting (SilkGraf). The wall architecture consists of two electrospun layers (inner and outer) and an intermediate textile layer. The latter was designed to confer high mechanical performance and resistance on the device, while electrospun layers allow enhancing its biomimicry properties and host\u2019s tissues integration. In vitro cell interaction studies performed with adult Human Coronary Artery Endothelial Cells (HCAECs), Human Aortic Smooth Muscle Cells (HASMCs), and Human Aortic Adventitial Fibroblasts (HAAFs) demonstrated that the electrospun layers favor cell adhesion, survival, and growth. Once cultured in vitro on the SF scaffold the three cell types showed an active metabolism (consumption of glucose and glutamine, release of lactate), and proliferation for up to 20 days. HAAF cells grown on SF showed a significantly lower synthesis of type I procollagen than on polystyrene, meaning a lower fibrotic effect of the SF substrate. The cytokine and chemokine expression patterns were investigated to evaluate the cells\u2019 proliferative and pro-inflammatory attitude. Interestingly, no significant amounts of truly pro-inflammatory cytokines were secreted by any of the three cell types which exhibited a clearly proliferative profile. Good hemocompatibility was observed by complement activation, hemolysis, and hematology assays. Finally, the results of an in vivo preliminary pilot trial on minipig and sheep to assess the functional behavior of implanted SF-based vascular graft identified the sheep as the more apt animal model for next medium-to-long term preclinical trials

Overview of guidelines on iron chelation therapy in patients with myelodysplastic syndromes and transfusional iron overload

Between 2002 and 2008, a number of consensus statements and guidelines were developed by various groups around the world to educate healthcare professionals on the treatment of myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), including the management of transfusional iron overload with iron chelation therapy. Guidelines have been developed by The Italian Society of Hematology, The UK MDS Guidelines Group, The Nagasaki Group, The National Comprehensive Cancer Network, and The MDS Foundation. These guidelines show that the approaches to managing iron overload in patients with MDS are region specific, differing in their recommendations for when iron chelation therapy should be initiated and strategies for the ongoing management of iron overload. The guidelines all agree that red blood cell transfusions are clinically beneficial to treat the symptomatic anemia in MDS, and that patients with low-risk MDS receiving transfusions are the most likely to benefit from iron chelation therapy

Archival Film: New Opportunities for Case Study Development and Presentation?

The potential opportunities and limitations of utilising archival film as a primary data source have received very little attention from business historians. Archival film can be a rich source of oral and visual material for the development and presentation of historical case study material, but it can also be utilised as a powerful research tool. The paper draws on the experiences of the author, who produced two films during a study of the history of the South Coast Labour Council (SCLC). The SCLC is the peak union body for the Illawarra region of NSW. During the study access to one of the region’s local television newsreel archives provided a rare opportunity to work with primary data that significantly extended the range of possibilities for rich case study development and presentation. The resulting artefacts included 1) a 15 minutes documentary on the 75 year history of the SCLC and; 2) a two hour set of selected historical excerpts. The presentation explores first, a range of essential processes that require consideration when working with this form of data. Issues explored include: 1) access, 2) equipment and 3) production processes. Second, the paper explores a range of research methods that allowed a deeper exploration of the history of the organisation post production. This section includes methods for eliciting memories in focus groups and small groups.The symposium is organised on behalf of AAHANZBS by the Business and Labour History Group, The University of Sydney, with the financial support of the University’s Faculty of Economics and Business

Japanese epidemiological survey with consensus statement on Japanese guidelines for treatment of iron overload in bone marrow failure syndromes

Many patients with bone marrow failure syndromes need frequent transfusions of red blood cells, and most of them eventually suffer from organ dysfunction induced by excessively accumulated iron. The only way to treat transfusion-induced iron overload is iron chelating therapy. However, most patients have not been treated effectively because daily/continuous administration of deferoxamine is difficult for outpatients. Recently, a novel oral iron chelator, deferasirox, has been developed, and introduction of the drug may help many patients benefit from iron chelation therapy. In this review, we will discuss the current status of iron overload in transfusion-dependent patients, and the development of Japanese guidelines for the treatment of iron overload in Japan, which were established by the National Research Group on Idiopathic Bone Marrow Failure Syndromes in Japan

Iron chelation therapy in the myelodysplastic syndromes and aplastic anemia: a review of experience in South Korea

Emerging clinical data indicate that transfusion-dependent patients with bone marrow-failure syndromes (BMFS) are at risk of the consequences of iron overload, including progressive damage to hepatic, endocrine, and cardiac organs. Despite the availability of deferoxamine (DFO) in Korea since 1998, data from patients with myelodysplastic syndromes, aplastic anemia, and other BMFS show significant iron overload and damage to the heart and liver. The recent introduction of deferasirox, a once-daily, oral iron chelator, may improve the availability of iron chelation therapy to iron-overloaded patients, and improve compliance in patients who may otherwise find adherence to the DFO regimen difficult

Validation of the revised IPSS at transplant in patients with myelodysplastic syndrome/transformed acute myelogenous leukemia receiving allogeneic stem cell transplantation

The International Prognostic Scoring System has been revised (IPSS-R) to predict prognosis of patients with myelodysplastic syndromes at diagnosis. To validate the use of the IPSS-R assesse