2,100 research outputs found
Partial slip incomplete contacts under constant normal load and subject to periodic loading
Refinements in the characterisation of mode-mixity and small scale yielding at sharp notch roots
A review of asymptotic procedures in stress analysis: known solutions and their applications
Published versio
Cation complexation by mucoid Pseudomonas aeruginosa extracellular polysaccharide
Mucoid Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a prevalent cystic fibrosis (CF) lung colonizer, producing an extracellular matrix (ECM) composed predominantly of the extracellular polysaccharide (EPS) alginate. The ECM limits antimicrobial penetration and, consequently, CF sufferers are prone to chronic mucoid P. aeruginosa lung infections. Interactions between cations with elevated concentrations in the CF lung and the anionic EPS, enhance the structural rigidity of the biofilm and exacerbates virulence. In this work, two large mucoid P. aeruginosa EPS models, based on β-D-mannuronate (M) and β-D-mannuronate-α-L-guluronate systems (M-G), and encompassing thermodynamically stable acetylation configurations–a structural motif unique to mucoid P. aeruginosa–were created. Using highly accurate first principles calculations, stable coordination environments adopted by the cations have been identified and thermodynamic stability quantified. These models show the weak cross-linking capability of Na+ and Mg2+ ions relative to Ca2+ ions and indicate a preference for cation binding within M-G blocks due to the smaller torsional rearrangements needed to reveal stable binding sites. The geometry of the chelation site influences the stability of the resulting complexes more than electrostatic interactions, and the results show nuanced chemical insight into previous experimental observations
Development of an international standard set of outcome measures for patients with atrial fibrillation: a report of the International Consortium for Health Outcomes Measurement (ICHOM) atrial fibrillation working group.
AIMS: As health systems around the world increasingly look to measure and improve the value of care that they provide to patients, being able to measure the outcomes that matter most to patients is vital. To support the shift towards value-based health care in atrial fibrillation (AF), the International Consortium for Health Outcomes Measurement (ICHOM) assembled an international Working Group (WG) of 30 volunteers, including health professionals and patient representatives to develop a standardized minimum set of outcomes for benchmarking care delivery in clinical settings. METHODS AND RESULTS: Using an online-modified Delphi process, outcomes important to patients and health professionals were selected and categorized into (i) long-term consequences of disease outcomes, (ii) complications of treatment outcomes, and (iii) patient-reported outcomes. The WG identified demographic and clinical variables for use as case-mix risk adjusters. These included baseline demographics, comorbidities, cognitive function, date of diagnosis, disease duration, medications prescribed and AF procedures, as well as smoking, body mass index (BMI), alcohol intake, and physical activity. Where appropriate, and for ease of implementation, standardization of outcomes and case-mix variables was achieved using ICD codes. The standard set underwent an open review process in which over 80% of patients surveyed agreed with the outcomes captured by the standard set. CONCLUSION: Implementation of these consensus recommendations could help institutions to monitor, compare and improve the quality and delivery of chronic AF care. Their consistent definition and collection, using ICD codes where applicable, could also broaden the implementation of more patient-centric clinical outcomes research in AF
Evidence for two populations of Galactic globular clusters from the ratio of their half-mass to Jacobi radii
We investigate the ratio between the half-mass radii r_h of Galactic globular
clusters and their Jacobi radii r_J given by the potential of the Milky Way and
show that clusters with galactocentric distances R_{GC}>8 kpc fall into two
distinct groups: one group of compact, tidally-underfilling clusters with
r_h/r_J<0.05 and another group of tidally filling clusters which have 0.1 <
r_h/r_J<0.3. We find no correlation between the membership of a particular
cluster to one of these groups and its membership in the old or younger halo
population. Based on the relaxation times and orbits of the clusters, we argue
that compact clusters and most clusters in the inner Milky Way were born
compact with half-mass radii r_h < 1 pc. Some of the tidally-filling clusters
might have formed compact as well, but the majority likely formed with large
half-mass radii. Galactic globular clusters therefore show a similar dichotomy
as was recently found for globular clusters in dwarf galaxies and for young
star clusters in the Milky Way. It seems likely that some of the
tidally-filling clusters are evolving along the main sequence line of clusters
recently discovered by Kuepper et al. (2008) and are in the process of
dissolution.Comment: 8 pages, 4 figures, MNRAS in pres
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