Thermo-mechanical behaviour of composite moulding compounds at elevated temperatures

This is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from Elsevier via the DOI in this record.The use of fibre-reinforced polymer composites as a lightweight metal replacement for automotive componentry is constantly expanding into new and more challenging application areas (e.g. whole range of under-bonnet, exhaust applications and other automotive components), where service temperatures are not expected to go beyond 150°C. This study seeks to provide some useful baseline data on the bending stiffness performance of a large range of commercially available composite moulding compounds, in order to provide guidance in selecting appropriate materials for various applications requiring higher operating temperatures, where retention of bending stiffness is a key parameter. Whilst glass transition data can give some indication, this study seeks to go further. Three point bending flexural tests and Dynamic Mechanical Analysis were used to investigate and compare properties both at ambient and 150°C comparing various composite systems, particularly phenolics, one of the fastest-growing systems in the thermoset moulding compounds market.Innovate U

Circulating mitochondrial stress 70 protein/mortalin and cytosolic Hsp70 in blood: Risk indicators in colorectal cancer.

Mitochondrial mortalin and cytosolic Hsp70 are essential chaperones overexpressed in cancer cells. Our goals were to reproduce our earlier findings of elevated circulating levels of mortalin and Hsp70 in colorectal cancer (CRC) patients with a larger patient cohort, to compare death risk assessment of mortalin, Hsp70, CEA and C19-9 and to assess their prognostic value in various CRC stages. Mortalin, Hsp70, CEA and CA19-9 levels were determined in sera of 235 CRC patients enrolled in the study and followed up 5 years after surgery. Association between their concentrations and patients' survival was analyzed by Kaplan-Meier estimator and subjected to Cox Proportional hazards analysis. Serum level of mortalin was independent of that of Hsp70, CEA and CA19-9, whereas Hsp70 level weakly correlated with CEA and CA19-9 levels. Improved short-term survival was found in early or advanced disease stages associated with lower mortalin and Hsp70 levels. Cox regression analysis showed a high mortality hazard (HR = 3.7, p < 0.001) in patients with both high mortalin and Hsp70 circulating levels. Multivariate analysis showed that high mortalin and Hsp70 significantly enhances risk score over a baseline model of age, number of affected lymph nodes, CEA, CA19-9, disease stage and perioperative therapy. Analysis of mortalin and Hsp70 in CRC patients' sera adds a high prognostic value to TNM stage and to CEA and CA19-9 and identifies patients with lower or higher survival probability in all CRC stages. Determination of mortalin and Hsp70 in blood could be a useful additive prognostic tool in guiding clinical management of patients

Association of symptoms of insomnia and sleep parameters among kidney transplant recipients

Objective: Insomnia complaints are frequent among kidney transplant (kTx) recipients and are associated with fatigue, depression, lower quality of life and increased morbidity. However, it is not known if subjective insomnia symptoms are associated with objective parameters of sleep architecture. Thus, we analyze the association between sleep macrostructure and EEG activity versus insomnia symptoms among kTx recipients. Methods: Participants (n1 = 100) were selected from prevalent adult transplant recipients (n0 = 1214) followed at a single institution. Insomnia symptoms were assessed by the Athens Insomnia Scale (AIS) and standard overnight polysomnography was performed. In a subgroup of patients (n2 = 56) sleep microstructure was also analyzed with power spectral analysis. Results: In univariable analysis AIS score was not associated with sleep macrostructure parameters (sleep latency, total sleep time, slow wave sleep, wake after sleep onset), nor with NREM and REM beta or delta activity in sleep microstructure. In multivariable analysis after controlling for covariables AIS score was independently associated with the proportion of slow wave sleep (β = 0.263; CI: 0.026–0.500) and REM beta activity (β = 0.323; CI = 0.041–0.606) (p < 0.05 for both associations). Conclusions: Among kTx recipients the severity of insomnia symptoms is independently associated with higher proportion of slow wave sleep and increased beta activity during REM sleep but not with other parameters sleep architecture. The results suggest a potential compensatory sleep protective mechanism and a sign of REM sleep instability associated with insomnia symptoms among this population

Depressive symptoms are associated with objectively measured sleep parameters in kidney transplant recipients

STUDY OBJECTIVES: Both depression and sleep complaints are very prevalent among kidney transplant (kTx) recipients. However, details of the complex relationship between sleep and depression in this population are not well documented. Thus, we investigated the association between depressive symptoms and sleep macrostructure parameters among prevalent kTx recipients.  METHODS: Ninety-five kTx recipients participated in the study (54 males, mean age 51 ± 13 y, body mass index 26 ± 4 kg/m2, estimated glomerular filtration rate 53 ± 19 ml/min/1.73 m2). Symptoms of depression were assessed by the Center for Epidemiologic Studies - Depression Scale (CES-D). After 1-night polysomnography each recording was visually scored and sleep macrostructure was analyzed.  RESULTS: The CES-D score was significantly associated with the amount of stage 2 sleep (r = 0.20, p 0.05). In multivariable linear regression models the CES-D score was independently associated with the amount of stage 2 sleep (β: 0.205; confidence interval: 0.001-0.409; p = 0.05) and REM latency (β: 0.234; confidence interval: 0.001-0.468; p = 0.05) after adjustment for potential confounders.  CONCLUSIONS: Depressive symptoms among kTx recipients are associated with increased amount of stage 2 sleep and prolonged REM latency. Further studies are needed to confirm our findings and understand potential clinical implications

Clinical implications of increased lymph vessel density in the lymphatic metastasis of early-stage invasive cervical carcinoma: a clinical immunohistochemical method study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Cervical cancer is the most common malignant gynecological cancer, and lymphatic metastasis can occur in the early stage of tumor growth. Lymphatic vessel endothelial hyaluronan receptor-1 (LYVE-1), a marker for lymphatic endothelium, provides powerful tools for studying tumor lymphangiogenesis. The purpose of this study is to investigate the clinical implications of lymphangiogenesis in the metastasis of early-stage invasive cervical carcinoma.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We used immunohistochemical (IHC) staining with the antibody against LYVE-1 to measure lymph vessel density in 41 cases of early-stage invasive cervical carcinoma and 12 cases of normal cervical samples. We then analyzed the correlation between lymph vessel density and clinicopathological features of the tumors.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>(1) The majority of peritumoral lymphatics were enlarged, dilated, and irregular. In contrast, intratumoral lymph vessels were small and collapsed. The peritumoral lymphatic vessel density (PLVD) was significantly higher than the intratumoral lymphatic vessel density (ILVD) (<it>P </it>< 0.01). (2) Both ILVD and PLVD were significantly higher than the LVD of the control cervixes (<it>P </it>< 0.01). (3) Both ILVD and PLVD were significantly associated with lymph node metastasis (ILVD, <it>P </it>< 0.05; PLVD, <it>P </it>< 0.01) and lymphatic vessel invasion (ILVD, <it>P </it>< 0.05; PLVD, <it>P </it>< 0.01). Both the ILVD and PLVD in patients with histological grade HG2 and HG3 were significantly higher than those with HG1 (<it>P </it>< 0.05).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Tumor lymphangiogenesis in early-stage invasive cervical carcinoma may play an important role in the process of lymphatic metastasis.</p