Assessment of research needs for sustainability of unconventional machining processes

AbstractThe use of unconventional machining (UCM) practices is increasing for product manufacture particularly when machining difficult to cut materials and when high precision is required. There is plenty of research conducted on improving sustainability of traditional machining. However, sustainability studies on unconventional/non-traditional machining practices are few. This review aims to determine the current state of the art in sustainability assessment of unconventional machining practices and identify gaps in research. An extensive review was carried out and analysed using a qualitative data analysing software. The analysis shows that only 25 publications directly and indirectly discuss the matter of sustainability of UCM. Out of this almost 70% of publications were recorded after year 2006 showing a clear evidence of uncovered research gap in the field with a growing interest. Despite this trend, evidence on studies which are explicitly dedicated to analyse the sustainability of UCM are rare

Higher Order Multipole Analysis for 952.6 Mhz Superconducting Crabbing Cavities for Jefferson Lab Electron-Ion Collider

The proposed electron ion collider at Jefferson Lab requires a crabbing cavity system to increase the luminosity in the colliding beams. Currently several superconducting crabbing cavity designs are being reviewed as the design option for the crabbing cavity. Knowledge of higher order mode multipole field effects is important for accurate beam dynamics study for the crabbing system, in selecting the design that meets the design specifications. The multipole components can be accurately determined numerically using the electromagnetic field data in the rf structure. This paper discusses the detailed analysis of higher order multipole components for the operating crabbing mode and design modifications in reducing those components

Using Electronic Drug Monitor Feedback to Improve Adherence to Antiretroviral Therapy Among HIV-Positive Patients in China

Effective antiretroviral therapy (ART) requires excellent adherence. Little is known about how to improve ART adherence in many HIV/AIDS-affected countries, including China. We therefore assessed an adherence intervention among HIV-positive patients in southwestern China. Eighty subjects were enrolled and monitored for 6 months. Sixty-eight remaining subjects were randomized to intervention/control arms. In months 7–12, intervention subjects were counseled using EDM feedback; controls continued with standard of care. Among randomized subjects, mean adherence and CD4 count were 86.8 vs. 83.8% and 297 vs. 357 cells/μl in intervention vs. control subjects, respectively. At month 12, among 64 subjects who completed the trial, mean adherence had risen significantly among intervention subjects to 96.5% but remained unchanged in controls. Mean CD4 count rose by 90 cells/μl and declined by 9 cells/μl among intervention and control subjects, respectively. EDM feedback as a counseling tool appears promising for management of HIV and other chronic diseases.Boston University and the Office of Health and Nutrition of the United States Agency for International Development (GHS-A-00-03-00030-00); World Health Organization; United States Centers for Disease Control; National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (K23 AI 62208); Mid-Career Mentoring Award (K24 RR020300

Phenotypic Plasticity of Climbing-Related Traits in the Ankle Joint of Great Apes and Rainforest Hunter-Gatherers

The negrito and African pygmy phenotypes are predominately exhibited by hunter-gatherers living in rainforest habitats. Foraging within such habitats is associated with a unique set of locomotor behaviors, most notably habitual vertical climbing during the pursuit of honey, fruit, and game. When performed frequently, this behavior is expected to correlate with developmentally plastic skeletal morphologies that respond to mechanical loading. Using six measurements in the distal tibia and talus that discriminate nonhuman primates by vertical climbing frequency, we tested the prediction that intraspecific variation in this behavior is reflected in the morphology of the ankle joint of habitually climbing human populations. First, to explore the plasticity of climbing-linked morphologies, we made comparisons between chimpanzees, gorillas, and orangutans from wild and captive settings. The analysis revealed significant differences in two climbing-linked traits (anterior expansion of the articular surface of the distal tibia and increased degree of talar wedging), indicating that these traits are sensitive to climbing behavior. However, our analyses did not reveal any signatures of climbing behavior in the ankles of habitually climbing hunter-gatherers. These results suggest that the detection of fine-grained differences in human locomotor behaviors at the ankle joint, particularly those associated with arboreality, may be obscured by the functional demands of terrestrial bipedalism. Accordingly, it may be difficult to use population-level characteristics of ankle morphology to make inferences about the climbing behavior of hominins in the fossil record, even when facultative arborealism is associated with key fitness benefits

Effects of Crab Cavity Multipoles on JLEIC Ion Ring Dynamic Aperature

We study the effects of crab cavity multipole fields on the beam dynamic aperture of the Jefferson Lab Electron-Ion Collider (JLEIC) ion ring. Crab cavities are needed to compensate for luminosity loss due to a 50 mrad crossing angle at the interaction point. New compact crab cavity designs are interesting as they do not require considerable space in the ring but their non-linear field needs to be well understood. In this contribution, we study the impact of field multipoles on the beam dynamic aperture and report tolerance values for crab cavity multipoles

89Zr-Radiolabeled Trastuzumab Imaging in Orthotopic and Metastatic Breast Tumors

The human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2/neu) is overexpressed in 20-30% of breast cancers and is associated with tumor growth, angiogenesis, and development of distant metastases. Trastuzumab, an anti-HER2 monoclonal antibody, is used for the treatment of HER2 positive breast cancer and clinical efficacy of this agent is dependent on HER2 expression. Targeted PET imaging of HER2 with radiolabeled trastuzumab may be used to determine HER2 expression levels and guide therapy selection. The purpose of the current study was to evaluate a facile 89Zr-trastuzumab preparation method that can be efficiently applied for clinical grade production. Also, relative HER2 expression levels in orthotopic and metastatic breast cancer models were assessed by PET imaging using the 89Zr-trastuzumab produced by this simpler method

Femur

This chapter provides a detailed description of the Sterkfontein hominin femora and additional comparative and functional interpretations of these fossils, all of which are incomplete but still provide important information. While some have postulated that the differences among Sterkfontein femora reflect taxonomic differences, we regard these as large and small versions of the same general morphology. Multiple taxa may have been present at Sterkfontein; we just do not see evidence for it in the femora. However, while the distal femur of Australopithecus africanus is similar to that found in A. afarensis, the proximal femur is not. Sterkfontein Member 4 femora have relatively longer and more compressed femoral necks than their east African comparators, and a large femoral head to femoral neck ratio. Whether these subtle morphological differences reflect differences in substrate use, reflect differences in locomotor kinematics, or result in functional equivalency remains unclear

Impact of a Study Abroad Course in Helping Undergraduate Students Affirm Their Career Aspirations to Become Veterinarians: A Qualitative Inquiry

Twenty-five students who participated in a study abroad course tailored to veterinary medicine during the summer of 2019 were the study’s sources of data. Using photovoice and phenomenology research methods, we sought to explore, understand, and interpret the impact of a study abroad course on pre-vet students’ views regarding veterinary medicine and their aspirations to become veterinarians. Students perceived that veterinary medicine in Mexico was structured differently from the U.S. approach and the nation’s socioeconomic and agroclimatology conditions impacted the delivery of veterinary care and affected the work settings and practice of veterinarians. They not only discerned the uniqueness of veterinary medicine in Mexico, but also recognized its universal components regardless of the culture. The students perceived socio-cultural views about the purpose of animals were significantly different compared to the United States, and veterinary medicine in Mexico was practiced in accord with such. The course contributed to enhancing students’ understanding of veterinary practice options and the professional expectations of a DVM, especially regarding large animal species. In concert with the proposition of human capital theory, the course helped some students confirm their career aspirations and others realize that veterinary medicine was not the best career fit. In some instances, the students’ experiences challenged their preconceived notions of the veterinary profession. Higher Education Institutions should facilitate appropriate and timely learning opportunities for students to understand and confirm their interests in the veterinary profession while undergraduates. Other investigations should also seek to determine factors likely to influence pre-vet students’ career choices

Endometrial caspase 1 and interleukin-18 expression during the estrous cycle and peri-implantation period of porcine pregnancy and response to early exogenous estrogen administration

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The role for endometrial secretion of cytokines during the establishment of pregnancy in a number of mammals is well established. The current study determined endometrial expression of caspase 1 (CASP1) and interleukin-18 (IL18) during the estrous cycle and early pregnancy, and following early estrogen administration, which induces conceptus loss during early development in pigs.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Gilts were hysterectomized on either D 0, 5, 10, 12, 15 and 18 of the estrous cycle, or D 10, 12, 15 or 18 of pregnancy. The abundance of endometrial CASP1 mRNA was unaffected by day of the estrous cycle, however there was a 6 and 10-fold increase in expression on D 15 and 18 of pregnancy. Endometrial expression of IL18 mRNA increased 5-fold between D 10 to 18 in cyclic and pregnant gilts. Total recoverable IL18 in uterine flushings was greater in pregnant compared to cyclic gilts on D 15 and 18.</p> <p>In the second experiment, mated gilts were treated with either corn oil (CO) or estrogen (E) on D 9 and 10 and hysterectomized on either D 10, 12, 13, 15 or 17 of pregnancy. The current study localizes the presence of CASP1 to the epithelial layer of the endometrium for the first time. Further, a day × treatment interaction was detected for endometrial CASP1 mRNA and protein abundance as E stimulated an earlier increase on D 13 compared to CO gilts. Although IL18 mRNA expression remained unaltered from the E treatment, protein abundance was significantly attenuated on D 15 and 18 in response to E treatment.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Endometrial expression of CASP1 and IL18 is associated with establishment of pregnancy in pigs. Alteration of CASP1 and IL18 following premature exposure of the uterus to estrogen during early pregnancy may contribute to conceptus loss between Days 15 to 18 of pregnancy.</p

Novel Composites for Wing and Fuselage Applications

Design trade studies were conducted to arrive at advanced wing designs that integrated new material forms with innovative structural concepts and cost-effective fabrication methods. A representative spar was selected for design, fabrication, and test to validate the predicted performance. Textile processes, such as knitting, weaving and stitching, were used to produce fiber preforms that were later fabricated into composite span through epoxy Resin Transfer Molding (RTM), Resin Film Infusion (RFI), and consolidation of commingled thermoplastic and graphite tows. The target design ultimate strain level for these innovative structural design concepts was 6000 mu in. per in. The spars were subjected to four-point beam bending to validate their structural performance. The various material form /processing combination Y-spars were rated for their structural efficiency and acquisition cost. The acquisition cost elements were material, tooling, and labor