A virtual test-bed for the prediction of holistic effective elastic properties of UD composites

Most existing computational approaches are restrictive in their predictive capabilities by using non-representative virtual geometric domains (RVEs) of test materials. The strategy proposed here relaxes these restrictions by utilizing statistically representative 3D RVEs with appropriate boundary conditions and a robust homogenization implementation based on a micromechanical modelling philosophy. The strategy was implemented as a self-consistent, rigorous, virtual testing framework analogous to a physical experimental testing scheme. The strategy proposed in this work was shown to give a holistic set of elastic properties of the test composites considered when compared with other predictive approaches. Also, parametric studies were carried out to explore the different features of the virtual framework. Therefore, this virtual test-bed strategy represents a suitable substitute for realistic experiments and can be used in designing different virtual experiments

Generation of virtual geometric domains for woven textile composites

The definition of an appropriate geometric domain is a prerequisite for performing virtual thermo-mechanical analyses on materials. Most of the current methods for generating virtual geometric domains for textile composites rely on complex equations conjured from the machining/manufacturing of the textiles; consequently, an intuitive method for developing a variety of virtual geometric domains for woven textile composites is desirable. The literature describes several techniques for generating geometric models for textile composites using advanced energy minimisation principles and computational imaging tools, but these techniques require specialist equipment, for deducing necessary empirical data, and heuristics to obtain acceptable results. This communication proposes a method for generating virtual geometric models using simple geometric metrics from the topology of the desired woven textiles. We describe and implement a geometric modelling algorithm for generating woven textile composites and show that the proposed technique yields geometric models with comparable characteristics to actual textile fabrics. Due to its modular structure, the proposed algorithm can be readily implemented on any programming platform and adapted to generate bespoke woven textile fabrics. This has been demonstrated by generating CAD models of woven textiles which can be adopted in any pre-processing tool for subsequent analysis in a finite element scheme

Mycotoxigenic Aspergillus flavus from ginger and turmeric consumed in the Niger Delta Region of Nigeria

Ginger and turmeric sold in the open markets and retail outlets in southern Nigeria were sampled between April and August, 2017. This period coincided with the first bimodal peak of the rainy season of the 2017 cropping season. Malt extract agar (MEA) and Dichloran 18% glycerol (DG18) media were used to isolate fungi from samples with or without surface sterilisation. Aspergillus spp isolated were examined for the production of orange-yellow pigmentation and blue fluorescence on the reverse side of the plate on CAM under UV light. Aflatoxin production by Aspergillus flavus on yeast extract sucrose (YES) was verified quantitatively using High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC). Data showed that Fusarium, Penicillium and Aspergillus spp were the dominant fungal flora. Toxigenic isolates of A. flavus; AFg1, AFg3, AFt1, and AFt3 produced both orange-yellow pigmentation and blue fluorescence on CAM. The production of AFB1 and AFB2 on YES medium was confirmed using HPLC. The occurrence of toxigenic fungi indicates that there is a potential risk of mycotoxin contamination in ginger and turmeric consumed in southern Nigeria and problems can arise from contamination with aflatoxins

Physical properties, dietary fibre profile and peroxide value of biscuit produced from wheat-Tigernut flours with avocado paste as fat substitute

This study investigated the effect of replacing fat with avocado paste on the physical properties, dietary fibre profile and peroxide value of wheat-tigernut biscuits. Whole tigernut was processed into flour and blended with wheat flour at three different levels; 10%, 20% and 30% weight basis into two parts. The first part of the composite (T10, T20, and T30) and control sample (100% wheat flour, T00) were baked into biscuit using margarine, while in the second batch (AT10, AT20, and AT30), margarine was replaced with avocado paste (100%). The biscuit samples were analysed for physical properties, dietary fibre profile and peroxide value using standard procedures. Data were subjected to Analysis of variance, and means were separated using Duncan’s Multiple Range Test at p<0.05. Biscuits baked with avocado paste had higher spread ratio (6.98 – 7.19) and weight (17.39 – 17.51 g) than samples baked with margarine. Break strength of control sample was higher (185g) compared to biscuit samples baked with margarine (182.70 – 175.81 g), but lower than biscuits baked with avocado paste (182.70 – 175.81 g). Biscuits baked with avocado had higher dietary fibre profile of 7.49 to 7.84% and 5.72 to 5.82% for insoluble and soluble fibres. Biscuits containing avocado paste had higher peroxide values (1.91 to 2.56 meq O2/kg) than samples containing margarine (1.67 to 2.18 meq O2/kg). Replacing avocado with margarine improved the physical properties and dietary fibre profile of the biscuits with no adverse effect on the peroxide value and could therefore, be exploited as a healthier shortening agent to enrich biscuits

Climate justice and the international regime: before, during and after Paris

With a focus on key themes and debates, this article aims to illustrate and assess how the interaction between justice and politics has shaped the international regime and defined the nature of the international agreement that was signed in COP21 Paris. The work demonstrates that despite the rise of neo-conservatism and self-interested power politics, questions of global distributive justice remain a central aspect of the international politics of climate change. However, while it is relatively easy to demonstrate that international climate politics is not beyond the reach of moral contestations, the assessment of exactly how much impact justice has on climate policies and the broader normative structures of the climate governance regime remains a very difficult task. As the world digests the Paris Agreement, it is vital that the current state of justice issues within the international climate change regime is comprehensively understood by scholars of climate justice and by academics and practitioners, not least because how these intractable issues of justice are dealt with (or not) will be a crucial factor in determining the effectiveness of the emerging climate regime

Dietary patterns, inflammatory biomarkers and cognition in older adults: An analysis of three population-based cohorts

Background: Targeting effective strategies to prevent cognitive decline is key in the aging population. Some diets have been linked to a slower cognitive decline, potentially through reducing inflammation. We aimed at determining the effect of inflammatory dietary patterns (IDPs) on cognitive function in three population-based cohorts. Methods: In this longitudinal study, we analyzed data from the Canadian Longitudinal Study of Aging, CoLaus|PsyCoLaus and Rotterdam Study. Our analytical sample included participants over 55 years old with baseline data on cognition, dietary intake, and inflammatory markers. IDPs were derived for each cohort using reduced rank regression to reflect maximal variation in three inflammatory markers. We calculated scores of consumption of the IDPs, higher scores indicating more IDP consumption. We used inverse probability of treatment and censoring weights in the marginal structural models to estimate associations of higher versus lower quarters of consumption of an IDP on general cognition (Mini-Mental State Evaluation) and four cognitive domains (memory, verbal fluency, verbal learning and processing speed and executive function) during at least 3 years of follow-up. Results: We included 10,366 participants (mean age 68) followed-up for a mean of 5 years. Diet explained between 1 and 2% of the variation of the inflammatory markers. There were no differences in general cognition when comparing the highest to the lowest quarter of consumption of IDPs among the three cohorts. Mean differences for the four cognitive domains were of small magnitude across cohorts and not clinically relevant. Conclusion: Diet explained low variation in inflammatory markers. Consuming IDPs was not associated with mean differences in general or domain-specific cognitive function

Impacts of meeting minimum access on critical earth systems amidst the Great Inequality

The Sustainable Development Goals aim to improve access to resources and services, reduce environmental degradation, eradicate poverty and reduce inequality. However, the magnitude of the environmental burden that would arise from meeting the needs of the poorest is under debate—especially when compared to much larger burdens from the rich. We show that the ‘Great Acceleration’ of human impacts was characterized by a ‘Great Inequality’ in using and damaging the environment. We then operationalize ‘just access’ to minimum energy, water, food and infrastructure. We show that achieving just access in 2018, with existing inequalities, technologies and behaviours, would have produced 2–26% additional impacts on the Earth’s natural systems of climate, water, land and nutrients—thus further crossing planetary boundaries. These hypothetical impacts, caused by about a third of humanity, equalled those caused by the wealthiest 1–4%. Technological and behavioural changes thus far, while important, did not deliver just access within a stable Earth system. Achieving these goals therefore calls for a radical redistribution of resources

Initial experience with a synthetic sealant PleuraSeal™ after pulmonary resections: a prospective study with retrospective case matched controls

The objective of this study was to evaluate postoperative outcome and efficacy of a hydrogel tissue sealant for prevention of alveolar leakage after open lung resections

Paternal occupation and delirium risk in older adults: a potential marker of early-life exposures

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Delirium is a common disorder among older adults following hospitalization or major surgery. Whereas many studies examine the risk of proximate exposures and comorbidities, little is known about pathways linking childhood exposures to later-life delirium. In this study, we explored the association between paternal occupation and delirium risk. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: A prospective observational cohort study of 528 older adults undergoing elective surgery at two academic medical centers. Paternal occupation group (white collar vs. blue collar) served as our independent variable. Delirium incidence was assessed using the Confusion Assessment Method (CAM) supplemented by medical chart review. Delirium severity was measured using the peak CAM-Severity score (CAM-S Peak), the highest value of CAM-S observed throughout the hospital stay. RESULTS: Blue-collar paternal occupation was significantly associated with a higher rate of incident delirium (91/234, 39%) compared with white-collar paternal occupation (84/294, 29%), adjusted odds ratio OR (95% confidence interval [CI]) = 1.6 (1.1, 2.3). All analyses were adjusted for participant age, race, gender, and Charlson Comorbidity Index. Blue-collar paternal occupation was also associated with greater delirium severity, with a mean score (SD) of 4.4 (3.3), compared with white-collar paternal occupation with a mean score (SD) of 3.5 (2.8). Among participants reporting blue-collar paternal occupation, we observed an adjusted mean difference of 0.86 (95% CI = 0.4, 1.4) additional severity units. DISCUSSION AND IMPLICATIONS: Blue-collar paternal occupation is associated with greater delirium incidence and severity, after adjustment for covariates. These findings support the application of a life-course framework to evaluate the risk of later-life delirium and delirium severity. Our results also demonstrate the importance of considering childhood exposures, which may be consequential even decades later.2019-AARFD-644816 - Alzheimer’s AssociationPublished versio