Damage localization in laminated composite plates using mode shapes measured by pulsed TV holography

Three methods for the damage localization of impact damage in laminated composite plates, based on their vibrational characteristics, are presented in this paper. These methods use double pulse TV holography with acoustic excitation for mode shapes acquisition and the differences in translations, rotations and curvatures. The rotations and curvatures are obtained by numerical differentiation of mode shapes translations using a differentiation/smoothing technique. The methods are applied to a carbon fiber reinforced epoxy rectangular plate, free in space, subjected to two cases of impact damage. It is shown that the method based on curvatures allows the localization of both cases of damage, which can be undetected by visual, X-ray or C-scan inspections. The best localizations are achieved by selecting and applying the method to the most changed mode.Three methods for the damage localization of impact damage in laminated composite plates, based on their vibrational characteristics, are presented in this paper. These methods use double pulse TV holography with acoustic excitation for mode shapes acquisition and the differences in translations, rotations and curvatures. The rotations and curvatures are obtained by numerical differentiation of mode shapes translations using a differentiation/smoothing technique. The methods are applied to a carbon fiber reinforced epoxy rectangular plate, free in space, subjected to two cases of impact damage. It is shown that the method based on curvatures allows the localization of both cases of damage, which can be undetected by visual, X-ray or C-scan inspections. The best localizations are achieved by selecting and applying the method to the most changed mode

Damage localization in laminated composite plates using double pulse-electronic holographic interferometry

One method for the damage localization of impact damage in laminated composite plates, based on their vibrational characteristics, is presented in this paper. This method uses double pulse-electronic holographic interferometry for mode shapes acquisition and the differences in curvatures. The rotations and curvatures are numerically obtained. The method is applied to a carbon fibre reinforced epoxy rectangular plate, free in space, subjected to two cases of impact damage. It is shown that the method based on curvatures allows for the localization of both cases of damage, which can be undetected by visual, X-ray or C-Scan inspections. The best localizations are achieved by selecting and applying the method to the most changed mode

Recent speciation and adaptation to aridity in the ecologically diverse Pilbara region of Australia enabled the native tobaccos (Nicotiana; Solanaceae) to colonize all Australian deserts

Over the last 6 million years, the arid Australian Eremaean Zone (EZ) has remained as dry as it is today. A widely accepted hypothesis suggests that the flora and fauna of arid regions were more broadly distributed before aridification began. In Australia, this process started around 20 million years ago (Ma), leading to gradual speciation as the climate became increasingly arid. Here, we use genomic data to investigate the biogeography and timing of divergence of native allotetraploid tobaccos, Nicotiana section Suaveolentes (Solanaceae). The original allotetraploid migrants from South America were adapted to mesic areas of Australia and recently radiated in the EZ, including in sandy dune fields (only 1.2 Ma old), after developing drought adaptations. Coalescent and maximum likelihood analyses suggest that Nicotiana section Suaveolentes arrived on the continent around 6 Ma, with the ancestors of the Pilbara (Western Australian) lineages radiating there at the onset of extreme aridity 5 Ma by locally adapting to these various ancient, highly stable habitats. The Pilbara thus served as both a mesic refugium and cradle for adaptations to harsher conditions, due to its high topographical diversity, providing microhabitats with varying moisture levels and its proximity to the ocean, which buffers against extreme aridity. This enabled species like Nicotiana to survive in mesic refugia and subsequently adapt to more arid conditions. These results demonstrate that initially poorly adapted plant groups can develop novel adaptations in situ, permitting extensive and rapid dispersal despite the highly variable and unpredictable extreme conditions of the EZ

Haematological and biochemical parameters in Churra-da-Terra-Quente ewes from the northeast of Portugal

Hematological and biochemical parameters, including plasma electrolytes and thyroid hormones, were determined in 73 clinically healthy Churra-da-Terra-Quente ewes, a typical breed from the northeast of Portugal. The hemogram values were: erythrocytes 9.8±1.51012/L; haemoglobin 118.1±19.1g/L; haematocrit 40.8±5.9%; leukocytes 5.7±1.8109/L; and platelets 544.3±177.2109/L. The thrombin time was 17.3±1.7 seconds. The values of biochemical parameters were: total protein 76.4±6.1g/L; glucose 2.87±0.60mmol/L; total cholesterol 1.65±0.33mmol/L; aspartate aminotransferase 155.9±49.2U/L; alanine aminotransferase 23.2±9.6U/L; γ-glutamyl transferase 48.0±18.7U/L; total alkaline phosphatase 121.6±76.1U/L; glutamate dehydrogenase 6.4±3.7U/L; urea 7.32±2.22mmol/L; creatinine 123.0±54.1μmol/L; total calcium 2.53±0.25mmol/L; phosphorus 2.10±0.46mmol/L; magnesium 1.01±0.09mmol/L; sodium 152.04±3.65mmol/L; potassium 4.7±0.4mmol/L; ionized calcium 1.32±0.07mmol/L; total thyroxine 111.75±42.29nmol/L; total triiodothyronine 1.01±0.28nmol/L; free T4 11.93±1.78pmol/L; free T3 4.22±1.33pmol/L; and thyroid-stimulating hormone 0.18±0.19μIU/mL. Although differences among the Churra-da-Terra-Quente breed and other breeds may occur, the hematological and biochemical parameters, plasma electrolytes, and thyroid hormones, for this indigenous breed, were generally situated within the reference intervals previously reported for sheep

Interleukin-6 Receptor Antagonists in Critically Ill Patients with Covid-19.

BACKGROUND: The efficacy of interleukin-6 receptor antagonists in critically ill patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) is unclear. METHODS: We evaluated tocilizumab and sarilumab in an ongoing international, multifactorial, adaptive platform trial. Adult patients with Covid-19, within 24 hours after starting organ support in the intensive care unit (ICU), were randomly assigned to receive tocilizumab (8 mg per kilogram of body weight), sarilumab (400 mg), or standard care (control). The primary outcome was respiratory and cardiovascular organ support-free days, on an ordinal scale combining in-hospital death (assigned a value of -1) and days free of organ support to day 21. The trial uses a Bayesian statistical model with predefined criteria for superiority, efficacy, equivalence, or futility. An odds ratio greater than 1 represented improved survival, more organ support-free days, or both. RESULTS: Both tocilizumab and sarilumab met the predefined criteria for efficacy. At that time, 353 patients had been assigned to tocilizumab, 48 to sarilumab, and 402 to control. The median number of organ support-free days was 10 (interquartile range, -1 to 16) in the tocilizumab group, 11 (interquartile range, 0 to 16) in the sarilumab group, and 0 (interquartile range, -1 to 15) in the control group. The median adjusted cumulative odds ratios were 1.64 (95% credible interval, 1.25 to 2.14) for tocilizumab and 1.76 (95% credible interval, 1.17 to 2.91) for sarilumab as compared with control, yielding posterior probabilities of superiority to control of more than 99.9% and of 99.5%, respectively. An analysis of 90-day survival showed improved survival in the pooled interleukin-6 receptor antagonist groups, yielding a hazard ratio for the comparison with the control group of 1.61 (95% credible interval, 1.25 to 2.08) and a posterior probability of superiority of more than 99.9%. All secondary analyses supported efficacy of these interleukin-6 receptor antagonists. CONCLUSIONS: In critically ill patients with Covid-19 receiving organ support in ICUs, treatment with the interleukin-6 receptor antagonists tocilizumab and sarilumab improved outcomes, including survival. (REMAP-CAP ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT02735707.)

The phenotype of Floating-Harbor syndrome: Clinical characterization of 52 individuals with mutations in exon 34 of SRCAP

Background: Floating-Harbor syndrome (FHS) is a rare condition characterized by short stature, delays in expressive language, and a distinctive facial appearance. Recently, heterozygous truncating mutations in SRCAP were determined to be disease-causing. With the availability of a DNA based confirmatory test, we set forth to define the clinical features of this syndrome. Methods and results. Clinical information on fifty-two individuals with SRCAP mutations was collected using standardized questionnaires. Twenty-four males and twenty-eight females were studied with ages ranging from