Ultrasonic Characterization of Horizontal Density Variations in Oriented Strandboard

Random flake deposition in mat forming of oriented strandboard (OSB) results in inherent horizontal density variation that affects the panel strength quality. In this paper, a silicon gel coupled ultrasonic transmission (UT) was used to locate, map, and validate the horizontal density distribution in laboratory-made OSB. Two test boards were manufactured at each of three nominal density (ND) and three resin content (RC) levels. The UT variables velocity, attenuation, and root mean square voltage formed excellent complementary predictors of density for all RC and panel types. Based on the allowable ±10% variation in the average measured densities, both the general and polynomial models provided improved density prediction for boards at higher RC and ND levels. Using the contour and out-of-limits plots, the predicted horizontal densities gave a reasonable spatial approximation to the measured densities. All 6% RC panels with densities of 0.60 g/cm3 or greater conformed well to the limits, with declining conformity towards the lower RC panels

AIDS Vaccine for Asia Network (AVAN): Expanding the Regional Role in Developing HIV Vaccines

Yiming Shao and colleagues describe the work of AVAN, the AIDS Vaccine for Asia Network, which aims to strengthen its regional efforts in finding an AIDS vaccine

Is Malaysia’s banded langur, Presbytis femoralis femoralis, actually Presbytis neglectus neglectus? Taxonomic revision with new insights on the radiation history of the Presbytis species group in Southeast Asia

The disjunct distribution of Presbytis femoralis subspecies across Sumatra (P. f. percura), southern (P. f. femoralis) and northern (P. f. robinsoni) Peninsular Malaysia marks the unique vicariance events in the Sunda Shelf. However, the taxonomic positions and evolutionary history of P. f. femoralis are unresolved after decades of research. To elucidate this evolutionary history, we analyzed 501 base pairs of the mitochondrial HVSI gene from 25 individuals representing Malaysia’s banded langur, with the addition of 29 sequences of Asian Presbytis from Genbank. Our results revealed closer affinity of P. f. femoralis to P. m. mitrata and P. m. sumatrana while maintaining the monophyletic state of P. f. femoralis as compared to P. f. robinsoni. Two central theses were inferred from the results; (1) P. f. femoralis does not belong in the same species classification as P. f. robinsoni, and (2) P. f. femoralis is the basal lineage of the Presbytis in Peninsular Malaysia. Proving the first hypothesis through genetic analysis, we reassigned P. f. femoralis of Malaysia to Presbytis neglectus (Schlegel’s banded langur) (Schlegel in Revue Methodique, Museum d’Histoire Naturelle des Pays-Bas 7:1, 1876) following the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature (article 23.3). The ancestors of P. neglectus are hypothesized to have reached southern Peninsular Malaysia during the Pleistocene and survived in refugium along the western coast. Consequently, they radiated upward, forming P. f. robinsoni and P. siamensis resulting in the highly allopatric distribution in Peninsular Malaysia. This study has successfully resolved the taxonomic position of P. neglectus in Peninsular Malaysia while providing an alternative biogeographic theory for the Asian Presbytis

The Advancement of Biomaterials in Regulating Stem Cell Fate.

Stem cells are well-known to have prominent roles in tissue engineering applications. Embryonic stem cells (ESCs) and induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) can differentiate into every cell type in the body while adult stem cells such as mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) can be isolated from various sources. Nevertheless, an utmost limitation in harnessing stem cells for tissue engineering is the supply of cells. The advances in biomaterial technology allows the establishment of ex vivo expansion systems to overcome this bottleneck. The progress of various scaffold fabrication could direct stem cell fate decisions including cell proliferation and differentiation into specific lineages in vitro. Stem cell biology and biomaterial technology promote synergistic effect on stem cell-based regenerative therapies. Therefore, understanding the interaction of stem cell and biomaterials would allow the designation of new biomaterials for future clinical therapeutic applications for tissue regeneration. This review focuses mainly on the advances of natural and synthetic biomaterials in regulating stem cell fate decisions. We have also briefly discussed how biological and biophysical properties of biomaterials including wettability, chemical functionality, biodegradability and stiffness play their roles

Ultrasonic Characterization of Structural Properties of Oriented Strandboard: A Comparison of Direct-Contact and Non-Contact Methods1

A through-thickness ultrasonic transmission (UT) in oriented strandboard (OSB) was done to compare the performance of direct-contact (DC) and non-contact (NC) ultrasonic systems. The DC measurements produced a higher velocity than the NC system for a given board type, possibly due to transducer's compression over liquid couplant in the DC method. The UT responses correlated nonlinearly to sample density. The responses were not affected by the panel shelling ratio for the threelayer boards. Viable correlations between panel properties and UT parameters were board-specific for either method. Attenuation and root means square voltage (RMS) parameters were suitably used as density predictors if the flake alignment level is known; otherwise, velocity parameter could be used. In the single-layer boards, internal bond strength, bending stiffness, and breaking resistance were highly correlated to attenuation and RMS, a calibration importance. A density of 900 kg/m3 marked the transition point for the UT responses. The point showed the transition between the diminishing physical effects of the interspatial voids in the lower density half and the increasing plastic-strain hardening modifications in the higher density half. The high correlations of DC-Velocity and NC-Attenuation to density and strength properties attest a feasible application of both methods in wood composite research and in a real-time quality control system for fiber-based facilities