Comparative investigation of stator-mounted permanent magnet machines under fault conditions

Here, machines having permanent magnets (PM) mounted in the stator are compared during fault operations such as armature winding short circuits. The magnet potential irreversible demagnetisation is also investigated due to the fact that the PMs are placed close to the armature coils (heat sources) and hence are prone to temperature-related demagnetisations. It is found that the doubly salient and flux reversal machines have inherently higher fault tolerant capabilities when compared with the switched-flux one. To the point of view of demagnetisation withstand capability, the doubly salient topology stands out as the most robust one while the switched flux is the weakest one

Nanoscale precipitation in aged Al-3.5Cu-0.4Mg-0.2Ge alloy

During ageing at 200 °C, a trace (0.2 wt%) addition of Ge to a base Al–3.5Cu–0.4Mg alloy resulted in anomalous precipitation processes by stimulating the formation of nanoscale precipitate and suppressing the formation of S′(Al2CuMg) precipitate. This behavior was demonstrated to be closely related to the preferential Mg–Ge cluster which formed in the early ageing stage. The increased hardening response and enhanced hardness in Ge-containing alloy were due to the rapid precipitation of high density of fine nanoscale precipitate. The transmission electron microscopy (TEM) investigation indicated that nanoscale precipitate, θ′ (Al2Cu), θ′II (Al2Cu) and σ (Al5Cu6Mg2) precipitates could coexist in Al matrix for prolonged ageing at 200 °C. And the nanoscale precipitate was demonstrated to own 〈001〉α needle-shaped morphology and be enriched with aluminum, copper, magnesium and germanium. The Mg/(Cu+Ge) atomic ratio in them is close to 1:1. High-resolution TEM observation indicated that the nanoscale precipitates appeared to be coherent with Al matrix and their orientation relationship is 〈100〉nano//〈100〉Al and {010}nano//{010}Al. A modified structure with composition of Al10Mg3Cu3−xGex (

Genotypic diversity and antifungal susceptibility of Cryptococcus neoformans isolates from paediatric patients in China

Cryptococcosis is a life‐threatening mycosis primarily occurring in adult patients particularly those with immunosuppression such as HIV infection/AIDS. The number of reported cases of paediatric cryptococcosis has increased in the last decade around the world, including China. However, current information on the characteristics of cryptococcosis in children, particularly the genotypic diversity and antifungal susceptibility of the isolates, is limited. In the present study, a total of 25 paediatric isolates of Cryptococcus neoformans were genotyped using the ISHAM‐MLST scheme. In vitro susceptibility to antifungal agents of the 22 isolates was tested using the CLSI M27‐A3 method. Our analyses revealed that the genotypic diversity of C. neoformans isolates from Chinese paediatric patients was low, with ST 5 (80%) and ST 31 (12%) being the two major sequence types. Reduced susceptibility to fluconazole (FLU), 5‐flucytosine (5‐FC) and itraconazole (ITR) was observed among C. neoformans isolates from Chinese paediatric patients, particularly among the ST5 isolates, which was similar to observations made on C. neoformans isolates from Chinese adult patients. In addition, the majority of isolates (3/4, 75%) obtained from deceased patients showed decreased antifungal susceptibility, which indicates that further monitoring of antifungal susceptibility of Cryptococcus isolates is warranted in management of paediatric cryptococcosis

Fedratinib Improves Myelofibrosis-related Symptoms and Health-related Quality of Life in Patients with Myelofibrosis Previously Treated with Ruxolitinib: Patient-reported Outcomes from the Phase II JAKARTA2 Trial

Myelofibrosis symptoms compromise health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Ruxolitinib can reduce myelofibrosis symptom severity, but many patients discontinue ruxolitinib due to loss of response or unacceptable toxicity. Fedratinib is an oral, selective JAK2 inhibitor approved in the United States for treatment of patients with intermediate-2 or high-risk myelofibrosis. The single-arm, phase II JAKARTA2 trial assessed fedratinib 400 mg/d (starting dose) in patients with myelofibrosis previously treated with ruxolitinib. Patient-reported changes in myelofibrosis symptom severity using the modified Myelofibrosis Symptom Assessment Form (MFSAF), and overall HRQoL and functional status using the EORTC QLQ-C30, were evaluated at each cycle. Clinically meaningful changes from baseline HRQoL scores were based on effect sizes. Ninety patients were MFSAF-evaluable. Myelofibrosis symptoms were mild-to-moderate at baseline. Patients showed statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvements in total symptom scores from baseline on the MFSAF at all post baseline visits through the end of cycle 6 (EOC6). Baseline global health status/QoL and functional domain scores on the EORTC QLQ-C30 were meaningfully worse than in the general population. At EOC6, 44% of patients reported clinically meaningful improvements in global health status/QoL, and 30%-53% of patients experienced clinically meaningful improvement in QLQ-C30 functional domains across post baseline timepoints. Over 80% of ongoing patients perceived fedratinib as beneficial on the Patient's Global Impression of Change questionnaire. Fedratinib effects were consistent among prognostically relevant patient subgroups. Patients with myelofibrosis previously treated with ruxolitinib experienced clinically meaningful improvements in myelofibrosis symptom burden, overall HRQoL, and functional status in the first 6 months of fedratinib treatment