Preparatiοn οf pοrοus hydrοxyapatite-metakaοlin geοpοlymer granules fοr adsοrptiοn applicatiοns using pοlyethylene glycοl as pοrοgen agent and sοdium dοdecyl sulfate as aniοnic surfactant.

This study investigated the elaboration of novel porous absorbent granules by mixing powdered hydroxyapatite, metakaolin, sodium metasilicate, polyethylene glycol, and sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), an anionic surfactant. The effect of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) was then studied by introducing it as a powder to the powdered mixture or dissolved into the granulation fluid. Characterization of the granules indicated that the incorporation of SDS dissolved in the granulation fluid into the G-PEG granules improved their specific surface area (97.

Novel adaptive impedance control for exoskeleton robot for rehabilitation using a nonlinear time-delay disturbance observer.

A new adaptive impedance, augmented with backstepping control, time-delay estimation, and a disturbance observer, was designed to perform passive-assistive rehabilitation motion. This was done using a rehabilitation robot whereby humans' musculoskeletal conditions were considered. This control scheme aimed to mimic the movement behavior of the user and to provide an accurate compensation for uncertainties and torque disturbances.

Improvement of sliding mode controller by using a new adaptive reaching law: Theory and experiment.

In this paper, a new sliding mode control (SMC) is applied to a physical nonlinear system. The novelty of this approach is related to the proposed reaching law by overcoming the main limitations of SMC. Unlike existing reaching laws, the suggested one can achieve high performance with significant reducing of a chattering problem and has a very fast convergence time of the system trajectories into the origin.

Challenges in managing a school-based measles outbreak in Melbourne, Australia, 2014.

Objective: To identify barriers to control of a Victorian primary school-based measles outbreak.

Methods: Confirmed measles cases notified in Victoria in 2014 were reviewed. Surveillance data, correspondence, and investigation notes for the school-based outbreak were assessed regarding timeliness of diagnosis and notification, and adequacy of school-based immunisation records.

Increase in Meningococcal Serogroup W Disease, Victoria, Australia, 2013-2015.

In Victoria, Australia, invasive meningococcal disease caused by Neisseria meningitidis serogroup W increased from 4% of all cases in 2013 to 30% in 2015. This increase resulted largely from strains similar to those in the serogroup W sequence type 11 clonal complex, previously described in the United Kingdom and South America.