Shear-Coated Linear Birefringent and Chiral Cellulose Nanocrystal Films Prepared from Non-Sonicated Suspensions with Different Storage Time.

Nanocelluloses are very attractive materials for creating structured films with unique optical properties using different preparation techniques. Evaporation-induced self-assembly of cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) aqueous suspensions produces iridescent films with selective circular Bragg reflection. Blade coating of sonicated CNC suspensions leads to birefringent CNC films.

Effective absorption coefficient and effective thickness in attenuated total reflection spectroscopy.

Since the introduction of attenuated total reflection (ATR) spectroscopy for the characterization of materials, attempts have been made to relate the measured reflectivity () to the absorption coefficient () of the absorbing material of interest. The common approach is limited to the low absorption case under the assumption ∼(-), where is an effective thickness, which is evaluated for the lossless case. In this Letter, a more detailed derivation leads to =(-/2), enabling the definition of an ATR-effective absorption coefficient and the penetration depth of the electric field in the absorbing material.

Lightweight Authentication Protocol for M2M Communications of Resource-Constrained Devices in Industrial Internet of Things.

The Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) consists of sensors, networks, and services to connect and control production systems. Its benefits include supply chain monitoring and machine failure detection. However, it has many vulnerabilities, such as industrial espionage and sabotage.

An approach on the implementation of full batch, online and mini-batch learning on a Mamdani based neuro-fuzzy system with center-of-sets defuzzification: Analysis and evaluation about its functionality, performance, and behavior.

Due to the rapid technological evolution and communications accessibility, data generated from different sources of information show an exponential growth behavior. That is, volume of data samples that need to be analyzed are getting larger, so the methods for its processing have to adapt to this condition, focusing mainly on ensuring the computation is efficient, especially when the analysis tools are based on computational intelligence techniques. As we know, if you do not have a good control of the handling of the volume of the data, some techniques that are based on learning iterative processes could represent an excessive load of computation and could take a prohibitive time in trying to find a solution that could not come close to desired.

Linear Birefringent Films of Cellulose Nanocrystals Produced by Dip-Coating.

Transparent films of cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) are prepared by dip-coating on glass substrates from aqueous suspensions of hydrolyzed filter paper. Dragging forces acting during films' deposition promote a preferential alignment of the rod-shaped CNC. Films that are 2.

Vessel-specific quantification of absolute myocardial blood flow, myocardial flow reserve and relative flow reserve by means of fused dynamic NH PET and CCTA: Ranges in a low-risk population and abnormality criteria.

Objectives: The goal of the present work is to present a novel methodology for the extraction of MBF, MFR and RFR along coronary arteries by means of multimodality image fusion of dynamic PET and CCTA images.

Background: FFR is the reference standard to identify flow-limiting lesions, but its invasiveness limits broad application. New noninvasive methodologies are warranted to stratify patients and guide treatment.

A Lightweight Cipher Based on Salsa20 for Resource-Constrained IoT Devices.

The Internet of Things (IoT) paradigm envisions a world where everyday things interchange information between each other in a way that allows users to make smarter decisions in a given context. Even though IoT has many advantages, its characteristics make it very vulnerable to security attacks. Ciphers are a security primitive that can prevent some of the attacks; however, the constrained computing and energy resources of IoT devices impede them from implementing current ciphers.

How to Rapidly Abolish Knee Extension Deficit After Injury or Surgery: A Practice-Changing Video Pearl From the Scientific Anterior Cruciate Ligament Network International (SANTI) Study Group.

Knee extension deficit is frequently observed after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction or rupture and other acute knee injuries. Loss of terminal extension often occurs because of hamstring contracture and quadriceps inactivation rather than mechanical intra-articular pathology. Failure to regain full extension in the first few weeks after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction is a recognized risk factor for adverse long-term outcomes, and therefore, it is important to try to address it.

Combined antibacterial/tissue regeneration response in thermal burns promoted by functional chitosan/silver nanocomposites.

We report the combined antibacterial/tissue regeneration responses to thermal burns promoted by functional chitosan/silver nanocomposites (CS/nAg) with ultralow silver content (0.018wt.%, 7-30nm).

Using Link Disconnection Entropy Disorder to Detect Fast Moving Nodes in MANETs.

Mobile ad-hoc networks (MANETs) are dynamic by nature; this dynamism comes from node mobility, traffic congestion, and other transmission conditions. Metrics to evaluate the effects of those conditions shine a light on node's behavior in an ad-hoc network, helping to identify the node or nodes with better conditions of connection. In this paper, we propose a relative index to evaluate a single node reliability, based on the link disconnection entropy disorder using neighboring nodes as reference.

Short and long-term outcomes of percutaneous left atrial appendage suture ligation: Results from a US multicenter evaluation.

Background: Published studies of epicardial ligation of left atrial appendage (LAA) have reported discordant results.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to delineate the safety and efficacy of LAA closure with the LARIAT device.

Methods: This is a multicenter registry of 712 consecutive patients undergoing LAA ligation with LARIAT at 18 US hospitals.

Fluoroless catheter ablation in adults: a single center experience.

Background: Ablation procedures for arrhythmias have increased in frequency and complexity over the last decade. Improvements in technology have allowed for less reliance on fluoroscopy to guide these procedures. Ablation without fluoroscopy has been reported in small cohorts.

Rotors in patients with persistent atrial fibrillation: case report of a left atrial appendage rotor identified by a novel computational mapping algorithm integrated into 3-dimensional mapping and termination of atrial fibrillation with ablation.

Recent clinical trials using panoramic mapping techniques have shown success in targeting rotors and focal impulses in atrial fibrillation (AF). Ablations directed toward these organized sources improve outcomes in AF. The left atrial appendage (LAA) has been suspected as a possible extrapulmonary source of AF, and ablation within the LAA or electrical isolation of the LAA improves outcomes in certain cases.

Influence of thermal gradients on stress state of veneered restorations.

Objectives: To assess transient and residual stresses within the porcelain of veneered restorations (zirconia and metal) as a result of cooling rate and porcelain thickness.

Methods: Porcelain-on-zirconia (PZ) and porcelain-fused-to-metal (PFM) crowns were fabricated with 1 or 2mm of porcelain. Thermocouples were attached both internally and externally to the crowns to record transient temperatures.

Possible involvement of the sco2127 gene product in glucose repression of actinorhodin production in Streptomyces coelicolor.

Streptomyces coelicolor mutants resistant to 2-deoxyglucose are insensitive to carbon catabolite repression (CCR). Total reversion to CCR sensitivity is observed by mutant complementation with a DNA region harboring both glucose kinase glkA gene and the sco2127 gene. The sco2127 is located upstream of glkA and encodes a putative protein of 20.

Personal exposures to asbestos fibers during brake maintenance of passenger vehicles.

Introduction: Brake linings and brake pads are among the asbestos-containing products that are readily available in Colombia. When sold separated from their support, brake linings require extensive manipulation involving several steps that include drilling, countersinking, riveting, bonding, cutting, beveling, and grinding. Without this manipulation, brake linings cannot be installed in a vehicle.

Biomechanical anchorage evaluation of mini-implants treated with sandblasting and acid etching in orthodontics.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to assess the stability of sandblasted and acid-etched miniscrew implants based on orthodontic mechanics for space closure after tooth extraction.

Materials And Methods: Twenty-four orthodontic mini-implants were placed in 13 patients, for a skeletal anchorage purpose, all prepared by the manufacturer (3M Unitek-IMTEC Ortho USA) with sandblasting and acid treatment. Anchorage measurements were made on occlusal radiographs, on a monthly basis in a 6-month period.

Sustained polymorphic arrhythmias induced by programmed ventricular stimulation have prognostic value in patients receiving defibrillators.

Background: Patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy (ICM) who have monomorphic ventricular tachycardia (VT) induced by programmed ventricular stimulation (PVS) are at increased risk of sudden cardiac death (SCD). Among a primary prevention population, the prognostic significance of induced polymorphic ventricular arrhythmias is unknown.

Methods: A total of 105 consecutive patients who received an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) for primary prevention of SCD in the setting of ICM and non-sustained VT were retrospectively evaluated.

The adolescent behavioral repertoire: its latent structure in the PACARDO region of Latin America.

In this study, the authors probed the latent structure of the adolescent behavioral repertoire (ABR) and estimated its sociodemographic correlates. The authors drew a nationally representative sample of 12,797 school-attending youth from the 7 countries in the PACARDO region of Latin America: Panama, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and the Dominican Republic. On the basis of the Behavioral Repertoire Self Report scale (Johanson, Duffy, and Anthony, 1996), the authors identified 5 primary dimensions, including religious behaviors, socializing, sports, home-based activities, and gender socialization activities.

New 5alpha-reductase inhibitors: in vitro and in vivo effects.

The enzyme 5alpha-reductase is responsible for the conversion of testosterone (T) to its more potent androgen dihydrotestosterone (DHT). This steroid had been implicated in androgen-dependent diseases such as: benign prostatic hyperplasia, prostate cancer, acne and androgenic alopecia. The inhibition of 5alpha-reductase enzyme offers a potentially useful treatment for these diseases.

The PACARDO research project: youthful drug involvement in Central America and the Dominican Republic.

Objective: To estimate the occurrence and school-level clustering of drug involvement among school-attending adolescent youths in each of seven countries in Latin America, drawing upon evidence from the PACARDO research project, a multinational collaborative epidemiological research study.

Methods: During 1999-2000, anonymous self-administered questionnaires on drug involvement and related behaviors were administered to a cross-sectional, nationally representative sample that included a total of 12,797 students in the following seven countries: Costa Rica (n = 1,702), the Dominican Republic (n = 2,023), El Salvador (n = 1,628), Guatemala (n = 2,530), Honduras (n = 1,752), Nicaragua (n = , 419), and Panama (n = 1,743). (The PACARDO name concatenates PA for Panamá, CA for Centroamérica, and RDO for República Dominicana).

Novel 17 substituted pregnadiene derivatives as 5 alpha-reductase inhibitors and their binding affinity for the androgen receptor.

The in vitro antiandrogenic activity of four new progesterone derivatives: 4, 5, 6 and 7 (8 is a known compound) was determined. These compounds were evaluated as 5alpha-reductase inhibitors as well as by their capacity to bind to the androgen receptor in gonadectomized hamster prostate. The IC(50) value was determined using increasing concentrations of 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 in the presence of [(3)H]T and the microsomal fraction of the hamster prostate containing the 5alpha-reductase enzyme.