Surface coated ZnO powder as flame retardant for wood: A short communication.

In the present study, the ability of a coating of zinc oxide (ZnO) powder to improve the fire-safety of wood exposed to radiative heat flux was examined, focusing on the ignition time of the wood. To test ZnO's efficiency on the wood substrate, two different amounts of ZnO (0.5 and 1 g ZnO per dm) were applied to the wood surface and exposed to radiative heat from a cone calorimeter wherein a pristine piece of wood with no ZnO treatment was taken as control.

Mechanical properties of calcium silicate hydrate under uniaxial and biaxial strain conditions: a molecular dynamics study.

Calcium silicate hydrate (C-S-H) is the main hydration product of cementitious materials, often experiencing complex stress conditions in practical applications. Therefore, reactive molecular dynamics methods were used to investigate the mechanical response of the atomistic structure of C-S-H under various uniaxial and biaxial strain conditions. The results of uniaxial simulations show that C-S-H exhibits mechanical anisotropy and tension-compression asymmetry due to its layered atomistic structure.

Impact Response and Damage Tolerance of Hybrid Glass/Kevlar-Fibre Epoxy Structural Composites.

The present study is aimed at investigating the effect of hybridisation on Kevlar/E-Glass based epoxy composite laminate structures. Composites with 3 mm thickness and 16 layers of fibre (14 layers of E-glass centred and 2 outer layers of Kevlar) were fabricated using compression moulding technique. The fibre orientation of the Kevlar layers had 3 variations (0, 45 and 60°), whereas the E-glass fibre layers were maintained at 0° orientation.

Experimental Investigation of Thrust Force, Delamination and Surface Roughness in Drilling Hybrid Structural Composites.

Filled hybrid composites are widely used in various structural applications where machining is critical. Hence, it is essential to understand the performance of the fibre composites' machining behaviour. As such, a new hybrid structural composite was fabricated with redmud as filler and sisal fibre as reinforcement in polyester matrix.

Efficient Improvement in Fracture Toughness of Laminated Composite by Interleaving Functionalized Nanofibers.

Functionalized polyacrylonitrile (PAN) nanofibers were used in the present investigation to enhance the fracture behavior of carbon epoxy composite in order to prevent delamination if any crack propagates in the resin rich area. The main intent of this investigation was to analyze the efficiency of PAN nanofiber as a reinforcing agent for the carbon fiber-based epoxy structural composite. The composites were fabricated with stacked unidirectional carbon fibers and the PAN powder was functionalized with glycidyl methacrylate (GMA) and then used as reinforcement.

Optimisation of Mechanical Properties in Saw-Dust/Woven-Jute Fibre/Polyester Structural Composites under Liquid Nitrogen Environment Using Response Surface Methodology.

Natural fibre-based composites are replacing traditional materials in a wide range of structural applications that are used in different environments. Natural fibres suffer from thermal shocks, which affects the use of these composites in cold environment. Considering these, a goal was set in the present research to investigate the impact of cryogenic conditions on natural fibre composites.

Effects of water absorption on the mechanical properties of hybrid natural fibre/phenol formaldehyde composites.

This investigation is carried out to understand the effects of water absorption on the mechanical properties of hybrid phenol formaldehyde (PF) composite fabricated with Areca Fine Fibres (AFFs) and Calotropis Gigantea Fibre (CGF). Hybrid CGF/AFF/PF composites were manufactured using the hand layup technique at varying weight percentages of fibre reinforcement (25, 35 and 45%). Hybrid composite having 35 wt.

Potential natural polymer-based nanofibres for the development of facemasks in countering viral outbreaks.

The global coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has rapidly increased the demand for facemasks as a measure to reduce the rapid spread of the pathogen. Throughout the pandemic, some countries such as Italy had a monthly demand of ca. 90 million facemasks.

Left ventricular ejection fraction assessment by non-cardiologists from transverse views using a simplified wall motion score index.

For the non-cardiologist emergency physician and intensivist, performing an accurate estimation of left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) is essential for the management of critically ill patients, such as patients presenting with shock, severe respiratory distress or chest pain. Our objective was to develop a semi-quantitative method to improve visual LVEF evaluation. A group of 12 sets of transthoracic echocardiograms with LVEF in the range of 18-64% were interpreted by 17 experienced observers (PRO) and 103 untrained observers or novices (NOV), without previous training in echocardiography.

Should eligibility for heart transplantation be a requirement for left ventricular assist device use? Recommendations based on a systematic review.

Left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) are used in chronic end-stage heart failure as "bridge to transplantation" (BTT) and, more recently, for transplant-ineligible patients as "destination therapy" (DT). We reviewed the evidence on clinical effects and cost-effectiveness of 2 types of continuous-flow LVADs (HeartMate II [HM II] and HeartWare), for BTT and DT patients. We systematically searched the scientific literature (January 2008-June 2012) and identified 14 clinical studies (approximately 2900 HM II and approximately 200 HeartWare patients), and 3 economic evaluations (HM II) using simulation models.

Psychological impact of surveillance in patients with a defibrillator lead under advisory: a prospective evaluation.

Background: Implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) leads are subject to technical failures and the impact of the resulting public advisories on patient welfare is unclear. The psychological status of patients who received an advisory for their Medtronic Fidelis ICD lead (Medtronic Inc., Minneapolis, MN, USA) and followed either by self-surveillance for alarm or home monitoring with CareLink was evaluated prospectively and compared to patients with ICDs not under advisory.

Torsional profiles of new and used revo-s rotary instruments: an in vitro study.

Introduction: This study investigated the torsional properties of new and used Revo-S Shaping Universal (SU) endodontic instruments.

Methods: Torsional profiles were established following the American National Standards Institute/American Dental Association Specification No. 28.

[Old burdens and new perspectives of the long-term anticoagulant therapy].

Old burdens and new perspectives of the long-term anticoagulant therapy. Long-term anticoagulant therapy (LAT) has increasingly improved the prognosis in various diseases thus becoming an indispensable tool in our day-to-day therapeutic arsenal. However its use is influenced by various uncertainty factors.

Pregnancy-associated risk for venous thromboembolism and pregnancy outcome in women homozygous for factor V Leiden.

Introduction: To evaluate the pregnancy-associated risk of venous thromboembolism and the risk of stillbirth and miscarriage a multicenter, retrospective and controlled study was conducted in women carrying the homozygous factor V Leiden mutation and in an agematched control group of women from the normal population.

Patients And Methods: In 64 homozygous (median age 44 years, range 21-75 years) and in 52 control women from five different centers data on venous thromboembolism and pregnancy outcome were obtained.

Results: The 64 homozygous women had in total 212 pregnancies, the 52 control women had 118 pregnancies.

[Screening for violence against women. Validation and feasibility studies of a French screening tool].

OBJECTIVE: To replicate, in a Francophone community, our prior work determining the reliability and validity of the full Woman Abuse Screening Tool (WAST) and a two-item version (WAST-Short). DESIGN: Questionnaires completed by abused and nonabused women. SETTING: Two women's shelters in Francophone communities in Ontario and Quebec and participants' homes or workplaces.

Identification of mutations in 15 Hungarian families with hereditary protein C deficiency.

Hereditary protein C deficiency represents about 2-9% of inherited thrombophilias. Our aim was to elucidate the molecular basis of protein C deficiency in 25 members of 15 Hungarian families with venous thromboembolic diseases and to identify hitherto undescribed genetical defects in the protein C (PROC) gene. The exons of the PROC gene were screened for mutations with the combination of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE), and/or PCR and single-strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) analysis.

Application of the Woman Abuse Screening Tool (WAST) and WAST-short in the family practice setting.

Background: Our study objectives were to assess the validity and reliability of the Woman Abuse Screening Tool (WAST) in the general population within the family practice setting; to determine the comfort levels of family physicians administering the WAST, their perceptions of its ability to help them identify abused women, and their willingness to continue using it in practice; and to determine the self-reported comfort of patients being asked the WAST questions by their family physicians.

Methods: We included a stratified random sample of 20 physicians practicing in both urban and rural settings drawn from 400 family physicians in London, Ontario, Canada, and the surrounding area. These physicians administered the WAST to 10 to 15 eligible and consenting patients during the course of regular care.

[Clinical evaluation of factors VIII and IX manufactured in Hungary, based on results of the first half year].

The development of anti-factor VIII/IX antibodies (inhibitor-induction) and the transmission of viral infections are the most significant complications of haemophilia treatment. The Humafactor-8 and Humafactor-9 are high-purity pasteurized factor VIII and IX concentrates, which are produced from pooled plasma of Hungarian donors by ion-exchange chromatography. The clinical study has been accomplished in two steps: first we have demonstrated the biological efficacy of the concentrates in a phase IV trial.

[Indirect methods in the genetic diagnosis of hemophilia A].

In haemophilia A (HA), besides the direct detection of the most common mutation of the factor VIII gene (the gene inversion), it was necessary to establish indirect methods which are suitable to reveal the pattern of inheritance of the genes examined, regardless of the mutations they carry. This task can be achieved by the analysis of DNA polymorphisms located within and in the near proximity of the factor VIII gene. For diagnostic purposes we used an RFLP and two microsatellite polymorphisms.

Development of the Woman Abuse Screening Tool for use in family practice.

Background: This study developed a screening tool for use by family physicians to identify and assess women patients experiencing emotional and/or physical abuse by their partner.

Methods: An initial set of eight questions developed for the Woman Abuse Screening Tool (WAST) was completed by both abused and non-abused women. Participants were also asked to indicate their comfort in answering the questions in both research and family practice contexts.

Focus groups in family practice research: an example study of family physicians' approach to wife abuse.

Focus groups have been extensively used in marketing research and recently adapted for studies in the behavioral sciences and primary care. The purpose of this paper is two-fold: 1) to describe the application of focus group methodology to research in family practice, and 2) to demonstrate the use of this qualitative method to examine a specific issue--family physicians' approach to wife abuse.