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Background: Anti‐Müllerian hormone (AMH) holds potential as a biomarker for assessing the superovulation (SO) response in cattle. Nonetheless, there exists scant information regarding this aspect in the literature concerning dairy heifers. Given this gap, our objective is to explore the viability of AMH as an indicator for gauging the SO response specifically in Holstein heifers. Furthermore, our aim encompasses examining the variations in AMH levels within the same individuals before and after undergoing SO. Methods: The study included 41 Holstein heifers. All heifers were superovulated and blood samples were taken both before and after the SO protocol. Results: The findings revealed that the mean values of serum AMH concentrations before and after SO were 0.122 ng/mL (0.093–0.248 ng/mL) and 0.119 ng/mL (0.084–0.170 ng/mL), respectively. AMH concentrations in heifers were stratified into low (<0.106 ng/mL), medium (0.107–0.126 ng/mL) and high (>0.127 ng/mL) categories both before and after SO. Conclusions: There was no significant correlation between AMH levels in the heifers both before and after SO treatment with the number of follicles, corpora lutea, total embryos collected or embryos transferred (p > 0.05). Furthermore, this study showed that serum AMH concentrations in Holstein heifers did not change after SO treatment. In this study, as AMH levels in Holstein heifers were in a narrow range, a relationship between AMH and SO response could not be determined. In future studies, we believe that it would be more useful to plan more studies in Holstein donor heifers, taking into account the number of animals and AMH levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For the removal of elevated thermal flux in high‐temperature applications, there is an urgent need for robust and lightweight thermally conductive thermoplastic materials with suitable mechanical integrity. In current work, multiscale hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) and titanium dioxide (TiO2) fillers are integrated into polyetheretherketone (PEEK) polymer to create a synergistic effect regarding thermal conductivity. An optimized twin‐screw extrusion is utilized to disperse the fillers uniformly in the host polymer by changing the screw design in terms of kneading, mixing, and reverse elements, feeding zones of the fillers/polymer, and the feeding cycles. Various specimens were developed by systematically varying the relative filler amount of the thermally anisotropic hBN and the thermally isotropic TiO2, while the total filler content was fixed to 60 wt%. As a result, 50B‐10T composite exhibited an ultrahigh thermal conductivity of 8.195 W/(m.K), with a 3139% enhancement compared to unfilled PEEK. Moreover, as the PEEK‐mediated regions are occupied with nano‐sized TiO2, efficient channels for phonon transport are formed between hybrid fillers, and the through‐plane thermal conductivity reached 1.704 W/(m.K) in 50B‐10T sample. The potential application of prepared composites as a heat spreader is demonstrated by monitoring surface temperature distribution and numerical simulation. Meanwhile, we achieved a synchronous improvement in mechanical stiffness within hybrid composites; and failure mechanisms including crack bridging at TiO2‐PEEK interface, and debonding at hBN‐PEEK interface are observed in hybrid composites. Lastly, the high thermal stability makes the PEEK/hBN/TiO2 specimens suitable for heat dissipation in demanding applications in the energy and aerospace sectors. Highlights: Bespoke screw design developed for scalable manufacturing of Polyetheretherketone (PEEK) matrix composites reinforced with Hexagonal Boron Nitride (hBN) and Titanium Dioxide (TiO2) via twin‐screw melt compounding.Interconnected 3D filler networks were achieved due to the filler dimension effect, allowing us to reach an ultrahigh in‐plane thermal conductivity value of 8.2 W/(m.K) and through‐plane thermal conductivity value of 1.7 W/(m.K) for 50B‐10T specimen.Manufactured hybrid PEEK/hBN/TiO2 composite specimens possess excellent mechanical stiffness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the service life of aerospace‐grade composites, process parameters and process‐induced defects may become crucial. Most studies in this field have mainly focused on the relationship between process‐induced defects and mechanical performance. However, the potential impact of process parameters and process‐induced defects on the service life of composites serving under severe service conditions has received little attention. In this work, the effects of hydrothermal conditioning on the mechanical performance of carbon fiber/polyether ketone ketone (CF/PEKK) composites are examined, along with the correlation between automated fiber placement (AFP) process parameters and process‐induced defects. For this, gap and overlap defects integrated CF/PEKK laminates were exposed to a long‐term (90 days) hot‐wet aging environment to simulate the actual service conditions. Defect‐induced composite samples reached saturation point at the end of 30 days with a mass gain of 0.2 wt%. The aging process resulted in an increase in the degree of crystallization by almost 14% without a change in the chemical structure, indicating the postcrystallization of the PEKK matrix. Even though the thermo‐mechanical performance diminished (~25%) with the aging process, storage modulus was slightly affected by process parameters and process‐induced defects. Considering the flexural and shear test results after the aging process, the impact of gap and overlap defects on the service life of AFP composites can be minimized with higher compaction forces (600 N) and lower lay‐up speeds (0.1 m/s). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: We aimed to determine quantitative sacroiliac (SI) joint magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) cutoffs for active and structural lesions that will be incorporated as imaging domains in classification criteria of axial disease in juvenile spondyloarthritis (SpA). Methods: MRI scans from an international cross‐section of juvenile SpA patients were reviewed by 6 musculoskeletal imaging experts blinded to clinical details. Raters globally assessed the presence/absence of lesions typical of axial SpA and performed SI joint quadrant‐ or joint‐based scoring. Sensitivity and specificity of lesion cutoffs were calculated using a rater majority (≥4 of 6 raters) on a global assessment of the presence/absence of active or structural lesions typical of axial SpA with high confidence as the reference standard. Cutoffs were validated in an independent cohort. Results: Imaging from 243 subjects, 61% male, median age 14.9 years, had sequences available for detailed MRI scoring. Optimal cutoffs for defining lesions typical of axial disease in juvenile SpA were: 1) inflammatory lesion: bone marrow edema in ≥3 SI joint quadrants across all SI joint MRI slices (sensitivity 98.6%, specificity 96.5%); 2) structural lesions: erosion in ≥3 quadrants or sclerosis or fat lesion in ≥2 SI joint quadrants or backfill or ankylosis in ≥2 joint halves across all SI joint MRI slices (sensitivity 98.6%, specificity 95.5%). Sensitivity and specificity of the optimal cutoffs in the validation cohort were excellent. Conclusion: We propose data‐driven cutoffs for active inflammatory and structural lesions on MRI typical of axial disease in juvenile SpA that have high specificity and sensitivity using central imaging global assessment as the reference standard and excellent reliability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Composite structures with holes have been utilized in different applications, for example, swash plates, adaptor plates, and repair patches. These notches reduce the structural performance of the composite plates. In a woven composite plate with two interacting holes, the orientation of the holes affects the stress concentration factor (SCF) and strength of the laminate. The SCF determined by finite‐element method (FEM) shows that the structural performance of the sample with a single hole is improved through drilling one more hole along the loading direction. The main purpose of this article is to investigate, numerically and experimentally, the interaction between two holes, oriented at different angles, when the plate is subjected to tension. The location of the critical region depends on the configuration of the holes. The critical region and characteristic distances are established for each sample combining the FEM and digital image correlation (DIC) techniques. Point stress criterion (PSC) and extended‐PSC (EPSC) methods are utilized to predict the final failure strength of specimens. The failure progression under the influence of interaction between the two holes is investigated by infrared thermography (IRT). Moreover, to complement the IRT and mechanical results, fractographic analysis is conducted and it is concluded that a delamination dominated fracture along loading direction takes place in samples with two holes while a transversal matrix dominated failure is observed for the single notch specimen. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study utilizes the Taguchi optimization technique to investigate the effects of FDM processing parameters on the Charpy impact strength of 3D printed CF/PA composites experimentally and statistically. The four 3D printing parameters employed in the experiment are the infill density, raster angle, extruder temperature, and printing speed, which were used to create the experimental plan with the L18 orthogonal array. Signal to noise (S/N) ratios and analysis of variance (ANOVA) were utilized to identify the optimum values and the interactions between the process parameters. SEM and thermography techniques were employed to assess the microstructural and damage status of the CF/PA composite specimens. ANOVA results determined that only three factors–infill density, raster angle, and extruder temperature–had a statistical significance, while printing speed did not. The outcomes demonstrated that the optimal 3D printing parameters are infill density (100%), raster angle (60°), extruder temperature (260°C), infill density (100%), and printing speed (30 mm/s), with the maximum contribution of 54.19% belonging to infill density, and the minimum contribution of 2.84% belonging to printing speed. The optimal combination of these 3D printing parameters yielded a Charpy impact strength of 10.54 kJ/m2, resulting in an increase of almost 150% compared to the worst‐case situation. The Taguchi approach proves to be a proficient technique to boost the Charpy impact strength of 3D‐printed CF/PA composites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article proposes a novel graphics processing unit‐based active nematic flow solver based on the smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) method. Nematohydrodynamics equations are discretized using the SPH algorithm. Flow behavior, nematic ordering, topological defects, and vorticity correlation are calculated and discussed in detail. The spectrum of the kinetic energy with respect to the wavenumber is calculated at high particle resolution, and its slope at the different length scales is discussed. To exploit the SPH capabilities, pathlines of nematic particles are evaluated during the simulation. Finally, the mixing behavior of the active nematics is calculated as well and described qualitatively. The effects of two important parameters, namely, activity and elastic constant are investigated. It is shown that the activity intensifies the chaotic mixing nature of the active nematics, while the elastic constant behaves oppositely. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The curing kinetics of diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A epoxy resin using amine‐based hardener in the presence of halloysite nanotubes (HNTs) are investigated by performing isothermal and dynamic differential scanning calorimetry measurements, followed by a detailed analysis of the experimental data via the kinetic free method and three common model‐based analysis. Kamal and Sourour model gave the best fit for the experimental data and thus, was further modified by Williams–Landel–Ferry diffusion control equations to calculate the diffusion constants near the glass transition temperature (Tg). The optimized model is used to find the curing kinetics parameters of epoxy/HNTs nanocomposites, and those finding are further validated and explained by performing rheometric measurements. Noncatalytic and autocatalytic curing reactions and diffusion constants are all functions of the amount of HNTs. HNTs shift the curing reaction slightly toward higher temperatures and promote etherification reactions, leading to an increase in the curing enthalpy, as extra bonds will be formed between HNTs and epoxy resin during the polymerization. The combination of acceleration and inhibition mechanisms dictates the complex kinetics of the reactions at high concentrations of HNTs, while the produced local topology of the polymeric network depends highly on HNTs weight ratio. Furthermore, to investigate the mechanical performance of the prepared nanocomposites under flexural loads, three points bending tests are performed in both modes, dynamic and static, followed by a fractography analysis of the fractured surfaces. The mechanical properties have improved by the addition of pristine HNTs without compromising the Tg of the polymer. This study provides a set of observational relationships between various chemical interactions during polymerization and the final topology and performance of the polymer, which in turn aims to bridge the gap in the literature between the curing kinetics of epoxy/HNTs nanocomposites and the performance of these nanocomposites under various thermal and mechanical stresses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: The current study was undertaken to evaluate the influence of breastfeeding on the development and outcome measures of juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA). The second aim was to determine the consequences of particular sociodemographic and sociocultural characteristics and nutritional behavior of early childhood on JIA. Methods: The study includes the patients diagnosed with JIA and regularly followed up at the Department of Pediatric Rheumatology in Istanbul University‐Cerrahpasa. The comparison group consisted of healthy subjects and patients with juvenile systemic lupus erythematosus (jSLE). A face‐to‐face survey method was conducted with the parents of the participants between February 1, 2021, and September 1, 2021. Results: The mean age of the JIA cohort (n = 324) was 12.2 ± 4.7 years, with a female ratio of 64.8%. The breastfeeding rate differed from the control groups (253 healthy subjects and 88 patients with jSLE) but was higher with a value of 94.8%. There was no difference between the groups (P =.097, P =.064) or within the subgroups of JIA (P =.12) regarding breastfeeding duration. Cow's milk introduction time (P =.02, P =.0001), household pet‐keeping (P =.001), income level (P =.0001), maternal literacy (P = 0.013) made a statistical difference vs the control groups. Conclusion: No relationship was established between the rate or duration of breastfeeding and the development or severity of JIA. The early introduction of cow's milk was found to be higher in the patient cohorts. The income level and maternal literacy appeared to be relevant with the high disability and damage scores, and frequent relapse rates. Secondhand smoking, higher in JIA, may prompt the basis of primary preventable strategies in JIA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Design and process‐induced defects in fiber‐reinforced polymers (FRPs) lead to fracture nucleation due to the stress concentrations. In addition to the degradation in mechanical properties, defects can accelerate aging of FRPs and limit their service life. Efforts to understand the impact of defects have largely focused on the mechanical performance of FRPs. However, their impact on aging performance has not yet been extensively investigated. Here, we report the effect of the meso‐scale (missing yarn) and micro‐scale (micro‐crack) defects on the hygrothermal aging behavior of FRPs. Missing yarn defects were generated by pulling‐out yarns in warp and weft directions of glass fabric. Then, micro‐cracks were induced in composite laminates by acoustic emission controlled tensile loading/unloading. After exposing samples to the hygrothermal aging, we found that meso‐scale defects deteriorate mechanical/thermomechanical performance, reaching 30% decrease in the flexural strength. Notably, even though increasing micro‐crack density reduces the moisture saturation time, the aging time is reported as a more predominant design parameter, deteriorating the mechanical performance for micro‐crack‐induced FRPs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, carbon fiber (CF)/polyetherketoneketone (PEKK) composites with 5% void content, manufactured via an in situ consolidated automated fiber placement (AFP) lay‐up process, are aged in hot water at 70°C for 30 days. Firstly, a deep understanding of the deterioration in the mechanical performance is developed with a comprehensive and complementary set of material characterization strategies, including (i) microstructural characterization with Fourier‐transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), (ii) thermal characterization with differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and (iii) dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA). The material characterization concurrently highlights the plasticization and post‐crystallization phenomena after aging with changes in the peak densities with FTIR, formation of second glass transition temperature (Tg) in DSC and DMA, and drop in storage modulus, loss modulus, and tan delta (δ) amplitudes. Then, acoustic emission (AE) is utilized as an inspection tool to identify the damage mechanisms regarding the 6.5%, 5.2%, and 4% decrease in tensile strength, strain at failure and modulus, respectively, in a comparative manner. The AE findings, remarking the weakening of the fiber–matrix interface after aging, are validated with scanning electron microscopy analysis. This study introduces an aging process‐induced damage mechanism triggered with inhomogeneous water absorption for AFP manufactured CF/PEKK composites with in situ consolidation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphene oxide (GO) is modified with poly(2‐ethyl‐2‐oxazoline) (PEOZ) and poly[(2‐ethyl‐2‐oxazoline‐co‐(ethylenimine)] (PEOZ‐PEI) to enhance its dispersibility in water and epoxy resin. PEOZ with a terminal primary amine and POZ‐PEI with multiple backbone secondary amines are synthesized with scalable methods and characterized by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), and gel permeation chromatography (GPC). GO modifications are performed at room temperature and 90°C with/without N,N′‐dicyclohexylcarbodiimide (DCC) and modified‐GOs are analyzed by FTIR, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and scanning electron microscopy–energy‐dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy (SEM‐EDX). It is observed that the polymer incorporation varies based on the reaction condition, polymer type, and functional group type and position. The dispersion quality and stability of modified GOs are studied in water by particle size analyzer and visually and in epoxy resin by rheometer. PEOZ‐modified GOs show better dispersibility and stability than PEOZ‐PEI‐modified GOs in both media since PEOZ is monofunctional, preventing the agglomerate formation and improving polymer exposure to the dispersion media by its longer length and higher water‐solubility, whereas PEOZ‐PEI has lower water solubility, multiple amines for interactions leading to agglomeration and limited polymer exposure to the dispersion media. The tailorable polymer grafting and the increased dispersibility of modified GOs in both media are promising indicators of their possible applications in composites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Considering the concerns regarding the coronavirus disease‐2019 (COVID‐19) vaccine safety among pediatric patients with inflammatory rheumatic diseases (IRD) due to a lack of data, an urgent need for studies evaluating safety profiles of vaccines emerged. Methods: Among participants vaccinated by CoronaVac inactive SARS‐CoV‐2 or BNT162b2 messenger RNA (mRNA) COVID‐19 (Pfizer‐BioNTech) vaccine, healthy children under 18 and patients under 21 with an at least 1‐year follow‐up period in our department for a childhood‐onset rheumatic disease were included into this cross‐sectional study. Results: Overall, 246 subjects (141 [57.3%] females) (biologic group: 43, non‐biologic group: 180, healthy control group: 23) were eligible for the study. The median age was 15.34 (12.02‐20.92) years. The most common adverse events were fatigue (n = 68, 27.6%), headache (n = 44, 17.9%), myalgia (n = 38, 15.4%), arthralgia (n = 38, 15.4%), and fever (n = 35, 14.2%). Only 3 subjects (2 patients with familial Mediterranean fever, and one healthy child) were considered to experienced serious adverse events, since they required hospitalization. Local reactions were seen in 20 (8.13%), and 27 patients (12.1%) had disease flares within 1 month after the vaccines. Although it was significantly higher in those who received the BNT162b2 mRNA vaccine (P <.001), there was no significant relationship between adverse event frequency and age, gender, the existing diseases, ongoing treatment regimens and pre‐vaccination COVID‐19 histories. Conclusion: Although immunogenicity studies for efficacy of the vaccines and long‐term follow‐up studies for adverse events monitoring are required, our study indicates an acceptable safety profile of COVID‐19 vaccines and encourages children with IRD to be vaccinated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Anti‐nuclear antibody (ANA) testing is most commonly ordered by general pediatricians to evaluate children with musculoskeletal system complaints. Given the limited utility of the test, we aimed to estimate the effectiveness of ordering ANA testing in childhood. Methods: Children referred to our department to be examined due to positive ANA findings between 2008 and 2020 were included in the study. Those with less than one‐year follow‐up period, those with previously known rheumatic or autoimmune disease, and those diagnosed as an autoimmune and/or rheumatic disease at the first visit were excluded. Data were obtained from their medical records, retrospectively. The parents of all of the patients were called via phone, data were verified, and missing information was collected. Results: Three hundred and fifty‐eight patients (230 females) were eligible for the study. The median age of positive ANA findings was 9.31 (1.3–17.86) years and the median follow‐up duration was 4.85 (1–11.91) years. Most of the patients had no underlying disease (n = 337, 94.1%). The most common reason for ordering ANA testing was to evaluate musculoskeletal system symptoms (n = 225, 62.8%). None of our patients referred to us due to positive ANA findings developed any autoimmune conditions or ANA associated rheumatic disease. Hypermobility syndrome is the most common final diagnosis among our ANA‐positive patients. Conclusion: We suggest that instead of using it as a screening tool, ANA testing should be performed only if there is a strong suspicion of autoimmune diseases or certain rheumatic conditions, such as systemic lupus erythematosus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Utilizing resistive strain gauges for V‐notch shear tests in fiber reinforced laminates is usually limited to low strain values due to technical uncertainties imposed by the measurement technique and also the progressive damage development in the notched region of the composite. Therefore, this study investigates an alternative approach by using digital image correlation system and further comparison with resistive strain gauge to identify the effect of heterogenous nature of damage development on measurement results. Moreover, glass/carbon fiber hybrid and non‐hybrid laminates are tested in two major directions through the same approach to determine the effect of stacking sequence in spatial microdamage accumulation. It is shown that tailoring appropriate region of interest for full field strain measurement at various stages of loading enables proper monitoring of microdamage accumulation and thereby delivers a precise stress–strain behavior for hybrid and non‐hybrid laminates. Comparison of the strain maps for hybrid laminates tested in 0° direction, shows that the presence of carbon plies at the surface results in uniform strain distribution between the notches of the test sample. In contrast, a non‐homogeneous strain map with separate regions of high strain gradient are observed for hybrid specimens with glass plies at surface, which can cause underestimation of average shear strain by resistive strain gauges. On the other hand, it is shown that strain maps for hybrid samples tested at 90° configuration is analogous regardless of the stacking sequence, and damage accumulation in these samples is most likely related to relative volume fraction of various fibers in hybrid laminate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: This study aims to determine the frequency of COVID‐19 related AKI and to identify the early predictors of AKI. Methods: This study is a single‐center, retrospective, observational study. Hospitalized COVID‐19 patients between 24/03/2020 and 31/05/2020 were included in the study. All patients were evaluated for renal dysfunctions with urine dipstick, protein/creatinine ratio, albumin/creatinine ratio in spot urine, serum cystatin C, serum creatinine level on hospital admission, and 28th day of hospital admission. To assess the utility of these parameters to predict AKI, a receiver‐operating characteristic curve was generated and the area under the curve (AUC) was calculated. Results: 348 patients were included. The average incidence of AKI was 4.9% (n = 17). The incidence of AKI in mild, moderate and severe COVID‐19 cases was 1.3% (n = 4), 9.0% (n = 3) and 76.9% (n = 10), respectively. Proteinuria was detected in 7.8% (n = 27) of patients with a urine dipstick test. In spot urine analysis, proteinuria was found in 20.1% (n = 70) of patients. The frequency of persistent proteinuria was 5.2% (n = 18). The AUC alue of serum cystatin C, D‐dimer and albumin/creatinine ratio to predict COVID‐19 related AKI were 0.96 (0.90 to 1.0), 0.94 (0.89–0.98), and 0.95 (0.91–0.98). Conclusion: In COVID‐19 patients with normal serum creatinine levels on hospital admission, albuminuria, serum cystatin C and D‐dimer levels may be an early predictor of COVID‐19 related AKI and these patients should be monitored closely for AKI. Since the sample size in the AKI group was small, our study results should be confirmed with larger cohort studies. SUMMARY AT A GLANCE: This observational single‐center study assessed the frequency and predictors of acute kidney injury in 348 hospitalized patients with COVID‐19. In this cohort, AKI was diagnosed in 4.9% of patients and proteinuria (spot urine analysis) in 20%. Albuminuria/creatinine ratio, cystatin C‐ and D‐dimer were identified as potential predictors of AKI on admission. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) is the most common hereditary autoinflammatory disease. The main goal of our study is to compare sleep habits, depression and anxiety of patients with FMF to healthy children and to determine the influence of disease‐related factors on sleep habits and psychiatric symptoms. Method: In total, 323 child and adolescent patients with FMF and 260 healthy peers as a control group were included in this study. Questionnaires were used to evaluate sleep habits, psychological status of children and adolescents with and without FMF. Results: While there was not a significant difference in terms of age, gender, depression and anxiety scores (P > 0.05); patients with FMF had significantly higher total sleeping score (45.69 ± 7.70 vs 43.31 ± 7.77; P = 0.001). Depression and anxiety scores of patients with FMF who have been experiencing sleep problems were found to be dramatically higher compared to those FMF patients without sleep problems (7.70 ± 5.56 vs 4.59 ± 3.97; P = 0.001; 35.46 ± 18.57 vs 25.22 ± 14.12; P = 0.001; respectively). Patients with FMF who had a disease attack last month had remarkably higher depression, anxiety and sleeping scores compared to those who did not. When FMF patients were compared in terms of exertional leg pain, increased acute phase reactant levels, comorbidity and mutation types, there was not a significant difference for depression, anxiety and sleeping scores. Conclusion: Children and adolescents with FMF experience more sleeping problems compared to healthy children and in presence of sleeping disorders, psychiatric symptoms are seen more frequently. Therefore, evaluation of psychopathology is important if youth with FMF have sleep problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: In Lagrangian particle‐based methods such as smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH), computing totally divergence‐free velocity field in a flow domain with the smallest error possible is the most critical issue, which might be achieved through solving pressure Poisson equation implicitly with higher particle resolutions. However, implicit solutions are computationally expensive and may be particularly challenging in the solution of multiphase flows with highly nonlinear deformations as well as fluid‐structure interaction problems. Augmented Lagrangian SPH (ALSPH) method is a new alternative algorithm as a prevalent pressure solver where the divergence‐free velocity field is achieved by iterative calculation of velocity and pressure fields. This study investigates the performance of the ALSPH technique by solving a challenging flow problem such as two‐dimensional flow around a cylinder within the Reynolds number range of 50 to 500 in terms of improved robustness, accuracy, and computational efficiency. The same flow conditions are also simulated using the conventional weakly compressible SPH (WCSPH) method. The results of ALSPH and WCSPH solutions are not only compared in terms of numerical validation/verification studies, but also rigorous investigations are performed for all related physical flow characteristics, namely, hydrodynamic coefficients, frequency domain analyses, and velocity divergence fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Over the last 2 decades, the usage of biological agents in the treatment of juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) has been a successful and promising approach in controlling disease activity and preventing chronic sequelae. However, there are ongoing concerns about the long‐term safety data and side‐effect profile. We aimed to present preliminary data on the incidence of malignancy in patients with JIA treated with biological agents versus the general population rates in Turkey. Method: A single‐center hospital‐based cohort study was performed to analyze cancer occurrence among JIA patients treated with biologic agents during the observation period between January 2004 and May 2019. As reference data for direct standardization, age, gender, and calendar year‐specific incidence rates from the Turkish cancer registry were used. The standardized incidence ratio (SIR, ratio of cancers observed to expected) was generated with 95% confidence intervals. Results: The study sample consisted of 1023 JIA patients who had been treated with biologic or non‐biologic agents. In the biologic‐experienced group (n = 656), the mean age (at the study) was 16.7 ± 5.6 years. The mean length of follow‐up was 9.9 ± 5.0 years. One cancer was detected within the observation period (SIR: 1.3, 95% CI: 0.06‐6.3). The patient was an 18‐year‐old male who had previously received etanercept and tocilizumab until the diagnosis of the hematologic malignancy (SIR: 2.5, 95% CI: 0.1‐12.6). Conclusion: Patients treated with biologic agents appeared to have an increased rate of incident hematologic malignancy versus the general population in Turkey. However, before mentioning a clear causal relationship, other potential contributing factors should be taken into consideration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis (sJIA) is a distinctive subtype of JIA characterized by systemic features and poor outcome. We aimed to investigate demographic and clinical features, long‐term treatment response and disease complications in a large sJIA cohort. Methods: Patients diagnosed with sJIA followed up at a pediatric rheumatology outpatient department from January 2003 to December 2017 were included. Demographic and clinical features, long‐term treatment response and disease complications were retrospectively collected. Results: A total of 168 sJIA patients (51.8% female, 48.2% male) were included: 31.5% with monocyclic, 13.7% polycyclic and 54.8% with persistent clinical course. Corticosteroids were initially used in all patients. Methotrexate was used in 75% and cyclosporine A was used in 17.3% patients. Biological drugs were used in 42.8% patients; etanercept in 29.7%, anakinra in 16%, canakinumab in 16%, tocilizumab in 10% patients. Remission off medication was achieved in 82 (48.8%). Macrophage activation syndrome (MAS) was present in 11.9%, growth retardation in 11.3% patients. Eight percent (4/50) of patients had low bone mineral density. Three patients (1.78%) died due to MAS secondary multiorgan insufficiency and infection. Conclusion: The disease is characterized with diverse clinical presentation and possibly severe complications. MAS complicated with multiorgan insufficiency is the major mortality factor. Corticosteroids represent the mainstay of the initial treatment. In patients resistant to classic treatment, biological drugs should be timely introduced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three‐dimensional (3D) urchin‐shaped free‐standing composite electrodes were produced by the integration of single‐ and multi‐layer graphene and manganese oxide in a step‐wise procedure. The strong interactions between the components were confirmed by spectroscopic characterization techniques. The influence of single‐ and multi‐layer graphene on the electrochemical performance of composite electrodes was investigated in detail. Single‐layer graphene with more oxygen functional groups showed better interfacial interactions between each component due to the exfoliated structure. The electrode containing single‐layer graphene exhibited 28% higher specific capacitance of 452 F/g at a scan rate of 1 mV/s compared to that of multi‐layer graphene. After 1000 cycles of charging‐discharging, single platelet graphene‐based electrode with a high capacitance retention of 89% showed improved synergistic effects by the combination of conductive PANI, single platelets graphene, and manganese oxide. This study indicated the importance of intercalated and exfoliated state of graphene in electrochemical behavior of supercapacitor electrodes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: We present an experimental study on the microcapsule‐based semi‐intrinsic self‐healing behavior of low viscosity epoxy resin used in Resin Transfer Molding (RTM) process. The microcapsules containing RTM epoxy resin are prepared using in situ polymerization of urea‐formaldehyde. Single type of microcapsules with six different agitation rates is prepared, resulting in microcapsules with a mean diameter ranging from 52 to 202 μm. The thermal characteristics of each microcapsule batch are investigated using Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) and Simultaneous Thermal Analysis (STA). In addition to thermal characterization tools, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) is also used as a qualitative technique to determine the composition of microcapsules. The mechanical properties of the self‐healing specimen such as Mode‐I fracture toughness and flexure strength are assessed by a universal testing machine, and the obtained results are compared with the findings in literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The primary aim of this study is to clarify the authorship trends, collaboration patterns, and impact factors in business ethics literature by looking at articles published between 1960 and 2015 in four leading business ethics journals: Business and Society, Business Ethics: A European Review, Business Ethics Quarterly, and the Journal of Business Ethics. This study showed the growth type of business ethics literature, authorship trends, collaboration patterns, authors' productivity evolved by subperiods and journals, and authors' dominance factor by subperiods and journals. After providing an evaluation of the results of the study, the authors discuss the study's limitations and suggestions for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To test whether the combined use of 4D arterial spin labeling angiography (4D ASL) and contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance angiography (4D CE-MRA) can work as a prospective alternative to digital subtraction angiography (DSA) for the delineation of the arteriovenous malformation (AVM) nidus in stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) planning.Materials and Methods: A custom 4D ASL sequence and a proof-of-concept software tool to integrate 4D ASL data to SRS planning were implemented. Ten AVM patients were scanned at 3T. Two observers independently contoured niduses in two separate sessions. Reference niduses were contoured using DSA, 4D ASL, and 4D CE-MRA. Test niduses were contoured using 4D ASL and 4D CE-MRA only. Reference and test niduses from both observers were compared in terms of volume, distance between centers of volumes (dCOV), and the Jaccard index (JI).Results: In volume comparisons, excellent intraobserver and interobserver agreements were obtained (intraclass correlation coefficients: 0.99 and 0.98, respectively). Median dCOV, JIs between reference and test niduses were 0.55 mm, 0.78 for Observer 1 and were 0.6 mm, 0.78 for Observer 2. None of the dCOV and JI parameters varied significantly among the delineation methods or the observers (P = 0.84, P = 0.39).Conclusion: Our preliminary results indicate that reproducibility of the target volumes with high agreement levels is achievable without using DSA. The combined use of high temporal resolution 4D ASL and high spatial resolution and vessel-to-background contrast 4D CE-MRA provided sufficient spatiotemporal angiographic information for the delineation of AVM niduses.Level Of Evidence: 2 Technical Efficacy: Stage 3 J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2017;46:1718-1727. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose The aim of this study was to evaluate the microtensile bond strength of three computer-aided design/computer-aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM) blocks repaired with composite resin using three surface treatment techniques. Methods and Materials Three different CAD/CAM blocks were used in this study: (1) Lithium disilicate, (2) feldspar ceramic, and (3) resin nano ceramic. All groups were further divided into four subgroups according to surface treatment: control, roughened with bur (B); roughened with bur and 5% Hydrofluoric acid (HF); roughened with bur and sandblasting (HF); and roughened with bur and CoJet (C). After surface treatments on each group, a silane and bonding agent were applied, and ceramics were repaired with a nano-hybrid composite. Then, the repaired ceramics were cut with a low-speed diamond saw for microtensile bond testing. Microtensile bond tests for 40 specimens per subgroup were carried out with a universal testing machine. The data were analyzed with ANOVA, Tukey's, and LSD at the 95% significance level. Results Mean bond strengths (MPa) of subgroups B, HF, S, and C were: 0, 29.8, 0, 23.3 for lithium disilicate ceramic; 26.4, 22.3, 22.4, 22 for feldspar ceramic; 54.8, 25.3, 42.1, 25.7 for resin nano ceramic. For subgroups B and S of lithium disilicate ceramics, bonding failed during specimen preparation. No significant differences were observed among all CoJet groups. In subgroups B and S, resin nano ceramics showed the highest bond strength. In feldspar groups, subgroup B showed higher bond strength than the other subgroups. Conclusion This study demonstrates that lithium disilicate porcelain blocks required etching for repairing with composite material. Surface treatments did not increase the bond strength in feldspar ceramic groups and reduced the bond strength in resin nano ceramic groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights This study investigates the effect of atmospheric plasma activation (APA) treatment on the thermomechanical performance of adhesively bonded skins of composite sandwich panels. The investigations show that APA treatment enhances surface wettability through the water contact angle measurements, and adhesion between the skin and honeycomb core of the panels under mechanical tests. Specifically, APA treatment results in an 11% increase in flatwise tensile strength and a 12% enhancement in the impact strength of the sandwich laminates. Flatwise tensile tests reveal superior tensile strength and toughness in APA‐treated specimens, with fracture patterns suggesting more robust adhesion. Charpy impact test results confirm increased energy absorption, reflecting better mechanical resilience. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) techniques are utilized to validate these findings. Overall, APA treatment proves to be an effective technique for enhancing the performance of composite sandwich panels, offering improved adhesion, strength, and impact resistance. This approach holds significant promise for advancing high‐performance composite materials in various engineering applications. APA treatment enhances wettability and adhesion in sandwich panels. Improved adhesive distribution between skin‐core after sandwich manufacturing. 11% increase in tensile strength and 12% in impact strength with APA. Better toughness and energy absorption via SEM and DMA support in APA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights This study investigates the effect of the annealing treatment for carbon fiber reinforced Polyether‐ketone‐ketone (CF/PEKK) composite structures under flexural and compressive loadings through reference, pre‐damaged, and annealed sample sets. Significant recovery of pre‐existing damage is observed after the annealing process, following both flexural and compressive loading. Acoustic emission (AE) inspection is employed to monitor the failure behavior and assess the impact of pre‐damage and annealing on CF/PEKK composite. Initially, AE inspection reveals that the reference CF/PEKK material exhibits a notable fiber‐related failure with 85% of cumulative AE counts under flexural load, whereas matrix‐related failures are more pronounced with 92% cumulative AE counts under compressive load. Pre‐damages in the matrix alter the cumulative count percentages and initiation time that are related to matrix, interface, and fiber‐related failures, under flexural and compressive loadings. After annealing, each cumulative AE count percentages are comparable to reference sample values, due to changes in microstructure and relieving of residual stresses. The annealing effect is further validated through dynamic scanning calorimetry (DSC) analysis results with increased glass transition temperature (Tg) and degree of crystallization (Xc). Overall, these findings indicate that annealing treatment effectively restores structural integrity and improves the mechanical performance of CF/PEKK composites. Annealing aims for damage recovery in CF/PEKK under flexural and compressive loads. Significant damage recovery in CF/PEKK is seen after annealing. Annealing raises Tg and crystallinity, and enhances CF/PEKK structural integrity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights Establishing a robust interfacial bond between hexagonal boron nitride (h‐BN) plates and the epoxy matrix is essential for enhancing heat transfer, which is difficult because of h‐BN's low‐surface energy, tendency to clump together, and the chemical inertness of the epoxy matrix. This research shows different techniques for treating the surface of h‐BN fillers by applying acids and thermal processes to activate the surface. The silanization process was used to increase the silane content on the surface of activated h‐BN in order to make it more compatible with the epoxy matrix. X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis revealed silicon peaks (Si2s peak at 150.1 eV and Si2p peak at 100.3 eV) in the spectrum of silane‐treated samples. Heat treatment resulted in the production of more oxygen molecules on the shell of h‐BN compared to the acid treatment. Here, the primary focus was on examining how surface treatment affects thermal conductivity (TC) performance in both in‐plane and through‐thickness paths. There was an increase in the epoxy's TC perpendicular to the plane, going from 0.21 to 0.47 (W/mK), showing a remarkable 123.8% enhancement by adding 10 wt% of silane‐modified‐thermal treated h‐BN particles. The improvement resulted from effectively silanizing the exterior boundary of h‐BN particles, enhancing connection and distribution in the epoxy matrix. Surface modification of h‐BN‐epoxy composites improves TC, leading to better heat conduction in thermal management systems, benefiting industries like aerospace, automotive, and energy systems. Silanization of h‐BN for better filler‐matrix bonding leading to improved heat transfer Boosting thermal conductivity in the through‐thickness direction with surface‐modified h‐BN Significant improvement in through‐thickness thermal conductivity with treated h‐BN. Thermal treatment of h‐BN produced better oxygenation than acid treatment. Application in aerospace and automotive through improved heat transfer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the response of PC‐3 cells to physiological (0.5, 2.5, 5, 10 μM) and pharmacological (50 μM) concentrations of genistein which is a main bioactive compound in soy. Following 48 hr genistein treatment, cell‐based assays and genome‐wide microarray were performed. It was evidenced that maximal physiologically achievable concentrations of genistein (0.5–10 μM) lead to significant increase in cell viability (p < 0.05) and decrease in migration at 0.5 μM (p = 0.000) and 10 μM (p = 0.001). The highest percentage of apoptotic cells was obtained at 50 μM. Microarray analysis gave the most critical pathways such as cell cycle regulation and proliferation, tumorigenesis, DNA damage and repair, stress response, and apoptosis. Physiological concentrations (≤10 μM) induced activation of CDKs, MAPKs, and RPSKs, while high concentrations of genistein (>10 μM) appeared to have a novel mechanism of action, specifically down‐regulating TGF‐β by decreasing specifically SMAD 2/3,4 which are in the downstream TGF‐β signaling cascade. Practical applications: This study highlights for the first time that maximal physiologically achievable concentrations of genistein (0.5–10 μM) have proliferative effects evidenced by alterations in global gene expression patterns of PC‐3 cells. Our results particularly represent a closer examination of dietary genistein consumption for the prevention and/or treatment of cancer that maximal physiologically achievable concentrations of genistein could have detrimental effects on individuals with prostate cancer. Further studies as in vivo would be necessary to remove shadows on the effect of genistein on prostate cancer progression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]