Number Of Cycles Research Articles

Biomechanical Comparisons between One- and Two-Compartment Devices for Reconstructing Vertebrae by Kyphoplasty.

This biomechanical in vitro study compared two kyphoplasty devices for the extent of height reconstruction, load-bearing capacity, cement volume, and adjacent fracture under cyclic loading. Multisegmental (T11-L3) specimens were mounted into a testing machine and subjected to compression, creating an incomplete burst fracture of L1. Kyphoplasty was performed using a one- or two-compartment device. Then, the testing machine was used for a cyclic loading test of load-bearing capacity to compare the two groups for the amount of applied load until failure and subsequent adjacent fracture. Vertebral body height reconstruction was effective for both groups but not statistically significantly different. After cyclic loading, refracture of vertebrae that had undergone kyphoplasty was not observed in any specimen, but fractures were observed in adjacent vertebrae. The differences between the numbers of cycles and of loads were not statistically significant. An increase in cement volume was strongly correlated with increased risks of adjacent fractures. The two-compartment device was not substantially superior to the one-compartment device. The use of higher cement volume correlated with the occurrence of adjacent fractures.

The Influence of Cyclic Loading on the Mechanical Properties of Well Cement

The cyclic loading generated by injection and production operations in underground gas storage facilities can lead to fatigue damage to cement sheaths and compromise the integrity of wellbores. To investigate the influence of cyclic loading on the fatigue damage of well cement, uniaxial and triaxial loading tests were conducted at different temperatures, with maximum cyclic loading intensity ranging from 60% to 90% of the ultimate strength. Test results indicate that the compressive strength and elastic modulus of well cement subjected to monotonic loading under high-temperature and high-pressure (HTHP) testing conditions were 14–21% lower than those obtained under ambient testing conditions. The stress–strain curve exhibits stress–strain hysteresis loops during cyclic loading tests, and the plastic deformation capacity is enhanced at HTHP conditions. Notably, a higher intensity of cyclic loading results in more significant plastic strain in oil-well cement, leading to the conversion of more input energy into dissipative energy. Furthermore, the secant modulus of well cement decreased with cycle number, which is especially significant under ambient test conditions with high loading intensity. Within 20 cycles of cyclic loading tests, only the sample tested at a loading intensity of 90% ultimate strength under an ambient environment failed. For samples that remained intact after 20 cycles of cyclic loading, the compressive strength and stress–strain behavior were similar to those obtained before cyclic loading. Only a slight decrease in the elastic modulus is observed in samples cycled with high loading intensity. Overall, oil-well cement has a longer fatigue life when subjected to HTHP testing conditions compared to that tested under ambient conditions. The fatigue life of well cement increases significantly with a decrease in loading intensity and can be predicted based on the plastic strain evolution rate.

Experimental study on the axial compressive mechanical performance of concrete short columns jointly confined with CC and CFRP after sulfate attack

By conducting axial compression tests on square concrete columns jointly reinforced by concrete canvas (CC) and carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) after sulfate attack, the influences of the number of CFRP layers, the degree of erosion (number of wet and dry cycles) and the number of CC layers on the mechanical properties under axial compression were researched, and the failure morphologies, bearing capacities and deformation capacities of square concrete columns with joint reinforcement were analyzed. The results showed that sulfate attack would change the internal structure of the concrete, reduce the deformation capacities of the specimens, and make the brittle characteristics obvious. The square concrete column confined by CFRP after sulfate attack caused brittle damage to the specimen without obvious warning due to the stress concentration at the corner. The introduction of CC could relieve the corner stress concentration, improve the utilization of CFRP, avoid failure due to local destruction, and effectively improve the failure morphologies of the specimens so that the specimens had obvious precursors at failure. Based on the experimental study, the calculation model of the bearing capacity and the strain‒stress model of the square concrete column jointly confined by CC and CFRP after sulfate attack were established.

Feature binding is slow: Temporal integration explains apparent ultrafast binding.

Visual perception involves binding of distinct features into a unified percept. Although traditional theories link feature binding to time-consuming recurrent processes, Holcombe and Cavanagh (2001) demonstrated ultrafast, early binding of features that belong to the same object. The task required binding of orientation and luminance within an exceptionally short presentation time. However, because visual stimuli were presented over multiple presentation cycles, their findings can alternatively be explained by temporal integration over the extended stimulus sequence. Here, we conducted three experiments manipulating the number of presentation cycles. If early binding occurs, one extremely short cycle should be sufficient for feature integration. Conversely, late binding theories predict that successful binding requires substantial time and improves with additional presentation cycles. Our findings indicate that task-relevant binding of features from the same object occurs slowly, supporting late binding theories.

Разработка технологии получения безлактозного молока методом диафильтрации

Abstract. The purpose. The research is aimed at solving the problem related to the development of technology for producing an environmentally friendly product of animal origin – lactose-free milk. This will solve the problem of consumption of milk and dairy products by people who do not tolerate milk sugar for physiological reasons. Analyzing, on the basis of a literary review, the current state of the issue of lactose-free milk production, it can be concluded that existing technologies have certain disadvantages due to changes in the composition of the initial product, or the significant complexity of the technological chain. The proposed development is based on a method of milk diafiltration consisting of several repetitive cycles. The cycle consists in the separation of milk by the ultrafiltration process into permeate (aqueous lactose solution) and concentrate (proteins, fat, lactose residues). Then pure water is added to the concentrate in a volume equal to the volume of the discharged permeate. For a scientifically based approach to the development of the proposed technology, it is necessary to conduct a study of ultrafiltration separation of milk, obtain optimal operating parameters of the process, determine the change in permeability and selectivity of membranes from lactose concentration, consider the possibility of obtaining lactose-free milk with different mass fraction of fat, determine the number of cycles of the membrane diafiltration process. Research methods. The study of the process of ultrafiltration separation of milk was carried out in laboratory conditions on a membrane installation using organic and inorganic membranes. The experiments determined the main characteristics of ultrafiltration membranes – permeability and selectivity, with varying parameters (parameter range: P = 0.15…0.5 MPa, t = 35…65 °C). Results. Based on the experimental data obtained, by processing them and optimizing the parameters, optimal modes of the milk separation process by ultrafiltration were obtained. The following parameters are defined: the velocity of the product in the supramembrane space, the operating pressure of the separation process, its temperature. The preferred ultrafiltration membranes for the membrane-milk system have been selected. Scientific novelty. To develop a technology for producing lactose-free milk, for the first time a number of studies and experiments were carried out, such as changing the permeability and selectivity of membranes from the concentration of lactose, obtaining lactose-free milk with mass fraction of fat the number of cycles of the membrane diafiltration process was determined.

Biomechanical Comparison of Three Locking Compression Plate Constructs from Three Manufacturers under Cyclic Torsional Loading in a Fracture Gap Model.

The aim of the study was to compare the stiffness and cyclic fatigue of locking compression plate constructs from three manufacturers, DePuy Synthes (DPS), Knight Benedikt (KB), and Provet Veterinary Instrumentation (Vi), under cyclic torsion. The constructs of DPS, KB, and Vi were assembled by fixing a 10-hole 3.5-mm stainless steel locking compression plate 1 mm away from a validated bone model with a fracture gap of 47 mm. The corresponding drill guides and locking screws were used. Three groups of six constructs were tested in cyclic torsion until failure. There was no significant difference in initial stiffness between DPS constructs (28.83 ± 0.84 N·m/rad) and KB constructs (28.38 ± 0.81 N·m/rad), and between KB constructs and Vi constructs (27.48 ± 0.37 N·m/rad), but the DPS constructs were significantly stiffer than the Vi constructs. The DPS constructs sustained the significantly highest number of cycles (24,833 ± 2,317 cycles) compared with KB constructs (16,167 ± 1,472 cycles) and Vi constructs (19,833 ± 4,792 cycles), but the difference between KB and Vi constructs was not significant. All constructs failed by screw damage at the shaft between the plate and the bone model. DPS constructs showed superior initial torsional stiffness and cyclic fatigue life than Vi constructs, whereas KB and Vi constructs shared comparable results. Further investigation is required to assess the clinical significance of these biomechanical differences.

Neoadjuvant chemotherapy for advanced eyelid and periocular sebaceous gland carcinoma: a study of 25 cases.

To report the outcomes of platinum-based neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) for eyelid and periocular sebaceous gland carcinoma (eSGC). Retrospective study of 25 patients. The mean age at presentation of eSGC was 59years. The mean tumor basal diameter was 46mm. By the 8th edition of AJCC classification, tumors belonged T2 (n = 2, 8%), T3 (n = 6, 24%), and T4 (n = 17, 68%); N1 (n = 12,48%); and M1 (n = 1, 4%). NACT with 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and cisplatin/carboplatin was administered in 21 (84%)/4 (16%) patients, respectively. The mean number of cycles of neoadjuvant systemic chemotherapy per patient was 2 (median, 3). The mean percentage reduction of tumor basal volume after neoadjuvant chemotherapy was 65% (median, 60%). After NACT, 12 (48%) patients underwent surgical treatment, 6 (12%) patients underwent EBRT, and 4 (8%) underwent adjuvant chemotherapy. A total of 11 (44%) patients were lost to follow-up during the course of treatment, of whom 3 died from metastatic disease. In 16 patients followed up for ≥ 3months, complete tumor control was achieved in 11 (69%) patients, local tumor control in 14 (88%), and globe salvage in 7 (44%) at a mean follow-up of 25months (median, 7months; range, 3 to 110months). No tumor recurrence was seen in any case. One (4%) serious adverse event of cardiotoxicity was noted. Platinum-based NACT is a suitable option for eSGC with advanced tumors and locoregional metastasis. Adverse events are rare and in patients compliant with treatment, NACT-based combination therapy offers globe salvage and systemic tumor control.

Large-scale statistical study of the dependence of retention index on heating rate in temperature-programmed gas chromatography

Retention indices are values that characterize the retention of a compound in gas chromatography. In practice, retention indices are often assumed to depend only on the structure of the molecule and the type of the stationary phase, but this approximation is incorrect. This study is devoted to studying the dependence of retention indices on the column heating rate in the linear temperature programming mode, using a large and diverse data set. In the NIST 20 database, most data records are recorded in this mode. For stationary phases based on poly(5%-diphenyl-95%-dimethyl)siloxane (5%-phenyl-PDMS), there is a high proportion of records with heating rates of 10-15 K/min. In practice, such a high heating rate is rarely used and the use of such data may cause errors. A search was made for groups of records that were taken from the same primary source, recorded for the same compound and the same stationary phase, but differing in a heating rate. For each of these groups, the value D, the angular coefficient (slope) of the dependence of the retention index on the heating rate, was calculated. This value can take both positive and negative values. The highest values and the greatest variation of D values are observed for polar stationary phases, but further consideration was performed for 5%-phenyl-PDMS due to its greater practical significance. For these stationary phases, the highest D values are observed for aromatic and polyaromatic molecules; oxygen-containing compounds, on the contrary, exhibit lower D values. Negative D values are observed for many trimethylsilyl derivatives. A data set of D values for 756 molecules was selected and published online. There is almost no correlation between D and the retention index, lipophilicity factor logP, and molecular weight. Significant correlations with the number of cycles, the number of rotatable bonds, and the number of aromatic atoms were observed. Linear equations quantitatively relating the molecular descriptors to the D value were constructed. A number of cycles and halogen atoms were shown to contribute positively to the D value, while a number of oxygen atoms and bonds subject to internal rotation contributed negatively. The strong influence of the values related to the conformational rigidity of molecules and the weak influence of polarity allow us to suppose that the entropic factor has a key influence on the D value. A simple empirical linear equation for estimating the value of D is derived and presented in this study. Several machine learning methods for predicting D are compared. The best results are shown by gradient boosting and a random forest. However, the random forest does not achieve high accuracy in predicting the retention indices themselves.

Real-world dosing of regorafenib and outcomes among patients with metastatic colorectal cancer: a retrospective analysis using US claims data

BackgroundThe randomized, dose-optimization, open-label ReDOS study in US patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (CRC) showed that, compared with a standard dosing approach, initiating regorafenib at 80 mg/day and escalating to 160 mg/day depending on tolerability increased the proportion of patients reaching their third treatment cycle and reduced the incidence of adverse events without compromising efficacy. Subsequently, the ReDOS dose-escalation strategy was included as an alternative regorafenib dosing option in the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) Clinical Practice Guidelines. A retrospective analysis was conducted using a US claims database to assess whether inclusion of this dose-escalation strategy in NCCN Guidelines has influenced the use of flexible dosing in routine US clinical practice, and to describe clinical outcomes pre- and post-inclusion in NCCN Guidelines.MethodsPatients with CRC in the Optum’s de-identified Clinformatics® Data Mart database initiating regorafenib for the first time between January 2016 and June 2020 were stratified based on whether they initiated regorafenib pre- or post-inclusion of ReDOS in NCCN Guidelines, and in two groups: flexible dosing (< 160 mg/day; < 84 tablets in the first treatment cycle) and standard dosing (160 mg/day; ≥ 84 tablets in the first treatment cycle). The primary endpoints were the proportion of patients who initiated their third treatment cycle and the mean number of treatment cycles per group.Results703 patients initiated regorafenib during the study period, of whom 310 (44%) initiated before and 393 (56%) initiated after inclusion of ReDOS in NCCN Guidelines. After inclusion in the guidelines, the proportion of patients who received flexible dosing increased from 21% (n = 66/310) to 45% (n = 178/393), the proportion who received standard dosing decreased from 79% (n = 244/310) to 55% (n = 215/393), the proportion who initiated their third treatment cycle increased from 36% (n = 113/310) to 46% (n = 179/393), and the mean (standard deviation) number of treatment cycles increased from 2.6 (2.9) to 3.2 (3.1).ConclusionsFollowing inclusion of ReDOS in NCCN Guidelines, real-world data suggest that US clinicians have markedly increased use of flexible dosing in clinical practice, potentially maximizing clinical benefits and safety outcomes for patients with metastatic CRC receiving regorafenib.

Development of a cyclic semi-circular bending test protocol to characterize fatigue cracking of asphalt mixture at intermediate temperature

The Semi-Circular Bending (SCB) test has been traditionally conducted in a monotonic loading and displacement-controlled mode at intermediate temperature to assess the fatigue crack resistance of asphalt mixtures. However, fatigue damage is essentially deterioration in material integrity as a result of repeated loading. The SCB monotonic loading does not realistically reflect the traffic loading repetition. This may have limitation on mechanism of the fatigue cracking in asphalt mixture. This study aims to develop a cyclic SCB test protocol to characterize the fatigue cracking of asphalt mixtures. Digital Image Correlation (DIC) was utilized to identify crack length associated with the number of loading cycles applied. A full factorial design was conducted for the optimization of testing parameters of the cyclic SCB test, including three levels of notch depth and loading frequency. Two indicators including the number of cycles to failure and Paris’ Law coefficients were used to characterize the fatigue cracking resistance of asphalt mixture. The proposed test protocol of cyclic SCB was validated by three asphalt mixtures of good, medium, and poor cracking performance. The critical strain energy release rate Jc of three mixtures is also measured by the monotonic SCB test for studying the relationship between Jc and Paris’ Law coefficients. The results indicate that Paris’ Law coefficients have relatively low variance compared to the number of cycles to failure and are independent of notch depth and loading frequency. The optimal testing parameter combination of 25 mm notch depth and 10 Hz loading frequency was recommended in perspective of test variance and test practicability. The Paris Law coefficient n ranking was consistent with the one of fatigue cracking resistance of asphalt mixtures evaluated.

Nanocrystalline cellulose production from unbleached Ceiba pentandra (L.) Gaertn (Kapok) seed pod fibres via multiple acid hydrolysis: ‘More is Less’ or ‘Less is More’?

Nanocrystalline cellulose (NCC) isolation from non-woody biomass is attractive to replace the current reliance on wood as feedstock. The predominant use of single acid hydrolysis cycle in existing literature may overlook the residual sediment. In this work, we explored the use of multiple acid hydrolysis to investigate the NCC isolation from unbleached kapok pulp. Initial screening using factorial design showed the significance of acid concentration, reaction time and temperature as crucial variables in determining the NCC characteristics, among five variables examined which also included sonication time and acid-to-pulp ratio. Subsequent optimisation using central composite design demonstrated that the optimal reaction condition for NCC recovered from supernatants entails a single cycle employing 63%w/w of sulphuric acid at 45 °C for 50 min with acid-to-pulp ratio of 30:1 mL/g and sonication time of 5 min. The NCC yield obtained (supernatant) was ∼19 % with PDI of 0.4, zeta potential of −39.7 mV and crystallinity index of 72.6 %. When combining with the further hydrolysis of sediments, the data showed comparable responses for NCC produced (yield, size and zeta potential) using either 3 cycles or 1 cycle. Nevertheless, opting for 3 cycles resulted in a lighter NCC colour owing to lower acid concentration and temperature. This study demonstrated that the feasibility of adjusting the number of hydrolysis cycles based on the desired outcome for NCC isolation.

An ANSYS user cohesive element for the modelling of fatigue initiation and propagation of delaminations in composite structures

A deeper understanding of delamination growth under fatigue loading in composite wind turbine blades is required. A new cohesive model for delamination fatigue initiation, which uses initiation S-N curve data to calculate the number of cycles to the introduction of delaminations, is developed and tailored to a state-of-the-art model for fatigue propagation. Both models are implemented in a novel user-defined cohesive element for ANSYS Mechanical APDL. In fatigue propagation-dominated test cases, including with multiple delaminations, the crack growth rate evolution is accurately predicted. In fatigue initiation-dominated cases, a satisfactory prediction is achieved, also showcasing the ability to model fatigue propagation after initiation.

Study on the Yield Surface of a Fibre-Reinforced Stabilised Soil – Effect of the Number of Loading Cycles

Cyclic loading may induce changes in the geomechanical behaviour of materials that should be characterised. This work studies the impact of the number of loading cycles on the mechanical behaviour of a fibre-reinforced stabilised soil focusing on its behaviour before failure (yield surface). To this end, an experimental testing program based on triaxial tests was performed on samples not subjected to a cycling loading stage, as well as on samples previously subjected to a cycling loading stage varying the number of loading cycles from 1,000 to 100,000. The results were studied in terms of the accumulated permanent axial strain and the yield surface of the composite material. It was observed that increasing the number of loading cycles led to a rise in the accumulated permanent axial strain and in the undrained resilient modulus. The results also showed an expansion of the yield surface during the first 1,000 loading cycles (the yield occurs later due to the partial mobilization of the tensile strength of the fibres during the cyclic stage) but its shape is maintained. The results also showed a progressive reduction in the yield loci with the increase in the number of loading cycles, reflecting the greater degradation of the solid matrix induced by the accumulated permanent axial strains.

Unicortical Button Fixation Provide Higher Strength Compared with Transosseous Repair for Subscapularis Tendon in Total Shoulder Arthroplasty

Subscapularis tendon (SSc) dysfunction following total shoulder arthroplasty (TSA) results in poor functional outcomes. There have been numerous SSc repair constructs tested biomechanically and clinically, however, none has been demonstrated as superior. Newer techniques and implants have emerged, but have not been fully tested. We hypothesized that the unicortical button (UB) fixation will provide significantly improved restoration of the anatomic footprint and biomechanical properties when compared to transosseous (TO) repair of the SSc. A digital footprint of SSc humeral insertion was obtained in 6 pairs of fresh-frozen cadaveric shoulders using a three-dimensional (3-D) digitizer. A complete SSc tear was created, and each pair of shoulders was randomized to either SSc repair with UB or TO repair. Each specimen underwent a cyclic loading protocol followed by pull-to-failure. The failure load, elongation at failure, gapping failure, number of cycles until failure, the load at key gapping points (1 mm, 3 mm, 5 mm, and 10 mm) and the failure mode were recorded using high-resolution video recording. 3-D surfaces of the insertion footprint and repair site were obtained, and surface areas were calculated using a custom MATLAB script and laser scanner. Paired t-tests were conducted to compare differences between two repair groups. Failure load was significantly higher in the UB group (382.4 N ± 56.5 N) than in the TO group (253.6 N ± 103.4 N, p=0.005). TO repair provided higher gapping at failure (28.8 mm ± 8.2 mm) than UB repair (10.4 mm ± 6.8 mm, p=0.0017). UB repair had significantly higher load at the 1-mm, 5-mm, and 10-mm gapping compared with TO repair with p=0.042, p=0.033, and p=0.0076, respectively. There were no significant differences between elongation failure, the difference in footprint area from native to repair states, or the percentage of restored footprint area between groups. (p=0.26, p=0.18 and p=0.21 respectively) CONCLUSION: The UB fixation showed a significantly lower gap at failure, higher failure load and number of cycles until failure, and higher gap loads compared with the traditional TO repair for SSc. Although more clinical research is necessary, the UB fixation that utilizes cortical bone presents promising results.

Fatigue Behaviour and Life Prediction of YSZ Thermal Barrier Coatings at Elevated Temperature under Cyclic Loads

The concentration of interfacial normal stress at the free edges of thermal barrier coatings (TBCs) can result in coating spallation. Fatigue cracking is one of the main reasons for creating free edges under complex loads. It is crucial to investigate the fatigue cracking of coatings under cyclic loads to assess potential coating failure. To address this issue, a novel model was proposed to predict the fatigue life of the YSZ topcoat under stress parallel to the interface. Firstly, this study conducted uniaxial and tensile-torsional fatigue tests at elevated temperatures on specimens with atmospheric plasma-sprayed TBCs. The test results revealed that fatigue cracks appeared in the topcoat under cyclic loads, but these cracks did not propagate into the bondcoat or substrate immediately. The number of cycles before the topcoat cracked was found to be associated with the magnitude of the cyclic load. Secondly, this study analyzed the test conditions using the finite element method. Simulations indicated that the crack direction in the topcoat under complex loading conditions was aligned with the first principal stress direction. Finally, the fatigue life prediction model of the topcoat was established based on experiments and simulations. The predicted results fell within a fourfold scatter band.

Microstructural evolution of Fe-25 W powder beds during CO2-H2 redox cycling at 800 °C

Fixed powder beds of Fe-25 W at% powders show excellent resistance to degradation during CO2-H2 redox cycling at 800 °C, releasing CO and H2O, respectively, with 100 % metal utilization. During cycling up to 165 full redox cycles (∼500 h), the reaction kinetics improve with cycle number and a stable, hierarchically-porous microstructure forms that shows neither sintering nor densification. The sintering inhibition provided by W addition to Fe stems from the formation of Fe-W mixed phases: as an intermetallic compound (Fe2W) in the reduced state and as a ternary oxide (FeWO4) in the oxidized state. In addition to the large channels running between coarse (100 µm) powder agglomerates, each agglomerate in the powder bed shows both microporosity due to sintering inhibition, and submicron porosity due to a chemical vapor transport reduction mechanism that is active when FeWO4 is reduced by H2 at high temperature. This hierarchical porosity enables fast reactions due to the short diffusion distance to free surfaces, and non-tortuous gas flow through the powder bed. As a result, under high CO2 flow, the CO2:CO ratio is sufficiently high to oxidize Fe3O4 to Fe2O3, improving the CO conversion capability on a per-mole basis.

Capacity Fade of Graphite/NMC811: Influence of Particle Morphology, Electrolyte, and Charge Voltage

LiNi0.8Mn0.1Co0.1O2 (NMC811) is an important Li-ion battery cathode material; however, there is a tradeoff between delivered capacity and capacity retention. As the charge potential increases the capacity rises but at the expense of capacity retention. The decrease in capacity retention has been ascribed to several factors including particle cracking, surface reconstruction, transition metal dissolution, and electrolyte reactivity. The present study compares 4.1 and 4.3 V charging limits in commercially relevant graphite/NMC811 pouch cells for single crystal (SC) and polycrystalline (PC) NMC811 with ethylene carbonate (EC)-containing or EC-free electrolytes. The electrochemistry is rationalized through analysis of electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, positive electrode X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, soft X-ray absorption spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and negative electrode mapping by X-ray fluorescence. Graphite/SC-NMC811 cells show high-capacity retention at 4.1 V but exhibit degradation at 4.3 V charging potentials. The EC-free electrolyte cells led to higher capacity fade, especially when charged to 4.3 V. Cathode dissolution and deposition on the negative electrode from PC-NMC811 cells was higher than for samples from SC-NMC811 cells. This study reveals the impact of material type, charge voltage, and electrolyte composition on the reactions at the positive electrode, their influence on the negative electrode, and evolution with cycle number.

Analysis of BGA Lead-Free solder joints failure behavior based on thermal shock testing

The interconnected solder joints within automotive electronic components are the most vulnerable parts of the structure, and their reliability is crucial for the development of new energy vehicles. This study focuses on automotive ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance System) devices, analyzing the failure behavior of internal BGA (Ball Grid Array) lead-free solder joints under thermal shock conditions.Through thermal shock testing from −40℃ to 95℃, it was observed that microcracks first appeared in the upper intermetallic compound (IMC) layer of corner solder joints after 1600 cycles. As the number of thermal shock cycles increased, the net-like β-Sn phase in the solder joints gradually transformed into block and dot-like structures. Due to the relatively weak strength between the IMC layer and the Ag-Sn compound region, cracks typically propagated along the boundaries of these areas. Recrystallization occurred in the interface between the solder joint and the upper pad, with the proportion of high-angle grain boundaries increasing from 10.74% to 72.43%. The crack propagation mode changed from initial intergranular to transgranular fracture. Throughout the thermal shock test, the upper IMC layer remained thicker than the lower one, with the lower IMC layer thickness showing a minimum point at 750 cycles.The average thrust force between the solder joints and the substrate decreased more rapidly with thermal shock cycles, indicating that non-solder mask defined pads are more effective in improving structural strength.

Is there an association between the “October 7th “events and IVF outcomes in Israel?

Research QuestionIs there an association between the “October 7th“events and IVF outcomes? DesignThis was s retrospective cohort study. The study group was defined as women treated during the four weeks after “October 7th“and compared to a matched control group treated between the 1st of January 2021 and to 6th of October 2023. Each woman in the study group was matched with three separate control subjects of the same female age at oocyte retrieval, BMI, number of IVF cycle, and ovarian reserve parameters. ResultsThe study included 580 patients. A total of 145 women who underwent oocyte retrieval or frozen embryo transfer after the 7th of October were compared to 435 women who were treated before the 7th of October. The mean age of the study group was 35.6±6 years, and the mean BMI was 24.7±5.3. Pregnancy rates per embryo transfer were similar between both groups (22.4% vs. 30.5%, P=0.28 in the fresh cycles and 16.9% vs. 27.1%, P=0.12 in frozen embryo transfers). Among women who underwent oocyte retrievals there was no differences in the ovarian stimulation protocols (P=0.95), the number of oocytes retrieved (P=0.16) and the number of fertilized oocytes (P=0.34). There was no difference in the good-quality embryo rates in both groups (P=0.053). Among women who underwent frozen embryo transfers, during the study period, more patients had natural cycles (52.5% vs 24%, P<0.001) with no difference in maximal endometrial thickness before embryo transfer (P=0.33). ConclusionIt appears that there was no association between the “October 7th“ events and IVF outcomes.

Incidence of hand-foot syndrome with protein kinase inhibitors in advanced hepatocellular carcinoma patients who received atezolizumab-bevacizumab combination.

Treatment of advanced HepatoCellular Carcinoma (HCC) is based on first-line (L1) combination of atezolizumab and high-dose (HD) bevacizumab while second-line (L2) refers one antiangiogenic protein kinase inhibitors (aaPKI). This prolonged antiangiogenic pressure let us to observe an increasing occurrence of Hand-Foot Syndromes (HFS) in patients receiving aaPKI after HD bevacizumab combination. This study reports observations and discussions about the evidence and hypothesis that could be made. Patients who received the L1 combination from September 1st 2020 to December 31st 2022 to identify L2 aaPKI. Demographic, biological, oncological data and occurrence of HFS were collected. In addition were collected the number of L1 combination cycles, type of aaPKI, and delay between last L1 cycle and L2 initiation. This study had a purely exploratory purpose, so no statistical analysis was planned. 17 patients received an aaPKI after the L1 HD bevacizumab combination with a median time of 26 days from last L1 cycle to L2 start. Five patients experienced HFS including grade 3 (n = 2) with sorafenib and cabozantinib. The HFS occurred with a median delay of 23 days (IQR: 21-28) from aaPKI start. Three patients experienced aaPKI-related dose-limiting toxicity. Proportion of patients experienced HFS in our cohort did not differ from pivotal trials data and the sample size do not allow to conclude. Hypotheses include timing of aaPKI start in HCC treatment, vascular toxicity at aaPKI start after HD bevacizumab discontinuation instead combination, patient-related outcome for a better understanding of these aaPKI-related HFS post HD bevacizumab.