Potential influence of microorganisms on the corrosion of carbon steel in the French high- and intermediate-level long-lived radioactive waste disposal context

In the context of the high-level radioactive waste disposal CIGEO, the corrosion rate due to microbially influenced corrosion (MIC) has to be evaluated. In France, it is envisaged to dispose of high- and intermediate-level long-lived radioactive waste at a depth of 500 m in a deep geological disposal, drilled in the Callovo-Oxfordian claystone (Cox) formation. To do so, a carbon steel casing will be inserted inside disposal cells, which are horizontal tunnels drilled in the Cox. A specific cement grout will be injected between the carbon steel casing and the claystone. A study was conducted to evaluate the possibility of MIC on carbon steel in the foreseeable high radioactive waste disposal. The corrosiveness of various environments was investigated at 50°C and 80°C with or without microorganisms enriched from samples of Andra's underground research laboratory. The monitoring of corrosion during the experiments was ensured using gravimetric method and real-time corrosion monitoring using sensors based on the measurements of the electrical resistance. The corrosion data were completed with microbiological analyses including cultural and molecular characterizations.     

Divide-and-Conquer Matrisome Protein (DC-MaP) Strategy: An MS-Friendly Approach to Proteomic Matrisome Characterization

Currently, the extracellular matrix (ECM) is considered a pivotal complex meshwork of macromolecules playing a plethora of biomolecular functions in health and disease beyond its commonly known mechanical role. Only by unraveling its composition can we leverage related tissue engineering and pharmacological efforts. Nevertheless, its unbiased proteomic identification still encounters some limitations mainly due to partial ECM enrichment by precipitation, sequential fractionation using unfriendly-mass spectrometry (MS) detergents, and resuspension with harsh reagents that need to be entirely removed prior to analysis. These methods can be technically challenging and labor-intensive, which affects the reproducibility of ECM identification and induces protein loss. Here, we present a simple new method applicable to tissue fragments of 10 mg and more. The technique has been validated on human ovarian tissue and involves a standardized procedure for sample processing with an MS-compatible detergent and combined centrifugation. This two-step protocol eliminates the need for laborious sample clarification and divides our samples into 2 fractions, soluble and insoluble, successively enriched with matrisome-associated (ECM-interacting) and core matrisome (structural ECM) proteins.     

Electrospun microporous gelatin–polycaprolactone blend tubular scaffold as a potential vascular biomaterial

The work reported involved the fabrication of an electrospun tubular conduit of a gelatin and polycaprolactone (PCL) blend as an adventitia‐equivalent construct. Gelatin was included as the matrix for increased biocompatibility with the addition of PCL for durability. This is contrary to most of the literature available for biomaterials based on blends of gelatin and PCL where PCL is the major matrix. The work includes the assiduous selection of key electrospinning parameters to obtain smooth bead‐free fibres with a narrow distribution of pore size and fibre diameter. Few reports elucidate the optimization of all electrospinning parameters to fabricate tubular conduits with a focus on obtaining homogeneous pores and fibres. This stepwise investigation would be unique for the fabrication of gelatin–PCL electrospun tubular constructs. The fabricated microfibrous gelatin–PCL constructs had pores of size ca 50–100 μm reportedly conducive for cell infiltration. The measured value of surface roughness of 57.99 ± 17.4 nm is reported to be favourable for protein adhesion and cell adhesion. The elastic modulus was observed to be similar to that of the tunica adventitia of the native artery. Preliminary in vitro and in vivo biocompatibility tests suggest safe applicability as a biomaterial. Minimal cytotoxicity was observed using MTT assay. Subcutaneous implantation of the scaffold demonstrated acute inflammation which decreased by day 15. The findings of this study could enable the fabrication of smooth bead‐free microfibrous gelatin–PCL tubular construct as viable biomaterial which can be included in a bilayer or a trilayer scaffold for vascular tissue engineering. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry     

Software assurance practices for mobile applications

Mobile software applications have to cope with a particular environment that involves small size, limited resources, high autonomy requirements, competitive business models and many other challenges. To provide development guidelines that respond to these needs, several practices have been introduced; however, it is not clear how these guidelines may contribute to solve the issues present in the mobile domain. Furthermore, the rapid evolution of the mobile ecosystem challenges many of the premises upon which the proposed practices were designed. In this paper, we present a survey of the literature on software assurance practices for mobile applications, with the objective of describing them and assessing their contribution and success. We identified, organized and reviewed a body of research that spans in three levels: software development processes, software product assurance practices, and software implementation practices. By carrying out this literature survey, we reviewed the different approaches that researchers on Software Engineering have provided to address the needs that raise in the mobile software development arena. Moreover, we review the evolution of these practices, identifying how the constant changes and modernization of the mobile execution environment has impacted the methods proposed in the literature. Finally, we introduced discussion on the application of these practices in a real productive setting, opening an area for further research that may determine if practitioners have followed the proposed assurance paradigms.     

Intrinsic CFRP-metal-hybrids with rubber interface for the improvement of the damping behaviour

This paper presents an integrated passive damping approach in hybrid metal-CFRP parts for structural applications. In this concept a viscoelastic material is embedded in the joint zone of the hybrid component. To examine the connection strength single-lap-joint specimens were produced and tested and the influence of the used material combinations, different surface structures, and different process parameters i.e. the moment of cross-linking were evaluated. Afterwards, the metal-CFRP hybrids were tested in quasi-static tests to assess their connection strength and failure behaviour. Dynamic cyclic tensile tests with step-wise increased loading conditions were performed to determine the specimens damping behaviour and to estimate their fatigue performance. Finally, these results are compared to a state of the art metal-CFRP hybrid with rivets connecting both materials.     

On stochastic comparisons of finite mixtures for some semiparametric families of distributions

In this paper, we consider the classical finite mixture model, which is an effective tool for modeling lifetime distributions for random samples from heterogeneous populations. We discuss new results on stochastic comparison for two finite mixtures when each of them is drawn from one of the following semiparametric families, i.e., proportional hazards, accelerated lifetime and proportional reversed hazards.     

Is the List of Incomplete Open Cubes Complete?

Variations of Incomplete Open Cubes is the major project by the twentieth-century conceptual artist Sol LeWitt. In this paper we interpret the enumerative component of the project as embeddings of graphs. This formulation permits use of an algorithm to check the completeness of the list of the structures produced by the artist. Our conclusion is that the artist found the correct number of structures (that is, 122), but that his list contains a mistake in the presentation of a pair of incomplete cubes, a discovery that appears not to have been noted before.