Perspective: Challenges in the Aerospace Marketplace and Growth Opportunities for Thermal Spray.

The market needs for increased engine efficiency and environmentally friendly solutions remain the key drivers for the aerospace industry. These efficiency gains will be achieved by meeting the challenges of higher engine operating temperatures, weight reduction, and novel surface solutions for increased component longevity. A critical question to address is if the thermal spray (TS) industry can continue to meet the challenges and demands seen by the airlines and the engine manufacturers. In addition to non-aerospace influences, the COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically affected the landscape of industry growth, not only directly on airlines but also on the associated supply chain. This article reviews this market, its suppliers, and identifies the challenges and opportunities for future growth. Primary focus is on technology and what will be required to bring about reliable, robust, and cost-effective TS solutions into the marketplace. Several issues affecting the global landscape of the aerospace industry are discussed including (1) sustainability, (2) technology, (3) cost of ownership, (4) evolving marketplace, (5) workforce and behavior, and (6) supply chain vitality. An important question to address is if the TS industry can accelerate development with its supply chain and have the ability to commercialize technology more efficiently. Despite the market setbacks from the pandemic and previous issues with the Boeing 737 MAX fleet, the aerospace industry is poised to make significant advancements. These will create new opportunities for thermal spray technology in materials, equipment, and processes. To deliver on them, the implementation of Industry 4.0 along with the investment in human resources is more critical than ever. Based on the findings, the authors project a bright long-term future for both the aerospace and thermal spray industries.

Understanding the correlation between orbital degree of freedom, lattice-striction and magneto-dielectric coupling in ferrimagnetic Mn1.5Cr1.5O4.

Dielectric anomaly observed in cubic Mn1.5Cr1.5O4around ferrimagnetic ordering temperature (TN) suggests a possible magneto-dielectric coupling in the system. This report confirms the presence of a weak but significant magneto-dielectric coupling in the system. Theab initiocalculations show a band gap of around 1.2 eV, with Fermi-level closer to the conduction band. The major features of conduction band nearest to the Fermi-level correspond todxzandd3z2-r2orbitals of Mn3+ion. Temperature-dependent neutron diffraction results show a rapid decay in structural parameters (lattice-striction and transition metal-oxygen bond length) aroundTN.We confirmed that these changes in structural parameters atTNare not related to structural transition but the consequences of orbital-ordering of Mn3+. The rapid decay in transition metal-oxygen bond length under internal magnetism of the system shows that magnetism could certainly manipulate the electric dipole moment and hence the dielectric constant of the system. Magneto-striction acts as a link between magnetic and dielectric properties.

Probing the Griffiths like phase, unconventional dual glassy states, giant exchange bias effects and its correlation with its electronic structure in Pr2-x Sr x CoMnO6.

Crystal, electronic structure, dc and ac magnetization properties of the hole substituted (Sr2+) and partially B-site disordered double perovskite Pr2-x Sr x CoMnO6 system have been investigated. The XRD pattern analysis showed a systematic decrease in the lattice parameters owing to the enhanced oxidation states of the Co/Mn ions. The electronic structure study by XPS measurements suggested the presence of mixed valence states of the B-site ions (Co2+ /Co3+ and Mn3+ /Mn4+) with significant enhancement of the average oxidation states due to hole doping. The mere absence of electronic states near the Fermi level in the valence band (VB) spectra for both pure (x = 0.0) and Sr doped (x = 0.5) systems indicated the insulating nature of the samples. Sr substitution is observed to increase the spectral weight near the Fermi level suggesting for an enhanced conductivity of the hole doped system. The dc magnetization data divulged a Griffiths like phase above the long-range ordering temperature. A typical re-entrant spin glass like phase driven by the inherent anti-site disorder (ASD) has been recognized by ac susceptibility study for both the pure and doped systems. Most interestingly, the emergence of a new cluster glass like phase (immediately below the magnetic ordering temperature and above the spin-glass transition temperature) solely driven by the Sr substitution has been unravelled by ac magnetization dynamics study. Observation of these dual glassy states in a single system is scarce and hence placed the present system amongst the rare materials. The isothermal magnetization measurements further probed the exhibition of the giant exchange bias effect originated from the interfacial exchange interactions due to existence of low temperature antiferromagnetic clusters embedded in the glassy matrix.

Magnon profile on SrRuO3 films studied by inelastic neutron scattering.

In this study, the inelastic neutron scattering probe of SIKA in ANSTO is employed to investigate the magnon dispersion curve in ferromagnetic SrRuO3 single crystal epitaxial films and to better understand the underlying mechanisms. This report presents the successful measurement of a magnon peak from the SrRuO3 films which contained an amount of material of only 0.9 mg. We reveal one significant magnon dispersion curve along [002] following the quadratic E ∝ Q 2 ) relation, which shows a magnon gap of 0.32 meV. We have discussed several possible mechanisms, such as the higher symmetry structure and the impurity levels, which may contribute to this smaller gap.

Is end-organ surveillance necessary in patients with well-functioning metal-on-metal hip resurfacings? A cardiac MRI survey.

AIMS: Cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) was used to assess whether cardiac function or tissue composition was affected in patients with well-functioning metal-on-metal hip resurfacing arthroplasties (MoMHRA) when compared with a group of controls, and to assess if metal ion levels correlated with any of the functional or structural parameters studied. PATIENTS AND METHODS: In all, 30 participants with no significant cardiac history were enrolled: 20 patients with well-functioning MoMHRA at mean follow-up of 8.3 years post-procedure (ten unilateral, ten bilateral; 17 men, three women) and a case-matched control group of ten non-MoM total hip arthroplasty patients (six men, four women). The mean age of the whole cohort (study group and controls) at the time of surgery was 50.6 years (41.0 to 64.0). Serum levels of cobalt and chromium were measured, and all patients underwent CMR imaging, including cine, T2* measurements, T1 and T2 mapping, late gadolinium enhancement, and strain measurements. RESULTS: None of the MoMHRA patients showed clinically significant cardiac functional abnormality. The MoMHRA patients had larger indexed right and left end diastolic volumes (left ventricular (LV): 74 ml/m2vs 67 ml/m2, p = 0.045; right ventricular: 80 ml/m2vs 71 ml/m2, p = 0.02). There was a small decrease in T2 time in the MoMHRA patients (median 49 ms vs 54 ms; p = 0.0003). Higher metal ion levels were associated with larger LV volumes and with shorter T2 time. CONCLUSION: Although cardiac function is not clinically adversely affected in patients with well-functioning MoMHRA, modern imaging is able to demonstrate subtle changes in structure and function of the heart. As these changes correlate with systemic ion measurements, they may be consequences of wear debris deposition. Longer, longitudinal studies are necessary to determine whether cardiac function will become affected. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2019;101-B:540-546.

Role of electron-magnon interaction in non-Fermi liquid behavior of SrRuO3.

SrRuO3 is a popular material extensively used as a bottom electrode in various applications, however, a few problems which will certainly change the interface band structure and greatly alter the device's property are still not fully understood, such as the change of carrier types at a certain temperature and the quasiparticle scattering for non-Fermi liquid behavior below ferromagnetic transition temperature. In this study, magnetic, transport (electrical and thermal) properties and x-ray photoemission spectra have been used to understand the role of quasiparticle interactions in the SrRuO3 bulk system. At the Fermi level, the hybridization of Ru4dt 2g ↓ and O2p  bands form a typical two band system. In order to explain the problems as mentioned, our present work reveals that there must be an impurity band that couples with the bands around Fermi level and serves as a charge reservoir. In the present case, the impurity is attributed to the Ru vacancies. As a result, the conduction electrons scatter strongly with the Ru vacancies and couple with the Ru magnons to give rise to a dominant electron-magnon coupling that overwhelms the electron-phonon coupling in the temperature range of 90-150 K.

Structural, transport and optical properties of (La0.6Pr0.4)0.65Ca0.35MnO3 nanocrystals: a wide band-gap magnetic semiconductor.

(La0.6Pr0.4)0.65Ca0.35MnO3 system has been synthesized via a sol-gel route at different sintering temperatures. Structural, transport and optical measurements have been carried out to investigate (La0.6Pr0.4)0.65Ca0.35MnO3 nanoparticles. Raman spectra show that Jahn-Teller distortion has been decreased due to the presence of Ca and Pr in A-site. Magnetic measurements provide a Curie temperature around 200 K and saturation magnetization (MS) of about 3.43µB/Mn at 5 K. X-ray photoemission spectroscopy study suggests that Mn exists in a dual oxidation state (Mn(3+) and Mn(4+)). Resistivity measurements suggest that charge-ordered states of Mn(3+) and Mn(4+), which might be influenced by the presence of Pr, have enhanced insulating behavior in (La0.6Pr0.4)0.65Ca0.35MnO3. Band gap estimated from UV-Vis spectroscopy measurements comes in the range of wide band gap semiconductors (∼3.5 eV); this makes (La0.6Pr0.4)0.65Ca0.35MnO3 a potential candidate for device application.

A multiscale model of interleukin-6-mediated immune regulation in Crohn's disease and its application in drug discovery and development.

In this study, we have developed a multiscale systems model of interleukin (IL)-6-mediated immune regulation in Crohn's disease, by integrating intracellular signaling with organ-level dynamics of pharmacological markers underlying the disease. This model was linked to a general pharmacokinetic model for therapeutic monoclonal antibodies and used to comparatively study various biotherapeutic strategies targeting IL-6-mediated signaling in Crohn's disease. Our work illustrates techniques to develop mechanistic models of disease biology to study drug-system interaction. Despite a sparse training data set, predictions of the model were qualitatively validated by clinical biomarker data from a pilot trial with tocilizumab. Model-based analysis suggests that strategies targeting IL-6, IL-6Rα, or the IL-6/sIL-6Rα complex are less effective at suppressing pharmacological markers of Crohn's than dual targeting the IL-6/sIL-6Rα complex in addition to IL-6 or IL-6Rα. The potential value of multiscale system pharmacology modeling in drug discovery and development is also discussed.CPT: Pharmacometrics & Systems Pharmacology (2014) 3, e89; doi:10.1038/psp.2013.64; advance online publication 8 January 2014.

Prognostication of cardiac CT angiography.

The rapidly emerging technique of cardiac computed tomography angiography (CTA) has enabled the anatomical assessment of coronary artery disease. CTA has very good diagnostic accuracy with the ability to detect nonobstructive from obstructive coronary artery disease and provides information on the presence of coronary artery calcification as well as on left ventricular function. Over the last few years, many prognostic studies have reviewed the outcome benefit of different scoring indices in predicting hard cardiac events. The following article will review the most recent literature available on the use of CTA in measuring luminal stenoses, identifying high-risk obstructive CAD, calcium plaque score, and LV function all in different models with their impact on the estimation of clinical risk. More recent data from a large multicenter registry supports the incremental benefit of CAD severity and LVEF as independent predictors of prognosis. Future directions and emerging applications such as the utility of CTA combined with perfusion analysis may lead to a new anatomical-functional diagnostic test that may provide optimal noninvasive assessment of coronary artery anatomy and be superior to invasive coronary angiography.

Independent value of left atrial volume index for the prediction of mortality in patients with suspected heart failure referred from the community.

BACKGROUND: The left atrial volume index (LAVI) reflects left ventricular (LV) filling pressure and has been shown to predict outcome in various cardiovascular diseases. However, its value for the prediction of mortality in patients referred for suspected heart failure (HF) is unknown. OBJECTIVE: To assess the value of LAVI for the prediction of mortality independently of clinical, electrocardiographic (ECG) and echocardiographic prognostic parameters in patients with suspected HF referred from the community. METHODS: 356 (mean (SD) age 72 (13) years) patients with suspected HF referred from the community were followed up for mortality after undergoing clinical assessment, ECG and echocardiography, including Doppler, to assess LV filling. RESULTS: Data were obtained for 335/356 (94%) patients (162 male, 173 female) over a mean (SD) follow-up period of 30 (10) months, during which 38 (11.3%) died. The univariate predictors for all-cause mortality were age, symptom of leg swelling, clinical signs of HF, abnormal ECG, LV ejection fraction, LAVI, LV end-systolic (LVESD) and diastolic dimension, septal wall thickness and the presence of other significant cardiac abnormalities. The only independent predictors of mortality were age (hazard ratio (HR) = 2.15, 95% CI 1.42 to 3.25, p<0.001), symptom of leg swelling (HR = 2.83, 95% CI 1.43 to 5.59, p = 0.005), LAVI (HR = 1.25, 95% CI 1.01 to 1.54, p = 0.04) and LVESD (HR = 1.32, 95% CI 1.02 to 1.70, p = 0.04). CONCLUSION: LAVI provided independent information over clinical and other echocardiographic variables for predicting mortality in patients with suspected HF referred from the community.

Effects of left bundle-branch block on cardiac structure, function, perfusion, and perfusion reserve: implications for myocardial contrast echocardiography versus radionuclide perfusion imaging for the detection of coronary artery disease.

BACKGROUND: We aimed to investigate the cardiac effects of left bundle-branch block (LBBB) using myocardial contrast echocardiography (MCE) to ascertain the value of MCE for detecting coronary artery disease (CAD) and to uncover the mechanism that affects the accuracy of single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) in these patients. METHODS AND RESULTS: Sixty-three symptomatic LBBB patients (group A), 10 left ventricular ejection fraction-matched control subjects without LBBB and no CAD (group B), and 10 normal control subjects (group C) underwent resting echocardiography. Rest and vasodilator MCE and SPECT were undertaken in LBBB patients. Septal (SW) and posterior wall (PW) thickness, thickening, quantitative myocardial blood flow (MBF), and MBF reserve were measured. SW/PW thickness and percentage thickening ratios were lower (P<0.01 and P<0.05, respectively) in group A compared with both groups B and C, but resting SW/PW MBF and MBF reserve ratios were similar in all 3 groups. MBF reserve but not MBF was reduced in groups A and B (2.2+/-0.7 versus 2.2+/-0.2; P=0.98) compared with group C (3.1+/-0.5; P<0.01). SW thickness was an independent predictor (P=0.006) of SPECT perfusion defects in LBBB patients without CAD. MCE (92%) had a sensitivity similar to SPECT (92%); however, the specificity of MCE (95%) was superior (P<0.0001) to SPECT (47%) for the detection of CAD. CONCLUSIONS: Despite asymmetrical reduction in SW thickness and function, MBF is preserved and MBF reserve is homogeneously reduced in LBBB patients with left ventricular systolic dysfunction. Because of partial volume effects, the accuracy of SPECT for detecting CAD was significantly compromised compared with MCE in this patient cohort.

Smoking associated with malignancy, hypertension, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and concurrent coronary artery disease: report of nine cases.

Tobacco smoking in any form is a major risk factor for coronary artery disease (CAD), hypertension (HTN), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), oral, nasopharyngeal, bronchial and other visceral malignancies. Cessation of smoking exerts considerable beneficial effect on development, recurrence and prognosis of these diseases. Present communication is based on the study of nine cases who had concurrent CAD, HTN, COPD and mitotic and/or pre malignant lesions due to unabated smoking. The youngest patient was a 35-year-old male having a smoking index of 300, presenting with acute coronary syndrome, COPD, HTN and buccal leukoplakia. Associated genitourinary malignancies in two cases and osteosarcoma in one case was an unusual presentation. These cases highlight the prognosis and public health implications of continuous smoking.