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With apartment buildings representing a rapidly growing share of the residential market in South Korea, the effect of construction defects throughout the life cycle of construction projects, and particularly during the occupancy stage, has emerged as a significant social issue that may ultimately lead to an increase in defect disputes between new occupants and general contractors. An important step toward mitigating the likelihood of these defect disputes is to identify and address the factors that give rise to occupant dissatisfaction during the defect repair process. However, a reliable method by which to identify these factors has yet to be developed. In this respect, the main objective of the research presented in this paper is to develop a method for identifying occupant dissatisfaction factors in the construction defect repair stage. The developed method comprises the following procedures: (i) text pre-processing, which involves data cleaning, normalization, tokenization, morphological analysis, and removal of stopwords; (ii) term frequency–inverse document frequency for keyword extraction; and (iii) semantic network analysis to recognize relationships between words. The method was implemented using a dataset of 12,874 comments in Korean text format obtained from apartment building occupants. Based on the processing and analysis of this dataset, the occupant dissatisfaction factors were found to be: (i) inaccurate and inadequate repair work (represented by such keywords as "Repair", "Visit", and "Accuracy"); (ii) failure to keep promises (e.g., "Fulfillment", "Promise", and "Change"); and (iii) unprofessional conduct on the part of representatives in the repair service center (e.g., "Response", "Attitude", and "Receipt"). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

3D imaging technology is becoming more prominent every day. However, more validation is needed to understand the actual benefit of 3D versus conventional 2D vision. This work quantitatively investigates whether experts benefit from 3D vision during minimally invasive fetoscopic spina bifida (fSB) repair. A superiority study was designed involving one expert team ( > 18 procedures prior) who performed six 2D and six 3D fSB repair simulations in a high-fidelity animal training model, using 3-port access. The 6D motion of the instruments was recorded. Among the motion metrics are total path length, smoothness, maximum speed, the modified Spectral Arc Length (SPARC), and Log Dimensionless Jerk (LDLJ). The primary clinical outcome is operation time (power 90%, 5% significance) using Sealed Envelope Ltd. 2012. Secondary clinical outcomes are water tightness of the repair, CO 2 insufflation volume, and OSATS score. Findings show that total path length and LDLJ are considerably different. Operation time during 3D vision was found to be significantly shorter compared to 2D vision ( 113 ± 9 vs. 149 ± 19 min; p = 0.026). These results suggest enhanced performance with 3D vision during interrupted suturing in fetoscopic SBA repair. To confirm these results, a larger-scale follow-up study involving multiple experts and novice surgeons is recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to compare the rates of secondary knee surgery for patients undergoing meniscus repair with or without concurrent anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLr). Methods: Utilizing a large national database, patients with meniscal repair with or without concurrent arthroscopic ACLr were identified. The two cohorts were then queried for secondary surgical procedures of the knee within the following 2 years. Frequency, age distribution, rates of secondary surgery, and type of secondary procedures performed were compared. Results: In total, 1,585 patients were identified: meniscus repair with ACLr was performed for 1,006 (63.5%) and isolated meniscal repair was performed for 579 (36.5%). Minimum of two year follow up was present for 487 (30.7% of the overall study population). Secondary surgery rates were not significantly different between meniscus repair with concurrent ACLr and isolated meniscus repairs with an overall mean follow up of 13 years (1.5–24 years) (10.6% vs. 13.6%, p = 0.126). For the 2 year follow up cohort, secondary surgery rates were not significantly different (19.3% vs. 25.6%, p = 0.1098). There were no differences in survivorship patterns between the two procedures, both in the larger cohort (p = 0.2016), and the cohort with minimum 2-year follow-up (p = 0.0586). Conclusion: The current study assessed secondary surgery rates in patients undergoing meniscus repair with or without concurrent ACLr in a large patient database. Based on this data, no significant difference in rates of secondary knee surgery was identified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lumbar hernia is a rare lateral abdominal wall hernia. Various surgical repair strategies have been recorded, but there is currently no unified standard. A Chinese surgeon recently revealed a novel technique for treating primary lumbar hernia called retroperitoneal totally endoscopic prosthetic repair (R-TEP). We have made a further exploration of this method and successfully used it in the treatment of secondary lumbar hernia. We successfully performed R-TEP on three patients with lumbar hernias. All patients were female with an average age of 64 years (51–71 years). Two patients each had a primary upper lumbar hernia, while one patient had a secondary lumbar hernia. With a mean operative time of 77 min (60–105 min), all operations were performed successfully. The average visual analogue scale (VAS) was 1.3 points (1–2 points) on the second day following surgery. The mean postoperative hospital stay was 2.3 days (2–3 days). No postoperative complications occurred. During a mean follow-up period of 19 months (10–24 months), there was no recurrence of the hernia, chronic pain or mesh infection. Therefore, R-TEP is safe and effective for both primary and secondary lumbar hernia. Anti-adhesive coated meshes are not required, making this a cost-effective procedure that is worthy of recommendation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stem cells play critical roles in cell therapies and tissue engineering for nerve repair. However, achieving effective delivery of high cell density remains a challenge. Here, a novel cell delivery platform termed the hyper expansion scaffold (HES) is developed to enable high cell loading. HES facilitated self‐promoted and efficient cell absorption via a dual driving force model. In vitro tests revealed that the HES rapidly expanded 80‐fold in size upon absorbing 2.6 million human amniotic epithelial stem cells (hAESCs) within 2 min, representing over a 400% increase in loading capacity versus controls. This enhanced uptake benefited from macroscopic swelling forces as well as microscale capillary action. In spinal cord injury (SCI) rats, HES–hAESCs promoted functional recovery and axonal projection by reducing neuroinflammation and improving the neurotrophic microenvironment surrounding the lesions. In summary, the dual driving forces model provides a new rationale for engineering hydrogel scaffolds to facilitate self‐promoted cell absorption. The HES platform demonstrates great potential as a powerful and efficient vehicle for delivering high densities of hAESCs to promote clinical treatment and repair of SCI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Endoscopic techniques have been widely used in ventral hernia surgery. Totally visceral sac separation (TVS) is a new concept proposed for hernia repair in recent years. The aim of this study was to contrast the postoperative results of TVS with the widely used method of Laparoscopic intraperitoneal onlay mesh plus repair (IPOM plus) for incisional hernias. The retrospective comparison analysis of 38 IPOM plus and 34 TVS was conducted during the time period between December 2019 and June 2022. For both two groups, baseline characteristics, surgical records, postoperative information, and quality of life outcomes utilizing the Carolina's Comfort Scale were collected and analyzed. There were no differences between the methods of TVS and IPOM plus among the baseline characteristics. It showed the operative time in TVS group with the mean time of 213.4 min was significantly longer than that in IPOM plus group with the mean time of 182.9 min (P = 0.010). The postoperative length of stay in TVS group was 6.2 days, which was significantly shorter than IPOM plus group with the mean time of 4.8 days (P = 0.011). The medical expenses was significantly smaller in TVS group than that in IPOM plus group (P < 0.001). The quality of life scores of TVS were significant better than IPOM plus at one week, one month and six months. Besides, both TVS and IPOM plus have very few complications. TVS approach for incisional hernias is secure, effective, and valuable. It has shorter postoperative length of stay, higher quality of life, longer operative time, smaller medical expenses, and approximate complications compared with IPOM plus procedure. Our results have a greater contribution to the application and popularization of TVS technique. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abdominal hernias are common issues in the clinical setting, burdening millions of patients worldwide. Associated with pain, decreased quality of life, and severe potential complications, abdominal wall hernias should be treated as soon as possible. Whether an open repair or laparoscopic surgical approach is tackled, mesh reinforcement is generally required to ensure a durable hernia repair. Over the years, numerous mesh products have been made available on the market and in clinical settings, yet each of the currently used meshes presents certain limitations that reflect on treatment outcomes. Thus, mesh development is still ongoing, and emerging solutions have reached various testing stages. In this regard, this paper aims to establish an up-to-date framework on abdominal meshes, briefly overviewing currently available solutions for hernia repair and discussing in detail the most recent advances in the field. Particularly, there are presented the developments in lightweight materials, meshes with improved attachment, antimicrobial fabrics, composite and hybrid textiles, and performant mesh designs, followed by a systematic review of recently completed clinical trials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The treatment and surgical repair of torn Achilles tendons seldom return the wounded tendon to its original elasticity and stiffness. This study explored the in vitro and in vivo simultaneous release of indomethacin and bupivacaine from electrospun polylactide–polyglycolide composite membranes for their capacity to repair torn Achilles tendons. These membranes were fabricated by mixing polylactide–polyglycolide/indomethacin, polylactide–polyglycolide/collagen, and polylactide–polyglycolide/bupivacaine with 1,1,1,3,3,3-hexafluoro-2-propanol into sandwich-structured composites. Subsequently, the in vitro pharmaceutic release rates over 30 days were determined, and the in vivo release behavior and effectiveness of the loaded drugs were assessed using an animal surgical model. High concentrations of indomethacin and bupivacaine were released for over four weeks. The released pharmaceutics resulted in complete recovery of rat tendons, and the nanofibrous composite membranes exhibited exceptional mechanical strength. Additionally, the anti-adhesion capacity of the developed membrane was confirmed. Using the electrospinning technique developed in this study, we plan on manufacturing degradable composite membranes for tendon healing, which can deliver sustained pharmaceutical release and provide a collagenous habitat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the field of transport, and more precisely in supply chains, if any of the vehicle components are damaged, it may cause delays in the delivery of goods. Eliminating undesirable damage to the means of transport through the possibility of predicting technical conditions and a state of failure may increase the reliability of the entire supply chain. From the aspect of sustainability, the issue of reducing the number of failures also makes it possible to reduce supply chain disturbances, to reduce costs associated with delays, and to reduce the materials needed for the repair of the means of transport, since, in this case, the costs only relate to the replaced elements before their damage. Thus, it is impossible for more serious damage to occur. Often, failure of one item causes damage to others, which generates unnecessary costs and increases the amount of waste due to the number of damaged items. This article provides an author's method of technical condition prediction; by applying the method, it would be possible to develop recommended maintenance activities for key elements related to the safety and reliability of transport. The combination of at least two artificial intelligence methods allows us to achieve very good prediction results thanks to the possibility of individual adjustments of weights between the methods used. Such predictive maintenance methods can be successfully used to ensure sustainable development in supply chains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Elastin-like polypeptides (ELPs) are thermally responsive biopolymers derived from natural elastin. These peptides have a low critical solution temperature phase behavior and can be used to prepare stimuli-responsive biomaterials. Through genetic engineering, biomaterials prepared from ELPs can have unique and customizable properties. By adjusting the amino acid sequence and length of ELPs, nanostructures, such as micelles and nanofibers, can be formed. Correspondingly, ELPs have been used for improving the stability and prolonging drug-release time. Furthermore, ELPs have widespread use in tissue repair due to their biocompatibility and biodegradability. Here, this review summarizes the basic property composition of ELPs and the methods for modulating their phase transition properties, discusses the application of drug delivery system and tissue repair and clarifies the current challenges and future directions of ELPs in applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Diaphragmatic herniorraphy is the treatment of choice for traumatic diaphragmatic hernia (TDH). Several methods have been described for the removal of residual air and fluid during and after surgery, such as the insertion of chest drains, intercostal thoracentesis, and transdiaphragmatic thoracentesis. However, there are no indications regarding the most useful technique and the impact that choice of technique could have in the immediate postoperative period. Aim: To evaluate the development of complications and outcomes associated with the use of intraoperative transdiaphragmatic thoracentesis in cats undergoing diaphragmatic herniorrhaphy for TDH. Methods: Medical records of cats treated for acute and chronic TDH between 2010 and 2019 were reviewed. Cats were included if intraoperative pneumothorax was treated with transdiaphragmatic thoracentesis, without the use of intercostal chest drain. Outcome, intra- and post-operative complications were recorded. Results: Intraoperative and postoperative complication rates were 3.3% and 12.4%, respectively. Development of postoperative pneumothorax was associated with the presence of comorbidities (p = 0.046). The overall survival rate was 93.3%. Long-term survival had a significant association with the presence of comorbidities (p = 0.045), if the procedure was performed as an emergency (p = 0.041) or in older cats (p = 0.011). Conclusion: Intraoperative transdiaphragmatic thoracentesis could be considered an effective method for the removal of residual air after surgery for TDH, because it ensures a good outcome for the patient, with low development of complications, especially for uncomplicated cases. The presence of comorbidities, the need to perform a surgical procedure in emergency, and the age of the patient can be considered factors influencing the development of complications. Critical patient selection, based on assessment of potential risk factors for complications is warranted to understand which patient will benefit from thoracostomy tube placement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Without neonatal screening in low middle-income countries like Pakistan, Tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) is a congenital heart disease which frequently remains untreated beyond infancy. The purpose of this study is to determine and assess outcomes and health related quality of life (HRQOL) in patients who undergo complete repair of TOF as adults. Methods: 56 patients who underwent complete TOF repair after 16 years of age were included. Patient data was collected via retrospective chart review, and a semi structured interview along with Short-Form 36 (SF-36) questionnaire were used to assess HRQOL. Results: 66.1% of patients were male with the mean age at surgery of 22.3 ± 6.00. All patients had a post-operative NYHA Classification of I or II, 94.6% had an ejection fraction of ≥ 50% and 28.6% showed small residual lesions in follow-up echocardiograms. 32.1% of patients suffered post-operative morbidity. For the quantitative assessment using SF-36 scores, patients showed good scores of median 95 (65–100). A major cause of delay to treatment was lack of consensus between treatments offered by doctors in different parts of Pakistan. There was a pattern of 'inability to fit in' among patients who had had late TOF repair, despite self- reported improved HRQOL. Conclusion: Our results indicate that even with a delayed diagnosis, surgical repair of TOF produces good functional results. However, these patients face significant psychosocial issues. While early diagnosis remains the ultimate goal, patients undergoing late repair should be managed in more holistic manner with attention to psychological impact of the disease as well. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The management of critical-sized bone defects caused by nonunion, trauma, infection, malignancy, pseudoarthrosis, and osteolysis poses complex reconstruction challenges for orthopedic surgeons. Current treatment modalities, including autograft, allograft, and distraction osteogenesis, are insufficient for the diverse range of pathology encountered in clinical practice, with significant complications associated with each. Therefore, there is significant interest in the development of delivery vehicles for growth factors to aid in bone repair in these settings. This article reviews innovative strategies for the management of critical-sized bone loss, including novel scaffolds designed for controlled release of rhBMP, bioengineered extracellular vesicles for delivery of intracellular signaling molecules, and advances in regional gene therapy for sustained signaling strategies. Improvement in the delivery of growth factors to areas of significant bone loss has the potential to revolutionize current treatment for this complex clinical challenge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plan execution in dynamic environments can be affected by unexpected events leading to failures. Research on multi-agent planning area presents recovery strategies with replanning and repairing with evaluation based simply on average values. Thus, in this work, we propose a statistical method to evaluate plan recovery strategies in dynamic environments using a domain-independent approach. To validate the proposed method, we conducted simulated experiments with varying the number of agents, goals, actions, failure probability, and agents' coupling levels. The evaluation metrics include plan length and planning time. The results highlight with at least 94% certainty that repairing planning time is lower than replanning, and replanning builds plans with fewer actions than repairing. Considering plan recovery strategies in dynamic multi-agent environments, we demonstrate that repairing presents better results as it is faster, but replanning builds better plans as the final plan length is strongly correlated to failure occurrence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The expertise of water utility staff forms the foundation for making successful pipeline repairs—whether planned or unexpected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Each of the total Life-Cycle Cost (LCC) and resilience index are valuable indicators of infrastructure management against hazard events during its service lifetime. In this study, the proposed multi-objective framework provides a systematic methodology for decision-makers to select the optimal retrofit strategies that minimize the LCC while satisfying a given level of resilience, for which various retrofit strategies are chosen. For each case, the fragility curves are established through IDA for calculating the resilience and LCC, which incorporates the effects of complete or incomplete repair actions of damage conditions induced by multiple occurrences of previous hazard events. This study employs a well-known 'NSGA II' to identify the optimal set of solutions. The various aspects of the optimal retrofit strategies are thoroughly investigated and discussed for an actual structure in the refinery sites as a case study infrastructure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Additive manufacturing processes allow for significant design freedom when creating components, encouraging lattices or thin structures that can easily be incorporated into parts for light weighting. The ability to repair these thin structures, whether due to damage during the manufacturing process, or due to external factors during use, has the potential to reduce scrap rates and extend the lifetime of parts in service. A low-energy welding technique, electrospark deposition, is investigated for its ability to build up thick deposits on thin-walled additive manufactured structures. It was found that pulse energy and power input were correlated to both the deposition rate and defects (porosity or oxide) inside the deposit. The heat affected zone of the substrate in the thin-walled structure was also explored, considering of pulse energy, power input, and substrate thickness. It is found that the deposition process with parameter optimization can effectively build up material while limiting the extent of heat damage to thin structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article considers the digital transformation of the aviation industry based on twins of maintenance and repair. As a result of digitization, a set of documents and application software are formed in a virtual reality environment. The concept of a digital twin is presented in the context of a model-based system design of the helicopter maintenance process according to the technical regulations. Based on statistical modeling technologies, a model for assembling aircraft units has been developed, in which time characteristics are qualitative estimates of learning processes and the effectiveness of digital twins. The results of experimental studies based on the method of analysis of students' certification using digital twins in the assembly of aircraft units are presented. It has been established that at the production site of an aircraft repair enterprise it is effective to apply training at the first stage using digital twins, and at the second stage using real objects. Based on analytical and experimental studies, regression models are proposed for the relationship between the optimal number of trainings at the second stage and the relative coefficient of training time for successful training and certification of mechanics and electronics engineers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adhesively bonded doublers and adhesively bonded repairs are extensively used to extend the operational life of metallic aircraft structures. Consequently, this paper focuses on the tools needed to address sustainment issues associated with both adhesively bonded doublers and adhesively bonded repairs to (metallic) aircraft structures, in a fashion that is consistent with the building-block approach mandated in the United States Air Force (USAF) airworthiness certification standard MIL-STD-1530D and also in the United States (US) Joint Services Structural Guidelines JSSG-2006. In this context, it is shown that the effect of biaxial loads on cohesive crack growth in a bonded doubler under both constant amplitude fatigue loads and operational flight loads can be significant. It is also suggested that as a result, for uniaxial tests to replicate the cohesive crack growth seen in adhesively bonded doublers and adhesively bonded repairs under operational flight loads, the magnitude of the applied load spectrum may need to be continuously modified so as to ensure that the crack tip similitude parameter in the laboratory tests reflects that seen in the full-scale aircraft. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The intricate microenvironment at the wound site, coupled with the multi-phase nature of the healing process, pose significant challenges to the development of wound repair treatments. In recent years, applying the distinctive benefits of hydrogels to the development of wound repair strategies has yielded some promising results. Multifunctional hydrogels, by meeting the different requirements of wound healing stages, have greatly improved the healing effectiveness of chronic wounds, offering immense potential in wound repair applications. This review summarized the recent research and applications of multifunctional hydrogels in wound repair. The focus was placed on the research progress of diverse multifunctional hydrogels, and their mechanisms of action at different stages of wound repair were discussed in detail. Through a comprehensive analysis, we found that multifunctional hydrogels play an indispensable role in the process of wound repair by providing a moist environment, controlling inflammation, promoting angiogenesis, and effectively preventing infection. However, further implementation of multifunctional hydrogel-based therapeutic strategies also faces various challenges, such as the contradiction between the complexity of multifunctionality and the simplicity required for clinical translation and application. In the future, we should work to address these challenges, further optimize the design and preparation of multifunctional hydrogels, enhance their effectiveness in wound repair, and promote their widespread application in clinical practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The existing data repair methods primarily focus on addressing missing data issues by utilizing variational autoencoders to learn the underlying distribution and generate content that represents the missing parts, thus achieving data repair. However, this method is only applicable to data missing problems and cannot identify abnormal data. Additionally, as data privacy concerns continue to gain public attention, it poses a challenge to traditional methods. This article proposes a generative adversarial network (GAN) model based on the federated learning framework and a long short-term memory network, namely the FedLGAN model, to achieve anomaly detection and repair of hydrological telemetry data. In this model, the discriminator in the GAN structure is employed for anomaly detection, while the generator is utilized for abnormal data repair. Furthermore, to capture the temporal features of the original data, a bidirectional long short-term memory network with an attention mechanism is embedded into the GAN. The federated learning framework avoids privacy leakage of hydrological telemetry data during the training process. Experimental results based on four real hydrological telemetry devices demonstrate that the FedLGAN model can achieve anomaly detection and repair while preserving privacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The modified Kocher and extensor digitorum communis (EDC)-splitting intervals are commonly utilized to approach the lateral elbow. Iatrogenic injury to the lateral ulnar collateral ligament may result in posterolateral rotatory instability (PLRI). in the present cadaveric study, we (1) evaluated lateral elbow stability following the use of these approaches and (2) assessed the accuracy of static lateral elbow radiographs as a diagnostic tool for PLRI. Methods: Tenmatched-pair cadaveric upper-extremity specimens (n = 20) were randomly assigned to Kocher or EDC-splitting approaches. Specimens underwent evaluation pre-dissection, post-dissection, and following repair of the surgical interval. Clinical evaluation of lateral elbow stability was performed with the lateral pivot-shift maneuver. Radiographic radiocapitellar displacement was evaluated with the fully extended hanging arm test and on lateral elbow 30° flexion radiographs. Paired Wilcoxon signed-rank tests with Bonferroni correction were utilized to compare groups. Results: AllKocher group specimens (10 of 10) developed PLRI on the pivot-shift maneuver following dissection.No EDC-splitting group specimens (0 of 10) developed instability with pivot-shift testing. The fully extended hanging arm test showed no difference in radiocapitellar displacement between groups (p > 0.008). Lateral elbow 30° flexion radiographs in the Kocher group showed an increased radiocapitellar displacement difference (mean, 8.46 mm) following dissection compared with the pre-dissection baseline (p < 0.008). Following repair of the Kocher interval, the radiocapitellar displacement (mean, 6.43 mm) remained greater than pre-dissection (mean, 2.26 mm; p < 0.008). In the EDC-splitting group, no differences were detected in radiocapitellar displacement on lateral elbow radiographs with either the fully extended hanging arm or lateral elbow 30° flexion positions. Conclusions: The Kocher approach produced PLRI that did not return to baseline conditions following repair of the surgical interval. The EDC-splitting approach did not cause elbow instability clinically or radiographically. The hanging arm test was not reliable for the detection of PLRI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stroke enhances proliferation of neural precursor cells within the subventricular zone (SVZ) and induces ectopic migration of newborn cells towards the site of injury. Here, we characterize the identity of cells arising from the SVZ after stroke and uncover a mechanism through which they facilitate neural repair and functional recovery. With genetic lineage tracing, we show that SVZ-derived cells that migrate towards cortical photothrombotic stroke in mice are predominantly undifferentiated precursors. We find that ablation of neural precursor cells or conditional knockout of VEGF impairs neuronal and vascular reparative responses and worsens recovery. Replacement of VEGF is sufficient to induce neural repair and recovery. We also provide evidence that CXCL12 from peri-infarct vasculature signals to CXCR4-expressing cells arising from the SVZ to direct their ectopic migration. These results support a model in which vasculature surrounding the site of injury attracts cells from the SVZ, and these cells subsequently provide trophic support that drives neural repair and recovery. The functions of newborn cells arising from the subventricular zone in response to stroke have been unclear. Here, the authors show that cells migrating from the subventricular zone after stroke promote brain repair and functional recovery in mice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The work considers principles for the design of photocurable repair-purpose materials, the main advantage of which is the possibility of rapid formation of high-strength, adhesive, jointless coatings and coverings for sealing, insulation, protection, and repair of surfaces of various natures, such as metal, concrete, and plastic. The application of such materials is validated in the practice of pipeline repair (including oil pipelines and mud lines). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Unidirectional fiber‐reinforced composite laminates have limited resistance to out‐of‐plane impact and are prone to structural integrity damage during service due to low‐velocity impact (LVI). In this study, the hot‐press fusion method was employed to repair the impact‐damaged unidirectional carbon fiber‐reinforced poly‐ether‐ether‐ketone (CF/PEEK) thermoplastic composites. No delamination or matrix cracking induced by impact was observed in the repaired specimens, as confirmed by ultrasonic scanning and digital microscope. In addition, the hot pressing treatment enables the fibers to be covered again by the resin matrix, which eliminates fiber pull‐out and fiber/matrix debonding. Afterward, typical responses of CF/PEEK composite laminates to re‐impact and post‐repair compression are presented in a comprehensive and detailed manner, and compared with the initial impact response and compression after impact (CAI) behavior. The effects of three impact energies and two stacking sequences are considered. The results indicate that quasi‐isotropic laminates are more susceptible to localized fracture damage upon re‐impact as the impact energy increases, due to initial fiber breakage, compared to orthotropic laminates. The hot‐press treatment enhances the compression residual strength of the specimen by 20%–30% compared to its state before repair. These studies offer technical insights into the application of the hot‐press fusion method to enhance the mechanical properties of composite laminates post impact damage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this work is to analyse the influence of adhesive fillets on the fatigue/fracture behaviour of single‐strap adhesive repairs of carbon‐epoxy composites. A cohesive zone model (CZM) appropriate for high‐cycle fatigue analysis was employed. A preliminary model validation was performed using results ensuing from experimental testing of single‐strap adhesive repairs without fillets. Subsequently, the numerical model was used to investigate the effect of outer, inner and both (outer and inner) fillets on the quasi‐static strengths and on the fatigue lives of these repairs. It was concluded that inner fillets provide the best option concerning the increase of fatigue life or a maximum fatigue load for a given planned service‐life of the repaired component. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Global Positioning System (GPS) Precise Point Positioning (PPP) with correct fixing ambiguity resolution (AR) can reach cm‐mm level positioning accuracy. However, this accuracy can be degraded by the geomagnetic storm effects. To comprehensively investigate the ambiguity resolved percentage (ARP) of GPS kinematic PPP, referred to as PPP‐ARP, under different intensities of geomagnetic storms, based on the Natural Resources Canada's Canadian Spatial Reference System (CSRS) PPP, this study for the first time gives the correlation between the PPP‐ARP and storm intensity using 67 storms occurred in the past 5 years of 2018–2022. Experimental results indicate that the PPP‐ARP decreases gradually as the increase of geomagnetic storm intensity. Under quiet and low geomagnetic conditions (Dstmin > −50 nT), the PPP‐ARP of global GNSS stations can achieve more than 96%, while these during strong storms (Dstmin ≤ −100 nT) are generally lower than 90.0%, especially for the PPP‐ARP of some stations located at low latitudes which are lower than 40.0%. The mechanism of PPP‐ARP decrease under geomagnetic storms is mainly due to the cycle slips and even loss of lock of GNSS signals caused by the storms induced ionospheric disturbances and scintillations. In addition, different from many previous studies, we found that the CSRS‐PPP with AR can achieve good positioning accuracy (3D RMS <0.2 m) even under strong geomagnetic storms. Plain Language Summary: Global Positioning System (GPS) Precise Point Positioning (PPP) can achieve positioning accuracy of centimeters or even millimeters after resolving the integer ambiguities. However, during strong geomagnetic storms, the positioning accuracy of GPS kinematic PPP will significantly decrease. Under different geomagnetic storm intensities, we perform the experiments on the ambiguity resolved percentage (ARP) of GPS kinematic PPP (PPP‐ARP) using the Natural Resources Canada's Canadian Spatial Reference System (CSRS) PPP software. It is found that geomagnetic storms and associated ionospheric disturbances as well as scintillations can result in the loss of locks of satellite signals, causing a significant reduction in the number of available GPS satellites and alter the distribution pattern of satellites, which leads to the PPP ambiguity reset and decrease of the PPP‐ARP. The stronger the geomagnetic storm, the more severe the impact on PPP‐ARP in general, especially for those located at low‐latitude stations. Key Points: Strong storms induced ionospheric disturbances can cause the decrease of the ambiguity resolved percentage of GPS kinematic PPP (PPP‐ARP)The PPP‐ARP decreases gradually as the increase of geomagnetic storm intensityPPP‐ARP decrease is related to the loss of locks of GPS satellites caused by the geomagnetic storms [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Although carbon fiber–reinforced polymer (CFRP) composites have been extensively used to rehabilitate many deficient bridges, data warranting their long-term performance is lacking. Current durability testing of CFRP composites involves accelerated conditioning as a part of material specification requirements to ensure that they maintain mechanical and physical properties during their service life. However, relating accelerated conditioning test data to material performance under real-time aging is not possible without field data. Work conducted at the University of Delaware in the early 1990s resulted in the first full-scale application of externally bonded CFRP on a publicly owned bridge in the United States. The original intent of CFRP strengthening was to extend the service life of the Foulk Road bridge in Wilmington, Delaware by 5–10 years. As one of the earliest CFRP-rehabilitated bridges in the United States, it offers a unique opportunity to study CFRP durability over a time span of 26 years. Field evaluation and laboratory testing (calorimetry, spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and tensile testing) of CFRP samples collected from several girders were employed to investigate CFRP degradation and bond quality. The results indicate that after 26-year-long service life, the condition of CFRP repairs considerably deteriorated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Atomically thin two-dimensional (2D) transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) have stimulated enormous research interest due to rich phase structure, high theoretical carrier mobility and layer-dependent bandgap. In view of the close correlation between defects and properties in 2D TMDCs, more attentions have been paid on the defect engineering in recent years, however the mechanism is still unclear. Herein, we review the critical progress of defect engineering and provide an extensive way to modulate the properties depressed by defects. To insight into the defect engineering, we firstly introduce two common kinds of defects during the growth progress of TMDCs and the possible distribution of energy levels those defects could induce. Then, various methods to improve point defects and grain boundaries during the period of growth are discussed intensively, with the assistance of which more large-area TMDCs films can be obtained. Considering the defects in TMDCs are inevitable regardless of concentration, we also highlight strategies to heal the defects after growth. Through dry methods or wet methods, the chalcogen vacancies can be repaired and thus, the performance of electronic device would be significantly enhanced. Finally, we propose the challenges and prospective for defect engineering in 2D TMDCs materials to support the optimization of device and lead them to wide applied fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of process parameters on the microstructures and properties of the laser-assisted epitaxial growth layer are of great significance for the repair of nickel-based single-crystal blades. This work investigated the microstructures and properties of the epitaxial-growth laser-assisted nickel-based single-crystal superalloy. The effects of scanning path, laser power, scanning velocity and heat treatment on the microstructures and hardness of the laser-assisted epitaxial growth layer were explored. The microstructures of the epitaxial-growth samples are the same, starting from the bottom with a continuous columnar dendrite. The dendrites transform into isoaxial crystals when growing to a certain height. The scanning path, laser power, and scanning velocity mutually influence the sample's microstructures. The columnar crystal structure is very stable. Even the epitaxial-growth layer undergoes post-heat treatment, while the isoaxial crystal structure would be coarsened and the hardness decreases, but the subsequent aging treatment leads to an increase in hardness. These findings will greatly help improve the repair effect of single-crystal superalloys.

As part of lesion sterilization and tissue restoration (LSTR), treatment for primary molars affected by extensive periapical pathosis and extreme resorption entails the use of a triple antibiotic mixture in an appropriate medium. In-depth explanation of all components of LSTR is the main focus of this review of the literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An Aseel bird was presented with a history of swelling and was not able to bear weight on its right leg. On clinical examination revealed swelling of the right leg and there was crepitation on palpation of the right leg. A radiographic examination revealed a simple complete metaphyseal fracture of the tibiotarsus bone. The fracture was repaired by using a 2.7mm stainless steel locking reconstruction plate under general anesthesia using xylazine @ 3 mg/kg I/M and ketamine @ 60 mg/kg I/M. The clinical and radiological healing of the fracture was observed by the end of the 60th post-operative day. The post-operative care was taken till recovery of the operative site and complete union of the fracture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper presents experiences with damages that occurred when using external tendons. Reason for these damages could be both technical deficiencies of a tendon system (system = components, design, corrosion protection, installation, stressing etc.) or simply human mistakes. Damages often could occur at deviators and anchorages, since forces are transferred to the structure there and the tendon is loaded in transverse direction. Damages will be presented, explained (why it is a damage), which measure had been taken and of course also advice for the future (lessons learned). The damages occurred on site or during testing of external tendon systems. Hence, the paper shall help the reader/attendant to understand sensitivity of external tendons. Furthermore, to these damages experiences with replacement (mainly cutting of the old tendon) of external tendons with flexible filler mass are shared. "Experience" focusses mainly on the de‐installation, re‐installation, grouting and stressing process. Topics that will be covered are: ‐ Improper design and/or installation of deviators and subsequent damages to the tendon sheath ‐ Torsional strand failure due to improper deviation at stressing anchor ‐ Limitations of the tendon path ‐ Deficient encapsulation of the prestressing steel ‐ Tendon force measurement options [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the results of a test of epoxy anticorrosion coating repair. Two strategies of coating repair were studied, respectively: partial repair and integral repair. The gloss loss rate, color difference and rust area rate of the repair coating were measured. The anticorrosion performance of repair coatings under different repair methods was compared. Based on the results of the coating repair test, the repair criteria for coatings were defined, and the repair strategy for epoxy anticorrosive coatings on steel structure was proposed. The results show that Marathon 500 super abrasion resistant epoxy paint (M500) and Jotamastic 90 GF low surface treatment epoxy abrasion resistant glass flake paint (J90GF) are suitable for partial repair of epoxy anticorrosive coatings on steel structures, and that Jotamastic 90 low surface treatment epoxy abrasion resistant coating (J90) and Marathon 500 super abrasion resistant epoxy paint (M500) are suitable for integral repair of epoxy anticorrosive coatings on steel structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lonicerae japonicae Flos (LJF) possesses a good anti-respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) effect. However, the material basis of LJF in treating RSV is still unclear. In this study, a sensitive and accurate quantitative method based on UHPLC-QQQ MS was established and validated for the simultaneous determination of the 15 ingredients from LJF in RSV-infected mice plasma. Multiple reaction monitoring was performed for quantification of the standards and of the internal standard in plasma. All the calibration curves show good linear regression within the linear range (r2 > 0.9918). The method validation results, including specificity, linearity, accuracy, precision, extraction recovery, matrix effect, and stability of 15 ingredients, are all within the current acceptance criteria. This established method was successfully applied to the pharmacokinetic study of 15 compounds from LJF. Furthermore, the repair rate of lung index and the improvement rate of IFN-γ and IL-6 improved after administration of the LJF, indicating that LJF possessed a positive effect on the treatment of RSV infection. Finally, by combining Spearman and Grey relation analysis, isochlorogenic acid B, isochlorogenic acid C, secoxyloganin, chlorogenic acid, and loganic acid are speculated to be the main effective ingredients of LJF in treating RSV. This study lays the foundation for attempts to reveal the mechanisms of the anti-RSV effect of LJF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]