Validation of the Anhysteretic Magnetization Model for Soft Magnetic Materials with Perpendicular Anisotropy

The paper presents results of validation of the anhysteretic magnetization model for a soft amorphous alloy with significant perpendicular anisotropy. The validation was carried out for the Jiles-Atherton model with Ramesh extension considering anisotropy. Due to the fact that it is difficult to measure anhysteretic magnetization directly, the soft magnetic core with negligible hysteresis was used. The results of validation indicate that the Jiles-Atherton model with Ramesh extension should be corrected to allow accurate modeling of the anhysteretic magnetization. The corrected model may be applied for modeling the cores of current transformers operating in a wide range of measured currents.     

Research on the Release of Dangerous Compounds from the BTEX and PAHs Groups in Industrial Casting Conditions

The assessment of the harmfulness of moulding and core sands is mainly based on investigations of compositions of gases emitted by liquid casting alloys during the mould pouring. The results of investigations of moulding sands obtained under industrial conditions are presented in this paper. A unique research stand was designed and built for this aim. It allowed us to determine emissions of gases at individual stages of casting a mass up to 50 kg. This approach enables simulation of foundry conditions. Moulding sands bound by organic binders (phenol-formaldehyde; furan), inorganic binders and green sand, were subjected to investigations. The composition of gases that evolved during the individual stages, pouring, cooling and knocking out, was tested each time, and the contents of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) and benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylenes (BETX) were analysed. Investigations indicated that the emission of gases from sands with inorganic binders is negligible when compared with the emission of gases from sands with organic binders. The emission of gases from green sand is placed in the middle of the scale. As an example: the sand with furan resin emitted 84 mg of BTEX (in recalculation for 1 kg of sand) while from sands with inorganic binders there was a maximum of 2.2 mg (for 1 kg of sand). In the case of sands with inorganic binders, MI and MC sands indicated comparable and very low emissions of gases from the PAHs group, at the level of 0.018 mg and 0.019 mg for 1 kg of sand, respectively. The higher emission of PAHs from MG sand is the result of its different way of hardening (a binder was of an organic character) than of sands MI and MC.     

Hypothalamic insulin and glucagon-like peptide-1 levels in an animal model of depression and their effect on corticotropin-releasing hormone promoter gene activity in a hypothalamic cell line

Background

In depression, excessive glucocorticoid action may cause maladaptive brain changes, including in the pathways controlling energy metabolism. Insulin and glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), besides regulation of glucose homeostasis, also possess neurotrophic properties. Current study was aimed at investigating the influence of prenatal stress (PS) on insulin, GLP-1 and their receptor (IR and GLP-1R) levels in the hypothalamus. GLP-1 and GLP-1R were assayed also in the hippocampus and frontal cortex – brain regions mainly affected in depression. The second objective was to determine the influence of exendin-4 and insulin on CRH promoter gene activity in in vitro conditions.

Share control of surgery robot master manipulator guiding tool along the standard path

Recently, minimally invasive surgery (MIS) robotics enters the phase of autonomous operation. However, because of the high variability of the environment, conducting a fully autonomous surgery is still extremely difficult. This paper presents a share control system, the objective of which is to suggest the optimum path of tool guidance through the use of force on the master manipulator (hereinafter as master), meaning the surgeon's hand. Owing to this type of control, the surgeon has full control over the position of the tool the entire time and is supported by the system to better and faster guide the tool during surgery. The force should be felt by the surgeon but, simultaneously, must not hinder or impact the surgical process. Furthermore, the share control system presented in the paper can be turned on or off at any moment during surgery.     

Oligoarthritis Caused by Borrelia bavariensis,Austria, 2014

A case of Lyme oligoarthritis occurred in an 11-year-old boy in Vienna, Austria. DNA of Borrelia bavariensis was detected by PCR in 2 aspirates obtained from different joints. Complete recovery was achieved after a 4-week course with amoxicillin. Lyme arthritis must be considered in patients from Europe who have persisting joint effusions.