Although the polysaccharide capsule of Streptococcus pneumoniae has been recognized as a sine qua non of virulence, much recent attention has focused on the role of pneumococcal proteins in pathogenesis, particularly in view of their potential as vaccine antigens. The individual contributions of pneumolysin (Ply), the major neuraminidase (NanA), autolysin (LytA), hyaluronidase (Hyl), pneumococc...

The complement system is an essential component of the immune response, providing a critical line of defense against different pathogens including S. pneumoniae. Complement is activated via three distinct pathways: the classical (CP), the alternative (AP) and the lectin pathway (LP). The role of Pneumolysin (PLY), a bacterial toxin released by S. pneumoniae, in triggering complement activation ...

Lamb waves occur in thin-walled structures two wave modes—the symmetric and the antisymmetric mode. Their oscillation on structures‘ surfaces is either phase (symmetric) or shifted by a angle of ? (antisymmetric). In this work, method developed which to compare surfaces’ relation answer question whether fiber metal laminates show same surface behavior as described for metals. The evaluation tim...

Angle-ply carbon fibre reinforced polymer (CFRP) crush tubes were tested in drop weight impact experiments. High-fidelity computational modelling of the dynamic response was performed using explicit finite element analysis LS-DYNA. Ply-by-ply and fibre-aligned meshing used for composite lamina wherein intralaminar damage treated with a 3D rate- pressure-dependent continuum mechanics (CDM) model...