The effective adhesive properties of heterogeneous thin films are characterized through a combined experimental and theoretical investigation. By bridging scales, we show how variations of elastic or adhesive properties at the microscale can significantly affect the effective peeling behavior of the adhesive at the macroscale. Our study reveals three elementary mechanisms in heterogeneous syste...

The stability of networks is greatly influenced by their degree distributions and in particular by their breadth. Networks with broader degree distributions are usually more robust to random failures but less robust to localized attacks. To better understand the effect of the breadth of the degree distribution we study two models in which the breadth is controlled and compare their robustness a...

We experimentally demonstrate the broad tunability of the main features of optical localized structures (LS's) in a nonlinear interferometer. By discussing how a single LS depends on the system spatial frequency bandwidth, we show that a modification of its tail leads to the possibility of tuning the interactions between LS pairs, and thus the equilibrium distances at which LS bound states form...

DNA exhibits a remarkable mechanical transition where its extension increases by 70% at 65 pN. Notwithstanding more than a decade of experimental and theoretical studies, there remains a significant debate on the nature of overstretched DNA. We developed a topologically closed but rotationally unconstrained DNA assay, which contains no nicks or free ends. DNA in this assay exhibited the canonic...

OBJECTIVES Juvenile localized scleroderma (JLS) is a rare condition that is often difficult to assess and for which a variety of monitoring tools have been described. We aimed to describe how monitoring tools are used and perceived by clinicians in the UK, to ascertain treatments used for JLS and to provide a description of transition arrangements to adult care. METHODS An e-survey of UK paed...

Abstract: Localized corrosion of aluminum alloys is often triggered by intermetallic particles, IMP’s. To understandthe role of IMP’s in corrosion initiation of EN AW-3003, efforts were made to combine nano-scale ex-situ analysis ofthe IMP’s by SEM-EDS, SKPFM and in-situ AFM monitoring of the localized attack in chloride containing solution.The results showed that two distinct types of eutectic...

Bullous pemphigoid (BP) is an autoimmune bullous disorder with urticarial pruritic papules and plaques and tense bullae in flexural surfaces of body. The localized form of the disease is a rare variant which can be triggered by different stimuli. Hereunder, we report a patient with the local type involving genitalia without any triggering factors.

Retrospective study of 59 chlidren with JLS from 3 to 17 y (M = 10.3) treated with MTX was performed. Group 1 (n = 18) – received prednisone 0.5 mg\kg for 6 weeks, taped to 0.1 mg\kg for 12 months + MTX 10 mg\body sq. weekly for 13.7 mo. Group 2 (n = 41) -MTX the same doses and duration. The efficacy was measured in 6 & 12 months using skin score, activity and sclerosis indexes (IA, IS) (1 – 3 ...