Development Of Standard Test Methods Research Articles

Development of technical regulation for cement composite mats

Introduction. Currently, such an innovative material as composite cement mats (concrete cloth) is widely used in construction. Due to the novelty of this material, there are currently no approved regulatory and technical documents regulating the general technical conditions of the concrete cloth (including a list and normalized values of indicators that determine the quality of the material), as well as test methods for its normalized indicators.The aim of the research was to study and systematize the currently available information about cement composite mats, as well as to form approaches for the development of a number of relevant regulatory and technical documents.Materials and methods. A review, systematization and analysis of domestic and foreign research and practical works, as well as aspects of technical regulation for cement composite mats, has been carried out.Results. The characteristic of the current status of technical regulation for cement composite mats is given, approaches for its development are indicated. The areas of application of cement composite mats are summarized; material quality indicators recommended for rationing and test methods for their determination; recommendations for the development of standard test methods are given.Conclusions. To improve cement mats quality and accessibility, as well as to increase the share of their use in the construction industry, it is necessary to develop regulatory documents that establish technical requirements for the material, its standardized quality indicators and test methods for their control. When developing them, it is rational to use the accumulated experience of practical application and research of cement composite mats, which is summarized in this article and reflects the main trends in the development of the regulatory framework for this material.

Mechanical and leakage integrity testing considerations for evaluating the performance of tissue containment systems

Tissue containment systems (TCS) are medical devices that may be used during morcellation procedures during minimally invasive laparoscopic surgery. TCS are not new devices but their use as a potential mitigation for the spread of occult malignancy during laparoscopic power morcellation of fibroids and/or the uterus has been the subject of interest following reports of upstaging of previously undetected sarcoma in women who underwent a laparoscopic hysterectomy. Development of standardized test methods and acceptance criteria to evaluate the safety and performance of these devices will speed development, allowing for more devices to benefit patients. As a part of this study, a series of preclinical experimental bench test methods were developed to evaluate the mechanical and leakage performance of TCS that may be used in power morcellation procedures. Experimental tests were developed to evaluate mechanical integrity, e.g., tensile, burst, puncture, and penetration strengths for the TCS, and leakage integrity, e.g., dye and microbiological leakage (both acting as surrogates for blood and cancer cells) through the TCS. In addition, to evaluate both mechanical integrity and leakage integrity as a combined methodology, partial puncture and dye leakage was conducted on the TCS to evaluate the potential for leakage due to partial damage caused by surgical tools. Samples from 7 different TCSs were subjected to preclinical bench testing to evaluate leakage and mechanical performance. The performance of the TCSs varied significantly between different brands. The leakage pressure of the TCS varied between 26 and > 1293 mmHg for the 7 TCS brands. Similarly, the tensile force to failure, burst pressure, and puncture force varied between 14 and 80 MPa, 2 and 78 psi, and 2.5 N and 47 N, respectively. The mechanical failure and leakage performance of the TCS were different for homogeneous and composite TCSs. The test methods reported in this study may facilitate the development and regulatory review of these devices, may help compare TCS performance between devices, and increase provider and patient accessibility to improved tissue containment technologies.

Autoignition, knock, detonation and the octane rating of hydrogen

This paper presents an experimental and numerical study of hydrogen’s combustion, autoignition and octane rating. The experiments are conducted in a standard engine that is compliant for rating liquid fuels to the ASTM’s Research Octane Number (RON) method, with minor modifications to enable hydrogen fueling. The numerical analysis is undertaken using a combination of calibrated, two-zone combustion and kinetic modeling of the end-gas. Application of the standard RON method first shows that hydrogen has a RON of 62–64, which is significantly lower than that of standard gasolines. However, this standard RON method requires conditions that are not relevant to practical, hydrogen-fueled engines and, indeed, do not appear to feature autoignition and knock. A set of modified RON tests are therefore undertaken at more practical conditions. These indicate that hydrogen at standard knock intensity and λ=1,1.5 and 2 has a modified RON of 93.7,117 and greater than 120 respectively, spanning the range of λ that match the energy delivered by common SI engine fuels.Together, these results show that hydrogen is significantly more knock-resistant than standard gasolines when providing similar energy to the premixture. Indeed, it should have comparable knock resistance to some high-octane fuels. However, care must be taken when examining hydrogen autoignition, knock and abnormal combustion more generally. Hydrogen’s high flame speeds near stoichiometric conditions can produce high rates of pressure rise at lower compression ratios that can be mistakenly identified as autoignition, even with contemporary in-cylinder pressure measurement, while higher compression ratios near stoichiometric conditions can cause detonation. The identification and avoidance of conventional knock and other forms of abnormal combustion is therefore particularly important for hydrogen fueled engines. This also has significant implications for the development of standard test methods for determining the octane and methane numbers of hydrogen-rich fuel blends.

Methodology for laboratory-based antimicrobial resistance surveillance in animals.

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a crucial and emerging multifactorial “One Health” problem involving human and animal health, agriculture, aquaculture, and environment; and posing a potential public health hazard globally. The containment of AMR justifies effective surveillance programs to explicate the magnitude of the problem across the contributing sectors. Laboratory-based AMR testing and characterization is the key component of an AMR surveillance program. An AMR surveillance program should have a “top management” for fund mobilization, planning, formulating, and multilateral coordinating of the surveillance activities. The top management should identify competent participating laboratories to form a network comprising a reference laboratory and an adequate number of sentinel laboratories. The responsibilities of the reference laboratory include the development of standardized test methods for ensuring quality and homogeneity of surveillance activities, providing training to the laboratory personnel, and in-depth AMR characterization. The sentinel laboratories will take the responsibilities of receiving samples, isolation and identification of microbes, and initial AMR characterization. The sentinel laboratories will use simple antimicrobial susceptibility test (AST) methods such as disk diffusion tests, whereas the reference laboratories should use automated quantitative AST methods as well as advanced molecular methods to explicit AMR emergence mechanisms. Standard guidelines set by Clinical Laboratory Standards Institute or the European Committee on Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing, should be followed to bring about conformity and harmonization in the AST procedures. AMR surveillance program in animals is eventually similar to that in human health with the exception is that veterinary antibiotics and veterinary pathogens should be given preference here. Hence, the review study was envisaged to look deep into the structure of the AMR surveillance program with significance on laboratory-based AMR testing and characterization methods.

Materials for 3D Concrete Printing: Approach to Standardization in Russia

3D Concrete Printing (3DCP) technology, compared to traditional monolithic construction, gives a possibility to increase the workspeed and reduce the manual laborproportion, reduce material consumption and also improve the architectural appearance of buildings being erected. At the same time, more stringent requirements are imposed on the material for 3D printing in terms of rheological characteristicscontrol, strength developmentkinetics, interplay adhesion and some other parameters than for conventional ready-mixed concrete. Therefore, to ensure the mass application of technologies for additive construction production using concrete as printing ink, it is necessary to develop a regulatory and technical base, including the development of standard test methods to determine the operational properties of this typeofmaterials. The article examines the main trends in the management of the materials’properties for construction 3D printing based on cement binders and describes the principles of building a system for standardizing materials for 3D printing construction in Russia, which was developed with the participation of the authors of this article.

Priorities for development of standard test methods to support the commercialization of cellulose nanomaterials

With the growing number of producers and users of cellulose nanomaterials (CNMs), there is an increasing need to develop standard test methods to control production and quality of CNMs. In 2014, a Task Group was formed within the ISO Technical Committee 6 Paper, board and pulps to begin addressing the need for standards. This Task Group, TG 1, was tasked with reviewing existing standards and identifying the need for additional standards to characterize CNMs. In March 2018, TG 1 launched a survey to ask CNM producers around the world about the importance of having standard procedures to measure and quantify a variety of CNM properties, both physical and chemical. Producers were asked to identify the type(s) of CNM they produced and their scale of production, and to rank the properties for which they felt standard test methods were most important. In this paper, we summarize the survey responses and identify those properties of highest interest for producers of both cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) and cellulose nano- and microfibril-based materials (CNFs/CMFs). Properties of importance can be divided into three broad groups: i) a standard has either been developed or is under development, ii) a currently used standard could be adapted for use with CNMs, or iii) no standard is currently available and further R&D and consultation with industry is needed before a suitable and well-validated standard can be developed. The paper also examines the challenges of developing new standard methods for some of the key properties—as well as the feasibility and limitations of adapting exiting standards—to CNMs.

Photoacoustic oximetry imaging performance evaluation using dynamic blood flow phantoms with tunable oxygen saturation.

Multispectral photoacoustic oximetry imaging (MPOI) is an emerging hybrid modality that enables the spatial mapping of blood oxygen saturation (SO2) to depths of several centimeters. To facilitate MPOI device development and clinical translation, well-validated performance test methods and improved quantitative understanding of physical processes and best practices are needed. We developed a breast-mimicking blood flow phantom with tunable SO2 and used this phantom to evaluate a custom MPOI system. Results provide quantitative evaluation of the impact of phantom medium properties (Intralipid versus polyvinyl chloride plastisol) and device design parameters (different transducers) on SO2 measurement accuracy, especially depth-dependent performance degradation due to fluence artifacts. This approach may guide development of standardized test methods for evaluating MPOI devices.

Oil toxicity test methods must be improved.

A review of the literature on oil toxicity tests showed a high diversity of reported test methods that may affect the composition, stability, and toxicity of oil solutions. Concentrations of oil in test solutions are dynamic because hydrocarbons evaporate, partition to test containers, bioaccumulate, biodegrade, and photo‐oxidize. As a result, the composition and toxicity of test solutions may vary widely and create significant obstacles to comparing toxicity among studies and to applying existing data to new risk assessments. Some differences in toxicity can be resolved if benchmarks are based on measured concentrations of hydrocarbons in test solutions, highlighting the key role of chemical analyses. However, analyses have often been too infrequent to characterize rapid and profound changes in oil concentrations and composition during tests. The lack of practical methods to discriminate particulate from dissolved oil may also contribute to underestimating toxicity. Overall, current test protocols create uncertainty in toxicity benchmarks, with a high risk of errors in measured toxicity. Standard oil toxicity tests conducted in parallel with tests under site‐specific conditions would provide an understanding of how test methods and conditions affect measured oil toxicity. Development of standard test methods could be achieved by collaborations among university, industry, and government scientists to define methods acceptable to all 3 sectors. Environ Toxicol Chem 2019;38:302–311. © 2018 The Authors. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of SETAC.

Limitations of Monoolein in Simulating Water-in-Fuel Characteristics of EN590 Diesel Containing Biodiesel in Water Separation Testing

In modern diesel fuel a proportion of biodiesel is blended with petro-diesel to reduce environmental impacts. However, it can adversely affect the operation of nonwoven coalescing filter media when separating emulsified water from diesel fuel. This can be due to factors such as increasing water content in the fuel, a reduction in interfacial tension (IFT) between the water and diesel, the formation of more stable emulsions, and the generation of smaller water droplets. Standard water/diesel separation test methods such as SAE J1488 and ISO 16332 use monoolein, a universal surface-active agent, to simulate the effects of biodiesel on the fuel properties as part of water separation efficiency studies. However, the extent to which diesel/monoolein and diesel/biodiesel blends are comparable needs to be elucidated if the underlying mechanisms affecting coalescence of very small water droplets in diesel fuel with a low IFT are to be understood. To address this challenge, test fuels composed of reference diesel (REF diesel)/biodiesel and REF diesel/monoolein were experimentally studied to determine fuel properties such as IFT, water content, and dynamic viscosity, as well as online droplet size distributions with reference to IFT. It was found that biodiesel and monoolein do not influence the IFT of water in fuel in a comparable manner and resulting water droplet size distributions are substantially different. Fuels blended with biodiesel exhibited higher viscosity and water content than fuel freshly blended with monoolein. Online measurement of water droplet sizes revealed substantially smaller water droplets in biodiesel blends compared to monoolien blends at the same IFT measured using offline tensiometry. These results may be instructive for the development of standard test methods that simulate the effect of biodiesel blends in fuel-water separation, as well as for improving the design of fuel-water separation systems.

Three-dimensional characterization of optical coherence tomography point spread functions with a nanoparticle-embedded phantom

We present a novel (to our knowledge) approach for measurement of the three-dimensional point spread function (PSF) of optical coherence tomography (OCT) systems using a nanoparticle-embedded phantom (NEP), toward development of standardized test methods for biophotonic imaging. The NEP comprises highly reflective plasmonic nanoparticles, homogeneously distributed in a transparent silicone matrix. OCT image volumes were analyzed to characterize PSFs in axial and lateral directions at a variety of locations in the NEP. Results indicate submicrometer agreement with conventional approaches to measure dimensions of the PSF. The NEP offers a robust approach for validating and comparing imaging performance of OCT devices.

Improved Dark Storage Test Method, part 2

Continuing research into last year's proposal for a new test method to improve the dark storage test of print images has led to further improvement in the sandwich method. Based on feedback, several additional test materials were investigated, with the most promising candidate being a clear polyester film. This material was most effective in preventing cross contamination between samples and in eliminating the influence of airflow. This research is part of ongoing work contributing to the development of standardized test methods for image permanence.

Influence of Temperature in Xenon Testing

The digital print industry is working toward the goal of adopting improved test methods for image permanence. As part of this effort, the new test methods are being designed to isolate the environmental variables that impact image permanence. The benefits of this approach are that it simplifies the test methods and test equipment while promoting test results that can be reproduced at other test laboratories. To understand which variables to isolate for a given test method, it is necessary to investigate a broad range of conditions which may affect the test results. This study focused on the impact of changing the temperature in Xenon testing while holding all other conditions constant. It was found that higher temperatures significantly increased the sample fade rate and that this test parameter will need to be tightly controlled. This research is part of ongoing work contributing to the development of standardized test methods for image permanence.

Improved Dark Storage Test Method

The digital print industry is working toward the goal of adopting improved test methods for image permanence. As part of this effort, the new test methods are being designed to isolate the environmental variables that impact image permanence. The benefits of this approach are that it simplifies the test method and test equipment while promoting test results that can be reproduced at other test laboratories. To understand which variables to isolate for a given test method, it is necessary to investigate a broad range of conditions which may affect the test results. These variables may not have been controlled in the past, may be difficult to control, or may not accurately reflect real world conditions. In a prior paper, it was shown that airflow can affect the rate of paper yellowing in a thermal stability test used to simulate dark storage conditions.During that testing, additional sources of potential noise were identified that affected the test results. This paper continues that investigation by showing that the presence of other test samples in the thermal test can influence the results; that is, samples can cross contaminate each other in the thermal test. This paper also details the development of a new test method which minimized the effect of cross contamination of samples within the thermal test. Moreover, the new test method also reduces variation in test results caused by varying airflow, either by position within the test chamber or due to testing in chambers of differing design. This research is part of ongoing work contributing to the development of standardized test methods for image permanence.

Further Studies on Reciprocity Effects for Accelerated Ozone Tests Compared to Ambient Air Exposure

The digital print industry is working toward the goal of adopting improved test methods for image permanence. This study focused on the impact of ozone concentration on the performance of inkjet print samples. Results from accelerated tests were compared to data collected from identical sample sets exposed to ambient air and to filtered air. Reciprocity failure was observed for some samples in the test, but the results also verified earlier work in which ambient air exposure can be generally linked to accelerated ozone test results. This research is part of ongoing work contributing to the development of standardized test methods for image permanence.

Effect of Dry Time on Rate of Image Change in Xenon, Ozone, and Humidity Tests

The digital print industry is working toward the goal of adopting improved test methods for image permanence. As part of this effort, new test methods are being designed to enhance test repeatability and reproducibility between laboratories. This study focused on the impact of dry time on the performance of inkjet print samples in Xenon, ozone, and humidity fastness experiments. The data collected in this study is useful for determining appropriate dry times for image permanence tests involving inkjet print samples. This research is part of ongoing work contributing to the development of standardized test methods for image permanence.

Effect of Temperature and Humidity on Rate of Image Fading in Ozone

The digital print industry is working toward the goal of adopting improved test methods for image permanence. As part of this effort, the new test methods are being designed to isolate the environmental variables that impact image permanence. The benefits of this approach are that it simplifies the test method and test equipment while promoting test results that can be reproduced at other test laboratories. This study focused on the impact of varying the temperature and humidity during ozone stability tests while keeping all other known variables constant. The data is useful for evaluating acceptable tolerances for temperature and humidity to achieve consistent results during an ozone stability test. This research is part of ongoing work contributing to the development of standardized test methods for image permanence.

Effect of Ozone on Rate of Paper Yellowing in Dark Storage Test

The digital print industry is working toward the goal of adopting improved test methods for image permanence. As part of this effort, the new test methods are being designed to isolate the environmental variables that impact image permanence. The benefits of this approach are that it simplifies the test method and test equipment while promoting test results that can be reproduced at other test laboratories. To understand which variables to isolate for a given test method, it is necessary to investigate a broad range of conditions which may affect the test results. These variables may not have been controlled in the past, are difficult to control, or may not accurately reflect real world conditions. In a prior paper, it was shown that airflow can affect the rate of paper yellowing in a thermal stability test used to simulate dark storage conditions.During that testing, additional sources of potential noise were identified that affected the test results. This paper focuses on additional thermal stability experiments that studied the influence of ozone exposure on the rate of paper yellowing under thermal test conditions. Moreover, due to the rapid yellowing of some microporous photo paper after exposure to ozone, it is also possible to compare the validity of an accelerated thermal test method in predicting results at ambient conditions. This research is part of ongoing work contributing to the development of standardized test methods for image permanence.

Phototesting in lupus erythematosus: A 15-year experience

It has long been observed that sun exposure can induce or exacerbate skin lesions in patients with certain forms of lupus erythematosus. Despite the frequency of photosensitivity in these patients, the mechanism by which ultraviolet radiation alters the pathogenic course of this disease remains poorly understood. After development of standardized test methods, our group demonstrated in 1986 that skin lesions in patients with lupus erythematosus can be experimentally reproduced by UVA and UVB irradiation. In the following years, phototesting has received much attention as a valid model to study photosensitivity of different forms of lupus erythematosus and the pathogenetic mechanism of this disease. Further investigations have also made it possible to find genetic and immunologic factors associated with photosensitivity and have helped to identify the pathophysiologic steps involved in the induction of such skin lesions. We present phototesting results and clinical correlations of more than 400 patients with different forms of lupus erythematosus and discuss the recent advances in provocative phototesting. (J Am Acad Dermatol 2001;45:86-95.)

Tensile and Nondestructive Testing of FRP Bars

An exploratory study was carried out to support the development of standard test methods for fiber reinforced plastic (FRP) bars for use as concrete reinforcement. The principal objectives were to develop a simple, economical, and effective system to permit tensile loading of the bars in a universal testing machine; to evaluate the influence of the free-length-to-bar-diameter ratio on the measured tensile strength; and to explore the potential of measuring the elastic modulus using available nondestructive test methods. A successful system for applying tensile load was developed. The ends of a bar were embedded in steel tubes using a high-strength gypsum cement mortar. The bars were loaded by gripping the tubes in conventional wedge friction grips of a tensile testing machine. No statistically significant influence of the free-length-to-diameter ratio was observed for ratios varying between 40 and 70. However, large within-test variability of tensile strength was observed. Dynamic modulus of elasticity was determined using two stress-wave propagation methods: ultrasonic pulse velocity and resonant frequency. The dynamic values compared favorably with static values obtained from tensile stress-strain curves. Recommendations are provided for additional studies to support the development of standard test methods.

Phototesting in lupus erythematosus.

Ultraviolet (UV) irradiation is a major factor in the pathogenesis of certain variants of cutaneous lupus erythematosus. Photosensitivity constitutes one of the criteria of the American Rheumatism Association for the diagnosis of systemic lupus erythematosus, which further emphasizes its importance. The pathomechanism of UV-induced lupus erythematosus remains unknown. The characterization of photosensitive subacute cutaneous lupus erythematosus (SCLE) by Gilliam and Sontheimer has led to a new approach. Through the development of standardized test methods it has became possible to reproduce cutaneous lesions in the UV-A and UV-B spectrum. These standardized test methods allow a better definition of photosensitivity than clinical history does. Recent clinical data show that besides SCLE another variant, lupus erythematosus tumidus, also reveals pronounced photosensitivity. In this review article phototest procedures, phototest results, and clinical correlations in different subgroups are discussed.