Medium Level Of Complexity Research Articles

Integrated top-down process and voxel-based microstructure modeling for Ti-6Al-4 V in laser wire direct energy deposition process

Laser-wire metal additive manufacturing (AM) is one of the ideal direct energy deposition (DED) processes for creating large-scale parts with a medium level of complexity. However, the DED process involves complex thermal signatures and wide length scales making the fabrication of realistic AM components and part qualification often reliant on experimental trial-and-error optimization. While experimental measurements over the full volume of a part are valuable and necessary, measuring the entire area of a part is significantly laborious and practically infeasible, particularly for large parts in terms of cost and rapid qualification. Therefore, in this work, we developed an effective thermal and microstructure modeling framework based on the Johnson–Mehl-Avrami-Kolmogorov (JMAK) and Koistinen & Marburger (KM) models through a top-down approach that considers plate distortion-affected thermal profiles. A voxel-by-voxel simulation method is used to predict individual phase fractions of Ti-6Al-4 V. The predicted results were validated through detailed metallurgical measurements. A combined voxel-by-voxel approach with a sparse data reconstruction technique produced a near-perfect reconstruction of the original data. This approach anticipates a significant reduction in data points and computation time and resources. Lastly, we conclude with potential extensions of this work to other modeling efforts.

Complex Materials with Stochastic Structural Patterns: Spiky Colloids with Enhanced Charge Storage Capacity.

Self-assembled materials with complex nanoscale and mesoscale architectureattract considerable attention in energy and sustainability technologies. Their high performance can be attributed to high surface area, quantum effects, and hierarchical organization. Delineation of these contributions is, however, difficult because complex materials display stochastic structural patterns combining both order and disorder, which is difficult to be consistently reproduced yet being important for materials' functionality. Their compositional variability make systematic studies even harder. Here, a model system of FeSe2 "hedgehog" particles (HPs) was selected to gain insight into the mechanisms of charge storage n complex nanostructured materials common for batteries and supercapacitors. Specifically, HPs represent self-assembled biomimetic nanomaterials with a medium level of complexity; they display an organizational pattern of spiky colloids with considerable disorder yet non-random; this patternt is consistently reproduced from particle to particle. . It was found that HPs can accommodate ≈70× greater charge density than spheroidal nano- and microparticles. Besides expanded surface area, the enhanced charge storage capacity was enabled by improved hole transport and reversible atomic conformations of FeSe2 layers in the blade-like spikes associated with the rotatory motion of the Se atoms around Fe center. The dispersibility of HPs also enables their easy integration into energy storage devices. HPs quadruple stored electrochemical energy and double the storage modulus of structural supercapacitors.

A complexity scale for clinical trials from the perspective of a pharmacy service

ObjectiveTo establish a method for evaluating the complexity of clinical trials (CTs) from the perspective of a pharmacy service (PS) and to analyse the complexity of CTs carried out in...

Corpus Studies of Harmony in Popular Music: A Response to Gauvin

This paper responds to the research presented in Gauvin’s paper on the evolution of harmonic syntax in popular music from the 1960s. I begin by situating the findings from his second study (on flat-side harmonies) within the context of my corpus work with David Temperley on harmony in popular music. Gauvin’s results are similar to ours, although some important differences are worth noting. I also provide an interpretation of the results from his first study (on modulation), which Gauvin found to be inconsistent with his proposed hypothesis. Specifically, I conjecture that modulation and harmonic palette may be in balance with one another, in that listeners may prefer songs where harmonic content is at a medium level of complexity. Gauvin’s study also brings forth some basic issues with regard to harmonic encoding, in terms of both the subjectivity of the analytical process as well as the ease by which harmonic analyses are shared with and verified by other researchers.

Do good return policies work across cultures? Effect of lenient return policies on online shopper perceptions in Eastern culture

While good return policies are suggested as one of the critical services for e-commerce, ambivalence between the burden of the cost and shoppers` satisfaction may prevent e-tailers from increasing their level of leniency. Based on the S-O-R model, this study has attempted to develop a grounded theory to explain how lenient return policies shape online shoppers` perceptions and responses, with a focus on cultural influences in the relationship. In order to check the cultural effects of the lenient return policy, thirty two female and eleven male undergraduate students in South Korean shoppers, who are accustomed to strict return policies, participated in the semi-structured interview. A series of open- ended questions were designed to explore consumers` reactions toward four different levels of the lenient return policy: from the strict type in South Korea to the lenient type in the U.S. Using qualitative research methods, this research has defined three types of dimensions of lenient return policy: return possible period, complexity of progress, and other restrictions. While previous researchers did not pay much attention, the last dimension, other restrictions, is shown to be the most significant in influencing online shoppers` perceptions, especially in South Korea. Also, the impacts on online shoppers` perceptions from the three types of sub-dimensions of return policy were somewhat different. Whereas a longer return possible period was considered more favorable, a medium level of complexity and restrictions were considered more desirable. In summary, this result showed that shoppers in Eastern cultures, i.e. South Korean online shoppers, seem favorable to a medium level of lenient return policies, while allowing for taking precautions against possible fraudulent behaviors and setting other restrictions. Therefore, most of retailers in South Korea recommended that e-tailers who adopt the most lenient return policies raise the bar to guard ethical shoppers from fraudulent users. Next, lenient return policies can enhance ease of use, usefulness, affect, and trust while relieving perceived risk, which is connected to intention to purchase, satisfaction, and loyalty. Interestingly, lenient return policies are more likely to change the behavioral responses of online shoppers, such as return and purchase, rather than change their attitudes or beliefs such as image, satisfaction, and loyalty. This tendency can be seen more clearly in the direct influences of return policy on responses. The reaction to lenient return policy is mostly the intention to return or to purchase. This suggests that return policy serves the e-tailers as a powerful tool in increasing online shoppers` purchase intention at the moment of purchase. Therefore, e-tailers who plan to expand their market to eastern countries, including South Korea, have to build a shield of restrictions around their lenient return policy, rather than immediately applying their original liberalized return policy. Also, e-tailers in South Korea need to review their strict and undifferentiated return policies to deal with the unsatisfied reactions of online shoppers toward their normal return policies. Although the present study was confined to the return policies currently being practiced by popular e-tailers, it would be worthwhile to develop effective return policies separately for each country, especially South Korea, keeping the culture of the relevant country in mind.

Preços e níveis de complexidade dos serviços praticados por hospitais privados junto à operadoras de planos de saúde

This study assumes that hospitals with a high level of complexity resulting in higher costs when compared with hospitals with low and medium level of complexity. The economic logic that underlies this reasoning is that the resolution of more complex diagnoses requires more investment on both the active and the training of clinical staff and administrative staff. Thus, this study aimed to determine whether prices charged for hospital services by private hospitals by the health plan operators would be able to discriminate among hospitals according to their level of complexity (high, medium and low). We collected data on eight services in fifty-four private hospitals located in São Paulo. The sample is not random and was obtained by analysis of the bills of 648 patients admitted to those hospitals between 2006 and 2007. Discriminant analysis was performed and the results indicate that for the sample object of this study, the prices charged by private hospitals for services rendered to health plan providers do not discriminate against hospitals according to its level of complexity, ie there evidence that, for the selected sample, health plans are not attaching importance to the level of complexity of private hospitals at the time of agreeing on the price of services.