Thickness Of Part Research Articles

Determination Of Liquefaction Sediment Volume In Balaroa VillageUsing The Geoelectric Resistance Type Method

Introduction: Research has been carried out titled "Determining the Volume of Liquefaction Sediment Using the Geoelectric Resistivity Type Method in Balaroa Village". Methods: This research aims to identify subsurface lithology and determine the volume of liquefaction sediment in Balaroa Village. This research uses the resistivity method Wenner configuration. Result and Discussion: Measurements were carried out in 4 passes with the distance between electrodes on Tracks 1 - 3 being 7 m and on Track 4 a distance of 10 m. From the results of measurements and data interpretation, it was obtained that the type resistance value was 2.98 - 436.14 Ωm with lithology in the form of clay, sand, and gravel. The calculated volume of liquefaction sediment in Balaroa Village is 370,883 m³. Conclusion: Clay and sand rocks are liquefaction sediments with resistance values of less than 67.86 Ωm. Meanwhile, gravel and building debris are non-liquefaction rocks with resistance values of more than 67.86 Ωm. The calculated liquefaction sediment in Balaroa Village is around 370,883 m³. The volume of liquefaction sediment increases in thickness in the eastern part, which is caused by morphological conditions that tend to be more gentle in that part.

TTFDNet: Precise Depth Estimation from Single-Frame Fringe Patterns.

This work presents TTFDNet, a transformer-based and transfer learning network for end-to-end depth estimation from single-frame fringe patterns in fringe projection profilometry. TTFDNet features a precise contour and coarse depth (PCCD) pre-processor, a global multi-dimensional fusion (GMDF) module and a progressive depth extractor (PDE). It utilizes transfer learning through fringe structure consistency evaluation (FSCE) to leverage the transformer's benefits even on a small dataset. Tested on 208 scenes, the model achieved a mean absolute error (MAE) of 0.00372 mm, outperforming Unet (0.03458 mm) models, PDE (0.01063 mm) and PCTNet (0.00518 mm). It demonstrated precise measurement capabilities with deviations of ~90 μm for a 25.4 mm radius ball and ~6 μm for a 20 mm thick metal part. Additionally, TTFDNet showed excellent generalization and robustness in dynamic reconstruction and varied imaging conditions, making it appropriate for practical applications in manufacturing, automation and computer vision.

Bending behavior of detachable tapered-head bolt inter-module connection of steel modular structure

The force transmission between steel module units is primarily achieved through inter-module unit connections. However, the existing connections often fail to meet the installation requirements for central connections, and some connections require on-site welding and are difficult to disassemble, with strict demands on the cross-section of beams and columns. To address the shortcomings of the current connections, a detachable tapered-head bolt inter-module connection of steel modular structure is proposed. It solves the problem of limited installation space for central connections, enabling rapid installation and disassembly with high construction efficiency. A study on the bending behavior of the connection under static load is conducted through four-point bending tests. Various mechanical characteristics, including failure mode, ductility, load-bearing capacity, and strain distribution are investigated. The results indicate that the primary failure mode for the connection under bending moment is the yielding of the bottom plate of the upper corner part, demonstrating a ductile failure mode. The results of parametric numerical simulations show that increasing the bottom plate thickness and side plate thickness of the upper corner part are effective measures to improve the connection bending performance. Furthermore, the simplified theoretical calculation model for the connection is established, and the formula for calculating the bending bearing capacity is proposed. This provide a reliable design basis and reference for the practical application of the connection in engineering projects.

Updated picture of the active galactic nuclei with dusty/dust-free gas structures and effects of the radiation pressure

ABSTRACT This study investigates the properties of two gas structures of X-ray selected active galactic nuclei (AGNs), that is, dusty and dust-free gas components, by separating them with the line-of-sight dust extinction ($A_V$) and the neutral gas column density ($N_{\mathrm{H}}$). The typical column density of the dusty and dust-free gas differs depending on the Seyfert type, indicating that both structures have anisotropic column density distributions. The number of targets with the dusty gas column density ($N_{\mathrm{H,d}}$) of $\log N_{\mathrm{H,d}}\ [\mathrm{cm^{-2}}]\gt 23$ is much smaller than that with the same column density of the dust-free gas. This result indicates that the optically thick part of the dusty gas structure is very thin. There are very few targets with a larger Eddington ratio ($f_{\mathrm{Edd}}$) than the effective Eddington limit of the dusty gas and the covering factor of the dusty gas with $22\le \log N_{\mathrm{H,d}}\ [\mathrm{cm^{-2}}]\lt 24$ exhibits a clear drop at the effective Eddington limit. These results support the scenario wherein the covering factor of the dusty torus decreases in a high Eddington ratio owing to the radiation-driven dusty gas outflow. The covering factor of the dust-free gas with the column density ($N_{\mathrm{H,df}}$) of $22\le \log N_{\mathrm{H,df}}\ [\mathrm{cm^{-2}}]\lt 24$ similarly exhibits the decrease in high Eddington ratio, although it may be owing to the dust-free gas outflow driven by certain other mechanisms than the radiation pressure. Finally, we propose an updated picture of the AGN gas structure based on our results and the literature.

Petro-chemical characterization and depositional setting of a late Permian high ash coal deposit, Central Mongolia

Pan global Permian coal measures are unique in the evolution of the Earth, not matched in any period before or since. Middle and late Permian coal-bearing strata are widely distributed in Mongolia. In particular, a large concentration of transtensive coal-bearing sub-basins is located in southern Mongolia, some of which are well documented. However, the late Permian coal measures developed along the shores of the Mongol-Transbaikalian Seaway in central Mongolia, the focus of this contribution, has received very limited attention. This study focuses on the c. 420 m thick coal-bearing middle part of a c. 2,600 m thick Permo-Triassic succession in the Bayanjargalan district. The study draws on data from 38 drillholes, 3 km of trenches, mapping, petrological analysis of sandstone samples, analysis of macroflora, fauna and trace fossils, 82 coal quality samples as well as washability and ash XRD analysis from a 3t coal bulk sample. The unstable and wedge-shaped architecture of the coal seams strongly suggest a syn-tectonic influence on their development. Paleoclimatic indicators suggest the peat mire ecosystem developed during relatively cold - temperate climatic conditions. Peat-forming plants such as Cordaites, Rufloria and Koretrophyllites probably benefited from moist air currents along the seaway. Plant-arthropod interactions are reported from two sites, in particular DT228 and DT246 oviposition lesions, the latter being almost twice the size of a previous report from North America. Results from 82 proximate analyses returned consistent very high ash yields of 46.95% (db) and 43.45% (adb) from the 3t bulk sample, which are unusual for Permian coals in Mongolia.

Predicting vulnerable carotid plaques by detecting wall shear stress based on ultrasonic vector flow imaging

ObjectiveCarotid plaque vulnerability is a significant factor in the risk of cardiocerebrovascular events, with intraplaque neovascularization (IPN) being a crucial characteristic of plaque vulnerability. This study investigates the value of ultrasound vector flow imaging (V-flow) for measuring carotid plaque wall shear stress (WSS) in predicting the extent of IPN. MethodsWe enrolled 140 patients into three groups: 53 in the plaque group (72 plaques), 23 in the stenosis group (27 plaques), and 64 in the control group. V-flow was used to measure WSS parameters, including the average WSS (WSS mean) and the maximum WSS (WSS max), across three plaque locations: mid-upstream, maximum thickness, and mid-downstream. Contrast-enhanced ultrasound examination was used in 76 patients to analyze IPN and its correlation with WSS parameters. ResultsWSS max in the stenosis group was significantly higher than that in the control and plaque groups at the maximum thickness part (P < .05) and WSS mean in the stenosis group was significantly lower than that in the control group at the mid-upstream and mid-downstream segments (P < .05). WSS mean in the plaque group was significantly lower than that of the control group at all three locations (P < .05). Contrast-enhanced ultrasound examination revealed that plaques with neovascularization enhancement exhibited significantly higher WSS values (P < .05), with a positive correlation between WSS parameters and IPN enhancement grades, particularly WSS max at the thickest part (r = 0.508). Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis of WSS parameters for evaluating IPN showed that the efficacy of WSS max in evaluating IPN was better than that of WSS mean (P < .05), with an area under the curve of 0.7762 and 0.6973 (95% confidence intervals, 0.725-0.822 and 0.642-0.749, respectively). The cut-offs were 4.57 Pa and 1.12 Pa, sensitivities were 74.03% and 63.64%, and specificities were 75.00% and 68.18%. ConclusionsV-flow effectively measures WSS in carotid plaques. WSS max provides a promising metric for assessing IPN, offering potential insights into plaque characteristics and showing some potential in predicting plaque vulnerability.

Tympanic membrane metamaterial inspired multifunctional low-frequency acoustic triboelectric nanogenerator

This study introduces the Tympanic Membrane Metamaterial inspired acoustic Triboelectric Nanogenerator (TMM-TENG), which exhibits subwavelength structural dimensions and effective sound absorption within low-frequency ranges. The performance of acoustic energy harvesting is increased by replacing rigid bottom of the acoustic cavity with an elastic part and introducing a point-surface mechanism. Experimental tests employing the proposed mechanism are then conducted. The obtained results show a remarkable 2220 % increase in the output voltage of the TMM-TENG compared with the traditional approach. As for the acoustic energy harvesting performance, for a sound pressure level (SPL) of 95 dB, the peak-to-peak value of the output voltage reaches 500 V, with a measured current of 40 μA and a maximum output power of 3.05 mW. Moreover, the incorporation of an elastic part into the TMM-TENG proves advantageous in the manipulation of low-frequency sound waves. The acoustic performance of the device can also be regulated by adjusting the thickness of the elastic part. In addition, multiple TMM-TENGs with varying elastic part thicknesses are placed on a duct, and band-limited white noise is generated to evaluate the sound reduction ability without limiting the air ventilation. Furthermore, the mounted TMM-TENG allows to perform of self-powered wireless temperature sensing and acoustic telecommunication functionalities.

Optimization of high-power short-duration pulmonary vein isolation using QDOT catheter - the A-Q-RATE POWER trial

Abstract Background/Introduction The safety and efficacy of novel ablation catheter QDOT Micro, capable of delivering high-power short-duration (HPSD) radio-frequency (RF) applications, has already been demonstrated in clinical trials. It has been shown that lesions performed with 90 Watts/4 sec (vHPSD) are shallower but wider compared to HPSD (50 Watts/4 sec) or conventional ablation settings. Thus, it may be speculated that vHPSD applications may not achieve transmurality at thick (up to 4 mm) parts of anterior aspects of pulmonary vein (PV) - left atrial (LA) wall junction. Purpose To compare acute completeness of PV isolation (PVI) focused on anterior wall achieved using vHSPD versus HPSD in patients undergoing ablation for atrial fibrillation (AF). Methods Prospective, dual-center, randomized study was conducted over a 8-month period. Patients were randomized 1:1 to vHPSD versus HPSD delivered at anterior aspects of PV. Posterior parts of PV were ablated with vHPSD in both arms. The carina region between ipsilateral PVs was ablated using 35 W and ablation index of 380. Need for additional RF applications to achieve complete PVI was the primary outcome. Results 70 patients (mean age 63.5±11.2; 57.1% male) with paroxysmal (61.4%) or persistent AF (38.6%) were randomized to vHPSD (n=35) or HPSD (n=35). Additional RF touch-up applications at the anterior aspects of PV were significantly more frequently needed in the vHPSD group compared with the HPSD group (46% vs 19%, p&amp;lt;0.001) and in the right PVs (57% vs 20%, p=0.001) versus left PVs (34% vs 17%, p=0.1). Median procedure duration, LA dwell time and fluoroscopy time were similar in both groups [112 (IQR 90, 130) min vs 107 (IQR 90,125) min, p= 0.58; 95 (IQR 70,106) min vs 90 (IQR 71,100) min, p=0.55; and 28 (IQR 14,69) sec vs 46 (IQR 0,89) sec, p=0.97, respectively). In one patient in vHPSD we were not able to isolate right superior pulmonary vein (RSPV) despite additional RF touch-up applications. Conclusions vHPSD RF applications using the QDOT Micro catheter may not achieve transmurality in a significant proportion of anterior parts of PV. The proposed hybrid strategy consisting of HPSD delivery at anterior aspects of PV with vHPSD delivered at other parts of PV ostia is associated with significantly higher rate of first-pass PVI without extending procedural and fluoroscopy duration.

Development of an Algorithm to Determine Which Costal Cartilage to Harvest.

Rib graft is a common source of cartilage in rhinoplasty. Donor site choices for this resource were identified according to the authors who presented the introduction of this technique. However, the scientific basis of this valuable method lacks information, including the anatomical properties of costal cartilage. In this study, cartilage radioanatomy is examined and tested for if any estimators are present. A total of 148 thoracal CT scans of patients who applied to our facility were analyzed. Patients were divided per their sex and age of 35, and rib cartilage dimensions, including axial length between the sternal and costal ends of the cartilage (TotL), posteroanterior diameters at the sternal end (StDia), costal end (CosDia), the thickest part (MaxDia) as diametrical parameters and vertical height at the thickest part (h) were recorded. Length of the sternum (St), the axial length of the clavicle (ClavL), the distance of the sixth rib from the anterior axillary border (AntAx), and thorax circumferences at the level of both pectoralis major muscle origin (ThC) and nipples (BrC) were recorded. Statistical analyses were done for correlations. St, ClavL, ThC, and BrC were found to have the most correlated measurements in groups with the age of 35 and less of both genders, and the relations were lost in older groups. Thorax shape may change after the age of 35 years, but in younger patients, St in females and ClavL in males can be used as estimators of cartilage amount.

A preliminary study of the morphological variation of rhizomes in Zingiber Mill. and its role in taxonomy

The rhizomes of Zingiber are highly diverse and have potential in taxonomy, but their fundamental structure has never been properly understood in connection with an understanding of the sympodial growth form of the whole plant. This study is based on a literature review and on observations of fresh materials of 32 Zingiber species mainly from China, representing all four sections of the genus. An analysis of the sympodial modular growth habit of these plants has recognised that both isomodular and heteromodular growth exist within the genus. The study shows that rhizomes of Zingiber are highly-organised, compound, sympodial structures. By introducing the term rhizome unit, Zingiber rhizomes can be meaningfully described by depicting the morphology of the rhizome units and the relative arrangement of these units to one another. Six morphological attributes of rhizome units (shape, size, direction of growth, colour and number of nodes per rhizome, and length of internodes) and two attributes of their relative arrangement to one another (dorsiventral vs lateral position of rhizome units and the ramification position along the length of rhizome unit) are discussed. A preliminary assessment of variation patterns and the taxonomic value of these characters are presented. Together, these attributes contribute to the overall morphology of rhizomes. The relationship between rhizome structure and the above-ground clumping habit is discussed. The term pseudo-neck is coined to refer to the narrowed basal part that occurs in the rhizome units of some Zingiber species while the thick apical part of rhizome units where the internodes are often shorter than those on the pseudo-neck is called head. Problems with existing terminology for rhizome and plant habit descriptions in Zingiber are highlighted. This study suggests that whether the plane of distichy of leaves is parallel or perpendicular to the rhizome unit, a key character that many previous studies used for subdivision of Zingiberaceae, needs re-assessment, because in Zingiber both states of the character exist. Characters of rhizome morphology of the four sections in Zingiber are discussed, but studies of a larger number of species are needed to better-assess the relevance of these characters to the infrageneric classification of the genus. Schematic illustrations and colour plates of rhizomes from representative species are provided to assist the descriptions and discussions. It is hoped that this preliminary study will facilitate and encourage more comprehensive studies of rhizomes of Zingiber and of other genera within Zingiberaceae. Such work will lead to a better understanding of these structures and help establish a more comprehensive and accurate terminology for them, which in turn will facilitate the taxonomy and identification of the family.

Zonular instability-associated morphologic features in eyes with primary angle closure disease using the swept-source anterior segment – optical coherence tomography system

BackgroundThis study aims to investigate the morphologic features of the crystalline lens in Primary Angle Closure Disease (PACD) patients with zonular instability during cataract surgery using the swept-source CASIA 2 Anterior Segment-Optical Coherence Tomography (AS-OCT) system.MethodsA total of 398 eyes (125 PACD eyes with zonular instability, 133 PACD eyes with zonular stability, and 140 cataract patient controls) of 398 patients who underwent cataract surgery combined or not glaucoma surgery between January 2021 and January 2023 were enrolled. The crystalline lens parameters were measured by CASIA2 AS-OCT. Then, logistic regression was performed to evaluate the risk factors associated with zonular instability.ResultsThe results revealed that PACD eyes had a more anterior lens equator position, a steeper anterior curvature of lens, shorter Axial Length (AL), shallower Anterior Chamber Distance (ACD), higher Lens Vault (LV) and thicker Lens Thickness (LT), when compared to eyes in the cataract control group. Furthermore, PACD eyes in the zonular instability group had steeper front R, front Rs and Front Rf, flatter back Rf, thicker lens anterior part thickness, higher lens anterior-to-posterior part thickness ratios, shallower ACD, and greater LV, when compared to PACD eyes with zonular stability. The logistic regression analysis, which was adjusted for age and gender, revealed that zonular instability was positively correlated with anterior part thickness, lens anterior-to-posterior part thickness ratio, and LV, but was negatively correlated with lens anterior radius and ACD.ConclusionSteeper anterior curvature, increased lens anterior part thickness, higher anterior-to-posterior part thickness ratio, shallower ACD, and greater LV are the anatomic features of PACD eyes associated with zonular instability.

Mechanical Behavior of Selective Laser Melting (SLM) Parts with Varying Thicknesses in a Saline Environment under Different Exposure Times.

A promising method for additive manufacturing that makes it possible to produce intricate and personalized parts is selective laser melting (SLM). However, the mechanical properties of as-corroded SLM parts are still areas of concern. This research investigates the mechanical behavior of SLM parts that are exposed to a saline environment containing a 3.5% NaCl solution for varying lengths of time. The exposure times chosen for this study were 10 days, 20 days, and 30 days. The results reveal that the tensile strength of the parts is significantly affected by the duration of exposure. Additionally, the study also examined the influence of porosity on the corrosion behavior of the parts. The analysis included studying the mass loss of the parts over time, and a regression analysis was conducted to analyze the relationship between exposure time and mass loss. In addition, the utilization of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray photo spectroscopy (XPS) techniques yielded valuable insights into the fundamental mechanisms accountable for the observed corrosion and mechanical behavior. It was found that the presence of corrosion products (i.e., oxide layer) and pitting contributed to the degradation of the SLM parts in the saline environment. This research emphasizes the importance of considering part thickness in the design of SLM components for corrosive environments and provides insights for enhancing their performance and durability.

Effect of structural parameters on the surface roughness and mechanical properties of Ti-6Al-4 V alloy thin-walled structure fabricated by selective laser melting

Ti-6Al-4 V alloy (Ti64) thin-walled parts with different structural parameters including placement mode, tilt angle (θ), length and thickness were fabricated by selective laser melting (SLM). The effects of structural parameters on the surface roughness and mechanical properties were investigated to provide guidance for optimizing SLM process of thin-walled structures. Firstly, surface roughness on downdip plane is larger than that on updip plane. The thin-walled parts perpendicular to the scraper and increasing θ are beneficial for reducing surface roughness. Secondly, pores size is concentration below 50 μm, and the porosity is concentrated between 0.28% and 1.5%. The porosity shows a decreasing trend with increasing θ. Coarse columnar prior-β-Ti grains are parallel to building direction (BD), which is not affected by θ. α-Ti/β-Ti laths exhibit thickness less than 0.5 μm inside prior-β-Ti grains, and are refined with reducing thickness of the thin-walled parts. Finally, Ti64 thin-walled parts with different structure parameters exhibit relatively stable strength and plasticity, namely tensile strength of 1040–1130 MPa, yield strength of 1015–1145 MPa, and elongation of 7∼8.5%. In summary, placement mode and θ exhibit more significant impact on the final properties of the thin-walled parts, namely, perpendicular to the scraper and increasing θ are beneficial for reducing surface roughness and porosity. While the structural parameters show no significant effect on the mechanical properties.

Optimisation of injection process parameters to minimise mould deflection: design of experiment

ABSTRACT This research aimed to estimate the mould deflection by installing the strain gauges on the modified injection mould, which was analysed by the analysis of variance (ANOVA) method. Also, studied the correlation of the maximum mould deflection, thickness and defect of the moulded part. The optimisation of the injection parameters to minimise the mould deflection and defect was examined. There are seven processing factors with three levels of melting temperature, mould temperature, injection pressure, holding pressure, injection speed, holding time and cooling time, which are designed by using Taguchi’s experimental design. The parameter factors are statistically significant with P-values less than 0.05. The levels of those processing parameters are compared by Tukey pairwise comparisons using the Tukey method and 95% confidence. The optimum processing conditions attaining the lowest value of the maximum mould deflection of polypropylene (PP) and Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) parts were investigated. The results showed that the mould deflection shows a good relation to those of thickness and flash defect; however, the occurrence of the short shot part presented a weak relation.

Measuring the tensile properties of Ti6Al4V fabricated by laser powder bed fusion: Influence of specimen dimensions

This study presents the mechanical characterization of vertical Ti6Al4V tensile specimens produced by laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) processing and then heat-treated according to AMS2801 standard. The surfaces were kept in the as-built condition for the evaluations. Three rectangular specimen geometries were considered, with a reduced section of 6 × 6 × 25, 3 × 3 × 12.5, and 1 × 1.5 × 7 mm3 respectively. The surface roughness, length-scale of the microstructure, and average microhardness were compared and found to be unaffected by part section, in the range of sizes explored. The non-destructive measurement of the cross-sectional area of the tested specimens affected the accuracy on the measurement of the tensile strength. The use of conventional tools, such as calipers and micrometers, led to an overestimation of the cross-sectional area by 7 to 15 %, which caused an underestimation of the tensile stresses. When calculating the stress with the cross-sectional area measured from computed tomography images, the Young’s modulus, yield strength and ultimate tensile strength were comparable for all geometries. However, the elongation at break was 9 % for the smallest specimens compared to 12 % for ASTM E8 coupons. The reduction of ductility was explained by a higher slimness ratio for smaller specimens, in addition to an increased effect of pores and the surface roughness. These results highlight the importance of using specimens representative of a part wall thickness when characterizing the mechanical properties of LPBF Ti6Al4V. The methodological recommendations established in this study can be applied to other LPBF materials and other small scale manufacturing processes.

Perisylvian and Hippocampal Anomalies in Individuals With Pathogenic GRIN2A Variants.

Pathogenic variants in GRIN2A are associated with a spectrum of epilepsy-aphasia syndromes (EASs). Seizures as well as speech and language disorders occur frequently but vary widely in severity, both between individuals and across the life span. The link between this phenotypic spectrum and brain characteristics is unknown. Specifically, altered brain networks at the root of speech and language deficits remain to be identified. Patients with pathogenic variants in GRIN2A offer an opportunity to interrogate the impact of glutamate receptor dysfunction on brain development. We characterized brain anomalies in individuals with pathogenic GRIN2A variants and EASs, hypothesizing alterations in perisylvian speech-language regions and the striatum. We compared structural MRI data from 10 individuals (3 children and 7 adults, 3 female) with pathogenic GRIN2A variants with data from age-matched controls (N = 51 and N = 203 in a secondary analysis). We examined cortical thickness and volume in 4 a priori hypothesized speech and language regions (inferior frontal, precentral, supramarginal, and superior temporal) and across the whole brain. Subcortical structures (hippocampus, basal ganglia, thalamus) and the corpus callosum were also compared. Individuals with pathogenic GRIN2A variants showed increased thickness and volume in the posterior part of Broca's area (inferior frontal gyrus, pars opercularis). For thickness, the effects were bilateral but more pronounced in the left (large effect size, η2 = 0.37) than the right (η2 = 0.12) hemisphere. Both volume and thickness were also higher in the bilateral superior temporal region while the supramarginal region showed increased thickness only. Whole-brain analyses confirmed left-sided thickness increases in Broca's area, with additional increases in the occipital and superior frontal cortices bilaterally. Hippocampal volume was reduced in the left hemisphere. There were no age-dependent effects or corpus callosum group differences. Anomalies in perisylvian regions, with largest differences in Broca's area, suggest an altered development of classical speech-language networks in GRIN2A-related EAS. Left hippocampal reduction suggests a role for this structure in early speech and language development and is consistent with GRIN2A gene expression in that region. Overall, elucidating the neural correlates of EAS provides insights into the impact of GRIN2A dysfunction, opening avenues for targeted intervention in developmental syndromes with compromised speech-language development.

Morfološke osobine plodova i sjemena i trajanje učinka skarifikacije sjemena sumpornom kiselinom na neke vrste iz roda Crataegus Tourn. ex L.

Hawthorn species (Crataegus Tourn. ex L.) are widely known for their medical, ecological, and economic benefits. The main issue of this study was to define the morphological characteristics of fruits and seeds as well as the impact of sulfuric acid (96% concentration) scarification with different time duration on seeds of three different hawthorn species (C. crus-galli, C. monogyna, C. laevigata). Statically significant differences were reported for all measured fruit and seed morphological traits. Highest fruit weight, length and width was recorded for C. crus-galli, while lowest for C. monogyna. Different sulfuric acid (96% concentration) scarification treatments were used for C. cruss-galli (150 and 210 min), C. laevigata, and C. cruss-galli (45, 75 and 105 min) seeds. Only significant differences were found in contrast to the control. Thickness of the tiniest part of the seed coat was significantly reduced in C. crus-gallic and C. laevigata scarified seeds in contrast to control. Thickness of the thickest part of the seed coat was significantly reduced only in C. crus-galli seeds scarified for 210 min in contrast to control. Therefore, optimal duration of scarification treatment for C. crus-galli seeds should be 210 min. The results obtained in this study will contribute to a better knowledge of morphometric characteristics and the pre-sowing treatment of seeds of some Crataegus species which can be utilized in nursery production.

Instance segmentation algorithm for sorting dismantling components of end-of-life vehicles

In the recycling and dismantling procedures of End-of-Life Vehicles, the diverse thicknesses of disassembled parts necessitate specialized recycling processes, underscoring the imperative for efficient classification and recycling methods. Presently, the classification of disassembled components from scrapped vehicles relies heavily on manual visual inspection and caliper measurements, resulting in inefficiency and low accuracy. To overcome the challenges associated with thickness classification for disassembled components of End-of-Life Vehicles, propose a paradigm shift by introducing an intelligent grading strategy. This approach aims to significantly improve efficiency and accuracy in the classification process, offering a more effective solution for the recycling of dismantled parts. In response to the inefficiencies, low accuracy, and safety concerns associated with manual sorting, propose a deep learning model, incorporating an attention mechanism, for accomplishing instance segmentation tasks of End-of-Life Vehicles components. The model introduces a global attention mechanism into the backbone network for feature extraction, which is further integrated into the instance segmentation branch, resulting in a significant enhancement of instance segmentation performance. The model is trained and optimized using a dataset collected from an End-of-Life Vehicles dismantling facility in China. Experimental results show that when the intersection over union is 0.5, the mean Average Precision of the model in target detection and instance segmentation reaches 93.2% and 92.1% respectively., and 77.2% and 72.4% in the intersection over union is 0.5–0.95. In comparison to the unmodified baseline model, the model exhibits improvements of 1.7%, 2%, 5.8%, and 3.1% across evaluation metrics. When contrasted with traditional manual sorting methods, the proposed model exhibits pronounced advantages in terms of accuracy and fairness. In conclusion, the model effectively addresses the challenge of intelligent sorting of dismantled components from End-of-Life Vehicles during the dismantling process.

Effects of through-thickness dielectric sensor on carbon fibre epoxy cure monitoring

Dielectric sensors are an appealing solution for in-situ cure monitoring of thermoset polymers and thermoset composites. Analysis techniques have been shown to produce highly accurate and repeatable insight into cure state metrics both during and after cure. However, most dielectric sensors only report data on the surface of the material that the sensor is in direct contact with, neglecting the remainder of the thickness of the component. This study evaluates a novel dielectric sensor which is designed with a 20 mm penetration depth to monitor through the thickness of the composite part. While the prototype sensor design was shown to influence the raw data signal, a correction factor was successfully applied, and signals were analysed in accordance with the standard set of dielectric methods. The corrected signal had good accuracy and repeatability across laminates from 2 to 20 mm thick, demonstrating a non-invasive, through-thickness monitoring for a range of part designs.

Acellular human amniotic membrane: A safe and stable matrix for corneal stromal regeneration

Amniotic membrane (AM) transplantation is used as a safe and effective method to treat a variety of ocular complications. On the ocular surface, this membrane degrades within a few days. This study investigated the safety and long-term stability of human amniotic membrane (HAM) grafts in the corneal stroma. Three rabbits with healthy eyes underwent unilateral stromal pocketing with implantation of decellularized HAM (dHAM). Examinations of graft bio-integration were performed by corneal imaging using slit lamp and optical coherence tomography (OCT) at 1 week, 3 months, and 9 months. The thickness of the thickest part of the amniotic membrane was 187 μm at the first follow-up, 184 μm at 3 months, and 166 μm at 9 months. Histological evaluation was performed after the last follow-up. The results showed no clinical complications, such as opacity, neovascularization, infection, or rejection. The thickness of the grafts remained stable over time. Histopathological analyses showed the grafts were integrated into the corneal stroma without any inflammation. This study indicated that HAM was a naturally safe, stable, and compatible matrix in the corneal stroma and was considered a promising candidate for corneal stromal regeneration.