Preliminary Inspection Research Articles

Análisis de falla de soldaduras en filete con corrosión prematura en compuertas deslizantes de acero inoxidable 316L usando diagramas de constitución

The service environment of the slide gates may cause localized corrosion at welds. In this work, a failure analysis was conducted to determine the causes of the prematurecorrosion of the fillet welds before the commissioning. According to the contractor, the slide gates were manufactured in ASTM A240 Type 316L stainless steel and welded with GMAW using an ER316LSi filler metal. Test samples of the fillet weld metals were extracted from gates after a preliminary visual inspection. The samples were analyzed using ferrite number measurements, Optical Emission Spectrometry, chemical analysis, metallographic examination and Scanning Electron Microscopy with microanalysis. The analysis of results using the Schaeffler and WRC-92 constitution diagrams showed that the estimatedchemical composition of the filler metal differs with the filler metal specified in the WPS suggesting that an incorrect carbon steel filler metal was used during the construction of the gates

Concrete Preliminary Damage Inspection by Classification of Terrestrial Laser Scanner Point Clouds through Systematic Threshold Definition

This paper presents a novel approach for automatic, preliminary detection of damage in concrete structures using ground-based terrestrial laser scanners. The method is based on computation of defect-sensitive features such as the surface curvature, since the surface roughness changes strongly if an area is affected by damage. A robust version of principal component analysis (PCA) classification is proposed to distinguish between structural damage and outliers present in the laser scanning data. Numerical simulations were conducted to develop a systematic point-wise defect classifier that automatically diagnoses the location of superficial damage on the investigated region. The method provides a complete picture of the surface health of concrete structures. It has been tested on two real datasets: a concrete heritage aqueduct in Brooks, Alberta, Canada; and a civil pedestrian concrete structure. The experiment results demonstrate the validity and accuracy of the proposed systematic framework for detecting and localizing areas of damage as small as 1 cm or less.

Process capability analysis for manufacturing processes based on the truncated data from supplier products

Quality data fraud not only destroys the trust between suppliers and customers but also misleads the decision-making when choosing suppliers. Thus, it is preferred to use the quality data measured by customers to evaluate the manufacturing process capability indexes (PCIs). In practice, the suppliers always conduct a preliminary internal inspection to eliminate the nonconforming items before selling products, and quality data measured by the customers are truncated by the specification limits, which makes it difficult to measure the PCIs. This paper proposes a novel method to estimate the PCIs based on the truncated data. First, we propose a new data filling method called the QA-EM by integrating the EM and quantile-filling algorithms. Consequently, the truncated data can be converted into pseudo-complete data. A comparison study with other methods is further carried out to demonstrate the superiority of our proposed method. Then, various interval methods for estimating PCIs are applied to calculate the lower confidence limits of based on the pseudo-complete data. We investigate the performance of different methods in terms of coverage rate. The results indicate that the generalised confidence interval method performs better than the competitors. Finally, an industrial example is presented to illustrate the application of our method.

(Invited) On Teaching Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy

Impedance spectroscopy is a popular electrochemical measurement technique, but successful implementation requires specialized training that is not easily available. At the 2013 ISE annual meeting in Querétaro, we described our philosophy for teaching electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, embodied in our textbook on the subject, published in 2008 [1]. At the 2017 ISE annual meeting in Providence, we updated our discussion, with emphasis on the second edition of our book [2]. The object of this presentation is to describe our current approach to the subject, reflected in our textbooks on the subject and in our new project, to which we have assigned the working title of The EIS Companion: A Compendium of Solved Problems and Resources. This communication will describe an approach towards teaching impedance spectroscopy in which students are encouraged to modify experimental parameters in accordance with the experimental system, to use a variety of graphical representations to develop preliminary estimates for physical properties, to develop models from proposed chemical, electrochemical, and physical mechanisms, and to perform regression analyses which account for the error structure of the measurement. As impedance spectroscopy is not a “stand-alone” technique, students are encouraged to seek independent observations that can be used to support or disprove the models developed. This approach will be illustrated by a step-by-step analysis of a sample data set, including preliminary graphical inspection of the data, evaluation of consistency with the Kramers-Kronig relations, development of an interpretation or process model, regression of the model to the Kramers-Kronig-consistent portion of the spectrum, and evaluation of the physical meaning of the parameters extracted. M.E. Orazem, B. Tribollet, Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy, John Wiley & Sons, Hoboken, New Jersey, 2008.M.E. Orazem, B. Tribollet, Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy, 2nd Edition, John Wiley & Sons, Hoboken, New Jersey, 2017.

Seed certification as a means of curbing emerging diseases: A case study of Maize Lethal Necrosis (MLN) in Kenya

Maize lethal necrosis (MLN) is an important constraint in maize production in sub-Sahara Africa that threatens food security and poses challenge in trade. It was first reported in Kenya in 2011 and has since spread to other countries in the region. In Kenya, the disease is caused by a combination of Sugarcane mosaic virus (SCMV) and Maize chlorotic mottle virus (MCMV), which are vectored by aphids and thrips, respectively. Maize is the main staple food in Kenya and therefore, with the advent of the MLN, there was need to establish mechanisms aimed at combating the spread of the disease. This resulted in the amendment of seed certification protocol which included testing of seed. In consultation with seed stakeholders, KEPHIS incorporated guidelines for MLN inspection in maize seed certification program where all maize seed crops should be inspected four times including preliminary, first, second and third inspections. A seed sample was taken before seed dressing for laboratory test to ensure the lot is free from MLN. Imported seeds were also tested for MLN before being accepted into the country. Furthermore, there have been concerted efforts by breeders and researchers to develop and screen maize lines for resistance to MLN. Other strategies that have been put in place include control of vectors and use of certified seed which are free from MLN. Amendments in seed certification program that were implemented in Kenya have led to drastic reduction of MLN. It is further hoped that resistant maize lines from the breeding program will further support the effort to manage the disease. Keywords: Maize, MLN, Resistance, Screening, Seed certification, seed testing

Ultrastructural and Molecular Identification of the sarcocysts of Sarcocystis tenella and Sarcocystis arieticanis Infecting Domestic Sheep (Ovis aries) from Egypt.

In spite of the global economic significance of sheep production, little is known about the prevalence of various Sarcocystis spp. infecting the domestic sheep (Ovis aries) in Egypt. Muscle samples were collected from 175 sheep (>2years) slaughtered at El-Mahalla El-Kubra abattoir, Gharbia governorate, Egypt. Samples were initially examined by naked eye for the existence of macrosarcocysts. The microscopic sarcocysts were detected and identified using the light microscopy and the Transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Different microscopic species of ovine Sarcocystis were molecularly confirmed by PCR, sequence analyses and phylogeny. Preliminary light microscopic inspection of the muscle specimens revealed the existence of only the microscopic sarcocysts of Sarcocystis tenella and Sarcocystis arieticanis in 152 (86.8%) out of the175 examined animals. Sarcoysts of S.tenella had striated thick cyst wall that amounted from 3.5-5.5 μm in thickness whereas, S.arieticanis sarcocysts had a thin cyst wall that ranged from 1-3 μm in thickness. S.tenella sarcocysts were detected in 115 sheep (65.7%), and were more prevalent than those of S.arieticanis, observed only in 68 sheep (38.8%). No macroscopic sarcocysts were observed in any of the examined carcasses. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) of the cyst wall of S.tenella revealed the existence of the short stubby villar protrusions (VP) with the characteristic disk-like structures at the tips of the (VP). While, TEM of S.arieticanis showed that the cyst wall had elongated tubular protrusions that measured approximately 5-7 μm in length. Each (VP) consisted of a dome-shaped base (0.3-0.9 μm in diameter), a relatively thick middle portion (0.1-0.3 μm) in width, and a thin hair-like distal portion that measured about (0.03 x 1-4.5 μm). Comparative analyses of the sequences of the four genetic markers (18S rRNA, 28S rRNA, mitochondrial cox1 and ITS-1) for S.tenella and S.arieticanis isolates detected herein, revealed genetic variations of 95% and 95- 96% among the different isolates on the level of the 18S rRNA and 28S rRNA, respectively. Whereas, the cox1 and ITS-1 shared sequence identities of 76-78% and 70-73%, respectively. S.tenella was strongly related to S.capracanis infecting goats (Capra hircus). Sequence identity of 98% on the level of 18S rRNA, 28S rRNA genes was observed between the currently identified isolates of S.tenella and the formerly GenBank deposited isolates of S.capracanis. While, cox1 sequences shared identities of 92-93%. Furthermore, S.arieticanis isolates identified here were closely related to the formerly published sequences of S.hircicanis. The 18S rRNA and 28S rRNA sequences of S.arieticanis shared 98% and 94-95% identities with those of S.hircicanis, respectively. However, 87-88% homologies were observed between the cox1 sequences of S.arieticanis and S.hircicanis. Consequently, cox1 and ITS-1 gene sequences act as better genetic markers than 18S rRNA and 28S rRNA sequences for the characterization of ovine Sarcocystis spp. Maximum parsimony analyses based on the sequences of three genetic markers, (18S rRNA, 28S rRNA and mitochondrial cox1), yielded the same placement of the currently identified isolates of the two taxa (S.tenella and S.arieticanis) within a clade of Sarcocystis species with carnivorous animals as known, or assumed, final hosts.

The implementation of tuberculosis examination of potential employment migrants in the country of departure: evaluation of possibilities

The migration situation in Russia is characterized by presence of significant number of foreign citizens, including those who are working without official registration and evidence of examination for tuberculosis and other infections. In connection with that, attention is to be paid to propositions concerning organization of preventive examination for tuberculosis in the departure country i.e. medical examination of potential migrants according Russian standards on the basis of local medical institutions. The article presents review of data of official statistics concerning migration and prevalence of tuberculosis including scientific publications about analysis of international experience of organization and implementation of preventive examinations in the departure countries. The experience of implementation of medical examinations of migrants in number of departure countries demonstrates that these programs permit focusing efforts on diagnostic of tuberculosis in one of risk groups hence achieving comparatively high degree of reliability of results and providing economic significance. In the context of conditions in Russia and accounting international experience two scenarios are proposed of implementing preventive examinations for tuberculosis in departure countries: with and without introduction of requirement of preliminary medical inspection of working migrants.

Language Brain Representation in Bilinguals With Different Age of Appropriation and Proficiency of the Second Language: A Meta-Analysis of Functional Imaging Studies.

Language representation in the bilingual brain is the result of many factors, of which age of appropriation (AoA) and proficiency of the second language (L2) are probably the most studied. Many studies indeed compare early and late bilinguals, although it is not yet clear what the role of the so-called critical period in L2 appropriation is. In this study, we carried out coordinate-based meta-analyses to address this issue and to inspect the role of proficiency in addition to that of AoA. After the preliminary inspection of the early (also very early) and late bilinguals’ language networks, we explored the specific activations associated with each language and compared them within and between the groups. Results confirmed that the L2 language brain representation was wider than that associated with L1. This was observed regardless of AoA, although differences were more relevant in the late bilinguals’ group. In particular, L2 entailed a greater enrollment of the brain areas devoted to the executive functions, and this was also observed in proficient bilinguals. The early bilinguals displayed many activation clusters as well, which also included the areas involved in cognitive control. Interestingly, these regions activated even in L1 of both early and late bilingual groups, although less consistently. Overall, these findings suggest that bilinguals in general are constantly subjected to cognitive effort to monitor and regulate the language use, although early AoA and high proficiency are likely to reduce this.

Hierarchical environmental risk mapping of material degradation in historic masonry buildings: An integrated approach considering climate change and structural damage

Abstract Resilience of new and existing buildings to climate change is a key research issue. Climate change-related phenomena can considerably affect buildings mechanical and thermal-energy response by contributing to materials degradation and structural safety. Such an impact is even further exacerbated in historical constructions, more vulnerable to such events due to their ancient structure if compared to recent designs. The purpose of this paper is to propose an innovative, integrated, multidisciplinary methodology for assessing construction materials’ degradation in historic masonry buildings and its potential future evolution, providing a risk mapping accounting for interactions between climate change effects and structural damage. Such a replicable approach consists in (i) preliminary site inspections, (ii) damage and degradation surveys, (iii) development and calibration of numerical models predicting structural-thermal response and (iv) prediction of materials degradation accounting for future climate conditions and potential worsening of structural damage. The final output of the procedure is a hierarchical mapping of regions with different degradation severities, by identifying those where a specific type of degradation or damage insists but are likely stable and those where they are expected to get worse due to changes in future climate conditions or to a negative interaction between degradation and damage. The presented approach is applied to an iconic Italian monumental building, the Consoli Palace in Gubbio, where future climate scenarios up to 2080 are simulated according to the IPCC climate change predictions. Results highlight that thermal-energy and structural aspects need to be jointly considered in the preservation of surface materials of historic buildings exposed to climate change severity.

Chromium-mediated hyperpigmentation of skin in male tannery workers in Bangladesh

Since tannery workers in developing countries are chronically exposed to high levels of chromium (Cr), there are serious concerns about health problems. However, there has been limited study in which Cr levels were measured in tannery workers, who are chronically exposed to Cr. Our preliminary inspection showed that there was hyperpigmented skin in tannery workers. We therefore investigated the correlation between skin pigmentation levels digitally evaluated as L* values by using a reflectance spectrophotometer and Cr levels in skin appendages in 100 male tannery workers and in 49 male non-tannery workers in Bangladesh. Digitalized skin pigmentation levels of the face and feet in addition to Cr levels in hair and toenails in tannery workers were significantly higher than those in non-tannery workers in our univariate analysis. Spearman's rank correlation coefficient analysis showed significant correlation between duration of tannery work (years) and Cr levels in hair (r = 0.62) and toenails (r = 0.61). Our multivariate analysis also showed that Cr levels in hair and toenails were significantly correlated with digitalized skin pigmentation levels of the face and feet in addition to duration of tannery work in all participants. Thus, our results showed the development of hyperpigmented skin in tannery workers. Our results also suggested that hyperpigmented skin could be a useful diagnostic marker for chronic exposure to Cr. Furthermore, cutaneous L* value might be a convenient marker for detection of chronic Cr poisoning, since the digitalized values enable objective evaluation of skin pigmented levels by general people as well as dermatologists.

Application of differential scanning calorimetry in the analysis of apprehended formulations of anabolic androgenic steroids

Over the past ten years, there has been a significant increase in the amount of formulations containing anabolic androgenic steroids apprehended worldwide. A considerable amount of these illicit preparations is falsified imposing a series of challenges for the analytical identification of alleged active ingredients due to the presence of interferers. In this sense, the aim of this work was to identify and quantify the active ingredient using cholesterol as internal standard in eight apprehended formulations of anabolic androgenic steroids in either tablet, capsule or injectable forms employing visual inspection and instrumental analysis of Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy, Gas Chromatography — Mass Spectrometry and Differential Scanning Calorimetry. The assessed samples were kindly provided by the Brazilian Federal Police as representative samples from an apprehension made in July of 2017. Qualitatively, 25% of the analyzed materials were determined to be falsified as they were composed of excipients only while the others had the alleged active ingredient confirmed. However, after quantitative analysis, the majority of samples were placed as counterfeit materials as the active substance was found in concentrations lower than stated in the label. Preliminary visual inspection provided important information to distinguish genuine from falsified samples. It should be noted that this work was one of the few available reports to employ Differential Scanning Calorimetry in the analysis of anabolic agents, which proved to be an important complementary tool for the detection of the active ingredient, when present, along with the calorimetric profile of the formulations studied. Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy and Gas–Chromatography — Mass Spectrometry were also efficient analytical tools in order to identify and to characterize substances present in fraudulent preparations.

Probability discounting of environmental gains: do we multiply or add up?

Individuals often discount and transform risky environmental outcomes into psychological certainty equivalences (CEs) during environmental decision-making. Their preference for different alternatives is influenced by the discounting degree. Our first experiment undertook a preliminary inspection of the probability discounting of environmental gains through a matching method; whereas in Experiment 2, the discounting rule of environmental gain was compared with monetary gain by a new line-projective method, which asked participants to project their subjective value evaluation explicitly on a line of specific length. The environmental gain and its mental value-equivalent monetary gain were analogical with respect to discounting degree and process model fitting. The probability discounting of both gains was better described by an additive-utility model than the normative exponential and hyperbolic models, which means that individuals were likely to discount the risky outcome by simply adding the disutility of uncertainty to the gain’s nominal utility, rather than by multiplying the initial value by a discounting factor. It may be of great value in shedding light on the lay public evaluation of risky environmental interventions and boosting pro-environmental policy support.

Goal-directed self-talk used to self-regulate in male basketball competitions

ABSTRACTThis study examined how goal-directed self-talk may help basketball players to self-regulate in stereotypical competitive situations: seconds before a challenging game, while clearly winning or clearly losing, and at the close of a tight game. Participants were recruited in groups of three to four, until preliminary inspection of the data indicated that data saturation was reached. In the end, 34 basketball players voluntarily took part in individual interviews, writing up to three self-instructions they had used in each of the four competitive situations to self-regulate. Content analyses revealed that self-talk in competitive basketball situations serves cognitive functions (e.g., regulating cognition and behaviour), motivational functions (e.g., promoting mastery goals) and emotion and activation-regulating functions (e.g., creating activated states). More specifically, the results also indicated that athletes’ self-talk may serve functions specific to the psychological demands experienced in each situation. It is argued that knowing how athletes counsel themselves, could prove important for applied sport psychologists to design psychological skill training.

Методы предварительного обследования конструкций зданий и сооружений

Методы предварительного обследования конструкций зданий и сооружений

Image based simulation of one-dimensional compression tests on carbonate sand

High factors of safety and conservative methods are commonly used on foundation design on shelly carbonate soils. A better understanding of the behavior of this material is, thus, critical for more sustainable approaches for the design of a number of offshore structures and submarine pipelines. In particular, understanding the physical phenomena taking place at the microscale has the potential to spur the development of robust computational methods. In this study, a one-dimensional compression test was performed inside an X-ray scanner to obtain 3D images of the evolving internal structure of a shelly carbonate sand. A preliminary inspection of the images through five loading increments has shown that the grains rearrange under loading and in some cases cracks develop at the contacts. In order to replicate of the experiments in the numerical domain, the 3D image of the soil prior to loading was imported into a micro Finite Element (µFE) framework. This image-based modelling tool enables measurements of the contact force and stress map inside the grains while making use of the real microstructure of the soil. The potential of the µFE model to contribute insights into yield initiation within the grain is demonstrated here. This is of particular interest to better understand the breakage of shelly grains underpinning their highly compressive behavior.

Reliability-based Evaluation of River-bridge Flood Resistance Ability Via a Visual Inspection Table

This research establishes a reliability-based preliminary evaluation table for assessing river-bridge flood resistance. Flood resistance for a river-bridge is affected by numerous factors, including bridge structure, river environment, hydrology, and riverbank protection infrastructure. Flood resistance assessment is a complex issue that involves multiple areas of expertise. A comprehensive assessment process is extremely time-consuming and difficult to implement in practice, especially given the limited time and resources. Many bridges require risk evaluations. A preliminary visual inspection is often conducted in response to these problems. The primary issue with visual inspection is the high subjectivity regarding the understanding and standards for the various indicators. To solve this issue, a Bayesian Network (BN) is proposed to combine the contributions from experts and reliability analyses. Eight bridges are selected for performing FOSM-based reliability calculations using a parameterized ABAQUS model. An ideal preliminary inspection table enables a close relationship with the failure probability that is calculated from an advance analysis. Thus, PSO is employed to maximize the correlation between the scores obtained from the visual inspection table and the failure probability calculated from the BN to establish a reliability-based visual inspection table that provides a strong foundation for a bridge risk analysis.

A Multi-level Analysis of the Relationship Between Urban Built Environment and Severe Injury Traffic Crashes

This study investigates the relationship between urban built environment and traffic crash occurrences in San Diego County by employing a multi-level Poisson regression model. This model is intended to address the so-called ‘Modifiable Areal Unit Problem’ by properly capturing the spatial correlations that might exist among crash occurrences within or across zones specified for data aggregation. A preliminary inspection based on a geographic information system reveals that the crash occurrences of Traffic Analysis Zones (TAZs) tend to show similar spatial pattern if they belong to the same city. This observation motivated us to incorporate hierarchical random components into a Poisson regression model to complement its systematic components (i.e. explanatory variables) related to socio-demographic characteristics, travel characteristics, or urban built environment. This approach turns out to improve the model’s explanatory power in assessing the relationship between urban built environment and traffic crash occurrences while controlling other variables. A key finding from this study is that crash occurrences of individual TAZs tend to decrease with the expansion of their urban portion.

Chalcogen ‘like-like’ Interactions Involving Trisulphide and Triselenide Compounds: A Combined CSD and Ab Initio Study

In this manuscript, we combined a search in the Cambridge Structural Database (CSD) and ab initio calculations (RI-MP2/def2-TZVPD level of theory) to analyze the ability of trisulphide and triselenide moieties to establish chalcogen ‘like-like’ interactions. A preliminary CSD inspection revealed two predominant structural patterns, depending on the anti or syn conformation adopted by the substituents of the S3/Se3 bridge, leading to bifurcated or double chalcogen bonding interactions, respectively. In order to analyze these two relevant structural motifs we have used a series of S and Se derivatives Ch3X2 (Ch = S and Se and X = H, F, CN, and CF3) which act as both electron donor (using the lone pairs) and acceptor (using the σ-holes) entities. Besides, we have carried out “atoms in molecules” (AIM) and natural bonding orbital (NBO) analyses to further describe and characterize the chalcogen bonding interactions described herein. As far as we know, chalcogen···chalcogen interactions involving trichalconides (S3/Se3) have not been previously described in literature a may be of great importance in the preparation and characterization of new solids based on this subclass of σ-hole bonding.

초등학생 태권도 수련활동의 재미요인과 신체적 자기효능감 및 정신건강의 관계

The purpose of this study was to identify the relationship among fun factor, physical self-efficacy, and mental health in Taekwondo practice in elementary school. To this end, third to sixth grade elementary school student, who were living A, S, Y, and H cities in southern Gyeon-gi province, were selected. The participants were practicing Taekwondo more than two years at sixteen different Taekwondo studios and having second or third Poom certificate. The sample size used in convenience sampling, insincere materials being excluded, was 320. Validity of the questionnaire was inspected by the experts’ conference, preliminary inspection, and exploratory factor analysis. The reliability of the questionnaire showed =.705~=.920. Statistical methods used in analysis were frequency analysis in order to identify inter-item consistency, exploratory factor analysis, reliability verification, and correlation analysis using SPSS 21.0 program. Moreover, this study conducted confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation analysis using AMOS 20 program in order to verify the research hypothesis. Through these research methods and procedures, the following results were drawn. First, fun factor in Taekwondo practice in elementary school had a positive influence on physical self-efficacy. Second, fun factor in Taekwondo practice in elementary school had a negative influence on mental health. Third, physical self-efficacy from Taekwondo practice in elementary school had a negative influence on mental health.

Suggestions for Developing Integrated Risk Assessment Method for High-Rise Buildings in Korea: Based on Analysis of FEMA’s IRVS

The purpose of this study was to develop the integrated risk assessment system for high-rise buildings reflecting the Korean Building Code and guidelines of Preliminary Disaster Inspection and Consultation Systems based on the analysis of FEMA’s IRVS in US. Through reviewing various hazards’ assessment factors, a classification system and methodology for evaluating risk scores in IRVS, applicable factors, limitation of systems to apply to a Korean future system and improvement to verify the assessment methodology are determined. The results of this study will be used to provide the framework and establish the practical goals for developing a Korean risk assessment system for high-rise buildings.