Small Gap Size Research Articles

Finite element modelling of T-shaped RC beams with locally reduced cross sections

A novel seismic retrofit technique, known as the section reduction (SR) technique, was proposed for reinforced concrete (RC) frames to realize the strong column and weak beam hierarchy. The SR technique involves the removing a portion of concrete at the bottom zone of the beam near the joint, along with shear strengthening of the weakened area using fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP). Preliminary experimental studies on RC beams with locally reduced cross sections (i.e., a gap) have demonstrated that the inclusion of a gap can effectively weaken the negative bending capacity of a T-shaped RC beam. However, there was no finite element (FE) approach for predicting the behaviour of such RC beams. Therefore, this paper aims at establishing a reliable FE approach for T-shaped RC beams with a gap. A total of five gap sizes were examined, including three small gap sizes and two large gap sizes. The applied FRP-strengthening system consisted of the CFRP U-jackets below and on both sides of the gap. In the proposed FE approach, two concrete cracking models available in ABAQUS/Explicit, including the concrete damaged plasticity (CDP) model and the brittle cracking (BC) model, were examined. Moreover, two tensile damage models were considered. The FE results showed that the CDP model with a power law tensile damage model is suitable for specimens that failed in a flexural mode, while the BC model with secant modulus of concrete adopted is suitable for specimens failing in a shear mode. The FE results also verified that increasing the gap height reduces the negative bending capacity of the beam more effectively than increasing the gap length, and the application of the FRP-strengthening system can enhance the ductility of the weakened beam. The proposed FE approach can be used for the subsequent proposal of strength model and design method of such beams.

Simulating 2D Fluid Motion with the Smooth Particle Hydrodynamic Approach

Abstract Virtual two-dimensional (2D) fluid simulation is useful for directly simulating fluids in various situations, including geological simulations for landslides and fluid simulations for teaching. This research aims to simulate the behaviour of three different types of fluids (water, coconut oil, and glycerine) in a 2D container and analyse how these three types of fluids behave under various conditions, including interactions with boundaries. The research used Python programming to simulate fluids and the Wondershare Filmora X application to combine images. The Smooth Particle Hydrodynamics method simulated fluid in a 2D container with 10,000 particles by deriving the force density field directly from the Navier-Stokes equations. The Navier-Stokes equations were utilized to find the acceleration and velocity of fluid particles by considering external forces, internal forces, and gravity through this method. Acceleration and velocity were validated due to wall collisions, collisions with boundaries, and collisions between particles, which caused changes in particle position and velocity. During visualization, the fluid velocity decreased over time due to attenuation caused by interactions between neighbour particles, particles with boundaries, and particles with walls. From the simulation, it was observed that the fluid flowed from a higher place to a lower place, with fluid particles taking the shape of the container and the surface of the fluid forming waves. On the other hand, simulations with boundaries indicated that smaller gap sizes and higher viscosities led to increased difficulty in fluid penetration into the gap within the container.

Velopharyngeal Gap Size During Sustained Vowel Production Correlates With Perceptual Ratings of Hypernasality in Connected Speech.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between perceptual ratings of hypernasality made during connected speech and velopharyngeal (VP) gap size measured in millimeters in the sagittal plane during sustained vowel production using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). A retrospective cross-sectional analysis was completed. A subgroup of 110 participants from another study with an Mage of 10.1 years presenting for management of VP insufficiency was included. Perceptual ratings of hypernasality during connected speech and measurement of gap size during sustained /i/ production on MRI were performed by raters blinded to the participants' medical and surgical history. There was a moderate-to-strong, positive correlation (r = .61; p < .001) between hypernasality ratings and VP gap size measured on MRI using sustained /i/. The odds of a higher hypernasality rating increased as the gap size increased (odds ratio = 1.34; 95% CI [1.20, 1.49]; p < .001). The predicted probability for hypernasality ratings of none/minimal/mild steadily decreased as the gap size increased indicating that lower ratings of hypernasality were associated with smaller gap sizes. For the rating of "moderate" hypernasality, the predicted probability of the rating steadily increased up to 8 mm and then decreased as the gap size continued to increase. The predicted probability for a hypernasality rating of "severe" consistently increased as the gap size increased. Hypernasality ratings made at the connected speech level were significantly associated with VP gap size as measured during sustained vowel production. These findings suggest sustained vowel production elicited on MRI may adequately characterize VP gap size in the evaluation of VP insufficiency.

Improving the crashworthiness of bi-tubular architectures with ABS cores under axial loading: Experimental and numerical investigation

In this study, quasi-static axial compression tests were conducted on mild steel bi-tubular architectures with rectangular nested tube (RNT) and square nested tube (SNT) geometries to evaluate their crushing and crashworthiness performance. A multi-criteria decision-making approach was employed to identify the optimal energy-absorbing architecture. The SNT structure, with the smallest gap size between the inner and outer tubes, exhibited the most desirable energy absorption characteristics among the considered cases. Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) cores, with either rhombic or square cell configurations, were used to enhance the energy absorption performance of the SNT structure. A finite element model was created to evaluate the responses of the SNT structure filled with ABS cores. The validity of finite element simulations of the ABS cores and optimal architecture under axial compression were confirmed by comparing them with experimental results. The integration of the cores into the nested architecture enhanced crashworthiness performance and contributed to the control of the structure deformation. The SNT structure filled with rhombic ABS core exhibited superior crashworthiness performance compared to the counterpart filled with square core. The energy absorption of nested SNT structures filled with rhombic ABS core can be 116.93% greater than the corresponding non-filled structure. The crashworthiness indices of ABS-filled structures were highly sensitive to the number of cells and wall thickness of the core. A nested architecture with an ABS core could serve as a novel architecture for energy-absorbing devices.

Extreme near-field heat transfer between silica surfaces

Despite recent experiments exhibiting an impressive enhancement in radiative heat flux between parallel planar silica surfaces with gap sizes of about 10 nm, the exploration of sub-nanometric gap distances remains unexplored. In this work, by employing non-equilibrium molecular dynamics (NEMD) simulations, we study the heat transfer between two SiO2 plates in both their amorphous and crystalline forms. When the gap size is 2 nm, we find that the heat transfer coefficient experiences a substantial ∼30-fold increase compared to the experimental value at the gap size of 10 nm confirming the dependence on the distance inversely quadratic as predicted by the fluctuational electrodynamics (FE) theory. Comparative analysis between NEMD and FE reveals a generally good agreement, particularly for amorphous silica. Spectral heat transfer analysis demonstrates the profound influence of gap size on heat transfer, with peaks corresponding to the resonances of dielectric function. Deviations from the fluctuational electrodynamics theory at smaller gap sizes are interpreted in the context of acoustic phonon tunneling and the effects of a gradient of permittivity close to the surfaces.

Numerical study of porous tip treatment in suppressing tip clearance vortices in cavitating flow

Tip clearance cavitation (TCC) is a type of vortex cavitation. It widely exists in axial flow hydraulic machinery and has significant negative influence on the mechanical service life and the operating stability. It is necessary to suppress the tip clearance vortices (TCV) to control the TCC in engineering applications. Based on the analysis of the advantages and disadvantages of the present various suppression strategies, a new coupling method is proposed in this study by combining the damping approach and the diversion approach. Porous medium material is used to realize the coupling effect. A 2 mm span length porous tip is installed on the solid tip surface of a hydrofoil under two gap sizes conditions (representing two types of gap flow pattern), and excellent suppression results of the TCV and TCC are obtained. The characteristics and mechanism of the clearance flow are analyzed by numerical simulation. The numerical accuracy is verified by experimental qualitative observations. The simulation results show that the temporal and spatial stability of the clearance flow field is enhanced, and the leakage velocity and the TCV strength are weakened via the combined action of damping and diversion effects. There is a difference in the damping mechanism between the two gap flow patterns. It is a comprehensive result of viscous dissipation and momentum loss in the jet pattern represented by the small gap size, and primarily, the result of momentum loss in the rolling pattern represented by the large gap size.

Bridging the gap between annular and can-annular acoustic spectra.

In the literature on thermoacoustic instabilities in combustors, a distinction is typically made between annular and can-annular systems because these are the most common gas turbine architectures. In reality, however, annular combustors typically feature discretely symmetric elements, such as burner tubes, and can-annular combustors feature an azimuthally symmetric plenum at the turbine inlet. To better understand the general case in between the annular and can-annular extremes, we analyze the acoustic spectrum of an idealized can-annular combustion chamber with variable geometry, where the length of the axial gap distance beyond the ends of the cans-hence, the coupling strength-may be adjusted. For small gap sizes, the geometry approaches a set of isolated combustor cans, whereas for large gap sizes, it approaches that of pure annular systems. We present two theoretical models based on Bloch wave theory and validate them against finite-element simulations of the Helmholtz equation. We demonstrate that the azimuthal modes transform into the eigenmodes of an annular chamber as the gap is fully opened, and we show that below a certain frequency, all the modes in between the can-annular and annular limits can be classified by their axial and azimuthal mode orders.

Sensitivity and reliability assessment of buckling restrained braces using machine learning assisted-simulation

Buckling Restrained Braces (BRBs) play an essential role in seismic protection due to their remarkable energy dissipation capacity, ductility, and stiffness. This paper represents the first thorough evaluation of the reliability and uncertainty of BRBs, accounting for various sources of uncertainty and varied conditions, such as different gap sizes, friction coefficients between the encasing and the steel core, and other geometric and mechanical properties of the connecting parts. This paper introduces an innovative application of an integrated probabilistic approach that combined Finite Element (FE) modeling, Artificial Neural Networks (ANN), and Monte Carlo simulation to characterize the seismic behavior of BRBs. Experimental results from literature is used to validate the FE model constructed using ABAQUS. This validated model is then integrated into a Low-rank Tensor Approximation process to yield variance-based sensitivity measures for the considered variables. The most influential variables identified in this process along with the calibrated FE model is utilized to conduct a reliability assessment through an ANN-assisted Monte Carlo simulation. This analysis is conducted to quantify the reliability level of the investigated BRBs as a function of the gap size and establish the resistance factors necessary to maintain the reliability level above prescribed thresholds. It was found that the highest reliability can be achieved at a small gap size equal to half the radius of gyration of the main steel core, requiring a resistance factor of 0.9. For gap sizes higher than this value, a resistance factor ranging between 0.70 and 0.85 is needed.

Universal evaluation of MLC models in treatment planning systems based on a common set of dynamic tests

PurposeTo demonstrate the feasibility of characterising MLCs and MLC models implemented in TPSs using a common set of dynamic beams. Materials and methodsA set of tests containing synchronous (SG) and asynchronous sweeping gaps (aSG) was distributed among twenty-five participating centres. Doses were measured with a Farmer-type ion chamber and computed in TPSs, which provided a dosimetric characterisation of the leaf tip, tongue-and-groove, and MLC transmission of each MLC, as well as an assessment of the MLC model in each TPS. Five MLC types and four TPSs were evaluated, covering the most frequent combinations used in radiotherapy departments. ResultsMeasured differences within each MLC type were minimal, while large differences were found between MLC models implemented in clinical TPSs. This resulted in some concerning discrepancies, especially for the HD120 and Agility MLCs, for which differences between measured and calculated doses for some MLC-TPS combinations exceeded 10%. These large differences were particularly evident for small gap sizes (5 and 10 mm), as well as for larger gaps in the presence of tongue-and-groove effects. A much better agreement was found for the Millennium120 and Halcyon MLCs, differences being within ± 5% and ± 2.5%, respectively. ConclusionsThe feasibility of using a common set of tests to assess MLC models in TPSs was demonstrated. Measurements within MLC types were very similar, but TPS dose calculations showed large variations. Standardisation of the MLC configuration in TPSs is necessary. The proposed procedure can be readily applied in radiotherapy departments and can be a valuable tool in IMRT and credentialing audits.

Group selection cutting for regenerating Mediterranean Pinus pinaster plantations: Gap effects on seedling survival

Diversification of forests, both in terms of structure and species, has been identified as one of the main strategies for adapting forests to climate change. Among the different options available for managers to promote diversification, regeneration cuttings are a suitable option to meet these objectives in adult stands close to rotation ages. The regeneration of maritime pine (Pinus pinaster Ait.) stands is a major issue throughout its distribution area, with summer survival being the main bottleneck for seedling establishment and development. Group selection cutting system may be the best option to promote uneven-aged and mixed structures in shade intolerant species, such as maritime pine. Gaps generate different regeneration niches for species of contrasting shade tolerance while creating uneven-aged stands, which are potentially more resilient to the impacts of climate change.In our experiment, gaps of two different sizes (1.5 and 2.5 times the dominant height of the stand, both sizes being smaller than those proposed in literature) were opened up to test the effects on natural regeneration success in a planted 53-year-old maritime pine stand in Central Spain. There were nine gaps of each size, along with nine control plots, containing 1-m radius subplots distributed within them to record natural regeneration of maritime pine and other species, in addition to several ecological factors and seedling characteristics. A survival model was fitted to highlight the main factors driving seedling survival. Gaps were found to have a significant positive effect on seedling survival, as well as mid-shade positions within the gaps and the age of the seedlings. Summer was found to have a negative effect on seedling survival. No effect of inter-species competition (scrub or herbs), litter coverage or geomorphological characteristics (slope, aspect or altitude) was found. Our results indicate, therefore, that group selection system cuttings, even with small gap sizes (1.5 and 2.5 times the dominant height), would provide a suitable method for the regeneration of Mediterranean maritime pine plantations.

Highly Tunable Cascaded Metasurfaces for Continuous Two-Dimensional Beam Steering.

Cascaded metasurfaces can exhibit powerful dynamic light manipulation by mechanically tuning the far-field interactions in the layers. However, in most current designs, the metasurfaces are separated by gaps smaller than a wavelength to form a total phase profile, representing the direct accumulation of the phase profiles of each layer. Such small gap sizes may not only conflict with the far-field conditions but also pose great difficulties for practical implementations. To overcome this limitation, a design paradigm taking advantage of a ray-tracing scheme that allows the cascaded metasurfaces to operate optimally at easily achievable gap sizes is proposed. Enabled by the relative lateral translation of two cascaded metasurfaces, a continuous two-dimensional (2D) beam-steering device for 1064nm light is designed as a proof of concept. Simulation results demonstrate tuning ranges of ±45° for biaxial deflection angles within ±3.5mm biaxial translations, while keeping the divergence of deflected light less than 0.007°. The experimental results agree well with theoretical predictions, and a uniform optical efficiency is observed. The generializeddesign paradigm can pave a way towards myriad tunable cascaded metasurface devices for various applications, including but not limited to light detection and ranging (LiDAR) and free space optical communication.

Geometry-mediated bridging drives nonadhesive stripe wound healing

Wound healing through reepithelialization of gaps is of profound importance to the medical community. One critical mechanism identified by researchers for closing non-cell-adhesive gaps is the accumulation of actin cables around concave edges and the resulting purse-string constriction. However, the studies to date have not separated the gap-edge curvature effect from the gap size effect. Here, we fabricate micropatterned hydrogel substrates with long, straight, and wavy non-cell-adhesive stripes of different gap widths to investigate the stripe edge curvature and stripe width effects on the reepithelialization of Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cells. Our results show that MDCK cell reepithelization is closely regulated by the gap geometry and may occur through different pathways. In addition to purse-string contraction, we identify gap bridging either via cell protrusion or by lamellipodium extension as critical cellular and molecular mechanisms for wavy gap closure. Cell migration in the direction perpendicular to wound front, sufficiently small gap size to allow bridging, and sufficiently high negative curvature at cell bridges for actin cable constriction are necessary/sufficient conditions for gap closure. Our experiments demonstrate that straight stripes rarely induce cell migration perpendicular to wound front, but wavy stripes do; cell protrusion and lamellipodia extension can help establish bridges over gaps of about five times the cell size, but not significantly beyond. Such discoveries deepen our understanding of mechanobiology of cell responses to curvature and help guide development of biophysical strategies for tissue repair, plastic surgery, and better wound management.

Surface structure and multigap superconductivity of V3Si (111) revealed by scanning tunneling microscopy

V3Si, a classical silicide superconductor with relatively high T_{mathrm{C}} (∼16 K), is promising for constructing silicon-based superconducting devices and hetero-structures. However, real space characterization on its surfaces and superconducting properties are still limited. Here we report the first low-temperature scanning tunnelling microscopy (STM) study on cleaned V3Si (111) single crystal surface. We observed a sqrt{3} times sqrt{3} superstructure which displays mirror symmetry between adjacent terraces, indicating the surface is V-terminated and reconstructed. The tunneling spectrum shows full superconducting gap with double pairs of coherence peaks, but has a relatively small gap size with comparing to bulk T_{mathrm{C}}. Impurity induced in-gap state is absent on surface defects but present on introduced magnetic adatoms. Upon applying magnetic field, a hexagonal vortex lattice is visualized. Interestingly, the vortex size is found to be field dependent, and the coherence length measured from single vortex at low field is significantly larger than estimated value from bulk H_{c2}. These results reflect V3Si is a multi-band, s-wave superconductor.

Experimental study of topology optimized, additively manufactured microchannel heat sinks designed using a homogenization approach

Topology optimization generates complex geometry heat sink designs having intricate features well-suited for fabrication by additive manufacturing. In particular, a homogenization approach to topology optimization creates microchannel heat sink designs wherein the material porosity distribution corresponds to microstructures of varying dimensions, thereby eliminating the need to penalize the porosities to achieve binarized solid/liquid designs. This approach is inherently able to take into consideration the capabilities and limitations of available additive manufacturing processes as the types of microstructures can be user-defined. The current study is the first to fabricate and experimentally test microchannel heat sink designs that are topology optimized using the homogenization approach. To this end, a multi-objective optimization is performed to generate a series of Pareto optimal designs that minimize pressure drop and thermal resistance. The effect of the grid resolution is investigated. The resulting topology optimized designs are found to have different geometries and performances with different grid cell sizes because this impacts the physical dimensions of the microstructures. A series of pin fin arrays with different grid cell sizes and fin thicknesses are fabricated using Direct Metal Laser Sintering of AlSi10Mg. The additively manufactured surfaces have high roughness which creates connections between pin fins with small gap sizes and creates tortuous flow paths. The smallest pin fin that consistently survived the fabrication process is ∼0.25 mm thick and hence series of topology optimized microchannel heat sinks with a 0.5 mm grid cell size are additively manufactured. The pressure drop and thermal resistance of the fabricated heat sinks are experimentally characterized, and the measured results lie on the Pareto optimality curve predicted by the topology optimization algorithm. This work demonstrates that the homogenization approach to topology optimization generates high-performance microchannel heat sink designs that can be achieved using available additive manufacturing processes.

Comparative Assessment of Regeneration, Structure and Species Diversity of Woody Vegetation in Disturbed and Undisturbed Sites of a Secondary Montane Forest, Kenya

Secondary montane forest is created by either natural or artificial disturbances resulting in open canopies. It is an important resource in relation to economic and ecological values, however, it faces over-exploitation. The objective of this study was to compare regeneration, forest structure and species diversity of woody vegetation between disturbed and undisturbed sites of the South-Western (SW) Mau forest reserve in Kenya. A nested research sampling design was used, whereby, plots of 500 by 500 m were demarcated in Itare, Maramara and Ndoinet blocks. In disturbed sites, canopy openings were randomly selected to constitute the sample units. In undisturbed sites, sample plots of 30 by 20 m were randomly nested. Regeneration, forest structure and species diversity were then determined per sample unit. Wilcoxon rank sum test with continuity correction was then used to compare the three parameters in disturbed and undisturbed sites of the forest. A total of 41 gaps were selected (7 large, 11 medium and 23 small gap sizes) in disturbed sites while a total of 19 sub-plots (Itare 5, Maramara 6 and Ndoinet 8 times) were laid in undisturbed sites. There was a significant difference in forest structure between disturbed and undisturbed sites of the forest (P = 0.01, P value adjustment method: BH). The forest was invaded by Piper capensis, Ribes spp. and ferns in disturbed sites which affected the three woody vegetation population parameters. Therefore, enrichment planting was recommended in disturbed sites to conserve biodiversity within the forest.

Velopharyngeal Insufficiency in 22q11.2 Deletion Syndrome Patients: An Assessment of Nasal Endoscopy and Speech Evaluation Findings

Objective: The goal of this study was to assess the correlation between nasal endoscopy and speech evaluation findings in a population of 22q11.2DS patients undergoing operative intervention for correction of VPI at a quaternary care pediatric hospital. We hypothesized using a modified grading scale, certain nasal endoscopy findings such as larger pre-operative velopharyngeal gap size would correlate with perceptual speech assessment findings such as decreased intelligibility, increased hypernasality, and increased nasal emission. Subjects and Methods: A retrospective chart review was conducted, reviewing fifty-two pediatric patients with 22q11.2DS who presented to the VPI clinic and were candidates for surgery at an urban, quaternary care children’s hospital between 2010 and 2019. The following information was collected: demographic information, presenting symptoms of 22q11DS, speech therapy evaluation data, VPI surgical data, and complications. Thirty-two patients had complete preoperative records and thus were ultimately included in the review. Results: Twelve patients (37.5%) had a small gap size, 13 patients (40.6%) had a moderate gap size, and 5 patients (15.6%) had a large gap size. There was no statistically significant correlation between intelligibility and right lateral wall movement (rho: 0.315, p-value: 0.218), left lateral wall movement (rho: 0.175, p-value: 0.502), or AP movement (rho: 0.172, p-value: 0.525). Velum length was negatively correlated with intelligibility (rho:-0.486, p-value:0.048). Conclusion: Our data emphasizes the importance of a multidisciplinary team when evaluating complex 22q11.2DS patients. Our unique scale provides an objective measure of nasal endoscopy by consistently documenting the findings of AP movement, gap shape, gap size, as well as other details such as velar notch and presence of Passavant’s ridge.

Multiple canopy opening effects on recruited saplings in a typhoon‐disturbed tropical rainforest, Taiwan

AbstractTo investigate the influence of multiple canopy openings on the composition and diversity of recruited saplings in a forest frequently disturbed by typhoons. We conducted tree‐by‐tree censuses (diameter at breast height ≥ 1 cm) and mapped gaps (canopy height &lt; 5 m) in 1993, 2000, 2008, and 2013 in a tropical mountain zonal foothill evergreen broad‐leaved forest in Nanjenshan Nature Reserve, Taiwan. We analyzed the composition and diversity of recruited saplings within a 2.1 ha plot (840 sampling quadrats (5 m × 5 m)) with variable numbers of canopy openings recorded during the study period. Composition of recruited saplings was dissimilar between quadrats that stayed opened and those that stayed closed throughout the study period (pairwise similarity estimates C02 = 0.52, 95% CI = 0.38–0.66). The quadrats under closed canopy had high diversity when weighting rare species (species richness), whereas quadrats with one or two gap opening records during the past 20 years had high diversity when weighting the abundance of species. Although canopy openings provided establishment conditions for saplings of some shade‐intolerant species, due to the nature of small gap size, such habitats do not favor the dominance of shade‐intolerant species. Even in a frequently disturbed forest, species composition and richness of recruited saplings were mainly contributed by shade‐tolerant species. Although multiple canopy openings facilitated the establishment of shade‐intolerant species, species diversity in the study forests is possibly mainly mediated by coexistence mechanisms of those shade‐tolerant species rather than light‐gap‐related species strategies.

The interplay between nucleation and patterning during shear-induced crystallization from solution in a parallel plate geometry.

Cooling crystallization of small organic molecules from solution is an important operation for the separation and purification of drug products. In this research, shear-induced nucleation from a supersaturated solution is studied in a parallel plate geometry. Under conditions of shear and small gap sizes, narrow mesoscale circular bands of small crystals appeared spontaneously and reproducibly on the plate's surface. We have investigated the connection between nucleation and the emergence of these circular patterns. Our results show that nucleation occurs preferably in zones with high local shear rate (located at the outer edges of the plates), compared to zones with low local shear rate (at the center of the plates). The time before nucleation occurs decreases significantly for increasing mean shear rate and time. The circular crystalline patterns appear at the plate's surface, where heterogeneous nucleation first occurs. Multiple hypotheses are explored to understand the pattern formation in crystallization. Since no satisfactory explanation is found, a new mechanism is proposed. This hypothesis involves crystals initially forming on the surface of the plates and undergoing stick-slip motion, which influences the local nucleation kinetics. This results in an interplay between (secondary) nucleation and stick-slip motion at the start of the crystallization process. By modifying the surface of the plates, their ability to act as a heterogeneous nucleation site can be altered, allowing control over the formation of patterns.

Influence of Gap Size on Regeneration, Structure and Species Diversity of Woody Vegetation in a Secondary Montane Forest Reserve, Kenya

South-Western (SW) Mau forest reserve has been experiencing anthropogenic and natural disturbances creating canopy openings in the forest. The objective of this study was to determine how these canopy openings influence regeneration, forest structure and species diversity. The study employed nested sampling design in disturbed sites of the forest reserve. Plots of 500 by 500 m were laid once at 100 m inwards from the forest edge in the three blocks of SW Mau; Ndoinet, Maramara and Itare. Gaps were randomly identified in the plots and gap area calculated using Ellipse Method (EM). Gap sizes were categorized based on area (m2). Woody species surrounding the gaps were identified and names inventoried. To determine regeneration, two quadrats of 5 by 5 m and 1 by 1 m were randomly delineated in every gap size four times and eight times for saplings (1-3 m high) and seedlings (&lt;1 m high), respectively. Tree heights surrounding the gaps were measured using suunto clinometer. Diameter at breast height (dbh) was measured using diameter caliper (65 cm for small trees) and diameter tape for large trees (dbh&gt; 65 cm). A total of 41 gaps were identified with small gap sizes dominating (23). Kruskal-Wallis rank sum test indicated non-significant differences in regeneration, forest structure and species diversity in the three gap sizes.&#x0D; This was attributed to Piper capensis which invaded medium and large gap sizes creating a closed canopy. It was, therefore, concluded that canopy cover from the invasive species influenced woody vegetation parameters in the gap sizes. It is, therefore, recommended to clear the dense ground cover to allow better natural regeneration and also enrichment planting in the gaps.

Mass production of superhydrophilic micropatterned copper surfaces using powder injection molding process

Hydrophilic micropatterned copper surfaces are manufactured using a powder injection molding (PIM) process. Copper powder and a wax-polymer-based binder system are utilized to prepare a feedstock. The rheological properties of the feedstock are evaluated to design the PIM process. Polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) sacrificial mold inserts fabricated by photolithography are used to shape the micropatterns. Both PIM and photolithography processes are suitable for high-volume products; therefore, the micropatterned surfaces can be mass-produced. The wettability of the manufactured surfaces is investigated by measuring the apparent contact angle. The apparent contact angle tends to decrease as the absolute value of the difference in effective surface free energy between the wet and dry states increases. When the absolute value of the difference is equal to or exceeds 150 mJ/m 2 , the surface is fully wetted immediately and exhibits superhydrophilicity. Both high aspect ratio and small gap size are key to achieving superhydrophilicity of the micropatterned surface. • Superhydrophilic micropatterned copper surface is manufactured without any defects. • Rheological analysis of the copper feedstock indicates that it is suitable for PIM. • PMMA sacrificial mold inserts fabricated using photolithography shape micropatterns. • The combined process is suitable for mass production of superhydrophilic surfaces. • Wettability of the micropatterned surface is linked to the dimensions of the pattern.