Specific Sheet Research Articles

Residual Stress Analysis on Thin Metal Sheets Using the Incremental Hole Drilling Method – Fundamentals and Validation

The aim of the present work is to broaden the scope of application of the hole drilling method and to enable reliable residual stress measurements on thin metal sheets. In this context the focus is on characterization of residual stresses on brazed sheet metal constructions. In this specific case coarse grains and low sheet thickness are strong restrictions for standard residual stress measurement methods. However, in the current work it is shown that it is possible to extend the scope of application of the incremental hole drilling method to thin components. For this purpose, calibration coefficient matrices for sheets having thicknesses of 0.7 mm, 1 mm and 1.6 mm have been calculated using finite element analysis. Furthermore, by measuring residual stresses of bent metal sheets, the determined coefficients and measurement procedure feasibility have been validated. Finally, the application of the incremental hole drilling method on an austenitic-ferritic brazed sheet metal construction is demonstrated.

Selective anisotropic etching of GaN over AlGaN for very thin films

Selective etching of gallium nitride (GaN) over aluminum gallium nitride (AlxGa1-xN) with inductively coupled plasma and reactive ion etching (RIE) was examined using only chlorine and oxygen gasses. Etch selectivity was heavily influenced by the amount of oxygen present during etching and was slightly influenced by RIE power. Surface roughness was also influenced heavily by the oxygen flow and RIE power which is important for local and across-wafer uniformity. Etch rates were intentionally minimized for use for highly controlled etching of very thin GaN and Al0.25Ga0.75N epitaxial layers. Maximum tested etch rates for GaN and Al0.25Ga0.75N were 200 and 15 Å/min, respectively, and maximum selectivity between GaN and Al0.25Ga0.75N achieved was at least 68.5 to 1. Above a certain oxygen flow, the etch rate of both GaN and Al0.25Ga0.75N drop so drastically that it was impractical to obtain the etch rate and selectivity in a timely manner. Optimum selectivity was obtained with a low oxygen flow to inhibit Al0.25Ga0.75N etching while steadily etching GaN. Although Al0.25Ga0.75N acts as an etch stop with excellent selectivity, significant over-etching can still cause damage to the underlying layers through ion bombardment. This damage can be predicted through an extrapolation of collected experimental data points for a target a specific epitaxial sheet resistance. This allows sufficient over etch to maximize process margin while minimizing epitaxial damage.

The impact of portfolio on EFL learners' metacognition and writing performance

The present study seeks to investigate the role of portfolios in EFL (English as a Foreign Language) writers’ metacognition as well as their writing skill. Therefore, the participants were assigned to two groups (experimental and control). The students in both groups received a writing test, a researcher-made Metacognitive Writing Questionnaire (MWQ), and a students’ attitude questionnaire for pre- and post-test. The experiment group was provided with specific guidelines and reflection sheets. The results indicated that portfolios significantly contribute to empowering both the metacognition and writing proficiency of EFL learners. As to the learners’ attitudes toward EFL writing assessment, it was generally revealed that portfolio students have a positive view of formative assessment, and teacher/peer feedback. The study suggests that not only can portfolios be used as assessing tools, but also they are indirect means of introducing self-reflection into writing courses.

Informed consent for research mandated image guided biopsies–are patients provided with adequate information?

Background: Increasingly, clinical trials require image guided biopsies carrying inherent risks, which patients are informed about by the study specific Patient Information Sheets (PIS).

Evaluation of Coastal Ecological-Economic Zoning (ZEEC) in Brazil: Methodological Proposal

O Zoneamento Ecológico-Econômico Costeiro (ZEEC) vem sendo elaborado e implementado desde 1988 em diversas escalas de trabalho e em frações do território nacional, com o objetivo de efetivar ações de gestão ambiental e territorial integradas. Os diversos contextos históricos, políticos, econômicos e ambientais em que os mesmos foram criados denotam diferentes graus de efetividade do instrumento. Com a intenção de realizar inédita avaliação quantitativa e qualitativa sobre este instrumento, o Ministério do Meio Ambiente, em parceria com as Universidades Federal de Rio Grande (FURG), Universidade do Vale do Itajaí (UNIVALI) e Universidade de São Paulo (USP), desenvolveu um arcabouço metodológico que buscou aliar a base técnica de informações disponíveis com a percepção de atores sociais preponderantes no processo. Tal método, desenvolvido dada a inexistência de referências metodológicas específicas para este tipo de análise, é aqui apresentado sob a ótica dos resultados obtidos com a avaliação dos ZEE costeiros no país. Foram executadas as seguintes etapas: 1 – Pré-planejamento; 2 – Análise documental, com a construção de um sistema compartilhado de armazenamento de arquivos sistematizados; 3 – Elaboração de um Sistema com 35 Indicadores específicos; 4 – Elaboração e aplicação de entrevistas semiestruturadas em 16 estados costeiros do Brasil; 5 – Aplicação da Escala Lickert aos indicadores; 6 – Análise individualizada dos indicadores por meio de fichas de avaliação específicas; 7 – Workshop de validação realizado com a presença de representantes dos estados costeiros; e 8 – Análise integrada dos indicadores. Os resultados apontam, se não para um cenário favorável, para uma situação de consolidação e de maturidade do instrumento de gestão, embora não de forma homogênea, ao longo da costa brasileira. Tal cenário diagnosticado não indica, necessariamente, uma melhor condição socioambiental em determinado território, efeito certamente desejado em tal contexto. A estratégia metodológica aplicada apresentou-se como satisfatória no que tange à obtenção e à análise do ZEE. Como sugestão para aplicações futuras do método, sugere-se a revisão de determinados indicadores, principalmente no que diz respeito às entrevistas semiestruturadas, as quais por vezes não refletiram a necessidade de alimentação do indicador, bem como a transposição da premência da consecução do mesmo.

Narrowing of band gap at source/drain contact scheme of nanoscale InAs–nMOS

A multi-scale simulation study of Ni/InAs nano-scale contact aimed for the sub-14 nm technology is carried out to understand material and transport properties at a metal-semiconductor interface. The deposited Ni metal contact on an 11 nm thick InAs channel forms an 8.5 nm thick InAs leaving a 2.5 nm thick InAs channel on a p-type doped (1 × 1016 cm−3) AlAs0.47Sb0.53 buffer. The density functional theory (DFT) calculations reveal a band gap narrowing in the InAs at the metal-semiconductor interface. The one-dimensional (1D) self-consistent Poisson-Schrödinger transport simulations using real-space material parameters extracted from the DFT calculations at the metal-semiconductor interface, exhibiting band gap narrowing, give a specific sheet resistance of Rsh = 90.9 Ω/sq which is in a good agreement with an experimental value of 97 Ω/sq.

Can FRAX Tool be Used for Determination of Risk Score for Osteoporosis Fractures in a Financially Constrained Society Like Bangladesh?

Background: This study was designed to assess the effectiveness of use of the fracture risk assessment system (FRAX) as risk assessment tool for osteoporosis risk score scale in Bangladeshi subjects and to assess how the results of the tools correlate with each other.Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted between January 2016 to August 2016. The study population was randomly collected 600 Bangladeshi subjects; who attended outpatient department (OPD) of MARKS Medical College & Hospital, Dhaka, Bangladesh. The age range of the subjects was between 40 to 75 years. The subjects had not done a bone mineral density (BMD) score. None of them were previously diagnosed or got treatment for osteoporosis. A questionnaire was designed to complete the osteoporosis specific risk score sheet. Major osteoporotic and hip fracture incidence to 10-years as a function of the FRAX probability was calculated by using fracture risk assessment system.Results: A total of 600 subjects were included. Among them, 59.2% and 40.8%were male and female respectively. Mean age (Mean ± SD) of the study, subjects were 52.16±7.96 years. Among study subjects, mean BMI was more in females in comparison to males (p<0.05). The FRAX predicted 10-year risk assessment scores of major osteoporotic fractures were significantly more in females than males (p<0.02). Risk assessment scores of both major osteoporotic fractures and hip fractures showed significant association in post-menopausal women when compared with there who were not menopausal (p<0.05). Risk assessment factors for risk scores did differ significantly among male and female subjects and among postmenopausal and non-menopausal women. Among risk assessment factors, subjects having finally history of fracture hip, glucocorticoids, rheumatoid arthritis showed strong association with presence of ≥20% risk scores for major osteoporotic fracture (p<0.05) and ≥ 3% for hip fracture (p<0.05). Subjects having history of previous fracture and secondary osteoporosis showed only significant association with ≥3% risk scores for hip fracture (p<0.05).Conclusion: The public health burden of fractures will fail to compromise unless the subset of patients who are at increased risk for fracture are identified and treated. Ten-year fracture risk assessment with the fracture risk assessment system is increasingly used to guide for treatment decisions. It is an effective tool to predict fracture probability, particularly in developing countries like Bangladesh, where most of the patients cannot afford expensive dual energy x-ray absorptiometry scans.Birdem Med J 2018; 8(1): 9-15

Typification of the name Botrychium lanuginosum (Ophioglossaceae)

The genus Botrychium Swartz (1801: 110) is represented by 50–60 species, distributed worldwide (Zhang et al. 2013). In India, the genus is represented by 8 taxa (Fraser- Jenkins et al. 2017). During revisionary study of the genus Botrychium in India, the authors realized the necessity to lectotypify the name Botrychium lanuginosum Wallich ex Hooker & Greville (1828: t.79) because no specific herbarium sheet is cited as holotype in the protologue and has not been lectotypified earlier (Fraser-Jenkins et al. 2017). Therefore it is lectotypified here to avoid any ambiguity in the application of the name. The guidelines of Art. 9.2 and Recommendations 9A, 9C and 9D of the ICN (McNeill et al. 2012) have been followed while designating the lectotype

Macroprudential policy and bank risk

This paper investigates the effects of macroprudential policies on bank risk through a large panel of banks operating in 61 advanced and emerging market economies. There are three main findings. First, there is evidence suggesting that macroprudential tools have a significant impact on bank risk. Second, the responses to changes in macroprudential tools differ among banks, depending on their specific balance sheet characteristics. In particular, banks that are small, weakly capitalised and with a higher share of wholesale funding react more strongly to changes in macroprudential tools. Third, controlling for bank-specific characteristics, macroprudential policies are more effective in a tightening than in an easing episode.

Informed consent for research mandated image guided biopsies – Are patients provided with adequate information?

Background: Increasingly, clinical trials require image guided biopsies carrying inherent risks, which patients are informed about by the study specific Patient Information Sheets (PIS).

An Anti-Emulation Structure for Internet Despository Using Secured Image Validation Scheme

Abstract Emulation attack is an effort by an individual or a group to steal personal confidential information such as passwords, credit card information etc, New approach called visual secret sharing scheme (VSS) for cloning websites classification to solve the problem of Phishing attack. The novel system is developed with the things that eradicate the drawbacks of the existing system. The main aim of visual secret sharing scheme is to conserves the solitude of image by decay the original image into two shares that as been stocked in independent database servers such that the authentic image can be revealed only when they are equally gathered. The specific sheet of representation does not declare the status of the original visual image which was generated previously. Once the unique visual image is discovered to the user then that picture can be used as a password for detecting phishing. In the proposed system, privacy enabled secure database is built. The security level is much enhanced from its actual level. The authentication process can be secured by using double level security.

TESTING DIFFERENT SURVEY TECHNIQUES TO MODEL ARCHITECTONIC NARROW SPACES

Abstract. In the architectural survey field, there has been the spread of a vast number of automated techniques. However, it is important to underline the gap that exists between the technical specification sheet of a particular instrument and its usability, accuracy and level of automation reachable in real cases scenario, especially speaking about Cultural Heritage (CH) field. In fact, even if the technical specifications (range, accuracy and field of view) are known for each instrument, their functioning and features are influenced by the environment, shape and materials of the object. The results depend more on how techniques are employed than the nominal specifications of the instruments. The aim of this article is to evaluate the real usability, for the 1:50 architectonic restitution scale, of common and not so common survey techniques applied to the complex scenario of dark, intricate and narrow spaces such as service areas, corridors and stairs of Milan’s cathedral indoors. Tests have shown that the quality of the results is strongly affected by side-issues like the impossibility of following the theoretical ideal methodology when survey such spaces. The tested instruments are: the laser scanner Leica C10, the GeoSLAM ZEB1, the DOT DPI 8 and two photogrammetric setups, a full frame camera with a fisheye lens and the NCTech iSTAR, a panoramic camera. Each instrument presents advantages and limits concerning both the sensors themselves and the acquisition phase.

Extended hamiltonian formalism and Lorentz-violating lagrangians

A new perspective on the classical mechanical formulation of particle trajectories in Lorentz-violating theories is presented. Using the extended hamiltonian formalism, a Legendre Transformation between the associated covariant lagrangian and hamiltonian varieties is constructed. This approach enables calculation of trajectories using Hamilton's equations in momentum space and the Euler–Lagrange equations in velocity space away from certain singular points that arise in the theory. Singular points are naturally de-singularized by requiring the trajectories to be smooth functions of both velocity and momentum variables. In addition, it is possible to identify specific sheets of the dispersion relations that correspond to specific solutions for the lagrangian. Examples corresponding to bipartite Finsler functions are computed in detail. A direct connection between the lagrangians and the field-theoretic solutions to the Dirac equation is also established for a special case.

Biological Basis for Amyloidogenesis in Alzheimer's Disease.

Certain cellular proteins normally soluble in the living organism under certain conditions form aggregates with a specific cross-β sheet structure called amyloid. These intra- or extracellular insoluble aggregates (fibers or plaques) are hallmarks of many neurodegenerative pathologies including Alzheimer's disease (AD), Huntington's disease, Parkinson's disease, prion disease, and other progressive neurological diseases that develop in the aging human central nervous system. Amyloid diseases (amyloidoses) are widespread in the elderly human population, a rapidly expanding demographic in many global populations. Increasing age is the most significant risk factor for neurodegenerative diseases associated with amyloid plaques. To date, nearly three dozen different misfolded proteins targeting brain and other organs have been identified in amyloid diseases and AD, the most prevalent neurodegenerative amyloid disease affecting over 15 million people worldwide. Here we (i) highlight the latest data on mechanisms of amyloid formation and further discuss a hypothesis on the amyloid cascade as a primary mechanism of AD pathogenesis and (ii) review the evolutionary aspects of amyloidosis, which allow new insight on human-specific mechanisms of dementia development.

Commercial Photodiode Suitability for Solar Simulator Light Monitoring

The use of commercially available photodiodes for developing diverse solar simulator light monitoring applications is a very convenient approach due to availability, quality, performance and cost effectiveness.Photodiodes as light monitors are meant to be operated in constant current zone, commonly referred to as photoconductive mode. In this operation mode, they offer linear response to impinging light over a few orders of magnitude. However, while presenting desirable characteristics in the manufacturer’s specification sheets, there is a general lack of information regarding current response saturation for higher irradiances as it is the case of placing the photodiode directly under AM0 like conditions leading to possible misuse.This paper will provide a guided approach on how to determine photodiode eligibility for solar simulator light monitoring applications. Needing to be linear around AM0 irradiances, suitability will rely on empirical IV tests at different irradiation conditions of three commercial silicon photodiodes performed in one of Spasolab’s Xe based solar simulators. Further testing data including spectral response will also be provided from a specially manufactured off the production line photodiode from Hamamatsu, which has never been published, proving it to be an excellent option. Test data will serve to give guidelines on suitability for the application focusing on series resistance, having enough reverse bias headroom and containing power consumption to avoid excessive self-heating, yielding an appropriate bias voltage to assure linearity. Finally, a discussion on the photodiode’s upper saturation limit determination will be introduced.

Effect of Intrathecal Methotrexate Injectionon Neurocognitive Functions in Children with Non Hodgkin Lymphoma after Treatment

Introduction and aim of work: Neurocognitive late effects are common sequelae of cancer in children, especially in those who have undergone treatment for brain tumors or in those receiving prophylactic cranial radiation or intrathecal chemotherapy therapy to treat leukemia and non Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). As NHL represents 8–10% of all malignancies in children between 5–19 years of age (Cairo, 2009) and all NHL children receive intrathecal methotrexate as therapy or prophylaxis so we studied effect of intrathecal methotrexate in NHL treated children in their cognitive function and compare it with normal children, also we studied effect of some risk factors (age at disease onset and number of intrathecal injections) on the affected intelligence subscales and lastly a suitable and applicable model to evaluate neurocognitive function was done. Patients and methods: The study included 25 NHL treated children and 10 children as controls, all children are subjected to some specific neurocognitive tests and sheet for assessment of neurocognitive function as complementary study. Result: It showed that total IQ score, verbal and quantitative subscales are significantly affected in NHL patients and verbal subscale is more affected in children who began treatment at younger age

An artificial neural network approach for tool path generation in incremental sheet metal free-forming

This research considers a specific incremental sheet metal free-forming process, which allows for individualized component manufacturing. However, for a reasonable application in practice, an automation of the manual process is mandatory. Unfortunately, up to now, no general tool path generation strategies are available when free-forming processes are to be utilized. On this account, for the investigated driving process, a holistic concept for deriving tool paths for the production of sheet metal parts directly from a digital component model is presented adopting an artificial neural network architecture. Consequently, for the very first time an automated part production is possible in incremental sheet metal free-forming applications. For this, a suitable network input and output structure is designed. Balanced sample data sets are generated for appropriate training. An associated network topology is determined and undergoes a training and testing phase. The influence of different training algorithms, network configurations, as well as training sets have been studied in relation to a feedforward network structure with backpropagation. Finally, the proposed computer integrated manufacturing system is subject to validation and verification by automated sheet part production, which is followed by concluding remarks on the capabilities and limits of the concept.

Picture book support for preparing children ahead of and during day surgery.

Aim To develop and evaluate the use of a specific picture book aiming to prepare children for anaesthesia and surgery. Methods An intervention comparing two different information methods before ear, nose and throat day surgery was performed. The intervention involved using a specific information sheet and a specific picture book. Parents (n=104) of children aged 2-12 years completed open-ended questions that were analysed with qualitative content analysis. They were divided into two groups: one group received routine information and one received routine information and the intervention. Findings The picture sheet and picture book were valuable aids to prepare small children for anaesthesia and surgery by explaining the procedures that would take place. The parents expressed that knowledge of the procedures made them and the child feel secure. Conclusion Peri-operative information through pictures supports children and their parents during day surgery and may be helpful in future healthcare visits.

Oxygen Saturation Readouts Generated by the i-STAT Point-of-Care Analyzer Are More Accurate Than Those Generated by the Masimo Radical-7 Pulse Oximeter During Profound Alkalemia

SESSION TITLE: Miscellaneous Critical Care SESSION TYPE: Original Investigation Poster PRESENTED ON: Wednesday, October 26, 2016 at 01:30 PM - 02:30 PM PURPOSE: The oxygen saturation readouts from a pulse oximeter (Radical-7®; Masimo, Inc., Irvine, CA) and a Point-of-Care analyzer (i-STAT®; Abbott Laboratories, Princeton, NJ) were observed to disagree appreciably on a patient who presented with severe alkalemia. This prompted us to undertake an accuracy analysis of these two instruments. METHODS: We consulted the specification sheet of the Radical-7 to determine the accuracy of that device. Then, we generated an SaO2 figure for paO2 values that were allowed to vary between forty and one hundred torr, in one-torr increments, for this alkalemic data set using a polynomial equation originally described by G. Richard Kelman (Kelman GR. Digital computer subroutine for the conversion of oxygen tension into saturation. J Appl Physiol 1966; 21: 1375-1376). Next, we implemented the on-board algorithm incorporated within the i-STAT for this profoundly alkalemic blood gas data set, reasoning that the device and its’ algorithm would be maximally challenged by ABGs that elicit appreciable shifts in the oxyhemoglobin dissociation curve (OHDC). The OHDC for the Kelman algorithm and the i-STAT algorithm were plotted on the same grid, using Numbers® spreadsheet software (Apple, Inc., Cupertino, CA), providing us with a digital and a diagrammatic comparison of their respective results. Finally, we determined the upper and lower limits of the uncertainty intervals for both the pulse oximeter and the Point-of-Care analyzer and scribed these elements on the single composite image. RESULTS: The Radical-7 specifications indicate that this device can be expected to be within +/- 4% of the actual SaO2, to the 95% level of confidence (+/- two standard deviations). The results generated by the i-STAT were remarkably similar to those generated by Kelman’s methodology, being well within one percent of each other throughout most of the clinically relevant range. The i-STAT’s algorithm operates on the prevailing paO2, which the device determines in real-time, but that paO2 figure is itself subject to error. Consequently, the i-STAT’s uncertainty interval was altered accordingly when that datum was varied by +/- 2 SD. The digital results allow observers to determine the differences in performance of the two instruments precisely for any given paO2, while the presentation of the same data in diagrammatic form confers a global sense of the relative performance of the two devices throughout the clinically relevant range of paO2s. CONCLUSIONS: In this mathematical modeling study, the accuracy of the oxygen saturation readout from the Point-of-Care analyzer was found to compare quite favorably to the accuracy displayed by the pulse oximeter. In addition, the OHDC generated by the i-STAT was strikingly similar to the corresponding curve generated by a methodology that has long been considered “the Gold Standard”. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: The current-day ICU abounds with electronic instruments, some of which display the same parameters. Becaue they base their clinical decisions, at least in part, on the readouts supplied by these devices, it behooves ICU Team members to be aware of which of these instruments tend to be more accurate than others. DISCLOSURE: The following authors have nothing to disclose: Bob Demers, Joshua Cosa, Melvin Welch No Product/Research Disclosure Information

Clinical and genetic characterization of adult‐onset leukoencephalopathy with axonal spheroids and pigmented glia associated with CSF1R mutation

Background and purposeThe clinical characteristics of colony stimulating factor 1 receptor (CSF1R) related adult‐onset leukoencephalopathy with axonal spheroids and pigmented glia (ALSP) have been only partially elucidated.MethodsClinical data from CSF1R mutation carriers who had been seen at our institutions or reported elsewhere were collected and analysed using a specific investigation sheet to standardize the data.ResultsIn all, 122 cases from 90 families with CSF1R mutations were identified. The mean age of onset was 43 years (range 18–78 years), the mean age at death was 53 years (range 23–84 years) and the mean disease duration was 6.8 years (range 1–29 years). Women had a significantly younger age of onset than men (40 vs. 47 years, P = 0.0006, 95% confidence interval 3.158–11.177). There was an age‐dependent penetrance that was significantly different between the sexes (P = 0.0013). Motor dysfunctions were the most frequent initial symptom in women whose diseases began in their 20s. Thinning of the corpus callosum, abnormal signalling in pyramidal tracts, diffusion‐restricted lesions and calcifications in the white matter were characteristic imaging findings of ALSP. The calcifications were more frequently reported in our case series than in the literature (54% vs. 3%). Seventy‐nine per cent of the mutations were located in the distal part of the tyrosine kinase domain of CSF1R (102 cases). There were no apparent phenotype−genotype correlations.ConclusionsThe characteristics of ALSP were clarified. The phenotype of ALSP caused by CSF1R mutations is affected by sex.