bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Avaliação da salinidade de neossolo usando-se dispositivo de indução eletromagnética
Authors: Montenegro Abelardo A. A. , C. Netto Manoel L. , Montenegro Suzana M. G. , Silva Ênio F. F. , Fontes Júnior Robertson V. P.
Published: June 2010

A concentração de sais nos solos e nas águas disponíveis em áreas irrigadas no semiárido pode comprometer a produção agrícola. Neste trabalho, desenvolvido em um vale aluvial, a salinidade do solo foi estimada a partir de leituras com o aparelho de indução eletromagnética EM38, considerando-se a condutividade elétrica aparente do solo (EM). Além de disposto na superfície do solo, o equipamento foi posicionado a diferentes alturas acima da superfície, de modo a incluir distintas escalas verticais na estimativa da condutividade elétrica real do solo (CEr). Modelos de regressão linear múltipla foram desenvolvidos para as condições locais e os resultados analisados através da estatística clássica e de metodologia geoestatística. As estimativas de CEr se ajustaram a uma distribuição log-Normal e apresentaram dependência espacial em escala de lote, nas camadas 0-30; 30-60 e 60-90 cm.Verificou-se que o EM38 é uma ferramenta adequada para estimativa da salinidade do solo quando submetido a calibrações locais, em escala de lote, e de vale, mesmo em áreas com heterogeneidades verticais relevantes. Obtiveram-se coeficientes de determinação superiores a 90% para os modelos de regressão linear múltipla.
Eugène Bourdon y la evolución del manómetro
Authors: Reif-Acherman Simón , Machuca-Martinez Fiderman
Published: June 2010

Eugène Bourdon es el casi desconocido inventor de uno de los instrumentos más conocidos por ingenieros en todo el mundo. El manómetro, o tubo de Bourdon, ha sido el equipo más utilizado para la medición de presión a escalas de laboratorio e industrial desde su introducción a mediados del siglo XIX. Su aparición en el mercado europeo, y casi inmediatamente después en el americano, se constituyó en el punto de partida para el paulatino pero firme reemplazo del por ese entonces muy común manómetro de mercurio por un elemento que respondía a la aplicación de un principio físico diferente. Su invención, para nada ajena a las usuales polémicas de prioridad de la época surgidas alrededor de importantes eventos científicos y tecnológicos, permitió subsecuentemente desarrollos en áreas relacionadas de instrumentación y control de procesos.
Knowledge and Cultural Beliefs about the Etiology and Management of Orofacial Clefts in Nigeria's Major Ethnic Groups
Authors: Oginni Fadekemi O. , Asuku Malachy E. , Oladele Ayodeji O. , Obuekwe Ozoemene N. , Nnabuko Richard E.
Published: June 2010

Objective

To determine the knowledge and cultural beliefs about the etiology and management of orofacial clefts in Nigeria's major ethnic groups.

Design

Questionnaires designed to elicit respondents’ knowledge and cultural beliefs about the etiology and management of orofacial clefts.

Setting

Northern and southern Nigerian communities where the major ethnic groups reside.

Participants

Consenting, randomly selected individuals.

Results

There were 650 respondents (350 women and 300 men) from 34 of Nigeria's 36 states; 65.5% were aged 21 to 40 years and 52.5% were married. There were Yoruba (33.7%), Igbo/Bini/Urhobo (40.5%), and Hausa/Fulani (25.8%), with most having attained primary and secondary education. Of those responding, 75% had seen an individual with an orofacial cleft. A significant level of ignorance about the cultural beliefs was found. The Hausa/Fulani considered it mostly an act of God; whereas, the Igbo/Bini/Urhobo and Yoruba groups displayed a greater variety of cultural beliefs. The latter groups implicated witchcraft, evil spirit or devil, the mother, and occasionally the child. Of respondents, 40% knew that surgery was a possible solution, and 22% would recommend a visit to the hospital. Respondents with higher educational attainment produced significantly more scientifically related etiologic factors and accurate treatment options.

Conclusion

Of respondents, 75% were aware of the existence of orofacial clefts, and a fair knowledge of treatment of orofacial clefts was elicited. Diverse cultural beliefs often may present an obstacle to treatment. Improved awareness about the etiology and management of orofacial clefts is required.
Pediatric Rhabdomyosarcoma in an Oronasal Fistula in a Repaired Cleft Palate: A Case Report
Authors: Nelson Jeffrey , Tatum Sherard
Published: June 2010

Rhabdomyosarcoma is a rare soft tissue tumor that was found incidentally in a repaired cleft palate oronasal fistula of a 3-year-old boy. This situation has yet to be reported in the literature. During this fistula repair, a small piece of tissue was sent for routine pathology, which showed embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma. A literature review as well as diagnostic and treatment algorithms are discussed concerning management of this rare malignancy. Also, routine pathology should be reviewed carefully because unsuspected tissues may have pathologic findings that dramatically affect patient diagnosis and management.
Prenatal Diagnosis of Severe Epignathus in a Twin: Case Report and Review of the Literature
Authors: Tonni Gabriele , Centini Giovanni , Inaudi Pieraldo , Rosignoli Lucia , Ginanneschi Chiara , De Felice Claudio
Published: June 2010

A prenatal ultrasound diagnosis of epignathus in a dichorionic-diamniotic twin pregnancy is reported. A complex mass protruding from the fetal face was seen at week 19. Amniocentesis resulted in a 46,XX fetus with elevated alpha-fetoprotein (α-FP). An increase in tumor size and severe polyhydramnios ensued. Selective feticide performed at 22 weeks led to untreatable uterine contractions with iatrogenic abortion and early neonatal mortality of the healthy cotwin. Without development of polyhydramnios and tumor growth, weekly scan and transvaginal cervical assessment would have been carried out and cesarean section planned at around 32 weeks. Necroscopy and histology aided the ultrasound-based prenatal diagnosis.
The Outcome for Secondary Alveolar Bone Grafting in the South West UK Region Post-CSAG
Authors: Felstead Andrew M. , Deacon Scott , Orth M. , Revington Peter J.
Published: June 2010

Objective

In 1998 the delivery of cleft care in the United Kingdom was examined by the Clinical Standards Advisory Group, the outcomes of which led to the wide restructuring of cleft services in the United Kingdom. We present a retrospective study evaluating the radiographic outcome of 53 consecutively performed alveolar bone grafts following the regional centralization of secondary alveolar bone grafting to the South West Cleft Centre between 2004 and 2006.

Methods

A retrospective audit of one surgeon's outcome of 53 consecutively performed alveolar bone grafts, assessed radiographically using the Kindelan method.

Results

That 94% of bone-grafted sites achieved a successful radiographic outcome compares favorably with the previously published Clinical Standards Advisory Group data of 58% with Bergland scores.

Conclusion

The radiographic outcome for alveolar bone grafting has improved with centralization. A small number of patients are being grafted after the ideal chronological age, and this needs to be addressed throughout the region. The Kindelan assessment provides a reliable method of early assessment for alveolar bone grafting.
Simple and sensitive spectrophotometric assay of ofloxacin in pharmaceuticals based on ion-pair reaction
Authors: Ramesh P.J. , Basavaiah K. , Devi Zenita , Vinay K.B.
Published: June 2010

Two simple, sensitive, economical and extraction-free spectrophotometric methods have been developed for the determination of ofloxacin (OFX) in pure form and in tablets. The methods are based on the interaction of OFX with two sulphonphthalein dyes, namely, bromothymol blue (method A) and bromophenol blue (method B) in dichloromethane medium to form stable, yellow-colored ion-pair complexes peaking at 410 nm. Under the optimum conditions, OFX could be assayed in the concentration ranges, 1.25-20 and 1.0-16 ?g mL-1 OFX by method A and method B, respectively, with correlation coefficient of 0.999 in both methods. The apparent molar absorptivity values are calculated to be 1.74 x 104 and 2.18 x 104, L moL-1 cm-1, for method A and method B, respectively, with corresponding Sandell sensitivity values of 0.021 and 0.017 ?g cm-2. The limits of detection (LOD) and quantification (LOQ) are also reported. The stoichiometry of the reaction was found to be 1:1 in both cases and the conditional stability constant (Kf) of the complexes have also been reported. The intra-day and inter-day variation was assessed. The methods were applied to determine OFX from marked tablet formulations. Statistical analysis proved that the proposed methods were both accurate and precise.
Scanning Tunneling Spectroscopy of Molecules on Insulating Films
Authors: Repp Jascha , Meyer Gerhard
Published: June 2010

Ultrathin insulating films on metal substrates are unique systems for using a scanning tunneling microscope (STM) to study the electron transport properties in the weak-coupling limit. The electronic decoupling provided by the films allows the direct imaging of the unperturbed molecular
orbitals, as will be demonstrated in the case of individual pentacene molecules. The coupling between electronic states localized on the adsorbate and optical phonons in a polar insulator has two important implications: Peaks in conductance spectra resulting from resonant tunneling into electronic
states of the molecules are significantly broadened by the presence of the insulator. Second, the ionic relaxations in a polar insulator may lead to an interesting charge bistability in atoms and molecules. STM-based molecular manipulation has been used to form a metallo-organic complex as
well as to switch the position of the two hydrogen atoms in the inner cavity of single free-base naphthalocyanine molecules.
Aerosol Optical Retrieval and Surface Reflectance from Airborne Remote Sensing Data over Land
Authors: Bassani Cristiana , Cavalli Rosa Maria , Pignatti Stefano
Published: June 2010

Quantitative analysis of atmospheric optical properties and surface reflectance can be performed by applying radiative transfer theory in the Atmosphere-Earth coupled system, for the atmospheric correction of hyperspectral remote sensing data. This paper describes a new physically-based algorithm to retrieve the aerosol optical thickness at 550nm (τ550) and the surface reflectance (ρ) from airborne acquired data in the atmospheric window of the Visible and Near-Infrared (VNIR) range. The algorithm is realized in two modules. Module A retrieves τ550 with a minimization algorithm, then Module B retrieves the surface reflectance ρ for each pixel of the image. The method was tested on five remote sensing images acquired by an airborne sensor under different geometric conditions to evaluate the reliability of the method. The results, τ550 and ρ, retrieved from each image were validated with field data contemporaneously acquired by a sun-sky radiometer and a spectroradiometer, respectively. Good correlation index, r, and low root mean square deviations, RMSD, were obtained for the τ550 retrieved by Module A (r2 = 0.75, RMSD = 0.08) and the ρ retrieved by Module B (r2 ≤ 0.9, RMSD ≤ 0.003). Overall, the results are encouraging, indicating that the method is reliable for optical atmospheric studies and the atmospheric correction of airborne hyperspectral images. The method does not require additional at-ground measurements about at-ground reflectance of the reference pixel and aerosol optical thickness.
Novel Influenza A(H1N1) 2009 in vitro Reassortant Viruses with Oseltamivir Resistance
Authors: Ottmann Michèle , Duchamp Maude Bouscambert , Casalegno Jean-Sébastien , Frobert Emilie , Moulès Vincent , Ferraris Olivier , Valette Martine , Escuret Vanessa , Lina Bruno
Published: June 2010

Background

With the recent emergence of the novel A(H1N1) virus in 2009, the efficacy of available drugs, such as neuraminidase (NA) inhibitors, is of great concern for good patient care. Influenza viruses are known to be able to acquire resistance. In 2007, A(H1N1) viruses related to A/Brisbane/59/2007 (H1N1) (A[H1N1] Brisbanelike virus), which are naturally resistant to oseltamivir, emerged. Resistance to oseltamivir can be acquired either by spontaneous mutation in the NA (H275Y in N1), or by reassortment with a mutated NA. It is therefore crucial to determine the risk of pandemic A(H1N1) 2009 virus acquiring resistance against oseltamivir by reassortment.

Methods

We estimated the capacity of reassortment between the A(H1N1) 2009 virus and an oseltamivir-resistant A(H1N1) Brisbane-like virus by in vitro coinfections of influenza-permissive cells. The screening and the analysis of reassortant viruses was performed by specific reverse transcriptase PCRs and by sequencing.

Results

Out of 50 analysed reassortant viruses, two harboured the haemagglutinin (HA) segment from the pandemic A(H1N1) 2009 virus and the mutated NA originated from the A(H1N1) Brisbane-like virus. The replicating capacities of these viruses were measured, showing no difference as compared to the two parental strains, suggesting that acquisition of the mutated NA segment did not impair viral fitness in vitro.

Conclusions

Our results suggest that the novel A(H1N1) 2009 virus can acquire by in vitro genetic reassortment the H275Y mutated NA segment conferring resistance to oseltamivir.
Improvement of the lactic acid fermentation of capers through an experimental factorial design (Capparis spinosa L)
Authors: Douieb H. , Benlemlih M. , Errachidi F.
Published: June 2010

The study of the caper fermentation process through an experiment factorial plan allows us to determine a function ƒ such that (Y= ƒ(X1, X2, …, Xn)) existing between magnitude Y which is the decrease of pH (called response), and variables Xi , which are brine, lactic acid, citric acid and lactic ferment (called factors). A complete factorial plan 24 was made in order to determine the factors and the interactions among the factors which have a statistically significant influence on the studied response. Brine, lactic acid and citric acid have a significant effect on the fall of pH; by contrast, lactic ferment does not have a significant effect. On the other hand, the interactions between brine and lactic acid, between brine and lactic ferment , between lactic acid with citric acid and between lactic acid with lactic ferment have significant effects on the fall of pH (p < 0.0001). The fermentation was done in the research laboratory of the society Marocapres- Fez, international leader in the processing of capers, at a temperature of about 30°C, between June and July.
Physico-chemical properties of blends of palm olein with other vegetable oils
Authors: Mobin Siddique Bazlul , Ahmad Anees , Hakimi Ibrahim Mohamad , Hena Sufia , Rafatullah Mohd , Omar A. K Mohd
Published: June 2010

Palm oil (olein) was blended with other edible oils for the enhancement of its market acceptability in terms of melting point depression and shelf life. The physico-chemical properties like viscosity, density, melting behavior, peroxide value (PV), saponification value (SV) and iodine value (IV) of four different binary blends with four vegetable oils were evaluated. Palm olein was found to be more stable against rancidity than the other oils. For the stability against oxidation and melting point depression the palm olein-canola (PO/CO) blend was found to be better than the others. The Differential Scanning Calorimeter (DSC) thermogram of the melting behavior of the blends traces some new polymorphs of the triglyceride. This study will help the oil producing industry to find out the most economically viable oil blends for cooking purposes, with maximum nutrition as well as desirable physico-chemical properties.
Tannin, protein contents and fatty acid compositions of the seeds of several Vicia L. species from Turkey
Authors: Kökten Kağan , Koçak Alpaslan , Bağci Eyüp , Akçura Mevlüt , Çelik Sait
Published: June 2010

The seedoils of six Vicia species (Leguminosae) were investigated for their protein, tannin contents and fatty acid compositions. The protein contents of the seeds were found to be between 21.87%-31.33%. The tannin contents of the seeds were found to be between 0.13%-1.07%. The fatty acid compositions of these six different species were determined by the GC of the methyl esters of their fatty acids. The oilseeds of Vicia species contain palmitic and stearic acids as the major component of their fatty acids, among the saturated acids, with small amounts of myristic, palmitoleic and margaric acids. The major unsaturated fatty acids found in the oilseeds were oleic, linoleic and linolenic acids. In this study, the total saturated fatty acids of Vicia species were between 18.5 and 22.4% while the total unsaturated fatty acids were between 71.1 and 80.3%.
An Integrated Statistical Process Control and Wavelet Transformation Model for Detecting QRS Complexes in ECG Signals
Authors: Yang Wen-Hung , Jiang Bernard C.
Published: June 2010

In this study, the authors propose an approach for detecting R-wave of electrocardiogram (ECG) signals. A statistical process control chart is successfully integrated with wavelet transformation (WT) to detect R-wave locations. This chart is a graphical display of the quality characteristic measured or computed from samples versus the sample number or time from the production line in a factory. This research performed WT at the signal preprocessing stage; the change points and control limits are then determined for each segment and the R-wave location is rechecked by spreading the points at the decision stage. The proposed procedures determine the change points and control limits for each segment. This method can be used to eliminate high-frequency noise, baseline shifts and artifacts from ECG signals, and R-waves can be effectively detected. In addition, there is flexibility in parameter value selection and robustness over wider noise ranges for the proposed QRS detection method.
Ubiquitous Eco Cities
Authors: Yigitcanlar Tan , Han Jung Hoon
Published: June 2010

Efficient and effective urban management systems for Ubiquitous Eco Cities require having intelligent and integrated management mechanisms. This integration includes bringing together economic, socio-cultural and urban development with a well-orchestrated, transparent and open decision-making system and necessary infrastructure and technologies. In Ubiquitous Eco Cities, telecommunication technologies play an important role in monitoring and managing activities via wired and wireless networks. Particularly, technology convergence creates new ways in which information and telecommunication technologies are used and formed the backbone of urban management. The 21st century is an era where information has converged, in which people are able to access a variety of services, including internet- and location- based services, through multi-functional devices and provides new opportunities in the management of Ubiquitous Eco Cities. This paper discusses developments in telecommunication infrastructure and trends in convergence technologies and their implications on the management of Ubiquitous Eco Cities.
From the Teachings of Confucius to Western Influences
Authors: Wang Viktor , Farmer Lesley S. J.
Published: June 2010

This article reports the results of a study designed to determine whether the teachings of Confucius (liberal and behavioral teaching approaches) or Western teaching approaches (humanistic, progressive, radical and analytic teaching approaches) shaped adult education in Taiwan. Thirty-nine randomly selected adult educators from three premium universities in Taipei responded to a survey about their teaching practices. The same adult educators were also interviewed to cross-validate the quantitative findings. Study results indicated that, while the Taiwanese adult educators employed Western teaching approaches to some extent, they clung dearly to Confucian methods of instruction, a finding that was consistent with reports in the literature of adult education in Taiwan.
Effects of Reciprocal Investments and Relational Interaction in Deploying RFID Supply Chain Systems
Authors: Angeles Rebecca
Published: June 2010

In this paper, the author looks at the perceived ability of information technology (IT) infrastructure integration and supply chain process integration. In order to moderate the relationship between business process specificity and domain knowledge specificity, the study focuses on two dependent variables; reciprocal investments and relational interaction using the moderated regression procedure. Results show that IT infrastructure integration moderates the relationship between business process specificity and relational interaction, as well as domain knowledge specificity and relational interaction.
An Empirical Evaluation of the Assimilation of Industry-Specific Data Standards Using Firm-Level and Community-Level Constructs
Authors: Mendoza Rubén A. , Ravichandran T.
Published: June 2010

Vertical standards focus on industry-specific product and service descriptions, and are generally implemented using the eXtensible Markup Language (XML). Vertical standards are complex technologies with an organizational adoption locus but subject to inter-organizational dependence and network effects. Understanding the assimilation process for vertical standards requires that both firm and industry-level effects be considered simultaneously. In this paper, the authors develop and evaluate a two-level model of organizational assimilation that includes both firm and industry-level effects. The study was conducted in collaboration with OASIS, a leading cross-industry standards-development organization (SDO), and with ACORD, the principal SDO for the insurance and financial services industries. Results confirm the usefulness of incorporating firm-level and community-level constructs in the study of complex networked technologies. Specifically, the authors’ re-conceptualization of the classical DoI concepts of relative advantage and complexity are shown to be appropriate and significant in predicting vertical standards assimilation. Additionally, community-level constructs such as orphaning risk and standard legitimation are also shown to be important predictors of assimilation.
A Novel Energy Saving Approach through Mobile Collaborative Computing Systems
Authors: Wu Xiaoxin , Chen Huan , Liu Yaoda , Zhu Wenwu
Published: June 2010

Energy saving has been studied widely in both of computing and communication research communities. For handheld devices, energy is becoming a more and more critical issue because lots of applications running on handhelds today are computation or communication intensive and take a long time to finish. Unlike previous work that proposes computing or communication energy solutions alone, this paper proposes a novel energy savings approach through mobile collaborative systems, which jointly consider computing and communication energy cost. In this work, the authors use streaming video as investigated application scenario and propose multi-hop pipelined wireless collaborative system to decode video frames with a requirement for maximum inter-frame time. To finish a computing task with such a requirement, this paper proposes a control policy that can dynamically adapt processor frequency and communication transmission rate at the collaborative devices. The authors build a mathematical energy model for collaborative computing systems. Results show that the collaborative system helps save energy, and the transmission rate between collaborators is a key parameter for maximizing energy savings. The energy saving algorithm in computing devices is implemented and the experimental results show the same trend.
Professional Analysts and the Ongoing Construction of IT Governance
Authors: Magnusson Johan
Published: June 2010

This article addresses the role of the professional analysts as actors within the field of IT Governance. Through a content analysis of over 400 reports from the largest commercial research firm, instances of normative statements are identified and analyzed. With the intended target group of the reports being Chief Information Officers, the findings show that the content of IT Governance has changed during the last three years. This is discussed in relation to the role that professional analysts play in an ongoing construction of IT Governance. The article concludes by identifying possible risks and benefits involved in using professional analysts as sources for best-practice, as well as calling for a more practice-based definition of IT Governance.
Explorative Study on the Influence of National Cultures on Business/IT Alignment Maturity
Authors: Silvius A.J.Gilbert , De Haes Steven , Van Grembergen Wim
Published: June 2010

A key success factor for a successful company in a dynamic environment is effective and efficient information technology (IT) supporting business strategies and processes. Organizations that successfully align their business strategy and their IT strategy outperform their non-aligned peers (Chan et al., 1997). In recent surveys IT executives consistently name IT to Business alignment their top-concern. The alignment between business needs and IT capabilities is therefore still a prominent area of concern. This paper aims to contribute to the understanding of the alignment challenge by exploring the impact of (national) cultures on the maturity of business / IT alignment (BIA).The paper relies on Hofstede’s framework of cultural dimensions (Hofstede, 1980) to understand the concept of national culture. After a brief introduction on BIA and Luftman’s framework for measuring BIA maturity (Luftman, 2000), the authors analyze the influence of Hofstede’s cultural dimensions on the variables of BIA maturity. This conceptual exercise is than tested in a small-scale empirical exploration by comparing BIA maturity scores of Belgium and Dutch financial institutions. The results support a potential effect of national cultures on BIA maturity, especially in ‘governance maturity’ and ‘skills maturity’, but not all expected results are confirmed.
Service Science, Management and Engineering Education
Authors: Wei Jianliang , Chen Jianhua , Zhu Qinghua
Published: June 2010

Service Science, Management and Engineering (SSME) is an emerging discipline which studies service industry under an integrated framework. SSME education trains scientists and skilled service workers to promote innovation and productivity in service industry. Although quite a number of universities started SSME programs years ago, most of them are still in the stage of experiment, and only address a small portion of the total subject. This paper first discusses the objectives of SSME education program—the abilities that service workers and scientists should have. Then, three types of foundation courses of the current programs are discussed in depth; the bachelor, master and PhD degree programs offered currently are analyzed, which include the course contents and teaching methods. Based on the inspirations from these practical programs, a unified model for SSME education is developed and presented, which proposes to unify bachelor, master and PhD programs, and establishes a new service science department comprising areas of service management, service engineering and design, service arts and humanities.
Digital Holographic Interferometry by Using Long Wave Infrared Radiation (CO2 Laser)
Authors: Alexeenko Igor , Vandenrijt Jean François , Georges Marc , Pedrini Giancarlo , Cédric Thizy , Osten Wolfgang , Vollheim Birgit
Published: June 2010

We show how digital holographic interferometry in the Long Wave InfraRed spectral range (LWIR) can be used for the investigation of mechanical structures. The 10.6 μm radiation is produced by a CO2 Laser. Experimental results showing that the method can be used to locate defects in a panel are presented and advantages and disadvantages of this approach are discussed.
Numerical Prediction of the Response of Metal-to-Metal Adhesive Joints with Ductile Adhesives
Authors: Tsouvalis N.G. , Anyfantis K.N.
Published: June 2010

The present work involves a numerical modelling of the Embedded Process Zone (EPZ) by utilizing the elastoplastic Mode I and Mode II fracture models for the simulation of plastically deforming adhesive joints. A traction-separation law was developed separately for Mode I and Mode II. For the analysis of the mixed-mode fracture processes, the cohesive zones in Mode I and Mode II fracture were assumed uncoupled. The experimental programme involved the fabrication and testing of Double Strap Joints (DSJs) and Single Lap Joints (SLJs). By fitting the numerical results to the experimental ones, the basic cohesive parameters of the problem were defined.
Evaluation of the Impact of Residual Stresses in Crack Initiation with the Application of the Crack Compliance Method Part I, Numerical Analysis
Authors: Urriolagoitia-Sosa G. , Romero-Ángeles B. , Hernández-Gómez Luis Héctor , Urriolagoitia-Calderón G. , Beltrán-Fernández Juan Alfonso , Torres-Torres C.
Published: June 2010

The understanding of how materials fail is still today a fundamental research problem for scientist and engineers. The main concern is the assessment of the necessary conditions to propagate a crack that will eventually lead to failure. Nevertheless, this kind of analysis tends to be more complicated, when a prior history in the material is taken into consideration and it will be extremely important to recognize all the factors involved in this process. In this work, a numerical simulation of the introduction of residual stresses, which change the crack initiation conditions, in a modified compact tensile specimen to change the condition of crack initiation is presented. Four numerical analyses were carried out; an initial evaluation was performed in a specimen without a crack and it was used for the estimation of a residual stress field produced by an overload; three more cases were simulated and a crack was introduced in each specimen (1 mm, 5 mm and 10 mm, respectively). The overload was then applied to set up a residual stress field into the component; furthermore, in each case the crack compliance method (CCM) was applied to measure the induced residual stress field. By performing this numerical simulation, the accuracy of the crack compliance method can be evaluated. On the other hand, elastic-plastic finite element analysis was utilized for the residual stress estimation. The numerical analysis was based on the mechanical properties of a biocompatible material (AISI 316L). The obtained results provided significant data about diverse factors, like; the manner in which a residual stress field could modify the crack initiation conditions, the convenient set up for induction of a beneficial residual stresses field, as well as useful information that can be applied for the experimental implementation of this research.
Detection of Cracking in Gear Teeth Using Acoustic Emission
Authors: Pullin Rhys , Clarke A. , Eaton Mark J. , Holford Karen M. , Evans S.L. , McCory J.P.
Published: June 2010

The detection of damage in gear teeth is paramount to any condition monitoring or structural health monitoring (SHM) tool for aerospace power transmissions such as those used in helicopters. Current inspection techniques include vibration analysis and time-inefficient visual inspection. Acoustic Emission (AE) is a very sensitive detection tool that has been successfully used in many SHM systems. Successful application of AE for damage detection in gear teeth will enable the optimisation of gear box design (and hence weight saving) in addition to safety improvements. This paper details a small aspect of a larger project designed to demonstrate automatic detection and location of common gear tooth defects. A novel test rig was designed to allow the fatigue loading of an individual gear tooth which was monitored using AE. The gear tooth was static in order to exclude the detection of AE signals arising from rotation; this allows initial development of the methodology prior to investigating rotating gears. Digital Image Correlation was used to determine the onset of cracking for comparison with the detected AE. Preliminary results of the investigation show that the developed methodology is appropriate for developing an automated gear health monitoring system and that future work should concentrate on the development of sensors and data acquisition methods associated with obtaining signals from rotating machinery.
Mechanical Behavior of Syntactic Foams for Deep Sea Thermally Insulated Pipeline
Authors: Choqueuse Dominique , Davies Peter , Perreux Dominique , Sohier Laurent , Cognard Jean Yves
Published: June 2010

Ultra Deep offshore oil exploitation (down to 3000 meters depth) presents new challenges to offshore engineering and operating companies. Flow assurance and particularly the selection of insulation materials to be applied to pipe lines are of primary importance, and are the focus of much industry interest for deepwater applications. Polymeric and composite materials, particularly syntactic foams, are now widely used for this application, so the understanding of their behavior under extreme conditions is essential. These materials, applied as a thick coating (up to 10-15 cm), are subjected in service to: - high hydrostatic compression (up to 30 MPa) - severe thermal gradients (from 4°C at the outer surface to 150°C at the inner wall), and to high bending and shear stresses during installation. Damageable behavior of syntactic foam under service conditions has been observed previously [1] and may strongly affect the long term reliability of the system (loss of thermal properties).This study is a part of a larger project aiming to model the in-service behavior of these structures. For this purpose it is important to identify the constituent mechanical properties correctly [2, 3]. A series of tests has been developed to address this point, which includes: - hydrostatic compression - shear loading using a modified Arcan fixture This paper will describe the different test methods and present results obtained for different types of syntactic foams.
Preparation of Water-Resistance Plywood with UF Resin Modified by Emulsifiable Polyisocyanate
Authors: Zhu Li Bin , Han Bo , Gu Ji You , Zhang Yan Hua , Tan Hai Yan , Zuo Ying Feng
Published: June 2010

The purpose of the study was to manufacture water-resistance plywood with using UF resin modified by emulsifiable polyisocyanate. The emulsifiable polyisocyanate which contains plenty of hydrophilic segments and teminal isocyanate groups were synthesized by reaction between various kinds of polyether polyols and polymeric methane dipthenyl diisocyanate (pMDI). A type of composite adhesive was obtained from the mixture of emulsifiable polyisocyanate and urea formaldehyde resin. The process parameters, such as the molar ratio of –NCO and –OH, mass fraction of emulsifiable polyisocyanate in UF resin and accessory ingredient have a great influence on the composite adhesive. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) had been used to analyze the chemical structure of bonding interface. The results showed that the composite adhesive consisting of UF resin and emulsifiable polyisocyanate content of 7.5% and kaolin content of 1.5% was used in plywood with high physical and mechanical properties, water resistance and low formaldehyde emission.
A Method for Jet Fuel Suppliers Evaluation Based on Agile Supply Chain
Authors: Fang Guo Yi , Wang Yan Jun
Published: June 2010

Jet fuel supply chains are increasingly becoming agile. To build agile supply chains, jet fuel companies first need to have access to a large supply base and secondly need an efficient mechanism for supplier evaluation and selection. In this paper, we analysis the standard for evaluating jet fuel supplier and constructs an evaluation index system for jet fuel supplier evaluation in an agile supply chain. The index system consists of five primary indexes and fifteen secondary indexes. We also develop an evaluation method for jet fuel suppliers based on relational degree analysis and the method is demonstrated with an example.
Investigation of Belt Conveyor Transfer Chute Configurations to Reduce Dust Generation Using CFD Modeling
Authors: Chen X.L. , Wheeler C.A. , Donohue T.J. , Roberts A.W.
Published: June 2010

“Passive” dust control systems for belt conveyor transfer stations have become increasingly popular in recent years. Effective design relies on a fundamental understanding of the flow of granular material and air throughout the transfer chute. This paper presents an investigation into the flow properties of the air and particles in the enclosure for different transfer chutes based on computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modelling. A multiphase Euler-Euler model was applied to develop a 3D model of the transfer chute. Experiments were undertaken to verify the theoretical models, with overall results indicating good correlation. Furthermore, a number of alternative transfer chute configurations were modelled to investigate the effect of geometry on dust generation.
Experimental Study of Green High-Speed Turning Nickel-Based Superalloy GH4169
Authors: Zhou Jun , Han Rong Di
Published: June 2010

Knowing the stringent operating conditions to which superalloys are subjected to in automobile, aerospace and gas turbine industries, the machinability of nickel-based superalloy GH4169 is very poor, the traditional cutting fluids in GH4169 machining pollutes environments. The purpose of this study is to clarify the possibility of the turning in high speed (vc＞50m/min)[1]. In particular, the effects of the overheat water vapor with 130°C as cooling lubricant application were examined, through observation and measurement of the shape of the generated chips, machined surface integrity, cutting force and cutting temperature in a series of experiments with dry cutting or overheat water vapor with 130°C as cooling lubricant. As a result of these experiments, it was possible to measure and confirm the effects of the overheat water vapor with 130°C as cooling lubricant in high speed turning.
A Hybrid Algorithm Based on PSO and DE and Its Application in Complexity System
Authors: Yang Ya Hong , Wang Ying
Published: June 2010

The optimization of complex system is a challenging research field in intelligent optimization. In this paper, the problem of how to decouple the unit of the complex system was proposed. The model on order link settlement in system reconfiguration model based on time Petri-net is put forward, order intelligent operation series is guided by a hybrid particle swarm optimization(HPSO) algorithm with Differential Evolution(DE) algorithm. PSO provides initial solution for DE during the hybrid search process. Such hybrid algorithm can be converted to tradition DE by setting swarm size to one particle. Simulation results show that the proposed model and algorithm are effective to order evaluation and implementation.
Combining Six Sigma with Kaizen Blitz for Enhancing Process Interaction
Authors: Jin Mao Zhu , Zhao Zhi Wei
Published: June 2010

It’s imperative to find appropriate way for company to achieve the goal to quickly respond to customer requirement and increase customer satisfaction. This encouraged them to adopt either Six Sigma for improving process through process interaction or Lean for reducing waste in processes. However, both Six Sigma and Lean have limitations. As a result, the enterprises tend to combine their strengths. This paper represents similarities and differences between Lean, Six Sigma and Kaizen. Furthermore, the integration between the techniques and tools of TQM, Six Sigma and Lean help to find a way integrating Six Sigma and Kaizen. The paper combines Six Sigma with Kaizen Blitz (DMAIC-KB) which is based on advantages of Six Sigma and Kaizen concept under PDCA cycle. This approach emphasizes on small project, customer requirement response and customer satisfaction in short time by detecting, analyzing and improving the problems and dysfunctions during process via process interaction.
Super-Harmonic Resonance Analysis on Torsional Vibration of Misaligned Rotor Driven by Universal Joint
Authors: Feng Chang Lin , Zhu Yong Yong , Wang De Shi
Published: June 2010

The super-harmonic resonance of the nonlinear torsional vibration of misaligned rotor system driven by universal joint was studied considering both natural structure misalignment and actual error misalignment. Utilizing multi-scale method, the periodic solution of weakly nonlinear torsional vibration equation was obtained corresponding to super-harmonic resonance, including amplitude-frequency and phase-frequency characteristic expressions of steady periodic solution. The stability of equilibrium point was investigated using Lyapunov first approximate stability theory, then the stable region and unstable region on the amplitude of the super-harmonic resonance periodic solution, which varied with the detuning parameter. At last, the driving shaft’s steady periodic motion of the first approximation and its calculation simulation were carried out according to the kinetic relation about driven shaft and driving shaft. It is found that jumping phenomenon and dynamic bifurcation occur when the rotating angular velocity of driving shaft is half of the natural frequency of the deriving system. The results above indicate the fundamental characteristic of the nonlinear dynamic on the misaligned rotor, also applying the foundation for advanced bifurcation and singularities analysis.
Pre-Judgment Model of Image Based on Gray Distribution Wave
Authors: Wang Xiu Chen , Liu Zhe
Published: June 2010

Aiming to the problem of low computing speed of existing model of fabric characteristic, this paper introduces pre-judgment to improve the speed of image analysis by fabric characteristic model, and constructs gray distribution wave model to quickly estimate image. First, image gray is taken. Then, horizontal and vertical gray distribution wave is established using superposition formula with little computation to further simply model and made the computation speed fast. Finally, from a number of experiments, this model has such features that image can be pre-estimated exactly and continue recognition algorithm can be instructed to leap over some normal regions. So analysis times of image are saved and on-line recognition efficiency of fabric defects is improved.
Intelligent Design of Internal Combustion Engine in Hybrid Genetic Algorithm
Authors: Zhu Jiang , Xi Ping Yuan
Published: June 2010

The basic parameters of internal combustion engines reflect the working performance and quality of the internal combustion engine. Therefore it is of great significance to design the operating parameters of vehicle engine by design optimization method. In this paper, hybrid genetic algorithm is adopted to optimize operating parameters of vehicle engine, so that optimization process was simplified and the global optimal solution is ensured reliably. Being satisfied with the heating loading, mechanical loading and the conditions of gas mixture of engine and boundary constraints, the optimization mathematical model is created which is to minimize the heating surface area of engine. Considering the problem of low efficiency and local optimum caused by traditional optimal methods, the hybrid Genetic Algorithm are adopted to solve the optimization model. So that the optimization process is simplified and global optimum is acquired reliably.
Application of the AGST Method to the Vibration Analysis of the Diesel Engine Cylinder Head Cover
Authors: Zheng Xu , Hao Zhi Yong
Published: June 2010

The vibration signal of diesel engine is typically non-stationary and time-varying signal, with complicated transient components. With adaptive concentration method controlled by an additional parameter m, an adaptive generalized S transform (AGST) is developed in this paper. The simulation shows that the AGST method has a better time-frequency resolution than S transform. The AGST method is then applied to analyze the vibration signal of the cylinder head cover of a four-cylinder diesel engine. The result indicates that the time-frequency representation of the vibration signal obtained by AGST has a good resolution, and the vibration components, such as combustion shock and valve-slap, can be exactly identified. The research is of great significance for the structural optimization and vibration control for the diesel engine.
A Combined System of TiO2 Suspension and Platinum Electrodes Used for Photoelectrochemical Degradation of a Dye in NaCl Solution
Authors: Zhang Wen Jie , Hu Mei Ling , Bai Jia Wei , Li Hong
Published: June 2010

Photoelectrochemical (PEC) degradation of Procion Red MX-5B was investigated in aqueous NaCl solutions. PEC degradation efficiencies showed strong dependence on the concentrations of aqueous NaCl solutions and applied potentials. 95% decolorization of the dye could be achieved in 10 minutes at applied potential of 8 V in 0.3 M NaCl solution, while the efficiency was only 35% by photocatalytic oxidation. Electrodegradation can be as powerful as PEC degradation upon dye decolorization when the potential exceeds 5 volts. However, it can not mineralize dye degradation intermediates by itself alone. PEC degradation performed very high TOC removal capacity and nearly 80% of total organic carbon was removed in the first hour of reaction, compared with 50% removal in PCO process during the same period.
Novel Radar Absorbing Materials with Broad Absorbing Band: Carbon Foams
Authors: Fang Zhi Gang , Fang Chun
Published: June 2010

Carbon foams were prepared by a polymer sponge replication method and their microwave absorbing properties were investigated in this paper. It was found that the electric conductivity of carbon foams increases quickly with the improvement of carbonization temperatures. Moreover, the electric conductivity of carbon foams strongly affects their microwave absorbing performances. As the electric conductivity increases from 0.02 S/m to 1.03 S/m, the dominant electromagnetic behavior of carbon foams changes from transmission to reflection with regard to the incident electromagnetic wave. The best microwave absorbing performance was achieved for the carbon foam with an electric conductivity of 0.46S/m when other parameters are fixed at constants, and absorbing values for the carbon foam exceeds 7dB almost in the whole measured frequency range of 4-15GHz, while the frequencies range for absorbing values exceeding 8dB are about 7 GHz, demonstrating a characteristic of broad absorbing bandwidth. It is to be noted that the absorbing characteristic for the carbon foam with an electric conductivity of 0.46S/m is obtained without any impedance match design, which indicates that carbon foams have the possibility to be applied as broad absorbing bandwidth RAMs.
An Approximate Method via Coefficient of Variation for Strength Prediction of Self-Piercing Riveted Joints
Authors: He Xiao Cong
Published: June 2010

This study deals with an application of the method of the coefficient of variation in strength prediction of the self-piercing riveted joints. Defined as the ratio of the standard deviation to the mean, the coefficient of variation may be used in both the reliability-based design of self-piercing riveted joints and in the evaluation of existing products. In this study, the concept and definition of the coefficient of variation are stated. The procedure of the use of coefficient of variation for approximate calculations of strength of the self-piercing riveted joints is presented and compared with the classical Taylor expansion method. This is illustrated with a numerical example.
Research on the Model of Group Decision-Making in Manufacturing Enterprise Emergency Event
Authors: Xie Ke Fan , Chen Gang , Wu Qian
Published: June 2010

As to a manufacturing enterprise, emergency event is inevitable. As its technology specificity and exclusiveness, expert plays an important role in the process of occurrence and tackling of emergency event. Therefore emergency group decision-making based on experts’ opinion is an important decision-making approach. This paper conducts a research on its mechanism and constructs a rough transfer aggregation model, which describes its aggregation process for group decision-making on emergency event tackling in manufacturing enterprise.