bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
ROMAN CATHOLICISM AND THE TEMPTATION OF SHARI'A
Authors: O'Neill Aidan
Published: March 2009

The question posed in this article is whether Catholics can fully, unreservedly, and conscientiously carry out their duties as citizens and as holders of their various public offices (legislative, judicial and executive) of the State, in accordance with the laws and constitution of the democratic and pluralist States in which they live. My concern—as a practicing Catholic and a practicing lawyer—is that the increasingly fierce Church criticism, which arose during the papacy of John Paul II and now of Benedict XVI, of the perceived trend towards secularization in the social and political mores of Western (particularly European) democracies, and the greater readiness by Church officials to take it upon themselves explicitly to instruct the laity in political matters, puts this whole issue again into question. Should the bishops of the Catholic Church be seeking to use their ecclesiastical authority (over the faithful) to oppose or promote changes in the laws which apply to all within our society and/or to influence the way we might vote or carry out civic duties? This is a big and complex area involving the interplay of politics and theology; of private and public morality. It touches on the role of teaching office of the Catholic Church and the assent (and possibility of dissent) on the part of the faithful. It takes in questions of conscientious objection and unjust laws. It concerns individual conscience and the hope of salvation. It is about voting as sinning. It is about judging, and being judged.
An “Indestructible Right”: John Ryan and the Catholic Origins of the U.S. Living Wage Movement, 1906–1938
Authors: Murphy Laura
Published: March 2009

The ongoing effort to establish a legal living wage in the U.S. has origins in late nineteenth and early twentieth century Catholic social teaching and activism. The priest-economist John A. Ryan presented a moral argument for a living wage, grounded in Catholic anti-individualism and natural rights traditions, which helped to fuel early minimum wage campaigns. Ryan was one of the chief advocates for minimum wage legislation in the U.S. His influential 1906 book A Living Wage: Its Ethical and Economic Aspects brought together Catholic social teaching with American republican ideals to argue that everyone has an “indestructible” God-given right to a “decent livelihood.” Ryan collaborated with activists from varied religious and secular backgrounds to draft, lobby for, and implement several of the first minimum wage laws in the country—state laws which covered only women and children. These living wage advocates continued their work throughout the 1920s, when the Supreme Court declared the District of Columbia's minimum wage unconstitutional, and in the 1930s, when the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 built upon the foundations of the state laws to establish a federal minimum wage. Despite these accomplishments, a legal living wage is still not a reality in the U.S. However, twenty-first century activists have revived the living wage movement; they have built a broad coalition and strong public support on the foundation laid by Ryan and his diverse circle of minimum wage supporters a century ago: the moral imperative of a establishing a living wage for all workers.
Research Note—Social Interactions and the “Digital Divide”: Explaining Variations in Internet Use
Authors: Agarwal Ritu , Animesh Animesh , Prasad Kislaya
Published: March 2009

Given the increasingly important role of the Internet in education, healthcare, and other essential services, it is important that we develop an understanding of the “digital divide.” Despite the widespread diffusion of the Web and related technologies, pockets remain where the Internet is used sparingly, if at all. There are large geographic variations, as well as variations across ethnic and racial lines. Prior research suggests that individual, household, and regional differences are responsible for this disparity. We argue for an alternative explanation: Individual choice is subject to social influence (“peer effects”) that emanates from geographic proximity; this influence is the cause of the excess variation. We test this assertion with empirical analysis of a data set compiled from a number of sources. We find, first, that widespread Internet use among people who live in proximity has a direct effect on an individual's propensity to go online. Using data on residential segregation, we test the proposition that the Internet usage patterns of people who live in more ethnically isolated regions will more closely resemble usage patterns of their ethnic group. Finally, we examine the moderating impact of housing density and directly measured social interactions on the relationship between Internet use and peer effects. Results are consistent across analyses and provide strong evidence of peer effects, suggesting that individual Internet use is influenced by local patterns of usage. Implications for public policy and the diffusion of the Internet are discussed.
Analogie, intrinsische Dauer und Prosodie. Zur postvokalischen Ausbreitung der althochdeutschen Lautverschiebung im Fränkischen
Authors: Davis Garry W.
Published: March 2009

An analysis of dialect words from throughout the Rhineland presented here supports the view that the OHG shift began after short vowels and spread to consonants after long vowels only secondarily. Furthermore, pre-OHG *-p, *-t, *-k shifted less consistently after long vowels in Rhenish Frankish varieties than they did in other dialects of Old High German. To explain this difference we posit (following Schmidt, Die sprachhistorische Genese der mittelfränkischen Tonakzente: 201–233, 2002 and Schmidt/Künzel, Das Rätsel löst sich: 135–163, 2006) that tone accents in the pre-OHG Rhenish Frankish varieties were originally derivative of the intrinsic (phonetic) variation in length found among long vowels. Intrinsically longer [–high] long vowels had a long, falling tone accent that emphasized their length, and that delayed or blocked the shift of postvocalic *p, *t, *k (> f/ff, s/ss, x/xx) in that environment.
Der germanische Rechtsterminus texaca und die Entführung von Sklaven in der ›Lex Salica‹ (Untersuchungen zu den malbergischen Glossen II)
Authors: Seebold Elmar
Published: March 2009

Medieval Latin texaca is a loan from Germanic languages (presumably Old West Franconian) and means ›theft‹, especially the criminal forms which were originally punished by death penalty. The word is a compound, consisting of Germanic *tak- ›take (away)‹ and *sakō meaning ›guilt, sin, crime‹. Analyzing title 10 (= 11 D, E) of the ›Lex Salica‹ and its ›Malbergian glosses‹ it can be shown in what cases texaca is used and how it can be differentiated in order to describe special crimes concerning murder or abduction of slaves. As a by-product the case of theft by a slave in favour of a freeman is discussed. As a result it can be shown that a particularly long and intriguing gloss is sort of a table of contents of the whole title 10.
Investigation and Repair of Glazed Brick Cladding: A Case Study
Authors: Gorrell TA , Chin IR
Published: March 2009

The design and repair of exterior glazed brick walls differ from that of unglazed (normal) brick walls. Water that penetrates a typical brick wall usually enters through mortar joints, through failed sealant joints, and by absorption of the brick and mortar. Much of this water escapes the wall by evaporation from the face of the wall. However, the impervious face of ceramic glazed brick significantly reduces the amount and rate of evaporation of water that enters a wall, thereby exposing the glazed brick cladding to spalling caused by the freezing of moisture trapped in the brick units. In addition, since the glaze will trap efflorescence in the brick, the buildup of this cryptoflorescence behind the glaze can result in spalling of the glazed surface of the brick. Therefore, the prevention of water penetration into the masonry wall and the rapid removal of water that has entered the wall are critical to the successful performance and durability of glazed brick clad walls. This paper discusses the common failure modes of glazed brick walls and the current industry recommendations for the design and detailing of glazed brick walls. A case study of a project that includes the investigation of a wall with spalled glazed brick and the design and installation of new glazed brick on the wall is presented. This paper discusses the specification of glazed brick materials; the difficulties in color matching new glazed brick to existing glazed brick; the design and detailing of a new glazed brick wall; and other repair methods to prevent water infiltration and increase the durability of glazed brick walls.
The Effect of Vertical Distribution of Water Permeability on the Modeled Neutralization Process in Concrete Walls
Authors: Kishimoto Yoshihiko , Hokoi Shuichi , Harada Kazunori , Takada Satoru
Published: March 2009

The aim of this paper was to predict the durability of concrete walls. Because liquid movement is important in discussing the neutralization process, the vertical distribution of the permeability in a concrete wall was measured. In a 20 cm high sample, the permeability clearly showed a nonuniform vertical distribution. Next, an analytical model was proposed to predict the neutralization process taking into account the influence of acid rain. Based on this model, the simulation was carried out with permeability as a parameter. The results showed that neutralization was accelerated due to acid rain in regions with a high permeability and retarded in regions with a low permeability. Thus, it can be concluded that the influence of acid rain on the neutralization process may differ depending on the position in the concrete structure.
Cyclic Oxidation Behavior of Co-rolled Al-Ferritic Stainless Steel
Authors: Pilone D. , Felli F. , Bernabai U.
Published: March 2009

The lifetime of thin-walled catalyst-carrying foils is directly linked to the overall amount of aluminum present in the base alloy. Ferritic stainless steel containing more than 7 wt. % of Al represents an interesting material for the production of substrates in catalytic converters because of its good corrosion resistance at high temperature. Despite that, the considerable brittleness of the alloy makes production by means of traditional metallurgical processes difficult. Enriching the steel surface with aluminum avoids these problems and due to the high superficial aluminum concentration, enhances the Al2O3 scale formation in the early stages of the oxidation process. Among several techniques, the co-rolling process appears to be a promising technology for enriching ferritic stainless steel surfaces with aluminum without affecting the structural and mechanical properties of the substrate. This process involves cold rolling the annealed AISI 430 ferritic stainless steel together with aluminum foil to form an Al-steel-Al sandwich. After a preoxidation treatment the resultant assemblies were subjected to cyclic oxidation in air. Their oxidation behavior was then characterized by the weight gain versus the number of cycle curves. Oxides were examined by SEM and the phases were identified by X-ray diffraction (XRD). The results highlight that in the lower range of temperatures (T<900°C) the oxide layer appears to be very adherent, even after 1000 cycles. While at temperatures higher than 900°C, the scale is characterized by convolutions and spalls off after a few hundred cycles.
Inelastic Dynamic Response of Curtainwall Systems to Blast Loading
Authors: Dawson H. , Smilowitz R.
Published: March 2009

Blast-resistant curtainwall systems require laminated glass that is adequately adhered to the mullions to develop the membrane capacity of the glass, as well as mullions that are capable of transferring the collected forces to the structural slabs. Dynamic inelastic analyses are required to determine the response of curtainwalls to highly impulsive blast loading. The most economical way to minimize the hazard to occupants is to allow the glass to undergo large deformations prior to dismemberment and fragmentation. Curtainwall performance is often evaluated using a sequence of single-degree-of-freedom (SDOF) analyses. The glass is represented as an SDOF to determine the reaction forces, which are then applied to SDOF analyses of the mullions. These individual calculations represent the dynamic inelastic response of the glass and mullions, but often neglect their interaction and phasing. As a result, SDOF methods tend to overpredict the response of the curtainwall components, resulting in an uneconomical design. Dynamic inelastic finite element analyses that account for the interaction of the glass and mullions and accurately represent the potential failure mechanisms provide the most accurate evaluation, leading to the most economical design for blast-resistant curtainwall systems. In addition to material nonlinearities, the finite element analyses also account for geometric stiffening of the components, therefore producing more accurate anchorage forces to be developed at the slabs.
The Effect of Void Area on Brick Masonry Performance
Authors: Sanders John P. , Brosnan Denis A.
Published: March 2009

Higher void (hollow) brick offer the potential for energy savings, decreased raw material usage and reduced environmental impact. These advantages are related to the movement toward “green” building materials. The National Brick Research Center has performed an extensive study comparing the wall system performance of hollow and solid brick. Hollow masonry units are defined by ASTM C 652 while solid masonry units are specified in ASTM C 216. The key differences between these two specifications are related to the permissible void area and face shell thickness. The objective of this work was to determine what effect, if any, increasing void area might have on important aspects of the performance of brick masonry. The effect of decreasing face shell thickness was also evaluated. For this study, the performance of several sets of comparison extruded brick was measured. These sets of comparison brick represent a range of manufacturers and, thus, a range of physical properties. Water penetration, flexural bond strength, and compressive strength were measured on each type of brick and used as indicators of potential performance in a wall. Additionally, mortar usage as a function of void area was studied. Based on the results of testing from these sets of comparison brick, increasing void area or decreasing face shell thickness did not result in increased water penetration or decreased flexural bond strength.
Investigation of Masonry Failure of a Granite and Limestone Clad Historic Church in Eastern Pennsylvania
Authors: Erdly Jeffrey L. , Valentino Erik R.
Published: March 2009

The use of dimension stone was commonplace in turn of the century churches and St. George’s in Shenandoah, PA, is an example of granite and limestone construction set in the anthracite belt of Eastern Pennsylvania. The structure’s two towers, over 100 feet tall, have recently succumbed to age, the elements, and poor long-term repairs and maintenance that veiled shifting limestone and granite. Early detection did not occur due to the lack of periodic inspection following ASTM’s Standard E 2270 “Standard Practice for Periodic Inspection of Building Facades for Unsafe Conditions,” and the oldest Lithuanian Catholic Church in the United States has temporarily closed. Field observations have revealed a variety of failures. Limestone and the front entrance has outwardly displaced from the mass masonry brick backup nearly 1 in. at several locations. Granite masonry at the top of the towers has outwardly displaced 3/4 in. and has caused adjacent decorative limestone elements to displace up to 2 in. away from the wall. Spalled fragments of limestone of different sizes have fallen to the ground from varying heights at the rate of nearly one piece per month during recent years. A condition assessment examining the masonry deficiencies has been completed and the building now faces substantial repair options that may impact the building’s operational viability.
Fungicides Associated with Two Adjuvant Formulations for Preventive and Curative Soybean Rust Control
Authors: Ferguson D. C. , Yowell J. R. , May-De Mio L. Larissa , Godoy Cláudia V. , da Cunha Fabio , Rosa Gilson Machado , da C. Lima Neto Vismar
Published: March 2009

This two-year study targeted measuring the effect of three different fungicide formulations in order to control soybean rust (Phakopsora pachyrhizi). This study also measured the effect of controlling soybean rust by adding a fixed concentration, 1 % v/v of two adjuvants into the three fungicide formulations and then varying the concentration of the two adjuvants at 0.5, 1.0, and 1.5 % into a tebuconazole formulation only. The first year of the study was conducted in the field in two regions of the Paraná State (Southern region of Brazil). The second year of the study was conducted in a greenhouse and in the field.
Uncertainties in Corrosion Rate Measurements of Fasteners Exposed to Treated Wood at 100 % Relative Humidity
Authors: Zelinka SL
Published: March 2009

This paper evaluates the effect that uncertainties in measurements of time, weight, and surface area have on the determination of the corrosion rate of metal fasteners in contact with wood. Three different types of nails were driven into alkaline copper quaternary (ACQ)-treated wood and exposed to 26.7°C (80°C) at 100 % relative humidity environment for up to 1 year. It was observed that uncertainties in measurement of corrosion rate of less than 5 % could be obtained in 6 months of testing. This paper gives a description of the methods used as well as recommendations for future corrosion exposure tests in wood.
Laser Welding Conditions to Improve Tensile Strength and Fatigue Strength of a Lap Joint in Aluminum Alloys
Authors: Kawamoto Kyohei , Yoshimitsu Shintaro , Noguchi Hiroshi , Yoshimura Tatsuhiko
Published: March 2009

This research shows a procedure for seeking a domain of conditions under which the tensile strength and fatigue strength are improved in lap joints of aluminum alloys made by laser welding. Laser welding parameters involve the following three factors: gap width, welding speed, and laser power. The following conditions were obtained in this research. (a) When searching for favorable welding conditions, the required work involves only observing the states around the weld-zone. (b) In order to improved the fatigue strength, it is necessary to prevent the generation of lack of fusion by the shortage of heat input and a crack near the toe of the weld due to the excess heat input. Using the results, the above-mentioned simple method is shown.
Effect of Quarry Production Process on Specific Gravities of Aggregates
Authors: Hossain M , Ferreira LA , Siddique ZQ , Khanum T , Montney R
Published: March 2009

The combined bulk specific gravity of aggregates is a basic input in the Superpave asphalt mixture volumetric design. In order to identify and quantify the factors affecting the aggregate specific gravity values, tests methods similar to AASHTO T84 and T85 were conducted on aggregate samples collected from four different quarries in Kansas. All test results were analyzed statistically to find the significance of the factors—top size and fine loss of the aggregates during replicate testing—used in the experimental program. The results show that the bed from which the aggregates are produced has a significant effect on the specific gravities. However, different aggregate products obtained from the same bed in a quarry may have dissimilar specific gravities. The analysis also shows that the aggregate production process affects the specific gravities significantly when the aggregates are softer, such as soft limestone in Kansas. Fine loss during replicate testing does not affect the results for harder aggregates.
Crack Growth Behavior in Overloaded Specimens with Sharp Notch in Low Carbon Steel
Authors: Purnowidodo Anindito , Fukuzato Shingo , Saimoto Akihide , Makabe Chobin
Published: March 2009

The purpose of the present study is to evaluate fatigue crack propagation after tensile overloading. A 6-mm long u-shaped notch was cut in the center section of the specimen. Notch root radii of 0.1, 1, and 2 mm were chosen for ρ. These were regarded as center-notched specimens. The crack propagation behavior of these specimens was compared with a center-cracked specimen. Push-pull fatigue tests were carried out under stress ratios R=0, −1, and −1.5. A special investigation was made into the results for ρ=1 mm. After overload, retardation of crack growth was observed under R=0 and −1 for the notched specimens and center-cracked specimens. However, where R=−1.5, crack growth acceleration was observed after overload in both types of specimens. Even though crack growth was accelerated or decelerated, the rate was able to be evaluated by the effective stress intensity factor range after 0.2 mm of crack growth from the notch root.
V-Notched Shear Specimens for the Inclined Double Notch Shear Test
Authors: Petterson KB , Neumeister JM , Strandberg M
Published: March 2009

A numerical study of a modified specimen geometry for the inclined double notch shear (IDNS) test was performed. The test uses the standard double notch compression (DNC) specimen whose geometry was modified by replacing the straight grooves with tilted V notches. Arising stress fields were calculated by use of a BEM scheme. Four different geometry parameters were investigated; relative notch distance, specimen loading, and notch tilt and notch opening angles. Different evaluation criteria to determine optimal specimen and test geometries were studied with respect to effects on stress uniformity and stress concentrations/singularities. No single criterion was found to be obviously superior. Judicious specimen loading enabled cancellation of the significant mode I singularity, whereas a careful specimen design enabled the simultaneous cancellation of both modes I and mode II singularities in most specimens. Singular fields (for mathematically sharp notches) were predominant over distances comparable to the root radii used in practice, and thus not very relevant. Further, the shear stress level arising in the specimen center (and in its major part) was controlled by the specimen inclination, whereas stress concentrations in the notch root vicinity were governed mainly by notch tilt and notch opening angles. Appropriately titled, but sharper notches seemed to result in the generally most uniform stress fields. For the issues studied, several accurate closed form expressions were presented.
Calculation of Stress Fields Near Notch Roots in Real Life Structures Subjected to In-Plane and Out-of-Plane Deformations
Authors: Harada T , Noguchi H
Published: March 2009

The authors proposed a practical method for estimating stress fields near a notch in a real structure under in-plane loading in the previous paper. In this method, boundary conditions of a region near a notch are determined reasonably, using the stress field expression and stress components measured by strain gages on the boundary. Therefore, in this method, precise estimation of the stress fields can be performed in a real structure whose boundary conditions are hard to grasp. In this paper, we develop this method further so that it can be used for notches under out-of-plane loading or simultaneous in-plane and out-of-plane loading. A straight boundary near a notch and non-symmetric boundary conditions are investigated as factors lowering the calculation precision. Consequently, there is the angular limitation of a notch in application of this method. However calculation results are accurate enough for most cases.
Development of a Viscosity Specification for Hot-Poured Bituminous Sealants
Authors: Al-Qadi Imad L. , Fini Eli. H. , Elseifi Mostafa A. , Masson J-F. , McGhee Kevin M.
Published: March 2009

Current crack sealant specifications focus on using simple empirical tests such as penetration, resilience, flow, and bonding to cement concrete briquettes (ASTM D 6690) [1] to measure the ability of the material to resist cohesive and adhesive failures. There is, however, no indication of the pertinence of these standard tests to predict the success of field installation and sealant performance. In an effort to bridge the gap between sealant fundamental properties and field performance, performance-based guidelines for the selection of hot-poured crack sealants are currently being developed. This paper proposes a new viscosity test procedure to help assess the propensity of sealants to wet the crack surface during installation. The proposed procedure calls for the use of a Brookfield rotational viscometer equipped with a modified spindle rod and an SC4-27 spindle at a speed of 60 r/min. Sealants are heated 20 min at the recommended installation temperature and the viscosity is measured after 30 s of spindle rotation in the hot sealant. These experimental conditions provide viscosities representative of sealant viscosity at shear rates during field application. The repeatability for within laboratory and between laboratories was found to be 5.4 and 17 %, respectively. This repeatability is comparable with the corresponding variability of the SuperPave viscosity test for asphalt binders.
Experimental Technique for Fully-Reversed Low-Cycle Fatigue Testing of Thin Metallic Foils
Authors: Yang D. , Holmes J. W.
Published: March 2009

Details are provided for a new experimental approach to study the fully-reversed strain controlled low-cycle fatigue (LCF) behavior of thin metallic foils. To illustrate the technique the fatigue life of an Ni-base superalloy foil was studied at room temperature and 500°C. The fatigue tests were performed at a loading frequency of 2.2 Hz. For a strain amplitude of 1.5 % the fatigue life ranged from 649 and 754 cycles at room temperature and between 227 and 340 cycles at 500°C. In addition to metallic foils, the technique can be used to study the fully-reversed bending of other materials such as optical fibers.
Small Specimen Test Techniques for Estimating the Tensile Property Degradation of Mod 9Cr-1Mo Steel on Thermal Aging
Authors: Karthik V. , Laha K. , Parameswaran P. , Kasiviswanathan K. V. , Raj Baldev
Published: March 2009

The degradation in mechanical properties of modified (mod) 9Cr-1Mo steel on thermal aging at 923 K has been studied using the small specimen test techniques—shear-punch and ball-indentation tests. Small volumes of material required for these test techniques make them unique tools for the assessment of service related degradation and failure analysis of structural components. A variety of heat treated microstructural conditions of mod 9Cr-1Mo steel is generated on which both conventional tensile test and shear-punch/ball-indentation tests are carried out. The relationship between conventional tensile properties and small specimen test results is established from these standardization experiments. Small specimens of Mod 9Cr-1Mo steel in the thermally aged conditions are tested using both shear punch and ball-indentation techniques and the tensile property changes are determined. Both these tests identically reflect and quantify the changes in the tensile properties with aging time which correlates well with the microstructural changes observed using optical and electron microscopic studies.
Fault Classification of Water Hydraulic System by Vibration Analysis with Support Vector Machine
Authors: Chen H. X. , Chua Patrick S. K. , Lim G. H.
Published: March 2009

This paper presents a new neural network approach to the fault diagnosis of a water hydraulic system based on the wavelet analysis of a vibration signal. A novel feature of this approach is that the vibration signals acquired from the water hydraulic motor are employed for analysis. Wavelet transform (WT) is first applied as a feature extraction technique to analyze the time-domain vibration signal. The performance of support vector machine (svm) is then investigated and compared with the conventional neural network. The results confirm the applicability of the proposed method for the fault detection in a modern water hydraulic system.
History and Accomplishments of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Superfund Innovative Technology Evaluation (SITE) Monitoring and Measurement Technology (MMT) Program
Authors: Billets Stephen , Dindal Amy
Published: March 2009

This manuscript presents a detailed narrative of the history, accomplishments, and evolution of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Superfund Innovative Technology Evaluation (SITE) Monitoring and Measurement Technology (MMT) Verification Program. This includes a discussion of how fundamental concepts of a performance testing/verification program were developed in response to the 1986 Congressional legislation that was enacted to bring together technology developers, users, and EPA’s credibility in a national testing program. One impetus for the program was the technology developers’ need for a cost effective and technically credible program for showcasing the performance of their technologies to EPA regions, other federal agencies, and other clients. The SITE Program was EPA’s first technology verification program and it has served as a model for subsequent evaluation programs. The performance characteristics of 70 technologies have been verified by the SITE MMT Program. A survey of developers that have participated in the program indicated their overall satisfaction and a summary of their observations is presented. The outcome of the program and its legacy represents an important contribution to the EPA Superfund Program and the use of field analytical technologies.
A New Methodology for Whole-Package Microbial Challenge Testing for Medical Device Trays
Authors: Severin Jane , Bix Laura , Linz John , Gilliland Dennis , Lockhart Hugh
Published: March 2009

It is critical that packages containing sterile medical devices maintain a sterile barrier until the device is used. In 1995, a study conducted by the Health Industry Manufacturers Association (HIMA) compared a whole-package microbial challenge test to physical integrity testing [1]; published results indicated the superiority of physical tests. This paper discusses the problems with the classic approach to whole-package microbial challenge, outlines a new whole-package microbial challenge test, and details the work done to begin to illustrate its effectiveness. The project aim is the creation of a new methodology for microbial challenge testing of medical device packages that reduces the chance of false positives that were commonly observed with the previous technique. The proposed method involves aseptically filling sterile, sealed packages with growth media, challenging them with microbes, incubating the package, and then conducting colony counts to determine package contamination. Results suggest that the proposed technique does not have the false positives that were associated with historical microbial challenge testing. False positives are a serious problem, as they indicate that a package has not maintained its sterile barrier when, indeed, it has. This can lead manufacturers to false assumptions about production and the package, potentially resulting in increased costs for healthcare providers and patients. Research presented here represents the first step in creating a standardized methodology for whole-package microbial challenge testing. Currently, such a test does not exist. While there are numerous physical integrity tests that a manufacturer of medical devices can employ to verify the integrity of packages before release to the market, a need exists for a standardized whole-package microbial challenge test that overcomes the difficulties associated with those of the past.
Verification and Calibration of VESYS5W Fatigue Cracking Model Using Results from Accelerated Pavement Testing
Authors: Chen Dar Hao , Zhou Fujie , Yuan Jianbo
Published: March 2009

Cost effective design methodology demands accurate performance modeling. Fatigue cracking is one of the major performance indicators in flexible pavement systems. Through literature review, a decision was made to modify the fatigue cracking model in the original VESYS5 program. The revised model in VESYS5W has the same basic form as suggested by the Asphalt Institute (AI) and the 2002 Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide (MEPDG). The main challenge in modeling fatigue cracking is to determine appropriate input parameters. Efforts were made to compare the experimental results of full-scale accelerated pavement testing (APT) to the VESY5W predictions using the material parameters suggested by AI and the 2002 MEPDG. The test data employed in this paper are obtained from the full-scale APT conducted by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) under a national pooled fund study TPF-5(019). Test results from five lanes at testing temperatures of 19°C were utilized in the comparisons. It was found that the VESYS5W prediction using the material parameters from 2002 MEPDG yielded a much better fit to the experimental results than those using AI material parameters. The VESYS5W predictions using the AI material parameters always underestimated the fatigue cracking life. To match experimental results, shift factors were applied. The shift factors ranged from 0.48 to 3.1 for the predictions using the material parameters from the 2002 MEPDG. However, the shift factors for the AI material parameters ranged from 3.6 to 14.4. In summary, VESYS5W predictions using 2002 MEPDG material parameters provided satisfactory fits to the experimental results with relatively small (⩽3.1) shift factors. Based on the FHWA’s APT test results and the VESYS5W analyses, two equations are recommended for prediction of fatigue cracking in pavements with conventional mix and with asphalt modifier.
Evaluation of Nonnuclear Density Tests on Hot Mix Asphalt Segregation
Authors: Chang Chieh-Min , Chen Jian-Shiuh , Fang Chien-Cheng , Chang Meng-Kung
Published: March 2009

Since the identification of segregation on asphalt pavements has been based on visual observations around the world, it is essential to develop a quantitative method to detect the presence and severity of segregation. The nonnuclear density device was selected for the field measurements at nine test sites, and cores were taken for laboratory testing. The nonnuclear density difference between segregated and control areas was found to increase with increasing the segregation severity. For medium or heavy segregated areas, the nonnuclear density difference was more than 90 kg/m3. In medium or heavy segregated areas, the air voids increased by 20 % and the indirect tensile strength decreased by 8 % as compared to the control areas. The criterion to detect segregation was based on the statistical differences in nonnuclear measured density values with a p-value 0.05. If a statistical difference in nonnuclear density between segregated and control areas existed, the chance of aggregate gradation difference in percent passing the 3/8 in., No. 4 and No. 8 sieves for medium and heavy segregation was 78 and 64 %, respectively. In addition to the field nonnuclear density readings, the material properties of asphalt mixtures obtained from 108 cores, including texture depth and percent air voids were selected as independent variables to develop a model to predict the calibrated nonnuclear density difference between the segregated and control areas. This quantitative model holds a great promise as a tool to identify potential areas of segregation using both lab data and field nonnuclear density measurements for quality assurance purposes.
Testing and evaluation of water hydraulic components by acoustic emission and wavelet analysis
Authors: Chen H. X. , Chua Patrick S. K. , Lim G. H.
Published: March 2009

In condition monitoring and fault diagnosis of machinery, vibration analysis is the major method and wavelet analysis is widely implemented. The acoustic emission (AE) method is another important and effective signal in fault diagnosis of mechanical systems. In this paper, the AE signal is applied to diagnose the piston condition of the water hydraulic motor in a water hydraulic system. The AE signal is obtained under different flow rates and torques. The wavelet-based signal processing technique is used to analyze the fluid-borne vibration and structure-borne vibration (acoustic signal). The spectrum based on wavelet analysis is effective in analyzing the acoustic signals under specific frequency ranges, compared with the conventional power spectrum density (PSD). The results show root mean square (RMS) of the wavelet-based acoustic signal analysis is very effective for the fault diagnosis of piston cracks under the different flow rates and torques.
Effect of Portland Cement Fineness on ASTM C1260 Expansion
Authors: Bektas Fatih , Wang Kejin , Ceylan Halil
Published: March 2009

The present study is aimed at investigating the effect of portland cement fineness on the results of ASTM C1260 tests—Standard Test Method for Potential Alkali Reactivity of Aggregates (Mortar-Bar Method). The effects of clinker alkali content, aggregate reactivity, and sodium hydroxide (NaOH) solution concentration on the mortar expansion test results were also studied. In this study, high and low alkali portland cement clinkers were selected and ground with gypsum in a laboratory ball mill to three fineness levels: 300, 400, and 500 m2/kg (Blaine). Moderately- and highly-reactive aggregates were tested with these cements according to ASTM C1260. In addition to the standard 1 N NaOH solution, a 0.5 N NaOH soak solution was also used. The results show that mortar-bar expansion was promoted with increased cement fineness regardless of clinker alkali, aggregate reactivity, or soak solution normality. Clinker alkali had no or little effect on moderately reactive aggregate; whereas it had considerable effect on highly reactive aggregate. Highly reactive aggregate tended to be more sensitive to cement fineness and alkalinity. Although cement fineness and clinker alkali content did not affect the classification in terms of potential reactivity of the aggregates used in this study, they might change the classification for the aggregates near the boundary between reactive and nonreactive aggregates. Specification of fineness and alkali content of cement, or both, might be beneficial to further improve the reliability and reproducibility of ASTM C1260.
Research on the Relation Between Magnetic Barkhausen Noise and Ferromagnetic Materials with Different Heat Treatments
Authors: Qi Xin , Wang Wei , Zheng Xingye , Chen Juan
Published: March 2009

Because the continuous reorientation of magnetic moment induces magnetic domain wall irreversible jumps, a ferromagnetic material emits Barkhausen noise when it is in an alternating magnetic field. Because the Barkhausen noise size depends on the resistance when the magnetic domain wall moves, which means it depends on pinning site distribution and magnitude of pinning in the ferromagnetic material, so the material structure change will influence the wall’s structure and movement, thereby changing the coercive field and other magnetic parameters of the material. We have treated 45# steel and 35CrMo steel by different heat treatments, and investigated the Barkhausen noise character given off by these samples in different magnetic fields, and we have found the relationship between different heat treatment conditions and Barkhausen noise released by different microstructures.
Flexural Strength of Ceramic and Glass Rods
Authors: Quinn George D. , Sparenberg Brian T. , Koshy Philip , Ives Lewis K. , Jahanmir Said , Arola Dwayne D.
Published: March 2009

Flexural testing is the most common method used to measure the uniaxial tensile strength of ceramics and glasses. Although standard test methods have been developed for rectangular specimens, cylindrical rod specimens may be preferred in many cases. This paper summarizes how rods have been tested in the past, identifies key experimental errors and remedies, and serves as the foundation for a new standard test method for ceramics and glasses.
Modal Analysis, Experimental Validation, and Calibration of a Historical Masonry Minaret
Authors: Bayraktar Alemdar , Altunişik Ahmet Can , Sevim Barış , Türker Temel , Akköse Mehmet , Çoşkun Nart
Published: March 2009

This paper describes a historical masonry minaret, its finite element modeling, modal testing, and finite element model calibration. İskenderpaşa historical masonry minaret located in Trabzon City Center, Turkey, is selected as an application. Modal analysis is performed on the developed 3-D finite element model of the minaret to obtain the analytical frequencies and mode shapes. The ambient vibration tests on the minaret under environmental excitations, such as traffic loads and wind, are conducted. The output-only modal parameter identification is carried out by using peak picking of the average normalized power spectral densities in the frequency domain and stochastic subspace identification in the time domain. Dynamic characteristics such as natural frequencies, mode shapes, and damping ratios are determined. The finite element model of the minaret is calibrated to minimize the differences between analytically and experimentally estimated modal properties by changing some uncertain modeling parameters such as material properties and boundary conditions. At the end of the study, maximum differences in the natural frequencies are reduced on an average from 27 % to 5 %. A good agreement is also found between analytical and experimental natural frequencies and mode shapes after model calibration.
Fault Degradation Assessment of Water Hydraulic Components by Noise Signal with Wavelet Packet Analysis
Authors: Chen H. X. , Chua Patrick S. K. , Lim G. H.
Published: March 2009

Vibration analysis contains the important information for the working condition of the mechanical system. It is the major method used in condition monitoring and fault diagnosis of machinery. However, noise is widely recognized as one of the more characteristic aspects of hydraulic power system. The flow ripple generated primarily by motor/pump is the main source of acoustic signal. The characteristics of the noise from water hydraulic system have a close relation to the fault degradation of the pistons inside the water hydraulic motor. This paper studies the fault degradation of the piston in the water hydraulic motor by noise in the vibration signal. The fault degradation of the piston in the water hydraulic motor is introduced to acquire the vibration signal of the water hydraulic motor under different pressures. Wavelet packet analysis is applied to analyze the vibration signal to obtain the noise from the vibration signal of the water hydraulic motor. Continuous wavelet transform is used to analyze the noise within the specific frequencies. The results show that the noise of the water hydraulic motor has the different feature values under different fault degradations.
Modular 12 Gauge Shotgun Beanbag Accuracy Study
Authors: Mesloh Charlie , Thompson Frank , Wargo Brandon , Collie Komaal , Berry Christopher
Published: March 2009

As with all less-than-lethal weapons, the user is frequently left to estimate the optimum effective range of their weapon. Factory literature often exaggerates effective ranges and other features, which can be misleading and potentially dangerous in the deployment of the weapon. Using a modular combat shotgun and its three barrels, this study examined the accuracy of 12 gauge bean bag rounds in relation to barrel length. Accuracy was measured by point of impact and projectile spread in relation to the deviation from the point of aim. Our observations for the selected shotgun and bean bag rounds show that, at distances under 12 m (40 ft), the projectile was both accurate and reliable. At greater distances, both accuracy and reliability decreased. The 25 cm (10 in), 36 cm (14 in), and 46 cm (18 in) barrels can be used in close proximity from 3 m (10 ft)—15 m (50 ft) without a considerable loss of accuracy. This is of major significance as the use of shotguns during tactical room clearing is often limited by the length of barrel. These findings suggest that even the shortest length barrel tested would perform well if the targets are not engaged beyond 15 m (50 ft). Beyond this distance, the 46 cm (18 in) barrel is the most accurate performer and will reliably engage targets out to the maximum tested range of 24 m (80 ft).
Influence of Intermittent Hypoxia on Myocardial and Hepatic P‐glycoprotein Expression in a Rodent Model
Authors: Dopp John M. , Moran John J. , Abel Nicole J. , Wiegert Nicholas A. , Cowgill John B. , Olson E. Burt , Sims J. Jason
Published: March 2009

Study Objective. Patients with obstructive sleep apnea who receive drug therapy for cardiovascular disease may experience resistant hypertension, arrhythmias, or more severe heart failure, and many of the drugs used to treat these conditions are substrates for P‐glycoprotein (P‐gp) transporters. Therefore, we sought to determine if intermittent hypoxia, which mimics obstructive sleep apnea, would upregulate myocardial and hepatic P‐gp expression and Abcb1a and Abcb1b messenger RNA (mRNA) expression (genes that encode for P‐gp) in an animal model.

Design. Prospective, randomized, blinded, parallel‐design animal study.

Setting. University research laboratory.

Animals. Thirty adult, male Sprague‐Dawley rats.

Intervention. Rats were assigned to either 2 weeks of intermittent hypoxia exposure similar to sleep apnea (12 rats) or no hypoxia exposure (controls, 18 rats).

Measurements and Main Results. After intermittent hypoxia or normoxia exposure, the rats were anesthetized. Heart and liver were harvested, and small samples were taken from the left ventricle (heart) and the liver for analysis. Expression of P‐gp was measured by Western blotting, whereas Abcb1a and Abcb1b mRNA expression was assessed by real‐time polymerase chain reaction. Band density of myocardial (but not hepatic) P‐gp expression (standardized by β‐actin) was significantly higher in hypoxic rats than in control rats (p=0.03). Quantitative polymerase chain reaction revealed that myocardial and hepatic Abcb1a and myocardial Abcb1b mRNA expression were significantly increased in hypoxic rats compared with controls (p<0.05).

Conclusion. Myocardial P‐gp expression and myocardial and hepatic Abcb1a mRNA expression were significantly increased after 2 weeks of intermittent hypoxia. Hypoxia‐induced increases in P‐gp expression may partially explain drug‐resistant cardiovascular disease in patients with obstructive sleep apnea.