bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Brazil Reflects a Global Gender Disparity in Speech-Language Pathology: A Comparison of Leadership and Representation Within the Profession
Authors: Sarmet Max , Zeredo Jorge L. , Serra Lucieny Silva Martins , da Silva Eduardo Magalhães
Published: December 2022

Purpose:

Speech-language pathologists (SLPs) are professionals marked by occupational gender segregation, with speech-language pathology jobs being dominated by women worldwide. In the United States, male participation in leadership and prominent positions within the profession has been gradually increasing, but the proportion of men compared to women is still very low. This study aimed to verify the prevalence of Brazilian men who are SLPs, assess the participation of male SLPs in leadership positions within the profession, and compare this gender distribution with that of other countries.

Method:

In this retrospective, descriptive cross-sectional study, we considered information contained in public databases and information obtained through utilizing the Brazilian Access to Information Law. Male representation in Brazil was assessed considering the distribution of active male speech-language pathology professionals, participation in collegiates of the Brazilian federal and regional speech-language pathology councils, participation in the board of the Brazilian Society of Speech-Language Pathology, participation in editorial boards, authorship in Brazilian journals, and prevalence in public health care. Besides the data gathered in Brazil, for comparison purposes, data on scientific representation in the United States and that of speech-language pathology societies in 40 countries were collected.

Results:

Males represent 4.8% of the Brazilian active speech-language pathology professionals. Representation in public health care was low (3.0%), which reveals a significant gender disparity. Male participation in leadership positions averaged at around 14%–25%, which can illustrate a potential growth in the field of male professionals.

Conclusions:

The gender disparity seen globally remains present in Brazilian SLPs. The findings of this study can benefit the profession by recognizing this inequality and stimulating the search for solutions that favor gender equality considering Brazilian sociocultural features.
Augmentative and Alternative Communication and Friendships: Considerations for Speech-Language Pathologists
Authors: Therrien Michelle , Rossetti Zach , Østvik Jørn
Published: December 2022

Purpose:

Friendships are enjoyable and desirable relationships with personal and developmental benefits for all people. However, individuals who use augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) experience barriers to developing and maintaining friendships. Speech-language pathologists (SLPs), with expertise in communication, social pragmatics, and AAC, are uniquely qualified to support friendship for individuals who use AAC. This clinical focus article provides a background on friendship and friendship development generally, then outlines considerations for SLPs to support individuals who use AAC to develop and maintain authentic friendships with peers across the lifespan.

Conclusions:

Communication with peers is an essential component of friendship development and maintenance. SLPs should recognize that they have clients on their caseloads who desire friendship and who likely experience barriers to developing or maintaining friendships. When SLPs have a friendship mindset, they identify authentic, motivating opportunities for social interaction; provide the needed tools, including AAC, to support communication within those opportunities; and target communicative competence as part of treatment.
The roadmap of bioeconomy in China
Authors: Zhang Xu , Zhao Cuihuan , Shao Ming‐Wei , Chen Yi‐Ling , Liu Puyuan , Chen Guo‐Qiang
Published: December 2022

The bioeconomy drives the development of life science and biotechnology as a blueprint for the future development of human society, and offers a cross‐cutting perspective on the societal transformation towards long‐term sustainability and the transition away from the non‐renewable economy. Moreover, the sustainable bioeconomy strategies are consistent with the United Nation's (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) and are becoming the centre of the achievement for SDG. The Chinese ‘14th Five‐Year Plan for Bioeconomy Development’ (2021–2025), including the development goals of China's bioeconomy containing biomedicine, agriculture, bio‐manufacturing and bio‐security as a strategic priority, is discussed. The plan offers three pathways to improve bioeconomy, including technological innovation, industrialisation and policy supports. Finally, it concludes China's first bioeconomy development plan as a success, suggesting the key role of industrial biotechnology in bioeconomy.
An edge thinning algorithm based on newly defined single‐pixel edge patterns
Authors: Ren Lijuan , Wang Xionghui , Wang Nina , Zhang Guangpeng , Li Yongchang , Yang Zhijian
Published: December 2022

To improve the uniformity of one‐pixel width and continuity of the thinned edges, this paper proposes an edge thinning algorithm acting on grey‐scale edge images based on 24 self‐defined single‐pixel connection patterns. First, for binary or blurred grey‐scale gradient edge images, a distance–greyscale coupling algorithm is proposed to achieve gradient enhancement in the edge width direction. Then the elimination rules of noise points and gradient calculation method are given. Secondly, the marking rules of the first three pixels of each edge are given. The next pixel to be marked must meet that the new last three pixels belong to the 24 connection modes. Whether the qualified pixels are retained depends on its grey value and the local edge gradient. The algorithm is tested on four types of images. The results show that the proposed method can guarantee uniform, smooth, and connected one‐pixel‐wide lines that lie at the centre of the initial edges. The algorithm and the existing algorithms are performed on portrait image and four scenarios of the indoor datasets. Five evaluation indicators are statistically analyzed to prove the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed algorithm.
Artificial intelligence meets radar resource management: A comprehensive background and literature review
Authors: Hashmi Umair Sajid , Akbar Sunila , Adve Raviraj , Moo Peter W. , Ding Jack
Published: December 2022

A multi‐function radar is designed to perform disparate functions, such as surveillance, tracking, fire control, amongst others, within a limited resource (time, frequency, and energy) budget. A radar resource management (RRM) module within a radar system makes decisions on prioritisation, parameter selection, and scheduling of associated tasks. However, optimal RRM algorithms are generally computationally complex and operational radars resort to heuristics. On the other hand, algorithms based on artificial intelligence (AI) have been shown to yield near‐optimal radar resource allocation results at manageable computational complexity. This survey study aims at enabling researchers and practitioners better understand the application of AI in RRM‐related problems by providing a thorough literature review of AI‐based RRM techniques. We first provide background concepts in RRM followed by a brief review of Symbolic‐AI techniques for RRM. We mainly focus on the applications of state‐of‐the‐art machine learning techniques to RRM. We emphasise on the recent findings and their potential within practical RRM scenarios for real‐time resource allocation optimisation. The study concludes with a discussion of open research problems and future research directions in the light of the presented survey.
New computational methods with Sunlight, Daylight, and Quality Views for Regenerative Design
Authors: Dervishaj Arlind , Dervishaj Glen , Gudmundsson Kjartan , Björk Folke
Published: December 2022

This paper investigates novel computational methods for Regenerative Design by developing further on the European Daylight Standard EN 17037, to make it useful at both urban and architectural scales. Case studies are evaluated for sunlight, daylight and quality views. A computational method, compliant with EN 17037, is introduced for the evaluation of sunlight. An assessment of daylight metrics, for an office building in Helsinki, with a 300 lux target, demonstrates a 12% difference between spatial Daylight Autonomy (sDA; occupied hours) and Illuminance levels (EN 17037 method 2; daylight hours), 37% between sDA and Daylight Factor (EN 17037 method 1), and 25% between methods 1 and 2. A new computational method for evaluating ‘views’ on the floorplan is proposed that considers ‘view content’ (EN 17037 View Out layers), ‘view access’, the potential viewpoint-based ‘outside distance’, and can be extended to add the ‘quality of environmental information’. Further research directions and use of spatial metrics are discussed for sunlight, daylight, and view quality.
PV self-consumption prediction methods using supervised machine learning
Authors: Tóth Martos , Sommerfeldt Nelson
Published: December 2022

The increased prevalence of photovoltaic (PV) self-consumption policies across Europe and the world place an increased importance on accurate predictions for life-cycle costing during the planning phase. This study presents several machine learning and regression models for predicting self-consumption, trained on a variety of datasets from Sweden. The results show that advanced ML models have an improved performance over simpler regressions, where the highest performing model, Random Forest, has a mean average error of 1.5 percentage points and an R2 of 0.977. Training models using widely available typical meteorological year (TMY) climate data is also shown to introduce small, acceptable errors when tested against spatially and temporally matched climate and load data. The ability to train the ML models with TMY climate data makes their adoption easier and builds on previous work by demonstrating the robustness of the methodology as a self-consumption prediction tool. The low error and high R2 are a notable improvement over previous estimation models and the minimal input data requirements make them easy to adopt and apply in a wide array of applications.
A Characterisation Framework for Parametric Building Performance Simulation Tools
Authors: Säwén Toivo , Magnusson Emil , Hollberg Alexander , Kalagasidis Angela Sasic
Published: December 2022

Implementing Building Performance Simulation (BPS) in a parametric design framework is a prevalent way of facilitating environmental assessments in early design stages. However, no up-to-date overviews of potential approaches are available, and no characterisation frameworks adapted for parametric BPS tools are present. In this study, such a framework was developed and its use demonstrated through an investigation of eleven available BPS tools for the parametric design framework Grasshopper®. It was found that the framework was able to successfully differentiate tools based on the level of BPS expertise integrated in the tools, and the allocation of responsibility for data entry and interpretation. A contrast was found between streamlined tools, and tools which provide more versatility. The characterisation framework, and the resulting overview of approaches, can be used to guide the future development of parametric environmental analysis frameworks for buildings.
Numerical Design of a DSF System Subjected to Solar Energy and Applied in Building Occupied Spaces
Authors: Conceição Eusébio , Gomes João , Lúcio Manuela , Awbi Hazim
Published: December 2022

A numerical design of a DSF (Double Skin Facade) system subjected to solar energy and applied to the heating of occupied spaces inside a building, in winter conditions, is presented in this study. The simulation is done using a building dynamic thermal response software to assess, among other parameters, the solar radiation incident on the DSF, the occupant thermal comfort level, indoor air quality level and thermal energy production. The occupant thermal comfort level is assessed by the Predicted Mean Vote index. The indoor air quality is assessed by the carbon dioxide concentration. The space considered in this study is an auditorium occupied by 210 people. The DSF system was installed on the south facade of this auditorium. The DSF system consists of 25 DSF. Each DSF consists of two surfaces, an opaque interior and a transparent exterior, separated by an air channel. This channel is used to heat the air that will be transported, through ducts, to the indoor HVAC (Heating, Ventilating and Air Conditioning) system, which is founded on a mixing ventilation system. The thermal energy produced in this way ensures an acceptable level of thermal comfort during most of the occupancy time and a level of indoor air quality close to acceptable. Therefore, it can be concluded that the HVAC system guarantees a good compromise between the thermal comfort of the occupants and the quality of the indoor air.
Multifunctional building parts Increased solar shares with activated building parts
Authors: Gauer Tillman , Pahn Matthias
Published: December 2022

To achieve national and international climate goals, the greenhouse gas emissions from the building sector must be reduced. One option is the use of renewable energies, which must be stored. Building parts with thermal activation have the potential to store heat. As those building parts feature new active energetic functionalities – active heat storage and heating – they are called multifunctional building parts (MBP). To investigate the potential of MBP, a thermal model is deployed and verified. The model is used to examine the influence of the distance between thermal activation and the MBP’s inside.
Model predictive control for a data centre waste heat-based heat prosumer in Norway
Authors: Hou Juan , Li Haoran , Nord Natasa
Published: December 2022

Waste heat from a data centre (DC) is a promising heat source because of the evenly distributed load profile and intensive waste heat generation. Many studies have proven the substantial financial benefits for the district heating (DH) operators by integrating DC waste heat with DH systems. However, there is a scarcity of research focusing on the optimal control of the DH system after integrating DC waste heat to further improve the system’s economic performance. Therefore, this study aimed to further improve the economic performance of a DH system with DC waste heat by utilizing a model predictive control (MPC) scheme. This MPC scheme employed an economic-related objective function and formulated technical operational constraints. The proposed MPC scheme was tested on a campus DH system in Norway by simulation. Compared to a traditional rule-based control approach, the MPC scheme reduced the monthly energy cost by 1.8% while providing more stable chilled water for the DC cooling system.
Drivers and barrios in using augmented reality in renovation projects - literature review
Authors: Jalilzadehazhari Elaheh , Kurkinen Eva-Lotta
Published: December 2022

Reducing the emissions of greenhouse gases is of utter importance for the mitigation of climate change mitigation. In Sweden, the building and service sector is responsible for 21% of total greenhouse gas. Renovating existing buildings, more specifically those which were constructed before 1980, can significantly contribute to the reduction in energy consumption and emissions of greenhouse gases. Because the majority of these buildings are in need for renovation. But the energy renovation and energy efficiency-related maintenance rate in Sweden is very low due to lack of technical drawings and documentation of information about material specifications and structure systems. Adoption of augmented reality technologies can be beneficial as these technologies present digital information in the context of the physical environment. However, the level of adoption of these technologies in renovation and maintenance projects is still very low. This paper expands the technology acceptance model to evaluate determinants of users’ acceptance of augmented reality technologies in renovation and maintenance projects.
Methodology and parameters to analyse daylighting and energy use in dense cities: A literature review
Authors: Pepe Emanuele , Dubois Marie-Claude , Gentile Niko , Bernardo Ricardo
Published: December 2022

Low energy buildings are key to reduce global energy use. However, achieving low energy use and good daylight levels simultaneously in dense cities is challenging. This article reviews relevant studies dealing with energy use and daylighting in dense residential urban blocks located in Nordic climates. The literature review combines a systematic and a ‘snowball’ search approach. Findings indicate that previous research relies heavily on parametric design as a tool. Few density metrics were found particularly relevant to describe the interplay between density, daylight, and energy use.

However, the limited body of research achieved so far in the Nordic climate makes it difficult to draw a clear conclusion, suggesting that additional research is required.
A simplified urban building energy model to support early-stage energy plans
Authors: Johari Fatemeh , Widén Joakim
Published: December 2022

The latest attempts in determining the spatiotemporal patterns of energy use in the building sector have led to the development of a new set of tools referred to as “urban building energy models” (UBEMs). Due to the high level of complexity, the computation cost of UBEMs risks becoming impractically large. As a substitution for complex models, in this study, using a simplified steady-state method for calculating the energy performance of buildings, a more computationally efficient UBEM is proposed. The developed model uses the available information of buildings from open datasets, translates them into simplified physical models, and, finally, estimates the energy performance of buildings for desired spatial and temporal resolutions. A comparison of the simplified UBEM with an advanced UBEM, developed around the building energy simulation software EnergyPlus, proves that the suggested simplified model performs within an acceptable range of accuracy. Furthermore, using the simplified model, the computation cost of the model can improve considerably, from hours to only a few seconds. By validating the results of the simplified UBEM against the measured energy performance of buildings from the Swedish energy performance certificate (EPC) database, it can be also seen that the MAPE does not go higher than 31%.
Climate change impact on the degradation of historically significant wooden furniture in a cultural heritage building in Vestfold, Norway
Authors: Choidis Petros , Sharma Akriti , Grottesi Giulia , Kraniotis Dimitrios
Published: December 2022

Climate change is expected to significantly affect the interior climate of old, leaky buildings without HVAC systems. As a result, the items of cultural significance that are hosted indoors will experience new ambient conditions, which will affect their degradation. In the current research, the impact of climate change on the biological, mechanical, and chemical degradation of a cabinet and a storage trunk which are made of wood and have paintings on their outer surface is investigated. These two items are found in two different rooms of a historic timber building in Vestfold, Norway. Data from the REMO2015 driven by the global model MPI-ESM-LR are used in order to account for past, present, and future climate conditions. In addition, climate data from ERA5 reanalysis are used in order to assess the accuracy of the MPI-ES-LR_REMO2015 model results. Whole building hygrothermal simulations are employed to calculate the temperature and the relative humidity inside the rooms that host the items of interest. The transient hygrothermal condition and certain characteristics of the timber surfaces are used as inputs in models that describe their degradation. The biological degradation is examined by using i) the updated VTT mould model and ii) the Growing Degree Days (GDD) for temperature and humidity dependant insects. The mechanical deterioration is assessed by the method proposed by Mecklenburg et al. (1998). The concept of the Lifetime Multiplier (LM) is used in order to assess the chemical deterioration of the furniture. Results reveal a significant mechanical degradation risk and a very high chemical deterioration risk. The biodeterioration risk remains at acceptable levels. Moreover, it could be possible that the storage trunk would be damaged by certain insects in the future. It is then suggested that both items should be moved to a room with proper conditions in order to minimize their chemical and mechanical deterioration risk and extend their life span. Finally, the significance of implementing bias correction in the data from climate models is underlined.
Learnings from experiments with MPC for heating of older school building
Authors: Thilker Christian Ankerstjerne , Bacher Peder , Madsen Henrik
Published: December 2022

The paper presents the learnings from designing and running a model predictive control (MPC) of the heating system in a school building. Several real-life applications of MPC controlled heating have been presented in the literature. Most of them work by controlling the room temperature usingn a heating system and thus need a reference measured temperature in the building. Some have a single-zone temperature as the reference, while others use some kind of mean temperature of multiple rooms. In the present experiment, the MPC used the mean temperature of all rooms as the reference and was able to keep it within a lower and upper comfort bound, while minimizing the heat costs by responding to a heat price signal. However, the analyses of the temperature in each room revealed that the temperature bounds were heavily violated: some rooms were too cold and some too warm, while the mean was within the bounds. The main conclusion from the study is that, at least for buildings with different sized rooms and room radiator capacities, it’s not reliable to use a mean room temperature – rather, the control must consider individual rooms in order to guarantee comfort.
Development and testing of load flexibility KPIs in the ZEN definition
Authors: Sartori Igor , Lien Synne , Bagle Marius , Walnum Harald , Manrique Benjamin
Published: December 2022

This paper discusses the flexibility KPIs proposed in the context of the Zero Emission Neighborhood (ZEN) definition for characterizing how a building or neighborhood exchanges energy with the surrounding energy system and presents preliminary results of testing them on single, archetype buildings. The KPIs are calculated as the deviation of a flexible load from a baseline, typical load. The results depend on the flexibility sources activated, as well as the flexibility drivers and flexibility goals deployed for the activation. It is shown how the mechanism of flexibility works and how the KPIs can be graphically represented, with emphasis on space heating. Numeric values of the KPIs are given in ranges, given their intrinsic case to case variability and the limited experience so far accumulated with testing them. This stated, it is shown that activating flexibility can bring reductions in ΔCost (in the range of 0% to 20%), in ΔEnergy Stress and ΔPeak power (in the range 20% to 50%) even if this is accompanied by a modest increase in ΔEnergy (in the range 0% to +5%) due to some energy losses.
Measurement and Analysis of Evaporation in Indoor Swimming Pools: Comparison with the ASHRAE’s Activity Factor
Authors: Smedegård Ole Øiene , Aas Bjørn , Stene Jørn , Georges Laurent
Published: December 2022

The evaporation rate from the swimming pool is a main parameter influencing the energy use in swimming facilities. Quantifying this phenomenon is crucial when modelling the facility in Building Performance Simulation. This study investigates the accuracy of ASHRAE equation using field measurements. This equation is widely used and implemented in BPS tools, such as the pool model in IDA ICE. The investigated dataset was based on two different indoor swimming pool facilities in Norway. It includes in total 75 swimming lessons (i.e., occupied pool) and 477 hours of unoccupied operation. While ASHRAE recommend 1.0/0.5 for occupied and unoccupied pools, respectively, the average activity factor was found to be 0.7 and 0.8 for the investigated occupied pools, with a maximum at 1.1. Moreover, the activity factor was between 0.50 and 0.57 for unoccupied pools.
Simulation of the effect of evaporation and gas composition during plasma spheroidization of titanium particles
Authors: Seya Alex , Kolesnikov Andrei , Van Der Walt Jaco , Bissett Hertzog
Published: December 2022

A 3D model was proposed that describes the in-flight behavior of titanium particles in the plasma environment, developed in the commercial CFD Ansys Fluent software, which described the heating of particles. The rate of evaporation was investigated based on the gas compositions, and the mass evaporated on the surface of the particle along the trajectory under plasma conditions. To evaluate the spheroidization rate of titanium particles, the calculated temperature and flow histories were established. Significant heat exchange behaviors are presented due to the variations in hydrogen content and feed rate. The simulation results have demonstrated that the range of 0-4% of H2 and at a low injection feed rate of 3-10 g/min minimized the evaporation rate and increased the spheroidization rate of particles.
Thermodynamic and magnetic properties of Pt50Mn50-xMx (M= Cr, Fe) alloys: A first-principles study
Authors: Diale Ramogohlo , Ngoepe Phuti , Moema Joseph , Phasha Maje , Chauke Hasani
Published: December 2022

More recently, the L10 MnPt alloy has received massive attention in data storage applications such as spintronics due to its high ferromagnetic stability and very high Néel temperature. It was found that L10 MnPt alloy showed ferromagnetic behaviour at room temperature. In this study, the effect of introducing antiferromagnetic (Cr) and ferromagnetic (Fe) elements on MnPt alloy is being investigated using density functional theory (DFT). The thermodynamic stability was determined from the heats of formation to check the formability of Pt50Mn50-xMx (M= Cr, Fe; x=6.25, 12.5, 18.75, 25) alloys. These Pt50Mn50-xMx alloys were found to be thermodynamically stable although with lower heats of formation. Overall magnetic moments decrease slightly with an increase in Cr and Fe compositions, only at 6.25 at. % Cr the ferromagnetic state is improved when the c/a ratio is 1.10. The current work revealed that the DFT-based first-principle approach can be used to design new possible compositions for the development of PGM-bearing magnetic materials.
Effect of Al addition on the solidification structure of 441 dual stabilised ferritic stainless steel
Authors: Asante J. T. , Siyasiya C.W. , Annan K. A.
Published: December 2022

Ferritic stainless steels (FSS) develop poor surface finish during processing and this is attributed to the large columnar grains formed during solidification. Addition of alloying elements such as Al, Ti and Nb used in dual stabilized FSS improve the solidification structures. In this work, two 441 dual stabilized FSS, with 0.023 and 0.068 %Al respectively were investigated in the as-cast condition. The columnar to equiaxed zone ratio was determined by the linear interception method. The results showed that the higher the Ti/Al ratio, the higher the equiaxed ratio. The inclusions reported from SEM showed that there were more spinel inclusions of Ti-Al-O as well as more TiN precipitates in the steel with 0.023 wt% Al.
The effect of vanadium and nickel on the microstructure and transformation temperatures of Ti50Pt50 alloy
Authors: Motsai Tebogo , Makhatha Elizabeth , Camagu Sigqibo , Machio Chris , Daswa Pfarelo , Radingoana Precious , Motsi Glenda
Published: December 2022

Significant research has been done to produce shape memory alloys that have good shape memory properties and high martensitic transformation temperatures. The Ti50Pt50 alloys have been found to have high transformation temperature of around 1050℃ however, they exhibit negligible shape memory properties. The solid solution strengthening, and improved shape memory properties could be enhanced by ternary alloying. Therefore, this work investigates the effect of varying V and Ni contents, in the range of 6.25 to 12.5at%, on the austenitic and martensitic transformation temperatures, and hardness of the equi-atomic Ti50Pt50 alloy. Arc melting followed by casting and solution heat treatment was carried out to produce the alloys. As-produced alloys were characterized by using scanning electron microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry and hardness testing. The microstructures showed high volume fraction of second phases formed in the TiPtV alloy compared with Ti50Pt50 and TiPtNi alloys. The multiple phases formed in the TiPtV alloys could be the cause of high hardness values observed in these alloys as compared withTi50Pt50 and TiPtNi alloys. Thermal transformation studies revealed that TiPtV alloys exhibit transformation temperature close to Ti50Pt50 alloy, in contrast with TiPtNi alloys. TiPtNi alloys thermal behaviour was improved by solution heat treatment.
Nanomechanical and Tribological Properties of Hexagonal-Boron Nitride-Enhanced Sintered Titanium Alloy Matrix Composites
Authors: Abe John Olorunfemi , Popoola Olawale Muhammed , Popoola Patricia Abimbola
Published: December 2022

This work explored the influence of varied content (1, 3 and 5 wt.%) of hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) on the nanomechanical and tribological properties of Ti6Al4V matrix composites (TMCs) developed by spark plasma sintering (SPS). Scanning electron microscopy/energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, optical microscopy and X-ray diffraction were employed to characterize the microstructural and phase constituents of the sintered TMCs. Also, nanoindentation and tribology experiment using an automated nanoindenter at maximum load of 200 mN and pin on disk tribometer under 5, 10 and 15 N applied loads were performed, respectively. The results obtained showed that SPS enabled accomplishment of well-refined grains, formation of highly densified product and development of solid matrix-reinforcement interfacial bond. It was also found that the TMCs exhibited continuing enhancement in nanoindentation hardness (50.66 ± 2.25-70.78 ± 3.34 GPa) and modulus of elasticity (238.69 ± 12.25-356.76 ± 21.34 GPa) values and improved tribological properties with increasing h-BN reinforcement content.
Predicting the CTE & hardness for directed energy deposition of functionally graded WC-SS316L Coatings
Authors: Ndinisa Sindi , Sacks Natasha
Published: December 2022

One of the key components in the design of wear resistant coatings for directed energy deposition is the analysis of the thermo-mechanical properties within the substrate-coating interface. The coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) and the mismatch are crucial due to their significant influence on the structural integrity and operational performance of the coating. In this study, a four-layered functionally graded tungsten carbide (WC)-316L stainless steel composite coating was designed using a rule-of-mixtures approach for manufacture by directed energy deposition. Two theoretical models were employed to predict the CTE and micro-hardness as a function of increasing volume fraction of WC particles. According to the graded concentrations predicted from the linear models, the four-layer coating exhibits a good hardness with minimal CTE mismatch.
The Journey of the CSIR L.I.F.E. CPAP Ventilator
Authors: Bosscha Peter A. , Ronde Willis de
Published: December 2022

The development, manufacturing and deployment of a South African engineered Continuous Positive Airway Pressure Ventilator is described. The CSIR L.I.F.E. (Lung Inspiratory Flow Enabler) Ventilator was developed during the COVID Pandemic in response to the need for a ventilator solution to assist patients suffering from respiratory distress. A supply chain was created resulting in a near fully locally sourced product of which 18,000 units were manufactured and distributed to hospitals throughout South Africa.
Assembly Line Quality Assurance Through Hand Tracking and Object Detection
Authors: Mokuwe Mamuku , Goorun Yurisha , Crafford Gerrie
Published: December 2022

This work presents a vision-based quality assurance system that does assembly line monitoring. The system is developed using machine learning hand tracking and object detection methods to monitor the worker’s hand movement while evaluating the correctness of the assembly. Feedback about the order of the steps the worker has taken is continuously shown to the user. This work has the potential to reduce the amount of manual work required for quality assurance in assembly line.
Comparative Performance Analysis of Random Forests against AutoPrognosis for predicting Coronary Heart Disease Risk and Metabolic Syndrome: A Retrospective Cohort Study
Authors: Genet Ngcayiya Paulina , Ranchod Pravesh
Published: December 2022

Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) is the leading cause of mortality worldwide. Amongst them, Coronary Heart Disease (CHD) is the most common type of CVD. The consequences of the presence of CVD risk factors often manifest as Metabolic Syndrome (MetS). In this study, data from the Framingham Heart Study (FHS), consisting of 4240 records and 17 variables, was used to build two types of 10-year CHD risk prediction models based on Random Forests (RF) and AutoPrognosis. The Framingham Risk Score model (AUC-ROC: 0.633) was used as a baseline model for performance evaluation. Results showed that the RF model with optimized hyperparameters had the best performance (AUC-ROC: 0.728). Furthermore, a dataset of 7821 records and 77 variables from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) was used to assess the predictive performance of RF against AutoPrognosis for determining the presence of MetS. The RF model with optimized hyperparameters had the best performance (AUC-ROC: 0.851). The performance of RF against AutoPrognosis on different sample sizes of data, ranging from 100 to 4900, was tested. The RF model with optimized hyperparameters had the best overall performance, followed by AutoPrognosis with an ensemble pipeline, then AutoPrognosis with a single pipeline and finally the RF model with default hyperparameter values.
Lossy compression of observations for Gaussian process regression
Authors: Visser Emile , van Daalen Corné E. , Schoeman J. C.
Published: December 2022

This paper proposes a novel approach of Gaussian process observation set compression based on a squared difference measure. It is used to discard observations to speed up Gaussian process prediction while retaining the information encoded in the full set of observations. Furthermore, this paper compares the regression performance of a compressed Gaussian process to its uncompressed version and to a randomly downsampled Gaussian process for a standard two-dimensional test function. The empirical results of this paper show that this is an effective algorithm for Gaussian process compression, speeding up prediction while maintaining predictive accuracy with regards to the predicted means.
Effect of design and tensile testing specimen geometry on final tensile properties of powder bed fusion plastic
Authors: Kouprianoff Dean , Moore Karabo
Published: December 2022

In Laser Powder Bed Fusion there are certain considerations that need to be accounted for when designing for thin-walled or complex shapes. Much is known of how parameters such as build orientation and scanning strategy can affect the resultant tensile properties. The tensile property results are also influenced by factors such as the shape of the specimen. The specimens’ cross-sectional geometry and length ratio are carefully considered to obtain accurate and reliable tensile properties. Eighteen different tensile geometries were manufactured using an EOS P110 and PA12 powder. These different geometries were chosen to evaluate different influencing factors such as width, gauge length, specimen geometry and scanning strategy. This knowledge is used in conventional standards when determining specimen geometries. This work aims to combine conventional tensile specimen shape and L-PBF factors to best represent the actual tensile properties of different polymer geometries.
Effect of Gadolinium rare-earth element on Nd2Fe14B permanent magnet
Authors: Baloyi Mphamela Enos , Ngoepe Phuti , Chauke Hasani
Published: December 2022

Neodymium-based permanent magnets (Nd2Fe14B) are the potential permanent magnets for use in various applications due to their high magnetic field strength and resistance to demagnetisation. These magnets have various applications in highly efficient energy conversion machines and devices such as wind turbines and electric vehicles due to their exceptional magnetic properties. However, they suffer low operating temperatures below 585 K. In this study, we investigate the effect of Gadolinium (Gd) rare earth element on the Nd2Fe14B magnets. The structural, electronic, mechanical and vibrational properties of the magnets are calculated using the ab initio density functional theory approach. Heats of formation were used to investigate the thermodynamical stability of the magnets, where NdGdFe14B magnets are found to be thermodynamically stable. Moreover, the calculated elastic properties satisfy the tetragonal stability condition which alludes to the stability of NdGdFe14B magnets which is in agreement with the calculated eigenvalues. Furthermore, using the spin-polarized only we calculated the total magnetic moment of the NdGdFe14B magnet (59.92 μb), which is larger compared to that of Nd2Fe14B magnets. Partial substitution of Nd with Gd improves the stability and the magnetic properties of Nd2Fe14B permanent magnets.
Validation of computational fluid dynamics method through experimental investigation of the plasma spraying process
Authors: Mbwebwe Justin , Kolesnikov Andrei , Van Der Walt Jaco , Bissett Hertzog
Published: December 2022

Numerical modelling has emerged as a powerful predictive tool to enhance plasma sprayed coatings quality and process efficiency. In the present work, a comprehensive Computational Fluid Dynamics model of a gas heating inside a direct current arc plasma torch, is developed, using the simulation software Ansys Fluent. It is therefore sought to test its accuracy and limitations by comparing its predictions to actual data generated in the South African Nuclear Energy Corporation plasma spraying laboratory. In this regards, titanium powder of respective size distributions, 0-63 μm, and 63-75 μm, is sprayed onto a metal piece work. The transport medium is an argon-nitrogen plasma jet, generated from a direct current torch running under an induced power of 12.8 – 13.1 kW. The spraying distance and powder carrier gas flow rate are varied throughout the experiment, from 75 to 85 mm, and 3.9 to 5.8 kg/h, respectively. Comparison of laboratory and simulation-based results were mostly in agreement, in terms of the plasma jet shape, the effect of power increase on the torch exit temperature, the effects of particle size distribution, and carrier gas variation on particle melting and trajectory.
Surface Properties of Ti2AlV (100) and (110) Surfaces Using First-Principle Calculations
Authors: Tshwane David. M. , Modiba Rosinah
Published: December 2022

Ti2AlV alloys are commonly employed as structural materials in electronics, metallurgy, and other industries because of their outstanding properties. Knowledge about their surface properties is lacking and limited at the atomic level. In this work, structural, electronic, and stabilities of Ti2AlV surfaces were investigated using the density functional theory approach. This study also looked at the surface energies and work functions of various surfaces. According to our findings, it was found that the (110) surface is thermodynamically stable with lower surface energy than the (100) surface. It was discovered that the surface energy increases with regard to the thickness of the surface slab. Furthermore, the work function of the (110) surface was found to be increasing than that of the (100) surface. Moreover, the work function was found to increase with increasing number of layers in both surfaces. The partial and total density of states of Ti2AlV (100) and (110) were also studied. It was also found that the Fermi level lies at the minimum curve in the TDOS graphs for the Ti2AlV (110) surface while lies at the maximum in (100) surface.
Simulation of the effects of Zr and Co addition on the properties of NiAl-Mo(Cr) alloy
Authors: Salifu Smith , Olubambi Peter Apata
Published: December 2022

The introduction of computational modelling during alloy development has significantly reduced the cost of production and the prolonged time spent by researchers doing trials and errors in the laboratory. In this study, computational software (JMat Pro) was used to simulate the effect of the addition of Zr and Co, on the material properties of NiAl-Mo(Cr) alloy such as the elastic modulus, hardness, thermal conductivity, bulk modulus and specific heat capacity. A significant improvement in the mechanical properties was observed in the developed alloys as compared to those without Zr and Co. Also, the addition of as low as 0.5 at. % Zr and 1.0 at. % Co to NiAl-Cr(Mo) resulted in improved compressive strength and plasticity of the alloy.
How SLA rapid tooling is influencing medical device development
Authors: Plekker Carel
Published: December 2022

Medical device product development includes the validation of the end-product before mass production can commence. This validation should be completed with a device that is manufactured from the final material and with the final manufacturing process. For plastic medical devices, Rapid Tooling can be used to manufacture parts for clinical validations at a cost-effective price. Further tooling cost reductions can be achieved if Stereolithography (SLA) is utilized to create injection moulding tools. This article determines the efficacy of SLA printed rapid tools to injection mould small plastic medical devices.
Polymeric materials and processes to produce facial reconstruction implants: A review
Authors: Mohutsiwa Rebakakgosi , van der Walt Jacobus , van den Heever Hercules
Published: December 2022

Many patients are affected by facial deformities due to trauma or congenital disorders. Reconstruction using bone transplants has been the standard procedure to address many of these defects. In modern times, synthetic materials such as polymers have become widely used in facial reconstruction as medical implants to reconstruct the defective facial bony features. Conventional manufacturing methods can be used to produce polymeric implants, but literature has shown them to be limited in their applications. Many of these limitations can now be overcome by additive manufacturing technologies. This review paper presents an overview of different processes and polymeric materials that can be used to produce cosmetic facial implants.
Laparoscopic Surgery for Ovarian Neoplasms – What is Possible, What is Useful?
Authors: Droste Annika , Anic Katharina , Hasenburg Annette
Published: December 2022

The use of minimally invasive surgical techniques is becoming increasingly important in gynecologic oncology due to technical advances and the increasing level of surgical expertise. In
addition to laparoscopic approaches for the treatment of benign neoplasms, minimally invasive surgical methods have also become established in some areas for treating gynecologic
malignancies. For tumor entities such as endometrial and cervical carcinoma, there are conclusive studies emphasizing the role of laparoscopy in surgical therapy. By contrast, due to a lack
of prospective data with survival analyses, no clear conclusions can be drawn on the significance of laparoscopy in the surgical treatment of ovarian carcinoma. However, some smaller, mostly
retrospective case–control studies and cohort studies open the way for a discussion, positing the possibility that laparoscopic surgical procedures, particularly for early ovarian carcinoma,
are technically feasible and of a quality equivalent to that of conventional longitudinal laparotomy, and may also be associated with lower perioperative morbidity.

In this article we discuss the most important aspects of using minimally invasive surgical techniques for ovarian carcinoma based on the current literature. In particular we look at the
relevance of laparoscopy as a primary approach for surgical staging of early ovarian carcinoma, and we evaluate the role of diagnostic laparoscopy in assessing the operability of advanced
ovarian carcinoma.
Religion und Spiritualität als relevante Dimension bei psychiatrischen Patienten
Authors: Pfeifer Samuel
Published: December 2022

Macht Religion krank? Die Annäherung an die Beziehung zwischen psychiatrischen Syndromen und Religion/Spiritualität (R/S) erfordert die Berücksichtigung mehrerer Aspekte: die Frage der Kausalität, die Interpretation statistischer Korrelationen und die Rolle von Bewältigungsressourcen. Darüber hinaus verweist die Formulierung „relevante Dimensionen bei psychiatrischen Patienten“ auf die subjektiven, existenziellen Aspekte des Erlebens im Individuum. Die Übersicht fokussiert auf 3 große Syndrome bei psychiatrischen Patienten: Wahnvorstellungen mit religiösem Inhalt, depressive Zustände und Angststörungen. Auch wenn wahnhafte Erfahrungen primär durch neurobiologische Mechanismen verursacht werden, so kann der Inhalt der Wahnvorstellungen doch durch kulturelle Faktoren, einschließlich religiöser Konzepte, geprägt werden. Es gibt empirische Belege dafür, dass R/S bei Patienten mit Schizophrenie eine wichtige unterstützende Rolle spielen kann. Die zweite Gruppe, die affektiven Störungen, weist ein differenzierteres Muster der Kausalität auf, da einige Untersuchungen eine höhere Inzidenz bei Patienten mit einem konservativen, schuldorientierten religiösen Hintergrund festgestellt haben. Der Zusammenhang ist komplex, da es möglicherweise Persönlichkeitsfaktoren gibt, die Menschen zu religiösen Traditionen hinziehen. Eine Metaanalyse deutet darauf hin, dass religiöse Überzeugungen und Praktiken helfen können, mit belastenden Lebensumständen besser fertig zu werden, Sinn und Hoffnung zu geben und depressive Personen mit einer unterstützenden Gemeinschaft zu umgeben. Die dritte Gruppe, die Angststörungen, zeigt einen deutlichen Unterschied zwischen klinischen Angststörungen und komplexen Persönlichkeitskonstellationen mit einem hohen Grad an Neurotizismus. In der klinischen Gruppe konnte in einer Metaanalyse keine Korrelation zwischen R/S und der Ausprägung des Syndroms gefunden werden. Die Forschung auf dem neu entstehenden Gebiet der „spiritual struggles“ hat eine multifaktorielle Interaktion zwischen subjektiven Ängsten und religiösen Konflikten gezeigt, die stark vom Grad des Neurotizismus beeinflusst wird und ihre Wurzeln in einer komplexen Temperaments-Disposition jenseits religiöser Faktoren hat. Zusammenfassend lässt sich die Korrelation von R/S und krankheitsbedingter individueller Erfahrung in 3 Konzepten zusammenfassen: Kultur, Konflikt und Coping, moduliert durch eine neurobiologische Basis psychischer Erkrankungen.
Verlorener Sohn und barmherziger Vater
Authors: Stotz-Ingenlath Gabriele
Published: December 2022

Anhand des Gleichnisses vom verlorenen Sohn, der zum barmherzigen Vater zurückkehrt, werden verschiedene Dimensionen von Schuld wie die Tat- oder Unterlassungsschuld (culpa), die ontologisch-existenzielle Schuld (debitum) sowie die tragische Schuld (causa) unterschieden und Voraussetzungen von Schuldfähigkeit wie Autonomie, Wahlfreiheit und Gewissen erörtert. Subjektive Schuldgefühle werden in ihrem Ausmaß (pathologisch oder adäquat) und ihrer Genese (genuin, unbewusst, biologisch) betrachtet und beim Umgang mit Schuldgefühl auf therapeutischer Seite die Gestaltung einer wohlwollenden straffreien Atmosphäre und auf Betroffenenseite die Anerkennung und Äußerung von Schuld sowie bei angetaner Schuld das Bemühen um Vergebung empfohlen.