bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Periprosthetic Bone Remodeling Around Short Stem
Authors: Synder Marek , Krajewski Karol , Sibinski Marcin , Drobniewski Marek
Published: April 2015

Total hip arthroplasty (THA) has become standard treatment for advanced degenerative changes of the hip. A few studies have reported promising clinical outcomes with the Metha stem fixated by metaphyseal anchoring. This study evaluated early bone remodeling around the Metha stem during 12 months of follow-up. The study population included 36 patients (18 women and 18 men) with a mean age of 50.4 years who underwent THA between 2009 and 2011 for advanced degenerative changes of the hip with the Metha stem. Patients were evaluated on the day of surgery, 10 days postoperatively, and then at 3, 6, and 12 months postoperatively. Evaluation included Harris Hip Score and dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) scanning in 7 Gruen zones. At 12 months postoperatively, Harris Hip Score increased significantly by 38 points. A significant change in bone mineral density (BMD) was found immediately after surgery; this change was most pronounced in Gruen zone 3 (+36%), followed by Gruen zones 2 and 5. The smallest postoperative BMD increase was observed in Gruen zone 7 (+3.66%). In contrast, at 3 months postoperatively, a trend toward decreased BMD was observed in all Gruen zones. At 6 months postoperatively, mean BMD decreased in all Gruen zones except for Gruen zone 6. At 12 months postoperatively, mean BMD increased in Gruen zones 2 through 6, with the highest value (30%) observed in Gruen zone 3; in Gruen zones 1 and 2, mean BMD decreased. Short-term assessment of periprosthetic bone remodeling after uncemented Metha stem implantation revealed different host-bone responses. Apparently, the Metha stem can reduce BMD loss in the proximal femur. DEXA is a precise method for assessing BMD changes around implanted Metha stem.
Design and Implementation of Experiments with Real-Time Shared Architecture using Different Mobile Systems
Authors: Kazem Bahaa Ibraheem , Ali Mazen Rahman
Published: April 2015

In this work, we suggested a new design for internet laboratory at University of Baghdad (UoB-iLab) that can be used by the students off-campus to execute real time experiments in the on- campus laboratories at Baghdad university. The developed UoB-iLab architecture is designed to be used with limited internet bandwidth and concurrent access by users and administrators. The Arduino ® Microcontroller had been used to establish the interface platform with various laboratory devices using C and C++ programming language to control input/output signals for a specific lab device. The web interface for the system has been developed using HTML, PHP, and AJAX along with JAVA language to build graphical real-time interfaces for the experiments that can work on any operating system platform (Windows, Mac Os, Linux, Unix, BeOs) on PCs and mobile devices. Several experiments were designed to check the reliability of the suggested UoB-iLab architecture to deal with different types of input and output configurations during the real experiments session and while using several types of sensors and actuators. The suggested design of UoB-iLab can be used to implement several types of real-time experiments to improve the practical skills for engineering college students at University Of Baghdad and other Universities without the need for high resource investment.
Reduced Topologically Real-World Networks
Authors: Trovati Marcello
Published: April 2015

The topological and dynamical properties of real-world networks have attracted extensive research from a variety of multi-disciplinary fields. They, in fact, model typically big datasets which pose interesting challenges, due to their intrinsic size and complex interactions, as well as the dependencies between their different sub-parts. Therefore, defining networks based on such properties, is unlikely to produce usable information due to their complexity and the data inconsistencies which they typically contain. In this paper, the authors discuss the evaluation of a method as part of ongoing research which aims to mine data to assess whether their associated networks exhibit properties comparable to well-known structures, namely scale-free, small world and random networks. For this, they will use a large dataset containing information on the seismologic activity recorded by the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre. The authors will show that it provides an accurate, agile, and scalable tool to extract useful information. This further motivates their effort to produce a big data analytics tool which will focus on obtaining in-depth intelligence from both structured and unstructured big datasets. This will ultimately lead to a better understanding and prediction of the properties of the system(s) they model.
MAGDM Problems with Correlation Coefficient of Triangular Fuzzy IFS
Authors: Robinson John P. , Henry Amirtharaj E.C.
Published: April 2015

Correlation coefficient of Intuitionistic Fuzzy Set (IFS), Interval valued IFS, Triangular IFS and Trapezoidal IFS are already present in the literature. This paper proposes the correlation coefficient for Triangular Fuzzy Intuitionistic Fuzzy set (TrFIFS). The method on uncertain Multiple Attribute Group Decision Making (MAGDM) problems based on aggregating intuitionistic fuzzy information is investigated for TrFIFSs. The Triangular Fuzzy Intuitionistic Fuzzy Ordered Weighted Averaging (TrFIFOWA) operator is proposed for TrFIFSs and the Triangular Fuzzy Intuitionistic Fuzzy Ordered Weighted Geometric (TrFIFOWG) operator is utilized for decision making models where expert weights are completely unknown. Based on these operators and the correlation coefficient defined for the TrFIFSs, new decision making models are proposed with numerical illustrations. Some comparisons are also made with existing ranking methods for validity.
Optimization of WEDM Process Parameters for MRR and Surface Roughness using Taguchi-Based Grey Relational Analysis
Authors: Das Milan Kumar , Kumar Kaushik , Barman Tapan Kumar , Sahoo Prasanta
Published: April 2015

This article presents an experimental study of material removal rate (MRR) and surface roughness characteristics of wire electrical discharge machining (WEDM) and the optimization of process parameters based on Taguchi method coupled with grey relational analysis for minimum surface roughness and maximum MRR. Experiments are carried out by utilizing the combination of process parameters viz. discharge current, voltage, pulse on time and pulse off time based on L27 Taguchi orthogonal array (OA). Analysis of variance (ANOVA) carried out and it reveals that current has the maximum contribution in controlling MRR and surface characteristics of WEDM. The interaction between voltage and pulse on time is also found to have significant contribution in MRR and surface roughness characteristics. The optimum combination of process parameters for maximum MRR and minimum surface roughness is obtained and the optimal setting has been verified through confirmatory test. The result shows good agreement between the predicted and experimental results. This indicates the utility of the grey-Taguchi technique as multi-objective optimizer in the field of WEDM. Also, variation of responses with process parameters are also studied using 3D surface plots. Finally, the microstructure analysis in the region of cutting surface is performed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM).
Particle Swarm Optimization
Authors: Kumar Manoj , Raman Jyoti , Priya Priya
Published: April 2015

In this paper, particle swarm optimization, which is a recently developed evolutionary algorithm, is used to optimize parameters in surface grinding processes where multiple conflicting objectives are present. The relationships between surface grinding process parameters and the performance measures of interest are obtained by using experimental data and particle swarm optimization intelligent neural network systems (PSOINNS). The results showed that particle swarm optimization is an effective method for solving multi-objective optimization problems, and an integrated system of neural networks and swarm intelligence can be used in solving complex surface grinding operations optimization problems. In this paper the key grinding process models and relationships that were discovered by previous research efforts have been unified in the form of a particle swarm optimization intelligent neural network systems.
Economic Impacts of the Government Investment Policy
Authors: Byambasuren Tsenguunjav , Purevjav Avralt-Od , Erdenekhuyag Erdenetungalag
Published: April 2015

The abundant natural resources can bring either positive or negative impact to the country's economy depending on the macroeconomic policies. Mongolia has massive mineral resource dominated by coal, copper, and gold. The Government of Mongolia has started to implement a number of infrastructure projects to decrease the mining project's cost burden caused from the country's weak infrastructure. This paper aims to assess the economic impact of the government investment policy towards the mining sector. In order to investigate the alternative options of the government investment policy, it uses a simulation analysis using the Dynamic Computable General Equilibrium (CGE) model which is developed for Mongolian economy. In the empirical analysis, this paper considers following two policy scenarios: Power plant and Copper refinery. The results suggest that both the policy scenarios have positive impact on the domestic economy, of which making the investment to power plant is the better option for the policy makers.
Does Happiness in the Cyberspace Promote That in the Real-World?
Authors: Yu Sen-Chi , Chou Chien
Published: April 2015

To examine reciprocal relationships between “virtual world”-context cyberspace positive-psychological states (CPSs) and “real world”-context positive-psychological states (PSs), this study conducted a two-wave panel design with about two-semester interval on 251 Taiwan college freshmen and analyzed the data using cross-lagged structural equation modeling. The analytical results show that CPSs have causal priority over PSs, but not vise versa. Therefore, the cyberspace PSs of the former stage influenced the real-world PSs during the latter stage. These results indicate that college students tended to incorporate their cyberspace positive-psychological states into their “real world.” The authors have concluded that cyberspace positive-psychological states do not substitute for and, indeed, contribute to real-world states.
Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Laminated Buckypaper/SiC Composite
Authors: Li Xing , Huang Peng Xiao , Peng Hui , Zhou Ying
Published: April 2015

The laminated Buckypaper/SiC composite was prepared by RF magnetron sputtering. For comparison, the monolithic SiC was also prepared in the present study. The microstructure and morphology of the prepared samples were characterized by SEM and XRD. The Young’s modulus, hardness and stiffness of the samples were investigated by nanoindentation testing. The results showed that the Buckypaper/SiC composite had an obviously multilayered microstructure at the nanoscale. Furthermore, the fracture toughness of the laminated Buckypaper/SiC composite could be improved by crack deflection and platelet pullout mechanisms. The laminated Buckypaper/SiC composite had higher Young’s modulus and stiffness than that of the monolithic SiC. However, its hardness was lower than that of monolithic SiC.
Influence of Composition and Microstructure on the Mechanical Properties of SiC Ceramic Fibers
Authors: Gou Yan Zi , Wang Hao , Jian Ke , Song Yong Cai , Wang Jun
Published: April 2015

In this work, the influences of composition and microstructure on the mechanical properties and thermal stability of SiC ceramic fibers were investigated. XPS, XRD, SEM, and element analysis were used to analyze the elemental composition and structural morphology. The contents of oxygen and free carbon influence the crystallinity of SiC fibers, which inhibit the grain growth of β-SiC. The reduction of tensile strength of the fibers sintered under temperatures above 1700°C is attributed to the appearance of massive defects on the outer surface of the fibers, which can be overcome by the change of sintering conditions of the pyrolysis fibers.
Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of TiC/Ti3AlC2 In Situ Composites Prepared by Hot Pressing Method
Authors: Ruan Miao Miao , Feng Xiao Ming , Ai Tao Tao , Yu Ning , Hua Kui
Published: April 2015

TiC/Ti3AlC2 composites were successfully prepared by hot-pressing sintering method from the elemental powder mixtures of Ti, Al and TiC. A possible reaction mechanism was investigated by XRD. The density, Vickers hardness, flexural strength, and fracture toughness of the TiC/Ti3AlC2 composites were also measured. At 660 °C, Al melted and reacted with Ti to form TiAl3. At 900 °C, TiAl3 reacted with TiC and Ti to form Ti2AlC. At 1100 °C, Ti2AlC reacted with TiC to form Ti3AlC2. Increasing the sintering temperature, the content of Ti3AlC2 increased. The TiC/Ti3AlC2 composites had excellent performance after sintered at 1100 °C, the density, Vickers hardness, flexural strength and fracture toughness of the composite were 4.35 g/cm3, 4.72 GPa, 566 MPa and 6.18 MPa·m1/2, respectively.
Thermophysical Properties of Gd2O3 Doped SrHfO3 Ceramic
Authors: Ma Wen , Ren Yi , Jin Xi Long , Liang Ya Hong , Chen Bao Dong , Dong Hong Ying
Published: April 2015

Gd2O3 (10mol%) doped SrHfO3 (Sr (Hf0.9Gd0.1)O2.95) was synthesized by solid state reaction method. The phase stability of the synthesized Sr (Hf0.9Gd0.1)O2.95 powder at high temperature of 1450 oC for a long period and in a temperature range of RT-1400 oC was characterized by XRD and DSC, respectively. The thermal expansion coefficients (TECs) of bulk Sr (Hf0.9Gd0.1)O2.95 were recorded by a high-temperature dilatometer, indicating that the phase transitions of SrHfO3 are suppressed remarkably by doping Gd2O3. The thermal conductivity of bulk Sr (Hf0.9Gd0.1)O2.95 at 1000 oC is ~1.95 W/m·K, which is ~11% lower than that of bulk 8YSZ.
Investigation on Nano-Fused Silica in Silica-Based Ceramic Cores for Investment Casting
Authors: Niu Shu Xin , Cai Shu , Tang Ding Zhong , Liu Xiao Guang , Gu Guo Hong , Yao Jian Sheng , Li Xin , Wang Li Li , Fan Hong Na
Published: April 2015

In this work, nanofused silica and its effect on mechanical and chemical behavior of injection moulded silica-based ceramic cores were investigated. In order to simulate casting process condition, the sintered samples at 1180 °C were also heated up to 1500 °C. Flexural strength test was carried out on both sintered and heat treated samples. Phase evolution and microstructure were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results showed that the samples with 0.5 wt.% nanofused silica content had an optimal comprehensive properties for investment casting. The flexural strength of sintered samples with 0.5 wt.% nanofused silica at room temperature and at 1500 °C for 30 min were 30.3 MPa and 24.4 MPa, respectively, and the creep deformation at 1500 °C was 0.8 mm. The addition of nanofused silica was favorable for cristobalite transformation and the samples had a good leachability for the micro-cracks introduced by crystallization.
Microstructural and Mechanical Properties of TiAlN and Ti3AlN Films Deposited by Reactive Magnetron Sputtering
Authors: Huang Hao , Li Zhen Xi , Wang Min Juan , Xie Chuan
Published: April 2015

Two series of TiAlN and Ti3AlN films have been deposited on Si (100) substrates by reactive magnetron sputtering TiAl and Ti3Al targets in Ar/N2 mixture. The effects of incoming ions energies controlled by Vb on the microstructure, morphologies, residual stress and hardness have been explored by XRD, SEM, AFM, surface profiler and nanoindentation. The results showed that single phase cubic Ti-Al-N solid solubility formed by Al atoms replacing some Ti atoms in the cubic TiN lattice occured in both TiAlN and Ti3AlN films. As substrate bias increased, the preferred orientation firstly changed from (111) to (200), and then returned to (111) at higher substrate bias. At the same time, high substrate bias promoted the densification of films and presence of high compressive stress, which is benefit for improvement of hardness.
Influences of MCrAlY Coatings and TBCs on Oxidation Behavior of a Ni-Based Single Crystal Superalloy
Authors: Shi Long , Xin Li , Wei Hua , Zhu Sheng Long , Wang Fu Hui
Published: April 2015

DD98M alloy is a second generation nickel-based single crystal superalloy without Re addition, which is developed by Institute of Metal Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences. It is a combination of attractively strong points including high strength and low cost. In this work, Ni-based single crystal superalloy DD98M was adopted as the substrate material. Two types MCrAlY (M denote metal) coatings were deposited on DD98M specimen by arc ion plating and YSZ topcoat (TC) were deposited on the substrate by electron beam physical vapor deposition (EB-PVD) on the NiCrAlY bond coat (BC). Experimental results showed that the application of the NiCrAlY and NiCoCrAlYHfSi coatings improved the oxidation resistance of DD98M obviously at 1000 °C. The adhesion of oxide scale of NiCoCrAlYHfSi coating was much better than that of NiCrAlY coating. TBCs application greatly enhanced the operating temperature and significantly improved the durability of the substrate. The thermal growth oxidation (TGO) between the bond coat and topcoat play an important role in adhesion of the whole coating system.
Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of the W-Ni-Co System Refractory High-Entropy Alloys
Authors: Jiang Hui , Jiang Li , Lu Yi Ping , Wang Tong Min , Cao Zhi Qiang , Li Ting Ju
Published: April 2015

The elements Mo, Cr and V were added to the W-Ni-Co system high entropy alloys, the effects of these added elements on microstructure and mechanical properties of these alloys were studied. The alloys were produced by vacuum arc melting. The compositions were W0.5Ni2Co2VMo0.5, W0.5Ni2Co2VCr0.5 and W0.5Ni2Co2CrMo0.5 (denoted as Alloy 1, Alloy 2 and Alloy 3) respectively. The theoretical melting temperatures were higher than 2000 K. X-ray diffraction, SEM and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) results indicated that the matrix of the alloys is face-centered cubic (FCC) solid-solution, the alloys showed dendrite crystal structure. Ni, Co elements were enriched in the dendrite areas, the W, Mo were enriched in the inter-dendrite regions ,while V, Cr elements were uniform distribution. The Vickers hardness of these alloys was 376.1 HV, 255.88 HV and 306.8 HV, respectively. The yield strength values (σ0.2) of Alloy 1, Alloy 2 and Alloy 3 were approximately 1000MPa, 750MPa, 250MPa, respectively. The alloys show good compression plasticity deformation capacity at RT.
Effect of Yttrium Content on the Ultra-High Cycle Fatigue Behavior of Mg-Zn-Y-Zr Alloys
Authors: Xu D.K. , Han En-Hou
Published: April 2015

In the super-long life regime, the fatigue behavior of as-extruded Mg-6wt%Zn-xY-0.8wt%Zr Mg alloys with Y content of 0, 1, 2 and 3 wt% have been investigated, respectively. The result indicated that for all measured S-N curves, a plateau existed in the regime of 5×106-108 cyc, and then the fatigue strength gradually decreased between 108 and 109 cycles. Therefore, only fatigue strength corresponding to 109 cycles can be determined. Compared with other alloys, the alloy with Y content of 2 wt% has the highest fatigue strength and its value is 105 MPa. SEM observations to fracture surfaces revealed that for all alloys, the fatigue crack mostly initiated at the surface or subsurface of samples failed within 106-109 cycles. Further observation indicated that the crack initiation was related with activated slip bands instead of phase particles and activated twins. Based on the measured results and Murakami equation, it demonstrates that the fatigue strength of alloys is more dependent on the hardness values.
Microstructure and Phase Transformation of Super-High Pressure Mg-Li Alloy
Authors: Peng Qiu Ming , Fu Hui , Wang Yan An , Li Hui
Published: April 2015

Super-high pressure (SHP) changes crystal structure and electronic distribution of metallic materials, which plays an important role in properties. Herein, a duplex Mg-7%wt.Li alloy was heat-treated under SHP (2 GPa) by cubic-anvil large-volume press with six rams for 2 h in the temperature range of 450~1350 °C. Microstructure, phase transformation behavior and mechanical properties were examined. Compared with the as-cast sample, the SHP samples after heat-treating from 450 °C to 750 °C under 2 GPa were composed of twinning in addition to duplex structure. Comparatively, the samples treated between 1050 °C and 1350 °C exhibit typical dendritic morphology. Phase transformation from Li3Mg7 phase or Li0.92Mg4.08 phase to Li3Mg17 phase occurred during the whole investigated temperature range, in which only the Li3Mg17 phase maintained when the temperature exceeds 1050 °C. The microhardness of the sample prepared at 750 °C under 2 GPa was 73.15HV, which is 1.5 times higher than that of the as-cast one. The improved microhardness is mainly attributed to the formation of nanosized twins during SHP treatment. These fine twins effectively prohibit the dislocation movement during deformation. It reveals the SHP is an effective approach to prepare high performation Mg alloys.
Superplastic Instability and Damage Evolution of AZ31B Magnesium Alloy Shee
Authors: Song Mei Juan , Huang Chuan Hui , He Min , Luo Xiao Dong , Wu Ya Mei
Published: April 2015

Superplastic instability and damage evolution of AZ31B magnesium alloy sheet were investigated in this paper. Maximum elongation of 216% and strain rate sensitivity of 0.36 were obtained at 723k and a strain rate of 1×10-3s-1, whose fracture was due to the growth and interlinkage of cavities that nucleated at grain boundary. After superplastic tensile tests and quantitative analysis of cavity volume fraction, A cavity growth model were established, and the damage evolution equation based on the law of the micro-damage evolution and statistical mechanics was derived out, and damage characteristic parameters as well as the critical value of damage variable were identified so as to provide a theoretical ground on which the plastic forming technology of magnesium alloy sheet can be optimized.
Influence of Long Period Stacking Ordered Phase on Non-Uniform Deformation in Cast Mg-Zn-Y Alloys
Authors: Shiraishi Kazuma , Mayama Tsuyoshi , Yamasaki Michiaki , Kawamura Yoshihito
Published: April 2015

Influence of long period stacking ordered (LPSO) phase on non-uniform deformation in polycrystalline as-cast Mg-Zn-Y alloys was investigated by using a crystal plasticity finite element method. Material parameters for α-Mg phase and LPSO phase were identified by fitting to experimental stress-strain curves of Mg99.2Zn0.2Y0.6 and Mg85Zn6Y9 of which volume fractions of LPSO phase were 0% and 100%, respectively. The results of calculations showed that the increase in volume fraction of LPSO lead to the increased strain accumulation in α-Mg phase.
Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of a Cobalt-Based Superalloy Used for Nuclear Power Station
Authors: Guo Yong An , Wang Chang Shuai , Qin Xue Zhi , Lai Wan Hui , Zhou Lan Zhang
Published: April 2015

The microstructure and mechanical properties of a Co-Cr-W-Mo superalloy used for the driving mechanism of nuclear power station were investigated. This alloy was strengthened by W and Mo elements and carbides for high hardness, and an excellent wear resistance was achieved by the high content of carbides. Also, this alloy was of excellent hot-corrosion resistance due to the addition of 29 wt. % Cr. The as-cast alloy was equiaxed, and consisted mainly of γ-Co solid solution, γ/M7C3 eutectics and Cr-rich M7C3 carbides. The Rockwell hardness was up to 37 - 40. The alloy presented high tensile strength, and the fractography of tensile ruptured specimens was characterized obviously by the interdendritic fracture.
Microstructure and Tribological Properties of Ni-Base Coatings under Different Lubrication Conditions
Authors: Wang Xiang , Sun Xiao Dong , Liu Er Yong , Zhou Zhi Ming , Zeng Zhi Xiang , Wu Xue Dong
Published: April 2015

In order to improve the tribological properties of aluminum alloy cylinder wall, Ni-base coatings were fabricated by atmospheric plasma spraying on aluminum substrate. The composition, microstructure characterization and tribological properties of Ni-base coatings were investigated under different lubrication conditions. The results showed that as-sprayed Ni-based coatings were mainly consisted of γ-Ni solid solution, Ni3B, Cr7C3, Cr6C and Cr3B2 phase. The microstructure of coatings exhibited excellent deposit integrity and density, whilst a typical lamellar structure was observed because the molten droplets successively impinged and spread on the substrate or previously deposited layers to form continuous splats. Friction and wear testing results showed that Ni-based coating performs better than grey cast iron HT200 for the actual application of cylinder block and cylinder liner, especially under boundary lubrication. It was proposed that the excellent mechanical properties ensure the as-sprayed coating with low friction coefficient and wear rate under different lubrication conditions, In addition, the existence of pores was benefitted for the improvement of tribological properties under boundary lubrication.
Effect of Long-Term Aging on Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of a Wrought Ni-Base Superalloy
Authors: Yuan Chao , Wang Huan , Guo Jian Ting , Qin He Yong
Published: April 2015

During long-term and high temperature service, microstructures of superalloys may change and then have an adverse impact on mechanical properties, so the stabilities of a wrought Ni-base superalloy aging without stress at 650°C were investigated in this paper. The results showed that the size and morphology of γ' precipitates in the alloy were not obviously influenced with the increase of exposure time, and primary MC carbides present excellent thermal stability. Moreover, almost no detrimental phase was found. Tensile strength and plasticity at room temperature after aging remained steady. Under the condition of 650°C/823MPa, the stress ruptures life presented increasing trend overall and plasticity decreases slightly. In conclusion, the experiment alloy presents a good thermal stability at 650°C.
Effect of Recrystallization on Crack Initiation and Propagation during Creep in a Directionally Solidified Ni-Based Superalloy
Authors: Wang Li , Xie Guang , Xiao Jiu Han , Qiu Dong Ying , Gao Yong , Lou Lang Hong
Published: April 2015

Crack initiation and propagation during creep test in a recrystallization (RX) grain containing directionally solidified (DS) nickel-base superalloy was studied by employing electronic backscattered diffraction (EBSD) technique. Creep samples were locally deformed and then heat treated to get local RX at the center of the gauge length. Creep test was carried out at 980 °C/235 MPa. It was found that during creep test, precipitate free zones (PFZ) were formed along the RX grain boundary and the cracks were initiated and propagated along the interface (a) between PFZ and RX grains, (b) between PFZ and the matrix or (c) within PFZ. It indicated that the crack initiation and the propagation were crystal orientation dependent.
Phase Structures and Properties of Au-Pd-M (M=Zr, Mo, Y) System
Authors: Xie Ming , Yang You Cai , Zhang Ji Ming , Chen Yong Tai , Wang Sai Bei , Liu Man Men , Wang Song , Chen Song , Hu Jie Qiong , Li Ai Kun , Wei Kuan
Published: April 2015

A series of new alloys including Au-Pd-M (M=Zr, Mo, Y) were developed in this study. The physical properties, electrical properties parameters and thermodynamics database of the alloys were established. The phase structure and composition were analyzed. The calculation results were verified by experiments. The influence of solidification rate to microstructures, morphology and grain size of Au-Pd-M alloys were analyzed. A first-principles plane-wave pseudo-potential method based on the density functional theory was used to investigate the electronic structures, bonding characters and energetic stability of Au-Pd-M alloys, the calculating results indicated that Au-Pd-Mo formed more easily than Au-Pd-Zr and Au-Pd-Y, and the formed Au-Pd-Mo is more stable than Au-Pd-Zr and Au-Pd-Y.
Effect of Ferrite Status on Mechanical Properties of Hot-Rolled Directly Quenched and Partitioned Steel
Authors: Tan Xiao Dong , Yang Xiao Long , Xu Yun Bo , Hu Zhi Ping , Peng Fei , Zhang Hong , Yu Yong Mei , Wu Di
Published: April 2015

Hot-rolling direct quenching and partitioning (HDQ&P) processes were applied to both low carbon high silicon vanadium micro-alloyed steel and low carbon low silicon steel with phosphorus addition. Proeutectoid ferrite with an area fraction of about 30% was introduced into some of the sheets. Microstructures were characterized using SEM, TEM and XRD. Mechanical properties were investigated by means of uniaxial tensile test. Austenite stabilization, retained austenite stability, tensile deformation and fracture were comprehensively analyzed by making the comparison between the two steels and between the sheets with and without ferrite considering the different precipitation statuses in ferrite. Experimental results showed that the high silicon vanadium micro-alloyed steel contained more retained austenite with higher stability compared with the low silicon phosphorus added steel. Filled with much more carbides with larger sizes, the martensite in the low silicon phosphorus added steel exhibited a much salient tempered feature. The high silicon vanadium added steel possessed higher strength and ductility than the low silicon phosphorus added steel. The introduction of ferrite can result in an extremely obvious post-necking elongation drop in the low silicon phosphorus added steel. The dispersed V-bearing precipitates and high silicon content in ferrite can increase the yield strength and simultaneously diminish the hardness difference between ferrite and martensite, which can improve their compatible deformation capability and then enhance the work hardening ability and finally raise both the UTS and elongation of the steel.
Heat Transfer Characteristics from Single Group Slot Jet Impingement on the Strip Surface for the Hot Rolling Ultra-Fast Cooling
Authors: Shi Jian Hui , Zhao Jin Hua , Yuan Guo , Jiang Lian Yun , Zhao Kun , Wang Guo Dong
Published: April 2015

As for the impinging jets of single group slot nozzles, the heat transfer of the top and bottom strip surface is uneven which is mainly caused by the various jet distances of the top and bottom nozzle to the strip surface and the effect of gravity. In this study, the convective heat transfer process of the top and bottom strip surface due to single group slot nozzles in the ultra-fast cooling (UFC) system was studied by the fluid-structure interaction finite element method. The distributions of the flow field and heat transfer for the top and bottom strip surfaces were obtained under the various parameters. The results showed that, the difference value of the average Nusselt numbe for the top and bottom strip surface was decreased with the increase of the jet velocity, but when the jet velocity was up to 5m/s it remained almost the same. The uniformity of the top and bottom surface was improved by the jet impingement height (h) for the h<45mm. It was found that for h=25mm, the heat transfers of the top and down surfaces were more evenly, and the different value of average Nusselt number for the decreased by about 12.6%-28% as the jet impingement height increased from 25mm to 45mm when the slot width was 5mm.
Biventricular Pacemakers in Patients With Heart Failure
Authors: Cooper Karen Leslie
Published: April 2015

Patients with heart failure may benefit from implantation of a biventricular pacemaker. This article discusses the indications for biventricular pacemaker implantation and the assessment of patients with biventricular pacemakers. Biventricular pacemakers require more assessments than do traditional single- or dual-chamber pacemakers.
Adherence to recommendations for cervical and breast cancer screening in systemic sclerosis
Authors: Caramaschi P. , Biasi D. , Caimmi C. , Vaccari R. , Dal Forno I. , Pieropan S. , Adami S.
Published: April 2015

The aim of the study was to evaluate the adherence of systemic sclerosis (SSc) female patients to cervix and breast cancer screening procedures, as suggested by local guidelines. A cohort of 84 SSc women was asked if they had undergone mammography and Pap test during the previous 2- and 3-year intervals, as indicated according to the Italian recommendations. The results were compared with those collected in patients affected by other chronic rheumatic disorders and in the general population. More than 85% of SSc women declared to comply with an age-related cervix and breast cancer screening schedule. The data were similar to those collected in patients affected by other chronic rheumatic disorders, whereas the subjects belonging to the general population reported to undergo breast cancer screening more frequently. Among SSc women, neither the educational level, nor the lung and skin involvement influenced their cancer screening program compliance. Only a positive history of ischemic digital ulcers seemed to interfere with mammography. Our study reported a very high percentage of SSc female patients who adhered to programs for the early detection of cervical and breast cancer. The significant adherence to guidelines may be due to the schedule adopted by the local health public service, which regularly invites eligible subjects by mail to undergo cancer screening at no charge.
Are biological drugs safe in pregnancy?
Authors: Calligaro A. , Hoxha A. , Ruffatti A. , Punzi L.
Published: April 2015

The introduction of biological therapies has significantly improved the outcome of inflammatory rheumatic diseases. As most of these diseases affect women and men in childbearing age, some concerns have been voiced as to the safety of these drugs in relation to reproduction and pregnancy. Data from many hundreds of pregnancies in patients affected by inflammatory bowel disease and inflammatory arthritis have suggested that exposure to anti-TNF therapies at conception and/or during pregnancy is not associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes or any increase in congenital abnormalities. However, the exposure to anti-TNFα agents, particularly to monoclonal antibodies, in late pregnancy is associated with high drug levels in the newborn and their long-term effects on children remain unknown. Therefore, limiting the use of anti-TNFα to the first 30 weeks of pregnancy is recommended to reduce fetal exposure. Live-virus vaccines should be given only when levels of anti-TNFα drugs are undetectable in the serum of infants. Studies suggest that many of these drugs do enter breast milk in small amounts, but the extent to which the infant absorbs them is less clear. Limited reports have not suggested adverse pregnancy outcomes in women whose partners were exposed to anti-TNF therapies at the time of conception. Pregnancy data for rituximab, abatacept, anakinra, tocilizumab and belimumab are limited and their use in pregnancy cannot currently be recommended.
Why golimumab in the treatment of psoriatic arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis and rheumatoid arthritis?
Authors: Rossini M. , Viapiana O , Orsolini G. , Fracassi E. , Idolazzi L. , Gatti D. , Adami S. , Govoni M.
Published: April 2015

Golimumab is an anti-TNF monoclonal antibody administred subcutaneously once a month and produced with an innovative technology that minimizes immunogenicity. This paper reviews and updates the main studies on the efficacy, safety and pharmacoeconomic aspects of treatment with golimumab of psoriatic arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis and rheumatoid arthritis.
Estimation of Daily Proteinuria in Patients with Amyloidosis by Using the Protein-To-Creatinine ratio in Random Urine Samples
Authors: Talamo Giampaolo , Mir Muhammad A. , Pandey Manoj K. , Zhu Junjia , Creer Michael H. , Malysz Jozef
Published: April 2015

Measurement of daily proteinuria in patients with amyloidosis is recommended at the time of diagnosis for assessing renal involvement, and for monitoring disease activity. Renal involvement is usually defined by proteinuria >500 mg/day. We evaluated the accuracy of the random urine protein-to-creatinine ratio (Pr/Cr) in predicting 24 hour proteinuria in patient with amyloidosis. We compared results of random urine Pr/Cr ratio and concomitant 24-hour urine collections in 44 patients with amyloidosis. We found a strong correlation (Spearman's ρ=0.874) between the Pr/Cr ratio and the 24 hour urine protein excretion. For predicting renal involvement, the optimal cut-off point of the Pr/Cr ratio was 715 mg/g. The sensitivity and specificity for this point were 91.8% and 95.5%, respectively, and the area under the curve value was 97.4%. We conclude that the random urine Pr/Cr ratio could be useful in the screening of renal involvement in patients with amyloidosis. If validated in a prospective study, the random urine Pr/Cr ratio could replace the 24 hour urine collection for the assessment of daily proteinuria and presence of nephrotic syndrome in patients with amyloidosis.
Geometry and regional significance of joint sets in the Ordovician-Silurian Anticosti Basin: new insights from fracture mapping
Authors: Pinet N , Brake V , Lavoie D
Published: April 2015

Tensile opening-mode fractures (or joints) intensively dissect nearly flat-lying Lower Ordovician to lower Silurian strata in the northern part of the Anticosti Basin. Fracture mapping near Havre-Saint-Pierre, on the Mingan Islands and on Anticosti Island
indicates that the two predominant joint sets are nearly orthogonal and trend ~ N100 and ~N10. For the majority of the studied sites, the ~N100 joints are the older and most continuous, suggesting that they form a systematic set of fractures that likely extend to a significant depth.
The median spacing of the ~N100 systematic joint set is approximately 1 m and is partly controlled by the mechanical characteristics of the fractured bed. Some joints exhibit significant horizontal and vertical continuity and are locally concentrated in structural corridors, suggesting that
they may influence subsurface fluid flow if open at depth. Systematic fractures are interpreted to have formed in a forebulge setting during an episode of local extension.
Moderate resolution time series data management and analysis: automated large area mosaicking and quality control
Authors: Latifovic R , Pouliot D , Sun L , Schwarz J , Parkinson W
Published: April 2015

The Canada Centre for Remote Sensing1 (CCRS) maintains national-scale Long Term Satellite Data Records (LTSDRs) as an essential component of Earth Observation (EO) based land surface monitoring. The CCRS LTSDR framework provides long-term capability to generate,
archive and provide access to value-added satellite data and thematic products addressing various land surface monitoring needs of the Government of Canada. For many years, coarse-resolution LTSDRs supported basic land-cover and landuse information needs over large areas. While these LTSDRs, with
pixel sizes between 250m and 1000m, are important for ongoing long-term time series analysis, increasingly there is an opportunity to use greater spatial resolution data to more effectively address monitoring and assessment of both anthropogenic and natural land surface changes.
Until recently, cost and availability limited the usefulness of medium resolution (~30m pixel size) EO data for such analyses. Then, in 2009, the United States Geological Survey made Landsat data freely available. The potential for medium-resolution time series monitoring has been further
strengthened by Landsat-8 and the pending launch of ESA's Sentinels. For this potential to be realized, new methods and algorithms are required to extract and analyse information from the medium resolution data, such as Landsat Time Series data, to monitor aspects of land surface dynamics. CCRS' new
medium resolution LTSDR framework, the Time Series Data Management and Analysis System (TSDMAS), generates and manages value-added LTSDRs based on the TM, ETM and OLI sensors on board the Landsat 5, 7 and 8 missions, respectively. An overview of the TSDAMS system, and the algorithms implemented
therein, will be presented.
A new value-added data product will also be presented: a Top of Atmosphere Reflectance Coverage of Canada, at 30 m spatial resolution. This circa 2010 product has been generated by the TSDAMS from data acquired by the TM and ETM sensors. Product generation, quality control, and characteristics of
the underlying dataset will be described. By providing readily available, national-scale Landsat data products, of "research quality", CCRS TSDMAS harnesses the potential of medium resolution EO data, and can exponentially increase the downstream generation and use of medium resolution land surface
information products. The new system and example data product which are described were designed to assist government agencies, the scientific community, natural resources managers and non-governmental groups engaged in land cover mapping, and the generation of geophysical and biophysical products
for the assessment of surface dynamics at national and regional scales.
Uterine Fibroid Embolization for Symptomatic Fibroids: Study at a Teaching Hospital in Kenya
Authors: Mutai John Kiprop , Vinayak Sudhir , Stones William , Hacking Nigel , Mariara Charles
Published: April 2015

Objective:

Characterization of magnetic (MRI) features in women undergoing uterine fibroid embolization (UFE) and identification of clinical correlates in an African population.

Materials and Methods:

Patients with symptomatic fibroids who are selected to undergo UFE at the hospital formed the study population. The baseline MRI features, baseline symptom score, short-term imaging outcome, and mid-term symptom scores were analyzed for interval changes. Assessment of potential associations between short-term imaging features and mid-term symptom scores was also done.

Results:

UFE resulted in statistically significant reduction (P < 0.001) of dominant fibroid, uterine volumes, and reduction of symptom severity scores, which were 43.7%, 40.1%, and 37.8%, respectively. Also, 59% of respondents had more than 10 fibroids. The predominant location of the dominant fibroid was intramural. No statistically significant association was found between clinical and radiological outcome.

Conclusion:

The response of uterine fibroids to embolization in the African population is not different from the findings reported in other studies from the west. The presence of multiple and large fibroids in this study is consistent with the case mix described in other studies of African-American populations. Patient counseling should emphasize the independence of volume reduction and symptom improvement. Though volume changes are of relevance for the radiologist in understanding the evolution of the condition and identifying potential technical treatment failures, it should not be the main basis of evaluation of treatment success.
The role of an out-patient renal clinic in renal disease management
Authors: Kiousi Eva , Grapsa Eirini
Published: April 2015

The out-patient renal clinic (ORC) represents an important part of the nephrology service in general hospitals. The majority of renal diseases are chronic and patients need a systematic follow-up according to the severity and progression of kidney failure. The most important clinical manifestation is chronic renal failure (CRF) or chronic renal disease (CKD) The management of CKD, apart from medical and nursing services, also involves a number of community structures and financial resources. CRF treatment is costly and is a serious problem for the health systems in the western world. Effective treatment in the early stages aims to decrease the progression of kidney damage and, therefore, to prolong kidney function. Patients with renal failure can be managed as out-patients. The increased number of patients and the complexity of kidney diseases demand the collaboration of other out-patient clinics. The ORC may play an important role in this process. In this article. we present a literature review of the role of ORCs in the management of renal diseases around the world and we also present data based on our experience in our ORC.
Percutaneous Ventricular Assist Devices and ECMO in the Management of Acute Decompensated Heart Failure
Authors: Lawson William E. , Koo Michael
Published: April 2015

The successful treatment of acute decompensated heart failure continues to evolve with an increasing utilization of nondurable mechanical support devices. Indications for acute support have broadened to include their use as a bridge to recovery or decision (for durable ventricular assist devices [VADs] or heart transplant). Available devices have improved in terms of effectiveness, ease of insertion, and reduction in complications. The commonly used devices (intra-aortic balloon pump, TandemHeart, Impella, and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation circuit), together with their mechanisms of action, are reviewed. Current considerations for support, specific to each device, are examined and future directions and indications for percutaneous VADs are explored.
Winter wheat straw management on subsequent processing tomato yield, quality, economics and nitrogen dynamics
Authors: Van Eerd Laura L. , Loewen Steven A. , Vyn Richard J.
Published: April 2015

Van Eerd, L. L., Loewen, S. A. and Vyn, R. J. 2015. Winter wheat straw management on subsequent processing tomato yield, quality, economics and nitrogen dynamics. Can. J. Plant Sci. 95: 273–283. The removal of crop residues to meet the anticipated demand for the bioeconomy sector may impact subsequent crop productivity. A field experiment was designed to evaluate the response of processing tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) on winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) straw management practices of: (1) retaining straw, (2) removing straw, or (3) retaining straw with a fall application of calcium ammonium nitrate at 34 kg N ha−1 to enhance straw decomposition. At two locations in 2006–2009, a split-plot design within a randomized complete block experiment, with wheat straw management as main-plot factor and nitrogen fertilizer (0 and 145 or 224 kg N ha−1) to the tomato crop as split-plot factor. At Ridgetown, marketable and total yield and profit margins were significantly higher with straw retained compared with straw removed treatments (total yield of 74.4 vs. 66.3 Mg ha−1 yr−1, respectively) but the straw retained plus fall N treatment (total yield 72.8 Mg ha−1 yr−1) was not different. However, at Leamington, straw management had no effect on yield or profit margins likely due to the rye (Secale cereale L.) cover crop used in the production system. At both locations, tomato quality (color, pH, soluble solids) was not influenced by straw or N management. Nitrogen fertilizer application to tomato had a significant effect on total processing yield, soil mineral N, and plant N, but wheat straw management had no effect on these parameters and there were no N fertilizer by straw management interactions. Winter wheat straw management did not impact soil N fertility for subsequent crop production. Thus, there may be significant undesired effects of removing crop residues on a subsequent crop yield; however, planting a cover crop may mitigate subsequent yield losses associated with biomass removal.