bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Hurricane Imaging Radiometer (HIRAD) Wind Speed Retrievals and Validation Using Dropsondes
Authors: Cecil Daniel J. , Biswas Sayak K. 
Published: July 2017

AbstractSurface wind speed retrievals have been generated and evaluated using Hurricane Imaging Radiometer (HIRAD) measurements from flights over Hurricane Joaquin, Hurricane Patricia, Hurricane Marty, and the remnants of Tropical Storm Erika—all in 2015. Procedures are described here for producing maps of brightness temperature, which are subsequently used for retrievals of surface wind speed and rain rate across a ~50-km-wide swath for each flight leg. An iterative retrieval approach has been developed to take advantage of HIRAD’s measurement characteristics. Validation of the wind speed retrievals has been conducted, using 636 dropsondes released from the same WB-57 high-altitude aircraft carrying HIRAD during the Tropical Cyclone Intensity (TCI) experiment. The HIRAD wind speed retrievals exhibit very small bias relative to the dropsondes, for winds of tropical storm strength (17.5 m s−1) or greater. HIRAD has reduced sensitivity to winds weaker than tropical storm strength and a small positive bias (~2 m s−1). Two flights with predominantly weak winds according to the dropsondes have abnormally large errors from HIRAD and large positive biases. From the other flights, the root-mean-square differences between HIRAD and the dropsonde winds are 4.1 m s−1 (33%) for winds below tropical storm strength, 5.6 m s−1 (25%) for tropical storm–strength winds, and 6.3 m s−1 (16%) for hurricane-strength winds. The mean absolute differences for those three categories are 3.2 m s−1 (25%), 4.3 m s−1 (19%), and 4.8 m s−1 (12%), respectively, with a bias near zero for winds of tropical storm and hurricane strength.
Cochlear Implantation in Siblings With Refsum’s Disease
Authors: Stähr Kerstin , Kuechler Alma , Gencik Martin , Arnolds Judith , Dendy Meaghan , Lang Stephan , Arweiler-Harbeck Diana 
Published: July 2017

Objectives: Whether the origin of severe hearing loss in Refsum’s syndrome is caused by cochlear impairment or retrocochlear degeneration remains unclear. This case report aims to investigate hearing performance before and after cochlear implantation to shed light on this question. Also, identification of new mutations causing Refsum’s syndrome would be helpful in generating additional means of diagnosis. Methods: A family of 4 individuals was subjected to genetic testing. Two siblings (56 and 61 years old) suffered from severe hearing and vision loss and received bilateral cochlear implants. Genetic analysis, audiological outcome, and clinical examinations were performed. Results: One new mutation in the PHYH gene (c.768del63bp) causing Refsum’s disease was found. Preoperative distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPAOEs) were absent. Postoperative speech perception in Freiburger speech test was 100% for bisyllabic words and 85% (patient No. 1) and 65% (patient No. 2), respectively, for monosyllabic words. Five years after implantation, speech perception remained stable for bisyllabic words but showed decreasing capabilities for monosyllabic words. Discussion: A new mutation causing Refsum’s disease is presented. Cochlear implantation in case of severe hearing loss leads to an improvement in speech perception and should be recommended for patients with Refsum’s disease, especially when the hearing loss is combined with a severe loss of vision. Decrease of speech perception in the long-term follow-up could indicate an additional retrocochlear degeneration.
Zero ODP, Zero GWP, Halogen-Free, and Low K-factor Azeotropes as Blowing Agents for Isocyanate-Based Foams
Authors: Ashida K. , Morimoto K. , Yufu A. 
Published: July 2017

Due to the ozone depletion potential (ODP) problem of CFCs and HCFCs, a number of alternative physical blowing agents for isocyanate-based foams are being investigated. Among them, two representative candidates are HFCs (hydrofluorocarbons) and halogen-free, aliphatic hydrocarbons in which the major hydrocarbons are n-pentane and cyclopentane. Another accompanying problem of CFCs and HCFCs is global warming potential (GWP). This paper describes azeotropic blowing agents (hereinafter referred to as AZBs [32,33]) having no halogens. The AZBs employed in this study comprise a C5-C7 hydrocarbon and a compound selected from the group consisting of C2-C4 carboxylic acid esters, C3-C4 ketones, and C4 ethers. These halogen-free azeotropes have advantages of zero ODP, zero GWP, and lower K-factor. The AZBs have the following advantages over HFCs and hydrocarbons: (a) they have a minimum boiling point and thus give more efficient blowing action than that of the respective individual components, resulting in lower density foams; (b) the AZBs-blown foams have lower K-factor than that of the foams blown with the respective individual blowing agents; (c) the adequate polarity of the AZBs exhibits better compatibility with foaming ingredients and results in finer celled foams than by the use of a single hydrocarbon blowing agent, e.g., cyclopentane; (d) due to the similarity of boiling points and polarity of the AZBs with those of CFC-11, the AZBs are a direct replacement for CFC-11 without any change of CFC-11-based formulations and without the use of special raw materials; (e) in general, the foam density is roughly proportional to the number of moles of blowing agent; the AZBs have lower molecular weights than CFC-11 and therefore, smaller amounts can be used. Also their costs are far less than that of CFCs or HCFCs; (f) the AZBs have zero ODP, zero GWP, and are halogen-free; therefore, there are no environmental problems. A number of the AZBs can be used as blowing agents, for example a blend of n-pentane/methyl formate at a weight ratio of 47/53. The blend has a boiling point of 21.8°C, which is almost equal to that of CFC-11. The AZBs can be used for various isocyanate-based foams, eg., flexible and rigid urethane foams, modified isocyanurate foams, urea foams, flexible and rigid integral skin foams.
Factors Influencing the FR-Performance of Polyurethane Slabstock Foams
Authors: Weier A. , Burkhart G. , Zellmer V. 
Published: July 2017

The ever increasing amount of legislation on fire performance tests in many parts of the world indicates the decisive roll of FR-performance on the further development of the polyurethane-foam business in general. Because of this, the use of flame retardants is imperative for many applications but attempts were made to evaluate other factors which also influence the FR-performance of the polyurethane foam, as well. The focusing point of our work was the question whether there are practical ways to implement results into actual production processes. For example the influence of foam porosity on FR-performance is well known. Nevertheless, it may not be a factor to be changed under production conditions due to foam specifications. In this paper research will be shown regarding the question in which way FR-performance and production safety can affect formulation changes without changing foam porosity. Other topics of special interest to us are the melting performance and the influence of surface morphology on the burning of flexible slabstock foam. This also relates to the use of fillers in slabstock formulations and their effects on the flammability of foams. Another important aspect that has been considered is the influence of the silicone surfactant structure, especially with regard to the ethylene oxide content of the utilized polyethers in the surfactant. The dependence among silicone surfactant structure, the amount of silicone surfactant within a foam and the resulting influence on FR-performance is another very important aspect to consider for optimum FR-properties. Differences between the use of conventional, universal and FR-surfactants will be shown and explained. Based on the results of our work the parameters to design surfactants with enhanced FR-performance will be discussed.
Study of Cell Opening in Flexible Polyurethane Foam
Authors: Yasunaga K. , Neff R. A. , Zhang X. D. , Macosko C. W. 
Published: July 2017

The time to onset of cell opening and the modulus around the event were measured using a parallel-plate rheometer for flexible polyurethane foams. Cell opening time was compared with the visual blow-off time. The onset of cell opening occurs several seconds after phase separation, and the visual blow-off occurs several seconds (sometimes more than ten seconds) after the onset. Two series of formulations were studied, one in which the factors other than surfactant (tin catalyst level, TDI index, polyol type) were changed, and the second series in which only the surfactant was changed. In the first series, the modulus at cell opening did not change much with different formulations. However, the modulus development rate during the cell opening period (between the onset and the visual blow-off) changed significantly. Air flow was lower with higher modulus development rate. In the second series, the modulus development rate or the timing of onset of cell opening did not change even when the air flow changed considerably. The fact that the timing did not change and it is several seconds after the phase separation implies that the cell opening is triggered by sudden urea precipitation. Light interferometry showed that the average value of the remaining cell window thicknesses in low air flow foam is higher than that of the high air flow foam. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) of the final foam products showed that the cell windows are in a variety of stages. The windows were classified into four stages-fully open, partially open, pin holes and closed. Air flow is directly proportional to the effective fraction of open windows. SEM also showed that the cell windows are in several different states. Some window films were totally missing and others have left torn-off films. The possible mechanism of cell window rupture is discussed with respect to the results.
A New Era for MDI: Flexible Polyurethane Slabstock Foam
Authors: Knaub Philippe M. A. , Wiltz E. P. , Wuilay Herve 
Published: July 2017

In the past few years, much effort was put into developing new technologies for high resilience (HR) slabstock foam applications involving the use of MDI-based prepolymers. The main advantages claimed were better feel of the foam and enhanced physical properties over standard HR foams. However, those HR technologies have been developed to be used in the high quality HR market segment at densities generally ranging from 2 to 4 lb/ft3. Little work has been reported so far in the area of conventional slabstock foams produced with MDI, i.e., using high potency surfactants and polyols with secondary hydroxyls. By carefully selecting the MDI component, it has been possible to manufacture slabstock foams at densities ranging from 3 to 1.5 lb/ft3 with acceptable processing latitude. The main advantage of those foams over TDI based ones are: (1) the possibility to make very firm foams without the need for any filler, (2) the use of low vapor pressure MDI, (3) very fine cell structure and resulting good feel of the foam, (4) very fast skin curing and final curing and (5) the possibility to manufacture non-shrinking low breathability foams. The challenges for these MDI-based foams include the lower NCO% of MDI, poorer blowing efficiency relative to TDI, compromised mechanical properties and narrow processing latitude, which may be a concern at the lowest densities especially on trough-like machines. This paper will discuss the influence of the nature of the isocyanate upon the formulation parameters and the final properties of the foam. A more fundamental look towards key parameters such as compatibility of the ternary (polyol/water/isocyanate) system, reactivity and viscosity, build-up of the reactive mixture, as well as polymer structure-foam properties relation characterized by means of DSC, DMS and FTIR will be presented.
Flexural Properties of Mica Filled Polyurethane Foams
Authors: Vaidya Nitin Y. , Khakhar D. V. 
Published: July 2017

Integral skin foams consist of a cellular core and a near solid skin of the same material surrounding the core. A study of the effect of mica on the flexural properties of free rise and integral skin polyurethane foams is presented. Addition of a small amount of mica (5% v/v) is found to significantly increase the flexural modulus of free rise foams; however, the modulus remains nearly constant with further increase in mica concentration when compared at equal densities. The flexural strength of free rise foams is found to decrease with an increase in mica concentration. Similar trends with mica concentration are obtained for the integral skin foams of a fixed overall density. In this case, the properties of the foams are also dependent on structural parameters such as the skin and core thicknesses and the corresponding densities which are measured. A three region model for the integral skin foam structure (core and two skins) is developed to obtain the flexural modulus and strength for foams with dissimilar upper and lower skins in terms of the thickness and the properties of the regions. Empirical equations, based on the experimental data for free rise foams with different mica loadings, relating the flexural modulus and flexural strength to the density, are used to calculate the properties of each region in the model. The predicted values obtained from the model are found to be in reasonable agreement with experimentally measured values of flexural modulus and flexural strength. The mode of failure (tensile rupture as opposed to wrinkling) is also correctly predicted by the model.
New Developments in HFC-245fa Appliance Foam
Authors: Doerge H. P. 
Published: July 2017

The phaseout of HCFC-141b as a blowing agent for rigid foams is scheduled to begin in 2003 or sooner. The blowing agent to replace it should have low thermal conductivity, zero ozone depletion potential (ODP), low global warming potential (GWP) and be low in toxicity. In addition, other desirable characteristics include good compatibility with polyols, stability of the blowing agent by itself and in masterbatches, ease of handling, compatibility with plastic food liners, reasonable cost and feasibility of manufacture, good processing characteristics in machinery and no flammability. Finally, the blowing agent should produce foams having insulation properties which are comparable to or better than those made with HCFC-141b. Considerable effort is being directed to developing new appliance foam systems for North America which use blowing agents that have many or all of these characteristics. A number of candidates have been evaluated from which HFC-245fa meets the majority of these criteria if not all of them. Bayer Corporation reported data on HFC-245fa blown appliance foams which had most of these characteristics. Energy performance in cabinets was less than 1% poorer with the HFC-245fa foam versus an HCFC-141b commercial foam. For the future, energy standards in the United States will become 25 to 30% more stringent after July 1, 2001. Therefore, the insulation value of HFC-245fa foams will most likely have to be better than foams blown with HCFC-141b. This paper will discuss new developments with HFC-245fa blown appliance foams. Results of a design of experiments to study the effects of catalyst levels, the processing temperatures of the masterbatch and the isocyanate and the viscosity of the formulation on physical properties will be presented. Results will be compared to a previously reported HFC-245fa system and to an HCFC-141b commercial system.
The Perception of Vowel Colour in Formantless Complex Sounds
Authors: Carpenter Alan , Morton John 
Published: July 2017

Complex sounds were manufactured by passing the output of a buzz source through band-pass filter networks. The resulting stimuli were played both to phoneticians and to phonetically naive subjects who were asked to judge the vowel colour of the sounds. The responses showed that complex sounds are categorised consistently with regard to their vowel colour in spite of the absence of formant peaks. The following additional conclusions can be drawn: (1) The judgement of vowel colour is relatively unaffected by such features of the stimulus as variability in length between 300 and 700 msec. and the temporal qualities of the on-off transitions. (2) Vowel sounds of the back group can be simulated with a low-pass filter; and increasing the cut-off frequency shifts judgement in the direction from “high” to “low”, i.e. from /u/ to /α/, and then /a/.
The Plane Elastic Characteristics of Cord—Rubber Laminates
Authors: Clark S. K. 
Published: July 2017

Results from an experimental study on rayon and nylon tire cords embedded in rubber are reported. Stress-strain curves in tension and compression on thick-walled cylinders of such materials show that much higher moduli of elasticity are exhibited by cords under tension than by cords in compression. However, the compression modulus of twisted cords is not insignificant, and such cords can apparently carry appreciable compressive loads when properly encased in rubber and when prevented from buckling. A bilinear approximation to the stress-strain curves of such materials is proposed as a means for approximate structural analysis of members utilizing these materials. Based on such a bilinear approximation, an analysis is presented for the state of stress and deformation in a laminated cord-rubber sheet under plane loads, using the principles of orthotropic materials. It is shown that four elastic constants are sufficient to describe the properties of a typical two-ply laminate when all cords are loaded in tension; a different set of four apply to the same body when it is loaded in such a way that the cords in both plies are in compression. The existence of interply stresses between lamina in built-up cord-rubber sheets is shown, and expressions are derived for the magnitude of such stresses as functions of the externally applied forces. Two different types of interply stresses are identified. Experiments were performed using laminated cord-rubber cylinders under various stress states in order to compare various moduli of elasticity with those predicted from theory. Such comparisons seem to indicate that the theories proposed adequately describe the composite materials being considered. It may generally be concluded from the work reported here that the elastic properties of any type of cord-rubber laminate may be derived from the elastic properties of a single sheet of its constituent material.
Life Cycles and Changes in Alcoholic Beverage Consumption: Research Project & Theoretical Framework
Authors: Beccaria Franca , Scarscelli Daniele 
Published: July 2017

In order to understand the micro-sociological explanations behind the decline in alcoholic beverage consumption, particularly wine, in Italy during the last 30 years, we studied social mechanisms affecting the behavior of individuals. Alcohol consumption patterns, context, time of day, people with whom it was consumed, regularity and quantity consumed, all vary over the course of a person's life. One of the approaches adopted in analyzing changes in consumption patterns was the sociological “approach to the lifecourse” that focused its attention on the transitions from one phase of life to the next and looked at the paths characterizing the lives of individuals. The complex study of alcoholic beverage consumption was addressed with interviews that combined completely standardized techniques (questionnaires with fixed questions and answers) and partially standardized approaches (semi-structured interviews). Altogether, 117 men of two cohorts (40–45 years and 65–70 years) were interviewed, all of whom had reduced their alcohol consumption over the course of their lives. Two focus groups were also organized and conducted. The age groups were designed to record the consumption habits in the initial phase of the period of interest—that is the early 1970s—of two important social groups. The first one was young and in their adolescent years during the 1970s, while the second group was made up of people already in their adult years.
The Research Outcome: Summary and Conclusions on the Reduction in Wine Consumption in Italy
Authors: Cipriani Francesco , Prina Franco 
Published: July 2017

This article summarizes the way we tried to understand why Italians, since the early 1970s, have reduced their wine consumption in the absence of drinking-control policies. The curve trend could be plausibly explained, in its upward phase, mainly by income and price mechanisms, while in the downward phase it reflected multiple factors. Although some of these factors (urbanization, work in factories, and the services sector) were intensely developing in the growth phase of alcohol consumption, they produced evident effects on the wine consumption decrease as well. In addition, overall consumption patterns of the 1970s were affected, in conjunction with the consolidation of a new lifestyle imposed by the change. Thus, these factors determined the first phase of the trend's reversal. Other factors (social mobility, redefinition of ways to use leisure time, changes in the family structure and in the role of women, de-structuring of meals, personal care, health consciousness), emerged and consolidated on a mass level during the 1980s and 1990s. How and why this happened became clearer by asking the actors in this change. To qualitatively reconstruct their experiences and the way in which they went through the processes just described complemented the quantitative point of view.
An Innovative Study to Evaluate Fillers, Part 2: Carbon Black, Silica and Carbon Black/Silica Blends-Functional Relationship between Filler Parameters and Compound Properties at Constant Loading
Authors: Patel Arvind C. 
Published: July 2017

The previous study [1] evaluated rubber compound properties, at variable loading, of carbon black and silica, as a function of total volume (φ t) and total surface area (σ s). The results clarified the importance of volume fraction (Φ C) and delineated a transition point at which abrupt changes occur in compound properties. These three parameters σ s, φ t and Φ C are inseparable and in conjunction totally influence compound properties. The effects of fundamental properties of fillers on compound performance properties are more noticeable at constant loading. Hence, this study should elucidate the functional relationship between fundamental properties of fillers, the added volume ( V F) and surface area (N2SA), with their functional relationship to rubber properties. The results show significant differences between and within grades of carbon black and silica samples from the same source. Furthermore, the theory of total volume and total surface area were utilized to create precise blends of silica/carbon black by manipulating φ C in conjunction with colloidal properties of the fillers, to reduce hysteresis of a carbon black compound and also match silica compound performance properties utilizing precise blends of silica and carbon black.
Applications of a New Dynamic Mechanical Rheological Tester in Measuring Carbon Black and Oil Effects on Rubber Compound Properties
Authors: Dick John S. , Pawlowski Henry A. 
Published: July 2017

A new dynamic mechanical rheological tester called the RPA 2000 rubber process analyzer by Monsanto can analyze rubber masterbatches as well as rubber compounds before, during and after cure. It requires no special sample preparation, is easy to operate, and can apply a wide range of dynamic test conditions to a rubber sample, including very high strains. This paper discusses the use of this new instrument as a processability tester in predicting the effects of variations in filler and oil types and loadings on rubber compound behavior.