Automatic brain tissue segmentation in MR images using hybrid atlas forest based on confidence-weighted probability matrix

The segmentation of specific tissues in an MR brain image for quantitative analysis can assist the disease diagnosis and medical research. Therefore, a robust and accurate method for automatic segmentation is necessary. Atlas-based-method is a common and effective method of automatic segmentation where an atlas refers to a pair of image consist of an intensity image and its corresponding label image. Apart from the general multi-atlas-based methods, which propagate labels through the single atlas then fuse them, we proposed a hybrid atlas forest based on confidence-weighted probability matrix to consider the atlases set as a whole and treat each voxel differently. In the framework, we first register the atlas to the image space of target and calculate the confidence of voxels in the registered atlas. Then, a confidence-weighted probability matrix is generated and it augments to the intensity image of the atlas or target for providing spatial information of the target tissue. Third, a hybrid atlas forest is trained to gather the features and correlation information among the atlases in the dataset. Finally, the segmentation of the target tissues is predicted by the trained hybrid atlas forest. The segment performance and the components efficiency of the proposed method are evaluated on the two public datasets. Based on the experiment results and quantitative comparisons, our method can gather spatial information and correlation among the atlases to obtain an accurate segmentation.     

Investigation of non-isothermal crystallization,dynamic mechanical and dielectric properties of poly(ether-ketone) matrix composites

ABSTRACT

Poly(ether-ketone)/hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) composites reinforced with micrometer-sized h-BN particles were investigated. The composites exhibited glass transition temperature (T_g) and thermal stability over 160°C and 560°C, respectively. The melting point and peak crystallization temperatures of the composites decreased up to 17°C and 12°C, respectively. The linear CTE of the composites decreased both below and above the T_g. The storage modulus increased with increasing h-BN content at all temperatures (50–250°C). The composites possessed excellent dielectric properties with insignificant dispersion with increasing frequency. Thus, resultant composites are promising candidates for the printed circuit boards/electronic substrates.     

Three-dimensional graphene-carbon nanotube reinforced ceramics and computer simulation

Graphene and carbon nanotube (CNT) have been the striking reinforcements for ceramics as a function of their unique structures together with exceptional multi-performance. However, the reinforcing efficiency could only be fully confirmed if they were homogenously dispersed throughout the whole ceramic matrix. The poor dispersion properties of graphene and CNT restricted the further development of advanced carbon nanomaterials reinforced ceramic. Very recently, the hybridization of graphene and CNT was proposed to reach full utilization of graphene and CNT through preventing the aggregations in ceramic. Herein, this review discussed the preparation techniques, composition, microstructures and properties of hybrid graphene-CNT (HGC) reinforced ceramic, highlighting the hybridization strategies of graphene and CNT. Additionally, the computer simulation was employed to advance the development of three–dimensional HGC reinforced ceramics.     

Constitutive model and failure criterion for orthotropic ceramic matrix composites under macroscopic plane stress

To predict the nonlinear stress-strain behavior and the rupture strength of orthotropic ceramic matrix composites (CMCs) under macroscopic plane stress, a concise damage-based mechanical theory including a new constitutive model and two kinds of failure criteria was developed in the framework of continuum damage mechanics (CDM). The damage constitutive model was established using strain partitioning and damage decoupling methods. Meanwhile, the failure criteria were formulated in terms of damage energy release rate (DERR) in order to correlate the failure property of CMCs with damage driving forces, and the maximum DERR criterion and the interactive DERR criterion were suggested simultaneously. For the sake of model evaluation, the theory was applied to a typical CMC with damageable and nonlinear behavior, that is, 2D-C/SiC. The damage evolution law, strain response and rupture strength under incremental cyclic tension along both on-axis and off-axis directions were completely investigated. Comparison between theoretical predictions and experimental data illustrates that the newly developed mechanical theory is potential to give reasonable and accurate results of both stress-strain response and failure property for orthotropic CMCs.     

Effect of carbon nanotubes grown temperature on the fracture behavior of carbon fiber reinforced magnesium matrix composites: Interlaminar shear strength and tensile strength

The design of an interfacial structure is particularly important for load transfer in composites. In this paper, different amounts of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were grafted onto the carbon fiber (CF) surface by adjusting grown temperature using injection chemical vapor deposition (ICVD). The prepared CF preform grafted with CNTs (CNTs-CF) were used to reinforce magnesium alloy by squeeze casting process. The microstructures were analyzed by means of optical microscope (OM) and scanning electron microscope (SEM), and the interlaminar shear strength (ILSS) and tensile strength of the composites were determined by double-notch shear test and tensile test. The results indicated that moderate ILSS was more conducive to improving the tensile properties of carbon fiber reinforced magnesium matrix (C_f/Mg) composites. Compared with C_f/Mg, the tensile strength of composite with CNTs increased by about 80%. For C_f/Mg composites grafted with CNTs, CNTs had the effects of delaying crack propagation and increasing energy consumption by the pull-out and bridging mechanism, which were the main reasons for improving the strength. The analysis of shear fracture surface showed that the crack propagation path can be optimized by adjusting the amounts of grafted CNTs. The presence of CNTs affects the stress distribution and consequently the crack initiation as well as the crack propagation.     

Development and performance analysis of novel in situ Cu–Ni/Al2O3 nanocomposites

Cu–Ni/Al₂O₃ nanocomposite powders were manufactured using an in situ chemical reaction technique. This technique provides improved wettability and adhesion between the matrix and reinforcement phases. Aluminum nitrate, copper nitrate and nickel nitrate were used as start materials for the production of the composites. The powders were sintered in a hydrogen environment at 900 °C for 2 h after being cold pressed at 700 MPa. To determine the effect of Al₂O₃ on electrical and thermal conductivities and thermal expansion behaviors, the Cu–Ni matrix was supplemented with 3, 5, and 8 wt% Al₂O₃. The findings revealed that Al₂O₃ nanoparticles (20 nm) were dispersed uniformly throughout the copper-nickel matrix. Microhardness was improved from 53.3 HV for Cu–Ni matrix to 92.7 HV for Cu–Ni/8%Al₂O₃ nanocomposites. The electrical and thermal conductivities and thermal expansion coefficient were reduced as the amount of Al₂O₃ in the Cu–Ni matrix increased. The electrical conductivity was reduced by 38.7% by addition 5% Al₂O₃ nanoparticles to Cu–Ni matrix. The high interfacial bonding between Cu–Ni and Al₂O₃ nanoparticles was the main reason of the hardness improvement and maintaining relatively good electrical and thermal properties.     

Full and reduced-order H∞ filtering of Takagi–Sugeno fuzzy time-varying delay systems: Input–output approach

This article addresses the issue of delay-dependent H_∞ filtering design for TakagiŮSugeno fuzzy time-varying delay systems using the input–output approach. A three-term approximation model has been used to transform the original system into two interconnected subsystems. Since the nonquadratic Lyapunov–Krasovskii functional requires to deal with the membership function's (MF) time derivative, upper-bound inequalities have been added to the obtained conditions. Based on the scaled small gain theorem, nonquadratic Lyapunov–Krasovskii functional approach and considering the bounds of the MF time-derivative, the H_∞ full- and reduced-order filters are designed and then formulated in terms of linear matrix inequalities. Finally, illustrative examples are presented to demonstrate the validity of the proposed methods.     

Core–shell NTC materials with low thermal constant and high resistivity for wide-temperature thermistor ceramics

Core–shell structures have been proposed to improve the electrical properties of negative-temperature coefficient (NTC) thermistor ceramics. In this work, Al₂O₃-modified Co_1.5Mn_1.2Ni_0.3O₄ NTC thermistor ceramics with adjustable electrical properties were prepared through citrate-chelation followed by conventional sintering. Co_1.5Mn_1.2Ni_0.3O₄ powder was coated with a thin Al₂O₃ shell layer to form a core–shell structure. Resistivity (ρ) increased rapidly with increasing thickness of the Al₂O₃ layer, and the thermal constant (B) varied moderately between 3706 and 3846 K. In particular, Co_1.5Mn_1.2Ni_0.3O₄@Al₂O₃ ceramic with 0.08 wt% Al₂O₃ showed the increase of ρ double, and the change in its B was less than 140 K. The Co_1.5Mn_1.2Ni_0.3O₄@Al₂O₃ NTC ceramics showed high stability, and their grain size was relatively uniform due to the protection offered by the shell. The aging coefficient of the ceramic was less than 0.2% after aging for 500 hours at 125°C. Taken together, the results indicate that as-prepared Co_1.5Mn_1.2Ni_0.3O₄@Al₂O₃ NTC ceramics with a core–shell structure may be promising candidates for application as wide-temperature NTC thermistor ceramics.