Quantification of Porosity in Ceramic Matrix Composites Using Thermography

Thermography is one of the Non-Destructive Evaluation methods used to qualitatively estimate the amount of porosity in as-manufactured ceramic matrix composite (CMC) parts. Through-transmission (TT) thermography allows for comparison of thermal diffusivity caused by differences in material density and porosity at different locations in the part. In this study, volume fraction of pores and its distribution in CMC samples containing different amounts of porosity was quantified using optical microscopy and X-ray computed tomography scans. TT thermography was done on the same specimens and images were analyzed to determine the distribution of thermal diffusivity. Comparison of porosity measurements and thermal diffusivity images shows an inverse correlation. A simple two-phase analytical model describing this relationship is derived for composites and its solution is shown to compare favorably with experimental data. In the absence of porosity data, the model can be used to estimate porosity directly from thermal diffusivity data.     

Addressing the complexity of personalized,context-aware and health-aware food recommendations: an ensemble topic modelling based approach

Journal of Intelligent Information Systems - Food Recommender Systems (FRS) have the potential to support informed and satisfying food choices. However, to realize their full potential, FRS must...     

A call for a social network-oriented approach to services for survivors of intimate partner violence.

Despite the many hard-won victories of the antidomestic violence movement, it has had less success in reaching one of its own primary goals: that of making intimate partner violence a problem of the community rather than a problem between two individuals. Most mainstream domestic violence service models have not prioritized ongoing engagement of survivors' informal social support networks as a core part of their work. Yet the perpetration of domestic violence occurs within a community context that contributes to the maintenance or alleviation of the problem. Given extensive research on the centrality of social networks to the fabric of survivors' daily lives, as well as their ongoing safety and emotional well-being, it is critical to consider how domestic violence services and systems can align with these social networks more effectively. Following a review of research on the role of informal social support in survivors' lives, this article calls for a shift in mainstream domestic violence services toward a more network-oriented approach, one that highlights potential partnerships between professionals and survivors' informal social support networks. Such a shift would require a reconceptualization of the role of the domestic violence practitioner and the scope and nature of services. It would also raise a series of emergent research questions about how informal network members can best support survivors, how domestic violence services can help survivors engage with existing and new supporters, and the extent to which specific types of network-oriented practices can indeed improve survivors' safety and well-being. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

“Oh and how things just don't change,the more things stay the same”: Reflections on SenseCam images 18 months after capture

This paper presents an exploration of how images captured by a wearable camera, SenseCam, might foster reflection on everyday experiences. SenseCams were provided to multiple members of four households who wore them simultaneously and reviewed the images after one week, and then again after a period of 18 months. The findings reveal how images captured by different family members led to new insights around normally unremarkable routines, and provided new perspectives on how children experienced the world, while the 18 month interval prompted some reinterpretation of the past and made participants aware of incremental changes in their everyday lives. Implications for the design of tools to support reflection on personal experience are suggested and remarks about the concept of memory collection devices made.     

Otic drug delivery systems: formulation principles and recent developments

Disorders of the ear severely impact the quality of life of millions of people, but the treatment of these disorders is an ongoing, but often overlooked challenge particularly in terms of formulation design and product development. The prevalence of ear disorders has spurred significant efforts to develop new therapeutic agents, but perhaps less innovation has been applied to new drug delivery systems to improve the efficacy of ear disease treatments. This review provides a brief overview of physiology, major diseases, and current therapies used via the otic route of administration. The primary focuses are on the various administration routes and their formulation principles. The article also presents recent advances in otic drug deliveries as well as potential limitations. Otic drug delivery technology will likely evolve in the next decade and more efficient or specific treatments for ear disease will arise from the development of less invasive drug delivery methods, safe and highly controlled drug delivery systems, and biotechnology targeting therapies.     

Anger toward God: Social-cognitive predictors, prevalence, and links with adjustment to bereavement and cancer.

Many people see themselves as being in a relationship with God and see this bond as comforting. Yet, perceived relationships with God also carry the potential for experiencing anger toward God, as shown here in studies with the U.S. population (Study 1), undergraduates (Studies 2 and 3), bereaved individuals (Study 4), and cancer survivors (Study 5). These studies addressed 3 fundamental issues regarding anger toward God: perceptions and attributions that predict anger toward God, its prevalence, and its associations with adjustment. Social-cognitive predictors of anger toward God paralleled predictors of interpersonal anger and included holding God responsible for severe harm, attributions of cruelty, difficulty finding meaning, and seeing oneself as a victim. Anger toward God was frequently reported in response to negative events, although positive feelings predominated. Anger and positive feelings toward God showed moderate negative associations. Religiosity and age correlated negatively with anger toward God. Reports of anger toward God were slightly lower among Protestants and African Americans in comparison with other groups (Study 1). Some atheists and agnostics reported anger involving God, particularly on measures emphasizing past experiences (Study 2) and images of a hypothetical God (Study 3). Anger toward God was associated with poorer adjustment to bereavement (Study 4) and cancer (Study 5), particularly when anger remained unresolved over a 1-year period (Study 5). Taken together, these studies suggest that anger toward God is an important dimension of religious and spiritual experience, one that is measurable, widespread, and related to adjustment across various contexts and populations. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

An examination of the potential of seaweed extracts as functional ingredients in milk

Novel dairy products were produced by the addition of seaweed extracts to milk. Ascophyllum nodosum 100% water (AN₁₀₀) or 80% ethanol (AN_80e) and Fucus vesiculosus 60% ethanol (FV_60e) extracts were prepared. AN_80e and FV_60e (0.25 and 0.5%) milk had higher (P < 0.05) ‘?a*’ and ‘b*’ values. FV_60e (0.25%) and phloroglucinol (Phl) (0.5%) milk had lower (P < 0.05) lipid oxidation. Control and AN₁₀₀ milk were accepted by sensory panellists. Seaweed extracts were stable (2,2‐diphenyl‐1‐picrylhydrazyl, DPPH) in milk. Milk and digestates exhibited DPPH and ferrous‐ion‐chelating activities and did not affect cellular antioxidant activity or protect against DNA damage.