The theory and development of user-friendly software for the measurement of surface roughness and geometrical parameters

Computers with analytical capabilities have proven their worth in sophisticated gaging applications, but they can intimidate operators. Dedicated keyboards with a logical button-to-button function connection present the user with multiple options. They can be cumbersome and often require adaptation for different parameters or program options. Standard P.C. keyboards do provide more programming flexibility but keys are not easily related to function. This paper discusses the development of a touch screen and related software functions as a dedicated keyboard which presents a very limited number of operating options at any one time. Using simple color graphic icons or “windows”, the described software guides the operator through the measurement process via a logical series of questions and menu operations. The program presents only specific questions or options that are relevant to the current measurement, which provides for a more friendly interface between operator and instrument.     

Addressing the special concerns of landfill closures: VLDPE and textured geomembranes

Landfill closures often require a somewhat different set of properties for synthetic liners than do landfill bottom liner installations. In particular, cap design usually presents the geotechnical engineer with greater concerns regarding long-term slope stability and accommodation of differential settlement. Friction between synthetic liners and materials contacting those liners, multiaxial elongation, and flexibility increase in importance. Since leachate does not contact the liners, chemical resistance becomes less important. Resistance to the components of landfill gas is, in most cases, all that is necessary.

As a result, synthetic liners with a textured surface to improve friction angles, and very low density polyethylene (VLDPE) geomembranes are becoming very attractive to geotechnical engineers. They provide considerable improvement in those areas which are important for cap installation. These materials, however, behave differently in standard index and performance testing of geomembranes, when compared with traditional polyethylene liners. These behaviors and differences are important for geotechnical engineers to understand. They are discussed in this paper.     

Reliability and stability of executive functioning in older adults.

A number of methodological questions have been raised about the reliability and validity of measuring executive functioning (EF) across multiple time points. In this study, correlational and latent-variable analyses were used to examine test-retest reliability of 5 common measures of EF and the stability of a latent EF construct. One hundred eighteen nondemented older adults were tested twice over a 4- to 8-week period. Findings demonstrated modest reliability of individual EF measures but very high stability of a latent EF construct. Relative contributions of each measure to the latent EF factor did not change across measurement trials. In addition, age-related effects on EF were similar at the 2 time points and were within the expected range. Implications for future studies of EF are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Role of Specimen Geometry in the Effect of Fiber Orientation on the Thermal Conductivity of a Uniaxial Carbon-Fiber-Reinforced Aluminoborosilicate Glass-Matrix Composite

A study concerning the effect of fiber orientation on the thermal conductivity of a uniaxial carbon-fiber-reinforced borosilicate glass was conducted. For thin specimens, and thick specimens with specimen sides cut parallel to the fiber direction, the dependence of thermal conductivity on fiber orientation showed excellent agreement with theoretical behavior predicted for a composite infinite in extent. In contrast, the thermal conductivity data for rectangular thick specimens fell well below the data for the thin and angled specimens. For fiber orientation of 45° and higher, at which the heat was directed toward the side of the specimen rather than across, the thermal conductivity values showed excellent agreement with theoretical behavior predicted for a finite composite strip with insulated sides.     

On a bounded solution to a pair of coupled nonlinear ordinary differential equations

We present a bounded, decaying solution to a pair of coupled, nonlinear second-order ordinary differential equations arising in the theory of natural convection. The solution is found by transforming the problem into a non-autonomous system in the phase-plane. A uniqueness proof is given for the bounded solution.     

Targets and methods for the detection of processed animal proteins in animal feedstuffs

Bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), or ‘mad cow disease’, is one of several transmissable spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs) known to affect certain mammals and is spread through the ingestion of infected animal tissue. It is believed that the inadvertent contamination of meat and bone meal (MBM) with infected animal tissue and the subsequent use of this material as a feed supplement contributed to the spread of the disease in cattle. As a result, the use of processed animal proteins (PAPs) in animal feeds is regulated in many parts of the world. Although feed testing is the only definitive means to certify compliance, regulatory compliance often relies solely on paper certification. Recently, rapid methods have become available that can be used by regulators to determine compliance during routine inspections. We describe a rapid, immunochromatographic strip test that can detect 0.1% MBM in animal feed. The test takes 15 min to perform and large numbers of samples can be screened for PAPs simultaneously.     

Non-invasive headspace measurement for characterizing oxygen-scavenging in polymers

A non-invasive headspace analysis method to measure rate and amount of oxygen uptake in oxygen-scavenging polymers is presented. Oxygen uptake data for metal-catalyzed poly(1,4-butadiene) at 30 °C are provided to illustrate the method. These data were obtained by measuring oxygen headspace concentration above the scavenging polymer with an OxySense^® 200T non-invasive oxygen sensor, and, for comparison, oxygen uptake was measured with an analytical balance. Excellent agreement was observed between these two independent experiments.     

Aspects of social and emotional competence in adult attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.

Social and emotional competence were evaluated using self-report and behavioral measures in adults with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and controls. Adults with ADHD viewed themselves as less socially competent but more sensitive toward violations of social norms than controls. Films depicting emotional interactions were used to assess linguistic properties of free recall and perceived emotional intensity. Although adults with ADHD used more words to describe the scenes, they used fewer emotion-related words, despite rating the emotions depicted as more intense than did controls. In contrast, no group differences for words depicting social or cognitive processes were observed. Overall, adults with ADHD appear more aware of their problems in social versus emotional skills. Findings may have implications for improving the psychosocial functioning of these adults. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Hypnosis and clinical pain.

Hypnosis has been demonstrated to reduce analogue pain, and studies on the mechanisms of laboratory pain reduction have provided useful applications to clinical populations. Studies showing central nervous system activity during hypnotic procedures offer preliminary information concerning possible physiological mechanisms of hypnotic analgesia. Randomized controlled studies with clinical populations indicate that hypnosis has a reliable and significant impact on acute procedural pain and chronic pain conditions, Methodological issues of this body of research are discussed, as are methods to better integrate hypnosis into comprehensive pain treatment. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A Simple Quasi-2D Numerical Model of a Thermogage Furnace

A simple quasi-2D model for the temperature distribution in a graphite tube furnace is presented. The model is used to estimate the temperature gradients in the furnace at temperatures above which contact sensors can be used, and to assist in the redesign of the furnace heater element to improve the temperature gradients. The Thermogage graphite tube furnace is commonly used in many NMIs as a blackbody source for radiation thermometer calibration and as a spectral irradiance standard. Although the design is robust, easy to operate and can change temperature rapidly, it is limited by its effective emissivity of typically 99.5–99.8%. At NMIA, the temperature gradient along the tube is assessed using thermocouples up to about 1,500°C, and the blackbody emissivity is calculated from this. However, at higher operating temperatures (up to 2,900°C), it is impractical to measure the gradient, and we propose to numerically model the temperature distributions used to calculate emissivity. In another paper at this conference, the model is used to design an optimized heater tube with improved temperature gradients. In the model presented here, the 2-D temperature distribution is simplified to separate the axial and radial temperature distributions within the heater tube and the surrounding insulation. Literature data for the temperature dependence of the electrical and thermal conductivities of the graphite tube were coupled to models for the thermal conductivity of the felt insulation, particularly including the effects of allowing for a gas mixture in the insulation. Experimental measurements of the temperature profile up to 1,500°C and radial heat fluxes up to 2,200°C were compared to the theoretical predictions of the model and good agreement was obtained.