Specifying Cash-Point with DisCo

We describe how the cash-point service problem of Formal Methods ’99 is specified using DisCo [Dis, JKS91]. Received January 2000 / Accepted in revised form December 2000     

Effect of hot drawing on properties of wet‐spun poly(L,D‐lactide) copolymer multifilament fibers

Polylactide stereocopolymer multifilament fibers were prepared by wet spinning and subsequent hot drawing. The stereocopolymers were poly‐(L,D ‐lactide) [P(L,D )LA], L/D ratio 96/4, and poly‐(L,DL ‐lactide) [P(L,DL )LA], L/DL ratio 70/30. They were dissolved in dichloromethane and coagulated in a spin bath containing ethanol. The hot‐drawing temperature was 65°C. The draw ratios (DR) were upto 4.5 to the P(L,D )LA 96/4 filaments and upto 3 to the P(L,DL )LA 70/30 filaments. Wet spinning decreased crystallinities of both copolymers. Hot drawing increased the crystallinity of the P(L,D )LA 96/4 filament but not to the level of the original copolymer, whereas the as‐spun and the hot‐drawn P(L,DL )LA 70/30 filaments were amorphous. The filament diameter, tenacity, Young's modulus, and elongation at break were dependent on the DR. The maximum tenacity (285 MPa) and Young's modulus (2.0 GPa) were achieved with the P(L,D )LA 96/4 filament at the DR of 4.5. Respectively, the maximum tenacity of the hot‐drawn P(L,DL )LA 70/30 filament was 175 MPa and Young's modulus 1.3 GPa at the DR of 3. Hot drawing slowed down in vitro degradation rate of both stereocopolymer filaments. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2010     

Replication of sub‐micron features using amorphous thermoplastics

A comprehensive experimental study was carried out to replicate sub‐micron features using the injection molding technique. For the experiments, five different plastic materials were selected according to their flow properties. The materials were polycarbonate (PC), styrene‐butadiene block copolymer (SBS), impact modified poly(methyl methacrylate), methyl methacrylate‐acrylonitrile‐butadiene‐styrene polymer (MABS), and cyclic olefin copolymer (COC). Nanofeatures down to 200‐nm line width and with aspect ratios (aspect ratio = depth/width) of 1:1 could be replicated. In all selected materials, the greatest differences between the materials emerged when the aspect ratio increased to 2:1. The most favorable results were obtained with the use of high flow polycarbonate as the molding material. The best replication results were achieved when melt and mold temperatures were higher than normal values.     

Culturable and Total Fungi in Dust Accumulated in Air Ducts in Single-Family Houses

Abstract Fungal spore content in dust accumulated in air ducts was investigated in 24 mechanically ventilated single-family houses of which 15 had also a central air heating system. Dust was collected from the ducts simultaneously with cleaning of the ventilation systems. Besides spore concentrations and flora of culturable fungi, total fungal spore concentrations were determined in dust samples by the aqueous two-phase technique and spore counting with epifluorescence microscopy. Culturable spore concentrations in the dust varied from 10⁴ to 10⁷ CFU/g and total spore concentrations from 107 to 108 spores/g. Total spore concentrations in the duct dust were significantly higher in the air heated houses than in the other mechanically ventilated houses. The difference resulted mainly from a higher proportion of recirculation air and a higher age of the air heated houses. Cladosporium, Penicillium, Aspergillus and yeasts consisted of >90% of fungal flora in the dust. Although total spore concentrations were at the same level both in the exhaust and in the supply ducts in both types of house, culturable fungal spore concentrations were slightly higher in the exhaust ducts than in the supply ducts. The proportion of culturable spores was <5% of total spores in dust accumulated in the ducts.     

Cyclic crack growth evaluation of a 20MnMoNi55 piping steel in high-oxygen reactor water

Samples of a low alloy steel piping material taken from the full scale corrosion fatigue test loop of the Heissdampfreaktor (HDR) plant have been tested at 240°C in high oxygen reactor water. The small-scale specimens (CT25) were exposed to a similar loading spectrum to that which has been used in the full-scale corrosion fatigue tests at the HDR-plant. During the autoclave tests cyclic crack growth rates were determined. Fracture surface investigations were performed not only for the laboratory test specimens but also for the fracture surface of a sample taken from the HDR test loop piping after the full scale test. In this paper the autoclave testing results and fracture surface observations are presented and compared to those obtained in the HDR piping tests.     

Water Condensation Promotes Fungal Growth In Ventilation Ducts

In a subarctic climate the diurnal variation in temperature may cause water condensation in ducts placed in the unheated spaces of a building. In this study, germination time and sporulation of a fungus, Penicillium verrucosum , were studied on dusty, galvanized steel sheet under different moisture conditions at room temperature. The effect of condensed water in a supply air duct on spore amplification was studied in an experimental ventilation set-up. In the field, air temperatures and the dew point temperature of air in the duct were monitored continuously for a week. P. verrucosum germinated on steel surfaces during five-hour incubation of the surface under humid conditions; when the surface had been moist for half an hour, germ tubes appeared within 17 hours. During 24-hour incubation under moist conditions, P. verrucosum produced hypae and spores. In the experimental set-up the airborne spore counts increased when the air passed through a water-condensingsection of the duct. Penicillium was the most abundant fungus sporulated on the moist duct surface. In the field, during humid weather, the surface temperature on the air stream surface decreased to the dew point temperature of the air in the duct. Thus water condensation in air ducts may promote fungal growth.     

Type A factors as predictors of changes in the metabolic syndrome precursors in adolescents and young adults: A 3-year follow-up study.

The predictive associations of Type A factors with changes in some essential parameters of the cluster of disorders known as metabolic syndrome (Syndrome X) were studied during a 3-year follow-up period in 1,147 randomly selected healthy adolescents and young adults. Type A behavior was measured with the Hunter Wolf A-B Rating Scale. Physiological parameters studied were serum insulin, high-density and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglycerides (TG), systolic and diastolic blood pressure, body-mass index (BMI), subscapular skinfold thickness (SSF), and centrality index. Among the Type A factors in boys and men, high baseline Aggression predicted an increase in the individual parameters of metabolic syndrome (i.e., insulin, TG, SSF, and BMI) as well as a global aggravation of the cluster of metabolic parameters. In girls and women, increases in Eagerness-Energy and Responsibility across the 3 years of follow-up predicted an increase in serum insulin and a decrease in SSF, respectively (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Increase in Perceived Odor Emissions with Loading of Ventilation Filters

The development of odor emission rates from EU6 classified glass fiber bag filters was studied in four air-handling units (AHU), and emissions from the same kind of filters with EU3 classified polyester prefilters were studied in two units. The filters were loaded in six AHU in downtown Helsinki. The pressure drop was measured, and the odors of the filters were evaluated by a trained panel under laboratory conditions (T = 20°C, face velocity 1.0 m/s) every sixth week. The odor emissions of simultaneous atmospheric dust samples were also studied. The odor emissions of the filters rose during the first three months to a level where every third person would be dissatisfied. The emissions from coarse prefilters were similar to those from the more efficient filters without prefilters, and the emissions of the main filters were significantly lower if used with prefilters. This result indicates that the prefilters effectively protected the fine filters from odor-causing particles. The results of tests made with atmospheric samples agree with this result. Relative odor emissions were the highest in coarse fractions (> 10.0 μm). The pressure drop increased with the particle mass collected on the ventilation filter, but it did not correlate well with the odor emission of the filter. Thus, pressure drop alone is not an adequate criterion for changing supply air filters when hygienic aspects are a concern.     

Heat treatment studies of a TLCP fiber

This work deals with the heat treatment of fibers and nonoriented specimens made of the thermotropic liquid crystalline polymer Vectra A900 in the light of tensile properties and DSC measurements. In calorimetric measurements, there seem to be some differences in the effects of the treatment between macroscopically isotropic (nonoriented) and highly oriented fiber specimens. Nonisothermal treatments also produce some effects on the tensile properties, which may be attributable to the thermal history of samples. Under the conditions of this study, a multistep treatment, ending at a final stage where the temperature was higher than the original melting point of the polymer, did not cause any acceleration in the rate at which tensile properties increase. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Pine heartwood and glass surfaces: easy method to test the fate of?bacterial contamination

The survival of two bacteria, Escherichia coli and Listeria monocytogenes was observed on pine heartwood and glass surfaces by using a simple test method. The development of the number of bacterial cells was evaluated by titration after vortexing the samples in BHI broth and culturing the resulting broth on agar plates. The bacterial count decreased clearly faster on pine heartwood than on glass surfaces. This result was confirmed by studying the wooden samples also one day after to exclude possible adherence of the bacterial cells on the porous surface. This study confirms the results of several other studies that suggest wood to have antibacterial properties.