Ticlopidine induced cholestatic jaundice

Ticlopidine hydrochloride (Ticlid) has been increasingly used as an antiplatelet agent. Some studies showed that it has higher efficacy in reducing stroke recurrence when compared to conventional aspirin. Side effects like gastrointestinal disturbances and blood dyscrasias are common but ticlopidine-induced cholestatic jaundice has been reported only rarely. We present a case report on a patient who has ticlopidine-induced cholestatic jaundice.     

System load model for the OFDMA network

In this letter we introduce our system load model for the orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) network. We formulate the requirements to the system load model and present its definition. The system load model comprises the uplink load, the downlink load, the sector load, and the network load. We describe our approach to combine the time-frequency and power shared system resources in the OFDMA network.     

Intelligent Selection of Instances for Prediction Functions in Lazy Learning Algorithms

Lazy learning methods for function prediction use different prediction functions. Given a set of stored instances, a similarity measure, and a novel instance, a prediction function determines the value of the novel instance. A prediction function consists of three components: a positive integer k specifying the number of instances to be selected, a method for selecting the k instances, and a method for calculating the value of the novel instance given the k selected instances. This paper introduces a novel method called k surrounding neighbor (k-SN) for intelligently selecting instances and describes a simple k-SN algorithm. Unlike k nearest neighbor (k-NN), k-SN selects k instances that surround the novel instance. We empirically compared k-SN with k-NN using the linearly weighted average and local weighted regression methods. The experimental results show that k-SN outperforms k-NN with linearly weighted average and performs slightly better than k-NN with local weighted regression for the selected datasets.     

Inverse cartesian trajectory control and stabilization of a three-axis flexible manipulator

This article treats the question of end point trajectory control of a flexible manipulator based on the nonlinear inversion technique. The manipulator has two rigid links and the third link is elastic. A parameterization of the Cartesian coordinates of a point close to the end effector position is suggested. Using these coordinates as output variables, an inverse feedback control law is derived for tracking reference Cartesian trajectories. The stability of the zero dynamics associated with the end point motion control is examined. It is shown that inverse control of the end point causes divergent oscillatory flexible modes. In addition, for regulating the end point to a fixed position, a linear stabilizer is designed to damp the elastic vibration. Simulation results are presented to show that in the closed-loop system, reference end point trajectories can be accurately followed in spite of the parameter uncertainty in the arm dynamic model. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

An integrated CAE system for dynamic stress and fatigue life prediction of mechanical systems

This paper presents computer simulation methodology for dynamic stress time history computation to predict the fatigue life of machine components using flexible multi-body dynamics. A hybrid method which employes stress superposition as a function of constraint loads and component accelerations that are predicted by flexible body dynamic simulation is utilized and implemented using established codes. A system integration methodology for dynamic stress computation of mechanical system components is described to provide a usable environment for an engineer. It uses a database management system such as the IAC and the established dynamics and finite element analysis codes.     

Constrained doubly coprime factorization for all stabilizing ℋ∞ controllers

The conventional Youla parameterization (equivalently Q-Parameterization) approach to solve ?_∞ optimal control problems requires solving the well-known matrix dilation optimization as a method for satisfying the ?_∞-norm constraint of the closed-loop transfer matrix. As an alternative, this paper presents a constrained doubly coprime factorization so that the ?_∞-norm constraint of the closed-loop transfer matrix can be satisfied without the need for matrix dilation optimization. For a given ?_∞-norm constraint, a constrained plant is suggested from a state estimator that includes the worst-case disturbance and estimation effects. Then, the constrained doubly coprime factorization is derived from the constrained plant model. All the stabilizing ?_∞ controllers are expressed by using the constrained coprime factors. Finally, an application example is provided to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method.     

Effects of processing variables on melt cleanliness of AZ31B magnesium alloy investigated by quantitative evaluation of Fe and non-metallic inclusions

Impurities such as Fe, Ni and Cu and non-metallic inclusions such as oxides, nitrides, carbides, sulfides and fluorides are harmful to the quality and various properties of magnesium alloy sheets produced by twin-roll casting. In this study, the changes of the content of Fe and non-metallic inclusions in AZ31B magnesium alloys with melt temperature and isothermal holding time were quantitatively evaluated using EPMA and the metallographic method. The Fe content did not increase above the Fe content in the raw material, which implies that the dissolution of Fe from a steel crucible was suppressed effectively. The content of non-metallic inclusions, mainly consisting of oxide, fluoride and Fe-rich intermetallic compounds, did not change remarkably with the melt temperature but it increased with the isothermal holding time due to the continuous oxidation of the magnesium alloy melt on the melt surface.     

Use of Self-assembled Monolayers at Variable Coverage to Control Interface Bonding in a Model Study of Interfacial Fracture: Pure Shear Loading

The relationships between fundamental interfacial interactions, energy dissipation mechanisms, and fracture stress or fracture energy in a glassy thermoset/inorganic solid joint are not well understood. This subject is addressed with a model system involving an epoxy adhesive on a polished silicon wafer containing its native oxide. The proportions of physical and chemical interactions at the interface, and the in-plane distribution, are varied using self-assembling monolayers of octadecyltrichlorosilane (ODTS). The epoxy interacts strongly with the bare silicon oxide surface, but interacts only weakly with the methylated tails of the ODTS monolayer. The fracture stress is examined as a function of ODTS coverage in the napkin-ring (nominally pure shear) loading geometry. The relationship between fracture stress and ODTS coverage is catastrophic, with a large change in fracture stress occurring over a narrow range of ODTS coverage. This transition in fracture stress does not correspond to a wetting transition of the epoxy. Rather, the transition in fracture stress corresponds to the onset of large-scale plastic deformation within the epoxy. We postulate that the transition in fracture stress occurs when the local stress that the interface can support becomes comparable to the yield stress of the epoxy. The fracture results are independent of whether the ODTS deposition occurs by island growth (T _dep = 10°C) or by homogeneous growth (T _dep = 24°C).     

Nanomechanical thermal analysis of the effects of physical aging on glass transitions in PS/PMMA blend and PS-PMMA diblock copolymers

The effects of physical aging on the thermomechanical properties of polymers were investigated using silicon microcantilever deflection measurements. Polystyrene (PS), polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA), a PS/PMMA blend, or PS-PMMA diblock copolymer were applied to one side of a microcantilever, and the temperature-dependent thermal stress in the polymers was measured. A maximum compressive stress peak was observed for the PS- and PMMA-coated cantilevers during heating but not during cooling, which produced hysteresis. Physical aging of the polymers was found to contribute to the development of the hysteresis properties. The two distinct maximum compressive stress peaks in the PS/PMMA blend coincided with the temperatures at which the pure PS and PMMA peaks occurred, indicating that the glass transitions of each polymer were independent. In contrast, the thermal stress profiles of the PS-PMMA copolymer exhibited a single broad peak at a position intermediate between the peak positions of the pure PS and PMMA, indicating that the PS and PMMA polymers interacted during the glass transition.