The Effects of One and Double Heat Treatment Cycles on the Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of a Ferritic–Bainitic Dual Phase Steel

Metallurgical and Materials Transactions A - In this study, samples with ferritic–bainitic dual phase structures consisting of 62 pct bainite were obtained from the AISI 4140 steel...     

Comparison of Canola and Soy Flour with Added Isocyanate as Wood Adhesives

Canola is widely grown in the northern latitudes for its vegetable oil, generating large quantities of residual, low value canola flour used as animal feed. The common wood adhesive poly(diphenylmethylene diisocyanate) (pMDI) should react with the wide variety of functional groups in proteins. Therefore, it would seem that canola flour with added pMDI could be an effective adhesive. Two main questions are addressed in this study: How do the wood adhesive properties of canola flour compare to the better-studied soy flour? How well do proteins, which contain an abundance of functional groups, cure with the very reactive pMDI? These questions were addressed using the small-scale adhesive strength test ASTM D-7998, with various adhesive formulations and bonding conditions for canola flour plus pMDI compared to soy adhesives. The more challenging wet cohesive bond strength was emphasized because the dry strengths were usually very good. Generally, soy adhesives were better than canola ones, as was the polyamidoamine-epichlorohydrin cross-linker compared to pMDI, but these generalizations can be altered by the conditions selected. Three-ply plywood tests supported the small-scale test results.     

Incidence of aflatoxin M1 in human breast milk in Tehran, Iran

This study examined the exposure of infants to aflatoxin M1 (AFM1) and of lactating mothers to aflatoxin B1 (AFB1), using AFM1 in breast milk as a biomarker for exposure to AFB1. An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was modified for the analysis of AFM1 in breast milk samples from 160 women in Tehran, Iran. AFM1 was detected in 157 samples by average concentration of 8.2 ± 5.1 ng/kg (range 0.3–26.7 ng/kg).The concentration of AFM1 in one sample was higher than the maximum tolerance limit accepted by European Union and USA (25 ng/kg), but in 55 samples was higher than the maximum concentration recommended by Australia and Switzerland (10 ng/kg).Logistic regression Analysis failed to show significant correlation between AFM1 and gestational age, education, postnatal age, gender, nationality, clinical condition, the number of family member, the number of children, type and amount of dairy consumption, vegetable, fruits, oil and meat. But it was significant relation to the cereal consumption, also to the height at birth.     

Inverse 1-center location problems with edge length augmentation on trees

This paper considers the inverse 1-center location problem with edge length augmentation on a tree network T with n + 1 vertices. The goal is to increase the edge lengths at minimum total cost subject to given modification bounds such that a predetermined vertex s becomes an absolute 1-center under the new edge lengths. Using a set of suitably extended AVL-search trees we develop a combinatorial algorithm which solves the inverse 1-center location problem with edge length augmentation in O(n log n) time. Moreover, it is shown that the problem can be solved in O(n) time if all the cost coefficients are equal.     

A 0.2-W Heterostructure Barrier Varactor Frequency Tripler at 113 GHz

We present a high-power InAlAs/InGaAs/InP heterostructure barrier varactor (HBV) frequency tripler. The HBV device topology was designed for efficient thermal dissipation and high efficiency. To verify simulations, the device was flip-chip soldered onto embedding microstrip circuitry on an aluminum nitride substrate. This hybrid circuit was then mounted in a waveguide block without any movable tuners. From the resulting RF measurements, the maximum output power was 195 mW at 113 GHz, with a conversion efficiency of 15%. The measured 3-dB bandwidth was 1.5%     

Fault detection in non-linear systems based on type-2 fuzzy logic

This paper presents a new method for fault detection (FD) based on interval type-2 fuzzy sets. The main idea is based on a confident span using interval type-2 fuzzy systems. An estimate for upper and lower bounds of output has been taken using the designing of an optimal fuzzy system through clustering. Finally the method has been tested in two non-linear systems, a two-tank with a fluid flow and pH neutralisation process, and it is compared with a well-known method named ANFIS. Furthermore, the mathematical model and the results of simulations prove the effectiveness, usefulness and applications of our new method.     

Hsp70/Hsp90 co‐chaperones are required for efficient Hsp104‐mediated elimination of the yeast [PSI+] prion but not for prion propagation

The continued propagation of the yeast [PSI⁺] prion requires the molecular chaperone Hsp104 yet in cells engineered to overexpress Hsp104; prion propagation is impaired leading to the rapid appearance of prion‐free [psi^?] cells. The underlying mechanism of prion loss in such cells is unknown but is assumed to be due to the complete dissolution of the prion aggregates by the ATP‐dependent disaggregase activity of this chaperone. To further explore the mechanism, we have sought to identify cellular factors required for prion loss in such cells. Sti1p and Cpr7p are co‐chaperones that modulate the activity of Hsp70/Ssa and Hsp90 chaperones and bind to the C‐terminus of Hsp104. Neither Sti1p nor Cpr7p is necessary for prion propagation but we show that deletion of the STI1 and CPR7 genes leads to a significant reduction in the generation of [psi^?] cells by Hsp104 overexpression. Deletion of the STI1 and CPR7 genes does not modify the elimination of [PSI⁺] by guanidine hydrochloride, which inhibits the ATPase activity of Hsp104 but does block elimination of [PSI⁺] by overexpression of either an ATPase‐defective mutant of Hsp104 (hsp104^K218T/K620T) or a ‘trap’ mutant Hsp104 (hsp104^E285Q/E687Q) that can bind its substrate but can not release it. These results provide support for the hypothesis that [PSI⁺] elimination by Hsp104 overexpression is not simply a consequence of complete dissolution of the prion aggregates but rather is through a mechanism distinct from the remodelling activity of Hsp104. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.