Microscopic examination of the microstructure and deformation of conventional and auxetic foams

Auxetic materials have a negative Poisson’s ratio, that is, they expand laterally when stretched longitudinally. One way of obtaining a negative Poisson’s ratio is by using a re-entrant cell structure. Auxetic foam was fabricated from a conventional polymeric foam. Assuming similar mechanical properties for the solid material comprising the foams, the principle variable affecting the properties of the foam is the geometry of the cells. This means that the unusual mechanical properties of auxetic foams are attributed to the deformation characteristics of re-entrant microstructures. In this paper, the results of optical- and scanning electron-microscopic studies of the geometrical parameters for the different foams examined are presented. Examples of the microstructural deformation mechanisms observed are also presented. Comparison between the conventional foams and their auxetic conversions are also made. This revised version was published online in November 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

On the Yustova threshold plates

A response to criticism of threshold plates for the study of color vision developed at the Mendeleev All-Russia Research Institute of Metrology and published in 1994 is presented. The critics base their conclusions on colorimetric testing and the examination of the plates. In response to the article by M. V. Danilova and J. D. Mollon [4]. __________ Translated from Izmeritel’naya Tekhnika, No. 1, pp. 37–39, January, 2007.     

Embedded deterministic test for low-cost manufacturing

You have probably heard that BIST takes too long and its fault coverage is low, and that deterministic test requires too many patterns. This article shows how on-chip compression and decompression techniques provide high fault coverage with low test times.     

Study of sexual function in male hemodialysis patients--a sexual function survey using a questionnaire

Sexual dysfunction is a well-documented complication among male hemodialysis patients. To evaluate it in detail, we conducted a sexual function survey using the Sapporo Medical University Sexual Function Questionnaire. Two hundred five male patients receiving outpatient hemodialysis were entered into this study. Patients with diabetes mellitus and severe anemia (Hb value < 8.0 g/dl) were excluded. The control group consisted of 3,462 healthy male subjects. Of male hemodialysis patients, 33.7% showed deterioration of libido, while 44.4% showed deterioration of potency, both of them decreased greatly with age. Ejaculatory ability correlated with potency. We compared the frequency of sexual intercourse in male hemodialysis patients with that in normal males. Twelve point nine percent of hemodialysis patients (HP) ranging from 30 to 39 in age versus 3.5% of age-matched normal males had no sexual intercourse and 22.4% of HPs from 40 to 49 versus 3.0% of age-matched normal males, 52.2% of HPs from 50 to 59 versus 7.5% of age-matched normal males, and 89.3% of HPs from 60 to 69 versus 18.0% of age-matched normal males had no sexual intercourse. These results revealed that the sexual frequency in hemodialysis patients decreased more than that in normal males in all age groups and with age.     

Measurement of sulfur content in pulps of the Novoyavorovo ore refinery by a neutron radiation method

We describe an apparatus and method for measurement of the sulfur concentration in the pulp stream under refinery conditions using neutron radiation analysis. We present the block diagram for the apparatus and the results of testing of the apparatus at the Novoyavorovo ore refinery.Translated from Izmeritel'naya Tekhnika, No. 2, pp. 60&#x2013;61, February, 1995.