Measuring the bulk flow properties of PVC resins

The flow characteristics of PVC resin are often judged by measuring the time required for a given amount of dry resin to flow through a standard funnel. However, considerable variation in test results have been found between laboratories though the test is conducted well within the procedural limits of ASTM 1895-69, “Apparent Density, Bulk Factor and Pourability of Plastic Materials.” An examination has been made of the effects of funnel hole size, funnel alignment, its type metal and wall surface smoothness, filling technique, static generated, and degree of vibration. It was found that six of these seven variables need critical control, while one (alignment) has no measurable effect. It is suggested that the data presented be used for the development of an improved ASTM test for measuring the flowability of PVC resins.     

Parameter Estimation for Periodically Stationary Time Series

Abstract. The innovations algorithm can be used to obtain parameter estimates for periodically stationary time series models. In this paper, we compute the asymptotic distribution for these estimates in the case, where the innovations have a finite fourth moment. These asymptotic results are useful to determine which model parameters are significant. In the process, we also develop asymptotics for the Yule–Walker estimates.     

Design and Control of a Hyper-Redundant Manipulator for Mobile Manipulating Unmanned Aerial Vehicles

Manipulating objects using arms mounted to unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) is attractive because UAVs may access many locations that are otherwise inaccessible to other mobile manipulation platforms such as ground vehicles. Despite recent work, several major challenges remain to be overcome before it will be practical to manipulate objects from UAVs. Among these challenges are: (a) The constantly moving UAV platform and compliance of manipulator arms make it difficult to position the UAV and end-effector relative to an object of interest precisely enough for manipulation, and (b) The motions of the manipulator impact the stability of the host UAV, further complicating positioning. Solving these challenges will bring UAVs one step closer to being able to perform meaningful tasks such as infrastructure repair, disaster response, casualty extraction, and cargo resupply. Toward solutions to these challenges, this paper describes a hyper-redundant manipulator, manipulator control approaches and system design considerations to position the manipulator relative to objects of interest in such a way that impacts on platform stability are minimized.     

Robots learn to dance through interaction with humans

In this paper, we investigated an approach for robots to learn to adapt dance actions to human’s preferences through interaction and feedback. Human’s preferences were extracted by analysing the common action patterns with positive or negative feedback from the human during robot dancing. By using a buffering technique to store the dance actions before a feedback, each individual’s preferences can be extracted even when a reward is received late. The extracted preferred dance actions from different people were then combined to generate improved dance sequences, i.e. performing more of what was preferred and less of that was not preferred. Together with Softmax action-selection method, the Sarsa reinforcement learning algorithm was used as the underlining learning algorithm and to effectively control the trade-off between exploitation of the learnt dance skills and exploration of new dance actions. The results showed that the robot learnt, using interactive reinforcement learning, the preferences of human partners, and the dance improved with the extracted preferences from more human partners.     

Occurrence of wax esters in the tissues of the organge roughy (Hoplostethus atlanticus)

The skin, skeleton and a fat-filled swim bladder of the orange roughy (Hoplostethus atlanticus) each contained greater than 20% lipid by wet weight which was almost entirely wax esters. These had carbon numbers of 34–40 consistent with the major fatty acid being 18∶1 and the major fatty alcohols being 16∶0, 18∶1, 20∶1 and 22∶1. In contrast, the liver and the roe contained appreciable quantities of glycerolipids with 18∶1 and 22∶6 as the major fatty acids.     

Nanomechanical and surface frictional characteristics of a copolymer based on benzoyl-1,4-phenylene and 1,3-phenylene

Surface mechanical and tribological properties of a copolymer based on benzoyl-1,4-phenylene and 1,3-phenylene were evaluated using nanoprobe investigation techniques and compared to the properties obtained at the macroscale. These copolymers are commonly referred to as self-reinforced polymers (SRPs) because of their intrinsic high strength and modulus without addition of a reinforcing agent. Specimens were prepared by spin casting, solvent casting, and compression molding. Surface mechanical properties and film thickness were measured by nanoindentation and scratching techniques. Friction properties were found using lateral force microscopy (LFM), and surface topography was imaged by tapping mode atomic force microscopy (AFM). Macroscale friction testing revealed a kinetic coefficient of friction of 0.08 for SRP, approaching that of Teflon. Similarly low relative friction coefficients were obtained in nanoprobe measurements. Nanoindentation of SRP, polycarbonate (PC), and polyetherimide (PEI) demonstrated superior surface hardness and modulus of SRP copolymer thin films.     

免疫细胞素Hu14.18-IL-2对黑色素瘤病人的免疫激活作用

目的评估免疫细胞素Hu14.18-IL-2对黑色素瘤病人体内免疫作用。方法33位黑色素瘤病人用一种人源化抗神经节苷脂GD-2的单抗与IL-2融合的免疫细胞素进行治疗,按每天0.8、1.6、3.2、4.8、6.0、7.5 mg/m2静脉滴注,连续3 d为一疗程,病情稳定或缓解后,在第5周接受第2疗程治疗。观察病人外周血单核淋巴细胞抗体依赖的细胞毒性、自然杀伤细胞活性、IL-2的体外增殖以及IL-2可溶性受体的变化。结果Hu14.18-IL-2能诱导病人淋巴细胞的吞噬作用,增强外周血中自然杀伤细胞的杀伤能力和数目,使血清中IL-2受体复合体的可溶性受体α链水平上升。结论免疫细胞素Hu14.18-IL-2对黑色素瘤病人具有免疫激活作用。     

Solid phase compaction of polymeric powders: effects of compaction conditions on pressure and density variations

In a recent communication it was shown that the pressure losses during the solid phase compaction of a polymeric powder could be predicted from a simple relationship of the form:

$\text{P}{}_2\text{P}{}_1\text{=(K)}{}^{\mathrm{<mtext>h</mtext><mtext>d</mtext>}}$

where $\text{h}\text{D}$ is a function of the geometry of the compact. This has now been explored in more detail and it has been found that for PVdC and PVC the factor K is dependent on the rate of compaction and the die surface finish but is independent of compaction pressure and die diameter. To illustrate the effect of the pressure losses on the structural uniformity of the compacts, microhardness measurements were taken at a large number of points across a section of each sample. A computer plot of hardness contours provided a picture of the homogeneity of the sample which could be related to the compaction conditions and average density of the compact.     

Hepatic Δ9 and Δ6 desaturase activities during the recovery period following carbon tetrachloride poisoningdesaturase activities during the recovery period following carbon tetrachloride poisoning

The liver microsomal Δ⁹ and Δ⁶ desaturase activities have been studied in rats with carbon tetrachloride-induced hepatitis. Immediately after poisoning, significant decreases were observed for both types of desaturase activity. However, recovery kinetics were slower for the Δ⁶ desaturase than for the Δ⁹ desaturase. The activities of NADH-ferricyanide and NADH-cytochrome C reductases, proteins involved in the electron transfers associated with microsomal desaturation, were also measured. There was a fall in both activities after poisoning, but this decrease was less than that of the desaturase activities.