Environmental Hazard Analysis - a Variant of Preliminary Hazard Analysis for Autonomous Mobile Robots

Robot manufacturers will be required to demonstrate objectively that all reasonably foreseeable hazards have been identified in any robotic product design that is to be marketed commercially. This is problematic for autonomous mobile robots because conventional methods, which have been developed for automatic systems do not assist safety analysts in identifying non-mission interactions with environmental features that are not directly associated with the robot’s design mission, and which may comprise the majority of the required tasks of autonomous robots. In this paper we develop a new variant of preliminary hazard analysis that is explicitly aimed at identifying non-mission interactions by means of new sets of guidewords not normally found in existing variants. We develop the required features of the method and describe its application to several small trials conducted at Bristol Robotics Laboratory in the 2011–2012 period.     

A theory of mode of action of azolylalkylquinolines as DNA binding agents using automated flexible ligand docking

Azolylalkylquinolines (AAQs) are a family of quinolines with varying degrees of cytotoxic activity (comparable or moderately superior to adriamycin in some cases) developed in the past decade in our group where their exact mode of action is still unclear. In this study the most probable DNA binding mode of AAQs was investigated employing a novel flexible ligand docking approach by using AutoDock 3.0. Forty-nine AAQs with known experimental inhibitory activity were docked onto d(CGCAAATTTGCG)(2), d(CGATCG)(2) and d(CGCG)(2) oligonucleotides retrieved from the Protein Data Bank (PDB IDs: 102D, 1D12 and 1D32, respectively) as the representatives of the three plausible models of interactions between chemotherapeutic agents and DNA (groove binding, groove binding plus intercalation and bisintercalation, respectively). Good correlation (r(2)=0.64) between calculated binding energies and experimental inhibitory activities was obtained using groove binding plus intercalation model for phenyl-azolylalkylquinoline (PAAQ) series. Our findings show that the most probable mode of action of PAAQs as DNA binding agents is via intercalation of quinolinic moiety between CG base pairs with linker chain and azole moiety binding to the minor groove.     

Evaluation of Centrifugal Casting Process Parameters for In Situ Fabricated Functionally Gradient Fe-TiC Composite

A gradient Fe-TiC composite was successfully produced via combination of in situ reaction with centrifugal casting techniques. Additionally, some of the effective parameters of the centrifugal casting process have been studied. Cast iron and ferrotitanium, which were used as raw materials, were melted using a high-frequency induction furnace coupled with centrifugal equipment. The microstructure and phase characterization of the fabricated composite was studied by scanning electron microscopy, optical microscopy, and X-ray diffraction. The results show that the production of a pearlite matrix composite reinforced by TiC particles is feasible. The distribution of TiC in the pearlitic matrix is completely uneven as a result of density difference between molten medium and TiC in the centrifugal casting process.     

Durability of copper slag contained concrete exposed to sulfate attack

Sulfate attack is one of several chemical mechanisms of concrete deterioration. Exposure of concrete structures in the sulfate environments may lead to detrimental chemical, microstructural, and physical changes in the concrete matrix, resulting in serious deteriorations and service life reduction. Partial replacement of cement with slag is one of the efficient methods for improving concrete resistance against sulfate attack. In this paper the performance of copper slag contained concrete in sulfate solution is investigated. In this regard, an experimental study including expansion measurements, compressive strength degradation and microstructural analysis were conducted in sulfate solution on concretes made by replacing 0%, 5%, 10% and 15% of cement with copper slag waste. The results of this study emphasized the effectiveness of copper slag replacement in improving the concrete resistance against sulfate attack.     

Synthesis of Co<Subscript>2</Subscript>P/Co nanocomposites using single source precursor by thermal decomposition method

In this article, the synthesis and characterization of Co₂P/Co nanocomposites are reported. Three kinds of precursors are studied: bis(salicylidene)cobalt(II) [Co(sal)₂], bis(salicylate)cobalt(II) [Co(Hsal)₂] and cobalt oxalate [Co(O₄C₂)·4H₂O]. The cobalt(II) acetate tetrahydrate Co(CH₃COO)₂·4H₂O is used as reference. The nanocomposites are prepared by thermal decomposition method using triphenylphosphine as a surfactant solvent and phosphorus precursor. A possible mechanism of the formation of the nanocomposites is put forward to explain the experimental observations. This is the first time that Co₂P/Co nanocomposites are synthesized. To study the crystalline structure, composition, size, morphology and magnetic property of the products, characterization techniques including XRD, SEM, TEM, FT-IR and VSM are employed.     

Calculation of equilibrium composition in combustion products

For a specific combustion problem involving calculations of several species at equilibrium, it is much simpler to write a special computer program and calculate the concentrations, rather than to use a generalized computer program. To calculate these concentrations, one must solve a set of non-linear algebraic equations. This work describes a procedure in which the Newton-Raphson method and the successive substitution method are combined. It is was found that for these types of problems the value of unknowns and the nature of the equations are such that by adopting the two procedures simultaneously a much faster and reliable convergence is achieved. This study also shows what possible species should be considered for these calculations.     

Investigating the effect of custom‐made insoles and exercises on lower limb and back discomfort in assembly‐line workers in a rubber tire factory: A randomized controlled trial

Many occupations require standing for prolonged periods, which can be a major contributor to musculoskeletal problems and cause disturbances in different parts of the body, especially the lower back and lower extremities. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of custom‐made insoles and exercise training on the lower limb and lower back discomfort in workers on a production line at a rubber tire factory. One hundred male workers (mean age 35.96 years, work experience of 10.62 years, standing time 6.58 hr) participated in this randomized controlled trial. The men were randomly assigned to one of four groups: (a) custom‐made insole plus lower limb exercises, (b) insoles only, (c) lower limb exercises only, and (d) no intervention. Discomfort level was recorded with a visual analog scale and a body map. The data were analyzed with analysis of covariance. The results showed a significant difference in discomfort levels between groups in the lower back (p = .001), thigh (p = .001), and knee (p = .001) areas. The combined insole and exercise group had less discomfort in the lower back, thigh, and knee. In the group that used the insole only without exercises, the discomfort level in the lower back area was reduced. The results indicate that the simultaneous use of insoles and exercises might be an effective intervention to reduce discomfort in the lower limbs and lower back in workers who remain standing for prolonged periods.