High strength 7xxx aluminium alloys are used extensively in the aerospace industry because the alloys offer excellent mechanical properties. Unfortunately, the alloys can suffer localised corrosion due to the presence of large intermetallic particles at the alloy surface that are aligned in the rolling direction. Laser surface melting (LSM) techniques offer the potential to reduce and/or to eliminate the intermetallic phases from the surface of the alloy without affecting the alloy matrix.The present study concerns the application of LSM using an excimer laser to enhance the corrosion resistance of AA 7075-T6 aluminium alloy. The initial stage of the project was aimed at optimising the laser conditions for production of a uniform microstructure, with the increase in the corrosion resistance of the alloy being determined by potentiodynamic polarization measurements in sodium chloride solution. Low and high laser energy densities were used with a different number of pulses per unit area to treat the alloy surface, which were achieved by changing both the laser fluence and the pulse repetition frequency. A laser fluence of 3.3 J/cm2 with 80 pulses was subsequently selected as the optimum condition to treat the surface of the alloy. The composition and microstructure of the alloy before and after LSM treatment, and following corrosion tests, were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD).After the laser treatment, the surface and the cross-sections of the alloy showed a significant reduction in the number of large intermetallic particles and a relatively homogenous melted layer was generated that provided significant improvement in the resistance of the alloy against corrosion, as assessed by several corrosion test methods, including exfoliation corrosion (EXCO) tests. However, delamination of the melted layer was observed after extended testing in the EXCO solution which is possibly related to the formation of bands of fine magnesium and zinc-rich precipitates within the melted layer. Therefore, anodising in sulphuric acid was applied to the LSM alloy, in order to further increase the corrosion resistance and to protect the laser treated layer from delamination by generating a thin oxide film over the LSM layer. The results revealed that the anodic treatment increased the resistance of the alloy to exfoliation attack.

Submitted by Luiza Maria Pereira de Oliveira (luiza.oliveira@ufpe.br) on 2017-07-14T14:18:45Z No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 811 bytes, checksum: e39d27027a6cc9cb039ad269a5db8e34 (MD5) TESE Heronilton Lira.pdf: 8484654 bytes, checksum: 5dca5cb2c7da509efe20982091cee6db (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-07-14T14:18:45Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 811 bytes, checksum: e39d27027a6cc9cb039ad269a5db8e34 (MD5) TESE Heronilton Lira.pdf: 8484654 bytes, checksum: 5dca5cb2c7da509efe20982091cee6db (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-07-01 / O desenvolvimeto de compósitos a base da liga de alumínio AA 7075 com reforço nanoparticulado de 2% SiC, 2% TiN e 2% ZnO foi realizado através da moagem de alta energia em banho de álcool e extrusão a quente. Neste estudo, os pós recebidos e processados foram analisados por difração de raios X (DRX), difração de laser (DL), microscopia eletrônica de varredura (MEV) e espectrometria por energia dispersiva de raios X (EDS).Após a extrusão, as amostras foram caracterizadas por difração de raios X (DRX),microscopia eletrônica por varredura (MEV), espectrometria por energia dispersiva de raios X (EDS), dureza vickers e pelo ensaio de desgaste por abrasão via pino sobre disco. Os pós compósitos produzidos apresentaram os reforços incorporados a matriz e sem alterar significativamente o tamanho do cristalito, distribuição ou morfologia das partículas. As extrusões apresentaram grãos heterogêneos achatados e deformados na direção do processo. Os principais fatores que influenciaram os resultados das amostras após extrusão foram o tamanho do cristalito e a microestrutura obtida devido a natureza do reforço usado. Materiais de menores tamanhos de cristalito e de estrutura mais homogênea resultaram em materiais mais resistentes a dureza e consequentemente ao desgaste. O melhor resultado foi encontrado para o compósito AA 7075-2% TiN. / The development of composites aluminum alloy AA 7075 reinforced with 2% SiC, 2% TiN and 2% ZnO nanoparticulates was performed by High Energy Ball Milling in a bath of alcohol and hot extrusion. In this work, the powders received and processed were analyzed by X ray diffraction (XRD), laser diffraction (LD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive X rays spectrometry (EDS). After extrusion, the samples were characterized by X rays diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X rays spectrometry (EDS), vickers hardness and the test abrasive wear via pin on disc. The composites powders showed the reinforcements incorporated into the matrix and no change of crystallite size, particle size distribution or morphology. The extrusions presented heterogeneous grains deformed and flattened in the direction of process. The main factors that influenced the results of specimens after extrusion were the crystallite size and the microstructure obtained due to the nature of reinforcement used. Materials of smaller crystallite sizes and homogeneous structure resulted in stronger materials to the hardness and abrasive wear. The best result was found for the composite AA 7075-2%TiN.

Som en käftsmäll med gud – en kvalitativ studie om hur unga norrländska vuxna upplever religion i tolvstegsmetoden är en studie vars empiriska grund vilar på kvalitativa intervjuer med fyra informanter bosatta i Västernorrland, Västerbotten och Jämtlands län. Dessa har samtliga påbörjat en missbruksbehandling med hjälp av tolvstegsmetoden innan de fyllt 30 år. Tidigare forskning om religion och tolvstegsmetoden har istället fokuserat på medelålders informanter. Studiens frågeställningar granskar de unga vuxna informanternas upplevelser av de religiösa delarna av tolvstegsbehandlingen, specifikt begreppen ”högre Kraft”, ”Gud” och ”andligt uppvaknande”. Deras erfarenheter diskuteras i ljuset av tolvstegsmetodens religionshistoriska bakgrund och utifrån religionssociologen Martin Riesebrodts teorier. Genom enskilda kvalitativa livsvärldsintervjuer visar studien att informanternas ålder haft liten eller ingen påverkan på deras upplevelse av de religiösa delarna av behandlingen. Istället pekar studien på att informanternas religiösa livsåskådning och begrepp innan behandlingen har haft en mer avgörande inverkan gällande hur de reagerat på tolvstegsmetodens religiösa innehåll och funktion. Mer forskning behövs därför för att kunna belägga att det inte finns några avgörande generationsmässiga skillnader bland svenskar gällande hur missbrukare tillgodogör sig religion inom tolvstegsmetoden.

The aim of the study was to analyse where different organic molecules situated themselves in relation to the water surface of a water microdroplet and use the resulting data to compare three different forcefields in the simulation package GROMACS. The forcefields used were: General AMBER forcefield (GAFF), Optimized potentials for liquid simulations - all atoms (OPLS-AA), and CHARMM general force field (CGenFF). A library of 146 molecules were simulated using molecular dynamics. Out of the 146 molecules only 65 resulted in useful data for the comparison of the forcefields. The molecules were placed in the centre of a water microdroplet and their movements were simulated for a duration of 1 ns. The trajectories and positions of the molecules were stored and from each simulation a density profile was generated, showing where the molecules situated themselves. The distance from the peak of the density profile to the water surface was calculated and compared between the different forcefields. To analyse the data further some of the molecules were divided into subsets based on their functional groups to see if any trends were visible. Although inconclusive, the data suggested that different forcefields were more or less agreeable depending on the functional group of the molecules, for example OPLS-AA differed from CGenFF and GAFF in the case of alcohols.

No description available.

Chenopodium quinoa Willd., an ancient Andean pseudocereal almost exclusively consumed in South America, jumped onto the global stage when Western cultures noted quinoa's advantageous nutritional profile. Quinoa seed's high protein content, nutritionally balanced amino acid profile, low glycemic index, and high fiber, vitamin, and mineral content, make it a highly sought-after 'superfood'. Pitseed goosefoot (C. berlandieri Moq.), a closely related North American species sharing quinoa's genome composition (AABB), grows across the North American continent, inhabiting diverse environments including the saline coastal soils of the Gulf of Texas and the drought-prone regions of the Southwest. Quinoa and pitseed goosefoot, along with South American avian goosefoot (C. hircinum Schrad.), make up the Allotetraploid Goosefoot Complex (ATGC). We hypothesize that an ancient hybridization event between A- and B-genome diploids, with a subsequent whole-genome duplication, gave rise to the common ancestor of the ATGC. Prior data indicate that allopolyploidization most likely occurred within North America, with long-range dispersal of the ATGC to South America. We have sequenced the genome of the North American AA-genome diploid C. watsonii and identified via DNA marker analyses the closest extant species to the AA-genome diploid ancestor of the ATGC from among a panel of 41 AA-genome diploid resequenced accessions, encompassing 30 putative AA-genome diploid species, from North and South America. We also present evidence for reciprocal long-range dispersal of Chenopodium diploids between North and South America.

This work details an adaptation of the friction taper plug welding (FTPW) process to repair fatigue damage in 6.35mm AA 7050 t-7451 plate. Aircraft components experience fatigue damage around fastener holes. This damage can be mitigated by enlarging fastener holes. There is no effective repair procedure once holes reach a maximum allowable size. Damaged components must be replaced. A suitable repair process would lead to substantial savings in both time and money. A simulated repair process was developed by machining holes in 6.35mm AA 7050 t-7451 plate. These hoes were then plugged using the FTPW process. Microhardness testing and metallographic analysis were used to map the effects of thermomechanical processing in a repair. Simulated repairs were machined into a tensile sample. A 6.35mm hole was bored axially through the repair center to simulate a new fastener hole. Static tensile testing was used to measure ultimate tensile strength and yield strength in the repair. Samples were also subjected to fatigue testing at stresses ranging from 170MPa to 340MPa at a stress ration of R=0.1. The same tensile and fatigue testing was done with unaltered material. A 7.94mm hole was bored through the center of this material to simulate an enlarged fastener hole. This provides baseline level of properties. Ultimate tensile strength of the base material is reduced by 15% and yield strength by 29%. Fatigue properties at a stress of 303 MPa are reduced by 22%. Fracture surfaces of poor performing samples reveal defects on the weld interface.

No description available.

The purpose of this study was to describe, analyze, and better understand the lived experiences of women age 50 and older in Alcoholics Anonymous (AA). Guiding this inquiry were the following research questions: 1) How do the older women participants experience the AA program? 2) What aspects of AA do older women consider beneficial? 3) What aspects of AA do older women consider detrimental? 4) What do older women consider as important conditions to succeed in the AA program? 5) How did these older women elicit meaning in their involvement with AA? and 6) How was the narrative aspect of AA experienced by the participants? Fourteen older women from AA meetings in Southwest Virginia participated in two qualitative interviews. The results were represented by narrative descriptions of each participan's experiences and analyzed for common themes across the stories, which were presented and discussed. For these participants, the AA program was found to intersect with narrative therapy. AA, like narrative therapy, highlights deconstructing and re-authoring life stories through personal narratives. Storytelling itself proved to be among the most important traditions of AA and a core benefit to the storyteller (and to a lesser extent, the listener). Study participants found that telling their stories allowed for 1) a way to give back to the program, 2) a feeling of belonging to the group, 3) a welcome reminder to the speaker of her past struggles with alcoholism, and 4) a spiritual experience. Many of the women articulated their early concerns with publicly sharing at meetings, as well as their ongoing considerations of boundaries, over-sharing, and conflicts of interest in storytelling. Finally, in an unexpected finding, the women cultivated and maintained intimate friendships with other women in AA that addressed relevant issues beyond sobriety including everyday needs and life challenges. Social activities often transcended the boundaries of the meetings. / Ph. D.

Purpose To determine the test-retest reproducibility of accommodation measurements gathered in an unselected sample of primary school children. Methods Monocular and binocular amplitudes of accommodation (AA) were collected by five different Testers using the push-up method in an unselected sample of school children (n=137, age: 8.1±2.1-years). Testing was conducted on three occasions (average testing interval: 8-days) in 91.2% of the children. Results The median AA was 19.1D, the variation due to the identity of the Tester was 3.1D (p<0.001) and the within-subject variation (which takes the variation due to Tester identity into account) was 5.2D. Around 75-79% of children exhibited monocular AAs-12D when tested on the first occasion, but more than 90% exhibited an AA-12D when subsequently tested. Around 74-80% of those with an AA<12D on the first occasion had values-12D on subsequent testing even though no treatment had been undertaken. Poorer initial AA measurements were less likely to improve on repeat testing. Conclusions Our results reveal substantial intra-individual variation in AA measurements, raising questions about the usefulness of this test in children aged 4-12-years. We suggest that AA assessment may prove most useful in children in this age range as a pass/fail check for substantially reduced AA, for example, where the AA is <12D. Our sample would suggest that the prevalence of persistently reduced AA may be around 3.2% when tested under binocular conditions and 4-6.4% when tested monocularly.