Made available in DSpace on 2013-08-07T18:55:10Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 000410347-Texto+Completo-0.pdf: 7538820 bytes, checksum: 53e9a59ec6b95d7b6b4d50b4bfd6787b (MD5) Previous issue date: 2008 / Radial Constriction Consolidation (RCC) process can be considered a powder metallurgy technique that allows to fabricate components with complex geometries, near-net-shape and with full density at low production costs when compared to traditional process. In some aspects, the RCC process is similar to hot isostatic pressing process, but it uses a mold confectioned by investment casting and a powder as a secondary pressing media, which are confined in a metallic container. In this work a RCC experimental system was developed aiming to produce iron billets with characteristics of near-net-shape and high density. Iron powder, calcinated alumina powder and red ceramic powder used as a brick in civil construction were used as a secondary pressing media. The obtained billets were characterized in terms of density, microstructure and hardness. The red ceramic exhibited a good potential to be used as a secondary pressing media. It was observed that the configuration of the container/ secondary pressing media/ceramic mold has an important influence on the characteristic of density and near-net-shape of the billets. The billets microstructure showed that the powder consolidation was satisfactory. It was observed also a good correlation between density and hardness of the billets. The process parameters that propitiated the best results in terms of both properties, density and near-net-shape characteristics, were: pressure of 400 MPa, temperature of 1120°C, a configuration of the container/ secondary pressing media/ceramic mold that avoids the presence of secondary pressing media on the bottom of the ceramic mold and the use of a metallic mold to confine the container in order to prevent its plastic deformation at high pressures and temperatures. / Consolidação por Constrição Radial (CCR) é uma técnica de metalurgia do pó que possibilita a obtenção de peças metálicas near-net-shape, com alta densidade e de formas complexas a custos de produção mais baixos do que as tecnologias convencionais. CCR se assemelha em alguns aspectos ao processo de compactação isostática a quente, sendo que as principais diferenças são que o processo CCR utiliza moldes cerâmicos fabricados a partir do processo de microfusão e usa um meio compressor secundário na forma de pó, ambos confinados em um container. Neste trabalho desenvolveu-se um sistema experimental de CCR visando à produção de pré-formas de ferro de alta densidade. Como meios compressores secundários foram utilizados pó de ferro, pó de alumina calcinada e pó cerâmico (argila calcinada). As pré-formas produzidas foram caracterizadas quanto à densidade, microestrutura e dureza. Dos meios compressores secundários testados, o pó cerâmico (argila calcinada) mostrou-se com maior potencial de utilização. Observou-se que a configuração do container/meio compressor secundário/molde cerâmico influencia substancialmente nas características de densidade e dimensionais das pré-formas. A microestrutura das pré-formas produzidas mostrou que houve uma consolidação satisfatória do pó. Observou-se também uma boa correlação entre dureza e densidade. Os parâmetros de processo que proporcionaram obter os melhores resultados em termos de densidade e características dimensionais foram: pressão de compactação de aproximadamente 400 MPa, temperatura de aquecimento de 1120°C, configuração do container metálico/meio compressor secundário/molde cerâmico de forma a evitar a presença de meio compressor secundário na parte inferior do molde cerâmico e uso de matriz metálica para o confinamento do container a fim de evitar a deformação plástica lateral do mesmo a altas pressões e temperaturas.

O desempenho das endopróteses vasculares está relacionado diretamente à sua força radial. Esta é uma importante propriedade mecânica destes dispositivos médicos, influenciada por características da matéria-prima, pelos parâmetros de processamento empregados e pela morfologia do produto. Em um ensaio de força radial, determina-se a força necessária para comprimir e para expandir uma endoprótese, ou seja, em função da variação do seu diâmetro é medida a força envolvida. Uma característica desejada nestes ensaios é que a endoprótese se comprima e se expanda de forma homogênea, mantendo sempre sua seção na forma circular, condição esta que a maioria dos métodos hoje utilizados não atende. O presente trabalho buscou desenvolver um método para ser utilizado na determinação da força radial de endopróteses aórticas. Para tanto, um dispositivo composto por uma cinta polimérica acoplada a uma máquina universal de ensaios foi criado. Para verificar a manutenção da forma circular da endoprótese, imagens foram obtidas no decorrer do ensaio. Os resultados mostraram que o dispositivo desenvolvido é capaz de manter a forma circular das endopróteses durante todo o ensaio. Para examinar a capacidade do dispositivo em detectar diferenças nas forças radiais apresentadas por endopróteses em diferentes condições, foram realizados dois estudos, um variando o diâmetro dos fios (0,2, 0,3 e 0,4 mm) utilizados na fabricação das endopróteses e outro variando o tempo de tratamento térmico (30, 45 e 60 min) das endopróteses. Sabendo-se também que as propriedades elásticas da matéria-prima (Nitinol) têm relação direta com a força radial que as endopróteses apresentam, os resultados dos testes de força radial das amostras foram confrontados com ensaios mecânicos de carregamento e descarregamento nos fios da matéria-prima. Os resultados indicaram que o dispositivo foi capaz de detectar diferenças entre valores de força radial com amostras em diferentes condições (tanto de diâmetro de fio como de tratamento térmico) e que os resultados obtidos foram coerentes com testes de carregamento e descarregamento realizados nas amostras de matéria-prima. / The performance of vascular endoprosthesis is directly related to their radial force that is an important mechanical property of these medical devices. It is influenced by characteristics of the raw materials, the processing parameters and the morphology of the final product. The load necessary to compress and expand an endoprostheses is determined by a radial force test, which the load involved is measured by variation of its diameter. A characteristic required during these tests is homogenous compression and expansion of the endoprostheses maintaining its diameter value, in which most methods do not attend it. The aim of this study was develop a method to determine the radial force of aortic endoprostheses. Thus, a device composed with polymer film-type connected a universal test machine was created. Results showed that device developed is able to maintain the circular section (diameter) of the endoprostheses after test. Two studies were performed in order to check the devices’s ability and detect differences in radial forces of the endoprosthesis produced by different conditions. The first condition presented the varying of the wire diameter (0.2, 0.3 and 0.4mm), that was used in the production of the endoprosthesis, and the second one showed different times of heat treatment (30, 45 and 60 min). It is also well known that the elastic properties of the raw material (Nitinol) are directly related to the radial force presented by endoprosthesis. So, samples were compared with wire loading and unloading mechanical tests. Results indicated that the device was able to detect difference among values of radial force in samples at different conditions (both wire diameter and heat treatment time) and they showed consistence of loading and unloading tests performed on samples of raw material.

O desempenho das endopróteses vasculares está relacionado diretamente à sua força radial. Esta é uma importante propriedade mecânica destes dispositivos médicos, influenciada por características da matéria-prima, pelos parâmetros de processamento empregados e pela morfologia do produto. Em um ensaio de força radial, determina-se a força necessária para comprimir e para expandir uma endoprótese, ou seja, em função da variação do seu diâmetro é medida a força envolvida. Uma característica desejada nestes ensaios é que a endoprótese se comprima e se expanda de forma homogênea, mantendo sempre sua seção na forma circular, condição esta que a maioria dos métodos hoje utilizados não atende. O presente trabalho buscou desenvolver um método para ser utilizado na determinação da força radial de endopróteses aórticas. Para tanto, um dispositivo composto por uma cinta polimérica acoplada a uma máquina universal de ensaios foi criado. Para verificar a manutenção da forma circular da endoprótese, imagens foram obtidas no decorrer do ensaio. Os resultados mostraram que o dispositivo desenvolvido é capaz de manter a forma circular das endopróteses durante todo o ensaio. Para examinar a capacidade do dispositivo em detectar diferenças nas forças radiais apresentadas por endopróteses em diferentes condições, foram realizados dois estudos, um variando o diâmetro dos fios (0,2, 0,3 e 0,4 mm) utilizados na fabricação das endopróteses e outro variando o tempo de tratamento térmico (30, 45 e 60 min) das endopróteses. Sabendo-se também que as propriedades elásticas da matéria-prima (Nitinol) têm relação direta com a força radial que as endopróteses apresentam, os resultados dos testes de força radial das amostras foram confrontados com ensaios mecânicos de carregamento e descarregamento nos fios da matéria-prima. Os resultados indicaram que o dispositivo foi capaz de detectar diferenças entre valores de força radial com amostras em diferentes condições (tanto de diâmetro de fio como de tratamento térmico) e que os resultados obtidos foram coerentes com testes de carregamento e descarregamento realizados nas amostras de matéria-prima. / The performance of vascular endoprosthesis is directly related to their radial force that is an important mechanical property of these medical devices. It is influenced by characteristics of the raw materials, the processing parameters and the morphology of the final product. The load necessary to compress and expand an endoprostheses is determined by a radial force test, which the load involved is measured by variation of its diameter. A characteristic required during these tests is homogenous compression and expansion of the endoprostheses maintaining its diameter value, in which most methods do not attend it. The aim of this study was develop a method to determine the radial force of aortic endoprostheses. Thus, a device composed with polymer film-type connected a universal test machine was created. Results showed that device developed is able to maintain the circular section (diameter) of the endoprostheses after test. Two studies were performed in order to check the devices’s ability and detect differences in radial forces of the endoprosthesis produced by different conditions. The first condition presented the varying of the wire diameter (0.2, 0.3 and 0.4mm), that was used in the production of the endoprosthesis, and the second one showed different times of heat treatment (30, 45 and 60 min). It is also well known that the elastic properties of the raw material (Nitinol) are directly related to the radial force presented by endoprosthesis. So, samples were compared with wire loading and unloading mechanical tests. Results indicated that the device was able to detect difference among values of radial force in samples at different conditions (both wire diameter and heat treatment time) and they showed consistence of loading and unloading tests performed on samples of raw material.

Submitted by Amanda Silva (amanda.osilva2@ufpe.br) on 2015-03-03T14:16:54Z No. of bitstreams: 2 Dissertação Mariel Cadena da Matta.pdf: 2355898 bytes, checksum: 9c0530af680cf965137a2385d949b799 (MD5) license_rdf: 1232 bytes, checksum: 66e71c371cc565284e70f40736c94386 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2015-03-03T14:16:54Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 Dissertação Mariel Cadena da Matta.pdf: 2355898 bytes, checksum: 9c0530af680cf965137a2385d949b799 (MD5) license_rdf: 1232 bytes, checksum: 66e71c371cc565284e70f40736c94386 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2013 / FACEPE / A Dosimetria citogenética empregando análise de cromossomos dicêntricos é o “padrão ouro” para estimativas da dose absorvida após exposições acidentais às radiações ionizantes. Todavia, este método é laborioso e dispendioso, o que torna necessária a introdução de ferramentas computacionais que dinamizem a contagem dessas aberrações cromossômicas radioinduzidas. Os atuais softwares comerciais, utilizados no processamento de imagens em Biodosimetria, são em sua maioria onerosos e desenvolvidos em sistemas dedicados, não podendo ser adaptados para microscópios de rotina laboratorial. Neste contexto, o objetivo da pesquisa foi o desenvolvimento do software ChromoSomeClassification para processamento de imagens de metáfases de linfócitos (não irradiados e irradiados) coradas com Giemsa a 5%. A principal etapa da análise citogenética automática é a separação correta dos cromossomos do fundo, pois a execução incorreta desta fase compromete o desenvolvimento da classificação automática. Desta maneira, apresentamos uma proposta para a sua resolução baseada no aprimoramento da imagem através das técnicas de mudança do sistema de cores, subtração do background e aumento do contraste pela modificação do histograma. Assim, a segmentação por limiar global simples, seguida por operadores morfológicos e pela técnica de separação de objetos obteve uma taxa de acerto de 88,57%. Deste modo, os cromossomos foram enfileirados e contabilizados, e assim, a etapa mais laboriosa da Dosimetria citogenética foi realizada. As características extraídas dos cromossomos isolados foram armazenadas num banco de dados para que a classificação automática fosse realizada através da Rede Neural com Funções de Ativação de Base Radial (RBF). O software proposto alcançou uma taxa de sensibilidade de 76% e especificidade de 91% que podem ser aprimoradas através do acréscimo do número de objetos ao banco de dados e da extração de mais características dos cromossomos.

Nematic liquid crystals are mesogenic materials that are popular working materials for optical displays. There has been an increased interest in bistable liquid crystal devices which support two optically distinct stable equilibria. These devices typically exploit a complex geometry or anchoring conditions, which often induces defects in the equilibria. There remains a great deal to be understood about the structure of the defects and how they stabilize multiple equilibria in modern devices. This thesis focuses on four problems: the first three explore the effect of confinement and defects on nematic equilibria in simple geometries, with the aim of exploring multistability in these geometries; the fourth problem concerns the fine structure of point defects, essential for future modelling of nematic equilibria in more complex geometries. Firstly, we study nematic liquid crystals confined to two-dimensional rectangular wells using the Oseen-Frank theory. Secondly, we study equilibria within a semi-infinite rectangular domain with weak tangential anchoring on the surfaces. Thirdly, we study nematic equilibria within two-dimensional annuli. We derive explicit expressions for the director fields and free energies of equilibria within these geometries and discuss the stability of the predicted states. These three problems are motivated by the experimental work on colloidal nematic liquid crystals, which we interpret in the context of our results. Finally, we study the fine structure and stability of the radial hedgehog defect in the Landau-de Gennes theory with a sixth order bulk potential, relevant to the observability of global biaxial phases in a model with higher order potential terms.

This thesis aims to acquire, deepen and promote understanding of computing techniques for high dimensional scattered data approximation with radial basis functions. The main contributions of this thesis include sufficient conditions for the sovability of compactly supported radial basis functions with different shapes, near points preconditioning techniques for high dimensional interpolation systems with compactly supported radial basis functions, a heterogeneous hierarchical radial basis function interpolation scheme, which allows compactly supported radial basis functions of different shapes at the same level, an O(N) algorithm for constructing hierarchical scattered data set andan O(N) algorithm for sparse kernel summation on Cartesian grids. Besides the main contributions, we also investigate the eigenvalue distribution of interpolation matrices related to radial basis functions, and propose a concept of smoothness matching. We look at the problem from different perspectives, giving a systematic and concise description of other relevant theoretical results and numerical techniques. These results are interesting in themselves and become more interesting when placed in the context of the bigger picture. Finally, we solve several real-world problems. Presented applications include 3D implicit surface reconstruction, terrain modelling, high dimensional meteorological data approximation on the earth and scattered spatial environmental data approximation.

Some metals, such as Ti-6Al-4V, have a high elongation to failure when strained at certain rates and temperatures. Superplastic forming is the utilisation of this property, and it can be used to form thin, geometrically complex components. Superplastic forming is a slow process, and this is one of the reasons why it is an expensive manufacturing process. Localised thinning occurs if the specimen is strained too quickly, and components with locally thin wall thickness fail prematurely. The goal of this study is to find a technique that can be used to minimise the forming time while limiting the minimum final thickness. The superplastic forming process is investigated with the finite element method. The finite element method requires a material model which describes the superplastic behaviour of the metal. Several material models are investigated in order to select a material model that can show localised thinning at higher strain rates. The material models are calibrated with stress-strain data, grain size-time data and strain rate sensitivity-strain data. The digitised data from literature is for Ti-6Al-4V with three different initial grain sizes strained at different strain rates at 927 C. The optimisation of the forming time is done with an approximate optimisation algorithm. This algorithm involves fitting a metamodel to simulated data, and using the metamodels to find the optimum instead of using the finite element model directly. One metamodel is fitted to the final forming time results, and another metamodel is fitted to the final minimum thickness results. A regressive radial basis function method is used to construct the metamodels. The interpolating radial basis function method proved to be unreliable at the design space boundaries due to non-smooth finite element results. The non-smooth results are due to the problem being path dependent. The final forming time of the superplastic forming of a rectangular box was successfully minimised while limiting the final minimum thickness. The metamodels predicted that allowing a 4% decrease in the minimum allowable thickness (1.0 mm to 0.96 mm) and a 1 mm gap between the sheet and the die corner the forming time is decreased by 28.84%. The finite element verification indicates that the final minimum thickness reduced by 3.8% and that the gap between the sheet and the die corner is less than 1 mm, resulting in the forming time being reduced by 28.81%. / Dissertation (MEng)--University of Pretoria, 2017. / Mechanical and Aeronautical Engineering / MEng / Unrestricted

Having detailed anatomical knowledge when performing surgeries, is crucial to ensure a successful outcome. This is especially true when undertaking relatively new procedures. Even though nerve transfers and nerve grafts have been performed on the different parts of the brachial plexus for some time, nerve transfer and grafting procedures involving the axillary and radial nerves using a newly proposed axillary approach has not yet been fully studied. This study provides some enlightenment to the anatomy surrounding the axillary approach, with special regard to the axillary and radial nerves and their branches. The axillae of 51 (26 female and 25 male) formalin fixed cadavers were bilaterally dissected using a simulation of the axillary approach, which has been described to gain access to the brachial plexus in a clinical setting. Following which, various distances between easily identifiable anatomical landmarks and relevant neurovascular structures were measured, and observations regarding the relationship of these structures to the landmarks were recorded. This study found that the axillary nerve and its anterior and posterior divisions, as well as the radial nerve with its nerve to the long head of triceps brachii muscle could be easily identified however, their proximal parts were situated fairly deep and therefore were difficult to expose. Methods such as the musculo-arterial triangle described by Bertelli et al., which was designed to aid in identification on localization of the axillary nerve was also assessed; it was found to be relatively successful, however more consistent landmarks might be considered. In conclusion this study found that the axillary approach may serve as a reliable and safe method to reach the axillary and radial nerves, as well as their branches, allowing for adequate exposure when considering a nerve transfer or graft. / Dissertation (MSc)--University of Pretoria, 2019. / Anatomy / MSc / Unrestricted

Informe de memoria radial para optar al título de Periodista / El programa radial “Psicodelia, ecos de un pasado” es un aporte al rescate de las historias tras una época de la cultura chilena. Desde la llegada del rock a Chile, pasando por el revolucionado momento que vivía el mundo entero en los años 60, hasta indagar en el fondo de las motivaciones y sustento de la naciente cultura hippie, el programa hace un recorrido por el fenómeno psicodélico y el impacto que tuvo en los potentes cambios culturales vividos en la segunda mitad del siglo XX en Chile. La investigación nace del interés por rescatar el rico patrimonio musical y sonoro de un momento que definimos como clave en la posterior construcción de una escena cultural en el país, a pesar del quiebre que supone el golpe de estado en 1973. ¿Hubo psicodelia en Chile? ¿Cómo vivieron los jóvenes la experimentación con drogas y la búsqueda de la libertad? ¿Cómo se viven hoy estas manifestaciones? Son algunas de las preguntas que se ponen en diálogo en este espacio radial, una invitación a revivir una época y su rico patrimonio musical.

Cognition of the hydraulic properties of soils is important in civil and environmental projects such as for water supply, geotechnical investigations and evaluation of pollutant spreading. This pilot project aims to develop and test a new method for characterization of the homogeneity and isotropy of different soils by using geophysical measurements. The method is based on geoelectrical (resistivity) measurements using a radial array. Using a radial array with electrode lines in various orientations crossing a midpoint at which water was infiltrated, it was possible to build a 3D-block model showing the water penetration into a soil body. Based on the infiltration pattern it was possible to evaluate the hydraulic heterogeneity and anisotropy of the material. Several common Swedish types of soils were tested. Measurement and evaluation techniques including software were developed. The project shows that geoelectrical measurements using a radial array and geoelectrical instruments available on the market can be used for rapid evaluation of the hydraulic heterogeneity and anisotropy of soils and rock.