Fabrication of luminescent nanostructures by electron-beam direct writing of PMMA resist

We report on the conversion of non-luminescent conventional poly(methylmethacrylate) (PMMA)-based electron-beam resists into luminescent materials when used as negative-tone resists, that is, when exposed to high electron irradiation doses. Raman spectroscopy reveals the chemical transformation induced by electron irradiation which is responsible for the observed luminescence in the visible (blue) region. The emission intensity from exposed PMMA-based patterns can be controlled by the electron irradiation dose employed to create them.

Artificial pancreas using a personalized rule-based controller achieves overnight normoglycemia in patients with type 1 diabetes

Objective: This study assessed the efficacy of a closed-loop (CL) system consisting of a predictive rule-based algorithm (pRBA) on achieving nocturnal and postprandial normoglycemia in patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM). The algorithm is personalized for each patient’s data using two different strategies to control nocturnal and postprandial periods. Research Design and Methods: We performed a randomized crossover clinical study in which 10 T1DM patients treated with continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (CSII) spent two nonconsecutive nights in the research facility: one with their usual CSII pattern (open-loop [OL]) and one controlled by the pRBA (CL). The CL period lasted from 10 p.m. to 10 a.m., including overnight control, and control of breakfast. Venous samples for blood glucose (BG) measurement were collected every 20 min. Results: Time spent in normoglycemia (BG, 3.9–8.0 mmol/L) during the nocturnal period (12 a.m.–8 a.m.), expressed as median (interquartile range), increased from 66.6% (8.3–75%) with OL to 95.8% (73–100%) using the CL algorithm (P<0.05). Median time in hypoglycemia (BG, <3.9 mmol/L) was reduced from 4.2% (0–21%) in the OL night to 0.0% (0.0–0.0%) in the CL night (P<0.05). Nine hypoglycemic events (<3.9 mmol/L) were recorded with OL compared with one using CL. The postprandial glycemic excursion was not lower when the CL system was used in comparison with conventional preprandial bolus: time in target (3.9–10.0 mmol/L) 58.3% (29.1–87.5%) versus 50.0% (50–100%). Conclusions: A highly precise personalized pRBA obtains nocturnal normoglycemia, without significant hypoglycemia, in T1DM patients. There appears to be no clear benefit of CL over prandial bolus on the postprandial glycemia

Obtención de la tensión de fractura del vidrio en ensayos de anillos concéntricos utilizando MEF

Las discrepancias entre las funciones de distribución acumulada de la tensión de fractura del vidrio es una de las dificultades encontradas para incorporar la filosofía probabilista para el diseño del vidrio. Se utilizan tres ensayos para la caracterización de la tensión de fractura del vidrio: flexión de viga en cuatro puntos, ensayo con dobles anillos concéntricos con pequeña superficie y con gran superficie. La comparación directa de las funciones de distribución presenta discrepancias claras relacionadas con el estado de tensión -uni o biaxial- y con el comportamiento de la estructura -grandes o pequeños desplazamientos. Con un procedimiento iterativo, se ajustan los resultados de los ensayos (carga - presión- probabilidad de rotura) a través de un modelo de elementos finitos que permite estimar las aéreas efectivas de cada espécimen. Los parámetros finales para la tensión de rotura mejoran la estimación de la probabilidad de la carga de rotura de cada probeta con errores inferiores al 10%.

Influencia de un recubrimiento de vinilo en la tensión de fractura del vidrio en ensayos de anillos concéntricos con gran superficie

El comportamiento post-rotura de los vidrios laminados es uno de los temas que están siendo investigados para explicar la capacidad de carga remanente tras la rotura de la primera lámina. En investigaciones previas se ha observado que en el caso de impacto humano en vidrios recocidos se llega a una capacidad hasta 3 veces superior, sin explicación clara del comportamiento estructural del conjunto. Para realizar un acercamiento a la resistencia a la rotura del vidrio laminado se ha planificado una campaña de ensayos de rotura con anillos concéntricos de grandes superficies en vidrio recocido, termoendurecido y templado, con dos series adicionales de vidrio recocido y termoendurecido con una capa de butiral adherida justo después del proceso de fabricación. Para realizar la comparación de las distribuciones de Weibull de las distintas tensiones de rotura se utiliza un proceso iterativo basado en la distribución real de tensiones obtenida con un modelo de elementos finitos ajustado con datos experimentales. Las comparaciones finales muestran un aumento apreciable de la resistencia (45%) en el caso de vidrios recocidos, y menor en el de los termoendurecidos (25%).The post-fracture behavior of the laminated glasses is one of the research topics that are being studied to explain the load capacity after the break of the first sheet. Previous experimental work have shown, that in case of human impact in annealed glasses, the capacity of bearing load it can be up to 3 times higher without clear explanation of the structural behavior of the plate. To make an approximation to the post-fracture resistance, a experimental program to test annealed, heat-tempered and toughened glass plates has been prepared. Two additional series of annealed and heattempered, with a layer of polyvinyl butyral adhered just after the manufacturing process, have also been incorporated. Coaxial Double Ring with large test surface areas Coaxial Double Ring with large test surface areas is the standard that has been followed. To make the comparison of Weibull's distributions of the different fracture stress, an iterative process based on the actual stress distribution obtained with a finite elements model updated with experimental results has been used. Final comparisons show a great stress improvement for the annealed glass plates (45 %), and a minor increment for the heat-tempered (25 %).