The combination of empirical mode decomposition and minimum entropy deconvolution for roller bearing diagnostics in non-stationary operation

Diagnostics is based on the characterization of mechanical system condition and allows early detection of a possible fault. Signal processing is an approach widely used in diagnostics, since it allows directly characterizing the state of the system. Several types of advanced signal processing techniques have been proposed in the last decades and added to more conventional ones. Seldom, these techniques are able to consider non-stationary operations. Diagnostics of roller bearings is not an exception of this framework. In this paper, a new vibration signal processing tool, able to perform roller bearing diagnostics in whatever working condition and noise level, is developed on the basis of two data-adaptive techniques as Empirical Mode Decomposition (EMD), Minimum Entropy Deconvolution (MED), coupled by means of the mathematics related to the Hilbert transform. The effectiveness of the new signal processing tool is proven by means of experimental data measured in a test-rig that employs high power industrial size components.

Clinical and radiographic outcomes of acetabular impaction grafting without cage reinforcement for revision hip replacement : a minimum ten-year follow-up study

Impaction bone grafting for reconstitution of bone stock in revision hip surgery has been used for nearly 30 years. We used this technique, in combination with a cemented acetabular component, in the acetabula of 304 hips in 292 patients revised for aseptic loosening between 1995 and 2001. The only additional supports used were stainless steel meshes placed against the medial wall or laterally around the acetabular rim to contain the graft. All Paprosky grades of defect were included. Clinical and radiographic outcomes were collected in surviving patients at a minimum of 10 years following the index operation. Mean follow-up was 12.4 years (SD 1.5; range 10.0-16.0). Kaplan-Meier survivorship with revision for aseptic loosening as the endpoint was 85.9% (95% CI 81.0 to 90.8%) at 13.5 years. Clinical scores for pain relief remained satisfactory, and there was no difference in clinical scores between cups that appeared stable and those that appeared loose radiographically.

Retrospective evaluation of dosimetric quality for prostate carcinomas treated with 3D conformal, intensity-modulated and volumetric-modulated arc radiotherapy

Introduction This study examines and compares the dosimetric quality of radiotherapy treatment plans for prostate carcinoma across a cohort of 163 patients treated across 5 centres: 83 treated with three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy (3DCRT), 33 treated with intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) and 47 treated with volumetric-modulated arc therapy (VMAT). Methods Treatment plan quality was evaluated in terms of target dose homogeneity and organ-at-risk sparing, through the use of a set of dose metrics. These included the mean, maximum and minimum doses; the homogeneity and conformity indices for the target volumes; and a selection of dose coverage values that were relevant to each organ-at-risk. Statistical significance was evaluated using two-tailed Welch’s T-tests. The Monte Carlo DICOM ToolKit software was adapted to permit the evaluation of dose metrics from DICOM data exported from a commercial radiotherapy treatment planning system. Results The 3DCRT treatment plans offered greater planning target volume dose homogeneity than the other two treatment modalities. The IMRT and VMAT plans offered greater dose reduction in the organs-at-risk: with increased compliance with recommended organ-at-risk dose constraints, compared to conventional 3DCRT treatments. When compared to each other, IMRT and VMAT did not provide significantly different treatment plan quality for like-sized tumour volumes. Conclusions This study indicates that IMRT and VMAT have provided similar dosimetric quality, which is superior to the dosimetric quality achieved with 3DCRT.

Assessment of recycled concrete aggregates as a pavement material

Population increase and economic developments can lead to construction as well as demolition of infrastructures such as buildings, bridges, roads, etc resulting in used concrete as a primary waste product. Recycling of waste concrete to obtain the recycled concrete aggregates (RCA) for base and/or sub-base materials in road construction is a foremost application to be promoted to gain economical and sustainability benefits. As the mortar, bricks, glass and reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) present as constituents in RCA, it exhibits inconsistent properties and performance. In this study, six different types of RCA samples were subjected classification tests such as particle size distribution, plasticity, compaction test, unconfined compressive strength (UCS) and California bearing ratio (CBR) tests. Results were compared with those of the standard road materials used in Queensland, Australia. It was found that material type ‘RM1-100/RM3-0’ and ‘RM1-80/RM3-20’ samples are in the margin of the minimum required specifications of base materials used for high volume unbound granular roads while others are lower than that the minimum requirement.

Parental perceptions of the learner driver log book system in two Australian states

Objective While many jurisdictions internationally now require learner drivers to complete a specified number of hours of supervised driving practice before being able to drive unaccompanied, very few require learner drivers to complete a log book to record this practice and then present it to the licensing authority. Learner drivers in most Australian jurisdictions must complete a log book that records their practice thereby confirming to the licensing authority that they have met the mandated hours of practice requirement. These log books facilitate the management and enforcement of minimum supervised hours of driving requirements. Method Parents of learner drivers in two Australian states, Queensland and New South Wales, completed an online survey assessing a range of factors, including their perceptions of the accuracy of their child’s learner log book and the effectiveness of the log book system. Results The study indicates that the large majority of parents believe that their child’s learner log book is accurate. However, they generally report that the log book system is only moderately effective as a system to measure the number of hours of supervised practice a learner driver has completed. Conclusions The results of this study suggest the presence of a paradox with many parents possibly believing that others are not as diligent in the use of log books as they are or that the system is too open to misuse. Given that many parents report that their child’s log book is accurate, this study has important implications for the development and ongoing monitoring of hours of practice requirements in graduated driver licensing systems.

UCPR r548 - requirement for report or proof of evidence intended to be relied on at trial

In Oates v Cootes Tanker Service Pty Ltd [2005] QSC 213, Fryberg J considered some interesting questions of construction in relation to the rule requiring the plaintiff to provide a statement of loss and damage in personal injuries proceedings (UCPR r 548) and the rule in relation to the giving of expert evidence (UCPR r427)

Kinetics of low-pressure, low-temperature graphene growth : toward single-layer, single-crystalline structure

Graphene grown on metal catalysts with low carbon solubility is a highly competitive alternative to exfoliated and other forms of graphene, yet a single-layer, single-crystal structure remains a challenge because of the large number of randomly oriented nuclei that form grain boundaries when stitched together. A kinetic model of graphene nucleation and growth is developed to elucidate the effective controls of the graphene island density and surface coverage from the onset of nucleation to the full monolayer formation in low-pressure, low-temperature CVD. The model unprecedentedly involves the complete cycle of the elementary gas-phase and surface processes and shows a precise quantitative agreement with the recent low-energy electron diffraction measurements and also explains numerous parameter trends from a host of experimental reports. These agreements are demonstrated for a broad pressure range as well as different combinations of precursor gases and supporting catalysts. The critical role of hydrogen in controlling the graphene nucleation and monolayer formation is revealed and quantified. The model is generic and can be extended to even broader ranges of catalysts and precursor gases/pressures to enable the as yet elusive effective control of the crystalline structure and number of layers of graphene using the minimum amounts of matter and energy.

Minimum cost of transport in human running is not ubiquitous

Purpose This study explores recent claims that humans exhibit a minimum cost of transport (CoTmin) for running which occurs at an intermediate speed, and assesses individual physiological, gait and training characteristics. Methods Twelve healthy participants with varying levels of fitness and running experience ran on a treadmill at six self-selected speeds in a discontinuous protocol over three sessions. Running speed (km[middle dot]hr-1), V[spacing dot above]O2 (mL[middle dot]kg-1[middle dot]km-1), CoT (kcal[middle dot]km-1), heart rate (beats[middle dot]min-1) and cadence (steps[middle dot]min-1) were continuously measured. V[spacing dot above]O2 max was measured on a fourth testing session. The occurrence of a CoTmin was investigated and its presence or absence examined with respect to fitness, gait and training characteristics. Results Five participants showed a clear CoTmin at an intermediate speed and a statistically significant (p < 0.05) quadratic CoT-speed function, while the other participants did not show such evidence. Participants were then categorized and compared with respect to the strength of evidence for a CoTmin (ClearCoTmin and NoCoTmin). The ClearCoTmin group displayed significantly higher correlation between speed and cadence; more endurance training and exercise sessions per week; than the NoCoTmin group; and a marginally non-significant but higher aerobic capacity. Some runners still showed a CoTmin at an intermediate speed even after subtraction of resting energy expenditure. Conclusion The findings confirm the existence of an optimal speed for human running, in some but not all participants. Those exhibiting a COTmin undertook a higher volume of running, ran with a cadence that was more consistently modulated with speed, and tended to be aerobically fitter. The ability to minimise the energetic cost of transport appears not to be ubiquitous feature of human running but may emerge in some individuals with extensive running experience.

Deconstructing antiobesity compound action : requirement of serotonin 5-HT2B receptors for dexfenfluramine anorectic effects

The now-banned anorectic molecule, dexfenfluramine, promotes serotonin release through a serotonin transporter-dependent mechanism, and it has been widely prescribed for the treatment of obesity. Previous studies have identified that 5-HT(2B) receptors have important roles in dexfenfluramine side effects, that is, pulmonary hypertension, plasma serotonin level regulation, and valvulopathy. We thus investigated a putative contribution of 5-HT(2B) receptors in dexfenfluramine-dependent feeding behavior in mice. Interestingly, the hypophagic response to dexfenfluramine (3-10 mg/kg) observed in wild-type mice (1-4 h) was eliminated in mice lacking 5-HT(2B) receptors (5-HT(2B)(-/-)). These findings were further validated by the lack of hypophagic response to dexfenfluramine in wild-type mice treated with RS127445, a highly selective and potent antagonist (pKi=8.22 ± 0.24). Using microdialysis, we observed that in 5-HT(2B)(-/-) awake mice, the dexfenfluramine-induced hypothalamic peak of serotonin release (1 h) was strongly reduced (fourfold) compared with wild type. Moreover, using hypothalamic synaptosomes, we established the serotonergic neuron autonomous properties of this effect: a strong serotonin release was observed upon dexfenfluramine stimulation of synaptosome preparation from wild type but not from mice lacking active 5-HT(2B) receptors. These findings strongly suggest that activation of presynaptic 5-HT(2B) receptors is a limiting step in the serotonin transporter dependent-releasing effect of dexfenfluramine, whereas other serotonin receptors act downstream with respect to feeding behavior.

Government procurement contracts and minimum labour standards enforcement: Rhetoric, duplication and distraction?

Government contracts for services typically include terms requiring contractors to comply with minimum labour standards laws. Procurement contract clauses specify reporting procedures and sanctions for non-compliance, implying that government contracting agencies will monitor and enforce minimum labour standards within contract performance management. In this article, the case of school cleaners employed under New South Wales government contracts between 2010 and 2011 is the vehicle for exploring the effectiveness of these protective clauses. We find that the inclusion of these protective clauses in procurement contracts is unnecessary in the Australian context, and any expectations that government contracting agencies will monitor and enforce labour standards are misleading. At best, the clauses are rhetoric, and at worst, they are a distraction for parties with enforcement powers.

Amino group positions dependent morphology and coverage of electropolymerized metallophthalocyanine (M = Ni and Co) films on electrode surfaces

Electropolymerized films of teraaminometallophthalocyanines (MTAPc; M = Ni and Co) with amino groups at α- (4α-MTAPc) and β- (4β-MTAPc) positions were prepared on glassy carbon (GC) and indium tin oxide (ITO) electrodes. It was found that the electropolymerization growth rate of 4α-MTAPc was less than that of 4β-MTAPc prepared under identical conditions. Further, the surface coverage of the polymerized 4β-MTAPc film was greater than that of 4α-MTAPc polymerized film. Atomic force microscopy (AFM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and UV–visible spectroscopic studies were carried out for the polymerized films of 4α-NiIITAPc (p-4α-NiIITAPc) and 4β-NiIITAPc (p-4β-NiIITAPc) alone because both Ni(II) and Co(II) polymerized films show similar trend in electropolymerization and surface coverage values. AFM images show that p-4α-NiIITAPc film contains islands and the thickness of this film was nearly three times less than that of p-4β-NiIITAPc. XRD patterns for the two polymerized films reveal that p-4β-NiIITAPc film was relatively more crystalline than p-4α-NiIITAPc film. Further, the compactness of these films was scrutinized from their barrier properties toward [Fe(CN)6]3−/4− redox couple. The differences in the polymerization growth rate of 4α-MTAPc and 4β-MTAPc, and the thicknesses of the resultant polymerized films suggest that unlike 4β-MTAPc one or two amino groups might have not involved in electropolymerization in the case of 4α-MTAPc. Further, the influence of surface coverage on the electrocatalytic properties of the polymerized films was studied by taking p-4β-CoIITAPc and p-4α-CoIITAPc films as examples. The electrocatalytic oxygen reduction current was almost same at both the electrodes suggesting that only the surface species were involved in the electrocatalytic reduction of oxygen.

Acute injuries in track and field athletes: A 3-year observational study at the Penn Relays Carnival with epidemiology and medical coverage implications

Background Few studies have examined acute injuries in track and field in both elite and sub-elite athletes. Purpose To observe the absolute and relative rates of injury in track and field athletes across a wide range of competition levels and ages during three years of the Penn Relays Carnival to assist with future medical coverage planning and injury prevention strategies. Study design: Descriptive epidemiology study. Methods Over a 3-year period all injuries treated by the medical staff were recorded on a standardised injury report form. Absolute injury rates (absolute number of injuries) and relative injury rates (number of injuries per 1000 participants) were determined and odds ratios (OR) of injury rates were calculated between sexes, competition levels and events. Injuries were also broken down into major or minor medical or orthopedic injuries. Results Throughout the study period 48,473 competing athletes participated in the Penn Relays Carnival, and 436 injuries were sustained. For medical coverage purposes, the relative rate of injury subtypes was greatest for minor orthopedic injuries (5.71 injuries per 1000 participants), followed by minor medical injuries (3.42 injuries per 1000 participants), major medical injuries (0.69 injuries per 1000 participants) and major orthopedic injuries (0.18 injuries per 1000 participants). College/elite level athletes displayed the lowest relative injury rate (7.99 injuries per 1000 participants), which was significantly less than high school (9.87 injuries per 1000 participants) and masters level athletes (16.33 injuries per 1000 participants). Males displayed a greater likelihood of suffering a minor orthopedic injury compared to females (OR = 1.36, 95% CI = 1.06 to 1.75; χ2 = 5.73, p = 0.017) but were less likely to sustain a major medical injury (OR = 0.33, 95% CI = 0.15 to 0.75; χ2 = 7.75, p = 0.005). Of the three most heavily participated in events, the 4 x 400m relay displayed the greatest relative injury rate (13.6 injuries per 1000 participants) compared to the 4 x 100 and 4 x 200m relay. Conclusions Medical coverage teams for future large scale track and field events need to plan for at least two major orthopedic and seven major medical injuries per 1000 participants. Male track and field athletes, particularly masters level male athletes, are at greater risk of injury compared to other genders and competition levels.

Feature article coverage of Australian out-of-home care : portrayals and policy reform

Mandatory reporting is a key aspect of Australia’s approach to protecting children and is incorporated into all jurisdictions’ legislation, albeit in a variety of forms. In this article we examine all major newspaper’s coverage of mandatory reporting during an 18-month period in 2008-2009, when high-profile tragedies and inquiries occurred and significant policy and reform agendas were being debated. Mass media utilise a variety of lenses to inform and shape public responses and attitudes to reported events. We use frame analysis to identify the ways in which stories were composed and presented, and how language portrayed this contested area of policy. The results indicate that within an overall portrayal of system failure and the need for reform, the coverage placed major responsibility on child protection agencies for the over-reporting, under-reporting, and overburdened system identified, along with the failure of mandatory reporting to reduce risk. The implications for ongoing reform are explored along with the need for robust research to inform debate about the merits of mandatory reporting.