Digital image correlation for strain measurement in plastic film blowing process

Surface deformation study of a polymer film during plastic film blowing (PFB) extrusion process though is considered essential, is difficult to execute as the process is fast and continuous. Digital image correlation (DIC) is an optical technique that is non-destructive, highly accurate and designed to measure deformations from micro to macro scale. DIC can be proposed as a reliable tool to understand the relationship of polymer structure-processing-properties. In this literature, digital image correlation, its basic principle of operation and reliability guided DIC for continuous large deformation are comprehensively explored. Versatility of DIC, and the conditions that affect the measurement algorithm as well as preceding use of DIC in polymer processes are reviewed. The implementation and potential use of DIC in PFB are described.

This review was submitted as part of the 2019 Materials Literature Review Prize of the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining run by the Editorial Board of MST. Sponsorship of the prize by TWI Ltd is gratefully acknowledged.     

CHARACTERIZATION OF EFFECTIVE TIRE CONTACT AREA FOR VARIOUS TREAD PATTERNS

The effective tire-pavement contact area affects the relative damage of asphalt pavement and should be incorporated in both mechanistic and empirical response analyses of pavements. A new machine called ROTOCOM Wheel Tracker (RCWT) was designed and fabricated to capture the effective tire contact area apart from slab compacting, and conducting simulative laboratory wheel tracking tests. The main focus of this paper is laboratory measurement of effective tire contact areas for various tread patterns. Seven tire treads were selected for the footprint image analyses at five tire loads and four tire inflation pressures. An image processing MATLAB-based program was coded to calculate the contact areas of the 280 imprints obtained from both sides of the RCWT. Factorial analysis indicated significant effects of tire tread, tire load, and inflation pressure on the resulting contact area. Comparison between effective and traditional contact areas indicated that the current pavement design procedure with traditional circular contact area extremely overestimates the actual tire-pavement contact area up to 92%.     

Testosterone Reduces Knee Passive Range of Motion and Expression of Relaxin Receptor Isoforms via 5α-Dihydrotestosterone and Androgen Receptor Binding

Ovarian steroids such as estrogen and progesterone have been reported to influence knee laxity. The effect of testosterone, however, remains unknown. This study investigated the effect of testosterone on the knee range of motion (ROM) and the molecular mechanisms that might involve changes in the expression of relaxin receptor isoforms, Rxfp1 and Rxfp2 in the patella tendon and lateral collateral ligament of the female rat knee. Ovariectomized adult female Wistar rats received three days treatment with peanut oil (control), testosterone (125 and 250 μg/kg) and testosterone (125 and 250 μg/kg) plus flutamide, an androgen receptor blocker or finasteride, a 5α-reductase inhibitor. Duplicate groups received similar treatment however in the presence of relaxin (25 ng/kg). A day after the last drug injection, knee passive ROM was measured by using a digital miniature goniometer. Both tendon and ligament were harvested and then analysed for protein and mRNA expression for Rxfp1 and Rxfp2 respectively. Knee passive ROM, Rxfp1 and Rxfp2 expression were significantly reduced following treatment with testosterone. Flutamide or finasteride administration antagonized the testosterone effect. Concomitant administration of testosterone and relaxin did not result in a significant change in knee ROM as compared to testosterone only treatment; however this was significantly increased following flutamide or finasteride addition. Testosterone effect on knee passive ROM is likely mediated via dihydro-testosterone (DHT), and involves downregulation of Rxfp1 and Rxfp2 expression, which may provide the mechanism underlying testosterone-induced decrease in female knee laxity.     

KCNQ1 Haplotypes Associate with Type 2 Diabetes in Malaysian Chinese Subjects

The aim of this study was to investigate the association of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and haplotypes of potassium voltage-gated channel, KQT-like subfamily, member 1 (KCNQ1) with type 2 diabetes (T2D) in Malaysian Chinese subjects. The KCNQ1 SNPs rs2237892, rs2283228 and rs2237895 were genotyped in 300 T2D patients and 230 control subjects without diabetes and metabolic syndrome. Two logistic regression models of analysis were applied, the first adjusted for age and gender while the second adjusted for age, gender and body mass index. The additive genetic analysis showed that adjusting for body mass index (BMI) even strengthened association of rs2237892, rs2283228 and rs2237895 with T2D (OR = 2.0, P = 5.1 × 10(-5); OR = 1.9, P = 5.2 × 10(-5); OR = 1.9, P = 7.8 × 10(-5), respectively). The haplotype TCA containing the allele of rs2237892 (T), rs2283228 (C) and rs2237895 (A) was highly protective against T2D (Second model; OR = 0.17, P = 3.7 × 10(-11)). The KCNQ1 rs2237892 (TT), and the protective haplotype (TCA) were associated with higher beta-cell function (HOMA-B) in normal subjects (P = 0.0002; 0.014, respectively). This study found that KCNQ1 SNPs was associated with T2D susceptibility in Malaysian Chinese subjects. In addition, certain KCNQ1 haplotypes were strongly associated with T2D.     

A Laboratory Investigation on the Rheological Properties of Aged and Unaged Organic Wax Modified Asphalt Binders

Different proportions of Sasobit (Sasol Wax, Hamburg, Germany) content were blended with 60–70 penetration grade asphalt binder type and were subjected to physical and rheological tests in order to determine the influence of Sasobit on asphalt binder. The test results indicated that Sasobit had different effects on temperature susceptibility of binders. Frequency sweep test showed that binders containing Sasobit had higher complex modulus compared to the control binders. In addition, lower phase angle values were observed for Sasobit-modified binders. FTIR analysis showed changes in the microstructure and weight distribution of Sasobit-modified binders.     

An overview of the emerging warm mix asphalt technology

The asphalt industry is constantly attempting to reduce its emissions as concerns are growing on global warming. This is done by decreasing the mixing and compaction temperatures of asphalt mixtures without affecting the properties of the mix which is possible through numerous available technologies in the industry. The production of asphalt mix is done by warm mix asphalt (WMA) technology at considerably lower temperatures (120°C or lower). Less energy consumption, lower mixing and compaction temperatures, early site opening, reduced ageing, fewer emissions, cool weather paving, better workability and, finally, an extended paving window could be mentioned as some of the benefits obtained by using the WMA. This paper presents the WMA techniques and technologies such as foaming techniques, wax and chemical additives techniques. Additionally, the performance of WMA popular technologies such as Sasobit^®, WAM^®-Foam, Evotherm^®, Low energy asphalt, Rediset^® WMX and REVIX? are fully described.     

Scaling behaviors of transient noise current in organic field-effect transistors

Top-contact and bottom-gate organic field-effect transistors (OFETs) based on poly(3-hexylthiophene), P3HT polymer has been fabricated with thermal treatment condition. Transient noise currents of the OFETs are measured at various source–drain voltages ranging from 0 V to ?60 V with respect to a fixed gate voltage of ?60 V. The results from conventional power spectral density method are compared with the more robust Detrended Fluctuation Analysis. The latter has been proven to be reliable for fractal signals particularly in the presence of nonstationary effects. Interesting transitions between multiscaling and monoscaling behaviors are observed in the power spectral density as well as the Detrended Fluctuation Analysis plots for different applied source–drain voltage V_ds. Uncorrelated white noise characteristics are observed for noise current measured at low V_ds, meanwhile 1/f noise-like scaling behaviors are observed at intermediate V_ds. At higher V_ds, the noise characteristics appeared to be close to Brownian-like power-law behavior. The scaling characteristics of the transient noise current can be related to the charge carrier dynamics. It is also found that large numbers of trap centers are induced when the device is stressed at high applied V_ds. The existence of these trap centers would disperse charge carriers, leading to 1/f type noise that could diminish the presence of Brownian noise in a very short time.     

Fractal morphological analysis of Bacteriorhodopsin (bR) layers deposited onto Indium Tin Oxide (ITO) electrodes

Uniform Bacteriorhodopsin layers for the purpose of fabricating Bacteriorhodopsin-based biosensors were prepared by allowing drying of the layers under a constant electric field. To properly observe and understand the “electric field effect” on the protein Bacteriorhodopsin, the electric and non-electric field influenced Bacteriorhodopsin layers prepared using a manual syringe-deposition method applied onto Indium Tin Oxide electrodes were structurally investigated using Scanning Electron Microscopy and Atomic Force Microscopy. The results yield obvious morphological differences between the electric and non-electric field assisted Bacteriorhodopsin layers and brings to attention the occurrence of the so-called “coffee-ring” effect in the latter case. We applied stochastic fractal method based on the generalized Cauchy process to describe the morphological features surrounding the void. Fractal dimension is used to characterize the local regularity of the Bacteriorhodopsin clusters and the correlation exponent is used to describe the long-range correlation between the clusters. It is found that the Bacteriorhodopsin protein tends to exhibit with strong spatial correlation in the presence of external electric field compared to in absence of the electric field. Long-range correlation in the morphological feature may be associated to the enhancement of aggregation process of Bacteriorhodopsin protein in the presence of electric field, thereby inhibiting the formation of the so-called “coffee-ring” effect. As such, the observations discussed in this work suggest some amount of control of surface uniformity when forming layers.     

Genistein Induces Increase in Fluid pH,Na+ and HCO3? Concentration,SLC26A6 and SLC4A4 (NBCe1)-B Expression in the Uteri of Ovariectomized Rats

Genistein has been reported to stimulate luminal HCO₃⁻ secretion. We hypothesized that genistein mediates this effect via SLC26A6 and SLC4A4 (NBCe1) transporters. Our study aimed to: investigate changes in uterine fluid pH, Na⁺ and HCO₃⁻ concentration and expression of uterine SLC26A6 and NBCe1 under genistein effect. Ovariectomized adult female rats received 25, 50 and 100 mg/kg/day genistein for a week with and without ICI 182780. A day after the last injection, in vivo uterine perfusion was performed to collect uterine fluid for Na⁺, HCO₃⁻ and pH determination. The animals were then sacrificed and uteri were removed for mRNA and protein expression analyses. SLC26A6 and NBCe1-A and NBCe1-B distribution were visualized by immunohistochemistry (IHC). Genistein at 50 and 100 mg/kg/day stimulates uterine fluid pH, Na⁺ and HCO₃⁻ concentration increase. Genistein at 100 mg/kg/day up-regulates the expression of SLC26A6 and SLC4A4 mRNA, which were reduced following concomitant ICI 182780 administration. In parallel, SLC26A6 and NBCe1-B protein expression were also increased following high dose genistein treatment and were localized mainly at the apical membrane of the luminal epithelia. SLC26A6 and NBCe1-B up-regulation by genistein could be responsible for the observed increase in the uterine fluid pH, Na⁺ and HCO₃⁻ concentration under this condition.