Archaeological, Geophysical, and Geospatial Analysis at David Crockett Birthplace State Park, in Upper East Tennessee

A geophysical survey was conducted at David Crockett Birthplace State Park (40GN205, 40GN12) using ground-penetrating radar (GPR) and magnetometry. The data indicated multiple levels of occupation that were investigated by Phase II and Phase III archaeological excavations. New cultural components were discovered, including the remnants of a Protohistoric Native American structure containing European glass trade beads and Middle Woodland artifacts that suggest trade with Hopewell groups from Ohio. A circular Archaic hearth was uncovered at one meter below surface and similar deep anomalies were seen in the GPR data at this level. A semi-automated object-based image analysis (OBIA) was implemented to extract Archaic circular hearths from GPR depth slices using user-defined spatial parameters (depth, area, perimeter, length to width ratio, and circularity index) followed by manual interpretation. This approach successfully identified sixteen probable hearths distributed across the site in a semi-clustered pattern

Industry/University Collaboration at the University of Michigan-Dearborn: A Focus on Relevant Technology

https://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/154105/1/kampfner1997.pd

Organised neural networks in culture

The aim of my research was to recreate simple, spatially organised neural networks in culture for the study of neural network behaviour. Spinal cord neurons were chosen as the biological model, as much is already known about spinal cord tissue circuitry in-vivo. These simple networks of cells were created by chemical patterning techniques (micro-contact printing (mCP)), and topographical guidance mechanisms. mCP was used to test the hypothesis that alterations in network architecture could affect network behaviour. Changes in network structures were identified, using immunocytochemical staining and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Of the six patterns tested it was concluded that the Jude pattern did not satisfy the criteria required for a neural network. Cells failed to comply to the extreme angles of this design and so a hexagonal pattern was introduced. Dendritic architecture, of varying designs, was incorporated into these hexagonal networks with the aim of determining if variation in dendritic arborisation could affect network activity. An analysis of the result showed that cell morphology and connectivity was visibly altered, suggesting network characteristics were affected. An attempt was made to create organised nerve cultures using micro-metric grooved patterns in poly-dimethylsiloxane (PDMS). The cellular response was determined by immunocytochemical staining and SEM imaging. Cells grown on micrometric topographical patterns did not align within the grooves as predicted. Therefore the effect of nano-metric pillared topography, created in poly-caprolactone, on nerve cell guidance was investigated. In comparison to the flat material, this nanotopography reduced cell adhesion, although it was not completely non-adhesive. After 1 week cells were visibly aligning to the topography, at the micro-and nanometric level, and appeared to be growing longer processes compared to the cells grown on flat structures. This result suggests nanopillared topography has a promising future in nerve guidance studies

A study on metallurgy and corrosion of ancient copper-based artefacts from the portuguese territory

Dissertação apresentada para a obtenção do Grau de Doutor em Conservação e Restauro, especialidade Ciências da Conservação, pela Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Faculdade de Ciências e TecnologiaIn the present thesis metallic artefacts of various typologies and diverse materials related to metallurgical operations were studied. The items are from various sites in the Portuguese territory,covering a period of circa 3 millennia, from Chalcolithic to Iron Age. A large part of the studied items belong to emblematic museum collections, as the Castro de Pragança and the Baiões ones. The aim of the present study is to provide a general view of the ancient metallurgy in the Western territory of the Iberian Peninsula, as well as detailed information on the metallurgy of each archaeological site. It was also aimed an evaluation of the corrosion of archaeological metals, namely bronzes (Cu-Sn alloys). Accordingly, elemental analysis and microstructural examinations were made, combining diverse analytical techniques as energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (EDXRF), micro-EDXRF,optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. The main results of the corrosion study showed that decuprification is the main corrosion phenomena among the bronzes, but that destannification can also occur in particular cases. It was found that these phenomena can have a major influence in the results of superficial EDXRF elemental analysis, mainly due to the thickness of the corrosion layers that can reach 500 μm. It was also found that the most internal corrosion, namely the intergranular corrosion, can be very pronounced among the artefacts with a heterogeneous microstructure, i.e. mainly among those that were less subjected to thermomechanical processing. Additionally, particular long-term corrosion phenomena were described, as the preferential corrosion of α or δ phase and the presence of redeposited metallic copper in the most internal corrosion regions. The main results of the archaeometallurgical study showed that during the Chalcolithic period relatively pure coppers were used (with exception for the presence of As), and that during Late Bronze Age binary bronze with relatively constant tin contents (average of ~13 wt.% Sn) and impurities as Pb,As and Sb was the main material used, being unalloyed copper only used sporadically to produce particular items where the properties of this metal were an advantage. Differing from other Western European regions, ternary bronzes seem to have a later appearance, i.e. during Iron Age. The shaping of large and more complex artefacts (e.g. spear heads, axes, closed rings) was done in the mould,being needed just some final thermo-mechanical processing. On the other hand, smaller and simpler items (e.g. chisels, awls, simple fibulae, open rings) were produced by shaping pre-defined forms, as cast bars, through thermo-mechanical processes that could be very intense, as those that include various cycles of deformation and annealing.PhD grant (SFRH/BD/27358/2006) awarded by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT-MCTES) for the period of 2007-2010; METABRONZE grant (2006) and project funded by FCT-MCTES (POCTI/HAR/58678/2004) for the period of 2006-2009

Recent Advances and Applications of Machine Learning in Metal Forming Processes

Machine learning (ML) technologies are emerging in Mechanical Engineering, driven by the increasing availability of datasets, coupled with the exponential growth in computer performance. In fact, there has been a growing interest in evaluating the capabilities of ML algorithms to approach topics related to metal forming processes, such as: Classification, detection and prediction of forming defects; Material parameters identification; Material modelling; Process classification and selection; Process design and optimization. The purpose of this Special Issue is to disseminate state-of-the-art ML applications in metal forming processes, covering 10 papers about the abovementioned and related topics