A pilot study examining garment severance damage caused by a trained sharp-weapon user

The pilot study summarized in this paper aimed to raise awareness of a gap that exists in the forensic textile science literature about damage caused to clothing by trained sharp-weapon users. A male trained in the Filipino martial arts discipline of Eskrima performed attack techniques on a physical model of a male torso covered with a 97% cotton/3% elastane knitted T-shirt, that is, a garment commonly worn by males. Fabric severance appearance created by three different, but commonly available, knives was evaluated. High-speed video was used to capture each attack. After each attack the resulting damage to the garment was assessed. This pilot study highlighted differences in severances associated with weapon selection, that is, not all knives resulted in similar patterns of textile damage. In addition, a mixture of stab and slash severances were observed. The findings demonstrated the possible misinterpretation of textile damage under these circumstances compared to damage patterns reported in the existing forensic textile science literature for more commonly occurring knife attacks (i.e. stabbings)

Confronting an identity crisis - how to "brand" systems engineering

Systems Engineering is not a new discipline; the term has been in use since World War II. Yet, while there has been no shortage of definitions of the term over the years (not all of which are consistent), there is little consensus on the scope of Systems Engineering. This is particularly true in relation to other overlapping disciplines such as System Dynamics, Operations Research, Industrial Engineering, Project Management, Soft Systems Methodology, Specialist Engineering, and Control Theory, which share many of the origins and techniques of Systems Engineering. This paper presents a landscape of disciplines and suggests that INCOSE should “brand” Systems Engineering strategically, defining explicitly its position within this landscape including its points of parity (overlaps) and points of difference with other disciplines. Actively branding Systems Engineering will broaden its appeal and attract more interest from stakeholders outside the current Systems Engineering community. INCOSE’s “market share” relative to its biggest systems competitor—Project Management—is falling, so even though INCOSE membership is rising, more needs to be done to promote the profession

The letters of John Ruskin to Lord and Lady Mount-Temple

(print) xiii, 399 p. ; 24 cmIntroduction 5 -- Part I : [1856]-February 10, 1866 15 -- Part II : [February 1866]-June 25, 1867 55 -- Part III : 1868 121 -- Part IV : January 17, 1869-[July 27, 1871] 185 -- Part V : July 27, 1871-May 30, [1888] 301 -- Appendix : Publishing History of the Letters 387 -- Index 59

Locking-free two-layer Timoshenko beam element with interlayer slip

A new locking-free strain-based finite element formulation for the numerical treatment of linear static analysis of two-layer planar composite beams with interlayer slip is proposed. In this formulation, the modified principle of virtual work is introduced as a basis for the finite element discretization. The linear kinematic equations are included into the principle by the procedure, similar to that of Lagrangian multipliers. A strain field vector remains the only unknown function to be interpolated in the finite element implementation of the principle. In contrast with some of the displacement-based and mixed finite element formulations of the composite beams with interlayer slip, the present formulation is completely locking-free. Hence, there are no shear and slip locking, poor convergence and stress oscillations in these finite elements. The generalization of the composite beam theory with the consideration of the Timoshenko beam theory for the individual component of a composite beam represents a substantial contribution in the field of analysis of non-slender composite beams with an interlayer slip. An extension of the present formulation to the non-linear material problems is straightforward. As only a few finite elements are needed to describe a composite beam with great precision, the new finite element formulations is perfectly suited for practical calculations. (c) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved

La Suinda Kaaguí (Strix Virgata) habita la región chaqueña

En este trabajo presentamos la primera evidencia concreta de la presencia de la Suinda Kaaguí en el Gran Chaco (ya que no cuenta con registros chaqueños en Argentina, Bolivia ni Paraguay), mencionamos la primera cita para la provincia de Corrientes, y detallamos un registro para Paraguay.Fil: Bodrati, Alejandro. Proyecto Selva de Pino Paraná; ArgentinaFil: Areta, Juan Ignacio. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro de Investigaciones Científicas y Transferencia de Tecnología a la Producción; ArgentinaFil: Cowper Coles, Patricio. Grupo Rescate Silvestre; ArgentinaFil: Meyer, Natalia Cristina. Grupo Rescate Silvestre; ArgentinaFil: Machado, Zulma Mónica. Grupo Rescate Silvestre; Argentin

Expanding the scope of N → S acyl transfer in native peptide sequences

Understanding the factors that influence N → S acyl transfer in native peptide sequences, and discovery of new reagents that facilitate it, will be key to expanding its scope and applicability. Here, through a study of short model peptides in thioester formation and cyclisation reactions, we demonstrate that a wider variety of Xaa-Cys motifs than originally envisaged are capable of undergoing efficient N → S acyl transfer. We present data for the relative rates of thioester formation and cyclisation for a representative set of amino acids, and show how this expanded scope can be applied to the production of the natural protease inhibitor Sunflower Trypsin Inhibitor-1 (SFTI-1)

Experimental and numerical characterization of a mechanical expansion process for thin-walled tubes

Air heat exchangers are made with tubes joined to finned pack. The connection between tubes and fins can be obtained through a mechanical process where an ogive is pushed inside the tube with smaller internal diameter causing its expansion. Residual plastic deformation provides the assembly with the fins. Accurate connection over the whole contact area of the tubes and fins is essential for maximum heat exchange efficiency. The goal of this work is to study and develop a finite element model able to effectively simulate expansion forming, allowing process analysis and, eventually, process optimization. The paper is divided into a first experimental part, where the materials used for the heat exchangers are characterized, and a second numerical part where models have been developed on the basis of the experimental data. The developed models are used to identify the material properties with an inverse method, and then to study the technological process of tube expansion by using a simplified but sufficiently accurate description. The model has proved to be an effective design tool, as it can evaluate the influence of the main parameters on the process and so optimize production according to technological variations