Propiedades mecánicas de los hilos de algodón en función de las características de las fibras.

Propiedades mecánicas de los hilos de algodón en función de las características de las fibras.Peer Reviewe

Propiedades mecánicas de los hilos de algodón en función de las características de las fibras.

La primera fase de las investigaciones efectuadas sobre 305 algodones congoleses ha proseguido en el curso de estos últimos años y continua aún actualmente con el único objeto de limitar los errores de medida a valores notablemente inferiores a las variaciones totales de la características a medir. Estos estudios, aplicados a algodones de diversas procedencias, han permitido ligar estadísticamente, con un error de estimación razonable, ciertas características de la fibra a las diversas propiedades de los hilos que se citan a continuación.Peer Reviewe

Propiedades mecánicas de los hilos de algodón en función de las características de las fibras.

Antes de exponer el desarrollo de los estudios efectuados en el laboratorio de Tecnología Textil de la Universidad de Gante, sobre las relaciones entre las características de las fibras de algodón y las propiedades de los hilos, se ha creído conveniente dar unas ideas de cómo nació esta cuestión, cómo ha evolucionado y cuáles son los resultados obtenidos en cierto número de laboratorios importantes. Se tendrá así ocasión, pasando revista a las etapas de esta investigación, de demostrar por qué, a juicio del autor, algunos resultados son engañosos, otros confirmados o invalidados por los trabajos del laboratorio de Gante y cómo estos últimos permiten esperar una mejor comprensión de los fenómenos que rigen la contribución de las fibras a la resistencia y al alargamiento de los hilos.Peer Reviewe

Information literacy self-efficacy within a medical curriculum : research conducted in 2011-2016 at Ghent University

Considering the rapid pace of progress in medicine, the medical profession should definitely be aware of the importance of lifelong learning. Information literacy self-efficacy (ILSE) plays a crucial role in the development of lifelong learning. Therefore, curriculum developers and medical educators need to have a good understanding of ILSE, in order to decide when to integrate specific support and training in their curricula. This PhD dissertation investigates the conditions for an effective training of information literacy skills in the context of an academic medical curriculum. The research analyses the evolution of the ILSE for all medical students at Ghent University (Belgium) from 2011-2016. To evaluate medical students’ ILSE, the research aimed at developing a validated and usable measurement tool: an ILSE scale to be used in a medical curriculum. An existing standardized scale (ILSES) was enriched with ten specific medical items and validated within a 6-year medical curriculum. The new scale, the Information Literacy Self-Efficacy Scale for Medicine (ILSES-M), consists of 5 subscales labelled as: ‘Evaluating and Processing Information’; ‘Medical Information Literacy Skills’; ‘Searching and Finding Information’, ‘Using the Library’ and ‘Bibliography’, all well-defined information literacy skills. To investigate the effectiveness of the ILSES-M, the scale was tested on a longitudinal basis (to measure the development of medical students’ ILSE), and in a specific educational case (integrated information literacy course in the first year) pre-and post-intervention ILSE scores were analysed. In both cases, the ILSES-M appeared to be a reliable tool, e.g. for formulating recommendations to integrate information literacy training in the curriculum. This research recommends a vertical integration of information literacy into medical curricula: a continuous development of information literacy skills throughout the programme, by activating and stimulating the actual use of these skills. Different implementations are clearly needed to enhance students’ learning. The longitudinal study shows that when there is no real use of the skills, the ILSE decreases. Pre- and post-interventions show that integrating a ‘search-report’ increases the development of ILSE and that adding a peer review is positive for the ILSE in relation to the medical information literacy skills. In general, student’s ILSE increases overall in more recent academic years. The development towards more specialised information literacy skills prove to influence students’ awareness and thus self-efficacy. Furthermore, training and guidance need to be integrated at appropriate times and should be adapted at the level of information literacy skills appropriate in the learning process

The impact of different lenses on visual and musculoskeletal complaints in VDU workers with work-related neck complaints : a randomized controlled trial

Objectives: The impact of wearing lenses on visual and musculoskeletal complaints in VDU workers is currently unknown. The goal of this study was 1) to evaluate the impact of wearing VDU lenses on visual fatigue and self-reported neck pain and disability, compared to progressive lenses, and 2) to measure the effect of both lenses on head inclination and pressure pain thresholds during the performance of a VDU task. Methods: Thirty-five eligible subjects were randomly assigned to wear progressive VDU lenses (VDU group) (n = 18) or progressive lenses (P group) (n = 17). They were enquired about visual complaints (VFQ), self-perceived pain (NRS) and disability (NDI) at baseline (with old lenses), and 1 week, 3 months and 6 months after wearing their new lenses. In addition, Forward Head Angle (FHA) and PPTs were assessed during and after a VDU task before and 6 months after wearing the new lenses. A short questionnaire concerning the satisfaction about the study lenses was completed at the end of the study. Results: In both groups, visual fatigue and neck pain was decreased at 3 and 6 months follow up, compared to baseline. All PPTs were higher during the second VDU task, independent of the type of lenses. The VDU group reported a significantly higher suitability of the lenses for VDU work. Conclusion: It can be concluded that there is little difference in effect of the different lenses on visual and musculoskeletal comfort. Lenses should be adjusted to the task-specific needs and habits of the participant

Feature extraction of the wear label of carpets by using a novel 3D scanner

In the textile industry, the quality of carpets is still determined through visual assessment by human experts. Human assessment is somewhat subjective, so there is a need for a more objective assessment which yields to automated systems. However, existing computer models are at this moment not yet capable of matching the human expertise. Most attempts at automated assessment have focused on image analysis of two dimensional images of worn carpet. These do not adequately capture the three dimensional structure of the carpet that is also evaluated by the experts and the image processing is very dependent on the lighting conditions. One previous attempt however used a laser scanner to obtain three dimensional images of the carpet and process them for carpet assessment. This paper describes the development of a new scanner to acquire wear label characteristics in three dimensions based on a structured light pattern. Now an appropriate technique based on the local binary patterns (LBP) and the Kullback-Leibler divergence has been developed. We show that the new laser scanning system is less dependent on the lighting conditions and color of the carpet and obtains data points on a structured grid instead of sparse points. The new system is also more than five times cheaper, scans more than seven times faster and is specifically designed for scanning carpets instead of 3D objects. Previous attempts to classify the carpet wear were based on several extracted features. Only one of them - the height difference between worn and unworn part - showed a good correlation of 0.70 with the carpet wear label. However, experiments demonstrate that our approach - using the LBP technique - gives rise to promising results, with correlation factors from 0.89 to 0.99 between the Kullback-Leibler divergence and quality labels. This new laser scanner system is a significant step forward in the automated assessment of carpet wear using 3D images