Molecular Simulation Study on the Influence of the Scratching Velocity on Nanoscopic Contact Processes

The influence of the scratching velocity on mechanical and thermal properties of a nanoscopic contact process was studied by molecular dynamics simulations. Simulations with different scratching velocities were conducted in dry and lubricated systems. The contact process consisted of a lateral scratching of a spherical indenter on a planar substrate. All molecular interactions were described by the Lennard-Jones truncated and shifted potential. The forces on the indenter, the coefficient of friction and the work done by the indenter as well as the power applied on the indenter were sampled. Furthermore, an analysis of thermal properties was conducted: The change of the energy of the substrate, the indenter and the fluid was evaluated and the local temperature field was determined. The forces, the coefficient of friction and the work done by the indenter show practically no influence of the scratching velocity. The work done by the indenter was found to be the same for all velocities. As a consequence, the power supplied to the system depends linearly on the scratching velocity, which affects the temperature of the contact zone. As expected, the presence of a lubricant reduces the temperature of the substrate in the vicinity of the contact

Correlation of signal intensity ratio on orbital MRI-TIRM and clinical activity score as a possible predictor of therapy response in Graves' orbitopathy--a pilot study at 1.5 T

INTRODUCTION: This study seeks to describe the predictive value of the signal intensity ratio (SIR) in magnetic resonance imaging-turbo inversion recovery magnitude (MRI-TIRM) in patients with Graves' orbitopathy (GO) with regard to predictability of therapy response. METHODS: Included in this prospective pilot study were 36 consecutive patients with GO and 25 control subjects. Patients were clinically assessed according to the European Group on Graves' Orbitopathy recommendations with active GO defined by a clinical activity score (CAS) < or = 3. On magnetic resonance (MR) imaging, muscle inflammation was measured with a region of interest set within the brightest extra-ocular muscle both on coronal turbo inversion recovery magnitude (TIRM) and on fat suppressed gadolinium-enhanced T1-weighted sequences. To calculate the SIR, the measured signal intensity was set in proportion to that of the ipsilateral temporalis muscle. RESULTS: Signal intensity ratio in coronal T2-weighted TIRM sequences in either group ranged from 1.22 to 4.92 (mean 2.04) in patients with GO and from 1.18 to 2.4 (mean 1.63) in controls without GO. The observed differences were significant on the TIRM sequences (right eye p = 0.023; left eye p = 0.022), whereas, no significant differences could be detected on the T1-weighted sequences (right eye p = 0.396; left eye p = 0.498). A cut off value of SIR < 2.5 for a CAS < or = 4 to discriminate active from inactive patients was statistically calculated. CONCLUSION: T2 relaxation time is a reliable tool in detecting active GO. The difference in T2-SIR versus T1-SIR is helpful to distinguish inflammatory oedema of the extra ocular muscles from intra-orbital congestion due to reduced venous outflow

Increased core body temperature in astronauts during long-duration space missions

Humans’ core body temperature (CBT) is strictly controlled within a narrow range. Various studies dealt with the impact of physical activity, clothing, and environmental factors on CBT regulation under terrestrial conditions. However, the effects of weightlessness on human thermoregulation are not well understood. Specifically, studies, investigating the effects of long-duration spaceflight on CBT at rest and during exercise are clearly lacking. We here show that during exercise CBT rises higher and faster in space than on Earth. Moreover, we observed for the first time a sustained increased astronauts’ CBT also under resting conditions. This increase of about 1 °C developed gradually over 2.5 months and was associated with augmented concentrations of interleukin-1 receptor antagonist, a key anti-inflammatory protein. Since even minor increases in CBT can impair physical and cognitive performance, both findings have a considerable impact on astronauts’ health and well-being during future long-term spaceflights. Moreover, our findings also pinpoint crucial physiological challenges for spacefaring civilizations, and raise questions about the assumption of a thermoregulatory set point in humans, and our evolutionary ability to adapt to climate changes on Earth

Coating of Ultra-Small Micro End Mills: Analysis of Performance and Suitability of Eight Different Hard-Coatings

Due to the constant need for better functionalized surfaces or smaller, function integrated components, precise and efficient manufacturing processes have to be established. Micro milling with micro end mills is one of the most promising processes for this task as it combines a high geometric flexibility in a wide range of machinable materials with low set-up costs. A downside of this process is the wear of the micro end mills. Due to size effects and the relatively low cutting speed, the cutting edge is especially subjected to massive abrasive wear. One possibility to minimize this wear is coating of micro end mills. This research paper describes the performance of eight different hard coatings for micro end mills with a diameter &lt;40 µm and discusses some properties for the best performing coating type. With this research, it is therefore possible to boost the possibilities of micro milling for the manufacture of next generation products