Asymmetric Cuts In The Contour Method For Residual Stress Measurement

The standard contour method is limited to sectioning test components into two symmetric halves. In this study a new approach is developed to deal with asymmetric cuts in the contour method of residual stress measurement. The proposed approach is demonstrated using finite element (FE) simulations and is validated experimentally using a series of asymmetric contour cuts and neutron diffraction measurements

Segmenting Critical Factors for Enhancing the use of IT in Humanitarian Supply Chain Management

AbstractThis study intends to explore and segment the critical factors (CFs) to enhance the use of Information Technology (IT) in Humanitarian Supply Chain (HSC), particularly in the Indian context. In this study, ten influencing factors has been identified through an extensive literature review and expert opinion. A structural model and cause–effect relationship diagram was developed using decision-making trial and evaluation laboratory (DEMATEL) method for the identification of CFs. The present study adopt a comprehensive and rigorous procedure to identify six CFs namely, top management support, Government support, feedback mechanism to facilitate learning from prior experiences, transparent and accountable supply chain, strategic planning, and mutual learning with other commercial organizations (COs). The developed framework provides a simple, effective and efficient way to enhance the utilization of IT in HSC and in large to improve the competencies and performance of HSC

Myrica esculenta Buch.-Ham. ex D. Don: A natural source for health promotion and disease preventdion

Myrica esculenta (Myricaceae) is a popular medicinal plant most commonly found in the sub-tropical Himalayas. It is widely used in folk medicine to treat several ailments such as asthma, cough, chronic bronchitis, ulcers, inflammation, anemia, fever, diarrhea, and ear, nose, and throat disorders. Due to its multidimensional pharmacological and therapeutic effects, it is well recognized in the ayurvedic pharmacopeia. However, the recent upsurge in M. esculenta use and demand has led to illicit harvesting by the horticultural trade and habitat loss, pushing the plant to the brink of extinction. Thus, the present review aims to provide updated information on M. esculenta botany, ethnomedicinal uses, phytochemistry, pharmacological effects, toxicity, and conservation methods, as well as also highlight prospective for future research. Particular emphasis is also given to its antioxidant potential in health promotion. In-depth literature was probed by searching several sources via online databases, texts, websites, and thesis. About 57 compounds were isolated and identified from M. esculenta, and the available reports on physicochemical parameters, nutritional and high-performance thin-layer chromatography analysis of bioactive plant parts are portrayed in a comparative manner. Friendly holistic conservation approaches offered by plant biotechnology applications, such as micropropagation, germplasm preservation, synthetic seed production, and hairy root technologies are also discussed. Nonetheless, further studies are needed to propose the mechanistic role of crude extracts and other bioactives, and even to explore the structure–function relationship of active components.Authors are thankful to A.P. Singh, Dean RIC, I. K. Gujral Punjab Technical University and members of sta_ in the department of RIC, I. K. Gujral Punjab Technical University for support and encouragement in this work. N. Martins would like to thank the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT-Portugal) for the Strategic project ref. UID/BIM/04293/2013 and “NORTE2020 - Northern Regional Operational Program” (NORTE-01-0145-FEDER-000012)

Phytochemical composition, antioxidant, and antimicrobial attributes of different solvent extracts from myrica esculenta buch.-ham. ex. d. don leaves

Background: Plant diversity is a basic source of food and medicine for local Himalayan communities. The current study was designed to assess the effect of different solvents (methanol, ethyl acetate, and water) on the phenolic profile, and the corresponding biological activity was studied. Methods: Antioxidant activity was investigated using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2¿-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic) acid (ABTS) assay, while the antimicrobial activity was evaluated by disk diffusion method using various bacterial and fungal strains. Results: The outcomes demonstrated that methanol acted as the most effective solvent for polyphenols extraction, as strengthened by the liquid chromatography and mass spectroscopy (LC-MS) and fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis. M. esculenta methanol extract showed the highest DPPH and ABTS radical scavenger antioxidant activity with IC50 values of 39.29 µg/mL and 52.83 µg/mL, respectively, while the ethyl acetate and aqueous extracts revealed minimum antioxidant potential. Methanol extract also revealed higher phenolic content, 88.94 ± 0.24 mg of equivalent gallic acid (GAE)/g), measured by the Folin–Ciocalteu method, while the minimum content was recorded for aqueous extract (62.38 ± 0.14 GAE/g). The highest flavonoid content was observed for methanol extract, 67.44 ± 0.14 mg quercetin equivalent (QE)/g) measured by an aluminum chloride colorimetric method, while the lowest content was recorded for aqueous extract (35.77 ± 0.14 QE/g). Antimicrobial activity findings also reveal that the methanol extract led to a higher inhibition zone against bacterial and fungal strains. FTIR analysis reveals the presence of various functional groups, viz. alkenes, amines, carboxylic acids, amides, esters, alcohols, phenols, ketones, carboxylic acids, and aromatic compounds. This FTIR analysis could serve as a basis for the authentication of M. esculenta extracts for future industrial applications. Compounds identified by LC-MS analysis were gallic acid, myricanol, myricanone, epigallocatechin 3-O-gallate, ß-sitosterol, quercetin, p-coumaric acid, palmitic acid, n-pentadecanol, n-octadecanol, stigmasterol, oleanolic acid, n-hexadecanol, cis-ß-caryophyllene, lupeol, and myresculoside. Conclusion: This study suggests that the methanolic extract from M. esculenta leaves has strong antioxidant potential and could be a significant source of natural antioxidants and antimicrobials for functional foods formulation.Authors are thankful to A.P. Singh, Dean RIC, I.K. Gujral Punjab Technical University and members of staff in the department of RIC, I.K. Gujral Punjab Technical University for support and encouragement in this work. N. Martins would like to thank the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT-Portugal) for the Strategic project ref. UID/BIM/04293/2013 and “NORTE2020—Northern Regional Operational Program” (NORTE-01-0145-FEDER-000012)

Barriers to Information and Digital Technologies Adoption in Humanitarian Supply Chain Management : A Fuzzy AHP Approach

Peer reviewedPostprin

Arrested States formed on Quenching Spin Chains with Competing Interactions and Conserved Dynamics

We study the effects of rapidly cooling to T = 0 a spin chain with conserved dynamics and competing interactions. Depending on the degree of competition, the system is found to get arrested in different kinds of metastable states. The most interesting of these has an inhomogeneous mixture of interspersed active and quiescent regions. In this state, the steady-state autocorrelation function decays as a stretched exponential $\sim \exp(-{(t/\tau_{o})}^{{1}\over{3}})$, and there is a two-step relaxation to equilibrium when the temperature is raised slightly.Comment: 4 pages, Latex, 3 postscript figures. Phys. Rev. E to appear (1999

Control of residual stress and distortion in aluminium wire + arc additive manufacture with rolling

The aluminium alloy wire 2319 is commonly used for Wire + Arc Additive Manufacturing (WAAM). It is oversaturated with copper, like other alloys of the precipitation hardening 2### series, which are used for structural applications in aviation. Residual stress and distortion are one of the biggest challanges in metal additive manufacturing, however this topic is not widely investigated for aluminium alloys. Neutron diffraction measurements showed that the as-built component can contain constant tensile residual stresses along the height of the wall, which can reach the materials' yield strength. These stresses cause bending distortion after unclamping the part from the build platform. Two different rolling techniques were used to control residual stress and distortion. Vertical rolling was applied inter-pass on top of the wall to deform each layer after its deposition. This technique virtually elimiated the distortion, but produced a characteristic residual stress profile. Side rolling instead was applied on the side surface of the wall, after it has been completed. This technique was even more effective and even inverted the distortion. An interesting observation from the neutron diffraction measurements of the stress-free reference was the significantly larger FCC aluminium unit cell dimension in the inter-pass rolled walls as compared to the as-build condition. This is a result of less copper in solid solution with aluminium, indicating greater precipitation and thus, potentially contibuting to improve the strenght of the material

Measurement of strain evolution in overloaded roller bearings using time-of-flight neutron diffraction

Neutron diffraction is an established method for non-destructively characterising residual stress or observing in situ strain during external stimuli. Neutron based stroboscopic techniques have previously been introduced for measuring strains undergoing cyclic processes but have not been used for tribological applications. This work presents a novel approach for measuring the evolution of radial strain in a rotating bearing through part of the component's lifetime. A cylindrical roller bearing was pre-overloaded to increase the probability of damage within a reasonable experimental time and to help develop further understanding of the influence such events have on bearing life, notably for the application of wind turbine gearbox bearing failure. The stroboscopic neutron diffraction technique was successful in measuring time-resolved contact strain, with a significant increase in compressive radial strain being observed after a suspected failure had been detected using condition monitoring techniques, implemented for validating damage propagation. Cyclic contact strains associated with rolling contact fatigue were also evaluated using neutron diffraction

Understanding behavioural intention to use information technology: Insights from humanitarian practitioners

The contemporary research in the area of individual technology adoption mainly focuses on commercial supply chains. However, limited research focuses on the context of humanitarian supply chains. This calls to develop structural models that can scrutinize the technology adoption behaviour of the users in the humanitarian context. Therefore, this study is an attempt to empirically examine the technology adoption behaviour of humanitarian organizations. It extends the unified theory of the acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT) model by integrating personal innovativeness and trust in technology with the behavioural intention to adopt technology in the humanitarian context. Data from 192 humanitarian practitioners, who have experienced a large number of disasters, is utilized to empirically validate the conceptual model. The structural equation modelling results show that - out of four constructs namely performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence and facilitating conditions under UTAUT - performance expectancy and effort expectancy significantly affect the IT adoption. Contrary to expectations, trust and personal innovation do not affect the behavioural intention. Also, personal innovation does not moderate the relationship between performance expectancy and effort expectancy. This underlines the need to foster a learning culture within these organizations. The efforts made by involved humanitarian organizations may be directed towards improving the level of education, skills and facilitating them with other resources such as appropriate IT and data mining training, so that the technology adoption becomes an integral part of their daily activities. Finally, detailed implications for humanitarian organizations are discussed