On the microstructure and mechanical properties of an Fe-10Ni-7Mn martensitic steel processed by high-pressure torsion.

High-pressure torsion (HPT) processing was applied to an Fe-10Ni-7Mn (wt.%) martensitic steel at room temperature and the grain size was reduced from an initial value of ~5.5 μm to an ultrafine value of ~185 nm for the ferritic phase and around 30 nm for the austenitic phase after 20 HPT turns. The microstructure and mechanical properties of the as-processed material were evaluated using X-ray diffraction (XRD), electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), microhardness measurements and tensile testing. In addition, annealing of an as-processed specimen was analyzed by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The results show that HPT processing increases the hardness and ultimate tensile strength to ~690 Hv and ~2230 MPa, respectively, but the ductility is decreased from ~16.5% initially to ~6.4% and ~3.1% after 10 and 20 turns, respectively. The hardness distributions and EBSD images show that a reasonably homogeneous microstructure is formed when applying a sufficient level of pressure and torsional strain. The DSC results demonstrate that processing by HPT reduces the start and finish temperatures of the reverse transformation of martensite to austenite and there is continuous re-crystallization after the recovery process

Risk profiles and one-year outcomes of patients with newly diagnosed atrial fibrillation in India: Insights from the GARFIELD-AF Registry.

BACKGROUND: The Global Anticoagulant Registry in the FIELD-Atrial Fibrillation (GARFIELD-AF) is an ongoing prospective noninterventional registry, which is providing important information on the baseline characteristics, treatment patterns, and 1-year outcomes in patients with newly diagnosed non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF). This report describes data from Indian patients recruited in this registry. METHODS AND RESULTS: A total of 52,014 patients with newly diagnosed AF were enrolled globally; of these, 1388 patients were recruited from 26 sites within India (2012-2016). In India, the mean age was 65.8 years at diagnosis of NVAF. Hypertension was the most prevalent risk factor for AF, present in 68.5% of patients from India and in 76.3% of patients globally (P < 0.001). Diabetes and coronary artery disease (CAD) were prevalent in 36.2% and 28.1% of patients as compared with global prevalence of 22.2% and 21.6%, respectively (P < 0.001 for both). Antiplatelet therapy was the most common antithrombotic treatment in India. With increasing stroke risk, however, patients were more likely to receive oral anticoagulant therapy [mainly vitamin K antagonist (VKA)], but average international normalized ratio (INR) was lower among Indian patients [median INR value 1.6 (interquartile range {IQR}: 1.3-2.3) versus 2.3 (IQR 1.8-2.8) (P < 0.001)]. Compared with other countries, patients from India had markedly higher rates of all-cause mortality [7.68 per 100 person-years (95% confidence interval 6.32-9.35) vs 4.34 (4.16-4.53), P < 0.0001], while rates of stroke/systemic embolism and major bleeding were lower after 1 year of follow-up. CONCLUSION: Compared to previously published registries from India, the GARFIELD-AF registry describes clinical profiles and outcomes in Indian patients with AF of a different etiology. The registry data show that compared to the rest of the world, Indian AF patients are younger in age and have more diabetes and CAD. Patients with a higher stroke risk are more likely to receive anticoagulation therapy with VKA but are underdosed compared with the global average in the GARFIELD-AF. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION-URL: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT01090362

Noise from neighbours and the sound insulation of party walls in houses

SIGLELD:2277.48(BRE-IP--13/82) / BLDSC - British Library Document Supply CentreGBUnited Kingdo

Novelty-based Fitness: An Evaluation under the Santa Fe Trail ∗

We present an empirical analysis of the effects of incorporating noveltybased fitness (phenotypic behavioral diversity) into Genetic Programming with respect to training, test and generalization performance. Three novelty-based approaches are considered: novelty comparison against a finite archive of behavioral archetypes, novelty comparison against all previously seen behaviors, and a simple linear combination of the first method with a standard fitness measure. Performance is evaluated on the Santa Fe Trail, a well known GP benchmark selected for its deceptiveness and established generalization test procedures. Results are compared to a standard quality-based fitness function (count of food eaten). Ultimately, the quality style objective provided better overall performance, however, solutions identified under novelty based fitness functions generally provided much better test performance than their corresponding training performance. This is interpreted as representing a requirement for layered learning / symbiosis when assuming novelty based fitness functions in order to more quickly achieve the integration of diverse behaviors into a single cohesive strategy.

The blast behaviour of fiber reinforced thermoplastic laminates

This article presents the results of a series of blast tests on a carbon fiber-reinforced poly-ether-imide (PEI) and a glass fiber-reinforced PEI composite. Initially, the fracture properties of the two composite systems were characterized through a series of flexural and interlaminar fracture tests. Blast testing was then undertaken on a ballistic pendulum facility, capable of measuring the impulse imparted by the plastic explosive. Delamination, localized fiber buckling, fiber fracture, and shear failure at the boundary of the clamped plates were identified as the primary failure mechanisms in the laminates, with their severity depending on the panel thickness and the applied impulse. Delamination was very localized along the center plane of the laminate, a reflection of the very high interlaminar fracture toughness of these composites. The critical impulse for rear surface fiber fracture has been found to increase rapidly with laminate thickness for the range of panels considered here. The impulses associated with the onset of rear-surface fiber fracture and complete failure of the target were similar, suggesting that rear surface fiber fracture is a pre-cursor to complete failure in these laminates. Limited tests on the glass fiber-reinforced PEI system showed that it offers a superior blast resistance to its carbon fiber counterpart