Artificial intelligence and its importance

Artificial intelligence (AI) technology is presented and discussed in the paper. The main advantages of AI systems, neural networks, and machines are also introduced alongside the AI technology landscape. The statistics and predictions about the future developments of AI are also mentioned

Instrumented Prototypes

Full scale prototyping can be expensive and time consuming. Virtual prototypes reduce costs and time but often cannot be relied on for full scale production. Instrumented SFF prototypes update virtual prototypes, reducing cycle times and costs for full scale production. Both single and multi-layer access, two different methods for embedding sensors, are investigated at the University of Texas at Austin. Sensors are first embedded in a simulated SLS process to determine if embedding off the shelf sensors is feasible. Foil strain gages are then embedded into cantilever beams using multi-layer techniques. Both foil strain gages and bead type thermocouples are also embedded using single layer techniques. The results of the single layer tests will be used to construct a proof-of-concept prototype for single layer embedding.Mechanical Engineerin

Initiation and evolution of phase separation in heteroepitaxial InAlAs films

We have investigated the initiation and evolution of phase separation in heteroepitaxial InAlAs films. In misfit-free InAlAs layers, cross-sectional scanning tunneling microscopy (XSTM) reveals the presence of isotropic nanometer-sized clusters. For lattice-mismatched InAlAs layers with 1.2% misfit, quasiperiodic contrast modulations perpendicular to the growth direction are apparent. Interestingly, these lateral modulations are apparently initiated within the first few bilayers of film growth, and both the amplitude and wavelength of the modulations increase with film thickness. The saturation value of the modulation wavelength determined from XSTM coincides with the lateral superlattice period determined from (002) x-ray reciprocal space maps, suggesting that the lateral modulation wavelength represents a periodic composition variation. Together, these results suggest that phase separation in the heteroepitaxial InAlAs thin-film system is a misfit-driven kinetic process initiated by random compositional nonuniformities, which later develop into coupled compositional and surface morphological variations. © 2002 American Institute of Physics.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/69359/2/APPLAB-80-18-3292-1.pd

Correlation of morphology and electrical conduction in nanostructured perylene pigment films

Surface morphology and electrical conduction in laser beam deposited perylene based thin films were investigated. It is found that the peak-to-peak value of the surface relief significantly increases with an increase of the substrate temperature at the deposition. Measuring of electrical properties by cyclic thermal desorption method shows that the hopping conductivity mechanism is realized in the films. The conductivity is intrinsic or impurity depending on the concentration of the adsorbed oxygen

Electrical and Luminescence Properties of a Poly(amidoamine) Dendrimer Containing Naphthalimide

The electrical and luminescence properties of a poly(amidoamine) (PAMAM) dendrimer containing naphthalimide are investigated. The influence of adsorbed oxygen on the electrical conductivity of thermally evaporated organic films is analyzed using cyclic thermal desorption. The results obtained are interpreted within a model of two-level hopping electron transfer according to which one of the two systems of energy levels corresponds to intrinsic states of electrons in PAMAM molecules and the other system is associated with the states of electrons in adsorbed oxygen molecules. The use of the cyclic thermal desorption method in combination with the proposed model makes it possible to estimate the localization length of electrons numerically and to determine the states involved in hopping electron transfer. It is demonstrated that the studied compound in the solid state possesses a high luminescence power over a wide spectral range

Influence of the ocean surface temperature and sea ice concentration on regional climate changes in Eurasia in recent decades

Numerical experiments with the ECHAM5 atmospheric general circulation model have been performed in order to simulate the influence of changes in the ocean surface temperature (OST) and sea ice concentration (SIC) on climate characteristics in regions of Eurasia. The sensitivity of winter and summer climates to OST and SIC variations in 1998-2006 has been investigated and compared to those in 1968-1976. These two intervals correspond to the maximum and minimum of the Atlantic Long-Period Oscillation (ALO) index. Apart from the experiments on changes in the OST and SIC global fields, the experiments on OST anomalies only in the North Atlantic and SIC anomalies in the Arctic for the specified periods have been analyzed. It is established that temperature variations in Western Europe are explained by OST and SIC variations fairly well, whereas the warmings in Eastern Europe and Western Siberia, according to model experiments, are substantially (by a factor of 2-3) smaller than according to observational data. Winter changes in the temperature regime in continental regions are controlled mainly by atmospheric circulation anomalies. The model, on the whole, reproduces the empirical structure of changes in the winter field of surface pressure, in particular, the pressure decrease in the Caspian region; however, it substantially (approximately by three times) underestimates the range of changes. Summer temperature variations in the model are characterized by a higher statistical significance than winter ones. The analysis of the sensitivity of the climate in Western Europe to SIC variations alone in the Arctic is an important result of the experiments performed. It is established that the SIC decrease and a strong warming over the Barents Sea in the winter period leads to a cooling over vast regions of the northern part of Eurasia and increases the probability of anomalously cold January months by two times and more (for regions in Western Siberia). This effect is caused by the formation of the increased-pressure region with a center over the southern boundary of the Barents Sea during the SIC decrease and an anomalous advection of cold air masses from the northeast. This result indicates that, to estimate the ALO actions (as well as other long-scale climatic variability modes) on the climate of Eurasia, it is basically important to take into account (or correctly reproduce) Arctic sea ice changes in experiments with climatic models

Antiinflammatory Therapy with Canakinumab for Atherosclerotic Disease

Background: Experimental and clinical data suggest that reducing inflammation without affecting lipid levels may reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. Yet, the inflammatory hypothesis of atherothrombosis has remained unproved. Methods: We conducted a randomized, double-blind trial of canakinumab, a therapeutic monoclonal antibody targeting interleukin-1β, involving 10,061 patients with previous myocardial infarction and a high-sensitivity C-reactive protein level of 2 mg or more per liter. The trial compared three doses of canakinumab (50 mg, 150 mg, and 300 mg, administered subcutaneously every 3 months) with placebo. The primary efficacy end point was nonfatal myocardial infarction, nonfatal stroke, or cardiovascular death. RESULTS: At 48 months, the median reduction from baseline in the high-sensitivity C-reactive protein level was 26 percentage points greater in the group that received the 50-mg dose of canakinumab, 37 percentage points greater in the 150-mg group, and 41 percentage points greater in the 300-mg group than in the placebo group. Canakinumab did not reduce lipid levels from baseline. At a median follow-up of 3.7 years, the incidence rate for the primary end point was 4.50 events per 100 person-years in the placebo group, 4.11 events per 100 person-years in the 50-mg group, 3.86 events per 100 person-years in the 150-mg group, and 3.90 events per 100 person-years in the 300-mg group. The hazard ratios as compared with placebo were as follows: in the 50-mg group, 0.93 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.80 to 1.07; P = 0.30); in the 150-mg group, 0.85 (95% CI, 0.74 to 0.98; P = 0.021); and in the 300-mg group, 0.86 (95% CI, 0.75 to 0.99; P = 0.031). The 150-mg dose, but not the other doses, met the prespecified multiplicity-adjusted threshold for statistical significance for the primary end point and the secondary end point that additionally included hospitalization for unstable angina that led to urgent revascularization (hazard ratio vs. placebo, 0.83; 95% CI, 0.73 to 0.95; P = 0.005). Canakinumab was associated with a higher incidence of fatal infection than was placebo. There was no significant difference in all-cause mortality (hazard ratio for all canakinumab doses vs. placebo, 0.94; 95% CI, 0.83 to 1.06; P = 0.31). Conclusions: Antiinflammatory therapy targeting the interleukin-1β innate immunity pathway with canakinumab at a dose of 150 mg every 3 months led to a significantly lower rate of recurrent cardiovascular events than placebo, independent of lipid-level lowering. (Funded by Novartis; CANTOS ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT01327846.

Improved functionalization of oleic acid-coated iron oxide nanoparticles for biomedical applications

Superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles can providemultiple benefits for biomedical applications in aqueous environments such asmagnetic separation or magnetic resonance imaging. To increase the colloidal stability and allow subsequent reactions, the introduction of hydrophilic functional groups onto the particles’ surface is essential. During this process, the original coating is exchanged by preferably covalently bonded ligands such as trialkoxysilanes. The duration of the silane exchange reaction, which commonly takes more than 24 h, is an important drawback for this approach. In this paper, we present a novel method, which introduces ultrasonication as an energy source to dramatically accelerate this process, resulting in high-quality waterdispersible nanoparticles around 10 nmin size. To prove the generic character, different functional groups were introduced on the surface including polyethylene glycol chains, carboxylic acid, amine, and thiol groups. Their colloidal stability in various aqueous buffer solutions as well as human plasma and serum was investigated to allow implementation in biomedical and sensing applications.status: publishe

A Statistical Model of Laser Surface Finishing Using Design of Experiments and ANOVA

In previous work, laser polishing indirect-SLS metal parts was achieved using a Nd:YAG laser raster scanned at high speed. This work showed surface roughness could effectively be reduced by means of shallow surface melting. Surface area roughness data, Ra, was obtained by line profilometry measurements of the polished samples according to a modified procedure based on the ASME standard for surface texture measurements. A Design of Experiments (DOE) was conducted to better understand the effects of processing parameters such as laser beam power, scan time, and scan line density on the surface roughness. The DOE consisted of a multi-level test for each variable and included one replicate. ANOVA was used to determine the significance of each variable and the interactions between variables. Three reduced order models were derived, but large variations in absorptivity in the experiment resulted in large errors and inaccurate models. The data did show the average reduction in roughness over all the trails was about 20%, however several trials resulted in roughness reductions of over 50%. Future work will concentrate on reducing the absorptivity noise to produce more accurate models.The Laboratory of Freeform Fabrication gratefully acknowledges the support of the Office of Naval Research for funding the project ìSurface Engineering for SFF Processesî, Grant Nº: N00014-00-1-0334.Mechanical Engineerin