Shear deformation of amorphous and nanocrystalline copper microstructures via atomistic simulation

Thesis (S.B.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, 2007.Includes bibliographical references (p. 24).In the well-known Hall-Petch behavior, yield and flow stresses in polycrystalline metals increase with a decrease in grain size. As grain size continues to decrease, mechanical strength peaks. As grain size further decreases, mechanical strength begins to decrease. As grain size approaches zero, the total structure is composed of an increasingly high percentage of grain boundaries, which exhibit the properties of an amorphous structure. Molecular dynamics simulations, with the goal of exploring this behavior, were performed on nanocrystalline and amorphous microstructures using the embedded atom potential developed by Mishin et al. A 0.2 shear strain was applied to each of the nanocrystalline and amorphous samples. From these simulations, we have observed the inverse Hall-Petch behavior of nanocrystalline structures. We have also shown that the amorphous structure as zero grain size is reasonable as the limiting case for the inverse Hall-Petch trends in nanocrystalline structures.by David R. Gandy.S.B

MS 017 Guide to Joe R. Gandy, MD Papers (1929-1973)

The Joe R. Gandy, MD papers contain correspondance, programs, manuscripts, research, news releases, news clippings, and recording transcripts from his research into railroad medicine and his career as a surgeon. See more at MS 017

Variations in pre-analytical FFPE sample processing and bioinformatics: challenges for next generation molecular diagnostic testing in clinical pathology

Advances in cellular pathology techniques will improve diagnostic medicine. However, such improvements have to overcome many challenges including variations in pre-analytical sample processing, bioinformatics data analysis and clinical interpretation of data. In order to resolve such challenges, bioinformatics needs to become more tightly coupled to the experimental methodology development

‘Our voice started off as a whisper and now it is a great big roar’ : The Salford Dementia Associate Panel as a model of involvement in research activities

This paper presents the work of the ‘Salford Dementia Associate Panel’, based at the Salford Institute for Dementia, Salford University (UK). We discuss the roles of the Dementia Associates, in particular around the areas of engagement and research. The panel is made up of people living with dementia, and current and former care partners. It highlights the development of this group over a four-year period and demonstrates over time how the role of a Dementia Associate member has evolved. The panel is involved in research, education and public engagement activities conducted by staff and students within the Institute. The motivations for becoming involved are clearly articulated and demonstrate how the personal backgrounds of individuals have driven the collective involvement and desire to bring about change. The benefits and challenges associated with working as part of a panel are discussed. We conclude by bringing together our experiences as a set of suggestions for others who may wish to create a similar forum to promote the involvement of people living with dementia and former and current care partners

An Acid-Bath Technique to Break Seed Dormancy in Common Sunflower, Helianthus L. annuus (Asteraceae)

The phenomenon of seed dormancy is widespread in plants and serves to prevent all or most of a given population from germinating at the “wrong” time, e.g., during an unusually mild fall in an area subject to typically harsh winters. Seed dormancy is an effective survival strategy in many plant populations, but may greatly complicate efforts to establish large cohorts of seedlings (groups of similar age or developmental stage) needed for re-search and other purposes. In an effort to break seed dormancy in common sunflower, Helianthus annuus L. (Asteraceae), we conducted experiments designed to compare germination times and overall germination success among groups of field-collected H. annuus seeds subjected to several treatments. Overall germination success during a 14-d period posttreatment was lowest among untreated controls and groups soaked in a disinfecting solution for 15-h (1.2% and 2.6% germination, respectively;

Randomized, parallel-group, double-blind, controlled study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of carbohydrate-derived fulvic acid in topical treatment of eczema

controlled study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of carbohydrate-derived fulvic acid in topical treatment of eczem

Business information requirements for the performance management of aseptic dispensing in the national health service

The purpose of this research is to determine the information to be collected for aseptic dispensing in NHS hospitals, and its use for management and business purposes in relation to capacity, demand, performance and efficiency. Mixed methodologies were adopted on an exploratory basis. Qualitative methods included: regular expert input; workshops; out-turn questionnaires; Affinity Analysis; surveys; and structured interviews. Quantitative methods included: activity data surveys; targeted surveys; and Delphi methods. The research systematised the collection and collation of the required data and determined novel ways of analysing and manipulating it to aid decision-making. These were used to evaluate the impact of major capital investment and variations in practices between different parts of the country. A benchmarking approach should be applied in utilising the data and statistical indicators. Nomenclature issues can influence data quality. Therefore clear, unambiguous guidance was developed for data collection. Existing pharmaceutical information systems will be the main sources of the data for the foreseeable future. The research focused on the North West of England, with successful application in the West Midlands. Its transferability to non-NHS and foreign hospitals is inferred, as long as similar operational arrangements apply. The research enables: the measurement of progress towards implementing the Breckenridge (1996) recommendations; the evaluation of performance for aseptic production and usage to inform capacity planning; and the presentation of the degree of collaboration between hospitals. The research addresses the absence of set data for an important hospital support service, and applies relevant lessons from other fields and industries. It enables a systematic approach to capacity planning and performance evaluation, at a time when the contribution of the service to support clinical governance is being fully recognised

The precautions of clinical waste: disposable medical sharps in the United Kingdom

This article deals with recent changes in UK guidance on clinical waste, in particular a shift to disposable, single-use instruments and sharps. I use interviews conducted with nurses from a GP practice and two clinical waste managers at alternative treatment and incineration sites as a springboard for reflection on the relationship between the legislation on clinical waste management and its implementation. Scrutinizing the UK guidance, European legislation and World Health Organization principles, I draw out interviewees’ concerns that the changed practices lead to an expansion of the hazardous waste category, with an increased volume going to incineration. This raises questions regarding the regulations’ environmental and health effects, and regarding the precautionary approach embedded in the regulations. Tracing the diverse reverberations of the term ‘waste’ in different points along the journeys made by sharps in particular, and locating these questions in relation to existing literature on waste, I emphasize that public health rationales for the new practices are not made clear in the guidance. I suggest that this relative silence on the subject conceals both the uncertainties regarding the necessity for these means of managing the risks of infectious waste, and the tensions between policies of precautionary public health and environmental sustainability