Evolution of the interface structure of bonded Si wafers after high temperature annealing

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The effect of a startle-based warning, age, sex, and secondary task on takeover actions in critical autonomous driving scenarios

Introduction: In highly autonomous driving scenarios, it is critical to identify strategies to accelerate reaction times since drivers may take too long to take over control of the vehicle. Previous studies reported that an Acoustic Startling Pre-Stimulus (ASPS, i.e., a loud warning preceding an action) accelerated reaction times in simple ankle flexion exercises.Methods: In this study, we examined if an ASPS warning leads to shorter takeover reaction times in a sled-simulated evasive swerving maneuver. Twenty-eight participants (seven male adults, seven male teenagers, seven female adults, and seven female teenagers) were instructed to align a marker on the steering wheel with a marker on a lateral post as fast as they could as soon as the lateral sled perturbation (0.75 g) started. Four conditions were examined: with and without an ASPS (105 dB, played 250 ms before sled perturbation for 40 ms), and with and without a secondary task (i.e., texting). A catch trial (ASPS only) was used to minimize anticipation. Human kinematics were captured with an 8-camera 3D motion capture system.Results: Results showed that the drivers’ hands lifted towards the steering wheel more quickly with the ASPS (169 ± 55 ms) than without (194 ± 46 ms; p = 0.01), and that adult drivers touched the steering wheel quicker with the ASPS (435 ± 54 ms) than without (470 ± 33 ms; p = 0.01). Similar findings were not observed for the teen drivers. Additionally, female drivers were found to lift their hands towards the steering wheel faster than male drivers (166 ± 58 ms vs. 199 ± 36 ms; p = 0.009).Discussion: Our findings suggest that the ASPS may be beneficial to accelerate driver reaction times during the initiation of a correction maneuver, and that autonomous vehicle warnings may need to be tailored to the age and sex of the driver

North American Nurses' and Doulas' Views of Each Other

Objective: To analyze factors that lead nurses and doulas to have positive views of each other. Design: A multivariate analysis of a cross-sectional survey, the Maternity Support Survey. Setting: Online survey with labor and delivery nurses, doulas, and childbirth educators in the United States and Canada. Participants: A convenience sample of 704 labor and delivery nurses and 1,470 doulas. Methods: Multiple regression analysis was used to examine five sets of hypotheses about nurses' and doulas' attitudes toward each other. Scales of nurses' attitudes toward doulas and doulas' attitudes toward nurses included beliefs that nurses/doulas enhance communication, are collaborative team members, enhance a woman's birth experience, interfere with the ability to provide care, or interfere with relationships with the women for whom they care. Results: For nurses, exposure to doulas in their primary hospitals was associated with more positive views, whereas working more hours, feeling overworked, and a preference for clinical tasks over labor support were associated with more negative views of doulas. For doulas, working primarily in one hospital and certification were associated with more positive views of nurses. Nurses with more positive attitudes toward common obstetric practices had more negative attitudes toward doulas, whereas doulas with more positive attitudes toward common obstetric practices had more positive attitudes toward nurses. Conclusion: Our findings show factors that influence mutual understanding and appreciation of nurses and doulas for each other. These factors can be influenced by educational efforts to improve interprofessional collaboration between these maternity care support roles.Available online 10 September 2016; 12 month embargo.This item from the UA Faculty Publications collection is made available by the University of Arizona with support from the University of Arizona Libraries. If you have questions, please contact us at [email protected]

Performance Limitations of mc-Si Solar Cells Caused by Defect Clusters: Preprint

This paper presents a combination of numerical and experimental methods used to characterize defect clusters in multicrystalline silicon solar cells

Evaluation of Pediatric ATD Biofidelity as Compared to Child Volunteers in Low-Speed Far-Side Oblique and Lateral Impacts

<div><p><b>Objective:</b> Motor vehicle crashes are a leading cause of injury and mortality for children. Mitigation of these injuries requires biofidelic anthropomorphic test devices (ATDs) to design and evaluate automotive safety systems. Effective countermeasures exist for frontal and near-side impacts but are limited for far-side impacts. Consequently, far-side impacts represent increased injury and mortality rates compared to frontal impacts. Thus, the objective of this study was to evaluate the biofidelity of the Hybrid III and Q-series pediatric ATDs in low-speed far-side impacts, with and without shoulder belt pretightening.</p><p><b>Methods:</b> Low-speed (2 <i>g</i>) far-side oblique (60°) and lateral (90°) sled tests were conducted using the Hybrid III and Q-series 6- and 10-year-old ATDs. ATDs were restrained by a lap and shoulder belt equipped with a precrash belt pretightener. Photoreflective targets were attached to the head, spine, shoulders, and sternum. ATDs were exposed to 8 low-speed sled tests: 2 oblique nontightened, 2 oblique pretightened, 2 lateral nontightened, 2 lateral pretightened. ATDs were compared with previously collected 9- to 11-year-old (<i>n</i> = 10) volunteer data and newly collected 6- to 8-year-old volunteer data (<i>n</i> = 7) tested with similar methods. Kinematic data were collected from a 3D target tracking system. Metrics of comparison included excursion, seat belt and seat pan reaction loads, belt-to-torso angle, and shoulder belt slip-out.</p><p><b>Results:</b> The ATDs exhibited increased lateral excursion of the head top, C4, and T1 as well as increased downward excursion of the head top compared to the volunteers. Volunteers exhibited greater forward excursion than the ATDs in oblique nontightened impacts. These kinematics correspond to increased shoulder belt slip-out for the ATDs in oblique tests (ATDs = 90%; volunteers = 36%). Contrarily, similar shoulder belt slip-out was observed between ATDs and volunteers in lateral impacts (ATDs = 80%; volunteers = 78%). In pretightened impacts, the ATDs exhibited reduced lateral excursion and torso roll-out angle compared to the volunteers.</p><p><b>Conclusions:</b> In general, the ATDs overestimated lateral excursion in both impact directions, while underestimating forward excursion of the head and neck in oblique impacts compared to the pediatric volunteers. This was primarily due to pendulum-like lateral bending of the entire ATD torso compared to translation of the thorax relative to the abdomen prior to the lateral bending of the upper torso in the volunteers, likely due to the multisegmented spinal column in the volunteers. Additionally, the effect of belt pretightening on occupant kinematics was greater for the ATDs than the volunteers.</p></div