A Computationally Efficient Modeling Code for Sh-Waves in Austenitic Welds Using an Explicit Space-Time Green-Function

For ultrasonic inspection of austenitic welds and cladded components horizontally polarized shear (SH) waves — as generated by electromagnetic acoustic transducers (EMATs) — have certain benefits compared with quasi-vertically polarized shear and quasi-pressure waves. SH-waves suffer the least distortion of all three wave modes when propagated through anisotropic weld material and no energy is lost through mode conversion at the steel/free surface or base metal/weld interfaces. To explain experimentally observed phenomena and to predict the cases where SH-waves might be best employed, modeling of the respective wave propagation effects is useful. In this contribution, a computationally efficient modeling code is presented for SH-waves propagating in transversely isotropic media, thus particularly applicable to ideally fiber-textured austenitic weld material. An explicit space-time domain far-field representation of Green’s dyadic function has been derived with respect to the wave type under concern, the fiber direction being included as a free parameter. The obtained relationships have been applied to the Generalized Point-Source-Synthesis method (GPSS [1,2]) to model radiation, propagation and scattering effects. The code thus improved — SH-GPSS— is characterized by a considerable reduction of computer run-time and is therefore particularly convenient in view of a respective extension to inhomogeneous weldments. Numerical results are presented for both continuous wave and time-dependent rf-impulse modeling for austenitic weld metal specimens, covering field profiles as well as wave front snapshots for a phased array EMAT-probe

Die problematiek verbonde aan die maatskaplike hantering van die gemolesteerde kind

Sexual moleslation is most certainly the phenomenon that evokes most repulsion in society at large, and in the helping professions. Since this phenomenon has been exposed by various sources, it is clear at present that professional institutions or people are still not successfully geared to render a non-fragmented service to the culprit, the victim and their various families. It would appear that, when services are rendered, the various professions involved in the case are not clear with regard to their various roles. Not only does a lack of knowledge exist regarding the phenomenon dealt with, hut also regarding the legal process that is mostly involved in these cases. Almost no identified resource exists in the community which one can approach for help without the emphasis on prosecution. This may enhance the possibility that cases still be kept secret. The question may be asked whether prosecution should be the way to handle sexual molestation, a process during which the involved child cannot he fully protected. Should other forms o f help-rendering not be considered

Computable randomness is about more than probabilities

We introduce a notion of computable randomness for infinite sequences that generalises the classical version in two important ways. First, our definition of computable randomness is associated with imprecise probability models, in the sense that we consider lower expectations (or sets of probabilities) instead of classical 'precise' probabilities. Secondly, instead of binary sequences, we consider sequences whose elements take values in some finite sample space. Interestingly, we find that every sequence is computably random with respect to at least one lower expectation, and that lower expectations that are more informative have fewer computably random sequences. This leads to the intriguing question whether every sequence is computably random with respect to a unique most informative lower expectation. We study this question in some detail and provide a partial answer

Maternal deaths in Bloemfontein, South Africa -1986 - 1992

Objective. Determination of the maternal mortality ratio and the main causes of maternal death.Setting. Pelonomi Hospital, a tertiary care and referral hospital in Bloemfontein.Methods. Review of prospectively completed structured questionnaires on all maternal deaths from 1986 to 1992.Results. The maternal mortality ratio at our institution was 171 per 100000 live births. Haemorrhage (25%), infection (24%) and hypertensive disease (18%) were the most important causes of death. Seventy-one per cent were direct obstetric deaths and 23% indirect; in the remaining 6%, the cause was uncertain. Of all deaths, 35% were considered preventable.Conclusions. The maternal mortality ratio has decreased since our previous report for the period 1980 - 1985, and haemorrhage has replaced infection as the leading cause of death

A novel HIV vaccine adjuvanted by IC31 induces robust and persistent humoral and cellular immunity.

The HIV vaccine strategy that, to date, generated immune protection consisted of a prime-boost regimen using a canarypox vector and an HIV envelope protein with alum, as shown in the RV144 trial. Since the efficacy was weak, and previous HIV vaccine trials designed to generate antibody responses failed, we hypothesized that generation of T cell responses would result in improved protection. Thus, we tested the immunogenicity of a similar envelope-based vaccine using a mouse model, with two modifications: a clade C CN54gp140 HIV envelope protein was adjuvanted by the TLR9 agonist IC31®, and the viral vector was the vaccinia strain NYVAC-CN54 expressing HIV envelope gp120. The use of IC31® facilitated immunoglobulin isotype switching, leading to the production of Env-specific IgG2a, as compared to protein with alum alone. Boosting with NYVAC-CN54 resulted in the generation of more robust Th1 T cell responses. Moreover, gp140 prime with IC31® and alum followed by NYVAC-CN54 boost resulted in the formation and persistence of central and effector memory populations in the spleen and an effector memory population in the gut. Our data suggest that this regimen is promising and could improve the protection rate by eliciting strong and long-lasting humoral and cellular immune responses

A note on the differences of computably enumerable reals

We show that given any non-computable left-c.e. real α there exists a left-c.e. real β such that α≠β+γ for all left-c.e. reals and all right-c.e. reals γ. The proof is non-uniform, the dichotomy being whether the given real α is Martin-Loef random or not. It follows that given any universal machine U, there is another universal machine V such that the halting probability of U is not a translation of the halting probability of V by a left-c.e. real. We do not know if there is a uniform proof of this fact