Finish machining of hardened gears wheels using cubic boron nitride (CBN) inserts

The paper presents some results of investigation of finish machining of hardened bearing surfaces of cylindrical gear wheels. Finish machining has been performed with wedges of defined geometry made of CBN. The presented investigation results are related mainly to the wear processes of the cutting wedges. Additional results of quality examination of finish machined gear wheels have been presented, too

Aktuelle Wege und Trends der Personalentwicklung, Rekrutierung und Nachfolgeplanung

Der demographische Wandel und der prognostizierte Fachkräftemangel stellen an die betrieblichen Akteure der Stahlindustrie in Deutschland hinsichtlich der Gewinnung und Bindung von Fach- und Führungskräften besondere Anforderungen. Gerade guter Personalarbeit kommt dabei eine besondere Bedeutung zu. So gilt es den sich in Zukunft abzeichnenden Verlust von Erfahrungswissen zu vermeiden, Wissenstransfer zu ermöglichen und durch innovative Rekrutierungs- und Ausbildungsmodelle die Nachwuchsförderung für Fach- und Führungskräfte sicherzustellen. Personalentwicklung muss einen Beitrag dazu leisten, die Mitarbeiterinnen und Mitarbeiter mit all den Fähigkeiten und Kompetenzen auszustatten, die erfolgreiches Arbeiten ermöglichen. Qualifizierung und zielgerichtete Entwicklung spielen dabei eine zentrale Rolle. Vor diesem Hintergrund wurde bei der Hans Böckler Stiftung ein Fachausschuss gegründet, mit dem Ziel, die Themenfelder Rekrutierung, Personalentwicklung und Nachfolgeplanung mit all den herausgefilterten Problem- und Fragestellungen systematisch zu bearbeiten, sich innerhalb der in Deutschland produzierenden Stahlunternehmen untereinander auszutauschen, Beispiele guter Personalarbeit kennen zu lernen und zu dokumentieren, aber auch den Blick über die deutsche Stahlindustrie hinaus nach außen zu richten, um auch von anderen Branchen und Unternehmen gute Anregungen zu erhalten.Der Fachausschuss setzt sich aus Personalverantwortlichen nahezu aller großen in Deutschland vertretenen Stahlunternehmen zusammen, wie etwa Thys-senKrupp Steel Europe AG, Salzgitter AG, Deutsche Edelstahlwerke, TK Rasselstein und Dillinger Hütte, ThyssenKrupp Nirosta, Acelor Mittal Duisburg, Georgs-marienhütte GmbH, Mannstaedt GmbH.Geleitet wurde die Arbeit des Fachausschusses von Martina Neuhäuser, Leiterin Führungskräfte und Personalentwicklung bei der Salzgitter Flachstahl GmbH, der größten Tochter der Salzgitter AG

A standardized comparison of peri-operative complications after minimally invasive esophagectomy: Ivor Lewis versus McKeown.

BACKGROUND: While our institutional approach to esophageal resection for cancer has traditionally favored a minimally invasive (MI) 3-hole, McKeown esophagectomy (MIE 3-hole) during the last five years several factors has determined a shift in our practice with an increasing number of minimally invasive Ivor Lewis (MIE IL) resections being performed. We compared peri-operative outcomes of the two procedures, hypothesizing that MIE IL would be less morbid in the peri-operative setting compared to MIE 3-hole. METHODS: Our institution\u27s IRB-approved esophageal database was queried to identify all patients who underwent totally MI esophagectomy (MIE IL vs. MIE 3-hole) from June 2011 to May 2016. Patient demographics, preoperative and peri-operative data, as well as post-operative complications were compared between the two groups. Post-operative complications were analyzed using the Clavien-Dindo classification system. RESULTS: There were 110 patients who underwent totally MI esophagectomy (MIE IL n = 49 [45%], MIE 3-hole n = 61 [55%]). The majority of patients were men (n = 91, 83%) with a median age of 62.5 (range 31-83). Preoperative risk stratifiers such as ECOG score, ASA, and Charlson Comorbidity Index were not significantly different between groups. Anastomotic leak rate was 2.0% in the MIE IL group compared to 6.6% in the MIE 3-hole group (p = 0.379). The rate of serious (Clavien-Dindo 3, 4, or 5) post-operative complications was significantly less in the MIE IL group (34.7 vs. 59.0%, p = 0.013). Serious pulmonary complications were not significantly different (16.3 vs. 26.2%, p = 0.251) between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: In this cohort, totally MIE IL showed significantly less severe peri-operative morbidity than MIE 3-hole, but similar rates of serious pulmonary complications and anastomotic leaks. These findings confirm the safety of minimally invasive Ivor Lewis esophagectomies for esophageal cancer when oncologically and clinically appropriate. Minimally invasive McKeown esophagectomy remains a satisfactory and appropriate option when clinically indicated

How to study basement membrane stiffness as a biophysical trigger in prostate cancer and other age-related pathologies or metabolic diseases

Here we describe a protocol that can be used to study the biophysical microenvironment related to increased thickness and stiffness of the basement membrane (BM) during age-related pathologies and metabolic disorders (e.g. cancer, diabetes, microvascular disease, retinopathy, nephropathy and neuropathy). The premise of the model is non-enzymatic crosslinking of reconstituted BM (rBM) matrix by treatment with glycolaldehyde (GLA) to promote advanced glycation endproduct (AGE) generation via the Maillard reaction. Examples of laboratory techniques that can be used to confirm AGE generation, non-enzymatic crosslinking and increased stiffness in GLA treated rBM are outlined. These include preparation of native rBM (treated with phosphate-buffered saline, PBS) and stiff rBM (treated with GLA) for determination of: its AGE content by photometric analysis and immunofluorescent microscopy, its non-enzymatic crosslinking by ((sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis)) (SDS PAGE) as well as confocal microscopy, and its increased stiffness using rheometry. The procedure described here can be used to increase the rigidity (elastic moduli, E) of rBM up to 3.2-fold, consistent with measurements made in healthy versus diseased human prostate tissue. To recreate the biophysical microenvironment associated with the aging and diseased prostate gland three prostate cell types were introduced on to native rBM and stiff rBM: RWPE-1, prostate epithelial cells (PECs) derived from a normal prostate gland; BPH-1, PECs derived from a prostate gland affected by benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH); and PC3, metastatic cells derived from a secondary bone tumor originating from prostate cancer. Multiple parameters can be measured, including the size, shape and invasive characteristics of the 3D glandular acini formed by RWPE-1 and BPH-1 on native versus stiff rBM, and average cell length, migratory velocity and persistence of cell movement of 3D spheroids formed by PC3 cells under the same conditions. Cell signaling pathways and the subcellular localization of proteins can also be assessed

Rotational speed control of multirotor UAV's propulsion unit based on fractional-order PI controller

In this paper the synthesis of a rotational speed closed-loop control system based on a fractional-order proportional-integral (FOPI) controller is presented. In particular, it is proposed the use of the SCoMR-FOPI procedure as the controller tuning method for an unmanned aerial vehicle’s propulsion unit. In this framework, both the Hermite-Biehler and Pontryagin theorems are used to predefine a stability region for the controller. Several simulations were conducted in order to try to answer the questions – is the FOPI controller good enough to be an alternative to more complex FOPID controllers? In what circumstances can it be advantageous over the ubiquitous PID? How robust this fractional-order controller is regarding the parametric uncertainty of considered propulsion unit model?info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Treeborg

Treball desenvolupat dins el marc del programa 'European Project Semester' i l'"International Design Project Semester".The aim of this report is to present the work of the Treeborg team over the time of the European Project Semester (EPS), on the project of analysing the possibility of implementing the electrical device in the tree that would be powered by the energy coming from the nature. Firstly, the report begins with an introduction where the aim and purpose of the report are stated. The main companies involved in the project are introduced and their main goals. Secondly, it describes the method of harvesting the energy from the process of photosynthesis. BIOO’s technology is explained and their solution for a natural source of energy is investigated. Next, the advantages and disadvantages of implementing the device inside and outside the tree are pointed out and the comparison between them is conducted. The final conclusion is that in the further part of the report only the internal implementation is considered. The electronical part of the project is presented as following. Each part of the electronic module is developed and explained. All components of the device are described and depicted. Also, the final code of the device is shown. In the further part of the report, the implementation into the tree is described and the methodology. The least harmful way had to be chosen to guarantee that the tree will survive the operation. The possible impact on the tree is also considered. As the main part of the report, the design of the device is elaborated. Starting with the initial concepts that were created at the beginning of the semester, to the final selection that is thoroughly described and depicted. Both internal and external parts are presented. At the end, possible improvements and the material to be used are described. The problems faced with time limitation and technical aspects are mentioned. Also, the possibilities for the future are described. The possibility of using the device in a smart city is justified and the other uses of the idea are presented. Moreover, the improved electronic system is described. As one of the last points, the marketing strategy is considered. The basic profile of the customer is created and the market analysis is conducted. The basic cost calculation is made and displayed in a form of a table. The afterlife of the device and possible business partners are also considered. Lastly, the discussion on the project itself is made and finishes with final conclusions

Evaluation of neurotherapy for a patient with chronic impaired self-awareness and secondary ADHD after severe TBI and long term coma using event-related potentials

We examined the effectiveness of neurotherapy for chronic, impaired self-awareness and secondary ADHD (SADHD) diagnosed in the patient after severe TBI. We hypothesized a good response to relative beta training. Patient A.A., age 30, after severe TBI and long-term coma, suffered from chronic, impaired self-awareness and SADHD, manifesting two years post trauma. Only slight progress was made after behavioral training. The patient took part in a neurotherapy program consisting of 40 sessions of relative beta training. We used standardized neuropsychological testing, as well as ERPs before and after the completion of neurotherapy. At baseline, A.A. showed an excess of relative mu-rhythm, possibly associated with ADHD (alpha subtype); decreased beta generated centrally, indicating hyperactivation of the central medial cortical area and possibly associated with anxiety; and a decreased visual-related component, an indicator of TBI. There was no significant improvement of the P300 NOGO component after the conclusion of the neurotherapy program. However, as hypothesized, she showed improvements in cognitive parameters, especially attention, memory and executive function, including remission of the impaired self-awareness and SADHD. The patient finished her studies and has now started working. A neurofeedback program using relative beta-theta training produced slight physiological changes in our TBI patient, but major cognitive and behavioral changes, including reduced impaired self-awareness and SADHD. ERPs can be used to assess SADHD and functional brain changes induced by neurotherapy, but has limited application for interpreting the brain mechanism of chronic, impaired self-awareness after severe TBI and long term coma

Stochastic Particle Barcoding for Single-Cell Tracking and Multiparametric Analysis

This study presents stochastic particle barcoding (SPB), a method for tracking cell identity across bioanalytical platforms. In this approach, single cells or small collections of cells are co-encapsulated within an enzymatically-degradable hydrogel block along with a random collection of fluorescent beads, whose number, color, and position encode the identity of the cell, enabling samples to be transferred in bulk between single-cell assay platforms without losing the identity of individual cells. The application of SPB is demonstrated for transferring cells from a subnanoliter protein secretion/phenotyping array platform into a microtiter plate, with re-identification accuracies in the plate assay of 96±2%. Encapsulated cells are recovered by digesting the hydrogel, allowing subsequent genotyping and phenotyping of cell lysates. Finally, a model scaling is developed to illustrate how different parameters affect the accuracy of SPB and to motivate scaling of the method to thousands of unique blocks.Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT and HarvardNational Cancer Institute (U.S.) (Koch Institute Support (Core) Grant P30-CA14051)National Institutes of Health (U.S.). Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (1F32CA180586

Development of a skin-on-a-chip platform for the study of wound healing

Wound healing abnormalities and non-healing chronic wounds are a major clinical problem, primarily affecting diabetic and elderly patients. Wound management associated costs resulted in a £5.3 billion financial burden to the NHS between 2012 and 2013. These serious medical states are being recognised as mortal disease, with the fatality rates often higher than those of common cancers. Half of all patients undergoing chronic-wound associated amputation related to diabetes are expected to die within 5 years. The current chronic wound treatments are inadequate, and more sophisticated models are needed to advance this field, leading to better therapies. The aim of this work was to design, manufacture, and test a microfluidic device that would address the need for a physiologically accurate model of wound healing with improved assay lifespan, when compared to the classical static models. Here we present a new microfluidic device optimised for maintaining human skin samples for prolonged period of time, and wound healing analysis. Briefly, full thickness human skin explant samples were cultured on custom-made microfluidic devices, and in static culture. The skin samples were collected at the end of the culture period, fixed, sectioned and either stained using fluorescent TUNEL assay to analyse the tissue apoptosis, or using IHC, for K6 and K14 to study tissue architecture. Wound healing outcome was measured using wound samples wholemount-stained for K1 and K14. FACS analysis was performed on digested samples to study the immunological profile in the cultured samples. The final version of the skin-on-a-chip device (V4.0) was found to be successful at prolonging tissue survival. After the seven day culture period, four-fold decrease in the epidermal apoptotic cell death (1.4% apoptosis for the on-chip sample vs. 6.1% for the static control), and two-fold decrease in the dermal apoptosis (4.1% cell death in the flow-chip samples vs. 8.3% in the static controls) were observed. Day 7 samples maintained on the V4.0 device significantly outperformed the static control samples (p = 0.007). Furthermore, the average dermal cell death for the control samples collected on day 14 was 38.1% whilst the on-chip samples exhibited dermal cell death averaging 8.3%. V4.0 samples contain significantly less apoptotic cells in the dermal section when compared to the static controls on day 14 (p = 0.0433675). The improved tissue viability makes the model more suitable for prolonged culture experiments. Next, it was observed that the wound area is reducing in size over the period of seven days, in both cases of the V4.0 samples and the control samples. The on-chip samples yield reduced wound perimeter when compared to the static controls from the same day. the culture method has a very significant influence on the wound size (f(1) = 75.684, p=5.61x10-6). Interestingly, the same analysis showed that the culture method does have a greater impact on the wound closure that the assay day (f(2) = 24.615, p = 0.012). The on-chip samples produced a significantly different smaller wounds on day seven of the assay than the control static culture samples (p = 0.012). In addition, the overall theme seen from the FACS data demonstrated that the wounded skin samples cultured on the V4.0 microfluidic devices yielded higher levels of immune cells than the static control samples collected on the corresponding days. Overall, The V4.0 device allowed for an increased number of cells to be collected on day seven in every single marker group, apart from in the CD56+ CD3+ group, where the levels dropped more in the V4.0 samples than in the control samples. The same relationship was noted on day three. This indicates that maintaining samples on the V4.0 device helps to improve the immune cell retention, making the microfluidic model’s immune microenvironment more comparable to the real human skin microenvironment

On cubic-line arrangements with simple singularities

In the present note we study combinatorial and algebraic properties of cubic-line arrangements in the complex projective plane admitting nodes, ordinary triple and $A_{5}$ singular points. We deliver a Hirzebruch-type inequality for such arrangement and we study the freeness of such arrangements providing an almost complete classification.Comment: 8 pages, comments welcom