Metal-Matrix Composites and Thermal Spray Coatings for Earth Moving Machines

In the ninth quarter, investigations in steel matrix composites focused on characterization of abrasive wear and fracture test coupons in order to gain a better understanding of the material attributes contributing to the observed behavior in each test. Both the wear and fracture work found that the performance of the carbide cermet based composites was significantly affected by the dissolution of the hard particles and the elements added in hopes of discouraging dissolution. both thrusts focused on abrasive wear characterization. In abrasive wear this led to increase matrix hardness which increased wear resistance, however the fracture toughness of the composites were significantly reduced. In contrast, the oxide based composites demonstrated good fracture characteristics and the oxide particles provided superior protection to the high stress gouging wear imparted by pin-abrasion testing. For the thermal spray coating effort, modified coatings and fusing parameters were explored on simulated components. Significant improvements appear to have been achieved, and are demonstrated in the lack of observable cracking in the coatings. The abrasive wear characteristics of these components will be explored in the 10th quarter. An overview of the progress during the 9th quarter of this project is given below. Additional research details are provided in the limited rights appendix to this report

Genetic variation of St. Louis encephalitis virus

St. Louis encephalitis virus (SLEV) has been regularly isolated throughout the Americas since 1933. Previous phylogenetic studies involving 62 isolates have defined seven major lineages (I–VII), further divided into 14 clades. In this study, 28 strains isolated in Texas in 1991 and 2001–2003, and three older, previously unsequenced strains from Jamaica and California were sequenced over the envelope protein gene. The inclusion of these new sequences, and others published since 2001, has allowed better delineation of the previously published SLEV lineages, in particular the clades of lineage II. Phylogenetic analysis of 106 isolates identified 13 clades. All 1991 and 2001–2003 isolates from Nueces, Jefferson and Harris Counties (Texas Gulf Coast) group in clade IIB with other isolates from these counties isolated during the 1980s and 1990s. This lack of evidence for introduction of novel strains into the Texas Gulf Coast over a long period of time is consistent with overwintering of SLEV in this region. Two El Paso isolates, both from 2002, group in clade VA with recent Californian isolates from 1998–2001 and some South American strains with a broad temporal range. Overall, these data are consistent with multiple introductions of SLEV from South America into North America, and provide support for the hypothesis that in most situations, SLEV circulates within a locality, with occasional incursions from other areas. Finally, SLEV has much lower nucleotide (10.1 %) and amino acid variation (2.8 %) than other members of the Japanese encephalitis virus complex (maximum variation 24.6 % nucleotide and 11.8 % amino acid)

Phylogenetic reconstruction of dengue virus type 2 in Colombia

Background: Dengue fever is perhaps the most important viral re-emergent disease especially in tropical and subtropical countries, affecting about 50 million people around the world yearly. In Colombia, dengue virus was first detected in 1971 and still remains as a major public health issue. Although four viral serotypes have been recurrently identified, dengue virus type 2 (DENV-2) has been involved in the most important outbreaks during the last 20 years, including 2010 when the fatality rate highly increased. As there are no major studies reviewing virus origin and genotype distribution in this country, the present study attempts to reconstruct the phylogenetic history of DENV-2 using a sequence analysis from a 224 bp PCR-amplified product corresponding to the carboxyl terminus of the envelope (E) gene from 48 Colombian isolates. Results: As expected, the oldest isolates belonged to the American genotype (subtype V), but the strains collected since 1990 represent the American/Asian genotype (subtype IIIb) as previously reported in different American countries. Interestingly, the introduction of this genotype coincides with the first report of dengue hemorrhagic fever in Colombia at the end of 1989 and the increase of cases during the next years. Conclusion: After replacement of the American genotype, several lineages of American/Asian subtype have rapidly spread all over the country evolving in new clades. Nevertheless, the direct association of these new variants in the raise of lethality rate observed during the last outbreak has to be demonstrated

Proceedings of the 3rd Biennial Conference of the Society for Implementation Research Collaboration (SIRC) 2015: advancing efficient methodologies through community partnerships and team science

It is well documented that the majority of adults, children and families in need of evidence-based behavioral health interventionsi do not receive them [1, 2] and that few robust empirically supported methods for implementing evidence-based practices (EBPs) exist. The Society for Implementation Research Collaboration (SIRC) represents a burgeoning effort to advance the innovation and rigor of implementation research and is uniquely focused on bringing together researchers and stakeholders committed to evaluating the implementation of complex evidence-based behavioral health interventions. Through its diverse activities and membership, SIRC aims to foster the promise of implementation research to better serve the behavioral health needs of the population by identifying rigorous, relevant, and efficient strategies that successfully transfer scientific evidence to clinical knowledge for use in real world settings [3]. SIRC began as a National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)-funded conference series in 2010 (previously titled the “Seattle Implementation Research Conference”; $150,000 USD for 3 conferences in 2011, 2013, and 2015) with the recognition that there were multiple researchers and stakeholdersi working in parallel on innovative implementation science projects in behavioral health, but that formal channels for communicating and collaborating with one another were relatively unavailable. There was a significant need for a forum within which implementation researchers and stakeholders could learn from one another, refine approaches to science and practice, and develop an implementation research agenda using common measures, methods, and research principles to improve both the frequency and quality with which behavioral health treatment implementation is evaluated. SIRC’s membership growth is a testament to this identified need with more than 1000 members from 2011 to the present.ii SIRC’s primary objectives are to: (1) foster communication and collaboration across diverse groups, including implementation researchers, intermediariesi, as well as community stakeholders (SIRC uses the term “EBP champions” for these groups) – and to do so across multiple career levels (e.g., students, early career faculty, established investigators); and (2) enhance and disseminate rigorous measures and methodologies for implementing EBPs and evaluating EBP implementation efforts. These objectives are well aligned with Glasgow and colleagues’ [4] five core tenets deemed critical for advancing implementation science: collaboration, efficiency and speed, rigor and relevance, improved capacity, and cumulative knowledge. SIRC advances these objectives and tenets through in-person conferences, which bring together multidisciplinary implementation researchers and those implementing evidence-based behavioral health interventions in the community to share their work and create professional connections and collaborations

Metal-Matrix Composites and Thermal Spray Coatings for Earth Moving Machines

In the 10th quarter no further work was conducted on the steel matrix composite element of this project. For this element work is effectively complete and all that remains is the composition of the final report. For the thermal spray coating effort, components coated and fused in the previous quarter were subject to high stress abrasive wear testing. Some complications were encountered with the wear testing, but the tests which were completed successfully showed that the coatings provided wear resistance 5x that of the baseline material. Further wear testing is planned for the 11th and final quarter. An overview of the progress during the 10th quarter of this project is given below. Additional research details are provided in the limited rights appendix to this report

Metal-Matrix Composites and Thermal Spray Coatings for Earth Moving Machines

In the 11th quarter, further testing was performed on thermal spray coatings. A component coated and fused in the 9th quarter underwent high-stress abrasive wear testing. The test successfully showed this coating could survive in a high stress, sliding wear environment as the base layer in an FGM design coating. Work on the ferrous metal-matrix composites was completed in previous quarter and therefore no update is provided

Metal-Matrix Composites and Thermal Spray Coatings for Earth Moving Machines

In the eighth quarter, investigations in both thrusts focused on abrasive wear characterization. For the steel matrix composites, various systems were tested at DOE Albany Research Center using wear tests which produced low stress scratching, high stress gouging, and gouging and impact wear. Based on the wear results, it is uncertain as to whether the composites created have sufficient wear resistance to provide a 2x life increase in a selectively reinforced component in all applications. High stress component abrasive wear tests were conducted at Caterpillar on arc lamp processed, thermal sprayed components. Testing showed that in many cases, arc lamp processing parameters and resulting fusion were insufficient to prevent coating spallation. Of those coatings which experienced only limited spallation, wear life improvements approached 2x and it is expected that project goals can be met with additional process modifications. An overview of the progress during the 8th quarter of this project is given below. Additional research details are provided in the limited rights appendix to this report

Metal-Matrix Composites and Thermal Spray Coatings for Earth Moving Machines

In an effort to realize minimum of a 2x increase in wear life of ground engaging components used on mining machines, two potentially cost effective processes were explored for the production of tailored, highly abrasion resistant materials: (1) hybrid pressure casting of steel composites, and (2) arc lamp fusing of thermal spray coatings. Steel composites comprised of cermet or oxide hard particles were successfully produced using pressure casting processes, although a cost effective process has not yet been identified for oxide particles. Both composites achieved project wear targets in high stress gouging wear, but the cermet composites did not meet the targets in impact wear, due to poor matrix toughness resulting from particle dissolution. Oxide composites had superior toughness and are expected to meet impact wear goals. Arc lamp processing of thermal spray coatings was successfully demonstrated to produce a metallurgical bond at the coating interface. Functionally graded materials were developed and successfully fused to allow for the accommodation of thermal process stresses in an intermediate layer. Ultimately, three functionally graded materials were identified as having high stress, three-body abrasion resistance sufficient to exceed project goals

Assessing Community-Based Injury Prevention Services in U.S. Children's Hospitals

Objective: Not-for-profit hospitals are required to meet federal reporting requirements detailing their community benefit activities, which support their tax-exempt status. Children's hospitals have long provided community injury prevention (IP) programming and thus can inform public health outreach work in other areas. This work describes IP programming as a community service offered by children's hospitals in the U.S. Methods: The IP specialist at 232 US-based member institutions of the Children's Hospital Association were invited to complete an assessment of their hospital's IP outreach programming. Results: 47.7 percent of hospitals request financial data from IP programming for tax reporting purposes. Almost all offer injury prevention (IP) services; the majority are in the community (60.3%) and 34.5% are hospital-based. Most IP units are independent (60.3%) and 71.8% are responsible for their own budgets. Conclusions: By integrating dissemination and implementation sciences and community health needs assessments, these findings can help advance community services provided by hospitals to impact public health