Cross wedge rolling of a Ti6Al4V (ELI) alloy: the experimental studies and the finite element simulation of the deformation and failure

The cross wedge rolling (CWR) deformation and fracture of a Ti6Al4Al (ELI) alloy were investigated experimentally and numerically using a coupled thermomechanical finite element model analysis. The experimentally determined flow stress and damage model parameters were verified by tension split Hopkinson pressure bar testing of notched samples. The simulation and experimental CWR forces showed well agreements except near the end of the stretching zone. The model analysis showed that the temperature distribution in the work piece was nonuniform during the CWR. When the initial temperature of the work piece was relatively low, the work piece temperature increased, a heating effect of the plastic deformation, while relatively high initial work piece temperatures resulted in cooling the work piece, caused by the work piece contact with the tools. The cracks were shown numerically to initiate in the midsections of the work piece during the guiding action and elongated in a direction normal to the maximum tensile stress triaxiality, resulting in cruciformshaped crack formation, which was well agreed with the previously observed crack shape

Information sharing systems and teamwork between sub-teams: a mathematical modeling perspective

Teamwork contributes to a considerable improvement in quality and quantity of the ultimate outcome. Collaboration and alliance between team members bring a substantial progress for any business. However, it is imperative to acquire an appropriate team since many factors must be considered in this regard. Team size may represent the effectiveness of a team and it is of paramount importance to determine what the ideal team size exactly should be. In addition, information technology increasingly plays a differentiating role in productivity and adopting appropriate information sharing systems may contribute to improvement in efficiency especially in competitive markets when there are numerous producers that compete with each other. The significance of transmitting information to individuals is inevitable to assure an improvement in team performance. In this paper, a model of teamwork and its organizational structure are presented. Furthermore, a mathematical model is proposed in order to characterize a group of sub-teams according to two criteria: team size and information technology. The effect of information technology on performance of team and sub-teams as well as optimum size of those team and sub-teams from a productivity perspective are studied. Moreover, a quantitative sensitivity analysis is presented in order to analyze the interaction between these two factors through a sharing system

How to Use Natriuretic Peptides in Patients with Heart Failure with Non-Reduced Ejection Fraction?

[No abstract available

Discrepancies between clinical and pathological findings seen at renal biopsy in rheumatological diseases

Objective. Renal biopsy contributes to the diagnosis, follow-up, and treatment of many rheumatic conditions. This study assessed the diagnostic role and safety of renal biopsies in a tertiary rheumatology clinic. Methods. Renal biopsies performed between June 2020 and December 2022 were screened, and demographic, clinical, histopathological, and safety data were collected from patient records. Results. In this study, 33 males and 38 females were included. Except for 1 patient who received acetylsalicylic acid, antiaggregant, and/or anticoagulant drugs were stopped before the biopsy. Complications included a decrease of hemoglobin in 8 patients (11.3%) and microscopic hematuria in 40 patients (56.3%). Control ultra-sonography was performed in 16 patients (22.5%), and a self-limiting hematoma was found in 4 of them (5.6%) without additional complications. While less than 10 glomeruli were obtained in 9 patients (9.9%), diagnosis success was 94.4%. Histopathological data were consistent with one of the pre-biopsy diagnoses in 54 of 67 cases (80.6%) but showed discrepancies in 19.4% (n=13) of patients. A repeat biopsy was performed in 7 patients for re-staging or insufficient biopsy. Conclusions. Renal biopsy significantly contributes to rheumatology practice, especially in patients with complex clinical and laboratory findings or in whom different treatments can be given according to the presence, severity, and type of renal involvement. Although the possibility of obtaining insufficient tissue and the need for re-staging and repeat biopsy in the follow-up might be expected, complication risk does not seem to be a big concern. Renal biopsy often evidenced discrepancies between pre-biopsy diagnosis and histopathological findings

Response of Mg Addition on the Dendritic Structures and Mechanical Properties of Hypoeutectic Al-10Si (Wt Pct) Alloys

Rapidly solidified hypoeutectic Al-10Si-xMg (x = 0, 5, 10 wt pct) alloys were produced by the melt-spinning method. The phase composition was identified by X-ray diffractometry, and the microstructures of the alloys were characterized by scanning electron microscopy. The melting characteristics were studied by differential scanning calorimetry and differential thermal analysis under an Ar atmosphere. The mechanical properties of the melt-spun and conventionally solidified alloys were tested by tensile-strength and Vickers microhardness tests. The results illustrate that the cooling rate and solidification time of 89 mu m thick melt-spun ribbon were estimated to be 2.97 x 10(7) K s(-1) and 9.31 x 10(-6) s, respectively. Nanoscale Si spot particles were observed growing on the surface of the dendritic alpha-Al matrix and the average sizes of these spots ranged from 10 to 50 nm. The improvement in the tensile properties and microhardness was related to structural refinement and the supersaturated alpha-Al solid solution; the nanoscale-dispersed Si spot particles made a significant improvement to the mechanical properties of the melt-spun ribbon. Detailed electrical resistivity tests of the ribbons were carried out at temperatures of 300 K to 800 K (27 A degrees C to 527 A degrees C)