Advantages of Compound S-scan over Sectorial Scan or E-scan: A Case Study

Within PAUT, inspectors have the option to apply various scanning techniques for performing weld inspections according to their configurations. These include the sectorial scan (S-scan) or a fixed-angle electronic scan (E-scan), or a combination of both called a compound S-scan. Compound S-scan, introduced around 2015 (Magruder 2016), has not been much explored, as not enough data can be extracted from the available resources to determine its effectiveness for inspection. Therefore, the author has taken a specific interest in studying this technique by comparing the available PAUT scanning techniques and providing options for selecting the most appropriate scanning techniques for the intended applications. For this purpose, a 25 mm thick welder qualification test plate with natural defects (verified by RT) was studied.

Overexpressed Integrin Alpha 2 Inhibits the Activation of the Transforming Growth Factor β Pathway in Pancreatic Cancer via the TFCP2-SMAD2 Axis

BackgroundIntegrin alpha 2 (ITGA2) has been recently reported to be an oncogene and to play crucial roles in tumor cell proliferation, invasion, metastasis, and angiogenesis. Our previous study showed that ITGA2 was overexpressed in pancreatic cancer and promoted its progression. However, the mechanism of ITGA2 overexpression and other mechanisms for promoting the progression of pancreatic cancer are still unclear. MethodsThe GEPIA database was used to confirm the expression of ITGA2 in pancreatic cancer. To verify the influence of ITGA2 and TGF-β on the morphological changes of pancreatic cancer and tumor cell progression, we conduct CCK8 test, plate cloning, flow cytometry experiments and animal experiments. Then we conduct Western blot, RT-qPCR to explore the relationship between ITGA2 and TGF-β, and then find the key molecules which can regulate them by immunoprecipitation, Western blot, RT-qPCR, CHIP, nuclear and cytoplasmic separation test.ResultsThe results of the present study show that the abnormal activation of KRAS induced the overexpression of ITGA2 in pancreatic cancer. Moreover, ITGA2 expression significantly suppressed the activation of the TGF-β pathway. ITGA2 silencing enhanced the anti-pancreatic cancer proliferation and tumor growth effects of TGF-β. Mechanistically, ITGA2 expression suppressed the activation of the TGF-β pathway by inhibiting the SMAD2 expression transcriptionally. In addition, it interacted with and inhibited the nuclear translocation of TFCP2, which induced the SMAD2 expression as a transcription factor. Furthermore, TFCP2 also induced ITGA2 expression as a transcription factor, and the TFCP2 feedback regulated the ITGA2-TFCP2-SMAD2 pathway. ConclusionTaken together, our results indicate that ITGA2 expression inhibited the activation of the TGF-β pathway in pancreatic cancer via the TFCP2-SMAD2 axis. Therefore, especially when combined with TGF-β treatment, ITGA2 might be a potential clinical therapeutic target for pancreatic cancer.

Effect of Crack Orientation on Laminated CFRP Composites Using Vibration and Numerical Analysis

Crack orientation, a critical parameter, significantly affects the dynamic properties of composite structures. Experimental free vibration tests were conducted on carbon fiber–reinforced polymer (CFRP) composite plates at room temperature with different crack orientations. Dynamic properties such as damping ratio, natural frequency, and storage modulus were measured using a four-channel dynamic pulse analyzer. Multi-sensors were mounted on the test plate to pick up the vibration signals. Experimental modal analysis was performed to identify the first three mode shapes of the defective plates. A numerical model using ANSYS software was developed via parametric investigation to predict the correlation between crack orientation and resonant frequencies with corresponding mode shapes. The orientation of the introduced cracks had a significant effect on the dynamic properties of CFRP composites. Vertical cracks had the most significant influence on the eigenvalues of the mode shape frequencies. Furthermore, the damping ratio was an effective method to detect the cracks in CFRP composites.

Chemichal Quality and Microbiology of Village Chicken Meat with Infusation Treatmnet of Soursop Leaf (Annona Muricata Lin)

Chicken meat is one of the foodstuffs that have high nutritional value because it contains carbohydrates, proteins, fats, minerals and other substances that are beneficial to the body. Chicken meat is very high risk in terms of bacterial contamination, this study aims to determine the treatment of soaking native chicken meat in soursop leaf infusion on chemical and microbiological quality. This method uses a completely randomized design (CRD). The data obtained were analyzed statistically using Analysis Of Variance (ANOVA). If there is a significant significant difference between treatments, the test is continued with Duncan Multiple Range (DMRT). Parameters observed in this study include phenol test, total plate count test, and bacterial inhibition zone test. The results showed the chemical and microbiological quality of free-range chicken meat by soaking soursop leaf infusion for one hour and different storage times, namely the difference was not significant (P<0.1) in the phenol test, the difference was very significant (P<0.01) in the total test. plate count, and non-significant (P>0.1) in the bacterial inhibition zone test. The results showed a very significant difference in the total plate count test due to contamination during research or storage.

High Spatial-Resolution Digital Phase-Stepping Shearography

Digital phase-stepping shearography is a speckle interferometric technique that uses laser speckles to generate the phase map of the displacement derivatives of a stressed object, and hence can map the stresses of a deformed object directly. Conventional digital phase-stepping shearography relies on the use of video cameras of relatively lower resolution, in the order of 5 megapixels or lower, operating at a video rate. In the present work, we propose a novel method of performing high spatial resolution phase stepping shearography. This method uses a 24 megapixel still digital imaging device (DSLR camera) and a Michelson-type shearing arrangement with an edge-clamped, center-loaded plate. Different phase-stepping algorithms were used, and all successfully generated shearograms. The system enabled extremely high-resolution phase maps to be generated from relatively large deformations applied to the test plate. Quantitative comparison of the maximum achieved spatial resolution is made with the video-rate cameras used in conventional shearography. By switching from conventional (video) imaging methods to still imaging methods, significantly higher spatial resolution (by about 5 times) can be achieved in actual phase-stepping shearography, which is of great usefulness in industrial non-destructive testing (NDT).

Study on the antifungal effect and mycolytic activity of the biocontrol agent Chaetomium subaffine LB-1

The antifungal effect and mucolytic activity of a newly screened biocontrol strain Chaetomium subaffine LB-1 were researched in this study. The results found that LB-1 has good antifungal effects on the test plant pathogenic fungi Botrytis cinerea Pers. ex Fr., Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cucumerinum Owen and Alternaria solani (Ellis &amp; Martin) Sorauer in dual culture assay, with the inhibition rates of 61.39, 50.34 and 51.22%, respectively. Flocculated and dissolved hyphae of the phytopathogenic fungi were observed at the interaction zone on a dual-cultured PDA plate, but the hyphae of LB-1 were normal. The LB-1 cell-free filtrate has significant inhibitory effects on the three tested fungi in the poison plate assay; dissolved colonies, vesiculated and flocculated hyphae of the test pathogenic fungi were also found on the PDA plates supplemented with the LB-1 cell-free filtrate. Clear halo zones around the LB-1 colonies were found on the protease test plate, pectinase test plate and cellulose test plate, indicating that LB-1 could produce mucolytic enzymes of protease, pectinase and cellulase. However, the activities of chitinase and β-l,3-glucase were not detected on their test plates from LB-1. An obvious oil-displaced circle was formed in the oil spreading test, indicating that a surface-active substance might be contained in the LB-1 cell-free filtrate. These results proved that the biocontrol agent of C. subaffine LB-1 could exert its antifungal effects via living competition and mycolysis, and the latter may be obtained by production of mycolytic enzymes and surface-active substances. .

Skeleton Tracking Accuracy and Precision Evaluation of Kinect V1, Kinect V2, and the Azure Kinect

The Azure Kinect, the successor of Kinect v1 and Kinect v2, is a depth sensor. In this paper we evaluate the skeleton tracking abilities of the new sensor, namely accuracy and precision (repeatability). Firstly, we state the technical features of all three sensors, since we want to put the new Azure Kinect in the context of its previous versions. Then, we present the experimental results of general accuracy and precision obtained by measuring a plate mounted to a robotic manipulator end effector which was moved along the depth axis of each sensor and compare them. In the second experiment, we mounted a human-sized figurine to the end effector and placed it in the same positions as the test plate. Positions were located 400 mm from each other. In each position, we measured relative accuracy and precision (repeatability) of the detected figurine body joints. We compared the results and concluded that the Azure Kinect surpasses its discontinued predecessors, both in accuracy and precision. It is a suitable sensor for human–robot interaction, body-motion analysis, and other gesture-based applications. Our analysis serves as a pilot study for future HMI (human–machine interaction) designs and applications using the new Kinect Azure and puts it in the context of its successful predecessors.

Optimization of Electron Beam Welding Joint of Water-Cooled Ceramic Breeder Blanket

The water-cooled ceramic breeder (WCCB) blanket is a component of the China Fusion Engineering Test Reactor (CFETR). The Reduced Activation Ferrite/Martensite (RAFM) steels are the preferred structural materials for WCCB blanket. As a kind of RAFM steels, China low activation martensitic (CLAM) steel was welded by electron beam welding (EBW), and then quenched-tempered treatment was carried out. The results show that at the welding state, the welding seam was composed of large martensite and δ ferrite and the organization of the heat-affected zone (HAZ) was changed slightly with the different heat input. Moreover, the hardness of welded joints was higher than that of base material (BM), but the impact toughness was very low. After quenched-tempered treatment, the δ ferrite in the weld was eliminated, the residual stress of the test plate decreased as a whole, and the mechanical properties were improved significantly.

Study of Wall Static Pressure Distribution on Flat Surface by Impinging Submerged Jet from Non-circular Orifice

The distribution of wall static and stagnation (CP and CPO) pressure coefficient on a flat rectangular element by impinging air jet from the hexagonal orifice is obtained from experimentation. The past research studies helped to identify key parameters such as orifice geometry, jet exit-to-plate-distance (Z/dj), test section inclination (θ), jet Reynold number (Re), lateral distance-to-jet diameter (X/dj), test surface type and geometry, for better and acceptable results. The experimental outcome helps to know the effect of identified key parameters on wall static and stagnation pressure on a rectangular test plate in a confined flow path. The independent nature of wall static pressure is observed for all jet Reynold number (10000 ≤ Re ≤ 50000). Higher pressure coefficient values were observed at lower Z/dj = 1, X/dj = 0 and θ = 0. A significant drop in CP values are seen with the increase in Z/dj, X/dj and θ. The experimental CP and CPO contribution of confined flow are compared against the unconfined flow, around 48% to 58% enhancement is observed when confinement is used. Experimental pressure drop measurements across orifice were made and pressure loss coefficient (PC) for hexagonal orifice of confined and unconfined condition are reported.