How Do Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder and Children with Developmental Delays Differ on the Child Behavior Checklist 1.5–5 DSM-Oriented Scales?

The Child Behavior Checklist 1.5–5 (CBCL 1.5–5) is applied to identify emotional and behavioral problems on children with developmental disabilities (e.g., autism spectrum disorder [ASD] and developmental delays [DD]). To understand whether there are variations between these two groups on CBCL DSM-oriented scales, we took two invariance analyses on 443 children (228 children with ASD). The first analysis used measurement invariance and multiple-group factor analysis on the test structure. The second analysis used item-level analysis, i.e., differential item functioning (DIF), to discover whether group memberships responded differently on some items even though underlying trait levels were the same. It was discovered that, on the test structure, the Anxiety Problems scale did not achieve metric invariance. The other scales achieved metric invariance; DIF analyses further revealed that there were items that functioned differently across subscales. These DIF items were mostly about children’s reactions to the surrounding environment. Our findings provide implications for clinicians to use CBCL DSM-oriented scales on differentiating children with ASD and children with DD. In addition, researchers need to be mindful about how items were responded differently, even though there were no mean differences on the surface.

An on-chip test structure to measure the Seebeck coefficient of thermopile sensors

Thermopile sensors have a wide range of applications in consumer and industry. Seebeck coefficient is a basic thermal parameter of thermopile sensors. Extracting the Seebeck coefficient of both materials and thermocouple in thermopile sensors is of great importance. In this work, an on-chip test structure is designed. It consists of a substrate, a framework, supporting legs and a sensitive region which has a resistor serving as both heater and temperature detector. A set of on-chip test structures are fabricated along with a thermopile sensor. Its measurement results are analyzed and compared with apparatus measurement results. These results are consistent with each other, and the validity of structure is verified.

Numerical Simulation and Experimental Validation of Hybrid Injection Molded Short and Continuous Fiber-Reinforced Thermoplastic Composites

In-situ thermoforming and overmolding of continuous fiber-reinforced thermoplastic composites by hybrid injection molding enables the mass production of thermoplastic lightweight structures with a complex geometry. In this study, the anisotropic mechanical behavior of such hybrid injection molded short and continuous fiber-reinforced thermoplastics and the numerical simulation of the resulting mechanical properties under flexural loading were investigated. For this, the influence of the volume flow rate between 25 and 100 cm3/s during injection molding of a PP/GF30 short fiber-reinforced overmolding material was studied and showed a strong effect on the fiber orientation but not on the fiber length, as investigated by computer tomography and fiber length analysis. Thus, the resulting anisotropies of the stiffness and strength as well as the strain hardening investigated by tensile testing were considered when the mechanical behavior of a hybrid test structure of short and continuous fiber-reinforced thermoplastic composites was predicted by numerical simulations. For this, a PP/GF60 and PP/GF30 hybrid injection molded test structure was investigated by a numerical workflow with implemented injection molding simulation data. In result, the prediction of the mechanical behavior of the hybrid test structure under flexural loading by numerical simulation was significantly improved, leading to a reduction of the deviation of the numerically predicted and experimentally measured flexural strength from 21% to 9% in comparison to the isotropic material model without the implementation of the injection molding data.

Reduced order modelling and experimental validation of a MEMS gyroscope test-structure exhibiting 1:2 internal resonance

Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems revolutionized the consumer market for their small dimensions, high performances and low costs. In recent years, the evolution of the Internet of Things is posing new challenges to MEMS designers that have to deal with complex multiphysics systems experiencing highly nonlinear dynamic responses. To be able to simulate a priori and in real-time the behavior of such systems it is thus becoming mandatory to understand the sources of nonlinearities and avoid them when harmful or exploit them for the design of innovative devices. In this work, we present the first numerical tool able to estimate a priori and in real-time the complex nonlinear responses of MEMS devices without resorting to simplified theories. Moreover, the proposed tool predicts different working conditions without the need of ad-hoc calibration procedures. It consists in a nonlinear Model Order Reduction Technique based on the Implicit Static Condensation that allows to condense the high fidelity FEM models into few degrees of freedom, thus greatly speeding-up the solution phase and improving the design process of MEMS devices. In particular, the 1:2 internal resonance experienced in a MEMS gyroscope test-structure fabricated with a commercial process is numerically investigated and an excellent agreement with experiments is found.

Production of the Test Timber-UHPC Composite Bridge

This article presents the results of the experimental development of a unique bridge system consisting of timber beams connected with bridge deck segments made of Ultra-High Performance Concrete (UHPC). The article deals with the production of a full-scale prototype of the timber-concrete composite structure and with an execution of a subsequent load test. The test structure was 3.30 m wide and 10.24 m long and was designed as two beams made of glue laminated timber connected with subtle bridge deck segments with a thickness only 60 mm and with a typical length of 1.50 m. The aim of the production of the test structure was to check some production details and procedures and subsequently to verify the behavior of the composite structure under load by the load test. The load test was performed with a theoretical span of 9.50 m as a four-point bending test to failure. After the overall load test was done, some bridge deck segments were cut from the structure and a load test of the bridge deck in transversal direction were executed to verify the behavior and the load-bearing capacity of the bridge deck segments made of UHPC.

Test structure in some pioneer multichambered Paleozoic foraminifera

Foraminiferal wall microstructures, consistent with the molecular-based high-rank classification, are critical to understanding foraminiferal evolution and advanced taxonomic relationships. Although test structures are well documented for recent, Cenozoic, and some Mesozoic foraminifera, the diagnostic characteristics of Paleozoic taxa are largely unexplored. The majority of calcareous Paleozoic foraminifera have been assigned to the Fusulinata based on questionable homogeneously “microgranular” test wall microstructures, which have never been sufficiently documented for most taxa. We investigated the test structures of exceptionally well-preserved Devonian (Eifelian) Semitextularia thomasi, representing the first calcareous true multichambered (serial) foraminifera, and compared this species with a large fusiform Permian representative of “true” fusulinids (Neoschwagerinidae). The tests of Semitextularia thomasi display lamellar structures that are not observed in any other fossil or recent foraminiferal group. The Paleozoic foraminifera, traditionally referred to one taxon (the class Fusulinata), possess at least three contrasting test wall microstructures, representing separate high-rank taxonomic groups. Fusulinata is most likely a highly polyphyletic group that is in need of taxonomic revision. The term Fusulinata, defined as including all Paleozoic calcareous forms except Miliolida and Lagenata, is not phylogenetically meaningful and should no longer be used or should be restricted to true complex fusulinids with microgranular test structures, which appeared in the Carboniferous.

New Test Structure Development for Pattern Collapse Evaluations

Test structure development is critical for single wafer pattern collapse evaluations. A good test vehicle not only allows optimization and benchmarking of different processes, but also facilitates understanding of the underlying mechanism. For high aspect ratio silicon nanopillar arrays, by increasing the gap distance in one direction while keeping the other direction constant, an unexpected higher collapse rate is found. This preliminary finding is contradictory to the prevalent models that are based on equilibrium force balance between capillary and mechanical interactions. It is postulated that the asymmetric arrangement of pillars facilitates the formation of liquid bridge and thus more pattern collapse. Such test structures can bring useful insights to understand the dynamic mechanism of pattern collapse.