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The service performance index is a new decision-making tool to measure service performance in an appropriate way.

Research into carbon black's role in the filled-compound vulcanization process is described. As a vulcanization catalyst, CB enhances induction and cure rates. CB type has little impact on cure behavior, but CB loading's impact is significant. Intermediate crosslinking steps involving zinc may be catalyzed by carbon black surfaces. Fatty acids, however, may make carbon black surfaces unavailable., Carbon black is a universal reinforcing filler used in rubber compounds. Indeed, the physical properties of the carbon black-rubber composite are improved when compared to unfilled rubber compound. However, it [...]

At low strain, specific surface area of the filler plays a role, while structure and size can influence response at higher strain. Carbon black is a truly remarkable material. Known [...]

The mechanism of carbon black reinforcement in tires can be represented by mathematical models based on elastomers' viscoelastic properties. Viscoelastic measurements need to be considered when describing the role of carbon black in rubber products because of the dynamic deformations that tires undergo and due to the viscoelastic behavior of elastomeric compounds., by Michel Gerspacher, Charles P. O'Farrell and H.H.Yang, Sid Richardson Carbon Co., and Claude Tricot, Ecole Polytechnique The term reinforcement in tire technology can have numerous meanings, including tire treadwear [...]

To link to full-text access for this article, visit this link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jtcvs.2009.10.039 Byline: H.H. Clarice Yang, Jong Moo Kim, Elliott Chum, Cornelis van Breemen, Ada W.Y. Chung Abbreviations: MMP, metalloproteinase; TAA, thoracic aortic aneurysm; TGF-[beta], transforming growth factor [beta]; TIMP, tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase Abstract: Losartan potassium (INN losartan), an antihypertensive drug, has been shown to prevent thoracic aortic aneurysm in Marfan syndrome through the inhibition of transforming growth factor [beta]. Recently we reported that doxycycline, a nonspecific inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinases 2 and 9, normalized aortic vasomotor function and suppressed aneurysm growth. We hypothesized that a combination of losartan potassium and doxycycline would offer better secondary prevention treatment than would single-drug therapy to manage thoracic aortic aneurysm. Author Affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Science, Child and Family Research Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada Article History: Received 29 March 2009; Revised 31 May 2009; Accepted 25 October 2009 Article Note: (footnote) Supported by an operating grant from Canadian Institutes of Health Research. A.W.Y.C. is the recipient of Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research/St Paul Hospital's Foundation Trainee Award. H.H.C.Y. is the recipient of Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research Junior Trainee Award and NSERC: Alexander Graham Bell Canada Graduate Scholarship., Disclosures: None.

At the beginning of this century, the manufacturing of pneumatic tires was revolutionized by the usage of particulate fillers. Initially to cut costs, these practices very soon imparted improved tire [...]

A class of machining processes, in which random and drifting disturbances influence their output qualities, are described by a mathematic model and an adaptive control strategy is proposed to enable the system to have a mean square output tracking error reaching a lower bound. An on-line digital observe for tool wear detection is also included and its results can be printed out as an information for further study of tool properties. Theory of self tuning control and Kalman filter are used. Effectiveness of the method is shown by simulations and experiments on its application to abrasive processes.

The concept of hierarchical control is employed to develop a two-level control model of human performance in complex tracking tasks. The lower level part of the model is composed of parallel suboptimal controllers describing, respectively, the human performance in subsystems, whereas the upper level is a simple rule-based compensator designed for modeling human behavior in coordinating the subsystems. The model has been used to study human performance in a manned anti-aircraft artillery tracking system. Model predictions of tracking errors and some other system variables for several target flyby and maneuvering trajectories are shown to be in good agreement With the empirical data obtained from experiments. It is concluded that the human model presented in this paper can be used with confidence in predictions of man-machine tracking system performance for system analyses and evaluations.