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At least 127 records · Page 7

Effect of annealing after strip casting on microstructure, precipitates and texture in non-oriented silicon steel produced by twin-roll strip casting

Highlights: • Non-oriented silicon steel with superior magnetic properties was produced by twin-roll strip casting. • The effect of annealing after strip casting on microstructure, precipitates and texture was investigated. • Role of precipitates in microstructure and texture evolution along the entire route was explored. • High magnetic induction and strong λ-fiber texture was obtained by optimizing strip annealing process. - Abstract: A 3.1 mm thick non-oriented Fe-1.0% Si steel as-cast strip was produced by twin-roll strip casting. Samples with/without strip annealing were cold rolled to 0.5 mm and then annealed. The development of microstructure, precipitate and texture was characterized along the entire processing route. It was found that annealing after strip casting had a minor influence on the average grain size and texture of the as-cast strip. A large number of particles precipitated and coarsened during the strip annealing process. Meanwhile, precipitates hindered dislocation slip and crystal rotation such that more significant in-grain shear bands were formed in cold rolled sheets. During recrystallization annealing process, the newly formed fine precipitates in directly cold-rolled sheets consumed stored strain energy and also hindered grain growth. But the initial precipitates in the annealed strip grew further and the effect of pinning of dislocations and grain boundary was lost. Therefore, annealed sheets with strip annealing process showed homogeneous equiaxed grains and the recrystallization texture was characterized by strong λ-fiber texture, which led to high permeability.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Dynamic recrystallization of a wrought magnesium alloy: Grain size and texture maps and their application for mechanical behavior predictions

Effect of dynamic recrystallization (DRX) on the grain refinement and texture modification was studied by conducting a series of hot compression on AZ31B Mg alloy. Processing-grain size-texture maps were established as a function of temperature, strain rate, strain, and the Zener-Hollomon parameter (Z). Moreover, influence of simultaneous changes in the grain size and texture on tensile yield strength and ductility of the hot-worked Mg alloy was studied using the grain size and texture maps established. The processing-grain size map showed that the DRX grain size decreased with the increase in Z, also revealing various characteristics ranging from a grain growth, grain refinement, to a bimodal distribution of ultrafine grains and partially recrystallized grains. The effect of twinning on the grain refinement was also evident at high Z conditions. The processing-texture map revealed that the initial fiber texture was altered significantly to a shear, off-normal, or extension-twin texture with the increase in Z. The Schmid-factor maps were calculated to identify a dominant deformation mode during a subsequent tensile deformation of the hot-worked samples. Finally, a corresponding Hall-Petch relationship for each dominant deformation mode was used to establish tensile yield-strength maps, which agree well with the measured data.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Two-dimensional numerical simulation of boron diffusion for pyramidally textured silicon

Multidimensional numerical simulation of boron diffusion is of great relevance for the improvement of industrial n-type crystalline silicon wafer solar cells. However, surface passivation of boron diffused area is typically studied in one dimension on planar lifetime samples. This approach neglects the effects of the solar cell pyramidal texture on the boron doping process and resulting doping profile. In this work, we present a theoretical study using a two-dimensional surface morphology for pyramidally textured samples. The boron diffusivity and segregation coefficient between oxide and silicon in simulation are determined by reproducing measured one-dimensional boron depth profiles prepared using different boron diffusion recipes on planar samples. The established parameters are subsequently used to simulate the boron diffusion process on textured samples. The simulated junction depth is found to agree quantitatively well with electron beam induced current measurements. Finally, chemical passivation on planar and textured samples is compared in device simulation. Particularly, a two-dimensional approach is adopted for textured samples to evaluate chemical passivation. The intrinsic emitter saturation current density, which is only related to Auger and radiative recombination, is also simulated for both planar and textured samples. The differences between planar and textured samples are discussed.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

SU-F-R-54: CT-Texture Based Early Tumor Treatment Response Assessment During Radiation Therapy Delivery: Small Cell Versus Non-Small Cell Lung Cancers

Purpose: Tumor treatment response may potentially be assessed during radiation therapy (RT) by analyzing changes in CT-textures. We investigated the different early RT-responses between small cell (SCLC) and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) as assessed by CT-texture. Methods: Daily diagnostic-quality CT acquired during routine CT-guided RT using a CT-on-Rails for 13-NSCLC and 5-SCLC patients were analyzed. These patient had ages ranging from 45–78 and 38–63 years, respectively, for NSCLC and SCLC groups, and tumor-stages ranging from T2-T4, and were treated with either RT or chemotherapy and RT with 45–66Gy/ 20–34 fractions. Gross-tumor volume (GTV) contour was generated on each daily CT by populating GTV contour from simulation to daily CTs with manual editing if necessary. CT-texture parameters, such as Hounsfield Unit (HU) histogram, mean HU, skewness, kurtosis, entropy, and short-run high-gray level emphasis (SRHGLE), were calculated in GTV from each daily CT-set using an in house software tool. Difference in changes of these texture parameters during RT between NSCLC and SCLC was analyzed and compared with GTV volume changes. Results: Radiation-induced changes in CT-texture were different between SCLC and NSCLC. Average changes from first to the last fractions for NSCLC and SCLC in GTV were 28±10(12–44) and 30±15(11–47) HU (mean HU reduction), 12.7% and 18.3% (entropy), 50% and 55% (SRHGLE), 19% and 22% (kurtosis), and 5.2% and 22% (skewness), respectively. Good correlation in kurtosis changes and GTV was seen (R{sup 2}=0.8923) for SCLC, but not for NSCLC (R{sup 2}=0.4748). SCLC had better correlations between GTV volume reduction and entropy (SCLC R{sup 2}=0.847; NSCLC R{sup 2}=0.6485), skewness (SCLC R{sup 2}=0.935; NSCLC R{sup 2}=0.7666), or SRHGLE (SCLC R{sup 2}=0.9619; NSCLC R{sup 2}=0.787). Conclusion: NSCLC and SCLC exhibited different early RT-responses as assessed by CT-texture changes during RT-delivery. The observed larger changes in various CT-texture parameters for SCLC indicate that SCLC may respond to RT more rapid than NSCLC.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗

Distinct driven steady states emerge from diverse initial textures in rolled nanocomposites

Severe plastic deformation is a known method of making high-performance metallic materials. Single-phase polycrystalline metals undergoing severe plastic deformation develop steady-state textures that are characteristic of the mode of deformation. By contrast, we show that two-phase, Cu-Nb nano-laminate composites reach a variety of different steady-state textures under a single mode of deformation. Using molecular statics simulations and a novel algorithm for crystal rotation analysis, we observe that the final, steady state texture and interface character in these materials depends on the initial texture of the composite. This result suggests that the range of bulk Cu-Nb nano-composite textures that may be made by severe plastic deformation is larger than previously demonstrated, with multiple plastically-driven steady states accessible, depending on initial texture. We propose a modification of accumulative roll bonding with highly textured seed layers as a means of accessing different driven steady states in layered composites.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Role of deformation temperature on the evolution and heterogeneity of texture during equal channel angular pressing of magnesium

Investigations on texture evolution and through-thickness texture heterogeneity during equal channel angular pressing (ECAP) of pure magnesium at 200 °C, 150 °C and room temperature (RT) was carried out by neutron, high energy synchrotron X-ray and electron back-scatter diffraction. Irrespective of the ECAP temperature, a distinctive basal (B) and pyramidal (C{sub 2}) II type of fibers forms. The texture differs in the bottom 1 mm portion, where the B-fiber is shifted ~ 55° due to negative shear attributed to friction. - Highlights: • ECAP of magnesium was carried out at 200 °C, 150 °C and room temperature. • Microstructure and micro-texture evolution was examined using EBSD in FEG–SEM. • Bulk-texture was studied using neutron diffraction and compared with micro-texture. • Through thickness texture heterogeneity was observed by synchrotron radiation. • Changes in these parameters with respect to deformation temperature are discussed.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Solidification and crystallographic texture modeling of laser powder bed fusion Ti-6Al-4V using finite difference-monte carlo method

Laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) additive manufacturing makes near-net-shaped parts with reduced material cost and time, rising as a promising technology to fabricate Ti-6Al-4V, a widely used titanium alloy in aerospace and medical industries. However, LPBF Ti-6Al-4V parts produced with 67° rotation between layers, a scan strategy commonly used to reduce microstructure and property inhomogeneity, have varying grain morphologies and weak crystallographic textures that change depending on processing parameters. Here, this study predicts LPBF Ti-6Al-4V solidification at three energy levels using a finite difference-Monte Carlo method and validates the simulations with large-area electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) scans. The developed model accurately shows that a <001> texture forms at low energy and a <111> texture occurs at higher energies parallel to the build direction but with a lower strength than the textures observed from EBSD. A validated and well-established method of combining spatial correlation and general spherical harmonics representation of texture is developed to calculate a difference score between simulations and experiments. The quantitative comparison enables effective fine-tuning of nucleation density (N 0 ) input, which shows a nonlinear relationship with increasing energy level. Future improvements in texture prediction code and a more comprehensive study of N 0 with different energy levels will further advance the optimization of LPBF Ti-6Al-4V components. These developments contribute a novel understanding of crystallographic texture formation in LPBF Ti-6Al-4V, the development of robust model validation and calibration pipeline methodologies, and provide a platform for mechanical property prediction and process parameter optimization.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

Modifications of Textured Silicon Surface Morphology and Its Effect on Poly-Si/SiO x Contact Passivation for Silicon Solar Cells

High-efficiency crystalline silicon (c -Si) solar cells require textured surfaces for efficient light trapping. However, passivation of a textured pyramidal surface to reduce carrier recombination is challenging due to the presence of sharp tips, edges, and valleys. Using electrical and surface microscopies combined with lifetime measurements, we report on the effect of HF:HNO3 etching on the pyramidal textured Si surface morphology, and on poly-Si/SiOx contact performance. Preferential rounding of either the valleys between pyramids, or the pyramid tips is obtained depending on the HF:HNO3 solution temperature. Both these morphologies make the pyramid shape irregular, with the pyramid faces no longer being predominantly a Si(111) surface. Our atomic force microscopy measurements further show that the nanoscale roughness over the pyramid face also reduces after HF:HNO3 etching. Thus, etching affects the microscopic pyramidal shape, the dominant crystallographic orientation, and the nanoscale roughness of the surface. We speculate that these three surface effects result in the improvement of surface passivation via poly-Si/SiOx contacts. However, this improved passivation is accompanied by increased reflectance of the HF:HNO3-etched textured surface. Finally, our electron-beam-induced current measurements reveal thickness nonuniformities in the thermally grown SiOx layer on the HF:HNO3-etched textured Si surface: SiO x is thicker near the pyramid tips, edges, and faces as compared with near the valleys between pyramids. This nonuniformity in the SiOx layer may explain the poorer passivation obtained on a KOH-textured and HF:HNO3-etched textured surface as compared with a planar surface.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗

Effect of Pb content and solution concentration of Pb{sub x}TiO{sub 3} seed layer on (100)-texture and ferroelectric/dielectric behavior of PZT (52/48) thin films

The effect of Pb content and solution concentration of lead titanate (Pb{sub x}TiO{sub 3}) seed layer on the texture and electric properties of Pb{sub 1.1}(Zr{sub 0.52},Ti{sub 0.48})O{sub 3} (PZT) thin films was investigated. A variety of seed layers (y Pb{sub x}TiO{sub 3}) with varying solution concentration (y = 0.02, 0.05, 0.1, and 0.2 M) and Pb content (x = 1.0, 1.05, 1.1, and 1.2) was deposited on Pt/TiO{sub 2}/SiO{sub 2}/Si substrates using chemical-solution deposition method. PZT films were then deposited on these seed layers using the same process. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy investigations of the seed layers confirm change in crystal structure with variation in the solution properties. XRD studies of PZT films deposited on seed layers demonstrate that the seed layer helps in enhancing (100)-texture and suppressing (111)-texture. It was observed that PZT films prepared on seed layers with lower solution concentrations results in highly (100)-textured films, which further helps to improve the electric properties. The polarization and dielectric constant of the PZT films were seen to increase while the coercive field decreased with increase in (100)-texture. Irrespective of the seed layer solution concentration, higher Pb content in the seed layer deteriorates the PZT film properties. Ninety-five percent to ninety-six percent (100)-texture was obtained from thin PZT films deposited on seed layers of 0.02 M solution concentration with 1.05 and 1.10 Pb contents, which is higher than the values reported for thick PZT films. Optimization of both Pb content and solution concentration of the seed layer is a promising route to achieve highly (100)-textured PZT films with improved electric properties.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

SU-E-J-113: Effects of Deformable Registration On First-Order Texture Maps Calculated From Thoracic Lung CT Scans

Purpose: To determine the stability of eight first-order texture features following the deformable registration of serial computed tomography (CT) scans. Methods: CT scans at two different time points from 10 patients deemed to have no lung abnormalities by a radiologist were collected. Following lung segmentation using an in-house program, texture maps were calculated from 32×32-pixel regions of interest centered at every pixel in the lungs. The texture feature value of the ROI was assigned to the center pixel of the ROI in the corresponding location of the texture map. Pixels in the square ROI not contained within the segmented lung were not included in the calculation. To quantify the agreement between ROI texture features in corresponding pixels of the baseline and follow-up texture maps, the Fraunhofer MEVIS EMPIRE10 deformable registration algorithm was used to register the baseline and follow-up scans. Bland-Altman analysis was used to compare registered scan pairs by computing normalized bias (nBias), defined as the feature value change normalized to the mean feature value, and normalized range of agreement (nRoA), defined as the range spanned by the 95% limits of agreement normalized to the mean feature value. Results: Each patient’s scans contained between 6.8–15.4 million ROIs. All of the first-order features investigated were found to have an nBias value less than 0.04% and an nRoA less than 19%, indicating that the variability introduced by deformable registration was low. Conclusion: The eight first-order features investigated were found to be registration stable. Changes in CT texture maps could allow for temporal-spatial evaluation of the evolution of lung abnormalities relating to a variety of diseases on a patient-by-patient basis. SGA and HA receives royalties and licensing fees through the University of Chicago for computer-aided diagnosis technology. Research reported in this publication was supported by the National Institute Of General Medical Sciences of the National Institutes of Health under Award Number R25GM109439.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗

SU-E-J-251: Incorporation of Pre-Therapy 18F-FDG Uptake with CT Texture Features in a Predictive Model for Radiation Pneumonitis Development

Purpose: To determine whether the addition of standardized uptake value (SUV) statistical variables to CT lung texture features can improve a predictive model of radiation pneumonitis (RP) development in patients undergoing radiation therapy. Methods: Anonymized data from 96 esophageal cancer patients (18 RP-positive cases of Grade ≥ 2) were retrospectively collected including pre-therapy PET/CT scans, pre-/posttherapy diagnostic CT scans and RP status. Twenty texture features (firstorder, fractal, Laws’ filter and gray-level co-occurrence matrix) were calculated from diagnostic CT scans and compared in anatomically matched regions of the lung. The mean, maximum, standard deviation, and 50th–95th percentiles of the SUV values for all lung voxels in the corresponding PET scans were acquired. For each texture feature, a logistic regression-based classifier consisting of (1) the average change in that texture feature value between the pre- and post-therapy CT scans and (2) the pre-therapy SUV standard deviation (SUV{sub SD}) was created. The RP-classification performance of each logistic regression model was compared to the performance of its texture feature alone by computing areas under the receiver operating characteristic curves (AUCs). T-tests were performed to determine whether the mean AUC across texture features changed significantly when SUV{sub SD} was added to the classifier. Results: The AUC for single-texturefeature classifiers ranged from 0.58–0.81 in high-dose (≥ 30 Gy) regions of the lungs and from 0.53–0.71 in low-dose (< 10 Gy) regions. Adding SUVSD in a logistic regression model using a 50/50 data partition for training and testing significantly increased the mean AUC by 0.08, 0.06 and 0.04 in the low-, medium- and high-dose regions, respectively. Conclusion: Addition of SUVSD from a pre-therapy PET scan to a single CT-based texture feature improves RP-classification performance on average. These findings demonstrate the potential for more accurate prediction of RP using information from multiple imaging modalities. Supported, in part, by the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering of the National Institutes of Health under grant number T32 EB002103; SGA receives royalties and licensing fees through the University of Chicago for computer-aided diagnosis technology. HA receives royalties through the University of Chicago for computer-aided diagnosis technology.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗

SU-E-J-256: Predicting Metastasis-Free Survival of Rectal Cancer Patients Treated with Neoadjuvant Chemo-Radiotherapy by Data-Mining of CT Texture Features of Primary Lesions

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between computed tomographic (CT) texture features of primary lesions and metastasis-free survival for rectal cancer patients; and to develop a datamining prediction model using texture features. Methods: A total of 220 rectal cancer patients treated with neoadjuvant chemo-radiotherapy (CRT) were enrolled in this study. All patients underwent CT scans before CRT. The primary lesions on the CT images were delineated by two experienced oncologists. The CT images were filtered by Laplacian of Gaussian (LoG) filters with different filter values (1.0–2.5: from fine to coarse). Both filtered and unfiltered images were analyzed using Gray-level Co-occurrence Matrix (GLCM) texture analysis with different directions (transversal, sagittal, and coronal). Totally, 270 texture features with different species, directions and filter values were extracted. Texture features were examined with Student’s t-test for selecting predictive features. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) was performed upon the selected features to reduce the feature collinearity. Artificial neural network (ANN) and logistic regression were applied to establish metastasis prediction models. Results: Forty-six of 220 patients developed metastasis with a follow-up time of more than 2 years. Sixtyseven texture features were significantly different in t-test (p<0.05) between patients with and without metastasis, and 12 of them were extremely significant (p<0.001). The Area-under-the-curve (AUC) of ANN was 0.72, and the concordance index (CI) of logistic regression was 0.71. The predictability of ANN was slightly better than logistic regression. Conclusion: CT texture features of primary lesions are related to metastasisfree survival of rectal cancer patients. Both ANN and logistic regression based models can be developed for prediction.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗

TU-F-CAMPUS-J-04: Impact of Voxel Anisotropy On Statistic Texture Features of Oncologic PET: A Simulation Study

Purpose: Texture metrics extracted from oncologic PET have been investigated with respect to their usefulness as definitive indicants for prognosis in a variety of cancer. Metric calculation is often based on cubic voxels. Most commonly used PET scanners, however, produce rectangular voxels, which may change texture metrics. The objective of this study was to examine the variability of PET texture feature metrics resulting from voxel anisotropy. Methods: Sinograms of NEMA NU-2 phantom for 18F-FDG were simulated using the ASIM simulation tool. The obtained projection data was reconstructed (3D-OSEM) on grids of cubic and rectangular voxels, producing PET images of resolution of 2.73x2.73x3.27mm3 and 3.27x3.27x3.27mm3, respectively. An interpolated dataset obtained from resampling the rectangular voxel data for isotropic voxel dimension (3.27mm) was also considered. For each image dataset, 28 texture parameters based on grey-level co-occurrence matrices (GLCOM), intensity histograms (GLIH), neighborhood difference matrices (GLNDM), and zone size matrices (GLZSM) were evaluated within lesions of diameter of 33, 28, 22, and 17mm. Results: In reference to the isotopic image data, texture features appearing on the rectangular voxel data varied with a range of -34-10% for GLCOM based, -31-39% for GLIH based, -80 -161% for GLNDM based, and −6–45% for GLZSM based while varied with a range of -35-23% for GLCOM based, -27-35% for GLIH based, -65-86% for GLNDM based, and -22 -18% for GLZSM based for the interpolated image data. For the anisotropic data, GLNDM-cplx exhibited the largest extent of variation (161%) while GLZSM-zp showed the least (<1%). As to the interpolated data, GLNDM-busy varied the most (86%) while GLIH-engy varied the least (<1%). Conclusion: Variability of texture appearance on oncologic PET with respect to voxel representation is substantial and feature-dependent. It necessitates consideration of standardized voxel representation for inter-institution studies attempting to validate prognostic values of PET texture features in cancer treatment.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗

Early detection of chemotherapy-refractory patients by monitoring textural alterations in diffuse optical spectroscopic images

Purpose: Changes in textural characteristics of diffuse optical spectroscopic (DOS) functional images, accompanied by alterations in their mean values, are demonstrated here for the first time as early surrogates of ultimate treatment response in locally advanced breast cancer (LABC) patients receiving neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC). NAC, as a standard component of treatment for LABC patient, induces measurable heterogeneous changes in tumor metabolism which were evaluated using DOS-based metabolic maps. This study characterizes such inhomogeneous nature of response development, by determining alterations in textural properties of DOS images apparent at early stages of therapy, followed later by gross changes in mean values of these functional metabolic maps. Methods: Twelve LABC patients undergoing NAC were scanned before and at four times after treatment initiation, and tomographic DOS images were reconstructed at each time. Ultimate responses of patients were determined clinically and pathologically, based on a reduction in tumor size and assessment of residual tumor cellularity. The mean-value parameters and textural features were extracted from volumetric DOS images for several functional and metabolic parameters prior to the treatment initiation. Changes in these DOS-based biomarkers were also monitored over the course of treatment. The measured biomarkers were applied to differentiate patient responses noninvasively and compared to clinical and pathologic responses. Results: Responding and nonresponding patients demonstrated different changes in DOS-based textural and mean-value parameters during chemotherapy. Whereas none of the biomarkers measured prior the start of therapy demonstrated a significant difference between the two patient populations, statistically significant differences were observed at week one after treatment initiation using the relative change in contrast/homogeneity of seven functional maps (0.001 < p < 0.049), and mean value of water content in tissue (p = 0.010). The cross-validated sensitivity and specificity of these parameters at week one of therapy ranged between 80%–100% and 67%–100%, respectively. Higher levels of statistically significant differences were exhibited at week four after start of treatment, with cross-validated sensitivities and specificities ranging between 80% and 100% for three textural and three mean-value parameters. The combination of the textural and mean-value parameters in a “hybrid” profile could better separate the two patient populations early on during a course of treatment, with cross-validated sensitivities and specificities of up to 100% (p = 0.001). Conclusions: The results of this study suggest that alterations in textural characteristics of DOS images, in conjunction with changes in their mean values, can classify noninvasively the ultimate clinical and pathologic response of LABC patients to chemotherapy, as early as one week after start of their treatment. This provides a basis for using DOS imaging as a tool for therapy personalization.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗

SU-F-R-36: Validating Quantitative Radiomic Texture Features for Oncologic PET: A Digital Phantom Study

Purpose: Radiomic texture features derived from the oncologic PET have recently been brought under intense investigation within the context of patient stratification and treatment outcome prediction in a variety of cancer types; however, their validity has not yet been examined. This work is aimed to validate radiomic PET texture metrics through the use of realistic simulations in the ground truth setting. Methods: Simulation of FDG-PET was conducted by applying the Zubal phantom as an attenuation map to the SimSET software package that employs Monte Carlo techniques to model the physical process of emission imaging. A total of 15 irregularly-shaped lesions featuring heterogeneous activity distribution were simulated. For each simulated lesion, 28 texture features in relation to the intensity histograms (GLIH), grey-level co-occurrence matrices (GLCOM), neighborhood difference matrices (GLNDM), and zone size matrices (GLZSM) were evaluated and compared with their respective values extracted from the ground truth activity map. Results: In reference to the values from the ground truth images, texture parameters appearing on the simulated data varied with a range of 0.73–3026.2% for GLIH-based, 0.02–100.1% for GLCOM-based, 1.11–173.8% for GLNDM-based, and 0.35–66.3% for GLZSM-based. For majority of the examined texture metrics (16/28), their values on the simulated data differed significantly from those from the ground truth images (P-value ranges from <0.0001 to 0.04). Features not exhibiting significant difference comprised of GLIH-based standard deviation, GLCO-based energy and entropy, GLND-based coarseness and contrast, and GLZS-based low gray-level zone emphasis, high gray-level zone emphasis, short zone low gray-level emphasis, long zone low gray-level emphasis, long zone high gray-level emphasis, and zone size nonuniformity. Conclusion: The extent to which PET imaging disturbs texture appearance is feature-dependent and could be substantial. It is thus advised that use of PET texture parameters for predictive and prognostic measurements in oncologic setting awaits further systematic and critical evaluation.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗

Mechanical properties of ion-beam-textured surgical implant alloys

An electron-bombardment Hg ion thruster was used as an ion source to texture surfaces of materials used to make orthopedic and/or dental prostheses or implants. The materials textured include 316 stainless steel, titanium-6% aluminum, 4% vanadium, and cobalt-20% chromium, 15% tungsten. To determine the effect of ion texturing on the ultimate strength and yield strength, stainless steel and Co-Cr-W alloy samples were tensile tested to failure. Three types of samples of both materials were tested. One type was ion-textured (the process also heats each sample to 300 C), another type was simply heated to 300 C in an oven, and the third type was untreated. Stress-strain diagrams, 0.2% offset yield strength data, total elongation data, and area reduction data are presented. Fatigue specimens of ion textured and untextured 316 stainless steel and Ti-6% Al-4% V were tested. Included as an ion textured sample is a Ti-6% Al-4% V sample which was ion machined by means of Ni screen mask so as to produce an array of 140 mu m x 140 mu m x 60 mu m deep pits. Scanning electron microscopy was used to characterize the ion textured surfaces.

Weigand, A. J.↗

Cloud field classification based on textural features

An essential component in global climate research is accurate cloud cover and type determination. Of the two approaches to texture-based classification (statistical and textural), only the former is effective in the classification of natural scenes such as land, ocean, and atmosphere. In the statistical approach that was adopted, parameters characterizing the stochastic properties of the spatial distribution of grey levels in an image are estimated and then used as features for cloud classification. Two types of textural measures were used. One is based on the distribution of the grey level difference vector (GLDV), and the other on a set of textural features derived from the MaxMin cooccurrence matrix (MMCM). The GLDV method looks at the difference D of grey levels at pixels separated by a horizontal distance d and computes several statistics based on this distribution. These are then used as features in subsequent classification. The MaxMin tectural features on the other hand are based on the MMCM, a matrix whose (I,J)th entry give the relative frequency of occurrences of the grey level pair (I,J) that are consecutive and thresholded local extremes separated by a given pixel distance d. Textural measures are then computed based on this matrix in much the same manner as is done in texture computation using the grey level cooccurrence matrix. The database consists of 37 cloud field scenes from LANDSAT imagery using a near IR visible channel. The classification algorithm used is the well known Stepwise Discriminant Analysis. The overall accuracy was estimated by the percentage or correct classifications in each case. It turns out that both types of classifiers, at their best combination of features, and at any given spatial resolution give approximately the same classification accuracy. A neural network based classifier with a feed forward architecture and a back propagation training algorithm is used to increase the classification accuracy, using these two classes of features. Preliminary results based on the GLDV textural features alone look promising.

Sengupta, Sailes Kumar↗

Some distinguishing characteristics of contour and texture phenomena in images

The development of generalized contour/texture discrimination techniques is a central element necessary for machine vision recognition and interpretation of arbitrary images. Here, the visual perception of texture, selected studies of texture analysis in machine vision, and diverse small samples of contour and texture are all used to provide insights into the fundamental characteristics of contour and texture. From these, an experimental discrimination scheme is developed and tested on a battery of natural images. The visual perception of texture defined fine texture as a subclass which is interpreted as shading and is distinct from coarse figural similarity textures. Also, perception defined the smallest scale for contour/texture discrimination as eight to nine visual acuity units. Three contour/texture discrimination parameters were found to be moderately successful for this scale discrimination: (1) lightness change in a blurred version of the image, (2) change in lightness change in the original image, and (3) percent change in edge counts relative to local maximum.

Jobson, Daniel J.↗