Microwave Sintering of Alumina at 915 MHz: Modeling, Process Control, and Microstructure Distribution.

Microwave energy can be advantageously used for materials processing as it provides high heating rates and homogeneous temperature field distribution. These features are partly due to the large microwave penetration depth into dielectric materials which is, at room temperature, a few centimeters in most dielectric materials. However, up to now, this technology is not widely spread for high-temperature material processing applications (>1200 °C), because its reproducibly and ability to sinter large size samples (>30 cm3) still needs to be improved. In this context, this paper describes both an empirically designed 915 MHz single-mode cavity made from SiC susceptors and refractory thermal insulation, and the 3D modeling of the process in order to improve our understanding of it. Different susceptors geometries and coupling slit position were numerically tested in order to better understand how these parameters impact the field homogeneity and the process stability. It was found that positioning the largest surface of the susceptors parallel to the electrical field allows a very uniform and hybrid heating of the material, while avoiding plasma or thermal instabilities. This was correlated to the 3D modeling results. Finally, thanks to a fully-automatized system this apparatus was used to sinter large size (~30 cm3) low-loss dielectric alumina samples. The sintered materials were subsequently characterized in terms of density, grain size distribution, and homogeneity. The reproducibility was also discussed, demonstrating the process efficiency and reliability.

ECG interpretation in Emergency Department residents: an update and e-learning as a resource to improve skills.

OBJECTIVE: ECG interpretation is a pivotal skill to acquire during residency, especially for Emergency Department (ED) residents. Previous studies reported that ECG interpretation competency among residents was rather low. However, the optimal resource to improve ECG interpretation skills remains unclear. The aim of our study was to compare two teaching modalities to improve the ECG interpretation skills of ED residents: e-learning and lecture-based courses. PARTICIPANTS AND METHODS: The participants were first-year and second-year ED residents, assigned randomly to the two groups. The ED residents were evaluated by means of a precourse test at the beginning of the study and a postcourse test after the e-learning and lecture-based courses. These evaluations consisted of the interpretation of 10 different ECGs. RESULTS: We included 39 ED residents from four different hospitals. The precourse test showed that the overall average score of ECG interpretation was 40%. Nineteen participants were then assigned to the e-learning course and 20 to the lecture-based course. Globally, there was a significant improvement in ECG interpretation skills (accuracy score=55%, P=0.0002). However, this difference was not significant between the two groups (P=0.14). CONCLUSION: Our findings showed that the ECG interpretation was not optimal and that our e-learning program may be an effective tool for enhancing ECG interpretation skills among ED residents. A large European study should be carried out to evaluate ECG interpretation skills among ED residents before the implementation of ECG learning, including e-learning strategies, during ED residency.