Retrospective Study for the Clinical Evaluation of a Real-Time PCR Assay with Lyophilized and Ready-to-Use Reagents for Detection in Prenatal Screening Specimens.

Streptococcus agalactiae is a leading cause of sepsis and meningitis in newborns and young infants. Screening programs and intrapartum antibiotic prophylaxis have reduced early neonatal onset of disease. The aim of this study was to evaluate a molecular assay with lyophilized and ready-to-use reagents: VIASURE® Streptococcus B Real Time PCR detection kit (CerTest Biotec) (Viasure qPCR assay) compared to both the GBS culture and a molecular assay with separated and frozen reagents: Strep B Real-TM Quant (Sacace Biotecnologies®) (Sacace qPCR assay).

Design of a Multi-Point Kinematic Coupling for a High Precision Telescopic Simultaneous Measurement System.

This paper covers the design of a new multi-point kinematic coupling specially developed for a high precision multi-telescopic arm measurement system for the volumetric verification of machine tools with linear and/or rotary axes. The multipoint kinematic coupling allows the simultaneous operation of the three telescopic arms that are registered at the same time to a sphere fixed on the machine tool spindle nose. Every coupling provides an accurate multi-point contact to the sphere, avoiding collisions and interferences with the other two multi-point kinematic couplings, and generating repulsion forces among them to ensure the coupling's fingers interlacing along the machine tool x/y/z travels in the verification process.

Development of a High Precision Telescopic Instrument Based on Simultaneous Laser Multilateration for Machine Tool Volumetric Verification.

This paper presents the design of a high precision telescopic system consisting in three lines, with measuring principle based on simultaneous laser multilateration. The system offers the high precision of the interferometer systems and allows the autonomous tracking of a sphere joined to the spindle nose of the machine tool by simultaneous contact of all the lines. The main advantage of the system is that it allows data capture to be carried out in a single cycle thanks to simultaneous operation with at least three telescopic arms using a novel multipoint kinematic coupling.

Measuring Sensors Calibration in Worm Gear Rolling Testers.

The ISO standard regulating gear-rolling measurement does not specify in detail the calibration and verification procedures for this type of equipment. This may be one of the reasons for the lack of reproducibility in these rolling tests. The uncertainty budget method, which is the most appropriate way to know the accuracy of this dynamic measurement, shows that the measuring sensors' accuracy is only a part of the total measurement process uncertainty.

Dimensional Stability and Process Capability of an Industrial Component Injected with Recycled Polypropylene.

The usage of recycled polymers for industrial purposes arises as one of the most promising methods of reducing environmental impact and costs associated with scrapping parts. This paper presents a systematic study of the dimensional stability of a raw and 100% recycled polypropylene subjected to realistic environmental conditions occurring along its working life. The component studied is an internal part of an induction hob assembly.

Virtual Distances Methodology as Verification Technique for AACMMs with a Capacitive Sensor Based Indexed Metrology Platform.

This paper presents a new verification procedure for articulated arm coordinate measuring machines (AACMMs) together with a capacitive sensor-based indexed metrology platform (IMP) based on the generation of virtual reference distances. The novelty of this procedure lays on the possibility of creating virtual points, virtual gauges and virtual distances through the indexed metrology platform's mathematical model taking as a reference the measurements of a ball bar gauge located in a fixed position of the instrument's working volume. The measurements are carried out with the AACMM assembled on the IMP from the six rotating positions of the platform.