Tri-axis convective accelerometer with closed-loop heat source

In this paper, we report the details and findings of a study on tri-axis convective accelerometer, which is designed with the closed-loop type heat source and thermal sensing hotwire elements. The closed-loopheat source enhances the convective flow to the central part where a hotwire is placed to measure the vertical component of acceleration. The simulation was conducted using numerical analysis, and the devicewas prototyped by additive manufacturing. The device, functioning as a tilt sensor and an accelerometer,was tested up to acceleration of 20 g. The experiments were successfully conducted and the experimental results agreed reasonably with those obtained by numerical analysis. The results demonstrated that the closed-loop heat source could reduce the cross effect between the acceleration components. The scalefactor and cross-sensitivity had the values of 0.26 micro�V/g and 1.2%, respectively. The cross-sensitivity andthe effects of heating power were also investigated in this study

A 6DOF super element for nonlinear analysis of composite frames with partial interaction and semi-rigid connections

This paper presents a displacement-based finite element formulation for nonlinear analysis of steel - concrete composite planar frames subjected to combined action of gravity and lateral loads. A 6DOF super element is proposed for modeling composite beam, allowing for partial interaction between the steel beam and the concrete slab, semi-rigid nature of beam to column composite connection and material nonlinearity. The load control method and the displacement control method are utilized for tracing the structural equilibrium paths, and the direct method is utilized for solving the nonlinear problem. Numerical examples, concerning a two-span continuous composite beam, a portal composite frame and a six-storey composite frame, are performed. The results are compared with experience data or theoretical results from other studies and are discussed for influences of the factors mentioned above on behaviour of composite beams and composite frames

The relationship between satisfaction, trust and repurchase intention: examining the moderating role of word of mouth

Underlying by Cognitive Dissonance Theory, this study aims to examine the moderating effect of word of mouth (WOM) on the relationship between consumers’ satisfaction and trust. The research also emphasizes on figuring out the differences in moderating effects of WOM between online and conventional shopping context. In addition, the impact of trust on repurchase intention is also investigated. Applying Structural Equation Modeling, data collected from 296 online consumers and 169 conventional shoppers have been analyzed to figure out the associations among these concepts in both shopping context. The results indicate that word of mouth significantly plays a moderating role in the relationship between satisfaction and trust. In addition, it is obviously evidenced that the moderating effect of WOM varies due to different shopping contexts and the interactions of satisfaction, trust and repurchase intention are also different. The findings provide a better understanding regarding consumer behavior in different shopping environments. Consequently, practical implications for marketers and theoretical implications for scholars are discussed

Hydrodynamic Simulations of Circumstellar Envelopes under the Gravitational Influence of a Wide Binary Companion: Comparison Between Circular and Elliptical Orbits

Shapes of circumstellar envelopes around mass losing stars contain information of the very inner region of the envelope where mass loss process takes place. It’s well known that the presence of a binary companion leads to strong influence on the structure of the envelope through orbital motion of the mass losing star and the gravitational interaction of the companion with the stellar wind. To investigate this effect and structures of envelopes, we have performed high resolution hydrodynamic simulations of a wide binary system in a number of orbital configurations. Our simulations clearly show the importance of the equation of state of the gas because in isothermal case the width of the spiral arm is significantly broadened with respect to the ideal gas case, therefore resulting in unrealistic spiral patterns. As the orbital geometry changes from circular to elliptical, our simulation results show that the spiral becomes bifurcated and increasingly asymmetric as indicated in previously published results. In the polar direction, the prominent alternating arcs associated with circular orbital configuration morph into almost continuous circular rings. The physical condition of the gas in the envelope is shown to vary strongly between the spiral arm and inter-arm regions. Our hydrodynamic simulations will be useful to interpret high angular resolution observations of circumstellar envelopes

Liquid pumping and mixing by PZT synthetic jet

In this paper, a PZT synthetic jet that can function as both an efficient pumping and mixing device is developed. Compare with the conventional design where the practice of controlling the internal flow is undertaken by microvalves structure, this approach promotes the durability and allows the device to work with different liquids at high Reynold number without losing of backflow from the diffuser, therefore provides efficient mixing. The pumping performance is applicable for commercialized counterparts while the homogeneous medium was obtained at downstream in the experiments, which was further confirmed by simulation. Notably, the chaotic mixing feature of the device is also applicable for immiscible liquids with the micro-droplet formation result at the outlet

Effect of Plumbagin on growth inhibition and apoptosis of imatinib-resistant chronic myeloid leukemia

Development of a new inhibitor of BCR-ABL tyrosine kinase is necessary for the treatment of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) because of increasing resistance and tolerance to Imatinid efforts. Herein, we reported Plumbagin can significantly inhibit the growth of CML. The results revealed that Plumbagin inhitbited TCCY and TCCY/T315I cells with IC50 values 3 μM and 2.1 μM, respectively. Plumbagin also showed anti-proliferative effects on both the wide type Ba/F3 and the BCR-ABL-transfected Ba/F3 cells with a range of IC50 from 3.2 to 3.8 μM. In addition, Plumbagin induced the apoptosis of CML cells. That would provide a new and potential drug as a chemotherapy medication in the treatment of Imatinid -resistant CML

Some results of research and forecasting of groundwater salinization in the coastal zone of Soc Trang province

In recent years, the situation of salinity intrusion is very complicated and becomes more serious in the coastal area of Soc Trang province. In this research, SEAWAT modified water density flow model was used to forecast the salinity intrusion for Holocene aquifer (qh) and upper Pleistocene aquifer (qp3) according to the water use planning scenario. The results show that the impact of groundwater extraction process increases the TDS content in the aquifer, the salt water/fresh water areas change over time, the trend of salinity change increases. In Holocene aquifer, salt water area is relatively large and the TDS concentration increases towards the sea, however, fresh water area changes inconsiderably: In 2015 accounting for 17.42% and by 2030 accounting for 17.77% of aquifer area. In upper Pleistocene aquifer, the fresh water area declines significantly: In 2015 accounting for 9.35% and by 2030 only accounting for 7.53% of aquifer area

Multichannel Photon Counting Lidar Measurements Using USB-based Digital Storage Oscilloscope

We present a simple method of making multichannel photon counting measurements of weak lidar signal from large ranges, using commonly available USB-based digital storage oscilloscopes. The single photon pulses from compact photomultiplier tubes are amplified and stretched so that the pulses are large and broad enough to be sampled efficiently by the USB oscilloscopes. A software interface written in Labview is then used to count the number of photon pulses in each of the prescribed time bins to form the histogram of LIDAR signal. This method presents a flexible alternative to the modular multichannel scalers and facilitate the development of sensitive lidar systems

Understanding and tackling meat reduction in different cultural contexts: a segmentation study of Swiss and Vietnamese consumers

Objective: This study aims to disclose and compare meat consumer segments in Switzerland and Vietnam, which differ in terms of their socioeconomic and cultural settings (the former is a developed country, and the latter is an emerging one) to develop a set of segment-specific recommendations that might be applied to consumption in comparable contexts, that is, in other developed countries and other emerging economies. Methods: Data were collected through two online surveys: one for Swiss residents from randomly selected households and one for Vietnamese urban residents recruited via snowball sampling. The final sample size was N = 643 for Switzerland and N = 616 for Vietnam. Hierarchical cluster analyses followed by K-means cluster analyses revealed five distinct clusters in both countries. Results: Three clusters were common to both countries: meat lovers (21% in Switzerland and 19% in Vietnam), proactive consumers (22% in Switzerland and 14% in Vietnam) and suggestible consumers (19% in Switzerland and 25% in Vietnam). Two were specific to each country, namely traditional (19%) and basic (21%) consumers in Switzerland and confident (16%) and anxious (26%) consumers in Vietnam. Conclusion: Relying on voluntary actions, nudging techniques, private initiatives and consumers’ sense of responsibility will certainly be useful but will nevertheless be insufficient to achieve a planetary health diet within the given timeframe (the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development). Governments will have no choice but to activate all levers within their sphere of influence – including regulatory measures – and oblige private sector actors to commit to the measures imposed on them. A binding international agenda with common objectives and measures is a judicious approach. Unlike most previous studies, which focused on meat consumption intensity and frequency or diet type to segment consumers, our approach, based on psychographic profiles, allows the identification of segments that share common drivers and barriers and thus the development of better-targeted measures to reduce meat consumption

Development of a PCB-based passive capacitive sensor for fluidic flow detection

A passive wireless sensor system integrated with capacitive fluidic flow detection is proposed and developed based on the printed circuit board (PCB) technique. The capacitive sensing structure consists of PCB-based electrodes enclosing an insulating pipe that contains the fluidic flow of interest. The conductivity of the fluidic flow and the appearance of foreign objects within the flow can be determined by analysing the resonant frequency of the detection path in the proposed system. Experimental results demonstrate that the resonant frequency increases according to the increase in electrical conductivity of the fluidic flow. In addition, the sensing performance is also confirmed by the detection of sizes and electrical conductivities of NaCl droplets passing through the detection zone. Furthermore, this work indirectly verifies the effectiveness and feasibility of the integration of passive wireless sensing technique into the fluidic flow detector by using the PCB fabrication technique and demonstrates great potential for use in various applications in biomedical and chemical fields, especially in biomedical applications