The Simulation of Recovery Procedures from Engine Failures during Helicopter Offshore Operations. Internal report no. 9331

This report discusses the mathematical models and the specialised simulation techniques developed for an investigation of helicopter offshore operations under adverse conditions. The development of a mathematical model of a torque limited, twin engine power plant capable of accommodating multiple or single gas turbine failures is presented. In order to simulate engine failures during the critical phases of takeoff or landing manoeuvres, a novel hybrid simulation technique called HIFIS which incorporates both inverse and forward methods has been developed. Its formulation and the subsequent specialised recovery trajectories that it requires are detailed

Helicopter Takeoff and Landing Procedures in Adverse Conditions using Inverse Simulation. Progress note: Oct. 92 - Sept. 93. Internal report no. 9332

This report summarises the progress made in the second year of a study of helicopter offshore operations in adverse conditions. Initially, a narrative description of key helicopter heli-deck related manoeuvres in the presence and absence of engine failures, is given. Based on this information, mathematical models of the manoeuvres are developed in a form suitable for use as input to inverse simulation. The demands of simulating pilot strategies in the event of engine failures has necessitated the development of a multistage inverse-forward-inverse simulation technique of novel kind and a comprehensive description of this method is presented. A dynamic graphics package has been created to demonstrate piloting strategies and its formulation is briefly outlined. The piloting strategies as derived from simulation studies are presented for the Towering Takeoff and Normal Approach and Landing manoeuvres (with and without engine failures) and these are qualitatively validated against descriptions provided by practicing pilots. Finally, some conclusions are drawn and directions for future work highlighted

The dissociation energy of N2

The requirements for very accurate ab initio quantum chemical prediction of dissociation energies are examined using a detailed investigation of the nitrogen molecule. Although agreement with experiment to within 1 kcal/mol is not achieved even with the most elaborate multireference CI (configuration interaction) wave functions and largest basis sets currently feasible, it is possible to obtain agreement to within about 2 kcal/mol, or 1 percent of the dissociation energy. At this level it is necessary to account for core-valence correlation effects and to include up to h-type functions in the basis. The effect of i-type functions, the use of different reference configuration spaces, and basis set superposition error were also investigated. After discussing these results, the remaining sources of error in our best calculations are examined

Exciton-Polaritons in Uniaxially Aligned Organic Microcavities

Here we report the fabrication and optical characterization of organic microcavities containing liquid-crystalline conjugated polymers (LCCPs): poly(9,9-dioctylfluorene-co-benzothiadiazole) (F8BT), poly(9,9-dioctylfluorene) (PFO) and poly(2,7-(9,9-dihexylfluorene)-co-bithiophene) (F6T2) aligned on top of a thin transparent Sulfuric Dye 1 (SD1) photoalignment layer. We extract the optical constants of the aligned films using variable angle spectroscopic ellipsometry and fabricate metallic microcavities in which the ultrastrong coupling regime is manifest both for the aligned and non-aligned LCCPs. Transition dipole moment alignment enables a systematic increase in the interaction strength, with unprecedented solid-state Rabi splitting energies up to 1.80 eV for F6T2, the first to reach the visible spectrum; with an optical gap of 2.79 eV this also gives the highest-to-date organic microcavity coupling ratio, 65$\%$. We also demonstrate that the coupling strength is polarization-dependent with bright polaritons photoluminescence for TE polarization parallel to the transition dipoles and either no emission or weakly coupled emission from the corresponding TM polarization. The use of uniaxally aligned organic microcavities with switchable coupling strength offers exciting prospects for direct observations of ultrastrong coupling signatures, quantum simulation, polaritonics and condensation related phenomena.Comment: Supplementary Information is available upon request (preferably via e-mail

Rodent malaria-resistant strains of the mosquito, Anopheles gambiae, have slower population growth than -susceptible strains

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Trade-offs between anti-parasite defence mechanisms and other life history traits limit the evolution of host resistance to parasites and have important implications for understanding diseases such as malaria. Mosquitoes have not evolved complete resistance to malaria parasites and one hypothesis is that anti-malaria defence mechanisms are costly.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We used matrix population models to compare the population growth rates among lines of <it>Anopheles gambiae </it>that had been selected for resistance or high susceptibility to the rodent malaria parasite, <it>Plasmodium yoelii nigeriensis</it>. The population growth rate of the resistant line was significantly lower than that of the highly susceptible and the unselected control lines, regardless of whether mosquitoes were infected with <it>Plasmodium </it>or not. The lower population growth of malaria-resistant mosquitoes was caused by reduced post blood-feeding survival of females and poor egg hatching.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>With respect to eradicating malaria, the strategy of releasing <it>Plasmodium</it>-resistant <it>Anopheles </it>mosquitoes is unlikely to be successful if the costs of <it>Plasmodium</it>-resistance in the field are as great as the ones measured in this study. High densities of malaria-resistant mosquitoes would have to be maintained by continuous release from captive breeding facilities.</p

Methylglyoxal Requires AC1 and TRPA1 to Produce Pain and Spinal Neuron Activation

Methylglyoxal (MG) is a metabolite of glucose that may contribute to peripheral neuropathy and pain in diabetic patients. MG increases intracellular calcium in sensory neurons and produces behavioral nociception via the cation channel transient receptor potential ankyrin 1 (TRPA1). However, rigorous characterization of an animal model of methylglyoxal-evoked pain is needed, including testing whether methylglyoxal promotes negative pain affect. Furthermore, it remains unknown whether methylglyoxal is sufficient to activate neurons in the spinal cord dorsal horn, whether this requires TRPA1, and if the calcium-sensitive adenylyl cyclase 1 isoform (AC1) contributes to MG-evoked pain. We administered intraplantar methylglyoxal and then evaluated immunohistochemical phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (p-ERK) and multiple pain-like behaviors in wild-type rats and mice and after disruption of either TRPA1 or AC1. Methylglyoxal produced conditioned place avoidance (CPA) (a measure of affective pain), dose-dependent licking and lifting nociceptive behaviors, hyperalgesia to heat and mechanical stimulation, and p-ERK in the spinal cord dorsal horn. TRPA1 knockout or intrathecal administration of a TRPA1 antagonist (HC030031) attenuated methylglyoxal-evoked p-ERK, nociception, and hyperalgesia. AC1 knockout abolished hyperalgesia but not nociceptive behaviors. These results indicate that intraplantar administration of methylglyoxal recapitulates multiple signs of painful diabetic neuropathy found in animal models of or patients with diabetes, including the activation of spinal nociresponsive neurons and the potential involvement of a TRPA1-AC1 sensitization mechanism. We conclude that administration of MG is a valuable model for investigating both peripheral and central components of a MG-TRPA1-AC1 pathway that contribute to painful diabetic neuropathy

The magnitude of educational disadvantage amongst indigenous minority groups in Australia.

Indigenous groups are amongst the most disadvantaged minority groups in the developed world. This paper examines the educational disadvantage of indigenous Australians by assessing academic performance at a relatively early age. We find that, by the age of 10, indigenous Australians are substantially behind non-indigenous Australians in academic achievement. Their relative performance deteriorates further over the next 2 years. School and locality do not appear to be important determinants of the indigenous to non-indigenous achievement gap. However, geographic remoteness, indigenous ethnicity and language use at home have a marked influence on educational achievement. A current focus of Australian indigenous policy is to increase school resources. Our results suggest that this will not eliminate indigenous educational disadvantage on its own

Telehealth by Certified Psychiatric Providers Compared to Emergency Department Healthcare Providers on Psychiatric Patient Outcomes: A Scoping Review

Background: Emergency department visits for mental health disorders have increased over the years due to insufficient mental health resources. The number of ED visits for mental health disorders rose from 1.4 to 2.5 million per year in the US. Therefore, mental health patients being seen by ED physicians are more likely to have longer lengths of stay, an increase in hospital admission, and high recidivism rates. Purpose: In this scoping review, we wanted to determine the role of telehealth on ED mental health patients. outcomes regarding how telehealth can reduce the number of admissions, length of stay in the ED, dispositions of patients with mental illness complaints, the cost-effectiveness of telehealth, and patient and staff satisfaction were reviewed. Method: We collected data using The University of Tennessee Health Science Center (UTHSC) online Library, and we obtained articles using CINAHL Complete, Medline, and PubMed. The eligibility criteria were studies conducted in English, subjects greater than 18 years of age, meet DSM criteria for mental health diagnosis, and no limit on gender, race, and ethnicity. Participants must be able to consent. Result: Data from 11 articles published from 2012 to 2020 was collected. Decreased length of stay, improved patient outcomes, decreased healthcare cost, and reduction in readmission/revisit rates were the most frequently reported findings. Implications for Nursing Practice: Results of this scoping review showed improved patient outcomes and decreased readmission/revisit rates when patients with psychiatric illness were seen by a psychiatric physician via telehealth in the Emergency Department. This practice can be standardized and utilized to yield similar results to the literature review. Additional research is necessary to assist in the development of healthcare resources that will provide patients who suffer from mental illness with the care they deserve

Earth Radiation Budget Experiment (ERBE) scanner instrument anomaly investigation

The results of an ad-hoc committee investigation of in-Earth orbit operational anomalies noted on two identical Earth Radiation Budget Experiment (ERBE) Scanner instruments on two different spacecraft busses is presented. The anomalies are attributed to the bearings and the lubrication scheme for the bearings. A detailed discussion of the pertinent instrument operations, the approach of the investigation team and the current status of the instruments now in Earth orbit is included. The team considered operational changes for these instruments, rework possibilities for the one instrument which is waiting to be launched, and preferable lubrication considerations for specific space operational requirements similar to those for the ERBE scanner bearings