Design of hydraulic output Stirling engine

A hydraulic output system for the RE-1000 free piston stirling engine (FPSE) was designed. The hydraulic output system can be readily integrated with the existing hot section of RE-1000 FPSE. The system has two simply supported diaphragms which separate the engine gas from the hydraulic fluid, a dynamic balance mechanism, and a novel, null center band hydraulic pump. The diaphragms are designed to endure more than 10 billion cycles, and to withstand the differential pressure load as high as 14 MPa. The projected thermodynamic performance of the hydraulic output version of RE-1000 FPSE is 1.87 kW at 29/7 percent brake efficiency

Majocchi’s Granuloma by Trichophytum rubrum in a kidney transplant patient - A case report

Introduction: Trichophytum rubrum is a filamentous fungus, with worldwide distribution, that usually causes superficial infections of skin and nails, namely tinea pedis, tinea corporis, tinea cruris and onychomycosis. Rarely, severe dermatophytosis can occur, presenting as deep dermatophytosis, Majocchi’s Granuloma or extensive dermatophytosis. Objectives and Methods: Case report of Majocchi’s Granuloma in a kidney transplant patient. Results: A case of a 55-year-old woman who underwent a kidney transplant 7 months before, under immunosuppressive therapy with tacrolimus and mycophenolate mofetil. She attended a Dermatology consultation to clarify skin lesions that appeared 6 months earlier. The skin exam revealed hard and painful plaque lesions on both legs, with an ulcer on the left leg lesion, violaceous papular lesions on the dorsum of the left foot and toes and a hard consistency nodule on the left leg. Some of the toe nails presented dystrophy or onycholysis. The patient denied any previous trauma or contact with plants or soil. Biopsies of lesions of the left leg and foot dorsum where sent for histology and mycological culture and toe nails for mycological culture. The histological examinations showed, in the reticular dermis and reaching the hypodermis, suppurative granulomas with multinucleated giant cells and areas of necrosis. PAS (Periodic Acid- Schiff) and GMS (Grocott’s Methenamine Silver) staining revealed multiple spores and septate hypha within the granulomas but not in the stratum corneum. No remnants of hair follicles where found. Culture of skin biopsies were positive for Tricophytum rubrum but nails´ culture was negative. Identification was further confirmed by sequencing of ITS region of ribosomal DNA (GenBank accession number MK967277). Oral Itraconazole 100mg bid and topic Sertoconazole where initiated. The patient was observed one month after and reported general malaise, tiredness, exertional dyspnea, whitish stools and increased abdominal volume. The physician chose to discontinue itraconazole and initiate oral terbinafine 250mg id. After two months on oral terbinafine, there was regression of the legs´ and left foot lesions with ulcer healing and disappearance of the left leg nodule. Conclusion: Diagnosis of deeper dermatophytosis is difficult, in part because there is no specific clinical presentation and, in many cases, it is even polymorphic. However, especially in patients with immunodeficiency, this hypothesis should be weighed. Confirmation is achieved by finding hyphae compatible with dermatophytes in the dermis and a positive culture for a dermatophyte. Treatment should include systemic antifungal agents, to which topical medication may be associated. Multiple therapeutic regimens have been proposed, but randomized trials or large case series are lacking. Antifungal therapy should be continued until the lesions are completely resolved. Surgical treatment has been reported as an option for highly localized lesions.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Resistance status of the carmine spider mite, Tetranychus cinnabarinus and the twospotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae to selected acaricides on strawberries.

The carmine spider mite, Tetranychus cinnabarinus (Boisduval) and the twospotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae Koch, are serious pests of strawberries and many other horticultural crops. Control of these pests has been heavily dependent upon chemical acaricides. Objectives of this study were to determine the resistance status of these two pest species to commonly used acaricides on strawberries in a year-round intensive horticultural production region. LC90 of abamectin for adult carmine spider mites was 4% whereas that for adult twospotted spider mites was 24% of the top label rate. LC90s of spiromesifen, etoxazole, hexythiazox and bifenazate were 0.5%, 0.5%, 1.4% and 83% of their respective highest label rates for carmine spider mite eggs, 0.7%, 2.7%, 12.1% and 347% of their respective highest label rates for the nymphs. LC90s of spiromesifen, etoxazole, hexythiazox and bifenazate were 4.6%, 11.1%, 310% and 62% of their respective highest label rates for twospotted spider mite eggs, 3%, 13%, 432,214% and 15% of their respective highest label rates for the nymphs. Our results suggest that T. cinnabarinus have developed resistance to bifenazate and that the T. urticae have developed resistance to hexythiazox. These results strongly emphasize the need to develop resistance management strategies in the region

Effects of an extra Z′Z' gauge boson on the top quark decay t−−>cγt --> c \gamma

The effects of an extra $Z'$ gauge boson with family nonuniversal fermion couplings on the rare top quark decay $t --> c$gamma$are first examined in a model independent way and then in the minimal 331 model. It is found that the respective branching fraction is at most of the order of$10^{-8}$for$m_{Z'}=500$GeV and dramatically decreases for a heavier$Z'$boson. This results is in sharp contrast with a previous evaluation of this decay in the context of topcolor assisted technicolor models, which found that$B(t --> c \gamma)\sim 10^{-6}$for$m_{Z'}=1$ TeV.Comment: New paragraphs included to clarify our results, conclusion remains unchange

Millimeter observations of Planetary Nebulae: a contribution to the Planck pre-launch catalogue

We present new millimetre 43 GHz observations of a sample of radio-bright Planetary Nebulae. Such observations were carried out to have a good determination of the high-frequency radio spectra of the sample in order to evaluate, together with far-IR measurements (IRAS), the fluxes emitted by the selected source in the millimetre and sub-millimetre band. This spectral range, even very important to constraint the physics of circumstellar environment, is still far to be completely exploited. To estimate the millimetre and sub-millimetre fluxes, we extrapolated and summed together the ionized gas (free-free radio emission) and dust (thermal emission) contributions at this frequency range. By comparison of the derived flux densities to the foreseen sensitivity we investigate the possible detection of such source for all the channels of the forthcoming ESA's PLANCK mission. We conclude that almost 80% of our sample will be detected by PLANCK, with the higher detection rate in the higher frequency channels, where there is a good combination of brighter intrinsic flux from the sources and reduced extended Galactic foregrounds contamination despite a worst instrumental sensitivity. From the new 43 GHz, combined with single-dish 5 GHz observations from the literature, we derive radio spectral indexes, which are consistent with optically thin free-free nebula. This result indicates that the high frequency radio spectrum of our sample sources is dominated by thermal free-free and other emission, if present, are negligible.Comment: Submitted to A&A, 6 pages, 3 figure

Higgs mediated Double Flavor Violating top decays in Effective Theories

The possibility of detecting double flavor violating top quark transitions at future colliders is explored in a model-independent manner using the effective Lagrangian approach through the $t \to u_i\tau \mu$ ($u_i=u,c$) decays. A Yukawa sector that contemplates $SU_L(2)\times U_Y(1)$ invariants of up to dimension six is proposed and used to derive the most general flavor violating and CP violating $q_iq_jH$ and $l_il_jH$ vertices of renormalizable type. Low-energy data, on high precision measurements, and experimental limits are used to constraint the $tu_iH$ and $H\tau \mu$ vertices and then used to predict the branching ratios for the $t \to u_i\tau \mu$ decays. It is found that this branching ratios may be of the order of $10^{-4}-10^{-5}$, for a relative light Higgs boson with mass lower than $2m_W$, which could be more important than those typical values found in theories beyond the standard model for the rare top quark decays $t\to u_iV_iV_j$ ($V_i=W,Z,\gamma, g$) or $t\to u_il^+l^-$. %% LHC experiments, by using a total integrated luminosity of $\rm 3000 fb^{-1}$ of data, will be able to rule out, at 95% C.L., DFV top quark decays up to a Higgs mass of 155 GeV/$c^2$ or discover such a process up to a Higgs mass of 147 GeV/$c^2$.Comment: 24 pages, 11 figure

Production of doubly charged vector bilepton pairs at γγ\gamma \gamma colliders

The production of pairs of doubly charged vector bileptons is studied at future $\gamma \gamma$ colliders. The unpolarized cross--section for the $\gamma \gamma \to Y^{--}Y^{++}$ subprocess is analytically calculated and convoluted to predict the number of events in the complete $e^+e^-\to \gamma \gamma \to Y^{--}Y^{++}$ process. The gauge or non--gauge character of the vector bilepton $Y^{\pm \pm}$ is discussed. It is found that as a consequence of its spectacular signature, as it decays dominantly into two identical charged leptons, and also due to its charge contents, which significantly enhance the cross--section, the detection of this class of particles with mass in the sub--TeV region can be at the reach of these colliders. The model--independent nature of our results is stressed.Comment: 9 pages, 7 figures, submitted to physical review

Spacelab 3 flight experiment No. 3AFT23: Autogenic-feedback training as a preventive method for space adaptation syndrome

Space adaptation syndrome is a motion sickness-like disorder which affects up to 50 percent of all people exposed to microgravity in space. This experiment tested a physiological conditioning procedure (Autogenic-Feedback Training, AFT) as an alternative to pharmacological management. Four astronauts participated as subjects in this experiment. Crewmembers A and B served as treatment subjects. Both received preflight training for control of heart rate, respiration rate, peripheral blood volume, and skin conductance. Crewmembers C and D served as controls (i.e., did not receive training). Crewmember A showed reliable control of his own physiological responses, and a significant increase in motion sickness tolerance after training. Crewmember B, however, demonstrated much less control and only a moderate increase in motion sickness tolerance was observed after training. The inflight symptom reports and physiological data recordings revealed that Crewmember A did not experience any severe symptom episodes during the mission, while Crewmember B reported one severe symptom episode. Both control group subjects, C and D (who took antimotion sickness medication), reported multiple symptom episodes on mission day 0. Both inflight data and crew reports indicate that AFT may be an effective countermeasure. Additional data must be obtained inflight (a total of eight treatment and eight control subjects) before final evaluation of this treatment can be made

Promoting post-stroke recovery through focal or whole body vibration: criticisms and prospects from a narrative review

Objective: Several focal muscle vibration (fMV) and whole body vibration (WBV) protocols have been designed to promote brain reorganization processes in patients with stroke. However, whether fMV and WBV should be considered helpful tools to promote post-stroke recovery remains still largely unclear. Methods: We here achieve a comprehensive review of the application of fMV and WBV to promote brain reorganization processes in patients with stroke. By first discussing the putative physiological basis of fMV and WBV and then examining previous observations achieved in recent randomized controlled trials (RCT) in patients with stroke, we critically discuss possible strength and limitations of the currently available data. Results: We provide the first systematic assessment of fMV studies demonstrating some improvement in upper and lower limb functions, in patients with chronic stroke. We also confirm and expand previous considerations about the rather limited rationale for the application of current WBV protocols in patients with chronic stroke. Conclusion: Based on available information, we propose new recommendations for optimal stimulation parameters and strategies for recruitment of specific stroke populations that would more likely benefit from future fMV or WBV application, in terms of speed and amount of post-stroke functional recovery

Autogenic-feedback training: A preventive method for space adaptation syndrome

The progress made to date on the reduction of data for Spacelab 3 Shuttle experiment, No. 3AFT23 is reported. Four astronauts participated as subjects in this experiment. Crewmen A and B served as treatment subjects (i.e., received preflight training for control of their own motion sickness symptoms) and Crewmen C and D served as control (i.e., did not receive training). A preliminary evaluation of Autogenic Feedback Training (AFT) was made from visual inspections of graphs that were generated from the preflight and inflight and inflight physiological data which included: (1) Baseline rotating chair tests for all crewmen; (2) Posttraining rotating chair tests of treatment groups subjects; (3) Preflight data from Joint Integrated Simulations for all crewmen; and (4) Flight data for all crewmen during mission days 0 through 4, and mission day 6 for treatment subjects only. A summary of the findings suggested by these data is outlined