Apparent stress-strain relationships in experimental equipment where magnetorheological fluids operate under compression mode

Abstract: This paper presents an experimental investigation of two different magnetorheological ( MR) fluids, namely, water-based and hydrocarbon-based MR fluids in compression mode under various applied currents. Finite element method magnetics was used to predict the magnetic field distribution inside the MR fluids generated by a coil. A test rig was constructed where the MR fluid was sandwiched between two flat surfaces. During the compression, the upper surface was moved towards the lower surface in a vertical direction. Stress-strain relationships were obtained for arrangements of equipment where each type of fluid was involved, using compression test equipment. The apparent compressive stress was found to be increased with the increase in magnetic field strength. In addition, the apparent compressive stress of the water-based MR fluid showed a response to the compressive strain of greater magnitude. However, during the compression process, the hydrocarbon-based MR fluid appeared to show a unique behaviour where an abrupt pressure drop was discovered in a region where the apparent compressive stress would be expected to increase steadily. The conclusion is drawn that the apparent compressive stress of MR fluids is influenced strongly by the nature of the carrier fluid and by the magnitude of the applied current

Effect of body mass and physical activity at younger age on the risk of prostatic enlargement and erectile dysfunction : Results from the 2018 #Controllati survey

Objective: Overweight and low physical activity (PA) increase the risk of prostatic enlargement and erectile dysfunction (ED). Less clear is the role of these factors at young age on the lifelong risk. Materials and methods: During June 2018 the Italian Society of Urologists organized the month of Male Urologic Prevention "#Controllati". Men aged 18 years or more were invited to attend urologic centers for a visit and counselling about urologic/andrologic conditions. Each participating man underwent a physical examination and was asked about urologic symptoms, sexual activity and possible related problems. Results: We analyzed data from 2786 men, aged 55.1 years (SD 10.9, range 19-97). A total of 710 (25.5%) subjects had a diagnosis of prostatic enlargement and 632 (22.7%) of DE. Overweight/obese men were at increased risk of prostatic enlargement and ED with corresponding odds ratio (0R) in comparison with normal or underweight men, being respectively 1.18 (95% Confidence Interval (CI) 1.00-1.44) and 1.69 (95% CI 1.39-2.05). The OR of prostatic enlargement in comparison with men reporting at age 25 a BMI < 25.0 was 1.22 (95% CI 1.01-1.51) for men with a BMI at 25 years of age 65 25; the corresponding OR value for ED was 1.17 (0.92- 1.48). Considering total PA at diagnosis, the OR of prostatic enlargement in comparison with no or low PA, was 0.69 (95%CI 0.55-0.86) for men reporting moderate PA and 0.75 (95%CI 0.58-0.98) for those reporting intense PA. When we considered PA at 25 years of age, the OR of subsequent diagnosis of prostatic enlargement, in comparison with men reporting no/low PA at 25 years of age was 0.81 (95%CI 0.63-1.04) for men reporting moderate PA and 0.70 (95%CI 0.52-0.99) for those reporting intense PA. Conclusions: These findings underline the utility of encouraging healthy lifestyle habits among young men in order to reduce the subsequent risk of prostatic enlargement and ED

Shock induction by arterial hypoperfusion of the gut involves synergistic interactions between the peripheral enkephalin and nitric oxide systems.

To determine whether critical splanchnic artery hypoperfusion can provoke systemic shock and to identify the roles of the peripheral opioid and nitric oxide (NO) systems in this process, various degrees of superior mesenteric artery hypoperfusion (SMA-H) were produced in anesthetized adult rabbits (n=40), and hemodynamic and metabolic indices were measured. Metabolic acidosis and irreversible hypodynamic shock occurred with SMA-H at levels representing 25–20% of mean baseline SMA blood flow. In 112 other rabbits subjected to SMA-H at 20% (SMA-H20%), we studied plasma NO and enkephalin (ENK) levels, cardiovascular reactivity to selected physiological agonists, effects of ENKs on plasma NO levels, and effects of peripheral opioid receptor blockade and inducible NO synthase (iNOS) inhibition. SMA-H20% progressively increased systemic blood levels of NO and ENKs. Exogenous ENK administration accentuated SMA-H20%-induced increases in plasma NO levels, and their cardiovascular depressing effects were significantly greater when they were administered during SMA-H20% (vs. administration under baseline conditions). Selective blockade of cardiovascular δ-opioid receptors improved hemodynamics, prevented shock irreversibility and reduced plasma NO levels; similar effects were obtained by selective iNOS inhibition. These findings demonstrate that critical arterial hypoperfusion of the gut can induce hypodynamic systemic shock through ENK-induced hyperactivation of cardiovascular δ-opioid receptors, which leads to increased plasma levels of NO related in part to increased iNOS activity. Since pronounced splanchnic artery hypoperfusion occurs in all advanced systemic shock states, selective δ-opioid receptor antagonists and/or iNOS inhibitors may prove to be useful in improving shock hemodynamics and metabolic derangements and/or preventing progression toward irreversibility

The impact of ventral oral graft bulbar urethroplasty on sexual life

Objective: To evaluate the pre- and postoperative aspects of sexual life (SL) in patients with bulbar urethral stricture who underwent ventral oral graft urethroplasty. Methods: Between 2009 and 2010, 52 men (mean age 36 years) were enrolled in our prospective study to ascertain sexual disorders before and after surgery. The validated Male Sexual Health Questionnaire-Long Form (MSHQ-LF) was completed pre- and postoperatively; the unvalidated but adapted Post-Urethroplasty Sexual Questionnaire (PUSQ) was completed postoperatively. Data were compared using the non parametric Wilcoxon test. Results: Before urethroplasty, most of the patients reported sexual disorders, in particular reduced ejaculatory stream (85%); many of them (35%) feared the risk of a postoperative worsening in the quality of SL. After urethroplasty, nobody reported a worsened erection, while most of the patients noticed a significant improvement in erection, ejaculation, relationship with their partner, sexual activity, and desire. Modifications in the scrotoperineal sensitivity were reported by 42% and 15% noticed esthetic changes without impact on SL. All patients reported an improvement in quality of life (QOL) and were satisfied with the outcome of urethroplasty. Conclusion: Urethral stricture disease may be responsible for sexual disorders that have a significant impact upon SL. Patients confessed a marked anxiety tackling urethroplasty and declared that one of their deepest fears regarded a potential further deterioration in the quality of SL. At short-term follow-up, the minimally invasive ventral graft urethroplasty does not cause sexual complications, apart from the post-ejaculation dribbling. On the contrary, this technique showed to restore SL in all its aspects

Novel Double Triple Bend Achromat (DTBA) lattice design for a next generation 3 GeV Synchrotron Light Source

The Double Triple Bend Achromat (DTBA) lattice~\cite{DTBAipac16} is a novel lattice design for a next generation 3 GeV Synchrotron Light Source. Starting from a modification of the Hybrid Multi Bend Achromat (HMBA) lattice~\cite{ESRF} developed at ESRF and inspired by the Double-Double Bend Achromat (DDBA) lattice~\cite{Diamond1, Diamond2} developed at Diamond, DTBA combines the advantages of both cells. The typical MBA lattice cells have one straight section dedicated to an insertion device, whereas this new cell layout has two such drifts, thus increasing the fraction of available space for the installation of insertion devices. The DTBA lattice achieves an emittance of $\sim\mathrm{132~pm}$, a dynamic aperture of $\mathrm{\sim\pm10\pm1~mm}$ (calculated at the injection point), an injection efficiency of $\mathrm{\sim\mathrm88\pm5\%}$ and a lifetime of $\mathrm{1.4\pm0.2~h}$ with errors. The characteristics of DTBA, the methodology and results of the linear and non-linear optics optimisations, with and without the presence of errors, are presented in detail

Antineutrinos from Earth: A reference model and its uncertainties

We predict geoneutrino fluxes in a reference model based on a detailed description of Earth's crust and mantle and using the best available information on the abundances of uranium, thorium, and potassium inside Earth's layers. We estimate the uncertainties of fluxes corresponding to the uncertainties of the element abundances. In addition to distance integrated fluxes, we also provide the differential fluxes as a function of distance from several sites of experimental interest. Event yields at several locations are estimated and their dependence on the neutrino oscillation parameters is discussed. At Kamioka we predict N(U+Th)=35 +- 6 events for 10^{32} proton yr and 100% efficiency assuming sin^2(2theta)=0.863 and delta m^2 = 7.3 X 10^{-5} eV^2. The maximal prediction is 55 events, obtained in a model with fully radiogenic production of the terrestrial heat flow.Comment: 24 pages, ReVTeX4, plus 7 postscript figures; minor formal changes to match version to be published in PR