A New Approach of Computational Fluid Dynamics Studying Power Transient Critical Heat Flux

Power transient boiling has been studied for decades, however, the mechanistic understanding of phenomena which occur during such an event remains incomplete. Due to a dearth of systematic researches, the information of studied phenomenon, detailed physics and applicable hypothesis are very limited. Transient critical heat flux (CHF) is paramount in determining the safe operations of a nuclear reactor. The Transient Reactor Test Loop (TRTL), serves as an out-of-pile facility which supports the testing of conditions experienced in the Transient REActor Test (TREAT) facility at the Idaho National Laboratory (INL). Specifically, the TRTL was designed and operates with the focus on the power transient boiling phenomenon under the Pressurized Water Reactor (PWR) condition. Since the direct application of power transient experiments may lead to a potential safety concern, it is crucial to develop a Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) model and simulation method that provides a feasible way to recognize the irregular type of boiling processes that takes place in the TRTL facility and would therefore take place within the TREAT facility as well. With the expensive computational cost and heavy instability from the fast-changing boundary conditions and complicated two-phase physics, the available literature associated with studying transient boiling via CFD is limited. In this study, a new approach is developed with the consideration of heating and temporal behavior. An integral view of the CFD study includes model selection, grid independent study and stability maintenance. To develop a qualitatively confident result from the new approach, a brief data benchmark via available past experimental studies is provided. In addition, a new hypothesis which is able to solve the current debating of the transient boiling phenomenon based on the simulation is discussed as well

The influence of localization and materialization of mathematics activities on the indigenous first grade students’ learning effects: Two assessment results

This research aimed to discuss the indigenous students’ learning effects of mathematics which was based on the self-designed localization and materialization of mathematics activities and had proceeded for one year. The quasi-experimental method was used in this research. There were 58 indigenous first grade students which were divided into three experimental groups (A, B, C) and one control group (D). Experimental instruments embodied written tests and manipulative tests which were designed by researchers according to the indicators proclaimed by Ministry of Education. The main findings were as followed: (1) The influence of localization and materialization of mathematics activities on the indigenous first grade students’ learning effects was limited. (2) According to the result of Paired T-test of the written and manipulative tests, most of scores of manipulative tests were higher written tests

Impact of interleukin-28B polymorphism on HCV-1 infected patients treated with response-guided therapy

SummaryBackgroundSingle nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of interleukin-28B (IL28B) were associated with sustained virological response (SVR) in hepatitis C virus genotype 1 (HCV-1) infected patients treated with a standard 48-week regimen of peginterferon and ribavirin combination. Whether IL28B SNP genotype would be the influential prognosticator for patients treated with response-guided therapy (RGT) is still not well understood.AimsTo investigate the impact of IL28B rs809917 genotype on HCV-1 infected patients treated with RGT.MethodsA total of 128 consecutive treatment-naïve HCV-1 infected patients between July 2006 and July 2011 were analyzed. For rapid virological response (RVR) patients, we allowed an abbreviated 24-week regimen regardless of baseline viral loads; otherwise, a 48-week regimen was implemented (for patients with early virological response). The IL28B rs8099917 SNP genotypes were determined accordingly.ResultsA total of 117 patients (91.4%) were of rs8099917 TT genotype and 11 (8.6%) were of GT/GG genotype. Eighty-two of the 128 (64.1%) patients achieved SVR, occurring in 54 of 67 RVR patients (80.6%) and 28 of 61 non-RVR patients (45.9%, p < 0.001). Compared to the GT/GG genotype, patients with the TT genotype had significantly higher SVR rates (67.5% vs. 27.3%; p = 0.008) and low relapse rates (28.2% vs. 70.0%; p = 0.006). The multivariate analysis showed that RVR (odds ratio, 4.51; 95% confidence interval, 1.87–10.90; p = 0.001) and rs8099917 TT genotype (odds ratio, 6.91; 95% confidence interval, 1.53–31.17; p = 0.012) were independent factors associated with SVR.ConclusionFor HCV-1 infected patients who were treated with RGT, the IL28B unfavorable genotype predicted a higher relapse rate; RVR and IL28B favorable genotype were independent factors associated with SVR in patients treated with RGT

Bifurcation Analysis of the Eigenstructure of the Discrete Single-curl Operator in Three-dimensional Maxwell's Equations with Pasteur Media

This paper focuses on studying the bifurcation analysis of the eigenstructure of the $\gamma$-parameterized generalized eigenvalue problem ($\gamma$-GEP) arising in three-dimensional (3D) source-free Maxwell's equations with Pasteur media, where $\gamma$ is the magnetoelectric chirality parameter. For the weakly coupled case, namely, $\gamma < \gamma_{*} \equiv$ critical value, the $\gamma$-GEP is positive definite, which has been well-studied by Chern et.\ al, 2015. For the strongly coupled case, namely, $\gamma > \gamma_{*}$, the $\gamma$-GEP is no longer positive definite, introducing a totally different and complicated structure. For the critical strongly coupled case, numerical computations for electromagnetic fields have been presented by Huang et.\ al, 2018. In this paper, we build several theoretical results on the eigenstructure behavior of the $\gamma$-GEPs. We prove that the $\gamma$-GEP is regular for any $\gamma > 0$, and the $\gamma$-GEP has $2 \times 2$ Jordan blocks of infinite eigenvalues at the critical value $\gamma_{*}$. Then, we show that the $2 \times 2$ Jordan block will split into a complex conjugate eigenvalue pair that rapidly goes down and up and then collides at some real point near the origin. Next, it will bifurcate into two real eigenvalues, with one moving toward the left and the other to the right along the real axis as $\gamma$ increases. A newly formed state whose energy is smaller than the ground state can be created as $\gamma$ is larger than the critical value. This stunning feature of the physical phenomenon would be very helpful in practical applications. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to clarify the corresponding theoretical eigenstructure of 3D Maxwell's equations with Pasteur media.Comment: 26 pages, 5 figure

Interpersonal Relationships among University Safety Professionals: The Impact of a Safety Departmentf

PresentationForming strong interpersonal relationships enables an organization or individual to achieve more favorable outcomes. The objectives of this study were to examine the frequency of interpersonal interactions among safety professionals (SPs) employed at Taiwanese universities and the factors that affected this frequency. To accomplish these objectives, we mailed questionnaires to a simple random sampling of 200 university SPs. Moreover, an interpersonal relationship scale was developed in this study; exploratory factor and internal consistency analyses revealed that the scale was valid and reliable. Results derived from the questionnaire revealed that in SP interpersonal relationships, general affairs department personnel, laboratory or internship unit supervisors, and teaching staff ranked highest in frequency of interactions. Multivariate analysis of variance results showed that establishing a safety department exerted a statistically significant effect on SP interpersonal relationships. SPs employed by universities with safety departments interacted more frequently with both internal and external relationships. Therefore, we suggest that universities without a safety department establish such a department to strengthen the labor safety and health structure, thereby benefitting SPs in fulfilling responsibilities to promote safety and health management

Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs for Wounds: Pain Relief or Excessive Scar Formation?

The inflammatory process has direct effects on normal and abnormal wound healing. Hypertrophic scar formation is an aberrant form of wound healing and is an indication of an exaggerated function of fibroblasts and excess accumulation of extracellular matrix during wound healing. Two cytokines—transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2)—are lipid mediators of inflammation involving wound healing. Overproduction of TGF-β and suppression of PGE2 are found in excessive wound scarring compared with normal wound healing. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) or their selective cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibitors are frequently used as a pain-killer. However, both NSAIDs and COX-2 inhibitors inhibit PGE2 production, which might exacerbate excessive scar formation, especially when used during the later proliferative phase. Therefore, a balance between cytokines and medication in the pathogenesis of wound healing is needed. This report is a literature review pertaining to wound healing and is focused on TGF-β and PGE2

Complete genomic sequence of the temperate bacteriophage ΦAT3 isolated from Lactobacillus casei ATCC 393

AbstractThe complete genomic sequence of a temperate bacteriophage ΦAT3 isolated from Lactobacillus (Lb.) casei ATCC 393 is reported. The phage consists of a linear DNA genome of 39,166 bp, an isometric head of 53 nm in diameter, and a flexible, noncontractile tail of approximately 200 nm in length. The number of potential open reading frames on the phage genome is 53. There are 15 unpaired nucleotides at both 5′ ends of the ΦAT3 genome, indicating that the phage uses a cos-site for DNA packaging. The ΦAT3 genome was grouped into five distinct functional clusters: DNA packaging, morphogenesis, lysis, lysogenic/lytic switch, and replication. The amino acid sequences at the NH2-termini of some major proteins were determined. An in vivo integration assay for the ΦAT3 integrase (Int) protein in several lactobacilli was conducted by constructing an integration vector including ΦAT3 int and the attP (int-attP) region. It was found that ΦAT3 integrated at the tRNAArg gene locus of Lactobacillus rhamnosus HN 001, similar to that observed in its native host, Lb. casei ATCC 393