Análise dinâmica de colisão de comboios para projeto de segurança passiva

Trabalho final de mestrado para obtenção do grau Mestre em Engenharia MecânicaEste trabalho visa a modelação multicorpo da colisão de comboios com o objetivo de permitir efetuar simulações da colisão, de modo a observar os fenómenos de absorção de energia, de modo a permitir uma redução dos custos computacionais, mas também dos custos com testes reais. O modelo desenvolvido replica de forma bastante correta uma colisão, podendo servir para análise da colisão. O modelo desenvolvido tem por base um modelo real, sendo este modelo constituído por carruagens, onde uma das carruagens apresenta uma dada velocidade inicial enquanto as outras se encontram em repouso, e buffers, sendo estes últimos estruturas de absorção de energia, estas estruturas encontram-se acopladas às carruagens por molas não lineares. Uma vez que os resultados dependem da curva de rigidez das molas é relativamente simples alterar as características do modelo de modo a simular diferentes tipo de colisão a diferentes velocidades e com diferentes massas. Uma vez que se verifica que quando existe o impacto entre carruagens, não existe recuo do corpo que se encontra inicialmente em movimento, é necessário garantir que o mesmo se verifica nas simulações, esta situação apresentou um grande desafio de simulação, sendo que foram necessárias várias tentativas e modelos, de modo a conseguir replicar o melhor possível este fenómeno. Este projeto oferece uma ferramenta de análise da colisão de carruagens, sendo que a utilização do modelo desenvolvido pode ser útil no projeto e fabrico de carruagens, bem como em projetos de segurança passiva de passageiros.This paper aims the multibody modeling of railway collisions, with the purpose of allow collision simulations, in order to observe the energy absorption phenomena, in order to allow reducing the computing cost, and real test cost as well. The model was developed to replicate quite accurately a collision and can be used for collision analysis. The developed model was based on a real model, being this model was made by carriages, where one of them has an initial velocity while the others are at rest, the model also have buffers, wich are structures for energy absorption, these structures are coupled to the carriages by nonlinear springs. Since the results depend on the springs stiffness curve it is relatively simple to change the characteristics of the model in order to simulate different types of collision, at different velocities with different masses. Since it is found that when there is an impact between carriages there is no recoil of the body that was initially moving, it is necessary to ensure this is what happens in the simulations, this situation presented a big challenge, and several models and trials was made in order to replicate this phenomenon as best as possible. This project offers a different railway crash analysis tool, and the use of the developed model can be useful in the project and manufacture of rail carriages, as well as passive passenger safety projects.N/

EPIdemiology of Surgery-Associated Acute Kidney Injury (EPIS-AKI) : Study protocol for a multicentre, observational trial

More than 300 million surgical procedures are performed each year. Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a common complication after major surgery and is associated with adverse short-term and long-term outcomes. However, there is a large variation in the incidence of reported AKI rates. The establishment of an accurate epidemiology of surgery-associated AKI is important for healthcare policy, quality initiatives, clinical trials, as well as for improving guidelines. The objective of the Epidemiology of Surgery-associated Acute Kidney Injury (EPIS-AKI) trial is to prospectively evaluate the epidemiology of AKI after major surgery using the latest Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) consensus definition of AKI. EPIS-AKI is an international prospective, observational, multicentre cohort study including 10 000 patients undergoing major surgery who are subsequently admitted to the ICU or a similar high dependency unit. The primary endpoint is the incidence of AKI within 72 hours after surgery according to the KDIGO criteria. Secondary endpoints include use of renal replacement therapy (RRT), mortality during ICU and hospital stay, length of ICU and hospital stay and major adverse kidney events (combined endpoint consisting of persistent renal dysfunction, RRT and mortality) at day 90. Further, we will evaluate preoperative and intraoperative risk factors affecting the incidence of postoperative AKI. In an add-on analysis, we will assess urinary biomarkers for early detection of AKI. EPIS-AKI has been approved by the leading Ethics Committee of the Medical Council North Rhine-Westphalia, of the Westphalian Wilhelms-University Münster and the corresponding Ethics Committee at each participating site. Results will be disseminated widely and published in peer-reviewed journals, presented at conferences and used to design further AKI-related trials. Trial registration number NCT04165369

Global, regional, and national comparative risk assessment of 79 behavioural, environmental and occupational, and metabolic risks or clusters of risks, 1990-2015: A systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2015

Background: The Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study 2015 provides an up-to-date synthesis of the evidence for risk factor exposure and the attributable burden of disease. By providing national and subnational assessments spanning the past 25 years, this study can inform debates on the importance of addressing risks in context. Methods: We used the comparative risk assessment framework developed for previous iterations of the Global Burden of Disease Study to estimate attributable deaths, disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs), and trends in exposure by age group, sex, year, and geography for 79 behavioural, environmental and occupational, and metabolic risks or clusters of risks from 1990 to 2015. This study included 388 risk-outcome pairs that met World Cancer Research Fund-defined criteria for convincing or probable evidence. We extracted relative risk and exposure estimates from randomised controlled trials, cohorts, pooled cohorts, household surveys, census data, satellite data, and other sources. We used statistical models to pool data, adjust for bias, and incorporate covariates. We developed a metric that allows comparisons of exposure across risk factors—the summary exposure value. Using the counterfactual scenario of theoretical minimum risk level, we estimated the portion of deaths and DALYs that could be attributed to a given risk. We decomposed trends in attributable burden into contributions from population growth, population age structure, risk exposure, and risk-deleted cause-specific DALY rates. We characterised risk exposure in relation to a Socio-demographic Index (SDI). Findings: Between 1990 and 2015, global exposure to unsafe sanitation, household air pollution, childhood underweight, childhood stunting, and smoking each decreased by more than 25%. Global exposure for several occupational risks, high body-mass index (BMI), and drug use increased by more than 25% over the same period. All risks jointly evaluated in 2015 accounted for 57·8% (95% CI 56·6–58·8) of global deaths and 41·2% (39·8–42·8) of DALYs. In 2015, the ten largest contributors to global DALYs among Level 3 risks were high systolic blood pressure (211·8 million [192·7 million to 231·1 million] global DALYs), smoking (148·6 million [134·2 million to 163·1 million]), high fasting plasma glucose (143·1 million [125·1 million to 163·5 million]), high BMI (120·1 million [83·8 million to 158·4 million]), childhood undernutrition (113·3 million [103·9 million to 123·4 million]), ambient particulate matter (103·1 million [90·8 million to 115·1 million]), high total cholesterol (88·7 million [74·6 million to 105·7 million]), household air pollution (85·6 million [66·7 million to 106·1 million]), alcohol use (85·0 million [77·2 million to 93·0 million]), and diets high in sodium (83·0 million [49·3 million to 127·5 million]). From 1990 to 2015, attributable DALYs declined for micronutrient deficiencies, childhood undernutrition, unsafe sanitation and water, and household air pollution; reductions in risk-deleted DALY rates rather than reductions in exposure drove these declines. Rising exposure contributed to notable increases in attributable DALYs from high BMI, high fasting plasma glucose, occupational carcinogens, and drug use. Environmental risks and childhood undernutrition declined steadily with SDI; low physical activity, high BMI, and high fasting plasma glucose increased with SDI. In 119 countries, metabolic risks, such as high BMI and fasting plasma glucose, contributed the most attributable DALYs in 2015. Regionally, smoking still ranked among the leading five risk factors for attributable DALYs in 109 countries; childhood underweight and unsafe sex remained primary drivers of early death and disability in much of sub-Saharan Africa. Interpretation: Declines in some key environmental risks have contributed to declines in critical infectious diseases. Some risks appear to be invariant to SDI. Increasing risks, including high BMI, high fasting plasma glucose, drug use, and some occupational exposures, contribute to rising burden from some conditions, but also provide opportunities for intervention. Some highly preventable risks, such as smoking, remain major causes of attributable DALYs, even as exposure is declining. Public policy makers need to pay attention to the risks that are increasingly major contributors to global burden. Funding: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

Global, regional, and national levels of maternal mortality, 1990�2015: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2015

Background In transitioning from the Millennium Development Goal to the Sustainable Development Goal era, it is imperative to comprehensively assess progress toward reducing maternal mortality to identify areas of success, remaining challenges, and frame policy discussions. We aimed to quantify maternal mortality throughout the world by underlying cause and age from 1990 to 2015. Methods We estimated maternal mortality at the global, regional, and national levels from 1990 to 2015 for ages 10�54 years by systematically compiling and processing all available data sources from 186 of 195 countries and territories, 11 of which were analysed at the subnational level. We quantified eight underlying causes of maternal death and four timing categories, improving estimation methods since GBD 2013 for adult all-cause mortality, HIV-related maternal mortality, and late maternal death. Secondary analyses then allowed systematic examination of drivers of trends, including the relation between maternal mortality and coverage of specific reproductive health-care services as well as assessment of observed versus expected maternal mortality as a function of Socio-demographic Index (SDI), a summary indicator derived from measures of income per capita, educational attainment, and fertility. Findings Only ten countries achieved MDG 5, but 122 of 195 countries have already met SDG 3.1. Geographical disparities widened between 1990 and 2015 and, in 2015, 24 countries still had a maternal mortality ratio greater than 400. The proportion of all maternal deaths occurring in the bottom two SDI quintiles, where haemorrhage is the dominant cause of maternal death, increased from roughly 68 in 1990 to more than 80 in 2015. The middle SDI quintile improved the most from 1990 to 2015, but also has the most complicated causal profile. Maternal mortality in the highest SDI quintile is mostly due to other direct maternal disorders, indirect maternal disorders, and abortion, ectopic pregnancy, and/or miscarriage. Historical patterns suggest achievement of SDG 3.1 will require 91 coverage of one antenatal care visit, 78 of four antenatal care visits, 81 of in-facility delivery, and 87 of skilled birth attendance. Interpretation Several challenges to improving reproductive health lie ahead in the SDG era. Countries should establish or renew systems for collection and timely dissemination of health data; expand coverage and improve quality of family planning services, including access to contraception and safe abortion to address high adolescent fertility; invest in improving health system capacity, including coverage of routine reproductive health care and of more advanced obstetric care�including EmOC; adapt health systems and data collection systems to monitor and reverse the increase in indirect, other direct, and late maternal deaths, especially in high SDI locations; and examine their own performance with respect to their SDI level, using that information to formulate strategies to improve performance and ensure optimum reproductive health of their population. Funding Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. © 2016 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an Open Access article under the CC BY licens

Using global positioning system for bus priority in London: traffic signals close to bus stops

London's bus network is one of the largest and most comprehensive urban transport systems in the world. The contribution of buses is recognised by implementing a series of initiatives including bus priority at traffic signals. London has a long history of the implementation of bus priority at traffic signals. It has kept pace with the development of new technologies by updating its bus priority system. Now, London is moving towards a bus management system based on global positioning system (GPS), which will also be used to provide bus priority at traffic signals. The authors describe theoretical work carried out by TRG on behalf of Transport for London Bus Priority Team to tackle the challenge posed by locational error associated with GPS where a traffic signal is close to a bus stop

Optimal PID control of a brushless DC motor using PSO and BF techniques

This paper presents a Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) technique and bacterial foraging (BF) technique for determining the optimal parameters of (PID) controller for speed control of a brushless DC motor (BLDC) where the (BLDC) motor is modeled in simulink in Matlab. The proposed technique was more efficient in improving the step response characteristics as well as reducing the steady-state error, rise time, settling time and maximum overshoot

Geochemical investigation of Yamama crude oils and their inferred source rocks in the Mesopotamian Basin, Southern Iraq

Ten oil samples from the Yamama reservoirs and ten extracts of purported source rocks from sixteen wells in the Mesopotamian Basin, Southern Iraq have been analyzed using GC, GC/MS and Stable Carbon Isotope. Yamama oils were non-biodegraded, moderate to higher maturity based on C27Ts of range from 0.17 to 0.77and TAS3 of 0.3 to 0.63, marine carbonate and marl source rocks, deposited under saline, anoxic conditions. Two oil groups were investigated based on the results of the geochemical analysis. These oils have similarly biomarkers ratios to those of the Middle Jurassic to Early Cretaceous source rocks in the Mesopotamian Basin. - 2019, - 2019 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.Scopu

Green Roof Technology- Mitigate Urban Heat Island (UHI) Effect

Alterations on the land surfaces, which are attributed by human activities, especially in cities, cause many implications to the ecosystem. The increase of buildings in cities is reflecting the growth of human activities resulted in a significant temperature increase and warmer pattern in the urban area than the surrounding countryside. The phenomenon defined as urban heat island. This study investigates the application and efficiency of the green roof as an approach to mitigate urban heat island and reducing indoor temperature in a building. Two types of roof models, which consist of vegetative roof and non-vegetative roof, were built to investigate the efficiency of vegetated roof in reducing indoor temperature compared to the non-vegetated roof. The outdoor and indoor temperature and humidity of each roof model were monitored by using RH520 Thermo Hygrometer. The data was collected for three times in a week for 9 weeks at 9:00am to 5:00pm. It was found that the indoor average temperature data for vegetative roof could be reduced 2.4°C from the outdoor average temperature and 0.8°C for non-vegetative roof. The difference of temperature reduction for vegetative roof was greater than the nonvegetative roof, thus indicate that green roof was highly efficient in reducing indoor temperature and mitigate urban heat island impact