Thermal Barrier Coatings for Low Emission, High Efficiency Diesel Engine Applications

Thermal efficiencies of 54% have been demonstrated by single cylinder engine testing of advanced diesel engine concepts developed under Department of Energy funding. In order for these concept engines to be commercially viable, cost effective and durable systems for insulating the piston, head, ports and exhaust manifolds will be required. The application and development of new materials such as thick thermal barrier coating systems will be key to insulating these components. Development of test methods to rapidly evaluate the durability of coating systems without expensive engine testing is a major objective of current work. In addition, a novel, low cost method for producing thermal barrier coated pistons without final machining of the coating has been developed

Agent and Broker Intermediaries in Insurance Markets - An Empirical Analysis of Market Outcomes

Insurance markets are characterized by profound market imperfections. Insurance intermediaries reduce transaction costs and information asymmetries. From transaction cost economics, agency theory, and law and economics literature the hypothesis is derived that insurance brokers may provide more high-quality information and advisory services which are better suited for the needs of the consumers than insurance agents. Empirical tests for German insurance intermediaries confirm this thesis. But there are also findings that structural factors like firm size, employment structure and degree of specialization may outweigh the incentives set by different legal settings

The Ethics of Life Insurance Settlements: Investing in the Lives of Unrelated Individuals

insurance ethics, investor-initiated life insurance (IILI), investor-owned life insurance (IOLI), life insurance settlements, life settlements, speculator- initiated life insurance (SOLI), spin-life insurance, stranger-originated life insurance (STOLI), value of life,

Feasibility of a multidisciplinary intervention to help cancer patients return to work

This study evaluates feasibility of a multidisciplinary intervention combining occupational counselling with physical exercise to enhance cancer patients’ return to work, assesses whether care providers and patients were satisfied with the intervention, and describes barriers to and facilitators of execution. Newly diagnosed cancer patients, treated with chemotherapy and on sick leave from (self-)employment participated. Patients received counselling from an oncological occupational physician (OOP), were assessed by a sports physician, and performed a 12-week training programme supervised by physiotherapists. Care providers completed registration forms to collect data on reach, dose delivered and received in executing the protocol and were interviewed about their satisfaction and barriers to and facilitators of execution. Patients completed three questionnaires on satisfaction and usefulness of the intervention. Fifty-six per cent of all patients were eligible (reach). In total, 123 patients participated. For all intervention components dose delivered exceeded 75%; dose received ranged from 49%–79%. Overall, patients and care providers were satisfied and perceived the intervention as useful. Care providers considered the intervention feasible, while execution was facilitated by highly motivated patients and impeded by physical limitations hindering exercise. It is feasible to conduct this multidisciplinary intervention in cancer patients during curative treatment. Patients and care providers were satisfied with the intervention