A numerical technique to simulate display pixels based on electrowetting

We present a numerical simulation technique to calculate the deformation of interfaces between a conductive and non-conductive fluid as well as the motion of liquid–liquid–solid three-phase contact lines under the influence of externally applied electric fields in electrowetting configuration. The technique is based on the volume of fluid method as implemented in the OpenFOAM framework, using a phase fraction parameter to track the different phases. We solve the combined electrohydrodynamic problem by coupling the equations for electric effects—Gauss’s law and a charge transport equation—to the Navier–Stokes equations of fluid flow. Specifically, we use a multi-domain approach to solving for the electric field in the solid and liquid dielectric parts of the system. A Cox–Voinov boundary condition is introduced to describe the dynamic contact angle of moving contact lines. We present several benchmark problems with analytical solutions to validate the simulation model. Subsequently, the model is used to study the dynamics of an electrowetting-based display pixel. We demonstrate good qualitative agreement between simulation results of the opening and closing of a pixel with experimental tests of the identical reference geometry

A numerical technique to simulate display pixels based on electrowetting

We present a numerical simulation technique to calculate the deformation of interfaces between a conductive and non-conductive fluid as well as the motion of liquid–liquid–solid three-phase contact lines under the influence of externally applied electric fields in electrowetting configuration. The technique is based on the volume of fluid method as implemented in the OpenFOAM framework, using a phase fraction parameter to track the different phases. We solve the combined electrohydrodynamic problem by coupling the equations for electric effects—Gauss’s law and a charge transport equation—to the Navier–Stokes equations of fluid flow. Specifically, we use a multi-domain approach to solving for the electric field in the solid and liquid dielectric parts of the system. A Cox–Voinov boundary condition is introduced to describe the dynamic contact angle of moving contact lines. We present several benchmark problems with analytical solutions to validate the simulation model. Subsequently, the model is used to study the dynamics of an electrowetting-based display pixel. We demonstrate good qualitative agreement between simulation results of the opening and closing of a pixel with experimental tests of the identical reference geometry

Hobson’s choice? Constraints on accessing spaces of creative production

Successful creative production is often documented to occur in urban areas that are more likely to be diverse, a source of human capital and the site of dense interactions. These accounts chart how, historically, creative industries have clustered in areas where space was once cheap in the city centre fringe and inner city areas, often leading to the development of a creative milieu, and thereby stimulating further creative production. Historical accounts of the development of creative areas demonstrate the crucial role of accessible low-cost business premises. This article reports on the findings of a case study that investigated the location decisions of firms in selected creative industry sectors in Greater Manchester. The study found that, while creative activity remains highly concentrated in the city centre, creative space there is being squeezed and some creative production is decentralizing in order to access cheaper premises. The article argues that the location choices of creative industry firms are being constrained by the extensive city centre regeneration, with the most vulnerable firms, notably the smallest and youngest, facing a Hobson’s choice of being able to access low-cost premises only in the periphery. This disrupts the delicate balance needed to sustain production and begs the broader question as to how the creative economy fits into the existing urban fabric, alongside the competing demands placed on space within a transforming industrial conurbation

Immigrant community integration in world cities

As a consequence of the accelerated globalization process, today major cities all over the world are characterized by an increasing multiculturalism. The integration of immigrant communities may be affected by social polarization and spatial segregation. How are these dynamics evolving over time? To what extent the different policies launched to tackle these problems are working? These are critical questions traditionally addressed by studies based on surveys and census data. Such sources are safe to avoid spurious biases, but the data collection becomes an intensive and rather expensive work. Here, we conduct a comprehensive study on immigrant integration in 53 world cities by introducing an innovative approach: an analysis of the spatio-temporal communication patterns of immigrant and local communities based on language detection in Twitter and on novel metrics of spatial integration. We quantify the "Power of Integration" of cities --their capacity to spatially integrate diverse cultures-- and characterize the relations between different cultures when acting as hosts or immigrants.Comment: 13 pages, 5 figures + Appendi

Chronic kidney disease increases the susceptibility to negative effects of low and high potassium intake

BackgroundDietary potassium (K+) has emerged as a modifiable factor for cardiovascular and kidney health in the general population, but its role in people with chronic kidney disease (CKD) is unclear. Here, we hypothesize that CKD increases the susceptibility to the negative effects of low and high K+ diets.MethodsWe compared the effects of low, normal and high KChloride (KCl) diets and a high KCitrate diet for 4 weeks in male rats with normal kidney function and in male rats with CKD using the 5/6th nephrectomy model (5/6Nx).ResultsCompared with rats with normal kidney function, 5/6Nx rats on the low KCl diet developed more severe extracellular and intracellular K+ depletion and more severe kidney injury, characterized by nephromegaly, infiltration of T cells and macrophages, decreased estimated glomerular filtration rate and increased albuminuria. The high KCl diet caused hyperkalemia, hyperaldosteronism, hyperchloremic metabolic acidosis and severe hypertension in 5/6Nx but not in sham rats. The high KCitrate diet caused hypochloremic metabolic alkalosis but attenuated hypertension despite higher abundance of the phosphorylated sodium chloride cotransporter (pNCC) and similar levels of plasma aldosterone and epithelial sodium channel abundance. All 5/6Nx groups had more collagen deposition than the sham groups and this effect was most pronounced in the high KCitrate group. Plasma aldosterone correlated strongly with kidney collagen deposition.ConclusionsCKD increases the susceptibility to negative effects of low and high K+ diets in male rats, although the injury patterns are different. The low K+ diet caused inflammation, nephromegaly and kidney function decline, whereas the high K+ diet caused hypertension, hyperaldosteronism and kidney fibrosis. High KCitrate attenuated the hypertensive but not the pro-fibrotic effect of high KCl, which may be attributable to K+-induced aldosterone secretion. Our data suggest that especially in people with CKD it is important to identify the optimal threshold of dietary K+ intake

Shadow Places: Patterns of Spatial Concentration and Incorporation of Irregular Immigrants in the Netherlands

Summary: In Western countries, irregular immigrants constitute a sizeable segment of the population. By combining quantitative and qualitative research methods, this article describes and explains irregular immigrants’ patterns of spatial concentration and incorporation in the Netherlands. So far these spatial patterns have not been described and explained systematically, neither in the Netherlands nor elsewhere. The article shows that illegal residence is selectively embedded in the (urban) social structure in various ways. The authors argue that irregular immigrants are likely to be spatially concentrated and incorporated in similar ways in other Western countries; now and in the foreseeable future