Computer data acquisition, control, and analysis for the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga\u27s internal combustion engine labratory

For any data acquisition instrumentation, it is essential to have a voltage or current signal output from any transducer that needs to be monitored.Nine OMEGA thermocouples were installed on the Ford engine-Megatech dynamometer system to monitor the temperature of the exhaust gases at different locations and the coolants entering and leaving the dynamometer and the radiator.Those thermocouples have an output signal of O - 55 mv.The TESCOM gas analyzer system measures the concentrations of the different gases present in the exhaust system of the engine and produces an analog output signal (0 - 100 mv) that is used for data acquisition.Two pressure transducers were attached to the Megatech dynamometer\u27s counter clockwise (CCW) torque and clockwise (CW) torque gages to measure the torque output of the engine and the friction torque, respectively.A reproducible signal representing the speed of the engine was obtained from the tachometer generator of the dynamometer. This signal was then reduced, filtered,and calibrated; and a linear relationship (speed vs. output signal) was established and used in the software.A pressure differential sensor was used to determine the amount of air consumed by the engine by measuring the pressure drop across the Meriam laminar flowelement. This signal was also calibrated used an inclined manometer.Output signals from all transducers and the gas analyzers were supplied to three EXP-16 boards according to their ranges. The OMEGA EXP-16 boards are channel multiplexers. They have 16 input channels and one output channel.In addition, each board can output a temperature compensation signal on a separate channel.The output channels from the EXP-16 boards are fed into a Metrabyte DASH-16 data acquisition board installed inside the Dell Computer.The flow rate of the supplementary air supplied to the catalytic converter is controlled using an OMEGA mass flow controller. This controller receives a voltage signal from the computer to determine the flow rate being supplied.Switching of the three solenoid valves that are used to choose the location where the gas sample is taken into the TESSCOM gas analyzer was accomplished through electro-mechanical relays. Those relays are energized by a software addressed digital 1/0 card.A program was written in ASYST to read data from all sensors and perform the necessary calculations related to engine efficiency and emissions. A display screen shows the current status of the whole system. Another program was also written to enable graphics representation of the results

Clinical and histopathological findings of a rare sinonasal glomangiopericytoma

Glomangiopericytoma is a rare vascular neoplasm of the nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses that occurs during the sixth or seventh decade of life. It is categorized as a borderline tumor with low malignant potential and classified as a distinct entity of sinonasal tumors with perivascular myoid phenotype by the World Health Organization (WHO). We report the case of a 50-year-old woman with nasal obstruction and severe epistaxis. The nasal sinuses computed tomography (CT), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) demonstrated a 3.1 cm soft tissue mass occupying the upper part of the left nasal cavity invading the left paranasal sinuses and nasal septum, and the left eye medial rectus muscle. A total mass resection was performed by nasal endoscopy. The histological and immunohistochemical examination yielded the diagnosis of glomangiopericytoma. This case report aims to contribute to the knowledge of nasal neoplasms. The need for more data on this entity is the main obstacle to developing standardized treatment guidelines

Clinical and histopathological findings of a rare sinonasal glomangiopericytoma

Glomangiopericytoma is a rare vascular neoplasm of the nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses that occurs during the sixth or seventh decade of life. It is categorized as a borderline tumor with low malignant potential and classified as a distinct entity of sinonasal tumors with perivascular myoid phenotype by the World Health Organization (WHO). We report the case of a 50-year-old woman with nasal obstruction and severe epistaxis. The nasal sinuses computed tomography (CT), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) demonstrated a 3.1 cm soft tissue mass occupying the upper part of the left nasal cavity invading the left paranasal sinuses and nasal septum, and the left eye medial rectus muscle. A total mass resection was performed by nasal endoscopy. The histological and immunohistochemical examination yielded the diagnosis of glomangiopericytoma. This case report aims to contribute to the knowledge of nasal neoplasms. The need for more data on this entity is the main obstacle to developing standardized treatment guidelines

MEDIBEES: Monitoring the Mediterranean honey bee subspecies and their resilience to climate change for the improvement of sustainable agro-ecosystems

Beekeeping provides livelihood for hundreds of thousands of beekeepers in the Mediterranean area. This activity relies on a number of different indigenous Apis mellifera subspecies, adapted to the very diverse and harsh conditions of the region. Climate change is expected to increase the stress factors affecting bees, especially in this region, reducing both pollination efficiency and production potential. Unfortunately, our ability to address this problem is limited by the incomplete knowledge of the natural adaptation mechanisms developed by the different subspecies. In order to increase the knowledge base for future selection programs to improve bee populations for environmental changes, the MEDIBEES project is being developed. It includes 9 partners from 8 Mediterranean countries on all three shores of the Mediterranean, covering 10 local A. mellifera subspecies, which represents a remarkable though understudied proportion of the species genetic diversity. The project aims to: a) unravel the differential genetic background of Mediterranean subspecies, b) understand their adaptation to local conditions, and c) characterize their resistance to climate change. To achieve the objectives, colonies belonging to the local subspecies will be studied phenotypically to determine their behavior under environmental conditions, covering survival, sensitivity to pests/pathogens, behavior, physiology and reproduction which will be completed by gene expression and transcriptomic assays. In addition, complete genomes of field and laboratory samples will be sequenced to find genes putatively involved in adaptation and to develop new genetic tools to characterize honey bee populations according to their resistance to environmental stress factors. This effort will encourage the use of local subspecies, to make them more attractive and avoid importing foreign breeds, and will lay the foundation for future selection programs. Besides, the valorization of honey by both promoting its use and developing quality labels, and the evaluation of beekeeping by-products as modifiers of soil fertility and biota are also approached to help the beekeepers improve the sustainability of their farms in an economical and environmental sound manner.Medibees part of the PRIMA programme supported by the European Unioninfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Beekeeping in the Mediterranean: a medibees survey on practices, trends and challenges

MEDIBEES is a PRIMA funded project that aims to identify honeybee colonies and subspecies that are most resilient to climate change and common pathogens throughout the Mediterranean region. Honeybees are critical to sustainable agricultural systems and the project aims to contribute to sustainability in the context of the increased desertification of the region due to climate change. As part of this project an intensive investigation of beekeeping was carried out within the consortium, with the objectives of 1) understanding the main practices in place, 2) identifying trends and challenges faced by beekeepers. This would help guide the consortium in framing research questions that are rooted in the requirements of the stakeholders. A questionnaire was therefore developed and circulated among beekeepers from Algeria, Egypt, Italy, Jordan, Lebanon, Malta, Portugal, Spain and Turkey in late June 2021. To date, over 1300 detailed responses have been collected. This study has yielded an important first profile of the nature of the apicultural industry for many of these participating countries. In this presentation, a description of the socio-demographics and the diverse management practice in place among beekeepers across the Mediterranean will be presented. In addition, important first-time data on the distribution of hives, the main sources of losses including current biotic and abiotic threats, the characteristics and ecological trends of both native and introduced honey bee subspecies in the different geographical regions will be described as experienced by the major stakeholders ie beekeepers. Finally, notably and overwhelmingly, beekeepers from the Mediterranean region list changes in weather patterns as the major factor affecting colony losses and profitability. This was followed closely by indiscriminant use of agricultural insecticides and urbanisation.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Main practices, challenges and expected solution identified in the Mediterranean beekeeping industry

Globally honeybees are threatened by a plethora of biotic and abiotic stressors. One factor of great concern is climate change due to its direct impact on wild and agricultural ecosystems. Indeed beekeeping, with its symbiotic interdependence with vegetation, is an industry that will be strongly affected by climate change. Although the Mediterranean is a region that is highly vulnerable to climate change, no study has comprehensively analysed the possible effects on honeybees. The MEDIBEES project aims to remedy this situation by studying the honeybee subspecies native to the Mediterranean region and their resilience to climate change, in an attempt to safeguard the beekeeping sector. In this framework, the following approaches were adopted to determine the common Practices, Challenges and Problems in the region and to identify scientific gaps and solutions expected by beekeepers: • Review of the effects of biotic and abiotic stressors on honeybee colonies as well as legislation in the MEDIBEES consortium to identify common threats. • Study of current challenges, priority areas considered by beekeepers as important to survive as an industry, beekeeping practices and existing resources in each country to determine common trends and challenges across the Mediterranean. • Analysis of the responses to a questionnaire distributed among 1160 beekeepers to obtain information on stakeholder practices, challenges faced and the main problems encountered. In this way, a profile of beekeeping activity and beekeepers in the region was obtained. The main challenges and problems identified were: a) changes in weather patterns that could be affect colony dynamics, production losses and increasing mortality; b) of incidence of pathogens in the area (Varroa destructor, Nosema ceranae, SBV and DWV) and the lack of training programmes to control them; c) agricultural insecticides and acaricide residues. As main areas of interest, beekeepers pointed out the possible existence of adapted ecotypes, the need for training to distinguish between hybrids and purebreds, and the study of the effect that climate change will have on phenology and plant availability and on changes in the distribution areas of pathogens in the area. This project is part of the PRIMA programme supported by the European Union.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

General beekeeping practices and main stressors identified by beekeepers in the Mediterranean

Beekeeping is an ecologically and economically important activity in the Mediterranean that is increasingly under threat from a combination of factors. In the MEDIBEES (Monitoring the Mediterranean honey bee subspecies and their resilience to climate change for the improvement of sustainable agro-ecosystems) PRIMA project we aim to identify honey bees that show resilience to stressors associated with climate change. An important first step in our work was to establish baseline data of practices in the region through the administering of a questionnaire on the beekeeping practices. Over 1022 responses were received from beekeepers in Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Italy, Lebanon, Malta, Spain, Portugal and Turkey. Beekeeping was overwhelmingly male dominated (ratio 9:1) and practiced largely by the middle-aged (mainly between 40-50 years). The majority of beekeepers reported having 10-50 boxes with the exceptions of Algeria and Jordan where the majority reported keeping more than 100 hive boxes. Across the Mediterranean the Langstroth hive box was most commonly used. Despite the perception of migratory beekeeping being frequently practiced, only Lebanon and Turkey reported significant levels of transhumance (>50.0 and 70.0% of beekeepers respectively). 51.2% of beekeepers reported practicing queen rearing with the majority of these (51.4%) reporting re-queening their colonies every 2 years. Interestingly, the majority of all beekeepers agreed with the statement that their native honey bee is endangered where pesticide use, lack of adequate forage and parasite infestations such as the Varroa mite were repeatedly cited as causing the greatest losses to honey bees in general. Climate change and urbanisation were also linked with colony losses by causing habitat loss. Supplementary feeding was reported to be an integral part of beekeeping in this region, with beekeepers reporting using between 0-5kg, closely followed by 6-10 kg of additional sugars.MEDIBEES part of the PRIMA programme supported by the European Unioninfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Integrated supply–demand energy management for optimal design of off-grid hybrid renewable energy systems for residential electrification in arid climates

The growing research interest in hybrid renewable energy systems (HRESs) has been regarded as a natural and yet critical response to address the challenge of rural electrification. Based on a Bibliometric analysis performed by authors, it was concluded that most studies simply adopted supply-side management techniques to perform the design optimization of such a renewable energy system. To further advance those studies, this paper presents a novel approach by integrating demand-supply management (DSM) with particle swarm optimization and applying it to optimally design an off-grid hybrid PV-solar-diesel-battery system for the electrification of residential buildings in arid environments, using a typical dwelling in Adrar, Algeria, as a case study. The proposed HRES is first modelled by an in-house MATLAB code based on a multi-agent system concept and then optimized by minimizing the total net present cost (TNPC), subject to reliability level and renewable energy penetration. After validation against the HOMER software, further techno-economic analyses including sensitivity study are undertaken, considering different battery technologies. By integrating the proposed DSM, the results have shown the following improvements: with RF = 100%, the energy demand and TNPC are reduced by 7% and 18%, respectively, compared to the case of using solely supply-side management. It is found that PV-Li-ion represents the best configuration, with TNPC of $23,427 and cost of energy (COE) of 0.23$/kWh. However, with lower RF values, the following reductions are achieved: energy consumption (19%) and fuel consumption or CO 2 emission (57%), respectively. In contrast, the RF is raised from 15% (without DSM) to 63% (with DSM). It is clear that the optimal configuration consists of wind-diesel, with COE of 0.21 $/kWh, smaller than that obtained with a stand-alone diesel generator system. The outcomes of this work can provide valuable insights into the successful design and deployment of HRES in Algeria and surrounding regions

Burnout among surgeons before and during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic: an international survey

Background: SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has had many significant impacts within the surgical realm, and surgeons have been obligated to reconsider almost every aspect of daily clinical practice. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study reported in compliance with the CHERRIES guidelines and conducted through an online platform from June 14th to July 15th, 2020. The primary outcome was the burden of burnout during the pandemic indicated by the validated Shirom-Melamed Burnout Measure. Results: Nine hundred fifty-four surgeons completed the survey. The median length of practice was 10 years; 78.2% included were male with a median age of 37 years old, 39.5% were consultants, 68.9% were general surgeons, and 55.7% were affiliated with an academic institution. Overall, there was a significant increase in the mean burnout score during the pandemic; longer years of practice and older age were significantly associated with less burnout. There were significant reductions in the median number of outpatient visits, operated cases, on-call hours, emergency visits, and research work, so, 48.2% of respondents felt that the training resources were insufficient. The majority (81.3%) of respondents reported that their hospitals were included in the management of COVID-19, 66.5% felt their roles had been minimized; 41% were asked to assist in non-surgical medical practices, and 37.6% of respondents were included in COVID-19 management. Conclusions: There was a significant burnout among trainees. Almost all aspects of clinical and research activities were affected with a significant reduction in the volume of research, outpatient clinic visits, surgical procedures, on-call hours, and emergency cases hindering the training. Trial registration: The study was registered on clicaltrials.gov "NCT04433286" on 16/06/2020

Investigation of phase transformation for ferrite-austenite structure in stainless steel thin films

In this work we report on phase transformation of 304 stainless steel thin films due to heat treatment. Ex-situ annealing was applied for evaporated 304 stainless steel thin films inside an ultra-high vacuum chamber with a pressure of 3 × 10− 7 Pa at temperatures of 500 °C and 600 °C. The structure of thin films was studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and conversion electron Mössbauer spectroscopy (CEMS) techniques. The results revealed a transformation from α-phase that exhibits a body-centered cubic structure (BCC) to γ-phase that exhibits a face-centered cubic (FCC) due to annealing. In addition, the percentage of γ-phase structure increased with the increase of annealing temperature. Annealing thin films increased the crystal size of both phases (α and γ), however, the increase was nonlinear. The results also showed that phase transformation was produced by recrystallization of α and γ crystals with a temporal evolution at each annealing temperature. The texture degree of thin films was investigated by XRD rocking curve method, while residual stress was evaluated using curvature method.Scopu