Maturity effects in concrete dams

Model equations for determining the coupled heat, moisture and maturity changes within a concrete block are introduced and briefly examined. Preliminary results are obtained for the heat exchange between concrete slabs in contact driven by maturity differences

Occult Adenocarcinoma Presenting as Presumed Periorbital Cellulitis

Background: Orbital tumors are uncommon entities seen by optometrists. They may initially present as common, benign conditions, but if not appropriately diagnosed can lead to devastating results. Case Report: This case report demonstrates an atypical presentation of adenocarcinoma that was initially diagnosed as preseptal cellulitis. The patient in this case was ultimately referred for imaging and biopsy to reveal the correct diagnosis. Despite treatment, this patient died about 1 year after his clinical presentation. Conclusion: The detection of orbital tumors and the subsequent management of patients with orbital tumors can be challenging. When considering orbital tumors as a possible diagnosis, careful examination is necessary to identify key clinical characteristics and to assist with ordering the appropriate imaging studies. Identifying these critical findings will allow an eye care provider to make a timely and appropriate referral for continued management of the patient

Multimodal Imaging Reveals Bilateral Idiopathic Multiple Retinal Pigment Epithelial Detachments: A Case Report

Background: Retinal pigment epithelial detachment (RPED) is a nonspecific finding that is common in several ocular diseases; however, cases of bilateral idiopathic multiple RPEDs are rare. Less than 50 cases have been reported to date. Bilateral multiple RPEDs are usually idiopathic and benign in nature but can infrequently be associated with various ocular and systemic diseases, including central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC). The potential role of genetic factors in this condition remains elusive. We present a case where multimodal imaging assisted in revealing the diagnosis as well as discuss the potential implications of some of the genetic findings for this patient. Case report: A 30-year-old male presented with a chief complaint of mild, bilateral central blur of one-year duration. Health history was positive for type 2 diabetes mellitus. Conclusion: Multimodal ophthalmic imaging is useful in ruling out various differential diagnoses in posterior segment care, as well as monitoring for progressive changes such as sensory retinal detachment and choroidal neovascularization. Bilateral idiopathic multiple RPED is a rare condition that may represent an atypical form of CSC. There is currently no preferred treatment, besides observation, as visual prognosis is typically good

Evaluation of Cocoyam-Soybean Flour Blends and Sensory Properties of the Amala Dumpling

Amala, a staple food among the Yoruba people of South West Nigeria, is mostly produced from yam. Since yam is known to be mostly carbohydrate and soybean is a legume with an appreciable quantity of protein, efforts have been made to prepare amala from the blends of cocoyam and soybean flours. The protein content of the flour blends ranged from 3.73% to 13.81%. In general, there was increase in the concentration of protein with increasing level of soy flour substitution. Unlike protein, the crude fibre content of the flour blends decreased with increasing supplementation of soy flour. Increase in oil content of the flour samples, with increasing addition of soy flour, predisposes the samples to shorter shell life and off flavor because of liability to rancidity. The lowest bulk density of 0.78 g/cm3 was recorded for sample A (100% cocoyam flour) and hence none of the flour blends could be considered as a complimentary infant substitute. In general, supplementation of cocoyam flour with soy flour enhanced the concentrations of protein, ash and dietary fibre. Therefore, it is hoped that consumption of cocoyam amala supplemented with soy flour, a cheap source of plant protein, will not only create dietary diversity, it will make more protein available for the consumers and thus help in alleviating the problem of protein energy malnutrition in developing regions of the world

Bio-inspired Highly Scattering Networks via Polymer Phase Separation

A common strategy to optimize whiteness in living organisms consists in using three-dimensional random networks with dense and polydisperse scattering elements constituted by relatively low-refractive index materials. Inspired by these natural architectures, we developed a fast and scalable method to produce highly scattering porous polymer films via phase separation. By varying the molecular weight of the polymer, we modified the morphology of the porous films and therefore tuned their scattering properties. The achieved transport mean free paths are in the micrometer range, improving the scattering strength of analogous low-refractive index systems, e.g. standard white paper, by an order of magnitude. The produced porous films show a broadband reflectivity of approximately 75 % whilst only 4 m thick. In addition, the films are flexible and can be readily index-matched with water (i.e. they become transparent when wet), allowing for various applications such as coatings with tunable transmittance and responsive paints

Analisis Penyuluhan Perikanan Partisipatif dan Kompetensi Pembudidaya Ikan di Kabupaten Sumedang

Penyuluhan perikanan partisipatif yang melibatkan pembudidaya ikan dalam perencanaan, pelaksanaan dan evaluasi. Kompetensi pembudidaya ikan sebagai taraf keefektivan perilaku (pengetahun, sikap dan keterampilan) dalam teknis budidaya ikan merupakan salah satu output penyuluhan yang dapat diukur capaiannya. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menganalisis deskriptif penyuluhan perikanan partisipatif dan kompetensi pembudidaya ikan, serta menganalisis hubungan penyuluhan partisipatif (perencanaaan (X1), pelaksanaan (X2) dan evaluasi (X3)) dengan kompetensi pembudidaya ikan (Y) menggunakan analisis korelasi spearman. Metode penelitian yang digunakan adalah purposive disproportional stratified random sampling terhadap 114 responden pembudidaya ikan. Hasil penelitian: penyuluhan perikanan partisipatif pada tarap co learning dengan model fasilitatif. Kategori sedang pada proses perencanaan dan evaluasi, serta termasuk kategori tinggi pada pelaksanaan. Tingkat kompetensi pembudidaya ikan: 10,53% sangat baik; 50,88% baik, 33,29% sedang dan 2,63% rendah. Selain itu sangat baik dalam tanda-tanda induk matang gonad, obat-obatan ikan, dan cara tebar benih; baik dalam cara pencegahan hama dan penyakit ikan serta proses pembesaran ikan; sedang dalam proses pembenihan ikan, merencanakan produksi ikan dan mengkultur pakan alami; serta rendah dalam membuat pakan buatan. Hasil analisis korelasi spearman: variabel X1 dengan Y berhubungan kuat, signifikan dan searah, dengan kontribusi X1 terhadap Y sebesar 30,58%; hubungan X2 dengan Y cukup kuat signifikan dan searah, dengan kontribusi X2 terhadap Y sebesar 46,10%; hubungan X3 dengan Y adalah cukup kuat signifikan dan searah, kontribusi X3 terhadap Y sebesar 32,26%

Pebble bed: reflector treatment and pressure\ud velocity coupling

In this report, we describe some models and numerical methods used to simulate the flow and temperature in a pebble bed modular nuclear reactor. The reactor core is filled with around 450000 spheres containing low enriched uranium and helium is forced through these hot pebbles to cool the system down. The group first investigated the flow model in the pebbles. Numerical aspects were then considered to tackle difficulties encountered with the flow simulation and the temperature inside the pebbles. Numerical schemes are presented that can significantly improve the accuracy of the computed results

Young Musicians for Heritage Project: Final Evaluation Report

This project is about using the medium music - and specifically music technology - to allow young adults to creatively explore their own heritage, focussing on the Crewe Railway Age