244 research outputs found

    Maintenance in aeronautics in an Industry 4.0 context: The role of Augmented Reality and Additive Manufacturing

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    The paper broadly addresses how Industry 4.0 program drivers will impact maintenance in aviation. Specifically, Industry 4.0 practices most suitable to aeronautical maintenance are selected, and a detailed exposure is provided. Advantages and open issues are widely discussed and case studies dealing with realistic scenarios are illustrated to support what has been proposed by authors. The attention has been oriented towards Augmented Reality and Additive Manufacturing technologies, which can support maintenance tasks and spare parts production, respectively. The intention is to demonstrate that Augmented Reality and Additive Manufacturing are viable tools in aviation maintenance, and while a strong effort is necessary to develop an appropriate regulatory framework, mandatory before the wide-spread introduction of these technologies in the aerospace systems maintenance process, there has been a great interest and pull from the industry sector

    Prospects for liquefied natural gas and other alternative fuels for future civil air transportation

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    Fundamental issues related to the possible introduction of liquid methane, propane or butane fuelled civil passenger transport aircraft are addressed. It is proposed that partial transition to one, or a mixture, of these alternative fuels may provide an operational interim option when supplies of Avtur become prohibitively expensive. Preliminary criteria to determine the suitability of alternative fuels are also included

    Mortality Rates above Emergency Threshold in Population Affected by Conflict in North Kivu, Democratic Republic of Congo, July 2012-April 2013

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    The area of Walikale in North Kivu, Democratic Republic of Congo, is intensely affected by conflict and population displacement. Médecins-Sans-Frontières (MSF) returned to provide primary healthcare in July 2012. To better understand the impact of the ongoing conflict and displacement on the population, a retrospective mortality survey was conducted in April 2013. A two-stage randomized cluster survey using 31 clusters of 21 households was conducted. Heads of households provided information on their household make-up, ownership of non-food items (NFIs), access to healthcare and information on deaths and occurrence of self-reported disease in the household during the recall period. The recall period was of 325 days (July 2012-April 2013). In total, 173 deaths were reported during the recall period. The crude mortality rate (CMR) was of 1.4/10,000 persons/day (CI95%: 1.2-1.7) and the under-five- mortality rate (U5MR) of 1.9/10,000 persons per day (CI95%: 1.3-2.5). The most frequently reported cause of death was fever/malaria 34.1% (CI95%: 25.4-42.9). Thirteen deaths were due to intentional violence. Over 70% of all households had been displaced at some time during the recall period. Out of households with someone sick in the last two weeks, 63.8% sought health care; the main reason not to seek health care was the lack of money (n = 134, 63.8%, CI95%: 52.2-75.4). Non Food Items (NFI) ownership was low: 69.0% (CI95%: 53.1-79.7) at least one 10 liter jerry can, 30.1% (CI95%: 24.3-36.5) of households with visible soap available and 1.6 bednets per household. The results from this survey in Walikale clearly illustrate the impact that ongoing conflict and displacement are having on the population in this part of DRC. The gravity of their health status was highlighted by a CMR that was well above the emergency threshold of 1 person/10,000/day and an U5MR that approaches the 2 children/10,000/day threshold for the recall period

    Handmade Wellbeing Handbook : Facilitating art and craft workshops for older people in care settings

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    This handbook was developed during international Handmade Wellbeing project, coordinated by the University of Helsinki, Sirpa Kokko. The project was Funded by European Union Erasmus+ Programme. The European Commission accepts no responsibility for the contents of the publication.Making crafts can enhance the wellbeing of older people. Research shows that engaging in arts and crafts improves the mood, gives the feeling of ability and provides opportunities for socialising. Making crafts also activates and sustains abilities that are necessary in activities of daily living, such as cognitive skills, memory and hand function. Therefore, creative arts and crafts activities should be included in wellbeing services for older people, both for those who live at home and for those who live in care homes. But what aspects should be considered in the planning and facilitation of craft activities for older people? The purpose of the Handmade Wellbeing Handbook is to provide the arts and crafts facilitator with information and ideas about developing pedagogical thinking and practical arrangements of the craft workshops. The handbook explores the special features of working with older people, for example, choosing suitable materials, techniques and working methods as well as communication, the importance of feedback and cooperation with care settings. In addition, the handbook presents practical examples of craft workshops that have been conducted in care settings. The publication is intended to be a resource for educational purposes especially in the fields of arts, culture, social and health care, as well as for professionals working with older people. The Handmade Wellbeing Handbook has been created during the Handmade Wellbeing project. The aim of this Erasmus+ project was to enhance and expand the professional competences of arts and crafts practitioners to facilitate craft activities in elderly care contexts. During the project (1.9.2015 – 31.8.2017), students and professionals from partner countries Finland, UK, Austria and Estonia conducted arts and crafts workshops in care settings in their respective countries. Experiences and practices of facilitating crafts for older people were shared in international training sessions, and now they have been compiled into a practical and inspirational Handmade Wellbeing Handbook

    Testing and healthcare seeking behavior preceding HIV diagnosis among migrant and non-migrant individuals living in the Netherlands: Directions for early-case finding

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    OBJECTIVES: To assess differences in socio-demographics, HIV testing and healthcare seeking behavior between individuals diagnosed late and those diagnosed early after HIV-acquisition. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study among recently HIV-diagnosed migrant and non-migrant individuals living in the Netherlands. METHODS: Participants self-completed a questionnaire on socio-demographics, HIV-testing and healthcare seeking behavior preceding HIV diagnosis between 2013-2015. Using multivariable logistic regression, socio-demographic determinants of late diagnosis were explored. Variables on HIV-infection, testing and access to care preceding HIV diagnosis were compared between those diagnosed early and those diagnosed late using descriptive statistics. RESULTS: We included 143 individuals with early and 101 with late diagnosis, of whom respectively 59/143 (41%) and 54/101 (53%) were migrants. Late diagnosis was significantly associated with older age and being heterosexual. Before HIV diagnosis, 89% of those with early and 62% of those with late diagnosis had ever been tested for HIV-infection (p<0.001), and respectively 99% and 97% reported healthcare usage in the Netherlands in the two years preceding HIV diagnosis (p = 0.79). Individuals diagnosed late most frequently visited a general practitioner (72%) or dentist (62%), and 20% had been hospitalized preceding diagnosis. In these settings, only in respectively 20%, 2%, and 6% HIV-testing was discussed. CONCLUSION: A large proportion of people diagnosed late had previously tested for HIV and had high levels of healthcare usage. For earlier-case finding of HIV it therefore seems feasible to successfully roll out interventions within the existing healthcare system. Simultaneously, efforts should be made to encourage future repeated or routine HIV testing among individuals whenever they undergo an HIV test

    Factors Associated With Access to HIV Testing and Primary Care Among Migrants Living in Europe: Cross-Sectional Survey

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    BACKGROUND: There is a heavy and disproportionate burden of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection among migrant communities living in Europe. Despite this, the published evidence related to HIV testing, prevention, and treatment needs for migrants is sparse. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to identify the factors associated with access to primary care and HIV testing among migrant groups living in Europe. METHODS: A Web-based survey (available in 14 languages) was open to all people aged 18 years and older, living outside their country of birth in the World Health Organization (WHO) European area. Community organizations in 9 countries promoted the survey to migrant groups, focusing on those at a higher risk of HIV (sub-Saharan Africans, Latin Americans, gay or bisexual men, and people who inject drugs). Multivariable analysis examined factors associated with access to primary care and previous history of an HIV test. RESULTS: In total, 559 women, 395 heterosexual men, and 674 gay or bisexual men were included in the analysis, and 68.1% (359/527) of women, 59.5% (220/371) of heterosexual men, and 89.6% (596/664) of gay or bisexual men had tested for HIV. Low perceived risk was the reason given for not testing by 62.3% (43/69) of gay or bisexual men and 83.3% (140/168) of women and heterosexual men who reported never having tested for HIV. Access to primary care was >60% in all groups. Access to primary care was strongly positively associated with living in Northern Europe compared with Southern Europe (women: adjusted odds ratio, aOR 34.56 [95% CI 11.58-101]; heterosexual men: aOR 6.93 [95% CI 2.49-19.35], and gay or bisexual men: aOR 2.53 [95% CI 1.23-5.19]), whereas those with temporary residency permits were less likely to have access to primary care (women: aOR 0.41 [95% CI 0.21-0.80] and heterosexual men: aOR 0.24 [95% CI 0.10-0.54] only). Women who had experience of forced sex (aOR 3.53 [95% CI 1.39-9.00]) or postmigration antenatal care (aOR 3.07 [95% CI 1.55-6.07]) were more likely to have tested for HIV as were heterosexual men who had access to primary care (aOR 3.13 [95% CI 1.58-6.13]) or reported "Good" health status (aOR 2.94 [95% CI 1.41-5.88]). CONCLUSIONS: Access to primary care is limited by structural determinants such as immigration and health care policy, which varies across Europe. For those migrants who can access primary care and other health services, missed opportunities for HIV testing remain a barrier to earlier testing and diagnosis for migrants in Europe. Clinicians should be aware of these potential structural barriers to HIV testing as well as low perception of HIV risk in migrant groups.This project received funding from the European Union’s Seventh Framework Programme for research, technological development, and demonstration under EuroCoord grant agreement number 260694. IF was funded by a Doctoral Research Fellowship from the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR). The views expressed in this paper are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the National Health Service (NHS), the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), or the Department of Health. Additional funding was received from Gilead Sciences Europe Ltd; NIHR Clinical Research Network, the United Kingdom; Foundation for AIDS Research and Prevention in Spain (FISPSE) Project 361036/10; Consortium of Biomedical Research in Epidemiology and Public Health, Spain; Spanish HIV Research Network for Excellence (RD06/006 and RD12/0017/0018); Research and Development Fund, Public Health Service of Amsterdam; and the Swiss HIV Cohort Study (project #727), supported by the Swiss National Science Foundation (grant #148522) and by the Swiss HIV Cohort Study research foundation. No funder had any role in the study, writing of the manuscript, or decision to submit for publication.S

    Surface free energy of polyurethane coatings with improved hydrophobicity

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    The polarity of polyurethane coats was studied on the basis of the goniometric method for determination of wetting angle values, on the basis of calculated surface free energy (SFE) values by the van Oss–Good and Owens–Wendt methods, and on the basis of polarity measurements with the use of the 1H NMR spectra. Test polyurethanes were synthesised in the reaction of methylene diphenyl 4,4′-diisocyanate (MDI) or 3-izocyanatomethyl –3,5,5- trimethylcyclohexyl isocyanate (IPDI) and polyoxyethylene glycols or polyesters poly(ε-caprolactone) diols and poly(ethyleneadipate) diol with different molecular weights, and some diols as chain extenders, in dioxane. The type of raw material was found to significantly affect the phase structure of the obtained polyurethane elastomers and to control physical interactions within those structures, thus influencing the SFE values. Fundamental reduction in the SFE value of a coating below 28 mJ/m2 was achieved by the use of 2,2,3,3-tetrafluoro-1,4-butanediol as the urethane prepolymer chain extender

    FUN3D Manual: 12.9

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    This manual describes the installation and execution of FUN3D version 12.9, including optional dependent packages. FUN3D is a suite of computational fluid dynamics simulation and design tools that uses mixed-element unstructured grids in a large number of formats, including structured multiblock and overset grid systems. A discretely-exact adjoint solver enables efficient gradient-based design and grid adaptation to reduce estimated discretization error. FUN3D is available with and without a reacting, real-gas capability. This generic gas option is available only for those persons that qualify for its beta release status

    FUN3D Manual: 12.7

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    This manual describes the installation and execution of FUN3D version 12.7, including optional dependent packages. FUN3D is a suite of computational fluid dynamics simulation and design tools that uses mixed-element unstructured grids in a large number of formats, including structured multiblock and overset grid systems. A discretely-exact adjoint solver enables efficient gradient-based design and grid adaptation to reduce estimated discretization error. FUN3D is available with and without a reacting, real-gas capability. This generic gas option is available only for those persons that qualify for its beta release status

    FUN3D Manual: 12.8

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    This manual describes the installation and execution of FUN3D version 12.8, including optional dependent packages. FUN3D is a suite of computational fluid dynamics simulation and design tools that uses mixed-element unstructured grids in a large number of formats, including structured multiblock and overset grid systems. A discretely-exact adjoint solver enables efficient gradient-based design and grid adaptation to reduce estimated discretization error. FUN3D is available with and without a reacting, real-gas capability. This generic gas option is available only for those persons that qualify for its beta release status
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