Experimental evaluation of an adaptive Joule--Thomson cooling system including silicon-microfabricated heat exchanger and microvalve components

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/98726/1/JVA021005.pd

Curcumin-rich curry diet and pulmonary function in Asian older adults

10.1371/journal.pone.0051753PLoS ONE71

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Is Associated with Low Levels of Vitamin D

Introduction: COPD patients may be at increased risk for vitamin D (25(OH)D) deficiency, but risk factors for deficiency among COPD patients have not been extensively reported. Methods: Serum 25(OH)D levels were measured by liquid chromatography double mass spectrometry in subjects aged 40–76 years from Western Norway, including 433 COPD patients (GOLD stage II-IV) and 325 controls. Levels <20 ng/mL defined deficiency. Season, sex, age, body mass index (BMI), smoking, GOLD stage, exacerbation frequency, arterial oxygen tension (PaO2), respiratory symptoms, depression (CES-D score≥16), comorbidities (Charlson score), treatment for osteoporosis, use of inhaled steroids, and total white blood count were examined for associations with 25(OH)D in both linear and logistic regression models. Results: COPD patients had an increased risk for vitamin D deficiency compared to controls after adjustment for seasonality, age, smoking and BMI. Variables associated with lower 25(OH)D levels in COPD patients were obesity ( = −6.63), current smoking ( = −4.02), GOLD stage III- IV ( = −4.71, = −5.64), and depression ( = −3.29). Summertime decreased the risk of vitamin D deficiency (OR = 0.22). Conclusion: COPD was associated with an increased risk of vitamin D deficiency, and important disease characteristics were significantly related to 25(OH)D levels

Evaluation of consolidation parameters in CL tests; theoretical and practical aspects

The paper presents theoretical solutions of the consolidation problem with respect to the different conditions of continuous loading and its application. The author introduces modified consolidation parameters and dimensionless parameters characterizing the course of the consolidation process. Therefore it is possible to calculate the theoretical pore water pressure distribution for various loading procedures in continuous loading (CL) consolidation tests occurring in constant rate loading (CRL), constant rate of strain (CRS) or controlled gradient (CG) tests. The calculation results allow presentation of the attributes that differentate CL consolidation and classical incremental loading (IL) consolidation. A new method of calculation cv (coefficient of consolidation) is proposed using theoretical diagrams of porewater pressure distribution and results of laboratory measure ments during the CL test. A comparative analysis of the methods currently used for cv calculation and the new method is presented here. The cv values estimated by means of method referring only to the seepage factor of consolidation, are usually higher than those based on the strain course. Proper projection of the seep age factor of consolidation makes it possible to shorten the time of consolidation tests in accordance with results of many field observations. The methods described herein can be useful in studying physical conditions of sedimentation, glacial geology, early diagenetic process and applied geology

Loading velocity in consolidation analysis

In consolidation CL test programming various recommendations are encountered with regard to the selection of loading velocity. The criterion of consistency of CL test results with the traditional IL system is not fully justifiable. The behaviour of soil in conditions of constant load increase shows peculiar theoretical and experimental characteristics, different from IL tests. An optimummethod of proper CL test velocity is the analysis of loading velocity path in subsoil. Thismethod allows for taking into consideration the effect of permeability decrease during increase of pore water pressure. The basic factors, scaling loading velocities in field and in laboratory conditions, are the conditions of drainage of pore water

Evaluation of cohesive soils permeability by continuous loading consolidation tests

Evaluation of permeability by direct methods involves very long laboratory procedures and leads to considerable differences in final results. Application of indirect methods based on consolidation analysis provides a faster solution. Analyses of laboratory conditions show that consolidation test with continuous loading [CL] depends significantly on the filtration factor. Proper interpretation of CL tests requires considering several parameters: steady phase of process, quasi-linear changes of the consolidation coefficient, saturation of pore space with water and optimization of the velocity test. The paper proposes practical criteria for the test analysis, leading to evaluation results consistent with theoretical solutions of the consolidation process

Permeability parameters of Krakowiec clays evaluated in Rowe's consolidometer tests

Iły krakowieckie postrzegane są nie tylko jako surowiec ceramiczny, ale coraz częściej jako bariery geologiczne chroniące środowisko przed przenikaniem zanieczyszczeń w głąb masywu gruntowego. Ocena izolacyjności tych gruntów napotyka szereg trudności z uwagi na odmienną w stosunku do gruntów niespoistych specyfikę procesu filtracji. Określenie współczynnika filtracji zależy więc w znaczącym stopniu od zmian naporu hydraulicznego i warunków drenażu wód porowych. Duże możliwości programowania badań w konsolidometrze Rowe'a pozwalają na monitorowanie warunków konsolidacji i filtracji. Ocena miarodajności uzyskiwanych parametrów filtracyjnych wymaga porównania przebiegu odkształcenia i dystrybucji ciśnienia porowego z rozwiązaniami teorii konsolidacji. W pracy przedstawiono ocenę charakteru przebiegu odkształcenia gruntu i rozpraszania ciśnienia porowego w próbkach iłów krakowieckich z wybranych stanowisk. Interpretacja obejmuje ocenę zmienności parametrów konsolidacyjnych i filtracyjnych rzutującą na miarodajność uzyskiwania wyników.Krakowiec clays are perceived not only as a ceramic raw material, but more and more often as geological barriers protecting the natural environment against penetration of contaminations to the soil. A number of difficulties are encountered when evaluating permeability of these clays due to specific nature of their seepage process when compared with non- cohesive soils. That is why evaluation of permeability coefficient depends on the changes of pore water pressure and drainage conditions to a large extent. A versatility of Rowe's consolidometer tests allows for monitoring consolidation and permeability. The comparison of the strain changes in time and variability of pore water pressure with the consolidation theory is required to assess the reliability of the obtained permeability parameters. The evaluation of the character of the soil strain and pore water pressure distribution for Krakowiec clays samples from selected sites is presented in the paper. Interpretation comprises of evaluation of the variability of consolidation and permeability parameters having an impact on reliability of the obtained results

Evaluation of consolidation based on settlement modeling for embankments of the South Ring Road near Gdańsk

Soil improvement of the southern ring-road of Gdañsk enabled the obtaining of a rich material collected during observations of the consolidation behavior, on the background of variable geological conditions. These characteristics are essential for carrying out the optimization of the consolidation models and the identification of the consolidation parameters. Comparison of the settlement monitoring results with the predictions of alternative options for consolidation, will enable the practical verification of the participation of distinguished consolidation factors - history of overloads and drain conditions

Engineering-geological analysis of organic soils occurrence along selected section of A2 highway

Przedstawiono problemy związane z właściwym geologiczno-inżynierskim dokumentowaniem podłoża autostrad. Rozpatrywane są: szczegółowe określanie występowania gruntów organicznych w podłożu, porównanie klasyfikacji gruntów według polskich norm oraz Eurokodu, a także stany naprężenia dla alternatywnych rozwiązań projektowych. Studium analizowanego przypadku wskazuje na konieczność rozszerzenia listy parametrów wyznaczanych w toku badań polowych, które są niezbędne dla projektowania rozwiązań konstrukcyjnych.The paper presents problems of proper engineering-geological investigation of the highway subsoil. The estimation of organic soil occurrence, comparison of soil classification in Polish standards and Eurocode, evaluation of stress state for alternative design solutions are considered The study on analysed case has indicated that the longer list of parameters must be evaluated during field tests -for highway designing

Engineering-geological evaluation of spatial planning in a commune using cartographic data analyzed by GIS

The paper presents the possibility of typical geological maps applications for evaluation of engineering-geological conditions in spatial planning analyses. Appropriate sheets of Detailed Geological Map, Hydrogeology Map and Geo-environmental Map were selected for the considered commune. Genesis and consistency of soils, level of first groundwater table and geodynamic processes should be the base to applying 4-level classification of engineer- ing-geology conditions. The spatial and quantitative analyses were prepared using GIS technology. This procedure was testedfor the case of "urban sprawl” area near Warsaw and let to evaluation scheduled solutions in "The study of the conditions and directions of the spatial management of the commune of Nadarzyn”