10,812 research outputs found
Soot formation and burnout in flames
The amount of soot formed when burning a benzene/hexane mixture in a turbulent combustor was examined. Soot concentration profiles in the same combustor for kerosene fuel are given. The chemistry of the formation of soot precursors, the nucleation, growth and subsequent burnout of soot particles, and the effect of mixing on the previous steps were considered
A Bayesian Variable Selection Approach Yields Improved Detection of Brain Activation From Complex-Valued fMRI
Voxel functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) time courses are complex-valued signals giving rise to magnitude and phase data. Nevertheless, most studies use only the magnitude signals and thus discard half of the data that could potentially contain important information. Methods that make use of complex-valued fMRI (CV-fMRI) data have been shown to lead to superior power in detecting active voxels when compared to magnitude-only methods, particularly for small signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs). We present a new Bayesian variable selection approach for detecting brain activation at the voxel level from CV-fMRI data. We develop models with complex-valued spike-and-slab priors on the activation parameters that are able to combine the magnitude and phase information. We present a complex-valued EM variable selection algorithm that leads to fast detection at the voxel level in CV-fMRI slices and also consider full posterior inference via Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC). Model performance is illustrated through extensive simulation studies, including the analysis of physically based simulated CV-fMRI slices. Finally, we use the complex-valued Bayesian approach to detect active voxels in human CV-fMRI from a healthy individual who performed unilateral finger tapping in a designed experiment. The proposed approach leads to improved detection of activation in the expected motor-related brain regions and produces fewer false positive results than other methods for CV-fMRI. Supplementary materials for this article are available online
Geotecnologias aplicadas ao setor agrÃcola.
bitstream/item/26835/1/Geotecnologias-aplicadas-ao-setor-agrcola-Portal-Dia-de-Campo.pd
Improving Compliance in the Use of Catheter Kit Supplied Hand Sanitizer Prior to the Insertion of an Indwelling Urinary Catheter
Abstract
More than half of the staff nurses (65% through direct observation and 60% through interview) in the operating room (OR) department do not perform hand hygiene prior to insertion of an indwelling urinary catheter. This performance improvement project aims to educate all OR staff nurses on the practice of hand hygiene prior to the insertion of an indwelling urinary catheter by using the hand sanitizer included in the sterile catheter insertion kit. Two forms of interventions were provided in order to promote this process change. The first one being an education session with a power point presentation and the second was posting signage to multiple strategic areas. By December 31, 2016, 100% of the OR staff nurses are expected to be compliant with hand hygiene prior to catheter insertion. Staff evaluation conducted within the first week post intervention revealed promising results. Direct observation showed 80% of the staff nurses are utilizing the hand sanitizer provided in the kit. In addition, a survey used to evaluate the signage demonstrated that 72% of the staff agreed that the poster served as an effective reminder. Hand hygiene compliance should be audited on a quarterly basis. The audit results should be shared with the staff nurses and integrated into the next phase of the project to further enhance future review sessions and signage
Stable retrograde orbits around the triple system 2001 SN263
The NEA 2001 SN263 is the target of the ASTER MISSION - First Brazilian Deep
Space Mission. Araujo et al. (2012), characterized the stable regions around
the components of the triple system for the planar and prograde cases. Knowing
that the retrograde orbits are expected to be more stable, here we present a
complementary study. We now considered particles orbiting the components of the
system, in the internal and external regions, with relative inclinations
between , i.e., particles with retrograde
orbits. Our goal is to characterize the stable regions of the system for
retrograde orbits, and then detach a preferred region to place the space probe.
For a space mission, the most interesting regions would be those that are
unstable for the prograde cases, but stable for the retrograde cases. Such
configuration provide a stable region to place the mission probe with a
relative retrograde orbit, and, at the same time, guarantees a region free of
debris since they are expected to have prograde orbits. We found that in fact
the internal and external stable regions significantly increase when compared
to the prograde case. For particles with and , we found
that nearly the whole region around Alpha and Beta remain stable. We then
identified three internal regions and one external region that are very
interesting to place the space probe. We present the stable regions found for
the retrograde case and a discussion on those preferred regions. We also
discuss the effects of resonances of the particles with Beta and Gamma, and the
role of the Kozai mechanism in this scenario. These results help us understand
and characterize the stability of the triple system 2001 SN263 when retrograde
orbits are considered, and provide important parameters to the design of the
ASTER mission.Comment: 11 pages, 8 figures. Accepted for publication in MNRAS - 2015 March
1
Optimal Trajectories for Near-Earth-Objects Using Solar Electric Propulsion (SEP) and Gravity Assisted Maneuver
The future interplanetary missions will probably use the conventional chemical rockets to leave the sphere of influence of the Earth, and solar electric propulsion (SEP) to accomplish the other maneuvers of the mission. In this work the optimization of interplanetary missions using solar electric propulsion and Gravity Assisted Maneuver to reduce the costs of the mission, is considered. The high specific impulse of electric propulsion makes a Gravity Assisted Maneuver 1 year after departure convenient. Missions for several Near Earth Asteroids will be considered. The analysis suggests criteria for the definition of initial solutions demanded for the process of optimization of trajectories. Trajectories for the asteroid 2002TC70 are analyzed. Direct trajectories, trajectories with 1 gravity assisted from the Earth and with 2 gravity assisted from the Earth and either Mars are present. An indirect optimization method will be used in the simulations
Human myiasis in Ecuador.
We review epidemiological and clinical data on human myiasis from Ecuador, based on data from the Ministry of Public Health (MPH) and a review of the available literature for clinical cases. The larvae of four flies, Dermatobia hominis, Cochliomyia hominivorax, Sarcophaga haemorrhoidalis, and Lucilia eximia, were identified as the causative agents in 39 reported clinical cases. The obligate D. hominis, causing furuncular lesions, caused 17 (43.5%) cases distributed along the tropical Pacific coast and the Amazon regions. The facultative C. hominivorax was identified in 15 (38%) clinical cases, infesting wound and cavitary lesions including orbital, nasal, aural and vaginal, and occurred in both subtropical and Andean regions. C. hominivorax was also identified in a nosocomial hospital-acquired wound. Single infestations were reported for S. haemorrhoidalis and L. eximia. Of the 39 clinical cases, 8 (21%) occurred in tourists. Ivermectin, when it became available, was used to treat furuncular, wound, and cavitary lesions successfully. MPH data for 2013–2015 registered 2,187 cases of which 54% were reported in men; 46% occurred in the tropical Pacific coast, 30% in the temperate Andes, 24% in the tropical Amazon, and 0.2% in the Galapagos Islands. The highest annual incidence was reported in the Amazon (23 cases/100,000 population), followed by Coast (5.1/100,000) and Andes (4.7/100,000). Human myiasis is a neglected and understudied ectoparasitic infestation, being endemic in both temperate and tropical regions of Ecuador. Improved education and awareness among populations living in, visitors to, and health personnel working in high-risk regions, is required for improved epidemiological surveillance, prevention, and correct diagnosis and treatment
GIS as a tool for balanced fertilization and sustainable development of agriculture in the savannas of South America.
Using Upgraded Versions Of Close Approach Maneuvers As Transportation Solutions For Deep Space Missions
Gravity-Assisted maneuvers have been used as a technique to reduce fuel
consumption in deep space missions for several decades now. It opened the doors
of the exterior solar system. The literature shows those results, as well as
new versions of this maneuver, which includes: the use of propulsion combined
with the close approach, both high or low thrust; the passage by the atmosphere
of a planet to help to change the trajectory of the spacecraft; the use of
tethers to increase the changes in the velocity of the spacecraft. All those
new versions have the goal of increasing the variations of energy given by the
maneuver, making possible missions that would not be possible without this
technique
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