1,696 research outputs found
Investigation of air solubility in jet A fuel at high pressures
The solubility and density properties of saturated mixtures of fuels and gases were measured. The fuels consisted of Jet A and dodecane, the gases were air and nitrogen. The test range included pressures of 1.03 to 10.34 MPa and temperatures of 298 to 373 K. The results were correlated successfully, using the Soave equation of state. Over this test range, dissolved gas concentrations were roughly proportional to pressure and increased slightly with increasing temperature. Mixture density was relatively independent of dissolved gas concentration
Optimal control of Allen-Cahn systems
Optimization problems governed by Allen-Cahn systems including elastic
effects are formulated and first-order necessary optimality conditions are
presented. Smooth as well as obstacle potentials are considered, where the
latter leads to an MPEC. Numerically, for smooth potential the problem is
solved efficiently by the Trust-Region-Newton-Steihaug-cg method. In case of an
obstacle potential first numerical results are presented
New insights into pedestrian flow through bottlenecks
Capacity estimation is an important tool for the design and dimensioning of
pedestrian facilities. The literature contains different procedures and
specifications which show considerable differences with respect to the
estimated flow values. Moreover do new experimental data indicate a stepwise
growing of the capacity with the width and thus challenge the validity of the
specific flow concept. To resolve these differences we have studied
experimentally the unidirectional pedestrian flow through bottlenecks under
laboratory conditions. The time development of quantities like individual
velocities, density and individual time gaps in bottlenecks of different width
is presented. The data show a linear growth of the flow with the width. The
comparison of the results with experimental data of other authors indicates
that the basic assumption of the capacity estimation for bottlenecks has to be
revised. In contradiction with most planning guidelines our main result is,
that a jam occurs even if the incoming flow does not overstep the capacity
defined by the maximum of the flow according to the fundamental diagram.Comment: Traffic flow, pedestrian traffic, crowd dynamics, capacity of
bottlenecks (16 pages, 8 figures); (+ 3 new figures and minor revisions
Transmission dynamics and prospects for the elimination of canine rabies
Rabies has been eliminated from domestic dog populations in Western Europe and North America, but continues to kill many thousands of people throughout Africa and Asia every year. A quantitative understanding of transmission dynamics in domestic dog populations provides critical information to assess whether global elimination of canine rabies is possible. We report extensive observations of individual rabid animals in Tanzania and generate a uniquely detailed analysis of transmission biology, which explains important epidemiological features, including the level of variation in epidemic trajectories. We found that the basic reproductive number for rabies, R<sub>0</sub>, is very low in our study area in rural Africa (∼1.2) and throughout its historic global range (<2). This finding provides strong support for the feasibility of controlling endemic canine rabies by vaccination, even near wildlife areas with large wild carnivore populations. However, we show that rapid turnover of domestic dog populations has been a major obstacle to successful control in developing countries, thus regular pulse vaccinations will be required to maintain population-level immunity between campaigns. Nonetheless our analyses suggest that with sustained, international commitment, global elimination of rabies from domestic dog populations, the most dangerous vector to humans, is a realistic goal
Sharp interface limit for a phase field model in structural optimization
We formulate a general shape and topology optimization problem in structural
optimization by using a phase field approach. This problem is considered in
view of well-posedness and we derive optimality conditions. We relate the
diffuse interface problem to a perimeter penalized sharp interface shape
optimization problem in the sense of -convergence of the reduced
objective functional. Additionally, convergence of the equations of the first
variation can be shown. The limit equations can also be derived directly from
the problem in the sharp interface setting. Numerical computations demonstrate
that the approach can be applied for complex structural optimization problems
Impact of Gene-Gender Effects of Adrenergic Polymorphisms on Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal Axis Activity in Depressed Patients
Objective: There is overwhelming evidence that activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) system plays a major role in depression and cardiovascular disease in genetically susceptible individuals. We hypothesized that due to the multiple interactions between the sympathetic and the HPA systems via adrenoceptors, polymorphisms in these genes could have an impact on HPA axis activity in major depression. Methods: Using the dexamethasone/corticotrophin-releasing hormone (DEX/CRH) test, we investigated the association of alpha 2-adrenoceptor (ADRA2A -1291C -> G) and the beta 2-adrenoceptor gene (ADRB2 Arg16Gly) in 189 patients with major depression during the acute state of the disease and after remission. Results: Male ADRA2A -1291G allele homozygotes showed significant pretreatment HPA axis hyperactivity, with increased adrenocorticotropin (ACTH; F = 4.9, d.f. = 2, p = 0.009) and cortisol responses (F = 6.4, d.f. = 2, p = 0.003). In contrast, female ADRB2 Arg/Arg homozygotes had increased pretreatment ACTH (F = 7.17, d.f. = 2, p = 0.001) and cortisol (F = 8.95, d.f. = 2, p = 0.000) levels. Interestingly, in the respective genotypes, the stress hormones remained elevated in the second DEX/CRH test, despite a reduction in depressive symptoms. Conclusions: This study provides evidence that, depending on gender and polymorphisms, there is continuous HPA axis overdrive in a proportion of patients irrespective of the status of depression. Considering the importance of stress hormones for cardiovascular disorders, our data might suggest that these patients are at high risk of comorbidity between depression and cardiovascular disorders. Copyright (c) 2008 S. Karger AG, Base
Innovation and modernization to prolong the South African mining beyond 2040
In June 2016, the Southern African Institute of Mining and Metallurgy (SAIMM) held a colloquium in Johannesburg South Africa the purpose of which was to create a dialogue between industry, government, research institutes and academia in the area of new technology and innovation. One of the key findings presented at the colloquium was the Chamber of Mines (COM) study indicating that the South African gold reserves dependent upon conventional mining methods will be depleted by 2031 with Platinum Group Metals (PGM) reserves signaling a similar fate..
PCN134 THE ECONOMIC IMPACT OF CONTOUR VERSUS HAND SEWN SUTURE AND OTHER MECHANICAL STAPLES IN LOW ANTERIOR RESECTIONS IN COLON RECTAL CANCER SURGERY: INTERIM RESULTS USING REAL WORLD DATA FROM PREMIER'S HOSPITAL DATABASE
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