17. Issues for Nuclear Power Plants Steam Generators

Open Access Boo

Effects of angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor: ramipril on different biochemical parameters in essential hypertensive patients

Background: Hypertension is a major risk factor for macrovascular diseases. The beneficial effects of lowering blood pressure on the vascular morbidity and mortality are well documented and demonstrated. The beneficial effects of antihypertensive agents on cardiovascular system can be counter-balanced by the induction of metabolic disorders. The modifications in various metabolic parameters (like lipids, serum electrolytes, uric acid, blood glucose levels, etc) are responsible for different adverse drug reactions of antihypertensive drugs. It might also have potential to produce secondary morbidities after long term use. The present study was designed to evaluate the effect of the commonly used first line antihypertensive drugs on these different biochemical parameters. Recent comparative studies suggest that, for the prevention of cardiovascular events, angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor (ACEI) may be superior to alternative antihypertensive agents, independently of their antihypertensive effect and also claimed to have neutral or favourable effects on carbohydrate metabolism, lipid profile, uric acid. The metabolic abnormalities can be improved by ACEI. Therefore, this study was conducted to evaluate the effects of ramipril on different biochemical parameters in essential hypertensive patients. Objective was to study effects of six months monodrug therapy with ramipril on different biochemical parameters in essential hypertensive patients.Methods: 30 newly diagnosed patients of either gender with essential hypertension were included in the study. Patients having co-morbidities like diabetes mellitus, hyperlipidemia, gout, pregnant females were excluded from the study. Baseline readings of lipid profile, serum electrolytes, fasting blood sugar and uric acid were recorded before starting ramipril drug therapy. Same biochemical tests were repeated after six months ramipril monodrug treatment.Results: After comparing the means there is significant decrease in triglyceride levels, highly significant decrease in LDL, uric acid, sodium and fasting sugar level and highly significant increase in HDL levels.Conclusions: Ramipril has beneficial effects on RAS (Renin angiotensin system) and kinin system or both may contribute to the improvement in different biochemical parameters by ramipril

Depression and COPD-association: not out of the blue

Background: Depression is frequently associated with C.O.P.D. patients. Currently available treatment modalities are having limitations and chronic progression of the disease process in general causes decreased effort tolerance and poor socialization due to chronic cough and dyspnoea. Poor socialization and chronic symptoms result in mild depression to dysthymia and clinical depression. Three or more comorbidities associated with C.O.P.D. results in higher morbidity and mortality. Physician treating C.P.O.D. patients can use simple questionnaire based Hamilton depression scale to identify the patients having depressive symptoms.Methods: 50 diagnosed COPD patients as per GOLD guidelines were enrolled in the study after consideration of inclusion and exclusion criteria. Each patient was screened for depression using 17-point Hamilton depression scale. The results were tabulated and analyzed for statistical significance and compared with the data available on this topic.Results: Out of 50 stable COPD (diagnosed as per GOLD guidelines) patients enrolled for the study, 36 (72%) were males and 14 (28%) were females and in 19 (38%), (15 males and 4 females) patients HAM-D score was suggestive of depression. 10 (62.5%) patients from severe obstruction category (GOLD III) had mild depressive symptoms on HAM-D scale.Conclusions: Considering the fact that a significant number of COPD patients enrolled for the study had depressive symptoms, it is advisable to screen the patients for depression and psychiatrist consultations should be considered when required

Prediction of two-phase choked-flow through safety valves

Different models of two-phase choked flow through safety valves are applied in order to evaluate their capabilities of prediction in different thermal-hydraulic conditions. Experimental data available in the literature for two-phase fluid and subcooled liquid upstream the safety valve have been compared with the models predictions. Both flashing flows and non- flashing flows of liquid and incondensable gases have been considered. The present paper shows that for flashing flows good predictions are obtained by using the two-phase valve discharge coefficient defined by Lenzing and multiplying it by the critical flow rate in an ideal nozzle evaluated by either Omega Method or the Homogeneous Non-equilibrium Direct Integration. In case of non-flashing flows of water and air, Leung/Darby formulation of the two-phase valve discharge coefficient together with the Omega Method is more suitable to the prediction of flow rate

Radionuclides Transport Phenomena in Vadose Zone

Radioactive waste management is fundamental to safeguard population and environment by radiological risks. Environmental assessment of a site, where nuclear activities are located, allows understanding the hydro geological system and the radionuclides transport in groundwater and subsoil. Use of dedicated software is the basis of transport phenomena investigation and for dynamic scenarios prediction; this permits to understand the evolution of accidental contamination events, but at the same time the potentiality of the software itself can be verified. The aim of this paper is to perform a numerical analysis by means of HYDRUS 1D code, so as to evaluate radionuclides transport in a nuclear site in Piedmont region (Italy). In particular, the behaviour in vadose zone was investigated. An iterative assessment process was performed for risk assessment of radioactive contamination. The analysis therein developed considers the following aspects: i) hydro geological site characterization; ii) individuation of the main intrinsic and external site factors influencing water flow and radionuclides transport phenomena; iii) software potential for radionuclides leakage simulation purposes

Talent Management Practices in Banks- A study of opinion and views of Bank Officers

The present paper deals with opinion of the officers regarding various talent management practices  adopted by the bank. In this paper the authors have analyzed the views of the officers regarding talent management practices and how they respond to such talent management practices. The paper throws light on present status of talent management practices and reforms needed in the prevailing talent management practices

HORIZONTAL TWO-PHASE FLOW PATTERN RECOGNITION

In the present work a Wire Mesh Sensor (WMS) has been adopted to characterize the air-water two-phase flow in a test section consisting of a horizontal Plexiglas pipe of internal diameter 19.5 mm and total length of about 6 m. The flow quality ranges from 0 to 0.73 and the superficial velocity ranges from 0.145 to 31.94 m/s for air and from 0.019 to 2.62 m/s for water. The observed flow patterns are stratified-bubble-slug/plug-annular. The WMS consists of two planes of parallel wire grids (16x16) that are placed across the channel at 1.5 mm and span over the measuring cross section. The wires of both planes cross under an angle of 90°, with a diameter Dwire of 70 μm and a pitch equal to 1.3 mm. The void fraction profiles are derived from the sensor data and their evolution in time and space is analyzed and discussed. The dependence of the signals on the measured fluid dynamic quantities is discussed too. The main task is to predict which flow pattern will exist under any set of operating conditions as well as to predict the value of characteristic flow parameters

Effect of Work Life Imbalance on Employees in Banking Sector.

Work life balance is the ability to manage balance between work and personal life and to stay productive and competitive at work while maintaining a happy , healthy home life with sufficient leisure, despite having work pressure and endless activities  which requires your time and attention. Still there are some factors which affect work life balance of employees in organization.  The present paper aims at identifying the effects of work life imbalance of employees in banking sector. The present study would be beneficial for organizations in designing work life policies and programs for employees

Employee Reponses to Training Programmes in Banks

The present paper deals with the responses of bank employees towards the training programmes. In this paper,the authors have discussed how the employees respond to training programmesorganized by the banks for the improvement of their skills, abilities. The paper also analyses the merits and demerits of the training programmes as perceived by the bank employees

Two-Phase flow instrumentation for nuclear accidents simulation, Keynote lecture KN3, pp. 1-23, Procs. 32nd UIT Heat Transfer Conference, Pisa, June 23-25, 2014.

The paper presents the research work performed at the Energy Department of the Politecnico di Torino, concerning the development of two-phase flow instrumentation and of models, based on the analysis of experimental data, that are able to interpret the measurement signals. The study has been performed with particular reference to the design of power plants, such as nuclear water reactors, where the two-phase flow thermal fluid dynamics must be accurately modeled and predicted. In two-phase flow typically a set of different measurement instruments (Spool Piece - SP) must be installed in order to evaluate the mass flow rate of the phases in a large range of flow conditions (flow patterns, pressures and temperatures); moreover, an interpretative model of the SP need to be developed and experimentally verified. The investigated meters are: Turbine, Venturi, Impedance Probes, Concave sensors, Wire mesh sensor, Electrical Capacitance Probe. Different instrument combinations have been tested, and the performance of each one has been analyzed