Mixed finite element formulation in large deformation frictional contact problem

International audienceThis paper presents a mixed variational framework and numerical examples to treat a bidimensional friction contact problem in large deformation. Two different contact algorithms with friction are developed using the 2D finite element code PLAST2. The first contact algorithm is the classical node-on-segment, and the second one corresponds to an extension of the mortar element method to a unilateral contact problem with friction. In this last method, the discretized normal and tangential stresses on the contact surface are expressed by using either continuous piecewise linear or piecewise constant Lagrange multipliers in the saddle-point formulation. The two algorithms based on Lagrange multipliers method are developed and compared for linear and quadratic elements

Interventions using behavioural insights to influence children's diet-related outcomes: a systematic review

The global prevalence of children with overweight and obesity continues to rise. Obesity in childhood has dire long-term consequences on health, social and economic outcomes. Promising interventions using behavioural insights to address obesity in childhood have emerged. This systematic review examines the effectiveness and health equity implications of interventions using behavioural insights to improve children's diet-related outcomes. The search strategy included searches on six electronic databases, reference lists of previous systematic reviews and backward searching of all included studies. One-hundred and eight papers describing 137 interventions were included. Interventions using behavioural insights were effective at modifying children's diet-related outcomes in 74% of all included interventions. The most promising approaches involved using incentives, changing defaults and modifying the physical environment. Information provision alone was the least effective approach. Health equity implications were rarely analysed or discussed. There was limited evidence of the sustainability of interventions-both in relation to their overall effectiveness and cost-effectiveness. The limited evidence on health equity, long-term effectiveness and the cost-effectiveness of these interventions limit what can be inferred for policymakers. This review synthesises the use of behavioural insights to improve children's diet-related outcomes, which can be used to inform future interventions

Quantification of Spatial Repolarization Heterogeneity: Testing the Robustness of a New Technique

Abstract The V-index is a recently-proposed metric related to repolarization heterogeneity (RH) Introduction Spatial heterogeneity of ventricular repolarization is a key quantity for the development of arrhythmias. Despite many methods have been proposed and investigated in the past [1-3], a non-invasive quantification of Repolarization Heterogeneity (RH) is still an open issue We recently proposed an estimator of the standard deviation of RH, which was named "V-index" Although the performances of the method have been deeply investigated in the original paper Method An estimate of repolarization heterogeneity Let us suppose to subdivide the myocardium in "nodes", each node m sharing a common transmembrane potential (TMP), D(t), but having a specific repolarization time given by ρ m =ρ + Δρ m . At each node m, the repolarization delay Δρ m is the deviation from the average repolarization timeρ = 1 M M m=1 ρ m in the given heartbeat. We have recently [5] introduced a simple model to describe the distribution of these delays Δρ m (k) among beats, being k the beat index. In particular we set: where ϑ m models the spatial variability of the repolarization times for a given subject at a given HR, and ϕ m (k) describes difference in repolarization times which are observable among successive beats

An efficient Buchwald-Hartwig amination protocol enables the synthesis of new branched and polymeric hole transport materials for perovskite solar cells

Perovskite solar cells (PSCs) are experiencing tremendous interest due to compatibility with solution processing on a wide range of substrates and very high efficiency. The hole transport layer (HTL) plays a fundamental role in such multistack cells. We propose new branched and polymeric organic HTL derivatives with sustainable synthesis and performances exceeding those of Spiro-OMeTAD, the standard in the field

Estimation of spectral parameters of residual ECG signal during atrial fibrillation using autoregressive models

The application of AutoRegressive (AR) models to extract spectral parameters from residual ECG (rECG) signals is exploited. In particular, a new method based on AR spectra is employed to estimate the dominant atrial cycle length (DACL) on ECG obtained from patients undergoing episodes of atrial fibrillation (AF). The traditional FFT-based spectral approach will be compared with the new method. Potentialities and possible superior performances of AR spectra are documented and discussed

The neutral dynamics during the 2009 sudden stratosphere warming simulated by different whole atmosphere models

The present study compares simulations of the 2009 sudden stratospheric warming (SSW) from four different whole atmosphere models. The models included in the comparison are the Ground-to-topside model of Atmosphere and Ionosphere for Aeronomy, Hamburg Model of the Neutral and Ionized Atmosphere, Whole Atmosphere Model, and Whole Atmosphere Community Climate Model Extended version (WACCM-X). The comparison focuses on the zonal mean, planetary wave, and tidal variability in the middle and upper atmosphere during the 2009 SSW. The model simulations are constrained in the lower atmosphere, and the simulated zonal mean and planetary wave variability is thus similar up to approximate to 1 hPa (50 km). With the exception of WACCM-X, which is constrained up to 0.002 hPa (92 km), the models are unconstrained at higher altitudes leading to considerable divergence among the model simulations in the mesosphere and thermosphere. We attribute the differences at higher altitudes to be primarily due to different gravity wave drag parameterizations. In the mesosphere and lower thermosphere, we find both similarities and differences among the model simulated migrating and nonmigrating tides. The migrating diurnal tide (DW1) is similar in all of the model simulations. The model simulations reveal similar temporal evolution of the amplitude and phase of the migrating semidiurnal tide (SW2); however, the absolute SW2 amplitudes are significantly different. Through comparison of the zonal mean, planetary wave, and tidal variability during the 2009 SSW, the results of the present study provide insight into aspects of the middle and upper atmosphere variability that are considered to be robust features, as well as aspects that should be considered with significant uncertainty

Enhanced user performance in an image gallery application with a mobile autostereoscopic touch display

In this study, we explored how stereoscopic depth affects performance and user experience in a mobile device with an autostereoscopic touch display. Participants conducted a visual search task with an image gallery application on three layouts with different depth ranges. The task completion times were recorded, and the participants were asked to rate their experiences. The results revealed that the image search times were facilitated by a mild depth effect and that too great a depth slowed search times and decreased user-experience ratings. © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved

Optimal search strategies for detecting cost and economic studies in EMBASE

BACKGROUND: Economic evaluations in the medical literature compare competing diagnosis or treatment methods for their use of resources and their expected outcomes. The best evidence currently available from research regarding both cost and economic comparisons will continue to expand as this type of information becomes more important in today's clinical practice. Researchers and clinicians need quick, reliable ways to access this information. A key source of this type of information is large bibliographic databases such as EMBASE. The objective of this study was to develop search strategies that optimize the retrieval of health costs and economics studies from EMBASE. METHODS: We conducted an analytic survey, comparing hand searches of journals with retrievals from EMBASE for candidate search terms and combinations. 6 research assistants read all issues of 55 journals indexed by EMBASE for the publishing year 2000. We rated all articles using purpose and quality indicators and categorized them into clinically relevant original studies, review articles, general papers, or case reports. The original and review articles were then categorized for purpose (i.e., cost and economics and other clinical topics) and depending on the purpose as 'pass' or 'fail' for methodologic rigor. Candidate search strategies were developed for economic and cost studies, then run in the 55 EMBASE journals, the retrievals being compared with the hand search data. The sensitivity, specificity, precision, and accuracy of the search strategies were calculated. RESULTS: Combinations of search terms for detecting both cost and economic studies attained levels of 100% sensitivity with specificity levels of 92.9% and 92.3% respectively. When maximizing for both sensitivity and specificity, the combination of terms for detecting cost studies (sensitivity) increased 2.2% over the single term but at a slight decrease in specificity of 0.9%. The maximized combination of terms for economic studies saw no change in sensitivity from the single term and only a 0.1% increase in specificity. CONCLUSION: Selected terms have excellent performance in the retrieval of studies of health costs and economics from EMBASE