Thrust performance of isolated 36-chute suppressor plug nozzles with and without ejectors at Mach numbers from 0 to 0.45

Plug nozzles with chute-type noise suppressors were tested with and without ejector shrouds at free-stream Mach numbers from 0 to 0.45 and over a range of nozzle pressure ratios from 2 to 4. A 36-chute suppressor nozzle with an ejector had an efficiency of 94.6 percent at an assumed takeoff pressure ratio of 3.0 and a Mach number of 0.36. This represents only a 3.4 percent performance penalty when compared with the 98 percent efficiency obtained with a previously tested unsuppressed plug nozzle

Thrust performance of isolated, two-dimensional suppressed plug nozzles with and without ejectors at Mach numbers from 0 to 0.45

A series of two-dimensional plug nozzles was tested with and without ejector shrouds at free stream Mach numbers from 0 to 0.45 and over a range of nozzle pressure ratios from 2 to 4. These nozzles were also tested with and without chute noise suppressors. A two-dimensional plug nozzle has an efficiency of 96.1 percent at an assumed takeoff pressure ratio of 3.0 and Mach 0.36. A 12-chute suppressed nozzle with sidewalls has an efficiency of 81.0 percent (15.1 percent below the unsuppressed nozzle)

Effect of Finerenone on chronic kidney disease outcomes in type 2 diabetes

Background: Finerenone, a nonsteroidal, selective mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist, reduced albuminuria in short-term trials involving patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and type 2 diabetes. However, its long-term effects on kidney and cardiovascular outcomes are unknown. Methods: In this double-blind trial, we randomly assigned 5734 patients with CKD and type 2 diabetes in a 1:1 ratio to receive finerenone or placebo. Eligible patients had a urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio (with albumin measured in milligrams and creatinine measured in grams) of 30 to less than 300, an estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) of 25 to less than 60 ml per minute per 1.73 m2 of body-surface area, and diabetic retinopathy, or they had a urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio of 300 to 5000 and an eGFR of 25 to less than 75 ml per minute per 1.73 m2. All the patients were treated with renin-angiotensin system blockade that had been adjusted before randomization to the maximum dose on the manufacturer's label that did not cause unacceptable side effects. The primary composite outcome, assessed in a time-to-event analysis, was kidney failure, a sustained decrease of at least 40% in the eGFR from baseline, or death from renal causes. The key secondary composite outcome, also assessed in a time-to-event analysis, was death from cardiovascular causes, nonfatal myocardial infarction, nonfatal stroke, or hospitalization for heart failure. Results: During a median follow-up of 2.6 years, a primary outcome event occurred in 504 of 2833 patients (17.8%) in the finerenone group and 600 of 2841 patients (21.1%) in the placebo group (hazard ratio, 0.82; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.73 to 0.93; P = 0.001). A key secondary outcome event occurred in 367 patients (13.0%) and 420 patients (14.8%) in the respective groups (hazard ratio, 0.86; 95% CI, 0.75 to 0.99; P = 0.03). Overall, the frequency of adverse events was similar in the two groups. The incidence of hyperkalemia-related discontinuation of the trial regimen was higher with finerenone than with placebo (2.3% and 0.9%, respectively). Conclusions: In patients with CKD and type 2 diabetes, treatment with finerenone resulted in lower risks of CKD progression and cardiovascular events than placebo. (Funded by Bayer; FIDELIO-DKD ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT02540993.)

Controls on zooplankton methane production in the central Baltic Sea

Several methanogenic pathways in oxic surface waters were recently discovered, but their relevance in the natural environment is still unknown. Our study examines distinct methane (CH4) enrichments that repeatedly occur below the thermocline during the summer months in the central Baltic Sea. In agreement with previous studies in this region, we discovered differences in the methane distributions between the western and eastern Gotland Basin, pointing to in situ methane production below the thermocline in the latter (concentration of CH4 14.1±6.1&thinsp;nM, δ13C CH4 −62.9&thinsp;‰). Through the use of a high-resolution hydrographic model of the Baltic Sea, we showed that methane below the thermocline can be transported by upwelling events towards the sea surface, thus contributing to the methane flux at the sea–air interface. To quantify zooplankton-associated methane production rates, we developed a sea-going methane stripping-oxidation line to determine methane release rates from copepods grazing on 14C-labelled phytoplankton. We found that (1) methane production increased with the number of copepods, (2) higher methane production rates were measured in incubations with Temora longicornis (125±49&thinsp;fmol&thinsp;methane&thinsp;copepod−1&thinsp;d−1) than in incubations with Acartia spp. (84±19&thinsp;fmol&thinsp;CH4&thinsp;copepod−1&thinsp;d−1) dominated zooplankton communities, and (3) methane was only produced on a Rhodomonas sp. diet, and not on a cyanobacteria diet. Furthermore, copepod-specific methane production rates increased with incubation time. The latter finding suggests that methanogenic substrates for water-dwelling microbes are released by cell disruption during feeding, defecation, or diffusion from fecal pellets. In the field, particularly high methane concentrations coincided with stations showing a high abundance of DMSP/DMSO-rich Dinophyceae. Lipid biomarkers extracted from phytoplankton- and copepod-rich samples revealed that Dinophyceae are a major food source of the T. longicornis dominated zooplankton community, supporting the proposed link between copepod grazing, DMSP/DMSO release, and the build-up of subthermocline methane enrichments in the central Baltic Sea.</p

The Personality Types and Preferences of CPA Firm Professionals: An Analysis of Changes in the Profession

A study using the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator was conducted to examine the personality types and specific preferences of CPA firm professionals. Data were drawn from four CPA firms in the midwestern U.S. The findings reveal that more recent partners tend to have a preference for extroversion. There is some evidence that those at higher levels in public accounting firms prefer intuition, compared to the sensing preference of most accountants. The findings do not show that professionals favor working with those with similar preferences, suggesting that a mix in personality preferences is appreciated

Spatial distribution and temporal variation of methane, ethane and propane background levels in shallow aquifers – A case study from Lower Saxony (Germany)

Study region: This survey was conducted in Lower Saxony/Northern Germany, the major German hydrocarbon province. Study focus: The study aimed at improving our understanding of background concentrations for dissolved hydrocarbon gases in shallow groundwater. More than 1700 groundwater wells were sampled, determining the concentrations of dissolved methane, ethane and propane. New hydrological insights for the region: Methane was detected in all wells with 34% 1 ml/l (with 80% < 0.1 ml/l). A decreasing regional trend of methane concentrations from the North West towards South East was observed. Highest concentrations are encountered in marshes and lowlands although numerous exceptions are noted. Methane is prevalently of biogenic origin, as demonstrated by its isotopic composition. Generally, high methane concentrations are linked to high DOC, low sulfate and oxygen concentrations. Methane oxidation appears to be locally important. Ethane was detected in 30% of all wells, propane in 12.5%. The occurrence is interpreted as microbial/geogenic background related to methanogenesis or organic matter degradation during diagenesis. Low present day ethane and propane concentrations make them the preferred monitoring parameter with respect to possible anthropogenic induced input of thermogenic gas. Sampling of identical wells between 2014 and 2017 demonstrate that methane concentrations and carbon isotopic composition remain stable in general, although if it comes down to individual wells, significant fluctuations were noticed. Keywords: Dissolved hydrocarbon gases, Baseline monitoring, Temporal variation, Lower Saxony, Isotope