Large scale optimization of transonic axial compressor rotor blades

[First Paragraphs] In the present work the Multipoint Approximation Method (MAM) by Toropov et al. (1993) has been applied to the shape optimization of an existing transonic compressor rotor (NASA rotor 37) as a benchmark case. Simulations were performed using the Rolls-Royce plc. PADRAM-HYDRA system (Shahpar and Lapworth 2003, Lapworth and Shahpar 2004) that includes the parameterization of the blade shape, meshing, CFD analysis, postprocessing, and objective/constraints evaluation. The parameterization approach adopted in this system is very flexible but can result in a large scale optimization problem. For this pilot study, a relatively coarse mesh has been used including around 470,000 nodes. The parameterization was done using 5 engineering blade parameters like axial movement of sections along the engine axis in mm (XCEN), circumferential movements of sections in degrees (DELT), solid body rotation of sections in degrees (SKEW), and leading/trailing edge recambering (LEM0/TEMO) in degrees. The design variables were specified using 6 control points at 0 % (hub), 20%, 40%, 60%, 80%, and 100% (tip) along the span. Thus the total number of independent design variables N was 30. B-spline interpolation was used through the control points to generate smooth design perturbations in the radial direction

Knowledge, Attitude, Lifestyle Practices, and Quality of Life in Sporadic Lymphangioleiomyomatosis Patients

Lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM) is a rare lung disease recognized by abnormal growth of smooth muscle cells proliferating in lungs parenchyma, developing benign tumors, migrating to the other organs, and ultimately leading to respiratory failure and death. Despite existing literature mainly on clinical aspects of LAM, there is a gap of literature in regards to the knowledge, attitude, and lifestyle practices (KAPs) of LAM patients and their effects on their quality of life. The purpose of this quantitative study was to investigate the KAPs of the sporadic LAM patients as measured by the Bristol Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Knowledge Questionnaire, Beliefs and Behavior Questionnaire, Determinants of Lifestyle Behavior Questionnaire; these KAPs were then analyzed for their relationship to quality of life reports as measured by the St George’s Quality of Life Questionnaire. Transtheoretical model (TTM) was used to describe the relationship among the variables. The data were collected through online survey questionnaires from 143 sporadic LAM patients registered at the LAM Foundation. Pearson’s correlations and linear regression were used to analyze the data. The results of the analysis showed that there was a significant positive relationship between attitude, lifestyle practices, and quality of life and a negative relationship between knowledge and quality of life. The outcome achieved by this study and its implication on social change identifies the need to initiate more study-specific KAPs within LAM populations, including individuals with tuberous sclerosis complex LAM. The results could also encourage the LAM community as well as other stakeholders to implement programs, workshops, and interventions that could promote and enhance quality of life

Physical Therapy Approach in Shoulder Impairment Along With Lymphedemea after Breast Cancer Surgery: A Case Study

A 52-year-old woman with a history of breast cancer and mastectomy surgery and axillary lymph nodes dissection was referred to a physical therapy clinic. Lymphotherapist assessment revealed that there was a grade II upper limb lymph edema; pitting and palpable fibrotic tissue existed in volar side of forearm. Water displacement measurement to assess the limb volume in affected and unaffected side indicated an obvious difference. In physical examination, there was a significant limitation in shoulder range of motion (ROM) and tightness in shoulder girdle muscles. A multimodal physical approach based on manual therapy, electrotherapy and exercise therapy was conducted to eliminate shoulder impairment along with Manual Lymph Drainage (MLD) and lymphological compression bandage to eliminate lymphedema. The results of final re- assessment indicated that combination of lymphatic massage and compression bandage can lower the lymph edema following the mastectomy. Also, physical therapy approach can reduce the symptoms of shoulder disability caused by mastectomy and lymph nod dissection surgery. It should be taken into account that in patients who are suffering from lymph edema, recovering the shoulder movements and early return to normal function are very effective in improving lymph flow and reducing edema. Therefore, by restoring shoulder movement, in addition to reducing shoulder pain and increasing performance, can improve lymph flow as well among these patients.Key words: Breast Cancer, Lymph Edema, Physiotherapy, Shoulde

Abundance of Plodia interpunctella (Hubner) and Cadra cautella (Walker) infesting maize stored on South Carolina farms: seasonal and non-seasonal variation

Seasonal trends and short-term fluctuations in abundance of Plodia interpunctella (Hubner) and Cadra cautella (Walker) infesting maize stored on two South Carolina farms were studied during three storage seasons (September 1990–June 1993). Coils of corrugated paper placed on the grain surface were used to trap mature larvae seeking pupation sites. Temperatures in the grain (18-cm-deep) and in the bin headspace were recorded hourly, and grain moisture content was measured weekly. Weekly mean numbers of moth larvae, and adults of two natural enemies, trapped in the coils were used for tracking changes in their abundance over time. The most significant findings were: (1) a seasonal pattern of abundance in both moth species that persisted from farm to farm and year to year, and (2) the coincidence of the highest population levels with the lowest temperatures. With few exceptions, the moth populations increased in the fall, reached their highest levels in winter, and then declined to low levels by early spring. The persistence of this pattern suggests a seasonal regulatory mechanism, with onset of low temperature as the primary initiator of population decline and adversely high temperature as a contributor to its protraction through spring into early summer. This view is supported by our observations of temperature and moth abundance, in conjunction with published information on the biological limitations of the two species. However, other factors, such as predators, parasitoids, and viral infection, may have contributed to the final population collapse. Superimposed upon the seasonal trends were short-term, non-seasonal cycles of abundance with variable periods. Population theory suggests that predation, parasitism, disease, and competition may have produced these cycles

Heat Transfer Analysis of Damaged Shrouded High-Pressure Turbine Rotor Blades

Due to the increasingly high turbine inlet temperatures, heat transfer analysis is now, more than ever, a vital part of the design and optimization of high-pressure turbine rotor blades of a modern jet engine. The present study aimed to find out how shape deviation and in-service deterioration affect heat exchange patterns on the rotor blade. The rotor geometries used for this analysis are represented by a set of high-resolution 3D structured light scans of blades with the same number of in-service hours. An automatic meshing technique was employed to generate high-resolution meshes directly on the scanned rotor geometries, which captured all the surface features with high fidelity. Steady-state 3D RANS flow simulations with a k-ω SST turbulence model were conducted on a one-and-a-half stage computational domain of the scanned geometries. First, the distribution of the heat transfer coefficient was calculated for each blade; then, a correlation was sought between the heat transfer coefficient and parametrized shape deviation, to assess the impact of each parameter on HTC levels