Newtonian Flow in Converging-Diverging Capillaries

The one-dimensional Navier-Stokes equations are used to derive analytical expressions for the relation between pressure and volumetric flow rate in capillaries of five different converging-diverging axisymmetric geometries for Newtonian fluids. The results are compared to previously-derived expressions for the same geometries using the lubrication approximation. The results of the one-dimensional Navier-Stokes are identical to those obtained from the lubrication approximation within a non-dimensional numerical factor. The derived flow expressions have also been validated by comparison to numerical solutions obtained from discretization with numerical integration. Moreover, they have been certified by testing the convergence of solutions as the converging-diverging geometries approach the limiting straight geometry.Comment: 23 pages, 5 figures, 1 table. This is an extended and improved version. arXiv admin note: substantial text overlap with arXiv:1006.151

Methane hydrate: shifting the coexistence temperature to higher temperatures with an external electric field

In the present work, we used molecular dynamic simulations of the equilibrium NPT ensemble to examine the effect of an external electric field on the three-phase coexistence temperature of methane gas, liquid water and methane hydrate. For these simulations, we used the TIP4P/Ice rigid water model and a single-site model for methane. The simulations were implemented at two pressures, 400 and 250bar, over temperatures ranging from 285 to 320K and from 280 to 315K, respectively. The application of an external electric field in the range of 0.1-0.9caused the effect of the thermal vibrations of the water molecules to become attenuated. This resulted in a shift of the three-phase coexistence temperature to higher temperatures. Electric fields below this range did not cause a difference in the coexistence temperature, and electric fields above this range enhanced the thermal effect. The shift had a magnitude of 22.5K on average.Peer ReviewedPostprint (author's final draft

An Evaluation of the Effortless Approach to Build Algorithm Animations with WinHIPE

AbstractThe use of algorithm visualizations in computer science education is not a new thing. Although there is a firm belief that graphical representations of algorithms are learning aids, empirical studies show that what is important is what the students do with the animations rather than what they see in them. In this paper we compare to kinds of interaction: viewing animations vs constructing animations. We have conducted a controlled experiment where a group of students (n=15) had to study an algorithm and complete a knowledge test about it and a subjective opinion questionnaire. Students were randomly divided in constructing and viewing groups. Results have been measured by means of learning outcomes, efficiency issues and student's subjective opinion. Results significantly evidence that builders obtained better results than viewers

Selecting Negative Samples for PPI Prediction Using Hierarchical Clustering Methodology

Protein-protein interactions (PPIs) play a crucial role in cellular processes. In the present work, a new approach is proposed to construct a PPI predictor training a support vector machine model through a mutual information filter-wrapper parallel feature selection algorithm and an iterative and hierarchical clustering to select a relevance negative training set. By means of a selected suboptimum set of features, the constructed support vector machine model is able to classify PPIs with high accuracy in any positive and negative datasets

Estimation of stresses in arterial tissue: from residual stresses to material parameters

In the past decades a considerable amount of literature has been published addressing the study of the mechanical behavior of arterial walls. In these works, researchers have developed constitutive models and characterized the typical ranges for the values of material parameters of vascular tissues. Moreover, the existence of residual stresses in configurations free of loads was revealed, and its impact in the general stress state of the tissue was quantified. Currently, ex-vivo experiments such as inflation-extension tests and biaxial stress tests are extensively used for the estimation of the constitutive parameters in arterial wall probes. Also, destructive experiments involving radial cutting of specimens and the separation of arterial layers are used to identify layer-specific residual deformations (and stresses). For the latter scenario, material parameters are assumed to be known. In this context, a technique for the simultaneous characterization of residual deformations and material parameters in the arterial wall is proposed. This approach is based on data tipically obtained from inflation-extension tests, assuming that the material configuration and the radial displacement of the vessel is known for different load conditions given by fixed axial stretch and internal pressure values. The characterization problem is tackled through the minimization of a cost functional that measures the mechanical disequilibrium of the known material configuration and the discrepancy between the predicted and observed displacement of the outer vessel boundary. To illustrate the feasibility of the proposed methodology a manufactured-solution example is presented.Publicado en: Mecánica Computacional vol. XXXV, no. 9.Facultad de Ingenierí

Estimation of stresses in arterial tissue: from residual stresses to material parameters

In the past decades a considerable amount of literature has been published addressing the study of the mechanical behavior of arterial walls. In these works, researchers have developed constitutive models and characterized the typical ranges for the values of material parameters of vascular tissues. Moreover, the existence of residual stresses in configurations free of loads was revealed, and its impact in the general stress state of the tissue was quantified. Currently, ex-vivo experiments such as inflation-extension tests and biaxial stress tests are extensively used for the estimation of the constitutive parameters in arterial wall probes. Also, destructive experiments involving radial cutting of specimens and the separation of arterial layers are used to identify layer-specific residual deformations (and stresses). For the latter scenario, material parameters are assumed to be known. In this context, a technique for the simultaneous characterization of residual deformations and material parameters in the arterial wall is proposed. This approach is based on data tipically obtained from inflation-extension tests, assuming that the material configuration and the radial displacement of the vessel is known for different load conditions given by fixed axial stretch and internal pressure values. The characterization problem is tackled through the minimization of a cost functional that measures the mechanical disequilibrium of the known material configuration and the discrepancy between the predicted and observed displacement of the outer vessel boundary. To illustrate the feasibility of the proposed methodology a manufactured-solution example is presented.Publicado en: Mecánica Computacional vol. XXXV, no. 9.Facultad de Ingenierí

Estimation of stresses in arterial tissue: from residual stresses to material parameters

In the past decades a considerable amount of literature has been published addressing the study of the mechanical behavior of arterial walls. In these works, researchers have developed constitutive models and characterized the typical ranges for the values of material parameters of vascular tissues. Moreover, the existence of residual stresses in configurations free of loads was revealed, and its impact in the general stress state of the tissue was quantified. Currently, ex-vivo experiments such as inflation-extension tests and biaxial stress tests are extensively used for the estimation of the constitutive parameters in arterial wall probes. Also, destructive experiments involving radial cutting of specimens and the separation of arterial layers are used to identify layer-specific residual deformations (and stresses). For the latter scenario, material parameters are assumed to be known. In this context, a technique for the simultaneous characterization of residual deformations and material parameters in the arterial wall is proposed. This approach is based on data tipically obtained from inflation-extension tests, assuming that the material configuration and the radial displacement of the vessel is known for different load conditions given by fixed axial stretch and internal pressure values. The characterization problem is tackled through the minimization of a cost functional that measures the mechanical disequilibrium of the known material configuration and the discrepancy between the predicted and observed displacement of the outer vessel boundary. To illustrate the feasibility of the proposed methodology a manufactured-solution example is presented.Publicado en: Mecánica Computacional vol. XXXV, no. 9.Facultad de Ingenierí

La evidencia social del sufrimiento. Salud mental, políticas globales y narrativas locales

El propósito de este artículo es explorar las posibilidades de la mirada etnográfica en el campo de la llamada “rehabilitación psicosocial de los trastornos mentales severos”. Partiendo de una crítica al individualismo metodológico y epistemológico de algunas aproximaciones “psi” (psiquiatría biológica o neokraepelinismo, terapia cognitivo-conductual, psicoanálisis, etc.) y de las políticas estandarizadas de reinserción, se defiende una orientación teórico-práctica centrada en lo que aquí denominamos la “evidencia social del sufrimiento”. Para ilustrar esta aproximación se comparan dos experiencias de intervención-acción-participación diversas y deslocalizadas geográficamente: la primera en el Área Metropolitana de Porto Alegre (el Taller de Expresión de Novo Hamburgo) y la segunda en Barcelona (Radio Nikosia). A pesar de las diferencias locales, ambas experiencias confluyen en varios aspectos, como la creación de nuevos territorios de escucha e interacción social no asociados al campo terapéutico y nosológico, la aplicación de una metodología dialógica desarrollada desde la mirada etnográfica, el rescate del mundo narrativo de los afectados y la habilitación de nuevas identidades sociales. Finalmente, el texto indica algunas orientaciones para repensar las intervenciones en salud mental desde la “evidencia social del sufrimiento”