A thermodynamic framework to predict thermophysical properties that control pMDI aerosol generation

Activity coefficient models are introduced to provide a thermodynamic framework for simultaneously predicting multiple thermophysical properties of relevance to pressurized metered dose inhaler (pMDI) aerosol formation. The UNIFAC and UNIQUAC models are discussed in the context of calculation of saturated vapor pressure, surface tension and liquid viscosity using molecule and functional group interaction parameters. New interaction parameters are generated and presented for HFA134a/ethanol mixtures using experimental data for saturated vapor pressure, surface tension and viscosity. The UNIFAC model is shown to give adequate predictivity and can be used when no experimental data is available. Better predictions were obtained with the UNIQUAC model, which is most useful when high-quality measurement data are obtained. The use of these models for flexible thermophysical property prediction of low-global warming potential (GWP) formulations is discussed, with potential developments to improve model fits and better utilize the experimental data

Coupling of Active Motion and Advection Shapes Intracellular Cargo Transport

Intracellular cargo transport can arise from passive diffusion, active motor-driven transport along cytoskeletal filament networks, and passive advection by fluid flows entrained by such motor/cargo motion. Active and advective transport are thus intrinsically coupled as related, yet different representations of the same underlying network structure. A reaction-advection-diffusion system is used here to show that this coupling affects the transport and localization of a passive tracer in a confined geometry. For sufficiently low diffusion, cargo localization to a target zone is optimized either by low reaction kinetics and decoupling of bound and unbound states, or by a mostly disordered cytoskeletal network with only weak directional bias. These generic results may help to rationalize subtle features of cytoskeletal networks, for example as observed for microtubules in fly oocytes.Comment: revtex, 5 pages, 5 figures, to appear in PRL (http://prl.aps.org/

THEORETICAL VALIDATION OF TEST RESULTS FOR THE PRESSURE DROP VALUES OF CIRCULAR PINS WITH A MAXIMUM LENGTH TO DIAMETER RATIO OF 3.0 USING EXISTING EQUATIONS AND TEST DATA FOR HEAT EXCHANGER APPLICATION

Paper presented at the 8th International Conference on Heat Transfer, Fluid Mechanics and Thermodynamics, Mauritius, 11-13 July, 2011.Pins are a very common type of extended surface used in the field of heat transfer; their main use being in the electronics field. In this report, the use of pins as an extended surface is considered for a Heat Exchanger application in the aerospace field. The Heat Exchanger uses forced convective heat transfer mechanism for the dissipation of heat and the implicated fluid is air. For this application the pin layout and design is completely unique in that the pin’s maximum length to diameter ratio is 3.0 and the layout of the pins produces an X T value of 7, which has not been explored in any previous work. The Length: Diameter ratio of these new pins is very small when compared to the Length: Diameter ratios of tubes currently used in heat exchangers to enhance heat transfer. Moreover, the distance between the pins in this arrangement is much greater than those for the tubes. Testing has been performed on this pin design and the theoretical validation of those test results is one of the main aspects discussed in this report. Due to the innovative nature of the pin designs, there is insufficient existing test data or established equations that can be used. Assumptions are made in order to be able to apply the current equations for pressure drop calculations with valid justifications. The theoretical results for the total pressure drop show an average deviation of 6% from the test results for mass flow rates between 0.14 kg/s and 0.36 kg/s. The maximum pressure drop was found to be caused by the pins and it was in the range of 89%-91%of the total. In this article, the limitations of existing equations are discussed and the gap in the theoretical knowledge regarding novel pin designs is highlighted.mp201

Numerical simulation of bus aerodynamics on several classes of bridge decks

This paper is focused on improving traffic safety on bridges under crosswind conditions, as adverse wind conditions can increase the risk of traffic accidents. Two ways to improve traffic safety are investigated: improving vehicle stability by means of wind fences installed on the bridge deck and by modifying the design parameters of the infrastructure. Specifically, this study examines the influence of different parameters related to the bridge deck configuration on the aerodynamic coefficients acting on a bus model under crosswind conditions. The aerodynamic coefficients related to side force, lift force and rollover moment are obtained for three classes of bridge deck (box, girder and board) by numerical simulation. FLUENT was used to solve the Reynolds-averaged Navier?Stokes (RANS) equations along with the shear stress transport (SST) k?? turbulence model. Two crash barriers located on the box bridge deck were replaced with an articulating wind fence model and the effect of the angle between the wind fence and the horizontal plane on the bus aerodynamic was investigated. The risk of rollover accidents was found to be slightly influenced by the bridge deck type for a yaw angle range between 75° and 120°. In order to study the effect of the yaw angle on the aerodynamic coefficients acting on bus, both the bus model and the bridge model were simultaneously rotated. The minimum value of the rollover coefficient was obtained for an angle of 60° between the wind fence slope and the horizontal plane. The only geometry parameter of the box bridge deck which significantly affects bus aerodynamics is the box height. The present research highlights the usefulness of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) for improving traffic safety, studying the performance of the articulating wind fence, and determining which geometry parameters of the box deck have a significant influence on the bus stability.This work was supported by the OASIS Research Project that was co financed by CDTI (Spanish Science and Innovation Ministry) and developed with the Spanish companies: Iridium, OHL Concesiones, Abertis, Sice, Indra, Dragados, OHL, Geocisa, GMV, Asfaltos Augusta, Hidrofersa, Eipsa, PyG, CPS, AEC and Torre de Comares Arquitectos S.L and 16 research centres. The authors also acknowledge the partial funding with FEDER funds under the Research Project FC-15-GRUPIN14-004. Finally, we also thanks to Swanson Analysis Inc. for the use of ANSYS University Research programs as well as the Workbench simulation environment

Efficacy of off-label topical treatments for the management of androgenetic alopecia: a review

Androgenetic alopecia (AGA) is characterized by non-scarring follicle miniaturization. Despite the success of approved therapies, commonly reported side effects and the need for continual use has led to the investigation of alternative therapies. The aim of this paper is to critically review the success of off-label, topical monotherapies for treatment of AGA in men. A literature search was conducted to obtain randomized, controlled and blinded studies that investigated off-label, topical, monotherapies in male patients. Hair density, hair diameter and hair growth were used to evaluate treatment success. Fourteen off-label topical therapies were investigated among the 16 studies that met inclusion criteria. Nine off-label therapies were reported to produce a significantly greater improvement in hair restoration parameters (e.g. mean change from hair count and hair diameter) as compared to placebo (p < 0.05 for all treatments). In two studies, procyanidin oligomers exhibited greater efficacy over vehicle with response to mean change in hair density (hairs/cm2) (ps < 0.0001 at Week 24). In conclusion, prostaglandin analogs and polyphenols, such as latanoprost and procyanidin oligomers, can improve hair restoration parameters in male AGA patients, possibly through targeting mechanisms proposed in the etiology of AGA. The current evidence suggests short-term (24 weeks) use may provide benefit for hair loss patients; however, long-term efficacy and safety data are required

Dissociation constants and thermodynamic properties of amino acids used in CO2 absorption from (293 to 353) K

The second dissociation constants of the amino acids βalanine, taurine, sarcosine, 6-aminohexanoic acid, DL-methionine, glycine, L-phenylalanine, and L-proline and the third dissociation constants of L-glutamic acid and L-aspartic acid have been determined from electromotive force measurements at temperatures from (293 to 353) K. Experimental results are reported and compared to literature values. Values of the standard state thermodynamic properties are derived from the experimental results and compared to the values of commercially available amines used as absorbents for CO 2 capture.

Fault activity in the epicentral area of the 1580 Dover Strait (Pas-de-Calais) earthquake (northwestern Europe)

On 1580 April 6 one of the most destructive earthquakes of northwestern Europe took place in the Dover Strait (Pas de Calais). The epicentre of this seismic event, the magnitude of which is estimated to have been about 6.0, has been located in the offshore continuation of the North Artois shear zone, a major Variscan tectonic structure that traverses the Dover Strait. The location of this and two other moderate magnitude historical earthquakes in the Dover Strait suggests that the North Artois shear zone or some of its fault segments may be presently active. In order to investigate the possible fault activity in the epicentral area of the AD 1580 earthquake, we have gathered a large set of bathymetric and seismic-reflection data covering the almost-entire width of the Dover Strait. These data have revealed a broad structural zone comprising several subparallel WNW–ESE trending faults and folds, some of them significantly offsetting the Cretaceous bedrock. The geophysical investigation has also shown some indication of possible Quaternary fault activity. However, this activity only appears to have affected the lowermost layers of the sediment infilling Middle Pleistocene palaeobasins. This indicates that, if these faults have been active since Middle Pleistocene, their slip rates must have been very low. Hence, the AD 1580 earthquake appears to be a very infrequent event in the Dover Strait, representing a good example of the moderate magnitude earthquakes that sometimes occur in plate interiors on faults with unknown historical seismicity