Reconstruction subgrid models for nonpremixed combustion

Large-eddy simulation of combustion problems involves highly nonlinear terms that, when filtered, result in a contribution from subgrid fluctuations of scalars, Z, to the dynamics of the filtered value. This subgrid contribution requires modeling. Reconstruction models try to recover as much information as possible from the resolved field Z, based on a deconvolution procedure to obtain an intermediate field ZM. The approximate reconstruction using moments (ARM) method combines approximate reconstruction, a purely mathematical procedure, with additional physics-based information required to match specific scalar moments, in the simplest case, the Reynolds-averaged value of the subgrid variance. Here, results from the analysis of the ARM model in the case of a spatially evolving turbulent plane jet are presented. A priori and a posteriori evaluations using data from direct numerical simulation are carried out. The nonlinearities considered are representative of reacting flows: power functions, the dependence of the density on the mixture fraction (relevant for conserved scalar approaches) and the Arrhenius nonlinearity (very localized in Z space). Comparisons are made against the more popular beta probability density function (PDF) approach in the a priori analysis, trying to define ranges of validity for each approach. The results show that the ARM model is able to capture the subgrid part of the variance accurately over a wide range of filter sizes and performs well for the different nonlinearities, giving uniformly better predictions than the beta PDF for the polynomial case. In the case of the density and Arrhenius nonlinearities, the relative performance of the ARM and traditional PDF approaches depends on the size of the subgrid variance with respect to a characteristic scale of each function. Furthermore, the sources of error associated with the ARM method are considered and analytical bounds on that error are obtained

Enamel hypoplasia and health condition through social status in the Roman Imperial Age

Dental enamel hypoplasia is a deficit in enamel matrix formation occurring in childhood and resulting from nutritional deficiency or diseases. Examination of hypoplastic lesions in ancient skeletal remains provides an excellent index of developmental stress levels in the past. In this research, the incidence and distribution of Linear Enamel Hypoplasia (LEH) were detected to investigate whether the social status had affected the health and nutritional conditions of the Romans during the Imperial Age. Dental enamel hypoplasia was observed in the teeth of 200 human skeletal remains found in two large necropoles from the Imperial Age in Rome (Italy). Both necropoles, dated back to (1st-2nd centuries A.D.), are located near the ancient centre of Rome and the presence of different typologies of graves, with monumental mausoleums and simple tombs, testifies that the cemeteries were used by diversified social classes. The availability of two sub-samples with different subsistence patterns in the same population permitted to evaluate the distribution of the dental stress markers evidencing the differences between the social classes. Enamel hypoplasia was collected in the whole dentition and differences were found between anterior and posterior teeth, male and female samples, upper and lower social classes. The results will be discussed taking into account other skeletal and dental indicators of health and life condition collected in the sample, and in relation to the economic and social life in Rome during the Imperial Age

A Case of Gout from Imperial Rome (1st-2nd Century AD)

The study of pathological alterations in ancient skeletal remains may contribute to the reconstruction of the history of diseases and health conditions of ancient populations. Therefore, in recent research palaeopathology provides an important point of view in bioarchaeology and medicine. This work describes the bone alterations observed in the skeleton of an adult woman found during archaeological excavations in the greatest necropolis of the Imperial Age in Rome. The skeletal remains showed some pathological anomalies and the most evident alterations consisted of multiple osteolytic lesions involving mainly the small bones of the feet, which presented round cavitations and scarce signs of bone repair. Differential diagnosis suggests that this individual was affected by gout, probably associated with hypothyroidism that determined her short stature

Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus virulence factors as biomarkers of infection

The gold standard for the diagnosis of bacterial infections in clinical samples is based on culture tests that are time-consuming and labor-intense. For these reasons, an extraordinary effort has been made to identify biomarkers as the tools for sensitive, rapid and accurate identification of pathogenic microorganisms. Moreover, biomarkers have been tested to distinguish colonization from infection, monitor disease progression, determine the clinical status of patients or predict clinical outcomes. This mini-review describes Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus biomarkers, which contribute to pathogenesis and have been used in culture-independent bacterial identification directly from patient samples

Living and Dying at the Portus Romae

This paper presents the first results of research into plant, animal, and human remains from Portus, the maritime port of Imperial Rome, in order to examine the diet and geographical origins of its inhabitants between the second and sixth century AD. Comparisons with evidence from the excavation and ceramic analysis show clear changes throughout the period, with shifts in diet and patterns of foods import that can be related to the commercial and political changes following the breakdown of Roman of the Mediterranean

Condições climáticas e período de incubação para ferrugem do cafeeiro nos anos de 2013 e 2014 na Região de Campinas, SP.

A ferrugem é a mais importante doença do cafeeiro no Brasil e pode reduzir até 35% da produção. A doença causa manchas amareladas na face inferior da s folhas que caem e debilitam a planta, acentuando o ciclo bienal da cultura. A ferrugem é favorecida por temperaturas entre 20 e 25 o C e chuvas acima de 30 mm. A epidemia da doença começa em dezembro e tem o pico nos meses de junho e julho. Considerando a importância do clima para a epidemia da ferrugem do cafeeiro, este estudo foi realizado com o objetivo de relacionar elementos climáticos com a incidência desta doença em uma lavoura de café localizada em Campinas, SP. A incidência da ferrugem foi avaliada em coletas mensais de folhas, de uma lavoura de café da cultivar Catuaí Vermelho IAC 144,localizada no Instituto Agronômico de Campinas. Os índices de incidência da doença foram comparados aos dados climáticos médios mensais de temperaturas máxima e mínima do ar e precipitação, do período analisado(2013-2014), além do período de incubação da doença, estimado pela equação PI=103,01-0,98xTmax-2,1xTmin. Além disso, estes índices, também foram comparados a dados climáticos passados, referentes aos períodos de 1990-1999, 2000-2009e 2010-2014 visando a detectar possíveis alterações no clima dos últimos anos. Em geral, pode-se dizer que a incidência da ferrugem ocorreu de forma elevada no experimento em ambos os anos (2013-2014). O ano de 2014 foi mais quente e seco que 2013, mas a doença foi detectada em 86,4% das folhas amostradas no mês de setembro, enquanto em 2013, o pico foi em agosto, chegando a 73,6%. O atraso no pico da epidemia que ocorreu nestes anos, deve estar relacionado ao aumento da temperatura verificada em fevereiro e , posteriormente, em junho, julho e agosto, associado às chuvas esporádicas observadas no período. Observou-se também, um aumento da temperatura máxima média mensal nos anos de 2010-2014, quando comparados aos períodos de 1990-1999 e 2000-2009. Entretanto, neste mesmo período (2010-2014) houve uma redução da precipitação, sendo o ano de 20 14 o mais seco já observado, com apenas 895 mm de chuvas. Supõe-se que o aumento das temperaturas máximas pode estar reduzindo a expansão da epidemia da doença no verão e o período de incubação no inverno, favorecendo o deslocamento do pico da doença para agosto e setembro

Baryogenesis at Low Reheating Temperatures

We note that the maximum temperature during reheating can be much greater than the reheating temperature $T_r$ at which the Universe becomes radiation dominated. We show that the Standard Model anomalous $(B+L)$-violating processes can therefore be in thermal equilibrium for 1 GeV \simlt T_{r}\ll 100 GeV. Electroweak baryogenesis could work and the traditional upper bound on the Higgs mass coming from the requirement of the preservation of the baryon asymmetry may be relaxed. Alternatively, the baryon asymmetry may be reprocessed by sphaleron transitions either from a $(B-L)$ asymmetry generated by the Affleck-Dine mechanism or from a chiral asymmetry between $e_R$ and $e_L$ in a $B-L = 0$ Universe. Our findings are also relevant to the production of the baryon asymmetry in large extra dimension models.Comment: 4 pages, version to appear in PRL: references added, new titl

Silicon oxycarbide glass for the immobilisation of irradiated graphite waste

© 2015 Elsevier B.V. Silicon oxycarbide glass has been investigated as a potential immobilisation medium for irradiated graphite waste from nuclear power generation. The glass was synthesised via sol-gel techniques using alkoxysilane precursors. Attempts to produce a wasteform via conventional sintering were unsuccessful, but dense wasteforms were achieved by spark plasma sintering (SPS). Microstructural investigations showed that the addition of graphite to the glass did not alter the structure of the matrix; no reaction between the graphite and the glass matrix was observed. Silicon oxycarbide glass is a viable candidate for encapsulation of graphite waste prior to disposal