63,503 research outputs found
Analysis of two-dimensional, unsteady flow in a propellant tank under low gravity by finite difference methods
Two-dimensional unsteady flow in propellant tank under low gravity by finite difference methods - reduction to boundary value proble
Meeting the four-hour deadline in an A&E department
This is the print version of the Article. The official published version can be obtained from the link below - Copyright @ 2011 EmeraldPurpose ā Accident and emergency (A&E) departments experience a secondary peak in patient length of stay (LoS) at around four hours, caused by the coping strategies used to meet the operational standards imposed by government. The aim of this paper is to build a discrete-event simulation model that captures the coping strategies and more accurately reflects the processes that occur within an A&E department. Design/methodology/approach ā A discrete-event simulation (DES) model was used to capture the A&E process at a UK hospital and record the LoS for each patient. Input data on 4,150 arrivals over three one-week periods and staffing levels was obtained from hospital records, while output data were compared with the corresponding records. Expert opinion was used to generate the pathways and model the decision-making processes. Findings ā The authors were able to replicate accurately the LoS distribution for the hospital. The model was then applied to a second configuration that had been trialled there; again, the results also reflected the experiences of the hospital. Practical implications ā This demonstrates that the coping strategies, such as re-prioritising patients based on current length of time in the department, employed in A&E departments have an impact on LoS of patients and therefore need to be considered when building predictive models if confidence in the results is to be justified. Originality/value ā As far as the authors are aware this is the first time that these coping strategies have been included within a simulation model, and therefore the first time that the peak around the four hours has been analysed so accurately using a model
Subarcsecond Imaging of the NGC 6334 I(N) Protocluster: Two Dozen Compact Sources and a Massive Disk Candidate
Using the SMA and VLA, we have imaged the massive protocluster NGC6334I(N) at
high angular resolution (0.5"~650AU) from 6cm to 0.87mm, detecting 18 new
compact continuum sources. Three of the new sources are coincident with
previously-identified water masers. Together with the previously-known sources,
these data bring the number of likely protocluster members to 25 for a
protostellar density of ~700 pc^-3. Our preliminary measurement of the
Q-parameter of the minimum spanning tree is 0.82 -- close to the value for a
uniform volume distribution. All of the (nine) sources with detections at
multiple frequencies have SEDs consistent with dust emission, and two (SMA1b
and SMA4) also have long wavelength emission consistent with a central
hypercompact HII region. Thermal spectral line emission, including CH3CN, is
detected in six sources: LTE model fitting of CH3CN(J=12-11) yields
temperatures of 72-373K, confirming the presence of multiple hot cores. The
fitted LSR velocities range from -3.3 to -7.0 km/s, with an unbiased mean
square deviation of 2.05 km/s, implying a dynamical mass of 410+-260 Msun for
the protocluster. From analysis of a wide range of hot core molecules, the
kinematics of SMA1b are consistent with a rotating, infalling Keplerian disk of
diameter 800AU and enclosed mass of 10-30 Msun that is perpendicular (within 1
degree) to the large-scale bipolar outflow axis. A companion to SMA1b at a
projected separation of 0.45" (590AU; SMA1d), which shows no evidence of
spectral line emission, is also confirmed. Finally, we detect one 218.440GHz
and several 229.7588GHz Class-I methanol masers.Comment: 54 pages, 11 figures. Accepted for publication in The Astrophysical
Journal. Version 2: Keywords updated, and three "in press" citations updated
to journal reference. Version 3: corrected the error in the quantum numbers
of the 218 GHz methanol transition in the text and in Table 8. For a PDF
version with full-resolution figures, see
http://www.cv.nrao.edu/~thunter/papers/ngc6334in2014.pd
Study of solution procedures for nonlinear structural equations
A method for the redution of the cost of solution of large nonlinear structural equations was developed. Verification was made using the MARC-STRUC structure finite element program with test cases involving single and multiple degrees of freedom for static geometric nonlinearities. The method developed was designed to exist within the envelope of accuracy and convergence characteristic of the particular finite element methodology used
Delivery of broadband services to SubSaharan Africa via Nigerian communications satellite
Africa is the least wired continent in the world in terms of robust telecommunications infrastructure and systems to cater for its more than one billion people. African nations are mostly still in the early stages of Information Communications Technology (ICT) development as verified by the relatively low ICT Development Index (IDI) values of all countries in the African region. In developing nations, mobile broadband subscriptions and penetration between 2000-2009 was increasingly more popular than fixed broadband subscriptions. To achieve the goal of universal access, with rapid implementation of ICT infrastructure to complement the sparsely distributed terrestrial networks in the hinterlands and leveraging the adequate submarine cables along the African coastline, African nations and their stakeholders are promoting and implementing Communication Satellite systems, particularly in Nigeria, to help bridge the digital hiatus. This paper examines the effectiveness of communication satellites in delivering broadband-based services
Near-field spectroscopy of bimodal size distribution of InAs/AlGaAs quantum dots
We report on high-resolution photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy of spatial
structure of InAs/AlGaAs quantum dots (QDs) by using a near-field scanning
optical microscope (NSOM). The double-peaked distribution of PL spectra is
clearly observed, which is associated with the bimodal size distribution of
single QDs. In particular, the size difference of single QDs, represented by
the doublet spectral distribution, can be directly observed by the NSOM images
of PL.Comment: 3pages, 3figue
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