A Bird’s-Eye View of the Loan Shark Problem From the Offices of the Legal Aid Society in Atlanta, Georgia

The aim of this thesis is to create a computer program that simulates the motionof cells in a developing embryo. The resulting simulator is to be used by in the CellLineage project (Robert Forchheimer et al.) as an input to their genetic model, themeta-Boolean model [18]. This genetic model is not the focus of this work. Sincethe simulated system is highly complex, with fluids and deforming soft bodies, itis unfeasible to simulate the system in a physically realistic manner while keepingexecution time to reasonable values. Therefore some physical realism is sacrificedin favor of simulation stability and execution speed.The resulting simulator, Cell-Lab, uses Position Based Dynamics (PBD) [17] toimplement a number of different models for the cell’s mechanical properties. PBDis well suited for this purpose since it, while not taking excessively long time toexecute, guarantees an unconditionally stable simulation. The simulator includesa hard eggshell surrounding the cells. Cells can be split during the simulation,emulating mitosis. There is also the possibility to simulate cell adhesion usinga cadherin like mechanism. To control when and how cells are split and fetchinformation about the current state of the simulation there is an interface to beused by external applications. The meta-Boolean model can be implemented insuch an applicatio

An exact fluid model for relativistic electron beams: The many moments case

An interesting and satisfactory fluid model has been proposed in literature for the the description of relativistic electron beams. It was obtained with 14 independent variables by imposing the entropy principle and the relativity principle. Here the case is considered with an arbitrary number of independent variables, still satisfying the above mentioned two principles; these lead to conditions whose general solution is here found. We think that the results satisfy also a certain ordering with respect to a smallness parameter $\epsilon$ measuring the dispersion of the velocity about the mean; this ordering generalizes that appearing in literature for the 14 moments case

Calculations for Extended Thermodynamics of dense gases up to whatever order and with all the symmetries

The 14 moments model for dense gases, introduced in the last years by Arima, Taniguchi Ruggeri, Sugiyama, is here considered. They have found the closure of the balance equations up to second order with respect to equilibrium; here the closure is found up to whatever order with respect to equilibrium, but for a more constrained system where more symmetry conditions are imposed and this in agreement with the suggestion of the kinetic theory. The results, when restricted at second order with respect to equilibrium, are the same of the previously cited model but under the further restriction of full symmetries.Comment: arXiv admin note: substantial text overlap with arXiv:1410.405

A novel topology for a HEMT negative current mirror

A new solution for the implementation of a HEMT negative current source is presented. The topology can be also profitably employed as a current mirror and as an active load in high-gain MMICs voltage amplifiers. A small-signal model of the proposed circuit is developed which allows to find accurate expressions for the required transfer functions (i.e., the output impedance of the current source, and the current gain of the circuit when operated as a current mirror). Design examples using Philips PML ED02AH GaAs PHEMT process are provided. Spice simulations show that a 10- kW output impedance for the current source and a 35dB voltage gain for a differential pair loaded with the proposed current mirror are easily achieved

The general exact solution for the many moments macroscopic approach to extended thermodynamics of polyatomic gases

A new model for Polyatomic and for Dense Gases has been proposed in literature in the last five years in the framework of Extended Thermodynamics. The case with an arbitrary but fixed number of moments has been recently studied, both with the kinetic approach than with the macroscopic approach; this last one is more general and includes the results of the kinetic approach only as a particular case. \\ Scope of the "closure problem" is to find the expression of some arbitrary functions which appear in the balance equations. Up to now only a recurrence procedure has been published which outlines how to find the solution of this problem with the macroscopic approach; by using this procedure, a numberable set of solutions has been found and written explicitly, while we find here the most general exact solution. It is determined except for some arbirary terms and it is interesting that these terms appear also in the 24 moments model; so we find here that they are transmitted from the model with 24 moments to those with an arbitrary number of moments, without any further arbitrary term

Extended Thermodynamics for Dense Gases up to Whatever Order and with Only Some Symmetries

Extended Thermodynamics of dense gases is characterized by two hierarchies of field equations, which allow one to overcome some restrictions on the generality of the previous models. This idea has been introduced by Arima, Taniguchi, Ruggeri and Sugiyama. In~the case of a 14-moment model, they have found the closure of the balance equations up to second order with respect to equilibrium. Here, the closure is obtained up to whatever order and imposing only the necessary symmetry conditions. It comes out that the first non-symmetric parts of the higher order fluxes appear only at third order with respect to equilibrium, even if Arima, Taniguchi, Ruggeri and Sugiyama found a non-symmetric part proportional to an arbitrary constant also at first order with respect to equilibrium. Consequently, this constant must be zero, as Arima, Taniguchi, Ruggeri and Sugiyama assumed in the applications and on an intuitive ground

Enhanced Recovery after Bariatric Surgery: 202 Consecutive Patients in an Italian Bariatric Center

Background: Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) pathways have been shown to improve postoperative outcomes. However, its application in bariatric surgery is still limited. The aim of the study was to define the safety of ERAS in bariatric patients with regard to postoperative complications, length of hospital stay (LOS), and readmission rates within 30\ua0days from surgery. Methods: The effectiveness and safety of an ERAS protocol was prospectively investigated in morbidly obese patients who underwent bariatric surgery in a single-institute experience over a 2-year period. Results: Between June 2016 and September 2018, a total of 89 laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (SG), 105 Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB), and 8 one-anastomosis gastric bypass (OAGB) were performed. Twenty patients (9.9%) were revisional cases. Mean (standard deviation, SD) BMI and age at time of surgery were 43.2 (\ub1 6.2)\ua0kg/m2 and 46 (\ub1 11.3)\ua0years, respectively. Median (range) surgical time was 118 (45\u2013255) minutes. Overall postoperative complication rate was 7.4%, with 6 (3.0%) patients developing grade III\u2013IV complications according to the Clavien-Dindo classification. Median (range) LOS was 2 (1\u201350)\ua0days, with mean (SD) LOS of 2.3 (\ub1 3.6)\ua0days. Overall, 36.6% of patients were discharged by first postoperative day and 77.7% by second postoperative day. Readmission rate was 4.5%. No mortality was observed during the study period. Conclusions: According to the results of the present study, ERAS in primary and revisional bariatric surgery is safe and feasible, with short LOS, low morbidity and readmission rates, and no mortality. A significant reduction of mean LOS was progressively noted over the study period