Abstract: Pipa is one of the most important Chinese traditional
plucked instruments, but its directivity has never been measured
systematically. In western, directivity of loudness for western
instruments is deeply researched through analysis of sound pressure
level, whereas the directivity of timbre is seldom studied. In this paper,
a new method for directivity of timbre was proposed, and horizontal
directivity patterns of loudness and timbre of Pipa were measured.
Directivity of Pipa radiation was measured in an anechoic room. The
sound of Pipa played by a musician was recorded simultaneously by
32 microphones with Pipa in the center. The measuring results were
examined through listening test. According to the measurement of
Pipa directivity radiation, we put forward the best localization of Pipa
in the Chinese traditional orchestra and the optimal recording region.
Abstract: The Aptima® HIV-1 Quant Dx Assay is a fully
automated assay on the Panther system. It is based on Transcription-
Mediated Amplification and real time detection technologies. This
assay is intended for monitoring HIV-1 viral load in plasma
specimens and for the detection of HIV-1 in plasma and serum
specimens.
Nine-hundred and seventy nine specimens selected at random
from routine testing at St Thomas’ Hospital, London were
anonymised and used to compare the performance of the Aptima
HIV-1 Quant Dx assay and Roche COBAS® AmpliPrep/COBAS®
TaqMan® HIV-1 Test, v2.0. Two-hundred and thirty four specimens
gave quantitative HIV-1 viral load results in both assays. The
quantitative results reported by the Aptima Assay were comparable to
those reported by the Roche COBAS AmpliPrep/COBAS TaqMan
HIV-1 Test, v2.0 with a linear regression slope of 1.04 and an
intercept on -0.097.
The Aptima assay detected HIV-1 in more samples than the
COBAS assay. This was not due to lack of specificity of the Aptima
assay because this assay gave 99.83% specificity on testing plasma
specimens from 600 HIV-1 negative individuals. To understand the
reason for this higher detection rate a side-by-side comparison of low
level panels made from the HIV-1 3rd international standard
(NIBSC10/152) and clinical samples of various subtypes were tested
in both assays. The Aptima assay was more sensitive than the
COBAS assay.
The good sensitivity, specificity and agreement with other
commercial assays make the HIV-1 Quant Dx Assay appropriate for
both viral load monitoring and detection of HIV-1 infections.
Abstract: In this study, ultrasonic assisted machining (UAM) technique is applied in side-surface milling experiment for glass-ceramic workpiece material. The tungsten carbide cutting-tool with diamond coating is used in conjunction with two kinds of cooling/lubrication mediums such as water-soluble (WS) cutting fluid and minimum quantity lubricant (MQL). Full factorial process parameter combinations on the milling experiments are planned to investigate the effect of process parameters on cutting performance. From the experimental results, it tries to search for the better process parameter combination which the edge-indentation and the surface roughness are acceptable. In the machining experiments, ultrasonic oscillator was used to excite a cutting-tool along the radial direction producing a very small amplitude of vibration frequency of 20KHz to assist the machining process. After processing, toolmaker microscope was used to detect the side-surface morphology, edge-indentation and cutting tool wear under different combination of cutting parameters, and analysis and discussion were also conducted for experimental results. The results show that the main leading parameters to edge-indentation of glass ceramic are cutting depth and feed rate. In order to reduce edge-indentation, it needs to use lower cutting depth and feed rate. Water-soluble cutting fluid provides a better cooling effect in the primary cutting area; it may effectively reduce the edge-indentation and improve the surface morphology of the glass ceramic. The use of ultrasonic assisted technique can effectively enhance the surface finish cleanness and reduce cutting tool wear and edge-indentation.
Abstract: Introduction: Researchers globally have strived to explore diverse factors that augment the continuation and uptake of family planning methods. Clients’ satisfaction is one of the core determinants facilitating continuation of family planning methods. There is a major debate yet scanty evidence to contrast public and private sectors with respect to client satisfaction. The objective of this study is to compare quality-of-care provided by public and private sectors of Pakistan through a client satisfaction lens. Methods: We used Pakistan Demographic Heath Survey 2012-13 dataset on 3133 women. Ten different multivariate models were made. to explore the relationship between client satisfaction and dependent outcome after adjusting for all known confounding factors and results are presented as OR and AOR (95% CI). Results: Multivariate analyses showed that clients were less satisfied in contraceptive provision from private sector as compared to public sector (AOR 0.92, 95% CI 0.63-1.68) even though the result was not statistically significant. Clients were more satisfied from private sector as compared to the public sector with respect to other determinants of quality-of-care follow-up care (AOR 3.29, 95% CI 1.95-5.55), infection prevention (AOR 2.41, 95% CI 1.60-3.62), counseling services (AOR 2.01, 95% CI 1.27-3.18, timely treatment (AOR 3.37, 95% CI 2.20-5.15), attitude of staff (AOR 2.23, 95% CI 1.50-3.33), punctuality of staff (AOR 2.28, 95% CI 1.92-4.13), timely referring (AOR 2.34, 95% CI 1.63-3.35), staff cooperation (AOR 1.75, 95% CI 1.22-2.51) and complications handling (AOR 2.27, 95% CI 1.56-3.29). Discussion: Public sector has successfully attained substantial satisfaction levels with respect to provision of contraceptives, but it contrasts previous literature from a multi country studies. Our study though in is concordance with a study from Tanzania where public sector was more likely to offer family planning services to clients as compared to private facilities. Conclusion: In majority of the developing countries, public sector is more involved in FP service provision; however, in Pakistan clients’ satisfaction in private sector is more, which opens doors for public-private partnerships and collaboration in the near future.
Abstract: Reflux condensation occurs in vertical channels and tubes when there is an upward core flow of vapour (or gas-vapour mixture) and a downward flow of the liquid film. The understanding of this condensation configuration is crucial in the design of reflux condensers, distillation columns, and in loss-of-coolant safety analyses in nuclear power plant steam generators. The unique feature of this flow is the upward flow of the vapour-gas mixture (or pure vapour) that retards the liquid flow via shear at the liquid-mixture interface. The present model solves the full, elliptic governing equations in both the film and the gas-vapour core flow. The computational mesh is non-orthogonal and adapts dynamically the phase interface, thus produces a sharp and accurate interface. Shear forces and heat and mass transfer at the interface are accounted for fundamentally. This modeling is a big step ahead of current capabilities by removing the limitations of previous reflux condensation models which inherently cannot account for the detailed local balances of shear, mass, and heat transfer at the interface. Discretisation has been done based on finite volume method and co-located variable storage scheme. An in-house computer code was developed to implement the numerical solution scheme. Detailed results are presented for laminar reflux condensation from steam-air mixtures flowing in vertical parallel plate channels. The results include velocity and gas mass fraction profiles, as well as axial variations of film thickness.
Abstract: The safety and health performances aspects of a building are the most challenging aspect of facility management. It requires a deep understanding by the building managers on the factors that contribute to health and safety performances. This study attempted to develop an explanatory architectural safety performance model for stratified low-cost housing in Malaysia. The proposed Building Safety and Health Performance (BSHP) model was tested empirically through a survey on 308 construction practitioners using partial least squares (PLS) and structural equation modelling (SEM) tool. Statistical analysis results supports the conclusion that architecture, building services, external environment, management approaches and maintenance management have positive influence on safety and health performance of stratified low-cost housing in Malaysia. The findings provide valuable insights for construction industry to introduce BSHP model in the future where the model could be used as a guideline for training purposes of managers and better planning and implementation of building management.
Abstract: This paper is focused on the CFD simulation of the radiaxial pump (i.e. mixed flow pump) with the aim to detect the reasons of Y-Q characteristic instability. The main reasons of pressure pulsations were detected by means of the analysis of velocity and pressure fields within the pump combined with the theoretical approach. Consequently, the modifications of spiral case and pump suction area were made based on the knowledge of flow conditions and the shape of dissipation function. The primary design of pump geometry was created as the base model serving for the comparison of individual modification influences. The basic experimental data are available for this geometry. This approach replaced the more complicated and with respect to convergence of all computational tasks more difficult calculation for the compressible liquid flow. The modification of primary pump consisted in inserting the three fins types. Subsequently, the evaluation of pressure pulsations, specific energy curves and visualization of velocity fields were chosen as the criterion for successful design.
Abstract: The use of energy dissipation systems for seismic applications has increased worldwide, thus it is necessary to develop practical and modern criteria for their optimal design. Here, a direct displacement-based seismic design approach for frame buildings with hysteretic energy dissipation systems (HEDS) is applied. The building is constituted by two individual structural systems consisting of: 1) a main elastic structural frame designed for service loads; and 2) a secondary system, corresponding to the HEDS, that controls the effects of lateral loads. The procedure implies to control two design parameters: a) the stiffness ratio (α=Kframe/Ktotal system), and b) the strength ratio (γ=Vdamper/Vtotal system). The proposed damage-controlled approach contributes to the design of a more sustainable and resilient building because the structural damage is concentrated on the HEDS. The reduction of the design displacement spectrum is done by means of a damping factor (recently published) for elastic structural systems with HEDS, located in Mexico City. Two limit states are verified: serviceability and near collapse. Instead of the traditional trial-error approach, a procedure that allows the designer to establish the preliminary sizes of the structural elements of both systems is proposed. The design methodology is applied to an 8-story steel building with buckling restrained braces, located in soft soil of Mexico City. With the aim of choosing the optimal design parameters, a parametric study is developed considering different values of હ and . The simplified methodology is for preliminary sizing, design, and evaluation of the effectiveness of HEDS, and it constitutes a modern and practical tool that enables the structural designer to select the best design parameters.
Abstract: Cortisol is essential to the regulation of the immune
system and yawning is a pathological symptom of multiple sclerosis
(MS). Electromyography activity (EMG) in the jaw muscles typically
rises when the muscles are moved and with yawning is highly
correlated with cortisol levels in healthy people. Saliva samples from
59 participants were collected at the start and after yawning, or at the
end of the presentation of yawning-provoking stimuli, in the absence
of a yawn, together with EMG data and questionnaire data: Hospital
Anxiety and Depression Scale, Yawning Susceptibility Scale,
General Health Questionnaire, demographic, health details. Exclusion
criteria: chronic fatigue, diabetes, fibromyalgia, heart condition, high
blood pressure, hormone replacement therapy, multiple sclerosis,
stroke. Significant differences were found between the saliva cortisol
samples for the yawners, t (23) = -4.263, p = 0.000, as compared with
the non-yawners between rest and post-stimuli, which was nonsignificant.
Significant evidence was found to support the Thompson
Cortisol Hypothesis suggesting that rises in cortisol levels are
associated with yawning. Further research is exploring the use of
cortisol as an early diagnostic tool for MS. Ethics approval granted
and professional code of conduct, confidentiality, and safety issues
are approved therein.
Abstract: A large amount of blast furnace slag is generated in
China. Most ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBS) however
ends up in low-grade applications. Blast furnace slag, ground to an
appropriate fineness, can be used as a partial replacement of
cementitious material in concrete. The potential for using GGBS in
structural concrete, e.g. concrete beams and columns is investigated
at Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University (XJTLU). With 50% of CEM
I cement replaced with GGBS, peak hydration temperatures
determined in a suspended concrete slab reduced by 20%. This
beneficiary effect has not been further improved with 70% of CEM I
replaced with GGBS. Partial replacement of CEM I with GGBS has a
retardation effect on the early-age strength of concrete. More GGBS
concrete mixes will be conducted to identify an ‘optimum’
replacement level which will lead to a reduced thermal loading,
without significantly compromising the early-age strength of
concrete.
Abstract: In this paper static scheme of under-frequency based load shedding is considered for chemical and petrochemical industries with islanded distribution networks relying heavily on the primary commodity to ensure minimum production loss, plant downtime or critical equipment shutdown. A simplistic methodology is proposed for in-house implementation of this scheme using underfrequency relays and a step by step guide is provided including the techniques to calculate maximum percentage overloads, frequency decay rates, time based frequency response and frequency based time response of the system. Case study of FFL electrical system is utilized, presenting the actual system parameters and employed load shedding settings following the similar series of steps. The arbitrary settings are then verified for worst overload conditions (loss of a generation source in this case) and comprehensive system response is then investigated.
Abstract: Freelancing in IT has seen an increased popularity
during the last years mainly because of the fast Internet adoption in
the countries with emerging economies, correlated with the
continuous seek for reduced development costs as well with the rise
of online platforms which address planning, coordination and various
development tasks. This paper conducts an overview of the most
relevant Freelance Marketplaces available and studies the market
structure, distribution of the workforce and trends in IT freelancing.
Abstract: A numerical model has been developed to investigate the thermally triggered release kinetics for drug delivery using phase change material as shell of microcapsules. Biocompatible material n-Eicosane is used as demonstration. PCM shell of microcapsule will remain in solid form after the drug is taken, so the drug will be encapsulated by the shell, and will not be released until the target body part of lesion is exposed to external heat source, which will thermally trigger the release kinetics, leading to solid-to-liquid phase change. The findings can lead to better understanding on the key effects influencing the phase change process for drug delivery applications. The facile approach to release drug from core/shell structure of microcapsule can be well integrated with organic solvent free fabrication of microcapsules, using double emulsion as template in microfluidic aqueous two phase system.
Abstract: Cesium iodide (CsI) melt was injected into anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) template and was solidified to CsI column. The controllable AAO channel size (10~500 nm) can makes CsI column size from 10 to 500 nm in diameter. In order to have a shorter light irradiate from each singe CsI column top to bottom the AAO template was coated a TiO2 nano-film. The TiO2 film acts a refraction film and makes X-ray has a shorter irradiation path in the CsI crystal making a stronger the photo-electron signal. When the incidence light irradiate from air (R=1.0) to CsI’s first surface (R=1.84) the first refraction happen, the first refraction continue into TiO2 film (R=2.88) and produces the low angle of the second refraction. Then the second refraction continue into AAO wall (R=1.78) and produces the third refraction after refractions between CsI and AAO wall (R=1.78) produce the fourth refraction. The incidence light through TiO2 filmand the first surface of CsI then arrive to the second surface of CsI. Therefore, the TiO2 film can has shorter refraction path of incidence light and increase the photo-electron conversion efficiency.
Abstract: Rice straw is lignocellulosic biomass which can be utilized as substrate for the biogas production. However, due to the property and composition of rice straw, it is difficult to be degraded by hydrolysis enzymes. One of the pretreatment methods that modify such properties of lignocellulosic biomass is the application of lignocellulose-degrading microbial consortia. The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of microbial consortia to enhance biogas production. To select the high efficient consortium, cellulase enzymes were extracted and their activities were analyzed. The results suggested that microbial consortium culture obtained from cattle manure is the best candidate compared to decomposed wood and horse manure. A microbial consortium isolated from cattle manure was then mixed with anaerobic sludge and used as inoculum for biogas production. The optimal conditions for biogas production were investigated using response surface methodology (RSM). The tested parameters were the ratio of amount of microbial consortium isolated and amount of anaerobic sludge (MI:AS), substrate to inoculum ratio (S:I) and temperature. Here, the value of the regression coefficient R2 = 0.7661 could be explained by the model which is high to advocate the significance of the model. The highest cumulative biogas yield was 104.6 ml/g-rice straw at optimum ratio of MI:AS, ratio of S:I, and temperature of 2.5:1, 15:1 and 44°C respectively.
Abstract: The distribution of a single global clock across a chip
has become the major design bottleneck for high performance VLSI
systems owing to the power dissipation, process variability and multicycle
cross-chip signaling. A Network-on-Chip (NoC) architecture
partitioned into several synchronous blocks has become a promising
approach for attaining fine-grain power management at the system
level. In a NoC architecture the communication between the blocks is
handled asynchronously. To interface these blocks on a chip
operating at different frequencies, an asynchronous FIFO interface is
inevitable. However, these asynchronous FIFOs are not required if
adjacent blocks belong to the same clock domain. In this paper, we
have designed and analyzed a 16-bit asynchronous micropipelined
FIFO of depth four, with the awareness of place and route on an
FPGA device. We have used a commercially available Spartan 3
device and designed a high speed implementation of the
asynchronous 4-phase micropipeline. The asynchronous FIFO
implemented on the FPGA device shows 76 Mb/s throughput and a
handshake cycle of 109 ns for write and 101.3 ns for read at the
simulation under the worst case operating conditions (voltage =
0.95V) on a working chip at the room temperature.
Abstract: The paper presents a new method for efficient
innovation process management. Even though the innovation
management methods, tools and knowledge are well established and
documented in literature, most of the companies still do not manage it
efficiently. Especially in SMEs the front end of innovation - problem
identification, idea creation and selection - is often not optimally
performed. Our eMIPS methodology represents a sort of "umbrella
methodology" - a well-defined set of procedures, which can be
dynamically adapted to the concrete case in a company. In daily
practice, various methods (e.g. for problem identification and idea
creation) can be applied, depending on the company's needs. It is
based on the proactive involvement of the company's employees
supported by the appropriate methodology and external experts. The
presented phases are performed via a mixture of face-to-face
activities (workshops) and online (eLearning) activities taking place
in eLearning Moodle environment and using other e-communication
channels. One part of the outcomes is an identified set of
opportunities and concrete solutions ready for implementation. The
other also very important result is connected to innovation
competences for the participating employees related with concrete
tools and methods for idea management. In addition, the employees
get a strong experience for dynamic, efficient and solution oriented
managing of the invention process. The eMIPS also represents a way
of establishing or improving the innovation culture in the
organization. The first results in a pilot company showed excellent
results regarding the motivation of participants and also as to the
results achieved.
Abstract: A cold, thin film of liquid impinging on an isothermal
hot, horizontal surface has been investigated. An approximate
solution for the velocity and temperature distributions in the flow
along the horizontal surface is developed, which exploits the
hydrodynamic similarity solution for thin film flow. The approximate
solution may provide a valuable basis for assessing flow and heat
transfer in more complex settings.
Abstract: The thermal performance of a solar water heating with
1.00 m2 flat plate collectors in Cascavel - PR, is which presented in
this article, paper presents the solution to leverage the marketing of
solar heating systems through detailed constituent materials of the
solar collector studies, these abundant materials in construction, such
as expanded polyethylene, PVC, aluminum and glass tubes, mixing
them with new materials to minimize loss of efficiency while
decreasing its cost. The system was tested during months and the
collector obtained maximum recorded temperature of outlet fluid of
55°C, while the maximum temperature of the water at the bottom of
the hot water tank was 35°C. The average daily energy collected was
19.6 MJ/d; the energy supplied by the solar plate was 16.2 MJ/d; the
loss in the feed pipe was 3.2 MJ/d; the solar fraction was 32.2%, the
efficiency of the collector was 45.6% and the efficiency of the system
was 37.8%.
Abstract: Scrubbing by a liquid spraying is one of the most
effective processes used for removal of fine particles and soluble
gas pollutants (such as SO2, HCl, HF) from the flue gas. There are
many configurations of scrubbers designed to provide contact
between the liquid and gas stream for effectively capturing
particles or soluble gas pollutants, such as spray plates, packed bed
towers, jet scrubbers, cyclones, vortex and venturi scrubbers. The
primary function of venturi scrubber is the capture of fine particles
as well as HCl, HF or SO2 removal with effect of the flue gas
temperature decrease before input to the absorption column. In this
paper, sulfur dioxide (SO2) from flue gas was captured using new
design replacing venturi scrubber (1st degree of wet scrubbing).
The flue gas was prepared by the combustion of the carbon
disulfide solution in toluene (1:1 vol.) in the flame in the reactor.
Such prepared flue gas with temperature around 150°C was
processed in designed laboratory O-element scrubber. Water was
used as absorbent liquid. The efficiency of SO2 removal, pressure
drop and temperature drop were measured on our experimental
device. The dependence of these variables on liquid-gas ratio was
observed. The average temperature drop was in the range from
150°C to 40°C. The pressure drop was increased with increasing of
a liquid-gas ratio, but no too much as for the common venturi
scrubber designs. The efficiency of SO2 removal was up to 70 %.
The pressure drop of our new designed wet scrubber is similar to
commonly used venturi scrubbers; nevertheless the influence of
amount of the liquid on pressure drop is not so significant.