Modelling of the Nonlinear Behavior of Compatibilized Polyethylene/Polyamide Blends in Shear and Extensional Flows

We have studied the effect of the amount Φ_c of a reactive compatibilizer on the rheological properties of a polyethylene/polyamide blend, under steady shear and transient extensional flows. Here, we propose to describe the viscosity η(γ) and the first normal stress coefficient γ₁(γ) using a Carreau‐type power‐law model, which is a three‐parameter model. A single model is sufficient to express the behavior of γ₁(γ) On the other hand, the complete η(γ) curve is described by the superposition of two Carreau models, in relation to the presence of two relaxation mechanisms. Moreover, the extentional viscosity η_E(?), estimated using the end pressure drop observed in capillary flow experiments, is expressed by a two‐parameter power‐law model.     

Challenging Controversies: A Prospective Analysis of the Influence of New Technologies on the Safety of Offshore Drilling Operations

Integrated operations (IO) is an operating mode in the offshore oil and gas industry that is expected to lead to safer, faster and better operations. This article presents an analysis of the anticipated impacts of increased instrumentation on the safety of drilling operations. The instrumentation is related to the change process of IO, and is exemplified by a group of IO tools for interpretation, diagnosis and automation. An important finding in the study is the identification of a set of controversies that reflect characteristic challenges of drilling operations. These controversies involve the quantity and accessibility of information, the issue of centralized and decentralized control, the relation between standardized and unique interpretation of data, and the heterogeneous nature of engineering work. It is argued that the impact of the IO tools on safety will depend on how these controversies are taken into account when the tools are adopted. It is also argued that the cognitive control of the operations is distributed across a range of human and nonhuman actors and that the impact of the IO tools thus depends on how they are adapted to the system of distributed cognition rather than on the properties of the tools themselves.     

An observer‐metamerism sensitivity index for electronic displays

The effect of observer metamerism induced by electronic displays depends to a large extent on their primary spectra (red, green, and blue in the most common case). In particular, for narrow‐band primary spectra whose peak wavelength lies in the range of high variability of the observer's color‐matching function, some observers can experience very large differences between actual surface colors (e.g. in a light booth) and displayed colors if the monitor is optimized for the International Commission on Illumination (CIE) 1931 standard observer. However, because narrow‐band light‐emitting diodes lead to larger color gamuts, more and more monitors with very narrow band primaries are coming onto the market without manufacturers taking into account the associated problem of observer variations. Being able to measure these variations accurately and efficiently is therefore an important objective. In this paper, we propose a new approach to predict the extent of observer metamerism for a particular multiprimary display. Unlike existing dedicated models, ours does not depend on a reference illuminant and a set of reflectance spectra and is computationally more efficient.     

The effect of angiotensin II receptor antagonism with losartan on glucose metabolism and insulin sensitivity

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the metabolic effects of losartan (Cozaar) in patients with essential hypertension. METHODS: Twenty patients with mild hypertension (office blood pressure > 140/95 mmHg and home diastolic blood pressure > 90 mmHg) were examined in a double-blind, placebo-controlled cross-over study of 4 weeks of treatment with 50-100 mg losartan. The effects on glucose metabolism were assessed by euglycaemic glucose clamp examinations [glucose disposal rate (GDR, mg/kg per min)] and oral glucose-tolerance tests (OGTT). RESULTS: Supine blood pressure was reduced from 146 +/- 3/90 +/- 3 mmHg on placebo to 134 +/- 4/83 +/- 3 mmHg on losartan and the difference was maintained during 120 min of insulin infusion and glucose clamping. GDR was 6.2 +/- 0.5 mg/kg per min on placebo and 6.4 +/- 0.5 mg/kg per min on losartan. The glucose and insulin responses (the area under the curve) during OGTT were similar with placebo and losartan (0.86 +/- 0.3 versus 0.88 +/- 0.4 and 341 +/- 60 versus 356 +/- 60, respectively; arbitary units). Serum cholesterol was 5.3 +/- 0.2 mmol/l on placebo and 5.1 +/- 0.2 mmol/l losartan treatment. High-density lipoprotein cholesterol and triglycerides were, respectively, 1.1 +/- 0.1 and 1.5 +/- 0.2 mmol/l with placebo, and 1.1 +/- 0.1 and 1.4 +/- 0.1 mmol/l with losartan treatment. CONCLUSION: In mildly hypertensive patients, selective angiotensin II receptor antagonism with losartan for 4 weeks lowers blood pressure at rest and during 120 min of glucose clamping, and has neutral effects on insulin sensitivity, glucose metabolism and serum lipids.     

WAIS performance in unincarcerated groups of MMPI-defined sociopaths and normal controls.

Examined WAIS performance by 32 sociopaths and 33 normal controls, as defined by MMPI criteria. The 2 groups showed no differences in overall intellectual functioning. Differences in performance on some measures, however, challenge the idea that sociopaths are attentive only to aspects of the environment that lead to immediate gratification. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effect of surfactant concentration, pH, and shear rate on the rheological properties of aqueous systems of a hydrophobically modifed chitosan and its unmodified analogue

Oscillatory shear, shear relaxation and viscosity experiments have been carried out on semidilute solutions of chitosan and on a hydrophobically modified analogue (HM-chitosan) in 1% acetic acid. This was done in the presence of various amounts of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) and at different pH values. All the rheological measurements on the HM-chitosan solutions revealed significant polymer-surfactant interaction and pH effects. The observed rheological effects were least pronounced at pH ≈ 4, while a strong viscoelastic response was found at pH values of 1 and 5 in HM-chitosan solutions of low surfactant concentration. At these conditions, significant shear-thinning effects were observed. In semidilute solutions of unmodified chitosan, the influence of pH, surfactant concentration and shear rate on the rheological properties was moderate or insignificant. Received: 25 September 1996/Revised version: 30 October 1996/Accepted: 4 November 1996     

Model improvements for evaluating the effect of tower tilting on the aerodynamics of a vertical axis wind turbine

If a vertical axis wind turbine is mounted offshore on a semi‐submersible, the pitch motion of the platform will dominate the static pitch and dynamic motion of the platform and wind turbine such that the effect of tower tilting on the aerodynamics of the vertical axis wind turbine should be investigated to more accurately predict the aerodynamic loads. This paper proposes certain modifications to the double multiple‐streamtube (DMS) model to include the component of wind speed parallel to the rotating shaft. The model is validated against experimental data collected on an H‐Darrieus wind turbine in skewed flow conditions. Three different dynamic stall models are also integrated into the DMS model: Gormont's model with the adaptation of Strickland, Gormont's model with the modification of Berg and the Beddoes–Leishman dynamic stall model. Both the small Sandia 17 m wind turbine and the large DeepWind 5 MW are modelled. According to the experimental data, the DMS model with the inclusion of the dynamic stall model is also well validated. On the basis of the assumption that the velocity component parallel to the rotor shaft is small in the downstream part of the rotor, the effect of tower tilting is quantified with respect to power, rotor torque, thrust force and the normal force and tangential force coefficients on the blades. Additionally, applications of Glauert momentum theory and pure axial momentum theory are compared to evaluate the effect of the velocity component parallel to the rotor shaft on the accuracy of the model. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Production of protoporphyrin IX induced by 5-aminolevulinic acid in transplanted human colon adenocarcinoma of nude mice can be increased by ultrasound

BALB/c nude mice bearing WiDr human colon adenocarcinoma were used to determine the effect of ultrasound on the production of 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA)-induced protoporphyrin IX (PpIX) both in the tumors and in skin overlying the tumors. Ultrasound (1 MHz) with pulsed irradiation at an average intensity of 3 W/cm2 was given 10 min to the tumor area 10 min after administration of ALA (20% in an oil-in-water emulsion applied topically on the surface of the tumor for 30 min to 3 hr). An approximately 45% increase in the amount of PpIX produced by ALA in the tumors was obtained within 1 to 2 hr following ultrasound treatment. In particular, 1 hr after ultrasound treatment, the amount of PpIX in the tumors was at the same level as that 3 hr after ALA application alone. However, pulsed ultrasound irradiation for 5 min or continuous irradiation for 5 or 10 min had no significant effect on the production of PpIX by the tumor 1 hr after topical ALA application. Furthermore, in most cases, the amount of PpIX in the tumors was significantly decreased when ultrasound was given immediately before ALA application. There was no significant change in the ratio of the amount of PpIX in tumor to that in skin after ultrasound treatment. Most likely, the distribution of PpIX fluorescence in the tumors treated with ultrasound was more homogeneous than that in the tumors given ALA only. Our results provide a theoretical basis for possible clinical use of ultrasound-combined ALA or ALA based photodynamic therapy.