A meshfree weak-strong (MWS) form method for the unsteady magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) flow in pipe with arbitrary wall conductivity

In this paper a meshfree weak-strong (MWS) form method is considered to solve the coupled equations in velocity and magnetic field for the unsteady magnetohydrodynamic flow throFor this modified estimaFor this modified estimaFor this modified estimaugh a pipe of rectangular and circular sections having arbitrary conducting walls. Computations have been performed for various Hartman numbers and wall conductivity at different time levels. The MWS method is based on applying a meshfree collocation method in strong form for interior nodes and nodes on the essential boundaries and a meshless local Petrov–Galerkin method in weak form for nodes on the natural boundary of the domain. In this paper, we employ the moving least square reproducing kernel particle approximation to construct the shape functions. The numerical results for sample problems compare very well with steady state solution and other numerical methods.     

On the mean residual lifetime of?consecutive k-out-of-n systems

In recent years, consecutive systems were shown to have many applications in various branches of science such as engineering. This paper is a study on the stochastic and aging properties of residual lifetime of consecutive k-out-of-n systems under the condition that n−r+1, r≤n, components of the system are working at time t. We consider the linear and circular consecutive k-out-of-n systems and propose a mean residual lifetime (MRL) for such systems. Several properties of the proposed MRL is investigated. The mixture representation of the MRL of the systems with respect to the vector of signatures of the system is also studied.     

Biochemical and ultra-structural reactions to parenteral nutrition with two different fat emulsions in rats

OBJECTIVE: To compare the effects on fat metabolism and Kupffer cell morphology by total parenteral nutrition (TPN) with two different fat emulsions. DESIGN: Thirty-two male Sprague-Dawley rats, divided into three groups, were investigated. Rats fed orally were used as a reference group, and a group of rats receiving TPN with fat emulsions containing pure long-chain triglycerides (LCT) was compared to a group of rats receiving fat emulsions containing both long-chain triglycerides and medium-chain triglycerides (MCT/LCT). The TPN regimens were equicaloric and administered continuously via a jugular catheter for 10 days. INTERVENTIONS: After suffocation, blood of the rats was collected for the determination of serum lipids. Epididymal fat and heart were collected for the analysis of lipoprotein lipase (LPL) activities, and liver specimens were saved for analyses of hepatic triglyceride concentration, as well as activities of hepatic lipase (HL) and lysosomal enzymes. Light and electron microscopy were used for examination of the Kupffer cell reaction. RESULTS: Directly after termination of parenteral feeding, the levels of serum triglycerides and high density lipoprotein (HDL) triglycerides were higher in the MCT/LCT group than in the LCT group, while no differences concerning cholesterol and phospholipid concentrations were found. No significant difference in liver steatosis was found between the two TPN groups. Comparison of the TPN groups showed that the MCT/ LCT group had significantly decreased LPL activity in adipose tissue, while the LCT group had significantly increased LPL activity in the heart. The activity of HL was low in both groups, but significantly lower in the LCT group. Lipid accumulation and an increased number of lysosomes were found in all Kupffer cell when TPN with LCTemulsions was used. Moreover, TPN induced a pronounced increase in various liver lysosomal enzyme activities, but there was no notable difference between LCT and MCT/LCT effects. CONCLUSIONS: Compared to treatment with pure LCTemulsions, treatment with MCT/LCT emulsions evoked weaker biochemical reactions in terms of lower activity of lipoprotein lipase in fat and heart together with higher serum and HDL triglyceride levels. Morphological signs of increased Kupffer cell activity such as the appearance of multiple lysosomes and fat vacuoles in the cytoplasm followed treatment with pure LCT emulsions. However, both TPN groups showed a marked increase in activities of liver lysosomal enzymes.     

Aggravated decrease in the activity of nucleus basalis neurons in Alzheimer's disease is apolipoprotein E-type dependent

As reported before, the metabolic activity of nucleus basalis neurons is reduced significantly in Alzheimer patients. Because the apolipoprotein E (ApoE) epsilon4 genotype is a major risk factor for Alzheimer's disease (AD), we determined whether the decrease in metabolic activity in nucleus basalis neurons in AD is ApoE-type dependent. The size of the Golgi apparatus (GA) was determined as a measure of neuronal metabolic activity in 30 controls and 41 AD patients with a known ApoE genotype by using an image analysis system in the nucleus basalis of Meynert. A polyclonal antibody directed against MG-160, a sialoglycoprotein of the GA, was used to visualize this organelle. There was a very strong reduction in the size of the GA in the nucleus basalis of AD patients. Furthermore, a strong and significant extra reduction in the size of the GA was found in the nucleus basalis neurons of AD patients with either one or two ApoE epsilon4 alleles compared with Alzheimer patients without ApoE epsilon4 alleles. Our data show that the decreased activity of nucleus basalis neurons in AD is ApoE epsilon4 dependent and suggest that ApoE epsilon4 participates in the pathogenesis of AD by decreasing neuronal metabolism.     

Determination of partial resistance factors for unreinforced masonry shear walls

Partial safety factors for resistance applied in the design equation of semi‐probabilistic formats can be obtained from the evaluation of a test database. These partial safety factors are influenced by two factors, the material uncertainty and the model uncertainty. This topic is covered in a former publication [1]. It includes the determination of a partial factor for the model uncertainty of unreinforced masonry shear walls. In this study the authors examine the next step, and calculate the partial factor of resistance applying the same method, as recommended i n EN 1990 – Annex D. In addition to the Coefficient of Variation (COV) for the model uncertainty, the calculation of the resistance partial factor considers deviations in geometry, as well as loading and material properties. The influence of the material uncertainty on structural performance is considered in the calculation by means of a weighted average of all COV values for various types of material properties, based on the number of relevant failure modes in the test database. In the last step, the resistance partial factors for models defined in DIN EN 1996‐1‐1/NA and DIN EN 1996‐1‐1/NA – Annex K are calculated by applying the probabilistic methods recommended in EN 1990 – Annex D and the model bias.     

Effect of high temperature post-oxidizing on tribological and corrosion behavior of plasma nitrided AISI 316 austenitic stainless steel

In this research, the microstructure, tribological and corrosion properties of plasma nitrided-oxidized AISI 316 austenitic stainless steel at high oxidation temperature were studied and compared with conventional plasma nitride. The structural, tribological and corrosion properties were analyzed using XRD, SEM, microhardness testing, pin-on-disk tribotesting and electrochemical polarization. Plasma nitriding was conducted for 5 h at 450 °C with gas mixture of N₂/H₂ = 1/3 to produce the S-phase. The nitrided samples were post-oxidized at 500 °C with gas mixture of O₂/H₂ = 1/5 for 15, 30 and 60 min. X-ray diffraction confirmed the development of CrN, ? and γ′ nitride phases and magnetite (Fe₃O₄) oxide phase under plasma nitriding-oxidizing process. In addition, it was found that oxidation treatment after plasma nitriding provides an important improvement in the friction coefficient and the corrosion resistance. The optimized wear and corrosion resistance of post-oxidized samples were obtained after 15 min of oxidation.     

Nonlinear Viscoelastic Response of Unidirectional Polymeric Laminated Composite Plates Under Bending Loads

Nonlinear bending analysis of polymeric laminated composite plate is examined considering material nonlinearity for viscoelastic matrix material through a Micro–macro approach. The micromechanical Simplified Unit Cell Method (SUCM) in three-dimensional closed-form solution is used for the overall behavior of the unidirectional composite in any combination of loading conditions. The elastic fibers are transversely isotropic where Schapery single integral equation in multiaxial stress state describes the matrix material by recursive-iterative formulation. The finite difference Dynamic Relaxation (DR) method is utilized to study the bending behavior of Mindlin annular sector plate including geometric nonlinearity under uniform lateral pressure with clamped and hinged edge constraints. The unsymmetrical laminated plate deflection is predicted for different thicknesses and also various pressures in different time steps and they are compared with elastic finite element results. As a main objective, the deflection results of viscoelastic laminated sector plate are obtained for various fiber volume fractions in the composite system.     

Two-Dimensional Simulation Model of Sediment Removal and Flow in Rectangular Sedimentation Basin

A steady, two-dimensional numerical model was created to study the hydrodynamics of a rectangular sedimentation basin under turbulent conditions. The strip integral method was used to formulate the flow equations, using a forward marching scheme for solving the governing partial differential equations of continuity, momentum, advection–diffusion, turbulent kinetic energy, and its dissipation. In this way the flow equations were converted to a set of ordinary differential equations (ODEs) in terms of the key physical parameters. These parameters, along with a set of shape functions, describe flow variables including the velocity, the concentration of suspended sediments, and both the kinetic energy and its dissipation rate. Four Gaussian distributions were investigated, one corresponding to each flow parameter. In order to calculate the turbulent shear stresses, a two-equation turbulence model (i.e., k-ε model) was used. A fourth order Runge–Kutta method numerically integrates the set of ODEs. Simulation results were compared with experimental data, and close agreement (generally within 5–10%) was observed.