Arduino-based slider setup for gas–liquid mass transfer investigations: Experiments and CFD simulations

The implementation of traditional sensors is a drawback when investigating mass transfer phenomena within microstructured devices, since they disturb the flow and reactor characteristics. An Arduino based slider setup is developed, which is equipped with a computer-vision system to track gas–liquid slug flow. This setup is combined with an optical analytical method allowing to compare experimental results against CFD simulations and investigate the entire lifetime of a single liquid slug with high spatial and temporal resolution. Volumetric mass transfer coefficients are measured and compared with data from literature and the mass transfer contribution of the liquid film is discussed.     

Universitärer Forschungscluster „Sustainable Technologies in Metal Production and Processing” (STMP)

Foundation of a university research cluster — Co-operation along the value creation chain from raw materials to components — Evidence of joint performance offers — Utilization of synergies — Integration of Christian Doppler Laboratories — Flexible arrangement of co-operations and networks     

Synergism on electromagnetic inductance (EMI)-shielding in metal- and ferroelectric-particle filled polymers

In this paper the electromagnetic inductance (EMI)-shielding of metal-and ferroelectric-particle filled polymers is described. The composite, containing only metallic fillers, has a shielding effectiveness comparable to conventional products. The addition of a few percent of ferroelectric material to this composite enhances the shielding behavior by several orders of magnitude—without increasing its electrical conductivity. In this three component composite the shielding effectiveness reaches a maximum close to the ferroelectric/paraelectric transition temperature. The synergetic effect, obtained by the addition of ferroelectrical particles, is related to the high dielectric losses of ferroelectric material close to its transition temperature.     

Reflection properties of small hydrocarbons impinging on tungsten and carbon surfaces

Sticking coefficients of deuterium from are quantified on fusion relevant plasma sprayed tungsten and carbon fibre composite in the incident energy range from about 0-100 eV. The samples that were cut from ASDEX-Upgrade tiles are exposed to a beam of of specific incident energy, E_inc, in the tandem mass spectrometer BESTOF in Innsbruck. Nuclear reaction analysis is performed ex-situ at IPP Garching for the quantification of deuterium content. The deuterium content difference measured on a spot before and after ion-beam exposure of the sample is assigned to the above mentioned species of hydrocarbon molecules sticking on the surface, allowing the calculation of the sticking probability of a specific deuterated molecular ion. The sticking coefficient, S, is found to depend on the incident energy and shows a maximum of about S ∼ 0.4 around E_inc = 30 eV on CFC and about S ∼ 0.1 near E_inc = 20 eV in case of PSW.     

Investigation of Decarburization in Spring Steel Production Process – Part I: Experiments

Decarburization and oxidation have considerable influence on the product properties of spring steels. The investigations in part I of this paper concentrate on the experimental determination of the influence of different thermal cycles on the decarburization process. With the thermo‐mechanical simulator Gleeble 1500, the influence of different process parameters, such as the time between furnace reheating and hot rolling, the hot rolling temperature, finish rolling temperature, laying temperature, and the α→γ phase transformation temperature range, is systematically investigated. In part II of this paper [15], numerical simulation techniques are applied to simulate the decarburization behavior under the experimental conditions, which are described in the present part I.     

Mechanical Properties and Bake Hardening Behaviour of two Cold Rolled Multiphase Sheet Steels subjected to CGL Heat Treatment Simulation

In recent years, multiphase steels have become a material of choice for use in the car manufacturing industry owing to their excellent mechanical properties. It is anticipated that in the years to come these steels will show the highest increase in usage. A particular aspect of their potential is that multiphase steels often show good bake hardening (BH) properties. The main factors that govern the microstructures and the properties of these steels are the chemical composition and the production process parameters. In this work two commercial cold rolled sheet steels with different carbon content were investigated. In order to produce dual phase (DP) steels with a ferrite‐martensite microstructure, the as‐received material was subjected to heat treatment simulating continuous galvanising line (CGL) cycles with an overageing zone before the zinc pot. After a first CGL cycle predominantly ferritic microstructures with small amounts of martensite, pearlite and retained austenite were obtained, which resulted in deviations from typical DP properties, e.g. in the occurrence of discontinuous yielding. A higher line speed led to improved mechanical properties. BH prestrain was varied between 0 and 10%. While only very little bake hardening was observed without prestrain, with increasing prestrain the amount of BH was evolving quickly towards larger values of more than 60 MPa. Generally, the BH values were somewhat larger for higher carbon content. Finally, an optimised CGL cycle was simulated at laboratory scale with changes in the process parameters. Thus, characteristic DP microstructures resulting in desired mechanical properties were obtained. For these optimised conditions, BH₂ values in excess of 60 MPa were achieved for both steels investigated.     

Arthrodesis of the shoulder for synovial osteochondromatosis

OBJECTIVES: To identify the reasons for non-compliance with fecal occultblood test in the screening programme for colorectal cancer. DESIGN AND SETTING: The people who had never participated in the screening programme for colorectal cancer served as the subjects of this study. A structured questionnaire which included the reasons for rejection was sent to each of non-compliers. They were requested to choose two major reasons which were described in a best way that why they did not participate in the programme. The frequency of the stated reasons were analysed from the viewpoint of both sex and age effects. MAIN RESULTS:A total of 439 people was identified as non-compliers, and 356 (81.1%) people completed the questionnaire. No significant difference was noted in response to the questionnaire between male and female as well as aged 40-59 and those 60-79. The most commonest reason was felt well (47.8%) in male, fear or shyness of further examination (40.2%) in female, and also felt well (48.5%) in aged 40-59, fear or shyness of further examination (40.1%) in aged 60-79. Significant differences were observed in the frequencies of felt well (p<0.01), fear or shyness of further examination (p<0. 01), busy for work (p<0.01) and fear of cancer (p<0.01) between male and female, and also felt well (p<0.01), fear or shyness of further examination (p<0.01), busy for work (p<0.01) and coexistent disease (p<0.01) between aged 40-59 and those 60-79. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that public education about the concept of asymptomatic illness, the benefits of early detection, the safety and painless colonoscopy, and the effective treatment should be emphasised to increase compliance with screening for fecal occult blood.     

Involvement of CD14 and complement receptors CR3 and CR4 in nuclear factor-kappaB activation and TNF production induced by lipopolysaccharide and group B streptococcal cell walls

This study was undertaken to evaluate the role of CD14 and complement receptors type 3 (CR3) and 4 (CR4) in mediating TNF release and NF-kappaB activation induced by LPS and cell wall preparations from group B streptococci type III (GBS). LPS and GBS caused TNF secretion from human monocytes in a CD14-dependent manner, and soluble CD14, LPS binding protein, or their combination potentiated both LPS- and GBS-induced activities. Blocking of either CD14 or CD18, the common beta-subunit of CR3 and CR4, decreased GBS-induced TNF release, while LPS-mediated TNF production was inhibited by anti-CD14 mAb only. Chinese hamster ovary cell transfectants (CHO) that express human CD14 (CHO/CD14) responded to both LPS and GBS with NF-kappaB translocation, which was inhibited by anti-CD14 mAb and enhanced by LPS binding protein. While LPS showed fast kinetics of NF-kappaB activation in CHO/CD14 cells, a slower NF-kappaB response was induced by GBS. LPS also activated NF-kappaB in CHO cells transfected with either human CR3 or CR4 cDNA, although responses were delayed and weaker than those of CHO/CD14 cells. In contrast to LPS, GBS failed to induce NF-kappaB in CHO/CR3 or CHO/CR4 cells. Both C3H/OuJ (Lps[n]) and C3H/HeJ (Lps[d]) mouse peritoneal macrophages responded to GBS with TNF production and NF-kappaB translocation, whereas LPS was active only in C3H/OuJ macrophages. Thus, LPS and GBS differentially involve CD14 and CR3 or CR4 for signaling NF-kappaB activation in CHO cells and TNF release in human monocytes, and engage a different set of receptors and/or intracellular signaling pathways in mouse macrophages.     

Transurethral cystotomy repair

We present a novel transurethral technique for cystotomy repair. This method can be used for immediate bladder repair following limited bladder injury and avoids the morbidity associated with laparotomy.