Royal Air Mail plane in Singapore Transportation

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Royal Air Mail plane in Singapore Transportation

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Imaging of knee injuries with special focus on tibial plateau fractures

Acute knee injury is a common event throughout life, and it is usually the result of a traffic accident, simple fall, or twisting injury. Over 90% of patients with acute knee injury undergo radiography. An overlooked fracture or delayed diagnosis can lead to poor patient outcome. The major aim of this thesis was retrospectively to study imaging of knee injury with a special focus on tibial plateau fractures in patients referred to a level-one trauma center. Multi-detector computed tomography (MDCT) findings of acute knee trauma were studied and compared to radiography, as well as whether non-contrast MDCT can detect cruciate ligaments with reasonable accuracy. The prevalence, type, and location of meniscal injuries in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were evaluated, particularly in order to assess the prevalence of unstable meniscal tears in acute knee trauma with tibial plateau fractures. The possibility to analyze with conventional MRI the signal appearance of menisci repaired with bioabsorbable arrows was also studied. The postoperative use of MDCT was studied in surgically treated tibial plateau fractures: to establish the frequency and indications of MDCT and to assess the common findings and their clinical impact in a level-one trauma hospital. This thesis focused on MDCT and MRI of knee injuries, and radiographs were analyzed when applica-ble. Radiography constitutes the basis for imaging acute knee injury, but MDCT can yield information beyond the capabilities of radiography. Especially in severely injured patients , sufficient radiographs are often difficult to obtain, and in those patients, radiography is unreliable to rule out fractures. MDCT detected intact cruciate ligaments with good specificity, accuracy, and negative predictive value, but the assessment of torn ligaments was unreliable. A total of 36% (14/39) patients with tibial plateau fracture had an unstable meniscal tear in MRI. When a meniscal tear is properly detected preoperatively, treatment can be combined with primary fracture fixation, thus avoiding another operation. The number of meniscal contusions was high. Awareness of the imaging features of this meniscal abnormality can help radiologists increase specificity by avoiding false-positive findings in meniscal tears. Postoperative menisci treated with bioabsorbable arrows showed no difference, among different signal intensities in MRI, among menisci between patients with operated or intact ACL. The highest incidence of menisci with an increased signal intensity extending to the meniscal surface was in patients whose surgery was within the previous 18 months. The results may indicate that a rather long time is necessary for menisci to heal completely after arrow repair. Whether the menisci with an increased signal intensity extending to the meniscal surface represent improper healing or re-tear, or whether this is just the earlier healing feature in the natural process remains unclear, and further prospective studies are needed to clarify this. Postoperative use of MDCT in tibial plateau fractures was rather infrequent even in this large trauma center, but when performed, it revealed clinically significant information, thus benefitting patients in regard to treatment.

Kinetic theory for the density plateau in the granular flow down an inclined plane

The striking lack of observable variation of the volume fraction with height in the center of a granular flow down an inclined plane is analysed using constitutive relations obtained from kinetic theory. It is shown that the rate of conduction in the granular energy balance equation is O(delta(2)) smaller than the rate of production of energy due to mean shear and the rate of dissipation due to inelastic collisions, where the small parameter delta = (d/(1 - e(n))H-1/2), d is the particle diameter, en is the normal coefficient of restitution and H is the thickness of the flowing layer. This implies that the volume fraction is a constant in the leading approximation in an asymptotic analysis in small delta. Numerical estimates of both the parameter delta and its pre-factor are obtained to show that the lack of observable variation of the volume fraction with height can be explained by constitutive relations obtained from kinetic theory.

Origin of the plateau in the low-temperature thermal conductivity of silica

Thermal conductivities of glasses at low temperatures show strikingly similar behavior irrespective of their chemical composition. While for T<1 K the thermal conductivity can be understood in the phenomenological tunneling model; the ‘‘universal plateau’’ in the temperature interval 15>T>2 K is totally unexplained. While Rayleigh scattering of phonons by structural disorder should be the natural cause for limiting the mean free path of phonons in this temperature range, it has been concluded before that in glasses a strong enough source of such scattering does not exist. In this study we show by a proper structural analysis in at least one material (namely, silica) that a strong enough source of Rayleigh scattering of phonons in glasses does exist so that the ‘‘universal plateau’’ can be explained without invoking any new mechanism. This may be for the first time that the low-temperature property of a structural glass has been correlated to its structure.

A Thermodynamic Proposal for the Exposition of Critically and other Subtle Features in Self-Deflagrating Ammonium Perchlorate Systems

A first comprehensive investigation on the deflagration of ammonium perchlorate (AP) in the subcritical regime, below the low pressure deflagration limit (LPL, 2.03 MPa) christened as regime I$^{\prime}$, is discussed by using an elegant thermodynamic approach. In this regime, deflagration was effected by augmenting the initial temperature (T$_{0}$) of the AP strand and by adding fuels like aliphatic dicarboxylic acids or polymers like carboxy terminated polybutadiene (CTPB). From this thermodynamic model, considering the dependence of burning rate ($\dot{r}$) on pressure (P) and T$_{0}$, the true condensed (E$_{\text{s,c}}$) and gas phase (E$_{\text{s,g}}$) activation energies, just below and above the surface respectively, have been obtained and the data clearly distinguishes the deflagration mechanisms in regime I$^{\prime}$ and I (2.03-6.08 MPa). Substantial reduction in the E$_{\text{s,c}}$ of regime I$^{\prime}$, compared to that of regime I, is attributed to HClO$_{4}$ catalysed decomposition of AP. HClO$_{4}$ formation, which occurs only in regime I$^{\prime}$, promotes dent formation on the surface as revealed by the reflectance photomicrographs, in contrast to the smooth surface in regime I. The HClO$_{4}$ vapours, in regime I$^{\prime}$, also catalyse the gas phase reactions and thus bring down the E$_{\text{s,g}}$ too. The excess heat transferred on to the surface from the gas phase is used to melt AP and hence E$_{\text{s,c}}$, in regime I, corresponds to the melt AP decomposition. It is consistent with the similar variation observed for both the melt layer thickness and $\dot{r}$ as a function of P. Thermochemical calculations of the surface heat release support the thermodynamic model and reveal that the AP sublimation reduces the required critical exothermicity of 1108.8 kJ kg$^{-1}$ at the surface. It accounts for the AP not sustaining combustion in the subcritical regime I$^{\prime}$. Further support for the model comes from the temperature-time profiles of the combustion train of AP. The gas and condensed phase enthalpies, derived from the profile, give excellent agreement with those computed thermochemically. The $\sigma _{\text{p}}$ expressions derived from this model establish the mechanistic distinction of regime I$^{\prime}$ and I and thus lend support to the thermodynamic model. On comparing the deflagration of strand against powder AP, the proposed thermodynamic model correctly predicts that the total enthalpy of the condensed and gas phases remains unaltered. However, 16% of AP particles undergo buoyant lifting into the gas phase in the `free board region' (FBR) and this renders the demarcation of the true surface difficult. It is found that T$_{\text{s}}$ lies in the FBR and due to this, in regime I$^{\prime}$, the E$_{\text{s,c}}$ of powder AP matches with the E$_{\text{s,g}}$ of the pellet. The model was extended to AP/dicarboxylic acids and AP/CTPB mixture. The condensed ($\Delta $H$_{1}$) and gas phase ($\Delta $H$_{2}$) enthalpies were obtained from the temperature profile analyses which fit well with those computed thermochemically. The $\Delta $H$_{1}$ of the AP/succinic acid mixture was found just at the threshold of sustaining combustion. Indeed the lower homologue malonic acid, as predicted, does not sustain combustion. In vaporizable fuels like sebacic acid the E$_{\text{s,c}}$ in regime I$^{\prime}$, understandably, conforms to the AP decomposition. However, the E$_{\text{s,c}}$ in AP/CTPB system corresponds to the softening of the polymer which covers AP particles to promote extensive condensed phase reactions. The proposed thermodynamic model also satisfactorily explains certain unique features like intermittent, plateau and flameless combustion in AP/ polymeric fuel systems.

Shear banding in a yield stress bearing Langmuir monolayer

We examine the shear-thinning behaviour of a two dimensional yield stress bearing monolayer of sorbitan tristearate at air/water interface. The flow curve consists of a linear region at low shear stresses/shear rates, followed by a stress plateau at higher values. The velocity profile obtained from particle imaging velocimetry indicates that shear banding occurs, showing coexistence of the fluidized region near the rotor and solid region with vanishing shear-rate away from the rotor. In the fluidized region, the velocity profile, which is linear at low shear rates, becomes exponential at the onset of shear-thinning, followed by a time varying velocity profile in the plateau region. At low values of constant applied shear rates, the viscosity of the film increases with time, thus showing aging behaviour like in soft glassy three-dimensional (3D) systems. Further, at the low values of the applied stress in the yield stress regime, the shear-rate fluctuations in time show both positive and negative values, similar to that observed in sheared 3D jammed systems. By carrying out a statistical analysis of these shear-rate fluctuations, we estimate the effective temperature of the soft glassy monolayer using the Galavatti-Cohen steady state fluctuation relation.

Yield stress, thixotropy and shear banding in a dilute aqueous suspension of few layer graphene oxide platelets

We demonstrate a rigidity percolation transition and the onset of yield stress in a dilute aqueous dispersion of graphene oxide platelets (aspect ratio similar to 5000) above a critical volume fraction of 3.75 x 10(-4) with a percolation exponent of 2.4 +/- 0.1. The viscoelastic moduli of the gel at rest measured as a function of time indicate the absence of structural evolution of the 3D percolated network of disks. However a shear-induced aging giving rise to a compact jammed state and shear rejuvenation indicating a homogenous flow is observed when a steady shear stress (sigma) is imposed in creep experiments. We construct a shear diagram (sigma vs. volume fraction phi) and the critical stress above which shear rejuvenation occurs is identified as the yield stress sigma(y) of the gel. The minimum steady state shear rate (gamma) over dot(m) obtained from creep experiments agrees well with the end of the plateau region in a controlled shear rate flow curve, indicating a shear localization below (gamma) over dot(m). A steady state shear banding in the plateau region of the flow curve observed in particle velocimetry measurements in a Couette geometry confirms that the dilute suspensions of GO platelets form a thixotropic yield stress fluid.

Oxygen-participated electrochemistry of new lithium-rich layered oxides Li3MRuO5 M = Mn, Fe)

We describe the synthesis, crystal structure and lithium deinsertion-insertion electrochemistry of two new lithium-rich layered oxides, Li3MRuO5 (M = Mn, Fe), related to rock salt based Li2MnO3 and LiCoO2. The Li3MnRuO5 oxide adopts a structure related to Li2MnO3 (C2/m) where Li and (Li0.2Mn0.4Ru0.4) layers alternate along the c-axis, while the Li3FeRuO5 oxide adopts a near-perfect LiCoO2 (R (3) over barm) structure where Li and (Li0.2Fe0.4Ru0.4) layers are stacked alternately. Magnetic measurements indicate for Li3MnRuO5 the presence of Mn3+ and low spin configuration for Ru4+ where the itinerant electrons occupy a pi*-band. The onset of a net maximum in the chi vs. T plot at 9.5 K and the negative value of the Weiss constant (theta) of -31.4 K indicate the presence of antiferromagnetic superexchange interactions according to different pathways. Lithium electrochemistry shows a similar behaviour for both oxides and related to the typical behaviour of Li-rich layered oxides where participation of oxide ions in the electrochemical processes is usually found. A long first charge process with capacities of 240 mA h g(-1) (2.3 Li per f.u.) and 144 mA h g(-1) (1.38 Li per f.u.) is observed for Li3MnRuO5 and Li3FeRuO5, respectively. An initial sloping region (OCV to ca. 4.1 V) is followed by a long plateau (ca. 4.3 V). Further discharge-charge cycling points to partial reversibility (ca. 160 mA h g(-1) and 45 mA h g(-1) for Mn and Fe, respectively). Nevertheless, just after a few cycles, cell failure is observed. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) characterisation of both pristine and electrochemically oxidized Li3MRuO5 reveals that in the Li3MnRuO5 oxide, Mn3+ and Ru4+ are partially oxidized to Mn4+ and Ru5+ in the sloping region at low voltage, while in the long plateau, O2- is also oxidized. Oxygen release likely occurs which may be the cause for failure of cells upon cycling. Interestingly, some other Li-rich layered oxides have been reported to cycle acceptably even with the participation of the O2- ligand in the reversible redox processes. In the Li3FeRuO5 oxide, the oxidation process appears to affect only Ru (4+ to 5+ in the sloping region) and O2- (plateau) while Fe seems to retain its 3+ state.

Evaluación de adaptabilidad de doce variedades de papa (Solanum tuberosum L) y su tolerancia al tizón tardío (Phytophthora infestans (Mont.) de Bary) en Santa Rosa, Jinotega

El objetivo del presente trabajo consistió en la evaluación de la adaptabilidad de 12 variedad es de papa (Solanum tuberosum L) y su tolerancia a Tizón Tardío (Phytophthora infestans Mont. De Bary). El ensayo se estableció el 8 de Febrero en la comunidad Santa Rosa Departamento de Jinotega, utilizándose un diseño de bloques completo al azar (BCA),con cuatro repeticiones a las que se les dio un seguimiento continuo para la recopilación de los datos a evaluar posteriormente. Los datos obtenidos en campo fueron analizados con el programa estadístico SAS. Las variedades evaluados fueron: Picasso, Amorosa, Sante, Fontane, Kuroda, Provento, Kónsul, Arnova, Arinda, Sinora, Roko y Papanica como testigo. Las variables evaluadas fueron: Incidencia a Tizón tardío en donde las variedades Papanica presento 67.5, Provento 75, Konsul 77.5, Roko 82, y Sante 82.5 porciento a los 55 DDS con respecto a las demás variedades; porcentaje de incidencia con respecto a las demás variedades; Porcentaje de severidad del área foliar infestada las variedades anteriormente mencionadas mostraron a los 82DDS 90.5, 79.5, 66.5, 94, 96 porciento. Lesión al tallo las variedades Provento, Sinora y Papanica tuvieron a los 80 DDS el grado 1 con respecto a la escala utilizada. Dentro de las plagas foliares las variedades Fontane, y kuroda obtuvieron como promedio 14 afidos por planta a los 37 DDS y las variedades Amorosa, Sante y Fontane obtuvieron como promedio 2 moscas por plantas a los 63 y 78 DDS. En cuanto a la Incidencia de virus no se encontró significancia estadística en los tratamientos evaluados en las diferentes fechas. Una vez realizado el análisis de varianza se encontró que la variedad Provento ocupa el mayor rendimiento en la categoría rendimiento de primera y segunda con 5.75 y 2.04 t ha-1. En la tercera categoría las variedades Papanica y Arinda mostraron alto rendimiento con 1.04 y 0.96 t ha-1. El análisis económico refleja que las variedades Provento, Sante y Papanica obtuvieron un beneficio neto de 4,069; 12,429 y 8201 C$/ha.

Evaluación de alternativas químicas y biológicas en el manejo del tizón tardío (Phitopthora infestans, (Mont.) de Bary) en el cultivo de papa (Solanum tuberosum)

El presente trabajo tuvo como objetivo la evaluación del efecto de alternativas químicas y biológicas para el manejo del tizón tardío [Phytophthora infestans (Mont.) De Bary]. El ensayo se estableció en Aranjuez, Matagalpa en los meses de Octubre 2006 a Enero 2007, utilizando el diseño de bloques completo al azar (BCA) con ocho tratamientos y cuatro repeticiones donde se evaluaron fungicidas de contacto y sistémicos, incluyendo también un fungicida biológico como preventivo. Las aplicaciones se hicieron antes que aparecieran los primeros síntomas con fungicidas de contacto, después de los primeros síntomas las aplicaciones con sistémicos, no más de tres aplicaciones, excepto en el tratamiento 3 que fue a criterio del productor. Los tratamientos utilizados fueron: un testigo al cual no se le aplico ningún fungicida, T1 (Mancozeb + Alliete), T2 (Bravonil + Equation), T3 (Hachero + Curzate), T4 (Mancozeb + Amistar), T5 (Serenade + Flint), T6 (Mancozeb + Curzate) y T7 (Serenade + Curzate). La variedad utilizada fue Calwhite variedad susceptible a esta enfermedad, posteriormente los datos registrados durante el ensayo fueron analizados con el programa estadístico SAS v ersión 9.1.3. Las variable evaluadas fueron: severidad, área bajo la curva de progreso de la enfermedad (ABCPE) y de acuerdo a esto se diagramó la curva de progreso de la enfermedad (CPE), donde los resultados muestran que el tratamiento 5 no tuvo ningún efecto en el control de la enfermedad, al igual que el testigo mostrando siempre una fase exponencial a partir de la segunda semana después de haber emergido el total de las plantas, hasta alcanzar su máximo porcentaje de severidad. El tratamiento 3 mantuvo su fase logarítmica hasta los 43 días después de la emergencia (dde) con un porcentaje de severidad menor al 25% y los tratamientos 1, 2, 4 y 7 mostraron su fase exponencial después de los 43 dde, en cambio el tratamiento 6 mostró una sola fase logarítmica, siendo este el mas efectivo para el manejo de la enfermedad.

Manejo de tizón tardío (Phytophthora infestant (Mont.) de Bary) en el cultivo de papa cv calwhite en época de apante en la zona de Tisey, Esteli. 2007

El objetivo principal de este estudio fue la evaluación de diferentes estrategias de alternancia de fungicidas de contacto con fungicidas sistémicos. Además, se alternó el fungicida biológico Serenade 1.34 SC ( Bacillus subtilis QST 713) con los fungicidas de contacto Mancozeb y Bravonil para determinar el efecto de ésta en el manejo de tizón tardío en época de apante. El trabajo experimental se llevó a cabo en la localidad Tisey (Reserva Natural), del departamento de Estelí en el periodo comprendido entre noviembre del 2006 a febrero del 2007. La variedad de papa evaluada fue CalWhite, la cual es susceptible a tizón tardío. El diseño utilizado fue bloques completamente al azar con cinco tratamientos y cuatro repeticiones. Los tratamientos evaluados en este estudio fueron (Mancozeb+Serenade) - Equation Pro (Bravonil+Serenade) - Ridomil, (Mancozeb+Serenade)- Curzate, (Bravonil+Serenade) - Verita y un testigo absoluto. El manejo agronómico fue el que utiliza el productor. Las variables evaluadas fueron severidad y rendimiento. Con los datos de severidad se calculó el área bajo la curva de progreso de la enfermedad (ABCPE). No se encontraron diferencias significativas entre bloques para la variable severidad de tizón tardío, ni en la interacción tratamiento - bloque, pero si se observó diferencias altamente significativas entre tratamientos. La media de severidad en el tratamiento testigo fue más alta en comparación con las medias de los otros cuatro tratamientos, lo cual explica la diferencia entre tratamientos. Sin embargo, no se encontraron diferencias significativas en las medias de severidad de los tratamientos diferentes del testigo. Cuando se analizó la severidad en los tratamientos de acuerdo a la variable días después de la siembra (dds) se observaron diferencias altamente significativas entre tratamientos, en la variable dds y en la interacción tratamientos*d ds. Se encontraron diferencias altamente significativas entre el testigo y los demás tratamientos y entre días después de la siembra (dds) para los valores de la variable área bajo la curva de progreso de la enfermedad (ABCPE), así como también en la interacción tratamientos*dds. La mezcla del fungicida biológico Serenade 1.34 SC ( Bacillus subtilis QST713) con los fungicidas de contacto Mancozeb y Bravonil al parecer tuvo un efecto sinergístico al inhibir el desarrollo de P. infestans sobre la superficie de las hojas de papa. Los rendimientos fueron bastantes bajos en comparación con otros resultados encontrados en América Latina con la variedad de papa CalWhite. Es posible reducir los porcentajes de severidad de tizón tardío en el cultivo de papa cuando se combinan estrategias de rotación de fungicidas de contacto y sistémicos con la época de siembra.