Experimental investigation on low-temperature fatigue crack propagation in offshore structural steel A131 under random sea ice loading

An apparatus of low-temperature controlling for fatigue experiments and its crack measuring system were developed and used for offshore structural steel A131 under conditions of both low temperature and random sea ice. The experimental procedures and data processing were described, and a universal random data processing software for FCP under spectrum loading was written. Many specific features of random ice-induced FCP which differed with constant amplitude FCP behaviours were proposed and temperature effect on ice-induced FCP was pointed out with an easily neglected aspect in designing for platforms in sea ice emphasized. In the end, differences of FCP behaviours between sea ice and ocean wave were presented.

Beach monitoring project Sand Key Phase II Beach nourishment program (North Redington Beach and Redington Shores) Post-Nourishment Report Part II Offshore Profiles and Wave Data

This study presents the third post-nourishment survey (January 1989) results for the Sand Key Phase II beach nourishment project carried out in June, 1988. The monitoring program to this beach nourishment project is a joint effort between the University of South Florida and University of Florida. The field surveys include a total of 26 profiles, encompassing approximately 3 miles of shoreline extending from DNR R-96 to R-1ll. The total calculated volume loss of sand in the nourished segment (from R-99G to R-107) between the July 88 and January 89 surveys is 51,113 cubic yards, which is a loss about 9.7 percent of 529,150 cubic yards actually placed in the nourishment project. The total loss of sand computed in the entire survey area is 26,796 cubic yards, which is only 5.1 percent of the sand placed in the nourishment project. It is stressed that a part of these net volume reductions is due to the background erosion and not due to spreading losses induced by the nourishment project. (PDF contains 168 pages.)

Simulation of Severe Slugging Formation and Control in Offshore Riser

In this paper, available elimination techniques are assessed. OLGA2000 software is used to simulate severe slugging formation mechanism in certain offshore riser. The simulation results show that pressure fluctuations of riser base and riser top is very large and severe slugging easily forms. Sensibility analysis shows that the measures and methods which include properly reducing pipe riser diameter, reducing water cut increasing terminal pressure, decreasing the height and inclination of riser and increasing GOR can eliminate or control severe slugging in riser pipe.

Marketing de los servicios sociales: el caso de los centros residenciales para personas mayores

En el ámbito de los Servicios Sociales, y más concretamente en el caso de los centros residenciales para personas mayores, se puede afirmar que,hasta hace poco tiempo, el marketing no ha tenido demasiada presencia. En este trabajo queremos señalar la conveniencia de utilizar diferentes herramientas de marketing, adaptándolas a las características de estas organizaciones, y destacar el papel que juega la opinión de los usuarios, sus percepciones y los juicios que realizan sobre los servicios recibidos a la hora de proponer acciones de mejora en la atención prestada. En este sentido, señalaremos la necesidad de que se implante en las residencias para personas mayores un procedimiento sencillo que permita la obtención de información relativa a la satisfacción de los usuarios y sus familiares con los servicios recibidos para, de esta manera, emprender acciones que posibiliten avanzar en una mejor calidad asistencial.

Study on the Performance of a Compact Compound Oil/Gas/Water Separator for Offshore Oil Industry

High-efficiency separation of the oil/gas/water mixtures is a significant issue in offshore oil industry. To reduce the total cost by means of reduction in weight and space compared with conventional separators, a novel compact compound oil/gas/water separator is developed. The research works on oil-gas-water separation by compound separating techniques is described in this paper. The innovative separator is a gravity settling tank with helical pipes within and T-shaped pipes outside. Both experiments and numerical simulations are presented to study the separating performance and efficiency of the helical pipes, which are the main part of the separator.

Multiphase Flow Measurement in the Offshore Oil Industry

In recent years, considerable research has been conducted into the development of a three-phase flowmeter suitable for use in an offshore environment, and oil/gas/water three-phase metering becomes an important aspect in multiphase flow measurement. This paper discusses the importance of three-phase flow measurement in offshore oil industry, describes the current development in this area, and points out the principal strategies which may be used to meter three-phase flow.

Gestión de la calidad y marketing en los centros residenciales para personas mayores

El sector residencial se está introduciendo en una cultura de gestión que en el pasado reciente no existía. Sin embargo, resulta curioso que muchas residencias hayan descubierto el enfoque de satisfacción del cliente a través de los modelos de gestión de la calidad mientras que la actividad de marketing no es considerada relevante. Al igual que otros autores, pensamos que el marketing y la gestión de la calidad son filosofías de gestión complementarias. En el presente trabajo de investigación nos hemos planteado como objetivo principal describir y explicar la relación existente entre la gestión de la calidad y la filosofía de marketing en los centros residenciales para personas mayores. La consecución de este objetivo principal se realiza a través del desarrollo, entre otros, de los siguientes objetivos subsidiarios: Evaluación de la incidencia de la adopción en el sector de los principales modelos, genéricos y específicos, de gestión de la calidad, examinando cuáles han sido las motivaciones para su implantación; Estudio del nivel de utilización de instrumentos de gestión y de actividades de marketing en el sector; Diseño y validación de escalas que permiten evaluar el grado en el que las residencias para personas mayores adoptan los principios de la gestión de la calidad y medir su nivel de orientación al mercado; Determinación de la relación existente entre los conceptos de gestión de la calidad y orientación al mercado, así como entre los diferentes componentes de la gestión de la calidad y la orientación al mercado, en el sector objeto de estudio.Por último, hemos generado una serie de propuestas integradoras e innovadoras que resultarán útiles para los gestores de residencias. Estas propuestas se concretan, por un lado, en una serie de recomendaciones relativas a la utilización de instrumentos de gestión y herramientas de marketing ajustados a las organizaciones del sector y, por otro lado, en el desarrollo de un modelo de gestión de la calidad que, tomando los aspectos que consideramos adecuados de los modelos estudiados, se adapta mejor a la realidad de las organizaciones estudiadas.

Situación de la salud materno-perinatal en 2 Centros de Salud de Bizkaia

Introducción: La salud reproductiva y, en concreto, todos los aspectos relacionados con los cuidados de salud durante el embarazo, son temas de especial relevancia, tanto para la sociedad como para los servicios sanitarios. De modo que es necesario asegurar una adecuada atención de la mujer durante el embarazo, parto y postparto. Objetivo: Analizar y determinar la satisfacción de las mujeres con el seguimiento de su embarazo (gestación, parto y postparto) y comparar las diferencias existentes entre los 2 Centros de Salud (C.S) en los que se ha realizado dicho seguimiento. Metodología: Se realizó un estudio a 32 mujeres atendidas en los C.S. de Bombero-Etxaniz y Arrigorriaga, en el periodo transcurrido entre el 15 de enero del 2013 y el 15 de marzo del 2013; las encuestas se llevaron a cabo en el primer trimestre postparto. Se desarrolló un análisis descriptivo de los datos y un estudio de asociación entre las diferentes variables. Resultados: La media de edad de las mujeres estudiadas se situó en 34,75; se encontró asociación entre la edad y los embarazos de riesgo. El 50% de los partos fueron eutócicos; se estableció relación con la edad y la paridad. A más del 50% de ellas se les realizó una episiotomía, buscando una relación con el hospital se halló que cuanto más grande era el hospital más episiotomías se realizaban. Así mismo las encuestadas mostraron una mayor satisfacción con la atención prestada por los centros hospitalarios privados; en referencia a los C.S. no se hallaron diferencias significativas, mostrando en ambos casos una satisfacción subjetiva percibida alta. Conclusiones: Los cambios sociales, culturales, económicos e ideológicos ocurridos han favorecido el aumento de la edad materna y consigo el aumento de embarazos de riesgo, además de la disminución de la media del número de hijos. Se aprecia una necesidad en materia de apoyo e información a las mujeres en el periodo postparto debido al gran cambio personal, físico, social y psicológico que puede suponer.

Precision of age determination of northern offshore spotted dolphins.

We investigated within- and between-reader precision in estimating age for northern offshore spotted dolphins and possible effects on precision from the sex and age-class of specimens. Age was estimated from patterns of growth layer groups i n the dentine and cementum of the dolphins' teeth. Each specimen was aged at least three times by each of two persons. Two data samples were studied. The first comprised 800 of each sex from animals collected during 1973-78. The second included 45 females collected during 1981. There were significant, generally downward trends through time in the estimates from multiple readings of the 1973-78 data. These trends were slight, and age distributions from last readings and mean estimates per specimen appeared to be homogeneous. The largest factor affecting precision in the 1973-78 data set was between-reader variation. In light of the relatively high within-reader precision (trends considered), the consistent between-reader differences suggest a problem of accuracy rather than precision for this series. Within-reader coefficients of variation averaged approximately 7% and 11%. Pooling the data resulted i n an average coefficient of variation near 16%. Within- and between-reader precision were higher for the 1981 sample, and the data homogeneous over both factors. CVs averaged near 5% and 6% for the two readers. These results point to further refinements in reading the 1981 series. Properties of the 1981 sample may be partly responsible for greater precision: by chance there were proportionately fewer older dolphins included, and preparation and selection criteria were probably more stringent. (PDF contains 35 pages.)

Early postnatal growth of the spotted dolphin, Stenella attenuata, in the offshore Eastern Tropical Pacific.

Estimates of length at birth and early postnatal growth are made for the northern and southern populations of the offshore spotted dolphin in the offshore eastern tropical Pacific. Length at birth is estimated to be 85.4 cm for the northern population and 83.2 cm for the southern population. Analyses of series of monthly distributions of length revealed two cohorts born each year in the northern population, at least in the northern inshore part of its geographic range, but only one cohort born each year in the southern population. Growth curves fitted to the means of the monthly distributions of length gave estimates of length at 1 year of 126.2 and 132.6 cm and length at 2 years of 154.3 and 154.9 cm for the two cohorts in the northern population. and length at 1 year of 127.9 cm for the southern population. A growth curve fitted to lengths and ages (in dental growth layer groups) from the northern population gave estimates of lengths at 1 and 2 years of 123.0 and 143.0 cm, respectively.

Un modelo de simulación de presupuestos y planes financieros para proyectos de creación de empresas

Este artículo tiene su origen en la experiencia obtenida con la participación durante varias ediciones en el curso "De la idea al plan empresarial" organizado conjuntamente por el Centro Europeo de Empresas e Innovación Bic Berrilan y la Universidad del País Vasco. Este curso tiene como objetivo dotar al alumno de criterios para valorar su idea empresarial, de conocimientos para desarrollarla y de asistencia técnica para hacerla realidad.

Abundance and Distribution of Ichthyoplankton along an Inshore-Offshore Transect in Onslow Bay, North Carolina

The distribution and abundance of ichthyoplankton was investigated from November 1979 to March 1980 along a transect from coastal to continental slope waters in Onslow Bay, North Carolina. Representatives of 66 families were collected; 24 of which were tropical families, a category that also includes families of typically oceanic and deep-sea fishes. Larvae of tropical species were collected in coastal and shelf waters, demonstrating the intrusion of Gulf Stream waters onto the continental shelf. From December through March, frontal waters that separated cold open-shelf surface waters from warm Gulf Stream surface waters were observed. Higher abundances of fish larvae were sometimes, but not consistently, associated with frontal waters. A great diversity of taxa was collected in offshore waters, and densities of larvae were low in coastal waters; low densities were attributed to gear selectivity rather than low larval abundance. Larvae of commercially and recreationally important estuarine-dependent species, especially Leiostomus xanthus and Micropogonias undulatus, were dominant components of the ichthyoplankton. Representatives of the families Bothidae, Clupeidae, Gadidae, Gonostomatidae, Myctophidae, Ophidiidae, and Sparidae were also important components of the ichthyoplankton. Larvae of species representing two strikingly different life history types-mesopelagic and estuarine-dependent frequently cooccurred.(PDF file contains 32 pages.)