Investigations on Structural response of Water Backed Perforated plates

The study envisaged herein contains the numerical investigations on Perforated Plate (PP) as well as numerical and experimental investigations on Perforated Plate with Lining (PPL) which has a variety of applications in underwater engineering especially related to defence applications. Finite element method has been adopted as the tool for analysis of PP and PPL. The commercial software ANSYS has been used for static and free vibration response evaluation, whereas ANSYS LS-DYNA has been used for shock analysis. SHELL63, SHELL93, SOLID45, SOLSH190, BEAM188 and FLUID30 finite elements available in the ANSYS library as well as SHELL193 and SOLID194 available in the ANSYS LS-DYNA library have been made use of. Unit cell of the PP and PPL which is a miniature of the original plate with 16 perforations have been used. Based upon the convergence characteristics, the utility of SHELL63 element for the analysis of PP and PPL, and the required mesh density are brought out. The effect of perforation, geometry and orientation of perforation, boundary conditions and lining plate are investigated for various configurations. Stress concentration and deflection factor are also studied. Based on these investigations, stadium geometry perforation with horizontal orientation is recommended for further analysis.Linear and nonlinear static analysis of PP and PPL subjected to unit normal pressure has been carried out besides the free vibration analysis. Shock analysis has also been carried out on these structural components. The analytical model measures 0.9m x 0.9m with stiffener of 0.3m interval. The influence of finite element, boundary conditions, and lining plate on linear static response has been estimated and presented. Comparison of behavior of PP and PPL in the nonlinear strain regime has been made using geometric nonlinear analysis. Free vibration analysis of the PP and PPL has been carried out ‘in vacuum’ condition and in water backed condition, and the influence of water backed condition and effect of perforation on natural frequency have been investigated.Based upon the studies on the vibration characteristics of NPP, PP and PPL in water backed condition and ‘in vacuum’ condition, the reduction in the natural frequency of the plate in immersed condition has been rightly brought out. The necessity to introduce the effect of water medium in the analysis of water backed underwater structure has been highlighted.Shock analysis of PP and PPL for three explosives viz., PEK, TNT and C4 has been carried out and deflection and stresses on plate as well as free field pressure have been estimated using ANSYS LS-DYNA. The effect of perforations and the effect of lining plate have been predicted. Experimental investigations of the measurement of free field pressure using PPL have been conducted in a shock tank. Free field pressure has been measured and has been validated with finite element analysis results. Besides, an experiment has been carried out on PPL, for the comparison of the static deflection predicted by finite element analysis.The distribution of the free field pressure and the estimation of differential pressure from experimentation and the provision for treating the differential pressure as the resistance, as a part of the design load for PPL, has been brought out.

Desarrollo de las destrezas orales a trav??s de la tecnolog??a : la aplicaci??n Weixin y sus posibilidades en estudiantes chinos de espa??ol nivel A2

Resumen basado en el de la publicaci??n

Reversible, nondegradative conversion of crystalline aromatic poly(ether ketone)s into organo-soluble poly(ether dithioketal)s

Crystalline aromatic poly(ether ketone)s Such as PEEK and PEK may be cleanly and reversibly derivatized by dithioketalization of the carbonyl groups With 1,2-ethanedithiol or 1,3-propanedithiol under strong acid conditions. The resulting 1,3-dithiolane and 1,3-dithiane polymers are hydrolytically stable, amorphous, and readily soluble in organic solvents such as chloroform and THF and are thus (unlike their parent polymers) easily characterized by gel permeation chromatography (GPC). GPC analysis of a range of derivatized PEEK samples using light-scattering detection revealed, in some instances, a bimodal molecular weight distribution with a small but potentially significant (and previously undetected) very high-molecular-weight fraction.

Testosteron och matematik;Fingerlängd (2D:4D) : en indikator för matematisk förmåga?

En individs prenatala testosteronhalter kan mätas genom att ta fram ett relationstal mellan längden på pek- och ringfinger: ett 2D:4D digit ratio index. Studier har visat att det finns ett samband mellan högre testosteronhalter och god matematisk förmåga. I föreliggande studie deltog 40 svenska gymnasieungdomar. Två hypoteser undersöktes: det finns ett samband mellan 2D:4D och matematikresultat samt det finns ett samband mellan kön, 2D:4D och matematikresultat. Datainsamlingen bestod av fingermätningar och provresultat i matematik. Korrelationsresultaten påvisade inget signifikant samband mellan fingerlängd och matematiska resultat. Studien påvisade heller inte någon interaktionseffekt mellan kön, fingerlängd och matematikresultat. Resultaten diskuteras ur ett sociokulturellt, biologiskt och miljömässigt perspektiv.

Effectiveness, safety and cost-effectiveness of homeopathy in general practice - summarized health technology assessment

Introduction: The Health Technology Assessment report on effectiveness, cost-effectiveness and appropriateness of homeopathy was compiled on behalf of the Swiss Federal Office for Public Health (BAG) within the framework of the 'Program of Evaluation of Complementary Medicine (PEK)'. Materials and Methods: Databases accessible by Internet were systematically searched, complemented by manual search and contacts with experts, and evaluated according to internal and external validity criteria. Results: Many high-quality investigations of pre-clinical basic research proved homeopathic high-potencies inducing regulative and specific changes in cells or living organisms. 20 of 22 systematic reviews detected at least a trend in favor of homeopathy. In our estimation 5 studies yielded results indicating clear evidence for homeopathic therapy. The evaluation of 29 studies in the domain 'Upper Respiratory Tract Infections/Allergic Reactions' showed a positive overall result in favor of homeopathy. 6 out of 7 controlled studies were at least equivalent to conventional medical interventions. 8 out of 16 placebocontrolled studies were significant in favor of homeopathy. Swiss regulations grant a high degree of safety due to product and training requirements for homeopathic physicians. Applied properly, classical homeopathy has few side-effects and the use of high-potencies is free of toxic effects. A general health-economic statement about homeopathy cannot be made from the available data. Conclusion: Taking internal and external validity criteria into account, effectiveness of homeopathy can be supported by clinical evidence and professional and adequate application be regarded as safe. Reliable statements of cost-effectiveness are not available at the moment. External and model validity will have to be taken more strongly into consideration in future studies.

Complementary and alternative medicine costs - a systematic literature review

Objective: The aim of this literature review, performed within the framework of the Swiss governmental Program of Evaluation of Complementary Medicine (PEK), was to investigate costs of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). Materials and Methods: A systematic literature search was conducted in 11 electronic databases. All retrieved titles and reference lists were also hand-searched. Results: 38 publications were found: 23 on CAM of various definitions (medical and non-medical practitioners, over-the-counter products), 13 on homeopathy, 2 on phytotherapy. Studies investigated different kinds of costs (direct or indirect) and used different methods (prospective or retrospective questionnaires, data analyses, cost-effectiveness models). Most studies report 'out of pocket' costs, because CAM is usually not covered by health insurance. Costs per CAM-treatment / patient / month were AUD 7-66, CAD 250 and GBP 13.62 +/- 1.61. Costs per treatment were EUR 205 (range: 15-1,278), USD 414 +/- 269 and USD 1,127. In two analyses phytotherapy proved to be cost-effective. One study revealed a reduction of 1.5 days of absenteeism from work in the CAM group compared to conventionally treated patients. Another study, performed by a health insurance company reported a slight increase in direct costs for CAM. Costs for CAM covered by insurance companies amounted to approximately 0.2-0.5% of the total healthcare budget (Switzerland, 2003). Publications had several limitations, e.g. efficacy of therapies was rarely reported. As compared to conventional patients, CAM patients tend to cause lower costs. Conclusion: Results suggest lower costs for CAM than for conventional patients, but the limited methodological quality lowers the significance of the available data. Further well-designed studies and models are required.

Use of complementary medicine in Switzerland

Within the framework of the Swiss governmental Program of Evaluation of Complementary Medicine (PEK) we assessed the prevalence, use, perceived effectiveness and appreciation of complementary medicine (CAM) in Switzerland, according to published surveys. Materials and Methods: Search was performed through electronic databases, by hand-searching and by contacting experts at universities, hospitals, health insurances, patient organizations and pharmaceutical companies. Results: Surveys were carried out among the general population (40%), physicians (20%), hospitalized patients (30%) and obstetric institutions (5%). The number of publications increased strongly between 1981 and 2004. The mean +/- SD prevalence (use) of CAM is 49 +/- 22% and varies depending on the survey's topic and the population group interviewed. The acceptance, appreciation or demand for CAM among individuals specifically interviewed on CAM is 91 +/- 6%. When asked about favored general improvements in healthcare, 6.5% of the individuals spontaneously mentioned CAM. CAM therapies are considered to be effective by the majority of CAM users and by about 40% of cancer patients using CAM. Approximately 50% of the population stated a preference for hospitals that also provide CAM. 85% of the population wishes the costs for CAM to be covered by the basic health insurance. Conclusion: Approximately half of the Swiss population has used CAM. CAM treatment is considered to be effective by the majority of CAM users. About 50% of the population would prefer hospitals that also provide CAM therapies and the majority of the population wishes the cost for CAM therapies to be covered by basic health insurance.

Patients motives for choosing a physician: Comparison between conventional and complementary medicine in Swiss primary care

Background The study is part of a nationwide evaluation of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) in primary care in Switzerland. The Objective was to identify patients' expectations and reasons governing the choice of complementary medicine compared with conventional primary care (CONV). Methods The data were derived from the PEK study (Programm Evaluation Komplementärmedizin), which was conducted in 2002–2003 with 7879 adult patients and parents of 1291 underage patients, seeking either complementary (CAM) or conventional (CONV) primary care. The study was performed as a cross-sectional survey. The respondents were asked to document their (or their children's) self-perceived health status, reasons governing their choice, and treatment expectations. Physicians were practicing conventional medicine and/or complementary methods (homeopathy, anthroposophic medicine, neural therapy, and traditional Chinese medicine). Reasons governing the choice of physician were evaluated on the basis of a three-part classification (physician-related, procedure-related, and pragmatic/other reasons) Results and Discussion Patients seeing CAM physicians tend to be younger and more often female. CAM patients referred to procedure-related reasons more frequently, whereas pragmatic reasons dominated among CONV patients. CAM respondents expected fewer adverse side effects compared to conventional care patients. Conclusion The majority of alternative medicine users appear to have chosen CAM mainly because they wish to undergo a certain procedure; additional reasons include desire for more comprehensive treatment, and expectation of fewer side-effects.

Patient satisfaction and side effects in primary care: An observational study comparing homeopathy and conventional medicine

Background This study is part of a nationwide evaluation of complementary medicine in Switzerland (Programme Evaluation of Complementary Medicine PEK) and was funded by the Swiss Federal Office of Public Health. The main objective of this study is to investigate patient satisfaction and perception of side effects in homeopathy compared with conventional care in a primary care setting. Methods We examined data from two cross-sectional studies conducted in 2002–2003. The first study was a physician questionnaire assessing structural characteristics of practices. The second study was conducted on four given days during a 12-month period in 2002/2003 using a physician and patient questionnaire at consultation and a patient questionnaire mailed to the patient one month later (including Europep questionnaire). The participating physicians were all trained and licensed in conventional medicine. An additional qualification was required for medical doctors providing homeopathy (membership in the Swiss association of homeopathic physicians SVHA). Results A total of 6778 adult patients received the questionnaire and 3126 responded (46.1%). Statistically significant differences were found with respect to health status (higher percentage of chronic and severe conditions in the homeopathic group), perception of side effects (higher percentage of reported side effects in the conventional group) and patient satisfaction (higher percentage of satisfied patients in the homeopathic group). Conclusion Overall patient satisfaction was significantly higher in homeopathic than in conventional care. Homeopathic treatments were perceived as a low-risk therapy with two to three times fewer side effects than conventional care

Potenzial des Laserstrahlsinterns von PEEK zur Erzeugung kleiner Bauteilstrukturen

Durch die neuen systemtechnischen Möglichkeiten erfährt das Laserstrahlsintern von Polyaryletherketonen wie PEK oder PEEK zunehmendes industrielles Interesse. Neben der höheren Festigkeit, Steifigkeit und Temperaturbeständigkeit z. B. laserstrahlgesinterter PEEK Bauteile gegenüber den bisher für Funktionsprototypen und für das Rapid Manufacturing eingesetzten Polyamidbauteilen sind Fragen nach der erzielbaren Bauteilgenauigkeit und des minimal möglichen Auflösungsvermögens insbesondere für die Fertigung kleiner Bauteile von besonderer Bedeutung. In diesem Beitrag werden die Abhängigkeiten der Einflussgrößen Schwund und Strahlweite von den wichtigsten Prozessführungsgrößen untersucht und die Möglichkeiten und Grenzen zur Erzeugung kleiner Bauteilstrukturen mittels Laserstrahlsintern von PEEK aufgezeigt.

Rada wsselikých zwiřat nerozumných neb zhowadilých, y ptactwa, kterau člowěku wsselikého powoláni dáwagi, w ćemby gegich přirozeni následowati, a gakých powah k zpráwě žiwota dobrého se wystřihati měl. Od Giřiho Melantrycha z Awentýnu. Kniha vžitečná y kratochwilná.

"Předmluva" signed J.D. [i.e. Josef Dobrovský]

Magyar könyvészet.

Vols. for 1712/1860 published by A. Dobrowsky [etc.]; 1860/75-19 Magyar Könyvkiadólc és Könyvkereskredök Országos Egyesülete [etc.]

Bad but bold: Ambivalent attitudes toward men predict gender inequality in 16 nations

A 16-nation study involving 8,360 participants revealed that hostile and benevolent attitudes toward men, assessed by the Ambivalence Toward Men Inventory (P. Glick & S. T. Fiske, 1999), were (a) reliably measured across cultures, (b) positively correlated (for men and women, within samples and across nations) with each other and with hostile and benevolent sexism toward women (Ambivalent Sexism Inventory, P. Glick & S. T. Fiske, 1996), and (c) negatively correlated with gender equality in cross-national comparisons. Stereotype measures indicated that men were viewed as having less positively valenced but more powerful traits than women. The authors argue that hostile as well as benevolent attitudes toward men reflect and support gender inequality by characterizing men as being designed for dominance.

Web wrapper validation

Web wrapper extracts data from HTML document. The accuracy and quality of the information extracted by web wrapper relies on the structure of the HTML document. If an HTML document is changed, the web wrapper may or may not function correctly. This paper presents an Adjacency-Weight method to be used in the web wrapper extraction process or in a wrapper self-maintenance mechanism to validate web wrappers. The algorithm and data structures are illustrated by some intuitive examples.