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Erosion in slurry pipeline systems has received a lot of attention due to the economic impact in the cost of replacing portions of the pipelines. Most attention has been merited from the oil and gas industry. However, remediation of reservoirs behind dams built along major river systems is also a major reason this investigation is so important and provides the background for some of the parameters of this paper. Given that straight pipes are the predominant part of most systems, our attention is restricted to long straight pipes that are far enough away from elbows, welds, and tee fittings that would alter the flow. A model predicting pipeline erosion from smooth river sands suspended in aqueous slurries due to inter-particle collisions which go on to impact the wall of the pipe on straight pipelines is presented. The model is based on physical laws governing the flow of the slurry, how these velocity gradients affect the number of particles impacting the pipe wall, and the amount of wall particle removed from such impacts based on their kinetic energy. The model considers particles with diameters ranging from 50 to 350 µm, velocities of 3.5–6 m/s, and sand slurry concentrations of 10–40% by volume. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The second harmonic signal, which is generated by co-application of AC and DC fields to polycrystalline type-II superconductors, were analyzed in terms of the weak links and the critical current density. With this aim the YBaCuZnO ( x=0, 0.01, 0.02, 0.03, 0.05, and 0.1) samples were synthesized in order to adjust intergranular couplings and thus the strength of weak links. The mechanical and magnetic measurements are in good agreement on that Zn doping reduces strength of the links between grains; however, contrary to the common expectations, it has no direct contribution to the 2nd harmonic signal strength. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present study, we have investigated the influence of different types of doping elements on magnetic properties of M-type BaFeO samples. It was observed that NbO addition increases the coercive field, the remanence magnetization ( M), and saturation magnetization ( M) values by about 27 %, 47 %, and 53 %, respectively. In the same manner, MnO also improves the magnetic parameters significantly. The M and M values show increments up to 40 % in magnitude. On the other hand, the best magnetic properties were achieved by the addition of CuO to the BO doped BaFeO. These materials have M and M values up to ∼34 emu/g and ∼62 emu/g, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A present and future challenge for water resources engineers is to extend the useful life of our dams and reservoirs. Ongoing reservoir sedimentation in impoundments must be addressed; sedimentation in many reservoirs already limits project benefits and effective project life. Sustainability requires that incoming sediment be moved downstream past the impounding dam. We use Lewis and Clark Lake, the most downstream of the six Missouri River main stem reservoirs, to demonstrate how a reservoir in advanced stages of its project life could be converted to a sustainable system with local benefits exceeding costs by a factor of 1.5. Full consideration of benefits would further enhance project justification. The proposed strategy involves four phases that will take about 50 years to complete. Cost estimates for this potential project range from the quantitative to the plausible, but it is clear that the results justify a full engineering, environmental, and economic study of this model project. If implemented, the project will create scientific knowledge and develop technologies useful for achieving sustainability at many other reservoirs in the Mississippi River basin and beyond. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accurate prediction of fall-prone hospitalized older adults may be integral to reducing falls. The STRATIFY, a simple 5-point falls prediction tool, was prospectively validated on a Geriatric Assessment and Rehabilitation Unit as a one-time initial predictor of patients likely to fall. Sensitivity and specificity were lower than in the original British study. Introducing risk assessments validated elsewhere on a patient care unit or on a hospital-wide scale requires caution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Determines the energy required to transport the sediments from the reservoirs back to the river channel using the Pick-Sloan system of the Missouri River as a representative system. Pipeline transport; Rail and other transport; Sedimentation of the permanent pool.

In this study a novel type of magnetometer capable of direct measurement of DC fields as low as 0.5 nT was described. The second harmonic voltage generated by polycrystalline superconductors inserted in AC and DC fields was used as sensor signal. The experiments have shown that a 0.5 nT DC field can be detectable by using Bi-2223 superconductors as the core material. The Bi-2223 reveals better sensitivity compared to the other high- T cuprates. Besides, the sensor works in a wide dynamical range (10 orders in magnitude), which increases its potential application areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The aim of the present study was to assess the changes in frequency and pattern of religious symptomatology in a sample of psychiatric inpatients in Egypt suffering from some form of psychotic illness over the time span from 1975 to 1996.Method: A sample of 5275 files of psychotic inpatients at Behman psychiatric hospital in Cairo, Egypt, admitted between 1975 and 1996, were scrutinized for the presence or absence of "religious" symptoms. All the files with religious symptoms from this sample (n=632) and an additional 281 comparison files were analyzed.Results: Significant fluctuations in the frequency of religious symptoms over the period of the study were noted. The frequency of religious symptoms peaked in the mid-1970s to early 1980s, and again in the early and mid-1990s, relative to other time periods. Further analyses of changes in the frequency of specific religious themes or symptoms revealed that religious behaviors (i. e., increased reading of religious texts, preaching, and other types of overt religious expression), in particular, showed significant and consistent patterns of change.Conclusions: These findings were interpreted in light of the fluctuating emphasis on religion and religious affiliation in everyday life in Egypt during the period of the study. While the overall frequency of religious delusional themes in Egypt is sensitive to societal changes across time, the specific content of these delusions remains stable. On the other hand, the relative salience of behavioral modes of pathological religious expression is highly influenced by changing patterns of religious emphasis in Egyptian society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Influenza surveillance data from tropical, sub-Saharan African countries are limited. To better understand the epidemiology of influenza, Nigeria initiated influenza surveillance in 2008.Methods. Outpatients with influenza-like illness (ILI) and inpatients with severe acute respiratory illness (SARI) were enrolled at 4 sentinel facilities. Epidemiologic data were obtained, and respiratory specimens were tested for influenza viruses, using real-time reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction assays.Results. During April 2009–August 2010, 2841 patients were enrolled. Of 2803 specimens tested, 217 (7.7%) were positive for influenza viruses (167 [8%] were from subjects with ILI, 17 [5%] were from subjects with SARI, and 33 were from subjects with an unclassified condition). During the prepandemic period, subtype H3N2 (A[H3N2]) was the dominant circulating influenza A virus subtype; 2009 pandemic influenza A virus subtype H1N1 (A[H1N1]pdm09) replaced A(H3N2) as the dominant circulating virus during November 2009. Among persons with ILI, A(H1N1)pdm09 was most frequently found in children aged 5–17 years, whereas among subjects with SARI, it was most frequently found in persons aged ≥65 years. The percentage of specimens that tested positive for influenza viruses peaked at 18.9% in February 2010, and the majority were A(H1N1)pdm09.Conclusions. Influenza viruses cause ILI and SARI in Nigeria. Data from additional years are needed to better understand the epidemiology and seasonality of influenza viruses in Nigeria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]