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Can one technical solution help prevent drowsy drivers and detect a child left behind? Yes, using a single, maintenance-free, Non-Dispersive Infrared (NDIR) gas sensor integrated in the cabin ventilation system. Carbon dioxide (CO2) is an established proxy for ventilation needs in buildings. Recently, several studies have been published showing a moderate elevation of the indoor carbon dioxide level effect cognitive performance such as information usage, activity, focus and crisis response. A study of airplane pilots using 3-hour flight simulation tests, showed pilots made 50% more mistakes when exposed to 2,500 ppm carbon dioxide compared to 700 ppm. This has a direct impact on safety. All living animals and humans exhale carbon dioxide. In our investigations we have found that an unintentionally left behind child, or pet, can easily be detected in a parked car by analyzing the carbon dioxide trends in the cabin. Even an 8-month old baby acts as a carbon dioxide source, increasing cabin CO2 levels at a 20ppm/minute rate allowing for detection within one minute. Vehicles running with the ventilation system in recirculation mode normally reach above the fresh air limit of 1,000 ppm within a few minutes. The carbon dioxide level normally stabilizes between 3,000 and 10,000 ppm. Levels that will make the driver drowsy, reducing their cognitive performance and impact safety. Using an NDIR gas sensor in the ventilation system will reduce driver performance degradation due to elevated carbon dioxide levels, allowing reliable detection of any unintentionally left behind children or pets, potentially saving lives. © 2020 SAE International. All Rights Reserved.

In the present study Differential Interferometry and Long-range μPIV are successfully combined for a benchmark experiment of an accelerating temperature driven boundary layer flow. Spatial resolutions of 405 pm for the interference and 101 pm for the μPIV measurements could be achieved. The results of the combined measurements are compared with results of numerical simulations. Temperature and velocity profiles are compared with theoretical values and a relation between Nusselt number and Grashof number could be worked out.

A holistic understanding of the physicochemical processes induced by CO2 injection and storage in a reservoir is based on a geoscientific characterisation of the overall geological system consisting of reservoir rocks and cap rocks. It requires in a first step a comprehensive baseline characterisation (sedimentological, mineralogical, geochemical, mechanical, etc.) of pertinent parameters and conditions. To properly handle the large amount of different geoscientific information a Data Management System (DMS) was developed, which proved indispensable to conduct such a multi-disciplinary project. The DMS provides a tool for scientific process management, data analysis, integration and visualisation, data transfer and scheduling through specialised database systems and retrieval techniques, storage technology, and efficient data access. Sedimentological (facies), mineralogical and petrophysical data classify the Altmark Rotliegend sandstones of high quality with best porosity and permeability in altered/bleached aeolian sandstones. Those properties are strongly controlled by sediment deposition (facies-type) and by early and late diagenesis, namely by early pore-filling cementation and late fluid-rock interaction. The fluids involved probably originated from Carboniferous formations and ascended along (re-) activated faults through the Rotliegend volcanic rocks during Triassic-Jurassic times. Major features controlling the extent of fluid-rock reactions are grain size and grain sorting, respectively pore size, pore shape and pore connectivity. Especially grain coating chlorite and pore-filling carbonate and anhydrite will most probably affect reactivity during CO2 injection. Laboratory batch experiments with core samples reveal that CO2 saturated brines cause dissolution of (pore-filling) minerals and alteration of fluid and flow properties of the reservoir rocks. This also was emphasised by a parameter study based on numerical modelling, which indicate a tendency of i

Fractures of the distal humerus in adults are rare but challenging for the orthopaedic trauma surgeon. The bimodal distribution reflects the trauma mechanism. While distal humerus fractures are caused by high-energy traumata in young male adults, a fall from a standing height is the most common reason for humerus fractures among elderly females. As a rule, fractures of the distal humerus are treated surgically. In young patients, open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) with anatomic locking plates are the gold standard. In elderly patients, reconstruction is not always possible, and total elbow arthroplasty (TEA) becomes necessary. The present article provides an overview of the current diagnostic and treatment recommendations. The current literature is reviewed and the results discussed.

The intraarticular fracture of the distal humerus in an elderly patient remains a challenge for trauma surgeons. In case of severe co-morbidities and/or osteoporosis stable fixation with screws and plates is difficult and in some cases can be impossible. Even if osteosynthesis is feasible the clinical outcome is still incalculable due to delayed or non-union of the fracture fragments. Endoprosthetic replacement of the elbow joint for comminuted distal humerus fractures has been used for almost 20 years. The clinical results are predominantly excellent or good and better predictable than those of osteosynthesis. There still is no guideline when a prosthesis for the elbow joint should be used. We reviewed the literature and outline the current recommendations for diagnostics and surgical therapy for distal humerus fractures in the elderly.

The present work discusses the numerical modelling of thermo-hydro-mechanical coupled processes for two in situ experiments on engineered barrier systems, which were performed at a real test site in the geological underground. Based on the phase related balance equations for mass, linear momentum and energy, a classical continuum approach for multiphysics analyses in porous media is presented. Within this context, the non-isothermal Richards' approximation is used for flow simulations in a partially saturated deformable solid skeleton. Regarding the constitutive modelling, basically relations typically discussed in literature for the applications under consideration are applied, and are calibrated on experimental data. Some specific problem-related modifications are presented. An incremental staggered finite element scheme is preferred to solve the coupled nonlinear initial-boundary value problem. Due to the process complexity of the combined simulation of both of the in situ experiments, a 3-D model is required. Additionally, the realisation of parallel algorithms in conjunction with high performance computing facilities essentially improves the efficiency of the numerical simulations. The presented models and algorithms are implemented into the scientific finite element code OpenGeoSys. Based on the analysis of the in situ experiments under consideration, the capabilities of OpenGeoSys to model application-oriented problems are shown.

Background Gastroparesis, a chronic disorder of abnormal gastric motility, is common in patients with diabetes mellitus. A synthetic, selective ghrelin receptor agonist, TZP-101, is in clinical development for treatment of gastroparesis. This double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study evaluated the safety and efficacy of multiple TZP-101 doses in patients with moderate to severe symptomatic diabetic gastroparesis. Methods Patients were admitted to the hospital and adaptively randomized to receive a single 30-min intravenous infusion of 20, 40, 80, 160, 320, or 600 μg kg−1 TZP-101, (n = 57) or placebo, (n = 19) for four consecutive days. Symptoms were evaluated daily with the patient-rated Gastroparesis Cardinal Symptom Index (GCSI) and Gastroparesis Symptom Assessment (GSA). Clinicians rated gastroparesis symptoms on treatment day 4. Key Results The 80 μg kg−1 dose was identified as the most effective dose. On day 4, there was statistically significant improvement compared with placebo in the severity of GCSI Loss of Appetite and Vomiting scores for that dose group (P = 0.034 and P = 0.006). In addition, at the 80 μg kg−1 dose, the proportion of patients with at least 50% improvement in vomiting score was significantly different (P = 0.019) compared with placebo. Meal-related GSA scores for Postprandial fullness were significantly improved in the 80 μg kg−1 TZP-101 group compared with placebo (P = 0.012). Clinicians rated the 80 μg kg−1 group better improved than placebo for overall symptom assessment (P = 0.047). Safety profiles were similar in the placebo and TZP-101 groups and all doses were well-tolerated.

Bentonites are preferred materials for use as engineered barriers for high-level nuclear waste repositories. Simulation of geochemical processes in bentonite is therefore important for long-term safety assessment of those repositories. In this work, the porewater chemistry of a bentonite sample subject to simultaneous heating and hydration, as studied by Cuevas et al. [Cuevas, J., Villar, M., Fernandez, A., Gomez, P., Martin, P., 1997. Porewaters extracted from compacted bentonite subjected to simultaneous heating and hydration. Applied Geochemistry 12, 473-481.], was assessed with a non-isothermal reactive transport model by coupling the geochemical software PHREEQC2 with the object-oriented FEM simulator GeoSys/RockFlow. Reactive transport modelling includes heat transport, two-phase flow, multicomponent transport and geochemical reactions in the liquid phase, i.e. ion exchange, mineral dissolution/precipitation and equilibrium reactions. Simulations show that the easily soluble minerals in bentonite determine the porewater chemistry. Temperature affects both two-phase flow and geochemical reactions. Porosity change due to dissolution/precipitation is low during the experiment. However, changes of the effective porosity caused by bentonite swelling can be very large. The simulated results agree well with the experimental data. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved

The FEBEX (Full-scale Engineered Barriers Experiment in Crystalline Host Rock) ‘‘in situ’’ test was installed at the Grimsel Test Site underground laboratory (Switzerland) and is a near-to-real scale simulation of the Spanish reference concept of deep geological storage in crystalline host rock. A modelling exercise, aimed at predicting field behaviour, was divided in three parts. In Part A, predictions for both the total water inflow to the tunnel as well as the water pressure changes induced by the boring of the tunnel were required. In Part B, predictions for local field variables, such as temperature, relative humidity, stresses and displacements at selected points in the bentonite barrier, and global variables, such as the total input power to the heaters were required. In Part C, predictions for temperature, stresses, water pressures and displacements in selected points of the host rock were required. Ten Modelling Teams from Europe, North America and Japan were involved in the analysis of the test. Differences among approaches may be found in the constitutive models used, in the simplifications made to the balance equations and in the geometric symmetries considered. Several aspects are addressed in the paper: the basic THM physical phenomena which dominate the test response are discussed, a comparison of different modelling results with actual measurements is presented and a discussion is given to explain the performance of the various predictions., Peer Reviewed