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The reasonable delineation of open-pit mining boundaries is directly related to the economic benefits of a mine, and the process of boundary delineation is highly complex. Based on the mining technical conditions of a mine, the 3DMine software was utilized to establish solid models of the ore body and economic models, and the delineation of open-pit mining boundaries was conducted. Through continuous optimization, the optimal open-pit mining boundary for the mine was determined. The final optimized boundary was selected with a bottom elevation of 1 215 m. Taking into account the influence of the minimum width of the pit bottom and bench slope. The lowest platform height was chosen as 1 245 m. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the impact of introducing robotic systems to hospitals and the need for comprehensive research on the subject. It highlights the importance of bridging the gap between hospital administrators and surgeons in decision-making processes. The International Neurourology Journal is presented as a platform that can facilitate communication and collaboration between different disciplines, including the bench, the clinic, and the hospital. The article emphasizes the need for knowledge and understanding in order to effectively implement robotic surgery in the hospital setting. [Extracted from the article]

Catenary–pantograph contact force is generally used for assessment of the current collection quality. A good current collection quality not only increases catenary lifetime but also keeps a stable electric supply and helps to avoid accidents. Low contact forces lead to electric arcs that degrade the catenary, and high contact forces generate excessive wear on the sliding surfaces. Railway track operators require track tests to ensure that catenary–pantograph force remains between safe values. However, a direct measure of the contact force requires an instrumented pantograph which is generally costly and complicated. This paper presents a test bench that allows testing virtual catenaries over real pantographs. Therefore, the contact point force behavior can be tested before the track test to guarantee that the test is passed. Moreover, due to its flexibility, the system can be used for model identification and validation, catenary testing, or contact loss simulation. The test bench also explores using computer vision as an additional sensor for each application. Results show that the system has high precision and flexibility in the available tests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vitreous substitutes are indispensable tools in vitreoretinal surgery. The two crucial functions of these substitutes are their ability to displace intravitreal fluid from the retinal surface and to allow the retina to adhere to the retinal pigment epithelium. Today, vitreoretinal surgeons can choose among a plethora of vitreous tamponades, and the tamponade of choice might be difficult to determine in the ever-expanding range of possibilities for a favorable outcome. The currently available vitreous substitutes have disadvantages that need to be addressed to improve the surgical outcome achievable today. Herein, the fundamental physical and chemical proprieties of all vitreous substitutes are reported, and their use and clinical applications are described alongside some surgical techniques of intra-operative manipulation. The major upcoming developments in vitreous substitutes are extensively discussed, keeping a translational perspective throughout. Conclusions on future perspectives are derived through an in-depth analysis of what is lacking today in terms of desired outcomes and biomaterials technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increasingly stringent CO2 emissions standards require innovative solutions in the vehicle development process. One possibility to reduce CO2 emissions is the electrification of powertrains. The resulting increased complexity, as well as the increased competition and time pressure make the use of simulation software and test benches indispensable in the early development phases. This publication therefore presents a methodology for test bench coupling to enable early testing of electrified powertrains. For this purpose, an internal combustion engine test bench and an electric motor test bench are virtually interconnected. By applying and extending the Distributed Co-Simulation Protocol Standard for the presented hybrid electric powertrain use case, real-time-capable communication between the two test benches is achieved. Insights into the test bench setups, and the communication between the test benches and the protocol extension, especially with regard to temperature measurements, enable the extension to be applied to other powertrain or test bench configurations. The shown results from coupled test bench operations emphasize the applicability. The discussed experiences from the test bench coupling experiments complete the insights. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Experimental work with heating systems installed in public transport vehicles, particularly for optimisation and control design, is a challenging task due to cost and space limitations, primarily imposed by the heating hardware and the need to have a real vehicle available. In this work, a hybrid hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) test bench for heating systems in conventional coaches is introduced. This approach consists of a hardware system made up of the main heating components, assembled as a lab experimental plant, along with a simulation component including a cabin thermal model, both exchanging real-time data using a standard communication protocol. This scheme presents great flexibility regarding data logging for further analysis and easily changing the experimental operational conditions and disturbances under different scenarios (i.e., solar irradiance, outside temperature, water temperature from the engine cooling circuit, number of passengers, etc.). Comparisons between the hybrid system's transient and steady-state responses and those from selected experiments conducted on an actual coach allowed us to conclude that the proposed system is a suitable test bed to aid in optimisation and design tasks. In this context, several closed-loop test experiments using the test bench were additionally carried out to assess the performance of the proposed control system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sliding electrical contacts are commonly used with a slip ring to collect the current in moving system generators, alternators, or electrical motors. These contacts are also found in electrical transports without batteries, which are mostly supplied by means of a pantograph–catenary system. These systems are fraught with numerous issues. Among them, it is worth highlighting wear and heating, which lead to failures and pre-worn materials. Moreover, with the increase in speed and improvements in technologies and materials, new problems emerge. This is the case with the substitution of the classic copper strip with graphite or copper-impregnated graphite. Multiple works that studied sliding electrical contacts have been achieved recently, some by trying to create a model of the system based on experimental results, and others only based on experimental works and measurements. This paper aims to review articles from this last category by making a synthesis of different test benches used and then by opening a discussion based on different results highlighted by scholars. This discussion is divided into five points that constitute the system inputs. These are the environment, material, normal load, sliding speed, and current. Based on this discussion, a conclusion attempts to evaluate topics where results and trends are commonly established by authors and topics where there is a lack of work or some conflicts in the results or trends between different articles. For this last point, some perspectives are given for further experimental works. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The plan of an R&D test bench with 222Rn and 220Rn (thoron) generators for investigating the dynamic adsorption of radon is described. An approach to the investigation of dynamic radon adsorption based on the measurement of gamma-emitting daughter decay products of radon (214Pb or 214Bi) and thoron (212Pb) in sections of a collapsible adsorption column is proposed. The proposed approach has a number of advantages over the classical method of output curves. It is shown that thorium hydroxide obtained by heterophase alkaline conversion of its salts can be used as an effective working material for a thoron generator. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heterocycles played a significant contribution to the creation of pharmaceutically effective compounds in medicinal chemistry. The bulk of synthetic medicine compounds have therapeutic potential due to their heterocyclic structure. Drug molecules undergo therapeutic alterations that are connected to minor variations in the heterocyclic moiety. The pharmacological effects of benzothiazole and its analogues were strong and important. Our study's major goal is to disseminate up-to-date knowledge regarding synthesised benzothiazole analogues and related biological activity against a variety of disorders. A literature review was conducted using the terms "Benzothiazole," antimicrobial potential, anticancer potential, anti-tubercular activity, and "anthelmintic potential" in the datasets like Science direct, MDPI, PubMed, Springer, Taylor, and Francis. This evaluation may illuminate the way for scientists who are attempting to create innovative benzothiazole derivatives with the hope of increasing their potency and security. However, more in-vivo and clinical research on the probable benzothiazole analogues is required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Bearing is the property of Bearing Editorial Office and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Microbial lipids are renewable platforms for several applications including biofuels, green chemicals, and nutraceuticals that can be produced from several residual carbon sources. Lignocellulosic biomasses are abundant raw materials for the production of second-generation sugars with conversion yields depending on the quality of the hydrolysates and the metabolic efficiency of the microorganisms. In the present work, wheat straw pre-treated by steam explosion and enzymatically hydrolysed was converted into microbial lipids by Lipomyces tetrasporus DSM 70314. The preliminary optimization of the enzymatic hydrolysis was performed at the bench scale through the response surface methodology (RSM). The fermentation medium and set-up were optimized in terms of the nitrogen (N) source and carbon-to-nitrogen (C/N) ratio yielding to the selection of soy flour as a N source and C/N ratio of 160. The bench scale settings were scaled-up and further optimized at the 10 L-scale and finally at the 50 L pilot scale bioreactor. Process optimization also included oxygen supply strategies. Under optimized conditions, a lipid concentration of 14.8 gL−1 was achieved corresponding to a 23.1% w/w lipid yield and 67.4% w/w lipid cell content. Oleic acid was the most abundant fatty acid with a percentage of 57%. The overall process mass balance was assessed for the production of biodiesel from wheat straw. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to compare and associate the magnitude of the load–velocity relationship variables between the multiple-point and two-point methods and between the concentric-only and eccentric–concentric prone bench pull (PBP) variants. Twenty-three resistance-trained males completed a preliminary session to determine the concentric-only PBP one-repetition maximum (1 RM) and two experimental sessions that only differed in the PBP variant evaluated. In each experimental session they performed three repetitions against the 14 kg load (L1), two repetitions against the 85% 1 RM load (L4), three repetitions against an equidistant intermediate light load (L2), two repetitions against an equidistant intermediate heavy load (L3), and 1–5 1 RM attempts. The load–velocity relationship variables (i.e., load–axis intercept, velocity–axis intercept, and area under the load–velocity relationship line) were obtained from the multiple-point (L1-L2-L3-L4) and two-point (L1-L4) methods. All load–velocity relationship variables presented greater magnitudes when obtained by the two-point method compared with the multiple-point method (p < 0.001, ESrange = 0.17–0.43), while the load–velocity relationship variables were comparable between both PBP variants (p ≥ 0.148). In addition, the load–velocity relationship variables were highly correlated between both methods (rrange = 0.972–0.995) and PBP variants (rrange = 0.798–0.909). When assessing the load–velocity relationship variables, practitioners should prescribe only two loads, as this maximises the magnitudes of the variables and decreases fatigue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Persulfate-based in situ chemical oxidation (ISCO) has been increasingly used for the remediation of contaminated groundwater and soil. In recent years, there have been numerous studies in the literature on all aspects of the activation of persulfate for contaminant removal at the laboratory scale, including the ways and mechanisms for the activation, the pathways of contaminant degradation, the factors associated with the activation performance, the methods characterizing the processes, etc. In contrast, studies in the literature on the practical use of the activated persulfate at the field scale are fewer, and at the same time have not been reviewed in an organized way. This review was initiated to summarize on the current research on the applications of activated persulfate for actual site remediation, and to extract the knowledge necessary for the formation of applicable technologies. The remediation efficiency and mechanism of activated persulfates by heat, alkaline, metal-based, and electrokinetic activated technologies are described. The major factors including pH, the persistence of persulfate, and the radius of influence and soil property during ISCO remediation applications were presented and discussed. Finally, the rebound process and impact towards microbial communities after in-situ chemical oxidation on site application were discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As one of the important ways to utilize hydrogen energy, fuel cells are receiving more and more attention and research from countries and institutions. To meet the practical needs of testing the performance of high-power fuel-cell systems and simulate the actual application environment as much as possible, a fuel-cell system test bench is usually used to test the system performance, in which the cooling-temperature control of the test bench has a great impact on the results of the performance of the fuel-cell system. This paper studies the cooling-temperature control strategy of a 150-kW-class fuel-cell engine test platform, proposes a new test-bench cooling-system structure with a thermostat and heat exchanger as the main heat-dissipation components, and compares and analyzes the impact of coordinated thermostat and heat-exchanger control on the fuel-cell system test performance. The test results show that the control strategy of the coordinated operation of a thermostat and heat exchanger can maintain the steady-state error to within ±0.3℃ and maintain the temperature variation to within ±1.5℃ during the loading-condition test, so as to avoid the limitation of system output performance due to excessive cooling-temperature fluctuation and ensure that the fuel-cell engine performance-test process is carried out smoothly and efficiently. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The need to resolve environmental concerns has become more urgent than ever. With each passing day, the world is coming closer to a time, when earth will become uninhabitable. The international community has been holding discussions for protection of environment for quite some time now, but the results has been anything but a game changer. The increased temperature, change in season cycles, extreme rainfall conditions, etc. are not only affecting human health but is also impacting the agricultural activities. Without food, water, and favourable weather conditions, human survival is impossible. In order to ensure the availability of resources for the future generations, it is necessary that every State acts actively within its territory and complies with its international commitments. The establishment of green courts/environment benches is an effective way for speedy disposal of environment related matters. It can keep a check on environment degrading activities which will fulfil the ultimate objective of protection of environment. In India, National Green Tribunal is the statutory body that has full-fledged environmental jurisdiction. It is working as a dedicated agency for the protection of environmental rights. It is a quasi-judicial authority with expert members and judicial members. It has a jurisdiction to impose heavy penalties on degradation of environment. Similar jurisdiction started in New Zealand in as early as 1991 and became an instrument of justice delivery mechanism for environmental jurisprudence across world. This article attempts to understand the viability of green benches with reference to National Green Tribunal and similar jurisdictions in New Zealand. It will also explore the role of urban local self-government in the protection of environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the past decade, an unmanned aerial spraying system (UASS) was applied more and more widely for low-volume aerial pesticides spraying operations in China. However, UASS have a higher drift risk due to more fine droplets sprayed with a higher working height and a faster driving speed than ground sprayers. Study on UASS spray drift is a new hot spot within the field of pesticide application technology. The field test bench was originally designed and applied for the measurement of the spray drift potential of ground sprayers. No methodology using the test bench for UASS drift evaluation was reported. Based on our previous study, field drift measurements of an eight-rotor UASS were conducted using three techniques (test bench, ground petri dish, and airborne collection frame) in this study, and the effects of meteorological parameters and nozzle types were investigated, to explore the applicability and the feasibility of the test bench used in UASS field drift evaluation. The test bench is proven promising for direct drift determination of UASS and the described methodology enabled classification of different UASS configurations. Higher wind speeds and finer droplets produced higher drift values. The faster the wind speed and the lower the humidity, the more the spray drift. The test bench can reduce the site requirements and improve the efficiency of the field drift test. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Blood pressure (BP) measurement is an important physiological parameter for human health monitoring, which plays a significant role in the diagnosis of many incurable diseases. However, due to inaccuracies in the different types of BP measuring devices, the calibration of these BP measuring instruments is a major concern for a medical practitioner. Currently, these devices' calibration, testing, and validation are performed using rigorous methods with complex clinical trials and following the available documentary standards. This article describes the design and development of an indigenous mechanical test bench (MTB) system for the testing and calibration of multiple BP devices, as per International Organization of Legal Metrology (OIML) recommended documents e.g., OIML R 16-1 and OIML R 16-2. The developed system can test and calibrate 20 BP devices, simultaneously. The traceability of the developed MTB is established by performing its calibration against the Air Piston Gauge, a national primary vacuum standard. The estimated expanded measurement uncertainty evaluated is found to be ±0.11 mmHg, which is almost one order better than the measurement uncertainty required for the test and calibration of BP measuring instruments as per standard. The MTB has successfully been used to test and calibrate several BP measuring instruments. The data of one such device is reported herein as an indicator of the performance process. The calibration of these BP measuring instruments was performed in the static mode, and the estimated expanded measurement uncertainty was found to be ±1.25 mmHg. The developed MTB system would prove to be an excellent instrument for calibration laboratories, hospitals, regulatory agencies, and other users to test and calibrate 20 BP measuring devices simultaneously and cost-effectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses the role of evangelical benches in political institutions, analyzing the agenda of customs in the chambers of deputies between 1989 and 2020, and shows the parties that propose religious agendas. The work is methodologically supported by bibliographical research, as well as using quantitative data with the information available on the Chamber of Deputies website. As a result, 150 Law Projects (PLs) were collected, corresponding to guidelines that deal with the criminalization of abortion, Homeschooling, Gender Ideology and Family Statute. It was observed that at the beginning of terms of office, the numbers increased, showing an agenda of customs that denotes this traffic of religion in political matters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Many traditional experimental testing devices like hydraulic testing machines, Split Hopkinson bar technique, etc. are available to recreate the same material behaviour that occue during manufacturing processes at different strain rates. But the fact is that a state of large equivalent strain with dominant shear strain at intermediate strain rate is not easily achievable using these devices. Objective: The goal of this work is to design and develop a new dynamic torsion device based on the principle of the flywheel at intermediate strain rates in order to study the shear behaviour of the material that typically occurred during the manufacturing process. Methods: A general description of the testing device is given systematically in this paper. Hopkinson bar sensor as a load measuring technique is used to measure the applied torque on the specimen and the shear deformation of the specimen is measured by the grid pattern technique. Results: After the design and manufacturing of torsion device, some experimental tests on AA7075-T6 alloy are presented for validation of the device. The preliminary experimental results are attractive. It shows that the material can be tested at an intermediate strain rate by varying the speed of the flywheel. Conclusions: The use of this newly designed torsion device with an appropriate methodology of load and deformation measurement, finally allows us to obtain the mechanical pure shear behavior of materials under intermediate strain rate loading. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Rudarsko-Geolosko-Naftni Zbornik is the property of Faculty of Mining, Geology & Petroleum Engineering and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The article focuses on the existence of a secret society of individuals who are deeply engaged in the pursuit of participation, which binds them together through shared frustrations and a sense of wonder about the recurring themes in discussions of participation. It mentions the members are inducted when they decide to actively engage with the concept of participation, driven by a mix of emotions such as anger, frustration, irony, and impatience.

Copyright of Journal of Guangdong University of Technology is the property of Journal of Guangdong University of Technology and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Arkeoloji Dergisi is the property of Ege University and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The performance of agricultural tires varies with the characteristics of both the terrain and the tractors on which they are mounted, which differently affect the rolling resistance, the traction capacity, and the slip. To reduce the variability of test conditions, CREA developed an original mobile test (MTB) bench which consists of a dynamometric single axle trailer pulled by a tractor and can be used both in traction performance tests (driving wheels) and in rolling resistance tests (driven wheels). A control system alternatively operates the adjustment of traction force or slip, so that each test is performed maintaining constant the desired values. The MTB underwent tests under different conditions (type of surface, pre-set values of force of traction and slip) aimed at verifying its accuracy and reliability. In a final test, two pairs of identical new tires were simultaneously mounted on the MTB and on the rear axle of the 2WD tractor that pulled it, to discover information on the different interactions occurring, under the same traction conditions, between the soil surface and each pair of tires, with reference to the relationship between the slips and the load transfers observed on the MTB and on the tractor rear axle. The results evidenced the capability of the MTB to guarantee repeatable test conditions, including field conditions, allowing comparison among the performance of different tires. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista Caatinga is the property of Revista Caatinga and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Acute mental stress (MS) induces a transient increase in arterial stiffness. We verified whether a single bout of bench step (BS) exercise for 3 minutes counteracts acute MS-induced arterial stiffening. Fifteen healthy young men (mean age, 21.7 ± 0.3 years) underwent two experimental trials: rest (RE) and exercise (EX) trials. Following a 5-minute MS task, the participants in the RE trial rested on a chair for 3 minutes (from 10 to 13 minutes after task cessation), whereas those in the EX trial performed the BS exercise for the same duration. The heart-brachial pulse wave velocity (PWV) (hbPWV), brachial-ankle PWV (baPWV), heart-ankle PWV (haPWV), and the cardio-ankle vascular index (CAVI) were measured at baseline and at 5 and 30 minutes after the task. In both trials, significant increases in hbPWV, haPWV, and CAVI occurred at 5 minutes after the task; these elevations persisted until 30 minutes after the task in the RE trial, but significantly decreased to baseline levels in the EX trial. baPWV was significantly elevated at 30 minutes after the task in the RE trial, but not in the EX trial. This study reveals that a 3-minute BS exercise offsets acute MS-induced arterial stiffening. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Motivation Large-scale neuronal morphologies are essential to neuronal typing, connectivity characterization and brain modeling. It is widely accepted that automation is critical to the production of neuronal morphology. Despite previous survey papers about neuron tracing from light microscopy data in the last decade, thanks to the rapid development of the field, there is a need to update recent progress in a review focusing on new methods and remarkable applications. Results This review outlines neuron tracing in various scenarios with the goal to help the community understand and navigate tools and resources. We describe the status, examples and accessibility of automatic neuron tracing. We survey recent advances of the increasingly popular deep-learning enhanced methods. We highlight the semi-automatic methods for single neuron tracing of mammalian whole brains as well as the resulting datasets, each containing thousands of full neuron morphologies. Finally, we exemplify the commonly used datasets and metrics for neuron tracing bench testing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The aim of the study was to analyze the optical properties of a new hydrophilic enhanced monofocal intraocular lens (IOL) using optical bench analysis and compare it with its monofocal counterpart. Methods: This laboratory study investigates the enhanced monofocal intraocular lens (L-333) and the monofocal counterpart (L-313) IOL by Teleon Surgical, Spankeren, Netherlands on the optical bench, using OptiSpheric IOL PRO2 (Trioptics, Germany) in order to assess the optical quality according to ISO 11979 with ISO-2 Cornea. IOLs (power 22.0 D) were evaluated regarding through frequency modulation transfer function (MTF), Strehl ratio (SR), and through focus MTF at 50 lp/mm using a 3.0-mm and a 4.5-mm aperture. Tilt and decentration were applied. In addition, wavefront measurements were obtained using WaveMaster® IOL 2 device (Trioptics, Germany) and analyzed. Results: Centered: The MTF (mean) at 50 lp/mm (L-333/L-313) with 3.0 mm aperture was 0.606/0.724 and with 4.5 mm aperture 0.330/0.409. The SR (mean) with 3.0 mm aperture was 0.586/0.809 and with 4.5 mm aperture 0.330/0.348. Decentered by 1 mm: The MTF (mean) at 50 lp/mm (L-333/L-313) with 3.0 mm aperture was 0.485/0.705 and with 4.5 mm aperture 0.255/0.374. The SR (mean) with 3.0 mm aperture was 0.457/0.739 and with 4.5 mm aperture 0.185/0.268. Tilted by 5 degrees: The MTF (mean) at 50 lp/mm (L-333/L-313) with 3.0 mm aperture was 0.577/0.657 and with 4.5 mm aperture 0.345/0.336. The SR (mean) with 3.0 mm aperture was 0.583/0.702 and with 4.5 mm aperture 0.269/0.237. In through focus MTF and aperture of 3.0 mm, the L-333 showed a peak of 0.41 with some enlarged depth of power of about 2 D. For the aperture of 4.5 mm, the MTF values of L-313 and L-333 were slightly reduced; L-333 showed an MTF peak of 0.23 and some reduced depth of power of about 1.5 D. Wavefront measurements showed no major aberrations for the L-313, while a combination of moderate increase in Z 4-0 and Z 6-0 with opposite sign was revealed for the L-333. Conclusion: The enhanced monofocal Lentis Quantum (L-333) produces some enlarged depth of focus by combining spherical aberration of different order and opposite sign. The Lentis Quantum performs very well in comparison to the aspherical monofocal counterpart owing to its optical design. Results with large apertures were sufficient too, suggesting that the lens is a good option in eyes with a wide pupil and thus in refractive surgeries of young patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on our super-slip groove design, three-dimensional numerical models for liquid film under boundary conditions of no slip and super slip at the groove bottom of spiral groove, Tesla groove, and double spiral groove liquid film seals were established. The evolution characteristics of cavitation under different rotational speeds and ambient temperatures were studied, and visualization experiments were carried out through a self-built cavitation visualization test bench. The findings reveal that the super-slip design demonstrates groove universality, preserving the integrity of the liquid film while significantly reducing cavitation rate, enhancing opening force, minimizing leakage, and lowering liquid film temperature. Notably, the experimental observations align closely with the numerical results. • Visualization experiments have verified the accuracy of numerical simulation method for super-slip groove liquid film seals. • The proposed super-slip groove design offers groove universality. • The super-slip groove design significantly mitigates cavitation and enhances the performance of liquid film seals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multi-phase machines are being proposed in research and industry applications due to their inherent advantages. Finite Control Set Model Predictive Controllers (FCS MPC) constitute a flexible tool to deal with the increased number of phases. However, FCS MPC is computationally demanding, reducing its applicability with fast power converters. Region-based methods for FCS MPC have been recently proposed to reduce the control computation time. However, these methods are still hindered by the use of a fixed application time for the selected voltage. The paper presents a region-based method that uses variable application times. The method achieves fast computation of the voltage vector and its application time. Moreover, the application time can be found with fine resolution unlike previous approaches and without iterations. The proposal is experimentally validated using a laboratory test bench based on a symmetric five-phase induction machine showing improved control results and a reduction in harmonic content. • A region-based method that uses variable application times achieves fast computation of the voltage vector and its application time. • The application time can be found with fine resolution unlike previous approaches and without iterations. • For the same computing power than other approaches, the proposal attains tighter stator current tracking with reduced harmonic content. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the numerical simulation of blasting in jointed rock masses, the accuracy of joint geometric parameters is one of the key factors affecting the numerical results. To facilitate the numerical simulation, most of the previous studies on blasting in jointed rock masses were conducted on regular jointed rocks, which is not conducive to fully revealing the dynamic responses and blast-induced damage characteristics of jointed rock mass. In this study, scanline sampling and borehole sampling were employed to obtain the surface and internal joint structures of the rock bench. To represent the joint geometry, a reconstruction technique for three-dimensional (3D) jointed rock masses in LS-DYNA was proposed utilizing MATLAB code. In the process, the elements on joint surfaces were identified and assigned mechanical parameters of joints to construct the 3D jointed rock model, where the geometrical properties of generated joints obey the statistical distribution obtained from the scanline survey. Taking an open-pit limestone mine as an example, a statistical analysis of the 3D distribution of joints was carried out and used to construct a 3D jointed rock numerical model for bench blasting. Comparisons between the bench slope extracted from the numerical model and the actual joint trace mapping from a rock exposure are performed, and the similarity between the two contour plots of joint orientations reaches 91.6 %. For comparison tests, the bench blasting was simulated by an intact rock model and the jointed rock model. The results indicate that the dynamic responses and blast-induced damage characteristics of jointed rocks are significantly affected by the geometry of joints. Compared with the intact rock model, the presence of joints causes stress concentration and local strengthening of rock damage between adjacent joints, which results in a 30.5 % increase in the damage volume. Furthermore, a field blasting test was conducted to analyze the accuracy of the jointed rock model. The results show that the fragment size distributions obtained from the jointed rock numerical model and the filed test are generally consistent, and the error between them in the proportion of rock fragments with a size of 0 ∼ 100 mm is only 12.8 %. These findings indicate that the proposed reconstruction method of the jointed rock model is considerably robust for characterizing the joint geometry of in situ rock masses and simulating the bench blasting in jointed rock masses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Producing novel medical radionuclides in the quantities necessary for pre-clinical and clinical use requires an ion source able to handle high ion throughputs, operated efficiently, to deliver high specific activity samples. This is only possible with the understanding of how different parameters affect the ion source performance. Offline mass separators are needed to run systematic studies that would help us to derive the laws governing those ion sources. At KU Leuven, we are refurbishing the Leuven Isotope Separator, a mass separator previously used for implantations of radioisotopes in solid-state samples and Mössbauer spectroscopy. In the past couple of years, the machine has undergone significant updates and has been adapted to integrate the target ion source units used at CERN-ISOLDE. This paper discusses the modifications to the Leuven Isotope Separator, as well as its potential as a test bench for the study of radioactive ion beams in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Advances in medium voltage direct current (MVDC) technologies and the penetration of extended MVDC systems are still significantly hindered by the lack of adequate direct current (DC) switching equipment. The fundamentally different fault current behavior in case of a DC fault, compared to faults in alternating current (AC) systems, with regard to the characteristics and development of fault currents and their interruption make dedicated test procedures necessary. One testing approach is the application of a power-electronic buck converter (PEBC) to simulate relevant stresses on DC switching equipment during a DC fault current interruption. Since the associated requirements, especially regarding current ratings of several kiloamperes, cannot be fulfilled by using a singular PEBC, a modularization becomes necessary. However, particularly in high-power applications, the interconnection of several PEBC modules poses significant challenges. In this article, a demonstrator PEBC-based high-power test circuit for the provision of relevant testing parameters is presented. The underlying challenges and respective solutions with regard to the interconnection of, in total, 120 individual PEBC modules are discussed. It can be shown that the harmonization of connection busbar inductances is the main contributor towards a stable and safe test circuit operation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]