Gain Efficiency Research Articles

Adaptive time step selection for spectral deferred correction

AbstractSpectral Deferred Correction (SDC) is an iterative method for the numerical solution of ordinary differential equations. It works by refining the numerical solution for an initial value problem by approximately solving differential equations for the error, and can be interpreted as a preconditioned fixed-point iteration for solving the fully implicit collocation problem. We adopt techniques from embedded Runge-Kutta Methods (RKM) to SDC in order to provide a mechanism for adaptive time step size selection and thus increase computational efficiency of SDC. We propose two SDC-specific estimates of the local error that are generic and do not rely on problem specific quantities. We demonstrate a gain in efficiency over standard SDC with fixed step size and compare efficiency favorably against state-of-the-art adaptive RKM.

When does adjusting covariate under randomization help? A comparative study on current practices

PurposeWe aim to thoroughly compare past and current methods that leverage baseline covariate information to estimate the average treatment effect (ATE) using data from of randomized clinical trials (RCTs). We especially focus on their performance, efficiency gain, and power.MethodsWe compared 6 different methods using extensive Monte-Carlo simulation studies: the unadjusted estimator, i.e., analysis of variance (ANOVA), the analysis of covariance (ANCOVA), the analysis of heterogeneous covariance (ANHECOVA), the inverse probability weighting (IPW), the augmented inverse probability weighting (AIPW), and the overlap weighting (OW) as well as the augmented overlap weighting (AOW) estimators. The performance of these methods is assessed using the relative bias (RB), the root mean square error (RMSE), the model-based standard error (SE) estimation, the coverage probability (CP), and the statistical power.ResultsEven with a well-executed randomization, adjusting for baseline covariates by an appropriate method can be a good practice. When the outcome model(s) used in a covariate-adjusted method is closer to the correctly specified model(s), the efficiency and power gained can be substantial. We also found that most covariate-adjusted methods can suffer from the high-dimensional curse, i.e., when the number of covariates is relatively high compared to the sample size, they can have poor performance (along with lower efficiency) in estimating ATE. Among the different methods we compared, the OW performs the best overall with smaller RMSEs and smaller model-based SEs, which also result in higher power when the true effect is non-zero. Furthermore, the OW is more robust when dealing with the high-dimensional issue.ConclusionTo effectively use covariate adjustment methods, understanding their nature is important for practical investigators. Our study shows that outcome model misspecification and high-dimension are two main burdens in a covariate adjustment method to gain higher efficiency and power. When these factors are appropriately considered, e.g., performing some variable selections if the data dimension is high before adjusting covariate, these methods are expected to be useful.

Essential Oils, Chemical Compounds, and Their Effects on the Gut Microorganisms and Broiler Chicken Production: Review

The influence of essential oils (EOs) on gut microorganisms and broiler chicken production was evaluated through the systematic analysis of scientific reports. The present study was focused on the EO antimicrobial activity oriented toward broiler chicken production. There is a great biodiversity of plants, and various compounds with different biological activity have been isolated from them. The EO molecules extracted from plants have been employed recently in livestock feeding. Microbial resistance to antibiotics has led to their reduced use in animal production. To maintain competitive broiler chicken production with reduced antibiotic use, EOs have been explored. In broiler chickens, EOs are supplemented in the diet or drinking water to enhance weight gain and feed efficiency and reduce mortality. EOs are an alternative to antibiotics, and their research is dynamic in poultry production. The present review focused on the antimicrobial activity oriented to broiler chicken production. The search for information in databases used the terms “broiler chicken”, “essential oils” and combined them with the name of the plants. It was detected that the EO of Cinnamon bark or its compound cinnamaldehyde could reduce pathogenic bacteria in the digestive tract and improve intestinal morphology. Essential oils from Cymbopogon spp. and Origanum vulgare had an effect mainly against Gram-negative bacteria, such as Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella spp., and others, and against some Gram-positive bacteria, such as Staphylococcus spp., or yeasts, such as Candida albicans. Essential oils of Cymbopogon citratus acted against Salmonella. Citrus japonica affected Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli, and Salmonella typhimurium. Origanum EO improved the antioxidant status and gut health of chickens, while EO of Eucalyptus with carvacrol, thymol, and Citrus lemon improved the productive performance of broiler chickens; also, Citrus spp. reduced the number of oocysts of Eimeria and showed activity against Listeria monocytogenes, Staphylococcus aureus, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. It is concluded that EOs are a sustainable alternative to antibiotics in the production of broiler chickens. Future research includes the standardization of EO from different plants and active molecules, as well as the interaction with other feed additives and their impact on the health and production of broiler chickens. In addition, safety for consumers and the environment must be considered.

Gain in efficiency of jet receptivity to acoustic disturbances with increasing nozzle-lip thickness

The gain in efficiency of the receptivity of jets to acoustic disturbances as the nozzle lip is thicker is investigated using numerical simulations. For that, axisymmetric acoustic pulses are introduced in jets with Blasius laminar boundary-layer profiles at Mach numbers $M=0.4$ , 0.6, 0.9 and 1.3 for nozzle-lip thicknesses between 1 % and 93 % of the nozzle radius. They are located on the jet axis or outside the jet with incidence angles $\varphi$ between $5^{\circ }$ and $90^{\circ }$ with respect to the downstream direction. Instability waves develop in the jet shear layer after the acoustic disturbances hit the nozzle. In all cases except for $\varphi \geq 75^{\circ }$ , their amplitudes and hence the efficiency of the jet receptivity to the disturbances increase with the nozzle-lip thickness. The gains in efficiency are greater for a pulse inside the jet, generating upstream-travelling pressure waves resembling guided jet waves, than for a pulse outside the jet, producing free-stream sound waves. In the second case, the gains are significant for $\varphi =5^{\circ }$ and decrease with the incidence angle, especially for $\varphi >30^{\circ }$ . Moreover, the gains are stronger for a higher Mach number, and roughly double between $M=0.4$ and $1.3$ , thus reaching, for a pulse inside the jet, values close to 6 between the thinnest and thickest lips. Finally, according to additional simulations for $M=0.9$ , the gains in receptivity efficiency do not change appreciably when different azimuthal mode numbers of the acoustic disturbances, widths of the pulse and shapes of the boundary-layer profile are considered.

Intravenous Line Labels For High-Alert Drugs Administered To Critically Ill Patients: A Simulated Experimental Assessment.

Evaluate the effect of IV line labels on nurses' identification of high-alert medications in a simulated scenario of multiple infusions for critically ill patients. Randomised crossover simulation experimental study. A study was conducted on 29 nurses working in intensive care for over 6 months. They were given two critical scenarios in a simulated environment, one with labels and the other without labels, involving multiple intravenous infusions. The nurses had to identify the medications infused into the critical patients' intravenous lines and disconnect a specific line. The data were collected and analysed to evaluate the errors made by the nurses in identifying and disconnecting the medications and the time they spent carrying out the tasks. The Wilcoxon test was used to analyse the variation in outcome before and after the intervention. Approximately one-third of the study participants incorrectly identified the intravenous lines in both scenarios. There was no significant difference in the average number of errors between the scenarios with and without labels. However, the time taken to perform the tasks in the scenario with labels was 1 min less than in the scenario without labels, suggesting a potential efficiency gain. The labels on the intravenous lines allowed for quick drug identification and disconnection. The professionals performed similarly in correctly recognising the high-alert medication intravenous lines, in the scenarios with or without labels. The label can be used as a technology to prevent misidentification of high-alert medications administered to critically ill patients through intravenous lines, thereby enhancing medication safety in healthcare institutions. No Public Contribution.

Effect of Long-Term Supplementation of AZOMITE (Hydrated Sodium Calcium Aluminosilicate) in Finishing Diets on Growth Performance, Dietary Energy, and Carcass Yield of Hairy Lambs.

The aim of this study was to evaluate growth performance, dietary energy utilization, and carcass characteristics (carcass weight, dressing percentage, and visceral organ mass) of feedlot lambs fed different levels of AZOMITE (AZO), a source of volcanic clay composed of hydrated sodium calcium aluminosilicate, the same as that included in a finishing diet. For this reason, 36 Pelibuey × Katahdin crossbred intact male lambs (18.81 ± 3.04 kg initial weight) were used in a feeding trial lasting 81 d. Lambs were grouped by initial weight and assigned within six weight groupings to 18 pens in a randomized complete block design. Diets, offered ad libitum, were corn-based finishing diets with an 88:12 concentrate-to-forage ratio supplemented as follows: 1) no AZO inclusion (CTRL), 2) AZO inclusion at a 0.75% level (0.75AZO) in diet dry matter, 3) AZO inclusion at a 1.50% level (1.5AZO) in diet dry matter. Cracked corn was replaced by AZO. After the feeding trial was finished, lambs were slaughtered and carcass weight was registered and dressing percentage was calculated. The data were analyzed as a randomized complete block design, with the pen as the experimental unit. Water consumption and dry matter intake were not affected (p ≥ 0.11) by supplemental AZO. The incorporation of AZO into the diet increased gain efficiency and observed dietary net energy (NE), being maximal with 0.75% AZO inclusion (quadratic effect, p = 0.02). The observed-to-expected dietary NE in the control group was as anticipated (1.00) according to the estimated energy based on the ingredient composition in diet, while in the 0.75AZO group, the observed dietary energy was 6% above expected, indicating a greater efficiency in energy utilization destined to growth (quadratic effect, p = 0.006). Lambs that were fed the AZO treatment showed an improvement (linear effect, p = 0.04) in hot carcass weight (HCW), and tended (linear effect, p = 0.06) to improve dressing percentage (DP) as AZO was increased in the diet. Visceral organ mass was not affected by the treatments. It is concluded that AZOMITE clay can be included up to 1.5% in finishing diets for lambs without negative effects on the intake of water and feed. Lambs that received diets supplemented with 0.75% AZO showed greater improvements in feed efficiency and dietary energy utilization, but an inclusion of 1.50% resulted in greater improvements to HCW and DP. This is the first report regarding the effects of AZO supplementation in the dietary energy utilization of fattening hairy lambs. Further research about the effects of AZO supplementation on ruminal and total tract digestion, carcass and meat quality, and the health of lambs is needed in order to more deeply understand the effects of AZO on its productivity performance.

Nanocomposite Embedded Electric and Magnetic Material Enhancing Antenna Radiation by Linear Relation in Radiators

The main and auxiliary radiating elements are linked by linear mathematical relation and coated with nanocomposite (NC) materials to enhance radiation characteristics. Nanocomposite-based electric material (NE) and nanocomposite-based magnetic material (NM) coated on auxiliary radiating elements to enhance the electromagnetic radiation of the proposed antenna. The radiating elements coated with NE graphene oxide (GO) and NM barium ferrite (BF) have higher electric field and magnetic field distribution respectively. The linear relation of main and auxiliary elements is verified by two substrates FR4, Teflon with correlated results. This proposed NC-coated antenna produces a bandwidth of 4.15 GHz, 4.02 dBi average gain and radiation efficiency of 95.17%, being superior to the antenna without NC coating. Fabricated antenna has 1.56–5.71 GHz bandwidth that includes 2.4/5.2 GHz WLAN, 2.5/3.5 GHz WiMAX, 2.4 GHz ISM, 5G SUB-6 GHz, 5G NR 78 and 2.4/5 GHz Wi-Fi bands.

Optimization of Graphene-based Antenna using Metasurface for THz Applications using Ensemble Learning models

Aims and Background: These days, communication is governed by scaled-down devices with extremely high data transfer rates. The days of data transfer rates in megabytes are long gone and the systems are touching data speeds of hundreds of gigabytes. To cater to this requirement, the evolution of metasurface-based antennas working in the THz frequency range is gaining pace. Objectives and Methodology: Metasurface layers in antennas have unique mechanical and electrical properties that make them feasible. Graphene is a preferred metasurface material when designing antennas. In this paper, two novel designs of graphene-based metasurface antennas are proposed. These patch antennas with graphene metasurface layers have two configurations for slotted patches. Both graphene and gold-slotted patches are tested in this paper, and results are presented and validated for various performance parameters like return loss, peak gain, peak directivity, and radiation efficiency. Results: The design of the proposed Graphene Patch Antennas (GPA) is done in HFSS, and once the design is complete, the data is collected for variations in antenna parameters and is further processed via machine learning for better convergence in terms of return loss using ensemble learning. Optimal tuning of antenna components like substrate length, patch length, slot width, etc., is done using two regressor algorithms viz Histogram-based Gradient Boosting Regression Tree (HBDT) and Random Forest Tree (RFT) in machine learning. The radiation efficiencies of the two designs presented in this work are 89.04%, 97.54%, an average radiation efficiency of of 93.29%. The bandwidth of the two antenna designs is 8.63 THz and 8.69 THz, respectively. Conclusion: Experimental results indicate that the proposed designs are achieved better bandwidth, and radiation efficiencies compared to state-of-art designs.

Multi-Fidelity Aeromechanical Design Framework for High Flow Speed Multistage Axial Compressors

Abstract The development of novel engine architectures is vital in achieving the aviation sector’s net-zero carbon emission target by 2050. With today’s digital decade providing support for an accelerated technology maturation, the challenge for turbomachinery design remains to significantly push the limits of current performance within an ambitious development lead time. In this context, it is essential to adopt a design framework where the predictive models or simulations employed target a sufficiently reliable performance assessment. These models must be tailored to the dynamics of evolving industrial design processes, and therefore continuously balance required design flexibility, robust evaluation, appropriate fidelity (i.e. the level of detail and accuracy they provide), and resulting evaluation time. This paper discusses a framework for designing axial compressors and its application to the aeromechanical optimisation of a high-speed compressor rotor. The design environment integrates geometry parametrisation, modular evaluation with different levels of fidelity for the aerodynamic and structural models, and surrogate-based optimisation (SBO) capabilities. It is shown how the combination of a modular sequencing of the different models and the acceleration enabled by high-performance computing (HPC) and machine learning allows for a more advanced preliminary design. A significant gain in isentropic efficiency is attained while satisfying all structural constraints. At the same time, it is demonstrated that the framework is compatible with the characteristics of the preliminary design phase: both in its ability to adapt to cycle and design changes as well as regarding the turnaround time of the optimisation itself.

Thermodynamics-Informed Neural Networks for the Design of Solar Collectors: An Application on Water Heating in the Highland Areas of the Andes

This study addresses the challenge of optimizing flat-plate solar collector design, traditionally reliant on trial-and-error and simplified engineering design methods. We propose using physics-informed neural networks (PINNs) to predict optimal design conditions in a range of data that not only characterized the highlands of Ecuador but also similar geographical locations. The model integrates three interconnected neural networks to predict global collector efficiency by considering atmospheric, geometric, and physical variables, including overall loss coefficient, efficiency factors, outlet fluid temperature, and useful heat gain. The PINNs model surpasses traditional simplified thermodynamic equations employed in engineering design by effectively integrating thermodynamic principles with data-driven insights, offering more accurate modeling of nonlinear phenomena. This approach enhances the precision of solar collector performance predictions, making it particularly valuable for optimizing designs in Ecuador’s highlands and similar regions with unique climatic conditions. The ANN predicted a collector overall loss coefficient of 5.199 W/(m2·K), closely matching the thermodynamic model’s 5.189 W/(m2·K), with similar accuracy in collector useful energy gain (722.85 W) and global collector efficiency (33.68%). Although the PINNs model showed minor discrepancies in certain parameters, it outperformed traditional methods in capturing the complex, nonlinear behavior of the data set, especially in predicting outlet fluid temperature (55.05 °C vs. 67.22 °C).

Thermal and exergy analysis of solar air heater enhanced with sodium carbonate decahydrate and Magnesium sulfate heptahydrate PCM: Performance evaluation

The advancement of renewable solar energy is prospective for energy, heat exchanger, and air heater applications. The main objective of the present research is enhancing the solar air heater thermal performance by the modification of a collector absorber-like plain absorber featuring rectangular fine (SAH 2) and sodium carbonate decahydrate (Na2CO3·10H2O) and Magnesium sulfate heptahydrate (MgSO4·7H2O) PCM with rectangular fin (SAH 3). During the experimental evaluation, the airflow varied by 0.042 and 0.059 kg/s. Influences of collector modification on the functional behaviour of solar air heaters (SAH) are evaluated. Its results are compared to the system of conventional setup without modification of the solar collector with a plain absorber (SAH-1). With the excellence of Na2CO3·10H2O/MgSO4·7H2O with fin setup performed with 0.059 kg/s found better heat transfer performance including heat gain, thermal & exergy efficiency, heat loss coefficient, and PCM temperatures like 927.3 W, 78.6 %, 33.6 %, 16.9 W/m2K, and 68.3 ⁰C respectively. Moreover, Increasing the airflow rate leads to improved heat transfer, and the SAH proves to be effective at higher flow rates when equipped with fins and PCM.

28/38 GHz compact rhombic-shaped antenna for future generations of mobile communications

ABSTRACT It is mandatory for the modern antennas to be designed to operate in the millimetre-wave (mm-wave) range of the electromagnetic spectrum for future generations of mobile communication requires multiband operation of a single antenna. The present work proposes a dual-band antenna to operate at 28 and 38 GHz . The design stages of the proposed antenna and examples of the parametric study performed to arrive at the final antenna design are demonstrated and discussed in detail. The proposed antenna is constructed as a main patch with parasitic element that is capacitively coupled to the main patch through a narrow slot. The main patch is a rhombic-in-shape and excited through a microstrip live with inset feed. This rhombic shaped patch antenna is originally designed to operate at 28 GHz . To achieve the dual-band operation, the geometry of the main patch is modified and is loaded by a parasitic element. The antenna is fabricated for experimental assessment through measurement of the antenna impedance, radiation patterns, maximum gain and radiation efficiency. The proper operation at 28 and 38 GHz is confirmed by experimental verification of the simulation results. Both the simulation and measurements show that the proposed antenna has 50 Ω -matched impedance over the frequency bands 27.7 − 28.4 GHz and 37.7 − 38.4 GHz . The proposed antenna has been designed to enhance the communications system performance when used in the mobile networks through noise rejection by limiting the operation within relatively narrow bands around the resonant frequencies. The values of the maximum gain obtained at 28 and 38 GHz are 6.98 and 8.8 dBi , respectively. The radiation efficiencies of the proposed antenna are 89 % and 87 % , respectively, and the total efficiency is also calculated.

Compact Substrate Integrated Waveguide Cubical Dielectric Resonator Antenna for fifth-generation applications

A comprehensive analysis of a wideband Cubical Dielectric Resonator Antenna is presented, specifically designed for 5G-NR wireless communication applications, focusing on the N257, and N258 frequency bands. This antenna exhibits symmetrical radiation patterns, a wider bandwidth, improved efficiency, and substantial gain characteristics. The design employs a low-loss substrate-integrated waveguide structure to enhance gain while reducing cross-polarization effects. This is accomplished through an innovative approach of establishing boundary conditions using copper wire stitching for vias, superseding the conventional soldering iron method, which guarantees minimal radiation leakage, compact dimensions, and reduced losses. The perforated dielectric resonator antenna possesses higher mode excitations, and implementing metallic strips on two resonator surfaces facilitates the simultaneous excitation of fundamental and higher-order modes, thereby yielding a broadband response. The overall dimensions of the antenna are 15.29 × 8.42 × 3.8 mm3(1.3×0.7×0.3)λ03, which facilitates a measured impedance bandwidth of 8.2 GHz, spanning from 24.4 to 32.6 GHz (28.7%), accompanied by a high gain of 8.1 dBi and efficiency levels reaching up to 94%. The prototype is constructed utilizing the standard printed circuit board technique, and simulation outcomes are derived using the High-Frequency Structure Simulator (HFSS).

A 6-mode pre-amplifier for turbulence-resistant free-space optical communication

A few-mode pre-amplifier with high gain and high coupling efficiency was suitable for the turbulence-resistant free-space optical (FSO) communication. Here, we first built and experimentally demonstrated a forward- and core-pumped 6-mode (6 M) pre-amplifier. By optimizing the 6 M erbium-doped fiber (EDF) length, we achieved over 28 dB of gain and a noise figure of less than 7 dB with an input intensity of −30 dBm. Moreover, we experimentally evaluated the 6 M pre-amplifier of 2.5 Gbps On-Off Keying (OOK) signal transmission with a homemade tunable turbulence emulator. The advantages of the 6 M pre-amplifier over the single-mode (SM) pre-amplifier varied with channel turbulence conditions in terms of communication performances. Compared with the SM pre-amplifier, the coupling efficiencies increased by 4.5 dB and 5.8 dB on average, and the median bit error rates (BERs) of the communication system improved by 2 and 5 orders of magnitude, respectively, in the presence of channels with the scintillation index σI2 of 0.3978 and 1.0553 (moderate to strong turbulence).

Atomically dispersed Ru on flower-like In2O3 to boost CO2 hydrogenation to methanol

Metal-based catalysts are prevalent in the CO2 hydrogenation to methanol owing to their remarkable catalytic activity. Herein, Ru/In2O3 catalysts with different morphologies obtained by doping Ru into In2O3 with irregular, rod-like, and flower-like morphologies are used for catalytic CO2 hydrogenation to methanol. Results indicate that the flower-like Ru/In2O3 (Ru/In2O3-F) exhibits higher catalytic performance than Ru/In2O3 with other morphologies, achieving a 12.9% CO2 conversion, 74.02% methanol selectivity, and 671.36 mgMeOH·h−1·gcat−1 methanol spatiotemporal yield. Furthermore, Ru/In2O3-F maintains its catalytic stability over 200 h at 5 MPa and 290 °C. The promotional effect mainly stems from the fact that electronic structure of Ru can be effectively adjusted by modulating the morphology of In2O3. The strong interaction between atomically dispersed Ru and In2O3-F enhances the structural stability of Ru, inhibiting the agglomeration of the catalyst during the reaction process. Furthermore, density-functional theory calculations reveal that highly dispersed Ru atoms not only perform efficient and rapid electronic gain and loss processes, facilitating the catalytic activation of H2 into H intermediates. It also enables the generated reactive H to rapidly overflow to the surrounding In sites to participate in CO2 reduction. These findings provide a theoretical basis for the development of high-performance catalysts for CO2 hydrogenation.

Low-profile dielectric grooved GRIN lens for broadband millimeter-wave applications

Microwave lenses are utilized at millimeter waves to ensure high-gain and narrow-beamwidth radiation patterns. This paper proposes full-dielectric grooved graded-index (GRIN) lenses with an improved effective permittivity profile of the lens. The proposed grooved GRIN lenses combine changes in the lens geometry with the stepped effective permittivity profile to better approximate the theoretical permittivity profile of the lens. A prototype GRIN lens has been designed, fabricated, and measured. The designed lens has diameter and thickness equal to 72 mm and 19.04 mm (5.3λ0, 1.4λ0 at the center frequency of 22 GHz), respectively. The lens covers the entire K-band (18–26.5 GHz) with aperture efficiency better than 44%. Moreover, it achieves the maximum gain and aperture efficiency of 23 dBi and 64%, respectively.

Gain enhancement of compact CPW‐Fed ultra‐wideband antenna using an FSS reflector

AbstractIn this paper, an enhancement gain of compact CPW‐Fed antenna using a single layer frequency selective surfaces (FSSs) reflector for ultra‐wideband (UWB) applications is presented. A hexagonal CPW‐Fed antenna with a size of 30 × 30 mm2 is realized to provide a UWB bandwidth operation. In this study, a novel design of an FSS unit cell with reduction and a small size of 8 × 8 mm2 is proposed. It allows one to achieve a UWB band‐stop response between 3 and 11.5 GHz. The FSS reflector has 7 × 7 units with a total size of 56 × 56 mm2. This reflector is placed below the antenna at a distance of 20 mm. The main objective of this contribution is to improve the gain level of the antenna, where the proposed antenna achieves an improvement of realized gain of 6.2 dBi with increasing from 2.2 to 8.4 dBi. The antenna became more directive after the integration of the FSS reflector with a directional radiation pattern. The numerical and experimental results are in good concordance with the simulated one. This study is performed in terms of voltage standing wave ratio, radiation pattern, realized gain, and radiation efficiency.

Effectiveness and efficiency of aquatic therapy on independence in activities of daily living and mobility in post-acute spinal cord injury: A matched case-control study.

Aquatic therapy (AT), though potentially effective, lacks studies on clinical efficacy in patients with spinal cord injury (SCI). A recent study analyzing interviews with rehabilitation professionals on its clinical application reported that the scarce evidence of AT benefits was one of the actual barriers to its successful integration into clinical practice. We seek to provide evidence by comparing independence in activities of daily living (ADLs) and functional ambulation capacity in patients following rehabilitation which included AT and matched controls who followed rehabilitation without AT (non-AT). Functional Independence Measure (FIM), Spinal Cord Independence Measure (SCIM-III), Walking Index for Spinal Cord Injury (WISCI-II) and its minimal clinically important difference (WISCI-II/MCID) were assessed. The AT group followed the Halliwick concept. We performed nonparametric nearest-neighbor k:1 matching for age, time since injury to admission, FIM at admission, level of injury (paraplegia/tetraplegia), completeness and cause of injury (traumatic, non-traumatic). The rehabilitation program comprised four daily hours of intensive treatment from the multidisciplinary team. Both groups received the same total number of rehabilitation hours at the same specialized clinical center and were admitted to follow inpatient rehabilitation within 2months after injury. A total of 29 patients with SCI who followed AT (admitted between 2017 and 2023) were compared to historical matches selected from 551 inpatients with SCI (admitted between 2014 and 2023). For k=1, the groups showed no significant differences in gains, efficiency, or effectiveness in FIM and SCIM-III; significant differences were observed in WISCI-II gain (p=0.018) and WISCI-II efficiency (p=0.046) in favor of the AT group; the proportion of patients achieving WISCI-II/MCID was significantly higher for the AT group (75.9% vs. 48.3%) (p=0.030). These results were confirmed for k=2. The AT group performed similarly in independence for performing ADLs and significantly better in ambulation than the matched historical controls.

Study Evaluates Long-Term Corrosion Risk of Load-Bearing, High-Power ESP Cable

_ This article, written by JPT Technology Editor Chris Carpenter, contains highlights of paper OTC 34898, “Long-Term Corrosion-Risk Evaluation of Load-Bearing, High-Power Electrical Submersible Pump Cable,” by Serko A. Sarian, SPE, Alkhorayef Petroleum, and Hattan Banjar, SPE, and Chidirim Ejim, SPE, Saudi Aramco, et al. The paper has not been peer reviewed. Copyright 2024 Offshore Technology Conference. _ In this study, a fit-for-purpose electrical submersible pump (ESP) load-bearing power cable was deployed inside the production tubing of a sour oil well for an extended period of service. Project economics required the power-cable metallurgy to survive long-term exposure reliably for up to 15% hydrogen sulfide (H2S) and high-salinity production fluids. Laboratory tests simulating varying sour well and extended galvanic corrosion conditions have been performed to determine the adequacy of the selected armor metallurgy in downhole corrosive environments. Introduction In recent years, various types of load-bearing power cable-deployed ESP (CDESP) systems have been introduced, eliminating the need to install or remove a conventional ESP along with the completion and reducing ESP changeover time by more than 80%. More recently, live-well CDESP systems have been developed and tested to eliminate the need for a well-kill operation. The most-critical and costly component of such a system is the load-bearing power cable. The cable has the dual purpose of conveyance and long-term powering-up of the ESP. In a conventional artificial lift operation, the ESP is conveyed using the production tubing with a non-load-bearing power cable strapped to the outside of the tubing. This operation requires a workover rig to remove and reinstall the entire completion and a killed-well operation that might permanently damage the reservoir. The main advantages of a CDESP system include operational efficiency gain and cost reduction, no reservoir skin damage, and production-loss minimization. However, a few challenges exist with the use of CDESP. These cables must have significantly different structures from commercial oil and gas power cables. These differences are detailed in the complete paper. Cable-Design Requirements CDESP system criteria include multiple-year continued service in adverse oilwell and reservoir conditions such as sour fluids, high gas/oil ratios (GOR) and temperatures, and abrasion caused by solids production. The following product acceptance requirements were set in advance: - Three redeployments or retrievals after the initial deployment - Single deployment continued runtime to meet or exceed the regional conventional ESP system runtime Based on regional statistics, a conventional ESP system single-deployment average run time is 2.5 years. The effective CDESP power-cable service life target then becomes 2.5 years × four total deployments = 10 years, which served as the basis for all cable-associated testing and reliability metrics.

Effect of supplementation of cactus (Opuntia ficus-indica) cladodes, Acacia saligna, wheat bran and cotton seed cake on feed intake, digestibility, growth and carcass characteristics of goats

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of supplementation of cactus (Opuntia ficus-indica) cladodes, Acacia saligna, wheat bran and cotton seed cake on growth, digestibility, intake and carcass characteristics of goats. A randomized complete block design was used in the experiment with 24 yearling central highland goats with an initial body weight of 15.6 - 16.1kg. The same amount of grass hay (GH) + 150 gDM/head/day wheat bran (WB) was given to all animals. The experimental diets consisted of 80 cotton seed cake (CSC) as treatment 1 (T1), 45CSC +160 cactus cladodes (CC) as T2, 45CSC+ 80 Acacia saligna (AS) as T3, and 45CSC+80CC+40AS as T4 (gram dry matter: DM, per day per goat), Data were gathered on the goats' growth, digestibility, intake, and carcass of major organs, edible and nonedible organs. The consumption of dry matter and organic matter was higher in goats fed T2 and T4 than in the T1 group. The DM, organic matter (OM) and crude protein (CP) digestibility, average daily body weight gain and feed conversion efficiency were higher in T4 and T3 goats when compared to T2 goats. Goats fed on T4 had higher hot carcass weight and dressing percentage on slaughter body weight basis than T2, T3, and T1 supplemented goats. Generally, the experimental diets improved goats’ performance in descending order (T4 > T3 >T1 >T2). Supplementation of T4 (replacement of 35 g DM of cotton seed cake per day by 40g of Acacia saligna and 80g of cactus cladodes on dry matter bases) could be recommended to improve goat performance.