Feasibility Of Design Research Articles

Experimental and numerical investigation of a novel inlet for boundary layer ingesting propulsion systems

Boundary Layer Ingestion (BLI) propulsion systems have the potential to significantly enhance aircraft performance, particularly by improving fuel efficiency and reducing emissions. However, the high total pressure losses and distortions at the outlet of the BLI inlet normally restricts the development of BLI propulsion systems. This paper introduces and investigates a high-performance dual-sided BLI inlet configuration suitable for a large amount of boundary layer ingesting through a combination of computational and experimental methods. The dual-sided BLI inlet has two air entrances located at the top and bottom of the aircraft's rear fuselage, with the two ducts from the upper and lower inlets deflecting towards each other and converging at the same annular outlet. Simulation results indicate that the dual-sided BLI inlet prevents the concentration of low-energy flow observed with single-sided inlets, thereby reducing outlet distortion. Additionally, high-speed wind tunnel tests were conducted to validate the design's feasibility. The test results indicate that the dual-sided BLI inlet demonstrates good performance at the design point (Mfar=0.75, MAIP=0.50, δ/h≈45 %). The total pressure recovery coefficient σfar=0.907 and σin=0.995, the outlet total pressure distortion index DC60=0.24, and the outlet swirl intensity is minor. In conclusion, the novel BLI inlet maintains robust performance under designed conditions, fulfilling the engine's stability requirements.

A Bayesian adaptive feasibility design for rare diseases

It is important for researchers to carefully assess the feasibility of a clinical trial prior to the launch of the study. One feasibility aspect that needs to be considered includes whether investigators can expect to successfully achieve the sample size needed for their trial. In this manuscript, we present a Bayesian design in which data collected during a pilot study is used to predict the feasibility of a planned phase III trial. Specifically, we outline a model that predicts a target sample size obtained from the Gamma-Poisson distribution. In a simulation study, we showcase the utility of the proposed design by applying it to a phase III trial designed to assess the efficacy of mycophenolate mofetil in individuals with mild systemic sclerosis. We demonstrate that the predictive nature of the proposed design is particularly useful for rare disease clinical trials and has the potential to greatly increase their efficiency.

Redox flow stacks with tubular cell design—Feasibility and performance

Redox flow batteries are a reliable option for the storage of energy from renewable resources and the all vanadium cell chemistry features the highest level of commercialization. The storage market demands further cost reductions. A tubular cell design can lower power specific costs by featuring reduced material needs and enabling the use of cost efficient extrusion processes of cell components. The feasibility of tubular all vanadium cells has already been shown in previous studies of the authors. In this study, we report on the progress of a recent cell generation and the integration of single cells into stacks. The performance of the current cell and stack generation has reached the region of planar cells with discharge current densities of idch> 300mAcm-2 at SOC≈0.5 and Ucell=0.8V as well as maximum power densities of P/Area> 300mWcm-2 with respect to the membrane area and of P/Volume> 750kWm-3 with respect to the cell body volume. The single cell performance turns out to be reproduceable with negligible losses at stack level in a 5p setup. In this way, the feasibility of tubular stacks is demonstrated. We claim the tubular approach to be transferrable to other cell chemistries.

Warehouse-based, immunopeptidome-guided design of personalised peptide vaccines shows feasibility in clinical trial evaluation in CLL patients

Cancer peptide vaccination represents a promising therapeutic approach, but has been hampered by lack of suitable antigens and restricted applicability due to different HLA backgrounds of individual patients. We here introduce a novel warehouse-based concept for composition of personalized peptide vaccines and report on its successful application in a Phase II clinical trial in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) after first-line therapy. 26 CLL patients in at least partial remission (PR) after 6 months of immuno-chemotherapy were vaccinated with a personalized vaccine compiled from a premanufactured peptide warehouse comprising immunopeptidome-defined CLL-associated peptides. Primary objective was evaluation of immunogenicity, secondary objectives were safety and minimal residual disease (MRD) response. Immunopeptidome-guided vaccine composition was throughout successful, proving the feasibility of warehouse-based vaccine design. Vaccination was well tolerated, with local injection site reactions being the most common adverse event. Only few patients showed vaccine-induced T cell responses, attributable to their inability to mount strong immune responses due to immune-chemotherapy and lack of potent adjuvant formulations. Both issues are addressed within a follow-up trial (NCT04688385), combining the immunopeptidome-guided warehouse-based vaccine design reported here with a potent novel adjuvant evaluating personalized multi- peptide vaccination in CLL patients under T cell supportive BTK inhibitor therapies.Clinical trial registrationwww.clinicaltrialsregister.eu, identifier NCT02802943.

Comprehensive review for zinc powder anodes: Significance, optimizing design, and industrial feasibility in zinc-ion batteries

Rechargeable aqueous zinc-ion batteries (AZIBs) have emerged as promising candidates for sustainable energy storage systems, due to their low cost, enhanced safety, and high-power density. Nevertheless, practical applications are still hampered by inherent challenges related to the zinc (Zn) foil anode, including dendrite formation and interfacial parasitic reactions. As an alternative, Zn powder (Zn-p) presents significant potential, owing to its cost-efficiency, large-scale processability, versatility, and industrial applicability. Notably, the amount of Zn-p can be accurately regulated, enhancing Zn anodes utilization efficiency and facilitating industrial applications. Nevertheless, the unique spherical microstructure of Zn-p introduces specific challenges, such as complex ion pathways, uneven Zn deposition, and a complicated electrode manufacturing process, which directly impact the battery performance, safety, and lifespan. In pursuit of a deeply comprehensive relationship between electrode structure and electrochemical performance for Zn-p-based anodes, this review provides a detailed examination of the working mechanisms of Zn-p-based anodes, while also identifying both the opportunities they present and the unique challenges they face. Moreover, the latest research progress is summarized, with a focus on innovative design strategies for optimizing Zn-p-based anodes. The relationship between these structural aspects and the resulting electrochemical performance, including safety, cycle life, and capacity, is thoroughly examined to provide a deeper understanding of how to achieve optimal battery system design and performance. Meanwhile, the fabrication processes and potential for practical flexible applications of Zn-p-based batteries were detailed. Finally, prospects for achieving high performance and practical utilization of Zn-p-based anodes are offered, providing scientific guidance for their practical application.

Thermal design and analysis of a fully solar-driven copper-chlorine cycle for hydrogen production

Solar copper-chlorine (Cu-Cl) thermochemical cycle is a clean, efficient and large-scale hydrogen production technology. However, when the Cu-Cl cycle is driven by solar energy, large amounts of flows with various heat-absorption and release characters at different temperatures from 25°C to 500°C, resulting in a complex internal heat exchanger network (HEN). The feasible HEN design, the heat transfer losses, and the improvement direction of the system are still unclear. Therefore, a fully solar-driven Cu-Cl cycle for hydrogen production is proposed, in which a 100 MW solar tower and an S-CO2 cycle are utilized to supply heat and electricity. A feasible HEN and possible pinch points are obtained considering energy cascade utilization. Comprehensive energy and exergy conditions are presented and the effects of direct normal irradiance (DNI), recuperative ratio (RR) and maximum temperature (Tm) are assessed. The results show that the receiver has the highest energy efficiency but the lowest exergy efficiency, and the overall system energy and exergy efficiencies are 15.93% and 16.64%. Pinch points of heating the Cu-Cl cycle and S-CO2 cycle lead to limitations of heat transfer. Furthermore, positive effects of increasing RR and Tm are significantly weakened and even turn into negative effects for increasing Tm.

Experimental study on condensation-free radiant cooling panel with low-temperature for local cooling in vehicles - Part 2: Demonstration with passengers for thermal comfort analysis

Radiant cooling is highly energy efficient and provides excellent thermal comfort; however, owing to the large area required, it has primarily been applied to indoor space cooling. In this study, a low-temperature condensation-free radiant cooling panel (RCP), proposed in a related paper (Part 1: Design process and feasibility evaluation with performance test), was applied to an actual vehicle to study its effect and impact on thermal comfort. Thermal satisfaction and sensation were assessed using a subjective survey, and skin temperature was investigated using objective measurements in 17 participants. The results showed that the proposed RCP provided the passengers with better thermal comfort under solar radiation; furthermore, 95 % of participants found it more satisfying when the RCP was turned on, and the overall thermal sensation vote tended to be neutral (0) from warm (2) after operating the RCP for 5 min. In addition, thermal sensation in the head and upper body had a major effect on the overall thermal sensation, whereas thermal sensation in the lower body was of no importance to the overall thermal sensation. The RCP used in this study can maximize the energy-saving effect through local cooling, particularly in vehicles with large spaces.

The FORWARD Psoriasis Registry: Patient-Reported Outcomes in a Novel Psoriasis Registry and Comparison of Traditional, Dermatologist-Led Enrollment With Web-Based Patient Enrollment.

Real-world evidence describing the natural history of all manifestations and severities of psoriasis is needed, as existing studies often recruit from a restricted patient population, and treatment failure and dissatisfaction is common. The FORWARD Psoriasis Registry collects patient-reported data directly online from participants independent of clinician involvement. To test the feasibility of this new registry design and compare baseline characteristics, patient-reported disease outcomes, and treatment utilization between participants enrolling through their clinician (primary enrollment group) and participants self-enrolling online (secondary). We summarized cross-sectional enrollment data from adults with clinician-diagnosed psoriasis who enrolled in the registry from September 2023 through June 2024 and compared baseline characteristics between enrollment groups. The registry enrolled 1560 adults with clinician-diagnosed psoriasis from 42 states and territories in the United States. In the primary enrollment group, 68% were female, mean age was 51years, 34% of participants had moderate or severe psoriasis based on PREPI, and 27% reported clinician-diagnosed psoriatic arthritis. Forty six percent actively used systemic therapies while 65% used topical therapies for psoriasis, and 20% were dissatisfied or very dissatisfied with their treatment. Comparatively, the secondary enrollment group reported statistically significantly worse psoriasis burden for nearly all disease outcomes. The FORWARD Psoriasis Registry rapidly enrolled a large, national cohort of participants with psoriasis, demonstrating feasibility of participant-driven data collection. We found important differences between participants enrolling through their clinician and self-enrolled participants, highlighting the need to collect real-world evidence to understand psoriasis regardless of access to clinical care.

Development of a Web Platform to Facilitate the Implementation and Evaluation of Health Promoting Schools: Protocol for a Double Diamond Design Approach.

Health Promoting Schools (HPS) have emerged as a powerful framework to promote healthy behaviors in many countries. However, HPS still present several challenges, highlighting the excessive workload involved in the accreditation, design, implementation, and evaluation processes. In this sense, a resource to facilitate the implementation processes may have a positive impact on the support of HPS. The aim of this study was to describe the co-design processes undertaken and resulting learnings to develop the Red Escuelas Promotoras de Salud (network of health promoting schools; REDEPS)-Gestion platform to facilitate the accreditation, design, implementation procedures, and evaluation processes of the Aragon's Health-Promoting School Network. The Double Diamond Design Approach was used to co-design this web-platform. The different stakeholders that participated in this co-design, progressed through a 4-stage reflective phase, to discover, define, develop, and deliver the REDEPS-Gestion platform. Participants agreed that the functions of the REDEPS-Gestion platform should permit the management of both the educational centers and the administration such as accreditation processes, definition and review intervention projects, and preparation and review of the different progress reports to evaluate the HPS. Despite co-design being a well-established approach to creative practice, especially within the public sector, some challenges emerged during the co-design process, such as engaging and facilitating stakeholders' participation or the complexity of combining the interests of all stakeholders. This approach allowed us to identify the main barriers for future users and implement platform improvements. We hope that the REDEPS-Gestion platform will therefore be able to contribute to facilitating the implementation of HPS. The Double Diamond Design Approach used to co-design this web platform was an efficient and feasible methodological design approach. The REDEPS-Gestion platform will facilitate HPS implementation in Aragon as well as all the processes involving HPS. Future work will determine its effectiveness in improving HPS implementation. DERR1-10.2196/52110.

Comparative Genomics and Epigenomics of Transcriptional Regulation.

Transcriptional regulation in response to diverse physiological cues involves complicated biological processes. Recent initiatives that leverage whole genome sequencing and annotation of regulatory elements significantly contribute to our understanding of transcriptional gene regulation. Advances in the data sets available for comparative genomics and epigenomics can identify evolutionarily constrained regulatory variants and shed light on noncoding elements that influence transcription in different tissues and developmental stages across species. Most epigenomic data, however, are generated from healthy subjects at specific developmental stages. To bridge the genotype-phenotype gap, future research should focus on generating multidimensional epigenomic data under diverse physiological conditions. Farm animal species offer advantages in terms of feasibility, cost, and experimental design for such integrative analyses in comparison to humans. Deep learning modeling and cutting-edge technologies in sequencing and functional screening and validation also provide great promise for better understanding transcriptional regulation in this dynamic field.

Development of Google Sites-Based Teaching Materials for Mathematics Subjects with Addie Model

The purpose of this development is to produce Google sites-Based Teaching Materials on Mathematics subjects in the form of E-Books. As a learning support medium, this E-Book is equipped with the Google Sites platform which is expected to improve the quality of the learning process where there is an increase in learning motivation in Mathematics subjects and will ultimately improve student learning outcomes. The development model used in the development of interactive learning multimedia is the ADDIE model. The ADDIE model stands for five stages of the development process, namely Analysis, Design, Develop, Implement, & Evaluate. The development process involves subject content experts, learning design experts and learning media experts to provide feedback and input on improvement. In addition, mathematics teachers. The result of this development research is that this Google sites-Based Teaching Material Product has a level of material feasibility, learning design feasibility, and learning media feasibility. Meanwhile, the level of small group trials and field trials with qualifications is very feasible and does not need to be revised.

Automatic travel of a mine hole robot adaptive to changes in hole diameters

Abstract In response to the complex and challenging task of long-distance inspection of small-diameter and variable-diameter mine holes, this paper presents a design for an adaptive small-sized mine hole robot. First, focusing on the environment of small-diameter mine holes, the paper analyzes the robot’s functions and overall structural framework. A two-wheeled wall-pressing robot with good mobility, arranged in a straight line, is designed. Furthermore, an adaptive variable-diameter method is devised, which involves constructing an adaptive variable-diameter model and proposing a control method based on position and force estimators, enabling the robot to perceive external forces. Lastly, to verify the feasibility of the structural design and adaptive variable-diameter method, performance tests and analyses are conducted on the robot’s mobility and adaptive variable-diameter capabilities. Experimental results demonstrate that the robot can move within small-diameter mine holes at any inclination angle, with a maximum horizontal crawling speed of 3.96 m/min. By employing the adaptive variable-diameter method, the robot can smoothly navigate convex platform obstacles and slope obstacles in mine holes with diameters ranging from 70 mm to 100 mm, achieving the function of adaptive variable-diameter within 2 s. Thus, it can meet the requirements of moving inside mine holes under complex conditions such as steep slopes and small and variable diameters.

Stabilization of nonlinear safety-critical systems by relaxed converse Lyapunov-barrier approach and its applications in robotic systems

Combining safety objectives with stability objectives is crucial for safety-critical systems. Existing studies generally unified these two objectives by constructing Lyapunov-type barrier functions. However, insufficient analysis of key set relationships within the system may render the proposed safety and stability conditions conservative, and these studies also did not provide how to use such conditions to design safety-stability control strategies. This paper proposed a feasible and constructive design to achieve stabilization of safety-critical systems by a relaxed converse Lyapunov-barrier approach. By analyzing the relationships between a series of sets associated with the safety-critical system, the stability and safety conditions can be appropriately relaxed. Then, with the help of relaxed converse control Lyapunov-barrier functions (RCCLBFs), a theoretical result was obtained for the stability of affine nonlinear systems with safety constraints. Subsequently, a constructive method was developed for a second-order strict-feedback system to transform the process of solving RCCLBFs into a Lyapunov-like stabilization problem. Finally, the proposed safety-stability control method is exerted on a robotic system and demonstrated by simulations.

Case study of adjacent integral bridges supported on continuous secant piled walls

Integral bridges are often the preferred way of construction for short and medium span bridges in the UK. However, the behaviour of integral bridges is influenced by complex soil-structure interaction behaviour that may be cumbersome to predict and analyse when dealing with unusual structural arrangements. This paper presents a case study for the design of two single span bridges carrying a roundabout over a dual carriageway, supported on continuous secant piled walls. One of the bridges is fully integral while the adjacent structure is articulated at one end due to its skew. An alternative detail for the articulated end is proposed, to eliminate soil pressures and settlements at the back of the abutments as well as reduce the risk of water ingress to the bearings. The complex nature of the structural arrangement presented analytical challenges, that were solved by developing an advanced modelling approach, exploring two proposals. The first is to evaluate the geotechnical model for a range of imposed top of abutment displacements from the onset. The second, using unique non-linear springs and derived P-Y curves describes the more realistic variable nature of soil-structure interaction over the length of the walls leading to reduced soil pressures enhancing design feasibility.

Verification and Validation of the VANGARD Pinwise Nodal Code with Analyses of BEAVRS

This paper validates the graphical processing unit (GPU)–based pinwise nodal core calculation code VANGARD using the Benchmark for Evaluation And Validation of Reactor Simulations (BEAVRS), focusing on hot-zero-power (HZP) physics tests, hot-full-power (HFP) depletion, and load follow operation for both Cycles 1 and 2. Results are compared with measured data and other high-fidelity numerical solutions. In HZP physics tests, the critical boron concentration (CBC), control rod bank worth, and isothermal temperature coefficient agree well with measured data, satisfying the design review criteria for typical zero power physics tests. Pin power distributions for various rodded cases confirm the high accuracy of pin-resolved solutions compared to other numerical results. For HFP depletion, CBC closely matches measured data and other high-fidelity numerical solutions, showing differences smaller than 35 and 10 ppm, respectively, throughout the whole depletion steps. Computational performance analysis reveals that a cycle depletion of a realistic pressurized water reactor core can be completed within 3.5 min using a single gaming GPU, which affirms the feasibility of practical pinwise core designs.

Neurobiological and Anti-Inflammatory Effects of a DeepDiaphragmatic Breathing Technique Based on Neofunctional Psychotherapy: A Pilot RCT.

We examined the feasibility of using the neofunctional deep breathing (NDB) technique to reduce the allostatic load following the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST). Forty-four healthy subjects were randomised into experimental and control groups. Following the TSST procedure, participants underwent either a single session of NDB or an attention control intervention. The Procomp Infinity Biofeedback system measured breath per minute (BPM), respiratory amplitude, HRV linear domains, skin conductance, and trapezius muscle electromyographic activity. Cortisol and cytokine salivary concentrations, perceived stress, and anxiety levels were also assessed. These parameters were combined into an allostatic load index (ALI) to measure the intervention's effect. This pilot RCT demonstrated the feasibility of the study design and practicality of the intervention. The NDB group showed reduced ALI, increased respiratory abdominal amplitude, decreased BPM, increased HRV indicating parasympathetic activation, and decreased cortisol and inflammatory cytokines. This study highlighted the feasibility of testing the NDB technique in reducing allostatic load through a neurobiological and anti-inflammatory response after exposure to psychosocial stress. This protocol can represent a non-invasive therapeutic adjutant in disorders related to a dysregulation of the HPA axis or to an inflammatory state. Trial Registration: NCT04102813.

Structural design and test of superconducting magnet coil for the cooling storage ring external-target experiment

Abstract Heavy ion collision is an unique method for studying cold and dense nuclear matter in labs. The Cooling Storage Ring (CSR) External-target Experiment (CEE) at the Heavy Ion Research Facility in Lanzhou (HIRFL), China, is the first multi-purpose nuclear physics experimental device to operate in the GeV energy range. One of the key parts is a large acceptance dipole magnet, which is used to bend particles so that they can be detected by various detectors. A superconducting coil with the size of 3.1 m ×3.6 m × 2 m was designed to verify the rationality of the scheme. Although the coil-dominated superconducting magnet with NbTi has been used to reduce the weight and size of the magnet, large deformation and stress will occur in the cooldown and excitation stages owing to the large volume and weight. Therefore, it is crucial to design a reasonable structure to ensure the strength of the magnet and prevent the magnet from interfering with other components due to large deformation, and even the possibility of quenching. A truss supporter is proposed for the support of the superconducting coil. In this study, the structural design of the cold mass of a superconducting magnet is introduced, and its mechanical behaviors during cooldown and excitation are analyzed in detail. To verify the feasibility of the coil design and process route, a sub-size prototype was manufactured and tested at 4.2 K and reached the design current successfully.

Risk Identification of Public Private Partnership Contracts with The Build-Operate-Transfer Scheme on Toll Road in Indonesia

One of the most crucial things that every nation needs is infrastructure. To boost the nation’s competitiveness, the Indonesian government is expediting infrastructure construction. Howeve, there are risk and big financial outlays that need to be addressed. A collaboration agreement, often known as public-private partnership (PPP), between the government and the private party is required in order to do this. With this contract, the government will be able to increase the number of toll roads throughout Indonesia. Although PPP comes in a variety of forms, the Build Operate Transfer (BOT) model is the most commonly used. The organizers and managers of the toll road will assume the government may be able to increase the number of toll roads Indonesia requires with the help of this deal. Although PPP comes in a variety of forms, the BOT model is the most commonly used. The organizers and managers of the toll road will assume all risks associated with the partnership plan. In order to reduce the risks caused by a partnership, each risk must be identified, assigned, and given the proper reaction. The data used in this study comes from BOT cooperation scheme-using toll road projects. The study indicates that there are relevant risks for toll road projects in Indonesia using PPP contracts with the BOT scheme, (1) political risk, (2) feasibility study risk, (3) financial risk, (4) design risk, (5) construction risk, (6) operation risk, and (7) transfer risk. The risk allocation in this research is based on expert opinions, adapted from ongoing toll road BOT projects in Indonesia.

Analysis of factors influencing Y-ring sealing under ultra-high-pressure, high-temperature and low-temperature conditions

Abstract To study the factors affecting the sealing performance of a Y-shaped sealing ring at the stem of a 140-MPa cage throttle valve under -46°25C and 180°C operating conditions, uniaxial tensile tests were conducted on polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) and its modified materials. Finite element simulation software was then used to perform a simulation study of the Y-shaped sealing ring. The finite element simulation software was used to perform a sensitivity analysis on the five most critical parameters of the Y-shaped sealing ring and to perform dimensional optimization by using the multi-island genetic algorithm. The results show that compared with 25°C, under a 180°C condition, the contact stress at both ends of the sealing lip decreases when the valve stem moves upward . Under the condition of -46°C, the contact stress at the sealing lip increases when the valve stem goes down, the contact stress at both ends of the sealing lip decreases when the valve stem goes up; and the impact of the stem movement speed on the maximum value of the Y-shaped sealing ring contact stress is small.The design dimensions that have the greatest influence on the maximum von Mises stress and the maximum contact stress of the inner lip of the Y-seal during stem movement are the width and the tip height of the lip, respectively. The optimum values of the design variables are determined and the feasibility of the theoretical design is verified by testing.

Research advances in solar dryer technologies integrated with solar air heater: a state-of-the art review on design variations, performance and feasibility assessments

Research advances in solar dryer technologies integrated with solar air heater: a state-of-the art review on design variations, performance and feasibility assessments