Salmeterol compared with slow-release terbutaline in nocturnal asthma. A multicenter, randomized, double-blind, double-dummy, sequential clinical trial. French Multicenter Study Group

The aim of the multicenter, randomized, double-blind, double-dummy, parallel-group clinical trial with a 2-week treatment period was to compare the efficacy and safety of salmeterol (50 micrograms twice daily) with slow-release (SR) terbutaline (5 mg orally, twice daily) in nocturnal asthma. A total of 159 asthmatic adults (FEV, 50-90% of predicted value; sex ratio: 0.87) with at least two nocturnal awakenings during a 7-d run-in period was included in the study. Patients were centrally randomized with a national computer network (Minitel). The main variable (number of awakening-free nights during the last week of treatment) was analyzed according to a sequential method with the one-sided triangular test. The number of awakening-free nights (+/- SD) was significantly higher in the salmeterol group: 5.3 +/- 2.4 vs 4.6 +/- 2.3 (P = 0.006). Salmeterol was significantly more effective than SR-terbutaline in the following factors: number of patients without any awakening during the last week of treatment (50% vs 27%, P = 0.003), mean morning PEF (351 +/- 109 l/min-1 vs 332 +/- 105 l/min-1, P = 0.04), PEF diurnal variation 6 +/- 10% vs 11 +/- 12%, P = 0.01), overall assessment of efficacy by the patient and the investigator (P = 0.001 and 0.005, respectively), and daily rescue salbutamol intakes (P = 0.004). In the salmeterol group, significantly fewer patients reported adverse events (16% vs 29%, P = 0.04).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Design Impact on Airflow Patterns in Fluidization Units

The airflow behavior in a fluidization unit was integrally studied by means of experimental work and computational fluid dynamics simulation. The computational domain included the gas inlet pipe, plenum, perforated plate, fluidization chamber, and air outlet pipe. Different scenarios were simulated to allow distinguishing the best way to represent perforated‐plate distributors and elucidate the impact of the grid design on the fluidization performance. The simulated pressure drop across the distributor and the plenum flow pattern were in concordance with the experimental data. It was found that the distance between the peripheral holes and walls has a great impact on the airflow downstream the distributor.     

Study on a cobalt silica catalyst during reduction and Fischer–Tropsch reaction: In situ EXAFS compared to XPS and XRD

The reduction of a 25 wt% Co/SiO₂ catalyst for the hydrocarbon synthesis has been followed by several techniques: XRD, TPR, XPS and in situ EXAFS. Before reduction the cobalt is present as a Co₃O₄ spinel phase. A two-step reduction of Co₃O₄ to CoO and then to Co° is observed by EXAFS. This is consistent with XPS (surface) and TPR or XRD (bulk) studies. During CO/H₂ reaction, cobalt is always in the metallic state (EXAFS). The coordination number of cobalt has been determined at each reduction step and during CO hydrogenation reaction.     

Thermal behavior of an electrical motor through a reduced model

The aim of this study is to obtain quickly thermal information on some sensitive components of an electrical motor in a short lapse of time. The thermal behavior of this complex system is modeled and validated. The corresponding detailed model leads to the resolution of a linear system of differential equations of high order, but is not easy to handle for control purposes, due to long CPU time. In order to compute faster, two model reduction techniques are used: the Eitelberg method and the reduction by modal identification. The reduced models effectively give good temperature accuracy on the critical points of the motor with very fast computation time     

Experimental investigation of a pulsating heat pipe for hybrid vehicle applications

This paper deals with the experimental results of an unlooped pulsating heat pipe (PHP) developed and tested in an electronic thermal management field with hybrid vehicle applications in mind. The 2.5 mm inner tube diameter device was cooled by an air heat exchanger to replicate the environment of a vehicle.In order to characterize this pulsating heat pipe, four working fluids have been tested. They are acetone, methanol, water, and n-pentane, with applied thermal power ranging from 25 W to 550 W, air temperature ranging from 10 °C to 60 °C and air velocity ranging from 0.25 m s^?1 to 2 m s^?1. Three inclinations have also been tested according to their horizontal positions: +45° (condenser above the evaporator), 0° and ?45° (condenser below the evaporator).Among the different results, some of the most revelatory were obtained with regard to unfavourable inclination (?45°), for which the performances were very interesting considering a terrestrial application. On the other hand, one also observed low temperature limitations for water as a working fluid and degradation of performances for n-pentane tested at 60 °C air temperature. On an overall basis, however, it should be noted that the PHP functioned with high reliability and reproducibility and without any failure during the start-up or working stage.     

Numerical modeling of the impact of the Ancão Inlet relocation (Ria Formosa,Portugal)

This work describes the application of hydrodynamic (ELCIRC) and transport (VELA and VELApart) models to the Ria Formosa lagoon (Portugal) to study the impact of the relocation of the Ancão Inlet. Located in the south of Portugal, this lagoon is a mesotidal barrier island system that communicates with the sea through 6 inlets. The Old Ancão Inlet was artificially closed and the New Ancão Inlet was relocated into a westward position. This work investigates the hydrodynamic patterns and the potential pathways of tracers in Ria Formosa in two distinct configurations: before and after the Ancão Inlet relocation. The hydrodynamic model was successfully calibrated and validated against elevation, velocity and inlet discharges data, accurately reproducing the tidal propagation. The inlet relocation increases the magnitude of tidal currents, residual velocities and the tidal prism across the bar, suggesting a better stability. The tracers transport simulations suggest enhanced water exchanges through the Ancão Inlet and smaller residence times in the western part of Ria Formosa with the present configuration. Overall, it is concluded that the Ancão Inlet relocation had a positive contribution towards increasing the water renewal of the western part of the lagoon, thus decreasing its vulnerability to pollution.     

Measurevent of the Transient Effects of a Gamtma-Flux on the Energy Resolution of Surface-Barrier Silicon Detectors

The energy resolutions of surface barrier n-type silicon detectors counting al pha-particles were measured under the disturbance of 1.25 MeV gamma-fluxes ranging from 2.3 x 107 to 3.8 x 108 photons cm-2 sec-1 and for detectors having different total thicknesses and resistivities. The results obtained confirm the existence of a zone about 100 micron wide and external to the depletion layer of partially depleted detectors which contributes to worsen the energy resolution of the gamma-irradiated detectors by diffusion rrocesses. It is also pointed out that the energy resolution of the detectors under gamma irradiation varies with the time constants of the amplifying circuit quite differently from what is obser ved in the absence of gamma irradiation.     

Understanding the Thermal Regime of Rivers Influenced by Small and Medium Size Dams in Eastern Canada

Although small and medium‐size dams are prevalent in North America, few studies have described their year‐round impacts on the thermal regime of rivers. The objective of this study was to quantify the impacts of two types of dams (run‐of‐river, storage with shallow reservoirs) on the thermal regime of rivers in eastern Canada. Thermal impacts of dams were assessed (i) for the open water period by evaluating their influence on the annual cycle in daily mean water temperature and residual variability and (ii) for the ice‐covered winter period by evaluating their influence on water temperature duration curves. Overall, results showed that the run‐of‐river dam (with limited storage capacity) did not have a significant effect on the thermal regime of the regulated river. At the two rivers regulated by storage dams with shallow reservoirs (mean depth < 6 m), the annual cycle in daily mean water temperature was significantly modified which led to warmer water temperatures in summer and autumn. From August to October, the monthly mean water temperature at rivers regulated by storage dams was 1.4 to 3.9°C warmer than at their respective reference sites. During the open water period, the two storage dams also reduced water temperature variability at a daily timescale while increased variability was observed in regulated rivers during the winter. Storage dams also had a warming effect during the winter and the winter median water temperature ranged between 1.0 and 2.1°C downstream of the two storage dams whereas water temperature remained stable and close to 0°C in unregulated rivers. The biological implications of the altered thermal regimes at rivers regulated by storage dams are discussed, in particular for salmonids. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Drying nano particles solution on an oscillating tip at an air liquid interface: what we can learn, what we can do

Evaporation of fluid at micro and nanometer scale may be used to self-assemble nanometre-sized particles in suspension. Evaporating process can be used to gently control flow in micro and nanofluidics, thus providing a potential mean to design a fine pattern onto a surface or to functionalize a nanoprobe tip. In this paper, we present an original experimental approach to explore this open and rather virgin domain. We use an oscillating tip at an air liquid interface with a controlled dipping depth of the tip within the range of the micrometer. Also, very small dipping depths of a few ten nanometers were achieved with multi walls carbon nanotubes glued at the tip apex. The liquid is an aqueous solution of functionalized nanoparticles diluted in water. Evaporation of water is the driving force determining the arrangement of nanoparticles on the tip. The results show various nanoparticles deposition patterns, from which the deposits can be classified in two categories. The type of deposit is shown to be strongly dependent on whether or not the triple line is pinned and of the peptide coating of the gold nanoparticle. In order to assess the classification, companion dynamical studies of nanomeniscus and related dissipation processes involved with thinning effects are presented.     

Application of scatterometric porosimetry to characterize porous ultra low-k patterned layers

Porous materials such as ultra low-k dielectrics are commonly used in micro and nano technologies. Since porosity leads to an increased sensitivity of the material to etching and post-etching plasma processes, porosity, pore size and surface modifications need to be assessed during material integration. In this work, the recently developed Scatterometric Porosimetry technique using a porosimetry acquisition coupled with a scatterometric analysis is applied to measure the properties of porous patterned layers. Measurements are performed on specially fabricated gratings after exposure to different plasma treatments. A side-by-side comparison between Ellipsometric Porosimetry and Scatterometric Porosimetry is carried out on different plasma-treated samples and shows a different impact of the plasma processes on patterned materials compared with blanket films. These results highlight the interest of Scatterometric Porosimetry to characterize sidewall damage after each step of the process. It also appears as a good complementary technique to Ellipsometric Porosimetry which only allows quantitative measurements on continuous layers.