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In this study, a numerical model is used to investigate the evaporation and flow characteristics of heated liquid sheets and films. The liquid is modeled as water and as black liquor, a byproduct produced by paper mills. In the pulping process, black liquor is concentrated in an evaporator as a falling film. The effectiveness of the evaporator is reduced due to fouling on heat transfer surfaces. Two flow arrangements are studied: falling films, where the liquor and steam are separated by a heat transfer surface; and liquid curtains, which is a thin sheet of liquid falling due to gravity surrounded by steam. For the liquid curtain, the liquid and gas come into direct contact, therefore there is no place for fouling to occur allowing for a more consistent operation of the evaporator. This type of arrangement is not currently used in paper mills but is being investigated in this work to determine its feasibility. The fluid system is simulated using the finite volume method with a single-fluid field to capture the liquid-gas interface. This study investigates how the breakup of a liquid curtain is affected by flow parameters and how the breakup into droplets influences the evaporation characteristics of the liquid curtain. It is found that the falling film evaporator has a much higher liquid evaporation rate than evaporating as a liquid curtain. However the falling film evaporator has an entrance length with no evaporation, and liquid curtains allow for evaporation to start occurring very near the inlet. If reducing length of the evaporator is a priority, liquid curtain evaporators can obtain a higher evaporation rate than falling films within the same distance. Falling film evaporation has a higher steam efficiency than a liquid curtain evaporator. However, for short evaporator lengths the rate at which water is removed from a liquid curtain evaporator is much greater, but at the cost of a higher steam consumption rate.

The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) uses the Pavement Management Information Systems (PMIS) to store and analyze pavement data, and to summarize information needed to support pavement-related decisions. The information on overall condition of the pavement is stored in PMIS, measured with various scores based on visual distress and ride quality surveys. However, a direct measure of the pavement structural condition is currently not in use. A network-level index that can distinguish pavements that require Preventive Maintenance (PM) from those that require Rehabilitation (Rhb) is required, because, it is not cost-effective to apply PM treatments to pavements that are structurally inadequate. The necessity to use an index to improve pavement treatment selection process, especially under financial constraints has motivated this research. The objective of this research is to validate the pavement Structural Condition Index (SCI) developed under a previous Research Project 0-4322, and to develop guidelines for implementing the SCI at the network level. / text

Falls among older adults (age 65 years and older) residing in personal care homes (PCHs) are an important health concern. Atypical antipsychotic drugs (AADs) have been shown to be associated with fall risk among older adults. However, previous studies face some methodological limitations that affect the quality, consistency, and comparability of these studies. Therefore, a population-based study was undertaken to examine the effect of AAD use on the risk of falling among older PCH residents. A nested case-control study was conducted using the administrative healthcare records and Minimum Data Set for PCHs (MDS) housed at the Manitoba Centre for Health Policy in the Faculty of Medicine, University of Manitoba. The study period was from April 1, 2005 to March 31, 2007. Cases (n=626) were fallers as recorded in MDS. Using incidence density sampling, each case was matched to four controls on length of PCH stay, age, and sex (n=2,388). Exposure to AADs was obtained from the Drug Program Information Network database. Conditional logistic regression was used to model the effects of AAD use on the risk of falling while accounting for matching and for confounding of other covariates. While the adjusted odds of falling was statistically greater for AAD users versus nonusers (adjusted odds ratio = 1.60, 95% CI 1.10-2.32), this association was type and dose dependent. Compared to nonusers, the odds of falling was greater for quetiapine users, regardless of this drug's dose, and high dose risperidone users. On the other hand, low dose risperidone and olanzapine, irrespective of drug dose, use was not associated with the risk of falling. Furthermore, the effect of AAD use, in general, on the risk of falling was significantly greater for people with wandering problems (adjusted odds ratio = 1.84, 95% CI 1.09-3.09). Despite some methodological limitations, this research has provided some unique findings that enhance our understanding of AAD use as a fall risk factor. Study findings allow policymakers to further develop evidence-based interventions specific to AADs in order to better manage falls in the PCH setting. However, a great deal of research is still needed to address other important unanswered questions.

Falls among older adults (age 65 years and older) residing in personal care homes (PCHs) are an important health concern. Atypical antipsychotic drugs (AADs) have been shown to be associated with fall risk among older adults. However, previous studies face some methodological limitations that affect the quality, consistency, and comparability of these studies. Therefore, a population-based study was undertaken to examine the effect of AAD use on the risk of falling among older PCH residents. A nested case-control study was conducted using the administrative healthcare records and Minimum Data Set for PCHs (MDS) housed at the Manitoba Centre for Health Policy in the Faculty of Medicine, University of Manitoba. The study period was from April 1, 2005 to March 31, 2007. Cases (n=626) were fallers as recorded in MDS. Using incidence density sampling, each case was matched to four controls on length of PCH stay, age, and sex (n=2,388). Exposure to AADs was obtained from the Drug Program Information Network database. Conditional logistic regression was used to model the effects of AAD use on the risk of falling while accounting for matching and for confounding of other covariates. While the adjusted odds of falling was statistically greater for AAD users versus nonusers (adjusted odds ratio = 1.60, 95% CI 1.10-2.32), this association was type and dose dependent. Compared to nonusers, the odds of falling was greater for quetiapine users, regardless of this drug's dose, and high dose risperidone users. On the other hand, low dose risperidone and olanzapine, irrespective of drug dose, use was not associated with the risk of falling. Furthermore, the effect of AAD use, in general, on the risk of falling was significantly greater for people with wandering problems (adjusted odds ratio = 1.84, 95% CI 1.09-3.09). Despite some methodological limitations, this research has provided some unique findings that enhance our understanding of AAD use as a fall risk factor. Study findings allow policymakers to further develop evidence-based interventions specific to AADs in order to better manage falls in the PCH setting. However, a great deal of research is still needed to address other important unanswered questions.

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The objectives of the study were to determine the incidence of falls, the prevalence of fear of falling and fall risk factors and consequences in adults with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). 559 community dwelling adults with RA, aged 18 to 88 years (mean age 62; 69% female) participated in this prospective cohort study. Patients were recruited from four outpatient clinics in the Northwest of England and followed for 1 year after clinical assessment, using monthly falls calendars and telephone calls. Outcome measures included fall occurrence, reason for fall, type and severity of injuries, fractures, fall location, lie-times, use of health services and functional ability. Risk factors for falls included lower limb muscle strength, postural stability, number of swollen and tender joints, functional status, history of falling, fear of falling, pain, fatigue and medication. Data on demographics, vision, co-morbidities, history of surgery, fractures, and joint replacements were also recorded.535 participants followed for one year had a total of 598 falls. 36.4% participants (95% CI 32% to 41%) reported falling with an incidence rate of 1313/1000 person-years at risk or 1.11 falls per person. Over one third of the falls were reportedly caused by hips, knees or ankle joints giving way. Over half of all the falls resulted in moderate injuries, including head injuries (n=27) and fractures (n=26). Univariate logistic regression showed that falls risk was independent of age and gender. A history of falls in the previous one year was a strong medical fall predictor with an odds ratio (OR) for a single fall=3.3 and for multiple falls OR=4.3. Fear of falling was an important self-reported psychological predictor, with the risk increasing by 10% with each point above 7 (up to 28) in the Short FES-I score. The inability to complete the Four Test Balance Scale due to poor balance was a strong postural fall predictor (OR 2.3). The most significant functional predictor of falls was the functional Health Assessment Questionnaire score, and each additional point attained in the score (1-4) nearly doubled the risk of further falls. Multivariate logistic regression revealed that when taken in combination with other factors, a history of multiple falls in the previous one year was the most significant predictive risk factor (OR=5.3) and overall the model accounted for 71% of variation. The most significant modifiable risk factors were swollen and tender lower limb joints (hip, knee and ankle) (OR=1.7), psychotropic medication (OR=1.8) and increasing fatigue (OR=1.13) with this model accounting for 68% of variation. Adults of all ages with RA are at high risk of falls and fall-related injuries, fractures and head injuries. In clinical practice, high risk falls patients with RA can be identified by asking whether patients have fallen in the past year. The management of swollen and tender lower limb joints, fatigue and consideration of psychotropic medicines may be the most effective strategy to reduce falls in this group of patients. Fear of falling, pain, lower limb strength and poor balance are other useful clinical indicators that may be modified to prevent falls.

Master of Science / Department of Grain Science and Industry / Rebecca A. Regan / A laboratory-scale method for wheat germination was developed and used to compare hard red winter wheat varieties for sprout related attributes, activity, and whole wheat bread baking performance. WB 4458, WB Grainfield, LCS Mint, LCS Wizard, SY Monument, and T158 wheat varieties grown in three Kansas locations were germinated with the developed small-scale germination method and falling number values were compared. Byrd, Tam 204, and T158 were germinated with a scaled-up germination method aimed at generating samples in three falling number ranges of less than 120 seconds (low falling number and highly sprouted), 250±40 seconds (medium falling number), and 350±40 seconds (high falling number and low sprouting). Controls were un-germinated, sound (>400 seconds falling number), samples of each variety. The control whole grain and sprouted wheat was ground into flour. A mixograph was used to determine dough water absorption and mixing time. Whole wheat bread was made to determine bread volume, crumb characteristics, and bread texture. Overall there were few significant differences within each wheat variety for the different levels of germination. The only significant difference observed in all three varieties was that each highly sprouted grain (<120 seconds falling number) produced bread with significantly lower elasticity than the control within each variety, indicating that this level of germination produced a gummier bread. Elasticity was positively correlated with falling number (r=+0.71). A focused analysis on the Byrd variety compared the germinated samples to samples generated with added malted barley to the same falling number ranges. RVA analysis showed the gelatinization profiles for germinated and malted samples were similar within each falling number range. The highly and medium sprouted grain had significantly lower dough water absorption than the malted counterparts for those levels and the medium sprouted grain also had a lower mix time then the malted sample. There were no significant differences in bread volume, crumb characteristics, or bread texture except the highly sprouted grain had significantly lower elasticity than the control and the malted counterpart was not significantly different. In general, this experiment demonstrated that variety and germination conditions are important considerations in sprouting wheat and that whole wheat flour made from a wide range of germination levels produced quality bread that was not different from the control for most of the parameters investigated.

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<p> Levitation melting was used to study the oxidation kinetics of free falling iron droplets. Single droplets of Armco iron were deoxidized and allowed to fall through oxidizing columns of known heights and then quenched in Silicone Oil. The rate of oxygen pick up by a droplet was found to be dependent upon its initial temperature, its size, and the composition of the reacting gas. The proposed mechanism is presented with kinetic data.</p> / Thesis / Master of Engineering (MEngr)