This paper describes the analytical work done by modelling and evaluating a thermal shock in a WWER-440 reactor pressure vessel due to an emergency case. An axial oriented semielliptical underclad/surface crack is assumed to be located in the core weld line. Threedimensional finite element models are used to compute the global transient temperature and stress-strain fields. By using a three-dimensional submodel, which includes the crack, the local crack stress-strain field is obtained. With a subsequent postprocessing using the j-integral technique the stress intensity factors KI along the crack front are obtained. The results for the underclad and surface crack are provided and compared, together with a critical discussion of the VERLIFE code.

Nucleation of dislocation loop at the crack tip in a material subjected to uniaxial loading is investigated. Analytical expression for the total energy of rectangular dislocation loop at the crack tip is found. Depencence of the nucleation energy barrier on dislocation loop shape and stress intensity factor at the crack tip is determined. It is established that the energetic barrier for nucleation of dislocation loop strongly depends on the stress intensity factor. Nucleation of dislocation loop is very sensitive to stress field modifiers (forest dislocations, precipitates, clusters of point defects, etc.) in the crack tip vicinity.

No description available.

Thesis (M.A. in National Security Affairs)--Naval Postgraduate School, June 2003. / Thesis advisor(s): James A. Russell, Gregory K. Mislick. Includes bibliographical references (p. 67-69). Also available online.

Sammanfattning Bakgrund: Upplevelsen av smärta är en inbyggd reflex, som normalt varnar för att något håller på att skadas eller redan har skadats i kroppen, och får kroppen att reagera innan något allvarligt sker. För att kunna ge en patient adekvat smärtbehandling bör en analys av smärtan göras, som förutsättning för att patienten ska kunna få en lämplig smärtbehandling. Smärtskattning är en viktig del av den fullständiga smärtanalysen. Dokumentation av smärtskattningen gör det möjligt att på ett systematiskt sätt utvärdera given smärt behandling. Forskning tyder på att sjuksköterskors smärtskattning innan smärtbehandling, dokumentation av smärtskattningen, smärtskattning innan undersökning och smärtskattning innan omvårdnad är bristfällig. Detta trots att många sjukhus, kommuner och landsting har smärtbehandling som kvalitetsmål. Syfte: Syftet med studien undersöka i viken utsträckning sjuksköterskor smärtskattar och dokumenterar skattning. Vidare var syftet att undersöka om det fanns skillnader mellan divisioner avseende frekvens av smärtskattning och dokumentation av skattningen. Studien avsåg även att undersöka om arbetslivserfarenhet påverkar smärtskattningsfrekvensen. Metod: En kvantitativ jämförande tvärsnittsstudie har utförts. Inklusionskriterier var sjuksköterskor som arbetade kliniskt på en vårdavdelning. Ett studiespecifikt frågeformulär konstruerades, och data bearbetades i SPSS samt med genom meningskoncentrering. Frågeformuläret delades ut på två kirurgavdelningar och en medicinavdelning. Resultat: Signifikant skillnad kunde påvisas mellan kirurgavdelningarna och medicinavdelningen avseende smärtskattning innan smärtbehandling, dokumentation av smärtskattningen, uppföljning och dokumentation av smärtbehandling, smärtskattning innan undersökning och omvårdnad. Tidsbrist tycktes vara den störta anledningen till utebliven dokumentation av skattningen. Slutsats: Utrymme för förbättring hos sjuksköterskorna fanns avseende både smärtskattning och dokumentation.         Nyckelord: Smärta, smärtskattning, smärtbehandling, sjuksköterska, dokumentation / ABSTRACT Introduction: The experience of pain is an intergraded reflex, which normally works as a warning system if something is about to get hurt or already is hurt in the body. This reflex get the body to react, hopefully, before any serious damage happens. Pain assessment is a necessity to be able to give a patient pain management with a successful outcome. Pain intensity is a part of the pain assessment. Recording of the pain intensity makes it possible to evaluate the pain management.  Earlier studies have shown that flaws do exist in the nurses’ recording of the pain intensity; they do not measure the pain intensity before neither medical examination nor nursing. Aim: The aim of this study was to examine in what extent nurses measure patients’ pain intensity and if they record the result of pain intensity. Furthermore, the aim was to investigate if there were any difference internally between the hospitals divisions. This study’s aim was also to examine if there were any gaps between nurses work experience and how often they measure the pain intensity. Method: A quantitative comparative study was made. Inclusion criteria was nurses that worked clinically at a hospital. The sample was 41 nurses who worked at a hospital in center of Sweden.  A study specific questionnaire was made, and data was processed in SPSS and through sentence condensation. Results: Significant difference was proven between the surgical division and the medical division about how often nurses measure patients’ pain intensity and how often they recorded the pain intensity. A lack of time was the main reason why nurses did not record the pain intensity. Conclusion: Nurses could improve the frequency of how often they measure and record pain intensity.      Key Words: Pain, pain intensity, pain management, nurse, recording

SAMMANFATTNING Bakgrund: Upplevelsen av smärta är en inbyggd reflex, som normalt varnar för att något håller på att skadas eller redan har skadats i kroppen, och får kroppen att reagera innan något allvarligt sker. För att kunna ge en patient adekvat smärtbehandling bör en analys av smärtan göras, som förutsättning för att patienten ska kunna få en lämplig smärtbehandling. Smärtskattning är en viktig del av den fullständiga smärtanalysen. Dokumentation av smärtskattningen gör det möjligt att på ett systematiskt sätt utvärdera given smärt behandling. Forskning tyder på att sjuksköterskors smärtskattning innan smärtbehandling, dokumentation av smärtskattningen, smärtskattning innan undersökning och smärtskattning innan omvårdnad är bristfällig. Detta trots att många sjukhus, kommuner och landsting har smärtbehandling som kvalitetsmål. Syfte: Syftet med studien undersöka i viken utsträckning sjuksköterskor smärtskattar och dokumenterar skattning. Vidare var syftet att undersöka om det fanns skillnader mellan divisioner avseende frekvens av smärtskattning och dokumentation av skattningen. Studien avsåg även att undersöka om arbetslivserfarenhet påverkar smärtskattningsfrekvensen. Metod: En kvantitativ jämförande tvärsnittsstudie har utförts. Inklusionskriterier var sjuksköterskor som arbetade kliniskt på en vårdavdelning. Ett studiespecifikt frågeformulär konstruerades, och data bearbetades i SPSS samt med genom meningskoncentrering. Frågeformuläret delades ut på två kirurgavdelningar och en medicinavdelning. Resultat: Signifikant skillnad kunde påvisas mellan kirurgavdelningarna och medicinavdelningen avseende smärtskattning innan smärtbehandling, dokumentation av smärtskattningen, uppföljning och dokumentation av smärtbehandling, smärtskattning innan undersökning och omvårdnad. Tidsbrist tycktes vara den störta anledningen till utebliven dokumentation av skattningen. Slutsats: Utrymme för förbättring hos sjuksköterskorna fanns avseende både smärtskattning och dokumentation.         Nyckelord: Smärta, smärtskattning, smärtbehandling, sjuksköterska, dokumentation / ABSTRACT Introduction: The experience of pain is an intergraded reflex, which normally works as a warning system if something is about to get hurt or already is hurt in the body. This reflex get the body to react, hopefully, before any serious damage happens. Pain assessment is a necessity to be able to give a patient pain management with a successful outcome. Pain intensity is a part of the pain assessment. Recording of the pain intensity makes it possible to evaluate the pain management.  Earlier studies have shown that flaws do exist in the nurses’ recording of the pain intensity; they do not measure the pain intensity before neither medical examination nor nursing. Aim: The aim of this study was to examine in what extent nurses measure patients’ pain intensity and if they record the result of pain intensity. Furthermore, the aim was to investigate if there were any difference internally between the hospitals divisions. This study’s aim was also to examine if there were any gaps between nurses work experience and how often they measure the pain intensity. Method: A quantitative comparative study was made. Inclusion criteria was nurses that worked clinically at a hospital. The sample was 41 nurses who worked at a hospital in center of Sweden.  A study specific questionnaire was made, and data was processed in SPSS and through sentence condensation. Results: Significant difference was proven between the surgical division and the medical division about how often nurses measure patients’ pain intensity and how often they recorded the pain intensity. A lack of time was the main reason why nurses did not record the pain intensity. Conclusion: Nurses could improve the frequency of how often they measure and record pain intensity.      Key Words: Pain, pain intensity, pain management, nurse, recording

A novel technique of coupling near-field evanescent waves by means of variable period subwavelength gratings (1.2 ìm and 1.0 ìm), using a 1.55 ìm infrared semiconductor laser is presented for the use of an optical MEMS accelerometer. The subwavelength gratings were fabricated on both glass and silicon substrates respectively. Optical simulation of the subwavelength gratings was carried out to obtain the maximum coupling efficiency of the two subwavelength gratings; the grating thickness, grating width, and the grating separation were optimized. This was performed for both silicon and glass substrates. The simulations were used to determine the total system noise, including the noise generated from the germanium photodiode, sensitivity, and displacement detection resolution of the coupled subwavelength grating MEMS accelerometer. The coupled gratings were utilized as optical readout accelerometers. The spring/proof mass silicon accelerometer was fabricated using a four mask process, in which the structure was completed using two deep reactive ion etching (DRIE) processes. The designed serpentine spring styles determine the sensitivity of the accelerometer; when the springs are made longer or shorter, thicker or thinner, this directly attributes to the sensitivity of the device. To test function of the example of the devices, the accelerometer is placed on a platform, which permits displacement normal to the plane of the grating. The 1.550 ìm infrared laser is incident on the coupled subwavelength grating accelerometer device and the output intensity is measured using a geranium photodiode. As the platform is displaced, the grating separation between the two gratings changes and causes the output intensity to change. Using the coupled subwavelength grating simulations as a reference to the output intensity change with respect to gap, the mechanical and coupling sensitivity properties of as it relates to acceleration is presented.

The complex interaction between predators and their prey is rarely preserved in the fossil record. However, predation of marine mollusks by drilling gastropods leaves a diagnostic hole in the shell of the prey, possibly allowing for quantitative analysis of this ecological interaction. Drilling frequency, as measured in marine mollusks both in the Modern and fossil record, has been heralded as a potential opportunity to quantify these ecological interactions and use these values in the testing of hypotheses. This study employed the collection, tallying, and analysis of bulk samples derived from shelly deposits on 45 Modern beaches along the contiguous coast of the southeast United States (Virginia Beach, VA to Port Isabella, TX). The tallying scheme allowed for pooling and reduction of the data to compare drilling frequencies at several taxonomic and geographic scales. In addition, multivariate clustering analyses was used to generate groups of similar taxonomic abundances for direct comparison. Understanding potential spatial variation in the natural environment is paramount to using quantified values of drilling frequency in temporal and spatial studies in the fossil record. Calculated drilling frequencies for bulk (location) samples ranged from 0 to over 100%. Similar ranges of drilling frequency were observed in more finely defined taxonomic groups. Calculated drilling frequency was higher in the Carolinian province as compared to the Gulf-Louisianian and Virginian provinces. No correlation between drilling frequency and latitude was observed at any scale. An area of substantially increased drilling frequency was observed along the Carolina coast, at the ecotone between the Carolinian and Virginian provinces, suggesting that some environmental condition is present and responsible for the local increase in drilling frequency. Finally, little attention has been paid to sampling techniques and their subsequent impact on the analysis of drilling frequency. As the bulk samples represent aggregate accumulations of shells from a myriad of environments, this introduces pronounced variation in the analysis that has not been previously accounted for. Statistically, much larger abundances of specimens in individual taxa, approaching 450 values for bivalves, are needed to effectively constrain this variability.

There is evidence of a relationship between pain and associated symptoms, specifically constipation and dyspnea, and quality of life. Literature supports that endstage lung cancer patients suffer more symptoms than those with other types of cancers, and the course of treatment is primarily palliative, as many of these diagnosed patients cannot be cured. The purpose of this secondary analysis of data was to evaluate the relationships between pain and other common symptoms in end stage lung cancer patients in hospice care, and the relationships among pain, dyspnea, constipation and quality of life. The study sample included fifty lung cancer patients admitted to a hospice program, reporting pain. A series of Pearson’s correlations were used to analyze relationships between the variables pain intensity, pain distress, dyspnea intensity, dyspnea distress, constipation intensity and the relationships of these variables with quality of life. The results showed positive significant correlations between pain intensity and pain distress (r = .44, p = .002), dyspnea intensity and dyspnea distress (r = .47, p = .001), and constipation intensity and quality of life (r = -.57, p = .013). Pain and the relief of pain have been studied extensively in cancer patients, yet little research has been done in the way of side effects of opioid use, specifically constipation. This study reinforces to vi nursing the importance of a thorough assessment upon admission to hospice, and at each subsequent nursing visit, which includes a bowel habit history, current medications in use, potential risk for developing constipation and management of constipation once it is present. Hospice patients with lung cancer are reporting a decrease in quality of life secondary to constipation. Prevention or rapid alleviation of this symptom will provide comfort and allow the patient to focus on important end of life tasks.

Low-volume, high-intensity interval training has been garnering attention in the exercise physiology literature recently due to its proposed time-efficiency. Also, recent work comparing continuous exercise to high-intensity interval training demonstrated superior ratings of perceived enjoyment following interval training. However, the dual-mode model suggests that exercise above ventilatory threshold (VT) done continuously will result in an almost homogenous decline in affect, which may reduce adherence. Numerous studies confirm the dual-mode model's prediction of reduced affect when exercising above VT, but no research to date has applied the model's predictions to interval training. The purpose of this study was to examine the dual-mode model using interval training. Based on the model, interval exercise above VT should produce a homogenous and significant decline in affect during exercise. Ten participants (mean age = 21.6 ± 2.4 yrs) completed the study. Participants were screened by a physician's assistant on their first visit to ensure they were low-risk and had no symptoms (cardiovascular, pulmonary, metabolic, or orthopedic) that would preclude safe participation in an exercise training program. Participants performed a maximal exercise test during their second visit to the lab. The final four visits were exercise trials 20 minutes in duration: 1) continuous at 20% below VT [Continuous-Moderate], 2) continuous at VT [Continuous-Heavy, 3) 10 x 60-second intervals at VT [Interval-Heavy], 4) 10 x 60-second intervals at 20% above VT [Interval-Severe]. Results indicated that enjoyment and affect was significantly greater during Continuous-Moderate and Interval-Heavy compared with Continuous-Heavy. Interval-Severe approached inducing significantly greater enjoyment and affect compared with Continuous-Heavy, however the study was likely underpowered to achieve significance. The findings of this study suggest that utilizing interval training may help preserve affect, even when performing exercise above VT.