Impulsivity-related traits explain a significant and meaningful level of variance in the prediction of drinking behavior. Previous research has demonstrated that although risk taking propensity has been conceptualized as a "trait-like" construct, there are contextual and situational factors that affect an individual's likelihood of engaging in risk taking behavior, including drinking behavior. Despite the well-established relationship between alcohol use and risk behavior (e.g., risky sexual behavior, physical assault, etc.), it is unclear how alcohol-related context influences risk taking on a computerized behavioral task. Grounded in alcohol expectancy theory (which holds that information processing about the rewarding effects of alcohol mediates the influences of different affective processes on drinking-related behavior), the present study—using online-based assessments—examined whether implicitly priming undergraduate social-drinking participants with alcohol-related stimuli (images and arousing expectancy words) would lead to greater risk taking and disinhibition on computerized tasks. Results were complicated by baseline group differences in drinking, expectancies, and the day of the week in which participants completed the task; regardless, the central hypothesis was not supported, as participants exposed to alcohol images and expectancy words were not significantly riskier on the BART or more impulsive on the Go/No-Go than participants exposed to neutral images and words. Exploratory analyses indicated that participants who completed the tasks on days associated with drinking (Thursdays through Saturdays) were significantly riskier than participants who completed the tasks on other days, and that this effect was the strongest when participants were exposed to alcohol primes. While consistent with the context sensitivity of alcohol cognitions and risk taking, the lack of random assignment to day of the week precludes causal interpretation. Nonetheless, the results indicate that research on the assessment of risk taking in a naturalistic context (e.g., through ecological momentary assessment) is warranted.

This collection of short stories spans subjects and characters from all around this world and the next. From Himalayan moth girls to swamp princesses and alligator wrestlers, The Ballad of Sparrowfoot offers a unique glimpse inside real and imagined communities and the people who live there. Search for pirate treasure on a magical island, join the cast of fairy tale princesses being raised in a convent, and experience the tribulations of the a bird-footed girl in Louisiana as she searches for her genealogical roots.

Perkutane transluminale Angioplastie komplexer infrapoplitealer Gefässläsionen bei kritischer chronischer Extremitätenischämie: Restenoserate und klinische Ergebnisse

Paper A: In this paper, the development and implementation of a contact algorithm based on C2-continuous surface representations is discussed. In 3D contact simulations involving models with arbitrarily curved surfaces (as in the case of vessel walls), the discretization of the contact surfaces by means of facet-based techniques could lead to numerical instabilities and finally loss of quadratic convergence. These instabilities arise mainly due to the sliding of contractor (slave) nodes over the boundaries of target (master) contact facets, where jumps of the normal vector are experienced. The paper addresses successfully this problem, by discretization of the target surfaces by means of C2-continuous parameterization schemes. Initially, the uniform cubic B-spline surfaces are introduced. Next, in an attempt for more accurate representations of the geometric models of the contact surfaces, a new parameterization based on the expression of cubic B-splines is developed. The two approaches are implemented into a finite element framework and more specifically, into the multipurpose finite element analysis program FEAP. The special merits of the developed algorithms and the advantages of the smooth surfaces over facet-based approaches are exhibited through a classical contact mechanics problem, considering incompressibility, finite deformations and large slidings. Next, a simulation of balloon angioplasty with stenting is presented, where the contact between both medical devices (balloon and stent) with the arterial wall is modeled. The arterial wall is modeled in this first approach, as hyperelastic, homogeneous, isotropic, while a cylindrically orthotropic model is developed to capture the nonlinear, anisotropic behavior of the balloon catheter under pressure. Two stents with the same geometry but different strut thickness, are studied. Both are considered elasto-plastic. The performed simulations point out the outcome of the balloon angioplasty and stenting in terms of luminal gain and mechanical strains. Finally, a comparison between the two stent configurations is presented. Paper B: The second paper makes use of the contact tool developed in Paper A and focuses on the changes of the mechanical environment of the arterial wall due to stenting, as a function of a set of stent design parameters. In particular, Paper B presents a detailed geometric and material model of a postmortem human iliac artery, composed by distinct tissue components, each associated with specific mechanical properties. The constitutive formulation for the artery considers anisotropic, highly nonlinear mechanical characteristics under supraphysiological loadings. The material and structural parameters of the arterial model are obtained through uniaxial tensile tests on stripes extracted from the several arterial tissues that form the stenosis, axially and circumferentially oriented. Through cooperation with a well-established stent manufacturing company, an iliac stent was acquired. The dimensions of the stent are measured under a reflected-light microscope, while it is parameterized in such a way as to enable new designs to be simply generated through variations of its geometric parameters. The 3D balloon-stent-artery interaction is simulated by making use of the smooth contact surfaces with C2-continuity, as previously mentioned. Next, scalar quantities attempt to characterize the arterial wall changes after stenting, in form of contact forces induced by the stent struts, stresses within the individual components and luminal change. These numerically derived quantities allow the determination of the most appropriate stent configuration for an individual stenosis. Therefore, the proposed methodology has the potential to provide a scientific basis for optimizing treatment procedures, stent material and geometries on a patient-specific level. / <p>QC 20101118</p>

The BalloonbornE moduLar Utility for profilinG the lower Atmosphere (BELUGA) was deployed in autumn 2021 in the Arctic at the AWIPEV research station in Ny-Ålesund (Svalbard). In-situ profiles of thermodynamic parameters, broadband radiation, turbulence, aerosol particle concentrations, and cloud microphysical structure, were performed. Additionally, samples of ice nucleating particles were collected. Thermal infrared radiation profiles are presented for different cloud conditions. The data provides the base for studying the vertical distribution of cloud radiative effects, and extends the common view of the bi-modal distribution of the Arctic surface energy budget. / Das Fesselballonsystem BalloonbornE moduLar Utility for profilinG the lower Atmosphere (BELUGA) wurde im Herbst 2021 an der Forschungsstation Ny-Ålesund in der Arktis eingesetzt. Es wurden In-situ Profile von thermodynamischen Parametern, breitbandiger Strahlung, Turbulenz, Aerosolpartikelkonzentrationen und der mikrophysikalischer Wolkenstruktur erstellt. Zusätzlich wurden Proben von eiskeimbildenden Partikeln gesammelt. Strahlungsprofile wurden unter verschiedenen Wolkenbedeckungen gemessen und quantifizieren die vertikale Verteilung der Wolkenstrahlungseffekte. Die Profilmessungen erweitern damit die für bodennahe Messungen bekannte modale Verteilung des Energiehaushalts der Arktis.

Background: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common cardiac arrhythmia with a prevalence of 15% of patients over 80 years. Coronary artery disease co-exists in 20–30% of patients with atrial fibrillation. The need for triple anticoagulation therapy makes the management of these patients challenging following PCI. Methods: Nationwide inpatient sample which is a set of longitudinal hospital inpatient databases was used to evaluate the outcome of patients with AF who underwent PCI. All patients undergoing PCI between 2002 and 2011 were included in the study. Specific ICD-9-CM codes were used to identify the study patients and their outcomes. Results: There were 3,226,405 PCIs during the time period of the study of which 472,609 (14.6%) patients had AF. AF patients were older and predominantly male (60%). The number of PCIs had a declining trend from 2002 to 2011. Age adjusted inpatient mortality was significantly higher in PCI AF group compared to the PCI non-AF group (100.82 ± 9.03 vs 54.07 ± 8.96 per 100,000; P < 0.01). Post PCI predictors of mortality were AF (OR 1.56, CI 1.53–1.59), CKD (OR 1.41, CI 1.37–1.46), PAD (OR 1.20, CI 1.15–1.24), acute myocardial infarction (OR 2.42 CI 2.37–2.46 and cardiogenic shock (OR 13.92 CI 13.60–14.24) P < 0.001. Conclusion: AF is common in patients undergoing PCI and those AF patients have a higher age-adjusted all cause inpatient mortality. There is a decline in total number of PCIs over time in US. Atrial fibrillation, chronic kidney disease, peripheral artery disease, MI and cardiogenic shock were associated with increased mortality following PCI.

A Rubber Balloon Soil Densitometer is one of the essential apparatuses in Geotechnical Engineering to measure the in-place volume of compacted soil to calculate the soil density. In 2019, some renowned institutions and organizations, Vattenfall, Luleå University of Technology, Uppsala University, Lund University, and HydroResearch AB, were involved in a research project. As a part of that research project, a small earth-rockfill dam was built in Älvkarleby, Vattenfall. During the construction of the experimental dam, to test the sufficiency of the degree of compaction in the core layers, the Rubber Balloon Soil Densitometer of the German company called Headquarters of Magdeburger Prüfgerätebau GmbH, in short HMP, was used. However, it was suspected that some of the HMP densitometer test results showed measured volumes of the excavated holes lower than the expectation. Hence, it aroused the necessity to check the correctness of the balloon test apparatus and its test procedure. This thesis topic aims to fulfill that necessity. The objective of this research is to determine whether the volumetric measurements achieved by this apparatus are accurate. If the volumes measured by this apparatus are inaccurate, it is crucial to find the reasons behind the inaccuracy. It is also essential to determine the inaccuracy causes and pursue the solution to obtain precision in volumetric measurement. This thesis topic is vital for engineers and researchers of civil engineering and other departments because concluding the research would help collect better soil density data using an HMP Rubber Balloon Soil Densitometer and other similar densitometers. All the laboratory works of this thesis were conducted at the Soil Laboratory of Luleå University of Technology. At the beginning of the laboratory work, a pit was excavated in a compacted mixed fine-grained silty sand type of soil inside a bucket to conduct a densitometer test. The actual volume of this pit was determined using the water replacement method. The HMP densitometer measured a volume of this pit smaller than its actual volume. Then, the apparatus itself was tested to evaluate its function. It was found that the plexiglass cylinder has different inner circular cross-sectional areas at different heights, which do not match the inner circular cross-sectional area mentioned in the HMP sticker on the plexiglass. As time passes, slight deformation of a plexiglass cylinder is normal and can happen because of temperature, applied pressure, and repetitive usage. The precision in percentage from the actual volume of a pit indicates the stuck air between the pit surface and the rubber balloon during a densitometer test. For engineering purposes, a precision in percentage smaller than one percent can be considered reasonable. The results showed that the actual volume of a pit should be at least around one liter to achieve precision in percentage from the actual volume of the pit smaller than about one percent. Additionally, pits with larger actual volumes have smaller precision in percentages from the actual volumes of the pits. The imperfection of the plexiglass cylinder has a lesser influence on larger pits during a densitometer test. Compacted coarse-grained soil can absorb the stuck air during a densitometer test because of having a sufficient quantity of pores. However, compacted fine-grained soil is so airtight that the soil can not absorb the stuck air. Transparent bowls and non-transparent bowls and a bucket were considered artificial pits of different sizes and shapes in compacted fine-grained soil, and densitometer tests were conducted with them. The results showed that the extended Ucsan bowl had the appropriate shape and size among these artificial pits. Because the average percentage of stuck air inside it was the smallest. However, the topmost diameter of an artificial pit or a real pit should be the same as the inner diameter of the metal ring of the HMP apparatus. Putting two stripes of industrial cleaning cloth perpendicularly inside an artificial or a real pit during a densitometer test was considered a solution to the stuck air problem. After applying this solution for the densitometer tests with all the artificial pits, the results showed that a real pit's appropriate shape and size with this solution should be similar to the extended Ucsan bowl. This was proved at the end of the laboratory work when a pit was excavated through the metal ring of the apparatus in a compacted mixed fine-grained silty sand type of soil inside a bucket to conduct densitometer tests. This pit was given a shape and size similar to the extended Ucsan bowl during excavation. This time, two industrial cleaning cloth stripes were placed perpendicularly inside the pit before the tests. The results showed that almost all the stuck air could be dissipated during a densitometer test by placing two stripes of industrial cleaning cloth perpendicularly inside a pit with a shape and size similar to the Ucsan bowl. During laboratory work, the HMP apparatus continuously measured volumes smaller than the actual volumes in all the densitometer tests.

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<p dir="ltr">The research study of Design and Modeling of a Balloon Robot with Wheel Paddles for Agricultural Use (Huang, et al. 2023) presented the design, analysis, and simulation of an innovative agricultural robot that integrated a buoyancy system with a helium balloon and wheeled paddles for navigation, aiming to optimize crop health monitoring. The thesis research initiated with a comprehensive examination of the conceptual design, focusing on the robot's buoyancy mechanism and propulsion system. Detailed motion analysis and kinematic studies underpinned the development of a dynamic model, which was rigorously tested through MATLAB simulations. The MATLAB simulations assessed the unmanned vehicle's operational efficiency, maneuverability, and energy consumption in the environment setting of agricultural. The findings of the new design highlighted the robot's potential to surpass traditional agricultural robots in precision and adaptability, mitigating the limitations of ground and aerial alternatives. The thesis study of the balloon robot concluded with strategic recommendations for future enhancements, emphasizing scalability, payload capacity, and environmental adaptability, thus paving the way for advanced agricultural robotics.</p>