Having an engine model that is accurate but not too complicated is desirable when working with on-board diagnosis or engine control. In this thesis a four state mean value model is introduced. To make the model usable in an on-line automotive application it is discrete and simulated with a fixed step size solver. Modelling is done with simplicity as main object. Some simple static models are also presented. To validate the model measuring is carried out in a Scania R124LB truck with a 12 liter six-cylinder turbo charged diesel engine. In general, for this relatively simple model, the mean errors must be considered low. The inlet manifold pressure mean error during highway driving is 3.4\%.

Development of a Tool for Pressure Ulcer Risk Assessment and Preventive Interventions in Ancillary Services Patients Monica S. Messer Abstract The incidence of nosocomial pressure ulcers has increased 70 percent in U.S. hospitals over the past 15 years despite implementation of preventive guidelines and the wide-spread use of validated risk assessment tools. Most preventive efforts have been focused primarily on patients who are bed-ridden or immobile for extended periods. What has not been well studied or identified is the risk for pressure injury to patients undergoing diagnostic procedures in hospital ancillary units where extrinsic risk factors such as high interface pressures on procedure tables and friction and shear from positioning and transport can greatly magnify the effect of patient-specific intrinsic risk factors which might not otherwise put these patients at high risk on an inpatient unit. The purpose of this study was to develop a risk assessment tool designed explicitly to quantify the combination of these intrinsic and extrinsic risk factors in individual patients undergoing ancillary services procedures, and to identify targeted preventive interventions based on the individual level of risk. Empirically and theoretically-derived risk factors for the tool were tested in a nation-wide hospital database of over 6 million patient discharge records using bivariate and multivariate analysis to identify significant predictors of pressure ulcer outcomes. The statistically significant factors emerging were then used to develop the risk assessment scale. These predictors included; advanced age, diabetes, human immunodeficiency virus infection, sepsis, and fever. The scale was tested for internal validity using the split-sample cross-validation method, and for accuracy using the area under the Receiver Operating Characteristics curve. The optimum score cut point was identified to provide a predictive accuracy of 71 percent. Interventions for the tool were identified from national clinical practice guidelines and aligned in sets based on patient levels of risk identified by the scoring portion of the tool. The entire tool was evaluated for content validity by a panel of five international nurse experts in pressure ulcer prevention and tool development. The content validity index calculated from their ratings was .91 indicating excellent agreement on content validity.

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In the development of explosively formed projectiles (EFPs), researchers are faced with the problem of testing prospective metals at high strain rates. So far it has been assumed that, relative to the cooling time, the deformation time is practically instantaneous indicating that the test is adiabatc: none of the heat generated within the metal is lost to conduction. In this paper we construct a model that subtracts out the effects of kinetic energy and uses specific heat as a function of temperature. In this way we can focus on the energy change in the specimen that can be attributed to temperature and determine just how adiabatic the high strain rate test is. / vi, 74 leaves : ill. ; 28 cm.

Every year, many wells are subject to well intervention operations for a variety of different reasons, such as Plug and Abandon (P&A) operations or well control situations. Wells that are not properly plugged, in addition becoming an inherent blowout threat, can act as a preferential pathway for surface contaminants to reach and impair ground water quality, and could cause injury to livestock, wildlife, or humans. Hence, federal code (or state code if in state waters) states that the wells must be plugged according to regulations. If attempts with a surface intervention operation fail, a relief type subsurface intervention project is deemed appropriate. A relief well type of intersection into each target wellbore will create a hydraulic flow path suitable for plugging operations. The plugging operation will require the placement of permanent plugging fluids into the Target Well (TW) to meet Mineral Management Services (MMS), or other regulatory agency, approved plugging criteria. Evidently, there is a need to design a method to insure that the scenarios are accurately defined, analyzed and the results can be effectively implemented to complete the plug and abandonment operations. A software package, coupled with the skill of a hydraulic modeling specialist, could provide final resolution to and better understanding of the problem. However, considering uncertainties in some input information, there is a need to develop a multi-purpose package which enables the user to manipulate dynamically a wide range of input data in order to obtain the best fit. Therefore, the decision was made to develop a software package specifically built and designed to address the common problems encountered during well intervention projects. The well intervention toolkit will be used to investigate the plugging and abandonment scenarios. The well intervention toolkit not only provides the critical input parameters to other commercial software but would also be a means to analyze and simulate the well intervention hydraulics

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Statistics show that boys perform better in mathematics tests than girls. In order to make a refined assessment of the magnitude of gender differences in mathematics performance, a study was made of one thousand 16+ mathematics scripts to find the precise topics on which girls and boys differ significantly in performance. These concepts were found to be concerned with scale or ratio, spatial problems, space-time relationships and probability questions. Differences were found in performance between girls and boys at each ten-percentile level through the ability range. A longitudinal study also revealed differences in mathematics 'performance through the years of secondary education. There is no convincing evidence that the discrepancy can be accounted for by innate or genetic reasons. Intervention programmes have been found to improve the performance of girls in the weak areas of spatial awareness, proportionality and problem solving. In addition, a study was made of gender attitudes towards mathematics. Ten secondary schools were surveyed and the results revealed a marked decrease in the attitudes of third and fourth form girls. During these difficult adolescent years girls and boys are susceptible to strong internal and external pressures. Corresponding differences were also found across the ability range. These social pressures are concerned with teacher influence, social interaction, type of grouping, sex stereotyping, choices, teaching materials and careers advice.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 1998. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 258-270). Available also in a digital version from Dissertation Abstracts.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Memorial University of Newfoundland, 2004. / Bibliography: leaves 175-182.