• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.109-114
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• 2018

Background: Although work absenteeism is in the focus of occupational health, longitudinal studies on organizational absenteeism records in hospital work are lacking. This longitudinal study tests time pressure and lack of time autonomy to be related to higher sickness absenteeism. Methods: Data was collected for 180 employees (45% nurses) of a Swiss hospital at baseline and at follow-up after 1 year. Absent times (hours per month) were received from the human resources department of the hospital. One-year follow-up of organizational absenteeism records were regressed on self-reported job satisfaction, time pressure, and time autonomy (i.e., control) at baseline. Results: A multivariate regression showed significant prediction of absenteeism by time pressure at baseline and time autonomy, indicating that a stress process is involved in some sickness absenteeism behavior. Job satisfaction and the interaction of time pressure and time autonomy did not predict sickness absenteeism. Conclusion: Results confirmed time pressure and time autonomy as limiting factors in healthcare and a key target in work redesign.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.113-119
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• 2019

Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of the falls on the center of pressure (CoP) complexity during gait using non-linear approximate entropy (ApEn). Method: 20 elderly women with experience of falling ($age=72.55{\pm}5.42yrs$; $height=154.40{\pm}4.26cm$; $body\;weight=57.40{\pm}6.21kg$; $preferred\;gait\;speed=0.52{\pm}0.17m/s$) and 20 elderly women with no experience of falling ($age=71.90{\pm}2.90yrs$; $height=155.28{\pm}4.73cm$; $body\;weight=56.70{\pm}5.241kg$; $preferred\;gait\;speed=0.56{\pm}0.13m/s$) were recruited for the study. While they were walking at their preferred gait speed on a treadmill (instrumented dual belt treadmills, Bertec, USA) with a force plate CoP data were collected for the 20 strides. The complexity of the CoP was analyzed using the ApEn technique. Results: The ApEn of the medial-lateral CoP in the fallers showed smaller about 16% compared to the non-fallers (p<.05). The ApEn of the antero-posterior CoP of the fallers showed smaller about 12% compared to the non-fallers, but the difference was not statistically significant. Conclusion: Based on the results of this study, the reduction of the medio-lateral CoP complexity in the elderly gait would be an index to determine the potential fall.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.22 no.5
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• pp.937-974
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• 2016

While extensive efforts have been made in the past to develop finite element models (FEMs) for concrete-filled steel tubular columns (CFSTCs), these models may not be suitable to be used in some cases, especially in view of the utilisation of high strength steel and high strength concrete. A method is presented herein to predict the complete stress-strain curve of concrete subjected to tri-axial compressive stresses caused by axial load coupled with lateral pressure due to the confinement action in square and rectangular CFSTCs with normal and high strength materials. To evaluate the lateral pressure exerted on the concrete in square and rectangular shaped columns, an accurately developed FEM which incorporates the effects of initial local imperfections and residual stresses using the commercial program ABAQUS is adopted. Subsequently, an extensive parametric study is conducted herein to propose an empirical equation for the maximum average lateral pressure, which depends on the material and geometric properties of the columns. The analysis parameters include the concrete compressive strength ($f^{\prime}_c=20-110N/mm^2$), steel yield strength ($f_y=220-850N/mm^2$), width-to-thickness (B/t) ratios in the range of 15-52, as well as the length-to-width (L/B) ratios in the range of 2-4. The predictions of the behaviour, ultimate axial strengths, and failure modes are compared with the available experimental results to verify the accuracy of the models developed. Furthermore, a design model is proposed for short square and rectangular CFSTCs. Additionally, comparisons with the prediction of axial load capacity by using the proposed design model, Australian Standard and Eurocode 4 code provisions for box composite columns are carried out.

• Wind and Structures
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.363-374
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• 2010

Appropriate scaling methods for wind tunnel modelling of building internal pressures induced through a dominant opening were investigated. In particular, model cavity volume distortion and geometric scaling of the opening details were studied. It was found that while model volume distortion may be used to scale down buildings for wind tunnel studies on internal pressure, the implementation of the added volume must be done with care so as not to create two cavity resonance systems. Incorrect scaling of opening details was also found to generate incorrect internal pressure characteristics. Furthermore, the effective air slug or jet was found to be longer when the opening was near a floor or sidewall as evidenced by somewhat lower Helmholtz frequencies. It is also shown that tangential flow excitation of Helmholtz resonance for off-centre openings in normal flow is also possible.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Propulsion Engineers Conference
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• 2003.10a
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• pp.6-10
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• 2003

Accurate description of starting transient history allows and justifies the use of small margin of safety for the engine parts, resulting in high motor mass ratio in addition to satisfying the control and guidance requirements of the vehicle. Studies have been carried out for the prediction and reduction of ignition peak and pressure-rise rate during the starting transient of solid rocket motors. Numerical studies have been carried out using a two dimensional Navier-Stokes solver. It has been inferred through the parametric studies that, in the case of solid rocket motors with uniform port, high ignition peak is observed at high spread rate and low pressure-rise rate. In the case of the port with sudden expansion configuration, high ignition peak is observed at relatively high average spread rate and high-pressure rise rate. These studies are expected to aid the designer in reducing the ignition peak by altering the propellant properties or igniter characteristics without sacrificing the motor performance.

• Advances in aircraft and spacecraft science
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.1-15
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• 2022

This paper presents calibration of flush air data sensing systems during ascent period of a satellite launch vehicle. Aerodynamic results are numerically computed by solving three-dimensional time dependent compressible Euler equations over a payload shroud of a satellite launch vehicle. The flush air data system consists of four pressure ports flushed on a blunt-cone section of the payload shroud and connected to on board differential pressure transducers. The inverse algorithm uses calibration charts which are based on computed and measured data. A controlled random search method coupled with neural network technique is employed to estimate pitch and yaw angles from measured transient differential pressure history. The algorithm predicts the flow direction stepwise with the function of flight Mach numbers and can be termed as an online method. Flow direction of the launch vehicle is compared with the reconstructed trajectory data. The estimated values of the flow direction are in good agreement with them.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.19 no.6
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• pp.603-618
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• 2005

The split Hopkinson pressure bar (SHPB) technique is widely used to characterize the dynamic mechanical response of engineering materials at high strain rates. In this paper, attendant problems associated with testing 70 mm diameter concrete specimens are considered, analysed and resolved. An adaptation of a conventional solid circular striker bar, as a means of achieving reliable and repeatable SHPB tests, is then proposed. In the analysis, a pseudo one-dimensional model is used to analyse wave propagation in a non-uniform striker bar. The stress history of the incident wave is then obtained by using the finite difference method. Comparison was made between incident waves determined from the simplified model, finite element solution and experimental data. The results show that the simplified method is adequate for designing striker bar shapes to overcome difficulties commonly encountered in SHPB tests. Using two specifically designed striker bars, tests were conducted on 70 mm diameter steel fibre reinforced concrete specimens. The results are presented in the paper.

• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.43 no.2
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• pp.54.1-54.1
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• 2018

Recent observational studies suggest that the environmental effects can shape the evolution of galaxies in clusters. In an attempt to better understand this process, we perform idealized radiation-hydrodynamic simulations of RAM pressure stripping on star-forming galaxies using RAMSES-RT. We find that extended HI disks are easily stripped by moderate ICM winds, while there is no significant decrease in the total mass of molecular gas. RAM pressure tends to compress the molecular gas, leading to enhanced star formation especially when the gaseous disk is hit by edge-on winds. On the other hand, strong ICM winds that are expected to operate at the centre of clusters strip both HI and molecular gas from the galaxy. Interestingly, we find that the strong ICM winds can induce the formation of relatively dense (~1H/cc) HI gas clouds at a distance from the disk.

• Current Photovoltaic Research
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• v.3 no.3
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• pp.75-79
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• 2015

Recently, $Cu_2ZnSn(S_xSe_{1-x})_4$ (CZTSSe) has been received a tremendous attraction as light absorber material in thin film solar cells (TFSCs), because of its earth abundance, inexpensive and non-toxic constituents and versatile material characteristics. Kesterite CZTSSe thin films were synthesized by sulfo-selenization of sputtered Cu/Sn/Zn stacked metallic precursors. The sulfo-selenization of Cu/Sn/Zn stacked metallic precursor thin films has been carried out in a graphite box using rapid thermal annealing (RTA) technique. Annealing process was done under sulfur and selenium vapor pressure using Ar gas at $520^{\circ}C$ for 10 min. The effect of tuning Se/(S+Se) precursor composition ratio on the properties of CZTSSe films has been investigated. The XRD, Raman, FE-SEM and XRF results indicate that the properties of sulfo-selenized CZTSSe thin films strongly depends on the Se/(S+Se) composition ratio. In particular, the CZTSSe TFSCs with Se/(S+Se) = 0.37 exhibits the best power conversion efficiency of 4.83% with $V_{oc}$ of 467 mV, $J_{sc}$ of $18.962mA/cm^2$ and FF of 54%. The systematic changes observed with increasing Se/(S+Se) ratio have been discussed in detail.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.53 no.3
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• pp.355-359
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• 2015

Hydatid disease imposing serious threat on human health and great loss in live-stock pastoralism remains a major public health problem in western China. To assess and monitor the effect of control program on transmission dynamics, we used the prevalence of cystic echinococcosis in slaughtered sheep at slaughterhouse as an indicator during the period of 2007 to 2013 in Emin County, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, China. The results showed a significant decline trend of prevalence in all age groups during the 7 years when the control program was implemented; particularly, the rate was reduced by 72% after first 3 years. Among the sheep slaughtered, the age distribution evidenced that the prevalence increased significantly as the sheep grew older. The baseline data indicated that the rate was 4.5% at the age <1, 6.7% at age 2~, and reached to the highest 17.9% at age ${\geq}4$ years. Earlier response to the intervention pressure was seen in the sheep at the younger age. Significant decline started from 2008 at the age <1, from 2009 at age of 1~, 2010 at 2~ to 3~, and the latest, in 2012 at age ${\geq}4$. This study demonstrated that the prevalence of cystic echinococcosis in slaughtered sheep may be used as an indicator to assess and monitor the transmission status during and after control program providing information for betterment of performance to sustain control strength.