A method for uncertainty and sensitivity analysis in fuel performance codes

The present study proposes a method for the execution of uncertainty and sensitivity analysis on TRANSURANUS code, adapted for the use of stainless steel AISI-348 as the cladding material for a PWR reactor fuel rod, thus allowing to determine which input data are more relevant to the TRANSURANUS models, as well as a confidence interval for the results. The analysis was made through Monte Carlo sampling, where input values related to the geometry and composition of the fuel rod were taken from a normal distribution truncated around fabrication tolerance values. The generated samples were used as TRANSURANUS input data, and after numerous executions of the code, the results pertaining to the fuel center line temperature, fuel rod inner pressure and cladding strains were used to obtain a confidence interval and to make a variance based sensitivity analysis, showing that the models used in TRANSURANUS are additive in nature, and input interactions are not relevant to the code.

Accelerated Weathering Testing of Polypropylene Tank Materials

Polypropylene expansion tanks have been subjected to accelerated weathering testing according to the developed procedure of accelerated weathering testing. The objective of the study was to determine an arbitrary lifetime of tanks under operating conditions at higher temperatures, humidity, and UV radiation (climate regions of India and Venezuela). As a result of the studies of the polypropylene expansion tanks the following has been established: the failure of the both tank types (A and B) occurred in the area of the weld in the upper and lower part after four arbitrary years of accelerated weathering testing; the stress-strain behaviour in the outer tank walls is influenced by the interior structure of the partitions. The tanks with a larger opening in the partitions feature significant deformations when the inner pressure increases as a result of a higher temperature; the “sensitive indicators” of ageing and failure of the tank material have been found: elongation at break, flexural modulus, and impact strength.

Tunable adhesion of an elastic pillar by pressurizing inner cavity

This work studies the effect of a cavity with inner pressure on the adhesion of circular pillars with a flat tip in contact with a rigid smooth surface. The inner cavity of pillars is pressurized positively before the contact. The effect of the cavity on the adhesion is examined for different cavity diameters and different membrane thicknesses over the cavity. The shape of the tip of the pillars is changed in accordance with the cavity dimension and the positive cavity pressure, which allows the change of an adhesive contact type from a flat-punch adhesive contact to a spherical adhesive contact that results in tunable adhesion strength of circular pillars. The results demonstrate that having an inner cavity reduces the adhesion, where the cavity diameter is more effective than the membrane thickness over the cavity on the reduction of the adhesive force. Applying pressure to the inner cavity of the pillars changes the sphericity, which alters the adhesive force accordingly. The sphericity 0.1 almost has no effect on the tunable adhesion strength, where the higher sphericity results in the reduction of the adhesive force from high adhesive force to low adhesive force linearly with a tunable efficiency between 95% and 98%.

RESEPSI MASYARAKAT TERHADAP CERITA DATU SANGGUL (THE LEGEND OF DATU SANGGUL AS RECEIVED BY THE COMMUNITY)

The legend of Datu Sanggul as received by the community. This research aims to describe the forms of reception and the factors causing the community (audience) to receive the Legend of Datu Sanggul. This is qualitative literary research through the receptive approach to literature. The data was collected through interviews, and field observations in the areas of the Datu Sanggul's Grave, and the documents of the manakib or books relating to the Datu Sanggul. The results of this research are (1) can be known the community's receptions on the Legend of Datu Sanggul are the forms of execution of annual commemoration of Datu Sanggul, the number of pilgrims to the Datu Sanggul's Grave, the habit of reciting manakib (biography), the presence of people who are eloquent in telling Datuk Sanggul's manakib, and the existence of the publication of manakib. (2) can be known the factors influencing the community to receive the Legend of Datu Sanggul are the factors of (a) the vows, wishful thinking/desires (positions, marriage partners, projects to build houses, etc), (b) the healing from illness, (c) the inner pressure and weak self-awareness based on which they hope they cured because of karomah of Datu Sanggul, (d) the socioculture, the family problem, the love towards a guardian. All factors and forms of community reception are influenced by community acceptance horizon factors such as background understanding of religion, religious emotions, social culture, and education. All the factors and forms of community's reception are influenced by the factors of the community's acceptance horizon such as the background of understanding of religion, religious emotions, social culture, and education. Key words: reception, legend, Datu SanggulAbstrak Resepsi Masyarakat Terhadap Cerita Datu Sanggul. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mendeskripsikan bentuk-bentuk resepsi dan faktor penyebab timbulnya tindakan resepsi masyarakat terhadap cerita Datu Sanggul. Penelitian ini berjenis penelitian kualitatif deskriptif melalui pendekatan resepsi sastra. Sumber data penelitian diambil dari tuturan informan baik melalui kegiatan wawancara, observasi lapangan di makam Datu Sanggul, dan dokumen manakib atau buku yang berkaitan dengan Datu Sanggul. Hasil dari penelitian ini adalah (1) dapat diketahui bentukbentuk resepsi masyarakat terhadap cerita Datu Sanggul berupa pelaksanaan haul Datu Sanggul tiap tahun, banyaknya peziarah ke makam Datu Sanggul, adanya kebiasaan membaca manakib, adanya orang yang fasih menceritakan riwayat Datu Sanggul, dan adanya buku manakib yang diterbitkan. (2) dapat diketahui faktorfaktor yang mempengaruhi tindakan resepsi masyarakat terhadap cerita Datu Sanggul adalah faktor adanya nazar, aktor adanya angan-angan/ keinginan (jabatan, jodoh, proyek membangun rumah, dsb.), faktor keinginan kesembuhan dari sakit, faktor tekanan batin dan kesadaran diri lemah sehingga berharap atau bertawassul melalui Datu Sanggul yang diyakini sebagai wali dan berkaromah, faktor sosial budaya, faktor masalah rumah tangga, dan faktor kecintaan terhadap wali. Semua faktor dan bentuk resepsi masyarakat tersebut dipengaruhi faktor horizon penerimaan masyarakat seperti latar belakang pemahaman keagamaan, emosi keagamaan, sosial budaya, dan pendidikan. Kata-kata kunci: resepsi masyarakat, cerita legenda, Datu Sanggul

Computational evaluation of laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy

LSG is one of the most performed bariatric procedures worldwide. It is a safe and effective operation with a low complication rate. Unsatisfactory weight loss/regain may occur, suggesting that the operation design could be improved. A bioengineering approach might significantly help in avoiding the most common complications. Computational models of the sleeved stomach after LSG were developed according to bougie size (range 27–54 Fr). The endoluminal pressure and the basal volume were computed at different intragastric pressures. At an inner pressure of 22.5 mmHg, the basal volume of the 54 Fr configuration was approximately 6 times greater than that of the 27 Fr configuration (57.92 ml vs 9.70 ml). Moreover, the elongation distribution of the gastric wall was assessed to quantify the effect on mechanoreceptors impacting satiety by differencing regions and layers. An increasing trend in elongation strain with increasing bougie size was observed in all cases. The most stressed region and layer were the antrum (approximately 25% higher stress than that in the corpus at 37.5 mmHg) and mucosa layer (approximately 7% higher stress than that in the muscularis layer at 22.5 mmHg), respectively. In addition, the pressure–volume behaviors were reported. Computational models and bioengineering methods can help to quantitatively identify some critical aspects of the “design” of bariatric operations to plan interventions, and predict and increase the success rate. Moreover, computational tools can support the development of innovative bariatric procedures, potentially skipping invasive approaches.

The Effect of Mesenchymal Stem Cells Transplantation on Cardiac Functioning and Contractility in Experimental Myocardial Infarction

Introduction. Heart failure as a result of ischemic myocardial remodeling is one of the most severe diseases with poor prognosis. Drug therapy alone with surgical or percutaneous revascularization of damaged myocardium often fails to achieve optimum effect in the treatment of the mentioned syndrome. Cell cardiomyoplasty using autologous bone marrow derived mesenchymal stem cells (BM-MSCs) has already proved to be promising alternative to both these treatment methods, as it’s aimed directly at restoration of normally functioning myocard. The aim. To study the effects of different techniques of cardiomyoplasty with BM-MSCs on morphometrical and functional indices of post-infarctional left ventricular remodeling in experiment. Materials and methods. An experimental model of myocardial infarction in laboratory rats was used for the research. The survived animals were equally divided into 5 groups; the animals of 3 groups underwent BM-MSC transplantation. A certain technique of cardiomyoplasty was used in each of the 3 groups: direct injection into necrotic myocardium, intravenous injection and injection inside left ventricular cavity (which imitates intracoronalintroduction). Other 2 groups were comparison groups where the animals did not achieve BM-MSCs after infarction. There was also control group with intact animals with normal values of all the studied indices. The following invasive and noninvasive measurements of functional heart indices have been done in all research groups: left ventricular weight and its relation to body weight, end-systolic and end-diastolic left ventricular internal dimensions, fractional shortening, ejection fraction, stroke volume, heart rate, systemic arterial pressure and left ventricular inner pressure, both systolic and diastolic. The follow-up period was 1 and 3 months after the experiment. Finally, all animals were euthanized and autopsied, and the results of macroscopic examination of their hearts have been matched with aforecited functional indices in each group. Results and discussion. The analysis of all measured parameters and their comparison between groups have revealed that BM-MSC transplantation (irrespective of technique) conduces to reliably significant retention of functioning myocardium volume, reliably significant improvement of contractility parameters, particularly, reduced end-systolic and end-diastolic internal dimensions, increased ejection fraction, fractional shortening and stroke volume; it also contributes to maximal inalterability of such hemodynamic parameters as heart rate, systemic arterial pressure, left ventricular inner pressure. In addition, in all 3 groups of cell therapy the indices of contractility and pump function of the left ventricle were very close to normal rates. But the optimal results have been obtained in the group of direct intramyocardial injections. Conclusion. Cell cardiomyoplasty with BM-MSCs tends to prevent ischemic myocardial remodeling and, as a result, to improve myocardial contractility and neutralize manifestations of severe heart failure in short-term follow-up of 1 and 3 months.