Logistic Regression Models have been widely used in many areas of research, namely in health sciences, to study risk factors associated to diseases. Many population based surveys, such as Demographic and Health Survey...Logistic Regression Models have been widely used in many areas of research, namely in health sciences, to study risk factors associated to diseases. Many population based surveys, such as Demographic and Health Survey (DHS), are constructed assuming complex sampling, i.e., probabilistic, stratified and multistage sampling, with unequal weights in the observations;this complex design must be taken into account in order to have reliable results. However, this very relevant issue usually is not well analyzed in the literature. The aim of the study is to specify the logistic regression model with complex sample design, and to demonstrate how to estimate it using the R software survey package. More specifically, we used Mozambique Demographic Health and Survey data 2011 (MDHS 2011) to illustrate how to correct for the effect of sample design in the particular case of estimating the risk factors associated to the probability of using mosquito bed nets. Our results show that in the presence of complex sampling, appropriate methods must be used both in descriptive and inferential statistics.展开更多
Malaria is still a major public health concern in Cameroon as more than 20 million people are at risk of the disease. Despite the government’s effort to scale up the distribution of long lasting insecticide-treated b...Malaria is still a major public health concern in Cameroon as more than 20 million people are at risk of the disease. Despite the government’s effort to scale up the distribution of long lasting insecticide-treated bed nets (LLINs), full ownership and optimal use is still limited. In 2021, over a million LLINs were made available for distribution in the South West Region. However, the current situation of malaria has not yet been ascertained following the 2021 mass distribution campaign (MDC). Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine LLIN ownership, coverage, usage and the prevalence of malaria following the 2021 MDC in the Tiko Health District (THD), South West Region of Cameroon. A cross-sectional study was carried from May 1 to 27, 2022 in which a multi-stage sampling technique was used to enroll eligible participants. Data were collected from household heads using questionnaires and capillary blood samples collected from consented household members were used to test for malaria. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 25 at 0.05 significance level. From the 150 households surveyed, 96 (64.0%) owned a mosquito net before the recent MDC. There was an overall significant increase (p p = 0.644) in LLINs ownership between areas where door-to-door (79.5%) and fixed “Hit and Run” (75.8%) strategies were used in the distribution of LLINs in THD. The prevalence of malaria was 10.2%. The regular use of LLINs was significantly associated (p = 0.007) with low malaria prevalence. The 2021 MDC had an impact on malaria prevalence in those who properly used them.展开更多
Objective:To ascertain the socio-cultural factors influencing the rate of utilization of insecticide treated bed nets(ITNs) in a malaria endemic city of Makurdi,north central Nigeria. Methods:The study was cross-secti...Objective:To ascertain the socio-cultural factors influencing the rate of utilization of insecticide treated bed nets(ITNs) in a malaria endemic city of Makurdi,north central Nigeria. Methods:The study was cross-sectional in nature using systematic sampling method to identify households.Both quantitative and qualitative data was generated from adult women using structured and semi structured questionnaires,and focused group discussions(FGDs) to obtain information on rate and patterns of utilization of ITNs.Information such as age,educational level, marital status,awareness or otherwise of the existence of malaria,and factors influencing rate of ownership and utilization of ITNs were obtained.FGDs were used to obtain qualitative information on rate of utilization of ITNs not captured in the questionnaires.Data obtained was analysed using Epi Info 6 statistical software.Results:Among the respondents interviewed,97.0% (2 013/2 075) were aware of existence of malaria and 87.0% of these(1 751/2 013) would associate it with mosquitoes.The rate of ownership of any bed net,ITNs and untreated bed nets(UTNs) was 25.1% ,17.0% and 8.3% ,respectively.Utilization of ITNs among children was 30.0% (112/373) and UTNs 12.9% (48/373).Positive contributors to ITNs utilization were literacy,enhanced economy, experience of marriage,and being gainfully employed(P【0.05);while negative contributors were ignorance,poverty and some cultural beliefs and values.Conclusions:A more synchronized advocacy should be carried out on the potential benefits of ITNs utilization and sustained.Also ITNs should be made available to the people of the community at minimal or no cost.展开更多
Background:Myanmar lies in the Greater Mekong Subregion where there is artemisinin-resistant Plasmodium falciparum malaria.As the artemisinin compound is the pillar of effective antimalarial therapies,containing the s...Background:Myanmar lies in the Greater Mekong Subregion where there is artemisinin-resistant Plasmodium falciparum malaria.As the artemisinin compound is the pillar of effective antimalarial therapies,containing the spread of artemisinin resistance is a national and global priority.The use of insecticide-treated bed nets/long-lasting insecticidal nets(ITNs/LLINs)is the key intervention for ensuring the reduction of malaria transmission and the spread of resistant strains,and for eventually eliminating malaria.This study aimed at assessing household ownership of,access to,and utilization of bed nets in areas of Myanmar with and without artemisinin resistance containment measures.Methods:Secondary data from a nationwide community-based malaria survey conducted by the National Malaria Control Program in 2014 were analyzed.Based on evidence of artemisinin resistance,Myanmar was divided into tiers 1,2,and 3:townships in tiers 1 and 2 were aggregated as the Myanmar Artemisinin Resistance Containment(MARC)areas and were compared with tier 3 townships,which were defined as non-MARC areas.The chi-square test was used to compare groups,and the level of significance was set at P≤0.05.Results:Of the 6328 households assessed,97.2%in both MARC and non-MARC areas had at least one bed net(any type),but only 63%of households had ITNs/LLINs.Only 44%of households in MARC areas and 24%in non-MARC areas had adequate numbers of ITNs/LLINs(one ITN/LLIN per two persons,P<0.001).Nearly 44%of household members had access to ITNs/LLINs.Regarding the utilization of ITNs/LLINs,45%of household members used them in MARC areas and 36%used them in non-MARC areas(P<0.001,desired target=100%).Utilization of ITNs/LLINs among children aged below five years and pregnant women(high malaria risk groups)was low,at 44%and 42%,respectively.Conclusions:This study highlights the nationwide shortfalls in the ownership of,access to,and utilization of ITNs/LLINs in Myanmar,which is of particular concern in terms of containing the spread of artemisinin resistance.It highlights the need for priority attention to be paid and mobilization of resources in order to improve bed net coverage and utilization through bed net distribution and/or social marketing,information dissemination,and awareness-raising.展开更多
Magnetostrictive Fe-Ga alloys have captivated substantial focus in biomedical applications because of their exceptional transition efficiency and favorable cytocompatibility.Nevertheless,Fe-Ga alloys always exhibit fr...Magnetostrictive Fe-Ga alloys have captivated substantial focus in biomedical applications because of their exceptional transition efficiency and favorable cytocompatibility.Nevertheless,Fe-Ga alloys always exhibit frustrating magnetostriction coefficients when presented in bulk dimensions.It is well-established that the magnetostrictive performance of Fe-Ga alloys is intimately linked to their phase and crystal structures.In this study,various concentrations of boron(B)were doped into Fe_(81)Ga_(19) alloys via the laser-beam powder bed fusion(LPBF)technique to tailor the crystal and phase structures,thereby improving the magnetostrictive performance.The results revealed the capacity for quick solidification of the LPBF process in expediting the solid solution of B element,which increased both lattice distortion and dislocations within the Fe-Ga matrix.These factors contributed to an elevation in the density of the modified-D0_(3) phase structure.Moreover,the prepared Fe-Ga-B alloys also exhibited a(001)preferred grain orientation caused by the high thermal gradients during the LPBF process.As a result,a maximum magnetostriction coefficient of 105 ppm was achieved in the(Fe_(81)Ga_(19))_(98.5)B_(1.5) alloy.In alternating magnetic fields,all the LPBF-prepared alloys showed good dynamic magnetostriction response without visible hysteresis,while the(Fe_(81)Ga_(19))_(98.5)B_(1.5) alloy presented a notable enhancement of~30%in magnetostriction coefficient when compared with the Fe_(81)Ga_(19) alloy.Moreover.the(Fe_(81)Ga_(19))_(98.5)B_(1.5) alloy exhibited favorable biocompatibility and osteogenesis,as confirmed by increased alkaline phosphatase(ALP)activity and the formation of mineralized nodules.These findings suggest that the B-doped Fe-Ga alloys combined with the LPBF technique hold promise for the development of bulk magnetostrictive alloys that are applicable for bone repair applications.展开更多
A feasible criterion was established to determine the lower size limit of raw coal(d_(pRm))for efficient beneficiation in the air-fluidized bed with magnetite particles.The feasibility of using small magnetite particl...A feasible criterion was established to determine the lower size limit of raw coal(d_(pRm))for efficient beneficiation in the air-fluidized bed with magnetite particles.The feasibility of using small magnetite particles to accommodate the fine raw coal was demonstrated from the experimental perspective.The minimum size for the magnetite particles to be fluidized smoothly was clarified as 47.1μm,which corresponded to the border between Geldart-B and-A groups.Since the gangue and coal components in the raw coal were crushed into the same size,d_(pRm)depended on the greater one between d_(pGm)(minimum size required for the gangue particles to sink towards the bottom)and d_(pCm)(minimum size required for the coal particles to float towards the top).dpcm was determined as 259μm by supposing that provided the gangue particles accumulated in the lower half bed,they could be potentially extracted from the bottom.On the other hand,it was observed that the coal particles could always accumulate in the upper half bed.Under such circumstances,dpcm was revealed as 9.8μm since finer coal particles would be blown out by air before the 47.1μm sized magnetite particles became fluidized.Eventually,dpRm was clarified as 259μm,agreeing with the common view that raw coal coarser than 6 mm could be effectively beneficiated in the air-fluidized bed with magnetite particles.Additionally,the difficulty in beneficiating the fine raw coal was revealed to arise more from the remixing of sorted gangue particles than that of separated coal particles.展开更多
Metal additive manufacturing(MAM)enables near-net shape production of components with minimized waste and excellent mechanical performance based on multi-scale microstructural heterogeneity.Espe-cially,the dislocation...Metal additive manufacturing(MAM)enables near-net shape production of components with minimized waste and excellent mechanical performance based on multi-scale microstructural heterogeneity.Espe-cially,the dislocation cell network that often bears elemental segregation or precipitation of a secondary phase contributes to enhancing the strength of additively manufactured materials.The cell boundaries can also act as active nucleation sites for the formation of precipitates under post-MAM heat treatment,as the chemical heterogeneity and profuse dislocations generate a driving force for precipitation.In this work,we subjected a Co_(18)Cr_(15)Fe_(50)Ni_(10)Mo_(6.5)C_(0.5)(at%)medium-entropy alloy fabricated by laser powder bed fusion(LPBF)to post-LPBF annealing at 900℃for 10 min.Microstructural investigation revealed that the cell boundaries of the as-built sample,which were decorated by Mo segregation,are replaced byμphase andM_(6)C typecarbide precipitatesduringannealingwhile thegrainstructureand sizeremain unaffected,indicating that the post-LPBF annealing delivered the proper amount of heat input to alter only the cell structure.The yield strength slightly decreased with annealing due to a reduction in the strengthening effect by the cell boundaries despite an increased precipitation strengthening effect.How-ever,the post-LPBF annealing improved the strain hardenability and the ultimate tensile strength was enhanced from∼1.02 to∼1.15 GPa owing to reinforced back stress hardening by the increased disloca-tion pile-up at the precipitates.Our results suggest that the cell structure with chemical heterogeneity can be successfully controlled by careful post-MAM heat treatment to tailor the mechanical performance,while also providing insight into alloy design for additive manufacturing.展开更多
The dynamics of vapor−liquid−solid(V−L−S)flow boiling in fluidized bed evaporators exhibit inherent complexity and chaotic behavior,hindering accurate prediction of pressure drop signals.To address this challenge,this...The dynamics of vapor−liquid−solid(V−L−S)flow boiling in fluidized bed evaporators exhibit inherent complexity and chaotic behavior,hindering accurate prediction of pressure drop signals.To address this challenge,this study proposes an innovative hybrid approach that integrates wavelet neural network(WNN)with chaos analysis.By leveraging the Cross-Correlation(C−C)method,the minimum embedding dimension for phase space reconstruction is systematically calculated and then adopted as the input node configuration for the WNN.Simulation results demonstrate the remarkable effectiveness of this integrated method in predicting pressure drop signals,advancing our understanding of the intricate dynamic phenomena occurring with V−L−S fluidized bed evaporators.Moreover,this study offers a novel perspective on applying advanced data-driven techniques to handle the complexities of multi-phase flow systems and highlights the potential for improved operational prediction and control in industrial settings.展开更多
Natural rutile and gaseous chlorine with carbon as reductant were used to prepare titanium tetrachloride. Thermodynamics and kinetics of chlorination of Kenya natural rutile particles in a batch-type fluidized bed wer...Natural rutile and gaseous chlorine with carbon as reductant were used to prepare titanium tetrachloride. Thermodynamics and kinetics of chlorination of Kenya natural rutile particles in a batch-type fluidized bed were studied at 1173-1273 K. Thermodynamic analysis of this system revealed that the equation of producing CO was dominant at high temperatures. Based on the gas-solid multi-phase reaction theory and a two-phase model for the fluidized bed, the mathematical description for the chlorination reaction of rutile was proposed. The reaction parameters and the average concentration of gaseous chlorine in the emulsion phase were estimated. The average concentration of emulsion phase in the range of fluidized bed was calculated as 0.3 mol/m^3. The results showed that the chlorination of natural rutile proceeded principally in the emulsion phase, and the reaction rate was mainly controlled by the surface reaction.展开更多
To determine and calculate the stable fluidization zone in a magnetically fluidized bed, the fluidization characteristics of magnetic particles are investigated. Four kinds of magnetic particles with different average...To determine and calculate the stable fluidization zone in a magnetically fluidized bed, the fluidization characteristics of magnetic particles are investigated. Four kinds of magnetic particles with different average diameters, ranging from 231 to 512 μm, are fluidized in the presence of magnetic fields with specified values of the intensity in the range of zero to 7330 A/m, and the particle fluidization curves are plotted. For marking the stable fluidization zone in the curves, the minimum bubbling velocities of particles are measured by the pressure-drop fluctuation. Based on the fluidization curves, the influences of the average particle diameter and magnetic field intensity on the zone are analyzed and discussed. A correlation to determine the stable fluidization zone is derived from the experimental data, using three dimensionless numbers, i. e., the ratio of magnetic potential to gravity potential, the Reynolds number and the Archimedes number. Compared with available data reported, it is shown that the correlation is more simplified to predict relative parameters for the bed operating in the state of stable fluidization under reasonable conditions.展开更多
The oxidative coupling of methane （OCM） to ethylene over a perovskite titanate catalyst in a fixed bed reactor was studied experimentally and numerically. The two-dimensional steady state model accounted for separat...The oxidative coupling of methane （OCM） to ethylene over a perovskite titanate catalyst in a fixed bed reactor was studied experimentally and numerically. The two-dimensional steady state model accounted for separate energy equations for the gas and solid phases coupled with an experimental kinetic model. A lumped kinetic model containing four main species CH4, O2, COx （CO2, CO）, and C2 （C2H4 and C2H6） was used with a plug flow reactor model as well. The results from the model agreed with the experimental data. The model was used to analyze the influence of temperature and feed gas composition on the conversion and selectivity of the reactor performance. The analytical results indicate that the conversion decreases, whereas, C2 selectivity increases by increasing gas hourly space velocity （GHSV） and the methane conversion also decreases by increasing the methane to oxygen ratio.展开更多
A three-dimensional Eulerian multiphase model, with closure law according to the kinetic theory of granular flow, was used to study the gas/solid flow behaviors in spout-fluid beds. The influences of the coefficient o...A three-dimensional Eulerian multiphase model, with closure law according to the kinetic theory of granular flow, was used to study the gas/solid flow behaviors in spout-fluid beds. The influences of the coefficient of restitution due to non-ideal particle collisions on the simulated results were tested. It is demonstrated that the simulated result is strongly affected by the coefficient of restitution. Comparison of simulations with experiments in a small spout-fluid bed showed that an appropriate coefficient of restitution of 0.93 was necessary to simulate the flow characteristics in an underdesigned large size of spout-fluid bed coal gasifier with diameter of lm and height of 6m. The internal jet and gas/solid flow patterns at different operating conditions were obtained. The simulations show that an optimal gas/solid flow pattern for coal gasification is found when the spouting gas flow rate is equal to the fluidizing gas flow rate and the total of them is two and a half times the minimum fluidizing gas flow rate. Besides, the radial distributions of particle velocity and gas velocity show similar tendencies; the radial distributions of particle phase pressure due to particle collisions and the particle pseudo-temperature corresponding to the macroscopic kinetic energy of the random particle motion also show similar tendencies. These indicate that both gas drag force and particle collisions dominate the movement of particles.展开更多
treatability of synthetic sago wastewater was investigated in a laboratory anaerobic tapered fluidized bed reactor （ATFBR） with a mesoporous granular activated carbon （GAC） as a support material. The experimental ...treatability of synthetic sago wastewater was investigated in a laboratory anaerobic tapered fluidized bed reactor （ATFBR） with a mesoporous granular activated carbon （GAC） as a support material. The experimental protocol was defined to examine the effect of the maximum organic loading rate （OLR）, hydraulic retention time （HRT）, the efficiency of the reactor and to report on its steady- state performance. The reactor was subjected to a steady-state operation over a range of OLR up to 85.44 kg COD/（m^3·d）. The COD removal efficiency was found to be 92% in the reactor while the biogas produced in the digester reached 25.38 m^3/（m^3·d） of the reactor. With the increase of OLR from 83.7 kg COD/（m^3·d）, the COD removal efficiency decreased. Also an artificial neural network （ANN） model using multilayer perceptron （MLP） has been developed for a system of two input variable and five output dependent variables. For the training of the input-output data, the experimental values obtained have been used. The output parameters predicted have been found to be much closer to the corresponding experimental ones and the model was validated for 30% of the untrained data. The mean square error （MSE） was found to be only 0.0146.展开更多
Many problems appear in the sintering process of vanadium-bearing titanomagnetite, such as high energy consumption and low productivity; simer quality is also very poor for its low tumble strength and high reduction d...Many problems appear in the sintering process of vanadium-bearing titanomagnetite, such as high energy consumption and low productivity; simer quality is also very poor for its low tumble strength and high reduction deg- radation. Sinter productivity and quality are dominated by bed permeability and mineralogy structure, which are highly influenced by the thermal state of sintering bed, so the sintering process of titanomagnetite is researched by bed dissection in this work. Temperature evolution curves of sinter materials were measured, and the results show that melting duration, peak temperature duration and sintering temperature of different layers differ greatly from each other; flame front speed and vertical sintering speed of bed lower region are much smaller than those of bed up- per region. Simultaneously, sinter samples were collected from different layers, and their mineralogy characteristics are analyzed; sinters from bed lower region have poor mineralogy structure, and the amounts of perovskite and dieM- cium silicate increase intensively, which are bad for sinter strength and reduction degradation property. Measures are proposed to improve the quality and productivity of titanomagnetite sinter.展开更多
The penetration depth of torpedo anchor in two-layered soil bed was experimentally investigated. A total of 177 experimental data were obtained in laboratory by varying the undrained shear strength of the two-layered ...The penetration depth of torpedo anchor in two-layered soil bed was experimentally investigated. A total of 177 experimental data were obtained in laboratory by varying the undrained shear strength of the two-layered soil and the thickness of the top soil layer. The geometric parameters of the anchor and the soil properties(the liquid limit, plastic limit, specific gravity, undrained shear strength, density, and water content) were measured. Based on the energy analysis and present test data, an empirical formula to predict the penetration depth of torpedo anchor in two-layered soil bed was proposed. The proposed formula was extensively validated by laboratory and field data of previous researchers. The results were in good agreement with those obtained for two-layered and single-layered soil bed.Finally, a sensitivity analysis on the parameters in the formula was performed.展开更多
For the magnetized fluidized bed(MFB)with the binary mixture of Geldart-B magnetizable and nonmagnetizable particles,the magnetically induced segregation between these two kinds of particles occurs at high magnetic fi...For the magnetized fluidized bed(MFB)with the binary mixture of Geldart-B magnetizable and nonmagnetizable particles,the magnetically induced segregation between these two kinds of particles occurs at high magnetic field intensities(H),leading to the deterioration of the fluidization quality.The critical intensity(H_(ms))above which such segregation commences varies with the gas velocity(U_g).This work focuses on establishing a segregation model to theoretically derive the H_(ms)–U_g relationship.In a magnetic field,the magnetizable particles form agglomerates.The magnetically induced segregation in essence refers to the size segregation of the binary mixture of agglomerates and nonmagnetizable particles.Consequently,the segregation model was established in two steps:first,the size of agglomerates(d_A)was calculated by the force balance model;then,the H_(ms)–U_g relationship was obtained by substituting the expression of d_Ainto the basic size segregation model for binary mixtures.As per the force balance model,the cohesive and collision forces were 1_2 orders of magnitude greater than the other forces exerted on the agglomerates.Therefore,the balance between these two forces largely determined d_A.The calculated d_A increased with increasing H and decreasing U_g,agreeing qualitatively with the experimental observation.The calculated H_(ms)–U_ g relationship agreed reasonably with the experimental data,indicating that the present segregation model could predict well the segregation behavior in the MFB with the binary mixture.展开更多
On the basis of the analysis of the process of treating low concentrations of sulfur dioxide （SO2） gas in a fixed bed reactor, a kinetic model is proposed for this process after taking into consideration the effects...On the basis of the analysis of the process of treating low concentrations of sulfur dioxide （SO2） gas in a fixed bed reactor, a kinetic model is proposed for this process after taking into consideration the effects of internal diffusion, cell concentration, and production yield of microorganisms but ignoring the effect of external diffusion. The results obtained from the model simulation show that this model can indicate the influence of the process factors, Cin, η μmax, Cx, A, h, Kin, and Q, on the removal of SO2 and that the prediction of the results by this model is also satisfactory. This kinetic model can also provide some very important indications regarding the preparation of immobilized microorganisms, selection and domestication of proper species of microorganisms, as well as the design of bioreactors.展开更多
A magnetically stabilized fluidized bed (MSB) is a highly efficient filter that takes the advantage of both fluidized beds and fixed beds. This paper presents the research to collect aerosol in airflow with a MSB. The...A magnetically stabilized fluidized bed (MSB) is a highly efficient filter that takes the advantage of both fluidized beds and fixed beds. This paper presents the research to collect aerosol in airflow with a MSB. The filtering model of MSB is established with its parameters including magnetic Geld intensity, gas superficial velocity, average grain-size, and bed height on the collection efficiency of MSB. The model is verified by experiments.展开更多
The HCl emission characteristics of typical municipal solid waste(MSW) components and their mixtures have been investigated in a Φ150 mm fluidized bed. Some influencing factors of HCl emission in MSW fluidized bed in...The HCl emission characteristics of typical municipal solid waste(MSW) components and their mixtures have been investigated in a Φ150 mm fluidized bed. Some influencing factors of HCl emission in MSW fluidized bed incinerator was found in this study. The HCl emission is increasing with the growth of bed temperature, while it is decreasing with the increment of oxygen concentration at furnace exit. When the weight percentage of auxiliary coal is increased, the conversion rate of Cl to HCl is increasing. The HCl emission is decreased, if the sorbent(CaO) is added during the incineration process. Based on these experimental results, a 14×6×1 three-layer BP neural networks prediction model of HCl emission in MSW/coal co-fired fluidized bed incinerator was built. The numbers of input nodes and hidden nodes were fixed on by canonical correlation analysis technique and dynamic construction method respectively. The prediction results of this model gave good agreement with the experimental results, which indicates that the model has relatively high accuracy and good generalization ability. It was found that BP neural network is an effectual method used to predict the HCl emission of MSW/coal co-fired fluidized bed incinerator.展开更多
文摘Logistic Regression Models have been widely used in many areas of research, namely in health sciences, to study risk factors associated to diseases. Many population based surveys, such as Demographic and Health Survey (DHS), are constructed assuming complex sampling, i.e., probabilistic, stratified and multistage sampling, with unequal weights in the observations;this complex design must be taken into account in order to have reliable results. However, this very relevant issue usually is not well analyzed in the literature. The aim of the study is to specify the logistic regression model with complex sample design, and to demonstrate how to estimate it using the R software survey package. More specifically, we used Mozambique Demographic Health and Survey data 2011 (MDHS 2011) to illustrate how to correct for the effect of sample design in the particular case of estimating the risk factors associated to the probability of using mosquito bed nets. Our results show that in the presence of complex sampling, appropriate methods must be used both in descriptive and inferential statistics.
文摘Malaria is still a major public health concern in Cameroon as more than 20 million people are at risk of the disease. Despite the government’s effort to scale up the distribution of long lasting insecticide-treated bed nets (LLINs), full ownership and optimal use is still limited. In 2021, over a million LLINs were made available for distribution in the South West Region. However, the current situation of malaria has not yet been ascertained following the 2021 mass distribution campaign (MDC). Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine LLIN ownership, coverage, usage and the prevalence of malaria following the 2021 MDC in the Tiko Health District (THD), South West Region of Cameroon. A cross-sectional study was carried from May 1 to 27, 2022 in which a multi-stage sampling technique was used to enroll eligible participants. Data were collected from household heads using questionnaires and capillary blood samples collected from consented household members were used to test for malaria. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 25 at 0.05 significance level. From the 150 households surveyed, 96 (64.0%) owned a mosquito net before the recent MDC. There was an overall significant increase (p p = 0.644) in LLINs ownership between areas where door-to-door (79.5%) and fixed “Hit and Run” (75.8%) strategies were used in the distribution of LLINs in THD. The prevalence of malaria was 10.2%. The regular use of LLINs was significantly associated (p = 0.007) with low malaria prevalence. The 2021 MDC had an impact on malaria prevalence in those who properly used them.
文摘Objective:To ascertain the socio-cultural factors influencing the rate of utilization of insecticide treated bed nets(ITNs) in a malaria endemic city of Makurdi,north central Nigeria. Methods:The study was cross-sectional in nature using systematic sampling method to identify households.Both quantitative and qualitative data was generated from adult women using structured and semi structured questionnaires,and focused group discussions(FGDs) to obtain information on rate and patterns of utilization of ITNs.Information such as age,educational level, marital status,awareness or otherwise of the existence of malaria,and factors influencing rate of ownership and utilization of ITNs were obtained.FGDs were used to obtain qualitative information on rate of utilization of ITNs not captured in the questionnaires.Data obtained was analysed using Epi Info 6 statistical software.Results:Among the respondents interviewed,97.0% (2 013/2 075) were aware of existence of malaria and 87.0% of these(1 751/2 013) would associate it with mosquitoes.The rate of ownership of any bed net,ITNs and untreated bed nets(UTNs) was 25.1% ,17.0% and 8.3% ,respectively.Utilization of ITNs among children was 30.0% (112/373) and UTNs 12.9% (48/373).Positive contributors to ITNs utilization were literacy,enhanced economy, experience of marriage,and being gainfully employed(P【0.05);while negative contributors were ignorance,poverty and some cultural beliefs and values.Conclusions:A more synchronized advocacy should be carried out on the potential benefits of ITNs utilization and sustained.Also ITNs should be made available to the people of the community at minimal or no cost.
基金The program was funded by the World Health Organization/Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases(WHO/TDR)Impact grant to two TDR alumni from the DMRThe funders had no role in study design,data collection and analysis,decision to publish,or preparation of the paper.
文摘Background:Myanmar lies in the Greater Mekong Subregion where there is artemisinin-resistant Plasmodium falciparum malaria.As the artemisinin compound is the pillar of effective antimalarial therapies,containing the spread of artemisinin resistance is a national and global priority.The use of insecticide-treated bed nets/long-lasting insecticidal nets(ITNs/LLINs)is the key intervention for ensuring the reduction of malaria transmission and the spread of resistant strains,and for eventually eliminating malaria.This study aimed at assessing household ownership of,access to,and utilization of bed nets in areas of Myanmar with and without artemisinin resistance containment measures.Methods:Secondary data from a nationwide community-based malaria survey conducted by the National Malaria Control Program in 2014 were analyzed.Based on evidence of artemisinin resistance,Myanmar was divided into tiers 1,2,and 3:townships in tiers 1 and 2 were aggregated as the Myanmar Artemisinin Resistance Containment(MARC)areas and were compared with tier 3 townships,which were defined as non-MARC areas.The chi-square test was used to compare groups,and the level of significance was set at P≤0.05.Results:Of the 6328 households assessed,97.2%in both MARC and non-MARC areas had at least one bed net(any type),but only 63%of households had ITNs/LLINs.Only 44%of households in MARC areas and 24%in non-MARC areas had adequate numbers of ITNs/LLINs(one ITN/LLIN per two persons,P<0.001).Nearly 44%of household members had access to ITNs/LLINs.Regarding the utilization of ITNs/LLINs,45%of household members used them in MARC areas and 36%used them in non-MARC areas(P<0.001,desired target=100%).Utilization of ITNs/LLINs among children aged below five years and pregnant women(high malaria risk groups)was low,at 44%and 42%,respectively.Conclusions:This study highlights the nationwide shortfalls in the ownership of,access to,and utilization of ITNs/LLINs in Myanmar,which is of particular concern in terms of containing the spread of artemisinin resistance.It highlights the need for priority attention to be paid and mobilization of resources in order to improve bed net coverage and utilization through bed net distribution and/or social marketing,information dissemination,and awareness-raising.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.52275395,51935014,and 82072084)the Science and Technology Innovation Program of Hunan Province(No.2023RC3046)+4 种基金the Young Elite Scientists Sponsorship Program byCAST(No.2020QNRC002)the NationalKeyResearchand Development Program of China(No.2023YFB4605800)the Central South University Innovation-Driven Research Programme(No.2023CXQD023)the Jiangxi Provincial Natural Science Foundation of China(No.20224ACB204013)the Project of State Key Laboratory of Precision Manufacturing for Extreme Service Performance,Central South University.
文摘Magnetostrictive Fe-Ga alloys have captivated substantial focus in biomedical applications because of their exceptional transition efficiency and favorable cytocompatibility.Nevertheless,Fe-Ga alloys always exhibit frustrating magnetostriction coefficients when presented in bulk dimensions.It is well-established that the magnetostrictive performance of Fe-Ga alloys is intimately linked to their phase and crystal structures.In this study,various concentrations of boron(B)were doped into Fe_(81)Ga_(19) alloys via the laser-beam powder bed fusion(LPBF)technique to tailor the crystal and phase structures,thereby improving the magnetostrictive performance.The results revealed the capacity for quick solidification of the LPBF process in expediting the solid solution of B element,which increased both lattice distortion and dislocations within the Fe-Ga matrix.These factors contributed to an elevation in the density of the modified-D0_(3) phase structure.Moreover,the prepared Fe-Ga-B alloys also exhibited a(001)preferred grain orientation caused by the high thermal gradients during the LPBF process.As a result,a maximum magnetostriction coefficient of 105 ppm was achieved in the(Fe_(81)Ga_(19))_(98.5)B_(1.5) alloy.In alternating magnetic fields,all the LPBF-prepared alloys showed good dynamic magnetostriction response without visible hysteresis,while the(Fe_(81)Ga_(19))_(98.5)B_(1.5) alloy presented a notable enhancement of~30%in magnetostriction coefficient when compared with the Fe_(81)Ga_(19) alloy.Moreover.the(Fe_(81)Ga_(19))_(98.5)B_(1.5) alloy exhibited favorable biocompatibility and osteogenesis,as confirmed by increased alkaline phosphatase(ALP)activity and the formation of mineralized nodules.These findings suggest that the B-doped Fe-Ga alloys combined with the LPBF technique hold promise for the development of bulk magnetostrictive alloys that are applicable for bone repair applications.
基金supported by Shandong Provincial Natural Science Foundation(ZR2023MB038)Youth Innovation Team Program of Shandong Higher Education Institution(2022KJ156)。
文摘A feasible criterion was established to determine the lower size limit of raw coal(d_(pRm))for efficient beneficiation in the air-fluidized bed with magnetite particles.The feasibility of using small magnetite particles to accommodate the fine raw coal was demonstrated from the experimental perspective.The minimum size for the magnetite particles to be fluidized smoothly was clarified as 47.1μm,which corresponded to the border between Geldart-B and-A groups.Since the gangue and coal components in the raw coal were crushed into the same size,d_(pRm)depended on the greater one between d_(pGm)(minimum size required for the gangue particles to sink towards the bottom)and d_(pCm)(minimum size required for the coal particles to float towards the top).dpcm was determined as 259μm by supposing that provided the gangue particles accumulated in the lower half bed,they could be potentially extracted from the bottom.On the other hand,it was observed that the coal particles could always accumulate in the upper half bed.Under such circumstances,dpcm was revealed as 9.8μm since finer coal particles would be blown out by air before the 47.1μm sized magnetite particles became fluidized.Eventually,dpRm was clarified as 259μm,agreeing with the common view that raw coal coarser than 6 mm could be effectively beneficiated in the air-fluidized bed with magnetite particles.Additionally,the difficulty in beneficiating the fine raw coal was revealed to arise more from the remixing of sorted gangue particles than that of separated coal particles.
基金supported by the National Research Founda-tion of Korea(NRF)grant funded by the Korean government(MSIT)(Nos.2021R1A2C3006662 and RS-2023-00281246)supported by the Principal R&D project(contract no.PNK9950)of the Korean Institute of Materials Science(KIMS).
文摘Metal additive manufacturing(MAM)enables near-net shape production of components with minimized waste and excellent mechanical performance based on multi-scale microstructural heterogeneity.Espe-cially,the dislocation cell network that often bears elemental segregation or precipitation of a secondary phase contributes to enhancing the strength of additively manufactured materials.The cell boundaries can also act as active nucleation sites for the formation of precipitates under post-MAM heat treatment,as the chemical heterogeneity and profuse dislocations generate a driving force for precipitation.In this work,we subjected a Co_(18)Cr_(15)Fe_(50)Ni_(10)Mo_(6.5)C_(0.5)(at%)medium-entropy alloy fabricated by laser powder bed fusion(LPBF)to post-LPBF annealing at 900℃for 10 min.Microstructural investigation revealed that the cell boundaries of the as-built sample,which were decorated by Mo segregation,are replaced byμphase andM_(6)C typecarbide precipitatesduringannealingwhile thegrainstructureand sizeremain unaffected,indicating that the post-LPBF annealing delivered the proper amount of heat input to alter only the cell structure.The yield strength slightly decreased with annealing due to a reduction in the strengthening effect by the cell boundaries despite an increased precipitation strengthening effect.How-ever,the post-LPBF annealing improved the strain hardenability and the ultimate tensile strength was enhanced from∼1.02 to∼1.15 GPa owing to reinforced back stress hardening by the increased disloca-tion pile-up at the precipitates.Our results suggest that the cell structure with chemical heterogeneity can be successfully controlled by careful post-MAM heat treatment to tailor the mechanical performance,while also providing insight into alloy design for additive manufacturing.
基金supported by the open foundation of State Key Laboratory of Chemical Engineering(SKL-ChE-22B01)the Natural Science Foundation of China(22008169).
文摘The dynamics of vapor−liquid−solid(V−L−S)flow boiling in fluidized bed evaporators exhibit inherent complexity and chaotic behavior,hindering accurate prediction of pressure drop signals.To address this challenge,this study proposes an innovative hybrid approach that integrates wavelet neural network(WNN)with chaos analysis.By leveraging the Cross-Correlation(C−C)method,the minimum embedding dimension for phase space reconstruction is systematically calculated and then adopted as the input node configuration for the WNN.Simulation results demonstrate the remarkable effectiveness of this integrated method in predicting pressure drop signals,advancing our understanding of the intricate dynamic phenomena occurring with V−L−S fluidized bed evaporators.Moreover,this study offers a novel perspective on applying advanced data-driven techniques to handle the complexities of multi-phase flow systems and highlights the potential for improved operational prediction and control in industrial settings.
基金Projects(51374064,51004033,51074044)supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of ChinaProject(2012AA062303)supported by High-tech Research and Development Program of China
文摘Natural rutile and gaseous chlorine with carbon as reductant were used to prepare titanium tetrachloride. Thermodynamics and kinetics of chlorination of Kenya natural rutile particles in a batch-type fluidized bed were studied at 1173-1273 K. Thermodynamic analysis of this system revealed that the equation of producing CO was dominant at high temperatures. Based on the gas-solid multi-phase reaction theory and a two-phase model for the fluidized bed, the mathematical description for the chlorination reaction of rutile was proposed. The reaction parameters and the average concentration of gaseous chlorine in the emulsion phase were estimated. The average concentration of emulsion phase in the range of fluidized bed was calculated as 0.3 mol/m^3. The results showed that the chlorination of natural rutile proceeded principally in the emulsion phase, and the reaction rate was mainly controlled by the surface reaction.
基金The National Natural Science Foundation of China(No50576013)
文摘To determine and calculate the stable fluidization zone in a magnetically fluidized bed, the fluidization characteristics of magnetic particles are investigated. Four kinds of magnetic particles with different average diameters, ranging from 231 to 512 μm, are fluidized in the presence of magnetic fields with specified values of the intensity in the range of zero to 7330 A/m, and the particle fluidization curves are plotted. For marking the stable fluidization zone in the curves, the minimum bubbling velocities of particles are measured by the pressure-drop fluctuation. Based on the fluidization curves, the influences of the average particle diameter and magnetic field intensity on the zone are analyzed and discussed. A correlation to determine the stable fluidization zone is derived from the experimental data, using three dimensionless numbers, i. e., the ratio of magnetic potential to gravity potential, the Reynolds number and the Archimedes number. Compared with available data reported, it is shown that the correlation is more simplified to predict relative parameters for the bed operating in the state of stable fluidization under reasonable conditions.
文摘The oxidative coupling of methane （OCM） to ethylene over a perovskite titanate catalyst in a fixed bed reactor was studied experimentally and numerically. The two-dimensional steady state model accounted for separate energy equations for the gas and solid phases coupled with an experimental kinetic model. A lumped kinetic model containing four main species CH4, O2, COx （CO2, CO）, and C2 （C2H4 and C2H6） was used with a plug flow reactor model as well. The results from the model agreed with the experimental data. The model was used to analyze the influence of temperature and feed gas composition on the conversion and selectivity of the reactor performance. The analytical results indicate that the conversion decreases, whereas, C2 selectivity increases by increasing gas hourly space velocity （GHSV） and the methane conversion also decreases by increasing the methane to oxygen ratio.
基金Supported by the National Key Program of Basic Research in China (No.2004CB217702, No.2005CB221202, No.2006CB20030201) and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No.20590367, No.50676021, No.50606006).
文摘A three-dimensional Eulerian multiphase model, with closure law according to the kinetic theory of granular flow, was used to study the gas/solid flow behaviors in spout-fluid beds. The influences of the coefficient of restitution due to non-ideal particle collisions on the simulated results were tested. It is demonstrated that the simulated result is strongly affected by the coefficient of restitution. Comparison of simulations with experiments in a small spout-fluid bed showed that an appropriate coefficient of restitution of 0.93 was necessary to simulate the flow characteristics in an underdesigned large size of spout-fluid bed coal gasifier with diameter of lm and height of 6m. The internal jet and gas/solid flow patterns at different operating conditions were obtained. The simulations show that an optimal gas/solid flow pattern for coal gasification is found when the spouting gas flow rate is equal to the fluidizing gas flow rate and the total of them is two and a half times the minimum fluidizing gas flow rate. Besides, the radial distributions of particle velocity and gas velocity show similar tendencies; the radial distributions of particle phase pressure due to particle collisions and the particle pseudo-temperature corresponding to the macroscopic kinetic energy of the random particle motion also show similar tendencies. These indicate that both gas drag force and particle collisions dominate the movement of particles.
文摘treatability of synthetic sago wastewater was investigated in a laboratory anaerobic tapered fluidized bed reactor （ATFBR） with a mesoporous granular activated carbon （GAC） as a support material. The experimental protocol was defined to examine the effect of the maximum organic loading rate （OLR）, hydraulic retention time （HRT）, the efficiency of the reactor and to report on its steady- state performance. The reactor was subjected to a steady-state operation over a range of OLR up to 85.44 kg COD/（m^3·d）. The COD removal efficiency was found to be 92% in the reactor while the biogas produced in the digester reached 25.38 m^3/（m^3·d） of the reactor. With the increase of OLR from 83.7 kg COD/（m^3·d）, the COD removal efficiency decreased. Also an artificial neural network （ANN） model using multilayer perceptron （MLP） has been developed for a system of two input variable and five output dependent variables. For the training of the input-output data, the experimental values obtained have been used. The output parameters predicted have been found to be much closer to the corresponding experimental ones and the model was validated for 30% of the untrained data. The mean square error （MSE） was found to be only 0.0146.
基金Item Sponsored by National Natural Science Foundation of China(60872147)
文摘Many problems appear in the sintering process of vanadium-bearing titanomagnetite, such as high energy consumption and low productivity; simer quality is also very poor for its low tumble strength and high reduction deg- radation. Sinter productivity and quality are dominated by bed permeability and mineralogy structure, which are highly influenced by the thermal state of sintering bed, so the sintering process of titanomagnetite is researched by bed dissection in this work. Temperature evolution curves of sinter materials were measured, and the results show that melting duration, peak temperature duration and sintering temperature of different layers differ greatly from each other; flame front speed and vertical sintering speed of bed lower region are much smaller than those of bed up- per region. Simultaneously, sinter samples were collected from different layers, and their mineralogy characteristics are analyzed; sinters from bed lower region have poor mineralogy structure, and the amounts of perovskite and dieM- cium silicate increase intensively, which are bad for sinter strength and reduction degradation property. Measures are proposed to improve the quality and productivity of titanomagnetite sinter.
基金financially supported by the Ministry of Education of China(Grant No.6141A02022337)
文摘The penetration depth of torpedo anchor in two-layered soil bed was experimentally investigated. A total of 177 experimental data were obtained in laboratory by varying the undrained shear strength of the two-layered soil and the thickness of the top soil layer. The geometric parameters of the anchor and the soil properties(the liquid limit, plastic limit, specific gravity, undrained shear strength, density, and water content) were measured. Based on the energy analysis and present test data, an empirical formula to predict the penetration depth of torpedo anchor in two-layered soil bed was proposed. The proposed formula was extensively validated by laboratory and field data of previous researchers. The results were in good agreement with those obtained for two-layered and single-layered soil bed.Finally, a sensitivity analysis on the parameters in the formula was performed.
基金Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(21325628)the Major Research Plan of the National Natural Science Foundation of China(91334108)the Scientific Instrument Developing Project of the Chinese Academy of Sciences(YZ201641)
文摘For the magnetized fluidized bed(MFB)with the binary mixture of Geldart-B magnetizable and nonmagnetizable particles,the magnetically induced segregation between these two kinds of particles occurs at high magnetic field intensities(H),leading to the deterioration of the fluidization quality.The critical intensity(H_(ms))above which such segregation commences varies with the gas velocity(U_g).This work focuses on establishing a segregation model to theoretically derive the H_(ms)–U_g relationship.In a magnetic field,the magnetizable particles form agglomerates.The magnetically induced segregation in essence refers to the size segregation of the binary mixture of agglomerates and nonmagnetizable particles.Consequently,the segregation model was established in two steps:first,the size of agglomerates(d_A)was calculated by the force balance model;then,the H_(ms)–U_g relationship was obtained by substituting the expression of d_Ainto the basic size segregation model for binary mixtures.As per the force balance model,the cohesive and collision forces were 1_2 orders of magnitude greater than the other forces exerted on the agglomerates.Therefore,the balance between these two forces largely determined d_A.The calculated d_A increased with increasing H and decreasing U_g,agreeing qualitatively with the experimental observation.The calculated H_(ms)–U_ g relationship agreed reasonably with the experimental data,indicating that the present segregation model could predict well the segregation behavior in the MFB with the binary mixture.
基金This project was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (2003E0027M)
文摘On the basis of the analysis of the process of treating low concentrations of sulfur dioxide （SO2） gas in a fixed bed reactor, a kinetic model is proposed for this process after taking into consideration the effects of internal diffusion, cell concentration, and production yield of microorganisms but ignoring the effect of external diffusion. The results obtained from the model simulation show that this model can indicate the influence of the process factors, Cin, η μmax, Cx, A, h, Kin, and Q, on the removal of SO2 and that the prediction of the results by this model is also satisfactory. This kinetic model can also provide some very important indications regarding the preparation of immobilized microorganisms, selection and domestication of proper species of microorganisms, as well as the design of bioreactors.
文摘A magnetically stabilized fluidized bed (MSB) is a highly efficient filter that takes the advantage of both fluidized beds and fixed beds. This paper presents the research to collect aerosol in airflow with a MSB. The filtering model of MSB is established with its parameters including magnetic Geld intensity, gas superficial velocity, average grain-size, and bed height on the collection efficiency of MSB. The model is verified by experiments.
文摘The HCl emission characteristics of typical municipal solid waste(MSW) components and their mixtures have been investigated in a Φ150 mm fluidized bed. Some influencing factors of HCl emission in MSW fluidized bed incinerator was found in this study. The HCl emission is increasing with the growth of bed temperature, while it is decreasing with the increment of oxygen concentration at furnace exit. When the weight percentage of auxiliary coal is increased, the conversion rate of Cl to HCl is increasing. The HCl emission is decreased, if the sorbent(CaO) is added during the incineration process. Based on these experimental results, a 14×6×1 three-layer BP neural networks prediction model of HCl emission in MSW/coal co-fired fluidized bed incinerator was built. The numbers of input nodes and hidden nodes were fixed on by canonical correlation analysis technique and dynamic construction method respectively. The prediction results of this model gave good agreement with the experimental results, which indicates that the model has relatively high accuracy and good generalization ability. It was found that BP neural network is an effectual method used to predict the HCl emission of MSW/coal co-fired fluidized bed incinerator.
