Genetic disorders in haematological practice in India

Haemoglobinopathies represent a significant national health burden in India. The distribution of specific disorders varies geographically and by community. Heterozygote frequencies of beta-thalassaemia range from 1 to 15%, resulting in an estimated 20 million carriers. HbS is mainly present in tribal and non-caste communities, with carrier prevalences of up to 40%. By comparison, alpha-thalassaemia carriers are found in both the caste and tribal communities, and can reach a frequency of >90% in the latter case. Community control of haemoglobinopathies relies mainly on out-reach education programmes and genetic counselling, with antenatal diagnosis offered in specific major centres. Only partial data are available on the prevalence of haemophilia, but it has been estimated that there are some 50,000 affected individuals nationwide, with an additional 1,500 new cases born each year. RFLP-based techniques have been established to detect mutations in the factor VIII and IX genes, enabling the limited introduction of carrier detection and antenatal diagnosis.     

On hysteresis in elasto-plasticity and in ferromagnetism

We define hysteresis as rate-independent memory, illustrate some of its properties, and review some scalar models of elasto-plasticity: the stop, the play, the Prandtl–Ishlinski models. In particular we study the Prager model of linear kinematic hardening, which encompasses stops and plays. We then couple the latter model with the dynamic equation for a one-dimensional system, show existence of a weak solution, and deal with its homogenization. We also discuss the extension to tensors and to three-dimensional systems.

We then deal with ferromagnetic hysteresis. We review the classic Preisach model and a vector extension. Finally, we formulate a model of vector ferromagnetic hysteresis, couple it with the magnetostatic equations, and discuss its homogenization. The latter consists in a two-length-scale model, and corresponds to a variant of the vector Preisach model.     

Heating zone dynamics in in situ combustion

The integrodifferential equation of the quasisteady regime of a moving in situ combustion front is obtained and its exact solution is constructed in a particular case; the possibility of the heat generated at the combustion front being projected into the region ahead of the front is analyzed and the heating zone dynamics in the reservoir and the surrounding rock are investigated. In a number of studies of in situ combustion it is assumed that an increase in the water-air factor or, what amounts to the same thing, an increase in convection velocity in the reservoir leads to the total transfer of the heat into the region ahead of the combustion front [1–3]. In [3] the area of the heating zone ahead of the combustion front was calculated in accordance with the Marx-Longenheim model [4]. Below, on the basis of exact solutions of model problems it is shown that in the case of quasisteady Newtonian heat transfer between the surrounding medium, when the latter is assumed to be a thermal reservoir, i.e., maintain a constant temperature, this projection of heat is possible if the convection velocity exceeds the velocity of the combustion front. In the case of unsteady heat transfer in accordance with the Leverrier model there is no total projection of heat into the region in question; in the steady-state regime a limited heating zone, proportional in depth to the square of the difference of the convection and combustion front velocities, is formed ahead of the front.Translated from Izvestiya Akademii Nauk SSSR, Mekhanika Zhidkosti i Gaza, No. 4, pp. 166–172, July–August, 1987.The author wishes to thank V. M. Entov for his valuable advice and useful discussions.     

Advance in Experimental Mechanics in Asia-2006

In order to offer an opening platform for researchers in Experimental Mechanics community from Asia and other regions to communicate their achievement, the Editorial Committee of Journal of Experimental Mechanics decided to publish an international series…     

Transition process in a fluid layer in a rotating paraboloid in response to a sudden change in its angular velocity

The process of establishment of the rigid-body rotation state in a liquid layer in a rotating paraboloid upon a sudden increase in its angular velocity is studied theoretically and experimentally. The theoretical study is performed within the framework of linear shallow-water theory with account for the bottom Ekman friction. Analytical solutions describing the transition process are obtained and the dependence of the establishment time on the liquid depth and the radius of curvature of the paraboloid is investigated. It is shown that the effect of free surface deformation may lead to a significant increase in the establishment time. Good agreement with the results of special laboratory experiments is found.     

Oscillations of immiscible liquids in free space or in spherical containers in zero-gravity environment

Summary The natural coupled frequencies are determined for an arrangement of two immiscible incompressible and frictionless liquids with surface- and interfacial tension. The system is in the state of zerogravity and consists either of liquid globules or liquids in a spherical container.

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Schwingungen nichtmischbarer Flüssigkeiten im schwerelosen Raum

Übersicht Es werden die natürlichen gekoppelten Frequenzen zweier nichtmischbarer inkompressibler, reibungsfreier, aber mit Oberflächenspannung behafteter Flüssigkeiten im schwerelosen Raum bestimmt. Dabei werden sowohl flüssige Kugeltropfen als auch Flüssigkeiten im Kugeltank behandelt.

     

Gas-Dynamic Processes in Two-Phase Flows in MHD Generators

A plane problem of a two-phase monodisperse flow of combustion products of plasma-forming composite solid propellants in the duct of a Faraday's MHD generator with continuous electrodes, including an accelerating nozzle, MHD channel, and diffuser, is considered. An algorithm based on the pseudo-transient method is developed to solve the system of equations describing the two-phase flow. Gas-dynamic processes in the channels of the Pamir-1 setup are numerically studied. It is shown that shock-free deceleration of a supersonic flow to velocities close to the equilibrium velocity of sound in a two-phase mixture and significantly lower than the velocity of sound in the gas is possible in two-phase flows.     

Particle transport in Poiseuille flow in narrow channels

Particle-tracking experiments were performed to validate a model [Staben, M.E., Zinchenko, A.Z., Davis, R.H., 2003. Motion of a particle between two parallel plane walls in low-Reynolds-number Poiseuille flow. Phys. Fluids 15, 1711–1733] for neutrally buoyant spherical particles convected by a Poiseuille flow in a thin microchannel for particles as large as d_p/H = 0.95, where d_p is the particle diameter and H is the channel width (narrow dimension). The measured and predicted velocities agree within experimental error and show that a particle’s velocity is more retarded when it is larger and/or closer to a channel wall. The particle distribution across the channel for a blunt entrance shows a focusing of small particles away from the walls and towards the center of the channel, whereas the particle distribution for an offset-angled entrance is slightly skewed towards the wall encountered first in the entrance region. As a result, the average particle velocities for the blunt entrance exceed those for the angled entrance. Moreover, due to the depletion of particles from the slow-moving region within one radius of the wall, the average particle velocity exceeds the average fluid velocity unless the particle diameter exceeds about 80% of the channel width.     

Some recent developments in elastic waves in solids

Three topics on recent developments in elastic waves which are of special interest to researchers in experimental mechanics are discussed. They are: (1) the elastic waves in anisotropic media with particular reference to waves in fiber-reinforced composite materials; (2) the coupled thermoelastic waves in isotropic or anisotropic media; and (3) the interaction of elastic waves with magnetic fields in nonferrous metals, polycrystalline ferromagnetic alloys and saturated ferrimagnetic crystals.     

Translational nonequilibrium effects in shock waves in gases

An attempt is made to find real systems in which translational non-equilibrium effects can be experimentally detected.Translated from Izvestiya Akademii Nauk SSSR, Mekhanika Zhidkosti i Gaza, No. 3, pp. 134–140, May–June, 1990.     

Decrease in phase density in very bright beams

Translated from Prikladnaya Mekhanika i Tekhnicheskaya Fizika, No. 2, pp. 3–12, March–April, 1992.     

Erosion in conical diffusers in particulate-laden cavitating flow

This paper highlights the serious damage that can occur in diffusing sections of pipework in which a cavitating particulate-laden fluid is flowing. The combined effects of particle erosion and cavitation are shown to remove considerably more material than would be expected from summing the effects of the individual mechanisms. It is demonstrated that, to be sure of avoiding this accelerated surface erosion, the transition from a smaller flow section to a larger one needs to be an abrupt expansion. If pressure recovery is important, a possible design solution is proposed. In the case of swirling flow, the expansion again needs to be abrupt. Evidence was also obtained which showed that, by allowing air to be entrained into the low pressure region in the flow, the cavitation and the erosion can be substantially reduced.     

Turbulent transport in an inclined jet in crossflow

The present study experimentally investigates a turbulent jet in crossflow relevant to film cooling applications. The jet is inclined at 30°, and its mean velocity is the same as the crossflow. Magnetic resonance imaging is used to obtain the full three-dimensional velocity and concentration fields, whereas Reynolds stresses are obtained along selected planes by Particle Image Velocimetry. The critical role of the counter-rotating vortex pair in the mixing process is apparent from both velocity and concentration fields. The jet entrainment is not significantly higher than in an axisymmetric jet without crossflow, because the proximity of the wall inhibits the turbulent transport. Reynolds shear stresses correlate with velocity and concentration gradients, consistent with the fundamental assumptions of simple turbulence models. However the eddy viscosity is strongly anisotropic and non-homogeneous, being especially low along the leeward side of the jet close to injection. Turbulent diffusion acts to decouple mean velocity and concentration fields, as demonstrated by the drop in concentration flux within the streamtube issued from the hole. Volume-averaged turbulent diffusivity is calculated using a mass–flux balance across the streamtube emanating from the jet hole, and it is found to vary slowly in the streamwise direction. The data are compared with Reynolds-Averaged Navier–Stokes simulations with standard k − ε closure and an optimal turbulent Schmidt number. The computations underestimate the strength of the counter-rotating vortex pair, due to an overestimated eddy viscosity. On the other hand the entrainment is increasingly underpredicted downstream of injection. To capture the correct macroscopic trends, eddy viscosity and eddy diffusivity should vary spatially in different ways. Therefore a constant turbulent Schmidt number formulation is inadequate for this flow.     

Experiments in mechanical and optical coincidence in photoplasticity

In the extension of the shear-difference method to the separation of interior principal stresses in the elasto-plastic state¹, a basic question arises whether the optical isoclinics give the directions of the principal stresses, i.e., whether optical coincidence exists. Experiments are described aiming to answer this question, and preliminary results are given for cellulose nitrate as a model material. Experiments are also described dealing with mechanical coincidence.