An Investigation towards Coupling Molecular Dynamics with Computational Fluid Dynamics for Modelling Polymer Pyrolysis.

Building polymers implemented into building panels and exterior façades have been determined as the major contributor to severe fire incidents, including the 2017 Grenfell Tower fire incident. To gain a deeper understanding of the pyrolysis process of these polymer composites, this work proposes a multi-scale modelling framework comprising of applying the kinetics parameters and detailed pyrolysis gas volatiles (parent combustion fuel and key precursor species) extracted from Molecular Dynamics models to a macro-scale Computational Fluid Dynamics fire model. The modelling framework was tested for pure and flame-retardant polyethylene systems.

Performance Evaluation of the Verigene Gram-Positive and Gram-Negative Blood Culture Test for Direct Identification of Bacteria and Their Resistance Determinants from Positive Blood Cultures in Hong Kong.

Background: A multicenter study was conducted to evaluate the diagnostic performance and the time to identifcation of the Verigene Blood Culture Test, the BC-GP and BC-GN assays, to identify both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria and their drug resistance determinants directly from positive blood cultures collected in Hong Kong.

Methods And Results: A total of 364 blood cultures were prospectively collected from four public hospitals, in which 114 and 250 cultures yielded Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, and were tested with the BC-GP and BC-GN assay respectively. The overall identification agreement for Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria were 89.

Numerical stability of partitioned approach in fluid-structure interaction for a deformable thin-walled vessel.

Added-mass instability is known to be an important issue in the partitioned approach for fluid-structure interaction (FSI) solvers. Despite the implementation of the implicit approach, convergence of solution can be difficult to achieve. Relaxation may be applied to improve this implicitness of the partitioned algorithm, but this commonly leads to a significant increase in computational time.

Effect of calcification on the mechanical stability of plaque based on a three-dimensional carotid bifurcation model.

Background: This study characterizes the distribution and components of plaque structure by presenting a three-dimensional blood-vessel modelling with the aim of determining mechanical properties due to the effect of lipid core and calcification within a plaque. Numerical simulation has been used to answer how cap thickness and calcium distribution in lipids influence the biomechanical stress on the plaque.

Method: Modelling atherosclerotic plaque based on structural analysis confirms the rationale for plaque mechanical examination and the feasibility of our simulation model.

On the prediction of the phase distribution of bubbly flow in a horizontal pipe.

Horizontal bubbly flow is widely encountered in various industrial systems because of its ability to provide large interfacial areas for heat and mass transfer. Nonetheless, this particular flow orientation has received less attention when compared to vertical bubbly flow. Owing to the strong influence due to buoyancy, the migration of dispersed bubbles towards the top wall of the horizontal pipe generally causes a highly asymmetrical internal phase distributions, which are not experienced in vertical bubbly flow.

Experimental and numerical study on the hemodynamics of stenosed carotid bifurcation.

Numerical simulation is performed to demonstrate that hemodynamic factors are significant determinants for the development of a vascular pathology. Experimental measurements by particle image velocimetry are carried out to validate the credibility of the computational approach. We present a study for determining complex flow structures using the case of an anatomically realistic carotid bifurcation model that is reconstructed from medical imaging.

Numerical simulation and experimental validation of swirling flow in spiral vortex ventricular assist device.

Spiral vortex ventricular assist device (SV-VAD) supports cardiac patients with refractory heart failure. Unfortunately, thrombus formation and risk of stroke due to flow complications may lead to aggravated conditions. The hemodynamics of a continuous flow in the ventricular chamber of a SV-VAD can be analyzed using numerical simulation.