SUMMARYIn voltage-gated sodium, potassium, and calciumchannels the functions of ion conduction and voltage sensing are performed by two distinct structural units: the pore domain...Full Text Available
Calcium-activated chloride channels (CaCCs) are widely expressed in mammalian tissues, including intestinal epithelia, where they facilitate fluid secretion. Potent, selective CaCC inhibitors have not been available. We established a high-throughput screen for identification of inhibitors of a human intestinal CaCC based on inhibition of ATP/carbachol-stimulated iodide influx in HT-29 cells after lentiviral infection with the yellow fluorescent halide-sensing protein YFP-H148Q/I152L. Screening of 50,000 diverse, drug-like compounds yielded six classes of putative CaCC inhibitors, two of which, 3-acyl-2-aminothiophenes and 5-aryl-2-aminothiazoles, inhibited by >95% iodide influx in HT-29 cells in response to multiple calcium-elevating agonists, including thapsigargin, without inhibition of calcium elevation, calcium-calmodulin kinase II activation, or cystic fibrosis transmembrane ...
Recent studies suggest that calcium influx via L-type calciumchannels is necessary for psychostimulant-induced behavioral sensitization. In addition, chronic amphetamine upregulates subtype...Full Text Available
Ion-channels can be activated (gated) by a variety of stimuli including chemicals, voltage, mechanical force or temperature. Whereas molecular mechanisms of ion-channelgating by chemicals and...Full Text Available
In voltage-gated Na+, K+, and Ca2+channels, four voltage-sensor domains operate on a central pore domain in response to membrane voltage. In contrast, the voltage-gated...Full Text Available
Within the cardiac cell, the movements of calcium ions are tightly regulated by a number of regulatory proteins including pumps, and channels. The sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) is in large part...Full Text Available
We report the use of cysteine-substituted mutants in conjunction with in situ oxidation to determine the physical proximity of a pair of engineered cysteines in the pore region of the voltage-gated...Full Text Available
Large-conductance voltage- and calcium-activated potassium (BK) channels have been shown to play a role in detrusor overactivity (DO). The goal of this study was to determine whether bladder outlet...Full Text Available
T-type calciumchannels are responsible for generating low-threshold spikes that facilitate burst firing and neurotransmitter release in neurons. GnRH neurons exhibit burst firing, but the underlying...Full Text Available
The neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptor {alpha}7 subunit is a member of a family of ligand-gated ion channels, and is the only subunit know to bind {alpha}-bungarotoxin in mammalian brain. {alpha}-Bungarotoxin binding sites are known to be more abundant in the hippocampus of mouse strains that are particularly sensitive to nicotine-induced seizures. The {alpha}7 receptor is highly permeable to calcium, which could suggest a role in synaptic plasticity in the nervous system. Auditory gating deficiency, an abnormal response to a second auditory stimulus, is characteristic of schizophrenia. Mouse strains that exhibit a similar gating deficit have reduced hippocampal expression of the {alpha}7 subunit. We have cloned and sequenced the full length cDNA for the mouse {alpha}7 gene (Acra-7) and characterized its gene structure. The murine {alpha}7 shares amino acid identity of 99% ...
BackgroundChanges in ionic concentration have a fundamental effect on numerous physiological processes. For example, IP3-gated thapsigargin sensitive intracellular calcium...Full Text Available
Verapamil administered before treatment, but not after treatment, had a beneficial effect on a 90-minute warm ischemia-reperfusion rat liver injury model. The possible activation of proteases converting...Full Text Available
Inhibition of large conductance calcium-activated potassium (BKCa) channels mediates, in part, oxygen sensing by carotid body type I cells. However, BKCachannels remain active...Full Text Available
Microcrystalline-Si thin-film transistors (?C-Si TFTs) formed by using the source/drain contact electrode of self-aligned palladium silicide have been investigated. Both the self-aligned palladium silicided scheme and the previous top-gate staggered structure employ two-mask process steps for fabricating ?C-Si TFTs. However, the self-aligned palladium silicided scheme would cause better device characteristics than the top-gate staggered structure, primarily due to more carrier tunneling. For a gate length of 2 ?m, as compared to the top-gate staggered scheme, this silicided scheme can result in a 40% improvement of on-state current. In addition, as the gate length is reduced to 1 ?m, considerable short-channel effect is caused for both the device schemes.
A filamentous fungus, Cunninghamella blakesleeana AS 3.153, was used as a microbial model of mammalian metabolism to transform verapamil, a calciumchannel antagonist. The metabolites...Full Text Available
This paper evaluates the electric current terms from the longitudinal gradient of the longitudinal electric field in Bipolar Field-Effect-Transistors (BiFETs) with a pure base and two MOS gates operating in the unipolar (electron) current mode. These nMOS-BiFETs, known as nMOS-FinFETs, usually have electrically short channels compared with their intrinsic Debye length of about 25 #mu#m at room temperatures. These longitudinal electric current terms are important short-channel current components, which have been neglected in the computation of the long-channel electrical characteristics. This paper shows that the long-channel electrical characteristics are substantially modified by the longitudinal electrical current terms when the physical channel length is less than 100 nm.
In this work we present the electrical characterization of non self-aligned p-channel thin film transistors fabricated by using laser doping technique for source/drain contact formation and gate oxide deposited at room temperature by Electron Cyclotron Resonance Plasma Enhanced Chemical Vapour Deposition. These techniques are suitable for a very low temperature process for TFT fabrication. The output characteristics show a current increase at high drain voltage ('kink' effect) rather moderate, if compared to self aligned polysilicon TFTs, probably due to the gradual doping profile induced by laser doping process. After bias stress at low gate voltage and high drain voltage condition a strong reduction of kink current has been observed in the output characteristics at high drain voltage, whereas minor changes has been observed in the transfer characteristics. This behaviour is similar to what observed in ...
In this work we present the electrical characterization of non self-aligned p-channel thin film transistors fabricated by using laser doping technique for source/drain contact formation and gate oxide deposited at room temperature by Electron Cyclotron Resonance Plasma Enhanced Chemical Vapour Deposition. These techniques are suitable for a very low temperature process for TFT fabrication. The output characteristics show a current increase at high drain voltage ('kink' effect) rather moderate, if compared to self aligned polysilicon TFTs, probably due to the gradual doping profile induced by laser doping process. After bias stress at low gate voltage and high drain voltage condition a strong reduction of kink current has been observed in the output characteristics at high drain voltage, whereas minor changes has been observed in the transfer characteristics. This behaviour is similar to what observed in ...
The influence of high energy electron (23 MeV) irradiation on the electrical characteristics of p-channel polysilicon thin film transistors (PSTFTs) was studied. The channel 220 nm thick LPCVD (low pressure chemical vapor deposition) deposited polysilicon layer was phosphorus doped by ion implantation. A 45 nm thick, thermally grown, SiO{sub 2} layer served as gate dielectric. A self-alignment technology for boron doping of the source and drain regions was used. 200 nm thick polysilicon film was deposited as a gate electrode. The obtained p-channel PSTFTs were irradiated with different high energy electron doses. Leakage currents through the gate oxide and transfer characteristics of the transistors were measured. A software model describing the field enhancement and the non-uniform current distribution at textured polysilicon/oxide interface was developed. In ...
The influence of high energy electron (23 MeV) irradiation on the electrical characteristics of p-channel polysilicon thin film transistors (PSTFTs) was studied. The channel 220 nm thick LPCVD (low pressure chemical vapor deposition) deposited polysilicon layer was phosphorus doped by ion implantation. A 45 nm thick, thermally grown, SiO_2 layer served as gate dielectric. A self-alignment technology for boron doping of the source and drain regions was used. 200 nm thick polysilicon film was deposited as a gate electrode. The obtained p-channel PSTFTs were irradiated with different high energy electron doses. Leakage currents through the gate oxide and transfer characteristics of the transistors were measured. A software model describing the field enhancement and the non-uniform current distribution at textured polysilicon/oxide interface was developed. In order ...
Peptide toxins with high affinity, divergent pharmacological functions, and isoform-specific selectivity are powerful tools for investigating the structure-function relationships of voltage-gated...Full Text Available
Antagonists for kainate receptors (KARs), a family of glutamate-gated ion channels, are efficacious in a number of animal models of neuropathologies, including epilepsy, migraine pain, and anxiety....Full Text Available
The performance of scanning driver circuits fabricated with self-aligned aluminum gate polysilicon thin-film transistors (TFT's) is demonstrated. After the gate electrode patterning, the fabrication process temperature is kept below 400degC to enable the use of aluminum gate electrodes. The low-temperature crystallization phenomenon, which occurs when protons are implanted simultaneously with boron or phosphorus dopants, is employed to eliminate the 600degC activation-annealing process. A maximum clock frequency of about 2.0 MHz is achieved when the driver operating voltage is 24 V and the TFT channel length is 12 [mu]m. (author).
The performance of scanning driver circuits fabricated with self-aligned aluminum gate polysilicon thin-film transistors (TFT's) is demonstrated. After the gate electrode patterning, the fabrication process temperature is kept below 400degC to enable the use of aluminum gate electrodes. The low-temperature crystallization phenomenon, which occurs when protons are implanted simultaneously with boron or phosphorus dopants, is employed to eliminate the 600degC activation-annealing process. A maximum clock frequency of about 2.0 MHz is achieved when the driver operating voltage is 24 V and the TFT channel length is 12 #mu#m. (author).
Spider venoms provide a highly valuable source of peptide toxins that act on a wide diversity of membrane-bound receptors and ion channels. In this work, we report isolation, biochemical analysis, and...Full Text Available
Airway ciliated cells express an ATP-gated P2X receptor channel of unknown subunit composition (P2Xcilia) which is modulated by Na+ and by long exposures to ATP. P2Xcilia...Full Text Available
The influence of hydrogen ion implantation into the channel polysilicon of polysilicon thin film transistors on gate oxide conductivity has been investigated. Data for effective tunnelling barriers at the gate oxide/channel polysilicon interface are presented. A value of 1.2eV for samples with boron doped channel polysilicon is calculated. For hydrogenated boron doped samples tunnelling barriers higher than 2.1 eV are obtained. The tunnelling barriers for phosphorus doped samples are impurity concentration dependent and decrease with increasing phosphorus concentration in the range 3 x 10{sup 17} to 3 x 10{sup 19} cm{sup -3}. (Author).
The influence of hydrogen ion implantation into the channel polysilicon of polysilicon thin film transistors on gate oxide conductivity has been investigated. Data for effective tunnelling barriers at the gate oxide/channel polysilicon interface are presented. A value of 1.2eV for samples with boron doped channel polysilicon is calculated. For hydrogenated boron doped samples tunnelling barriers higher than 2.1 eV are obtained. The tunnelling barriers for phosphorus doped samples are impurity concentration dependent and decrease with increasing phosphorus concentration in the range 3 x 10"1"7 to 3 x 10"1"9 cm"-"3. (Author).
Vacuolar ion channels in guard cells play important roles during stomatal movement and are regulated by many factors including Ca2+, calmodulin, protein kinases, and phosphatases....Full Text Available
Dominant mutations in sarcomere protein genes cause hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, an inherited human disorder with increased ventricular wall thickness, myocyte hypertrophy, and disarray. To understand...Full Text Available
INTRODUCTION:Gynura procumbens has been shown to decrease blood pressure via inhibition of the angiotensin‐converting enzyme. However, other mechanisms that...Full Text Available
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Controlling vascular tone involves K+ efflux through endothelial cell small- and intermediate-conductance calcium-activated potassium channels (KCa2.3 and KCa3.1, respectively). We investigated the expression of these channels in astrocytes and the possibility that, by a similar mechanism, they might contribute to neurovascular coupling. EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH Transgenic mice expressing enhanced green fluorescent protein (eGFP) in astrocytes were used to assess KCa2.3 and KCa3.1 expression by immunohistochemistry and RT-PCR. KCa currents in eGFP-positive astrocytes were determined in situ using whole-cell patch clamp electrophysiology. The contribution of KCa3.1 to neurovascular coupling was investigated in pharmacological experiments using electrical field stimulatio...
A simple and continuous model for the on-state current of polysilicon thin-film transistors, suitable for implementation in circuit simulators, is presented. The model includes the potential barrier at the grain boundaries, the channel length modulation and the excess current due to impact ionization. Comparison between measured output characteristics and the model shows excellent agreement over wide range of bias voltages and for devices with different gate lengths.
The controlled growth of nanowires (NWs) with dimensions comparable to the Fermi wavelengths of the charge carriers allows fundamental investigations of quantum confinement phenomena. Here, we present studies of proximity-induced superconductivity in undoped Ge/Si core/shell NW heterostructures contacted by superconducting leads. By using a top gate electrode to modulate the carrier density in the NW, the critical supercurrent can be tuned from zero to greater than 100 nA. Furthermore, discrete sub-bands form in the NW due to confinement in the radial direction, which results in stepwise increases in the critical current as a function of gate voltage. Transport measurements on these superconductor-NW-superconductor devices reveal high-order (n = 25) resonant multiple Andreev reflections, indicating that the NW channel is smooth and the charge transport is highly coherent. The ability to create and control coherent ...
The authors observed euhedral crystals in Manatee soil in a citrus grove in St. Lucie County, Florida. The material was identified as gypsum (CaSO/sub 4/ /times/ 2H/sub 2/O) using x-ray diffraction and infrared spectra. Photomicrography and scanning electron microscopy revealed that gypsum accumulated both in old root channels and within citrus root tissue of the Btg horizon. The subsurface horizons had elevated sulfate levels, a low initial pH, a drop (0.5 unit) in pH upon air-drying. Electrical conductivity paralleled the concentration of water-soluble sulfate. High levels of calcium and sulfate occurred for horizons above the water table. This accumulation is attributed to groundwater bearing these ions and subsequently discharging them to the overlying soil. Dead citrus roots appear to act as wicks to aid water transfer from lower to higher horizons. The roots and their empty channels provide spaces in which the gypsum ...
Endogenous opioid peptides (EOP) are molecules affecting many biological functions influencing productive and reproductive performance. They increase in stress conditions and interact with specific opioidergic receptors (OR): delta, kappa and mu. Several studies in other animal species suggest that they can also affect sperm cell motility. In fish the ionic external environment modulates the increase of intracellular calcium ion that is required to activate sperm motility after spawning. In mammals OR are functionally associated to calciumchannels and in fishes calcium is highly required for fish sperm activation. In this study the presence of OR on spermatozoa of two Perciform fish, the sharpsnout seabream (Diplodus puntazzo, family Sparidae) and the European sea bass (Dicentrarchus labr...
This study describes the chemical composition of the essential oil of Artemisia maritima (Am.Oil) and the pharmacological basis for its medicinal use in gut and airways disorders. Twenty five compounds, composing 93.7% of the oil, were identified; among these, chrysanthenyl propionate and elixene were identified for the first time from any Artemisia species. The Am.Oil (0.3?1.0 mg/mL) suppressed spontaneous and high K+ (80 mM)-induced contractions in isolated rabbit jejunum, suggestive of an antispasmodic effect mediated possibly through calciumchannel blockade. The calciumchannel blockade activity was confirmed when pre-treatment of the tissue with Am.Oil (0.01?0.03 mg/mL) shifted the Ca++ concentration-response curves to the right, similar to verapamil and papaverine. In isolated trach...
Calcium (Ca) plays an important role in regulating various cellular processes. In a variety of cell types, Ca signaling occurs within microdomains where channels deliver localized pulses of Ca which activate a nearby collection of Ca-sensitive receptors. The small number of channels involved ensures that the signaling process is stochastic. The aggregate response of several thousand of these microdomains yields a whole-cell response which dictates the cell behavior. Here, we study analytically the statistical properties of a population of these microdomains in response to a trigger signal. We apply these results to understand the relationship between Ca influx and Ca release in cardiac cells. In this context, we use a first passage time approach to show analytically how Ca release in the whole cell depends on the single channel kinetics of Ca channels and the properties of ...
The theoretical hardness against total dose of the six-transistor SRAM cell is investigated in detail. An explicit analytical expression of the maximum tolerable threshold voltage shift is derived for two cross-coupled inverters. A numerical method is used to explore the hardness of the read and write operations. Both N- and P-channel access transistors designs are considered and their respective advantages are compared. The study points out that the radiation hardness mainly relies on the technology. Results obtained with the very robust Gate-All-Around process are finally presented.
Orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) can fully use the frequency band and transmit data at high speeds. The ADSP-TS101 is a high performance digital signal processor (DSP) with good properties that include parallel processing and a high speed. Aimed at the real-time processing requirement of the OFDM algorithm, an underwater acoustic communication system with real-time processing capability is carried out. The system is mainly composed of multiple ADSP-TS101s, a multi-channel synchronous sample module and a field programmable gate array (FPGA) chip. The multiprocessor structure is made up of a cluster/data flow associated multiprocessing parallel processing structure as the operation kernel, and a multi-channel synchronous sample module is designed to realize no phase warp amo...
Focused-ion beam (FIB) milling provides rapid fabrication of individual cylindrical submicrometer channels with reproducible dimensions (#+-#5% diameters) through 8-#mu#m thick poly(methylmethacrylate) (PMMA) films. PMMA films are spincast on sacrificial Si carriers and sputter-coated with Au before the 30-kV gallium FIB milling process. By adding a trace amount of poly(ethyleneoxide) and poly(dimethylsiloxane) to the PMMA solution before casting, the films can be released for subsequent mounting in microfluidic devices to create hybrid microfluidic-nanofluidic multilevel architectures. In situ FIB sectioning demonstrates the smooth cylindrical surface within the pore. Placing a milled film in contact with an aqueous fluorescein solution fills the channel by capillary action, as verified by confocal fluorescence microscopy. Confocal fluorescence of dyed films reveals that the pores span the thickness of the PMMA film. Small arrays of ...
A promising drug target currently under investigation to improve cognitive deficits in neuropsychiatric and neurological disorders is the neuronal nicotinic alpha7 acetylcholine receptor (a7nAChR). Improving cognitive impairments in diseases such as Alzheimer's (AD) and schizophrenia remains a large unmet medical need, and the a7nAChR has many properties that make it an attractive therapeutic target. The a7nAChR is a ligand gated ion channel that has particularly high permeability to Ca^2^+ and is expressed in key brain regions involved in cognitive processes (e.g., hippocampus). The a7nAChRs are localized both pre-synaptically, where they can regulate neurotransmitter release, and post-synaptically where they can activate intracellular signaling cascades and influence downstream processes...
The results of experiments received on the plasma focus (PF) device with energy stored equal 4 kJ are represented. Photos of the current plasma sheath (CPS), pre-pinch, sphere-like plasma formations are produced with help of the electron-optical converter contained a gated micro-channel plate (MCP) and the CCD-camera imaging system in the visible region. The redial velocity of the CPS is about 107 cm/s. Neon plasma electron density measured with help of the interferograms in the visible region and the spectra in the soft X-ray region is equals to 3?1018 cm-3. Electron temperature is equal to about 200 eV. Discharge integral photos were obtained with help of the soft X-ray pinhole camera. Pictures with 2 ?s resolution of the plasma luminescence above PF anode region were made by CCD-camera.
In this work, we investigated self-heating related instability in polysilicon thin film transistors (poly-Si TFTs) fabricated on polyimide (PI) substrates. Indeed, when Joule heating becomes relevant, the temperature of the active layer can substantially rise, since the devices are fabricated on thermally insulating substrates. As a result, electrical instability is triggered and attributed to the generation of interface states, due to the Si-H bond breaking, and charge trapping into the gate insulator. In addition, by using 3-dimensional numerical simulations, coupling the thermodynamic and transport models, we analyzed the temperature distribution of the device under operating conditions and found that self-heating is more severe for devices fabricated on plastic substrates.
A novel floating-gate avalanche injection (FAMOS) type erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM) device is demonstrated, with a heavily focused ion-beam (FIB) implanted region of about 0.2-..mu..m width at the drain edge of the channel. This heavily B/sup +/-doped region permits a higher electric field near the drain edge, resulting in a remarkable increase of the hot-carrier generation rate, and reduces both the programming voltage and programming time. A three-dimensional device simulator, CADDETH, predicted that the electric field at the drain edge would increase by about six times, which would lead to hot-carrier generation efficiency three orders of magnitude higher.
High-performance polysilicon thin-film transistors (TFT`s) are fabricated using an excimer laser to recrystallize the undoped channel and dope the source-drain regions. Using a technique the authors call grain engineering they are able to control grain microstructure using laser parameters. Resulting polysilicon films are obtained with average grain sizes of {approximately}4--9 {micro}m in sub-100 nm thick polysilicon films without substrate heating during the laser recrystallization process. Using a simple four-mask self-aligned aluminum top-gate structure, they fabricate TFT`s in these films. By combining the grain-engineered channel polysilicon regions with laser-doped source-drain regions, TFT`s are fabricated with electron mobilities up to 260 cm{sup 2}/Vs and on/off current ratios greater than 10{sup 7} To their knowledge, these devices represent the highest performance laser-processed TFT`s reported to date ...
The procedure of charge-coupled devices (CCD) are investigated by using MOS capacitors for enhancing their ionizing radiation tolerance. Authors have found that the gate oxidation temperature, thickness of SiO_2 gate insulator and high temperature processes after gate oxidation are crucial for determining the radiation tolerance of the devices, and proposed to decrease the thickness of gate insulator, perform gate oxidation at 1000 deg C by means of dry oxidation and minimize the number of high temperature procedure steps after gate oxidation. All stated above is a necessary preparation for priducing radiation hardened charge-coupled devices.
A miniature, high-voltage, thermally activated battery has been developed. This battery weighs 41 grams, occupies a volume of 16.4 cu cm, and contains two separate 500-v channels, each designed to charge a 5.25 microfarad capacitor within 300 milli-seconds and remain operational under a 640-kohm load for a minimum of 28 seconds over the temperature range from +16 to +71 C. The electrochemical system utilizes a calcium anode, LiCl-KCl molten salt electrolyte, a CaCrO4-K2CrO4 mixture as the depolarizer or active cathode material, and an iron cathode. The depolarizer and electrolyte, along with a silica binder, are formed into homogeneous pellets, and these pellets are stacked alternately with calcium-iron bimetal disks in beryllium oxide tubes to form cell stacks. The cells are activated by an iron-potassium perchlorate pyrotechnic heat source external to the BeO tubes.
Summary Metabotropic GABAB receptors play a fundamental role in modulating the excitability of neurons and circuits throughout the brain. These receptors influence synaptic transmission by inhibiting presynaptic release or activating postsynaptic potassium channels. However, their ability to directly influence different types of postsynaptic glutamate receptors remains unresolved. Here we examine GABAB receptor modulation in layer 2/3 pyramidal neurons from the mouse prefrontal cortex. We use two-photon laser-scanning microscopy to study synaptic modulation at individual dendritic spines. Using two-photon optical quantal analysis, we first demonstrate robust presynaptic modulation of multivesicular release at single synapses. Using two-photon glutamate uncaging, we then reveal that GABAB r...
The anticonvulsant drugs carbamazepine, phenobarbital, trimethadione, valproic acid and ethosuximide at pharmacologically relevant concentrations inhibit (/sup 3/H)diazepam binding to astrocytes in primary cultures but have much less effect on a corresponding preparation of neurons. Phenytoin as well as pentobarbital (which is not used chronically as an anticonvulsant) are equipotent in the two cell types. The convulsants picrotoxinin and pentylenetetrazol, the convulsant benzodiazepine RO 5-3663 and the two convulsant barbiturates DMBB and CHEB similarly inhibit diazepam binding to astrocytes but have little effect on neurons. On the basis of these findings it is suggested that these convulsants and anticonvulsants owe at least part of their effect to an interaction with the astrocytic benzodiazepine receptor, perhaps by interference with a calciumchannel.
Neuron-restrictive silencer factor (NRSF) binds its consensus element to repress the transcription of various genes. The dominant-negative form (dnNRSF) has a hypertrophic effect on cardiogenesis through an unidentified mechanism. We examined the involvement of transient receptor potential (TRP) channel proteins, using transgenic mice overexpressing dnNRSF (dnNRSF mice). Electrophoretic mobility-shift assays revealed an interaction between NRSF and a neuron-restrictive silencer element-like sequence in intron 4 of TRPC1 genomic DNA. According to RT-PCR and Western analyses, TRPC1 was up-regulated in dnNRSF mouse heart. Transient overexpression of TRPC1 in HEK 293T cells increased the activity of the nuclear factor in activated T cells (NFAT) promoter and stimulated store-operated Ca"2"+ channel (SOCC)-mediated Ca"2"+ entry. Transfection of TRPC1 into primary cardiomyocytes increased NFAT activity, indicating a major role for TRPC1 in NFAT ...
Studies have shown that CCl_4 administration to rats inhibits endoplasmic reticulum calcium pump activity and reduces the amount of calcium associated with subsequently isolated microsomal subcellular fractions. This report confirms that exposure of isolated hepatocytes to CCl_4 rapidly produces these effects in isolated parenchymal cells and demonstrates that when isolated hepacytes are exposed to CCl_4 calcium is rapidly released from cells. This release can be detected with a calcium ion-selective electrode when cells are incubated in a medium with low extracellular calcium. Calcium released from an intracellular pool(s) may initiate hepatotoxic changes in liver. (author).
The formation kinetics of Pd_2Si for fully silicided (FUSI) gate formation and the work function tuning of a Pd_2Si FUSI gate by impurity predoping were investigated. It has been found that the morphology and phase of a formed FUSI layer depend not only on the silicidation annealing temperature but also on the heating ramp-up rate and the presence of impurities. Fast ramp-up annealing was necessary to avoid defect formation, such as voids in the silicide film at the oxide interface, and to obtain a homogeneous silicide film containing only Pd_2Si phase. The most severe effect on the silicidation reaction, that is the increase in defect formation, was brought about by As predoping. The work function of the Pd_2Si FUSI gate was modulated by impurity pileup at the Pd_2Si/SiO_2 interface, as in the case of the NiSi FUSI gate. However, the work function shifted in the opposite direction to that of the NiSi ...
Cellular calcium transient alternans are beat-to-beat alternations in the peak cytosolic calcium concentration exhibited by cardiac cells during rapid electrical stimulation or under pathological conditions....Full Text Available
Taste cells use multiple signaling mechanisms to generate appropriate cellular responses to discrete taste stimuli. Some taste stimuli activate G protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) that cause calcium...Full Text Available
A number of studies have indicated that plasma membrane calcium ATPases (PMCAs) are expressed in the brain and spinal cord and could play important roles not only in the maintenance of cellular calcium...Full Text Available
Background:The cardiac sodium–calcium exchanger (NCX1) is a key sarcolemmal protein for the maintenance of calcium homeostasis in the heart. Since heart failure...Full Text Available
Background and objectives: Higher urinary calcium is a risk factor for nephrolithiasis. This study delineated associations between demographic, dietary, and urinary factors and 24-h urinary calcium.Design,...Full Text Available
Calcium requirements of North American adolescents were set at 1300 mg/day based on data from white girls. Calcium requirements for Asian-American adolescents have not been studied. Using metabolic...Full Text Available
Calcium and phosphorus were mainly responsible for reducing the gastrointestinal absorption of lead in human subjects. The effect of calcium was greater than phosphorus, and their combined effect was more than additive. Increasing weights of calcium and phosphorus progressively reduced lead absorption. The relationship between absorption and increasing weights could be described by two negative exponentials. These effects could be explained if lead competed with calcium and phosphorus for common transport mechanisms in the gut. Milk was also found to reduce lead absorption. Adding milk to the diet of people with low dietary calcium intake could reduce the possibility of increased absorption of ingested lead.
Abstract in english Cell death is preceded by severe disruption of inorganic ion homeostasis. Seconds to minutes after an injury, calcium, protons, sodium, potassium and chloride are exchanged between the cell and its environment. Simultaneously, ions are shifted between membrane compartments inside the cell, whereby mitochondria and endoplasmic reticulum play a crucial role. Depending of the type and severity of injury, two mutually exclusive metastable states can be reached, which predict (more) the final outcome. Cells characterized by large increases in cytosolic [Ca2+], [Na+]; and [Mg2+] swell and die by necrosis; alternatively, cells characterized by high [H+]and low [K+], with normal [Na+] and normal to moderate [Ca2+] increases die by apoptosis. The levels of these ions represent central determinants in signaling events leading to cell death. Their movements are explained mechanistically by specific modulation of membrane transport proteins including ...
AbstractWe propose a mechanism for the formation of membrane oscillations and traveling waves, which arise due to the coupling between the actin cytoskeleton and the calcium flux through...Full Text Available
We have previously reported that FSH stimulates flux of 45Ca2+ into cultured Sertoli cells from immature rats via voltage-sensitive and voltage-independent calciumchannels. In the present study, we show that this effect of FSH does not require cholera toxin (CT)- or pertussis toxin (PT)-sensitive guanine nucleotide binding (G) protein or activation of adenylate cyclase (AC). Significant stimulation of 45Ca2+ influx was observed within 1 min, and maximal response (3.2-fold over basal levels) was achieved within 2 min after exposure to FSH. FSH-stimulated elevations in cellular cAMP paralleled increases in 45Ca2+ uptake, suggesting a possible coupling of AC activation to 45Ca2+ influx. (Bu)2cAMP, however, was not able to enhance 45Ca2+ uptake over basal levels at a final concentration of 1000 microM, although a concentration-related increase in androstenedione conversion to estradiol was evident. Exposure of Sertoli cells to CT (10 ng/ml) ...
A very simple theoretical scheme is proposed to implement two- and three-qubit controlled-phase gates firstly only using a single resonant interaction between ladder-type three-level atoms and the single-mode cavity. In the presented protocol, the quantum information is encoded on the stable ground states of the atoms (as the controlling qubits) and the zero- and one-photon Fock states of cavity-field (as the target qubit). Under the influence of the atomic spontaneous emission, the decay of the cavity-mode, and deviation of the coupling strength, the three-qubit controlled-phase gate may have a comparatively high fidelity. The experimental feasibility of controlled-phase gate and the case that is extended to realize N-qubit controlled-phase gate are also discussed. (general)
In superior cervical ganglion (SCG) neurons calcium-induced calcium release (CICR), mediated by ryanodine receptors (RyRs), contributes to stimulation-evoked intracellular calcium ([Ca2+]i)...Full Text Available
In cooling systems, an improved control of scale deposit and corrosion processes is a major challenge and an realistic evaluation tool for water treatments is of the utmost economic importance. In this study, a channel flow cell was used to allow in-situ electrochemical measurements in well defined electrolyte tube flowing conditions. An expression of the mass transfer towards the electrode was established where the diffusion-limited current is a function of Re{sup 1/3} in the laminar regime and was verified experimentally using the redox couples Fe[CN]{sub 6}{sup 4-}/ Fe[CN]{sub 6}{sup 3-} and O{sub 2}/OH{sup -}. This hydrodynamically controlled experimental device was developed to investigate scale deposit processes and to evaluate scale inhibitor efficiency using a electrochemical quartz crystal microbalance. Experiments were performed on three different waters, at various flow rates and temperatures. The efficiency of a well known phosphonate (HEDP) was tested ...
To apply the CO{sub 2} absorber at about 1000{sup o}C for integrated coal gasification combined cycle (IGCC) furnace, the reactions of calcium oxide and CO{sub 2} at high temperatures was examined. Calcium carbonate reacts with sodium hydrogen carbonate below 200{sup o}C and forms sodium-calcium complex carbonate. The sodium-calcium complex carbonate melts at 813{sup o}C, and the carbon dioxide absorption and discharge reversible reactions of calcium-oxide takes place via liquid at around 1000{sup o}C. Sintering of calcium oxide at high temperature has been successfully avoided by the addition of sodium.
In this paper, we report the systematic investigation on the melt characteristics of silicon during laser thermal processing (LTP) of amorphous silicon (a-Si) gates on ultrathin gate oxides. LTP is used to reduce the gate depletion effect in advanced semiconductor devices. The influence of implantation-induced damage and chemical inhomogeneities on the melt behavior of ion-implanted a-Si is studied using in situ time-resolved reflectance (TRR) measurements and ex situ secondary ion mass spectrometry. The results from TRR measurements indicate the presence of a buried melt for a-Si implanted with B"+ at a subamorphizing dose. In contrast, such a melt behavior is not observed during LTP of undoped a-Si and a-Si implanted with As"+ at an amorphizing dose. We attribute the marked difference in the melt characteristics to the competitive effects between compositional inhomogeneities and the extent of amorphization in the a-Si ...
Evaluates experiments aimed at selecting optimum design and technical specifications of a support system for junctions of gate roads and longwall faces mined by shearer loaders and powered supports. A set of supports used at a junction of a working face and a gate road consisted of 2 supports (each made up of a roof bar and two hydraulic props). Roof bar length ranged from 4.0 to 5.5 m and from 7.0 to 9.0 m respectively. The support roof bars were parallel to the longitudinal axis of a gate road. Stress distribution in strata surrounding a junction of a working face and a gate road was analyzed. The finite element method was used. Convergence of the roof and the floor of a gate road depending on support yield strength and distance from a measuring point to the supports was analyzed. Recommendations are made for optimum yield strength of the supports. Nomograms for selecting optimum ...
The aim of this paper is to investigate the total ionizing dose (TID) radiation effects on MOS capacitor with nitride/oxide stack gate. The stack gate MOS capacitors are fabricated with 20 nm oxide, 40 nm nitride or 110 nm nitride respectively. Through the analysis of CV curve of the irradiation capacitors, it is found that the degradation of the CV curve is due to a significant increase of interface traps and somewhat smaller oxide charge. It is also shown that the thicker of the nitride, more interface traps and oxide charge will be occurred. (authors)
This paper will track the design and results of an injection molding tool developed to manufacture microfluidic chips. The mold design and injection molding process was complicated by the presence of integrated capillary fluidic interconnects. We determined that design of the runner and gate system responsible for delivering molten plastic to the cavity had a significant impact on the quality of parts produced by the mold and the size of the process window. Numerical results confirm our findings that reducing gate lengths and increasing part thickness dramatically improved the filling profile and lowered injection pressures by 37%. Finally, the influence of gate location on part shrinkage is analyzed and discussed.
We have fabricated nanometer-spaced electrodes on electron-transparent silicon nitride membranes. A thin Cr/Au layer is evaporated on the backside of the membrane which serves as a gate electrode. Using these devices, we have performed three-terminal electron transport measurements on gold nano-particles at liquid helium temperature. Coulomb Blockade features have been observed and the capacitance to the gate has been extracted. After transport measurements, the Cr/Au back gate is removed and the devices are inspected with a transmission-electron microscope (TEM). TEM inspection reveals the presence of a few nano-particles in the nanogap, which is in agreement with the transport measurements. In addition, the nano-particle size as observed by TEM coincides with the one estimated from the gate capacitance value.
We apply a notion of static renormalization to the preparation of cluster states for quantum computing, exploiting ideas from percolation theory. Such a strategy yields a novel way to cope with the randomness of non-deterministic quantum gates. This is most relevant in the context of linear optical architectures, where probabilistic gates are inevitable. We demonstrate how to efficiently construct cluster states without the need for rerouting, thereby avoiding a massive amount of feed-forward and conditional dynamics, and furthermore show that except for a single layer of fusion measurements during the preparation, all further measurements can be shifted to the final adapted single qubit measurements. Remarkably, the cluster state preparation is achieved using essentially the same scaling in resources as if deterministic gates were available. Further, techniques to reduce the size of the required resource states will be ...
... No where on an OER or an NCOER is there a box to be checked ... Chaplains will have a issues with it as far as marriage counseling or other issues ...
Skeletal muscle uses calcium as a second messenger to respond and adapt to environmental stimuli. Elevations in intracellular calcium levels activate calcineurin, a serine/threonine phosphatase, resulting...Full Text Available
The homologous sequences observed for many calcium binding proteins such as parvalbumin, troponin C, the myosin light chains, and calmodulin has lead to the hypothesis that these proteins have homologous...Full Text Available
BackgroundCalcium signaling plays an important role in B lymphocyte survival and activation, and is critically dependent on the inositol-1,4,5-tris-phosphate-induced...Full Text Available
An optical flow gradient algorithm was applied to spontaneously forming networks of neurons and glia in culture imaged by fluorescence optical microscopy in order to map functional calcium signaling...Full Text Available
BackgroundCalcium homeostasis is a known target of several environmental toxicants including lead and mercury.ObjectiveOur goal was to determine...Full Text Available
Improving the anti-demineralizing/remineralizing and mechanical properties of amorphous calcium phosphate (ACP) composites has been the focus of our recent research. In this study, an ethoxylated...Full Text Available
Objectives To assess the effectiveness of calcium supplementation for improving bone mineral density in healthy children and to determine if any effect is modified by other factors and...Full Text Available
Calcium, vitamin D, exposure to sunshine, and vitamin D receptor (VDR) genotypes have been associated rectal cancer. We used data from 750 rectal tumors and 1,205 population-based...Full Text Available
Assessment of the regulation of plant metabolism by the calcium ion requires a knowledge of its intracellular levels and dynamics. Technical problems have prevented direct measurement of the concentration...Full Text Available
Biased above threshold (VT), pulsed photocurrent (u) measurements on windowed silicon Pd gate MOS capacitors are shifted (DV) negatively by H2/N2, whereas Au gates shift positively under NO2/air. Below VT, the shifts are reversed by adjustments of interface state population. Minor temperature increases may coax the device from inversion to depletion, inducing sign reversal of the chemical response.
The influence of MeV electrons irradiation on the gate oxide layers of hydrogenated polysilicon thin film transistors (TFTs) was investigated by measuring gate leakage currents and threshold voltages. The experimental data revealed a decrease of oxide trap density and increase of positive oxide charge. Improvement in the interface roughness and in the oxide quality near the bottom interface was observed.
The influence of MeV electrons irradiation on the gate oxide layers of hydrogenated polysilicon thin film transistors (TFTs) was investigated by measuring gate leakage currents and threshold voltages. The experimental data revealed a decrease of oxide trap density and increase of positive oxide charge. Improvement in the interface roughness and in the oxide quality near the bottom interface was observed.
The purpose of this study was to investigate if interfraction and intrafraction motion in free-breathing and gated lung IMRT can lead to systematic dose differences between 3DCT and 4DCT. Dosimetric...Full Text Available
Correlation between mechanical stress and hydrogen effects on radiation damage in polycide-gate MOS capacitors was investigated as a function of gate-oxide thickness. The compressive stress magnitude was altered by varying the silicide (TiSi/sub 2/ or WSi/sub 2/) thickness in the polycide-gate electrode, and hydrogen introduction into gate-SiO/sub 2/ film was carried out by diffusion from plasma-deposited silicon-nitride passivation film (SiN-Cap). In a MOS capacitor without passivation film (No-Cap sample), it was found that compressive stress on gate-SiO/sub 2/ reduces both positive charge build-up (..delta..Qot) and interface-trap generation (..delta..Dit). Radiation induced shift, ..delta..Qot exhibits a smaller stress effect as compared with ..delta..Dit. As gate-SiO/sub 2/ thickness decreases, the stress effect on ..delta..Qot increases, while this effect ...
... interactive surfaces and interfaces, and 3) the more complex a ... carbonate or calcium phosphate with a thin interface ... diameter) for nerve prosthesis. ...
Effective work function (m,eff) values of Ru gate electrode on SiO2 and HfO2 MOS capacitors were carefully examined and discussed from the viewpoint of an effect of oxygen incorporation in Ru gate electrode on m,eff. Annealing at 400degreeC in the reduction (3%H2) and the oxidation (1%O2) ambient resulted in similar changes in the m,eff of Ru/HfO2/SiO2 and Ru/SiO2 MOS capacitors. Furthermore, the Ru gate MOS capacitor after annealing in the oxidation condition have shown almost the same m,eff value to that of RuO2 gate MOS capacitors. The oxygen concentration in the Ru/HfO2 interface after annealing in oxidizing atmosphere is approximately one order of magnitude higher than that after annealing in reducing atmosphere as confirmed by secondary ion mass spectroscopy analysis. Furthermore, th...
In this paper, molecular quantum computation is numerically studied with the quantum search algorithm (Grover's algorithm) by means of optimal control simulation. Qubits are implemented in the vibronic states of I_2, while gate operations are realized by optimally designed laser pulses. The methodological aspects of the simulation are discussed in detail. We show that the algorithm for solving a gate pulse-design problem has the same mathematical form as a state-to-state control problem in the density matrix formalism, which provides monotonically convergent algorithms as an alternative to the Krotov method. The sequential irradiation of separately designed gate pulses leads to the population distribution predicted by Grover's algorithm. The computational accuracy is reduced by the imperfect quality of the pulse design and by the electronic decoherence processes that are modeled by the non-Markovian master equation. ...
This patent describes a preflush fluid for preventing lost circulation during the cementing of a well, the fluid consisting essentially of: (a) water; (b) about 10 to about 30 percent by weight of water (% BWOW) cement; (c) about 5 to about 30% BWOW calcium sulfate selected from the group consisting of calcium sulfate hemihydrate, calcium sulfate dihydrate, and mixtures thereof; and (d) an alkali metal-containing quick-hardening accelerator.
Gas contaminated with at least one noxious component, such as SO/sub 2/, HF or NOx, is scrubbed with a clear, calcium-containing, initially-basic washing liquid which also comprises the anion of a strong inorganic acid, that of a polybasic carboxylic acid and, optionally, that of a monobasic carboxylic acid. Apparatus is provided for scrubbing the gas, oxidizing produced calcium bisulfite to calcium sulfate, separating out and removing solids, and recirculating clarified liquid for scrubbing contaminated gas.
A technique has been developed for joining a large calcium fluoride crystal to a stainless-steel flange by means of a silver transition ring. The process involves both vacuum brazing using a copper-silver alloy and air brazing using silver chloride. This paper describes the procedure used in fabricating a high-vacuum leak-tight calcium fluoride window assembly.
High-spin states in the mirror pair nuclei {sup 49}Cr and {sup 49}Mn and their cross-conjugate partners, the mirror pair {sup 47}V and {sup 47}Cr have been investigated using experimental {gamma}-ray spectroscopic techniques. The combination of high-efficiency EUROBALL cluster Germanium detectors and clean exit-channelgating afforded by a 31-element silicon ball used in conjunction with a 15-detector neutron wall allowed a revision and extension to the energy level schemes of all four nuclei up to J{sup {pi}}=31{sup -}/2. The difference in excitation energy between states of equivalent spin in the parent nucleus and its analogue partner have thus been established for both mirror pairs up to the f{sub 7/2}-shell band terminating state for the first time. This difference is assumed to be due almost entirely to the Coulomb effect and is therefore called the Coulomb energy difference (CED). The variation in the CED with spin has been interpreted ...
X-ray diffraction, infrared spectroscopy, thermal analysis, scanning electron microscopy, and particle size analysis were used to characterize the product of the thiosulfate process. It was found to consist of a mixture of a solid solution of calcium sulfate in calcium sulfite hemihydrate, calcium sulfate dihydrate, and calcium carbonate. Reactions taking place on heating the byproduct were identified in oxidizing and reducing atmospheres. Pure calcium sulfite hemihydrate as well as solid solutions of CaSO[sub 4] in CaSO[sub 3] [center dot] (1/2)H[sub 2]O with different sulfate concentrations were synthesized in the laboratory. Thermal analyses of pure solid solutions proved that the higher the sulfate content, the higher is the dehydration temperature. Accordingly, taking SO[sub 4][sup 2[minus
PurposeThe behavior of trigeminocardiac reflex (TCR) during maxillofacial surgeries has not yet been sufficiently studied and knowledge of its behavior is limited to some case reports. The present study aimed to assess the occurrence of TCR in bilateral sagittal split ramus osteotomy and to determine the possible effect of Gow-Gates block on its incidence. Materials and MethodsTwenty candidates for bilateral sagittal split ramus osteotomy (included were American Society of Anesthesiologists I Class III patients with a prognathism of 3 to 5 mm) were given routine general anesthesia after at least 12 hours of fasting. All patients received Gow-Gates mandibular nerve block on 1 random side (case ramus; the other side was used as the control) after induction of general anesthesia before surger...
Tensile and flexural properties of single-gated (SG) and double-gated (DG) injection moulded blend of polybutylene terephthalate (PBT) and polycarbonate (PC) and its composites containing 15, 20 and 30?wt.% short glass fibres were investigated. In the DG mouldings, a weldline was formed by direct impingement of two opposing melt fronts (i.e. cold weld). It was found that tensile modulus was not affected by the weldline but flexural modulus decreased in the presence of weldline. For both specimen types, modulus increased linearly with volume fraction of fibres (? f), according to the rule-of-mixtures for moduli. The weldline integrity (WIF) factor for flexural modulus decreased linearly with increasing ? f. Results showed that tensile and flexural strengths for SG mouldings increase with in...
estate in terms of runways, taxiways, and terminal ramp areas. .... queueing time into gate delays. It is therefore reasonable to conclude that minimization of ...... tities chosen are to illustrate the stochastic effect of noncom- ...
The effective electron mobility was measured as a function of surface field in polysilicon thin film transistors having the following three types of gate dielectrics; silicon dioxide deposited by low temperature (350degC) plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD), low temperature (400degC) nitrogen-rich PECVD silicon nitride and high temperature (1050degC) thermally grown silicon dioxide. At low surface fields, the maximum true effective electron mobility was 40[+-]3 cm[sup 2] V[sup -1] s[sup -1] in all devices independent of the type of gate dielectric, indicating that the quality of the interface is the same. However, at high surface fields a stronger degradation of the mobility was observed in devices having the thermally grown silicon dioxide as gate dielectric, indicating the presence of surface roughness within the interfacial region. The polysilicon structure was studied by transmission electron microscopy in ...
In this paper, we present the results of Plasma-Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition gate-oxide (SiO_2) integrity on ELC (excimer-laser-crystallized), MILC (metal-induced lateral-crystallized) and SPC (solid-phase-crystallized) polysilicon films. We observed that gate oxide strength of poly-Si TFT strongly depends on the crystallization method for the active silicon layer. In the case of ELC films, asperities on the silicon surface reduce the SiO_2 breakdown field significantly. The metallic contaminants in MILC films are responsible for a deleterious impact on gate oxide integrity. Among the three cases, the SiO_2 breakdown field was the highest for the SPC silicon films. The breakdown fields at the 50 % failure points in Weibull plots for the ELC, MILC and SPC cases were 5.1 MV/cm, 6.2 MV/cm, and 8.1 MV/cm, respectively. We conclude that the roughness and metallic contamination of the poly-Si films are the main factors that ...
Direct coupljng between Al and Au metal]jzations can result in an increase in gate resistance due to a metallurgical reaction. (purple plague). An RF life test on ...
We study the integration of multisensory and central input at the level of an identified fly motoneuron, the ventral cervical nerve motoneuron (VCNM) cell, which controls head movements of the animal....Full Text Available
A pneumatic device is in the form of a U-shaped frame, on which a prong is attached by using two pairs of levers. It also has a hydraulic or pneumatic cyclinder, whose rod is connected to one of the pairs of levers. All connections are hinges.
BackgroundCompared to outbred Sprague Dawley (SD) rats, inbred Brown Norway (BN) rats exhibit less prepulse inhibition of startle (PPI) at long prepulse intervals,...Full Text Available
Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs) are being used in space applications because of attractive attributes: good density, moderate speed, low cost, and quick turn-around time. However, these devices are susceptible to Single Event Upsets (SEUs). An approach using triple modular redundancy (TMR) and feedback was developed for flip-flop hardening in these devices. Test data showed excellent results for this circuit topology. Total dose and Single Event Effect (SEE) testing have been performed on recently released technologies. Failures are analyzed and test methodology is discussed.
Total dose irradiation effects on a VDMOS developed at Institute of Microelectronics, CAS were investigated, particularly the electric parameter changes under different bias conditions. It was found that the breakdown voltage degradation by the irradiation depended mainly on the drain bias, whereas the threshold voltage degradation depended mainly on the gate bias. Thus, an innovative and effective method to domestic VDMOS total dose ionization characterization is that threshold voltage radiation hardening characterization should be tested on gate bias condition, and the breakdown voltage radiation hardening characterization, be tested on the drain bias. (authors)
We propose a scheme of quantum computation with nonlinear quantum optics. Polarization states of photons are used for qubits. Photons with different frequencies represent different qubits. Single qubit rotation operation is implemented through optical elements like the Faraday polarization rotator. Photons are separated into different optical paths, or merged into a single optical path using dichromatic mirrors. The controlled-NOT gate between two qubits is implemented by the proper combination of parametric up and down conversions. This scheme has the following features: (1) No auxiliary qubits are required in the controlled-NOT gate operation; (2) No measurement is required in the course of the computation; (3) It is resource efficient and conceptually simple.
Trapped ions are a near ideal system to study quantum information processing due to the high degree of control over the ion's external confinement and internal degrees of freedom. We demonstrate the key steps necessary for trapped ion quantum computing and focus on phonon-mediated entangling gates. We highlight several key algorithms implemented over the last decade with these gates and give a detailed description of Grover's quantum database search implemented with two trapped ion qubits.
Mo gate Mos capacitors exhibit a negative shift of their C-V characteristic by up to 240 mV, at 125 C, in response to 1000 ppm hydrogen, in controlled nitrogen atmospheres. The experimental methods for obtaining capacitance and conductance, as a function of polarisation voltage, as well as the relevant equivalent circuits are reviewed. The single-state interface state density, at the semiconductor-dielectric interface, decreases from 2.66 x 10"1"1 cm"-"2 e-v"-"1, in pure nitrogen, to 2.5 x 10"1"1 cm"-"2 e-v"-"1 in 1000 ppm hydrogen in nitrogen mixtures, at this temperature. (Author)
The goal of this work was to develop a process flow diagram to economically produce a clean-burning fuel from fine Illinois coal. To accomplish this, the process of pelletizing fine coal with calcium hydroxide, a sulfur capturing sorbent, was investigated. Carbonation, which is the reaction of calcium hydroxide with carbon dioxide (in the presence of moisture) to produce a bonding matrix of calcium carbonate, was investigated as a method for improving pellet quality and reducing binder costs. Proper moisture level is critical to allow the reaction to occur. If too much moisture is present in a pellet, the pore spaces are filled and carbon dioxide must diffuse through the water to reach the calcium hydroxide and react. This severely slows or stops the reaction. The ideal situation is when there is just enough moisture to coat the calcium hydroxide allowing for the reaction to ...
A method of treating final products from a flue gas desulfurization. The flue gas desulfurization is carried out by the absorption of sulfur oxide in a spray dryer with a suspension which contains lime, or in a reactor with a dry, fine-grained, absorbent which contains lime. Prior to desulfurization, the fly ash carried along by the flue gas which is to be desulfurized is separated entirely, partially, or not at all from the flue gas, and the final products from the flue gas desulfurization, prior to any further treatment thereof, amount to 1-99% by weight, preferably 1-70% by weight, of fly ash, and 1-99% by weight, preferably 30-99% by weight, of the sum of the desulfurization products, preferably calcium sulfite hemihydrate, and/or calcium sulfite, and/or calcium sulfate dyhydrate, and/or calcium sulfate hemihydrate, and/or calcium sulfate, as well as residue of the absorbent. ...
BackgroundUnderstanding the interactions between ion channels and blockers remains an important goal that has implications for delineating the basic mechanisms of ion channel function...Full Text Available
Measurement of local steam condensation rates of cocurrent stratified flow of steam and subcooled water was carried out at atmospheric pressure in a horizontal rectangular channel. The channel was constructed of stainless steel with pyrex glass windows, a...
Single-channel currents from acetylcholine receptor channels of garter snake neuromuscular junctions were recorded using the patch-clamp technique. Low concentrations of acetylcholine or carbamylcholine...Full Text Available
Wet limestone scrubbing is once again becoming a popular technology for removal of sulfur dioxide (SO{sub 2}) from power plant emissions. Critical to the operation of wet limestone flue gas desulfurization (FGD) systems is accurate chemical analysis of scrubber solids. The analytical technique of thermogravimetry is ideal for this application, as the instrument can give precise readings of the principal scrubber solids components, calcium sulfite/sulfate hemihydrate, calcium sulfate dihydrate (gypsum), and unused calcium carbonate. The data provides plant chemists, engineers, and operators with information needed to fine-tune scrubber operation and detect process upsets. (orig.)
Vitamin D is now known to be of physiological importance outside of bone health and calcium homeostasis, and there is mounting evidence that it plays a beneficial role in the prevention and/or treatment...Full Text Available
Drosophila melanogaster is a model organism rich in genetic tools to manipulate and identify neural circuits involved in specific behaviors. Here we present a technique for two-photon calcium imaging in the central brain of head-fixed Drosophila walking on an air-supported ball. The ball's motion is tracked at high resolution and can be treated as a proxy for the fly's own movements. We used the genetically encoded calcium sensor, GCaMP3.0, to record from important elements of the motion-processing pathway, the horizontal-system lobula plate tangential cells (LPTCs) in the fly optic lobe. We presented motion stimuli to the tethered fly and found that calcium transients in horizontal-system neurons correlated with robust optomotor behavior during walking. Our technique allows both behavior ...
The spontaneous precipitation of calcium sulfate in supersaturated solutions over the temperature range between 25.0 and 80.0 C was investigated by monitoring the solution specific conductivity during desupersaturation. From measurements of the induction times preceding the onset of precipitation the surface energy of the forming solid, identified as gypsum, was found between ca. 12 and 25 mJ/m{sup 2} for the temperature range between 80.0 and 25.0 C, respectively. Kinetics analysis showed that over 50 C it is possible that anhydrous calcium sulfate is forming as a transient phase converting into the more stable calcium sulfate dihydrate. The linear dependence of the rates of precipitation on the relative solution supersaturation suggested a mechanism according to which the growth units are integrated into the active sites of the supercritical nuclei by surface diffusion. According to the morphological examination of the ...
Abstract Although photosynthetic thermotolerance has been investigated extensively in cotton leaves, reports on the biochemical influence of the pistil in promoting fertilization thermostability are limited. To evaluate the effect of temperature, genotype, and exogenous calcium application on fertilization and pistil biochemistry in cotton, thermosensitive (cv. ST4554 B2RF) and thermotolerant (cv. VH260) plants were grown under control (30/20-C) or high-temperature (38/20-C) conditions during flowering, and exogenous CaCl2 was applied to flowers 1-day prior to anthesis. Measured pistil parameters included fertilization efficiency; protein concentration; glutathione reductase, superoxide dismutase (SOD) and NADPH oxidase activities; and ATP and calcium levels. Exogenous calcium had no effec...
Direct radiological measurements of the mineral content of femoral bone were performed in 13 patients on maintenance dialysis. They were found to be sufficiently sensitive to be used for monitoring,...Full Text Available
We have investigated the effect of manganese (Mn) doping on properties of nanosized biphasic calcium phosphate powders and their dense bodies. Manganese levels of 0.6, 1.3, 1.9, 4.3, 7.0 and 11.9at.% were successfully incorporated into biphasic calcium phosphate via a sol-gel route. The prepared powders were calcined at temperatures of 500-1200^oC. The X-ray diffraction analysis revealed that a mix phase comprising of hydroxyapatite and @b-tricalcium phosphate were present, however the content of each phases in the structure was affected by the Mn content. The studies found that the largest portion of @b-tricalcium phosphate was detected at 4.3at.% Mn doping. The incorporation of Mn has also greatly increased the crystallinity of the biphasic calcium phosphate powder due to progressive den...
In this study, the effects of channel surface wettability, cross-sectional geometry and orientation on the two-phase flow in parallel gas channels of proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) are investigated. Ex situ experiments were conducted in flow channels with three different surface wettability (hydrophilically coated, uncoated, and hydrophobically coated), three cross-sectional geometries (rectangular, sinusoidal and trapezoidal), and two orientations (vertical and horizontal). Flow pattern map, individual channel flow variation due to maldistribution, pressure drop and flow visualization images were used to analyze the two-phase flow characteristics. It is found that hydrophilically coated gas channels are advantageous over uncoated or slightly hydrophobic channels regarding un...
PURPOSETo examine the mechanisms of ischemic preconditioning (IPC) related to the opening of mitochondrial KATP (mKATP) channels in the retina.Full Text Available
Recently, the public has become aware of keywords like ''Quantum computer'' or ''Quantum cryptography''. Regarding their potential application in solid state based quantum information processing and their overall benefit in fundamental research quantum dots have gained more and more public interest. In this context, quantum dots are often referred to as ''artificial atoms'', a term subsuming their physical properties quite nicely and emphasizing the huge potential for further investigations. The basic mechanism to be considered is the theoretical model of a two-level system. A quantum dot itself represents this kind of system quite nicely, provided that only the presence or absence of a single exciton in the ground state of that structure is regarded. This concept can also be expanded to the presence of two excitons (bi-exciton). Transitions between the relevant levels can be ...
A control group of geese (Anser anser) on a normal calcium diet for egg laying poultry was compared to egg laying geese on a calcium deficient diet. The ultimate compressive strength and modulus of elasticity of femoral cortical bone from each group were determined by compressing right circular cylinders which were 2.4 mm in height and 0.8 mm in diameter. The bending strength and bending modulus of elasticity of tibial cortical bone were determined by three point bend tests on rectangular prisms which were approximately 25 mm by 0.8 mm by 0.8 mm. Bone calcium content and eggshell calcium content were determined by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Blood samples were analyzed for free calcium ion concentration. Histological observations included studies of cross-sectional microradiographs, examinations of cross sections stained by a modified Masson's technique, and a determination ...
Brushite (CaHPO4·2H2O) was considered to govern the formation of renal calculus of calcium phosphate origin. The degree of saturation of urine with respect to this phase...Full Text Available
Earlier studies have indicated that xylitol may increase the absorption and urinary excretion of dietary oxalate. It has also been indicated that xylitol increases the absorption of calcium. Intestinal absorption of lead, a divalent contaminant in the diet, is in many respects similar to that of calcium. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of xylitol on the intestinal absorption of lead using two different approaches: the in situ ligated intestinal loop technique in cockerels and gastric gavage in mice.
To simulate the effects of the breakup channel on rearrangement amplitudes, the conventional coupled-reaction-channel (CRC) expansion is augmented by pseudoreaction channels. The construction of the projector for the extended CRC space is discussed, and transition-operator equations on this space are given. By solving the full and post-approximation forms of the CRC equations for a model three-particle problem, the crucial role played by the nonorthogonality terms is demonstrated.
To simulate the effects of the breakup channel on rearrangement amplitudes, the conventional coupled-reaction-channel (CRC) expansion is augmented by pseudoreaction channels. The construction of the projector for the extended CRC space is discussed, and transition-operator equations on this space are given. By solving the full and post-approximation forms of the CRC equations for a model three-particle problem, the crucial role played by the nonorthogonality terms is demonstrated.
The role played by calcium sulfite in the flue gas desulfurization of lime/limestone scrubbers makes it desirable to work out its thermodynamic properties. A thermogravimetric apparatus was used to study the equilibria between calcium sulfite hemihydrate and calcium sulfite anhydrite under different conditions. Efforts were made to analyze the difficulties encountered in the dynamic approach to equilibration after calcium sulfate dihydrate failed in calibration of the apparatus. Finally, the kinetics and thermodynamics for the dissociation of calcium sulfite hemihydrate were examined. The confirmation of Engel-Brewer's correlation between the electronic configuration and crystal structure in metallic systems has long been pursued in this group by studying the Lewis-acid-base interactions. Tantalum-iridium alloys of different compositions were brought into equilibrium with ...
Human complement protein C9 is shown to be a metalloprotein that binds 1 mol of Ca"2"+/mol of C9 with a dissociation constant of 3 #mu#m as measured by equilibrium dialysis. Incubation with EDTA removes the bound calcium, resulting in a apoprotein with decreased thermal stability. This loss in stability leads to aggregation and, therefore, to loss of hemolytic activity upon heating to a few degrees above the physiological temperature. Heat-induced aggregation of apoC9 can be prevented by salts that stabilize proteins according to the Hofmeister series of lyotropic ions, suggesting that the ion in native C9 may ligand with more than one structural element of domain of the protein. Ligand blotting indicates that the calcium binding site is located in the amino-terminal half of the protein. Removal of calcium by inclusion of EDTA in assay mixtures has no effect on the hemolytic activity of C9, and its capacity to bind to C8 in ...
The response of MOS capacitors to low- and medium-energy x-ray irradiation is investigated as a function of gate material (TaSi or Al), oxide thickness, and electric field. Measured device response is compared with predictions based on discrete ordinates and Monte Carlo code simulations of dose enhancement effects, coupled with recent estimates of electron-hole recombination in MOS oxides. In comparisons of 10-keV x-ray and Co-60 irradiations of Al-gate MOS capacitors at an oxide electric field of 1 MV/cm, it is found that predictions and experiments agree to within better than 20 percent for oxide thicknesses ranging from 35 to 1060 nm. For capacitors having TaSi/Al gates, predictions and experiments agree to within better than 30 percent at 1 MV/cm, with the largest differences occurring for 35-nm gate oxides. At other electric fields, the disagreement between experiment and prediction increases ...
The response of MOS capacitors to low- and medium-energy x-ray irradiation is investigated as a function of gate material (TaSi or Al), oxide thickness, and electric field. Measured device response is compared with predictions based on discrete ordinates and Monte Carlo code simulations of dose enhancement effects, coupled with recent estimates of electron-hole recombination in MOS oxides. In comparisons of 10-keV x-ray and Co-60 irradiations of Al-gate MOS capacitors at an oxide electric field of 1 MV/cm, it is found that predictions and experiments agree to within better than 20 percent for oxide thicknesses ranging from 35 to 1060 nm. For capacitors having TaSi/Al gates, predictions and experiments agree to within better than 30 percent at 1 MV/cm, with the largest differences occurring for 35-nm gate oxides. At other electric fields, the disagreement between experiment and prediction increases ...
Quantitative gated SPECT (QGS) was evaluated in 7 normal volunteers and 31 patients with cardiac diseases. Adequate cut off value of a prefilter was 0.45. In phantom, the left ventricular volume value was 93.9% of determined value by 180-degree projection in L type and 98.8% by 360-degree projection in opposed type. In normal volunteers, LVEF measured by QGS program related to value by first pass method. As for functional map, regional EF and wall motion decreased at the septum side, and wall thickening at base side of heart. Good correlation was recognized (p<0.0001) between blood flow image and functional map (regional EF and wall thickening). In 20 cases of acute myocardial infarction, lesion was detected conspicuously in regional EF and wall motion. The accuracy of coronary arterial stenosis improved in functional map (regional EF 92%, wall motion 92% and wall thickening 88%). In particular, the accuracy of 3 rami lesion was 100% in functional map and higher ...
Total-dose irradiation seriously damages MOS devices and their circuit performance. Threshold voltage shifts, transconductance degradation and increase in off-state leakage current are generally observed for irradiated devices. These instabilities are essentially due to positive and/or negative charge trapping in SiO_2 and interface trap generation at the SiO_2/Si interface. Radiation hardening of CMOS VLSIs is to eliminate these trapping effects, and for this purpose, special considerations for fabrication processes and layout design are necessary. In this paper, basic mechanisms for radiation-induced charge trapping and related effects on MOS devices are reviewed. Also discussed are radiation-hardening technologies from both fabrication-process and layout-design viewpoints. Using these technologies, 1 #mu#m radiation-hard CMOS gate arrays have been successfully developed. Experimental data taken for 2k-gate test chips indicate that radiation ...
Organic electronic devices using a pentacene have improved importantly in the last several years. We fabricated pentacene organic thin-film transistors (OTFTs) with dielectric SiO{sub 2} and ferroelectric Pb(Zr{sub 0.3},Ti{sub 0.7})O{sub 3} (PZT) gate insulators. The organic devices using SiO{sub 2} and PZT films had the field-effect mobility of approximately 0.1 and 0.004 cm{sup 2}/V s, respectively. The drain current in the transfer curve of pentacene/PZT transistors showed a hysteresis behavior originated in a ferroelectric polarization switching. In order to investigate the polarization effect of PZT gate dielectrics in a logic circuit, the simple voltage inverter using SiO{sub 2} and PZT films was fabricated and measured by an output-input measurement. The gain of inverter at the poling-down state was approximately 7.2 and it was three times larger than the value measured at the poling-up state.
In the development of high performance heat transfer surface on a compact heat exchanger, it was clarified that how reattachment point heat transfer and fluid flow are affected by channel width, at the same time, an evaluation of heat transfer performance and an investigation of optimum channel width were carried out. The channel system used in the experiment is as follows; (1) blow-off type with rectangular section channel, (2) span length of 200 mm, (3) wave length (pitch) of 80 mm, and (4) channel length of 12.5 wave length. The channel Reynolds number was set at about 10/sup 4/ which is relatively higher than the current studies. The results of the experiment were summarized as follows. (1) The channel width H has relevance to the phase difference between the fluid flow in cone portion of main stream and wave shape, the flow patterns are ...
The mechanism of lead transport is presented, and especially the particular similarities or dissimilarities between lead and calcium in this process. The absorption of these metals was determined cockerels, raised on a commercial diet or on a specified diet, using in vivo ligated loop procedure. The dose administered into the loop contained 0.5 #mu#Ci "2"0"3Pb (and/or 0.1 #mu#Ci "4"7Ca), and 0.01 mM lead acetate (and/or mM CaCl_2) in 0.5 ml 0.15 M NaCl,pH 6.5. It was shown that lead is rapidly taken up by the mucosal tissue, and slowly transferred into the body, whereas less calcium is retained by the tissue and the transfer of calcium is many times as effective as that for lead. They appear to respond in a similar manner to a low calcium intake and vitamin D treatment. Increasing luminal stable lead concentration significantly reduced the percentage of radiolead significantly reduced the percentage of ...
Time-resolved characterizations of electron beams using optical transition radiation (OTR) as a prompt conversion mechanism have recently been extended on the Los Alamos Free-electron Laser (FEL) facility 40-MeV linac. Two key timescales for rf-linac driven FELs are the micropulse (10 ps) and the macropulse (5 {mu}s to 1 ms). In the past we have used gated, intensified cameras to select a single or few micropulses (25 to 400 ns gate width) out of the pulse train to evaluate submacropulse effects. Recently, we have obtained some of the first measurements of micropulse bunch length (7 to 10 ps) and submacropulse spatial position and profile using OTR and a Hamamatsu streak camera. Additionally, micropulse elongation effects and head-to-tail transverse kicks are reported as a function of charge.
Time-resolved characterizations of electron beams using optical transition radiation (OTR) as a prompt conversion mechanism have recently been extended on the Los Alamos Free-electron Laser (FEL) facility 40-MeV linac. Two key timescales for rf-linac driven FELs are the micropulse (10 ps) and the macropulse (5 {mu}s to 1 ms). In the past we have used gated, intensified cameras to select a single or few micropulses (25 to 400 ns gate width) out of the pulse train to evaluate submacropulse effects. Recently, we have obtained some of the first measurements of micropulse bunch length (7 to 10 ps) and submacropulse spatial position and profile using OTR and a Hamamatsu streak camera. Additionally, micropulse elongation effects and head-to-tail transverse kicks are reported as a function of charge.
This invention pertains to a light weight underground pipe or cable installing device adapted for use in a narrow and deep operating trench. More particularly this underground pipe installing device employs a pair of laterally movable gates positioned adjacent the bottom of the operating trench where the earth is more solid to securely clamp the device in the operating trench to enable it to withstand the forces exerted as the actuating rod is forced through the earth from the so-called operating trench to the target trench. To accommodate the laterally movable gates positioned adjacent the bottom of the narrow pipe installing device, a pair of top operated double-acting rod clamping jaws, operated by a hydraulic cylinder positioned above the actuating rod are employed.
Time-resolved characterizations of electron beams using optical transition radiation (OTR) as a prompt conversion mechanism have recently been extended on the Los Alamos Free-electron Laser (FEL) facility 40-MeV linac. Two key timescales for rf-linac driven FELs are the micropulse (10 ps) and the macropulse (5 [mu]s to 1 ms). In the past we have used gated, intensified cameras to select a single or few micropulses (25 to 400 ns gate width) out of the pulse train to evaluate submacropulse effects. Recently, we have obtained some of the first measurements of micropulse bunch length (7 to 10 ps) and submacropulse spatialposition and profile using OTR and a Hamamatsu streak camera. Additionally, micropulse elongation effects and head-to-tail transverse kick effects are reported as a function of charge.
Time-resolved characterizations of electron beams using optical transition radiation (OTR) as a prompt conversion mechanism have recently been extended on the Los Alamos Free-electron Laser (FEL) facility 40-MeV linac. Two key timescales for rf-linac driven FELs are the micropulse (10 ps) and the macropulse (5 {mu}s to 1 ms). In the past we have used gated, intensified cameras to select a single or few micropulses (25 to 400 ns gate width) out of the pulse train to evaluate submacropulse effects. Recently, we have obtained some of the first measurements of micropulse bunch length (7 to 10 ps) and submacropulse spatialposition and profile using OTR and a Hamamatsu streak camera. Additionally, micropulse elongation effects and head-to-tail transverse kick effects are reported as a function of charge.
A 5 GHz GaAs monolithic astable multivibrator-type voltage-controlled oscillator has been developed. The monolithic oscillator uses 2 micron long self-aligned TiW-silicide gate MESFETs as well as GaAs Schottky diodes for capacitance. Good agreement between the experiment and calculations for oscillation frequency characteristics versus control voltage is obtained by assuming donor density in the FET active layer to be a Gaussian distribution. This oscillator is useful for monolithic front ends and phase-locked oscillators used in microwave signal processing. X-band oscillation frequency can be obtained with 1 micron long gate FET and low loss resonance inductors.
A series of #alpha#-sialon (#alpha#') compositions containing mixed stabilising cations were prepared, by introducing additional CaO to a basic Sm #alpha#-sialon compositions. The thermal stability of these Sm-Ca-containing #alpha#-sialon phases was investigated using XRD, SEM and EDXS techniques. It was found that the addition of calcium into the Sm #alpha#-sialon systems greatly improved the stability of the #alpha#-sialon phases. Calcium was found to be incorporated into the #alpha#-sialon structure, coexistent with the samarium, and partitioning of the calcium and samarium was observed between the #alpha#' phase and grain boundary phases. This indicates a technique which may be used to improve the thermal stability of the #alpha#' phase while maintaining good refractory phases at the sialon grain boundaries.
A study was made on extraction of a series of lithium and calcium salts by monopodands L with common formula R-C_6H_4-O-(CH_2CH_2O)_n-C_6H_4-R, where R - CH_2P(O)Ph_2, n 1-3. Extraction-chromatographic separation of lithium and calcium isotopes in systems of metal aquacomplex-solvatocomplex with L in organic phase was conducted. It was established that separation coefficients of "6Li/"7Li isotopes ranged between 1.003 #+-#0.001 and 1.017 #+-#0.002 at the maximal separation degree equal to 1.60. Separation of "4"0Ca/"4"4Ca isotopes was not fixed. 12 refs., 4 figs., 1 tab.
This is a process for producing calcium sulfate dihydrate during desulfurization of stack gases from power station boilers, where the stack gases are introduced into a washing tower and are treated with a washing water suspension containing lime in the washing tower, where oxygen in the form of air or of air enriched in oxygen is also blown into the washing tower, and where the washing water suspension drawn off from the washing tower is fed back to the washing tower at a temperature of 45 to 50/sup 0/C in the circuit and at least part of the flow goes via a thickener and where calcium sulfate dihydrate slurry is drawn off from the thickener.
The objective of materials research is the development of economical, safe and efficient synthesis routes that lead to the formation of a photocatalyst which is able to overcome performance problems related to particle size, crystallinity, or low surface area. Here, we report high-quality functional nanoparticles of calcium bismuth mixed oxide with 15nm nominal size corresponding to a specific surface area of 41m^2/g which were produced by single-step flame spray synthesis (FSS). The high temperature of the flame afforded creation of oxygen vacancies which were quantified by near edge X-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS) spectra. These two parameters, developed active surface area and created in the flame oxygen vacancies, allowed to enhance the photocatalytic activity of calcium bismu...
Mineral carbonation is based on the reaction of carbon dioxide with metal-oxide bearing minerals, usually containing magnesium or calcium silicate, to form hardly soluble carbonates and other solid byproducts. The concept is based on acceleration of the naturally occurring rock weathering process. In the present work the calcium silicate is present in the mineral, wollastonite. To accelerate the process and make it potentially useful for practical applications, mineral carbonation is conducted here using an indirect two-step route in which the reactive component (Ca^2^+ ions in considered case) is first extracted from the mineral matrix and afterwards carbonated. Two solid byproducts are formed in this process: silica in the extraction step and calcium carbonate in the carbonation step. In...
The preparation and luminescence properties of crystal phosphors based on alkali metal iodide and calcium oxide substrates were studied. The highest luminescence intensities were achieved with iodide substrates at 200/sup 0/ and with the calcium oxide substrate at 800/sup 0/. The calibration graphs were linear in the thallium concentration ranges 0.03-5.0 and 0.1-2.0 mu g using sodium and potassium oxides, respectively, and in the range 0.05-5 mu g using cesium iodide and calcium oxide. A method is proposed for the determination of down to 3 x 10/sup -4/% thallium in rocks, using a crystal phosphor with sodium iodide substrate.
To examine the hormonal regulation of the ATP-dependent Ca{sup 2+} pump in the kidneys, the ATP-dependent Ca{sup 2+} uptake by the basolateral membrane vesicles in the renal cortex was measured using radioactive calcium ({sup 45}Ca{sup 2+}) in rats with vitamin D deficiency or rats undergoing thyroparathyroidectomy. The V{sub max} of the Ca{sup 2+} pump activity was increased not only by administering calcitriol, but also by normalizing the serum calcium level in vitamin D-deficient rats. PTH suppressed the Ca{sup 2+} pump activity in normocalcemic vitamin D-deficient rats. Thyroparathyroidectomy did not affect the Ca{sup 2+} pump activity in the kidneys of normal rats. It was concluded that the ATP-dependent Ca{sup 2+} pump activity was depressed by secondary hyperparathyroidism in vitamin D-deficient rats. (author).
To examine the hormonal regulation of the ATP-dependent Ca"2"+ pump in the kidneys, the ATP-dependent Ca"2"+ uptake by the basolateral membrane vesicles in the renal cortex was measured using radioactive calcium ("4"5Ca"2"+) in rats with vitamin D deficiency or rats undergoing thyroparathyroidectomy. The V_m_a_x of the Ca"2"+ pump activity was increased not only by administering calcitriol, but also by normalizing the serum calcium level in vitamin D-deficient rats. PTH suppressed the Ca"2"+ pump activity in normocalcemic vitamin D-deficient rats. Thyroparathyroidectomy did not affect the Ca"2"+ pump activity in the kidneys of normal rats. It was concluded that the ATP-dependent Ca"2"+ pump activity was depressed by secondary hyperparathyroidism in vitamin D-deficient rats. (author).
This paper describes stable strontium as composed of four stable isotopes ( Sr 88, Sr 87, Sr 86, and Sr 84), of which Sr 88 contributes more than 82% to its composition. Strontium exists in three crystalline, plymorphic forms; face-centered cubic alpha form, hexagonal beta form and body-centered cubic gamma form. Strontium occupies in many physicochemical aspects an intermediate position between calcium and barium, as does the solubility of strontium salts. As a result of its oxidation potential, strontium readily forms oxides, halides, and sulfide. The author proposes that the slight discrimination against strontium incorporation into bony tissues may be due to the difference in ionic potential (14%) between strontium and calcium. Ionic potential is an indicator of the strength of ionic bonds: strontium has a smaller ratio of ionic charge to ionic radius when compared with calcium.
SummaryA meshless numerical model is proposed to investigate shallow-water dam break flows in 1D open channels. The numerical model is to solve the shallow water equations (SWE) based on smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH). The concept of slice water particles (SWP) is adopted in the SPH-SWE formulation. The numerical sensitivity analysis is first performed to study the appropriate SWP number and variable smoothing length through dam break flows in an idealized 1D channel with dry/wet beds. Extensive validation by comparison with laboratory and field data is next conducted for four benchmark problems, including dam break flows through a rough flat channel, a rough bumpy channel with various downstream boundary conditions, a nonprismatic channel, and a realistic scale model of the Toce ri...
The local heat transfer coefficient distribution of a square channel with two opposite ribbed walls was determined. The square channel was connected to a sudden contraction entrance in order to simulate the inlet condition of the turbine blade cooling passages. The test channel was heated by thin stainless steel foils with a thickness of 0.000025 m, and instrumented with 180 thermocouples. The brass ribs of a square cross-section were glued periodically, in line, onto the top and bottom walls of the foil-heated channel in patterns to achieve the desired spacing and angle-of-attack. The local heat transfer coefficients on the smooth side and the ribbed side walls, at the channel entrance and the downstream regions, were measured for eight rib configurations and three Reynolds numbers (Re = 10,000, 30,000, and 60,000).
The Monte-Carlo method and experimental methods were used to determine the neutron fluxes in the irradiation channels of the Ghana Research Reactor -1. The MCNP5 code was used for this purpose to simulate the radial and axial distribution of the neutron fluxes within all the ten irradiation channels. The results obtained were compared with the experimental results. After the MCNP simulation and experimental procedure, it was observed that axially, the fluxes rise to a peak before falling and then finally leveling out. Axially and radially, it was also observed that the fluxes in the centre of the channels were lower than on the sides. Radially, the fluxes dip in the centre while it increases steadily towards the sides of the channels. The results have shown that there are flux variations within the irradiation channels both axially and radially. (au)
Transformed Drosophila Kc cell lines, resistant to methotrexate, an inhibitor of de novo purine and pyrimidine synthesis, have been obtained by calcium phosphate transfection of plasmids containing...Full Text Available
The crystallization of calcium sulfate from aqueous solutions with NaCl is both geological and industrial interest because NaCl is the dominant solute in natural brines and many industrial fluids. Induction periods for the nucleation of calcium sulfate dihydrate were experimentally determined as a function of supersaturation in NaCl solutions from 0 to 6 m at 25 C and in 3.0-m NaCl solutions at temperatures from 25 to 90 C. Using classic nucleation theory, the interfacial tension between gypsum and 3.0-m NaCl solution was estimated to be about 39 mJ/m[sup 2] at 25 C and increases with increasing temperature (to 63 mJ/m[sup 2] at 90 C). It was observed that the induction period decreases with increasing NaCl concentrations up to 3 m and then starts to increase slightly at a given temperature and saturation state. The electrolyte effect on nucleation was proportional to the enhanced solubility of calcium sulfate dihydrate in ...
A method is reported which permits selective suppression of absorption of radioactive strontium from ingested food material, permitting the calcium to be available to the body. Studies were carried...Full Text Available
Secondary caries and restoration fracture remain the two most common problems in restorative dentistry. Release of fluoride ions (F) could be a substantial benefit because F could enrich neighboring...Full Text Available
Vitamin D deficiency is a well-known comorbidity of obesity that can be exacerbated after bariatric surgery and can predispose the patient for hypocalcemia. Vitamin D and calcium doses to prevent and...Full Text Available
The transport of serine into tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L. var. Xanthi) cells grown in liquid medium was studied. Serine transport was maximal below pH 4.0. A time-dependent stimulation...Full Text Available
The resistance to destruction of spores of Bacillus subtilis var. niger occluded in crystals of calcium carbonate and exposed to ethylene oxide and moist and dry heat...Full Text Available
The H+-translocating inorganic pyrophosphatase (H+-PPase) associated with vesicles of the vacuolar membrane (tonoplast) isolated from beet (Beta vulgaris L.) is...Full Text Available
Measurements were made of 45Ca influx into isolated internodal cells of Chara corallina and also into internodal cells of intact plants. 45Ca influx was closely...Full Text Available
Feedback controls of estrogen in LHRH-1 neurons play a pivotal role in reproductive function. However, the mechanism of estrogen action in LHRH-1 neurons is still unclear. In the present study, the...Full Text Available
Radionuclide X-ray fluorescence analysis was used for the determination of iron, calcium, potassium, copper, manganese and zinc in waste water from the production process of citric acid.
Radionuclide X-ray fluorescence analysis was used for the determination of iron, calcium, potassium, copper, manganese and zinc in waste water from the production process of citric acid. (author).
In the framework of the feasibility study of radioactive waste disposal in deep geologic formations, a clay formation (named 'argilite de l'Est') has been selected in the Meuse-Haute Marne region (France) for the construction of an underground laboratory. The percolation of alkaline solutions through the argilite has been studied using column experiments with short residence times (30 min). These experiments simulate the leaching of a cement which could be used in the building materials of the laboratory. The alkaline solutions used are mono-cationic solutions of calcium, sodium and strontium. The behaviour of calcium is differentiated from the other cations. For all alkaline solutions (NaOH, Ca(OH){sub 2} or Sr(OH){sub 2}) chemical reactions consuming both hydroxide ions and their associated cations have been evidenced. These reactions are heterogenous reactions of surface adsorption by site ionization. The ...
A process is given for the removal of sulfur oxides from exhaust gases by absorbing with a slurry of red mud containing calcium ion which comprises the steps of: (1) contacting an exhaust gas containing sulfur oxides of not higher than about 100/sup 0/ C with a slurry of red mud containing calcium ion led from the next step (2) to take up sulfur oxides in the gas until ph of the slurry becomes in the range of 4.3 to less than 6 while maintaining the molar fraction of SO/sub 4/-- to total SO/sub 2/ in the slurry within the said pH range at 0.05 to 0.7; and then, (2) contacting the treated gas with a fresh slurry of red mud containing calcium ion to further take up sulfur oxides in the gas while maintaining the concentration of NaHSO/sub 3/ in the slurry at not more than about 8 g/l.
Edema factor (EF) and CyaA are calmodulin (CaM)-activated adenylyl cyclase exotoxins involved in the pathogenesis of anthrax and whooping cough, respectively. Using spectroscopic, enzyme kinetic and...Full Text Available
Some laboratory experiments have suggested that power-frequency electric and magnetic fields (EMF) may be capable of influencing calcium efflux from cell membranes, pineal function, and circadian rhythms....Full Text Available
Segments of the chick basilar papilla were isolated and maintained in culture medium. The sensory hair bundle of individual hair cells was observed with light microscopy and stimulated with a water...Full Text Available
Epifluorescence images of Ca2+ transients elicited by electrical stimulation of single skeletal muscle fibers were studied with fast imaging techniques that take advantage of the large fluorescence...Full Text Available
The proprotein convertases (PCs) are calcium-dependent proteases responsible for processing precursor proteins into their active forms in eukariotes. The PC1/3 is a pivotal enzyme of this family that...Full Text Available
Taiheiyo coal deashed using acid treatment and loaded with potassium or calcium was hydro-cracked under gaseous phase to discuss effects of these metals on liquefaction reaction. In addition, the loaded coal was added with red mud catalyst to examine effects of the addition. The loaded potassium has a softening power, and particularly the potassium adsorbed into surface and micropores in the coal decomposes selectively HI-BS and BI-PS and generates gas and HS. On the other hand, potassium deposited on coal surface promotes direct gas production from the coal. Irrespective of its loading modes, calcium has a catalytic nature to produce HI-BS selectively. Calcium also acts to impede decomposition of HI-BS into HS. Adding red mud catalyst to potassium loaded coal increases the inversion rate and the liquefaction yield, and most of the increase is accounted for by HI -BS, and BI-PS. When red mud catalyst is added to ...
The amount of phosphorus contained in food as food additives is currently increasing and a high intake of phosphorus can cause various diseases. To determine the effects of a prolonged high phosphorus...Full Text Available
The objective of this experiment was to determine the effect of dietary grain on calcium homeostasis. Six rumen-fistulated dairy cows with 3 or more previous lactations and no history of parturient...Full Text Available
Human Factor VIII/von Willebrand factor, purified by calcium citrate-cellulose chromatography and 4% agarose gel filtration was subjected to sodium dodecyl sulfate gel electrophoresis on gels containing...Full Text Available
A novel therapeutic compound was found to induce bladder tumors in male rats. Given the location of the tumors and the increased amounts of calcium- and magnesium-containing solids found in the urine...Full Text Available
Plants respond to a large variety of environmental signals, including changes in the gravity vector (gravistimulation). In Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) seedlings, gravistimulation...Full Text Available
Citrate is an important naturally occurring inhibitor of calcium stone formation in urine. Urinary citrate excretion was examined in 43 consecutive patients with recurrent idiopathic calcium nephrolithiasis and in 50 normal controls by a specific enzymatic technique. Hypocitraturia (<1.6 mmol/24h) was found in 14 (33%) stone formers compared to 6 (12%) normal controls (p = 0.03). Citrate excretion expressed as citrate-creatinine ratio in 24 hour urine samples was significantly lower in the stone formers than in the healthy controls (p = 0.03), and significantly lower in healthy men, compared to healthy females (p = 0.006). There was a great variability in urinary citrate levels in both groups, and a considerable overlap in the urinary citrate excretion between normal subjects and stone formers. Factors other than urinary citrate excretion must therefore be of importance in the pathophysiology of calcium stone formation. ...
Laboratory testing at Combustion Engineering has indicated promise in controlling simulated steam generator tube denting through chemical neutralization. Testing was limited to on-line treatment, and two neutralizers have been evaluated: calcium hydroxide and boric acid. On-line treatment with calcium hydroxide successfully halted active denting whenever the bulk calcium concentration (in ppm) equaled or exceeded the bulk chloride concentration (in ppm). Calcium hydroxide also was effective as an alternative to ammonia as a pH controlling agent in two tests conducted without ingress of chloride. On-line treatment with boric acid consisted of a four-day soak at simulated low (approximately 30 percent) power with 50 ppm B followed by one month full-power operation with 10 ppm B. This treatment also halted denting. Nondestructive and destructive examination of test boilers gave no indication of adverse ...
PurposeThe aim of this study was to evaluate 3.5 years-cumulative survival rate of implants placed on augmented sinus using Osteon, a bone graft material, and to assess the height...Full Text Available
Benzodiazepine withdrawal anxiety is associated with potentiation of α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionate receptor (AMPAR) currents in hippocampal CA1 pyramidal...Full Text Available
1. Digital imaging and photometry were used in conjunction with the fluorescent Ca2+ indicator, Fura-2, to examine intracellular Ca2+ signals produced by depolarization of single adrenal chromaffin...Full Text Available
Stomatal movements depend on both ion influx and efflux; attainment of steady state apertures reflects modulation of either or both processes. The role of Ca2+ in those two processes was...Full Text Available
E-cadherins belong to a family of membrane-bound, cellular adhesion proteins. Their adhesive properties mainly involve the two N-terminal extracellular domains (EC1 and EC2). The junctions between these...Full Text Available
Amyloid proteins constitute a chemically heterogeneous group of proteins, which share some biophysical and biological characteristics, the principal of which are the high propensity to acquire an incorrect...Full Text Available
Calcium ions represent universal second messengers within neuronal cells integrating multiple cellular functions, such as release of neurotransmitters, gene expression, proliferation, excitability,...Full Text Available
Realization of Pharmacological Tests, Development of the Specifications and Technical Documentation and Registration in the Russian Federation of Medical Products as Soluble Tablets of Acetylsalicylic Acid/Calcium Carbonate in Two Dosages Intended for use as Medical Products Smoothing, Febrifugal and Antiaggregation Action and Development of Technology of Tableting the Above-Stated Preparations
Although previous intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) radiofrequency-based analysis data showed acceptable reproducibility for plaque composition, measurements are not easily obtained, particularly that...Full Text Available
The aim of the present study was to test a mathematical model of the biochemical processes in the parathyroid glands responsible for the secretion of parathyroid hormone resulting from extracellular calcium reduction. A double exponential curve described the parathyroid hormone secretion induced by rapid lowering of blood-ionized calcium in humans with normal as well as abnormal parathyroid tissue. Our data show that it was possible to establish a simple mathematical model of the parathyroid hormone response to blood-ionized calcium lowering, sufficient to fit experimental data obtained from patients with abnormal and normal parathyroid tissue. The fitted parameters showed no significant differences between patients with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus and controls. In primary hyperparathyroidism, the parathyroid hormone production and steady-state transport across the cell membrane were increased, probably due to the ...
Corticostriatal synapse plasticity of medium spiny neurons is regulated by glutamate input from the cortex and dopamine input from the substantia nigra. While cortical stimulation alone results in long-term...Full Text Available
isotherme, dans un courant d'azote ou sous vide entretenu. I t. Comptes Rendus Scientific Academy, Paris, Vol. 265 pyrolyse du carbonate de calcium, ...
Transient receptor potential (TRP) ion channels have been implicated in detecting chemical, thermal and mechanical stimuli in organisms ranging from mammals to Caenorhabditis elegans....Full Text Available
Electrophysiological events are of central importance during the phagocyte respiratory burst, because NADPH oxidase is electrogenic and voltage sensitive. We investigated the recent suggestion that...Full Text Available
SummaryTRPV1 is the founding and best-studied member of the family of temperature-activated transient receptor potential ion channels (thermoTRPs). Voltage, chemicals, and heat...Full Text Available
The background for the project of a solar-powered aircraft, designed and built by Dr. Paul McCready of California, is reported with details on the aircraft design and its flight across the English Channel.
We have used the two-electrode voltage clamp technique and the patch clamp technique to investigate the regulation of ROMK1 channels by protein-tyrosine phosphatase (PTP) and protein-tyrosine...Full Text Available
A parallel bundle of transmembrane (TM) alpha-helices surrounding a central pore is present in several classes of ion channel, including the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR). We have modeled...Full Text Available
Searching for the structural requirements improving the potency and the stereoselectivity of Na+channel blockers as antimyotonic agents, new...Full Text Available
Each heartbeat requires precisely orchestrated action potential propagation through the myocardium achieved by coordination of about a million ion channels on the surface of each cardiomyocyte....Full Text Available
We analyze transport through conical channels due to the difference in particle concentration on the two sides of the membrane. Because of the detailed balance, fluxes of non-interacting particles...Full Text Available
A two-channel optical system has been developed to provide spatially resolved simultaneous imaging of singlet molecular oxygen (1O2) phosphorescence and photosensitizer (PS) fluorescence...Full Text Available
Consider the simultaneous relay channel which consists of a set of relay channels where the source wishes to transmit common and private information to each of the destinations. This problem is recognized as being equivalent to that of sending common and private information to several destinations in presence of helper relays where each channel outcome becomes a branch of the broadcast relay channel (BRC). Cooperative schemes and capacity region for a set of two relay channels are investigated. The proposed coding schemes, based on Decode-and-Forward (DF) and Compress-and-Forward (CF), must be capable of transmitting information simultaneously to all destinations in such set. Inner bounds on the capacity region of the general BRC are based on three cases. First the channels from source-to-relays of both destinations are assumed to be stronger than the others and ...
Various measurement tools that are used in chaos theory were applied to analyze two-phase pressure signals with the objective of identifying and interpreting flow pattern transitions for two-phase flows in a small, horizontal rectangular channel. These me...
Na+channels are often spliced but little is known about the functional consequences of splicing. We have been studying the regulation of Na+ current inactivation in an...Full Text Available
A total dose hardening treatment is applied to SIMOX buried oxides. Total ionizing dose radiation testing is performed on fully-depleted transistors fabricated on both hardened and non-hardened substrates. At 200 krads x-ray dose, the front gate shift is reduced from -0.7 to -0.2 V for FETs built on the hardened wafers.
An investigation of the Ll x-#gamma# angular correlations following the decay of "2"0"7Bi is done by using a Si(Li) semiconductor counter as L x-ray detector. Coincidence measurements at five different angles were made between the 570-keV #gamma# ray (gated in the movable counter) and the Ll x spectrum (displayed in a multichannel analyzer).
The coal bed methane (CBM) potential of five coal zones (the Kootenay, Gething, Gates, Brazeau, and Coalspur) in the Alberta foothills and mountains is re-evaluated. For evaluation, the coal zones are divided into shallow (200 to 2500 m depth) and deep (over 2500 m depth). The total gas content is estimated. Recommendations on how to obtain more reliable resource data and about producibility are included. 41 refs., 12 figs., 3 tabs., 2 apps.
Quantum computers hold the promise of solving certain computational tasks much more efficiently than classical computers. We review recent experimental advances towards a quantum computer with trapped ions. In particular, various implementations of qubits, quantum gates and some key experiments are discussed. Furthermore, we review some implementations of quantum algorithms such as a deterministic teleportation of quantum information and an error correction scheme.
We propose two schemes for the implementation of quantum discrete Fourier transform in the ion trap system. In each scheme we design a tunable two-qubit phase gate as the main ingredient. The experimental implementation of the schemes would be an important step toward complex quantum computation in the ion trap system.
Purpose: To quantify left ventricular function derived from retrospectively ECG-gated multislice spiral CT (MSCT) data sets in comparison to MRI. Materials and Methods: In 16 patients (14 males, 2 females, mean age 56.8 #+-# 11.5 years), retrospectively ECG-gated MSCT angiography of the coronary arteries and breath-hold steady state free precession cine MRI were performed. From MSCT data-sets, 20 axial image series were reconstructed every 5% of the RR interval. Multiplanar images were reformatted in the short axis orientation from axial images. End-systolic and end-diastolic images were selected. From these images end-systolic volume (ESV), end-diastolic volume (EDV) and stroke volume (SV) as well as the ejection fraction (EF) and myocardial mass (MM) were determined using the Simpson's method and compared with MRI. Furthermore, image quality was assessed for both imaging modalities using a four point grading scale. Results: All parameters ...
This manuscript reviews some of the more controversial dose-related issues in cardiac CT imaging. Discussion covers the relative merits of cardiac CT versus MR, advantages and concerns regarding gated versus nongated cardiac CT and advantages and concerns regarding the use of breast shields in girls undergoing cardiac CT imaging.
During protein synthesis, aminoacyl-tRNA (aa-tRNA) and release factors 1 and 2 (RF1 and RF2) have to bind at the catalytic center of the ribosome on the 50S subunit where they take part in peptide bond...Full Text Available
A special purpose hardware machine, which simulates up to one half-million gates and 2m byte RAM ICS at a 5 millisecond clock speed is described. This is accomplished with a hardware logic (HAL) simulator. This performance is achieved with 32 distributed special parallel processors, which utilize block oriented simulation technique. The technique promises a good cost hardware logic simulator. 7 references.
An apparatus for sensing chemicals over extended range of concentrations. In particular, first and second sensors each having separate, but overlapping ranges for sensing concentrations of hydrogen are provided. Preferably, the first sensor is a MOS solid state device wherein the metal electrode or gate is a nickel alloy. The second sensor is a chemiresistor comprising a nickel alloy.
In this communication we propose a method to implement an all-optical astable multivibrator using the non-linear material based switches and logic gates. The scheme can operate in real time. The delay time can achieve ps(pico-second). The pulse duration can be made very low and may cross the THz easily by selecting proper material and laser source.
Several recently introduced 'new' techniques in computed tomography - iterative reconstruction, gated cardiac CT, multiple-source, and dual-energy CT - actually date back to the early days of CT. We review the historic origins and evolution of these techniques, which may provide some insight into the latest innovations in commercial CT systems. (orig.)
Implementation of quantum logical gates for multilevel systems is demonstrated through decoherence control under the quantum adiabatic method using simple phase modulated laser pulses. We make use of selective population inversion and Hamiltonian evolution with time to achieve such goals robustly instead of the standard unitary transformation language. (letter to the editor)
Extracellular ATP has been proposed as a paracrine signal in rodent islets, but it is unclear what role ATP plays in human islets. We now show the presence of an ATP signaling pathway that enhances...Full Text Available
We propose a novel scheme for scalable solid state quantum computing, where superconducting microwave transmission line resonators (cavities) are arranged in a two-dimensional grid on the surface of a chip, coupling to superconducting qubits (charge or flux) at the intersections. We analyze how tasks of quantum information processing can be implemented in such a topology, including efficient two-qubit gates between any two qubits on the grid and elements of fault-tolerant computation.
Significant progress has been achieved recently in the growth of Yttrium Calcium Oxyborate (YCOB) crystals. Boules have been grown capable of producing large aperture nonlinear crystal plates suitable for high average power frequency conversion or optical parametric chirped pulse amplification (OPCPA). With a large aperture (5.5 cm x 8.5 cm) YCOB crystal we have demonstrated a record 227 W of 523.5nm light (22.7 J/pulse, 10 Hz, 14 ns). We have also demonstrated the applicability of YCOB for 1053 nm OPCPA.
The parathyroid endocrine glands, usually four in number and about the size of a split pea, lie on either side of the posterior aspect of the thyroid gland. Occasionally one or more of these structures are found in an aberrant position in the neck or even in the superior mediastinum. The parathyroid secretion, parathormone, regulates the level of serum calcium within sharply defined limits. Lack of parathormone, with lowering of the serum calcium, results in hyper-irritability of skeletal muscle, the clinical condition known as tetany. This is encountered following inadvertent removal or bruising of the parathyroid glands at thyroidectomy. PMID:21488463
Multi-cation #alpha#-Sialon ceramics were prepared using mixtures of samarium with calcium, magnesium, yttrium and ytterbium, and compared with a pure Sm-Sialon of equivalent total stabilising cation composition. A ratio of 80eq% samarium to 20eq% of the second stabilising additive was used. Samples were fired at 1820 deg C and subsequently heat treated at 1450 deg C. XRD phase analysis showed that all additives resulted in greater #alpha#-Sialon stability, and that calcium was the most effective additive for the stabilisation of the #alpha#-Sialon phase. Copyright (1998) Australasian Ceramic Society
Air pollution constraints continue to intensify, resulting in solid waste volume increases. An example of this is coal burning power plant flue gas desulfurization by scrubbing. The aqueous suspensions of calcium sulfate hemihydrate or calcium sulfate dihydrate will exceed 200 million tons annually by the year 2000. Disposal of these wastes can have massive environmental effects, due to physical instability and leaching to groundwater. One alternate disposal technique is sulfopozzolanic fixation, converting the FGD waste by addition of fine coal ash and an alkaline earth additive, into a monolithic mass. 6 refs., 17 figs., 3 tabs.
A new coumarin-based sensor molecule (L1) has been synthesized and this was found to bind calcium and magnesium ions more effectively as compared to other alkali/alkaline earth/lanthanide and certain transition metal ions. A significant enhancement in fluorescence intensity was observed on binding to Ca2+ and Mg2+ ions; while a minor quenching was observed for weakly bound Hg2+, Ni2+, Fe3+, and Co2+ ions. PET process, coupled with the ICT process, is proposed to explain the observed spectral response.
Calcium sulfate dihydrate in large crystal form is produced by maintaining the circulation of the lime containing scrubbing solution in the desulfurization scrubbing of flue gases from a power plant boiler so that it has a residence time of 5 to 25 hours, preferably 15 hours. The crystals are moved by passing a portion of the recirculation through a thinner in which a sludge containing crystals with a mean particle size of which 90% is in excess of 100 microns is removed. This product can be dewatered and treated with sulfuric acid and steam to convert it to the alpha semihydrate and is free from sulfite.
The influence of microalloying vanadium or titanium on improving the corrosion resistance of mild steel in saturated calcium hydroxide solution was investigated. Potential-time, potentiodynamic polarization, and impedance measurement techniques were employed. The corrosion products have been examined by infrared and X-ray diffraction analysis and by scanning electron microscopy. It has been shown that the grain refining, due to microalloying, plays an important role in enhancing the corrosion resistance of steel. Scales of calcite and iron oxides on top of a protective oxide are formed on the investigated steels.
A heat storage compostion comprises sodium sulfate decahydrate as main component, a supercooling inhibitor, and a solid-liquid separation inhibitor. The composition is characterized in that hydraulic calcium sulfate and/or calcium sulfate dihydrate is contained as the solid-liquid separation inhibitor in an amount of 2-15 wt% base on the whole weight of the composition, whereby the solid-liquid separation, i.e. the sedimentation of the anhydrous sodium sulfate during the phase transition, is effectively prevented and the long-term stability is improved. The long-term stabilty of the composition can be more improved by addition of a silcia series of thickener.
This paper describes an exact solution to the problem of absorbing nitrogen dioxide into aqueous solution, in which case the nitrogen dioxide concentration is allowed to vary over a wide range. The authors have worked on the rate of calcium sulfate dihydrate scale formation on the reverse osmosis membrane and find this phenomena can be treated by the crystallization theory. The authors performed long-term experiments using calcium sulfate dihydrate solution with addition of sodium hexametaphosphate (SHMP) and commercially available organophosphates and investigated the mechanism of the inhibitor's action quantitatively.
An electronic computer circuit is described for producing an output voltage proportional to the product or quotient of tbe voltages of a pair of input signals. ln essence, the disclosed invention provides a computer having two channels adapted to receive separate input signals and each having amplifiers with like fixed amplification factors and like negatlve feedback amplifiers. One of the channels receives a constant signal for comparison purposes, whereby a difference signal is produced to control the amplification factors of the variable feedback amplifiers. The output of the other channel is thereby proportional to the product or quotient of input signals depending upon the relation of input to fixed signals in the first mentioned channel.
The diamond norm measures the distance between two quantum channels. From an operational viewpoint, this norm measures how well we can distinguish between two channels by applying them to the input states of arbitrarily large dimensions. In this paper, we show that the diamond norm can be conveniently, and in a physically transparent way, computed by means of a Monte Carlo algorithm based on the Fano representation of quantum states and quantum operations. The effectiveness of this algorithm is illustrated for several single-qubit quantum channels.
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A Multi-Channel Algebraic Scattering (MCAS) theory is presented with which the properties of a compound nucleus are found from a coupled-channel problem. The method defines both the bound states and resonances of the compound nucleus, even if the compound nucleus is particle unstable. All resonances of the system are found no matter how weak and/or narrow. Spectra of mass-7 nuclei and of {}^{15}F, and MCAS results for a radiative capture cross section are presented.
This paper presents a numerical investigation of laminar flows and heat transfer in a horizontal rectangular channel whose top and bottom plates have been punched out in the form of a delta wing. The flow structure with respect to the generation, transport, and stability of vortices in laminar horizontal channel flows with combined forced and free convection are reported. To include free convection, Boussinesq approximation of the buoyancy is used and the flow medium is treated as incompressible.
Mice lacking Kv1.1 Shaker-like potassium channels encoded by the Kcna1 gene exhibit severe seizures and die prematurely. The channel is widely expressed in...Full Text Available
Planar channeling effects are studied in such well-oriented polycrystalline layers as NiSi_2 and Pb_2Si layers formed on single crystalline Si. Crystalline perfection of such layers is discussed by using the energy- and angular dependences of the axial and planar channeling yields. It has been shown that, in suitable conditions, the energy dependence of the planar yield is more sensitive to the spread of crystallite orientations in polycrystals than that of the axial one. (Auth.).
We have purified and characterized two peptides, named KAaH1 and KAaH2 (AaH polypeptides 1 and 2 active on K+channels, where AaH stands for Androctonus australis Hector),...Full Text Available
An experimental study was performed to investigate the heat transfer characteristics of the mixed convection flow through a horizontal rectangular channel where open-cell metal foams of different pore densities (10, 20 and 30 PPI) were situated. A uniform heat flux was applied at all of the bounding walls of the channel. For each of three values of the uniform heat flux, temperatures were measured on the entire surfaces of the walls. Results for the average and local Nusselt numbers are presented as functions of the Reynolds and Richardson numbers. The Reynolds number based on the channel height of the rectangular channel was varied from 600 to 33000, while the Richardson number ranged from 0.02 to 103, extending over forced, mixed and natural convection. Second important parameter that in...
The investigation of steam, water, and air flow characteristics in horizontal channel is a part of major investigations program at the Lithuanian Energy Institute. The objective of this program is to identify condensation effects on two-phase flow stability and to predict conditions when rapid condensation could be induced in two-phase condensable flow. This article presents investigation of steam-water and air multiphase flow in nearly horizontal rectangular channel. The experimental data for pressure drop and interfacial and wall shear stresses in the channel with uniform distribution of void fraction are presented in this paper. Overall channel dimensions are length = 1.2 m, width = 0.02 m, height = 0.1 m; however, the test section was about 0.84 m in length. Three different flow types ...
Present paper is performed to investigate the heat and exergy transfer characteristics of forced convection flow through a horizontal rectangular channel where open-cell metal foams of different pore densities such as 10, 20 and 30PPI (per pore inches) were situated. All of the bounding walls of the channel are subjected to various uniform heat fluxes. The pressure drop and heat transfer characteristics are presented by two important parametric values, Nusselt number (NuH) and friction factor (f), as functions of Reynolds number (ReH) and the wall heat flux (q). The Reynolds number (ReH) based on the channel height of the rectangular channel is varied from 600 to 33 000, while the Grashof number (GrDh) ranged from approximately 105-107 depending on q. Based on the experimental data, new em...
Abstract Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) is always a devastating and unexpected occurrence. SIDS is the leading cause of death in the first 6 months after birth in the industrialized world. Since the discovery in 1998 of long QT syndrome as an underlying substrate for SIDS, around 10-20% of SIDS cases have been proposed as being caused by genetic variants in either ion channel or ion channel-associated proteins. Until now, 10 cardiac channelopathy susceptibility genes have been found to be implicated in the pathogenesis of SIDS. Four of the genes encode cardiac ion channel a-subunits, 3 genes encode ion channel b-subunits, and 3 genes encode other channel-interacting proteins. All 10 genes have been associated with primary electrical heart diseases. SIDS may hereby be the initial sympt...
A new subcarrier combining technique is proposed for MC -CDMA receiver in mobile Rayleigh fading channel. It exploits the structure formed by repeating spreading sequences of users on different subcarriers to simultaneously suppress multiple access interference (MAI) and provide implicit channel tracking without any knowledge of the channel amplitudes or training sequences. This is achieved by adaptively weighting each subcarrier in each symbol period by employing a simple gradient descent algorithm to meet the constant modulus (CM) criterion with judicious selection of step-size. Improved BER and user capacity performance are shown with similar complexity in order of O(N) compared with conventional maximum ratio combining and equal gain combining techniques even under high channel Doppler rates.
Previous flow regime studies have been for horizontal, vertical, and inclined pipe flow. As such, only a few studies have been performed on bundle geometries. The present paper examines the flow regimes for a vertical hexagonal flow channel with and without a finned fuel bundle. This type of a 36 finned rod hexagonal fuel bundle in parallel hexagonal flow channels is used in a MAPLE (Multi- purpose Applied Physics Lattice Experimental) type nuclear reactor. An experiment apparatus was designed consisting of the flow channel, inlet plenum and an air-water separator. The inlet plenum is used to provide a uniform mixture of air and water before entering the hexagonal flow channel. A turbine flow meter is used to determine the water flow rate. The turbine flow meter is calibrated for a low flow range and limits the measurable flow to 50 l/min. Flow pattern observation is determined by a SONY video camera, ...
A commercial CFD code, Fluent, has been used to analyse the design of a filter-press reactor operating with characteristic linear flow velocities between 0.024 and 0.192 m s-1. Electrolyte flow through the reactor channel was numerically calculated using a finite volume approach to solve the Navier-Stokes equations. The length of the channel was divided into 7 sections corresponding to distances of 0, 0.01, 0.04, 0.08, 0.12, 0.14 and 0.15 m from the electrode edge nearest to the inlet. The depth of the channel was divided into three planes parallel to the channel bottom. For each channel section, a velocity profile was obtained at each depth together with the average velocity in each plane. The flow predictions show that the flow development, as the electrolyte passes through the cell, is strongly affected by the manifold causing strong vortex structures at the entrance and exit of ...
TAPP-3 and 4 are the 540 MWe PHWRs having horizontal fuel channel. At normal 100% FP operation there is no boiling in the channel. However, when the power increases due to any transient, the boiling may start in the channel. The main application for critical heat flux (CHP) prediction is to set the operating power with a comfortable margin to avoid CHF occurrence. This margin of CHF can be expressed in terms of minimum critical heat flux ratio (MCHFR), which is the ratio of CHF to local heat flux for the same pressure, mass flux and quality. The CHF depends on power, coolant flow rate as well as coolant condition in the channel. As the power increases the flow reduces in the channel and cooling is degraded. The thermal hydraulic code is developed for present analysis. The output of analysis are CHF prediction quality calculation at axial locations of the maximum rated ...
Multi-dimensional modelling of two-phase flow requires accurate constitutive relationships for interfacial parameters such as interfacial heat transfer, void fraction distribution, interfacial area, etc. However, existing diagnostic systems for measurement of two-phase flow parameters have difficulty measuring two or three-dimensional void distributions required for determination of interfacial parameters. In this work, a Real-Time Neutron Radiography (RTNR) system is developed for non-intrusive measurement of two-phase flow parameters in nuclear fuel channels at low thermal neutron fluxes (on the order of 10{sup 6}n/cm{sup 2}-s). This advanced radiation technique has the advantage of measuring two-phase flow in 3 1/2 dimensions (x,{integral}dy,t) where the 1/2 dimension refers to an integrated or averaged space dimension. Pipe flow channels, annulus flow channels, MAPLE-type nuclear fuel flow channels, ...
Multi-dimensional modelling of two-phase flow requires accurate constitutive relationships for interfacial parameters such as interfacial heat transfer, void fraction distribution, interfacial area, etc. However, existing diagnostic systems for measurement of two-phase flow parameters have difficulty measuring two or three-dimensional void distributions required for determination of interfacial parameters. In this work, a Real-Time Neutron Radiography (RTNR) system is developed for non-intrusive measurement of two-phase flow parameters in nuclear fuel channels at low thermal neutron fluxes (on the order of 10"6n/cm"2-s). This advanced radiation technique has the advantage of measuring two-phase flow in 3 1/2 dimensions (x,#integral#dy,t) where the 1/2 dimension refers to an integrated or averaged space dimension. Pipe flow channels, annulus flow channels, MAPLE-type nuclear fuel flow channels, and ...
High performance sorbents for flue gas desulfurization can be synthesized by hydration of coal fly ash, calcium sulfate, and calcium oxide. In general, higher desulfurization activity correlates with higher sorbent surface area. Consequently, a major aim in sorbent synthesis is to maximize the sorbent surface area by optimizing the hydration conditions. This work presents an integrated modeling and optimization approach to sorbent synthesis based on statistical experimental design and two artificial intelligence techniques: neural network and genetic algorithm. In the first step of the approach, the main and interactive effects of three hydration variables on sorbent surface area were evaluated using a full factorial design. The hydration variables of interest to this study were hydration time, amount of coal fly ash, and amount of calcium sulfate and the levels investigated were 4-32 h, 5-15 g, and 0-12 g, respectively. In ...
The present study was designed to investigate, in more detail, the mechanism of lead transport by the gastrointestinal tract and particularly the similarities or dissimilarities between lead and calcium in this process. The absorption of these metals was determined in 3-week-old white Leghorn cockerels, raised on a commercial diet or special diets, using an in vivo ligated loop procedure. The dose administered into the loop usually contained 0.5 ..mu..Ci /sup 203/Pb (and/or 0.1 ..mu..Ci /sup 47/Ca), 0.01 mM lead acetate (and/or 1 mM CaCl/sub 2/) in 0.5 ml of 0.15 M NaCl, pH 6.5. It was shown that lead is rapidly taken up by the intestinal tissue, and only slowly transferred into the circulation whereas calcium, also accumulated rapidly by the tissue, is rapidly released from the tissue in the serosal direction. The absorption processes of these cations show similar responses to various experimental conditions (low calcium ...
Red light stimulates germination in the spores of Onoclea sensibilis L. Phytochrome is confirmed to be the photoreceptor pigment in the germination response by demonstrating red-far-red photoreversibility. External Ca/sup 2 +/ is required for this response with a threshold at a submicromolar concentration. Red light stimulates an increase in the total concentration of intracellular calcium in the spores as determined by atomic absorption spectroscopy. Subsequent exposure to far-red light inhibits the red light-induced increase in intracellular calcium. The majority of the increase occurs 5 minutes after the onset of irradiation. The calcium-antagonist, La/sup 3 +/ inhibits both germination and the red light-induced increase in intracellular calcium. Using /sup 31/P-nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, the author tested the hypothesis that a sustained increase in intracellular pH contributes to the ...
Two-phase flow in horizontal parallel channels has been experimentally investigated under fuel cell related operating conditions. Pronounced hysteresis is observed in the pressure drop versus flow characteristic curve when starting from either flooded or dry conditions. When gas is introduced into channels initially filled with water (flooded initial condition), both gas and liquid tend to flow predominantly in one channel at low gas or liquid flow velocities. As the gas flow velocity increases, even distribution of gas and liquid flow in both channels is observed, accompanied with a sudden decrease in the pressure drop. On the other hand, even gas and liquid flow distribution between both channels is found at comparatively lower gas flow velocities when starting with dry-gas flow conditions with liquid introduced into channels filled with gas (stratified flow ...
Counter-current two-phase flows of air-water in narrow rectangular channels with offset-strip fins have been experimentally investigated in a 760 mm long and 100 mm wide test section with 3.0 and 5.0 mm gap widths. The two-phase flow regime, channel-average void fractions and two-phase pressure gradients were studied. Flow regime transition occurred at lower superficial velocities of air than in the channels without fins. In the bubbly and slug flow regimes, elongated bubbles rose along the subchannel formed by fins without lateral movement. The critical void fraction for the bubbly-to-slug transition was about 0.14 for the 3 mm gap channel and 0.2 for the 5 mm gap channel, respectively. Channel-average void fractions in the channels with fins were almost the same as those in the channels without fins. Void fractions ...
Surface scientists argue about the fundamental nature of Schottky barriers, or more precisely what determines the location of the Fermi level at semiconductor surfaces and interfaces. Electrical and materials engineers worry about how to make Schottky barrier diodes and gates to field effect transistors and the control of barrier heights. There is some interesting middle ground in which the location of the surface and interface Fermi level can, for example, determine semiconductor doping characteristics during crystal growth. The authors will discuss several interesting and well known examples of doping characteristics which are still somewhat mysterious. Specifically, they address the following question: (1) why is Ge doped GaAs p type when grown from Ga melts but n type when grown from Au melts (2) why is low resistivity p type ZnSe, AlAs, and AlGaInP hard to make, and more importantly, how can the problem be fixed. In addition they describe how this concept ...
We numerically constructed elementary phase-correct global quantum gates by using molecular electronic and vibrational states to encode two qubits and implement the Deutsch-Jozsa algorithm. The calculations were based on optimal control theory (OCT). The molecular species we chose were Na{sub 2} and Li{sub 2}. The electronic X{sup 1}{sigma}{sub g}{sup +} and A{sup 1}{sigma}{sub u}{sup +} states were taken as two orthonormalized energy levels of the electronic qubit. The vibrational qubits were those involved in these electronic states. The time duration of the optimized pulses with high fidelity was typically 500-900 fs, which reflects the wavepacket dynamics in electronically ground and excited states. When implementing the Deutsch-Jozsa algorithm by combining these elementary gates, we obtained a maximum probability 83.12% for Li{sub 2} molecule, which indicates that the electronic-vibrational qubits are worse than the vibrational-vibrational ...
We present device results from polysilicon thin film transistors (TFTs) fabricated at a maximum temperature of 100&hthinsp;{degree}C on polyester substrates. Critical to our success has been the development of a processing cluster tool containing chambers dedicated to laser crystallization, dopant deposition, and gate oxidation. Our TFT fabrication process integrates multiple steps in this tool, and uses the laser to crystallize deposited amorphous silicon as well as create heavily doped TFT source/drain regions. By combining laser crystallization and doping, a plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition SiO{sub 2} layer for the gate dielectric, and postfabrication annealing at 150&hthinsp;{degree}C, we have succeeded in fabricating TFTs with I{sub ON}/I{sub OFF} ratios {gt}5{times}10{sup 5} and electron mobilities {gt}40 cm{sup 2}/V&hthinsp;s on polyester substrates. {copyright} {ital 1999 American Vacuum Society.}
The effects of gate and drain bias stresses on thin film transistors fabricated in polysilicon films crystallized using the advanced sequential lateral solidification excimer laser annealing (SLS ELA) process, which yields very elongated polysilicon grains and allows the fabrication of TFTs without grain boundary barriers to current flow, are investigated as a function of the active layer thickness and of the TFT orientation relative to the grains. The application of hot carrier stress, with a condition of V{sub GS} = V{sub DS}/2, was determined to induce threshold voltage, subthreshold swing and transconductance degradation for TFTs in thicker polysilicon films and the associated stress-induced increase in the active layer trap density was evaluated. However, this device degradation was drastically reduced for TFTs fabricated in ultra-thin films. Furthermore, the application of the same stress condition to TFTs oriented vertically to the elongated grains resulted ...
The effects of gate and drain bias stresses on thin film transistors fabricated in polysilicon films crystallized using the advanced sequential lateral solidification excimer laser annealing (SLS ELA) process, which yields very elongated polysilicon grains and allows the fabrication of TFTs without grain boundary barriers to current flow, are investigated as a function of the active layer thickness and of the TFT orientation relative to the grains. The application of hot carrier stress, with a condition of V_G_S = V_D_S/2, was determined to induce threshold voltage, subthreshold swing and transconductance degradation for TFTs in thicker polysilicon films and the associated stress-induced increase in the active layer trap density was evaluated. However, this device degradation was drastically reduced for TFTs fabricated in ultra-thin films. Furthermore, the application of the same stress condition to TFTs oriented vertically to the elongated grains resulted in ...
Si nanocrystal floating gate MOS capacitors were formed on p-Si (100) wafers by thermal plasma jet (TPJ) annealing of SiO2/SiOx /SiO2/Si(100) stacked structure. The chemical composition of SiOx layer was controlled by changing the SiH4, He, and O2 gas flow ratio during plasma enhanced chemical vapour deposition. The MOS capacitors showed clear hysteresis in capacitance-voltage (CV) characteristics after TPJ annealing. The hysteresis width shows maximum value when initial composition x =1.7, which shows the maximum photoluminescence (PL) intensity. The maximum hysteresis width of 6.8 V was observed with gate voltage swept between 20 and -20 V in x = 1.7 sample. The result means 7.4 x 1012 cm-2 carriers are injected to or emitted from Si nanocrystals. The duration of 1 V shift in flatband vo...
A quantum computer would put the latest PC to shame. Not only would such a device be faster than a conventional computer, but by exploiting the quantum-mechanical principle of superposition it could change the way we think about information processing. However, two key goals need to be met before a quantum computer becomes reality. The first is to be able to control the state of a single quantum bit (or 'qubit') and the second is to build a two-qubit gate that can produce 'entanglement' between the qubit states. (U.K.)
We propose to encode a register of quantum bits in different collective electron spin wave excitations in a solid medium. Coupling to spins is enabled by locating them in the vicinity of a superconducting transmission line cavity, and making use of their strong collective coupling to the quantized radiation field. The transformation between different spin waves is achieved by applying gradient magnetic fields across the sample, while a Cooper pair box, resonant with the cavity field, may be used to carry out one- and two-qubit gate operations.
Positron emission tomography (PET) and X-ray computed tomography (CT) performed with PET/CT cameras allow us to obtain concurrently information on the presence and degree of alterations of myocardial perfusion and metabolism and on coronary arteries calcification. Furthermore, by gated myocardial perfusion studies, PET may provide crucial information on regional coronary blood flow reserve and endothelial dysfunction. A number of recent papers provide some insight on the potential of PET/CT in cardiology and in the assessment of various cardiovascular diseases including various types of vasculitis and metabolic diseases.
We study a quantum computing system using microwave photons in transmission line resonators on a superconducting chip as qubits. We show that linear optics and other controls necessary for quantum computing can be implemented by coupling to Josephson devices on the same chip. By taking advantage of the strong nonlinearities in Josephson junctions, photonic qubit interactions can be realized. We analyze the gate error rate to demonstrate that our scheme is realistic even for Josephson devices with limited decoherence times. As a conceptually innovative solution based on existing technologies, our scheme provides an integrated and scalable approach to the next key milestone for photonic qubit quantum computing.
Significantly improved immunity to hot-hole damage of the SiO[sub 2]/Si structure is achieved by a shallow fluorine implantation into the poly-Si gate of MOS capacitors followed by a drive-in process. Compared to the nonfluorinated control, the fluorinated samples exhibit a dramatic reduction of both hole trapping probability and interface-trap generation under avalanche hole injection conditions. The degree of such an improvement increases monotonically as a function of the F implantation dose (up to 10[sup 16]/cm[sup 2]). Significant decrease of the hole detrapping rate is also observed in fluorinated samples. Possible mechanisms are discussed.
We describe a scheme for quantum error correction that employs feedback and weak measurement rather than the standard tools of projective measurement and fast controlled unitary gates. The advantage of this scheme over previous protocols (for example Ahn et. al, PRA, 65, 042301 (2001)), is that it requires little side processing while remaining robust to measurement inefficiency, and is therefore considerably more practical. We evaluate the performance of our scheme by simulating the correction of bit-flips. We also consider implementation in a solid-state quantum computation architecture and estimate the maximal error rate which could be corrected with current technology.
The kinetics of calcium sulfate crystal growth is of importance in various fields, such as geochemistry, desalination technology, petroleum industry, and water and wastewater treatment. The seeded crystal growth rate of calcium sulfate dihydrate was measured as a function of supersaturation in NaCl electrolyte solutions from 0 to 6 m at temperatures of 25, 50, 70, and 90 C. The growth followed a second-order parabolic rate law with activation energies greater than 53 kJ/mol which suggested the surface reaction as the rate-limiting step. It was observed that the rate constant and the activation energy are solution composition dependent. The rate constant increases with NaCl concentration up to 3 molal and then begins to fall slightly. The activation energy dropped from 61 kJ/mol in the pure Ca-SO[sub 4]H[sub 2]O system to 53 kJ/mol in 3.0 m NaCl solutions. The electrolyte effect was similar to the crystal solubility behavior in aqueous ...
The paper gives results of a study to identify active sites and surface functional groups that may contribute to the absorption of elemental mercury (Hg) by relatively inexpensive calcium (Ca)-based sorbents. The study investigated the formation of chlorine (Cl) sites in CA-based sorbents as well as their role and reactivity in the absorption of Hg. HCl-exposed calcium sulfate dihydrate (gypsum) exhibited a superior Hg sorption capability. Crystalline water molecules on the surface of the gypsum were confirmed to contribute indirectly to Hg uptake. These surface molecules may have absorbed HC1 through hydrogen bond formation between an oxygen atom of a crystalline water molecule and a hydrogen atom of an HCl molecule. Two adjacent, physically absorbed HCl molecules could then trap an Hg molecule through formation of a mercuric-chloride-like molecule. Significant correlations between Cl and Hg uptake by gypsum were noted.
The paper gives results of a study to identify active sites and surface functional groups that may contribute to the absorption of elemental mercury (Hg) by relatively inexpensive calcium (Ca)-based sorbents. The study investigated the formation of chlorine (Cl) sites in CA-based sorbents as well as their role and reactivity in the absorption of Hg. HCl-exposed calcium sulfate dihydrate (gypsum) exhibited a superior Hg sorption capability. Crystalline water molecules on the surface of the gypsum were confirmed to contribute indirectly to Hg uptake. These surface molecules may have absorbed HC1 through hydrogen bond formation between an oxygen atom of a crystalline water molecule and a hydrogen atom of an HCl molecule. Two adjacent, physically absorbed HCl molecules could then trap an Hg molecule through formation of a mercuric-chloride-like molecule. Significant correlations between Cl and Hg uptake by gypsum were noted.
In vivo effects of toxaphene on calcium pump activity in rat brain synaptosomes was studied. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were dosed with toxaphene at 0,25,50, and 100 mg/kg/day for 3 days and sacrificed 24 h after last dose. Ca/sup 2 +/-ATPase activity and /sup 45/Ca uptake were determined in brain P/sub 2/ fraction. Toxaphene inhibited both Ca/sup 2 +/-ATPase activity and /sup 45/Ca/sup 2 +/ uptake and the inhibition was dose dependent. Both substrate and Ca/sup 2 +/ activation kinetics of Ca/sup 2 +/-ATPase indicated non-competitive type of inhibition as evidenced by decreased catalytic velocity but not enzyme-substrate affinity. The inhibited Ca/sup 2 +/-ATPase activity and Ca/sup 2 +/ uptake were restored to normal level by exogenously added calmodulin which increased both velocity and affinity. The inhibition of Ca/sup 2 +/-ATPase activity and Ca/sup 2 +/ uptake and restoration by calmodulin suggests that toxaphene may impair active calcium ...
In vivo effects of toxaphene on calcium pump activity in rat brain synaptosomes was studied. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were dosed with toxaphene at 0,25,50, and 100 mg/kg/day for 3 days and sacrificed 24 h after last dose. Ca"2"+-ATPase activity and "4"5Ca uptake were determined in brain P_2 fraction. Toxaphene inhibited both Ca"2"+-ATPase activity and "4"5Ca"2"+ uptake and the inhibition was dose dependent. Both substrate and Ca"2"+ activation kinetics of Ca"2"+-ATPase indicated non-competitive type of inhibition as evidenced by decreased catalytic velocity but not enzyme-substrate affinity. The inhibited Ca"2"+-ATPase activity and Ca"2"+ uptake were restored to normal level by exogenously added calmodulin which increased both velocity and affinity. The inhibition of Ca"2"+-ATPase activity and Ca"2"+ uptake and restoration by calmodulin suggests that toxaphene may impair active calcium transport mechanisms by decreasing regulator protein ...
Denting studies have been undertaken in order to assess the influence of the most important parameters which could initiate corrosion of the carbon steel occurring in the tube-tube support plate crevices of some PWR steam generators. Tests have been carried out in model boilers where feedwater was polluted with sea or river water. Specific effects of chloride or sulfate and influence of oxygen content, magnetite addition and pH value were investigated. In magnetite prepacked crevices, denting is obtained within 1000 hrs for seawater pollution of 0.3 ppm chloride at the blowdown. In neutral chloride or in river water, denting is observed only with oxygen addition. Denting prevention is effective in the case of an on-line addition of phosphate, boric acid, or calcium hydroxide. For denting stopping, boric acid or calcium hydroxide is efficient even with a high seawater pollution. Soaks cannot stop denting if they are not followed by an on-line ...
Denting studies have been undertaken in order to assess the influence of the most important parameters which could initiate corrosion of the carbon-steel occurring in the tube-tube support plate crevices of some PWR steam generators. Tests have been carried out in model boilers, feedwater being polluted with sea or river water. Specific effect of chloride or sulfate and influence of oxygen content, magnetite addition and pH value were investigated. In magnetite prepacked crevices, denting is obtained within 1000 hours for sea-water pollution of 0.3 ppm chloride at the blowdown. In neutral chloride or in river water denting is observed only with oxygen addition. Denting prevention is effective in the case of an on-line addition of phosphate, boric acid or calcium hydroxide. For denting stopping, boric acid or calcium hydroxide is efficient even with a high sea-water pollution. Soaks cannot stop denting if they are not followed by an on-line ...
The present paper deals with the fouling process of calcium sulfate dehydrate on heat-transfer surfaces. The crystallization of calcium sulfate showed typical asymptotic fouling curves, the asymptotic value of which was greatly influenced by the surface temperature and fluid velocity. The fouling mechanism was discussed with a generalized fouling model and proved to be surface process controlled, where the activation energy was 6.2 {times} 10{sup 4} J/mol. The availability of mechanical cleaning against the formed scale was quantitatively evaluated by applying the particle abrasion method. The removal test verified that the removing rate per unit particle concentration decreased in an inverse proportion to the overall particle load, to the power of 0.8, and that it was affected by the fluid velocity. The observed final residual fouling resistance decreased asymptotically with an increase in particle concentration. The suitable concentration of ...
This project is part of PETC`s Advanced Power Systems Program, whose mission is to accelerate the commercialization of affordable, high- efficiency, low emission, coal-fueled electric generating technologies. A process concept - Clear Liquor Scrubbing with Anhydrite Production - was proposed and accepted by PETC as a Phase I project in its Mega-PRDA program. the project integrated three process operations - chloride control upstream of the flue gas desulfurization (FGD) system, a clear liquor process for enhanced SO{sub 2} removal performance, and production of anhydrite (anhydrous calcium sulfate) rather than calcium sulfite or gypsum (calcium sulfate dihydrate). The first step in the project was to perform batch and flow-through experiments in the laboratory to confirm theoretical calculations and preliminary laboratory results concerning anhydrite formation, these laboratory experiments were designed to prove that ...
A method and an instrument for determining the total water content in a hydrocarbon fuel using an indicator composition, which includes calcium hydride and phenolphthaleyn, are developed. The essence of the method is fixing the presence of water with its interaction with the calcium hydride and subsequent indication of the formed Ca(OH)2 using the phenolphthallen. To make the indicator composition, a hygroscopic cotton, prewashed by rectified alcohol and dried for 30 minutes at 105 degrees, is impregnated by a 1 percent alcohol solution of phenolphthaleyn and is dried in the same conditions. Then the cotton is processed by a powder form calcium hydride (a layer thickness of 0.1 to 0.2 millimeters, and a granule size of less than or equal to 80 micromters). The indicator composition is placed in a glass tube (a diameter of 4 to 7 millimeters and a length of 80 to 100 millimeters), whose ends are sealed or filled with ...
The aim of this paper is to investigate the possible displacement of natural gypsum (CaSO{sub 4}2H{sub 2}O) in cement with an alternative setting retarder, such as the industrial by-product derived from flue gas desulfurization process called FGD gypsum. These calcium-sulfate-bearing materials (CSBM), alone or in mixtures, were ground with clinker both in laboratory and industrial scale to examine their influence on the physical and mechanical properties of cement, as well as on the industrial production line of cement. From the present work, it is extracted that the use of mixtures of sulfate-bearing materials with gypsum seems to be advantageous for the actual control of setting time. The addition of FGD gypsum increases setting time without affecting compressive strength profile. During the industrial trial, the formation of hemihydrate form of calcium sulfate dihydrate has a profound regulatory effect on the setting and strength performance ...
Purified protein kinase C (C-kinase) from guinea pig pancreas and rat brain stimulated adenylate cyclase activity in purified rat adipocyte membranes. Cyclase stimulation occurred over 100 to 1000 mU/ml of C-kinase activity, required greater than 10 ..mu..M calcium, proceeded without a lag, was not readily reversible, and required no exogenous phospholipid. Moreover, C-kinase inhibitors, such as chlorpromazine and palmitoyl carnitine, inhibited selectively adenylate cyclase which was activated by C-kinase and calcium. Depending on assay conditions, 10 nM 12-0-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) either enhanced or was required for kinase action on cyclase. Also, TPA plus calcium promoted the quantitative association of C-kinase with membranes. Adenylate cyclase activation by C-kinase was seen both in the presence and absence of exogenous GTP, indicating that the kinase effect does not result from an action on the ...
We consider a noisy Slepian-Wolf problem where two correlated sources are separately encoded and transmitted over two independent binary memoryless symmetric channels. Each channel capacity is assumed to be characterized by a single parameter which is not known at the transmitter. The receiver has knowledge of both the source correlation and the channel parameters. We call a system universal if it retains near-capacity performance without channel knowledge at the transmitter. Kudekar et al. recently showed that terminated low-density parity-check (LDPC) convolutional codes (a.k.a. spatially-coupled LDPC ensembles) can have belief-propagation thresholds that approach their maximum a-posteriori thresholds. This was proven for binary erasure channels and shown empirically for binary memoryless symmetric channels. They also conjectured that the principle of spatial ...
Poster session: Abstract is full text. Track membranes are thin polymer foils irradiated by heavy ions. The defects created by the heavy ions are located along the ions trajectory, the track. It is possible to open channels by etching with a chemical agent. These channels are very uniform. Small Angle Scattering (of X rays and neutrons) give global information about the characteristics of the channel shape. As the nanochannels are strictly parallel, an excellent sample orientation is required to obtain interpretable spectra. Then shoulders due to the oscillations of the Bessel function (radial part of the channel shape Fourier transform) are easily seen in the scattered intensity in the PXY data treatment software of SAS spectra allow to determine the channel diameter with its dispersion law, to demonstrate the existence of a wall thickness with a linearly varying density, and to ...
Crystallography and computer modeling have been used to exploit a previously unexplored channel in the glucocorticoid receptor (GR). Highly potent, nonsteroidal indazole amides showing excellent complementarity to the channel were designed with the assistance of the computational technique AlleGrow. The accuracy of the design process was demonstrated through crystallographic structural determination of the GR ligand-binding domain-agonist complex of the D-prolinamide derivative 11. The utility of the channel was further exemplified through the design of a potent phenylindazole in which structural motifs, seen to interact with the traditional GR ligand pocket, were abandoned and replaced by interactions within the new channel. Occupation of the channel was confirmed with a second GR crystal structure of this truncated D-alaninamide derivative 13. Compound 11 displays properties ...
Coal is present in the Alberta Foothills/Mountains in five zones: the Kootenay, Gething, Gates, Brazeau and Coalspur coal zones. For coalbed-methane (CBM) evaluation purposes, they can be divided into shallow (less than 1000 m depth) and deep (greater than 1000 m depth) coal zones. The potential gas content of all shallow coal zones totals about 878x10{sup 9} m{sup 3} (31 Tcf) of CBM, which is considered an inferred, initial, in-place, coalbed-methane resource estimate based on limited data. The limited amount of data on formation testing and measured gas content indicate that the inferred resource is bordering on the speculative category. The gas content of all deep coal zones (deeper than 1000 m) totals 2.8x10{sup 12} m{sup 3} (about 99 Tcf) of in-place coalbed-methane gas. Consequently, the total ultimate coalbed-methane resource could be 3.7x10{sup 12} m{sup 3} (130 Tcf). However, coalbed-methane recovery from deep coals is generally not attempted because of ...
The standard protocol in multislice spiral CT (MSCT) angiography for coronary arteries with fixed tube current-time settings leads to an overexposure and thus to an unnecessary high radiation dose in patients with lower weight when compared to heavier patients. The purpose of this study was to estimate the effect of reducing the radiation dose by adapting the tube current-time settings individually. Fifty patients underwent retrospectively ECG-gated MSCT of the heart. In 25 patients (group A{sub 1}) a standard protocol with constant tube current-time settings was used (4 x 1-mm collimation, 120 kV, 400 mAs{sub eff}). Subsequently, artificial image noise was added to the data of these patients simulating a directive for weight-adapted tube current-time settings (group A{sub 2}). In the other 25 patients (group B) an alternative protocol with individually weight-adapted tube current-time settings was applied. The data of all groups were evaluated by a regression ...
The standard protocol in multislice spiral CT (MSCT) angiography for coronary arteries with fixed tube current-time settings leads to an overexposure and thus to an unnecessary high radiation dose in patients with lower weight when compared to heavier patients. The purpose of this study was to estimate the effect of reducing the radiation dose by adapting the tube current-time settings individually. Fifty patients underwent retrospectively ECG-gated MSCT of the heart. In 25 patients (group A_1) a standard protocol with constant tube current-time settings was used (4 x 1-mm collimation, 120 kV, 400 mAs_e_f_f). Subsequently, artificial image noise was added to the data of these patients simulating a directive for weight-adapted tube current-time settings (group A_2). In the other 25 patients (group B) an alternative protocol with individually weight-adapted tube current-time settings was applied. The data of all groups were evaluated by a regression analysis. The ...
Optional multiple long-axial gated blood pool SPECT images were prepared for the purpose of stereoscopic and quantitative imaging of left ventricular wall motion (LVWM). Sixteen patients with ischemic heart disease and 8 healthy subjects were imaged in 32 views in the 360 degrees position after iv injection of 740 MBq of Tc-99m-labeled human serum albumin D. The R-R interval was divided into 16. After preparing conventional oblique images, long-axial images were prepared. Shortening rate of left ventricular wall was calculated in 5 segments of the apex and base of the left ventricle. An average shortening rate in each segment was graded with a score from a minimum of 0 to a maximum of 40% or more. In the normal group, shortening rate in each segment, except for the base of the septal region, exceeded 40%. In the group of ischemic heart disease, radial shortening was capable of visualizing the degree and extent of the whole LVWM abnormality. LVWM abnormality seen on ...
Heat transfer and flow characteristics of water boiling flow were experimentally investigated in narrow horizontal rectangular channels with the gaps of 0.6mm-2.03mm. The heat transfer of two-phase boiling flow was weakend in smaller gap. The two-phase friction pressure drop decreased with the gap size and the two-phase friction multipliers were smaller compared with those in normal channels. Correlations to predict te boiling heat transfer coefficients were obtained. (author)
To investigate the influence of equal channel angular pressing on the microstructure and texture of the magnesium alloy AZ31, electron backscattering diffraction and well as neutron diffraction experiments were carried out. Through these experiments it was possible to trace the microstructure and texture evolution with strain accumulated with the increasing number of equal channel angular pressing passes. It was further demonstrated by subsequent compression tests that the microstructural changes produced by equal channel angular pressing have a beneficial effect on both the compressive strength and ductility of AZ31. (orig.)
A cooling system for rejecting waste heat consists of a cooling tower incorporating a plurality of coolant tubes provided with cooling fins and each having a plurality of cooling channels therein, means for directing a heat exchange fluid from the power plant through less than the total number of cooling channels to cool the heat exchange fluid under normal ambient temperature conditions, means for directing water through the remaining cooling channels whenever the ambient temperature rises above the temperature at which dry cooling of the heat exchange fluid is sufficient and means for cooling the water. 5 figs.
Lanthanide-ion doped oxide nanoparticles were functionalized for use as fluorescent biological labels. These nanoparticles are synthesized directly in water which facilitates their functionalization, and are very photostable without emission intermittency. Nanoparticles functionalized with guanidinium groups act as artificial toxins and specifically target sodium channels. They are individually detectable in cardiac myocytes, revealing a heterogeneous distribution of sodium channels. Functionalized oxide nanoparticles appear as a novel tool particularly well adapted to long-term single-molecule tracking.
Cross sections for the elastic and inelastic scattering of /sup 16/O on /sup 58/Ni, /sup 88/Sr, /sup 40/Ca, and /sup 48/Ca have been calculated in a coupled-channels treatment, including the low-lying 2/sup +/ and 3/sup /minus// states of both projectile and target. Real, energy-independent ion-ion potentials and form factors were used, and fusion was simulated by ingoing wave boundary conditions in all channels. The agreement with the measured scattering data is qualitatively as good as obtained in previous optical-model calculations.
Cross sections for the elastic and inelastic scattering of "1"6O on "5"8Ni, "8"8Sr, "4"0Ca, and "4"8Ca have been calculated in a coupled-channels treatment, including the low-lying 2"+ and 3"- states of both projectile and target. Real, energy-independent ion-ion potentials and form factors were used, and fusion was simulated by ingoing wave boundary conditions in all channels. The agreement with the measured scattering data is qualitatively as good as obtained in previous optical-model calculations.
Soil gas, soil, and water were assessed for organic and inorganic constituents at the former 19th Street landfill at Fort Gordon, Georgia, from February to September 2010. Passive soil-gas samplers were analyzed to evaluate organic constituents in the hyporheic zone and flood plain of a creek and soil gas within the estimated boundaries of the former landfill. Soil and water samples were analyzed to evaluate inorganic constituents in soil samples, and organic and inorganic constituents in the surface water of a creek adjacent to the landfill, respectively. This assessment was conducted to provide environmental constituent data to Fort Gordon pursuant to requirements of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act Part B Hazardous Waste Permit process. The passive soil-gas samplers deployed in the water-saturated hyporheic zone and flood plain of the creek adjacent to the former landfill indicated the presence of total petroleum hydrocarbon (TPH) and octane above method detection levels ...
A brief description is given of the physico-chemical parameters characterized a hot water geothermal reservoir and of its exploitation by means of single or coupled (doublet) wells. The technical aspects of geothermal heat to the users is then discussed, beginning with corrosion of materials caused by seven main agents: oxygen, hydrogen sulphide, carbon dioxide, ammonia, hydrogen, sulphates and chlorides. A brief mention is made of scaling due to calcium carbonate, silica and calcium sulphates. The basic components of a geothermal plant for non-electric uses are then discussed: production pumps, surface pipelines, heat exchangers, heat pumps and reinjection pumps. The advantages and disadvantages of the different equipment and materials used in the geothermal sector are also presented. A list is also given of the criteria used in the energy and economic balance of a geothermal operation. (author). 24 refs, 13 figs, 2 tabs.
ObjectiveTo study a method of chemical sterilization and its efficacy in adult male stray dogs.MethodsSterilization was performed 45 days after a single bilateral intratesticular injection of calcium chloride (CaCl2) at the doses of 5, 10, 15 or 20 mg per testis per kg body weight.ResultsHistomorphological measures of testes showed total necrosis of testicular tissue at 45 days after an injection of either 10 or 15 or 20 mg CaCl2 along with fibrosis and hyalinization in seminiferous tubules and interstitial spaces. Infiltration of leucocytes was also observed with the 10- or 15-mg dose. Disintegration of germ cell arrangement in seminiferous tubules and washing out of germ cells from the tubules were noted with the 5-mg dose. Relative organ weight, epididymal sperm count, plasma and intrat...
Various chemical, physical, and mechanical methods to prevent unwanted deposition of mineral scale are described. The suitability of the different methods, which largely depends on the specific features and requirements of the system involved, is discussed. Special emphasis is placed upon the threshold treatment, where the growth process is retarded by the addition of trace amounts of growth inhibitors. Growth experiments have been performed on barium sulfate and calcium sulfate dihydrate seed crystals, suspended in a supersaturated solution with and without organic bisphosphonates as inhibitors. Two methods are selected for the analysis of the growth data. A degree of inhibition is defined to obtain a quantitative description of the influence of a growth inhibitor on the growth rate of the crystals. In addition the influence of the molecular structure of various bisphosphonates with different substituents is shown. The effect of a bisphosphonate on the geometry of ...
ObjectivesTo determine the reaction rate of slag during curing and factors affecting reactivity.~%~~%~To measure the rates of chloride ingress into concrete and the extent of chloride binding.~%~~%~To determine conditions for pitting corrosion and the nature of corrosion products.~%~~%~To characterise the reactions in slag-calcium alumina cement hydration and the nature of the products.~%~DescriptionBlast-furnace slag has latent hydraulic properties, giving considerable potential for commercial use in addition to its widespread use as a partial replacement for Portland cement, notably in alkali-activated slag (AAS) and slag-calcium alumina cement (CAC) concretes. Use of AAS concretes is already well-established in China and the former USSR, but their further application is hindered by lack of research into setting, hydration and durability, Slag/CAC blends are new materials whose chemistr ...
Chars prepared from potassium-exchanged carboxy methyl cellulose at several heat treatment temperatures (HTTs) were gasified in air isothermally at selected gasification temperatures (GTs) in the range 633-893 K to investigate the catalytic effectiveness of potassium species. The chars displayed a noticeable jump in gasification rate at a particular gasification temperature (called jump temperature, T{sub j}). The magnitude of jump was much less than that reported for copper and nickel catalysis, but comparable with that for calcium catalysis. Increase in HTT caused a decrease in the jump temperature of chars in contrast with the increase observed in copper, nickel and calcium catalysis; also the magnitude of jump did not decrease, but remained unaltered, on increasing HTT. The different behavior of potassium catalysis is correlated to a change in the chemical state of potassium at higher HTT. The results reveal the dependence of jump ...
We present the effect of P2O5 addition on barium calcium aluminum borosilicate BCABS glasses of composition (mol %) 35BaO-15CaO-5Al2O3-(37-x)SiO2-8B2O3-xP2O5 (0?x?5). The incorporation of P2O5 increased network polymerization and crystallization tendency. However, addition of P2O5 leads to the formation of Cr2O3 at the interface, saturating it in the ions of the metal. This improves glass-to-metal bonding. (author)
A method is described for determination of aluminium, cadmium, cobalt, chromium, copper, calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium, manganese, nickel, lead, strontium, zinc, titanium and vanadium in iron ore. After dissolution, a 1 gram sample of iron ore is applied to a column of AGI-X8 anion exchange resin (chloride form), in 100 ml of 7M HCl. Aluminium, chromium, calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium, manganese, nickel, lead, strontium, titanium and vanadium are eluted with 7M HCl; iron, copper and cobalt are eluted with 0.5M HCl; cadmium and zinc are eluted with 2M HNO_3. Iron is subsequently removed from copper and cobalt by a solvent extraction with methyl isobutyl ketone. The elements are determined in the eluates by atomic absorption spectrometry, except for titanium and vanadium, which are determined spectrophotometrically.
The formation of a porous coating is the decisive feature for the bio-compatibility of silica-free calcium phosphate glass ceramics on alloy surfaces like the #beta#-Ti structured Ti-29Nb-13Ta-4.6Zr used in this work. The ceramic composition is highly important: 50CaO-40P_2O_5-7Na_2O-3TiO_2 glass powder produces a pore-free coating unable to bind hydroxyapatite, whereas 60CaO-30P_2O_5-7Na_2O-3TiO_2 glass incorporates pores from which a crystalline hydroxyapatite phase can grow over the surface from simulated body fluid (see Figure). (Abstract Copyright [2003], Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)
The combined Lewis and Broensted acidities were measured of 13X (sodium) zeolite and of its 84.2% calcium-exchanged, 86.0% lanthanum-exchanged, and 69.2% protonated forms, calcined at 400/sup 0/C. The butylamine titrations were performed to visible color changes of Hammett indicators. The H/sub 0/ acidities were 0 for the sodium X zeolite, and 0.2, 0.98, and 0.75 for the calcium, lanthanum, and hydrogen zeolites, respectively. These acidities compared well with trends reported in literature for zeolites pretreated under different conditions. Titration of Broensted sites with arylmethanol indicators did not give satisfactory visible endpoints.
The aim of this study was to observe both the clinical signs and symptoms of wounds at risk of infection, that is critically colonised (biofilm infected) and antimicrobial-performance of an ionic silver alginate/carboxymethylcellulose (SACMC) dressing, in comparison with a non silver calcium alginate fibre (AF) dressing, on chronic venous leg and pressure ulcers. Thirty-six patients with venous or pressure ulcers, considered clinically to be critically colonised (biofilm infected), were randomly chosen to receive either an SACMC dressing or a non silver calcium AF dressing. The efficacy of each wound dressing was evaluated over a 4-week period. The primary study endpoints were prevention of infection and progression to wound healing. The SACMC group showed a statistically significant (P = ...
Purpose To study the activation and expression of vascular (aorta and small mesenteric arteries) potassium channels during septic shock with or without modulation of the NO pathway. Methods Septic shock was induced in rats by peritonitis. Selective inhibitors of vascular KATP (PNU-37883A) or BKCa [iberiotoxin (IbTX)] channels were used to demonstrate their involvement in vascular hyporeactivity. Vascular response to phenylephrine was measured on aorta and small mesenteric arteries mounted on a wire myograph. Vascular expression of potassium channels was studied by PCR and Western blot, in the presence or absence of 1400W, an inducible NO synthase (iNOS) inhibitor. Aortic activation of the transcriptional factor nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-?B) was assessed by electrophoretic mobility shift as...
This paper focuses on the analysis of average Gaussian error probabilities in certain fading channels, i.e. we are interested in E[Q((p {\\gamma})^(1/2))] where Q(.) is the Gaussian Q-function, p is a positive real number and {\\gamma} is a nonnegative random variable. We present a unified analysis of the average Gaussian error probability, derive a compact expression in terms of the Lauricella FD^(n) function that is applicable to a broad class of fading channels, and discuss the relation of this expression and expressions of this type recently appeared in literature. As an intermediate step in our derivations, we also obtain a compact expression for the outage probability of the same class of fading channels. Finally, we show how this unified analysis allows us to obtain novel performance analytical results.
The ROP margin in a CANDU reactor is decreasing over time due to the Primary Heat-Transport System (PHTS) aging effect. Adjustment of the ROP trip setpoint is required to maintain a high trip-probability and ROP trip effectiveness. Especially, for Wolsong-1, which is scheduled to change the old pressure tubes in 2009, the trend of ROPT after the retubing should be reevaluated. Before setting a ROPT, the main thermal characteristics including Critical Channel Power (CCP) should be calculated by the NUCIRC code. In this paper, the thermalhydraulic evaluation for Wolsung-1 was conducted with the updated Wolsung-1 PHTS data. Specifically, for the case of 0 EFPY (Effective Full Power Year) and 11 EFPY after the retubing, the distribution of the channel flow rate, channel exit quality, critical channel power, and critical power ratio (CPR) of the Wolsong-1 aged plant are calculated
It has been considered that dry-out occurs easily in boiling heat transfer for a small channel, a mini- or microchannel, because the channel was easily filled with coalescing vapor bubbles. In the present study, the experiments of subcooled flow boiling of water were performed under atmospheric conditions for a horizontal rectangular channel for which the size is 1 mm height and 1 mm width, with a flat heating surface of 10 mm length and 1 mm width placed on the bottom of the channel. The heating surface has a top of copper heating block and is heated by ceramic heaters. In the high heat flux region of nucleate boiling, about 70-80% of the heating surface was covered with a large coalescing bubble and the boiling reached critical heat flux as observed by high-speed video. In the beginning ...
We propose a quantum secure direct communication scheme based on non-orthogonal entangled pairs and local measurement. In this scheme, we use eight non-orthogonal entangled pairs to act as quantum channels. Due to the non-orthogonality of the quantum channels, the present protocol can availably prohibit from all kinds of valid eavesdropping and acquire a secure quantum channel. By local measurement, the sender acquires a secret random sequence. The process of encoding on the random sequence is identical to the one in one-time-pad. So the present protocol is secure. Even for a highly lossy channel, our scheme is also valid. The scheme is feasible with present-day techniques.
For the determination of the thermal-hydraulic performances of rough surfaces, the method of evaluation is particularly important. In order to increase confidence in the results, a new evaluation procedure was introduced. This procedure is based on the transformation of simple channel experimental results to equal boundary conditions, and on the suitable application and confirmation of these transformed values in more complicated flow channel geometries. Existing methods, applied to the results obtained in an annular channel, do not fulfil all the transformation requirements. Thus a new, more complete transformation method, which uses the turbulent eddy diffusivity model, was developed. To check the quality of this transformation, within the scope of the new evaluation procedure, the results of experimental investigation in annular channels and in a bundle of hexagonal geometry were used together with ...
We present a quantum secure direct communication scheme achieved by swapping quantum entanglement. In this scheme a set of ordered Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen (EPR) pairs is used as a quantum information channel for sending secret messages directly. After insuring the safety of the quantum channel, the sender Alice encodes the secret messages directly by applying a series local operations on her particle sequences according to their stipulation. Using three EPR pairs, three bits of secret classical information can be faithfully transmitted from Alice to remote Bob without revealing any information to a potential eavesdropper. By both Alice and Bob's GHZ state measurement results, Bob is able to read out the encoded secret messages directly. The protocol is completely secure if perfect quantum channel is used, because there is not a transmission of the qubits carrying the secret message between Alice and Bob in the public ...
This report describes all time and frequency analysis parameters measured with the new Nuclear Weapons Identification System (NWIS) processor with three input channels: (1) the {sup 252}Cf source ionization chamber; (2) a detection channel; and (3) a second detection channel for active measurements. An intuitive and physical description of the various functions is given as well as a brief mathematical description and a brief description of how the data are acquired. If the full five channel capability is used, the number of functions increases in number but not in type. The parameters provided by this new NWIS processor can be divided into two general classes: time analysis signatures including multiplicities and frequency analysis signatures. Data from measurements with an 18.75 kg highly enriched uranium (93.2 wt%, {sup 235}U) metal casting for storage are presented to illustrate the various time and ...
This report describes all time and frequency analysis parameters measured with the new Nuclear Weapons Identification System (NWIS) processor with three input channels: (1) the 252Cf source ionization chamber (2) a detection channel; and (3) a second detection channel for active measurements. An intuitive and physical description of the various functions is given as well as a brief mathematical description and a brief description of how the data are acquired. If the fill five channel capability is used, the number of functions increases in number but not in type. The parameters provided by this new NWIS processor can be divided into two general classes: time analysis signatures including multiplicities and frequency analysis signatures. Data from measurements with an 18.75 kg highly enriched uranium (93.2 wt 0/0, 235U) metai casting for storage are presented to illustrate the various time and frequency ...
A method for calculating flow through an airfoil cascade drawn on a surface of revolution is discussed. The three-dimensional flow was assumed to be represented by part-channels of varying width. The basic equations are the equation of continuity and the ...
In today's maturing consumer markets, emphasis is shifting from straightforward sales to a more holistic approach to customer life cycle management, with a stronger emphasis on how sales are generated and service provided all along the customer journey. Effectively managing these different marketing, sales and service channels poses a significant challenge. Companies need new strategies, structures, processes and tools to deliver customer value across all channels. A multi-channel, integrative customer model that delivers customer value and significant return on investment (ROI) requires both a strong understanding of customer preferences and behaviours and a robust IT architecture that supports the overarching customer relationship management (CRM) strategy. Even those organizations that ...
Congestive heart failure (CHF) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality. CHF is marked by atrial and ventricular enlargement and reduced cardiac contractility, as well as an association...Full Text Available
Information technology allows national and local governments to satisfy the needs of citizens in a cost effective way. Unfortunately, citizens still tend to prefer traditional, more costly channels, such as the front desk, phone and mail. Through pilot projects government agencies attempt to influence this behavior of citizens, directing them towards the online channel. With this paper we provide insight into the possibility to influence citizens' behavior in the complex landscape of multi-channel service provision. The paper systematically compares five pilot projects using a framework that is based on organizational and marketing literature. The results show that socio-psychological factors are crucial in multi-channel management, much more than the technology itself. We conclude that ci...
Experiments on heat transfer augmentation in a rectangular cross-section water channel are reported. The channel geometry is designed to excite normally damped Tollmein-Schlichting modes in order to enhance mixing. In this experiment, a hydrodynamically fully developed flow encounters a test section where one channel boundary is a series of periodic, saw-tooth, transverse grooves. Free shear layers span the groove openings, separating the main channel flow from the circulating vortices contained within each cavity. The periodicity length of the grooves is equal to one-half of the expected wavelength of the most unstable mode. The remaining channel walls are flat, and the channel has an aspect ratio of 10:1. Experiments are performed over the Reynolds number range of 300 to 15,000. Streakline flow visualization shows that the flow is steady at the entrance, but ...
A numerical analysis is made of the unsteady flow and heat transfer characteristics of mixed convection in a vertical block-heated channel with and without installing an inclined plate above an upstream block. Parameter studies including the inclined plate angle, Reynolds number (ranging from 260 to 530), and Grashof number (in the range of 0--3,200,000) on heat transfer performance have been explored in detail. The results show that the installation of an inclined plate in the vertical block-heated channel can effectively augment the blocks` heat transfer performance in the channel. This can be applied to heat exchangers.
of a stochastic network can be a. PERT-type network. After the terminal countdown, ...... pictorial representation of a single channel queueing system ...
Forced convective heat transfer in a cross-corrugated channel solar air heater has been studied experimentally using air as a working fluid. The channel was formed by two transversely positioned corrugated sheets and two flat thermally insulated side walls. One corrugated sheet was heated by a radiant heater, while the other was thermally insulated. The fluid velocity and temperature, and the wall temperature and the local heat flux across the heated corrugated sheet were measured for a variety of operating flow rates. Experimental results for the channel geometry have yielded the correlation Nu = 0.0743 (Re)[sup 0.76]. This heat-transfer coefficient is about 2.8 times that of a smooth flat channel. The experiments showed that local heat transfer rate was smaller on the valley of the corrugation than that on the peak. The ratio of the local heat transfer rates on the two locations was related to the ...
Mixed convection heat transfer from longitudinal fins inside a horizontal channel has been investigated for a wide range of modified Rayleigh numbers and different fin heights and spacings. An experimental parametric study was made to investigate effects of fin spacing, fin height and magnitude of heat flux on mixed convection heat transfer from rectangular fin arrays heated from below in a horizontal channel. The optimum fin spacing to obtain maximum heat transfer has also been investigated. During the experiments constant heat flux boundary condition was realized and air was used as the working fluid. The velocity of fluid entering channel was kept nearly constant (0.15win0.16m/s) using a flow rate control valve so that Reynolds number was always about Re=1500. Experiments were conducted...
During the last two decades, the demand for higher heat transfers in the heat exchangers has kept increasing. These high heat transfer rates can be obtained by using two-phase flows, or heat transfer augmented surfaces, or in some cases, both. Thus, the boiling flows and the associated two-phase flow instabilities have been studied by many investigators. Most of the work in boiling flows has been concentrated on single channel upflow systems or on parallel channel systems with plain heat transfer surfaces. The boiling flow instabilities in multi-channel systems should be covered to a greater extent, studying the effects of various parameters, such as inlet and outlet restriction, mass flow rates, the property variations, heat transfer coefficients, equal and unequal heat inputs on the stability. Also, the mathematical modeling needs to be developed for the parallel channel system to take into account ...
We consider a multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) multiple access channel (MAC), where the channel between each transmitter and the receiver is modeled by the doubly-scattering channel model. Based on novel techniques from random matrix theory, we derive deterministic approximations of the mutual information, the signal-to-noise-plus-interference-ratio (SINR) at the output of the minimum-mean-square-error (MMSE) detector and the sum-rate with MMSE detection which are almost surely tight in the large system limit. Moreover, we derive the asymptotically optimal transmit covariance matrices. Our simulation results show that the asymptotic analysis provides very close approximations for realistic system dimensions.
A two-phase flow regime map is developed experimentally and theoretically for a vertical hexagonal flow channel with and without a 36-finned rod hexagonal bundle. This type of flow channel is of interest to MAPLE-type nuclear research reactors. The flow regime maps are determined by visual observations and observation of waveforms shown by a capacitance-type void fraction meter. The experimental results show that the inclusion of the finned hexagonal bundle shifts the flow regime transition boundaries toward higher water flow rates. Existing flow regime maps based on pipe flow require slight modifications when applied to the hexagonal flow channel with and without a MAPLE-type finned hexagonal bundle. The proposed theoretical model agrees well with experimental results.
A two-phase flow regime map is developed experimentally and theoretically for a vertical hexagonal flow channel with and without a 36-finned rod hexagonal bundle. This type of flow channel is of interest to MAPLE-type nuclear research reactors. The flow regime maps are determined by visual observations and observation of waveforms shown by a capacitance-type void fraction meter. The experimental results show that the inclusion of the finned hexagonal bundle shifts the flow regime transition boundaries toward higher water flow rates. Existing flow regime maps based on pipe flow require slight modifications when applied to the hexagonal flow channel with and without a MAPLE-type finned hexagonal bundle. The proposed theoretical model agrees well with experimental results.
Counter rotating longitudinal vortices produced by winglet in a channel are known to enhance heat transfer. In the present investigation the flow structure and heat-transfer enhancement by a winglet pair of non-zero thickness has been studied. A delta winglet pair type vortex generator is placed in a hydrodynamically developed and thermally developing laminar channel flow. Computations are done by solving the unsteady, three-dimensional, incompressible Navier-Strokes equations and energy equation using a modified Marker-and-Cell (MAC) method. The flow structure is complex and consists of main, corner and induced vortices. It is observed that as compared to a channel without winglets, the heat transfer is enhanced by 33% when single winglet is used and by 67% when a winglet pair is employed. Effects of thickness of the winglets and Reynolds number on the heat transfer augmentation are presented.
Full text of publication follows: The heat transfer and flow in narrow channels has lots of advantages such as compact structure, high efficiency, design flexibility and so on. So it is widely used in the fields such as the new reactor core plate elements, the once-through stream generator, compact heat exchangers as well as electronic components. In recent years, more strong attentions have been attracted to the thermal-hydraulic characteristics and mechanism of the two-phase flow in narrow channels. As the flow regime characteristics of two-phase flow is fundamental one of them, the research on the two-phase flow regimes and the regime transitions in horizontal rectangular narrow heated channels can provide theoretical foundation and engineering directions to the whole research on the thermal-hydraulic characteristics and mechanism of the two-phase flow in narrow channels. The characteristics of ...
Full text of publication follows: The heat transfer and flow in narrow channels has lots of advantages such as compact structure, high efficiency, design flexibility and so on. So it is widely used in the fields such as the new reactor core plate elements, the once-through stream generator, compact heat exchangers as well as electronic components. In recent years, more strong attentions have been attracted to the thermal-hydraulic characteristics and mechanism of the two-phase flow in narrow channels. As the flow regime characteristics of two-phase flow is fundamental one of them, the research on the two-phase flow regimes and the regime transitions in horizontal rectangular narrow heated channels can provide theoretical foundation and engineering directions to the whole research on the thermal-hydraulic characteristics and mechanism of the two-phase flow in narrow channels. The characteristics of ...
The use of europium as a local structural probe allows the various phases appearing in the NaCaPO_4-Na_3Eu(PO_4)_2 and NaSrPO_4-Na_3Eu(PO_4)_2 systems to be detected. The broadening of the europium emission lines in going from the calcium to the strontium phases illustrates the ease of displacement of the PO_4 groups. (Auth.).
The separation, concentration, and determination of trace elements in iron ores are described. After the sample has been dissolved, the iron is separated by liquid-liquid extraction with a liquid cation-exchanger, di-(2-ethylhexyl) phosphoric acid. The trace elements aluminium, cadmium, calcium, chromium, cobalt, copper, lead, magnesium, manganese, mercury, potassium, sodium, vanadium, and zinc are determined in the aqueous phase by atomic-absorption spectrophotometry.
1. From a 150 mM-NH4 salicylate medium salicylate enters human red cells with a rate constant of 1.9 min-1 at 0 degrees C. 2. Salicylate increases the red cell permeability for Ca2+ (and Mg2+). There...Full Text Available
The aim of the current investigation was to study the effects of sevelamer hydrochloride (RenaGel) on serum phosphate, intact parathyroid hormone levels (iPTH), and lipid profiles in stable hemodialysis patients. Hemodialysis patients maintained on calcium containing phosphate binders were enrolled in this study. Following two weeks of washout of the phosphate binders, serum phosphate rose from 6.4 +/- 0.6 to 10.5 +/- 0.7 mg/dl (p <0.001). After 8 weeks of titration with sevelamer hydrochloride, serum phosphate fell by 4.5 +/- 0.3 to 6.3 +/- 0.7 mg/dl (p <0.0001). Serum calcium levels fell during washout (9.8 +/- 0.4 to 8.9 +/- 0.3 mg/dl, p <0.004) and were unaffected by sevelamer hydrochloride. Sevelamer hydrochloride administration was associated with a 23.0 +/- 3.1% fall in total cholesterol, a 35.9 +/- 3.0% fall in LDL cholesterol, and a 35.2 +/- 5.3% fall in the LDL:HDL cholesterol ratio (p <0.001). There was no change in HDL ...
SUMMARYWe recorded Ca2+ current and intracellular Ca2+ ([Ca2+]i) in isolated adult rat dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons at 20 and...Full Text Available
The investigations of lignite hydroliquefaction were aimed at improving reaction control in order to minimize residue and gas portion and hence increase the oil yield. To reach this goal, the process parameters were optimized and various catalysts tested for use in sump phase hydrogenation. Detailed investigations were also carried out on the problem of calcium carbonate agglomeration and the maceral decomposition behaviour of different lignite samples under hydrogenation conditions.
The differing susceptibility of individuals to the toxic effects of chronic lead exposure has never been fully understood. As the major intake of lead in the human is from food and beverages, any variation between individuals of the quantity of lead absorbed from the gut, and of the distribution and excretion of this lead, may account for the differences in individual susceptibility. The food and beverages themselves may have an influence, and to investigate their effects on absorption, distribution and excretion of lead, experiments were performed on normal subjects using a short lived radionuclide of lead, "2"0"3Pb, and instruments generally available in Nuclear Medicine. Lead absorption between different individuals showed a wide variation when "2"0"3Pb was taken as a single dose between meals. Minerals were found to be mainly responsible for affecting absorption when one subject ingested "2"0"3Pb in control meals from which one dietary constituent at a time was omitted. ...
1. We studied the effects of flash photolysis on the novel enantiomeric cardiac inotropes EMD 57033 (a calcium sensitizer) and EMD 57439 (a phosphodiesterase III inhibitor) in rat isolated ventricular...Full Text Available
We have isolated a 4.785 Da protein from the nacreous layer of the sea snail Haliotis laevigata (greenlip abalone) shell after demineralization with acetic acid. The sequence of 41...Full Text Available
Urinary acidification, bone metabolism and urinary excretion of calcium and citrate were evaluated in 10 recurrent stone formers with incomplete renal tubular acidosis (iRTA), 10 recurrent stone formers with normal urinary acidification (NUA) and 10 normal controls (NC). Patients with iRTA had lower plasma standard bicarbonate after fasting (P <0.01) and lower urinary excretion of titratable acid (P <0.05) and citrate (P <0.01) compared with NUA patients and NC, and higher urinary excretion of ammonia (P <0.05) compared with NC (P <0.05). Hypercalciuria was found in 6 of 10 patients with iRTA compared with 3 of 10 with NUA, and 0 of 10 NC. The citrate/calcium ratio in urine was significantly reduced in iRTA compared with the value in NUA (P <0.01), and in NUA compared with NC (P <0.05). Biochemical markers of bone formation (serum osteocalcin) and bone resorption (urinary hydroxyproline) were significantly increased in iRTA ...
The present study was undertaken to determine the involvement of calcium-protein kinase C pathway in the mechanism of action of Escherichia coli heat stable enterotoxin (STa) apart from STa-induced activation of guanylate cyclase in human colonic carcinoma cell line COLO-205, which was used as a model cultured cell line to study the mechanism of action of E. coli STa. In response to E. coli STa, protein kinase C (PKC) activity was increased in a time-dependent manner with its physical translocation from cytosol to membrane. Inhibition of the PKC activity in membrane fraction and inhibition of its physical translocation in response to IP_3-mediated calcium release inhibitor dantrolene suggested the involvement of intracellular store depletion in the regulation of PKC activity. Among different PKC isoforms, predominant involvement of calcium-dependent protein kinase C (PKC#alpha#) was specified using isotype-specific ...
Objective:? Primary hyperparathyroidism (HPT) is characterised by autonomous secretion of PTH from enlarged parathyroid glands leading, in most patients, to asymptomatic hypercalcaemia. Familial hypocalciuric hypercalcaemia (FHH) is an autosomal dominant disorder caused by inactivating mutations in the calcium sensing receptor (CaSR) gene; it is characterised by lifelong and usually asymptomatic hypercalcaemia. Establishing the correct diagnosis is important because surgery can be curative in HPT, but ineffective in FHH. There is overlap in the diagnostic criteria for the two disorders and some patients carrying inactivating mutations in the CaSR gene, which is suggestive of FHH, also have HPT with hyperplastic parathyroid glands or adenomas. Design and Patients:? CaSR gene mutations were analyzed and clinical and biochemical parameters evaluated in 139 consecutive out-patients presenting with hypercalcaemia and suspected of having HPT. Results:? Six different ...
The role of dietary calcium and phosphorus in modifying the intestinal absorption of lead and also the effect of lead ingestion on the metabolism of cholecalciferol were studied in chicks. The efficiency of absorption of /sup 203/Pb and /sup 47/Ca was increased when the animals were fed a low calcium diet and treated with cholecalciferol. The synthesis of the vitamin D-induced calcium-binding protein (CaBP) was correspondingly increased. When the chicks were depleted of vitamin D and repleted with 1,25-dihydroxycholecalciferol (1,25(OH)/sub 2/D/sub 3/) as their only source of the vitamin, the absorption of both /sup 47/Ca and /sup 203/Pb was unaffected by dietary calcium levels, and no change in CaBP levels occurred. Low dietary intake of phosphorus resulted in an increase in /sup 47/Ca and /sup 203/Pb absorption and in CaBP synthesis when the animals were treated with cholecalciferol. However, when the ...
The role of dietary calcium and phosphorus in modifying the intestinal absorption of lead and also the effect of lead ingestion on the metabolism of cholecalciferol were studied in chicks. The efficiency of absorption of "2"0"3Pb and "4"7Ca was increased when the animals were fed a low calcium diet and treated with cholecalciferol. The synthesis of the vitamin D-induced calcium-binding protein (CaBP) was correspondingly increased. When the chicks were depleted of vitamin D and repleted with 1,25-dihydroxycholecalciferol [1,25(OH)_2D_3] as their only source of the vitamin, the absorption of both "4"7Ca and "2"0"3Pb was unaffected by dietary calcium levels, and no change in CaBP levels occurred. Low dietary intake of phosphorus resulted in an increase in "4"7Ca and "2"0"3Pb absorption and in CaBP synthesis when the animals were treated with cholecalciferol. However, when the birds were repleted with ...
Gamma interferon plays an important role in regulating the functional properties of mononuclear phagocytes. In the present study, the role of activated protein kinases in the mechanism of action of...Full Text Available
The present work mainly involves bench scale studies to investigate partitioning of mercury in pulverized fuel co-combustion at 1000 and 1300{sup o}C. High volatile bituminous coal is used as a reference case and chicken manure, olive residue, and B quality (demolition) wood are used as secondary fuels with 10 and 20% thermal shares. The combustion experiments are carried out in an entrained flow reactor with a fuel input of 7-8 kWth. Elemental and total gaseous mercury concentrations in the flue gas of the reactor are measured on-line, and ash is analyzed for particulate mercury along with other elemental and surface properties. Animal waste like chicken manure behaves very differently from plant waste. The higher chlorine contents of chicken manure cause higher ionic mercury concentrations whereas even with high unburnt carbon, particulate mercury reduces with increase in the chicken manure share. This might be a problem due to coarse fuel particles, low surface area, and iron ...
Background: Diet plays a key role in the development of type 2 diabetes (T2D), but little is known about the contributions of specific nutrients in populations in which dietary patterns...Full Text Available
T-cell activation requires the influx of extracellular calcium, although mechanistic details regarding such activation are not fully defined. Here, we show that P2X7 receptors play a key...Full Text Available
In order to conserve vaccines in hot countries a solar refrigerator has been made by a French university. It is a photothermal refrigerator without batteries. It uses two gases: ammonia and calcium chloride. The refrigerator is autonomous and can work eleven days without sun. (N.C.)
Nutrient elements contained in litter fall flux, that of uptake flux and turnover rate had generally tended to increase with the increase in the Warmth Index, while the amount of nutrient in the A[sub 0] horizon and nutrient use efficiency did not. However, it is suggested that topographic and climatic aridity, and the amount of available and exchangeable phosphorus, calcium and magnesium greatly affect the nutrient dynamics in a each forest ecosystem as the Warmth Index increases. (J.P.N.).
A laser spectrometer for the ethylenediaminetetra-acetic acid (EDTA) titration of magnesium or calcium ions that is designed around a handheld laser pointer as the source and a photoresistor as the detector is developed. Findings show that the use of the spectrometer reduces the degree of uncertainty and error in one part of the EDTA titrations, however overall standard deviations depend on the skill of the student and their willingness to be careful and precise.
A possibility is considered or reducing the surface heterogeneity effect of an item being tested on the result of radiation flaw detection by means of signal delay of one of detectors in a two-channel radiometric flaw detector. The exposure of a translationally moving item has been studied as well as an external exposure of a rotating hollow item.
A series of real-time, neutron radiography, experiments are ongoing at the Texas A and M Nuclear Science Center Reactor (NSCR). These tests determine the resolving capabilities for radiographic imaging of two phase water and air flow regimes through small diameter flow channels. Though both film and video radiographic imaging is available, the real-time video imaging was selected to capture the dynamic flow patterns with results that continue to improve. (author)
Two-phase flow patterns and frictional pressure gradients in flow in small, rectangular channels are being studies as part of a larger research program addressing phase-change heat transfer of pure refrigerants and refrigerant mixtures in plate-fin heat exchangers. Small rectangular flow channels were selected as representative of plain fin geometries. The particular channel reported herein has dimensions of 19.05 {times} 3.18 mm. Adiabatic flows of air/water mixtures, with the flow channel horizontal and the channel exit at near-atmospheric conditions, were utilized in the experiments. Analysis and interpretation of the pressure data relative to observed flow pattern transitions led to an objective method for determining the plug/bubble-to-slug flow transition. This method, together with visual observations, supplemented with photographic data, was used to develop a flow pattern ...
A new type of multi-channel analyzer system is introduced, which takes advantage of Universal Serial Bus to communicate with computer and gets the merit of fast speed, universality and Plug and Play. The authors discussed the framework of the system, primary functions, display of spectrum date and the way of communication with hardware. The environment of the program is Visual Basic 6.0
The steady-state advective flow in a long horizontal rectangular channel with rigid adiabatic boundaries in the presence of a uniform longitudinal pressure gradient is investigated. The stability of this flow with respect to perturbations of various types is studied. The dependence of the critical Rayleigh number on the Prandtl number is found for various aspect ratios.
Channel plasmon polaritons (CPPs) propagating along the bottom of subwavelength grooves cut into a metal surface were recently shown to exhibit strong confinement combined with low propagation loss, a feature that makes this guiding configuration very promising for the realisation of ultra-compact photonic components. Here, the results of our investigations of CPP guiding by V-grooves cut into gold are presented, demonstrating efficient large-angle bending and splitting of radiation as well as waveguide-ring resonators and Bragg grating filters.
The mz8310 device support module provides support for the following record types: event, pulseCounter, pulseDelay, and pulseTrain. No driver support is needed. Up to 4 mz8310 modules are supported. Each 8310 module contains 10 channels, which are identified as signals O,...9. Each channel is individually configurable. Each mz83 10 has two Am9513 Timing Controller chips. Each Am9513 has 5 counters.
We have shown previously that raising extracellular Ca2+ inhibited the apical 70-pS K channel in the thick ascending limb (TAL; Wang, W.H., M. Lu, and S.C. Hebert. 1996. Am....Full Text Available
The theoretical treatment of the relation between the critical angle of planar channeling and the characteristics of crystal lattice defects is carried out. The predictions are made about some typical forms of the critical angle dependence on the mean-square static displacement produced by defects, and then these predictions are detailed for the cases of homogeneous disordering, spherical clusters of point defects and dislocation loops. Analytical results are supported by the exact computer calculations for the defects in the intermetallic A-15 compounds.
In scattering of channeled particles by point defects and in emission of gamma rays in the spontaneous-radiation spectral region conditions are attained where the momentum transferred to the defect is taken up by the crystal as a whole. This leads to coherent and interference effects in the radiation from the crystal defects. When the longitudinal momentum transferred is zero, an induced radiation effect appears in the transitions between the states of transverse motion.
The case of spontaneous radiation of channeled ultrarelativistic particles is considered when the dipolarity condition is not satisfied. The change of the particle longitudinal velocity affecting the maximum radiation frequency is included. The angular and frequency characteristics of the radiation for superhigh energies are studied for the first time. It is shown that there is an optimum energy at which the radiation density is maximum. The influence of the angle at which electrons enter a crystal and of the beam divergence on the radiation is investigated. The problem of quasichanneled particle radiation and also the radiation in axis-plane transitions are considered. (author).
The interaction between gravity convection and Marangoni convection in a horizontal rectangular channel filled with a liquid containing a surfactant and a drop of another liquid is numerically investigated. For large Schmidt numbers the occurring oscillatory regime of solutal convection is analyzed. In the model with a surface phase the effect of the adsorption and desorption processes on the convective flow structure is determined. The corresponding initial and boundary value problem is solved using a difference method.
Inter-symbol interference (ISI) channels with data dependent Gauss Markov noise have been used to model read channels in magnetic recording and other data storage systems. The Viterbi algorithm can be adapted for performing maximum likelihood sequence detection in such channels. However, the problem of finding an analytical upper bound on the bit error rate of the Viterbi detector in this case has not been fully investigated. Current techniques rely on an exhaustive enumeration of short error events and determine the BER using a union bound. In this work, we consider a subset of the class of ISI channels with data dependent Gauss-Markov noise. We derive an upper bound on the pairwise error probability (PEP) between the transmitted bit sequence and the decoded bit sequence that can be expressed as a product of functions depending on current and previous states in the (incorrect) decoded sequence and the ...
An attempt was made to minimize the channeling tail by implantation along a random equivalent direction following a careful alignment of the target. In order to analytically determine the random equivalent directions, critical angles for channeling were mapped on a stereogram. Boron ions with energies of 17 and 45 keV are implanted along specified directions determined from the map. The depth distribution of the dopant is profiled by SIMS and the effects of water orientation upon the channeling tail are noted. Industrial common use of a 7/sup 0/ tilt is not optimum. However, implantation with the wafer tilted at 5.5 +/- 0.5/sup 0/ from the surface normal and rotated at 7.0 +/- 0.5/sup 0/ from a (100) plane shows the least channel-tail compared to implantation along other directions. Rapid thermal annealing (RTA) is a promising annealing method for shallow junction formation. Transient enhanced diffusion ...
An attempt was made to minimize the channeling tail by implantation along a random equivalent direction following a careful alignment of the target. In order to analytically determine the random equivalent directions, critical angles for channeling were mapped on a stereogram. Boron ions with energies of 17 and 45 keV are implanted along specified directions determined from the map. The depth distribution of the dopant is profiled by SIMS and the effects of water orientation upon the channeling tail are noted. Industrial common use of a 7"0 tilt is not optimum. However, implantation with the wafer tilted at 5.5 +/- 0.5"0 from the surface normal and rotated at 7.0 +/- 0.5"0 from a (100) plane shows the least channel-tail compared to implantation along other directions. Rapid thermal annealing (RTA) is a promising annealing method for shallow junction formation. Transient enhanced diffusion of implanted ...
Obtained experimental data on integral cross sections (ICS) of inelastic scattering of 50.5 MeV #alpha# particles with the excitation of "6","7Li, "9Be, "1"2","1"3C, "1"4C, "1"4N, "2"0Ne, "2"4Mg, "2"8Si nucleus low-lying energy levels are discussed. Regularities, detected in the behaviour of ICS forward scattering for 20-90 deg angles and backscattering for 90-160 deg angles for the target-nucleus under investigation are considered. Effect of reaction open channel number on #alpha#-particle scattering ICS where n,p,d- and #alpha#-channels were considered as the main channels for all the target-nuclei, is discussed. Dependence of #alpha#-particle scattering ICS on the target-nucleus level excitation energy and dependences of reaction open channel number on the channel spin, calculated for 50.5 MeV #alpha# particles and different target nuclei are shown in the diagrams. It is noted ...
In this paper, we consider a $n_t\\times n_r$ multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) channel subjected to block fading. Reliability (in terms of achieved diversity order) and rate (in number of symbols transmitted per channel use) are of interest in such channels. We propose a new precoding scheme which achieves both full diversity ($n_tn_r$th order diversity) as well as full rate ($n_t$ symbols per channel use) using partial channel state information at the transmitter (CSIT), applicable in MIMO systems including $n_r
In CANDU reactors, the Regional Overpower Protection Trip (ROPT) system protects the reactor against overpowers in the reactor fuel, whether due to localized peaking within the core or a general increase in core power levels. Due to Primary Heat-Transport System (PHTS) aging the ROP trip setpoint is decreasing over time. Reductions in ROP trip setpoints are required to maintain the required trip-probability and ROP trip effectiveness, and results in a decrease of the ROP margin-to-trip during normal operation. In addition, full power operation can be threatened. In this point, to recover ROPT margin, channel power needs to be redistributed. ROPT setpoint is very conservative in normal operation because distortion of regional overpower is over 1.2 times as nominal power in slow loss of regulation (SLOR). Channel power ratio (CPR) is enough low except the limiting channel of which worst case of design basis flux shape. If the ...
The front-end electronics system for the anode signals of the CMS Endcap Muon cathode strip chambers has about 183000 channels. The purposes of the anode front-end electronics are to acquire precise muon timing information for bunch crossing number identification at the Level-1 muon trigger system and to provide a coarse radial position of the muon track. Each anode channel consists of an input protection network, amplifier, shaper, constant-fraction discriminator, and a programmable delay. The essential parts of the electronics include a 16-channel amplifier-shaper-discriminator ASIC CMP16 and a 16-channel ASIC D16G providing programmable time delay. The ASIC CMP16 was optimized for the large cathode chamber size (up to 3 x 2.5 m2) and for the large input capacitance (up to 200 pf). The ASIC combines low power consumption (30 mW/channel) with good time resolution (2 - 3 ns). The ...
A heat transfer (condenser) of a domestic freezer was tested in a vertical channel in order to study the influence of the chimney effect in the optimization of the heat transfer coefficient. The variation of the opening of the channel, position and the heating power of the heat exchanger in the heat transfer coefficient was considered. The influence of the surface emissivity on the heat transfer by thermal radiation was studied with the heat exchanger testes without paint and with black paint. The air velocity entering the channel was measured with a hot wire anemometer. In order to evaluate the chimney effect, the heat exchanger was testes in a open ambient. This situation simulates its operational conditions when installed on the freezer system. The variables collected in the experimental procedures was gathered in the form of dimensionless parameters as Nusselt, Rayleigh, Grashof and Prandtl numbers, and dimensional ...
Some diagnostics at the National Ignition Facility (NIF), including the Gamma Reaction History (GRH) diagnostic, require multiple channels of data to achieve the required dynamic range. These channels need to be stitched together into a single time series, and they may have non-uniform and redundant time samples. We chose to apply the popular cubic smoothing spline technique to our stitching problem because we needed a general non-parametric method. We adapted one of the algorithms in the literature, by Hutchinson and deHoog, to our needs. The modified algorithm and the resulting code perform a cubic smoothing spline fit to multiple data channels with redundant time samples and missing data points. The data channels can have different, time-varying, zero-mean white noise characteristics. The method we employ automatically determines an optimal smoothing level by minimizing the Generalized Cross ...
Several examples of agonist-directed trafficking of receptor signalling at 5-HT2A and 5-HT2C receptors have been reported that involve independent downstream transduction pathways. We now report the functional selectivity of a series of chemically diverse agonists at human (h)5-HT2A, h5-HT2B and h5-HT2C-VSV by examining two related responses, the upstream activation of Gq/11 proteins in comparison with its associated cascade of calcium mobilisation. At the h5-HT2A receptor, d-lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) and the antiparkinsonian agents lisuride, bromocriptine and pergolide exhibit a higher potency for Gq/11 activation than calcium release in contrast with all the other tested ligands such as 5-HT, mCPP and BW723C86, that show an opposite preference of signalling pathway. Comparable observations are made at h5-HT2B and h5-HT2C-VSV receptors, suggesting a similar mechanism of functional selectivity for the three serotonin receptors. ...
Frictional pressure drop and heat transfer performance in a very narrow rectangular channel having one-sided constant heat flux and repeated-ribs were studied experimentally for turbulent water flows. Their empirical correlations were derived for designing target cooling channels to remove high heat flux generated at target plates in a high-intensity proton accelerator system. The rib pitch-to-height ratios (p/k) were 10 and 20 while holding the rib height constant at 0.2 mm, the Reynolds number (Re) from 2,400 to 98,500 under different channel heights (H) of 1.2 mm and 3.2 mm, the rib height-to-channel equivalent diameter ratio (k/D_e) of 0.088 and 0.036, respectively. The results show that the rib-roughened surface augments heat transfer by about 2-2.5 times compared with the smooth surface at the expense of around 2.5 times higher frictional pressure drop under a range of Re=8,000-to-30,000 at ...
Small circular and noncircular channels are representative of flow passages in compact evaporators and condensers. This paper describes results of an experimental study on heat transfer to the flow boiling of refrigerant- 12 in a small circular tube of diameter = 2.46 mm. The objective of the study was to assess the effect of channel size on the heat transfer coefficient and to obtain additional insights relative to the heat transfer mechanisms. The flow channel was made of brass and had an overall length of 0.9 m. The channel wall was electrically heated, and temperatures were measured on the channel wall and in the bulk fluid stream. Voltage taps were located at the same axial locations as the stream thermocouples to allow testing over an exit quality range of 0.21 to 0.94 and a large range of mass flux (63 to 832 kg/m{sup 2}s) and heat flux (2.5 to 59 kW/m{sup 2}). Saturation ...
Abstract In this paper, the effect of several turbulence parameters during various flow conditions in Owens Valley, educed from coherent Doppler lidar data have been studied. Radial velocity structure functions are processed to estimate the turbulent kinetic energy (TKE) dissipation rate, integral length scale and velocity variance, assuming a theoretical model for isotropic wind fields. Corrections for turbulence measurements have been considered to address the complications due to inherent volumetric averaging of radial velocity over each range gate, noise of the lidar data, and the assumptions required to estimate effects of smaller scales of motion on turbulence quantities. Using data from the Terrain-induced Rotor Experiment (T-REX) in April-May 2006, vertical profiles of wind and tur...
The spectrum of training aids used in the nuclear industry runs the gamut from the very basic (i.e., valve training aids - gate, globe, check) to the highly complex (i.e., nuclear full scope simulator). Designing and purchasing the best training aids take much time, detailed investigation, and good understanding of plant operations. The training aid that has given the New York Power Authority the best results has been the motor operator valve (MOV) trainer. Some of the items that make the MOV trainer a good choice are: (1) large number of MOVs in the plant, (2) importance of MOVs to safe plant operation, (3) detailed MOV procedures used by the plant, (4) history of MOV problems, and (5) ability to demonstrate important concepts and operation - hammer blow effect, torque and limit switch adjustment and functions, and actual sequence of operation of the limitorque valve operator.
SummaryBackground Intracellular transport via processive kinesin, dynein, and myosin molecular motors plays an important role in maintaining cell structure and function. In many cases, cargoes move distances longer than expected for single motors; there is significant evidence that this increased travel is in part due to multiple motors working together to move the cargoes. Although we understand single motors experimentally and theoretically, our understanding of multiple motors working together is less developed. Results We theoretically investigate how multiple kinesin motors function. Our model includes stochastic fluctuations of each motor as it proceeds through its enzymatic cycle. Motors dynamically influence each other and function in the presence of thermal noise and viscosity. We...
We suggest and study designed defects in an otherwise periodic potential modulation of a two-dimensional electron gas as an alternative approach to electron spin based quantum information processing in the solid-state using conventional gate-defined quantum dots. We calculate the band structure and density of states for a periodic potential modulation, referred to as an antidot lattice, and find that localized states appear, when designed defects are introduced in the lattice. Such defect states may form the building blocks for quantum computing in a large antidot lattice, allowing for coherent electron transport between distant defect states in the lattice, and for a tunnel coupling of neighboring defect states with corresponding electrostatically controllable exchange coupling between different electron spins.
The ozone production process in a pulsed positive dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) is studied by measuring the spatial distribution of ozone density using a two-dimensional laser absorption method. DBD occurs in a 6 mm point-to-plane gap with a 1 mm-thick glass plate placed on the plane electrode. First, the propagation of DBD is observed using a short-gated ICCD camera. It is shown that DBD develops in three phases: primary streamer, secondary streamer and surface discharge phases. Next, the spatial distribution of ozone density is measured. It is shown that ozone is mostly produced in the secondary streamer and surface discharge, while only a small amount of ozone is produced in the primary streamer. The rate coefficient of the ozone production reaction, O + O_2 + M #-># O_3 + M, is estimated to be 2.5 x 10"-"3"4 cm"6 s"-"1.
Boiling jet impingement cooling is currently being explored to cool power electronics components. In hybrid vehicles, inverters are used for DC-AC conversion. These inverters involve a number of insulated-gate bipolar transistors (IGBTs), which are used as on/off switches. The heat dissipated in these transistors can result in heat fluxes of up to 200 W/cm{sup 2}, which makes the thermal management problem quite important. In this paper, turbulent jet impingement involving nucleate boiling is explored numerically. The framework for these computations is the CFD code FLUENT. For nucleate boiling, the Eulerian multiphase model is used. The numerical results for boiling water and R113 jets (submerged) are validated against existing experimental data in the literature. Some representative IGBT package simulations that use R134a as the cooling fluid are also presented. (author)
In an effort to develop a simple low-temperature high-performance polysilicon thin-film transistor (TFT) technology, the authors report a fabrication process featuring laser-crystallized sputtered-silicon films. This top Al-gate coplanar TFT process subjects the substrate to a maximum temperature of 300 C, and produces devices with mobilities up to 450 cm{sup 2}/Vs, on/off current ratios greater than 10{sup 7}, without using a post-hydrogenation step. They believe these results represent the highest performance TFT`s to date fabricated from sputtered silicon films.
The energy level schemes of {sup 152}Gd and {sup 152}Sm have been established on the basis of single gamma-spectra, and gamma-gamma coincidence measurements. Ge(Li) detectors were used to study the gamma spectra produced in the EC/beta{sup +} and beta{sup -} decays of {sup 152}Eu to {sup 152}Sm and {sup 152}Gd, respectively. Thirteen new transitions are reported and data from eleven coincidence gates enabled five new levels to be suggested. Relative intensities and log ft values were calculated and spin/parities deduced. Comparisons are made with new predictions of the Interacting Boson Model. (orig.).
The energy level schemes of "1"5"2Gd and "1"5"2Sm have been established on the basis of single #gamma#-spectra, and #gamma#-#gamma# coincidence measurements. Ge(Li) detectors were used to study the gamma spectra produced in the EC/#beta#"+ and #beta#"- decays of "1"5"2Eu to "1"5"2Sm and "1"5"2Gd, respectively. Thirteen new transitions are reported and data from eleven coincidence gates enabled five new levels to be suggested. Relative intensities and log ft values were calculated and spin/parities deduced. Comparisons are made with new predictions of the Interacting Boson Model. (orig.).
Prepulse inhibition (PPI) is a measure of sensorimotor gating, a pre-attentional inhibitory brain mechanism that filters extraneous stimuli. Prepulse inhibition is correlated with measures of cognition and executive functioning, and is considered an endophenotype of schizophrenia and other psychiatric illnesses in which patients show PPI impairments. As a first step toward identifying genes that regulate PPI, we performed a quantitative trait locus (QTL) screen of PPI phenotypes in a panel of mouse chromosome substitution strains (CSSs). We identified five CSSs with altered PPI compared with the host C57BL/6J strain: CSS-4 exhibited decreased PPI, whereas CSS-10, -11, -16 and -Y exhibited higher PPI compared with C57BL/6J. These data indicate that A/J chromosomes 4, 10, 11, 16 and Y harbor...
Aim: This study was performed: 1) to assess the relationship between blood flow velocity in the internal carotid artery (CBFICA) and pial artery pulsation (cc-TQ) and 2) to evaluate flow-induced changes in pial artery compliance. Methods: Experiments were performed on 10 crossbred male rabbits. Heart rate (HR), blood pressure (BP), left ventricle ejection fraction (LVEF), CBFICA, the systolic-diastolic blood volume fraction in the brain circulation (CBFSDF) and cc-TQ were recorded after glucagon and acetazolamide administration. cc-TQ was measured with near-infrared transillumination back scattering sounding (NIR-T/BSS), LVEF and CBFSDF with gated scintigraphy and BP and CBFICA with electromagnetic pressure and flow transducers, respectively. Doses of drugs were chosen to exert a haemodyna...
Summary There is a current popular recognition that cigarette smoking is deleterious to health. Although this is very clearly the case for physical health, the situation regarding mental health is, however, rather more complicated. This piece concentrates on the role of smoking in schizophrenia: it is important to consider why schizophrenia, exceptionally amongst the severe and enduring mental illnesses, is associated with increased cigarette consumption. People who suffer from schizophrenia consequently have a greater risk of the complications to physical health caused by this addiction and clearly, it is important to understand why this occurs. Numerous investigators have found that both neuroleptic-naive, first-onset schizophrenics, together with chronic sufferers of the illness, consum...
The effects of irradiation from a focused ion beam (FIB) system on MOS transistors are reported systematically for the first time. Three MOS transistor technologies, with 0.5, 1, and 3 {mu}m minimum feature sizes and with gate oxide thicknesses ranging from 11 to 50 nm, were analyzed. Significant shifts in transistor parameters (such as threshold voltage, transconductance, and mobility) were observed following irradiation with a 30 keV Ga{sup +} focused ion beam with ion doses varying by over 5 orders of magnitude. The apparent damage mechanism (which involved the creation of interface traps, oxide trapped charge, or both) and extent of damage were different for each of the three technologies investigated.
Butter-fly valves are advantageous over gate, globe, plug, and ball valves in a variety of installations, particularly in the large sizes. The purpose of this project development of linear flow rate control system for eccentric butter-fly valve (intelligent butter-fly valve system). The intelligent butter-fly valve system consist of a valve body, micro controller. The micro controller consist of torque control system, pressure censor, worm and worm gear and communication line etc. The characteristics of intelligent butter-fly valve system as follows: Linear flow rate control function. Digital remote control function. guard function. Self-checking function. (author)
A voice activated garage door opener was designed for a handicapped person to open a garage door without assistance. This design uses speech recognition of one word. The activating word that was chosen is "up". The frequency spectrum of "up" was captured on a soundboard and is the basis of this design. Filters are used to pick out three frequency bands in this spectrum. The output signals from these filters are then compared to three threshold voltages using voltage comparators. If the output signals from the filters are above the threshold voltages, the comparators go high. Monostable multivibrators are used on the output of the comparators to lengthen the high pulses. When all of the pulses from the monostable multivibrators are high at the same time, an AND gate output goes high. This high pulse activates the door opener. PMID:8329601
Delayed Afterdepolarization in Sinoatrial Node. Introduction: Recent evidence indicates that spontaneous sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca release and Na-Ca exchanger current activation contribute to the sinoatrial node (SAN) automaticity. These findings suggest that SAN activity may share mechanisms that underlie both automaticity and triggered activity. The aim of this study is to test the hypothesis that spontaneous, nonvoltage gated, intracellular Ca (Cai) elevation may induce delayed afterdepolarization (DAD) in intact SAN during isoproterenol infusion. Methods and Results: We simultaneously mapped Cai and membrane potential in 31 isolated Langendorff-perfused canine right atriums (RA). Isoproterenol increased heart rate and late diastolic Cai elevation (LDCAE) of the superior SAN, leading to...
One of the goals of the DARPA Virtual Soldier Project is to aid the field medic in the triage of a casualty. In Phase I, we are currently collecting 12 baseline experimental physiological variables and a cardiac gated Computed Tomography (CT) imagery for use in an prototyping a futuristic electronic medical record, the "Holomer". We are using physiological models and Kalman filtering to aid in diagnosis and predict outcomes in relation to cardiac injury. The physiological modeling introduces another few hundred variables. Reducing the complexity of the above into easy-to-read text to aid in the triage by the field medic is the challenge with multiple display solutions. A description of the possible techniques follows. PMID:15718701
In 9 over 12 patients who underwent cardiac transplantation computed tomography was performed. In 5 of them CT was obtained also before the surgical treatment. In all patients angio-CT technique was performed, while the ECG-gated technique was employed only before surgery. CT shows changes in morphology of both atria but over all of the right one, and rotation of the heart on the longitudinal axis. The conditions of the pericardium are particulary well demonstrated: in 5 cases pericardial effusion was observed, 3 times localized and 2 times diffuse. Only in 1 patient a small thrombus in the right atrium was demonstrated. CT allows the possibility to obtain simultaneously information on mediastinum, lung and pleura. Pleural effusion, pulmonary infections and mediastinal complications are easily demonstrated.
Linear-optical passive (LOP) devices and photon counters are sufficient to implement universal quantum computation with single photons, and particular schemes have already been proposed. In this paper we discuss the link between the algebraic structure of LOP transformations and quantum computing. We first show how to decompose the Fock space of N optical modes in finite-dimensional subspaces that are suitable for encoding strings of qubits and invariant under LOP transformations (these subspaces are related to the spaces of irreducible unitary representations of U (N). Next we show how to design in algorithmic fashion LOP circuits which implement any quantum circuit deterministically. We also present some simple examples, such as the circuits implementing a cNOT gate and a Bell state generator/analyser.
Adaptive radiation therapy for liver cancer has the potential to reduce normal tissue complications and enable dose escalation, allowing the potential for tumor control in this challenging site. Using adaptive techniques to tailor treatment margins to reflect patient-specific breathing motions and image-guidance techniques can reduce the high dose delivered to surrounding normal tissues while ensuring that the prescription dose is delivered to the tumor. Several treatment planning and delivery techniques have been developed for use in the liver, including a margin to encompass the full breathing motion, mean position techniques, which evaluate the probability of tumor location during breathing, breath hold, gating, and tracking. Patient selection, clinical workflow, and quality assurance m...
Turbulent flow in a 2D channel with repeated rectangular rib roughness was numerically simulated using a low Reynolds number form of the k-epsilon turbulence model. Friction factors and average Stanton numbers were calculated for various pitch to rib height ratios and bulk Reynolds numbers. Comparisons with experiment were generally adequate, with the predictions of friction superior to those for heat transfer. The effect of variable properties for channel flow was investigated, and the results showed a greater effect for friction than for heat transfer. Comparison with experiment yielded no clear conclusions. The turbulence model was also validated for a related problem, that of flow downstream of an abrupt pipe expansion.
Spontaneous radiation emitted from relativistic electrons undergoing betatron motion in a plasma-focusing channel is analyzed, and applications to plasma wake-field accelerator experiments and to the ion-channel laser (ICL) are discussed. Important similarities and differences between a free electron laser (FEL) and an ICL are delineated. It is shown that the frequency of spontaneous radiation is a strong function of the betatron strength parameter a(beta), which plays a role similar to that of the wiggler strength parameter in a conventional FEL. For a(beta) > or approximately 1, radiation is emitted in numerous harmonics. Furthermore, a(beta) is proportional to the amplitude of the betatron orbit, which varies for every electron in the beam. The radiation spectrum emitted from an electron beam is calculated by averaging the single-electron spectrum over the electron distribution. This leads to a frequency broadening of the radiation ...
In pp collisions at 1.25 GeV kinetic energy, the HADES collaboration aimed at investigating the di-electron production related to $\\Delta$ (1232) Dalitz decay ($\\Delta^+ \\to pe^+e^-$). In order to constrain the models predicting the cross section and the production mechanisms of $\\Delta$ resonance, the hadronic channels have been measured and studied in parallel to the leptonic channels. The analyses of $pp\\to np\\pi^+$ and $pp\\to pp\\pi^0$ channels and the comparison to simulations are presented in this contribution, in particular the angular distributions being sensitive to $\\Delta$ production and decay. The accurate acceptance corrections have been performed as well, which could be tested in all the phase space region thanks to the high statistic data. These analyses result in an overall agreement with the one-$\\pi$ exchange model and previous data.
The studied coal bearing series has a parallel origin. The following facial complexes are isolated in its composition: lakes free of vegetation without coal interlayers; overgrown lakes of their margins which are poor in coals; swampy lakes, whose peat beds formed coal layers of shallow or moderate depth; channel sediments without coal layers and swamps from between channel spaces which created thick coal strata of high quality for which, however, a strong changeability in thickness is intrinsic. The coal strata are normally split towards the central parts of the lake basins and river channels. The coal presence of the suite is reduced along the section which is associated with the replacement of the lake swamp conditions of sedimentation by lake river conditions. A paleotectonic analysis established that the distribution of the zones richest in coal was controlled by consedimentational structural elements.
Recently it was demonstrated that long-lived quantum coherence exists during excitation energy transport in photosynthesis. It is a valid question up to which length, time and mass scales quantum coherence may extend, how one may detect this coherence and what, if any, role it plays in the dynamics of the system. Here we suggest that the selectivity filter of ion channels may exhibit quantum coherence, which might be relevant for the process of ion selectivity and conduction. We show that quantum resonances could provide an alternative approach to ultrafast two-dimensional (2D) spectroscopy to probe these quantum coherences. We demonstrate that the emergence of resonances in the conduction of ion channels that are modulated periodically by time-dependent external electric fields can serve as signatures of quantum coherence in such a system. Assessments of experimental feasibility and specific paths towards the experimental realization of such ...
This study aimed to explore the impact of perceived service quality and self-concept on consumer attitude and purchase process using channel type (physical and Internet) as a segmentation variable. From the perspective of consumer behaviour, this study attempted to estimate a relational model and perform an empirical validation using female cosmetics and skincare products as an example. It was discovered that the influence of perceived service quality and self-concept on consumer attitude, purchase intention and behaviour, satisfaction, and loyalty varied with channel type. The analysis result revealed that physical stores presented higher levels of agreement with all research perspectives than Internet stores. However, only two relational paths have a higher influencing effect in physical...
Staircase current-voltage (I-V) characteristics, observed at 77 K in narrow 2DEG channels irradiated by a single line scan of a focused ion beam (FIB), is reported in detail. These staircases are interpreted as evidence of single electron tunneling through a naturally occurring specific Coulomb island in the random potential fluctuations created by FIB damage. Clear comparison is made between the I-V's taken from wide channels and those from narrow channels. Based on orthodox calculations of the I-V characteristics, it is shown that highly asymmetric tunnel junctions are needed to explain our data. This is consistent with the random nature of the potential landscape in the FIB damaged region. (author).
Mixed convection in a rectangular channel (width/height = 2) with bottom-heated and top-cooled sections is studied by laser Doppler anemometry in nitrogen at Ra = 22,200 and Re = 18.75, 36, and 54. At the lower Re values, symmetry breaking is observed in steady but spatially oscillating flows that prevail over a certain distance from the leading edge of the differentially heated section. Further downstream, unsteady flows are found even for Re = 18.75. Numerical models are used to investigate the effects of adiabatic, conducting (with a conductive-convective heat transfer coefficient), and perfectly conducting side walls; channel tilts and Prandtl number dependence. Good agreement between calculations and experiment is obtained for longitudinal convective roll velocities. The transverse velocities are found to be independent of Re.
Mass transfer to a wall of a horizontal rectangular channel reactor was investigated by the limiting current technique for Reynolds numbers ranging from 200 to 32000. Overall mass transfer coefficients at various mass transfer surface angles were obtained while the reactor was operated under isothermal and non-isothermal conditions. Dimensionless correlations were developed for isothermal flows from 25 to 55{sup o}C and for non-isothermal flows with applied temperature differences up to 30{sup o}C. In the laminar flow range natural convection dominated, but under turbulent conditions combined natural and forced convection prevailed. Mass transfer was approximately doubled under optimum selection of channel surface rotation, temperature gradient and flow rate. (author)
Mass transfer to a wall of a horizontal rectangular channel reactor was investigated by the limiting current technique for Reynolds numbers ranging from 200 to 32000. Overall mass transfer coefficients at various mass transfer surface angles were obtained while the reactor was operated under isothermal and non-isothermal conditions. Dimensionless correlations were developed for isothermal flows from 25 to 55"oC and for non-isothermal flows with applied temperature differences up to 30"oC. In the laminar flow range natural convection dominated, but under turbulent conditions combined natural and forced convection prevailed. Mass transfer was approximately doubled under optimum selection of channel surface rotation, temperature gradient and flow rate. (author)
A numerical investigation for forced convection in a constant-temperature parallel plate channel with porous cavity and block alternately emplaced on the bottom plate is presented in this work. The Brinkman-Forchheimer-extended Darcy model, which accounts for the effects of impermeable boundary and inertia, is used to characterize the flow field inside the porous region. Solutions of the coupled governing equations are carried out through the stream function-vorticity analysis. The characteristics of fluid flow and forced convection heat transfer have been obtained by the examinations of various governing parameters, such as the Reynolds number, Darcy number, inertial parameter, Prandtl number, and two geometric parameters. Several interesting phenomena such as the heat transfer augmentation in the channel were presented and discussed. The results of this investigation indicate that the size of recirculation caused by porous block will have a ...
Abstract The heterotetrameric K++-channel KCNQ1/KCNE1 is expressed in heart, skeletal muscle, liver and several epithelia including the renal proximal tubule. In the heart, it contributes to the repolarization of cardiomyocytes. The repolarization is impaired in ischemia. Ischemia stimulates the AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), a serine/threonine kinase, sensing energy depletion and stimulating several cellular mechanisms to enhance energy production and to limit energy utilization. AMPK has previously been shown to downregulate the epithelial Na++ channel ENaC, an effect mediated by the ubiquitin ligase Nedd4-2. The present study explored whether AMPK regulates KCNQ1/KCNE1. To this end, cRNA encoding KCNQ1/KCNE1 was injected into Xenopus oocytes with and without additional injection o...
Riparian zones of streams in northwestern Mississippi have been impacted by agriculture, channelization, channel incision, and gully erosion. Riparian gully formation has resulted in the fragmentation of remnant riparian zones within agricultural watersheds. One widely used conservation practice for controlling gully erosion is the installation of drop pipes. This practice involves placing earthen dams across eroding gullies and embedding a metal standpipe within the dam to convey water from the field to stream level. Installation of this structure halts gully erosion and incidentally replaces eroding gullies with riparian habitats. Previous research evaluating gully erosion control structures have not considered the ecological impacts of these conservation practices on amphibian and repti...
We investigate Fermi liquid in the single-channel U-infinite N fold degenerate Anderson lattice with use of the expansion from the large limit of the spin-orbital degeneracy N. By collecting all diagrams up to O(N{sup -2}) of the imaginary part of the self-energy of the conduction electrons, the sum of those is shown to be given by a form proportional to {omega}{sup 2} + {pi}{sup 2}T{sup 2} up to O(N{sup -2}) in the single-channel model. On the other hand, the imaginary part of the self-energy of O(N{sup -1}) in the multichannel model has more singular frequency-/temperature-dependence, so the system is regarded as non-Fermi liquid. (author)
The loss of seal of the H9 channel in vacuum, freeing the entire cross section of the front part, leads to a fast leak that progresses rapidly. The effect of depressurizing the reflector can leads to shutdown of the shutdown rod pumps. The source changer associated with the channel fills completely before the valve closes. All of the leak water remains contained within the source changer containment. After the valves open, cooling of the fuel element is handled by natural convection, requiring a reversal of the flow between the plates. This changeover, which takes place at a relatively low pressure level, could lead to local boiling in the fuel element. Consequently, irreversible transformations cannot be excluded as possibilities for the fuel element and even for the control rod. Subsequently, the can is refilled with heavy water with establishment of the usual pressure levels.
Experimental investigations have been performed to study solutal convection around an air bubble squeezed between the walls of a horizontal rectangular channel, filled by an aqueous solution of surfactant with vertically stratified concentration. A convective motion in the fluid develops due to the solutocapillary Marangoni forces at the bubble lateral free surface. The structure and evolution of the convective flow and the surfactant concentration fields in the channel have been investigated using interferometric technique. The tests revealed the development of self-oscillatory modes near the bubble surface, related to the interaction between solutocapillary and solutogravitational motion mechanisms. The time dependences of the oscillations period are analyzed in relation to the average c...
We have analyzed the MHD flow of a conducting couple stress fluid in a slit channel with rhythmically contracting walls. In this analysis we are taking into account the induced magnetic field. Analytical expressions for the stream function, the magnetic force function, the axial pressure gradient, the axial induced magnetic field and the distribution of the current density across the channel are obtained using long wavelength approximation. The results for the pressure rise, the frictional force per wave length, the axial induced magnetic field and distribution of the current density across the channel have been computed numerically and the results were studied for various values of the physical parameters of interest, such as the couple stress parameter ?, the Hartmann number M, the magnetic Reynolds number R and the time averaged mean flow rate ?. Contour plots for the stream and magnetic force functions are obtained and ...
To form a licensing basis for a new methodology for a fuel channel safety analysis code for CANDU-6 nuclear reactor, a CATHENA model for a post-blowdown fuel channel analysis has been developed, and tested for a high temperature thermal-chemical experiment CS28-1 [Lei, Q.M., 1993. Post-test analysis of the 28-element high-temperature thermal-chemical experiment CS28-1. In: 4th International Conference on Simulation Methods in Nuclear Engineering, Montreal, PQ, 1993]. Pursuant to the objective of this investigation, the current study has focused on understanding the involved phenomena, their interrelations, and how to maintain a good accuracy of the temperature and H2 generation rate prediction without losing the important physics of the involved phenomena. The transient simulation results ...
The proton and deuteron spectra following resonant multiphoton ionization of H{sub 2} and HD at 193 nm through the {ital E},{ital F} state have been studied at power densities of 10{sup 10} W/cm{sup 2}. Our results show that the intermediate state induces competition between 3(2+1)-photon ionization, dissociation, and dissociative ionization channels. We find that the competition depends on the specific vibrational and rotational levels excited in the intermediate state. At the same time, the mere presence of this bound intermediate state renders these three-photon fragmentation channels so efficient that higher-order fragmentation processes, such as Coulomb explosions requiring many more photons, are not observed.
Using a realistic three-body model, angular distributions for the "1"6O(d,p)"1"7O(1/2"+) reaction, based on the channel coupling array (CCA) theory and various forms of the coupled reaction channel (CRC) method are compared. Despite the different forms and theoretical foundations of these methods, they yield similar angular distributions, within the bound state approximations used herein. The expected breaking of time reversal inveriance in the approximated CCA theory is quite small over most of the angular range. Of all the methods used, coupling effects in the forward directions are largest for the post form of the CRC, indicating that it is the least reliable of the CRC forms for fitting data. (Auth.).
Targeting always the best achievable bit error rate (BER) performance in iterative receivers operating over multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) channels may result in significant waste of resources, especially when the achievable BER is orders of magnitude better than the target performance (e.g., under good channel conditions and at high signal-to-noise ratio (SNR)). In contrast to the typical iterative schemes, a practical iterative decoding framework that approximates the soft-information exchange is proposed which allows reduced complexity sphere and channel decoding, adjustable to the transmission conditions and the required bit error rate. With the proposed approximate soft information exchange the performance of the exact soft information can still be reached with significant complexity gains.
Various measurement tools that are used in chaos theory were applied to analyze two-phase pressure signals with the objective of identifying and interpreting flow pattern transitions for two-phase flows in a small, horizontal rectangular channel. These measurement tools included power spectral density function, autocorrelation function, pseudo-phase-plane trajectory, Lyapunov exponent,s and fractal dimensions. It was demonstrated that the randomlike pressure fluctuations characteristic of two-phase flow in small rectangular channels are chaotic, and governed by a high-order deterministic system. The correlation dimension is potentially a new approach for identifying certain two-phase flow patterns and transitions.
It has previously been shown that ensembles of terminated protograph-based low-density parity-check (LDPC) convolutional codes have a typical minimum distance that grows linearly with block length and that they are capable of achieving capacity approaching iterative decoding thresholds on the binary erasure channel (BEC). In this paper, we review a recent result that the dramatic threshold improvement obtained by terminating LDPC convolutional codes extends to the additive white Gaussian noise (AWGN) channel. Also, using a (3,6)-regular protograph-based LDPC convolutional code ensemble as an example, we perform an asymptotic trapping set analysis of terminated LDPC convolutional code ensembles. In addition to capacity approaching iterative decoding thresholds and linearly growing minimum distance, we find that the smallest non-empty trapping set of a terminated ensemble grows linearly with block length.
A Real-Time Neutron Radiography (RTNR) system is developed to determine two-phase flow parameters for a vertical co-current two-phase flow channel with a hexagonal finned bundle. Image processing techniques are applied to visualize the two-phase flow, and procedures for measuring flow regime, cross-sectional averaged void fraction, time averaged void fraction, and void distribution for this complex geometry are discussed. The results show that the experimental flow regime map agrees well with an existing flow regime model for a hexagonal fined bundle. The hexagonal finned bundle is observed to significantly affect the void fraction, void migration, and void fluctuation along the axial flow channel.
Our group is interested in evaluating early effects of dietary interventions on bone loss. Postmenopausal women lose bone following reduction in estrogen which leads to increased risk of fracture. Traditional means of monitoring bone loss and effectiveness of treatments include changes in bone density, which takes 6 months to years to observe effects, and changes in biochemical markers of bone turnover, which are highly variable and lack specificity. Prelabeling bone with {sup 41}Ca and measuring urinary {sup 41}Ca excretion with accelerator mass spectrometry provides a sensitive, specific, and rapid approach to evaluating effectiveness of treatment. To better understand {sup 41}Ca technology as a tool for measuring effective treatments on reducing bone resorption, we perturbed bone resorption by manipulating dietary calcium in rats. We used {sup 3}H-tetracycline ({sup 3}H-TC) as a proxy for {sup 41}Ca and found that a single dose is feasible to study bone ...
The suitability of calcium silicate bricks (CSBs) for the retrospective measurement of gamma dose using luminescence techniques has been investigated. Bricks of this type are distinguished from fired clay bricks by containing negligible clay and requiring comparatively low temperature treatment during manufacture. They have been used widely in the construction f buildings in the Former Soviet Union since the 1970s but hitherto have not been used for retrospective dosimetry measurements. A procedure based on the se of the 210 deg. C thermoluminescence (TL) peak of quartz was tested with granular quartz extracted from three types of CSB, one of which had been taken from a settlement downwind of Chernobyl. The degree to which the residual geological TL signal within the temperature range of the 210 deg. C L peak had been reduced during manufacture varied with brick type; the levels of residual TL corresponded, in the samples tested, to absorbed doses n the range ...
The possibility of obtaining high yields of hydrogen through the exposure of calcium hydroxide to natural uranium fission fragments is confirmed experimentally. The amounts of hydrogen obtained in some experiments were determined not only from the mass-spectrometry data, but also with the use of standard chemical analysis methods. The radiolytic hydrogen yield averaged over six independent experiments comprises 20.41 hydrogen molecules per 100 eV of absorbed fission fragment energy. The corresponding energy efficiency makes up to 60.62. Since on interaction with water or water vapor calcium hydroxide enters into the exothermal reaction to liberate 15.6 kcal/mole, it can easily be regenerated; this was attested to by one of irradiation experiments. Therefore, in the long run, we are dealing with a radiolytic decomposition of water at low temperatures or at temperatures readily available with modern reactor engineering techniques. Comparison of ...
Although it has been established that lead is transferred in milk from mother to suckling offspring, the physiological processes and parameters involved are not well understood. Single i.v. doses (0.2 mg/kg) or p.o. doses (2 mg/kg) of radiolabeled lead were administered to lactating and nonlactating female mice, and lead concentrations in blood, plasma, and milk were determined during a 21-day period. Large differences in lead elimination were observed between lactating and nonlactation mice. A significant fraction (25%) of the initial maternal dose (absorbed dose) was transferred to the suckling pups. The ratio of lead concentration in milk to lead concentration in plasma was found to be nearly constant over time. However, the milk-to-blood concentration ratios decreased during the same period. Furthermore, the concentration of lead in milk exceeded the plasma concentration by a factor of approximately 25, indicating that there is a physiological process(es) which establishes a large ...
There is increasing concern among the dental community regarding the damage caused to teeth by the acids in soft drinks. Enamel dissolution in acidic solution can be reduced by addition of calcium and/or phosphate salts to increase the degree of saturation with respect to hydroxyapatite (DS sub H sub A), or by an increase in pH. In soft drinks, however, both of these approaches are associated with a reduced taste quality. The separate effects of each parameter are not known. In the work presented here, enamel dissolution was studied in citric acid solutions with compositions typical of soft drinks. Nanoindentation and atomic force microscopy (AFM) were used to investigate very early stages of enamel dissolution, with typical exposure times of 30-600 s. Preliminary investigations of the application of SIMS, ESEM and XPS to enamel dissolution studies are also reported. The individual effects of DS sub H sub A , pH and calcium and phosphate ...
Dairy products doubly labeled with 45Ca and 47Ca were used to evaluate an extrinsic labeling procedure for calcium bioavailability determination. Nonfat milk, yogurt, and fresh cheese curd were prepared from caprine milk that was intrinsically labeled with 45Ca. The products were then labeled extrinsically with 47Ca and administered to rats by gavage. The 47Ca to 45Ca ratio in bone and teeth averaged about 1.00 with either milk, yogurt, or CaCl2, but the ratio was about 1.04 when dosed with cheese curd. Ca absorption, determined by whole-body counting of 47Ca, was lower (P less than 0.05) in cheese curd (59%) than in either milk (69%), yogurt (72%), or CaCl2 (72%). Expressed as percent of dose, the absorption of 47Ca was highly correlated with bone 47Ca (r = 0.973) and with bone 45Ca (r = 0.946). Correlation between tibia 47Ca and tibia 45Ca was r = 0.923. For the dairy products tested, our results indicated that extrinsic 47Ca was absorbed similarly to intrinsic ...
The Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute has launched a decommissioning program of uranium conversion plant. One of the important tasks in the decommissioning program is the treatment of the sludge, which was generated during operation and stored in the two ponds of the lagoon. The treatment requires the volume reduction of lagoon sludges for the low cost of the program and the conversion of the chemical forms, including uranium, for the acceptance at the final disposal site. The physical properties, such as densities, were measured and chemical compositions and radiological properties were analyzed. The denitration was a candidate process which would satisfy the requirements for sludge treatment, and the characteristics of thermal decomposition and dissolution with water were analyzed. The main compounds of the sludge were ammonium and sodium nitrate from conversion plant and calcium nitrate, calcium carbonate from Ca precipitation and ...
The aim of this study was to observe both the clinical signs and symptoms of wounds at risk of infection, that is critically colonised (biofilm infected) and antimicrobial-performance of an ionic silver alginate/carboxymethylcellulose (SACMC) dressing, in comparison with a non silver calcium alginate fibre (AF) dressing, on chronic venous leg and pressure ulcers. Thirty-six patients with venous or pressure ulcers, considered clinically to be critically colonised (biofilm infected), were randomly chosen to receive either an SACMC dressing or a non silver calcium AF dressing. The efficacy of each wound dressing was evaluated over a 4-week period. The primary study endpoints were prevention of infection and progression to wound healing. The SACMC group showed a statistically significant (P = 0.017) improvement to healing as indicated by a reduction in the surface area of the wound, over the 4-week study period, compared with AF controls. In ...
Variability in motor performance decreases with practice but is never entirely eliminated, due in part to inherent motor noise. The present study develops a method that quantifies how performers...Full Text Available
Quartz has a dissipation factor of approximately 10(-4), which is an order of magnitude less than that of the best glasses previously used to fabricate patch pipettes; it's dielectric constant of 3.8...Full Text Available
ObjectivesWe have developed an image-guided surgery system based on invisible near-infrared (NIR) fluorescent light. Presently, the only clinically-available NIR...Full Text Available
In whole-cell recording, the conductance of the plasma membrane of protoplasts isolated from mesophyll cells of leaves of oat (Avena sativa) was greater for inward than outward current....Full Text Available
After emergence, adult flies and other insects select a suitable perch and expand their wings. Wing expansion is governed by the hormone bursicon and can be delayed under adverse environmental...Full Text Available
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Human K2P3.1 (TASK1) channels represent potential targets for pharmacological management of atrial fibrillation. K2P channels control excitability by stabilizing membrane potential and by expediting repolarization. In the heart, inhibition of K2P currents by class III antiarrhythmic drugs results in action potential prolongation and suppression of electrical automaticity. Carvedilol exerts antiarrhythmic activity and suppresses atrial fibrillation following cardiac surgery or cardioversion. The objective of this study was to investigate acute effects of carvedilol on human K2P3.1 (hK2P3.1) channels. EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH Two-electrode voltage clamp and whole-cell patch clamp electrophysiology was used to record hK2P3.1 currents from Xenopus oocytes, Chinese hamster o...
The annealing behavior of the radiation damage in epitaxial Pd_2Si and NiSi_2 films on Si, due to the implantation of 100 keV Ar ions, is investigated by using the channeling technique with "4He ions. (U.K.).