UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

In a previous study we found that nanofibrous poly(l-lactic acid) (PLLA) scaffolds mimicking collagen fibers in size were superior to solid-walled scaffolds in promoting osteoblast differentiation...Full Text Available

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

We report a study of the nonmetal-metal transition of free-standing Pd{sub N} clusters (2{<=}N{<=}21) carried out through two different theoretical approaches that are extensively employed in electronic structure calculations: a semi-empirical tight-binding (TB) model and an ab initio DFT pseudopotential model. The calculated critical size for the metallic transition decreases rapidly with the temperature and an oscillatory dependence with the cluster size is obtained, particularly in the DFT approach. The TB model describes the metallic behavior for cluster sizes beyond N{approx}12 well. Our obtained critical size at room temperature is of the order of the experimental estimation.

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

Magnetotactic bacteria contain chains of magnetically interacting crystals (magnetosome crystals), which they use for navigation (magnetotaxis). To improve magnetotaxis efficiency, the magnetosome crystals...Full Text Available

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

An ultrafine-grained ferrite/cementite (UGF/C) steel with a local high density of cementite particles was fabricated through caliber-warm-rolling followed by annealing and resulted in a bimodal-sized microstructure. The characteristic bimodal-sized microstructure was attributed to the original ferrite-pearlite structure and cementite spacing, and reflected the original ferrite-pearlite structure. The smaller-sized clusters corresponded to the former pearlite regions and the larger-sized clusters to the proeutectoid ferrite regions. The cementite particles naturally localized within the former pearlite region. Most of the ferrite coarsening did not occur until the cementite particle spacing reached a critical value. The UGF/C microstructure with a bimodal grain size showed a yield strength ...

Science.gov (United States)

The relationship between processing, microstructure, and properties was studied for A-15 compounds in multifilamentary composites produced by solid-state diffusion and in thin-film samples produced by vapor deposition. Grain sizes of A-15 superconducting compounds were measured by transmission electron microscopy of multifilamentary composites reacted at various temperatures. Critical current densities at 4.2 K and fields up to 6 T were found to be similar for niobium-tin, vanadium-gallium, and vanadium-silicon of the same grain size. Study of the Cu-V-Si phase diagram led to the production of improved multifilamentary vanadium-silicon conductors. The effects of various alloying elements on A-15 layers produced by solid-state diffusion were studied. The most promising new observation was that tantalum can be incorporated into niobium-tin reaction layers, leading to an enhancement of critical currents at ...

CERN Document Server

We study the energetics of island formation in Stranski-Krastanow growth within a parameter-free approach. It is shown that an optimum island size exists for a given coverage and island density if changes in the wetting layer morphology after the 3D transition are properly taken into account. Our approach reproduces well the experimental island size dependence on coverage, and indicates that the critical layer thickness depends on growth conditions. The present study provides a new explanation for the (frequently found) rather narrow size distribution of self-assembled coherent islands.

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to critically explore business-to-business critical success factors (B2B CSFs) for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) operating in the Chinese B2B marketplace, evaluate the findings, and use the generated CSFs to propose a framework to assist in the marketing management of B2B in China. The proposed framework provides a guideline for academics and practitioners and highlights the significant role of each factor in developing and sustaining effective B2B electronic commerce (B2B e-commerce) practice for SMEs. Design/methodology/approach - The proposed framework is constructed by combining the empirical findings and B2B literature. The quantitative (online survey) was targeted at, proprietors, chief executive officers, managing directors, general...

Science.gov (United States)

Bone is a complex, highly structured, mechanically active, three-dimensional (3-D) tissue composed of cellular and matrix elements. We previously published a report on in situ collagen gelation using a rotary 3-D culture system (CG-RC system) for the construction of large tissue specimens. The objective of the current study was to evaluate the feasibility of bone tissue engineering using our CG-RC system. Osteoblasts from the calvaria of newborn Wistar rats were cultured in the CG-RC system for up to 3 wk. The engineered 3-D tissues were implanted into the backs of nude mice and calvarial round bone defects in Wistar rats. Cell metabolic activity, mineralization, and bone-related proteins were measured in vitro in the engineered 3-D tissues. Also, the in vivo histological features of the transplanted, engineered 3-D tissues were evaluated in the animal models. We found that metabolic activity increased in the engineered 3-D tissues during cultivation, and that ...

Science.gov (United States)

The variation of metallic particle size and sample porosity significantly alters the dynamic mechanical properties of high density granular composite materials processed using a cold isostatically pressed mixture of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), aluminum (Al), and tungsten (W) powders. Quasistatic and dynamic experiments are performed with identical constituent mass fractions with variations in the size of the W particles and pressing conditions. The relatively weak polymer matrix allows the strength and fracture modes of this material to be governed by the granular type behavior of agglomerated metal particles. A higher ultimate compressive strength was observed in relatively high porosity samples with small W particles compared to those with coarse W particles in all experiments. Mesoscale granular force chains of the metallic particles explain this unusual phenomenon as observed in hydrocode simulations of a drop-weight test. Macrocracks ...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

The LPCTrap setup is a transparent Paul trap dedicated to the measurement of the ??? correlation coefficient a ?? in the ? decay of trapped radioactive nuclides. In a first experiment, the system has been used to record ?105 coincidences between the ? particles and recoiling ions emitted from the decay of 6He?+? ions. The analysis of the collected data has already shown that the size of the 6He?+? ion cloud confined in the Paul trap is a critical parameter, potentially limiting the accuracy on the a ?? measurement. We report here the precise determination of the trapped ion cloud temperature and size. This was performed by extracting the trapped ions toward a position sensitive micro channel plate detector at different phases of the RF driving field. We find a temperature T exp ?= 0.107(7)...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

Assembly of icosahedral capsids of proper size and symmetry is not understood. Residue F170 in bacteriophage P22 coat protein is critical for conformational switching during assembly. Substitutions at this site cause assembly of tubes of hexamerically arranged coat protein. Intragenic suppressors of the ts phenotype of F170A and F170K coat protein mutants were isolated. Suppressors were repeatedly found in the coat protein telokin-like domain at position 285, which caused coat protein to assemble into petite procapsids and capsids. Petite capsid assembly strongly correlated to the side chain volume of the substituted amino acid. We hypothesize that larger side chains at position 285 torque the telokin-like domain, changing flexibility of the subunit and intercapsomer contacts. Thus, a sing...

Science.gov (United States)

Critical power at boiling transition is an important factor in a boiling water reactor (BWR) fuel bundle design. Boiling transition under high quality accounts for dryout as the result of the complete disappearance of film flow on a fuel rod. This liquid film vanishing process can be calculated by the liquid film model, which takes into account the evaporation due to heat from the rod surface, liquid film entrainment by steam flow, and liquid droplet deposition. It is known that spacers affect liquid film entrainment and liquid droplet deposition, so the detailed study of spacer effects on hydrodynamic characteristics is necessary for critical power prediction based on the film flow model. Many studies have been conducted to examine spacer effects on liquid film flow. However, most of them are restricted to simple test sections such as a rectangular conduit. There are a few reports on fuel bundle geometry; however the bundle studied was only a ...

CERN Document Server

If quantum fields exist in extra compact dimensions, they will give rise to a quantum vacuum or Casimir energy. That vacuum energy will manifest itself as a cosmological constant. The fact that supernova and cosmic microwave background data indicate that the cosmological constant is of the same order as the critical mass density to close the universe supplies a lower bound on the size of the extra dimensions. Recent laboratory constraints on deviations from Newton's law place an upper limit. The allowed region is so small as to suggest that either extra compact dimensions do not exist, or their properties are about to be tightly constrained by experimental data.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tantalum and tantalum-based thin films have gained precedence as the diffusion barrier for copper interconnects used in the latest generation of integrated circuits (ICs). The paper presents insight and observations on the covariance of texture and grain size of wrought tantalum sputtering targets and their influence on sputtering performance. Previous studies involving deposition trials of tantalum targets of varying metallurgical character had demonstrated that both grain size and textural homogeneity is critical for assuring reliable sputtering performance of tantalum. Subsequently, a model had been proposed to prescribe how localized texture bands and orientation clusters in tantalum are effectively resistant to sputter erosion. In this paper, results of atomic force microscopy (AFM) and orientation imaging microscopy (OIM{sup TM}) analyses on the eroded surface of a tantalum sputtering target are presented. Initial ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

An approach to the ductile fracture of ultra high strength steels has been evaluated. According to this approach the critical crack tip opening, delta/sub IC/, will scale with X/sub 0/(R/sub V//R/sub I/vertical bar/sub R//sub 0/. X/sub 0/ is an average inclusion spacing and (R/sub V/R/sub I/)vertical bar/sub R//sub 0/ is the void radius divided by the radius of the inclusion nucleating the void evaluated at the average inclusion size. AF1410 was selected to test this approach because it has exceptionally high fracture toughness on aging at 510/sup 0/C and because its toughness varies markedly with aging temperature. The results from this and earlier work showed a linear relationship exists between delta/sub IC/ and X/sub 0/(R/sub V//R/sub I/)vertical bar /sub R//sub 0/ for values of delta/sub IC/ ranging from about 8 ..mu..m to 60 ..mu..m. The values of (R/sub V//R/sub I/)vertical bar /sub R//sub 0/ for AF1410 aged at 425/sup 0/C and 510/sup ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Recently we have found a highly effective additive for the melt growth processings attaining high critical currents in YBCO superconductor. It is platinum and it behaves as an effective grain growth inhibitor for the Y{sub 2}BaCuO{sub 5} phase. Even with less than 1 wt.% doping, Y{sub 2}BaCuO{sub 5} particles becomes less than one micron in size and distribute themselves to become homogeneously embedded in the large grown YBa{sub 2}Cu{sub 3}O{sub y} grains. The sample shows large magnetic hysteresis and a typical J{sub c} value estimated by using Bean's model critical state model is 18000 A/cm{sup 2} at 77 K and 1 T. We found that rhodium has a similar remarkable effect. (orig.).

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

A descriptive model and design procedure for the DC electromagnetic flow coupler is developed based on a quasi-one-dimensional analysis previously developed for the DC electromagnetic pump. It is shown that for a particular flow coupler geometry, the total efficiency and the pressure gradients through the pump and generator depend on two parameters - the Hartmann number and the ratio of the pump flow rate to generator flow rate. Thus, for a fixed Hartmann number the efficiency depends only on the flow ratio. However, for a fixed pressure rise through the pump it is shown that the efficiency depends only on the Hartmann number. Nomographs showing the operating characteristics and critical design points are presented. Example calculations for a full-size unit, suitable for use in a liquid-metal cooled fast breeder reactor, are also discussed using the design nomographs.

CERN Document Server

The analysis of the linearization effect in multifractal analysis, and hence of the estimation of moments for multifractal processes, is revisited borrowing concepts from the statistical physics of disordered systems, notably from the analysis of the so-called Random Energy Model. Considering a standard multifractal process (compound Poisson motion), chosen as a simple representative example, we show: i) the existence of a critical order q* beyond which moments, though finite, cannot be estimated through empirical averages, irrespective of the sample size of the observation; ii) that multifractal exponents necessarily behave linearly in q, for q > q*. Tailoring the analysis conducted for the Random Energy Model to that of Compound Poisson motion, we provide explicative and quantitative predictions for the values of q* and for the slope controlling the linear behavior of the multifractal exponents. These quantities are shown to be related ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Polycrystalline specimens of spinel (MgAl_2O_4) and alumina (Al_2O_3) were irradiated at room temperature and 650deg C with either dual- or triple-ion beams in order to investigate the effects of simultaneous displacement damage and helium implantation on cavity formation. The cavities in alumina were aligned along the direction of the c-axis, with diameters ranging from < 2 to 10 nm. The cavities in spinel were preferentially associated with dislocation loops and were of similar size as the cavities in alumina. Catastrophic amounts of cavitation were observed at the grain boundaries in spinel when the displacement damage level exceeded a critical value (#approx =# 20 dpa) in the presence of a fusion-relevant (#approx =# 60 appm/dpa) helium environment. (orig.).

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The nucleation of microdamage under dynamic loading was investigated through planar impact experiments accomplished with a light gas gun. The microscopic observation of recovered and sectioned specimens showed that microcracks were nucleated only by cracking of brittle particles inside material. However, for comparison the in situ static tensile tests on the same material conducted with a scanning electron microscope showed that the microcracks were nucleated by many forms those were fracture of ductile matrix, debonding particles from matrix and cracking of brittle particles. The quantitative metallographic observations of the specimens subjected to impact loading showed that most of the cracked particles were situated on grain boundaries of the aluminum matrix. These facts suggested the concept of critical size and incubation time of submicroscopic cavities in the dynamic case and the mechanism of embryo-damage induced nucleation by fracture ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The energy deposited by the passage of a single, energetic, heavy-ion through a semiconductor produces dense electron-hole (eh) pair concentrations near the ion trajectory. The size, shape, and charge density of an ion track represent critical parameters for many models of single event phenomena. The authors describe the design and uses of possible semiconductor test structures for measuring the initial radial distribution of charge and subsequent charge transport in a high energy, heavy-ion track. Numerical simulations show how the test structure can resolve different radial distributions of charge within an ion track. The test structure simulations also show the importance of accurately representing ion track structure in single event effects simulations.

Science.gov (United States)

Operating PWR units in the USA have experienced very severe corrosion of the tube support plate at the crevice between the tube and the support. This results in distortion of the plate and crushing of the tube (denting). The first task of this project required that currently available computational methods to estimate the pH attained by concentrating boiler water under various fault conditions such as condenser leakage of river waters and faulty operation of condensate polishing plant. Particular attention has been paid to systems in which sulfate predominates. In the second task, the mechanisms are discussed by which solutions become concentrated in porous deposits on a boiling heat transfer surface. It is concluded that more experimental data are needed to test the validity of existing models. High solution concentrations in the deposit may occur at a heat flux close to the critical value for drying out the base of the deposit. The pore to bulk concentration ...

Science.gov (United States)

Not Available

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

No abstract prepared.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The framework for investment in research and development (R&D) at a medium-sized Canadian petroleum company is described. The importance of R&D is illustrated by a graph showing the strong positive correlation between R&D intensity and sales for companies in the mainstream oil and gas sector in the USA. Strong R&D efforts also help to maintain market share and enhance corporate ability to transfer technology into its operations. Three ways of structuring, developing, and transferring technology are outlined: using in-house R&D facilities, which is too costly for medium-sized firms; having a central group responsible for funding third-party R&D, transferring technology into the company, and being aware of technology activities within and outside the company; and complete decentralizing of R&D, in which operations decides how, when, and what to spend on R&D. For the medium-sized company, the ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

In the report the results of the estimations of radiological risk of various stages of decommissioning of nuclear submarines are presented. At occurrence on nuclear submarine the heavy failure, relating to the class hypotetical volume of acting of radionuclides in atmosphere can reach 1.6E(15) Bq. Results of estimations probable doses on an axis of a trace of a radioactive loop show, that at distribution of radionuclides during atmospheric carry to 'agreed' settlement (500-1000 m) the maximum doses on its territory can make: about 6.0E(-3) Sv (for the whole body); 3.0E(-3) Gy for the leather (basal layer); 6.3E(-2) Gy for the lungs (acute exposure) and up to 1.8 Gy for the thyroid gland. Hypotetical failure for the estimation of the greatest possible radioecological consequences for hydrobiocenosis is considering, connected with single discharge of liquid radioactive waste (LRW) in water area. At navigating failure of the tanker with LRW in water area can arrive 300 M3 of LRW with the ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Energy is a critical factor which determines the progress of rural development. Energy is therefore an area of concern. The quality, availability and cost of conventional energies, plus the associated environmental effects are a growing problem - not only for the health infrastructure but also for agriculture and domestic life. This is true not only in developing countries where the fast growing industries and urban populations demand a soaring proportion of available energy at the expense of the rural communities, but also in the poorest countries with weak energy infrastructure. Renewable energies, much studied in the last 20 years, can meet the needs of rural health and education services and communities by providing high quality, low cost, non-polluting energy. Solar energy, in particular, has the flexibility to produce electricity, heat and cooling. Solar technologies, furthermore, are backed by an established and experienced industry. This report proposes to ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Supermetal with critical characteristics is under advanced investigation for further improvement of metal materials. Although iron is most frequently used as structural material among various metals, it should be used more carefully and effectively because of resource limitation and global environmental problem. It is essential to draw various excellent properties much more from iron and to improve recyclability. In particular, the best way to meet these requirements is achievement of more fine structure and higher purity. Since the lowest crystalline grain size is now limited to nearly 10{mu}m, metallic structure composed of grains below 1{mu}m is expected by mesoscopic control. Various methods have been studied to achieve ultra-fine crystalline structure, and study of precise heat treatment control and ultra-strength metallurgy is required. Heat treatment in magnetic field and layered structure by mechanical alloying are also promising. ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

When a metallic alloy is quenched into a miscibility gap, a mixture of two phases develops, whose domain structure then coarsens because of the interfacial energy between the two phases. This spatial arrangement of the domains and the rate at which they evolve may be strongly influenced by elastic interactions. In a recent paper, the authors described a method for simulating the effect of anisotropic elastic interactions in a two-dimensional Ising model of a cubic alloy, using Kawasaki dynamics with the elastic interactions represented by a long-range two-body interaction potential. Here they present the results of such simulations at various temperatures, alloy compositions and misfits (by misfit they mean the difference in size between the two kinds of atom), exhibiting snapshots both of the microscopic configurations (corresponding to experimental measurements using transmission electron microscopy) and of their squared Fourier transforms (corresponding to ...

CERN Document Server

Nobel Prizes are commonly seen to be among the most prestigious achievements of our times. Based on mining several million citations, we quantitatively analyze the processes driving paradigm shifts in science. We find that groundbreaking discoveries of Nobel Prize Laureates and other famous scientists are not only acknowledged by many citations of their landmark papers. Surprisingly, they also boost the citation rates of their previous publications. Given that innovations must outcompete the rich-gets-richer effect for scientific citations, it turns out that they can make their way only through citation cascades. A quantitative analysis reveals how and why they happen. Science appears to behave like a self-organized critical system, in which citation cascades of all sizes occur, from continuous scientific progress all the way up to scientific revolutions, which change the way we see our world. Measuring the "boosting effect" of landmark papers, ...

CERN Document Server

The detailed formulation for loop quantum cosmology (LQC) in the Bianchi I model with a scalar massless field has been constructed. In this paper, its effective dynamics is studied in two improved strategies for implementing the LQC discreteness corrections. Both schemes show that the big bang is replaced by the big bounces, which take place up to three times, once in each diagonal direction, when the area or volume scale factor approaches the critical values in the Planck regime measured by the reference of the scalar field momentum. These two strategies give different evolutions: In one scheme, the effective dynamics is independent of the choice of the finite sized cell prescribed to make Hamiltonian finite; in the other, the effective dynamics reacts to the macroscopic scales introduced by the boundary conditions. Both schemes reveal interesting symmetries of scaling, which are reminiscent of the relational interpretation of quantum ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

This report summarizes the work that was completed in FY 1992 on the program {open_quotes}Technology Development for Concentrating Process Streams.{close_quotes} The purpose of this program is to evaluate and develop evaporator technology for concentrating radioactive waste and product streams such as those generated by the TRUEX process. Concentrating these streams and minimizing the volume of waste generated can significantly reduce disposal costs; however, equipment to concentrate the streams and recycle the decontaminated condensates must be installed. LICON, Inc., is developing an evaporator that shows a great deal of potential for this application. In this report, concepts that need to be incorporated into the design of an evaporator operated in a radioactive environment are discussed. These concepts include criticality safety, remote operation and maintenance, and materials of construction. Both solubility and vapor-liquid equilibrium data are needed to ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

A personal computer based single specimen unloading technique has been demonstrated using a nuclear grade pressure vessel material, A533B Class I steel, and an #alpha#-#beta# titanium alloy, CORONA-5. Experimental parameters investigated in the case of steel include the effect of test temperature, loading rate and neutron irradiation. Results revealed the effect of dynamic strain aging (DSA) as a drop in the critical crack initiation fracture toughness (Jsub(q)); the minimum in Jsub(q) shifts to higher temperatures at higher test speeds as predicted from DSA models. In CORONA-5, the effects of microstructure and heat treatment for two different sizes of equiaxed #alpha# morphology in a #beta#-matrix heat treated to different yield strengths were investigated. It is found that the observed higher values of Jsub(q) and tearing modulus result from a greater tortuosity of the crack path and ease of crack blunting. The largest increase in Jsub(q) ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The H-SAPS (Hydrogen Stand-Alone Power System) project, an EU project within the ALTENER programme in the period 2002-2004, was initiated to determine the potential for the introduction of environmentally benign hydrogen technology in what is believed to be a near-term market, namely stand-alone power systems (SAPS). The objective of the project was to examine the technological, political, social and economical factors affecting the emergence of hydrogen technology in the stand-alone power system market today and in the future. The scope of the project was limited to small and medium sized stand-alone power systems, up to a few hundred kilowatts (kW) power rating and based on renewable energy as the primary energy source. The work was divided into five phases: (1) Inception, (2) Data collection and analysis, (3) Market analysis and barrier removal, (4) Dissemination, and (5) Final report. Separate reports were written on these topics, and later summarised this ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

YBCO films were fabricated on PLD-CeO{sub 2}/IBAD-Gd{sub 2}Zr{sub 2}O{sub 7}/Hastelloy substrates using the advanced TFA-MOD process. The effective thickness of the CeO{sub 2} buffer layer for obtaining high I{sub c} was investigated in short samples of YBCO films. The CeO{sub 2} buffer layer was epitaxially grown on an IBAD-Gd{sub 2}Zr{sub 2}O{sub 7} template tape with 18 deg. of {delta}{phi} by a reel-to-reel PLD system. The in-plane grain alignment of PLD-CeO{sub 2} buffer layers rapidly improved with the thickness and saturated at a critical thickness of 0.8 {mu}m. The size of CeO{sub 2} grains was about 1 {mu}m at the saturated thickness of {delta}{phi}. YBCO films with the thickness of 1 {mu}m were deposited by the TFA-MOD on the CeO{sub 2} buffer layer with different thickness films. Improvement of the CeO{sub 2} in-plane grain alignment resulted in increase of I{sub c}. The I{sub c} values of 250-290 A were obtained with the CeO{sub 2} ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pipeline automated ultrasonic testing (AUT) uses fully automated equipment that travels around a pipe on a welding band in a linear scan to allow array pulses to provide ultrasound information on weld zones. Pipeline AUT is also used for zone discrimination as well as with special calibration blocks, dual gate output displays, and rapid defect sizing. AUT allows for the inspection of welds soon after completion, and can save construction costs by process control when combined with engineering critical assessment (ECA) to minimize rejection rates. Ultrasonic phased arrays (UPA) use an array of elements that are all individually wired, pulsed, and time-shifted. Elements are pulsed in groups of approximately 16 elements at a time for pipeline welds. Phased arrays can be used to combine electronic scanning, sectorial scanning and precision focusing to give a practical combination of displays. Optimum angles can be selected for welds and other ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Understanding the mechanical properties of biomedical devices is critical in predicting and preventing their failure in the body. Such knowledge is essential, for example, in the design of biomedical stents, which must undergo repeated strain over their ten year lifetimes without breaking. Computational models are used to predict mechanical response of a device, but these models are not complete; there are significant deviations from the predictions, especially when devices are subjected to repeated multi-axial loads. Improving these models requires comparisons with actual measurements of strained nitinol. Local measurements of the full strain tensor can be made using X-ray diffraction techniques, but they are currently limited to materials whose grain size is larger than the X-ray beam size or require several diffraction patterns produced by rotation of the sample. Nitinol stents are nanocrystalline, with grains smaller ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

We report on a new experimental approach to the size estimation of the hot spot induced by ionizing particles in a Josephson tunnel junction. Here, in contrast to the case of a superconducting strip, it is possible to investigate the hot spot dynamics in absence of effects due to the heating induced by the bias current. The reported experiment is based on the motion of Abrikosov vortices, trapped in the thin films constituting the junction electrodes, under 5.6 MeV {alpha}-particle irradiation. The fast time evolution of a hot spot, combined with the presence of Abrikosov vortices, produces a change of the static magnetic field in the junction area and thus a change of the critical current value, I{sub c}. Measurements of I{sub c} during the {alpha}-particle irradiation and in presence of trapped Abrikosov vortices allow to determine the rate of appearance of those I{sub c} changes. The behavior of the average appearance rate as function of the ...

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

Opinion statementCritical limb ischemia (CLI), defined as chronic ischemic rest pain, ulcers, or gangrene attributable to objectively proven arterial occlusive disease, is the most advanced...Full Text Available

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Grain refinement behavior of copper alloys cast in permanent molds was investigated. This is one of the least studied subjects in copper alloy castings. Grain refinement is not widely practiced for leaded copper alloys cast in sand molds. Aluminum bronzes and high strength yellow brasses, cast in sand and permanent molds, were usually fine grained due to the presence of more than 2% iron. Grain refinement of the most common permanent mold casting alloys, leaded yellow brass and its lead-free replacement EnviroBrass III, is not universally accepted due to the perceived problem of hard spots in finished castings and for the same reason these alloys contain very low amounts of iron. The yellow brasses and Cu-Si alloys are gaining popularity in North America due to their low lead content and amenability for permanent mold casting. These alloys are prone to hot tearing in permanent mold casting. Grain refinement is one of the solutions for reducing this problem. However, to use this ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

No abstract prepared.

KoreaScience (Korea)

Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

Body size variation across the Metazoa is immense, encompassing 17 orders of magnitude in biovolume. Factors driving this extreme diversification in size and the consequences of size variation for biological...Full Text Available

Science.gov (United States)

This paper presents a systematic study on the stability of a two-dimensional vibration isolation floating raft system with a time-delayed feedback control. Based on the generalized Sturm criterion, the critical control gain for the delay-independent stability region and critical time delays for the stability switches are derived. The critical conditions can provide a theoretical guidance of chaotification design for line spectra reduction. Numerical simulations verify the correctness of the approach. Bifurcation analyses reveal that chaotification is more likely to occur in unstable region defined by these critical conditions, and the stiffness of the floating raft and mass ratio are the sensitive parameters to reduce critical control gain.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sulfur K-edge X-ray absorption spectroscopy is a powerful in situ probe of sulfur biochemistry in intact cells and tissues. Under favorable circumstances the technique can provide quantitative information on the chemical identify of the sulfur species that are present in a sample. Prange et al. have recently reported an X-ray absorption spectroscopic study of bacterial sulfur storage globules. Unfortunately there are substantial problems with the experimental technique employed that, they contend, lead to completely erroneous conclusions. In the more recent of their two papers Prange et al. employed a curve-fitting method similar to that used by us (for more than 10 years). In essence, the method employs simply fitting a linear combination of the spectra of standard compounds to that of the unknown, in this case cultures of bacterial cells. This type of analysis can provide quantitative estimates of the individual sulfur types in the sample, but is critically ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The work reported here concerns the evolution of the shape of a coherent, cubic precipitate as it grows by coarsening. The work was motivated by the need to explain recent experimental observations that show that cuboidal ..gamma.. Ni/sub 3/Al precipitates in Ni-Al alloys resist coarsening and decompose into doublets of parallel rectangular plates and octets of small cubes. The theoretical model assumes a precipitate of cubic phase with negative elastic anisotropy, and neglects any difference between the elastic constants of the precipitate and the matrix. The elastic energy of the precipitate is then calculated as a function of its morphology, including the possibility of decomposition into doublets or octets of discrete particles. The results show that a cuboidal precipitate with (100) faces and edge length, 2a, is metastable with respect to transition to a doublet of discrete plates, with dimensions a x 2a x 2a, that are separated by the distance ..mu.. - a, when the edge length ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

We have used polished stainless steel as a mirror substrate to provide focusing of soft x-rays in grazing incidence reflection. The substrate is bent to an elliptical shape with large curvature and high stresses in the substrate require a strong elastic material. Conventional material choices of silicon or of glass will not withstand the stress required. The use of steel allows the substrates to be polished and installed flat, using screws in tapped holes. The ultra-high-vacuum bender mechanism is motorized and computer controlled. These mirrors are used to deliver focused beams of soft x-rays onto the surface of a sample for experiments at the Advanced Light Source (ALS). They provide an illumination field that can be as small as the mirror demagnification allows, for localized study, and can be enlarged, under computer control,for survey measurements over areas of the surface up to several millimeters. The critical issue of the quality of the steel surface, ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

A Norwegian Research Program on Improved Oil Recovery (IOR) in North Sea reservoirs was launched in 1992. Microbial methods, applied in this context, is a part of this program. The scope, the methodological approach, and results from the three first years are presented. Water profile control, using biomass to block high permeable zones of a reservoir, has been investigated using nitrate-reducing bacteria in the injected sea water as plugging agents. Emphasis has been put on developing a process that does not have disadvantages secondary to the process itself, such as souring and impairment of the overall injectivity of the field. Data from continuous culture studies indicate that souring may successfully be mitigated by adding nitrite to the injected seawater. The morphology and size of generic-nitrate-reducing seawater bacteria have been investigated. Screening of growth-promoting nutrients has been carried out, and some sources were detected as favorable. ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rotary screw traps, located at four sites in the Grande Ronde River basin, were used to characterize aspects of early life history exhibited by juvenile Onchorhychus mykiss during migration years 1995-99. The Lostine, Catherine Creek and upper Grande Ronde traps captured fish as they migrated out of spawning areas into valley rearing habitats. The Grande Ronde Valley trap captured fish as they left valley habitats downstream of Catherine Creek and upper Grande Ronde River rearing habitats. Dispersal downstream of spawning areas was most evident in fall and spring, but movement occurred during all seasons that the traps were fished. Seaward migration occurred primarily in spring when O. mykiss smolts left overwintering area located in both spawning area and valley habitats. Migration patterns exhibited by O. mykiss suggest that Grande Ronde Valley habitats are used for overwintering and should be considered critical rearing habitat. We were unable to positively ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

In FY-2000, Engineering at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory faced significant pressures to meet critical project milestones, and immediate demands to facilitate the reassignment of employees as the National Ignition Facility (the 600-TW laser facility being designed and built at Livermore, and one of the largest R&D construction projects in the world) was in the process of re-baselining its plan while executing full-speed its technology development efforts. This drive for change occurred as an unprecedented level of management and program changes were occurring within LLNL. I am pleased to report that we met many key milestones and achieved numerous technological breakthroughs. This report summarizes our efforts to perform feasibility and reduce-to-practice studies, demonstrations, and/or techniques--as structured through our technology centers. Whether using computational engineering to predict how giant structures like suspension bridges will ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

This thesis examines the design of a propulsion system for a series hybrid vehicle and includes the study of an energy storage unit using double-layer capacitors and a lightweight soft-switched converter system, and two new components in series hybrid vehicles. The development of environmentally sustainable vehicles is more urgent now given the fact that pollution levels are ever increasing. No electric vehicle has yet been developed that can compete with a normal vehicle based only on internal combustion engines. The dilemma lies in the difficulty of storing the amount of energy needed and supply it a high power levels. An attractive and viable option to reducing pollution and maintaining good performance may lie in hybrid electric-powered vehicles. The double-layer power capacitors are an interesting option because of their high power density and long lifetime. The devices are new and assembling large energy storage units must be thoroughly examined before using them in actual ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Flowsheets for the dissolution of aluminum-clad spent nuclear fuel have been proposed using 0.002 M mercuric nitrate catalyst in 5 to 6 M nitric acid. Previous calculations for flammable gas control during the dissolution of spent nuclear fuel have been extended to cover a range of dissolver purge rates from 40 to 55 scfm. A range of dissolver solution volumes from 12000 to 15000 liters were considered for the large H-Canyon dissolver (6.4D). Depending on the purge rate, anywhere from four to six bundles of MURR fuel can be initially charged to the dissolver (6.4D). For successive charges where the dissolver solution already contains 0.002 M mercury catalyst and the dissolved aluminum from five bundles of MURR fuel, five to nine bundles of additional fuel can be charged depending on the purge rate and the dissolver solution volume. Similar calculations have been performed for the small H-Canyon dissolver (6.1D) for solution volumes that ranged from 6000 to 7500 liters and purge rates ...

Science.gov (United States)

A critical review of the literature revealed no experiments on uranyl ion transfer from an aqueous to a tributyl phosphate phase which positively measured the kinetics of the chemical reaction at the interphase. Drawing isorhythmic lines on a three component diagram gives a complex correlation for the compaction of three sizes of glass beads. Neither the use of thoria sols nor high feed solution concentrations of thorium nitrate gave any significant increase in mean particle diameters over those obtained from nitrate solutions of lower concentrations in flame denitration. A hydraulic film resistance has been detected in the anion exchange of uranyl sulfate into Dowex 2lK, and chloride elution was found to give a higher apparent uranium diffusion coefficient than nitrate elution. The rate of dissolution of mixed thorium-uranium oxides was determined as a function of the per cent of mixed oxides dissolved. Mixing in ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Depth sensing indentation tests were carried out to obtain load-penetration depth curves of SiAlON-ZrO_2 ceramics under different peak loads ranging from 200 to 1800 mN. The values of indentation hardness (H_O_P, H_C_C) and reduced elastic modulus (E_O_P, E_C_C) were calculated by using Oliver-Pharr (OP) and Cheng-Cheng (CC) methods. The experimental results revealed that the indentation hardness and reduced elastic modulus exhibit peak-load dependence, i.e. indentation size effect. Both indentation hardness and reduced elastic modulus values were obtained by considering indenter tip roundness and machine compliance. These values obtained from the OP method are higher than from the CC method. On the other hand, h_f/h_m ratios were used to clarify the indentation deformation behaviour of the SiAlON-ZrO_2 ceramic. The experimental h_f/h_m values were lower than the reported critical value (0.7) for all applied test loads, which is attributed to ...

Science.gov (United States)

In this paper, we studied vapor-liquid equilibria (VLE) and adsorption of ethylene on graphitized thermal carbon black and in slit pores whose walls are composed of graphene layers. Simple models of a one-center Lennard-Jones (LJ) potential and a two-center united atom (UA)-LJ potential are investigated to study the impact of the choice of potential models in the description of VLE and adsorption behavior. Here, we used a Monte Carlo simulation method with grand canonical Monte Carlo (GCMC) and Gibbs ensemble Monte Carlo ensembles. The one-center potential model cannot describe adequately the VLE over the practical range of temperature from the triple point to the critical point. On the other hand, the two-center potential model (Wick et al. J. Phys. Chem. B 2000, 104, 8008-8016) performs well in the description of VLE (saturated vapor and liquid densities and vapor pressure) over the wide range of temperature. This UA-LJ model is then used in the study of ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The main purpose of this work is to evaluate the role of CT in identifying other morphological signs of met static lymph node involvement from non small cell bronchogenic carcinoma. This is done to improve N staging, a critical step in this disease. In fact, since diameter is the only criterion used to distinguish normal form abnormal lymph nodes, mediastinal CT only has 80% diagnostic accuracy. 137 patients with known or suspected lung cancer were examined with Helical CT during early and late arterial phases (2 min. delay, 3 mm thickness, 5 mm inter slice gap) to depict node characteristics. Mediastinal lymph nodes, located according to the American Thoracic Society mapping, were considered normal when they were not visible or, if visible, less than 1 cm in diameter and of homogeneous density; lymph nodes over 1 cm in diameter and homogenous density were considered reactive. A lymph node was considered metastatic when, independent of size, ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

This paper describes a functional slide rule that provides a readily usable ?in-hand? method for estimating nuclear criticality accident information from sliding graphs, thereby permitting (1) the rapid estimation of pertinent criticality accident information without laborious or sophisticated calculations in a nuclear criticality emergency situation, (2) the appraisal of potential fission yields and external personnel radiation exposures for facility safety analyses, and (3) a technical basis for emergency preparedness and training programs at nonreactor nuclear facilities. The slide rule permits the estimation of neutron and gamma dose rates and integrated doses based upon estimated fission yields, distance from the fission source, and time-after criticality accidents for five different critical systems. Another sliding graph permits the estimation of critical ...

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

BackgroundWe investigated the influence of parenteral glucose infusion on insulin-driven tight glucose control (4.4–6.1 mmol/liter) in the critically ill by appraising kinetic...Full Text Available

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Most superconductors are quite sensitive to irradiation defects. Critical temperatures may be depressed, critical currents may be increased, by irradiation, but other behaviours may be encountered. In compounds, the sublattice in which defects are created is of significant importance. 24 refs.

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

Vulnerable periods during the development of the nervous system are sensitive to environmental insults because they are dependent on the temporal and regional emergence of critical developmental processes...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

An integrated system of micro-and mini-computers is described to acquire, analyze, store and report data on the total activity of the heart of a critically ill patient. Real-time beat and rhythm diagnoses...Full Text Available

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

A liquid-fillet is formed in front of a rotor blade in the cylinder of a horizontal agitated thin-film evaporator. Its thickness varies due to the gravity while the blade revolves inside the cylinder. In the critical condition, the amplitude of the oscillation becomes infinite and the phase advances 180 degrees. Prior to the critical condition, the experimental data agrees fairly well with the predictions. Near the critical condition, the amplitutde increases and the phase advances 60 degrees. In other words, the transition to the critical condition occurs continuously. (6 figs, 1 ref)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

... Tohoku University, Graduate School of Engineering, Sendai, Miyagi (Japan)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Monte Carlo criticality calculations have been performed for over 50 years for reactor physics and criticality safety applications. With today's faster computers, these calculations are being carried out to greater precision (smaller uncertainties) in keff, and detailed distributions of power and reaction rates are being computed routinely. This paper provides a review of the fundamental theory of Monte Carlo criticality calculations, with guidance on practical methods for: (1) assuring convergence of both keff and the source distribution, (2) minimizing the bias in keff and reaction rate distributions, and (3) dealing with the under-prediction bias in uncertainties for keff and reaction rate distributions. (authors)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

I discuss several examples of critical phenomena in O(N) models where topological excitations play an important role at criticality. I focus particular attention on the O(2) model in 3D, where recent measurements of the vortex string length distribution in equilibrium suggest the existence of a quantitative picture of the critical behavior in terms of defects. The compatibility of this perspective with renormalization group predictions is examined.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

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.

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

Linkage disequilibrium (LD) between densely spaced, polymorphic genetic markers in humans and other species contains information about historical population size. Inferring past population size is of...Full Text Available

Science.gov (United States)

The feasibility of producing a pocket-sized air contaminant monitor based upon a miniature gas chromatograph and an integrated microcomputer has been demonstrated and a practical design for the instrument is presented. This pocket-sized instrument is intended to be used as a pers...

Science.gov (United States)

Wade. Jackson. - Army. VTD at NASA. Langley. ABSTRACT. Panel size has a large effect on the impact response and resultant damage level of honeycomb sandwich ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Evaluations were done to determine conditions that could permit nuclear criticality with fissile uranium in low-level waste (LLW) facilities and to estimate potential radiation exposures to personnel if there were such an accident. Simultaneous hydrogeochemical and nuclear criticality studies were done (1) to identity realistic scenarios for uranium migration and concentration increase at LLW disposal facilities, (2) to model groundwater transport of uranium and subsequent concentration via sorption or precipitation, (3) to evaluate the potential for nuclear criticality resulting from potential increases in uranium concentration over disposal limits, and (4) to estimate potential radiation exposures to personnel resulting from criticality consequences. This paper presents the details of the radiation exposure calculations relying on the conditions as determined from the preceding studies detailed in a ...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

Abstract In this paper, a Cognitive Radio Based Medium Access Control (CR-MAC) protocol for Wireless Sensor Body Area Networks (WSBAN) that utilizes cognitive radio transmission is proposed. In this proposal, the sensor nodes are classified into nodes of life-critical health information and nodes of non-critical health information. The CR-MAC protocol prioritizes the critical packets access to the transmission medium by transmitting them with higher power while transmitting lower priority packets using lower transmission power. At the receiver, a higher priority packet experiences collision only when there are more than one critical packet transmission at the same transmission slot while non critical packets experience collision when there are more than one transmission at the same transmi...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

When completed, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory's (LLNL) National Ignition Facility (NIF) will be the world's largest laser with experimental capabilities applicable to stockpile stewardship, energy research, science and astrophysics. As construction of the conventional facilities nears completion, operations supporting the installation of specialized laser equipment have come online. Playing a critical role in the precision cleaning of mechanical parts from the NIF beamline are three pieces of aqueous cleaning equipment. Housed in the Optics Assembly Building (OAB), adjacent to NIF's laser bay, are the large mechanical parts gross cleaner (LMPGC), the large mechanical parts precision cleaner (LMPPC), and the small mechanical parts gross and precision cleaner (SMPGPC). These aqueous units, designed and built by Sonic Systems, Inc., of Newtown, Pennsylvania, not only accommodate parts that vary greatly in size, ...

KoreaScience (Korea)

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Science.gov (United States)

... INFRARED THERMOMETERS AND TEMPERATURE CONTROLLERS--A POCKET-SIZE, PORTABLE INFRARED THERMOMETER, AND A ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The dynamics of a cluster-type system formed by constant total number of molecules, M, is studied when clusters change their sizes by nearest-size transitions (the Szilard model) with time-dependent boundary conditions and non-zero initial cluster size distribution. We compare these results to those reported previously, when non-stationary cluster size distribution was considered under the condition that only monomers are present in the system at the initial moment t=0, and describe the effect of arbitrary pre-existing clusters on the time evolution of the interacting clusters with different sizes, n. The average group size problem is also solved, and the process of relaxation in the system is studied. authors)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Although computer simulation has played a central role in the study of nucleation and growth since the earliest molecular dynamics simulations almost 50 years ago, confusion surrounding the effect of finite size on such simulations have limited their applicability. Modeling solidification in molten tantalum on the BlueGene/L computer, we report here on the first atomistic simulation of solidification that verifies independence from finite size effects during the entire nucleation and growth process, up to the onset of coarsening. We show that finite size scaling theory explains the observed maximal grain sizes for systems up to about 8,000,000 atoms. For larger simulations, a cross-over from finite size scaling to more physical size-independent behavior is observed.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The aim with this project sponsored by Energimyndigheten is to develop a method for calculations of grate boilers fueled by bark. This report describes this project, 'Evaluation Method for Grate Combustion' (EMGC). CFD codes is an engineering tool applicable in the area of the over-grate section called the furnace. This part of the boiler is easy to model for an experienced CFD code user and the results are usually quite satisfactory for evaluating the combustion process in general. Various gas phases reactions and related combustion processes over the burning bed can be simulated including air staging, fuel staging and SNCR. However the simulation needs information of amount and properties of the burning bed products, entering the furnace. The simulation of the in-furnace processes without this information is often just a numerical speculation. A predictive mathematical model based on physical and chemical data for the grate and fuel bed would solve this problem. ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

A technique and a particular apparatus for an inductive measurement of critical currents as a function of temperature and magnetic field in thin-film superconductors are described. The technique has been found to be particularly useful for high-field A-15 compounds 2 to 3 ..mu..m thick. Samples with lower critical current densities would have to be correspondingly thicker to measure over the same broad range of temperature and field. The design of the apparatus is detailed showing that the film can be taken directly from the deposition chamber and mounted without electrical contacts so samples can be changed easily. The principles of operation are developed based on the Critical State Model. These principles are tested by measurements which verify that the measured value of critical curent is independent of the amplitudes and frequency of the small ac magnetic field which is added to a much larger ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

This paper described the application of an AC surface probe, similar to presently used eddy current probes, to the measurement of DC transport critical currents and critical state dissipation in high {Tc} superconductors. It has been shown that the probe can provide quantitative measurement of the full field penetration in superconducting samples by measuring the response of AC induced screening currents for superconducting materials in the form of tapes with overlayers of silver. In this manner, the AC probe can be used to replace the contact DC probe for determining critical currents in a noncontacting and local manner suitable for scanning over or along the sample.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

This paper described the application of an AC surface probe, similar to presently used eddy current probes, to the measurement of DC transport critical currents and critical state dissipation in high [Tc] superconductors. It has been shown that the probe can provide quantitative measurement of the full field penetration in superconducting samples by measuring the response of AC induced screening currents for superconducting materials in the form of tapes with overlayers of silver. In this manner, the AC probe can be used to replace the contact DC probe for determining critical currents in a noncontacting and local manner suitable for scanning over or along the sample.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Minimum critical fissile concentrations are calculated for U-233, U-235, Pu-239, and Am-242m mixed homogeneously with hydrogen at temperatures to 15,000K. Minimum critical masses of the same mixtures in a 1000 liter sphere are also calculated. It is shown that propellent efficiencies of a gas core fizzler engine using Am-242m as fuel would exceed those in a solid core engine as small as 1000L operating at 100 atmospheres pressure. The same would be true for Pu-239 and possibly U-233 at pressures of 1000 atm. or at larger volumes.

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

BackgroundProfessionalism is a critical quality for physicians to possess. Physician professionalism has received increased attention in recent years, with many authorities suggesting...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

In an effort to develop octahedral metal complexes as chemotherapeutic and diagnostic agents targeted to DNA, it is critical to optimize the properties of their cellular uptake. Appending d-octaarginine...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

Motivation: Automatic recognition of cell identities is critical for quantitative measurement, targeting and manipulation of cells of model animals at single-cell resolution. It has been...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

BACKGROUND: An approach to the study of the pharmacokinetics of drugs in the lung is to measure their concentrations in bronchial biopsy specimens. The main criticism of this technique is that bronchial...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

Physician reimbursement and the coding to support it are critically important to the sustained health of any physician's practice. This article reviews the recent history of physician reimbursement...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

The purpose of this article is to critically review the available evidence pertaining to occupational, environmental, and individual factors that can affect the development of occupational asthma (OA)....Full Text Available

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

U.S. nuclear policy has become the target of increasing criticism during the past decade. Critics often argue that the use of nuclear weapons would be irrational, would destroy humankind, and thus could not serve any rational policy goal. Other critics point to the immortality of the use of nuclear weapons. Both groups condemn U.S. military policy. In Nuclear War, James Child considers and rejects both these lines of criticism. He argues that a policy of deterrence can be both rational and moral; that U.S. nuclear policy is, on balance, based on rational and moral foundations. Child examines near-term consequences of a nuclear war and finds them ghastly but not unthinkable or incomparable to the havoc produced by previous wars. He also analyzes long-term consequences, such as those proposed by the ''nuclear winter'' theory, and finds the fear of total annihilation of ...

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

Contractile vacuole complexes are critical components of cell volume regulation and have been shown to have other functional roles in several free-living protists....Full Text Available

Science.gov (United States)

... Hutchinson, V. H., A. Vinegar, and R. J. Kosh. 1966. Critical thermal maxima in turtles. Herpetologica 22: ... ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

To predict the fatigue life of fiber reinforced composites, fatigue process of CFRP laminates of [0 /90 ]{sub s} is investigated and the influence of damages occurring at fiber, matrix and fiber/matrix interface on the various critical strengths and the relationship between residual critical strength and failure are discussed. As a result, it was shown that fatigue strength (i.e. fatigue life) consisted of residual critical strength and stresses occurring at each layer (0 and 90 layers) and interlayer. Moreover, the fatigue failure occurred because the residual critical strength of each layer and interlayer decreased with dependence of their microdamage densities, so that the fatigue life can be predicted by evaluating microdamage behavior in fatigue process. (orig.) 14 refs.

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

Given growing interest in Functional Data Analysis (FDA) as a useful method for analyzing human movement data, it is critical to understand the effects of standard FDA procedures, including...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

ObjectiveEpidemiological studies indicate that experimentation with addictive drugs and onset of addictive disorders is primarily concentrated in adolescence and...Full Text Available

Science.gov (United States)

May 11, 2007 ... "Deforestation in the tropics accounts for nearly 20 per cent of carbon emissions due to human activities," Dr. Canadell says. ...

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

Many microbial pathogens recognize oligosaccharides displayed on the surface of host cells as receptors for toxins and adhesins. These ligand-receptor interactions are critical for disease pathogenesis,...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

It is one of the central aims of the philosophy of science to elucidate the meanings of scientific terms and also to think critically about their application. The focus of this essay is the scientific...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

AMPA receptors (AMPARs) are critical for synaptic plasticity, and are subject to alterations based on subunit composition and receptor trafficking to and from the plasma membrane. One of the...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

BackgroundMitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) is being analyzed by an increasing number of laboratories in order to investigate its potential role as an active marker of tumorigenesis...Full Text Available

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gastric evacuation experiments were performed on whiting Merlangius merlangus fed discrete meals of different sizes. Herring Clupea harengus, sandeel Ammodytes tobianus, common goby Pomatoschistus microps, and brown shrimp Crangon crangon were tested as prey. A simple power model to describe gastric evacuation was evaluated and compared with a power model expanded as a function of meal size. The model parameters were estimated by means of nonlinear least squares. When all meal sizes were included the estimates of the power (curvature) parameter in the expanded model were within the range 0.36-0.77 for the different prey. The power estimates in the simple model were generally close to 0.5. The exception was crustacean prey, which gave a higher value. In the simple model the power estimate represents a compromise between the curvatures of the curves fitted to the observations for each meal size and the ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

A simple model is used to explain the decrease in superconducting critical temperature with damage observed for irradiated A-15 compounds. A truncated t-matrix approximation is used to describe the disorder along the one-dimensional transition metal chains. Three dimensionality is introduced by the inclusion of interaction between transition metal atoms on different chains. Numerical fits to experiment are discussed in the conclusion. (author).

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Power density measurements in the critical facility RA-8 are presented. These measurements were the first systematic use of the reactor. A measurement system was designed, built and proved for this goal. Power profiles are showed and the results are compared with calculated values. (author)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Institutional issues play a critical, but often overlooked, role in the implementation of renewable energy systems. This paper briefly reviews the institutional arrangements involved in deploying renewable energy from both the sender and receiver perspectives, giving the institutional basis principal characteristics, and pros and cons of each institution. It then offers several perspectives on the critical issues facing the deployment of renewable energy systems before offering a number of potential institutional based solutions. (author)

Science.gov (United States)

The Interim Decay Storage tank (IDS) will be located in a concrete cell in the FFTF reactor building. The tank will have capacity to store 112 driver fuel assemblies and 10 test assemblies in sodium. A criticality safety analysis for the design of the IDS tank was performed. From the analysis, it is concluded that under normal operating conditions and minor abnormal conditions that might shift the fuel, the IDS tank will remain adequately subcritical. (auth)

CERN Document Server

A consistent combination of quantum geometry effects rules out a large class of models of loop quantum cosmology and their critical densities as they have been used in the recent literature. In particular, the critical density at which an isotropic universe filled with a free, massless scalar field would bounce must be well below the Planck density. In the presence of anisotropy, no model of the Schwarzschild black hole interior analyzed so far is consistent.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

This critical review with 28 references examines absorption and emission in the v2 band of the carbon dioxide molecule at around the 15micron wavelength. The argument for additional infrared absorption, the enhanced greenhouse effect due to increased carbon dioxide concentrations, and radiation transport and increased emissions are discussed. Experiments studying the transmission spectra of pure carbon dioxide and carbon dioxide in nitrogen, and comparing them with the results of climate modelling using the HITRAN and GEISA databases, are described.

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

An ultrasmall spot size scanning laser ophthalmoscope has been developed that employs an annular aberration-corrected incident beam to increase the effective numerical aperture of the eye thereby reducing...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

The scaling of reproductive parameters to body size is important for understanding ecological and evolutionary patterns. Here, we derived allometric relationships for the number and mass of seeds, eggs...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

Evolutionary biologists have long been fascinated by both the ways in which species respond to ecological conditions at the edges of their geographic ranges and the way that species' body sizes evolve...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

Despite their status as the most speciose group of terrestrial vertebrates, birds exhibit the smallest and least variable genome sizes among tetrapods. It has been suggested that this is because powered...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

This work investigates the effect of excipient particle size on compaction properties of brittle, plastic and viscoelastic materials with and without added lubricants. Sieve cuts of Microcrystalline...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

This commentary adds effect sizes to the recently published systematic review by De Meester and colleagues and provides a more detailed insight into the effectiveness of interventions to promote physical...Full Text Available

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The dynamics of a general Bianchi type-IX model with three scale factors is examined. The matter content of the model is assumed to be comoving dust plus a positive cosmological constant. The model presents a critical point of saddle-center-center type in the finite region of phase space. This critical point engenders in the phase space dynamics the topology of stable and unstable four dimensional tubes RxS"3, where R is a saddle direction and S"3 is the manifold of unstable periodic orbits in the center-center sector. A general characteristic of the dynamical flow is an oscillatory mode about orbits of an invariant plane of the dynamics which contains the critical point and a Friedmann-Robertson-Walker (FRW) singularity. We show that a pair of tubes (one stable, one unstable) emerging from the neighborhood of the critical point towards the FRW singularity have homoclinic transversal crossings. The ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Anode polarization measurement is performed in mixed solution of NaCl and NaF using SUS 304 steel to investigate whether F[sup -] promotes or inhibits pitting corrosion. Pitting corrosion does not occur in the solution of NaF only, but passive state is broken above a certain critical potential, resulting in overall dissolution. When anode polarization measurement is made in a solution of fixed concentration NaCl added with NaF, pitting corrosion is inhibited at a certain critical concentration. F[sup -] has no effect on corrosion potential in the solution up to this critical concentration. Overall dissolution occurs in the solution with higher concentration than the critical concentration, the current value at that time agrees with that in the solution of NaF alone, and no effect of Cl[sup -] is shown. The concentration range where pitting corrosion occurs and that where overall dissolution occurs are ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Vegetation is a key compartment of ecosystems. It contains a large part of the biodiversity at the species level. For the evaluation of critical loads, we have to separate different receptors: lower plants (algae, fungi, lichens and mosses) and vascular plants. Trees must be distinguished due to their economic value. We analyze the different changes that pollution produces on vegetation: the state of health of individuals, changes in the biology and genetics at the population level, changes in the biodiversity or the specific composition at the community level. Calculation of critical loads is based on observational or experimental studies, in more or less controlled environments. However, they cannot yet be obtained through models of vegetation changes. Some results have been acquired at the European level, mainly for critical loads for nitrogen, but these results have come mostly from Northern Europe. Moreover, only ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Published in summary form only.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

It is known that in size reduction of the granular structure of ferrite and ferrite-pearlite steels the temperature of the transformation from ductile to brittle condition is lowered. This effect can also be caused by an increase in the dispersity of intragrain and intergrain segregations (sulfides, carbonitrides, and segregations of impurity atoms), which accompanies grain size reduction and promotes initiation and propagation of cracks. In order to clarify the mechanism of fracture of steel in the region of the ductile-brittle transition steel 45 with different grain sizes and pearlite morphologies has been investigated.

Science.gov (United States)

... HARDENED CUP AND CARBURIZED AND HARDENED CORES HAVE BEEN PROFILED USING 2 TYPES OF EDDY CURRENT PROBES. ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Analytic expression is derived for X-ray fluorescence dependence on the particle size of powder and slurry media. The expression is obtained for a model of powder medium containing particles of different size and random distribution in the bulk of the sample. Limiting cases of homogeneous and slurry-like media are considered and expressions for calculation of the fluorescence intensity are derived. The results reasonably match the experiment for binary powder mixtures and thus provide evaluation of the powder particle size on the fluorescence intensity for multicomponent polydisperse powder medium

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The concept of the minimum propagating zone (MPZ) is used to examine the causes of quenches in ISABELLE cosine theta superconducting dipole magnets. The size of disturbances large enough to exceed the MPZ and initiate quenches is estimated and compared with the size of disturbances which may be produced in the magnets. A suggestion for reducing the size of these disturbances through individual support of the coil block is outlined.

Science.gov (United States)

We show that the size of a lanthanide-ion doped nanoparticle can be accurately determined from its luminosity. The optically determined size distribution is in very good agreement with the distribution obtained from transmission electron microscopy. These data confirm that single nanoparticles are visualized in microscopy experiments. Nanoparticles as small as 13 nm are detectable with integration times of 500 ms.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The effect of WC particle size with the addition of VC as a grain growth inhibitor was investigated during the liquid phase sintering of WC-Co system. With increasing WC particle size at the same VC content, the effect of grain growth inhibition was increased. Also, with increasing the VC content, the grain shape of WC was changed from the faceted shape to the distorted shape, and the step density of the WC grain was increased. (orig.)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

In areas where radiation dose monitoring has not been performed, it is essential to use material available in the environment be able to rapidly assess doses to individuals for immediate emergency medical care or for general estimation of the radiological consequences. It was shown that certain types of telephone cards containing microchips have the potential to be used as individual radiation dosimeters in emergency situations to detect doses over 250 mGy by luminescence measurements. In order to understand the dosimetric properties of chip cards, the components obtained from INFINIEON Company at various stages of production were used for luminescence measurements. It is found that the protecting layer used above the chips so called 'globe top' is the main source of radiation induced signal in chip cards. The globe top produced by INFINIEON at that stage is found to contain SiO2 and Epoxy. In order to improve the dosimetric properties of the chip cards, the raw material of the globe ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The operation and safety of both fossil-fuel and nuclear power stations depend on adequate cooling of the thermal source involved. This is usually accomplished using liquid coolants that are forced through the high temperature regions by a pumping system; this fluid then transports the thermal energy to another section of the power station. However, fluids that undergo boiling during this process create vapor that can be detrimental, and influence safe operation of other system components. The behavior of this vapor, or void, as it is generated and transported through the system is critical in predicting the operational and safety performance. This study uses two advanced penetrating radiation techniques, Real Time Neutron Radiography (RTNR), and High Speed X-Ray Tomography (HS-XCT), to examine void generation and transport behavior in a flow boiling system. The geometries studied were tube side flow boiling in a cylindrical configuration, and a similar flow ...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

Blood kinetics and tissue distribution of 20, 80 and 110 nm silver nanoparticles were investigated in rats up to 16 days after intravenous administration once daily for 5 consecutive days. Following both single and repeated injection, silver nanoparticles disappeared rapidly from the blood and distributed to all organs evaluated (liver, lungs, spleen, brain, heart, kidneys and testes) regardless of size. The 20 nm particles distributed mainly to liver, followed by kidneys and spleen, whereas the larger particles distributed mainly to spleen followed by liver and lung. In the other organs evaluated, no major differences between the sizes were observed. Size-dependent tissue distribution suggests size-dependent toxicity and health risks. Repeated administration resulted in accumulation in li...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

For an ultrafine grain ferrite/cementite (UGF/C) steel, the Charpy impact energy was measured at temperatures from 373K to 4.2K, and tensile tests were carried out at temperatures between 323K and 77K. For the steel with annealed microstructure, the ductile-to-brittle transition appearance temperature (DBTT) was lower than the Charpy transition temperature (CTT). With increasing annealing time at 873K, the DBTT and the CTT increased, and the DBTT approached the CTT. The DBTT decreased with decreasing effective grain size. The effective grain size correlated to the grain size of the larger grain size peak in the distribution of grains with {100} planes. The annealed microstructures had higher yield strength for equivalent toughness (including upper shelf energy, DBTT and CTT) compared to th...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

A characterization study was performed on monosodium titanate (MST) particles to determine the effect of high shear forces expected from the In-Tank Precipitation (ITP) process pumps on the particle size distribution. The particles were characterized using particle size analysis and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). No significant changes in particle size distributions were observed between as-received MST and after 2--4 hours of shearing. Both as-received and sheared MST particles contained a large percentage of porosity with pore sizes on the order of 500 to 2,000 Angstroms. Because of the large percentage of porosity, the overall surface area of the MST is dominated by the internal surfaces. The uranium and plutonium species present in the waste solution will have access to both interior and exterior surfaces. Therefore, uranium and plutonium loading should not be a strong function of MST particle ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

In 16 female patients wick colpourethrocystography was performed directly successively with large-size films as well as medium-size films (intensifier fluorography). The area exposure products were measured by a dosemeter closely attached to the diaphragm and separately for radiography and fluorography, resp. Surface doses as well as organ doses were calculated according to Rosenstein. The average radiatin doses of the active bone marrow were 6.03 mGy for examination with large-size films and 1.27 mGy for fluorography; the average gonadal doses were 7.45 mGy and 1.56 mGy, resp. The portion of fluoroscopy in radiation exposure amounted to 14.8% in large-size film examination, but was 74.0% in medium-size examination. Thus the comparative results revealed a significant reduction of the patient's radiation dose by application of intensifier fluorography in colpourethrocystography.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

An essential issue in gallium (Ga)-stabilized fcc-phase plutonium ({delta}-Pu) is the formation of helium (He) voids and bubbles emanating from the radiolytic decay of the Pu. The rate of formation of He voids and bubbles is related to the He-defect formation energies and their associated migration barriers. The size and shape distributions of the bubbles are coupled to these critical migration processes. The values of the defect formation energies, internal pressure, and migration barriers can be estimated from atomistic calculations. Complicating this picture is the destruction of He-filled voids and bubbles by subsequent radiolytic decay events. The present study concerns the construction of the necessary potential energy surfaces for the Pu-He and He-He interactions within the modified embedded atom method (MEAM). Once fully tested, the potentials will be used to estimate the He-defect formation energies and barriers to the migration of ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nanocrystalline cemented tungsten carbide has attracted considerable interests for use in cutting tool because of its superior mechanical properties. In this study, nano-sized powders of mixed WC and Co were prepared from attrition-milled oxides by a gas reduction-carburization process. The effects of compacting pressure, heating schedule, additional ball-milling, and the presence of a grain growth inhibitor on the sintering properties of the nano-sized WC-Co powders were examined. The grain size and phases in WC-Co alloy were clearly affected by compacting pressure. Because of the trapped gases and the lower melting point of the cobalt binder, when a compact of nano-sized WC-Co powder was sintered through a heating schedule with holding steps, the sintered alloy maintained the small size of WC grains without any #eta# phase. In addition, the additional ball-milling improved the ...

Science.gov (United States)

Preschool-age children hold negative attitudes toward overweight peers (i.e., anti-fat attitudes), but little is known about individual differences in these attitudes. The current study investigated actual weight status and perceived body size in relation to preschool-age children's anti-fat attitudes. Sixty-nine 4-6 year-olds (61% girls) were individually interviewed about their body size perceptions using a figure rating scale and anti-fat attitudes using multiple methods (including an adjective rating scale and ratings of acceptability for different body shapes). Results suggested that children's perceived body size, not actual body size, was related to their attitudes about an overweight figure and the number of figures rated as acceptable. Children who perceived themselves as heavier held fewer anti-fat attitudes. Perceived and actual body size ratings were not related to ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ternary diagrams are commonly used to provide a graphic representation of equilibrium fluid phase behavior for systems as diverse as distillation columns and miscible gas floods of oil reservoirs. The phase envelope, and the position of the critical point on it, are important to enhanced oil recovery engineers who are involved with miscible gas flood design. In the past, phase equilibrium data were laboriously plotted on the ternary diagram and special graphic techniques were utilized to locate the critical point on the phase envelope. This work presents a computerized curve fitting method to generate the phase envelope from a given set of phase equilibrium data and then use the tie-line slopes to position the critical point. Experimental data are included and show excellent agreement with this new method.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Electron-beam codeposition of the elements to form certain high critical temperature superconducting materials, in particular A-15 compounds, has proven to be very useful in research directed at understanding and improving their superconducting properties. This work has used the close control of three or more evaporant sources to reproducibly make specimens that permit studies across selected regions of composition and phase space. The effect of composition and phase, together with the temperature and rate of deposition, on the growth morphology and superconducting properties has been studied. The superconducting properties measured include the critical temperature, ac loss, critical current density, and tunnel junction characteristics. The particular compounds studied include Nb_3Sn, Nb_3Ge, and V_3Si.

CERN Document Server

A recurrent idea in the study of complex systems is that optimal information processing is to be found near bifurcation points or phase transitions. However, this heuristic hypothesis has few (if any) concrete realizations where a standard and biologically relevant quantity is optimized at criticality. Here we give a clear example of such a phenomenon: a network of excitable elements has its sensitivity and dynamic range maximized at the critical point of a non-equilibrium phase transition. Our results are compatible with the essential role of gap junctions in olfactory glomeruli and retinal ganglionar cell output. Synchronization and global oscillations also appear in the network dynamics. We propose that the main functional role of electrical coupling is to provide an enhancement of dynamic range, therefore allowing the coding of information spanning several orders of magnitude. The mechanism could provide a microscopic neural basis for ...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

We investigated the magnet field dependence of the X-ray pulse height and the critical current of a Ti/Au bilayer TES micro-calorimeter. The pulse height was strongly affected by the magnetic field intensity applied perpendicularly to the TES surface. We found that the critical current at zero temperature, I c0, decreased by a factor of two by applying a magnet field of ?10??T. Our data are consistent with a TES sensitivity proportional to (I/I c0)?2/3, as predicted by the Ginzburg-Landau theory. This fact implies that the shape of the R?T curve of the TES is partly determined by the critical current of the superconductor. In order to make our TES microcalorimeters less sensitive to the external magnetic field, we fabricated devices equipped with on-chip magnetic shielding. One device has ...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

In the present work, the plasma nitriding behavior of a nickel based dental alloy was investigated. Plasma nitriding experiments carried out under constant gas mixture (15% H2?85% N2) for different process parameters including time (4, 6, 10, and 20?h) and temperature (400, 450, 500, and 550??C). Depending on nitriding parameters, it was found that triple or double layers formed on the surface of the samples. Increasing of treatment time and temperature has resulted in a double layer. ?N1 layer was in formed all nitrided samples. However, ?N2 layer is formed only at low temperatures and in short times. Layer growth of nickel based alloys increases until a critical time or a critical temperature reached. Above these critical values, it is observed that the layer thickness decreases. It was ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

An approximate analysis based on the virtual work technique, which was used to determine the effect of fluid velocity on the response frequency of a simply supported pipe, resulted in the following conclusions: (1) the critical fluid velocity at which the system becomes statically unstable is 129.5 ft/s; (2) the natural frequency of the pipe decreases as the fluid velocity increases; (3) higher flow rates increase the dynamic coupling of the system, making it much more susceptible to external excitation; (4) as the critical frequency approaches zero and the fluid velocity approaches the critical value, the amplitude becomes greater (though in an actual pipe, damping effects will limit the amplitude somewhat); and (5) the virtual work technique is a convenient method for approximating solutions to most non-linear vibration problems, giving results that are satisfactory for engineering-design purposes.

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

The mechanisms that contribute to the extinction of previously acquired memories are not well understood. These processes, often referred to as inhibitory learning, are thought to be parallel...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

This paper summarizes the deliberations of a work group charged with addressing specific questions relevant to risk estimation in developmental neurotoxicology. We focused on eight questions. a) Does...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

A critical research priority for our field is to develop treatments that enhance cognitive functioning in schizophrenia and thereby attenuate the functional losses associated with the illness. In this...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

The hemagglutinin (HA) glycoprotein of influenza virus performs two critical roles during infection: it binds virus to cell surface sialic acids, and under mildly acidic conditions it induces fusion...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

Synaptic vesicle endocytosis is critical to maintain synaptic communication during intense stimulation. Here we describe Tweek, a conserved protein that is required for synaptic vesicle recycling....Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

BackgroundProcessing of multimodal information is a critical capacity of the human brain, with classic studies showing bimodal stimulation either facilitating or interfering in perceptual...Full Text Available

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The temperature dependence of the dislocation mobility threshold is investigated on the basis of a dislocation model suggested by Frenkel-Kontorova. The critical value is obtained for the stress/temperature, corresponding to the dislocation depinning from its equilibrium position. The universal behaviour of a barrier height at finite stress and temperature is revealed and investigated.

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

Thyroid hormone is a critical regulator of growth, development and metabolism in virtually all tissues, and altered thyroid status affects many organs and systems. Although for many years testis...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

By analysis of crossovers in key recombinant families and by homozygosity analysis of inbred families, the Friedreich ataxia (FRDA) locus was localized in a 300-kb interval between the X104 gene and...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

BackgroundRasbora tawarensis is an endemic freshwater fish in Lake Laut Tawar, Aceh Province, Indonesia. Unfortunately, its status is regarded as critical endangered...Full Text Available

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

A calculation program (URA 6.F4) was elaborated on FORTRAN IV language, that through finite differences solves the unidimensional scalar Helmholtz equation, assuming only one energy group, in spherical cylindrical or plane geometry. The purpose is the determination of the flow distribution in a reactor of spherical cylindrical or plane geometry and the critical dimensions. Feeding as entrance datas to the program the geometry, diffusion coefficients and macroscopic transversals cross sections of absorption and fission for each region. The differential diffusion equation is converted with its boundary conditions, to one system of homogeneous algebraic linear equations using the box integration technique. The investigation on criticality is converted then in a succession of eigenvalue problems for the critical eigenvalue. In general, only is necessary to solve the first eigenvalue and its corresponding eigenvector, employing ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Three dispersants (stearic acid, oleic acid, and poly-(12-hydroxystearic acid)) are compared for their ability to produce low-viscosity suspensions of zirconia in kerosene. Rheological measurements and sediment packing density measurements show that poly(12-hydroxystearic acid) is a better dispersant than stearic acid or oleic acid; this is explained in terms of the longer tail of the poly-(12-hydroxystearic acid) surfactant molecule. The amount of dispersant can be optimized to reduce viscosity and yield point of the suspension, and to eliminate thixotropic hysteresis. The use of a dispersion medium of lower viscosity than the dispersant makes it easy to detect when complete monolayer coverage has been achieved. The loss of pseudoplasticity, brought about by a higher degree of deflocculation, can be recovered by increasing the volume fraction of solids of a suspension and this is beneficial in the plastic forming of ceramics. Rheological measurements showed that these suspensions ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The energy strategy of the UK Overseas Development Administration is outlined with specific emphasis on energy efficiency and renewable energies. Based on 29 case studies concerning projects and programmes in both developed and developing countries, critical success factors for renewable energy projects are identified. UK)

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

BackgroundAcute lower respiratory infections are the commonest cause of morbidity and potentially preventable mortality in Indigenous infants. Infancy is also a critical time for...Full Text Available

Science.gov (United States)

A critical problem for reliable implementation of regional discrimination is incomplete understanding of how regional seismic signals depend on physical characteristics of the source and propagation path to the recording station. This research is directed...

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

The retroviral RNA genome is dimeric, consisting of two identical strands of RNA linked near their 5′ ends by a dimer linkage structure. Previously it was shown that human foamy virus (HFV)...Full Text Available

CERN Document Server

We argue that neutron interference experiments and experiments on gravitational bound states of neutron unambiguously disprove entropic origin of gravitation. The criticism expressed in a recent paper [arXiv:1104.4650] concerning our arguments against entropic gravity is shown to be invalid.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Announced as the first of a series of annual reports on the spread of nuclear weapons, this endeavor of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace may stimulate increased public awareness of this critical topic. A good part of the book contains the historical setting of the nuclear issue in the eight most likely proliferators.

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

Study Objectives:To evaluate the value of mouth opening during sleep for predicting surgical outcomes after uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP).Methods:Retrospectively,...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

Vocal learning is a critical behavioral substrate for spoken human language. It is a rare trait found in three distantly related groups of birds-songbirds, hummingbirds, and parrots. These avian groups...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

BackgroundThe tumor microenvironment has been described as a critical milieu determining tumor growth and metastases. A pivotal role of metastasis-inducing S100A4 in the development...Full Text Available

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

A mechanistic understanding of fracture in human bone is critical to predicting fracture risk associated with age and disease. Despite extensive work, a mechanistic framework for describing how the underlying microstructure affects the failure mode in bone is lacking.

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

BackgroundMass treatment to trachoma endemic communities is a critical part of the World Health Organization SAFE strategy. However, non-participation may not be at random, affecting...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

BackgroundThoracic injuries play an important role in major trauma patients due to their high incidence and critical relevance. A serious consequence of thoracic trauma is pneumothorax,...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

Type II collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) in mice is an autoimmune experimental model for rheumatoid arthritis. Susceptibility to CIA is associated with certain major histocompatibility complex class...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

The receptors for IGF-I (IGF-IR) and insulin (IR) have been implicated in physiological cardiac growth, but it is unknown whether IGF-IR or IR signaling are critically required. We generated mice with...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

Myosin phosphatase target subunit 1 (MYPT1) is the regulatory subunit of myosin light chain phosphatase (MLCP). It plays a critical role in vasodilatation induced by cGMP-elevating agents such as nitric...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

Sensory analysis studies are critical in the development of quality enhanced crops, and may be an important component in the public acceptance of genetically modified foods. It has recently been established...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

Purpose: Understanding the kinetics of tumor growth∕shrinkage represents a critical step in quantitative assessment of therapeutics and realization of adaptive radiation therapy....Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

BackgroundIn recent years, the sea anemone Nematostella vectensis has emerged as a critical model organism for comparative genomics and developmental biology. Although...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

Studies of health effects of urea formaldehyde foam insulation (UFFI) were critically reviewed by means of accepted rules for evidence of causation. Three categories of health effects were examined:...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

γ-Aminobutyric acid (GABA)-ergic transmission is critical for normal cortical function and is likely abnormal in a variety of neuropsychiatric disorders. We tested the in...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

Assessment of subtle changes in the primary macromolecular components of cartilage, proteoglycan (PG) and collagen, is critical for the diagnosis of early stages of osteoarthritis (OA), but...Full Text Available

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The use of previously measured mixed-oxide (MOX) fuel systems as benchmarks can be valuable tool in computational analysis and quality assurance efforts. The Fissile Materials Disposition Program (FMDP) has identified these experiments as potential benchmarks, or standards, for VVER's employing MOX fuel. Standards for the analysis of these benchmark experiments were based on those used in the recent compilation International Handbook of Evaluated Criticality Safety Benchmark Experiments begun in 1992 by the U.S. Department of Energy. The Los Alamos National Laboratory's archives were explored for log-book records of these experiments without success. These experiments were the first to use MOX fuel in light water. Three approach-to-critical experiments were performed using fuel rods at various pitches and different plutonium-oxide concentrations. A parallel program verified the prediction of critical condition as similar ...

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

Endovascular surgery is a new multidisciplinary field that applies the recently innovated techniques of angioscopy, intraluminal ultrasound, balloon angioplasty, laser, mechanical atherectomy, and stents....Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

BackgroundAntigen sparing and cross-protective immunity are regarded as crucial in pandemic influenza vaccine development. Both targets can be achieved by adjuvantation strategy...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

BackgroundThe N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA)-type glutamate receptor expressed at excitatory glutamatergic synapses is required for learning and memory and is critical for normal brain...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

Background:Continuous renal replacement therapy is used to manage fluid and solute imbalances in critically ill patients but may affect the clearance of concurrently administered...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

The p21-activated kinases (PAKs), immediate downstream effectors of the small G-proteins of the Rac/cdc42 family, are critical mediators of signaling pathways regulating cellular behaviors and...Full Text Available

Science.gov (United States)

This report covers a further year's work on the development of an Interference Electron Microscope at Imperial College. The instrument is unlike others of its type which have been operated. The basic innovations are to produce the critical illumination co...

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

PurposeTo address the roles of the stromal derived factor-1 (SDF-1) α in the course of experimental corneal neovascularization (CNV).MethodsCNV...Full Text Available

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

One of the central questions of molecular biology is the discovery of the semantics of DNA. This discovery relies in a critical way on a variety of expensive computations. In order to solve these computations, both parallel computers and special-purpose hardware play a major role.

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

The regulation of gene expression in the brain reward regions is known to contribute to the pathogenesis and persistence of drug addiction. Increasing evidence suggests that the regulation of gene transcription...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

SummarySpatial control of gene expression, at the level of both transcription and translation, is critical for cellular differentiation [1-Full Text Available

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The objective of this work is to develop regenerable sorbents that have high selectivity, efficient regenerability, and high adsorption capacity for CO2 over wide temperature ranges. These properties are critical for the success of the PSA/PSS and TSA/TSS processes.

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

In most insect species, juvenile hormones regulate critical physiological processes such as metamorphosis and reproduction. In insects, these sesquiterpenoids are synthesized by retrocerebral endocrine...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

BackgroundThyroid hormones are important regulators of brain development. During critical periods of development, even transient disorders in thyroid hormone availability may lead...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

Evaluating the systolic function of the left ventricle (LV) is important in the hemodynamic management of the critically ill patients with circulatory failure. Echocardiography is considered the standard...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

BackgroundHistone post-translational modifications are critical for gene expression and cell viability. A broad spectrum of histone lysine residues have been identified in yeast...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

Inherited genetic variation has a critical but as yet largely uncharacterized role in human disease. Here we report a public database of common variation in the human genome: more than one million...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

In this era of complete genomes, our knowledge of neuroanatomical circuitry remains surprisingly sparse. Such knowledge is critical, however, for both basic and clinical research into brain function....Full Text Available

Science.gov (United States)

Aug 5, 2009 ... and the intelligence community as well. The subsequent process was carried ..... The source of this criticism ranges from concern over technical capability to .... universe with both human and robotic missions, and open ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Thermophotovoltaics is the science and technology associated with the direct generation of electricity from high temperature heat. Potential applications include combined heat and power, portable and auxiliary power, radioisotope space power, industrial waste heat recovery and concentrated solar power. This book aims at serving as an introduction to the underlying theory, overview of present day components and system arrangements, and update of the latest developments in the field. The emphasis is placed on the understanding of the critical aspects of efficient thermophotovoltaic system design. The aim is to assist researchers in the field. (orig.)

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

ABSTRACT This article proposes a philosophical reconstruction of the subject of the educator as the agent of curriculum. Starting from recent work in critical theory and philosophy, it describes the process of the existential crisis of the educator as the first step toward a truly critical education. The article argues that philosophy of curriculum must be concerned not just with forms of thought but also with forms of being-with the very ground of the subject and its real. This political ontology of the subject suggests a process of reconstruction consisting of several stages: the disclosure of ideology and complicity, the investigation of the process of interpellation, and the creation of a fundamentally collective educational practice. It is only on the basis of the effective staging of...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The JUPITER-II Program is the Joint Physics Large Heterogeneous Core Critical Experiments Program between the U.S. Department of Energy (US DOE) and PNC, Japan. The experiments began in May 1982 and ended in April 1984, as a part of the ZPPR-13 program. The ZPPR-13 is a series of critical assemblies designed to study the fundamental neutronic behavior of large, radially-heterogeneous LMFBR cores. This report describes the results of analysis of ZPPR-13A and preliminary analysis of ZPPR-13B, and some topics of recent activities in fast reactor physics.