The neuromodulatory function of dopamine (DA) is an inherent feature of nervous systems of all animals. To learn more about the function of neural DA in Drosophila, we generated mutant...Full Text Available
Minimally invasive thermotherapies for focal tissue destruction on the basis of laser-, microwave-, focused ultrasound-, or cryogeninduced changes of tissue temperature represent an alternative to surgical tissue ablation, particularly in the treatment of tumors. The thermotherapy modalities listed necessitate indirect guidance and monitoring, since they often do not lend themselves to immediate visual control. In the brain, in head and neck tumors, in the liver, and in the prostate, MRI reliably and accurately delineates both the positions of interstitial thermotherapy applicators and - in contrast-enhanced, T1-weighted images - the perfusion defects in tissue necrosis induced by thermotherapy. The transfer of results of in-vitro and in-vivo model studies to assess interstitial temperature and lesion development during thermotherapy to the actual treatment of patients, however, is still in an initial phase. Further development of both rapid MRI sequences and MRI scanners ...
The paper investigates the yield and the role of the computerized tomography in diagnosing abdominal gunshot wounds, with their rich and varied radiological signs and associated injuries, and subsequently used in the diagnosis. [Italian] Scopo del lavoro e' riportare l'esperienza personale nell'uso della tomografia computerizzata per riconoscere le lesioni da arma da fuoco dell'addome e nelle fasi successive dell'approfondimento diagnostico.
This document describes the High Performance Electrical Modeling and Simulation (HPEMS) Global Verification Test Suite (VERTS). The VERTS is a regression test suite used for verification of the electrical circuit simulation codes currently being developed by the HPEMS code development team. This document contains descriptions of the Tier I test cases.
This document describes the High Performance Electrical Modeling and Simulation (HPEMS) Global Verification Test Suite (VERTS). The VERTS is a regression test suite used for verification of the electrical circuit simulation codes currently being developed by the HPEMS code development team. This document contains descriptions of the Tier I test cases.
The analysis of oceanographic lidar systems measurements is often carried out with semi-empirical methods, since there is only a rough understanding of the effects of many environmental variables. The development of techniques for interpreting the accuracy of lidar measurements is needed to evaluate the effects of various environmental situations, as well as of different experimental geometric configurations and boundary conditions. A Monte Carlo simulation model represents a tool that is particularly well suited for answering these important questions. The PREMAR-2F Monte Carlo code has been developed taking into account the main molecular and non-molecular components of the marine environment. The laser radiation interaction processes of diffusion, re-emission, refraction and absorption are treated. In particular are considered: the Rayleigh elastic scattering, produced by atoms and molecules with small dimensions with respect to the laser emission wavelength ...
The objective of this work is to verify whether the home-made teas form Brazilian plants, used for control of childish diarrhea have been efficient reaching the composition recommended by World Health Organizations (WHO). This work has been carried out using the neutron activation analysis and the TRIGA MARK I reactor, the IPR-R1, in the Centro de Desenvolvimento da Tecnologia Nuclear - CDTN. (author). 4 refs., 2 tabs.
... In this manner, a JBI-enabled COI would have the full suite of JBI information management capabilities, but would still be based on and have full ...
Sep 19, 2005 ... within a sealed tube to control the environment to which a sample mounts are better suited to handling the very small crystal is exposed. ...
...authority's and schools' prospectuses Finding a school to suit your child School performance: test results and Ofsted reports Applying for a school place Once you ... Finding a school to suit your child School performance: test results and Ofsted reports Applying for a school place: admissions criteria Apply for ...
N F Q k q V N h l b hs x j p bN t gX Y I r bN X U Y Fff c o t dA A p A DA2 AC7LAR A Ak VAwt A jA A A A t A bNA A A dZA A A A A A X A A M A LA A E A A wA V A A A A oA V A A oA M A...
LEW anti-DA kidney and DA anti-LEW kidney sera were assayed using an indirect 125I anti-immunoglobulin-binding assay with kidney homogenate as target. This allowed the full spectrum of antibodies to...Full Text Available
The 37/67 kDa laminin receptor (LAMR) is a multifunctional protein, acting as an extracellular receptor, localizing to the nucleus, and playing roles in rRNA processing and ribosome assembly....Full Text Available
We have cloned and characterized a 77-kDa oestrogen receptor (ER) from an oestrogen-independent subclone of the MCF-7 human breast cancer cell line. This receptor contains an in-frame, tandem duplication...Full Text Available
Tocopherols (vitamin E) are lipophilic antioxidants synthesized by all plants and are particularly abundant in seeds. Despite cloning of the complete suite of tocopherol biosynthetic enzymes and successful...Full Text Available
Jul 16, 2005 ... The purpose of this capability portfolio is to develop a roadmap for NASA to exploit .... 1.2.4-2: Some applications of nanotechnology to advanced EVA suits. ..... Power/Energy Storage: Materials and devices for energy storage and .... to 80 %), manufacturing costs (up to 50%) and enhancements in durability. ...
Species that depend on ephemeral habitat often evolve distinct dispersal strategies in which the propensity to disperse is closely integrated with a suite of morphological, behavioural and physiological...Full Text Available
Background and AimsPlant species from various taxa ‘escape’ from low oxygen conditions associated with submergence by a suite of traits collectively called the low...Full Text Available
Background and Objectives:Sound enamel manifests peak transparency in the near-IR (NIR) at 1310-nm, therefore the near-IR is ideally suited for high contrast imaging...Full Text Available
There are many methods for introducing random mutations into nucleic acid sequences. Previously, we described a suite of programmes for estimating the completeness and diversity of randomized DNA libraries...Full Text Available
KLF1 regulates a diverse suite of genes to direct erythroid cell differentiation from bipotent progenitors. To determine the local cis-regulatory contexts and transcription factor networks...Full Text Available
...visible damage. (k) Corrosion resistance. Each metal part of a...evidence of salt-spray corrosion resistance equal to or greater than...sample of test metal must show corrosion resistance equal to or better than...
This study focuses the granitoids of center-southern portion of Guyana Shield, southeastern Roraima, Brazil. The region is characterized by two tectonic-stratigraphic domains, named as Central Guyana (GCD) and Uatuma-Anaua (UAD) and located probably in the limits of geochronological provinces (e.g. Ventuari-Tapajos or Tapajos-Parima, Central Amazonian and Maroni-Itacaiunas or Transamazon). The aim this doctoral thesis is to provide new petrological and lithostratigraphic constraints on the granitoid rocks and contribute to a better understanding of the origin and geo dynamic evolution of Guyana Shield. The GCD is only locally studied near to the UAD boundary, and new geological data and two single zircon Pb-evaporation ages in mylonitic biotite granodiorite (1.89 Ga) and foliated hastingsite-biotite granite (1.72 Ga) are presented. These ages of the protholiths contrast with the lithostratigraphic picture in the other areas of Cd (1.96-1.93 Ga). Regional mapping, petrography, ...
BackgroundGreen tea consumption has been shown to have cancer preventive qualities. Among the constituents of green tea, (-)-Epigallocatechin-3-O-gallate (EGCG)...Full Text Available
SummaryIn the classic example of the McGurk effect, when subjects see a speaker say /ga/ and hear a simultaneous /ba/, they typically perceive /da/, a syllable that was not presented...Full Text Available
The LW blood group antigens reside on a 42-kDa erythrocyte membrane glycoprotein that was purified by immunoaffinity and partially sequenced. From this information, a specific PCR-amplified DNA fragment...Full Text Available
Brucella abortus is a facultative, intracellular zoonotic pathogen which can cause undulant fever in humans and abortions in cattle. A 14-kDa protein of B. abortus...Full Text Available
Dopaminergic (DA) neurons of the mammalian midbrain exhibit unusually low firing frequencies in vitro. Furthermore, injection of depolarizing current induces depolarization block before high...Full Text Available
The cloned 135-kDa CryIC delta-endotoxin from Bacillus thuringiensis is a lepidopteran-active toxin, displaying high activity in vivo against Spodoptera litoralis and Spodoptera frugiperda larvae and...Full Text Available
BackgroundCD26 (dipeptidyl peptidase IV, DPPIV) is a 110 kDa surface glycoprotein expressed in most normal tissues, and is a potential novel therapeutic target for selected cancers....Full Text Available
A genomic clone that specifies a single polypeptide precursor for ricin, a toxic lectin of Ricinus communis (castor bean), was isolated, sequenced and Sl mapped. The gene encodes a 64 kDa precursor...Full Text Available
Reactor neutrinos play an important role in determining parameter theta_{13} in the lepton mixing (PMNS) matrix. Next important step on measuring PMNS matrix could be to build another reactor neutrino experiment in DaYa bay, China, to search the possible oscillations via sin^2 (2theta_{13}) and Delta m^2_{13}. We consider 4 different schemes for positions of three 8-ton detectors of this experiment, and simulate the results with respect to an array of assumed ''true'' values of physics parameters. Using three kinds of analysis method, we suggest a best scheme for DaYa-Bay which is to place a detector 2200m ~ 2500m symmetrically away from two reactors, and to put the other two detectors closer to their corresponding reactors respectively, almost at a 100m \\~ 200m distance. Moreover, with conservative assumption on the experimental technique, we construct series of allowed regions from our simulation results, and give detailed explanations ...
In the present investigation the performance of digital data acquisition (DA) and analogue data acquisition (AA) systems are compared in neutron-induced fission experiments. The DA results are practically identical to the AA results in terms of angular-, energy- and mass-resolution, and both compare very well with literature data. However, major advantages were found with the digital techniques. DA allows for a very efficient #alpha#-particle pile-up correction. This is important when considering the accurate measurement of fission-fragment characteristics of highly #alpha#-active actinide isotopes relevant for the safe operation of Generation IV reactors and the successful reduction of long-lived radioactive nuclear waste. In case of a strong #alpha#-emitter, when applying the #alpha#-particle pile-up correction, the peak-to-valley ratio of the energy distribution was significantly improved. In addition, ...
Computer-assisted analysis revealed a striking sequence similarity between the putative 24-kDa protein (p24) encoded by open reading frame (ORF) 5 of beet yellows closterovirus and the coat protein...Full Text Available
Confluent monolayers of microvascular endothelial cells, derived from the rat epididymal fat pad and grown in culture, were radioiodinated by using the lactoper-oxidase method. Their radioiodinated...Full Text Available
With 13 experimental facilities under construction to become available during the first year of SINQ operation, a nearly complete suite of options for users will be made available to carry out research with neutrons at PSI. Three more facilities are under design and will come on line somewhat later. To complete the suite, three more specialized instruments are being evaluated. SINQ being a novel neutron source concept, significant scope for improvement is also seen on the source side. It is a major goal of PSI to exploit these opportunities and to make - among others - use of neutron instruments to carry out the necessary research. (author) 9 figs., 1 tab., 11 refs.
Several works about annual meeting of the Brazilian Chemical Society are present.The search for medicinal chemistry, natural products, biological chemistry, and organic chemistry are shown. Conventional methods and some techniques are discussed and developments of new methods of determining are studied. The use of new chemical compounds, materials, structures and chemical analysis are shown.
Isosteric heats and adsorption isotherms of methane on nanometer active carbon were measured at supercritical temperature (273-373 K) and pressure from 0 to 10 MPa. The measured data agreed well with Dubinin-Astakhov (DA) model at lower pressure but failed when pressure exceeded a special range. General Freundlich (GF) equation was used to modify the DA equation at high pressure and thus formed a combined bisection model GFDA. The adsorption mechanism of methane on nanometer active carbon was raised according to GFDA model and the heterogeneous energy distribution of the adsorbent was analyzed.
This work demonstrate the gasoline volatility influence, at T 10%, T 50% and T 90% distillation points, on the dynamic performance of Otto cycle engines equipped with fuel sequential electronic injection system, by using test standard procedures in dynamometer. For each distillation points three value ranges were established, giving the rise of 27 different gasoline mixtures. The effects of variation in each point on consumption, power and acceleration were verified.
Bone integrity and mineral status were studied with a noninvasive method in uremic patients with severe secondary hyperparathyroidism undergoing maintenance hemodialysis. [Italian] Gli autori propongono un metodo non invasivo per studiare la densita' minerale e le caratteristiche geometriche e biomeccaniche dell'osso nei pazienti uremici affetti da iperparatiroidismo secondario grave.
Let $\\A$ be an irreducible Coxeter arrangement and $\\bfk$ be a multiplicity of $\\A$. We study the derivation module $D(\\A, \\bfk)$. Any two-dimensional irreducible Coxeter arrangement with even number of lines is decomposed into two orbits under the action of the Coxeter group. In this paper, we will {explicitly} construct a basis for $D(\\A, \\bfk)$ assuming $\\bfk$ is constant on each orbit. Consequently we will determine the exponents of $(\\A, \\bfk)$ under this assumption. For this purpose we develop a theory of universal derivations and introduce a map to deal with our exceptional cases.
A liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method was developed for the simultaneous determination of the 10 major components of Da-Cheng-Qi decoction (rhein, emodin, aloe-emodin, chrysophanol, rheochrysidin, naringin, naringenin, hesperidin, magnolol and honokiol) in dog plasma. Plasma samples were spiked with internal standard (ibuprofen), acidified with HCl and extracted twice by liquid-liquid extraction using ethyl acetate. Separation was performed on a YMC-Pack ODS-A C(18) column (5 microm, 150 mm x 4.6 mm) and a C(18) guard column (5 microm, 4.0 mm x 2.0 mm) with methanol-water (92:8, v/v) at a flow rate of 0.3 mL/min. The LC/MS system was operated under the multiple reaction monitoring mode using electrospray ionization in the negative ion mode. All analytes showed good linearity over a wide concentration range (r>0.99). The linear range of the calibration curves was 5000-19.53 ng/mL for rhein; 400-3.13 ng/mL for emodin; 800-3.13 ng/mL ...
Neuronal transcription factors play vital roles in the specification and development of neurons, including dopaminergic (DA) neurons. Mutations in the gene encoding the purine biosynthetic enzyme hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase (HPRT) cause the resulting intractable and largely untreatable neurological impairment of Lesch-Nyhan disease (LND). The disorder is associated with a defect in basal ganglia DA pathways. The mechanisms connecting the purine metabolic defect and the central nervous system (CNS) phenotype are poorly understood but have been presumed to reflect a developmental defect of DA neurons. We have examined the effect of HPRT deficiency on the differentiation of neurons in the well-established human (NT2) embryonic carcinoma neurogenesis model. We have used a retrovirus expressing a small hairpin RNA (shRNA) to knock down HPRT gene expression and have examined the expression of a number of ...
In January 2001, Husky Oil Operations Limited (Husky), in joint-venture with Petro-Canada submitted a Development Application (DA) to the Canada-Newfoundland and Labrador Offshore Petroleum Board (C-NLOPB) for the White Rose Development. This DA was prepared following the Canada-Newfoundland Atlantic Accord Implementation Act and the Canada-Newfoundland and Labrador Atlantic Accord Implementation Newfoundland and Labrador Act. In December 2001, the C-NLOPB approved the White Rose DA. This document outlined a proposed amendment to the original Development Plan involving an expansion of its White Rose Development in the Jeanne d'Arc Basin on the Grand Bank. The expansion will consist of a subsea tie-back to the Floating Production, Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessel through the existing Southern Glory Hole (SGH) and utilizing a new glory hole constructed approximately 4 km south of the SGH. The document presented ...
In this issue it has been investigated the yield of Helical CT in the study of lung vessels, the incidence of the angiogram sign and its actual value. July 1997 to December 1998, were studied 30 cases of pulmonary collapse of different origin. It was found 15 cases of passive collapse (10 from pleural effusion, 2 from diaphragmatic compression, 2 from traumatic pneumothorax, and 1 from isthmic aortic aneurysm), 12 cases of obstructive collapse (9 from bronchogenic carcinoma, 1 from mucoid obstruction, 1 from ilar lymphadenopathy, and 1 from mediastinal cancer), 2 cases of adhesive collapse and 1 case of round atelectasis. All the examinations were performed with the Helical technique during nonionic iodinated contrast agent injection (bolus, 300-350 mg/mL); it was used an automatic injector set at 2-3 mL/s. It was studied the images for the angiogram sign, that is hyperdense bands, usually longer than 2 cm, through the collapsed lung, which correspond to normal pulmonary vascular ...
The author says ''barehand'' methods, where specially trained utility workers are called in conductive suits to equalize voltage over their bodies, to maintain high-voltage transmission lines are on the rise. Utilities are building lines at higher voltages and selling more power to other utilities, making it highly inconvenient to take the lines out of service. However, some unions view the barehand work with less than enthusiasm. Touching lines energized at hundreds of thousands of volts demands flawless equipment and rigid work procedures followed to the letter. Some local unions contend that adequate safety procedures and training, and appropriate penalties for workplace negligence, should be in place before utilities may do barehand work. The author discusses some of the methods of barehand work and the equipment used, i.e. steel-mesh lineman's suit, bucket truck's boom, helicopters, and robots.
The studied coal bearing series has a parallel origin. The following facial complexes are isolated in its composition: lakes free of vegetation without coal interlayers; overgrown lakes of their margins which are poor in coals; swampy lakes, whose peat beds formed coal layers of shallow or moderate depth; channel sediments without coal layers and swamps from between channel spaces which created thick coal strata of high quality for which, however, a strong changeability in thickness is intrinsic. The coal strata are normally split towards the central parts of the lake basins and river channels. The coal presence of the suite is reduced along the section which is associated with the replacement of the lake swamp conditions of sedimentation by lake river conditions. A paleotectonic analysis established that the distribution of the zones richest in coal was controlled by consedimentational structural elements.
Remote, offshore gas reserves have long been a challenging deepwater petroleum resource to tap. Natural gas in many offshore regions is plentiful, but lacks access to the market because of the logistical challenges and costs. Most large offshore gas discoveries are capped, and gas associated with oil production is re-injected into the reservoir or is flared. A more attractive option is to convert the gas into a liquid product on a floating production, storage, and offloading (FPSO) vessel. However, some conventional process technologies are not well suited for operation on floating vessels that are highly space and weight constrained and may challenge vessel stability during inclement weather. Microchannel process technology units under development offer intensified processes that are suit...
a-Dystroglycan is an extracellular adhesion protein that is known to interact with different ligands. The interaction is thought to stabilize the integrity of the plasma membrane. The N-terminal part of a-dystroglycan may be proteolytically processed to generate a small 38kDa protein (a-DG-N). The physiological significance of a-DG-N is unclear but has been suggested to be involved in nerve regeneration and myelination and to function as a potential biomarker for neurodegenerative and neuromuscular diseases. In this report we show that a-DG-N is released into different body fluids, such as lachrimal fluid, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), urine and plasma. To investigate the significance of a-DG-N in CSF we examined the levels of a-DG-N and known neurodegenerative markers in CSF from patients di...
Prospective presentation is given for the experimental program of the KLOE-2 Collaboration, to be performed using the DA$\\Phi$NE $e^+e^-$ collider upgraded in luminosity. Data with the total luminosity of 25 fb$^{-1}$ are aimed to be collected in 3 years. Major modifications of the accelerator and the spectrometer are described. The KLOE-2 physics program contains: CKM unitarity and lepton universality tests, $\\gamma\\gamma$ physics, search for quantum decoherence and testing CPT conservation, low-energy QCD, rare kaon decays, physics of $\\eta$ and $\\eta^\\prime$, structure of low-mass scalars, contribution of vacuum polarization to $(g-2)_{\\mu}$, possible search for WIMP dark matter. In this paper only selected physics subjects are reported.
This paper explores the through-/in-plane characteristics of water transport in the cathode gas diffusion layer (GDL) of a polymer electrolyte fuel cell (PEFC). Theoretical analysis is performed on the non-isothermal two-phase flow under flow channels. A dimensionless group Da (Damkohler number for PEFC operation), defined as the ratio of water generation rate to water vapor-phase removal rate, is formulated to characterize the flow regimes in a PEFC. This group, lumping geometrical parameters and physical properties, compares the water vapor-phase removal capability (via water diffusion and holding capacity) with the rate of water production by the oxygen reduction reaction. We find that this dimensionless group can be used to characterize the non-isothermal, two-phase phenomena: when Da&...
In their Letter [Phys. Rev. Lett. 92, 121302 (2004)] (also [Astron. Astrophys. 417, 853 (2004)]), Srianand et al. analysed optical spectra of heavy-element species in 23 absorption systems along background quasar sight-lines, reporting limits on relative variations in the fine-structure constant: da/a=(-0.06+/-0.06) x 10^{-5}. Here we demonstrate basic flaws in their analysis, using the same data and absorption profile fits, which led to spurious values of da/a and significantly underestimated uncertainties. We conclude that these data and fits offer no stringent test of previous evidence for a varying alpha.
Composting of sawdust and paper mill sludge, using a 'Kneer' process reactor, was studied in an attempt to elaborate upon organic matter transformation during the process and to define parameters to measure the compost maturity level. Temperature, electron paramagnetic resonance data, ash and C, H, N and S contents, and a spectroscopic method using ultraviolet-visible (UV-VIS) for alkaline (pH = 8.5) and solid samples was used to study the maturity of the compost samples. These parameters were measured in 6 humic acids extracted from the compost samples during 29 days. The results of this work show that the 'Kneer' process is efficient in transforming ligno-celulitic residues in a short time (29 days), into an organic fertilizer material with application perspectives (author)
The interpretation of solution hydrodynamic data in terms of macromolecular structural parameters is not a straightforward task. Over the years, several approaches have been developed to cope...Full Text Available
A century of technical development put steam turbines on a high level regarding efficiency and reliability. This procedure is still ongoing. The technological-commercial point of view - influenced intensively by liberalisation of the energy-market - makes great demands on field services. Well suited concepts in service and modernization are the solutions, as shown in NPP Emsland upgrade.
The AT and T Round Cell has recently become a viable alternative to the conventional, rectangular, lead acid storage batteries in Class 1E applications at US nuclear generating stations. This paper discusses the qualification of the Round Cell for nuclear generating stations, its principal design attributes, the types of Class 1E applications most suited for the Round Cell, and industry experience related to its installation and operation.
Soil placed over any sealant/barrier system can provide a protective mantle if the soil is not lost by erosion. Vegetation is an attractive choice for controlling erosion because it can provide an economical self-renewing cover that serves to reduce erosion by both wind and water. The objective of this research and development effort is to select and test vegetation strategies, including the choice of species and methods for revegetation that are compatible with sealant/barrier systems and are suited to soils and climates at inactive uranium mill tailings sites.
X-ray imaging is a very useful plasma diagnostic method. A theoretical analysis of the x-ray phase imaging in the method based on Fresnel diffraction is given. The authors show it is a linear band pass filter, a property suit for Rayleigh-Taylor (R-T) instability measurement. The evaluation permits the possibility of R-T instability measurement in x-ray phase imaging
Nexans has developed a new type of high voltage sea cable with metal barrier for dynamic application, suited for floating installations such as vessels, floating wind turbines or floating platforms. A brief presentation of the cable's design (ml)
To be able to carry out review functions regulatory authorities must be able to make critical evaluations of proponent's safety cases. In Sweden the Swedish Radiation Safety Authority aims to have in place its own suite of performance assessment tools. This paper looks at the role and application of a regulator's models to important features of current modelling in a proponent's performance assessment. (authors)
Abstract In his, -Descartes' Ontology of Thought-, Alan Nelson presents, on Descartes' behalf, a compositional theory of mental representation according to which the content of any mental representation is either simple or is entirely constituted by a combination of innate simples. Here the simples are our ideas of God, thought, extension, and union. My objection will be that it is simply ludicrous to think that any four simples are adequate to the task of combining to constitute all of human thought, and that the simples God, thought, extension, and union are particularly ill suited to it.
We compare the lifecycle costs of an electric car to a similar gasoline-powered vehicle under different scenarios of required driving range and cost of gasoline. An electric car is cost competitive for a significant portion of the scenarios: for cars of lower range and for higher gasoline prices. Electric cars with ?150 km range are a technologically viable, cost competitive, high performance, high efficiency alternative that can presently suit the vast majority of consumers' needs.
A {lambda}gt11 cDNA library was constructed from poly(U)-Spharose-selected Entamoeba histolytica trophozoite RNA in order to clone and identify surface antigens. The library was screened with rabbit polyclonal anti-E. histolytica serum. A 700-base-pair cDNA insert was isolated and the nucleotide sequence was determined. The deduced amino acid sequence of the cDNA revealed a cysteine-rich protein. DNA hybridizations showed that the gene was specific to E. histolytica since the cDNA probe reacted with DNA from four axenic strains of E. histolytica but did not react with DNA from Entamoeba invadens, Acanthamoeba castellanii, or Trichomonas vaginalis. The insert was subcloned into the expression vector pGEX-1 and the protein was expressed as a fusion with the C terminus of glutathione S-transferase. Purified fusion protein was used to generate 22 monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) and a mouse polyclonal antiserum specific for the E. histolytica portion of the fusion protein. A ...
A #lambda#gt11 cDNA library was constructed from poly(U)-Spharose-selected Entamoeba histolytica trophozoite RNA in order to clone and identify surface antigens. The library was screened with rabbit polyclonal anti-E. histolytica serum. A 700-base-pair cDNA insert was isolated and the nucleotide sequence was determined. The deduced amino acid sequence of the cDNA revealed a cysteine-rich protein. DNA hybridizations showed that the gene was specific to E. histolytica since the cDNA probe reacted with DNA from four axenic strains of E. histolytica but did not react with DNA from Entamoeba invadens, Acanthamoeba castellanii, or Trichomonas vaginalis. The insert was subcloned into the expression vector pGEX-1 and the protein was expressed as a fusion with the C terminus of glutathione S-transferase. Purified fusion protein was used to generate 22 monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) and a mouse polyclonal antiserum specific for the E. histolytica portion of the fusion protein. A ...
A description is given of the principal steps involved in `USIMINAS` work roll manufacturing project for its tandem cold mill. The service performance of these rolls was found to be similar to that rolls supplied by traditional manufacturers. (author). 5 refs., 5 figs., 3 tabs.
We report a pH-dependent conformational transition in short, defined homopolymeric deoxyadenosines (dA15) from a single helical structure with stacked nucleobases at neutral pH to a double-helical,...Full Text Available
The aim of this work is to suggest steps and policies to increase the introduction of cost-effective energy in conservation measures in Brazil. This report first addresses the motivations for a policy of energy efficiency and summarizes experiences in Brazil. It then considers the roles and perspectives of the diverse agents and review the instruments of policy. It concludes with an overview of strategic needs and lines of action.
This paper shows and describes the actions and methodologies adopted in commercialization of rural electrification projects in Parana State, Brazil. The actions evaluated aims to feasible the techniques to farm owners provides them properties with electric power. 7 figs., 2 tabs., 1 ref.
CAP18 (an 18-kDa cationic antimicrobial protein) is a granulocyte-derived protein that can bind lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and inhibit various activities of LPS in vitro. The present study examined the...Full Text Available
This work presents the project and relates the implementation of a power system stabilizer in Itauba hydroelectric power plant, Brazil. Some forecasts and field experiments are also presented. 10 refs., 19 figs.
We have isolated a 4.785 Da protein from the nacreous layer of the sea snail Haliotis laevigata (greenlip abalone) shell after demineralization with acetic acid. The sequence of 41...Full Text Available
This work presents a method to monitor the stability of a power system, after a major disturbance, using of adaptive time series approach. The model parameters are updated every time the prediction stage is completed. Besides, according to the values of the parameters, one may conclude the system will be unstable, will go to be a damped sine wave or even a damped exponential. (author) 29 refs., 12 figs., 3 tabs.
We have demonstrated that the 80 kDa POP Tc80 (prolyl oligopeptidase of Trypanosoma cruzi) is involved in the process of cell invasion, since specific inhibitors block parasite...Full Text Available
When an animal is exposed to a sufficient amount of radiation, there will be changes in many organs of the body, and as a result of either the effects in one particular organ or the interaction of effects in several organs, the animal as a whole will show...
BackgroundhTERTC27 is a 27 kDa C-terminal polypeptide of human telomerase reverse transcriptase that has previously been shown to reduce tumorigenicity of HeLa cells and suppress...Full Text Available
The NSP5 protein is required for viroplasm formation during rotavirus infection and is hyperphosphorylated into 32- to 35-kDa isoforms. Earlier studies reported that NSP5 is not hyperphosphorylated...Full Text Available
MauG is a novel 42 kDa di-heme protein which is required for the biosynthesis of tryptophan tryptophylquinone, the prosthetic group of methylamine dehydrogenase. The visible absorption and resonance...Full Text Available
Dopamine (DA) D3 and D2 receptor mechanisms are implicated in cocaine's abuse-related behavioral effects, but the relative contribution of the two receptor subtypes is only partially characterized....Full Text Available
We have previously described a monoclonal antibody (FA6-152), obtained by immunizing mice with fetal human erythrocytes [Edelman, Vinci, Villeval, Vainchenker, Henri, Miglierina, Rouger, Reviron, Breton-Gorius,...Full Text Available
This work shows the influence of the consumer density (density/km) in rural electric networks implementation costs. The analysis of the costs aims the criteria definition for the calculation of the financial involving rates of the rural consumer density. 3 figs., 10 tabs.
Chemicals under the trade names Nalco 537-DA, Nalco 625, Nalco 7607, Nalco 5165, Ivamin, and technical monoethanolamine are used extensively in the oil refinery industry. Aquatic toxicity tests were conducted using zebra fish fry (Brachydanio rerio) and the unicellular algae Isochrysis galbana (a flagellate) and Chaetoceros gracilis (a diatom). Inhibition of cell division, chlorophyll content, and "1"4CO_2 uptake in the algae were sensitive end points. The effective concentrations (EC50s) of growth inhibition were 0.1 mg/L (Ivamin; I. galbana), 0.8 mg/L (Nalco 7607; I. galbana), 6 mg/L (Nalco 625; I. galbana), 10 mg/L (Nalco 5165; C. gracilis), and 15 mg/L (Nalco 537-DA; C. gracilis). The lethal concentrations (LC50s) (96 h) toward zebra fish fry was 1 mg/L for Nalco 7607, 6.5 mg/L for Nalco 537-DA, 7.1 mg/L for Nalco 625, and 20 mg/L for Ivamin 803. Monoethanolamine had an LC50 higher than 5,000 mg/L. Nalco 5165 was not ...
Aminophenpyramine, a derivative of mepyramine (pyrilamine), a typical antagonists of histamine at its H_1 receptor was synthesized and converted into ["1"2"5I]iodoazidophenpyramine, a potential photoaffinity probe for the H_1 receptor. In the dark, reversible binding of this probe to cerebellar membranes occurred with a K/sub d/ of 1.2 x 10"-"1"1 M and a B/sub max/ of 240 fmol/mg of protein and was inhibited by various H_1-receptor antagonists with the expected potencies. These features establish the compound as one of the most potent H_1-receptor antagonists known so far. Upon IV irradiation, 5% of the bound radioactivity was covalently incorporated into cerebellar membrane polypeptides as shown by standard NaDodSO_4/PAGE. Two bands of 47 and 56 kDa were consistently labeled, labeling being prevented by various H_1-receptor antagonists with the expected potencies and stereoselectivity. In the presence of protease inhibitors, labeling of the ...
The authors present an unusual case of a patient with orbital metastases from renal carcinoma involving the extra ocular muscles bilaterally. The importance of computed tomography for the differential diagnosis with other orbital lesions is emphasized. (author)
1-Naphthylphthalamic acid (NPA) is a specific inhibitor of polar auxin transport that blocks carrier-mediated auxin efflux from plant cells. To allow identification of the NPA receptor thought to be...Full Text Available
The ζ chain-associated 70-kDa protein (ZAP-70) of tyrosine kinase plays a critical role in T cell receptor-mediated signal transduction and the immune response. A high level of ZAP-70 expression...Full Text Available
CT is a valuable tool in assessing thoracic gunshot wounds. CT is also the method of choice in emergency, because it permits rapid depiction of bullet damage to the chest and to other body districts. This in turn permits correct assessment of the main thoracic injuries, plus adequate and prompt planning of surgical treatment or support intensive care. It is reported on the role of CT in diagnosing the complex pleuropulmonary, cardiovascular and thoracic wall injuries caused by gunshot wounds, with their specific and acute signs which differ greatly fro those of other types of chest trauma. In the last 4 years, it was observed an amount of 76 cases of gunshot injury, twenty-six of them involved the chest. The patients, 25 men and 1 woman (mean age: 32 years, range: 17-48), were all submitted to emergency CT with iv contrast agent injection and the CT-angiography technique. The reanimator was always presented to monitor the patients' vital functions and shock state. CT of the ...
With the aim of demonstrating the usefulness of computerised tomography (CT) findings in the planning of brain neurosurgery in gunshot victims, for prompt and successful treatment, 30 patients with brain gunshot wounds were examined with CT over 5 years. The mortality rate of firearm wounds of the skull base was 34% higher than that of the hemisphere; this is due to carotid hemorrhage and midbrain damage. Such traumas require emergency radiological diagnosis and neurosurgical treatment because of their severity and early irreversible complications. Complex operations and skilled surgeons may prevent disabling postoperative sequels. CT findings are indispensable and must be correctly interpreted. The radiologist and the neurosurgeon must collaborate closely and both must consider several diagnostic factors affecting surgical planning. [Italian] Scopo dello studio e' stato quello di dimostrare l'utilita' della semeiologia della tomografia computerizzata in ...
Samples dredged from the sediment mounds have a unique chemistry and mineralogy which reveals details of the hydrothermal processes that produce these deposits. The mounds form primarily by deposition of Fe, Mn and Si from hydrothermal fluids which circulate through the basalt crust and the overlying sediments. The Mn, Fe and Si are strongly fractionated in the process; the Fe and Si precipitate within the mounds under slightly reducing conditions as nontronite, while the Mn is deposited as Mn oxyhydroxides at the seawater-sediment interface. The nontronite is exceptionally well crystallized, and contains less than 200 ppm Al. The Mn minerals, todorokite and birnessite, also have exceptional crystallinity and the distribution of trace elements Cu, Ni, Zn, Co, Ca and Ba in these phases agrees with predictions made on the basis of models of their crystal structure. The environment of deposition which produces this suite of minerals - slow percolation of hydrothermal ...
Under the auspices of the DOE and private industry, considerable progress has been made in: preparation of coal-water fuels; combustion of low-ash coal-based fuel forms; processes to provide deeply-cleaned coal. Developments in advanced beneficiation of coal to meet stringent requirements for low ash and low sulfur can be anticipated to further complicate the problem areas associated with this product. This is attributable to the beneficiated coal being procured in very fine particles with high surface areas, modified surface characteristics, reduced particle size distribution range, and high inherent moisture. Experience in the storage, handling, and transport of highly beneficiated coal has been limited. This is understandable, as quantities of such product are only now becoming available in meaningful quantities. During this reporting period the authors have: developed a suite of empirical tests covering water retention, rewetting, mull stability, angle of ...
This article discusses the proper use of sandy land in China from the viewpoint of ecology. The many low-yield fields in every locality across China include sandy land that is unsuited to the cultivation of grains such as paddy rice, corn and wheat. Separate investigations of the northern plain and the southern coast between 1980 and 1982 demonstrated that sandy land in a warm climatic zone (e.g. Huang He) is suited to peanuts, soybeans and other oil-bearing crops; that forestation can be carried out on sandy land in Inner Mongolia and Xinjiang; and that coastal sandy land has much salinity and is best suited to growing horsetail beefwood. Moreover, the creation of windbreaks along the coasts of southern China has lessened the threat of wind-blown sand which had made rice not worth cultivating on sandy land. It is concluded that different crops can be grown on the sandy soil of China's temperate, warm, semitropical and tropical zones.
Plerocercoids of the tapeworm Spirometra mansonoides produce a substance that stimulates growth of experimental hosts. We report purification of plerocercoid growth factor (PGF) to homogeneity by a process involving isolation and solubilization of plerocercoid membranes, isoelectric point selection by chromatofocusing chromatography or preparative isoelectric focusing, and anion-exchange chromatography. A radioreceptor assay (RRA) for human growth hormone (hGH) was used to detect PGF and purity of the 27.5-kDa protein was judged by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). Proteolytic activity was detected in the 27.5-kDa protein by gelatin substrate PAGE. Characterization of PGF as a neutral cysteine proteinase was based on substrate and inhibitor specificities and dependence on pH and thiol-containing reagents. The association of hGH agonist and proteinase activities was shown by comparing RRA and hydrolytic ...
Cultures of 3T3-L1 cells were incubated with either 10 ng/ml cholera toxin or 10 ng/ml pertussis toxin from 4 days prior to the initiation of differentiation and throughout the subsequent incubation. Toxin concentrations were sufficient to completely prevent the labelling of alpha-subunits with ["3"2P]NAD"+ and pertussis toxin and to prevent by more than 90% the labelling with ["3"2P]NAD"+ and cholera toxin in membranes prepared from these cells. Neither toxin prevented the differentiation to the adipocyte phenotype. Neither toxin prevented the increases in the relative amounts of G-proteins which occur upon differentiation. Both toxins dramatically decreased the amount of beta-subunits. As measured by quantitative immunoblotting with antisera specific for both the 35 kDa and 36 kDa beta-subunits, levels of beta-subunit were decreased by more than 50% of steady-state level of control cells. Thus, bacterial toxins which modifies G-protein ...
The crystal structure of outer surface protein A (OspA) from Borrelia burgdorferi contains a single-layer #beta#-sheet connecting the N- and C-terminal globular domains. The central #beta#-sheet consists largely of polar amino acids and it is solvent-exposed on both faces, which so far appears to be unique among known protein structures. We have accomplished nearly complete backbone H, C and N and C";/H"#beta# assignments of OspA (28 kDa) using standard triple resonance techniques without perdeuteration. This was made possible by recording spectra at a high temperature (45 "oC ). The chemical shift index and "1"5N T_1/T_2 ratios show that both the secondary structure and the global conformation of OspA in solution are similar to the crystal structure, suggesting that the unique central #beta#-sheet is fairly rigid.
The experiment was conducted at the laboratory of Experimental Station of Instituto Agronomico de Campinas, in Piracicaba, SP, BR. The elephant-grass (Penissetum purpureum Schum) cv Guacu, with 6 months of development was chopped in a forage chopper regulated to cut biomass in pieces of 5 mm. 500 grams of chopped biomass was pressed in a hydraulic presser regulated for 60, 120, 180, 240 and 300 kg/cm{sup 2}. For the pressure of 60, 120, 180 and 240 kg/cm{sup 2} the presser was used in manual module, while, for the pressure of 300 kg/cm{sup 2} it was operated in the automatic module. The experiment was executed in randomized block design with 4 repetitions. When the pressure of 300 kg/cm{sup 2} was used it was extracted 21.78 % of the moisture of biomass, while the nitrogen percentage was little altered by press. (author)
Determination of stacking fault energy (SFE) of the austenite phase of a duplex stainless steel DIN W.-Nr.: 1.4462 has been carried out using transmission electron microscopy. Furthermore, cold rolling tests and microstructural analysis have been realized in order to allow a detailed discussion of the obtained SFE-values. The results of this investigation indicate that the stacking fault energy of the austenite phase within the duplex stainless steel is lower than of one-phase austenitic stainless steels. This is justified by the chemical composition, mainly by the Cr and Ni alloying contents. Nevertheless, work hardening of the austenite during cold deformation is not as accentuated as expected by the SFE-values, because at higher deformation levels the deformation mainly occurs within the ferrite phase 7 refs., 5 figs., 2 tabs.
A method of the correction for sample self attenuation used in segmented gamma scanner (SGS) is described. The method of calibration for assaying the uranium and plutonium contents of each category of heterogeneous process residues and wastes in nuclear facilities is studied. The effect of variable measurement parameter on measurement results is also studied. The measurement results of SGS assay is compared with that of the destructive assay (DA), which is aimed at evaluating SGS method for assaying uranium and plutonium content in process residues and wastes. The deviation of two assay results is 3.6%. The SGS assay results and DA assay results both are coincided well in error limits. Four category of heterogeneous process residues and wastes in nuclear facilities have assayed successfully in physical inventory. The uncertainty of measurement results for uranium and plutonium content in process residues and wastes is 5% with 68.3% of ...
Current projections of the response of the biosphere to global climatic change indicate as much as 50% to 90% spatial displacement of extratropical biomes. The mechanism of spatial shift could be dominated by either (1) competitive displacement of northern biomes by southern biomes, or (2) drought-induced dieback of areas susceptible to change. The current suite of global biosphere models cannot distinguish between these two processes, thus determining the need for a mechanistically based biome model. The model is in an early stage of development and will require several enhancements, including explicit simulation of potential evapotranspiration, extension to boreal and tropical biomes, a shift from steady-state to transient dynamics, and validation on other continents.
Of the radionuclides with physical properties most suited for use with monoclonal antibody for tumor imaging or therapy, few are more available or desirable than Pb-203, 212 and Bi-212. Yet no clinical studies have as yet been possible solely due to the lability in vivo of known complexes. We now report that bismuth complexes of the ligands p-SCN-Bz-DOTA and p-SCN-Bz-trans-cyclohexylDTPA are effective at protecting Bi-206 from release when linked to immunoproteins. Practicable, efficient ligand syntheses will be reported. Initial studies reveal that antibody is labeled efficiently with radiolead DOTA complexes. Preliminary studies indicate stability in vivo.
Separations of metal ions on the basis of Donnan dialysis across anion-exchange membranes should be possible if the receiver electrolyte composition favors the formation of selected anionic complexes of the sample metal ions. Moreover, such a separation has the possibility of being better suited from some applications than batch or column experiments with anion-exchange resins. The above hypothesis are tested on the platinum-group metal ions, Pt(IV), Rh(III), Pd(II), Ir(III), and Ir(IV). 13 references, 4 tables.
The various technical aspects of radon concentration measurements in the ground or in the groundwater are reviewed. The emphasis is put on the most convenient techniques particularly suited for in situ monitoring in the field. Some attention is paid to the thoron problem. Historical and most recent findings in the field or earthquake related radon anomalies are presented and briefly discussed. A similar approach is made to rarer volcanic cases that have been documented up to now. A short discussion regarding the various models that intend to provide satisfactory explanations is presented, supported, whenever it is possible, by experimental laboratory results. Finally a glimpse on the possible and future application of the method to hydrogeology is given. (orig.).
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The procedure followed by the Laboratorio de Metrologia Nuclear (LMN) at the IPEN - CNEN/SP, in Sao Paulo, for modifying the NPL-CRC radionuclide sample holder in order to adapt for IPEN vials is presented. For the quality assurance of the results using the IPEN vials, the influence of variation in dimensions and volume of solution has been investigated and suitable correction factors were applied. The solutions used in the present work were "5"1Cr "9"9"mTc "1"5"3Sm, and "2"0"1Tl. (author)
Wood-plastic combination (WPC) was produced by {gamma}-irradiation of persimmon impregnated with acrylonitrile and styrene. The hardness and strength of WPC obtained were higher than those of an unmodified wood. Thus, it was found that the WPC is suited for a head of golf club, because the Shore hardness value of WPC is 36% greater than that of unmodified wood. An impregnation method of monomers with some pigments could produce colored WPC without diminishing natural grain. Head of golf club could be manufactured from colored WPC in practice. (auhtor).
Wood-plastic combination (WPC) was produced by #gamma#-irradiation of persimmon impregnated with acrylonitrile and styrene. The hardness and strength of WPC obtained were higher than those of an unmodified wood. Thus, it was found that the WPC is suited for a head of golf club, because the Shore hardness value of WPC is 36% greater than that of unmodified wood. An impregnation method of monomers with some pigments could produce colored WPC without diminishing natural grain. Head of golf club could be manufactured from colored WPC in practice. (auhtor).
Locked nucleic acid (LNA) is a nucleic acid analogue containing one or more LNA nucleotide monomers with a bicyclic furanose unit locked in an RNA mimicking sugar conformation. This conformational restriction results in unprecedented hybridization affinity towards complementary single stranded RNA and thus, makes LNA uniquely suited for mimicking RNA structures and sequence specific targeting of RNA in vitro or in vivo. The focus of this paper is on LNAantisense, LNA-modified siRNA (siLNA), and detection and analysis of microRNAs by LNA-modified oligonucleotide probes.
The Joint European Torus (JET) fusion machine is the only device capable of operation with tritium (as fuel) and Be (as plasma facing component), what makes it best suited to study ITER relevant issues. A large variety of activities are performed within the JET Fusion Technology Task Force. In this paper, some topics such as erosion/deposition and material transport, flakes characterization and detritiation techniques are highlighted. Recent results obtained using a pumping cryo-panel and on plasma facing component characterisation are given. Finally, issues that will be addressed in the forthcoming JET work-programme are presented, such as a beryllium main wall for JET and in-situ laser detritiation. (authors)
Compton backscattering of laser photons near the interaction point of an e"+e"- or e"-e"- collider can be used to produce a #gamma#-#gamma# or #gamma#-e"- collider. This paper describes the laser requirements, including pulse duration, intensity, energy, and wavelength, for such a collider. For most of the proposed, next generation, e"+e"- colliders, the laser wavelength should be in the near-infrared, with a pulse duration of 1 ps or less and an energy of similar 1 J per pulse. Current chirped pulse amplification laser systems in solid state lasing materials are well suited to meet these requirements. These systems are described. ((orig.)).
The immense volume of data generated by the suite of instruments on SDO requires new tools for efficient identifying and accessing data that is most relevant to research investigations. We have developed the Heliophysics Events Knowledgebase (HEK) to fill this need. The HEK system combines automated data mining using feature-detection methods and high-performance visualization systems for data markup. In addition, web services and clients are provided for searching the resulting metadata, reviewing results, and efficiently accessing the data. We review these components and present examples of their use with SDO data.
Based on the High Temperature Sodium Facility (HTSF) experience and the extensive design efforts for FFTF, procedures are in place for the unloading of the tank cars and for the fill of the FFTF reactor. Special precautions have been taken to provide safe handling and to accommodate contingencies in operation. These contingencies include special protective suits allowing personnel to enter and correct conditions arising from fill operations in the course of moving 7.71 x 10/sup 5/ kg (1.7 x 10/sup 6/ lbs) of sodium from the tank cars into the reactor vessel and its loop system.
The design of High-Voltage, Direct-Current transmission cables insulated with oil-impregnated cellulose paper is constrained by the maximum temperature and the maximum steady-state and transient stresses (voltage gradients) that the cable insulation can reliably withstand over the desired operating lifetime. Because the electrical stresses in the insulation are related in a very complex fashion to temperature, applied voltage and cable geometry, iterative techniques are required to compute the values of these stresses. Digital computers are ideally suited for these iterative techniques. This paper presents the principal equations and logic needed to develop suitable computer programs.
This bill was introduced into the US House of Representatives on February 19, 1992 to amend the Federal Water Pollution Control Act for the protection of wetlands. One of the key elements of the bill revolves around the expansion of scope and clarification of the permit program and its effects on wetlands. Additional sections address the following: exemptions for agriculture and other activities; rulemaking on prior converted wetlands; citizen suits amendments; improvement of administration of wetlands permitting; study of wetlands delineation; and wetlands restoration pilot program.
We have developed EOS7M, a ferrofluid flow and transport module for TOUGH2. EOS7M calculates the magnetic forces on ferrofluid caused by an external magnetic field and allows simulation of flow and advective transport of ferrofluid-water mixtures through porous media. Such flow problems are strongly coupled and well suited to the TOUGH2 framework. Preliminary applications of EOS7M to some simple pressure and flow problems for which experiments were carried out in the lab show good qualitative agreement with the laboratory results.
Almost every electric utility company involved in nuclear plant construction has experienced difficulty as a result of the deteriorating condition of the nuclear industry as a whole. The thrust of a growing number of lawsuits brought against electric companies for alleged violations of federal securities laws is that the companies failed to reveal cost overruns, delays, and the risk of cancellation and write-off of nuclear plants in their annual reports and registration statements. A review of several suits and the disclosure requirements of securities statutes concludes that, although investors have known about utility problems, they have just become aware this year that the entire financial viability of the electric companies is threatened.
Fastening systems for parts that endure high vibration shear loads have traditionally been difficult or expensive to produce. This application describes a fastening system with multiple conical surfaces and eccentric offsets. The novel conical fastener system allows parts to be assembled with reduced tolerance controls at interface features while improving alignment precision. The eccentric conical fastening system is particularly well suited for assemblies with high shear loads in high vibration/shock environments, and/or for systems that have extremely precise pointing requirements.
A methods is presented for an accurate numerical determination of eigenvalues of real symmetric para-p diagonal matrices. The method takes advantage of the band structure to break up the matrix into p x p blocks and performing algebraic operations including inversions on these blocks only, no matter what the size of the matrix is. The eigenvalues are determined independently one at a time. Thus any error in the determination of one eigenvalue does not affect the other eigenvalues. The method is ideally suited for the Schroedinger eigenvalue problem of the anharmonic potentials. (author).
The Belinskii, Khalatnikov and Lifshitz conjecture \\cite{bkl1} posits that on approach to a space-like singularity in general relativity the dynamics are well approximated by `ignoring spatial derivatives in favor of time derivatives.' In \\cite{ahs1} we examined this idea from within a Hamiltonian framework and provided a new formulation of the conjecture in terms of variables well suited to loop quantum gravity. We now present the details of the analytical part of that investigation. While our motivation came from quantum considerations, thanks to some of its new features, our formulation should be useful also for future analytical and numerical investigations within general relativity.
The chemical operational concept originally established for the water-steam circuit of Angra II nuclear power plant has undergone several modifications throughout the development of the project. This work discusses the two main modifications giving special attention to the costs involved and analyses the main points and the consequences of such modifications 1 ref., 4 figs., 2 tabs.
This symposium about electric operational and expansion planning presents several articles that approaches issues such as, monitoring the power system stability, electrical load modelling, reliability in power systems, optimization in power systems, integrated resources planning in power systems, reactive control through static compensators, power flow analysis, system modelling, etc
The objective of this work is a study for the application of a new technology that will be used in the engine management system in the vehicle; where the final consumer can opt for the inquiry performance or seeking an economy for the fuel consumption depending on its daily use and of the prices offered in the gas stations. Flexible Fuel is a technology in development for the automobile market that mixes the use of two fuels (gasoline and ethanol) and their mixtures in the internal combustion engine. (author)
Natural radioactivity found in rocks and its evaluation been frequently used for studies of environmental geochemistry, particularly those of detection and control of pollutants and the consequent changes in environment after antropic interferences. In this work natural radioactivity in forty nine soil samples in the basin of Buquira river, at the Northeast region of Sao Paulo State, has been analysed and measured with a Ge-HP gamma ray spectrometer. A table with the most relevant results found in rocks is shown and discussed. (author)
Procedures followed in designing for offshore production rigs in the Northeastern Areas of the Campos Basin are presented. Various advantages afforded by the mast in the performance of required tasks are analyzed, along with all calculation premises and methods for adequate sizing. Standards covering mast design, materials used in manufacture, and test routines are also examined. (author). 16 figs., 3 tabs., 11 refs
A proposed inhibitor for steel corrosion in hydrochloric acid consists essentially of 0.5% of an inhibitor called BA-6, 0.25-0.5% of 1-hexynol-3, and about 0.02% of potassium iodide (calculated on the amount of acid). The inhibitor DA-6 is produced by condensing benzylamine with utrotropine. 1-Hexynol-3, secondary alcohol, is obtained from butyraldehyde and acetylene in the presence of caustic potash. The increase of potassium iodide concentration from 0.02-0.1% increases the protective action of the inhibitor. Hexynol, dipropargyl ester, and potassium iodide must be introduced in HC1 before injection of the latter into the well.
A study for Cs-137 radionuclide dispersion in the marine environment through of compartmental model (Box Model) is presented. The model simulates the surface water contamination caused by direct atmospheric deposition, surface wash off, desorption from sediments and transfer with the ground water of accidentally released radionuclides. For this study the model was applied to the North Sea, near to Sellafield, based on the transfer coefficients obtain at the literature. The results obtained are in good agreement with the literature, being that the model developed can be applied in to the brazilian coastal regions. (author). 7 refs, 7 figs.
The bath of a manganese sulfate (BMS) is a system for absolute standardization of the neutron sources. This work establishes a functional relationship based on semi-empirical methods for the theoretical prediction of physical density values, concentration and rate between the hydrogen and manganese atoms presents in the solution of the BMS
...com: Christianity: General All-in-One Biblical Resources Search Anno Domini: Jesus Through the Centuries Bible and Homosexuality Bible Reading Fellowship Bible Society Bible ...of the New Testament Vine's Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words Virtual Christianity: Bibles Whole Bible Comments: bubl@bubl.ac.uk About....com: Christianity: General Offers original articles and features about Christianity in general plus annotated links to selected relevant Internet resources, compiled by ... Also includes a gallery of Christian images such as The Last Supper by Leonardo Da Vinci. Author: About....
The goal of this DOE Vision-21 project work scope is to develop an integrated suite of software tools that can be used to simulate and visualize advanced plant concepts. Existing process simulation software does not meet the DOE's objective of ''virtual simulation'' which is needed to evaluate complex cycles. The overall intent of the DOE is to improve predictive tools for cycle analysis, and to improve the component models that are used in turn to simulate the cycle. Advanced component models are available; however, a generic coupling capability that will link the advanced component models to the cycle simulation software remains to be developed. In the current project, the coupling of the cycle analysis and cycle component simulation software will be based on an existing suite of programs. The challenge is to develop a general-purpose software and communications link between the cycle analysis ...
The thesis explains the development of a mass spectrometerical isotope dilution analysis (MS/DA) for determining trace amounts of Tc. The Tc-97 isotope has been prepared by in-core irradiation of Ru of natural isotopic composition, and used as the indicator isotope. For separation of Tc-97 from the Ru matrix, a method has been developed to quantitatively separate Tc-97 from a high Ru surplus. For determining the isotope ratio for the MS/DA, a mass spectrometrical measuring technique has been found which allows reproducible measurement of the Tc-99/Tc-97 isotope ratio. Positive and, for the first time, also negative thermoionisation has been used as a method of selective ionisation of Tc. The applicability of the MS/DA for Tc trace analysis has been verified using two Al foils doped with Tc-99 or Mo-98, respectively. These have been irradiated in a nuclear reactor, the irradiation of Tc-99 yielding Ru-100, and irradiation of ...
Photoaffinity labeling analogs of the adenylate cyclase activator forskolin (PF) have been synthesized, purified and tested for their effect on preparations of membrane-bound, Lubrol solubilized and forskolin affinity-purified adenylate cyclase (AC). All analogs of forskolin significantly activated AC. However, in the presence of 0.1 to 0.3 microM forskolin, the less active forskolin photoaffinity probes at 100 microM caused inhibition. This inhibition was dose-dependent for PF, suggesting that PF may complete with F for the same binding site(s). After cross-linking (125I)PF-M to either membrane or Lubrol-solubilized AC preparations by photolysis, a radiolabeled 100-110 kDa protein band was observed after autoradiography following SDS-PAGE. F at 100 microM blocked the photoradiolabeling of this protein. Radioiodination of forskolin-affinity purified AC showed several protein bands on autoradiogram, however, only one band (Mr = 100-110 kDa) was ...
Adjuvant-induced arthritis in rats is a chronic inflammatory disease, widely as an animal model for rheumatoid arthritis. In our study the effect of various fractions of dialyzable leukocyte extract (DLE): DLE I-molecular weight below 10 kDa (commercial preparation), DLE II-molecular weight below 5 kDa (suppressor fraction), DLE III-molecular weight 5-10 kDa on rat adjuvant-induced arthritis was studied. The adjuvant arthritic (AA) rats were treated with DLE fractions i.p. in solutions containing an active substance isolated from 12.5 x 10{sup 6} and 6.25 x 10{sup 6} leukocytes from day 1 (adjuvant injected) through day 18, every second day (total 9 times). Various markers in inflammation, immune function and joint destruction were evaluated: hind paw volume, serum hyaluronic acid, serum albumin and biopterin in urine. All these markers showed a significant improvement after using fraction DLE II in comparison with AA ...
Acanthamoeba castellanii myosins IA and IB demonstrate the catalytic properties of a myosin and can support analogues of contractile and motile activity in vitro, but their single, low molecular weight heavy chains, roughly globular shapes, and inabilities to self-assemble into filaments make them structurally atypical myosins. The authors present the complete amino acid sequence of the 128-kDa myosin IB heavy chain, which they deduced from the nucleotide sequence of the gene and which reveals that the polypeptide is a fusion of myosin-like and non-myosin-like sequences. Specifically, the amino-terminal approx. 76 kDa of amino acid sequence is highly similar to the globular head sequences of conventional myosins. By contrast, the remaining approx. 51 kDa of sequence shows no similarity to any portion of conventional myosin sequences, contains regions that are rich in glycine, proline, and alanine residues, and lacks the ...
Acanthamoeba castellanii myosins IA and IB demonstrate the catalytic properties of a myosin and can support analogues of contractile and motile activity in vitro, but their single, low molecular weight heavy chains, roughly globular shapes, and inabilities to self-assemble into filaments make them structurally atypical myosins. The authors present the complete amino acid sequence of the 128-kDa myosin IB heavy chain, which they deduced from the nucleotide sequence of the gene and which reveals that the polypeptide is a fusion of myosin-like and non-myosin-like sequences. Specifically, the amino-terminal #approx# 76 kDa of amino acid sequence is highly similar to the globular head sequences of conventional myosins. By contrast, the remaining #approx# 51 kDa of sequence shows no similarity to any portion of conventional myosin sequences, contains regions that are rich in glycine, proline, and alanine residues, and lacks the ...
Radiation inactivation and sedimentation equilibrium analysis were used to determine the functional and physical size of the chicken hepatic membrane receptor that binds N-acetylglucosamine-terminated glycoproteins. Purified plasma membranes from chicken liver were irradiated with high energy electrons and assayed for 125I-agalactoorosomucoid binding. Increasing the dose of ionizing radiation resulted in a monoexponential decay in binding activity due to a progressive loss of binding sites. The molecular mass of the chicken lectin, determined in situ by target analysis, was 69,000 +/- 9,000 Da. When the same irradiated membranes were solubilized in Brij 58 and assayed, the binding protein exhibited a target size of 62,000 +/- 4,000 Da; in Triton X-100, the functional size of the receptor was 85,000 +/- 10,000 Da. Sedimentation equilibrium measurements of the purified binding protein yielded a lower limit molecular weight of ...
The number of ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) implementations within the oil industry has increased substantially in the past years. PETROBRAS has recently developed a business case, a 10 steps methodology developed by Symnetics-Benchmarking Partners (management consultancy), aimed at enhancing strategic and tangible ROI - Return on Investment of IT projects. The Business Case has not only provided alignment of PETROBRAS strategies with ERP capabilities, but also identified process gaps and opportunities for improvement as well as developing a high level implementation plan including timing, costs and potential benefits. Anticipated economic gains were mainly focused on the following business processes: materials management (30%), planning and controlling (25%), project management (24%) and order fulfillment (14%). PETROBRAS has chosen a phased approach for implementing the ERP. Two scenarios were considered: time, cost, risk and scope were the key issues regarding the ERP ...
The purpose of the present work is to investigate the effects of matrix resin and fiber content on the behavior of fatigue crack propagation in continuous-glass-fiber-mat reinforced CP-resin composites. For this purpose, ductile matrix resin and brittle one are used. These two kinds of resins have the characteristic that the elastic modulus and tensile strength are nearly the same with each other while the elongation is different. The composite specimens are made of these resins and continuous grass fiber mat of 20 wt.% and 60 wt% fiber contents. The fatigue crack propagation test was conducted by using the tapered DCB specimens to control the stress intensity factor range, {delta}K, during the test. The results obtained are as follows; (1) The relation between the crack propagation rate, da/dN, and {delta}K for all the present materials is shown by a straight line in logarithmic representation. (2) For the composites of 20 wt.% fiber content, the ...
Penetrating liver wounds are related to many causes and rank second after blunt abdominal and liver trauma. In this report are examined the clinical and radiological findings of personal series of patients with penetrating trauma, especially by firearms and stab and cut wounds. It will also tried to define the diagnostic workup of these traumas, which is especially based on CT signs of liver damage and associated changes and which is of basic importance for following treatment, both surgical or conservative. In the last seven years it was retrospectively reviewed 31 cases of penetrating liver trauma. The patients were 19 men and 12 women, ranging in age 18 to 73 (mean 42), with penetrating liver injuries from firearms (16 patients) and stab (9 cases) wounds; 6 patients had injuries from different cases. Abdominal CT was carried out in emergency with the CT Angiography (CTA) technique in all patients. In the patients with suspected chest and abdomen involvement CT was performed from the ...
Mycobacterium xenopi is one of the most common agents responsible for nontubercolar mycobacterial pulmonary disease on AIDS patients. These lesions have been studied with conventional radiography while CT has been used in patients with aspecific mycobacterioses or non-AIDS pulmonary conditions from Mycobacterium xenopi. 12 AIDS patients were examined. They had pulmonary lesions from Mycobacterium xenopi, patients age ranged 30 to 46 years. All patients had CD4 blood levels lower than 250 cells/mL and Mycobacterium xenopi in the sputum. All patients underwent a standard chest radiograph and a CT examination. CT images were evaluated by three radiologists independently and the definitive diagnosis was made in the presence of a fourth radiologist. Chest CT showed parenchymal consolidation in 66% of cases, associated with bilateral basal bands in 16% of cases. Consolidation was unilateral in 41% of cases and most frequently involved the right lower lobe. Bilateral reticular interstitial ...
The NIS-6 group at Los Alamos National Laboratory pioneered the development of Tomographic Gamma Scanning and continue to improve its utility in real measurement situations. Building on this experience we report the development of a state of the art TGS system suitable for industrial applications. The image reconstruction and visualization software has been integrated into the familiar Canberra NDA2000 software suite which also handles all other aspects of the data acquisition and management. In this paper we describe the salient design and performance parameters of the system. The application of gamma-ray tomography to safeguards for improved assay accuracy and knowledge confirmation is discussed. In particular we compare and contrast the relative merits of this TGS and a traditional Segmented Gamma Scanner and illustrate how the 3-D visualization of the TGS image can provide valuable additional information.
Mammalodon colliveri is an unusual toothed archaic mysticete (Cetacea) from the Upper Oligocene Jan Juc Formation of south-east Australia. The morphology of the holotype skull and postcrania are described in detail. Superimposed on the generally plesiomorphic archaeocete-like morphology of Mammalodon are subtle mysticete synapomorphies. Derived features of Mammalodon include a short and bluntly rounded rostrum, reduced premaxillae, and anterodorsally directed orbits. Within Mysticeti, this suite of features is unique. The aberrant rostral morphology of Mammalodon suggests specialization for suction feeding. Janjucetus hunderi is placed in an expanded family Mammalodontidae. Phylogenetic analysis corroborates the monophyly of Basilosauridae, Neoceti, Odontoceti, and Mysticeti, and yields a ...
The GSD must be considered as a quantity by means of which the risk in a given population can be described exclusively in terms of genetic risk. In cases of a simultaneous increase in the rate of examinations, the GSD may lead to a misinterpretation of the population exposure, suggesting a decreasing trend, although there is an actual increase in the somatic radiation exposure. It is recommended to indicate not only the GSD but also the amount of somatic radiation exposure of the population for each specific source when comparing and evaluating radiation exposures from different sources. Although the somatically significant dose formally would be suited as a complement to the GSD, it is recommended to use the effective per caput dose equivalent. It must be pointed out that the application of the concept of effective dose equivalent is only appropriate for comparative evaluations of the population exposure to different sources of radiation. (orig./HP).
The main goal of local drug delivery is to increase the concentration of a specific therapeutic agent in a target tissue with minimal nontarget distribution. Compared to systemic therapy, local drug delivery provides a high level of therapeutic efficacy with minimal systemic effects. The current primary imaging modality for drug delivery has been x-ray angiography, but it has major limitations including anatomical ambiguity and inability to visualize the targeted tissues. Due to these inherent problems, MR guidance has been explored as an alternative imaging modality for guiding and monitoring of drug therapy. Recently, interventional MR (XMR) systems have been implemented that have both dual x-ray and MRI capabilities in a single suite and allow for real-time interventional procedures to ...
A protocol adapter ideally suited to enable enterprises to gradually transition from SOAP Web Services to RESTful HTTP Web Services without impacting existing clients is presented in this paper. The inherent advantage of such a transition is the visibility of RESTful HTTP messages to Web intermediaries such as caches. In contrast, SOAP messages are opaque, which disables Web intermediaries. While both approaches can use HyperText Transfer Protocol (HTTP) for message transfer, the paradigms contrast sharply. SOAP uses an interface specific approach whereas RESTful HTTP uses a Uniform Interface approach. SOAP marks up its payload with eXtensible Markup Language (XML) whereas in certain situations RESTful HTTP requires no XML. We present the disadvantages of the SOAP approach and outline how ...
The performance of bunch-feedback systems based on two-tap FIR filters is discussed, particularly for transverse cases. Since they are the simplest type of FIR digital filters, the two-tap FIR filters should be suited to systems that require a very fast processing speed. However, in these feedback systems, a bunch must turn along a ring several times from the position-measurement to feedback kicking. Within these turns, irregular phase-jumps in the betatron motion can occur, due to several causes, such as the wake forces and beam-beam force. The discussion given in this paper is focussed on the effect of beam-beam collisions on these feedback systems. Based on linear theory and simulation studies, it has been found that these feedback systems can work with good performance, even under the influence of a strong beam-beam force. (author)
Deals with slope stability problems met in the D coalfield of the Tamnava-Iztok surface coal mine where 171 Mt of brown coal have been excavated and 520 Mm{sup 3} of overburden. Six geomechanical methods were used to verify the reliability of slope angels (Hoek, Froehlich, Janbu, Bishop, Reame and Swase) along with the theory of finite elements. All calculations were accomplished by means of computers. It was found that the Ream method (combined Bishop and Fellenius method) provides the most reliable results in determining general slope angles. The Janbu method is mostly suited for locations with complicated geological conditions (multi-layer benches); the Swase method may be considered as most reliable for locations with simple geological conditions and for spoil banks. 5 refs.
High angle conveyor (HAC) systems in open pit mining offer many advantages over the traditional, truck only, haulage systems, including: (1) superior energy efficiency, (2) less dependency on petroleum products, (3) less sensitivity to inflation, (4) less labor, (5) less excavation for the amount of ore recovered, and (6) less ramp construction and maintenance costs. Previous studies have revealed the technical and economic feasibility of high angle conveyors. The present paper introduces the Continental Conveyor sandwich belt HAC as the vital link to optimization of in-pit conveying systems. A test and demonstration unit, has been built and demonstrated. Discussion continues with the HAC systems to suit the various open pit mining operations and the corresponding characteristics of the system components, particularly the high angle conveyor. The range of HAC systems is discussed. (11 refs.)
Scanning spreading resistance microscopy (SSRM) has been applied to study focused ion beam (FIB) induced damage in silicon in dependence on ion irradiation doses from 10"1"2 cm"-"2 to 2#centre dot#10"1"6 cm"-"2. Starting from the lowest dose, SSRM detects increasing spreading resistance (SR) with increasing dose. For doses from 2#centre dot#10"1"3 cm"-"2 to 4#centre dot#10"1"4 cm"-"2, a slight decrease of SR is measured whereas for higher doses SR again slightly increases. The results are explained by physical effects like decreased carrier mobility due to increased scattering, amorphisation of silicon and precipitation of implanted Ga ions. The results clearly prove that SSRM is well suited for the fast detection of ion beam induced damage with high lateral resolution.
Soil placed over any sealant/barrier system can provide a protective mantle if the soil is not lost by erosion. Vegetation is an attractive choice for controlling erosion because it can provide an economic self-renewing cover that serves to reduce erosion by both wind and water. Vegetation alone, however, may not adequately stabilize the surface in extremely arid areas. In those areas, a properly designed surface treatment of rock cover, perhaps in conjunction with vegetation, may be necessary to stabilize the tailings surfaces. The objective of this program is to establish guidelines for surface stabilization that are compatible with sealant/barrier systems and that are suited to soils and climates at inactive uranium mill tailings sites. These guidelines will provide the means to estimate potential vegetation cover, potential erosion, effects of surface treatments on sealant/barrier systems, and costs of vegetation and rock covers. Methods for establishing ...
Resonant inelastic x-ray scattering (RIXS) with soft x-rays is uniquely suited to study the elec-tronic structure of a variety of materials, but is currently limited by low (fluorescence yield) count rates. This limitation is overcome with a new high-transmission spectrometer that allows to measure soft x-ray RIXS"maps." The S L2,3 RIXS map of CdS is discussed and compared with density functional calculations. The map allows the extraction of decay channel-specific"absorp-tion spectra," giving detailed insight into the wave functions of occupied and unoccupied elec-tronic states.
The efficient design of computation intensive multidimensional signal processing applications requires dealing with three kinds of constraints: those implied by the data dependencies, the non-functional requirements (real-time, power consumption) and resources availability of the execution platform. Modeling and Analysis of Real-time and Embedded systems (MARTE) UML profile through its repetitive structure modeling (RSM) package is well suited to model the inherent parallelism within these applications, a compact representation of parallel execution platforms and the distributive mapping of one on another. The execution of such a specification respects the whole set of constraints defined upon, while the quality of the scheduling is directly linked to the quality of the mapping of the mult...
The potential of different multitemporal and multispectral airborne and spaceborne remote sensing methods for assessment and monitoring of the lignite open-cast mining areas are discussed in this chapter. Emphasis is placed on the successful use of different remote sensing data in variable vegetation structures for dumped sediments with different mineralogical and geochemical properties and for hydrochemical properties of the residual lakes. Multiple remote sensing data are a cost and time efficient tool for the assessment of environmental impacts, supervising of reclamation activities as well as for long term monitoring of the mining area. The airborne data are well suited for large scale detailed research and mapping in smaller sites and the satellite data for the overview scale 1:50 000. An integrated remote sensing-GIS-system including all field and lab data, DTM and other graphical data, improve the results of the remote sensing data classification for the ...
A rapid and cost-effective assessment was required to provide advice to management on the connectivity between juvenile and adult life cycle stages of Baldchin Groper Choerodon rubescens, a labrid endemic to the west coast of Australia, which has high social value, but relatively low commercial fishery importance. To minimise costs we used laser ablation ICP-MS to analyse levels of a small suite of elements (Ca, Mg, Mn, Cu, Zn, Sr, Rb, Ba and Pb) at the margin (adult phase) and core (juvenile phase) of the same otoliths of adult C. rubescens, collected at ten locations in five management zones. The elemental composition of both otolith margins and cores differed significantly among management zones and in some cases among locations within zones. Similarity of the pattern of among-zone elem...
Flexible delivery reliability (FLP), which is in focus in this report, means that the customer shall be able to choose from a number of different grid tariffs of different qualities. This way he shows his actual willingness to pay for quality. It is an important difference compared with the KILE system, which is based on a surveyed willingness to pay. As it is planned to be implemented, FLP assumes that the customer must choose one of a number of different subscriptions and that he makes his choice based on his own preferences and costs what suits him best. The various subscribers entail different degrees of delivery reliability. For the grid companies, customers and regulatory authorities the FLP represents a challenge. It is assumed that the customers have a conscious attitude or preference with respect to delivery quality. That is not always the case today.
A process is described for converting organic waste into a combustible gas for use in a heavy duty thermal engine. The engines best suited for this operation are of the dual-fuel type whose output power results from the simultaneous work of 2 combustibles. The gas flow rate is controlled by the desired power output, while diesel fuel injection remains constant regardless of engine load. The low BTU gas produced by the gasification of dry wastes is a mixture of CO, H/sub 2/ CH/sub 4/, CO/sub 2/ and N/sub 2/. Diesel fuel savings under usual operating conditions is no less than 80% of the consumption of conventional diesel engines of identical power. Characteristics of the low Btu gas engines are described as are the characteristics of the gasifying equipment. Applications for this process are suggested. (DMC)
Non-linear optics encompasses a range of optical phenomena, including two- and three-photon fluorescence, second harmonic generation (SHG), sum frequency generation (SFG), difference frequency generation (DFG), third harmonic generation (THG), coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering (CARS), and stimulated Raman scattering (SRS). The combined advantages of using these phenomena for imaging complex pharmaceutical systems include chemical and structural specificities, high optical spatial and temporal resolutions, no requirement for labels, and the ability to image in an aqueous environment. These features make such imaging well suited for a wide range of pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical investigations, including material and dosage form characterisation, dosage form digestion and drug rele...
Atmospheric pressure tests were performed in which a palladium catalyst ignites and stabilizes the homogeneous combustion of methane. Palladium exhibited a reversible deactivation at temperatures above 750 C, which acted to ``self-regulate`` its operating temperature. A properly treated palladium catalyst could be employed to preheat a methane/air mixture to temperatures required for ignition of gaseous combustion (ca. 800 C) without itself being exposed to the mixture adiabatic flame temperature. The operating temperature of the palladium was found to be relatively insensitive to the methane fuel concentration or catalyst inlet temperature over a wide range of conditions. Thus, palladium is well suited for application in the ignition and stabilization of methane combustion.
In this paper, we study the optical properties of indium sulfide thin films to establish the best conditions to obtain a good solar cell buffer layer. The In2S3 buffer layers have been prepared by chemical bath deposition (CBD) and thermal evaporation (PVD). Optical behavior differences have been found between CBD and PVD In2S3 thin films that have been explained as due to structural, morphological and compositional differences observed in the films prepared by both methods. The resultant refractive index difference has to be attributed to the lower density of the CBD films, which can be related to the presence of oxygen. Its higher refractive index makes PVD film better suited to reduce overall reflectance in a typical CIGS solar cell.
Modern commercial alloys are not suited for future steam turbines of operating temperatures beyond 700 C. #gamma#'-hardened alloys like Waspaloy have good mechanical characteristics but have defects when large batches are melted. #gamma#'/#gamma#''-hardened alloys like Inconel 706, on the other hand, are easy to produce but have insufficient microstructural long-term stability and insufficient creep strength. Mixed crystal solidified alloys like Inconel 617 have excessive yield stress at forging temperatures. Two new alloys were therefore developed. Results so far show that they have good production characteristics but insufficient mechanical characteristics. The reasons for this are currently under investigation. (orig.)
Earth degassing specifically of carbon dioxide CO2 is of increasing interest with respect to the global carbon budget, related climate effects, earthquake and volcano eruption mechanisms, as well as plant physiological reactions in gas-rich environments. Investigations in all of these disciplines require the detection of surface CO2 degassing structures and quantification of their emissions. We introduce minimal thermal change detection based on infrared imaging as a new remote sensing tool for the detection of earth surface thermal anomalies suiting among others to discover earth degassing locations of any origin. The method allows for seamless areal search and monitoring of degassing structures in any terrain. As proof of concept infrared imaging measurements were performed at the Bossol...
During the last fifteen years a variety of instruments and transducers, such as voltage plugs, power transducers, flow and pressure transducers, recorders and tensometers, have been developed for underground use in measuring the performance and technical parameters of prototype machines. The equipment, until recently, has been in a portable form and was found useful by the industry generally, in fault finding and trouble-shooting exercises and in commissioning procedures performed by small teams on a call-out basis. Over the last five years the test equipment has been adapted and the techniques modified to suit individual colliery-based operations with more permanent machine mounted and built-in transducers. At the moment these techniques operate within the framework of a statutory planned preventive maintenance scheme for each mine. This paper discusses the merits of changing from preventive maintenance to condition-based maintenance and the practical steps being ...
A successful boron neutron capture treatment (BNCT) of a patient with multiple liver metastases has been first given in Italy, by placing the removed organ into the thermal neutron column of the Triga research reactor of the University of Pavia. In Finland, FiR 1 Triga reactor with an epithermal neutron beam well suited for BNCT has been extensively used to irradiate patients with brain tumors such as glioblastoma and recently also head and neck tumors. In this work we have studied by MCNP Monte Carlo simulations, whether it would be beneficial to treat an isolated liver with epithermal neutrons instead of thermal ones. The results show, that the epithermal field penetrates deeper into the liver and creates a build-up distribution of the boron dose. Our results strongly encourage further studying of irradiation arrangement of an isolated liver with epithermal neutron fields.
In this report we present a suite of subroutines for the solution of sparse unsymmetric sets of linear equations using a variant of Gaussian elimination. The subroutines are divided into three distinct phases. The first phase optionally preorders the matrix to block triangular form and then performs a sparsity oriented factorization, the second factorizes a matrix of a similar sparsity pattern, while the third uses these decompositions to solve the equations. In this revised edition, the actual Fortran listings have been replaced by a reference to their availability in machine readable form. Other changes to the first edition are minor. This revision is essentially a reprint of the 1979 revision, the only changes being that the MA28A specification sheet has been typeset and has a few minor changes and the existence of a version of the package for complex equations is announced. 11 refs., 11 tabs.
This paper describes the Knowledge Encapsulation Framework (KEF), a suite of tools to enable knowledge inputs (relevant, domain-specific facts) to modeling and simulation projects, as well as other domains that require effective collaborative workspaces for knowledge-based task. This framework can be used to capture evidence (e.g., trusted material such as journal articles and government reports), discover new evidence (covering both trusted and social media), enable discussions surrounding domain-specific topics and provide automatically generated semantic annotations for improved corpus investigation. The current KEF implementation is presented within a wiki environment, providing a simple but powerful collaborative space for team members to review, annotate, discuss and align evidence with their modeling frameworks. The novelty in this approach lies in the combination of automatically tagged and user-vetted resources, which increases user trust in the ...
Lie group methods provide a valuable tool for examininginvariance and non-uniqueness associated with geophysical inverseproblems. The techniques are particularly well suited for the study ofnon-linear inverse problems. Using the infinitesimal generators of thegroup it is possible to move within the null space in an iterativefashion. The key computational step in determining the symmetry groupsassociated with an inverse problem is the singular value decomposition(SVD) of a sparse matrix. I apply the methodology to the eikonal equationand examine the possible solutions associated with a crosswelltomographic experiment. Results from a synthetic test indicate that it ispossible to vary the velocity model significantly and still fit thereference arrival times. the approach is also applied to data fromcorosswell surveys conducted before and after a CO2 injection at the LostHills field in California. The results highlight the fact that a faultcross-cutting the region ...
Encouragement and incentives ar being given in many counties to the electricity industry and private sector to install, own and operate renewable energy systems. The impact of renewable energy installations connected to the grid or operating independently is an important issue concerning the technical and economic viability of harnessing these emerging energy sources. This paper brings out the need for developing and implementing a strategy for comprehensive and accurate protection and control systems for these dispersed generator installations. It appears that a combination of discrete and fuzzy logic devices on an integrated platform will be a novel technique for the protection and control schemes. This development has the potential to be cost effective and suits the requirements for operating renewable energy systems safety. (author). 2 figs., 16 refs.
Current Intrusion Detection System (IDS) technology is not suited to be widely deployed inside a Supervisory, Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) environment. Anomaly- and signature-based IDS technologies have developed methods to cover information technology-based networks activity and protocols effectively. However, these IDS technologies do not include the fine protocol granularity required to ensure network security inside an environment with weak protocols lacking authentication and encryption. By implementing a more specific and more intelligent packet inspection mechanism, tailored traffic flow analysis, and unique packet tampering detection, IDS technology developed specifically for SCADA environments can be deployed with confidence in detecting malicious activity.
Engineering details of a high voltage driven corona-plasma ozone generator are described. The plasma diode of generator has coaxial cylindrical geometry with cathode located inside anode. Cathode is made of a large number of radial gas nozzles arranged on central tubular mast which admits oxygen gas. The sharp endings of the nozzles along with a set of corona rings create the high electric field at the cathode required for formation of dense corona plume responsible for O_3 evolution. A model of coronal plasma generation and ozone production is presented. The plasma formation is strongly dependent on the electric field and temperature in side diode where a high electron density in a low temperature negative corona is suited for high ozone yields. These are established by suitable regulation of A-K gap, voltage, oxygen pressure, and cathode-nozzle population.
Compton backscattering of laser photons near the interaction point of an e{sup +}e{sup -} or e{sup -}e{sup -} collider can be used to produce a {gamma}-{gamma} or {gamma}-e{sup -} collider. This paper describes the laser requirements, including pulse duration, intensity, energy, and wavelength, for such a collider. For most of the proposed, next generation, e{sup +}e{sup -} colliders, the laser wavelength should be in the near-infrared, with a pulse duration of 1 ps or less and an energy of similar 1 J per pulse. Current chirped pulse amplification laser systems in solid state lasing materials are well suited to meet these requirements. These systems are described. ((orig.)).
The capacity to estimate the head pose of another person is a common human ability that presents a unique challenge for computer vision systems. Compared to face detection and recognition, which have been the primary foci of face-related vision research, identity-invariant head pose estimation has fewer rigorously evaluated systems or generic solutions. In this paper, we discuss the inherent difficulties in head pose estimation and present an organized survey describing the evolution of the field. Our discussion focuses on the advantages and disadvantages of each approach and spans 90 of the most innovative and characteristic papers that have been published on this topic. We compare these systems by focusing on their ability to estimate coarse and fine head pose, highlighting approaches that are well suited for unconstrained environments. PMID:19229078
Legal context Can we imagine the patent case as a play? As Johann Huizinga, the Dutch historian and cultural theorist writes, "The lawsuit can be regarded as a game of chance, a contest or a verbal battle." According to Huizinga, science is actually a play itself, thus scientific recognition is nothing more than the solution of a task of a play. In this context, a patent suit is nothing more than a play played with the play (in other words a `Game of the Game'). Key points and practical significance In our view in an ideal world the enforcement of patent rights should be a game of chess, where all the information is available to both players and the rules are simple and unquestionable. All players accept, understand and interpret the rules the same way. The referee has no role to play. How...
The LHCb experiment has chosen to use the SAM framework (Service Availability Monitoring Environment from EGEE-II) [1] make extensive tests of the LHCb environment at all the accessible grid resources. The availability and the proper definition of the local Computing and Storage Elements, user interfaces as well as the WLCG software environment are checked. The SAM framework is also used to pre-install the LHCb applications in the shared software area provided by each site. The deployment of the LHCb applications is based on a python tool developed inside the experiment. It is used for software management including incremental installation of interdependent packages and clean package removal. After the application software is installed a validation test of the whole MC chain is run. According to the results of the experiment specific SAM tests, the sites are (re)integrated into the LHCb production system managed by DIRAC [2]. The possibility of automated dynamic site certification ...
A suite of numerical experiments is conducted to extend our previous studies to explore the effects of linear, ambient wind shear on simulated mammatus-like clouds. Increasing values of unidirectional shear result in banded cloud bases, and for the strongest shears roll-type quasi-two-dimensional convection results rather than three-dimensional lobe morphology. Two observed soundings were used, and the sounding with a drier, shallower sub-cloud layer appeared to be most strongly affected by the presence of the ambient shear. The drier sounding also had less snow in the mammatus lobes owing to sublimation. Copyright Copyright 2009 Royal Meteorological Society
To suit the needs of development for manufacture VLSI, we started to investigate liquid metal ion sources (LMIS) and focused ion beam (FIB) in 1984. Many kinds of emitters viz. neddle type, co-axial type and capillary type of Ga and Au LMIS and three kinds of eutectic alloys LMIS (Au-Si, Au-Si-Be, Pd-Ni-Si-Be-B) have been tested. A program which can calculate focused ion guns has been written. Four kinds of foused ion guns have been operated, a fine beam with diametic 0.1 #mu#m is obtained. Using the FIB a scanning ion microscope has been constructed. Some tests of etching and self-developing of nitrocellulose are described. (author).
A number of difficult technical challenges need to be solved in the fields of accelerator and free-electron laser (FEL) technologies in order to build an X-ray FEL. One of the tasks well suited to the Advanced Photon Source Low Energy Undulator Test Line (LEUTL) is to take the intermediate step of solving some of the problems of single-pass FEL operation in the ultraviolet range. The existing Advanced Photon Source (APS) linac, in addition to its role of supply positrons for the APS storage ring, will also be used to generate the particle beam for the LEUTL. Here, the design of the magnetic system for the high gain soft x-ray free electron laser is described.
The Department of Energy (DOE) has contracted with Asea Brown Boveri-Combustion Engineering (ABB-CE) to provide information on the capability of ABB-CE`s System 80 + Advanced Light Water Reactor (ALWR) to transform, through reactor burnup, 100 metric tonnes (MT) of weapons grade plutonium (Pu) into a form which is not readily useable in weapons. This information is being developed as part of DOE`s Plutonium Disposition Study, initiated by DOE in response to Congressional action. This document, Volume 1, presents a technical description of the various elements of the System 80 + Standard Plant Design upon which the Plutonium Disposition Study was based. The System 80 + Standard Design is fully developed and directly suited to meeting the mission objectives for plutonium disposal. The bass U0{sub 2} plant design is discussed here.
We present a new set of 3.5 Post-Newtonian equations in which Newtonian hydrodynamics is coupled to the nonconservative effects of gravitational radiation emission. Our formalism differs in two significant ways from a similar 3.5 Post-Newtonian approach proposed by Blanchet (1993, 1997). Firstly we concentrate only on the radiation-reaction effects produced by a time-varying mass-current quadrupole $S_{ij}$. Secondly, we adopt a gauge in which the radiation-reaction force densities depend on the fourth time derivative of $S_{ij}$, rather than on the fifth, as in Blanchet's approach. This difference makes our formalism particularly well-suited to numerical implementation and could prove useful in performing fully numerical simulations of the recently discovered $r$-mode instability for rotating neutron stars subject to axial perturbations.
A combination of erosion and corrosion at the Victoria Junction coal preparation plant in Sydney, Nova Scotia was causing serious problems. Schedule 80 mild steel pipes were starting to fail as well as some quarter-inch steel plates in the lauders and chutes. Some corrosion tests were carried out and the high chloride level in the process water was felt to be the single most important contribution to the corrosion problem. Cast basalt was selected as a solution to the pipe wear problem. Three different types of abrasion/corrosion-resistant tiling - basalt tiles, kalceram tiles and ceramic tiles were well suited to the chloride conditions at this plant.
At Super-LHC luminosity it is expected that the standard suite of L1 triggers for CMS will saturate. Information from the tracker will be needed to reduce trigger rates to satisfy the L1 bandwidth. Tracking trigger modules which correlate information from closely-spaced sensor layers to form an on-detector momentum filter are being developed by several groups. We report on a trigger module design which utilizes three dimensional IC technology to incorporate chips which are connected both to the top and bottom sensor, providing the ability to filter information locally. A demonstration chip, the VICTR, has been submitted to the Chartered/Tezzaron two-tier 3D run coordinated by Fermilab. We report on the 3D design concept, the status of the VICTR chip and associated sensor integration utilizing oxide bonding.
Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics (SPH) is a Lagrangian, particle-based method that is well suited to industrial mixing simulations. Mass transport is simply the motion of the particles, and its grid-free nature means that it can easily accommodate complicated geometries involving moving parts and sharp corners. This article describes 2D SPH simulations of a Twin Cam mixer and compares the results against experimental data and results from two published finite element method (FEM) simulations. To analyze the mixing processes in the Twin Cam mixer, we present a method for calculating the Finite-Time Lyapunov Exponent (FTLE) using SPH particle data. The FTLEs can be used to locate the unstable and stable manifolds in the flow and indicate where mixing is either promoted or inhibited in the flo...
A brief survey of present air pollution abatement requirements relevant to domestic heating systems is followed by a comparative evaluation of the latest results worked out on the part of boiler and burner manufacturers, and the legal requirements and existing regulations. Details are given on the limiting values required by law, the regulations valid for domestic heating systems, and the values fixed according to scientific knowledge and research results (development of NO{sub x} and CO, flame temperature dependence, table comparing CO and NO{sub x} limiting values for different types of burners and boilers). Access is given to primary air pollution abatement measures (cooling of flames, absorber rods, influence of mixing pressure), modern burner and boiler systems, and secondary measures suited for smaller boilers. (HWJ).
Recent advances made in the area of amorphous and nanocrystalline alloys exhibiting high saturation inductions are reviewed. A new chemical composition was identified that achieves a saturation induction of 1.64 T in an iron-based amorphous alloy. This alloy, when used in electrical transformers, shows a much improved performance over the existing amorphous alloy. Nanocrystalline FeCoCuNbSiB alloys are found to have saturation induction levels reaching 1.7 T. These materials are suited for use in sensors and inductors carrying large currents. Some of these nanocrystalline alloys show a BH squareness ratio exceeding 90%, which can be utilized in pulse power devices. Recent developments in the applications of these materials are also pointed out.
The authors report here, for the first time, high frequency testing of a new type of electrochemical double layer capacitor (EDLC), based on carbon aerogels: the Aerocapacitor. Carbon aerogels, are a novel type of carbon foam developed by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory for military applications. The unique properties of carbon aerogels, high surface area (700 m{sup 2}/g), high density (1g/cc), well controlled pore diameter and high material conductivity (25 S/cm) made it an ideal EDLC electrode material. Using carbon aerogel as the electrode material, the authors have developed Aerocapacitors. These new EDLC`s have a frequency response comparable to that of aluminum electrolytic capacitors and are thus ideally suited to power conversion applications.
The ASFIT (Anisotropic Source-Flux Iteration Technique) code was first developed in India about 1970 to solve the radiation transport equation represented in the form of coupled integral equations separating the spatial and energy-angular transmissions. The ASFIT code uses a nodal structure in the wavelength [lambda] domain in Compton units (CU) rather than in the energy domain. The ASFIT-VARI code is the latest version available from the Radiation Shielding Information Center. It incorporates variable dimensioning and has been adapted for use on MS-DOS personal computers using the Ryan-McFarland or Microsoft Version 5.0 FORTRAN compilers. While earlier versions used point cross sections (well suited for gamma-ray transport), the present version also allows multigroup cross sections for neutron and coupled neutron-gamma-ray transport.
Stimulated bremsstrahlung in an undulating electric field in the lasing beam direction (electric wiggler) was shown to be possible from the quantum- mechanical viewpoint. Herein, this possibility is scrutinized from the viewpoint of classical electrodynamics. It is found that if stimulated bremsstrahlung in a transverse undulating magnetic field (magnetic wiggler) occurs, stimulated bremsstrahlung in the electric wiggler must also occur. We further show that a free electron laser (FEL) using a magnetic wiggler to provide a catalyzer field for stimulated bremsstrahlung cannot serve as a practical FEL operating in the soft x-ray region from both theoretical and experimental viewpoints. On the other hand, the authors demonstrate that the FEL using a traveling wake field in a two-beam elliptical pill-box cavity is well suited as a source of coherent radiation in the soft x-ray region.
The Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory has developed a mobile field laboratory for remote measurement of atmospheric processes and observables that are important in global climate change, dispersal of hazardous materials, and atmospheric pollution. Specific observables of interest are water vapor, trace gases, aerosol size and density, wind, and temperature. The goal is to study atmospheric processes continuously for extended periods in remote field locations. This laboratory has just reached field ready status with sensors for aerosol and trace gas measurement based on established techniques. A development program is underway to enhance the sensor suite with several new techniques and instruments that are expected to significantly extend the state of the art in remote trace gas analysis. The new sensors will be incorporated into the lab during the next two years.
This paper discusses a new control strategy for photovoltaic power generation systems with consideration of dynamic characteristics of the photovoltaic cells. The controller estimates internal currents of an equivalent circuit for the cells. This estimated, or the virtual current and the actual voltage of the cells are fed to a conventional Maximum-Power-Point-Tracking (MPPT) controller. Consequently, this MPPT controller still tracks the optimum point even though it is so designed that the seeking speed of the operating point is extremely high. This system may suit for applications, which are installed in rapidly changeable insolation and temperature-conditions e.g. automobiles, trains, and airplanes. The proposed method is verified by experiment with a combination of this estimating function and the modified Boehringer's MPPT algorithm.
Sphere-forming abilities in culture condition are considered a hallmark of cancer stem-like cells, which represents tumor cell invasiveness and stem-like characteristics. We aimed to show that the sphere-forming subpopulation of human malignant melanoma cell line WM-266-4 acts differently to zebrafish embryo extracts compared with their bulk counterpart. Spheres were maintained in neural stem cell culture conditions. The embryos of zebrafish at specific developmental stages were collected and the extracts were purified under 100 kDa. Spheres were treated with embyo extracts and proliferation assay and immunocytochemistry were conducted. Spheroid cells expressed nestin and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) but not melanoma antigen recognized by T-cells (MART)1, indicating their stem-l...
Secondary energy can be described as a surplus of electrical energy in a hydropower because the lower demand of energy in some period of the day and the excess of water in the reservoir during the rainy periods. This study proposes the using of the excess of energy at Itaipu Bi nacional for electrolytically hydrogen production and ammonia for nitrogenous fertilizers. Ammonia is a raw material for nitrogenous fertilizers synthesis and produced using hydrogen and nitrogen from the atmosphere. This paper determines the minimal cost of hydrogen production and the capacity of hydrogen production, with this data and according the ammonia market for nitrogenous fertilizers in the Centre/South region was estimated the better capacity of ammonia production for one plant near Itaipu. The process of ammonia production using energy excess is the most environmental acceptable. (author)
A general method for stable-isotope labeling of large proteins is introduced and applied for studies of the E. coli GroE chaperone proteins by solution NMR. In addition to enabling the residue-specific {sup 15}N-labeling of proteins on a highly deuterated background, it is also an efficient approach for uniform labeling. The method meets the requirements of high-level deuteration, minimal cross-labeling and high protein yield, which are crucial for NMR studies of structures with sizes above 150 kDa. The results obtained with the new protocol are compared to other strategies for protein labeling, and evaluated with regard to the influence of external factors on the resulting isotope labeling patterns. Applications with the GroE system show that these strategies are efficient tools for studies of structure, dynamics and intermolecular interactions in large supramolecular complexes, when combined with TROSY- and CRINEPT-based experimental NMR schemes.
Bacillus licheniformis ?-glutamyltranspeptidase (BlGGT) undergoes an autocatalytic process to generate 44.9 and 21.7?kDa subunits; however, a mutant protein (T399A) loses completely the processing ability and mainly exists as a precursor. For a comprehensive understanding of their structural features, the biophysical properties of these two proteins were investigated by circular dichroism and fluorescence spectroscopy. Tryptophan fluorescence and circular dichroism spectra were nearly identical for BlGGT and T399A, but unfolding analyses revealed that these two proteins had a different sensitivity towards temperature- and guanidine hydrochloride (GdnHCl)-induced denaturation. BlGGT and the unprocessed T399A displayed T m values of 61.4?C and 68.1?C, respectively, and thermal unfolding of b...
The isothermal flow field for the axial cyclone has been experimentally determined. The velocity fields are used for determination particle paths (particle removal and suspended state), and inter alia of heat and mass transfer processes in the axial cyclone combustion chamber. The results are extremely significant as input value approximations for mathematical modelling, since experimentally obtained results are indispensable for complex flows and geometries. (orig.) [Deutsch] Es ist fuer den Axialzyklon experimentell das isotherme Stroemungsfeld ermittelt. Die Geschwindigkeitsfelder dienen zur Ermittlung der Partikelbahnen (Partikelabscheidung, Schwebebedingung), der Waerme- und Stoffuebertragungsprozesse u.a. in der Axialzyklonbrennkammer. Die Ergebnisse sind als Startwertnaeherung bei einer mathematischen Modellierung sehr wichtig, da bei komplexen Stroemungen und Geometrien versuchstechnische Ergebnisse unumgaenglich sind. (orig.)
Aquatic sediments feature a two-way interaction between contaminants and benthic macrofauna. The effect of the macrofauna community on the transport of contaminants in sediment has received considerable attention. Yet, few studies have investigated the reverse effect, i.e., the influence of contaminants on bioturbation activity. To this end, we performed laboratory experiments to investigate the effect of copper contamination on sediment reworking activity of the ragworm Nereis diversicolor. A density of 570 ind m2 was introduced in mesocosms containing natural and copper spiked (2.99 nmol Cu g?1) cohesive intertidal sediments from Ponta da Erva (Tejo estuary, Portugal). Luminophore tracers were used to quantify sediment reworking activity over time (2, 7, 14 and 21 days). Bioturbation was...
The use of gamma radiation to obtain wood-polymer composites is one of the applications of radiation that presents the most commercial interest. The process, denominated radiopolymerization, comprises the impregnation of monomers into the completely dried wood followed by exposure to gamma radiation to induce polymerization of the impregnated monomers. I this context, the present work aimed the application of this process to seven kinds of wood existing in the brazilian forests. The considered monomer is styrene and the gamma source is Cobalt-60. The obtained wood-polystyrene composites were found to have stronger static bending strength. (author)
In order to investigate the antioxidant properties of the polysaccharides from the brown alga Sargassum fusiforme, the crude polysaccharides from S. fusiforme (SFPS) were extracted in hot water, and the lipid peroxidation inhibition assay exhibited that SFPS possessed a potential antioxidant activity. Hence, two purely polymeric fractions, SFPS-1 and SFPS-2 were isolated by the column of DEAE (2-diethylaminoethanol)-Sepharose Fast Flow, with their molecular weights of 51.4 and 30.3 kDa determined by high performance gel permeation chromatography (HPGPC). They were preliminarily characterized using chemical analysis in combination of infrared (IR) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopies and found to contain large amounts of uronic acids and ?-glycosidical linkages. The antioxida...
We previously reported that puromycin-insensitive leucyl-specific aminopeptidase (PILSAP) is required for vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)- and basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF)-induced angiogenesis and for endothelial differentiation from embryonic stem (ES) cells via the aminopeptidase activity of PILSAP. In this study, we searched for molecules that function during angiogenesis with PILSAP. We performed proteome analysis of nuclear extracts from embryoid bodies (EBs) made from ES cells transfected with mutant PILSAP lacking aminopeptidase activity and mock EBs. We identified pigpen, a 67-kDa nuclear coiled body component protein. Immunoprecipitation and western blotting demonstrated the binding of PILSAP and pigpen in endothelial cells (ECs), and this interaction was enhanc...
Nowadays, mixing is one of the most powerful tools for the process and products optimization in chemical process industries. The available technology can help in achieving almost any desired outcomes related to the process-side of the systems. This paper presents a practical methodology to improve existing agitation systems in order to overcome the constraints previously identified in the process. Well succeed real cases using this methodology in a petrochemical plant (Nitriflex S.A.) are presented. (author) 13 refs., 1 figs., 2 tabs.
This paper presents results, numeric and experimental, due to installation operation of a Risers Uphold Sub-Surface Buoy, (BSR). This kind of installation developed by PETROBRAS is unique in the world. The work of BSR installation was based on a numeric pre analysis to verify the system and determine the main parameters to be experimentally verified. The second phase of the work was the experimental analysis in a deep water ocean basin. s. The work describes the BSR and their main accessories, the experimental environment and the model constructed in aluminum in a 1:12 scale and the main results. (author)
Modern tubular type pumps commonly have lubricated radial bearings which require no compressed water supply and reduce the servicing requirements. Problems that may possibly result from entrained sand in the pumped fluid were solved with the development of ceramic Residur {sup trademark} bearngs in the early eighties. (orig.) [German] In zunehmendem Masse werden Rohrgehaeusepumpen mit foerdermediumgeschmierten Radiallagern ausgestattet, da dies z.B. neben dem Wegfall einer ansonsten notwendigen Druckwasserversorgung auch einen deutlichen reduzierten Wartungsaufwand nach sich zieht. Den Problemen durch eine moegliche Sandbeladung des Foerdermedium wurde bereits durch die Entwicklung der keramischen Residur {sup trademark} -Lager Anfang der 80er Jahre Rechnung getragen. (orig.)
Heme peroxidases are a class of multifunctional redox-active proteins found in all organisms. We recently cloned, expressed, and characterized an ascorbate peroxidase from Leishmania major (LmAPX) that was capable of detoxifying hydrogen peroxide. Localization studies using green fluorescent protein fusions revealed that LmAPX was localized within the mitochondria by its N-terminal signal sequence. Subcellular fractionation analysis of the cell homogenate by the Percoll density-gradient method and subsequent Western blot analysis with anti-LmAPX antibody further confirmed the mitochondrial localization of mature LmAPX. Submitochondrial fractionation analysis showed that the mature enzyme (?3.6?kDa shorter than the theoretical value of the whole gene) was present in the intermembrane space ...
Let X be a group with identity e, let A be an infinite set of generators for X, and let (X,d_A) be the metric space with the word metric d_A induced by A. It is proved that if the diameter of the space is infinite, then for every positive integer h there are infinitely many elements x in X with d_A(e,x)=h. It is proved that if P is a nonempty finite set of prime numbers and A is the set of positive integers whose prime factors all belong to P, then the diameter of the metric space (\\Z,d_A) is infinite. Let \\lambda_A(h) denote the smallest positive integer x with d_A(e,x)=h. It is an open problem to compute \\lambda_A(h) and estimate its growth rate.
The gastrointestinal transit was studied in 20 patients with loop transverse colostomies and previously normal colons. This analysis was performed through radiological observation of progression of 20 radiopaque pellets and measurements of its transit time in the various segments of the digestive tract. An evaluation of other related clinical and radiological events was carried out sentimentality's. In order to better understand the influence of the surgical procedure, the study was performed under similar dietary and supportive care conditions and standard radiological studies before and after the re-establishment of transit, thus enabling a comparison with the same individual. (author)
Electron simulated desorption of anions from CFCl_3 and CF_2Cl_2 condensed on an Au substrate is studied in the energy range 0-15 eV. The negative fragments are recorded mass spectro metrically as the function of the incident electron energy. Below 10 eV we observe anion desorption via pronounced resonance profiles which are characteristic for dissociative electron attachment (DA) while the continuous rise of the signal at higher energies accounts for dipolar dissociation (DD) and processes involving secondary electrons from the metallic substrate. For both compounds F"- and Cl"- are the only fragment anions we could observe. (author).
The early diagnosis of such disorders is of major importance because, in most cases, severe consequences can only be averted by early treatment. The value of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in many orthopaedic and traumatological conditions is generally accepted. The value of MRI in this particular field is illustrated by typical case reports on common clinical problems [Deutsch] Der Fruehdiagnose von Erkrankungen des Kindes- und Jugendalters kommt grosse Bedeutung zu, da oftmals nur durch eine daraus resultierende Fruehbehandlung schwerwiegende Folgen vermieden werden koennen. Die Kernspintomographie (Magnetresonanztomographie=MRT) ist in zahlreichen orthopaedischen-traumatologischen Fragestellungen bereits etabliert. An ausgewaehlten Fallbeispielen haeufiger klinischer Problemstellungen soll in der vorliegenden Arbeit der Stellenwert der MRT dargestellt werden. (orig.)
Aim of the work was to describe computerised tomography (CT) findings of calcified renal metastases focusing on differential diagnosis problems. Abdominal CT scans of 8000 patients with tumor, performed from 1984 to 1998, have been retrospectively reviewed. [Italian] Scopo del lavoro e' quello di descrivere gli aspetti con tomografia computerizzata delle metastasi renali calcificate enfatizzando le problematiche diagnostico differenziali. Sono state valutate retrospettivamente le indagini TC addominali di 8000 pazienti affetti da tumore nel periodo 1984-1998, analizzando le lesioni calcificate riscontrate.
In this work was made an assessment of the supramolecular structures presents into human breast tissue normal and pathological samples, as well as into two types of animals samples (tendon chicken and pork fat) using the small angle x-ray scattering (SAXS) technique. The scattering profiles of the samples were determined at the momentum transfer range O.150nm{sup -1}<=5:q(=4pi.sin({theta}/2)/{lambda})<=8.500nm{sup -1}. In this range, it was possible identify structures corresponding to collagen fibrils (glandular tissue) and to triacylglycerides (adipose tissue) from the correlation between the information extracted from the human breast tissues scattering profiles and those extracted from animals samples. (author)
Activated charcoal was produced from sawdust of Pinus caribaea var. caribaea, pinus caribaea var. honduenais and pinus cocarpa, with the objective of studying a alternative of more economic uses for forest residues and the products of the first thinning. A chemical process was utilized based on Zn Cl{sub 2} at temperature of 700 deg C and 450 deg C. It was concluded that the temperature of 700 Celsius produced a activated charcoal with better quality and greater adsorption capacity. The temperature of 450 deg C produced a material with adsorption properties for utilization where greater adsorption capacity is not needed. The production of activated charcoal is possible from the three species of tropical pinus studied. (author). 16 refs., 5 tabs
It is described a process of production of celulignin from biomass through acid pre-hydrolysis in continuous reactor made of advanced materials such as niobium, titanium and monel. The celulignin is a fuel of 28.50 MJ/kg of heating power. The utilization of this technology together with eucalyptus reforestation by vegetative propagation and high efficiency thermoelectric plant (triple cycle of steam turbine, gas turbine and MHD electrical generation) allow electric power production with competitive cost when compared to hydroelectric power. (author). 1 ref. 5 figs., 2 tabs
Sommario I lipomi del collo e della testa in genere si verificano nel tessuto sottocutaneo superficiale. Quelli sottofasciali intramuscolari sono molto rari. Riportiamo di seguito il caso di una donna di 53 anni con un lipoma sottofasciale localizzato nello spazio antero-laterale del collo. La diagnosi della lesione e stata ottenuta con esame clinico e confermata con Ecografia (US) e Tomografia Computerizzata (TC). La lesione, caratterizzata da capsula e aspetto fibrolipomatoso, e stata escissa con intervento chirurgico.
This thesis is concerned with the optimization and development of the production of nanofocusing refractive X-ray lenses. These optics made of either silicon or diamond are well-suited for high resolution X-ray microscopy. The goal of this work is the design of a reproducible manufacturing process which allows the production of silicon lenses with high precision, high quality and high piece number. Furthermore a process for the production of diamond lenses is to be developed and established. In this work, the theoretical basics of X-rays and their interaction with matter are described. Especially, aspects of synchrotron radiation are emphasized. Important in X-ray microscopy are the different optics. The details, advantages and disadvantages, in particular those of refractive lenses are given. To achieve small X-ray beams well beyond the 100 nm range a small focal length is required. This is achieved in refractive lenses by moving to a compact lens design where ...
British Nuclear Fuels plc owns and operates the near-surface Drigg disposal facility for low level radioactive waste. The long-term performance of the site is modelled by a suite of computer codes called MONDRIAN. One of the modules of MONDRIAN deals with the transport of radionuclides through the environment, and this paper reports on the current status of this module (BIOS). We derive the basic set of working equations from first principles and show clearly how the approximate nature of the final equations is arrived at. This is done by an averaging process leading to compartments, in and out of which radionuclides, solids and water can flow. The equations allow radioactive decay chains and an arbitrary number of compartments. There is also the facility to deal with changes in the rate coefficients, thereby simulating different environmental states. It is also possible to include the creation of new compartments arising as a consequence of climatic variations. In ...
A 2009 paper considered possibilities for applying a common display suite to various front-line bubble canopy fighters, whereas further research suggests the cost savings, post Milestone C production/deployment, might not be advantageous. The situation for military cargo and tanker aircraft, may offer a different paradigm. The primary objective of Defense acquisition is to acquire quality products that satisfy user needs with measurable improvements to mission capability and operational support, in a timely manner, and at a fair and reasonable price. DODD 5000.01 specifies that all participants in the acquisition system shall recognize the reality of fiscal constraints, viewing cost as an independent variable. DoD Components must therefore plan programs based on realistic projections of the dollars and manpower likely to be available in future years and also identify the total costs of ownership, as well as the major drivers of total ownership costs. In theory, ...
In this report is described the work effort performed to provide NETL with VE-Suite based Virtual Engineering software and enhanced equipment models to support NETL's Advanced Process Engineering Co-simulation (APECS) framework for advanced power generation systems. Enhancements to the software framework facilitated an important link between APECS and the virtual engineering capabilities provided by VE-Suite (e.g., equipment and process visualization, information assimilation). Model enhancements focused on improving predictions for the performance of entrained flow coal gasifiers and important auxiliary equipment (e.g., Air Separation Units) used in coal gasification systems. In addition, a Reduced Order Model generation tool and software to provide a coupling between APECS/AspenPlus and the GE GateCycle simulation system were developed. CAPE-Open model interfaces were employed where needed. The improved simulation capability is ...
Spherical aggregates formed rapidly in culture by re-aggregation of trypsin-dissociated brain cells from the 17-day-old fetal rat. Over about 10 days an initially random distribution of cells evolved into a 3-layered arrangement; cells with characteristics of neurons were found largely in the intermediate layer. The survival of neuronal and glial cell types was evaluated histologically and verified by electron microscopy, which revealed synaptic and myelin structures that rapidly increased in number after 18 days in culture. Levels of norepinephrine (NE) and dopamine (DA) reached peaks of 9.5 and 4.4 ng/mg protein, respectively, at culture day 21. Uptake of ["3H]NE paralleled these amine levels and was blocked by desipramine or pretreatment with either reserpine or 6-OH-DA. Autoradiographs of aggregates labeled with ["3H]NE showed a high density of silver grains over cells, apparently neurons, with branching processes traced for 120 #mu#m. ...
Multicellular tumor spheroids (MCTS) are three dimensional cell culture systems induced by suspension culture. MCTS are widely used in cancer research because of their similarity to solid tumors. CaSki cells are derived from a metastatic cervical cancer containing human papillomavirus 16 (HPV16). Cell death of CaSki cells in MCTS has been previously reported, and our model is used to better characterize the mechanisms of cell death of HPV16-positive keratinocytes. In this study, we found that apoptosis of CaSki cells was induced by suspension culture along with the formation of MCTS after 24 h of incubation. In suspended CaSki cells, monoclonal antibodies blocking E-cadherin function inhibited MCTS formation and suppressed suspension-induced apoptosis in a dose-dependent manner. Western blot for E-cadherin detected upregulation of the authentic 120 kDa band from MCTS of CaSki cells as well as a shorter 100 kDa band. Addition of EGF, whose ...
Nuclear magnetic resonance is a powerful technique that can be used in a wide range of applications, such as the structural characterization of high molecular weight molecules, conformational studies on enzymes in solution, enzyme-substrate or DNA-protein interactions, monitoring of cell metabolism in vivo, and for diagnostic purposes, employing spectroscopic and imaging techniques. This course was organized in order to introduce the participants to the fundamentals of NMR spectroscopy, and offer practical advice on performing NMR experiments on cell systems, cell and tissue extracts and animal models. The main implications regarding human experiments were also discussed. Finally the quantification of information and the interpretation of data were considered with regard to the main nuclei observed. [Italiano] La risonanza magnetica nucleare e` una delle tecniche spettroscopiche che meglio risponde all`ampio spettro di condizioni imposto dalla ricerca in biofisica e biomedicina. Il ...
The effect of X-irradiation on production of MUC1 was studied with human colon carcinoma HT-29 cells. As evaluated by immunocytochemical staining, the percentages or MUC1-positive cells in cells at 4 days after 6 Gy irradiation and in unirradiated control cells were 52#+-#3.5% (n=6) and 26#+-#2.8% (n=6), respectively. Flow-cytometric analysis of living cells showed that MUC1 began to rise from day 1, reaching a plateau by day 4 after 6 Gy irradiation. Western blot analysis with monoclonal antibody MY.1E12 against glycosylated MUC1 (mature form) showed dose-dependent increases of two bands (500 and 390 kDa) corresponding to two polymorphic MUC1 alleles. Premature forms of MUC1 (350 and 240 kDa) were detectable with monoclonal antibody HMFG-2 only in irradiated cells, suggesting that new core protein synthesis had been induced. The transcriptional activity of the MUC1 gene was analyzed in terms of transient expression of MUC1-CAT reporter ...
Cassava is cultivated almost all over the world and it is considered one of the most important nutritious sources of calories in the human diet. Cassava is a viable food against starvation in several poor areas of the world because it is an extremely resistant culture and may reach satisfactory economical yield. We utilized vacuum packed industrialized cassava irradiated with 0,1 kGy, 3kGy and 5kGy and stored under refrigeration for 1, 21, 30 and 50 days. Our objective was to analyse the synergistic effect of vacuum packing, irradiation and refrigeration on the preservation of minimally processed cassava. The samples were analyzed for pH, acidity, weight, humidity, texture and color. The irradiation did not affect the chemical characteristics of the cassava. Neither the pH nor the acidity, the most relevant variables to verify deterioration in cassava, presented significant alterations during the period of storage. Comparing the irradiated treatments, the dose of 1kGy and 3kGy affected ...
The decision of a firm to make investments on petroleum fields depends on the expected economic performance and on the firm economics context and on country economic and regulatory constraints. Traditionally, the Net Present Value (NPV) has being used for decision criterion as a measure of profitability of investments. The other indicators are used to help investment decision, because, according to the priorities established by the firm, only one indicator may not be sufficient. On this paper we will show production strategies considering a set of economic indicators: NPV, actualized Np, Return on investment (ROI), Equivalent Present Value (EPV), Cost Benefit, and NPV/Np ratio. The use of different economic indicators permits capture different aspects from in a decision process, i.e., each indicator or a set of economic measures may result in a different perspective, that will influence the decision manager. It is important to emphasize the use of more than one indicators may been ...
The goal of the present work was to develop a new synthetic nanosystem for gene delivery. For this purpose, we chose two polysaccharides, hyaluronic acid (HA) and chitosan (CS), as the main components of the nanocarrier. Nanoparticles with different hyaluronate:chitosan (HA:CS) mass ratios (0.5:1 and 1:1) and different polymer molecular weights (hyaluronate 170 (HA) or <10 kDa (HAO) and chitosan 125 (CS) or 10-12 (CSO) kDa) could be obtained using an ionic crosslinking method. These nanoparticles were loaded with pDNA and characterized for their size, zeta potential and pDNA association efficiency. Moreover, their toxicity and ability to transfect the model plasmid pEGFP-C1 were evaluated in the cell line HEK 293, as well as their intracellular fate. The results showed that HA:CS nanoparticles have a small size in the range of 110-230 nm, a positive zeta potential of +10 to +32 mV and a very high pDNA association efficiency of 87-99% ...
Duchenne and Becker muscular dystrophies are caused by defects of dystrophin, which forms a part of the membrane cytoskeleton of specialized cells such as muscle. It has been previously shown that the dystrophin-associated protein A1 (59-kDa DAP) is actually a heterogeneous group of phosphorylated proteins consisting of an acidic ({alpha}-A1) and a distinct basic ({beta}-A1) component. Partial peptide sequence of the A1 complex purified from rabbit muscle permitted the design of oligonucleotide probes that were used to isolate a cDNA for one human isoform of A1. This cDNA encodes a basic A1 isoform that is distinct from the recently described syntrophins in Torpedo and mouse and is expressed in many tissues with at least five distinct mRNA species of 5.9, 4.8, 4.3, 3.1, and 1.5 kb. A comparison of the human cDNA sequence with the GenBank expressed sequence tag (EST) data base has identified a relative from human skeletal muscle, EST25263, which is probably a human ...
Using histopathologic diagnoses made on necropsy material from 3,024 military working dogs (MWDs) who died from 1968 to 1973, we analyzed the effect of military service in the Republic of Vietnam on testicular pathology. Among 1,048 MWDs that died in Vietnam and had no reported developmental risk factors for testicular disease, significant excesses of testicular hemorrhage, epididymitis/orchitis, sperm granuloma, testicular degeneration, and seminoma were evident. Among 126 MWDs with prior Vietnam service who died at other duty stations outside Vietnam from 1968 to 1973, significant excesses of testicular degeneration and seminoma were likewise evident. Among 136 MWDs with prior Vietnam service that later died from 1974 to 1980, seminoma continued to be diagnosed in significant excess. In each instance, the odds ratio for the association between Vietnam service and seminoma was 2.0 or greater. Analysis of ever service by Corps Tactical Zones showed significant excesses of seminoma with ...
Any mine that uses haultrucks has a dispatching system of some sort, even if it is only a very basic and simple arrangement. The larger, more complex operations have found that, if properly applied, automated computerised dispatching improves the productivity of the equipment as well as improving overall control and reporting. However, not every mine can justify going this far; in these cases a computerised monitoring and reporting system with manual dispatching can still give considerable benefits. Wenco International Mining Systems of Vancouver supplies its computerised system to three different specification levels to suit most open pit mining operations. The article describes the 3 PMCSs (Production Monitoring and Control System) available: PMCS 1000, for monitoring and reporting only; PMCS 2000, for dispatching to maximise production; and PMCS 3000, for dispatching with optimised product quality and production. The major components of the PMCS are: mobile data ...
Semiconductor quantum dots (QDs) are a promising approach to realize a single-photon source. To avoid bulky and expensive laser systems for future applications, electrical excitation is desirable. InP QDs are especially suited, as they emit in the red spectral range and therefore in the optimal range of commercial detectors. Additionally, they have been shown to be capable of emitting single photons up to 80 K. Thus, we embedded InP QDs in the intrinsic region of a p-i-n diode. To form single devices, 100 #mu#m mesas were etched and supplied with electrical contacts. We investigated the electroluminescence from single QDs and performed second-order auto correlation measurements to verify single-photon emission. To prevent expensive helium cooling and reach operation above 80 K, we investigated the influence of elevated temperature on the performance of our device. Since triggered single-photon emission is required for most applications, sub-nanosecond pulses were ...
The most striking feature of quantum mechanics is the existence of superposition states, where an object appears to be in different situations at the same time. Up to now, the existence of such states has been tested with small objects, like atoms, ions, electrons and photons, and even with molecules. Recently, it has been even possible to create superpositions of collections of photons, atoms, or Cooper pairs. Current progress in optomechanical systems may soon allow us to create superpositions of even larger objects, like micro-sized mirrors or cantilevers, and thus to test quantum mechanical phenomena at larger scales. Here we propose a method to cool down and create quantum superpositions of the motion of sub-wavelength, arbitrarily shaped dielectric objects trapped inside a high--finesse cavity at a very low pressure. Our method is ideally suited for the smallest living organisms, such as viruses, which survive under low vacuum pressures, and optically behave ...
Simple hydroxamic acids have been shown to have useful applications in an Advanced Purex process for the reprocessing of irradiated nuclear fuel. They are especially suited to the separation of neptunium (IV) from uranium (VI) by the selective formation of a hydrophilic complex with Np(IV). U(VI) extraction in to 30% tributyl phosphate is unaffected. However, they have also been shown to be very fast reducing agents for Np(VI). The timescales of the reduction have been defined under a range of typical Purex Process conditions although the accurate determination of the reaction kinetics was not possible due to the rapidity of the reaction. U(VI) was shown not to be reduced. Therefore, Np(VI) can be efficiently reductively stripped when solvent phase (30% tributyl phosphate in odourless kerosene) solutions of Np(VI) and U(VI) are contacted with aqueous phase hydroxamic acid solutions. The slow reduction of plutonium (IV) to Pu(III) has also been observed and this is ...
A new three-dimensional treatment planning system (TPS) based on convolution/superposition algorithms (TMS-Radix from HELAX AB, Uppsala, Sweden) was recently installed at the University Hospital in Lund. The purpose of the present study was to design a quality assurance and acceptance testing programme to meet the specific characteristics of this convolution model. The model is based on parametrization of a non-measurable quantity - the polyenergetic pencil beam. However, the verification of the treatment planning model is still dependent on numerous comparisons of measured depth-doses and dose profiles. The test programme was divided in two basic parts: (i) model implementation and beam data consistency and (ii) model performance and limitations in special situations. The first part was scheduled for all photon beam qualities available before they could be used for clinical treatment planning. The second part was performed for selected energies only. The results indicate clearly that ...
Union Oil Company drilled four geothermal test wells in the Cove Fort-Sulphurdale KGRA between 1975 and 1979. A fairly complete suite of well logs were recorded for the three deeper holes, and these data are presented as composite well log plots in this report. The composite well log plots have facilitated the interpretation of limestone, dolomite, sandstone, quartz-monzonite, serpentine, and volcanic lithologies and the identification of numerous fractures. This has been especially helpful because of the extensive lost circulaton zones and poor cuttings recovery. Intraformational flow was identified by a fluid migration-temperature tracer log at depth in CFSU 31-33. Well log crossplots were computed to assist in lithologic identification and the determination of physical properties for specific depth intervals in a given hole. The presence of hydrous minerals sometimes results in neutron porosity somewhat higher than the true nonfracture porosity, which is ...
A century of technical development put steam turbines on a high level regarding efficiency and reliability. This procedure is still ongoing. The technological-commercial point of view - influenced intensively by liberalisation of the energy-market - makes great demands on field services. Well suited concepts in service and modernization are the solutions, as shown in NPP Emsland upgrade. [German] Ein Jahrhundert technischer Entwick lung brachte Dampfturbinen auf ein hohes Niveau bezueglich Effizienz und Zuverlaessigkeit. Dieser Vorgang ist auch in der heutigen Zeit nicht ab geschlossen. Die technologisch-wirtschaftliche Betrachtungs weise '' von der Liberalisierung des Strommarktes intensiv beeinflusst '' stellt dementsprechend hohe Anforderungen auch an den Kraftwerksservice. Massgeschneiderte Modernisierungs- und Servicekonzepte sind die Antwort, wie das Beispiel Kernkraftwerk Emsland zeigt. (orig.)
After the construction of its wastewater treatment plants, the City of Quebec began to implement overflow control in wet weather to ultimately meet the effluent discharge objectives, i.e. no more than two overflows per summer season in the St. Lawrence River and no more than four in the St-Charles River. After several years of studies to determine which management strategies would best suit the purpose, and to propose optimum solutions, a first project to implement optimal and predictive management in real time, called "Pilot", came to life in 1999. Construction in phases soon followed and the work was completed in the fall of 2009. As a result, requirements with regard to environmental rejects were met in two sectors, namely the St-Charles River and the Jacques-Cartier Beach, and aquatic recreational activities could resume. Meanwhile, the City also worked at giving back access to the water courses to the public by developing sites at the Jacques-Cartier Beach and ...
A study has been made of the reactor blockages occurring in the course of direct hydroliquefaction of Miike coal, Taiheiyo coal and Yallourn coal briquets in a tubular reactor. The liquefaction tests were carried out at 450 C under 24.6 MPa hydrogen pressure, with red mud and sulfur catalyst. From the observed balances for catalyst and coal ash, it was inferred that reactor blockages are due to sedimentation of catalyst and ash. The conditions for catalyst and coal ash run-off were determined after solvent and slurry flow rates had been altered to suit the type of coal being tested. It was found that ash run-off occurred more readily as the difference between the slurry flow velocity and the natural sedimentation velocity of red mud in the coal liquids increased. Even when ash run-off was occurring, however, the ash concentration of the slurry in the reactor was higher than the concentration in the feed slurry. This is taken as indicating that some of the solvent ...
CDS Invenio is the web-based integrated digital library system developed at CERN. It is a suite of applications which provides the framework and tools for building and managing an autonomous digital library server. Within this framework, the goal of this project is to implement new ranking methods based on the bibliographic citation graph extracted from the CDS Invenio database. As a first step, we implemented the Citation Count as a baseline ranking method. The major disadvantage of this method is that all citations are treated equally, disregarding their importance and their publication date. To overcome this drawback, we consider two different approaches: a link-based approach which extends the PageRank model to the bibliographic citation graph and a time-dependent approach which takes into account time in the citation counts. In addition, we also combined these two approaches in a hybrid model based on a time-dependent PageRank. In the present document, we ...
A patent is claimed for a process by which a low-hydrogen gas containing at least 90 percent by volume of methane which is suited for natural gas substitution is produced by transformation of vaporizable hydrocarbons with the aid of steam in the presence of a catalyst containing nickel, at temperatures of 350 to 600/sup 0/C and at increased pressure. Hydrocarbons and steam are supplied to the reaction in mixed form with recycle product gas. Per kilogramme of hydrocarbons to be converted in the high btu gas reactor, less than 1 kilogramme of fresh steam is needed. High btu gas is fed back from the high btu gas reactor to the input end of the same via a gas cycle comprising a cooler, a carbon dioxide absorption device, and a saturator. Between the carbon dioxide absorption device and the saturator a product gas is branched off which may pass a methanation device.
This final report for the Swiss Federal Office for Energy addresses the field of programmable logic controllers and thus investigates a topic that has been neglected up to now - the energy consumption of such controllers. The results of measurements made on programmable logic controllers in use both in operational industrial plants and in the Automation Laboratory at the University of Applied Science in Chur, Switzerland are presented, where a detailed analysis was made on a demonstration plant. Also, technical documentation (catalogues) were evaluated and discussed with experts who had practical experience at their disposal. The results of the study are discussed: these show that the power consumption of any particular programmable logic controller is low in comparison to the energy consumption of the processes that are being controlled. Additionally, it was found that the optimisation of newer devices has to a great extent already been realised and that standard solutions for energy ...
Conventional methods of financing power generation, transmission and distribution in India cannot keep pace with the ever-growing demand. Alternative methods are discussed. Given the vast growth potential, funding can be by equity or debt capital or a hybrid of these. There is an urgent necessity to develop local capital markets as a source of funds since there are limits to how much can be derived from foreign investors, multilaterals and export credit agencies. The domestic financial institutions have raised large amounts for private investment in other sectors. With the creation of a proper climate and power companies set up with an attractive rate of return, sufficient capital could be forthcoming from both domestic and external markets for the power sector. In other sectors, Indian companies have been able to attract investment through Global Depository Receipts and Euroconvertible Bonds, for example. A key requirement for the power sector is the development of financial ...
In this paper we apply stochastic programming modelling and solution techniques to planning problems for a consortium of oil companies. A multiperiod supply, transformation and distribution scheduling problem - the Depot and Refinery Optimization Problem (DROP) - is formulated for strategic or tactical level planning of the consortium's activities. This deterministic model is used as a basis for implementing a stochastic programming formulation with uncertainty in the product demands and spot supply costs (DROPS), whose solution process utilizes the deterministic equivalent linear programming problem. We employ our STOCHGEN general purpose stochastic problem generator to 'recreate' the decision (scenario) tree for the unfolding future as this deterministic equivalent. To project random demands for oil products at different spatial locations into the future and to generate random fluctuations in their future prices/costs a stochastic input data simulator is developed and calibrated to ...
The problem of the optimal dispatch of real thermoelectric generation consists in minimizing the hourly fuel consumption under both network and security constraints. Two recent sequential gradient-restoration algorithms are applied to the solution of this nonlinear programming problem. The first algorithm (Miele et alii) solves a problem with equality, a previous transformation of the inequality constraints. The second algorithm (Levy and Gomez) employs an active set strategy that takes into account, in each gradient or restoration phase, only those inequality constraints which are violated or which are at the limit. Both methods are well suited for the ''compact reduced'' model chosen by the Authors for real power dispatch, leading to the solution of small linear systems in each gradient or restoration phase. More over some modifications of the algorithms have been tested; one of these has lead to marked reductions in ...
Newly commercialized Fourier transform Raman spectroscopic instrumentation provides a simpler alternative for vibrational spectroscopic analysis. Instrument vendors currently design for laboratory use, but there are many potential process applications of these stable, easy to use instruments. Raman spectroscopy is highly suited to analysis of aqueous samples. Near infrared excitation minimized fluorescence interference and allows for remote operation via fiber optic probes. The Department of Energy has funded research at the Measurement and Control Center to establish the utility of this method for on-line composition analysis in distillation columns. Laboratory evaluation and instrument employs an air-cooled laser and a thermoelectrically cooled detector. The device is mounted on a three by foot cart for convenient location in control rooms. Current fiber optic extension cables allow for analysis in a cell thirty five meters from the instrument. Application of the ...
A route, as followed by ECN, is described for development of SiN{sub x}:H layers deposited by microwave (MW) PECVD, which are suited for surface and bulk passivation of mc-Si solar cells. First research was focussed on surface passivation and this resulted in the development of SiN layers that were Si-rich and where the hydrogen is mainly bonded to silicon atoms. A disadvantage of such Si-rich layers is their large absorption at shorter wavelengths, which make them unsuitable as front side AR coatings. Further, these layers appeared to be less suitable for bulk passivation. The next step therefore was the development of SiN layers for bulk passivation. For good bulk passivation of solar cells by means of a thermal anneal of the SiN layers, we found that SiN layers with high N-H bonding concentrations are required. Fine-tuning of the deposition conditions of these layers, finally resulted in the development of a SiN layer type which combines the three desired ...
Oil shale resource data are provided for a 1300-square mile area around Farson, Wyoming. The data were derived from analyses of samples from 14 core holes drilled by the US Bureau of Mines and the Department of Energy, plus 4 core holes drilled by private companies. Fischer assay oil yield data for nine stratigraphic resource units are tabulated, correlated, and contoured to provide an assessment of shale oil potential in the area. Oil shale resources in the northeastern part of the Green River Basin occur in the Laney Member and the upper part of the Wilkins Peak Member of the Eocene Green River Formation. A total in-place shale oil resource of 137 billion barrels was calculated for the area. Four stratigraphic resource units have average oil yields of 12 to 20+ gallons per ton within the area of investigation, and in some parts a section up to 275 feet thick averages as much as 15.9 gallons per ton. The thickness of overburden on the richest resource unit ranges from about 250 to ...
This paper presents a nonlinear Bayesian regression algorithm for the purpose of detecting and estimating gas plume content from hyper-spectral data. Remote sensing data, by its very nature, is collected under less controlled conditions than laboratory data. As a result, the physics-based model that is used to describe the relationship between the observed remotesensing spectra, and the terrestrial (or atmospheric) parameters that we desire to estimate, is typically littered with many unknown "nuisance" parameters (parameters that we are not interested in estimating, but also appear in the model). Bayesian methods are well-suited for this context as they automatically incorporate the uncertainties associated with all nuisance parameters into the error estimates of the parameters of interest. The nonlinear Bayesian regression methodology is illustrated on realistic simulated data from a three-layer model for longwave infrared (LWIR) measurements from a passive ...
Uranium enrichment by gas centrifugation relies on the pressure diffusion of the isotopes when their gaseous mixture is submitted to the pressure diffusion in the strong radial pressure gradient due to the centrifugal force in a very rapidly rotating cylinder. To compute the isotope separation in a gas centrifuge, the viscous compressible Navier-Stokes equations are solved for the mixture, then the diffusion equations are solved for the isotopes. As far as the separation performance is concerned, the models deal with the steady state of the axi-symmetric gas motion in the rotating cylinder. The numerical tools are briefly presented: first, the MOLINA code which numerically solves the axi-symmetric gas motion in the specific conditions of rapid rotation by use of a change of variables suited to the high density gradient and by use of a Marker And Cell method; then, the diffusion equations solver which uses a Finite Volume method with a mesh refinement for the ...
Anatomical specimens and normal persons were studied by gradient echo MR imaging to determine the influence of different echo times (TE) on bone marrow contrast. First of all, six normal persons were studied to determine specific echo times for in-phase and opposed-phase states. Using different sequences bone marrow contrast in isolated femoral bones was determined and compared to results of pathological exams. Red bone marrow had no signal on opposed-phase images; contrast between red and yellow marrow was higher on opposed-phase than on in-phase images. Bone marrow lesions can be expected to be visualised with high signal on opposed-phase images; this technique should be especially suited for MR imaging of bone marrow. (orig.).
As need for development of marginal and deepwater oil fields grows, demand increases for floating production vessels (FPVs) such as floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO) units; spread-moored production semi-submersibles; and turret-moored production vessels. The FPV may be purpose-built; or an existing vessel such as an exploration drilling semi-sub or ship-shape vessel may be modified to suit the purpose. In either case, requirements for tensioning systems for the mooring lines on the FPV are quite unique, and are not without the potential for problems when traditional chain windlasses or wire rope systems are employed. This two-part article discusses the range of available technologies and systems for tensioning mooring lines on FPVs. It examines problems of size, weight and safety associated with some available designs; and it considers in detail a specific family of new units. Part 1, presented here, discusses the FPV market, worldwide potential ...
A personal account of Richard Berendzen's life as president of The American University (AU) in Washington, D.C. during the 1983-1984 academic year is presented in diary form. The account describes his interactions with faculty, students, administrators, and people outside the university to further the goals of the institution. In the year prior to the diary entries, enrollments at AU had dropped unexpectedly while tuition had not been raised to make up for the shortfall. There were empty beds of former students who faced economic pressures. A union protested AU's consequent firing of its custodians and its contracting with an independent custodial firm, which employed primarily blacks as custodians. The issue of racism surfaced when students and faculty supported demonstrators. Since AU has no wholly assured flow of applicants or donors, Berendzen recognized that to improve, or even to maintain, the relative position of AU, he had to become not only its pedagogical leader but also a ...
General trends in integrated circuit technology toward smaller device dimensions, lower thermal budgets, and simplified processing steps present severe physical and engineering challenges to ion implantation. These challenges, together with the need for physically based models at exceedingly small dimensions, are leading to a new level of understanding of fundamental defect science in Si. In this article, we review the current status and future trends in ion implantation of Si at low and high energies with particular emphasis on areas where recent advances have been made and where further understanding is needed. Particularly interesting are the emerging approaches to defect and dopant distribution modeling, transient enhanced diffusion, high energy implantation and defect accumulation, and metal impurity gettering. Developments in the use of ion beams for analysis indicate much progress has been made in one-dimensional analysis, but that severe challenges for two-dimensional ...
Ejector refrigeration systems are usually designed to utilize low grade energy for driving the cycle. They also have low maintenance cost because they operate without a compressor. Mainly, the ejector performance directly affects the refrigerating performance. Therefore, an investigation on the characteristics and an efficient design of the ejector are important to improve ejector refrigeration systems. In this study, the computational fluid dynamics (CFD) code, FLUENT, is employed to predict the flow phenomena and performance of CPM and CMA steam ejectors. The ejector refrigeration system, using water as the working fluid, is operated at 120-140 C boiler temperature and 5-15 C evaporator temperature. CFD can predict ejector performance very well and reveal the effect of operating conditions on an effective area that is directly related to its performance. Besides, it is found that the flow pattern does not depend much on the suction zone because the results of axisymmetric and 3D ...
A brief description of a method for producing relatively intense molecular negative ion beams for the difficult Group IIA elements is given which offers considerable improvement in terms of source operation and beam intensity stability over other methods conventionally utilized. It is particularly suited for use in cesium plasma sources such as the Aarhus geometry and axial geometry versions of the source. The method utilizes H/sub 2/ source feed gas for the production of a hydrogen-rich plasma discharge which sputters a negatively biased probe made of elemental or copper alloy material. Negative ion beams of MgH/sub 3//sup -/>=12 ..mu.. A have been realized during routine operation of the 25 MV tandem accelerator. Negative ion beam intensity data, typical source operational parameters, and examples of mass spectra associated with their production are given. Interesting intermetallic molecular negative ion beams consisting of the particular Group IIA element and ...
For many years, {beta} radioactivity has been used to label molecules and follow them in various biological processes. {beta} imaging is obtained by autoradiography. Classically made on films or on photographic emulsions, autoradiography is now supplanted by radio-imagers which are very performing. The phosphor-imager, {beta}-imager and {mu}-imager are the systems mainly used today and their operating principles and properties are compared. The great advantages of these imagers are: their rapidity to obtain results and their reliability for absolute quantification. All emitters ({beta}{sup -}, {beta}{sup -} -{gamma} and {beta}{sup +}) are detectable as well as the gamma emitters of nuclear medicine, by means of their low energy electrons ejected during y emission. Phosphor-imager is well suited to energetic tracers and large series of experiments. Real time radio-imagers ({beta}-imager and {mu}-imager) are preferred to verify experimental conditions. The ...
The dependencies that limit high frequency operation of a vacuum microelectronic grating free-electron laser are examined. The important parameters are identified as the electron beam energy, emittance, and generalized perveance. The scaling of power with emittance and frequency is studied in the far-infrared spectral range using a modified scanning electron microscope (SEM) and submillimeter diffraction gratings. The SEM is suited to the task of generating and positioning a low emittance (10"-"2#pi#-mm-mrad), low current (100 #mu#A), but high current density (50-500 A cm"-"2) electron beam. It has been used to demonstrate the spontaneous emission process known as the Smith-Purcell effect. A vacuum microelectronic grating free-electron laser has the potential of generating radiation throughout the entire far-infrared spectral range which extends from approximately 10 to 10"3#mu#m. An introduction to the theory, initial results, and details of the experiment are ...
The specification describes a semiconductor solar cell and fabrication process therefor wherein a thin N-type gallium arsenide layer is deposited on a larger P-type substrate layer which is selected from the group of III-V ternary compounds consisting of aluminum phosphide antimonide, AlPSb, and aluminum indium phosphide, AlInP. P-type impurities are diffused from the substrate layer into a portion of the thin N-type gallium arsenide layer to form P-type region wherein which defines a PN junction in the thin gallium arsenide layer. Thus, the quantity of gallium arsenide required to provide this PN photovoltaic junction layer in the cell is minimized, and th P-type substrate serves as a high bandgap window layer for the cell. Such high bandgap of this window material is especially well suited for efficiently transmitting the blue spectrum of sunlight to the PN junction, thus enhancing the power conversion efficiency of the solar cell.
Recent developments in heat pump technology have made geothermal-based heat exchange systems particularly well-suited for the heating and cooling needs of buildings even in cold climates. The principles of geothermally-coupled heat pump heating and cooling systems were presented. Results of an in-situ study conducted by Hydro-Quebec on the efficiency of the geothermal heat pump system installed at the Saint-Hyacinthe professional school were summarized. This investigation was meant to be a case study of the applicability of these new technologies to the needs of the Quebec market. After the first year of service, the Saint-Hyacinthe system clearly demonstrated its cost effectiveness over conventional systems. It was predicted that geothermal heat pump systems will gain in popularity in Quebec because they can fully meet the heating and cooling needs of public buildings at considerable cost reductions, besides offering considerable environmental benefits. 4 refs., 1 ...
Low and intermediate waste disposal facilities safety assessment is comprised of several steps from site selection , construction and operation to post-closure performance assessment. This is a multidisciplinary and complex task , and can not be analyzed by one expert only. This high complexity can lead to ambiguity and vagueness in information and consequently in the decision making process. In order to make the decision process clear and objective, there is the need to provide the decision makers with a clear and comprehensive picture of the whole process and, at the same time, simple and easily understandable by the public. This paper suggests the development of an inference system based on fuzzy decision making methodology. Fuzzy logic tools are specially suited to deal with ambiguous data by using language expressions. This process would be capable of integrating knowledge from various fields of environmental sciences. It has an advantage of keeping record of ...
We present an experimental study of vesicle fusion using light and neutron scattering to monitor fusion events. Vesicles are reproducibly formed with an extrusion procedure using an single amphiphile triethylene glycol mono-n-decyl ether in water. They show long-term stability for temperatures around 20 C, but at temperatures above 26 C we observe an increase in the scattered intensity due to fusion. The system is unusually well suited for the study of basic mechanisms of vesicle fusion. The vesicles are flexible with a bending rigidity of only a few k(H)T. The monolayer spontaneous curvature, Ho, depends strongly on temperature in a known way and is thus tunable. For temperatures where H-0 > 0 vesicles tyre long-term stable, while in the range H-0 < 0 the fusion rate increases the more negative the Spontaneous curvature Through a quantitative;analysis of the fusion rate we arrive tit a barrier to fusion changing from 15 k(B)T at T = 26 degrees C to 10k(H) T ...
The linearized-augmented-plane-wave (LAPW) method for thin films is generalized by removing the remaining shape approximation to the potential inside the atomic spheres. A new technique for solving Poisson's equation for a general charge density and potential is described and implemented in the film LAPW method. In the resulting full-potential LAPW method (FLAPW), all contributions to the potential are completely taken into account in the Hamiltonian matrix elements. The accuracy of the method: already well known for clean metal surfaces: is demonstrated for the case of a nearly free (noninteracting) O_2 molecule which is a severe test case of the method because of its large anisotropic charge distribution. Detailed comparisons show that the accuracy of the FLAPW results for O_2 exceeds that of existing state-of-the-art local-density linear-combination-of-atomic-orbitals (LCAO)-type calculations, and that taking the full potential LAPW results as a reference, the LCAO basis can be ...
Several years ago the shipment of spent fuel of the High Flux Reactor (HFR) at Petten has come to a standstill resulting in an ever growing stock of fuel elements that are labelled 'fully burnt up'. Examination of those elements showed that a reasonably number of them have a relatively high {sup 235}U mass left. A reactor physics analysis showed that the use of such elements in the peripheral core zone allows the loading of four instead of five fresh fuel elements in many cycle cores. For the assessment of safety and performance parameters of HFR cores a new calculational tool is being developed. It is based on AEA Technology's Reactor physics code suite Winfrith Improved Multigroup Scheme (WIMS). NRG produced pre- and post-processing facilities to feed input data into WIMS's 2D transport code CACTUS and to extract relevant parameters from the output. The processing facilities can be used for many different types of application. ...
A complete macromolecule modeling package must be able to solve the simplest structure prediction problems. Despite recent successes in high resolution structure modeling and design, the Rosetta software suite fares poorly on deceptively small protein and RNA puzzles, some as small as four residues. To illustrate these problems, this manuscript presents extensive Rosetta results for four well-defined test cases: the 20-residue mini-protein Trp cage, an even smaller disulfide-stabilized conotoxin, the reactive loop of a serine protease inhibitor, and a UUCG RNA tetraloop. In contrast to previous Rosetta studies, several lines of evidence indicate that conformational sampling is not the major bottleneck in modeling these small systems. Instead, approximations and omissions in the Rosetta all-atom energy function currently preclude discriminating experimentally observed conformations from de novo models at atomic resolution. These molecular "puzzles" should serve as ...
High precision, fast computation speed, as well as a good capability of fault tolerant and reconstruction are required more and more for spacecraft attitude determination system. To realize the above requirement, an approach was presented to the synthesis of federated filters using sigma point technique. In this algorithm, the sigma point technique brought the algorithm a high precision, while the federated structure significantly enhanced the filters' capability of multi-rate information fusion, fault tolerance, and system modularity. Within consideration of computation consumption, a simple information-sharing formulation was derived to adapt to the special property of sigma point distribution, and a dynamical information sharing strategy for multi-rate fusion was developed. A numerical simulation example was employed to give the algorithm a test, where the simulated system contained a suit of gyroscopes; a three-axis magnetometer and a sun sensor each had a ...
Small-scale stoves, producing heat and hot water, are suited for domestic purposes. In order to optimise their efficiency when using lignocellulosic pellets, an important task is to do research on their real performance. The general behaviour depends on many operational factors (air flow and humidity, pressure, etc), dimension and pellet characteristics (moisture, size, raw material, density, friability, etc). In this paper, the first results and general performance of a 24 kW pellet fixed bed stove pilot plant are presented. The plant has been designed to study pellet combustion in the laboratory. The main targets are to reduce emissions of pollutants and to improve energy efficiency. Different situations can be simulated and tested due to its flexible design. Temperatures, pressures, flows and emissions are measured and analysed. An extensive study of different load conditions is presented through the application of both an experiment design technique and the ...
The wind speed distribution and wind energy potential are investigated in three selected locations in Oyo state using wind speed data that span between 12 and 20 years measured at 10 m height. In addition, the performance of selected small to medium size wind turbines in these sites were examined. The annual energy output and capacity factor for these turbines were determined. It was found that the monthly mean wind speeds in Oyo state ranges from 2.85 m/s to 5.20 m/s. While the monthly mean power density varies between 27.08 W/m2 and 164.48 W/m2, while the annual mean power density is in the range of 67.28 W/m2 and 106.60 W/m2. Based on annual energy output, wind turbines with cut-in wind speed of about 2.5 m/s and moderate rated wind speeds will be best suited for all the sites.
Recent trends in distributed real-time and embedded (DRE) systems motivate the development of tactical information management capabilities that ensure the right information is delivered to the right place at the right time to satisfy quality of service (QoS) requirements in heterogeneous environments. A promising approach to building and evolving large-scale and long-lived tactical information management systems are standards-based QoS-enabled publish/subscribe (pub/sub) platforms that enable applications to communicate by publishing information they have and subscribing to information they need in a timely manner. Since there is little existing evaluation of how well these platforms meet the performance needs of tactical information management, this paper provides two contributions: (1) it describes three common architectures for the OMG Data Distribution Service (DDS), which is a QoS-enabled pub/sub platform standard, and (2) it evaluates three implementations of these architectures ...
Very soon a new generation of reactor and accelerator neutrino oscillation experiments - Double Chooz, Daya Bay, Reno and T2K - will seek for oscillation signals generated by the mixing parameter theta_13. The knowledge of this angle is a fundamental milestone to optimize further experiments aimed at detecting CP violation in the neutrino sector. Leptonic CP violation is a key phenomenon that has profound implications in particle physics and cosmology but it is clearly out of reach for the aforementioned experiments. Since late 90's, a world-wide activity is in progress to design facilities that can access CP violation in neutrino oscillation and perform high precision measurements of the lepton counterpart of the Cabibbo-Kobayashi-Maskawa matrix. In this paper the status of these studies will be summarized, focusing on the options that are best suited to exploit existing European facilities (firstly CERN and the INFN Gran Sasso Laboratories) or technologies where ...
Cementitious materials have physical and chemical properties that are well suited for the requirements of radioactive waste management. Namely, the materials have low permeability and durability that is consistent with the time frame required for short-lived radionuclides to decay. Furthermore, cementitious materials can provide a long-term chemical environment that substantially reduces the mobility of some long-lived radionuclides of concern for decommissioning (e.g., C-14, Ni-63, Ni-59). Because of these properties, cementitious materials are common in low-level radioactive waste disposal facilities throughout the world and are an attractive option for entombment of nuclear facilities. This paper describes design considerations for cementitious barriers in the context of performance over time frames of a few hundreds of years (directed toward short-lived radionuclides) and time frames of thousands of years (directed towards longer-lived radionuclides). The ...
Cementitious materials have physical and chemical properties that are well suited for the requirements of radioactive waste management. Namely, the materials have low permeability and durability that is consistent with the time frame required for short-lived radionuclides to decay. Furthermore, cementitious materials can provide a long-term chemical environment that substantially reduces the mobility of some long-lived radionuclides of concern for decommissioning (e.g., C-14, Ni-63, Ni-59). Because of these properties, cementitious materials are common in low-level radioactive waste disposal facilities throughout the world and are an attractive option for entombment of nuclear facilities. This paper describes design considerations for cementitious barriers in the context of performance over time frames of a few hundreds of years (directed toward short-lived radionuclides) and time frames of thousands of years (directed towards longer-lived radionuclides). The ...
AIM: To define the value of digital radiography with a clinical flat panel detector system for evaluation of wrist fractures in comparison with state of the art storage phosphor radiography. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Hard copy images of 26 fractured wrist specimens were acquired with the same exposure dose on a state of the art storage phosphor radiography system and a clinical flat panel detector. Image features like cortical bone surface, trabecular bone, soft tissues and fracture delineation were independently analysed by 4 observers using a standardised protocol. Image quality ratings were evaluated with an analysis of variance (ANOVA). RESULTS: Flat panel detector radiographs were rated superior with respect to cortical and trabecular bone representation as well as fracture evaluation, while storage phosphor radiographs produced better soft tissue detail. CONCLUSION: In some of the observed image quality aspects, the performance of caesium iodide/amorphous silicon flat panel detector ...
AIM: To define the value of digital radiography with a clinical flat panel detector system for evaluation of wrist fractures in comparison with state of the art storage phosphor radiography. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Hard copy images of 26 fractured wrist specimens were acquired with the same exposure dose on a state of the art storage phosphor radiography system and a clinical flat panel detector. Image features like cortical bone surface, trabecular bone, soft tissues and fracture delineation were independently analysed by 4 observers using a standardised protocol. Image quality ratings were evaluated with an analysis of variance (ANOVA). RESULTS: Flat panel detector radiographs were rated superior with respect to cortical and trabecular bone representation as well as fracture evaluation, while storage phosphor radiographs produced better soft tissue detail. CONCLUSION: In some of the observed image quality aspects, the performance of caesium iodide/amorphous silicon flat panel detector ...
X-ray fluorescence (XRF) and total-reflection X-ray fluorescence (TXRF) techniques suited well for a multi-element determination of K, Ca, Mn, Fe, Cu, Zn, Rb, and Sr in some Syrian medicinal plant species. The accuracy and the precision of both techniques were verified by analyzing the Standard Reference Materials (SRM) peach-1547 and apple leaves-1515. A good agreement between the measured concentrations of the previously mentioned elements and the certified values were obtained with errors less than 10.7% for TXRF and 15.8% for XRF. The determination of Br was acceptable only by XRF with an error less than 24%. Furthermore, the XRF method showed a very good applicability for the determination of K, Ca, Mn, Fe, Cu, Zn, Rb, Sr, and Br in infusions of different Syrian medicinal plant species, namely anise (Anisum vulgare), licorice root (Glycyrrhiza glabra), and white wormwood (Artemisia herba-alba)
ObjectivesThe expected result of the proposed research will be a complete technique for taking the decision maker through the complex process of determining what type types of flexibly delivered public transport service - if any - suits their requirements, and what service characteristics are best adapted to the constraints of their operating environment. To summarise, the objectives are to:~%~ Investigate the various factors which influence the development of an appropriate public transport system for ar [continued...]DescriptionCurrently, many statutory authorities and public transport operators are experimenting with or considering flexibly delivered public transport systems, now generally referred to as Demand Responsive Transport (DRT) services, mainly with a view to improving social inclusion in rural and urban areas that are difficult to cover by conventional public transport. Statutory authorities may have some understanding of the areas which they feel are ...
A distinct feature of Coulomb gauge QCD is that it can be formulated in terms of physical, transverse gluons and quarks alone. The state-counting is then transparent, and the gauge is suited for studies of the excited spectrum. Leaving aside exotic spectroscopy, which has been the subject of other publications, in this note I call attention on two recent applications. One is that the running quark mass in the mid-infrared can be probed from excited baryons thanks to parity doubling, a consequence of insensitivity to chiral symmetry breaking. Fast quarks are asymptotically free and behave as massless, so hadrons containing fast quarks decouple from the condensate. Their (power-law) rate of decoupling reflects on the rate of decreasing parity splittings, which can be measured. The second is that, in analogy with the Franck-Condon principle of molecular physics, the velocity distribution of the heavy quarks inside a heavy hadron can be mapped out by the velocity ...
Cooperative procurement is a variation of public purchasing which may be used as an instrument to transform the market and stimulate innovation enhancing environmental performance. The core of the procedure is the following: Coordinated by a central agency a group of buyers - public administrations, but also private companies, associations, etc. - gets together and jointly formulates a catalogue of performance requirements for a specific product truly suiting their preferences. This catalogue may contain (combinations of) requirements not yet available on the market and includes energy efficiency and/or environmental performance among other preferences important to the users. On the basis of the product requirements the buyer group launches a call for tenders, evaluates the bids received from the manufacturers and commits to buying the winning product. Thus, a market is provided for the most successful innovators in a given area of technology. The paper discusses ...
In supervising CANDU plant operation, Operations staff must routinely monitor plant status using information from several information systems. One key source of plant status information are the CRT displays at console workstations and panel locations. At Darlington, as at most CANDU plants, Operations staff have adopted a reference set of displays for use in monitoring during Full Power Steady State conditions. The display set employed was chosen from the available suite of displays, and operational experience has demonstrated that the current displays could be improved. For Outages, no reference display set has been defined, and for Upset conditions, the current Transient display set does not provide the information needed by operations staff, and consequently is not used. This paper describes the basis for and findings from a COG project [1] undertaken in 1997 to characterize monitoring practice and develop improvements to control room displays to better support ...
Swift heavy ion-solid interaction leads in volume to track creation and on the surface to the ejection of particles into the vacuum. To learn more about initial mechanisms of track formation, we are focused on the sputtering of uranium dioxide by fast heavy ions. This present study is exclusively devoted to the influence of the electronic stopping power on the emission of neutral particles and especially on their angular distribution. These measurements are completed by those of the ions emitted from UO{sub 2} targets bombarded with swift heavy ions. The whole experimental results give access to: i) the nature of the sputtered particles; ii) the charge state of the emitted particles; iii) the direction of ejection of the sputtered particles ; iv) the sputtering yields deduced from the angular distributions. These results are compared to the prediction of the sputtering models proposed in the literature and it seems that the supersonic gas flow model is well suited ...
The aim of this paper is offering a critical review of Calibration-Free Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (CF-LIBS), the approach of multi-elemental quantitative analysis of LIBS spectra, based on the measurement of line intensities and plasma properties (plasma electron density and temperature) and on the assumption of a Boltzmann population of excited levels, which does not require the use of calibration curves or matrix-matched standards. The first part of this review focuses on the applications of the CF-LIBS method. Quantitative results reported in the literature, obtained in the analysis of various materials and in a wide range of experimental conditions, are summarized, with a special emphasis on the departure from nominal composition values. The second part is a discussion of the simplifying assumptions which lie at the basis of the CF-LIBS algorithm (stoichiometric ablation and complete atomization, thermal equilibrium, homogeneous plasma, thin radiation, detection of all ...
The aim of this paper is offering a critical review of Calibration-Free Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (CF-LIBS), the approach of multi-elemental quantitative analysis of LIBS spectra, based on the measurement of line intensities and plasma properties (plasma electron density and temperature) and on the assumption of a Boltzmann population of excited levels, which does not require the use of calibration curves or matrix-matched standards. The first part of this review focuses on the applications of the CF-LIBS method. Quantitative results reported in the literature, obtained in the analysis of various materials and in a wide range of experimental conditions, are summarized, with a special emphasis on the departure from nominal composition values. The second part is a discussion of the simplifying assumptions which lie at the basis of the CF-LIBS algorithm (stoichiometric ablation and complete atomization, thermal equilibrium, homogeneous plasma, thin radiation, detection of all ...
The neutral Higgs boson is expected to have a mass in the region 90 endash 150thinspGeV /c"2 in various schemes within the minimal supersymmetric extension of the standard model. A first generation muon collider is uniquely suited to investigate the mass, width, and decay modes of the Higgs boson, since the coupling of the Higgs boson to muons is expected to be strong enough for it to be produced in the s channel mode in the muon collider. Because of the narrow width of the Higgs boson, it is necessary to measure and control the energy of the individual muon bunches to a precision of a few parts in a million. We investigate the feasibility of determining the energy scale of a muon collider ring with circulating muon beams of 50thinspGeV energy by measuring the turn by turn variation of the energy deposited by electrons produced by the decay of the muons. This variation is caused by the existence of an average initial polarization of the muon beam and a nonzero ...
We propose an innovative linear accelerating structure, particularly suited for hadrontherapy applications. Its two main features are compactness and good power efficiency at low beam velocities: the first is achieved through a high working frequency and a consequent high accelerating gradient, the second is obtained by coupling several H-mode cavities together. The structure is called CLUSTER, which stands for "Coupled-cavity Linac USing Transverse Electric Radial field". In order to compare the performance of this structure with other hadrontherapy linac designs involving high frequencies, a conceptual study has been performed for an operating frequency of 3 GHz. Moreover a proof of principle has been obtained through RF measurements on a prototype operating at 1 GHz. An accelerator complex using a CLUSTER linac is also considered for protontherapy purposes. The whole complex is called cyclinac and is composed of a commercial cyclotron injecting the beam in a ...
We construct analytic models of incompressible, rigidly rotating stars in PN gravity and study their stability against nonaxisymmetric Jacobi-like bar modes. PN configurations are modeled by homogeneous triaxial ellipsoids and the metric is obtained as a solution of Einstein's equations in 3+1 ADM form. We use an approximate subset of the equations well-suited to numerical integration for strong field, 3D configurations in quasi--equilibrium. These equations are exact at PN order, and admit an analytic solution for homogeneous ellipsoids. In this paper we present this solution, as well as analytic functionals for the conserved global quantities, M, M_0 and J. By using a variational principle we construct sequences of axisymmetric equilibria of constant density and rest mass, i.e. the PN generalization of Maclaurin spheroids, which are compared to other PN and full relativistic sequences presented by previous authors. We then consider nonaxisymmetric ellipsoidal ...
The ability to test advanced fuels and cladding materials under reactor operating conditions in the United States is limited. The Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) High Flux Isotope Reactor (HFIR) and the newly expanded post-irradiation examination (PIE) capability at the ORNL Irradiated Fuels Examination Laboratory provide unique support for this type of advanced fuel/cladding development effort. The wide breadth of ORNL's fuels and materials research divisions provides all the necessary fuel development capabilities in one location. At ORNL, facilities are available from test fuel fabrication, to irradiation in HFIR under either thermal or fast reactor conditions, to a complete suite of PIEs, and to final product disposal. There are very few locations in the world where this full range of capabilities exists. New testing capabilities at HFIR have been developed that allow testing of advanced nuclear fuels and cladding materials under prototypic ...
The investigations showed that the new adsorber/catalyst composites are well suited for chemical degradation of persistent water pollutants. Compared with alternative processes, the reaction selectivity and the consumption of oxidant are more favourable as the reaction now takes place on/inside the solid. The process, which was developed originally for purification of contaminated water, can be transferred to many other systems of materials. For example, it is expected that the soot emissions of diesel engines will be reduced significantly after efficient hydrogenation of the aromatics contained in the diesel engine on molybdenum-charged mesoporous composites. [German] Mit den vorliegenden Untersuchungen konnte ein erster Nachweis gefuehrt werden, dass die neu entwickelten Adsorber/Katalysator-Komposite fuer den chemischen Abbau persistenter Wasserschadstoffe geeignet sind. Im Vergleich zu alternativen Verfahrensloesungen kann die Selektivitaet der Reaktion und der ...
Using the SCUBA bolometer array on the JCMT, we have carried out a submillimetre survey of Broad Absorption Line quasars (BALQs). The sample has been chosen to match, in redshift and optical luminosity, an existing benchmark 850um sample of radio-quiet quasars, allowing a direct comparison of the submm properties of BAL quasars relative to the parent radio-quiet population. We reach a submm limit 1.5mJy at 850um, allowing a more rigorous measure of the submm properties of BAL quasars than previous studies. Our submm photometry complements extensive observations at other wavelengths, in particular X-rays with Chandra and mid-infrared with Spitzer. To compare the 850um flux distribution of BALQs with that of the non-BAL quasar benchmark sample, we employ a suite of statistical methods, including survival analysis and a novel Bayesian derivation of the underlying flux distribution. Although there are no strong grounds for rejecting the null hypothesis that BALQs on ...
The atmosphere and the biosphere are inherently coupled to one another. Atmospheric surface state variables such as temperature, winds, water vapor, precipitation, and radiation control biophysical, biogeochemical, and ecological processes at the surface and subsurface. At the same time, surface fluxes of momentum, moisture, heat, and trace gases act as time-dependent boundary conditions providing feedback on atmospheric processes. To understand such phenomena, a coupled set of interactive models is required. Costs are still prohibitive for computing surface/subsurface fluxes directly for medium-resolution atmospheric general circulation models (AGCMs), but a technique has been developed for testing large-scale homogeneity and accessing surface parameterizations and models to reduce this computational cost and maintain accuracy. This modeling system potentially bridges the observed spatial and temporal ranges yet allows the incorporation of necessary details about individual ecological ...
The use of entire plant communities of native species is gaining interest in the green roof industry. Plant communities must be matched with environmental conditions that mimic conditions in their original habitats. Urban built environments do not differ significantly from the rocky outcrops with poor, shallow soil that many plants colonize. This paper provided details of an experiment investigating the impact of plant community structure and species diversity on living roof performance. The aim of the experiment was to determine the impact of species diversity on precipitation interception, nutrient retention, temporal biomass constancy and roof temperature constancy. The diversity treatment included separate monocultures of 8 species in the community, randomly determined mixtures of 4 species, and a mixture of all 8. Functional groups included mosses, liverworts, colonial algae and a mycorrhizal inoculum. In a second experiment, between 1 and 4 of the functional groups were added to ...
The Convective and Orographically-induced Precipitation Study (COPS) has the aim to advance the quality of forecasts of orographically-induced precipitation in complex terrain. COPS is a Research and Development Project of the World Weather Research Program and considered to be one of the largest field campaigns on quantitative precipitation forecasting that has been performed so far. A network of state-of-the-art active and passive remote sensing systems was combined with in total 10 airborne platforms, Meteosat rapid scans and dense networks of standard meteorological instruments during the three months long field phase (June-August, 2007) in south-western Germany/eastern France to observe atmospheric variables in the three spatial dimensions and in time. By the University of Hohenheim, two novel ground-based mobile scanning lidar systems were deployed: a scanning rotational Raman lidar which provides combined measurements of the field of atmospheric temperature and aerosol optical ...
This paper reports some technical contributes related to the Kyoto Protocol and its application in Italian decision making policy. [Italian] Il presente volume raccoglie una decina di contributi tecnici originariamente preparati o commissionati dall'ENEA, Ente Nazionale per le Nuove Tecnologie, l'Energia e l'Ambiente, in vista della Conferenza Nazionale Energia e Ambiente. Questa fotografia di una situazione in rapida evoluzione e' stata preparata da esperti del settore che contribuiscono a redigere il materiale tecnico di base utilizzato dai negoziatori nazionali durante le trattative internazionali e dai responsabili nazionali per avviare il processo di presa di decisioni in materia.
This paper deals with the energy required to separate ethanol from an aqueous solution in a distillation column containing a solid phase. The solid phases evaluated consisted of either an amylatious (ground corn) or a cellulose (sugar cane bagasse) absorber whit particle sizes smaller than 4 mm. The water-retention capacity of each solid phase was measured by passing vapors or ethanol-water mixtures through the solid phase. When starting with initial concentrations bellow the azeotropic point, ethanol concentrations up to 99,5% (on corn) and 97,2% (on sugar cane) were achieved. The water content was evaluated potentiometrically (Karl`Fischer). Regarding the 2-4 mm ground corn solid phase column, the energy consumed was estimated to be reduced by 15,6% and 60% (by weight) ethanol-water mixture respectively. (author) 11 refs., 2 figs., 2 tabs
The ability of Yersinia pestis to forestall the mammalian innate immune response is a fundamental aspect of plague pathogenesis. In this study, we examined the effect of Ail, a 17-kDa outer membrane protein that protects Y. pestis against complement-mediated lysis, on bubonic plague pathogenesis in mice and rats. The Y. pestis ail mutant was attenuated for virulence in both rodent models. The attenuation was greater in rats than in mice, which correlates with the ability of normal rat serum, but not mouse serum, to kill ail-negative Y. pestis in vitro. Intradermal infection with the ail mutant resulted in an atypical, subacute form of bubonic plague associated with extensive recruitment of polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN or neutrophils) to the site of infection in the draining lymph node and the formation of large purulent abscesses that contained the bacteria. Systemic spread and mortality were greatly attenuated, however, and a productive adaptive immune ...
Four extracellular keratinases (designated KI, KII, KIII, and KIV) were produced during submerged aerobic cultivation in a medium containing native human foot skin (NHFS) for enzyme synthesis. The molecular weights, determined by SDS-PAGE, were 25, 50, 34, and 19kDa, respectively. Gel filtration of the four purified enzymes in native conditions indicated that active keratinase KI is a novel homo-octamer, KII a homo-dimer, and KIII and KIV monomers. All four keratinases exhibited high activities at pH 8.0-10.0 with an optimal pH of 9.0. The optimal temperature for keratinolytic activity of KI, KII, and KIII was approximately 50, and 60degreeC for KIV. One millimolar of PMSF completely inhibited the keratinolytic activities of the four enzymes. The N-terminal sequences of KI, KII, and KIII s...
The treatment and disposal of oily waters from oil production and refining processes represent an important technological pass for attendance of the ambient legislation and to the politics of the Cia of search of the environmental excellence. The reuse or reinjection of the co-produced water has been considered an interesting strategical alternative, however, the water quality requirement for these processes demands a pretreatment step, considering the exit effluent from primary and secondary treatment processes currently used. This work presents resulted of the polymeric resin development for tertiary treatment of oily waters with low oil and grasses content and fine solids, including the dissolved fraction. These resins can adsorb, in reversible form, organic components. Its high adsorption capacity is determined by the polarity, superficial area, range of porosity and a wide distribution of particle size and pore. Another important characteristic is the possibility of its use in ...
This paper presents the experience faced by people who works in PETROBRAS Business Unit (UN-RNCE), located in Rio Grande do Norte Province, Brazil, during the implementation of a pipeline leak detection system. That application involved nine multiphase oil pipelines distributed along several production facilities. Because of the emergency after the leakage that polluted the Guanabara bay and due to the two phases and multi phases pipelines characteristics, the UN-RNCE decided to apply the Pressure Point Analysis (PPA) technology in order to detect leakages. It is a statistical method for leak detection e uses a very simple instrumentation which facilitates the installation and maintenance. However, in order to get the best performance of the system, it is necessary to know thoroughly the whole process and have a fast and reliable SCADA system for long distance communication. Finally it will be shown the test results, the recommendations to expand the system and the conclusions. ...
Coutinho MF, Encarnao M, Gomes R, da Silva Santos L, Martins S, Sirois-Gagnon D, Bargal R, Filocamo M, Raas-Rothschild A, Tappino B, Laprise C, Cury GK, Schwartz IV, Artigals O, Prata MJ, Alves S. Origin and spread of a common deletion causing mucolipidosis type II: insights from patterns of haplotypic diversity. Mucolipidosis II (ML II alpha/beta), or I-cell disease, is a rare genetic disease in which activity of the uridine diphosphate (UDP)-N-acetylglucosamine:lysosomal enzyme N-acetylglucosamine-1-phosphotransferase (GlcNAc-phosphotransferase) is absent. GlcNAc-phosphotransferase is a multimeric enzyme encoded by two genes, GNPTAB and GNPTG. A spectrum of mutations in GNPTAB has been recently reported to cause ML II alpha/beta. Most of these mutations were found to be private or rare. ...
Heat losses in duct flow and heat transfer enhancement are investigated through an analysis of natural convection about a horizontal cylinder with a porous or fibrous coating. The porous substrate may be used for two purposes. According to its properties, it may be employed as an insulating material or as a means to surface augmentation. An optimization study is then carried out in order to find the best conditions that allow good thermal insulation or heat transfer rate improvement. The flow motion and heat transfer coefficient are predicted for various conditions. The results show that an efficient insulation which means less than 10% in heat losses is obtained for a porous layer thickness of 0.8x tube diameter and a permeability corresponding to Da #<=# 10"-"7. Nevertheless, there is a Darcy number limit above which convection must be accounted for. Porous or fibrous materials may also be used as a heat transfer augmentation technique. To achieve this goal, ...
The aim of this work is to the application of a methodology to evaluate the energy associated to the industrial solid wastes in the metropolitan region of Campinas. The methodological route proposed is: the characterization of the research area and the production/management of the industrial solid wastes; the energetic classification and the qualitative/quantitative research of the energy associated to the industrial solid wastes; and, the valuation of the applicability of the energetic utilization mechanisms proposed to the region. This methodology when applied at the Campinas metropolitan region proved to be valid and it resulted in a synthetically presentation of the social and environmental reality of the industrial sector and the destination of the wastes, as well as it indicated the potentialities related to the energetic utilization of the industrial solid waste in the region. With the obtained results it was shown the importance of the the production and the destination of the ...
Bone metastases at the thoracic and lumbar segment of the spine are usually presented with painful sensation and medullar compression. The treatment is based on the clinical and neurological conditions of the patient and the degree of tumor invasion. In the present study, 32 patients with spinal metastasis of thoracic and lumbar segment were prospectively analyzed. These patients were treated by decompression and internal stabilization followed by radiotherapy or irradiation with external immobilization. The election of the groups was in accordance with the tumor radiotherapy sensitivity, clinical conditions, spinal stability, medullar or nerve compression and patient's decision. The Frankel scale and pain visual test were applied at the moment of diagnosis and after 1 and 6 months. The surgical group had better results with preserving the ambulation longer and significant reduction of pain.(author)
Zusammenfassung Hintergrund Die vorliegende Arbeit untersucht, welche Frequenzkombination f?r die Berechnung der mittleren H?rverluste im Tonschwellenaudiogramm am besten mit dem H?rverlust f?r Zahlen im Sprachaudiogramm korreliert, da in der Literatur verschiedene Rechenvarianten f?r diese gutachterliche Plausibilit?tspr?fung beschrieben werden. Es wurden die 3?Rechenvarianten A (250, 500 und 1000?Hz), B (500 und 1000?Hz) und C (500, 1000 und 2000?Hz) verglichen. Methoden Die Audiogramme von 80?Normalh?rigen, 106?Schwerh?rigen und 135 zu Begutachtenden wurden retrospektiv analysiert. Die Differenzen der Mittelwerte aus dem Tonschwellenaudiogramm und dem H?rverlust f?r Zahlen wurden f?r das rechte und linke Ohr getrennt in den 3?Patientenkollektiven berechnet und statistisch verglichen. Er...
This report describes development of an electronic system designed to reduce vibration generated by a cryocooler. The diminished vibration makes it practical to use the active cooler to extract heat from a portable gamma ray detector instrument. The system was developed for a Sunpower cryocooler with an integrated counterbalance mass. The overall momentum cancellation approach is also applicable to other similar cryocoolers. The cancellation system is an assembly of several components tailored to accomplish the required vibration reduction with minimum power consumption and volume. It is designed to be powered by a 18--32 Volt battery. Up to ten harmonics of the 58.65 Hz drive frequency are controlled. In addition to the vibration cancellation, the electronic system produces the drive signal for the cryocooler and regulates the cooler temperature. The system employs a sinusoidal drive to reduce the amount of higher harmonic vibration. A digital signal processor (DSP) is used to perform ...
Purpose HER2 is a transmembrane tyrosine kinase, which is overexpressed in a number of carcinomas. The Affibody molecule ZHER2:342 is a small (7?kDa) affinity protein binding to HER2 with an affinity of 22?pM. The goal of this study was to evaluate the use of ((4-hydroxyphenyl)ethyl)maleimide (HPEM) for radioiodination of ZHER2:342 and to compare the targeting properties of monomeric and dimeric forms of ZHER2:342. Methods The biodistribution of different radioiodinated derivatives of ZHER2:342 was studied in BALB/C nu/nu mice bearing HER2-expressing SKOV-3 xenografts. Biodistributions of 125I-PIB-ZHER2:342 and site-specifically labelled 125I-HPEM-ZHER2:342-C were compared. Biodistributions of monomeric 131I-HPEM-ZHER2:342-C and dimeric 125I-HPEM-(ZHER2:342)2-C were evaluated using a paire...
Abstract Sam68 (Src-associated protein in mitosis 68-kDa) is a multifunctional protein, known to govern cellular signal transduction, transcription, RNA metabolism, proliferation, apoptosis, and HIV-1 replication. Although intrinsic mechanisms that modulate Sam68 function are beginning to emerge, the regulatory events contributing to its expression remain elusive. We previously reported that heat shock protein-22 (Hsp22) antagonizes Sam68 function in rev-response element (RRE)-mediated gene expression. We now demonstrate that Sam68 levels correlate inversely with Hsp22 in a variety of cells, including U87, Jurkat, 293T, and U-937. In U87 glioblastoma cells, which contained high levels of Hsp22 than other cell lines tested, Hsp22 knockdown dramatically increased both Sam68 mRNA and protein,...
In order to evaluate the effects of radioactivity on active vegetal substances, samples of Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare Miller., fructus), Guarana (Paulinia cupana, Kunth, semen), Gingko (gingko biloba, L., folium), and Kawa-Kawa (Piper methysticum G. Forst, rhizoma), were treated with scaling doses (0 to 25 KGy) of gamma radiation (Co{sup 60}). The 'blind test' methodology was used. The active substances from each sample were analysed by qualitative and quantitative methods after radiation. There were no significant differences seen between the control sample (0 KGy) and the irradiated samples. Microbe contamination was significantly reduced, about 10000 CFU/g, with the initial 5 KGy dose. It was concluded that gamma radiation can be used as an alternative procedure to reduce microbiologic contamination in medicinal plants. Before this procedure can be extended to other medicinal plants, more specific analytical methods are recommended to verify possible structural ...
In the paper six cases of facial osteomyelitis as a complication of chronic sinusitis in hemophiliac-AIDS patients are reported. Osteomyelitis was suggested by an increasing of erythrocyte sedimentation rate. The diagnosis was confirmed by a positive {sup 99m} Tc MDP scintigraphy. The patients were submitted to clinical treatment. The erythrocyte sedimentation rate and 67-gallium citrate scans were used in the follow-up of the therapy. Three patients had negative gallium after three weeks of organism-specific antibiotic therapy; in two patients the gallium scintigraphy remained positive. One patient did not undergo the radionuclide scan for this clinical conditions. These results suggest that MDP scans showed higher sensitivity and specificity in detection of bone disease in chronic sinusitis. Gallium scans appeared to be valuable tool in the follow-up of the infection. There are no reports in the literature of osteomyelitis as a complication of chronic sinusitis in AIDS patient. ...
Low expression of osmotically responsive genes 2 (LOS2) encodes an enolase (2-phospho-D-glycerate hydrolase, EC 4.2.1.11) that converts 2-phospho-D-glycerate (PGA) to phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP) in the glycolytic pathway in Arabidopsis. Meanwhile, it is a transcriptional activator of cold-responsive gene, negatively controlling the expression of STZ/ZAT10, a zinc finger transcriptional repressor of cold-responsive gene from Arabidopsis. A novel LOS2 gene, designated PtrLOS2 (GenBank accession number GQ144341), was isolated from trifoliate orange [Poncirus trifoliata (L.) Raf.]. The PtrLOS2 cDNA is 1 662 bp in length with a 1 338 bp open reading frame (ORF), encoding a deduced 445 amino acid residue protein with a predicted molecular mass of 47.79 kDa and an isoelectric point of 5.54. The ded...
The examples quoted show that damage is mostly due to faults of design and construction or faulty operation. The ever shorter development cycles, the further development of existing constructions and cost pressure owing to price slumps are very important in this context. Careful endoscopic inspections and monitoring and early identification of beginning damage helps to prevent major damage and follow-up damage. The causes of changing operational performance must be established as early as possible to prevent larger damages from being caused by continued operations.(orig.) [German] Die vorgestellten Schadenbeispiele zeigen, dass die Schaeden vorwiegend durch Auslegungsfehler und Konstruktionsfehler aber auch durch Bedienungsfehler verursacht wurden. Die immer kuerzeren Entwicklungszeiten fuer Neukonstruktionen und die Weiterentwicklung vorhandener Konstruktionen sowie der Kostendruck infolge des Preisverfalles sind hierbei von grosser Bedeutung. Weitherhin ist die Wichtigkeit der ...
Biodiesel can be produced from numerous materials, including by-products of animal chain. In this scenario, the chicken's oil, that is located and an environment not explored for biodiesel production, can be a good alternative in South and Southeast Brazilian Region, where they are slaughtered around 9.100.000 chickens per day. In order to determine the specific consumption from a generator set with single cylinder 6.6 kW of power and generation capacity of 5 kW, using chicken oil biodiesel (B-100), were performed the bench test using a auxiliary tank, precision scale and an energy analyzer. Were conducted four treatments (25%, 50%, 75% and 100% of generating capacity). The worst SC was the engine at 25% of generation capacity (1.5 kW) and better with 75% of maximum load (3.75 kW) with a mean of 479.34 g kWh{sup -1}. By Turkey's test ant 5% probability there was a significant difference only for the first treatment. (author)
Red mud is a by-product of the alkaline extraction of aluminum from the bauxite and represents a renewed environmental problem due the significant annual throughput by the plants. In the present work, the pozzolanic properties of Brazilian red mud fired at 600, 700, 800 and 900 deg C were investigated by monitoring lime consumption using DTA analysis and Brazilian standard methodology NBR 5772 (1992). Products and kinetics of hydration were determined in cement pastes produced with 5 and 15% red mud using x-ray diffraction and DTA analysis. Compressive strength and capillary absorption tests were realized on mortars constituted by 5, 10 and 15% red mud in replacement of cement. When calcined at 600 deg C, the red mud develops good pozzolanic properties, and the compressive strength of mortars produced with this waste meet values in accordance with regulatory standard. These results shown than red mud can be used, in partial replacement of cement, as new construction material to produce ...
The fertilizer contribution to radio uptake by tomato plants was assessed. Tomato and soil samples from four different plantations were analyzed: two using organic fertilizer and two using phosphate fertilizer. The Ra concentrations in eight of the most used tomato fertilizers were determined. The concentration values ranged from 14 to 221 Bq/kg of Ra-226 and from 25 to 176 Bq/kg of Ra-228. Owing to the low Ra concentration and to the used fertilizer quantities, the fertilizers would not increase significantly the Ra soil concentration. However, the highest soil to plant concentration ratios were found in the plantations using phosphate fertilizers. This outcome pointed out the higher Ra availability in the phosphate fertilizer plantations than in the organic fertilizer plantations, showing a possible positive influence of phosphate fertilizers for the tomato Ra uptake. Due to the phosphate fertilizer used, the dose could increase from 0,05 Sv/year to 0,24 Sv/year. However this ...
The success in developing of the oil industry operating in offshore-onshore terminals, connected by pipelines with the facilities of the coastal zone, can be attributed partially to the beach morpho dynamic monitoring. This study represents a solution to the concerns of the technical operations in coastal zones because it minimizes the impact of the petroleum production and it assures the environmental protection associated to the risks of the pipelines breaking. This impact type results mainly of the vertical and horizontal displacements of the beach, from the coastal dunes to the shore face. The mobility of the profile is associated to the magnitude of the sedimentary processes, which reproduce naturally or not, in scale of time that can vary among few days, years or decades. For the monitoring and interpretation of the beach profile mobility the following methods are recommended: calculation of the closure depth with base in the wave data; bathymetric survey with sled; calculation ...
In earliest works devoted to proton computed tomography it was shown that the advantage of pCT image reconstruction appears when the energy is close to the Bragg peak region, since the proton passes the object. This effect provided by the Bragg peak makes the computerized tomography with protons possible. However, when decreasing the initial proton energy, with the increase of the irradiation dose, there are two effects that work simultaneously in opposite ways. First, the energy loss of a proton in an object becomes bigger at small initial energy. At the same time decreasing of the proton energy results in the increase of the energy straggling, requiring a larger number of protons. In this work the radiation dose dependence on the proton initial energy was studied using analytical formulas and computer simulations. The investigation determined that the radiation dose practically does not depend on the initial energy, except in the energy region very close to the minimum energy ...
The photodegradation of two well known recalcitrant compounds was studied. At this aim, a photosystem constituted by titanium dioxide and polyaniline, both immobilised in a PVC membrane, and a sunlight simulating irradiation source was used. The optimisation of the experimental conditions, ph, ionic strength and, when operating on soils, humic acid concentration, allowed the photodegradation of Paraquat at a nearly 100% extent, while, an oxidation by hypochlorite was needed to degrade cyanuric acid. [Italian] E' stata studiata la fotodegradazione di due composti notoriamente recalcitranti a questo tipo di rimozione. Con un sistema fotocatalitico costituito da biossido di titanio e polianilina immobilizzati in una membrana di PVC ed operando con luce solare simulata e' possibile, ottimizzando le condizioni sperimentali di pH, forza ionica e - operando su terreno - concentrazione di acidi umici, ottenere la degradazione del paraquat fino a valori ...
The principle of radiodiagnosis consists in the fact the X-ray beam is attenuated at different degrees by distinct tissues. For this reason, the anatomical structures have distinct radiological opacities, that produce the radiographic image. The progresses in radiology are related to the development if new radiographic image formation systems that enable an amplification in the quality, with low dose and/or risk to the patient. The objective of this work is the sensitometric valuation of a screen-film combination, that is still the most used, for the standardization, of radiographic images. Thinking about this, were constructed homogeneous phantoms of the chest, skull and pelvis, for the calibration of X-ray beams, with the purpose of obtaining radiographic images of good quality, basing in the routine of a radiodiagnosis service and in the scientific knowledge. Questions were approached about the choice of the suitable equipment, that allow the obtention of k Vp and m As combinations, ...
This work investigates the potential use of simultaneously near-infrared (NIR) and mid-infrared (MIR) spectroscopies for the quantitative analysis of fatty acids and triacylglycerols and for identifying the Registered Designation of Origin (RDO) of extra virgin olive oils. The two spectral ranges were used separately using PLS and PLS-DA regressions. To combine both information, concatenated matrix was used at the first time, multiblock method using H-PLS models were constructed at the second time. The models were compared in terms of prediction errors. The results obtained with MIR spectroscopy are better than the ones obtained with NIR spectroscopy. The H-PLS methodology seems to be very interesting for quantitative analysis with the use of additional information in the NIR range, which is not present in the MIR one. For RDO identification by discriminant analysis, the use of multiblock method was less efficient. PMID:20433960
Abstract Plant annexins represent a multigene family involved in cellular elongation and development. A cDNA encoding a novel annexin was isolated from a cotton (Gossypium hirsutum) fiber cDNA library and designated-GhAnx1. This gene encodes a 316 amino acid protein with a theoretical molecular mass of 36.06 kDa and a theoretical pI of 6.19. At the amino acid level, it shares high sequence similarity and has evolutionary relationships with annexins from higher plants. The purified recombinant protein expressed in-Escherichia coli-was used to investigate its physicochemical properties. Circular dichroism spectrum analyses showed a positive peak rising to the maximum at 196 nm and a broad negative band rounding 215 nm, suggesting that the GhAnx1 protein was prominently -helical. The fluoresc...
Pulmonary tumors in children are rare. Nevertheless, there are besides malign primary neoplasms and metastases also some benign tumors that the radiologist should know. The identification of some tumors is difficult, since some of them may mimic pulmonary inflammation. The first diagnostic tool is chest radiography. After that, a CT with contrastmedium should be performed, if possible a multislice-CT (MSCT). Identification of mediastinal structures is best with MRI. (orig.) [German] Tumoren der Lunge sind im Kindesalter selten. Trotzdem finden sich neben den malignen primaeren und sekundaeren Raumforderungen auch im Kindesalter immer wieder benigne Tumoren, die der Radiologe kennen sollte. Eine eindeutige Identifizierung kann schwierig sein, da z. B. entzuendliche Infiltrate vorgetaeuscht werden koennen. Die primaere Untersuchungsmethode ist das konventionelle Thoraxroentgen. Die weitere Diagnostik muss mit der Computertomographie, nach Moeglichkeit mit einem ...
Personal authentication is an important process we encounter almost every day; when we are logging on a computer, entering a company where we work, or a restricted area, when we are using our plastic credit cards to pay for a service or to complete some other financial transaction, etc. In each of these processes of personal authentication some kind of magnetic or optical token is required. But by using novel technologies like mobile computing and wireless networking, it is possible to avoid carrying multitude of ID cards or remembering a number of PIN codes. Article shows how to efficiently authenticate users via Personal Area Networks (PAN) like Bluetooth or IrDA using commonplace AES (Rijndel) or MD5 encryption. This method can be implemented on many types of mobile devices like Pocket PC PDA with Windows CE (Windows Mobile 2003) real-time operating system, or any other customized OS, so we will explain all components and key features of such basic system.
The PMS2 gene encodes a protein that is involved in DNA mismatch repair and is mutated in a subset of patients with hereditary nonpolyposis colon cancer (HNPCC). The previously published PMS2 cDNA sequence lack an upstream in-frame stop codon preceding the presumptive initiating methionine. To evaluate the 5` terminus of the PMS2 coding region further, we isolated additional cDNA clones, RT-PCR products, and the corresponding 5` genomic segment of the PMS2 locus. The PMS2 gene transcripts were found to have heterogeneous but colinear 5` termini, one of which contained an in-frame termination codon preceding the initiating methionine. In addition, a novel gene encoding a 34.5-kDa polypeptide was found to initiate transcriptionally within PMS2 from the opposite strand. 23 refs., 5 figs., 2 tabs.
Over the last decade {\\it ab initio} modeling of material properties has become widespread in diverse fields of research. It has proved to be a powerful tool for predicting various properties of matter under extreme conditions. We apply modern computational chemistry and materials science methods, including density functional theory (DFT), to solve lingering problems in the modeling of the dense atmospheres of cool white dwarfs ($T_{\\rm eff}\\rm <7000 \\, K$). Our work on the revision and improvements of the absorption mechanisms in the hydrogen and helium dominated atmospheres resulted in a new set of atmosphere models. By inclusion of the Ly-$\\rm \\alpha$ red wing opacity we successfully fitted the entire spectral energy distributions of known cool DA stars. In the subsequent work we fitted the majority of the coolest stars with hydrogen-rich models. This finding challenges our understanding of the spectral evolution of cool white dwarfs. We discuss a few ...
We have constructed a 27-kDa hTERT C-terminal polypeptide (hTERTC27) devoid of domains required for telomerase activity and demonstrated that it is capable of nuclear translocation/telomere-end targeting. Here we showed that expression of a low level of hTERTC27 renders hTERT positive HeLa cells sensitive to H(2)O(2)-induced oxidative stress and subsequent cell senescence. The senescence-associated gene, the cyclin/cdk inhibitor p21(Waf1), was up-regulated. This occurs without changing the expression of endogenous hTERT, causing significant telomere shortening or inhibiting telomerase activity. Results from this study suggest for the first time that in addition to telomerase activity, the C-terminus of hTERT also plays a role in hTERT-mediated cellular resistance to oxidative stress. PMID:12565825
The onshore Potiguar basin has nowadays around 5.000 artificial lifting petroleum wells, distributed into 80 fields located on the states of Rio Grande do Norte and Ceara, representing approximately 8% of the national oil production. For that, well maintenance service, realized by Workover Rigs, is essential to preserve the oil productivity of the reservoirs on these fields. However, as the number of rigs is lower than to the number of wells needing maintenance, the task of administrating the management of such equipment according to the demand created by the wells, generates an optimization problem. The decision for a rig intervention on a well depends on parameters such as flow rate, depth, wasted time on intervention, distance from the rig to the next well, type of operation, rig capacity, environmental risks, etc. The objective of this paper is to present an interactive Computational System for Support Decision to the optimized management of the wells attended by the rig fleet. ...
Catalase is an important antioxidant protein which can protect organisms against various oxidative stresses by eliminating hydrogen peroxide. The catalase cDNA of Cristaria plicata@?cpCAT@? was cloned from the haemocytes using degenerate primers by the method of 3' and 5' rapid amplification of cDNA ends PCR. The gene is 4863 bp long and has a total of two introns and three exons. The precise size and location of the introns and exons have been determined. In addition the full-length cDNA of cpCAT contained 2618 bp, The cDNA contained a 5' untranslated region (UTR) of 136 nucleotides, the 3' UTR of 979 bp with a canonical polyadenylation signal sequence AATAAA and a polyA tail, and an open reading frame (ORF) of 1503 bp, encoding 501 amino acid residues with 56.86 kDa predicted molecular w...
The $\\bar{K}N$ system at threshold is a sensitive testing ground for low energy QCD, especially for the explicit chiral symmetry breaking. Therefore, we have measured the $K$-series x rays of kaonic hydrogen atoms at the DA$\\Phi$NE electron-positron collider of Laboratori Nazionali di Frascati, and have determined the most precise values of the strong-interaction energy-level shift and width of the $1s$ atomic state. As x-ray detectors, we used large-area silicon drift detectors having excellent energy and timing resolution, which were developed especially for the SIDDHARTA experiment. The shift and width were determined to be $\\epsilon_{1s} = -283 \\pm 36 \\pm 6 {(syst)}$ eV and $\\Gamma_{1s} = 541 \\pm 89 {(stat)} \\pm 22 {(syst)}$ eV, respectively. The new values will provide vital constraints on the theoretical description of the low-energy $\\bar{K}N$ interaction.
The Median Tectonic Zone (MTZ) of New Zealand is a generally north trending belt of Mesozoic subduction related I-type plutonic, volcanic, and sedimentary rocks in South Island and Stewart Island that separates Permian strata of the Eastern Province Brook Street Terrane from lower to mid Gondwana margin assemblages of the Western Province. High precision isotope dilution U/Pb ages of zircons from 30 rocks are reported. Pre-digestion leaching of zircon in hydrofluoric acid yielded significantly more concordant residues by removing common Pb and dissolving more soluble high-U domains that have been more affected by relatively recent Pb loss. The results show that MTZ magmatism ranges in age from at least Early Triassic to Early Cretaceous (247-131 Ma), with a pronounced gap in the Middle Jurassic. Triassic plutons tend to occur on the eastern side of the MTZ, and they intrude volcanic/sedimentary sequences of the MTZ in Nelson and eastern Fiordland. These sequences are in turn intruded ...
CANDU 600 nuclear reactors are usually fuelled with STANDARD (STD), 37 rods fuel bundles. Natural uranium (NU) dioxide (UO_2), is used as fuel composition. A new fuel bundle geometry called CANFLEX (CFX) with 43 rods is proposed and some new fuel composition are considered. Flexibility is the key word for the attempt to use some different fuel geometries and compositions for CANDU 600 nuclear reactors as well as for innovative ACR-700/1000 nuclear reactors. The fuel bundle considered in this paper is CFX-RU-0.90 that encodes the CANFLEX geometry, recycled dioxide uranium (RU) with 0.90% enrichment. The goal of this proposal is ambitious: a higher average discharge burn-up up to 14000 MWd/tU and, for the same amount of generated electric power, reduction in nuclear fuel fabrication, reduction of spent nuclear fuel radioactive waste and reduction of refueling operational work by using fewer bundles. An improved sub-channel approach for thermal-hydraulic analysis is used in this paper to ...
The paper gives an overview on the technologies and applications of automatic wood furnaces. The combustion systems are defined by the flow condition: With increasing gas velocity, fixed bed, stationary fluidized bed (SFB), circulating fluidized bed (CFB), and entrained flow reactors are distinguished. The furnace design and typical applications are described. Further, a comparison is presented which gives data of the typical size range and fuel types for the different combustion systems. The most common fixed bed reactors are under-stoker and grate furnaces. While under-stoker furnaces are applied in the size range from 20 kW to 2.5 MW, grate furnaces cover the size range from a few 100 kW up to more than 50 MW. Under-stoker furnaces are well suited for wood fuel with low ash content, moderate water content and limited fuel size. Grate furnaces are also suited for fuel with high ash and water content and large fuel sizes. Hence grate furnaces ...
The new industrial political tools based on the sustainable development of productive activities, and originating at the Rio Conference in 1992, late introduced by the European Union, the Government and voluntary organizations (ISO, CEM, UNI) are gradually entering the market, thereby underling their effect in terms of industrial competitiveness. The main tools were examined in the report and mostly refer to the voluntary ones which, in surpassing the command and control logic, increasingly tend to get close to traditional fiscal, tariff and financial ones. Voluntary agreements, environmental management systems (EMAS, ISO14000), the risk prevention systems (UNI 10617), certification (Ecolabel, ISO 14040) and environment communications tools (environment balance sheet, environmental report, environmental statement) are synthetically described. Finally, the tools regarding the incentives still under Government concern an their diffusion are examined. [Italian] I nuovi strumenti di ...
The use of medicinal plants in the treatment of diseases has increased significantly in the last years, as has research concerning chemical characterization of these plants. In this study, inorganic constituents were determined in leaves and in extracts from three medicinal plant species of the Casearia genus (C. sylvestris, C. decandra and C. obliqua) collected in distinct regions of the Atlantic Forest, SP. The elemental compositions of the soils in which these plants were grown were also determined. Traditionally, these plants are used due to their antiinflammatory, antiacid, antiseptic and cicatrizing properties. The antiulcer and the antitumor activities of the Casearia genus and its capacity to neutralize snake and bee venoms, have also been scientifically confirmed. The analytical methodology used was neutron activation analysis. Long and short irradiation periods of the samples and the standards were carried out at IPEN's IEA-R1 nuclear research reactor. In the leaf K ...
During their life, intervertebral discs undergo degenerative changes which need not necessarily become lesions. Conventional X-rays do not provide information on the condition of the intervertebral discs, so MRT or CT are recommended as primary techniques as they are non-invasive. Invasive methods like myelography and especially discography should not be used unless a case is highly problematic. In infants with pains in the back, MRT should be carried out as early as possible as there is nearly always an organic cause. (orig.) [German] Die Bandscheibe ist im Laufe des Lebens degenerativen Veraenderungen unterworfen, die klinisch zu Beschwerden fuehren koennen, aber nicht fuehren muessen. Konventionlle Roentgenaufnahmen lassen zwar die Hoehenminderung des Bandscheibenfachs und begleitende knoecherne Veraenderungen erkennen, nicht aber den Zustand der Bandscheibe selbst. Die Beurteilung der Bandscheibe und des Knochens gelingt mit der CT, die parallel zum Bandscheibenfach durchgefuehrt ...
Primary malignant lymphoma of the brain is a disease of unknown etiology, which is increasing in incidence and has an unfavorable prognosis. Despite the lack of specific changes on CT or MRI in most cases, these procedures may typically facilitate the diagnosis: A focal-enhancing mass with subependymal spread on CT or MRI and hyperattenuation on nonenhanced CT are the most reliable features in the diagnosis of primary malignant lymphoma of the brain. Peritumoral edema and mass effect are usually not prominent features. On unenhanced CT scans they usually appear homogeneously isodense to mildly hyperdense relative to the gray matter. On MRI these tumors are slightly hypointense on T1-weighted images and slightly hpyerintense on PD- and T2-weighted images relative to the gray matter. On CT and MRI enhancement is usually homogeneous. Contrast-enhanced MRI, with its multiplanar capability, lack of bone-induced artifacts, and high-contrast resolution, is likely to reveal subependymal spread ...
The nuclear structure of A {proportional_to} 100 nuclei has been studied in the frame of this thesis with a recently developed {beta} - {gamma} - {gamma} triple coincidence fast timing technique and different models such as shell model, hydrodynamic model, Nilsson and particle-rotor models. This technique which allows the measurement of the level lifetimes in the ps range has been applied at JOSEF at the research reactor DIDO of KFA Juelich in studes of the short-lived neutron-rich nuclei in the A {approx_equal} 100 region. Lifetimes of level in {sup 96},{sup 98},{sup 100} ZR, {sup 99},{sup 101}-{sup 104} Nb, {sup 100}-{sup 105} Mo have been measured, which are in many cases completely new, and otherwise more precise than previously published data. From the lifetimes of the members of rotational bands, the size of the nuclear deformations has been deduced. (orig./HSI). [Deutsch] Im Rahmen dieser Doktorarbeit wurde die Kernstruktur der A {proportional_to} 100 Kerne untersucht. Dazu ...
Single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) of lung perfusions permits to map functioning lung parenchyma with higher sensitivity than CT. Delivering higher radiations doses it used to increase local control in lung carcinoma; this strategy is based on radiobiological and clinical studies. Lung parenchyma is a dose-limiting tissue in patients irradiated for lung cancer. Functional mapping based on SPECT and CT findings permits to design radiation beams such as to minimize irradiation of functioning lung. [Italian] L'integrazione delle immagini diagnostiche aventi diverso contenuto informativo anatomico-funzionale puo' essere utilizzata nella radioterapia per migliorare le procedure diagnostiche e ottimizzare la geometria dell'irraggiamento. I sistemi per l'elaborazione di piani di radioterapia oggi in uso sono direttamente interfacciati con gli apparecchi di Tomografia Computerizzata (TC) e l'impiego di immagini provenienti ...
Since chlordecone (Kepone, CD) interferes with cardiac Na{sup +} ion translocases, we have studied CD effects on cardiac SR calcium pump activity. SR was isolated from heart ventricles of male Sprague-Dawley rats. Cardiac SR Ca{sup 2+}-ATPase, {sup 45}Ca-uptake and cAMP as well as calmodulin (CaM) dependent protein phosphorylation were measured. Ca{sup 2+}-ATPase was differentiated into low affinity and high affinity forms by measuring the activity using 50 and 0.7 {mu}M free Ca{sup 2+} respectively. CD in vitro inhibited {sup 45}Ca-uptake by SR in a concentration dependent manner with an IC50 value of 7 {mu}M and SR {sup 45}Ca-uptake was totally inhibited at 20-30 {mu}M CD. In agreement with this, both high affinity and low affinity Ca{sup 2+}-ATPases, which are involved in Ca{sup 2+} transport across membranes, were also inhibited by CD in a concentration dependent manner with IC50 values of 0.7 and 3.2 {mu}M respectively. Both Ca{sup 2+}-ATPase and {sup 45}Ca-uptake by cardiac SR ...
Purpose: To assess the role of CT in the evaluation of traumatic and spontaneous oesophageal perforation. Materials and methods: From March 2001 to May 2003, we studied 12 patients (7 males and 5 females; age range: 25-66 years, mean age: 43.5 years) with suspected oesophageal perforation due to motor-vehicle accidents (4 cases), stab wound (one case), post-intubation (2 cases), foreign body ingestion (2 cases) and spontaneous (3 cases). Five patients underwent standard chest and cervical radiography; two patients with suspected foreign body ingestion also underwent a gastrografin swallow study; all of the 12 patients underwent CT of the neck, chest and abdomen before and after intravenous, and in four cases oral, administration of contrast material. Results: In 5 patients with cervical, thoracic and abdominal trauma, the CT examination showed the presence of pleuroparenchymal injury (pneumothorax, pleural effusion and subcutaneous emphysema) as well as findings suggestive of ...
Gastric stromal tumors are an ill-defined group of lesions arising from muscle wall cells and characterized by extremely variable biological patterns. Thanks to modern immunohistochemical and ultrastructural techniques, four main classes of these lesions have been identified, namely: (1) tumors with differentiation toward smooth muscle cells; (2) tumors with differentiation toward neural elements; (3) tumors with differentiation toward neural elements; (3) tumors with dual differentiation toward either cell type. It was investigated the yield of CT in diagnosing and characterizing gastric stromal tumors. It was retrospectively reviewed the CT findings of 38 patients (15 men and 23 women; mean age 51 years) with pathologically proven gastric stromal tumors, namely 31 of myoid origin, 4 of neural origin, 2 with both muscle and neural differentiation, 1 lacking differentiation with either cell type. The myoid tumors involved gastric fundus in 9/13 and 5/7 benign lesions and lesions with ...
In compliance with Article 20 of the sustainable radioactive materials and waste management act dated 28 June 2006, the CEA and AREVA are required every three years to revise the cost of decommissioning their facilities and to provide the necessary assets by constituting a dedicated fund. For the 2007 revision the CEA used ETE-EVAL V5. Similarly, AREVA reevaluated the cost of decontaminating and dismantling its facilities at La Hague, as the previous estimate in 2004 did not take into account the complete cleanup of all the structural work. ETE-EVAL V5 is a computer application designed to estimate the cost of decontamination and dismantling of basic nuclear installations (INB). It has been qualified by Bureau Veritas and audited. ETE-EVAL V5 has become the official software for cost assessment of CEA civilian and AREVA decommissioning projects. It has been used by the DPAD (Decontamination and Dismantling Projects Department) cost assessment group to estimate the cost of ...
The performance of four different organic coating systems applied to carbon and weathering steel coupons has been assessed in this investigation. applied on the surface of carbon steel and weathering steel coupons. The coupons have been evaluated using five different tests, three field tests and two accelerated tests. The field tests were carried out at three atmospheric stations, located at COSIPA in Cubatao-SP, at Alto da Serra in Cubatao-SP and at Paula Souza in Sao Paulo city. The accelerated tests consisted of (a) exposure to alternate cycles of ultraviolet radiation/condensation combined with salt spray cycles (UVCON combined with Salt Spray) and of (b) exposure to alternate cycles of ultraviolet radiation/condensation combined with the Prohesion test. The performance of the coatings was assessed by visual observation and photographs, using a method based on ASTM D-610, ASTM D-714 and ASTM-1654 standards to rank them. The oxide phases formed on the surfaces ...
The aim of this study was to investigate whether sub-ablative pulsed C0{sub 2} laser (1 0,6 {mu}m) irradiation is capable of reducing the susceptibility of the dental enamel to demineralization, and thus achieving a potential caries-protective effect. The crowns of 51 bovine front teeth, embedded in acrylic resin and polished until exposure of flat enamel surface, were used. The samples were cut in cubes of 10x10 mm, and totally coated with acid-resistant nail varnish, except for an enamel exposed window of 16 mm square. Three groups (n=17) were obtained: control group (CG) not irradiated; group laser A (LA) and group laser B (LB) where the samples were irradiated. The conditions were 60 mJ, 100 Hz, 0,3 J/cm{sup 2} for LA and 135 mJ, 10 Hz, 0,7 J/cm{sup 2} for LB. Two samples of each group were submitted to SEM analysis and fifteen to demineralization in 3 ml acetate buffer solution (0,1 mol/L) with pH 4,5 for 24h at 37 deg C, with regular agitation. After the specimens were removed ...
In these years Information Technology has been used in activities that require an intelligent intervention. In this context take placing Decision Support Systems, since they use Information Technology to support users in decision processes, that is problems of logical level greater then problems normally treated by traditional information systems. The purpose of this work is to describe Decision Support Systems specifying what they are, their functionally and structure, identifying, furthermore, user types referred to and interaction modality between them; and to present a prototype of these systems. From a preliminary analyses phase of ENEA being and its Information Systems to understand which topics can be supported by systems of this type, it deals with one of these topics: weighing of new project, finding parameters, or key quantity, that affect and determine decisions. It describes, then, models, conceived form parameters, that permit to the user, through a simple representation ...
New RNAA determinations of Ba, Sr, Zr, U, Re, Pd, Ag, Zn and Se and INAA measurements of Lu are added to published data for 21 other elements in the same suite of ten samples. On the average, 21 refractory elements are not significantly fractionated from one another. The mean of their enrichment factors relative to C1 chondrites is 17.5 +- 0.4, indicating that the high-temperature condensate inclusions represent 5.7 wt% of the total condensable matter. Os, Ir, Ru, Re and most of the W condensed in one or more refractory siderophile element alloys along with small fractions of the Pd, Co, Au and Ag. The bulk of the Eu and Sr condensed in solid solution in melilite. Sc, Zr, Hf, Ta, U and the remaining REE condensed in a phase whose abundance in the inclusions in negatively correlated with that of melilite, either diopside or one or more minor or trace phases, including perovskite. Ba condensed in a different phase, separately from all these elements. In individual ...
The interdiffusion behaviour of MCrAlY-coats on polycrystalline and single-crystalline materials of a similar composition (IN 738 LC/SC 16)shows similar interdiffusion characteristics. TCF-tests, where stress is generated by temperature and sample geometry at the edges of a disk-shaped sample, show that it is possible to differentiate betwee crack resistance of coated and uncoated samples. This method is also suitable for screening tests with different coat thicknesses. Coating of the edge area must, however, be done with great diligence in order to prevent coat thickness variation as results would then not be reproducable. Contrary to TCF (thermal cycle fatigue) TMF-tests (thermal mechanical fatigue)allow to set the stress states that one wishes to test. This method is therefore well suited for testing under operating conditions.(orig.) [German] Im Rahmen dieser Arbeit wurde gezeigt, dass das Interdiffusionsverhalten von MCrAlY-Schichten auf polykristallinen bzw. ...
This paper presents an overview of research conducted with the support of the Australian Institute of Nuclear Science and Engineering, at the University of Melbourne, School of Earth Sciences, Radiochemical Neutron Activation Laboratory. The primary objective of this research is to realize the high potential of the platinum group elements (PGE) and gold to the solution of petrogenetic problems, the study of magma generation and magmatic processes in mafic/ultramafic rock suites, as tracers in hydrothermal ore formation. The PGEs (Os, Ru, Ir, Pt, Pd and Rh) are among the least abundant of all elements on earth with unique properties such as high melting points, high electrical and thermal conductivity, high density, strength and toughness as alloys. They exhibit both siderophile and chalcophile characteristics and are valuable tools in providing information about magmatic processes, in particular S-saturation, as well as crystal fractionation trends. Two distinct ...
Colerectal cancer (CRC) is the second commonest cancer in the Western World. Successful treatment relies significantly on accurate detection and staging of primary disease as well as the early identification of the presence and extent of recurrence. Morphological imaging techniques, particularly computed tomography (CT), are well established and widely available to carry out these tasks in addition to predicting and monitoring response to therapy. This review analyses the current inadequacies for imaging CRC and critically assesses the potential role of functional imaging with positron emission tomography (PET). It was reviewed the current literature, to use the experience from the firs 1000 PET studies carried out at the institution and the perspective of surgical colleagues. It was found little evidence for the use of 2-["1"8F]fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose (FDG)-PET for screening asymptomatic individuals and current modalities appear better suited for detection of ...
The Two-Column Aerosol Project (TCAP) field campaign will provide a detailed set of observations with which to (1) perform radiative and cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) closure studies, (2) evaluate a new retrieval algorithm for aerosol optical depth (AOD) in the presence of clouds using passive remote sensing, (3) extend a previously developed technique to investigate aerosol indirect effects, and (4) evaluate the performance of a detailed regional-scale model and a more parameterized global-scale model in simulating particle activation and AOD associated with the aging of anthropogenic aerosols. To meet these science objectives, the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Climate Research Facility will deploy the ARM Mobile Facility (AMF) and the Mobile Aerosol Observing System (MAOS) on Cape Cod, Massachusetts, for a 12-month period starting in the summer of 2012 in order to quantify aerosol properties, radiation, and cloud characteristics at a location subject to both clear and ...
The feasibility of immobilizing simulated radioactive slurry (SRS) by alkali-activated slag---clay minerals composite cement (AASCM) was studied under the experimental conditions. The results show that the dosage of SRS and water cement ratio (W/C) have significant effect on the flowability of the mixture of AASCM and SRS. The more dosage of SRS, the lower flowability. When cement/sand ratio is 1: 1 and W/C is 0.45, the flowability of the mixture meets the case of solidification engineering and the compressive strength of the waste forms containing 20% SRS meets the needs of GB 14569.1-93. The setting time of the mixture of AASCM and SRS is highly dependent on temperature while sorts of anions have little influence on it. The application of AASCM is suitable below 20 degree C. The leaching resistance of AASCM based waste forms is superior to that of OPC based waste forms. The control of the forms to Sr2+ is stronger than that to Cs+. Silicon fume can improve workability of the mixture ...
Tumor-targeted monoclonal antibodies (mAb) might be useful as diagnostic or therapeutic agents when linked to cytotoxic or imaging reagents. Our group is working to test this hypothesis by linking cytocidal and image-producing isotopes to mAb and testing the utility of the radioimmunoconjugates formed in animal model systems. Radioiodines were first employed for these purposes,but unfavorable nuclear properties (half-lives, #gamma#-ray and #beta#-particle energies) and chemical reactivity (deiodination in vivo) limit their utility. Labeling immunoproteins with metallic radionuclides offers more versatility in that the selection of potentially useful radiometals spans the periodic table.Of the metallic radionuclides with physical properties most suited for use with mAb in nuclear medicine, few are more available or desirable than those of bismuth ("2"1"2Bi) and lead ("2"0"3Pb, "2"1"2Pb), as listed in Table 1. "2"1"2Bi or "2"1"2Pb could serve as sources for highly ...
Over the recent years the nuclear structure around the N = 50 shell closure, which is very pronounced in the strontium and zirconium isotopes, has been the subject of extensive experimental and theoretical work. On the proton side Z = 38 and Z = 40 provide fairly closed sub-shells. In the strontium isotopes the lg/sub 9/2/ neutron shell is closed at /sup 88/Sr, supplying relatively pure neutron-hole and neutron-particle states with large spectroscopic factors in /sup 87/Sr and /sup 89/Sr, as well as core-coupled states. The mass region is thus ideally suited to examine the transition from a correlated to an uncorrelated (chaotic.) excitational behavior. These two types are characterized e.g. by the density of excited states, the transition strengths, and the spectroscopic factors observed in transfer reactions. We conducted (n,..gamma..) and (d,p) reactions leading to /sup 87,88,89/Sr in addition to /sup 88/Sr(d,t)/sup 87/Sr and 24 keV neutron capture in /sup ...
Over the recent years the nuclear structure around the N = 50 shell closure, which is very pronounced in the strontium and zirconium isotopes, has been the subject of extensive experimental and theoretical work. On the proton side Z = 38 and Z = 40 provide fairly closed sub-shells. In the strontium isotopes the lg/sub 9/2/ neutron shell is closed at "8"8Sr, supplying relatively pure neutron-hole and neutron-particle states with large spectroscopic factors in "8"7Sr and "8"9Sr, as well as core-coupled states. The mass region is thus ideally suited to examine the transition from a correlated to an uncorrelated (chaotic?) excitational behavior. These two types are characterized e.g. by the density of excited states, the transition strengths, and the spectroscopic factors observed in transfer reactions. We conducted (n,#gamma#) and (d,p) reactions leading to /sup 87,88,89/Sr in addition to "8"8Sr(d,t)"8"7Sr and 24 keV neutron capture in "8"8Sr. The vast amounts of data ...
Radical cations of various 3-methylalkanes (C_6-C_1_4) have been produced and stabilized by #gamma#-irradiation of the corresponding neutral compounds in saturated chlorofluorocarbon and perfluorocarbon matrices at 77 K. The perfluorocarbon matrices appeared more suitable for studies of the lighter radical cations, whereas the chlorofluorocarbon matrices were more suited for studies of the heavier radical cations; intermediary cations could be studied in both types of matrices. After irradiation, electronic absorptions associated with both the matrix and the alkane additive were observed. Pure spectra of the 3-methylalkane radical cations were obtained by difference spectrometry, after selective elimination of these cations by illumination. The electronic absorption spectra of the 3-methylalkane radical cations consist in all cases of a single broad absorption band. The spectral position of this band shifts to longer wavelengths with increasing chain length; the ...
A scaling Monte Carlo method has been developed to calculate diffuse reflectance from multilayered media with a wide range of optical properties in the ultraviolet-visible wavelength range. This multilayered scaling method employs the photon trajectory information generated from a single baseline Monte Carlo simulation of a homogeneous medium to scale the exit distance and exit weight of photons for a new set of optical properties in the multilayered medium. The scaling method is particularly suited to simulating diffuse reflectance spectra or creating a Monte Carlo database to extract optical properties of layered media, both of which are demonstrated in this paper. Particularly, it was found that the root-mean-square error (RMSE) between scaled diffuse reflectance, for which the anisotropy factor and refractive index in the baseline simulation were, respectively, 0.9 and 1.338, and independently simulated diffuse reflectance was less than or equal to 5% for ...
An on-going inter-comparison programme which is focused on assessing and establishing consensus protocols to be applied in the identification, selection and sub-sampling of materials for subsequent "1"4C analysis is described. The outcome of the programme will provide a detailed quantification of the uncertainties associated with "1"4C measurements including the issues of accuracy and precision. Such projects have become recognised as a fundamental aspect of continuing laboratory quality assurance schemes, providing a mechanism for the harmonisation of measurements and for demonstrating the traceability of results. The design of this study and its rationale are described. In summary, a suite of core samples has been defined which will be made available to both AMS and radiometric laboratories. These core materials are representative of routinely dated material and their ages span the full range of the applied "1"4C time-scale. Two of the samples are of wood from ...
Waste management, like many other issues, has experienced major milestones. In 1971, the Calvert Cliff's decision resulted in an entirely different approach to the consideration of environmental impact analysis in reactor siting. The accidents at Three Mile Island and Chernobyl have had profound effects on nuclear power plant design. The high-level waste repository program has had many similar experiences that have modified the course of events. The management of radioactive, hazardous chemical and mixed waste in all of the facilities of the Oak Ridge Operations (ORO) Office of the Department of Energy (DOE) took on an entirely different meaning in 1984. On April 13, 1984, Federal Judge Robert Taylor said that DOE should proceed 'with all deliberate speed' to bring the Y-12 plant into compliance with the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act and the Clean Water Act. This decision resulted from a suit brought by the Legal Environmental ...
Radio frequency (RF) sheaths are suspected of limiting the performance of present-day ion cyclotron range of frequencies (ICRFs) antennas over long pulses and should be minimized in future fusion devices. Within the simplest models, RF-sheath effects are quantified by the integral VRF = ? E|| ? dl where the parallel RF field E|| is linked with the slow wave. On 'long open field lines' with large toroidal extension on both sides of the antenna it was shown that VRF is excited by parallel RF currents j|| flowing on the antenna structure. In this paper, the validity of this simple sheath theory is tested experimentally on the Tore Supra (TS) ITER-like antenna prototype (ILP), together with antenna simulation and post-processing codes developed to compute VRF. The predicted poloidal localization of high-|VRF| zones is confronted to that inferred from experimental data analysis. Surface temperature distribution on ILP front face, as well as ILP-induced modifications of RF coupling and hot ...
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of percutaneous ultrasound (US)-guided radiofrequency ablation (RFA) in patients with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICCA) in a small, nonrandomized series. From February 2004 to July 2008, six patients (four men and two women; mean age 69.8 years [range 48 to 83]) with ICCA underwent percutaneous US-guided RFA. Preintervetional transarterial embolization was performed in two cases to decrease heat dispersion during RFA in order to increase the area of ablation. The efficacy of RFA was evaluated using contrast-enhanced dynamic computed tomography (CT) 1 month after treatment and then every 3 months thereafter. Nine RFA sessions were performed for six solid hepatic tumors in six patients. The duration of follow-up ranged from 13 to 21 months (mean 17.5). Posttreatment CT showed total necrosis in four of six tumors after one or two RFA sessions. Residual tumor was observed in two patients with larger tumors (5 and 5.8 cm ...
BACKGROUND AND CASE STUDY: Surgical fires are rare but preventable. During facial surgery for a 68-year-old man, a fire broke out, resulting in first- and second-degree burns after a nasal cannula ignited in an oxygen-rich environment because of improper draping and tenting. DISCUSSION: Operating room (OR) fires can be prevented if any component of the "fire triangle"-fuels, ignition sources, and oxidizers-is reduced or eliminated. The use of supplemental oxygen in the OR via nasal cannulae, nebulizers, and oxygen cylinders must always considered a potential source of fire. Deficits in knowledge among the surgical team with respect to the prevention and management of surgical fires were apparent. A plan was put into place to improve fire safety education, entailing an educational program that is included in intern and resident orientation. Surgical fire safety training was also put into place for anesthesia and surgical faculty. The anesthesia preoperative evaluation was modified to ...
Modern commercial alloys are not suited for future steam turbines of operating temperatures beyond 700 C. {gamma}'-hardened alloys like Waspaloy have good mechanical characteristics but have defects when large batches are melted. {gamma}'/{gamma}''-hardened alloys like Inconel 706, on the other hand, are easy to produce but have insufficient microstructural long-term stability and insufficient creep strength. Mixed crystal solidified alloys like Inconel 617 have excessive yield stress at forging temperatures. Two new alloys were therefore developed. Results so far show that they have good production characteristics but insufficient mechanical characteristics. The reasons for this are currently under investigation. (orig.) [German] Die heutigen kommerziellen Legierungen sind nicht geeignet fuer den Einsatz in zukuenftigen Dampfturbinen mit Betriebstemperaturen oberhalb 700 C. {gamma}'-gehaertete Legierungen wie Waspaloy ...
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Department of Defense (DoD), and National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) are jointly acquiring the next-generation weather and environmental satellite system; the National Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite System (NPOESS). NPOESS replaces the current Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellites (POES) managed by NOAA and the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) managed by the DoD. The NPOESS satellites carry a suite of sensors that collect meteorological, oceanographic, climatological, and solar-geophysical observations of the earth, atmosphere, and space. The NPOESS design allows centralized mission management and delivers high quality environmental products to military, civil and scientific users. The ground data processing segment for NPOESS is the Interface Data Processing Segment (IDPS), developed by Raytheon Intelligence and Information Systems. IDPS ...
Accurate modeling of system response and scatter distribution is crucial for image reconstruction in emission tomography. Monte Carlo simulations are very well suited to calculate these quantities. However, Monte Carlo simulations are also slow and many simulated counts are needed to provide a sufficiently exact estimate of the detection probabilities. In order to overcome these problems, we propose to split the simulation into two parts, the detection system and the object to be imaged (the patient). A so-called 'virtual boundary' that separates these two parts is introduced. Within the patient, particles are simulated conventionally. Whenever a photon reaches the virtual boundary, its detection probability is calculated analytically by evaluating a multi-dimensional B-spline that depends on the photon position, direction and energy. The unknown B-spline knot values that define this B-spline are fixed by a prior 'pre-' simulation that needs to be run once for each ...
Time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS) and laser post-ionization secondary neutral mass spectrometry (laser-SNMS) have been used to image and quantify targeted compounds, intrinsic elements and molecules with subcellular resolution in single cells of both cell cultures and tissues. Special preparation procedures for analyzing cell cultures and tissue materials were developed. Cancer cells type MeWo, incubated with boronated compounds, were sandwiched between two substrates, cryofixed, freeze-fractured and freeze-dried. Also, after injection with boronated compounds, different types of mouse tissues were extracted, prepared on a special specimen carrier and plunged with high velocity into LN{sub 2}-cooled propane for cryofixation. After trimming, these tissue blocks were freeze-dried. The measurements of the K/Na ratio demonstrated that for both cell cultures and tissue materials the special preparation techniques used were appropriate for preserving the chemical and ...
In the developed world, grid-connected photovoltaics (PVs) are the fastest-growing segment of the energy market. From 1999 to 2009, this industry had a 42% compound annual growth-rate. From 2009 to 2013, it is expected to grow to 45%, and in 2013 the achievement of grid parity - when the cost of solar electricity becomes competitive with conventional retail (including taxes and charges) grid-supplied electricity - is expected in many places worldwide. Grid-connected PV is usually perceived as an energy technology for developed countries, whereas isolated, stand-alone PV is considered as more suited for applications in developing nations, where so many individuals still lack access to electricity. This rationale is based on the still high costs of PV when compared with conventional electricity. We make the case for grid-connected PV generation in Brazil, showing that with the declining costs of PV and the rising prices of conventional electricity, urban populations ...
Introduction. This study used Item-Response Theory (IRT) to model the psychometric properties of a false belief picture sequencing task. Consistent with the mental time travel hypothesis of paranoia, we anticipated that performance on this deductive theory of mind (ToM) task would not be associated with the presence of persecutory delusions but would be related to other clinical, cognitive, and demographic factors. Method. A large (N=237) and diverse clinical and nonclinical sample differing in levels of depression and paranoid ideation performed 2 ToM tasks: the false belief sequencing task and a ToM stories task that was used to assess the validity of the false belief sequencing task as a measure of ToM. Results. A unidimensional IRT model was found to fit the data well. Latent ToM ability as measured by the false belief sequencing task was negatively related with age and positively with IQ. In contrast to the ToM stories measure, there was no association between clinical diagnosis ...
Purpose: For planning the therapeutic strategies and estimating the prognosis in esophageal cancer, N-staging is very important. To date, MRI still is of minor importance as imaging modality of the mediastinum despite promising developments in the past, like ECG-gating or 'averaging' sequences, e.g. LOTA (Long-term averaging), which facilitate mediastinal and thoracic MR-imaging. In a prospective approach, the value of MRI based N-staging was examined with respect to LOTA-sequences. Material and Methods: Within from weeks prior to esophagectomy, standardized MRI of the esophagus was performed in 15 patients (10 squamous-cell-carcinomas and 5 adenocarcinomas) using a 1.5 T whole body scanner. Imaging quality was classified based on depiction of aortic wall or tracheal wall layers. Criteria for malignant infiltration were a diameter of more than 15 mm or a round appearance of a lymph node together with GD-DTPA enhancement. All data were blinded and separately read by two radiologists. ...
This paper describes Automatic Refueling Planning System (ARPS) for a nuclear power station using Genetic Algorithms (GA) and a Simulated Annealing (SA). ARPS has been developed and verified by applying to the Fugen nuclear power station (NPS), which is a 165MWe, heavy water-moderated, boiling light water-cooled, pressure tube-type reactor developed by JNC utilizing mainly uranium and plutonium mixed oxide (MOX) fuel. Fuel loading patterns have been managed independently in the Fugen NPS since the initial core. A planning of an adequate fuel loading pattern on each operational cycle needs one to two months even for expert core management engineers, for the reason that it has multi-objective optimization and nonlinear problems. In order to achieve the optimum fuel loading pattern and a fuel cost reduction, ARPS has been developed by JNC and CRC Solutions Corporation for the last five years. ARPS firstly generates several thousand fuel loading patterns with GA at random and secondly ...
An abundance of waste corn, a key food of many wildlife species, has helped make possible the widespread success of wildlife management in the United States over the past half century. We found waste corn post harvest in Nebraska declined by 47% from 1978 to 1998 due primarily to improvements in combine headers resulting in a marked decline in ear loss. The reduction in waste coincided with major declines in fat storage by sandhill cranes and white-fronted geese during spring migration. Sandhill cranes, northern pintails, white-fronted geese, and lesser snow geese avoided soybeans while staging in spring in the Rainwater Basin Area and Central Platte River Valley. These findings and other literature suggest soybeans are a marginal food for wildlife particularly during periods of high energy requirements. Soybean acreage has increased by 600% in the United States since 1950 and now comprises nearly one-quarter of the nation>'s cropland. With over 80% of the soybean crop now in ...
An x-ray diffraction approach has been developed for determination of the kinetics of growth of Pd/sub 2/Si layers. Epitaxial Pd/sub 2/Si films were grown on Si(111) substrates over a temperature range of 160-222/sup 0/C by a solid-state reaction between the substrates and the Pd overlayers. The parabolic rate equation was verified and rate constants showed Arrhenius behavior with an activation energy E/sub a/ = 1.06 eV and prefactor k/sub 0/ = 7 x 10/sup -4/ cm/sup 2//s. The low value of E/sub a/ suggests a short-circuit diffusion mechanism. It is reasonable to expect that impurities and microstructure may play important roles in the growth process. Impurity levels in the specimens were evaluated by analytic techniques suited to thin-film study: Rutherford backscattering spectrometry, secondary ion mass spectrometry, and Auger electron spectrometry. No impurities were present at concentrations approaching 1 at. %. Some O, C, and F were detected at the Pd/sub ...
Lherzolite-bearing basanitic magmas of Quaternary age have erupted to form maars, lava/cinder cones and lava flows in two volcanic fields (Ventura and Santo Domingo) in the central Mexican state of San Luis Potosi. The systematics of the radiogenic isotopes of Sr, Nd, and Pb and the relationship between these parameters and elemental compositions are used to investigate the petrogenesis of the volcanic rocks and the nature of their mantle sources. Sr and Nd isotopic data are presented for 19 basanitic rocks, 5 kaersutites, and 6 lherzolitic xenoliths; Pb data presented for the same 19 volcanic rocks and 4 of the 5 kaersutites. The isotopic compositions for all of these samples fall within the mantle range defined by MORBs and OIBs. The basanites generally plot within the OIB field on isotopic diagrams; most of the kaersutites are displaced to slightly more-depleted (i.e. MORB-like) values than the volcanic samples and the xenoliths, with one exception, are significantly more-depleted ...
Characteristics of basal and insulin-stimulated glucose utilization by perifused adipocytes have been investigated by measuring the formation of "3HOH from D-(5-"3H) glucose. At a glucose concentration of 0.55 mmol/L, basal glucose utilization ranged from 0.5 to 1.0 nmol/min/10(6) cells. Perifused adipocytes showed a maximal response to insulin of a threefold to fourfold increase in the conversion of (5-"3H) glucose to "3HOH with a half-maximal response at an insulin concentration of 20 microU/mL. The response to insulin was blocked by phlorizin and cytochalasin B, competitive inhibitors of glucose transport, consistent with an effect of insulin on glucose transport. Insulin increased the Vmax for glucose metabolism but had no effect on the apparent affinity for glucose utilization. The characteristics of glucose utilization and the stimulation of glucose metabolism by insulin in the perifused adipocyte are therefore similar to characteristics previously observed with incubated ...
This paper deals with the efficient simulation of the dynamical behaviour of molten carbonate fuel cells (MCFCs). MCFCs allow an efficient and environmentally friendly energy production via electrochemical reactions. Their dynamics can be described by large scale systems of up to currently 22 nonlinear partial differential algebraic equations (PDAE). The paper also serves as a basis for later parameter identification and optimal control purposes. Therefore, the numerical simulations are particularly based on hierarchically embedded systems of PDAE, first of all in one space dimension. The PDAE are of mixed parabolic-hyperbolic type and are completed by nonlinear initial and boundary conditions of mixed type. For a series of embedded models in one space dimension, the vertical method of lines (MOL) is used throughout this paper. For the semi-discretization in space appropriate difference schemes are applied depending on the type of equations. The resulting system of ordinary ...
Horizontal vibrations of elevator cars mainly occur because a car swings as roller guides installed at corners of a car frame move on a winding guide rail at high speeds. Rider comfort in high speed elevators is worsened by these vibrations. Conventional active dampers suppressing horizontal vibrations using ac servo motors make cars heavier so driving power becomes larger, and they are not easily applied to existing elevators. An active damping control method suited to super-high-speed elevators is which can solve these problems. The method suppresses vibrations by generating only enough magnetic force needed to suppress them only when vibrations of the car franc are produced. The vibrations are detected using acceleration detectors and magnets installed on left and right sides of the car frame. A computer simulator was made to analyze phenomena of car vibrations and to verify effects of the proposed magnetic damping controller. It was found that the vibrations ...
The UW-Penning Trap Mass Spectrometer (PTMs) is ideally suited for high precision measurements of atomic masses throughout the periodic table upon using highly-stripped ions. However, at the present time, this device has been applied extensively to the light elements ("1H, "2H, "3H, "3He, "4He, "1"2C, "1"3C, "1"4N, "1"6O) due to their fundamental importance. Atomic masses follow immediately from a comparison with some multiply-charged carbon ion, after correcting for the lost electrons and their corresponding binding energies. For instance, the most recent C"5"+/C"6"+ comparison yielded a discrepancy of -0.30(33) ppb, limited only by the magnetic field instability for a 40-h run. The initial emphasis on hydrogen has now produced a 1-ppb value for the proton's atomic mass and similar work with deuterium has yielded a 2.5-ppb value for the neutron's atomic mass. However, the most significant result is the "3H-"3He mass difference = 18,590.1(17) eV which is determined ...
High angle conveyor systems in open pit mining offer many advantages over the traditional, truck only, haulage systems, including: (1) superior energy efficiency (2) less dependency on petroleum products (3) less sensitivity to inflation (4) less labour (5) less excavation for the amount of ore recovered, and (6) less ramp construction and maintenance costs. This paper presents the sandwich belt high angle conveyor as the vital link to optimisation of inpit conveying systems. High angle conveyor development to date is discussed, beginning with studies in 1979, to the first large scale prototype in 1983, through the numerous commercial installations. Discussion continues with the high angle conveyor systems to suit the various open pit mining operations and the corresponding characteristics of the system components, particularly the high angle conveyor. The range of high angle conveyor systems from the low capacity (up to 1 814 t/h), low lift (10.7 to 36.6 m), ...
The 66 fields discovered since the 1960s in the northern West Siberian basin contain at least 22 trillion m/sup 3/ (777 tcf) of proved gas, almost one-third of the world's reserves. Half of these fields are giants (> 85 billion m/sup 3/ or 3000 bcf of reserves). These include the largest and second-largest gas fields in the world-Urengoy (8.099 trillion m/sup 3/ or 286 tcf of gas) and Yamburg (4.81 trillion m/sup 3/ or 170 tcf of gas)-as well as most of the other ten largest gas fields in the world. The West Siberian basin occupies a 3.4-million km/sup 2/ (1.31-million mi/sup 2/) arctic lowland immediately east of the Ural Mountains, extending north under the Kara Sea. It is a composite basin, with Mesozoic-Cenozoic basin fill on top of a Paleozoic basin that overlies a crystalline Archean-Proterozoic framework. The productive zones in the northern basin are principally in the Neocomian section (at an average depth of 2800m or 9200 ft) and the Cenomanian section (at an ...
If geothermal heat pumps (GHPs) are to make a significant mark in the market, we believe that it will be through energy service pricing contracts offered by retailcos. The benefits of GHPs are ideally suited to energy service pricing (ESP) contractual arrangements; however, few retailcos are thoroughly familiar with the benefits of GHPs. Many of the same barriers that have prevented GHPs from reaching their full potential in the current market environment remain in place for retailcos. A lack of awareness, concerns over the actual efficiencies of GHPs, perceptions of extremely high first costs, unknown records for maintenance costs, etc. have all contributed to limited adoption of GHP technology. These same factors are of concern to retailcos as they contemplate long term customer contracts. The central focus of this project was the creation of models, using actual GHP operating data and the experience of seasoned professionals, to simulate the financial ...
Gas storage is a critical element in the natural gas industry. Producers, transmission and distribution companies, marketers, and end users all benefit directly from the load balancing function of storage. The unbundling process has fundamentally changed the way storage is used and valued. As an unbundled service, the value of storage is being recovered at rates that reflect its value. Moreover, the marketplace has differentiated between various types of storage services and has increasingly rewarded flexibility, safety, and reliability. The size of the natural gas market has increased and is projected to continue to increase towards 30 trillion cubic feet over the next 10 to 15 years. Much of this increase is projected to come from electric generation, particularly peaking units. Gas storage, particularly the flexible services that are most suited to electric loads, is crucial in meeting the needs of these new markets. To address the gas storage needs of the ...
There are many methods for introducing random mutations into nucleic acid sequences. Previously, we described a suite of programmes for estimating the completeness and diversity of randomized DNA libraries generated by a number of these protocols. Our programmes suggested some empirical guidelines for library design; however, no information was provided regarding library diversity at the protein (rather than DNA) level. We have now updated our web server, enabling analysis of translated libraries constructed by site-saturation mutagenesis and error-prone PCR (epPCR). We introduce GLUE-Including Translation (GLUE-IT), which finds the expected amino acid completeness of libraries in which up to six codons have been independently varied (according to any user-specified randomization scheme). We provide two tools for assisting with experimental design: CodonCalculator, for assessing amino acids corresponding to given randomized codons; and AA-Calculator, for finding ...
We will present the first astronomical images taken with MIRSI (Mid-InfraRed Spectrometer and Imager). First light for MIRSI is scheduled for December 2001. MIRSI is a mid-infrared camera system recently completed at Boston University that has both spectroscopic and imaging capabilities. The camera utilizes a new 320x240 Si:As IBC array developed for ground-based astronomy by Raytheon/SBRC. MIRSI offers a large field of view (1.6 arcmin x 1.2 arcmin at the IRTF with a pixel scale of 0.3 arcsec), diffraction-limited spatial resolution, complete spectral coverage over the 8-14 micron and 17-26 micron atmospheric windows for both imaging (discrete filters and CVF) and spectroscopy (10 and 20 micron grisms), and high sensitivity (expected 1-sigma point source sensitivities of 5 and 20 mJy at 10 and 20 microns, respectively, for on-source integration time of 30 seconds). This system offers the unique ability to acquire both spectra and high-resolution, multi-wavelength images of an ...
The Nuclear Renaissance is stumbling at the very same time it should speed up in order to help control the climate change and meet a fast growing energy need in a large part of the world. Rising costs of projects, uncertainties about their completion, rocketing safety requirements, and financial constraints are key factors which slow down the Nuclear Renaissance. Furthermore, the legal infrastructure required from any country to enter a commercial nuclear programme (safety authorities, fuel cycle, and waste disposal) is a major hurdle s which impedes consideration for small to mid size reactors, well suited for many countries. The paper prepared and presented by Alain Bugat (Chairman of NucAdvisor and former Head of the French Atomic Energy Commission), Dominique Vignon (CEO of NucAdvisor and former President and CEO of AREVA NP) and Michel Lecomte (Co-founder NucAdvisor) reviews the present status of the Nuclear Renaissance. Based on an analysis of initial versus ...
The pathway to hydrogen generation entirely from renewable energy and material sources probably goes by a transitional period with the utilization of hybrid fossil/renewable integrated systems. Solar steam reforming of methane is set in this context, specifically suited for a country like Italy whose actual energy policy is mainly based on the imported NG, but also characterized by convenient solar radiation levels in the Southern Regions. A new solar SMR process is being developed by ENEA, using molten nitrates as solar heat carriers and storage medium at about 550 C. The potential of this process have been proved theoretically by process simulation studies. Engineering and experimental activities aimed to the development of a prototype apparatus are now in progress in ENEA's laboratories. It is remarkable that the developed technology (MS powered SMR) can find interesting impact in the in industrial chemistry wherever it is convenient decoupling the heat ...
A vendor glass formulation study was carried out at Pacific Northwest Laboratory (PNL), supporting the Phase I and Phase II melter vendor testing activities for Westinghouse Hanford Company. This study is built upon the LLW glass optimization effort that will be described in a separate report. For Phase I vendor melter testing, six glass formulations were developed at PNL and additional were developed by Phase I vendors. All the doses were characterized in terms of viscosity and chemical durability by the 7-day Product Consistency Test. Twelve Phase II glass formulations (see Tables 3.5 and 3.6) were developed to accommodate 2.5 wt% P{sub 2}O{sub 5} and 1.0 wt% S0{sub 3} without significant processing problems. These levels of P{sub 2}O{sub 5} and SO{sub 3} are expected to be the highest possible concentrations from Hanford Site LLW streams at 25 wt% waste loading in glass. The Phase H compositions formulated were 6 to 23 times more durable than the environmental assessment (EA) glass. ...
Inferior vena cava (IVC) obstruction is a well-described clinical entity. Most IVC obstructions from malignant neoplasms are a direct result of tumor compression [Oviedo J, Cerda S. Vascular invasion by hepatocellular carcinoma. Arch Pathol Lab Med 2001;125: 454-5; Furui S, Sawada S, et al. Gianturco stent placement in malignant caval obstruction: analysis of factors for predicting the outcome. Radiology 1995;195:147-52; Fletcher WS, Lakin PC, et al. Results of treatment of inferior vena cava syndrome with expandable metallic stents. Arch Surg 1998;133:935-8]. The symptoms of IVC obstruction include progressive ascites, scrotal edema and lower body edema. These constellations of symptoms are described as IVC syndrome and are devastating to a patient with end-stage cancer. We describe a palliative therapy utilizing Luminexx nitinol self-expanding stents to treat intracaval hepatoma thrombus obstructing the IVC. The procedure is rapidly performed, technically reliable, and has ...
The boundary-integral equation method is well suited for the calculation of the dynamic-stiffness matrix of foundations embedded in a layered visco-elastic halfspace (or a transmitting boundary of arbitrary shape), which represents an unbounded domain. It also allows pile groups to be analyzed, taking pile-soil-pile interaction into account. The discretization of this boundary-element method is restricted to the structure-soil interface. All trial functions satisfy exactly the field equations and the radiation condition at infinity. In the indirect boundary-element method distributed source loads of initially unknown intensities act on a source line located in the excavated part of the soil and are determined such that the prescribed boundary conditions on the structure-soil interface are satisfied in an average sense. In the two-dimensional case the variables are expanded in a Fourier integral in the wave number domain, while in three dimensions, Fourier series in ...
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in stroke makes it possible to visualize the initial infarct in cases of acute cerebral ischemia. Perfusion MRI serves to determine which tissues are additionally at risk of infarction due to persistent hypoperfusion. MRI also allows those examiners with limited experience to reliably confirm an infarct. The most important differential diagnosis of cerebral ischemia, intracerebral hemorrhage, can likewise be recognized with certainty using MRI. Although diffusion and perfusion MRI only demonstrate the pathophysiology of cerebral ischemia approximately, the method is suited for identifying those patients who would profit from reperfusion therapy. Whether MRI is also appropriate as an aid to reaching a prognosis on the risk of secondary hemorrhage has not yet been resolved. (orig.) [German] Die Schlaganfall-MRT ermoeglicht es, bei akuter zerebraler Ischaemie den bereits initial entstandenen Infarkt darzustellen. Mittels Perfusions-MRT ...
Coupled modeling of subsurface multiphase fluid and heat flow, solute transport and chemical reactions can be used for the assessment of acid mine drainage remediation, mineral deposition, waste disposal sites, hydrothermal convection, contaminant transport, and groundwater quality. Here they present a numerical simulation model, TOUGHREACT, which considers non-isothermal multi-component chemical transport in both liquid and gas phases. A wide range of subsurface thermo-physical-chemical processes is considered. The model can be applied to one-, two- or three-dimensional porous and fractured media with physical and chemical heterogeneity. The model can accommodate any number of chemical species present in liquid, gas and solid phases. A variety of equilibrium chemical reactions is considered, such as aqueous complexation, gas dissolution/exsolution, cation exchange, and surface complexation. Mineral dissolution/precipitation can proceed either subject to local equilibrium or kinetic ...
Organic Rankine cycles (ORC) have unique properties that are well suited to solar power generation. In this work design and performance calculations are performed using MatLab/SimuLink computational environment. The cycle consists of thermal solar collectors (Flat Plate Solar Collector (FPC), or Parabolic Trough Collector (PTC), or Compound Parabolic Concentrator (CPC)) for heat input, expansion turbine for work output, condenser unit for heat rejection, pump unit, and Reverse Osmosis (RO) unit. Reverse osmosis unit specifications used in this work is based on Sharm El-Shiekh RO desalination plant. Different working fluids such as: butane, isobutane, propane, R134a, R152a, R245ca, and R245fa are examined for FPC. R113, R123, hexane, and pentane are investigated for CPC. Dodecane, nonane, octane, and toluene are allocated for PTC. The proposed process units are modeled and show a good validity with literatures. Exergy and cost analysis are performed for saturation ...
The Geothermal Energy Association ({open_quotes}GEA{close_quotes}) will create and manage a Geothermal Heat Pump ({open_quotes}GHP{close_quotes}) Training Center to deliver GHP and HVAC courses throughout California in response to imminent demand driven by national promotion. GEA services include providing management structure, cadre, curricula, promotion and physical equipment. The Center is dedicated to infrastructure strengthening goals of the Geothermal Heat Pump Consortium, Inc. ({open_quotes}GHPC{close_quotes}), the California Energy Commission ({open_quotes}CEC{close_quotes}) and Interagency Geothermal Heat Pump Task Force, and Geothermal Energy Association ({open_quotes}GEA{close_quotes}). Second-half 1996 start-up is co-funded by GHPC, CEC, GEA and three California utilities. Initial support is to five utilities representing 70 percent of California power users. Goals include becoming market driven by year No. 3 and self-finding by year No. 5. AR training is provided at cost ...
Evaluation and interpretation of CT colonography is based on both 2D and 3D techniques. The 2D techniques are popular mainly because the time needed for evaluation is short. The 3D techniques allow better definition than the 2D techniques, especially of polyps close to folds or at the base of a fold. The evaluation strategies generally accepted so far (primarily 2D, with 3D for problem cases, or vice versa) demand knowledge of both 2D and 3D techniques. Newer 3D visualization techniques help make it possible to acquire more complete and faster recording particularly of areas that are not easily accessible to endoscopic examination. These user-friendly developments are thus well suited to improving the detection and the security of detection of polyps. It must be remembered that experience and the knowledge of associated artifacts and the limitations they can impose on diagnosis are prime requirements for the implementation of such visualization techniques. (orig.) ...
Three blocks of non-welded tuff, one nominally one cubic foot (trial block) and the other two, nominally one cubic metre (1 m{sup 3}), were excavated from the Busted Butte Test Facility on the Nevada Test Site and transported to the Atomic Energy of Canada Limited Whiteshell Laboratories in Pinawa, Manitoba. The trial block and one of the 1-m{sup 3} blocks were used for unsaturated flow experiments. The remaining 1-m{sup 3} block is being used for saturated flow experiments and will be reported on separately. After a vertical flow of synthetic transport solution was set up under unsaturated conditions, a suite of conservative and chemically reactive radionuclide tracers was injected at volumetric flow rates of 20 mL/hr in the trial block, and 10 mL/hr in the 1-m{sup 3} block. The duration of the migration experiment in the trial block was 87 days, while the migration experiment in the 1-m{sup 3} block was continuing after 600 days. Results obtained from the ...
Seven generic types of collectors, together with associated subsystems for electric power generation, were considered. The collectors can be classified into three categories: (1) two-axis tracking (with compound-curvature reflecting surfaces); (2) one-axis tracking (with single-curvature reflecting surfaces); and (3) nontracking (with low-concentration reflecting surfaces). All seven collectors were analyzed in conceptual system configurations with Rankine-cycle engines. In addition, two of the collectors were analyzed with Brayton-cycle engines, and one was analyzed with a Stirling-cycle engine. With these engine options, and the consideration of both thermal and electrical storage for the Brayton-cycle central receiver, 11 systems were formulated for analysis. Conceptual designs developed for the 11 systems were based on common assumptions of available technology in the 1990 to 2000 time frame. No attempt was made to perform a detailed optimization of each conceptual design. Rather, ...
Focused ion beam (FIB) microscopes have become well-established in the semiconductor industry during the past decade, and are rapidly gaining attention in the field of materials science, both as a tool for producing site specific, parallel sided transmission electron microscope (TEM) specimens and as stand alone specimen preparation and imaging systems. FIB secondary electron imaging (SEI) of nickel-based alloys, such as commercially produced Alloy 600 (approximately Ni 15Cr 10Fe 0.5C), has been demonstrated to show a high degree of sensitivity to the presence of deformation in the alloy, and FIB secondary ion imaging (SII) is particularly useful for identifying the presence of grain boundary corrosion, as secondary ion yields from metallic specimens can increase by three orders of magnitude in the presence of oxygen. This 'oxygen enhanced yield', makes FIB SII ideal for detection of corrosion at grain boundaries down to thicknesses of only a few tens of nanometers. Historically, while ...
Proton induced X-ray and {gamma}-ray emission (PIXE/PIGE) have been used to analyze major and trace elements in a suite of 140 core samples from around of the Jim`s Find South gold anomaly in the Tanami desert, located in heavily weathered terrain. Simultaneous analyses were obtained for 30 elements, ranging in atomic number from {sup 3}Li to {sup 90}Th. The method was chosen because of its speed and the wide range of determination, its flexibility, precision and low detection limits. The regolith powder samples were treated by hot aqua regia before making them into pills. The PIXE/PIGE data of the acid insoluble residue give three factor analysis clusters. The first cluster comprises the elements F, Al, K, V, Mn, Fe, Ga, Rb, W and Au and is essentially related to sericitic wallrock alteration. The second cluster consists of Ti, As, Y, Zr, and Nb and is largely related to resistant minerals. The third cluster consists of Na, Ca and Sr and is interpreted to comprise ...
Technical innovations such as the availability of movable patient platforms and the introduction of 32-channel systems have made whole-body MRI for tumor staging feasible. In addition, the development of dual-modality PET/CT systems offers the opportunity to perform anatometabolic tumor staging with whole-body coverage in a single session. Based on an increase in patient survival when applying a stage-adapted therapy in different malignant diseases the relevant question relates to the accuracies of whole-body MRI and whole-body PET/CT for TNM staging. This review article addresses whole-body tumor staging with MRI and FDG-PET/CT with special emphasis on diagnostic accuracies for staging different malignant diseases. (orig.) [German] Technische Neuerungen, wie die Verfuegbarkeit beweglicher Tischaufsaetze oder die Einfuehrung von 32-Kanal-Systemen, haben die Ganzkoerperbildgebung mit der MRT ermoeglicht. Die Entwicklung kombinierter PET/CT-Systeme bereitet den Weg fuer eine simultane ...
The research had as objective the use of the gamma radiation of the Cobalto-60 as quarantine treatment of the medicinal plant, aromatic and seasoning plants dehydrated infested by Lasioderma serricorne and Plodia interpunctella determining the disinfestation doses to attend the criterion in the not emergency of adults of the species in study and analysing through the Chromatography of Thin Layer the effect of the gamma radiation of the cobalto-60 on the active principle of extract dehydrated of Chamomilla recutita, Pimpinella anisum, Origanum vulgare, Cymbopogon citratus, Ocimum basilicum and Thymus vulgaris. The work was developed in the Laboratorio de Inseticidas in the Instituto Biologico in Sao Paulo in the period of August of 2005 the June of 2007. The radiation source used gamma was an experimental irradiator of Cobalto-60, model Gamacell 220, located in the Instituto de Pesquisas Energeticas e Nucleares - IPEN, located in Sao Paulo. In the period of 30 days after the irradiation ...
Numerous task forces at universities, other research institutions and in industry have been concerned with the development of methods fit to replace animal experiments. A great many useful in-vitro test systems were developed. From 1986 to 1993 the ``In-vitro Systems`` newsletter was published with the support of the federal ministry of science and technology. Its purpose was to intensely promote the concept of in-vitro systems for the benefit of experimental animals among scientists, and to demonstrate to the public the limits of such endeavours. This brochure is a compilation of 141 contributions from all annual volumes, dealing inter alia with research projects for the development of pharmaceuticals, toxicology and quality control, ethic-philosophical considerations, meeting reports, and book reviews. Changes or revisions have not been made; so some of the contributions have been overtaken by more recent developments. (MG) [Deutsch] Viele Arbeitsgruppen an Universitaeten, anderen ...
Three cDNAs, designated IIA3, IIA3v, and IIA4, coding for P450s in the CYP2A gene subfamily were isolated from a {lambda}gt11 library prepared from human hepatic mRNA. Only three nucleotide differences and a single amino acid difference, Leu{sup 160}{yields}His, were found between IIA3 and IIA3v, indicating that they are probably allelic variants. IIA4 displayed 94% amino acid similarity with IIA3 and IIA3v. The three cDNAs were inserted into vaccinia virus, and recombinant viruses were used to infect human hepatoma Hep G2 cells. Only IIA3 was able to produce an enzyme that had a reduced CO-bound spectrum with a {lambda}{sub max} at 450 nm. This expressed enzyme was able to carry out coumarin 7-hydroxylation and ethoxycoumarin O-deethylation. cDNA-expressed IIA3v and IIA4 failed to incorporate heme and were enzymatically inactive. Analysis of IIA proteins in human liver microsomes, using antibody against rat IIA2, revealed two proteins of 49 and 50 kDa, the former ...
Three cDNAs, designated IIA3, IIA3v, and IIA4, coding for P450s in the CYP2A gene subfamily were isolated from a #lambda#gt11 library prepared from human hepatic mRNA. Only three nucleotide differences and a single amino acid difference, Leu"1"6"0#->#His, were found between IIA3 and IIA3v, indicating that they are probably allelic variants. IIA4 displayed 94% amino acid similarity with IIA3 and IIA3v. The three cDNAs were inserted into vaccinia virus, and recombinant viruses were used to infect human hepatoma Hep G2 cells. Only IIA3 was able to produce an enzyme that had a reduced CO-bound spectrum with a #lambda#_m_a_x at 450 nm. This expressed enzyme was able to carry out coumarin 7-hydroxylation and ethoxycoumarin O-deethylation. cDNA-expressed IIA3v and IIA4 failed to incorporate heme and were enzymatically inactive. Analysis of IIA proteins in human liver microsomes, using antibody against rat IIA2, revealed two proteins of 49 and 50 kDa, the former of ...
Biodegradable and green plastics are the new tendency in the world. The effect of the electron beam irradiation in aromatic aliphatic copolyester and the blend with corn starch films (Ecoflex{sup R} and Ecobras{sup R}) were studied by tensile strength at break, elongation at break, Scanning Electronic Microscopy (SEM), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR), Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), crosslinking degree and biodegradability. The measurements in both, the machine direction and the transverse direction were made for mechanical tests. It was found that, the electron irradiation caused an increase in the strength at break of the blend with corn starch film, when doses of up to 10 kGy were applied. A significant decrease of the elongation at break of the blend with corn starch was observed at doses of 10 kGy and 40 kGy. It was not found important change in tensile properties for aromatic aliphatic copolyester. Structural changes of the samples (crosslinking or ...
Both solvent extraction and spectrophotometric techniques were used to show the alterations that gamma radiation causes in the behavior of tetracycline molecule as far as its extracting and complexing power are concerned. The effect of gamma radiation on the solid tetracycline molecule, benzyl alcohol and on the solution of both was examined in solvent extraction systems whose aqueous phases were made up by {sup 152} Eu-{sup 154}Eu radioactive tracer solutions and whose organic phases were constituted by tetracycline-benzyl alcohol solutions. Experiments were performed in order to determine whether or not the water used for the pre-saturation of benzyl alcohol would influence the radiolysis of tetracycline. Solvent extraction and spectrophotometry were the techniques used to obtain the necessary data. Absorption spectra of irradiated tetracycline benzyl alcohol solutions submitted to several gamma radiation doses were examined and the alterations shown by these spectra were examined. ...
The aim of the study was to establish by means of a measuring programme how much energy for space heating can be saved by the installed hybrid system. Further, experience with the systems was to be gathered under practical use conditions. As user behaviour can influence space heating energy consumption to an extent having several times the effect of the contribution of the hybrid system, a fact that is also reported in literature, it is not sufficient to measure only space heating energy consumption. So, a unit in one of the terraced houses was scrupulously measured. In the three other terraced houses, only space heating energy consumption was measured.- This final report contains not only a description of the concepts of the buildings and hybrid system but also the energy consumptions measured, and detailed analyses of the budgets. (orig./AKF) [Deutsch] Mit Hilfe eines Messprogrammes sollte ermittelt werden, welche Heizwaermeeinsparung durch das installierte Hybridsystem praktisch ...
Exhaust fine and ultra fine particle numbers, particle sizes, mass, shape, structure and density were studied from Euro II - EEV emission level heavy-duty vehicles. For total particle emission factors city buses were run on dynamic conditions simulating city bus driving. The new heavy-duty chassis dynamometer of VTT was used. Vehicles were a comprehensive sample of current city bus fleet, the type approved emission level of which was Euro II - Euro III. Also cleaner engines of Euro IV to EEV targeted emission level were included: CRT, CNG, DPF. Particle emissions of these buses were extremely low; numbers 1/100 - 1/1000 and masses 1/10 - 1/100 of those of the predominating techniques. Morphological properties of fine particle populations that represent majority of particle size distribution (Da < 500 nm) are being analyzed by image processing (Matlab) from electron microscopical images (SEM, ESEM and TEM) as a function of particle size. Particles from ...
Many thermoluminescent materials has been developed and used for photon personal dosimetry but no one has all desired characteristics alone. These characteristics include robustness, high sensitivity, energy photon independence, large range of photon energy detection, good reproducibility, small fading and simple glow curve with peaks above 150 deg C. Calcium Sulfate Dysprosium doped (CaSO{sub 4}:Dy) phosphor Thermoluminescent Dosimeter (TLD) has been used by many laboratories, mainly in Brazil and India. Another interesting phosphor is Calcium Fluoride (CaF{sub 2}). These phosphor advantages begin to be more required and its disadvantages have became more apparent, in a global market more and more competitive. These phosphors are used in environmental and area monitoring, once they present more sensibility than other phosphors, like LiF:Mg. Theirs mainly disadvantage is a strong energetic dependence response, which must be corrected for theirs application in the field, where photon ...
In a case study of the River Lahn, Hessen, Germany, the ecological impact of effluents from sewage treatment plants was investigated. These emissions have a significant impact on the receiving water quality with ammonia, nitrite, phosphorus and the eutrophication as most important factors. Current legislation standards seem to be sufficent for the sanitation of the nitrogen load. The potential of phosphorus removal in sewage treatment plants however may not reach the demand for eutrophication abatement. Therefore, integrated and immission oriented strategies are required including in site measures of river restoration. (orig.) [Deutsch] An der hessischen Lahn wurde in einem mehrjaehrigen Forschungsvorhabens die Bedeutung von Abwasserereinleitungen aus Klaeranlagen hinsichtlich ihrer gewaesseroekologischen Relevanz untersucht. Wesentliche Belastungen beziehen sich auf die Parameter Ammonium, Nitrit und Phosphor sowie eutrophierungsbedingte Folgeerscheinungen. Waehrend bei den ...
The regenerator of Stirling cycle machines has an relatively unknown potential for thermal shorting, because the thermal flow path within the solid of a randomly stacked wire mesh, which is defined by its 'connectivity', is unknown. Earlier publications have shown two principles of experimental techniques to quantify connectivity. One quantifies connectivity as a function of axial pressure using the electric current analogy, the other measures connectivity via the temperature gradients along a regenerator and a series-connected reference body of known conductivity. Both papers offer preliminary results of reduced usefulness related to the testing method or setup. This contribution describes a new setup and its technique, which results from the practical knowledge and experience of the first two attempts, and aims for an improved determination of connectivity of the original representative Stirling regenerators with and without housing. Please contact the author for ...
White spot syndrome virus (WSSV) is the causative agent of the white spot disease of shrimp. Penaeus monodon were captured from Muttukadu Estuary in Chennai, India, transported to the laboratory and maintained in an aerated system with continuous water circulation-biofiltration. WSSV-free P. monodon were challenged by feeding them only once with WSSV-infected tissues of P. monodon. Cumulative mortality (100%) of the infected individuals was determined. Tissues from infected and uninfected shrimp such as muscles, hepatopancreas, heart, gills and eye tissues (100mg of each) and haemolymph (50 microl) were subjected to SDS-PAGE. In infected muscle tissue, six newly expressed proteins were detected. In infected haemolymph, four new proteins and three intensely expressed high molecular weight proteins were observed. Three intensely expressed high molecular weight proteins were detected in infected heart tissue and two new proteins in infected hepatopancreatic tissues. In infected gill ...
The new industrial political tools based on the sustainable development of productive activities, and originating at the Rio Conference in 1992, late introduced by the EU, the Government and voluntary organizations (ISO, CEM, UNI) are gradually entering the market, thereby underling their effect in terms of industrial competitiveness. The main tools were examined in the report and mostly refer to the voluntary ones which, in surpassing the 'command and control' logic, increasingly tend to get close to traditional fiscal, tariff and financial ones. Voluntary agreements, environmental management systems (EMAS, ISO 14001), the risk prevention systems (UNI 10617), certification (Eco label, ISO 14040) and environment communication tools (environment balance sheet, environmental report, environmental statement) are synthetically described. [Italian] I nuovi strumenti di politica industriale orientati allo sviluppo sostenibile delle attivita' produttive che traggono ...
Osteonecrosis (ON) of the hip joint remains an unsolved therapeutical problem. Diagnosis of ON of the hip has been improved by the technical progress of imaging modalities and better understanding pathomorphology. Over a long period only plain radiographs have been available. Scintigraphy and computed tomography contributed to differential diagnosis and early detection of bone necrosis. Diagnosis in an early reversible stage is of importance. Understanding of pathophysiology, early diagnosis and therapeutical approach has been significantly improved by MR imaging. Using the ARCO system all imaging modalities and their diagnostic viability are described in the five ARCO stages. At the end a diagnostic algorithm will be proposed. (orig.) [German] Die Osteonekrose des Hueftgelenks (ON) stellt noch immer ein nicht geloestes therapeutisches Problem dar. Die diagnostischen Moeglichkeiten bei der ON wurden in den letzten Jahren durch technische Fortschritte bei den bildgebenden Verfahren und ...
Purpose: Cardiomyopathy is one of the major complications of {beta} thalassaemia major as a result of transfusion iron overload. The aim of our study is to evaluate with MR if there is any difference of iron deposition signal intensity (SI) or distribution between non-cardiopatic and cardiopatic thalassaemic patients in order to establish if there is a relationship between cardiopathy and iron deposition. Materials and methods: We studied 20 patients affected by {beta} thalassaemia major, of whom 10 cardiopatic and 10 non-cardiopatic, and 10 healthy volunteers as control group. Serum ferritin and left ventricular ejection fraction were calculated in thalassaemic patients. All patients were examinated using a 1.5 MR unit with ECG-gated GE cine-MR T2*-weighted, SE T1-weighted and GE T2*-weighted sequences. In all cases, using an adequate ROI, the myocardial and skeletal muscle signal intensity (SI), the myocardial/skeletal muscle signal intensity radio (SIR) and the SI average of the ...
About 25 years after the last edification of a new large high voltage institute at Technical University of Karlsruhe and about 10 years afte the edification of the test lab at Kaiserslautern University, the Brandenburg Technical University of Cottbus had the opportunity to design new high voltage test facilities from the very beginning on and to realize it in a very short time. To review the project from the first ideas followed by the planning and realization phase and the final commissioning of the technical equipment, this book should be a contribution to spred the experiences made among interested people and to demonstrate the actual technical possibilities. To ensure an international exchange of these experiences, all co-authors to the trouble to translate their participation's also to the English language. (orig.) [German] Etwa 25 Jahre nach dem letzten grossen hochspannungstechnischen Institutsneubau in der deutschen Hochschullandschaft an der TH Karlsruhe, bzw. 10 ...
The typical MRI features of the most common pancreatic diseases, such as pancreatitis and adenocarcinoma of the pancreas, have been established. However, even in these common pancreatic disorders, MRI correlation with the underlying pathology is limited for clinical reasons. We emphasize MR-pathological correlation of inflammatory and neoplastic pancreatic changes, including pancreatitis, adenocarcinoma, acinar cell carcinoma, rare cystic and solid pancreatic neoplasms, and islet cell tumors. By highlighting the correlation of key pathological features with MR findings, a better understanding of the MR appearance of pancreatic pathology can be provided. In addition, MRI may prove a powerful tool in detection and characterization of pancreatic tumors. (orig.) [Deutsch] Das MR-tomographische Erscheinungsbild von Pankreatitiden und Adenokarzinomen des Pankreas, als den haeufigsten Pankreaserkrankungen, ist zwar ausreichend bekannt; allerdings ist selbst bei diesen Pankreaserkrankungen die ...
Early in 1988 RWE decided to overhaul the power station at Goldenberg. This was necessary due to the age of the plant, the obligation to supply heat and process steam and recent amendments of environmental legislation. After analysing demands and needs one developed a plant concept with a 290 t/h and a 400 t/h steam generator. Due to lack of space the decision was made in favour of a circulating atmospheric fluidised bed combustion instead of steam generators with pulverised lignite combustion as these steam generators take up much more space due to the legally required desulphurisation plants for gaseous emissions. Apart from generating steam RWE wishes to gain experience with this combustion technology and test it for suitability and use in large-scale plant. (orig./KO) [Deutsch] Aufgrund des fortgeschrittenen Alters, der aktuellen Umweltschutzgesetzgebung sowie bestehender Versorgungsverpflichtungen fuer Waerme und Prozessdampf wurde Anfang 1988 von der RWE Energie AG in Essen die ...
We present a femtosecond Laser Two-Photon Polymerization (LTPP) system of large scale three-dimensional structuring for applications in tissue engineering. The direct laser writing system enables fabrication of artificial polymeric scaffolds over a large area (up to cm in lateral size) with sub-micrometer resolution which could find practical applications in biomedicine and surgery. Yb:KGW femtosecond laser oscillator (Pharos, Light Conversion. Co. Ltd.) is used as an irradiation source (75 fs, 515 nm (frequency doubled), 80 MHz). The sample is mounted on wide range linear motor driven stages having 10 nm sample positioning resolution (XY--ALS130-100, Z--ALS130-50, Aerotech, Inc.). These stages guarantee an overall travelling range of 100 mm into X and Y directions and 50 mm in Z direction and support the linear scanning speed up to 300 mm/s. By moving the sample three-dimensionally the position of laser focus in the photopolymer is changed and one is able to write complex 3D ...
Buildings in the USA are commonly not perceived as energy efficient and sustainable. Considering this, it comes as a surprise that the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification system is leading the process to certify ''Green Buildings'' despite the broad range of certification systems in countries such as BREEAM in England, CASBEE in Japan, HQE in France, Green Star in Australia, and most recently DGNB in Germany. International companies are pursuing the LEED certification due to its worldwide applicability - over 20,000 buildings in 76 countries are currently registered. (Abstract Copyright [2009], Wiley Periodicals, Inc.) [German] Die USA sind nicht gerade fuer oekologisches und energieeffizientes Bauen bekannt. Umso erstaunlicher ist es, dass das LEED-Zertifizierungssystem (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) neben anderen landesspezifischen Systemen wie z. B. BREEAM in England, CASBEE in Japan, HQE in ...
From the dried fruiting bodies of the mushroom Armillaria luteo-virens, a dimeric lectin with a molecular mass of 29.4 kDa has been isolated. The purification procedure involved (NH{sub 4}){sub 2}SO{sub 4} precipitation, ion exchange chromatography on DEAE-cellulose, CM-cellulose, and Q-Sepharose, and gel filtration by fast protein liquid chromatography on Superdex 75. The hemagglutinating activity of the lectin could not be inhibited by simple sugars but was inhibited by the polysaccharide inulin. The activity was stable up to 70 {sup o}C but was acid- and alkali-labile. Salts including FeCl{sub 3}, AlCl{sub 3}, and ZnCl{sub 2} inhibited the activity whereas MgCl{sub 2}, MnCl{sub 2}, and CaCl{sub 2} did not. The lectin stimulated mitogenic response of mouse splenocytes with the maximal response achieved by 1 {mu}M lectin. Proliferation of tumor cells including MBL2 cells, HeLa cells, and L1210 cells was inhibited by the lectin with an IC{sub 5} of 2.5, 5, and 10 ...
Insulin receptors on the surface of isolated rat adipocytes were photoaffinity labeled at 12 degrees C with the iodinated photoreactive insulin analogue, 125I-B2 (2-nitro-4-azidophenylacetyl)-des-PheB1-insulin, and the pathways in the intracellular processing of the labeled receptors were studied at 37 degrees C. During 37 degrees C incubations, the labeled 440-kDa insulin receptors were continuously internalized (as assessed by trypsin inaccessibility) and degraded such that up to 50% of the initially labeled receptors were lost by 120 min. Metabolic poisons (0.125-0.75 mM 2,4-dinitrophenol (DNP) and 1-10 mM NaF), which led to dose-dependent depletion of adipocyte ATP pools, inhibited receptor loss, and caused up to 3-fold increase in intracellular receptor accumulation. This effect was due to inhibition of intracellular receptor degradation, and there was no apparent effect of the metabolic poisons on initial internalization of the receptors. Following maximal ...
The new industrial political tools based on the Sustainable development of productive activities and originating at the Rio Conference in 1992, late introduced by the EU, the Government and voluntary organizations (ISO, CEM, UNI) are gradually entering the market, thereby underlying their effect in terms of industrial competitiveness. The main tools were examined in this report and mostly refer to the voluntary ones which, in surpassing the Command and Control logic, increasingly tend to get close to traditional fiscal, tariff and financial ones. [Italian] I nuovi strumenti di politica industriale orientali allo Sviluppo Sostenibile delle attivita' produttive che traggono origine dalla Conferenza di Rio del 1992 e sono stati introdotti successivamente da pare della Comunita' Europea, dal Governo e dagli Organismi di normazione volontaria (ISO, CEN, UNI), stanno gradualmente penetrando sul mercato facendo valere i loro effetti in termini di ...
The active site of chicken gizzard myosin was labeled by direct photoaffinity labeling with ["3H]UDP. ["3H] UDP was stably trapped at the active site by addition of vanadate (Vi) and Co"2"+. The extraordinary stability of the myosin.Co2+.[3H]UDP.Vi complex (t1/2 greater than 5 days at 0 degrees C) allowed it to be purified free of extraneous ["3H]UDP before irradiation began. Upon UV irradiation, greater than 60% of the trapped ["3H]UDP was photoincorporated into the active site. Only the 200-kDa heavy chain was labeled, confirming earlier results using ["3H]UTP. Extensive tryptic digestion of photolabeled myosin subfragment 1 followed by high performance liquid chromatography separations and removal of nucleotide phosphates by treatment with alkaline phosphatase allowed two labeled peptides to be isolated. Sequencing of the labeled peptides and radioactive counting showed that Glu185 was the residue labeled. Since UDP is a zero-length cross-linker, Glu185 is ...
The gotten concentrations of radon-222 in the installations of the IEN had been determined using the active and passive methods. The active method consisted on the use of the alpha spectrometry with a portable equipment Tracerlab Instruments WLM- Plus. In the determination for the passive method, one used detectors of nuclear strokes of type LEXAN. The raised values had been gotten in the wastes deposit and its annexes, room of the press and laboratory of wastes handling. It was observed, in this sector, an instantaneous measure of alpha spectrometry, concentrations around 1000 Bq.m-3, which had over all to the function of storage, the sector, a great volume of natural radioactive materials, especially of radium-226. This determination was carried through in an extreme situation of ventilation zero, where the gates had been kept closed during the execution of the same one. It was observed, however, a considerable fall, with values ten times inferior, after to submit the environment to ...
Aim of this retrospective study was to assess the capability of contrast-enhanced helical computerised tomography (CT) in sigmoid diverticulitis, especially relative to selection of the appropriate treatment. The findings of 41 patients were reviewed from 1998 to 1999 June. Contrast-enhanced helical CT is the imaging modality of choice in assessing mild or severe acute diverticulitis because it provides useful information for appropriate treatment planning in the emergency setting. This technique is most useful in questionable cases and in patients with suspected severe diverticulitis where a choice must be made between different treatment options. [Italian] Scopo di questo studio retrospettivo e' illustrare i molteplici aspetti radiologici della flogosi diverticolare sigmoidea con tomografia computerizzata (TC) spirale, con specifico riguardo alle implicazioni terapeutiche che scaturiscono dall'analisi e dal confronto dei reperti TC con i riscontri clinici e ...
Isothermal reaction experiments were performed in the temperature range of 1000 - 1300 C in order to determine the chemical interactions between Zircaloy-4 fuel rod cladding and Inconel-718 spacer grids of Pressurized Water Reactors (PWR) under severe accident conditions. It was not possible to apply even higher temperatures since fast and complete liquefaction of the components occurred as a result of eutectic interactions during heatup. The liquid reaction products formed enhance and accelerate the degradation of the material couples and the fuel elements, respectively. Only small amounts of Inconel are necessary to liquefy large amounts of Zircaloy. Thin oxide layers on the Zircaloy surface delay the beginning of the chemical interactions with Inconel but cannot prevent them. In this work the reaction kinetics have been determined for the system: as-received and pre-oxidized Zircaloy-4/Inconel 718. The interactions can be described by parabolic rate laws; the Arrhenius equations for ...
Testing two or more data sets for the hypothesis that they are sampled form the same population is often required in environmental data analysis. Typically the available samples have a small number of data and often then assumption of normal distributions is not realistic. On the other hand the diffusion of the days powerful Personal Computers opens new possible opportunities based on a massive use of the CPU resources. The paper reviews the problem introducing the feasibility of two non parametric approaches based on intrinsic equi probability properties of the data samples. The first one is based on a full re sampling while the second is based on a bootstrap approach. A easy to use program is presented. A case study is given based on the Chernobyl children contamination data. [Italiano] Nell`analisi di dati ambientali ricorre spesso il caso di dover sottoporre a test l`ipotesi di provenienza di due, o piu`, insiemi di dati dalla stessa popolazione. Tipicamente i dati disponibili sono ...
The pharmacological properties of medicinal plants have been related to the presence of organic compounds, however elements are also known to have an important participation in the active compounds constitution process. In this study, instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) was applied to determine elements in leaves of Casearia obliqua medicinal plant collected at two different locations in the Atlantic Forest, Brazil, SP. Soil samples collected from where this plant was grown were also analyzed in order to verify if there is a correlation between the elements present in soils and plant leaves. Br, Ca, Cl, Co, Cr, Cs, Fe, K, La, Mn, Na, Rb, Sb, Sc and Zn were determined in C. obliqua leaves and the elements As, Ca, Ce, Eu, Fe, Hf, La, Lu, Nd, Rb, Sc, Sm, Tb, Th, U and Zn in soils. Soil samples collected from two different locations presented similar concentrations for most elements. Likewise, C. obliqua leaves collected from the two locations presented similar elemental ...
The aim of this work is to provide a comprehensive and consistent description of the complexity of laws regulating the field of biotechnology, mainly focusing on the definition of items to be patented, which is one of the most important and also controversial issues within the new 98/44/EC set of rules. As biotechnology is a specialist and multidisciplinary field, it has begun by giving a general description of the field, outlining the grounds for the new rules, and then thoroughly examined and evaluated previous national and international laws especially with regard to patenting. This was followed by an evaluation of what can be patented according to the new instructions by systematically assessing the section defining items to be patented in the field of biotechnology. It is used to be a matter of opinion whether biotechnological material was to be considered a discovery or an invention, the former being impatentable according to patenting laws. The new law pays particular attention ...
Historically the organizational models have followed an evolution that has underlined a parallel trend to the complexity of the market, introducing as different mechanisms of coordination. Up to yesterday the winning model it was that hierarchical that however it is not certainly immune from limits. Beginning from eight hundred and especially in the nine hundred experts of organization have studied an alternative or supplementary model to that hierarchical: the bureaucratic model. This last entrusts the organization of the firm to the norms and the procedures considering them like the best integrating mechanism of development of the organizations. Today it is not made that to speak of the model to net, but it would be a serious error if this had to a substitutive model thought of the precedents, that can work then without hierarchy and without alone procedures entirely thanks to the use of Internet. In the present job are individualized new models of management of the private firms and ...
The purpose of this work is to investigate the possible role of Helical CT defecography in pelvic floor disorders by comparing the results of the investigations with those of conventional defecography. The series analyzed consisted of 90 patients, namely 62 women and 28 men, ranging in age 24-82 years. They were all submitted to conventional defecography, and 18 questionable cases were also studied with Helical CT defecography. The conventional examination was performed during the 4 standard phases of resting, squeezing, Valsalva and straining; it is used a remote-control unit. The parameters for Helical CT defecography were: 5 mm beam collimation, pitch 2, 120 KV, 250 m As and 18-20 degrees gantry inclination to acquire coronal images of the pelvic floor. The rectal ampulla was distended with a bolus of 300 mL nonionic iodinated contrast agent (dilution: 3g/cc). The patient wore a napkin and was seated on the table, except for those who could not hold the position and were thus ...
The purpose of this work is to investigate whether any morphometric or densitometric are detectable in the kidneys of type 2 diabetic patients. 40 diabetic patients were examined and of 20 non-diabetics (the control group) were submitted to triphasic helical CT for different abdominal conditions. The type 2 diabetic patients were 23 men and 17 women, mean age 62 years, while the nondiabetic controls were 12 men and 8 women, mean age 58 years. All the CT images were analyzed using the Multiplanar Reconstruction (MPR) software. It was evaluated morphometric features, such as the presence of parenchymal or vascular calcifications, axial and coronal renal diameters, coronal renal area, and cortico medullary ratio, and densitometric and functional features, such as unenhanced renal density, cortical and medullary density in the arterial phase, parenchymal density in the nephrographic phase, and contrast elimination. It was also compared the results in the subgroups of patients with those in ...
This feasibility study of the uve Institut fuer Technische Chemie und Umweltschutz GmbH discusses the scientific and technical fundamentals of a catalytic process for complete removal of organic pollutants (PAH, H-HC, PCB, phenols, nitro-aromatics and organometallic compounds, e.g. from polluted soil and groundwater) by thermal-catalytic cracking and conversion into simple gases. The process is based on the catalytic reaction of the hydrocarbon compounds with water vapour in the temperature range of 700-900 degrees centigrade. The resulting gas mixtures consist mainly of hydrogen, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide and methane which can be used as fuels, e.g. for heating or in gas engines. The process is an alterntive to combustion. It is therefore well suited whenever the pollutant to be removed is already mixed with water or water vapour and wherever in-situ removal would be too great a hazard. [Deutsch] Die vorliegende Machbarkeitsstudie aus dem uve Institut fuer ...
Artificial neural network analysis is found to be far superior to multiple regression when applied to the evaluation of trap quality in the Northern Kuqa Depression, a gas-rich depression of Tarim Basin in western China. This is because this technique can correlate the complex and non-linear relationship between trap quality and related geological factors, whereas multiple regression can only describe a linear relationship. However, multiple regression can work as an auxiliary tool, as it is suited to high-speed calculations and can indicate the degree of dependence between the trap quality and its related geological factors which artificial neural network analysis cannot. For illustration, we have investigated 30 traps in the Northern Kuqa Depression. For each of the traps, the values of 14 selected geological factors were all known. While geologists were also able to assign individual trap quality values to 27 traps, they were less certain about the values for ...
This report is intended to satisfy two concurrent needs: (1) provide a contract deliverable from Oncorh Consulting to the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW), with emphasis on identification of salient results of value to ongoing Yakima/Klickitat Fisheries Project (YKFP) planning and (2) summarize results of research that have broader scientific relevance. This is the fourth in a series of reports that address reproductive ecological research and monitoring of spring chinook populations in the Yakima River basin. This annual report summarizes data collected between April 1, 2004 and March 31, 2005 and includes analyses of historical baseline data, as well. Supplementation success in the Yakima Klickitat Fishery Project's (YKFP) spring chinook (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) program is defined as increasing natural production and harvest opportunities, while keeping adverse ecological interactions and genetic impacts within acceptable bounds (Busack et al. 1997). ...
A part of the waste materials arising in iron and steel manufacture is utilised physically, either internally for the recovery of iron or externally for the production of cement and nonferrous metals. Most of these materials can be used without prior processing. Iron and steel-relevant waste materials which at present are still landfilled or disposed of as hazardous wastes are not immediately suitable for physical recycling as secondary raw material. These waste materials have to be processed without exception before they can be used again in the existing steel and iron manufacturing plants. The results of the authors` own studies have clearly shown that the cupola furnace is suited for the use of a wide variety of waste materials. [Deutsch] Ein Teil der bei der Eisen- und Stahlerzeugung anfallenden Abfallstoffe werden entweder intern zur Rueckgewinnung des Eisens oder extern in der Zement- bzw. Nichteisenmetallgewinnung stofflich verwertet. Dabei handelt es sich ...
The focus of this study is on the preparatory detection of uncertain net greenhouse gas (GHG) emission changes (also termed emission signals) under the Kyoto Protocol. The crucial question to be addressed is: How well do we need to know net emissions if we want to detect a specified emission signal after a given time? No restrictions exist as to what concerns the net emitter, which may be any GHG source or sink. Annex I countries are chosen as net emitters, simply for reasons of data availability and because of the excellent possibility of comparing net emitters (inter-country comparison). The countries' emissions - in an increasing number of cases even their uncertainties - are available permitting the application of preparatory signal detection techniques, which are suited to address the aforementioned question. We currently discuss four hierarchically-ordered detection concepts to assess emission signals in a preparatory manner, that is, at two ...
This report describes the accomplishments of the University of Georgia in establishing an academic program geared toward the emerging biobased products industry. By virtue of its strengths and structure, the University of Georgia is particularly well-suited for developing a program focused on plant- and microbial-based bioproducts, and it was in this general area that this program was developed. The program had several unique characteristics. First, we implemented a distinguished lecture series that brought outstanding scientists and engineers to our University to interact with students and share their vision of the biobased economy. Second, we offered industrially-oriented and multidisciplinary courses that provided students with a broad background on various facets of biobased business and technology. Third, we provided the students with opportunities to expand beyond the classroom by engaging in research lab rotations and industrial internships. Fourth, each ...
1. Cyanide degradation: Of the cyanide- and thiocyanate-degrading bacteria, Burkholderia cepacia and Pseudomonas spec. were the most effective. 2. Biosorption: Of the isolates suited for biosorption of heavy metals, 597-A (non-identifiable) and 597-A2 (Aspergillus fumigatis) had the biggest potential. The sorption capacity of the fungi for metals varied with the C source used for their growth: apple juice > molasses > glucose. The fungi are not cyanide-sensitive and can even degrade cyanide. Living biomass had better metal sorption efficiencies than dead mycelium. The biosorption rates in waste water were usually higher than in broth. Depending on the metal composition and concentrations and on the exposure time and volume of the mycelia, up to 85 % of the initial concentration was removed from the liquid phase. The capacity of different biomasses for the sorption of metal mixtures was between 65 and 80 mg/g of dry matter depending on the experimental ...
A general relativistic model for the formation and acceleration of lowmass-loaded jets from systems containing accreting black holes is presented. The model is based on previous numerical results and theoretical studies in the Newtonian regime, but modified to include the effects of space-time curvature in the vicinity of the event horizon of a spinning black hole. It is argued that the boundary layer between the Keplerian accretion disk and the event horizon is best suited for the formation and acceleration of the accretion-powered jets in active galactic nuclei and micro-quasars. The model presented here is based on matching the solutions of three different regions: i- a weakly magnetized Keplerian accretion disk in the outer part, where the transport of angular momentum is mediated through the magentorotational instability, ii- a strongly magnetized, advection-dominated and turbulent-free boundary layer (BL) between the outer cold accretion disk and the event ...
This current world population has significantly added to the pressures placed upon our finite resources and our resulting ability to feed ourselves. In order to cope with current and future demands, the two established lines of action, that is, reduced population growth and expansion of agricultural production, must be supplemented with the parallel activity of reducing food losses during and after harvest. For developing countries in particular, enormous post-harvest losses result from spillage, contamination, pests and physiological deterioration during storage. Studies in these countries indicate that post-harvest losses are enormous and amount to tens of millions of tons per year valued at billions of dollars. Programs to reduce post-harvest losses, if applied properly, can result in realistic yield increases between 10 and 30%, which can be directly converted into increased consumption for humans. Post-harvest losses vary greatly and are a function of the crop variety, pest ...
An average of 9 million gallons per day of oil-contaminated ballast water off loaded from tankers are treated at the Alyeska Pipeline Service Company Ballast Water Treatment Facility at the terminus of the Trans-Alaska Pipeline in Port Valdez, Alaska. This paper focuses on the results of 2 Prince William Sound Regional Citizens' Advisory Council monitoring programs which detail changes in the chemical composition of treated ballast water as it moves from tankers through the facility and subsequently traces the effluent hydrocarbons into the receiving environment of Port Valdez. The treatment facility involves gravity separation tanks, dissolved air flotation cells and biological treatment tanks. Effluent containing traces of volatile aromatics, including benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylenes, low levels of oil, saturated hydrocarbons and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons is being continuously discharged to Port Valdez. Because of the extremely large average flow rate, low ...
The project aim is to model the hybrid plant at Vaesthamnsverket in Helsingborg using artificial neural networks (ANN) and integrating the ANN models, for online condition monitoring and thermoeconomic optimization, at Vaesthamnsverket. The definition of a hybrid plant is that it uses more than one fuel, in this case a natural gas fuelled gas turbine with heat recovery steam generator (HRSG) and a biomass fuelled steam boiler with steam turbine. The project is a continuation of previous projects where ANN training was done with operational data from the plant. The ANN models have, if required, been updated to better suit the purpose of this project. The thermoeconomic optimization takes into account current electricity prices, taxes, fuel prices etc. and calculates the current production cost along with the 'predicted' production cost. The tool also has a built in feature of predicting when a compressor wash is economically beneficial. The user ...
The Tomographic Gamma Scanning (TGS) technique is a relatively new method in the field of non-destructive assay (NDA) of radioactive waste. The TGS technique combines High Resolution Gamma Spectrometry (HRGS) with Three-Dimensional (3-D) low spatial resolution transmission and emission image reconstruction techniques to achieve assay goals. When compared to the traditional methods such as Segmented Gamma Scanning (SGS), the TGS technique can yield better accuracies for cases where the radionuclide is distributed non-uniformly in a heterogeneous matrix. The TGS technique is ideally suited for low-to-moderate density waste matrices, say 1.0 g cm{sup -3} or below for 55 US gal. drums, although it can be extended to higher densities by using alternative approaches to the design or analyses. Recently Canberra Industries designed, built and characterized four such TGS systems for nuclear power plant applications. Many of the design features and the end application itself ...
The Tomographic Gamma Scanning (TGS) technique is a relatively new method in the field of non-destructive assay (NDA) of radioactive waste. The TGS technique combines High Resolution Gamma Spectrometry (HRGS) with Three-Dimensional (3-D) low spatial resolution transmission and emission image reconstruction techniques to achieve assay goals. When compared to the traditional methods such as Segmented Gamma Scanning (SGS), the TGS technique can yield better accuracies for cases where the radionuclide is distributed non-uniformly in a heterogeneous matrix. The TGS technique is ideally suited for low-to-moderate density waste matrices, say 1.0 g cm"-"3 or below for 55 US gal. drums, although it can be extended to higher densities by using alternative approaches to the design or analyses. Recently Canberra Industries designed, built and characterized four such TGS systems for nuclear power plant applications. Many of the design features and the end application itself set ...
The objective of this project is to eliminate three closely inter-related barriers to oil production in Alaska through the use of a geographic information system (GIS) and other information technology strategies. These barriers involve identification of oil development potential from existing wells, planning projects to efficiently avoid conflicts with other interests, and gaining state approvals for exploration and development projects. Each barrier is the result of either current labor-intensive methods or poorly accessible information. This project brings together three parts of the oil exploration, development, and permitting process to form the foundation for a more fully integrated information technology infrastructure for the State of Alaska. This web-based system will enable the public and other review participants to track permit status, submit and view comments, and obtain important project information online. By automating several functions of the current manual process, ...
The reduced polluting emissions make natural gas a quite interesting alternative fuel for automotive applications. Therefore a car diesel engine has been transformed into a dual fuel engine with pilot injection via the common rail injection system used to ignite the methane-air charge. Standard injection pumps show a certain instability at low flow rates and high engine speed. On the opposite the new common rail system allows to ignite the fuel in all conditions with an amount of gas oil less than 8% of the entire energy required by the engine was enough to ignite the fuel. Furthermore, a power increase has been obtained, with an overall efficiency equal to or even higher than a conventional engine. The article deals with a series of test carried out on 1929 cm{sup 3} direct injection turbo-charged engine and presents the preliminary results. [Italian] La riduzione delle emissioni inquinanti rende il metano un combustibile alternativo piuttosto interessante per applicazioni ...
Normally, the alloy NiMo28 is used in the solution annealed and quenched condition in which it has a face centred cubic matrix structure. The matrix of the material is supersaturated with molybdenum and, at temperatures above 800 C, has a tendency to form intermetallic precipitates such as the Ni{sub 4}Mo-ordered phase leading to the embrittlement of the NiMo28-ordered phase leading to the embrittlement of the NiMo28 alloy during hot working. For this reason, the aim of these investigations was to optimise the alloy by reducing its tendency to embrittle. The TEM-analyses carried out served to investigate the precipitation of the material as a function of its iron content after ageing at 700 C. The change in hardness and in the lattice constants of the NiMo28-specimens with iron content were also determined. To improve the hot working properties of this material it is recommended that the iron content be kept to about 3.2 mass % in order to reduce the tendency of the alloy to ...
The study reports ultrasonography and computerise tomography findings in 16 patients with amoebic abscesses, 12 of whom lived in a temperate peripheral area north-east of Naples (Italy). All patients have a clinical-diagnostic condition called sub-urban amoebiasis. The personal experience with the US guided therapeutic drainage of amoebic abscess with repeated cavity washing, which is important for positive parasitology. Combined US and CT assessment facilitated the diagnosis of amoebiasis and its differentiation from pyogenic abscess and hepatoma. [Italian] La colonizzazione epatica rappresenta la localizzazione piu' comune dell'amebiasi extraintestinale e gli ascessi epatici ne costituiscono la manifestazione piu' frequente sviluppandosi nel 3-9 % dei pazienti affetti da infezione parassitaria. Diversi studi confermano che la terapia medica dell'amebiasi risulta piu' efficace quando viene associato il drenaggio ...
Instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) followed by gamma-ray spectrometry was used to determine the concentrations of As, Ca, Co, Cr, Cu, Eu, Fe, K, La, Mg, Mn, Mo, Na, Pr, Sb, Se, Th, U, V and Z, in 82 leaf samples belonging to two cultivars of pigeonpea (Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp). Pigeonpea, an easy cultivation legume species, probably originated from Africa and adapted to brazilian conditions, is a very promising and unconventional source of food, mainly to the grain production intended for human feeding, and that even can be used in flour products. It is an excellent proteic supplement for ruminants, due to its large potential of forage production and its high nutritive value, or in addition it can be used in the recuperation of exhausting soils either by means of its utilization as green manure or by taking free Nitrogen from the atmosphere to produce nitrates which can be utilized by the plants. However, in spite of the several possibilities and increasing utilization ...
A prospective study was performed on 50 patients suffering from osteochondritis dissecans of the knee and ankle to define criteria for stability and fixation of osteochondral lesions. Morphological parameters in MRI (size, fragmentation, cartilage, interface) and conventional radiology (separation, fragmentation) were registered and compared with arthroscopical staging. MRI staging based on different types of interfaces was demonstrated on T{sub 1}- and T{sub 2}-weighted images. MRI could correctly predict a Grade 1 lesion in 50%, a Grade 2 lesion in 90%, a Grade 3 lesion on 0%, and a Grade 4 lesion in 79%. Stable lesions were differentiated from unstable lesions in 90%. Radiographic findings corresponded with arthroscopic staging in only 56% of the cases because fibrotic connection may guarantee stability in case of bony separation. (orig./MG) [Deutsch] In einer prospektiven Studie an 50 Patienten mit einer Osteochondrosis dissecans (OD) des Knie- und Sprunggelenkes sollten ...
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the lung is challenging because of substantial drawbacks. However, lung pathologies that are associated with increased attenuation values in CT enhance visualization in MRI: proton density is increased and tissue-air interfaces, resulting in susceptibility artifacts, are reduced in pneumonia, pneumonitis, edema, and carcinoma. On the other hand, many lung diseases result in shortness of breath, so that patients cannot hold their breath for long periods. Therefore, fast imaging techniques are required which should also allow for high spatial resolution so that small lesions can be detected. Calcifications and air pockets within lesions are not readily recognized with MRI. Thin section CT is standard for the diagnosis of pneumonia. With parallel imaging techniques, MRI examination of the lungs can be performed with short periods of breath holding, which allow for sub-centimeter resolution in the z-axis. Especially for follow-up examinations in ...
Clinical studies have proved the effectiveness of local ablading methods in pations with non-resectable liver metastases of a colorectal carcinoma. RF ablation and LITT are a potentially curative therapy option and an alternative to systemic chemotherapy; the latter is carried out primarily for reducing tumour size with the goal of secondary resectability. The number of R0-sesectable metastases can be enhanced by a combined therapy of surgery and local ablading methods, e.g. by preoperative, intraoperative or postoperative ablasion of further non-resectable tumours during surgery. Systemic chemotherapy combined with surgery as an adjuvant method is not recommended unless in cases of non-abladable tumour recidivation. Currently, systemic chemotherapy is used as a neo-adjuvant therapy for tumour size reduction with the goal of secondary resectability or, in case of inoperability, local ablation. (orig.) [German] Abladierende Verfahren. Klinische Studien belegen die Effektivitaet der ...
Parallel imaging and echo sharing techniques have markedly reduced the acquisition times for MRI of large volumes. Dynamic 2 and 3-dimensional data sets of the chest with high temporal resolution (up to 10 images/s with single slice and 2 volume/s) allow an analysis of respiratory motion of the lungs and tumors. Time-resolved 2D series in preselected planes can be used to observe respiratory motion during free breathing or after respiratory commands, e.g. to exclude chest wall invasion by a tumor or for diagnosing impairment of respiratory mechanics. Time-resolved 3D-series (4D-MRI) allow monitoring of the spatial displacement of the lungs and tumors as a whole volume. Present limitations such as an overestimation of tumor size and an underestimation of displacement due to a limited temporal resolution are expected to be overcome with further technical developments. However, 4D-MRI already appears to be the appropriate tool to select patients for motion-adapted radiotherapy. In ...
The most important kaolin deposits from Campo Alegre region (S C) were formed by the conjunction of at least one hydrothermal phase followed by many others weathering, supergenic, phases. Possibly deposits formed by only one of these processes exist, but these deposits shall be small and smaller than those mined today. Besides kaolinization, illitization/muscovitization and silicification, hydrothermalism also generated pyritized and propilitized zones, with quartz + chlorite. Together, hipogenic alterations related to kaolin deposits are very similar to alterations of high sulfidation epigenetic volcanogenic gold deposits. Most part of the biggest kaolin mines from the southern part of Campo Alegre Basin are distributed along a 13 Km long and 0,5 Km width bent zone that is parallel to structural alignments that point out the eastern Basin border. This zone was originated by deformation that has inclined and broken rocks, generating a fault system alongside and parallel to structural ...
Low-cost titanium alloy components are getting increasing attention in aerospace applications. Cost reductions are possible in the alloys themselves and in the production techniques. The former aspect is less promising as titanium alloys are costly to produce. Of course, there are some new developments like the (alpha plus beta) alloy Ti-6 Al-2 Fe-0.2 Si (TIMETAL 62S) and the beta-alloy Ti-6.8 Mo-4.5 Fe-1.5 Al (TIMETAL LCB), in which low-cost iron replaces costly beta alloying elements like vanadium or molybdenum, but these will be used mainly on the mass production markets, e.g. motor car construction. In consequence, optimisation of production methods is the more promising option. Near net shape processes will reduce the production cost and improve the fly-to-buy ratio. Some of these production processes are explained. [Deutsch] Die Herstellung preiswerter Bauteile aus Titanlegierungen gewinnt auch in der Luft- und Raumfahrt zunehmend an Bedeutung. Zwei Wege werden hier beschritten: ...
Purpose: Budd-Chiari syndrome is a fairly uncommon disease in Europe. This often leads to its late diagnosis. The syndrome is characterised by portal hypertension and splanchnic congestion due to obstruction of hepatic venous outflow. This paper describes the treatment of three patients with Budd-Chiari syndrome by interventional therapeutic techniques and discusses alternative treatment modalities. Patients and Methods: The first patient presented with veno-occlusive disease and was treated by the placement of a transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic stentshunt. The second patient showed an occlusion of the major hepatic veins. After percutaneous recanalisation, a stent was placed in the right hepatic vein which remained patent. The third patient had a membranous obstruction of the right hepatic vein which was treated by percutaneous balloon dilatation. Results: In all patients the clinical symptoms resolved completely after treatment and no complications were encountered. ...
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, the following signs were found: central hypo ...
The staging of patients with multiple myeloma demands sensitive imaging methods for the assessment of the skeletal system. MRI allows for direct visualization of the bone marrow which exhibits five different infiltration patterns in multiple myeloma: 1. normal appearance of the bone marrow, 2. focal involvement, 3. homogeneous diffuse infiltration, 4. combined diffuse and focal infiltration, 5. ''salt and pepper'' pattern with inhomogeneous bone marrow signals due to multiple fat islands. The combination of T1w-SE and STIR sequences is best suited for detecting all infiltration patterns and for the differential diagnoses e. g. hemangiomas. With parallel imaging in MRI, acquisition times can be markedly reduced and whole-body screening of the bone marrow can be achieved within 30 min. MRI is superior to radiography for the detection of focal as well as diffuse infiltration. Multidetector computed tomography and especially 16- and ...
Initially, the decision of the operator in Dortmund-Derne to select the impact-type separator concept is explained. None of the tenderers for this 52 t/h boiler could supply references for this fluidized bed steam generator concept with staged combustion in a high-expansion fluidized bed. Under the circumstances, the simple configuration of the Steinmueller fluidized bed steam generator, its compact construction, the reduced amount of refractory and the operational behaviour of the boiler resulting therefrom were decisive in the operator`s decision to select this concept. The development schedule shows the individual stages from cold and hot trials in various test rigs and pilot plants to the final design. So far, this fluidized bed steam generator concept has been realized in the plants Derne (52 t/h), commissioned in November 1989, and Brilon (100 t/h), commissioned in November 1990. The discussion on the essential design features points out to the deliberate differences in the two ...
A large number of proven technical solutions exists for the use of renewable energies (RE). However, their dissemination is still too slow to meet the political goal of substituting 12 % of the primary energy demand in the European Union by the year 2010. Even renewable energy systems (RES) with economic potential are only partly exploited. There is a long literature concerning the barriers to RE use. In particular it has become clear that the availability of finance and the forms and conditions upon which it is lent have a major impact on RE deployment. An area of importance is the deficiency of appropriate ownership forms and properly adapted financing instruments in certain countries. Moreover, different regulations and institutional barriers in the European countries hinder the free flow of capital for RES within the European common market. On the other hand, solutions have been developed very successfully in individual countries. Differences in cultures and institutions have ...
Installation of new Shortwave Spectrometer for permanent operation at SGP - In May 2006 the new ShortWave Spectrometer (SWS) was installed in the Optical Trailer at the Southern Great Plains Central Facility SGP on 27 April 2006. The SWS began full operation 28 April 2006 and has run continuously to the present. Over 25 GB of spectra has been collected, calibrated and archived. 3-D radiative transfer simulations - Retrieved fields of cloud optical thickness and effective radius to from the MODIS Airborne Simulator were used to reproduce 3D cloud fields that were used a input to 3D radiative transfer simulations and then compared with simultaneous Solar Spectral Flux Radiometer (SSFR) spectral irradiance measurements. The influence of both horizontal and vertical cloud structure, using accurate versus approximated optical properties in the radiative transfer model on the modeled irradiance was examined, as was the influence of using the full phase function versus using approximations of ...
Three blocks of non-welded tuff, one nominally one cubic foot (trial block) in volume and the other two, nominally one cubic meter (1 m3) in volume, were excavated from the Busted Butte Test Facility on the Nevada Test Site in 1999 and transported to the Atomic Energy of Canada Limited Whiteshell Laboratories in Pinawa, Manitoba. The trial block and one of the 1-m3 blocks were used for radionuclide migration experiments under unsaturated conditions; the remaining 1-m3 block was used for similar migration experiments under saturated conditions. After a vertical flow of synthetic transport solution was set up under unsaturated conditions, a suite of conservative and chemically reactive radionuclide tracers was injected at volumetric flow rates of 20 mL/hr in the trial block, and 10 mL/hr in two locations on the upper surface of the 1-m3 block. These flow rates correspond to infiltration rates of about 120 cm/year and about 17 cm/year, respectively. The duration of ...
One of ENEA's many activities consists in dealing with the analysis of information strategies. In this case the analysis concerns an environmental issue, the ozone hole which, in spite of the consideration given by the media, is not sufficiently highlighted, as well as in the case of climate changes issue. A survey of the coverage of four daily newspapers was realized; the time period covered by the analysis spans form January 1996 to December 1997, 77 articles in total. The newspapers involved are: La Repubblica, Il Corriere della Sera, L'Unita' on a national scale, and Il Resto del Carlino on a regional scale. The number of articles analyzed is divided as follows: 26 for the Repubblica, 24 for the Corriere della Sera, 21 for the Unita', 6 for the Resto del Carlino. The purpose of the work was to detect quality and quantity indicators of the Italian press about the ozone hole issue and possible environmental risks conveyed to the public, using the ...
The oxidation of boron carbide in steam or air was recently extensively studied especially in Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe, Institut fuer Materialforschung. An important data set is available for the interaction modelling. An oxygen diffusion model through the superficial liquid boron oxide formed on the boron carbide external surface associated to a superficial reaction between the liquid boron oxide and steam is proposed to simulate the experimental kinetics from BOX rig and thermogravimetric tests on the interaction between steam and boron carbide at a temperature range 800 C to 1400 C. The oxygen diffusion model will be also useful to simulate interaction between boron carbide and Ar+O2 (air simulation) atmosphere when the steam pressure becomes zero. From the analysis of BOX rig experimental kinetics of non-condensable (H2, CO2, CO and CH4) gases we propose an oxygen diffusion model through the liquid boron oxide and a ''steam/liquid boron ...
{gamma} Ti-Al have a higher temperature potential than commercial titanium alloys and a 50 percent lower density than nickel base superalloys. Application temperatures in aircraft turbines are 750 C and above. The authors investigated the high-temperature performance of {gamma} TiAl, i.e. isothermal high-temperature fatigue and the type and importance of damage. LCF experiments were made in the temperature range of brittle/ductile transition in air and vacuum. Damage mechanisms were characterized by microstructural investigations. [German] Unter den modernen Hochtemperaturwerkstoffen kommt den Legierungen auf Basis von {gamma}-TiAl eine zunehmend wichtige Bedeutung zu, da diese Werkstoffe ein hoeheres Temperaturpotential als alle kommerziellen Titanlegierungen haben und eine im Vergleich zu den Nickelbasis-Superlegierungen um ca. 50% geringere Dichte aufweisen. TiAl-Werkstoffe, die z.B. fuer Schaufeln und Gehaeuse in Flugzeugturbinen eingesetzt werden sollen, ...
Purpose: Evaluation of the diagnostic efficacy and cost-benefit of contrast enhanced CT (CT) and MRI pre- and post-SPIO-particles in focal hepatic disease with consideration of therapeutic outcome. Results: In 34/52 (65.4%) of the cases the correct diagnosis was primarily stated by CT (sensitivity [se.] 85.2%, specificity [sp.] 44.0%). In additional 10/52 of the cases unenhanced MRI (se. 91.4%, sp. 75.0%) enabled correct diagnoses, and in another 6 cases the diagnosis was established only by SPIO-MRI (se. 100%, sp. 86.7%). Considering the possible therapeutic recommendation arising from each modality, CT would have induced needless therapy costs of 191,042 DM, unenhanced MRI of 171,035 DM, and SPIO-MRI of 7,311 DM. In comparison to the real therapy costs of 221,873 DM, this would have corresponded to an unnecessary increase of therapy costs of 86.1%, 77.1%, and 3.3%, respectively. In two cases (91 hemangioma, 1 regenerative nodule) all modalities failed, causing unnecessary surgery in ...
To permit an assessment of the system presented in this paper the data collected up to this point should be complemented by further experience with its practical use in electromobiles and the recovery of zink and the electrolyte. To this end the system is to be tested in electromobiles in 1995 and 1996. If there are no serious problems in the course of these tests and the above-mentioned estimates on economic efficiency are confirmed, then there is much to be said for a large-scale trial of these battery systems in electromobiles in the framework of a pilot project in Karlsruhe. Because of the infrastructure required for recharging, such a project should first be carried out in cooperation with fleet operators. As the recharging technique employed is so simple as to require no great investment and cost-effectiveness should already be achievable with a few tens of vehicles, one can conceive of a whole variety of applications in cooperation with public utilities, municipalities, and ...
{sup 14}C is a is a long-lived beta-emitting nuclide (T{sub 1/2} = 5730 years) produced naturally in the upper atmosphere as a result of reactions between neutrons and stable {sup 14}N({sup 14}N(n,p){sup 14}C). Although in a lesser extent, nuclear power plants produce {sup 14}C as well during their routine operation. Since it is converted in {sup 14}CO{sub 2} and mixed throughout the atmosphere, it is incorporated into plant tissues, via photosynthesis process, and hence in food chain. Because of the biological importance of {sup 14}C and long half-life, it is of interest to quantify the amounts released by nuclear industry. The Brazilian nuclear central named Nuclear Central Admiral Alvaro Alberto (CNAAA) has two nuclear reactors of PWR type in operation, Angra I (657 MWe) and Angra II (1350 MWe), and one under construction, Angra III (1309 MWe PWR). The aim of this study was to determine the strength of the sources and the {sup 14}C content in the environment through analyses of air, ...
Present day mammography has not been able to make use of the advantages of digital luminescence radiography because of the limited spatial resolution. The recent development of electromagnetic focusing X-ray tube with effective focal spot sizes from 0.04 to 0.12 mm allows radiographic direct magnification with less geometric blur. It is now possible to combine direct magnification mammography with digital luminescence radiography. By combining high quality storage phosphor screens with an HQ-workstation a spatial resolution of 8 lp/mm is possible for 1.7-fold magnification. For 4-fold spot magnification views spatial resolution can be theoretically increased to approx. 20 lp/mm. One important advantage of digital radiography is the possibility of image-postprocessing. This article presents two sets of standard parameters and three sets of image dependent parameters for better imaging of specific lesions, such as microcalcifications. The introduction of the storage phosphor screen ...
This report describes work carried out in the context of TurboTech Interim for the development of a system for monitoring stationary gas turbines for approaching the stability limit of the compressor. The requirements for the system components were defined and the suitability of different types and positions of pressure sensors were examined and evaluated. It was found very early in the work that, due to the complexity of the object being monitored, one would not succeed in finding a simple criterion for monitoring the pump limit. Rather, apart from the selection of suitable sensors and optimum positions, one must analyse the present signals in different ways and create a decision matrix from this. Existing work on this subject is mostly concerned with the phenomena in the context of experiments on experimental compressors or is not suitable for the requirements of stationary industrial gas turbines. The project is being carried out in the context of TurboTech II with the main aims of: ...
The purpose of this work is to characterize the role of the financial institutions in achieving sustainable development meaning a process of development which leaves at least the same amount of capital, natural and man-made, to future generations as current generations have access to. This makes it clear that sustainable development is about capital allocation and thus should be at the core of financial markets activity. On a more practical level the different ways banks affect environment are analyzed: as investors - supplying the investments with environmental perspective; as lenders - developing new financial products to encourage sustainable development; as valuers - estimating risks and opportunities in project-financing; as powerful stake holders - as shareholders and lenders they can exercise considerable influence over companies; - as polluters - while not dirty industries, financial institutions do consume natural resources. By the study of these environmental aspects it comes ...
Purpose: For planning the therapeutic strategies and estimating the prognosis in esophageal cancer, N-staging is very important. To date, MRI still is of minor importance as imaging modality of the mediastinum despite promising developments in the past, like ECG-gating or 'averaging' sequences, e.g. LOTA (Long-term averaging), which facilitate mediastinal and thoracic MR-imaging. In a prospective approach, the value of MRI based N-staging was examined with respect to LOTA-sequences. Material and Methods: Within from weeks prior to esophagectomy, standardized MRI of the esophagus was performed in 15 patients (10 squamous-cell-carcinomas and 5 adenocarcinomas) using a 1.5 T whole body scanner. Imaging quality was classified based on depiction of aortic wall or tracheal wall layers. Criteria for malignant infiltration were a diameter of more than 15 mm or a round appearance of a lymph node together with GD-DTPA enhancement. All data were blinded and separately read by ...
Energy from biomass is a CO{sub 2} neutral, sustainable form of energy. Anaerobic digestion is an established technology for converting biomass to biogas, which contains around 60% methane, besides CO{sub 2} and various contaminants. Most types of biomass contain material that cannot be digested; in woody biomass, this portion is particularly high. Therefore, conventional anaerobic digestion is not suited for the production of biogas from woody biomass. While wood is already being converted to energy by conventional thermal methods (gasification with subsequent methanation), dung, manure, and sewage sludge represent types of biomass whose energy potential remains largely untapped (present energetic use of manure in Switzerland: 0.4%). Conventional gas phase processes suffer from a low efficiency due to the high water content of the feed (enthalpy of vaporization). An alternative technology is the hydrothermal gasification: the water contained within the biomass ...
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) as a diagnostic imaging tool relies on the generation of magnetic fields, whereas the computerized tomography (CT) uses X-radiation. The fundamental principle of MRI is the magnetic resonance of paramagnetic atomic nuclei. These nuclei, as e.g. protons (= hydrogen nuclei), are aligned in required orientation by application of a strong magnetic field. Upon simultaneous application of an electromagnetic high-frequency field perpendicular to the axis of the basic magnetic field, and in response to periodical changing of the electromagnetic field at a given frequency, the originally aligned paramagnetic nuclei are forced into a movement similar to that of a ``whipping top``. When the resonance frequency is shut off, the nuclei return to their former, aligned positions, inducing a weak signal in a coil. The series of signals generated by multiple repetition of this process of excitation of nuclei and their return to aligned rest is used as input to a ...
Aim: Today, MRI is an integral part of the presurgical evaluation of patients suffering from partial epilepsy. These patients frequently show focal morphological abnormalities with potential epileptogenic character and surgical resection of these lesions is associated with superior postsurgical outcome as to seizure frequency. Apart from easily detectable defects, such as post-traumatic lesions or cerebral infarction, as wide variety of mainly small abnormalities can be detected using MRI. Methods: In this study, 484 patients suffering from partial epilepsy of temporal or frontal onset were evaluated for the incidence of different lesions in this population. Results: All lesions found were included without evaluating their potential epileptogenicity, which remains to be proven using other procedures (EEG, SPECT, PET, etc.). Involvement of the hippocampal formation was a major finding in temporal lobe epilepsy, which could be detected as sclerosis (T2w-images), atrophy (T2w-TSE or ...
Purpose of this work is to evaluate the effectiveness and role of CT in blunt diaphragmatic injuries by reviewing our 8-year experience. It is reviewed the preoperative CT findings of 35 patients with surgically confirmed diaphragmatic rupture. Surgical repair was performed in the acute setting (within 12 hours of trauma) in 22 cases, and late (8 months-5 years) in 13 cases. Twenty-eight patients (80%) were examined with conventional CT and 7 (20%) with Helical CT. Of the 13 patients examined long after trauma, the left hemi diaphragm was ruptured in 12 cases (with visceral herniation in 4), and the right hemi diaphragm in 1, with no herniation. The diaphragmatic rent was found in the dome (15 cases, 43%), muscolotendinous junction (11 cases, 31%), muscular portion (8 cases, 23%), and at the muscular attachments on the ribs (1 case, 3%). As for the site of diaphragmatic injury, CT never depicted the diaphragmatic rent in the dome and at the muscolotendinous junction (74%), not even ...
Rectus sheath hematomas are a frequent but sometimes misdiagnosed disease in patients under anticoagulative drugs, hemodialysis, or simply in the elderly. The most frequent localization is in the lower part of the abdomen: the explanation lies in the anatomy of the abdominal wall, especially in the arcuate line of the rectus sheath. Aim of this work is to explain the reason of the almost constant location correlating the anatomy with the CT features. The rectus abdominis muscle lies between the aponeuroses of the transverse and oblique muscles which form the so called rectus sheath. This arrangement is found from the costal arch to a level approximately between the umbilicus and the pubic symphisis, where the rear layer of the rectus sheath ends with a curved edge, called the arcuate or semicircular line of Douglas. Beneath this line the aponeuroses of the three muscles pass in front of the rectus which is separated from the peritoneum only by the fascia trasversalis, a thin connective ...
We report for the first time about a micromachined mass flow sensor directly integrated between the double guidance and the needle seat into the body of a Common Rail (CR) injection nozzle. The thermal measurement principle was chosen because gaseous as well as liquid mass flows can be determined fast and precisely. Additionally, with glass-ceramic materials fabricated in a low cost batch process, a high temperature and especially pressure stable substrate can be used. The flow sensitive thin film is realized by an e-beam evaporated 110 nm thick molybdenum (Mo) layer. The latter is electrically characterized by the resistivity of {rho} = 8.2 x 10{sup -7} {omega} m ({+-}2%) at room temperature as well as by the first {alpha}=4.5 x 10{sup -4} K{sup -1} ({+-}5%) and second {beta}=3.0 x 10{sup -6} K{sup -2} ({+-}12%) temperature coefficients of resistance up to 300 C. The static temperature field at and around the thin film sensor on the glass-ceramic substrate is investigated with an IR ...
Acute thoracic aortic injuries account for up to 10-20% of fatalities in high-speed deceleration road accidents and have an estimated immediate fatality rate of 80-90%. Untreated survivors to acute trauma (10-20%) have a dismal prognosis: 30% of them die within 6 hours, 40-50% die within 24 hours, and 90% within 4 months. It was investigated the diagnostic accuracy of Helical Computed Tomography (Helical CT) in acute traumatic injuries of the thoracic aorta, and the role of this technique in the diagnostic management of trauma patients with a strong suspicion of aortic rupture. It was compared retrospectively the chest Helical CT findings of 256 trauma patients examined June 1995 through August 1999. Chest Helical CT examinations were performed according to trauma score, to associated traumatic lesions and to plain chest radiographic findings. All the examinations were performed with no intravenous contrast agent administration and the pitch 2 technique. After a previous baseline ...
This thesis deals with the analysis of dominant loss mechanisms in direct methanol fuel cells (DMFC) and hydrogen fed polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEFC) by means of experimental characterization and modeling work. Due to different fuels used in these two fuel cell types, the dominant loss mechanisms are different in their nature. All in-situ characterization techniques that are used in this work are based on a novel test fuel cell with embedded reference electrodes. The first part of this work presents a new concept for realizing a reference electrode configuration in a polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell by means of laser ablation. The laser beam is used to evaporate a small gap into the electrode surface of a catalyst coated membrane (CCM) to isolate the reference electrode from the working/counter electrode (WE/CE). This method enables the simultaneous ablation of the electrodes on both sides of the CCM because the membrane is transparent for the laser beam. ...
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