The variation of surface composition and sintering of the binary Pd{sub 7}Ag{sub 3} nanoparticles prepared by chemical reduction were studied. The composition of the as-prepared Pd{sub 7}Ag{sub 3} nanoparticles across the diameter is inhomogeneous due to different reduction potentials of Pd and Ag. Upon heating, Ag will migrate to the surface because of its lower surface energy. Surface modification results in variation of surface composition during the sintering process. Stearic acid acts as a grain growth inhibitor. The migration of Ag to the surface is suppressed and the sintering is retarded. Modification by polyethylene glycol leads to more migration of Ag atoms from the core to the surface. This makes the nanoparticles easier to sinter.
The variation of surface composition and sintering of the binary Pd_7Ag_3 nanoparticles prepared by chemical reduction were studied. The composition of the as-prepared Pd_7Ag_3 nanoparticles across the diameter is inhomogeneous due to different reduction potentials of Pd and Ag. Upon heating, Ag will migrate to the surface because of its lower surface energy. Surface modification results in variation of surface composition during the sintering process. Stearic acid acts as a grain growth inhibitor. The migration of Ag to the surface is suppressed and the sintering is retarded. Modification by polyethylene glycol leads to more migration of Ag atoms from the core to the surface. This makes the nanoparticles easier to sinter.
Mechanisms for differential regulation of gene expression may underlie much of the phenotypic variation and adaptability of malaria parasites. Here we describe transcriptional variation among culture-adapted...Full Text Available
OBJECTIVES: This article uses meta-analysis methodology to examine the statistical consistency and importance of random variation among results of epidemiologic studies of residential magnetic field...Full Text Available
Experimental data in the hybridised compound YbPd{sub 2}Si{sub 2} is compared with the results obtained with a recently proposed hybridisation model, based on the ''large-degeneracy expansion'' approximation, which takes into account the crystal field splittings of the rare earth ion energy levels. With a unique set of parameters, satisfactory agreement is simultaneously obtained for the thermal variation of the electronic specific heat, of the magnetic susceptibility and of the electric field gradient at the Yb site, as well as for the fieldvariation of the low temperature magnetisation. (orig.).
The design of high level radioactive waste (HLW) repositories in deep geological media in which bentonite clay is proposed as a sealing material leads to the need of further studying the behaviour of highly compacted expansive soils when subjected to mechanical, hydraulic and thermal changes. Laboratory tests may help to understand the processes that take place in the clay barrier under simple and controlled conditions and to develop the governing equations. The laboratory tests enable to isolate the different processes, making their interpretation easier, and provide with fundamental data concerning the parameters to be used in the models. The extremely low permeability of these materials, their avidity for water (high suction) and their high swelling capacity make necessary the modification of the conventional laboratory techniques and procedures to determine basic physical parameters. The main hydraulic properties of the barrier to be considered are the ...
This document is the Final Report for the project Introduccion de Mejoras Tecnologicas en el SISCOM II, or Improvements in SISCOM II Technology. It consists of a brief description of the activities carried out during the project, and several Annexes that explain in a deeper way each result. SISCOM II is the main telemetry system currently in use in the Spanish underground coal mining, but it was developed ten years ago and needed a technological update, which was the objective of this project. The aims of the project were: To develop Hardware and Software for the Out stations currently used (maintenance developments) To design new hardware and software, easier to use in the current and new applications of SISCOM II Both objectives were met, although not in the way originally intended. The main results were: In the field of old Out stations update: A new set of boards for the old Out stations was developed Out station's firmware was ...
This document is the Final Report for the project. Improvements in SISCOM II Technology. It consists of a brief description of the activities carried out during the project, and several Annexes that explain in a deeper way each result. SISCOM II is the main telemetry system currently in use in the Spanish underground coal mining, but it was developed ten years ago and needed a technological update, which was the objective of this project. The aims of the project were: - To develop Hardware and Software for the Outstations currently used (maintenance developments) - To design new hardware and software, easier to use in the current and new applications of SISCOM II Both objectives were met, although not in the way originally intended. The main results were: In the field of old Outstations update: - A new set of boards for the old Outstations was developed - Outstations`s firmware was updated for the new hardware In the field ...
Since the first round of conceptual fusion reactor designs in 1973 - 1974, there has been considerable progress in design improvement. Two recent tokamak designs of the Wisconsin and Culham groups, with increased plasma beta and wall loading (power density), lead to more compact reactors with easier maintenance. The Reference Theta-Pinch Reactor has undergone considerable upgrading in the design of the first wall insulator and blanket. In addition, a conceptual homopolar energy storage and transfer system has been designed. In the case of the mirror reactor, there are design changes toward improved modular construction and ease of handling, as well as improved direct converters. Conceptual designs of toroidal-multiple-mirror, liner-compression, and reverse-field pinch reactors are also discussed. A design is presented of a toroidal multiple-mirror reactor that combines the advantages of steady-state operation and high-aspect ratio. The ...
An S-brane solution with two non-composite electric branes and a set of l scalar fields is considered. The intersection rule for branes corresponds to the Lie algebra A_2. The solution contains five factor spaces with the fifth one interpreted as ``our'' 3-dimensional space. It is shown that there exists a time interval where accelerating expansion of ``our'' 3-dimensional space is compatible with small enough value of effective gravitational ``constant'' variation.
BackgroundVisual neurons respond essentially to luminance variations occurring within their receptive fields. In primary visual cortex, each neuron is a filter for stimulus features...Full Text Available
Mice and rats are important mammalian models in biomedical research. In contrast to other biomedical fields, work on sexual differentiation of brain and behavior has traditionally utilized comparative...Full Text Available
The recovery of schistosome cercariae from natural waters has been limited by variations in turbidity and in the accuracy of recovery with different techniques. A modification of the Rowan vacuum paper...Full Text Available
The purpose of this research was to: a) evaluate variations in sensitivity and uniformity of SPECT detectors during 360"0 rotation, b) explore the causes of the variations and c) to discuss a correction procedure. A flood source consisting of a lucite disc 47.7 cm in diameter containing 3 microcuries of Co-57 was constructed. This source can be firmly attached to the uncollimated detector guaranteeing no detector-source geometry change during rotation. Four different SPECT cameras were tested. Measurements were obtained at 45"0 intervals throughout a 360"0 rotation, and repeated in 3 different orientations with respect to the earth's magnetic field. In one camera the effects of the direction and strength of induced magnetic fields were studied. All detectors showed cyclic rotational variations in sensitivity; in three cameras 6%, in one 3%. The amplitude and phase of the sensitivity ...
Annual averages of the diurnal variation in cosmic ray intensity from neutron monitors in Deep River and Oulu and underground muon telescopes in Bolivia and at Embudo and Socorro, New Mexico, have been determined as a function of the sense of the interplantary magnetic field for the years 1965--1975. These data point to a cosmic ray density gradient, perpendicular to the ecliptic plane, pointing southward prior to 1969 and changing to a northward pointing gradient after the reversal of the sun's polar magnetic field in 1969--1971. This result supports numerical calculations for the prereversal and postreversal field configurations at intermediate and high cosmic ray rigidities.
As contamination flashover is in Mexico the second cause of transmission line faults, the Mexican Electrical Research Institute carried out a project to determine pollution patterns for the Republic of Mexico to be used for the design of external insulation. Results from the project are presented: the modelling, based on the field data of 23 experimental sites, of long term variations of pollution patterns as a function of environmental variables, insulator shape and position, as well as other important field results. 32 refs, 2 figs, 4 tabs
The spherical harmonic analysis of cosmic ray neutron data from the worldwide network neutron monitor stations during the years 1966 to 1969 was carried out. The second zonal harmonic component obtained from the analysis corresponds to the Pole-Equator anisotropy of the cosmic ray neutron intensity. Such an anisotropy makes a semiannual variation. In addition to this, it is shown that the Pole-Equator anisotropy makes a variation depending on the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) sector polarities around the passages of the IMF sector boundary. A mechanism to interpret these results is also discussed.
In order to illustrate morphological features and variations of temperature in the upper thermosphere, we performed numerical simulations with a whole atmosphere general circulation model (GCM) for the solar minimum and geomagnetically quiet conditions in March, June, September, and December. In previous GCMs, tidal effects were imposed at the lower boundaries assuming dominant diurnal and semi-diurnal tidal modes. Since the GCM used in the present study covers all the atmospheric regions, the atmospheric tides with various modes are generated within the GCM. The global temperature distributions obtained from the GCM are in agreement with ones obtained from NRLMSISE-00. In addition, the GCM also represents localised temperature structures which are superimposed on the global day-night distributions. These localised structures, which vary from hour to hour, would be observed as variations with periods of about 2-3 h at a single site. The ...
Summary 1. Plants express multiple defensive traits, but little is known about the genetic stability and phenotypic plasticity of these traits in nature. To investigate sources of variation and their potential ecological consequences for herbivores, we combined field observations of cyanogenic lima bean with laboratory experiments. 2. Field studies in South Mexico revealed a distinct variability of cyanogenic traits within and among wild lima bean populations. To differentiate among genetic variation and the impact of ambient conditions on plant phenotypes, we used seed grown plants as well as clones propagated from high (HC) and low cyanogenic (LC) wild type plants. 3. In growth chamber experiments, we cultivated plants under three intensities each of drought and salt stress, nutrient sup...
Standard radiation monitoring has been conducted at Sendai nuclear power station for the purpose of estimation of 'source activity' during refueling outage and evaluation of countermeasures to reduce dose rate. Selected objects of the monitoring are radiation dose rate at maintenance area, radiation field at each equipment and piping, coolant chemistry and plant operation condition. Monitored data indicates that 'source activity' variation can be estimated to some extent using influential factors, and that evaluation of change of loose crud activity, which is presumed to be represented by the dose rate at letdown heat exchanger, is necessary to further explain change in radiation field at main work area. (author).
Aerial lines or cables, as one mainly energy transport path of electronic system when illuminated by HEMP, has been often modeled by field-to-transmission line model. However, in many cases, authors too often encounter some confusing statements to the lines effects during experimental procedure. The aim of this paper is to present and discuss these cases, such as the electromagnetic environment above the ground plane, the contribution of the different electromagnetic field component to the induced current and voltage, variations of the load current for different line heights and ground conductivities etc. (authors)
To achieve high efficiency for the conversion of electron kinetic energy in an electron beam to electromagnetic energy in a Free Electron Laser (FEL), it is important to improve the beam quality. And hence, it is necessary to study and minimize the emittance growth of the beam. According to the requirements for the beam quality in an FEL, the author analyzed the emittance growth caused by the jump of the electric field in an accelerator, energy increase, wakefield in a waveguide, space charge effect and distribution of particles in a beam as well as the wakefield in a deflect system etc. The author also estimated the emittance change caused by the variation of the microwave field from the gun to the first accelerator for such case.
Regulatory genes called small RNAs (sRNAs) are known to play critical roles in cellular responses to changing environments. For several sRNAs, regulation is effected by coupled stoichiometric degradation with messenger RNAs (mRNAs). The nonlinearity inherent in this regulatory scheme indicates that exact analytical solutions for the corresponding stochastic models are intractable. Here, we present a variational approach to analyze a well-studied stochastic model for regulation by sRNAs via coupled degradation. The proposed approach is efficient and provides accurate estimates of mean mRNA levels as well as higher order terms. Results from the variational ansatz are in excellent agreement with data from stochastic simulations for a wide range of parameters, including regions of parameter space where mean-field approaches break down. The proposed approach can be applied to quantitatively model stochastic gene expression in ...
The stability of a solid ice cover subjected to rapidly varying water levels and discharge was investigated. The support from the bank limits the stress in the ice cover and consequently bank contact must be maintained to ensure ice cover stability. An analysis was required of the stability of ice hinges, a flexible connection between a solid ice cover and the riverbank. Phase II and phase III of the research involved a field study of the Peace River, investigating the evolution of ice hinges with water level variation, from initial ice cover cracking parallel to the banks, to a fully developed hinge. A test program of midwinter discharge variations was undertaken to gather specific data and measurements of ice hinge link length, ice thickness, hinge joint behavior, riverbank geometry, and response of ice hinging to water level variation. This volume of appendices to the study presents detailed ...
The magnetic fluid is a colloidal suspension of magnetite in kerosene, prepared by a low-cost process. Separation is accomplished in an open trough filled with magnetic fluid. A magnetic field is established in the fluid, by energizing an electromagnet having poles on each side of the trough. Due to the design of the magnet poles and air gaps, the magnetic field is strongest at the bottom, about 10,000 oersteds, and uniformly decreases in strength to about 2000 oersteds at the top of the fluid. Therefore, the magnetic field gradient increases with depth. The magnetic force attracts the entire separation medium (magnetic fluid) creating a reaction force of equal magnitude and acting in the opposite direction. This reaction created within a magnetic fluid/magnetic field combination is called a magnetic levitation force. It increases with the field strength. In this case because the ...
Laser-Doppler anemometry was used to investigate mean flow and turbulence fields in a direct injection diesel engine, motored at speeds of 1500, 2250 and 3000 rev/min. Both cycle-resolved and ensemble-averaged measurements were made in the upper part of the cylinder during the inlet and compression strokes. The cycle-resolved measurements in the inlet stroke are discussed in this paper.
Preventing tobacco use in youths may be an easier task than helping adults break the habit of smoking and overcome its ill effects. Using experimental procedures based on social work techniques,...Full Text Available
The PDIM multifunction regulator offers in one single unit the basic functions filtering, slamshut safety valve, pressure reduction and a gas flow straightening vane. This concept formulated by the engineer J.-P. Cornil is a Gaz de France patent. Developed and manufactured by a French industrial company it incorporates some astute innovations in the field of fluid dynamics. Its technical caracteristics make a significant step forward in gas technology. Since the first unit was brought into service over 1000 PDIM units have been built and incorporated in gas regulating and metering stations for transport, distribution and industrial applications. The very compact nature of the PDIM enhanced by its direct bolting to a turbine or other type of gas meter leads to small size stations allowing lower cost projects and making it easier to set in populated or architecturally significant areas. (orig.) [Deutsch] Der PDIM ist eine Verschmelzung der ...
This report covers the technical effort through February, 1989. This effort was directed towards the technology associated with the development of a large scale, long pulse DF-CO{sub 2} chemical laser. Optics damage studies performed under Task 1 assessed damage thresholds for diamond-turned salt windows. Task 2 is a multi-faceted task involving the use of PHOCL-50 for laser gain measurements, LTI experiments, and detector testing by LANL personnel. To support these latter tests, PHOCL-50 was upgraded with Boeing funding to incorporate a full aperture outcoupler that increased its energy output by over a factor of 3, to a full kilojoule. The PHOCL-50 carbon block calorimeter was also recalibrated and compared with the LANL Scientech meter. Cloud clearing studies under Task 3 initially concentrated on delivering a Boeing built Cloud Simulation Facility to LANL, and currently involves design of a Cold Cloud Simulation Facility. A Boeing IRAD funded theoretical study on cold cloud ...
This monograph provides basic notions and principles in dosimetry and radiation protection in compliance with two fundamental works: IAEA Safety Series No.115 - International Basic Safety Standards for Protection against Ionizing Radiation and for the Safety of Radiation Sources - and Publication no. 60 of International Commission on Radiological Protection. After the review of quantities and units necessary in radiation protection, the book presents the new values of dose limits as well as the values of 'radiation weighting factor', 'tissue weighting factor' and 'conversion factor intake-dose' (committed effective dose per unit intake) by ingestion and inhalation for 30 most important radionuclides. The new values of dose limits, lower than the old values, are a challenge for the radiation protection, especially of the 'public' where the dose limit diminished by a factor of five relative to the earlier edition. The new value of dose limit for public, 1 mSv per year (obviously over the ...
To accomplish the environmental radiological surveillance need of India's ambitious nuclear power programme, Health Physics Division is infusing new technologies and improved analytical techniques for day to day measurements of various radionuclides in different environmental matrices. It is essential to have techniques for measuring the concentration of radionuclides just above the background level since the discharges from the nuclear facilities are very low i.e. in the range of 5-10% of the prescribed discharge limits by the regulatory bodies. In view of developing ultra-sensitive techniques, the aim of ongoing programmes of the division is to meet the challenges of measuring ultra trace level of radioactivity by adopting state of art new instrumentation and improved sample processing techniques. This will allow us to measure the lowest level of radioactivity (3H, 90Sr, 137Cs, 239+240Pu, etc.) in the environment and thereby estimating the lowest doses to the members of public. ...
Roles of bumpy field on collisionless particle confinement in helical-axis heliotrons are investigated with the model magnetic field and particle orbit calculations in the Boozer coordinates. The mod-B{sub min} contours can be shifted in the major radius direction with the control of the bumpy field, where B{sub min} is the minimum value of |B| in the toroidal direction within one field period. The area of closed mod-B{sub min} contours is a useful measure to evaluate global collisionless particle confinement as long as the mod-B{sub min} contours connect toroidally. Negative value of ratio between the bumpy and the helicity components contributes to obtain the largest area of closed mod-B{sub min} contours for finite ratio between the toroidicity and the helicity components. The radial variation of the bumpy field attributes to realize a toroidally localized ...
In the case of total skin electron therapy without the beam guide, the electron beam is scattered just outside the gantry exit, dose uniformity in the field is broken, and dose is spread outside the light field. The aims of this study were to measure the mean energy of the off-axis incident electron beam without the beam guide and to establish a reference for the clinical situation. For the measurement, a 4 MeV electron beam was selected among several energies from the linear accelerator. A scintillating fiber beam energy monitor measured the mean energy of the incident electron beam. This energy monitor is a small, light-weight piece of equipment composed of a wedge absorber, scintillation fiber, and photodiode. We found the relationship between electron energy and the indicated value of the energy monitor by means of the estimation of correction factors for five different kinds of electron energy. The preferable linear correlation of 0.997 of ...
Classic and recent results for gauge effects on the properties of the normal-to-superconducting phase transition in bulk and thin film superconductors are reviewed. Similar problems in the description of other natural systems (liquid crystals, quantum field theory, early universe) are also discussed. The relatively strong gauge effects on the fluctuations of the ordering field at low spatial dimensionality D and, in particular, in thin (quasi-2D) films are considered in details. A special attention is paid to the fluctuations of the gauge field. It is shown that the mechanism in which these gauge fluctuations affect on the order of the phase transition and other phase transition properties varies with the variation of the spatial dimensionality D. The problem for the experimental confirmation of the theoretical predictions about the order of the phase transitions in gauge systems is discussed.
Development drilling from Chevron-operated Platform Hermosa, located on OCS-P 0316 of the Point Arguello field, began on January 30, 1987. To date, seven development wells have been drilled in to the northwest-southeast-trending, doubly plunging anticlinal structure. The results from drilling have confirmed the presence of intense folding and fracturing in the targeted Monterey Formation. Over 700 ft of conventional core were recovered from the B-2 well in the lower Sisquoc and Monterey Formations. Analysis of the core material has yielded important information on lithologic variations and fracture patterns in the productive Monterey Formation. Initial results of core studies, DST data, and wireline studies indicate a correlation between rock type and fracturing. Fracture trends and directional permeability suggested by drill-stem testing may affect future drilling patterns in the field.
Abstract A large remaining source of uncertainty in global model predictions of future climate is how ecosystem carbon (C) cycle feedbacks to climate change. We conducted a field manipulative experiment of warming and nitrogen (N) addition in a temperate steppe in northern China during two contrasting hydrological growing seasons in 2006 [wet with total precipitation 11.2% above the long-term mean (348 mm)] and 2007 (dry with total precipitation 46.7% below the long-term mean). Irrespective of strong intra- and interannual variations in ecosystem C fluxes, responses of ecosystem C fluxes to warming and N addition did not change between the two growing seasons, suggesting independence of warming and N responses of net ecosystem C exchange (NEE) upon hydrological variations in the temperate ...
We present the initial results of an observational study into the variation of the dominant length-scale of quiet solar emission: supergranulation. This length-scale reflects the radiative energy in the plasma of the upper solar chromosphere and transition region at the magnetic network boundaries forming as a result of the relentless interaction of magnetic fields and convective motions of the Sun's interior. We demonstrate that a net difference of ~0.5Mm in the supergranular emission length-scale occurs when comparing observations cycle 22/23 and cycle 23/24 minima. This variation in scale is reproduced in the datasets of multiple space- and ground-based instruments and using different diagnostic measures. By means of extension, we consider the variation of the supergranular length-scale over multiple solar minima by analyzing a subset of the Mt Wilson Solar Observatory (MWO) Ca II K image record. The ...
The stability of a solid ice cover subjected to rapidly varying water levels and discharge was investigated. The support from the bank limits the stress in the ice cover and consequently bank contact must be maintained to ensure ice cover stability. An analysis was required of the stability of ice hinges, a flexible connection between a solid ice cover and the riverbank. Phase II and phase III of the research involved a field study of the Peace River, investigating the evolution of ice hinges with water level variation, from initial ice cover cracking parallel to the banks, to a fully developed hinge. A test program of midwinter discharge variations was undertaken to gather specific data and measurements of ice hinge link length, ice thickness, hinge joint behavior, riverbank geometry, and response of ice hinging to water level variation. As a result of the program, concepts developed throughout the ...
Molecular genetic markers can be used to identify quantitative trait loci (QTL) for thermal resistance and this has allowed characterization of a major QTL for knockdown resistance to high temperature in Drosophila melanogaster. The QTL showed trade-off associations with cold resistance under laboratory conditions. However, assays of thermal tolerance conducted in the laboratory may not necessarily reflect performance at varying temperatures in the field. Here we tested if lines with different genotypes in this QTL show different thermal performance under high and low temperatures in the field using a release recapture assay. We found that lines carrying the QTL genotype for high thermal tolerance were significantly better at locating resources in the field releases under hot temperatures while the QTL line carrying the contrasting genotype were superior at cold temperatures. Further, we studied copulatory success between ...
Ferrofluids have promising potential for heat transfer applications, since advective transport in a ferrofluid can be readily controlled by using an external magnetic field. However, unlike conventional free or forced convection, ferrohydrodynamic convection is not yet well characterized. A full understanding of the relationship between an imposed magnetic field, the resulting ferrofluid flow, and the temperature distribution is a prerequisite for the proper design and implementation of applications involving thermomagnetic convection. The literature variously assumes constant magnetic fields, does not completely represent the variation in the imposed field, or its descriptions are inaccurate, since the fields do not comply with the Maxwell's equations of electromagnetism. We address this by simulating two-dimensional forced convection heat transfer in ...
Ferrofluids have promising potential for heat transfer applications, since advective transport in a ferrofluid can be readily controlled by using an external magnetic field. However, unlike conventional free or forced convection, ferrohydrodynamic convection is not yet well characterized. A full understanding of the relationship between an imposed magnetic field, the resulting ferrofluid flow, and the temperature distribution is a prerequisite for the proper design and implementation of applications involving thermomagnetic convection. The literature variously assumes constant magnetic fields, does not completely represent the variation in the imposed field, or its descriptions are inaccurate, since the fields do not comply with the Maxwell's equations of electromagnetism. We address this by simulating two-dimensional forced convection heat transfer in a channel ...
In 2009 the European Space Agency satellite mission GOCE (Gravity Field and Steady-State Ocean Circulation Explorer) was launched. Its objectives are the precise and detailed determination of the Earth's gravity field and geoid. Its core instrument, a three axis gravitational gradiometer, measures the gravity gradient components V xx , V yy , V zz and V xz (second-order derivatives of the gravity potential V) with high precision and V xy , V yz with low precision, all in the instrument reference frame. The long wavelength gravity field is recovered from the orbit, measured by GPS (Global Positioning System). Characteristic elements of the mission are precise star tracking, a Sun-synchronous and very low (260 km) orbit, angular control by magnetic torquing and an extremely stiff and thermally stable instrument environment. GOCE is complementary to GRACE (Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment), another satellite ...
Long-term modulation of galactic cosmic rays in interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) turbulence is a fundamental subject for understanding the connection between cosmic ray transport and solar activity. The discovery of a new cosmic ray modulation phenomenon is reported. Analysis of neutron monitor data has revealed that the difference in amplitude of the cosmic ray diurnal anisotropy for IMF sectors directed toward and away from the Sun displays a solar cycle variation. Neutron monitor data recorded at Climax, Deep River, Hyancayo, Kiel, Mt. Washington, and Swarthmore/Newark over the period 1957 to 1988 show that the amplitude difference varied between approximately 0.1 to -0.1 percent, with peaks in 1960, 1972, and 1982. A theoretical expression for this difference was derived from a three-dimensional model. Analysis also showed that the latitudinal density gradient of cosmic rays changed between 1.6 and -1.6 percent/AU with a solar cycle ...
The mean-field pictures based on the standard time-dependent variational approach have widely been used in the study of nonlinear many-boson systems such as the Bose-Hubbard model. The mean-field schemes relevant to Gutzwiller-like trial states $|F>$, number-preserving states $|\\xi >$ and Glauber-like trial states $|Z>$ are compared to evidence the specific properties of such schemes. After deriving the Hamiltonian picture relevant to $|Z>$ from that based on $|F>$, the latter is shown to exhibit a Poisson algebra equipped with a Weyl-Heisenberg subalgebra which preludes to the $|Z>$-based picture. Then states $|Z>$ are shown to be a superposition of $\\cal N$-boson states $|\\xi>$ and the similarities/differences of the $|Z>$-based and $|\\xi>$-based pictures are discussed. Finally, after proving that the simple, symmetric state $|\\xi>$ indeed corresponds to a SU(M) coherent state, a dual ...
Hydrogen and helium cosmic ray nuclei spectra gathered from 1976 to 1993 have been corrected to the top of the atmosphere and normalized at high rigidities. The variation of these primary cosmic ray fluxes above 400 MeV/nucleon has been examined as a function of the phase of the solar cycle with the force-field approximation model. The intensity of the normalized fluxes between solar maximum and minimum conditions varies by a factor of 6 for hydrogen and a factor of 4.3 for helium at the lowest rigidities considered.
The symposium reports results of investigations in geodesy conducted between 1987 and 1991 in the Soviet Union. The five sections of the report deal with several aspects of physical geodesy, with particular attention given to studies of the earth's gravitational field; geodetic positioning and geodetic networks; gravimetry, including high-precision gravimetry, marine gravimetry, and nontidal gravity variations; satellite geodesy; and recent crustal movements. Each section is supplied with a detailed bibliography.
A variational principle is proposed for defining that canonical transformation, continuously connected with the identity transformation, which minimizes the residual, coordinate-dependent part of the new Hamiltonian. The principle is based on minimization of the mean-square generalized force. The transformation reduces to the action-angle transformation in that part of the phase space of an integrable system where the orbit topology is that of the unperturbed system, or on primary KAM surfaces. General arguments in favor of this definition are given, based on Galilean invariance, decay of the Fourier spectrum, and its ability to include external fields or inhomogeneous systems. The optimal oscillation-center transformation for the physical pendulum, or particle in a sinusoidal potential, is constructed.
The validation of the forecast model for early emergency response to nuclear accidents is evaluated by trace tests in atmosphere in Daya Bay nuclear power site. The simulation experiment of the Daya Bay nuclear power site shows that the particle spreading image and the time-integrated concentration distribution given by plume concentration prediction model can perform the variation of pathway of the pollutant transport, as well as the effects of topography on transport and diffusion of pollutants. The simulation of five trace tests in field shows that 59.1% of ratios between predicted results and observed results are within the range of 10, and 41% of ratios are within the range of 5 approximately. (authors)
In drift tube linacs a beam energy spread results form the finite beam size. Radial variation of the axial accelerating field induces a beam energy spread, which, in general, will accumulate as the beam passes through successive drift tubes. This paper shows that under some conditions of periodic transverse focusing and longitudinal phase focusing, the correlation between the longitudinal and transverse motion can be used to correct the energy spread. The process of achieving such a correction is first described in a simplified situation, and then demonstrated for a particular tuning using a ray-tracing program which models a low velocity and low charge state linac designed for radioactive ion beams.
A conical Bragg-curve spectrometer (BCS) has been constructed. The outer case was a molded plastic cone. Printed circuit techniques were used to form an insert with inscribed equipotentials to approximate a 1/r/sup 2/ electric field shape. The charge and energy resolution were measured for elastically scattered beams of 206 MeV /sup 28/Si, 413 and 378 MeV /sup 56/Fe, and 670 MeV /sup 86/Kr ions. Performance of this detector, particularly its charge resolution, is discussed with respect to variation in solid angle.
Investigations were carried out of radiation level around Daya Bay for three times since the construction and operation Daya bay Nuclear Power Station and Lingao Nuclear Power Station in Guangdong province in the period of 1988 to 2000. As shown by the investigation, the radiation levels both in the field and indoors remains unchanged by and large but slightly higher than before on the roads. Also this paper gives the analysis of variations in radiation levels form site to site and from time to time. It was shown that, for environmental ? radiation levels measurements, typical measuring sites have significant impact on the meaning results. (authors)
Longitudinal space charge (LSC) force can be a main effect driving the microbunching instability in the linac for an x-ray free-electron laser (FEL). In this paper, the LSC-induced beam modulation is studied using an integral equation approach that takes into account the transverse (radial) variation of LSC field for both the coasting beam limit and bunched beam. Changes of beam energy and the transverse beam size can be also incorporated. We discuss the validity of this approach and compare it with other analyses as well as numerical simulations.
A simple method allowing easy calculation of the spatial damage energy distributions for ion-implanted materials is presented. The direct procedure takes account of the variation with depth of the lateral spreading of implanted ions, as well as the effects of energy transport by the recoiling target atoms. The subsequent computer program LUPIN-3D provides three-dimensional damage distributions and allows the construction of damage energy mappings. Various substrates of technological interest are investigated and several fields of application of the calculation are envisaged. The density of cascades can therefore be determined and heterogeneous amorphization models can be implemented. (orig.).
Maximum cross-correlation techniques have been used with satellite data to estimate winds and sea surface velocities for several years. Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) is currently using a variation of the basic maximum cross-correlation technique, coupled with a deterministic application of a vector median filter, to measure transverse winds as a function of range and altitude from incoherent elastic backscatter lidar data taken throughout large volumes within the atmospheric boundary layer. Hourly representations of three- dimensional wind fields, derived from elastic lidar data taken during an air-quality study performed in a region of complex terrain near Sunland Park, New Mexico, are presented and compared with results from an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) approved laser doppler velocimeter. The wind fields showed persistent large scale eddies as well as general terrain following winds in the Rio Grande ...
This paper first introduces the calculating method of radium specific activity to determine the radon emanation rate of tailing of uranium mine No. 794, the method needs two parameters: radon emanation coefficient and radon diffusion coefficient. According to the measured results of parameters and the contrast between radium specific activity of indoor chemical analysis of field sample and field gamma-ray spectra, the authors discuss the variation rules and characteristics of radon emanation coefficient and radon diffusion coefficient, and the best climate and seasons for measuring these parameters in northern China, and finally summarize the characteristics of this method through analyzing measured results. (authors)
Samples of Fe78B13Si9 (Metglas 2605 TCA) and Fe77Cr2B16Si5 (Metglas 2605 S3A) were exposed to pulsed excimer laser irradiation at repetition rates of 15, 25 and 50Hz. The occurrence of out-of-plane magnetic anisotropy, changes in the average hyperfine magnetic field and width of the hyperfine field distribution were evidenced by transmission Mossbauer spectroscopy. The variation of the recoilless fraction with laser processing parameters was derived from the simultaneous recording of Mossbauer spectra using a stainless steel etalon as a dual absorber. Conclusions on the onset of long-range magnetic order were formulated.
A detailed discussion of airborne CO{sub 2}, DIAL measurements obtained from the first joint N-ABLE field campaign at INEL is presented. System performance characteristics, including return signal strength, averaging statistics, and temporal correlation as well as multi-line DIAL spectral data are discussed. In particular, we review data acquisition and analysis strategies pertinent to chemical detection from a moving platform, such as range determination and correction, and return signal processing (waveform vs. box-car integration, baseline correction). We also report observed effects and variations due to near-field light scattering, pointing and tracking stability, and stack-release plume dynamics.
Odontocetes are believed to receive sounds primarily through the pan bone region of the lower jaw although much variation in jaw morphology exists among species. In order to further examine this jaw hearing hypothesis we tested the head receiving sensitivity and directional hearing of a beluga whale, Delphinapterus leucas. Hearing thresholds were measured using auditory evoked potentials (AEPs). The subject proved to have highly directional hearing for far-field click stimuli similar to that of bottlenose dolphins and more directional than the harbor porpoise. For near-field jawphone stimulation, the beluga's lowest thresholds were found when click stimuli were presented at the rostrum tip (76?dB re: 1??Pa) although thresholds from the pan bone region stimulation were only 2?3?dB higher. S...
The Goldstone-Brueckner perturbation theory is extended to incorporate in a simple way correlations associated with large amplitude collective motions in nuclei. The new energy expansion making use of non-orthogonal vacua still allows to remove the divergences originating from the hard-core of the bare interaction. This is done through the definition of a new Brueckner matrix summing generalized Brueckner ladders. At the lowest-order, this formalism motivates variational calculations beyond the mean-field such as the Generator Coordinate Method (GCM) and the Projected Mean-Field Method from a perturbative point of view for the first time. Going to higher orders amounts to incorporate diabatic effects in the GCM and to extend the projection technique from product states to well-defined correlated states.
Within the framework of the effective-mass approximation, using a variational method, we have calculated the effect of intense laser radiation on the binding energy of the shallow-donor impurities in a Ga1- x In x N y As1- y /GaAs single quantum well for different nitrogen and indium mole concentrations. Our numerical results show that the binding energy strongly depends on the laser intensity and frequency (via the laser dressing parameter) and it also depends on the nitrogen and indium concentrations. Impurity binding energy under intense laser fields can be tuned by changing the nitrogen and indium mole fraction.
A three-component seismic line acquired over the Zamora gas field, northern Sacramento Valley, California, displays conventional (P-P) and converted-wave (P-SV) seismic anomalies. Well log and seismic modeling results indicate that bright-spot reflection strengths are related to variations in fluid saturation and lithology. The P-SV reflection strengths and interval velocities provide valuable information that complements more conventional strategies such as amplitude with offset and polarity analysis. This integrated strategy can improve risk evaluation and well-site selection in areas where rapid changes in reservoir quality impact resource evaluation.
A three-component seismic line acquired over the Zamora gas field, northern Sacramento Valley, California, displays conventional (P-P) and converted-wave (P-SV) seismic anomalies. Well log and seismic modeling results indicate that bright-spot reflection strengths are related to variations in fluid saturation and lithology. The converted-wave reflection strengths and interval velocities provide valuable information that compliments more conventional strategies such as amplitude with offset and polarity analysis. This integrated strategy can improve risk evaluation and well site selection in areas where rapid changes in reservoir quality impact resource evaluation.
The GammeV experiment has constrained the couplings of chameleon scalar fields to matter and photons. Here we present a detailed calculation of the chameleon afterglow rate underlying these constraints. The dependence of GammeV constraints on various assumptions in the calculation is studied. We discuss GammeV-CHASE, a second-generation GammeV experiment, which will improve upon GammeV in several major ways. Using our calculation of the chameleon afterglow rate, we forecast model-independent constraints achievable by GammeV-CHASE. We then apply these constraints to a variety of chameleon models, including quartic chameleons and chameleon dark energy models. The new experiment will be able to probe a large region of parameter space that is beyond the reach of current tests, such as fifth force searches, constraints on the dimming of distant astrophysical objects, and bounds on the variation of the fine structure constant.
CMSX-4 superalloy laser beam welds were investigated by transmission electron microscopy and atom probe field-ion microscopy (APFIM). The weld microstructure consisted of fine (10- to 50-nm) irregularly shaped {gamma}` precipitates (0.65 to 0.75 volume fraction) within the {gamma} matrix. APFIM compositions of the {gamma} and {gamma}` phases were found to be different from those in the base metal. Concentration profiles across the {gamma} and {gamma}` phases showed extensive variations of Cr, Co and Al concentrations as a function of distance within the {gamma} phase. Calculated lattice misfits near the {gamma}/{gamma}` interface in the welds are positive values compared to the negative values for base metal. (orig.).
Research in the field of river hydrology has been mainly concerned with the investigation of the rainfall-runoff phenomenon through the analysis of hydrological factors such as meteorology and geography, with the focus being on each river basin. Recently, various forms of digital information such as GIS (Geographic Information System) and RS (Remote Sensing) data have been made available in worldwide digital map format. Therefore, there has been a shift in focus from lumped-parameter models to distributed runoff models, as the latter can consider temporal and spatial variations in water quantity. Distributed runoff models have made possible the comparison of runoff field and rainfall-runoff characteristics considering spatial distribution. Hydrological conditions are differently distribute...
A strong toroidal rotation braking has been observed in plasmas with application of an n = 1 magnetic perturbation field on the JET tokamak. Calculation results from the momentum transport analysis show that the torque induced by the n = 1 perturbation field has a global profile. The maximal value of this torque is at the plasma core region (#rho# < 0.4) and it is about half of the neutral beam injection torque. The calculation shows that the plasma is mainly in the #nu#_-#sq root##nu# regime in the plasma core, but it is close to the transition between the 1/#nu# and #nu#_-#sq root##nu# regimes. The neoclassical toroidal viscosity (NTV) torque in the 1/#nu# and #nu#_-#sq root##nu# regimes is calculated. The observed torque is of a magnitude in between that of the NTV torque in the 1/#nu# and #nu#_-#sq root##nu# regimes. The NTV torque in the #nu#_-#sq root##nu# regimes is enhanced using the Lagrangian variation of the ...
Quantitative trait loci (QTL) for growth traits, water use efficiency and tolerance/resistance against metals and herbivores have been identified. A hybrid F2 population originating from a cross between a Salix dasyclados-clone (SW901290) and a S. viminalis-clone ('Jorunn') was used for the different studies in this project. The growth response was analyzed in a greenhouse experiment with two water treatments, normal and drought. In addition, three field experiments with contrasting soils and climates were established. QTL specific for each treatment or field environment but also QTL stable over the treatments or field environments were detected. Each QTL explained from 8 to 29 % of the phenotypic variation depending on trait, treatment or field environment. Clusters of QTL for different traits were mapped indicating a common genetic base or tightly-linked QTL. ...
Radiowave scintillation in the presence of natural and/or high-altitude nuclear disturbances has the potential to disrupt numerous transionospheric radio and radar systems. This report develops a model characterizing the plasma-density irregularities that produce scintillation in the naturally disturbed equatorial F layer. The model is incorporated into Program WBMOD along with subroutines for computing both link geometry and scintillation indices, the latter by means of phase screen diffraction theory. The model is based on similarly extensive analysis of wideband data from two equatorial stations. It describes irregularities at an effective height of 350 km that are isotropic across the geomagnetic field and elongated by a factor of 50 along the field and whose one-dimensional spatial power spectrum obeys a single-regime power law with a (negative) spectral index of 1.5. The height-integrated spectral strength of the irregularities is modeled ...
The effective electron mobility was measured as a function of surface field in polysilicon thin film transistors having the following three types of gate dielectrics; silicon dioxide deposited by low temperature (350degC) plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD), low temperature (400degC) nitrogen-rich PECVD silicon nitride and high temperature (1050degC) thermally grown silicon dioxide. At low surface fields, the maximum true effective electron mobility was 40[+-]3 cm[sup 2] V[sup -1] s[sup -1] in all devices independent of the type of gate dielectric, indicating that the quality of the interface is the same. However, at high surface fields a stronger degradation of the mobility was observed in devices having the thermally grown silicon dioxide as gate dielectric, indicating the presence of surface roughness within the interfacial region. The polysilicon structure was studied by transmission electron microscopy in ...
The UniPrime2 web server is a publicly available online resource which automatically designs large sets of universal primers when given a gene reference ID or Fasta sequence input by a user. UniPrime2...Full Text Available
This document presents the integrated reactors concepts by a presentation of four reactors: PIUS, SIR, IRIS and CAREM. The core conception, the operating, the safety, the economical aspects and the possible users are detailed. From the performance of the classical integrated PWR, the necessity of new innovative fuels utilization, the research of a simplified design to make easier the safety and the KWh cost decrease, a new integrated reactor is presented: SCAR 600. (A.L.B.)
In the present work, range and energy loss rate of "2"8Si in four dielectric track detectors viz: Makrofol-KG (MFKG), Makrofol-G (MFG), Triafol-BN (TBN) and LR-115 (cellulose nitrate) have been measured. To calculate these parameters, a curve fitting method was proved to be very useful and easier with more accuracy. (author)
The South White Rose oilfield, offshore Newfoundland, owned jointly by Husky Oil (82.5 per cent ) and Petro-Canada (17.5 per cent) is being developed using a floating production storage and offloading (FPSO) system. Some industry stakeholders claim that the oil should be produced using a concrete gravity base system as used in the Hibernia Field. However, Husky Oil officials are confident that the choice of the FPSO is well justified, based on its cost effectiveness and economic viability. Several production facility options have been assessed, taking into account feasibility, deliverability, economic attributes. risk and safety . The assessment results clearly pointed to FPSO as the preferred system based on its commercial and technical flexibility, proven track record in harsh environments, its ability to produce both oil and gas in sequential development, its promise of production at full capacity earlier than a gravity base system, and ...
A seismic line was acquired by ARCO Exploration Company in 1977 in southern Freemont County and extends northeast from the deepest part of the Green River basin across the Wind River thrust onto crystalline basement rocks of the Wind River Mountains. A COCORP line across the area has been discussed previously, but the ARCO line shows more detailed information beneath the thrust. The seismic line is significant because it shows a strong reflection at the base of the Precambrian granite, which overlies a sedimentary rocks of the northern Green River basin. It also illustrates an apparent anticline beneath the thrust fault which is the result of lateral velocity variation caused by a shallow wedge of low-velocity Miocene sediments superimposed on a velocity pull-up related to the high-velocity Precambrian granite. The effects of the velocity variations can be analyzed by ray tracing and by studying the near offset and far offset stacks of the ...
A characteristic trait of Francis turbines operating at low-head is pressure pulsations that occur during certain load levels of the generator. These stem from pressure variations across the turbine due to pulsating flow in the draft-tube. This surging action of the water column is related to draft-tube geometry and flow-rate of water in the penstock. The pressure pulsations cause torque variations on the turbine and corresponding electric power pulsations. If electric power is used as a feedback signal to the Power System Stabilizer (PSS), then Mvar and terminal voltage pulsations will occur when the generator is operating in the ``rough zone``. This paper describes field test results for investigating feedforward control from the penstock, draft tube and spiral case pressure to reduce the effects of Mw pulsations on PSS output signals. This investigation involved a PSS with generator power as the feedback signal and the ...
In order to employ molecular dynamics (MD) methods, commonly used in condensed matter physics, we have derived the equations of motion for a beam of charged particles in the rotating rest frame of the reference particle. We include in the formalism that the particles are confined by the guiding and focusing magnetic fields, and that they are confined in a conducting vacuum pipe while interacting with each other via a Coulomb force. Numerical simulations using MD methods has been performed to obtain the equilibrium crystalline beam structure. The effect of the shearing force, centrifugal force, and azimuthal variation of the focusing strength are investigated. It is found that a constant gradient storage ring can not give a crystalline beam, but that an alternating-gradient (AG) structure can. In such a machine the ground state is, except for one-dimensional (1-D) crystals, time dependent. The ground state is a zero entropy state, despite the ...
The kinetic and guiding center fluid theories of high-..beta.. plasma containment in mirror machines have been developed in a number of self-consistent models. The geometrical effects of magnetic field and ambipolar potential variation have been incorporated in a bounce-averaged Fokker-Planck code which shows that the square-well model somewhat overestimates the n tau and ..beta.. achievable in a mirror field. Simple analytic approximations to the resulting pressure profiles have been incorporated in three-dimensional fluid-equilibrium codes which show the effect of coil geometry on the maximum ..beta... Strongly curved vacuum fields allow higher ..beta.., but short plasmas in weakly curved fields tend to reverse the curvature locally before the mirror-mode limit is reached. Adiabaticity of particle orbits is described in terms of general formulas, applicable in high-..beta.. plasma ...
This paper describes the calculation method of 3-D underground structures in TDME method which measures only field components. Recently, FDTD method was developed as calculation method in time domain difference calculus, and the forward analysis accuracy of 3-D fields was rapidly improved. The survey results using a large-scale loop (600m{times}360m) were numerically analyzed by FDTD method. 16 measuring lines were prepared in both X and Y directions, and measuring points were prepared on intersection points of the measuring lines. Since signal current is staircase one, step and impulse responses of the ground were determined by calculating magnetic field and its time differentiation. The rectangular body (120m{times}120m{times}100m) of 0.2S/m in conductivity (5 ohm m in resistivity) was installed 160m under the ground as 3-D resistivity anomaly. The ground of 0.01S/m (100 ohm m) was assumed. Time ...
A brief review and assessment of field measurement programs that provide data for mixed layer diffusion research is presented. The majority of programs emphasize either the meteorological aspects of the mixed layer or plume characterization. Few programs are available that provide the complimentary blend of plume and appropriate meteorological measurements needed to adequately validate mixed layer diffusion theory. Three major U.S. EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) field programs that provide data bases for model development and validation of mixed layer diffusion processes are described and discussed in more detail. The Regional Air Pollution Study (RAPS) focused on measurements of surface and mixed layer turbulent transport processes in the urban environment. The Tennessee Plume Study (TPS) obtained a database with coincident measurement of boundary layer turbulent structure and plume dispersion for a large coal-fired power plant in ...
A web-based decision support tool, zone mapping application for precision farming (ZoneMAP, External Reference Not Shown ), has been developed to automatically determine the optimal number of management zones and delineate them using satellite imagery and field data provided by users. Application rates, such as of fertilizer, can be prescribed for each zone and downloaded in a variety of formats to ensure compatibility with GPS-enabled farming equipment. ZoneMAP is linked to Digital Northern Great Plains, a web-based application which hosts an archive of satellite imagery, as well as high resolution imagery from airborne sensors. Management zones created by ZoneMAP mapped natural variation of the soil organic matter and other nutrients relatively well and were consistent with zone maps cre...
We report the results of the evaluation of the ``concentration-density'' relation of galaxies in the local universe, taking advantage of the very large and homogeneous data set available from the Las Campanas Redshift Survey (Shectman et al. 1996). This data set consists of galaxies inhabiting the entire range of galactic environments, from the sparsest field to the densest clusters, thus allowing us to study environmental variations without combining multiple data sets with inhomogeneous characteristics. Concentration is quantified by the automatically-measured concentration index $C$, which is a good measure of a galaxy's bulge-to-disk ratio. The environment of the sample galaxies is characterized both by the three-space local galaxy density and by membership in groups and clusters. We find that the distribution of C in galaxy populations varies both with local density and with cluster/group membership: the fraction of centrally-concentrated ...
In this study the soil/vegetation/atmosphere-model based on the formulation of Deardorff was refined to hour basis and applied to a field in Vihti. The effect of model parameters on model results (energy fluxes, temperatures) was also studied as well as the effect of atmospheric conditions. The estimation of atmospheric conditions on the soil-vegetation system as well as an estimation of the effect of vegetation parameters on the atmospheric climate was estimated. Areal surface fluxes, temperatures and moistures were also modelled for some river basins in southern Finland. Land-use and soil parameterisation was developed to include properties and yearly variation of all vegetation and soil types. One classification was selected to describe the hydrothermal properties of the soils. Evapotranspiration was verified against the water balance method
The results of radon concentration measurements inside of the Gabriel caves of Mexico, during three consecutive two-month periods covering almost three seasons, are reported in the present work. The radio-ecological importance of this site is related to the radon and its concentration-dynamic behavior in the cave. Further interest in radiation safety motivated this initiative since routine biological field work is done, with people spending long periods of time there. CR-39 passive nuclear track detector was chosen for this survey. Radon concentration levels decrease during the rainy season and show different values depending on the ventilation and geometeorological structure. Measured values range between 956 and 4931Bqm{sup -3}, an indication that radon doses may exceed the allowed values for workers. This project is part of a larger study of indoor radon alpha emitters in Mexican caves.
The results of radon concentration measurements inside of the Gabriel caves of Mexico, during three consecutive two-month periods covering almost three seasons, are reported in the present work. The radio-ecological importance of this site is related to the radon and its concentration-dynamic behavior in the cave. Further interest in radiation safety motivated this initiative since routine biological field work is done, with people spending long periods of time there. CR-39 passive nuclear track detector was chosen for this survey. Radon concentration levels decrease during the rainy season and show different values depending on the ventilation and geometeorological structure. Measured values range between 956 and 4931Bqm-3, an indication that radon doses may exceed the allowed values for workers. This project is part of a larger study of indoor radon alpha emitters in Mexican caves.
The laboratory environment existing outside the test situation itself can have a substantial influence on results of some behavioral tests with mice, and the extent of these influences sometimes depends on genotype. For alcohol research, the principal issue is whether genotype-related ethanol effects will themselves be altered by common variations in the lab environment or instead will be essentially the same across a wide range of lab environments. Data from 20 inbred strains were used to reduce an original battery of seven tests of alcohol intoxication to a compact battery of four tests: the balance beam and grip strength with a 1.25g/kg ethanol dose and the accelerating rotarod and open-field activation tests with 1.75g/kg. The abbreviated battery was then used to study eight inbred str...
Physical processes in the region of laser conversion for the next Linear Colliders (NLC) are discussed. The main goal of this conversion is to obtain high-energy intense #gamma# beams for #gamma#e and #gamma##gamma# colliders. This conversion has important by-products: (i) one can observe here effect of nonlinear QED (in a strong external field)-production of e"+e"- pairs by a high-energy photon and emission of very high-energy photons by an electron; (ii) one can produce and observe here the invisible axion in colliding #gamma#_0e beams. The NQED effects also result in variation of the spectra of high-energy photons and an additional background. 12 refs., 12 figs., 1 tab.
In this paper we study theoretically a pulsed corona discharge plasma in air at atmospheric pressure. A self consistent one-dimensional model, using a flux-corrected transport numerical scheme, is presented to achieve it. The charged particle kinetics in this model are described by one-dimensional continuity equations coupled with Poisson's equations. The spatio-temporal local field, charge density variations and the velocity profile of an ionizing front are calculated to describe the dynamical behavior of corona discharge plasmas. The simulation results of a wire-in-cylinder corona discharge plasma explain the physical mechanisms of discharge processes. These results may also be apply to obtain the optimizing parameters for designing the plasma reactor.
Lateral plume dispersion in deep river valleys during neutral and stable lapse rate conditions can be exceptionally high due to the intense horizontal turbulence generated by prominent variations in the width, orientation and surface roughness of the valley walls. Use of the standard Gaussian dispersion equation to represent this enhanced lateral plume spread in a narrow valley may be inappropriate since consideration should also be given to the restriction of the horizontal plume spread due to impingement against the valley walls. The basic concept employed in the modification of the Gaussian dispersion equation was to assume that multiple eddy reflections occur between the valley walls in a manner similar to the vertical eddy reflections between the ground plane and an inversion layer aloft. The expressions are developed, but no attempt has been made to validate them with actual measured field data. 4 references, 3 figures, 1 table.
In this work, a three-dimensional multiphase non-isothermal model incorporated with a capillary-extended sub-model in gas channels is used to investigate the coupled phenomena of water and thermal transport in proton exchange membrane fuel cells. Distributions of water and temperature along the flow path in the channel are highlighted and the pros and cons of various operating temperatures are elaborated. In addition, this work also sheds light on the impacts of temperature variations of bipolar plates induced by non-uniform cooling conditions, which have been overlooked by most previous works. An important phenomenon of water distribution, dry-out at inlets and flooding at outlets (DIFO), is observed and this non-uniform distribution is revealed to be greatly influenced by the operating t...
The development of a twinned microstructure in hexagonal close-packed rolled magnesium compressed in the in-plane direction has been monitored in situ with neutron diffraction. The continuous conversion of the parent to daughter microstructure is tracked through the variation of diffraction peak intensities corresponding to each. Approximately 80% of the parent microstructure twins by 8% compression. Elastic lattice strain measurements indicate that the stress in the newly formed twins (daughters) is relaxed relative to the stress field in the surrounding matrix. However, since the daughters are in a plastically 'hard' deformation orientation, they quickly accumulate elastic strain as surrounding grains deform plastically. Polycrystal modeling of the deformation process provides insight about the crystallographic deformation mechanism involved.
The possible physical linkage between galactic cosmic rays intensity and the Earth's cloud cover is discussed using the analysis of the first indirect aerosol effect (Twomey effect) and its experimental representation as the dependence of average cloud droplet effective radius on aerosol index characterizing the aerosol concentration in the atmospheric air column of unit section. It is shown that the basic kinetic equation of the Earth's climate energy-balance model is described by the bifurcation equation (with respect to the temperature of the Earth's surface) in the form of fold catastrophe with two governing parameters defining the variations of insolation and Earth's magnetic field (or galactic cosmic rays intensity in the atmosphere), respectively. The principle of hierarchical climatic models construction, which consists in the structural invariance of balance equations of these models evolving on the different time scales, is described. ...
The abstract is additional with repect to the paper published in JGCD. Ordinary Earth satellites are usually placed into five categories of special orbits: sun-synchronous orbits, orbits at the critical inclination, frozen orbits, repeating ground track orbits, and geostationary orbits. This paper investigates their counterparts around Mars and examines the basic nature of these orbits, which are of special interest for missions conducted around Mars, including Mars reconnaissance. Mars' gravity field is much more complicated, with relatively smaller J2, compared to Earth's, which makes the behaviors of these Martian orbits different from those of Earth. Analytical formulations and numerical simulations are used to analyze these Martian orbits and compare them with their Earth counterparts. First, mean element theory is employed to describe variations of orbital elements and give the constraint conditions for achieving these special orbits. ...
The study of extragalactic planetary nebulae (EPN) is a rapidly expanding field. The advent of powerful new instrumentation such as the PN spectrograph has led to an avalanche of new EPN discoveries both within and between galaxies. We now have thousands of EPN detections in a heterogeneous selection of nearby galaxies and their local environments, dwarfing the combined galactic detection efforts of the last century. Key scientific motivations driving this rapid growth in EPN research and discovery have been the use of the PNLF as a standard candle, as dynamical tracers of their host galaxies and dark matter and as probes of Galactic evolution. This is coupled with the basic utility of PN as laboratories of nebula physics and the consequent comparison with theory where population differences, abundance variations and star formation history within and between stellar systems informs both stellar and galactic evolution. Here we pose some of the ...
Temperature variations due to climate changes are a major cause of movements in a concrete structure, both in the longitudinal and transversal directions and between different parts of the structure. If these movements are restrained, stresses will be induced which may contribute to cracking. The movements are caused by complex interactions of several factors such as solar radiation, air temperature, long-wave heat radiation and wind speed. To predict the varying thermal conditions in a concrete structure a finite element model has been used. A validation of the model has been performed using field measurements in a concrete slab together with climate data from the Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute to be able to use the model for simulations over long time periods and for s...
This report presents the results of an assessment of uranium in situ leach mining costs through the application of process engineering and discounted cash flow analysis procedures. A computerized costing technique was developed to facilitate rapid cost analyses. Applications of the cost model will generate mine life capital and operating costs as well as solve for economic production cost per pound U/sub 3/O/sub 8/. Conversely, rate of return may be determined subject to a known selling price. The data bases of the cost model were designed to reflect variations in Texas versus Wyoming site applications. The results of applying the model under numerous ore deposit, operating, well field, and extraction plant conditions for Texas and Wyoming are summarized in the report. Sensitivity analysis of changes in key project parameters have also been tested and are included.
One of the requirements for uniform field quality in the SSC dipole magnets is the consistency in the superconducting strand characteristics from start to finish to the production phase. As full scale production of strand and cable approaches, the consistency in performance of the early batches of conductor needs to be examined. A number of 300 mm billets have been manufactured at IGC with tight process controls. The performance of the final conductor in terms of piece lengths, current density, Cu/Sc ratio and wire diameter has been evaluated. The data are analyzed in order to understand the variations that are related to the conductor design and processing. In this paper the current density of the strand is examined over the length of the billet to determine inherent variability in the Nb/Ti alloy itself.
A field experiment was held in the northwestern Taiwan as a part of a long-term research program for studying Taiwan`s local circulation. The program has been named as Taiwan Regional-circulation Experiment (TREX). The particular goal of this research is to investigate characteristics of boundary layer and local Circulation and their impact on the distribution and Variation of pollutants in the northwestern Taiwan during Mei-Yu season. It has been known for quite sometime that land-sea breeze is very pronounced under hot and humid conditions. Extensive network includes 11 pilot ballon stations, 3 acoustic sounding sites, and 14 surface stations in about 20 km by 20 km area centered at National Central University, Chung-Li. In addition, there are ground temperature measurements at 3 sites, Integrated Sounding System (ISS) at NCU, air plane observation, tracer experiment with 10 collecting stations, 3 background upper-air sounding stations, 2 ...
Sufficient genetic diversity exists in Indian tree species to give large genetic gains. Improvement potential, using wild gene resources for selection and breeding is vast as there are over 244 genera and 400 forest tree species in India. Of these over 30 species and 22 genera are of outstanding forestry value. Selective genetic-variation can be lifted from wild populations, multiplied vegetatively or by seed, and planted with controlled germplasm sources. Among the Indian species no less than 74 reproduce by cutting, 11 by layers, 9 by grafting and buding and 104 by root suckers. More than 161 species coppice vigorously. Afforestation techniques of over 170 species have been worked out. Tree genetic approach of survey of natural variability, quick evaluation, selection, conservation multiplication and planting superior variability directly in the field can give immediate genetic gains. This article discusses genetic information on indigenous ...
Porosity evolution at reactive interfaces is a key process that governs the evolution and performances of many engineered systems that have important applications in earth and environmental sciences. This is the case, for example, at the interface between cement structures and clays in deep geological nuclear waste disposals. Although in a different transport regime, similar questions arise for permeable reactive barriers used for biogeochemical remediation in surface environments. The COMEDIE project aims at investigating the coupling between transport, hydrodynamics and chemistry when significant variations of porosity occur. The present work focuses on a numerical benchmark used as a design exercise for the future COMEDIE-2D experiment. The use of reactive transport simulation tools like Hytec and Crunch provides predictions of the physico-chemical evolutions that are expected during the future experiments in laboratory. Focus is given in this paper on the ...
Ordos Basin, the second largest sedimentary basin in China, contains enormous natural gas resources. Each of the four giant gas fields discovered so far in this basin (i.e., Sulige, Yulin, Wushenqi and Jingbian) has over 100 billion cubic meters (bcm) or 3.53 trillion cubic feet (tcf) of proven gas reserves. This study examines the stable carbon isotope data of 125 gas samples collected from the four giant gas fields in the Ordos Basin. Source rocks in the Upper Paleozoic coal measures are suggested by the generally high {delta}{sup 13}C values of C{sub 2}-C{sub 4} gaseous hydrocarbons in the gases from the Sulige, Yulin and Wushenqi gas fields. The {delta}{sup 13}C values of methane, benzene and toluene in gases from the Lower Paleozoic reservoirs of the Jingbian field indicate a significant contribution from humic source rocks, as they are similar to those in the Upper Paleozoic reservoirs of the ...
The exchange charge model (ECM) of crystal field is utilized to provide the theoretical explanation of the ground state absorption and the excited state absorption observed for the octahedrally coordinated Ni{sup 2+} ions in the spinel MgAl{sub 2}O{sub 4}. The ECM enables modeling of the crystal field parameters (CFPs) for the impurity ions based on the crystal structure data of the host lattice. To ensure the reliability of the CFPs, the convergence of the CFP values with the increasing number of the coordination spheres taken into account in the ECM calculations is considered. The trigonal CFPs B{sub 2}{sup 0},B{sub 4}{sup 0}andB{sub 4}{sup -3} determined by the ECM, together with the appropriate Racah parameters B and C, serve as input to two crystal field analysis computer packages, which compute the energy level schemes within the whole 3d{sup 8} configuration. The cubic approximation utilizing only one CFP Dq is also ...
The aerodynamic behavior of a vertical axis wind turbine (VAWT) is analyzed by means of 2D particle image velocimetry (PIV), focusing on the development of dynamic stall at different tip speed ratios. The VAWT has an unsteady aerodynamic behavior due to the variation with the azimuth angle {theta} of the blade's sections' angle of attack, perceived velocity and Reynolds number. The phenomenon of dynamic stall is then an inherent effect of the operation of a VAWT at low tip speed ratios, impacting both loads and power. The present work is driven by the need to understand this phenomenon, by visualizing and quantifying it, and to create a database for model validation. The experimental method uses PIV to visualize the development of the flow over the suction side of the airfoil for two different reference Reynolds numbers and three tip speed ratios in the operational regime of a small urban wind turbine. The field-of-view of the ...
We develop a 3-D model to simulate the synthetic aperture radar (SAR) image formation process of an undulated vegetation canopy such as corn grown in fields with large periodic drainage reliefs. We explain how the simulated SAR image of undulated vegetation medium is obtained by the convolution of a 2-D slice of the 3-D simulated SAR system point spread function [(PSF), emulating the SAR beam modeled by a cosine modulated Gaussian], with the 2-D projection of the observed undulated vegetation canopy (modeled with scatterers randomly distributed in 3-D undulated space) followed by the extraction of each look envelope, the summation of looks, and sampling in azimuthal and range directions. Our model is useful to study the parameters involved in the formation and the analysis of SAR images of undulated vegetation medium. Validation of simulations made with actual SAR images shows that undulated corn crop canopies are well characterized by the mean contrast of the ...
The standing-wave free-electron laser (FEL) differs from a conventional linear-wiggler microwave FEL in using irises along the wiggler to form a series of standing-wave cavities and in reaccelerating the beam between cavities to maintain the average energy. The device has been proposed for use in a two-beam accelerator (TBA) because microwave power can be extracted more effectively than from a traveling-wave FEL. The standing-wave FEL is modeled in the continuum limit by a set of equations describing the coupling of a one-dimensional beam to a TE{sub 01} rectangular-waveguide mode. Analytic calculations and numerical simulations are used to determine the time variation of the reacceleration field and the prebunching required so that the final microwave energy is the same in all cavities. The microwave energy and phase are found to be insensitive to modest spreads in the beam energy and phase and to errors in the reacceleration ...
The relationship between the current density distribution and the electron density profile during the flat-top phase of Ohmic discharges in TEXTOR has been investigated by means of far-infrared interferometry and polarimetry. It is found that neither gradual nor rapid changes of the electron density distribution (induced by continuous gas feed or pellet injection) alter the current profile significantly. The conclusion is drawn from the temporal evolution of the measured Faraday rotation signals #alpha#_e_x_p(x,t) which are proportional to the line integrals of n_c times the poloidal magnetic field component B_p_c along the probing beam paths (x is the distance of a chord from the plasma centre). By taking into account the known variation of the density profile but keeping the current distribution fixed, theoretical signals #alpha#_s_i_m(x,t) can be calculated which match the observed waveforms very well without any need to readjust the ...
Fluctuations in the flux of runaway electrons to the limiter have been measured during many PLT discharges. Oscillations at 60, 120, and 720 Hz are driven by variations in the vertical magnetic field which moves the plasma major radius. Fluctuations are seen in the range of 2 ..-->.. 20 kHz due to MHD magnetic islands which extend to the plasma surface. A continuous spectrum of fluctuations is observed up to 200 kHz which correlates with drift-wave turbulence. The magnitude of the driven fluctuations can be used to measure transport properties of the runaway electrons. The amplitude of electron motion due to the MHD and drift-wave oscillations, and hence a measure of the radial size of the instability, can be determined as a function of frequency. The slope of the frequency power spectrum of the drift-wave-induced fluctuations steepens with increasing runaway electron drift orbit displacement during the current drop at the end of the ...
We present moderate resolution spectroscopy of extraplanar diffuse ionized gas (EDIG) emission in the edge-on spiral galaxy NGC 4302. The spectra were obtained with the SparsePak integral field unit (IFU) at the WIYN Observatory. The spectra are used to construct position-velocity (PV) diagrams at several ranges of heights above the midplane. Azimuthal velocities are directly extracted from the PV diagrams using the envelope tracing method, and indicate an extremely steep dropoff in rotational velocity with increasing height, with magnitude ~30 km/s/kpc. We find evidence for a radial variation in the velocity gradient on the receding side. We have also performed artificial observations of galaxy models in an attempt to match the PV diagrams. The results of a statistical analysis also favor a gradient of ~30 km/s/kpc. We compare these results with an entirely ballistic model of disk-halo flow, and find a strong dichotomy between the observed ...
The present article outlines major features of the free electron laser (FEL) and reviews research and development of FEL. Relations among the oscillation frequency, electron beam parameters and wiggler parameters, the physical mechanism of amplification and the physical process of saturation are discussed to identify the difference between FEL and other lasers. The report also outlines techniques for accelerators which are used to generate high-quality, high-energy electron beams required for FEL experiments. Techniques to achieve a short wavelength, high output and high efficiency, and applications of FEL are also discussed. FEL consists of an electron accelerator, wiggler and optical resonator. In FEL, electron beams with a relativistic energy interact resonantly with an electromagnetic field to generate coherent electromagnetic waves. Unlike conventional lasers, FEL does not surfer from restrictions on its oscillation frequency associated with atomic, molecular ...
A good knowledge of medfly population dynamics is necessary to control it. Population dynamics are being studied by means of the Jackson trap with trimedlure attractant (male, sex-pheromone). Weekly sampling of wild medfly populations was started in June at Aabde and in August at Sour and Jbeil. Trap surveys of medfly density will be carried for at least one year before sterile males releases are started against a long-established infestation. Since populations can vary with season and in different parts of an infested area. Knowledge of this variation is needede to determine when releases should start, because they should begin, just after or during a population decline. Field evaluation will include, ecological data on medfly population distribution number, host preference, and medfly overwintering. Surveys of medfly adults and larvae, host species, and phenology, temperature and medfly history, all will be used to guide the control program, ...
Power spectral analysis of cosmic ray intensity recorded by neutron monitors at Calgary and Deep River, Alberta, was carried out over a wide range of frequencies from 3 {times} 10{sup {minus}9} Hz to 6 {times} 10{sup {minus}6} Hz during the epoch 1965-1989 and revealed different behavior of the power spectral density for the three ranges of frequency domains. At low frequencies corresponding to the periodicity T {approx} 20 months the power spectrum shows an abrupt change in the level and profile of power spectral density (PSD). This indicates that the processes responsible for the long period variations are different from the one which causes short-period variations. At middle frequencies corresponding to periodicities between 6 and 18 months, the PSD indicates that the periodicities are not stable and show a transient character over the entire epochy of analysis. The PSD for periods T {approx} 27 days indicates an 11 year recurring tendency ...
I present an exact calculation of free-electron-laser (FEL) eigenmodes (fundamental as well as higher order modes) in the exponential-gain regime. These eigenmodes specify transverse profiles and exponential growth rates of the laser field, and they are self-consistent solutions of the coupled Maxwell-Vlasov equations describing the FEL interaction taking into account the effects due to energy spread, emittance and betatron oscillations of the electron beam, and diffraction and guiding of the laser field. The unperturbed electron distribution is assumed to be of Gaussian shape in four dimensional transverse phase space and in the energy variable, but uniform in longitudinal coordinate. The focusing of the electron beam is assumed to be matched to the natural wiggler focusing in both transverse planes. With these assumptions the eigenvalue problem can be reduced to a numerically manageable integral equation and solved exactly with a kernel ...
The Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS) is an x-ray free-electron laser (FEL) project based on the SLAC linac. The LCLS Photoinjector beamline has been designed to deliver 10-ps long electron bunches of 1 nC with a normalized projected transverse emittance smaller than 1.2 mm-mrad at 135 MeV. Tolerances and regulation requirements are tight for this tuning. Half of the total emittance at the end of the injector comes from the ''cathode emittance'' which is 0.7 mm-mrad for our nominal 1nC tuning. As the ''cathode emittance'' scales linearly with laser spot radius, the emittance will be dramatically reduced for smaller radius, but this is only possible at lower charge. In particular, for a 0.2 nC charge, we believe we can achieve an emittance closer to 0.4 mm-mrad. This working point will be easier to tune and the beam quality should be much easier to maintain than for the 1 ...
With the help of self-assembly, thermal sintering, selective etching techniques and sol-gel process, the non-close packed (ncp) face-centered cubic (fcc) photonic crystals of titanium dioxide (TiO2) hollow spheres connected by TiO2 cylindrical tubes have been fabricated using silica template. The photonic bandgap calculations indicate that the ncp structure of TiO2 hollow spheres was easier to open the pseudogaps than close packed system at the lowest energy. PMID:17097102
Denial of service attacks (DoS) can cause significant financial damages. Flooding and Malicious packets are two kinds of DoS attacks. This paper presents a new security approach which stops malicious packets and prevents flooding in the critical systems. New concepts of packet stamp a dynamic-multi-communication-point mechanism has been identified for this proposed approach to make the prevention of flooding attacks easier and the performing of malicious packet attacks harder. In addition, dynamic key encryption technique has been adapted as a part of the proposed approach to enhance its functionality.
Three bonding agents were evaluated to determine which were most effective in enhancing the bond of resin composite to stainless steel. A light-activated resin composite was bonded to a total of 60 stainless steel specimens using Panavia, Cover-Up, or Silicoating. Tensile bond strength measurements revealed that all three agents provide a satisfactory means of increasing adherence of the esthetic veneer without decreasing bonding through thermocycling of the specimens. Panavia and Cover-Up were significantly more effective than Silicoating and appear to be easier to use. PMID:8297460
The potential for detoxification and deodorization of sulfide-laden water (sour water) by microbial treatment was evaluated at a petroleum production site under field conditions. A sulfide-tolerant strain of the chemautotroph and facultative anaerobe, Thiobacillus denitrificans, was introduced into an oil-skimming pit of the Amoco Production Company LACT 10 Unit of the Salt Creek Field, Wyoming. Field-produced water enters this pit from the oil/water separation treatment train at an average flowrate of 5,000 bbl/D (795 m{sup 3}/D) with a potential maximum of 98,000 bbl/D (15,580 m{sup 3}/D). Water conditions at the pit inlet are 4,800 mg/l TDS, 100 mg/l sulfide, pH 7.8, and 107{degrees}F. To this water an aqueous solution of ammonium nitrate and diphosphorous pentoxide was added to provide required nutrients for the bacteria. The first 20% of the pit was aerated to a maximum depth of 5 ft (1.5 m) to facilitate the aerobic ...
BackgroundRecently, the discovery of copy number variation (CNV) led researchers to think that there are more variations of genomic DNA than initially believed. Moreover, a certain...Full Text Available
Gene expression is a fundamentally stochastic process, with randomness in transcription and translation leading to significant cell-to-cell variations in mRNA and protein levels. This variation...Full Text Available
Sensory systems must form stable representations of the external environment in the presence of self-induced variations in sensory signals. It is also possible that the variations themselves may provide...Full Text Available
The muscles of three different arthropods, a mite, a fly, and an ostracod, show variations in the length of the A region within a given individual. There is no indication that the observed differences...Full Text Available
The authors solve the instability of perturbative vacuum of Gross-Neveu model. They use a variational method. The analysis is nonperturbative as it uses only equal time commmutator/anticommutator algebra.
This investigation presents scale-up of a detailed heterogeneous geostatistical model to a full field reservoir simulation model, considering both single and two-phase flow properties. The model represents a typical low permeability Danish North Sea chalk reservoir and includes capillary pressure and saturation end-point variations. Two new up-scaling methods has been investigated, all based on fine scale simulation on a cross section of the geomodel. The first methods assumes piston style behaviour and a coupled viscosity is introduced into the basic Darcy`s equations. The second method is a modification of the JBN method traditionally applied in analysing results from core flooding experiments, which emerged as the most successful and therefore also the recommended method. 1. In addition to the up scaling work we review the Equivalent Radius Method for capillary pressure normalisation with explicit derivation of type functions for ...
The organization of organic semiconductor molecules in the active layer of organic electronic devices has important consequences to overall device performance. This is due to the fact that molecular organization directly affects charge carrier mobility of the material. Organic field-effect transistor (OFET) performance is driven by high charge carrier mobility while bulk heterojunction (BHJ) solar cells require balanced hole and electron transport. By investigating the properties and device performance of three structural variations of the fluorenyl hexa-peri-hexabenzocoronene (FHBC) material, the importance of molecular organization to device performance was highlighted. It is clear from {sup 1}H NMR and 2D wide-angle X-ray scattering (2D WAXS) experiments that the sterically demanding 9,9-dioctylfluorene groups are preventing {pi}-{pi} intermolecular contact in the hexakis-substituted FHBC 4. For bis-substituted FHBC compounds 5 and 6, ...
Two geochemical surveys were conducted in 1992 and 2000 respectively in the Yimeng Uplift of the Ordos Basin, China. The earlier survey grid had 1 x 5km spacing and the later survey grid had 0.5 x 0.5km spacing. The acid-extractable hydrocarbons of both surveys show similar geochemical trends. However, the anomalies obtained with traditional statistical methods do not correlate with existing oil/gas fields. This study reveals two problems in the data and their processing. The first one is interference caused by the variation of soil composition. We applied a wavelet-analysis-based method to eliminate this interference in the data of the later survey. The second is that micro-seepage anomalies did not identify existing oil/gas fields and seepage anomalies related with faults had not been previously recognized. We modified the logic multiplication cluster analysis and applied a multi-fractal model and a back propagation ...
The chemical composition and evolution of formation waters associated with gas production in the Palm Valley field, Northern Territory, has important implications for reservoir management, saline water disposal, and gas reserve calculations. Historically, the occurrence of saline formation water in gas fields has been the subject of considerable debate. A better understanding of the origin, chemical evolution and movement of the formation water at Palm Valley has important implications for future reservoir management, disposal of highly saline water and accurate gas reserves estimation. Major and trace element abundance data suggest that a significant component of the highly saline water from Palm Valley has characteristics that may have been derived from a modified evaporated seawater source such as an evaporite horizon. The most dilute waters probably represent condensate and the variation in the chemistry of the ...
The linear/supralinear behaviour of the TL dose response in LiF:Mg,Ti (TLD-100) and its dependence on ionisation density is a fairly unique phenomenon which cannot be explained by conventional atomic 'conduction band/valence band' kinetic models. The Track Interaction Model (TIM) provides the microscopic framework which, when coupled with other appropriate physical mechanisms (spatial localisation of traps and recombination centres, competing centres, variations in the capture cross sections with temperature, etc.) can be used to describe all the dominant features of the TL supralinearity of LiF:Mg,Ti and similar TL systems. The unique feature of the TIM applied to alpha particles is that it is an integral approach with only one free parameter, the average charge carrier migration distance in the luminescence recombination stage. Although the TIM provides a comprehensive description of the mechanisms underlying supralinearity in TLD-100, ...
The threshold values of indicator species and ratios delineating the transition between NO_x and VOC sensitivity of ozone formation are assumed to be universal by various investigators. However, our previous studies suggested that threshold values might vary according to the locations and conditions. In this study, threshold values derived from various model simulations at two different locations (the area of Switzerland by UAM Model and San Joaquin Valley of Central California by SAQM Model) are examined using a new approach for defining NO_x and VOC sensitive regimes. Possible definitions for the distinction of NO_x and VOC sensitive ozone production regimes are given. The dependence of the threshold values for indicators and indicator ratios such as NO_y, O_3/NO_z, HCHO/NO_y, and H_2O_2/HNO_3 on the definition of NO_x and VOC sensitivity is discussed. Then the variations of threshold values under low emission conditions and in two different days are examined in ...
The composition, rank, coal facies, and coal pore structure characteristics of 15 coal samples were investigated systemically using methods of lithotype analysis, maceral analysis, proximate analysis, mercury porosimetry analysis, and nitrogen adsorption analysis. These samples were directly collected from the working faces of No.4, 8, 9 seams in Liulin district, eastern margin Ordos Basin, China. Four types of paleoenvironment including a wet forest swamp, an intergradation forest swamp, a drained forest swamp, and a fresh-water peat swamp were distinguished by lithotype and merceral analysis. An R-cluster analysis was performed to demonstrate the correlations between the coal facies and the pore structures. The results showed that coal rank is the primary factor affecting the development of micropores and transition pores, whereas coal facies control the development of seepage pores in similar coalification conditions, especially in a local district and in a seam. This work suggests ...
The authors report on observations of plasma wave turbulence generated during electron beam injections, spacecraft potential variations, and neutral gas emissions of the CHARGE 2 sounding rocket experiment. The payload was flown in a mother/daughter configuration, with the two sub-payloads electrically connected by an insulated, conducting tether. While tethered, the two platforms were separated, drifting apart in a direction perpendicular to both the magnetic field and to the spacecraft velocity, reaching a maximum distance of 426 m at the end of the flight. The mother carried a high-voltage (HV) system (0-460 V), biasing the mother negative relative to the daughter. The operation of the HV bias system simulated the motional emf induced in larger orbiting space structures like the Tethered Satellite System 1 (TSS 1) space shuttle mission scheduled for the spring of 1992. In addition, the mother carried an electron beam accelerator (1 keV, 0-46 ...
Blade fatigue life is an important element in determining the economic viability of the Vertical-Axis Wind Turbine (VAWT). A principal source of blade fatigue is thought to be the stochastic (i.e., random) aerodynamic loads created by atmospheric turbulence. This report describes the theoretical background of the VAWT Stochastic Aerodynamic Loads (VAWT-SAL) computer code, whose purpose is to numerically simulate these random loads, given the rotor geometry, operating conditions, and assumed turbulence properties. A Double-Multiple-Stream Tube (DMST) analysis is employed to model the rotor's aerodynamic response. The analysis includes the effects of Reynolds number variations, different airfoil sections and chord lengths along the blade span, and an empirical model for dynamic stall effects. The mean ambient wind is assumed to have a shear profile which is described by either a power law or a logarithmic variation with height above ...
Research into methods for reasoning under uncertainty is currently one of the most exciting areas of artificial intelligence, largely because it has recently become possible to record, store, and process large amounts of data. While impressive achievements have been made in pattern classification problems such as handwritten character recognition, face detection, speaker identification, and prediction of gene function, it is even more exciting that researchers are on the verge of introducing systems that can perform large-scale combinatorial analyses of data, decomposing the data into interacting components. For example, computational methods for automatic scene analysis are now emerging in the computer vision community. These methods decompose an input image into its constituent objects, lighting conditions, motion patterns, etc. Two of the main challenges are finding effective representations and models in specific applications and finding efficient algorithms for inference and ...
In this comprehensive review of current research on isotopic variations of elements in extraterrestrial materials, the variations were classified in terms of the major process involved in the modification of the isotopic composition of the element concerned. Maximum isotopic variations of each element were retrieved from publications which were available in Tokyo up to December 1985, and are presented in tabular form. (author).
Estuaries and coastal regions are highly variable in the physical and hydrographic conditions. As a result of heavy urbanization and industrialization of the head waters of most estuaries, there are substantial localized inputs of contaminants to the estuary. These factors combined with the flushing characteristics of individual estuaries to create relatively unique features that result in variation in the typical levels of trace metals for these systems. This makes intercomparison of the estuaries difficult. Comparability among estuaries becomes even more difficult when metals analyses are conducted without proper control of field and laboratory contamination, now firmly established in the trace metal analytical literature as a prerequisite for reliable marine trace metals analysis. This paper compares the concentrations of selected trace metal (Ag, Cd, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn) concentrations in the waters of several major estuaries of the United ...
Variations in skin perfusion are easily detected by laser speckle contrast maps, but a robust interpretation of the information has been lacking. We show that multiple-exposure laser speckle methods produce the same spectral information as laser Doppler methods when applied to targets with embedded moving scatterers. This enables laser speckle measurements to be interpreted more quantitatively. We do this by using computer simulation of speckle data, and by experimental measurements on Brownian motion and skin perfusion using a laser Doppler system and a multiple-exposure laser speckle system. The power spectral density measurements of the light fluctuations derived using both techniques are exactly equivalent. Dermal perfusion can therefore be measured by laser Doppler or laser speckle contrast methods. In particular, multiexposure laser speckle can be rapidly processed to generate a full-field map of the perfusion index proportional to the ...
The kinetics of calcium sulfate crystal growth is of importance in various fields, such as geochemistry, desalination technology, petroleum industry, and water and wastewater treatment. The seeded crystal growth rate of calcium sulfate dihydrate was measured as a function of supersaturation in NaCl electrolyte solutions from 0 to 6 m at temperatures of 25, 50, 70, and 90 C. The growth followed a second-order parabolic rate law with activation energies greater than 53 kJ/mol which suggested the surface reaction as the rate-limiting step. It was observed that the rate constant and the activation energy are solution composition dependent. The rate constant increases with NaCl concentration up to 3 molal and then begins to fall slightly. The activation energy dropped from 61 kJ/mol in the pure Ca-SO[sub 4]H[sub 2]O system to 53 kJ/mol in 3.0 m NaCl solutions. The electrolyte effect was similar to the crystal solubility behavior in aqueous electrolyte solutions ...
The use of capacitance sensors for measuring phase concentrations in two-phase flow has gained popularity in recent years. In designing such sensors, there are many issues which must be considered in order to optimize performance: two-phase flow regime, permittivity of the phases, duct geometry, electrical shielding, desired spacial resolution of film thickness, and temperature variation in the flow field. These design issues are discussed and are used to optimize the design of a capacitance sensor which is used to measure vapor volume fraction in annular, two-phase vertical upflow and downflow in a square duct. The sensor was tested and implemented in a 12.7 mm square duct mounted in a flow boiling facility containing FC-72, a low permittivity dielectric fluid ({epsilon}{sub r} = 1.75). Using analytical modeling, an adjustable-length, parallel-plate design was developed and refined to achieve good sensitivity to flow conditions. The sensor ...
Purpose: calculation of conversion coefficients for the reconstruction of organ doses from entrance doses for abdomen radiographs of 0, 1, 5, 10, 15, and 30-year-old patients in conventional pediatric radiology for the radiographic settings recommended by the German and European guidelines for quality management in diagnostic radiology. Materials und method: using the commercially available personal computer program PCXMC developed by the Finnish Center for Radiation and Nuclear Safety (Saeteilyturvakeskus STUK), conversion coefficients for conventional abdomen radiographs were calculated performing Monte Carlo simulations in mathematical hermaphrodite phantom models describing patients of different ages. The possible clinical variation of beam collimation was taken into consideration by defining optimal and suboptimal radiation fields on the phantoms' surfaces. Results: conversion coefficients for the reconstruction of organ does in ...
Obtaining precise values of the undulator parameter, K, is critical for producing high-gain FEL radiation. At the LCLS [1], where the FEL wavelength reaches down to 1.5 {angstrom}, the relative precision of K must satisfy ({Delta}K/K){sub rms} {approx}< 0.015% over the full length of the undulator. Transverse misalignments, construction errors, radiation damage, and temperature variations all contribute to errors in the mean K values among the undulator segments. It is therefore important to develop some means to measure relative K values, after installation and alignment. We propose a method using the angle-integrated spontaneous radiation spectrum of two nearby undulator segments, and the natural shot-to-shot energy jitter of the electron beam. Simulation of this scheme is presented using both ideal and measured undulator fields. By ''leap-frogging'' to different pairs of segments with extended ...
In order to investigate pitting corrosion of copper coiled tubes for air conditioning systems with an open heat storage water tank, the effect of carbon films on the inner surface of copper tubes and fine corrosion-product particles in water as environmental corrosion factor on pitting corrosion was studied by field test under real environmental conditions. As a result, pitting corrosion of copper tubes was caused by synergistic effect of fine corrosion-product particles in water and carbon films. Generation of pitting corrosion was derived from deposition of the films and particles, while considerable growth of pitting corrosion was dependent on the particles. Time variation of spontaneous electrode potential also showed the effect of the film and particle. Pitting corrosion potential was estimated to be nearly 100mV vs. SCE. The following measures against pitting corrosion were considered to be effective: (1) Removal of the particles, (2) ...
The ultrafine fibers based on the composites of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and a series of fatty acids, lauric acid (LA), myristic acid (MA), palmitic acid (PA), and stearic acid (SA), were prepared successfully via electrospinning as form-stable phase change materials (PCMs). The morphology and thermal properties of the composite fibers were studied by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), respectively. It was found that the average fiber diameter increased generally with the content of fatty acid (LA) in the LA/PET composite fibers. The fibers with the low mass ratio maintained cylindrical shape with smooth surface while the quality became worse when the mass ratio is too high (more than 100/100). Moreover, the latent heat of the composite fibers increased with the increase of LA content and the phase transition temperature of the fibers have no obvious variations compared with ...
Radon-222 was shown to be useful in-situ tracer for studying thermodynamic, geologic, and transport properties of geothermal reservoirs. The relationships to reservoir properties are based on steady-state and non-steady-state models which incorporate the thermodynamic state and relative mobility of the fluids, and partitioning between the fluid phases. The steady-state thermodynamic models assume equilibrium between radon emanation from the reservoir rock and the geofluid concentration. The non-steady-state model solves the partial differential equations describing radon transport under transient two-phase geothermal flow conditions. Radon concentrations of fluids from nine geothermal reservoirs showed strong correlations to the specific volume of the reservoir fluid. Lowest values were associated with all-liquid wells at Cerro Prieto, Wairakei, and Los Azufres reservoirs, and the highest values for steady-producing wells at Serrazzano, Geysers, and Matsukawa reservoirs. Greater ...
Complete text of publication follows. The stability regime of the incommensurate phase of quartz is influenced by uniaxial stress. Hence, the phase transition can be induced under isothermal conditions by the application of external mechanical forces. Using real-time neutron scattering the time evolution of structural changes is investigated id detail during stress variations. The time dependent behaviour of the satellite reflection is compared with that one of the fundamental Bragg reflection which - via primary extinction - gives information about the perfection of the crystal. On increasing stress the perfection of the lattice is destroyed immediately while the modulated structure is built up with a delay of about 1 s. Decreasing the stress leads to a reverse behaviour. Moreover, there is evidence that under periodical load residual non-relaxed strain fields survive leading to a different temperature dependence as compared to static ...
Gemini North adaptive optics imaging spectroscopy is presented for the Galactic ultra-compact HII (UCHII) region K3-50A. Data were obtained in the K-band using the Near-infrared Integral Field Spectrograph (NIFS) behind the facility adaptive optics module ALTAIR in natural guide star mode. The NIFS data cube reveals a complex spatial morphology across the 0.1 pc scale of the 3'' UCHII region. Comparison of the nebular emission to Cloudy ionization models shows that the central source must have an effective temperature between about 37000 K and 45000 K with preferred values near 40000 K. Evidence is presented for sharp density variations in the nebula which are interpreted as a clearing of material nearest the central source. High excitation lines of FeIII and SeIV show that the ionization of the nebula clearly changes with distance from the central source. A double lobed kinematic signature (+/- 25 kms) is evident in the Br gamma line map which ...
The usually low wear resistance of titanium materials can be increased by the thermochemical surface treatment nitriding. In result of comparative investigations of gas and plasma nitriding it will be shown that it is possible to obtain a specific variation of the properties in the highly stressed case by means of these both technologies on example of the ({alpha}+{beta}) alloy Ti-6Al-4V. Gas and plasma nitriding was carried out in the temperature range from 650 to 800 C over 4 to 48 h in different gas atmospheres, i.e. 100% NH{sub 3} (gas), 100% N{sub 2} (gas and plasma), 20% H{sub 2} + 80% N{sub 2} and 20% Ar + 20% H{sub 2} (plasma). The temperature range was fixed in the middle of ({alpha}+{beta}) region, because the core properties are influenced negative in the field of {beta}-transustemperature. The relations between the applied nitriding technologies, the layer structure (chemical, phases, geometrical) and selected layer properties ...
The usually low wear resistance of titanium materials can be increased by the thermochemical surface treatment nitriding. In result of comparative investigations of gas and plasma nitriding it will be shown that it is possible to obtain a specific variation of the properties in the highly stressed case by means of these both technologies on example of the (#alpha#+#beta#) alloy Ti-6Al-4V. Gas and plasma nitriding was carried out in the temperature range from 650 to 800 C over 4 to 48 h in different gas atmospheres, i.e. 100% NH_3 (gas), 100% N_2 (gas and plasma), 20% H_2 + 80% N_2 and 20% Ar + 20% H_2 (plasma). The temperature range was fixed in the middle of (#alpha#+#beta#) region, because the core properties are influenced negative in the field of #beta#-transustemperature. The relations between the applied nitriding technologies, the layer structure (chemical, phases, geometrical) and selected layer properties (microroughness, ...
Finite-difference acoustic-wave modeling and reverse-time depth migration based on the full wave equation are general approaches that can take into account arbitrary variations in velocity and density and can handle turning waves as well. However, conventional finite-difference methods for solving the acoustic- or elastic-wave equation suffer from numerical dispersion when too few samples per wavelength are used. The flux-corrected transport (FCT) algorithm, adapted from hydrodynamics, reduces the numerical dispersion in finite-difference wavefield continuation. The flux-correction procedure endeavors to incorporate diffusion into the wavefield continuation process only where needed to suppress the numerical dispersion. Incorporating the flux-correction procedure in conventional finite-difference modeling or reverse-time migration can provide finite-difference solutions with no numerical dispersion even for impulsive sources. The FCT correction, which can be ...
Phosphor material BaAl2O4:Eu2+, Dy3+ with varying compositions of Sr substitution were prepared by the solid-state synthesis method. The phosphor compositions were characterized for their phase and crystallinity by XRD, SEM and TEM. Photoluminescence (PL) properties were investigated measuring PL and decay time for varying Ba/Sr compositions. The PL results show the blue shift in the luminescence properties in Sr substituted BaAl2O4:Eu2+, Dy3+ compared to parent BaAl2O4:Eu2+, Dy3+. It is probably due to the influence of 5d electron states of Eu2+ in the crystal field because of atomic size variation causing crystal defects. Dy3+ ion doping in the phosphor generates deep traps, which results in long afterglow phosphorescence.
The flux of cosmic ray antiprotons with kinetic energies between /approximately/1 and 15 GeV is /approximately/5 times greater than the flux predicted on the basis of the leaky-box model. This excess is attributed to secondary antineutron production in compact sources. Because the antineutrons are not confined by the magnetic field of the compact source, they leave the interaction site, decay in interstellar space and account for the apparent excess cosmic ray antiproton flux. The escape and decay of neutrons produced in association with the antineutrons is a source of cosmic ray protons. Observations of the angular variation of the intensity and spectral shape of 100 MeV ..gamma..-rays produced by neutron-decay protons in the reaction p + p ..-->.. ..pi../sup 0/ ..-->.. 2..gamma.. could reveal compact-source cosmic ray production sites. COS-B observations of spectral hardening near point sources, and future high-resolution observations ...
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 ...
The Neutron Science Project at Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute has been proposed for the research of nuclear transmutation technology and the basic science with a spallation neutron source. The project calls for an 8MW proton linac which accelerates 5.3mA average current cw and pulsed beams up to 1.5GeV. The superconducting (SC) rf-cavity is the main option for the energy part from 100MeV to 1.5GeV because by using the SC structure, less power is consumed in cw operation than by using a normal conducting (NC) structure. A conceptual design study of the superconducting proton linac is reported. The SC linac is composed of 8 {beta} sections. Each section has the identical 5-cell cavities with the surface peak field of 16MV/m. The total number of cavities is 284, and the length of the SC linac is 690m. The lattice design is determined with the equipartitioned condition and the matched envelope equations for the minimum emittance growth. The transverse and ...
A three-dimensional computational fluid dynamics (CFD) electrochemical model has been created to model high-temperature electrolysis stack performance and steam electrolysis in the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) Integrated Lab Scale (ILS) experiment. The model is made of 60 planar cells stacked on top of each other operated as Solid Oxide Electrolysis Cells (SOEC). Details of the model geometry are specific to a stack that was fabricated by Ceramatec, Inc. and tested at INL. Inlet and outlet plenum flow and distribution are considered. Mass, momentum, energy, and species conservation and transport are provided via the core features of the commercial CFD code FLUENT. A solid-oxide fuel cell (SOFC) model adds the electrochemical reactions and loss mechanisms and computation of the electric field throughout the cell. The FLUENT SOFC user defined subroutine was modified for this work to allow for operation in the SOEC mode. Model results provide detailed profiles of ...
The general development of variational methods for fusion reactor blanket studies is given. Important quantities such as tritium breeding ratio and total nuclear heating are linear functionals of the solutions to the Boltzmann transport equation. To estimate a neutronic quantity by variational methods is, in general, to carry out the scalar product formulation of the Roussopoulos variational principle, or the Schwinger variational principle, with the help of the associated adjoint transport equation where the appropriate response function for the estimate is taken as the source. A multipoint interpolation method based on the above variational principles has been developed and compared to other variational approaches. The method of variational interpolation removes the need to compute both forward and adjoint solutions while the error has the ...
We present numerical calculations for cesium and mercury to estimate the sensitivity of the scattering length to the variation of the fine structure constant alpha. The method used follows ideas Chin and Flambaum [Phys. Rev. Lett. 96, 230801 (2006)], where the sensitivity to the variation of the electron to proton mass ratio, beta, was considered. We demonstrate that for heavy systems, the sensitivity to variation of alpha is of the same order of magnitude as to variation of beta. Near narrow Feshbach resonances the enhancement of the sensitivity may exceed nine orders of magnitude.
The paper considers the cyclic variations in performance parameters of a dual fuel engine fuelled with methane. It is shown that such an engine does display cyclic variations that are greater than the corresponding diesel operation, yet smaller than comparable spark ignition operation. The extent of cyclic variation in peak cylinder pressure and ignition delay increases, for any power output, as the pilot diesel quantity is reduced and the extent of gas substitution is increased. The use of extremely small pilots in the unmodified engine can lead to erratic engine performance. Greater cyclic variations are associated with low lead rather than high load operation.
The environmental Kuznets curve hypothesis (EKC) predicts an inverse U-shaped relationship between environmental pollution and per capita income. The literature with respect to the EKC is vast but far from conclusive. This paper adds firm size to the standard EKC reduced form regression and analyses whether firm size matters once income and composition are controlled for. Results suggest that large firm countries are initially associated with higher levels of environmental damage. However, as economies develop, large firm countries find it easier to adopt more stringent environmental legislation. Once environmental damage starts to decrease, the decrease is much larger in large firm countries.
The authors review two types of simulators for the analysis of cosmic ray neutron-induced soft errors (SE's). One of them is the neutron-induced soft error simulator (NISES). A recently proposed nuclear reaction theory forms the foundation for the nuclear reaction database used in NISES. The other simulator, the simplified simulator MBGR, is based on a modified version of the burst generation rate (BGR) model. Both simulators accurately simulate neutron-induced SE rates (SER's). MBGR actually provides an easier and quicker estimation of neutron-induced SER's than NISES. On the other hand, NISES covers more applications; it simulates neutron-induced charge collection, multiple-bit SE, and [alpha]-induced SE analysis.
The authors review two types of simulators for the analysis of cosmic ray neutron-induced soft errors (SE's). One of them is the neutron-induced soft error simulator (NISES). A recently proposed nuclear reaction theory forms the foundation for the nuclear reaction database used in NISES. The other simulator, the simplified simulator MBGR, is based on a modified version of the burst generation rate (BGR) model. Both simulators accurately simulate neutron-induced SE rates (SER's). MBGR actually provides an easier and quicker estimation of neutron-induced SER's than NISES. On the other hand, NISES covers more applications; it simulates neutron-induced charge collection, multiple-bit SE, and #alpha#-induced SE analysis
The impacted armor targets used in testing high density armor-piercing ammunition containing depleted uranium (DU) are subject to disposal as low-level radioactive waste. Because of the costs associated with disposal of the entire armor plate and the limited use of secured commercial sites in the future, the U.S. Army is seeking to identify and evaluate new technologies for decontaminating these armor plates. The objectives of this Phase I SBIR program are two-fold, namely: to develop a selective solvent that can decontaminate impacted armor targets containing DU for disposal or recycle, and to identify and characterize technologies that can remove depleted uranium from the solvent for solvent recycle and uranium recovery for easier hazardous-waste disposal.
This is a thought piece on data-intensive science requirements for databases and science centers. It argues that peta-scale datasets will be housed by science centers that provide substantial storage and processing for scientists who access the data via smart notebooks. Next-generation science instruments and simulations will generate these peta-scale datasets. The need to publish and share data and the need for generic analysis and visualization tools will finally create a convergence on common metadata standards. Database systems will be judged by their support of these metadata standards and by their ability to manage and access peta-scale datasets. The procedural stream-of-bytes-file-centric approach to data analysis is both too cumbersome and too serial for such large datasets. Non-procedural query and analysis of schematized self-describing data is both easier to use and allows much more parallelism.
A general analytical form of the round trip phase shift in grating feedback diode lasers is proposed. Using the new form, it is obvious that the round trip phase shift can be independent of rotation angle in first order approximation when only one restriction condition is met. We call this the quasi synchronous tuning (QST) condition. In the QST region, a considerably large mode hopping free tuning range can be obtained. An adjustment structure with only one freedom is needed to accurately find and locate the quasi synchronous pivot, which is not strictly confined on the grating surface and its extension. It means that the external cavity diode lasers design can be easier and the laser can be more stable and reliable. PMID:21946988
Adding capacity to coal-fired plants in small increments of an overall integrated program may be the solution to the 10-year lead time required for the construction of a new plant. A preliminary study evaluates the technical and economic feasibility of a modular natural gas and coal-fired combined-cycle power plant which can be installed in three distinct phases. The plant sizes are suitable for large industrial and utility applications. The Modular Block Power Plant (MBPP) concept offers the advantages of phase construction, lower capital cost, lower cost electricity, lower air emissions, lower water requirements, and reduced solid waste discharge. Other advantages include part load availability, reduced coal inventory requirements, and easier plant siting. 11 figures, 4 tables.
This paper aims to provide a comprehensive review of the various models or simulations for predicting drug release from bulk-degrading systems. A brief description of bulk degradation processes and factors affecting the degradation rate, and consequently the release kinetics, is presented first. Next, several important classical models, often used as the basis for subsequent model development, are discussed. Both mathematical models and Monte-Carlo based simulations have been developed for controlled release from bulk-degrading systems. The mathematical models can be further subdivided into two categories. First, the diffusion-based models whose transport mechanism is mainly governed by diffusion, but with degradation-dependent diffusion coefficients. These are generally simpler and easier...
A solid layer artificial pollution test was carried out to study the pollution performance of a new type of hybrid station post insulator used in suspension and tensile high voltage transmission lines. The structure of the separated silicone rubber shed and porcelain core hybrid insulator was shown. The new insulator showed excellent pollution performance under both HVAC and HVDC conditions. It also exhibited excellent aging performance in artificial aging tests. The mechanical strength of the hybrid insulator was also better than normal composite insulators. Another advantage revealed was the fact that separated silicone rubber sheds and porcelain core hybrid post insulators are easier to manufacture than normal porcelain post insulators and other hybrid insulators. 5 refs., 6 tabs., 1 fig.
To evaluate the usefulness of portable chest radiographs by Fuji computed radiography (FCR) in ICU, FCR radiographs of 56 patients who were admitted to General Intensive Care Unit of Keio University Hospital were compared with the conventional portable images. Because FCR could show two differently processed images in one film and allowed a wide range of image reproduction, visualization of the trachea, bone soft tissues and catheters by FCR was easier than that by the conventional radiography. Repeated radiographs by FCR had similar optical densities and limited exposure errors. Furthermore, radiation was reduced than that of the conventional radiography. In conclusion, FCR is thought to be a useful technique for portable chest radiography in ICU patients. (author).
To evaluate the usefulness of portable chest radiographs by Fuji computed radiography (FCR) in ICU, FCR radiographs of 56 patients who were admitted to General Intensive Care Unit of Keio University Hospital were compared with the conventional portable images. Because FCR could show two differently processed images in one film and allowed a wide range of image reproduction, visualization of the trachea, bone soft tissues and catheters by FCR was easier than that by the conventional radiography. Repeated radiographs by FCR had similar optical densities and limited exposure errors. Furthermore, radiation was reduced than that of the conventional radiography. In conclusion, FCR is thought to be a useful technique for portable chest radiography in ICU patients. (author).
It is often necessary to estimate the dose of radiation to a fetus from a series of CT scans. To assist in making this process easier and more accurate, we measured fetal doses in an adult anthropomorphic phantom for four CT scanners: Picker 1200, Siemens DRH, GE 9800, and GE 8800. Measurements were made at four kilovoltages (100, 120, 130, and 140 kVp), for 2-, 5-, 8-, and 10-mm thicknesses, for two scanning angles (360 degrees and 398 degrees) and for two patient orientations (prone and supine). The fetal-dose estimates are based on the CT dose index measured by using a pencil ionization chamber at the center position of a 16-cm-diameter cylindrical phantom. Comparison with data from other investigators shows reasonable agreement when phantom differences, X-ray tube output, and equipment calibration are considered.
Fine-grained BaTiO3-based X7R ceramic materials were prepared and the effects of milling process on the core-shell structures and dielectric properties were investigated using scanning electron microscope, transmission electron microscope, and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS). As the milling time extends, the dielectric constant of the ceramics increases, whereas the temperature coefficient of capacitance at 125degreeC drops quickly. The changes in dielectric properties are considered relevant to the microstructure evolution caused by the milling process. Defects on the surface of BaTiO3 particles increase because of the effects of milling process, which will make it easier for additives to diffuse into the interior grains. As the milling time increases, the shell region gets thicker a...
The present paper describes the development of a radon standard source for use in establishing the traceability of radon concentration measurements in air. Previously, radon generated by bubbling air through a radium salt solution was widely used for calibration of radon measurement equipment; however, the handling of a solid-phase radon source is easier. In the present study, the radioactivity of radon released in a vapor phase was determined from the difference between the radioactivity of the radium and the residual radon progenies in the source. A germanium detector, calibrated using gamma reference sources, was used for these radioactivity measurements. Under equilibrium conditions the radioactivity of the radon released from the radium source was found to be 988 Bq. The source was sealed in a stainless-steel container having a nominal capacity of 6 l to produce a radon standard source of density of 167.5 [Bq/l].
Perfect single-crystal neutron interferometers are adversely sensitive to environmental disturbances, particularly mechanical vibrations. The sensitivity to vibrations results from the slow velocity of thermal neutrons and the long measurement time that are encountered in a typical experiment. Consequently, to achieve a good interference solutions for reducing vibration other than those normally used in optical experiments must be explored. Here we introduce a geometry for a neutron interferometer that is less sensitive to low-frequency vibrations. This design may be compared with both dynamical decoupling methods and decoherence-free subspaces that are described in quantum information processing. By removing the need for bulky vibration isolation setups, this design will make it easier to adopt neutron interferometry to a wide range of applications and increase its sensitivity.
With the advancement of technology and reduced storage costs, individuals and organizations are tending towards the usage of electronic media for storing textual information and documents. It is time consuming for readers to retrieve relevant information from unstructured document collection. It is easier and less time consuming to find documents from a large collection when the collection is ordered or classified by group or category. The problem of finding best such grouping is still there. This paper discusses the implementation of k-Means clustering algorithm for clustering unstructured text documents that we implemented, beginning with the representation of unstructured text and reaching the resulting set of clusters. Based on the analysis of resulting clusters for a sample set of documents, we have also proposed a technique to represent documents that can further improve the clustering result.
Moisture profiles from neutron probe data provide valuable information in site characterization and to supplement ground water monitoring efforts. The neutron probe precision error (reproducibility) is found to be about 0.2 vol% under in situ field conditions where the slope in moisture content with depth is varying slowly. This error is about 2 times larger near moisture spikes (e.g., at the vapor phase notch), due to the sensitivity of the probe response to vertical position errors on the order of 0.5 inches. Calibrations were performed to correct the downhole probe response to the volumetric moisture content determined on core samples. Calibration is sensitive to borehole diameter and casing type, requiring 3 separate calibration relations for the boreholes surveyed here. Power law fits were used for calibration in this study to assure moisture content results greater than zero. Findings in the boreholes reported here confirm the broad features seen previously ...
This research validates a novel approach for source tracking based on denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) analysis of DNA extracted from Escherichia coli isolates. Escherichia coli from different animal sources and from river samples upstream from, at, and downstream of a combined sewer overflow were subjected to DGGE to determine sequence variations within the 16S-23S intergenic spacer region (ISR) of the rrnB ribosomal operon. The ISR was analyzed to determine if E. coli isolates from various animal sources could be differentiated from each other. DNA isolated from the E. coli animal sources was PCR amplified to isolate the rrnB operon. To prevent amplification of all 7 E. coli ribosomal operons by PCR amplification using universal primers, sequence-specific primers were utilized for the rrnB operon. Another primer set was then used to prepare samples of the 16S-23S ISR for DGGE. Comparison of PCR-DGGE results between human and animal sources revealed ...
The magnetic susceptibility of powdered samples of HoH_3, ErH_3, GdH_3 and YbH_3 have been measured in the temperature range from 4.2 to 1.2 K. Two broad, local maxima are observed in the variation of chi versus T for GdH_3, with maxima in (delta chi/delta T) versus T at 1.8 K and 3.3 K. The inverse susceptibilities for HoH_3 and ErH_3 both obey a Curie--Weiss law over a limited range (4.2 to 2.6 K and 4.2 to 2 K, respectively) with values for the Weiss constant of -4.25 K and -1.11 K, and effective moments of 8.6 and 7.7 Bohr magnetons, respectively. The susceptibility of YbH_3 is independent of temperature over the range investigated. High-field magnetization measurements yield extrapolated saturation moments of 7.0 +- 0.25 Bohr magnetons/ion for GdH_3, 6.1 +- 0.2 Bohr magnetons/ion for HoH_3 and 3.74 +- 0.11 Bohr magnetons/ion for ErH_3. In addition, ErH_3 exhibits a van Vleck paramagnetism in the high-field region.
This paper describes the development, design, and fabrication of the crude oil process facilities, and the conversion of an existing tanker for use at the Liuhua 11-1 Field. Over a 16-month period spanning 1994 and 1995, Amoco Orient Petroleum Company, and partners, China Offshore Oil Nanhai East Corporation (CONHE), and Kerr-McGee China Petroleum Ltd., converted a crude oil tanker originally built in 1975 to the Nanhai Sheng Li, the floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO) facility for the Liuhua 11-1 Field. The FPSO will process up to 65,000 BOPD produced from 20 subsea wells located 1.7 miles away. In addition to the processing facilities for produced oil and water, the FPSO has a processed crude oil storage capacity of 715,000 bbls. The ship`s propulsion system was removed during the conversion, because the FPSO is permanently moored at site by means of a 10-point, ``soft`` mooring. The mooring system was designed to survive the ...
Thermoluminescence (TL) and Electron Paramagnetic Resonance (EPR) dosimetry were used to measure dose effects in borosilicate glass with time, from 10 minutes to #approx#60 days following exposure to a dose of up to 10,000 Rad. TL and EPR results were consistent and performed similarly, with both techniques capable of achieving an estimated limit of detection of between 50-100 Rad. Three peaks were identified in the TL glow curve at roughly 110 C, 205 C, and 225 C. The intensity of the 205 C peak was the dominant peak over the time period of this study. The stability of all of the peaks with time since irradiation increased with their corresponding temperature and little or no variation was observed in the glow curve response to a specified total dose attained at different dose rates. The intensity of the 205 C peak decreased logarithmically with time regardless of total dose. Based upon a conservative limit of detection of 330 Rad, a 10,000 Rad dose would still be ...
We performed both a laboratory and field intercomparison of two novel glass-based retrospective radon detectors previously used in major radon case-control studies performed in Missouri and Iowa. The new detectors estimate retrospective residential radon exposure from the accumulation of a long-lived radon decay product, Pb-210, in glass. The detectors use track registration material in direct contact with glass surfaces to measure the alpha emission of a Pb-210 decay product, Po-210. The detector's track density generation rate (tracks cm{sup -2} hr{sup -1}) is proportional to the surface alpha activity. In the absence of other strong sources of alpha emission in the glass, the implanted surface alpha activity should be proportional to the accumulated Po-210 and hence, the cumulative radon gas exposure. The goals of the intercomparison were to: (1) perform collocated measurements using two different glass-based retrospective radon detectors in a ...
The Cretaceous rudist-bearing carbonates of the Arabian Gulf region are proven exploration targets for hydrocarbons and form the reservoirs of a number of giant fields, including Bu Hasa, Fateh, Fahud, Idd El Shargi, Rumaila, Shaybah, and Shah. Rudist buildups occur in three principal formations: (1) Aptian Shuaiba, (2) Cenomanian Mishrif, and (3) Maastrichtian Simsima. A regional subaerial unconformity marks the upper boundary of each of these formations. Associated with the rudists that dominate the Shuaiba Formation are calcareous algal crusts, foraminifera, and echinoid plates, which accumulated in mudstone, packstone, and carbonate sands. The Mishrif Formation contains mollusk fragments, bioclasitc packstones to grainstones, miliolid and nonrudist bivalves in muddy limestones, and rudist (mainly radiolitids and caprinids) conglomeratic floatstones, with fragmented rudists mixed with wackestone lithoclasts. The Mishrif sediments accumulated as a progradational, ...
Four 10 MW, highly-stabilized power supply modules have been installed at the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory in Tallahassee, FL, to energize water-cooled, resistive, high-field research magnets. The power supply modules achieve a long term current stability if 10 ppM over a 12 h period with a short term ripple and noise variation of <10 ppM over a time period of one cycle. The power supply modules can operate independently, feeding four separate magnets, or two, three or four modules can operate in parallel. Each power supply module consists of a 12.5 kV vacuum circuit breaker, two three-winding, step-down transformers, a 24-pulse rectifier with interphase reactors, and a passive and an active filter. Two different transformer tap settings allow rated dc supply output voltages of 400 and 500 V. The rated current of a supply module is 17 kA and each supply module has a one-hour overload capability of 20 kA. The ...
The rare-earth based nickelates RNiO{sub 3} (R = Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, and Pr{sub 1-x}La{sub x}, 0{<=}x{<=}0.7) were studied by inelastic neutron scattering. Energy splittings due to the crystalline-electric-field (CEF) interaction at the R{sup 3+} site within the electronic ground-state J multiplet (for R = Pr, Nd, and Pr{sub 1-x}La{sub x}) as well as within the two lowest-lying J multiplets (for R = Sm and Eu) were directly observed, and the corresponding CEF energy-level schemes were reconstructed. The latter were rationalized in terms of CEF parameters, which vary smoothly over the rare-earth series and give magnetic properties associated with the R sublattice in agreement with results from neutron powder diffraction experiments. Across the metal-insulator transition, a continuous change in the electronic part of the CEF parameters is observed. However, an attempt to quantify a charge transfer from the observed variation of the CEF ...
The rare-earth based nickelates RNiO{sub 3} (R=Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, and Pr{sub 1-x}La{sub x}, 0{<=}x{<=}0.7) were studied by inelastic neutron scattering. Energy splittings due to the crystalline-electric-field (CEF) interaction at the R{sup 3+} site within the electronic ground-state J multiplet (for R=Pr, Nd, and Pr{sub 1-x}La{sub x}) as well as within the two lowest-lying J multiplets (for R=Sm and Eu) were directly observed, and the corresponding CEF energy-level schemes were reconstructed. The latter were rationalized in terms of CEF parameters, which vary smoothly over the rare-earth series and give magnetic properties associated with the R sublattice in agreement with results from neutron powder diffraction experiments. Across the metal-insulator transition, a continuous change in the electronic part of the CEF parameters is observed. However, an attempt to quantify a charge transfer from the observed variation of the CEF ...
The rare-earth based nickelates RNiO_3 (R=Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, and Pr_1_-_xLa_x, 0#<=#x#<=#0.7) were studied by inelastic neutron scattering. Energy splittings due to the crystalline-electric-field (CEF) interaction at the R"3"+ site within the electronic ground-state J multiplet (for R=Pr, Nd, and Pr_1_-_xLa_x) as well as within the two lowest-lying J multiplets (for R=Sm and Eu) were directly observed, and the corresponding CEF energy-level schemes were reconstructed. The latter were rationalized in terms of CEF parameters, which vary smoothly over the rare-earth series and give magnetic properties associated with the R sublattice in agreement with results from neutron powder diffraction experiments. Across the metal-insulator transition, a continuous change in the electronic part of the CEF parameters is observed. However, an attempt to quantify a charge transfer from the observed variation of the CEF parameters in an effective point charge ...
The theoretical analysis of a partially-ionized hydrogen gas flow (gas temperatures of approximately 10,000 to 20,000 K) through a particular class of magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) generators and the preliminary design of these MHD generators as open cycle, electric power supplies are performed. Analysis of the gas flow through these ultra-high temperature MHD generators requires a coupled gas dynamics/radiative heat transfer solution. Gas dynamics are modeled by a set of quasi-one-dimensional, nonlinear differential equations which account for friction, convective and radiative heat transfer and the interaction between the ionized gas and applied magnetic field. Radiative heat transfer is modeled using non-gray, absorbing-emitting two- and three-dimensional P-1 approximations which permit an arbitrary variation of the spectral absorption coefficient with frequency. Gas dynamics and radiative heat transfer are coupled through the energy equation, ...
Because of questions regarding current density and inductance estimates of the Atlas oil transmission line in the region where the vertical plates connect to the disk line, calculations using the 3D FE program Flux3d were initiated. Flux3d inductance values are nearly that estimated by D. Scudder. Calculations for three base designs of E. Ballard and D. Pierce were completed where several variations for each base design were used to determine the important parameters affecting inductance and to check inductance consistency. Flux3d showed for the first base design a very high current density of 36MA/m at the connection between the vertical and horizontal ground plates resulting in a magnetic pressure of 120 kpsi. The second base design modified this connection to reduce the current density to 20MA/m and 36 kpsi and for design 3 current density is 17MA/m. Maximum current density on the hot plates is 20MA/m for all 3 designs. These values assumed 1.2MA per VTL or ...
The palladium(II) and platinum(II)complexes(where, (M(L){sub 2}X{sub 2}), M=Pd(II), Pt(II); L=isoxazole (isox), 3, 5-dimethylisoxazole(3, 5-diMeisox), 3-methyl, 5-phenylisoxazole(3-Me, 5-Ph-isox), and 4-amino-3, 5-di-methylisoxazole (4-ADI); X=Cl, Br) with isoxazole and its derivatives were investigated on antitumor activity by MM2 and EHMO calculation. Because for all the complexes the {sigma}MO energy level (E{sub {sigma}}{sub (M-X)} between d{sub x}{sup 2}{sub -y}{sup 2} orbital of central metal and p{sub x} orbital of halogen atom is less than {sigma}MO energy level E{sub {sigma}}{sub (M-N)} between d{sub x}{sup 2}{sub -y}{sup 2} orbital of central metal and p{sub x} orbital of N atom, without exception. And judging, from the lower E{sub {sigma}}{sub (M-X)} value in trans, the bonding strength was found to be weaker in trans isomer than in cis. For the Pd(II) and Pt(II) complexes which have planar ligands, it was shown that for all the complexes dissociation of X-atom in the Pd(II) ...
Reserve appreciation, also called reserve growth, is the increase in the estimated ultimate recovery (the sum of year end reserves and cumulative production) from fields subsequent to discovery from extensions, infield drilling, improved recovery of in-place resources, new pools, and intrapool completions. In recent years, reserve appreciation has become a major component of total U.S. annual natural gas reserve additions. Over the past 15 years, reserve appreciation has accounted for more than 80 percent of all annual natural gas reserve additions in the U.S. lower 48 states (Figure 1). The rise of natural gas reserve appreciation basically came with the judgment that reservoirs were much more geologically complex than generally thought, and they hold substantial quantities of natural gas in conventionally movable states that are not recovered by typical well spacing and vertical completion practices. Considerable evidence indicates that many reservoirs show ...
Genetic studies of nicotine addiction in mice have utilized the oral self-administration model. However, it is unclear if strain differences in nicotine consumption are influenced by variation in bitter...Full Text Available
It has been suggested for quality assurance purposes that linac output variations for helical tomotherapy (HT) be within ±2% of the long-term average. Due to cancellation of systematic...Full Text Available
Before the influence of divergent factors on gross efficiency (GE) [the ratio of mechanical power output (PO) to metabolic power input (PI)] can be assessed, the variation in GE between days, i.e. the...Full Text Available
Electrophoretic analysis of protein variation at the coagulation F13B locus has previously revealed three alleles, with alleles 1, 2, and 3 each being at high frequency in European,...Full Text Available
Basal or standard metabolic rate (SMR) has been found to exhibit substantial intraspecific variation in a range of taxa, but the consequences of this variation are little understood. Here we explore...Full Text Available
Background and AimsVariation in mating patterns may be particularly evident in colonizing species because they commonly experience wide variation in plant density. Here, the role...Full Text Available
Changes in the number of chromosomes, but also variations in the copy number of chromosomal regions have been described in various pathological conditions, such as cancer and aneuploidy, but also in...Full Text Available
A remarkable range of variation has been demonstrated in the biting habits of A. darlingi in South America. At the centre of its area of distribution, the species comprises both anthropo-endophilic...Full Text Available
Body size variation across the Metazoa is immense, encompassing 17 orders of magnitude in biovolume. Factors driving this extreme diversification in size and the consequences of size variation for biological...Full Text Available
Inherited genetic variation has a critical but as yet largely uncharacterized role in human disease. Here we report a public database of common variation in the human genome: more than one million...Full Text Available
HIV infections show great variation in the rate of progression to disease, and the role of viral genetic factors in this variation had remained poorly characterized until recently. Now a series of four...Full Text Available
Stream temperature is an important physical characteristic of headwater streams that plays a critical role in the presence and health of juvenile salmonids. Headwater stream temperature was documented in two geomorphic settings on the Kenai Peninsula, Alaska, focusing on the variation in temperature induced by diffuse groundwater discharge and variable air temperature. Eighteen headwater stream reaches were studied in four watersheds, with 11 drainageway sites and seven discharge-slope sites. In drainageway sites, low-gradient streams flow through broad valleys with groundwater-fed fen wetlands; in discharge-slope sites, high-gradient streams flow through narrow valleys with groundwater-fed slope wetlands. At all 18 sites, hourly stream temperatures were measured for one year. At one drainageway and one discharge-slope site, groundwater temperatures, stream stages, and groundwater heads in the local groundwater flow systems were also measured hourly for a year. A ...
The ion nitriding treatment is a process widely used in steel alloys to improve the material's properties; such as surface hardness, resistance to wear, fatigue life and resistance to corrosion. But geometric changes in the components can produce during the nitriding process different effects on the behavior of the plasma, such as local variations in the electric field, an empty cathode effect, etc. These in turn can affect among other factors the local temperature and therefore the kinetics of the process, generating variations in the compound layer thicknesses and zone of diffusion, and micro-hardness profile. These heterogeneities limit the effectiveness of the plasma nitriding process, where control and duplication of the surface modification are most important. This work aims to study the effect of the geometry of the pieces treated with ionic nitriding, especially the effect of the orifices. An understanding of the ...
In 1996, a field-scale phytoremediation demonstration project was initiated and managed by the U.S. Air Force at a site in western Fort Worth, Texas, using a plantation of 1-year-old stems harvested from branches of eastern cottonwoods during the dormant season (whips) and a plantation of 1-year-old eastern cottonwood seedlings (calipers). The primary objective of the demonstration project was to determine the effectiveness of eastern cottonwoods at reducing the mass of dissolved trichloroethene transported within an alluvial aquifer. The U.S. Geological Survey conducted a study, in cooperation with the U.S. Air Force, to determine water-level variations and their effects on tree growth and mortality and on the biogeochemical system at the phytoremediation site. As part of the study, water-level and water-quality data were collected throughout the duration of the project. This report presents water-level variations at ...
This report describes the results made in fulfillment of contract DE-FG26-02NT15451, ''Multicomponent Seismic Analysis and Calibration to Improve Recovery from Algal Mounds: Application to the Roadrunner/Towaoc Area of the Paradox Basin, Ute Mountain Ute Reservation, Colorado''. Optimizing development of highly heterogeneous reservoirs where porosity and permeability vary in unpredictable ways due to facies variations can be challenging. An important example of this is in the algal mounds of the Lower and Upper Ismay reservoirs of the Paradox Basin in Utah and Colorado. It is nearly impossible to develop a forward predictive model to delineate regions of better reservoir development, and so enhanced recovery processes must be selected and designed based upon data that can quantitatively or qualitatively distinguish regions of good or bad reservoir permeability and porosity between existing well control. Recent advances in seismic ...
Calculating the local spectral densities at magnetic adatoms, we estimate the variation in the Yosida-Kondo resonance due to the Ruderman-Kittel-Kasuya-Yosida (RKKY) interaction and the direct exchange between adatoms in systems of magnetic trimers on metal surfaces. The results show that the RKKY interaction leads to the gradual variation in Kondo temperature, and the direct exchange can be the origin of the drastic variation. (author)
The objective of the present work is to study the chemical variation in Calophyllum inophyllum growing along the Western Ghats of India. Contents of dipyranocoumarins (inophyllums) in C.?inophyllum were determined to assess whether they could be used as a taxonomic marker for C.?inophyllum. This study also aims to establish inter simple sequence repeat (ISSR) markers that can be used to study genetic variation within the species and explore correlation between ISSR and chemical markers. The contents of dipyranocoumarins were estimated in seeds collected from 20 locations. Leaves from plants at the same 20 locations were assayed for ISSR variation. A dendrogram based on Nei?s genetic distance as well as principal component analysis based on dipyranocoumarins and ISSR variation clustered pla...
Classical semiconductor physics has been continuously improving electronic components such as diodes, light-emitting diodes, solar cells and transistors based on highly purified inorganic crystals over the past decades. Organic semiconductors, notably polymeric, are a comparatively young field of research, the first light-emitting diode based on conjugated polymers having been demonstrated in 1990. Polymeric semiconductors are of tremendous interest for high-volume, low-cost manufacturing (''printed electronics''). Due to their rather simple device structure mostly comprising only one or two functional layers, polymeric diodes are much more difficult to optimize compared to small-molecular organic devices. Usually, functions such as charge injection and transport are handled by the same material which thus needs to be highly optimized. The present work contributes to expanding the knowledge on the physical mechanisms determining ...
The GEOFLOW I experiment has been successfully performed on the International Space Sta-tion (ISS) in 2008 in the Columbus module in order to study the stability, pattern formation and transition to turbulence in a viscous incompressible fluid layer enclosed in two concentric co-rotating spheres subject to a radial temperature gradient and a radial volumetric force field. The objective of the study is the experimental investigation of large scale astrophysical and geophysical phenomena in spherical geometry stipulated by rotation, thermal convections and radial gravity fields. These systems include earth outer core or mantle convection, differen-tial rotation effects in the sun, atmosphere of gas planets as well as a variety of engineering applications. The GEOFLOW I experimental instrument consists of an experiment insert for operation in the Fluid Science Laboratory, which is part of the Columbus Module of the ISS. It was first launched in ...
Interest in finding out passive ways to keep the variation in the indoor climate within the comfort zone is gaining in popularity. One possible solution is the use of the moisture-buffering property of materials. In this study, the effects of the ventilation system and moisture-buffering properties of the building fabric on the stability of the indoor temperature and humidity are analysed by means of long-term field measurements. Indoor climate measurements were carried out in 170 detached houses (248 rooms). Temperature and relative humidity were measured continuously in bedrooms and living rooms at one-hour intervals over a one-year period. In general, it may be concluded that in this study, the ventilation had a greater effect on the indoor climate than the properties of the building fabric. The dampening effect of hygroscopic materials was remarkably less in the field measurements than it was in simulations in different ...
The series of cubic pyrochlore structure compounds, R_2Mo_2O_7 (R = Nd-Yb, Y; R not= Eu), were prepared as single phase materials by solid state reaction between R_2O_3 and MoO_2 at 1400 "0C in a CO/CO_2 = 1 buffer gas atmosphere. Lattice constants obtained from X-ray powder data compare well with results from previous studies. Magnetic susceptibility and magnetization data were obtained for all samples between 300 K and 4.2 K (700 K for R = Gd) and a range of applied fields. For R = Nd, Sm, and Gd magnetic ordering is observed at 97 K, 93 K and 83 K respectively which is assigned to ferromagnetism on the Mo(IV) sublattice. The Mo(IV) moment in the ordered state is about 1 #mu#/sub B/. At low temperatures, the Gd(III) and Mo(IV) moments are apparently coupled feromagnetically in Gd_2Mo_2O_7 yet the high temperature susceptibility data seem to indicate a ferrimagnetic (antiparallel) Gd(III)-Mo(IV) coupling. The low-temperature magnetic properties of Nd_2Mo_2O_7 and ...
The authors analyze the consequences of models of structure formation for higher-order (n-point) galaxy correlation functions in the mildly non-linear regime. Several variations of the standard {Omega} = 1 cold dark matter model with scale-invariant primordial perturbations have recently been introduced to obtain more power on large scales, R{sub p} {approximately}20 h{sup {minus}1} Mpc, e.g., low-matter-density (non-zero cosmological constant) models, {open_quote}tilted{close_quote} primordial spectra, and scenarios with a mixture of cold and hot dark matter. They also include models with an effective scale-dependent bias, such as the cooperative galaxy formation scenario of Bower, et al. The authors show that higher-order (n-point) galaxy correlation functions can provide a useful test of such models and can discriminate between models with true large-scale power in the density field and those where the galaxy power arises from ...
Inherent to helical tomotherapy is a dose variation pattern that manifests as a 'ripple' (peak-to-trough relative to the average). This ripple is the result of helical beam junctioning, completely unique to helical tomotherapy. Pitch is defined as in helical CT, the couch travel distance for a complete gantry rotation relative to the axial beam width at the axis of rotation. Without scattering or beam divergence, an analytical posing of the problem as a simple integral predicts minima near a pitch of 1/n where n is an integer. A convolution-superposition dose calculator (TomoTherapy, Inc.) included all the physics needed to explore the ripple magnitude versus pitch and beam width. The results of the dose calculator and some benchmark measurements demonstrate that the ripple has sharp minima near p=0.86(1/n). The 0.86 factor is empirical and caused by a beam junctioning of the off-axis dose profiles which differ from the axial profiles as well as a long scatter tail ...
Metal oxide semiconductor (MOS) integrated circuits, with the benefits of low power consumption, represent the state of the art technology for implantable medical devices. Three significant sources of radiation are classified as having the ability to damage or alter the behavior of implantable electronics; Secondary neutron cosmic radiation, alpha particle radiation from the device packaging and therapeutic doses(up to 70 G{gamma}) of high energy radiation used in radiation oncology. The effects of alpha particle radiation from the packaging may be eliminated by the use of polyimide or silicone rubber die coatings. The relatively low incidence of therapeutic radiation incident on an implantable device and the use of die coating leaves cosmic radiation induced secondary neutron single event upset (SEU) as the main pervasive ionising radiation threat to the reliability of implantable devices. A theoretical model which predicts the susceptibility of a RAM cell to secondary neutron cosmic ...
The focus of this study is to validate whether the sensitivity of dose distribution following the interface of different media can be used to distinguish between small variations of photon energy spectra in the context of the convolution/superposition algorithm in the polyenergetic implementation (Philips Pinnacle"3, ADAC Laboratories, Milpitas, CA). Calculations were performed in homogeneous water and heterogeneous lung/water phantoms. Spectra were generated, in which the weights of the low-, medium- and high-energy components were adjusted sequentially. The heterogeneity correction factor CF_l_u_n_g, the D_2_0/D_1_0 ratio for homogeneous water and logarithmic derivative in buildup region LD_b_u_i_l_d_u_p were assessed for their relative ability to discriminate between different spectra for various field sizes. In accordance with another study (Charland et al 2004), the superior discrimination ability of the CF_l_u_n_g and LD_b_u_i_l_d_u_p ...
The implementation of wind energy conversion systems in the built environment renewed the interest and the research on Vertical Axis Wind Turbines (VAWT), which in this application present several advantages over Horizontal Axis Wind Turbines (HAWT). The VAWT has an inherent unsteady aerodynamic behavior due to the variation of angle of attack with the angle of rotation, perceived velocity and consequentially Reynolds number. The phenomenon of dynamic stall is then an intrinsic effect of the operation of a Vertical Axis Wind Turbine at low tip speed ratios, having a significant impact in both loads and power. The complexity of the unsteady aerodynamics of the VAWT makes it extremely attractive to be analyzed using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) models, where an approximation of the continuity and momentum equations of the Navier-Stokes equations set is solved. The complexity of the problem and the need for new design approaches for VAWT for the built ...
A theoretical model is developed to explain variations in airborne gamma-ray measurements over a calibration range near Ottawa, Ontario. The gamma-ray flux from potassium and the thorium decay series showed an expected decrease with increasing soil moisture. However, the gamma-ray flux from the uranium decay series was highest in the spring when the ground was water-saturated and even covered with snow. These results are explained through the build-up of radon and its associated gamma-ray-emitting decay products in the clay soil of the calibration range with increasing soil moisture. Similar results were found from airborne measurements over other clay soils. However, measurements over sandy soils showed that the count rates from all three radio elements increased with decreasing soil moisture. This difference between soil types was attributed to the lower radon emanation of the more coarse-grained sandy soils compared to finer-grained clay soils. The theoretical ...
A theoretical model is developed to explain variations in airborne gamma-ray measurements over a calibration range near Ottawa, Ontario. The gamma-ray flux from potassium and the thorium decay series showed an expected decrease with increasing soil moisture. However, the gamma-ray flux from the uranium decay series was highest in the spring when the ground was water-saturated and even covered with snow. These results are explained through the build-up of radon and its associated gamma-ray-emitting decay products in the clay soil of the calibration range with increasing soil moisture. Similar results were found from airborne measurements over other clay soils. However, measurements over sandy soils showed that the count rates from all three radio elements increased with decreasing soil moisture. This difference between soil types was attributed to the lower radon emanation of the more coarse-grained sandy soils compared to finer-grained clay soils. The theoretical ...
The red sequence is an important feature of galaxy clusters and plays a crucial role in optical cluster detection. Measurement of the slope and scatter of the red sequence are affected both by selection of red sequence galaxies and measurement errors. In this paper, we describe a new error corrected Gaussian Mixture Model for red sequence galaxy identification. Using this technique, we can remove the effects of measurement error and extract unbiased information about the intrinsic properties of the red sequence. We use this method to select red sequence galaxies in each of the 13,823 clusters in the maxBCG catalog, and measure the red sequence ridgeline location and scatter of each. These measurements provide precise constraints on the variation of the average red galaxy populations in the observed frame with redshift. We find that the scatter of the red sequence ridgeline increases mildly with redshift, and that the slope decreases with redshift. We also observe ...
We have demonstrated that optical images can be stored in transparent lead-lanthanum-zirconate-titanate (PLZT) ceramics by exposure to near-UV light with photon energies greater than the band gap energy of approx. equal to 3.35 eV. The image storage process relies on optically induced changes in the switching properties of ferroelectric domains (photoferroelectric effect). Stored images are nonvolatile but can be erased by uniform UV illumination and simultaneous application of an electric field. Although high quality images, with contrast variations of >= 100:1 and spatial resolution of approx. equal to 10 #mu#m, can be stored using the photoferroelectric effect, relatively high exposure energies (approx. equal to 100 mJ/cm"2) are required to store these images. This large exposure energy severely limits the range of possible applications of nonvolatile image storage in PLZT ceramics. We have recently found from studies of H, He and Ar ...
A numerical simulation of two-dimensional laminar natural convection in a fully open tilted square cavity with an isothermally heated back wall is conducted. The remaining two walls of the cavity are adiabatic. Steady-state solutions are presented for Grashof numbers between 10{sup 2} and 10{sup 5} and for tilt angles ranging from {minus}60{degree} to 90{degree} (where 90{degree} represents a cavity with the opening facing down). The fluid properties are assumed to be constant except for the density variation with temperature that gives rise to the buoyancy forces, which is treated by the Boussinesq approximation. The fluid concerned is air with Prandtl number fixed at 0.71. The governing equations are expressed in a normalized primitive variables formulation. Numerical predictions of the velocity and temperature fields are obtained using the finite-volume-based power law (SIMPLER: Semi-Implicit Method for Pressure-Linked Equations Revised) ...
Cereal straw, a by-product in the production of agricultural crops, is considered as a potentially large source of energy supply with an estimated value of 47 x 10{sup 18} J worldwide. However, there is some debate regarding the actual amounts of straw which could be removed from arable soils without jeopardizing their quality, as well as the potential trade-offs in the overall straw-to-energy chain compared to the use of fossil energy sources. Here, we used a deterministic model of C and N dynamics in soil-crop systems to simulate the effect of straw removal under various sets of soil, climate and crop management conditions in northeastern France. Model results in terms of nitrate leaching, soil C variations, nitrous oxide and ammonia emissions were subsequently inputted into the life-cycle assessment (LCA) of a particular bio-energy chain in which straw was used to generate heat and power in a plant producing bio-ethanol from wheat grains. Straw removal had ...
The poster illustrates how the recent developments in genetic stratigraphy have contributed to constrain reservoir layering and to improve prediction of reservoir quality in the oil-bearing reservoir of N`KOSSA. The mixed lithology deposits formed during Albian times. Thanks to the excellent core coverage of the reservoir (4 cored wells over the entire reservoir interval), continuous sedimentological examination and interpretation of the facies succession have been carried out. The reservoir can be subdivided into composite sequences (50 to 150 in thick) which are made up of stacked metre-scale genetic units. Three different stacking patterns of genetic units have been identified; retrogradation, aggradation and progradation. These patterns reflect a gradual change of depositional regimes through time. Facies variations (texture, bio-association, geometry, spatial distribution) and early diagenetic overprints can be related to each type of stacking pattern. One ...
The dry deposition of pollutants can be calculated from the concentration of pollutants in the atmosphere and deposition velocity. To calculate deposition velocity, turbulence parameters such as friction velocity and Monin-Obukhov length are used. However, due to the difficulties in observation of turbulence parameters, usually mean values of wind speed and temperature observed using conventional meteorological instruments are used to estimate the dry deposition. The dry deposition velocity is the function of aerodynamic resistance (R{sub a}), sublayer resistance (R{sub b}), surface resistance (R{sub c}). R{sub a} and R{sub b} are calculated from turbulence parameters and R{sub c} is related to surface characteristics. The purpose of the present study is to compare the dry deposition obtained using the data sets of mean values and turbulence parameters measured by sonic anemometer-thermometer. The field observation was performed for 30 days from October 27 to ...
The high incidence and mortality rates of prostate cancer have stimulated research for prevention, early diagnosis and appropriate treatment. DNA ploidy status of tumour cells is an important parameter with diagnostic and prognostic significance. In the current study, DNA ploidy analysis was performed using image cytometry technique and digital image processing and analysis. Tissue samples from prostate patients were stained using the Feulgen method. Images were acquired using a digital imaging microscopy system consisting of an Olympus BX-50 microscope equipped with a color CCD camera. Segmentation of such images is not a trivial problem because of the uneven background, intensity variations within the nuclei and cell clustering. In this study specific algorithms were developed in Matlab based on the most prominent image segmentation approaches that emanate from the field of Mathematical Morphology, focusing on region-based watershed ...
This paper describes an outline of solid fuel production process from brown coal and the investigation results of its elemental techniques. Dried coal is produced by this process which consists of a dewatering of crushed brown coal in oil-based solvent, a solid and liquid separation of slurry, and a remained oil recovery by heating. This process is characterized by the higher thermal efficiency compared with usual drying and the restraint of spontaneous combustion of product coal. It was revealed that solid fuel with low moisture, low ash, low sulfur, and suppressed spontaneous combustion property can be produced from Australian brown coal through this process. From the comparison between kerosene and fuel oil A, it was confirmed that the oil content during dewatering was smaller and the oil recovery by heating was easier by using a solvent with lower boiling point. It was also confirmed that the spontaneous combustion property can be suppressed using small amount ...
The authors propose to develop a high-energy heavy-ion experimental database and make it accessible to the scientific community through an on-line interface. This database will be searchable and cross-indexed with relevant publications, including published detector descriptions. Since this database will be a community resource, it requires the high-energy nuclear physics community's financial and manpower support. This database should eventually contain all published data from Bevalac, AGS and SPS to RHIC and CERN-LHC energies, proton-proton to nucleus-nucleus collisions as well as other relevant systems, and all measured observables. Such a database would have tremendous scientific payoff as it makes systematic studies easier and allows simpler benchmarking of theoretical models to a broad range of old and new experiments. Furthermore, there is a growing need for compilations of high-energy nuclear data for applications including stockpile stewardship, ...
A new hydroxyiminoamide ligand, 1-(2-nitroimidazole-1-yl)-propanhydroxyiminoamide (N2IPA) was synthesized. The biodistribution of {sup 99m}Tc-N2IPA in mice bearing S180 tumor demonstrated that the complex showed a selective accumulation in tumor and slow clearance from it. The tumor-to-tissue uptake ratios increased with time. At 4 hours after injection, the uptake ratios of tumor to muscle, blood, liver, heart, and lung reached 8.4, 1.5, 0.6, 2.9, and 2.3, respectively. Moreover, the tumor-to-liver uptake ratio steadily increased to 0.9 at 8 hours and 2.3 at 24 hours. The complex showed little uptake and quick clearance in blood, lung and other organs. Compared with other proposed hypoxia-imaging agents, this novel agent has advantages of higher tumor-to-muscle and tumor-to-blood uptake ratios and easier synthesis.
Dominating factors in plasma nitriding and plasma condition that makes nitriding possible in plasma nitriding process of metals having hard oxide film were studied. In case of stainless steel, oxide film sputtering was easier comparing to nitriding layer. Three phenomena such as sputtering of oxide layer, formation of nitriding layer and sputtering of nitriding layer occurred simultaneously. Nitriding was achieved when the formation of nitriding layer reached the peak comparing to the removal of nitriding layer after the removal of oxide layer. Situations of metallic surface of stainless steel in surface nitriding were divided into four categories and they were, situation where oxide layer remained as it is, situation where nitriding layer was formed although oxide layer remained in some part, situation where only nitriding layer was formed and situation where sputtering was carried out. It was revealed that plasma situation causing nitriding was the cathode fall ...
This report describes the method of Allan variance and its application to the characterization of a Ring Laser Gyro`s (RLG) performance. Allan variance, a time domain analysis technique, is an accepted IEEE standard for gyro specifications. The method was initially developed by David Allan of the National Bureau of Standards to quantify the error statistics of a Cesium beam frequency standard employed as the US Frequency Standards in 1960`s. The method can, in general, be applied to analyze the error characteristics of any precision measurement instrument. The key attribute of the method is that it allows for a finer, easier characterization and identification of error sources and their contribution to the overall noise statistics. This report presents an overview of the method, explains the relationship between Allan variance and power spectral density distribution of underlying noise sources, describes the batch and recursive implementation approaches, validates ...
The hurried development of multimedia and internet allows for wide distribution of digital media data. It becomes much easier to edit, modify and duplicate digital information. In additional, digital document is also easy to copy and distribute, therefore it may face many threats. It became necessary to find an appropriate protection due to the significance, accuracy and sensitivity of the information. Furthermore, there is no formal method to be followed to discover a hidden data. In this paper, a new information hiding framework is presented.The proposed framework aim is implementation of framework computation between advance encryption standard (AES) and distortion technique (DT) which embeds information in image page within executable file (EXE file) to find a secure solution to cover file without change the size of cover file. The framework includes two main functions; first is the hiding of the information in the image page of EXE file, through the execution ...
Xe ion irradiation of NiSi, PdSi, and PtSi on Si was performed at various substrate temperatures. The phase formation and mixing behavior of the three monosilicides with their Si substrates are quite different. For NiSi, NiSi/sub 2/ was formed on amorphous Si substrates at 350 /sup 0/C, while NiSi remained stable on crystalline Si substrates even at 400 /sup 0/C. PtSi reacted with Si to form a metastable Pt/sub 4/Si/sub 9/ phase, which decomposed back to PtSi and Si by successive irradiation at higher temperatures. The decomposition of the metastable Pt/sub 4/Si/sub 9/ was easier on crystalline Si substrates than on amorphous substrates. No mixing was observed for PdSi on Si in the temperature range of 35--400 /sup 0/C. The ion mixing results were compared with those from thermal annealing. The importance of demixing of a thermally stable system was explored.
Xe ion irradiation of NiSi, PdSi, and PtSi on Si was performed at various substrate temperatures. The phase formation and mixing behavior of the three monosilicides with their Si substrates are quite different. For NiSi, NiSi_2 was formed on amorphous Si substrates at 350 "0C, while NiSi remained stable on crystalline Si substrates even at 400 "0C. PtSi reacted with Si to form a metastable Pt_4Si_9 phase, which decomposed back to PtSi and Si by successive irradiation at higher temperatures. The decomposition of the metastable Pt_4Si_9 was easier on crystalline Si substrates than on amorphous substrates. No mixing was observed for PdSi on Si in the temperature range of 35--400 "0C. The ion mixing results were compared with those from thermal annealing. The importance of demixing of a thermally stable system was explored.
Smoothness-constrained least-squares technique with ABIC minimization was applied to the inversion of phase velocity of surface waves during geophysical exploration, to confirm its usefulness. Since this study aimed mainly at the applicability of the technique, Love wave was used which is easier to treat theoretically than Rayleigh wave. Stable successive approximation solutions could be obtained by the repeated improvement of velocity model of S-wave, and an objective model with high reliability could be determined. While, for the inversion with simple minimization of the residuals squares sum, stable solutions could be obtained by the repeated improvement, but the judgment of convergence was very hard due to the smoothness-constraint, which might make the obtained model in a state of over-fitting. In this study, Love wave was used to examine the applicability of the smoothness-constrained least-squares technique with ABIC minimization. Applicability of this to ...
Document search is generally based on individual terms in the document. However, for collections within limited domains it is possible to provide more powerful access tools. This paper describes a system designed for collections of reports of infectious disease outbreaks. The system, Proteus-BIO, automatically creates a table of outbreaks, with each table entry linked to the document describing that outbreak; this makes it possible to use database operations such as selection and sorting to find relevant documents. Proteus-BIO consists of a Web crawler which gathers relevant documents; an information extraction engine which converts the individual outbreak events to a tabular database; and a database browser which provides access to the events and, through them, to the documents. The information extraction engine uses sets of patterns and word classes to extract the information about each event. Preparing these patterns and word classes has been a time-consuming manual operation in the ...
Thirty-five patients with temporal bone fractures were examined; the fractures were sometimes associated with dislocation of the assicular chain caused by road fatalities. Computed Tomography (CT) was performed either because of the presence of clinical symptoms associated with trauma of the temporal bone, because of a hemotympanum discovered during a CT scan of the brain. Thirty-three fractures were detected: 19 longitudinal, 6 transverse, and 8 complex. An incudostapedial dislocation was also detected, together with a displacement of a stapedial prosthesis from the lenticular process of incus, and 3 incus-malleus dislocation associated with fractures. High resolution CT allows the precise definition of the course of the fractures, of the associated dislocation of the ossicular chain, and of facial nerve lesion, thus allowing a more accurate surgical intervention. In the examination of the temporal bone, high resolution CT is preferible to pluridirectional tomography because it is ...
The authors apply the nonlinear WENO (Weighted Essentially Nonoscillatory) scheme to the spatial discretization of the Boltzmann Transport Equation modeling linear particle transport. The method is a finite volume scheme which ensures not only conservation, but also provides for a more natural handling of boundary conditions, material properties and source terms, as well as an easier parallel implementation and post processing. It is nonlinear in the sense that the stencil depends on the solution at each time step or iteration level. By biasing the gradient calculation towards the stencil with smaller derivatives, the scheme eliminates the Gibb's phenomenon with oscillations of size O(1) and reduces them to O(h{sup r}), where h is the mesh size and r is the order of accuracy. The current implementation is three-dimensional, generalized for unequally spaced meshes, fully parallelized, and up to fifth order accurate (WENO5) in space. For unsteady problems, ...
Semiconducting properties of passive films formed on AISI 304 stainless steel grade were investigated by capacitances measurements in chloride containing aqueous solutions for different surface finishes: BA (bright annealing in hydrogen containing atmospheres) and 2B (standard annealing in oxidising atmospheres followed by pickling in acid, then water rinsing). Mott-Schottky analysis shows that for high enough electrode potential, and whatever the surface finish, the films behave like n-type semiconductors. 2B passive film appears to be more donor-doped than BA one and the density of donor states increases with chloride concentration. The electron donor levels are assumed to be generated by negatively charged cations vacancies produced by the chloride ions reaction with the outer passive film. This reaction looks easier for 2B than BA condition, which explains why BA resists better than 2B to pit nucleation.
Semiconducting properties of passive films formed on AISI 304 stainless steel grade were investigated by capacitances measurements in chloride containing aqueous solutions for different surface finishes: BA (bright annealing in hydrogen containing atmospheres) and 2B (standard annealing in oxidising atmospheres followed by pickling in acid, then water rinsing). Mott-Schottky analysis shows that for high enough electrode potential, and whatever the surface finish, the films behave like n-type semiconductors. 2B passive film appears to be more donor-doped than BA one and the density of donor states increases with chloride concentration. The electron donor levels are assumed to be generated by negatively charged cations vacancies produced by the chloride ions reaction with the outer passive film. This reaction looks easier for 2B than BA condition, which explains why BA resists better than 2B to pit nucleation.
The objectives of this study are to make a biosensor on a trial basis which can instantaneously measure the nitrogen in wastewater, and to develop a wastewater treatment system which is capable of on-line measurement and controlling. The system provides easier operational control relating to such a high efficient treatment as the removal of nitrogen content in wastewater, serving as a solution to the eutrophication problem. It can be applied also to the analysis of fertilizer components for agriculture. Ammonia oxidizing bacteria were immobilized with cellulose acetate film, which is mounted on a diaphragm type oxygen electrode to make a sensor, and its responsibility was studied. The gradient is slow in high concentration but sharp in low concentration, and it seems possible to use it for the measurement for less than 20 ppm nitrogen concentration. The dependence of the sensor including electrodes and activity of bacteria on temperature is large, and the ...
A new monolithic semi-insulating (SI) GaAs sensor design for X-ray imaging applications between 10-100keV has been proposed. Monolithic pixel detectors offer a number of advantages over hybrid bump-bonded detectors, such as high device yield, low costs and are easier to produce large scale arrays. In this thesis, an investigation is made of the use of a SI GaAs wafer as both a detector element and substrate for the epitaxially grown High Electron Mobility Transistors (HEMTs). The design of the HEMT transistors, optimised for this application, were produced with the aid of the Silvaco 'Virtual Wafer Fab' simulation package. It was determined that the device characteristics would consist of a small positive threshold voltage, a low off-state drain current and high transconductance. The final HEMT transistor design, that would be integrated to a pixel detector, had a threshold voltage of 0.17V, an off-state leakage current of approx 1nA and a transconductance of ...
We review the recent development of bendable x-ray optics used for focusing of beams of soft and hard x-rays at the Advanced Light Source (ALS) at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and at the Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS) x-ray free electron laser (FEL) at the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center (SLAC) National Accelerator Laboratory. For simultaneous focusing in the tangential and sagittal directions, two elliptically cylindrical reflecting elements, a Kirkpatrick-Baez (KB) pair, are used. Because fabrication of elliptical surfaces is complicated, the cost of directly fabricated tangential elliptical cylinders is often prohibitive. Moreover, such optics cannot be easily readjusted for use in multiple, different experimental arrangements, e.g. at different focal distances. This is in contrast to flat optics that are simpler to manufacture and easier to measure by conventional interferometry. The tangential figure of a flat substrate is changed by placing ...
The giant alga Chara corallina generates action potentials (APs) in response to mechanical stimulation, injury, or direct electrical stimulation. Students examine the waveform characteristics of these APs using standard intracellular recording techniques. Intracellular recording is easier than with neurons because of the large size of the Chara cell. Students observe very negative resting potentials (up to -250 mV), large AP amplitudes with depolarizing peaks approaching 0 mV, AP durations of seconds, and refractory periods up to several minutes. Students calculate Nernst potentials for the ions distributed across the Chara cell membrane to hypothesize the ions responsible for the resting potential and for the depolarizing phase of the AP. These calculations suggest that K+ is responsible for the resting potential and that Ca2+ influx and Ca2+-activated Cl- efflux are responsible for depolarizing phases of the AP, which they are. Comparison of the Chara AP ...
The LHCb Muon detector system is made of several (1368) Multi Wire Proportional Chambers (MWPCs). Those chambers differ in size, readout and constructing materials and are built in various countries: their assembly takes place in different sites and foresee many steps. To ensure the production quality and keep track of panels/chambers production an on-line database has been set up. This web based tool allows an easy sharing of the information: the database update is made possible trough a web interface. The update is easy and reliable. The interface helps the information sharing in different sites and helps optimizing the production rate by allowing feedback on production needs and quality between sites contributing to the production chain. The planning is made using the information on the material availability. Quality tests and crosschecks are made easier, as well as the overall production monitoring. The tool has been developed using mySQL, PHP, ROOT and PERL ...
The SPring-8 linac has been improved to realize stable top-up injection into the SPring-8 and the NewSUBARU storage rings. The beam energy instability of 0.02% rms in the long term was achieved by means of reducing RF variations, providing beam energy compensation, reinforcement of monitor systems and introduction of beam feedback controls: Variations in the RF power and phase have been reduced by improving the voltage regulation system for the klystron modulator, and by stabilizing the temperature drift of the atmosphere and cooling water in order to reduce the phase variation. A new synchronous oscillator synchronizes a beam trigger pulse and a 2856 MHz reference signal, reducing variation in the beam charge. A beam energy compression system (ECS) was installed to compensate for accidental energy variation and reduce the energy spread. Beam feedback controls compensate for ...
We consider the problem of minimal (multiplicative) complexity of polynomial multiplication and multiplication in finite extensions of fields. For infinite fields minimal complexities are known [Winograd,...Full Text Available
The idle speed of an internal combustion engine is controlled in response to a variable ignition timing control signal from a microcomputer. The microcomputer derives this control signal as a function of the magnitude of engine speed variation which occurs during engine idle periods to cause the ignition timing to vary quickly in response to a transitory engine load variation. An auxiliary air delivery system may be advantageously incorporated in the idle speed control system to cooperate with the ignition timing control in response to the engine speed variation.
The effect of variations of the fundamental constants on the thermonuclear rate of the triple alpha reaction, "4He(#alpha##alpha#, #gamma#)"1"2C, that bridges the gap between "4He and "1"2C is investigated. We have followed the evolution of 15 and 60 M#centre dot# zero metallicity stellar models, up to the end of core helium burning. They are assumed to be representative of the first (Population III) stars. The calculated oxygen carbon abundances resulting from helium burning can then be used to constrain the variation of the fundamental constants.
This paper studies the pricing of variance swap derivatives with stochastic volatility by the control variate method. A closed form solution is derived for the approximate model with deterministic volatility, which plays the key role in the paper, and an efficient control variate technique is therefore proposed when the volatility obeys the log-normal process. By the analysis of moments for the underlying processes, the optimal volatility function in the approximate model is constructed. The numerical results show the high efficiency of our method; the results coincide with the theoretical results. The idea in the paper is also applicable for the valuation of other types of variance swap, options with stochastic volatility and other financial derivatives with multi-factor models.
The formation mechanism of the cold-rolled strip shape with high tension was studied. An advanced method to calculate the allowable variation of strip transverse profiles was established by the strip buckling criterion, which can be more properly used in cold rolling. With this method, the aim allowable variation of the product strip transverse profile and the required transverse profile range of incoming strips can be reached. Besides, this method has been successfully applied in a domestic tandem cold mill, and the transverse profile range of incoming strips suggested with this method is more practicable and complete. Consequently, the good performance is acquired.
BackgroundDuplications of stretches of the genome are an important source of individual genetic variation, but their unrecognized presence in laboratory organisms would be a confounding...Full Text Available
BackgroundThe endoscopic endonasal transsphenoidal approach (EETA) to the pituitary is performed by ear, nose, and throat (ENT) surgeons in collaboration with neurosurgeons but also...Full Text Available
We demonstrate the use of a variational method to determine a quantitative lower bound on the rate of convergence of Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) algorithms as a function of the target density and proposal density. The bound relies on approximating the second largest eigenvalue in the spectrum of the MCMC operator using a variational principle and the approach is applicable to problems with continuous state spaces. We apply the method to one dimensional examples with Gaussian and quartic target densities, and we contrast the performance of the basic Metropolis-Hastings algorithms with a ``smart'' variant that incorporates gradient information into the trial moves. We find that the variational method agrees quite closely with numerical simulations. We also see that the smart MCMC algorithm often fails to converge geometrically in the tails of the target density except in the simplest case we examine, and even then care ...
ObjectiveTo achieve osteochondral regeneration utilizing transplantation of cartilage-lineage cells and adequate scaffolds, it is essential to characterize the behavior of transplanted...Full Text Available
A patient with Cushing's syndrome due to a nonresectable chromophobe adenoma underwent external irradiation of the hypothalamic-pituitary area. The signs of Cushing's syndrome ameliorated subsequently...Full Text Available
High-throughput technologies for DNA sequencing and for analyses of transcriptomes, proteomes and metabolomes have provided the foundations for deciphering the structure, variation and function of the...Full Text Available
The extent (density and diameter) of the native (preexisting) collateral circulation in healthy tissues and the capacity of collaterals to enlarge/remodel in obstructive arterial disease are important...Full Text Available
Spatial epidemiology is the description and analysis of geographic variations in disease with respect to demographic, environmental, behavioral, socioeconomic, genetic, and infectious risk factors....Full Text Available
High resolution of NMR spectroscopic data of biosamples are a rich source of information on the metabolic response to physiological variation or pathological events. There are many advantages...Full Text Available
To evaluate the contribution of genetic influences on the individual variation in plateau serum salicylate levels, salicylate metabolism was studied in seven pairs of identical and six pairs of fraternal...Full Text Available
BackgroundGenetic predisposition to scrapie in sheep is associated with several variations in the peptide sequence of the prion protein gene (PRNP). DNA-based tests...Full Text Available
Frogs are characterized by a unique morphology associated with their saltatory lifestyle. Although variation in the form and function of the pelvic girdle and associated appendicular system related...Full Text Available
SUMMARYThe aim of this study was to determine middle ear pressure changes during the operation performed under anaesthesia induced by isoflurane or desflurane. This was a prospective,...Full Text Available
alloy (Ti6242 or T i l 100) was utilized. Parametric studies were performed to investigate variations of displacements and stresses with sandwich and ...
Background and AimsIt is well known that genome size differs among species. However, information on the variation and dynamics of genome size in wild populations and on the early...Full Text Available
BackgroundRecent studies have shown associations between size and body proportions at birth and health outcomes throughout the life cycle, but there are few data...Full Text Available
Plant secondary chemistry is determined by both genetic and environmental factors, and while large intraspecific variation in secondary chemistry has been reported frequently, the levels of genetic variation of many secondary metabolites in forest trees in the context of potential resistance against pests have been rarely investigated. We examined the effect of tree genotype and environment/site on the variation in defensive secondary chemistry of lodgepole pine, Pinus contorta var. latifolia, against the fungus, Grosmannia clavigera (formerly known as Ophiostoma clavigerum), associated with the mountain pine beetle, Dendroctonus ponderosae. Terpenoids were analyzed in phloem samples from 887, 20-yr-old trees originating from 45 half-sibling families planted at two sites. Samples were coll...
RationaleCollaterals are arteriole-to-arteriole anastomoses that connect adjacent arterial trees. They lessen ischemic tissue injury by serving as endogenous bypass...Full Text Available
Using aggregate data for the counties of England and Wales, a negative association is found between mean radon concentrations in dwellings and lung cancer standardised mortality ratios, when regional smoking variations, diet variations, social class variations and population density are controlled. Cornwall and Devon have the highest mean domestic radon gas concentrations, yet the number of lung cancer deaths there was within the range to be expected from relationships not involving radon observed in the rest of the country. While high values of radon exposure appear to concentrate in particular localities, the variations in lung cancer mortality between districts in Cornwall and Devon are small. These findings do not refute the linear exposure-risk hypothesis, but the evidence suggests that relatively few, if any, radon related deaths were associated with the dwellings where radon gas concentrations ...
Cis-acting regulatory sequences are required for the proper temporal and spatial control of gene expression. Variation in gene expression is highly heritable and a significant determinant...Full Text Available
An epidemiological study about mastitis in French dairy herds, supported by an ecopathological survey is described. The aim of this work was to explain variations of the annual frequencies of...Full Text Available
The author briefly discusses definition of terms, gives an introduction to measurement techniques and describes the characteristics of various low-frequency fields and their causes using typical examples: natural electric fields (thunderstroms), natural magnetic fields, technical electric constant fields (urban transportation, households), static magnetic fields (urban transportation, nuclear magnetic resonance imaging), technical electric alternating fields (high-voltage transmission lines, households), and magnetic alternating fields (high-voltage transmission lines). The author discusses both occupational exposure and that of the general public while underpinning his statements by numerous tables, measurement diagrams and charts. (Uhe).
Using discrete air sampling, values of {delta}{sup 13}C and {delta}{sup 18}O in atmospheric CO{sub 2}, as well as its concentration, were measured in a forest in the central part of the main island of Japan during the period from June 1994 to June 1996 to examine the biospheric contribution to their temporal variations. {delta}{sup 13}C shows a prominent diurnal variation with high values in the daytime and low values in the nighttime, especially during the warm season. {delta}{sup 13}C also vary seasonally, showing a maximum in summer and a minimum in spring. The diurnal and seasonal variations of {delta}{sup 13}C are opposite in phase with those of the CO{sub 2} concentration. The rate of change in {delta}{sup 13}C with respect to the CO{sub 2} concentration is found to be approximately -0.005 per mille/ppmv. This suggests that the diurnal and seasonal variations of the CO{sub 2} concentration are ...
A radon detector with LR-115 nuclear track film was constructed for radon concentration measurements in soil. Temporal radon variations, as well as the barometric pressure, precipitation and temperature were measured for two years. Negative correlation between radon concentration in soil and barometric pressure was found. For some of the recorded earthquakes that occurred during the observation period, soil radon anomalies may be noticed one month before the quakes.
Substantial changes in the radial distribution function of amorphous Si films have been observed in neutron-diffraction studies. The spectra indicate changes in short-range order associated with an approx.11% modification in the bond-angle distribution width. The results allow the first direct comparison of structural and vibrational Raman probes of variations in local order in thin-film amorphous solids. Good agreement is obtained between the measured bond-angle variation and that based on Raman estimates.
The paper presents a description of the physical processes governing the variations of the pulse rise-time which occur during the operation of the proportional counter and are due to varying either the count rate or the applied voltage. On the basis of the rise-time concept the differences in the count rate effect observed in various types of proportional counters are discussed.
Purpose: The aim of this study was to assess interinstitutional variations in planning for stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) for lung cancer before the start of the Japan Clinical Oncology Group (JCOG) 0403 trial. Methods and Materials: Eleven institutions created virtual plans for four cases of solitary lung cancer. The created plans should satisfy the target definitions and the dose constraints for the JCOG 0403 protocol. Results: FOCUS/XiO (CMS) was used in six institutions, Eclipse (Varian) in 3, Cadplan (Varian) in one, and Pinnacle3 (Philips/ADAC) in one. Dose calculation algorithms of Clarkson with effective path length correction and superposition were used in FOCUS/XiO; pencil beam convolution with Batho power law correction was used in Eclipse and Cadplan; and collapsed cone convolution superposition was used in Pinnacle3. For the target volumes, the overall coefficient of variation was 16.6%, and the interinstitutional ...
In this paper we present a modeling framework for analyzing computer models with two types of variations. The paper is based on a case study of an orthopedic surgical unit, which has both controllable and uncontrollable factors. Our results show that this structure of variation can be modeled effectively with linear mixed effects models and generalized additive models. Copyright (C) 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Recently, the public has become aware of keywords like ''Quantum computer'' or ''Quantum cryptography''. Regarding their potential application in solid state based quantum information processing and their overall benefit in fundamental research quantum dots have gained more and more public interest. In this context, quantum dots are often referred to as ''artificial atoms'', a term subsuming their physical properties quite nicely and emphasizing the huge potential for further investigations. The basic mechanism to be considered is the theoretical model of a two-level system. A quantum dot itself represents this kind of system quite nicely, provided that only the presence or absence of a single exciton in the ground state of that structure is regarded. This concept can also be expanded to the presence of two excitons (bi-exciton). Transitions between the relevant levels can be ...
The magnetic field strengths of most millisecond pulsars(MSP) are about $10^{8-9}$ Gauss. The accretion induced magnetic field evolution scenario here concludes that the field decay is invesely related to the accreted mass and the minimum field or bottom field stops at about $10^{8}$ Gauss if accreted with the Eddington accretion rate, which is proportionally related with the accretion rate as $\\dot{M}^{1/2}$. The possibility of the low field $\\sim 10^{7}$ Gauss MSPs has been proposed for the future radio observation.
We calculate the quarkonium dissociation rate in the P and CP-odd domains (bubbles) that were possibly created in heavy-ion collisions. In the presence of the magnetic field produced by the valence quarks of colliding ions, parity-odd domains generate electric field. Quarkonium dissociation is the result of quantum tunneling of quark or antiquark through the potential barrier in this electric field. The strength of the electric field in the quarkonium comoving frame depends on the quarkonium velocity with respect to the background magnetic field. We investigate momentum, electric field strength and azimuthal dependence of the dissociation rate. Azimuthal distribution of quarkonia surviving in the electromagnetic field is strongly anisotropic; the form of anisotropy depends on the relation between the electric and magnetic ...
Plasma confinement by permanent magnets has been studied. An analytic formula for the field of a single bar magnet has been obtained. Generalization to various configurations of multidipole fields has also been found. Any two-dimensional field may now be completely described by a simple function of complex variables in closed form. Vector potential has also been obtained by integrating over a prescribed Riemann surface. The confinement of plasma by multidipole fields then becomes obvious through conservation principles.
The study of interaction of tachyons with superluminal electromagnetic fields has been undertaken and it has been shown that the energy of this interaction is similar to that of bradyons with ordinary electromagnetic fields except that the roles of virtual and longitudinal parts are interchanged. It has also been shown that the interaction of tachyons with superluminal electromagnetic fields in time-energy representation is identical to the interaction of bradyons with ordinary electromagnetic fields in space-momentum representation. 19 references.
The study of interaction of tachyons with superluminal electromagnetic fields has been undertaken and it has been shown that the energy of this interaction is similar to that of bradyons with ordinary electromagnetic fields except that the roles of virtual and longitudinal parts are interchanged. It has also been shown that the interaction of tachyons with superluminal electromagnetic fields in time-energy representation is identical to the interaction of bradyons with ordinary electromagnetic fields in space-momentum representation. (author).
Using the complex Kohn method, we have calculated variational values of phase shifts and the annihilation parameter, Z_{eff}, for the elastic scattering of positrons by molecular hydrogen. Our results are sensitive to small changes in the accuracy of the wave function representing the target hydrogen molecule. We have developed a systematic approach to demonstrate that, at low positron energies, there are particular forms of the Kohn trial wave function for which the results of variational calculations are not reliable, even when the target wave function accounts for as much as 96.8% of the correlation energy of H_{2}. We find that reliable results can be recovered if our calculations are extended to admit more sophisticated target wave functions accounting for 99.7% of the correlation energy. Remaining discrepancies between theory and experiment are briefly discussed.
We investigate the variation of the out-of-phase periodic rhythm produced by two chaotic neurons {bold (}Hindmarsh-Rose neurons [J. L. Hindmarsh and R. M. Rose, Proc. R. Soc. London B {bold 221}, 87 (1984)]{bold )} coupled by electrical and reciprocally synaptic connections. The exploration of a two-parametric bifurcation diagram, as a function of the strength of the electrical and inhibitory coupling, reveals that the periodic rhythms associated to the limit cycles bounded by saddle-node bifurcations, undergo a strong variation as a function of small changes of electrical coupling. We found that there is a scaling law for the bifurcations of the limit cycles as a function of the strength of both couplings. From the functional point of view of this mixed typed of coupling, the small variation of electrical coupling provides a high sensitivity for period regulation inside the regime of out-of-phase synchronization. ...
Monthly sampling of slightly alkaline arsenic-rich stream in the Mokrsko gold deposit revealed seasonal variations in dissolved Zn, Cu, As and Mo. Concentrations of trace metal cations (Zn, Cu) increased as much as 330 and 178%, respectively, from minimum mean values at autumn to maximum mean values at spring. In contrast, concentrations of trace element oxyanions (As, Mo) revealed opposite seasonal pattern with increase to 189% (As) and 123% (Mo) during summer?autumn, indicating that in-stream biogeochemical process(es) played the main role in controlling the seasonal variations of these trace elements. The trace elements were mainly scavenged by low crystalline Mn oxyhydroxide and Fe oxyhydroxide (ferrihydrite). Results are consistent with sorption and coprecipitation processes controlli...
Abstract This study was undertaken over a 10-month period under environmental conditions within the state of Mato Grosso, Brazil, to evaluate the causes of variation in the technological and thermal properties of raw natural rubber (NR) from different clones of Hevea brasiliensis (GT 1, PR 255, FX 3864, and RRIM 600). These clones were chosen to represent good clones available in Brazil. The technological properties of raw NR were evaluated in terms of their dry rubber content (DRC), Wallace plasticity, plasticity retention index (PRI), and Mooney viscosity. The thermal performance was evaluated with the thermogravimetry (TG)/differential thermogravimetry (DTG) technique. There were significant variations (p < 0.01 and p < 0.05) between clones and tappings for all technological properties,...
Abstract A large number of massive stars are known to rotate rapidly, resulting in a significant distortion and variation in surface temperature from the pole to the equator. Radiatively driven mass-loss is temperature-dependent, so rapid rotation produces a variation in the mass-loss and angular momentum loss rates across the surface of the star, which is expected to affect the evolution of rapidly rotating massive stars. In this work, we use zero-age main-sequence (ZAMS) stellar models to investigate the two-dimensional effects of rotation on stellar mass-loss, using two common prescriptions for radiatively driven mass-loss. The associated loss of angular momentum from these models is also considered. Using 2D stellar models, which give the variation in surface parameters as a function o...
VHF wind-profiling radars often measure a decrease of echo power with zenith angle, which can be explained from in situ measurements of horizontal layering or anisotropy of metre-scale temperature structure in the atmosphere. There can also be an azimuthal variation of echo power, which is increased in an azimuth opposite to the vertical shear vector of horizontal wind. This paper checks if the azimuth variation can also be linked to in situ observations of temperature structure, using aircraft flights in the tropopause region near a VHF radar. At heights where VHF radar measures wind shear and aspect sensitivity, there can be an asymmetry in the probability distribution of horizontal gradient of potential temperature, for horizontal scale of e.g. hundreds of metres. The asymmetry is often...
Abstract in english We present a detailed derivation of the effective dielectric constant to be used in the dispersion relation for electrostatic waves in the case of a plasma immersed in a inhomogeneous magnetic field, with inhomogeneity perpendicular to the direction of the magnetic field.
Methods of algebraic quantum field theory are used to classify all field- and observable algebras, whose common germ is the U(1)-current algebra. An elementary way is described to compute characters of such algebras. It exploits the Kubo-Martin-Schwinger condition for Gibbs states. (orig.).
The authors have investigated here whether tachyons can move in stable circular orbits in Kerr, Kerr-Newmann and Lewis fields owing to their dragging effect. It is found that stable circular orbits are possible only in a Lewis field.
The authors have investigated here whether tachyons can move in stable circular orbits in Kerr, Kerr-Newmann and Lewis fields owing to their dragging effect. It is found that stable circular orbits are possible only in a Lewis field. (author).
A new type of radiation which occurs when particles are accelerated in the field of a longitudinal wave and in a transverse magnetic field is studied. The characteristics of such spontaneous radiation are obtained, and the influence of collective effects on the radiation is analyzed. The application of the findings to the theory of free electron lasers is discussed. 8 references.
In addition, for breast cancer, a fifth field, Reconstruction--First Course is recorded. V.02.E Reconstruction--First Course (breast only) 1 digit These codes for these fields are included as Appendix C of this manual.
The receptive field of a neuron reflects its function. For example, for parallel fiber (PF) inputs in C3 zone the cerebellar cortex, the excitatory and inhibitory receptive fields of a Purkinje cell...Full Text Available
Pulmonary function tests were performed on seven adult dairy cows with an expanded lung field (ExLF) and the results were compared to the values from seven cows with normal lung fields. The cows with...Full Text Available
The energy-momentum tensor of a massless spinor field is constructed and studied based on the previously proposed interpretation of quantum effects of such a field in the anisotropic metric of Bianchi type IX. The characteristic properties of the energy-momentum tensor in the mixed universe model are discussed.
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the ability to enhance distribution of eelgrass (Zostera marina) in the Columbia River Estuary to serve as refuge and feeding habitat for juvenile salmon, Dungeness crab, and other fish and wildlife. We strongly suspected that limited eelgrass seed dispersal has resulted in the present distribution of eelgrass meadows, and that there are other suitable places for eelgrass to survive and form functional meadows. Funded as part of the Bonneville Power Administration's call for Innovative Projects, we initiated a multistage study in 2008 that combined modeling, remote sensing, and field experimentation to: (1) Spatially predict habitat quality for eelgrass; (2) Conduct experimental plantings; and (3) Evaluate restoration potential. Baseline in-situ measurements and remote satellite observations were acquired for locations in the Lower Columbia River Estuary (LCRE) to determine ambient habitat conditions. These were ...
There are several equivalent descriptions for constant B-field background of open string. The background can be interpreted as constant B-field as well as constant gauge field strength or infinitely many D-branes with non-commuting Chan-Paton matrices. In this article, the equivalence of these open string theories is studied in Witten's cubic open string field theory. Through the map between these equivalent descriptions, both algebra of non-commutative coordinates as well as Chan-Paton matrix algebra are identified with subalgebras of open string field algebra. (author)
Comparison of dosimetry measured in a noncylindrical Rando-Alderson phantom by two-field, four-field, and six-field total-skin electron-beam therapy (TSEBT) techniques with our dual-field rotational (DFR) technique reveals a superior dosimetry for the latter. Our technique of dual-field rotational DFR-TSEBT is described in detail, and its advantages and indications for the primary management of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL) and Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) are discussed.
The Large Hadron Collider (LHC), under construction at CERN, uses superconducting magnets operating at a temperature of 1.9 K to guide the circulating particles. A specific feature of the main magnets (dipoles and quadrupoles) is the two-in-one design with two magnetic channels in one common retaining structure. Indeed, the accelerator is made of two rings, mechanically linked, that have to be simultaneously aligned during the installation in the already existing LEP tunnel. The assembly tolerances of the LHC main magnets have been reconsidered to take into account the tight constraints on geometry. The dipoles are bent to follow closely the curvature of the circulating particles and to make a larger mechanical aperture available for the circulating particles. In order to minimise the geometrical errors the dipole assembly procedure is assisted by high precision survey measurements based on laser trackers. By this we hope to reduce to {+-} 1 mm the positioning error along the axis of ...
The influence of high C martensite on the strength and impact behavior of C-Mn-Nb-Al steels has been determined for two distributions: films surrounding the ferrite grains and distinct colonies. In the former case, the impact behavior markedly deteriorated, this deterioration increasing with martensite level. The changes in impact behavior could be explained by regarding the films of martensite as being similar to the brittle grain boundary carbides that are present in ferrite-pearlite steels. These films readily crack, yet are always thick enough to produce a sufficient wide crack to render crack propagation easy. The critical event in fracture then becomes the ability to propagate the cracks through the grain boundaries. The greater the grain boundary coverage by these films, the easier this becomes and the worse is the impact behavior. When the martensite is present as colonies, again the impact performance is seriously impaired, but to a lesser extent than when ...
Transparent aluminum doped zinc oxide (ZnO:Al, AZO) conducting thin films with a high-preferential c-axis orientation were synthesized using a new sol-gel formula. The films were deposited using a spin-coating route onto borosilicate glass substrates. We used propylene glycol methyl ether (PGME) as the solvent in place of ethylene glycol monomethyl ether (EGME), which is commonly used because it is easier to deposit onto the substrates. PGME is also superior in terms of health and safety. PGME solvent does not need to settle for several days before use and can be spin-coated as soon as the raw material and solvent are mixed. The effects of this novel solvent on the structural, morphological, electrical and optical properties are discussed using XRD, SEM, a four-point probe and UV-VIS spectrophotometry. It was found that the films produced with PGME showed a high-preferential c-axis orientation and compact microstructure in comparison films produced using EGME. The ...
The research project's objective is to create a decision help for owners of residential buildings for several families regarding the renewal of decentralized heating and warm water preparation systems in the flats. The focus lies on a comparison of the costs of typical systems on the basis of a full cost calculation. This is done by taking into consideration the intentions of residential building companies like the reduction of additional costs to be paid by the tenants (both for social reasons and to make the flats easier to rent), low investment costs, low maintenance costs, energy saving, tenants' claims for comfort and acceptance by the tenants, economical reasons, especially regarding flats fully amortized (activation in the balance sheet). In addition to the quantitative comparison, the advantages and disadvantages of the different systems were also compared to one another from the qualitative point of view. [German] Ziel des ...
The present results indicate that maximum selectivity to acrylic acid can be reached over V-P-Zr-O catalysts. When the hydrocarbon concentration is 5.1 vol.% the selectivity is about 30% at quite high paraffin conversion. Conclusively, some explanations to the observed facts can be given. The V-P-O catalyst promotion with lanthanum by means of mechanochemical treatment is distinguished by the additive uniform spreading all over the matrix surface. Such twophase system is highly active in propane conversion (lanthanum oxide) and further oxidation of the desired products. The similar properties are attributed to V-P-Bi-La-O catalyst. Bismuth, tellurium and zirconium additives having clearly defined acidic properties provoke the surface acidity strengthening and make easier desorption of the acidic product (acrylic acid) from the surface lowering its further oxidation. Additionally, since bismuth and zirconium are able to form phosphates and, according to, to create ...
The Self Actuated Shutdown System (SASS) is now under development for use in a large scale FBR, in order to establish the passive shutdown capability against the postulated ATWS events, i.e. ULOF, UTOP and ULOHS. The function of SASS makes use of the safety characteristics of a liquid metal cooled FBRs such as a large subcooling and low pressure system. The insertion of the control rods insertion is assured even in the most conservative seismic design condition by employing articulate rods and the SASS will be installed into the detaching mechanism employing a curie point the magnet alloy. ULOF analysis of the present FBR shows that coolant boiling inception is prevented if a control rod of the SASS is detached at the uppermost temperature of 680degC for the Curie point magnet, and after the reactor shutdown the coolant temperature is kept below 600degC by the pony motor flow. Therefore the SASS will establish passive shutdown capability without affecting the core design. The Curie ...
Soluble epoxide hydrolase (sEH) plays an important role in the metabolism of endogenous chemical mediators involved in the regulation of blood pressure and inflammation. 1,3-Disubstituted ureas with a polar group located on the fifth atom from the carbonyl group of urea function are active inhibitors of sEH both in vitro and in vivo. However, their limited solubility in water and relatively high melting point lead to difficulties in formulating the compounds and poor in vivo efficacy. To improve these physical properties, the effect of structural modification of the urea pharmacophore on the inhibition potencies, water solubilities, octanol/water partition coefficients (log P), and melting points of a series of compounds was evaluated. For murine sEH, no loss of inhibition potency was observed when the urea pharmacophore was modified to an amide function, while for human sEH 2.5-fold decreased inhibition was obtained in the amide compounds. In addition, a NH group on the right side of ...
It has been understood that production of hydrogen from fossil and carbonaceous fuels with reduced CO{sub 2} emission to the atmosphere is key to the production of hydrogen-rich fuels for mitigating the CO{sub 2} greenhouse gas climate change problem. The conventional methods of hydrogen production from fossil fuels (coal, oil, gas and biomass) include steam reforming and water gas shift mainly of natural gas (SRM). In order to suppress CO{sub 2} emission from the steam reforming process, CO{sub 2} must be concentrated and sequestered either in or under the ocean or underground (in aquifers, or depleted oil or gas wells). Up to about 40% of the energy is lost in this process. An alternative process is the pyrolysis or the thermal decomposition of methane, natural gas (TDM) to hydrogen and carbon. The carbon can either be sequestered or sold on the market as a materials commodity or used as a fuel at a later date under less severe CO{sub 2} restraints. The energy sequestered in the ...
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 actual plans for all ...
The objectives of this study were to evaluate the performance of the NucliSens easyMAG platform for nucleic acid extraction from different clinical specimens compared to NucliSens miniMAG platform and manual QIAGEN extraction. The NucliSens easyMAG and the NucliSens miniMAG showed equal performance on 215 throat swabs since real-time nucleic acid sequence-based amplification scored the same samples positive for Mycoplasma pneumoniae (n=9) and Chlamydia pneumoniae (n=5) RNAs, although internal control RNA was slightly better detected with the NucliSens easyMAG (99.3% versus 96.8%). NucliSens easyMAG extracted nucleic acids more efficiently (higher recovery and/or fewer inhibitors) compared to QIAGEN extraction by showing, on average, lower Ct values in real-time LightCycler PCR, although 4 individual specimen out of 45 were found positive only with QIAGEN. For nine M. pneumoniae-positive throat swabs, the mean difference in Ct values between NucliSens easyMAG extraction and QIAGEN ...
Recent advances in cell culture technology permit the generation of large stratified epithelial sheets appropriate for wound coverage. Autografts (sheets prepared from the patient's own skin) have proven life-saving in the treatment of large third-degree burns and have been successfully employed in the management of chronic ulcers. Allografts (sheets prepared from the skin of an unrelated donor) have also been used. In our experience, cultured allografts derived from neonatal foreskin provide a potent stimulus to healing in a variety of partial thickness wounds. Their application is a simple outpatient procedure which involves no discomfort for the patient. In contrast to autografting, no biopsy is necessary and use of cultured allogenic cells permits immediate grafts availability and possibility of stockpiling and preserving grafts for future use. Preparation of epithelial sheets suitable for grafting is also faster and easier with newborn than with adult donor ...
Selective catalytic reduction (SCR) of nitrogen oxides(NO{sub x}) in flue gas or engine exhaust gas with hydrocarbons as the reductant has great potential for less expense, less pollution, and easier operation than SCR with ammonia. Methane is the preferred reducing gas because of its low cost and low toxicity. Stable, low-cost catalysts for SCR with methane are required to demonstrate this technology for controlling NO{sub x} emissions. Several cobalt and nickel catalysts on synthetic clay and uranium oxide supports were investigated for their activities in reducing NO{sub x} with methane in the presence of air. The efficiency of the synthetic clay-supported nickel and cobalt catalysts for nitric oxide (NO) reduction with methane as the reducing gas was poor. The nickel oxide-uranium oxide catalyst, which was chosen for its high stability, was also ineffective. Results from the two-step experiments conducted at two-temperatures produced some interesting ...
BACKGROUND: Denys-Drash Syndrome (DDS) is an uncommon disorder that appears sporadically and in rare cases may be inherited as an autosomal dominant trait It manifests either at birth or within the first year of life and typically consists of the triad of congenital nephropathy, Wilms tumour and intersex disorder. CASE REPORT: A 10 year-old Caucasian girl was referred to the Dental Department, at Glasgow Royal Hospital for Sick Children by her Paediatric Nephrologist Consultant. The patient was being teased by her peers over her markedly discoloured teeth. The dental history revealed that the patient was a regular dental attendee from an early age. She was dentally anxious having only experienced dental treatment under general anaesthesia (GA) when she was 4 years old. Apparently her primary dentition also showed a generalised discolouration. TREATMENT: This consisted of multiple visits for diet analysis and tooth brushing instruction with the use of disclosing tablets. Plaque control ...
The empirical formula of blowoff and flashback of the premixed methane-air Bunsen (Cylindrical) burner at high temperature were introduced. The experimental range was 303 K < T{sub u} < 1,023 K, 0.1 MPa < P < 0.3 MPa, and 0.45 < {theta} < 1 and the ambient was air. The empirical formula of blowoff are: U{sub b} {proportional_to} S{sup 2}{sub u}T{sup -2.38}{sub u}P{sup 0.79} and also, M{sub b}P{sup -1.29} {proportional_to} exp(-E/(RT{sub B})) where U{sub b} and M{sub b} are blowoff velocity and blowoff mass flow rate, S{sub u} is burning velocity, and T{sub B} is adiabatic flame temperature. The latter formula is independent of T{sub u}; and S{sub u}, and much easier for handling. The empirical formula of flashback is: U{sub b} {proportional_to} S{sup 2}{sub u}(T{sup -1}{sub u}T{sup -0.5}{sub m})P This formula seems in good accordance at T{sub u} higher than 573K. (author)
N/C and S/C ratios show only minor differences between asphaltenes and coal on this basis, the asphaltenes continue to appear to be good surrogates for the characterization of organic acid rain precursors in coal. Alkylmethoxythiophene carboxylic acids (ATCA) are detected in all dichromate oxidation products analyzed to date. Relative concentrations of ATCA compounds are directly proportional to the sample`s bulk organic sulfur contents. Concentrations of ATCA compounds in oxidation products decrease upon repeated oxidation. This may indicate that the thiophenic groups tend to be located in external positions on the coal macromolecular structure and a high proportion of them can be stripped away with only one mild oxidation step. If true, this may make industrial-scale removal of organic sulfur easier than expected. Using analytical micropyrolysis-gas chromatography with a sulfur-selective flame photometric detector, it is possible to easily see a full distribution ...
The adequacy of the nasopharyngeal airway has been found to be related to craniofacial development. Obstruction of the airway by adenoid tissue, nasal septal deviation or abnormal morphology of the area is associated with characteristic changes in craniofacial morphology such as long anterior face height, facial retrognathism, and a steep inclination of mandibular plane often with a high vaulted palate and crossbite. Some studies have shown the changes to be reversible after adenoidectomy which improves nasal airway patency and a control mechanism for facial growth has been proposed to account for the relationships between airway adequacy, craniofacial morphology and craniocervical postural relationships. It is therefore important to be able to measure nasal respiratory resistance so that the effect of operative procedures in the area such as rapid maxillary expansion (RME) can be determined. Nasal respiratory resistance (NRR) is a measure of airway adequacy. It can be recorded by ...
Steam generators (SG) are among the most critical components of pressurized water Nuclear Power Plants (NPP). SG tubes must provide a reliable pressure boundary between the primary and secondary cooling water. It is because that any leakage from tube defects could result in the release of radioactivity to the environment. Thus degradations of steam generators tubes should be monitored and inspected periodically under nuclear regulatory. In-service inspections of SG tubes are carried out using eddy current test (ECT) and the defected tubes are usually plugged. Because the radioactivity in the internal of SG chambers limits free access of human worker, remote manipulators are required. In South Korea, Manipulators such as the Zetec SM series and the Westinghouse ROSA series have been used. Such manipulators are rigidly mounted to manways or tube sheets of SG. Confusions for the inspected tubes may occur from deflection of the manipulators. To reduce the deflections of the manipulators ...
1. Eight deuteranopes matched a mixture of a monochromatic light on the long wave side of the neutral point and a violet (450 nm) primary to a fixed white as well as a monochromatic light on the short...Full Text Available
PurposeWe conducted a comparative study of Clinical Target Volume (CTV) definition of pelvic lymph nodes by multiple GU radiation oncologists looking at the levels...Full Text Available
Introduction and hypothesisThis study seeks to evaluate axial variation, comparisons with current technology, performance during dynamic conditions, and patient tolerability of the...Full Text Available
Sequence-directed variations in the canonical DNA double helix structure that retain Watson-Crick base-pairing play important roles in DNA recognition, topology, and nucleosome positioning....Full Text Available
Current genome-wide association studies (GWAS) are moving towards the use of large cohorts of primary cell lines to study a disease of interest and to assign biological relevance to the genetic signals...Full Text Available
BackgroundVariation of gene number among species indicates that there is a general process of new gene origination. One of the major mechanism providing raw materials for the origin...Full Text Available
BackgroundDuring the last ten years, major advances have been made in characterizing and understanding the evolution of mitochondrial DNA, the most popular marker of molecular biodiversity....Full Text Available
OBJECTIVE. This study examines variations in the efficient use of hospital resources across individual physicians. DATA SOURCES AND SETTING. The study is conducted over a two-year period (1989-1990)...Full Text Available
BackgroundIt has been reported that the El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) influences the interannual variation of endemic cholera in Bangladesh. There is increased...Full Text Available
The mouse is the leading organism for disease research. A rich resource of genetic variation occurs naturally in inbred and special strains owing to spontaneous mutations. However, one can also obtain...Full Text Available
The variation in the superconducting properties of various binary alloys of transition metal-germanium systems was surveyed by studying sputter deposited samples prepared under various conditions. The primary interest has been to study the formation of the stoichiometric A-15 compounds T_3Ge.
BackgroundThe molecular mechanisms of variations in individual longevity are not well understood, even though longevity can be increased substantially by means of diverse experimental...Full Text Available
Performance and operating characteristics are presented for a solar powered aircraft intended to remain aloft for long periods. The critical technologies which limit the performance are identified. By using the techniques presented, the effects of variation in the system parameters are studied. Practical design consideration are discussed.
SummarySoluble epoxide hydrolase (sEH) is a key enzyme in the metabolic conversion and degradation of P450 eicosanoids called epoxyeicosatrienoic acids (EETs). Genetic variations...Full Text Available
The trace element selenium (Se) is required in the production of enzymes that protect mammalian cells from oxidative damage due to the byproducts of aerobic respiration. Its deficiency in livestock results in the nutritional muscular dystrophy called white muscle disease. This especially affects juveniles in the preweaning period. Symptoms have also been reported in wild herbivores on low-Se forage, and their appearance may be episodic, suggesting temporal variations in Se uptake by plants. Here, we report variations in selenium concentrations in Carex spp. sedges used as forage by bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis) on summer range in the Wyoming, Wind River Mountains, and correlate those variations with soil conditions that affect the bioavailability of selenium. Variations in available Se are explained based upon the known oxidation/reduction chemistry of the element. It is concluded that ...
The development of central neuropathic pain varies among patients with spinal cord injury (SCI). The factors contributing to the development and perpetuation of segmental pain (at-level allodynia)...Full Text Available
Project ZEUS was designed to characterize the effects of long-term gamma irradiation on free-ranging meadow voles, and to determine the lowest level of radiation at which biological effects are discernible in the population. Behavioural tests are consider...
We monitored PSR B0329+54 for one year using the Nanshan 25-m radio telescope, the scintillation velocity V ISS shows evidence of systematic variation with the day of the year. States of interstellar medium (ISM) are discussed.
Copy number variants (CNVs) are an important component of genomic variation in humans and other mammals. Similar de novo deletions and duplications, or copy number changes (CNCs), are now known to be...Full Text Available
OBJECTIVE: The aim was to assess the psychosocial effects on the quality of life (QOL) of adults with head and neck cancer (HNC) and any gender variations with predictive factors that may influence...Full Text Available
Background:Despite variations in technique, the results of primary and revision lumbar discectomy have been good. The aim of this study was to retrospectively review cases...Full Text Available
Direct current (DC) glow discharge plasma nitriding was carried out on three selected surface-roughened AISI 304 stainless steel samples at 833 K under 4 mbar pressures for 24 h in the presence of N{sub 2}:H{sub 2} gas mixtures of 50 : 50 ratios. After plasma nitriding, the phase formation, case depth, surface roughness, and microhardness of a plasma-nitrided layer were evaluated by glancing angle x-ray diffractogram, optical microscope, stylus profilometer, and Vickers microhardness tester techniques. The case depth, surface hardness, and phase formation variations were observed with a variation in initial surface roughness. The diffraction patterns of the plasma-nitrided samples showed the modified intensities of the {alpha} and {gamma} phases along with those of the CrN, Fe{sub 4}N, and Fe{sub 3}N phases. Hardness and case depth variations were observed with a variation in surface roughness. A ...
We examine patterns of variation of 32 primarily main sequence stars, extending our previous 7-12 year time series to 13-20 years by combining b, y data from Lowell Observatory with similar data from Fairborn Observatory. Parallel chromospheric Ca II H and K emission data from the Mount Wilson Observatory span the entire interval. The extended data strengthen the relationship between chromospheric and photometric variation derived previously. Twenty-seven stars are deemed variable. On a year-to-year timescale young active stars become fainter when their Ca II emission increases while older less active stars such as the Sun become brighter when their Ca II emission increases. The Sun's total irradiance variation, scaled to the b and y filter photometry, still appears to be somewhat smaller than stars in our limited sample with similar mean chromospheric activity, but we now regard this discrepancy as probably due mainly to ...
AbstractListeners show remarkable flexibility in processing variation in speech signal. One striking example is the ease with which they adapt to novel speech distortions such as listening...Full Text Available
Objectives:Copy number variants (CNVs) have been recognized as a source of genetic variation that contributes to disease phenotypes. Alzheimer disease (AD) has high heritability...Full Text Available
BackgroundMutations that impair mitochondrial functioning are associated with a variety of metabolic and age-related disorders. A barrier to rigorous tests of the role of mitochondrial...Full Text Available
Wild-type viruses from the ViroLogic phenotype-genotype database were evaluated to determine the upper confidence limit of the drug susceptibility distributions, or “biological cutoffs,”...Full Text Available
Transposable elements (TEs) comprise a large fraction of mammalian genomes. A number of these elements are actively jumping in our genomes today. As a consequence, these insertions provide a source...Full Text Available
Object: To prevent coolant inventory within a cooling system loop in an atomic power plant from being varied depending on loads thereby relieving restriction of varied speed of coolant flow rate to lowering of a liquid surface due to short in coolant. Structure: Instruments such as a superheater, an evaporator, and the like, which constitute a cooling system loop in an atomic power plant, have a plurality of free liquid surface of coolant. Portions whose liquid surface is controlled and portions whose liquid surface is varied are adjusted in cross-sectional area so that the sum total of variation in coolant inventory in an instrument such as a superheater provided with an annulus portion in the center thereof and an inner cylindrical portion and a down-comer in the side thereof comes equal to that of variation in coolant inventory in an instrument such as an evaporator similar to the superheater. which is provided with an overflow pipe in its ...
Concha bullosa is a common anatomic variation of the middle turbinate; however, sinusitis secondary to the concha bullosa is rare. A 52-yr-old woman presented with nasal obstruction and posterior nasal...Full Text Available
We have exploited ``progeny testing'' to map quantitative trait loci (QTL) underlying the genetic variation of milk production in a selected dairy cattle population. A total of 1,518 sires, with progeny...Full Text Available
Evolutionary biologists have long been fascinated by both the ways in which species respond to ecological conditions at the edges of their geographic ranges and the way that species' body sizes evolve...Full Text Available
Oryza sativa or Asian cultivated rice is one of the major cereal grass species domesticated for human food use during the Neolithic. Domestication of this species from the wild grass...Full Text Available
Electrographic R-R interval variation was examined in a total of 915 A-bomb survivors exposed at {<=}2,000 m from the hypocenter (the {<=} 2,000 m group) and a total of 1,162 A-bomb survivors exposed at >3,000 m or entered the city after the A-bombing (the >3,000 m group). Coefficient of variation (CV) for R-R interval variation on ECG tended to be decreased with advancing age in the >3,000 m group, irrespective of sex. Especially for men in this group, CV values were significantly lower for the age group of 45 to 54 years than the groups of 65 to 74 years and 75 to 84 years. Similar tendency was observed for CV values at deep breath. Decreased CV values tended to be associated with a decrease in glucose tolerance in both men and women of the >3,000 m group. In comparing the aforementioned CV values with those in the {<=}2,000 m group, there was no significant difference between the groups. R-R interval ...
The use of dideoxynucleotide triphosphates labeled with different fluorescent dyes (dye terminators) is the most versatile method for automated DNA sequencing. However, variation in peak heights reduces...Full Text Available
Over 200 mutations in the retina specific member of the ATP-binding cassette transporter super-family (ABCA4) have been associated with a diverse group of human retinal diseases....Full Text Available
Urmia Lake has been designated as an international park by the United Nations. The lake occupies a 5700 km2 depression in northwestern Iran. Thirteen permanent rivers flow into the lake. Water level...Full Text Available
Background and AimsMany plants reproduce both clonally and sexually, and the balance between the two modes of reproduction will vary among populations. Clonal reproduction was characterized...Full Text Available
Genetic effects on mechanical properties have been demonstrated in rodents, but not confirmed in primates. Our aim was to quantify the proportion of variation in vertebral trabecular bone mechanical...Full Text Available
Causes of variation of hydrocarbon (HC) concentration in cylinder to cylinder at idling condition in a direct injection diesel engine were studied. The ratio of l/d=6 gives larger HC variation in cylinder to cylinder than the l/d=2, where l means the nozzle hole length and d means the nozzle hole diameter. This is because the condition of l/d=6 can result in the large spray penetration and increase the fuel on the combustion chamber. The spray structure changes between nozzles and also changes between nozzle holes. This is not caused by the shape of nozzle hole but is affected by the pressure change near the inlet of nozzle hole when the needle valve is lifted. The change of spray structure can change the injection volume between nozzle holes. The injection volume is less for a nozzle hole where the curved angle becomes sharp to the nozzle central angle, and is more at the opposite side. When the injection volume of the nozzle hole near the ...
BackgroundSize and body proportions at birth are partly determined by maternal body composition, but most studies of mother-baby relationships have only considered...Full Text Available
With the advent of dense maps of human genetic variation, it is now possible to detect positive natural selection across the human genome. Here we report an analysis of over 3 million polymorphisms...Full Text Available
... 16223, 16292, and 16295, which classify them as haplogroup W (Richards et al. 2000). The sample that was ... belonged to haplogroup B, 2 individuals belonged to haplogroup W, and 1 individual belonged to ...
The genetic basis of odorant-specific variations in human olfactory thresholds, and in particular of enhanced odorant sensitivity (hyperosmia), remains largely unknown. Olfactory receptor (OR) segregating...Full Text Available
Knowledge of factors affecting variation in birth weight is especially important given the relationship of birth weight to neonatal and adult health. The present study utilises two large contemporary...Full Text Available
Animals sense changes in ambient temperature irrespective of whether core body temperature is internally maintained (homeotherms) or subject to environmental variation (poikilotherms). Here we show...Full Text Available
IntroductionRadiotherapy outcomes might be further improved by a greater understanding of the individual variations in normal tissue reactions that determine tolerance. Most published...Full Text Available
BackgroundThere is an ever increasing rate of data made available on genetic variation, transcriptomes and proteomes. Similarly, a growing variety of bioinformatic programs are becoming...Full Text Available
Between 1943 and 1982, 5,140 new cases of testicular cancer were diagnosed in Denmark. The age-standardized incidence rate more than doubled in the period. Striking variations is seen in the age-relationship...Full Text Available
BackgroundDiurnal fluctuation of bile acid (BA) concentrations in the enterohepatic system of mammals has been known for a long time. Recently, BAs have been recognized as signaling...Full Text Available
Normal reproductive functioning may require secretion of LH independently of FSH. Variation in GnRH pulse frequency and inhibin negative feedback are mechanisms for differential gonadotropin regulation;...Full Text Available
Denaturing high-performance liquid chromatography (DHPLC) has been used extensively to detect genetic variation. We used this method to detect and identify Yersinia pestis KIM5 ciprofloxacin-resistant...Full Text Available
It is urged that the lesson of gauge invariance in quantum electrodynamics implies the irrelevance of `Schwinger term` difficulties in current algebra. The divergence equations of Veltman form the basis of a gauge-variation formalism in which these questions are avoided. (author). 9 refs.
Determine the degree to which different precautionary themes are dominant in various target populations and how these themes are acquired. Assess cultural signals of potential danger: are there different kinds of potential danger in different cultures. Do...
The increased transcription of the Cyp6g1 gene of Drosophila melanogaster, and consequent resistance to insecticides such as DDT, is a widely cited example of adaptation...Full Text Available
There is growing epidemiological and molecular evidence that ABO blood group affects host susceptibility to severe Plasmodium falciparum infection. The high frequency of common...Full Text Available
Partial epilepsies have a substantial heritability. However, the actual genetic causes are largely unknown. In contrast to many other common diseases for which genetic association-studies have successfully...Full Text Available
BackgroundEvent-related potentials (ERPs) may be used as a highly sensitive way of detecting subtle degrees of cognitive dysfunction. On the other hand, impairment of cognitive skills...Full Text Available
ObjectivesTo see whether there are age variations in the relationships between having a close companion friend at church, health, and outpatient physician visits.Full Text Available
K_#beta#/ K_#alpha# x-ray intensity ratio of chromium were measured in different chromium compounds. The results show the variation of the intensity ratio as a function of the chemical environment around the metal ion. (author)
Diel variations in rates of C export, sucrose-phosphate synthase (SPS) and sucrose synthase (SS) activity, and C reserves were investigated in Zostera marina L. (eelgrass) to elucidate the environmental...Full Text Available
Consistent holistic view of sexual species as the highest form of biological existence is presented. The Weismann's idea that sex and recombination provide the variation for the natural...Full Text Available
There is a growing evidence that serotoninergic systems modulate dopaminergic neurotransmission. We analyzed the association between the variations in the brain tryptophan hydroxylase 2 (TPH2)...Full Text Available
BackgroundThe Gram-negative, xylem-limited phytopathogenic bacterium Xylella fastidiosa is responsible for causing economically important diseases in grapevine,...Full Text Available
BackgroundThe goat (Capra hircus) represents one of the most important farm animal species. It is reared in all continents with an estimated world population of...Full Text Available
Signatures of natural selection occur throughout the human genome and can be detected at the sequence level. We have re-sequenced ABCE1, a host candidate gene essential for...Full Text Available
SummaryHeadache due to the pressure of nasal mucosa in the absence of inflammation of the nose and paranasal sinuses is a clinical entity that has gained wide acceptance. Concha bullosa...Full Text Available
Topologically non trivial effects appearing in the discussion of duality transformations in higher genus manifold are discussed in a simple example, and their relation with the properties of Topological Field Theories is established. (author). 16 refs.
OBJECTIVE--The study was performed to examine the influence of the exposure to magnetic fields in the potrooms of an electrolysis plant on the occurrence of musculoskeletal symptoms among the employees....Full Text Available
Provisions (a) NPDES field personnel shall be currently trained and certified in CPR and basic first-aid procedures. (b) NPDES field personnel shall be aware of the...
Protein motions on all timescales faster than molecular tumbling are encoded in the spectral density. The dissection of complex protein dynamics is typically performed using relaxation rates determined at high and ultra-high field. Here we expand this range of the spectral density to low fields through field cycling using the nucleocapsid protein of the SARS coronavirus as a model system. The field-cycling approach enables site-specific measurements of R{sub 1} at low fields with the sensitivity and resolution of a high-field magnet. These data, together with high-field relaxation and heteronuclear NOE, provide evidence for correlated rigid-body motions of the entire {beta}-hairpin, and corresponding motions of adjacent loops with a time constant of 0.8 ns (mesodynamics). MD simulations substantiate these findings and provide direct ...
Field studies among diverse biomes demonstrate that nitrogen concentration (% N) at leaf- and canopy-scales is strongly related to carbon uptake and cycling ...
Academic, government, and industrial field researchers have generated a significant database of field studies of the volatility of soil applied fumigants. However, limited work exists in validating physical models against field volatility data sets and fully exploring the volatility parametric response surface. Field studies quantifying atmospheric flux for soil fumigants 1,3-dichloropropene and chloropicrin are validated against the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA Salinity Laboratory) soil physics model CHAIN_2D that was modified specifically for agronomic uses of soil fumigants. Comparison between model predictions and field observations for six unique field trials in five different states indicate that CHAIN_2D effectively captures the magnitude and duration of fumigant em...
A review of the literature is provided for the topic of health-related research and power frequency electromagnetic fields. Minimal evidence for concern is present on the basis of animal and plant research....Full Text Available
The first cohomology of the Virasoro algebra with coefficients in string fields are investigated. The relation between them and the Nambu-Goto action for a closed string is established. (orig.).
Clicking on the picture will download the highest resolution version available. Whirlpool Galaxy Deep Field Credit & Copyright: Jon Christensen Explanation: Follow the handle...
A mathematical model of 137Cs migration in forest ecosystem is presented, which describes the behaviour of this radionuclide in the forest litter-soil system, trees, understory and forest animals. The model's parameters for different types of forest ecosystems are estimated and model's adequacy is tested through the use of independent experimental data. The sensitivity of the model's output variables is analyzed to variations in the most significant parameters. The differences in the seasonal and mean annual dynamics of 137Cs concentration in muscles of roe deers and mooses are shown to be defined by specific features of the diets of these animals and variations in 137Cs content in the main diet components. PMID:11402557
ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: The capacity to maintain internal ion homeostasis amidst changing conditions is particularly important for teleost fishes whose reproductive cycle is dependent upon movement from freshwater to seawater. Although the physiology of seawater osmoregulation in mitochondria-rich cells of fish gill epithelium is well understood, less is known about the underlying causes of inter- and intraspecific variation in salinity tolerance. We used a genome-scan approach in Arctic charr (Salvelinus alpinus) to map quantitative trait loci (QTL) correlated with variation in four salinity tolerance performance traits and six body size traits. Comparative genomics approaches allowed us to infer whether allelic variation at candidate gene loci (e.g., ATP1alpha1b, NKCC1, CFTR, and cldn10e) could have underlain observed variation. RESULTS: Combined parental analyses yielded genome-wide significant QTL on ...
This paper describes a signal simulator which is designed to calibrate eddy current probes. By using simultaneously an excitation coil and an electrically conducting plane, the simulator can emulate signals which correspond to spot welds with different flaws. The presence of a conducting plane allows a wide variation of the amplitude and phase of the excitation coil voltage during the calibration of a probe. A mathematical model for the simulator is derived and used to study the variation of the impedance change upon the parameters of the probe. Numerical computation shows that the impedance change depends in an important way on the frequency of the excitation coil current.
X-ray observations of the RSCVn system sigma Geminorum have been undertaken with the ROSAT observatory. Several spectra of very good signal-to-noise ratio were obtained. Spectral fitting using metal abundances amounting to 50% of solar values reveal two temperature components at 2 MK and 12 MK. Previous EXOSAT observations showed another component at 40 MK. Particular interest is focused on the temporal variations of the X-ray emission. It is found that variations occur on time scales ranging from years to hours and minutes.
The quality of the end product from andrology services continues to lack consistency and in some cases fails to meet the needs of the end users (patients or clinicians). Results of external quality assessment (EQA) schemes continue to show unacceptably wide variation for the results of a single specimen. Some laboratories are able to show that the results of semen analyses relate to both natural and assisted pregnancy and are therefore useful in the management of the infertile couple, whereas others claim that their value is limited to the identification of severe male factor infertility. With wide variation in standardisation of methodology, levels of staff training and quality assurance, it is entirely understandable that such discrepancies persist. The following article proposes that Qu...
This paper analyses the errors caused by interpolation from existing cases for assessing indoor air flow, air quality and thermal comfort in an office. A sensitivity study is then provided to determine the influence of several boundary conditions on indoor air diffusion. The research is conducted numerically by using a low-Reynolds-number k-{epsilon} model. It can be concluded that the interpolation errors caused by the variations of solar radiation, window size, heat source location due to lighting, and the surface temperatures of interior walls are small and can be quantitatively determined. But it is difficult to estimate the errors introduced by the variations of furniture location and size. (author).
Energy productivity and energy intensity within the industrial sector of the economy are examined. Results suggest that relative prices and other economic factors can explain much of the variation in both energy productivity and energy intensity for manufacturing and mining and for the industrial sector as a whole. Cyclical factors, seasonal factors and trend variables are also useful in explaining variation in these data, both for annual and monthly time series. Of the variables examined, it appears that the relative price of energy is a highly significant factor in accounting for the difference between actual industrial energy intensity and that which might have been expected had pre-1973 trends continued.
Access for independents to retail gas markets was a central concern in European policy reform efforts in the 1990s. Upstream oil and gas companies reacted with strategic intentions of forward integration. By late 2004, forward integration was still weak, however. An important explanation of the gap between announced strategic re-orientation and actual strategy implementation lies in the political failure of EU member states to dismantle market barriers to entry for independents. Variations between companies in downstream strategy implementation are explained by variations in business opportunities and internal company factors.
The effect of pair-binding energy variations on the denaturation of double stranded DNAs is investigated. Using a two-parameter renormalization group (RG) analysis and extensive transfer matrix calculations, we find a random quenched-in variations to be marginally irrelevant, indicating that the system is self-averaging at the transition. The effect of a recently-proposed variable backbone stiffness is also investigated. Although irrelevant in the RG sense, it dramatically amplifies the randomness, leading to the appearance of ``multi-step melting'' for realistic sequences. These results are relevant to the adsorption of random heteropolymers and the wetting of disordered substrates.
The report is the second of three describing the geology of coal quality variations in the foothills and mountains region of Alberta. The Lower Cretaceous Luscar Group, Lower Paleocene Coalspur Formation, and the Upper Paleocene Paskapoo Formation (Obed-Marsh coal zone, which is classified as a foothills deposit) are evaluated. Data on proximate and ultimate analysis variables, calorific analysis, vitrinite reflectance, maceral analyses, and coal quality relationships are presented. The coals range from low volatile bituminous to subbituminous A. Regional and local in seam coal quality variations are examined. 49 refs., 39 figs., 6 tabs.
We explore the impact of obliquity variations on planetary habitability in hypothetical systems with high mutual inclination. For the hypothetical systems, we restrict our exploration to systems consisting of a solar-mass star, an Earth-mass planet at 1 AU, and 1 or 2 giant planets. We verify that these systems are stable for 108 years with N-body simulations. We then calculate the obliquity variations induced by the orbital architecture on the Earth-mass planets. We find that in some cases the spin axes can rotate through 360 degrees in as little as 10,000 years (John is that right? Can you look through the systems and find the most extreme case of obliquity variation?) Next, we run energy balance models (EBM) on the terrestrial planets to assess surface temperature and ice coverage on the planets' oceans. Finally, we explore differences in the outer edge of the habitable zone for planets with rapid obliquity ...
To illustrate frequently encountered anatomic variations on PNS computed tomography(CT) and to assess their clinical significance. CT findings of 1523 patients, who underwent PNS CT with no history of sinus surgery, were reviewed, and prevalence of each anatomic variation and its relationship with mucociliary clearance pathway was evaluated. Two categories of anatomic variations were encountered. The first group included variations of the turbinates, such as concha bullosa(28.6%), paradoxical middle turbinate(31.5%), of the uncinate process, such as medially bent or folded(36.3%), laterally bent(3.7%) or uncinate bulla(0.5%), of the ethmoidal sinus, such as Haller's cell(28.2%), large agger nasi cell(9.6%) or large ethmoidal bulla(23.5%) and nasal septal deviation(24.1%), which might cause obstruction of mucociliary clearance pathway and thus give rise to secondary obstructive sinusitis. The ...
To illustrate frequently encountered anatomic variations on PNS computed tomography(CT) and to assess their clinical significance. CT findings of 1523 patients, who underwent PNS CT with no history of sinus surgery, were reviewed, and prevalence of each anatomic variation and its relationship with mucociliary clearance pathway was evaluated. Two categories of anatomic variations were encountered. The first group included variations of the turbinates, such as concha bullosa(28.6%), paradoxical middle turbinate(31.5%), of the uncinate process, such as medially bent or folded(36.3%), laterally bent(3.7%) or uncinate bulla(0.5%), of the ethmoidal sinus, such as Haller's cell(28.2%), large agger nasi cell(9.6%) or large ethmoidal bulla(23.5%) and nasal septal deviation(24.1%), which might cause obstruction of mucociliary clearance pathway and thus give rise to secondary obstructive sinusitis. The second ...
In areas where radiation dose monitoring has not been performed, it is essential to use material available in the environment be able to rapidly assess doses to individuals for immediate emergency medical care or for general estimation of the radiological consequences. It was shown that certain types of telephone cards containing microchips have the potential to be used as individual radiation dosimeters in emergency situations to detect doses over 250 mGy by luminescence measurements. In order to understand the dosimetric properties of chip cards, the components obtained from INFINIEON Company at various stages of production were used for luminescence measurements. It is found that the protecting layer used above the chips so called 'globe top' is the main source of radiation induced signal in chip cards. The globe top produced by INFINIEON at that stage is found to contain SiO2 and Epoxy. In order to improve the dosimetric properties of the chip cards, the raw material of the globe ...
The reduction of four-vector and electromagnetic fields produced by spin-1 tachyons has been derived in terms of standard helicity representations of inhomogeneous Lorentz group, and the conditions for these superluminal electromagnetic fields to satisfy the Maxwell's field equations have been derived. 16 refs.
We study the dynamics of the scalar tensor cosmological model in the presence of tachyon field. In an alternative approach, in two exponential and power law form of the scalar field functions in the model, field equations are solved by simultaneously best fitting the model parameters with the most recent observational data. This approach gives us an observationally verified interpretation of the dynamics of the universe. We then discuss the best fitted of equation of state parameter, the statefinder parameters and the reconstructed scalar field in the model.
The influence of rigid-body and differential rotation and of a fine-scale chaotic magnetic field and a poloidal magnetic field on the minimum mass of a main-sequence star is investigated. It is shown that rotation and a magnetic field with an energy equal to 10--20% of the star's gravitational energy increase the minimum mass of a main-sequence star by 1.5--2 times.
Extending the usual endpoint and midpoint interactions, we introduce numerous kinds of interactions, labelled by a parameter lambda and obtain a non-commutative and associative string field algebra by adding up all interactions. With this algebra we develop a covariant open bosonic string field theory, which reduces to Witten's open bosonic string field theory under a special string length choice.
This book presents the current knowledge about the effects of electromagnetic fields on living matter. The three-part format covers dielectric permittivity and electrical conductivity of biological materials; effects of direct current and low frequency fields; and effects of radio frequency (including microwave) fields. The parts are designed to be consulted independently or in sequence, depending upon the needs of the reader. Useful appendixes on measurement units and safety standards are also included.
This study investigated the effects of electromagnetic fields on enzymes involved in purine metabolism in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells in vitro. Cells were obtained from 20 volunteers. We...Full Text Available
The influence of a periodic electromagnetic field on the radiative corrections to the atomic energy levels is studied for the case of ''strong fields'' for which the interaction between the atom and field is of the order or greater than the radiative effects. The analysis is carried out on the basis of the Schwinger-Dirac equation for the propagation function of a bound electron in the field and on the basis of the density matrix in the Furry representation. It is shown that in the strong field approximation the radiative shifts and widths are manifest as radiative corrections to the quasi-energies. In super-high resolution experiments intensity effects in the radiative corrections to the atomic levels are obtained in the case of single-photon resonance. Some multiphoton processes are condidered by taking into account the effect of the ...
This paper presents some situations, in which measurements of electromagnetic fields generated by transmission lines and substations should be performed. The range of measurements may differ, but maximum values of electric and magnetic fields and flux density must be identified in all situations. The area with electric field exceeding 1 kV/m should be identified as well. The author also presents basic requirements to be met by the measurement technique. These requirements are specified according to the national standard. Special attention should be paid to the identification of the spatial distribution of electric field and flux density generated in the vicinity of high voltage transmission lines. To verify the measurement results, it is necessary to calculate the distribution of both aforesaid field components. For environmental protection purposes, it is also proposed that the ...
Magnetic fields correlated on several kiloparsec scales are seen in spiral galaxies. Their origin could be due to the winding up of a primordial cosmological field or due to amplification of a small seed field by a turbulent galactic dynamo. Both options have difficulties: There is no known battery mechanism for producing the required primordial field. Equally the turbulent dynamo may self destruct before being able to produce the large scale field, due to excess generation of small scale power. The current status of these difficulties is discussed. The resolution could depend on the nature of the saturated field produced by the small scale dynamo. We argue that the small scale fields do not fill most of the volume of the fluid and instead concentrate into intermittent ropes, with their peak value of order equipartition ...
Three dimensional temperature field and helium flow field of TBM are simulated using the general purpose computational fluid dynamics (CFD) code FLUENT. The temperature distribution of Be Armor, Be Pebble Bed, Li_4SiO_4 Pebble Bed, Structure Material of TBM, and helium flow field in the cooling pipe are presented. The research indicates that the work temperature of each material is under the material temperature allowed except some places where high temperature should be excluded in the design. The results will provide references for further optimized thermal hydraulic design of ITER China TBM. (authors)
Excitation of the HF electric field in the local plasma resonance region (LPRR) of inhomogeneous plasma by pumping electric field or modulated electron beam results to appearance of the ponderomotive force that presses plasma out of this region. Density cavity is formed in the LPRR due to this field. Further dynamics in this region depends on the plasma properties. For plasma with hot electrons ion-acoustic pulses run away from the cavity. at the local density maximum the new peak of electric field is excited. It results to the formation of new density cavity, etc. For isothermal plasma the density jump is formed.
We estimate the optimum electric field at the sheath edge and the minimum interval among the nanotubes to promote the growth of armchair-type nanotubes (metallic character) as a function of the tube length. On the basis of the electric charge distribution in a nanotube and the optimum electric filed E*_1 at the tip of a nanotube evaluated using the Hueckel-Poisson method, we calculate the structure of the electric field lines outside a nanotube in the sheath region. As the tube length increases, the E*_1 decreases. To maintain the chemical activity at the tip, the sheath electric field must be decreased. We show the decreasing rate of the sheath field to the tube length.
Comparisons of the 60 Hz electric field exposures associated with high voltage transmission lines to those associated with common household sources can provide an important input to regulatory decisions that involve transmission line fields. Electric blankets are of interest in this context because the exposures they produce are among the most intense and prolonged of any of the household sources of 60 Hz electric field exposure. This paper presents a theoretical analysis of the body surface fields induced by electric blankets. Electric blanket exposure intensities are compared to those associated with transmission lines.
The magnetoresistance in an FeNi submicron-structure comprising two wires of 80 and 200 nm in width connected in series was measured at 77 K. When the external magnetic field was applied parallel to the wire axis, two switching fields corresponding to the distinct coercive force of the two wires were observed. When the external magnetic field was applied at an angle of {theta}>30 deg. to the wire axis one switching field was observed, indicating simultaneous magnetization reversal in both wires. This indicates that the domain-wall trapping around the joint can be controlled systematically in terms of the direction of the external magnetic field.
The main results of earlier work by the author, Sushko, and Khoruzhii describing the algebraic structure of quantum-field systems with (discrete) vacuum superselection rules are generalized to the large class of Wightman theories with essentially self-adjoint field operators (a very strong restriction was imposed on the theory, namely, that the polynomial Op algebra of the Wightman fields /rho/ belongs to the class II, i.e., /rho/ /sub s'/ =/rho/ /sub w'/). It is also shown that the field Op algebra of a Wightman theory with discrete vaccum superselection rule possesses a class II extension.
The diagonal and symmetric Bianchi type IX models are coupled to a homogeneous spinor field. An action for the combined fields is constructed, where the orthonormal basis used is given explicitly in terms of the metric. This allows one to vary the action with respect to the metric and the spinor fields only. Next, a Hamiltonian formulation is given, and a qualitative solution for the problem is presented. We also show that the k = +1 FRW (Friedmann--Robertson--Walker) model is not compatible with a homogeneous spinor field, while the more complicated models are.
The diagonal and symmetric Bianchi type IX models are coupled to a homogeneous spinor field. An action for the combined fields is constructed, where the orthonormal basis used is given explicitly in terms of the metric. This allows one to vary the action with respect to the metric and the spinor fields only. Next, a Hamiltonian formulation is given, and a qualitative solution for the problem is presented. We also show that the k = +1 FRW (Friedmann--Robertson--Walker) model is not compatible with a homogeneous spinor field, while the more complicated models are.
The cell is modeled as an ellipsoid with shell and the surface stress distribution calculated by means of the Maxwell Stress Tensor. The cell membrane is treated as incompressible material having both bending and shear energies of deformation. Employing the principle of virtual work, cell volume (and hence shape) is computed as a function of the external field strength and orientation with respect to the field. The following results were obtained: (1) The surface stresses that develop or the cell membrane are distributed having both normal and tangential components that act together to produce a rounding of the cell. (2) If the tangential component of the stress is ignored, then higher field strengths are needed to produce similar deformation (shape change) of cells. (3) The threshold value of the applied field, i.e, the field strength at which the volume (shape) of the cell changes ...
Ultra-shallow junction formation in deep submicron Si devices is limited by anomalous diffusion of the dopant, which is related to the release of interstitials from defect clusters formed during the implantation of energetic ions or the subsequent annealing. The work described in this dissertation is concerned with the effects of low energy B ion implantation, especially damage formation, clustering and its annealing. After a review of the stopping and ranges of energetic ions in Si, the formation of implant damage, in particular of point defects, their migration, agglomeration and annihilation, including the involvement of dopant ions, is considered. A description of the Salford ultra low energy implanter is given and the main analysis technique, medium ion energy scattering (MEIS) reviewed. Additional analytical techniques used, such as secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS), 4-point probe and cross section transmission microscopy (XTEM) as well as TRIM simulation are briefly ...
To determine a rat strain appropriate for carcinogenicity testing of FYX-051, a xanthine oxidoreductase inhibitor, we performed a 4-week oral toxicity study by administering 0.3, 1 and 3 mg/kg, and 1, 3 and 10 mg/kg of FYX-051 to male Sprague-Dawley (SD) and Fischer (F344) rats, respectively. Histopathology revealed that the degree of FYX-051-induced nephropathy was 3-fold stronger in SD rats than in F344 rats. Our previous study demonstrated that the key factor of species differences in FYX-051-induced nephropathy is purine metabolism. This observation led us to examine the involvement of purine metabolism in differences among two strains of rats. However, purine metabolism was proven not to be implicated as an important factor. Subsequently, other factors responsible for the strain differences were examined. FYX-051-induced increases in plasma xanthine concentrations were higher in SD rats than in F344 rats, suggesting more remarkable effects on pharmacodynamics in the former than ...
In a future power system with a high proportion of distributed and intermittent generation, it will be difficult and costly to ensure short-term security of supply if demand is unable to react to fluctuations on the supply side. At present, most power consumers in the EU, with the exception of the largest consumers such as energy intensive industries, buy their power on fixed tariffs. Fixed tariffs provide no incentives for consumers to alter their patterns of power consumption. This calls for more interaction between the supply and demand sides, which in turn would allow better matching of demand to intermittent supply. The development of cheap and reliable electronic communication technologies has made this a realistic option, so we are left with the general question of how the demand side can become more active in the future power market. Liberalisation of the wholesale power markets has introduced market-based pricing for the marginal electricity supply. Prices are set hourly, or ...
Full text: Dissolution test (DT) is one of the important specifications of PFBR MOX fuel. It is a macro homogeneity test used to ascertain that the dissolution of spent fuel will be easier during reprocessing. The DT specification limit for PFBR MOX fuel is ? 1.0 wt.% residue of the whole pellet when it is dissolved in HNO3 under reflux conditions. For this test, sintered MOX pellet is dissolved in reflux condition in 60 ml of 12M HNO3 for 10 hours. This test is carried out for each batch and during complete MOX campaign a lot of MOX waste in liquid form is being generated. This liquid waste is in clean form and U and Pu is required to be recovered from the clean waste. Different methods like direct denitration, precipitation and solvent extraction are available but either the product is not of good quality for pelletization or secondary liquid wastes are generated. Microwave denitration is a faster and cleaner method which has different heat transfer mechanism and ...
We calculated the energies of asymmetric nuclear matter at zero and finite temperatures with the cluster variational method. At zero temperature, the expectation value of the two-body Hamiltonian composed of the kinetic energies and the AV18 two-body forces is calculated with the Jastrow wave function in the two-body cluster approximation. The obtained two-body energy is in good agreement with the result with the Fermi Hypernetted Chain (FHNC) calculation by Akmal et al. The energy caused by the UIX three-body forces is treated somewhat phenomenologically so that the total energy reproduces the empirical saturation point. Furthermore, the parameters included in the three-body energy are readjusted so that the Thomas-Fermi (TF) calculations with use of the obtained energy of nuclear matter reproduce the gross feature of the experimental data on atomic nuclei. The nuclear species in the neutron star crust obtained by the TF calculation are reasonable. The free ...
The registration of secondary cosmic ray neutrons is a convenient tool for the investigation of primary cosmic ray variations and for meteorological effects as well. At present a large network of neutron monitors exists, aiming at studies of cosmic ray variations which are related to interplanetary conditions and geomagnetic activity. At the same time cosmic ray variations may be related to some atmospheric processes. In this connection, using the data from two neutron monitors (a standard and a lead free one), a gamma detector from Moscow station and lead free neutron monitor at BEO Moussala, we studied the correlations between rain flows and neutron flux. In this study we used daily averages on the basis of 10 min data for the neutron flux, corrected for barometric pressure and data from local meteo-stations. The preliminary analysis indicates a correlation between rain flows and neutron flux in several cases. To explain ...
In the development of the specific mathematical modeling for heavy and ultra heavy petroleum fractions in a molecular distiller is very important the definition of physical and chemical parameters as density and specific heat of the mixture, the enthalpy of vaporization, among others, since they are used in the energy balance. Information on these properties and their variation with temperature are found in the open literature for mixture with few components (simple mixtures). However, for multicomponent solutions consisting of complex mixtures such as oil and its heavy and ultraheavy fractions, available data are few, or are limited to low temperatures. The specific heat is an important property in the energy balance. This property can be measured by Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), which gives results with great sensitivity and accuracy. This paper presents the variation of specific heat with the temperature of ultra-heavy oil ...