There are over 4,500 petroleum platforms in the north-central Gulf of Mexico. Explosives are commonly used to remove platforms and have the potential to kill nearby sea turtles. From June 1988-June 1990, the authors used aerial surveys to study turtle density and the spatial relationship between turtles and platforms offshore of Louisiana. They sighted 316 turtles most of which (92%) were loggerheads. Seventy-eight percent were sighted just east of the Mississippi River offshore of the Chandeleur Islands. East of the river, turtle densities ranged from 0.92 (winter) to 4.83 turtles/100 sq km (spring). West of the river, annual densities ranged from 0.11-0.50 turtles/100 sq km. East of the river, three statistical tests indicated that turtles were generally closer to platforms than expected by chance alone. West of the river, turtles were ...
Ecopa, the European Consensus Platform on 3R-Alternatives, is an international not-for-profit organization that wants to stimulate the development of 3R-alternatives, increase awareness among the public, scientists and regulatory bodies, and help their implementation into the different national legislations. This is done by networking and bringing together National Consensus Platforms on 3R-alternatives. Consensus means that all parties concerned are represented, namely, animal welfare, industry, academia, and governmental institutions. Actually, 14 Member State Platforms exist. Fully complying with the criteria, set by ecopa, are the platforms of Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Finland, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. Under development are the platforms of Denmark, Norway, and Poland. To reach its ...
The budding natural gas markets in East Europe attract a great deal of interest from natural gas industries in the Western countries. Dutch companies, institutions and the government, too, are active in this market. So far the results have not been spectacular. An analysis is made of the present situation and the Dutch approach
Surface wave tomography method based on analysis of ambient noise is widely used during the last decade. It is assumed that correlated component of noise is composed of surface waves generated by sources distributed over the Earth's surface more or less uniformly. In such a case the cross-correlation function (CCF) at two stations may be considered as the Green's function of surface wave. This function should be symmetric relatively to zero time. However analysis of CCF at the stations located at the East-EuropeanPlatform shows that as a rule CCF is characterized with a strong asymmetry. Since "purered noise cannot be extracted from seismic records due to superposition of earthquake signals, the method for calculation of CCF includes amplitude normalization for suppression of earthquakes that reduces signals from earthquakes to a noise level. The parts of records containing waves from earthquakes are neglected because of their short duration. ...
The paleogeography postulated from the distribution of Permian and Triassic sedimentary rocks in the Middle East is shown and related to the paleostructure of the region. The Middle East region as defined here includes the Arabian Peninsula, Iran, Iraq, SE Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, West Jordan, and the Sinai Peninsula. Within the limits of the area included in this study, a relatively stable pre-Late Triassic tectonic regime can be recognized and distinguished from a succession of diastrophic events of the Late Triassic epoch, which caused marked changes in the types and distribution of facies. Excluding NE Iran, the Middle East was stable from Late Cambrian to Middle Triassic times, as it formed a part of the Arabian Massif and much of the Middle EastPlatform, which is a broad shelf bordering the positive Afro-Arabian Massif to the NE and east. The ...
Today, highly frequent radio waves are regarded as undangerous to man. Diseases seen at radar-technicians during the 2nd World War, however, indicated that microwaves applied in radar systems were hazardous to health. The Russian work medicine has been knowing microwave-caused hazards in industry since the beginning of the thirties. Therefore in some East-European countries there are terms of protection and severe norms of safety for the staying of persons in the radiation sphere of microwaves.
A rocket borne experiment to measure the temperature structure of the inner solar corona via the doppler broadening of the resonance hydrogen Lyman-..cap alpha.. (lambda1216A) radiation scattered by ambient neutral hydrogen atoms was attempted during the 16 Feb 1980 solar eclipse. Two Nike-Black Brant V sounding rockets carrying instrumented payloads were launched into the path of the advancing eclipse umbra from the San Marco satellite launch platform 3 miles off the east coast of Kenya.
This document gathers the available presentations (articles and transparencies) given at this annual meeting, the 2007 topic of which was the technological, geopolitical, economical, environmental, societal and development stakes of energy. 1 - technological stakes - which energies for the future: new energies, illusion or solution of the future; the Lorraine region, an energy land: strategies and stakes for a sustainable development; from China to Brazil: understanding the nuclear energy revival; hydroelectric power: renewable and sustainable energy; renewable energies and environment protection: the contribution of biofuels; wind power in Germany between success and contestation; 2 - geopolitical stakes - energy levier of power: the Gulf of Guinea hydrocarbons: between development and geopolitics; the complex evaluation of resources and reserves between technology, market and geopolitics; the new Bakou-Tbilissi-Ceyhan pipeline: what impacts for Turkey and the ...
Today, component oriented middlewares are used to design, develop and deploy easily distributed applications, by ensuring the heterogeneity, interoperability, and reuse of the software modules, and the separation between the business code encapsulated in the components and the system code managed by the containers. Several standards answer this definition such as: CCM (CORBA Component Model), EJB (Enterprise Java Beans) and .Net. However these standards offer a limited and fixed number of system services, removing any possibility to add system services or to reconfigure dynamically the middleware. Our works propose mechanisms to add and to adapt dynamically the system services, based on a reconfiguration language which is dynamically adaptable to the need of the reconfiguration, and on a tool of dynamic reconfiguration, a prototype was achieved for the OpenCCM platform, that is an implementation of the CCM specification. This work was partially financed by the ...
The economic development of eastern Europe was associated during the last 15 years with the following average annual increases in energy consumption: Approximately 1% in the sectors industry, building and transport, almost 7% in the farming sector, approximately 3% in households, and nearly 4% in the municipal sector. This trend will not continue. As the economic system shifts from centrally planned to free economy and as the previously secluded economy is forced to face world market conditions as well as changed pars of exchange and conditions of payment, it not only experiences a transitory, sharp dip of economic growth in general but, in particular, drastic structural changes. - While there is to be expected, on the whole a slump in national economic growth, in tradiational branches of industry (e.g., metallurgy, the chemicals and textile industry) as well as in farming, such sectors as the service industry and small trade are expanding. (orig./UA).
Babcock and Wilcox Volund is a major European provider of energy producing plants based on biomass and waste materials, which was founded in 1898 and today employs about 400 persons with headquarters and manufacturing in Esbjerg, Denmark. The R and D staff is about 10 persons, concentrating on gasification and improvement of traditional products. The Company turnover is about 120 mio. Euro annually, of which about 80 % is exported (50 % outside Europe - mostly far East). In 2000 the Company was acquired by US Company Babcock and Wilcox. In 1988 Volund initiated the development of updraft wood-chips gasifier Technology, which led to the commissioning of the Harboore gasifier early 1994. The work was supported in part by the Danish ELKRAFT Power Utilities and the Danish Energy Agency. The development process was carried out until 2002 and Volund now just concluded a license agreement with the Japanese engineering Company JFE. The overall layout ...
This study uses the European Patent Office worldwide patent database and applies two-stage interactive data collection methods to reveal the evolving technological interdependence for China's emerging biofuel industry. Three findings are excerpted from our empirical results. First, due to dominant patterns of business ownership, China's biofuel technology is seen as largely based on the evolutionary strength of the foodstuff and chemical fields. Second, China's biofuel technology development has evolved in the mode of 'forward engineering', led by Chinese universities rather than initiated by the public research institutes as in the experience of other East Asian latecomers. Third, our patent map and technology trajectory analyses illustrate that China's biofuel technology tends to be appl...
The costs of greenhouse gas emission-reductions vary among countries depending on emission levels, technologies used, past emission-reduction achievements, path of economic development, fuel mix, and initial endowment of hydrocarbon resources. The criterion of cost-effectiveness therefore suggests that the ways should be found to encourage emission reductions in the countries where the required costs of reduction of additional unit of emissions are the lowest. These countries usually face crucial capital constraints and have other development priorities than investing in reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. Developed countries could invest their resources in the former Soviet Union and the eastEuropean countries to achieve the same level of reduction of greenhouse gases with lower costs than they could in their own countries.
The ARE progress report discusses the following issues: Economic development and its effects on power supply; Deregulation of the electricity and gas market; Competition between regional utilities; Energy policy of the new German government; European regulations; Legislation on energy supply; Energy supply and cartel law; Regional supply in the East German states. [German] Der Taetigkeitsbericht der ARE befasst sich mit folgenden Themen: Gesamtwirtschaftliche Entwicklung und ihre Auswirkung auf die Energiewirtschaft, Oeffnung des Monopoles fuer Strom und Gas, Wettbewerb der regionalen Energieversorger, Energiepolitik der neuen Bundesregierung, Europaeische Richtlininen, energiewirtschaftsrecht, Versorgungswirtschaft und Kartellrecht und der Regionalversorgung in den neuen Bundeslaendern.
Countries and Regions A-Z List of Countries and Other Areas Africa (Sub-Sahara) East Asia and the Pacific Europe and Eurasia Near East (northern Africa, Middle East) South and...
The Argonne Boundary Layer Experiments (ABLE) facility, located in south central Kansas, east of Wichita, is devoted primarily to investigations of and within the planetary boundary layer (PBL), including the dynamics of the mixed layer during both day and night; effects of varying land use and land form; the interactive role of precipitation, runoff, and soil moisture; storm development; and energy budgets on scales of 10 to 100 km. Located entirely within the Walnut River watershed, ABLE provides intense measurements within the northeast quadrant (Fig. 1) of the Southern Great Plains (SGP) Cloud and Radiation Testbed (CART) of the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Program (Stokes and Schwarz, 1994). By combining the continuous measurements of ABLE with ancillary continuous measurements of, for example, the ARM and the Global Energy Water cycle Experiment (GEWEX) (Kinster and Shukla, 1990) programs, ABLE provides a platform within which ...
The Green River Basin is a northwest-southeast elongate structural feature located in southwestern Wyoming. Bounded by three basement uplifts, this complex mountain front basin possesses tremendous gas reserves. Production has been limited to a few structures, such as the Pinedale Anticline, because of the great depth of the basin. The Pinedale Anticline is an elongate structure that parallels the front of the Wind River Thrust. Earlier research has suggested that the anticline is not related to basement, but rather is associated with a foreland detachment structure. A new, high-resolution aeromagnetic survey has been modelled in detail and the results indicate that the Pinedale Anticline may actually be a basement related structure. Profile modelling normal to the anticline from the LaBarge Platform to the Wind River Mountains suggests that not only is Pinedale Field situated on a possible basement structure, but also that additional, heretofore unknown analogous ...
An aerial radiological survey was performed from 11 to 20 March 1982 over a 260-square-kilometer area centered on the Grand Gulf Nuclear Station at Port Gibson, Mississippi (the station was not yet in operation at the time of the survey). All gamma ray data were collected by flying east-west lines spaced 152 meters apart at an altitude 91 meters above ground level. Processed data showed that all gamma rays detected within the survey area were those expected from naturally occurring terrestrial background emitters. Count rates obtained from the aerial platform were converted to exposure rates at 1 meter above the ground and are presented in the form of an isoradiation contour map. The observed exposure rates were between 5 and 13 microroentgens per hour (#mu#R/h), with most of the area ranging from 9 to 10 #mu#R/h. These values include an estimated cosmic ray contribution of 3.6 #mu#R/h. The exposure rate obtained from soil samples and ...
This spring, Newfoundland will send off a floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO) vessel to the offshore Terra Nova field. The Terra Nova will proceed southeast through Bull Arm, then northeast out of Trinity Bay, then heads southeast to the Jeanne d'Arc Basin on the Grand Banks. The Terra Nova is expected to produce 115,000 barrels of oil per day for six years, when it reaches full capacity. The consortium, headed by Petro-Canada as senior ownership partner and operator, built an environment protection program into every aspect of the project. Some of the features of the environment protection program include glory holes excavated on the ocean floor for the protection of production equipment from icebergs, to a flare stack on the platform, which has four legs to provide stability in rough seas. The FPSO was designed to withstand sea ice, icebergs, and severe winter storms. Flow lines are also protected, and in the event that a line is damaged, ...
Structural complexities reduce the homogeneity necessary for a site characterization model to an unacceptable level for performance assessment for radioactive waste disposal sites. The proposed site lies between the northern, stable Diablo platform and the southern, mobile Mesozoic Chihuahua tectonic belt. Structural movement along this interface has been active for the past 14,000 years. In addition, the area lies along the northern margin of the Permian Marfa basin and the northeastern margin of the deeply faulted Hueco bolson segment of the late Cenozoic Rio Grande rift system. Recent seismic activity with extensive surface rupture in Quitman Canyon (30 mi southeast of the site) is also documented from the 1931 Valentine, Texas, earthquake (6.4 Richter scale). The site is underlain by either a thrust fault or the complex terminus of a Mesozoic thrust fault. This fault is a segment of the continuous thrust sheet extending from exposures in the Sierra Blanc area, ...
The proceedings include the following lectures: Facing the challenges - new structures for electricity production. Renewable energies in Europe - chances and challenges. Nuclear outlook in the UK. Sustainable energy for Europe. Requirements of the market and the grid operator at the electricity production companies. Perspectives for the future energy production. Pumped storage plants - status and perspectives. Nuclear power/renewable energies -partners or opponents? New fossil fired power stations in Europe - status and perspectives. Nuclear energy: outlook for new build and lifetime extension in Europe. Biomass in the future European energy market - experiences for dong energy. Meeting the EU 20:20 renewable energy targets: the offshore challenges. DESERTEC: sustainable electricity for Europe, Middle East and North Africa. New power plants in Europe - a challenge for project and quality management. Consideration of safely in new build ...
The SIEN 2009 symposium organized by Romanian Nuclear Energy Association, AREN, in co-operation with Romanian Atomic Forum, ROMATOM, was primarily targeting the expert community involved in developing new nuclear power projects and implementing the National Nuclear Program. The symposium was also open as a discussion and information forum for scientists, engineers, technicians and students interested in scientific and technologic topics of Nuclear Power. It was structured in the following 6 sections: - Nuclear new builds and developments; - Operation, inspection and maintenance; - Increasing nuclear safety features; - Fuel cycle and decommissioning; - Public perception and confidence strengthening; - Environmental management. The symposium began with three plenary lectures dealing with: - Sustainable Nuclear Energy European Technology Platform; - Nuclear new-build; - Current issues of nuclear equipment standardization in Romania. A poster ...
Countries and Regions A-Z List of Countries and Other Areas Africa (Sub-Sahara) East Asia and the Pacific Europe and Eurasia Near East (northern Africa, Middle East) South and...
The invention deals with an offshore drilling or production platform in particular designed for quake-active areas. The platform rests on the sea bed with a low-gravitational weight and anchored to stabilized pile foundations absorbing the horizontal and vertical acting forces from earthquakes. The platform including pillars can be made of different materials, prestressed concrete in particular. 3 figs.
A description of LOOP covers the single point mooring (SPM) system; the offshore pipelines connecting each SPM to the pumping platform; the offshore platform complex, a pumping platform and a control platform; the onshore pipelines; and the Clovelly Dome storage terminal.
This book discusses problems and topics important for the design and construction of fixed offshore platforms used for drilling and producing petroleum from beneath the sea. A general description of offshore platforms serves as an introduction to the whole problem of offshore structures. A chapter on the hydrodynamic analysis of fixed offshore platforms gives the basis for the layout and construction of such structures. A guide to soil investigation methods essential for the geotechnical analysis of foundation designs for all types of offshore structures concentrates on the instrumentation equipment actually used. Detailed information is given on pile foundations with special emphasis on steel jacket platforms. The behaviour of gravity platforms during the final construction stage is analysed. The basis for the design of subsea pipelines and their stability is treated as well as the ...
Ordos basin lies in the north-central China, in a compression tectonic regime, with an area of approximately 250,000 km{sup 2}, including several pay zones ranging from Cambrian to Jurassic. It is one of the earliest-formed marine to continental-superimposed basin in China, characterized by Proterozoic basin-marginal rifling and Lower-Paleozoic carbonate platform development followed by western thrusting and foreland depression during Mesozoic. It underwent several tectonic movements and is covered by several structural layers, with many play types developed, primarily thrust and anticlinal plays in the west, and differential compaction (river-channel sand lens) or drape as well as buried hill plays in the basin center and east. Ordos basin is a prolific gas basin with an estimated resource potential of gas 656,091 billion m{sup 3} in the Paleozoic strata and oil 2.0474 billion tons in the Mesozoic strata. In 1986, in the western part of the ...
An actuating mechanism of a mine combine is proposed. It includes a rotating platform in a vertical plane on which by hinges with the possibility of rotation parallel to the plane of the platform there are handles with cutting drums and a mechanism for extension of the handle which has hydraulic cylinders. With a decrease in load on the hinges of the handles from bending forces, on the platform between the front edge of the platform and the site of attachment of the handle hinges there are openings. Each handle has a support projection which is placed in this opening with the possibility of movement. A clamp plank is installed on it which covers the opening. The distance from the center of the projection support to the axis of the corresponding hinge is greater than the height of embedding of this hinge into the platform.
The background for this paper is a growing interest during the past decade in Denmark in the concepts of ?situated learning?, ?social theory of learning? and ?learning in communities of practice? developed by the American social anthropologist Jean Lave and the Californian Research Scientist Etienne Wenger. The work by Jean Lave from 1988 (Lave, 1988) based on anthropological field studies in Brazil and Liberia as well as later works by Lave & Wenger (Lave and Wenger, 1991; Chaiklin and Lave, 1993; Wenger, 1998; Wenger, McDermott, R. and W. Snyder, 2002) on situated learning and social learning theory have provoked considerable response in anthropological studies, in learning theories as well asin considerations about practical implementation of concepts like ?lifelong learning? in Denmark in recent decades. The European concept of ?lifelong learning? has had a big impact on educational thinking, including teacher education. In addition to this, IT has been ...
Full text: The transmutation of nuclear waste to reduce the burden on a geological repository is a relevant topic within the Program of Nuclear Safety Research of the Research Centre Karlsruhe. Several studies have confirmed that a high efficiency of transmutation of actinides is reached in fast neutron spectrum reactor system. Therefore, an important effort is dedicated to the study of transmutation strategies with different fast reactors and their associated technologies. Moreover, in international contexts as Generation IV International Forum (GIF) and Sustainable Nuclear Energy Technology Platform (SNETP), fast reactors are considered in the frame of sustainable development of nuclear energy and reduction of waste. The systems that are currently under investigation, in the frame of the different fuel cycle scenarios, are liquid metal cooled and gas cooled fast reactors as well as Accelerator Driven Sub-critical Transmutation devices (ADS). These innovative ...
As part of The International Northern Sea Route Programme (INSROP), Subprogram III, Trade and Commercial Shipping, a study has been made concerning seaborne export of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) from the Northern Russia, especially the West Siberian fields in Tyumen. The main purpose of the total project III.0703, part 2 and this study is to evaluate the economic viability of seaborne export from this area to the European region, mainly with the use of a special ice-strengthened LPG vessel, constructed and designed for such seaborne operations. This study concentrates on both seaborne LPG transportation, the demand and supply for seaborne LPG in the world and marine transportation of LPG from the West Siberian fields. Another purpose is to see which regions are potential exporters, importers and buyers of seaborne export of LPG from Tyumen. Currently large quantities of liquefied gas are flared off at the West Siberian fields due to insufficient infrastructure, ...
According to ICRP 60 and European-Directive 96/29, Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials (NORM) and Technical Enriched Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials (TENORM) have to take the radiation protection of the general population as well as of workers into account. The German radiation protection regulations stress that particularly. In connection with these regulations, various measurement programs have been and still are performed to investigate the relevant exposure paths. One of these programs is the determination of the intake of natural occurring radionuclides of the uranium decay series in individuals of the public, in exposed regions and houses and also at NORM workplaces by excretion analysis. Excretion analysis surveillance is one of the common tools for internal dosimetry. Sources of primordial radionuclides could be the ingestion of foodstuff and water and the incorporation of (mostly airborne) pollution on work places. The main focus in this ...
The Asian countries are expected to generate 45% of the world energy consumption and Japan is the absolutely greatest consumer in Asia, but China is the country that will be most important as a new consumer on the world energy markets. China, like India and later possibly even Japan try to change to natural gas as a source of energy as much as possible. This is causing a competition about the resources that can be reached by pipelines for gas, which in practice means those in Russia and Central Asia. Russia is trying to control the gas in Central Asia. The competition is also increasing about oil. China is becoming heavily dependent on Muslim countries in the Middle East and Central Asia. This also leads to an effort to increase the safety along the sea lanes, which may collide with the interests of other countries. Territorial conflicts with gas and oil as underlying elements exist in Asia. USA is a player on the energy market, who is using military means as well, ...
This quarterly update contains information on the National Bioenergy Center Biochemical Platform Integration Project, R&D progress and related activities.
As the amount of biological data grows, so does the need for biologists to store and access this information in central repositories in a free and unambiguous manner. The European Bioinformatics Institute...Full Text Available
Group for Aerospace Research and Development (AGARD) symposium and continue to ...... of vertical structures and flow separation within the tip, platform, ...
HyPac is a french platform on the hydrogen and fuel cells applications, created in 2008. the authors presents the opportunities of the french platform HyPac, the objectives, the participants and the budget. (A.L.B.)
A Hazard Evaluation and Technical Assistance investigation was performed by NIOSH on February 1-4, 1977, at ASARCO, East Helena, Montana, a facility engaged in lead smelting. The survey was prompted by a request from the Regional OSHA Director in referenc...
Cholera outbreaks continue to occur regularly in Africa. Cholera has been associated with proximity to lakes in East Africa, and Vibrio cholerae has been found experimentally to concentrate...Full Text Available
... east Nigeria) and has also been recorded from south west Cameroon. Only two records; that from Angola the locality ... east Nigeria) and has also been recorded from south-west Cameroon. It is inferred tha...
A bedload trap in the riverbed provided direct quantitative measurement of debris-transport rate in the East Fork River, Wyoming, a basin of 466 km2 drainage area. Traction load moves only...Full Text Available
The performance of more than 3,000 offshore platforms in the Gulf of Mexico was observed during the passage of Hurricane Andrew in August 1992. This event provided an opportunity to test the procedures used for platform analysis and design. A global bias was inferred for overall platform capacity and loads in the Andrew Joint Industry Project (JIP) Phase 1. It was predicted that the pile foundations of several platforms should have failed, but did not. These results indicated that the biases specific to foundation failure modes may be higher than those of jacket failure modes. The biases in predictions of foundation failure modes were therefore investigated further in this study. The work included capacity analysis and calibration of predictions with the observed behavior for 3 jacket platforms and 3 caissons using Bayesian updating. Bias factors for two foundation failure modes, ...
BackgroundFeature selection is an important pre-processing task in the analysis of complex data. Selecting an appropriate subset of features can improve classification or clustering...Full Text Available
The paper presents TrustMAS - Trusted Communication Platform for Multi-Agent Systems, which provides trust and anonymity for mobile agents. The platform includes anonymous technique based on random-walk algorithm for providing general purpose anonymous communication for agents. All agents, which take part in the proposed platform, benefit from trust and anonymity that is provided for their interactions. Moreover, in TrustMAS there are StegAgents (SA) that are able to perform various steganographic communication. To achieve that goal, SAs may use methods in different layers of TCP/IP model or specialized middleware enabling steganography that allows hidden communication through all layers of mentioned model. In TrustMAS steganographic channels are used to exchange routing tables between StegAgents. Thus all StegAgents in TrustMAS with their ability to exchange information by using hidden channels form distributed ...
The article presents briefly the plans of the British Petroleum Oil Company for a new hydrogen power plant that includes an offshore platform in the North Sea.
(AIM PAPER 81-1628). Three different examples will be given to illustrate how a ...... Power System (PS), and a Science Applications and Space Platform ...
This paper is focused on TLP and Spar technology as applied to floating production applications. In particular, safety considerations as related to classification and certification requirements are addressed. This covers hull structures, marine systems, production facilities and the relevant mooring systems for each platform type from design approval on through construction, installation and ultimately the ongoing maintenance of the platform to acceptable standards throughout its operating life. The experience of the American Bureau of Shipping with these platforms will be utilized in supporting the practical application of classification and regulatory standards to ensure safe operations and concluding that use of such standards in conjunction with an experienced classification society provides a substantial benefit to companies utilizing these technologies. (author)
equipping the trio of SPHERES on the space station with a Nexus(tm) S handset made by Samsung Electronics and powered by Google's Android(tm) platform. graphic for the NASA mobile...
... that operated in Pakistan, Dubai, and throughout the Middle East ... identifies 'funds' as one of eight major terrorist ... techniques, and procedures (TTP). ...
Team 6 Regimental Combat Team 8 Retired Activities Office Safety Division School of Infantry - East School of Infantry - West Second Low Altitude Air Defense Battalion Security...
Health Iran Iraq Landmines Middle East Muslim Outreach Narcotics Nonproliferation North Korea Pakistan Piracy Reconstruction and Stabilization Sudan Trafficking in Persons War...
... more so when that and he is leaving it with ... reminds me of the story about the sick man who ... fers based on industrial cooperation and the establish- ...
Issues Democracy and Human Rights Economic Issues Energy Security Food Security Haiti Health Iran Iraq Landmines Middle East Muslim Outreach Narcotics Nonproliferation North Korea...
Several factors have been proposed to explain the persistence of a high incidence of venous thromboembolism worldwide with its associated morbidity and mortality. Underutilization of anticoagulants...Full Text Available
The evolution of the human mitochondrial genome is characterized by the emergence of ethnically distinct lineages or haplogroups. Nine European, seven Asian (including Native American), and three African...Full Text Available
BackgroundLittle is known about the role European patient organisations play in the process of deciding on reimbursement for medicines. Therefore we explore the...Full Text Available
How can the inhabitants of the European Union be brought closer together? One way of doing it is to expand and improve the trans-European railway network and to have interoperable highspeed trains connecting Europe's major centres. (orig.)
BackgroundSince 1954, there have been in excess of 800 cases of rabies as a result of European Bat Lyssaviruses types 1 and 2 (EBLV-1, EBLV-2) infection, mainly...Full Text Available
To determine the presence of European bat lyssavirus type 1 in southern Spain, we studied 19 colonies of serotine bats (Eptesicus isabellinus), its main reservoir, during 1998–2003....Full Text Available
Although the use of amphibole asbestos (crocidolite and amosite) has been banned in most European countries because of its known effects on the lung and pleura, chrysotile asbestos remains in use in...Full Text Available
Polygenic sex determination, although suspected in several species, is thought to be evolutionarily unstable and has been proven in very few cases. In the European sea bass, temperature is known to...Full Text Available
The 12. Annual European Fuels Conference has enabled refiners and fuel developers on March 2011 (8-11). In this work, the lecturers draw the new tendencies and difficulties at which the refining industry will be confronted with. (O.M.)
...EU Descartes Prizes for excellence in research and science communication descartes, prize, science communication, research, rtd, european commission, ...european union, eu EU Descartes Prizes for excellence in research and science communication Research - EU Descartes Prizes for excellence in research and science ...communication en European Commission Research Descartes Prize Contact | Search ...
"Nine of CERN 's 20 Member States today a signed new Protocol on privileges and immunities. This brings the Organization into line with other European intergovernmental organizations, such as the European Space Agency and the European Southern Observatory, which already enjoy international status in all of their Member States" (2
This study by CTES, L.C. meets two main objectives. First, evaluate the feasibility of using coiled tubing (CT) to drill 1.0 inches-2.5 inches diameter directional holes in hard rocks. Second, develop a conceptual design for a micro borehole drilling platform (MBDP) meeting specific size, weight, and performance requirements. The Statement of Work (SOW) in Appendix A contains detailed specifications for the feasibility study and conceptual design.
A brief overview is given of the developments in the Dutch offshore industry where new offshore sites appear to be retrofitted or recycled platforms and contractors take over the work from petroleum companies (e.g. as so-called Floating Production Storage Offloading or FPSO). It is expected that in ten years from now a large number of oil platforms will be disappeared or transported to the Chinese Bohai Sea where a new oil field will be explored.
The first reported Far East scarlet-like fever (FESLF) epidemic swept the Pacific coastal region of Russia in the late 1950s. Symptoms of the severe infection included erythematous skin rash and desquamation,...Full Text Available
Pneumococcal disease in young children has not been as well characterized in East Africa as it has been in industrialized countries. Although pneumococci are likely to cause substantial mortality...Full Text Available
Areas with elevated levels of radioactivity were found throughout both residences, as well as on the surrounding property. Contamination was also found in the garage behind the 105 East structure. The 105 East residence had substantially more contamination than the 107 East residence, as was expected. The chimneys, particularly the rear chimney, from the 105 East residence had extensive contamination, indicating that contaminated materials may have been burned at the site. The high background radiation emanating from this residence made it difficult to establish the relatively lower levels of contamination in the 107 East residence. The property surrounding the 105 East residence was found to have substantial contamination scattered throughout, with the highest level occurring in the backyard. The soil surface contamination seemed to drop markedly (but not ...
Private transfers of capital from the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) to developing countries are intended to complement private transfers from the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) by tapping the emerging capital markets in the Middle East. Developing countries will be able to diversify their borrowing and gain additional financing. The long-term investment of oil-producing countries will benefit and the pressures on the banking institutions to recycle funds will lessen. Middle East capital markets include international loans and international bonds. The history of the Kuwaiti dinar (KD) bond market, with its advantages for both investors and borrowers, illustrates the successful development of a capital market. Financial intermediation needs to be improved, however, if the Middle East is to become efficient enough to compete with the Euromarkets. Efficiency will require ...
The dynamical factors controlling the mean state and variability of the east Pacific intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ) and the associated cross-equatorial boundary layer flow are investigated using observations from the East Pacific Investigation of Climate (EPIC2001) project. The tropical east Pacific exhibits a southerly boundary layer flow that terminates in the ITCZ. This flow is induced by the strong meridional sea surface temperature (SST) gradient in the region. Away from the equator and from deep convection, it is reasonably well described on a day-to-day basis by an extended Ekman balance model. Variability in the strength and northward extent of this flow is caused by variations in free-tropospheric pressure gradients that either reinforce or oppose the pressure gradient associated with the SST gradient. These free-tropospheric gradients are caused by easterly waves, tropical cyclones, and the Madden Julian ...
As a condition of accession into the European Union (EU), Lithuania is committed to the closure and decommissioning of Ignalina NPP comprising two RBMK-1500 reactor units (Fig. 1). It was agreed in a special protocol to the Accession Treaty that, in return for adequate EU financial assistance, Unit 1 would be closed before 2005 and Unit 2 by the end of 2009. The first unit was duly shut down on December 31, 2004. Lithuania, which has borders with Russia (Kaliningrad territory), Poland, Latvia and Belarus, spent fifty years as part of the Soviet Union and was deeply integrated into its economy and electrical infrastructure. At the break-up of the USSR, Lithuania inherited electricity generating capacity designed to supply the north-west region including ownership of Ignalina NPP located in the north-east of the country. Ignalina NPP Unit 1 was commissioned in 1983, Unit 2 in 1987; the planned lifespan of each unit was 30 years. Construction of a ...
CRE is the French commission for energy regulation. CRE's remit is to assist in ensuring the proper operation of the electricity and natural gas markets for the benefit of the end-user. In particular, CRE ensures that the conditions of access to electricity and natural gas transmission and distribution systems do not hinder the development of competition. It monitors, for the electricity and natural gas sectors, all transactions made between suppliers, traders and producers, all transactions made on the organised markets and cross-border trading. It ensures that suppliers, traders and producers propose offers that are consistent with their financial and technical constraints. It monitors the implementation of and compliance with regulations giving consumers the right to choose their supplier in a competitive market, and allowing new suppliers to enter the market. This document is the 2008 activity report of CRE. Content: A - How CRE works: CRE regulatory authority and ...
Despite advances in polymer and drug technology, the underlying stent platform remains a key determinant of clinical outcome. A clear understanding of stent design and the differences between various stent platforms are of increasing importance for the interventional cardiologist. Reduction in stent strut thickness has been associated with improved stent deliverability, improved procedural outcome, and lower rates of subsequent restenosis. Newer-generation 316L-SS stent designs have enabled reduced strut thickness while retaining radial strength and minimizing recoil, but with significant loss of radiopacity, leading to reduced visibility. Cobalt chromium alloys have enabled a reduction in stent strut thickness to around 80?90 mm while retaining modest radiopacity, but due to higher elasti...
A device is described for transporting loads, especially for moving belt driving stations in open pit mining operations with a propelling mechanism which for lifting a respective load is operable to move into a free space formed by the load with the ground. The device comprises a plurality of lifting mechanisms, by means of which, a lifting platform can be brought into engagement with a supporting surface of the load. The device comprises at least one supporting member which is so designed that it prevents the lifting platform from lifting off lifting mechanisms. Furthermore, means are provided which permit a turning of the lifting platform relative to the lifting mechanisms about a vertical axis which is arranged in a certain relationship to the propelling mechanism.
The summertime tropical cyclogenesis rate per unit area in the eastern Pacific ocean is arguably higher than in any other location in the world. Many if not most of these cyclones form from African easterly waves which cross Central America into the Pacific. Of order 25% of these waves intensify into cyclones. A significant fraction of east Pacific tropical cyclones undergoes landfall on the Mexican coast. Those which do not, generally dissipate over cold ocean waters north of the east Pacific intertropical convergence zone, often not far from land. The layer of warm ocean water which supports the development of east Pacific cyclones is unusually shallow and is structured by anticyclonic vortices which form by various processes and propagate slowly to the west. These vortices locally deepen the oceanic mixed layer and support stronger convection than their surroundings, possibly promoting cyclogenesis and cyclone ...
Abstract Aim- According to the revised Bethesda Guidelines, colorectal cancer (CRC) occurring under age 50-years should be screened to exclude Lynch syndrome. However, in current practice in East Anglia, tumour screening is initiated only after genetics referral, reserved for those with a strong pedigree. This study aimed to determine how many patients with young-onset CRC undergo tumour screening in hospitals in East Anglia. Method- A retrospective case notes review over 5-years in four hospitals was undertaken to determine what proportion of those with young-onset CRC underwent referral for tumour screening and to assess local practices in terms of patient counselling and management. Results- One hundred and twenty-two patients were included. There was an average yearly caseload of 6-9 p...
The power industry is undergoing major changes. Deregulation and a competitive climate demand effective solutions. Costs and losses must be reduced, and overall efficiency must be raised. Industrial options connected to energy market and environmental considerations are discussed. Themes discussed in this paper are environmental challenges, the fuel factor, power plants in use today, the Norwegian power system, the European system, power exchange across borders, the transmission system, the future European system, and options for Norwegian industry. 27 figs.
...] 2010, Volume 11, Issue 1 3-27 The European Economic and Monetary Union and Labour Market Reform by Elzbieta Bednarek-Sekunda & Richard Jong-A-Pin & Jakob de Haan [Downloadable!] 29-59 Educational Inequality in the EU: The Effectiveness of the National Education Policy by Raphaela Schlicht & Isabelle Stadelmann-Steffen & Markus Freitag [Downloadable!] 61-87 Opinion Polarization and Inter-Party Competition on Europe by Ian Down & Carole J. Wilson [Downloadable!] 89-117 EU Issue Voting: Asset or Liability?: How European Integration Affects Parties' Electoral Fortunes ...
...Fransman - University of Edinburgh Patents: The next battleground for climate change - 07 May 2008 - Alison Brimelow - European Patents Office (EPO) Rethinking the EU budget - 23 Apr 2008 - Daniel Gros - Centre for European Policy Studies (CEPS) US needs a 'Science White House' - 23 Apr 2008 - David Baltimore - American Association for the Advancement of Science Addressing consumer concerns about climate change - 14 Apr 2008 - Various Authors - McKinsey Why the internal market needs ...
This essay focuses on the major industrial changes from the late 1950s onwards in the industrial basins from the Nord/Pas-de-Calais to the Ruhrgebiet. The notion of industrial redeployment (reconversion industrielle) is critically analysed in the framework of European integration. The comparative approach highlights the importance of the time-space dimension which differs from one basin to the other. The diverse individual and collective actors also were in command of different power resources according to the various state traditions. The European Community, however, appears to have played an increasing role, culminating at the time of the steel industry crisis (1975-1985).
Genome-wide studies of bacterial gene expression are shifting from microarray technology to second generation sequencing platforms. RNA-seq has a number of advantages over hybridization-based techniques,...Full Text Available
BackgroundFor more than a decade there has been increasing interest in the use of nanotechnology and microarray platforms for diagnostic applications. In this report, we describe...Full Text Available
The Dot/Icm-translocated Ankyrin B (AnkB) F-box effector of Legionella pneumophila is essential for intra-vacuolar proliferation and functions as a platform for the docking of polyubiquitinated...Full Text Available
SummaryConvection-enhanced delivery (CED) of substances within the human brain is becoming a more frequent experimental treatment option in the management of brain tumors, and...Full Text Available
In the interests of fuel economy in motor vehicles, this article discusses the importance of waste heat recovery and then goes on the explore options such as hybrid electric cars, thermal engines with low loss platforms, pure electric vehicles and fuel cell vehicles. (UK)
This work reports the design of and experimentation with a topographically patterned cell culture substrate of variable local density and anisotropy as a facile and efficient platform to guide...Full Text Available
This bibliography deals with the foundation of offshore structures like drilling or working platforms (oil and gas exploitation) or offshore tanks. Different kinds of foundations, e.g. pile foundations or shallow foundations, are described. Aspects of soil-structure interaction, engineering geology and soil mechanics are also discussed. (orig.).
The aim of this study is to develop an Automatic Post-processing Tool for four-dimensional (4D) treatment planning (APT4D) that enables the user to perform some necessary procedures related...Full Text Available
AT AFRICA (O.F.) AIDO1 SYMMES CREEK AT AID ALLO1 MAHONING RIVER AT ALLIANCE ALZO1 ALEXANDRIA AMDO1 AMSTERDAM ARMO1 CAPTINA CREEK AT SR 148 AT ARMSTRONG MILLS ASVO1 WALNUT CREEK...
The zebrafish is emerging as a prominent model system for studying the genetics of human development and disease. Genetic alterations that underlie each mutant model can exist in the form of...Full Text Available
BackgroundBiomarkers play a key role in risk assessment, assessing treatment response, and detecting recurrence and the investigation of multiple biomarkers may also prove useful...Full Text Available
Simplification of cell enumeration technologies is necessary, especially for resource-poor countries, where reliable and affordable enumeration systems are greatly needed. In this paper, an immunomagnetic...Full Text Available
The primary method for neuronal communication involves the extracellular release of small molecules that are packaged in secretory vesicles. We have developed a platform to separate, lyse, and...Full Text Available
Risoe`s 40th anniversary was celebrated June 3, 1998 by a symposium held at Risoe. The interaction of research at Risoe with academia and industry was presented in both national and international perspective. Most of the presentations are in English, a few in Danish. (au)
Enhancing transport sustainability is the password of national, European, and international policies. The development of innovative solutions is ranging from bio fuels to transport analysis models, materials, traction technologies, mobility management, freight villages.
BackgroundA large and increasing part of the European population has a history of migration. Germany, for example, is home to about 15 million people with migrant background, which...Full Text Available
In 2009, following approval of the European Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD, 2008/56/EC), the European Commission (EC) created task groups to develop guidance for eleven quality descriptors that form the basis for evaluating ecosystem function. The objective was to provide European countries with practical guidelines for implementing the MSFD, and to produce a Commission Decision that encapsulated key points of the work in a legal framework. This paper presents a review of work carried out by the eutrophication task group, and reports our main findings to the scientific community. On the basis of an operational, management-oriented definition, we discuss the main methodologies that could be used for coastal and marine eutrophication assessment. Emphasis is placed on integrated ap...
Nov 21, 2003... for the European Space Agency's Automated Transport Vehicle, a new, uncrewed station cargo vehicle targeted for launch late next year. ...
Oberpfaffenhofen, Pedel"al aepublic of Gel1lany. A large number of European scientists have provided ex~eri- ments that will be cooducted in the Material ...
What Wallerstein described as European universalism dominated media and communication theory until the end of the twentieth century. The three-tier divide of the global economic system (center, semi-periphery, and periphery) explicated in world-system analysis was equally applicable to the global academic/scholarship structure. The non-traditional fields of study, such as media and (mass) communication, inherited the full flavor of European universalism because they originated in the academic institutions of the center countries. The turn of the century saw a dramatic reaction to the Euro-American rhetoric of power. Organized groups of scholars have begun to question the presumption of European universalism in media and communication theory, encompassing its axiology, epistemology/methodol...
closure of the BISON network, GOLF and VIRGO will remain the only instruments ...... Faraday Cup solar wind instrument as described in Ipavich et al (1998). ...
Issues Democracy and Human Rights Economic Issues Energy Security Food Security Haiti Health Iran Iraq Landmines Middle East Muslim Outreach Narcotics Nonproliferation North Korea...
The abundance of host-seeking Ixodes scapularis nymphs, the principal vector for the Lyme disease agent, Borrelia burgdorferi, in Old Lyme, Lyme, and East Haddam, Connecticut,...Full Text Available
Previous studies with a limited number of strains have indicated that there are two genotypes of yellow fever (YF) virus in Africa, one in west Africa and the other in east and central Africa. We have...Full Text Available
BackgroundWithin the last 25 years, after the introduction of the swimbladder nematode Anguillicoloides crassus from East-Asia to Europe, a body of work has aggregated...Full Text Available
BackgroundIn the past two decades the east African highlands have experienced several major malaria epidemics. Currently there is a renewed interest in exploring the possibility...Full Text Available
Licorice, Glycyrrhizae radix, is one of the herbal medicines in East Asia that has been commonly used for treating various diseases, including stomach disorders. This study investigated...Full Text Available
BackgroundThe continued depletion of tropical rainforests and fragmentation of natural habitats has led to significant ecological changes which place most top carnivores under heavy...Full Text Available
This report gives the results of an assessment of the effects on seabirds of possible petroleum exploration at the shelf outside Central-Norway out to 1"o East. By combining oil spill simulations with the valued ecosystem components, i.e. seabirds, their distribution, and their vulnerability indexes, the relative index values for the direct effects of oil spills were calculated. For the purpose, the analysis system SIMPACT was used. On the basis of these results and other relevant considerations, recommendations for limiting a possible drilling activity are given. 85 refs., 49 figs., 9 tabs.
A performance assessment analysis was completed for the 200 East Area Low-Level Burial Grounds (LLBG) to satisfy compliance requirements in DOE Order 5820.2A. In the analysis, scenarios of radionuclide release from the 200 East Area Low-Level waste facility was evaluated. The analysis focused on two primary scenarios leading to exposure. The first was inadvertent intrusion. In this scenario, it was assumed that institutional control of the site and knowledge of the disposal facility has been lost. Waste is subsequently exhumed and dose from exposure is received. The second scenario was groundwater contamination.In this scenario, radionuclides are leached from the waste by infiltrating precipitation and transported through the soil column to the underlying unconfined aquifer. The contaminated water is pumped from a well 100 m downstream and consumed,causing dose. Estimates of potential contamination of the surrounding environment were developed ...
... Carbon capture and storage Waste Prevention and Recycling EU clean air strategy Environmental liability: Applying the 'polluter pays' principle What goes around ...comes around: Recycling and climate change Behind closed doors: Air quality in buildings Keeping cool with refrigerants: The F-gas review Regions fighting climate ...
...notice de en es fr it nl European Commission Research Index aeronews All keywords Index feedback The number of documents that contain the keyword aeronews is: 1 EU Transport lsquo;AERONEWSrsquo; -good news for early detection of microdamage European Commission - lsquo;AERONEWSrsquo; -good news for early detection of microdamage ...
The European Research and Development Program on decay heat removal by natural convection for the European Fast Reactor (EFR) covers the calculational methods and the model experiments performed for code validation. The studies concentrate on important physical effects of the cooling modes within the primary system and the direct reactor cooling circuits and include fundamental tests as well as reactor experiments. (author)
The paper will report the experience gained in the implementation of the national assistance projects, including the detailed assessment of the national situation compared to the ITWG Model Action Plan, the upgrading of the technical skills, the training of national experts and the joint analysis of nuclear material at ITU. The status of the work with the 13 future Member States to the European Union will also be reported on during the conference
Reinterpretation of the South Florida basin reveals that it was a keep-up carbonate shelf during the Lower Cretaceous. Until the Cenomanian, it was connected to the Bahamas and the Cay Sal Bank north of Cuba. The Cenomanian sea level rise was at least partially responsible for the formation of the Florida Straits, isolating the platform. The combination of an abrupt worldwide rise in sea level and subsidence caused the South Florida platform to founder, ending shallow-water and evaporitic sedimentation over the majority of the shelf. The Cay Sal and Bahamian platforms remained as active shallow shelves separated by the Old Bahamas Channel. The Lower Cretaceous sediments are characterized by shallow shelf limestones, dolomites, and evaporites (mostly anhydrite). The evaporite-rich sections, originally thought to represent basinal facies, are reinterpreted as supratidal to shallow subtidal evaporites, based on examination of ...
The grey-black mudstones of the Sonehat Formation form part of the Middle Jurassic fill of the Jameson Land Basin in East Greenland. The formation is exposed in the southernmost part of the north south-trending, Mesozoic rift system in East Greenland that was part of the epeiric seaway betaveen East Greenland and Norway. Sedimentological observations of the Sortehat Formation indicate deposition in an offshore marine setting that was typically low energy and periodically oxygen-deficient but was influenced by storm currents on occasion. Detailed palynological studies of the Sortehat Formation have resulted in the definition of theee palynological assemblage zones recognised at four localities, namely Enhjoerningen Dal and Pelion (north Jameson Land), the type section at Sortehat (central Jameson Land) and Albuen at Neill Klinter along Hurry Inlet (south-east Jameson Land). In stratigraphic order, these ...
In association with excavation of the No. 135 steam producing well in the Onikubi geothermal power plant in Miyagi Prefecture, shapes of production zones and drilling-induced fracture (DIF) were acquired from the borehole televiewer (BHTV) data. The BHTV logging shoots sound waves onto well walls of wells filled with fluid and detects the reflection waves to investigate the state of the well walls. Vertical fracture with opening lengths from 2 to 3 m were found at depths of about 1232 m and 1312 m. Water run-off has occurred at a depth of about 1312 m during the excavation, to which these vertical fractures might have contributed possibly. In depths of about 1232 m and 1312 m, fractures inclining toward north-east direction and south-west direction are predominant. Some fractures in the depth of about 1333 m incline toward east-south-east direction and west-north-west direction. Fracture inclination azimuth in all of the present logging ...
This paper reports that more than 800 miles of pipeline will come into service on the U.K. continental shelf during 1993, surpassing by 75% the previous record set in 1977. About 3,500 miles of pipeline is in place. Commissioning of the Miller natural gas pipeline and Scottish Area Gas Evacuation (SAGE) network this year and start-up of the Central Area Transmission System (CATS) next year will bring more than 600 miles of pipeline into use during 1993. The projects are part of a recent development boom in the central North Sea. In a review of U.K. offshore pipeline, analyst County Natwest Woodmac reported that projects totaling about 1,250 miles of pipeline have been sanctioned but are not yet operating. Two thirds of this total is gas pipeline, while 60s made up of main lines from shore to platform. County Natwest says that in most cases spur lines will be used to connect new fields with existing infrastructure. The analyst sees 57 development projects likely to ...
Today, the analysis of renewable energy places the emphasis on the technological and economic attributes with social and environmental impact assessment providing for a rather static, narrow frame of analysis. The participation and response of social actors and other stakeholders is usually of a traditional type, with consultation documents and public meetings, collection of complaints and suggestion schemes. This often encourages parochialism and an over-concentration on relatively trivial issues. It is, therefore, imperative to establish a new participatory planning platform to incorporate the wider socio-economic aspects of renewable energy systems and to provide for an operational analytical decomposition of them. In this work the issue of decomposition analysis is clarified, and a new agenda for the societal and technological decomposition analysis of renewable energy systems is developed. A case study is disclosed to present the relevance of the established ...
Advanced proteomic research efforts involving areas such as systems biology or biomarker discovery are enabled by the use of high level informatics tools that allow the effective analysis of large quantities of differing types of data originating from various studies. Performing such analyses on a large scale is not feasible without a computational platform that performs data processing and management tasks. Such a platform must be able to provide high-throughput operation while having sufficient flexibility to accommodate evolving data analysis tools and methodologies. The Proteomics Research Information Storage and Management System (PRISM) provides a platform that serves the needs of the accurate mass and time tag approach developed at PNNL. PRISM incorporates a diverse set of analysis tools and allows a wide range of operations to be incorporated by using a state machine that is accessible to independent, distributed ...
Recent trends in distributed real-time and embedded (DRE) systems motivate the development of tactical information management capabilities that ensure the right information is delivered to the right place at the right time to satisfy quality of service (QoS) requirements in heterogeneous environments. A promising approach to building and evolving large-scale and long-lived tactical information management systems are standards-based QoS-enabled publish/subscribe (pub/sub) platforms that enable applications to communicate by publishing information they have and subscribing to information they need in a timely manner. Since there is little existing evaluation of how well these platforms meet the performance needs of tactical information management, this paper provides two contributions: (1) it describes three common architectures for the OMG Data Distribution Service (DDS), which is a QoS-enabled pub/sub platform standard, and ...
Sub sea pipeline construction at oil and gas fields, with high concentration of on-bottom facilities, becomes more difficult when mooring operations and pipeline approach to a congested platform have to be performed. One method that has often been applied in Brazil is the so-called 'DP (Dynamic Positioning) pull-in', where PETROBRAS owned pipelay Barge, BGL-1, is moored away from the congested area, while a DP anchor handler pulls the rigid pipeline from BGL-1 to a target near the platform. The method was conceived to avoid mooring operations near the congested platforms as well as to minimize risks due to the pipeline initiation process. Inside the congested area the initiation with aid of a 'dead-man' anchor on the sea bottom, which would be a more conventional solution, becomes impossible in most cases. This paper will discuss the engineering work required to perform the 'DP ...
Petrographic and geochemical characteristics of the Pipe Creek Jr. paragenesis record the stratigraphic and burial evolution of the cratonic Silurian platform of Indiana during Late Silurian to Pennsylvanian. A variety of several diagenetic fluids acting over geological time affected the reef. The paragenetic sequence is as follows: (1) precipitation of turbid, fibrous, blotchy cathodoluminescent (CL) cement; (2) dolomitization of mud-rich facies; (3) precipitation of clear, zoned CL equant calcite cements; (4) fracturing and karst formation, partially filled by geopetal silt and sandstone; (5) precipitation of clear, dull CL, ferroan to nonferroan equant calcite cement, ferroan dolomite overgrowth and equant dolomite cement in moldic porosity, caves and fractures; (6) microdissolution and hydrocarbon emplacement; and (7) stylolitization. The New Albany Shale was both the hydrocarbon source and top seal to the fossil Pipe Creek Jr. oil field with original oil in ...
This paper overviews the curricula of nuclear medicine (NM) undergraduate training in 34 Central and Eastern European (CEE) and 37 European Union (EU) medical faculties. The data show enormous variation in the number of hours devoted to nuclear medicine, varying between 1-2 to 40 hours and highly differentiated concepts/ideas of nuclear medicine training in particular countries. In most EU countries this teaching is integrated with that of radiology or clinical modules, also with training in clinical physiology. In many CEE countries teaching and testing of NM are independent, although integration with other teaching modules is frequent. The paper discusses the differences in particular approaches to nuclear medicine teaching. (author)
We present a new modular traffic signs recognition system, successfully applied to both American and European speed limit signs. Our sign detection step is based only on shape-detection (rectangles or circles). This enables it to work on grayscale images, contrary to most European competitors, which eases robustness to illumination conditions (notably night operation). Speed sign candidates are classified (or rejected) by segmenting potential digits inside them (which is rather original and has several advantages), and then applying a neural digit recognition. The global detection rate is ~90% for both (standard) U.S. and E.U. speed signs, with a misclassification rate 150 minutes of video. The system processes in real-time ~20 frames/s on a standard high-end laptop.
The number of immigrants to Western Europe has been increasing, with immigration the subject of much controversy in contemporary Europe. In this article, we investigate the relationship between the size of the immigrant population, how natives perceive this size, and their anti-immigrant attitudes. We use data from the 2002/2003 European Social Survey covering 17 Western European countries, and we find that as a rule Western Europeans think that the immigrant population in their country is much larger than it actually is. The perceived size of an immigrant population has an impact on anti-immigrant prejudices, but the real size does not. Like many authors before us, we find that education reduces prejudice. However, we also find that around 10 percent of the total effect of education is a ...
This paper discusses the link between R&D and productivity across the European industrial and service sectors. The empirical analysis is based on both the European sectoral OECD data and on a unique micro-longitudinal database consisting of 532 top European R&D investors. The main conclusions are as follows. First, the R&D stock has a significant positive impact on labor productivity; this general result is largely consistent with previous literature in terms of the sign, the significance, and the magnitude of the estimated coefficients. More interestingly, both at sectoral and firm levels the R&D coefficient increases monotonically (both in significance and magnitude) when we move from the low-tech to the medium- and high-tech sectors. This outcome means that corporate R&D investment is m...
The integration of European energy markets is a key goal of EU energy policy, and has also been the focal point of many scientific studies in recent years. International markets for coal, oil, natural gas and electricity have previously been investigated in order to determine the extent of the respective markets. This study enhances this field of research to bioenergy markets. Price series data and time series econometrics are used to determine whether residential sector wood pellet markets of Austria, Germany and Sweden are integrated. The results of the econometric tests show that the German and Austrian markets can be considered to be integrated, whereas the Swedish market is separate from the other two countries. Although increased internationalization of wood pellet markets is likely to contribute to European price convergence and market integration, this process is far from completed. (author)
This paper presents the concept of a biological inspired reconfigurable hardware cell architecture which supports self-organisation and self-healing. Two fundamental processes in biology, namely fertilization-to-birth and cell self-healing have inspired the development of this cell architecture. In biology as well as in our hardware cell architecture it is the DNA which enables these processes. We propose a platform based on the electronic DNA (eDNA) and show through simulation, its capabilities as a new generation of robust reconfigurable hardware platforms. We have created a Java based simulator to simulate our self-organisation and self-healing algorithms and the results obtained from this looks promising.
In this paper, we propose and implement a website of post-processing system for finite element analysis (WebDFEA). Finite element analysis is a computer-aided engineering tool and is popular for static/dynamic structure analysis. It includes three processing systems where post-processing system is to graphically demonstrate the analysis result of a structure model analyzed by finite element method. WebDFEA performs as a website. It is cross-platform because it can auto-detect a client computer platform and auto-download proper OpenGL API for drawing computer graphics. It can draw precise graphics on webpage which can be free controlled by the mouse as a manner in professional software. A database server is involved to store finite element model data and its analysis result. The graphic use...
The aim of the safety calculation is to quantify through numerical modelling the radiological impact (molar flow, human dose) of a potential repository for radioactive waste on the Meuse/Haute Marne site at Bure. A selection process is underway for safety scenarios and their phenomenological and numerical conceptual models upstream from the safety calculation. This involves defining and quantifying the geometric and dimensional representations of the repository for each scenario plus the physical, mathematical and numerical models that reflect its behaviour and the uncertainties associated with all the parameters required to quantify the impact. A summary will be given of these various aspects. The numerical simulations are then performed on the Alliances platform which integrates the various computer codes required for the physical representation of the system. (authors)
The efficient design of computation intensive multidimensional signal processing applications requires dealing with three kinds of constraints: those implied by the data dependencies, the non-functional requirements (real-time, power consumption) and resources availability of the execution platform. Modeling and Analysis of Real-time and Embedded systems (MARTE) UML profile through its repetitive structure modeling (RSM) package is well suited to model the inherent parallelism within these applications, a compact representation of parallel execution platforms and the distributive mapping of one on another. The execution of such a specification respects the whole set of constraints defined upon, while the quality of the scheduling is directly linked to the quality of the mapping of the mult...
Maldives comprise some of the most characteristic and significant atoll systems, but the meiobenthic assemblages of these islands are still largely unknown. A study on meiofauna was conducted on three Maldivian sandy back-reef platforms differently exposed to stronger westerly monsoons. Clear high energy effects of the waves causing currents and erosions were observed at the completely exposed and isolated offshore reef of Thoddoo Island. Wave energy of medium intensity was confirmed at Rasdhoo by depositional structures (finolhu), while a medium to low energy level was recorded at Gulhi on the basis of the presence of a low sandy bar. The meiofaunal assemblage counted 17 major taxa. Copepods and nematodes were dominant, followed by platyhelminthes and polychaetes. The nematode assemblage ...
Background This study aimed to evaluate laparoendoscopic single-site (LESS) adrenalectomy via the retroperitoneal approach using the Alexis wound retractor with standard laparoscopic instrumentation. Methods Since October 2009, seven LESS retroperitoneal adrenalectomies have been completed successfully with a homemade single port created using an Alexis wound retractor as an access platform through a 3-cm incision beneath the tip of the 12th rib. Results All the LESS procedures for these seven patients with adrenal tumors (size, 1.3?6.0?cm; 4 right, 1 left) were completed successfully without traditional laparoscopic conversion or complication. The average operative time was 159?min, and the estimated blood loss was 100?ml. The average hospital stay was 2?days (range, 1?3?days). Conclusion...
In a nutshell, the existing Internet provides to us content in the forms of videos, emails and information served up in web pages. With Cloud Computing, the next generation of Internet will allow us to "buy" IT services from a web portal, drastic expanding the types of merchandise available beyond those on e-commerce sites such as eBay and Taobao. We would be able to rent from a virtual storefront the basic necessities to build a virtual data center: such as CPU, memory, storage, and add on top of that the middleware necessary: web application servers, databases, enterprise server bus, etc. as the platform(s) to support the applications we would like to either rent from an Independent Software Vendor (ISV) or develop ourselves. Together this is what we call as "IT as a Service," or ITaaS, bundled to us the end users as a virtual data center.
The Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique (CEA, French Atomic Energy Commission) has set up over the last 10 years an innovative methodology aiming at characterizing radiological contaminations. The application of the latter relies on various tools such as expertise vehicles with impressive detection performances (VEgAS) and recently developed software platform called Kartotrak. A Geographic Information System tailored to radiological needs constitutes the heart of the platform; it is surrounded by several modules aiming at sampling optimization (Stratege), data analysis and geostatistical modeling (Krigeo), real-time monitoring (Kartotrak- RT) and validation of cleaning efficiency (Pescar). This paper presents the different tools which provide exhaustive instruments for the follow-up of decontamination projects, from doubt removal to the verification of the decontamination process. (authors)
Based on the information system characteristics of mine, proposed network architecture design of the mine property. And in this framework based on the design of three-dimensional virtual mine described the application of intelligent management platform. Three-dimensional virtual underground mine that shows the situation, the core application is through remote monitoring system of information exchange between devices (material object communication). Internet of things in the framework of mining three-dimensional virtual reconstruction of mine. On coal mine safety in the production process of human, machine and environment, control elements and their harmony and unity. 3D virtual mine management platform integrates personnel positioning, dust control, gas monitoring, roof pressure monitoring...
Abstract Surface modification of topography and chemistry in order to achieve a specific water contact angle (CA) has been explored by using a novel combinatorial screening platform. The screening arrays consisted of 507 distinct combinations of micro-topographies and chemical compositions. By performing chemical modifications with 1H, 1H, 2H, 2H perfluoroethyltriethoxy-silane (PFS) and n-octadecyltriethoxysilane (ODS) on standard silicon wafers it was possible to include both superhydrophobic and very hydrophilic pad arrays in the same screening platform. Surfaces modified with PFS were more hydrophobic than surfaces modified with ODS, while the unmodified silicon surfaces were hydrophilic. For the PFS modified surfaces the largest CAs were achieved with a small pillar size of X-=-1-m and...
In May 1985, a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit was issued for the Oak Ridge Y-12 Plant, a nuclear weapons components production facility located in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, and operated by Martin Marietta Energy Systems, Inc., for the US Department of Energy. As a condition of the permit, a Biological Monitoring and Abatement Program (BMAP) was developed to demonstrate that the effluent limitations established for the Oak Ridge Y-12 Plant protect the classified uses of the receiving stream (East Fork Poplar Creek), in particular, the growth and propagation of fish and aquatic life, as designated by the Tennessee Department of Health and Environment. A second purpose for the BMAP is to document the ecological effects resulting from implementation of a water pollution control program that will include construction of nine new wastewater treatment facilities over the next 4 years. Because of the complex nature of the effluent discharged to ...
Geological, geophysical, thermal, petrophysical and hydrological data available for the East Mesa hydrothermal system that are pertinent to the construction of a computer model of the natural flow of heat and fluid mass within the system are assembled and correlated. A conceptual model of the full system is developed and a subregion selected for quantitative modeling. By invoking the Boussinesq approximation, valid for describing the natural flow of heat and mass in a liquid hydrothermal system, it is found practical to carry computer simulations far enough in time to ensure that steady-state conditions are obtained. Initial calculations for an axisymmetric model approximating the system demonstrate that the vertical formation permeability of the deep East Mesa system must be very low (k/sub v/ approx. 0.25 to 0.5 md). Since subsurface temperature and surface heat flow data exhibit major deviations from the axisymmetric approximation, ...
Monocelis lineata is a complex of cryptic species (three in the Mediterranean and one in the Atlantic) widespread in midlittoral habitats. Throughout the range, populations with or without an ocular pigmented shield are found. We investigated the genetic structure of the North-East Atlantic populations with the aim of shedding light on their phylogeography and reconstructing possible patterns of recolonization after the Wrmian glaciation. Fourteen samples were investigated using cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) and 13 by inter-simple sequence repeats (ISSRs). COI did not exhibit a clear pattern of decreased genetic diversity along a latitudinal gradient. Populations from Ferrol (Spain), Doolin (Ireland), and Helsingr (Denmark) showed a higher genetic variability, whereas a reduction in...
We have analyzed data obtained with the Deep River neutron monitor and the underground vertical muon telescope at Embudo for the period 1965--79. Our data in conjunction with other published data show that for 1957--70 the diurnal anisotropy is unidirectional; with direction along 18 hour LT (east-west). During 1971--79, the diurnal anisotropy consists of two components. One is in east-west direction and the other is the radial component, with direction along 12 hour LT. The latter attains a maximum amplitude in 1976. We find no evidence for the existence of the twenty year wave in the diurnal anisotropy of cosmic rays. copyright American Geophysical Union 1988
The tests reported were part of the DOE Geothermal Reservoir Well Stimulation Program. This East Mesa (Imperial Valley, CA) well was successfully stimulated with two fracture treatments, a dendritic fracture and a planar fracture. The natural flow production of the well increased 114 percent, to 197,900 lb/hr. These tests were among the few successful attempts of this program to increase flow from geothermal production wells. The general belief is that these tests worked OK primarily because the formation was sedimentary rock (similar to rock in most oil and gas wells that have been stimulated successfully. Similar tests in geothermal hard rock reservoirs did not work very well. (DJE 2005)
The commercialization of geothermal energy resources consists of a sequence of exploration, development, and utilization activities. Each of these activities are beset by both generic and project specific technical, environmental, and institutional constraints which must be adequately resolved before geothermal operations can be conducted. This report presents a summary of selected environmental activities conducted during the early planning stages of geothermal resource commercialization. Three representative activities are elaborated upon. These include preliminary environmental planning for geothermal energy development in the Medicine Lake Highlands of California; potential alternatives for non-electric use of the geothermal resource at East Mesa in Imperial County, California; and site specific studies of the impacts from using East Mesa geothermal fluids to irrigate selected crops and indigenous climax vegetation.
ObjectivesCoastal ecosystems in developing countries supply a diverse range of services to local communities and national economies, including fish production, protection against floods and storms and support to tourism. Multiple drivers of change are influencing the status of the ecosystems, most of which are anthropogenic (Brown et al., 2006). Managing coastal ecosystems requires recognition of the diverse range of uses and users, and coordination between structures and processes, many of which are curr [continued...]DescriptionCommitment to the management of coastal ecosystems through addressing both ecological and social objectives already exists in East and Southern Africa (Glavovic 2006; Gustavson et al. 2009). More understanding, however, of the ecosystem services of priority to the poor and to poverty alleviation would strengthen the capacity of these initiatives to deliver on poverty alleviation and resource sustainability. The coastal regions of Tanzania, ...
In this study we investigated cultural, familial, and individual beliefs that influenced international students? perceptions of therapy and help-seeking behaviors. Included were changes in perception or behavior before and after the students came to the US, and factors that influenced help-seeking behaviors. Six international students from East Asian countries where English is a foreign language, including Taiwan, Mainland China, Japan, and South Korea, were interviewed. We used semi-structured interviews and participant observations for collecting data. The findings indicated changes after students came to the US. Further discussions focus on encouraging and discouraging factors relative to seeing therapists, and culturally sensitive interventions for family therapy clinicians.
The report presents details of the distributions of air pollution in the Berlin area and the developments of the past 20 years. Highly polluted areas are indicated in which air pollution reduction measures are particularly urgent. The report therefore intends not only to inform but also to point out the deficiencies of air pollution abatement measures, so that political consequences can be derived and measures can be taken. In all, data were recorded by 39 measuring stations in West Berlin, 16 in East Berlin, and 7 in Potsdam and Frankfurt/Oder. In most stations, sulphur dioxide and airborne dust were measured; 14 stations in West Berlin and one in East Berlin measured carbon monoxide and nitric oxides; 8 stations in West Berlin recorded ozone concentrations. (orig./KW).
BackgroundFood supply from the ocean is constrained by the shortage of domesticated and selected fish. Development of genomic models of economically important fishes should assist...Full Text Available
... The main goal was the analysis of the Environmental Kuznets Curve hypothesis for the Czech Republic. A paper by Bruha and Scasny, accepted to the European Society of Ecological Economics, ( Lisbon June 2005), analyses driving forces (including economic policy) on ...
BackgroundPublic information about prevention of zoonoses should be based on the perceived problem by the public and should be adapted to regional circumstances. Growing fox populations...Full Text Available
Twelve Salmonella typhimurium strains resistant to broad-spectrum cephalosporins were isolated from cases of gastroenteritis during 1996 to 1998 in Russia, Hungary, and Greece. Resistance...Full Text Available
BackgroundIn many of the European countries affected by Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE), case clustering patterns have been observed. Most of these patterns have been interpreted...Full Text Available
Security of supply is defined as the availability and reliability of energy supply at acceptable prices. By security of energy supply we mean a globally large supply of reliable, affordable, clean energy. By virtue of its nature security of supply in the energy sector primarily requires making provisions for the future through exploration, innovation, research, diversification and investments in technology. Energy politics takes place in a tension field defined by the goals of economic efficiency, sustainability and security of supply. In the past there have been repeated shifts within this triad of goals. The task for a rational energy policy is to reconciliate these goals in a meaningful way. European energy policy is understood to comprise all sovereign measures taken by the European Union in the energy sector, in particular measures that impact on the supply and demand for energy resources. Energy law serves, or should serve, to bring ...
...and biological processes acting on recruitment and post-recruitment EU-Agrinet - Project sheet: Biological performance testing methodology to evaluate the durability of plywood as a quality indicator ... Project sheet: Biological performance testing methodology to evaluate the durability of plywood as a quali EU-Agrinet - Project sheet: Genetic evaluation of European ...
...5% of foods exceed the maximum pesticide residues level , EFSA says Monday, 12 July 2010 12:41 European foods are largely under the ...Maximum Pesticide Residues Level , according to EFSA: in 2008 only 3.5% of analysed samples exceeded the MRLs (4.2% ...
ObjectiveThe authors present an Electronic Healthcare Record (EHR) server, designed and developed as a proof of concept of the revised prEN13606:2005 European standard concerning...Full Text Available
Testicular neoplasm accounts for about 1% of all cancers in men. Over the last 40 years, the incidence of testicular cancer has increased in northern European male populations for unknown reasons. When...Full Text Available
Second Regional Meeting for Nuclear Energy in Central Europe is an annual meeting of the Nuclear Society of Slovenia. The proceedings contains 75 articles from Slovenia, surrounding countries and countries of the Central and Eastern European Region
The sequence in the first hypervariable segment (HVS-I) of the control region has been used as a source of evolutionary information in most phylogenetic analyses of mtDNA. Population genetic inference...Full Text Available
The obligations under international law to reduce transfrontier air pollution is discussed in five chapters from various aspects. Consequences for the European Communities are gone into in five further chapters. (orig./HP)
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
The NATural GAS model is an integrated model of the European wholesale gas market providing long-run projections of supply, transport, storage and consumption patterns in the model region, aggregated in 5-year periods, distinguishing two seasons (winter and summer). Model results include levels of investment in the various branches, output and consumption, depletion of reserves and price levels. The NATGAS model computes long-term effects of policy measures on future gas production and gas prices in Europe. NATGAS is an equilibrium model describing behaviour of gas producers, investors in infrastructure (pipeline, LNG capacity, as well as storage), traders and consumers. NATGAS covers the main European demand regions, including the United Kingdom, Germany, the Netherlands and Italy. Moreover, it covers the main origins of supply on the European market, such as Russia, Norway, Algeria, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and ...
The European Union's proposed multinational market in carbon dioxide emissions faces many design challenges. Helpful lessons could be learnt from the US experience of trading nitrogen oxide allowances. 2 figs.
We analyzed prospective data on 17,228 European patients who sought treatment at GeoSentinel sites from 1997 to 2007. Gastrointestinal illness (particularly in tourists), fever (those visiting friends...Full Text Available
BackgroundIn a previous study conducted at the Cesare Maltoni Cancer Research Center of the European Ramazzini Foundation (CMCRC/ERF), we demonstrated for the first time that aspartame...Full Text Available
... The high resolution imagery , collected over Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, included a mixture of large commercial buildings and private houses, as well as the airport and some community parks. 10/08/11 Read more Top EU R&D companies expect a 5% ...
ContextResponse Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors [RECIST (unidimensional)], World Health Organization [WHO (bi-dimensional)] and European Association for Study...Full Text Available
...5% of foods exceed the maximum pesticide residues level , EFSA says Monday, 12 July 2010 12:41 European foods are largely under the ...Maximum Pesticide Residues Level , according to EFSA: in 2008 only 3.5% of analysed samples exceeded the MRLs (4.2% ...
This report is an appraisal of the state of the European Union`s environment. It was requested by the European Commission as part of the review process of the Fifth Environmental Action Programme `Toward sustainability`. Main sections of the report are headed: societal developments and driving forces; environmental themes and topics; integration economy and environment. Themes covered are: climate change, ozone depletion, acidification, air pollution and quality, waste management, urban-issues, inland water resources, coastal zones and marine waters, risk management, soil quality, and nature and diversity. The main conclusions of this report are that the European Union is making progress towards reducing certain pressures on the environment, though this is not enough to improve the general quality of the environment and represents even less progress towards sustainability. Without accelerated policies, pressures on the ...
1 The long term safety and efficacy of vigabatrin has been studied in 254 patients with refractory epilepsy (82% with partial seizures) in 23 different clinics in eight European countries....Full Text Available
Since 50 years, the scientists in European Center for Nuclear Research in Geneva, are looking for the secrets of the nature. Their standard Model would explains a lot of things; but the single question "What is the mass?" still does not have an answer
BackgroundThe occurrence of diabetes has greatly increased in low- and middle-income countries, particularly in Asia, as has the prevalence of overweight and obesity; in European-derived...Full Text Available
The standard paradigm postulates that the human mitochondrial genome (mtDNA) is strictly maternally inherited and that, consequently, mtDNA lineages are clonal. As a result of mtDNA clonality, phylogenetic...Full Text Available
This commentary adds effect sizes to the recently published systematic review by De Meester and colleagues and provides a more detailed insight into the effectiveness of interventions to promote physical...Full Text Available
The Regulation 761/2001 EMAS (Environmental Management and Audit Scheme), introduced by the 1836/93 Community regulation, is one of the tools activated by the European Union in order to apply the 5. and 6. Community Environmental Programme, in the field of firm-environment interactions at first (overcoming the old Command and Control logic), then by extending its applicability to ali Organisations. EMAS is a voluntary tool that enables Organisations to evaluate their own interaction with the Environment, to plan and check the yearly improvement of their environmental performance, providing the public documented relevant information. The report illustrates the procedure far applying this regulation, its implementation and new application trends in Italy and the advantages far firms.
The first working meeting of the SAPIERR project about regional final storage of radioactive waste in the European Union was held in Piestany, Slovak Republic, on February 19 and 20, 2004. SAPIERR stands for Support Action: Pilot Initiative for European Regional Repositories. This is an independent study supported financially by the European Union within the 6th Research Framework Program. The background to the project is the debate about the feasibility of regional repositories for radioactive waste in the European Union, which has come up again especially with a view to the new accession countries and the draft of a waste management directive within the framework of the Nuclear Package. The results of the SAPIERR Project will be presented in Brussels at a concluding international seminar, most probably in October 2005. The seminar will be open not only to the participating countries but also to other ...
The paper presents a comprehensive analysis of the energy conservation policy conducted in the Central and Eastern European countries - its development from the start of reforms and up to the present. The problems of rational energy consumption are shown to be closely connected with the concrete conditions of the transition from the economy based on the command principles to the market economy. The author indicates the main areas of application for energy conservation activities. He also describes the models for determination of energy intensity in different branches of energy economy, and organisational structure of the measures to be taken foe energy conservation. (author)
... Removal of this layer facilitates the unreeling of cocoons into long strands of silk comparable to those derived from the domesticated mulberry silkworm (Bombyx mori, B. mori). The research was funded in part by the SABIP ('Silks as biomimetic ideals for polymers) project, which has clinched a European Research Council (ERC) grant worth almost EUR 2.3 million under the EU's Seventh Framework Programme (FP7). Presented in the journal Biomacromolecules, the findings could lead to the development of new silk industries in ...
Progress reports on the European Research Centre for Air Pollution Control Measures project are presented. Topics covered were: assessment and analysis of the impacts of airborne pollutants on forest trees, and distinction from other potential causes of recent forest dieback; research into atmospheric dispersion, conversion and deposition of airborne pollutants; development and optimization of industrial technical processes to reduce or avoid emissions; and providing instruments and making recommendations to the industrial and political sectors.
This manual describes the use of the Xyce Parallel Electronic Simulator. Xyce has been designed as a SPICE-compatible, high-performance analog circuit simulator, and has been written to support the simulation needs of the Sandia National Laboratories electrical designers. This development has focused on improving capability over the current state-of-the-art in the following areas: (1) Capability to solve extremely large circuit problems by supporting large-scale parallel computing platforms (up to thousands of processors). Note that this includes support for most popular parallel and serial computers. (2) Improved performance for all numerical kernels (e.g., time integrator, nonlinear and linear solvers) through state-of-the-art algorithms and novel techniques. (3) Device models which are specifically tailored to meet Sandia's needs, including some radiation-aware devices (for Sandia users only). (4) Object-oriented code design and implementation using ...
This manual describes the use of the Xyce Parallel Electronic Simulator. Xyce has been designed as a SPICE-compatible, high-performance analog circuit simulator, and has been written to support the simulation needs of the Sandia National Laboratories electrical designers. This development has focused on improving capability over the current state-of-the-art in the following areas: (1) Capability to solve extremely large circuit problems by supporting large-scale parallel computing platforms (up to thousands of processors). Note that this includes support for most popular parallel and serial computers; (2) Improved performance for all numerical kernels (e.g., time integrator, nonlinear and linear solvers) through state-of-the-art algorithms and novel techniques. (3) Device models which are specifically tailored to meet Sandia's needs, including some radiation-aware devices (for Sandia users only); and (4) Object-oriented code design and implementation using ...
The paper sets up a simulation of a geothermal heat pump with a non-azeotropic mixture. The model is modified and verified with experimental data. The results of the simulation show that the systematic model can predict the performance within {+-}12% of the experimental data. As a result, some improvements can be provided on the basis of the simulation platform. (Author)
The second in a series of flights to assemble the Japanese segment of the International Space Station saw the mammoth Kibo module delivered to the complex complements of Discovery and its crew on the STS-124 mission. Kibo, the Japanese word for u201chopeu201d would house dozens of experiments and serve as a platform for external payloads brought to the complex on subsequent Shuttle flights and the Japanese u201cKounotoriu201d H-2 Transfer Vehicle cargo ship.
Saba Bank is a large submerged platform (∼2200 km2), average depth 30 m, located 4 km southwest of Saba Island in Netherlands Antilles, Caribbean Sea. Ships traveling to and from...Full Text Available
... L z xyx 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 -V 0 0 0 0 oj A ~ 0 0 1 0 v 0 I - z Fiue2. Inertial Navigation Error Lquation-i in the Platform Frame t 'I A Page 35. ...
This book provides discusses recent developments in oil pollution control instrumentation. Some of the topics covered are as follows: 1. Technical requirements of the IMCO International Performance and Test Specification A393x concerning oil content meters; and 2. Oil in water detection; and 3. Methods for the disposal of recovered oil and oily sludge; and 4. Oil content monitoring at ballast water treatment facilities and offshore production platforms.
This book presents the papers given at a conference on offshore platforms. Topics considered in this book include risk assessment, crack propagation, fracture control, stress corrosion, the reliability of pile foundations, the thermal conductivity of offshore pipeline coating material, economic analysis, hydrodynamics, simulation, Arctic structure design, composite materials, buoys, deep water drilling, corrosion protection, pollution control equipment, and subsea exhaust gas compressors.
Separate abstracts were prepared for 20 papers in this conference report and includes all papers in the ''engineering'' section (program E). Ocean thermal energy conversion (OTEC), moorings, cables, corrosion protection, corrosion testing, coatings, offshore platforms, pipelines, OTEC models and pilot plants, and energy transfer are topics discussed.
Nexans has developed a new type of high voltage sea cable with metal barrier for dynamic application, suited for floating installations such as vessels, floating wind turbines or floating platforms. A brief presentation of the cable's design (ml)
This document describes testing of OSI products conducted at Argonne National Laboratory. Sun, IBM, and Clsco hardware platforms were used. Various software packages that implement file transfer and gateway applications were evaluated. The OSI model and GOSIP compliance are briefly discussed. Technical details on OSI addressing and routing are presented. The relationship of this testing to other OSI activities at Argonne and to activities of the national networking community is discussed. Mention is also made of the relationship of DECnet Phase V transition issues.
... Social Capital Social capital describes circumstances in which individuals and organisations can use membership in groups and networks to secure benefits. Connections within and between networks reinforce the belief that these social networks have a value and can be used as a platform for further social progress. In this light, natural capital and social capital are closely related, and policies that build or destroy one often build ...
We report on the fouling of Focused Ion Beam (FIB)-fabricated silicon oxide nanopores after exposure to tap water for two weeks. Pore clogging was monitored by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) on both bare silicon oxide and chemically functionalized nanopores. While fouling occurred on hydrophilic silicon oxide pore walls, the hydrophobic nature of alkane chains prevented clogging on the chemically functionalized pore walls. These results have implications for nanopore sensing platform design.
Canadian oilfields are a prime breeding ground for talent, technology and industrial management. This paper described how Canadian talent was recognized in 2001 for three major projects which included a cold-ocean production platform in the Sea of Okhotsk in Siberia, a mountain pipeline project in South America, and an in-situ underground extraction technology in the oilsands of Alberta. The cold-ocean production platform project was recruited by Sakhalin Energy Investment Co., an international consortium originally led by Marathon Oil Co which is now led by Royal Dutch Shell. The oil production platform is stationed 16 kilometres offshore of Sakhalin Island in the Sea of Okhotsk. Sakhalin Energy bought and converted the Molikpaq, an innovative platform made in the 1980s for the Beaufort Sea by Gulf Canada Resources Ltd. The second project included Calgary's Hydroconsult EN3 Services Ltd. which ...
Increasingly, utility organizations recognize the value of sharing data and applications among their computing environments. A typical utility`s computing environment may consist of disparate computer platforms. The focus of this paper is to highlight importance of a documented information technology architecture for identifying business perspectives for interoperability, and to brief utility management about the Electric Power Research Institute`s (EPRI) accomplishment along these same lines.
A Software for the Neutron Scattering time-of-flight Spectrometer with 64 independent coded inputs is preset. It performs data acquirement and management. The work platform of the software is the Windows 98 and programmed with Visual Basic 6.0. It supports 64 x 1024 channel analyzer computer system. The friendly interface, convenient operation and high reliability are advantages of the Software
Topics addressed include future trends in IR sensors, IR observer performance modeling ... steer a sensor platform with a thermal camera or an air-to-air missile system. .... Skyship and Sentinel series airships. It also outlines the current .... A layout schematic of the UPS is given. AIAA. A93-55494 ...
The article surveys studies into the global warming which have found that the OECD countries are responsible for less than half of the total registered warming. Calculation and analysis methods for estimating the global contributions from the blocks of OECD, Africa/America/Middle East, Asia and former Soviet Union/Eastern Europe are presented. The results and some pollution abatement measures are discussed.
Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) is implementing waste minimization and pollution prevention activities into its conduct of decontamination and decommissioning (D&D) projects. Many of these activities are rather straight forward and simple approaches, yet they are often overlooked and not implemented as often as they should or could be. Specific activities involving recycling and reuse of materials and structures, which have proven useful in lowering decommissioning and disposal costs on D&D projects at ANL are presented.
BackgroundMalaria is one of the leading causes of mortality and morbidity in Nigeria. It is not known how user fees introduced under the Bamako Initiative (BI) system affect healthcare...Full Text Available
A primary and basic question prevails in the methanol industry - What will be the global demand for methanol, for the expanded production of methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE), during the next few years This article attempts to answer the question by discussing the global market; supply and demand factors; the market in North America, Western Europe, Far East and Asia, South America, and other regions; and the uncertainties that remain.
Rock fracture characterization documents a total of 1496 fractures in unit 2 of the Tshirege Member of the Bandelier Tuff along 6013 feet of Los Alamos Canyon`s north wall adjacent to Operational Unit 1098. Geologically termed joints, these fractures likely owe their primary origin to brittle failure during the cooling contraction of the tuff after its emplacement nearly 1 million years ago. Subsequent tectonic movement along the Pajarito Fault system has modified fracture strikes, dips, apertures, and linear density. From a background linear density of approximately 20 fractures per 100-foot interval along the canyon wall, fracture density increases to values in excess of 50 fractures per 100-foot interval in a zone at and immediately east of the Omega West reactor building TA-2-1. This increase in fracture density is coincident with the mapped trace of the Guaje Mountain Fault (GMFZ) that apparently bifurcates with a branch running through the canyon at Building ...
...Studies People Projects Opportunities Framework Critical Sectors Development Goals Geographic Region Geographic Scale Research Themes Printer-Friendly MSU Environmental Science and Policy Program Michigan State University East Lansing , Michigan Type: Program Education Level: Graduate Event Duration: Ongoing Philosophy of the doctoral specialization: In the ...
Korea Electric Power Corporation (Kepco) of South Korea has awarded Asea Brown Boveri Switzerland, a member of the ABB Group, a contract to supply the main equipment for two gas-fired combined-cycle power stations. News of the contract followed an announcement last year that Kepco will build a series of gas-fired power stations in the early 1990s to supply electricity to new housing and commercial areas being built in the Seoul-Incheon connurbation. (author).
This report surveys potential impacts of ASEAN (Association of South East Asian Nations) on inter-ASEAN affairs and its external relations when ASEAN will enlarge its members to include all nations in South East Asia, and thus fully represent the region. For this purpose, the survey was conducted on Vietnam, Myanmar, Laos and Cambodia, which joined in 1995, from the viewpoint of their economic and political system, and their relations with other member countries. The nature of ASEAN has gradually transformed, in which all the countries in the region have increased and internal economic issues have been tackled. It has an aim to stimulate inter-ASEAN trade and induce foreign direct investment into ASEAN as a whole by reducing import duties on intra-ASEAN trade. Underlying in these, new development is a concern about growing economic and military power of China. ASEAN solidarity will work an leverage against China should change toward worse, and ...
Contents: Lead smelter operations generating SO2 and particulate; Sulfuric acid plant technology; Lead smelters with sulfuric acid plant SO2 control; Sulfuric acid plant operation with lead sinter machine problems and solutions; SO2 control for ASARCO lea...
Arsenic in soils from the Asarco Lead Smelter in East Helena, Montana was characterized by X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS). As oxidation state and geochemical speciation were analyzed as a function of depth (two sampling sites) and surface distribution. These results were c...
Interaction of drilling fluids with a geothermal reservoir formation can result in significant permeability impairment and therefore reduced well productivity. This interaction is studied under simulated in situ geothermal conditions of overburden stress, pore fluid pressure, temperature, and pore fluid chemistry. Permeability impairment of an East Mesa KGRA reservoir material is evaluated as a function of stagnation time, drilling fluid, and temperature. Results indicate that all of these parameters contribute significantly to the magnitude and the reversibility of the impairment.
The engineering and economic feasibility of using the geothermal resources in East Mesa, California, in a new corn processing plant is evaluated. Institutional barriers were also identified and evaluated. Several alternative plant designs which used geothermal energy were developed. A capital cost estimate and rate of return type of economic analysis were performed to evaluate each alternative. (MHR)
This report attempts to bring together available information on the coal deposits of Antarctica and discuss factors that would be involved if these deposits were to be explored and mined. Most of the reported principal coal deposits in Antarctica lie generally within the Transantarctic Mountains: the majority are of Permian age and are present in the Victoria Group of the Beacon Supergroup. Several other deposits have been recorded in East Antarctica and in the Antarctic Peninsula, including minor occurrences of Mesozoic and Tertiary coal and carbonaceous shale.
Tanzania has recently developed a comprehensive environmental policy which has put high priority on several specific environmental issues. One of the issues is the quality of waste water. A special priority is given to the pollution from the sisal industry. The East-African agro-industries generate very large quantities of organic residues from production and processing of different crops. These residues form a major contribution to the pollution of air, soil and waterways, but, at the same time they constitute a large potential for production of bioenergy through anaerobic digestion as well as potential substrate for other biological fermentation processes. Generally, these residues are regarded as having no or very little value and the different disposal methods are mainly a matter of getting rid of the waste. The generation of residues are very often concentrated on few large units, which makes the exploitation of these resources feasible in large scale biogas ...
References covering the years 1904-80 are listed under the following headings: cultivation and occurrence (India and Pakistan, Africa, South America, Pacific, Middle East); Taxonomy, morphology, variation and selection; Reference works and reviews; Ecology of Prosopis (General effects on surrounding soil and vegetation): Physiology (General, Roots, Growth, Hydrology, Saline tolerance); Control of mesquite: Propagation (Germination and other nursery techniques, Vegetative propagation): and Utilization (General, Chemical analyses, Food and Ethnobiology, Fodder, Wood, Charcoal, Gum, Paper). 141 references.
The European Commission recently has adopted a new European Strategy for Environment and Health focusing on the growing concern over the adverse health effects caused by environmental pollution. Based on the results of various studies carried out in recent years polychlorinated dioxins and furans (PCDD/Fs) and PCBs are playing an important role in this strategy. In view of the enlargement of the European Union (EU) to include Candidate Countries (CCs) the Commission stressed the need to involve the Candidate Countries from an early stage on in the development of such a strategy. Thus two studies have been commissioned which are particularly directed to provide a) an overview on environmental levels and human exposure of dioxins and PCBs and b) an harmonised PCDD/F emission inventory for the target matrices air, water and land The latter study, entitled ''Dioxin Emissions in Candidate ...
The European demonstration project Hip Hip (house integrated photovoltaic high-tech in public) led the French photovoltaic market to reach a level comparable to those of the other European countries in terms of relevance of implemented solutions and costs. This document presents the best realizations and the experience gained through the Hip Hip project. Its aim is to convince the designers and managers of building projects of the advantages of photovoltaic installations integrated to the structure and connected to the power distribution grid: 1 - presentation of the technology; 2 - status of the Hip Hip demonstration project (goals, results: main innovations and impact on the French market); 3 - different possibilities of integration to the building structure; 4 - examples of projects realized in France in the framework of the Hip Hip project: integration in glass roof, frontage, added elements, fitting on roofs. (J.S.)
The performance and lifetime of energy storage in batteries are an important part of many renewable based energy systems. Not only do batteries impact on the system performance but they are also a significant expenditure when considering the whole life cycle costs. Poor prediction of lifetime can, therefore, lead to uncertainty in the viability of the system in the long term. This report details the work undertaken to investigate and develop two different battery life prediction methodologies with specific reference to their use in hybrid renewable energy systems. Alongside this, results from battery tests designed to exercise batteries in similar modes to those that they experience in hybrid systems have also been analysed. These have yielded battery specific parameters for use in the prediction software and the first results in the validation process of the software are also given. This work has been part of the European Union Benchmarking research project ...
The French nuclear power program was pushed through in order to reduce the country's dependence on imported fossil sources of energy. Nuclear power and hydro power have achieved a level of self-sufficiency in the energy sector of more than 50%. It should be emphasized that the French nuclear power program was largely self-financed. Electricite de France (EdF) considers itself well prepared for the European market, provided the creation of the single market implies that electricity rates are taken as a yardstick of competitiveness. Negotiations about a European directive on deregulating the electricity market were for the government to hold. EdF pleaded in favor of preserving for each country a certain leeway for shaping its own policy. The road to deregulation was to be opened, but the specific situation of each country was to be taken electricity to be passed through imposes narrow constraints upon an expansion of exchanges of electricity, and ...
Ageing of nuclear power plants means evolution of material or equipment properties on one side, and evolution of personnel skill and procedure adequacy on the other side, both of which, after a certain time, may not be compatible with the required safety provisions, or with an economic operation of the plant. Repair or replacement of components, as well as change in service conditions for a better compatibility with component reduced capabilities can be used to mitigate ageing effects. The paper summarises the results of a study conducted in this field with the support of the European Commission. It presents: the synthesis of the work done under international auspices, and in the European context; the comparison of ageing management approaches used in several European countries with international recommendations; the summary of the various potential phenomena and their governing parameters, the methods of in-service ageing ...
The behavior of lead in the graphite furnace during the individual steps of the temperature program was investigated by means of /sup 203/Pb as a radiotracer. The matrix systems include HCl and HNO/sub 3/ solutions, 1% NaCl solution, blood, serum, urine, and the solid samples bovine liver and orchard leaves. Without matrix modificaton, a pyrolysis temperature of up to 500/sup 0/C can be used for all samples. Significant stabilization effects can be achieved in the preatomization steps by using NH/sub 4/H/sub 2/PO/sub 4/ and ammonia as matrix modifiers and by addition of hydrogen to the flowing argon gas. It was found that the use of a L'vov platform also helps to eliminate the matrix effects. With respect to lead stabilization and elimination of matrix effects, optimum experimental conditions are achieved by simultaneous use of a L'vov platform and NH/sub 4/H/sub 2/PO/sub 4/ as the matrix modifier. 34 references, 5 figures, 1 ...
The behavior of lead in the graphite furnace during the individual steps of the temperature program was investigated by means of "2"0"3Pb as a radiotracer. The matrix systems include HCl and HNO_3 solutions, 1% NaCl solution, blood, serum, urine, and the solid samples bovine liver and orchard leaves. Without matrix modificaton, a pyrolysis temperature of up to 500"0C can be used for all samples. Significant stabilization effects can be achieved in the preatomization steps by using NH_4H_2PO_4 and ammonia as matrix modifiers and by addition of hydrogen to the flowing argon gas. It was found that the use of a L'vov platform also helps to eliminate the matrix effects. With respect to lead stabilization and elimination of matrix effects, optimum experimental conditions are achieved by simultaneous use of a L'vov platform and NH_4H_2PO_4 as the matrix modifier. 34 references, 5 figures, 1 table.
An experimental campaign, aiming to investigate the perturbation effects induced by fixed obstacles on turbulence measurements in airflows at the air-sea interface, was carried out at the marine platform of the Italian Navy, located in the harbour of La Spezia (North Ligurian Sea, Italy) on 28., 29., and 30. June 1994. This study was prompted by the ever-growing interest in more reliable estimates of energy, mass, and momentum exchanges between water surfaces and atmosphere, whose measurements are severely limited by the geometrical constraints of floating or fixed platforms where they are installed. Two types of meteorological instruments have been used: fast response (20 and 21 Hz) ultrasonic anemometers and fluxmeters to measure turbulent momentum, sensible, and latent heat fluxes and slow-response sensors (less than 4 Hz and sampled at a rate of 10{sup 2} Hz) to measure average wind and temperature vertical profiles in the perturbed ...
The Zaafarana oilfield development, operated by Zaafarana Oil Co. (Zafco) presented a series of unique challenges, including redeployment of an internal-turret mooring system, use of a turret-based electrical-cable jumper system, and permanent use of cable-deployed electric submersible pumps in the gravel-pack well completions. Following a detailed three-dimensional (3D) seismic program, the field was discovered by the first well in December 1990. Four subsequent appraisal wells were drilled. The discovery well and two of the appraisal wells tested oil at rates ranging from 2,000 to 10,100 B/D. Initial development plans called for the use of two conventional platforms with a pipeline to a shore-based treatment and storage terminal. Data acquired from subsequent wells were incorporated into the mapping and reserve estimates resulting in a sharp downgrade of the estimated recoverable reserves. The reduced estimate, combined with a revised pricing scenario, ...
Production treatment chemicals represent a diverse collection of chemical classes, added at various points from the wellhead to the final flotation cell, to prevent operational upsets and enhance the separation of oil from water. Information in the literature indicates that while many treatment chemicals are thought to partition into oil and not into the produced water, there are cases where a sufficiently water soluble treatment chemical is added at high enough concentrations to suggest that the treatment chemical may add to the aquatic toxicity of the produced water. A study was conducted to evaluate the potential effect of production treatment chemicals on the toxicity of produced waters using the US EPA Seven-day Mysidopsis bahia Survival, Growth and Fecundity Test. Samples of produced water were collected and tested for toxicity from three platforms under normal operating conditions, followed by repeated sampling and testing after a 72-hour period in which ...
The present volume on energy and the environment discusses space power requirements, space power systems, space power systems hardware, space radioisotope systems, space solar arrays, space solar cells, space station power, and terrestrial applications of aerospace technology. Attention is given to NASA future space power requirements and issues, the design of a battery charger for the NASA EOS Space Platform, in situ carbon dioxide fixation on Mars, and a preliminary design update of the CRAF/Cassini Power Subsystem. Topics addressed include concentrator testing using projected images, solar power satellites and demonstraton platforms from nonterrestrial materials, a mass sensitivity analysis of lunar orbiting beam power systems, and a power-beaming-based infrastructure for space power. Also discussed are fiber-optic sensors for aerospace electrical measurements, the preliminary design of a mobile lunar power supply, advanced power systems for ...
Malformations in farmed fish are a prime research topic as it has a major impact on fish welfare and on the economical value of the product. In this study, the genetic component of spine deformities was estimated in European sea bass, a major species of Mediterranean aquaculture, with the use of a posteriori reconstruction of pedigree with microsatellites. Our population exhibited a very high malformation rate (81%), probably due to intense swimming of fish during pre-growing. The heritability of global spine deformities was evaluated to be 0.21?0.04 on the underlying scale (0.33?0.06 for lordosis, 0.13?0.04 for scoliosis). Deformities scored by an internal or external examination turned out to be genetically the same trait (genetic correlations>0.9), although phenotypic correlations were ...
Biological control agents can be more effective if their populations are genetically diverse, particularly when the target invasive plant comprises a range of genotypes with different susceptibilities and occurs across various microclimates. We report on the use of an efficient approach to find, in the native range, diverse isolates of a rust fungus for biological control. An outdoor trap garden containing various clones of invasive European blackberry (Rubus fruticosus agg.) collected in Australia, each with a different DNA phenotype, was established in France. Within 4?weeks of establishment, the leaf-rust fungus Phragmidium violaceum was recovered from all clones in the garden. Molecular analyses of eight recovered and purified isolates of the fungus from the garden revealed that they w...
Recent studies have shown that there is a wide variety of approaches to education and training of the Qualified Expert across the European Union. National education and training programmes show often large differences in content, duration, level, the introduction of practical work, etc. As they stand, such differences are a barrier to the mutual recognition of the Qualified Expert status and, in part, are contributing to a perceived shortage in expertise in radiation protection and safety. The overall aim of ENETRAP is to determine mechanisms that in the longer term will facilitate better integration of education and training activities (with a view to mutual recognition across the European Union) and to ensure the ongoing provision of the necessary competence and expertise at the level of the Qualified Expert. The ENETRAP project is a 6FP coordination action. It started in April 2005 and runs over a period of 24 months. (authors)
High energy physics is a basic research domain with a well established European and international cooperation. Cooperation can be of different type depending on the size of the facilities involved (accelerators), on their financing, and on the type of experiments that use these facilities. The CERN, the European center for nuclear research, created in October 1954, is the best example of such a cooperation. This article examines first the juridical and scientifical structure of the CERN and the mode of organization of big experiments. Then, it presents the role of international committees in the establishment of a common scientific policy in Europe and in the rest of the world. Finally, the possible future evolution of the CERN towards a worldwide project is evoked. (J.S.)
Endogenous opioid peptides (EOP) are molecules affecting many biological functions influencing productive and reproductive performance. They increase in stress conditions and interact with specific opioidergic receptors (OR): delta, kappa and mu. Several studies in other animal species suggest that they can also affect sperm cell motility. In fish the ionic external environment modulates the increase of intracellular calcium ion that is required to activate sperm motility after spawning. In mammals OR are functionally associated to calcium channels and in fishes calcium is highly required for fish sperm activation. In this study the presence of OR on spermatozoa of two Perciform fish, the sharpsnout seabream (Diplodus puntazzo, family Sparidae) and the European sea bass (Dicentrarchus labr...
European sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax L.) is a marine species of great economic importance, particularly in Mediterranean aquaculture. However, numerous pathogenic viruses, bacteria, fungi and parasites affect the species, causing various infectious diseases and thereby leading to the most heavy losses in aquaculture production of sea bass. In this respect, knowledge on molecular and genetic mechanisms of resistance to pathogens and specific features of immune response against various infectious agents should greatly benefit the development of effective vaccines and proper vaccination strategies in marker-assisted selection of fish resistant to a range of infections. To date, genetic knowledge on sea bass immune regulatory genes responsible for resistance to pathogens is relatively poor ...
...5% of foods exceed the maximum pesticide residues level , EFSA says European foods are largely under the Maximum Pesticide Residues Level , according to EFSA:...5% of foods exceed the maximum pesticide residues level , EFSA says Skip to content Skip to main navigation Skip to 1st column Skip to ...5% of foods exceed the maximum pesticide residues level , EFSA says Only 3.5% of foods exceed the maximum pesticide residues level , EFSA ...says Monday, 12 July 2010 12:41 European foods are largely under the Maximum Pesticide Residues Level, according to EFSA: in 2008 only 3.5% of ...
A method and device have been provided for distinguishing Africanized honeybees from European honeybees. The method is based on the discovery of a distinct difference in the acoustical signatures of these two species of honeybees in flight. The European honeybee signature has a fundamental power peak in the 210 to 240 Hz range while the Africanized honeybee signature has a fundamental power peak in the 260 to 290 Hz range. The acoustic signal produced by honeybees is analyzed by means of a detecting device to quickly determine the honeybee species through the detection of the presence of frequencies in one of these distinct ranges. The device includes a microphone for acoustical signal detection which feeds the detected signal into a frequency analyzer which is designed to detect the presence of either of the known fundamental wingbeat frequencies unique to the acoustical signatures of these species as an indication of the identity of the ...
New market based approaches are becoming increasingly important as instruments of environmental policy. The two main market approaches, i.e., transferable pollution permits (experimented in America), and 'green' energy surcharges (European philosophy), are described and discussed. An analysis of information on their state of implementation shows that, in the case of the former method, the greatest sources of difficulty arise in the determination of acceptable ceiling levels of emissions, in the distribution of permits among the various polluting firms, and in the legality of granting rights to pollute. Instead, the European experience has evidenced that energy surcharges motivated by environmental policy cannot have an appreciable positive impact on consumers or the economic system in general unless they are accompanied by well defined measures geared towards the promotion or creation of alternative solutions such as to ...
Meningococcal disease is an infection caused by Neisseria meningitidis. Genetic factors contribute to host susceptibility and progression to disease, but the genes responsible for disease development are largely unknown. We report here a genome-wide association study for host susceptibility to meningococcal disease using 475 individuals with meningococcal disease (cases) and 4,703 population controls from the UK. We performed, in Western European and South European cohorts (consisting of 968 cases and 1,376 controls), two replication studies for the most significant SNPs. A cluster of complement factor SNPs replicated independently in both cohorts, including SNPs within complement factor H (CFH) (rs1065489 (p.936D
Future climate change will likely influence the frequency and intensity of weather extremes. As such events are by definition rare, long records are required to understand their characteristics, drivers, and consequences on ecology and society. Herein we provide a unique perspective on regional-scale temperature extremes over the past millennium, using three tree-ring maximum latewood density (MXD) chronologies from higher elevations in the European Alps. We verify the tree-ring-based extremes using documentary evidences from Switzerland, the Czech Republic, and Central Europe that allowed the identification of 44 summer extremes over the 1550-2003 period. These events include cold temperatures in 1579, 1628, 1675, and 1816, as well as warm ones in 1811 and 2003. Prior to 1550, we provide ...
The European sea bass Dicentrarchus labrax is a marine teleost important in Mediterranean aquaculture. The development of the entire digestive tract of D. labrax, including the pharynx, was investigated from early embryonic development to day 5 post hatching (dph), when the mouth opens. The digestive tract is initialized at stage 12 somites independently from two distinct infoldings of the endodermal sheet. In the pharyngeal region, the anterior infolding forms the pharynx and the first gill slits at stage 25 somites. The other three gill arches and slits are formed between 1 and 5 dph. Posteriorly, in the gut tube region, a posterior infolding forms the foregut, midgut and hindgut. The anus opens before hatching, at stage 28 somites. Associated organs (liver, pancreas and gall bladder) ar...
A large number of proven technical solutions exists for the use of renewable energies. However, their dissemination is still too slow to meet the political goal of substituting for 8-15% of the primary energy demand in the European Union by the year 2010. Even renewable energy systems (RES) with an economic potential are only partly exploited. The FIRE research project financed partly in the JOULE program analyses and compares the means of financing RES in Austria, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom to put forward best practice recommendations so that renewable energy depolyments will occur at a faster rate. FIRE addresses to politicians, to potential investors and to project-developers. (orig./RHM)
The aim of this economic study is the wording of a synthetic document for the public information in the framework of the 98/30/CE european directive transposition to the gas internal market. It is writing in four main chapters, one for each country concerned: the Germany, the Spain, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. Each one presents the historical context, the actors of the natural gas industry and the main provisions. (A.L.B.)
The factors which must be considered in the process of adapting United States nuclear utility training programs to the needs of a European utility are discussed. Following a review of the present situation and drawing up of a new training program, the management commitments in terms of personnel and finance must be considered. Short term, medium and long term programs are outlined. The long term objectives should include the establishment of a total training centre. This facility should be capable of providing all the training necessary to operate a power plant safely. This would include specific simulator training, classroom training for operators, technician training, staff training, management training etc. In addition to a simulator, it should include an emergency response facility to train personnel. (U.K.).
In order to better understand the structure and composition of forest plant communities, we aimed to predict the abundance of understory herbaceous species locally at the stand level and according to different environments. For this, we seeked to model species distributions of abundance at a regional scale in relationship with the local stand structure (canopy openness) and regional soil resources (soil pH). Floristic inventories, performed in different light and soil conditions located in 1202 records of north eastern France, were used to analyze the combined effect of canopy openness and soil pH on the abundance of 12 common western European forest species: Anemone nemorosa, Deschampsia flexuosa, Festuca altissima, Hedera helix, Lamium galeobdolon, Lonicera periclymenum, Molinia caerulea...
Delivering the promise of personalised medicine is the challenge that the current generation of scientists face. The variations in human physiology and disease are considerable, and designing appropriate strategies to deliver what has been promised will require access to tissue from a large number of volunteers. The NHS provides an ideal infrastructure for sample acquisition, but requires two things to make this available?public consent and support for extra manpower and administration. There is a disconnection between the NHS and tissue based research that needs to be addressed on a number of levels to provide a translational platform. This should enable the path to be beaten to provide the ideal tailored treatment for future patients; one that preserves quality of life by curing the dise...
The airborne traffic monitoring system forms a novel technology of detecting vehicle motion. An optical digital camera located on an airborne platform produces a series of images which then are processed to recognized the fixed vehicles. In this way the video data are converted into the time sequence of frames containing the vehicle coordinates. In the present work a three-frame algorithm is developed to identify the succeeding vehicle positions. It is based on finding the neighboring points in the frame sequence characterized by minimal acceleration. To verify and optimize the developed algorithm a ``Virtual Road'' simulator was created. Finally available empirical data are analyzed using the created algorithm.
In this paper we discuss recent work at the Advanced Technology Centre of BAE Systems on photonic technology, in particular photonic crystal fibres, applied to infra-red and electro-optic countermeasure systems. The use of Photonic Crystal fibres or holey fibres in countermeasure systems could significantly simplify platform integration by enabling remote location of laser sources, the generation of multiple wavelengths or continuum generation from a single pump source .The paper will describe the development of these fibres, drawing examples from recent civil collaborative research projects such as PFIDEL and LAMPS.
The online communicative environment is expected to revolutionize political discourse as it expands to cover underrepresented groups and ideas. In this platform, marginalized groups such as indigenous communities from the developing world can articulate claims, strategically mobilize and participate in the forms of meaning-making that constitute them. However, there is skepticism on the actual value of online spaces in effecting agency in an internet-mediated environment. Using James Scott's notion of 'hidden transcripts' and Andrew Feenberg's 'democratic rationalization of technology', the paper explores strategic approaches and historical, social, and political conditions embedded in the construction, negotiation, and transformation of indigenous online activist media. In-depth interview...
This article analyzes the impact of crowdfunding on journalism. Crowdfunding is defined as a way to harness collective intelligence for journalism, as readers' donations accumulate into judgments about the issues that need to be covered. The article is based on a case study about Spot.Us, a platform pioneering community-funded reporting. The study concludes that a crowdfunded journalistic process requires journalists to renegotiate their role and professional identity to succeed in the changing realm of creative work. The study concludes that reader donations build a strong connection from the reporters to the donors, which creates a new sense of responsibility to the journalists. The journalists perceive donors as investors, that cannot be let down. From the donor's perspective, donating ...
This report details an investigation into the efficacy of two approaches to solving the radiation diffusion equation within a radiation hydrodynamic simulation. Because leading-edge scientific computing platforms have evolved from large single-node vector processors to parallel aggregates containing tens to thousands of individual CPU's, the ability of an algorithm to maintain high compute efficiency when distributed over a large array of nodes is critically important. The viability of an algorithm thus hinges upon the tripartite question of numerical accuracy, total time to solution, and parallel efficiency.
Faced with a changing business emphasis, plus the need to reduce operations and maintenance costs in the North Sea, the Forties Field engineering partnership between BP and Brown and Root recognised the need to make radical changes in its organisational structure. An innovative change management programme was planned and executed inside 12 months with the purpose of right-sizing the Forties Operations Engineering team. Not only has the initiative succeeded in cutting costs by 40 per cent; it has also enhanced the quality of engineering support services supplied to the BP Forties platforms. (author)
It is shown that pure NQR can be utilized as a platform for quantum computing without applying a high external magnetic field. By exciting each resonance transition between quadrupole energy levels with two radio-frequency fields differing in phase and direction, the double degeneracy of the spin energy spectrum in an electric field gradient is removed. As an example, in the case of I=7/2 (nuclei {sup 133}Cs or {sup 123}Sb) the energy spectrum has eight levels which can be used as three qubits. (orig.)
The theme of the conference was recent developments in airborne remote sensing and their applications. The proceedings contain the papers presented at 14 general sessions and 13 interactive sessions covering airborne platforms, sensor systems, airborne/spaceborne synergy, atmospheric and oceanic measurements, land cover/land use, emergency response and reconnaissance, data handling, forestry, agriculture, water resources, geospatial reference, system calibration, environmental monitoring and planning, and information product advancements. Two papers are abstracted separately.
The Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) for use in Nuclear Power Plant safety-related applications is being developed and tested first time in Korea. This safety-related PLC is being developed with requirements of regulatory guideline and industry standards for safety system. To test that the quality of the developed PLC is sufficient to be used in safety critical system, document review and various product testings were performed over the development documents for S/W, H/W, and V/V. This paper provides the performance testing methodology and its effectiveness for PLC platform conducted by KOPEC
After several years of planning and workshop meetings, a decision was reached in late 2008 to organize PICMG xTCA for Physics Technical Subcommittees to extend the ATCA and MTCA telecom standards for enhanced system performance, availability and interoperability for physics controls and applications hardware and software. Since formation in May-June 2009, the Hardware Technical Subcommittee has developed a number of ATCA, ARTM, AMC, MTCA and RTM extensions to be completed in mid-to-late 2010. The Software Technical Subcommittee is developing guidelines to promote interoperability of modules designed by industry and laboratories, in particular focusing on middleware and generic application interfaces such as Standard Process Model, Standard Device Model and Standard Hardware API. The paper describes the prototype design work completed by the lab-industry partners to date, the timeline for hardware releases to PICMG for approval, and the status of the software guidelines roadmap. The ...
Monitoring and diagnostic systems are of main importance for a safe and efficient operation of nuclear power plants. The author describes new developments with respect to vibration monitoring with a functional extension in the time domain for den secondary circuit, the development of a local system for the surveillance of rotating machines, the structure-borne sound monitoring with improvement of event analysis, esp. the loose part locating, leakage monitoring with a complete system for humidity measurement, and the development of a common platform for all monitoring and diagnostic systems, that allows an efficient access for comparison and cross references.
Nucleic acid extraction and human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) genotyping using the NucliSens miniMAG platform and the TruGene HIV-1 genotyping kit gave HIV-1 sequence data from HIV-1-negative plasma spiked with 100 copies/ml reference HIV-1 RNA and from low-viremia clinical samples (<500 copies/ml) without the need for ultracentrifugation or nested second-round PCR. PMID:17122019
ObjectivesObjectives Not AvailableDescriptionThis proposal seeks to extend what is currently the most comprehensive offshore environmental data collection programme at a platform on the UKGS involving continuous collection of wave height and direction, wind speed and direction, current and wave particle kinematics. Data has been collected with this system since 1994 and the proposal is to extend this until 1999 thus providing an extensive set of storm data collected at 5Hz which will allow examination of the joint behaviour of wave, wind [continued...
Inspire is the project name of a new High Energy Physics information system which will integrate present databases and repositories to host the entire corpus of the HEP literature and become the reference HEP scientific information platform worldwide. It is a common project between CERN, DESY, FERMILAB and SLAC. It will empower scientists with new tools to discover and access the results most relevant to their research; enable novel text- and data-mining applications; deploy new metrics to assess the impact of articles and authors. In addition, it will introduce the Web2.0 paradigm of user-enriched content in the domain of sciences with community-based approaches to the peer-review process.
CERN, DESY, Fermilab and SLAC have joined forces to build INSPIRE, the next-generation HEP information platform offering innovative tools for information discovery and communication. Representing a natural community-based evolution of SPIRES, INSPIRE provides fast access to the entire body of HEP literature. As a subject repository it will host fulltexts of preprints, Open Access journal articles and supplementary material like conference slides and multimedia, enabling novel text- and data mining applications. In the spirit of Web2.0 INSPIRE will also supply tools for collaboration and user-enriched content.
This paper is a quarterly report describing the use of a new soil gas collection device which allows the collection of soil gas in the field for later analysis in the laboratory. It describes the installation of this sampling device and the procedure for setting the probe, extraction of soil gas beneath the surface, and sealing of the soil gas for transport. The sites used for initial testing was the top of Yucca Mountain and Crystal Spring in Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge. The results from this initial test showed no volatile matter present in the soil at these locations.
We develop methods for accelerating metric similarity search that are effective on modern hardware. Our algorithms factor into easily parallelizable components, making them simple to deploy and efficient on multicore CPUs and GPUs. Despite the simple structure of our algorithms, their search performance is provably sublinear in the size of the database, with a factor dependent only on its intrinsic dimensionality. We demonstrate that our methods provide substantial speedups on a range of datasets and hardware platforms. In particular, we present results on a 48-core server machine, on graphics hardware, and on a multicore desktop.
Recent rapid growth in mobile computing technologies enables telemedicine applications to operate on mobile devices. Our focus is on the design of an integrated electrocardiogram (ECG) beat detector on a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) platform for the health screening process. The ECG beat detector module will be supported by the PDA version of Personal Health Information Management System (PHIMS) and Facilitated Accurate Referral Management System (FARMS) through wireless network infrastructure as a home-based mobile cardiac monitoring solution. PMID:17282192
We developed prototype chemistry for nucleic acid hybridization on our bead-based diagnostics platform and we established an automatable bead handling protocol capable of 50 part-per-billion (ppb) sensitivity. We are working towards a platform capable of parallel, rapid (10 minute), raw sample testing for orthogonal (in this case nucleic acid and immunoassays) identification of biological (and other) threats in a single sensor microsystem. In this LDRD we developed the nucleic acid chemistry required for nucleic acid hybridization. Our goal is to place a non-cell associated RNA virus (Bovine Viral Diarrhea, BVD) on the beads for raw sample testing. This key pre-requisite to showing orthogonality (nucleic acid measurements can be performed in parallel with immunoassay measurements). Orthogonal detection dramatically reduces false positives. We chose BVD because our collaborators (UC-Davis) can supply samples from persistently infected animals; ...
North American technologies designed to improve electricity transmission and distribution systems were discussed. Legislation in the United States and Canada is now being implemented to ensure the widespread adoption of advanced metering technologies. Grid technologies will also be expected to address carbon dioxide (CO{sub 2}) emissions, as governments are now encouraging investment in distributed generation technologies such as solar, wind, and biodiesel energy. It is expected that smart grid systems will provide increased reliability, interoperability, 2-way communications, risk management services, and have the capacity to support new power resources. Devices will be added to the overall system in order to support smart metering applications. Advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) will use automated measurements of time-of-use energy consumption. Improved outage management detection and restoration monitoring programs will be used, as well as programs designed to meter distribution ...
The Cambro-Ordovician platform was formed along the margin of the old super-continent of Laurentia approximately 470 million years ago, and is a prolific producer of hydrocarbons. This presentation provided a geological review of the region as well as estimates of the amounts of oil in place. A simplified geological cross-section of the formation was presented, as well as a chart of the Anticosti Basin of western Newfoundland. Details of exploration wells targeting the Cambro-Ordovician carbonate platform and current west coast land holdings were provided. An outline of the area's petroleum system included details of source rock, reservoirs, traps and seals and migration and timing. Offshore prospects for the platform were estimated to be in the region of 100 to 200 million barrels. Onshore prospects were estimated to be in the region of 30 million to 150 million barrels. It was noted that limited coverage by ...
A case study of a hypothetical offshore production fixed leg platform facility is presented. The purpose of the case study is to demonstrate the advantages offered by modern, fuel efficient large gas turbines in central power generation service for offshore production. The case study was presented using the Rolls- Royce RB211 large gas turbine with facility production of approximately 240,000 BPD of oil and 540 MMSCFD of associated gas. The gas was subjected to three stages of separation for removal of hydrocarbon liquids and water. The liquids, natural gas, and crude oil were exported from the production platform to an onshore receiving terminal. Gas compression is the service that requires the greatest amount of power for any given production facility. For this case study, gas compression represented approximately 70 per cent of the power load with the remainder represented by the liquid export pumps (16 per cent), and by general utilities ...
Reservoir geometry reconstruction within carbonate platforms has been carried out in the Upper Jurassic of the Paris Basin based on high-resolution sequence stratigraphy correlations (cores and well-logs). 18 cored wells over 25 kM{sup 2} have been correlated (Saint-Clair-sur-Epte field, Gaz de France). During lower and middle Oxfordian the Paris Basin is a carbonate platform prograding southward. This progradational trend can be subdivided into three upper order sequences (parasequences sets, mean duration: one m.y.). The lower parasequence-set is a stacking of shallowing-upward parasequences made up of tidal ooids bars surrounded laterally and backward by more protected environments (large variety of coated grains). The middle parasequence-set is recorded in lagoonal environments with numerous channels and lobes of storm washover-fans. Metric-thick sequences have been correlated over the field. They are ernersive upward (subtidal lagoonal ...
To estimate the success criteria of an operator's action time for a probabilistic safety/risk assessment (PSA/PRA) of a nuclear power plant, the information from a safety analysis report (SAR) and/or that by using a simplified simulation code such as the MAAP code has been used in a conventional PSA. However, the information from these is often too conservative to perform a realistic PSA for a risk-informed application. To reduce the undue conservatism, the use of a best-estimate thermal hydraulic code has become an essential issue in the latest PSA and it is now recognized as a suitable tool. In the same context, the 'ASME PRA standard' also recommends the use of a best-estimate code to improve the quality of a PSA. In Korea, a platform to use a best-estimate thermal hydraulic code called the MARS code has been developed for the PSA of the Korea standard nuclear power plant (KSNP). This study has proposed an estimation method for an operator's action time by using ...
To estimate the success criteria of an operator's action time for a probabilistic safety/risk assessment (PSA/PRA) of a nuclear power plant, the information from a safety analysis report (SAR) and/or that by using a simplified simulation code such as the MAAP code has been used in a conventional PSA. However, the information from these is often too conservative to perform a realistic PSA for a risk-informed application. To reduce the undue conservatism, the use of a best-estimate thermal hydraulic code has become an essential issue in the latest PSA and it is now recognized as a suitable tool. In the same context, the 'ASME PRA standard' also recommends the use of a best-estimate code to improve the quality of a PSA. In Korea, a platform to use a best-estimate thermal hydraulic code called the MARS code has been developed for the PSA of the Korea standard nuclear power plant (KSNP). This study has proposed an estimation method for an ...
Jurisdictional wetlands of the Argonne National Laboratory-East (ANL-E) site in DuPage County, Illinois, were delineated in the summer and autumn of 1993 in accordance with the 1987 US Army Corps of Engineers methodology. Potential wetland sites with an area greater than 500 m{sup 2} (0.05 ha [0.124 acre]) were identified for delineation on the basis of aerial photographs, the DuPage County soil survey, and reconnaissance-level field studies. To qualify as a jurisdictional wetland, an area had to support a predominance of hydrophytic vegetation as well as have hydric soil and wetland hydrology. Thirty-five individual jurisdictional wetlands were delineated at ANL-E, totaling 180,604 m{sup 2} (18.1 ha [44.6 acres]). These wetlands were digitized onto the ANL-E site map for use in project planning. Characteristics of each wetland are presented -- including size, dominant plant species and their indicator status, hydrologic characteristics (including water source), ...
In the contribution under consideration, the author reports on the energy resources as a conflict factor and co-operation factor in East Asia on the basis of the Spratly islands. The main aspects of this contribution are: topography of the Spratly islands; history and actual claims; evaluation of the claims; strategic significance of the islands; resources of oil and natural gas as a conflict factor; resources of oil and natural gas as a co-operation factor. The resources of oil and natural gas have intensified the conflict around the Spratly islands in the last few decades. Due to the unsettled situation relating to international law six countries could claim the potentially energy-rich area having a geo-strategic instrument of power. Due to a treaty and due to the new common research studies of the neighbouring countries a phase of stability can be expected. The increasing involvement of China in the international economic structures suggests a military solution ...
Thermal gradients and thermal conductivities were obtained in real time using an in situ heat-flow technique in 15 shallow (90 to 150 m) wells drilled between Brawley and Glamis in the Imperial Valley, Southern California. The in situ measurements were supplemented by follow-up conventional temperature logs in seven of the wells and by laboratory measurements of thermal conductivity on drill cuttings. The deltaic sedimentary material comprising the upper approx. 100 m of the Salton Trough generally is poorly sorted and high in quartz resulting in quite high thermal conductivities (averaging 2.0 Wm/sup -1/ K/sup -1/ as opposed to 1.2 to 1.7 for typical alluvium). A broad heat-flow anomaly with maximum of about 200 mWm/sup -2/ (approx. 5 HFU) is centered between Glamis and East Brawley and is superimposed on a regional heat-flow high in excess of 100 mWm/sup -2/ (> 2.5 HFU). The heat-flow high corresponds with a gravity maximum and partially with a minimum in ...
Radian received twelve sections of heat exchanger tubing from the Magma Electric Company's 10MW(e) East Mesa binary geothermal power plant. Three tube sections were received from each of four shell and tube heat exchangers (HX1, Hx6, HX8, and Hx10) of the isobutane vaporizer train. All samples were taken from the upper few rows of tubes. Two months later, four more tube sections were received. These four sections were taken from the lower rows of heat exchangers 1, 6 (two sections), and 10. Radian was requested to investigate the cause of severe pitting failure of these heat exchanger tubes. This report is part of a continuing DOE effort to gain insight into the service life of component materials employed in geothermal energy utilization.
Preliminary field investigations suggest three detachments in the Sadlerochit and Shublik Mountains: (1) the Kingak Shale, (2) along the pre-Mississippian unconformity, and (3) within the pre-Mississippian basement. Thrust faults that cut the overlying Mississippian and younger section have horizontal displacements of 5-8 km and emplace pre-Mississippian rocks on Cretaceous strata. A large number of smaller thrust faults, responsible for deformation of the pre-Mississippian surface contribute to shortening. Structures involving the pre-Mississippian section trend east-west whereas earlier formed structures related to the Kingak Shale decollement trend east-northeast-to west-southwest. Possible exploration leads beneath the coastal plain include: (1) large, broad, basement involved structural culminations that may have subtle seismic expressions and (2) pre-Mississippian potential reservoirs thrust over Cretaceous source beds. Possible ...
The juvenile fish community associated with natural, degraded and replanted Sonneratia alba mangroves in Gazi Bay was sampled during the South East and North East monsoons between April 2002 and June 2003. A total of 1800 individuals belonging to 49 taxa and 34 families were collected from the intertidal forest using stake nets. Fish abundance ranged from 0.93+-0.20ind. m-2 (SEM02) to 1.16+-0.18ind. m-2 (SEM03) between seasons and between 0.54+-0.07ind. m-2 and 1.64+-0.33ind. m-2 for individual sites across seasons. Five taxa accounted for approximately 70% of the total fish abundance, with Gobidae and Gerres oyena dominating. ANOSIM revealed seasonal differences in fish species composition and abundance (p=0.01) due to fluctuating abundances of primarily Terapon sp. and Thryssa sp. The ma...
A broad range of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and selected heavy metals has been analysed in sediment cores of North-East Germany. The pollutants analysed include polychlorinated dioxins and furans (PCDD/Fs), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), several pesticides (DDT, HCH, CBz) and its metabolites as well as selected heavy metals. The sediment cores were sampled at five locations, reflecting a range of anthropogenic influences and background contamination: Arkona Basin (AK) representing a remote marine site, Lake Bugsin (BS) a background location only with atmospheric deposition, Lake Quenz (QS) close to the industrial city of Brandenburg, Teltowkanal (TK) in the suburban-industrial zone of Berlin and Lake White (WS) in the centre of Berlin. The age of the lower part of the AK, BS and TK cores were dated at 100-150 years. Results of selected pollutants (PCDD/Fs) have been presented earlier, focussing on the depth ...
The northeastern part of the Great Divide basin is a separate, unique, and until recently, little-explored subbasin sometimes called the Bison basin. It is bounded by the Wind River Mountains, Sweetwater-Granite Mountain foreland uplift, Lost Soldier-Wertz structure, and a little-studied very positive east-west structural arch approximately coincident with the Sweetwater-Fremont county line. A comprehensive seismic, Landsat, and subsurface geologic examination or, better, dissection of the Bison basin was initiated in 1978. Numerous oil and gas prospects were delineated by this study. Since this small, 12 by 40 mi (19 by 64 km) basin is bordered by known reserves of 260 million bbl of oil and 90 million bcf of gas, these prospects proved to be a popular target of the drill bit. At least one of these prospects appears to be productive; others are currently being drilled. The presence of major east-west wrench faults, a well-documented foreland ...
The literature is littered with reports presenting the proportion of patients admitted with ischaemic stroke receiving thrombolysis. This gives some measure of activity and the efficiency of prehospital and hospital triage. Some stroke centres have reported rates of thrombolysis as high as 20%, but without knowing the population that such services serve, these proportions do not indicate how well or equitably the treatment is being delivered. Here, we explore various metrics to monitor our efforts to provide equitable access to stroke thrombolysis in Lothian, a region in the South East of Scotland. PMID:21086712
In recent years the feedstock base of the coking plants in the South has been significantly degraded: the charges contain an increased quantity of gas coal and coal from coalfields in the East are being included. Certain plants in the Ukraine receive coal from the Kuznetsk, Pechora and Karaganda coalfields. Addition of these coal types in the charges of plants in the South is expected to continue in the future. Their efficient utilization requires careful investigation of the new charges in order to determine the optimal composition and to produce blast furnace coke meeting modern specifications.
Over the last year, the energy industry firmly established itself as the premier borrowing sector in the international financial markets. While Europe and North America's major energy companies continue to access the loan market as their main source of financing, with a steady flow of new international borrowings, their peers from other areas of the world, such as Latin America and the Middle East, are in the process of positioning themselves in the market as regular borrowers and have become an important new source of fee income for industry's bankers. (Author).
McLeod River Coal Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of Manalta Coal Ltd., has received Alberta Energy Resources Conservation Board approval to establish an open pit coal mine and plant in the northwest portion of the Coalspur field, east of Hinton. McLeod proposes to produce up to 4.2 million tonnes/year of thermal coal for 40 years, starting in 1985. The commercial viability of the project must be assessed before construction starts at the McLeod River site. The Board's ruling is subject to provincial cabinet approval.
Preserving customers` investments in capital goods is one of the strategic market services offered by ABB, and to this end the company has developed project-specific retrofit concepts especially for older power generation plant. A prime example of such a modernization is the Umm Al Nar East (UANE) combined cycle power station in Abu Dhabi, UAE. UANE has two gas turbines of type GT13D, which together generate 140 MW of electrical energy, and heat-recovery boilers which supply steam to a seawater desalination plant with a capacity of 80 million liters of drinking water per day. After almost 20 years in operation, UANE is being modernized. To address the owner`s concerns and minimize plant downtime, ABB has introduced Service, Operation and Rehabilitation (SOR) Key Account Management for Abu Dhabi. In the first phase of the modernization project, the static starting equipment was upgraded and the mechanical turbine governor replaced by the EGATROL electro-hydraulic ...
This paper presents a survey on public preferences in SE England for the use of wind, biomass and nuclear power in electricity generation. Using a labelled CE the perceived importance (value) to the public of distance and the energy options' impacts on biodiversity, emissions, land occupation and household cost was explored. Results suggest that impacts, technology name, demographic characteristics, attitudes towards the environment, knowledge and experience with the technologies were significant choice determinants. Considering the current debate about the development of nuclear power and biomass in UK and worldwide, this survey provides an insight into the factors affecting public acceptability
National Power is building its first gas turbine combined cycle power station at Killingholme, situated to the south of the River Humber in the East of England. NEI ABB Gas Turbines Limited was awarded the turnkey contract in July 1990 to build a nominal 650 MW combined cycle power station based around three Asea Brown Boveri GT13E gas turbines. The project is outlined in this article. The plant is due for completion in July 1993. (author)
SO/sub 2/ concentrations in the Stuttgart air have been measured continuously since 1965. The two measuring points were located at the bottom of the Stuttgart city basin and 900 m east on the side of one of the surrounding hills. Long-term curves of pollutant loads have been established in consideration of meteorological parameters, as well as curves showing the average daily, weekly, and yearly pollution. The information thus gained may help to plan air pollution abatement measures in city planning.
A methodology of tsunami PSA was developed in this study. A tsunami PSA consists of tsunami hazard analysis, tsunami fragility analysis and system analysis. In the case of tsunami hazard analysis, evaluation of tsunami return period is major task. For the evaluation of tsunami return period, numerical analysis and empirical method can be applied. The application of this method was applied to a nuclear power plant, Ulchin 56 NPP, which is located in the east coast of Korean peninsula. Through this study, whole tsunami PSA working procedure was established and example calculation was performed for one of real nuclear power plant in Korea
The purpose of this report is to provide the reader with a basic understanding of Argonne National Laboratory`s current general refuse disposal and material recycling programs, how they were developed, and where they are going. In order to better understand the current situation, a brief description of the facilities past practices is explained. ANL is a multi-program research and development center owned by DOE and operated by the University of Chicago. Argonne`s primary facilities are on a 1,700 acre site, 27 miles southwest of Chicago. Fifty-seven major buildings house approximately 4,500 employees at the site.
Computational transport models are described with applications in three problem areas related to unsaturated zone moisture movement beneath Area G. These studies may be used to support the ongoing maintenance of the site Performance Assessment. The three areas include: a 1-D transient analysis with average tuff hydraulic properties in the near surface region with computed results compared to field data; the influence on near surface transient moisture percolation due to realistic distributions in hydraulic properties derived statistically from the observed variance in the field data; and the west to east moisture flow in a 2-D steady geometry approximation of the Pajarito Plateau. Results indicate that a simple transient model for transport of moisture volume fraction fits field data well compared to a moisture pulse observed in the active disposal unit, pit 37. Using realistic infiltration boundary conditions for summer showers and for spring snow melt conditions, ...
The Sheep Mountain area, in the southwest Wind River Basin, is the up plunge closure of the Derby Dome-Winkleman Dome producing trend of an echelon folds which comprise the first line of folding down the northeast flank of the Wind River Mountains. The structural style exposed in the Palozoic reservoir rocks of Sheep Mountain may serve as a model for the other structural features in the Wind River Basin. As in the case of the Derby Dome and Winkleman Dome, Sheep Mountain is typically asymmetric to the southwest. Local east-directed thrusts exposed in the core of the anticline place Pennsylvania over Permian age rocks. A major change in the trend of the anticlinal crest within Sheep Mountain, suggests development of separate left-stepping en echelon closures at depth. The northwest end of Sheep Mountain also forms a left-stepping en echelon pattern with Derby Dome. The northwest plunge of Sheep Mountain is facilitated by compartmentalization across an ...
Continental facies of Scythian-early Anisian age (Buntsandstein) of East of the Paris Basin form the underground gas storage reservoir exploited by Gaz de France in the area of Nancy (east of France). An accurate sedimentological study and the application of Genetic Stratigraphy principles lead to the understanding of the deposition of fluvial, which form the reservoirs, and to the reconstruction of their geometries. The subsurface data are calibrated on outcrops. Three types of fluvial systems (braided, sinuous to straight and anastomosed) are defined. A special focus on anastomosed channels permits to differentiate a proximal and a distal facies. Study of laterally continuous outcrops induces recurrent cycles of thickness, velocity and time variations (few tens to hundred ka). These correspond to the highest frequence stratigraphic units, i.e. parasequences or genetic units. Maximum of channel and levee presentation occurs during base-level ...
The authors propose using synthetic aperture radar(SAR) for wind energy mapping of coastal zones. The SAR equipment is located on the European Space Agency ERS-1 and 2 and the RADARSAT satellites. Examples of wind energy maps and evaluations of their applications are given for the Norwegian west coast.
Current European and the US experiences in waste management are reviewed in the perspective of sustainable development. This publication questions the validity of the current approach taken by the Germany at ``closing the loop`` based on the example of packaging and packaging waste. The product item focus of current German legislation is compared with Danish and US approaches that are based on an integrated policy which covers the whole of waste generation and handling and is not product/item oriented. 1 fig., 2 tabs.
A new multipellet long-pulse plasma fueling system is in operation on JET. In the initial experimental phase, a variety of plasma density profile shapes have been produced with peak to average values ranging up to 2.5 and peak plasma density up to 1.2 )times) 10/sup 20/m/sup )minus/3). 7 refs., 4 figs
For Stage II of the European Dioxin Project the following objectives were set: - Amendment of existing emission data collected for most relevant emission sources in order to reduce uncertainties of emission estimates. Collecting first emission data from countries not yet performing dioxin emission measurement programs. Extending the inventory of dioxin emissions to ambient air produced in Stage I by a complementary study on emissions to land and water. Extending the regional scope of data collection to countries in Central Europe. The report of Stage II of the European Dioxin Project is presented in 3 Volumes. Volume 1 contains an overview on the background and approach of different activities carried out and on the results obtained. These results are put into a broader view regarding the dioxin reduction measures in Europe leading to conclusions and recommendation for future work. Volume 2 of the report contains a detailed presentation of the ...
As a financial institution o the European Union, The European Investment Bank is working and to add substance to the commitments made by the Union and its Member States at Kyoto and subsequently at Johannesburg. Over the last two years, renewable energy sources have attracted funding of more than 1.1 billion from the bank, equivalent to 14% of the total loans granted to the energy sector 7.8 billion), compared to an average o 7.9 % over the previous five years. In order to obviate the detrimental characteristics presented by these investments from a financial viewpoint, in March, 2004 the bank set up a 'CCFF' (Climate Change Financing Facility) of 500 million. Additionally, along with the other financial institutions, the EIB is looking into he possibility of supporting the establishment of European carbon credit trading hubs. Where the economic assessment of these projects is concerned, the bank has ...
This autumn, Nice welcomed the thirteen European photovoltaic conference. It was the occasion for the world of solar energy to measure technical progress which were carried out and the market which are still to win. If developing countries are a reserve of new markets, they are not solvent and programmes depend on North/South negotiations. (N.C.).
Scintigraphic imaging of dementia relies today essentially on the study of brain Single Photo Emission Computed Tomography (SPECT) perfusion, after intravenous injection of 99mTc radio-pharmaceutic. This paper is based on the guidelines published in October 2001 by the European Association of Nuclear Medicine (http://eanm.org/). (author)
The new collaborative exploitation of the JET Facilities requires suitable technical tools and infrastructure measures to enable the Remote Participation of scientists from all European Fusion labs. Such measures are being gradually introduced. They comprise of a toolkit for Remote Data Access, Remote Computer Access and for teleconferencing, and of infrastructure measures that address network connectivity, network security, shared documentation and technical support.
The aim of this report is to show how Energetic Planning and Territorial Policy should be working together for a better integration of Renewable Energies into Region. This Integration should to contemplate social, economic and environmental aspects of the territory. The report has been classified into 7 items: planning, energetic scenarios, technology transfer for Renewable Energies dissemination, barriers for this dissemination, environmental aspects, European Union Policy and Decision Support Systems (and specially GIS). (Author) 54 refs.
Building materials contain low concentrations of natural radioactive materials, causing a radiation dose for occupants of houses. Governmental policies and regulations with respect to radon emission are or will be implemented. An overview is given of recent developments. 3 refs.
Food irradiation is the process of exposing food to an ionizing energy to kill harmful bacteria and other organisms and extend shelf-life. It is a safe process and has been approved by some 50 countries worldwide and applied commercially in the USA, Japan, China and several European countries for many years. Trends law regulations and new applications in Europe and another countries has been described. (author)
In 1995 the exercise RESUME-95 (Rapid Environmental Surveying Using Mobile Equipment) took place in Finland. Groups from 8 European countries joined the exercise. The methods used were airborne gamma-ray measurements, car-borne measurements and in situ stationary measurements. The results of the measurements are analyses aiming at disclosing similarities and differences between groups and measuring techniques.
In this article, the authors recall the factors apt to influence image quality in NMR Imaging and present the european works that have been developed in MRIQA to set 5 quality assurance tests: EUROSPIN 1 to 5.
The document, based on European guidelines, was jointly developed by radiation oncologists, radiation physicists and radiation technologists. It contains the aims of the guidelines, professional profiles, roles and responsibilities, personnel and equipment requirements, procedures.
All over the world the implementation of energy efficient and clean technologies can be hardly considered without opening the way to competition and the involvement of private investment. If such terms are valid for reach countries there are even more adequate for economies in transition like Romania's, which inherited and obsolete productive equipment, can mobilize insufficient resources for development-modernization and exhibits a quasi-unanimous option of adhering at European Union. (author). 3 tabs., 11 refs.
The importance of neutron measurements both as a succinct measure of the progress to fusion ignition using the magnetic confinement route and also as a diagnostic of plasma conditions is discussed. The various neutron diagnostic systems that have been or are being constructed by AERE Harwell for JET are described. The properties to be measured by such diagnostics are clearly identified and some results obtained with the installed diagnostics during d-d plasmas are presented.
...the huge volumes of ephemera amassed by the Colonial Office to record the coronation celebrations of 1937 and 1953 to the small illustrated manuscript account of Tobago penned by its governor in 1810, from one of the first European accounts of Ethiopia to be published to Winston Churchillrsquo;s valedictory letter of 1922 to Colonial Office staff, the exhibits provide a snapshot of the riches to be explored within this matchless collection. Explore ...
The Commission of the European Communities has submitted a directive for the protection against microwaves. According to this directive, exposures above the upper limit established for the protection of individuals and the general population are permissible only if the respective individuals are required to submit to occupational medical control. An introductory overview is presented giving information on microwaves, applied techniques and available protective means.
The Merged Sounding value-added product (VAP) uses a combination of observations from radiosonde soundings, the microwave radiometer (MWR), surface meteorological instruments, and European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) model output with a sophisticated scaling/interpolation/smoothing scheme in order to define profiles of the atmospheric thermodynamic state at one-minute temporal intervals and a total of 266 altitude levels.
European phosphorus derivatives manufacturer Italmatch Chemicals SpA has expanded its Phoslite range of fully colourable flame retardants for polymers with the addition of Phoslite B85AX. The company reports that its Phoslite technology is already `successfully consolidated' in polypropylene (PP) applications and, with introduction of the new product, is now starting to expand into polyamide PA6 and polybutylene terephthalate (PBT) applications.
The evaluation of the hazard posed to the skin by very small radioactive sources (diameter < 1mm) has become popularly known as the 'hot particle' problem in European and American nuclear reactor facilities. In this study, research to detect hot particle was performed in Wolsung Nuclear power plant (NPP) in Korea.
The evaluation of the hazard posed to the skin by very small radioactive sources (diameter < 1mm) has become popularly known as the 'hot particle' problem in European and American nuclear reactor facilities. In this study, research to detect hot particle was performed in Wolsung Nuclear power plant (NPP) in Korea.
...-such as the EU -suggests a considerably larger effect of such agreements on membersrsquo; trade than typical ex ante CGE models and traditional cross-section empirical analyses (using traditional ldquo;gravity equationsrdquo;). These larger estimated effects are more consistent with the active role of national governments ...
The creation of a methodology about the Ecobalance of the main plastic materials manufactured in Europe is very helpful for many questions relating with these matters. This methodology is necessary for the EC and most of its members. It is important that these analysis have available, precise and up-to-date information. In order that these dates are well-known, the european industry of plastics recognised and started an ambitious project two years ago and now we can see the first results.
The paper represents the result of research in the field of digital libraries functionalities in the context of new Grid infrastructure support. It is defined a new vector of knowledge society, informational vector - content vector. It presents a Grid European project which includes Romanian partners, and it defines on this base a digital library model which can be applied for the libraries in Romania.
Accelerators can not be improved without the development of adequate beam instruments and diagnostic tools. This year this statement is particularly right: a lot of contributions are dedicated to beam monitoring and to the design of new beam monitors based on original technologies. This document gathers about 100 contributions.
The critical concentrations correspond to contamination thresholds of environments over which noxious effects can occur and deteriorate soils, water and vegetation. They are defined according to the type of pollutants and their mode of action. The aim of this document is to provide a scientific framework to the policies of reduction of atmospheric pollution negotiated at Geneva`s convention. The methodology of evaluation, the results obtained for surface waters and forest soils, the perspectives of French research and the integration of French knowledge in the European database are presented. (J.S.)
The Chernobyl reactor accident has pronupted all European countries to rehabilitate their existing measurement and monitoring systems and to design and erect new ones. These systems are meant to ensure a rapid overview on the situation in case of an accident to adopt suitable actions for protection or prevention. 6 papers report on the state of such measurement systems in Europe, inparticular those in France (TELERAY), in Germany (IMIS) and in Switzerland (RADAIR). The IMIS-system is discussed for its extension to Eastern Germany. (HP).
The important role of thyroid hormones in growth and development, maintenance of body temperature, digestion, cardiac function, and normal brain development can be disrupted by environmental contaminants like polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB). Polychlorinated biphenyls are environmental contaminants that are widespread, persistent, lipophilic, and bioaccumulate through food webs, concentrating in adipose tissue. Placental and lactational PCB exposure of offspring causes metabolic and endocrine disruptions including hypothyroxinemia, spatial learning and memory deficits, neurochemical and neurobehavioral alterations, and reproductive problems. Previous studies in our lab using the individual congeners PCB 47 (2,2',4,4'-tetrachlorobiphenyl, ortho-substituted) and PCB 77 (3,3',4,4'-tetrachlorobiphenyl, non-ortho-substituted) have demonstrated alterations in thyroid hormone levels, alterations in brain choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) activity, and spatial learning deficits. In the present ...
A solar energy desalination process utilizing solar radiation directly for the evaporation of salt water is described. Ambient air takes on water vapor as the air passes through an evaporative medium. It is then directed between a saline water-covered, solar absorbing surface and a solar collecting housing. The resulting heated and moisture-saturated air is cooled in a heat exchange means where condensation of fresh water occurs. Simultaneously, cool salt water is utilized as the cooling water in the heat exchange means, and takes on the heat of condensation given up by the condensing vapor. The heated salt water from the heat exchange means is partially directed over the solar absorbing surface, and at least a portion of it is also directed to wet the evaporative medium. Several optional sub-processes are described for operation of the system during periods of reduced insolation, and an alternative process is described for operation of the process on a floating ...
The Huqf Supergroup of the Sultanate of Oman provides important information on the geological evolution of the Arabian?Persian Gulf region during a protracted period of continental dispersal and reassembly on the periphery of the Gondwanan supercontinent during the Neoproterozoic, and also provides important constraints on the nature of extreme climate swings during this critical period in the evolution of Earth's biosphere. The Huqf Supergroup spans the period ca. 725?540?Ma, and is composed of three groups. The Abu Mahara Group (ca. 725 to ca.ca. 547?540?Ma), which is known mostly from the subsurface, comprises carbonates, evaporites and organic-rich shales, with interbedded ashes, deposited in a large number of N?S trending troughs and platforms.The three groups of the Huqf Supergroup c...
The Gigabit Link Interface Board (GLIB) is an evaluation platform and an easy entry point for users of high speed optical links in high energy physics experiments. Its intended use ranges from optical link evaluation in the laboratory to control, triggering and data acquisition from remote modules in beam or irradiation tests. The GLIB is an FPGA-based Advanced Mezzanine Card (AMC) conceived to serve a small and simple system residing either inside a Micro Telecommunications Computing Architecture (?TCA) crate, or on a bench with a link to a PC. This paper presents the architecture of the GLIB, its features as well as examples of its use in different setups.
A Real-Time Operating System(RTOS) is an Operating System(OS) intended for real-time applications. Benchmarking is a point of reference by which something can be measured. The QNX is a Real Time Operating System(RTOS) developed by QSSL(QNX Software Systems Ltd.) in Canada. The ELMSYS is the brand name of commercially available Personal Computer(PC) for applications such as Cabinet Operator Module(COM) of Digital Plant Protection System(DPPS) and COM of Digital Engineered Safety Features Actuation System(DESFAS). The ELMSYS PC Hardware is being qualified by KTL(Korea Testing Lab.) for use as a Cabinet Operator Module(COM). The QNX RTOS is being dedicated by Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI). This paper describes the outline and benchmarking test results on Context Switching, Message Passing, Synchronization and Deadline Violation of QNX RTOS under the ELMSYS PC platform
The discovery of large reserves of oil has resulted in a proliferation of drilling and production platforms in the North Sea, and other offshore areas around the UK will probably be developed. The exploitation of marginal oil fields, particularly in those developing countries which have only limited energy resources, has been made possible by the development of a floating production, storage and offloading (f.p.s.o.) unit consisting of a large tonnage oil tanker converted for the purpose and moored. The increased electrical power demands imposed by the addition of process plant, extra accommodation, and so on, usually necessitate additions to onboard generation and distribution systems, which must of course be integrated with the existing equipment.
The Morris water maze is widely used to evaluate to evaluate the spatial learning ability of rodents under laboratory settings. The present study demonstrates that reproductive male meadow voles, Microtus pennsylvanicus, are able to acquire and retain a spatial water maze task using celestial cues. Voles were able to acquire a modified outdoor Morris water maze task over 4 trials per day, whereby they had to learn and remember the location of a submerged hidden platform, using the position of the sun and associated celestial cues. Their proficiency on this task was related to the availability of the celestial cues, with voles displaying significantly poorer spatial navigation on overcast than clear days and when the testing time (and position of the sun and associated celestial cues) was shifted from morning to afternoon. These findings with meadow voles support the ecological relevance of the water maze task. PMID:8031502
Viddi, F. A., Hucke-Gaete, R., Torres-Florez, J. P., and Ribeiro, S. 2010. Spatial and seasonal variability in cetacean distribution in the fjords of northern Patagonia, Chile. - ICES Journal of Marine Science, 67: 959-970. Compared with other Chilean coastal areas, little is known about the diversity and distribution of cetaceans in northern Patagonian fjords. Between December 2000 and November 2001, surveys on platforms of opportunity were undertaken in southern Chile to evaluate species richness and the spatial and seasonal distribution of cetaceans. Nine species were recorded, blue, humpback, and minke whales, Peales dolphin, Chilean dolphin, killer whale, false killer whale, bottlenose dolphin, and Cuviers beaked whale. The pattern of cetacean distribution displayed significant season...
A critical and difficult step in the development and implementation of new technologies for environmental monitoring and characterization is successfully transferring these technologies to industry and government users for routine assessment and compliance activities. The Environmental Sciences Section of the DOE Savannah River Technology Center provides a forum for developers, potential users, and regulatory organizations to evaluate new technologies in comparison with baseline technologies in a well characterized field test bed. The principal objective of this project is to conduct comprehensive, objective field tests of monitoring and characterization technologies that are not currently used in EPA standard methods and evaluate their performance during actual operating conditions against baseline methods. This paper provides an overview of the field test site and a description of some of the technologies demonstrated at the site including their field applications.
Moodle is an extended learning management system for developing learning units, including mathematically-based subjects. A wide variety of material can be developed in Moodle which contains facilities for forums, questionnaires, lessons, tasks, wikis, glossaries and chats. Therefore, the Moodle platform provides a meeting point for those working in a mathematics course. Mathematics requires special materials and activities: The material must include mathematical objects and the activities included in the virtual course must be able to do mathematical computations. WIRIS is a powerful software for educational environments. It has libraries for calculus, algebra, geometry and much more. In this article, examples showing the use of WIRIS in numerical methods and examples of using a new tool, ...
After the successful completion of the development program of the 2000 m water depth HVDC Hawaii Deep Water Self Contained Fluid Filled Cable, the interconnection between Hawaii island and Oahu island is examined. Thermal, electrical, mechanical, hydraulic, corrosion, length aspects are developed for both fluid filled and paper impregnated (SOLID) cables which are foreseen in different portions of the approximately 250 km length connection. Considerations are also presented for the requirements of the cable ship: 12 m sheave diameter, 7000 t capacity for the rotating platform. The feasibility of manufacturing, transporting and laying such cables within a practical schedule is discussed in this paper.
A compilation of technical papers, from the 23rd annual Precise Time and Time Interval (PTTI) Applications and Planning Meeting, is presented. Papers were given in the following categories: (1) developments in rubidium, cesium, and hydrogen-based frequency standards, and in cryogenic and trapped-ion technology; (2) international and transnational applications of PTTI technology with emphasis on satellite laser tracking networks, GLONASS timing, comparison of national time scales and international communications; (3) applications of PTTI technology to the telecommunications, power distribution, platform positioning, and geophysical survey industries; (4) applications of PTTI technology to evolving military communications and navigation systems; and (5) dissemination of precise time and frequency by means of GPS, GLONASS, MILSTAR, Loran, and synchronous communications satellites.
Multi-fiber WDM networks are becoming the major telecommunication platforms for transmitting exponentially increasing data traffic. While today's networks are mainly providing circuit-switched connections, optical packet-switching technologies have been investigated for years, aiming at achieving more efficient utilizations of network resources. In this paper, we have evaluated, for the first time, the packet-loss performance of multi-fiber optical packet switches (MOPS). Our main contributions are threefold. Firstly, we have proposed simple and accurate analytical models for analyzing packet-loss performance of (i) the most fundamental MOPS configuration, (ii) MOPS equipped with fiber delay lines (FDLs) and (iii) shared wavelength converters (SWCs). Secondly, we have shown that the MOPS n...
Purpose - The paper aims to outline the managerial challenges faced by the organizations interested in leveraging knowledge and creative talent embedded in online customers' communities to sustain innovation in b-2-c industries. Design/methodology/approach - Through a detailed case study analysis of a leading food producer who launched an online open collaborative platform to gather users' idea for new products the paper aims to highlight the transformational effort that firms have to make in order to leverage knowledge absorption from customers in the context of innovation. Findings - The paper suggests potential strategies for conventional companies to engage consumers in knowledge (co-creation) and collaborative innovation processes, formulating some hypothesis that could support an int...
There is a clear incentive, therefore, for early consideration of the measures required to meet noise and vibration standards. The platform or rig owner and the operator are jointly responsible for agreeing a noise and vibration control policy and approach at the conceptual design stage, and for then passing on their requirements to the engineering design teams. The engineering design teams and acoustic and vibration specialists for their part need to use all their skill and judgement to apply that policy to the intensely complex job of designing and fabricating topsides facilities. With these concerns as background, UEG started, and has nearly completed, a two-phase study to provide detailed guidance to project managers and designers to assist them to develop appropriate policy and procedures and to help them put those procedures into practice. This paper describes the development of UEG's study, its application and benefits.
A new experimental technique to measure material shear strength at high pressures has been developed for use on magneto-hydrodynamic (MHD) drive pulsed power platforms. By applying an external static magnetic field to the sample region, the MHD drive directly induces a shear stress wave in addition to the usual longitudinal stress wave. Strength is probed by passing this shear wave through a sample material where the transmissible shear stress is limited to the sample strength. The magnitude of the transmitted shear wave is measured via a transverse VISAR system from which the sample strength is determined.
Encouragement and incentives ar being given in many counties to the electricity industry and private sector to install, own and operate renewable energy systems. The impact of renewable energy installations connected to the grid or operating independently is an important issue concerning the technical and economic viability of harnessing these emerging energy sources. This paper brings out the need for developing and implementing a strategy for comprehensive and accurate protection and control systems for these dispersed generator installations. It appears that a combination of discrete and fuzzy logic devices on an integrated platform will be a novel technique for the protection and control schemes. This development has the potential to be cost effective and suits the requirements for operating renewable energy systems safety. (author). 2 figs., 16 refs.
The phased field development of the Lion and Panthere fields, offshore the Ivory Coast, includes a small floating production, storage, and offloading (FPSO) tanker with minimal processing capability as an early oil production system (EPS). For the long-term production scheme, the FPSO will be replaced by a converted jack up mobile offshore production system (MOPS) with full process equipment. The development also includes guyed-caisson well platforms, pipeline export for natural gas to fuel an onshore power plant, and a floating storage and offloading (FSO) tanker for oil export. Pipeline export for oil is a future possibility. This array of innovative strategies and techniques seldom has been brought together in a single project. The paper describes the development plan, early oil, jack up MOPS, and transport and installation.
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.
There is a need for earlier and more accurate cancer diagnostics as well as new targets for cancer immunotherapy. To this end, it is important to identify sets of tumour antigens specific for different cancer forms. Several methods that identify potential tumour antigens in an arrayed and high-throughput format have been developed during the last years of SEREX (serological identification of antigens by recombinant expression cloning) related research. Such techniques may hold the potential to describe the complete immunogenic part of the cancer proteome, also called the cancer immunoproteome.We have developed a powerful platform for automated serological high-throughput filter screening of tumour cDNA libraries. The screening format of this method is 18,000 single cDNAs clones, which is s...
At present, the mostly used and developed mechanism is hardware virtualization which provides a common platform to run multiple operating systems and applications in independent partitions. More precisely, it is all about resource virtualization as the term hardware virtualization is emphasized. In this paper, the aim is to find out the advantages and limitations of current virtualization techniques, analyze their cost and performance and also depict which forthcoming hardware virtualization techniques will able to provide efficient solutions for multiprocessor operating systems. This is done by making a methodical literature survey and statistical analysis of the benchmark reports provided by SPEC (Standard Performance Evaluation Corporation) and TPC (Transaction processing Performance Council). Finally, this paper presents the current aspects of hardware virtualization which will help the IT managers of the large organizations to take effective decision while ...
In this work, the half-life of the {sup 155}Sm beta{sup -} decay was determined using enriched {sup 154}Sm samples submitted to irradiation in the IEA-R1 reactor of IPEN; the activity of the samples were followed for 4-5 consecutive half lives using a 198 cm{sup 3} HPGe detector. The data was corrected using a non paralizable dead time correction and fitted to an exponential decay function using a non linear fitting procedure developed on the MatLab platform. The resulting value--T{sub 1/2} = 22.180(26) min--was compatible to the one found in the literature, with a lower uncertainty.
In this work, the half-life of the "1"5"5Sm #beta#"- decay was determined using enriched "1"5"4Sm samples submitted to irradiation in the IEA-R1 reactor of IPEN; the activity of the samples were followed for 4-5 consecutive half lives using a 198 cm"3 HPGe detector. The data was corrected using a non paralizable dead time correction and fitted to an exponential decay function using a non linear fitting procedure developed on the MatLab platform. The resulting value--T_1_/_2 = 22.180(26) min--was compatible to the one found in the literature, with a lower uncertainty.
GPM moves from the clean room to the test chamber on a dolly without wheels. Compressed air is pumped out under airpads that float the Spacecraft on a bed of air. nThe wind generated when the centrifuge moves at its maximum speed are more than 200 mph - that's tornado speed. But since they move with the centrifuge the satellites tested only feel 20 mph winds. nLeaning outward at 45 degrees for one test orientation, GPM comes within 28 inches of the wall. When lifted onto the platform it cleared the ceiling by only five inches. nNatural audio only. nVideo Credit: Brooke Harris n
The use of Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessels to develop UK offshore oil fields looks certain to increase. Of the 64 new offshore fields due for development in the next few years, 15 are expected to use FPSO vessels for their production. Most of these are small, short-life fields in the central North Sea which would not justify investment in a fixed platform. Three, however, are large fields west of Shetland, and one, the Foinaven field, is scheduled to be the first commercial development in this area, perhaps setting a precedent. Floating production systems with substantial storage capacity can be the best option in deepwater locations which are remote from existing infrastructure, where the cost of an export pipeline would be prohibitive. (author)
Abstract Here we propose a software for the estimation of the occupied area and volume of fungal cultures. This software was developed using a Matlab platform and allows analysis of high-definition images from optical, electronic or atomic force microscopes. In a first step, a single hypha grown on potato dextrose agar was monitored using optical microscopy to estimate the change in occupied area and volume. Weight measurements were carried out to compare them with the estimated volume, revealing a slight difference of less than 1.5%. Similarly, samples from two different solid-state fermentation cultures were analyzed using images from a scanning electron microscope (SEM) and an environmental SEM (ESEM). Occupied area and volume were calculated for both samples, and the results obtained w...
The research project started in April, 2008 before adoption of the cabinet report of the Federal Government to the German strategy for Adaptation to Climate Change. The German Strategy for Adaptation emphasizes the meaning of information about requirements for adaptation and the active involvement of all social groups in the other process of the strategy. For this the research project has made concrete proposals for the information, communication and participation of social groups. These proposals are based in the essentials on an interest analysis about interviews with stakeholders and the economy to their demands and expectations to the German strategy for Adaptation. Besides we have researched international examples for the adaptation to the climate change for the public relations. For the interactive development of the Internet platform www.anpassung.net concrete proposals were developed. (orig.)
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.
The objective of this project is to develop multi-dimensional computational models in order to improve the operation of uranium electrorefiners currently used in pyroprocessing technology. These 2-D (US) and 3-D (ROK) mathematical models are based on the fundamental physical and chemical properties of the electrorefiner processes. The validated models by compiled and evaluated experimental data could provide better information for developing advanced electrorefiners for uranium recovery. The research results in this period are as follows: - Successfully assessed a common computational platform for the modeling work and identify spatial characterization requirements. - Successfully developed a 3-D electro-fluid dynamic electrorefiner model. - Successfully validated and benchmarked the two multi-dimensional models with compiled experimental data sets
Background Photopolymerizable poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) hydrogels offer a platform to deliver cells in vivo and support three-dimensional cell culture but should be designed to degrade in sync with neotissue development and endure the physiologic environment. Questions/purposes We asked whether (1) incorporation of degradation into PEG hydrogels facilitates tissue development comprised of essential cartilage macromolecules; (2) with early loading before pericellular matrix formation, the duration of load affects matrix production; and (3) dynamic loading in general influences macroscopic tissue development. Methods Primary bovine chondrocytes were encapsulated in hydrogels (n?=?3 for each condition). The independent variables were hydrogel degradation (nondegrading PEG and degrading olig...
There has been growing international consensus on issues related to child labour - evident in various declarations, platforms, conventions, programmes of action etc. Child labour is the economic exploitation of children, or performance of any work that is likely to be hazardous or to interfere with the child's health or physical, mental, spiritual, moral or social development. Poverty is the principal cause of child labour. Mostly the children work to support their families and also for their own survival. Paradoxically, however, child labour further aggravates the poverty syndrome as it usually deprives the children of education and opportunity to acquire skills for developing earning potentials. Other causes of child labour include family indebtedness, the lack or poor quality of schooli...
Proper balance control is a key aspect of acitivities of daily living. The aim of this study was to determine the contribution of body weight to predict balance stability. The balance stability of 59 male subjects with BMI ranging from 17.4 to 63.8kg/m2 was assessed using a force platform. The subjects were tested with and without vision. A stepwise multiple regression analysis was used to determine the independent effect of body weight, age, body height and foot length on balance stability (i.e., mean speed of the center of foot pressure). With vision, the stepwise multiple regression revealed that body weight accounted for 52% of the variance of balance stability. The addition of age contributed a further 3% to explain balance control. Without vision, body weight accounted for 54% of the...
To study interactions between plants and plant-parasitic nematodes, several omics studies have nowadays become extremely useful. Since most data available so far is derived from sedentary nematodes, we decided to improve the knowledge on migratory nematodes by studying the transcriptome of the nematode Pratylenchus coffeae through generating expressed sequence tags (ESTs) on a 454 sequencing platform. In this manuscript we present the generation, assembly and annotation of over 325,000 reads from P. coffeae. After assembling these reads, 56,325 contigs and singletons with an average length of 353bp were selected for further analyses. Homology searches revealed that 25% of these sequences had significant matches to the Swiss-prot/trEMBL database and 29% had significant matches in nematode E...
To estimate the success criteria of an operators action time for a probabilistic safety/risk assessment (PSA/PRA) of a nuclear power plant, the information from a safety analysis report (SAR) and/or that by using a simplified simulation code such as the MAAP code has been used in a conventional PSA. However, the information from these is often too conservative to perform a realistic PSA for a risk-informed application. To reduce the undue conservatism, the use of a best-estimate thermal hydraulic code has become an essential issue in the latest PSA and it is now recognized as a suitable tool. In the same context, the `ASME PRA standard' also recommends the use of a best-estimate code to improve the quality of a PSA. In Korea, a platform to use a best-estimate thermal hydraulic code called ...
Various theories and examples of modelling, forecasting and optimization designing in the different parts of the petroleum and gas industries are presented, stochastic programming for long term planning in the refining industry, stochastic model for gasoline blending, feedstock optimization, location and sizing for offshore platforms, hydrocarbon exploration simulation rapid method, valuation of oil field development leases, economic models for petroleum allocation, models for oil supply market, trade embargo game theory, stochastic programming of gas contract portfolio management, scheduling transportation of oil and gas, strategic planning in an oil pipeline company, simulation of offshore oil terminal systems, hierarchical selection of oil and gas distribution systems.
Luminescent materials are widely used for imaging and sensing owing to their high sensitivity, rapid response and facile detection by many optical technologies. Typically materials must be chemically tailored to achieve intense, photostable fluorescence, oxygen-sensitive phosphorescence or dual emission for ratiometric sensing, often by blending two dyes in a matrix. Dual-emissive materials combining all of these features in one easily tunable molecular platform are desirable, but when fluorescence and phosphorescence originate from the same dye, it can be challenging to vary relative fluorescence/phosphorescence intensities for practical sensing applications. Heavy-atom substitution alone increases phosphorescence by a given, not variable amount. Here, we report a strategy for modulating ...
Greenland is the world's largest island, with an area of 2.2 million square kilometres, 80 % of which is covered by the ice sheet. The climate is Arctic, but as Greenland stretches 2600 km from north to south, there is a huge variability in climate, with temperature decreasing from south to north. Due to the influence of oceanic currents, the west coast is slightly warmer than the east coast. Precipitation also decreases strongly from the south to the north, and also with distance from the coast. Kangerlussuaq is located in the dry, continental area of central west Greenland. The bedrock of Greenland is dominated by Precambrian gneisses, with sedimentary rocks occurring in some areas of East and North Greenland, and smaller areas of basalts. All of Greenland has been glaciated several times and has thus been eroded and shaped by the ice, as it still is at the ice margin. Soils are generally thin, and especially in the gneiss regions rather poor ...
Permeable reactive barriers (PRB) are a promising technology for the remediation of groundwater containing a range of organic and inorganic contaminants. Although there are number of different types of reactive barriers, some of the most important are constructed from granular zero valent iron (ZVI). One challenge in the large- scale, long-term implementation of PRBs is to monitor the change in barrier properties over time. For example, mineral precipitates can reduce the effectiveness of the barrier by either insulating the reaction surfaces of the ZVI particles and/or by filling the pore space in the barrier and thus reducing its hydraulic permeability. Previous research has shown that resistivity and induced polarization (IP) measurements are sensitive to corrosion and precipitation due to redox reactions between ions in solution and the ZVI mineral surface. New field studies, supported by additional laboratory studies appear to confirm this work. Resisitivity and IP surveys ...
Mutation C1494T in mitochondrial 12S rRNA gene was recently reported in two large Chinese families with aminoglycoside-induced and nonsyndromic hearing loss (AINHL) and was claimed to be pathogenic. This mutation, however, was first reported in a sample from central China in our previous study that was aimed to reconstruct East Asian mtDNA phylogeny. All these three mtDNAs formed a subclade defined by mutation C1494T in mtDNA haplogroup A. It thus seems that mutation C1494T is a haplogroup A-associated mutation and this matrilineal background may contribute a high risk for the penetrance of mutation C1494T in Chinese with AINHL. To test this hypothesis, we first genotyped mutation C1494T in 553 unrelated individuals from three regional Chinese populations and performed an extensive search ...
Intermittent sun exposure and sunburn are strong predictors of cutaneous malignant melanoma (CMM). On the other hand, melanomas may arise also in non-sun-exposed areas such as the vulva. However, little is known about a possible relationship between sun exposure and vulvar melanoma. Temporal and latitudinal dependencies of the incidence rates of vulvar melanoma were studied in comparison with those of CMM among Caucasians in Sweden, East Germany, USA and Victoria (Australia). The ratios of vulvar melanoma incidence rates to those of CMM tend to decrease with increasing CMM rates. The incidence rates of CMM have increased with time until recently, while those of vulvar melanoma have either decreased or remain constant. In USA vulvar melanoma incidence rates seem to increase from south to no...
Seismic records, combined with dredged samples and a core, indicate that the Spratly Islands of the Dangerous Ground Province are constructed of presently active carbonate build-ups, known to extend back continuously at least to the Pleistocene and presumed to have initiated in the Miocene, most likely upon the crests of sea-floor cuestas that trend north-east-south-west parallel to the sea-floor spreading magnetic anomalies of the contiguous abyssal plain of the southern part of the South China Sea. The cuestas range from spectacular to subdued, constructed of Triassic and Cretaceous strata and no older rocks have been identified from dredges. The cuesta axes plunge towards the south-west away from the islands, suggesting that the reefs began colonising their more elevated parts, but the ...
This study reviews the wireline log responses of some geothermal fields in the Imperial Valley, California. The fields under study include the Heber, the East Mesa, the Brawley, and the Westmoreland. The well logs used in the study did not include all the wireline surveys obtained by the operators. The selected well logs obtained under special arrangements with the operators were chosen to maintain the anonymity of specific well locations but are only representative of each area. Analysis of the well logs indicates that on an individual field basis, the well logs are excellent for correlation purposes. The presence of extremely saline fluids in some fields precludes the monitoring of Q/sub v/ (cation exchange capacity per unit volume) profile for detection of hydrothermally altered zones. The producing sections in all the fields are characterized by low porosity and high resistivity.
Several nuclear power plants are operating in Wolsung area, a south-east coastland of Korea. In addition, a medium-level radioactive waste repository is under construction there. If radionuclides are released from these facilities, food crops could be radioactively contaminated, leading to human exposure to internal radiations via food consumption. There are a number of rice fields around the Wolsung nuclear sites. However, almost nothing has yet been reported on the transfer of radionuclides to rice plants from Wolsung soils. In this study, {sup 85}Sr and {sup 137}Cs transfer factors (TFs) were measured for the rice in three paddy soils collected around the Wolsung nuclear sites.
Several nuclear power plants are operating in Wolsung area, a south-east coastland of Korea. In addition, a medium-level radioactive waste repository is under construction there. If radionuclides are released from these facilities, food crops could be radioactively contaminated, leading to human exposure to internal radiations via food consumption. There are a number of rice fields around the Wolsung nuclear sites. However, almost nothing has yet been reported on the transfer of radionuclides to rice plants from Wolsung soils. In this study, 85Sr and 137Cs transfer factors (TFs) were measured for the rice in three paddy soils collected around the Wolsung nuclear sites
The circulating cooling water flowrate of GNPS and LNPS is totally about 190 m"3/s. Both stations are located on the western coast of semi-closed Daya Bay. A lot of studies concerning thermal impact of GNPS and LNPS have been carried out since 1987, including mathematical model, physical model, on-site survey and satellite remote sensing, etc. This paper describes the hydrological features of Daya Bay and discharge characteristics of circulating water of GNPS and LNPS, estimates the actual thermal impact of GNPS and LNPS, and indicates that it is advantageous for the dilution of circulating water while the two discharge channels of GNPS and LNPS are combined together towards east
Mammalodon colliveri is an unusual toothed archaic mysticete (Cetacea) from the Upper Oligocene Jan Juc Formation of south-east Australia. The morphology of the holotype skull and postcrania are described in detail. Superimposed on the generally plesiomorphic archaeocete-like morphology of Mammalodon are subtle mysticete synapomorphies. Derived features of Mammalodon include a short and bluntly rounded rostrum, reduced premaxillae, and anterodorsally directed orbits. Within Mysticeti, this suite of features is unique. The aberrant rostral morphology of Mammalodon suggests specialization for suction feeding. Janjucetus hunderi is placed in an expanded family Mammalodontidae. Phylogenetic analysis corroborates the monophyly of Basilosauridae, Neoceti, Odontoceti, and Mysticeti, and yields a ...
The North-West Borneo Trough is bordered along its south-east margin by a melange wedge that has been the subject of disagreement with insufficient discussion. Offshore Palawan it has been interpreted as an accretionary prism that has been preserved in place when subduction ceased in the Middle Miocene. It is unconformably overlain by undeformed Upper Miocene to Holocene draping strata. Farther south-west along the Trough, the seismically identical melange wedge has been named a Major Thrust Sheet System, which was assumed to have been thrust as a nappe north-westwards over the autochthonous Dangerous Grounds terrane of attenuated continental crust of the South China Sea passive margin. The accretionary prism model is the simplest, resulting in interpretation of the North-West Borneo Troug...
Terror management theory (TMT) proposes that people who are reminded of their mortality should be motivated to defend their cultural worldview. Studies 1 and 2 examined whether the TMT worldview defence-buffering effect found in Western cultures could be generalized to Asians in Taiwan. No such effect was found in the present studies. This non-significant result was robust when either a stronger distraction task was used (study 1) or when a subliminal manipulation of mortality salience was utilized (study 2). A meta-analysis, including 24 TMT experiments in East Asia, was also conducted (study 3). The average effect size (d = 0.11, r = 0.055) of worldview defence among these experiments was not significantly different from zero. Study 4 found that mortality salience manipulation also did n...
Supplement 2 to the Safety Evaluation Report for Mississippi Power and Light Company, et. al, joint application for licenses to operate the Grand Gulf Nuclear Station, Units 1 and 2, located on the east bank of the Mississippi River near Port Gibson, in Claiborne County, Mississippi, has been prepared by the Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation of the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission. This supplement reports the status of certain items that had not been resolved at the time of publication of the Safety Evaluation Report.
This paper consists the radiation streaming analysis of Horizontal penetrations in Calandria Vault of 540 MWe PHWR. There are total 19 penetrations, penetrating east and west walls of calandria vault of 540 MWe PHWR. These penetrations are provided to accommodate ion chambers. HFUs and SDS - 2. Penetrations described here are not present in 220 MWe units except for ion chamber penetrations. As these penetrations are in accessible area, a detailed analysis has been carried out to find out the neutron and gamma dose rates around these penetrations when reactor is operating. Analysis has been carried out using computer code DOT-III and MCNP. Predictions by this method compare well with the measurements at ion chamber locations at KGS-1,2. (author)
The Argyle pipe occurring in the East Kimberley Province of Western Australia is a unique, highly-diamondiferous lamproite. Although it resembles other lamproites located in the West Kimberley Province with respect to its setting, structure, petrography and geochemistry, it is probably Proterozoic in age and hence substantially older than Tertiary occurrences of the West Kimberley Province. Rb-Sr measurements on whole rock and phlogopite samples from magmatic olivine-phlogopite lamproite, reveals a two point model age of 1126 +- 9 Ma for the Argyle pipe. This age is consistent with ages of other, similar volcanic igneous rocks occurring in several localities worldwide. The widespread occurrence of Proterozoic kimberlites and lamproites suggests that this was an important period of worldwide alkalic intrusive activity.
Climex climate-matching and inferential-modelling was used to examine the naturalisation potential of genetically modified and non-transgenic Upland Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum variety hirsutum) in Australia north of latitude 22degreeS. The Climate-Match (CM) function was used to identify locations in north-east Australia where climate matches (CM Index>0.7) the experimental sites of Eastick [Eastick, R., 2002. The Potential Weediness of Transgenic Cotton in Northern Australia. Northern Territory Department of Business, Industry and Resource Development Technical Bulletin No. 305 (Internet resource: http://cotton.pi.csiro.au/Assets/PDFFiles/TB3051.pdf)] in north-west Australia. Most of Australia north of 22degreeS had climate matching one or more of the sites of Eastick (2002), locations wh...
ERDMANN A.L., DE ANDRADE S.R., FERREIRA DE MELLO A.L., KLOCK P., DO NASCIMENTO K.C., SANTOS KOERICH M. & STEIN BACKES D. (2011) Practices for caring in nursing: Brazilian research groups. International Nursing Review58, 379-385 Background:- The present study considers the production of knowledge and the interactions in the environment of research and their relationships in the system of caring in nursing and health. Aim:- To elaborate a theoretical model of the organization of the practices used for caring, based on the experiences made by the research groups of administration and management in nursing, in Brazil. Methods:- The study is based on grounded theory. Twelve leaders of research groups, working as professors in public universities in the south and the south-east of Brazil, distri...
The exceptional ability of marine sponges to adapt to often drastic changes of their environments could be due to special structural features in cell membranes, including firstly phospholipids (PL). Thus, PL class composition was investigated in marine sponges (22 species from 19 genera to 15 families) originating from various locations (East Atlantic, North Atlantic, South-West Pacific, Mediterranean Sea, Red Sea, Arabian?Persian Gulf). The quantitative determination of PL class composition was obtained by high-performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC) with scanning densitometry of the different spots. Previous reports have shown phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) as the major PL class in marine sponges, followed by phosphatidylcholine (PC), while other papers described PC as a minor class...
... Home Our work Conservation Advice Land management for nightjars Land management for nightjars Nightjars are masters of camouflage The nightjar is now a scarce breeding bird of lowland heathland, forest clearings and clearfells on suitable light soils throughout Britain, north to southern Scotland, and in coppice woodland in south-east England. Nightjars were once much more numerous and widespread than today, but now appear to be recovering.... This offers shelter, camouflage and seclusion from potential predators. Scattered trees are used to sing from and to roost in. In conifer forest clearings, clear-fells and restocks, especially on former heathland, the vegetation structure is like that of heathland, augmented with lying brash, which provides added concealment. Restocked clearings are abandoned as the tree canopy closes over the open ground around seven to ...
Mycoplasma infections of small ruminants are known to exist in the Mediterranean region, Asia, Africa and cause significant economic impacts but little is known of the Mycoplasma spp. in sheep and goats in the Middle East. During the period of 2002-2003, 104 flocks of local sheep and goats (17 sheep, 27 goat and 60 mixed flocks) were surveyed for the occurrence of mycoplasma infections in Northern Jordan. The clinical signs seen in the studied flocks were, to varying degrees, mastitis in sheep and goats, arthritis, mainly in kids, and pneumonia in both sheep and goats of most age groups. Small ruminant farms were sampled and pooled milk samples and nasal swabs were collected for culture and isolation of mycoplasma. Mycoplasmas were isolated from 17 (26%) of the 62 milk samples and 12 (3.9%...
Various SST indices in the Indo-Pacific region have been proposed in the literature in light of a long-range seasonal forecasting of the Indian Summer Monsoon (ISM). However, the dynamics associated with these different indices have never been compared in detail. To this end, the present work re-examines the variabilities of ISM rainfall, onset and withdrawal dates at interannual timescales and explores their relationships with El Ni?o-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and various modes of coupled variability in the Indian Ocean. Based on recent findings in the literature, five SST indices are considered here: Ni?o3.4 SST index in December?January both preceding [Nino(?1)] and following the ISM [Nino(0)], South East Indian Ocean (SEIO) SST in February?March, the Indian Ocean Basin (IOB) mode in ...
This operation plan covers the period of operations from the time major elements of the joint task force are deployed in the forward area until the completion of on-site operations. It was published for planning purposes only, always subject to periodic revision and refinement as more detailed information became available. ENIWETOK-BIKINI Danger Area, as the term is used in this plan, is that area encompassing ENIWETOK and BIKINI ATOLLS and bounded by the meridians 160 deg 35' - 166 deg 16' east longitude, and by the parallels 10 deg 15' - 12 deg 45' north latitude (an area of 150 by 350 miles).
Abstract Few butterflies are pests of economic significance, but some may be locally destructive, such as the papilionid Graphium agamemnon Linnaeus, which is known to feed on the commercially important soursop (Annona muricata Linnaeus) in Vietnam. This paper documents the life history and ecology ofG. agamemnon and investigates commonly used control measures in south-east Vietnam. A novel method of controlling G. agamemnon infestation is described. If soursop basal rootstock (Annona glabra Linnaeus) is encouraged to shoot during times of peak butterfly activity, ovipositing G. agamemnon females are preferentially attracted to the new growth where the resulting early stages may be easily detected and removed by hand.
One of the more extensive uses of directional drilling anywhere in the world has been in the development of the East Wilmington Oil Field in Long Beach, California. The Measurement-While-Drilling (MWD) directional system has been tested on several wells and proven to provide the required accuracy, along with many advantages over past methods, used in the field development. Accurate transmission by MWD of bottom-hole measurements to the surface is provided by mud pressure pulses generated in the drill pipe downhole and detected by a pressure transducer includes the means for detecting, recording and processing these pressure pulses, to translate the information from the pressure pulses to rig floor displays usable by the drilling crew. 2 refs.
Proton induced X-ray emission (PIXE) and proton induced {gamma}-ray emission (PIGE) techniques are employed for the determination of essential and trace elements in some commonly used medicinal plants of north east India. Light elements such as Na, Mg, Al and P are determined by PIGE while medium Z elements such as K, Ca, Mn, Fe, Cu, Zn, Rb and Sr are determined by PIXE. Analysis is performed on pellets (thick targets) prepared using powders of the specimens which, in turn, are obtained following a series of processing steps. Plant based biological certified reference materials (CRMs) served as standards for quantification. These elements are found to be present in varying concentrations in the studied plants, with the contents of Mn and Zn being notably large in certain specimens. Medicinal properties possessed by these plants have been correlated with their elemental distribution.
The article examines the limits and challenges small powers face when they adjust to systemic changes. Specifically, this article discusses the Philippines' conduct of a diplomatic strategy of equi balancing between the USA and China. In this strategy, the Philippines enhances and deepens its security relations with its strategic ally, the USA and at the same time, obtains economic assistance and politico diplomatic concessions from East Asia's emergent power, China. The Philippines' diplomatic gambit, however, is restrained by its formal alliance with the USA and its chronic territorial dispute with China over the Spratly Islands. At present, several developments are undermining Manila's efforts in playing this balancing game with Washington and Beijing. These are: the Philippines' passiv...
Abstract The baobab tree, with more than 300 uses and commercial value in EU and United States, has been identified as one of the most important trees to be conserved and domesticated in Africa. A decline in baobab populations because of changes in climate could have a negative effect on African livelihoods. Therefore, it is important to study the potential future distribution of this species and determine strategies for conservation. We used Maxent, 480 geo-referenced records, present and future climatic and soil layers. Different general circulation models and scenarios were selected. Models were simulated for (i) All records, (ii) East Africa and (iii) West Africa species records. For each combination, the proportion of the present habitat that might remain suitable in the future was de...
The IGCC of the U.S. government was created under the intent of Public Law 93-410 (1974) to serve as a forum for the discussion of Federal plans, activities, and policies that are related to or impact on geothermal energy. Eight Federal Departments were represented on the IGCC at the time of this meeting. The main presentations in this report were on: Department of Energy Geothermal R&D Program, the Ormat binary power plant at East Mesa, CA, Potential for direct use of geothermal at Defense bases in U.S. and overseas, Department of Defense Geothermal Program at China Lake, and Status of the U.S. Geothermal Industry. The IGCC briefing books and minutes provide a historical snapshot of what development and impact issues were important at various time. (DJE 2005)
Abstract Previous research has established the comorbidity of adult Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) with different personality disorders including Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD). The association between adult ADHD and BPD has primarily been investigated at the phenotypic level and not yet at the genetic level. The present study investigates the genetic and environmental contributions to the association between borderline personality traits (BPT) and ADHD symptoms in a sample of 7,233 twins and siblings (aged 18-90 years) registered with the Netherlands Twin Register and the East Flanders Prospective Twin Survey (EFPTS) . Participants completed the Conners' Adult ADHD Rating Scales (CAARS-S:SV) and the Personality Assessment Inventory-Borderline Features Scale (PAI-BO...
Using a case-study, inductive, narrative approach, this article explores the history, drivers, benefits, and barriers to the Bakun Hydroelectric Project in East Malaysia. Situated on the island of Borneo, Bakun Dam is a 204m high concrete face, rock filled dam on the Balui River in the Upper Rajang Basin in the rainforests of Sarawak. Bakun Dam and its affiliated infrastructure could be the single largest and most expensive energy project ever undertaken in Southeast Asia. Based on data collected through site visits, original field research in Sarawak, and more than 80 research interviews, the article begins by teasing out the complex history and drivers behind the Bakun project before identifying a set of potential social, political, and economic benefits the project could deliver. It the...
Abstract Alcoa World Alumina Australia mines bauxite under lease agreements with the Government of Western Australia. The leases lie in the Darling Range to the east of Perth, the capital and major population center. In addition to bauxite and other mineral ores, the Darling Range is a major potable water source and harbors a species-rich forest dominated by Jarrah (Eucalyptus marginata), a significant commercial timber. Conservation and recreation are important land uses in the region. Social and political pressures have led to stringent governmental requirements for restoration. In addition, a summer drought period, a soil deficient in most nutrients, water management challenges, an introduced disease, caused by Phytophthora cinnamomi Rands, and a post-mining ecosystem that must be condu...
The Taiwan Strait is an important channel in the west Pacific Ocean transporting water and chemical constituents between the East China Sea and the South China Sea. Due to its complex bottom topography, alternating monsoon forcing and conjunction of several current systems [such as the Zhejiang-Fujian (Zhe-Min) Coastal Current, the Kuroshio intrusion and the extension of the South China Sea Warm Current], the physical and biogeochemical processes and ecosystem dynamics in the Taiwan Strait vary significantly both in space and in time. Our recent interdisciplinary studies, combining in situ and remote sensing observations with numerical modeling, allow us to address several important issues concerning the Taiwan Strait. The temporal and spatial variation of circulation in the Taiwan Strait ...
Restructuring of power system has changed the traditional planning objectives and introduced challenges in the field of Transmission Expansion Planning (TEP). Due to these changes, new approaches and criteria are needed for transmission planning in deregulated environment. Therefore, in this paper, a dynamic expansion methodology is presented using a multi-objective optimization framework. Investment cost, congestion cost and reliability are considered in the optimization as three objectives. To overcome the difficulties in solving the non-convex and mixed integer nature of the optimization problems, a Non-Dominated Sorting Genetic Algorithm (NSGA II) approach is used followed by a fuzzy decision making analysis to obtain the final optimal solution. The planning methodology has been demonstrated on the IEEE 24-bus test system and north-east of Iran national 400 kV transmission grid to show the feasibility and capabilities of the proposed algorithm in electricity ...
More than 660 synthetic aperture radar (SAR) images acquired over the southern Baltic Sea, the North Sea, and the Gulf of Lyon in the Mediterranean Sea by the Second European Remote Sensing Satellite (ERS-2) have been analyzed since December 1996 with respect to radar signatures of marine pollution and other phenomena causing similar signatures. First results of our analysis reveal that the seas are most polluted along the main shipping routes. SAR images acquired during descending (morning) and ascending (evening) satellite passes show different percentages of oil pollution, because most of this pollution occurs during night time and is still visible on the SAR images acquired in the morning time. Moreover, we found a higher amount of oil spills on SAR images acquired during summer (April-September) than on SAR images acquired during winter (October-March). We attribute this finding to the higher mean wind speed encountered in all three test areas during winter. ...
In 1998, in the frame of the ITER EDA phase, an European R and D Programme for the Blanket Design was implemented for developing and selecting the materials and the relevant fabrication procedures for manufacturing the shielding modules of the ITER Primary Wall. The fabrication of several Beryllium armored small scale mock-ups, reproducing representative portions of a Primary Wall panels, was also launched (Fusion Technol. (1998) 195). Further experimental activities were also programmed for investigating the thermal-mechanical behavior of these mock-ups at high heat flux and under thermal fatigue tests. In 2001, the ITER European Home Team decided to assign to ENEA a contract for the thermal fatigue testing of six mock-ups aiming at verifying the reliability of the Beryllium/Dispersion Strengthened Copper alloy/Stainless Steel and Beryllium/Precipitation hardened Copper alloy/Stainless Steel joints manufactured by solid Hot Isostatic Pressing ...
This paper presents the history and objectives of the development of a standard method for the measurement of organic contaminants in biomass producer gases. Recently, a project with that title has started in the European 5{sup th} Framework Programme. The structure of this project with acronym 'Tar Protocol' is also described in this paper. The project is performed by 17 partners and continues earlier work initiated by IEA (International Energy Agency), DoE (Department of Energy) and EU (European Union) in 1998. The project aims to combine two draft Protocols that resulted from this earlier work. The Tar Protocol will be developed for accurate measurement of organic contaminants ('tars') over a large range of concentrations (1 mg/Nm{sup 3} to 100 g/Nm{sup 3}) and conditions (0 - 900 deg C; 0.9 - 60 bars). Besides, a particulate concentration will be determined too. Together with the Protocol comes a number ...
Based on an multivariate statistical evaluation of binary and metric data relating to the soil cover of the European Community five regionally representative reference soils (EURO-Soils) have been identified for chemicals testing in the EC. The soil material sampled at representative localities in Italy, Greece, Great Britain, France and Germany was treated and prepared according to OECD Test Guideline 106 and analysed in detail. The homogenised specimens were subject to an EC-wide ring test to evaluate the feasibility of the modified guideline and to validate the physical-chemical amenability of the reference soils for sorption tests. The results proved the validity of the soils selected for assessing the potential behaviour of new chemicals in soil on the basis of a comparative evaluation of the individual test results obtained. In the light of this parametric assessment potential test soils were subsequently identified in the individual EC Member States which ...
This project of law concerns an additional protocol to the agreement of warranties signed on September 22, 1998 between France, the European atomic energy community and the IAEA. This agreement concerns the declaration of all information relative to the R and D activities linked with the fuel cycle and involving the cooperation with a foreign country non endowed with nuclear weapons. These information include the trade and processing of nuclear and non-nuclear materials and equipments devoted to nuclear reactors (pressure vessels, fuel loading/unloading systems, control rods, force and zirconium tubes, primary coolant pumps, deuterium and heavy water, nuclear-grade graphite), to fuel reprocessing plants, to isotope separation plants (gaseous diffusion, laser enrichment, plasma separation, electromagnetic enrichment), to heavy water and deuterium production plants, and to uranium conversion plants. (J.S.)
Full text. This research assesses models for new nuclear build in European Union (EU) member states to find the most stable form. The countries examined in this study are the United Kingdom and Romania. The results attest that due to various historical, political, competition, and electricity market structural conditions Romania and the United Kingdom have emerged with different models for new build nuclear projects. This paper begins with an assessment of the effects on the nuclear sector from energy, environmental and competition legislation in the EU. Then the political and economic climate of the aforementioned EU member states is completed. Following this an overview of the market structure of the electricity sector in those respective countries is conducted. Then the key research on the models and the phases of new nuclear build are explored. The research concludes each model has transcended from different political and economic forces, and consequently each ...
Ionizing radiation dose levels due to home radon can rise to levels that would be illegal for workers in the nuclear industry. It is well known that radon levels within homes and from home to home, and also from month to month, vary considerably. To define an Isle of Man radon seasonal correction factor, readings were taken in eight homes over a 12 month period. An average island indoor exposure of 48 Bq m{sup -3} (range 4-518 Bq m{sup -3}) was determined from 285 homes selected from a cohort of 1300 families participating in the European Longitudinal Study of Pregnancy and Childhood (ELSPAC) in the Isle of Man. This compares with a UK home average of 20 Bq m{sup -3} and a European Union average (excluding UK) of 68 Bq m{sup -3}. Ten homes of those measured were found to have radon levels above the National Radiological Protection Board 200 Bq m{sup -3} action level. There are 29 377 homes on the Isle of Man, suggesting that there could be some ...
Introduction of geothermal heat pump systems, which depend on temperature differential, is investigated for urban areas, which have large energy demands. Results of the surveys on the current situations of geothermal heat pump (GHP) systems indicate that they have already numbered 300,000 units in USA and totaled more than 50,000 units in Switzerland and Northern European countries, and that they are increasing at an annual rate of higher than 10%. The results also indicate that introduction of these systems are well feasible in Japan, which generally has better topographical conditions than American and European countries, and the GHP system with vertical ground heat exchanger is investigated for its topographical and environmental considerations. These systems could annually abate approximately 52 million tons of CO2 (4.3% decrease), if disseminated to all households. They are also expected to help control the heat island phenomenon, and ...
Very soon a new generation of reactor and accelerator neutrino oscillation experiments - Double Chooz, Daya Bay, Reno and T2K - will seek for oscillation signals generated by the mixing parameter theta_13. The knowledge of this angle is a fundamental milestone to optimize further experiments aimed at detecting CP violation in the neutrino sector. Leptonic CP violation is a key phenomenon that has profound implications in particle physics and cosmology but it is clearly out of reach for the aforementioned experiments. Since late 90's, a world-wide activity is in progress to design facilities that can access CP violation in neutrino oscillation and perform high precision measurements of the lepton counterpart of the Cabibbo-Kobayashi-Maskawa matrix. In this paper the status of these studies will be summarized, focusing on the options that are best suited to exploit existing European facilities (firstly CERN and the INFN Gran Sasso Laboratories) or technologies where ...
In a previous survey we revealed uncertainty among responders about (a) whether or not to perform hemodialysis in patients with severely reduced renal function who had received contrast medium; and (b) when to perform hemodialysis in patients on regular treatment with hemodialysis or continuous ambulatory dialysis who received contrast medium. Therefore, the Contrast Media Safety Committee of The European Society of Urogenital Radiology decided to review the literature and to issue guidelines. The committee performed a Medline search. Based on this, a report and guidelines were prepared. The report was discussed at the Ninth European Symposium on Urogenital Radiology in Genoa, Italy. Hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis safely remove both iodinated and gadolinium-based contrast media. The effectiveness of hemodialysis depends on many factors including blood and dialysate flow rate, permeability of dialysis membrane, duration of hemodialysis and ...
Automobile has become the dominant transport mode in the world in the last century. In order to meet a continuously growing demand for transport, one solution is to change the control approach for vehicle to full driving automation, which removes the driver from the control loop to improve efficiency and reduce accidents. Recent work shows that there are several realistic paths towards this deployment : driving assistance on passenger cars, automated commercial vehicles on dedicated infrastructures, and new forms of urban transport (car-sharing and cybercars). Cybercars have already been put into operation in Europe, and it seems that this approach could lead the way towards full automation on most urban, and later interurban infrastructures. The European project CyberCars has brought many improvements in the technology needed to operate cybercars over the last three years. A new, larger European project is now being prepared to carry this work ...
Cooperative procurement is a variation of public purchasing which may be used as an instrument to transform the market and stimulate innovation enhancing environmental performance. The core of the procedure is the following: Coordinated by a central agency a group of buyers - public administrations, but also private companies, associations, etc. - gets together and jointly formulates a catalogue of performance requirements for a specific product truly suiting their preferences. This catalogue may contain (combinations of) requirements not yet available on the market and includes energy efficiency and/or environmental performance among other preferences important to the users. On the basis of the product requirements the buyer group launches a call for tenders, evaluates the bids received from the manufacturers and commits to buying the winning product. Thus, a market is provided for the most successful innovators in a given area of technology. The paper discusses the effectiveness of ...
Since 1992, the fruitful collaboration of the Russian and Western-European technical support organizations (TSOs) is being continued due to the support of the European Commission. There are two main areas of activities. The first one is more of methodological assistance and enhancing RF TSOs capabilities to support Rostekhnadzor decision making process. Experience and knowledge acquired in this area projects increase RF TSOs capabilities regarding a wide spectrum of safety related issues assessment, in particular safety analyses, reactor vessel embrittlement, application of 'leak before break' concept, severe accident and accident management, fire risk evaluation, etc. The second area is focused on licensing related assessments of EC financed on site assistance projects (modernisations). This area projects promote implementation in Russia a licensing process based on a technical dialogue between operator and regulator as well contributes to ...
This doctoral thesis addresses some problems in the analysis of spatial and spatial-temporal data and discusses prediction, prediction errors and identification of emission sources. European sulphur data are used as illustration. In an investigation of a spatial-temporal decomposition model for improving estimates of spatial interpolation (prediction) errors from monitoring data, the estimates were improved compared to estimates obtained by the method known as Kriging (an extension of the Wiener-Kolmogorov theory from time series to spatial processes), although the interpolated values were quite similar. A study of a random process model with an unknown, slowly varying trend and a correlated residual process is performed, using both trend estimation (smoothing) and prediction. Local polynomial methods are extended to continuous random processes. A new approach to non-parametric smoothing and to non-parametric Kriging is described. Finally, a statistical method for ...
The use of natural energy sources and their conversion to secondary forms of energy are a crucial base for the development of our society with its continuous change of requirements due to an increase in population and the broadening of the needs in our modern life. As a consequence the consumption of primary energy resources rose drastically worldwide during the last 5 decades in particular in the industrialized regions such as Europe. Parallel in time the increasing awareness of negative effects of fuel dependent pollution on the environment and the introduction of stringent emission control regulations about 3 decades ago initiated extensive development and retrofit activities resulting in the today applied high level state of the art. As an additional challenge the worldwide debate about the potential effects of the emission of the s.c green house gases on the global climate in particular carbon dioxide from the use of predominantly fossil fuels have initiated in the ...
Olive tree (Olea european L.) cultivation, the major tree crops in Mediterranean countries is being extended to irrigated lands. However, the limited water availability, the severe climatic conditions and the increased need for good water quality for urban and industrial sector uses are leading to the urgent use of less water qualities (brackish water and recycled wastewater) for olive tree irrigation. The aim of this work was to asses the effects of long term irrigation with treated waste water (TWW) on the soil chemical properties, on olive tree growth and on oil quality characteristics. (Author)
Industrial activities in the river basin of the Elbe have a very long tradition, and have been resulting in the contamination of sediments for centuries. Contamination lasted until the fall of the iron curtain; since then, the situation has improved significantly. In the transition zone between freshwater systems and the marine environment, ports like Hamburg still have to bear this burden of history. An overall (contaminated) management strategy should be developed in the context of the European Water Framework Directive with the emphasis on source control. (orig.)
This short article discusses the results of a market survey on ventilation systems for residential buildings and the role played by ventilation systems in our daily lives. Problems incurred as a result of insufficient ventilation conditions such as the formation of mould in dwellings whose windows have been replaced with better seals are discussed, for example. The negative image of air-conditioning and its causes are examined. The need for action in this area is stressed. Further findings of the study are presented, including a detailed review of current equipment and scenarios on how these systems can develop in the future. The extension of the study to cover the situation in further European countries is mentioned.
This study examines the degree of price-integration of equity indices between the major markets of Africa, namely Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt, Kenya, Nigeria, Namibia and South Africa with the European markets of London and Paris. Vector Autoregressive and Autoregressive Distributed Lag methods reveal that African markets are largely price-segmented. The only markets that are price-integrated have shared economic and financial institutions, such as Namibia and South Africa, and Egypt, Tunisia and France. The evidence suggests that development policy should be focussed on enhancing existing institutions rather than embarking prematurely on regional integration.
DescriptionPig production represents an important source of revenue for the agricultural industry of the UK. However as a direct result of environmental and animal welfare concerns European-wide directives are now in place which severely restrict both the non-clinical use of production enhancers/chemotherapeutics and heavy metals in animal production and also prevent piglet weaning prior to 28 days of age. These legislative events have had a major impact on pig production within Europe rendering current pr [continued...
This report discusses the current state and the future of the Dutch basic metal industry. The steel industry and the aluminium industry are discussed in detail. First their current energy use, the technology and their product markets are analysed. The competitiveness of Dutch and Western European producers is discussed. Main technological developments and other key issues (especially future CO2 policies) are analysed. Based on this analysis, scenarios are developed for the energy use in the basic metal industry for the period 2000-2020. 88 tabs., 55 figs., 143 refs.
Discusses the resolution of the 2. Congress of the Polish Nuclear Society on the energy situation in Poland and recommendations for energy policy. Recommendations for use of nuclear power plants in Poland are made considering environmental pollution from coal combustion (air pollution by sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides and carbon dioxide as well as water pollution by salt from mine water discharged to rivers), development of the Polish economy, forecast increase in energy consumption and the role of nuclear energy in other European countries. Research on nuclear power plants, safety and environmental aspects as well as comparative efficiency of coal-fired power plants and nuclear power plants is evaluated.
Alternative sources of fuel, especially for transport, continue to be of interest, as the availability of petroleum is likely to decline in the foreseeable future. Coal is a perfect alternative since it is abundant and can readily be refined to products similar to petroleum fuels. This work details the continuing research program undertaken by the European Commission, bringing together results of studies by international experts in the field. The editors have synthesized vast amounts of recent literature to produce a state-of-the-art review covering synthetic processes, single and two-stage hydrogenation processes, processing of coal with heavy oil and catalysis.
The survey of radiation protection programmes for transport has been jointly performed by three scientific organisations I.P.S.N. (France), G.R.S. ( Germany), and N.R.P.B. (United kingdom) on behalf of the European Commission and the pertaining documentation summarises the findings and conclusions of the work that was undertaken with the principal objectives to provide guidance on the establishment, implementation and application of radiation protection programmes for the transport of radioactive materials by operators and the assessment and evaluation of such programmes by the competent authority and to review currently existing radiation protection programmes for the transport of radioactive materials. (N.C.)
Rotary furnaces are a well established alternative to cupola furnaces. Recent innovations in oxygas furnaces have made them the preferred choice even over medium-frequency electric furnaces in many European foundries. The article explains in what respects the rotary furnace is a new iron smelting concept, as different from the cupola furnace as the medium-frequency electric furnace. (author)
As a direct result of its interest in the use of robotics within active plants, British Nuclear Fuels Ltd. (BNFL) has adopted a positive attitude toward both national and European initiatives in this area. During the early operation of the Sellafield reprocessing plant, the process vessels and cell voids were monitored using simple pole and camera combinations. In 1985, BNFL embarked on the provision of a series of machines intended to satisfy the advancing needs for inspection while increasing the level of expertise within the company in this important area. DIMAN 1, DIMAN 2, RODMAN, REPMAN, and RAFFMAN remote handling and robotic machines are described.
Rubber lining is used as a corrosion protection material in European flue gas desulfurization plants, for scrubbers, tanks, pipe systems, etc. Although these rubber linings can last more than 15 years, relining still is necessary. The difficulty of shutting down power station units requires that the time scale of this replacement be kept to a minimum. High-pressure water systems have proven successful as an efficient method for removal of the old lining. The working steps and time scale are demonstrated for one such relining case.
As the amount of urban and industrial wastes is increasing more and more, recycling is very necessary. Daily, there are many news about packing, even more since European Union is getting ready a Directive that will propose and will impose the reuse and recycling of the materials used to produce the packs. This Directive will be followed by different national laws of the countries members of EU. This paper describes the increasing use of aluminium for packing, and particularly its use for beverage cans, its characteristic and applications.
This report summarises work done on the SUCON Project during 1996-1999 (European Commission Contract No. FI4C-CT95-0001). The project has focused on three major objectives: 1) An assessment of the radiological consequences of the contamination of the South Urals and the Ob river system from the production of plutonium at 'Mayak', 2) The development of models to calculate doses to individuals and populations in the South Urals using environmental data, and 3) The intercomparison, harmonisation and standardisation of techniques used in dose reconstruction and specification of good practice in particular with regard to remedial measures. (au)
The causes and processes of contamination, as well as the possible human health implications for the main contaminants of drinking water are described. The quality of drinking water in Italy is defined through the comparison of the pollutant levels with the World Health Organization guidelines published in 1993 and the USEPA HAs (Health Advisories) of 1994 (annexed to the report).
The paper develops a new class of financial market models. These models are based on generalized telegraph processes: Markov random flows with alternating velocities and jumps occurring when the velocities are switching. While such markets may admit an arbitrage opportunity, the model under consideration is arbitrage-free and complete if directions of jumps in stock prices are in a certain correspondence with their velocity and interest rate behaviour. An analog of the Black-Scholes fundamental differential equation is derived, but, in contrast with the Black-Scholes model, this equation is hyperbolic. Explicit formulas for prices of European options are obtained using perfect and quantile hedging.
The paper is devoted to analysis of Russian nuclear education system: its current status, specific features, difficulties and prospects. Russian higher education system in nuclear engineering has been created simultaneously with the development of nuclear industry, and the system completely satisfied all industrial demands for the specialists of different qualification levels. For the past several decades, nuclear education has lost its attractiveness to young people. The paper discusses the actions to be undertaken for reversing the situation. The paper underlines particularly the special role of international collaboration and all-European integration of nuclear educational programmes for further development of nuclear education all over the world. (author)
The author investigates the effects of 529 mergers in the European and North American power industries between 1990 and 2002. The focus is on the effects on the capital market and the changes in the utilities' performance in successive years. It is assumed that as a rule mergers resulted in a lower value of the companies concerned. On the other hand, the target businesses appear to have obtained added value in the same period. Apart from the fight for market power, the author identifies especially financial synergies as an important motive. (orig.)
This paper presents the main achievements of the European Home Team (EU HT) test programme of ITER primary wall small scale mock ups. It describes briefly the fabrication method of the mock ups, the test conditions and the main results obtained with high heat flux and thermal fatigue tests of Cu alloy/stainless steel and beryllium/Cu alloy/stainless steel mock ups. The results obtained so far show very good thermal fatigue performance and operation margin of the ITER primary first wall concept.
Two new species of the genus Microplana are described from the Iberian Peninsula. The new taxa are compared with congeneric species. Distributional records for two other European species, Microplana monacensis (Heinzel, 1929) and Microplana groga Jones et al. 2008, are presented and the presence of Microplana terrestris (Muller, 1774) is confirmed on the Iberian Peninsula. A partial re-description of Microplana nana Mateos, Giribet and Carranza, 1998 is provided. The finding of a new and probably introduced, but unidentified, species of land planarian is reported. Land planarians were generally found in the vicinity of deciduous trees and rivers.
A reduced-form model including nonlinearities is estimated from pooled data from nine European countries during 1982-2004 to show the effects of macroeconomic shocks and financial fragility on bank loan losses. The main ingredients of the model are unanticipated-output and interest-rate shocks estimated from published macroeconomic and naive forecasts. The model fits the data well, capturing the extremely high levels of loan losses witnessed in different financial crises.
The Joint European Torus (JET) fusion machine is the only device capable of operation with tritium (as fuel) and Be (as plasma facing component), what makes it best suited to study ITER relevant issues. A large variety of activities are performed within the JET Fusion Technology Task Force. In this paper, some topics such as erosion/deposition and material transport, flakes characterization and detritiation techniques are highlighted. Recent results obtained using a pumping cryo-panel and on plasma facing component characterisation are given. Finally, issues that will be addressed in the forthcoming JET work-programme are presented, such as a beryllium main wall for JET and in-situ laser detritiation. (authors)
... These highly energy efficient panels of organic luminescence are far removed from the bulbs and filaments of current lighting technology. 28-04-11 Source : Star Projects Results: 1-10 of 251 Page(s) 1 of 26 Next Limit search to articles published within the last Month Quarter Year No limit Follow us on Facebook Share an article You can share any article via social networking sites or email it to friends. Click the SHARE icon, select from the list that appears, and the article ...
Purpose - The aim of the present study is to present in a systematic way the subject of industrial hazardous waste from the point-of-view of definitions in engineering, science and legislation. This analysis is necessary, as many different approaches and overlapping definitions are used for the classification of waste, leading to different results, a situation that often complicates the collection and interpretation of data on waste. Design/methodology/approach - The study is conducted by bringing together the extended experience of the authors and other experts in the field of environmental legislation and a wide variety of scientific and legislative sources as well as articles and research reports. The focus is the European Union, while several approaches from the international area are ...
This report issued by the Energy Economics Group and the Laboratory for Energy Systems Analysis at the Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI) analyses current and future trends in the area of energy and mobility on a global, European level as well as with respect to the German-speaking countries Austria, Germany and Switzerland. In a first step, developments with regard to how mobility is achieved and the energy consumption involved are examined and the impact of business-as-usual trends on global carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and future fuel consumption is discussed. In a second step, the paper outlines potential alternative futures in terms of energy and mobility. Finally, the paper derives and presents recommendations for policy-makers.
This report issued by the Energy Economics Group and the Laboratory for Energy Systems Analysis at the Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI) analyses current and future trends in the area of energy and mobility on a global, European level as well as with respect to the German-speaking countries Austria, Germany and Switzerland. In a first step, developments with regard to how mobility is achieved and the energy consumption involved are examined and the impact of business-as-usual trends on global carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and future fuel consumption is discussed. In a second step, the paper outlines potential alternative futures in terms of energy and mobility. Finally, the paper derives and presents recommendations for policy-makers.
author.The chemical and mechanical properties of S235jr structural low carbon mild steel were tested and reported for specimens collected from the Lebanese steel market. European and American standards were presented as references and compared with the achieved results. Discussion was conducted to show the similarities and differences between S235JR steel samples and standard requirements. Some of the reasons for such differences were discussed. A database was furnished through this work for the public and mainly for the Lebanese Standard Organization LIBNOR to easily adopt and implement a standard that has been tested in Lebanon concerning the hot rolled low carbon structural steels
To support the Space Exploration Initiative (SEI), a study was performed to investigate power system alternatives for the rover vehicles and servicers that were subsequently generated for each of these rovers and servicers, candidate power sources incorporating various power generation and energy storage technologies were identified. The technologies were those believed most appropriate to the SEI missions, and included solar, electrochemical, and isotope systems. The candidates were characterized with respect to system mass, deployed area, and volume. For each of the missions a preliminary selection was made. Results of this study depict the available power sources in light of mission requirements as they are currently defined.
...Species - see CITES Trade of Dangerous Chemicals Transport and Environment U Urban Environment Use of natural resources V Volatile Organic Compounds W Waste Landfills Waste electrical and electronic equipment - see WEEE Waste incineration Waste legislation - reporting Waste management planning Waste oils Waste shipments Waste water - see Urban waste water Water Bathing Water Drinking water Floods Marine environment Urban waste water Water Framework Directive WEEE - Waste Electric and Electronic Equipment Wildlife ...
A synthesis of papers based on the United Nations Environment Programme meeting on the ozone layer, Washington DC, this book contains valuable information on ongoing and planned activities concerned with stratospheric ozone problems, and presents the recommendations for further action resulting from the meeting. Possible changes in the characteristics of the ozone layer are discussed, together with the environmental, ecological, climatic, economic, and health implications of stratospheric ozone depletion. A comprehensive survey of current research in five European countries, the USA, Canada, and Australia is included and the volume is concluded by the UNEP report of the meeting and a world plan of action.
This contribution describes our research and development effort towards an electrically rechargeable zinc/air battery which is capable of meeting the demands of a scaled power profile (driving-cycle tests). The power profiles DST (Dynamic Stress Test) and ECE15-L (European Driving Cycle for alkaline Batteries) were applied to our 200 and 50 cm{sup 2} electrically rechargeable Zn/O{sub 2} cells with nominal capacities of 30 and 7.5 Ah, respectively. (authors)
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.
Since mid-1995, Audi is the second European producer to offer a direct-injection diesel engine for passenger cars. The 2.0 l engine is installed in the middle-class sedan Rover 620 SDi. (orig.) [Deutsch] Als nach Audi zweiter europaeischer Hersteller bietet Rover seit Mitte dieses Jahres einen Pkw-Dieselmotor mit direkter Einspritzung an. Eingesetzt wird das Aggregat mit 2,0 l Hubraum in der Mittelklasselimousine Rover 620 SDi. (orig.)
With the compensator-series equipment put into operation in 1992 - giving a performance of 330 Mvar - it was made possible for high-performance electronics to use a continuously variable, fully loaded power transmission line and to regulate the energy flow and minimise overcurrent losses. As well as these technical qualities, this system could offer environmental advantages for European implementation. This would avoid the need to plan and construct new high voltage transmission lines in order to meet increased demand. (orig.)
This book constitutes the thoroughly refereed post proceedings of the international workshop Computer Vision Approaches to Medical Image Analysis, CVAMIA 2006, held in Graz, Austria in May 2006 as a satellite event of the 9th European Conference on Computer Vision, EECV 2006. The 10 revised full papers and 11 revised poster papers presented together with 1 invited talk were carefully reviewed and selected from 38 submissions. The papers are organized in topical sections on clinical applications, image registration, image segmentation and analysis, and the poster session. (orig.)
This work gives a global view of legislations in which are included metals chemical states, briefly recalls the conditions to be respected for the CRM (Certified Reference Materials), and describes the results of some current plans for the Norms, Measures and Tests program. (O.M.) 23 refs.
The Kyoto Protocol foresees emission trading but does not yet specify verification of (uncertain) emissions. This paper analyses a setting in which parties can meet their emission targets by reducing emissions, by investing in monitoring (reducing uncertainty of emissions) or by (bilaterally) trading permits. We derive the optimality conditions and carry out various numerical simulations. Our applications suggest that including uncertainty could increase compliance costs for the USA, Japan and the European Union. Central Europe and the Former Soviet Union might be able to gain from trading due to higher permit prices. Emissions trading could also lower aggregate uncertainty on emissions.
Non-linear autoregressive Markov regime-switching models are intuitive. Time-series approaches for the modelling of electricity spot prices are frequently proposed. In this paper, such models are compared with an ordinary linear autoregressive model with regard to their forecast performances. The study is carried out using German daily spot-prices from the European Energy Exchange in Leipzig. Four non-linear models are used for the forecast study. The results of the study suggest that Markov regime-switching models provide better forecasts than linear models. (author)
Non-linear autoregressive Markov regime-switching models are intuitive. Time-series approaches for the modelling of electricity spot prices are frequently proposed. In this paper, such models are compared with an ordinary linear autoregressive model with regard to their forecast performances. The study is carried out using German daily spot-prices from the European Energy Exchange in Leipzig. Four non-linear models are used for the forecast study. The results of the study suggest that Markov regime-switching models provide better forecasts than linear models. (author)
This conference is composed of 21 communications and 21 posters in the domain of building ventilation and indoor air quality; the main themes are: indoor air quality assessment and optimization; performance enhancement and optimization of ventilation systems and equipment; ventilation systems for renovated and rehabilitated buildings; French and European regulations, standardizations and certifications; experimental and numerical simulation studies concerning ventilation systems, air flow, temperature distribution, air quality, thermal comfort and ventilation-induced acoustic levels
This file is devoted to the Chernobyl accident. It is divided in four parts. The first part concerns the accident itself and its technical management. The second part is relative to the radiation doses and the different contaminations. The third part reports the sanitary effects, the determinists ones and the stochastic ones. The fourth and last part relates the consequences for the other European countries with the case of France. Through the different parts a point is tackled with the measures taken after the accident by the other countries to manage an accident, the cooperation between the different countries and the groups of research and studies about the reactors safety, and also with the international medical cooperation, specially for the children, everything in relation with the Chernobyl accident. (N.C.)
B vitamins and polymorphisms in genes coding for enzymes involved in one-carbon metabolism may affect DNA synthesis and methylation and thereby be implicated in carcinogenesis. Previous data on vitamins B2 and B6 and genetic polymorphisms other than those involving MTHFR as risk factors for gastric cancer (GC) are sparse and inconsistent. In this case-control study nested within the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition cohort, cases (n = 235) and controls (n = 601) were matched for study center, age, sex, and time of blood sampling. B2 and B6 species were measured in plasma, and the sum of riboflavin and flavin mononucleotide was used as the main exposure variable for vitamin B2 status, whereas the sum of pyridoxal 5'-phosphate, pyridoxal, and 4-pyridoxic acid was used to define vitamin B6 status. In addition, we determined eight polymorphisms related to one-carbon metabolism. Relative risks for GC risk were calculated with conditional ...
After the transcription of the electricity directive in national legislations, the European electricity market appears to be a vast set of juxtaposed markets which are weakly connected at the level of their wholesale contracts compartment. Referring to the technological peculiarities of electricity as a commodity, the paper identifies the direct conditions of regional integration of the electricity markets, those which would favour cross-border trade and allow to be near the normal functioning of a regional commodity market. The infrastructure network dependence and the need of a stringent technical coordination necessitate to unify the operation of the different systems and the rules of access, or at the least to come near this unification by strong coordination. A second major condition, which is not fully debated, is the increasing connexion of short-term markets, via daily physical trade and emergence of a European financial market, which ...
The European Union Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS) has imposed a price on the allowances for CO2 emissions of electricity companies. Integrating this allowance price into the price of electricity earns a rent for companies who have received these allowances for free. During Phase I, 2005-2007, rents corresponding to the aggregate value of allocated allowances amounted to roughly Euro 13 billion per year. However, due to the specific price-setting mechanism in electricity markets true rents were considerably higher. This is due to the fact that companies also that have not received any allowances gain additional infra-marginal rents to the extent that their variable costs are below the new market price after inclusion of the allowance price. Producers with low carbon emissions and low marginal costs thus also benefit substantially from carbon pricing. This paper develops a methodology to determine the specific interaction of the imposition of such a CO2 constraint ...
This paper examines the technological, socio-economic and environmental feasibility of a proposal to strengthen the Italian commercial coastal shipping system as an alternative to bolstering existing road transport facilities in order to meet the requirements of increased trade in the new European free market. This prospect is of special importance to Italy due to its long coastlines. The principal elements taken into account are: investment capital, labour and energy requirements. The study first examines the supply and demand dynamics of the European transport system. Here, attention is given to energy consumption. This examination is followed by a review of the European situation with regard to normatives governing navigation and customs duties. Road, rail and maritime transport costs are compared, and an assessment is made of the economic feasibility of an integrated-means system of transport involving the coordinated ...
Currently daily quality control (QC) tests for mammography systems are generally evaluated by using visual analysis phantoms, which of course means subjective measurement. In our study, however, we evaluated a novel digital phantom, the 1Shot Phantom M plus (1Shot Phantom), together with automatic analysis software dedicated for mammography systems using Fuji computed radiography (FCR). The digital phantom enables objective evaluation by providing for actual physical measurement rather than subjective visual assessment. We measured contrast to noise ratio (CNR), image receptor homogeneity, missed tissue at chest wall side, modulation transfer function (MTF), and geometric distortion utilizing the 1Shot Phantom. We then compared the values obtained using the 1Shot Phantom with values obtained from the European guidelines and International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) standards. In addition, we evaluated the convenience of using the digital phantom. The values ...
Satellite imagery is a cost-effective tool for creating and updating basemaps of coastal zones, especially where existing maps and aerial photographs are unavailable, are out-of-date, or provide limited information. Reliable maps of coastal zones are particularly important for oil spill modelling programs. Color IR (multispectral) images with 20m x 20m ground resolution and black & white (panchromatic) images with 10m x 10m ground resolution of many coastlines around the globe have been acquired from 1986 to present by SPOT Image Corporation. We have digitally merged same-day SPOT panchromatic and multispectral imagery to provide maximum spatial resolution and permit excellent color differentiation of coastal zone features. This combination adequately discriminates individual features, including pipelines, offshore platforms, storage tanks, jetties, and shoreline type. The SPOT images were interpreted within a workstation environment and the coastline ...
Technology developments in semiconductor fabrication along with a rapid expansion of the market for portable devices, such as PDAs and mobile phones, make the energy consumption of embedded systems a major problem. Indeed the need to provide an increasing number of computational intensive applications and at the same time to maximize the battery life of portable devices can be seen as incompatible trends. System simulation is a flexible and convenient method for analyzinging and exploring the performance of a system or sub-system. At the same time, the increasing use of computational intensive applications strengthens the need to maximize the battery life of portable devices. As a consequence, the simulation of embedded systems for energy consumption estimation is becoming essential in order to study and explore the influence of system design choices on the system energy consumption. The original publications presented in the second part of this thesis propose several frameworks for ...
A discussion covers the LOOP project to construct an offshore pipeline system, which will connect with onshore facilities at Fourchon, La., and two onshore pipelines (26 mi 48 in. Clovelly line and 53 mi 48 in. LOCAP line) connecting Fourchon with the existing Capline system at St. James, La.; the three-phase construction schedule, the first phase due to begin in the third quarter of 1978 with, e.g., onshore pipeline and salt dome storage facility construction which will yield an expected initial throughput of 1.4 million bbl/day; the marine terminal complex, consisting of control and pumping platforms, and three 7000 hp pumps to operate the system at 45,000-100,000 bbl/hr; the offshore lines, including lines between single-point mooring units and the pumping platform, the 21 mi 48 in. pipe to Fourchon, and corrosion protection of lines by an asphalt-sand mixture or a semiplasticized coal-tar enamel; the onshore system, including the Fourchon ...
We present and characterize an experimental system in which we achieve the integration of an ultrahigh finesse optical cavity with a Bose-Einstein condensate (BEC). The conceptually novel design of the apparatus for the production of BECs features nested vacuum chambers and an in vacuo magnetic transport configuration. It grants large scale spatial access to the BEC for samples and probes via a modular and exchangeable ''science platform.'' We are able to produce 87Rb condensates of 5x106 atoms and to output couple continuous atom lasers. The cavity is mounted on the science platform on top of a vibration isolation system. The optical cavity works in the strong coupling regime of cavity quantum electrodynamics and serves as a quantum optical detector for single atoms. This system enables us to study atom optics on a single particle level and to further develop the field of quantum atom optics. We describe the technological modules and the ...
The authors describe parts of three third-order depositional sequences and their associated system tracts within seismic-scale outcrops of the Lower-Middle Guadalupian Northwestern shelf-to-Delaware basin transition. These sequences are well exposed along a 20-km dip-oriented transect in the western Guadalupe Mountains, Texas and New Mexico. Systems tracts are defined on the basis of lithofacies distribution, stratal geometry, and bounding (stratal termination) surfaces. These Lower-Middle Guadalupian sequences record (1) carbonate platform retrogradation, basin margin erosion, and sediment starvation followed by platform aggradation and progradation (lower San Andres Formation-Cutoff Formation; transgressive and highstand systems tracts), (2) major basin infill by terrigenous clastics bypassed over the underlying lower San Andres highstand carbonate bank and development of a shelf-margin-restricted carbonate bank and coeval base-of-slope apron ...
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 ...
Surface modification of topography and chemistry in order to achieve a specific water contact angle (CA) has been explored by using a novel combinatorial screening platform. The screening arrays consisted of 507 distinct combinations of micro-topographies and chemical compositions. By performing chemical modifications with 1H, 1H, 2H, 2H perfluoroethyltriethoxy-silane (PFS) and n-octadecyltriethoxysilane (ODS) on standard silicon wafers it was possible to include both superhydrophobic and very hydrophilic pad arrays in the same screening platform. Surfaces modified with PFS were more hydrophobic than surfaces modified with ODS, while the unmodified silicon surfaces were hydrophilic. For the PFS modified surfaces the largest CAs were achieved with a small pillar size of X = 1 {mu}m and an intermediate inter-pillar gap size of Y = 4 {mu}m with superhydrophobic CAs over 170 . Surface analysis with X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) revealed ...
A large number of proven technical solutions exists for the use of renewable energies (RE). However, their dissemination is still too slow to meet the political goal of substituting 12 % of the primary energy demand in the European Union by the year 2010. Even renewable energy systems (RES) with economic potential are only partly exploited. There is a long literature concerning the barriers to RE use. In particular it has become clear that the availability of finance and the forms and conditions upon which it is lent have a major impact on RE deployment. An area of importance is the deficiency of appropriate ownership forms and properly adapted financing instruments in certain countries. Moreover, different regulations and institutional barriers in the European countries hinder the free flow of capital for RES within the European common market. On the other hand, solutions have been developed very successfully in individual ...
The Pequop Mountains (PM), Wood Hills (WH) and East Humboldt Range (EHR), NE Nevada, provide evidence that the hinterland of the Sevier thrust belt experienced large-magnitude Mesozoic shortening ([>=]55 km) and crustal thickening ([>=] 30 km). These ranges expose a structurally continuous crustal cross section of unmetamorphosed to high pressure upper amphibolite facies Triassic to Precambrian miogeoclinal strata. This sequence lies structurally beneath unmetamorphosed extensional klippen that omit metamorphic grade and crustal section, but also repeat stratigraphic units. Because they repeat stratigraphic units, the underlying miogeoclinal section, or footwall, must have once lain beneath a thrust fault (herein named the Windermere thrust). The footwall of the Windermere thrust was exhumed by two generations of top-to-the-W-NW low-angle normal faults that are distinguished by whether they are depositionally overlapped by Eocene volcanic rocks or if they cut ...
The geological structure of Mesita del Buey at Technical Area 54 (TA-54) was examined using precise surveying of the contact between units 1v and 2 of the Tshirege Member of the Bandelier Tuff at 3.5 km along the north wall of Pajarito Canyon and 0.6 km along the north wall of a tributary to Canada del Buey. Estimated structure contours on this contact indicate typical strikes of N40E to N70E along this part of Mesita del Buey, although the apparent strike of the tuff is E-W at the western part of the survey. Typical dips are 1.0{degree} to 2.0{degree} to the east or southeast, with an estimated maximum dip of 3.2{degree} near the west end of Material Disposal Area G. Thirty seven faults with vertical displacements of 5 to 65 cm were observed in outcrop along the Pajarito Canyon traverse, and, due to the incomplete exposure of the unit 1v-unit 2 contact, many more faults of this magnitude undoubtedly exist. The faults have a wide range in strike and have either ...
The end of 1994, five seismic observation stations were constructed with digital seismograph and 3-component seismometers. In this study, the epicentral distribution around the Kyungsang basin was obtained from one-year earthquake data (1994/12 - 1995/11) and compared with the annual earthquake report of KMA (Korea Meteorological Agency). The geological structure at the middle of the Ulsan fault was also investigated by the electrical resistivity method. The epicenters show high concentration at the Wolsung area. They show a linear alignment and their depths tend to be deeper as they approach to the coast line of the East Sea. These imply that they are probably correlated together. Another remarkable feature on land is the linear epicentral distribution along Jiri mountain to the Kimcheon and Sangju. This line is well coincident with newly recognized lineament. The other is the epicentral distribution at the Straits of Korea and East Sea. Even ...
A study of more than 1200 of 72-fold, migrated, seismic reflection profiles, from the eastern part of the East Breaks flexure trend, Gulf of Mexico, indicates that, although individual seismic reflectors cannot be traced across the entire area, seismic depositional units can be recognized and correlated from basin to basin in most instances. Three tentative conclusions are evident from this study: (1) salt diapirs appear to have grown through a series of intermittent movements to form structurally separate intraslope basins; (2) sedimentation is probably channeled by differential dome growth, which creates local stratigraphic differences between basins; and (3) packages of distinctive seismic depositional units can be successfully used to map sediment cycles between separate basins. Fluctuations of Pleistocene sea level appears to be the dominate depositional control on the upper continental slope in this area. During high sea level stands, turbidity currents were ...
The Maybell uranium mill tailings site is 25 miles (mi) (40 kilometers [km]) west of the town of Craig, Colorado, in Moffat County, in the northwestern part of the state. The unincorporated town of Maybell is 5 road mi (8 km) southwest of the site. The site is 2.5 mi (4 km) northeast of the Yampa River on relatively flat terrain broken by low, flat-topped mesas. U.S. Highway 40 runs east-west 2 mi (3.2 km) south of the site. The designated site covers approximately 110 acres (ac) (45 hectares [ha]) and consists of a concave-shaped tailings pile and rubble from the demolition of the mill buildings buried in the former mill area. The site is situated between Johnson Wash to the east and Rob Pit Mine to the west. Numerous reclaimed and unreclaimed mines are in the immediate vicinity. Aerial photographs (included at the end of this executive summary) show evidence of mining activity around the Maybell site. Contaminated materials at the Maybell ...
Alluvial fans along the east side of central Death Valley are being actively back-tilted along the Death Valley fault zone. Initial modelling of the Copper Canyon and Furnace Creek fans led to recognition of distinct segments. Field reconnaissance and aerial photo mapping were conducted to check model results and improve segment discrimination. Surface roughness, relative position, vegetation distribution, and drainage patterns provided independent evidence for segment discrimination. Subsequent modelling of individual segments produced a range of tilt values from 0.275[degree] to 0.559[degree] down to the northeast. Continued analysis of these fan segments is concentrated on: (1) assigning confidence and error values to the tilt values; and (2) dating individual segments. Further work will compare the tilt rates of east-side fans with those from the west. The mean squared error (MSE) is currently being used as a first order assessment of the ...
The Eagle Flat basin, an intermontane basin in Trans-Pecos Texas, is being considered as a possible site for the Texas repository of low-level radioactive wastes. Intermontane basins and associated normal faults formed in response to Basin and Range tectonism that began about 24 Ma ago. The most active late Tertiary and Quaternary faults occur within the Hueco Bolson (HB) and the Salt Basin/Salt Flat/Lobo Valley, west and east, respectively, of the proposed repository. Several faults of the southeast HB which are within 50 km of the site, displace middle Pleistocene deposits 10 to 24 m. The most recent surface rupture in the southeast HB probably occurred on the Amargosa fault during the Holocene. Upper Pleistocene deposits are offset 2.5 to 4.5 m, and middle Pleistocene deposits are displaced 24 m. Fault scarps within 50 km east of the proposed repository are associated with faults bounding the Salt Basin/Salt Flat/Lobo Valley. In the southern ...
Amoco Trinidad Oil Company produces 60,000 bbl/d of oil from the Trinidadian offshore. The oil is pipelined ashore where it is processed and returned offshore to a buoy mooring for transport up Trinidad's east coast. Amoco Trinidad has developed comprehensive oil spill contingency plans, starting from computer models of spill scenarios. The models used initially assumed that the oils would emulsify quickly and the spills would become highly viscous and persistent, reaching the shoreline in 15-24 h. Such behavior would render ineffective the use of dispersants as a spill countermeasure. Studies showed a poor potential capability of physical recovery systems for spills off the Trinidad east coast due to high sea states, strong winds, and other factors. These results led to questioning of the spill model's assumptions, and laboratory tests were conducted to study the actual behavior of the crude oils. It was found that the oil was difficult to ...
Lower East Fork Poplar Creek (LEFPC) and its floodplain are contaminated with mercury (Hg) from ongoing and historical releases from the US Department of Energy (DOE) Oak Ridge Y-12 Plant. A remedial investigation and feasibility study of LEFPC resulted in the signing of a Record of Decision (ROD) in August 1995. In response to the ROD, soil contaminated with mercury above 400 mg/kg was removed from two sites in LEFPC and the floodplain during a recently completed remedial action (RA). The Postremediation Monitoring Program (PMP) outlined in the LEFPC Monitoring Plan was envisioned to occur in two phases: (1) a baseline assessment prior to remediation and (2) postremediation monitoring. The current report summarizes the results of the baseline assessment of soil, water, biota, and groundwater usage in LEFPC and its floodplain conducted in 1995 and 1996 by personnel of the Oak Ridge National Laboratory Biological Monitoring and Abatement Program (BMAP). This report ...
The performance of the Magma Power Company's reinjection well No. 46-7 at East Mesa has been examined. Water was cooled to 100/sup 0/F(+-) to simulate total heat extraction and then tested using membrane filter flow procedures. The cooled water contains particles which are in the high colloid size range, and formation impairment by these particles is unlikely. There is evidence that acid soluble corrosion products and calcium compounds constitute about two thirds of the particulates, and that the acid insoluble residue contains precipitated silica, insoluble corrosion products, and possibly formation fines carried in the produced water. Under stabilized conditions, the suspended solids content of the water is less than 2 parts per million. However, during the frequent production well start ups, a higher concentration of suspended solids is carried in the produced water and into the injection well, conceivably augmenting fill in the injector. But most ...
Breeding populations of Great Tit Parus major and Pied Flycatcher Ficedida hypoleuca was studied to determine radionuclide ({sup 137}Cs, {sup 90}Sr) concentrations in bodies and foods (contents of gastrointestinal tracts) at different stages of the life-cycle and radiation effects upon the populations. The study was carried out in 1989--1992 near Chernobyl (in two areas with differed contamination levels: 90 Ci/km{sup 2}, 5 Ci/km{sup 2}) and East-Ural radioactive trace (Russia) (1,500 Ci/km{sup 2}, 2 Ci/km{sup 2}). Concentrations of {sup 90}Sr in egg shells of Great Tit collected near Chernobyl were 65 times higher in the more radioactive area than in the less contaminated area and varied from 56.6 to 79.7 Bq/g. Concentration of {sup 90}Sr in the contents of gastrointestinal tracts were from 0 to 10.8 Bq/g. Concentrations of radionuclides in the food increased in the sequence ``nestlings < fledglings < adults``. However, the accumulation declined from ...
Calls for containers to transport compressed natural gas, and a ship or barge to house some 200 employees in the Terra Nova offshore oilfield while the oil field's floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO) system is undergoing a major overhaul, are attracting attention on Canada's east coast offshore oilpatch. The FPSO is located offshore, 350 km east of St. John's, Newfoundland. Petro-Canada, operators of the FPSO anticipate that by having all required personnel nearby, the total shutdown time for the overhaul could be minimized. The CNG container was designed by Trans Ocean Gas Inc. in response to an invitation by Husky Oil and Petro-Canada, the White Rose field partners. Trans Ocean Gas strongly believes that CNG will become the technology of choice for getting natural gas ashore and to markets from stranded hydrocarbon pools in Atlantic Canada and the rest of the world where pipeline systems would be too ...
Quantitative ecological risk assessment (ERA) is a means whereby the risk posed by a toxicant in any system can be evaluated by comparing the distribution of its measured or modelled concentrations (water quality data (WQD)) with available information on the range of concentrations that are known to adversely affect biota within that, or similar, habitats (dose-response data (DRD)). Initially, the WQD are compared with regulatory criteria (e.g. ANZECC and ARMCANZ, 2000). If they fail this test, then, on the assumption that both data sets comprise subsets of the entire range of concentrations, probability density functions are derived assuming a standard distribution form a typically log-normal. In this paper, AQUARISK has been used to estimate the risk posed by copper in effluent from the Rum Jungle mine site, pre- and post-remediation, and the proportion of taxa likely to be affected in the East Branch (EB) of the Finniss River downstream of the mine. In addition, ...
The competitiveness of a new nuclear plant vs. a new oil or gas fired combined cycle plant or a coal fired plant in East-Asia, is reviewed in the paper. Both the nuclear and the fossil fired plants are evaluated as either utility financed or independent power producer (IPP) financed. Two types of advanced light water reactors (ALWRs) are considered in this paper, namely evolutionary ALWRs (1200 MWe size) and passive ALWRs (600 MWe class). A range of capital and total generation costs for each plant type is reported here. The comparison centers on three elements of overall competitiveness: generation costs, hard currency requirements, and employment requirements. Each of these aspects is considered perspective. Year-by-Year generation cost history over the plant lifetime is shown in some cases. It is found here that a utility financed evolutionary and passive ALWRs are broadly competitive with an IPP financed gas fired combined cycle plant and are more economic than ...
This document presents a conceptual design for a contingency interim measure (IM) for treatment of the public water supply system at Barnes, Kansas, should this become necessary. The aquifer that serves the public water supply system at Barnes has been affected by trace to low concentrations of carbon tetrachloride and its degradation product, chloroform. Investigations conducted on behalf of the CCC/USDA by Argonne National Laboratory (Argonne 2008a) have demonstrated that groundwater at the Barnes site is contaminated with carbon tetrachloride at concentrations exceeding the Kansas Tier 2 risk-based screening level (RBSL) and the EPA maximum contaminant level (MCL) of 5.0 {micro}g/L for this compound. The Commodity Credit Corporation of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (CCC/USDA) formerly operated a grain storage facility in Barnes, approximately 800 ft east-southeast of the public water supply wells. Carbon tetrachloride was used in the treatment of grain. ...
Personnel from Martin Marietta Energy Systems, Inc. (Energy Systems) manage a closed hazardous waste disposal unit the Chestnut Ridge Security Pits (CRSP), located on the crest of Chestnut Ridge near the Y-12 Plant, Oak Ridge, Tennessee. To investigate the discharge of groundwater from CRSP to springs and streams located along the flanks and base of Chestnut Ridge, an initial dye-tracer study was conducted during 1990. A hydraulic connection was inferred to exist between the injection well (GW-178) on Chestnut Ridge and several sites to the east-northeast, east, and southeast of CRSP. A second dye-tracer study was conducted in 1992 to verify the results of the initial test and identify additional discharge points that are active during wet-weather conditions. No definitive evidence for the presence of dye was identified at any of the 35 locations monitored during the second dye study. Although interpretations of the initial dye test suggest a ...
The coal rank, coal distribution, and coalbed methane of four major coal zones in the Hinton and Grande Cache areas of Alberta were investigated. Coal rank in the study area ranges from subbituminous and high volatile C bituminous at surface for the Upper Cretaceous/Tertiary coal measures and semianthracite for the Lower Cretaceous Luscar Group in the Alberta Syncline. In the Rocky Mountain Foothills, maximum cumulative coal thicknesses occur in the Smoky River, Cadomin-Luscar, and Coal Valley coalfields. Cumulative coal thicknesses generally decrease east of the deformed belt; however, coal isopach maps indicate local cumulative coal thicknesses in excess of 25 m. A regional coalbed methane assessment for strata east of the deformed belt shows favorable coalbed methane adsorption capacities in Luscar Group coals. These coals occur, however, at depth levels [gt]2500 m. In contrast, Brazeau and Coalspur Formation coals occur at favorable depth ...
1. The aim of the paper is to investigate the relative importance of three sets of sources of competitive advantages on business performance in a specific industry context, ie the European meat processing industry. The three sets of competitive sources are Firm Specific Advantages (FSAs), Localizational Specific Advantages (LSAs) and Relationship Specific Advantages (RSAs). Based on a literature study, each set of competitive advantages is briefly described in terms of their theoretical antecedents. Seven hypotheses are formulated regarding the direct as well as the indirect relationships between the FSAs, LSAs and RSAs and business performance. Also, the direction of causality between the various sets of explanatory variables is considered. The hypotheses are combined in a structural modelling of firm competition. 2. Data and measurements are derived from a survey in the European meat processing industry in which 133 meat processors from 10 EU ...
Looking at some of the national and international developments in hydrogen technology it becomes clear which important contributions the hydrogen technology oriented activities of the EU have helped to prepare and trigger: (a) Transport Energy Strategy (TES): This initiative of 7 major German automobile and mineral oilcompanies is aimed at an industrial consensus on one or two gasoline alternative fuels, which are to be presented to the German Ministry of Transport. An intermediate trend is that hydrogen may become the fuel of choice. (b) BMW: The Bayerischen Motorenwerke have already very early exposed themselves to the vehicle and component development of hydrogen as a vehicle fuel, focussing on a strategy from CNG to LNG and LH{sub 2}. (c) Opel and GM: Opel has recently announced they have chosen hydrogen as the primary long term fuel for their fuel cell vehicles to be commercialized starting in 2004. (d) CFCP: The California Fuel Cell Partnership with partners from industry and ...
Requirements on PSA for risk informed applications are expressed in different international documents. The ASME PRA standard published in spring 2002 is one such document, PSA requirements are also expressed in the European Utility Requirements (EUR) for new reactors. The Swedish PSA requirements are provided in the Swedish regulators (SKI) statutes SKIFS 2004:1. SKI also has a review handbook for PSA activities (SKI report 2003:48). The review handbook is a support during review of the utilities PSA activities and the PSAs themselves. The review handbook expresses SKIs expectations by providing so called important aspects for both the PSA work and the PSAs, A comparison of SKIFS requirements and the important aspects in the Review handbook, on one side, and the requirements on PSA in EUR and ASME on the other side, is presented. The comparison shows a large difference in the level of detail in the different documents, where ASME is most detailed and specific. This ...