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The incidence of columnar cell lesions in breast core needle biopsies since full-field digital mammography in comparison with screen-filmed mammography was analyzed. As tiny microcalcifications characterize columnar cell lesions at mammography, we hypothesized that more columnar cell lesions are diagnosed since full-field digital mammography due to its higher sensitivity for microcalcifications. In all, 3437 breast core needle biopsies performed in three hospitals and resulting from in total 55?159 mammographies were revised: 1424 taken in the screen-filmed mammography and 2013 in the full-field digital mammography period. Between the screen-filmed mammography and full-field digital mammography periods, we compared the proportion of mammographies that led to core needle biopsies, ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Breast cancer represents today more than 30% of all cancers and is responsible for about 20% of deaths due to cancer. The potentialities of mammography have increased in recent years through improvements in equipment and methodologies. In this paper the conventional mammography using film and image intensifiers is compared with digital mammography. Digital mammography presents clear advantages in storage and handling of information. Also its higher sensitivity will lead to an earlier detection of anomalies and a decrease in the number of invasive exams and surgeries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

(Dec 1977). United Kingdom Paliwal, BR Wochos, JF Wisconsin Univ., Madison

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mammography has emerged as a reliable non-invasive technique for the early detection of breast cancer--the second leading cause of cancer-related mortality among American women. The radiographic appearance of the female breast consists of radiolucent (dark) regions due to fat and radiodense (light) regions due to connective and epithelial tissue. The amount of radiodense tissue can be used as a marker for predicting breast cancer risk. This paper presents the development of an algorithm for estimating the percentage of radiodense tissue in a digitized mammogram. The technique involves determining a dynamic threshold for segmenting radiodense indications in mammograms. Both the mammographic image and the threshold are modeled as Gaussian random variables. This work is intended to support a concurrent study at the Fox Chase Cancer Center (FCCC) exploring the association between dietary patterns and breast cancer risk. Mammograms have been ...

Medline Plus

... mammography or on ultrasound but not found on physical examination, we consider them non-palpable or not ... lot of this. We send every patient for physical therapy, no matter what type of reconstruction we ...

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

ObjectiveTo determine whether erectile dysfunction (ED) predicts cardiovascular disease (CVD) beyond traditional risk factors.BackgroundFull Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

Human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) is one of the most important prognostic and predictive factors for breast cancer patients. Recently, serum HER2...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

BackgroundThe aim of the present article was to evaluate whether angiogenic parameters as assessed by transvaginal color Doppler ultrasound (TVCD) may predict those prognostic factors...Full Text Available

CERN Document Server

We combine a limited number of accurately measured transition frequencies in hydrogen and deuterium, recent quantum electrodynamics (QED) calculations, and, as an essential additional ingredient, a generalized least-squares analysis, to obtain precise and optimal predictions for hydrogen and deuterium transition frequencies. Some of the predicted transition frequencies have relative uncertainties more than an order of magnitude smaller than that of the g-factor of the electron, which was previously the most accurate prediction of QED.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Present day mammography has not been able to make use of the advantages of digital luminescence radiography because of the limited spatial resolution. The recent development of electromagnetic focusing X-ray tube with effective focal spot sizes from 0.04 to 0.12 mm allows radiographic direct magnification with less geometric blur. It is now possible to combine direct magnification mammography with digital luminescence radiography. By combining high quality storage phosphor screens with an HQ-workstation a spatial resolution of 8 lp/mm is possible for 1.7-fold magnification. For 4-fold spot magnification views spatial resolution can be theoretically increased to approx. 20 lp/mm. One important advantage of digital radiography is the possibility of image-postprocessing. This article presents two sets of standard parameters and three sets of image dependent parameters for better imaging of specific lesions, such as microcalcifications. The ...

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

OBJECTIVE: The aim was to assess the psychosocial effects on the quality of life (QOL) of adults with head and neck cancer (HNC) and any gender variations with predictive factors that may influence...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

BackgroundThere is no consensus as to the prognostic model for brachytherapy of tongue carcinoma. This study was designed to evaluate the prognostic factors for local control based...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

Pneumatic dilation (PD) is an effective treatment for achalasia cardia. Outcome of PD, however, varies among different studies. Recently, some groups started considering laparoscopic myotomy to be competitive...Full Text Available

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Phase-contrast imaging with a practical cone-beam X-ray tube has been realized for clinical use in digital mammography using computed radiography (CR). To perform phase-contrast imaging, the X-ray detector must be distanced from an object so that the phase-contrast image achieves magnification; in a mammography unit dedicated to phase-contrast imaging, the magnification ratio is 1.75. When using an X-ray tube with a 0.1-mm focal spot, it appears that the penumbra in magnification blurs both projected images and the phase contrast, which generates an edge effect. However, where the sampling pitch of the CR plate is 43.75 {mu}m, the blur stretches the width of the phase contrast so that unit pixels in the detector can capture it. Note that the width of an ideal phase contrast using an X-ray point source results in a phase contrast too narrow for detection with CR. In addition to phase contrast improving image quality, a re-scaling effect ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The ability of "9"9"mTc-IgG scintigraphy to predict the development of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in 47 patients with arthralgia was investigated. "9"9"mTc-IgG scintigraphy and the serum test for rheumatoid factor (RF), measured at the beginning of a year long study, were compared for their ability to predict RA. During the study 8 patients developed RA. The specificity and positive predictive values of RF in predicting RA were 79% and 50% respectively, and for "9"9"mTc-IgG scintigraphy 97% and 88%. The sensitivity and negative predictive values of RF were 100% and of "9"9"mTc-IgG-scintigraphy 88% and 97%, respectively. In conclusion, "9"9"mTc-IgG scintigraphy has additional value to RF with respect to the prediction of the development of RA in patients with arthralgia. 27 refs.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

This paper discusses the application of a Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) code (FLUENT) to predict temperature and velocity profiles, and particle trajectories in an industrial fired by a low NO{sub x} pulverized coal swirl burner. The predictions of the code were compared to experimental measurements of gas temperature, particle size distribution, and particle velocities. The diagnostics employed were a suction pyrometer and a Particle Counter Sizer Velocimeter Probe (PCSV-P). Good agreement was found between the temperature predictions and the measurements. In situ particle size distributions were predicted accurately using the Baum and Street model with a swelling factor of zero. The numerical modeling indicated that the Type II flow issued from the burner could be transformed into Type III flow, by eliminating swirl from the primary air stream, which provided the preferred ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

A method to measure noise power spectrum of a full field digital mammography system is presented. The effect of X-ray radiation dose, size and configuration of region of interest on normalized noise power spectrum (NNPS) was investigated. Flat field images were acquired using RQA-M2 beam quality technique (Mo/Mo anode-filter, 28 kV, 2 mm Al) with different clinical radiation doses. The images were cropped at about 4 cm from the edge of the breast wall and then divided into different size of non-overlapping or overlapping segments. NNPS was determined through detrending, 2-D fast Fourier transformation and normalization. Our measurement shows that high radiation dose gave lower NNPS at a specific beam quality.

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

Conclusions. There are gender differences when it comes to the risk factors for sleep apnea. Large tonsils, a high tongue and a wide uvula are risk factors for sleep apnea in men, while large tonsils and a retrognathic mandible are risk factors in women. Upper airway abnormalities including mandibular retrognathia are, however, unable to predict sleep apnea among snorers being investigated for suspected sleep apnea. Objectives. To identify gender-specific risk factors for obstructive sleep apnea and the diagnostic performance from physical upper airway examinations among snoring men and women investigated because of suspected sleep apnea. Patients and methods. The dimensions of the uvula, tonsils, velopharynx and tongue, and nasal septal deviation, mandibular position, neck circumference, ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Currently, x-ray mammography is the method of choice in breast cancer screening programmes. As the mammography technology moves from 2D imaging modalities to 3D, conventional computational phantoms do not have sufficient detail to support the studies of these advanced imaging systems. Studies of these 3D imaging systems call for a realistic and sophisticated computational model of the breast. DeBRa (Detailed Breast model for Radiological studies) is the most advanced, detailed, 3D computational model of the breast developed recently for breast imaging studies. A DeBRa phantom can be constructed to model a compressed breast, as in film/screen, digital mammography and digital breast tomosynthesis studies, or a non-compressed breast as in positron emission mammography and breast CT studies. Both the cranial-caudal and mediolateral oblique views can be modelled. The anatomical details inside the phantom ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

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 ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Audible noise from corona discharge had been identified as one of the most important factors in the design of conductor configurations for high-voltage transmission lines. 500 kV and above. Therefore this paper describes audible noise characteristics of 6 X 480 mm{sup 2} conductor bundle in KEPRI 765 kV Test Line and Corona Cage. Prediction formula for audible(corona) noise on a 765 kV Transmission Line was developed using this results. (author). 4 refs., 4 figs., 4 tabs.

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

Background: Incidence, characteristics and predictive factors of transient ST-segment changes after DC shock are poorly known. Methods: 91 consecutive pts referred for external cardioversion of atrial fibrillation (AF) (61 men, 69+/-10yo) were prospectively included. The presence of ST elevation or depression was assessed on 12 lead-ECG immediately after the first DC shock. Correlations with DC shock characteristics (monophasic/biphasic and energy), clinical variables, echocardiographic parameters, biological parameters, medications, anesthesic drugs as well with morphological features were made. Results: 18 and 20 pts underwent 200J or 300J monophasic and 53 pts 200J biphasic DC shocks. We found an incidence of 48% for ST-segment changes: 35% for ST elevation and 13% for ST depression. ST...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

Spindle cell sarcomas consist of tumors with different biological features, of which distant metastasis is the most ominous sign for a poor prognosis. However, metastasis is difficult to predict on the basis of current histopathological analyses. We have identified actin filament-associated protein 1-like 1 (AFAP1L1) as a candidate for a metastasis-predicting marker from the gene expression profiles of 65 spindle cell sarcomas. A multivariate analysis determined that AFAP1L1 was an independent factor for predicting the occurrence of distant metastasis (P=0.0001), which was further confirmed in another set of 41 tumors by a quantitative mRNA expression analysis. Immunohistochemical staining using paraffin-embedded tumor tissues revealed that the metastasis-free rate was significantly better...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Research highlights: #-># The building occupancy affecting the cooling load prediction is studied. #-># PENN model is adopted in this study for predicting the building cooling load. #-># Statistical approach is adopted to result a less prejudice prediction performance. #-># Results show that occupancy data can significantly improve the prediction. -- Abstract: Building cooling load prediction is one of the key factors in the success of energy-saving measures. Many computational models available in the industry today have been developed from either forward or inverse modeling approaches. However, most of these models require extensive computer resources and involve lengthy computation. This paper discusses the use of data-driven intelligent approaches, a probabilistic entropy-based neural (PENN) model to predict the cooling load ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The g factors of the 2_1"+ states in sup(84,86,88)Sr have been deduced using the thin-foil transient field technique with the field calibration of the Rutgers group. The values are g("8"4Sr)= + 0.419(47), g("8"6Sr)= + 0.273(50) and g("8"8Sr)= + 1.15(17). The mean lifetimes of the 2_1"+ states in sup(86,88)Sr were determined by the Doppler-shift attenuation method to be 2.10(22) ps and 0.219(23) ps respectively. The g factor and lifetime results are compared with shell model and interacting boson model predictions. (author).

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SZI global distribution due to biogeochemical cycle in environment reservoirs has been studied. It is shown that during the operation of nuclear fuel cycle facilities and at a modern level of the decontamination factor the SZI concentration in some natural media (soil, the Earth biosphere, ocean mixing layer) will increase by 4-5 orders. Recommended gradual increase of the decontamnation factor in time for conserving the SZI concentration level not exceeding one order in comparison with modern one is given. At that to the end of the century the decontamination factor must be of an order of 1 x 10U in the case of SZI intake to the ocean mixing layer and of 1 x 10V in the case of its intake to the atmosphere.

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

Aim To better define the indications for adrenalectomy for adrenal metastasis we have analysed factors predicting survival in our institutional series. Methods A consecutive series of 30 patients undergoing adrenalectomy for metastasis (1996-2007), excluding patients with simultaneous ipsilateral renal cell carcinoma (RCC), was studied. Metastases were regarded as synchronous (6 mo), depending on the interval after primary surgery. Survival was calculated from time of adrenalectomy and factors influencing survival were identified. Results The tumour diagnoses were RCC n = 9, malignant melanoma n = 5, non-small-cell lung cancer n = 5, colorectal carcinoma n = 4, foregut carcinoid n = 2, adrenocortical carcinoma, breast cancer, hepatocellular carcinoma, urothelial c...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

BackgroundAlthough self-expandable metal stent (SEMS) insertion is widely used for relief of malignant colorectal obstructions, the immediate technical and clinical failure rates of SEMSs and the associated risk factors remain largely unknown. ObjectiveTo identify rates and factors predictive of technical and clinical failure of SEMSs when their use is attempted for the decompression of malignant colorectal obstruction. DesignRetrospective chart review. SettingA tertiary-care academic medical center in South Korea. PatientsThis study involved a total of 412 patients with malignant colorectal obstruction in whom SEMS insertion was attempted. InterventionPlacement of colonic SEMSs. Main Outcome MeasurementsTechnical success and immediate and long-term clinical success rates. ResultsTechnical...

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Transverse form factors have been extracted for the low-lying neutron hole (particle) states of /sup 207/Pb from inelastic-electron-scattering data. A systematic, multipolarity-and momentum-transfer-independent quenching of approx.55% in the transverse amplitude is observed when compared with single particle predictions for both electric and magnetic transitions. The magnitude of the observed effect is not readily explained by our present theoretical understanding of this nucleus.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

An original evaluating method of gain degradation has been found for neutron irradiated transistors. It establishes a correlation between degradation and the product of two coefficients: spectra factor and an electrical parameter which is measured or directly deduced from manufacturer's data. Equivalence for several type of spectra (fission, 14MeV and degradation sensitivity to electrical parameters values of individual components of a batch are obtained.

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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, lateral shear and ...

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The Flory model is applied to predict the isobaric expansion coefficients, {alpha}{sub P}, isentropic, {kappa}{sub S}, and isothermal, {kappa}{sub T}, compressibilities and speeds of sound, u, of the highly complex mixtures: hydroxyether + alkane, + dibutylether, + 1-butanol or + 2-methoxyethanol, 1-alkanol + alkane, and 1-alkanol + dibutylether. Predictions were obtained using the energetic parameter, {chi}{sub 12}, determined from values of excess enthalpies, H{sup E}, and from values of the excess isochoric internal energies, U{sub V}{sup E}, at equimolar composition. No meaningful differences exist between such predictions. Deviations between experimental and calculated values are lower than 2% for mixtures containing alkoxyethanols. Poorer results are obtained for 1-alkanol + dibutylether mixtures with deviations up to 5%. It is shown that predictions on {alpha}{sub P}, {kappa}{sub S}, {kappa}{sub ...

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Predictions for E2, M1, and M4 transition rates and moments, together with examples of transition-charge densities, are presented for states of N = 50 nuclei. These predictions are based on one-body spectroscopic amplitudes obtained from the wave functions of a new N = 50 shell-model calculation which incorporates the 0f/sub 5/2/, 1p/sub 3/2/, 1p/sub 1/2/, and 0g/sub 9/2/ single-particle orbits and an empirically determined effective Hamiltonian for this space. The predictions are compared with experimental data, first in order to evaluate how well the model space, as applied by this Hamiltonian, accounts for observations, and then to assess the importance of configurations excluded from the model space and to determine the values of the operator renormalizations (effective charges and effective g factors) which optimally map the theoretical results onto the corresponding experimental values.

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The predicted results of INDAC code were compared with measured {sup 3}H concentrations in air and pine-needle around the Wolsung site. The optimal sets of input data to INDAC were in addition selected by comparing the measured values with the predicted values of INDAC based on various conditions such as the release modes of effluents into the environment, the classification of wind classes, and the consideration of terrain. The predicted {sup 3}H concentrations in air and pine-needle were shown to have good agreement with measured values, although there are some limitations such as uncertainties in measured values, complex topology around the site, and the land-sea breeze effects. The assumption on the {sup 3}H behavior in vegetables or plants that the ratio of {sup 3}H concentration in plant water to {sup 3}H concentration in atmospheric water is 1/2 was shown to be conservative in terms of the audit calculation performed ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

We summarize the predictions of different models for total #gamma##gamma# cross-sections. The experimentally observed rise of #sigma#_#gamma#_#gamma# with s radical _#gamma#_#gamma#, faster than that for #sigma#_p_-_b_a_r_p, #sigma#_#gamma#_p is in agreement with the predictions of the Eikonalized Minijet Models as opposed to those of the Regge-Pomeron models. We then show that a measurement of #sigma#_#gamma#_#gamma# with an accuracy of < or approx. 8-9% (6-7%) is necessary to distinguish among different Regge-Pomeron type models (the different parameterisations of the EMM models) and a precision of < or approx. 20% is required to distinguish the predictions of the EMMs and of those models which treat 'photon like a proton', for the energy range 300< s radical_#gamma#_#gamma# <500 GeV. We further show that the difference in model predictions for #sigma#_#gamma#_#gamma# of about a ...

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A computer-aided detection (CAD) system was evaluated for its ability to detect microcalcifications and masses on images obtained with a digital phase-contrast mammography (PCM) system, a system characterised by the sharp images provided by phase contrast and by the high resolution of 25-{mu}m-pixel mammograms. Fifty abnormal and 50 normal mammograms were collected from about 3,500 mammograms and printed on film for reading on a light box. Seven qualified radiologists participated in an observer study based on receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. The average of the areas under ROC curve (AUC) values for the ROC analysis with and without CAD were 0.927 and 0.897 respectively (P = 0.015). The AUC values improved from 0.840 to 0.888 for microcalcifications (P = 0.034) and from 0.947 to 0.962 for masses (P = 0.025) respectively. The application of CAD to the PCM system is a promising approach for the detection of breast cancer in its early stages. (orig.)

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The authors give a survey of the somatic radiation risk in X-ray diagnostics. A somatic dose index is calculated for different examination methods containing the organ doses to the red bone marrow, the lung, the female breast, and the thyroid gland and evaluating their somatic significance. If this somatic dose index by which the individual radiation risk is described, is multiplied by the examination frequencies per year in the German Federal Republic, one gets the somatically significant dose index, which is a measure of the collective somatic radiation risk. In this sense, mammography has the highest, and dental radiography the lowest collective radiation risk.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

During the last decade there was a growing interest on the application of Positron Emission Tomography, PET, techniques to Breast Imaging. More recently, preliminary results suggested the use of dedicated devices to Breast Imaging using the same technique, the so-called Positron Emission Mammography cameras, PEM. In this article we review the arguments leading to a dedicated instrument. Based on these arguments we describe the concept of a PEM camera under development within the Crystal Clear Collaboration and the first results of its expected performance in terms of sensitivity and position resolution.

Science.gov (United States)

Light composite sandwich panels are increasingly used in automobiles, ships and aircraft, because of the advantages they offer of high strength-to-weight ratios. However, the acoustical properties of these light and stiff structures can be less desirable than those of equivalent metal panels. These undesirable properties can lead to high interior noise levels. A number of researchers have studied the acoustical properties of honeycomb and foam sandwich panels. Not much work, however, has been carried out on foam-filled honeycomb sandwich panels. In this dissertation, governing equations for the forced vibration of asymmetric sandwich panels are developed. An analytical expression for modal densities of symmetric sandwich panels is derived from a sixth-order governing equation. A boundary element analysis model for the sound transmission loss of symmetric sandwich panels is proposed. Measurements of the modal density, total loss factor, radiation loss ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Radioimmunotherapy (RIT) is a new treatment option for patients with non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). Response to RIT currently remains difficult to predict using conventional prognostic factors and could be refined using functional imaging. The goal of this work is to evaluate the value of 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography (PET) in predicting response to Yttrium 90-labeled monoclonal antibodies for patients with NHL. Thirty-five patients with NHL who had undergone 18F-FDG PET prior to RIT with either 90Y-ibritumomab tiuxetan (group A; n=17) or 90Y-epratuzumab tetraxetan (group B; n=18) were included in this retrospective study. Four functional criteria were determined for each tumour lesion in a given patient: maximum and mean standard uptake values (SUVmax and SUVmean), functional lesion volume (LVol) and total lesion glycolysis (TLG, product of the volume and the SUVmean). For each patient, we ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

With the preeminence of A-15 superconducting multifilamentary wires in magnet technology, it has become important to understand the thermodynamic factors influencing the formation of these compounds under solid-state reaction conditions. The six systems Nb--Sn, Nb--Ga, Nb--Ge, Nb--Al, V--Si, and V--Ga were prepared as single filament bronze wires and heat treated in an attempt to precipitate the appropriate A-15 compound. The compounds observed to form were categorized using a formation temperature ratio (stability index) based on the melting temperatures of the constituents which make up the single filament composites. This study has led to several predictions regarding the formation of A-15 compounds using a solid-state bronze diffusion technique. The results of experimentation based on these predictions are presented.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

A photoacoustic (PA) imaging system based on an ultrasonic Fresnel zone plate (FZP) transducer is developed for the purpose of imaging biological tissue. This FZP transducer has a two-zone negative zone plate piezoelectric material pattern, and an optical fibre is integrated with the transducer on the symmetric axis of the zone plates to deliver laser pulses to the sample. The focal characteristic of the FZP transducer is analysed by theoretical prediction and experimental measurement, and the measured results are in good agreement with the predicted results. The limited-field back-projection deconvolution algorithm combined with the coherence-factor weighting technique is used to reconstruct the optical absorption distribution. The experiments were performed with phantoms and the blood vessels of chicken embryo chorioallantoic membrane. The results demonstrate that PA imaging using the FZP transducer has the ability to ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Present day mammography has not been able to make use of the advantages of digital luminescence radiography because of the limited spatial resolution. The recent development of electromagnetic focusing X-ray tube with effective focal spot sizes from 0.04 to 0.12 mm allows radiographic direct magnification with less geometric blur. It is now possible to combine direct magnification mammography with digital luminescence radiography. By combining high quality storage phosphor screens with an HQ-workstation a spatial resolution of 8 lp/mm is possible for 1.7-fold magnification. For 4-fold spot magnification views spatial resolution can be theoretically increased to approx. 20 lp/mm. One important advantage of digital radiography is the possibility of image-postprocessing. This article presents two sets of standard parameters and three sets of image dependent parameters for better imaging of specific lesions, such as microcalcifications. The ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

With using artificial neural networks (ANNs), an analytical study related to the heated length effect on critical heat flux (CHF) has been carried out to make an improvement of the CHF prediction accuracy based on local condition correlations or table. It has been carried out to suggest a feasible criterion of the threshold length-to-diameter (L/D) value in which heated length could affect CHF. And within the criterion, a L/D correction factor has been developed through conventional regression. In order to validate the developed L/D correction factor, CHF experiments for various heated lengths have been carried out under low and intermediate pressure conditions. The developed threshold L/D correlation provides a new feasible criterion of L/D threshold value. The developed correction factor gives a reasonable accuracy for the original database, showing the error of -2.18% for average and 27.75% for RMS, ...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

Soil erodibility (the K factor in the Universal Soil Loss Equation, USLE) is an important index to measure soil susceptibility to water erosion, and an essential parameter needed for soil erosion prediction. To evaluate the appropriateness of the nomograph and other methods for estimating the K factor for the USLE and to develop a relationship for soil erodibility estimation for Chinese soils, a set of soil erodibility values was calculated using soil loss data from natural runoff plots at 13 sites in eastern China. The definition of soil erodibility in relation to the USLE was strictly followed. Comparing these measured values to those estimated using the nomograph method, the method adopted for the EPIC model and the formula of Shirazi and Boersma, we found that all these estimated soil ...

Science.gov (United States)

Enhanced heat transfer in curved rectangular channels depends on at least two geometric factors, the radius of curvature of the duct and the aspect ratio, which is the width/depth ratio of the duct. In this work, an expression for optimum aspect ratio is derived mathematically from a correlation that includes both aspect ratio and bend curvature parameters. Enhancement factors are developed that show optimal, near-optimal, and nonoptimal aspect ratios for curved rectangular ducts. Predicted enhancements are within 25% of published literature results for individual designs, two of which show heat transfer enhancement of 200% over that of a straight duct with turbulent flow. The theoretical maximum enhancement is shown to be about 480% over a straight-duct, turbulent-flow situation. This is not achievable in practice, but near-optimal solutions are achievable, yielding enhancements on the order of 200--300%.

CERN Document Server

Utilizing form factors calculated within the light-cone sum rules, we have evaluated the decay branching ratios of $B_s\\to \\phi\\gamma$ and $B_s\\to \\phi \\ell^+\\ell^-$ in a single universal extra dimension model (UED), which is viewed as one of the alternative theories beyond the standard model (SM). For the decay $B_s \\to \\phi \\ell^+\\ell^-$, the dilepton invariant mass spectra, the forward-backward asymmetry, and double lepton polarization are also calculated. For each case, we compared the obtained results with predictions of the SM. In lower values of the compactification factor 1/R, the only parameter in this model, we see the considerable discrepancy between the UED and SM models. However, when 1/R increases, the results of UED tend to diminish and at $1/R = 1000 \\mathrm{GeV}$, two models have approximately the same predictions. Compared with data from CDF of $B_s \\to \\phi \\mu^+ ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

E-35 reported the specific air flow analysis program using a CFSV model (including a human body model) to develop a high-accuracy evaluation simulator for heterogeneous thermal environment based on human thermal physiological conditions. E-36 reported development of the radiation heat transfer analysis module by using a numerical integral method to calculate shape factors. Radiation heat transfer characteristics every body part were clarified quantitatively by this module. E-37 reported the results on continuous measurement of physiological conditions and thermal environment factors every monitor under controlled indoor thermal environment, to collect measurement data necessary for improving the accuracy of a prediction program for human body temperatures. E-38 reported the study result on physiological reaction and subjective evaluation through an examinee experiment in a blood controlled region, to collect basic data for ...

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The results from a hot test, using authentic HLLW solution, of the CTH actinide separation process are reported. The process consists of three solvent extraction cycles for separation of actinides and technetium from reprocessing high level liquid waste, utilizing HDEHP, TBP, and HDEHP in sequence, and an optional step for sorption on inorganic ion exchangers of the fission product content in the process raffinate. In general the process worked according to predictions but a malfunctioning feed pump gave a 10% loss of Pu to one stream. The hot test indicating that U and Pu can be recovered with losses below 0.1% and Am, Cm with a loss below 0.2%. Np and Tc were difficult to follow because of the low activity of /sup 237/Np and because /sup 99/Tc is a pure beta emitter, but the results indicate that also these elements behaved according to predictions, i.e., that recoveries >= 99.8% for Np and >= 97% for Tc can be achieved. For the HLLW ...

Science.gov (United States)

The effects of variable hardness, pH, alkalinity, humics, and suspended clay on the chemical speciation of copper and its toxicity to fathead minnow larvae in Lake Superior water were investigated. Two proposed methods (toxicity factors and chemical speciation) for predicting LC50 values in specific natural waters from laboratory toxicity data and the average site specific values of general water quality parameters were evaluated. The accuracy of the cupric ion-selective electrode in determining CU/sup +2/ activities in ambient and chemically altered Lake Superior water was also determined.

Science.gov (United States)

This paper reports that, to obtain better simulation results for a Canada deuterium uranium (CANDU) reactor operation, a new simulation method is developed that uses actual detector readings as a correction factor. Detector readings from a CANDU reactor are used to correct the calculated flux distribution during core calculation iterations. A suitable function is found to describe the relationship between the detector flux and the fluxes of mesh points around the detector. The new simulation method is tested by performing numerical calculations for the Wolsung reactor (a CANDU-600). The results show that the new method predicts the core state more accurately with fewer iterations.

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

In a study of hitchhiking or contaminating insect pests on international cargo aircraft at Miami International Airport from 1998 to 1999, it was found that contamination rates were greatest, 23%, on cargo flights from Central America and much lower, near 5%, on flights from all other regions. We reanalyzed the study data to test for associations between contaminated flights and factors such as season, cargo type, and time of departure (night or day), and developed probabilistic models for predicting insect pest arrivals by region and pest risk levels. Significant (P

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

We investigate the quantum cosmology of spatially homogeneous models with compact spatial sections admitting a u(2) isometry algebra. The metric ansatz in these models is that of Bianchi type IX with two scale factors set to be equal. We apply the Hartle-Hawking no-boundary path integral prescription and find the semi-classical contributions to the wave function. Exact formulae are obtainable for certain contributions and otherwise the limits of large and small anisotropy (for the pure vacuum case) and large spatial volume or small anisotropy (for the case with a positive cosmological constant) are considered. For the pure vacuum case we find no rapidly oscillating semiclassical components in the wave function, and hence do not recover lorentzian space-time as a prediction of the no-boundary proposal. For the case with a cosmological constant the wave function does contain rapidly oscillating components and thus predicts ...

CERN Document Server

We examine the effect of a threshold bias on the power spectrum and the bispectrum in an ensemble of numerical simulations (Gaussian initial perturbations with power law spectra P(k) \\sim k^n, n=+1, 0, -1, -2) and compare our results with theoretical predictions. Our simulations are evolved sufficiently that on the scale where we apply the threshold the rms fluctuation has developed significantly into the nonlinear regime. Thus, predictions based on perturbation theory do not necessarily apply. Nevertheless, we find our results for the power spectrum, biased power simply amplified by a numerical factor, follow predicted trends, far beyond the regime where perturbation theory is expected to be valid. We find that the biased bispectrum continues to follow the so-called hierarchical form, with reduced three-point amplitude Q \\approx 1 in the strongly nonlinear regime, independent of initial spectrum. In ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Debris coolability in the lower plenum of the reactor pressure vessel is an important factor for evaluation of debris in-vessel retention. The debris coolability analysis module is developed for the accurate prediction of the safety margin of the present reactor vessels in a severe accident. The module calculates debris spreading and cooling through melting and solidification in combination with a temperature distribution and failure evaluation of the vessel wall. Debris spreading is solved by the explicit method on a quasi-three-dimensional scheme and debris coolability is solved on the basis of natural convection analysis. The calculation for spreading is compared with a water spreading experiment on the floor and the calculation for coolability is compared with a n-octadecane melting experiment in a rectangular vessel. The comparisons show capabilities for predictions of spearhead transportation in the debris spreading ...

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The response of MOS capacitors to low- and medium-energy x-ray irradiation is investigated as a function of gate material (TaSi or Al), oxide thickness, and electric field. Measured device response is compared with predictions based on discrete ordinates and Monte Carlo code simulations of dose enhancement effects, coupled with recent estimates of electron-hole recombination in MOS oxides. In comparisons of 10-keV x-ray and Co-60 irradiations of Al-gate MOS capacitors at an oxide electric field of 1 MV/cm, it is found that predictions and experiments agree to within better than 20 percent for oxide thicknesses ranging from 35 to 1060 nm. For capacitors having TaSi/Al gates, predictions and experiments agree to within better than 30 percent at 1 MV/cm, with the largest differences occurring for 35-nm gate oxides. At other electric fields, the disagreement between experiment and prediction increases ...

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We describe a model of damage in rf cavities and show how this damage can limit cavity operation. We first present a review of mechanisms that may or may not affect the ultimate fields that can be obtained in rf cavities, assuming that mechanical stress explains the triggers of rf breakdown events. We present a method of quantifying the surface damage caused by breakdown events in terms of the spectrum of field enhancement factors, Beta, for asperities on the surface. We then model an equilibrium that can develop between damage and conditioning effects, and show how this equilibrium can determine cavity performance and show experimental evidence for this mechanism. We define three functions that quantify damage, and explain how the parameters that determine this performance can be factored out and measured. We then show how this model can quantitatively explain the dependence of cavity performance on material, frequency, pulse length, gas, ...

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Pyrolysis of Greek fir wood samples in a fluidized bed reactor was studied. The experimental conditions selected control the yield of gaseous, liquid and solid products. The factors examined were: pyrolysis temperature, mean particle size, pressure, residence time of volatiles, lignin content of biomass and moisture content. The experiments were performed on the basis of a 12-run Plackett-Burman fractional factorial design. Statistical analysis of the data showed that the pyrolysis temperature is the main factor affecting the distribution of the yields of liquids, their phenolic fraction and gases in the range of experimental conditions tested. Empirical expressions were obtained from linear regression giving the yields of liquids, phenols and gases in terms of temperature. The maximum predicted yields were 56 and 12 wt.% on a moisture-free basis at 520 C and 545 C for liquids and phenols, respectively. The yield of gases ...

Science.gov (United States)

To illustrate the implementation of a bottom-up approach to the study of culture in health disparities, this article describes the development of a cultural cancer screening scale (CCSS) using mixed methodologies. The aim was to identify cultural factors relevant to breast and cervical cancer screening, develop an instrument to assess them and examine its preliminary psychometric properties among Latin American (Latino) and non-Latino White (Anglo) women in Southern California. Seventy-eight Latino and Anglo women participated in semi-structured interviews, which were content coded based on Triandis' methods for the analysis of subjective culture. Based on the emerging cultural elements, items relevant to cancer screening were developed and pilot tested with 161 participants. After the instrument was refined, 314 Latino and Anglo women from various socioeconomic backgrounds completed the CCSS and data were factor analyzed resulting in five ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Intracapsular femoral neck fractures remain unsolved fractures even after improvement in techniques of diagnosis and internal fixation. Individuals who sustain displaced femoral neck fractures are at high risk of developing avascular necrosis and non-union. Although several methods for predicting the viability of femoral head have been reported, they are not effective or widely used because of unreliability, potential complications and technical difficulties. Dynamic MRI was introduced in the recent past as a simple, non-invasive technique to predict the femoral head viability after the femoral neck fractures. In this study role of dynamic MRI was studied in 30 patients with 31 intracapsular femoral neck fractures. Fractures were divided in to three types according to dynamic curve patterns on MRI evaluation and were followed up for 6 months to 2 years to observe the final outcome. Sensitivity, Specificity and the Accuracy of dynamic MRI in ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Carcinogenesis is now generally recognized to be an important detrimental effect in man after low dose irradiation. The carcinogenic action of ionizing radiation is clearly demonstrated after exposure to relatively high doses (in excess of 0.5 Gy) but for lower dose levels reliable direct observations are not available. With the introduction of special protocols for the performance of large scale screening programs by mammography the average absorbed dose in glandular tissue in the average breast can be restricted to a value of 3 mGy per mammogram. The risk for tumor induction after exposure to these low doses can never be established from human epidemiology. In order to investigate the risk of repeated exposure to small dose of ionizing radiation the induction of mammary tumors has been investigated in rats of the WAG/Rij strain after single and fractionated irradiations with gamma-rays. (author). 8 refs., 3 figs.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

No abstract prepared.

Science.gov (United States)

PMID:16589753

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The relative potencies of 20 polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were studied in a chicken embryo hepatocyte system. The 20 congeners were selected according to a full 2{sup 4}-factorial design based on the principal properties of all 154 tetra- through heptachlorinated PCBs. The principal properties were obtained using principal component analysis (PCA) on a multitude of different physico-chemical properties of the PCBs. Toxic equivalency factors (TEFs) were determined for seven out of the twenty PCB congeners, viz. PCB{number_sign}41, PCB{number_sign}60, PCB{number_sign}78, PCB{number_sign}126, PCB{number_sign}169, PCB{number_sign}190, and PCB{number_sign}193, which elicit measurable catalytic ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylase (EROD) activity in the chicken hepatocytes. A multivariate quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) was developed by using partial least-squares to latent variables (PLS) in order to model the relationship between the set of ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

In the hypothetical event of a severe accident in a Light Water Reactor, scenarios in which the reactor pressure vessel (RPV) fails and the core melt mixture (called corium) relocates into the reactor cavity, cannot be excluded. The viscosity (in fact, corium rheological behaviour) plays a major role in many phenomena such as core melt down, discharge from reactor pressure vessel, interaction with structural materials (concrete,...) and spreading in a core-catcher. For these reasons, it is important to be able to predict the rheological behaviour of corium melts of different compositions (essentially based on UO{sub 2}, ZrO{sub 2}, Fe{sub x}O{sub y} and Fe for in-vessel scenarios, plus SiO{sub 2} and CaO for ex-vessel scenarios) at temperatures above solidus temperature. In the case of corium-concrete mixtures, the increase of viscosity depends not only on the increase of particles in the melts but also on the increase of the residual liquid phase viscosity (due to ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Purpose: To evaluate the outcomes of patients with Ewing's sarcoma family of tumors (ESFT) treated with modern radiotherapy techniques with MRI along with optimal chemotherapy. Methods and Materials: The records of all 60 patients with ESFT who received radiation to the primary site between 1990 and 2004 were reviewed. All patients received chemotherapy, including vincristine, doxorubicin, cyclophosphamide, ifosfamide, and etoposide. Radiation was used as the sole modality for local control in 31 patients and was given either before (n = 3) or after surgical resection (n = 26) in the remainder. All patients had MRI and CT scan-based treatment planning, and 43% received intensity-modulated radiation therapy. Radiation doses ranged from 30 Gy to 60 Gy (median, 51 Gy), and 35% received hyperfractionated radiotherapy. Results: Median age was 16 years (range, 2-40 years). Because of selection bias for radiotherapy, the majority of primary tumors were centrally located (72%): spine (n = 18), ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

We summarize the predictions of different models for total {gamma}{gamma} cross-sections. The experimentally observed rise of {sigma}{sub {gamma}}{sub {gamma}} with s radical {sub {gamma}}{sub {gamma}}, faster than that for {sigma}{sub p-barp}, {sigma}{sub {gamma}}{sub p} is in agreement with the predictions of the Eikonalized Minijet Models as opposed to those of the Regge-Pomeron models. We then show that a measurement of {sigma}{sub {gamma}}{sub {gamma}} with an accuracy of < or approx. 8-9% (6-7%) is necessary to distinguish among different Regge-Pomeron type models (the different parameterisations of the EMM models) and a precision of < or approx. 20% is required to distinguish the predictions of the EMMs and of those models which treat 'photon like a proton', for the energy range 300< s radical{sub {gamma}}{sub {gamma}} <500 GeV. We further show that the difference in ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

In the development of the man-made island siting technology of nuclear power plants, assessing the stability of the seawall against large ocean waves and earthquakes is indispensable. Concerning with the seismic stability of the seawall, prediction of the deformation like sliding and settlement of the seawall during earthquake including the armour units in front of the caisson becomes important factor. For this purpose, the authors have developed the two-dimensional DEM-FEM coupled analysis method (SEAWALL-2D) to predict the deformation of the seawall covered with the armour units during earthquake. In this method, movements of the armour units are calculated in DEM analysis part and deformation of the caisson, rubble moundsand seabed and back fill are calculated in FEM analysis part taking the nonlinearity of the soil materials based on the effective stress into account. Numerical simulations of dynamic centrifuge model ...

CERN Document Server

Empirical birthrate estimates for pulsar binaries depend on the fraction of sky subtended by the pulsar beam: the pulsar beaming fraction. This fraction depends on both the pulsar's opening angle and the misalignment angle between its spin and magnetic axes. Previous estimates use the average value for only two pulsars, i.e. PSRs B1913+16 and B1534+12. We explore how birthrate predictions depend on assumptions about opening angle and alignment, using empirically-motivated distributions to define an effective beaming correction factor, f_{b,eff}. For most known pulsars, we expect f_{b,eff} to be less than 6. We also calculate f_{b,eff} for PSRs J0737-3039A and J1141-6545, applying the currently available constraints for their beam geometry. Our median posterior birthrate predictions for tight PSR-NS binaries, wide PSR-NS binaries, and tight PSR-WD binaries are 89/Myr, 0.84/Myr, and 34/Myr, respectively. For pulsars with spin ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

This paper presents an overview of issues related to surface water contamination arising from uranium mining activities in the Alligator Rivers Region (ARR) of northern Australia, and a program of research and monitoring that must assess the potential and actual effects on ecosystem and human health. The program of assessing effects on aquatic ecosystems involves a four-tiered approach including the derivation of local water quality guideline trigger values, direct toxicity assessment of mine waters prior to their release, creekside or in situ monitoring for early warning of adverse effects during mine water release, and longer-term monitoring of macroinvertebrate and fish communities. Bioaccumulation in aquatic biota is also assessed, and is an issue of importance not only to ecosystem health, but also to the health of local Aboriginal people. The aquatic animals they consume represent potential sources of radiological dose, and as a result, a major component of the program to assess ...

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This report describes the results of EPRI Program S404-28, titled Experimental Modeling of Eddy Current Response'', conducted by the Westinghouse Science and Technology Center (STC). The Westinghouse STC demonstrates that its mercury modeling technique provides an unique bridge between steam generator eddy current field inspection conditions and predictions obtained using recently developed analytical models. The mercury modeling technique was used systematically to explore factors which contribute to primary water stress corrosion cracking (PWSCC) sizing inaccuracy, including probe design, coil excitation frequency, crack length, and crack morphology. Two new proposed techniques for inverting crack lengths from eddy current data are compared with the technique commonly used in field data analysis for PWSCC. The performance of uniform field eddy current probes is compared with the performance of pancake coil probe designs, and ...

Science.gov (United States)

The Process Waste Treatment Plant (PWTP) at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory is designed to remove radioactive contaminants, principally {sup 90}Sr, from process wastewater. Planned upgrades to the PWTP will use chabazite zeolite columns. Pilot-scale studies have shown that mass transfer zone lengths increase from 10 to about 30 cm as the superficial velocity increases from 5.5 to 22 cm/min. Calculations with a multicomponent equilibrium model showed that the distribution coefficient for strontium remains essentially constant over the process conditions, suggesting that a simple kinetic model (the Rosen long-bed solution) should adequately represent breakthrough behavior. Using a distribution coefficient of 4.87 L/g predicted by the equilibrium model, good agreement was found between experimental breakthrough curves and those calculated with the Rosen solution. This model allows prediction of bed depths and cycle times necessary to achieve the ...

Science.gov (United States)

Turbulent flow in a 2D channel with repeated rectangular rib roughness was numerically simulated using a low Reynolds number form of the k-epsilon turbulence model. Friction factors and average Stanton numbers were calculated for various pitch to rib height ratios and bulk Reynolds numbers. Comparisons with experiment were generally adequate, with the predictions of friction superior to those for heat transfer. The effect of variable properties for channel flow was investigated, and the results showed a greater effect for friction than for heat transfer. Comparison with experiment yielded no clear conclusions. The turbulence model was also validated for a related problem, that of flow downstream of an abrupt pipe expansion.

CERN Document Server

The predictions of the MSSM are discussed in the light of recent LEP and SLD precision data. The full supersymmetric one loop corrections to the effective weak mixing angle, experimentally determined in LEP and SLD experiments, are considered. It is demonstrated, both analytically and numerically, that, potentially dangerous, large logarithmic sparticle corrections are cancelled. The relative difference factor \\Delta k between the mixing angle defined as a ratio of couplings and the experimentally obtained angle is discussed. It is found that \\Delta k is dominated by the oblique corrections, while the non-oblique overall supersymmetric EW and SQCD corrections are negligible. The comparison of the MSSM with radiative electroweak symmetry breaking to the LEP precision data indicates that rather large values of the soft breaking parameter M_{1/2} in the region greater than 500 GeV are preferred.

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

Summary Objective- Gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT) has been reported to be useful in predicting cardiovascular disease. Arterial stiffness measured by brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) is not only a marker of vascular damage but a significant predictor of cardiovascular events. Gender difference has been reported in the association between GGT and baPWV. We assessed, therefore, the association between GGT and baPWV in a large population and determined whether there was gender difference. Design- This cross-sectional study was conducted at the Asan Medical Centre, Seoul, Republic of Korea. Subjects and measurements- Serum GGT, baPWV and conventional risk factors were measured in 10 988 apparently healthy subjects (7248 men, 3740 women) who participated in a routine health screening...

CERN Document Server

We study the renormalization group running of the tri-bimaximal mixing predicted by the two typical $S_4$ flavor models at leading order. Although the textures of the mass matrices are completely different, the evolution of neutrino mass and mixing parameters is found to display approximately the same pattern. For both normal hierarchy and inverted hierarchy spectrum, the quantum corrections to both atmospheric and reactor neutrino mixing angles are so small that can be neglected. The evolution of solar mixing angle $\\theta_{12}$ depends on $\\tan\\beta$ and mass spectrum, the deviation from its tri-bimaximal value could be large. Taking into account the renormalization group running effect, the neutrino spectrum is constrained by experimental data on $\\theta_{12}$ and the inverted hierarchy spectrum is disfavored for large $\\tan\\beta$. The evolution of light neutrino masses is approximately described by a common scaling factor.

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

Mimivirus is the prototype of a new family (the Mimiviridae) of nucleocytoplasmic large DNA viruses (NCLDVs), which already include the Poxviridae, Iridoviridae, Phycodnaviridae and Asfarviridae. Mimivirus specifically replicates in cells from the genus Acanthamoeba. Proteomic analysis of purified mimivirus particles revealed the presence of many subunits of the DNA-directed RNA polymerase II complex. A fully functional pre-transcriptional complex appears to be loaded in the virions, allowing mimivirus to initiate transcription within the host cytoplasm immediately upon infection independently of the host nuclear apparatus. To fully understand this process, a systematic study of mimivirus proteins that are predicted (by bioinformatics) or suspected (by proteomic analysis) to be involved in...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

Although previous research suggests that preamputation pain is a risk factor for pain after amputation, little is known about the association between acute postsurgical pain and chronic amputation-related pain. The current prospective study examined the associations of preamputation pain and acute postamputation pain with chronic amputation-related pain. The sample consisted of patients with lower limb amputation (N = 57) who provided both preamputation and postamputation data during a 2-year study period. Preamputation pain intensity and duration were assessed before amputation; acute phantom limb pain (PLP) and residual limb pain (RLP) intensity were assessed on postsurgical days 4 and 5. Acute PLP intensity was the only significant independent predictor of chronic PLP intensity at 6 and...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

This paper aims to provide a comprehensive review of the various models or simulations for predicting drug release from bulk-degrading systems. A brief description of bulk degradation processes and factors affecting the degradation rate, and consequently the release kinetics, is presented first. Next, several important classical models, often used as the basis for subsequent model development, are discussed. Both mathematical models and Monte-Carlo based simulations have been developed for controlled release from bulk-degrading systems. The mathematical models can be further subdivided into two categories. First, the diffusion-based models whose transport mechanism is mainly governed by diffusion, but with degradation-dependent diffusion coefficients. These are generally simpler and easier...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

Abstract Voltage sag caused by faults on an electric power transmission line is one of the most intractable power quality issues for both utility companies and customers. The fault in power system randomly exists along transmission lines due to the combination of many uncertain factors. To predict and assess the annual expected sag frequency (ESF) deriving from the faults along lines, a stochastic based method that employs maximum entropy principle, namely the maximum entropy probability method (MEPM), has been introduced in this paper. Moreover, various types of faults have been considered systematically. With the fault line intervals and the sample moments taken into account, the discrete values of distribution probability of fault locations along the transmission lines have been estimat...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

A large portion of the work performed at nuclear power plants follows standardized flow paths. For example, although components on which the maintenance crew works differ from one assignment to the next, all assignments basically follow the same process: requesting, reviewing, planning, scheduling, executing, testing, and documenting the work. In general, the term open-quotes work processclose quotes is used to refer to a standardized sequence of tasks designed within the operational environment of an organization to achieve a specific goal. The predictable nature of work processes suggests that a systematic analysis can be conducted to identify the desirable design of the process and to develop performance measures with respect to the strengths and weaknesses in the process. Furthermore, because of the close relationship of the work process to plant performance and plant safety, it is believed that such an analysis will facilitate the inclusion of organizational ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The role of shear in determining the ideal MHD stability properties of tokamaks is discussed. In particular, we assess the effects of low shear within the plasma upon pressure-driven modes. The standard ballooning theory is shown to break down, as the shear is reduced and the growth rate is shown to be an oscillatory function of n, the toroidal mode number, treated as a continuous parameter. The oscillations are shown to depend on both the pressure and safety-factor profiles. When the shear is sufficiently weak, the oscillations can result in bands of unstable n values which are present even when the standard ballooning theory predicts complete stability. These instabilities are named ''infernal modes.'' The occurrence of these instabilities at integer n is shown to be a sensitive function of q-axis, raising the possibility of a sharp onset as plasma parameters evolve. 20 refs., 31 figs.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The Level 1 probabilistic safety assessment (PSA) for Wolsong(WS) 2/3/4 nuclear power plant(NPPs) in design stage is performed using the methodologies being equivalent to PWR PSA. Accident sequence evaluation program (ASEF) human reliability analysis (HRA) procedure and technique for human error rate prediction (THERP) are used in HRA of WS 2/3/4 NPPs PSA. The purpose of this paper is to introduce the procedure and methodology of HRA in WS 2/3/4 NPPs PSA. Also, this paper describes the interim results of importance analysis for human actions modeled in WS 2/3/4 PSA and the findings and recommendations of administrative control of secondary control area from the view of human factors.

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

Intrinsic spherical aberrations of electron lenses have been the major resolution limiting factor in electron microscopes for several decades. While effective correctors have recently been implemented, an alternative to correct these aberrations is to circumvent them by scaling down lens dimensions by several orders of magnitude. We have fabricated electrostatic lenses exhibiting one micrometer diameter apertures and evaluated their beam forming properties against predictions from numerical ray tracing simulations. It turns out that it is routinely possible to shape a paraxial low-energy electron beam by such micron-sized lenses. Beam profiles have been measured both at a distant detector as well as in a plane close to the lens. It is shown that the lens can form a parallel beam extending ...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

Temperature variations due to climate changes are a major cause of movements in a concrete structure, both in the longitudinal and transversal directions and between different parts of the structure. If these movements are restrained, stresses will be induced which may contribute to cracking. The movements are caused by complex interactions of several factors such as solar radiation, air temperature, long-wave heat radiation and wind speed. To predict the varying thermal conditions in a concrete structure a finite element model has been used. A validation of the model has been performed using field measurements in a concrete slab together with climate data from the Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute to be able to use the model for simulations over long time periods and for s...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ecosystems worldwide are experiencing unprecedented nitrogen enrichment through fertilization and pollution. While longterm ecological consequences are difficult to predict, it seems that plants and animals adapted to nitrogen-limited environments are at particular risk from these changes. This report summarizes the limited body of literature which addresses this important topic. From a herbivoreAes perspective, fertilization increases the nutritional quality of host plant tissues. In some cases fertilization has lead to decreased production of defensive compounds. How this affects populations of insects is unclear because fertilization affects not only herbivores but their natural enemies. This report outlines how fertilization affects tree processes such as growth, photosynthesis, and production of defensive compounds. The many factors that affect insect repsonse to fertilization and the difficulties in assessing how fertilization affects ...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

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

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

Abstract Routinely used prognostic factors fail to predict clinical outcome in a significant proportion of breast cancer patients, implying that they can not detect some important biological characteristics. Chromosomal changes have been described in breast carcinomas for many years but their significance is not clear. We compared chromosomal changes with clinico-pathological characteristics and clinical outcome in 203 breast cancer patients with a follow-up of 9-18 years. Combining data from classical cytogenetics and flow cytometry revealed chromosomal abnormalities in 142 cases (70%). Of these, 51 (35.9%) contained two or more cytogenetically abnormal clones. Polyclonality was significantly associated with poor breast-cancer-specific survival (P = 0.03) within 5 years, independent of tu...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

The study has analysed the effects of various factors on hydroelectric power generation potential to include climate change/variability, water demand, and installation of proposed hydroelectric power schemes in the Zambezi River Basin. An assessment of historical (1970?2000) power potential in relation to climate change/variability at existing hydro electric power schemes(Cahora Bassa, Kariba, Kafue Gorge and Itezhi-Tezhi) in the Zambezi River Basin was conducted. The correlation of hydroelectric power potential with climate change/variability aimed at observing the link and extent of influence of the latter on the former was investigated. In order to predict the future outlook of hydro electric power potential, General Circulation Models (GCM) were used to generate projected precipitation...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Recent data on {eta} -meson photoproduction off a proton target in the energy range 2 {<=}{radical}(s){<=} 3 GeV are analyzed with regard to their overall consistency. Results from the ELSA and CLAS measurements are compared with predictions of a Regge model whose reaction amplitude was fixed via a global fit to pre-2000 measurements of differential cross sections and polarization observables for {gamma}p{yields}{eta}p at higher energies. We find that all recent experimental results on differential cross sections for {eta} -meson photoproduction are in good agreement with each other, except for the CLAS data from 2009. However, the latter can be made consistent with the other data at the expense of introducing an energy-dependent renormalization factor. We point out that there are indications in the data for a possible excitation of baryon resonances with masses around 2.1 and 2.4GeV. (orig.)

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

The aim of this study was the evaluation of contralateral hip fractures after a previous hip fracture. For this retrospective analysis patients were selected from the database of the LUMC, a teaching hospital in the south-west of the Netherlands. We analyzed all patients with a second fracture of a hip between 1992 and 2007. The exclusion criteria were high impact trauma and patients with diseases or medication known to have a negative effect on bone metabolism. A total of 1,604 hip fractures were identified. The possible predictive factors for the second fracture and descriptive statistics related to surgery (Hb and HT before and after the operation, total amount of intra- and postoperative blood loss, type of osteosynthesis, complications, time of death after the last fracture, time betw...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

This paper discusses a database of information collected and organized during the past eight years from 2,000 producing oil wells in the United States, all of which have been treated with special applications techniques developed to improve the effectiveness of MEOR technology. The database, believed to be the first of its kind, has been generated for the purpose of statistically evaluating the effectiveness and economics of the MEOR process in a wide variety of oil reservoir environments, and is a tool that can be used to improve the predictability of treatment response. The information in the database has also been evaluated to determine which, if any, reservoir characteristics are dominant factors in determining the applicability of MEOR.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The main goal of this paper is to present a methodology for calculating the radioactivity in the moderator and heat transport systems of Cernavoda NPP Unit 1, with the intention to improve the knowledge on the radionuclides inventories in the operational waste streams, and to aid the licensing process of new near surface repository. In the present paper we describe our methodology for estimating H-3 and C-14 production rates in the heavy-water moderator and heat transport systems using the capacity factors from 1997 to 2007 years. The radioactivity of the difficult-to-measure nuclides is predicted by scaling method using measured concentration in reference CANDU 6 reactor Gentilly-2. The difficult-to-measure radionuclides of primary interest in this study were those with long half-lives which have a significant role for post-closure safety assessment. The equation used to scale fission products (parents and daughters) is based on the ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The RADionuclide Transport, Removal, And Dose (RADTRAD) code is designed for US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (USNRC) use to calculate the radiological consequences to the offsite population and to control room operators following a design-basis accident at Light Water Reactor (LWR) power plants. This code utilizes updated reactor accident source terms published in draft NUREG-1465, ``Accident Source Terms for Light-Water Nuclear Power Plants.`` The code will track the transport of radionuclides as they are released from the reactor pressure vessel, travel through the primary containment and other buildings, and are released to the environment. As the radioactive material is transported through the primary containment and other buildings, credit for several removal mechanisms may be taken including sprays, suppression pools, overlying pools, filters, and natural deposition. Simple models are available for these different removal mechanisms that use, as input, information about the ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

This Health and Safety (HSE) document offers technical information on the design of foundations for supports in offshore installations, and relates particularly to the North Sea. It is based largely on guidance offered earlier in Section 20 of the Fourth Edition of the Health and Safety Executive's 'Offshore Installations; Guidance on Design, Construction and Certification', which was withdrawn in 1998. The document contains a general section on foundations and the rest of the document comprises sections on: (a) piled foundations (planning, problems, pile make-up, steel stresses, design of pile foundations, axial pile capacity, factors of safety for piled foundations, load-deflection of piles, and piles for tethered buoyant structures); (b) foundations for gravity structures (foundation types, loads and reactions during installation, operating loads and reactions, foundation problems, cyclic load failure, factors of ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

DF (decontamination factor) of two types of air filter was investigated against /sup 198/Au aerosol particles with AMAD (activity median aerodynamic diameter) = 1.2 ..mu..m and sigmag (geometric standard deviation) = 2.0. One of the filters, SO filter, is HEPA (high efficiency particulate air) filter media with 46 mmphi, and the other is HE-40T (cellulose-glass fiber filter for dust sampling) filter media with 40 mmphi. DF of the SO filter was found to be over 5 x 10/sup 4/ at air flow rate of 1 lmin. And DF of HE-40 T filter was determined to be 94+-4 at the same airflow rate. In the multistage HE-40 T filter system, DF decreased at each succeeding stage. It was confirmed by numerical simulation that the decrease of DF was not inconsistent with the decrease of collection performance in each successive filter. It was also confirmed that DF could be predicted by the numerical simulaiton, if particle penetration function of filter and size ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The working hypothesis of the research was that the soil of boreal forests is a large carbon store and the amount of C is still increasing in young soils, like in the forest soils of Finland, which makes these soils important sinks for atmospheric CO{sub 2}. Since the processes defining the soil C balance, primary production of plants and decomposition, are dependent on environmental factors and site properties, it was assumed that the organic carbon pool in the soil is also dependent on the same factors. The soil C store is therefore likely to change in response to climatic warming. The aim of this research was to estimate the C balance of forest soil in Finland and predict changes in the balance in response to changes in climatic conditions. To achieve the aim (1) intensive empirical experimentation on the density of C in different pools in the soil and on fluxes between the pools was done was done, (2) the effect of site ...

Science.gov (United States)

This case study, conducted from an interpretive paradigm, illuminates contextual factors related to the tutor experience when senior undergraduate dental hygiene students served as tutors for beginning undergraduate dental hygiene students, or sophomores, in a 1-semester, 2-hour long problem-based learning (PBL) course in a Baccalaureate Dental Hygiene (BDH) curriculum during the spring semester of 2008. Data were collected using various sources and methods. Six tutors and three administrators were interviewed, tutees completed an anonymous questionnaire, the tutorial process and tutor training sessions were observed, and related documents were examined. Data analysis included open and axial coding, creation of tutor profiles, and identification of patterns. Tutor behaviors varied with respect to the nature of intervention (e.g., telling, asking, clarifying, acknowledging), emphasis (process, content, social), and facilitation style (directive, suggestive, ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Early recognition of recurrence and work-up of clinically indeterminate lesions may be impaired after reconstruction with silicone implants due to superimposition of the implant or to scarring. This study was undertaken to evaluate the use of contrast-enhanced MRI in patients with silicone implant after breast cancer. Contrast-enhanded MRI was offered to 169 patients. Comparative two- to three-view mammography was also performed in 169 patients, as well as comparative sonography in 144 patients. Conventional imaging and clinical examination detected only 8/13 recurrences, whereas 12/13 were detected by MRI. One recurrence had been visible as a strongly enhancing 2-mm dot in a previous examination (2 years before), but was not called. It was therefore counted as false negative. In addition, multicentricity was detected by MRI alone in two of three cases. MRI correctly diagnosed scar tissue in all cases with indeterminate findings. However, due to false-positive ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Objective: To retrospectively evaluate the results of conservative therapy using escorpal iodine-125 (model 6711, Amershan) plaque for brachytherapy of choroidal melanoma. Materials And Methods: We evaluated 49 patients with choroidal melanoma treated at 'Hospital do Cancer', Sao Paulo, Brazil, from March 2001 to January 2003. The following clinical parameters were analyzed and correlated with local control and survival rate: gender, age, lesion dimension, treatment duration, as well as doses in apex and base of the tumors. Results: The maximum diameter and height of the base of the tumors treated were 17 mm and 12 mm, respectively. Doses at those points ranged from 213 to 463 Gy (median: 347 Gy) and 51 to 250 Gy (median: 91 Gy), respectively. The actuarial rates of ocular preservation, disease free survival and ocular preservation in 2-years were 96%, 93.5% and 96.3%, respectively. A tumor height < 6 mm was the only predictive ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

A prediction of delayed neutron yields for actinides which are important in the nuclear energy field is given. The prediction is based on a correlation related to a suggested cluster structure of the nucleus. (author).

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

This progress report consists of an article, the abstract of which follows, and apparently the references and vita from a proposal. A review of perturbation diagnostics applied to microwave resonant cavity discharges is presented. The classical microwave perturbation technique examines the shift in the resonant frequency and cavity quality factor of the resonant cavity caused by low electron density discharges. However, modifications presented here allow the analysis to be applied to discharges with electron densities beyond the limit predicted by perturbation theory. An {open_quote}exact{close_quote} perturbation analysis is presented which models the discharge as a separate dielectric, thereby removing the restrictions on electron density imposed by the classical technique. The {open_quote}exact{close_quote} method also uses measurements of the shifts in the resonant conditions of the cavity. Thirdly, an electromagnetic analysis is presented ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Identification of factors that determine individual patient risk for recurrence and progression in superficial papillary carcinoma of the bladder is a subject of extensive research as it would be a major outcome in patient management. It has been well recognized that traditional prognostic markers as tumor grade and stage are not accurate enough in predicting biological behavior. A large number of markers have been investigated as potential prognostic factors and relatively few can help in predicting outcome. Material and Methods: Forty-nine cases undergoing complete transurethral resection for primary superficial papillary transitional cell carcinoma were subjected to clinicopathologic evaluation as well as immunohistochemical staining for p53, bcl-2, cytokeratin 20 and Ki-67. The CAS-200 image analyzer was used to estimate the Ki-67 labeling index. Results: Recurrence was observed in 19 cases (38.8%) ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The purpose of this study was to assess the efficacy of MRM in providing preoperative locoregional information on patients with breast cancer. MRI was performed on 62 female breast cancer patients. A 1.5 T MR-system was used to acquire fat-suppressed T{sub 1}WI, T{sub 2}WI and dynamic-contrast-enhanced images with an SPGR pulse sequence. The extent of the cancer measured with MRM was confirmed histologically in all patients. The size obtained from MRM correlated well with the size obtained histologically, including intraductal spread of cancer (R: 0.853). As for shape, the round/oval type evident from MRM correlated more accurately (R: 0.934) than the ill-defined type associated with a linear and/or clumped enhanced area (R:0.744). The difference between the size obtained from MRM and the size obtained histologically, including IDS, was less than 15 mm in the majority of patients (93.5%). MRM accurately reveals the extent of cancer, including IDS, and is effective at providing ...

KoreaScience (Korea)

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International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

In 1995, 25,8 % of the world electricity consumption was of nuclear origin, while in the EU this figure is increased up to 50,6 %. In order to maintain and even to increase its share in the electricity generation, Nuclear Energy needs to achieve a good economic performance as a base load source when compared with its competitors, basically coal and gas fired plants. Fossil-fired generation costs have declined over the past ten years, mainly due to lower fossil fuel prices. This factor together with the recently observed tendency of higher discount rates to be applied are challenging the attractiveness of the nuclear energy. Nuclear energy is a capital intensive option. Taken into account extensive standardization programs has been established aiming at cost reductions as well as to increase efficiency of nuclear energy utilization, among their main purposes. Externalities play an important role, as they are already internalized in nuclear generation costs. This is ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

In order to practice design-by-analysis of thermohydraulics design of BWR fuel rod bundles, the subchannel analysis would play a major role. There, one of the immediate concerns is improvement in its predictive capability of boiling transition phenomena on the fuel rod surface. This capability strongly depends on the modeling of thermohydraulics phenomena of interests: 1) vapor-liquid redistribution by inter-subchannel exchanges due to the diversion cross flow, turbulent mixing and void drift, 2) liquid film behaviors, 3) transition of two-phase flow regimes, 4) droplet entrainment and deposition and 5) spacer-droplet interactions. These are considered to be five key factors in understanding the BT in BWR fuel rod bundles. This paper describes a progress and current status in the second year of the three year project on developing generalized boiling transition models with the above five key factors being focused on. A ...

KoreaScience (Korea)

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International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) grown Ge nanodots are found to come in a clear trimodal island distribution of huts, pyramids, and domes when grown on (001)Si at 550 deg. C. The island types appear in this order as Ge coverage increases and for a certain coverage all three types are found to coexist at this growth temperature. Previously Ge nanodots have mostly been divided into huts and domes at growth temperatures below 600 deg. C, or pyramids and domes above 600 deg. C. The (105) faceted pyramidal and elongated huts and the multifaceted domes are well known, but a distinction has not previously been seen between huts and a separate size distribution of similarly (105)-faceted pyramidal nanodots twice the size of huts, at temperatures below 600 deg. C. The 20-25 nm wide huts also appear to be the smallest obtainable self-assembled Ge dots on (001)Si, in accordance with predictions based on Si_1_-_xGe_x nanodots on (001)Si. They are about a ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

A thermal-resistant radiation sensing system using optical fiber has been developed. The system is for monitoring progress of chemical decontamination and able to measure the gamma-ray level in a hot solution of decontamination chemicals in situ. Our sensor head makes use of thermal-resistant NaI (T1) and it is connected to an optical fiber bundle. Scintillation photons pass from the NaI (T1) into the end of the bundle. This part of the system can withstand temperatures of over 100degC. At the far end of the optical fiber bundle, the scintillation photons are converted into fluorescent photons using a wavelength-shifting fiber. These photons are transferred to a distant photomultiplier tube through two thin transparent optical fibers. Furthermore, we propose a self-compensation technique for the dependence of scintillator sensitivity on. This compensation method is based on the correlation between temperature, sensitivity, and scintillation decay time. We have confirmed that it enables ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yield stress elevations (#DELTA##sigma#_y) in pressure vessel steels irradiated at intermediate flux and fluence systematically decreased with increasing temperature and decreasing copper and nickel content. Lower stress relief temperature also decreased #DELTA##sigma#_y at bulk copper concentrations greater than about 0.3%. The dependence of #DELTA##sigma#_y on irradiation temperature between 260 and 316 C increased with copper and nickel content and decreased with phosphorus content. When normalized by the average #DELTA##sigma#_y, the fractional temperature dependence correlates with a simple empirical chemistry factor of copper and phosphorus. The correlation predicts data on the irradiation temperature dependence of #DELTA##sigma#_y found in the literature within a standard error of about 0.3 MPa/degree C and is consistent with current understanding of hardening mechanisms. However, questions remain about the effects at very low flux and ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The primary E1, M1 and E2 ..gamma..-radiation in /sup 87,88,89/Sr observed after thermal neutron capture was compared with the predictions of single particle and giant resonance models. The nuclei feature a wide range of neutron binding energies between 6.3 and 11.1 MeV, which makes a 5.5 MeV spectrum of primary transition energies available for investigation. The (n, ..gamma..) reaction was used to estimate the parameters of the spin-flip M1 giant resonance in strontium. The total energy weighted M1 strength of this resonance exceeds the results of shell model and random phase approximation calculations for /sup 90/Zr by a factor of 3-4. The E1 strengths were found to agree with the established giant dipole resonance model. The few data on primary E2 transitions do not allow to differentiate between the giant quadrupole resonance and the single particle models.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

A helical cooling channel (HCC) has been proposed to quickly reduce the six-dimensional phase space of muon beams for muon colliders, neutrino factories, and intense muon sources. The HCC is composed of a series of RF cavities filled with dense hydrogen gas that acts as the energy absorber for ionization cooling and suppresses RF breakdown in the cavities. Magnetic solenoidal, helical dipole, and helical quadrupole coils outside of the RF cavities provide the focusing and dispersion needed for the emittance exchange for the beam as it follows a helical equilibrium orbit down the HCC. In the work presented here, two Monte Carlo programs have been developed to simulate a HCC to compare with the analytic predictions and to begin the process of optimizing practical designs that could be built in the near future. We discuss the programs, the comparisons with the analytical theory, and the prospects for a HCC design with the capability to reduce the six-dimensional phase ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The authors present a search for excited and exotic muon states {mu}*, conducted using an integrated luminosity of 371 pb{sup -1} of data collected in p{bar p} collisions at {radical}s = 1.96 TeV at the Tevatron with the CDF II detector. They search for associated production of {mu}{mu}* followed by the decay {mu}* {yields} {mu}{gamma}, resulting in the {mu}{mu}{gamma} final state. They compare the data to model predictions as a function of the mass of the excited muon M{sub {mu}*}, the compositeness energy scale {Lambda}, and the gauge coupling factor f. No signal above the standard model expectation is observed in the {mu}{gamma} mass spectrum. In the contact interaction model, they exclude 107 < M{sub {mu}*} < 853 GeV/c{sup 2} for {Lambda} = M{sub {mu}*}; in the gauge-mediated model, they exclude 100 < M{sub {mu}*} < 410 GeV/c{sup 2} for f/{Lambda} = 10{sup -2} GeV{sup -1}. These 95% confidence level exclusions ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Purpose: In an experimental study, the correlation between the trabecular bone density of the different regions of the proximal femur and the fracture load in the setting of femoral neck fractures was examined. Methods: The bone mineral density 41 random proximal human femora was estimated by single-energy quanitative CT (SE-QCT). The trabecular bone density was measured at the greatest possible extracortical volume at midcapital, midneck and intertrochanteric level and in the 1 cm"3 volumes of the centres of these regions in a standardised 10 mm thick slice in the middle of the femoral neck axis (in mg/ml Ca-hydroxyl apatite). The proximal femora were then isolated and mounted on a compression/bending device under two-legged stand conditions and loaded up to the point when a femoral neck fracture occurred. Results: Statistical analysis revealed a linear correlation between the trabecular bone density and the fracture load for the greater regions, with the highest value in the maximal ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Daylight responsive dimming systems have been used in few buildings to date because they require improvements to improve reliability. The key underlying factor contributing to poor performance is the variability of the ratio of the photosensor signal to daylight workplane illuminance in accordance with sun position, sky condition, and fenestration condition. Therefore, this paper describes the integrated systems between automated roller shade systems and daylight responsive dimming systems with an improved closed-loop proportional control algorithm, and the relative performance of the integrated systems and single systems. The concept of the improved closed-loop proportional control algorithm for the integrated systems is to predict the varying correlation of photosensor signal to daylight workplane illuminance according to roller shade height and sky conditions for improvement of the system accuracy. In this study, the performance of the ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Commercial development of oil shale resources will produce vast quantities of processed shale waste. The presence of potentially toxic trace elements, inorganic salts, and potentially toxic residual organic constitutents make the disposal of vast quantities of processed shale a potential environmental problem. To be environmentally acceptable, processed shale disposal must: result in a physically stable structure, prevent or minimize release of potentially toxic compounds, and provide an economically acceptable post-land use. Water is the common element underlying all factors important to the environmental stability of disposed solid waste. The leaching and transport of solubles by water in processed shale embankments may result in degradation of local surface and groundwater quality. The major purpose of this research is to physically model, study, and describe the redistribution and movement of water and percolates in lifts of disposed processed oil shale under ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The primary aim was to evaluate delayed contrast-enhanced MRI in depicting perineural spread of hilar cholangiocarcinoma (CCC) and consequently to determine the capability of MRI/MRCP for staging CCC. Fifteen patients that underwent MRI/MRCP and surgical treatment were retrospectively included. Two radiologists evaluated MR images to assess delayed periductal enhancement, extent of bile duct stenosis, liver parenchymal and vascular involvement and presence of liver atrophy. An agreement between delayed enhancement of the bile duct walls and perineural neoplastic spread showed a very good correlation factor (0.93). The overall accuracy in detecting biliary neoplastic invasion was higher for delayed T1-weighted images (93.3%) than for the MRCP images (80%), and T1-delayed image increased the MR accuracy in assessing the neoplastic resectability (p < 0.05). MRI correctly predicted vascular involvement in 73% and liver involvement in 80% of the ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pd/sub 2/Si layers produced by evaporation or sputtering onto silicon substrates were examined by high resolution electron microscopy, microdiffraction, X-ray, energy loss and Auger spectroscopy. The Si-Pd/sub 2/Si interfaces produced by evaporation were in all cases rougher and more polycrystalline than those produced by sputtering. X-ray microanalysis showed the predictable variation in palladium distribution across the interface but quantification did not produce the expected palladium-to-silicon ratios, primarily because of probe broadening and X-ray-induced fluorescence. Energy loss spectra showed plasmon energy shifts and changes in Si L edge shape due to bond formation with palladium. Auger data provided evidence for a small amount of oxygen at the Si-Pd/sub 2/Si interface. Electrical measurements of the ideality factor for Schottky barriers made from the materials produced higher values for the rougher evaporation-formed interfaces ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The Drosophila hairy gene encodes a basic helix- loop-helix protein that functions in at least two steps during Drosophila development: (1) during embryogenesis, when it partakes in the establishment of segments, and (2) during the larval stage, when it functions negatively in determining the pattern of sensory bristles on the adult fly. In the rat, a structurally homologous gene (RHL) behaves as an immediate-early gene in its response to growth factors and can, like that in Drosophila, suppress neuronal differentiation events. Here, the authors report the genomic cloning of the human hairy gene homolog (HRY). The coding region of the gene is contained within four exons. The predicted amino acid sequence reveals only four amino acid differences between the human and rat genes. Analysis of the DNA sequence 5[prime] to the coding region reveals a putatitve untranslated exon. To increase the value of the HRY gene as a genetic marker and to assess ...

Science.gov (United States)

Intrinsic spherical aberrations of electron lenses have been the major resolution limiting factor in electron microscopes for several decades. While effective correctors have recently been implemented, an alternative to correct these aberrations is to circumvent them by scaling down lens dimensions by several orders of magnitude. We have fabricated electrostatic lenses exhibiting one micrometer diameter apertures and evaluated their beam forming properties against predictions from numerical ray tracing simulations. It turns out that it is routinely possible to shape a paraxial low-energy electron beam by such micron-sized lenses. Beam profiles have been measured both at a distant detector as well as in a plane close to the lens. It is shown that the lens can form a parallel beam extending no more than 800 nm from the optical axes at a distance of 200 microm beyond the lens exit. We believe that these findings constitute a prerequisite to derive ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The fundamental mechanisms underlying the chemical degradation of polymers can change as a function of environmental stress level. When this occurs, it greatly complicates any attempt to use accelerated tests for predicting long-term material degradation behaviors. Understanding how degradation mechanisms can change at different stress levels facilitates both the design and the interpretation of aging tests. Oxidative degradation is a predominant mechanism for many polymers exposed to a variety of different environments in the presence of air, and there are two mechanistic considerations which are widely applicable to material oxidation. One involves a physical process, oxygen diffusion, as a rate-limiting step. This mechanism can predominate at high stress levels. The second is a chemical process, the time-dependent decomposition of peroxide species. This leads to chain branching and can become a rate-controlling factor at lower stress levels ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NREL's Solar Advisor Model (SAM) is employed to estimate the current and future costs for parabolic trough and molten salt power towers in the US market. Future troughs are assumed to achieve higher field temperatures via the successful deployment of low melting-point, molten-salt heat transfer fluids by 2015-2020. Similarly, it is assumed that molten salt power towers are successfully deployed at 100MW scale over the same time period, increasing to 200MW by 2025. The levelized cost of electricity for both technologies is predicted to drop below 11 cents/kWh (assuming a 10% investment tax credit and other financial inputs outlined in the paper), making the technologies competitive in the marketplace as benchmarked by the California MPR. Both technologies can be deployed with large amounts of thermal energy storage, yielding capacity factors as high as 65% while maintaining an optimum LCOE.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The super simulator 'SAMPSON' has been developed to show that there exist certain safety margins for light water reactors under hypothetical severe accidents and to investigate realistic measures of accident management by simulating accidents with a parallel computer. Heat-up of fuel rods and release of fission products from fuels are important factors to evaluate source terms. Models for fuel rod heat-up, hydrogen production due to cladding oxidation and cladding deformation and failure in the core region have been developed in the fuel rod heat-up analysis module. Fuel temperatures were calculated by solving the heat conduction equation. The calculated results for fuel temperature and hydrogen production were compared with CORA-13 experiment results. The comparisons showed prediction capability for the heat-up of fuel rods. The fission product release analysis module incorporates with models for fission product transport within fuel pellets, ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The relationship between coal properties and liquefaction or gasification characteristics was analyzed by using the analysis and test results and liquefaction characteristics in the coal data base. On liquefaction reaction, the close relation between an oil yield and coal constituent composition or a coal rank is well-known. Various multivariable regression analyses were conducted by using 6 factors as variables such as calorific value, volatile component, O/C and H/C atomic ratios, exinite+vitrinite content and vitrinite reflectance, and liquefaction characteristics as variate. On liquefaction characteristics, the oil yield of dehydrated and deashed coals, asphaltene yield, hydrogen consumption, produced water and gas quantities, and oil+asphaltene yield were predicted. The theoretical gasification efficiency of each specimen was calculated to evaluate the liquefaction reaction obtained. As a result, the oil yield increased with H/C atomic ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

In response to European operating experience regarding Alloy 800 steam generator (SG) tube cracking, New Brunswick Power Nuclear (NBPN) recognized two important shortcomings in the industry SG technical support framework. First, information exchange networks between utilities with Alloy 800 SG tubing should be strengthened. Second and more importantly, there is a need for consistent industry guidance for Alloy 800 SG tubing degradation management, supported by clear technical bases. It is NBPN's perspective that this guidance can be improved immediately using the extensive amount of laboratory and field data that is available for Alloys 600, 690, and 800, and EPRI methodology developed to predict the performance of Alloy 690. NBPN has initiated the development of a performance-based inspection plan. This effort is based on demonstrated improvement factors for Alloy 800, defined by the EPRI approach, and described in this paper. This ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The /sup 252/Cf-source-driven neutron noise analysis method has been tested in a wide variety of experiments that have indicated the broad range of applicability of the method. The neutron multiplication factor k/sub eff/ has been satisfactorily detemined for a variety of materials including uranium metal, light water reactor fuel pins, fissile solutions, fuel plates in water, and interacting cylinders. For a uranyl nitrate solution tank which is typical of a fuel processing or reprocessing plant, the k/sub eff/ values were satisfactorily determined for values between 0.92 and 0.5 using a simple point kinetics interpretation of the experimental data. The short measurement times, in several cases as low as 1 min, have shown that the development of this method can lead to a practical subcriticality monitor for many in-plant applications. The further development of the method will require experiments oriented toward particular applications including dynamic ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The CASTOC project addresses environmentally assisted cracking (EAC) phenomena in low alloy steels used for pressure boundary components in both Western type boiling water reactors (BWR) and Russian type pressurised water reactors (VVER). It comprises the four work packages (WP): inter-laboratory comparison test (WP1); EAC behaviour under static load (WP2), EAC behaviour under cyclic load and load transients (WP3); evaluation of the results with regard to their relevance for components in practice (WP4). The use of sophisticated test facilities and measurement techniques for the on-line detection of crack advances have provided a more detailed understanding of the mechanisms of environmentally assisted cracking and provided quantitative data of crack growth rates as a function of loading events and time, respectively. The effect of several major parameters controlling EAC was investigated with particular emphasis on the transferability of the results to components in service. The ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

This report summarizes work performed by Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) on fatigue and environmentally assisted cracking (EAC) in light water reactors (LWRs) during the six months from October 1993 to March 1994. EAC and fatigue of piping, pressure vessels, and core components in LWRs are important concerns in operating plants and as extended reactor lifetimes are envisaged. Topics that have been investigated include (a) fatigue of low-alloy steel used in piping, steam generators, and reactor pressure vessels, (b) EAC of wrought and cast austenitic stainless steels (SSs), and (c) radiation-induced segregation and irradiation-assisted stress corrosion cracking (IASCC) of Type 304 SS after accumulation of relatively high fluence. Fatigue tests have been conducted on A302-Gr B low-alloy steel to verify whether the current predictions of modest decreases of fatigue life in simulated pressurized water reactor water are valid for high-sulfur heats that show ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The ion nitriding treatment is a process widely used in steel alloys to improve the material's properties; such as surface hardness, resistance to wear, fatigue life and resistance to corrosion. But geometric changes in the components can produce during the nitriding process different effects on the behavior of the plasma, such as local variations in the electric field, an empty cathode effect, etc. These in turn can affect among other factors the local temperature and therefore the kinetics of the process, generating variations in the compound layer thicknesses and zone of diffusion, and micro-hardness profile. These heterogeneities limit the effectiveness of the plasma nitriding process, where control and duplication of the surface modification are most important. This work aims to study the effect of the geometry of the pieces treated with ionic nitriding, especially the effect of the orifices. An understanding of the operating mechanisms is sought in order to ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The rapid growth in the use of in vitro methods for nanoparticle toxicity assessment has proceeded with limited consideration of the unique kinetics of these materials in solution. Particles in general and nanoparticles specifically, diffuse, settle and agglomerate in cell culture media as a function of several systemic and particle factors: media density and viscosity, particle size, shape and density. Cellular dose then is also a function of these factors as they determine the rate of transport of nanoparticles to cells in culture. Here we develop and apply the principles of particokinetics and dosimetry in vitro and outline an approach for simulation of nanoparticle particokinetics in cell culture systems. We illustrate that where equal mass concentrations (?g/ml) imply equal doses for dissimilar materials, the corresponding particle number or surface area concentration doses differ by orders of magnitude. When rates of diffusional and ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Background: EGFR (epidermal growth factor receptor) and VEGF (vascular endothelial growth factor) inhibitors confer clinical benefit in metastatic colorectal cancer when combined with chemotherapy. An emerging strategy to improve outcomes in rectal cancer is to integrate biologically active, targeted agents as triple therapy into chemoradiation protocols. Material and methods: cetuximab and bevacizumab have now been incorporated into phase I-II studies of preoperative chemoradiation therapy (CRT) for rectal cancer. The rationale of these combinations, early efficacy and toxicity data, and possible molecular predictors for tumor response are reviewed. Computerized bibliographic searches of Pubmed were supplemented with hand searches of reference lists and abstracts of ASCO and ASTRO meetings. Results: the combination of cetuximab and CRT can be safely applied without dose compromises of the respective treatment components. Disappointingly low ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

M-shell x-ray production cross sections for selected heavy elements, namely, _7_2Hf, _7_3Ta, _7_4W, _7_5Re, _7_6Os, _7_7Ir, _7_8Pt, _7_9Au, _8_3Bi, and _9_0Th, were measured for protons of energy 0.6--4.0 MeV. The experimental results are compared with the predictions of the first Born and semiclassical approximations for M-shell ionization; these data are also compared with the theory that accounts for the projectile's energy loss and Coulomb deflection as well as for the target's M-shell electron perturbed stationary state and relativistic nature (ECPSSR). Generally, fair agreement between the data and the ECPSSR theory is found. Some systematical discrepancies observed for the lightest elements (Hf, Ta, and W) are explained as possible ambiguities in the M-shell Coster-Kronig factors and fluorescence yields, which were used to convert theoretical M-subshell ionization cross sections to the total M-x-ray production cross sections. The ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

This research investigates experimentally mixed convection and heat transfer augmentation by forced jets in a large enclosure, at conditions simulating those of actual passive containment cooling systems and scales approaching those of actual containment buildings or compartments. The experiment was designed to measure the key parameters governing the heat transfer augmentation by forced jets and investigate the effects of geometric factors, including the jet diameter, jet injection orientation, interior structures, and enclosure aspect ratio. The tests cover a variety of injection modes leading to flow configurations of interest that contribute to reveal the nature of mixing and stratification phenomena in the containment under accident conditions of interest. The heat transfer of mixed convection can be predicted to be controlled by jet Archimedes number and geometric factors. Using a combining rule for mixed convection ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) evaluated the previous monosodium titanate (MST) purchase specifications for particle size and strontium decontamination factor. Based on the measured particle size and filtration performance characteristics of several MST samples with simulated waste solutions and various filter membranes we recommend changing the particle size specification as follows. The recommended specification varies with the size and manufacturer of the filter membrane as shown below. We recommend that future batches of MST received at SRS be tested for particle size and filtration performance. This will increase the available database and provide increased confidence that particle size parameters are an accurate prediction of filtration performance. Testing demonstrated the feasibility of a non-radiochemical method for evaluating strontium removal performance of MST samples. Using this analytical methodology we recommend that ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Reinjection of spent geothermal brine is a common means of disposing of geothermal effluents and maintaining reservoir pressures. Contrary to the predictions of two-fluid models (two-viscosity) of nonisothermal injection, an increase of injectivity, with continued injection, is often observed. Injectivity enhancement and thermally-affected pressure transients are particularly apparent in short-term injection tests at the Los Azufres Geothermal Field, Mexico. During an injection test, it is not uncommon to observe that after an initial pressure increase, the pressure decreases with time. As this typically occurs far below the pressure at which hydraulic fracturing is expected, some other mechanism for increasing the near-bore permeability must explain the observed behavior. This paper focuses on calculating the magnitude of the near-bore permeability changes observed in several nonisothermal injection tests conducted at the Los Azufres Geothermal Field. In order to ...

Science.gov (United States)

... TITLE (Indlude Security Classifkcation) Human Factors in Network Security 12. ... FIELD GROUP SUBGROUP Human Factors, Network, Security 19. ...

Science.gov (United States)

... gov Data Privacy, Emergency Response, Weather Prediction to Benefit from Information Technology ... detection, simulation and prediction of high-impact local weather, such as thunderstorms and ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

This paper provides information on heat transfer enhancement due to jet mixing inside a cylindrical enclosure. The work addresses conservative heat transfer assumptions regarding mixing and condensation that have typically been incorporated into passive containment design analyses. The current research presents an interesting possibility for increasing decay heat removal of passive containment systems under combined natural and forced convection. Eliminating these conservative assumptions could provide the basis for a change of containment design and reduce the construction cost. It is found that the ratio of forced- and free convection Nusselt numbers can be predicted as a function of the Archimedes number and a correlated factor accounting for jet orientation and enclosure geometry. To use the small-scale tests for large containment design, scale-up methods and criteria are important for matching the key governing parameters and fluid ...

International Science & Technology Center (ISTC)

Computer-Aided Prediction of Chemical Ecotoxicity on the basis of Quantitative Structure-Activity Relationships with the Use of Physico-Chemical Descriptors, Including H-bond Parameters

Science.gov (United States)

The report gives a summary of important developments in numerical weather prediction and discusses their relationship to, and effect on, the practice of synoptic meteorology.

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

ObjectiveTo develop a simple summary risk score for the prediction of Alzheimer disease in elderly persons based on their vascular risk profiles.DesignFull Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

Dysregulation of the alternative pathway of complement activation, caused by mutations or polymorphisms in the genes encoding factor H, membrane co-factor protein, factor I or factor B, is associated...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

Human Factor VIII/von Willebrand factor, purified by calcium citrate-cellulose chromatography and 4% agarose gel filtration was subjected to sodium dodecyl sulfate gel electrophoresis on gels containing...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

Most antibodies to factor VIII have recently been shown to react with discrete regions of the factor VIII light chain (within the C2 domain) and/or the factor VIII heavy chain (within the amino-terminal...Full Text Available

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Purpose: The purpose of this research was to identify the extent and scope of changes to radiography practice. Method: Questionnaires were sent to radiology managers at acute National Health Service (NHS) hospitals in 2000 as a follow-up to an initial survey conducted in 1998. Information was sought on region, teaching/non-teaching status, the nature of extended role tasks undertaken and the year in which these tasks were first undertaken. Results: Some 172 questionnaires were returned from a total of 253 dispatched (68%). In 161 hospitals radiographers administered intravenous injections and performed barium enemas in 119 hospitals, while a red-dot system was in operation in 141 hospitals. Reporting by radiographers had increased since 1998. Replies indicated that, at 124 hospitals, radiographers were reporting in ultrasound. Skeletal reporting was the second most-frequently-reported activity, with 63 hospitals indicating that radiographers reported in this modality, while barium ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Quantitative evaluation of CRT and CR observations in indentification of malignancy using phantom and clinical data. A breast phantom and a total of 40 patients were imaged by Fuji computed radiography (FCR). The images were interpreted twice by six radiologists both on CR film (2510 x 2000 pixels x 10 bits, 0.1 mm spatial resolution) and on a CRT monitor (1568 x 1152 pixels x 10 bits, 0.1 mm pixel size with double expansion) with image processing parameters of a toutine (RN 1.0, RE 0.2), for a calcification (RN 9.0, RE 4.0) and for a mass (RN 7.0, RE 2.0). The forty clinical cases included breast diseases with calcifications, masses, and normal breasts. Two-tailed t-test was performed to analyze interpretation of simulated microcalcifications and masses in the phantom. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was performed to evaluate clinical cases. In all interpretation studies using both breast phantom and clinical cases, there was no significant difference between the ...

Science.gov (United States)

PMID:12548607

KoreaScience (Korea)

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Science.gov (United States)

PMID:20205743

Science.gov (United States)

The thermal evolution predicted by current models of the superfluid-crust interaction is noted to

KoreaScience (Korea)

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Norwegian Open Research Archives (NORA)

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Environmental Research Database

DescriptionAn ability to foresee impacts on output is invaluable to any industry; good prediction is the basis of good management. Many research models can predict crop performance, but the skill (used here to include accuracy, precision, facility and credibility) of these predictions is rarely assessed, so is not well known. The only research model successfully adopted for practical purposes in the UK is the Broom's Barn Beet Model. Thus we propose here, research to assess and publish the skill of the [continued...

KoreaScience (Korea)

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Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Critical properties of a fluid or fluid mixtures are important for describing fluid phase behavior, predicting physical properties, developing equations of state, and designing supercritical-fluid extraction processes, and compression and refrigeration units. The predictive capability of the Peng-Robinson-Styjek-Vera (PRSV-2) equation of state (1986) for critical properties of binary mixtures was investigated. The procedure adopted by Heidemann and Khalil (1980) and discussed by Abu-Eishah et al. (1998) was followed. An optimized value for the binary interaction parameter based on minimization of error between experimental and predicted critical temperatures was used. The standard and the average of the absolute relative deviations in critical properties are included. The predicted critical temperature and pressure for several nonpolar and polar systems agree well with experimental data and are always ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

We use the bulge Sersic index n and bulge-to-total mass ratio (B/T) to explore the fundamental question of how bulges form. We perform two-dimensional bulge-disk-bar decomposition on H-band images of 143 bright, high-mass (M _* #>=# 1.0 x 10"1"0 M _s_u_n) low-to-moderately inclined (i < 70"0) spirals. Our results are as follows. (1) Our H-band bar fraction (#approx#58%) is consistent with that from ellipse fits. (2) 70% of the stellar mass is in disks, 10% in bars, and 20% in bulges. (3) A large fraction (#approx#69%) of bright spirals have B/T#<=# 0.2, and #approx#76% have low n #<=# 2 bulges. These bulges exist in barred and unbarred galaxies across a wide range of Hubble types. (4) About 65% (68%) of bright spirals with n #<=# 2 (B/T #<=# 0.2) bulges host bars, suggesting a possible link between bars and bulges. (5) We compare the results with predictions from a set of #LAMBDA#CDM models. In the models, a high-mass spiral can have a bulge with ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

In order to practice a design-by-analysis of thermohydraulics design of BWR fuel rod bundles, the subchannel analysis would play a major role. There, the immediate concern is improvement in its predictive capability of CHF due in particular to the film dryout (boiling transition phenomena: BT) on the fuel rod surface. Constitutive equations in the subchannel analysis formulation are responsible for the quality of calculated results. The constitutive equations are a result of integration of the local and instantaneous description of two-phase flows over the subchannel control volume. In general, they are expressed in terms of subchannel-control-volume- as well as area-averaged two-phase flow state variables. In principle the information on local and instantaneous physical phenomena taking place inside subchannels must be counted for in the algebraic form of the equations on the basis of a more mechanistic modeling approach. They should include also influences of the ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

In order to practice a design-by-analysis of thermohydraulics design of BWR fuel rod bundles, the subchannel analysis would play a major role. There, the immediate concern is improvement in its predictive capability of CHF due in particular to the film dryout (boiling transition phenomena: BT) on the fuel rod surface. Constitutive equations in the subchannel analysis formulation are responsible for the quality of calculated results. The constitutive equations are a result of integration of the local and instantaneous description of two-phase flows over the subchannel control volume. In general, they are expressed in terms of subchannel-control-volume- as well as area-averaged two-phase flow state variables. In principle the information on local and instantaneous physical phenomena taking place inside subchannels must be counted for in the algebraic form of the equations on the basis of a more mechanistic modeling approach. They should include also influences of the ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Purpose: Various published reports involving intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) plans developed using automated optimization (inverse planning) have demonstrated highly conformal plans. These reported conformal IMRT plans involve significant target dose inhomogeneity, including both overdosage and underdosage within the target volume. In this study, we demonstrate the development of optimized beamlet IMRT plans that satisfy rigorous dose homogeneity requirements for all target volumes (e.g., #+-#5%), while also sparing the parotids and other normal structures. Methods and Materials: The treatment plans of 15 patients with oropharyngeal cancer who were previously treated with forward-planned multisegmental IMRT were planned again using an automated optimization system developed in-house. The optimization system allows for variable sized beamlets computed using a three-dimensional convolution/superposition dose calculation and flexible cost functions derived from combinations of ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

This thesis describes the analysis of the semileptonic decay D{sup 0} {yields} {bar K}{sup 0} {pi}{sup -} {mu}{sup +}{nu} using FOCUS data. FOCUS is a fixed target experiment at Fermilab that studies the physics of the charm quark. Particles containing charm are produced by photon-gluon fusion from the collision of a photon beam on a BeO target. The experiment is characterized by excellent vertex resolution and particle identification. The spectrometer consists of three systems for track reconstruction (two silicon systems and one multiwire proportional chamber system) and two magnets of opposite polarity. The polarity of the magnet is such that the events of e{sup +}e{sup -} pairs produced in the target (which constitutes the main background) travel through a central opening in the detectors without interactions. Particle momentum is measured from the deflection angle in the magnets. Three multicell Cerenkov counters are used for charged particle identification (for e, {pi}, K, and ...

Science.gov (United States)

Drosophila melanogaster has long been at the forefront of studies of transcriptional regulation in animals. Many fundamental ideas--such as cis control elements that act over long distances, the regulation of development by hierarchical cascades of transcription factors, dosage compensation, and position effect variegation--originated from studies of the fruit fly. The recent completion of the euchromatic DNA sequence of Drosophila is another breakthrough. The sequence data highlight important unanswered questions. For example, only one-fifth of the 124 Mb of Drosophila euchromatic DNA codes for protein. The function of the remaining 100 Mb of mostly unique DNA is largely unknown. Some proportion of this non-reading frame DNA must encode the functional recognition sites targeted by the approximately 700 sequence-specific DNA binding proteins that regulate transcription in Drosophila, but what proportion? Most or very little? Promoter sequences by definition contain ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The detailed features of the calculated energy-level schemes and of the single-particle, orbit-occupancy properties of the low-lying levels of the N=50 isotones "8"0Zn, "8"1Ga, "8"2Ge, "8"3As, "8"4Se, "8"5Br, "8"6Kr, and "8"7Rb are presented and discussed. These results are obtained with a new effective Hamiltonian operator obtained empirically from an iterative fit to experimental energies taken from all experimentally studied (A=82--96) N=50 nuclei. The model space for the calculations consists of active 0f/sub 5/2/, 1p/sub 3/2/, 1p/sub 1/2/, and 0g/sub 9/2/ proton orbits relative to a nominal "7"8Ni core. This space is truncated internally by restricting the number of particles excited from the negative-parity orbits into the g/sub 9/2/ orbit to be no greater than four. The typical structures predicted for these lighter N=50 isotones are found to be dominated by well-mixed combinations of fp-orbit configurations, with the g/sub 9/2/ orbit playing a minor role in ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

A scaled physical model was operated to simulate steam drive operations in five-spot patterns with reservoir and operational parameters similar to those encountered in California reservoirs. The goal of this study was to elucidate the role of two important controllable parameters, viz., steam injection rate and steam quality and to explore the role of two important factors, oil viscosity and reservoir permeability on the performance of the steam drive. In addition, the influence of bottom water and a basal permeable layer were investigated. The experiments demonstrated that there is an optimum injection rate; that in the vicinity of this optimum an increased quantity results in improved oil steam ratios; that the viscosity of the oil at steam temperature, raised to a fractional power, 0.5, appears to correlate with oil production; that permeabilities in the darcy range have little effect on performance, but an increasing one with low viscosity oil, and that bottom ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The spectral characteristics of the Cherenkov radiation have been evaluated and converted to equivalent retinal irradiance from external sources. On the basis of the conversion, electron fluxes have been estimated for 2-sec recovery times from flashblindness. The electrons are assumed to have energies greater than 6 MeV and to be delivered in one or more bursts of 1 microsecond each over 1 sec. It is important to note that very little data exists on recovery times as short as 2 sec for either photopic and scotopic conditions. This situation is a direct result of the lack of definition of the critical tasks and their sensitivity to an interruption of background adaptation. The Cherenkov radiation produced within the eye by relativistic electrons can be compared to light from external sources by the relationships: 1 rad approx. = 4.6 scotopic td-sec and 1 rad approx. = 0.55 photopic td sec. Based on these conversion factors, the following estimates can be derived by ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Neutron reflectometry (NR) was used to measure the concentration profile of a symmetric PEP/dPEP polymer blend with nanometer-scale resolution in the one-phase region. The shape of the profile near the surface was found to differ significantly from mean-field theory predictions for all bulk concentrations and temperatures surveyed. The profile shape is flattened at the surface over a distance about half the bulk correlation length, a length scale far greater than that of the dispersive forces that are the dominant microscopic interaction in such blends. We introduce a new method for extracting the surface energy difference that drives segregation based on the Gibbs adsorption equation (GAE) and compare it to a previous method based on mean-field theory. While both methods produce qualitatively similar results (the surface energy of pure dPEP is {approx}0.21 mJ/m{sup 2} smaller than pure PEP), the GAE method is much less model dependent, requiring knowledge of only ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Existing test procedures for measuring and rating thermal performance require the determination of the angular response of collectors in order to account for nonnormal incident beam irradiance. Angular response measurements for four different types of collectors, each type tested by three different laboratories, are presented and analyzed. Substantial differences, both within and between laboratories, are reported for the same type collectors. An analysis of the measurement procedure shows that experimentally determined angular response parameters are subject to relatively large uncertainties. The problem results to a large extent from measuring collector efficiencies at non-normal incident angles where measurement uncertainty is of the same order of magnitude as the efficiency reduction attributable to these off-normal angles. Other factors which can affect angular response measurements and the method of correlating results are also discussed. A theoretical ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Several types of corrosion have damaged alloy 600 tubing in the secondary side of steam generators. The types of corrosion include wastage, denting, intergranular attack, stress corrosion, erosion-corrosion, etc. The environments which cause attack may originate from leaks of cooling water into the condensate, etc. When the contaminated feedwater is pumped into the generator, the impurities may concentrate first 200 to 400 fold in the bulk water, depending on the blowdown, and then further to saturation and dryness in heated tube support plate crevices. Characterization of local solution chemistries is the first step to predict and correct the type of corrosion that can occur. The pH is of particular importance because it is a major factor governing the rate of corrosion reactions. The pH of a solution at high temperature is not the same as the ambient temperature, since ionic dissociation constants, solubility and solubility products, activity ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Inferior vena cava (IVC) obstruction is a well-described clinical entity. Most IVC obstructions from malignant neoplasms are a direct result of tumor compression [Oviedo J, Cerda S. Vascular invasion by hepatocellular carcinoma. Arch Pathol Lab Med 2001;125: 454-5; Furui S, Sawada S, et al. Gianturco stent placement in malignant caval obstruction: analysis of factors for predicting the outcome. Radiology 1995;195:147-52; Fletcher WS, Lakin PC, et al. Results of treatment of inferior vena cava syndrome with expandable metallic stents. Arch Surg 1998;133:935-8]. The symptoms of IVC obstruction include progressive ascites, scrotal edema and lower body edema. These constellations of symptoms are described as IVC syndrome and are devastating to a patient with end-stage cancer. We describe a palliative therapy utilizing Luminexx nitinol self-expanding stents to treat intracaval hepatoma thrombus obstructing the IVC. The procedure is rapidly ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Purpose: In this paper, we present an alternative to the originally proposed technique for the delivery of spatially fractionated radiation therapy (GRID) using multi-leaf collimator (MLC) shaped fields. We employ the MLC to deliver various pattern GRID treatments to large solid tumors and dosimetrically characterize the GRID fields. Methods and materials: The GRID fields were created with different open to blocked area ratios and with variable separation between the openings using a MLC. GRID designs were introduced into the Pinnacle"3 treatment planning system, and the dose was calculated in a water phantom. Ionization chamber and film measurements using both Kodak EDR2 and Gafchromic EBT film were performed in a SolidWater phantom to determine the relative output of each GRID design as well as its spatial dosimetric characteristics. Results: Agreement within 5.0% was observed between the Pinnacle"3 predicted dose distributions and the measurements for the ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The release of {sup 14}C as {sup 14}CO{sub 2} from partly failed spent fuel containers has been analyzed by the flow of gases into and out of the containers. This flow of gases is driven by pressure differences, which are in turn caused by heating by the spent fuel. In this analysis, the timing and size of holes in the containers are assumed to be given. A better means of predicting the time distribution and sizes of penetrations in nuclear waste containers is needed. For the purposes of far-field transport calculations, we have adopted release rates that are shown to be bonding for the large range of hole sizes studied. The transport of released {sup 14}CO{sub 2} has been analyzed by transport in equivalent porous medium. The peak {sup 14}CO{sub 2} concentration in pore gas at 350 m above the repository does not depend on the time of hole occurrence, although the time of penetration obviously affects the arrival and duration of exposure to {sup 14}C. Nor does ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

To many, recent developments in electric markets are perplexing. Competition has appeared, often in the form of new players who do not own and operate generation or transmission facilities. Yet, these players happily enter into contracts obliging them to make or take delivery of power at set prices for months or even years into the future. They seem unconcerned about predicted capacity shortages, fuel price uncertainty or unpredictable plant outages. For the most part, these new players understand these risks quite well. They simply believe in the efficacy of markets. Until recently, price ensured recovery of cost. They foresee a true market where price makes supply equal demand and cost is not a factor in the short term at least. The appearance of such players is an augury of the new industry structure, one in which specialists in taking and managing distinct business risks evolve from within or enter from outside. They take and manage price ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Human Reliability Analysis (HRA) is a very important part of Probabilistic Risk Analysis (PRA), and constant work is dedicated to improving methods, guidance and data in order to approach realism in the results as well as looking for ways to use these to reduce accident frequency at plants. Further, in order to advance in these areas, several HRA studies are being performed globally. Mexico has participated in the International HRA Empirical study with the objective of -benchmarking- HRA methods by comparing HRA predictions to actual crew performance in a simulator, as well as in the empirical study on a US nuclear power plant currently in progress. The focus of the first study was the development of an understanding of how methods are applied by various analysts, and characterize the methods for their capability to guide the analysts to identify potential human failures, and associated causes and performance shaping factors. The HRA ...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

This paper presents a study involving prediction of a complicated maneuvering target, with the aim of improving the tracking performance of a fire control system (FCS). In this study, we predict the position of a complicated maneuvering target 5 s in advance using the information up to the current time. Because of the large error caused by the complicated maneuvers and the long prediction time interval, the mechanical system of the fire control system will take a heavy load. In order to cope with this problem, several approaches to decreasing the prediction error have been proposed including the prediction algorithms based on the multiple model(MM) filter, interacting multiple model (IMM) filter, and variable dimension with input estimation (VDIE) filter. Finally, comparative simulation re...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

Abstract The importance of evaluating greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from dairy cows within the whole farm setting is being realized as more important than evaluating these emissions in isolation. Current whole farm models aimed at evaluating GHG emissions make use of simple regression equations to predict enteric methane (CH4) production. The objective of the current paper is to evaluate the performance of nine CH4 prediction equations that are currently being used in whole farm GHG models. Data used to evaluate the prediction equations came from a collection of individual (IND) and treatment averaged (TRT) data. Equations were compared based on mean square prediction error (MSPE) and concordance correlation coefficient (CCC) analysis. In general, predictions were poor, with root MSPE (as...

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

Background:Tobacco smoking is the most important risk factor for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) development. Inhaled cigarette smoke can induce tumor necrosis factor-α...Full Text Available

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The experiments at the incinerator for low-level wastes processing, (containing transuranium radionuclides) are described. Air decontamination factors and detector readings correction factors for efficiency and absorption are indicated.

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

A fluid-phase immunoradiometric assay has been developed which identifies an antigen on the Factor VIII (antihemophilic factor) procoagulant protein. This sensitive and quantitative assay is not influenced...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

Caries is a multifactorial disease, and studies aiming to unravel the factors modulating its etiology must consider all known predisposing factors. One major factor is bacterial colonization,...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

The extracellular domain of human fibroblast growth factor receptor (XC-FGF-R) was expressed in Escherichia coli. The protein was purified to homogeneity and the interaction with basic fibroblast growth...Full Text Available

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Radium is known to be taken up by aquatic animals, and tends to accumulate in bone, shell and exoskeleton. The most common approach to estimating the uptake of a radionuclide by aquatic animals for use in health and environmental risk assessments is the concentration factor method. The concentration factor method relates the concentration of a contaminant in an organism to the concentration in the surrounding water. Site specific data are not usually available, and generic, default values are often used in risk assessment studies. This paper describes the concentration factor method, summarizes some of the variables which may influence the concentration factor for radium, reviews reported concentration factors measured in marine environments and presents concentration factors derived from data collected in a study in coastal Louisiana. The use of generic default ...

Science.gov (United States)

... implementation." 4 1 Factors Affecting Rural Construction. Two new factors profoundly modify today's pacification equa- tion. ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The data base for the form factors of the nucleon obtained from elastic ep scattering is discussed, as well as some recent developments in their calculation.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

This is a presentation on Human Factors in reactor operations. It discusses issues that deal with power plant operations, training and design, operational effectiveness and safety, supporting people to achieve effective and error free performance.

CERN Document Server

The stock market has been known to form homogeneous stock groups with a higher correlation among different stocks according to common economic factors that influence individual stocks. We investigate the role of common economic factors in the market in the formation of stock networks, using the arbitrage pricing model reflecting essential properties of common economic factors. We find that the degree of consistency between real and model stock networks increases as additional common economic factors are incorporated into our model. Furthermore, we find that individual stocks with a large number of links to other stocks in a network are more highly correlated with common economic factors than those with a small number of links. This suggests that common economic factors in the stock market can be understood in terms of deterministic factors.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the ability to enhance distribution of eelgrass (Zostera marina) in the Columbia River Estuary to serve as refuge and feeding habitat for juvenile salmon, Dungeness crab, and other fish and wildlife. We strongly suspected that limited eelgrass seed dispersal has resulted in the present distribution of eelgrass meadows, and that there are other suitable places for eelgrass to survive and form functional meadows. Funded as part of the Bonneville Power Administration's call for Innovative Projects, we initiated a multistage study in 2008 that combined modeling, remote sensing, and field experimentation to: (1) Spatially predict habitat quality for eelgrass; (2) Conduct experimental plantings; and (3) Evaluate restoration potential. Baseline in-situ measurements and remote satellite observations were acquired for locations in the Lower Columbia River Estuary (LCRE) to determine ambient habitat conditions. These were ...

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

Acoustic pharyngometry is a relatively new noninvasive method that quantifies geometrically complexed pharyngeal dimensions. Our study aimed to investigate the predictability and usefulness of acoustic...Full Text Available

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

This conference was held December 4--8, 1994 in Asilomar, California. The purpose of this meeting was to provide a forum for exchange of state-of-the-art information concerning the prediction of protein structure. Attention if focused on the following: comparative modeling; sequence to fold assignment; and ab initio folding.

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

BackgroundReplication capacity (RC) of specific HIV isolates is occasionally blamed for unexpected treatment responses. However, the role of viral RC in response to antiretroviral...Full Text Available