The use of absorbable polyglactin 910 mesh (Vicryl) is described in a case of Ewing's sarcoma of the pelvis. An operation was performed to hold the smallbowel and colon out of the pelvis for a temporary period during which radical radiotherapy was delivered. The mesh allowed the temporary displacement of bowel and obviated bowel radiation morbidity. (author).
60 patients between 17 and 72 years of age were investigated. First, an enteroclysis was performed in typical manner. The applicated methylcellulosis was blended with positive oral MR contrast media (Magnevist oral, Schering). After enteroclysis, MRI of the abdomen was performed using T1- and T2-weighted breathhold sequences (Flash 2D pre- and postcontrast and TSE) in axial and coronal planes. The length of the affected bowel and the stenosis seen with enteroclysis correlated well with the visible thickening of the smallbowel wall and the stenosis seen in MRI. Using MRI, additional findings could be obtained in 28 patients, such as fistulas, abscesses or a hydronephrosis, or a better assessment of the stenosis was possible with MRI, because of the avoidance of overshadowing of the affected bowel loop with MRI. A brilliant MR-tomographic imaging of the small ...
Ruthenium-106 administered to newborn rats and swine was incorporated into the epithelium of the lower small intestine and retained there for a few weeks after gavage; the stomach and smallbowel of guinea pigs incorporated "1"0"6Ru but did not retain it.
Ischemic bowel disease is a rare disorder whose incidence is increasing as the mean age of the population increases. Diagnosis by clinical, laboratory and radiologic means is often difficult, and delay in definitive therapy results in substantial morbidity and mortality. A series of 26 consecutive patients, with proved acute superior mesenteric ischemia, was retrospectively reviewed: the authors reports the diagnostic methods performed preoperatively, the site and the cause of infarction and the time passed between the first radiograph and surgery. Plain abdominal radiographs were performed in 25 of 26 patients, screening abdominal US in 23 cases and CT in 19 cases. All radiological examinations were retrospectively reviewed by the three authors, independently, to recognize the different signs of infarction. On plain abdominal films, the findings warranting a presumptive diagnosis of bowel infarction were air-fluid levels (84% of cases), ...
Neurofibromatosis type I (NF1) is one of the most common inheritable disorders and is associated with an increased risk of gastrointestinal stromal tumours (GISTs). However, the predominant location...Full Text Available
Recurrent tumour after radical pancreaticoduodenectomy may cause obstruction of the smallbowel loop draining the liver. Roux-loop obstruction presents a particular therapeutic challenge, since the...Full Text Available
Dedifferentiated liposarcoma (DDLPS) is a variant of liposarcoma but with a more aggressive course. It occurs most commonly in the retroperitoneum and rarely in any other anatomical location. We describe...Full Text Available
We report an unusual case of strangulated diaphragmatic (Morgagni) hernia resulting in ischaemia of the small and large bowel, which was initially diagnosed as a pneumonia. This case highlights the...Full Text Available
60 patients between 17 and 72 years of age were investigated. First, an enteroclysis was performed in typical manner. The applicated methylcellulosis was blended with positive oral MR contrast media (Magnevist oral, Schering). After enteroclysis, MRI of the abdomen was performed using T1- and T2-weighted breathhold sequences (Flash 2D pre- and postcontrast and TSE) in axial and coronal planes. The length of the affected bowel and the stenosis seen with enteroclysis correlated well with the visible thickening of the smallbowel wall and the stenosis seen in MRI. Using MRI, additional findings could be obtained in 28 patients, such as fistulas, abscesses or a hydronephrosis, or a better assessment of the stenosis was possible with MRI, because of the avoidance of overshadowing of the affected bowel loop with MRI. A brilliant MR-tomographic imaging of the small ...
Smallbowel obstructions can be distinguished into more simple and closed loop obstructions. The latter is a more severe condition which is often complicated by strangulation with vascular impairment, edema and intramural and mesenteric hemorrhage. Consequent arterial insufficiency rapidly leads to ischemia, infarction and necrosis. The radiologist plays a role in the early recognition of the closed loop obstruction and of any sign of strangulation. The role of CT in the diagnosis and workup of patients with suspected intestinal occlusion has been analyzed in the literature with reported 63% sensitivity, 78% specificity and 66% accuracy. CT is also capable of revealing the causes of occlusion in 73-95% of cases. The above CT signs allow to identify closed loop obstruction and also smallbowel strangulation, thus supplying a valuable contribution to diagnosis and accurate preoperative evaluation. The ...
We present the case of a 68-year-old female patient who was diagnosed with cancer of the descending colon in July 1994 and underwent partial resection of the colon (type 2, moderately to well differentiated...Full Text Available
Cervix cancer is the most common female cancer in Korea. In spite of their relatively local invasive tendency, still 44% of patient will develop recurrent cancer This result suggests that more aggressive local treatment may increase the cure rate but increased complication risk also cannot be avoidable. Various institutions proposed different treatment regimen, but recommended dose were about 4500 cGy for whole pelvis and 8000 cGy at point A, even though they agreed that those doses may not be satisfactory for control of bulky disease. 96 cases of invasive cervical cancer, treated with postoperative or primary radiation therapy were analyzed to determine the complication rate and prognostic factor in our treatment regimen which is 500-1000 cGy higher than other institution. Mean follow up duration was 21 months. Symptomatic patients including mild but persistent abdominal discomfort was 46%, but only 1 patient (1%) had operative treatment because of incomplete obstruction of ...
Treatment of functional bowel disorders of irritable bowel-type (IBS) in children remains a difficult task because of a lack of drugs with low adverse event profile. We here report the results of a...Full Text Available
Evaluation of severe functional gastrointestinal motility disorders requires an investigation of the entire gastrointestinal tract. This should be possible with a single radionuclide imaging study. The purpose of this study was (1) to define normal values of small-bowel transit in men and women and (2) to assess a possible difference between gender or test meal, since it has been shown that women have slower gastric emptying than men, and gastric emptying of solids is slower than liquids. A standard gastric-emptying test for a solid (technetium-99m sulphur colloids, 230 Kcal) and liquid (indium-111 DTPA water) test meal was performed in 12 healthy male and 12 healthy female volunteers. After 135 min, the volunteer was place in the supine position for static imaging of the abdomen every 15 min for 6 h. Decay and crossover-corrected geometric mean gastric-emptying data were fit to a modified power exponential function to determine the 10% stomach emptying time for ...
BackgroundThe pathogenesis of visceral hypersensitivity, a characteristic pathophysiological feature of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), remains elusive. Recent studies suggest a...Full Text Available
Irritable bowel syndrome is a frequent gastrointestinal disorder of unknown etiology. The serotonin transporter regulates the intensity and duration of serotonin signaling in the gut and is,...Full Text Available
BackgroundIrritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and functional dyspepsia (FD) show considerable overlap and are both associated with psychiatric comorbidity. The present study aimed to...Full Text Available
Clinical and experimental evidence has demonstrated the potential role of probiotics in the prevention or treatment of inflammatory bowel disease. Probiotic clones with direct immunomodulatory activity...Full Text Available
Background/Aims:Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) was previously thought a rare disease among children in Kuwait since most diarrhea cases were attributed to infections....Full Text Available
AIM: To investigate clinical characteristics associated with the presence of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) symptoms in hemodialysis (HD) patients.METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study. A...Full Text Available
BackgroundSexual function is impaired in women with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) as compared to normal controls. We examined disease specific determinants of different aspects...Full Text Available
Background & AimsData are conflicting on the benefit of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) for patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS);...Full Text Available
Evidence suggests that patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) are hyper-responsive to environmental, physical, and visceral stimuli. IBS patients also frequently report poor sleep quality....Full Text Available
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of a multifunctional gastrointestinal coil catheter for stent placement in 98 patients with colorectal strictures. The catheter was used in 98 consecutive patients for stent placement in the rectum (n = 24), recto-sigmoid (n = 13), sigmoid (n = 38), descending (n = 6), transverse (n = 11), splenic flexure (n = 3), hepatic flexure (n = 2), and ascending (n = 1) colon. The catheter was made of a stainless steel coil (1.3 mm in inner diameter), a 0.4-mm nitinol wire, a polyolefin tube, and a hemostasis valve. Usefulness of the catheter was evaluated depending on whether the catheter could pass a stricture over a guide wire and whether measurement of the stricture length was possible. The passage of the catheter over a guide wire beyond the stricture was technically successful and well tolerated in 93 (94.9%) of 98 patients. In the failed five patients, it was not possible to negotiate the guide wire due to presence of nearly ...
Between 1970 and 1981, 348 patients underwent definitive irradiation. Of these patients 6 (1.7 per cent) sustained severe rectal injury as manifest by major rectal bleeding, rectal stricture, rectal mucosal slough and rectal ulceration. Severe rectal injury was observed in 0 of 13 patients (0 per cent) treated with 125iodine, 3 of 329 (1 per cent) treated with 6,400 to 6,800 rad external irradiation, 2 of 39 (5 per cent) treated with 7,000 to 7,300 rad external irradiation, and 1 of 7 (14 per cent) treated with 198gold and external irradiation. The impact of radiation dose, radiation therapy technique and surgical trauma was assessed. Rectal injury was managed by supportive measures in 2 patients and by diverting colostomy in 3 with benefit. One patient underwent abdominoperineal resection. A smallbowel fistula and an intra-abdominal abscess developed, and the patient died.
Severe damage to the pelvic viscera is a complication of irradiation therapy that, unfortunately, cannot always be avoided. Resulting rectal and rectocolonic strictures, rectovaginal fistulas, and shortening and stenosis of the vagina present very difficult problems that frequently require a colostomy for relief and may permanently impair sexual function. The authors present a new approach to correction of these unfortunate lesions based on the use of proximal nonirradiated colon which serves as a vascular pedicle graft to correct the defect without a complicated and massive resection. Twenty-two such operations have been done with 19 satisfactory to excellent results and two total failures (one death from smallbowel complications). All patterns and combinations of irradiation injury have been found amenable to this technique of repair. These have included both web and linear strictures with and without fistulas. In half of the patients, it ...
Purpose: To evaluate the diagnostic performance (colorectal lesions) of computed tomography (CT) colonography in 111 patients, a majority of whom were at high risk for colorectal neoplasia. Material and Methods: After bowel preparation, CT colonography was performed, immediately followed by conventional colonoscopy. The diagnostic performance of CT colonography was analyzed relative to lesion size, histological diagnosis, and diagnostic certainty. Results: The sensitivity of CT colonography increased with lesion size (P<0.001), and was 91% (21/23) for lesions > or = 10 mm. All 10 carcinomas and 86% (19/22) of adenomas > or = 5 mm were detected. Unconfirmed or false-positive CT findings were generally small and/or reported with low diagnostic certainty. The specificity of CT colonography would be 45% (30/66; 95% CI 34% to 57%) if patients with findings of any size and any diagnostic certainty were selected for follow-up, and ...
Gallstone is a common disease with a 10% prevalence in the United States and Western Europe. However, it is only symptomatic in 20-30% of patients, with biliary pain "colic" being the most common symptom. Complications of asymptomatic gallstone disease are generally rare, with an incidence of <1 %/yr. The most common complications of gallstone disease are acute cholecystitis, acute pancreatitis, ascending cholangitis, and gangrenous gallbladder. Less frequent complications include Mirizzi syndrome, cholecystocholedochal fistula, and gallstone ileus. Mirizzi syndrome and cholecystocholedochal fistula are two manifestations of the same process that starts with impaction of a gallstone in the gallbladder neck that results in obstruction of the bile duct, causing jaundice. The gallstone may erode into the bile duct, causing cholecystocholedochal fistula. Gallstone ileus refers to smallbowel obstruction resulting from the impaction of one or ...
Bowel infarction is a rare and typical condition of the elderly; despite improvements in diagnostic imaging and vascular surgery, bowel infarction remains a major cause of acute abdomen, with mortality rates ranging 70-80%. Diagnosis on often late because clinical sings, laboratory data and radiologic findings are a specific. The authors investigated radiographic and particular CT patterns of intestinal infraction in 56 patients submitted to surgery within 12 hours of admission. We also report the CT findings of 5 of these patients who had reversible mesenteric ischemia. CT is more sensitive than radiography and does not exhibit the limitations of angiography (i.e., invasiveness, radiation exposure an complex organization. Therefore CT can presently be considered the method of choice in patients with suspected bowel infarction.
Apoptosis is a pattern of cell death involving nuclear pycnosis, cytoplasmic condensation, and karyorrhexis. Apoptosis induced by continuous irradiation with gamma rays (externally given by a 137Cs source) or with beta rays (from tritiated water injected ip) was quantified in the crypts of two portions of mouse bowel, the small intestine and descending colon. The time-course change in the incidence of apoptosis after each type of radiation could be explained on the basis of the innate circadian rhythm of the cells susceptible to apoptotic death and of the excretion of tritiated water (HTO) from the body. For 6-h continuous gamma irradiation at various dose rates (0.6-480 mGy/h) and for 6 h after injection of HTO of various radioactivities (0.15-150 GBq per kg body wt), the relationships between dose and incidence of apoptosis were obtained. Survival curves were then constructed from the curves for dose vs incidence of apoptosis. For the ...
Several short-lived, high-energy beta emitters are being proposed as the radionuclide components for molecular-targeted potential cancer therapeutic agents. The laboratory mice used to determine the efficacy of these new agents have organs that are relatively small compared to the ranges of these high-energy particles. The dosimetry model developed by Hui et al. was extended to provide realistic beta-dose estimates for organs in mice that received therapeutic radiopharmaceuticals containing 90Y, 188Re, 166Ho, 149Pm, 64Cu, and 177 Lu. Major organs in this model included the liver, spleen, kidneys, lungs, heart, stomach, small and large bowel, thyroid, pancreas, bone, marrow, carcass, and a 0.025-g tumor. The study as reported in this paper verifies their results for 90Y and extends them by using their organ geometry factors combined with newly calculated organ self-absorbed fractions from PEREGRINE and MCNP. PEREGRINE and ...
Background: Intestinal failure (IF) is the dependence upon parenteral nutrition to maintain minimal energy requirements for growth and development. It may occur secondary to a loss of bowel length, disorders of motility, or both. Short bowel syndrome (SBS) is a malabsorptive state resulting from surgical resection, congenital defect, or diseases associated with loss of absorptive surface area. A particularly vexing problem is associated with whole bowel and/or segmental intestinal dysmotility. Motility disorders within the context of SBS and IF may relate to rapid intestinal transit secondary to loss of intestinal length, dysmotility associated with loss or poor antegrade peristalsis, or gastroparesis. Therapy may be classified into medical (prokinetic and antidiarrheal agents) and surgica...
Gastrointestinal lymphomas are almost exclusively of a non Hodgkin's type. The Western form is characterized by a higher incidence of stomach location (50 %), a MALT type (mucosa associated lymphoid tissue) (40 %), a B-cell type (90 %), and a high grade (55 %). Chronic infection with Helicobacter pylori is an important risk factor. Mediterranean lymphomas form a particular clinical and pathological entity with diffuse involvement of the smallbowel and are frequently being associated with a chronic malabsorption disorder. Eradication of Helicobacter pylori in early lymphomas, and the use of tetracyclines in early Mediterranean lymphomas, have been shown to induce durable remissions. For more advanced gastric lymphomas, treatment usually consists of anthracycline-based chemotherapy followed by involved field radiotherapy. Surgery is usually reserved for complications such as perforation or bleeding, or in some selected cases for salvage after ...
Endothelial dysfunction is involved in radiation responses in many normal tissues, including intestine. Endothelium-directed interventions ameliorate intestinal radiation injury (radiation enteropathy) in animal models, and anecdotal reports also suggest a beneficial effect of heparin. This study assessed low molecular weight heparin as an intestinal radiation response modifier. Rats underwent localized smallbowel irradiation. Groups of rats were treated with saline, nadroparin (3 mg/kg/d), or a non-anticoagulant heparin (SR80258, 3 mg/kg/d), from 3 days before to 2 weeks after irradiation. The intestinal radiation response was assessed 2 weeks and 6 weeks after irradiation using quantitative histology; morphometry, and cellular and molecular end-points. Compared to vehicle-treated controls, nadroparin significantly exacerbated structural radiation injury, neutrophil infiltration, and TGFbeta and collagen I immunoreactivity levels 2 weeks ...
To evaluate the feasibility and clinical effectiveness of using a polyurethane-covered expandable nitinol stent in the palliative treatment of malignant duodenal obstruction. Under fluoroscopic guidance, a polyurethane-covered expandable nitinol stent was placed in 12 consecutive patients with malignant duodenal obstructions. All presented with severe nausea and recurrent vomiting. The underlying causes of obstruction were duodenal carcinoma (n=4), pancreatic carcinoma (n=4), gall bladder carcinoma (n=2), distal CBD carcinoma (n=1), and uterine cervical carcinoma (n=1). The sites of obstruction were part I (n=1), part II (n=8), and III (n=3). Due to pre-existing jaundice, eight patients with part II obstructions underwent biliary decompression prior to stent placement. An introducer sheath with a 6-mm outer diameter and stents 16 mm in diameter were employed, and to place the stent, and after-loading technique was used. Stent placement was technically successful in ten patients, and no ...
SUMMARYSmall bowel epithelium is at the frontline of intestinal barrier function. Restitution is considered to be the major determinant of epithelial repair as function recovers...Full Text Available
BackgroundNKX2-3 is associated with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). NKX2-3 is expressed in microvascular endothelial cells and the muscularis...Full Text Available
AIM:N-acetyltransferase 2 (NAT2) is an important enzyme catalyzing N-acetylation of sulfasalazine (SASP). The aim of the present study was to investigate...Full Text Available
BackgroundSulfasalazine is a widely used anti-inflammatory agent in the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease and several rheumatological disorders. Although as many as 20% of...Full Text Available
Background and aims: Serotonin (5-hydroxtryptamine, 5-HT) is an important factor in gut function, playing key roles in intestinal peristalsis and secretion, and in sensory...Full Text Available
BackgroundIn recent years, the protozoan Tritrichomonas foetus has been recognised as an important cause of chronic large-bowel diarrhoea in purebred cats in many...Full Text Available
Visceral hypersensitivity is currently considered a key pathophysiological mechanism involved in pain perception in large subgroups of patients with functional gastrointestinal disorders, including irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). In IBS, visceral hypersensitivity has been described in 20%?90% of patients. The contribution of the central nervous system and psychological factors to visceral hypersensitivity in patients with IBS may be significant, although still debated. Peripheral factors have gained increasing attention following the recognition that infectious enteritis may trigger the development of persistent IBS symptoms, and the identification of mucosal immune, neural, endocrine, microbiological, and intestinal permeability abnormalities. Growing evidence suggests that these factors ...
OBJECTIVE:- Tumor necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitors can be used to treat inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) but may lead to anti-nuclear antibody (ANA) positivity and lupus-like reactions. Because of its unique structure, certolizumab has lower rates of these complications. We sought to investigate whether patients who have had lupus-like reactions to infliximab or adalimumab would be able to tolerate certolizumab. METHODS:- We performed a retrospective analysis on the 23 patients at the Roberts Inflammatory Bowel Disease Center who received certolizumab for the treatment of Crohn's disease from March 2008 to June 2009. We identified 6 patients who were switched to this drug because of lupus-like reactions from prior anti-TNF therapy and had documented ANA after the reaction and prior to cert...
Many foods have been implicated in theories about the etiology of inflammatory bowel disease. While evidence has accumulated that nutritional factors as part of overall lifestyle changes may play a role in the growing incidence, no specific dietary recommendations except the promotion of breastfeeding can currently be given to decrease the risk of developing Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis. For the treatment of Crohn's disease in children and adolescents, however, enteral feeding with a semi-elemental diet seems to be as effective as corticosteroids in inducing and maintaining remission. In the meta-analyses, advantages of one formula over the other are evened out, and more research is warranted into the anti-inflammatory properties of different nutrients, such as polyunsaturated fat...
External radiation dose exceeded 5,000 rad in three cases, and intravaginal radiation dose was 5,000 rad in one case. Radiation damage including perforation was seen in the end of ileus in one case, in the sigmoid and rectum in two cases, and in the end of ileus, sigmoid and rectum in the last case. Satisfactory results were obtained by the removal of the ileocecum in the case of the damage in the end of the ileus. However, only colostomy was performed for the damage in the sigmoid and rectum.
Bowel infarction is a rare and typical condition of the elderly; despite improvements in diagnostic imaging and vascular surgery, bowel infarction remains a major cause of acute abdomen, with mortality rates ranging 70-80%. Diagnosis on often late because clinical signs, laboratory data and radiologic findings are a specific. The authors investigated radiographic and particular CT patterns of intestinal infraction in 56 patients submitted to surgery within 12 hours of admission. We also report the CT findings of 5 of these patients who had reversible mesenteric ischemia. CT is more sensitive than radiography and does not exhibit the limitations of angiography (i.e., invasiveness, radiation exposure and complex organization). Therefore CT can presently be considered the method of choice in patients with suspected bowel infarction. [Italian] L'infarto intestinale rappresenta una malattia rara e tipica del soggeto ...
Postresection villus hyperplasia is a major compensatory mechanism in the short-bowel patient. Substances capable of augmenting postresection mucosal hyperplasia could have therapeutic implications. Human growth hormone (hGH) and human growth hormone releasing factor (hGHRF) stimulate growth of the gastrointestinal tract; however, the diabetogenic actions of growth hormone limit its usefulness in clinical practice. Plerocercoid larvae of the tapeworm Spirometra mansonoides produce an analog of hGH void of diabetogenic side effects. We assessed effects of plerocercoid growth factor (PGF) on mucosal adaptation following 70% proximal jejunoileal resection in young rats. Mucosal weight, DNA, protein, and total sucrase activity per centimeter of bowel were increased in resected PGF-treated animals compared to resected controls. We conclude PGF augments intrinsic postresection mucosal hyperplasia following extensive intestinal resection. PMID:3665682
BACKGROUND: Immune suppressant medications such as thiopurines and anti-tumor necrosis factor agents are important for maintaining disease control in most patients with inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs); however, their use has been associated with the development of malignant lymphoma. The purpose of this Dutch nationwide study was to estimate the relative risk of malignant lymphoma in IBD patients. METHODS: IBD patients who developed a lymphoma between 1997 and 2004 were identified using the Dutch National Database of PALGA. Data from confirmed cases were collected from individual hospitals, including data on Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). The age-adjusted 8-year incidence of malignant lymphoma in the Netherlands was retrieved from the Central Bureau of Statistics. RESULTS: Forty-two hospitals were visited and 285 matches evaluated in the total cohort of 17,834 IBD patients. Forty-four lymphomas were observed, resulting in a relative risk of 1.27 (95% confidence ...
Abstract Adalimumab is a fully human monoclonal anti-tumor necrosis factor-a agent that is approved for the treatment of Crohn's disease. It has a good safety profile, injection site reactions being the most common adverse effect. We report a case of a 54-year-old woman with a 30-year history of Crohn's disease who developed achromic patches on the trunk and upper extremities after initiating treatment with adalimumab. Cutaneous biopsy confirmed diagnosis of vitiligo and laboratory testing ruled out thyroid disease. Concomitant occurrence of vitiligo and inflammatory bowel disease, although rare, has been described. A common autoimmune basis could explain this fact. Moreover, multiple cutaneous adverse effects have been described in the literature secondary to biologic treatments, includin...
Seventy-one patients with intestinal injury secondary to pelvic irradiation had predominantly large bowel lesions. Seventeen cases were treated conservatively and 54 came to surgery, 28 patients having more than one operation. Following this essentially salvage surgery there were more ileal than colonic anastomotic leaks. Thirty-four patients died during the follow-up period (2-12 years), 19 from recurrent malignancy, and nine as a result of continuing radiation effects. Seventy per cent of the patients who had a radiation fistula died as a result of malignancy. Of 42000 cases of pelvic malignancy treated by irradiation over the decade 1972-1982, surgical referrals for complications constituted 1.7%, with an overall radiation-related mortality of 0.2%. It is our opinion that colostomy alone has little part to play in this condition, and a policy based on excisional surgery is suggested.
AbstractBackground: A defective innate immune response may contribute to the pathogenesis of Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC). Employing a global gene expression analysis, this study was aimed at identifying specifically regulated genes within the epithelial compartment in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Methods: The epithelial fraction of human ileal mucosa samples from surgical specimens was obtained by laser microdissection. Gene expression was examined by global expression profiling (n = 18, Affymetrix), quantitative reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) (n = 35), immunoblot analysis (n = 9), and immunohistochemistry (n = 25). Results: Global expression profiling revealed a pronounced downregulation of the retinoic acid-inducible gene I (RIG-I) with...
Two dogs were given 3.0 mCi/kg body weight of "1"0"6Ru-"1"0"6Rh and two were given 4.0 mCi/kg. At 5 days after treatment, one dog from each dose level was colectomized. The dog given the larger dose but not surgically treated was killed in extremis due to acute lower bowel injury at 18 days. The other dog, given 3.0 mCi/kg but not surgically treated, was killed in a moribund condition at 145 days after dosing. The rectum had perforated. The colectomized dogs recovered from intestinal injury and showed no radiation damage at the termination of the study.
Spondylarthritides (SpA) and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are idiopathic, chronic inflammatory disorders. Although they are very distinct and well-defined entities, there is clinical and genetic evidence supporting some degree of overlap between the pathogenesis of the two. Subclinical gut inflammation is present in up to two thirds of all SpA patients and can evolve into IBD. This subclinical gut inflammation has been shown to be strongly associated with joint inflammation, providing a clue for a common pathophysiologic background. Despite extensive research progress in the field over the past few years, many questions remain unanswered. In this paper, we focus on the clinical, genetic, and pathophysiologic overlap of SpA and IBD. Furthermore, we discuss some of the targets that may i...
AbstractBackground: The dinitrofluorobenzene/dinitrosulfonic acid (DNFB/DNS) model was originally described as an experimental model of intestinal inflammation resembling human ulcerative colitis (UC). Due to the absence of acceptable UC experimental models for pharmacological preclinical assays, here we examine the immune response induced in this model. Methods: Balb/c mice were sensitized by skin application of DNFB on day 1, followed by an intrarectal challenge with DNS on day 5. We further expanded this model by administering a second DNS challenge on day 15. The features of colonic inflammation and immune response were evaluated. Results: The changes observed in colonic tissue corresponded, in comparison to the trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (TNBS) colitis model, to a mild mucosal effe...
Pro-inflammatory cytokines may directly influence the viability and metabolic function of colonic epithelial cells (CEC) as an early event in the development of inflammatory bowel disease. We report here that TNF-alpha+IFN-gamma induced a synergistic, concentration-dependent decline in butyrate oxidation, an essential energy supply, in HT-29 and DLD-1 cells. TNF-alpha+IFN-gamma induced a parallel profound decline in cell viability in HT-29 cells, but not in DLD-1 cells, where impairment of butyrate oxidation seemed to precede later occurrence of cell damage. TNF-alpha+INF-gamma induced CEC damage was independent on NO formation and involved the IFN-gamma signalling pathway as well as induction of apoptosis. If cytokines have similar effects in vivo, these may lead to energy deficiency and thus contribute to CEC damage and disturbance of the epithelial integrity.
Nearly a decade after the small boat attacks against the USS Cole (in 2000) and M/V Limburg (in 2002) in Yemen, small vessels continue to pose a security threat. In part, this is due to the ease of camouflage and the high frequency of small vessels operat...
A fast and accurate segmentation of organs at risk, such as the healthy colon, would be of benefit for planning of radiotherapy, in particular in an adaptive scenario. For the treatment of pelvic tumours, a great challenge is the segmentation of the most adjacent and sensitive parts of the gastrointestinal tract, the sigmoid and descending colon. We propose a semi-automated method to segment these bowel parts using the fast marching (FM) method. Standard 3D computed tomography (CT) image data obtained from routine radiotherapy planning were used. Our pre-processing steps distinguish the intestine, muscles and air from connective tissue. The core part of our method separates the sigmoid and descending colon from the muscles and other segments of the intestine. This is done by utilizing the ability of the FM method to compute a specified minimal energy functional integrated along a path, and thereby extracting the colon centre line between user-defined control points ...
Full text: The aim of this study was to determine the accuracy of CT colonography (Virtual colonoscopy; VC) for polyp detection in a community-based screening program of asymptomatic subjects at average-risk of colorectal cancer (CRC). Average-risk subjects of two quintiles (50-54 and 65-69 years) were randomly selected from the electoral roll and invited to participate in a VC-based CRC screening program. After bowel preparation, bowel insufflation with CO_2 and intravenous hyoscine butylbromide (unless contra-indicated), supine and prone scans were acquired with a single array GE CTi helical scanner. Scanning parameters were: collimation 3 or 5mm; pitch 1.5:1 or 2.0:1; reconstructions at 1-2mm; 70mAs (5mm collimation) or 120mAs (3mm collimation). Subjects in whom VC demonstrated a polyp were offered colonoscopy (CY) on the same day. Participation rate in the study has been 25%.To date 176 subjects have undergone VC. 41 of 176 (23%) VCs were ...
AIM: To compare the adequacy and acceptability of Picolax and Citramag bowel cleansing agents for CT colonography. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Multidetector row CT colonography was performed in 124 subjects; 43 had been prepared with Picolax and 81 with Citramag. Datasets were assessed for retained fluid and solid residue, and overall adequacy of segmental visualization. Preparation acceptability was also assessed. RESULTS: There was significantly less retained fluid with Picolax. The odds of being in the next higher category for retained fluid when using Picolax were 0.33 (CI: 0.22-0.50, p<0.0001) when compared with Citramag, for all segments combined. However there was significantly more retained solid residue with Picolax. The odds of being in the next higher category for retained residue when using Picolax were 2.44 (CI: 1.41-4.24, p=0.002) when compared with Citramag, for all segments combined. There was no significant difference with respect to overall ...
The OASIS Registry started annual collection of longitudinal data on patients on home parenteral nutrition (HPN) in 1984. This report describes outcome profiles on 1594 HPN patients in seven disease categories. Analysis showed clinical outcome was principally a reflection of the underlying diagnosis. Patients with Crohn's disease, ischemic bowel disease, motility disorders, radiation enteritis, and congenital bowel dysfunction all had a fairly long-term clinical outcome, whereas those with active cancer and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) had a short-term outcome. The long-term group had a 3-year survival rate of 65 to 80%, they averaged 2.6 complications requiring hospitalization per year, and 49% experienced complete rehabilitation. The short-term group had a mean survival of 6 months; they averaged 4.6 complications per year and about 15% experienced complete rehabilitation. The registry data also indicated HPN was used for 19,700 ...
The aim of this study was to compare a 1-day with a 2-day iodine bowel preparation for CT colonography in a positive faecal occult blood test (FOBT) screening population. One hundred consecutive patients underwent CT colonography and colonoscopy with segmental unblinding. The first 50 patients (group 1) ingested 7*50 ml iodinated contrast starting 2 days before CT colonography. The latter 50 patients (group 2) ingested 4*50 ml iodinated contrast starting 1 day before CT colonography. Per colonic segment measurements of residual stool attenuation and homogeneity were performed, and a subjective evaluation of tagging quality (grade 1-5) was done. Independently, two reviewers performed polyp and carcinoma detection. The tagging density was 638 and 618 HU (p = 0.458) and homogeneity 91 and 86 HU for groups 1 and 2, respectively (p = 0.145). The tagging quality was graded 5 (excellent) in 90% of all segments in group 1 and 91% in group 2 (p = 0.749). Mean per-polyp ...
To evaluate the efficacy of newly designed covered and non-covered coated colorectal stents for colonic decompression. Twenty-six patients, (15 palliative cases and 11 preoperative) underwent treatment for the relief of colorectal obstruction using metallic stents positioned under fluoroscopic guidance. In 24 of the 26, primary colorectal carcinoma was diagnosed, and in the remaining two, recurrent colorectal carcinoma. Twenty-one patients were randomly selected to receive either a type A or type B stent; for the remaining five, type C was used. Type A, an uncovered nitinol wire stent, was lightly coated to ensure structural integrity. Type B (flare type) and C (shoulder type) stents were polyurethane covered and their diameter was 24 and 26mm, respectively. The rates of technical success, clinical success, and complications were analyzed using the chi-square test, and to analyse the mean period of patency, the Kaplan-Meier method was used. Thirty of 31 attempted placements in 26 ...
Indium-111 is currently the radionuclide of choice for colonic transit study. However, it is expensive and not available in many hospitals. Technetium-99m has been proposed for colonic transit study but the short half-life has limited its use. Gallium-67 citrate is inexpensive and available in most countries. Most importantly, it has a suitable half-life for colonic transit study. Attempts have been made in some studies to use {sup 67}Ga citrate to label activated charcoal, but the results have not been good because of poor stability. In this study, we successfully labelled activated charcoal with {sup 67}Ga citrate by adding alcohol and 5% glucose solution. To evaluate the in vitro stability, the {sup 67}Ga-activated charcoal was incubated in a milieu mimicking the intestinal content, containing lipase, trypsin and glycochenodeoxycholate at different pH values (6.0, 7.0, 7.4 and 8.0) and for different durations (0 h, 24 h, 48 h, 72 h and 96 h). For the in vivo study, the {sup ...
... Abstract : Small metallic fragments can be trapped in combustible cartridge cases during manufacture and released into the interior-ballistic flow ...
... Program: Quallion Matrix Design (small cells) - Investigate the feasibly of a hybrid battery matrix composed of small D-sized cells for use in HEVs ...
... for a stapling or division of tissue the creation of a small gastric pouch which then assists ... follow up. Laparoscopic gastric bypass entails the surgical creation of a small gastric pouch, typically about an ...
To assess the malignant potential of small({<=}15mm) portal defects seen on CT arterial portography, the findings of CT hepatic arteriography and lipiodol CT were reviewed. In 91 patients who underwent both CTAP and CTHA, small portal defects were reviewed for frequency, multiplicity and location. We prospectively evauluated changes in the size and enhancement pattern of malignant lesions on follow up CT according to density on CTHA, location, lipiodol deposits on lipiodol CT, and multiplicity. Among the 91 patients, 102 small defects were defected in 42 patients(46%). Small portal defects were benign, malignant, and of undetermined malignant potential in 77%, 20% and 3% of cases, respectively. Small portal defects that were hyperattenuated on CTHA, and lipiodol deposits on lipiodol CT, were malignant in 42% and 70% of cases, respectively. Location and multiplicity did not ...
Small metallic fragments can be trapped in combustible cartridge cases during manufacture and released into the interior-ballistic flow upon combustion of the case. Such particles may survive the interior-ballistic cycle and pose an ignition threat to the...
BackgroundThe study of small airway diseases such as post-transplant bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome (BOS) is hampered by the difficulty in assessing peripheral airway function...Full Text Available
To promote more efficient use of small-diameter timber, research efforts are being focused on the development and evaluation of connection methods that can be easily applied to non-standard round wood profiles. This report summarizes an evaluation of a 'd...
The disulfide-reduced form of bovine ribonuclease A (RNAse A), with the Cys thiols irreversibly blocked, was characterized by small-angle x-ray scattering (SAXS). To help resolve the conflicting...Full Text Available
This report for the month of June 1995 presents information on the typical topics of tritium processing, environmental studies, waste management issues, and miscellaneous projects. The document consists many small reports by individuals or small groups.
... being reported (Kisseberth et al., 1984; Ma, 1989; Shore and Douben, 1994). Small mammals are useful indicator species because they have relatively small home ranges allowing a direct tie to the source of ...
Compliance mismatch is a significant challenge to long-term patency in small-diameter bypass grafts because it causes intimal hyperplasia and ultimately graft occlusion. Current engineered grafts...Full Text Available
BackgroundThe aim of this study was to compare and to validate different dose calculation algorithms for the use in radiation therapy of small lung lesions and to optimize the treatment...Full Text Available
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are endogenously encoded small noncoding RNAs, derived by processing of short RNA hairpins, that can inhibit the translation of mRNAs bearing partially complementary target sequences....Full Text Available
NSCLC (non-small cell lung cancer) comprises about 80% of all lung cancer cases worldwide. Surgery is most effective treatment for patients with early-stage disease. However, 30%–55% of these...Full Text Available
In this paper, we report a method of precise in situ x-ray scattering measurements on protein solutions using small stationary sample cells. Although reduction in the radiation damage...Full Text Available
AbstractA newly recognized syndrome, characterized by sudden death of farmed deer that are in good to excellent nutritional condition, with lesions of small intestinal mucosal hemorrhage...Full Text Available
The paper presents a review of the current state of knowledge on the likely impacts of extreme weather and climate events on coastal zones and small islands in the context of climate change. Possible response options, including prevention, preparedness and adaptation, are indicated.
ContextFatigue is the most common sequela among non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) survivors 1–6 years post-treatment and is associated with functional limitations.Full Text Available
To evaluate the risk for emerging human infections caused by zoonotic Bartonella spp. from exotic small mammals, we investigated the prevalence of Bartonella spp. in...Full Text Available
The risks to human health from small doses of ionizing radiation raise questions which remain largely unanswered. This paper begins by explaining the historical background to this subject; it goes on to discuss recent developments and concludes with a personal view of the dose-reponse relationship. (author).
The risks to human health from small doses of ionizing radiation raise questions which remain largely unanswered. This paper begins by explaining the historical background to this subject; it goes on to discuss recent developments and concludes with a personal view of the dose-reponse relationship. (author).
High-density lipoproteins (HDL) were examined as potential carriers of small peptides in plasma. HDL purified by density gradient centrifugation was delipidated and fractionated by size-exclusion...Full Text Available
The p21-activated kinases (PAKs), immediate downstream effectors of the small G-proteins of the Rac/cdc42 family, are critical mediators of signaling pathways regulating cellular behaviors and...Full Text Available
A simulation is developed that qualitatively describes the small-zone-gel-filtration behaviour of a reversibly associating protein. The results reflect the dependence of the apparent molecular weight...Full Text Available
We study the statistical properties of a variety of diverse real-world networks. We present evidence of the occurrence of three classes of small-world networks: (a) scale-free networks,...Full Text Available
Various measurement tools that are used in chaos theory were applied to analyze two-phase pressure signals with the objective of identifying and interpreting flow pattern transitions for two-phase flows in a small, horizontal rectangular channel. These me...
An elliptic equation in a rectangle with coefficients depending on a fast variable and with its period being a small parameter is considered. An asymptotic expansion of the solution up to an arbitrary degree of the small parameter is constructed and substantiated by applying the two-scale expansion method.
... small water or ice particles by impaction ... flight recording; principally the hydrometeor charge unit ... capability of directing aircraft movements by radio ...
hicle [UUV (essentially, a small ex- ploratory submarine robot)] of a type that has been deployed in large numbers in research pertaining to global warm- ...
... significant change of spontaneous radiation intensity. It is very sensitive technique allowing the observation of small changes of light absorption. ...
The purpose was to evaluate low-dose CT colonography without cathartic cleansing in terms of image quality, polyp visualization and patient acceptance. Sixty-one patients scheduled for colonoscopy started a low-fiber diet, lactulose and amidotrizoic-acid for fecal tagging 2 days prior to the CT scan (standard dose, 5.8-8.2 mSv). The original raw data of 51 patients were modified and reconstructed at simulated 2.3 and 0.7 mSv levels. Two observers evaluated the standard dose scan regarding image quality and polyps. A third evaluated the presence of polyps at all three mSv levels in a blinded prospective way. All observers were blinded to the reference standard: colonoscopy. At three times patients were given questionnaires relating to their experiences and preference. Image quality was sufficient in all patients, but significantly lower in the cecum, sigmoid and rectum. The two observers correctly identified respectively 10/15 (67%) and 9/15 (60%) polyps {>=}10 mm, with 5 and 8 ...
A vessel phantom suitable for evaluation of spatial and contrast resolution of FCRDSA (Fuji Computed Radiography, digital subtraction angiography) has been developed and used for determining resolution. The effects of iodine concentration, low dose exposure, and acryl thickness on the resolution were evaluated in FCRDSA, and FCRDSA images were compared with film substraction with use of this phantom. It has been proven that limitation of resolution of FCRDSA was 5 % 1 mm and about 1/4 dose exposure compared with conventional film exposure was clinically acceptable. Dye dilution method was useful to determine a program of IVDSA with imaging plate. It has been proven that time to appearance and time to peak of time-concentration curve of dye dilution method closely correlate to time to appropriate image of DSA in the neck, the chest, and the abdomen. 106 cases of IVDSA and 130 cases of IADSA using FCR in Tohoku University Hospital from January through December 1984 were analized. 90 % of ...
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a highly conversed topic, particularly since implementation of screening for CRC is imminent within the U.K. Aims: The aim of this research project was to examine the diagnostic tools currently used within the UK to detect CRC and their impact on the aetiology and epidemiology of CRC. Methodology: The complexity of the research topic lent itself towards a literature review. A systematic approach of researching was therefore adopted to analyse and critically evaluate the reliability and validity of articles. Electronic databases including AMED, Cancerlit, CINHAL, the Cochrane Library, EMBASE, MEDLINE and EBM-Reviews were utilised to provide a wide spectrum of recent and relevant articles. Other research strategies involved looking for books relating to the topics, which were kept to within 6 years of publication to maintain accuracy of information. Selected websites, such as NICE, the Department of Health, NHS websites and Cancer Research U.K. were useful at ...
We study the low energy expansion of the nucleon`s electroweak form factors in the framework of an effective chiral Lagrangian including pions, nucleons and the {Delta}(1232). We work to third order in the so-called small scale expansion and compare the results with the ones previously obtained in the chiral expansion. In addition, these calculations serve as a first exploratory study of renormalization and decoupling within the small scale expansion. (orig.) 35 refs.
This paper propose to show the technical and economic aspects of the implementation of small power distribution systems in small rural properties in some locations of Argentina. This paper presents a concrete methodology, with a rational cost composition and introduces project variables. 4 figs.
A small cholangiocarcinoma was detected at autopsy in a patient with thorotrastosis who died from the rupture of esophageal varices at the esophagogastric junction. Prior to the advent of recent diagnostic imaging technique, a correct antemortem diagnosis could only be obtained from tumor markers. However, the tendency for the opacity of the liver to decrease slowly with time and develop uneven trabeculation suggests that small tumors may be difficult to detect against such a non-homogeneous background. (author).
Study Type - Therapy (case series)Level of Evidence 4 OBJECTIVE To present our experience of retroperitoneoscopic partial adrenalectomy (RPA) for small adrenal tumours, as with modern imaging methods small adrenal lesions are being diagnosed more commonly, and retroperitoneoscopic adrenal surgery for small adrenal tumours (PATIENTS AND METHODS We retrospectively reviewed the records of 389 consecutive retroperitoneoscopic adrenalectomies from September 2005 to December 2008, 88 of which were small adrenal tumours and treated by RPA. Ultrasonography and computed tomography (CT) were used in all patients before RPA, and magnetic resonance imaging or positron emission tomography/CT in some patients. We used RPA for adrenal tumours and total adrenalectomy for adrenal cancer. During the surgery...
This third conference on small-satellite applications has combined a number of significant and timely presentations on the status, in the US and on the international front, of this emerging industry. Presentations by all of the major Department of Defense activities in this field, including an overview of the ARPA CAMEO multispectral remote sensing satellite program, space activities at the Air Force Phillips Laboratory, and a space systems capabilities overview of the Naval Research Laboratory, are complemented by presentations from several international activities on their accomplishments and progress in the development of remote sensing satellite programs. For example: Spar Aerospace of Canada presented an overview of the progress they have made in establishing a space program through the use of small satellites, and the University of Surrey and Spar Aerospace provided an overview of the application of image compression schemes to imagery ...
Small electrical demand supply systems, to serve small communities close to high voltage transmission lines, have been examined to delineate their technical and economic characteristics. Parameters to measure system performance were outlined. Development of the Brazilian version of the Energy Overhead Ground Wires (EOHGW) system was described. This system has been supplying electricity to Rondonia and Mato Grosso states in central and northern Brazil, Operating experiences with this system were reviewed. 4 refs., 8 tabs.
A simplified approach has been proposed to model the drying of capillary-porous materials with small geometric parameters for practical purposes. Luikov`s theory of mass and heat transfer for capillary-porous bodies was applied to drying of biological materials and it was shown that the thermo diffusion effect can be neglected if the thermal gradient remains small during the whole period of drying. The resulting simplified equations can then be solved using available mathematical software. The simplified equations were applied to drying of wood and a peanut pod
Biofuels may contribute to both rural economic development and climate change mitigation and adaptation. The Gota Verde Project in Yoro, Honduras, attempts to demonstrate the technical and economic feasibility of small-scale biofuel production for local use by implementing a distinctive approach to feedstock production that encourages small farm sizes, mixed cropping of biofuel feedstock from Jatropha and food crops, particularly corn and beans, grown side by side on the same farmland and the total involvement of small rural farmers. But is the project sustainable? Using EC-Assess, the Earth Charter ethics-based assessment tool, to assess the sustainability of this project, the author found that in some assessment categories the actions surpassed the intended objectives, showing that the project was achieving certain Earth Charter goals without specifically stating its intention to address them. (Contains 3 images, 3 ...
He commanded the 50th Space Wing, which is responsible for 60 satellites. ... to produce space systems and launchers capable of tailored military effects on ...
We report on the effect of potato maltodextrins with variable dextrose equivalent (Paselli SA-2, SA-6 and SA-10) on the surface behavior at the air-water interface of the mixture: legumin+small-molecule surfactant. Distinct in nature small-molecule surfactants (model: sodium salt of capric acid, Na-caprate; and commercially important: a citric acid ester of monoglyceride, CITREM) have been under our consideration. The role of the structure of both of the maltodextrins and the small-molecule surfactants in the effect studied has been elucidated by measurements in a bulk aqueous medium of the enthalpy of their interaction from mixing calorimetry, value of weight average molecular weight of the maltodextrins and the thermodynamics of the pair maltodextrin-solvent and maltodextrin-protein interactions from laser static light scattering. The combined data of mixing calorimetry and light scattering suggest some complex formation ...
Legionella pneumophila is a gram-negative bacterial species that is ubiquitous in almost any aqueous environment. It is the agent of Legionnaires’ disease, an acute and often...Full Text Available
4) Expand to include client-server interaction (small-scale archive interactions with the goal of evaluating information management capabilities) -- Early ...
This paper proposes a new approach based on missing value pattern discovery for classifying incomplete data. This approach is particularly designed for classification of datasets with a small...Full Text Available
Unlike in normal rabbits, pulmonary rapidly adapting receptors (RARs) in rabbits with chronic mitral regurgitation (MR) do not respond to small changes in extravascular...Full Text Available
Experimental data on high energy cumulative particle production are analyzed in the frame of flucton models. The performed analysis evidence for the flucton as a multiquark system with high baryon dnsity.
Sep 1, 2011 ... Description: What amount of extra energy can be generated after subtracting the total energy consumed to produce the biomass energy? ...
star formation. To either side of the center, a small bar of dust and gas is helping to fuel the new stars. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif., manages the...
... see http://www.spawar.navy.mil/robots/ ), during which ... pixel-accurate routes for a small ground robot using aerial ... a USV, a UAV and a UUV as well ...
Since the elucidation of the structure of double helical DNA, the construction of small molecules that recognize and react at specific DNA sites has been an area of considerable interest. In...Full Text Available
Lichen striatus begins similarly to lichen planus, with small bumps (papules), but over a period of days expands to form a long streak or band of affected ...
... in the body. PTH is made by the parathyroid glands -- four small glands located in the neck behind ... is due to excess PTH release by the parathyroid glands. This excess occurs due to an enlargement of ...
... River at Ango Ango (4 km south of Matadi (upstream)), and the second on a small tributary ... proposal were to be adopted the site at Matadi would be lost. No conservation measures in place ...
The diversity of ectoparasites in Southeast Asia and flea-host associations remain largely understudied. We explore specialization and interaction patterns of fleas infesting non-volant small mammals in Bornean rainforests, using material from a field survey carried out in two montane localities in northwestern Borneo (Sabah, Malaysia) and from a literature database of all available interactions in both lowland and montane forests. A total of 234 flea individuals collected during our field survey resulted in an interaction network of eight flea species on seven live-captured small mammal species. The interaction network from all compiled studies currently includes 15 flea species and 16 small mammal species. Host specificity and niche partitioning of fleas infesting diurnal treeshrews and ...
The invention of the microscope disclosed a whole new world, that of the hitherto invisibly small. Histologic evidence as revealed by the microscope has become a cornerstone of medical diagnosis, and...Full Text Available
The force required to break the conidium-conidiophore attachment in Helminthosporium maydis was measured by centrifugation and by a small jet of air. The force which removed half the...Full Text Available
Understanding the erosion and deposition rates in a small watershed is important for designing soil and water conservation measures. The objective of this study is to estimate the net soil loss and gain at points with various land use types and landform positions in a small watershed in the Sichuan Hilly Basin of China by the 137Cs tracing technique. Among various land use types, the order of erosion rate was bare rock > sloping cultivated land > forest land. The paddy field and Caotu (a kind of cultivated land located at the foot of hills) were depositional areas. The erosion rate under different landform was in this order: hillside > saddle > hilltop. The footslope and the valley were depositional areas. The 137Cs technique was shown to provide an effective means of documenting the spatial distribution of soil erosion and deposition within the small watershed.
... endometriosis can be seen is by doing a laparoscopy. A laparoscopy is a surgical procedure used to look at ... of the abdomen using special scopes. During a laparoscopy, the doctor is able to take small samples ...
The manual provides design information for four groups of sediment control structures and treatments which are suitable for use on small areas in surface coal mining. A detailed design procedure is given for each group which will estimate the total amount of settleable solids from a small area with a sediment control structure or treatment for a specific design storm. A procedure is also given for estimating the mean annual sediment yield from a small area. Information on design, installation, maintenance and cost is given for each sediment control measure. Methods for determining the maximum allowable area for each sediment control measure and for design of combined sediment control systems are presented. The design procedures contain numerous nomographs, graphs, and worksheets to facilitate the use of the design procedure. The sediment control measures, design procedures, and materials in the manual are applicable to ...
The manual provides design information for four groups of sediment control structures and treatments which are suitable for use on small areas in surface coal mining. A detailed design procedure is given for each group which will estimate the total amount of settleable solids from a small area with a sediment control structure or treatment for a specific design storm. A procedure is also given for estimating the mean annual sediment yield from a small area. Information on design, installation, maintenance and cost is given for each sediment control measure. Methods for determining the maximum allowable area for each sediment control measure and for design of combined sediment control systems are presented. The design procedures contain numerous nomographs, graphs, and worksheets to facilitate the use of the design procedure. The sediment control measures, design procedures, and materials in the manual are applicable to coal ...
Results from this analysis show that the wood-value per hectare is rather the same whether we use the conventional harvester to harvest the pulpwood and timber only, or if we use a combination of a harvester and a chipping system to harvest the small trees for fuel. This is valid if the price of chips is on the same level as pulpwood. The incomes from the wood per hectare reduced with the harvesting costs differ between the two systems. We can see that the revenue per hectare is 34% higher when we harvest pulpwood only (9362 SEK compared to 6702 + 268 SEK). But if we only look at the revenue within the machine-system we can find it is more profitable to use the harvester for processing stems with larger diameter combined with a small scale system for harvesting fuel-wood from the small trees. 7 refs, 7 figs, 2 tabs
Summary of recent advancesA family of small molecules called ascarosides act as pheromones to control multiple behaviors in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans....Full Text Available
... F ? (28.3)(108) in an isotherme.l deformation with stationary principal axes of strain rate, but the component might be as small as F2= (19-3)(100) ...
to be similar to the system of face-on spiral and small companion known as M51, the Whirlpool Galaxy. Tomorrow's picture: Beta Pic < | Archive | Index | Search | Calendar | RSS |...
Sep 19, 2005 ... within a sealed tube to control the environment to which a sample mounts are better suited to handling the very small crystal is exposed. ...
It is carried out a calculation to determine the energy spectra of secondary {sup 3}He at small atmospheric depths. It is produced in the spallation reaction of primary helium and heavier nuclei in the overlying atmosphere. It is examined the effect of the geomagnetic cut-off on the spectral shape of the secondary {sup 3}He nuclei. The calculations are being carried out for both solar minimum and maximum periods. Results from these calculations will be presented at the Conference.
BackgroundmicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNAs that are frequently involved in carcinogenesis. Although many miRNAs form part of integrated networks, little information is...Full Text Available
Numerical results on aeroelastic standard configurations are presented. The methods used for two dimensional configurations include the small perturbations approach for inviscid flow, coupling methods for unseparated flow, coupling methods for unseparated or separated, laminar or turbulent boundary layers, and a numerical solution of the Euler equations for inviscid flow. The three dimensional configurations are studied by the transonic small disturbance approach. The detailed results are given.
A series of real-time, neutron radiography, experiments are ongoing at the Texas A and M Nuclear Science Center Reactor (NSCR). These tests determine the resolving capabilities for radiographic imaging of two phase water and air flow regimes through small diameter flow channels. Though both film and video radiographic imaging is available, the real-time video imaging was selected to capture the dynamic flow patterns with results that continue to improve. (author)
The authors solve the two-dimensional stefan problem of solidification in a half-space, where the heat flux at the wall is a slightly varying function of positioning along the wall, by means of a large Stefan number approximation (which turns out to be equivalent to a small time solution), and then by means of the Heat Balance Integral Method, which is valid for all time, and which agrees with the large Stefan number solution for small times. A representative solution is given for a particular form of the heat flux perturbation.
Nuclear options for electricity generations are assessed in this paper. Probabilistic (stochastic) method is used for economic comparison of nuclear power plants, wind plants and natural gas fired plants. Optimal nuclear power plant size is also discussed. IRIS is presented as a representative of small and medium reactors
The structure of polydispersed populations of unilamellar vesicles is studied by small-angle neutron scattering for three types of lipid systems, namely, single-, two-and four-component vesicular systems. Results of the numerical analysis based on the separated-form-factor model are reported.
Scheme of theoretical method of molecular configuration definition for small organic molecules in solution has been presented. The method bases on measurements of nuclear Overhauser effects for proton-proton interactions and molecular mechanics calculations. 3 refs, 1 fig.
We consider a particle that is subject to a constant force and scatters inelastically on a vibrating periodically corrugated floor. At small friction and for small scatterers the dynamics is dominated by resonances forming spiral structures in phase space. These spiral modes lead to pronounced maxima and minima in the diffusion coefficient as a function of the vibration frequency, as is shown in computer simulations. Our theoretical predictions may be verified experimentally by studying transport of single granular particles on vibratory conveyors.
The article correlates CT and pathologic findings in 25 lung nodules with ground glass attenuation, which are small than 2 cm in diameter. They includes adenocarcinomas (Noguchi's classification type A, B, C) and a typical adenomatous hyperplasia. (author)
A mutant strain of Saccharomyces cerevisiae (D10-ER1) has been isolated after a two-step mutagenesis of strain 4059-358D (SUC 1) using ethyl methane sulfonate. Cells of this new strain produced a level...Full Text Available
Cytologic smears obtained by needle aspiration biopsy of lytic bone lesions in 15 patients with histiocytosis X, Ewing's sarcoma and neuroblastoma were reviewed. After conventional staining, histiocytosis X could be diagnosed and differentiated from small cell tumours such as Ewing's sarcoma and neuroblastoma. The need for sampling material for cytochemical and ultrastructural analysis of these small cell tumours by needle aspiration is emphasized. (Auth.).
... It is well camouflaged and each individual has unique back pattern markings. It eats mainly spiders and insects. The Eastern Lined Earless Dragon is a small dragon lizard measuring up to 21cm in length. It is well camouflaged and each individual has unique back ... It is well camouflaged and each individual has unique back pattern markings. It eats mainly spiders and insects. It lives in and around grass tussocks as well as small holes in the ground that are also used by invertebrates such as wolf spiders and crickets....
The kinetics of the urea-induced dissociation of human plasma alpha 2-macroglobulin into two half-molecular fragments was investigated at 21.0 degrees C by using small-angle neutron scattering. The...Full Text Available
One hundred and thirty-seven lung cancer patients (123 non-small-cell lung cancers (NSCLC), 10 small-cell lung cancers (SCLC) and four carcinoid tumours) who underwent surgery in an attempt at complete...Full Text Available
Systems with small sizes show significant changes compared to the bulk system. These changes are of major interest regarding the size reduction of technological applications. The hydrogen-metal system can be used as a model alloy to study small size features: shifted phase boundaries and sloped isotherms are found and, also, new materials structures. Most features can be attributed to surface- and interface contributions as well as to mechanical stress. (Abstract Copyright [2004], Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)
In the case of a release of residual power and fragmenting following a hypothetical accident the applied powers are small. The boiling in the fluid in the bed promotes leveling and the angles of repose obtained are very small. For a specific power in water of 3.1 W/cm_3 a limiting angle of repose of less than 2 degrees is obtained after a time interval of between 1 and 3 hours. EDULCOREE-and ETABUL-research programs are carried out. (DG).
Analytical solutions are derived for a flow in a semi-infinite vertical porous medium with heat and mass transfer. When the temperature and mass concentration are uniform a constant pressure is possible and sustains a fully developed flow. Thereafter there is a small perturbation on the wall temperature and concentration and the subsequent two-dimensional problem is tackled for a large Prandtl number, free convection parameters and small Reynolds number. The heat transfer rate at the wall is discussed quantitatively.
PurposeUsing a retrospective analysis of treatment plans submitted from multiple institutions accruing patients to the RTOG #0236 non-small cell SBRT protocol, this...Full Text Available
Seventy male Wistar rats were the recipients of labeled small lymphocytes (1.5 X 10(7) each) collected from the peripheral blood of syngeneic donors. The migrating labeled lymphocytes were traced in...Full Text Available
An S-brane solution with two non-composite electric branes and a set of l scalar fields is considered. The intersection rule for branes corresponds to the Lie algebra A_2. The solution contains five factor spaces with the fifth one interpreted as ``our'' 3-dimensional space. It is shown that there exists a time interval where accelerating expansion of ``our'' 3-dimensional space is compatible with small enough value of effective gravitational ``constant'' variation.
We have determined that 10Sa RNA (one of the small stable RNAs found in Escherichia coli) has an interesting structural feature: the 5' end and the 3' end of 10Sa RNA can be arranged in a structure...Full Text Available
The tumor suppressor p53 is often inactivated in breast cancer cells because the overexpression of its repressors (e.g., MDM2 and MDMX). Restoration of p53 activity by small molecules through counteracting...Full Text Available
Positive identification of Martian pseudocraters would be a strong indication of past occurrence of ice at or near the surface of Mars. The basis for suggesting that small cones on Mars are pseudocraters includes: (1) small size, (2) abundant but patchy distribution on what appear to be volcanic plains, (3) presence of other features suggestive of surface or subsurface ice, (4) morphological similarities to Icelandic pseudocraters, and (5) the similarity in distribution of crater/cone diameter ratios to Icelandic pseudocraters. This last morphometric parameter may be the most important, since other possible small terrestrial volcanic analogs have very different crater/cone diameter ratio distributions. In a survey of the available high resolution Viking Orbiter imagery, abundant fields of possible pseudocraters were found. However, only a small fraction of the plains forming units imaged at high ...
This report presents the results of a development effort to design, test and begin production of a new class of small photovoltaic (PV) charge controllers. Sandia National Laboratories provided technical support, test data and financial support through a Balance-of-System Development contract. One of the objectives of the development was to increase user confidence in small PV systems by improving the reliability and operating life of the system controllers. Another equally important objective was to improve the economics of small PV systems by extending the battery lifetimes. Using new technology and advanced manufacturing techniques, these objectives were accomplished. Because small stand-alone PV systems account for over one third of all PV modules shipped, the positive impact of improving the reliability and economics of PV systems in this market segment will be felt throughout the industry. The ...
DOE invites small business firms to submit proposals in this sixth annual solicitation for the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program. Firms with strong research capabilities in science or engineering in any of the topic areas described are encouraged to participate. DOE will support high-quality research or research and development (R and D) on advanced concepts concerning important energy related scientific or engineering problems and opportunities that could lead to significant public benefit if the research is successful. Objectives of this program include stimulating technological innovation in the private sector, strengthening the role of small business in meeting Federal R and D needs, increasing the commercial application of DOE-supported research results, and improving the return on investment from Federally funded research for economic and social benefits to the Nation.
Extraskeletal Ewing's sarcoma (ES) and primitive neuroectodermal tumor (PNET) are widely regarded as clinically and histologically identical tumors which consist of small blue round cells. Extraskeletal ESs/PNETs usually occur in the deep soft tissues of the paraspinal region, chest wall, or lower extremities. However, superficially located cases, so-called cutaneous ESs/PNETs, are exceedingly rare, and the vast majority of the reported cases present as a single small mass. We present magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings and clinical course of a unique case of primary cutaneous ES/PNET presenting as numerous huge masses with severe ulceration on them. (orig.)
An emergency shutdown system for high-temperature gas-cooled pebble-bed reactors is proposed in addition to the common absorber rod shutdown system. This system is based on the strongly absorbing effect of small boronated graphite spheres (called KLAK), which trickle in case of emergency by gravity from the top reflector into the reactor core. The inner reflector of the Siemens-Argonaut reactor was substituted by an assembly of spherical Arbeitsgemeinschaft Versuchsreaktor fuel elements, and the shutdown effect was examined by installing well-defined KLAK nests inside this assembly. The purpose was to develop and prove a calculational procedure for determining criticality values for assemblies of large fuel spheres and small absorbing spheres.
Effective localization of small magnets against a noisy, real world background can involve various methods to first identify the magnetic fields produced by the magnet of interest, then to filter out background noise, and then to analyze the available magnetic field data to localize the magnet. Here we discuss low cost techniques which allow localization of small magnets with field strengths in the milliGauss range against real world background fields in the range of hundreds of mG, which may be fluctuating by up to tens of mG. Such techniques allow magnet tracking to be used to localize catheters in place of more invasive and expensive methods, e.g. fluoroscopy, for a variety of applications, including drug infusion with peripherally inserted central catheters (PICCs), laser ablation (TMR, PTMR) and introduction of pacemaker leads.
Mycoplasma infections of small ruminants are known to exist in the Mediterranean region, Asia, Africa and cause significant economic impacts but little is known of the Mycoplasma spp. in sheep and goats in the Middle East. During the period of 2002-2003, 104 flocks of local sheep and goats (17 sheep, 27 goat and 60 mixed flocks) were surveyed for the occurrence of mycoplasma infections in Northern Jordan. The clinical signs seen in the studied flocks were, to varying degrees, mastitis in sheep and goats, arthritis, mainly in kids, and pneumonia in both sheep and goats of most age groups. Small ruminant farms were sampled and pooled milk samples and nasal swabs were collected for culture and isolation of mycoplasma. Mycoplasmas were isolated from 17 (26%) of the 62 milk samples and 12 (3.9%...
Vignon, M. (2011) Inference in morphological taxonomy using collinear data and small sample sizes: Monogenean sclerites (Platyhelminthes) as a case study. -Zoologica Scripta, 40, 306-316. Taxonomists and evolutionary biologists frequently use a combination of morphological measurements to distinguish between species and investigate local adaptation. However, the entire set of characters often displays various degrees of collinearity. This paper discusses the effect of using collinear data in morphological taxonomy and ways to handle multicollinearity in a classification context, with special consideration for small sample size. In addition, I propose a robust and easy-to-use combination of dimension reduction using partial least squares (PLS) with traditional discriminant methods for morph...
The EU-home team is in charge of the R and D related to the ITER baffle first wall. Five small-scale mock-ups, using Be, CFC and W tiles and different armour/heat-sink material joints under development, have been fabricated and thermomechanically tested in FE200 (Le Creusot) and JUDITH (Juelich) electron beam facilities. The small-scale mock-ups have been submitted to thermo-mechanical fatigue tests (up to failure using accelerating techniques). The objective was to determine the performances of the armour material joints under high heat flux cycles. (orig.)
Giant magnetoresistance (GMR) has been used with Eddy current testing to detect small defects not only in thin film structures but also in multilayered metallic structures. This work detected small scratches in the thin film under the surface where these defects were unable to be inspected or monitored by regular testing. In addition, rotational GMR magnetic sensor based Eddy current probes were used for detecting buried corner cracks at the edge of holes in metallic structures. The results of this study proved that giant magnetoresistance is very powerful and effective to sense the magnetic field, which is the result from the perturbation of the Eddy currents caused by a defect. This method can be used for quality control of metallization layers on silicon wafer and to detect cracks in thick structures such as cracks in aging aircraft.
The effect of weak dissipation on drift orbits has been investigated making use of a simple mapping model in a helical magnetic field. It is found that, after many mapping iterations, any orbit tends to an attractor forming a vortex line even with very small dissipation. The convergence is faster for larger dissipation, i.e., the number of iteration N to converge within a certain distance from the attractor is inversely proportional to the amount of the dissipation. Although the behavior of orbits completely change, the basic stability characteristics of the system does not change, i.e, the coordinate of the attractors are determined by the stable fixed points in the area preserving system because the dissipation is very small. Since wide range of orbits are concentrated around the attractors after many toroidal circulations, a pinch effect is created by a small dissipation. Application of this pinch effect to fusion ...
This manual is intended to provide a free resource on essential network security concepts for non-technical managers of small libraries. Managers of other small nonprofit or community organizations will also benefit from it. An introduction defines network security; outlines three goals of network security; discusses why a library should be concerned with network security; and describes limits of this work. The manual is divided into three main parts. Part One features the management issues related to network security: analyzing risk, developing a security plan and policy, the funding requirements libraries can expect in operating their networks, and implementing adequate security. Part Two describes the areas of computer networks that need to be secured, and provides a description of many of the security measures necessary for adequate security. Part Three presents sample documents that may be help in the library's efforts to secure its ...
Various measurement tools that are used in chaos theory were applied to analyze two-phase pressure signals with the objective of identifying and interpreting flow pattern transitions for two-phase flows in a small, horizontal rectangular channel. These measurement tools included power spectral density function, autocorrelation function, pseudo-phase-plane trajectory, Lyapunov exponent,s and fractal dimensions. It was demonstrated that the randomlike pressure fluctuations characteristic of two-phase flow in small rectangular channels are chaotic, and governed by a high-order deterministic system. The correlation dimension is potentially a new approach for identifying certain two-phase flow patterns and transitions.
Virtually all biomedical research makes use of a relatively small pool of laboratory-adapted, inbred, isogenic stocks of mice. Although the advantages of these models are many, there are a number of...Full Text Available
Select members of the Reoviridae are the only nonenveloped viruses known to induce syncytium formation. The fusogenic orthoreoviruses accomplish cell-cell fusion through a distinct...Full Text Available
Technology is now available to allow a complete haemodynamic analysis; however this is only used in a small proportion of patients and seems to occur when the medical staff have the time and inclination....Full Text Available
Thioredoxin, a small, ubiquitous protein which participates in redox reactions through the reversible oxidation of its active center dithiol to a disulfide, is an essential protein in Bacillus...Full Text Available
Experimental data on high energy cumulative particle production are analyzed in the frame of flucton models. The analysis gives evidence for the flucton as a multiquark system with high baryon density. 6 refs., 5 figs.
The fusogenic orthoreoviruses express nonstructural fusion-associated small transmembrane (FAST) proteins that induce cell-cell fusion and syncytium formation. It has been speculated that the FAST proteins...Full Text Available
Studies in rodents have shown that male sexual function can be disrupted by fetal or neonatal administration of compounds that alter endocrine homeostasis, such as the synthetic nonsteroidal estrogen...Full Text Available
Magnetic fields correlated on several kiloparsec scales are seen in spiral galaxies. Their origin could be due to the winding up of a primordial cosmological field or due to amplification of a small seed field by a turbulent galactic dynamo. Both options have difficulties: There is no known battery mechanism for producing the required primordial field. Equally the turbulent dynamo may self destruct before being able to produce the large scale field, due to excess generation of small scale power. The current status of these difficulties is discussed. The resolution could depend on the nature of the saturated field produced by the small scale dynamo. We argue that the small scale fields do not fill most of the volume of the fluid and instead concentrate into intermittent ropes, with their peak value of order equipartition fields, and radii much smaller than their lengths. In this case these fields neither ...
Eukaryotic genome size varies over five orders of magnitude; however, the distribution is strongly skewed toward small values. Genome size is highly correlated to a number of phenotypic traits, suggesting...Full Text Available
Small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) is used to demonstrate the presence of density fluctuations in ambient water on a physical length-scale of ≈1 nm; this is retained with decreasing temperature...Full Text Available
1. Sacs 20 cm long were obtained from the upper half of the small intestine of bile fistula rats (bile duct cannulated 48 hours previously). The sacs were everted, filled with oxygenated phosphate...Full Text Available
A survey is given on the results in hand on the natural radioactivity of building materials. It is shown that only a small percentage of building materials has an increased content of radioactive materials. The results are compared with approximate values given in a Russian publication. (orig./AK).
Feb 23, 2011 ... THEMIS-D: The Solid State Telescope (SST) measures the incoming ... Each single sensor covers an angle of 36 degrees. .... The five small satellites were launched together on a Delta II rocket and they carry identical ...
The advanced technologies of Ka-Band systems such as high gain spot .... sometimes used based on link requirements for a specific application. .... received at NASA LeRC from a Ku-band satellite and retransmitted to the USAT at Ka-Band. .... and to the Office of Management and Budget, Paperwork Reduction Project ...
This paper presents a brief account of Lingling Hydroelectric Power Equipment General Works, the capacity of equipment production, the organization body, the quality assurance system and supervision of government department on its product quality.
... in Ti-6Al-4V has been studied quite thoroughly [5-7], much of the work resulting from the Air Force-sponsored High Cycle Fatigue initiative [8]. In ...
Possible health risks associated with occupational inhalation of mycotoxin-containing dust remain largely unknown, partly because methods for mycotoxin detection are not sensitive enough for the small...Full Text Available
Amorphous silicates having small particles with a large surface area were found to have high nonspecific adsorption capacity. Investigations with Escherichia coli T4 bacteriophage have...Full Text Available
China’s methadone maintenance treatment program was initiated in 2004 as a small pilot project in just eight sites. It has since expanded into a nationwide program encompassing more than 680...Full Text Available
THEMIS-A: The Solid State Telescope (SST) measures the incoming intensity ... units (heads), each SST unit has two pairs of opposing ion and electron sensors. .... The five small satellites were launched together on a Delta II rocket and they ...
... presumed first instar Geocharidius. Anillines occur in deep forest litters, beneath rocks and in soil (endogean), or as ... their small size and cryptic mode of life. Forest litter inhabiting anillines ma...
Systemic chemotherapy has been relatively ineffective in the treatment of malignant brain tumors even though systemic chemotherapy drugs are small molecules that can readily extravasate across the porous...Full Text Available
Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) kinase domain mutations hyperactivate the kinase and confer kinase addiction of the non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) tumor...Full Text Available
Effective small interfering RNA (siRNA)–mediated therapeutics require the siRNA to be delivered into the cellular RNA-induced silencing complex (RISC). Quantitative information of this essential...Full Text Available
BackgroundSmall laboratory fish share many anatomical and histological characteristics with other vertebrates, yet can be maintained in large numbers at low cost for lifetime studies....Full Text Available
Phenazines are redox-active small molecules that play significant roles in the interactions between pseudomonads and diverse eukaryotes, including fungi. When Pseudomonas aeruginosa...Full Text Available
BackgroundNinety-one rodent plague epidemics have occurred in Lianghe county, Yunnan Province, China, between 1990 and 2006. This study aimed to identify predictors for the presence...Full Text Available
Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) related therapies – mainly tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) such as erlotinib and gefitinib, but also monoclonal antibodies targeting EGFR, for example,...Full Text Available
A thin-film evaporator requires only a short heating time to concentrate a solution since it has a high thermal efficiency and has a small capacity. Thus, the chemical industry often uses this type of evaporator for concentrating materials that are subjec...
During a study of the health status of children in rural Nigerian communities a gross lack of fit was observed between the sample and the growth attainment standards derived from local longitudinal...Full Text Available
The design and performance of small incinerators used at the Mound Laboratory for the disposal of explosives are described. These units, which cost less than $1000 each, are about the size of a 55-gal drum, have water jackets for cooling, and have provided a flexible, efficient, and clean burning explosives disposal unit. (LCL)
MRI, ultrasonography and angiography were performed on 24 cases with small renal cell carcinoma, and data were compared with pathological architecture type. An average diameter of cancer was 20.8 mm (10-30 mm). Each tumor was pathologically classified into four architecture types: alveolar type (15 cases), papillary type (5 cases), tubular type (3 cases) and cystic type (1 case). In comparison with renal cortex alveolar type renal cell carcinoma showed equal or low signal in T1-weighted images and equal or high signal in T2-weighted images. Papillary and tubular types showed high signal in T1-weighted images, and low signal in T2-weighted images. In alveolar type, many cases showed equal echo in ultrasonography and hypervascularity in angiography, and in papillary and tubular types, many cases showed high echo and hypovascularity. There were many cases with papillary type small cell carcinoma which showed low signal intensity of T2-weighted ...
Purpose: Small animal micro-CT imaging is being used increasingly in preclinical biomedical research to provide phenotypic descriptions of genomic models. Most of this imaging is coincident...Full Text Available
BackgroundThe various tasks of visual systems, including course control, collision avoidance and the detection of small objects, require at the neuronal level the dendritic integration...Full Text Available
Summary: The small DNA tumor viruses have provided a very long-lived source of insights into many aspects of the life cycle of eukaryotic cells. In recent years, the emphasis has been on cancer-related...Full Text Available
Finding pertinent information is not limited to search engines. Online communities can amplify the influence of a small number of power users for the benefit of all other users. Users' information foraging...Full Text Available
A small regional survey of direct spectrophotometric methods and a larger Australian and New Zealand survey of paediatric bilirubin analyses are described. The overall performance of both groups was...Full Text Available
Exosomes are small membrane vesicles secreted from various types of cells. Tumor-derived exosomes contain MHC class I molecules and tumor-specific antigens, receiving attention as a potential cancer...Full Text Available
Recent technological advances have lead to the ability to generate large amounts of data for model and non-model organisms. Whereas, in the past, there have been a relatively small number of central...Full Text Available
In the information age, information utilities like libraries are as sensitive to the stresses of change as any other organization. This article is a case study of a small, specialized medical library...Full Text Available
The phenomenon of antibiotic resistance has created a need for the development of novel antibiotic classes with non-classical cellular targets. Unfortunately, target-based drug discovery against...Full Text Available
A 41-year-old white woman was referred to our Department to rule out the presence of a Fuch's corneal dystrophy. On slit-lamp biomicroscopy, small bilateral punctuate opacities appearing mostly in the...Full Text Available
BackgroundAnimals carrying genetic mutations have provided powerful insights into the role of interstitial cells of Cajal (ICC) in motility. One classic model is...Full Text Available
The computational fluid dynamics methods for the limited flow rate and the small dimensions of an intracranial artery stenosis may help demonstrate the stroke mechanism in intracranial atherosclerosis....Full Text Available
BackgroundPoverty, lack of female empowerment, and lack of education are major risk factors for childhood illness worldwide. Microcredit programs, by offering small loans to poor...Full Text Available
A complete macromolecule modeling package must be able to solve the simplest structure prediction problems. Despite recent successes in high resolution structure modeling and design, the Rosetta software suite fares poorly on deceptively small protein and RNA puzzles, some as small as four residues. To illustrate these problems, this manuscript presents extensive Rosetta results for four well-defined test cases: the 20-residue mini-protein Trp cage, an even smaller disulfide-stabilized conotoxin, the reactive loop of a serine protease inhibitor, and a UUCG RNA tetraloop. In contrast to previous Rosetta studies, several lines of evidence indicate that conformational sampling is not the major bottleneck in modeling these small systems. Instead, approximations and omissions in the Rosetta all-atom energy function currently preclude discriminating experimentally observed conformations from de novo models at atomic resolution. ...
Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC) is a common cause of watery diarrhea in children in developing countries. After adhering intimately to small intestinal cells, EPEC...Full Text Available
Microarray data has a high dimension of variables but available datasets usually have only a small number of samples, thereby making the study of such datasets interesting and challenging. In the task...Full Text Available
BackgroundVascular stents are small tubular scaffolds used in the treatment of arterial stenosis (narrowing of the vessel). Most vascular stents are metallic and are deployed either...Full Text Available
BackgroundNon-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is the foremost cause of cancer-related death in Western countries, which is due partly to the propensity of NSCLC cells to metastasize....Full Text Available
Computer simulated small-angle neutron scattering curves of spherical poly disperse extruded unilamellar liposomes from saturated 1,2-diacylphosphatidylcholines in the aqueous phase are evaluated by using a multi shell model, which divides the lipid bilayer of liposomes into the polar head group region, and the nonpolar hydrocarbon region consisting of the chains of methylene groups and of the region of methyl groups. In the each of these regions, the coherent neutron scattering length density is supposed to by homogeneous. The evaluation is based on obtaining of radius of gyration from Kratky-Porod plot of small-angle neutron scattering data in the Guinier region of small scattering vector values. From radii of gyration obtained at several different molar fractions N_D_2_O/(N_D-2_O + N_H_2_O) in the aqueous phase (contrasts) and independent volumetric data, the lipid surface area A_L (or the bilayer thickness d_L) and the ...
BackgroundThe present paper contributes to enrich the ethnobotanical knowledge of Calabria region (Southern Italy). Research was carried out in Alto Tirreno Cosentino, a small area...Full Text Available
AbstractThree biologic dressings [split-thickness allogeneic skin (STS)], allogeneic peritoneum (P), and xenogenic porcine small intestinal submucosa (PSIS)] were...Full Text Available
Water from small scale purification plants is a low cost alternative for consumers in comparison to the bottled commercial presentations. Because of its low cost per liter, the consumption of this product has increased in recent years, stimulating in turn the installation of purification systems for these small businesses. The purpose of this study was to estimate the efficiency of small scale purification systems located in the cities of Zacatecas and Guadalupe, Zacatecas, to reduce the radioactive content of water. It was measured the total alpha and beta activity in water samples of entry and exit to process, through the liquid scintillation technique. In general it was observed that the process is more efficient in removing alpha that beta activity. The fraction of total alpha activity removed varied between 27 and 100%, while between 0 and 77% of the total beta activity was removed by the analyzed plants. In all cases, ...
We investigated the effects of wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) discharge on the ecology of bacterial communities in the sediment of a small, low-gradient stream in South Australia. The quantification...Full Text Available
Background and AimsThe small leafy succulent shrub Halocnemum strobilaceum occurs in saline habitats from northern Africa and Mediterranean Europe to western Asia,...Full Text Available
Small RAC/ROP-family G proteins regulate development and stress responses in plants. Transient overexpression and RNA interference experiments suggested that the barley (Hordeum vulgare)...Full Text Available
Development status of small direct injection diesel engine at Isuzu Motors Ltd. is reviewed. There is much difficulty in combustion optimization of small DI engines, due to small combustion chamber volume, large surface to volume ratio, wide engine speed range and so on. Novel ideas in the area of injection system, combustion chamber and induction swirl were tried to solve these problems and their effects are presented here. Our prototype DI engines which adopted some of these ideas has turned out to have better fuel economy by about 15 percent, 2 - 3 dB(A) higher noise level than IDI and almost the same power output performance as IDI. As to exhaust emissions, they have a possibility to conform to '86 California emission standards, in inertia weight classes up to 2625 LBS. The remaining problem areas are noise emission, durability of injection pump and cabin heater performance. These problems must be solved by ...
PurposeTo investigate the influence of inhomogeneity corrections on stereotactic treatment plans for non-small cell lung cancer and determine the dose delivered to the PTV and OARs.Full Text Available
Small-angle X-ray scattering method recognised to be very useful in the studies of structural problems of materials in homogeneous in nanoscale. Studies by small-angle X-ray scattering on the Al-Ag alloys are presented. The size distributions of spherical Guinier-Person zones were calculated using Vonk's and Glatter's methods. Small-angle X-ray scattering studies were performed on Al-5.0 at.%Ag alloy containing Guinier-Preson zones in the #eta#-state. For this alloy one can assume that scattering particles are of spherical shape, have uniform electron density and scatter independently. Moreover, the size distributions were calculated for Al-1.6 at.%Ag alloy containing Guinier-Preston zones in #epsilon#-state (scattering particles with not uniform electron density). Both, Vonk's and Glatter's, methods gave similar size distributions. Profiles of size distributions for Guinier-Preston zones in #epsilon#-state are more complex ...
BackgroundTrypanosomosis is a major impediment to livestock farming in sub-Saharan Africa and limits the full potential of agricultural development in the 36 countries where it is...Full Text Available
Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths worldwide. Standard chemotherapy has been shown to improve quality of life and has a modest influence on overall survival. This modest improvement in...Full Text Available
BackgroundIn animal groups such as herds, schools, and flocks, a certain distance is maintained between adjacent individuals, allowing them to move as a cohesive unit. Proximate...Full Text Available
A small-sample survey of consumer preferences for a second car - featuring both conventional and electric vehicle choices - indicates a proelectric bias. The potential of electric cars in the utility market largely depends on dramatic improvements in battery technology and the right mix of electricity and gasoline prices.
BackgroundSteroidogenic acute regulatory (StAR) protein related lipid transfer (START) domains are small globular modules that form a cavity where lipids and lipid hormones bind....Full Text Available
A nucleic acid extraction system that can handle small numbers of specimens with a short test turnaround time and short hands-on time is desirable for emergent testing. We performed a comparative validation...Full Text Available
A high-throughput assay for enzyme activity has been developed that is reaction independent. In this assay, a small-molecule yeast three-hybrid system is used to link enzyme catalysis to transcription...Full Text Available
This brief paper is an introduction to the concept of designing residential warm air furnaces without combustion chambers. This is possible since some small burners do not require the thermal support of a combustion chamber to complete the combustion process.
Cd36 is a small-molecular-weight integral membrane protein expressed in a diverse, but select, range of cell types. It has an equally diverse range of ligands and physiological functions, which has...Full Text Available
BackgroundTraumatic pneumothoraces are common. Many are managed with tube thoracostomy. However, there is a high complication rate from chest tube placement, particularly in patients...Full Text Available
Instrumentation, equipment, and space requirements are outlined which would satisfy a portion of the needs of the Wound Ballistics Program of research into the terminal behavior of missiles from a variety of antipersonnel munitions (fragments, flechettes,...
Air conditioning of urban electric cars by Peltier effect is simulated. Advantages (noise, simplicity of construction and of regulation, good heating performances...) and disadvantages (cooling performances lower than actual compressors, actual costs...) are presented. (A.B.). 8 refs., 5 figs.
Siderophores are essential factors for iron (Fe) acquisition in bacteria during colonization and infection of eukaryotic hosts, which restrain iron access through iron-binding protein, such as lactoferrin...Full Text Available
Mesenchymal tumors represent a small number of bladder cancer cases. Leiomyosarcoma is the most common histology with over 100 cases reported in the whole literature. This tumor is been historically...Full Text Available
We have previously shown that a T to G transversion at the second T of the conalbumin "TATA" box drastically decreases specific initiation of transcription by RNA polymerase B (1). We now report that...Full Text Available
Bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) clones are effective mapping and sequencing reagents for use with a wide variety of small and large genomes. This report describes the development of a physical...Full Text Available
The primary method for neuronal communication involves the extracellular release of small molecules that are packaged in secretory vesicles. We have developed a platform to separate, lyse, and...Full Text Available
...treated for leukemia. B' s physician, who is employed by the HMO, is considering a treatment plan that includes six-mercaptopurine, a drug for treating leukemia in most children. However, the drug could be fatal if taken by a small percentage of...
Survival curves were constructed from dose-incidence curves for apoptosis in the crypts of mouse small intestine, using the number of apoptotic cells after high doses (N{sub M}) as maximum cell population size. The mean lethal doses (D{sub 0}) for the dose range 0-0.5 Gy were calculated for each time of day. A circadian rhythm in both D{sub 0} and N{sub M} values was detected, indicating that both the number and sensitivity of radiation-induced apoptosis were changing throughout the day. (author).
This paper summarises the main results obtained so far in the frame of the EU Home Team test programme of ITER primary wall small scale mock ups. It describes briefly the fabrication method of the mock ups, the test conditions and the main results obtained with high heat flux and thermal fatigue tests of Cu alloy/stainless steel and beryllium/Cu alloy/stainless steel mock ups. The results obtained so far show good thermal fatigue performance and operation margin of the ITER primary first wall concept. (author)
A case study of a small-scale hydroelectric plant to identify implementation problems is presented. The Montello hydroelectric plant is described including the background and history of the plant, the physical characteristics, the financial history and costs, operation, regulatory agencies, and the problems encountered in its operation. The analyses of the energy and capacity (demand) credits for the Montello hydroelectric plant when it is added to the Wisconsin Power and Light Company generating system is described. The WP and L base case and the results of the analyses are discussed. (WHK)
This student manual, part of a small-engine repair series on servicing fuel systems, is designed for use by special needs students in Texas. The manual explains in pictures and short sentences, written on a low reading level, the job of servicing two-piece flo-jet carburetors. Along with the steps of this repair job, specific safety and caution information is frequently noted. To reinforce consistency in material presented to the slow learners, the pictures and written words correspond exactly with the pictures and wording on a corresponding audiovisual presentation. A progress chart for rating the students is included in the manual. (KC)
We searched for signs of an instability on the interface between the two phases of a binary-liquid mixture, isobutyric acid and water, after the mixture was quenched further into the two-phase region. Such an instability would be the liquid-liquid analog of the Mullins-Sekerka instability seen in quenched alloys. Never is any dramatic growth observed, but under conditions of small dimensionless quench depth (theta<1.5 x 10/sup -3/), the intensity of light scattered from the interface grows for small values of the momentum transfer k.
This student manual, part of a small-engine repair series on servicing fuel systems, is designed for use by special needs students in Texas. The manual explains in pictures and short sentences, written on a low reading level, the job of replacing carburetor diaphragms. Along with the steps of this repair job, specific safety and caution information is frequently noted. To reinforce consistency in material presented to the slow learners, the pictures and written words correspond exactly with the pictures and wording on a corresponding audiovisual presentation. A progress chart for rating the students is included in the manual. (KC)
This paper represents a parametric study of the amplification factor to account for rebound effects in the Energy Balance Method. Of the 66 distinct cases we chose for our parametric study, the amplification factor of 1.1 seems sufficient except in four borderline cases where the carbon steel pipes are small or have very small gaps between the pipes and the pipe whip restraints. We conclude that the amplification factor generally decreases as the parameters gap size, hinge-to-break distance and overhang increase.
The repulsive Casimir force is expected as a force which enables to levitate small objects such as machine parts used in Micro Electro Mechanical Systems (MEMS), and superlubricity in MEMS may be realized by this levitation. We study the Casimir force between a gold sphere and a nanocomposite sheet containing many nickel nanoparticles. In particular, we focus on the dependence of the Casimir force on the separation between the gold sphere and the surface of the nanocomposite sheet. The Casimir force changes from the attractive force to the repulsive force as the separation increases. The strength of the repulsive force is, however, too small to levitate MEMS parts.
High-T/sub c/ superconductivity is due to the action of two mechanisms: (1) plasmon mechanism, i.e., exchange of two-dimensional (2-D) plasmons and (2) strong electron--phonon coupling. The low dimensionality and the small value of the carrier concentration make the plasmon mechanism favorable. The small value of the coherence length leads to a unique opportunity to observe a multigap structure. The proximity effect can be used in order to increase T/sub c/ of A-15 compounds.
This paper presents the main achievements of the European Home Team (EU HT) test programme of ITER primary wall small scale mock ups. It describes briefly the fabrication method of the mock ups, the test conditions and the main results obtained with high heat flux and thermal fatigue tests of Cu alloy/stainless steel and beryllium/Cu alloy/stainless steel mock ups. The results obtained so far show very good thermal fatigue performance and operation margin of the ITER primary first wall concept.
In the Wajima lung cancer screening program conducted under the auspices of Kanazawa University Hospital, Fuji Computed Radiography (FCR) was utilized in a new chest radiography trial. The results of the screening program are that the necessity of repeat examinations due to poor image quality are less common and the method enables detection of small pulmonary nodular shadows which are possibly candidates for surgery. Oblique chest X-ray with FCR is remarkably effective for the detection and the identification of small lesions. However, the disadvantage of slow processing and high cost must be fully satisfied if FCR is to become a new imaging modality for mass screening.
In the Wajima lung cancer screening program conducted under the auspices of Kanazawa University Hospital, Fuji Computed Radiography (FCR) was utilized in a new chest radiography trial. The results of the screening program are that the necessity of repeat examinations due to poor image quality are less common and the method enables detection of small pulmonary nodular shadows which are possibly candidates for surgery. Oblique chest X-ray with FCR is remarkably effective for the detection and the identification of small lesions. However, the disadvantage of slow processing and high cost must be fully satisfied if FCR is to become a new imaging modality for mass screening. (author).
Modelling the behaviour of fission product (FP) in a nuclear reactor coolant system (RCS) undergoing a hypothetical severe accident is an important step in the evaluation of radioactive release outside a nuclear power plant. This paper scrutinize Small Break LOCA sequence for WWER1000 reactor in order to investigate the possible paths for release of FP from fuel pallets to the reactor containment. Contemporaneous computer code for simulation of RCS will be use for the analysis. The results from analysis of fuel damage and release of FP trough the break of cold leg are present. (author)
Focusing and resonance properties of two-dimensional small-size hemielliptic lenses made of different materials are studied numerically in order to estimate the influence of internal reflections on the radiation characteristics of dielectric lens antennas. Accuracy of in-house made algorithms based on combination of geometrical and physical optics and FDTD in the analysis of optical and modal effects in the behavior of such lenses is tested by comparison with the exact solution obtained using the Muller boundary integral equations. The range of applicability for the approaches is discussed.
In the context of the shock-initiation problem, we study analytically the first effects of chemistry, treating a small chemical heat release as a perturbation on an inert flow. Specifically, we study the initial transient in plane-shock initiation in a dilute explosive, where the chemical energy is small relative to the mechanical-thermal energy. The vehicle for the study is the mathematical analog for reactive flow. The solution resembles a double refraction: to first order, the pressure or density is a superposition of two forward-going waves, both originating at the rear boundary, and carrying the same function, but running at different velocities. Surprisingly, this first-order solution is independent of the sensitivity of the reaction rate to the state, which appears only at second order.
With major D&D projects ongoing or being planned, and also with the daily management of radwaste from nuclear facilities, the potential role of transport packagings has often been overlooked: here will one rely essentially on drums, there several local waste processing units are built, elsewhere decommissioned facilities are cut in small bits to fit into small containers by far less efficient. The present paper proposes to illustrate how integrating a transport system from the start may influence operational choices of waste management.
Analytical solutions are derived for a flow in a semi-infinite vertical porous medium with heat and mass transfer. When the temperature and mass concentration are uniform a constant pressure is possible and sustains a fully developed flow. Thereafter there is a small perturbation on the wall temperature and concentration and the subsequent two-dimensional problem is tackled for a large Prandtl number, free convection parameters and small Reynolds number. The heat transfer rate at the wall is discussed quantitatively. (author). 4 refs.
The use of Gadolinium-DTPA as a paramagnetic contrast agent in MRI with adults and juveniles concerning brain and spinal cord pathology is well proven since years. In the FRG it is only introduced for children over two years of age. Therefore this report deales with the experience in four infants and small children under the age of two. They all were suffering from neurological tumors and got additional diagnostic information in three cases. Clinical side-effects like urticaria, vomiting or convulsions had not been observed nor had pathologic changes of the biochemical parameters been noticed. (orig./GDG).
The process of miniemulsification allows the generation of small, homogeneous, and stable droplets containing monomer or polymer precursors and magnetite which are then transferred by polymer reactions to the final polymer latexes, keeping their particular identity without serious exchange kinetics involved. It is shown that the miniemulsion process can excellently be used for the formulation of polymer-coated magnetic nanoparticles which can further be used for biomedical applications. The use of high shear, appropriate surfactants, and the addition of a hydrophobe in order to suppress the influence of Ostwald ripening are key factors for the formation of the small and stable droplets in miniemulsion and will be discussed. Two different approaches based on miniemulsion processes for the encapsulation of magnetite into polymer particles will be presented in detail.
Starting with two supersymmetric dual theories, we imagine adding a chiral perturbation that breaks supersymmetry dynamically. At low energy we then get two theories with soft supersymmetry-breaking terms that are generated dynamically. With a canonical K{umlt a}hler potential, some of the scalars of the ``magnetic`` theory typically have negative mass-squared, and the vector-like symmetry is broken. Since for large supersymmetry breaking the ``electric`` theory becomes ordinary QCD, the two theories are then incompatible. For small supersymmetry breaking, if duality still holds, the magnetic theory analysis implies specific patterns of chiral symmetry breaking in supersymmetric QCD with small soft masses.
The development status of the EE-1 Small Community Solar Thermal Power Experiment (SCSE Program) is presented. Current activities on the Phase II single module development effort are presented, together with plans for a Phase III 1 MW/sub e/ demonstration plant. A description of the various subsystems and components is given with a brief review of their development background. Latest performance figures are given for a 1 MW/sub e/ plant, based on 56 power modules, each consisting of a 12m parabolic dish concentrator, a cavity receiver, an organic Rankine power conversion subsystem and a ground-mounted solid-state rectifier.
Recycling of used battery for recovering lead done by either small household/small scale industries has been identified as a source of air pollution, especially by heavy metal (Pb). This condition give an adverse impact toward workers and societies. Technological aspect is one of the causal. The process apply an open system. Therefore, a lot of energy, as well as dust wasted to the air without prior treatment. For overcoming this condition, closed system by utilizing Cupola furnace will be offered as one of the alternatives clean technology application and to increase the recovering performance in order to set an effective and efficient result. (author)
This paper presents an analysis of the performance of a selective emitter using small particles of rare earth compounds stable at high temperatures in a low emittance inert gas stream. An expression for the spectral emissive power excluding radiation scattering was derived to include the radiation in the emission band, produced by electronic transitions of the rare earth ion, and the continuum radiation outside the emission band produced by the rare earth host. Preliminary results suggest that a selective emitter based on suspended rare earth oxide particles will have high efficiency and merits further experimental investigation. {copyright} {ital 1996 American Institute of Physics.}
Often, lifetime data come from experiments where failure times are grouped. The Weibull distribution is a popular distribution for modeling failure times. Maximum likelihood estimation (MLE) has outstanding large sample properties for the Weibull distribution. This article evaluates small sample properties of MLEs for grouped data. We evaluate sample size requirements for MLE asymptotic properties to take effect. We compare type I and type II censoring for pooled experiments and conclude that bias for the shape parameter estimate can be alarmingly high especially for type II censored data. Finally, we investigate the benefits of the pooled analysis.
The present project examined the operating characteristics and application possibilities of a new, compact combined heating and electricity generating unit with a thermal output of 14,5 kW and a generating capacity of 5,5 kW. Such a module was installed in a plant in Arlesheim (Canton of Basel-Country) and subject to performance measurements. The small heating and generating plant is designed for cyclic operation (without heat storage) and is very compact and low in cost. The heating and generating unit conforms to all Swiss regulations relating to electrical installations and air pollution control. The NO{sub x} emissions of the unit (400 mg/m{sup 3} in steady state operation) are above the limits of LRV 92 (80 mg/m{sup 3}), but the regulation does not apply for units in this power range. The electricity generation costs are approximately CHF 0.16/kWh. It therefore makes sense to install the module in regions with average supply tariffs of at least CHF 0.16/kWh. ...
The Anisotropic Analytical Algorithm (AAA) is a new pencil beam convolution/superposition algorithm proposed by Varian for photon dose calculations. The configuration of AAA depends on linear accelerator design and specifications. The purpose of this study was to investigate the accuracy of AAA for an Elekta SL25 linear accelerator for small fields and intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) treatments in inhomogeneous media. The accuracy of AAA was evaluated in two studies. First, AAA was compared both with Monte Carlo (MC) and the measurements in an inhomogeneous phantom simulating lung equivalent tissues and bone ribs. The algorithm was tested under lateral electronic disequilibrium conditions, using small fields (2x2 cm"2). Good agreement was generally achieved for depth dose and profiles, with deviations generally below 3% in lung inhomogeneities and below 5% at interfaces. However, the effects of attenuation and scattering close to ...
Small scale mock-ups of the primary first wall, the baffle first wall, the shield block and a partial model for the edge of the primary first wall module were designed and fabricated incorporating most of the key design features of the ITER shielding blanket. All mock-ups featured the DSCu heat sink, the built-in SS coolant tubes within the heat sink and the SS shield block. CFC tiles was used as the protection armor for the baffle first wall mock-up. The small scale shield block mock-up, integrated with the first wall, was designed to have a poloidal curvature specified in the ITER design. Fabrication routes of mock-ups were decided based on the single step solid HIP of DSCu/DSCu, DSCu/SS and SS/SS reflecting the results of previous joining techniques development and testing. For attaching the CFC tiles onto DSCu heat sink in the fabrication of the baffle first wall mock-up, a two-step brazing was tried. All mock-ups and the partial model were ...
The purpose of this study is to investigate the feasibility of visualization and void fraction measurement of air-water two-phase flow in a small diameter tube (I.D.: 4.08 mm) by using the real-time neutron radiography and image processing techniques. Video images of two-phase flow were taken by using the real-time neutron radiography system (thermal neutron radiography facility No.2) installed at the Japan Research Reactor 3M of the Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute. The shape of bubbles and its moving behavior were clearly observed from the video images. The image corrections for dark current, shading, field intensity fluctuation and electrical system drift were examined in order to measure the void fraction from the video images. Though, generally speaking, the effect of the scattered neutron could not be ignored for quantification of the images taken by the neutron radiography, the scattered neutron could not affect the final results of void fraction in ...
The purpose of this study is to investigate the feasibility of visualization and void fraction measurement of air-water two-phase flow in a small diameter tube (inner diameter; 4.08mm) by using the real-time neutron radiography and image processing techniques. Video images of two-phase flow were taken by using the real-time neutron radiography system (thermal neutron radiography facility No.2) installed at the Japan Research Reactor 3 M of the Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute. The shape of bubbles and its moving behavior were clearly observed from the video images. The image corrections for dark current, shading, field intensity fluctuation and electrical system drift were examined in order to measure the void fraction from the video images. Though, generally speaking, the effect of the scattered neutron could not be ignored for quantification of the images taken by the neutron radiography, the scattered neutron could not affect the final results of void ...
The purpose of this study is to investigate the feasibility of visualization and void fraction measurement of air-water two-phase flow in a small diameter tube (I.D.: 4.08 mm) by using the real-time neutron radiography and image processing techniques. Video images of two-phase flow were taken by using the real-time neutron radiography system (thermal neutron radiography facility No.2) installed at the Japan Research Reactor 3M of the Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute. The shape of bubbles and its moving behavior were clearly observed from the video images. The image corrections for dark current, shading, field intensity fluctuation and electrical system drift were examined in order to measure the void fraction from the video images. Though, generally speaking, the effect of the scattered neutron could not be ignored for quantification of the images taken by the neutron radiography, the scattered neutron could not affect the final results of void fraction in ...
Small angle neutron scattering (SANS) on the unilamellar vesicle populations (diameter 500 and 1000 angstrom) was used to characterize lipid vesicles from dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine (DMPC) at three phases (gel, ripple, and liquid). Parameters of vesicle populations and internal structure of the DMPC bilayer were characterized on the basis of the Separated Form Factor (SFF) model. Parameters of the internal bilayer structure (thickness of the membrane and the hydrophobic core, hydration, and surface area of lipid molecule) were determined on the basis of the Hydrophobic-Hydrophilic (HH) approximation of neutron scattering length density across the bilayer r(x) and of the Step Function (SF) approximation of r(x). It was demonstrated in frame of HH approximation that DMPC membrane thickness in liquid phase (T=30 degrees) depends on the membrane curvature. The dependence of the DMPC membrane thickness on temperature was restored from the SANS experiment.
The main objective of the present study is twofold: (i) to analyze thermal loads of the geothermally and passively heated solar greenhouses; and (ii) to investigate wind energy utilization in greenhouse heating which is modeled as a hybrid solar assisted geothermal heat pump and a small wind turbine system which is separately installed in the Solar Energy Institute of Ege University, Izmir, Turkey. The study shows 3.13% of the total yearly electricity energy consumption of the modeled system (3568 kWh) or 12.53% of the total yearly electricity energy consumptions of secondary water pumping, brine pumping, and fan coil (892 kWh) can be met by using small wind turbine system (SWTS) theoretically. According to this result, modeled passive solar pre heating technique and combined with geothermal heat pump system (GHPS) and SWTS can be economically preferable to the conventional space heating/cooling systems used in agricultural and residential ...
Improvements to a small diesel engine turbocharger were made based on data gathered during a previous Army contract. The improved turbocharger was fabricated and tested on a small, four cylinder, 239 CID diesel engine. Engine dynamometer test data revealed a 2 to 9 percent reduction in fuel consumption at all points over the operating envelope. A turbocharger was operated for 1011 hours at speeds between 70000 and 78000 rpm without incident. The ball bearings were in excellent condition at the end of the test. A math model of the engine and turbocharger was generated. The model was used to estimate 13 Mode Federal Diesel Emissions Cycle, the LA4 driving cycle and the application of the variable area turbine nozzle (VATN) turbocharger to a diesel engine driven generator set. A recommendation was made to build a gen set demo unit. A fuel savings of 8 to 10 percent was estimated for a 30KW DED generator set.
World-wide water scarcity, especially in the developing world, indicates a pressing need to develop inexpensive, decentralized small-scale desalination technologies which use renewable resources of energy. This paper provides a comprehensive review of the state-of-the-art in one of the most promising of these technologies, solar-driven humidification-dehumidification (HDH) desalination. Previous studies have investigated many different variations on the HDH cycle. In this paper, performance parameters which enable comparison of the various versions of the HDH cycle have been defined and evaluated. To better compare these cycles, each has been represented in psychometric coordinates. The principal components of the HDH system are also reviewed and compared, including the humidifier, solar heaters, and dehumidifiers. Particular attention is given to solar air heaters, for which design data is limited; and direct air heating is compared to direct water heating in the ...
In order to materialize the automobile use small direct injection diesel engine (DI), the reduction in both exhaust emission and noise, as studied, was explained in summary. The DI, as excellent in fuel consumption characteristics, was studied to be adopted to the small automobile, with the materialization of small DI to be about 600cc in capacity per cylinder. However the further diminution in dimension had not been materialized yet, because of the aggravation in exhaust emission and vibration noise. Then a single spray DI, characterized by the approximate sphericity in shape of combustion chamber and adoption of cast iron made piston and two-stage spring nozzle, was prototypically made, with optimizing the combustion in characteristics, decreasing HC in exhaust quantity by modifying the injection system, doing also NOx in exhaust quantity by adopting the lag angle at injection time and EGR, modifying the structure to ...
Estimations on the somatic and genetic effects of small doses of ionizing radiations in Man have been proposed by the Advisory Committee on the Biological Effects of Ionizing Radiation, set up by the U.S. National Academy of Sciences. They have been published in an important report, issued in 1972, from which we briefly analyze here the Chapter dealing with the somatic effects. Small doses of raditions are expected to promote only carcinogenic effects. After a rapid survey of the human experience on which the estimations are based, as regards the latent period of cancers, the plateau region (period of high risk) and the absolute and relative risk expressed per rem, per 10"6 persons, per year, for leukaemia (having the highest risk) and for the ''other cancers''. These estimations were obtained by linear extrapolation to the 1 rem level from observations made after irradiation at relatively high dose levels and much higher dose-rates. This ...
The set of laws developed and presented here is by no means exhaustive. Techniques have been present to aid in the development of additional scaling laws and to combine these and other laws to produce additional useful relationships. Some of the relationships produced here have yielded perhaps surprising results. Examples include the fifth order scaling law for electromagnetic motor torque and the zero order scaling law for capacitive motor power. These laws demonstrate important facts about actuators in small-scale systems. The primary intent of this introduction into scaling law analysis is to provide needed tools to examine possible areas of the research in small-scale systems and direct research toward more fruitful areas. Numerous examples have been included to show the validity of developing scaling laws based on first principles and how real world systems tend to obey these laws even when many other variables may potentially come into ...
A brain weight deficit of about 70 mg was induced at doses of approximately 75-mGy and a deficit of 60 mg was induced at 100 mGy. This confirms the effects projected and observed by Wanner and Edwards. Although the data do not demonstrate a clear dose-response relationship between the 75-mGy and 100-mGy groups, the data are statistically consistent with a dose-response effect because of the overlapping confidence intervals. The lack of a statistically significant observation is most likely related to the small difference in doses and the limited numbers of animals examined. There are several factors that can influence the brain weight of guinea pig pups, such as caging and housing conditions, the sex of the animal, and litter size. These should be taken into account for accurate analysis. Dam weight did not appear to have a significant effect. The confirmation of a micrencephalic effect induced x rays at doses of 75-mGy during this late embryonic stage of ...
Prognosis of 95 consecutive patients with non-small cell lung cancer with brain metastases were evaluated. Three factors, therapy for brain metastases, general performance status (PS) and distant metastases to other organs had significant impact on survival. Among these 3 factors, PS was independent from the other 2 factors. Significant correlation was present, however, between therapy and other organ metastases, and few patients with brain and other distant metastases received aggressive treatment for brain metastases. Cranial irradiation had significant impact on survival even in those patients with brain and other distant metastases. Cranial irradiation also reduced death from brain metastases in responders. Our results indicate that there are several subgroups with different prognosis in patients with non-small cell lung cancer with brain metastases, therefore the most beneficial treatment modality should be selected for each group of ...
This works evaluates by punctuation the performance in conventional Brazilian industries radiation protection area which make use of small industrial gauges and industrial radiography. It proposes, procedures for industry self-evaluation, besides a new radiation protection plans pattern for the small industrial gauges area. The data source where inspection reports of Dosimetry Radiation Protection Institute/Nuclear Energy Commission conventional Brazilian industries' radiation protection plans, beyond visitation to the inspection place. The performance evaluation has been realized both in the administrative and operational aspects of the industries. About of 60% of the industries have a satisfactory register control which does not happen to the operational control. The performance evaluation advantage is that industries may self-evaluate, foreseeing Dosimetry Radiation Protection Institute's regulation inspections, correcting ...
Until now, monitoring of power transformers focussed mainly large generator and network transformers. Siemens goes a step ahead and provides a system especially developed and designed for small and medium power transformers, e.g. for the 100 kV level. This low cost version could be achieved by restriction to really necessary measuring quantities. This allows to realize also for small and medium power transformers an online monitoring including an estimation of aging and as an option an early warning to avoid unexpected failures. (orig.) [German] Die Ueberwachung (Monitoring) von Leistungstransformatoren war bisher vor allem fuer Maschinentransformatoren und grosse Netzkuppeltransformatoren in der Diskussion. Siemens geht einen Schritt weiter und stellt nun auch ein System bereit, das speziell fuer kleine und mittlere Leistungstransformatoren, z.B. der 110-kV-Spannungsebene, konzipiert ist. Diese kostenguenstige Variante wurde durch ...
Differentiating a benign from a malignant lesion by information such as density data, or signal intensities or echo gradients, is not possible with CT, nor MRI, nor ultrasonography. Only some lesions show characteristic signs. Inflammations cannot be difscriminated from malignant tumors. CTs of small tumors in particular are so poor in contrast that it is much more difficult to detect tumors or discriminate them from other lesions, as compared to MR images or ultrasonographs. CT does not detect surface tumors, but is more sensitive than MRI or US in detecting discrete cortical bone lesions. The same applies to small calcified tumors. MRI however is most sensitive in detecting tumor volumes in the yellow marrow, and is the best modality for evaluation of extraossal extension of tumors. CT yields better results than MRI if applied for simultaneous screening of lymph node metastases in the lower neck. MRI frequently is spoilt by movement ...
Measurements of the small-, intermediate-, and large-ion concentrations and the atmospheric electric conductivity of both polarities have been made over the Arabian Sea on four cruises of ORV Sagarkanya during the Arabian Sea Monsoon Experiment (ARMEX)during the monsoon and pre-monsoon seasons of 2002 and 2003. Seasonally averaged values of the total as well as polar conductivity are much higher during the monsoon than pre-monsoon season. Surprisingly, however, the concentration of small ions are less and those of large and intermediate ions are more during the monsoon than pre-monsoon season. The diurnal variations observed during the pre-monsoon season show that the nighttime small ion concentrations are about an order of magnitude higher than their daytime values. On the contrary, the daytime concentrations of the intermediate and large ions are much higher than those of their nighttime values. No such diurnal variations ...
Through the innovative design of a novel end plug scheme employing octopole MHD stabilization, the authors present the conceptual design of ''MINIMARS'', a small commercial fusion reactor based on the tandem mirror principle. The current baseline for MINIMARS has a net electric output of 600 MWe and they have configured the design for short construction times, factory-built modules, inherently safe blanket systems, and multiplexing in station sizes of #approx =# 600-2400 MWe. They demonstrate that the compact octopole end cell provides a number of advantages over the more conventional quadrupole (yin-yang) end cell encountered in the MARS tandem mirror reactor study, and enables ignition to be achieved with much shorter central cell lengths. Accordingly, being economic in small sizes, MINIMARS provides an attractive alternative to the more conventional larger conceptual fusion reactors encountered to date, and would contribute significantly to ...
LiFePO{sub 4} cathode materials with distinct particle sizes were prepared by a planetary ball-milling method. The effects of particle size on the morphology, thermal stability and electrochemical performance of LiFePO{sub 4} cathode materials were investigated. The ball-milling method decreased particle size, thereby reducing the length of diffusion and improving the reversibility of the lithium ion intercalation/deintercalation. It is worth noting that the small particle sample prepared using malonic acid as a carbon source achieved a high capacity of 161 mAh g{sup -1} at a 0.1 C rate and had a very flat capacity curve during the early 50 cycles. However, the big particle samples ({proportional_to}400 nm) decayed more dramatically in capacity than the small particle size samples ({proportional_to}200 nm) at high current densities. The improvement in electrode performance was mainly due to the fine particles, the small ...
Tensile properties of reduced-activation 10Cr-30Mn austenitic steels with carbon levels from 0.003 to 0.55% were investigated over the temperature range from room temperature to 873 K after neutron irradiation in the Japan Materials Testing Reactor at 573 K to 8.5x10"2"2 n/m"2. Irradiation-induced increase in yield stress increased significantly with carbon concentration up to about 0.1% and it was constant above 0.1% carbon. A high density of dislocation loops with small (below 10 nm) and large (20-30 nm) sizes formed during irradiation. The high density, small loops caused a large irradiation hardening, while the large loops contributed only slightly to irradiation hardening. It was considered that carbon atoms formed the small loops together with irradiation defects. The deformation channeling was observed in the irradiated high carbon steels, 0.11 and 0.55% carbon, but not in the very low carbon steel, 0.003% carbon, ...
Users of pesticides may have waste or surplus quantities or spills for disposal. One alternative is to deactivate the pesticide at the handling site by using a straightforward chemical reaction. This option can be practical for those who use relatively small quantities of a large variety of pesticides, for example, greenhouse workers, small farmers, and agricultural researchers. This paper describes practical on-site methods for the disposal of spills or small waste quantities of five commonly used pesticides, Diazinon, Chlorpyrifos, Iprodione, 2,4-D, and Captan. These have been tested in the laboratory for the rate of disappearance of the pesticide, the degree of conversion to nontoxic products, the nature and identity of the products, the practicality of the method, and the ease of reproducibility. Methods selected were shown to be safe for the operator, reliable, and reproducible. Greater than 99% of the starting ...
The report gives a brief introduction into the EU grant programmes since 1984 and explains the philosophy behind them. The current situation regarding grant opportunities for the construction and modernization of small hydroelectric installations is outlined. Hints are given with a view to grant applications. A selection of small hydro power stations supported by grants (since 1984) are described with their economic and technical features. (orig.) [Deutsch] In diesem Beitrag wird eine kurze Einfuehrung in die EU-Foerderprogramme seit 1984 und Erlaeuterungen zu der Programmphilosophie gegeben. Die derzeitige Situation bezueglich der Foerderung von Kleinwasserkraftanlagen fuer Neubauten und Modernisierungsmassnahmen wird dargestellt. Es werden Hinweise zur Stellung eines Foerderantrags beschrieben. Abschliessend erfolgt die Vorstellung einer Auswahl von gefoerderten Kleinwasserkraftanlagen (seit 1984) mit den wirtschaftlichen und technischen ...
Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute(KAERI) launched a project to develop an integral reactor in 1996. The reactor called as System Integrated Modular Advanced Reactor(SMART) which is a kind of small modular reactors (SMRs). Since the early 1990s, there has been renewed interest in the development and application of small and medium sized integral reactors. 2009 assessment by the IAEA under its Innovative Nuclear Power Reactor and Fuel Cycle (INPRO) program concluded that there could be 96 SMRs in operation around the world by 2030 in its 'high' case, and 43 units in the 'low' case, none of them in the USA. The reason of the increased demand mostly comes from the fact that SMRs are thought to be more suitable for developing countries with small electrical grid capacity, insufficient infrastructure and limited investment capability than developed ones. However, it has disadvantage in the point of scale of economy. So, it ...
Compact heat exchangers have traditionally found wide application in the transportation industry, where they are used as evaporators and condensers in vapor compression cycles for air conditioning and refrigeration. Such heat exchangers possess numerous attractive features including high thermal effectiveness, small size, low weight, design flexibility, and pure counterflow, and they can accommodate multiple streams. Today, there is a widespread interest in expanding the range of application of compact heat exchangers to include phase-change heat transfer in the process industries, among others. An overall objective of this effort is to provide the basis for establishing design technology in this area. In the present study, small channel flow boiling heat transfer was extended to a rectangular channel (4.06 {times} 1.70 mm) using refrigerant 12 (R-12). As with the circular tube studies, the flow channel wall was electrically heated providing a ...
Kinetic Monte Carlo simulations are used to analyze the ripening and dissolution of small Si interstitial clusters and #left brace#113#right brace# defects, and its influence on transient enhanced diffusion of dopants in silicon. The evolution of Si interstitial defects is studied in terms of the probabilities of emitted Si interstitials being recaptured by other defects or in turn being annihilated at the surface. These two probabilities are related to the average distance among defects and their distance to the surface, respectively. During the initial stages of the defect ripening, when the defect concentration is high enough and the distance among them is small, Si interstitials are mostly exchanged among defects with a minimal loss of them to the surface. Only when defects grow to large sizes and their concentration decreases, the loss of Si interstitials through diffusion to the surface prevails, causing their dissolution. The presence of ...
Some considerations regarding ice load in risk-based dam safety analysis are presented for small concrete dams. The most significant physical mechanisms leading to ice thrust on dams (such as thermal expansion and water level fluctuations) are outlined. Published literature on dam ice loads to examine ice load magnitude-return period relationships, sliding and overstressing failure mechanisms and structural performance criteria to resist ice loads, are also reviewed. Related loading combinations for structural safety evaluations were determined regarding the issue of simultaneity of ice loads with other events such as earthquakes. Parametric analyses were conducted on a small gravity dam section, 3m high, and a taller dam, 17.9 m high, to demonstrate the ultimate ice load carrying capability as a function of dam geometry and shear and tensile strengths of construction joints. Since the failure mechanism of a dam subjected to excessive ice loads ...
Bacterial attachment-effacement (att-eff) is emerging as an important virulence characteristic common to both enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC) and enterohemorrhagic E. coli (EHEC). The contribution of the plasmid-encoded EPEC adherence factor to the production of mucosal lesions and diarrhea was investigated in gnotobiotic piglets. Bacterial att-aff in the intestinal mucosa of piglets infected with plasmid-cured EPEC strain E2348/69 (O127) was indistinguishable from that in piglets infected with the parent strain, but the distribution of lesions was different; it occurred in the small intestines of 6 of 7 piglets infected with the parent strain compared with only 2 of 11 (P = 0.006) infected with the plasmid-cured strain. Plasmid-encoded factors in EPEC and EHEC strains did not appear to contribute to bacterial competition with normal gut microflora. Of 13 strains belonging to five EPEC serogroups, O55, O142, O26, O119, and O111, 3 fulfilled the criteria ...
This paper presents a combined experimental and computational study into the aerodynamics and performance of a small scale vertical axis wind turbine (VAWT). Wind tunnel tests were carried out to ascertain overall performance of the turbine and two- and three-dimensional unsteady computational fluid dynamics (CFD) models were generated to help understand the aerodynamics of this performance. Wind tunnel performance results are presented for cases of different wind velocity, tip-speed ratio and solidity as well as rotor blade surface finish. It is shown experimentally that the surface roughness on the turbine rotor blades has a significant effect on performance. Below a critical wind speed (Reynolds number of 30,000) the performance of the turbine is degraded by a smooth rotor surface finis...
Purpose To study the activation and expression of vascular (aorta and small mesenteric arteries) potassium channels during septic shock with or without modulation of the NO pathway. Methods Septic shock was induced in rats by peritonitis. Selective inhibitors of vascular KATP (PNU-37883A) or BKCa [iberiotoxin (IbTX)] channels were used to demonstrate their involvement in vascular hyporeactivity. Vascular response to phenylephrine was measured on aorta and small mesenteric arteries mounted on a wire myograph. Vascular expression of potassium channels was studied by PCR and Western blot, in the presence or absence of 1400W, an inducible NO synthase (iNOS) inhibitor. Aortic activation of the transcriptional factor nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-?B) was assessed by electrophoretic mobility shift as...
The stability of a couple stress fluid saturated horizontal porous layer heated from below and cooled from above when the fluid and solid phases are not in local thermal equilibrium is investigated. The Darcy model is used for the momentum equation and a two-field model is used for energy equation each representing the solid and fluid phases separately. The linear stability theory is employed to obtain the condition for the onset of convection. The effect of thermal non-equilibrium on the onset of convection is discussed. It is shown that the results of the thermal non-equilibrium Darcy model for the Newtonian fluid case can be recovered in the limit as couple stress parameter C?0. We also present asymptotic analysis for both small and large values of the inter phase heat transfer coefficient H. We found an excellent agreement between the exact solutions and asymptotic solutions when H is very small.
We used a 13-year time series of abundance estimates of breeding Northern Saw-whet Owls (Aegolius acadicus), and of small mammals from central Ontario, Canada, to assess the numerical response of the owls to small-mammal prey species. We found that the finite rate of increase of breeding owls was directly related to estimates of red-backed vole (Myodes gapperi) abundance. Thus, it appeared that the owls were nomadic, and made decisions about where to breed based on vole supply. The owls showed a much weaker response to deer mouse (Peromyscus maniculatus) abundance. Across all years, 55% of variation in owl rate of increase could be uniquely attributed to vole abundance, whereas only 3% could be attributed to mouse abundance. Consistent with the model of nomadism, there was only a weak rela...
We report the influence of a small quantity of Cl[sub 2], which enhanced the selectivity of silicon-selective epitaxial growth (Si-SEG) in UHV-CVD using Si[sub 2]H[sub 6], on both the epitaxial growth rate and the B-doping properties for each Si and Si[sub 1-x]Ge[sub x] film. The small quantity of Cl[sub 2] inhibited the Si, Ge and B incorporation, while the selectivity was enhanced. However, it was found, in the case of Si[sub 1-x]Ge[sub x]-SEG using Cl[sub 2], that the reduction ratio of both the growth rate and the B incorporation were smaller than those of Si-SEG with the selectivity still more enhanced. (orig.)
ABSTRACT. The morphology, morphogenesis, and phylogeny of Diophrys parappendiculata n. sp., a large marine ciliate isolated from the coastal waters of Daya Bay, southern China, were investigated. This new species is characterized by a combination of its large size, appendiculata-pattern of ciliature, and bipartite adoral zone of membranelles. The main stages of morphogenesis during binary fission were also recorded and described. Comparisons of morphological characteristics with similar congeners support the validity of the new species. The small subunit rRNA gene sequence of D. parappendiculata is 96.3-99.94% similar to those of four other congeners; it differs in four nucleotides from that of Diophrys appendiculata (i.e. structural similarity was 99.94%). Phylogenetic analysis indicates ...
This article presents a humidification-dehumidification (H.D.) process suitable for desalination of sea- and brackish water. The work correlated performance characteristics of the combination of different components in such a loop. Water yield, energy requirement and design data are evaluated as functions of different parameters. The investigation covered water to air mass ratios ranging from 60 to 80, concentration ratios between 2 and 5, at a temperature difference of between 10 and 16 C, along the liquid for dehumidification. The results showed that 76% of energy consumed in the humidifier is recovered by condensation. Increase of the concentration ratio to 5 can reduce the make-up water and rejected brine by about 58% and 24% respectively. Cost calculations show that the H.D. process has significant potential as an alternative for small capacity desalination plants and permits to operate systems as small as 10 m[sup 3]/day in output. ...
Supercritical CO2 is used as a new solvent for immersion deposition, a galvanic displacement process traditionally carried out in aqueous HF solutions containing metal ions, to selectively develop metal films on featured or non-featured silicon substrates. Components of supercritical fluid immersion deposition (SFID) solutions for fabricating Cu and Pd films on silicon substrates are described along with the corresponding experimental setup and procedure. Only silicon substrates exposed and reactive to SFID solutions can be coated. The highly pressurized and gas-like supercritical CO2, combined with the galvanic displacement property of immersion deposition, enables the SFID technique to selectively deposit metal films in small features. SFID may also provide a new method to fabricate palladium silicide in small features or to metallize porous silicon.
Using gasoline as an example of additives for cold start improvement, fuel vapor composition of methanol-gasoline mixtures, fuel evaporation rate in consideration of temperature drop due to heat of fuel evaporation, air fuel ratio, stoichiometric air fuel ratio and excess air ratio of fuel vapor were calculated. The mixture formation of methanol-gasoline mixtures at low temperature in otto cycle engines was studied. Van Laar's empirical formula was used to estimate the partial pressure of high-percentage methanol blends. It was found that the most part of fuel vapor is occupied by gasoline, even when a small amount of gasoline is added to methanol resulting to an extremely small excess air ratio. It is obvious that this vapor pressure adjustment using gasoline is the dominant factor for improvement in cold startability. (10 figs, 1 tab, 10 refs)
During the normal operation of a Nuclear Power Plant (NPP), radioactive releases into the atmosphere will be in small quantities. During major accidental situations, though the probability is extremely small, there may be significant release of radioactivity to the environment through the stack or at ground level. To study the external radiation exposure, if any, to the members of public due to releases during the normal operation of a nuclear power plant (NPP) and also to meet the requirement of emergency preparedness for the NPP site, continuous recording and analysis of environmental dose rate data is essential. This paper presents analysis of the gamma dose rates recorded by the Environmental Dose Logging Systems (EDLS) installed around the site during the last six years in the Emergency Planning Zone (EPZ) of Tarapur Atomic Power Station (TAPS). (author)
Quantitative, experimentally based assessments of the biases of the methods used to develop the neutronics design of the FTR are presented together with brief descriptions of the design methods. Uncertainties in biases have been established that are sufficiently small to allow a high degree of confidence in the nuclear design. Experimental data for these assessments have been developed in full-scale zero-power mockups of the final design of the reactor, except for Doppler data from SEFOR. Temperature, power coefficient, and stability methods evaluations are necessarily deferred to acceptance testing during initial startup of the FTR. Sodium voiding and small sample worths continue to be the technical areas of greatest complexity with least experiment-theory correlation. Critical mass, Doppler effects, control rod worth, and spatial power distribution have generally good experiment-theory correlations.
We investigate the variation of the out-of-phase periodic rhythm produced by two chaotic neurons {bold (}Hindmarsh-Rose neurons [J. L. Hindmarsh and R. M. Rose, Proc. R. Soc. London B {bold 221}, 87 (1984)]{bold )} coupled by electrical and reciprocally synaptic connections. The exploration of a two-parametric bifurcation diagram, as a function of the strength of the electrical and inhibitory coupling, reveals that the periodic rhythms associated to the limit cycles bounded by saddle-node bifurcations, undergo a strong variation as a function of small changes of electrical coupling. We found that there is a scaling law for the bifurcations of the limit cycles as a function of the strength of both couplings. From the functional point of view of this mixed typed of coupling, the small variation of electrical coupling provides a high sensitivity for period regulation inside the regime of out-of-phase synchronization. {copyright} {ital 1997} {ital ...
This comprehensive final report for the Swiss Federal Office of Energy (SFOE) presents the results of research done in the third phase of a research project that investigated components for small heat pump systems that use ammonia as a working fluid. The report includes a summary of the findings of the first two phases of the project and goes on to describe tests done with rotary vane and scroll compressors. The aims of the project are discussed and the work done is listed chronologically. The construction and the components of the test installation are described in detail. Also, the heat pump testing facilities at the University of Applied Science in Rapperswil, Switzerland, are described. The results of the measurements made for various temperature gradients are presented in detail and commented on; also, the various types of compressor tested and other heat pump compressors are compared.
The small-angle X-ray scattering technique was used to determine the intermolecular structure and interaction potentials in oxi-and deoxi-hemoglobin solutions. The pair correlation function obtained by the ZERNICKE-PRINS equation characterizes the intermolecular structure of the hemoglobin molecules. The intermolecular structure is concentration dependent. The hemoglobin molecules have a 'short range order structure' with a range of about 4 molecule diameters at 324 g/l. The potential functions of the hemoglobin-hemoglobin interaction have been determined on the basis of fluid theories. Except for the deoxi-hemoglobin solution having the concentration 370 g/l, the pair interaction consists in a short repulsion and a weak short-range attraction against kT. The potential minimum is between 1.2 - 1.5 nm above the greatest hemoglobin diameter. (author).
Spratly Islands, located in the southern part of the South China Sea (SCS), consist of more than 100 small islands, coral reefs and banks. Remote sensing is the only way to obtain a synoptic view of all of the islands in such a large area. It has been demonstrated that satellite synthetic aperture radar (SAR) imagery is a very powerful tool for monitoring meso-scale and small-scale ocean processes in a large area. In this study, satellite SAR images were used to study the ocean environment in the area of Spratly Islands. The aim was to understand the capability of satellite remote sensing to monitor ocean processes and provide information for future field studies. Two sets of high-resolution European Remote Sensing satellite (ERS)-2 SAR images over the entire Spratly Islands area were coll...
This study correlates the post start cell performance and impedance with the cold start process in the subzero environment. The sequential failed cold starts are deliberately conducted as well as the start at small current density. Here the failed cold start means the cell voltage drops to or below zero within very short time during the start process. It is found that there are reversible performance losses for the sequential failed cold starts, while not obvious degradation and no recovery happen for the start at small current density. Using the thin film and agglomerate model, it is confirmed that this is due to the water blocking effect. Comparing the results from different start processes, a model with respect to the shifting of reactive region within the catalyst layer is applied to e...
The design of a reaction cell which permits the investigation of the sorption kinetics of microcomponents without separation of the phases under automated condition has been described. The use of thin-layer inorganic sorbents obtained by depositing films of a sorbing substance from aqueous solutions on flat substrates of small thickness makes it possible to determine the extent of sorption even at small values in the case of /beta/ emitters with a low energy and /alpha/ emitters. Detailed observation of the kinetics of isotopic exchange in the CdS-/sup 115m/Cd-HNO/sub 3/ system has made it possible to reveal at least four stages in the process during the time of observation.
Currently the construction of small-scale hydroelectric and pumped storage plants is booming in the USA. The technology is attractive because of its relatively cheap construction methods and operation. Electric utilities are seeing it as a viable source of peaking power and a means of system regulation. Two schemes are described. One is a high-head/small flow river project designed to generate 3.5 MW and is about to come on line having overcome tight environmental and commercial constraints. The second is a pumped-storage project using two man-made reservoirs with an average elevation difference of 1280 ft. It is deemed to be of minimum environmental impact construction and good physical characteristics. Completion is hoped for by 1995 and the plant will deliver 1000 MW. (UK)
We present the effects of heavy CP-even (H) and CP-odd (A) Higgs bosons on the production cross section of the process {gamma}{gamma}{yields}tt at the energy around the mass poles of the Higgs bosons. It is found that interference between H and A with small mass gap, as well as the ones between Higgs bosons and continuum, contributes to the cross section, if the photon beams are polarized and if we observe the helicity of the top quarks. It is demonstrated in the framework of the minimal supersymmetric extension of the standard model that the H and A contributions can be sizable at future {gamma}{gamma} colliders for small values of tan {beta}. The methods to measure the CP-parity of the Higgs boson are also presented. The statistical significance of detecting the Higgs signals and measuring the Higgs CP-parity is evaluated. (orig.)
We present the effects of heavy CP-even (H) and CP-odd (A) Higgs bosons on the production cross section of the process #gamma##gamma##->#tt at the energy around the mass poles of the Higgs bosons. It is found that interference between H and A with small mass gap, as well as the ones between Higgs bosons and continuum, contributes to the cross section, if the photon beams are polarized and if we observe the helicity of the top quarks. It is demonstrated in the framework of the minimal supersymmetric extension of the standard model that the H and A contributions can be sizable at future #gamma##gamma# colliders for small values of tan #beta#. The methods to measure the CP-parity of the Higgs boson are also presented. The statistical significance of detecting the Higgs signals and measuring the Higgs CP-parity is evaluated. (orig.)
The prospects for the low-aspect-ratio (A) tokamak to fulfill the requirements of viable fusion power plants are considered relative to the present status in data and modeling. Desirable physics and design features for an attractive Blanket Test Facility and power reactors are estimated for low-A tokamaks based on calculations improved with the latest data from small pioneering experiments. While these experiments have confirmed some of the recent predictions for low-A, they also identify the remaining issues that require verification before reliable projections can be made for these deuterium-tritium applications. The results show that the low-A regime of small size, modest field, and high current offers a path complementary to the standard and high A tokamaks in developing the full potential of fusion power.
This task within the EU R and D for ITER was aimed at the development of basic manufacturing solutions for the high heat flux plasma facing components such as the divertor targets, the baffles and limiters. More than 50 representative small-scale mock-ups have been manufactured with beryllium, carbon and tungsten armour using various joining technologies. High heat flux testing of 20 of these mock-ups showed the carbon mono-blocks to be the most robust solution, surviving 2000 cycles at absorbed heat fluxes of up to 24 MW m{sup -2}. With flat armour tiles rapid joint failures occurred at 5-16 MW m{sup -2} depending on joining technology and armour material. These test results serve as a basis for the selection of manufacturing options and materials for the prototypes now being ordered. (orig.) 11 refs.
(TSM-TTP)(I3)5/3 is a 1/6 -filled one-dimensional system composed of an extended donor molecule which has two tetrathiafulvalene (TTF) units in a molecule, where TSM-TTP is 2,5-bis[4,5-bis(methylseleno)-1,3-dithiol-2-ylidene]-1,3,4,6-tetrathiapentalene. Nonlinear conductivity is observed in the insulating state below 20K , and the metallic state is restored above a very small threshold electric field of 0.3V/cm at 4.2K . The extremely sensitive nonlinearity is ascribed to the inhomogeneous insulating state generated by the weak and disordered anion potentials on the otherwise highly conducting intramolecular charge order state in the double-TTF molecule.
Transmission electron microscopy studies on solution-annealed Alloy 800 revealed small (100-200 nm), spherical-shaped titanium carbide (face centered cubic structure) and large (200 nm-5 #mu#m), faceted titanium nitride (hexagonal structure) particles randomly distributed in the austenite matrix. The volume fraction of former particles was found to be greater than that of the latter. Corrosion studies of the alloy in acidic, chlorides and acidic chloride environments at room temperature indicated that the passivity of Alloy 800 was adversely affected by the addition Cl"- ions. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy revealed that the surface film formed on the alloy at the onset of passivity consisted of Cr"3"+ (as Cr_2O_3), without any Fe"3"+/Fe"2"+ or Ni"2"+. Scanning electron microscopy studies indicated initiation of pitting at large, faceted particles, not at small, spherical-shaped ones.
Differential scattering experiments are reported for proton impact on N_2, CO, and NO in the energy range E/sub lab/=30--80 eV. The measurements include the range of very small scattering angles around 0"0 as well as the rainbow region. The vibrationally resolved energy-loss spectra show a relatively low vibrational inelasticity for all three systems. Differential cross sections, transition probabilities, and the mean vibrational energy transfer are presented. Rotational excitation is indicated by the broadening of the energy-loss peaks which is most significant for H"+--NO. The small-angle scattering data for vibrational excitation in CO show good agreement with the impact parameter theory using the known long-range interactions for this system.
The introduction of numerical control (NC) machine tools has made it possible to automate machining in series and small series production. The organization of automated production sections merged NC machine tools with automated transport systems. However, both the one and the other require the presence of an operative at the machine for low skilled operations. Industrial robots perform a number of auxiliary operations, such as equipment loading-unloading and control, changing cutting and auxiliary tools, controlling workpieces and parts, and cleaning of location surfaces. When used with a group of equipment they perform transfer operations between the machine tools. Industrial robots eliminate the need for workers to form auxiliary operations. This underscores the importance of developing robotized manufacturing centers providing for minimal human participation in production and creating conditions for two and three shift operation of equipment. Work carried out at ...
A new class of low aspect ratio toroidal hybrid stellarators is found using a more general plasma confinement optimization criterion than quasisymmetrization. The plasma current profile and shape of the outer magnetic flux surface are used as control variables to achieve near constancy of the longitudinal invariant J{sup {asterisk}} on internal flux surfaces (quasiomnigeneity), in addition to a number of other desirable physics target properties. A range of compact (small aspect ratio A), low plasma current devices have been found with significantly improved confinement, both for thermal as well as energetic (collisionless) particle components. With reasonable increases in magnetic field and geometric size, such devices can also be scaled to confine 3.5 MeV alpha particle orbits.
A new class of low aspect ratio toroidal hybrid stellarators is found using more general plasma confinement optimization criterion than quasi-symmetrization. The plasma current profile and shape of the outer magnetic flux surface are used as control variables to achieve near constancy of the longitudinal invariant J* on internal flux surfaces (quasi-omnigeneity), in addition to a number of other desirable physics target properties. We find that a range of compact (small aspect ratio A), high {beta} (ratio of thermal energy to magnetic field energy), low plasma current devices exist which have significantly improved confinement both for thermal as well as energetic (collisionless) particle components. With reasonable increases in magnetic field and geometric size, such devices can also be scaled to confine 3.5 MeV alpha particle orbits.
The structure of nano-porous carbon, obtained by means of chlorination of carbide compounds with various crystal structure (SiC, TiC, Mo_2C) is studied through the method of small-angle diffraction. The angular dependences of the scattering intensity obtained are interpreted as the result of scattering from the nanoparticles of different size. The functions of the scattering particles distribution by the m(R_g) inertia radii are determined. It is shown that in spite of the source carbide, the highest fraction of the volume in the porous carbon constitute the particles with R_g #approx# 5 A. The nanoparticles in the samples obtained from SiC, wherein the average value of the R_g"a"v < 6 A, are most uniform by size. The nanoparticles in the porous carbon, obtained from Mo_2C, are on the average by two times larger
Human heat shock protein 27 (Hsp27, HspB1) is an anti-apoptotic protein characterized for its tumorigenic and metastatic properties, and now referenced as a major therapeutic target in many types of cancer. Hsp27 biochemical properties rely on a structural oligomeric and dynamic organization. Downregulation by small interfering RNA or inhibition with dominant-negative mutant have proven their efficiency to counteract the anti-apoptotic and protective properties of Hsp27. In this study, we report the isolation and characterization of Hsp27-targeted molecules interfering with its structural organization. Using the peptide aptamer (PA) strategy, we isolated PAs that specifically interact with Hsp27 and not with the other members of the small heat shock protein family. In mammalian cell cultur...
Thirty-nine conference papers review practical and topical aspects of hydroelectric development, from planning and design to construction, operation and refurbishment. More than half of the papers deal with small-scale hydro, reflecting the continuing strong interest in this subject throughout the world. The planning and economic evaluation of large-scale hydro schemes and pumped-storage plants, and environmental aspects of hydroelectric developments are also discussed. A special session has also been included on hydro in Latin America, where some of the world's largest schemes are planned or under construction. The papers reproduced here draw on the expertise of engineers from eighteen countries in North and South America, Europe, Asia, Australasia and Africa. All the papers were selected and indexed separately.
Summary Indigenous people demonstrably lived along rivers and around lakes and wetlands of Australia's Murray-Darling Basin in pre-European times. Waterways were, and continue to be, of major significance to the society and culture of Aboriginal peoples throughout Australia. Historically, they exploited most of the fauna - from mussels and crayfish, to fish and birds - and either ate, or used for other purposes, many species of aquatic plants. Such practices placed them in the role of environmental modifiers, a role played by all human groups from both past and present. They built sophisticated fish traps, cut gaps in river banks to allow fish to move on to floodplains, and there is evidence that they practised a form of fish culture by creating small impoundments in which small fish could...
Flame propagating through zirconium particle cloud in a small-scale vertical rectangle chamber was investigated experimentally. In the experiments, the zirconium quoted 99% purity was used and the diameter of particles was distributed 1?22 ?m. The zirconium dust was dispersed into the chamber by air flow and ignited by an electrode spark. A high-speed video camera was used to record the images of the propagating flame. Micro-thermocouples, schlieren optical system and microscopic lens were used to obtain temperature profiles and flame structure, respectively. Based on the experimental results, flame propagation characteristics and flame structure of zirconium particle cloud were analyzed. The propagation velocity of the flame is quite slow in the initial 14 ms and then accelerates to maxim...
To diversify the mix of domestic energy resources and to reduce dependence on imported oil, ethanol is widely investigated for applying in combination with Diesel fuel to reduce pollutants, including smoke and NOx. Present work aims at developing a fumigation system for introduction of ethanol in a small capacity Diesel engine and to determine its effects on emission. Fumigation was achieved by using a constant volume carburetor. Different percentages of ethanol fumes with air were then introduced in the Diesel engine, under various load conditions. Ethanol is an oxygenated fuel and lead to smooth and efficient combustion. Atomization of ethanol also results in lower combustion temperature. During the present study, gaseous emission has been found to be decreasing with ethanol fumigation. ...
Energy use patterns and utilisation efficiencies in 40 factories producing palm kernel oil (PKO) in southwestern part of Nigeria were studied. The factories were stratified into small, medium and large scale categories based on the mode of operations and production capacities. Questionnaires were administered on the factories to obtain historical data on petrol, diesel and electricity consumption and PKO production outputs for seven years (1998-2004). Energy use efficiency indicators employed include: energy intensity (EI), energy cost per unit product (EC/P), energy ratio (ER), food energy ratio (FER) and percentage oil yield by weight. Results of the study indicated that averagely, 0.58, 0.53 and 0.74GJ/103l of PKO were needed in the small, medium and large PKO factories, respectively. T...
The engine performance test was studied at high load in a small direct injection diesel engine by measuring fuel spray travel of three nozzles having different nozzle length/nozzle diameter(L/D) and by changing parameters such as piston cavity diameter and intake swirl. Hydrocarbon(HC) and the brake specific fuel comsumption(BSFC) were mainly influenced by spray characteristics due to L/D compared with piston cavity diameter and intake swirl. The piston cavity diameter optimal to BSFC corresponds to the fuel spray travel(fuel penetration) in each nozzle. The exhaust smoke was improved by reducing piston cavity diameter and by promoting the intake swirl. NOx increased with the decrease of piston cavity diameter at the identical nozzle and also increased in case of larger piston cavity diameter owing to the utilization of intense spray penetration. (13 figs, 4 refs)
Fatigue crack growth tests of three ferrite-pearlite steels with different size and spacing of pearlite particles, which were uniformly distributed in the ferrite matrix, were carried out to investigate the effect of microstructure on fatigue crack growth behavior in the Paris regime. The fatigue crack growth rates for the three materials did not coincide with each other, even when the crack growth curves were arranged by the effective stress intensity factor range. From in situ observations, crack tip stress shielding phenomena, such as interlocking and branching, were found on the crack wake, which enhanced fatigue crack growth resistance. A small size and spacing of pearlite particle seemed to induce small but frequent crack deflections, which resulted in crack closure phenomena. On the...
Recent developments in rechargeable Li-ion battery technology include the use of lithium-carbon compounds instead of metallic anodes. Non-graphitizable carbons offer high capacity as the anode material but it's large irreversible capacity must be solved. The ultimate goals of the present work are to understand the origin of the high capacity and large irreversible capacity in conjunction with the structural change due to Li intercalation and thus to establish a scientific basis for optimizing their performance in real batteries. 'House of cards' model is considered and emphasis is given to find out the size of the pores present in the carbon fibers prepared from an isotropic petroleum pitch and heat treated at 1200degC. Small angle neutron scattering and wide angle neutron scattering results provide enlargement of pores and d-spacing of grapheme layers after Li intercalation. (author)
Thinning and burning forests established on revegetated mine pits in jarrah (Eucalyptus marginata) forests of south-west Australia is being considered as a management option to accelerate succession in sites with excessive tree densities. To assess the impact of thinning and burning on reptiles and small mammals, we installed trapping grids in eight thinned and burned sites, each paired with untreated controls. Of the eight pairs, four were in rehabilitated sites (planted with nonlocal species) and four were in restored sites (seeded with local species). Thinning and burning had no significant impact on the small mammal community, although Cercatetus concinnus was more abundant in rehabilitated sites. In contrast, thinning and burning significantly increased reptile abundance and species r...
To investigate the characteristics of a reactor and a neutron generator, a small scintillation detector with an optical fiber with ThO_2 has been developed to measure fast neutrons. However, experimental facilities where "2"3"2Th can be used are limited by regulations, and S/N ratio is low because the background counts of this detector are increase by alpha decay of "2"3"2Th. The purpose of this study is to develop a new optical fiber detector for measuring fast neutrons that does not use nuclear material such as "2"3"2Th. From the measured and calculated results, the new optical fiber detector which uses ZnS(Ag) as a converter material together with a scintillator have the highest detection efficiency among several developed detectors. It is applied for the measurement of reaction rates generated from fast neutrons; furthermore, the absolute detection efficiency of this detector was obtained experimentally.
Background: Superficial inferior epigastric artery (SIEA) flap has a great advantage over other flaps of the area, that is, readily non-existent donor-site problems. The main reason why the SIEA flap has never been extensively used in breast reconstruction is the small diameter and variable anatomy of its donor artery. This study presents a possibility of enlarging the SIEA diameter using the delay-phenomenon mechanism. Methods: A prospective clinical study of 26 patients was undertaken. Prior to surgery, ultrasound examinations were performed, measuring the diameter of SIEA and the velocity of blood flow in SIEA. The ipsilateral deep inferior epigastric artery (DIEA) was then ligated in all patients who had a measurable SIEA preoperatively. Two weeks later, measurements were repeated. The...
The electronic structure of small niobium clusters Nb/sub n/ (n = 2, 4, 6, 9) has been calculated applying two different quantum-chemical approximation methods (Extended Hueckel (EH) method; SW-X/sub alpha/ method). It was found that both the methods led to the same results concerning equilibrium structures, energy level schemes, Fermi energies and band widths as well as the densities of states of the clusters. In solving solid state problems of transition metals with the aid of the cluster model a better adaptation of the EH method should be expected by adjusting the EH parameters to the SW-X/sub alpha/ results.
Small swabs are often dampened with a solvent when used to clean surfaces. Cotton swabs of the type sold in drug stores contain stearic acid, probably used as a lubricant during manufacture of the swab. Such swabs, dampened with a solvent and used to clean a surface, will leave a film of stearic acid on the surface. Several kinds of swabs are sold for industrial use, and some are described as suitable for use in clean room manufacturing. Nine different swabs, some cotton and some urethane foam, were extracted with isopropyl alcohol, CFC 113 (Freon TF or Genesolv D), or mixture of CFC 113 and methyl alcohol. After evaporation of the solvent, from 0.5 to 3.8 mg of an oil or grease remained. For critical applications, swabs should be washed with solvent before use.
This paper deals with surface defects of automobile outer panels, which alter significantly the vehicle quality. Such defects occur during springback, after forming or flanging steps, and are characterized by concave depression of small amplitude over the convex shape of the part. The aim of this work is to reproduce at the laboratory scale a surface defect that occurs after flanging on a geometry similar to a door upper corner. A dedicated device has been designed in order to generate small size surface defects during flanging of metallic thin sheets. The outer surface of the sample was digitalized and the spatial geometry of the defect was evaluated from curvature change along 2D profiles. This study shows that the flanging height does not influence significantly the surface defect geome...
Ceramic ball bearings of silicon nitride are used for hard disk drive (HDD) spindle motors, to increase seed, reliability and memory capacity of the HDDs. Silicon nitride ceramics have advantages of lightweight, high strength and hardness over the conventional steel for bearings, but is expensive. A new process of high cost performance has been developed for mass production of the small-size ceramic balls. The company plans to apply these bearings to higher devices, e.g., servers, for the time being, and to expand the applicable areas, e.g., common devices and other small-size motors. The ceramic bearings have been developed jointly with Koyo Seiko Co. Ltd. (translated by NEDO)
The aim of this report is to describe the present situation regarding biomass utilization in small power plants, 0.5 - 20 MW fuel power. Also discussed are the most important technical, economical and environmental conditions which may prevent a fast expansion of small biomass fueled power plants for generation of district heating in smaller networks and also for electric power generation. Biofuels means a reduction of the net emission of carbon dioxide, but emission of other compounds are not very well known for this size of power plants. There are only a few biofueled power plants in Sweden and only a couple with less than 20 MW power supplied. New concepts are under development but not much have been achieved during the most recent years. 25 refs, 10 figs, 9 tabs.
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 semiclassical components which would correspond to Lorentzian universes. For the case with a cosmological constant the Hartle-Hawking boundary conditions formally constrain one of the parameters in the Lorentzian solutions to be purely imaginary. Possible interpretations of this imaginary parameter are ...
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 semiclassical components which would correspond to Lorentzian universes. For the case with a cosmological constant the Hartle-Hawking boundary conditions formally constrain one of the parameters in the Lorentzian solutions to be purely imaginary. Possible interpretations of this imaginary parameter are ...
We have performed ab initio calculations on a wide range of small molecules, demonstrating the accuracy and flexibility of an alternative method for calculating the electronic structure of molecules, solids, and surfaces. It is based on the local-density approximation (LDA) for exchange and correlation and the nonlinear augmented-plane-wave method. Very accurate atomic forces are obtained directly. This allows for implementation of Car-Parrinello-like techniques to determine simultaneously the self-consistent electron wave functions and the equilibrium atomic positions within an iterative scheme. We find excellent agreement with the best existing LDA-based calculations and remarkable agreement with experiment for the equilibrium geometries, vibrational frequencies, and dipole moments of a wide variety of molecules, including strongly bound homopolar and polar molecules, hydrogen-bound and electron-deficient molecules, and weakly bound alkali and noble-metal dimers, ...
Assuming the hoop conjecture in classical general relativity and quantum mechanics, any observer who attempts to perform an experiment in an arbitrarily small region will be stymied by the formation of a black hole within the spatial domain of the experiment. This behavior is often invoked in arguments for a fundamental minimum length. Extending a proof of the hoop conjecture for spherical symmetry to include higher curvature terms we investigate this minimum length argument when the gravitational couplings run with energy in the manner predicted by asymptotically safe gravity. We show that argument for the mandatory formation of a black hole within the domain of an experiment fails. Neither is there a proof that a black hole doesn't form. Instead, whether or not an observer can perform measurements in arbitrarily small regions depends on the specific numerical values of the couplings near the UV fixed point. We further argue that when an ...
Seed dispersal involves several complex stages that can be affected by multiple peripheral processes. Thus, a major dispersal event can be followed by secondary dispersal, which can reduce density-dependent mortality and consolidate the dispersal phase. But predation events can also follow, and predation of seeds in feces is particularly interesting because it can heavily alter the fate of seeds dispersed through vertebrate guts. Our review of 20 cases involving this kind of interaction found that research has chiefly been in tropical and subtropical areas (85% of cases), suggesting that it is a minor phenomenon at higher latitudes. However, the small size of both the seeds and predators involved may have caused this process to go unnoticed outside the tropics. We tested the presence of pr...
Our Andreev reflection measurements (Phys. Rev. Lett. 87 (2001) 137005) along with other experiments have led to a general consensus that MgB{sub 2} is a multiband superconductor with two main superconducting gaps closing at the same T{sub c}. Here we show the behavior of the small gap as a function of the temperature and magnetic field. This gap is isotropic with T{sub c} of the bulk material but with a specific small (crossover) critical magnetic field of about 1 T much lower than the real H{sub c2}. The latter field is anisotropic and is rather governed by the large gap and strongly anisotropic Fermi surface of the material.
A historical review of floating production storage and offloading (FPSO) systems for marginal fields is presented. The areas in which such systems are operating, ranges of model tests, and current applicability of mooring systems are reviewed to present capabilities of these concepts. Limitations are reviewed to assess the applicability of these concepts to similar sites. Consideration of processing operations on floating vessels are identified. Particularly, the effects of vessel motion on the processing equipment, gas disposal, and crude offloading are addressed. It will be shown that operations are becoming well understood and routine. Future problem areas and solutions under development are identified. Specific examples are cited and design refinements are noted. While various floating production systems have been in operation for only a few years, their potential for solving the problems of producing small offshore fields and for achieving early production is ...
It is assumed that protein fibrils manifested in amyloidosis result from an aggregation reaction involving small misfolded protein sequences being in an `oligomeric' or `prefibrillar' state. This review covers recent optical spectroscopic studies of amyloid protein misfolding, oligomerization and amyloid fibril growth. Although amyloid fibrils have been studied using established protein-characterization techniques throughout the years, their oligomeric precursor states require sensitive detection in real-time. Here, fluorescent staining is commonly performed using thioflavin T and other small fluorescent molecules such as 4-(dicyanovinyl)- julolidine and 1-amino-8-naphtalene sulphonate that have high affinity to hydrophobic patches. Thus, populated oligomeric intermediates and related `pre...
The field of micro unmanned aerial vehicles ({mu}UAVs) has advanced rapidly in recent years. This paper studies the design and construction of a small solar-powered aircraft near the size range of current {theta}UAVs. A number of aspects of their design were analysed, including structural, aerodynamic and propulsion system considerations. The effect of small-scale, low Reynolds number aerodynamics was investigated, and the performance of a range of candidate aerofoils was compared. The integration of a solar power source into the aircraft system was considered a key design issue. Consequently, a number of aircraft configurations were examined, with the intention of optimising the application of solar power in a miniature aircraft. Investigation of improved system components suggests that a practical solar-powered aircraft in the size range below 500 mm maximum linear dimension should be viable given modest technological improvements. (Author)
A prospective comparative study with pathology was performed to assess the clinical value of Computed Tomography (CT) and endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) for nodal staging in lung cancer. A total of 329 nodal stations were dissected or sampled and 755 lymph nodes were examined at histology. On a pre-station basis, CT had greater sensitivity (74%) than EUS (56%), but EUS was more specific (83% versus 93%). The accuracy rates of the two techniques were similar. In conclusion, endoscopic ultrasound should be part of a routine preoperative diagnostic approach to non-small-cell lung cancer., because of its high specificity. Results can be improved when EUS and CT are combined., which suggests that these imaging modalities should be used together in selected patients for the noninvasive staging of non-small-cell lung cancer to identify local lymphatic spread.
A new combustion system for a small direct injection diesel engine has been developed, with a spheroidal cavity and swirl nozzle characterized by weak spray penetration and wide spray angle. This system is intended to realize air-borne mixture formation and good combustion processes over wide operating ranges. In-cylinder observations of the system reveal that droplets are easily bent in the direction of air movement, ignition occurs near the spray tip, and the flame is hard to envelop the spray. In a single cylinder engine of 460 cm/sup 3/ swept volume, the system realizes active diffusion burning and mild premixed burning despite of long ignition delay, and provides low fuel consumption and low smoke emission, especially at low speeds.
The authors describe a small doubly reflecting research furnace. Its optical components, a heliostat and a concentrating array of hexagonal-in-plan-form mirrors, focus sunlight at the aperture of a cavity receiver. A perfect paraboloid of revolution would have given higher concentration ratios. But large paraboloids are difficult to make and manipulate. Small hexagons are convenient and can be close packed. Spherical mirrors centered on a sphere simplified construction and were economical. In this note they use a simple model to describe the radial distribution of the normal flux at the focus of such an array. A schematic representation of a cross section of the concentrator mirror array in a plane which includes its axis is shown.
A radioassay for the rapid determination of Gsub(M1) ganglioside concentration in small volumes of CSF from individual patients is described. The assay utilizes the high-affinity interaction between cholera enterotoxin ("1"2"5I-labelled) and Gsub(M1) ganglioside. The lower detection limit of Gsub(M1) ganglioside by this radioassay under the described incubation conditions is 2.5 ng/ml. The radioassay-determined lumbar CSF Gsub(M1) ganglioside concentrations in a small group of patients with diverse neurologic disorders are presented. The radioassay Gsub(M1) ganglioside concentration is in good agreement with the G(M1) ganglioside concentration determined, in one patient, by the tlc-densitometry technique. (author).
This paper presents an investigation into the feasibility and potential advantages of a small scale Miller cycle natural gas engine for applications such as domestic combined heat and power systems. The Miller cycle engine is compared to a standard Otto cycle engine using cycle analyses and multidimensional simulation, and basic engine design implications are discussed. It is found that the Miller cycle engine has a potential for improved fuel efficiency, but at the cost of a reduced power to weight ratio. A fuel efficiency advantage of 5{yields}10% compared to a standard Otto cycle engine appears possible, however it is stated that further investigations, in particular into the topic of engine friction, are required in order to validate the findings. (author)
This paper presents an investigation into the feasibility and potential advantages of a small scale Miller cycle natural gas engine for applications such as domestic combined heat and power systems. The Miller cycle engine is compared to a standard Otto cycle engine using cycle analyses and multidimensional simulation, and basic engine design implications are discussed. It is found that the Miller cycle engine has a potential for improved fuel efficiency, but at the cost of a reduced power to weight ratio. A fuel efficiency advantage of Formula Not Shown compared to a standard Otto cycle engine appears possible, however it is stated that further investigations, in particular into the topic of engine friction, are required in order to validate the findings.
Accelerator concepts for heavy-ion fusion require small emittance, high-current beams. Such applications could include funnels in which high-current, like-charged particle beams are interlaced to double beam current while retaining small emittances. The first experimental demonstration confirming the beam dynamics of the funnel principle was recently completed at Los Alamos National Laboratory. A single-leg prototype 5-MeV, H{sup {minus}} funnel was successfully tested. This single-beam demonstration explored physics issues of a two-beam funnel. It contained elements for emittance control, position control, and rf deflection, as well as diagnostics for measurement of beam intensity, position and angle centroids, energy and phase centroids, and transverse and longitudinal phase-space distributions. Results of the experiment will be presented along with comparisons to simulations. 7 refs., 5 figs.
Sprat Sprat in the Southwestern Baltic Sea (including Sound and Belt Sea) ...episodic salt water inflows which occur during autumn to spring.The last major inflow to the Baltic Proper ...The small inflows in spring 1986 and fall 1988 have had only effects on salinity and temperature
This paper discusses the storage of spent nuclear fuel by countries around the world. At the present time, all countries are storing it. A small number of countries are reprocessing it for recycling. Essentially all countries are preparing for eventual disposal of end waste form. There is much uncertainty and controversy over what should and will happen.
To foster rural economic development and growth, Congress passed the Renewable Energy Systems and Energy Efficiency Improvements Program as Section 9006 of the 2002 Farm Bill. This program provides financial assistance to farmers, ranchers, and rural small businesses to purchase renewable energy systems or make energy efficiency improvements. The Rural Business and Cooperative Services of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) administers this program. This conference poster provides an overview of Section 9006.
The measurement of thyroidal uptake of radioiodine using a gamma camera and computer is described. In 12 children there was good agreement with simultaneous measurements using a probe, while in a further 14 patients the uptake values were consistent with the clinical diagnosis. The technique should be especially useful for infants and small children.
Results of an investigation made to develop methods of making iron castings having wall thicknesses as small as 2.5 mm in green sand molds are presented. It was found that thin wall ductile and compacted graphite iron castings can be made and have properties consistent with heavier castings. Green sand molding variables that affect casting dimensions were also identified.
Small-scale methods for determining the reaction rates of explosives that make it possible to predict safe temperatures for using them, and methods for testing the accuracy of these predictions were developed. Each different size and shape of each different explosive has its own critical temperature. The ability to predict these critical temperatures is required before high-energy materials can be used safely.
The neutrino mixing angle #theta#13 is currently known to be small but had not been determined. The value of #theta#13 is vital to resolving the neutrino mass heirarchy as well as future investigation of CP violation in the lepton sector. The Daya Bay Reactor Neutrino Experiment is designed to reach a sensitivity of 0.01 or better in sin22#theta#13 via an electron antineutrino disappearance signature.
Lethal alleles of the Drosophila k43 gene result in small or missing imaginal discs, greatly reduced mitotic index, and fragmented and abnormally condensed chromosomes. A female-sterile...Full Text Available
We discuss the description of the proton structure function within the dipole factorization framework. We parameterize the forward dipole amplitude to account for saturation as predicted by the small-x QCD evolution equations. Contrarily to previous models, the saturation scale does not decrease when taking heavy quarks into account. We show that the same dipole amplitude also allows to reproduce diffractive data and exclusive vector meson production.
BackgroundThe typical Korean diet includes rice, which is usually served in a rice bowl. We investigated the effects of a meal plan using rice bowls of varying sizes on dietary energy...Full Text Available
A new fabrication process is being developed which significantly improves the efficiency of metal-semiconductor solar cells. The resultant effect, a marked increase in the open-circuit voltage, is produced by the addition of an interfacial layer oxide on the semiconductor. Cells using gold on n-type gallium arsenide have been made in small areas (0.17 sq cm) with conversion efficiencies of 15% in terrestrial sunlight.
An interpretation of effects connected with the possible existence of tachyons, i.e. particles moving at a velocity higher than the velocity of light, is given. It is proposed that if there exist in nature particles with super-luminal velocities then they are likely to be found in domains of extremely small space-time intervals #DELTA#xx10"-"1"6cm and #DELTA#t<10"-"2"6s, in which processes involving a violation of spatial and temporal parities are playing an important role.
Abstract Overall Numbers Small, But Study Finds SSRI Exposure, Autism Link Additional Drug Safety, Efficacy Data Needed for Pediatric Bipolar Disorder SGA Safety and Efficacy in Children and Adolescents Aripiprazole Safety and Tolerability for Irritability in Autism No Lisdexamfetamine Effect on Sleep Disturbances in Children With ADHD Sickle Cell Disease With Comorbid Depression Homeopathy in Psychiatry Manic Symptoms Induced by Marijuana in a Healthy Adolescent New Warnings Safety Labeling Changes
ObjectivesObjectives Not AvailableDescriptionWe will study the electrodeposition of metals from solutions containing a~%~ mixture of metal cations, in order to discover the conditions which lead to the separation of the metals. Measurements will be made both using small glass cells and using a more realistic size (10 cm x 10 cm electrodes) of electrodeposition cell.~%~
In combined cycle turbine power stations, soft material compensators are used which, if the full pressure fails, also withstand a small external pressure. Innovative forms of construction which guarantee useful life, are presented in relation to the design. Damaging effects, which limit the life of these special soft material compensators, are discussed. (orig.)
The effect on an oscillator moving in a medium produced by that part of the radiative force which does not perform work but creates and angular moment is considered. It is shown that the radiative torque turns the dipole toward the axis along which it is moving. Near the axis of motion the dipole executes small oscilltions. The frequency of the oscillations is determined. This effect leads to spontaneous alignment of the dipole moments on moving through the medium. The feasibility of observing the effect experimentally is discussed.
One normally identifies the prediction of tachyons with a higher spin problem. We show that the same phenomenon also happens with certain spin-1/2 equations, in exactly the same circumstances. Furthermore, we prove that these equations also have the defect of possessing solutions with complex energies, even with the smallest external fields. The consequences of these results are analyzed.
Spectrophotometric method, using a ratio-recording ultraviolet-absorption spectrophotometer, permits analysis of NaMBT in ethylene glycol-water solutions with high accuracy. It reduces analysis time, requires smaller samples, and is able to detect extremely small concentrations of mercaptobenzothiazole.
Transforming growth factor (TGF)-βs are secreted in large latent complexes consisting of TGF-β, its N-terminal latency-associated peptide (LAP) propeptide, and latent TGF-β...Full Text Available
Structural units of a hydrogen fuel cell whose characteristics are advisable to investigate by different neutron scattering methods are discussed. The results obtained with the use of Bragg diffraction and small-angle neutron scattering from fuel membranes, nanocarbon-platinum catalysts, and Zn_1_-_xCu_xO hydrogen storage systems are presented.
The Si-L X-ray emission spectrum of amorphous hydrogenated silicon (a-Si:H) is presented and discussed. For a qualitative interpretation of the measured spectra cluster calculations of pure Si clusters (SiSi4) and Si clusters with hydrogen (SiSi3H) have been performed using a simplified LCAO-X scheme. In general the level shifts caused by introduction of hydrogen are small compared with the valence band width.
An analysis is given of the evolution of a massive scalar field in a closed mixmaster universe of Bianchi type IX. Although the scalar field violates the strong energy condition, the probability of the model ''bouncing'' at a very early time is infinitesimally small; of the order of the ratio of the minimum to maximum sizes of the universe approx. 10/sup -40/.
We have identified two novel, very closely related genes, SAS1 and SAS2, from Dictyostelium discoideum. These encode small, approximately 20-kilodaton proteins with amino acid sequences thought to be...Full Text Available
Addresses factors affecting rural education in Tasmania (Australia), including population trends, financial support, student enrollment, socioeconomic status of rural residents, and geographic isolation. Issues that need to be addressed include the status of small schools in Tasmania, costs associated with transporting students, staffing, low student retention, and limited availability of special services. (LP)
The average angle of repose and the packing density of random planar heaps of hard disks falling ballistically onto a sticky base line, where the first layer of disks is quenched in random positions, are computed for heaps with a small fixed number of gaps in the base layer. The results we find appear to be almost independent of the size of the heap and they agree with those obtained from computer simulations of large systems.
This request is submitted to seek interim approval to operate a chemical waste landfill for the disposal of polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) wastes. This request covers only the disposal of small quantities of solid PCB wastes contained in decommissioned su...
This short article describes the strategies taken into consideration by the Swiss Federal Office of Energy for the promotion of renewable forms of energy in Switzerland. Two basic models are considered and the parts to be played by the Swiss Confederation, the Swiss Cantons, Energy Agencies and professional organisations are discussed. The importance of the activities of partner organisations and actor-networks in various areas such as solar, small hydro, geothermal and wind energy are discussed, as are models for financing the necessary promotion and marketing efforts
In this note we prove to all orders in the small scale expansion that all off-shell parameters which appear in the chiral effective Lagrangian with explicit DELTA(1232) isobar degrees of freedom can be absorbed into redefinitions of certain low-energy constants and are therefore redundant.
Molybdenum is separated from molybdenum-containing activated charcoal or char also containing small amounts of uranium obtained as a by-product in uranium leaching processes by stripping with an alkaline solution to provide a molybdenum containing solution containing substantially less than 500 ppm u/sup 3/o/sup 8/.
The effects of a moderate-intensity static magnetic field (SMF) on osteoporosis of the lumbar vertebrae were studied in ovariectomized rats. A small disc magnet (maximum magnetic flux density 180 mT)...Full Text Available
'Small radioactive source results in big accident' have occurred repeatedly in China and worldwide alike. Radioactive source management is one of the key activities for a nuclear power plant to maintain its good safety record and image to the public. From aspects of establishing the management system, centralized storage, periodic accounting, performing whole process control to the source usage and experience feedback etc., the author reports the practice and experience of radioactive source management in Daya Bay Nuclear Power Plant
Only a small number of radiation accidents in the United States have been severe enough to result in multi-organ failure (MOF). Medical details of selected medical misadministration and criticality cases are reviewed, with an emphasis on pathophysiology. The four criticality cases are particularly relevant for analysis of MOF, since medical treatment was supportive and did not appreciably alter the clinical evolution of radiation injury. PMID:15975871
Proteins with a high propensity to aggregate can be largely prevented from doing so with surprisingly small changes to their primary structure. By using a combination of rational design and quantitative measurements of aggregation rates, we show that adding a single charge in specific "gatekeeper" regions is sufficient to change the timescale for amyloid fibril growth from minutes to weeks, thereby dramatically reducing the efficiency of this process.
The catalytic dehydration of methanol to dimethyl ether was investigated for application on-board a methanol fuelled vehicle. Several catalysts have been tested in a fixed bed reactor. Our approach is to develop a small and efficient reactor converting liquid MeOH under pressure and at low reaction temperatures. (author) 2 figs., 5 refs.
The effect of small misch metal additions (0.25 to 1 wt.%) on the corrosion behaviour of aluminium was studied through electrochemical polarization in 0.1 N inorganic and organic acids at room temperature. It has been observed that rare earth addition improves the corrosion resistance of aluminium. (orig.).
FSD-1, a designed small ultrafast folder with a ββα fold, has been actively studied in the last few years as a model system for studying protein folding mechanisms and for testing...Full Text Available
The effect of nuclear scattering on the suprathermal fusion probability of recoiling d-t nuclei under the impact of fusion products, a 14.1-MeV neutron and a 3.5 MeV alpha particle, in thick pellets is investigated with the help of the Boltzmann-Fokker-Planck equation. Although the suprathermal fusion from alpha-particle recoils is quite small, the one originating from neutron recoils is considerable.
The authors study the nonuniformity of a-Si:H films obtained by the method of vacuum condensation, with the help of x-ray small-angle scattering (SLS) and transmission electron microscopy. Films of hydrogenated amorphous silicon are greatest interest, because the electronic properties of this material can be controlled by doping. As a result of the compensation of the ruptured bonds, and possibly, effects of melting, the properties of such films are analogous to those of singlecrystalline silicon. XLS enables a quantitative determination of the prameters of the regions of low electron density (RLD) in such objects.
Lead tungstate crystals doped with small fractions of praesodynium or molybdenum have been tested in beams of high-energy electrons. The goal of these tests was to study the effects of such dopants on the capability to separate the signal components deriving from the Cherenkov and scintillation light generated by the beam particles. These studies were carried out in view of the possible application of such crystals in dual-readout calorimeters.
... There are common woodland birds in spring and turtle doves in spring and summer. Havergate Island This small island in the River ...for its breeding avocets and terns, which can be seen throughout the spring and summer. Access is by boat only and the trip ... Visit in spring to hear a symphony of birdsong, especially the nightingales which breed here, and to see bluebells and primroses ... Spring is also an excellent time to visit. Loch na Muilne Loch na Muilne is a fantastic place to see a variety ...
...the huge volumes of ephemera amassed by the Colonial Office to record the coronation celebrations of 1937 and 1953 to the small illustrated manuscript account of Tobago penned by its governor in 1810, from one of the first European accounts of Ethiopia to be published to Winston Churchillrsquo;s valedictory letter of 1922 to Colonial Office staff, the exhibits provide a snapshot of the riches to be explored within this matchless collection. Explore ...
DescriptionThis project is part of the BBSRCs special initiative on plant and microbial metabolomics. The project will primarily focus on the trichothecene mycotoxin producing Ascomycete fungus Fusarium graminearum (Fg) which causes ear blight disease of small grain cereals. The project aims to explore the metabolome of various wild-type and single gene deletion Fg strains and to compare some of these with the identical gene mutation in the budding yeast, S. cerevisiae (Sc) and the saprophytic filamentous [continued...
A cryostat is described that was developed for irradiating a number of small metal specimens with a high beamcurrent of heavy particles at liquid nitrogen temperature. The specimens, which are mounted on a block, are taken out of the cryostat after irradiation and subsequently annealed in a temperature bath. The progress of annealing is followed by measuring the change in electrical resistivity of the specimens in liquid helium. (auth)
X-ray scattering methods suitable for the investigation of the morphology and chemical composition of self-organized quantum dots and quantum wires are reviewed. Their application is demonstrated in experimental examples showing that a combination of small angle X-ray scattering with high-resolution X-ray diffraction can reveal both the shape and the chemical composition of the self-organized objects. (author)
A generic insensitive fuze train to initiate insensitive high explosives, such as PBXW-124. The insensitive fuze train uses a slapper foil to initiate sub-gram quantities of an explosive, such as HNS-IV or PETN. This small amount of explosive drives a larger metal slapper onto a booster charge of an insensitive explosive, such as UF-TATB. The booster charge initiates a larger charge of an explosive, such as LX-17, which in turn, initiates the insensitive high explosive, such as PBXW-124.
We apply Hawking's proposal for the initial state of the Universe to a rotating Bianchi type-IX minisuperspace model in order to examine the problem of rotation in a closed cosmology. Using the Feynman path-integral techniques instead of the Wheeler-DeWitt equation, we are able to say that for a small angular velocity the closed Friedmann-Robertson-Walker model is indeed the most probable initial state for the Universe.
We apply Hawking's proposal for the initial state of the Universe to a rotating Bianchi type-IX minisuperspace model in order to examine the problem of rotation in a closed cosmology. Using the Feynman path-integral techniques instead of the Wheeler-DeWitt equation, we are able to say that for a small angular velocity the closed Friedmann-Robertson-Walker model is indeed the most probable initial state for the Universe.
... The final strand is to invest in new infrastructure, supporting the growth of small and medium-sized businesses and developing new productive industries like pharmaceuticals, locomotive engineering and plastics. Having acted as an adviser to the government, I can see several reasons why the EU should welcome and support this model of economic development. The most important is that Kazakhstan's diversification and its determination to move production up the ...
A 10.6-micron wavelength free-electron laser (FEL) amplifier has been operated using a 45-MeV, 600-A electron beam from the Advanced Test Accelerator (ATA) and a 15.36-meter long electromagnetic wiggler. The peak small signal power gain was 27 dB(500). Gain guiding was observed to confine the amplified laser beam.
The concept of a multi-cavity volumetric solar receiver is very attractive for the profitability of certain of its characteristics such as high efficiency and economy. The absorber is based on a pack of small ceramic cavities which intercept and absorb the inherent high solar flux reflected from an array of mirrors. Atmospheric air acts as a coolant medium when it is drawn through the pack. A model for an overall heat transfer performance of the receiver is given and numerically solved.
Large (about 200 grams dry weight) and small (about 5 grams dry weight) specimens of the leaf succulent Agave vilmoriniana Berger were grown outdoors at Phoenix, Arizona. Potted plants...Full Text Available
The Euler-Maxwell system describes the evolution of a plasma when the collisions are important enough that each species is in a hydrodynamic equilibrium. In this paper we prove global existence of small solutions to this system set in the whole three-dimensional space, by combining the space-time resonance method, dispersive estimates, localization estimates and energy estimates. An important novelty is that we can prove a very slow growth of high derivatives even with a nonintegrable decay by reiterating the energy estimate.
The gastrin releasing peptide (GRP) receptor is becoming an increasingly attractive target for development of new radiolabeled peptides with diagnostic and therapeutic potential. The attractiveness of the GRP receptor as a target is based upon the functional expression of GRP receptors in several tumors of neuroendocrine origin including prostate, breast, and small cell lung cancer. This concise review outlines some of the efforts currently underway to develop new GRP receptor specific radiopharmaceuticals by employing a variety of radiometal chelation systems.
The problem on change of deuterium abundance in the process of galactic evolution (star evolution, supernova explosions, nucleosynthesis in supermassive objects) is considered. It is shown that the observable deuterium quantity in the interstellar medium must correspond to its cosmological abundance. This conclusion is independent of the rate of accretion of intergalactic gas by Galaxy. The effect of hypothetical pregalactic active objects on cosmological deuterium is small. It is poind out that observations of interstellar deuterium in absorbtion at lambda=91.6 cm are significant.
It has been shown that mechanical milling of iron in water results in formation of nanocrystalline magnetite Fe3O4 with an average particle size of 0.6 ?m, saturation magnetization of 77 Am2/kg and coercivity of ?150 A/cm. Along with magnetite, an antiferromagnetic Fe-O phase (?10 wt%), which is an aggregate of small iron-oxygen clusters forms.
The "texture zero mass matrices" for the quarks and leptons describe very well the flavor mixing of the quarks and leptons. We can calculate the angles of the unitarity triangle. We expect the angle alpha of the unitarity triangle to be 90 degrees. The masses of the neutrinos can be calculated - they are very small, the largest neutrino mass is 0.05 eV. We calculated the matrix element of the mixing matrix, relevant for the reactor mixing angle. It can be measured in the near future in the DAYA BAY experiment.
Two TNT high explosives simulants have been developed. Small scale testing has shown them to be insensitive to: impact, spark, friction, temperature, and shock. The materials have been scaled to 0.5 kg quantities and samples given to the Protective Services Department for field evaluation using explosives detecting canines.
In this letter we report a clear and unambiguous observation of the out-of-plane quadrupole magnetic field suggested by numerical simulations in the reconnecting current sheet in the Magnetic Reconnection Experiment (MRX). Measurements show that the Hall effect is large in collisionless regime and becomes small as the collisionality increases, indicating that the Hall effect plays an important role in collisionless reconnection.
A two-beam spectroscopy (TBS) system is evaluated theoretically and experimentally. This new spectroscopic technique uses correlations between components of emitted light separated by a small difference in angle of propagation. It is thus a non-perturbing plasma diagnostic which is shown to provide local (as opposed to line-of-sight averaged) information about fluctuations in the density of light sources within a plasma - information not obtainable by the usual spectroscopic methods. The present design is an improvement on earlier systems proposed in a thesis by Rostler.
In conveyor type irradiators, the movement of conveyor and the product boxes is not there until the source is fully in the irradiation position. In case the conveyor system fails the source must automatically be returned to its shielded storage vault. The dose received by the product during the movement of the source from or to the shield becomes significant if the total dose to be received by the product is small. A study has been carried out for evaluating the transient dose received by onions in the POTON irradiator. The results of the study are discussed in this paper. (author)
Accelerated aging tests such as high temperature burn-in, which are in current use on Bendix Kansas City Division's (BKC) purchased small and medium scale integrated circuits, were evaluated to determine if they are effective and necessary to ensure the required reliability. A theoretical analysis, a literature search, and a study of lot acceptance results were used to assess the value of integrated circuit burn-in.
The paper describes a way to control methane that is almost self-sufficient. The Methane Buster extracts methane from longwall mines. The machinery can run virtually unattended and is fuelled by a small proportion of the methane that it extracts. The most popular model is the size of a car and weighs 3000 lbs. With pump inlet sizes varying from 6 to 24 ins. The pumps can handle up to 30,000 CFM. 3 photos.
In this study, we investigated the effects of bladder outlet obstruction (BOO) on the expression and function of large conductance (BK) and small conductance (SK) Ca2+-activated K+...Full Text Available
The occupational chemical 4-vinylcyclohexene diepoxide (VCD) selectively destroys ovarian small pre-antral follicles in rats and mice via apoptosis. Detoxification of VCD can occur through glutathione...Full Text Available
The added incentive to modify electric use under hourly versus monthly market-based pricing is small for most mass market customers in Upstate New York. If the ultimate policy goal of demand-response programs is to reduce peak load, then promoting conservation measures under monthly market-based pricing holds more promise. (author)
Distribution of scattered elements in basic minerals of salt-rocks is studied. It is shown that rubidium and cesium are accumulated mainly in carnallites and are contained in small quantities halites. These elements are accumulated primarily in the carnallite production products, wherein their content in a number of cases exceeds by dozens and hundred times their content in source rocks. It is noted that only carnallites may be considered in the list of actual sources for rubidium and cesium separation
Based on theoretical calculations of powder diffraction data it is shown that the assumption of the infinite crystal lattice for small particles is not justified, leads to significant changes of the diffraction patterns, and may lead to erroneous interpretation of the experimental results. An alternate evaluation of diffraction data of nanoparticles, based on the so-called 'apparent lattice parameter', alp, is proposed. (author)
Radionuclide X-ray fluorescence analysis was used for the determination of Sr/Ca ratio in bones to test the influence of a diet on this ratio. Significant differences were observed for Sr/Ca ratio in bones of various animals. Only small differences in the Ca/Sr ratio were observed for the samples of various prehistoric human bones. (author) 4 refs.; 4 tabs.
The kinetic parameters, ..cap alpha.. the coupling coefficient and tau-bar the mean neutron transit time have been determined using a reactor oscillator on the coupled-core of the Queen Mary College research reactor. By using correlation techniques it has proved possible to use detectors small enough to be inserted in the fuel tanks. It is shown that the simplified Baldwin model with one-group diffusion theory is inadequate to describe the kinetic behaviour and the experimentally-determined parameters are dependent upon the positioning of the detectors.
The abundant microbial population in a 3,043-m-deep Greenland glacier ice core was dominated by ultrasmall cells (<0.1 μm3) that may represent intrinsically small organisms...Full Text Available
Protein bodies within the endosperm of castor bean (Ricinus communis L. cv. Hale) seeds arise from numerous small vacuoles which progressively become filled with storage protein, of...Full Text Available
A new approach is introduced to study QCD amplitudes at high energy and comparatively small momentum transfer. Novel cut diagrams, representing the resummation of Feynman diagrams, are used to simplify the calculation and to avoid delicate cancellations encountered in the usual approach. An explicit calculation to the sixth order is carried out to demonstrate the advantage of cut diagrams over Feynman diagrams. copyright 1996 The American Physical Society.
The paper presents a sequential procedure for coordinated stabilization of a multimachine power system with arbitrary complexity of the system model. The most effective machine to be equipped with a power system stabilizer is identified using eigenvalue analysis. The selection is based on the sensitivity of critical eigenvalues to increases in the coefficient of a damping term which is inserted in each equation of motion, in succession. The method is applied to a three-machine system and simulation studies show appreciable improvements in the small disturbance stability of the system.
The study concludes that while the diversification into nonutility activities by the Rural Electric Cooperatives and the Rural Telephone Cooperatives has been expanding, the regulatory activities by the Rural Electrification Administration and the state public utility commissions have been inadequate to guard against cross-subsidization. In fact, there generally exist no data to identify and investigate illegal cross-subsidization activities of cooperatives. Increasing the regulatory functions of state public utility commissions and the REA was recommended.
The removal of tritiated water vapour was tested by use of a small burning apparatus and a clinoptilolite filter. It was found that decontamination factor of about 10"4 could be obtained by a clinoptilolite filter. The adsorption of HTO in the clinoptilolite is caused by the diffusion, so it is necessary that filtration velocity is maintained below 0.01 m/sec. Decontamination factor was not influence by the moisture content of a clinoptilolite and tritiated water vapour once adsorbed on a filter was hardly removed. (auth.).
Ionization counters employing Bragg curve spectroscopy have been constructed for use in a 4? geometry. These detectors compare very favorably in terms of both energy and charge resolution with small solid angle devices. These detectors have a large dynamic range because they are backed by scintillation detectors, and are thus capable of detecting and identifying particles with energies from 1 MeV/nucleon up to 200 MeV/nucleon.
Ionization counters employing Bragg curve spectroscopy have been constructed for use in a 4{pi} geometry. These detectors compare very favorably in terms of both energy and charge resolution with small solid angle devices. These detectors have a large dynamic range because they are backed by scintillation detectors, and are thus capable of detecting and identifying particles with energies from 1 MeV/nucleon up to 200 MeV/nucleon. (orig.).
Ionization counters employing Bragg curve spectroscopy have been constructed for use in a 4#pi# geometry. These detectors compare very favorably in terms of both energy and charge resolution with small solid angle devices. These detectors have a large dynamic range because they are backed by scintillation detectors, and are thus capable of detecting and identifying particles with energies from 1 MeV/nucleon up to 200 MeV/nucleon. (orig.).
Following infection with the protozoan parasite Leishmania major, C57BL/6 mice develop a small lesion that heals spontaneously. Resistance to infection is associated with the development...Full Text Available
The distribution of the bilby Macrotis lagotis was assessed in the Tanami Desert using stratified random plots, repetitively sampled transects, aerial survey transects, and ground truth plots. Compared to a previous assessment of distribution, the extent of occurrence has changed little in the last 20 yr. However, the area of occupancy is small relative to the extent of occurrence and
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is characterized by tumor vascularization from the hepatic artery. The objective of our work was to compare color Doppler ultrasonography (CDU), including power Doppler ultrasonography (PDU) with radiographic imagings with contrast medium in regard to the detection of the arterial tumor vascularity of small hepatocellular carcinomas (HCC). We examined 42 small HCC lesions 2 cm or less in diameter in 37 patients for arterial tumor vascularity by conventional CDU, PDU, dynamic computed tomography (dCT), digital subtraction angiography (DSA), and CT hepatic arteriography (CTA). Color images were detected in 25 (59.5%) and 28 (66.7%) of the 42 lesions with conventional CDU and PDU, respectively, and tumor vascularity was detected in 26 (61.9%) by dCT, 23 (54.8%) by DSA, and 29 (69.0%) by CTA. Tumor vascularity could be detected in 51.9% by PDU and CTA, more than by conventional CDU, dCT, and DSA (44.4, 44.4, and ...
The applicability of conventional strength hypotheses in the long-term creep range was examined by means of multiaxial loaded small and large-scale specimens of 1% CrMoNiV-steel at 550deg C. The experimentally determined deformation behaviour in the primary and secondary creep range was simulated by means of a finite element analysis. The creep deformation capacity is influenced by the degree of multiaxiality. The validity of a strength hypothesis depends on the type of load and on deformation resp. failure criteria. (orig.).
The advance in the analysis of very small amount (<= 1#alpha#/cm"2h) of #alpha#-emitters in the cited materials is reviewed. The review, for which 75 references are listed, covers the period from January, 1978, to June, 1982. The use of #alpha#-ray counting, #alpha#-ray spectrometry, #gamma#-ray spectrometry, neutron activation analysis and mass spectrometry is discussed, and their relative merit and limitation are outlined. (J.P.N.).
Contents of this volume include: Influence of Battery Characteristics on Traction Drive Performance; Chassis Design for a Small Electric City Car; Thermal Comfort of Electric Vehicles; Power Quality Problems at Electric Vehicle`s Charging Station; The Development and Performance of the AMPhibian Hybrid Electric Vehicle; The Selection of Lead-Acid Batteries for Use in Hybrid Electric Vehicles; and more.
Angular wave functions are investigated which describe the motion of two electrons in the field of a nucleus at fixed equal distances from electrons to the nucleus. Calculation methods are considered that include matching of power series and expansion in series of Legendre polynomials. Asymptotic properties of solutions at small large distances are determined.
PurposeTo identify those metallothionein and α-crystallin/small heat-shock genes induced by toxic metals in human lens cells and to evaluate...Full Text Available
In this paper a phenomenological analysis of the sintering kinetics of alumina powder compacts with different proportions of small and large particles has been made. A phenomenological approach enables definition of functional connections between parameters characteristic of a certain material and the sintering time. A phenomenological equation is defined, which can be used to describe the densification process of alumina during isothermal sintering. Its parameters enable identification of the dominant diffusion mechanism. (orig.)
A new highly concentrating solar research furnace has recently been completed at the University of Minnesota. The experimentally observed flux concentration ratio, at small aperture, of a cavity receiver is about 7000. The furnace embodies features which may be of interest to others in the solar energy community. This paper describes its construction and performance.
An 'electron-bridge' mechanism of nuclear reaction in an atom or ion by ultra-intense laser fields is presented. A preliminary estimate of the intensity dependence of the rate of disintegration reaction of deuteron nucleus in deuterium atom is made for 800 nm laser fields. For intensities below 5x1021 W/cm2, the rate of disintegration by the 'electron-bridge' mechanism is found to be small, but it rises sharply and becomes large already for ?1022 W/cm2.
Helical dipole magnets are required in a project for the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC) to control and preserve the beam polarization in order to allow the collision of polarized proton beams. Specifications are for low current superconducting magnets with a 100 mm coil aperture and a 4 Tesla field in which the field rotates 360 degrees over a distance of 2.4 meters. A magnet meeting the requirements has been developed that uses a small diameter cable wound into helical grooves machined into a thick-walled aluminum cylinder.