A government would like to subsidize an indivisible good. Consumers? valuations of the good vary according to their wealth and benefits from the good. A subsidy scheme may be based on consumers? wealth or benefit information. We translate a wealth-based policy to a benefit-based policy, and vice versa, and give a necessary and sufficient condition for the pair of policies to implement the same assignment: consumers choose to purchase the good under the wealth-based policy if and only if they choose to do so under the translated benefit-based policy. General taxation allows equivalent policies to require the same budget.
Data from the New Immigrant Survey are used to study wealth differentials among U.S. legal permanent residents. This study is unique in its ability to account for wealth held in the U.S. and that held abroad and yields several key findings. First, relative to immigrants from Western Europe, Australia, Canada, and New Zealand (who have median wealth similar to native born non-Hispanic whites), other immigrant groups have lower levels of total wealth even after accounting for permanent income and life course characteristics. Second, time in the U.S. is positively associated with the wealth of married immigrants, yet this relationship is not statistically significant for single immigrants. Third, differences in the means of measured characteristics between Western European immigrants and thos...
Chlorine is not just one of many chemical feedstocks which is used in a few definitely harmful products like PVC or CFC but is irrelevant in all other respects. Just the opposite is true: There is hardly any product line of the chemical industry that can do without chlorine, from herbicides and pesticides to dyes, plastics, pharmaceuticals, photographic atricles, and cosmetics. Chlorine is not only a key element of chemical production but also an ubiquitous element of everyday life in civilisation. There are even many who would agree that the volume of chlorine production is an indicator of the competitive strength and national wealth of a modern society. By now, however, it has become evident that the unreflected use of chlorine is no longer ecologically acceptable. The consequences of a chlorine phase-out as compared to the continued chlorine production at the present level were investigated scientifically by a PROGNOS team. They are ...
Objectives1. We will use reduction of lysosomal stability as an indicator of cell injury induced by C-60 fullerenes and carbon nanotubes in the liver analogue or digestive gland (hepatopancreas) of marine mussels. Molluscan hepatopancreatic digestive cells are key to normal function and are a sensitive key interface with the environment. Reduction of lysosomal stability is mechanistically linked with impaired health of the whole animal. 2. We will also test the hepatopancreatic digestive cells for evide [continued...]DescriptionNanotechnology is a major innovative scientific and economic growth area, which may present a variety of hazards for environmental and human health. The surface properties and very small size of nanoparticles and nanotubes provides surfaces that may bind and transport toxic chemical pollutants, as well as possibly being toxic in their own right by generating reactive oxygen species (ROS). There is a wealth of evidence ...
High-throughput genomic and proteomic technologies have generated a wealth of publicly available data on ageing. Easy access to these data, and their computational analysis, is of great importance in...Full Text Available
The history of the Arabian Gulf region shows a lot of commonality in the six states which form the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). Their shared heritage ranges from common colonial masters to common religion and language. Because of their oil wealth and, ...
Poly(3-hydroxyalkanoates) (PHAs) are a class of microbially produced polyesters that have potential applications as conventional plastics, specifically thermoplastic elastomers. A wealth of biological...Full Text Available
The availability of full genome sequences has allowed the construction of microarrays, with which screening of the full genome for changes in gene expression is possible. This method can provide a wealth...Full Text Available
The development of comfort in buildings throughout the centuries was influenced by the demand for progress, wealth and innovation in various respects. At present, it seems that progress may only be possible by taking into account the environment and creat...
EPRI's Steam Generator Strategic Management Project issues an annual report on the progress being made in tackling steam generator problems worldwide, containing a wealth of detailed statistics on the status of operating units and degradation mechanisms encountered. A few highlights are presented from the latest report, issued in October 1993, which covers the period to 31 December 1992. (Author).
Polarized antiprotons produced by spin filtering with an internal polarized gas target provide access to a wealth of single- and double-spin observables, thereby opening a window to physics uniquely accessible with the HESR at FAIR. This includes a first measurement of the transversity distribution of the valence quarks in the proton, and a first measurement of the moduli and the relative phase of the time-like electric and magnetic form factors G{sub E,M} of the proton. In polarized and unpolarized pp-bar elastic scattering open questions like the contribution from the odd charge-symmetry Landshoff-mechanism at large |t| and spin-effects in the extraction of the forward scattering amplitude at low |t| can be addressed.
The Superphenix 750-MW (thermal), once-throughtype steam generators are the result of over 10 years of intensive research and development. Detailed design and manufacture of the components lasted from 1977 to 1982. The main difficulties encountered during the construction of these prototype units concerned: demonstration of satisfactory high-temperature properties of Alloy 800 tubes; proven resistance of tube welds to thermal fatigue and of structures and shells to sodium/ water reaction effects; prevention of the tube bundle to flow-induced vibration; necessity of manual welding of shells to prevent hot cracking hazards related to the boron content of the steel; and welding of heat exchange tubes. None of these difficulties, however, invalidated initial major design choices, but provided a wealth of technical and technological experience and knowledge for the steam generators of the future. Plans for the future include revision of the specifications (Alloy 800, in ...
In this paper, we discuss the large--time behavior of solution of a simple kinetic model of Boltzmann--Maxwell type, such that the temperature is time decreasing and/or time increasing. We show that, under the combined effects of the nonlinearity and of the time--monotonicity of the temperature, the kinetic model has non trivial quasi-stationary states with power law tails. In order to do this we consider a suitable asymptotic limit of the model yielding a Fokker-Planck equation for the distribution. The same idea is applied to investigate the large-time behavior of an elementary kinetic model of economy involving both exchanges between agents and increasing and/or decreasing of the mean wealth. In this last case, the large-time behavior of the solution shows a Pareto power law tail. Numerical results confirm the previous analysis.
The history of the political process surrounding regulations is traced from the 1930s, when the natural gas industry and the Federal Power Commission were in their infancy. The author traces the changing mandate that Congress has provided the regulators and the instincts for self-preservation that these bureaucrats have manifested when they suspected a change in presidential administration or a new decision from the Supreme Court. Natural gas has been one political issue that has split Congress by region. The economic interests of producer and consumer states have often been at such odds that regulation has involved the question of redistribution of wealth among regions as well as between households and industry. The picture is complicated by the link between gas production and distribution and the production and distribution of coal and oil. 12 figures, 25 tables.
The magnetic pyrochlore Er{sub 2}Ru{sub 2}O{sub 7} has been studied with neutron scattering and susceptibility measurements down to a base temperature of 270 mK. For the low temperature phase in which the Er sublattice orders, new magnetic Bragg peaks are reported which can be indexed with integer (hkl) for a face centered cubic cell. Inelastic measurements reveal a wealth of crystal field levels of the Er ion and a copious amount of magnetic scattering below 15 meV. The three lowest groups of crystal field levels are at 6.7, 9.1 and 18.5 meV.
Forest restoration efforts should aim at creating landscapes with a balanced array of forest stands at varying successional stages, thus providing habitat for a wealth of species and multiple ecosystem services. In most high-mountain ecosystems of South America, long-term livestock rearing activities that include fires, browsing, and trampling have delayed or stopped forest succession resulting in simplified landscapes. To determine appropriate restoration goals for Polylepis australis mountain forests of Central Argentina, we established 146 plots of 900 m2 plots throughout five river basins with different historic livestock stocking rates. In each plot, we measured tree heights, canopy cover, estimated age of oldest tree, volume of standing and fallen dead wood, fern cover, and abundance...
The development of comfort in buildings throughout the centuries was influenced by the demand for progress, wealth and innovation in various respects. At present, it seems that progress may only be possible by taking into account the environment and creating methods of reducing further damage to the environment. The innovative feature of future progress my be reducing the impact on the environment from human and building activities by using appropriate technology. As it is impossible to build without any impact on the environment and this is likely to be so in the future, the objective is and will be to find solutions for buildings which are more compatible with the environment. The objective is to demonstrate that it is viable to design buildings with minimized impact on the environment, while still maintaining appropriate comfort levels.
The discovery of extra-solar planets is one of the greatest achievements of modern astronomy. There are now more than 200 such objects known, and the recent detection of planets with masses approximately 5 times that of Earth demonstrates that extra-solar planets of low mass exist. In addition to providing a wealth of scientific information on the formation and structure of planetary systems, these discoveries capture the interest of both scientists and the wider public with the profound prospect of the search for life in the Universe. We propose an L-type mission, called Darwin, whose primary goal is the study of terrestrial extrasolar planets and the search for life on them. By its very nature, Darwin advances the first Grand Theme of ESA Cosmic Vision. Accomplishing the mission objectives will require collaborative science across disciplines ranging from planet formation and atmospheres to chemistry and biology, and these disciplines will reap profound rewards ...
The next decade promises an observational revolution which will change cosmology forever. The precise measurement of the angular anisotropy of the cosmic microwave background should specify to a few percent all of the parameters of the cosmological model which effect astrophysics. The growth of structure will then be determined (but not yet observed) until gravitational collapse becomes highly non-linear and stars, galaxies and active galactic nuclei (AGN) form. These processes are hard to model with basic physics because they are complex and allow a rich variety of expression. Instead observations will determine when the first stars and quasars formed, and how and when galaxies assembled. If we can reconcile the numerous contradictions which characterize the subject today, cosmology will become a mature subject, founded on the agreement between detailed, inclusive and realistic models, which make precise predictions, and the wealth of new data which will come from ...
Inferring cluster structure in microarray datasets is a fundamental task for the -omic sciences. A fundamental question in Statistics, Data Analysis and Classification, is the prediction of the number of clusters in a dataset, usually established via internal validation measures. Despite the wealth of internal measures available in the literature, new ones have been recently proposed, some of them specifically for microarray data. In this dissertation, a study of internal validation measures is given, paying particular attention to the stability based ones. Indeed, this class of measures is particularly prominent and promising in order to have a reliable estimate the number of clusters in a dataset. For those measures, a new general algorithmic paradigm is proposed here that highlights the richness of measures in this class and accounts for the ones already available in the literature. Moreover, some of the most representative validation measures are also ...
'Energy Nation Norway' looks at Norway as an energy nation from both a national and an international perspective. Its purpose is to provide a basis for political and industrial decisions relating to the petroleum industry. The report is particular concerned with the petroleum sector, besides considering the Norwegian energy cluster from a broader perspective. The energy cluster has been and will continue to be a crucial vehicle for economic growth and the development of wealth in Norway. These are the report's main conclusions: The petroleum industry has played a significant part in Norway's economic development, the side-effects of which have benefited the country's entire population. The world's economic growth and wealth development require energy. In the next few decades oil and gas will continue to form a large part of the world's energy consumption. Norway has great ...
Work at Institutt for energiteknikk (IFE) comprises both nuclear and non-nuclear activities. The main nuclear program is centered on the Halden Reactor Project. In 1958, the first Halden Reactor Project Agreement was signed by organisations representing 12 European countries. During 1994 France became a full member and associate membership was established with Russia. Accordingly, 16 countries were participating in the Project by the end of the year. The objectives have evolved from being simply a demonstration of the operation of a boiling heavy-water reactor to becoming a substantial research and development programme covering the domains of human-machine interaction, fuel behaviour, materials testing, water chemistry, and instrumentation. In 1994, significant progress was achieved in all of the areas addressed by the project, including the re-instrumentation of irradiated fuel rods, fission gas release, irradiation-assisted stress corrosion cracking, a conceptual design of advanced ...
A risk-neutral method is always used to price and hedge contingent claims in complete market, but another method based on utility maximization or risk minimization is wildly used in more general case. One can find all kinds of special risk measure in literature. In this paper, instead of using market modified risk measure, we use a kind of risk measure induced by g_\\Gamma-solution or the minimal solution of a Constrained Backward Stochastic Differential Equation (CBSDE) directly when constraints on wealth and portfolio process comes to our consideration. Such g_\\Gamma-solution and the risk measure generated by it is well defined on appropriate space under suitable conditions. We adopt the inf-convolution of convex risk measures to solve some optimization problem. A dynamic version risk measures defined through g_\\Gamma-solution and some similar results about optimal problem can be got in our new framework and by our new approach.
The major problem plaguing the synfuels industry is the financing of large capital requirements in a technologically unproven field. This is exemplified by the 2 to 3 billion dollar investment required by oil shale development. Despite an unquestionable resource which is well characterized and a wealth of information from processes which have undergone extensive pilot development work, financing of a project is difficult because of the risk. In recent studies on a worldwide basis as a background for evaluating the Cottonwood Wash project in the Uinta Basin, Utah, the concept of small scale or modular development of this type of resource can lead to acceptable economics with a substantially higher probability of actual completion. This study discusses Uinta Basin oil shale resources and current developments and evaluates the economics of small scale or modular development for the Cottonwood Wash project processes. This evaluation shows the effects of such a ...
High and volatile natural gas prices have increasingly led to calls for investments in renewable energy. One line of argument is that deployment of these resources may lead to reductions in the demand for and price of natural gas. Many recent US-based modeling studies have demonstrated that this effect could provide significant consumer savings. In this article we evaluate these studies, and benchmark their findings against economic theory, other modeling results, and a limited empirical literature. We find that many uncertainties remain regarding the absolute magnitude of this effect, and that the reduction in natural gas prices may not represent an increase in aggregate economic wealth. Nonetheless, we conclude that many of the studies of the impact of renewable energy on natural gas prices appear to have represented this effect within reason, given current knowledge. These studies specifically suggest that a 1% reduction in US natural gas demand could lead to ...
High and volatile natural gas prices have increasingly led to calls for investments in renewable energy. One line of argument is that deployment of these resources may lead to reductions in the demand for and price of natural gas. Many recent US-based modeling studies have demonstrated that this effect could provide significant consumer savings. In this article we evaluate these studies, and benchmark their findings against economic theory, other modeling results, and a limited empirical literature. We find that many uncertainties remain regarding the absolute magnitude of this effect, and that the reduction in natural gas prices may not represent an increase in aggregate economic wealth. Nonetheless, we conclude that many of the studies of the impact of renewable energy on natural gas prices appear to have represented this effect within reason, given current knowledge. These studies specifically suggest that a 1% reduction in US natural gas demand could lead to ...
Some of most used indicators in marine ecology are nucleic acid-derived indices. They can be divided by target levels in three groups: 1) at the organism level as ecophysiologic indicators, indicators...Full Text Available
Those who teach college students have extensive training in their disciplines, but unlike their counterparts at the high school or elementary school level, they often have surprisingly little instruction in the craft of teaching itself. "The Chicago Handbook for Teachers, Second Edition", is an extraordinarily helpful guide for anyone facing the daunting challenge of putting together a course and delivering it successfully. Representing teachers at all stages of their careers, the authors, including distinguished historian Alan Brinkley, offer practical advice for almost any situation a new teacher might face, from preparing a syllabus to managing classroom dynamics. Beginning with a nuts and bolts plan for designing a course, the handbook also explains how to lead a discussion, evaluate your own teaching, give an effective lecture, supervise students' writing and research, create and grade exams, and more. This new edition is thoroughly revised for contemporary concerns, with updated ...
The assessment of greenhouse gas impacts in the US shows that against a baseline gasoline vehicle, the impact of including the full fuel cycle generally reduces the relative advantages of alternative transportation fuels. While a switch to diesel is estimated to save 30% as compared to gasoline, the savings from natural gas/LPG are (around 20%), for ethanol from corn (8%) and for battery electricity vehicles using power from coal (6%) are much smaller. This is largely due to the use of LCA rather than end-use comparisons. However, the results also show that there would be large savings from the use of ethanol from fuel cells using methanol (39%) or natural gas (50%), while ethanol from wood in a conventional engine appears to have the greatest savings (63%). In external costs of motor vehicle use, analysis results were presented for both air pollution and energy security impacts (including SPR, military expenditures, macro-economic costs and pecuniary costs) as well as water pollution, ...
Organizational risk indicators are proposed as a tool for risk control during operation of offshore installations, as a complement to QRA-based indicators. An organizational factor framework is developed based on a review of existing organizational factor frameworks, research on safety performance indicators, and previous work on QRA-based indicators. The results comprise a qualitative organizational model, proposed organizational risk indicators, and a quantification methodology for assessing the impact of the organization on risk. The risk indicators, when validated, will aid in a frequent control of the risk in the periods between the updating of the quantitative risk assessments.
We present a detailed investigation of SBS 1150+599A, a close binary star hosted by the planetary nebula PN G135.9+55.9 (TS 01). The nebula, located in the Galactic halo, is the most oxygen-poor known to date and is the only one known to harbor a double degenerate core. We present XMM-Newton observations of this object, which allowed the detection of the previously invisible component of the binary core, whose existence was inferred so far only from radial velocity (RV) and photometric variations. The parameters of the binary system were deduced from a wealth of information via three independent routes using the spectral energy distribution (from the infrared to X-rays), the light and RV curves, and a detailed model atmosphere fitting of the stellar absorption features of the optical/UV component. We find that the cool component must have a mass of 0.54 #+-# 0.2 M_s_u_n, an average effective temperature, T_e_f_f, of 58,000 #+-# 3000 K, a mean radius of 0.43 #+-# ...
Full text: As one of the Top 5 utilities in Europe, Rheinisch-Westfaelisches Elektrizitaetswerk AG, FWB: RW, RWE, operates a diversified generating capacity of about 45 GW; RWE Power alone generates over 30 GW. Besides a share of approximately 20% nuclear power, a large proportion of the generating base is in lignite and hard coal. RWE has an ambitious, Euro10 bn newbuild program of about 10 GW modern fossil fired plants and further expansion plans across Europe. By 2012, RWE intends to invest between Euro 15 and 20 bn outside Germany.The European Union has a challenging policy to increase the share of renewables, improve energy efficiency, and reduce greenhouse gases by 2020. At the same time, ageing power plants need to be replaced. This requires an enormous investment program across Europe. Nuclear power therefore, as a proven technology with low lifecycle carbon emissions and reasonable lifecycle cost, is a crucial contributor to achieve Europe's 2020 goals. Accordingly, most ...
The indications, contra-indications and technique of caudal epidural injections in the treatment of low back pain and sciatica are described. Of 201 patients treated by epidural injection, about 56%...Full Text Available
Background/Aim:To assess the prognostic indicators preoperatively presenting and influencing the mortality rate following esophagectomy for esophageal cancer.Full Text Available
The purpose of this report is to provide management with performance data on key performance indicators selected from the FFTF Early Warning System performance indicators.
Safety indicators play a role in providing information on organizational performance, motivating people to work on safety and increasing organizational potential for safety. The aim of this report is to provide an overview on leading safety indicators in the domain of nuclear safety. The report explains the distinction between lead and lag indicators and proposes a framework of three types of safety performance indicators - feedback, monitor and drive indicators. Finally the report provides guidance for nuclear energy organizations for selecting and interpreting safety indicators. It proposes the use of safety culture as a leading safety performance indicator and offers an example list of potential indicators in all three categories. The report concludes that monitor and drive indicators are so ...
Indicators are important tools for communicating and making accessible scientific and technical information to policymakers and the general public. They therefore play an important role in transforming information into action. Worldwide, many initiatives are underway to construct indicators for a variety of purposes, including those for reporting on sustainable development. This paper briefly describes the attempts made so far, but stresses that the users of the indicators should play a greater role in indicator construction. In developing countries, a substantial lack of data has meant that specific policy formulation may develop without adequate technical input. In developed countries also, data gaps may hinder policy formulation, implementation, and evaluation. However, the development of indicators as tools to assist in the management of hazardous wastes and toxic chemicals is ...
Background Microbial water-quality indicators, in high concentrations in sewage, are used to determine whether water is safe for recreational purposes. Recently, the use of these indicators...Full Text Available
ObjectiveThis study assessed the relationship between multiple indicators of ‘real-world’ functioning and scores on a brief performance-based measure...Full Text Available
BackgroundIn a world limited by data availability and limited funds for conservation, scientists and practitioners must use indicator groups to define spatial conservation priorities....Full Text Available
Hydrolytic exoenzymes as indicators of metabolically active bacteria were investigated in four consecutive sapropel layers collected from bathyal sediments of the eastern Mediterranean Sea. For comparison,...Full Text Available
Objective:To estimate the prevalence of insulin resistant syndrome (IRS) among newly diagnosed patients with type 2 diabetes and to test their validity against two indices...Full Text Available
Data from an epidemiological study in Ontario, involving 304 dairy herds, were used to identify associations between selected production indices and lipoarabinomannan antigen serological test results...Full Text Available
OBJECTIVE—To validate the accuracy of the prognostic significance of non-invasive clinical diagnostic indices as predictors of sustained ventricular tachycardia (sVT) or fibrillation...Full Text Available
On Day 363, a negative 360-degree roll turn with spacecraft ... Ill. DSN Support Assessment. As an indication of the high level support provided by the ...
This paper deals with the indications for prostatectomy; the differential diagnosis of the symptomatology of bladder neck obstruction; and the factors influencing the choice of operation....Full Text Available
... Although other authors had made cross-spectral density measurements, Corcos pointed to the importance of this function as indicative of the true ...
[F-18]FDG PET brain imaging is an accurate predictor of primary brain tumor grading and prognosis. The purpose of this study was to evaluate simplified [F-18]FDG PET metabolic indices as indicators of proliferative activity of brain tumor cells. Twenty-five patients with glioma were studied with [F-18]FDG PET. From the tissue radioactivity ratios, following tumor metabolic indices were calculated: 1) the tumor-to-whole brain ratio (T/WB), 2) the ratio of tumor-to-contralateral gray matter at the level of centrum semiovale (T/GM), 3) the ratio of tumor-to-contralateral white matter at the level of centrum semiovale (T/WM), 4) the tumor-to-ipsilateral cerebella ratio (T/iCB) and 5) the tumor-to-contralateral cerebellar ratio (T/cCB). A standardized threshold method was used to define ROIs in the tumor areas having representative metabolic activites. Correlations of the tumor metabolic indices with ...
This paper investigates the spectral characteristics of three-dimensionally porous carbon dioxide indicators based on a porous silicate glass and phenolphthalein. The absorption spectra of the original solutions of phenolphthalein in alkaline and acid solutions are shown. The solutions were acidified by bubbling CO/sub 2/ through an alkaline phenolphthalein solution. The authors have succeeded in producing a reversible colorimetric adsorption indicator for carbon dioxide which after proper calibration enables the CO/sub 2/ content of an atmosphere to be estimated quantitatively.
The decision of a firm to make investments on petroleum fields depends on the expected economic performance and on the firm economics context and on country economic and regulatory constraints. Traditionally, the Net Present Value (NPV) has being used for decision criterion as a measure of profitability of investments. The other indicators are used to help investment decision, because, according to the priorities established by the firm, only one indicator may not be sufficient. On this paper we will show production strategies considering a set of economic indicators: NPV, actualized Np, Return on investment (ROI), Equivalent Present Value (EPV), Cost Benefit, and NPV/Np ratio. The use of different economic indicators permits capture different aspects from in a decision process, i.e., each indicator or a set of economic measures may result in a different perspective, that will ...
The existence of problems with wild pigs (Sus scrofa) is nothing new to the Western Hemisphere. Damage by these introduced animals was reported as far back as 1505 by the early Spanish colonies in the Caribbean, where wild pigs were killing the colonists cattle. Droves of these animals also ravaged cultivated crops of maize and sugarcane on islands in the West Indies during this same time period. These wild pigs reportedly were very aggressive and often attacked Spanish soldiers hunting rebellious Indians or escaped slaves on these islands, especially when these animals were cornered. The documentation of such impacts by introduced populations of this species in the United States has subsequently increased in recent years, and continued up through the present (Towne and Wentworth. 1950, Wood and Barrett 1979, Mayer and Brisbin 1991, Dickson et al. 2001). In spite of a fairly constant history in this country since the early 1900s, wild pigs have had a dramatic recent increase in both ...
Since its creation the nuclear industry has been struggling with the question of how safe is safe enough. Safety is a common goal to all involved in the design, operation and regulation of a nuclear installation. As a concept safety is not easy to define. However, there is a general understanding of what attributes a nuclear power plant should have in order to operate safely. The challenge lies in measuring the attributes. The new competitive open electricity market, in many countries throughout the world, is increasing the economic pressure on operators to lower operating costs without jeopardizing safety. Challenges are occurring at a rate that is unprecedented in the nuclear industry: competitiveness; downsizing; ageing; policy changes; reorganization; restructuring; mergers; globalization; and takeovers demand increasing attention to the management of safety. There are various means to measure safety performance, some of which are more qualitative in nature and others which through ...
Microbial indicators in the environmental water are categorized as follows. 1. Index for pathogenic microbial contamination, especially enteric canal based ones. 2. Index for the ordinary microbial contamination. 3. Index for nutritive assessment. 4. Index for the treating effect of final effluent discharged into an environmental water. 5. Index for distinction of of the contamination source. Above 1 and 2'' are among the indices which cannot be replaced by other physico-chemical substances or indices. Up to the present time, 1'' is assessed by a coliform group and 2'' by the bacteria. Recently, however, the status on the microbial contamination of the environmental water is changing, thus urging the reexamination of the assessment systems. This report describes the following items. Characteristics and the elements of the indices (enteric canal based ...
A method and an instrument for determining the total water content in a hydrocarbon fuel using an indicator composition, which includes calcium hydride and phenolphthaleyn, are developed. The essence of the method is fixing the presence of water with its interaction with the calcium hydride and subsequent indication of the formed Ca(OH)2 using the phenolphthallen. To make the indicator composition, a hygroscopic cotton, prewashed by rectified alcohol and dried for 30 minutes at 105 degrees, is impregnated by a 1 percent alcohol solution of phenolphthaleyn and is dried in the same conditions. Then the cotton is processed by a powder form calcium hydride (a layer thickness of 0.1 to 0.2 millimeters, and a granule size of less than or equal to 80 micromters). The indicator composition is placed in a glass tube (a diameter of 4 to 7 millimeters and a length of 80 to 100 millimeters), whose ends are sealed ...
The adverse effects of aging of other organs (ovaries at menopause) on the skeleton are well known, but ironically little is known of skeletal aging itself. Evidence indicates that age-related...Full Text Available
Amphibians are considered reliable indicators of environmental quality. In the western United States, a general decline of frog populations parallels an apparent worldwide decline. The factors thought...Full Text Available
indications of the formation of palladium silicides. 2, 4. It has been reported .... At room temperature, palladium silicides formed in a relatively narrow interface ...
The agricultural sector is probably the one that will suffer most directly from the climatic variations expected at the global level. In particular, the analysis of the changes expected in water availability and demand is fundamental in order to correctly establish both the present water resource management and the definition of new strategies. In this paper the time series of some climatic and agro-climatic indices in the Region of Umbria (Central Italy) have been analyzed with the aim of finding signs of climate changes and identifying the potential impacts on the agricultural water balance. The aforesaid indices include the precipitation, the mean maximum and minimum temperatures (Tmin, Tmax), the mean temperature range (DT), the reference evapotranspiration (ET0) and two drought indice...
The contents include: Detailed index for 1991; Data for November 1991--Solar-terrestrial environment, IUWDS alert periods (advance and worldwide), Solar activity indices, Solar flares, Solar radio emission, Stanford mean solar magnetic field; Data for October 1991--Solar active regions, Sudden ionospheric disturbances, Solar radio spectral observations, Cosmic ray measurements by neutron monitor, Geomagnetic indices; Late data--Cosmic ray measurements by neutron monitor (Climax February and May 1990, Deep River May-August 1991), Geomagnetic indices (Sudden commencements/Solar flare effects January-May 1991); Errata--August 1991 Geomagnetic activity indices.
This paper first discusses the challenge offered by natural and anthropogenic systems in all of their complexity and then indicates some areas of research in which specific scientific and technological needs are identifiable.
Recent evidence indicates that the evolution of ultrasonic hearing in echolocating bats and cetaceans has involved adaptive amino acid replacements in the cochlear gene prestin. A substantial...Full Text Available
Reports in humans and rodents indicate that immune development may be altered following perinatal exposure to immunotoxic compounds, including chemotherapeutics, corticosteroids, polycyclic hydrocarbons,...Full Text Available
While autophagy has been shown to act as an anti-viral defense, the Picornaviridae avoid and, in many cases, subvert this pathway to promote their own replication. Evidence indicates...Full Text Available
indicated for the phase spectral density measurements; how- ever, Ref. 7 provides a very tentative estimate of : ORW ~ 2 ><10"'(RW); Ta = 1000 seconds ...
effect of central star evolution would be to produce a thinner boundary, but the results of ... indicate that central star evolution may be neglected when ...
The muscles of three different arthropods, a mite, a fly, and an ostracod, show variations in the length of the A region within a given individual. There is no indication that the observed differences...Full Text Available
The author indicates the research which will be done as part of Programme Sibir, a large-scale programme for the development of the eastern USSR. The research includes the liquefaction of brown coal, and new methods of prospecting.
The solution of the continuity equation in practical applications is examined, and the values needed for approximate solutions are indicated. Models are adequate for investigating what could happen,...Full Text Available
... The MTT assay indicates cell viability through a yellow to purple ... besiegers were said to have catapulted plague infected corpses into the city of ...
indicate incipient flow separation. The peak stagnation line ...... culations of Transonic Fan Performance, AGARD Propul- sion and Energetics Symposium on ...
Abstract Studies of the megamouth shark, one of three planktivorous sharks, can provide information about their evolutionary history. Megamouth shark feeding has never been observed in life animals, but two alternative hypotheses on biomechanics suggest either feeding, i.e., ram feeding or suction feeding. In this study, the second moment of area of the ceratohyal cartilages, which is an indicator of the flexural stiffness of the cartilages, is calculated for 21 species of ram- and suction-feeding sharks using computed tomography. The results indicate that suction-feeding sharks have ceratohyal cartilages with a larger second moment of area than ram-feeding sharks. The result also indicates that the ram-suction index, which is an indicator of relative contribution of ram and suction behavi...
Immunomodulation by environmental chemical contaminants and the role immune parameters play in toxicity and risk assessment studies is of increasing concern. Although considerable evidence has indicated...Full Text Available
ObjectiveEpidemiological studies indicate that experimentation with addictive drugs and onset of addictive disorders is primarily concentrated in adolescence and...Full Text Available
Emerging evidence indicates that impaired cellular energy metabolism is the defining characteristic of nearly all cancers regardless of cellular or tissue origin. In contrast to normal cells, which...Full Text Available
Nov 13, 2006 ... Indicator Experiment (TIE) consists of a wideband sensor to gather radar, ... November 10 at Shore Memorial. Hospital in Nassawadox, Va. ...
The immune system plays a crucial role in maintaining health; however, accumulating evidence indicates that this system can be the target for immunotoxic effects caused by a variety of chemicals including...Full Text Available
Studies of the antigenic structure of the polysaccharide component of gonococcal lipopolysaccaride (LPS) indicated that the non-serogroup antigen structure is antigenically heterogeneous. Immunodiffusion...Full Text Available
Univariate indicators such as employment are often used to benchmark economic growth at the local and regional levels. However, the tremendous technological and industrial changes in the U.S. economy in the second half of the twentieth century suggest this practice may be outdated. In fact, the singular use of univariate indicators to benchmark regional development may obscure a much richer and more complex web of economic processes. Given the potential complexities associated with regional benchmarking in the current global economy, this paper will explore the numerical differences in economic performance presented by popular univariate indicators of regional growth. Results demonstrate a univariate approach to benchmarking presents an incomplete snapshot of regional performance that is i...
Background/Objectives:Imaging technology is an important part of the diagnosis and management of spinal trauma. Indications and findings in post-traumatic imaging of the vertebral...Full Text Available
A comparison of the results of machine and human information retrieval using MEDLARS and the printed Index Medicus indicates that at present neither method is entirely satisfactory...Full Text Available
An important goal for digital libraries is to enable researchers to more easily explore related work. While citation data is often used as an indicator of relatedness, in this paper we demonstrate that digital access records (e.g. http-server logs) can be used as indicators as well. In particular, we show that measures based on co-access provide better coverage than co-citation, that they are available much sooner, and that they are more accurate for recent papers.
This device has and head-race pipe with an external part and a coaxial inner part. A measuring head is mounted movable between these 2 parts and has at least a thermocouple and a mobile grid for varying the section and the sodium flow to facilitate the impurities dissolution. This ensemble is completed by a longitudinal body containing the main parts of the indicator and surrounded by a thermal exchanger to cool the sodium.
Recent literature indicates that torsion of the left ventricle (LV) is a promising predictor for response to cardiac resynchronisation therapy (CRT). Among patients with severe heart failure, 45 to 75% of patients show rigid body rotation, where the base and apex rotate in the same direction, instead of normal, opposite rotation. The occurrence of this phenomenon seems to be a good indicator for response to CRT. From this review, it can be concluded that LV torsion might be a welcome addition to current selection criteria.
The authors propose an integrated indicator of pump-rod couplings that allows both the couplings and the pump operations to be appraised according to the given formula. (Formula provided). The dynamic relationships of rod operations were determined with nomographs. These relationships involve such factors as: the type and size of the sucker-rod string; the pressure load at the equalizer head and its correlation to threshold pressure at pump discharge; pump diameter; the rod weight and construction; and integral reliability indicators.
Earlier studies have indicated that xylitol may increase the absorption and urinary excretion of dietary oxalate. It has also been indicated that xylitol increases the absorption of calcium. Intestinal absorption of lead, a divalent contaminant in the diet, is in many respects similar to that of calcium. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of xylitol on the intestinal absorption of lead using two different approaches: the in situ ligated intestinal loop technique in cockerels and gastric gavage in mice.
Indicators of source water use in different economic branches, water consumption in recycling and recycling-successive water supply in 1980?2006 are analyzed. Trends were identified in variations in specific water consumption in industry, agriculture, and municipal economy. Territorial differentiation of wetness indicators of regional product over federal districts and constituent territories of the RF is shown. Wetness values of gross domestic product in different economies are compared.
Clinical and hormonal indices of androgenic activity were compared in 118 males chronically intoxicated with alcohol. The population was divided into two groups with respect to their clinical and hormonal androgenic indices: 76 patients with (Group 1), and 46 patients without (Group 2) androgenic insufficiency. Distinct signs and syndromes of alcohol addiction were shown to correlate with the extent of cross-regulation impairment within hypothalamo-hypophyseo-gonadal system. This was particularly derived from comparison of clinical picture of chronic alcohol intoxication and hormone activity in the groups. Conventional therapy failed to restore the neuroendocrine indices that was apparently due to inhibition of cross-regulation links in the hypothalamo-hypophyseo-gonadal system at several stages of alcohol addiction. PMID:3223149
Microbiological comparison between irradiated and non-irradiated foodstuff has been studied for a long time as a way to detect whether a foodstuff has been irradiated or not. Generally, the proposed methods are based on the fact that ionization select species of bacteria which are recognized to be radioresistant. So reduction or elimination of known radiation sensitive microbes from the normal endogenous microflora could give an indication that the foodstuff has been irradiated, predominance of known radioresistant bacteria should be another indication. In the present work, we try to develop a test based on the radiosensitivity of the bacteria independently of their place. These first experiments show that the determination of radiosensitivity of strains isolated from a product or even of global radioresistance of mesophilic microflora could indicate if this product has been previously submitted to ionizing radiations. (4 ...
Results from the asymmetric reactions 80 and 100 MeV/uLa + C are presented and compared to earlier work with the same system at 18 and 50 MeV/u. Fragment-fragment correlations, cross sections, and distributions in velocity space indicate the continued dominance of a quasi-binary decay mechanism with increased emission of light charged particles. The distributions in velocity also indicate a progression toward a ''fireball'' type of reaction mechanism. However, the angular distributions of the emitted fragments are incompatible with statistical production mechanisms that have successfully explained the lower energy results, and indicate the dynamical nature of the emission process. Dalitz plots of triple complex fragment coincidences are presented in order to investigate the nature of the multibody decays. 18 refs., 9 figs.
Contents include: index for 1970-1980; January 1981 data -- alert periods, daily solar indices, solar flares, solar radio emission, coronal holes, inferred interplanetary magnetic field polarities, mean solar magnetic field, spacecraft observations, December 1980 data -- daily solar-activity centers, sudden ionospheric disturbances, spacecraft observations, solar radio emission, cosmic rays, geomagnetic indices, radio-propagation indices; late data -- solar radio emission November, December 1980, spacecraft observations November 1980, cosmic rays, Huancayo Oct 1980 -- climax, alert, Deep River Nov 1980.
This Resource Letter provides a guide to the literature on Quantum Chromodynamics (QCD), the relativistic quantum field theory of the strong interactions. Journal articles, books, and other documents are cited for the following topics: quarks and color, the parton model, Yang-Mills theory, experimental evidence for color, QCD as a color gauge theory, asymptotic freedom, QCD for heavy hadrons, QCD on the lattice, the QCD vacuum, pictures of quark confinement, early and modern applications of perturbative QCD, the determination of the strong coupling and quark masses, QCD and the hadron spectrum, hadron decays, the quark-gluon plasma, the strong nuclear interaction, and QCD's role in nuclear physics. The letter {E} after an item indicates elementary level or material of general interest to persons becoming informed in the field. The letter {I}, for intermediate level, indicates material of a somewhat more specialized nature, and the letter {A} ...
This paper summarizes the current scientific evidence that improved indoor environmental quality can improve work performance and health. The review indicates that work and school work performance is affected by indoor temperature and ventilation rate. Pollutant source removal can sometimes improve work performance. Based on formal statistical analyses of existing research results, quantitative relationships are provided for the linkages of work performance with indoor temperature and outdoor air ventilation rate. The review also indicates that improved health and related financial savings are obtainable from reduced indoor tobacco smoking, prevention and remediation of building dampness, and increased ventilation. Example cost-benefit analyses indicate that many measures to improve indoor temperature control and increase ventilation rates will be highly cost effective, with benefit-cost ratios as high as 80 and annual ...
Novel fluoroalkyl end-capped vinyltrimethoxysilane oligomeric nanoparticles were prepared by the hydrolysis of the corresponding oligomer under alkaline conditions. The size of fluorinated nanoparticles thus obtained is of submicrometer levels and is not sensitive to the refractive indices of a variety of solvents; however, the turbidity of the dispersed fluorinated nanoparticles is extremely sensitive to the refractive indices of these solvents. In particular, the solvents of which the refractive indices are from 1.378 to 1.408 were found to afford the transparent colorless dispersed particle solutions. More interestingly, the modified glass surface treated with fluorinated nanoparticles exhibited a completely superhydrophobic characteristic (a water contact angle: 180?) with a nonwetting...
A new on-line monitoring system has been developed for pitting corrosion monitoring of carbon steel tubes in cooling water systems. This monitoring system was found to be quite sensitive to the microbiological activity relating to pitting corrosion on a real-time basis. The value of galvanic current indicates the performance level of pitting corrosion inhibition even in biocide application. In addition, the changes in the galvanic current provide indicative information about the effectiveness in microbiological control program, even when the pressure drop measurement indicates no biofilm formation. It can be also useful in detecting a microbiological control upset. In this paper, an introduction of the new monitoring system as a microbiological control effectiveness monitor and the field test results are discussed.
Previous studies on river health evaluation mainly focused on characterizations at a river-corridor scale and ignored the complex interactions between the river ecosystem and other components of the river basin. Based on the consideration of the interactions among rivers, associated river basin and habitats, an assessment framework with multi-scale indicators was developed. An index system divided among these three scales to characterize the health of river ecosystems in China???s Liao River Basin was established. Set pair analysis was applied to integrate the multi-scale indicators and determine the health classes. The evaluation results indicated that the rivers in the western and eastern zones of the Liao River were classified as sick, and rivers in the main stream of the Liao and Hunta...
Various SST indices in the Indo-Pacific region have been proposed in the literature in light of a long-range seasonal forecasting of the Indian Summer Monsoon (ISM). However, the dynamics associated with these different indices have never been compared in detail. To this end, the present work re-examines the variabilities of ISM rainfall, onset and withdrawal dates at interannual timescales and explores their relationships with El Ni?o-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and various modes of coupled variability in the Indian Ocean. Based on recent findings in the literature, five SST indices are considered here: Ni?o3.4 SST index in December?January both preceding [Nino(?1)] and following the ISM [Nino(0)], South East Indian Ocean (SEIO) SST in February?March, the Indian Ocean Basin (IOB) mode in ...
Hydrological classification constitutes the first step of a new holistic framework for developing regional environmental flow criteria: the ?Ecological Limits of Hydrologic Alteration (ELOHA)?. The aim of this study was to develop a classification for 390 stream sections of the Segura River Basin based on 73 hydrological indices that characterize their natural flow regimes. The hydrological indices were calculated with 25?years of natural monthly flows (1980/81?2005/06) derived from a rainfall-runoff model developed by the Spanish Ministry of Environment and Public Works. These indices included, at a monthly or annual basis, measures of duration of droughts and central tendency and dispersion of flow magnitude (average, low and high flow conditions). Principal Component Analysis (PCA) indi...
Water and soil samples from the area were therefore analyzed for their lead and zinc content. Computation of pollution statuses of lead and zinc revealed topsoil lead geoaccumulation indices of ?0.143 and ?0.069 and zinc geoaccumulation indices of 1.168 and 0.713 for Ishiagu and Uburu respectively. The pollution indices were determined to be 0.499 and 0.3564 for soil in Ishiagu and Uburu respectively and also 5.11 and 2.42 for water in Ishiagu and Uburu communities respectively. Water/soil concentration ratio were found to be 0.0018 and 0.0014 for lead in Ishiagu and Uburu respectively. On the other hand, the water/soil concentration ratio for zinc was computed to be 0.001 and 0.0008 for Ishiagu and Uburu respectively. These results seem to suggest that the pollution of the environment by ...
Knowledge on environmental variability and how it is affected by disturbances is crucial for understanding patterns of biodiversity and determining adequate conservation strategies. The aim of this study is to assess environmental variability in patches undergoing post-fire vegetation recovery, identifying trends of change and their relevant drivers. We particularly evaluate: the value of three spectral indices derived from Landsat satellite data [Normalized Burn Ratio (NBR), Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and Wetness Component of the Tasseled Cap Transformation (TCW)] for describing secondary succession; the effectiveness of three metrics (diversity, evenness and richness) as indicators of patch variability; and how thematic resolution can affect the perception of environme...
Industrial effects have long been significant factors in wage inequality. Previous research indicates that wage differentials across industries were increasing through the mid 1980s. Using more recent data, however, we find that the level of inter-industry wage dispersion declined by 36% from 1986 to 2002 despite the continued trend towards increasing inequality in the labor force. This decline in inter-industry wage dispersion is evident across gender and educational groups. Using multilevel growth curve models, our multivariate results indicate that the decline is only weakly related to industrial changes in education, occupation or even productivity despite the fact that the latter variable had been a critical factor in the prior period. Indicators of globalization and downsizing also d...
This study evaluates the trends of meteorological and agrometeorological indices computed at different sites in the Region of Umbria (Central Italy). The indices were selected on the basis of whether they enable the evaluation of the potential effects of climatic changes on agricultural water requirements and management. The meteorological stations were preliminarily selected considering the length and entirety of the data series and a homogeneous spatial coverage of the region under study. The daily rainfall and minimum and maximum temperature data collected at the stations were elaborated to calculate meteorological and agrometeorological indices (for corn, widespread irrigated crop in Central Italy).The results of the analysis show that rainfall has decreased generally everywhere and th...
The effect of various diallyl (diallyl ortho phthalate, diallyl terephthalate and diethylene glycol diallyl carbonate) and triallyl monomers (triallyl cyanurate and triallyl isocyanurate) on the processability of polyphenylene oxide (PPO) was studied. The solubility parameters of the monomers indicated that diallyl orthophalate, dially terephthalate and triallyl cyanurate should be miscible with PPO suggesting their applicability as reactive plasticizers to improve the processability of PPO. Rheological studies of 60:40 wt:wt PPO:allylic blends indicate that the addition of 40wt% of allylic monomers significantly improved processability - blends of 60PPO:40DEGDAC indicates the highest viscosity and the highest T"g. Rheological studies and dynamic mechanical analysis on various PPO/DAOP ble...
The combined Lewis and Broensted acidities were measured of 13X (sodium) zeolite and of its 84.2% calcium-exchanged, 86.0% lanthanum-exchanged, and 69.2% protonated forms, calcined at 400/sup 0/C. The butylamine titrations were performed to visible color changes of Hammett indicators. The H/sub 0/ acidities were 0 for the sodium X zeolite, and 0.2, 0.98, and 0.75 for the calcium, lanthanum, and hydrogen zeolites, respectively. These acidities compared well with trends reported in literature for zeolites pretreated under different conditions. Titration of Broensted sites with arylmethanol indicators did not give satisfactory visible endpoints.
Experience with multiwire proportional chambers at high rates at the Argonne Zero Gradient Synchrotron is described. A buildup of silicon on the sense wires was observed where the beam passed through the chamber. Analysis of the chamber gas indicated that the density of silicon was probably less than 10 ppM.
Experience with multiwire proportional chambers at high rates at the Argonne Zero Gradient Synchrotron is described. A buildup of silicon on the sense wires was observed where the beam passed through the chamber. Analysis of the chamber gas indicated that the density of silicon was probably less than 10 ppM.
A review of the literature that has appeared over the past five decades indicates that the median case fatality from severe malnutrition has remained unchanged over this period and is typically 20-30%,...Full Text Available
Effector proteins expressed in the esophageal gland cells of cyst nematodes are delivered into plant cells through a hollow, protrusible stylet. Although evidence indicates that effector proteins function...Full Text Available
ObjectivesThe aim of this study was to assess the diagnostic and prognostic value of heart-type fatty acid-binding protein (H-FABP) in elective percutaneous coronary intervention...Full Text Available
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A detailed map of the transcriptional organization of the CELO virus genome was produced. Recent computer analysis of CELO virus has indicated the presence of 38 putative open reading frames (ORFs)....Full Text Available
Therapeutic embolization is defined as the voluntary occlusion of one or several vessels, and this is achieved by inserting material into the lumen to obtain transient or permanent thrombosis in the...Full Text Available
BackgroundVariation of gene number among species indicates that there is a general process of new gene origination. One of the major mechanism providing raw materials for the origin...Full Text Available
Many bacteria, both gram positive and gram negative, extrude in an energy-dependent manner the fluorescent pH indicator 2',7'-bis-(2-carboxyethyl)-5[and -6]-carboxyfluorescein (BCECF) (D. Molenaar,...Full Text Available
Interkingdom signaling is established in the gastrointestinal tract in that human hormones trigger responses in bacteria; here, we show that the corollary is true, that a specific bacterial signal,...Full Text Available
AbstractBackgroundGender concordance between patients and their physicians is related to prevention screening and other quality indicators. Research suggests female...Full Text Available
Hip fractures are associated with a high rate of mortality and profound temporary and sometimes permanent impairment of quality of life. Current guidelines indicate that surgeons should perform surgery...Full Text Available
Analysis of the pulsed-field gel electrophoretic profiles of 82 pneumococcal isolates with reduced susceptibility to ciprofloxacin (RSC) and of 90 co-occurring susceptible isolates indicates a considerable...Full Text Available
... uncertainty. The method is applied for the invasive shrub Rosa rugosa (Japanese rose) in Danish fixed dunes. The probability ... habitat code 2130). In 14 sites, the invasive shrub Rosa rugosa was recorde...
Exposure of albumin to Cu(II) (10-100 microM) and ascorbate (0.1-2 mM) results in extensive molecular modifications, indicated by decreased fluorescence and chain breaks. The rate of utilization of...Full Text Available
Recent histological studies suggest relatively rapid growth in dinosaurs. However, the timing of reproductive maturity (RM) in dinosaurs is poorly known because unambiguous indicators of RM are rare....Full Text Available
BackgroundCurrently used indicators of iron status have limitations. Hepcidin, a key regulator of iron metabolism, is reduced in iron deficiency. We sought to determine the properties...Full Text Available
Semiclassical analysis of heavy ion induced transfer reactions are discussed for the quasielastic region. Some unique aspects of these reactions are shown, the variety of features which can be understood semiclassically is demonstrated, and some open problems are indicated. 28 refs., 16 figs. (LEW)
A number of studies have indicated that plasma membrane calcium ATPases (PMCAs) are expressed in the brain and spinal cord and could play important roles not only in the maintenance of cellular calcium...Full Text Available
In the process of forming a new medical malpractice reinsurance company, the authors analyzed thousands of medical malpractice cases, settlements, and verdicts. The evidence of those analyses indicated...Full Text Available
...and biological processes acting on recruitment and post-recruitment EU-Agrinet - Project sheet: Biological performance testing methodology to evaluate the durability of plywood as a quality indicator ... Project sheet: Biological performance testing methodology to evaluate the durability of plywood as a quali EU-Agrinet - Project sheet: Genetic evaluation of European ...
This article reviews briefly a range of the latest monitoring and controlling equipment for use in coal mines. This includes pressure transmitters, shale/coal discriminator, nucleonic bunker level indicator, automatic steering and monitoring system, oscilloscope/multimeter, and microprocessor based digital display controllers. 1 fig.
An indicator of when the learning curve reaches a standard is when fuel consumption remains relatively ...... f4 7'tI. 1.i7J43t. F ,oo,. , F17i [ !i ...
Most codon indices used today are based on highly biased nonrandom usage of codons in coding regions. The background of a coding or noncoding DNA sequence, however, is fairly random, and can be characterized...Full Text Available
Preterm birth is the leading cause of neonatal mortality and morbidity and long-term disability of non-anomalous infants. Previous studies have identified a prior early spontaneous preterm birth as...Full Text Available
This report contains the proceedings of the NKS-B Summary Seminar held on 24-25 October 2005 in Tartu, Estonia. The aim of the seminar was to provide a forum for presenting and discussing the results obtained in the NKS-B programme during the project period 2002 - 2005. The main attention was focused on radioecology and measurement techniques including presentations on the work done in the Projects INDOFERN (New Indicator Organisms for Environmental Radioactivity), LABINCO (Intercomparison of Laboratory Analyses of Radionuclides in Environmental Samples) and ECODOSES (Improving Radiological Assessments of Doses to Humans from Terrestrial Ecosystems). The total number of presentations in the seminar was 27. The seminar was also the final seminar of the four-year INDOFERN Project. The objective of the project was to identify new indicator organisms and biomarkers for assessment of environmental radioactivity in normal and emergency situations. ...
Mapping the restriction fragments of the Brucella melitensis 16M genome with a new restriction endonuclease, PacI, which cut the DNA into only eight fragments, indicated that this species contains two...Full Text Available
Previous studies in several different trigeminal nerve injury/inflammation models indicated that the hyperexcitability of primary afferent neurons contributes to the pain pathway underlying mechanical...Full Text Available
... 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 ...
Sixty-seven patients hospitalized for poisonous snakebite between 1975 and 1990 were managed by elevation, tetanus prophylaxis, intravenous fluids and antibiotics, and often by a limited excision of...Full Text Available
Previous studies with a limited number of strains have indicated that there are two genotypes of yellow fever (YF) virus in Africa, one in west Africa and the other in east and central Africa. We have...Full Text Available
BACKGROUND:Reports indicate that characteristics of older adults with chronic pain may be different than those of younger persons.OBJECTIVE:To study...Full Text Available
... the tropism of both mycoplasmas and herpesviruses for epithelial tissue still indicate oral swabs to be the most ... feces.18 Alphaherpesviruses show a marked tropism for epithelial tissue, with viral rep...
The experiments at the incinerator for low-level wastes processing, (containing transuranium radionuclides) are described. Air decontamination factors and detector readings correction factors for efficiency and absorption are indicated.
The experiments at the incinerator for low-level wastes processing, (containing transuranium radionuclides) are described. Air decontamination factors and detector readings correction factors for efficiency and absorption are indicated.
The effect of the water-chemical regime (WCR) on damage sustained by heating surfaces of steam generators at NPP is analyzed. It is indicated that phosphate treatment with minimal excesses of phosphates in the steamgenerator water is the most optimal method of managing the WCR regime of horizontal steam generators.
It is shown that calculation of the anomalous expectation values for the massless Gross-Neveu model in the Hartree-Fock approximation indicates the presence of an ordinary chiral phase transition if the coupling constant has the normal sign (g > 0) and of a different transition of the superconductivity type if g < 0.
In this study we use the multiple indicator dilution technique to outline the kinetic mechanisms underlying the uptake of rubidium, a cation which, in the steady state, is concentrated by hepatic parenchymal...Full Text Available
Sewage waste disposal facilities in the Florida Keys include septic tanks and individual package plants in place of municipal collection facilities in most locations. In Key Largo, both facilities discharge...Full Text Available
Increased construction of residential canal communities along the southern coastline of the United States has led to a concern about their impact on water quality. Pollution of such dead-end canals...Full Text Available
The inflammatory process has direct effects on normal and abnormal wound healing. Hypertrophic scar formation is an aberrant form of wound healing and is an indication of an exaggerated function of...Full Text Available
for an Air Force Manufacturing technology program whose aim is the establishment of organic matrix ...... display considerations for advanced energy/flight management sys- ...... Future System - The Roadmap of the System of the Future - ...... data storage units, pilot's guidance indicators, and a quick look ...
BackgroundIndividuals living in malaria endemic areas generally harbour multiple parasite strains. Multiplicity of infection (MOI) can be an indicator of immune status. However,...Full Text Available
SUMMARYA study of microbicide acceptability among high-risk African American, Puerto Rican, non-Hispanic White, and other women in Hartford, Connecticut indicated...Full Text Available
Benzidine-based azo dyes are proven mutagens and have been linked to bladder cancer. Previous studies have indicated that their initial reduction is the result of the azo reductase activity of the intestinal...Full Text Available
Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is the leading cause of lower urinary tract symptoms among the aging male population. Epidemiological, pathophysiological and clinical studies indicate that...Full Text Available
Study of cloud pictures taken from rockets, such as figure 1, indicates that it is .... One might visualize a "Satellite Weather Data Center" where incoming data would ... about 300 miles; satellite packaging, containing the sensors, storage, power, ...
The future lubricants could be vegetable oils in order to replace the petroleum products. Vegetable oils are biodegradable and inoffensive for environment and for people. The main uses of vegetable oils are indicated. (O.L.). 3 refs., 3 tabs.
IntroductionThe presence of erectile or ejaculatory dysfunction may indicate physical problems; however, individual perceptions (e.g., sexual satisfaction) may reflect...Full Text Available
Bone metastasis of primary colorectal cancer is uncommon. When it occurs, it is usually a late manifestation of disease and is indicative of poor prognosis. We describe a patient with multiple metachronous...Full Text Available
Mechanisms underlying cold hypersensitivity in neuropathic states are unclear. Recent data indicate both TRPM8 and TRPA1 play a role. In relation to TRPA1, there are reported increases in mRNA....Full Text Available
BackgroundApproximately 80% of all new HIV-1 infections are acquired through sexual contact. Currently, there is no clinically approved microbicide, indicating a clear and...Full Text Available
Previous experimental data from various laboratories indicate that endotoxin of gram-negative oral microorganisms might be one of the most important bacterial products involved in bone resorption during...Full Text Available
The nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (AChR) controls signal transmission between cells in the nervous system. Abused drugs such as cocaine inhibit this receptor. Transient kinetic investigations indicate...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.
Features: CHUQUICAMATA, LARGE OPEN PIT MINING OPERATIONS, ROADS, HILLS Center Point Latitude: -22.3 Center Point Longitude: -68.9 (Negative numbers indicate ...
Features: CHUQUICAMATA, LARGE OPEN PIT MINING OPERATIONS, ROADS, HILLS Center Point Latitude: -22.3 Center Point Longitude: -68.9 (Negative numbers indicate ...
Between 50 and 70% of patients with a terminal illness indicate a preference to remain at home for as long as possible until their death. Nevertheless, a much smaller percentage actually die at home...Full Text Available
lines indicate location of GPR profiles in Figure 4. Air photo from Northern Arizona University web page (http://vishnu.glg.nau.edu/gces/studysites.html) Description of GPR...
The definitions provided in this bilingual glossary are intended to serve as indicative explanations of the defined words and phrases, and not for purposes of interpreting any particular contract or international agreement. Approximately 100 terms appear ...
The definitions provided in this bilingual glossary are intended to serve as indicative explanations of the defined words and phrases and not for purposes of interpreting any particular contract or international agreement. Approximately 100 terms appear w...
The definitions provided in this bilingual glossary are intended to serve as indicative explanations of the defined words and phrases, and not for purposes of interpreting any particular contract or international agreement. Approximately 100 terms appear ...
Microalbuminuria (26-250 mg/d) is considered to be an indicator of incipient diabetic nephropathy in humans in insulin-dependent diabetes (IDD). However, before microalbuminuria is observed, glomerular...Full Text Available
... at depths greater than 29 m. Egmont Deep Seismic Stratigraphy Seismic profile data indicate that both the mouth ... 131. CrossRefDuncan, D. S. 1993. Neogene to Recent Seismic Stratigraphy of the Lower ...
The heterogeneity of metastatic breast cancer mandates the need to select therapies taking into account tumor and patient characteristics. Chemotherapy is indicated in the palliative setting especially...Full Text Available
Invasive prenatal testing has become an important way to evaluate fetuses at increased risk for hereditary disorders. In utero sampling of fetal skin, liver, and muscle may be required to diagnose before-birth...Full Text Available
A brief review is given of the nature of lattice instabilities in high-T/sub c/ superconductors. The Frohlich instability in A-15 compounds is indicated to be a microdomain which acts as an embryo for the Martensitic transformations in these compounds.
Geometric (HOMA) and magnetic (NICS) indices of aromaticity were estimated for aromatic rings of amino acids and nucleobases. Cartesian coordinates were taken directly either from PDB files deposited...Full Text Available
A survey on electric power and on energy balance especially primary and final energy (gas oil, kerosene,solar energy...) has been implemented in Lebanon in 1993. Results and economic impact of energy consumption and energy production are given in statistics and tables. 10 figs.
Choice procedures have indicated that the relative reinforcing effectiveness of opioid drugs increases during opioid withdrawal. The demand curve, an absolute measure of reinforcer value, has not been...Full Text Available
A dissipative particle swarm optimization is developed according to the self-organization of dissipative structure. The negative entropy is introduced to construct an opening dissipative system that is far-from-equilibrium so as to driving the irreversible evolution process with better fitness. The testing of two multimodal functions indicates it improves the performance effectively
BackgroundThough long known to affect smooth muscle biology, recent studies indicate that phosphodiesterase 5 (PDE5) is also expressed in myocardium. Recognizing that the regulation...Full Text Available
Research indicates that diesel equipment can be used safely in undergound coal mines provided that certain conditions prevail. These conditions are: the machines and engines are approved for underground use, an adequate maintenance and training program is in effect, an adequate monitoring system with proper instrumentation is used, and adequate ventilation is maintained.
BackgroundChina has had no effective and systematic information system to provide guidance for strengthening PHC (Primary Health Care) or account to citizens on progress. We report...Full Text Available
Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) is an indicator of living biomass in marine particulates. This report details the method used by Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory to analyze particulate ATP in samples taken from oligotrophic, tropical ocean waters. It represents a synthesis of previously published methods.
Epidemiological data indicate that children conceived in vitro have a greater relative risk of low birth-weight, major and minor birth defects, and rare disorders involving imprinted...Full Text Available
Cytokinins are hormones that regulate cell division and development. As a result of a lack of specific mutants and biochemical tools, it has not been possible to study the consequences of cytokinin...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.
BackgroundPreclinical studies indicate that the enzyme cyclooxygenase 2 plays an important role in ultraviolet-induced skin cancers. We evaluated the efficacy and safety of celecoxib,...Full Text Available
Excess caveolin-1 has been reported to play a role in age-dependent hyporesponsiveness to growth factors in vitro. Therefore, we hypothesized that caveolin-1–dependent hyporesponsiveness...Full Text Available
Growing evidences indicate that proteases are implicated in adipogenesis and in the onset of obesity. We previously reported that the cysteine protease cathepsin K (ctsk) is overexpressed in the white...Full Text Available
An investigation was carried out to determine the effectiveness of Nomex summer flying coveralls printed with a camouflage pattern as compared with the standard plain olive green coveralls. Laboratory tests indicated that camouflage printing of staple Nom...
1. Digital imaging and photometry were used in conjunction with the fluorescent Ca2+ indicator, Fura-2, to examine intracellular Ca2+ signals produced by depolarization of single adrenal chromaffin...Full Text Available
During blastocyst formation the segregation of the inner cell mass (ICM) and trophectoderm is governed by the mutually antagonistic effects of the transcription factors Oct4 and Cdx2. Evidence indicates...Full Text Available
Tachyons fired into and absorbed by rotating black holes can violate the second and third laws of black hole physics. It is suggested that apparent break-downs of these laws in astrophysical black holes can indicate the existence of cosmic tachyons. (author).
Inadequate measures of water quality have been used in many studies of the health effects associated with water supplies in developing countries. The present 1-year epidemiological-microbiological study...Full Text Available
To assess the effects of increasing the mineral content of parenteral nutrition solutions on the biochemical and radiological indicators of metabolic bone disease of prematurity 27 neonates who required...Full Text Available
The comprehensive survey explains the indications and the specific value of the modern tomographic modalities with respect to the various diagnostic issues. Numerous reproductions of CT, MRI, US scans illustrate the aspects discussed. (orig./CB)
Jun 16, 2011 ... Results indicated that fuel loadings averaged 24.05 Mg ha 1 in 2004–2006. Forest litter decreased from wetter to drier forest life zones. ...
Evaluating the systolic function of the left ventricle (LV) is important in the hemodynamic management of the critically ill patients with circulatory failure. Echocardiography is considered the standard...Full Text Available
Observations made during biochemical and toxicological studies of the housefly, in which the WHO standard reference (SR) strain was used as a standard, indicated that this strain differs from other...Full Text Available
Advanced Glycated End Products (AGEs) are formed by non-enzymatic protein glycation and are implicated in several physiological aspects including cell aging and diseases. Recent data indicate that bacteria...Full Text Available
BackgroundThe pH is an important parameter controlling many metabolic and signalling pathways in living cells. Recombinant fluorescent pH indicators (pHluorins) have come into vogue...Full Text Available
Recent studies have indicated that the DNA replication machinery is coupled to silencing of mating-type loci in the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and a similar silencing mechanism...Full Text Available
ObjectiveMaintaining weight loss is a major challenge in obesity treatment. Individuals often indicate that waning motivation prompts cessation of effective weight...Full Text Available
Schizophrenia and bipolar disorder are leading causes of morbidity across all populations, with heritability estimates of ∼80% indicating a substantial genetic component. Population genetics...Full Text Available
Assessment of the regulation of plant metabolism by the calcium ion requires a knowledge of its intracellular levels and dynamics. Technical problems have prevented direct measurement of the concentration...Full Text Available
Ferrography is a technique for isolating wear particle debris from lubricating and hydraulic oils, the presence of which carry with them a history of the wear processes in the machine. Thus, the technique has fundamental applications in machine condition monitoring and failure prevention. The wear particles are significant in the metal types that are present in the particle distribution as an indication of the wearing machine components and in the particle size distribution and morphology which indicates the severity of wear in the system. In this paper, the fundamental principles which describe the working of the ferrograph, concentrating on the working of the on-line ferrograph are discussed. The significance of equilibrium particle concentration in the oil system and its measurement using the ferrograph are also discussed.
Total mercury content and its distribution in muscles and viscera of male and female blue crab (Callinectes sapidus Rothbum) and deep water pink shrimp (Parapenacus longirostris) collected from the 3 main fishing grounds near the Alexandria coast in the Mediterranean sea was estimated. The results indicate that the mercury content in the muscles of both species differ according to fishing areas, size, sex, and species. More than 75% of total mercury were accumulated in the viscera of both species which indicates that the mercury entered in these organisms via the feed chain. PMID:3696196
This report illustrates how, thanks to the development of a new algorithm for the probabilistic evaluation in a given period (e.g. one week) of the operating costs and risk indices (reliability) of a generation system with energy-constrained units, it has been possible to significantly improve the WAT program, used for many years by ENEL for generation expansion planning studies. In particular, it describes how the annual simulation of the system operation is accomplished, so as to calculate the mean expected values of the yearly operating costs (fuel) and the risk indices, at the same time optimizing the use of hydro resources and pumped-storage plants. (author).
Elbistan lignite has been found to contain 50.1 wt% (daf) humic acid. The i.r. spectrum of this lignite, however, indicates the absence of free carboxyl groups. Treatment with mineral acids, however, regenerates the carboxyl groups. A product containing 18.8 wt% N (daf) has been obtained by treatment of HNOat3 treated Elbistan lignite in aqueous ammonia for 4 h at 165 C and under oxygen pressure. Water-soluble and active nitrogen tests indicate that such products may have the properties of slow-release nitrogenous fertilizers. (33 refs.)
To investigate the magnetic fluctuations and for further transport study, the poloidal and radial magnetic field measurement is conducted on the Sino United Spherical Tokamak (SUNIST). Auto-power spectral density indicates that the magnetic fluctuation energy mainly concentrates in the frequency region lower than 10 kHz. The magnetic field oscillations, which are characterized by harmonic frequencies of 40 kHz, are observed in the scrape-off layer; by contrast, in the plasma core, the magnetic fluctuations are of Gaussian type. The time-frequency profiles show that the poloidal magnetic fluctuations are temporally intermittent. The autocorrelation calculation indicates that the fluctuations in decorrelation time vary between the core and the edge. (authors)
The diameters d/sub r/ of inner ring structures in disk galaxies are used as geometric distance indicators to derive the distances of 453 spiral and lenticular galaxies, mainly in the distance interval 4<#delta#<63 Mpc. The diameters are weighted means from the catalogs to Kormendy, Pedreros and Madore, and the authors. The distances are calculated by means of the two- and three-parameter formulae of Paper II; the adopted mean distance moduli #mu#"0(r) have mean errors from all sources of 0.6--0.7 mag for the well-observed galaxies.
The experimental maturation of an immature kerogen from the Toarcian of the Paris basin has been carried out in a confined system under pressure. The evolution of various thermal maturity parameters was plotted against the corrected organic carbon percentage chosen as a common maturity indicator and compared with data extracted from a natural series. Results show the occurrence of three distinct stages respectively characterized by the removal of oxygenated compounds, the genesis of liquid hydrocarbons and the production of gaseous hydrocarbons.
Recent surveys of supergiants stars in the LMC indicate that the post-main-sequence region of the colour-magnitude diagram is well populated, although numerical evolution of massive stars with normal surface hydrogen indicates to the contrary. Supergiant stars having surface enrichment of helium acquired for example from a previous phase of accretion from a binary companion, however, evolve in a way so that the evolved models and observed data are consistent. We compare the available data with computed evolutionary tracks of massive stars of metallicity relevant to the LMC with and without helium-enriched envelopes and conclude that a large fraction of supergiant stars may occur in binaries. (author).
This publication presents seven national case studies from a coordinated research project on Indicators for Sustainable Energy Development conducted during the 2002-2005 time period. The project was led by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in cooperation with the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA). The case studies were developed by research organizations from Brazil, Cuba, Lithuania, Mexico, Russia, Slovakia and Thailand. This publication is being issued just prior to the 15th session of the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development for which energy for sustainable development is a major theme. The 15th session of the Commission will focus on policy decisions on practical measures and options to expedite implementation in selected clusters of energy issues. The application the energy indicator, especially their quantification, enables systematic monitoring of progress made towards the ...
Results are presented from an evaluation of the effect of the quality of the iron-ore-bearing raw materials and coke on the performance of blast furnaces at the Novolipetsk Metallurgical Combine. It is shown that the technical-economic indices of the smelting operation are improved by increasing the pellet content of the charge, the basicity of the sinter, and the sinter?s content of the ?5 mm fraction. An analysis of the performance of the blast furnaces on coke with a hot-strength index CSR = 40?60% confirmed the qualitative and quantitative effect of this index on furnace productivity and coke consumption. The analysis also showed that the magnitude of this effect depends on smelting rate and the basicity of the furnace slag.
The effect of protein malnutrition on the metabolism of collagen in bone was studied in young female albino rats after a single injection of "3H-proline. Both specific and total radioactivities of hydroxyproline in the total collagen of the bone were found to decrease in the protein-deficient animals, indicating decreased rate of collagen synthesis. In the urine the amount of hydroxyproline excreted and total radioactivity of "3H-hydroxyproline were greatly decreased. The results of the present investigation therefore clearly indicate decreased synthesis and catabolism of collagen in bones of protein deficient animals compared to controls. (auth.).
A study is made of plant sensitivity to mutagens during the processing of seeds. An examination is made of problems concerned with modification mutability, the nature of plant restoration following irradiation. Particular attention is given to mutation changes. A presentation is made of several features of mutant changes initially selected by separate indicators. An examination is made of the possible study of mutant indicator genetics. General data on the forms and varieties produced by the mutagenesis method are given. The book is designed for breeding specialists and geneticists engaged in the study of mutagenesis. 439 references, 27 figures, 66 table.
The magnetoresistance in an FeNi submicron-structure comprising two wires of 80 and 200 nm in width connected in series was measured at 77 K. When the external magnetic field was applied parallel to the wire axis, two switching fields corresponding to the distinct coercive force of the two wires were observed. When the external magnetic field was applied at an angle of {theta}>30 deg. to the wire axis one switching field was observed, indicating simultaneous magnetization reversal in both wires. This indicates that the domain-wall trapping around the joint can be controlled systematically in terms of the direction of the external magnetic field.
Phytoplankton community was investigated in the cage culture area of Daya Bay during a diurnal cycle. Two rainfalls occurred during the course of the experiment and decreased the surface seawater salinity in the aquaculture area. A total of 38 species were identified, of which the dominant species included Pseudo-nitzschia spp. and Skeletonema costatum. Water stratification obstructed the vertical migration of dinoflagellates. Statistical analysis indicated that Synechococcus showed negative relationship with silicate and ammonia, which indicated that Synechococcus adapted to grow at oligotrophic environment. Phytoplankton community structure implied the risk of Pseudo-nitzschia spp. blooms in the aquaculture area of Daya Bay.
An analytical model is presented which enables the estimation of convective losses from cavity receivers. Evidence from solar experiments is used to test the hypothesized mechanisms. The analytical results and experimental evidence indicate that the convective loss from cavity receivers is appreciable. The model indicates that the influences of the wind on the convective loss at normal operating conditions are minimal. It also shows that the internal thermal resistance, i.e. the ability to heat the air inside the cavity, are of importance. Buoyancy induced flows are, on the other hand, effective in transferring energy across the aperture. 8 refs.
The threshold values of indicator species and ratios delineating the transition between NO_x and VOC sensitivity of ozone formation are assumed to be universal by various investigators. However, our previous studies suggested that threshold values might vary according to the locations and conditions. In this study, threshold values derived from various model simulations at two different locations (the area of Switzerland by UAM Model and San Joaquin Valley of Central California by SAQM Model) are examined using a new approach for defining NO_x and VOC sensitive regimes. Possible definitions for the distinction of NO_x and VOC sensitive ozone production regimes are given. The dependence of the threshold values for indicators and indicator ratios such as NO_y, O_3/NO_z, HCHO/NO_y, and H_2O_2/HNO_3 on the definition of NO_x and VOC sensitivity is discussed. Then the variations of threshold values under low emission conditions ...
The role of macroinvertebrates and diatoms as indicator for metal pollution was investigated by assessing both biota along a metal gradient in the Belgian river the Dommel. Macroinvertebrates and diatoms were sampled in summer and winter and physical-chemical characteristics of the water were measured at four different sample periods and related to sediment characteristics. Although metal concentrations, except cadmium, in the water nowhere exceeded water quality standards, high metal concentrations were measured in the sediment, indicating historical contamination of the Dommel. At the sites that were situated downstream of the pollution source, high levels of conductivity and chloride were measured in the water. Redundancy Analysis (RDA) indicated pH, phosphate and zinc as the significant environmental variables explaining each respectively 7.7%, 11.6% and 22.6% of the macroinvertebrate community composition. Two clusters ...
A surplus USN 40 mm ammunition can was subjected to a variety of tests. Pressure tests were carried out with nitrogen gas, followed by the venting of actual Li/SO/sub 2/ cells and batteries inside the can. A fire test was also conducted on a can packed with 10 each 10-cell batteries surrounded by vermiculite. Test results indicate the US Navy (USN) 40-mm ammunition can is suitable as a shipping container for Li/SO/sub 2/ batteries on passenger aircraft. To provide a further measure of safety, a sulfur dioxide getter was incorporated into the can. Studies indicated a commercial material, ASC carbon, is suitable for this purpose. The granular material was packaged in porous paper desiccant bags and placed in the can with the batteries and vermiculite. The batteries were vented inside the sealed can and the internal pressure monitored. Pressure returned to normal within several minutes, indicating that this arrangement should ...
Protecting sensitive items from undetected tampering in an unattended environment is crucial to the success of non-proliferation efforts relying on the verification of critical activities. Tamper Indicating Packaging (TIP) technologies are applied to containers, packages, and equipment that require an indication of a tamper attempt. Examples include: the transportation and storage of nuclear material, the operation and shipment of surveillance equipment and monitoring sensors, and the retail storage of medicine and food products. The spectrum of adversarial tampering ranges from attempted concealment of a pin-hole sized penetration to the complete container replacement, which would involve counterfeiting efforts of various degrees. Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) has developed a technology base for advanced TIP materials, sensors, designs, and processes which can be adapted to various future monitoring systems. The purpose of this technology ...
In this work, we query the Chlamydomonas reinhardtii copper regulon at a whole-genome level. Our RNA-Seq data simulation and analysis pipeline validated a 2-fold cutoff and 10 RPKM (reads per kilobase of mappable length per million mapped reads) (~1 mRNA per cell) to reveal 63 CRR1 targets plus another 86 copper-responsive genes. Proteomic and immunoblot analyses captured 25% of the corresponding proteins, whose abundance was also dependent on copper nutrition, validating transcriptional regulation as a major control mechanism for copper signaling in Chlamydomonas. The impact of copper deficiency on the expression of several O2-dependent enzymes included steps in lipid modification pathways. Quantitative lipid profiles indicated increased polyunsaturation of fatty acids on thylakoid membrane digalactosyldiglycerides, indicating a global impact of copper deficiency on the photosynthetic apparatus. Discovery of a putative plastid copper chaperone ...
We present metallicity estimates for seven open clusters based on spectrophotometric indices from moderate-resolution spectroscopy. Observations of field giants of known metallicity provide a correlation between the spectroscopic indices and the metallicity of open cluster giants. We use \\chi^2 analysis to fit the relation of spectrophotometric indices to metallicity in field giants. The resulting function allows an estimate of the target-cluster giants' metallicities with an error in the method of \\pm0.08 dex. We derive the following metallicities for the seven open clusters: NGC 1245, [m/H]=-0.14\\pm0.04; NGC 2099, [m/H]=+0.05\\pm0.05; NGC 2324, [m/H]=-0.06\\pm0.04; NGC 2539, [m/H]=-0.04\\pm0.03; NGC 2682 (M67), [m/H]=-0.05\\pm0.02; NGC 6705, [m/H]=+0.14\\pm0.08; NGC 6819, [m/H]=-0.07\\pm0.12. These metallicity estimates will be useful in planning future extra-solar planet transit searches since planets may form more ...
A statistical method is developed to determine the locations of major pollutant sources affecting a distant downwind receptor, provided that air trajectories can be estimated. Probability density functions are estimated which indicate the overall residence time of air parcels over a given geographic region as they travel toward a receptor and residence time for the case of high pollutant concentrations at the receptor. These functions are used to estimate a conditional probability function which indicates the potential for a source region to contribute to high air pollution concentrations. Finally, a source contribution function is formulated to indicate the relative contribution of different source regions to high concentrations at the receptor. The method is tested using data collected at Grand Canyon National Park in 1980. The dominant pathway for air masses arriving at Grand Canyon during this period was southern ...
This is a report of 21 patients presenting with epigastric pain, bilious vomiting, upper gastrointestinal bleeding, iron-deficiency anemia, and weight loss, who had undergone Billroth II gastrectomy from 3 to 35 yr earlier. Eighteen of 21 patients were found to have significant enterogastric reflux indices varying from 60% to 95% demonstrated by /sup 99m/Tc HIDA scintigraphy. Thirteen patients had diversion antireflux surgery in the form of a Roux-en-Y procedure, and 1 patient had a Henley loop jejunal interposition. Postoperative /sup 99m/Tc HIDA scintigraphic studies showed the enterogastric reflux indices to have decreased significantly to a range of 2%-26% (p less than 0.00001). There was marked improvement of symptoms, including correction of anemia and weight gain in those patients who had been anemic or who had sustained earlier weight loss. The enterogastric reflux indices of 10 asymptomatic control patients after ...
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 resolution were found to contain the small cones. This low discovery ...
The X-ray spectra of {approx}200 AGN collected from Swift-BAT were analyzed to test the Unified Model for AGN. Specifically, the photon indices, high energy cutoffs, and reflection components of Sy1 and Sy2 were compared. Under the Unified Model, the photon indices and reflection components for Sy1 should be larger than Sy2 and the high energy cutoffs should be the same. Fitting a simple power law model to the sample spectra proved to be insufficient. The PEXRAV model fit the spectra of the Sy1 and Sy2 significantly better, indicating that a reflection component and/or high energy cutoff exists as the Unified Model expects. Using both the simple power law and PEXRAV models it was concluded that in the population studied, Sy1 had a larger photon index than Sy2, as expected by the Unified Model. For Sy1 and Sy2, the reflection components were found to be compatible, but given the large errors, this finding cannot be said to ...
Potassium deposition in ultrahigh vacuum on 12-(3-thienyl)dodecanethiol monolayers assembled on gold surfaces has been investigated using X-ray and ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopies (XPS and UPS). Angle-resolved XPS indicates that initially deposited potassium penetrates the self-assembled monolayer (SAM) and diffuses to the SAM/Au interface. Even after large metal doses, the presence of thiophene ring valence electronic states in the UPS spectra confirms that most of the thiophene rings (at the SAM/vacuum interface) are not covered by potassium. The binding energy shifts of the thiophene ring valence states and the C1s and thiophene S2p peaks, referenced to the Fermi level, are due to the work function changes of the gold substrate. This indicates that these electronic states are pinned to the vacuum level, in contrast to the thiolate S2p orbital, which is pinned to the Fermi level. For large potassium doses, the appearance of new ...
A continuous, subsurface Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary section, including the boundary clay within an 87 cm thick lignite, has been recovered from a core hole near Wood Mountain, Saskatchewan, Canada. The lignite-encompassed clay layer with geochemical anomaly indicates that peat deposition was continuous across the boundary. Core data indicate that, locally, a pre-boundary, conifer-dominated swamp was abruptly replaced by an angiosperm-dominated, herbaceous wetland. Sudden extermination of the dominant forest elements indicates mass kill at the level of the boundary and supports the theory of extraterrestrial impact accompanied by catastrophic destruction. Devastation of the standing vegetation may have been caused by one or more of the killing agents predicted to have accompanied impact, including freezing temperatures caused by atmospheric dust, acid rain, thermal pulse, and shock waves. There is no evidence supporting ...
The credibility of the model proposed by Ghosh in predicting the refractive indices of mixed semiconductor crystals of technological importance within their miscibility range as a function of band gap is demonstrated. The high-frequency refractive indices of four quaternary alloys Al_xGa_1_-_x_-_yIn_yP (y = 0.49, 0 #<=# x #<=# 0.51), InSb_xAs_1_-_x_-_yP_y (y = 2.2x, 0 #<=# x #<=# 0.313, 0 #<=# y #<=# 0.638), Cd_xZn_1_-_x_-_yHg_ySe (x + y = 1, 0.153 #<=# x #<=# 0.684, 0.316 #<=# y #<=# 0.847), and CdS_1_-_x_-_ySe_xTe_y (x + y = 1, 0.15 #<=# x #<=# 0.93, 0.07 #<=# y #<=# 0.85) are calculated according to the relation n"2-1 = A/(E_g + B)"2 where A is an energy gap dependent constant and B is a constant depending on crystal ionicity. The calculated values show excellent agreement with the experimental data thus justifying the validity of the model.
In humid zones and marine environments the bio indicator contaminants by trace elements are well established. However, in arid zones it is more difficult to find these tools because there is less biodiversity. The objective of this paper was to analyze the behavior of the Baccharis salicifolia plant in areas with high uranium concentration in arid zones, to determine the characteristics of tolerance and possible use as a bio monitor for the presence of such contaminants. For this project a uraniferous zone was selected in San Marcos, located northwest of the City of Chihuahua. A total of 8 sampling points of the plant and soil were located here. Each sample was divided into the root and the stem and leaves to determine the specific activity of the uranium in both parts of the plant and its sediments. The determination of the specific activities of the total uranium in the samples was obtained by liquid scintillation with alpha-beta separation. The results ...
Varying load can cause changes in a measured gearbox vibration signal. However, conventional techniques for fault diagnosis are based on the assumption that changes in vibration signal are only caused by deterioration of the gearbox. There is a need to develop a technique to provide accurate state indicator of gearbox under fluctuating load conditions. This paper presents an approach to gear fault diagnosis based on complex Morlet continuous wavelet transform under this condition. Gear motion residual signal, which represents the departure of time synchronously averaged signal from the average tooth-meshing vibration, is analyzed as source data due to its lower sensitiveness to the alternating load condition. A fault growth parameter based on the amplitude of wavelet transform is proposed to evaluate gear fault advancement quantitatively. We found that this parameter is insensitive to varying load and can correctly indicate early gear fault. ...
A preliminary chemical characterization is presented of phosphate-free aminolipids isolation from Chlorobium limicola f. thiosulfatophilum. The lipid contains no phosphorus, glycerol, sugar, ornithine, or lysine. Ultraviolet absorption and fluorescence spectra indicate that the amino moiety of the lipid is an aromatic heterocyclic compound. Infrared spectra indicate that the lipid is a secondary or tertiary amide, and gas chromatograhic analysis of the hydrolyzed lipid shows that for each 1100 g of lipid, 1 mol of myristic acid (C/sub 14:0/) is linked in an amide bond. Acid hydrolysis of the lipid yields two fluorescent substances, A (ninhydrine positive) and B (negative), in addition to myristic acid. Proton nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) studies indicate that substance A contains a butyl groups attached to a conjugated ring carbon, two equivalent ethyl groups attached to one or two nitrogen atoms, and two downfield ...
This report is a compilation of the groundwater sampling results from the Area 5 Radioactive Waste Management Site (RWMS) including calendar year 2008 results. Each of the three Pilot Wells was sampled on March 11, 2008, and September 10, 2008. These wells were sampled for the following indicators of contamination: pH, specific conductance, total organic carbon, total organic halides, and tritium. Indicators of general water chemistry (cations and anions) were also monitored. Results from all samples collected in 2008 were within the limits established by agreement with the Nevada Division of Environmental Protection for each analyte. These data indicate that there has been no measurable impact to the uppermost aquifer from the Area 5 RWMS. There were no significant changes in measured groundwater parameters compared to previous years. Other information in the report includes an updated Cumulative Chronology for the Area ...
This report is a compilation of the groundwater sampling results from the Area 5 Radioactive Waste Management Site (RWMS) for calendar year 2006. Pilot wells UE5PW-1, UE5PW-2, and UE5PW-3 were sampled in April and October 2006 for the following indicators of contamination: pH, specific conductance, total organic carbon, total organic halides, and tritium. Indicators of general water chemistry (cations and anions) were also monitored. Results from all samples collected in 2006 were within the limits established by agreement with the Nevada Division of Environmental Protection for each analyte. These data indicate that there has been no measurable impact to the uppermost aquifer from the Area 5 RWMS. There were no significant changes in measured groundwater parameters compared to previous years. Other information in the report includes an updated Cumulative Chronology for the Area 5 RWMS Groundwater Monitoring Program and a ...
Objective: To investigate transcutaneous oximetry as parameter of the microcirculation is correlated to ankle-brachial-index as parameter of the macrocirculation after peripheral angioplasty procedures. Design: Prospective study. Materials and methods: 60 patients suffering from intermittent claudication were scheduled for angioplasty treatment. 45 patients were considered as eligible for angioplasty after angiographic evaluation, 15 patients underwent angiography only. Transcutaneous oximetry measurements were performed before the procedure, at the end of intervention, 24 h as well as 2 and 4 weeks after percutaneous transluminal angioplasty. Ankle-brachial-indices were obtained before intervention, 24 h as well as 2 and 4 weeks later. Results: Ankle-brachial-indices increased significantly at 24 h after angioplasty in patients being treated with angioplasty. Transcutaneous oximetry values dropped significantly at the end of the procedure and ...
Radon concentration measurements in atmosphere were taken in years from 1997 to 1999 in Milan and at pre-alpine sites located north of Lombardy. In this paper the results of measuring campaigns and a comparison of radon levels observed in the hilly area north of the town and on the pre-Alps are reported. The general criteria of the measurements and the interpretative models of radon concentration are presented. The Lake Maggiore area shows evidence of a great nocturnal stability and frequent formation of Nocturnal Stable Layer. The peculiar findings in the high altitude stations confirm the use of radon as an indicator of atmospheric dispersion of pollutants in an area with complex orography. The afternoon minimum values are concordant for the different stations: this implies a remixing in afternoon hours over the whole area investigated.
A new method of administration of an opioid was recently registered: fentanyl transdermal (brand name: Durogesic), intended particularly for the indication range 'pain in cancer'. Fentanyl is lipid-soluble so that deposition in the skin takes place and the biological half-life is approximately 20 hours after removal of the plaster. It is safe to start on a basis of an equianalgesic conversion of 100:1 in relation to oral morphine, although this may entail some risk of fentanyl under dosage. The dose adjustment time is 12-24 hours before a constant fentanyl level is reached; therefore, after attaching the first sticking plaster, the original morphine dose should be continued for another 12 hours. In addition, the patient may, if necessary, be given supplementary morphine preferably as a short-acting drug. There seems to be no clear indication for transdermal fentanyl either in neuropathic pain or in chronic benign pain. PMID:9221362
Using a sample of 1485 funded firms in Germany, we analyse the driving forces of Venture Capitalist (VC) syndication and try to disentangle the circumstances under which VCs engage in collaboration with partners. The results indicate that syndication is more pronounced for younger funded firms. For firms where products are far from commercialization, the risks that investors face are more severe. With respect to disentangling the role of diversification and managerial resource motives we analyse the impact of syndication activities on the industry concentration in VC portfolios. The results indicate that (all else equal) more syndication leads to more pronounced concentration on certain industries. These findings are in line with the argument that VCs involve partners to leverage upon thei...
The growth power-time curves of a strain of petroleum bacteria, B-2, in various kinds of cultures containing different kinds of carbon sources, glucose, n-tetradecane, n-hexadecane and n-octadecane, and different kinds of microemulsions have been determined by using a 2277 Thermal Activity Monitor. The curves showed a single peak for cultures containing a single carbon source, glucose, and two peaks for cultures containing two kinds of carbon sources, glucose and one of the n-alkanes. The first peak indicated that bacteria grew by consuming glucose and the second peak indicated that bacteria grew by consuming n-alkane. The curves were complex when the bacterium grows in a microemulsion culture. According to a kinetic equation of bacterial growth under limited conditions, the rate constants of bacterial growth were obtained. The results showed that the microemulsion culture was more appropriate to bacteria to grow on n-alkanes.
Results are presented from a numerical model of the steady-state energy transfer in molten-salt-in-tube solar cavity receivers that includes convective energy transfer at a local (spatially resolved) level. Molten salt energy absorption and gray radiative transfer between all cavity surfaces are also included. This model is applied to the Molten Salt Subsystem Component Test Experiment (MSS/CTE) cavity receiver. Results for this receiver indicate the global (entire cavity) receiver thermal efficiency is invariant within a few percent to most parameters investigated, although front surface temperatures of the nonabsorbing walls vary considerably, and are particularly sensitive to the type of convective submodel used. Absorption efficiencies indicate the effects of the cavity enclosure environment. For all conditions investigated, tube inner wall temperatures remain under 855 K, ensuring that the salt remains chemically stable.
We study the temporal evolution of coronal loops using data from the Solar X-ray Imager (SXI) on board of GOES-12. This instrument allows us to follow in detail the full lifetime of coronal loops. The observed light curves suggest three somewhat distinct evolutionary phases: rise, main, and decay. The durations and characteristic timescales of these phases are much longer than a cooling time and indicate that the loop-averaged heating rate increases slowly, reaches a maintenance level, and then decreases slowly. This suggests that a single heating mechanism operates for the entire lifetime of the loop. For monolithic loops, the loop-averaged heating rate is the intrinsic energy release rate of the heating mechanism. For loops that are bundles of impulsively heated strands, it is an indication of the frequency of occurrence of individual heating events, or nanoflares. We show that the timescale of the loop-averaged heating rate is proportional ...
Based on the CFD-code FLUENT trademark, theoretical studies were conducted of the influences of incineration chamber geometry (direct, countercurrent and center flow) on the combustion process. The boundary conditions, e.g., the thermal input and the waste grate, were kept constant. Close attention was paid to the distribution of flow, spe-cies, and temperatures. In addition, the influence of a dis-placement body at the end of the combustion chamber was tested. The variation of different wall materials and the prediction of problem areas concerning corrosion, slagging, and contamination completed the studies. Close to the chamber walls, high CO-concentrations may indi-cate corrosion; particle flow may indicate where contami-nation, slagging or erosion could occur. (orig.)
Layer-by-layer formation for #pi#-conjugated azomethine multilayers bonded on substrates was investigated. The multilayers were synthesized using ethanol (EtOH) and dichloromethane (DCM) as reaction solvents. The multilayer characteristics were analyzed using UV-vis absorption spectroscopy, ellipsometric thickness, and atomic force microscopy. The absorption spectra and ellipsometric thicknesses of multilayers formed using EtOH and DCM were compared. The results indicate that EtOH is more suitable than DCM for such layer-by-layer formation. In addition, bandgaps estimated from the absorption edge of multilayers were investigated. The results indicate that the bandgap decreases as the number of benzene rings contained in the molecular chain of the multilayer increases. Also, a multilayer with four benzene rings bonded on a substrate had a bandgap close to that of a polymer with a similar chemical structure.
In this article, we describe a method used to prepare an in situ sodium-activated, organomodified bentonite clay/styrene-butadiene rubber nanocomposite master batch via a latex blending technique. The clay master batch was used for compound formulation. Octadecyl amine was used as an organic intercalate. The clay was purchased from local suppliers and was very cheap. Sodium chloride was used for in situ activation of the clay. The wide-angle X-ray diffraction data indicated that the in situ sodium activation helped to increase the intergallery distance from 1.28 to 1.88 nm. A transmission electron micrograph indicated intercalation and partial exfoliation. The thermal properties were relatively better in the case of the sodium-activated, organomodified bentonite-clay-containing compound. A...
A micellar method has been used to prepare silver-coated cobalt (Co-Ag) nanoparticles. The synthesized particles have been deeply characterized by several methods, i.e., XRD, UV-Vis, TEM, XPS, and electrochemical techniques. There is every indication that the obtained particles show a truly core-shell structure. All the nanoparticles obtained under different conditions are in the size range 3-5 nm. High-resolution TEM (HRTEM), Fast Fourier Transformation (FFT), and Selected Area Electron Diffraction (SAED) indicated that the presence of hcp-Co and fcc-Ag, in which cobalt is located in the central area; meanwhile silver is at the edges of the nanoparticle. The absorption band of the Co-Ag colloid shifts to a longer wavelength and broadens relative to that of pure silver colloid. Voltammetric characterization allowed to determine the coverage of the cobalt core.
LiNi{sub 0.8}Co{sub 0.2}O{sub 2} particles from high-power lithium-ion cells were examined to determine material changes that result from accelerated aging tests. X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) and transmission electron microscope (TEM) data indicated a Li{sub x}Ni{sub 1-x}O-type layer on the particle surfaces. The greater thickness on particles from high-power fade cells indicate that these surface layers are a significant contributor to cathode impedance rise observed during cell tests.
Mesocarp tissue from sucrose-accumulating sweet melon (Cucumis melo cv. Galia) showed sucrose synthase activity (ca 1 nkat/gfw) while soluble acid invertase and sucrose phosphate synthase activities were not observed. Sucrose uptake into mesocarp discs was linear with sucrose concentration (1-500 mM) and unaffected by PCMBS and CCCP. Sucrose compartmentation into the vacuole also increased linearly with sucrose concentration as indicated by compartmental efflux kinetics. Mesocarp discs incubated in /sup 14/C-fructose + UDP-glu synthesized /sup 14/C-sucrose and efflux kinetics indicated that the /sup 14/C-sucrose was compartmentalized. These data support the hypothesis that two mechanisms are involved in sucrose accumulation in sweet melon: (1) compartmentation of intact sucrose and (2) synthesis of sucrose via sucrose synthase and subsequent compartmentation in the vacuole.
Using high-resolution y-rays spectrometry, the natural radioactivity of 14 samples of natural and o manufactured Egyptian building materials have been investigated. The samples were collected from local market and construction sites. From the measured gamma-ray spectra, specific activities were determined. The radium equivalent activity in each sample was estimated. Radiological evaluations of these materials indicate that all materials meet the external gamma-ray dose limitation. Calculation of concentration indices by assuming a Markkanen room model is constructed from these materials, to find the excess gamma-ray dose taken over that received from the outdoors. The Austrian Standard ONORM S 5200 is used in testing the building materials.
Several heats of Alloy 800 are included in a survey of materials being creep tested in a simulated HTR helium atmosphere in the temperature range 650 to 800degC. The results are, as yet, incomplete, but indicate wide variations in the influence of the atmosphere on creep properties. Some heats appear, from results so far available up to 10,000 hours duration, to have greater creep strength in helium than in air, but others have the strength reduced by as much as 20%. Metallographic examination of terminated creep test bars and of unstressed samples indicates that oxidation of reactive constituents takes place, forming a surface scale and sub-surface oxide penetration. Carburisation can also occur and at 750 to 800degC this can penetrate to a depth of up to 800 #mu# m after 5000 h. (author).
Presented are the results from a laboratory test program conducted to identify and evaluate materials for converting hazardous geothermal residues to a non-hazardous and potentially usable form. Results indicate that the residues can be effectively incorporated, as a fine aggregate, into portland cement-based composites. Five geothermal residues obtained from sites in the Salton Sea area of California were evaluated. Three of these were classified as hazardous. After mixing with cement, the leach rates were all well below specified levels. Although structural-grade composites were produced, gradual reductions in properties with time up to 1 yr were noted. This indicates ongoing chemical reactions between the cement paste and the constituents of the residues. Further research is necessary before the composites could be considered for use in structural applications. 3 refs., 8 tabs.
We have at hand the tools for development of both a single amino acid substitution and a gene loss type assay for somatic cell mutations in human red cells. We are close to being able to assess the assays as possible means for screening the human population for individuals who may be a risk of acquiring abnormally high frequencies of mutant cells. The cause for such a high frequency of mutant cells could be a prior exposure of the individual to large amount of mutagen, or it could indicate a member of a vulnerable subpopulation that may have poor DNA repair systems. Either of these cases could well be an indication that the particular individual is at high risk that exposure to mutagens could lead to potential pathology. In the near future we expect to determine the reliability of the assays and to perform experiments to confirm the validity of flow cytometry in measuring real somatic mutagenic events that occur in vivo. (orig./AJ).
We examine the short-term price behaviour of three, size-conditioned Indian stock market indices, in response to informational shocks. A standard mean-adjusted returns model as well as the GJR-GARCH specification point towards underreaction to negative events in the medium and small capitalization indices. Also, the pre-event coefficients are generally negative and statistically significant, regardless of the sign of the shock, thus ruling out information leaks. We uncover a stable abnormal volatility pattern which increases monotonically a few days before the shock before suddenly decreasing in magnitude on the event day and beyond. We suggest uncertainty avoidance as a potential explanation of these features. The results are fairly robust across alternative event selection procedures, ti...
A study of the effect of a clayey soil modified in situ and ex situ with the cationic surfactant octadecyltrimethylammonium bromide (ODTMA), on the retention of linuron, atrazine and metalaxyl was carried out. Leaching of these compounds was studied in columns of a natural clayey soil and the same clayey soil modified by direct injection of the surfactant in situ, and in columns of a natural sandy soil and the same sandy soil modified by intercalation of a barrier of the clayey soil saturated ex situ with the surfactant. Breakthrough curves indicated the total immobilization of linuron in modified soils and a decrease in the leaching kinetics of atrazine and metalaxyl compared to what was obtained in the natural soil. The results indicate the use of the clayey soil modified in situ or ex s...
This report discusses the topic geothermal resource assessment and its importance to laymen and investors for finding geothermal resources for direct-use applications. These are applications where the heat from lower-temperature geothermal fluids, 120 to 200/sup 0/F, are used directly rather than for generating electricity. The temperatures required for various applications are listed and the various types of geothermal resources are described. Sources of existing resource data are indicated, and the types and suitability of tests to develop more data are described. Potential development problems are indicated and guidance is given on how to decrease technical and financial risk and how to use technical consultants effectively. The objectives of this report are to provide: (1) an introduction low-temperature geothermal resource assessment; (2) experience from a series of recent direct-use projects; and (3) references to additional information.
A number of epidemiological studies indicate an association between depression and proximity to high voltage transmission lines. These studies have been criticized, however, for using surrogate measures of electromagnetic fields (EMFs) and unstandardized measures of depression. In an effort to overcome these limitations, the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression (CES-D) scale was administered to 152 women living either adjacent to a transmission line or one block away. Results indicate that homes adjacent to the transmission lines have an average EMF level of 4.86 milligauss at their front door and those one block away have an average of 0.68 milligauss. There was no significant difference in CES-D scores between the groups, controlling for demographic variables. There appeared to be an increase in other health effects, including cancer and miscarriages, but these findings were preliminary and need further investigation.
This paper presents a probabilistic approach for structural robustness assessment for a timber structure built a few years ago. The robustness analysis is based on a structural reliability based framework for robustness and a simplified mechanical system modelling of a timber truss system. A complex timber structure with a large number of failure modes is modelled with only a few dominant failure modes. First, a component based robustness analysis is performed based on the reliability indices of the remaining elements after the removal of selected critical elements. The robustness is expressed and evaluated by a robustness index. Next, the robustness is assessed using system reliability indices where the probabilistic failure model is modelled by a series system of parallel systems.
This research project is to develop a technical basis for flexible piping designs which will improve piping reliability and minimize the use of pipe supports, snubbers, and pipe whip restraints. This study indicated that piping design can be made more reliable by some reduction of rigid supports and/or snubbers. This study also confirmed that the malfunction of pipe whip restraints introduced higher thermal stresses and tended to reduce the overall piping reliability. Finally, our results indicated that supports in a flexible piping design may need to be reevaluated and that the elimination of pipe supports which are close to components should be done with care in order to minimize the impact on the component reliability.
Ribbon parachute fabrics were tested during development and production of a 24 ft parachute, and after 2.5 years ambient exposure at several storage sites. The effects of sewing, packing, and parachute deployment on material strength were obtained in the 1000 lb Kevlar ribbon after moisture exposure during packing, and when packed parachutes absorbed moisture or were thermal cycled. Individual yarn samples from the low strength ribbons exhibited little change in strength indicating that the material itself had not degraded. Factors leading to the change in ribbon strength are discussed. Considering all materials, there have been no indications to date of any uncontrollable changes in material strength that would limit the use of Kevlar in parachute applications.
SummaryPermeable pavement functions as a porous infrastructure interface allowing the infiltration and evaporation of rainfall-runoff while functioning as a relatively smooth load-bearing surface for vehicular transport. Hydraulic conductivity (k) of permeable pavement is an important hydraulic property and is a function of the pore structure. This study examines k for a cementitious permeable pavement (CPP) through a series of pore-structure models. Measurements utilized include hydraulic head as well as total porosity, (t), effective porosity (e), tortuosity (Le/L) and pore size distribution (PSD) indices generated through X-ray tomography (XRT). XRT results indicate that the permeable pavement pore matrix is hetero-disperse, with high tortuosity and t!=e. Power law models of k-t and k-e...
Abstract Phase-separation dynamics are investigated by SALS in aqueous MC solutions in the presence of 5% NaCl, promoted by a quench temperature. The observed scattering peak indicates that the phase separation occurs by the SD mechanism, leading to a bicontinuous structure. A semilog plot of I(q) against time in the early stage of SD gives a straight line, but the position of qmax varies; also, a Cahn-Hilliard plot indicates that diffusive processes dominate and the data can be described by linear CHC theory. Dapp shows a kinetic dependency on the quench temperature. The spinodal temperature of the sample is 41-C. In the late stages, S(q,t) collapses into a universally time-independent curve.
The phase diagram of Gdsub(x)Ysub(1-x)Th_4B_4 between the paramagnetic, superconducting and ferromagnetic state is reported. Low temperature dc-magnetization measurements reveal that macroscopic electro-magnetic effects are of minor importance for the suppression of Hsub(2c), which shows a smooth bell-shaped behavior for x >= 0.15 with no indication of an anomaly near Tsub(c2). At low temperature in samples with x >= 0.20 a transition from type II to type I superconductivity seems to occur. The low temperature normal state susceptibility follows a Curie-Weiss law indicating reentrant behavior for x >= 0.10. (orig.).
Chemical modification of poly(?-caprolactone) PCL by oxidation with potassium permanganate in solution was investigated. According to the data obtained from Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and nuclear magnetic resonance 1H NMR, after the oxidation reactions the PCL chains exhibited new functional groups (vinyl and hydroxyl) and possible intermolecular recombination, producing an oxidized-polycaprolactone (PCL-OX). Solution viscometry indicated that degradation also occurred during the oxidation reactions (30% drop in viscosity average molecular weight was detected). Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) also indicated that PCL was chemically modified and degraded. The successive self-nucleation/annealing (SSA) treatment confirmed that a reduction (or interruption) in line...
Abstract People with a physical disability are a population who for a number of reasons may be vulnerable to social isolation. Research into Internet based support sites has found that social support and an online sense of community can be developed through computer mediated communication channels. This study aims to gain an understanding of the benefits that membership of disability specific online communities may have for people with a physical disability. An online survey was administered to a sample of users of such sites (N = 160). Results indicated that users did receive moral support and personal advice through participating in such online communities. Further, results indicated that online social support and feeling a sense of community online were positively associated with partic...
Monthly rainfall data from June to October for 39 years were used to compute Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) values based on two parameter gamma distribution for a low rainfall and a high rainfall districts of Andhra Pradesh state, India. Comparison of SPI with actual rainfall and rainfall deviation from the mean indicated that SPI values under-estimate the intensity of dryness/wetness when the rainfall is very low/very high, respectively. As a result, the SPI in the worst drought years of 2002 and 2006 in the low rainfall district indicated only moderate dryness instead of extreme dryness. SPI values of the high rainfall district showed slightly better stretching in both positive and negative directions, compared to that of the low rainfall district. Further, the SPI values of long...
The Alpine Foreland Basin is a minor oil and moderate gas province in central Europe. In the Austrian part of the Alpine Foreland Basin, oil and minor thermal gas are thought to be predominantly sourced from Lower Oligocene horizons (Schoneck and Eggerding formations). The source rocks are immature where the oil fields are located and enter the oil window at ca. 4 km depth beneath the Alpine nappes indicating long-distance lateral migration. Most important reservoirs are Upper Cretaceous and Eocene basal sandstones.Stable carbon isotope and biomarker ratios of oils from different reservoirs indicate compositional trends in W-E direction which reflect differences in source, depositional environment (facies), and maturity of potential source rocks. Thermal maturity parameters from oils of di...
Lipophilic tertiary amines attached to cylcopentadienyl technetium-99m tricarbonyl (cytectrene) have been prepared with high radiochemical yield and purity. Biodistribution studies in mice showed that [{sup 99m}Tc]-cytectrenes, containing in their structure an N-methylpiperidine, were accumulated in the brain up to 2.8% of injected dose with high brain-to-blood ratios at 15 min p.i. They therefore indicate some potential as brain imaging agents. It has to be pointed out that the N-methylpiperidine ester showed similar biological behaviour as the keto derivatives. This indicates that the conversion to polar metabolite(s) via hydrolysis of the ester group - as described for [{sup 99m}Tc]-ECD -is not essential for brain retention. (Author).
Lipophilic tertiary amines attached to cylcopentadienyl technetium-99m tricarbonyl (cytectrene) have been prepared with high radiochemical yield and purity. Biodistribution studies in mice showed that ["9"9"mTc]-cytectrenes, containing in their structure an N-methylpiperidine, were accumulated in the brain up to 2.8% of injected dose with high brain-to-blood ratios at 15 min p.i. They therefore indicate some potential as brain imaging agents. It has to be pointed out that the N-methylpiperidine ester showed similar biological behaviour as the keto derivatives. This indicates that the conversion to polar metabolite(s) via hydrolysis of the ester group - as described for ["9"9"mTc]-ECD -is not essential for brain retention. (Author).
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.
A method and device have been provided for distinguishing Africanized honeybees from European honeybees. The method is based on the discovery of a distinct difference in the acoustical signatures of these two species of honeybees in flight. The European honeybee signature has a fundamental power peak in the 210 to 240 Hz range while the Africanized honeybee signature has a fundamental power peak in the 260 to 290 Hz range. The acoustic signal produced by honeybees is analyzed by means of a detecting device to quickly determine the honeybee species through the detection of the presence of frequencies in one of these distinct ranges. The device includes a microphone for acoustical signal detection which feeds the detected signal into a frequency analyzer which is designed to detect the presence of either of the known fundamental wingbeat frequencies unique to the acoustical signatures of these species as an indication of the identity of the species and ...
We report the delayed sequelae arising in a case of electrical injury, reviewing the literature on the subject and focusing on the MRI findings of the brain. A 23-year-old male suffered burns to the left parietal scalp, both feet, and the anterior chest wall. Neurological symptoms and MRI abnormalities appeared 14 days after the insult and continued for about three months. T1-weight MR images demonstrated homogeneous hypointensity, while T2-weighted images depicted hyperintense finger-like projections. Contrast-enhanced T1-weighted images demonstrated strong band-like enhancement, indicating meningeal hyperemia. Follow-up MR imaging showed that the lesion had disappeared, indicating that the cerebral edema and meaningeal hyperemia were reversible.
A study was made of the kinetics of L-(/sup 3/H)quinuclidinyl benzilate binding with membrane-bound muscarine cholinoreceptors from the rat brain. Determination was made of the rate constants of this process, and constants as a function of ligand concentration was investigated, indicating that there is a complex mechanism of interaction of antagonists with muscarine receptor. With up to 3.5 nM concentrations of L-(/sup 3/H)quinuclidinyl benzilate, the binding reaction occurs in two stages: rapid equilibrated binding is followed by a slow process of conformational isomerization of the receptor-ligand complex. At higher ligand concentrations, there is additional drastic increase in constant of rate of ligand binding a new plateau is reached. Such dependence of rate constant on ligand concentration is indicative of the cooperative nature of interaction between antagonists and muscarine receptors. This is possible if there are in the receptor ...
The latest figures published by the Science and Engineering Indicators report reveals that in 2003, 33% of faculty in science and engineering departments at research universities were foreign-born, a number that has more than doubled in thirty years. Foreign-born faculty members comprise an important part of the scientific enterprise that has been understudied. The purpose of this study is to examine the job satisfaction patterns of scientists and engineers by status of birth using a very large and comprehensive National Science Foundation (NSF) dataset, the Survey of Doctoral Recipients (SDR). The results of the study indicate that foreign-born scientists and engineers are less satisfied in several areas of their work life as compared to their US-born peers.
Intergranular corrosion (IGC) resistance of types 304LN and 316LN stainless steels (SS) thermally aged at 823, 873, and 923 K for various durations was assessed by ASTM A262 practice A test (electrolytic etch test) and electrochemical potentiodynamic reactivation (EPR) test. The results indicated that the type 316LN SS has significantly improved IGC resistance compared to 304LN SS. Based on the results of these tests, time-temperature-sensitization (TTS) diagrams were developed for both alloys. The secondary precipitates formed during thermal aging treatments were electrochemically extracted and analyzed by X-ray diffraction (XRD) to determine the types of precipitates formed during the aging treatments. The results indicated that the precipitates were mostly of M_2_3C_6 carbides.
Intergranular corrosion (IGC) resistance of types 304LN and 316LN stainless steels (SS) thermally aged at 823, 873, and 923 K for various durations was assessed by ASTM A262 practice A test (electrolytic etch test) and electrochemical potentiodynamic reactivation (EPR) test. The results indicated that the type 316LN SS has significantly improved IGC resistance compared to 304LN SS. Based on the results of these tests, time-temperature-sensitization (TTS) diagrams were developed for both alloys. The secondary precipitates formed during thermal aging treatments were electrochemically extracted and analyzed by X-ray diffraction (XRD) to determine the types of precipitates formed during the aging treatments. The results indicated that the precipitates were mostly of M_2_3C_6 carbides.
This study was focused on the possibility to inactivate thermosensitive Listeria monocytogenes ATCL3C 7644 and thermoresistant 56 Ly strain by Na-Chlorophyllin (Na-Chl)-based photosensitization in vitro and on the surface of packaging. Comparative analysis of antimicrobial efficiency of photosensitization with conventional surface cleaning was performed. Data indicate that both Listeria strains, after incubation with Na-Chl and following illumination (l=400nm, 20mWcm-2), were inactivated by 7 log in vitro. This treatment cleaned both Listeria strains from packaging surfaces. Comparative analysis indicates that washing with water diminishes pathogens by less than 1 log, 200ppm Na-hypochlorite by 1.7 log, Na-Chl-based photosensitization by 4.5 log. Listeria biofilms were totally removed from...
The population of the hyporheic interstice and moss cushions by meso- and macroinvertebrates as found at the three measuring points along the Alte Riefensbeek and the Grosse Soese, respectively, in the period from March 1987 to May 1988 is studied and evaluated together with chemical measurements performed between 1987 and 1990. The six measuring points are positioned along an acidification gradient ranging from non-acid to severely acidified. Chemical and biological paramerters are studied with regard to their suitability as indicators of acidification. A model is presented which decribes the influence of abiotic anthropogenic and natural factors on invertebrate species diversity and populations and which can serve as a basis for the calculation of critical deposition burdens. (orig.).
In order to reduce the number of surface mining accidents related to low visibility conditions and blind spots of trucks and to provide 3D information for truck drivers and real time monitored truck information for the remote dispatcher, a 3D assisted driving system (3D-ADS) based on the GPS, mesh-wireless networks and the Google-Earth engine as the graphic interface and mine-mapping server, was developed at Virginia Tech. The research results indicate that this 3D-ADS system has the potential to increase reliability and reduce uncertainty in open pit mining operations by customizing the local 3D digital mining map, constructing 3D truck models, tracking vehicles in real time using a 3D interface and indicating available escape routes for driver safety.
To study the causes of agricultural declines in south-west Sweden, a multi-proxy study including pollen analysis, bog surface wetness indicators and aeolian sediment influx reconstructions was carried out on the Store Mosse Bog, situated on the coastal plain of Halland. Patterns of agricultural changes during the past 6,000?years from this study were compared to one additional site on the coastal plain (Undarsmosse Bog) and to four sites in the forested upland region. First, we compared land use activity on the coastal plain and in upland regions of south-west Sweden. Three periods with reduced agricultural activities were observed, primarily in records from the coastal plain. Next, the causes for these declines were studied by comparing land use indicators in the pollen records from the S...
The influence of headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME) variables, namely, sample concentration, salt concentration and sample amount, on the equilibrium headspace analysis of the main volatile flavor compounds released from soursop was investigated. A total of 35 volatile compounds, comprising 19 esters, six alcohols, three terpenes, two acids, two aromatics, two ketones and an aldehyde, were identified. The results indicated that all response-surface models were significantly (p<0.05) fitted for 10 target volatile flavor compounds. The results further indicated that more than 65% of the variation in the equilibrium headspace concentrations of target volatile flavor compounds could be explained by the final reduced models, with high R2 values ranging from 0.658 to 0.944. Multiple...
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...
Primary energy consumption per unit of gross domestic product (GDP) indicates the importance of energy as an input to an economy. The most important determinant of energy consumption per GDP unit is economic structure, although the efficiency with which energy is used and the availability of non-commercial energy sources are also significant. Energy consumption intensities among the industrial nations reflect, in part, the vigor with which energy conservation and substitution policies have been pursued in the past decade. Energy production intensities indicate resource endowment, and may vary from zero to close to 100% of GDP. Comparisons of the seven world regions note that the centrally planned economies distort the figures because of their method of measuring economic output. 1 table.
Radon concentrations were continuously measured outdoors, in living room and basement in 10-minute intervals for a month. The radon time series were analyzed by comparing algorithms to extract phase-space dynamical information. The application of fractal methods enabled to explore the chaotic nature of radon in the atmosphere. The computed fractal dimensions, such as Hurst exponent (H) from the rescaled range analysis, Lyapunov exponent (#lambda# ) and attractor dimension, provided estimates of the degree of chaotic behavior. The obtained low values of the Hurst exponent (0indicated anti-persistent behavior (non random changes) of the time series, but the positive values of the #lambda# pointed out the grate sensitivity on initial conditions and appearing deterministic chaos by radon time variations. The calculated fractal dimensions of attractors indicated more influencing (meteorological) parameters on radon in the atmosphere. ...
The two-sonde neutron-logging device RKS-2 registers the ratios of the indications of two sondes and is scaled in units representing the total water content of pure limestone when saturated with fresh water. When analyzing the results of the measurements in real wells, it is necessary to calculate the effect of well- and strata conditions on the results of porosity determination. The results of simulated measurements are presented, on the basis of which correction factors are immediately determined for the calculation of the effect of the diameter of the well, and the effect of the mud cake on the well wall. A nomogram is constructed and substantiated; its purpose is the calculation of the effect of the following on the RKS-2 indication: the diameter of the well, the mud cake on the well wall, the density of the drilling solution, temperature, pressure in the well, and the lithology of the rock.
Accelerated aging tests on gold bridgewired detonator assemblies to determine compatibility of the Au and Pd-In-Sn solder with the organic explosive, PENT, have revealed an unusual corrosion process. These tests, conducted at 74/sup 0/C and 54/sup 0/C indicated a preferential attack of the gold. A matrix of corrosion test units was established to study this corrosion problem with accelerating temperatures up to 100/sup 0/C. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive x-ray (EDX), and x-ray diffraction techniques were used to determine the extent of the corrosion and identify the corrosion products. Results indicate the preferential attack of the gold was due to HCN formed by decomposition of the explosive powder (PETN) at high temperatures. Other associated reactions were also observed including subsequent attack of the solder by the gold corrosion product and degradation of the plastic header.
The availability of dimeric Pt(I) complexes with bridging bis(diphenylphosphino)methane ligands, (L--L')/sup n+/, presents an opportunity to study the physical properties and reactivity of metal-metal bonds as a function of the ligand trans to it with a minimum of competing variables. Several interesting trends of Pt-P coupling constants with the Pt-L and Pt-Pt bond lengths in Pt(I) dimers, (L--L')/sup n+/, and structurally related Pt(II) complexes are reported here. The data indicate that the Pt-P coupling constants continue to be sensitive indicators of not only the structure and stereochemistry of platinum phosphine complexes but also the electronic and steric influences of the ligand in such complexes, 23 references, 1 figure, 4 tables.
The mechanism of the IndolPhos-Rh-catalyzed asymmetric hydrogenation of prochiral olefins has been investigated by means of X-ray crystal structure determination, kinetic measurements, high-pressure NMR spectroscopy, and DFT calculations. The mechanistic study indicates that the reaction follows an unsaturate/dihydride mechanism according to Michaelis-Menten kinetics. A large value of KM (KM=5.01+-0.16 M) is obtained, which indicates that the Rh-solvate complex is the catalyst resting state, which has been observed by high-pressure NMR spectroscopy. DFT calculations on the substrate-catalyst complexes, which are undetectable by experimental means, suggest that the major substrate-catalyst complex leads to the product. Such a mechanism is in accordance with previous studies on the mechanism...
Agricultural sustainability is a vital parameter to be ascertained locally and globally if food security is to be achieved and maintained. Agricultural sustainability is the combined product of social, economic and ecological sustainability. It is also a function of temporal and spatial variations, a fact which indicates that area-specific sustainability indices need to be designed. We present here an Agricultural Sustainability Index (ASI) for rural eastern India and use it to calculate the ASI for 150 farms for three decades over a 60-year period, viz., 1950?1960, 1980?1990 and 2000?2010 for a representative Indian village of Gangapur (25?83?N, 85?65?E). The ASI was calculated using 30 variables, 10 each of social, economic and ecological sustainability. An extensive questionnaire-based ...
The compounds CePdSi_2, CeIrSi_2 and CeRhSn_2 have been synthesized and studied by X-ray diffraction, electrical resistivity and magnetic susceptibility. The magnetic susceptibility of CePdSi_2 exhibits two peaks at 6.8 K and 2.5 K, respectively, indicating two antiferromagnetic phase transitions, while that of CeIrSi_2 shows a broad maximum at 150 K, characteristic of valence fluctuating Ce-compounds. CeRhSn_2 remains paramagnetic down to 5 K. The resistivity of CeIrSi_2 exhibits a T"2 dependence at low temperatures, indicating a Fermi-liquid ground state, while those of CePdSi_2 and CeRhSn_2 shows the presence of Kondo and crystal field effects. (orig.).
Data from a detailed evaluation of environment conditions in three U.S. Army field stations are presented. Three field stations were evaluated: Kunia, Augsburg, and Berlin. Results from a questionnaire administered to over 600 people at all sites in three job types (operator, analyst, and administrative/other) are given which indicate major concerns with conditions such as temperature, lighting, space, furniture, equipment functioning, and general environmental quality. Physical data obtained from measurements of over 270 work stations indicated the presence of cold temperatures, low light levels, reduced VDT screen contrast, glare, and distracting noises. The report provides the basic data that support the concerns expressed by Headquarters; namely, that field-station personnel perform their jobs under conditions likely to impair their effectiveness. Suggestions for improving conditions are given in a companion report by Rubin and Collins.
Soya- and oats-lipoxygenase (E.C. 1.13.1.13) are incubated by "1"4C-marked linoleic acid. The volatile aldehydes arising thereby are isolated. The activity of the components separated by gaschromatography is written down by a printing indicator and the impulses/min are registered and printed out by a ratemeter. Thus the aldehydes which are produced by the enzymatic oxydation with lipoxygenase from the molecule of the linoleic acid can be determined. The composition of the mixture of aldehydes is calculated in mol-% from the measured impulses for peak. A possible origin of pathway is indicated for the main reaction products hexanal (soyalipoxygenase) and non-trans-2-enal (oats-lipoxygenase). (orig.).
This paper investigates the relationship between environmental pollution and economic growth in China based on the environmental Kuznets curve hypothesis, using Chinese provincial data over 1985?2005. Waste gas, waste water and solid wastes are used as environmental indicators and GDP is used as the economic indicator. It is found by panel cointegration test that there is a long-run cointegrating relationship between the per capita emission of three pollutants and the per capita GDP. According to comparisons with the dynamic OLS estimator and the Within OLS estimator, we find that panel cointegration estimation is preferable for all pollutants except for solid wastes. The results also show that all three pollutants are inverse U-shaped, and water pollution has been improved earlier than ga...
Although sulfur is present in many forms in kerosene, mercaptans are most objectionable due to their obnoxious odour and corrosive action. In this study, removal of one of the mercaptans has been reported, using red mud as an unconventional adsorbent. Red mud is a waste product from aluminium producing industries and has been used as an adsorbent for the removal of sulfur compounds as well as for other purposes. Adsorption studies described in this paper indicate that low concentration and high temperature favour the removal of 1-butanethiol from kerosene oil by adsorption on red mud. A first order mechanism has been proposed to describe the adsorption in the present system. Equilibrium data at different temperatures fit well in the Langmuir isotherm equation. Thermodynamic parameters for the present system indicate the feasibility of removal of 1-butanethiol from kerosene oil by adsorption on red mud. 10 refs., 4 figs. 3 tabs.,
To develop the advanced subchannel analysis code, the dominant factors that influence the boiling transitional process must be taken into account in the mechanistic constitutive equations based on the flow geometries and the fluid properties. The dominant factors that influence the boiling transitional processes are (1) the gas-liquid re-distribution by cross flow, (2) the liquid film dryout, (3) the two-phase flow regime transition, (4) the droplet deposition, and (5) the spacer-droplet interaction. At first, we indicated the strategy for the development of the constitutive equations for the five dominant factors based on the experimental database by the latest measurement technique and the latest computational fluid dynamics method. Then, the problems of the present constitutive equations and the improvement plan of the constitutive equations were indicated. Finally, the layered structure for the two-phase/three-field subchannel code ...
This month, the Cofrentes Nuclear Power Plant celebrates its 18th year of operation, this path is supported rom source by excellent operating results and is cause for the professional pride of those who throughout the years, have been involved on a day to-day basis is its evolution. This article describes the Plant's most significant milestones from the time of its construction up to the present. The different sections cover everything from the most relevant performance indicators to such specific aspects as optimization of refueling times. (Author)
Radon concentration measurements in atmosphere were taken in years from 1997 to 1999 in Milan and at pre-alpine sites located north of Lombardy. In this paper the results of measuring campaigns and a comparison of radon levels observed in the hilly area north of the town and on the pre-Alps are reported. The general criteria of the measurements and the interpretative models of radon concentration are presented. The Lake Maggiore area shows evidence of a great nocturnal stability and frequent formation of Nocturnal Stable Layer. The peculiar findings in the high altitude stations confirm the use of radon as an indicator of atmospheric dispersion of pollutants in an area with complex orography. The afternoon minimum values are concordant for the different stations: this implies a remixing in afternoon hours over the whole area investigated.
The biological age (BA) of the majority of the liquidators of the consequences of the radiation accidents in the Navy and of the liquidators of the Chernobyl' APS accident exceeds the medium standard and the DBA (due BA). The index of the BA can be a characteristic of the influence of the social-hygienic factors on the health condition of the Special Risk Subunit--the liquidators of the consequences of the radiation accidents. It was established, that the radiation influence concerns to the factors dramatically increasing the BA and the rate of senescence of the liquidators of the consequences of the radiation accidents. PMID:21809627
The authors describe an effect of suppression of invasion of the guinea pig eye conjunctiva and the HEp-2 epithelial cells by virulent Sh. flexneri bacilli, with a simultaneous administration of the same dose of avirulent shigella mutants, genetically connected with them. The data of morphological study and experiments with 3H-glucose labeled shigellae carried out on the cell species model indicated that the bacterial competition for the specific sites for absorption on the epithelial cells underlay the observed phenomenon. PMID:331774
It is shown that the extended softening in k space of the [111] transverse acoustic phonon in Nb_3Sn seen recently by neutron measurements is in agreement with the predictions of a phenomenological Landau description of the structural phase transition in the A-15 compounds. This indicates the feasibility of a calculation of the partial phonon density of states of modes directly coupled to the order parameter driving the structural transition, as a function of temperature.
It is shown that the extended softening in k space of the [111] transverse acoustic phonon in Nb3Sn seen recently by neutron measurements is in agreement with the predictions of a phenomenological Landau description of the structural phase transition in the A-15 compounds. This indicates the feasibility of a calculation of the partial phonon density of states of modes directly coupled to the order parameter driving the structural transition, as a function of temperature.
To understand the evolution of giant stars, it is important to pin down the masses for Cepheids. The 7- to 10-day bump Cepheids imply lower than evolutionary mass (60%). Recent theoretical work, though, indicates that for Cepheids with periods of 15 to 16 days, the best understanding of the light curves results from using evolutionary masses.
The WBURN (2-D, 2-group, coarse mesh) code is developed to analyze the equilibrium core characteristics of CANDU-PHWR. The equilibrium characteristics of Wolsung reactor computed by using WBURN are compared with the values given in the Wolsung FSR. The changes of equilibrium core characteristics caused by the variation of design parameters for operating conditions are also investigated. The numerical results indicate that the average discharge irradiation in the Wolsung reactor can be increased up to about 5%.
The WBURN (2-D, 2-group, coarse mesh) code is developed to analyze the equilibrium core characteristics of CANDU-PHWR. The equilibrium characteristics of Wolsung reactor computed by using WBURN are compared with the values given in the Wolsung FSR. The changes of equilibrium core characteristics caused by the variation of design parameters for operating conditions are also investigated. The numerical results indicate that the average discharge irradiation in the Wolsung reactor can be increased up to about 5%. (Author).
A chemical equilibrium model is used, implemented in a compact FORTRAN package called HITEQ, to investigate possible mineral deposition related to prereinjection treatment of Cerro Prieto brines for silica removal. Large saturation ratios of the treated brines with respect to several minerals are indicated by these computations. As a remedy, an inexpensive CO/sub 2/ removal scheme aimed at inhibiting carbonate mineral precipitation is proposed. This scheme is quantitatively discussed with the aid of HITEQ. It is concluded that the proposed treatment is both technically and economically feasible.
Widespread use of audio in computer-based training (CBT) occurred with the advent of the interactive videodisc technology. This paper discusses the alternative of digital audio, which, unlike videodisc audio, enables one to rapidly revise the audio used in the CBT and which may be used in nonvideo CBT applications as well. We also discuss techniques used in audio script writing, editing, and production. Results from evaluations indicate a high degree of user satisfaction. 4 refs.
Power spectral analysis of cosmic ray intensity recorded by neutron monitors at Calgary and Deep River, Alberta, was carried out over a wide range of frequencies from 3 {times} 10{sup {minus}9} Hz to 6 {times} 10{sup {minus}6} Hz during the epoch 1965-1989 and revealed different behavior of the power spectral density for the three ranges of frequency domains. At low frequencies corresponding to the periodicity T {approx} 20 months the power spectrum shows an abrupt change in the level and profile of power spectral density (PSD). This indicates that the processes responsible for the long period variations are different from the one which causes short-period variations. At middle frequencies corresponding to periodicities between 6 and 18 months, the PSD indicates that the periodicities are not stable and show a transient character over the entire epochy of analysis. The PSD for periods T {approx} 27 days indicates an 11 year ...
The present report concerns a research for the tritium and for the carbon 14 in lichens in a spirit of bio-indication: the first results appear in Daillant and al (2004 ) and additional results were presented to the congress B.I.O.M.A.P. in Slovenia, organized collectively by the institute Josef Stefan from Ljubljana and the international atomic energy agency from Vienna (Daillant and al 2003). (N.C.)
The thermal decrease of the order parameter can empirically be described by a single T{sup {epsilon}} power law with an exponent {epsilon} which depends on the dimensionality of the magnetic interactions and on whether the spin quantum number is integral or half-integral. We present experimental examples in which the order parameter shows a crossover between different T{sup {epsilon}} power laws as a function of temperature. This indicates that the magnetic interactions can change their dimensionality as a function of temperature. (orig.)
The project on the free electron laser (FEL) of continuous action of the IR-range with the average power of 100 kW for conducting photochemical studies is described. The electron energy recovery by means of a linear accelerator-recuperator (AR) is applied in the FEL. The FEL and AR basic parameters are presented. It is supposed that the above project will be accomplished in two stages: the first order FEL-AR stage and the full-scale FEL-AR one. The possibilities of applying these facilities are indicated
BackgroundOur previous studies indicate that either PEP-1-superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1) or PEP-1-catalase (CAT) fusion proteins protects myocardium from ischemia-reperfusion-induced...Full Text Available
The primary objectives of this study were to test two utility analysis models, the Cascio-Ramos Estimate of Performance in Dollars (CREPID) model and Godkewitsch financial utility analysis model and to determine their appropriateness as tools for evaluating training. This study was conducted in conjunction with Philadelphia Electric Company's Nuclear Training Group. Job performance of nuclear maintenance workers was assessed to document the impact of the training program. Assessment of job performance covered six job performance themes. Additionally, front-line nuclear maintenance supervisors were interviewed to determine their perceptions of the nuclear maintenance training. A comparison of supervisor's perceptions and outcomes of the utility analysis models was made to determine the appropriateness of utility analysis as quantitative tools for evaluating the nuclear maintenance training program. Application of the CREPID utility analysis model ...
The need is substantiated for using remote control of technological processes on blowout dangerous beds. A method is proposed for this control based on recording with the help of AGZ apparatus for gas release into the roadway. Distinguishing features are indicated for the change in methane concentration in the roadway with normal occurrence of the process and in the case of blowout of coal and gas.
Design considerations of a combined photovoltaic-thermal (PV-T) system for a particular site and application must include thermal and electrical tradeoffs. A simplified technique for determining preliminary design and economic analyses would minimize costly computer simulation and indicate feasibility. To that end, nomographs that size an array to meet a specific annual load and determine the subsequent cost savings have been developed, and are presented in this paper.
Synthesis of the azido substituted non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug 2-(2,6-dichloroanilino)phenylacetic acid and isotope labeling of this compound have been performed and are described. Initial evaluation of the binding ability and photoreactivity indicates that this compound has potential for photoaffinity labeling as well as enzyme selectivity studies. (author).
Refractive indices of some mixed compound semiconductors below the bandgap are presented on the basis of some fundamental parameters and the effect of lattice mismatch on the refractive index step is also studied. The results help to design a variety of opto-electronic devices for the use in optical fiber communication and heterostructure lasers. The calculated values agree well with available experimental values thus justifying the approach. (author).
An examination is made of the structure of the North Saremboyskiy oil field and productive lower Devonian deposits of well 15. Based on detailed lithological studies, as well as investigation of filtering-capacitance properties of rocks, the complex structure of the carbonate deposits and the dominant development of complex type collectors is indicated.
The Oligocene Kishenehn Formation of northwest Montana and southeast British Columbia consists of fluvial and lacustrine sediments (marlstones, lignites and oil shales) deposited in an elongate, intermontane half-graben. The petroleum source rock potential and steroidal hydrocarbon distribution of selected shales of the Kishenehn Formation were examined. Several steroidal hydrocarbon series were documented, including 4-desmethylsteranes, 4-methylsteranes, sterenes, diasterenes, spirosterenes, C-ring monoaromatic steroids and B-ring monoaromatic anthrasteroids. Non-steroid hydrocarbons present include hopenes, ..beta beta..-hopanes, moretanes, perylene, botryococcane, a series of alkylcyclohexanes, and a fused-ring aromatic tentatively identified as a tetrahydrochrysene. Source rock analysis indicates that the Kishenehn Formation possesses excellent petroleum source potential. Conventional thermal maturity parameters, as well as maturity parameters derived from ...
A survey was conducted of experience with steam generator tubes at nuclear power stations during 1976. Failures were reported at 25 out of 68 water-cooled reactors. The causes of these failures and the repair and inspection procedures designed to cope with them are summarized. Examination of the data indicates that corrosion was the major cause of steam generator tube failures. Improvements are needed in steam generator design, condenser integrity and secondary water chemistry control. (author).
The formation of #alpha#'-sialon using Li as a modifying cation was investigated. The effects of the Li content, firing temperatures and Si/Al ratios on #alpha#'- yield were studied. The results indicated that at lower sintering temperatures the stabilisation of #alpha#'-sialons was obtained but the high weight losses of Li at higher temperatures limited the stabilisation. Increased ''Al'' content in the compositions resulted in an increase in the stability of Li-#alpha#'-sialon at higher temperatures, by the formation of a liquid phase which retains Li in the system. (orig.).
Dwarf galaxies are generally faint. To derive their age and metallicity distributions, it is critical to optimize the use of any collected photon. Koleva et al., using full spectrum fitting, have found strong population gradients in some dwarf elliptical galaxies. Here, we show that the population profiles derived with this method are consistent and more precise than those obtained with spectrophotometric indices. This allows studying fainter objects in less telescope time.
Statistical data on individual types of foreign NPPs including reliability and safety indices are given. It is noted that capacity factors (CF) in 1985 were higher for PWRs. Japan has the highest CF-98.5% in the world. One of main causes of NPP shutdown remains the primary circuit equipment failure in connection with different corrosion types (intercrystalline, pitting, denting-corrosion etc.). Effect of all volatile treatment on enhancement of NPP reliabiity is shown. Technical BWR characteristics are presented.
The intensity of luminescence from the "2E state of Cr(bpy)_3"3"+ (bpy = 2, 2'-bipyridine) is lower in D_2O, although the "2E lifetime is unchanged, indicating that the "4T_2 (precursor to "2E) is sensitive to the isotopic nature of the solvent. A photophysical mechanism is proposed for Cr(NN)_3"3"+ complexes.
In a slurry explosive, the fine droplets of the aqueous phase are dispersed in a continuous oily phase which comprises a thin film surrounding each droplet, the latter being less than one micron in size. The authors present these commercial explosives in three different forms, indicate their explosive properties and discuss their advantages from the safety viewpoint. They also report on tests undertaken with slurry explosives in quarries possessing different types of rock and using deep vertical shotholes.
Computer simulations and experiments indicate that we can shape the infrared picosecond pulses of the Mark III FEL in amplitude, frequency, and phase. Strongly modulated fundamental and second harmonic pulses have been generated by operating the Mark III FEL in the regime of strong sideband growth. In this paper, we present the results of simulations and experiments for second harmonic generation with fundamental inputs from 2 to 3 {mu}m.
Excision repair in uv irradiated human fibroblasts has been examined in portions of DNA replicating after irradiation versus those remaining unreplicated. Two approaches, one using a uv-endonuclease to estimate pyrimidine dimers remaining in DNA, the other using density labeling to measure excision resynthesis, indicate that the extent of repair is the same for both replicated and unreplicated DNA.
A program was undertaken to radiation harden an existing power integrated circuit technology (BCDMOS) to total dose, gamma dot, SEU, and neutrons. Efforts have centered around hardening and optimizing our CMOS, DMOS, and NPN devices. Initial results indicate a substantial improvement in hardness over our existing commercial technology.
The radiation burden of the people of the GDR in relation to biomedical radiography altogether as well as organ doses, gonad doses and genetically significant doses in detail are outlined. The concepts of radiation protection and standards of radiographic examination are demonstrated. Possibilities of influencing radiation exposure by scientifically based indication of X-ray examination, application of new and improvement of usual examination techniques are discussed with regard to quality assurance and control. Proposals concerning the reduction of radiation exposure of the GDR population are presented.
The radiation dose to a series of adult and paediatric patients undergoing cardiac catheterisations and adults having percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty has been measured/determined directly using lithium fluoride thermoluminescent dosemeters and indirectly using an air ionisation chamber which indicated exposure-area product. Somatic and genetic risks are estimated from the dosimetry results. It is suggested that the magnitude of the radiation hazard is negligible compared with other clinical hazards associated with these procedures. (author).
Substantial changes in the radial distribution function of amorphous Si films have been observed in neutron-diffraction studies. The spectra indicate changes in short-range order associated with an approx.11% modification in the bond-angle distribution width. The results allow the first direct comparison of structural and vibrational Raman probes of variations in local order in thin-film amorphous solids. Good agreement is obtained between the measured bond-angle variation and that based on Raman estimates.
In this article, the authors recall the factors apt to influence image quality in NMR Imaging and present the european works that have been developed in MRIQA to set 5 quality assurance tests: EUROSPIN 1 to 5.
Radiation therapy has shown definite technical improvement due to application of proton beam irradiation. Clinical results of proton beam therapy also suggested enlargement of indication ranges in radial treatment and decrease of post radiation damages of the treatment of cancers in deep-seated organs. Inprovement of result in cancer therapy could be expected by this treatment technique in the future.
This paper reviews power fluidics technology in the nuclear industry giving emphasis also on its potential uses in chemical plants and in flood and irrigation control. This is a technology of controlling process fluids by purely hydrodynamic methods, which should increase system reliability by eliminating valves, pumps and other fluid control devices that are often causes of failure. This review indicates that the hydrodynamics of fluidic components are not satisfactorily understood at present and may be more complex than similar theory in electronics.
It is maintained that special features of FFTF make it an ideal system to test sodium boiling detection techniques by acoustic/neutronic methods and to test the response of acoustic/neutronic sensors to vibrations. It is shown that accumulated research results indicate that such tests in FFTF are feasible, predictable, promising and safe. (author).
Neuronal cell death induced by oxidative stress is correlated with numerous neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD), and stroke. The causes of sporadic forms of age-related neurodegenerative diseases are still unknown. Recently, a correlation between paraquat exposure and neurodegenerative diseases has been observed. Paraquat, a nonselective herbicide, was once widely used in North America and is still routinely used in Taiwan. We have used differentiated Human Neuroblastoma (SHSY-5Y) cells as an in vitro model to study the mechanism of cell death induced by paraquat. We observed that paraquat-induced oxidative stress in differentiated SHSY-5Y cells as indicated by an increase in the production of cellular reactive oxygen species (ROS). Furthermore, apoptosis was evident as indicated by cellular and nuclear morphology and DNA fragmentation. Interestingly, pretreatment of SHSY-5Y cells with ...
A self-organizing particle swarm is presented. It works in dissipative state by employing the small inertia weight, according to experimental analysis on a simplified model, which with fast convergence. Then by recognizing and replacing inactive particles according to the process deviation information of device parameters, the fluctuation is introduced so as to driving the irreversible evolution process with better fitness. The testing on benchmark functions and an application example for device optimization with designed fitness function indicates it improves the performance effectively.
For the first time a segmented n-type HPGe detector was operated directly submerged in liquid nitrogen over a long period. As this kind of detector is envisioned to be used in GERDA phase II, it was operated with a low mass signal cable with snap-contacts and mounted in a low-mass copper holder. The detector performance was stable over 146 days, indicating that neither detector nor contacts deteriorated.
By an example we show that Olaf Mueller's assertion about his new theorems being able to give anew some classical results previously obtained via applications of Nash--Moser type theorems is unfounded. We also give another example indicating that the premises in related new inverse function theorems may be too restrictive.
The basic design of a system installed in the Columbus, Ohio Zoo is described. The distribution system is described in detail. The control system is microprocessor controlled, with about 50 monitoring points. Preliminary evaluations have indicated that the system can operate with an overall coefficient of performance in excess of 3.5. 1 figure.
Orbital elements are derived from new spectroscopic and photometric observations. The masses and radii are inconsistent with evolutionary tracks for single stars, but neither star fills its Roche lobe. Analysis of the circumstellar Balmer emission lines indicates that the primary is surrounded by an extensive, highly flattened disk of nonuniform density. The velocity gradient in the disk is steeper than that expected from Keplerian motion.
Measurements of the two-body recombination of spin-polarized atomic hydrogen in a magnetic field of 40 kG have been extended to temperatures above 0.5/sup 0/K. The rate constant for the formation of parahydrogen shows an unexpected increase with temperature, which is explained by inverse predissociation into the v = 14,J = 4 level of H/sub 2/. Data indicate the level is bound by 0.7 +- 0.1/sup 0/K.
In this paper the possibility of configuring a water cooled Nuclear Thermal Propulsion (NTP) rocket, based on a Particle Bed Reactor (PBR) is investigated. This rocket will be used to operate on water obtained from near earth objects. The conclusions reached in this paper indicate that it is possible to configure a PBR based NTP rocket to operate on water and meet the mission requirements envisioned for it. No insurmountable technology issues have been identified.
The multiplanar neurosonographic examination of the fetus enables superb visualization of brain anatomy during pregnancy. The examination may be performed using a transvaginal or a transfundal approach and it is indicated in patients at high risk for CNS anomalies or in those with a suspicious finding during a routine examination. The purpose of this paper is to present a description of the normal brain and of abnormal findings usually diagnosed late in pregnancy, including malformations of cortical development, infratentorial anomalies, and prenatal insults.
Non-destructive methods for measuring the remaining anticorrosive or antioxidative ability of coatings are investigated. For anticorrosive chromium coatings the increasing ferromagnetism caused by loss of chromium is measured by a permeability probe. Measured values on blades after operation are correlated with the progress of corrosion as determined by metallographic methods. For antioxidative aluminum coatings the diminishing layer thickness is taken as indication for the exhaustion of their protection ability. The layer thickness is measured eddy current probes, especially developed for this application.
Through a comprehensive and aggressive research program Consolidated Edison Company of New York, Inc. (Con Edison) has designed, developed, and installed several new products to address the environmental impact of dielectric fluid from pipe-type cable systems. These include: On Line Leak Detection, Leak Location, Retractable Flow Direction Indicator, Full Stop Joints, and Transition Joints. This paper describes the application of the aforementioned products on the Con Edison underground transmission system.
... This is true because a shorter residence time means that ground water moves 'faster.' Thus, contamination will get to the drinking well from the recharge area (point of entry) faster if the ground water is younger. However, it has been difficult to measure the exact age of young ground water. The conventional indicator has been tritium, a radioactive form of hydrogen, but its ...
This report describes our initial attempts at the molecular characterization of a maize controlling element. We have prepared a cDNA probe and used it to detect changes at a locus where Ds elements are found. Evidence of their presence are indicated by changes in the restriction patterns, but there is as yet no information on the physical nature of the controlling elements nor on the kinds of rearrangements they cause.
Structural studies of Ni/Cu multilayers grown by electro-deposition technique under different electro-chemical conditions have been carried out using specular and off-specular neutron reflectometry techniques at room temperature. The specular reflectivity measurements give values of layer thickness, density and interface roughness for these two films. The Off-specular reflectivity measurements indicate different interface morphology of the two films.
Today, highly frequent radio waves are regarded as undangerous to man. Diseases seen at radar-technicians during the 2nd World War, however, indicated that microwaves applied in radar systems were hazardous to health. The Russian work medicine has been knowing microwave-caused hazards in industry since the beginning of the thirties. Therefore in some East-European countries there are terms of protection and severe norms of safety for the staying of persons in the radiation sphere of microwaves.
The catalytic performance of alkaline-treated zeolite H-ZSM-5 in the conversion of methanol to gasoline has been studied. After treatment with 0.20M NaOH, the total conversion capacity increased by a factor of 3.3, and the selectivity towards the gasoline fraction increased by a factor of 1.7. Physical characterization indicated the formation of mesopores and improved crystallinity.
Exploding bridgewire (EBW) initiation of high explosives (HE) has been used for many years without a clear understanding of the mechanisms involved. Evidence indicates that the shock pressures produced by the EBW may be insufficient for direct initiation and that the electric field about the wire at the time of burst ionizes the surface of the HE. We hypothesize that the ionization pre-sensitizes the HE so that a weak shock can then initiate a detonation wave. 13 refs., 7 figs.
This paper presents the experimental measurements of the transmittivity of commercial grade stearic acid. The effects of temperature and thickness on transmittance have been studied. The study indicates that the effect of temperature on the transmittance of stearic acid in the liquid phase is not significant. However, it is highly dependent on temperature during the solidification process. Because of its low thermal conductivity and high transmittivity, it can be used as a transparent insulating material. (Author)
The special features of prostaglandin biochemistry, of importance for investigation of the possible physiological roles of prostaglandins, are briefly reviewed. The formation of prostaglandins and related compounds from endogenous and exogenous arachidonic acid in homogenates of human gastric mucosal and muscle-serosal layers is described. These preliminary data seem to indicate that a low conversion of exogenous precursor does not necessarily mean that the capacity of the tissue to synthesize prostaglandins from endogenous precursor is low.
This project is designed to establish one basis for empirically linking aspects of management and organizational design to the safe operation of nuclear power plants. Current work is focusing on (a) reviewing existing literature relevant to this linkage, and (b) isolating and incorporating numerous safety relevant indicators. Later stages of this project will involve hypothesis development, data collection and analysis.
The magnetic excitations of the Kondo compound CePd_2Si_2 below its Neel temperature (T_N = 10 K) have been studied by inelastic neutron scattering. At T = 1.6 K the data are best represented by two dispersive inelastic modes. Their linewidth (#propor to# 0.5 meV) indicates substantial broadening, which is ascribed to Kondo-type local fluctuations. (orig.).
The paper shortly recapitulates the background to and the importance of the principle of channeling of liability to the operator, contained in the international Conventions in the field of nuclear liability. It tries to outline the main problems involved in the process of backfitting in some more detail and to describe part of the work that has been done in Sweden and elsewhere to try to solve them. Finally, the paper contains some concluding remarks indicating that no entirely satisfactory solution to the problem is presently at hand. (orig./HP)
Previous DNA relatedness and enzyme electrophoretic mobility studies indicated heterogeneity among strains of Legionella pneumophila serogroups 1, 4, 5, and Lansing 3 (a new, as yet unnumbered serogroup)....Full Text Available
ABSTRACT Extending the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT) model, this study postulates a model of online social support. The model is empirically tested using data from undergraduates in Taiwan regarding their usage of instant messaging (IM). The test results indicate that all model paths are significant, except that the path between online social support and facilitating conditions is insignificant. This study offers limitations and implications.
Wetlands can potentially sequester vast amounts of carbon. However, over 50% of wetlands globally have been degraded or lost. Restoration of wetland systems may therefore result in increased sequestration of carbon. Preliminary results of our investigations into atmospheric carbon sequestration by restored coastal wetlands indicate that carbon can be sequestered in substantial quantities in the first 2-50 years after restoration of natural hydrology and sediment accretion processes.
Central limit theorem estimates of anomalous fractal dimensions of self-similar random cascades are studied. It is found that, in general, the normal approximation fails badly. A systematic series of approximations which converges to the exact result (both for the fractal dimensions and for the distribution itself) is derived for the {alpha}-model. Consequences for the 'empty bin effect' are indicated. (orig.).
The neutron data required to completely analyze fission reactors includes many isotopes and covers a broad energy range. In both fast and thermal reactors, the neutron inventory is a fine balance determined by the fission properties of "2"3"5U, "2"3"9Pu and "2"3"8U and by the capture cross sections of "2"3"8U, fuel materials, structural materials and coolant materials. In fast reactors, the spectrum of neutrons ranges from 1 keV to 3 MeV and is influenced by the elastic and inelastic scattering properties of "2"3"8U and the structural and coolant materials. For neutron shielding applications, the important neutron data include the total cross sections of structural and coolant materials in the MeV range. The impact of these basic nuclear data in fission reactor applications is most suitably described by sensitivity analysis. For example, sensitivity coefficients computed for a typical large plutonium fueled fast reactor indicate that a percent increase in the ...
Neuroepithelial cysts are rare and mostly asymptomatic cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)-like cysts. We describe herein the imaging findings in five patients with neuroepithelial cysts. Two cases of proven and three of presumed neuroepithelial cysts are presented. Three of five are located in the thalamus, a location which is not characteristic for neuroepithelial cysts. In the case of incidental finding of asymptomatic neuroepithelial cyst, clinical and radiological follow-up is indicated and surgical intervention is not necessarily warranted. (orig.) With 5 figs., 6 refs.
Hydrology and hydrogeochemical are auxiliary techniques to valid conceptual hydrogeology an recharge models. Stable isotopes from water trace sources and path flow and Tritium indicates age. This paper is about the use of D 18, D2H y 3H to study the aquifer system on Bajo Cauca antioqueno.
Biomedical science researchers often express frustration that health physics practices vary widely between individual institutions. A survey examining both internal and external dose assessment practices was devised and mailed to fifty institutions supporting biomedical science research. The results indicate that health physics dose assessment practices and policies are highly variable. Factors which may contribute to the degree of variation are discussed. 2 tabs.
Among the billions of planetary systems that fill the Universe, we would like to know how ours fits in. Exoplanet data can already be used to address the question: How common are Jupiters? Here we discuss a simple analysis of recent exoplanet data indicating that Jupiter is a typical massive planet rather than an outlier. A more difficult question to address is: How common are Earths? However, much indirect evidence suggests that wet rocky planets are common.
In this third, and concluding, article of the series the emission limits set by the US Clean Air Act and its amendements are set out. A number of flue gas desulfurization processes that have been developed for the utility and industrial markets are evaluated. Annual operating costs are indicated.
The present study investigated sex differences and the effect of a high level of estradiol in the female meadow vole on performance in the forced swim test (FST) and the Morris water maze in meadow voles. Female meadow voles were ovariectomized (OVX) and administered either vehicle (sesame oil) or estradiol for 2 days prior to performing the FST. Four days following the FST, all animals were run in the Morris water maze. Results indicated that estradiol-injected female meadow voles showed more 'depressive-like' behaviors in the FST (greater time spent immobile and less time spent swimming) than vehicle-treated female or male meadow voles. In addition, estradiol-treated females had impaired performance (greater latencies and distance swam to reach the hidden platform) than both vehicle-treated female and male meadow voles, consistent with previous data. Despite the fact that estradiol administration increased 'depressive-like' behaviors in the FST and impaired ...
The glacial deposits of the West Tensleep Basin in the Bighorn Mountains of Wyoming are mapped and a relative chromology established. The deposits are correlated with the regional model as defined in the Wind River Mountains. A statistical analysis is performed on the density and weathering characteristics of the surficial boulders to determine their validity as indicators of relative age. (ACR)
SiO{sub 2}, TiO{sub 2} and AlO(OH) powders obtained by the sol-gel method were investigated by transmission electron microscopy. The mass-radius relation was used to determine the fractal dimensions from the images. These fractal dimensions were corrected in order to obtain the powder fractal dimensions. The results indicate a good fractal behavior and high fractal dimensions.
The formation of astatide-mercury complexes was investigated in aqueous solutions.The obtained complexes were examined by paper electrophoresis. It was found that Hg(OH)At and Hg(OH)I complexes were formed in neutral solution. The stability constants of the obtained complexes were determined by ion-exchange. The preliminary results indicate that the complex of mercury with astatide is much more stable than similar complexes with iodide. (author)
Nature-inspired algorithms are among the most powerful algorithms for optimization. This paper intends to provide a detailed description of a new Firefly Algorithm (FA) for multimodal optimization applications. We will compare the proposed firefly algorithm with other metaheuristic algorithms such as particle swarm optimization (PSO). Simulations and results indicate that the proposed firefly algorithm is superior to existing metaheuristic algorithms. Finally we will discuss its applications and implications for further research.
This publication presents 5 years (1990--94) of summary financial data and current year detailed financial data on the major publicly owned electric utilities. Generator and nongenerator summaries are presented. Composite tables present: Aggregates of income statement and balance sheet data, financial indicators, electric operation and maintenance expenses, electric utility plant, number of consumers, sales of electricity, and operating revenue, and electric energy account data.
PlGF, one of the ligands for VEGFR-1, has been implicated in tumor angiogenesis. However, more recent studies indicate that genetic or pharmacological inhibition of PlGF signaling does not result in...Full Text Available
The tritium in transpired water of plant leaves from four locations within site area (2=0.92) with that of measured values indicating that at Tarapur, the contribution to TFWT of plant is only from air activity and pick up through soil route is negligible during the period of study. (author)
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.
Results are presented of an empirical analysis of the global thermodynamical requirements of the winds in the outer atmospheres of a representative sample of red giant stars of low- and intermediate-mass range. Results indicate that the mass-loss rates in these stars are not strongly dependent on the actual physical processes driving the winds. It is suggested that nonlinear processes act to regulate wind energy fluxes. Possible mechanisms responsible for the chromospheric heating and the mass loss in the low- and intermediate-mass giant stars are discussed. 151 refs.
Severe collapse wrinkles and circumferential creases were discovered in the cellulose paper insulating tapes of a newly installed IIPFF pipe-type cable during splicing and terminating. An evaluation program was developed to assess the electrical and mechanical integrity of the cable having wrinkled and creased insulating tapes. The test results indicated that the cable would perform satisfactorily in service.
The theory of reliability is used to develop statistical field data on malfunctions of units of sucker rod well pumps (UShSN). The indices of reliability of the UShSN are applied for establishment of the cause-effect links between the operating factors. Dependences of operating time on the depth of suspension of the pumps, mode of pumping out, degree of flooding of the oil, and twisting of the shafts are established for conditions of specific fields. The obtained relationships can be used in selecting and optimizing the work of the UShSN.
Conventional, recirculating, and intermittent type peanut dryers were compared in a three-year study. Comparisons indicate that partial recirculation of peanut drying air may reduce energy consumption per unit of water removed by approximately 25% while also reducing required drying time and maintaining high quality.
This paper illustrates how the techniques developed by the authors for capital cost targeting of mass exchange networks can be applied to determination of capital investment targets for reduction in effluent for existing systems involving mass exchange. The results is an impact diagram which shows the relationship between effluent reduction and capital investment, indicating a region of limiting return on investment as well as the maximum possible reduction in effluent. (au)
Results are presented from analyzing indicators for efficient operation of the fleet of production equipment under conditions of the ''Tsentral'naya'' mine of the production association ''Krasnoarmeyskugol'.'' Measures are presented which make it possible to increase the operating efficiency with minimum adjusted outlays.
Spontaneous and ultraviolet-induced changeabilities of wine yeasts from the killer state to sensitive one have been studied. Observed often spontaneous changes of killer and neutral phenotypes under laboratory store conditions as well as high mutation frequency of genetic elements responsible for the killer indication on ultraviolet irradiation testify that often encounterability in nature and in the production of sensitive yeasts is attributed to high frequency of mutation changes of the killer and neutral phenotypes to the sensitive state.
We have employed both 31P nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and two intracellular fluorescent pH indicator dyes to monitor the pH of the vacuole and cytoplasm of suspension-cultured...Full Text Available
Uranyl nitrate ("2"3"3U) was retained mainly in lung, skeleton, pelt and kidney 60 days after inhalation exposure. The concentration in lung exceeded that in other tissues. Preliminary results with "2"3"2U indicate retention in lung similar to that of "2"3"3U, at total deposited mass levels of 0.1 #mu#g or less.
Interaction of drilling fluids with a geothermal reservoir formation can result in significant permeability impairment and therefore reduced well productivity. This interaction is studied under simulated in situ geothermal conditions of overburden stress, pore fluid pressure, temperature, and pore fluid chemistry. Permeability impairment of an East Mesa KGRA reservoir material is evaluated as a function of stagnation time, drilling fluid, and temperature. Results indicate that all of these parameters contribute significantly to the magnitude and the reversibility of the impairment.
A number of alloys of zirconium have been investigated as part of a program aimed at improving the high-temperature tensile and creep strength of zirconium. These alloys include aluminum, beryllium, lead, magnesium, molybdenum, niobium, tantalum, tin, titanium, tungsten, vanadium, and zinc, binary and ternary alloys. The data indicate that aluminum, lead, molybdenum niobium, tin, titanium, tungsten, and vanadium can be used successfully to harden zirconium, and that aluminum, tin, titanium, and vanadium are particularly effective in maintaining the strength of zirconium at elevated temperatures.
The question about expanding the boundaries of the open pit mining method is examined. The use of methods which consider the advantages of open and underground mining operations with their joint use in horizontal and evenly dipping deposits will make it possible to objectively select the mining method, to expand the range of use of open pit mining operations in the deposits of the Far North and provide an improvement in the technical and economic indicators of mineral extraction.
A portable fiber optic detector that senses the presence of specific target chemicals by electrostatically attracting the target chemical to an aromatic compound coating on an optical fiber. Attaching the target chemical to the coated fiber reduces the fluorescence so that a photon sensing detector records the reduced light level and activates an appropriate alarm or indicator.
Amyloid-β (Aβ) deposits have been identified as key players in the progression of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Recent evidence indicates that the deposits probably precede...Full Text Available
According to the practice operation experience of the outdoors electrical equipment in Guangdong Daya Bay Nuclear Power Station, following to the engineering technical standard applied in China, by analysis and assessment of pollution classes, it is considered that the class four is reasonable. And indicated the voltage distance should be more than 3.5 cm/kV. Some improvements had been executed and effects are good. And further suggest some improving comments
This study examines the extent of radioactive pollution of moss cover of forest communities of the Kamenskii district of the Sverdlovsk region. This area contains the periphery section of the Eastern-Ural Radioactive Trace, formed as a result of the Kyshtymskii accident. Mosses do not release radionuclides for a long time, making them a biological indicator of radioactive environmental pollution and making them useful for radioecological monitoring. 14 refs., 2 figs., 1 tab.
Compton scatter tomography utilizes the electronic collimation characteristics available through the Compton scattering angle-energy correlation to obtain tomographic images. In this work we present particular aspects of the technique, which are relevant to the inverse radiation transport problem of reducing marginal projection data to radial two-phase flow regime maps. The results indicate a viable technique for the tomographic imaging of tow-phase flow using practical source strengths and reasonably few detectors.
The performance of the leukocyte test area of the new multiple urine test strip, Multistix-10-SG, was evaluated in both field trials and model experiments. The detection limit was found to be adequate for routine purposes. Unspecific reactions are rare and generally indicated by the results of the other test areas. PMID:3572312
The state of chromatin during the cell cycle was examined using synchronized cultures of CHO hamster cells. Results support Mazia's dynamic chromosome cycle model and indicate that DNA-interactive chemotherapeutic agents elicit different types of kinetic responses in treated cells, suggesting a degree of specificity of interaction between various alkylating and intercalating agents and the genome. Effects of sarkosyl crystals, heparin, and chemotherapeutic agents, neocarzinostatin and adriamycin, on chromation are discussed. (HLW)
Independent calculations of the antiproton-to-proton ratio by Gaisser and Maurer and by Badhwar et al. have produced conflicting results which obscure the interpretation of recent measurements of cosmic ray antiprotons. A detailed reexamination of these calculations has been performed and these differences have been resolved. We find that the first calculation was essentially correct and the reported fluxes of antiprotons are significantly higher than expected for secondary antiprotons in conventional models of cosmic ray propagation, as indicated by other recent calculations.
The CT colonography or virtual coloscopy is a new diagnostic method that allows the presentation of the whole colon using minimal invasive procedures. The method allows the detection of colorectal polyps and colorectal carcinomas. The book includes the following chapters: indications for CT colonography, diagnostic procedures, data processing and interpretation, diagnostic findings, preparation of the diagnostic result description and documentation, screening.
Dialdehyde cellulose (DAC) was prepared by periodate oxidation of various cellulosic materials in the form of sutures and bandages. The suitability of using DAC for making bioabsorbable sutures and antimicrobial wound dressing bandages was studied. The investigations indicated that DAC combines the requisite mechanical strength with an inherent antimicrobial nature. It was found that the oxidation of cellulose to yield DAC also rendered it bioabsorbable. The DAC was coated with different concentrations of urea formaldehyde in order to improve the mechanical properties for making sutures. PMID:3719037
The investigations were conducted at the Center of Biotechnology and Molecular Diagnostics of the All-Russian Animal Husbandry Research Institute, where a number of valuable transgenic animals (rabbits, sheep, and pigs) have been produced over the course of 20 years. The article presents the blood indices of control and transgenic rabbits with an integrated insulin gene.
Efforts during the past year by the US Department of Energy and the Electric Power Research Institute-funded laboratories to investigate the biological effects from electric fields are described in resume form. Investigations generally have been summarized with objectives, accomplishments of the past year, and some indication of projected studies.
DescriptionThe objective of this project is to relate the processing quality of wheat to the composition of the developing and mature grain using material grown under a range of nutrient regimes including long term organic and fertilised systems from the Rothamsted Broadbalk experiment, variety trials and organically grown wheat. Preliminary studies have indicated substantial differences in the transcriptome profiles of wheat grown with artificial fertiliser and with organic fertiliser on Broadbalk and tru [continued...
Dynamic stability improvement of a longitudinal power system using a power system stabilizer (PSS) and a static VAR compensator (SVC) is reported in this paper. An analytical approach is developed for the determination of PSS parameters. Results from time domain simulations indicate that the PSS and the SVC are very effective in damping system oscillations.
Resistive analogous meters for spatial and time characteristics in ocean agitation are most often used in practical oceanography in coastal zones but are based on bridge circuits determined to have shortcomings in their linearity range. This shortcoming is eliminated in the circuit of an instrument developed in an oceanographic laboratory (IMIO, Vana). Principle and block circuits are indicated, and static calibration curves are presented as are the correlative functions in the frequency spectrums obtained with the help of sea agitation recorded at a fixed point and at a depth of 6 meters.
As a result of evidence of the ecotoxicity of nitrofurans, the acute toxicity of furazolidone was tested in vivo on two aquatic organisms, Artemia salina and Daphnia magna, which are both crustaceans. Toxicity studies were also performed on larvae of Culex pipiens molestus. Results indicated a significant toxicity of the compound on Culex pipiens and Daphnia magna, while Artemia salina proved to be the least sensitive.
Ways of improving the water chemistry used in the turbine generator stator?s cooling systems at Russian nuclear power plants are considered. Data obtained from operational chemical monitoring of indicators characterizing the quality of cooling water in the turbine generator stator cooling systems of operating power units at nuclear power plants are presented.
We identify emission lines of post-iron peak elements in very high signal-to-noise spectra of a sample of planetary nebulae. Analysis of lines from ions of Kr and Xe reveals enhancements in most of the PNe, in agreement with the theories of s-process in AGB star. Surprisingly, we did not detect lines from Br even though s-process calculations indicate that it should be produced with Kr at detectable levels.
Test results show that adding adipic acid to the limestone slurry significantly improved the SO sub 2 removal efficiency of the FGD system. Limited baseline data on operations with limestone only indicated a performance level of 55% SO sub 2 removal. Adding about 2200 ppM of adip...
A post-irradiation annealing study was conducted with use of reactor pressure vessel(RPV) steel A533B C1.1 base metal irradiated to a dose of 4.84x10"1"8 n/cm"2 at about 380 deg C. Microhardness and positron annihilation (PA) methods were used to obtain better understanding of the recovery of radiation hardening. Isochronal anneal experiments indicated that two recovery processes occur during annealing of irradiated specimens. The first recovery process occurs in the temperature of 280-305 deg C. The variations of Ip, Iw and R parameters indicated that the formation of vacancy clusters by vacancy aggromeration and the annihilation parameters measured indicated that the dissolution of carbon atoms decorated around vacancy-type defects and possible precipitates, and the annihilation of monovacancies give rise to the second recovery process. It was further indicated that radiation anneal hardening (RAH) in ...
The paper investigates the controversial relation between the continuum luminosity and the C IV 1550 emission-line strength in the spectra of quasars, commonly referred to as the Baldwin effect, as a possible indicator of absolute luminosity. It is concluded that the Baldwin effect does represent a physical correlation between the continuum and the C IV 1550 equivalent width rather than a consequence of selection effects. In addition to the C IV results, a similar relation is found for the Lyman-alpha emission line. 38 refs.
Observed 7-eV satellites in the XPS spectra of UGa_2 and other B-group compounds are shown to be due to two-hole final states as confirmed by existing Auger data. The presence of these satellites is an indication for a weak fd hybridization and, when compared to uranium--transition-metal compounds, increased 5f localization.
Recent studies indicate that [Fe]-hydrogenases and H{sub 2} metabolism are widely distributed among green algae. The enzymes are simple structured and catalyze H{sub 2} evolution with similar rates than the more complex [Fe]-hydrogenases from bacteria. Different green algal species developed diverse strategies to survive under sulfur deprivation. Chlamydomonas reinhardtii evolves large quantities of hydrogen gas in the absence of sulfur. In a sealed culture of C. reinhardtii, the photosynthetic O{sub 2} evolution rate drops below the rate of respiratory O{sub 2} consumption due to a reversible inhibition of photosystem II, thus leading to an intracellular anaerobiosis. The algal cells survive under these anaerobic conditions by switching their metabolism to a kind of photo-fermentation. Although possessing a functional [Fe]-hydrogenase gene, the cells of Scenedesmus obliquus produce no significant amounts of H{sub 2} under S-depleted conditions. Biochemical ...
It is widely accepted that the prompt transient signal in the 10 keV - 10 GeV band from gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) arises from multiple shocks internal to the ultra-relativistic expansion. The detailed understanding of the dissipation and accompanying acceleration at these shocks is a currently topical subject. This paper explores the relationship between GRB prompt emission spectra and the electron (or ion) acceleration properties at the relativistic shocks that pertain to GRB models. The focus is on the array of possible high-energy power-law indices in accelerated populations, highlighting how spectra above 1 MeV can probe the field obliquity in GRB internal shocks, and the character of hydromagnetic turbulence in their environs. It is emphasized that diffusive shock acceleration theory generates no canonical spectrum at relativistic MHD discontinuities. This diversity is commensurate with the significant range of spectral indices discerned in ...
Ammonia borane (AB) and sodium borohydride (SBH) are candidate materials for on-board hydrogen storage that can be dehydrogenated upon demand. The rheological properties of the dehydrogenated by-products are important to quantify their removal and transportability from the hydrogen storage system. This paper presents visco-elastic property (elastic stiffness and viscous damping) measurements of the spent fuels obtained from AB hydrolysis, hydrothermolysis and thermolysis; and SBH hydrolysis. Smaller stiffness and larger mobility (or smaller viscous damping) indicate better transportability of the spent fuel. In addition, flow property (dynamic angle of repose and avalanching time) measurements for the hydrolysis spent fuels of AB and SBH are also presented. Comparing with the SBH hydrolysis spent fuel, the AB hydrolysis spent fuel had a lower stiffness and larger mobility, as well as lower angles of dynamic repose and avalanche power peaks, ...
Essential to today's modern refineries and the gasoline production process are fluidized catalytic cracking units. By using a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) code developed at Argonne National Laboratory to simulate the riser, parametric and sensitivity studies were performed to determine the effect of catalyst inlet conditions on the riser hydrodynamics and on the product yields. Simulations were created on the basis of a general riser configuration and operating conditions. The results of this work are indications of riser operating conditions that will maximize specific product yields. The CFD code is a three-dimensional, multiphase, turbulent, reacting flow code with phenomenological models for particle-solid interactions, droplet evaporation, and chemical kinetics. The code has been validated against pressure, particle loading, and product yield measurements. After validation of the code, parametric studies were performed on various parameters such ...
Samples from 314 broiler chickens at 2 months age were analyzed for blood serum level of lysozyme and 311 of them were analyzed also for activity of alternative path-way of complement activity (APCA). Chickens were hatched from eggs, irradiated immediately before incubation with different doses of gamma-rays using Rocus M device - group 1 - control (non irradiated), and groups 2, 3 and 4 - irradiated with doses of 0.15, 0.30 and 0.60 Gy, respectively. Lysozyme concentration was highest for the control group, and for the experimental ones it was lower (p<0.001) which is an indication of the strongly negative effect of gamma-rays on this indicator. For APCA the oppsite relationship was observed - increasing of its activity with increasing of irradiation dose (from p<0.05 to p<0.001) which gave reason to suggest that this phenomenon is due to the irradiation. 12 refs., 2 tabs. (author).
The level of assimilation of dietary iron is believed to have an important influence on iron status. To examine the effect of enhancing the availability of dietary iron on iron balance, 17 adult volunteer subjects were given 2 g of ascorbic acid daily with meals for 16 weeks. Serum ferritin levels before and after the study averaged 46 and 43 micrograms/L, respectively, indicating a negligible effect on iron stores. When vitamin C supplementation was continued for an additional 20 months in five iron-replete and four iron-deficient subjects, serum ferritin determinations again failed to indicate any significant effect of the vitamin C on iron reserves. These findings were not explained by intestinal adaptation to the enhancing effect of the vitamin, because radioisotopic measurements of nonheme iron absorption showed no reduction in the enhancing effect of 1 g of ascorbic acid after four months of megadoses of vitamin C. It is concluded that ...
This Statistical Report presents results from the physical Swedish Environmental and Economic Accounts for the years 1993 and 1995 according to the classification NACE. The Environmental Economic Accounts constitute an integrated and comprehensive system for environmental and economic statistics. Environmental data are systematically presented together with economic data in a common framework. The system can be used for analyses of various relationships between economy and environment. Data on emissions to air of carbon dioxide, sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, methane, nitrous oxide and ammonia are presented for 39 industries, government services and private consumption. The use of energy commodities in monetary and physical terms are also presented for the same sectors. Economic, energy and emission data are also presented in environmental and economic profiles and indicators. Environmental and economic profiles provide an illustration of the ...
In this study, free electron laser (FEL) with selective wavelength was used to induce structure changes of biomolecules, which were characterized by FTIR spectroscopy. For understanding of the interactions between FEL and biomolecules as well as biological tissues, the biomolecules investigated are ATP, ADP, AMP, t-RNA, D-ribose and the complex of SmCl_3-D-ribose. Their FTIR spectra before and after irradiation of FEL show molecular structure variations of the samples after irradiation of FEL, especially the rearrangement of their hydrogen bond networks. Along with the various irradiation wavelengths, irradiation time and molecular structures, the changes after irradiation are different for these molecules. In the FTIR spectra after irradiation, the phenomenon that the bands split into several peaks indicates the existence of several structures, conformations and configurations, which may be prompted by multiple photons process induced by FEL. After irradiation, ...
Whereas supersaturated aluminum alloys demonstrate enhanced passivity, conventional aluminum alloys spontaneously pit in air-saturated chloride solutions. We have concentrated on three areas: evaluation and characterization of Al-W alloys, which exhibit the best corrosion performance of any alloy system studied to date; characterization of the passive-film structure of Al-Mo alloys; and production and characterization of Al-W and Al-Ta powders, which will be used for compaction into bulk material. Surface analysis of the Al-W passive films formed during polarization show surprising little oxidized solute compared to other alloys. These results indicate that the barrier layer formation and electrostatic repulsion mechanisms used to explain the passivity of other alloys are not involved here. Instead the W may act to stabilize the passive film structure in a way similar to the way molybdenum acts in Al-Mo alloys. That is oxidized molybdenum reduces the concentration ...
Concentrations of total arsenic (As) and individual compounds were determined in green and hawksbill turtles from Ishigaki Island, Japan. In both species, total As concentrations were highest in muscle among the tissues. Arsenobetaine was a major compound in most tissues of both turtles. High concentrations of trimethylarsine oxide were detected in hawksbill turtles. A significant negative correlation between standard carapace length (SCL), an indicator of age, and total As levels in green turtles was found. In contrast, the levels increased with SCL of hawksbill turtles. Shifts in feeding habitats with growth may account for such a growth-dependent accumulation of As. Although concentrations of As in marine sponges, the major food of hawksbill turtles are not high compared to those in algae eaten by green turtles, As concentrations in hawksbill turtles were higher than those in green turtles, indicating that hawksbill turtles may have a ...
Sodium nitrate waste has been successfully solidified in two types of polymeric materials: polyethylene, a thermoplastic material, and polyester styrene (PES), a thermosetting material. Waste form property evaluation tests such as ANS 16.1 leaching test and compressive strength measurements were performed on the waste forms containing various amounts of sodium nitrate. A single-screw extruder was employed for incorporating dry waste into polyethylene at its melt temperature of 120/sup 0/C to produce a homogenous mixture. Results of the leaching test for polyethylene waste forms containing 30, 50, 60 and 70 wt% sodium nitrate are presented as cumulative fraction leached and leaching indices ranging from 11 to 7.8. Two PES systems are discussed. The first is for solidification of dry salt wastes and the second is a water extendible system that is compatible with wet waste streams. Leaching data for PES and water extendible PES waste forms containing 30 wt% sodium ...
This study explored adolescents' sexual self-disclosure in real life and cyberspace, as well as gender differences of sexual self-disclosure in cyberspace. There were 115 male and 92 female adolescents who participated in this pretest and posttest survey. In general, the depth of sexual self-disclosure in real life was greater than in cyberspace, but the breadth of sexual selfdisclosure in both real life and cyberspace was equivalent. The cross-lagged panel analysis indicated that adolescents who were willing to self-disclose sexual topics in real life also selfdisclosed them more in cyberspace, and vice versa. Furthermore, sexual self-disclosure in both disclosing environments was mutually predicted by each other. The findings also indicated that cyberspace might not be a substitute channel of compensatory gratification for sexual self-disclosure in real life. As for gender differences, the breadth and depth of sexual self-disclosure in male ...
The possible surface enrichment of chromium and molybdenum during dissolution of Fe18Cr (110) and Fe18Cr3Mo (110) alloys at constant potentials in the passive region is elucidated by taking into account quantitative information on partial dissolution rates of alloy components as measured by #gamma#-spectrometry and on chemical composition of passivating films as measured by ESCA and AES. When combining results from all methods it is found that chromium under all conditions is enriched in the passivating films. An accumulation of chromium in the alloy is also indicated. For molybdenum, an enrichment in the passive film is observed at -0.2 V (SCE), whereas in the potential interval 0.1 - 0.9 V, the molybdenum enrichment as determined by ESCA and AES is hardly significant. On the other hand, #gamma#-spectrometry gives a clear indication of molybdenum enrichment in both potential. (author).
Pulmonary clearance of an aerosol of "9"9Tc"m DTPA was measured in 21 non-smoking AIDS and pneumocystosis patients. The results were compared with those of pulmonary scintiscanning with gallium. All the patients exhibited increased clearance, evidence of a considerable alteration in alveolar permeability. This increase was also observed in patients with normal chest X-rays and normal blood gases. The average clearance in these patients was 6 #+-# 2% min"-"1 as compared with a normal 1.1 #+-# 0.3% min"-"1. Conversely, only four out of eight patients with normal chest X-rays had abnormal gallium scans. Clearance returned to normal after recovery. Measurement of DTPA clearance appears to be a very sensitive indicator for the detection and follow-up of pneumocystosis. However, it is not very specific since it can be increased by tobacco poisoning, drug abuse and the presence of lymphocytic alveolitis. An examination with normal findings can therefore exclude the ...
We studied regional myocardial perfusion by scintigraphic computer-assisted analysis of initial distribution, washout rates, and residual activity of "1"3"3Xe injected into the left coronary artery of four patients with normal arteriograms and 14 patients with coronary stenosis. At rest, residual activity in poststenotic regions was always greater than in control regions, but initial washout rates were not slower. During angina, following xenon injections, the amount of indicator distributed to the poststenotic regions was markedly reduced; the increase of the initial washout rates was smaller than in control regions relative to rest, and residual activity was higher. Initial washout rates did not differ as much as from those of normal myocardium because in severe ischemia too little indicator is deposited initially in these regions to produce a change of any magnitude. Indeed, when angina was induced immediately after the xenon injection, ...
New rare earth oxide emitters show greater efficiency than previous emitters. As a result, based on a simple model the efficiency of these emitters was calculated. Results indicate that the emission band of the selective emitter must be at relatively low energy (less than or equal to .52 eV) to obtain maximum efficiency at moderate emitter temperatures (less than or equal to 1500 K). Thus low bandgap energy PV materials are required to obtain an efficient thermophotovoltaic (TPV) system. Of the 4 specific rare earths (Nd, Ho, Er, Yb) studied Ho has the largest efficiency at moderate temperatures (72 percent at 1500 K). A comparison was made between a selective emitter TPV system and a TPV system that uses a thermal emitter plus a band pass filter to make the thermal emitter behave like a selective emitter. Results of the comparison indicate that only for very optimistic filter and thermal emitter properties will the filter TPV system have a ...
Results reported are for single dose exposures and refer to "6"0Co-#gamma#-irradiation. The RBE determined by V79 cell survival and based on the Do ratio was found to be 1.70#+-#0.4 ranging from 1.5 to 1.8. In the case of the regeneration of mouse jejunal crypts the RBE was calculated at ten cell curvival and was found to be 1.68. The maximum acute mouse skin reaction at a skin score of 2.0 was found to be 2.1 while the average skin reaction was 1.7. Growth retardation of Vicia faba bean roots measured at the level of 50% indicated an average RBE of 3.0 and a range of 2.7 to 3.7. The OER obtained for V79 cell survival was found to be 1.7 to 1.8. Comparison is made with the RBE and OER measurements for the neutron facilities at Clatterbridge, Fermilab and Louvain-la-Neuve which produce neutrons by the same nuclear reaction and whose physical specifications closely resemeble those of the Faure neutrons. This comparison indicates that the Faure ...
The principal paradigm for gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) suggests that the prompt transient gamma-ray signal arises from multiple shocks internal to the relativistic expansion. This paper explores how GRB prompt emission spectra can constrain electron (or ion) acceleration properties at the relativistic shocks that pertain to GRB models. The array of possible high-energy power-law indices in accelerated populations is highlighted, focusing on how spectra above 1 MeV can probe the field obliquity in GRB internal shocks, and the character of hydromagnetic turbulence in their environs. When encompassing the MeV-band spectral break, fits to BATSE/EGRET burst data indicate that the preponderance of electrons responsible for the prompt emission reside in an intrinsically non-thermal population. This differs markedly from typical populations generated in acceleration simulations; potential resolutions of this conflict such as the action of self-absorption ...
Preshocking delays initiation of PBX-9404 and PBX-9501, relative to unshocked material. In PBX-9404 preshock experiments, a first shock of 2.3 GPa was followed 0.65 {mu}s later by a second shock of 5.6 GPa. In PBX-9501, a preshock of 2.8 GPa and 0.32 us duration was followed by an initiating shock of 6.0 GPA. Both PBX explosives show clear desensitization while the preshock persists. In PBX-9404, initiation of detonation occurs nearly as anticipated for the material, after coalescence of the preshock and main shock into a single wave. Multiple embedded magnetic gauges were used to measure the shock histories. Our data indicates a slightly longer run to detonation than expected, even though a single wave is initiating the material. A slight stress reduction at coalescence, as required by the shock dynamics, may be responsible for the overrun. A reactive waste is clearly evident while the preshock persists. The long run to detonation indicates ...
The nanostructure Ni-doped CdO films have been prepared by sol gel spin coating method. Atomic force microscopy results indicate that the CdO films are formed from the nanoparticles and the grain size is changed with nickel content. X-ray diffraction patterns of the films indicate that the undoped and Ni-doped CdO films have polycrystalline structure with a cubic sodium chloride structure, showing two main characteristic peaks assigned to the (111) and (200) planes. The optical band gap values of undoped and Ni-doped CdO films were determined by optical absorption method. The Eg values of the CdO films were found to be in the range of 2.26?2.60?eV. The Eg values of the CdO films increase with the content of Ni dopant (up to 6% Ni). It is evaluated that the optical band gap and grain size o...
Previous analyses of binary cycles for conversion of geothermal energy from moderate temperature resources to electrical energy have shown potential gains in net geofluid effectiveness on the order of 8%, resulting from selection of turbine-expansion processes whose equilibrium states pass through the two-phase region. If condensation occurs, this gain could be reduced or eliminated by the resulting loss in turbine efficiency. Experience with many fluids, however, indicates that vapor supersaturation permits metastable pure-vapor states to exist at temperatures considerably below the saturation temperature at a given pressure; thus, by better understanding the condensation process, and properly structuring the cycle, substantial performance gains may be possible. The purpose of the present study was to assess the probability for attaining this performance gain by estimating the extent of condensation which might be expected during such an expansion of isobutane ...
Biogas, produced from anaerobic digestion of organic matter in domestic, industrial and rural wastewaters and residuals, represent an alternative and renewable source of energy, with growing use worldwide. In Brazil, high population and its spatial concentration and expressive agricultural and agricultural-industrial production indicate a substantial potential of biogas production. The results presented in this work show a potential of biogas production of almost 2 billion cubic feet a day of CH{sub 4}. Viability of biogas production and use depends substantially on project scale. Generally, biogas projects are viable from landfills and domestic wastewater treatment for populations higher than 50,000 inhabitants and swine and dairy farms with at least 5,000 and 1,000 animals, respectively. Biogas is also competitive when compared to fossil fuels used in industry and transport. Despite incentive mechanisms for biogas production and use, like Clean Development ...
Photoluminescence properties and local electronic structures of rare earth (Eu^3^+ and Ce^3^+) activated Sr3AlO4F have been studied. X-ray powder diffraction data indicated that the activator ions of Eu^3^+ and Ce^3^+ can be incorporated into the Sr3AlO4F lattice and formed limited solid solutions of Sr3-2xLnxNaxAlO4F (Ln=Eu, Ce) with Na^+ as a charge compensator ion. The local structure around Sr sites was initially explored using Eu-activated Sr3AlO4F as a structural probe. Sr3AlO4F:Eu^3^+ exhibits orange-red emission ranging from 520 to 740nm with a maximum peak at about 619nm mainly originating from the ^5D0->^7FJ (J=0, 1, 2, 3, 4) transitions, indicating that Eu exists mainly in the trivalent state due to a strong oxidative lattice in Sr3AlO4F. Sr3AlO4F:Ce^3^+ shows an unusual long-wa...
The fluorescent behaviour and the photodynamic effect was studied in native and structurally modified lysozyme and ..cap alpha..-lactalbumin. The Tyr residues in lysozyme and ..cap alpha..-lactalbumin show different sensitivities to the photodynamic effect. The effect is zero in the case of Tyr from native lysozyme. In contrast, the Tyr residues in ..cap alpha..-lactalbumin are susceptible to photooxidation, which indicates a greater degree of exposure to the solvent. The three His residues of ..cap alpha..-lactalbumin have different degrees of exposure and show two different kinetics of photooxidation whereas the His residue of lysozyme is photooxidized with a single kinetic. Two photooxidation kinetics were obtained for the Trp residues of both native proteins, an indication that in both cases there are Trp residues that are differently exposed to the solvent. The wavelengths of maximum fluorescent emission of the Trp residues were different ...
This study investigated the engine performance and emissions of a supercharged dual-fuel engine fueled by hydrogen-rich coke oven gas and ignited by a pilot amount of diesel fuel. The engine was tested for use as a cogeneration engine, so power output while maintaining a reasonable thermal efficiency was important. Experiments were carried out at a constant pilot injection pressure and pilot quantity for different fuel-air equivalence ratios and at various injection timings without and with exhaust gas recirculation (EGR). The experimental strategy was to optimize the injection timing to maximize engine power at different fuel-air equivalence ratios without knocking and within the limit of the maximum cylinder pressure. The engine was tested first without EGR condition up to the maximum possible fuel-air equivalence ratio of 0.65. A maximum indicated mean effective pressure (IMEP) of 1425 kPa and a thermal efficiency of 39% were obtained. However, the nitrogen ...
The developed electrical networks in the agricultural regions of the Estonian SSR make it possible to construct relatively powerful wind power plants at the sites of the most favorable wind conditions with small outlays for the power transmission lines. The wind power plant electricity can be used to electrify the production processes in agriculture, while the surplus can be supplied to the energy system. The inclusion of the wind power plants in the energy system makes it possible to improve the total generation of energy or reduce the consumption of fuel. With the efficient arrangement of the wind power plants, one can also reduce the energy losses during its transfer. Calculations indicated that in the coastal zones of the Estonian SSR, one can obtain specific power of 420-480 kW/km/sup 2/. For comparison it is indicated that the Estonian SSR in the agricultural regions now uses 8-12 kW/km/sup 2/. The wind-energy potential of the coastal ...
This paper presents the results of a study carried out at three sites in Madurai, India in order to assess ambient air quality levels and their impact on public health in urban areas. Indicators of public health were sought through primary and secondary health data and blood lead concentrations of male and female inhabitants and shopkeepers. Lean concentrations in blood samples were examined according to distance from the road, age, smoking status, hours of stay per day in the city, and period of stay in years in Madurai. Ambient air quality level indicators included the level of gaseous and particulate pollution using Central Pollution Control Board standard estimation methods. Observed atmospheric conditions across the three sites are examined according to mean solar insolation, mean temperature, mean relative humidity and mean wind velocity. The study concluded that pollution abatement measures must be implemented to safeguard public health ...
'Full text:' In Germany, Alloy 800 (high nickel austenitic stainless steel) was modified and qualified for the use as steam generator tubing by Siemens/KWU (now AREVA NP GmbH). The service reliability of Alloy 800 has been demonstrated over a long period of time. 1968 Siemens/KWU decided to use this material for the NPP Stade, which started operation in 1972. The steam generators operating with Alloy 800 tubes have now been in service for more than 30 years. Up to now no PWSCC or secondary-side SCC has been observed in the more than 285,000 tubes installed in Siemens/KWU steam generators (including RSG) in 19 PWRs in Europe. The operating experience will be shown and discussed. During the past regular SG tubing inspections using eddy current testing, a few indications were detected within the tube sheet between upper and lower tube expansion. These indications were limited to the outer tube positions. The number of affected ...
'Full text:' In Germany, Alloy 800 (high nickel austenitic stainless steel) was modified and qualified for the use as steam generator tubing by Siemens/KWU (now AREVA NP GmbH). The service reliability of Alloy 800 has been demonstrated over a long period of time. 1968 Siemens/KWU decided to use this material for the NPP Stade, which started operation in 1972. The steam generators operating with Alloy 800 tubes have now been in service for more than 30 years. Up to now no PWSCC or secondary-side SCC has been observed in the more than 285,000 tubes installed in Siemens/KWU steam generators (including RSG) in 19 PWRs in Europe. The operating experience will be shown and discussed. During the past regular SG tubing inspections using eddy current testing, a few indications were detected within the tube sheet between upper and lower tube expansion. These indications were limited to the outer tube positions. The number of affected positions is small. ...
The performance of the new combustor was tested. Experiments showed that this combustor has superior insulating quality than the previous one. Measured radial concentrations indicated uniform distribution of the primary fuel (coal) inside the fire tube resulting in reasonably flat concentration profiles. However, measured radial concentrations after the addition of the reburn fuel showed uneven distribution of the fuel resulting in parabolic concentration profiles, an indication of insufficient mixing in the reburn zone. In order to study mechanisms of nitrogenous species destruction in the reburn zone, it is necessary to achieve adequate mixing if the assumption of one dimensional plug flow behavior is to be valid. Thus, it became necessary to modify the injector design and the injection mode of the reburn fuel to achieve an adequate level of mixing which is the focus of this report. The results show that a minimum reburn fuel jet velocity of ...
Radon-222 was shown to be useful in-situ tracer for studying thermodynamic, geologic, and transport properties of geothermal reservoirs. The relationships to reservoir properties are based on steady-state and non-steady-state models which incorporate the thermodynamic state and relative mobility of the fluids, and partitioning between the fluid phases. The steady-state thermodynamic models assume equilibrium between radon emanation from the reservoir rock and the geofluid concentration. The non-steady-state model solves the partial differential equations describing radon transport under transient two-phase geothermal flow conditions. Radon concentrations of fluids from nine geothermal reservoirs showed strong correlations to the specific volume of the reservoir fluid. Lowest values were associated with all-liquid wells at Cerro Prieto, Wairakei, and Los Azufres reservoirs, and the highest values for steady-producing wells at Serrazzano, Geysers, and Matsukawa reservoirs. Greater ...
Ethidium bromide (EB) and ultraviolet light (UV) in combination are known to produce a synergistic induction of 'petite' mutants in yeast. Two other agents were combined with EB, 3-Carbethoxypsoralene (3 CPs) activated by 365 nm light or #gamma# rays. EB in combination with 3 CPs also resulted in an enhanced production of 'petite' mutants. After the photoaddition of 3 CPs in exponential phase cells, recovery of the 'petite' mutation during dark liquid holding was inhibited by the presence of EB producing an enhanced number of 'petite' mutants. The behavior of mitochondrial antibiotic resistance markers after individual and combined treatments with EB and 3 CPs indicates a random loss of markers after EB and a preferential loss of a certain region for the 3 CPs photoaddition. The combination of the two agents leads to an additivity of total drug marker losses rather than a synergistic loss. The combination of EB with #gamma# rays produced no enhancement in 'petite' ...
Focused ion beam (FIB) irradiation of a thin Ni_2Si layer deposited on a Si substrate was carried out and studied using an in-situ transmission electron microscope (in-situ TEM). Square areas on sides of 4 by 4 and 9 by 9 microm were patterned at room temperature with a 25 keV Ga"+-FIB attached to the TEM. The structural changes of the films indicate a uniform milling, sputtering of the Ni_2Si layer and the damage introducing to the Si substrate. Annealing at 673 K results in the change of the Ni_2Si layer into an epitaxial NiSi_2 layer outside the FIB irradiated area, but several precipitates appear around the treated area. Precipitates was analyzed by energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). Larger amount of Ni than the surrounding matrix was found in precipitates. Selected area diffraction (SAD) patterns of the precipitates and the corresponding dark field images imply the formation of a Ni rich silicide. The relation between the FIB tail and the ...
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{sup -} ions. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy revealed that the surface film formed on the alloy at the onset of passivity consisted of Cr{sup 3+} (as Cr{sub 2}O{sub 3}), without any Fe{sup 3+}/Fe{sup 2+} or Ni{sup 2+}. Scanning electron microscopy studies indicated initiation of pitting at large, faceted particles, not at small, spherical-shaped ones.
Two new equiatomic ternary compounds, EuPtSi and EuPdSi, have been synthesized and are found to crystallize in the cubic LaIrSi type structure. The magnetic susceptibility of both compounds follows Curie-Weiss behavior in the temperature range 10 to 300 K with an effective magnetic moment close to that of Eu"2"+ moment. The paramagnetic Curie temperatures are 5 K for EuPtSi and 9 K for EuPdSi. There is no clear indication of magnetic ordering in the susceptibility of both the compounds down to 4.2 K. However, "1"5"1Eu Moessbauer studies show a hyperfine split pattern in EuPtSi at 4.2 K indicating the onset of magnetic ordering. The "1"5"1Eu isomer shifts are temperature independent and are characteristic of the divalent Eu ion. All these results establish that the Eu ions are in a stable divalent state in these compounds. (orig.).
Susceptibility data of freshly precipitated nitroprussides TM[Fe(CN){sub 5}NO] n H{sub 2}O (TM=Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu) follow very well modified Curie-Weiss law down to T=5 K indicating paramagnetic state; nitroprusside (NP) containing Zn is diamagnetic with a sign of paramagnetic contribution. Deviation from Curie-Weiss law and magnetization measurements on MnNP, FeNP and CoNP below T=5 K can indicate ferrimagnetic ordering at low temperatures. A hysteresis behaviour in ZFC and FC magnetisation with the temperature of bifurcation T{sub b}=6 K was found for CoNP and FeNP. Moessbauer spectra taken at room temperature (besides FeNP) consist of a single symmetric quadrupole-split doublet with parameters {delta} and {delta} typical for Fe{sup II} ions in octahedral sites. A more complicated spectrum of FeNP is a consequence of different Fe environments.
Over the past 25 years there have been a large number of long runout flowslides from Rocky Mountain coal mine waste dumps. The waste dumps are constructed as end-dumped fills with an angle of repose of 38{degrees}. Dump heights range between 100 and 400 m. The dumps are normally founded on mountain slopes that are covered with a thin veneer of granular colluvial and dense stony fill materials. Conventional stability analyses carried out for these dumps using friction angles equal to the angle of repose for the waste rock and typical values ranging from 30 to 32{degree} for the foundation materials indicate that many should be stable. The flowslides occur rapidly and display surprisingly long runouts of up to 2 km in some cases. Detailed studies of three of these events indicate that static collapse of saturated or nearly saturated sandy gravel layers within the dumps may be responsible for the initial failure and the generation of high pore ...
Expressed sequence tags (ESTs) of the maxillary galea of the silkworm were analyzed to identify proteins involved in food selection systems. From the 1251 redundant genes of the ESTs, we identified 7 odorant-binding protein-like genes (bmObpL), 6 takeout-like genes (bmToL), and 6 chemosensory protein genes (bmCsp). Quantitative RT-PCR analysis indicated that bmObpL1, bmObpL2, bmObpL3, bmObpL5, bmToL1, bmToL3, and bmorCsp15 were predominantly expressed in the larval oral appendages, such as the maxilla, labrum, labium and antenna. Immunocytochemical analysis indicated that the proteins of bmObpL1, bmObpL3, and bmToL1 were localized in the gustatory chemosensilla on the maxillary galea and olfactory sensilla in the antenna. The proteins encoded by bmObpL1 and bmObpL3 were detected in the gus...
The dose distribution in a Rando phantom has been measured for typical EMI 5005 CT scans of the head, chest, abdomen and pelvis. These dose distributions have been used to generate quantitative estimates of the somatic and genetic radiation risks associated with these CT examinations and also to measure the total energy imparted during each scan. A comparison has been made between the radiation risk estimates and the energy imparted measurements. The energy imparted measurements are not a good indicator of the somatic and/or genetic risks when one type of CT scan is compared with another. However, for a given type of scan, the energy imparted may be a reasonable indicator of the relative somatic risks associated with different CT examinations. Considerable care should be taken when interpreting and using any measured value of energy imparted in a radiological examination since published values of the risk per unit energy imparted can ...
The effective electron mobility was measured as a function of surface field in polysilicon thin film transistors having the following three types of gate dielectrics; silicon dioxide deposited by low temperature (350degC) plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD), low temperature (400degC) nitrogen-rich PECVD silicon nitride and high temperature (1050degC) thermally grown silicon dioxide. At low surface fields, the maximum true effective electron mobility was 40[+-]3 cm[sup 2] V[sup -1] s[sup -1] in all devices independent of the type of gate dielectric, indicating that the quality of the interface is the same. However, at high surface fields a stronger degradation of the mobility was observed in devices having the thermally grown silicon dioxide as gate dielectric, indicating the presence of surface roughness within the interfacial region. The polysilicon structure was studied by transmission electron microscopy in order to ensure that ...
Full text: Red blood cells (RBCs) labeled with "9"9"mTc are commonly used in the evaluation of cardiac function, gastrointestinal tract bleeding, red blood cell volume or splenic sequestration. Generally stannous ion is used as reducing agent. A proposed mechanism is that once the stannous ion (Sn) and the pertechnetate ("9"9"mTc) reach the interior of the RBC, the radionuclide is mainly house in the #beta#-chain of hemoglobin. The aim of this study was to determine if hemoglobin content reduction, an indicator of iron deficiency anemia, could affect the efficiency of RBC labeling and the biological distribution of this radiopharmaceutical. We studied 30 rats fed for 3 weeks after weaning with diets with iron contents of 6.5 ppm (group A), 18 ppm (group B) and 100 ppm (control). For all groups, the labeling yields were always higher than 97%; the percentage of radioactivity was mostly founded in blood with almost negligible radioactivity the rest of the studied ...
As part of on-going study of acid mine drainage (AMD), a comprehensive ecological risk assessment was conducted in the Leading Creek Watershed in southeast Ohio. The watershed is influenced by agriculture and active and abandoned coal-mining operations. This work presents a broad overview of several quantitative measures of hydrology and hydraulic watershed properties available for in risk assessment and evaluates their relation to metrics of ecology. Data analysis included statistical comparisons of metrics of ecology, ecotoxicology, water quality, and physically based parameters describing land use, geomorphology, flow, velocity, and particle size. A multiple regression analysis indicated that abandoned mining operations dominated impacts upon aquatic ecology. It also indicated low flow velocity measurements and a ratio of maximum velocity to average velocity at low flow where helpful in describing variation in macroinvertebrate Total Taxa ...
A test to determine the lithium compatibility and impurity gettering capabilities of various materials including yttrium was performed in Beryllium-7 Experimental Lithium (7BELL) at 270/sup 0/C. Yttrium coupons were exposed in liquid lithium for a total of 3,718 hours. X-ray diffraction and bulk chemical analysis data indicated that yttrium absorbs hydrogen from liquid lithium at 270/sup 0/C and transforms to yttrium dihydride (YH/sub 2/). The transformation of yttrium to YH/sub 2/ resulted in embrittlement of the coupons and subsequent fragmentation to small pieces. Additional analysis, based on the equilibrium hydrogen pressures for the transition of yttrium to YH/sub 2/, and Sievert's relationship for hydrogen in equilibrium with hydrogen in lithium, indicates that the temperature of yttrium cannot exceed 280/sup 0/C to control the hydrogen concentration in lithium at below 1 wt ppm. It is concluded in general that yttrium in sponge ...
Waste Management Area U (WMA U) includes the U Tank Farm, is currently regulated under RCRA interim-status regulations, and is scheduled for closure probably post-2030. Groundwater monitoring has been under an evaluation program that compared general contaminant indicator parameters from downgradient wells to background values established from upgradient wells. One of the indicator parameters, specific conductance, exceeded its background value in one downgradient well triggering a change from detection monitoring to a groundwater quality assessment program. The objective of the first phase of this assessment program is to determine whether the increased concentrations of nitrate and chromium in groundwater are from WMA U or from an upgradient source. Based on the results of the first determination, if WMA U is not the source of contamination, then the site will revert to detection monitoring. If WMA U is the source, then a second part of the ...
The first quantitative evaluation of the quality of corporate firewall configurations appeared in 2004, based on Check Point FireWall-1 rule-sets. In general that survey indicated that corporate firewalls were often enforcing poorly written rule-sets, containing many mistakes. The goal of this work is to revisit the first survey. The current study is much larger. Moreover, for the first time, the study includes configurations from two major vendors. The study also introduce a novel "Firewall Complexity" (FC) measure, that applies to both types of firewalls. The findings of the current study indeed validate the 2004 study's main observations: firewalls are (still) poorly configured, and a rule-set's complexity is (still) positively correlated with the number of detected risk items. Thus we can conclude that, for well-configured firewalls, ``small is (still) beautiful''. However, unlike the 2004 study, we see no significant indication that later ...
The testing performed during the last phase of the geothermal direct contact heat exchanger program utilizing the 500 kW pilot plant provided more insight into the capabilities and limits of the direct contact approach and showed that more work needs to be done to understand the inner workings of a large direct contact heat exchanger if they are to be modeled analytically. Testing of the column demonstrated that the performance was excellent and that the sizing criteria is conservative. The system operated smoothly and was readily controlled over a wide range of operating conditions. Performance evaluation showed pinch differentials of 4/sup 0/F or less and better than predicted heat transfer capability. Testing during this final phase was directed towards establishing the limits of the column to transfer heat. The working column height was shortened progressively to approximately 16 feet from a design length of 28 feet. The short column performed as well as a full length column and ...
Femoral head vitality before, during and at various intervals from the operation was determined by tetracycline labeling and/or _9_9 sp (m)Tc-MDP scintimetry. In a three-year follow-up, healing prognosis could be determined by scintimetry 3 weeks from operation; deficient femoral head vitality predicting healing complications and retained vitality predicting uncomplicated healing. A comparison between pre- and postoperative scintimetry indicated that further impairment of the femoral head vitality could be caused by the operative procedure, and as tetracycline labeling prior to and after fracture reduction in 370 fractures proved equivalent, it was concluded that the procedure of osteosynthesis probably was responsible for capsular vessel injury, using a four-flanged nail. The four-flanged nail was compared with a low-traumatic method of osteosynthesis, two hook-pins, in a prospective randomized 14 month study, and the postoperative femoral head vitality was ...
Introduction of geothermal heat pump systems, which depend on temperature differential, is investigated for urban areas, which have large energy demands. Results of the surveys on the current situations of geothermal heat pump (GHP) systems indicate that they have already numbered 300,000 units in USA and totaled more than 50,000 units in Switzerland and Northern European countries, and that they are increasing at an annual rate of higher than 10%. The results also indicate that introduction of these systems are well feasible in Japan, which generally has better topographical conditions than American and European countries, and the GHP system with vertical ground heat exchanger is investigated for its topographical and environmental considerations. These systems could annually abate approximately 52 million tons of CO2 (4.3% decrease), if disseminated to all households. They are also expected to help control the heat island phenomenon, and ...
This paper investigates the relationship between economic growth and pollutant emissions for a small and open developing country, Tunisia, during the period 1961-2004. The investigation is made on the basis of the environmental Kuznets curve hypothesis, using time series data and cointegration analysis. Carbon dioxide (CO{sub 2}) and sulfur dioxide (SO{sub 2}) are used as the environmental indicators, and GDP as the economic indicator. Our results show that there is a long-run cointegrating relationship between the per capita emissions of two pollutants and the per capita GDP. An inverted U relationship between SO{sub 2} emissions and GDP has been found, with income turning point approximately equals to $1200 (constant 2000 prices) or to $3700 (in PPP, constant 2000 prices). However, a monotonically increasing relationship with GDP is found more appropriate for CO{sub 2} emissions. Furthermore, the causality results show that the relationship ...
This paper investigates the relationship between economic growth and pollutant emissions for a small and open developing country, Tunisia, during the period 1961-2004. The investigation is made on the basis of the environmental Kuznets curve hypothesis, using time series data and cointegration analysis. Carbon dioxide (CO2) and sulfur dioxide (SO2) are used as the environmental indicators, and GDP as the economic indicator. Our results show that there is a long-run cointegrating relationship between the per capita emissions of two pollutants and the per capita GDP. An inverted U relationship between SO2 emissions and GDP has been found, with income turning point approximately equals to $1200 (constant 2000 prices) or to $3700 (in PPP, constant 2000 prices). However, a monotonically increasing relationship with GDP is found more appropriate for CO2 emissions. Furthermore, the causality results show that the relationship between income and ...
This paper investigates the relationship between economic growth and pollutant emissions for a small and open developing country, Tunisia, during the period 1961-2004. The investigation is made on the basis of the environmental Kuznets curve hypothesis, using time series data and cointegration analysis. Carbon dioxide (CO{sub 2}) and sulfur dioxide (SO{sub 2}) are used as the environmental indicators, and GDP as the economic indicator. Our results show that there is a long-run cointegrating relationship between the per capita emissions of two pollutants and the per capita GDP. An inverted U relationship between SO{sub 2} emissions and GDP has been found, with income turning point approximately equals to 1200 (constant 2000 prices) or to 3700 (in PPP, constant 2000 prices). However, a monotonically increasing relationship with GDP is found more appropriate for CO{sub 2} emissions. Furthermore, the causality results show that the relationship ...
Described is the diagnosis for the cancer extension of cholangiocarcinoma by various imaging techniques and processes to support the current surgical procedure based on preoperative biliary drainage. The cancer tends to locally extend horizontally and/or vertically and its diagnosis is important for surgical indication. For the indication, multi-detector raw CT (MDCT) and MR cholangio-pancreatography (MRCP) are useful and particularly, the former can give multi-phase (arterial, portal and delayed) images to reconstruct multiplanar (MPR) and CT angiographic 3D images, which have made the previous invasive examinations like angiography and percutaneous transportal contrasting unnecessary. MDCT and MRCP can almost complete the diagnosis of the extension. The operative procedure is decided dependently on the site of the lesion, and of which diagnosis, whether it is hepatic hilar/on upper bile duct or middle/lower ductal, is different. MDCT-MPR and ...
One of inherent characteristics of CANDU reactor is positive void reactivity in contrast to other pressurized light water reactors. During the large break loss of coolant accident, power pulse will be occurred during short time of early phase of accident due to positive void reactivity. However the duration of this power pulse is short, energy due to power pulse would be accumulated in the cladding material and will affect the peak cladding temperature or number of failed fuel elements. Recently, Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) indicated that the amount of void reactivity might be larger than the assumed values in safety analysis and this indication was based on the experimental data from ZED-2 facility. Based on that, the estimation of uncertainties due to the void reactivity during LBLOCA is the most important issue for CANDU safety analysis. In this study, a framework of uncertainty evaluation methodology for CANDU void reactivity ...
Guangdong Nuclear Power Joint Venture Company, Ltd. first 5-Year Business Plan (hereinafter referred to as 5-Year Business Plan) serves as guidance of both the operations and management of the company. Continuous performance improvement of the nuclear power station has been achieved through the fulfillment of goals and improvement plan defined by the 5-Year Business Plan, and through standard and systematic management. Daya Bay Nuclear Power Station (GNPS) has made great contributions to sustainable economic developments of both Guangdong and Hong Kong since its commercial operation in 1994. As of the end of 1999, the cumulative off-take electricity generated by GNPS had reached 69.9 billion kWh. Of the WANO indicators universally applied by nuclear power industry throughout the world, 6 indicators of Daya Bay performance entered the world top quartile while 9 the medium level
In less than a decade computed tomography (CT scanning) had a profound impact on diagnostic radiology. Radiology of the orbit is no exception. As early as 1973, reports published in the radiological literature indicated that this new noninvasive imaging method was a highly effective way of demonstrating intraorbital mass lesions. As CT scanners became widely available, computed tomography became a significant adjunct to ophthalmological diagnosis. Today the main indications for CT scanning of the orbit are: (1) suspected mass lesions, most frequently presenting as exophthalmos, (2) orbital trauma, including foreign bodies, (3) some congenital anomalies, and (4) suspicion of extension into the orbit of extraorbital disease processes. Along with ultrasonography, another new noninvasive imaging technique, CT has replaced a number of more invasive and often less effective diagnostic methods, such as orbital pneumography, venography, and ...
Dairy products doubly labeled with 45Ca and 47Ca were used to evaluate an extrinsic labeling procedure for calcium bioavailability determination. Nonfat milk, yogurt, and fresh cheese curd were prepared from caprine milk that was intrinsically labeled with 45Ca. The products were then labeled extrinsically with 47Ca and administered to rats by gavage. The 47Ca to 45Ca ratio in bone and teeth averaged about 1.00 with either milk, yogurt, or CaCl2, but the ratio was about 1.04 when dosed with cheese curd. Ca absorption, determined by whole-body counting of 47Ca, was lower (P less than 0.05) in cheese curd (59%) than in either milk (69%), yogurt (72%), or CaCl2 (72%). Expressed as percent of dose, the absorption of 47Ca was highly correlated with bone 47Ca (r = 0.973) and with bone 45Ca (r = 0.946). Correlation between tibia 47Ca and tibia 45Ca was r = 0.923. For the dairy products tested, our results indicated that extrinsic 47Ca was absorbed similarly to intrinsic ...
Image registrations that are based on similarity measures simply adjust the parameters of an appropriate spatial transformation model until the similarity measure reaches an optimum. The numerous similarity measures that have been proposed in the past are differently sensitive to imaging modality, image content and differences in the image content, selection of the floating and target image, partial image overlap, etc. In this paper, we evaluate and compare 12 similarity measures for the rigid registration. To study the impact of different imaging modalities on the behavior of similarity measures, we have used 16 CT/MR and 6 PET/MR image pairs with known 'gold standard' registrations. The results for the PET/MR registration and for the registration of CT to both rectified and unrectified MR images indicate that mutual information, normalized mutual information and the entropy correlation coefficient are the most accurate similarity measures and ...
Between 1973 and 1978 combined radiotherapy and chemotherapy were given to 22 patients with histologically proven Ewing's sarcoma. The combined chemotherapy consisted of cyclophosphamide, vincristin, adriamycin, as well as dacarbazine in some cases. The neoplasm was a localized one at the beginning of treatment in 14 of the 22. These patients received high-voltage rediotherapy to the primary focus at a focal dose between 42 and 55 Gray (4200-5500 rad), followed by chemotherapy. After 6-8 treatment cycles, adriamycin was replaced by methotrexate. Nine of the 14 patients survived without recurrence for 12 to over 59 months. Eight patients had extensive metastases at the beginning of treatment: they at first received only chemotherapy, followed by radiotherapy or operation, as indicated. Full clinical remission was achieved in five of them: in three this remission has now lasted for more than 18, 40 and 44 months, respectively. These results ...
The comprehension of passivity and its protective character against corrosion is closely connected with the electronic properties of passive films. Passive films formed anodically on carbon steel in borate/boric acid solution, pH 9.2, have been characterised by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). Mott-Schottky plots and impedance measurements were made on films formed at different potentials and times. The investigation allowed the determination of the semiconductive properties of the films. The results of the capacitance response indicate that the passive films behave like highly doped n-type semiconductors, showing that the passive film properties are dominated by iron. The value of donors density (N {sub D}) for the passive film is of the order of 10{sup 21} cm{sup -3} and decreases with increasing formation time and potential, indicating that defects decrease with increasing film thickness. Based on the information about the ...
The comprehension of passivity and its protective character against corrosion is closely connected with the electronic properties of passive films. Passive films formed anodically on carbon steel in borate/boric acid solution, pH 9.2, have been characterised by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). Mott-Schottky plots and impedance measurements were made on films formed at different potentials and times. The investigation allowed the determination of the semiconductive properties of the films. The results of the capacitance response indicate that the passive films behave like highly doped n-type semiconductors, showing that the passive film properties are dominated by iron. The value of donors density (N _D) for the passive film is of the order of 10"2"1 cm"-"3 and decreases with increasing formation time and potential, indicating that defects decrease with increasing film thickness. Based on the information about the physical ...
The results from a hot test, using authentic HLLW solution, of the CTH actinide separation process are reported. The process consists of three solvent extraction cycles for separation of actinides and technetium from reprocessing high level liquid waste, utilizing HDEHP, TBP, and HDEHP in sequence, and an optional step for sorption on inorganic ion exchangers of the fission product content in the process raffinate. In general the process worked according to predictions but a malfunctioning feed pump gave a 10% loss of Pu to one stream. The hot test indicating that U and Pu can be recovered with losses below 0.1% and Am, Cm with a loss below 0.2%. Np and Tc were difficult to follow because of the low activity of /sup 237/Np and because /sup 99/Tc is a pure beta emitter, but the results indicate that also these elements behaved according to predictions, i.e., that recoveries >= 99.8% for Np and >= 97% for Tc can be achieved. For the HLLW ...
Besides the multifunctionality, another equally important aspect of nanoparticles is their engineerability to control the geometrical and chemical properties during fabrication. In this work, we exploited this aspect to define asymmetric surface chemistry of an iron oxide nanosphere by controlling the topology of ligand expression on its surface resulting in a particle with two faces, one displaying only amines and the other only thiols. Specifically, amine-functionalized iron oxide nanospheres were attached on a solid support via a crosslinker containing a disulfide bridge. Liberation of the nanosphere using thiolytic cleavage created thiols on the portion of the particle's surface that interacted with the solid support. Employing a solid-phase strategy and a step-by-step addition of particles, the two unique faces on the same nanosphere served as fittings to assemble them into linear nano-chains. Assembly of chains with various lengths and aspect ratios was controlled by the size and ...
The compounds CePdSi{sub 2}, CeIrSi{sub 2} and CeRhSn{sub 2} have been synthesized and studied by X-ray diffraction, electrical resistivity and magnetic susceptibility. The magnetic susceptibility of CePdSi{sub 2} exhibits two peaks at 6.8 K and 2.5 K, respectively, indicating two antiferromagnetic phase transitions, while that of CeIrSi{sub 2} shows a broad maximum at 150 K, characteristic of valence fluctuating Ce-compounds. CeRhSn{sub 2} remains paramagnetic down to 5 K. The resistivity of CeIrSi{sub 2} exhibits a T{sup 2} dependence at low temperatures, indicating a Fermi-liquid ground state, while those of CePdSi{sub 2} and CeRhSn{sub 2} shows the presence of Kondo and crystal field effects. (orig.). 5 refs.
The grain boundary misorientation distribution of 203 grain boundaries in bulk processed high Tc superconductor YBa_2Cu_3O_7_-_#delta# with five processing conditions;, was studied. Two complementary analytical approaches, Grain Boundary Misorientation Distribution (GBMD) from the random description, using a hypothesis test and #chi#"2 analysis, and Grain Boundary Character Distribution (GBCD), using the Coincidence Site Lattice (CSL) model, were applied. The GBMD and GBCD both showed grain boundary evolution departing from a random distribution above 935 C processing temperature. The GBCD analyses indicated an approximately linear increase in the population of CSL-related boundaries, among which the tetragonal CSL (c/a #not =# 3) boundaries grew in the same trend while orthorhombic boundaries (c/a = 3) became stagnated. The results from comparing the corresponding GBCD and volume averaged J_c for each batch indicated that the tetragonal CSL ...
Distinguishing between effects of natural and anthropogenic environmental factors on ecosystems is a fundamental problem in environmental science. In river systems the longitudinal gradient of environmental factors is one of the most relevant sources of dissimilarity between communities that could be confounded with anthropogenic disturbances. To test the hypothesis that in macroinvertebrate communities the distribution of species' sensitivity to organic toxicants is independent of natural longitudinal factors, but depends on contamination with organic toxicants, we analysed the relationship between community sensitivity SPEARorganic (average community sensitivity to organic toxicants) and natural and anthropogenic environmental factors in a large-scale river system, from alpine streams to a lowland river. The results show that SPEARorganic is largely independent of natural longitudinal factors, but strongly dependent on contamination with organic toxicants (petrochemicals and ...
Following the February 2011 earthquake in Christchurch, New Zealand (NZ), the authors participated in counselling local residents, and debriefing and supervising support teams. Indications were that risk for mental health disorders, including Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), may be elevated in residents, and that this risk may continue for some time. Patients may be de-prioritising their mental health issues when these become normalised throughout the city's population. The authors recommend that primary care patients are assessed using a brief, comprehensive tool (for example, the Case-finding and Help Assessment Tool) that targets many health and behavioural issues identified as increasing in the city following the earthquake. Anxiety and mood disorder symptoms may indicate assessment is appropriate to reduce harm arising from increased risk for PTSD. Concern also is raised for primary health care providers who may have experienced the ...
A case study is presented where an integrated, ecologically relevant exposure assessment is presented for a polluted lowland river. Using partial least squares regression of latent structures (PLS), an analysis of the impact of two effluents on physico-chemical water quality measures, macroinvertebrate and diatom communities, and in situ bioassay responses with four different test species are combined into an integrative exposure assessment. Bioassays focussed on growth and condition related endpoints, because they are key functional processes of organisms and populations. Integrating these multiple lines of evidence, we were able to discriminate among the impact of both effluents, link changes in physico-chemical water quality with bioassay endpoints and ecological quality of the ecosystem, and address the importance of integrating all information into one exposure assessment framework. The bioassays under field conditions indicated that most endpoints measured ...
Similar to stand-alone ER-MCFC power systems industrial ammonia production facilities include hydrogen-rich synthesis-gas production. Therefore, integration of ER-MCFC stacks in a conventional industrial ammonia plant was investigated. By preliminary process design calculations three promising process structures were evaluated: (1) ER-MCFC is fed by the ammonia plant`s steam-reformer; anode off-gas to firing (2) similar to structure 1; in this case the anode off-gas is redirected to the ammonia process (3) ER-MCFC is fed by ammonia-synthesis purge gas The results indicate that for options 1 and 3 a return-on-investment for the ER-MCFC of around 8% is achievable at a stack cost of $250/kW and a revenue of 7c/kWh. Option 2 is not profitable, because of the associated reduction in ammonia production. The degree of hydrogen-utilization in the ER-MCFC to be selected for maximum profit varies with the process structure and indicates that there is ...
Stresses commonly present in AlGaAs/GaAs laser heterostructures were reduced using Molecular Beam Epitaxy grown Al/sub 0.3/Ga/sub 0.7/P/sub 0.01/As/sub 0.99/ cladding layers. The Al/sub 0.3/Ga/sub 0.7/P/sub 0.01/As/sub 0.99/ alloy was grown using an incident P/sub 2/ flux of roughly-equal1 x 10/sup 14//cm/sup 2/ indicating a sticking coefficient of 0.1 at a substrate temperature of 600 /sup 0/C. X-ray automatic Bragg angle control curvature measurements were used to monitor the residual heteroepitaxial stress. Broadened double crystal x-ray linewidths indicated the occurrence of alloy grading and broadened interfaces. The effects of P concentration and film thickness on stress and on the existence of a misfit dislocation grid are discussed.
The wholesomeness of irradiated wheat was investigated in a series of experiments involving several species of animals and a small number of children, at the National Institute of Nutrition in India. Our observations indicated some effects following the feeding of freshly irradiated wheat while no such changes were found in the groups fed either unirradiated or stored irradiated wheat. Also, there were no significant differences between the groups fed unirradiated and stored irradiated wheat. Based on these results, a recommendation had been made to the government that when subjected to irradiation, wheat should be stored for at least 3 months before considering it as safe for human consumption. Similar experiments conducted in an establishment of the Department of Atomic Energy in India indicated no undesirable effects, unlike those found in our studies, and this had led to the development of a serious controversy. In this paper, we have not ...
Many countries which do not produce oil are rich with other sources of energy that are not fully utilised, such as tar sand, oil shale and olive cake. Limited previous work was done on producing carbonaceous matter and separating volatile matter from combinations of tar sand, oil shale and olive cake. In this study, a process is designed and tested to produce carbonaceous matter from combinations of three materials mentioned above. Results indicate that the process is successful in producing carbonaceous matter. The minimum temperatures to achieve complete carbonisation was found to be 500degC for a minimum heating time of 1.5h. Carbonised materials were tested for their calorific values, which indicated a successful carbonisation process. The proposed process can be scaled up and automated, and is expected to be economically feasible. Moreover, the process allows for control of unwanted exiting polluting gases and volatile matter and therefore ...
The survival time of golden hamsters (Mesocricetus auratus) after whole-body "6"0Co-#gamma#-irradiation in the range of 600 to 200 000 rad was investigated. The two plateaus of the dose-survival curve which correspond to bone marrow and gastrointestinal death are similar to those of other species such as mice, rats and mongolian gerbils. A new plateau occurring 40-57 hours after doses of 30 000-60 000 rad, where there is a little reduction in survival time, has been found. It is in addition to the well recognized central nervous system (CNS) syndrome. This plateau is observed only in golden hamsters, presumably because of their relatively high resistance to CNS syndrome. Experiments involving partial body irradiation of the animals indicate that the target is in the cephalic one-third of abdomen. The new segment may well indicate a new type of acute somatic radiation injury different from the well known bone marrow, gastrointestinal and CNS ...
The Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) hypothesis states that pollution levels increase as a country develops, but begin to decrease as rising incomes pass beyond a turning point. In EKC analyses, the relationship between environmental degradation and income is usually expressed as a quadratic function with the turning point occurring at a maximum pollution level. Other explanatory variables have been included in these models, but income regularly has had the most significant effect on indicators of environmental quality. One variable consistently omitted in these relationships is the price of energy. This paper analyzes previous models to illustrate the importance of prices in these models and then includes prices in an econometric EKC framework testing energy/income and CO{sub 2}/income relationships. These long-run price/income models find that income is no longer the most relevant indicator of environmental quality or energy demand. Indeed, ...
The Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) hypothesis states that pollution levels increase as a country develops, but begin to decrease as rising incomes pass beyond a turning point. In EKC analyses, the relationship between environmental degradation and income is usually expressed as a quadratic function with the turning point occurring at a maximum pollution level. Other explanatory variables have been included in these models, but income regularly has had the most significant effect on indicators of environmental quality. One variable consistently omitted in these relationships is the price of energy. This paper analyzes previous models to illustrate the importance of prices in these models and then includes prices in an econometric EKC framework testing energy/income and CO_2/income relationships. These long-run price/income models find that income is no longer the most relevant indicator of environmental quality or energy demand. Indeed, we ...
Natural, formaldehyde-treated and copolymer-grafted orange peels were evaluated as adsorbents to remove lead ions from aqueous solutions. The optimum pH for lead adsorption was found to be pH 5. The adsorption process was fast, reaching 99% of sorbent capacity in 10 min for the natural and treated biomasses and 20 min for the grafted material. The treated biomass showed the highest sorption rate and capacity in the batch experiments, with the results fitting well to a pseudo-first order rate equation. In the continuous test with the treated biomass, the capacity at complete exhaustion was 46.61 mg g{sup -1} for an initial concentration of 150 mg L{sup -1}. Scanning electronic microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy indicated that the materials had a rough surface, and that the adsorption of the metal took place on the surface. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy revealed that the functional groups responsible for metallic biosorption were the -OH, ...
Because toxicity with the use of 3000 centiGray (cGy) of total lymphoid irradiation (TLI) was observed in an earlier study, 2000-cGy treatments were delivered in a 2-portal format to 7 patients and in a modified 3-portal fashion to 6 patients, as part of a randomized, investigator-blinded trial of TLI treatment for refractory rheumatoid arthritis. Analysis of combined data from the 13 patients revealed statistically significant improvement in 5 clinical indicators of disease activity at the end of TLI and 6 and 12 months later, accompanied by T4-specific immunosuppression. Management considerations resulted in the introduction of prednisone therapy in 5 patients, methotrexate in 4, and azathioprine in 1 during the interval of 8-12 months post-TLI. Herpes zoster occurred in 5 patients prior to the initiation of this additional therapy. These data indicate that, in patients with rheumatoid arthritis, a TLI dose of 2000 cGy is sufficient to ...