First test with new ASACUSA trap show promise for future antihydrogen beam experiments.
2007-01-01
Bombyx mandarina nucleopolyhedrovirus (BomaNPV) is a variant of Bombyx mori nucleopolyhedrovirus (BmNPV). BomaNPV S1 strain has been reported to be significantly less virulent than the BmNPV T3 strain via the oral infection route in B. mori larvae, but other features of S1 including budded virus (BV) infectivity and virus propagation in cultured cells are still unknown. In this study, we compared BV infectivity of S1 and T3 in B. mori larvae and cultured cells. Larval bioassays by intrahemocoelic BV injection revealed that the median lethal dose of S1's BV was approximately three times lower than that of T3. In addition, S1 produced more BVs and occlusion bodies (OBs) in the hemolymph of B. mori larvae compared with T3. Furthermore, we observed that the locomotion was enhanced ...
2011-05-22
Single-shaft turbine generators with 25 s"-"1 for large capacities
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
After explaining the main causes for the limited power output of turbine generators with 50 s"-"1, the limits for superheated-steam turbines and for saturated-steam turbines are given. A comparison of the economy in the limiting output range (1,200 MW) shows that half load plants as well as two-shaft turbine generators do not bring any advantages as compared with a single-shaft turbine generator. For the selection of speed of the single-shaft turbine generator the planned way of application is decisive. For base load plants already a speed of 25 s"-"1 is economic in this power range. Concluding, some design features and problems of development for such large turbines with 25 s"-"1 for conventional steam conditions are discussed. (orig.).
Thermal fatigue of HIPed W/Cr-bronze divertor small scale mock-ups
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Thermal fatigue is one of the key factors governing the lifetime of the divertor plate. Tungsten is a promising candidate to cover the surface of the divertor plate in the design of the international thermonuclear experimental reactor (ITER). The W/Cr-bronze divertor small scale mock-ups were manufactured by hot isostatic pressing (HIPing) technique. Thermal fatigue tests of W/Cr-bronze divertor mock-ups have been carried out by an electron beam facility. The mock-ups were tested under a cyclic surface heat flux of 9 MW m"-"2 for 1000 cycles. The electron beam was loaded on the mock-up surface for 20 s and unloaded for 20 s, alternately. The flow rate of water coolant was 0.1 L s"-"1. The 0.3 mm diameter NiCr-NiSi thermocouples were used to monitor the temperature distribution of the mock-up. It was found that the maximum temperature of the tungsten surface was about 400 degree sign C. The saturated temperature at the joint ...
2004-11-15
Evidence for a central dark mass in NGC 4594 (the Sombrero Galaxy)
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Stellar rotation velocities and velocity dispersions have been measured along the major and minor axes of NGC 4594 with the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope. The observations show the kinematic signature of a nuclear disk of stars superposed on the bulge (Fig. 1). Apart from its larger size, this is similar to the nucleus of M31. It rotates rapidly: the apparent rotation curve reaches an inner maximum of V 231 #+-# 7 km s"-"1 at r = 5.''0. The apparent velocity dispersion falls from #sigma# = 250 #+-# 7 km s"-"1 at the center to 181 #+-# 6 km s"-"1 at r = 3.''7. (author).
1988-05-27
The promises and perils of p53
UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)
Five studies show that disabling p53, an essential tumour-suppressor protein, improves the efficiency of stem-cell production. Are these results a ‘heads up’ that cancer cells...Full Text Available
2009-08-27
De Novo Induction of Genetically Engineered Brain Tumors In Mice Using Plasmid DNA
UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)
Spontaneous mouse models of cancer show promise to more accurately recapitulate human disease and predict clinical efficacy. Transgenic mice or viral vectors have been required to generate spontaneous...Full Text Available
2009-01-15
Diffusion of linalool and methylchavicol from polyethylene-based antimicrobial packaging films
British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)
The diffusion of linalool and methylchavicol from thin (45-50 mm) antimicrobial low-density polyethylene-based films was evaluated after immersion in isooctane and the effect of temperature (4, 10, or 25 degreeC) on the diffusion rate was evaluated. The kinetics of linalool and methylchavicol release showed a non-Fickian behavior at the lowest temperature. An increase in temperature from 4 degreeC to 25 degreeC resulted in an increase in the diffusion coefficient from 4.2 x 10-13 m2 s-1 to 2.5 x 10-12 m2 s-1 for linalool and from 3.5 x 10-13 m2 s-1 to 1.1 x 10-12 m2 s-1 for methylchavicol. The effect of temperature on the diffusion coefficient followed an Arrhenius-type model (r2 = 0.972) in relation to a time-response function with a Hill coefficient. Activation energies of 57.8 kJ mol-1 ...
2011-01-01
Sulfuric acid catalysts on heterogel supports
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Reinforced (heterogel) silicate materials containing an amorphous and a crystalline phase are being used more and more industry. Such systems are energetically unsaturated and therefore promising for use in catalysts. The authors used two reinforced materials as supports: an aluminosilicate containing a zeolite (the cracking catalyst, tseokar) and asbestos-containing aluminosilicate. The active component was introduced by impregnation, and this was followed by heat treatment during which the chemical composition and porous structure were formed. The impregnating mixture consisted of solutions of potassium sulfate and vanadate of the required concentrations. The testing shows that reinforced heterogel systems are promising as support materials for sulfuric acid catalysts.
1985-05-10
Investigating radon transport through different saudi building materials
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Radon has been recognized by various international health organizations as a major lung carcinogen. The onset of cellular carcinogenesis involves DNA damage to bronchi epithelial cells by particles emitted by radon progeny. Radon diffusion is an important release mechanism for radon that is produced inside a building material. The physical parameter that characterizes this process is the radon diffusion Coefficient D(m-2 s-l). The diffusion constant and Diffusion length has been measured as 2.15xl0- 6 m-2s-1, 1.01m for soil, 1.65x10-6m-2s-1, 0.89m for sand and 0.21x 10-6m-2s-1, 0.31m for crush aggregate saudi building materials respectively. The values are found to be minimum for crush aggregates, which shows that crush aggregate is least permeable to radon flow as compared with the other building materials studied. (author)
2007-06-01
On the stability of the Einstein static universe
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
We show using covariant techniques that the Einstein static universe containing a perfect fluid is always neutrally stable against small inhomogeneous vector and tensor perturbations and neutrally stable against adiabatic scalar density inhomogeneities so long as c"2_s > 1/5, and unstable otherwise. We also show that the stability is not significantly changed by the presence of a self-interacting scalar field source, but we find that spatially homogeneous Bianchi type IX modes destabilize an Einstein static universe. The implications of these results for the initial state of the universe and its pre-inflationary evolution are also discussed. (letter to the editor)
2003-06-07
Study of fitness-for-purpose criteria shows promise for pipeline girth-weld quality
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
This article illustrates what typical accept/reject curves might look like and discusses progress made in developing the required inspection techniques for flaw dimensioning. Consideration is given to the relative significance of blunt versus planar types of flaws, and of inherent limitations to the depths of certain types of flaws. Finally, consideration is given to the realities of implementing proposed procedures under field conditions. These are summarized in a series of technical options for implementation of program results.
1983-07-01
New insights in LV torsion for the selection of cardiac resynchronisation therapy candidates
British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)
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.
2011-01-01
Mastering a mediator: blockade of CCN-2 shows early promise in human diabetic kidney disease
British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)
In diabetes complications, CCN-2 (known originally as CTGF) has been implicated in diabetic nephropathy both as a marker and a mediator of disease. This commentary addresses CCN-2 in diabetic nephropathy, in the context of the recent publication of the first human study to inhibit CCN-2 bioactivity in diabetic kidney disease.
2010-01-01
Manufacture and characterization of Pb(1-x)Sn(x)Te photoconductors
A general account of the properties, growing technology and annealing of lead-tin-telluride single crystals is given. Photoconductors were made for the 8 to 14 micron. spectral range and responsivity, detectivity and spectral response measurements showed satisfactory results. Improvement in the growing and annealing of the single crystals promise good performance in the near future.
1984-03-01
Neutrino bilarge mixing and flavor physics in the flipped SU(5) model
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
We have constructed a specific supersymmetric flipped SU(5) GUT model in which bilarge neutrino mixing is incorporated. Because the up-type and down-type quarks in the model are flipped in the representations ten and five with respect to the usual SU(5), the radiatively generated flavor mixing in squark mass matrices due to the large neutrino mixing has a pattern different from those in the conventional SU(5) and SO(10) supersymmetric GUTs. This leads to phenomenological consequences quite different from SU(5) or SO(10) supersymmetric GUT models. That is, it has almost no impact on B physics. On the contrary, the model has effects in top and charm physics as well as lepton physics. In particular, it gives promising prediction on the mass difference, #DELTA#M_D, of the D-D-bar mixing which for some ranges of the parameter space with large tan#beta# can be at the order of 10"9 #Planck constant# s"-"1, one order of magnitude ...
2003-11-24
High Magnetic Field NMR Studies of LiVGe$_2$O$_6$, a quasi 1-D Spin $S = 1$ System
We report $^{7}$Li pulsed NMR measurements in polycrystalline and single crystal samples of the quasi one-dimensional S=1 antiferromagnet LiVGe$_2$O$_6$, whose AF transition temperature is $T_{\\text{N}}\\simeq 24.5$ K. The field ($B_0$) and temperature ($T$) ranges covered were 9-44.5 T and 1.7-300 K respectively. The measurements included NMR spectra, the spin-lattice relaxation rate ($T_1^{-1}$), and the spin-phase relaxation rate ($T_2^{-1}$), often as a function of the orientation of the field relative to the crystal axes. The spectra indicate an AF magnetic structure consistent with that obtained from neutron diffraction measurements, but with the moments aligned parallel to the c-axis. The spectra also provide the $T$-dependence of the AF order parameter and show that the transition is either second order or weakly first order. Both the spectra and the $T_1^{-1}$ data show that $B_0$ has at most ...
2001-01-01
Determination of uranium and thorium concentrations in integrated circuit packaging materials
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
The purpose of the present research is to find a suitable technique to measure trace amounts of uranium and thorium and to determine the surface #alpha#-flux in silicon compound (SiO) used for fabrication of integrated circuit packaging materials. Among several commonly-used detecting techniques, it was found that neutron activation analysis (NAA) was most promising. The results from NAA show a large difference in uranium and thorium concentrations when cadmium and boron carbide shields are used, whereas #alpha#-flux measurements show a low #alpha#-activity, which corresponds to the trace amounts of uranium and thorium expected to be present in these materials. (author) 13 refs.; 6 figs.
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Metastable austenitic steels show excellent mechanical properties, such as high strength combined with excellent ductility and toughness due to martensitic transformation under mechanical loading (transformation induced plasticity effect). A good energy consumption, and, in the case of high-alloyed metastable austenitic steels, a high corrosion resistance, increase the potential of these materials for diverse applications, also in regard of safety requirements. Up to now, numerous wrought alloys were investigated concerning mechanical behaviour, TRIP-effect, martensitic transformation behaviour and modelling of transformation kinetics or stress-strain behaviour. New high alloyed cast CrMnNi-steels, developed at Technical University Bergakademie Freiberg, provide the chance to reduce processing steps, production time and costs. In order to understand the influence of temperature on the martensitic phase transformation behaviour and therefore on mechanical properties ...
2010-07-01
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Atomic oxygen is measured in a pulsed dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) using two-photon absorption laser-induced fluorescence (TALIF). The ground-level atomic oxygen is excited to the 3p "3P state by two-photon absorption at 226 nm. Negative (-40 kV) or positive (+30 kV) pulsed DBD occurs in an O_2-N_2 mixture at atmospheric pressure. The pulse width of the DBD current is approximately 50 ns. The TALIF experiment shows that the decay rate of atomic oxygen increases linearly with O_2 concentration. This result proves that atomic oxygen decays mainly by the third-body reaction, O + O_2 + M #-># O_3 + M. The rate coefficient of the third-body reaction is estimated to be 2.2 x 10"-"3"4 cm"6 s"-"1 in the negative DBD and 0.89 x 10"-"3"4 cm"6 s"-"1 in the positive DBD. It is shown that the decay rate of atomic oxygen increases linearly with humidity. This can explain the well-known ...
2005-08-21
Polymer-metal complex as gel electrolyte for quasi-solid-state dye-sensitized solar cells
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
A kind of polymer-metal complex gel electrolyte is successfully prepared and is used in dye-sensitized solar cells. Raman and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy confirm the structure of this complex and is found that the metal ion reacts with nitrogen in the polymer. This novel electrolyte shows apparent diffusion coefficient of iodide of 8.37 x 10-7 cm2 s-1 and the energy conversion efficiency of 6.10% when the amount of ZnI2 is 0.04 M. By studying the dissociation active energy of the inorganic salt in electrolytes, we find that the metal salts can dissociate more easily after reacting with polymer and as a result can provide extra free iodide ion. The cell maintains ca. 93% of its initial efficiency after 20 d without further sealing, which shows good long-time stability.
2011-01-01
Electrochemical behavior of antimony and electrodeposition of Mg-Li-Sb alloys from chloride melts
British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)
The electrochemical behavior of Sb(III) ions was investigated in LiCl-KCl molten salt at 673K. The reaction mechanism and transport parameters of electroactive species were determined by transient electrochemical techniques (such as cyclic voltammetry, square wave voltammetry, chronopotentiometry and chronoamperometry) at a molybdenum electrode. The results showed that electrochemical reduction of Sb(III) in LiCl-KCl melts occurred in a reaction step with an exchange of three electrons. A voltammogram with a different scan rate in LiCl-KCl containing 1.45x10^-^4molcm^-^3 SbCl3 showed that the deposition/dissolution reaction of Sb(III) ions was not completely reversible. The diffusion coefficient of Sb(III) ions was 1.65(+/-0.01)x10^-^5cm^-^2s^-^1 at 673K. The electroreduction of Sb(III) io...
2011-01-01
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
This paper deals with the externally coal-fired combined cycle (EFCC). A process simulation for different configurations of the EFCC-process is carried out as well as an investigation of the effect of the key parameters such as the gas turbine inlet temperature and the compressor intake airflow. The results show a promising potential of the efficiency. One component of this combined gas and steam turbine cycle is a high temperature heat exchanger that has to withstand the extrem chemical and thermal operating conditions. Fibre reinforced ceramics and combinations of them with monolithic ceramics seem to be the most promising materials for this application. A cost estimating of the EFCC-process shows that a competitive operation should be possible. (orig.) [Deutsch] Die Ergebnisse der Prozesssimulationen weisen ein vielversprechendes Wirkungsgradpotential des extern kohlebefeuerten Gasturbinenprozesses ...
1996-12-31
Radiofrequency ablation of lung and liver lesions using CT fluoroscopy
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Full text: Tumour ablation with radiofrequency (RF) energy is a relatively new procedure for the treatment of focal malignant disease. At our institution this is currently being used in the treatment of certain liver and lung lesions with the patients involved being enrolled in clinical trials. The poster describes the technique used at our institution for the placement of the radiofrequency ablation electrode using CT fluoroscopy. Criteria for patient selection are included. Complications from the procedure are described, as well as follow up appearances and results. Our results from the treatment of primary and secondary lesions in the liver correlate well with published literature. Treatment is still not as successful as surgical resection but there is significantly less morbidity. Where this method may be appropriate is when the patient is not a candidate for surgical resection. The treatment of colorectal metastases in the lung shows early ...
2002-06-01
A novel drug delivery system for the treatment of brain tumors was formulated by methotrexate (MTX)-loaded polymeric nanoparticles (NPs) based on Glycol chitosan (GCS) and Dextran sulfate (DS). The physicochemical properties of resulting particles were investigated, evidencing the contribution of these nanoparticles for brain targeting. In vitro release of MTX was also evaluated. The GCS-DS nanoparticles have been developed based on the modulation of ratio show promise as a system for controlled delivery of the drug to the brain. PMID:21782844
2011-07-19
Recent advances in pharmacotherapy for dyspnea in COPD
British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)
Dyspnea is the most distressing symptom experienced by those suffering from advanced stages of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Activity-related dyspnea in COPD is multifactorial but is associated with increased central neural drive, impaired dynamic respiratory mechanics and abnormal respiratory muscle function. Each of these components can potentially be targeted for pharmacotherapy. Recent advances in the pharmacotherapy of COPD include the development of new long-acting bronchodilators which, when combined, provide sustained improvements in dyspnea. Additionally, novel applications of older therapies such as opiates, furosemide, helium-oxygen, and statins show early promise as dyspnea-relieving interventions in COPD. Effective pharmacological manipulation of the affective ...
2011-01-01
Post-transplant monitoring of renal allografts: are we there yet?
British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)
Transplantation has emerged as the therapy of choice for many patients with end organ failure. One of the major goals is to tailor immunosuppressive therapy to the individual needs of every patient to balance the risk for rejection and over-immunosuppression. This will require diagnostic tools that can detect harmful processes in the allograft early, and that can be measured repeatedly. This review will consider recent advances in our understanding of the molecular nature of these processes and how this information is being utilized to design novel diagnostic assays to non-invasively monitor allografts. Highlighted is the need for large-scale prospective multi-centre studies to validate assays that show early promise in single centre studies.
2009-01-01
Mechanical properties of titanium-niobium carbon nitride
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
A study was made of the variation in strength characteristics of group IV transition metal carbon nitrides alloyed with carbides or group V metal nitrides. A complex solid solution of titanium-niobium carbonitride was preliminarily synthesized to a homogeneous equilibrium state and then crushed. The calculated quantity of binder metal was added as elemental powders, the mixture was vibration ball milled in ethanol and the plasticized charge was used to press experimental specimens for mechanical testing. The studies showed that the high-temperature strength properties of the new cermet are superior to standard type KNT. The material is thus promising for use in the manufacture of tools. 8 references, 3 figures.
1984-07-01
H/sup +/ and OH/sup -/ electrolytes for the 300/sup 0/ - 600/sup 0/C range
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
A research program has been initiated to screen and select electrolyte materials for use in steam electrolyzers in the 300-600/sup 0/C temperature range. Screening of a significant number of acid anhydrides, hydroxides, oxides, and phospates for their electrolytic conductivity properties is underway. Of the binary materials examined to date, only polymerized phosphoric acid, immobilized on an H/sup +/ substituted zeolite, shows promise. A substantial number of ternary compounds remain to be synthesized and evaluated.
1984-08-01
Clones to replace forest seedlings
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
A considerable time can elapse between initial selection of candidate plus trees and harvest of improved seed. The technique showing the greatest promise of shortening this interval is vegetative propagation. Stock plants are grown for two years from seed before the first propagation cycle begins and each plant can be bulked-up 300-500 times over two cycles. An initial stock of 2500 superior Sitka Spruce plants can be multiplied to yield between 300,000 and 750,000 rooted cuttings for forest use within four years from the start of propagation.
1985-01-01
A high capacity, template-electroplated Ni-Sn intermetallic electrode for lithium ion battery
British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)
In this paper we describe a Ni-Sn intermetallic material obtained via template electroplating synthesis. The structure and the morphology of this material are investigated by X ray diffraction (XRD) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) analyses. We demonstrate that Ni-Sn behaves as a sub-micrometric electrode showing a favourable response when cycled in a lithium cell. The results here reported suggest that the template electroplating is a promising synthetic approach that can lead to an optimized structure and morphology of the Ni-Sn electrode, such as to confer it a role of a high capacity anode in advanced lithium ion batteries.
2011-01-01
The use of steroids in the treatment of severe sepsis and septic shock
British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)
Sepsis and septic shock remain major causes of mortality and morbidity worldwide. Previously, high dose corticosteroids were used to dampen the inflammatory response but studies and meta-analyses showed this to be of no benefit and possibly detrimental. Subsequently, low dose corticosteroids were used in the treatment of sepsis and septic shock with the hypothesis that these conditions are associated with relative adrenal insufficiency. Although some studies showed promising results larger studies and meta-analyses have failed to reproduce these effects and the use of corticosteroids in the treatment of sepsis and septic shock remains controversial. We review the current literature and guidelines regarding low dose corticosteroid use in the management of sepsis and septic shock.
2011-01-01
Ionically conductive thin polymer films prepared by plasma polymerization
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Ultrathin solid polymer electrolyte membranes containing sulfonic ester groups were prepared by polymerization of methyl benzenesulfonate and octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane in a glow discharge plasma. The sulfonic ester groups of the plasma polymer were transformed to lithium sulfonate groups by treatment with lithium iodide. Hybridization of this plasma polymer containing the lithium sulfonate groups with poly(ethylene oxide) (average Mw 300) resulted in the formation of a single lithium ion conductive film. The hybrid polymer electrolyte films were about 1 #mu#m thick, pinhole-free, adherent to various substrates, and showed ionic conductivities at 60 degrees C of the order of 10"- "6 S cm"- "1 (10"2 #OMEGA# cm"2 resistance per unit area of as-prepared solid polymer electrolyte). This material shows promise for electrochemical applications such as all solid-state lithium batteries, sensors, and electrochemical display ...
Effect of material aging on parachute pack life: a synopsis of Sandia National Laboratories studies
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
A systematic study of the effects of environmental factors on nylon 66 and Kevlar 29 strength degradation in parachute components is being conducted at Sandia National Laboratories. It includes: (1) accelerated aging studies in air, inert environments, humidity, ozone, and smog; (2) a 25-year surveillance program of parachutes in a variety of natural climatic environments; (3) moisture absorption as a function of humidity; (4) effects of surface coatings normally applied to parachutes; and (5) development of nondestructive evaluation techniques which can be used to map mechanical properties over the entire parachute surface. The accelerated aging and moisture absorption studies show that air, humidity, and smog contribute to degradation. Chemiluminescence, gas chromatographic pyrograms, and uv spectroscopy show promise as nondestructive evaluation techniques.
1984-01-01
British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)
Phycocyanin - a major phycobiliprotein constitutively produced by many cyanobacteria hold several promising applications in diagnostics, biomedical research, and therapeutics. This paper discusses a novel rapid method for the purification of cyanobacterial phycocyanin (C-PC) from Phormidium fragile using hydrophobic interaction chromatography. The protein was extracted and concentrated by grinding under liquid nitrogen and ammonium sulfate fractionation. C-PC was purified by single step hydrophobic interaction chromatography. Purified phycocyanin showed absorbance maximum (lmax) at 624nm. The criterion of purity (R) achieved was 4.52. Phycocyanin to phycoerythrin and phycocyanin to allophycocyanin purity ratio were 3.85 and 7.49, respectively. The purified protein showed a pI of 5.2 and ha...
2008-01-01
U Orionis: the evolution and proper motion of the OH maser envelope
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
The Jodrell Bank MERLIN array was used to map the OH 1665-and 1667-MHz masers in the circumstellar envelope of U Orionis in 1984, 1986 and 1987. The OH masers lie within a region of extent 130 x 180 AU"2, and have complex distribtuions which are different for each line and polarization. The masers show clumpy structures with a typical clump size of #approx# 25 AU. The strongest emission is from a ring of radius 60 AU which we interpret as part of an expanding, tilted torus. Proper motions have been measured for the OH masers on the ring. The ring has a proper motion of 5.4#+-#1.4 mass yr"-"1 corresponding to a transverse expansion velocity of #approx# 7 km s"-"1 for the period-luminosity distance of U Orionis of 260 pc. (author).
Transport properties of single-crystalline n-type semiconducting PbTe nanowires
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Single-crystalline PbTe nanowires were synthesized using the chemical vapor transport method. They consisted of rock-salt structure PbTe nanocrystals uniformly grown in the [100] direction. We fabricated field-effect transistors using a single PbTe nanowire, providing evidence for its intrinsic n-type semiconductor characteristics. The values of the carrier mobility and concentration were estimated to be 0.83 cm"2 V"-"1 s"-"1 and 8.8 x 10"1"7 cm"-"3, respectively. The Seebeck coefficients (-72 ?V K"-"1) of individual nanowires were measured to show their n-type carrier-dominated thermoelectric transport properties.
2009-10-14
British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)
A 46-year-old man was referred to us after he presented to his local physician complaining of difficulty eating. Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy revealed a tumor at the esophagogastric junction (EGJ), and moderately differentiated adenocarcinoma was diagnosed from the biopsy findings. Computed tomography (CT) showed apparent enlargement of the pretracheal lymph nodes, the lymph nodes around the bilateral recurrent laryngeal nerves, and the lower thoracic paraesophageal lymph nodes, confirming metastasis. Since the disease was far advanced esophagogastric cancer with marked lymph node metastases throughout the mediastinum, curative resection would have been unlikely. Thus, he was commenced on systemic chemotherapy with cisplatin (90 mg/body, day 8) + S-1 (120 mg/body/day, given for 3 weeks...
2011-01-01
Length-sorted semiconducting carbon nanotubes for high-mobility thin film transistors
British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)
We have developed a process for chemical purification of carbon nanotubes for solution-processable thin-film transistors (TFTs) having high mobility. Films of the purified carbon nanotubes fabricated by simple drop coating showed carrier mobilities as high as 164 cm2V?1s?1, normalized transconductances of 0.78 Sm?1, and on/off current ratios of 106. Such high performance requires the preparation of a suspension of micrometer-long and highly purified semiconducting single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs). Our purification process includes length and electronic-type selective trapping of SWCNTs using recycling gel filtration with a mixture of surfactants. The results provide an important milestone toward printed high-speed and large-area electronics with roll-to-roll and ink-jet device fabri...
2011-01-01
British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)
Magnetic pulse welding is a solid state impact welding process, similar to explosive welding, which produces metallurgical bond by oblique high-speed impact between two metal bodies. This violent impact removes the metal surface oxide layers and then joins the two atomic level clean metal surfaces together by the incidental compression pressure. The impact velocity is at 200?400?m/s and the being welded metal surface undergoes severe plastic deformation with strain rate in the order of 106?107?s?1. The ultrafine-grained structure was observed on the welded interface. This article studied two types of similar material lap joint interfaces and the base metals were aluminum alloy 6061 and copper alloy 110. Nano-indentation testing shows that the welded interfaces have significantly greater ha...
2010-01-01
Normal and abnormal water diffusion in the brain
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Diffusion magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has become an important tool in the radiologic diagnosis of diseases of the brain as it measures molecular motion of water that characterizes the microstructure of tissues. Its most important clinical use to date is the early detection of cerebral ischemia by revealing the ischemic injury shortly after vessel occlusion and simultaneously providing therapy-relevant information on the tissue at risk. Furthermore, diffusion MRI is diagnostically promising in other diseases of the brain and is thus increasingly becoming part of routine clinical protocols in the diagnosis of tumors, inflammation, trauma, demyelination, dysmyelination and neurodegeneration. Although abnormalities of diffusion are generally not pathognomonic, diffusion MRI affords information about tissue changes for specific disorders that complements information obtained with standard MR techniques and frequently shows pathology earlier. In ...
2003-10-01
Moving finite element codes in one and two dimensions. Final report
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Many problems in physics necessitate the solution of equations which develop sharp gradients, such as shocks. These include atmospheric shocks near the earth's surface, plasma physics phenomena, both in the laboratory and in space, combustion, petroleum reservoir modelling, and light propagation in glass fibers. To deal with this situation, methods are needed which place a high density of nodes in the neighborhoods of the steep gradients. One of the most promising of these methods is the moving finite element method which was first invented by Miller. This approach, in which the nodes are moved so as to minimize the residual error, has been used successfully by Gelinas, Doss, and co-workers to study several different one-dimensional problems and shows great promise as well in dealing with two dimensions. A paper describing the one-dimensional results has already been published, and a paper describing the ...
1985-10-01
Conceptual design of a medium scale lead-bismuth cooled fast reactor
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
To seek for a promising concept of a heavy liquid metal coolant (HLMC) fast reactor plant, Japan Nuclear Cycle Development Institute and the electric utilities conducted conceptual design study on various types of plant concepts and compared these concepts based on technical feasibility and economical perspective. A comparative design study is performed on Lead-Bismuth cooled reactors with forced and natural convection cooling. Eliminating an intermediate cooling system makes the heat transport system simple and can decrease the amount of the weight of NSSS. Based on the estimation of the amount materials, the plant internal load etc., a construction cost of these plants are evaluated approximately 2/3 times of that of LWRs at present. And, the nitride fuel makes breeding ratio of 1.2 with 150 GWd/t of burnup. The results of unprotected event analyses such as UTOP and ULOF show that both of concepts have possible features to withstand ...
2003-09-15
Growth of tailored sillenite photorefractives for optical correlation
Photorefractives, in general, are among the most promising materials solutions to real time optical correlation. Applications include military target recognition and civilian robotic vision. Crystals of sillenite structure photorefractives, Bi12XO20, where X equals Si, Ge, or Ti, have been grown by melt techniques and in the case of bismuth silicon oxide (BSO) and bismuth titanium oxide (BTO) by the hydrothermal method of high-temperature/high-pressure solution growth. The two growth methods are discussed and crystals grown by the two methods are compared in this paper. Optical absorption and TSC studies show that hydrothermal BSO is essentially free of the native antisite Bi defect which usually acts as a donor. These studies also show that the trap density is greatly reduced in hydrothermal material. Preliminary experiments show that hydrothermal BTO crystals have improved properties over melt grown ...
1995-06-01
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
The new compounds In_3_._7Mo_1_5S_1_9, In_1_._6Rb_2Mo_1_5S_1_9, In_2_._2CsMo_1_5S_1_9, and ScTl_2Mo_1_5S_1_9 have been synthesized by solid-state reaction in sealed molybdenum crucible at about 1250 deg. C. Their crystal structures were solved and refined from X-ray single-crystal data in the hexagonal space group P63/m. Their Mo-S framework consists of an equal mixture of Mo_6S_8S_6 and Mo_9S_1_1S_6 cluster units interconnected through Mo-S bonds. In In_3_._7Mo_1_5S_1_9, the In atoms occupy crystallographically different positions depending on their formal oxidation states of +1 or +3. This was confirmed by replacing partially or totally the monovalent indium by another monovalent cation such as the rubidium, cesium or thallium and the ...
2004-11-30
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
This paper presents the concept of a biological inspired reconfigurable hardware cell architecture which supports self-organisation and self-healing. Two fundamental processes in biology, namely fertilization-to-birth and cell self-healing have inspired the development of this cell architecture. In biology as well as in our hardware cell architecture it is the DNA which enables these processes. We propose a platform based on the electronic DNA (eDNA) and show through simulation, its capabilities as a new generation of robust reconfigurable hardware platforms. We have created a Java based simulator to simulate our self-organisation and self-healing algorithms and the results obtained from this looks promising.
2009-01-01
Use of measured time delays in gravitational lenses to determine the hubble constant
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Gravitational lenses are rare in the known samples of quasars, indicating that the conditions involved in their formation are unusual. In particular, the distribution of matter along the light rays from the observer through the deflector to the quasar may be very different from mean conditions. We show that reasonable deviations in the density of matter along the beams can significantly alter the relationship between time delays and the Hubble constant (H/sub 0/) and conclude that gravitational lenses are not promising estimators of H/sub 0/. However, should an independent, precise determination of H/sub 0/ become available, gravitational lenses could be used to probe long-range density fluctuations.
1985-04-15
Ultraviolet detectors based on ZnO films by thermal oxidation of Zn metallic films
British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)
Metallic Zn films were deposited on glass substrates by electron-beam evaporation. ZnO films were synthesized by thermal oxidation of Zn metallic films in air. At the annealing temperature of 550 ?C, ZnO nanowires appeared on the surface, which mainly result from the decrease of oxidation rate. A ZnO ultraviolet photodetector was fabricated based on a metal-semiconductor-metal planar structure. The detector showed a large UV photoresponse with an increase of two orders of magnitude. It is concluded that promising UV detectors can be obtained on ZnO films by thermal oxidation of Zn metallic films. The ways of performing spectral response measurements for polycrystalline ZnO films are also discussed.
2008-01-01
The utility of naphthyl-keratin adducts as biomarkers for jet-fuel exposure.
We investigated the association between biomarkers of dermal exposure, naphthyl-keratin adducts (NKA), and urine naphthalene biomarker levels in 105 workers routinely exposed to jet-fuel. A moderate correlation was observed between NKA and urine naphthalene levels (p?=?0.061). The NKA, post-exposure breath naphthalene, and male gender were associated with an increase, while CYP2E1*6 DD and GSTT1-plus (++/+-) genotypes were associated with a decrease in urine naphthalene level (p?0.0001). The NKA show great promise as biomarkers for dermal exposure to naphthalene. Further studies are warranted to characterize the relationship between NKA, other exposure biomarkers, and/or biomarkers of biological effects due to naphthalene and/or PAH exposure. PMID:21961652
2011-09-30
The development of high-intensity negative ion sources and beams in the USSR. Technical report
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
This report reviews Soviet R and D of (1) high-intensity negative ion sources and (2) transport and focusing of negative ion beams, using Soviet open literature of the past ten years, and correlates this data with data on Soviet institutes responsible for negative ion beam development. The Soviets are developing intense negative ion beams as the basis for creating neutral beams for injection into mirror traps and tokamaks, for inertial confinement fusion, and possibly for exoatmospheric beam weapon applications. The report focuses specifically on surface-plasma-type ion sources, which were first developed in the USSR and which show great promise for creating beams of high intensity, high brightness, and low emittance. Mechanisms for optimum negative ion beam transport are also discussed.
1981-09-01
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
The direct addition of nickel powder to the reaction mixtures of 1,3-dialkyl-4,5-dioxoimidazolidine-2-thione (1) with the thionation Lawesson reagent produces [Ni{sup II}(R{sub 2}timdt{sup -}){sub 2}] (R{sub 2}timdt = 1,3-dialkylmidazolidine-2,4,5-trithione). These complexes belong to a new class of nickel-dithiolenes, showing remarkably high absorption ({epsilon} {approx} 80 000 dm{sup 3} mol{sup -1} cm{sup -1}, {lambda} {approx} 1000 nm) in the near-infrared region (near-IR), accompanied by high photochemical stability that makes these complexes promising near-IR dyes.
1997-03-12
Sorbent materials for fusion reactor tritium processing
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
A fusion reactor (such as NET/ITER) which breeds its own tritium fuel requires tritium recovery, purification and separation from the other isotopes. Cyclic adsorption processes are strong candidates for several of the processes involved: amongst other advantages, they promise a low tritium inventory. A good adsorbent for such processes must have high adsorption capacity, high selectivity and very low tritium retention after each cycle. Pure zeolite powder is shown to have an excellent combination of these three properties. However, in practice problems can arise from tritium which is not removed by reactivation. In this paper we show that tritium retention in zeolites can be caused either by water retained in the zeolite structure, which can be removed by ore rigorous activation, or by water tapped on binders in commercial pellets. (orig.).
1995-03-01
Recursive neural networks for processing graphs with labelled edges: theory and applications.
In this paper, we introduce a new recursive neural network model able to process directed acyclic graphs with labelled edges. The model uses a state transition function which considers the edge labels and is independent both from the number and the order of the children of each node. The computational capabilities of the new recursive architecture are assessed. Moreover, in order to test the proposed architecture on a practical challenging application, the problem of object detection in images is also addressed. In fact, the localization of target objects is a preliminary step in any recognition system. The proposed technique is general and can be applied in different detection systems, since it does not exploit any a priori knowledge on the particular problem. Some experiments on face detection, carried out on scenes acquired by an indoor camera, are reported, showing very promising results. PMID:16181770
2005-09-21
British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)
We report the fabrication and characterization of glucose-tolerant Raney-platinum cathodes for oxygen reduction in potentially implantable glucose fuel. Fabricated by extraction of aluminum from 1mm thin platinum-aluminum bi-layers annealed at 300^oC, the novel cathodes show excellent resistance against hydrolytic and oxidative attack. This renders them superior over previous cathodes fabricated from hydrogel-bound catalyst particles. Annealing times of 60, 120, and 240min result in approximately 400-550nm thin porous films (roughness factors ~100-150), which contain platinum and aluminum in a ratio of ~9:1. Aluminum release during electrode operation can be expected to have no significant effect on physiological normal levels, which promises good biocompatibility. Annealing time has a dis...
2010-01-01
Prospects for the direct detection of the cosmic neutrino background
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
The existence of a cosmic neutrino background - the analogue of the cosmic microwave background - is a fundamental prediction of standard big bang cosmology. Up to now, the observational evidence for its existence is rather indirect and rests entirely on cosmological observations of, e.g., the light elemental abundances, the anisotropies in the cosmic microwave background, and the large scale distribution of matter. Here, we review more direct, weak interaction based detection techniques for the cosmic neutrino background in the present epoch and in our local neighbourhood. We show that, with current technology, all proposals are still off by some orders of magnitude in sensitivity to lead to a guaranteed detection of the relic neutrinos. The most promising laboratory search, based on neutrino capture on beta decaying nuclei, may be done in future experiments designed to measure the neutrino mass through decay kinematics. (orig.)
2009-01-15
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
InP-quantum dots (QDs) are promising sources of single-photons and as active laser medium, emitting in the red part of the visible spectrum and thus in the range of the highest sensitivity of current silicon detectors. The self assembled QDs were grown by metal organic vapor phase epitaxy and are embedded in between distributed Bragg reflectors (DBRs), afterwards the sample was processed by a Focused Ion Beam to fabricate micro-pillars. The DBRs and the high refractive index step between pillar and air results in a three dimensional mode confinement and highly directed emission and thus higher intensity. We have investigated the mode spectra by micro-photoluminescence measurements for different pillar diameters and compared the spectra with a theoretical model showing up good consistency. Q-factors up to 3600 were achieved.
2009-03-22
Nondestructive techniques for the control of conditioned radioactive wastes
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
The final product of the radwaste conditioning process must satisfy certain requirments and physico-chemical properties in order to assure its safe long-term behaviour. Of course, the foreseen quality assurance and quality control should be conducted by means of non-destructive techniques. This work presents an over-view of various applicable non-destructive methods of analysis, showing their fields of investigation in testing waste packages, together with some arising practical problems. The most promising methods, such as eddy current testing, ultrasonic testing, #gamma#-scanning, #gamma#-spectroscopy, neutron counting and computerized tomography, are treated more deeply and some applications are presented. Particular attention is devoted to the development of a device based on computerized tomography; its essential components are reported and some design problems are also discussed.
2005-09-01
New synthesis routes for Sialon and Sialon-bonded ceramics
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
The use of Sialon ceramics has been restricted by the high temperature required for synthesis and the expense of the pure oxide and nitride raw materials required. For refractory applications the purity required is less demanding and it has been possible to exploit the outstanding durability of the Sialons at moderate cost. New low cost manufacturing routes are being developed by nitriding silicon metal powder at relatively low temperature with clay and various additives depending on the Sialon required. For example the introduction of carbon or fine silicon carbide allows the preparation of beta Sialons and alpha Sialons which can be stabilised by including the appropriate cations. A wide range of composite Sialon bodies with diverse properties can be prepared by a one step process. Current projects developing the synthesis routes are aimed, in the first instance, at refractory manufacture but are showing promise for more sophisticated ...
1998-09-28
British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)
The aim of this study was to develop a nanostructured Nb2O5-natural hydroxyapatite bulk composite to serve as an alternative biocompatible bulk material for implants. A set of samples of hydroxyapatite from fish bones with different concentrations of Nb2O5 were designed. They were prepared through a milling process, compacted under different pressures (350, 450, 550 and 650MPa) and sintered in air atmosphere at 1000^oC for 1h. The results revealed that the prepared composites presented strong interactions between the two elements and showed improvement in the sinterability with significant densification and microstructure changes, suggesting that they are promising for implants meant to replace bone tissues.
2011-01-01
Nanocrystalline MnO thin film anode for lithium ion batteries with low overpotential
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Nanocrystalline MnO thin film has been prepared by a pulsed laser deposition (PLD) method. The reversible lithium storage capacity of the MnO thin film electrodes at 0.125C is over 472 mAh g{sup -1} (3484 mAh cm{sup -3}) and can be retained more than 90% after 25 cycles. At a rate of 6C, 55% value of the capacity at 0.125C rate can be obtained for both charge and discharge. As-prepared MnO thin film electrodes show the lowest values of overpotential for both charge and discharge among transition metal oxides. All these performances make MnO a promising high capacity anode material for Li-ion batteries. (author)
2009-04-15
Miniaturized polymer electrolyte fuel cell (PEFC) stack using micro structured bipolar plate
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
In Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cell (PEFC) technology the reducing of volume and mass of the fuel cell stack and the improvement of catalyst utilization are of great interest. These parameters affect applicability and system cost. In this work we present an alternative way for reducing the stack volume by combining gas distribution and catalytic active area in one plate. Micro machined glassy carbon electrodes serve as support material for the platinum catalyst, as well as gas distributor at the same time. A comparison of these electrodes with conventional platinum-black gas diffusion electrodes under fuel cell conditions shows that the new system is a promising electrode type for enhanced power density and catalyst utilization. (author) 3 figs., 5 refs.
1999-08-01
Mechanical deformation and tensile super-elastic behaviors of a Ti-Mo based shape memory alloy
Ni-free shape memory alloys are promising functional materials for medical applications. A newly developed Ti-Mo based shape memory alloy shows superelasticity after thermomechanical treatment. However, the microstructure evolution and precipitation during thermomechanical processes are still not well understood. In the present paper, compressive deformation behavior at a series of temperatures of 298K - 973K and tensile deformation behavior of the alloy after aged at 573K - 973K have been investigated systematically. It is found that the compressive yield stress and ultimate compressive strength change with the deformation temperature. The ultimate tensile strength and yield stress of aged specimens also change with the aging temperature following a non-linear relationship. Microstructures of aged specimens as well as effects of lattice softening and aging-induced precipitates on the deformation behavior have been investigated and discussed.
2011-03-01
Measuring perceptual centers using the phase correction response
British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)
The perceptual center (P-center) is fundamental to the timing of heterogeneous event sequences, including music and speech. Unfortunately, there is currently no comprehensive and reliable model of P-centers in acoustic events, so P-centers must instead be measured empirically. This study reviews existing measurement methods and evaluates two methods in detail?the rhythm adjustment method and a new method based on the phase correction response (PCR) in a synchronous tapping task. The two methods yielded consistent P-center estimates and showed no evidence of P-center context dependence. The PCR method appears promising because it is accurate and efficient and does not require explicit perceptual judgments. As a secondary result, the magnitude of the PCR is shown to vary systematically with ...
2011-01-01
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Certain actively filling plant sucrose sinks such as a seed, a tuber, or a root can be identified by measuring the uridine diphosphate and pyrophosphate-dependent metabolism of sucrose. Sucrolysis in both active and quiescent sucrose sinks was tested and sucrose synthase was found to be the predominant sucrose breakdown activity. Sucrolysis via invertases was low and secondary in both types of sinks. Sucrose synthase activity dropped markedly, greater than fivefold, in quiescent sinks. The test are consistent with the hypothesis that the sucrose filling activity, i.e. the sink strength, of these plant sinks can be measured by testing the uridine diphosphate and pyrophosphate-dependent breakdown of sucrose. Measuring the initial reactions of sucrolysis shows much promise for use in agriculture crop and tree improvement research as a biochemical test for sink strength.
1989-04-01
Histological analysis of 70-nm silica particles-induced chronic toxicity in mice
British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)
Nano-sized silica is a promising material for disease diagnosis, cosmetics and drugs. For the successful application of nano-sized material in bioscience, evaluation of nano-sized material toxicity is important. We previously found that nano-sized silica particles with a diameter of 70nm showed acute liver failure in mice. Here, we performed histological analysis of major organs such as the liver, spleen, lung, kidney, brain and heart in mice, chronically injected with 70-nm silica particles for 4weeks. Histological analysis revealed hepatic microgranulation and splenic megakaryocyte accumulation in these 70-nm silica particles treated mice, while the kidney, lung, brain and heart remained unaffected. Thus, liver and spleen appear to be the major target organs for toxicity by the chronic a...
2009-01-01
Gallstones: choosing the right therapy despite vague clinical clues.
Therapeutic decisions are quite clear-cut for asymptomatic gallstone disease and acute cholecystitis. However, the appropriate therapeutic course for older patients with chronic cholecystitis may be less obvious. Watchful waiting may be reasonable for patients with mild and infrequent symptoms. For healthy patients, cholecystectomy is recommended if symptoms are becoming more frequent and severe. Laparoscopy may reduce the complication rate and be safely performed even in those with underlying medical illness. Oral dissolution therapy can be attempted for qualifying symptomatic patients who are at poor surgical risk or who refuse surgery. Shock wave lithotripsy and contact dissolution therapy show some promise but are currently experimental. PMID:8339941
1993-08-01
British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)
The greater amberjack, Seriola dumerilii (Risso 1810) is a semi-pelagic fish and a worldwide species; it is considered a promising candidate for the diversification of Mediterranean aquaculture. In this paper an experimental injection with Listonella (Vibrio) anguillarum was performed to study the immune response of S. dumerilii. Antibody titres to L. anguillarum O1 were determined with indirect-ELISA at different times over a period of 42 days. Results showed that the antibody levels against L. anguillarum were significantly higher in the challenged fish compared to the control. They started developing since the 5th day reaching the highest peak on day 20 after injection, indicating a fast response of the immune system. The observed antibody titre was very high versus L. anguillarum if co...
2008-01-01
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
The primary objective of this study was to evaluate the potential environmental effects (both adverse and beneficials) of aquifer thermal energy storage (ATES) technology pertaining to microbial communities indigenous to subsurface environments (i.e., aquifers) and the propagation, movement, and potential release of pathogenic microorganisms (specifically, Legionella) within ATES systems. Seasonal storage of thermal energy in aquifers shows great promise to reduce peak demand; reduce electric utility load problems; contribute to establishing favorable economics for district heating and cooling systems; and reduce pollution from extraction, refining, and combustion of fossil fuels. However, concerns that the widespread implementation of this technology may have adverse effects on biological systems indigeneous to aquifers, as well as help to propagate and release pathogenic organisms that enter thee environments need to be resolved. 101 refs., 2 ...
1988-03-01
British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)
A new stem cell-scaffold construct based on poly-l-lactide (PLLA) nanofibers grafted with collagen (PLLA-COL) and cord blood-derived unrestricted somatic stem cells (USSC) were proposed to hold promising characteristics for bone tissue engineering. Fabricated nanofibers were characterized using SEM, ATR-FTIR, tensile and contact angle measurements. The capacity of PLLA, plasma-treated PLLA (PLLA-pl) and PLLA-COL scaffolds to support proliferation and osteogenic differentiation of USSC was evaluated using MTT assay and common osteogenic markers such as alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity, calcium mineral deposition and bone-related genes. All three scaffolds showed nanofibrous and porous structure with suitable physical characteristics. Higher proliferation and viability of USSC was observe...
2011-01-01
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Recent research carried out in laboratories showed that Saddle field neutral fast atom beam source is a promising method for nitriding of stainless steel. In the present work, the effect of treatment time on the microstructural and mechanical properties of plasma-nitrided stainless steel sample was investigated by this new method. Plasma nitriding was carried out at 420 deg. C and at a pressure of 0.1 Pa for a time range of 1 to 12 h. SEM-EDX, microhardness tests, optical microscopy and X-ray diffraction (XRD) were used to evaluate the mechanical and structural properties of the nitrided layer. It was found that nitriding time has a pronounced effect on the structural and mechanical properties of low-temperature plasma-nitrided samples and produced a precipitation-free thin hard nitrided layer within a short processing time.
2006-09-25
Development of a new Pb-free solder: Sn-Ag-Cu
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
With the ever increasing awareness of the toxicity of Pb, significant pressure has been put on the electronics industry to get the Pb out of solder. This work pertains to the development and characterization of an alloy which is Pb-free, yet retains the proven positive qualities of current Sn-Pb solders while enhancing the shortcomings of Sn-Pb solder. The solder studied is the Sn-4.7Ag-1.7Cu wt% alloy. By utilizing a variety of experimental techniques the alloy was characterized. The alloy has a melting temperature of 217{degrees}C and exhibits eutectic melting behavior. The solder was examined by subjecting to different annealing schedules and examining the microstructural stability. The effect of cooling rate on the microstructure of the solder was also examined. Overall, this solder alloy shows great promise as a viable alternative to Pb-bearing solders and, as such, an application for a patent has been filed.
1995-02-10
Computed tomography colonography: the future of colon cancer screening
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the most common cause of cancer death among Canadian non-smokers. Each year about 21,500 Canadians are diagnosed with CRC. Ninety percent of cases occur in people aged 50 years or older. An estimated 4,800 Canadian men and 4,100 Canadian women die each year from the disease. About 75% of all new CRC cases arise in people with no known risk factors. Computed tomography colonography (CTC), a cross-sectional imaging examination that permits complete structural examination of the colon, shows promise as a tool for CRC screening. This article reviews the rationale for CRC screening, currently recommended Canadian and American screening guidelines and screening tools, and current evidence supporting CTC as a CRC screening tool and its advantages over conventional screening methods. (author)
2008-10-15
Computed tomography colonography: the future of colon cancer screening
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the most common cause of cancer death among Canadian non-smokers. Each year about 21,500 Canadians are diagnosed with CRC. Ninety percent of cases occur in people aged 50 years or older. An estimated 4,800 Canadian men and 4,100 Canadian women die each year from the disease. About 75% of all new CRC cases arise in people with no known risk factors. Computed tomography colonography (CTC), a cross-sectional imaging examination that permits complete structural examination of the colon, shows promise as a tool for CRC screening. This article reviews the rationale for CRC screening, currently recommended Canadian and American screening guidelines and screening tools, and current evidence supporting CTC as a CRC screening tool and its advantages over conventional screening methods. (author)
2008-10-01
Coir pith-a biosorbent for removal of cesium from aqueous solutions
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Coir pith (CP), an abundantly available lignocellulosic agricultural waste from the local coir industry has been found to be an effective biosorbent for removal of metal ions from aqueous solutions. Transition metal hexacyanoferrates, in particular nickel hexacyano ferrate (NiHCF) also referred to as Prussian blue analogue (PBA), is known to be highly selective for removal of cesium from aqueous solutions. A novel method for the synthesis of PBA inside the porous matrix of coir pith and use of this composite material for the sorption of cesium is described in this paper. Equilibrium experiments showed that the sorption capacity of coir pith nearly doubled due to the modification. Owing to its low cost and rapid sorption kinetics, this hybrid material seems to be one of the most promising compounds for the recovery of cesium from liquid nuclear wastes. (author)
2007-01-04
British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)
Antisense- or RNAi-mediated suppression of the biosynthesis of nutritionally inferior storage proteins is a promising strategy for improving the amino acid profile of seeds. However, the potential pleiotropic effects of this on interconnected pathways and the agronomic quality traits need to be addressed. In the current study, a transcriptomic analysis of an antisense C-hordein line of barley was performed, using a grain-specific cDNA array. The C-hordein antisense line is characterized by marked changes in storage protein and amino acid profiles, while the seed weight is within the normal range and no external morphological irregularities were observed. The results of the transcriptome analysis showed excellent correlation with data on changes in the relative proportions of storage protei...
2007-01-01
Aerogels: the leading edge in thermal insulation
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Banning CFCs in foamed insulations has led to an intensive search for alternatives which do not incur the penalty of increased thickness. The most promising of these are silica aerogels, which have proven to be the leading material, when it comes to thermal insulation and environmental protection. Refrigerators insulated with aerogels have been tested and compared to conventionally insulated ones. Results showed a substantial contribution to the energy performance. Boiler manufacturers using aerogel have been able to reduce energy consumption of water heaters by 20%. Float glass elements evacuated and filled with aerogel as well as aerogel insulated polyester lightwalls and bubble skylights yield excellent U-values and significantly reduced energy losses in buildings. (author)
1995-01-01
A comparative design study of PB-BI cooled reactor cores with forced and natural convection cooling
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
A comparative core design study is performed on Pb-Bi cooled reactors with forced and natural convection (FC and NC) cooling. Major interests of the study are core performance and core safety features. The designed core concepts with nitride fuel achieve reasonable breeding capability. The results of unprotected event analyses such as UTOP and ULOF show that both of concepts have possible features to withstand unprotected events due to negative reactivity feedback by Doppler effect, control rod drive line expansion, etc. These results lead to a conclusion that both of concepts have possible capability as one of future promising core concepts. A FC cooling core concept has more advantage if fuel recycle viewpoint is emphasized. (author)
2003-04-20
Preparation of ZnO varistors by solution nano-coating technique
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
This paper introduces a new method to produce nano-composite powder for the preparation of high performance ZnO varistors. ZnO particles were coated with Bi{sub 2}O{sub 3}, Sb{sub 2}O{sub 3}, Co{sub 2}O{sub 3}, Cr{sub 2}O{sub 3} and other additives via liquid nano-coating technique. Then the prepared powder was characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), thermal gravity and differential scanning calorimetry (TG-DSC) and particle size distribution. The results showed that the ZnO composite powder is homogeneously coated and ultrafine. The densification, phase composition and microstructure of ZnO varistors was studied by linear shrinkage, X-ray diffraction (XRD) and SEM, respectively. The preliminary electrical parameters of ZnO varistors showed that the breakdown voltage V {sub b} (1 mA/cm{sup 2}) and nonlinear coefficient {alpha} is 5400 V/cm and 50, respectively, much higher than that of ...
2006-06-15
Part-load analysis of a chemical looping combustion (CLC) combined cycle with CO2 capture
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
This paper presents part-load evaluation of a natural gas-fired chemical looping combustion (CLC) combined cycle with CO2 capture. The novel combined cycle employs an air-based gas turbine, a CO2-turbine and a steam turbine cycle. In this combined cycle, the CLC reactors replace combustion chamber of the gas turbine. The proposed combined cycle has a net plant efficiency of about 52.2% at full-load, including CO2 compression to 200 bar. The part-load evaluation shows that reducing the load down to 60% results in an efficiency drop of 2.6%-points. However, the plant shows better relative part-load efficiency compared to conventional combined cycles. The pressure in CLC-reduction and -oxidation reactors is balanced by airflow control, using a compressor equipped with variable guide vanes. A combination of control strategies is discussed for plant start-up and shutdown and for part-load when airflow reduction is not practically possible with ...
2007-04-01
Anti-cancer drug loaded iron-gold core-shell nanoparticles (Fe@Au) for magnetic drug targeting.
Magnetic drug targeting, using core-shell magnetic carrier particles loaded with anti-cancer drugs, is an emerging and significant method of cancer treatment. Gold shell-iron core nanoparticles (Fe@Au) were synthesized by the reverse micelle method with aqueous reactants, surfactant, co-surfactant and oil phase. XRD, XPS, TEM and magnetic property measurements were utilized to characterize these core-shell nanoparticles. Magnetic measurements showed that the particles were superparamagnetic at room temperature and that the saturation magnetization decreased with increasing gold concentration. The anti-cancer drug doxorubicin (DOX) was loaded onto these Fe@Au nanoparticle carriers and the drug release profiles showed that upto 25% of adsorbed drug was released in 80 h. It was found that the amine (-NH2) group of DOX binds to the gold shell. An in vitro apparatus simulating the human circulatory system was used to determine the retention of these ...
2010-09-01
Structure of an accelerator island with one step on double period of conserving area mapping
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
The structure of the P-2, S-1 accelerator mode with one step, S-1, on double period, P-2 for systems, described by the Harper mapping as well as by standard mapping, is analyzed. Detailed analysis of stability criteria is given and comparison with the results of numerical analysis is performed. Three-period compression of the P-2, S-1 island is revealed in the standard mapping. Refs. 7, figs. 7.
Swimming endurance of whiteleg shrimp, Litopenaeus vannamei exposed to various temperatures (15, 20, and 25 degrees C) and salinities (15, 32, and 40 per thousand) was determined in a swimming channel against one of five flow velocities (5.41, 6.78, 8.21, 10.11, and 11.47 cm s(-1)) for up to 9000 s. No shrimp swam the full 9000 s throughout the experiment. The swimming endurance decreased as swimming speed was increased at any of the temperatures and salinities tested and was significantly affected by temperature and salinity (Ppower model (nu x t(b) = a) showed a better fit to the relationship between swimming endurance (t, in s) and swimming speed (nu, in cm s(-1)) at any of the temperatures and salinities tested. The swimming ability index (SAI), defined as SAI = integral(0)(9000) vdt x 10(-4) (cm), was found to be temperature- and salinity-dependent in L. vannamei. The optimum ...
2006-11-29
Study of heavy-ion reactions with the unstable Nuclei, {sup 11}Be and {sup 13}N
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Heavy-ion reaction with unstable nuclei, {sup 13}N and {sup 11}Be, {sup 13}N+{sup 12}C and {sup 11}Be+{sup 12}C-{sup 10}Be+{sup 13}C were analyzed by a coupled-reaction-channel (CRC) method and formation of valence nucleon molecular orbital was studied by numerical analysing calculation. In this report, 1P1/2 (the ground state of {sup 13}N and {sup 13}C), 2s1/2 (the ground state of {sup 11}Be), 1d5/2 and 1d3/2 orbital were studied as one particle state of valance nucleon in {sup 13}N, {sup 13}C and {sup 11}Be. Moreover, d3/2 state, comparatively higher excited state, was contained into CRC calculation. The effect of this state on CRC scheme was proved very large. We developed new program code to obtain the numerical stable solution. It is necessary to about 200 MB (CRC equation) for {sup 11}Be+{sup 12}C{yields}{sup 10}Be+{sup 13}C and about 300 MB for discussion about molecular orbital. We show that the CRC calculation with ...
1996-06-01
Isobaric analog resonances in "8"9Y
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Three resonances at the proton energies 7.0, 7.08, and 7.53 MeV on the target "8"8Sr were chosen to investigate the possibility of determining the amplitudes of the weak coupling experimentally. The corresponding "8"9Sr levels under investigation were 1.93 MeV ("5/_2"+), 2.00 MeV ("3/_2"+), and 2.46 MeV ("3/_2"+). Angular distributions were measured on resonance at 7.0, 7.08, and 7.53 MeV from proton inelastic scattering to the 1.84 MeV (2"+) state of "8"8Sr for differential cross section, analyzing power, spin-flip probability, and spin-flip asymmetry. A polarized beam of protons was used to obtain the analyzing power. The spin-flip probability was obtained from the coincidence of the prompt gamma rays from the (p,p'#gamma#) reaction with the scattered protons. With the polarized beam, the gamma coincidence technique was further used to obtain a spin-flip asymmetry measurement. From these measurements, the polarization was calculated, and the first clear experimental examples of the ...
Piezoelectric Properties of (1-x)(Na0.5K0.5)NbO3-xAgSbO3 Lead-Free Ceramics
British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)
(1-x)(Na0.5K0.5)NbO3-xAgSbO3 lead-free piezoelectric ceramics were prepared by normal sintering. The effects of the AgSbO3 on the phase structure and piezoelectric properties of the ceramics were systematically studied. These results show that the AgSbO3-modified (K0.50Na0.50)NbO3 lead-free piezoelectric ceramics form stable solution with orthorhombic structure, and the Curie temperature and the polymorphic phase transition of the ceramics decreased with increasing AgSbO3. The result shows that the piezoelectric properties of the ceramics strongly depend on the AgSbO3. The ceramics with x=0.05 possess optimum properties (d33=192 pC/N, kp=43%, Tc=348degreeC, To-t=145degreeC, ?r632, and tan d3.5%). These results indicate that the ceramic is a promising candidate material for lead-free piezoe...
2009-01-01
Photochemically and Pharmacological studies of Maytenus Frosskaoliana
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Column chromatography of the petroleum ether and chloroformic extracts of Maytenus Forsskaoliana afforded four compounds: friedilin1, B-amyrin 2, B-sitosterol 3 and betulin 4. The structure of these compounds were established on bases of spectral (IR,MS,H and C-NMR)as well as physical data. Antimicrobial activity for extracts indicated weak potency (200ug/ml) while betulin4 showed a pronounced activity (MIC and MBC 20ug/ml).The cytotoxic activity of beutalin4 significantly indicated promising activity (IC50 40ug/ml) on both HeLa and Hep-2 cells. The pharmacological activity of diferent extracts showed sedative effect, slowing respiration, dose -dependent decrease in the arterial blood pressure by 40.1mm Hg (at adose 200mg /kg),decrease in the heart rate 67.3% (at a dose 50mg /kg)and decrease in the body temperature by 4.2C after 2 hrs (at a dose 200mg /kg). (author)
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
We report, for the first time to our knowledge, on the active optical planar waveguides in Nd : YAG laser crystals fabricated by O3+ ion implantation at low doses of ?1014 ions cm-2. The reconstructed refractive index profiles based on the measured dark-mode spectroscopy show that an enhanced refractive index well is created in the near-surface region, forming a non-leaky waveguide structure. With thermal annealing treatment at 260 0C for 90 min, the propagation losses of the waveguides could be reduced to ?3 dB cm-1 at a wavelength of 632.8 nm. The micro-luminescence investigation reveals that the emission bands of Nd3+ ions are not significantly affected by the waveguide formation processing, which shows promising potentials for efficient waveguide laser operations at near-infrared wavelength bands.
2008-09-07
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
A non-synthetic polymer material, polyterpenol, was fabricated using a dry polymerization process namely RF plasma polymerization from an environmentally friendly monomer and its surface, optical and electrical properties investigated. Polyterpenol films were found to be transparent over the visible wavelength range, with a smooth surface with an average roughness of less than 0.4 nm and hardness of 0.4 GPa. The dielectric constant of 3.4 for polyterpenol was higher than that of the conventional polymer materials used in the organic electronic devices. The non-synthetic polymer material was then implemented as a surface modification of the gate insulator in field effect transistor (OFET) and the properties of the device were examined. In comparison to the similar device without the polymer insulating layer, the polyterpenol based OFET device showed significant improvements. The addition of the polyterpenol interlayer in the OFET shifted the threshold voltage ...
2010-08-31
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Studies of basic binary geothermal cycles utilizing mixtures of hydrocarbons have shown better performance than for pure fluids for a moderate temperature (360/sup 0/F) resource. However, a loss is net geofluid effectiveness (watt-hours net plant output/1bm geofluid) results when the geofluid outlet temperature is limited to temperatures in excess of 160/sup 0/F to alleviate a silica precipitation problem. This study examined three working fluids consisting of binary mixtures of hydrocarbons to see if use of regenerative preheating techniques such as turbine exhaust recupation and/or turbine bleed could recover the loss in geofluid effectiveness for a 160/sup 0/F geofluid outlet temperature. Results showed that with the most promising of the three working fluids a turbine exhaust recuperator alone is sufficient to recover all the lost effectiveness while maintaining the geofluid outlet temperature at 160/sup 0/F. A brief study to investigate ...
1981-12-01
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Studies have shown that binary geothermal cycles utilizing mixed-hydrocarbon working fluids can result in better performance than those utilizing pure fluids for moderate temperature (360F) resources. However, a loss in net geofluid effectiveness results when the geofluid outlet is limited to temperatures in excess of 160F to alleviate potential silica precipitation. This study examined three mixed-hydrocarbon working fluids to see if use of regenerative preheating techniques such as turbine exhaust recuperation and/or turbine bleed could recover this loss. Results showed that with the most promising of the three working fluids, a turbine-exhaust recuperator alone is sufficient to recover all the lost effectiveness while maintaining the geofluid outlet temperature at 160F. A brief study to investigate cold weather operation with the recuperator showed no major detrimental response of the system; however, silica ...
1982-08-01
An accurate high-speed single-electron quantum dot pump
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Using standard microfabrication techniques, it is now possible to construct devices that appear to reliably manipulate electrons one at a time. These devices have potential use as building blocks in quantum computing devices, or as a standard of electrical current derived only from a frequency and the fundamental charge. To date, the error rate in semiconductor 'tuneable-barrier' pump devices, those which show most promise for high-frequency operation, have not been tested in detail. We present high-accuracy measurements of the current from an etched GaAs quantum dot pump, operated at zero source-drain bias voltage with a single ac-modulated gate at 340 MHz driving the pump cycle. By comparison with a reference current derived from primary standards, we show that the electron transfer accuracy is better than 15 parts per million. High-resolution studies of the dependence of the pump current on the quantum dot tuning ...
2010-07-01
Air liquefaction and enrichment system propulsion in reusable launch vehicles
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
A concept is shown for a fully reusable, Earth-to-orbit launch vehicle with horizontal takeoff and landing, employing an air-turborocket for low speed and a rocket for high-speed acceleration, both using liquid hydrogen for fuel. The turborocket employs a modified liquid air cycle to supply the oxidizer. The rocket uses 90% pure liquid oxygen as its oxidizer that is collected from the atmosphere, separated, and stored during operation of the turborocket from about Mach 2 to 5 or 6. The takeoff weight and the thrust required at takeoff are markedly reduced by collecting the rocket oxidizer in-flight. This article shows an approach and the corresponding technology needs for using air liquefaction and enrichment system propulsion in a single-stage-to-orbit (SSTO) vehicle. Reducing the trajectory altitude at the end of collection reduces the wing area and increases payload. The use of state-of-the-art materials, such as graphite polyimide, in a direct substitution for ...
1994-07-01
The Effective Theory of Inflation and the Dark Matter Status in the Standard Model of the Universe
We present here the effective theory of inflation `a la Ginsburg-Landau in which the inflaton potential is a polynomial. The slow-roll expansion becomes a systematic 1/N expansion where N ~ 60. The spectral index and the ratio of tensor/scalar fluctuations are n_s - 1 = O(1/N), r = O(1/N) while the running turns to be d n_s/d \\ln k = O(1/N^2) and can be neglected. The energy scale of inflation M ~ 0.7 10^{16} GeV is completely determined by the amplitude of the scalar adiabatic fluctuations. A complete analytic study plus the Monte Carlo Markov Chains (MCMC) analysis of the available CMB+LSS data showed: (a) the spontaneous breaking of the phi -> - phi symmetry of the inflaton potential. (b) a lower bound for r: r > 0.023 (95% CL) and r > 0.046 (68% CL). (c) The preferred inflation potential is a double well, even function of the field with a moderate quartic coupling yielding as most probable values: n_s = 0.964, ...
2010-01-01
Surface treatment of Ti-6Al-4V alloy by rf plasma nitriding
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
The Ti-6Al-4V alloy was treated by inductively coupled rf plasma nitriding. The effects of plasma-processing time in the range of 5-35 min on the microstructure and the mechanical properties of the plasma-nitrided Ti-6Al-4V samples were studied. The plasma power input was adjusted at 450 W and pure N_2 gas was introduced to establish a treatment pressure of 8.0-8.4 x 10"-"2 mbar. The characteristics of the nitrided layers have been investigated by microhardness testing, surface roughness measurements, optical microscopy, and x-ray diffraction. The results show that the surface microhardness increases as the plasma-processing time increases to reach 2000 HV0.1 at a plasma-processing time of 35 min. A high nitriding rate of 2.81 #mu#m"2 s"-"1 at a plasma-processing time of 25 min was achieved. The formation of the hard phases TiN, Ti_2N, and Ti(N) in the Ti-6Al-4V surfaces are found to be the reason for the increased ...
2007-10-03
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
In this study, SnO2 thin films have been grown using spray pyrolysis technique on glass substrates under a substrate temperature (Ts = 440 oC). The precursors were methanol CH4O and anhydrous tin tetrachloride. XRD analyses yielded strong (1 1 0)-(1 0 1)-(2 0 0) X-ray diffraction peaks which are characteristics to tetragonal crystals. Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) analyses showed the existence of clusters with particular pyramidal shapes. The main part of this study concerns the optical measurements of transmittance T(?) and reflectance R(?) spectra inside 250-1800 nm domain. Conjoint optical and thermal properties were deduced using the Amlouk-Boubaker Opto-Thermal Expansivity ?AB. The obtained value: ?AB ? 23.4 m3 s-1 helped situating the performance of the as-grown SnO2 compound among most known PV-T oxides like ZnO and TiO2.
2010-02-04
Simulation of velocity profiles in a laboratory electrolyser using computational fluid dynamics
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
A commercial CFD code, Fluent, has been used to analyse the design of a filter-press reactor operating with characteristic linear flow velocities between 0.024 and 0.192 m s-1. Electrolyte flow through the reactor channel was numerically calculated using a finite volume approach to solve the Navier-Stokes equations. The length of the channel was divided into 7 sections corresponding to distances of 0, 0.01, 0.04, 0.08, 0.12, 0.14 and 0.15 m from the electrode edge nearest to the inlet. The depth of the channel was divided into three planes parallel to the channel bottom. For each channel section, a velocity profile was obtained at each depth together with the average velocity in each plane. The flow predictions show that the flow development, as the electrolyte passes through the cell, is strongly affected by the manifold causing strong vortex structures at the entrance and exit of the channel. Although the flow ...
2010-04-01
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
The loss of #alpha#-globin gene transcriptional activity rarely occurs as an acquired abnormality during the evolution of myeloproliferative disease or preleukemia. To test whether the mutation responsible for the loss of #alpha#-globin gene expression (hemoglobin H disease) in these patients is linked with the #alpha#-globin genes on chromosome 16, the authors transferred chromosome 16 from preleukemic patients with acquired hemoglobin H disease to mouse erythroleukemia cells and measured the transcriptional activity of the human #alpha#-globin genes. After transfer to mouse erythroleukemia cells, the expression of human #alpha#-globin genes from the peripheral blood or marrow cells of preleukemic patients with acquired hemoglobin H disease was similar to that of human #alpha#-globin genes transferred to mouse erythroleukemia cells from normal donors. These data showed that factor(s) in the mouse erythroleukemia cell can genetically complement the #alpha#-globin ...
Plastic instability in an omega forming Ti-l5% Mo alloy
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
The plastic flow behavior of a #beta#-titanium alloy (Ti-15% Mo) was investigated over a wide range of temperatures and strain rates covering those conditions where the #omega#-phase forms dynamically. Portevin-Le Chatelier (PLC) effect was observed in this alloy at temperatures between 575 and 775 K at a strain rate of 1.31 x 10"-"4 s"-"1. The serrated flow behavior of this alloy could be suppressed by rendering the matrix #beta#-phase more stable against the #beta# to #omega# transformation. PLC bands formed in this alloy, studied at different levels of magnification using light, scanning electron and transmission electron microscopy, showed a high density of deformation bands within the macroscopic PLC band. The following mechanism of serrated flow is proposed; the load drop is ascribed to the sudden flow associated with the formation of deformation bands within which #omega#-particles were destroyed while the subsequent ...
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
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.
Identification of water quality and benthos characteristics in Daya Bay, China, from 2001 to 2004
British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)
Physicochemical and benthos data were collected from 12 marine monitoring stations in Daya Bay, during 2001-2004. 12 stations in Daya Bay could be grouped into three clusters: cluster I consisted of stations in the southern part of Daya Bay (stations S1, S2 and S6); cluster II consisted of stations in the cage culture areas (stations S3, S4, S5 and S8); cluster III consisted of stations in the southwest, the middle and the northeast of the Bay (stations S7, S9, S10, S11 and S12). Calculation with bivariate correlations between benthos and major physicochemical factors showed that the density of benthos in all stations correlated positively with temperature, DO, pH, NH4-N, SiO3-Si, SiO3-Si /PO4-P and chlorophyll a and was negatively correlated with salinity, Secchi, COD, NO3-N, NO2-N, TIN, ...
2011-01-01
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
New physical objects, ispalators based on free soap films, exhibit persistent flows of the soap solution in open and closed volumes in air with additions of gases of the C_8F_1_8 type (p = 20 Torr) at temperature drops on the films of the order of tenths and hundredths of kelvin. The flows move continuously at a velocity of 5 - 20 cm s"-"1. It is found that the parts of an inclined ispalator film show anomalous behaviour upon heating: their weight increases and they move downward over the film, whereas the unheated parts of the film move upward. Continuous radial vortex flows accompanied by the formation and washing of the regions of a thin black film are observed on circular films in closed volumes upon their uniform external cooling by evaporating water for 5 - 10 hours. The rapid flows make film ispalators the efficient heat carriers, which operate at small temperature drops (tenths and hundredths of kelvin) and surpass ...
2002-05-31
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
From June to September 2004 a water research was carried out in six stations that are located at the following microbasins: La Laucha (S1), La Lejia (S2, S3 and S6) and La Rastrojera (S4 and S5). Those microbasins are localized at the Durania municipality in Norte de Santander Department. This study was carried out in order to evaluate water quality at the microbasins above mentioned using macroinvertebrates as bioindicators. For physical, chemical and microbiological parameters a sample was taken at each station. The results were correlated with biologic parameters and it may be concluded that the station 5 closer to the town of Durania is the most polluted by organic matter and that those stations that belong to the ritral zone are less contaminated. The final result showed that the stations 1. 2. 3. 4 and 6 have conditions that can be classified as very clear to clear water and station 5 presents high contamination ...
2008-06-01
British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)
Horseradish peroxidase (HRP) was chemically modified using cyanuric chloride (CC) as a linking agent onto a carbon felt (CF), which is a microelectrode ensemble of micro carbon fiber (>7mm, diameter) with a random three-dimensional structure. The resulting HRP-modified CF (HRP-ccCF) exhibited well-defined redox waves based on the HRP heme Fe^I^I^I/Fe^I^I redox couple at -0.23V vs. Ag/AgCl (at pH 7.0), while the HRP-adsorbed CF (HRP-CF) showed no apparent redox couple in the same potential range, indicating that the chemical modification of HRP via CC facilitated the direct electron transfer (DET) between HRP and CF. The apparent heterogeneous electron transfer rate constant ks was estimated to be 35s^-^1. Cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy revealed that the inter...
2011-01-01
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
During the 2007 Niigataken Chuetsu-oki earthquake, strong ground motion with the peak acceleration of 680 cm/s/s which was larger than that of the empirical prediction was recorded at the base mat of the No.1 reactor building of Kashiwazaki-Kariwa Nuclear Power Station (NPS). Furthermore, in the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa NPS, over twice difference of 680 vs. 322 cm/s/s of peak acceleration between the No.1 and the No.6 reactor buildings was observed on the base mat. From the results of recent research, it is suggested that the deep sedimentary layers can be one of the important factors to elucidate these phenomena. In this study, at first, the applicability of microtremor array measurements for estimation of deep S-wave velocity structure (#approx#Vs=3 km/s layer) are discussed. Vertical microtremors were observed in three arrays at the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa NPS with the maximum station spacings of 3.04 km, 1.49 km and 0.75 km, respectively. The Rayleigh wave phase velocity in a frequency range ...
2010-05-01
Separation or Unification for Taiwan: An Economic ...
... PRC's President Jiang Zemin promised, under all circumstances and despite political differences, to protect fully Taiwanese business interests on ...
1996-09-01
Biology-Inspired Distributed Consensus in Massively-Deployed Sensor Networks
Promises of ubiquitous control of the physical environment by large-scale wireless sensor networks
2005-01-01
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
BaZr_0_._1Ce_0_._7Y_0_._2O_3_-_#delta# (BZCY7) exhibits adequate proton conductivity as well as sufficient chemical and thermal stability over a wide range of SOFC operating conditions, while layered GdBa_0_._5Sr_0_._5Co_2O_5_+_#delta# (GBSC) perovskite deposited on a doped ceria electrolyte demonstrates advanced electrochemical properties. This research fully takes advantage of these advanced properties and develops novel protonic ceramic membrane fuel cells (PCMFCs) of Ni-BZCY7|BZCY7|GBSC. The results show that the open-circuit potential of 1.003 V, maximum power density of 430 mW cm"-"2, and a low polarization resistance of the electrodes of 0.08 #OMEGA# cm"2 are achieved at 700 "oC. With temperature increases, the total cell resistance decreases, among which electrolyte resistance becomes increasingly dominant over polarization resistance. The results also indicate that GBSC perovskite cathode is a good candidate for intermediate temperature PCMFC development, ...
2010-04-30
Determination of Shear Properties in the Upper Seafloor Using Seismo-acoustic Interface Waves
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
This thesis develops methods for recording and analysis of seismo-acoustic interface waves for determination of shear wave velocity as a function of depth and includes this in standard refraction seismic surveying. It investigates different techniques for estimation of dispersion characteristics of the interface waves and demonstrates that multi sensor spectral estimation techniques improve the dispersion estimates. The dispersion estimate of the fundamental interface wave mode is used as input to an object function for a model based linearized inversion. The inversion scheme provides an estimate of the shear wave velocity as a function of depth. Three field surveys were performed. Data were acquired with a standard bottom deployed refraction seismic hydrophone array containing 24 or 48 receivers, with a receiver spacing of 2.5 m. Explosive charges were used as sources. The recording time was increased from 0.5 to 8 s, compared to standard refraction seismic surveys. Shear wave ...
1998-12-31
SUBMILLIMETER ARRAY OBSERVATIONS TOWARD THE MASSIVE STAR-FORMING CORE MM1 OF W75N
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
The massive star-forming core MM1 of W75N was observed using the Submillimeter Array with #approx#1'' and 2'' spatial resolutions at 217 and 347 GHz, respectively. From the 217 GHz continuum we found that the MM1 core consists of two sources, separated by about 1'': MM1a (#approx#0.6 M_s_u_n) and MM1b (#approx#1.4 M_s_u_n), located near the radio continuum sources VLA 2/VLA 3 and VLA 1, respectively. Within MM1b, two gas clumps were found to be expanding away from VLA 1 at about #+-#3 km s"-"1, as a result of the most recent star formation activity in the region. Observed molecular lines show emission peaks at two positions, MM1a and MM1b: sulfur-bearing species have emission peaks toward MM1a, but methanol and saturated species at MM1b. We identified high-temperature (#approx#200 K) gas toward MM1a and the hot core in MM1b. This segregation may result from the evolution of the massive star-forming core. In the very early ...
2010-11-10
Electroweak measurements at CDF
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
The authors present some recent measurements on electroweak physics using data collected by the CDF experiment at the Tevatron proton anti-proton collider ({radical}s = 1.96 TeV) at Fermilab.
2005-06-01
Zinc air battery development for electric vehicles
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
This document reports the progress and accomplishments of a 16 month program to develop a rechargeable zinc-air battery for electric vehicle propulsion, from October 1988 through January 1990. The program was the first stage in the transition of alkaline zinc electrode technology, invented at Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory, to private industry. The LBL invention teaches the use of a copper metal foam substrate for the zinc electrode, in combination with forced convection of electrolyte through the foam during battery operation. Research at LBL showed promise that this approach would avoid shape change (densification and dendrite growth), the primary failure mode of this electrode. The program comprised five tasks; (1) cell design, (2) capacity maximization, (3) cycle testing, (4) materials qualification, and (5) a cost/design study. The cell design contemplates a plate and frame stack, with alternating zinc and oxygen electrode frame assemblies ...
1990-05-01
Weldability of high strength Ni-based alloy USC141 as boiler tube for 700 C USC plant
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Recently the increase of steam temperature and pressure of power plant is required to enhance the thermal efficiency and reduce the CO{sub 2} emission. For the application to advanced USC (Ultra Super Critical) boiler with steam temperature around 700 C, the application of Ni-based alloy such as Alloy617 will be necessary. A new Ni-based alloy USC141 (20Cr-10Mo-2Ti-Al-bal.Ni) with excellent creep rupture strength and low thermal expansion has been developed by Hitachi Ltd. and Hitachi Metals Ltd. as the candidate material for 700 C USC turbine components. In present work, to investigate the possibility for boiler tube application of USC141, its weldability and high temperature strength properties were experimentally examined. The tested material as solution-treated condition shows higher creep rupture strength than that of Alloy617. GTAW (Gas Tungsten Arc Welding) trials of tubular specimen using NIMONIC263 filler wire were conducted successfully and the creep ...
2007-07-01
Understanding and controlling transient enhanced dopant diffusion in silicon
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Implanted B and P dopants in Si exhibit transient enhanced diffusion (TED) during initial annealing which arises from the excess interstitials generated by the implant. In order to study the mechanisms of TED, the authors have used B doping marker layers in Si to probe the injection of interstitials from near-surface, non-amorphizing Si implants during annealing. The in-diffusion of interstitials is limited by trapping at impurities and has an activation energy of {approximately}3.5 eV. Substitutional C is the dominant trapping center with a binding energy of 2--2.5 eV. The high interstitial supersaturation adjacent to the implant damage drives substitutional B into metastable clusters at concentrations below the B solid solubility limit. Transmission electron microscopy shows that the interstitials driving TED are emitted from {l_brace}311{r_brace} defect clusters in the damage region at a rate which also exhibits an activation energy of 3.6 eV. The population of ...
1995-12-31
Understanding and controlling transient enhanced dopant diffusion in silicon
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Implanted B and P dopants in Si exhibit transient enhanced diffusion (TED) during initial annealing which arises from the excess interstitials generated by the implant. In order to study the mechanisms of TED, the authors have used B doping marker layers in Si to probe the injection of interstitials from near-surface, non-amorphizing Si implants during annealing. The in-diffusion of interstitials is limited by trapping at impurities and has an activation energy of #approx#3.5 eV. Substitutional C is the dominant trapping center with a binding energy of 2--2.5 eV. The high interstitial supersaturation adjacent to the implant damage drives substitutional B into metastable clusters at concentrations below the B solid solubility limit. Transmission electron microscopy shows that the interstitials driving TED are emitted from #left brace#311#right brace# defect clusters in the damage region at a rate which also exhibits an activation energy of 3.6 eV. The population of ...
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
In this work, a comprehensive model including heat transfer, fluid flow and solidification was used to evaluate the performance of a novel delivery system for a single-belt steel casting process. This near-net-shape casting, although still in development, is one of the most promising routes for casting of low-carbon steel in large scale. This paper focuses on the performance of a low-Re {kappa}-{epsilon} model that was employed to simulate the three-dimensional turbulent flows fully-coupled with heat transfer and macroscopic solidification. Simulations were run for the intended conditions of caster operation, and the results obtained with the {kappa}-{epsilon} were compared with the results obtained with an ad hoc viscosity model, where the molecular viscosity was boosted 100 times, uniformly throughout the computational domain. A semi-analytical solution was employed for validating the models and the results showed that the ad hoc viscosity ...
2000-01-01
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
We study the lipid and phase transferability of our recently developed systematically coarse-grained solvent-free membrane model. The force field was explicitly parameterized to describe a fluid 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-phosphatidylcholine (POPC) bilayer at 310 K with correct structure and area per lipid, while gaining at least three orders of magnitude in computational efficiency (see Wang and Deserno 2010 J. Phys. Chem. B 114 11207-20). Here, we show that exchanging CG tails, without any subsequent re-parameterization, creates reliable models of 1,2-dioleoylphosphatidylcholine (DOPC) and 1,2-dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC) lipids in terms of structure and area per lipid. Furthermore, all CG lipids undergo a liquid-gel transition upon cooling, with characteristics like those observed in experiments and all-atom simulations during phase transformation. These studies suggest a promising transferability of our force field parameters to ...
2010-09-01
Surface wettability effect on an indirect evaporative cooling system
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Indirect evaporative air coolers that use air-to-air plate-type heat exchangers show good promise (compared with compression air-conditioning systems) of extending the energy savings from arid, low-humidity areas to more widespread climatic conditions. However, no systematic experiment had been done concerning the effect of the wettability of aluminum plates on the effectiveness of the indirect evaporative cooling system. In this study, a testing apparatus was built where only one secondary channel and two primary channels were used so that different surfaces could be easily tested to determine the system`s effectiveness and the heat transfer coefficient. The advantage of this experimental apparatus is that plates of the heat exchanger can be easily changed in the test section instead of fabricating a complete heat exchanger for each test. A dynamic contact analyzer was used to quantitatively measure the wetting properties in terms of advancing ...
1996-11-01
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Irradiation of live bivalve molluscs is a promising new technique to reduce the public health threats of viral and bacterial pathogens in the consumption of raw shellfish. In studies conducted within the past year, live hardshelled clams and oysters were innoculated with Simian Rotavirus SA-11, Poliovirus I, and Hepatitis-A virus and treated with gamma ray ionizing radiation from University of Lowell/DOE 800,000 Curie "6"0Co source over a dose range of 0.5--10 kiloGray (50--1000 kilorad) to determine the effectiveness of the process in eliminating viral activity and thus easing the potential viral health threats associated with uncooked bivalves. Two viral strains, SA-11 and Poliovirus I, were employed as models to perfect laboratory technique and to estimate the most appropriate range of dose exposures necessary for optimal inactivation of the infectious pathogen, Hepatitis A. Post-irradiation survivorship of the oysters and quahogs was assessed over a range of ...
Sheet production using powder rolling of nickel and titanium alloys
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Based on information contained in literature, patents and catalogs a review is presented of powder-rolling metallurgy abroad. Statistics are given on the output of powder metallurgy in several countries. In the USA both the dense type of rolled metal for manufacturing various machine parts and the porous variety for making filters are produced. Four main types of technological processes are analysed: the usual flow chart for cold rolling, rolling of preheated powder, rolling in free-flowing state, and rolling with heated rollers. Of these four processes the first is most widely used. Fowders consisting of spherical particles (heat-stable alloys from nickel or high titanium alloys), which are difficult to work with, have not yet found wide practical application in powder metallurgy abroad. Literature data show that granulated heat-resistant alloys can be cold-treated under pressure only after they are powdered. The best methods for pulverizing are: cold-stream ...
Measurement of redshifted 21-cm emission from neutral hydrogen promises to be the most effective method for studying the reionisation history of hydrogen and, indirectly, the first galaxies. These studies will be limited not by raw sensitivity to the signal, but rather, by bright foreground radiation from Galactic and extragalactic radio sources and the Galactic continuum. In addition, leakage due to gain errors and non-ideal feeds conspire to further contaminate low-frequency radio obsevations. This leakage leads to a portion of the complex linear polarisation signal finding its way into Stokes I, and inhibits the detection of the non-polarised cosmological signal from the epoch of reionisation. In this work, we show that rotation measure synthesis can be used to recover the signature of cosmic hydrogen reionisation in the presence of contamination by polarised foregrounds. To achieve this, we apply the rotation measure synthesis technique to ...
2010-01-01
Point defect engineering in preamorphized silicon enriched with fluorine
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Fluorine is known to have a beneficial role for the B diffusion reduction in preamorphized Si, and is promising for the realization of ultra-shallow junctions. Thus, we studied the F incorporation in Si during the solid phase epitaxy (SPE) process, pointing out the effects of the implanted F energy and fluence and the role played by the possible presence of dopants. The incorporation of fluorine proceeds by F segregation at the amorphous-crystalline interface, with a kinetics driven by the SPE rate. In fact, the quicker the SPE rate, the higher is the F fluence retained. Moreover, we demonstrated that F incorporated in Si layers does not appreciably affect the Is emission from spatially separated end-of-range (EOR) defects. The modification, induced by the presence of F, of the point defect density (Is and Vs) was also studied by means of B and Sb spike layers, used as local markers for Is and Vs, respectively. We showed that F is not only able ...
2006-12-01
Peru-15, an improved live attenuated oral vaccine candidate for Vibrio cholerae O1.
Cholera vaccine candidate Peru-15 was derived from a Vibrio cholerae O1 El Tor Inaba strain by deleting the cholera toxin genetic element, introducing the gene encoding cholera toxin B subunit into recA, and screening for nonmotility. In a controlled study, Peru-15 (2 x 10(8) cfu) was administered to 11 volunteers. No vaccinee developed diarrhea, and 10 of 11 had > 4-fold rises in vibriocidal antibody titers. One month later, 5 vaccinees and 5 control volunteers were challenged with wild type V. cholerae O1. Four of 5 controls developed diarrhea (mean, 1.9 L). Two Peru-15 vaccinees developed diarrhea, 1 with < 0.3 L and 1 with approximately 1.0 L; this latter volunteer had not developed a significant vibriocidal immune response to vaccination. Peru-15 shows promise as a single-dose, oral cholera vaccine that is safe, immunogenic, and protective. PMID:7561195
1995-10-01
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Metals for potential use in the dissociator and the synthesizer reactors of a distributed solar receiver thermochemical transport loop utilizing SO/sub 3//SO/sub 2//O/sub 2/ molecular chemistry includes stainless steels and iron-base, nickel-base and cobalt-base superalloys. We tested these alloys in SO/sub 2//O/sub 2/ mixtures and SO/sub 3/ gas at 500/sup 0/C and 900/sup 0/C, respectively, for times of up to four weeks. Weight gain measurements were used to determine the oxidation/sulfidation kinetics and electron microprobe analysis was used to measure penetration of oxygen and sulfur into the metal and to identify the formation of internal oxides and sulfides. Results of these tests showed that the most promising candidates are those containing sufficient quantities of both aluminum and chromium alloying additions to be alumina and chromia formers, such as Kanthal A-1, Nimonic 105 and Cabot 214.
1986-01-01
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
The use of electricity is indispensable to modern life. As Macao Special Administrative Region becomes a gaming and tourism center in Asia, modeling the consumption of electricity is critical to Macao's economic development. The purposes of this paper are to conduct an extensive literature review on modeling of electricity consumption, and to identify key climatic, demographic, economic and/or industrial factors that may affect the electricity consumption of a country/city. It was identified that the five factors, namely temperature, population, the number of tourists, hotel room occupancy and days per month, could be used to characterize Macao's monthly electricity consumption. Three selected approaches including multiple regression, artificial neural network (ANN) and wavelet ANN were used to derive mathematical models of the electricity consumption. The accuracy of these models was assessed by using the mean squared error (MSE), the mean squared percentage error ...
2008-05-15
Measurement of in-situ stress in salt and rock using NQR techniques
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
A discussion of how stress and strain affect the quantities which can be measured in an NQR experiment shows that, for stresses of the magnitude to be expected at depths up to about 10,000 feet, quadrupole coupling constants will fall in the range of 1 to 10 kHz for both the sodium and chloride ions in NaCl. The most promising system involves pulsed nuclear double resonance detection; and alterative is to observe the quadrupolar splitting of the NMR signal. Choices to be made in the measurement and mapping techniques are discussed. The well-known perturbation of the homogenous stress field in the neighborhood of a borehole is shown to be advantageous from the point of view of obtaining directional information on the stress. Construction and operation of a borehole stress sensor are considered. The NQR technique seems feasible for measuring the magnitude and direction of underground stress with a resolution of about 25 psi, or 2.5% at 1000 psi. ...
1980-12-01
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
To keep up with the speeds of modern production lines, most machine vision applications require very powerful computers (often parallel-processing machines), which process millions of points of data in real time. The human brain performs approximately 100 billion logical floating-point operations each second. That is 400 times the speed of a Cray-1 supercomputer. The right software must be developed for parallel-processing computers. The NSF has awarded Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (Troy, N.Y.) a $2 million grant for parallel- and image-processing software research. Over the last 15 years, Rensselaer has been conducting image-processing research, including work with high-definition TV (HDTV) and image coding and understanding. A similar NSF grant has been awarded to Michigan State University (East Lansing, Mich.) Neural networks are supposed to emulate human learning patterns. These networks and their hardware implementations (neurocomputers) show a great deal ...
1989-06-01
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
An attempt was made to minimize the channeling tail by implantation along a random equivalent direction following a careful alignment of the target. In order to analytically determine the random equivalent directions, critical angles for channeling were mapped on a stereogram. Boron ions with energies of 17 and 45 keV are implanted along specified directions determined from the map. The depth distribution of the dopant is profiled by SIMS and the effects of water orientation upon the channeling tail are noted. Industrial common use of a 7/sup 0/ tilt is not optimum. However, implantation with the wafer tilted at 5.5 +/- 0.5/sup 0/ from the surface normal and rotated at 7.0 +/- 0.5/sup 0/ from a (100) plane shows the least channel-tail compared to implantation along other directions. Rapid thermal annealing (RTA) is a promising annealing method for shallow junction formation. Transient enhanced diffusion of implanted boron is observed. Two ...
1985-01-01
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
An attempt was made to minimize the channeling tail by implantation along a random equivalent direction following a careful alignment of the target. In order to analytically determine the random equivalent directions, critical angles for channeling were mapped on a stereogram. Boron ions with energies of 17 and 45 keV are implanted along specified directions determined from the map. The depth distribution of the dopant is profiled by SIMS and the effects of water orientation upon the channeling tail are noted. Industrial common use of a 7"0 tilt is not optimum. However, implantation with the wafer tilted at 5.5 +/- 0.5"0 from the surface normal and rotated at 7.0 +/- 0.5"0 from a (100) plane shows the least channel-tail compared to implantation along other directions. Rapid thermal annealing (RTA) is a promising annealing method for shallow junction formation. Transient enhanced diffusion of implanted boron is observed. Two different mechanisms ...
British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)
The promising use of mesenchymal stromal cells (MSC) in regenerative technologies accounts for necessity of detailed study of their physiology. Proliferation and differentiation of multipotent cells often involve changes in their metabolic state. In the present study, we analyzed the expression of ATP-sensitive potassium (K"A"T"P) channels in MSC and upon in vitro differentiation. K"A"T"P channels are present in many cells and regulate a variety of cellular functions by coupling cell metabolism with membrane potential. Kir6.1, Kir6.2 and SUR2A were expressed in undifferentiated MSC, whereas SUR2B and SUR1 were not detected on cDNA and protein level. Upon adipogenic differentiation Kir6.1 and SUR2A showed a significant reduction of the amount of mRNA by 84% and 95%, respectively, whereas Ki...
2011-01-01
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
For the development of high ionic conductive solid electrolyte, LiTi2(PO4)3 (LTP), one of the promising inorganic solid electrolyte, was synthesized to investigate an effect of additional lithium salt on the ion conductivity. Lithium salt added LTP composite electrolyte sintered at 900{degree}C exhibited highest conductivity, which was two order magnitude higher than pure LTP. Effects of lithium salt addition are as follows. Conductivity of the composite electrolyte provided larger sintering temperature dependence than the pure LTP. From X-ray diffraction analysis, structures and compositions were resemble between two composite electrolytes. Byproducts except LTP provided rather low conductivity. It was suggested that melted constitution in the composite can affect the sintering improvement by the additional lithium salt at temperatures over 800 {degree}C. From the observation of ruptured surface of sintered specimens, grain growth was found only for the composite ...
1996-08-01
Investigation of texturization for crystalline silicon solar cells with sodium carbonate solutions
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
We investigate a new texturization technique for crystalline silicon solar cells with sodium carbonate (Na{sub 2}CO{sub 3}) solutions. We show the dependence of the hemispherical surface reflectance on solution temperature, the etching time and the Na{sub 2}CO{sub 3} concentration. Furthermore, we investigate what element in Na{sub 2}CO{sub 3} solution influences the texturing for reducing the texturing time. As a result of experiments, we find it possible to get low reflectance in a shorter texturing time by the addition of NaHCO{sub 3}. The size of texture becomes smaller by the addition of NaHCO{sub 3} but the etching rate does not change. We conclude carbonic ion and/or its compound seems to play an important role as the initiator of pyramidal structure. This texturing method is cost effective because there is no need of expensive IPA, and the surface reflectance is reduced sufficiently in a short time. This method is promising for a ...
2000-04-01
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
The review of the practical, internal implementation of the rules shows that the Federal Republic of Germany is provided with instruments which are flexible enough to fulfill her duties relating to international law, and to ensure the internal applicatibility of these rules. The simplified implementary methods, especially empowering the executive to put certain rules into force which have been modified or re-issued by international organizations and commissions promises that - internally - these rules will become effective quickly. The switch-over of law-making to the executive is appreciated with regard to the special features of subjects relating to technical rules, and with regard to the necessity of their prompt adaptation to changing circumstances and to respectively existing scientific knowledge. Reproaching the international community of states with complete failure in the field of international environmental protection does not seem to ...
1982-01-01
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Full text: The excessive use of chemical pesticides to control agricultural pests is becoming alarming. The objective of this study is to search for biopesticides of plant origin that could be used to control one of the major pest of fruit production; the Mediterranean fruit fly (Ceratitis capitata Wied.). A colony of the Lebanese wild strain of this insect was reared under laboratory condition to provide biological material. The insecticidal activity of the essential oils extracted from aromatic plants in Lebanon was assessed. The tested plants are: Foeniculum vulgare, Thymbra spicata, Artemisia herba alba, Origanum syriacum, Ruta chalepensis, Lavandula stoechas, Salvia fruticosa, Mentha microphylla, Juniperus oxycedrus, Rosmarinus officinalis, Myrtus communis, Laurus nobilis and Ocimum gratissimum. Results show that essential oils isolated from F. vulgare, T. spicata, A. herba alba, O. syriacum and R. chalepensis have promising insecticidal ...
2005-05-09
In situ Investigation of the Silver-CTAB system
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Recent research has shown that biologically inspired approaches to materials synthesis and self-assembly, hold promise of unprecedented atomic level control of structure and interfaces. In particular, the use of organic molecules to control the production of inorganic technological materials has the potential for controlling grain structure to enhance material strength; controlling facet expression for enhanced catalytic activity; and controlling the shape of nanostructured materials to optimize optical, electrical and magnetic properties. In this work, we use organic molecules to modify silver crystal shapes towards understanding the metal-organic interactions that lead to nanoparticle shape control. Using in situ electrochemical AFM (EC-AFM) as an in situ probe, we study the influence of a cationic surfactant cetyltrimethylamminobromide (CTAB) on Ag growth during electrochemical deposition on Ag(100). The results show that the organic ...
2007-04-16
Hard, infrared black coating with very low outgassing
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Infrared astronomical instruments require absorptive coatings on internal surfaces to trap scattered and stray photons. This is typically accomplished with any one of a number of black paints. Although inexpensive and simple to apply, paint has several disadvantages. Painted surfaces can be fragile, prone to shedding particles, and difficult to clean. Most importantly, the vacuum performance is poor. Recently a plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) process was developed to apply thick (30 {micro}m) diamond-like carbon (DLC) based protective coatings to the interior of oil pipelines. These DLC coatings show much promise as an infrared black for an ultra high vacuum environment. The coatings are very robust with excellent cryogenic adhesion. Their total infrared reflectivity of < 10% at normal incidence approaches that of black paints. We measured outgas rates of <10{sup -12} Torr liter/sec cm{sup 2}, comparable to bare ...
2008-06-02
Geometry optimization of Fresnel-collectors with economic assessment
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
The Fresnel solar collector is a promising concept to reduce the electricity cost price in solar thermal power plants. The optical performance of a Fresnel collector depends on material properties, on its geometric layout and on the level of optical accuracy that can be obtained. A variety of geometric parameters, e.g. the height of the absorber, the number, size and distance of primary mirrors in.uence the shading and blocking of rays and the amount of rays missing the absorber. To evaluate the in.uence of the parameter variation regarding the electricity cost price and to yield an optimization, the optical performance is assessed with an annual simulation based on hourly weather-data. To permit a consideration of changes in collector cost according to different geometric layouts, cost factors where allocated to geometric parameters. The paper presents the method and the simulation results of the optimization under different boundary conditions and ...
2004-07-01
Geometrically anisotropic probes: an improved eddy current technique
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Geometrically anisotropic eddy current probes are a type of separate function probes especially fit to the detection of defects showing a preferential direction. This kind of flaw induces a coupling between the transmitter and the receiver by guiding eddy currents from the one to the other. On the other hand, this coupling will be almost non-existent in the presence of defects or spurious effects not displaying this geometrical particularity. Basic studies on an elementary two-coil set-up allow the acknowledgment of the intrinsic qualities of such probes: good signal-to-noise ratio, influence field practically constant on the whole defect length, ability to detect bridged defects, insensitivity to lift off. These results can be improved by achieving multicoils probes adapted to different kinds of problems. An application to continuous casting slabs testing yields very interesting results in the detection of cracks, while getting rid of the effect of oscillation ...
1987-06-01
Gear fault detection using customized multiwavelet lifting schemes
Fault symptoms of running gearboxes must be detected as early as possible to avoid serious accidents. Diverse advanced methods are developed for this challenging task. However, for multiwavelet transforms, the fixed basis functions independent of the input dynamic response signals will possibly reduce the accuracy of fault diagnosis. Meanwhile, for multiwavelet denoising technique, the universal threshold denoising tends to overkill important but weak features in gear fault diagnosis. To overcome the shortcoming, a novel method incorporating customized (i.e., signal-based) multiwavelet lifting schemes with sliding window denoising is proposed in this paper. On the basis of Hermite spline interpolation, various vector prediction and update operators with the desirable properties of biorthogonality, symmetry, short support and vanishing moments are constructed. The customized lifting-based multiwavelets for feature matching are chosen by the minimum entropy principle. Due to the periodic ...
2010-07-01
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
The objective of this project was to develop a explosion suppression system capable to confine and extinguish gas explosions of the type produced in sub level caving faces when blasting to the coal pillar. Existing systems, such as triggered barriers, were considered not to be valid because of size, weight, cost, and other operational constraints. The research activities have been focused in the development of a mixed water/air spray system that should be manually activated some second before blasting. Two prototypes have been developed and tested, the first one using nozzle operating at the standard ranges of pressure that are normally available in underground coal mines, and a second one based in high-pressure nozzles. In this case, bottles containing a pressurized air/water mixtures are required. The works carried out included theoretical studies, hydraulic nozzles characterization, and modelling of the explosion phenomena using the AutoReaGas code. Besides, extensive testing of the ...
1999-11-01
Experimental electrochemical capacitor test results
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Various electrochemical capacitors (ultracapacitors) are being developed for hybrid vehicles as candidate power assist devices for the fast response engine. The primary functions of the ultracapacitor are to level the dynamic power loads on the primary propulsion device and recover available energy from regenerative breaking during off-peak power periods. Ultracapacitors show promise toward being able to accept high regenerative pulses while exhibiting very high cycle life. This paper will present test data from selected US Department of Energy (DOE) supported ultracapacitor projects designed to meet the fast response engine requirements. Devices containing carbon, conducting polymers, and metal oxide electrode materials in combination with aqueous or organic electrolytes are being supported by the DOE. This paper will present and discuss testing data obtained from recent prototype capacitors supplied by Maxwell Energy Products, Inc., SAFT ...
1997-11-01
Evaluating technologies for tactical information management in net-centric systems
Recent trends in distributed real-time and embedded (DRE) systems motivate the development of tactical information management capabilities that ensure the right information is delivered to the right place at the right time to satisfy quality of service (QoS) requirements in heterogeneous environments. A promising approach to building and evolving large-scale and long-lived tactical information management systems are standards-based QoS-enabled publish/subscribe (pub/sub) platforms that enable applications to communicate by publishing information they have and subscribing to information they need in a timely manner. Since there is little existing evaluation of how well these platforms meet the performance needs of tactical information management, this paper provides two contributions: (1) it describes three common architectures for the OMG Data Distribution Service (DDS), which is a QoS-enabled pub/sub platform standard, and (2) it evaluates three implementations of ...
2007-05-01
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
With using artificial neural networks (ANNs), an analytical study related to the heated length effect on critical heat flux (CHF) has been carried out to make an improvement of the CHF prediction accuracy based on local condition correlations or table. It has been carried out to suggest a feasible criterion of the threshold length-to-diameter (L/D) value in which heated length could affect CHF. And within the criterion, a L/D correction factor has been developed through conventional regression. In order to validate the developed L/D correction factor, CHF experiments for various heated lengths have been carried out under low and intermediate pressure conditions. The developed threshold L/D correlation provides a new feasible criterion of L/D threshold value. The developed correction factor gives a reasonable accuracy for the original database, showing the error of -2.18% for average and 27.75% for RMS, and promising results for new experimental ...
1998-12-31
Computed tomography of the thorax: a status report
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Computed tomography (CT) of the thorax shows early promise of important diagnostic advances. We believe that CT often provides information superior to that provided by standard roentgenographic techniques, is capable of significantly influencing patient management, and in selected instances, offers unique information not available by other methods. Computed tomography permits the imaging of mediastinal structures not possible with conventional roentgenographic methods and can diagnose with certainty benign mediastinal conditions such as pericardial cysts and focal or diffuse accumulations of fat. It is ideal for detecting pleural abnormalities and for displaying underlying parenchymal disease in patients with complex pleuroparenchymal shadows on conventional films. Pulmonary metastases unseen on the plain chest film can be detected with greater sensitivity than by any other method. Future applications of CT include the staging of mediastinal ...
1981-11-01
Computed tomography of the thorax: a status report
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Computed tomography (CT) of the thorax shows early promise of important diagnostic advances. We believe that CT often provides information superior to that provided by standard roentgenographic techniques, is capable of significantly influencing patient management, and in selected instances, offers unique information not available by other methods. Computed tomography permits the imaging of mediastinal structures not possible with conventional roentgenographic methods and can diagnose with certainty benign mediastinal conditions such as pericardial cysts and focal or diffuse accumulations of fat. It is ideal for detecting pleural abnormalities and for displaying underlying parenchymal disease in patients with complex pleuroparenchymal shadows on conventional films. Pulmonary metastases unseen on the plain chest film can be detected with greater sensitivity than by any other method. Future applications of CT include the staging of mediastinal ...
Chemical-looping combustion of methane with CaSO{sub 4} oxygen carrier in a fixed bed reactor
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Chemical-looping combustion is a promising technology for the combustion of gas or solid fuel with efficient use of energy and inherent separation of CO{sub 2}. Chemical-looping combustion of methane with calcium sulfate as a novel oxygen carrier was conducted in a laboratory scale fixed bed reactor. The effects of reaction temperature, gas flow rate, sample mass, and particle size on reduction reactions were investigated and an optimum operating condition was determined. The results show that this novel oxygen carrier has a high reduction reactivity and stability in a long-time reduction/oxidation test. The conversions of CH{sub 4} increased with a higher temperature, smaller gas flow rate, larger sample mass and smaller particle size. The suitable reaction temperature seems to be around 950 deg. C. Low temperatures lead to a low CH{sub 4} conversion, but a significant SO{sub 2} formation was observed at a higher temperature. The release of ...
2008-11-15
Chemical-looping combustion of methane with CaSO{sub 4} oxygen carrier in a fixed bed reactor
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Chemical-looping combustion is a promising technology for the combustion of gas or solid fuel with efficient use of energy and inherent separation of CO{sub 2}. Chemical-looping combustion of methane with calcium sulfate as a novel oxygen carrier was conducted in a laboratory scale fixed bed reactor. The effects of reaction temperature, gas flow rate, sample mass, and particle size on reduction reactions were investigated and an optimum operating condition was determined. The results show that this novel oxygen carrier has a high reduction reactivity and stability in a long-time reduction/oxidation test. The conversions of CH{sub 4} increased with a higher temperature, smaller gas flow rate, larger sample mass and smaller particle size. The suitable reaction temperature seems to be around 950 C. Low temperatures lead to a low CH{sub 4} conversion, but a significant SO{sub 2} formation was observed at a higher temperature. The release of SO{sub ...
2008-11-15
Assembly and performance testing of a MEMS-based ?PEMFC with the help of a spiral micrometer
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
In this work, a feasible and simple method of assembling a micro MEMS-based ?PEMFC (about 0.35 ml in volume and 0.65 g in weight) with the help of a spiral micrometer was proposed. The micrometer provided a constant pressure between the two flow field plates and MEA in assembling for a short term while a special epoxy resin was applied to seal the cell and provide long term pressure between the above components after removing the micrometer. Tests showed that the as-assembled cell had a reasonable performance, which was proved by the linear polarization and EIS experiments. The long term behavior of the ?PEMFC was stable in general except for some fluctuation along time. We concluded that this fluctuation was due to a combined effect of heat produced and water management, which the as-assembled ?PEMFC has its own ability to adjust. More importantly, this experiment demonstrated the full feasibility and great promise of assembling ?FCs with the ...
2008-12-01
The aim of this work was to study the possibility of producing a fast switching optical thin film device to react to laser radiation in the visible/near infrared region of the spectrum. The switching mechanism was to be thermally driven. A computer program was written to enable the effects of changes of the refractive index of a component of a multilayer thin film stack to be modelled. Attempts to use the phase transition in vanadium dioxide were unsuccessful because, in the spectral region of interest, the 'open-state' absorption was too great. A class of materials known as 'the bronzes' was identified as being potentially useful. Attempts were made to produce thin films of bronze compounds of vanadium, tungsten and molybdenum by the techniques of conventional thermal evaporation and laser ablation for further studies. The former technique appeared to suffer from problems of decomposition of the source material. The latter technique showed greater ...
1995-01-01
A singlet - triplet T_+ based qubit
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
We theoretically model a nuclear-state preparation scheme that increases the coherence time of a two-spin qubit in a double quantum dot. The two-electron system is tuned repeatedly across a singlet-triplet level-anticrossing with alternating slow and rapid sweeps of an external bias voltage. Using a Landau-Zener-Stueckelberg model, we find that in addition to a small nuclear polarization that weakly affects the electron spin coherence, the slow sweeps are only partially adiabatic and lead to a weak nuclear spin measurement and a nuclear-state narrowing which prolongs the electron spin coherence. This resolves some open problems brought up by a recent experiment. We also show that the electronic two-spin states singlet and triplet T_+ are promising candidates for the implementation of a qubit in GaAs double quantum dots (DQD). A coherent superposition of the two-spin states is obtained by finite time Landau-Zener-Stueckelberg interferometry and ...
2010-03-21
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Encapsulation of technetium-99m sestamibi ({sup 99m}Tc-MIBI) in polyethyleneglycol-liposomes ({sup 99m}Tc-MIBI-PEG-liposomes) could extend the duration of its circulation in blood and alter its biodistribution, enabling its concentration in tumours to be increased. An original method to encapsulate {sup 99m}Tc-MIBI in PEG-liposomes is described. The {sup 99m}Tc-MIBI-PEG-liposomes were compared with free {sup 99m}Tc-MIBI with respect to (a) tumour availability (b) ability to distinguish between chemotherapy-sensitive and -resistant cells and (c) uptake ratio in tumour imaging. PEG-liposomal systems composed of distearoylphosphatidylcholine/cholesterol/PEG{sub 2000}-distearoyl phosphatidylethanolamine and lissamine-rhodamine B-labelled liposomes were used. The encapsulation of {sup 99m}Tc-MIBI in liposomes was achieved using the K{sup +} diffusion potential method. We compared the uptake of free versus encapsulated {sup 99m}Tc-MIBI by sensitive and resistant erythroleukaemia (K562) and ...
2003-04-01
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
In this work, ?-SnS2 thin films have been prepared on glass substrates by the spray pyrolysis technique using an alcohol solution which contains tin chloride (SnCl4) and thiourea (SC(NH2)2) as precursors. The structural study shows that ?-SnS2 thin film prepared using optimal experimental conditions: substrate temperature Ts = 280 deg. C and the concentration ratio of sulfur and tin elements in the spray solution x = [S]/[Sn] = 2.5, crystallizes in the hexagonal phase with a strong (0 0 1) X-ray diffraction line. In the same way, microprobe analyses (EPMA) as well as X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) show the presence of undiserable phase of SnO2. From the transmission and reflectance spectra, the band gap energy is 2.65 eV. On the other hand, the photothermal properties of such films have been studied, the thermal conductivity was Kc = 0.85 W m-1 K-1 and the thermal diffusivity was Dc = 14.5 x 10-6 m2 ...
2009-05-27
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Constant pull rate tests were conducted on tensile specimens of Inconel Alloy 600, Incoloy Alloy 800, and Type 304 stainless steel in deaerated 10% NaOH solution at 288 C (550 F) with a cover gas of 5% H_2 in N_2. The pull rate used for most experiments was 3.3 x 10"-"6 cm/s, which corresponds to an initial strain rate of 3 x 10"-"6 s"-"1. The electrical potential of the specimens was controlled by a potentiostat using a nickel wire as a hydrogen reference electrode. Under open circuit conditions, Type 304 stainless steel specimens cracked rapidly, but Alloys 600 and 800 specimens exhibited only ductile fracture. However, cracks readily formed in Alloy 800 specimens at potentials in the +50 to +300 mV range and in Alloy 600 specimens at potentials in the +150 to +250 mV range. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) photographs of some of the cracked specimen surfaces showed the transition from ductile to brittle fracture as a ...
Percutaneous osseointegrated prostheses for amputees: Limb compensation in a 12-month ovine model.
Percutaneous osseointegrated prostheses are being investigated as an alternative strategy to attach prosthetic limbs to patients. Although the use of these implants has shown to be promising in clinical trials, the ability to maintain a skin seal around an osseointegrated implant interface is a major challenge to prevent superficial and deep periprosthetic infections. The specific aim of this study was to establish a translational load-bearing ovine model to assess postoperative limb compensation and gait symmetry following a percutaneous osseointegrated implant. We tested the following hypotheses: (1) the animals would return to pre-amputation limb loads within 12-months; (2) the animals would return to a symmetrical gait pattern (stride length and time in stance) within 12-months. The results demonstrated that one month following surgery, the sheep loaded their amputated limb to a mean value of nearly 80% of their pre-amputation loading condition; by 12-months, ...
2011-09-13
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Magnetite nanoparticles with high self-heating capacity and low toxicity characteristics are a promising candidate for cancer hyperthermia treatment. In order to achieve minimum dosage to a patient, magnetic nanoparticles with high heating capacity are needed. In addition, the influence of physiological factors on the heat capacity of a material should be investigated in order to determine the feasibility. In this study, magnetite nanoparticles coated with lauric acid were prepared by co-precipitation of Fe{sup 3+}:Fe{sup 2+} in a ratio of 2:1, 5:3, 3:2, and 4:3, and the pH was controlled using NaOH. Structural and magnetization characterization by means of X-ray diffractometry (XRD) and a superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) revealed that the main species was Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4} and further showed that most of the nanoparticles exhibited superparamagnetic properties. All of the magnetic nanoparticles showed a ...
2010-01-15
Telomeric recombination induced by dysfunctional telomeres
UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)
Telomere maintenance is essential for cellular immortality, and most cancer cells maintain their telomeres through the enzyme telomerase. Telomeres and telomerase represent promising anticancer...Full Text Available
2011-01-15
Pretargeted Radioimmunotherapy for Hematologic and Other Malignancies
UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)
SummationRadioimmunotherapy (RIT) has emerged as one of the most promising treatment options, particularly for hematologic malignancies. However, this approach has generally been limited...Full Text Available
2010-04-01
Intravesical Prostatic Protrusion in Men in Olmsted County, Minnesota
UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)
PurposeUltrasonically measured intravesical prostatic protrusion may be a promising noninvasive method of assessing bladder outlet obstruction. Previous investigations...Full Text Available
2009-12-01
Epigenetic mechanisms underlying human epileptic disorders and the process of epileptogenesis
UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)
The rapidly emerging science of epigenetics and epigenomic medicine promises to reveal novel insights into the susceptibility to and the onset and progression of epileptic disorders. Epigenetic...Full Text Available
2010-07-01
Digital Hearing Aids: Current "State-of-the-Art"
... promise of highly advanced signal processing, ensured that digital hearing aid technology had come of age. So how far have ...
Automated radon radiometers of RRA family
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Two automated radiometers of RRA family designed for radon concentration measurements are presented. Principal performance specifications and promising applications of the radiometers are presented.
1999-08-01
MnO powder as anode active materials for lithium ion batteries
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
MnO powder materials are investigated as anode active materials for Li-ion batteries. Lithium is stored reversibly in MnO through conversion reaction and interfacial charging mechanism, according to the results of ex situ XRD, TEM and galvanostatic intermittent titration technique. A layer of the solid electrolyte interphase with a thickness of 20-60 nm is covered on MnO particles after full insertion. MnO powder materials show reversible capacity of 650 mAh g{sup -1} with average charging voltage of 1.2 V. It can deliver 400 mAh g{sup -1} at a rate of 400 mA g{sup -1}. The cyclic performance of MnO is improved significantly after decreasing particle size and coating with a layer of carbon. Among observed transition metal oxides, MnO shows relatively lower voltage hysteresis (<0.7 V) between the discharging and the charging curves at 0.05 C. In addition to its environmental benign feature and high density (5.43 g cm{sup -3}), MnO seems a ...
2010-05-15
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Nitrogen alloyed, Ni-free, austenitic stainless steels comprising of more than 1 wt.-% nitrogen are a new group of alloys with promising properties. They show a very interesting combination of high strength and toughness with a high corrosion resistance. This combination of properties make the alloys not only suitable for fasteners but also for parts for medical and dental applications. This work shows the influence of chromium, molybdenum and nitrogen on the corrosion resistance of Fe25Mn-alloys in media typical for the above mentioned applications. According to these results Fe25Mn-alloys with appr. 20 wt.-% chromium, about 3 wt.-% molybdenum and appr. 1,3 wt.-% nitrogen have an excellent corrosion resistance in Ringer solution, artificial saliva and artificial sweat. The critical pitting temperature (CPT) as well as the critical crevice temperature (CCT) with 61 C respectively 37 C tested according ASTM G 48A provided ...
1998-07-01
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Batch and dynamic flow biosorption studies were carried out using the waste biomass entrapped in silica-gel matrix for the removal of nickel(II) ions from synthetic solutions and real wastewater. Batch biosorption conditions were examined with respect to initial pH, S/L ratio, contact time, and initial nickel ion concentration. Zeta potential measurements showed that immobilized biosorbent was negatively charged in the pH range of 3.0-8.0. The immobilized biomass was found to possess relatively high biosorption capacity (98.01 mg g{sup -1}), and biosorption equilibrium was established in a short time of operation (5 min). The equilibrium data were followed by Langmuir, Freundlich, and Dubinin-Radushkevich isotherm models. Scanning electron microscope analysis was used to screen the changes on the surface structure of the waste biomass after immobilization and nickel(II) biosorption. Sorbent-sorbate interactions were confirmed by Fourier transform infrared ...
2009-04-30
Defect engineering via ion implantation to control B diffusion in Si
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
The processes which are currently studied in the fabrication of B-doped ultra shallow junctions (USJ) usually involve a preamorphization step to reduce B channelling effect during implantation and to improve B electrical activation. At this stage a high amount of Si interstitial atoms (Is), which dramatically increases the B diffusivity, is introduced. The introduction of voids in Si is a promising tool to control B transient enhanced diffusion (TED), because of their ability to capture Is. In this work the efficiency of a cavity band to reduce B TED is checked in silicon interstitial supersaturation conditions, obtained by high dose Si implantation. He is implanted either at 10 keV or at 50 keV with a fluence of 5 x 10"1"6 cm"-"2. Conventional techniques to introduce and activate the B (conventional ion implantation and rapid thermal annealing (RTA)) are applied in order to have a better control of the technological process to focus on the benefit of the cavity ...
2009-03-15
Amyloid aggregation starts with the initial misfolding of peptide/protein precursors, with subsequent structural rearrangement into oligomers and protofibrils; the latter eventually organize into fibrils with shared basic structural features, found deposited in amyloid diseases. Mounting evidence indicates early oligomers as the most toxic amyloid species; accordingly, the search of inhibitors of their growth is considered a promising target to prevent amyloid toxicity. We recently showed that oleuropein aglycon, a polyphenol abundant in the extra virgin olive oil, interferes with the aggregation of amylin (involved in type-2 diabetes), eliminating its cytotoxicity. Here we report that oleuropein aglycon also hinders amyloid aggregation of A?(1-42) and its cytotoxicity, suggesting a general effect of such polyphenol. In particular, by using a wide panel of different spectroscopic, immunologic, cell viability and imaging techniques we provide a ...
2011-05-18
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
This report describes work accomplished in the project, titled ''Development of Appropriate Resistance Spot Welding Practice for Transformation-Hardened Steels.'' The Phase 1 of the program involved development of in-situ temper diagrams for two gauges of representative dual-phase and martensitic grades of steels. The results showed that tempering is an effective way of reducing hold-time sensitivity (HTS) in hardenable high-strength sheet steels. In Phase 2, post-weld cooling rate techniques, incorporating tempering, were evaluated to reduce HTS for the same four steels. Three alternative methods, viz., post-heating, downsloping, and spike tempering, for HTS reduction were investigated. Downsloping was selected for detailed additional study, as it appeared to be the most promising of the cooling rate control methods. The downsloping maps for each of the candidate steels were used to locate the conditions ...
2002-07-08
THE M-#sigma# AND M-L RELATIONS IN GALACTIC BULGES, AND DETERMINATIONS OF THEIR INTRINSIC SCATTER
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
We derive improved versions of the relations between supermassive black hole mass (M _B_H) and host-galaxy bulge velocity dispersion (#sigma#) and luminosity (L; the M-#sigma# and M-L relations), based on 49 M _B_H measurements and 19 upper limits. Particular attention is paid to recovery of the intrinsic scatter (#epsilon#_0) in both relations. We find log(M _B_H/M _s_u_n) = #alpha# + #beta#log(#sigma#/200 km s"-"1) with (#alpha#, #beta#, #epsilon#_0) = (8.12 #+-# 0.08, 4.24 #+-# 0.41, 0.44 #+-# 0.06) for all galaxies and (#alpha#, #beta#, #epsilon#_0) = (8.23 #+-# 0.08, 3.96 #+-# 0.42, 0.31 #+-# 0.06) for ellipticals. The results for ellipticals are consistent with previous studies, but the intrinsic scatter recovered for spirals is significantly larger. The scatter inferred reinforces the need for its consideration when calculating local black hole mass function based on the M-#sigma# relation, and further implies that there may be ...
2009-06-10
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
High-resolution neutron capture cross section measurements of 55Mn were recently performed at GELINA by Schillebeeckx et al. (2005) and at ORELA by Guber et al. (2007). The analysis of the experimental data was performed with the computer code SAMMY using the Bayesian approach in the resonance parameters representation of the cross sections. The neutron transmission data taken in 1988 by Harvey et al. (2007) and not analyzed before were added to the SAMMY experimental data base. More than 95% of the s-wave resonances and more than 85% of the p-wave resonances were identified in the energy range up to 125 keV, leading to the neutron strength functions S0 = (3.90 0.78) x 10-4 and S1 = (0.45 0.08) x 10-4. About 25% of the d-wave resonances were identified with a possible strength function of S2 = 1.0 x 10-4. The capture cross section calculated at 0.0253 eV is 13.27 b, and the capture resonance integral is 13.52 0.30 b. In the energy range 15 to ...
2008-05-01
Horizontal and Vertical Structure of Easterly Waves in the Pacific ITCZ
Outgoing longwave radiation (OLR) and low-level wind fields in the Atlantic and Pacific Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) are dominated by variability on synoptic time scales primarily associated with convectively coupled easterly waves during boreal summer and fall. This study uses spectral filtering of observed OLR data to capture the convective variability coupled to Pacific easterly waves. Filtered OLR is then used to isolate easterly waves in winds, temperature and humidity fields from TAO/TRITON and TAO/EPIC buoys, radiosondes, and gridded reanalysis products. Our analysis shows that while some of the Pacific easterly waves originate in the Atlantic, most of the waves appear to form and strengthen within the Pacific. Pacific easterly waves have wavelengths of 3300-5500 km and phase speeds of 9-13 m s-1. A warm, moist boundary layer is observed ahead of the convective wave, with moisture lofted quickly through the ...
2006-12-01
DYNAMICS OF SOLIDS IN THE MIDPLANE OF PROTOPLANETARY DISKS: IMPLICATIONS FOR PLANETESIMAL FORMATION
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
We present local two-dimensional and three-dimensional hybrid numerical simulations of particles and gas in the midplane of protoplanetary disks (PPDs) using the Athena code. The particles are coupled to gas aerodynamically, with particle-to-gas feedback included. Magnetorotational turbulence is ignored as an approximation for the dead zone of PPDs, and we ignore particle self-gravity to study the precursor of planetesimal formation. Our simulations include a wide size distribution of particles, ranging from strongly coupled particles with dimensionless stopping time #tau#_s #ident to# #OMEGA#t_s_t_o_p = 10"-"4 (where #OMEGA# is the orbital frequency, t_s_t_o_p is the particle friction time) to marginally coupled ones with #tau#_s = 1, and a wide range of solid abundances. Our main results are as follows. (1) Particles with #tau#_s #approx#> 10"-"2 actively participate in the streaming instability (SI), generate turbulence, and maintain the ...
2010-10-20
Cosmologies with quasiregular singularities. II. Stability considerations
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
The stability properties of a class of spacetimes with quasiregular singularities is discussed. Quasiregular singularities are the end points of incomplete, inextendible geodesics at which the Riemann tensor and its derivatives remain at least bounded in all parallel-propagated orthonormal (PPON) frames; observers approaching such a singularity would find that their world lines come to an end in a finite proper time. The Taub-NUT (Newman-Unti-Tamburino)-type cosmologies investigated are R"1 x T"3 and R"3 x S"1 flat Kasner spacetimes, the two-parameter family of spatially homogeneous but anisotropic Bianchi type-IX Taub-NUT spacetimes, and an infinite-dimensional family of Einstein-Rosen-Gowdy spacetimes studied by Moncrief. The behavior of matter near the quasiregular singularity in each of these spacetimes is explored through an examination of the behavior of the stress-energy tensors and scalars for conformally coupled and minimally coupled, ...
UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)
Barley (Hordeum vulgare L. cv Golden Promise) plants were grown in a continuous culture system in which the root and shoot ammonia and amino acid levels were constant over a 6-hour...Full Text Available
1983-03-01
UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)
BackgroundThe pathogenicity of Plasmodium falciparum is in part due to the ability of the parasitized red blood cell (pRBC) to adhere to intra-vascular host cell...Full Text Available
Three Interesting 15th and 16th Century Comet Sightings in Kashmiri Chronicles
This note is about three interesting 15th and 16th century sightings of comets in Kashmiri chronicles. We provide reasons for their identification as the 1468 S1, 1531 (Halley's), and 1533 M1 comets.
2003-01-01
UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)
SummaryThe structure and function of myosin crossbridges in asynchronous insect flight muscle (IFM) have been elucidated in situ using multiple approaches. These...Full Text Available
2008-09-05
Light meson mass dependence of the positive-parity heavy-strange mesons
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
We calculate the masses of the resonances D{sub s0}{sup *}(2317) and D{sub s1}(2460) as well as their bottom partners as bound states of a kaon and a D{sup (*)} - and B{sup (*)} -meson, respectively, in unitarized chiral perturbation theory at next-to-leading order. After fixing the parameters in the D{sub s0}{sup *}(2317) channel, the calculated mass for the D{sub s1}(2460) is found in excellent agreement with experiment. The masses for the analogous states with a bottom quark are predicted to be M{sub B{sup *}{sub s0}}=(5696{+-}40) MeV and M{sub B{sub s1}}=(5742{+-}40) MeV in reasonable agreement with previous analyses. In particular, we predict M{sub B{sub s1}}-M{sub B{sub s0}}{sup *}=46{+-}1 MeV. We also explore the dependence of the states on the pion and kaon masses. We argue that the kaon mass dependence of a ...
2011-02-15
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Russian 1986. p. 334. USSR Burtebaev, NT Dujsebaev, AD Sadkovskij,
1986-04-15
Monte Carlo calculations using the codes PENELOPE and GEANT4 have been performed to characterize the dosimetric parameters of the new 20 mm long catheter based $^{32}$P beta source manufactured by Guidant Corporation. The dose distribution along the transverse axis and the two dimensional dose rate table have been calculated. Also, the dose rate at the reference point, the radial dose function and the anisotropy function were evaluated according to the adapted TG-60 formalism for cylindrical sources. PENELOPE and GEANT4 codes were first verified against previous results corresponding to the old 27 mm Guidant $^{32}$P beta source. The dose rate at the reference point for the unsheathed 27 mm source in water was calculated to be $0.215 \\pm 0.001$ cGy s$^{-1}$ mCi$^{-1}$, for PENELOPE, and $0.2312 \\pm 0.0008$ cGy s$^{-1}$ mCi$^{-1}$, for GEANT4. For the unsheathed 20 mm source these values were $0.2908 ...
2003-01-01
Vector Velocity Imaging Using Cross-Correlation and Virtual Sources
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Previous investigations have shown promising results in using the directional cross-correlation method to estimate velocity vectors. The velocity vector estimate provides information on both velocity direction and magnitude. The direction is estimated by beamforming signals along directions in the range $[0^{\\circ}; 180^{\\circ}[$ and identifying the direction that produces the largest correlation across emissions. An estimate of the velocity magnitude is obtained from the spatial shift between signals beamformed along the estimated direction. This paper expands these investigations to include estimations of the vector velocities of a larger region by combining the estimations along several scan lines. In combination with a B-mode image, the vector velocities are displayed as an image of the investigated region with a color indicating the magnitude, and arrows showing the direction of the flow. Using the RASMUS experimental ultrasound scanner, ...
2006-01-01
Use of passive sampling devices to determine soil contaminant concentrations
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
The effective remediation of contaminated sites requires accurate identification of chemical distributions. A rapid sampling method using passive sampling devices (PSDs) can provide a thorough site assessment. We have been pursuing their application in terrestrial systems and have found that they increase the ease and speed of analysis, decrease solvent usage and overall cost, and minimize the transport of contaminated soils. Time and cost savings allow a higher sampling frequency than is generally the case using traditional methods. PSDs have been used in the field in soils of varying physical properties and have been successful in estimating soil concentrations ranging from 1 {mu}g/kg (parts per billion) to greater than 200 mg/kg (parts per million). They were also helpful in identifying hot spots within the sites. Passive sampling devices show extreme promise as an analytical tool to rapidly characterize contaminant distributions in soil. ...
1996-12-31
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
In order to overcome the inherent disadvantages of Ti-V-based hydrogen storage alloys, such as poor activation behavior and low high-rate dischargeability, the novel composites Ti{sub 0.17}Zr{sub 0.08}V{sub 0.35}Cr{sub 0.1}Ni{sub 0.3}-x wt.% La{sub 0.7}Mg{sub 0.3}Ni{sub 2.75}Co{sub 0.75} (x = 0, 5, 10 and 20) were successfully synthesized by ball milling method in the present study. And the structure and overall electrochemical properties of as-prepared composites are investigated systemically. The electrochemical studies show that the maximum discharge capacity of the composite electrodes displays no variation with the increase of La{sub 0.7}Mg{sub 0.3}Ni{sub 2.75}Co{sub 0.75} content, whereas the high-rate dischargeability (HRD) and the activation behavior are distinctly improved with increasing x. The electrochemical hydrogen kinetics of composite electrodes is also studied by means of electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), linear polarization (LP), ...
2008-12-15
Saddle field fast atom beam source: A new low pressure plasma nitriding method for a alloy Ti-6Al-4V
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Ti and its alloys (Ti-6Al-4V) have been used in different engineering applications due to their several outstanding properties. Nevertheless, their use in practical applications is limited in many cases due to their poor tribological property. Researches are ongoing on surface modification of Ti based materials by different plasma and ion based techniques to overcome this problem. However, the conventional plasma nitriding techniques have several problems such as formation of an arc, increased possibility of surface contamination due to a comparatively higher operating pressure, production of a very thin nitrided layer after a long processing time, etc. In this present work, the possibility of a new low-pressure plasma nitriding process using a Plasma Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition (PECVD) based saddle field fast atom beam source on a Ti-6Al-4V alloy sample is investigated. Plasma nitriding was carried out at 900 deg. C and at a pressure 0.1 Pa for 8 h by using a beam current 0.5 ...
2006-09-25
Saddle field fast atom beam source: A new low pressure plasma nitriding method for a alloy Ti-6Al-4V
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Ti and its alloys (Ti-6Al-4V) have been used in different engineering applications due to their several outstanding properties. Nevertheless, their use in practical applications is limited in many cases due to their poor tribological property. Researches are ongoing on surface modification of Ti based materials by different plasma and ion based techniques to overcome this problem. However, the conventional plasma nitriding techniques have several problems such as formation of an arc, increased possibility of surface contamination due to a comparatively higher operating pressure, production of a very thin nitrided layer after a long processing time, etc. In this present work, the possibility of a new low-pressure plasma nitriding process using a Plasma Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition (PECVD) based saddle field fast atom beam source on a Ti-6Al-4V alloy sample is investigated. Plasma nitriding was carried out at 900 deg. C and at a pressure 0.1 Pa for 8 h by using a beam current 0.5 ...
2006-09-25
Scientific Electronic Library Online (English)
Abstract in english BACKGROUND: Severe pathogenic infection triggers excessive release of cytokines as part of the massive inflammatory response associated with septic shock. OBJECTIVES: To investigate the protective effect of caffeic acid phenethye ester (CAPE) against lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induced endotoxemia, hepatic and neuronal damage and the associated systemic inflammatory response (SIR). METHODS: Fifty male Wister rats were divided into: control, LPS, and CAPE+LPS groups. Plasma c (more) oncentrations of various cytokines, including TNF-?, IL-1?, IL-1?, IL-6, IL-4, IL-10, and sICAM-1 were evaluated. In addition, the histopathological changes in the hepatic and neural cells were assessed. RESULTS: The LPS group showed high inflammatory cytokines and sICAM-1 levels reflecting the presence of SIR. Hepatocyte necrosis, apoptosis, extensive hemorrhage and inflammatory cellular infiltration together with brain astrocytes swelling, early neuron injury and ...
2011-08-01
Preparation of a high specific activity I-125 labeled styryl dye for leukocyte membrane labeling
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
The purpose of this work was to develop a high specific activity radioiodinated cell membrane probe for tracking lymphocytes in-vivo to replace the nucleus localizing, cytotoxic lipophilic chelates (In-111 oxine and Tc-99m HMPAO) currently used. Alkylation of parent dye 4-[2-[-N,N-didecylamino]phenyl]ethenyl pyridine with E-1-tributylstannyl-3-tosylpropene (prepared form E-1-tributylstannyl-1-propene-3-ol), gave a tributyltin precursor 1. Radiolabeled 3-[4-[2-[4-(N,N-didecylamino)phenyl]ethenyl]pyridino] E-[I-125]-1-iodopropene (2), was prepared from 1 using peracetic acid in acetonitrile/water. Labeling yields and specific activities achieved were 26% (#approx#2170 Ci/mmol), 40% (1220 Ci/mmol), and 55% (200 Ci/mmol) for nca, 0.4, and 2 nanomole carrier iodide runs respectively. Canine mixed leukocytes (0.5-1.0 x 10"8 cells) were labeled with 2 (67% and 42% yields for 200 Ci/mol and 1220 Ci/mmol preparations) and showed blood clearance similar to In 111 oxine. ...
1994-08-21
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Renewable energy sources have received increased interest from the international community with biomass being one of the oldest and the most promising ones. In the concept of exploitation of agro-industrial residues, the present study investigates the pre-treatment and ethanol fermentation potential of the olive pulp, which is the semi solid residue generated from the two-phase processing of the olives for olive oil production. Wet oxidation and enzymatic hydrolysis have been applied aiming at the enhancement of carbohydrates' bioavailability. Different concentrations of enzymes and enzymatic durations have been tested. Both wet oxidation and enzymic treatment were evaluated based on the ethanol obtained in a subsequent fermentation step by Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Thermoanaerobacter mathranii. It was found that a four-day hydrolysis time was adequate for a satisfactory release of glucose and xylose. The combination of wet oxidation and enzymatic ...
2009-11-15
Polycrystalline silicon thin film solar cells prepared by PECVD-SPC
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Among the most promising technological alternatives for the development of photovoltaic modules and cells of a low cost, good energetic conversion and feasibility for mass production, polycrystalline silicon thin film solar cells deposited directly on a transparent substrate are currently being considered the best. We have developed in our laboratory a PECVD reactor capable of producing the deposition of amorphous hydrogenated silicon at rates of above 2 nm/seg, allowing a significant production per line on the plant. Discharge gas is silane, to which diborane or phosphine is added so as to form the cell. Basically, work is done on a structure of cell type TCO/n+/p-/p+/M, which has 2 {mu}m of total thickness. Schott AF-37 glass is used as a substrate, for their ability to withstand temperatures of up to 800 C. The amorphous cell is subsequently annealed at gradual temperatures of 100 C to achieve dehydrogenation up to 650-700 C for 12 h until their complete ...
2008-07-15
Performance of a high Cr and Ni austenitic stainless steel plates in PEMFC working environments
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
The high cost of proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) poses a significant challenges to their commercial uptake. The bipolar plates connect the anode and cathodes of cells and separate the reactant gases, and are the most expensive components in PEMFCs. Although stainless steel can be used as a low-cost alternative in bipolar plate construction, steel is prone to electrochemical corrosion in the highly acidic PEMFC operation process. This study examined the polarization curves and ICR as a function of compaction force of a high Cr and Ni austenitic stainless steel in an environment simulating the bipolar plate under PEMFC operating conditions. The 3-electrode system consisted of a platinum (Pt) sheet, a saturated calomel electrode with a Luggin capillary contract with the used solution and the work electrode. All polarization curves were measured in a solution of H{sub 2}SO{sub 4} in order to simulate the aggressive PEMFC environment. Surface morphologies of the steels were ...
2006-07-01
Nonlinear stochastic modeling of river dissolved-oxygen
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
An important aspect of water quality modeling is forecasting water quality variables for real-time management and control applications to enhance, maintain and sustain desirable water qualities. The major objective of this research is to develop daily time series models for forecasting river dissolved-oxygen (DO). The modeling approach adopted herein combines deterministic and stochastic concepts for determining properties of the DO process based on time series data and dynamic mechanisms governing the said process. This is accomplished by deriving a general DO stochastic model structure based on a modified Streeter-Phelps DO-BOD dynamic model. Then some types of nonlinear models namely, self-exciting threshold autoregressive-moving average (SETARMA), amplitude-dependent autoregressive (ADAR) and bilinear (BL) models, and the class of linear autoregressive-moving average (ARMA) models are adopted for model identification and parameter estimation. Six stream-water quality gaging ...
1984-01-01
New technetium-99m radiopharmaceuticals for brain imaging
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Radiopharmaceuticals for brain imaging are used for the detection of ischemia, tumours and dementia associatied with disorders of the blood flow in the brain. The current radiopharmaceuticals for brain imaging have various limitations: 2-(F-18)fluoro-2-deoxyglucose (F-18-FDG) has a very short half-life. The physical properties of di-#beta#-(piperidinoethyl)-(Se-75)selenide (Se-75-PIPSE) and di-#beta#-(morpholinoethyl)-(Se-75)-selenide (Se-75-MOSE) are not ideal. Thallium-201 diethyldithricarbamate (T1-201-DDC) has unfavourable nuclidic characteristics, limited availability, a long half-life and high cost. I-123 in N-isopropyl-p-iodoamphetamine (I-123-IMP) and N,N,N'-trimethyl-N'-(2-hydroxy-3-methyl-5-iodobenzyl)-1,3-propanediamine (I-123-HIPDM) are not freely available and are expensive. N-13-labelled ammonia has a very short half-life. Technetium-99m hexamethylpropyleneamineoxime (Tc-99m-HM-PAO) is unstable both in vitro and in vivo and has a low brain-to-blood ratio. These ...
1988-08-01
Mg-doped LiNi{sub 0.5}Mn{sub 1.5}O{sub 4} spinel for cathode materials
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Lithium-ion batteries are becoming more and more important not only for portable electronic devices, but also in prevision of high power electric vehicles. In such an optic, deep studies regarding all the components of a secondary battery are in development. In this study, high voltage cathode materials have been selected. Crystals with spinel structure have a 3D vacancy pathway suitable for Li-ions transport. The material under study was LiNi{sub 0.5}Mn{sub 1.5}O{sub 4} doped with magnesium replacing the nickel. Various samples were synthesized via three different routes: a solid-state method, a modified sol-gel method and a xerogel method. The structure and morphology of the powders were analyzed with HRTEM and XRD. Electrochemical tests were also performed. A wide range of particle sizes (from micro to nanosize) was the result of the different synthesis routes. Unfortunately pure materials were not always obtained. The electrochemical tests showed improvement of ...
2007-12-06
Materials design for semiconductor spintronics by ab initio electronic-structure calculation
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
A systematic study for the materials design of III-V and II-VI compound-based ferromagnetic diluted magnetic semiconductors is given based on ab initio calculations within the local spin density approximation. The electronic structures of 3d-transition-metal-atom-doped GaN and Mn-doped InN, InP, InAs, InSb, GaN, GaP, GaAs, GaSb, AlN, AlP, AlAs and AlSb were calculated by the Korringa-Kohn-Rostoker method combined with the coherent potential approximation. It is found that the ferromagnetic ground states are readily achievable in V-, Cr- or Mn-doped GaN without any additional carrier doping treatments, and that InN is the most promising candidate for high-T_C ferromagnet. A simple explanation of the systematic behavior of the magnetic states in III-V and II-VI compound-based diluted magnetic semiconductors is also given. It is also shown that V or Cr-doped ZnS, ZnSe, and ZnTe are ferromagnetic without p- or n-type doping treatment. However, Mn-, Fe-, Co- or Ni-doped ...
2003-04-01
Loading pattern optimization cooperatively using two new algorithms - 130
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Loading pattern optimization (LPO) for a PWR in nuclear power plant contains three parts: fuel assembly location optimization, burnable poison placement optimization, and used fuel assembly orientation optimization. To solve the former two parts, this paper devises an innovative stochastic evolutionary algorithm-Interval Bound Algorithm (IBA), which can optimize fuel assembly location and burnable poison placement together. IBA just uses the fuel assembly's infinite multiplication factor to get rid of unfavorable patterns and to explore new promising solution space. To solve the last part, this paper applies Estimation of Distribution Algorithms (EDAs), which also belong to evolutionary algorithms. These three parts depend on each other, so it is better not to solve them separately. In order to optimize these parts in a coupled way, we use Symbiotic Co-evolutionary Algorithm (SCA) to incorporate IBA and EDAs. This technique could reflect the real optimization ...
2010-05-09
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Seismic exploration is used to identify the Zapadno Rakushechniy Sea uplift. It is promising with respect to prospecting for oil and gas deposits as a result of its proximity to the Severo Rakushechniy deposit with commercial oil and gas presence in the Triassic sediments. Structural prospecting wells are drilled at the Zapadno Rakushechnyy Sea site which open sediment from the Neogene to the upper Triassic. The Triassic sediments are represented by a thick terrigeneous to carbonate series washed out to a varying degree and covered by Jurassic sediments. A comparison of the lithofacial composition of the Triassic sediments shows that the thickness and lithological composition o the Triassic rocks varies by site, while the sediments of the upper Triassic are sharply reduced in thickness to the southsouthwest. The older are the sediments of the Indskiy stage of the lower Triassic. The isolated stages of the lower, middle and upper Jurassic suffer ...
1984-01-01
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Lithium ion conducting glass ceramics composed of the crystalline conductive phase Li{sub 1.4}Al{sub 0.4}(Ge{sub 1-x}Ti{sub x}){sub 1.6}(PO{sub 4}){sub 3}(x=0-1.0) with the Nasicon-type structure have been synthesized and characterized by DTA, X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) and complex impedance techniques. The experimental results indicated that the glass ceramics were mainly composed of solid solution Li(Ge{sub 1-x}Ti{sub x}){sub 2}(PO{sub 4}){sub 3} formed by LiGe{sub 2}(PO{sub 4}){sub 3} and LiTi{sub 2}(PO{sub 4}){sub 3} in the whole x range and showed conductivity over 10{sup -4} S/cm at room temperature. The maximum room temperature lithium ion conductivity of 6.21x10{sup -4} S/cm with an activation energy as low as 0.32 eV was obtained for the Li{sub 1.4}Al{sub 0.4}(Ge{sub 0.67}Ti{sub 0.33}){sub 1.6}(PO{sub 4}){sub 3} treated at 950 C for 18 h. Mechanisms for the enhancement of {sigma}{sub totle} in glass ...
2004-07-30
Is the Short Distance Scale a Result of a Problem with the LMC Photometric Zero Point?
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
I present a promising route to harmonize distance measurements based on clump giants and RR Lyrae stars. This is achieved by comparing the brightness of these distance indicators in three environments: the solar neighborhood, Galactic bulge and Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC). As a result of harmonizing the distance scales in the solar neighborhood and Baade's Window, I derive the new absolute magnitude of RR Lyrae stars, M{sub v}(RR) at [Fe/H] = -1.6 (0.59 {+-} 0.05, 0.70 {+-} 0.05). Being somewhat brighter than the statistical parallax solution, but fainter than typical results of the main sequence fitting to Hipparcos data, these values of M{sub V}(RR) favor intermediate or old ages of globular clusters. Harmonizing the distance scales in the LMC and Baade's Window, I show that the most likely distance modulus to the LMC, {mu}{sub LMC} is in the range 18.24 - 18.44. The Hubble constant of about 70 km/s/Mpc reported by the HST ...
2004-03-29
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Magnesium-based alloys are among the promising materials for hydrogen storage and fuel cell applications due to their high hydrogen content. In the present work, we investigated the hydrogen release/uptake properties of the Mg-Ti-H system. Samples were prepared from the mixtures of MgH{sub 2} and TiH{sub 2} in molar ratios of 7:1 and 4:1 using a high-energy-high-pressure (HEHP) mechanical ball-milling method under 13.8 MPa hydrogen pressure. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) showed that a relatively large amount of hydrogen (5.91 and 4.82 wt.%, respectively, for the above two samples) was released between 126 and 313 C while temperature was increased at a heating rate of 5 C min{sup -1} under an argon flow. The onset dehydrogenation temperature of these mixtures, which is 126 C, is much lower than that of MgH{sub 2} alone, which is 381 C. The activation energy of dehydrogenation was 71 kJ mol{sup -1}, which is much smaller than that of ...
2008-05-15
Hybrid vehicle system studies and optimized hydrogen engine design
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
We have done system studies of series hydrogen hybrid automobiles that approach the PNGV design goal of 34 km/liter (80 mpg), for 384 km (240 mi) and 608 km (380 mi) ranges. Our results indicate that such a vehicle appears feasible using an optimized hydrogen engine. We have evaluated the impact of various on-board storage options on fuel economy. Experiments in an available engine at the Sandia CRF demonstrated NO{sub x} emissions of 10 to 20 ppM at an equivalence ratio of 0.4, rising to about 500 ppm at 0.5 equivalence ratio using neat hydrogen. Hybrid simulation studies indicate that exhaust NO{sub x} concentrations must be less than 180 ppM to meet the 0.2 g/mile ULEV or Federal Tier II emissions regulations. LLNL has designed and fabricated a first generation optimized hydrogen engine head for use on an existing Onan engine. This head features 15:1 compression ratio, dual ignition, water cooling, two valves and open quiescent combustion chamber to minimize heat transfer losses. ...
1995-04-26
Heat pipe cooled piston - feasibility study
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
This study assesses the feasibility of the so-called heat pipe technique for cooling the piston of a mediumspeed diesel engine and is part of a research project 'EVE HPD, Extreme Value Engine Tests with High Power Density' carried out by HUT Internal Combustion Engine Laboratory. Diesel engines are being developed to give greater power from a given cylinder swept volume, which means higher temperatures in combustion chamber. The traditional oil cooling cannot be used beyond certain temperature level. Heat pipe technology could provide one solution to the cooling problem. The general properties, principles of operation, and structures of different types of heat pipes are described. Working fluids and container materials of heat pipes are discussed. The operation limitations of heat pipes are studied, especially, the limitations of a reciprocating heat pipe, in which the return of the condensate to the evaporator section is achieved by the movement of the heat pipe. The ...
2004-07-01
Growth of high-density Ru- and RuO_2-composite nanodots on atomic-layer-deposited Al_2O_3 film
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Growth of Ru- and RuO_2-composite (ROC) nanodots on atomic-layer-deposited Al_2O_3 film has been studied for the first time using ion-beam sputtering followed by post-deposition annealing (PDA). X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analyses reveal that RuO_2 and Ru co-exist before annealing, and around 10% RuO_2 is reduced to metallic Ru after PDA at 900 deg. C for 15 s. Scanning electron microscopy measurements show that well-defined spherical ROC nanodots are not formed till the PDA temperature is raised to 900 deg. C. The mean diameter of the nanodots enlarges with increasing PDA temperature whereas the nanodot density decreases, which is attributed to coalescence process between adjacent nanodots. It is further illustrated that the resulting nanodot size and density are weakly dependent on the annealing time, but are markedly influenced by the decomposition of RuO_2. In this article, the ROC nanodots with a high density of 1.6 x 10"1"1 cm"-"2, a mean diameter of 20 ...
2007-02-15
The analgesic activity of nine substituted N-pyrrolylcarboxylic acids, previously reported as anti-inflammatory agents, has been evaluated. The effects on nociception were examined in male Wistar rats by the Randall-Selitto paw-pressure test. The compounds were administrated in doses 10, 20, and 40 mg/kg both i.p. and p.o. As a whole, the activities of 3-(N-pyrrolyl)propanoic acids 3e-3h and 2-[3-(ethoxycarbonyl)-2-methyl-5-phenyl-1H-1-pyrrolyl]-3-methylpentanoic acid 3i were comparable with or superior to that of metamizole used as a reference (200 mg/kg, i.p.), whereas only 3a from among the N-pyrrolyl-acetic acids 3a-3d showed analgesic activity on the inflamed paw. The compounds found most promising to increase the pain threshold significantly were the same ones with the higher anti-inflammatory activity registered in our previous study: 3-[3-(ethoxycarbonyl)-2-methyl-5-(3-nitrophenyl)-1H-1-pyrrolyl]propanoic acid 3e, together with its ...
2006-03-01
Fast breeder reactor safety : a perspective
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Taking into consideration India's limited reserves of natural and vast reserves of thorium, the fast reactor route holds a great promise for India's energy supply in future. The fast reactor fueled with "2"3"9Pu/"2"3"8U (unused or depleted) produces (breeds) more fissionable fuel material "2"3"9Pu than it consumes. Calculations show that a fast breeder reactor (FBR) increases energy potential of natural uranium by about 60 times. As the fast reactor can also convert "2"3"2Th into "2"3"3U which is a fissionable material, it can make India's thorium reserves a source of almost inexhaustible energy supply for a long time to come. Significant advantage of FBR plants cooled by sodium and their world-wide operating experience are reviewed. There are two main safety issues of FBR, one nuclear and the other non-nuclear. The nuclear issue concerns core disruptive accident and the non-nuclear one concerns the high chemical energy potential of sodium. ...
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Three reactive materials were evaluated at laboratory scale to identify the optimum treatment reagent for use in a Permeable Reactive Barrier Treatment System at Rocky Flats Environmental Technology Site (RFETS). The contaminants of concern (COCS) are uranium, TCE, PCE, carbon tetrachloride, americium, and vinyl chloride. The three reactive media evaluated included high carbon steel iron filings, an iron-silica alloy in the form of a foam aggregate, and a peculiar humic acid based sorbent (Humasorb from Arctech) mixed with sand. Each material was tested in the laboratory at column scale using simulated site water. All three materials showed promise for the 903 Mound Site however, the iron filings were determined to be the least expensive media. In order to validate the laboratory results, the iron filings were further tested at a pilot scale (field columns) using actual site water. Pilot test results were similar to laboratory results; ...
2000-01-01
Energy storage for hybrid remote power systems
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Energy storage can be a cost-effective component of hybrid remote power systems. Storage serves the special role of taking advantage of intermittent renewable power sources. Traditionally this role has been played by lead-acid batteries, which have high life-cycle costs and pose special disposal problems. Hydrogen or zinc-air storage technologies can reduce life-cycle costs and environmental impacts. Using projected data for advanced energy storage technologies, LLNL ran an optimization for a hypothetical Arctic community with a reasonable wind resource (average wind speed 8 m/s). These simulations showed the life-cycle annualized cost of the total energy system (electric plus space heating) might be reduced by nearly 40% simply by adding wind power to the diesel system. An additional 20 to 40% of the wind-diesel cost might be saved by adding hydrogen storage or zinc-air fuel cells to the system. Hydrogen produced by electrolysis of water using intermittent, ...
1998-03-01
We present results from the first studies of electric-field effects on optical transitions in visible-band-gap InGaP/InAlGaP multiple-quantum-well (MQW) structures. These structures, grown at 775 [degree]C by metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy on (100) GaAs substrates misoriented 6[degree] towards P(111)[r angle][l angle]111[r angle]A, consist of nominally undoped MQWs surrounded by doped In[sub 0.49]Al[sub 0.51]P cladding layers to form [ital p]-[ital i]-[ital n] diodes. The Stark shifts of various allowed and forbidden quantum-well transitions were observed in bias-dependent electroreflectance spectra of In[sub 0.49]Ga[sub 0.51]P/In[sub 0.49](Al[sub 0.5]Ga[sub 0.5])[sub 0.51]P MQW samples with 10-nm-thick layers. We find the magnitude of these shifts to depend on the details of the Mg doping profile, confirming the importance of Mg diffusion and unintentional background doping in these materials. Our results show that (InAlGa)P materials are ...
1994-04-04
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
We present results from the first studies of electric-field effects on optical transitions in visible-band-gap InGaP/InAlGaP multiple-quantum-well (MQW) structures. These structures, grown at 775 degree C by metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy on (100) GaAs substrates misoriented 6 degree towards P(111)right-angle left-angle 111 right-angle A, consist of nominally undoped MQWs surrounded by doped In_0_._4_9Al_0_._5_1P cladding layers to form p-i-n diodes. The Stark shifts of various allowed and forbidden quantum-well transitions were observed in bias-dependent electroreflectance spectra of In_0_._4_9Ga_0_._5_1P/In_0_._4_9(Al_0_._5Ga_0_._5)_0_._5_1P MQW samples with 10-nm-thick layers. We find the magnitude of these shifts to depend on the details of the Mg doping profile, confirming the importance of Mg diffusion and unintentional background doping in these materials. Our results show that (InAlGa)P materials are promising for visible-wavelength ...
The authors present electric-field dependent electroreflectance and photocurrent spectra of visible-bandgap In{sub x}(Al{sub y}Ga{sub 1{minus}y}){sub 1{minus}x}P/In{sub x{prime}}(Al{sub y{prime}}Ga{sub 1{minus}y{prime}}){sub 1{minus}x{prime}}P multiple-quantum-well (MQW) structures. These structures, grown by metal-organic vapor phase epitaxy on 6{degrees}-misoriented (100) GaAs substrates, have undoped MQWs sandwiched between doped In{sub 0.5}Al{sub 0.5}P layers, forming p-i-n diodes. Quantum-well compositions in the range 0.46{le}x{le}0.52 and 0{le}y{le}0.4, corresponding to bandgaps in the red to yellow-green range, were used. The Stark shifts in these various samples were measured and found to depend on the details of the Mg p-type doping profile, confirming important diffusion effects, in agreement with secondary ion mass spectrometry and capacitance-voltage data. The results show that these new materials are promising for ...
1993-12-31
Effect of the morphology of the primary alpha phase on the mechanical properties of Beta-CEZ alloy
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
A new metastable beta titanium alloy, Beta-CEZ, has been developed by CEZUS. This alloy was designed for use at moderate temperatures up to 450 C (840 F). Alloy requirements also included high mechanical strength, high fracture toughness and improved creep resistance as compared to existing beta alloys. The understanding of the relationships between processing/microstructure/mechanical properties in the alloy may lead to applications of such promising material in current and future airplanes. In this study, a combination of several forging routes, which included through-transus, hot-die and warm-die forging, with subsequent heat treatments were selected in order to evaluate the microstructure-mechanical property relationships. It was found that the recrystallized prior beta grain boundary alpha, characteristic of the through-transus forging process, lead to an improved tensile-fracture toughness balance. The size of the primary alpha structure observed in ...
1993-02-21
The low in vivo transduction efficiency of recombinant adeno-associated virus (rAAV) and the undesirably strong immunogenicity of adenovirus (rAdv) have limited their clinical utilization in cancer gene therapy. We have previously demonstrated that intratumoral injection of rAAV expressing a C-terminal polypeptide of human telomerase reverse transcriptase (rAAV-hTERTC27) effectively inhibits the growth of glioblastoma xenografts in nude mice. To further improve its efficacy, we combined rAAV-hTERTC27 with rAdv and investigated the efficiency of the cocktail vectors in vivo. At a nontherapeutic dose (1 x 10(8) plaque-forming units (PFUs)), rAdv-null and rAdv-hTERTC27 were equipotent in enhancing the therapeutic efficacy of rAAV-hTERTC27 (1.5 x 10(11) v.g.), and complete tumor regression was achieved in 25% of the treated animals. Importantly, the combination of rAAV-hTERTC27 and a therapeutic dose (2.5 x 10(9) PFU) of rAdv-hTERTC27 significantly augmented the therapeutic effects and led ...
2008-06-06
Development of Novel Polycrystalline Ceramic Scintillators
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
For several decades most of the efforts to develop new scintillator materials have concentrated on high-light-yield inorganic single-crystals while polycrystalline ceramic scintillators, since their inception in the early 1980 s, have received relatively little attention. Nevertheless, transparent ceramics offer a promising approach to the fabrication of relatively inexpensive scintillators via a simple mechanical compaction and annealing process that eliminates single-crystal growth. Until recently, commonly accepted concepts restricted the polycrystalline ceramic approach to materials exhibiting a cubic crystal structure. Here, we report our results on the development of two novel ceramic scintillators based on the non-cubic crystalline materials: Lu SiO:Ce (LSO:Ce) and LaBr:Ce. While no evidence for texturing has been found in their ceramic microstructures, our LSO:Ce ceramics exhibit a surprisingly high level of transparency/ translucency and very good ...
2008-06-01
Design of novel polysaccharidic nanostructures for gene delivery
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
The goal of the present work was to develop a new synthetic nanosystem for gene delivery. For this purpose, we chose two polysaccharides, hyaluronic acid (HA) and chitosan (CS), as the main components of the nanocarrier. Nanoparticles with different hyaluronate:chitosan (HA:CS) mass ratios (0.5:1 and 1:1) and different polymer molecular weights (hyaluronate 170 (HA) or <10 kDa (HAO) and chitosan 125 (CS) or 10-12 (CSO) kDa) could be obtained using an ionic crosslinking method. These nanoparticles were loaded with pDNA and characterized for their size, zeta potential and pDNA association efficiency. Moreover, their toxicity and ability to transfect the model plasmid pEGFP-C1 were evaluated in the cell line HEK 293, as well as their intracellular fate. The results showed that HA:CS nanoparticles have a small size in the range of 110-230 nm, a positive zeta potential of +10 to +32 mV and a very high pDNA association efficiency of 87-99% (w/w). On the other ...
2008-02-20
Corrosion studies on selected packaging materials for disposal of high level wastes
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
In order to qualify corrosion resistant materials for high level waste (HLW) packagings acting as a long-term barrier in a rock salt repository, the corrosion behaviour of the preselected materials Ti 99.8-Pd, Hastelloy C4 and two unalloyed steels was investigated. The resistance of the materials to general corrosion, local corrosion and stress corrosion cracking was examined under postulated accident conditions in the repository by long-term immersion tests of up to 4 years duration and electrochemical methods. The parameters investigated were different salt brines, temperatures of 90 deg. C, 170 deg. C and 200 deg. C as well as a gamma radiation field of 10"3Gy/h (10"5rad/h). Among the materials studied, Ti 99.8-Pd exhibited the highest corrosion resistance. This material corroded at a very low rate ( 1987-05-01
Considerations for the next Compton telescope mission
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
A high resolution Compton telescope has been identified by the Gamma Ray Astronomy Program Working Group (GRAPWG) as the highest priority major mission in gamma ray astrophysics following GLAST. This mission should provide 25-100 times improved sensitivity, relative to CGRO and INTEGRAL, for MeV gamma ray lines. It must have good performance for narrow and broad lines and for discrete and diffuse emissions. Several instrumental approaches are being pursued to achieve these goals. We discuss issues relating to this mission including alternative detector concepts, instrumental configurations, and background reduction techniques. We have pursued the development of position-sensitive solid-state detectors (Ge, Si) for a high spectral resolution Compton telescope mission. A #approx#1 m2 germanium Compton telescope of position-sensitive germanium detectors was the basis for one of the GRAPWG concepts. Preliminary Monte Carlo estimates for the sensitivities of this instrument are encouraging. ...
2000-04-12
Combined power generation with wind and ocean waves
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
It is often advantageous to generate power with combinations of wind and ocean waves. In fact ocean waves, their generation, propagation, dissipation are directly related to wind velocity and its duration oven the sea. In this paper an attempt has been made to demonstrate statistically to present some advantages with combined wind and ocean wave power generation. Even though many conceptual techniques and methods are possible to harness combined power generation, it is important to test feasibility of combined output as well as individual outputs mathematically. One of the major advantages of combined wind and wave power generation is to improve probability of continuous power supply (it minimises the interruptions and compensates power fluctuations with one another). Some of the major wave characteristics like wave Height (H), Time period (T), Wave length (L) significantly influence wave power generation. Interestingly, these ocean waves are dependent on wind velocity over ocean. To ...
1996-09-01
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
The significant and rapid reduction of greenhouse gas emissions is recognized as necessary to mitigate the potential climate effects from global warming. The postcombustion capture (PCC) and storage of carbon dioxide (CO{sub 2}) produced from the use of fossil fuels for electricity generation is a key technology needed to achieve these reductions. The most mature technology for CO{sub 2} capture is reversible chemical absorption into an aqueous amine solution. In this study the results from measurements of the CO{sub 2} absorption capacity of aqueous amine solutions for 76 different amines are presented. Measurements were made using both a novel isothermal gravimetric analysis (IGA) method and a traditional absorption apparatus. Seven amines, consisting of one primary, three secondary, and three tertiary amines, were identified as exhibiting outstanding absorption capacities. Most have a number of structural features in common including steric hindrance and hydroxyl functionality 2 or ...
2009-08-15
Natural bone consists of hard nanostructured hydroxyapatite (HA) in a nanostructured protein-based soft hydrogel template (ie, mostly collagen). For this reason, nanostructured HA has been an intriguing coating material on traditionally used titanium for improving orthopedic applications. In addition, helical rosette nanotubes (HRNs), newly developed materials which form through the self-assembly process of DNA base pair building blocks in body solutions, are soft nanotubes with a helical architecture that mimics natural collagen. Thus, the objective of this in vitro study was for the first time to combine the promising attributes of HRNs and nanocrystalline HA on titanium and assess osteoblast (bone-forming cell) functions. Different sizes of nanocrystalline HA were synthesized in this study through a wet chemical precipitation process following either hydrothermal treatment or sintering. Transmission electron microscopy images showed that ...
2008-01-01
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Antisense- or RNAi-mediated suppression of the biosynthesis of nutritionally inferior storage proteins is a promising strategy for improving the amino acid profile of seeds. However, the potential pleiotropic effects of this on interconnected pathways and the agronomic quality traits need to be addressed. In the current study, a transcriptomic analysis of an antisense C-hordein line of barley was performed, using a grain-specific cDNA array. The C-hordein antisense line is characterized by marked changes in storage protein and amino acid profiles, while the seed weight is within the normal range and no external morphological irregularities were observed. The results of the transcriptome analysis showed excellent correlation with data on changes in the relative proportions of storage proteins and amino acid composition. The antisense line had a lower C-hordein level and down-regulated transcript encoding C-hordein. The production of the S-rich ...
2007-01-01
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Antisense- or RNAi-mediated suppression of the biosynthesis of nutritionally inferior storage proteins is a promising strategy for improving the amino acid profile of seeds. However, the potential pleiotropic effects of this on interconnected pathways and the agronomic quality traits need to be addressed. In the current study, a transcriptomic analysis of an antisense C-hordein line of barley was performed, using a grain-specific cDNA array. The C-hordein antisense line is characterized by marked changes in storage protein and amino acid profiles, while the seed weight is within the normal range and no external morphological irregularities were observed. The results of the transcriptome analysis showed excellent correlation with data on changes in the relative proportions of storage proteins and amino acid composition. The antisense line had a lower C-hordein level and down-regulated transcript encoding C-hordein. The production of the S-rich ...
2007-01-01
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
A number of binary geothermal cycles utilizing mixed hydrocarbon working fluids were analyzed with the overall objective of finding a working fluid which can produce low-cost electrical energy using a moderately low temperature geothermal resource. Both boiling and supercritical shell-and-tube cycles were considered. The performance of a dual-boiling isobutane cycle supplied by a 280/sup 0/F hydrothermal resource (corresponding to the 5MW pilot plant at the Raft River site in Idaho) was selected as a reference. To investigate the effect of resource temperature on the choice of working fluid, several analyses were conducted for a 360/sup 0/F hydrothermal resource, which is representative of the Heber resource in California. The hydrocarbon working fluids analyzed included methane, ethane, propane, isobutane, isopentane, hexane, heptane, and mixtures of those pure hydrocarbons. For comparison, two fluorocarbon refrigerants were also analyzed. Preliminary estimates of relative heat ...
1981-01-01
Advanced Method for In-Field Measurement, Monitoring and Verification of Total Soil Carbon
The Earth`s oceans, forests, agricultural lands and other natural areas absorb about half of the carbon dioxide emitted from anthropogenic sources. Terrestrial carbon sequestration strategies are immediately available to bridge the gap between current terrestrial sequestration capacity and high-capacity geologic sequestration projects available in 10 to 20 years. Terrestrial carbon sequestration strategies consist of implementing land management practices aimed at decreasing CO2 emitted into the atmosphere and developing advanced measurement tools to inventory and monitor carbon processes in soils and biota. In addition to atmospheric CO2 mitigation and carbon trading advantages, terrestrial carbon sequestration produces a variety of benefits which include reclamation of degraded lands, increased soil productivity, increased land value and a more secure food source. Carbon storage in soil depends on climate and management practices, with potential yearly increases estimated from 0 ...
2005-12-01
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
The National Institute of Materials Science (NIMS) has utilized the in-house alloy design program to develop a 5{sup th} generation Ni-base single crystal superalloy, TMS-196 with superior high temperature creep, thermo mechanical fatigue (TMF) and oxidation resistance by incorporating further ruthenium (Ru) and chromium (Cr) content over the compositions of 4{sup th} generation superalloys. With Ru additions in advanced superalloys to enhance phase stability, higher content of refractory elements can be accommodated to provide further strengthening; the associated oxidation resistance can be improved by the increase in Cr additions. In present article, TMS-196 has been subjected to cyclic/isothermal oxidation tests at 1100 C and 900 C, creep at conditions between 800 C{proportional_to}1100 C/137MPa{proportional_to}735MPa and TMF cycles. Preliminary studies indicate that the surface of oxidized TMS-196 can exhibit continuous alumina layer attributing good oxidation resistance similar ...
2006-07-01
The Path to Fusion Energy for Concepts Currently at the Concept Exploration Level
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Concept Exploration (CE) experiments within the Innovative Confinement Concept Program have a unique role which impacts their contributions to the development of fusion energy. As stated in the FESAC ''Report on Alternate Concepts:'' These [CE] programs are aimed at innovation and basic understanding of relevant scientific phenomena. The emphasis on innovation motivates their application to the search for a better fusion reactor configuration. In addition, because of their unique character the CE experiments offer excellent opportunities to couple fusion-plasma physics to other sciences. A recent example of coupling is the fusion self-organized plasmas to reconnection physics and extra-terrestrial plasmas. Perhaps of even greater importance is the education of the future scientists needed for developing fusion energy. The CE experiments, both at universities and national labs, are of a size students can ''get their hands ...
2003-01-09
Evolution of improved varieties of sesame through induced mutations
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Sesame varieties/genotypes showed a good response to radiation with gamma rays and treatments with EMS. In M_1 both gamma rays and EMS influenced germination, seedling height, survival of plants and pollen fertility/sterility, producing deleterious effects on these characters. Compared to black seeded genotypes, white seeded ones are more susceptible to radiation. Both gamma rays and EMS produced various types of morphological variations in M_2 generation. These were dwarf plant mutants, mottled and fleshy leaved mutants (sterile), fasciated stem, flower colour, altered phyllotaxy, early, uniculm, capsule size variations, multiple capsule/leaf axil, seed coat colour variations, indehiscent and semi-indehiscent type mutants. Moreover, studies on quantitative characters including seed yield revealed the induction of mutants in both positive and negative directions for such traits which made a good scope of selection of desirable mutants in M_2 generation. Mutants ...
2001-01-01
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
This SBIR Phase I developed neutron detectors made from gallium arsenide (GaAs) p-type/ intrinsic/n-type (P-I-N) diodes grown by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) onto semi-insulating (S1) bulk GaAs wafers. A layer of isotonically enriched boron-10 evaporated onto the front surface serves to convert incoming neutrons into lithium ions and a 1.47 MeV alpha particle which creates electron-hole pairs that are detected by the GaAs diode. Various thicknesses of ''intrinsic'' (I) undoped GaAs were tested, as was use of a back-surface field (BSF) formed from a layer of Al{sub x}Ga{sub 1-x}As. Schottky-barrier diodes formed from the same structures without the p+ GaAs top layer were tested as a comparison. After mesa etching and application of contacts, devices were tested in visible light before application of the boron coating. Internal quantum efficiency (IQE) of the best diode near the GaAs bandedge ...
1999-04-01
piggyBac Transposon-mediated Long-term Gene Expression in Mice
UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)
Transposons are promising systems for somatic gene integration because they can not only integrate exogenous genes efficiently, but also be delivered to a variety of organs using a range of transfection...Full Text Available
2010-04-01
What is the next step in patient decision support?
UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)
Patient decision support systems have a promising role in the delivery of health care. However, the best approach for further development of these systems is a matter of speculation. To help chart a...Full Text Available
2000-01-01
UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)
Hypoxia inducible factor-1 (HIF-1) promotes tumor cell adaptation to microenvironmental stress. HIF-1 is up-regulated in irradiated tumors and serves as a promising target for radiosensitization....Full Text Available
2009-04-01
UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)
BackgroundThere has been substantial research on psychosocial and health care determinants of health disparities in the United States (US) but less on the role of modifiable risk...Full Text Available
2010-03-01
The commercial potential of the 17 m, 100 kW Darrieus Vertical Axis Wind Turbine (VAWT) is discussed. Long term testing is in progress. As the first commercially adapted Darrieus turbines built by DOE, the superior cost, structural integrity, and output characteristics demonstrated by the prototypes appear particularly promising.
1981-01-01
Reviewing the Environmental and Human Health Knowledge Base of Carbon Nanotubes
UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)
Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are considered one of the most promising materials in nanotechnology, with attractive properties for many technologic applications. The different synthesis, purification, and...Full Text Available
2007-08-01
Regional Convection-Enhanced Delivery of Gadolinium-labeled Albumin in the Rat Hippocampus In Vivo
UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)
Convection-enhanced delivery (CED) has emerged as a promising method of targeted drug-delivery for treating central nervous system (CNS) disorders, but the influence of brain structure on infusate...Full Text Available
2010-03-15
Recycling of postconsumer plastic waste via new solid-state shear extrusion pulverization process
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
We have demonstrated that the SSSE pulverization process can convert multicomponent plastic waste into a powder with very promising properties. A variety of mixed color plastic chips have been pulverized.
1996-12-31
Quantum computing for physics research
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Quantum computers hold great promises for the future of computation. In this paper, this new kind of computing device is presented, together with a short survey of the status of research in this field. The principal algorithms are introduced, with an emphasis on the applications of quantum computing to physics. Experimental implementations are also briefly discussed.
2006-04-01
UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)
Stem cells are expected to play a key role in the development and maintenance of organisms, and hold great therapeutic promises. However, a number of questions must be answered to achieve an...Full Text Available
2009-01-01
UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)
BackgroundLung cancer diagnosis in tissue material with commonly used histological techniques is sometimes inconvenient and in a number of cases leads to ambiguous conclusions. Frequently...Full Text Available
Progress with Nonhuman Primate Embryonic Stem Cells1
... based, disease treatment remains promising, the emphasis for stem cell research from the biomedical research community is clear, and ... diagnosis as a novel source of embryos for stem cell research. Repr...
Prognostic gene network modules in breast cancer hold promise
UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)
A substantial proportion of lymph node-negative patients who receive adjuvant chemotherapy do not derive any benefit from this aggressive and potentially toxic treatment. However, standard histopathological...Full Text Available
2010-01-01
Limitations of Remotely Sensed Aerosol as a Spatial Proxy for Fine Particulate Matter
UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)
BackgroundRecent research highlights the promise of remotely sensed aerosol optical depth (AOD) as a proxy for ground-level particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter ≤...Full Text Available
2009-06-01
UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)
The use of dendritic cells (DCs) as a cellular adjuvant is a promising approach to the immunotherapy of cancer. It has previously been demonstrated that DCs pulsed ex vivo with Toxoplasma gondii...Full Text Available
2009-10-01
Immunomodulation by food: promising concept for mitigating allergic disease?
UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)
The importance of a properly functioning and well-balanced immune system for maintaining health has become strikingly evident over the past decades. Roughly since World War II, there has been an apparent...Full Text Available
2009-09-01
Immune-Based Therapies for Sarcoma
UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)
Immunotherapy has shown promise in a number of tumor types, but its exact role in sarcoma remains to be defined. Advanced bone and soft tissue sarcomas are challenging diseases to treat with an unmet...Full Text Available
2011-01-01
Host-Encoded Reporters for the Detection and Purification of Multiple Enveloped Viruses
UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)
The identification of host cell factors for virus replication holds great promise for the development of new anti-viral therapies. Recently, high-throughput screening methods have emerged as...Full Text Available
2010-08-01
UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)
Optical coherence microscopy (OCM) is a promising technique or high resolution cellular imaging in human tissues. An OCM system for high-speed en face cellular resolution imaging...Full Text Available
2010-03-01
UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)
The discovery that aerobic exercise increases adult hippocampal neurogenesis and can enhance cognitive performance holds promise as a model for regenerative medicine. This study adds two new...Full Text Available
2009-10-01
Evaluation of a filmless radiology pilot--a preliminary report.
UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)
The development of the Multimedia Electronic Medical Record System (MEMRS) promises new opportunities to significantly reduce the routine use of film as the medium for viewing radiological medical images....Full Text Available
2001-01-01
Epigenetic Therapies for Chemoresensitization of Epithelial Ovarian Cancer
UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)
SummaryEpigenetic drugs have been shown to enhance gene expression and drug sensitivity in ovarian cancer cell lines and animal models. Based on promising pre-clinical studies,...Full Text Available
2010-02-01
Diet, Exercise, Behavior: The Promise and Limits of Lifestyle Change
UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)
The prevalent surge in childhood and adolescent obesity within the past 3 decades poses a significant challenge for many pediatric clinicians who are charged with treating this condition. The...Full Text Available
2009-08-01
UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)
Because the results with cobalt-57-bleomycin (57Co-bleo) as a tumour-seeking agent in patients with pulmonary tumours were promising, a prospective study was carried out to test the sensitivity and...Full Text Available
1976-12-01
Barriers encountered during enrollment in an internet-mediated randomized controlled trial
UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)
BackgroundOnline technology is a promising resource for conducting clinical research. While the internet may improve a study's reach, as well as the efficiency of data collection,...Full Text Available
A Predictive Risk Probability Approach for Microarray Data with Survival as an Endpoint
UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)
Gene expression profiling has played an important role in cancer risk classification and has shown promising results. Since gene expression profiling often involves determination of a set of...Full Text Available
2008-01-01
Tissue banking for research: connecting the disconnected
British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)
Delivering the promise of personalised medicine is the challenge that the current generation of scientists face. The variations in human physiology and disease are considerable, and designing appropriate strategies to deliver what has been promised will require access to tissue from a large number of volunteers. The NHS provides an ideal infrastructure for sample acquisition, but requires two things to make this available?public consent and support for extra manpower and administration. There is a disconnection between the NHS and tissue based research that needs to be addressed on a number of levels to provide a translational platform. This should enable the path to be beaten to provide the ideal tailored treatment for future patients; one that preserves quality of life by curing the dise...
2011-01-01
British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)
This article considers the appeal of cognitive neuroscience research to the general public within the context of the deep puzzles involved in using our minds to understand how our minds work. It offers a few promising examples of findings that illuminate the ways of the mind and reveal these workings to be counter-intuitive with our subjective experience. However, this promise is tempered by the powerful role that perception, attention, and cognition play in how we reason about evidence. It argues that the interplay between what we believe about the nature of our minds and what the findings suggest constitutes a primary challenge in encouraging public understanding of cognitive neuroscience findings.
2011-01-01
LUCIFER, a potentially background-free approach to the search for neutrinoless double beta decay
British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)
LUCIFER (Low-background Underground Cryogenic Installation For Elusive Rates) is a new project for the study of neutrinoless Double Beta Decay, based on the technology of scintillating bolometers. These devices promise a very efficient rejection of the alpha background, opening the way to a virtual background-free experiment if candidates with a transition energy higher than 2615 keV are investigated. The baseline candidate for LUCIFER is 82Se. This isotope will be embedded in ZnSe crystals grown with enriched selenium and operated as scintillating bolometers in a low-radioactivity underground dilution refrigerator. In this paper, the LUCIFER concept will be introduced. The sensitivity and the very promising prospects related to this project will be discussed.
2011-01-01
Distributed ontology building as practical work
British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)
Ontologies ? a form of structured and logically related knowledge or classification hierarchy embedded in a computer system ? are regarded by many scientists as having enormous promise for the consistent use and re-use of data. To realise this promise, however, is not straightforward. In this paper, based on ethnographic observation, we argue that the challenges for ontology building are ?social? as much as they are technical. By this we mean the routine work undertaken in the building process and the problems and difficulties entailed can be understood in terms of the practices of knowledge workers and the practical nature of ?sorting things out?. Getting a better sense of how, in practise, this work gets done gives a sense of the main challenges of building successful ontologies and how ...
2011-01-01
Search for first-generation scalar leptoquarks in p anti-p collisions at s**(1/2) = 1.96-TeV
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
The authors report on a search for pair production of first-generation scalar leptoquarks (LQ) in p{bar p} collisions at {radical}s = 1.96 TeV using an integrated luminosity of 252 pb{sup -1} collected at the Fermilab Tevatron collider by the D0 detector. They observe no evidence for LQ production in the topologies arising from LQ{ovr LQ} {yields} eqeq and LQ{ovr LQ} {yields} eqvq, and derive 95% C.L. lower limits on the LQ mass as a function of {beta}, where {beta} is the branching fraction for LQ {yields} eq. The limits are 241 and 218 GeV/c{sup 2} for {beta} = 1 and 0.5, respectively. These results are combined with those obtained by D0 at {radical}s = 1.8 TeV, which increases these LQ mass limits to 256 and 234 GeV/c{sup 2}.
2004-12-01
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
A series of experimental measurements of the yield of O_3 in nuclear-induced O_2 and O_2-SF_6 discharges are reported. The discharges were created by bombardment with energetic particles from the "1"0B(n,#alpha#)"7Li reaction. Continuous irradiation at dose rates of 10"1"5--10"1"7 eV cm"-"3 s"-"1 and pulsed irradiation (--10 ms FWHM) at a peak dose rate of --10"2"0 eV cm"-"3 s"-"1 were conducted. At the lower dose rates, the addition of SF_6 generally increased the ozone yield due to the slowing of ozone destruction by negative oxygen and ozone ions. In contrast, at the high dose rates, the ozone concentration decreased due to SF_6 suppression of atomic oxygen formation by ion--ion recombination. A numerical model was developed and tested against experimental conditions. This model indicates that the steady-state ozone concentration was limited by the reaction O"-_3+O_3#->#2O_2+O"-_2 with a rate ...
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
The Air Force`s Armstrong Laboratory at Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida, has supported the research and development of Radio Frequency Soil Decontamination. Radio frequency soil decontamination is essentially a heat-assisted soil vapor extraction process. Site S-1 at Kelly Air Force Base, San Antonio, Texas, was selected for the demonstration of two patented techniques. The site is a former sump that collected spills and surface run-off from a waste petroleum, oils, and lubricants and solvent storage and transfer area. In 1993, a technique developed by the IIT Research Institute using an array of electrodes placed in the soil was demonstrated. In 1994, a technique developed by KAI Technologies, Inc. using a single applicator placed in a vertical borehole was demonstrated. Approximately 120 tons of soil were heated during each demonstration to a temperature of about 150 degrees Celsius.
1995-04-01
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Applying diode-laser resonant fluorescence method, the cross sections for the excitation energy transfer of the collisional process K"*(4"2P_1_/_2)+Cs(6"2S_1_/_2)#reversible#K"*(4"2P_3_/_2)+Cs(6"2S_1_/_2) have been measured. The values we have obtained are #sigma#(1/2#->#3/2)=77 A"2 and #sigma#(3/2#->#1/2)=48 A"2. These results complete the sequence of data for the fine-structure mixing of the first-resonance states of alkali atoms colliding with the ground-state caesium atoms. (orig.).
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Results of investigation on the effect of microstructure and deformation conditions (temperature and strain rate) on flow stress and critical strain in two phase #alpha# + #beta# titanium alloy Ti-6Al-5Mo-5V-1Cr-1Fe is presented in the paper. The alloy is deformed or torsional plastometer at temperature range 1073-1173 K and at the strain rate #epsilon# = 0.04-4.0 s"-"1. Sequential deformation at 1173 K at the strain rate of 0.4 s"-"1 was also performed with holding times in the range 1-100 s. The fraction of dynamically and metadynamically recrystallized #beta# phase was determined on the basis of results of sequential deformation test. Microstructure was examined using LM and TEM techniques. (author)
2004-06-20
Low-Cost Hydrogen Distributed Production System Development
H{sub 2}Gen, with the support of the Department of Energy, successfully designed, built and field-tested two steam methane reformers with 578 kg/day capacity, which has now become a standard commercial product serving customers in the specialty metals and PV manufacturing businesses. We demonstrated that this reformer/PSA system, when combined with compression, storage and dispensing (CSD) equipment could produce hydrogen that is already cost-competitive with gasoline per mile driven in a conventional (non-hybrid) vehicle. We further showed that mass producing this 578 kg/day system in quantities of just 100 units would reduce hydrogen cost per mile approximately 13% below the cost of untaxed gasoline per mile used in a hybrid electric vehicle. If mass produced in quantities of 500 units, hydrogen cost per mile in a FCEV would be 20% below the cost of untaxed gasoline in an HEV in the 2015-2020 time period using EIA fuel cost projections for natural gas and untaxed ...
2011-03-10
Resource Management in Broadband Communication Networks
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
This thesis - Resource Management in Broadband Communication Networks - deals with different ways of optimizing the available resources of data- or telecommunication networks. Especially topics like optimal routing, load balancing and fast recovery of routes in case of link failures are covered. The first part gives a brief description of some of the existing protocols for routing and controlling resources, such as RSVP, OSPF, BGP, PNNI, etc. The remaining part concerns the following two fundamentally different approaches to resource management etc.: - Software agents - Simulated ants In the beginning of the part concerning software agents a description of what exactly constitutes software agents, according to the scientists and according to the organization, FIPA is given. After this, the main results from the IMPACT project are presented. The IMPACT project is an EU-project that aimed at developing a demonstration platform, where software agents handled virtually all aspects of ...
2003-01-01
Cancer is a severe threat to human health. Early detection is considered the best way to increase the chance for survival. While the traditional cancer detection method, biopsy, is invasive, noninvasive optical diagnostic techniques are revolutionizing the way that cancer is diagnosed. Reflectance spectroscopy is one of these optical spectroscopy techniques showing promise as a diagnostic tool for pre-cancer detection. When a neoplasia occurs in tissue, morphologic and biochemical changes happen in the tissue, which in turn results in the change of optical properties and reflectance spectroscopy. Therefore, a pre-cancer can be detected by extracting optical properties from reflectance spectroscopy. This dissertation described the construction of a fiberoptic based reflectance system and the development of a series of modeling studies. This research is aimed at establishing an improved understanding of the optical properties of mucosal tissues ...
2009-01-01
Permeable reactive barriers (PRB) are a promising technology for the remediation of groundwater containing a range of organic and inorganic contaminants. Although there are number of different types of reactive barriers, some of the most important are constructed from granular zero valent iron (ZVI). One challenge in the large- scale, long-term implementation of PRBs is to monitor the change in barrier properties over time. For example, mineral precipitates can reduce the effectiveness of the barrier by either insulating the reaction surfaces of the ZVI particles and/or by filling the pore space in the barrier and thus reducing its hydraulic permeability. Previous research has shown that resistivity and induced polarization (IP) measurements are sensitive to corrosion and precipitation due to redox reactions between ions in solution and the ZVI mineral surface. New field studies, supported by additional laboratory studies appear to confirm this work. ...
2006-12-01
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Fatty acids such as stearic acid (SA), palmitic acid (PA), myristic acid (MA), and lauric acid (LA) are promising phase change materials (PCMs) for latent heat thermal energy storage (LHTES) applications, but high cost is the most drawback which limits the utility area of them in thermal energy storage. The use of fatty acids as form-stable PCM will increase their feasibilities in practical LHTES applications due to reduced cost of the energy storage system. In this regard, a series of fatty acid/poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) blends, SA/PMMA, PA/PMMA, MA/PMMA, and LA/PMMA were prepared as new kinds of form-stable PCMs by encapsulation of fatty acids into PMMA which acts as supporting material. The blends were prepared at different mass fractions of fatty acids (50, 60, 70, 80, and 90% w/w) to reach maximum encapsulation ratio. All blends were subjected to leakage test by heating the blends over the melting temperature of the PCM. The blends that do not allow ...
2008-02-15
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
To compare the accuracy in the detection and staging of various malignant tumors with high resolution whole-body MRI using parallel imaging with whole-body dual-modality PET-CT. Preliminary results of an interim analysis from a prospective, blinded study are presented, in which 20 patients (mean age 59 years, range 27-77 years) with different oncological diseases underwent whole-body dual modality FDG-PET-CT screening for tumor search or staging in case of confirmed or suspected metastatic disease. All patients also underwent whole-body MRI imaging with the use of parallel imaging (iPAT). High-resolution coronal T1w- and STIR-sequences of 5 body levels with 512 x 512 matrix, axial fast T2w imaging of lung and abdomen (HASTE), contrast-enhanced dynamic and static T1w-sequences of liver, brain, abdomen, and pelvis were performed. Using a 32-channel whole-body MRI scanner (Magnetom Avanto, Siemens Medical Solutions) with a total field of view of 205 cm and free table movement, all ...
UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)
Hepatitis B subviral particles, purified from plasma of asymptomatic carriers seropositive for hepatitis B e antigen, were treated with various conditions reported for the processing of vaccines. Thereafter,...Full Text Available
1986-12-01
Transition rates of electrons in superheavy elements
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Transition rates for electrons in the superheavy elements Z = 114, 126, 134, 145, 164 and 173 are calculated. K, L and M-shells are considerd as final states. The 2s - 1s stransition of multipolarity M1 is dominant for Z = 173 with a transition time of 10"-"1"8s. The radial expectation values and #sq root# are given. (orig.).
Radon exhalation from and diffusion in concrete
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Cylindrical test pieces of concrete are used for measurements of "2"2"2Rn exhalation rates. Except one flat end surface of a test piece, other parts of its exteriority are covered with sealant. Radon atoms can escape only through its end surface from the interior into the outside air. This treatment makes the radon transport in the concrete one dimensional phenomena. The piece is put in an airtight container. Time variations of radon concentrations in the air of the container are measured with a plane multiwire-electrode ionization chamber. From this result, the radon areal exhalation rate is deduced for the piece. Exhalation rates are measured for four pieces with different length. Then, the diffusion coefficient is obtained for radon in the concrete as (5.0 #+-# 1.0) x 10"-"8m"2s"-"1 (a one-block method). A two-block method has been invented to obtain simultaneously values of three parameters: diffusion coefficient, porosity of concrete, and ...
1990-12-01
UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)
Mycoreovirus 1 (MyRV1), a member of the Reoviridae family possessing a genome consisting of 11 dsRNA segments (S1–S11), and the prototype hypovirus (CHV1-EP713)...Full Text Available
2008-12-01
Hyperfine anomaly measurements in francium isotopes and the radial distribution of neutrons
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
We have performed precision measurements in a magneto-optical trap of the 7P1/2 hyperfine structure of the isotopes 209-210Fr. The ratio of these hyperfine constants to the previously measured 7S1/2 ground state values reveals a significant hyperfine anomaly. This anomaly results from the different radial dependence of the electron density in the two atomic levels. The measurements are sensitive to changes in the radial distribution of the neutron magnetism.
1999-09-01
UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)
To evaluate the reactivity of the recombinant proteins expressed in Escherichia coli strain BL21(DE3), a Western blot assay was performed by using a panel of 78 serum samples obtained,...Full Text Available
2006-03-01
Dissipativity for linear neutral distributed parameter systems: LOI approach
British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)
In this work dissipativity of linear neutral distributed parameter systems has been addressed. Delay-dependent sufficient conditions for the dissipativity with respect to the infinite-dimensional version of energy supply rate (Q"1,S"1,R"1) characterized exclusively by unbounded operator Q"1 are established in terms of linear operator inequalities (LOIs). Finally, the 3-dimensional heat equation illustrates our result.
2012-01-01
UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)
An unusual S1-nuclease sensitive microsatellite (STMS) has been found in the single copy, rat polymeric immunoglobulin receptor gene (PIGR) terminal exon. In Fisher rats, elements within or beyond the...Full Text Available
1995-04-11
Charmonium with three flavors of synamical quarks
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
We present a calculation of the charmonium spectrum with three flavors of dynamical staggered quarks from gauge configurations that were generated by the MILC collaboration. We use the Fermilab action for the valence charm quarks. Our calculation of the spin-averaged 1P-1S and 2S-1S splittings yields a determination of the strong coupling, with {alpha}{sub {ovr MS}}(M{sub Z}) = 0.119(4).
2003-12-23
UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)
The structure of unintegrated human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) DNA from acutely infected human lymphoid cells was analyzed by nuclease S1 cleavage. We observed a unique, discrete single-stranded...Full Text Available
1991-05-01
Investigations on solar grade silicon and process engineering of advanced silicon solar cells
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
This thesis deals with the evaluation of Solar Grade Silicon (SoG-Si) purified by different techniques, and also the fabrication and characterization of high efficiency and advanced bifacial solar cells. In the beginning of Chapter 1, various SoG-Si production methods relevant for this work are qualitatively described. The three feedstock materials used in this work are from the Fluidized Bed Reactor (FBR) process, metallurgical feedstock-I and feedstock-II process. In metallurgical feedstock-I, the lifetime of the minority charge carriers in multicrystalline silicon (mc-Si) samples at the grain boundaries are found to be higher than the grains themselves possibly due to lower resistivities in the grain boundaries. The efficiency of the best solar cell obtained using the mc-Si metallurgical feedstock-I is 16.1%. It has been identified that the fast light induced degradation, whose magnitude is lower than that of a reference cell suggests the formation of a B-metal complex in the SoG-Si ...
2007-07-01
Recent advance of focused ion beam technology in maskless deposition and patterning
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
The present article will review recent advances in focused ion beam (FIB) technology. With increasing demands for scale of integration, microfabrication technology is becoming more important and various new microfabrication tools and processing techniques are desired. FIB is one of the promising tools for future microfabrication technology. This provides maskless patterning capability, which is of importance for process simplification, nanofabrication and in the development of in situ vacuum processing. In situ vacuum processing systems are being developed by combining FIB and a molecular beam epitaxy system. Radiation damage may limit applications of FIB. However, it was demonstrated that low energy FIB (<1 keV) with very high brightness was reached and promising results for low damage processing have been obtained. (orig.).
Opportunities and issues in international photovoltaic market development
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
The confluence of technology development and market readiness is opening up major business opportunities for photovoltaic (PV) systems throughout the developing world. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and Sandia National Laboratories in Abuquerque (Sandia), working on behalf of the U.S. Department of Energy, have launched pilot projects in several countries throughout the world over the past 3 years. The focus of these pilot projects has been the development of in-country institutional capabilities necessary to deliver the promise of PV electricity to the rural populations. In addition to country-specific activities, NREL is conducting several technology, information, and partnership projects focused on further accelerating the education, training, business, and technology developments necessary to bridge the gap between promise and reality. This paper summarizes these efforts.
1996-05-01
Magnetic refrigeration: the promise and the problems
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Magnetic refrigeration uses the temperature- and field-dependence of the entropy of some magnetic materials to accomplish cooling. Because of the intrinsically high efficiency of the magnetization and demagnetization process and because of the potential for excellent heat transfer between solids and fluids, magnetic refrigerators promise to have higher efficiency than existing gas-cycle refrigerators. Many ground-based and space-based applications could benefit significantly from the cost savings implied by higher efficiency. Other attributes of these devices are high reliability and low volume and mass per unit cooling power. The development of these refrigerators is underway at several places around the world, including the Los Alamos National Laboratory. The progress to date has been encouraging but some problems have been clearly identified. The arguments for high efficiency and the problems that will need to be solved to achieve this goal are discussed.
1984-01-01
Increased osteoblast adhesion on nanograined Ti modified with KRSR
British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)
Peptide sequences such as lysine-arginine-serine-arginine (KRSR) selectively bind transmembrane proteoglycans (e.g. heparin sulfate) of osteoblasts (bone-forming cells) and are, therefore, actively being investigated for orthopedic applications. Further, nanophase materials (or materials with grain or particle sizes less than 100 nm) are promising new materials that promote new bone growth more than compared to conventional (that is, micron grain or particle size) materials. To combine the above two promising approaches for improving orthopedic implants, the objective of this in vitro study was to functionalize titanium (Ti) surfaces (both nanophase and conventional) with KRSR peptides and study their osteoblast cell adhesive properties. Materials were characterized by X-ray photoelectron ...
2007-01-01
Wiley::Automotive Electricity: Electric Drive
... Another solution, hybrid vehicles, combine two sources of energy (electric and chemical), reducing the global consumption of fossil fuels. Fuel cell vehicles are also one of the most promising technologies for the future, with the capacity to use any fuel - hydrogen being the ideal fuel ecologically, but constrained by infrastructure and storage issues. This book explores all these different solutions for moving our vehicles from fossil ...
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
One requirement of a thermophotovoltaic (TPV) radiator is to efficiently emit photons at high temperatures to TPV cells for conversion to electric power. Because many candidate radiator materials with adequate structural properties display low emissivity, coatings or other surface modifications are required for enhancement of emissivity. Six plasma sprayed coatings and one textured surface demonstrated adequate thermal stability and emittance values of 0.8 or greater. Promising attributes of modified surfaces are identified.
1999-03-01
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Various diagnostics techniques for condition monitoring and life prediction of fluid power components and system are discussed. Though some of the techniques are very promising but may not be accepted because of increase in the instrumentation, it is planned to implement these techniques on various circuits of Fluid Power Lab for further improving and developing these for direct implementation in various fluid power circuits of power reactors. (author). 6 figs.
Stress measurement and bolt tensioning by ultrasonic methods
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
In the past decade, a new technique has been developed for measuring tensile stresses in solids. This ultrasonic technique has been used thus far primarily for measuring fastener tension. The precision of measurement is routinely to 2-3% and, with special care, to approx. 1%. The method is insensitive to the frictional losses which plague tensioning by torque wrench. Though the approach is relatively new, it promises a wide range of applicability.
1980-01-01
Status report of the 17-M VAWT program
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
This report is directed at the commercial potential of the 17-m, 100 kW Darrieus Vertical Axis Wind Turbine (VAWT) developed under DOE funding by Sandia National laboratories (SNL) and Alcoa Laboratories. Three of the turbines have come on line over the past 14 months and long-term testing is in progress. As the first commercially adapted Darrieus turbines built by DOE, the superior cost, structural integrity, and output characteristics demonstrated by the prototypes appear particularly promising.
1981-01-01
Status of LBL/LLNL FEL (free electron laser) research for two beam accelerator applications
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
We review the status of free electron laser (FEL) research being conducted at LBL and LLNL as part of a broader program of research on two beam accelerators (TBAs). Induction accelerator-driven FELs for use as power sources for high-gradient accelerators are discussed, along with preliminary cost estimates for this type of power source. Finally, a promising new version of an FEL/TBA is described. 25 refs., 1 fig., 3 tabs.
1989-03-01
Risk management and pricing: Enhancing customer choices
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
As competition dramatically reshapes power markets, electric utilities strive to increase flexibility in their commitments and limit exposure to market risks. This paper provides an overview of a promising tool called option valuation which is useful for analyzing and managing risks. The paper demonstrates an application of these techniques for developing new pricing products tailored to meet customers` risk preference.
1996-03-01
Radiation hardening of optical fiber links by photobleaching with light of shorter wavelength
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
The influence of additionally injected short-wavelength photobleaching light on the radiation hardness of Ge-doped graded index fibers working at 1,300 nm wavelength is investigated. Predictions are complicated by the fact that more efficient shortwave bleaching light experiences higher radiation-induced loss. Promising results are found for low fiber temperatures (approx-lt -50 C) and bleaching light of about 835 nm wavelength.
1995-09-18
Quantum computing with trapped ions
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Quantum computers hold the promise of solving certain computational tasks much more efficiently than classical computers. We review recent experimental advances towards a quantum computer with trapped ions. In particular, various implementations of qubits, quantum gates and some key experiments are discussed. Furthermore, we review some implementations of quantum algorithms such as a deterministic teleportation of quantum information and an error correction scheme.
2008-12-15
Quantum computing and probability
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Over the past two decades, quantum computing has become a popular and promising approach to trying to solve computationally difficult problems. Missing in many descriptions of quantum computing is just how probability enters into the process. Here, we discuss some simple examples of how uncertainty and probability enter, and how this and the ideas of quantum computing challenge our interpretations of quantum mechanics. It is found that this uncertainty can lead to intrinsic decoherence, and this raises challenges for error correction. (viewpoint)
2009-11-25
Potential U.S. contributions to in-reactor experiments for fast reactor surveillance systems
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
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).
New applications for plasma nitriding
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Low pressure plasmas have some promising advantages for nitriding The separation of plasma generation from the workpiece overcomes several of the major drawbacks of conventional plasma nitriding and also allows independent control of ion flux and energy This opens the possibility of nitriding at lower temperatures so that the process can be extended to a wider range of materials and applications. Copyright (1999) Materials Australia
1999-06-01
Nel tunnel alla ricerca di una nuova fisica
The Large Hadron Collider is at the top of world-wide science for particle physics. It promises to open the road to a new knowledge of the universe and its nature. Luciano Maiani and Robert Aymar, actual and future Director Generals of CERN, explain the aims of this most powerful instrument, the difficulties and the industrial repercussions, among which will be the "Grid", that will change the telecommunications (4 pages)
2003-01-01
Nanophotonic components utilizing channel plasmon polaritons
Channel plasmon polaritons (CPPs) propagating along the bottom of subwavelength grooves cut into a metal surface were recently shown to exhibit strong confinement combined with low propagation loss, a feature that makes this guiding configuration very promising for the realisation of ultra-compact photonic components. Here, the results of our investigations of CPP guiding by V-grooves cut into gold are presented, demonstrating efficient large-angle bending and splitting of radiation as well as waveguide-ring resonators and Bragg grating filters.
2008-08-01
Nanocrystalline materials: Interfaces and mesoscopic correlations studied by neutron scattering
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Nanocrystalline materials can exhibit properties which are considerably different from their coarse-grained counterparts, making them unique for basic or applied research and also very promising for potential applications. The topics which are addressed in the present paper are magnetic properties and magnetic correlations on the nanometer scale, mechanical properties, in particular the influence of grain boundaries on the elastic and plastic behaviour, and vibration models of grain boundary atoms in nanostructured materials. (author)
2001-09-23
UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)
The use of tick vaccines in mammalian hosts has been shown to be the most promising alternative tick control method to current use of acaricides, which suffers from a number of limitations. However,...Full Text Available
1999-04-01
Metal chalcogenides as reversible cathodes in lithium cells and their future in telecommunications
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Certain transition metal chalcogenides are promising materials for use as cathodes in nonaqueous lithium batteries involving the intercalation into these layered compounds. The electrochemical behavior of the chalcogenides depends on various properties such as structure, stoichiometry, electrical conductivity, crystal morphology, etc. The influence of these properties and of the ultimate practical application of the battery on the selection of cathode material is discussed. Battery performance of selected cathode materials is discussed and life limitations due to the limited cycle life of lithium anodes are outlined. 15 refs.
1980-08-01
Marketing passive design: some insights from diffusion research
Traditionally, market researchers have sought some formula to predict the acceptance of a new product or innovation in advance of its introduction. Perhaps a universal marketing formula will never be found. However, a summary of 3000 research studies, conducted in the United States and in other countries of the world, on how people accept new ideas promises more insight into the subject of the marketing of passive design and products than ever before.
1980-01-01
UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)
Cell therapy is a promising novel option for treatment of cardiovascular disease. Because the role of bone marrow-derived circulating progenitor cells (BM-CPCs) after cell therapy is less clear, we...Full Text Available
2011-09-01
High yielding mutants in sesamum
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Mutation breeding in one of the cultigens TMV-5 in Sesamum is undertaken with 5 kr, 10 kr, 15 kr, 20 kr, 60 kr and 80 kr, dosages of gamma-rays. 60 kr and 80 kr dosages were found to be lethal from the complete failure of seed germination. The mutagen had a heterotic effect on the different characters and the promising variants obtained in this programme are proposed to be maintained by pureline breeding for their possible release as new varieties. (author).
Hal; a block level hardware logic simulator
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
A special purpose hardware machine, which simulates up to one half-million gates and 2m byte RAM ICS at a 5 millisecond clock speed is described. This is accomplished with a hardware logic (HAL) simulator. This performance is achieved with 32 distributed special parallel processors, which utilize block oriented simulation technique. The technique promises a good cost hardware logic simulator. 7 references.
1983-01-01
HLMC Fast Reactor With Complete Natural Circulation
To seek for a promising concept of a heavy liquid metal coolant (HLMC) fast reactor plant, Japan Nuclear Cycle Development Institute (JNC) and the electric utilities conducted conceptual design study on various types of plant concepts and compared these concepts based on technical feasibility and economical perspective. The Pb-Bi cooled complete natural circulation reactor concept may attain high safety level and construction cost goal (Yen 200,000/kWe) (authors)
2002-07-01
GaInP/GaAs tandem concentrator cells
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
We discuss the initial development of a concentrator device based on the GaInP/GaAs monolithic tandem cell structure. The very high one-sun efficiency of this device, coupled with its characteristic low operating current, make this a promising candidate for use under high concentration. Test results for a prototype device are presented. This device achieves an efficiency of 29.5% at a concentration of 102 suns.
1994-06-30
Explosives detection: the problem and prospects
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
The history of explosives vapor detection includes almost every detection strategy known to man. Initial attempts to utilize these techniques were dismal failures. However, with the development of the Electron Capture Detector (ECD), the first promising detection of explosives vapors became possible. The present commercial explosives detectors detect the higher vapor pressure materials but not the whole spectrum. This paper describes the basic properties of explosives molecules and our research to utilize these properties for increased detection sensitivity.
1984-01-01
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Prior to an industrial-scale test of zinc/air batteries at Greven, the TUeV Bayern-Sachsen carried out preliminary tests on behalf of the Deutsche Bundespost. The results were quite promising: The energy density of the new battery is ten times as high as that of conventional lead batteries, and the battery-powered test vehicle had a range of up to 300 km. (orig.)
1994-01-01
Electrospun carbon fiber mat with layered architecture for anode in microbial fuel cells
British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)
Layered carbon fiber mats have been prepared by layer-by-layer (LBL) electrospinning of polyacrylonitrile onto thin natural cellulose paper and subsequent carbonization. The layered carbon fiber mat has been proved to be a promising microbial fuel cell anode for high density layered biofilm propagation and high bioelectrocatalytic anodic current density.
2011-01-01
Drying of medicinal plants with solar energy utilization
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
In the paper, a potential of solar energy for drying of medicinal plants in Polish conditions is estimated and development of solar drying technologies is presented. The results of economic assessment of flat-plate solar collectors applied for drying of medicinal plants on a farm are promising. In some specific conditions, e.g. drying of wild grown medicinal plants in remote areas, even application of photovoltaic modules for driving of a fan of a solar dryer is a profitable option and enables easy control of the drying air temperature.
1997-10-01
Does dynamic pricing make sense for mass market customers?
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
The added incentive to modify electric use under hourly versus monthly market-based pricing is small for most mass market customers in Upstate New York. If the ultimate policy goal of demand-response programs is to reduce peak load, then promoting conservation measures under monthly market-based pricing holds more promise. (author)
2007-08-15
Document Clustering with K-tree
This paper describes the approach taken to the XML Mining track at INEX 2008 by a group at the Queensland University of Technology. We introduce the K-tree clustering algorithm in an Information Retrieval context by adapting it for document clustering. Many large scale problems exist in document clustering. K-tree scales well with large inputs due to its low complexity. It offers promising results both in terms of efficiency and quality. Document classification was completed using Support Vector Machines.
2010-01-01
Development of solar agricultural dryers combined with PV modules and solar collectors
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
The intention of the research carried out was to develop photovoltaic driven solar heating systems applied for drying of medicinal plants in remote areas. Identification of hybrid photovoltaic - photothermal systems was done and discussion of technical features and applicability of such systems in agriculture is presented. Detail technical specification of PV powered medicinal plants solar dryer and cost effectiveness parameters are given. Operational and economic results obtained during testing of the dryer are promising. (orig.) 4 refs.
1997-12-31
The paper discusses recent work on lime enhancement and testing at the bench-scale, followed by evaluation of the more promising sorbents in a pilot plant to develop low cost, retrofittable flue gas cleaning technology specifically the development of highly reactive sorbents. Con...
Coal liquefaction. [United Kingdom
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
The aim of British coal liquefaction research is to produce premium products such as transport fuels and chemical feedstocks. Government support has been promised for two 25 tpd pilot plants. Badger estimate that the finished products would cost 25% more than petroleum products. Countries with no indigenous oil are likely to commence commercial coal liquefaction soon.
1980-12-18
Apparatuses for the dissolution of dioxide nuclear fuel of power reactors
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
A brief review of apparatuses used at enterprises engaged in industrial processing of spent nuclear fuel for dissolving dioxide nuclear fuel from power reactors is provided. Advantages and drawbacks of facilities operating in periodic, semi-continuous and continuous modes are considered. It is pointed out that today there are two promising trends in developments in the field, i.e. rotor- and vibrational-type dissolving apparatuses operated continuously
A promising 2 GW turboset for nuclear power plants
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
In co-operation with the Scientific Planning Department of the Central Research Institute for Vessel- and Turbine Building the construction office of the turbine factory Charkow finished the draft of a slowly running (n = 1500 min"-"1) 2 GW-turboset for the operation of nuclear power plants. The chief purpose of the project was to determine the technical problems that are used to occur during the development of such steam turbines, as well as to settle the most favourable design. (orig./GL).
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Full text: Verification of the dose delivered to a patient during radiotherapy is an important quality assurance procedure, however this is rarely performed due to the extra time involved. Electronic portal images (EPIs) are currently acquired at many centres during radiotherapy treatment for positioning verification. These could be utilised for dose verification provided 1) an accurate prediction of the dose transmitted through the patient to the EPID can be produced for the patients' radiotherapy beams, and, 2) the EPID image can be converted to an accurate measured dose. Ideally, the radiotherapy planning system (RTPS) would be used to produce the predicted dose as part of the planning procedure. The aim of this project is to investigate whether the convolution-superposition model of the Pinnacle RTPS can accurately calculate dose transmitted through a patient and deposited in a phantom at a large source to surface distance. The dose transmitted through a uniform (patient) phantom ...
2004-12-01
Phase I Report: DARPA Exoskeleton Program
The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) inaugurated a program addressing research and development for an Exoskeleton for Human Performance Augmentation in FY!2001. A team consisting of Oak Ridge National Laboratory, the prime contractor, AeroVironment, Inc., the Army Research Laboratory, the University of Minnesota, and the Virginia Polytechnic Institute has recently completed an 18-month Phase I effort in support of this DARPA program. The Phase I effort focused on the development and proof-of-concept demonstrations for key enabling technologies, laying the foundation for subsequently building and demonstrating a prototype exoskeleton. The overall approach was driven by the need to optimize energy efficiency while providing a system that augmented the operator in as transparent manner as possible (non-impeding). These needs led to the evolution of two key distinguishing features of this team's approach. The first is the ''no knee ...
2004-01-21
High efficiency power production from biomass and waste
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Two-stage gasification allows power production from biomass and waste with high efficiency. The process involves pyrolysis at about 550C followed by heating of the pyrolysis gas to about 1300C in order to crack hydrocarbons and obtain syngas, a mixture of H2, CO, H2O and CO2. The second stage produces soot as unwanted by-product. Experimental results are reported on the suppression of soot formation in the second stage for two different fuels: beech wood pellets and Rofire pellets, made from rejects of paper recycling. Syngas obtained from these two fuels and from an industrial waste fuel has been cleaned and fed to a commercial SOFC stack for 250 hours in total. The SOFC stack showed comparable performance on real and synthetic syngas and no signs of accelerated degradation in performance over these tests. The experimental results have been used for the design and analysis of a future 25 MWth demonstration plant. As an alternative, a 2.6 MWth system was considered ...
2008-11-15
Development of a computerized portal verification scheme for pelvic treatment fields
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Purpose/Objective: At present, treatment verification between portal and reference images is performed based on manually-identified features by radiation oncologist, which is both time-consuming and potentially error-prone. There is a demand for the computerized verification procedure in clinical application. The purpose of this study is to develop a computerized portal verification scheme for pelvic treatment fields. Materials/Methods: The automated verification system involves image acquisition, image feature extraction, feature matching between reference and portal images and quantitative evaluation of patient setup. Electronic portal images with a matrix size of 256 x 256 and 12 bit gray levels were acquired using a liquid matrix electronic portal imaging device. Simulation images were acquired by digitizing simulation films using a TV camera into images with 256 x 256 matrix and 8 bit gray levels. Initially a Canny edge detector is applied to identify the field edges and an ...
1996-09-01
Theoretical Support for the Hydrodynamic Mechanism of Pulsar Kicks
The collapse of a massive star's core, followed by a neutrino-driven, asymmetric supernova explosion, can naturally lead to pulsar recoils and neutron star kicks. Here, we present a two-dimensional, radiation-hydrodynamic simulation in which core collapse leads to significant acceleration of a fully-formed, nascent neutron star (NS) via an induced, neutrino-driven explosion. During the explosion, a ~10% anisotropy in the low-mass, high-velocity ejecta lead to recoil of the high-mass neutron star. At the end of our simulation, the NS has achieved a velocity of ~150 km s$^{-1}$ and is accelerating at ~350 km s$^{-2}$, but has yet to reach the ballistic regime. The recoil is due almost entirely to hydrodynamical processes, with anisotropic neutrino emission contributing less than 2% to the overall kick magnitude. Since the observed distribution of neutron star kick velocities peaks at ~300-400 km s$^{-1}$, ...
2010-01-01
The dust distribution in edge-on galaxies. Radiative transfer fits of V and K'-band images
Aims: I have analyzed a sample of seven nearby edge-on galaxies observed in the V and K'-band, in order to infer the properties of the dust distribution. Methods: A radiative transfer model, including scattering, have been used to decompose each image into a stellar disk, a bulge, and a dust disk. The parameters describing the distributions have been obtained through standard X^2 minimization techniques. Results: The dust disks fitted to the V-band images are consistent with previous work in literature: the radial scalelength of dust is larger than that for stars (h_d/h_s ~ 1.5); the dust disk has a smaller vertical scalelength than the stellar (z_d/z_s ~ 1/3); the dust disk is almost transparent when seen face-on (central, face-on, optical depth tau_0 =0.5-1.5). Faster radiative transfer models which neglect scattering can produce equivalent fits, with changes in the derived parameters within the ...
2007-01-01
T=(5/2) "2"7Na from "1"4C+"1"4C, and the N=16 shell gap
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
For the first time a comprehensive level and decay scheme has been obtained for a T=(5/2) nucleus in the s-d shell ("2"7Na) by using a radioactive beam and target. Particle-#gamma# and p-#gamma#-#gamma# coincidences were measured following the "1"4C("1"4C,p#gamma#)"2"7Na reaction at E_l_a_b=22 MeV. The results do not support an inversion of the 2s_1_/_2 and 1d_5_/_2 orbitals, as previously proposed for T_z#>=#3, but they do suggest an increased N=16 gap between the 2s_1_/_2 and 1d_3_/_2 orbitals due to the neutron excess. A consistent interpretation of the level scheme in terms of the s-d shell model using the USD Hamiltonian is possible below 4 MeV, but differences increase at higher excitation energies. Another interpretation is that the influences of both the p_1_/_2 and f_7_/_2 intruder orbitals increase simultaneously with increasing T, an effect not included in the USD Hamiltonian.
2002-05-01
British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)
Here in the present paper, we report on growth of stoichiometric and nonstoichiometric nanostructured heterojunction solar cell of CdS/CuInSXSe2-X varying X from 0 to 2 in the interval of 0.5 using cost effective, simple, chemical ion exchange method at room temperature on ITO glass substrate. The as-grown varying composition solar cells annealed at 200degreeC in air and characterized for structural, compositional, optical and illumination studies. The X-ray diffraction pattern obtained from CdS/CuInSXSe2-X solar cell confirms the formation of CuInSe2, CuInS0.5Se1.5, CuInS1Se1, CuInS1.5Se0.5 and CuInS2 phases having tetragonal structure with varying crystallite size from 19, 19.37, 28, 33 and 20nm respectively. The energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDAX) confirms the expected elemental com...
2011-01-01
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
The authors present a search for excited and exotic muon states {mu}*, conducted using an integrated luminosity of 371 pb{sup -1} of data collected in p{bar p} collisions at {radical}s = 1.96 TeV at the Tevatron with the CDF II detector. They search for associated production of {mu}{mu}* followed by the decay {mu}* {yields} {mu}{gamma}, resulting in the {mu}{mu}{gamma} final state. They compare the data to model predictions as a function of the mass of the excited muon M{sub {mu}*}, the compositeness energy scale {Lambda}, and the gauge coupling factor f. No signal above the standard model expectation is observed in the {mu}{gamma} mass spectrum. In the contact interaction model, they exclude 107 < M{sub {mu}*} < 853 GeV/c{sup 2} for {Lambda} = M{sub {mu}*}; in the gauge-mediated model, they exclude 100 < M{sub {mu}*} < 410 GeV/c{sup 2} for f/{Lambda} = 10{sup -2} GeV{sup -1}. These 95% confidence level exclusions ...
2006-06-01
Roper resonance and S_1_1(1535) from lattice QCD
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Using the constrained-curve fitting method and overlap fermions with the lowest pion mass at 180 MeV, we observe that the masses of the first positive and negative parity excited states of the nucleon tend to cross over as the quark masses are taken to the chiral limit. Both results at the physical pion mass agree with the experimental values of the Roper resonance (N"1"/"2"+(1440)) and S_1_1 (N"1"/"2"-(1535)). This is seen for the first time in a lattice QCD calculation. These results are obtained on a quenched Iwasaki 16"3x28 lattice with a=0.2 fm. We also extract the ghost #eta#"'N states (a quenched artifact) which are shown to decouple from the nucleon interpolation field above m_#pi##approx#300 MeV. From the quark mass dependence of these states in the chiral region, we conclude that spontaneously broken chiral symmetry dictates the dynamics of light quarks in the nucleon.
2005-01-06
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
A measurement of the t{bar t} production cross section at {radical}s = 1.96 TeV in the dilepton final states using a lepton+track selection and secondary vertex b-tagging is presented. One of the two leptons from the decay of the t{bar t} pair is allowed to be identified only as an isolated track to improve the selection efficiency. The result is combined with a measurement in the t{bar t} {yields} e{mu} final state. The measurements are based on 370 pb{sup -1} of data collected with the D0 experiment at the Tevatron collider. The preliminary cross section obtained in the combined lepton+track and e{mu} channel is: {sigma}{sub t{bar t}} = 8.6{sub -1.7}{sup +1.9}(stat) {+-} 1.1(syst) {+-} 0.6(lumi) pb.
2006-05-01
Intergalactic dust and its photoelectric heating
We have examined the dust photoelectric heating in the intergalactic medium (IGM). The heating rate in a typical radiation field of the IGM is represented by $\\Gamma_{\\rm pe} = 1.2\\times10^{-34}$ erg s$^{-1}$ cm$^{-3}$ $({\\cal D}/10^{-4})(n_{\\rm H}/10^{-5} {\\rm cm^{-3}})^{4/3} (J_{\\rm L}/10^{-21} {\\rm erg s^{-1} cm^{-2} Hz^{-1} sr^{-1}})^{2/3} (T/10^4 {\\rm K})^{-1/6}$, where ${\\cal D}$ is the dust-to-gas mass ratio, $n_{\\rm H}$ is the hydrogen number density, $J_{\\rm L}$ is the mean intensity at the hydrogen Lyman limit of the background radiation, and $T$ is the gas temperature, if we assume the new X-ray photoelectric yield model by Weingartner et al. (2006) and the dust size distribution in the Milky Way by Mathis, Rumpl, & Nordsieck (1977). This heating rate dominates the HI and HeII photoionization heating rates when the hydrogen number density is less than $\\sim10^{-6}$ cm$^{-3}$ ...
2008-01-01
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
For the first time absolute total cross sections for electron-impact excitation of a multiply-charged ion have been measured using an electron-energy-loss technique. Measurements were made near threshold for the process e + Si"3"+(3s"2S_1_/_2) #-># e+Si"3"+(3p"2P_1_/_2_,_3_/_2)-8.88 eV. The 10"-"1"5 cm"2 measured cross section agrees with results of 7-state close coupling calculations to better than the #+-#20% (90% CL) total uncertainty of the measurements. Convoluting the theoretical curve with a Gaussian energy distribution indicates an energy width of 0.15 < or approx. #DELTA#E < or approx. 0.20 eV. (orig.).
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Measurements have been made of radon ("2"2"2Rn), release from diverse quaternary samples collected from different sediment deposits in the Errachidia and Beni-Mellal areas (Morocco). The radon diffusion coefficient as one of some important parameters of radon transport in the soil has been measured using solid state nuclear track detectors (SSNTD). Radon #alpha#-activity, uranium content and radon exhalation rate have been determined in the studied samples. Uranium concentrations were found to vary from 0.14 to 9.52 ppm whereas the radon exhalation rate varied from 0.003 to 0.145 Bq x m"-"2 x h"-"1. A positive correlation has been found between radon exhalation rate and uranium content in the studied samples. The average radon diffusion coefficients were found to vary from (1.26 #+-# 0.09) x 10"-"6 m"2 x s"-"1 to (4.3 #+-# 0.36) x 10"-"6 m"2 x s"-"1. Furthermore, the correlation between "2"2"2Rn ...
2003-06-01
Determination of small amounts of elements by radionuclide X-ray fluorescence analysis
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
The determination of small amounts of elements by radionuclide X-ray fluorescence analysis is described. Samples containing 5x10"-"4 to 5x10"-"6 g of elements were fixed on a suitable carrier. For a coaxial configuration a low-energy source of the #gamma#/X type was used, namely an annular "2"4"1Am/Ag source with an activity of 7.4x10"8 s"-"1 (20 mCi), and for a configuration with side reflection source of the #beta#/X type was used, namely "1"4"7Pm/Sm with the activity of Pm(OH)_3 approximately 3.7x1O"1"0 s"-"1 (1 Ci). Cs, Ba, La, Pr, Nd, and Ag were determined by means of the Ksub(#alpha#) line and Hg, W, Er, and Pr by means of the Lsub(#alpha#) line. For all elements studied a detection limit of the order of 10"-"7 g was achieved. (author).
1975-01-01
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
The decay channels of the Ar 2s"-"1 and 2p"-"1 and Kr 3p"-"1 and 3d"-"1 electronic hole states have been investigated by means of photoelectron-photoion coincidence measurements following innershell ionization using synchrotron radiation. With the method of final ion-charge resolving electron spectroscopy it has become possible to disentangle different contributions to the electron spectrum and to determine the decay probabilities P(nl"-"1#->#n+) of the above-mentioned hole states (nl"-"1) to the final ionic charge states n+. A high correlation with threefold or even fourfold charged ions has been found in all cases. Possible decay routes, via cascade or direct double Auger processes, are discussed on the basis of energy-level schemes calculated with the Hartree-Fock method. Special emphasis is laid on the examination of the Kr 3p"-"1 decay process, where the two fine-structure components (j=1/2,3/2) exhibit noticeably different decay ...
2002-04-01
Chemical properties of positive singly charged astatine ion in aqueous solution
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
The mobility of oxidized astatine in solutions H(Na)ClO_4 (#mu#=0.4M)-1.10"-"4M K_2Cr_2O_7 has been measured at 25 degC in the interval 0.63<=pH<=1.68. Under these conditions astatine migrates to the cathode only. The speeds of the migration depends upon the concentration of hydrogen ions in solutions are: pH 1.68 Usub(c)=1.17.10"-"4 cm"2 V"-"1 s"-"1; pH 0.63 Usub(c)=2.67.10"-"4 cm"2 V"-"1 s"-"1. The effect agrees with the opinion that the singly charged cation of astatine formed in acidic solutions is a strong aquacomplex [(H_2O)sub(x)At]"+ (x=1-2) (protonated hypoastatic acid). Deprotonation constant of this cation is Ksub(dp)=0.032+-0.005. Specific properties of the astatine cation are given. They can be explained, probably, through the peculiarities of its structure. (author).
A Topology-Changing Phase Transition and the Dynamics of Flavour
In studying the dynamics of large N_c SU(N_c) gauge theory with fundamental quark flavours in the quenched approximation, we observe a novel phase transition at finite temperature. A quark condensate forms at finite quark mass, and the value of the condensate varies smoothly with the quark mass for generic region in parameter space. At a particular value of the quark mass, there is a finite discontinuity in the condensate's vacuum expectation value, corresponding to a first order phase transition. We study this using holography, the string dual being the geometry of N_c D3--branes at finite temperature, AdS_5-Schwarzschild times S^5, probed by a D7-brane. The D7-brane has topology R^4 times S^3 times S^1, and allowed solutions correspond to either the S^3 or the S^1 shrinking away in the interior of the geometry. The phase transition represents a jump between branches of solutions having these two ...
2006-01-01
Zinc determination in medicinal powders by radionuclide X-ray fluorescence analysis
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
X-ray fluorescence analysis was used to determine the zinc content of the ''Perilacin'' powder and the ZnO content of the ''Epiderman-pix'' powder. The characteristic Ksub(#alpha#) line of zinc was excited using a "1"4"7Pm/Mo source (10"7 s"-"1) and the molybdenum Ksub(#alpha#) line (17.47 keV). 4 to 5% Zn and 45 to 49% ZnO were determined with a NaI(Tl) scintillation detector. The radiation intensity was found to decrease with particle size. (M.K.).
1977-01-01
String thermal tachyons as multiparticle instabilities
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
The bosonic string on R"2"5xS"1 has a series of states turning tachyonic at radii implying T=IT_H. We employ the B picture to examine these thermal states in the one-loop free energy and find them in various combinations, factorizing towards rational points on the real line boundary of the fundamental domain B: (-1/2
Status and Challenges of the LHC Construction
The LHC is designed to provide proton beams of 7 TeV and nominal luminosity of 10**34 cm**-2s**-1. This objective is achieved at an affordable cost by pushing all major collider components to the limits of technology, by upgrading the existing CERN accelerators and infrastructure, and by involving the technical expertise, resources and dedication of accelerator laboratories world-wide. Following a decade of intensive R&D and technical validation of major collider systems, the LHC construction is now fully underway. Major industrial contracts have been awarded and are in execution for the procurement of the magnet, cryogenics and other systems. In this report, the status of the design and construction of the major LHC systems is presented.
2001-01-01
Results of a search for monopoles and tachyons in horizontal cosmic ray flux
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
A search for monopoles and tachyons at ground level was carried out using an arrangement consisting of an ionization calorimeter and two hodoscope detectors. No clear evidence for these particles was obtained. The flux of monopoles with velocities beta approximately 0.01 is found to be less than 5.1 x 10 to the minus 13th power square centimeters s(-1) sr(-1) (95% cl.). The upper limit on the tachyon flux density is set as a 6 x 10 the minus 9th power particle/square centimeter event.
1985-08-01
Industrial research - Information Centre - Research & Innovation - European Commission
... These highly energy efficient panels of organic luminescence are far removed from the bulbs and filaments of current lighting technology. 28-04-11 Source : Star Projects Results: 1-10 of 251 Page(s) 1 of 26 Next Limit search to articles published within the last Month Quarter Year No limit Follow us on Facebook Share an article You can share any article via social networking sites or email it to friends. Click the SHARE icon, select from the list that appears, and the article ...
Entanglement of systems of dipolar coupled nuclear spins at the adiabatic demagnetization
We consider the adiabatic demagnetization in the rotating reference frame (ADRF) of a system of dipolar coupled nuclear spins $s=1/2$ in the external magnetic field. The demagnetization starts with the offset of the external magnetic field (in frequency units) from the Larmor frequency being several times greater than the local dipolar field. For different subsystem sizes, we have found from numerical simulations the temperatures at which subsystems of a one-dimensional nine-spin chain and a plane nine-spin cluster become entangled. These temperatures are of the order of microkelvins and are almost independent of the subsystem size. There is a weak dependence of the temperature on the space dimension of the system.
2008-01-01
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
"2H, "4He, "1"6O, "4"0Ca, "8"0Zr, "1"4"0Yb, "2"2"4112, "3"3"6168 nuclei are invesigated in terms of flucton model. Effective numbers of nuclear fluctons and deuterons are calculated. Values of complete effective numbers of low-radius deuterons and fluctons with S=1 spin and T=0 isospin are presented. Investigation results of inclusive reactions of quasi-elastic knock-out of deuterons by fast protons are discussed. 9 refs.; 1 fig.; 1 tab.
1988-06-14
Determination of the b_s lifetime using hadronic decays
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
The authors present a measurement of the B{sub s}{sup 0} meson lifetime using fully and partially reconstructed hadronic decays B{sub s}{sup 0} {yields} D{sub s}{sup -} {pi}{sup +}(X) followed by D{sub s}{sup -} {yields} {phi}{pi}{sup -}. The data sample was recorded with the CDF II detector at the Fermilab Tevatron and corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 1.3 fb{sup -1} from p{bar p} collisions at {radical}s = 1.96 TeV.
2008-07-01
British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)
Determination of thermal to fast neutron flux ratio (ffast) and fast neutron flux (phi-fast) is required for fast neutron reactions, fast neutron activation analysis, and for correcting interference reactions. The ffast and subsequently phi-fast were determined using the absolute method. The ffast ranged from 48 to 155, and the phi-fast was found in the range 1.03x1010-4.89x1010 n cm-2 s-1. These values indicate an acceptable conformity and applicable for installation of the fast neutron facility at the MNA research reactor.
2011-01-01
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Innumerable fissures were formed widely in Hanshin area in Japan by the former southern Hyogo prefectural earthquake occurred on Jan.17, 1995. In this study, as a preliminary investigation, we applied passive type radon detector Pico-Rad (U.S. Packard Instrument Co. Ltd.) with hemispheric plastic cover over them around the fissure along on the bank of two reservoirs to examine whether there is possibility to find fissures using the characteristics of "2"2"2Rn migration. One of the reservoir, Taniyamakami-ike, is located at the north of the Awaji-shima island at a distance of about 4 km from the seismic center of this earthquake. On the whole, "2"2"2Rn exhalation rates were high on a line of 2 m below the edge of the bank and got lower in proportion to the distance from this line. Those top of the bank had middle values among the lines. The mean "2"2"2Rn exhalation rate was 4.7 mBq m"-"2 s"-"1, and in these data we found some singularly high ...
Pulse radiolysis of aqueous solutions of tetraphenylphosphonium ions
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
The reactions of tetraphenylphosphonium ion (Ar_4P"+) with esub(aq)"-, H atoms and OH radicals have been investigated. The absorption spectra of three transient species were obtained. Ar_4Psup(.) radicals formed by the reaction: Ar_4P"+ + esub(aq)"- #-># Ar_4Psup(.) have a maximum absorption at 305 nm [epsilon _3_0_5 = (9400 +- 300)dm"3mol"-"1cm"-"1] and decays by second-order kinetics with the rate constant 2k = (2.7 +- 0.4) x 10"9dm"3mol"-"1s"-"1. H atoms and OH radicals form transient adducts to the phenyl groups of the Ar_4P"+ ion with the rate constants of (1.5 +- 0.3) x 10"9 dm"3mol"-"1s"-"1 and (3.0 +- 0.3) x 10"9dm"3mol"-"1s"-"1, respectively. Both adducts have broad absorption spectra at 300 approximately 380 nm (lambdasub(max) = 340 nm) with the molar extinction coefficients epsilonsub(340) = 5400 +- 300 dm"3mol"-"1cm"-"1 for the H adduct and ...
1976-01-01
Extratropical Forcing of Convectively Coupled Kelvin Waves during Austral Winter.
Observations are presented that link extratropical Rossby wave disturbances excited in the Southern Hemisphere subtropical jet to the initiation of convectively coupled Kelvin waves in the Pacific intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ) during austral winter. A baroclinic, zonal wavenumber 6, eastward-propagating Rossby wave train in the subtropical jet turns northeastward in the vicinity of Australia, inducing upper tropospheric divergence and vertical motion fields that spread equatorward and induce cloudiness anomalies in the Tropics. Lower tropospheric pressure surges excited from the extratropics also induce Kelvin wave-like geopotential height and temperature anomalies at the surface, providing additional lower tropospheric convergence and vertical motion forcing. The tropical outgoing longwave radiation (OLR) and circulation fields propagate eastward in tandem with the extratropical Rossby wave train at approximately 17 m s-1. Kelvin wave ...
2003-02-01
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
This report describes experimental results for the selective removal of strontium and cesium from simulated waste solutions using monosodium titanate (MST) and crystalline silicotitanate (CST)-laden filter cartridges. Four types of ion exchange cartridge media (CST and MST designed by both 3M and POROX{reg_sign}) were evaluated. In these proof-of-principle tests effective uptake of both Sr-85 and Cs-137 was observed. However, the experiments were not performed long enough to determine the saturation levels or breakthrough curve for each filter cartridge. POREX{reg_sign} MST cartridges, which by design were based on co-sintering of the active titanates with polyethylene particles, seem to perform as well as the 3M-designed MST cartridges (impregnated filter membrane design) in the uptake of strontium. At low salt simulant conditions (0.29 M Na{sup +}), the instantaneous decontamination factor (D{sub F}) for Sr-85 with the 3M-design MST cartridge measured 26, representing the removal of ...
2011-05-26
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Nuclear medicine and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are widely used in cardiac diagnostics. Both techniques have been carefully evaluated and are equivalent for the assessment of regional and global wall motion as well as the evaluation of ejection fraction and cardiac volumes, though MRI is herein currently seen as gold standard. For evaluation of myocardial perfusion, extensive data exist for nuclear imaging, that, next to high diagnostic accuracy for evaluation of coronary artery disease, show incremental prognostic information and allow for independent risk stratification. Because of rapid technical advance, myocardial perfusion imaging has also become feasible with cardiac MRI. Results of recent studies are promising, but the data are few compared to perfusion scintigraphy. For viability assessment in patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy, positron emission tomography (PET) with FDG is currently seen as gold standard. However, single ...
2003-12-01
Paul Scherrer Institut Scientific Report 2001. Volume V: General Energy
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Major advances in 'Energy and Materials Cycles' have been achieved in the removal of heavy metals from the solid residues of municipal waste incineration. It has been conclusively shown that the oxidation/reduction conditions established during the thermal treatment of filter ash have a decisive influence on the evaporation of groups of heavy metals. With respect to biomass gasification, studies have been carried out with respect to the best way of extracting pure hydrogen from the low calorific value gas that is typically obtained from a biomass gasifier. The overarching goal of the laboratory 'High Temperature Solar Technology' is the use of solar energy for the production of solar fuels, or for the reduction of CO{sub 2} emissions in large scale industrial processes that are conventionally carried out with the use of fossil fuels. In a short-term project targeted at the solar production of lime, highly encouraging results (98% degree of ...
2002-03-01
Why (and how) to regulate power exchanges in the EU market integration context?
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
The European Union (EU) market integration is leading to increasingly monopolistic electricity market infrastructures, which has opened a debate on the regulation of these so-called power exchanges. In this paper, we start by stating that there are two types of power exchanges in Europe, i.e. 'merchant' and 'cost-of-service regulated' power exchanges. We then discuss how regulation can be used to better align their incentives with the main power exchange tasks. We conclude that adopting the cost-of-service regulated model for all power exchanges in Europe could be counterproductive in the current context, but that regulation can help ensure that the benefits of the EU market integration materialize. Promising regulatory actions include tempering the reinforced market power of power exchanges, and quality-of-service regulation for the ongoing cooperation among power exchanges to organize trade across borders. - Research highlights: #-># Market integration is ...
2011-03-01
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
World-wide water scarcity, especially in the developing world, indicates a pressing need to develop inexpensive, decentralized small-scale desalination technologies which use renewable resources of energy. This paper provides a comprehensive review of the state-of-the-art in one of the most promising of these technologies, solar-driven humidification-dehumidification (HDH) desalination. Previous studies have investigated many different variations on the HDH cycle. In this paper, performance parameters which enable comparison of the various versions of the HDH cycle have been defined and evaluated. To better compare these cycles, each has been represented in psychometric coordinates. The principal components of the HDH system are also reviewed and compared, including the humidifier, solar heaters, and dehumidifiers. Particular attention is given to solar air heaters, for which design data is limited; and direct air heating is compared to direct water heating in the ...
2010-05-15
Radiations emitted in the decay of /sup 165/Er: A promising medical radionuclide
The 10.3-h /sup 165/Er, decaying by electron capture to stable /sup 165/Ho, offers an excellent promise for use in diagnostic nuclear medicine, especially in conjuction with multiwire proportional-counter cameras. Using an ultra-high-resolution Si(Li) photon spectrometer, L and K x-ray photon yields in /sup 165/Er decay have been measured. The ratio P/sub L//P/sub K/ of electron-capture probabilities in L and K shells is determined to be 0.196 +- 0.030, in good agreement with theory. Estimates of Auger electron yields and yields of very-low-energy electrons from Coster--Kronig transitions are presented. Levels of /sup 169/Er and /sup 171/Er radioactive impurities in the reactor-produced /sup 165/Er sample are experimentally determined. Whole-body dose estimates for /sup 165/Er are given. These compare favorably with /sup 99/Tc dose.
1977-05-01
Radiations emitted in the decay of "1"6"5Er: A promising medical radionuclide
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
The 10.3-h "1"6"5Er, decaying by electron capture to stable "1"6"5Ho, offers an excellent promise for use in diagnostic nuclear medicine, especially in conjuction with multiwire proportional-counter cameras. Using an ultra-high-resolution Si(Li) photon spectrometer, L and K x-ray photon yields in "1"6"5Er decay have been measured. The ratio P/sub L//P/sub K/ of electron-capture probabilities in L and K shells is determined to be 0.196 +- 0.030, in good agreement with theory. Estimates of Auger electron yields and yields of very-low-energy electrons from Coster--Kronig transitions are presented. Levels of "1"6"9Er and "1"7"1Er radioactive impurities in the reactor-produced "1"6"5Er sample are experimentally determined. Whole-body dose estimates for "1"6"5Er are given. These compare favorably with "9"9Tc dose.
Corrosion of high-level waste packaging materials in disposal relevant brines
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Previous corrosion studies identified the materials Hastelloy C4, Ti 99.8-Pd, and carbon steels as promising for the manufacture of long-lived high-level waste containers that could act as an engineered barrier in a rock-salt repository. Here, the efficiency of the corrosion-resistant concept using surface-welded Hastelloy C4 as corrosion protection of carbon steel containers is compared with the corrosion-allowance concept using unalloyed or low-alloyed steels. The materials are examined in three disposal relevant brines (two rich in MgCl_2, one rich in NaCl) at 150 C. The results indicate that welded Hastelloy C4 is highly resistant to corrosion in the NaCl-rich brine. In the presence of sulfides or MgCl_2-rich brines, however, severe pitting corrosion occurs. The three steels investigated are resistant to pitting corrosion in all brines, and their general corrosion rates imply corrosion allowances acceptable for thick-walled containers. In view of these results, ...
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
The five thermal-hydraulic concepts chosen for advanced PWR have been studied as follows: (1) Critical Heat Flux: Review of previous works, analysis of parametric trends, analysis of transient CHF characteristics, extension of the CHF date bank, survey and assessment of correlations, design of a intermediate-pressure CHF test loop have been performed. (2) Passive Cooling Concepts for Concrete Containment system: Review of condensation phenomena with noncondensable gases, selection of a promising concept (i.e., use of external condensers), design of test loop according to scaling laws have been accomplished. and computer programs based on the control-volume approach, and the conceptual design of test loop have been accomplished. (4) Fluidic Diode Concepts: Review of previous applications of the concept, analysis major parameters affecting the performance, development of a computational code, and conceptual investigation of the verification test loop have been ...
1995-08-01
Computer image analysis of wear debris for machine condition monitoring and fault diagnosis
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Whenever moving surfaces interact, wear particles are produced. Microscopic examination of the morphology of such wear debris is an accepted method for machine condition monitoring and fault diagnosis. Wear particle analysis has not, however, been widely accepted in industry because it is dependent on expert interpretation of particle morphology and relies on subjective assessment criteria. Consequently, the methods are time consuming and expensive and are not always consistent. The use of automated computer image analysis systems to assess the morphology of debris promises to overcome these limitations by making the methods more time and cost efficient, and also more consistent and effective. The first step required for automation of the analysis procedure is to develop objective criteria for assessing the wear particle morphology. Numerical parameters to describe the morphology have been developed and are outlined in this paper. A system using such techniques ...
1995-03-01
Cars and fuels for tomorrow: A comparative assessment
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Light duty vehicles, i.e. passenger cars and light trucks, account for approximately half of global transportation energy demand and, thus, a major share of carbon dioxide and other emissions from the transport sector. Energy consumption in the transport sector is expected to grow in the future, especially in developing countries. Cars with alternative powertrains to internal combustion engines (notably battery, hybrid and fuel-cell powertrains), in combination with potentially low carbon electricity or alternative fuels (notably hydrogen and methanol), can reduce energy demand by at least 50%, and carbon dioxide and regulated emissions much further. This article presents a comparative technical and economic assessment of promising future fuel/vehicle combinations. There are several promising technologies but no obvious winners. However, the electric drivetrain is a common denominator in the alternative powertrains and continued cost reductions ...
2001-05-01
"2"1"1At-Rh(16-S4-diol) complex as a precursor for astatine radiopharmaceuticals
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
"2"1"1At is one of the most promising radionuclides in #alpha#-radioimmunotherapy (#alpha#-RIT). Unfortunately, biomolecules labeled by direct electrophilic astatination are unstable due to the rapid loss of "2"1"1At under both in vitro and in vivo conditions. The present paper describes the results of our studies on attaching At"- to the rhodium(III) complex with thioether ligand: 1,5,9,13-etrathiacyclohexadecane-3,11-diol (16-S4-diol). Rh"3"+ was chosen as a moderately soft metal cation which should form very strong bonds with soft At"- anions, but first of all because of the kinetic inertness of low spin rhodium(III) d"6 complexes. The 16-S4-diol ligand was selected due to formation of stable complexes with Rh"3"+. The experiments related to optimization of the reaction conditions were performed with the "1"3"1I, basing on a chemical similarity of I"- to At"-. The experiments with "2"1"1At were then carried out under the conditions found optimal for I"-. The ...
British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)
The purpose of this study was to assess the utility of the Arabic translation of the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) among a sample of male Muslim prisoners (N = 107) in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE). Confirmatory factor analysis indicated a two-factor model to be the best fit of the data. Good internal reliability (a =.91) and predictive validity were also observed. While the limitations of the study are observed, these promising results suggest that the Arabic version of the AUDIT is a reliable and sound measure of alcohol use disorders among prisoners in the UAE.
2009-01-01
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
A computational procedure is proposed to perform uncertainty analysis for the calculation of the isotopic inventory and radiological quantities obtained as a linear function of it, due to uncertainties in the activation cross sections. The method is applied to determine the uncertainty of the calculated shallow burial index (SBI) from activated type 304 stainless steel (SS) in the most neutron-exposed zone of the HYLIFE-II vessel structure. Results are obtained by means of an element-by-element study. Some other types of steel are also investigated for comparison purposes. The SS304 is confirmed to be the most promising steel option. 16 refs., 2 tabs.
1996-06-16
Uch sets new standards for private power in Pakistan
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Although not Pakistan`s first independent power project, the 586 MW Uch plant is certainly one of the country`s most important. It is the first gas-fired combined cycle plant to be developed under Pakistan`s Private Power Policy, and uses low heating value natural gas previously thought worthless. The project also features some innovative financing arrangements, and with construction now at an advanced stage, it promises to kick-start the development of private power in Pakistan. (Author)
1997-08-01
The neural basis of visual behaviors in the larval zebrafish
British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)
We review visually guided behaviors in larval zebrafish and summarise what is known about the neural processing that results in these behaviors, paying particular attention to the progress made in the last 2 years. Using the examples of the optokinetic reflex, the optomotor response, prey tracking and the visual startle response, we illustrate how the larval zebrafish presents us with a very promising model vertebrate system that allows neurocientists to integrate functional and behavioral studies and from which we can expect illuminating insights in the near future.
2009-01-01
The nanoworld through aberration corrected lenses
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
The advent of aberration correction for electron microscope lenses has produced a significant advance in the improvement of resolution in microscopy. This improvement, while significant in itself, promises to have its most profound impact in materials science when it delivers quantitative information to challenge models and modellers. This capability for an electron microscope-modelling synergy to deliver useful results at the atomic level is not yet firmly established. For this reason, one of the major challenges for electron microscopy in materials science over this decade is to study systems where electron microscopists and modellers can work collaboratively. This paper explores some examples.
2010-07-01
THE DEVIL AND CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP MANAGEMENT
British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)
The paper takes as its starting point the diffusion of ICT applications associated with so-called 'customer relationship management' (CRM). CRM encourages organisations to shift their understanding of customers from an episodic and transaction-based perspective to one that emphasises continuous 'relationship management'. CRM applications thus promise to deliver more, real-time accurate information about consumer habits and behaviours therefore allowing organisations to maximise their extraction of business value. This paper explores the ways in which such inscriptive technologies are not merely referential but also constitutive of contemporary re-presentations and ideals of the consuming subject. Focusing on what we might call the 'digital doubles' of customer relationship management the a...
2010-01-01
Study of Japanese electrodynamic-suspension maglev systems
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
This report presents the results of a study of the Japanese MLU magnetic-levitation (maglev) system. The development of the MLU system is reviewed, and the dynamic circuit model then is introduced and applied to the figure-eight-shaped null-flux coil suspension system. Three different types of figure-eight-shaped null-flux suspension systems are discussed in detail: (1) the figure-eight-shaped null-flux coil suspension system without cross-connection; (2) the combined suspension and guidance system; and (3) the combined propulsion, levitation, and guidance system. The electrodynamic-suspension maglev systems developed in Japan seem to be very promising and could result in a commercial application in the near future.
1994-04-01
Stem cells: Research tools and clinical treatments
British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)
Abstract The term -stem cell- most commonly refers to embryonic stem cells, particularly in the lay media; however, it also describes other cell types. A stem cell represents a cell of multi-lineage potential with the ability for self-renewal. It is now clear that the plasticity and immortality of a given stem cell will depend on what type of stem cell it is, whether an embryonic stem cell, a fetal-placental stem cell or an adult stem cell. Stem cells offer great promise as cell-based therapies for the future. With evolving technology, much of the socio-political debate regarding stem cells can now be avoided.
2011-01-01
State-of-the-art in photovoltaic research and application (except for use in concentrators)
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
A review is given of the state-of-the-art of single and polycrystalline solar cells, which includes a short theoretical review, laboratory achievements, and production methods. The Si single and polycrystalline cell and the amorphous Si cell are described, including material preparation, crystal and sheet growth, and cell and panel production. Promising second generation thin film solar cells including GaAs, CdS(CuInSe/sub 2/), and CdTe are briefly described. Economical aspects are discussed.
1987-01-01
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
We report on a promising approach to high-sensitivity anisotropy measurements using a high-finesse cavity locked by optical feedback to a diode laser. We provide a simple and effective way to decouple the weak anisotropy of interest from the inherent mirror's birefringence whose drift may be identified as the key limiting parameter in cavity-based techniques. We demonstrate a shot-noise-limited phase shift resolution previously inaccessible in an optical cavity, readily achieving the state-of-the-art level of 3x10"-"1"3 rad.
2010-09-01
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
For the selective extraction of radionuclides from nitrate media, the extractabilities of organo-poly-phosphine poly-oxides were examined in the form of impregnated resins. It was found that the extractability of 1,1,3,5,5-pentaphenyl-1,3,5-tri-phospha-pentane trioxide (PPTPT) for U(VI) is quite unusual with very high values at both low and high concentrations of nitric acid, which is not observed for other types of extractants. Thus, this extractant might be promising for the selective extraction of U(VI) in very high concentrations of HNO3. (authors)
2008-09-15
Power systems for space exploration
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
The Outreach Program was designed to solicit creative ideas from academia, research institutions, private enterprises, and the general public and is intended to be helpful in defining promising technical areas and program paths for more detailed study. To the Outreach Program, a number of power system concepts were proposed. In conclusion, there are a number of advanced concepts for space power and propulsion sources that deserve study if we want to expand our ability to not only explore space, but to utilize it. Advanced nuclear concepts and power beaming concepts are two areas worthy of detailed assessments.
1992-01-01
PPAR action in insulin resistance unraveled by metabolomics: potential clinical implications.
ABSTRACT: Metabolomic analysis will provide the next large set of clues to further our understanding of human health and disease. A recent study has elucidated the significant differences in the metabolomes of adipocytes, serum and an adipocyte cell line after activation of two nuclear receptors, peroxisome proliferator activated receptor ?/? (PPAR?/?) and PPAR?. These findings hold great promise for explaining fundamental differences in the mechanisms of PPAR agonists and for identifying targets for the treatment of diabetes.See related research article: http://genomebiology.com/2011/12/8/R75. PMID:21861850
2011-08-23
Organometallic Polymer Coatings for Geothermal-Fluid-Sprayed Air-Cooled Condensers: Preprint
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Researchers are developing polymer-based coating systems to reduce scaling and corrosion of air-cooled condensers that use a geothermal fluid spray for heat transfer augmentation. These coating systems act as barriers to corrosion to protect aluminum fins and steel tubing; they are formulated to resist the strong attachment of scale. Field tests have been done to determine the corrosion and scaling issues related to brine spraying and a promising organometallic polymer has been evaluated in salt spray tests.
2002-08-01
Nondestructive Technique Survey for Assessing Integrity of Composite Firing Vessel
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
The repeated use and limited lifetime of a composite tiring vessel compel a need to survey techniques for monitoring the structural integrity of the vessel in order to determine when it should be retired. Various nondestructive techniques were researched and evaluated based on their applicability to the vessel. The methods were visual inspection, liquid penetrant testing, magnetic particle testing, surface mounted strain gauges, thermal inspection, acoustic emission, ultrasonic testing, radiography, eddy current testing, and embedded fiber optic sensors. It was determined that embedded fiber optic sensor is the most promising technique due to their ability to be embedded within layers of composites and their immunity to electromagnetic interference.
2000-08-01
Non-thermal plasma destruction of allyl alcohol in waste gas: kinetics and modelling
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Non-thermal plasma treatment is a promising technique for the destruction of volatile organic compounds in waste gas. A relatively unexplored technique is the atmospheric negative dc multi-pin-to-plate glow discharge. This paper reports experimental results of allyl alcohol degradation and ozone production in this type of plasma. A new model was developed to describe these processes quantitatively. The model contains a detailed chemical degradation scheme, and describes the physics of the plasma by assuming that the fraction of electrons that takes part in chemical reactions is an exponential function of the reduced field. The model captured the experimental kinetic data to less than 2 ppm standard deviation.
2008-02-01
New methods of production of titanium alloy ingots
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Production of titanium alloys from the mixture containing large amounts of metallurgy wastes is very promising. It is shown that unlimited possibilities of the waste material use in the mixture (up to 100%) are provided by garnissage melting, the size of the cast being limited only by that of the vessel. With garnissage being used as a consumed electrode the metal is refined from hydrogen and the blank ingots to serve as consumed electrodes in electro-slag remelting are chemically homogeneous. The ingots thus obtained have dense structure, rather fine grain homogeneous chemical composition, are no less pure than those obtained by vacuum arc remelting and provide for economic savings.
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
The problem of search for new materials for spectrally positioned laser sources, which is central for modern photonics, is discussed. The use of the stimulated Raman scattering effect in crystals offers a highly efficient way to the design of such sources. The recent results of investigations into this effect for a large number of various types of crystalline materials are presented. The most promising compounds, as regards the realisation of different laser operation modes, are considered, including calcium, strontium, barium and lead molybdates and tungstates. Several examples of functioning efficient lasers based on novel materials exhibiting the stimulated Raman light scattering effect are given.
2006-10-31
The current status of at-risk and adjudicated youth with behavioral challenges provides a context for addressing needed future directions for research and practice in fields that impact this population. This context includes the myriad characteristics and complex needs of these youth, the programs and services currently available in communities and secure settings, and youth outcomes following incarceration. Recent and emerging national, state, and local initiatives and the benefits that have been realized or are anticipated from their application are presented. The challenges to achieving and sustaining these systems changes are then discussed. The paper concludes with recommendations for future research and practice, based on the issues raised in this special issue and elsewhere. (Contains 1 endnote.)
2010-11-01
Mathematical programming and manufacturing management
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
This talk will present an overview of the use of mathematical programming techniques in manufacturing management practice. The emphasis is on applied contributions in three areas: conceptual and qualitative results, modelling, and algorithms. The discussion will be limited to methods that have found or are likely to find application in practice. Overall the picture is not heartening and many promising directions have not resulted in practical applications. Yet there are several areas where significant opportunities exist, though they seem to be better for heuristics than for highly structured traditional models. Time will be available for discussion of topics that interest the participants.
1994-12-31
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
As part of our effort to develop a semicontinuous PuO/sub 2/ reduction process, we are investigating promising materials for containing a 900/sup 0/C molten CaCl/sub 2/ . CaO chlorination reaction. We want the material to contain this reaction and to be reusable. We tested candidate materials in a simulated salt (no plutonium) using anhydrous HCl as the chlorinating agent. Data are presented on the performance of 36 metals and alloys, 9 ceramics, and 3 coatings.
1987-01-01
Lights off. Debunking the Myths of Power Liberalisation
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Liberalisation of the power sector is on the increase on a global scale. Corporate-driven reforms are portrayed by international financial institutions and multilateral development banks as means of improving efficiency and attracting foreign investment for national economic growth. Most countries across the world are taking steps towards liberalisation, often to meet the conditions imposed by international donors or comply with regional or global trade agreements. This first issue of Power and Society attempts to look beyond the promised benefits of this trend and debunk some myths about privatisation and deregulation of the electricity sector.
2002-05-01
Lights off. Debunking the Myths of Power Liberalisation
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Liberalisation of the power sector is on the increase on a global scale. Corporate-driven reforms are portrayed by international financial institutions and multilateral development banks as means of improving efficiency and attracting foreign investment for national economic growth. Most countries across the world are taking steps towards liberalisation, often to meet the conditions imposed by international donors or comply with regional or global trade agreements. This first issue of Power and Society attempts to look beyond the promised benefits of this trend and debunk some myths about privatisation and deregulation of the electricity sector.
Josephson effect mm-wave receivers
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Josephson effect heterodyne mixers with external local oscillators are very promising low noise mm-wave receivers for applications such as radio astronomy. Experiments at 36 GHz have shown that both the noise and the conversion efficiency of mixers made using Nb point contacts are in quantitative agreement with values calculated from the resistively shunted junction (RSJ) model. Preliminary measurements at 140 GHz suggest that this agreement extends to higher frequencies. In this paper the theoretical limits to the sensitivity of such receivers are explored as a function of the signal frequency. (Auth.).
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Why pay for energy when there`s a free stockpile of it right under your feet? With the help of a geothermal heat pump system, one can extract that energy from the ground and put it to good use, lowering heating and cooling costs. From private homes to public schools and fast-food restaurants, an increasing number of establishments are turning to geothermal heat pump systems for space conditioning. Experts say 1998 is already proving to be the best year yet for the technology, and they foresee an even more promising future. Some examples of geothermal energy use are given.
1998-05-01
Geothermal heat pump performance and utility programs in the United States
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Geothermal heat pump systems are a promising new energy technology that has shown rapid increase in usage over the past 10 years in the United States. These systems offer substantial benefits to consumers and utilities in energy (kWh) and demand (kW) savings. The purpose of this study was to determine what existing monitored data were available mainly from electric utilities on heat pump performance, energy savings, and demand reduction for residential, school, and commercial building applications. Information was developed on the status of electric utility marketing programs, barriers to market entry, incentive programs, and benefits.
1997-01-01
Geothermal heat pump performance
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Geothermal heat pump systems are a promising new energy technology that has shown rapid increase in usage over the past ten years in the United States. These systems offer substantial benefits to customers and utilities in energy (kWh) and demand (kW) savings. The purpose of this study was to determine what existing monitored data was available mainly from electric utilities on heat pump performance, energy savings and demand reduction for residential, school, and commercial building applications. Information was developed on the status of electric utility marketing programs, barriers to market penetration, incentive programs, and benefits.
1995-12-31
Exploring the structure of the proton through polarization observables in l p \\to jet X
We present results for a complete set of polarization observables for jet production in lepton proton collision, where the final state lepton is not observed. The calculations are carried out in collinear factorization at the level of Born diagrams. For all the observables we also provide numerical estimates for typical kinematics of a potential future Electron Ion Collider. On the basis of this numerical study, the prospects for the transverse single target spin asymmetry are particularly promising. This observable is given by a certain quark-gluon correlation function, which has a direct relation to the transverse momentum dependent Sivers parton distribution.
2011-01-01
Energetical analysis of sensitivity of hydrogen embrittlement of ordered alloys
Intermetallic compounds are regarded as highly promising for applications as high temperature structural materials. However, recent studies have demonstrated that a number of ordered alloys exhibit environmental embrittlement when tested in various environments at ambient temperature. When exposed to hydrogen gas or electrolytically charged with hydrogen, a significant ductility loss has been reported. The reaction of water vapor with reactive elements in the crack tip results in the generation of atomic hydrogen which diffuses from the surface to the interior and causes embrittlement. In this paper, the authors try to analyze the sensitivity of hydrogen embrittlement of ordered alloys based upon energetical considerations.
1993-10-01
Knowledge management is controlling the transfer, distribution, and availability of knowledge. Traditionally, knowledge management processes are predefined; e.g. it is laid out in detail which document template, data structure, system, or work flow steps have to be used in order to manage knowledge. But knowledge management itself is complex. It is simply not possible to predefine the typical flow of work in knowledge intensive processes in advance. So rather than trying to determine the procedures it is more promising to analyze which factors can be used in order to control the outcome of t
2008-01-01
Electromagnetic coupling of high-altitude, nuclear electromagnetic pulses
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
We have used scale models to measure the predicted coupling of electromagnetic fields simulating the effects of high-altitude nuclear electromagnetic pulses (HEMP) on the interior surfaces of electronic components. Predictive tools for exterior coupling are adequate. For interior coupling, however, such tools are in their infancy. Our methodological approach combines analytical, computational, and laboratory techniques in a complementary way to take advantage of their separate strengths. Computer models are a promising tool, as they can be used to treat complex objects with arbitrary shapes, dielectrics, and cables, and multiple apertures. Laboratory tests can expand the domain of investigation even further.
1984-11-01
Denison's feasibility studies. Fording plans shut down. Union Oil's Obed-Marsh project
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Denison Mines Limited is completing two final feasibility studies on the Coalspur thermal coal property in northwestern Alberta and the Belcourt property south of Dawson Creek, B.C. Denison is also carrying out a geological field program on a promising metallurgical coal property, Wildhay, west of Hinton, Alberta. Fording Coal Ltd. will close its Fording River mine for at least the second half of December. Site preparation has started at the Obed-Marsh thermal coal project northeast of Hinton.
1982-09-01
Dampers, fluidics and the failsafe fallacy [fire protection
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
The fire protection practices adopted at nuclear power stations generally follow the well established principles used throughout industry. Unfortunately, there is one particular area - the interaction with heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) services - where nuclear power stations pose a seemingly insoluble conflict: that between the need to contain and the need to ventilate. Now, however, solid state fire dampers using power fluidics may promise a solution. One of the key characteristics of a fluidic device is that it is 'solid state', i.e. it has no moving parts. Because of this, its inherent reliability is orders of magnitude greater than a mechanical device. (U.K.).
Combustion flames of high energy substance
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
The currently available propellants achieve about 95% of the combustion performance which can be expected theoretically at this time, consequently a technological breakthrough concerning new propellants have been demanded. Among high energy substances which are being studied, polymer azide which can continue combustion without relying on the oxidation reaction is a typical high energy substance to be used for a propellant of the next generation. The composite propellant which has polymer azide as fuel component and ammonium nitrate as oxidizer is considered to be the extremely promising propellant, since it provides no combution product which causes the environmental destruction. (6 figs, 4 refs)
1988-04-30
Collective ion acceleration in systems with a virtual cathode
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
The current status of research and development in the realm of physics and technology of collective ion acceleration in systems with a virtual cathode (VC) is reviewed. Three major acceleration methods and devices developed on their basis are considered: reflex triodes and their modifications, gas-filled vircators, and vacuum vircators with a Luce diode. Experimental data are outlined and the principal physical models interpreting these data are described. New ion acceleration techniques whose realization involves the production and disappearance of the VC are also discussed. All methods of collective ion acceleration are compared and the possible ways for the further development of this promising scientific field are highlighted. (reviews of topical problems)
2002-11-30
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Biogas supply to the public gas grid is a new option discussed in the most recent publication of Fachagentur Nachwachsende Rohstoffe (FNR) e.V. The biogas is purified, upgraded to natural gas quality and fed into an existing gas grid. Once there, it can be transported across long distances and also used for electric power generation at the consumer side. The study investigates inhowfar and in what instances this method is feasible and promising. It discusses the technical background and the regional potential of biogas. Seven model biogas systems are presented as examples. (orig.)
2006-07-01
Application properties of AB{sub 2}-type hydrogen absorbing alloys
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Use of hydrogen absorbing alloys in various practical applications is always connected with the problem of production of starting alloys. The transition from laboratory samples to small-scale production involves the change of furnace and its operation mode and this has an effect on the preparation method of mixture of starting metal. Also, for some applications such as thermosorption compressors the exact values of thermodynamical parameters of reaction are needed. In the present work we present the results of investigation of series Laves phase hydrogen-absorbing alloys which can be promising in for use in different devices. 1 ref.
1998-07-01
Accelerating the output of technology for auxillary processes in open cast mines
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
An analysis of the current state of track-laying operations in open-cut mines is given and their labor intensive nature is noted. The lag in the technological development of mechanization equipment for track laying and repair operations is noted. Results are given from developments by the Scientific Research Institute of Open-Pit Mining Operations in the field of mobile transportation technology and promising modular route design. Also examined are the problems of improving the routing bases in the industry. The absence of factories for manufacturing transportation technology and equipment is reflected most evidently in the technical and cost characteristics of coal production by an open-cut method and requires immediate solution.
1984-01-01
2005 clean coal and power conference. Conference proceedings
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
The theme of the conference was 'The paradox: today's coal technologies versus tomorrow's promise'. The sessions covered: today's technologies, tomorrow's potential; economic stability; energy security; transition to sustainable energy future; new coal power technologies leading to zero emission coal; existing power plants - improved performance through use of new technology; and carbon capture and storage R & D - challenges and opportunities. Some of the papers only consist of the viewgraphs/overheads.
2005-07-01
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Laser-assisted processing techniques for producing high-quality solar cell metallization patterns have been investigated, developed, and characterized. During the early stages, preliminary investigations were carried out on a variety of promising laser-assisted metallization schemes, and the best of these was selected for further development. A comprehensive literature search initially yielded information on state-of-the-art laser-assisted techniques for metal deposition such as laser chemical vapor deposition and laser photolysis of organometallics, as well as laser-enhanced electroplating. Initial experiments on laser-enhanced electroplating yielded very promising results with linewidths as narrow as 25 ..mu..m and local plating speeds as high as 12 ..mu..m/s being achieved. Metal deposition experiments were carried out utilizing laser-assisted pyrolysis of a variety of metal-bearing polymer films and metallo-organic inks spun onto silicon ...
1986-01-08
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Pulse radiolysis has been used to optically and kinetically characterize the transient free radicals formed by the reaction of H"s"m"-"b"u"l"l"e"t, N_3"s"m"-"b"u"l"l"e"t, or OH"s"m"-"b"u"l"l"e"t with 2,4,5-trichlorophenol (TCP-OH). The hydroxy-2,4,5-trichlorocyclohexadienyl radical (H-TCP-OH) formed by H"s"m"-"b"u"l"l"e"t addition to TCP-OH [k = (1.1 #+-# 0.2) x 10"9 M"-"1 s"-"1] has an absorption maximum at 360 nm with #epsilon#_3_6_0 = (4700 #+-# 1000) M"-"1 cm"-"1. The 2,4,5-trichlorophenoxyl radical (TCP-O"s"m"-"b"u"l"l"e"t) formed by the reaction of N_3"s"m"-"b"u"l"l"e"t with TCP-O- [k = (4.3 #+-# 0.8) x 10"9 M"-"1 s"-"1] has an absorption maximum at 430 nm with #epsilon#_4_3_0 = (3600 #+-# 600) M"-"1 cm"-"1. The dihydroxy-2,4,5-trichlorocyclohexadienyl radical (HO-TCP-OH) formed by OH"s"m"-"b"u"l"l"e"t radical addition to TCP-OH [k = (1.2 #+-# 0.1) x 10"1"0 M"-"1 ...
"Hyperfine Splitting, Isotope Shift, and Level Energy of the 3S States of Li-6, Li-7."
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
High-precision laser spectroscopy on lithium isotopes is of fundamental interest, experimentally as well as theoretically. The lithium atom has long served as a test system for the calculation of various atomic properties in few-electron atoms and significant advances have been made in the last decade[1-3]. Recently, calculations of transition energies for the 22S1/2 -> 32S1/2 and the 22S1/2 -> 22P1/2, 3/2 transitions and of the mass-dependant isotope shift (IS) in these transitions have been reported with a relative accuracy of better than 1 X 10-7 and 5 x 10-6, respectively[4, 5]. These calculations are the foundation for experimental efforts, currently underway at GSI Darmstadt, Germany, to determine the root-mean-square (rms) charge radius of the unstable lithium isotopes[6, 7]. The basic principle is that if all mass-dependent contributions to ...
2003-07-25
Upper bound for a three-photon excitation cross section in atomic argon in the ultraviolet regime
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
A scheme of evaluating a generalized three-photon excitation cross section #sigma#/sub (3)/ in neutral atomic argon at 3144.67 A is outlined. Three photons at this wavelength can excite the neutral argon atoms from the ground 3p"6 "1S_0 state to the 3p"54s'[1/2]_1"0 state. The fourth photon will ionize the argon atoms. Assuming linear polarization of the incident laser radiation, contributions from several channels in various energy-level schemes are summed in the evaluation of the transition probability. For a laser linewidth of #DELTA##lambda#/sub L/ = 1 A, our maximum numerical value of the computed result for the three-photon excitation cross section is #sigma#/sub (3)/ = 1.414 x 10/sup -80/ cm"6 s"2. .AE.
8800-01-01
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
A visual study of film boiling is carried out to determine the flow regime transition in the post-CHF region. An idealized inverted annular flow is obtained by introducing a liquid jet of Freon 113 through a nozzle, precisely centered with respect to the internal diameter of the test section, with an annular gas flow. The respective ranges for liquid and gas velocities are 0.05-0.5 and 0.03-8.2 m s"-"1. Nitrogen and helium are used in the study. For the present configuration, there are four flow regimes; namely, the smooth inverted annular flow-section, the rough wavy, agitated and dispersed flow regimes. (author).
1988-01-01
The influence of heating rate on the response and trapping parameters of #alpha#-Al_2O_3:C
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
The effects of the heating rate from 0.6 up to 50"oC.s"-"1 on the thermoluminescence of #alpha#-Al_2O_3:C are very intensive. The material rapidly loses its high sensitivity as the heating rate increases. The peak shape characteristics, peak maximum and full width at half maximum agree only qualitatively with those theoretically predicted. The trapping parameters calculated by the curve fitting method, the peak shape method, the variable heating rate method and the initial rise method, were found to decrease as the heating rate increases. The validity of the results are discussed in the framework of the kinetic models. (author).
The application of the neutron time-of-flight technique for real-time diffraction studies
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Real-time neutron powder diffraction and small-angle scattering techniques have been developed on the TOF diffractometer DN-2 at the IBR-2 pulsed reactor at JINR (Dubna) with a total flux on the sample of 10"7 neutrons cm"-"2s"-"1 and a resolution of about 1%. A special arrangement of the detector system ensures a high counting rate of diffracted neutrons. Depending upon sample type and experimental conditions, the measuring time t_s of one neutron pattern varies from a few minutes to several seconds. The performance of the diffractometer is discussed and typical data are shown to demonstrate current achievements using real-time techniques at a pulsed reactor. (orig.).
1991-12-01
The advanced MAPLE reactor concept
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
High-flux neutron sources are continuing to be of interest both in Canada and internationally to support materials testing for advanced power reactors, new developments in extracted-neutron-beam applications, and commercial production of selected radioisotopes. The advanced MAPLE reactor concept has been developed to meet these needs. The advanced MAPLE reactor is a new tank-type D_2O reactor that uses rodded low-enrichment uranium fuel in a compact annular core to generate peak thermal-neutron fluxes of 1 x 10"1"9 n#centre dot#s"-"1 in a central irradiation rig with a thermal power output of 50 MW. Capital and incremental development costs are minimized by using MAPLE reactor technology to the greatest extent practicable.
1985-10-14
The Dynamical Interaction of AGN with their Galaxian Environments
Jet-driven shocks are responsible for an important fraction of the emission of the narrow-line regions (NLRs) in many classes of AGN. However, this cannot explain all observations. It is clear that the remaining sources are photoionised by the active nucleus. The 2-d hydrodynamic models from the RSAA group support an evolutionary scenario whereby the shock-excited NLRs are initially jet-driven but later, ionizing photons from the central engine replace shocks as the main excitation mechanism and shock induced star formation may also become important. In their photoionized phase, dusty and radiation-pressure dominated evolution produces a self-regulated NLR spectrum. This model aso explains the coronal emission lines and fast (3000 km s$^{-1}$) outflows seen in some Seyferts.
2003-01-01
The BAIKAL Neutrino Experiment: From NT200 to NT200+
The Baikal Neutrino Telescope has been operating in its NT200 configuration since April, 1998. The telescope has been upgraded in April, 2005, to the 10 Mton scale detector NT200+. It's main physics goal is the detection of signals from high energy neutrino cascades. NT200+ reaches a 3-year sensitivity of 2 \\times 10^{-7}cm^{-2}s^{-1}sr^{-1}GeV for an all-flavor diffuse cosmic E^{-2} neutrino flux for energies 10^2 TeV \\div 10^5 TeV. Desgin and sensitivity of NT200+ are described. NT200+ is forming the basic building block of a future km3-scale (Gigaton-Volume) Baikal Telescope. Research and development work on that next stage detector has started.
2006-01-01
Search for Z' ---> e+ e- using dielectron mass and angular distribution
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
The authors search Z{prime} bosons in dielectron events produced in p{bar p} collisions at {radical}s = 1.96 TeV, using a 0.45 fb{sup -1} dataset accumulated with the CDF II detector at the Fermilab Tevatron. To identify the Z{prime} {yields} e{sup +}e{sup -} signal, both the dielectron invariant mass distribution and the angular distribution of the electron pair are used. No evidence of a signal is found, and 95% confidence level lower limits are set on the Z{prime} mass for several models. Limits are also placed on the mass and gauge coupling of a generic Z{prime}, as well as on the contact interaction mass scales for different helicity structure scenarios.
2006-02-01
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
The authors present the results of a search for W{prime} boson decaying to electron-neutrino pairs in p{bar p} collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 1.96 TeV, using a data sample corresponding to 205 pb{sup -1} of integrated luminosity collected by the CDF II detector at Fermilab. They observe no evidence for this decay mode and set limits on the production cross section times branching fraction, assuming the neutrinos from W{prime} boson decays to be light. If they assume the manifest left-right symmetric model, they exclude a W{prime} boson with mass less than 788 GeV/c{sup 2} at the 95% confidence level.
2006-11-01
Quantifying the thermal flowering rates of eighteen species of annual bedding plants
British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)
The effect of mean daily air temperature (MDT) on flowering rate (the reciprocal of days to flower) was quantified for 18 species of annual bedding plants. Plants were grown in environmental growth chambers at constant air temperature set points of 5, 7.5, 10, 15, 25, or 30^oC and under an irradiance of 160-180mmolm^-^2s^-^1, with a 16-h photoperiod. Nonlinear mathematical equations were developed to predict the effect of MDT on flowering rate and to estimate the base, optimum, and maximum temperatures (Tmin, Topt, and Tmax), which are the temperatures at which flowering rates are zero (low temperature), maximal, and zero once again (high temperature), respectively. The estimated Tmin varied among species and ranged from 1.1^oC in French marigold (Tagetes patula L.) to 9.9^oC in angelonia ...
2011-01-01
Programmable radionuclide X-ray fluorescence multi-channel spectrometric analyzer, type 123-1
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
The whole equipment consists of three separate portable parts: a detector case, a microprocessor and a graphic TV monitor. Magnetic tape memory and an x-y recorder can be connected for recording the measured spectra. The analyzer contains two built-in exchangeable excitation radionuclides. Fluorescence and scattered radiation is detected using a proportional detector. The detected pulses are analyzed by a 256-channel analyzer and the results are shown on the display. The device may be used in mining laboratories, coal and ore dressing plant control rooms or in mining fields of open cast mines for quick detection of the quality of mined or dressed raw materials. (E.S.). 1 fig.
1988-01-01
Precision measurements of positronium decay rate and energy level
Positronium is an ideal system for the research of the bound state QED. New precise measurement of orthopositronium decay rate has been performed with an accuracy of 150 ppm, and the result combined with the last three is 7.0401 +- 0.0007 mu s^-1. It is the first result to validate the 2nd order correction. The Hyper Fine Splitting of positronium is sensitive to the higher order corrections of the QED prediction and also to the new physics beyond Standard Model via the quantum oscillation into virtual photon. The discrepancy of 3.5 sigma is found recently between the measured values and the QED prediction (O(alpha^3)). It might be due to the contribution of the new physics or the systematic problems in the previous measurements: (non-thermalized Ps and non-uniformity of the magnetic field). We propose new methods to measure HFS precisely without the these uncertainties.
2008-01-01
Photosynthesis responses to various soil moisture in leaves of Wisteria sinensis
British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)
A study was conducted to determine the fitting soil moisture for the normal growth of two-year-old W. sinensis (Sims) Sweets by using gas exchange technique. Remarkable threshold values of net photosynthetic rate (Pn), transpiration rate (Tr) and water use efficiency (WUE) were observed in the W. sinensis leaves treated by various soil moisture and photosynthetic available radiation (PAR). The fitting soil moisture for maintaining a high level of Pn and WUE was in range of 15.3%?26.5% of volumetric water content (VWC), of which the optimal VWC was 23.3%. Under the condition of fitting soil moisture, the light saturation point of leaves occurred at above 800?mol?m?2?s?1, whereas under the condition of water deficiency (VWC, 11.9% and 8.2%) or oversaturation (VWC, 26.5%), the light saturatio...
2007-01-01
Ozone production process in pulsed positive dielectric barrier discharge
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
The ozone production process in a pulsed positive dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) is studied by measuring the spatial distribution of ozone density using a two-dimensional laser absorption method. DBD occurs in a 6 mm point-to-plane gap with a 1 mm-thick glass plate placed on the plane electrode. First, the propagation of DBD is observed using a short-gated ICCD camera. It is shown that DBD develops in three phases: primary streamer, secondary streamer and surface discharge phases. Next, the spatial distribution of ozone density is measured. It is shown that ozone is mostly produced in the secondary streamer and surface discharge, while only a small amount of ozone is produced in the primary streamer. The rate coefficient of the ozone production reaction, O + O_2 + M #-># O_3 + M, is estimated to be 2.5 x 10"-"3"4 cm"6 s"-"1.
2007-01-07
British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)
Dissolved microcystins (MCs) are regularly present in water dominated by microcystin-producing, bloom-forming cyanobacteria. In vitro experiments with environmentally feasible concentrations (5 ? 10?7 M) of the three most common microcystins, MC-LR, MC-RR, and MC-YR, revealed that they influence the metabolism of different representative phytoplanktons. At light intensities that are close to the cyanobacterial bloom environment (50??mol m?2 s?1), they produce morphological and physiological changes in both microcystin-producing and -nonproducing Microcystis aeruginosa strains and also have similar effects on the green alga Scenedesmus quadricauda that is frequently present in cyanobacterial blooms. All three microcystin variants tested induce cell aggregation, increase in cell volume, and ...
2006-01-01
Magnetization of undoped 2-leg S=1/2 spin ladders in La{sub 4}Sr{sub 10}Cu{sub 24}O{sub 41}
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Magnetization data of single crystalline La{sub 4}Sr{sub 10}Cu{sub 24}O{sub 41} are presented. In this compound, doped spin chains and undoped spin ladders are realized. The magnetization, at low temperatures, is governed by the chain subsystem with a finite interchain coupling which leads to short range antiferromagnetic spin correlations. At higher temperatures, the response of the chains can be estimated in terms of a Curie-Weiss law. For the ladders, we apply the low temperature approximation for a S = 1/2 2-leg spin ladder.
2007-09-01
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Oxovanadium(IV) complexes with tridentate dibasic ONO donor schiff bases derived from salicylaldehyde, 5-chlorosalicylaldehyde, 3,5-dichlorosalicylaldehyde, 5-bromosalicylaldehyde, 3-methoxysalicylaldehyde, 2-hydroxynaphthaldehyde and 2-amino-1-propanol have been prepared and characterised by elemental analysis, infrared, electronic and ESR spectra and magnetic susceptibility measurements from 83 to 297 deg K. On the basis of these studies, presence of triplet state (S=1) and a dimeric structure with singlet ground state (S=0) have been suggested. The V=0 stretching frequencies of the complexes occur around 980 cm"-"1. (M.G.B.).
1977-01-01
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
The values of spins, parities, and spectroscopic factors for neutron transfer have been determined for many low-lying states in "9"7Mo and "1"0"1Mo by a study of the (t, d) and (d, p) reactions on the neighbouring even-mass isotopes. Eighteen new values of J"#pi# have been obtained for these nuclei. Values of the fullness and emptiness parameters V"2 and U"2 have been suggested for the 3s_1_/_2 and 2d_5_/_s orbitals in "1"0"0Mo. (Nuclear structure "9"7Mo, "1"0"1Mo, measured J, #pi#, and spectroscopic factors for states up to #approx#2.0 MeV using (d, p) and (t, d) reactions.) (author).
1990-11-01
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
With the exception of the 1945 Hiroshima and Nagasaki nuclear weapon explosions and the 1986 Tchernobyl reactor accident, most of the radiation accidents concerns the medical and the traditional industrial sectors. The seriousness of the accident is directly function of the absorbed dose. The paper, first, gives the definition of a radiologic accident with its specific criteria and pathological manifestations. Then, some famous historical accidents are reviewed from the discovery of X-rays to recent acute irradiations due to the careless manipulation of radiation sources. From this analysis, three main causes are put forward: the dysfunction of nuclear medicine apparatuses, the victims` lack of training and knowledge of the risks, and the non-identification or the loss of radiation sources. (J.S.). 1 photo.
1996-04-01
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Evidence is reported for a narrow structure near the J/{psi}{phi} threshold in exclusive B{sup +} {yields} J/{psi}{phi}K{sup +} decays produced in {bar p}p collisions at {radical}s = 1.96 TeV. A signal of 14 {+-} 5 events, with statistical significance in excess of 3.8 standard deviations, is observed in a data sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 2.7 fb{sup -1}, collected by the CDF II detector. The mass and natural width of the structure are measured to be 4143.0 {+-} 2.9(stat) {+-} 1.2(syst) MeV/c{sup 2} and 11.7{sub -5.0}{sup +8.3}(stat) {+-} 3.7(syst) MeV/c{sup 2}.
2009-03-01
Evaporation behavior of water and concentration of technetium and rhenium using thin film evaporator
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
The nuclear energy cycle requires the recycling of nuclear fuel, water, chemical reagents, and the volume reduction of radioactive liquid wastes. A fundamental technique for continuous recovery of water using a thin-film evaporator was examined. Appropriate recovery measurements were: an evaporator heat temperature of 323 K, a feed rate of 0.23 cm"3 x s"-"1, a vacuum pressure of 15 mmHg (2 kPa), and impeller rotational speeds of 500#approx#600 rpm (min"-"1). The concentration of trace technetium and rhenium in aqueous solutions was also studied. A decontamination factor of 10"5 for rhenium was obtained. (author)
1999-06-01
Electron-impact excitation of Si"3"+(3s#->#3p) using a merged-beam electron-energy-loss technique
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
For the first time, absolute cross sections for electron-impact excitation of a multiply charged ion have been measured using an electron-energy-loss technique. Cross sections for e+Si"3"+(3s "2S_1_/_2)#->#e+Si"3"+(3p "2P_1_/_2_,_3_/_2)-8.88 eV have been measured with an accuracy of #+-#20% (at 90% confidence level) over a narrow energy range (#+-#0.6 eV) about the threshold energy with an energy resolution of 0.2 eV. Results are in good agreement with close-coupling calculations.
A search for resonant Z pair production
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
I describe a search for anomalous production of Z pairs through a new massive resonance X in 2.5-2.9 fb{sup -1} of p{bar p} collisions at {radical}s = 1.96 TeV using the CDFII Detector at the Fermilab Tevatron. I reconstruct Z pairs through their decays to electrons, muons, and quarks. To achieve perhaps the most efficient lepton reconstruction ever used at CDF, I apply a thorough understanding of the detector and new reconstruction software heavily revised for this purpose. In particular, I have designed and employ new general-purpose algorithms for tracking at large {eta} in order to increase muon acceptance. Upon analyzing the unblinded signal samples, I observe no X {yields} ZZ candidates and set upper limits on the production cross section using a Kaluza-Klein graviton-like acceptance.
2008-12-01
A more detailed calculation of particle evaporation and fission of compound nuclei
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
We consider particle evaporation and fission of an ensemble of hot, rotating compound nuclei as a stochastic process. We derive a set of coupled differential equations formed by a Fokker-Planck equation describing fission, and master equations for calculating particle evaporation. From these equations, we are able to determine multiplicities of prefission neutrons, protons and #alpha#-particles, their energy spectra and their angular momentum distributions. A comparison of our results with experimental data provides us with information regarding the reduced friction coefficient #beta#, the fission barrier height and the level density parameter. For different iridium isotopes, ("1"8"1","1"8"5","1"8"7Ir), "1"8"5Os and "1"5"8Er, we obtain as an upper limit #beta##<=#8.0x10"2"1 s"-"1. (orig.).
Void fraction measurements using neutron radiography
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Real-time neutron radiography is being evaluated for studying the dynamic behavior of two-phase flow and for measuring void fraction in vertical and inclined water ducts. This technique provides a unique means of visualizing the behavior of fluid flow inside thick metal enclosures. An air-water flow system was constructed to simulate vapor conditions encountered in a fluid flow duct. Air was injected into the bottom of the duct at flow rates up to 0.47 ell/s (1 ft"3/min). The water flow rate was varied between 0 and 3.78 ell/min (0 to 1 gal/min). The experiments were performed at the Pennsylvania State University nuclear reactor facility using a real-time neutron radiography camera. With a thermal neutron flux on the order of 10"6 n/cm"2#centre dot#s"-"1 directed through the thin duct dimension, the dynamic behavior of the air bubbles was clearly visible through 5-cm (2-in.)-thick aluminum support ...
1995-01-01
Study on the measurement method of diffusion coefficient for radon in the soil. 6
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
The aim of this study is to clarify the radon behavior in the soil at the waste rock yards of uranium mine. We have developed an apparatus for measuring radon diffusion coefficient in soil under the control of soil temperature. The radon diffusion coefficients changed suddenly around the soil temperature of 0degC. The radon diffusion coefficients in dry soil have little temperature dependency, and were comparable coefficients obtained by empirical formula of Rogers and Nielson. To study the restraint effect of radon exhalation by covering with bentonite on soil, we carried out the measurements and the calculations by using one-dimensional transport model of atmosphere and soil. The decrease of radon exhalation rate was 2.9 Bq m"-"2s"-"1 when soil covered with the bentonite of 5 cm thick. The radon concentrations in snow cover and the radon flux from the snow surface were measured at the waste rock yard in Ningyo-toge Environmental Engineering ...
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
The anodic reaction kinetics and interfacial mass transport of a direct polymer electrolyte membrane formic acid fuel cell have been investigated in an all solid-state electrochemical cell using a highly active nanostructured palladium-gold alloy microelectrode as an in situ probe. Well-defined 'S-shaped' steady-state cyclic voltammograms exhibiting current-rising region at lower overpotentials and limiting current region at higher overpotentials have been first obtained for the electrochemical oxidation of formic acid at varying temperature. The 'S-shaped' steady state polarization curves and chronoamperometric curves enable convenient measurements of the anodic reaction kinetics and interfacial mass transport of formic acid under real polymer electrolyte membrane conditions. It is encouragingly found that formic acid can be directly oxidized to CO2 with the first electron transfer being the likely rate-determining step and the formation of surface poison can be neglected. The ...
2009-07-30
Energy transfer in Y3Al5O12:Ce3+, Pr3+ and CaMoO4:Sm3+, Eu3+ phosphors
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Non-radiative energy transfers (ET) from Ce3+ to Pr3+ in Y3Al5O12:Ce3+, Pr3+ and from Sm3+ to Eu3+ in CaMoO4:Sm3+, Eu3+ are studied based on photoluminescence spectroscopy and fluorescence decay patterns. The result indicates an electric dipole-dipole interaction that governs ET in the LED phosphors. For Ce3+ concentration of 0.01 in YAG:Ce3+, Pr3+, the rate constant and critical distance are evaluated to be 4.5x10-36 cm6 s-1 and 0.81 nm, respectively. An increase in the red emission line of Pr3+ relative to the yellow emission band of Ce3+, on increasing Ce3+ concentration is observed. This behavior is attributed to the increase of spectral overlap integrals between Ce3+ emission and Pr3+ excitation due to the fact that the yellow band shifts to the red spectral side with increasing Ce3+ concentration. In CaMoO4:Sm3+, Eu3+, Sm3+-Eu3+ transfer occurs from 4G5/2 of Sm3+ to 5D0 of Eu3+. The rate constant of 8.5x10-40 cm6 ...
2011-03-01
Two stents insertion via single tract for treatment of hepatic hilar cholangiocarcinoma
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Objective: To evaluate the feasibility and clinical application of two stents insertion via single tract for treatment of hepatic hilar cholangiocarcinoma. Methods: Eighteen patients with hepatic hilar cholangiocarcinoma who had left and right bile duct obstruction were treated with stents insertion via right bile duct puncturing routeway. These two stents were implanted between right and left bile duct, and between right bile duct and common bile duct. Results: Eighteen patients obtained successful two stents placement by right bile duct puncturing tract and succeeded with internal drainage for all biliary tree jaundice subsided distinctly. Conclusions: The technique of two stents insertion via single tract could predigest interventional drainage procedure of high bile duct obstruction, reduce operation trauma, shorten handling time and possess promising application value
2003-12-01
Two dimensional NMR and NMR relaxation studies of coal structure
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
This report covers the progress made on the title project for the project period. Four major areas of inquiry are being pursued. Advanced solid state NMR methods are being developed to assay the distribution of the various important functional groups that determine the reactivity of coals. Special attention is being paid to methods that are compatible with the very high magic angle sample spinning rates needed for operation at the high magnetic field strengths available today. Polarization inversion methods utilizing the difference in heat capacities of small groups of spins are particularly promising. Methods combining proton-proton spin diffusion with [sup 13]C CPMAS readout are being developed to determine the connectivity of functional groups in coals in a high sensitivity relay type of experiment. Additional work is aimed at delineating the role of methyl group rotation in the proton NMR relaxation behavior of coals.
1992-11-25
Tumour affinity of [sup 203]Pb-chloride: comparison with [sup 67]Ga-citrate and [sup 201]Tl-chloride
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
[sup 203]Pb-chloride is a promising imaging agent for tumour scanning because of the large retention value for tumour tissue and the small value for normal organs, but the large value for the kidneys and bone is a shortcoming. The retention value of [sup 203]Pb in tumour tissue is larger than that of [sup 201]Tl and smaller than that of [sup 67]Ga. The tumour/inflammatory lesion retention ratio for [sup 203]Pb is very large in comparison with those for [sup 67]Ga and [sup 201]Tl. [sup 203]Pb accumulates to a large extent in viable tumour tissue, and less in necrotic tumour tissue and in inflammatory lesion. (author).
1994-01-01
Tribopolymerization as an anti-wear mechanism. Progress report
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
During the first phase of this project, significant progress was made in several of the connected issues that make up the objectives of this grant. The central thrust or theme of this work under the DOE/ERIP grant is to carry out prototype testing of the concept of tribopolymerization as a novel mechanism of boundary lubrication--under more severe, high-load, high-speed conditions that are most likely to exist in field applications. The authors see this as an important step in attracting industries to license and market the results of this new technology. In addition, they have began to explore other potential, energy-saving applications of the concept of tribopolymerization. These exploratory studies are quite promising; they are likely to open new doors in industrial applications. To carry out the experimental part of this program, a new device has been built. Highlights of these and other developments are given.
1995-12-01
Treatment feasibility of the radioactive liquid waste originated from MOX fuel characterization
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Different types of radioactive liquid waste are being generated at Advanced Fuel Fabrication Facility (AFFF), Tarapur during the quality control analysis of the mixed oxide (MOX) fuel pellets. A laboratory scale study was performed for treatment of such waste. Some of the waste streams originating from U and Pu analysis contain components like sulphate and phosphate which interfere during chemical precipitation of alpha activity from the waste. Various chemical co-precipitation experiments were conducted based on alkaline precipitation. Reductive precipitation using sodium sulphite and Fe(II) was found to be promising and the same was suggested for plant scale treatment. (author)
2011-02-22
The development of fast breeder reactors
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Modern civilisation is based on substantial utilisation of energy. Rapid industrial development and improvement of living standards in India require energy planners to adequately forecast the energy demand and take appropriate measures in advance. However, the development and establishment of new technology is a slow process, sometimes extending over decades. Hence, energy options based on new technologies need to be planned for much in advance making allowance for uncertainties and delays. Fast Breeder Reactor (FBR) technology is an advanced energy option promising abundant and economic supply of power. Research and development work on FBRs has been conducted at the Indira Gandhi Centre of Atomic Research (IGC) since 1971. The international trends in FBR development are highlighted in this discussion and an overview of some of the research activities at IGC is presented. (author). 8 refs., 7 tab s.
The Advanced Loose Parts Monitoring System (ALPS) and wavelet analysis
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
The Advanced Loose Parts monitoring System (ALPS), is installed in each Unit of Paks NPP. Its characteristics and some interesting results are presented. Wavelet analysis is being introduced to data evaluation techniques. The short-time Fourier transform and the continuous wavelet transform techniques have been used to present the time signal in a time-frequency and time-scale plane. Characteristic frequencies of the physical acoustic system and the growing frequencies of spectrum components during the start-up of the main coolant pumps are clearly seen on those pictures. The newly applied wavelet coherence promises to find new oscillation in the pair of signals, which remain hidden in time-dependent autospectra. (author)
British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)
We revisit a recently proposed agent-based model of active biological motion and compare its predictions with own experimental findings for the speed distribution of bacterial cells, Salmonella typhimurium. Agents move according to a stochastic dynamics and use energy stored in an internal depot for metabolism and active motion. We discuss different assumptions of how the conversion from internal to kinetic energy d(v) may depend on the actual speed, to conclude that d 2 v ? with either ? = 2 or 1 ? < 2 are promising hypotheses. To test these, we compare the model?s prediction with the speed distribution of bacteria which were obtained in media of different nutrient concentration and at different times. We find that both hypotheses are in line with the experimental observations, with ? bet...
2011-01-01
British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)
Background: Healthcare providers and their IT staff, working in an effort to balance appropriate accessibility with stricter security mandates, are considering the use of a single network sign-on approach for authentication and password management. Single sign-on (SSO) promises to improve usability of authentication for multiple-system users, increase compliance, and help curb system maintenance costs. However, complexities are introduced when SSO is placed within a collaborative environment. These complexities include unanticipated workflow implications that introduce greater security vulnerability for the individual user. Objectives and methodology: In this work, we examine the challenges of implementing a single sign-on authentication technology in a hospital environment. The aim of the...
2011-01-01
Targeting the nicotinic alpha7 acetylcholine receptor to enhance cognition in disease
British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)
A promising drug target currently under investigation to improve cognitive deficits in neuropsychiatric and neurological disorders is the neuronal nicotinic alpha7 acetylcholine receptor (a7nAChR). Improving cognitive impairments in diseases such as Alzheimer's (AD) and schizophrenia remains a large unmet medical need, and the a7nAChR has many properties that make it an attractive therapeutic target. The a7nAChR is a ligand gated ion channel that has particularly high permeability to Ca^2^+ and is expressed in key brain regions involved in cognitive processes (e.g., hippocampus). The a7nAChRs are localized both pre-synaptically, where they can regulate neurotransmitter release, and post-synaptically where they can activate intracellular signaling cascades and influence downstream processes...
2011-01-01
Structures and properties of functional metal iodates
British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)
Metal iodates with a lone-pair containing I(V) that is in an asymmetric coordination geometry can form a diversity of unusual structures and many of them are promising new second homonic generation (SHG) materials. They exhibit wide transparency wavelength regions, large SHG coefficients and high optical-damage thresholds as well as moderately high thermal stability. In this paper, the structures and properties of the metal iodates are reviewed. The combination of d0 transition-metal cations with the iodate groups afforded a large number of metal iodates, with cations covering alkali metal, alkaline earth and lanthanide elements. Many of them are noncentrosymmetric (NCS) and display excellent SHG properties due to the additive effects of polarizations from both types of the asymmetric unit...
2011-01-01
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Thermohydrogen treatment effect on microstructure and mechanical properties is studied for a cast heat resistant pseudo-#alpha#-titanium alloy Ti-6242 (Ti-6Al-2Sn-4Zn-2Mo) widely used as a heat resistant material with operating temperature up to 500 deg C. It is shown that reversible hydrogen alloying is a promising alternative to thermomechanical treatment for transformation of (#alpha#+#beta#)-titanium alloy structure. The application of thermohydrogen treatment is noted to be of particular efficiency for shaped casting technology as it allows a noticeable increase of mechanical properties at a lower cost. The alloy after thermohydrogen treatment and subsequent heat treatment in the (#alpha#+#beta#) - range possesses high values of yield strength fatigue properties, creep resistance and has a satisfactory ductility. A consideration is also given to thermohydrogen treatment effect on fatigue crack propagation and impact strength
Structural material trends in future power plants
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Future power plants will be more fuel efficient, environmentally benign, and economical than current power plants. A high performance power system (HIPPS), based on a coal-fired combined cycle, is currently being developed. The corrosion and temperature-strength properties of currently available metallic materials limit the maximum efficiency of this cycle. Recently, ceramic matrix composites have shown promise in overcoming the design limitations on the future power plants. In particular, the high-temperature, and corrosion and erosion resistant properties of continuous fiber ceramic composites (CFCCs) will allow engineers to design high-temperature heat exchangers, cyclone vortex finder tubes, and other components. Research being performed to evaluate candidate materials for use in future power plants is discussed.
2000-07-01
Status report on the fusion breeder
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
The rationale for hybrid fusion-fission reactors is the production of fissile fuel for fission reactors. A new class of reactor, the fission-suppressed hybrid promises unusually good safety features as well as the ability to support 25 light-water reactors of the same nuclear power rating, or even more high-conversion-ratio reactors such as the heavy-water type. One 4000-MW nuclear hybrid can produce 7200 kg of /sup 233/U per year. To obtain good economics, injector efficiency times plasma gain (eta/sub i/Q) should be greater than 2, the wall load should be greater than 1 MW m/sup -2/, and the hybrid should cost less than 6 times the cost of a light-water reactor. Introduction rates for the fission-suppressed hybrid are unusually rapid.
1980-12-12
Spark ignition natural gas engines-A review
British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)
Natural gas is a promising alternative fuel to meet strict engine emission regulations in many countries. Natural gas engines can operate at lean burn and stoichiometric conditions with different combustion and emission characteristics. In this paper, the operating envelope, fuel economy, emissions, cycle-to-cycle variations in indicated mean effective pressure and strategies to achieve stable combustion of lean burn natural gas engines are highlighted. Stoichiometric natural gas engines are briefly reviewed. To keep the output power and torque of natural gas engines comparable to those of their gasoline or Diesel counterparts, high boost pressure should be used. High activity catalyst for methane oxidation and lean deNOx system or three way catalyst with precise air-fuel ratio control str...
2007-01-01
Single dilepton production at e"+e"-, e#gamma#, and #gamma##gamma# colliders
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
We calculate the cross sections for the single production of doubly charged dileptons, both scalar and vector, at e"+e"-, e#gamma#, and #gamma##gamma# colliders at #sq root#s =500 GeV and 1 TeV. The e#gamma# mode is by far the most promising---dileptons whose coupling is as weak as #approx#10"-"4#alpha#_e_m can be observed, for masses virtually up to the kinematic limit. Dileptons of mass up to #sq root#s can also be seen in e"+e"- and #gamma##gamma# colliders, for couplings of order #alpha#_e_m. In all three colliders, most of the cross section comes from events in which the only particles detected are e"-e"- (or #mu#"-#mu#"- or #tau#"-#tau#"-), the decay products of the dilepton, yielding an unmistakable experimental signature.
Sensitization and radiation hardening of the photostimulable X-ray storage phosphor CsBr:Eu2+
British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)
The X-ray storage phosphor CsBr:Eu2+ in form of needle image plates is believed to be a promising alternative to the granular BaFBr:Eu2+ with regard to PSL yield and spatial resolution. Unfortunately, CsBr:Eu2+ exhibits poor radiation hardness, which is caused by a migration of europium ions initiated by naturally existing defect centers like (Eu2+-VCs)-centers and X-ray generated MEu-centers. It will be shown that the formation of (Eu2+-O2?)-dipoles at the expense of (Eu2+-VCs)-dipoles, incorporated by thermal annealing in O2-containing and humid atmosphere, does not improve the radiation stability. There is, however, a strong improvement in the radiation hardness by codoping of CsBr:Eu2+ with lithium ions, which is accompanied by a complete suppression of the previously observed MEu-cent...
2009-01-01
Robotics in pediatric surgery: perspectives for imaging
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Robotic surgery will give surgeons the ability to perform essentially tremorless microsurgery in tiny spaces with delicate precision and may enable procedures never before possible on children, neonates, and fetuses. Collaboration with radiologists, engineers, and other scientists will permit refinement of image-guided technologies and allow the realization of truly remarkable concepts in minimally invasive surgery. While robotic surgery is now in clinical use in several surgical specialties (heart bypass, prostate removal, and various gastrointestinal procedures), the greatest promise of robotics lies in pediatric surgery. We will briefly review the history and background of robotic technology in surgery, discuss its present benefits and uses and those being explored, and speculate on the future, with attention to the current and potential involvement of imaging modalities and the role of image guidance. (orig.)
2004-06-01
British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)
We present a novel fabrication route yielding Raney-platinum film electrodes intended as glucose oxidation anodes for potentially implantable fuel cells. Fabrication roots on thermal alloying of an extractable metal with bulk platinum at 200^oC for 48h. In contrast to earlier works using carcinogenic nickel, we employ zinc as potentially biocompatible alloying partner. Microstructure analysis indicates that after removal of extractable zinc the porous Raney-platinum film (roughness factor ~2700) consists predominantly of the Pt3Zn phase. Release of zinc during electrode operation can be expected to have no significant effect on physiological normal levels in blood and serum, which promises good biocompatibility. In contrast to previous anodes based on hydrogel-bound catalyst particles the ...
2010-01-01
RF conditioned dc discharges for excitation of rare gas halide lasers. Final report
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Results of experiments performed utilizing high-power microwave sources for laser-discharge switching and preionization are reported. These results are not definitive, but are promising. Significant preionization using microwaves is possible. Some ability to switch the discharge and operate a laser have been demonstrated. More work needs to be performed to perfect the microwave coupling to the laser mixture. In particular, experiments with the microwaves better concentrated between the electrodes should be performed. The best way to accomplish this appears to be using the side-feed geometry; however, a large expansion of the microwaves should occur (to well below the power able to break down the window), and then a cylindrical lens should be used to focus the microwaves between the electrodes. 2 references.
1983-01-01
Pyro-chemistry within the FP7 ACSEPT Project-Program and Objective
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Actinide recycling by partitioning and transmutation is considered as one of the most promising strategies to reduce the inventory of radioactive waste, thus contributing to make nuclear energy sustainable. To make advances beyond the current state of the art in pyrochemical separations processes, the Domain 2 (DM2) of ACSEPT has been built on considering a process approach based on system studied. Four work packages that represent the main steps of a process block diagram have been identified: head-end steps, core process development, and salt treatment for recycling and waste conditioning. The results obtained in this domain will be integrated in DM 3 (Process) in order to orientate the R and D studies of DM2 and to propose and validate flowsheets at the end of the project. The state of the art on pyrochemical separation within the European Community and the working program of ACSEPT in pyrometallurgy are presented in this work. (authors)
2008-07-01
Pulsed Radiofrequency Ablation for Residual and Phantom Limb Pain: A Case Series
British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)
Abstract Residual limb pain (RLP) and phantom limb pain (PLP) can be debilitating and can prevent functional gains following amputation. High correlations have been reported between RLP and the stump neuromas following amputation. Many treatment methods including physical therapy, medications, and interventions, have been used with limited success. Pulsed radiofrequency ablation (PRFA) has shown promise in treating neuropathic pain because of the inhibition of evoked synaptic activity. We present 4 amputees who were treated with PRFA after failing conservative management for their RLP and PLP. All 4 patients underwent PRFA and demonstrated at least 80% relief of RLP for over 6 months. One patient reported a complete resolution of phantom sensation while another patient had significantly de...
2010-01-01
British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)
Gas nitridation has shown excellent promise to form dense, electrically conductive and corrosion-resistant Cr-nitride surface layers on Ni-Cr base alloys for use as proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) bipolar plates. Due to the high cost of nickel, Fe-base bipolar plate alloys are needed to meet the cost targets for many PEMFC applications. Unfortunately, nitridation of Fe-base stainless steel alloys typically leads to internal Cr-nitride precipitation rather than the desired protective surface nitride layer formation, due to the high permeability of nitrogen in these alloys. This paper reports the finding that it is possible to form a continuous, protective Cr-nitride (CrN and Cr2N) surface layer through nitridation of Fe-base stainless steel alloys. The key to form a protective Cr...
2007-01-01
Progress and problems in the chemistry of technetium-99m tracers
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
The recent acceleration of effort to elucidate and explore the coordination chemistry of technetium has been prompted mainly by the need for a new generation of radiotracers in nuclear medicine, preferentially for tomograhic studies. Current approaches and their limitations in designing "9"9"mTc complexes capable of penetrating cell membranes of the target organs, and remaining there sufficiently long, are reviewed. With the predominance of Tc(V) oxo compounds, especially for brain imaging agents, new N4 and N2S2 coordinate complexes have been developed by shifting from bidentate to tetradentate ligands with a variable side chain or other adjustable reactivity. The search for myocardial imaging agents has focused on a variety of mixed ligand complexes of Tc(III) and most promising [Tc(CNR)_6]"+ complexes of Tc(I). 64 refs. (author).
Programming resistive switching memory by a charged capacitor
British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)
Resistive switching memory is a very promising technology for emerging nonvolatile memory applications. Generally, the switching behavior is triggered by a sweep or pulse voltage. In this paper, a charged capacitor is proposed to be used as the external electrical source to program a resistive switching element. From theoretical analyses based on a set behavior model, the capacitor approach can program the device efficiently. Compared with sweep or pulse mode, capacitor driving method can greatly reduce over-programming after the set event, and thus improve the resistance uniformity. The experimental results performed on Cu/ZrO2:Cu/Pt device support this conclusion quite well. The proposed methodology has great value for achieving a reliable resistive switching, which is important for high...
2011-01-01
Proceedings of the phytoremediation technical seminar
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
The research and development efforts regarding phytoremediation technologies were the main focus of this conference. Phytoremediation is the term for any applied process that uses green plants and their associated microorganisms for remediating contaminated soils and groundwater. The 12 papers presented at this conference provided guidance on recommended requirements for the successful implementation of specific phytoremediation technologies. The mechanisms of phytoremediation for petroleum hydrocarbons were also described. Phytoremediation technologies are divided into two major classes including contaminant removal and contaminant stabilization. Several studies have shown that phytoremediation is effective in degrading, containing and transferring petroleum hydrocarbons in soil and groundwater. Phytoremediation has shown to hold promise for the effective and inexpensive cleanup of various hazardous wastes. refs., tabs., figs.
Platinum-based ternary catalysts for low temperature fuel cells. Part 2. Electrochemical properties
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
The development of high performance electrode materials is currently one of the main activities in the field of the low temperature fuel cells, fuelled with H{sub 2}/CO or low molecular weight alcohols. A promising way to attain higher catalytic performance is to add a third element to the best binary catalysts actually used as anode and cathode materials. In Part I of this review an overview of the preparation and structural characteristics of Pt-based ternary catalysts was presented. This part of the review deals with the electrochemical properties of these catalysts regarding their CO tolerance and electrocatalytic activity for methanol and ethanol oxidation in the case of anode materials, and their activity for oxygen reduction and stability in fuel cell conditions when used as cathode materials. (author)
2007-07-31
Physical properties of wood-polyester composites prepared by an electron beam accelerator
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Polyester WPC (wood-polymer composite) systems are one of the promising materials for multiple uses increasing the mechanical properties, provided that their dimensional stability can be improved. Possibility was pursued for the improvement in the dimensional stability of the polyester WPC systems prepared by electron beam irradiation. The impregnation of the mixture of polyester and monomer into both oven-dried beech veneers and preswollen wood was followed by mutual irradiation process. Polymerization was carried out at total dosage of 6 Mrad to the respective surfaces of samples by an electron beam accelerator, and the reaction was completed by heating at 80 deg C for 24 hr. The dimensions of the samples were measured primarily in the tangential direction, and their dynamic modulus and loss modulus were measured by a Rheovibron DDV-2 and the vibrating reed method. The results and the discussion are given for the reaction mode of polyester-monomer systems in wood ...
1981-01-01
Physical properties of wood-polyester composites prepared by an electron beam accelerator
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Polyester WPC (wood-polymer composite) systems are one of the promising materials for multiple uses increasing the mechanical properties, provided that their dimensional stability can be improved. Possibility was pursued for the improvement in the dimensional stability of the polyester WPC systems prepared by electron beam irradiation. The impregnation of the mixture of polyester and monomer into both oven-dried beech veneers and preswollen wood was followed by mutual irradiation process. Polymerization was carried out at total dosage of 6 Mrad to the respective surfaces of samples by an electron beam accelerator, and the reaction was completed by heating at 80 deg C for 24 hr. The dimensions of the samples were measured primarily in the tangential direction, and their dynamic modulus and loss modulus were measured by a Rheovibron DDV-2 and the vibrating reed method. The results and the discussion are given for the reaction mode of polyester-monomer systems in wood ...
1980-09-01
Photodestruction of explosives in process water
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Photodestruction has received much attention in recent years. In particular, titanium dioxide (TiO{sub 2}) and ozonolysis have attained a position of prominence. These technologies hold promise for the destruction of trace amounts of aqueous high explosives that are generated by load and pack operations, as well as demilitarization activities. Currently this water is treated by passing through a bed of activated carbon. The carbon is then steam regenerated and reused, thus creating a second waste stream which must be disposed of, or the carbon is burned directly. Recent trends in environmental regulation have shown that this may not be a viable option for process water remediation in the future. This talk will discuss efforts to employ alternate aqueous treatment techniques that not only remove the explosives compounds but are able to transform the parent compound into carbon dioxide and water. Titanium dioxide photocatalysis as well as UV-ozone photolysis will be ...
1995-12-31
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Metals for potential use in the dissociator and the synthesizer reactors of a distributed solar receiver thermochemical transport loop utilizing SO/sub 3//SO/sub 2//O/sub 2/ molecular chemistry were tested in SO/sub 2//O/sub 2/ mixtures at 500/sup 0/C and 900/sup 0/C, respectively, for times of up to four weeks. They included titanium, aluminum and nickel, and iron-base, nickel-base and cobalt-base superalloys. Weight gain measurements determine the oxidation/sulfidation kinetics. Electron microprobe analysis identifies any possible penetration of oxygen and sulfur into the metal and the formation of internal oxides and sulfides. The most promising candidates as a result of these tests are the cobalt-base superalloys.
1985-06-01
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Cuphea, a relatively unknown plant outside the scientific community, might someday provide valuable oils for manufacturing soaps, detergents, surfactants, and lubricants, and may have medical, nutritional and dietetic applications as well. Unique properties of oils found in its seed make cuphea a potentially valuable new crop for the USA. Its seeds contain large quantities of medium-chain fatty acids such as lauric acid, which is used in manufacturing soaps and detergents. Other medium-chain fatty acids in cuphea can be used for clinical treatment of rare human ailments associated with fat absorption. New uses for the fatty acids in the seed may be developed and economic conditions may change, making the crop more or less valuable.
1986-02-01
Natural convection cooling of liquid metal systems
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
The recognition that natural convection offers the prospect of an important inherent safety feature for liquid metal cooled reactor systems has provided the impetus for a world-wide research effort over the past decade. Whilst this research has been based on experiment, both plant experiments and out-of-pile experiments, the enormous advances in the development of computing power in recent years have enabled complementary programmes of mathematical modelling through numerical simulation of the transport equations in three spatial dimensions. These not only offer considerable promise for the designer in projecting the behaviour from experiments and prototype plant to full scale plant, they have also proved to be of considerable value in helping us to interpret and understand the results of the experiments themselves. This paper attempts to review the progress made with the emphasis on decay heat removal by natural convection in the pool-type system. (author).
Mathematical modelling of air pollution in the Athens basin
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
This paper presents research work concerning the mathematical modelling of air pollution in the Athens basin. A mathematical model based on aerodynamics and conservation equations together with turbulence modelling in body-fitted coordinates is used to provide the necessary input information to a similar but more detailed (i.e. small scale) model around Athens. Both models consist of solving the full Navier-Stokes equations and take into account the precise topography of the region. Different roughness heights are used for sea, coastal regions and land. The smaller scale model makes use of a two-equation turbulence model ({kappa}-{epsilon}) and the large scale model assumes a constant turbulence viscosity. The pollutant sources used in these models are based on actual emissions in the Athens area and are distributed in space. The results of this work appear promising and demonstrate the capability of the model as a tool for providing flow fields and pollution ...
1991-12-31
Lipiodol solution of a lipophilic agent, {sup 188}Re-TDD, for the treatment of liver cancer
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Radiolabeled lipiodol has been used for targeting liver cancer. We developed a lipiodol solution of {sup 188}Re-TDD (2,2,9,9-tetramethyl-4,7-diaza-1,10-decanedithiol) and investigated its feasibility for the treatment of liver cancer. The lipiodol solution of {sup 188}Re-TDD was well-retained in the lipiodol phase in vitro. After injection through the tail veins of mice, high lung-uptake was investigated which is evidence of embolizing activity. We also found high accumulation in hepatoma after injection through the hepatic arteries of hepatoma-bearing rats. In conclusion, the lipiodol solution of {sup 188}Re-TDD is a promising agent for liver cancer therapy.
2001-02-01
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
A food supplement containing fish oils, urtica dioica, zinc, and vitamin E (Phytalgic) for osteoarthritis (OA) has now been tested in a placebo-controlled trial for 3 months and according to the authors has a very large clinical effect, considerably larger than that of any other known product. Even experts endorsing nutraceuticals for OA symptoms would probably agree that a nutraceutical with an effect size above 0.5 is rarely seen. Despite our concerns about the fact that trial registration took place after the study was completed and the likelihood that patients would note the taste of fish, a circumstance that would lead to detection bias, we consider these data promising though with a high risk of bias.
2010-01-01
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Means of intensifying heat transfer with nucleate boiling, based on boiling under constrained conditions (in slots, on a capillary-porous surface) are the most promising since a high intensity of heat transfer is ensured. In the present work we attempt to evolve the main assumptions for the physical model of the process of vapour formation under constrained conditions and to extend them to the boiling of cryogenic liquids on surfaces with a capillary-porous deposit; also, the results are given of experimental investigations of heat transfer with the boiling of nitrogen, oxygen and hydrogen at atmospheric perssures and below on capillary-porous surfaces of various metals of different structure produced by an electric arc method of gasothermal spray coating.
1980-01-01
Improvement of coke quality by utilization of hydrogenation residue
Hydrogenation residue is the product left over when petroleum residue feedstocks (or coal) are treated by, e.g. the Veba Combi Cracking (VCC) process. Many tests in semitechnical and full-sized coke ovens were carried out with hydrogenation residue (HR) as an additive in coking coal blends for the production of blast furnace coke or foundry coke. The results of the investigations reported in this paper demonstrate that HR is a very promising alternative for enlarging the coking coal basis compared to other processes or the use of other additives. The application of HR on an industrial scale did not indicate any negative impact on the handling of the hydrogenation residue or on the operation of the coke oven battery.
1993-01-01
High-fidelity entanglement swapping with fully independent sources
Entanglement swapping allows to establish entanglement between independent particles that never have interacted nor share a common past. This feature makes it an integral constituent of quantum repeaters and a promising tool for future tests of the foundations of quantum physics. Here, we demonstrate entanglement swapping with time-synchronized independent sources with a fidelity high enough to violate a Clauser-Horne-Shimony-Holt (CHSH) inequality by more than four standard deviations. The fact that both entangled photon pairs are created by fully independent laser sources, which are only electronically connected, ensures that this technique is suitable for future long-distance entanglement swapping and quantum-repeater experiments.
2008-01-01
British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)
Cytoreductive conditioning regimes designed to allow for successful allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) paradoxically are also detrimental to recovery of the immune system in general but lymphopoiesis in particular. Post-transplant immune depletion is particularly striking within the T cell compartment which is exquisitely sensitive to negative regulation, evidenced by the profound decline in thymic function with age. As a consequence, regeneration of the immune system remains a significant unmet clinical need. Over the past decade studies have revealed several promising therapeutic strategies to address ineffective lymphopoiesis and post-transplant immune deficiency. These include the use of cytokines such as IL-7, IL-12 and IL-15; growth factors and hormones li...
2011-01-01
British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)
Abstract Flame retardants (FRs) are used for in protection against fire. Organic inorganic hybrids could become one of the most promising FR solution in the future. In this paper, the synthesis, the characterization and the use as FRs and filler of grafted titania and alumina with 2 chloroethylphosphonic acid are presented. These hybrids contain 3.8 3.24% P and have good flame retardance when they are incorporated into unsaturated polyester resins. Alumina treated with 2 chloroethylphosphonic acid performed better than titania. The advantage of this approach is the use of these hybrid materials as filler and FR, in the same time, and the increase in flame retardancy by synergistic effect between alumina phosphorus and chlorine, for unsaturated polyester resins. Copyright 2010 John Wiley & ...
2010-01-01
British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)
Abstract A highly efficient enzyme immobilization method has been developed for electrochemical biosensors using polydopamine films with gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) embedded. This simple enzyme fabrication method can be performed in very mild conditions and stored in a long time with high bioactivity. The fabricated amperometric glucose biosensor exhibited a high and reproducible sensitivity, wide linear dynamic range and low limit of detection (LOD) (0.1 molL-1). A low value of 1.5 mmolL-1 for the apparent Michaelis-Menten constant KappM was obtained. The high sensitivity, wide linear range, good reproducibility and stability make this biosensor a promising candidate for portable amperometric glucose biosensor.
2010-01-01
Flywheel rotor and containment technology development, FY83
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
The Department of Energy decided to terminate the Flywheel Rotor and Containment Technology Development project during FY 1983. Activities this year included fabrication, inspection, and test evaluation of rotor and containment structures. A peak energy of 700 Wh was stored at an energy density of 70 Wh/kg. In cyclic tests, 10,000 cycles from design speed to half speed were logged without failure. The first test of a lightweight containment structure indicates the need for additional development. In complementary studies, production cost estimates were made for three flywheel designs. In a cooperative program with the University of Wisconsin, work began on construction of a flywheel/continuously variable transmission/heat engine car which promises fuel economy improvements of up to 100%. Suggestions are made for the direction of future work when interest in flywheel system reappears.
1983-09-12
British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)
The author analyzes conference materials, emphasizing the studies and latest developments useful for industrial heterogeneous catalysis in view of the requirements of green chemistry. Industrial catalysts is developing along a nanometer scale, so especial attention is devoted to analyzing the reports in the Nanochemistry section on the creation of nanocatalysts, the production of active phase nanoparticles, and the formation of new synthesized material properties. The catalysts developed earlier by Russian research in cooperation with Belarusian scientists are considered, and it is shown that not only are expensive nanocontacts extremely promising for industry, but the efficient and economic low-percentage new generation of nanocatalysts synthesized by wet chemistry and containing nanopart...
2010-01-01
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
In the paper presented, an attempt is made to describe quantitatively the room air motion by diffuse air distribution. Since solving the problem theoretically, seems to be hopeless at present, only an experimental solution seems to promise success. Experiments with diffuse air distribution offer suitable preconditions. With this kind of air introduction into the room, a relatively regular distribution of room air motion can be expected. A further simplification will be achieved by isotherme flow conditions. The first goal of the experiments was to establish whether the velocities measured are reproducible to demonstrate, and can be brought into a functional connection. The room air motion is a measured value which changes temporarily and locally quite largely, far more than is customary with technical measurements. From there, a second task arises, i.e. to evaluate the fluctuation of the velocity registered by its quantity in an appropriate measurement. (orig.).
1985-08-01
British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)
BACKGROUND: High levels of g-aminobutyric acid (GABA) accumulate in plant tissues under various stresses. GABA accumulation is also influenced by cultivar. This aim of this study was to select the most promising cultivar of fava bean for GABA accumulation and to optimise the culture conditions for GABA production in germinated fava beans by response surface methodology based on central composite design (CCD). RESULTS: GABA content and glutamate decarboxylase activity in germinated seeds of cultivar S2 were significantly higher than those in other cultivars (P < 0.05). A significant negative correlation (r = -0.765, P < 0.05) between germination percentage and 1000-kernel weight was observed. There was a linear relationship between GABA content and sprout length (R2 = 0.816). The regression...
2010-01-01
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Tricking filters are a very promising alternative for the post treatment of effluents from UASB reactors treating domestic sewage,especially in developing countries. Although a fair amount of information is already available regarding organic mater removal in this combined system, very little is known in relation to nitrogen and surfactant removal in trickling filters post-UASB reactors. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to evaluate and compare the effect evaluate and compare the effect of different application rates and packing media types on trickling filters applied to the post-treatment of effluents from UASB reactors, regarding the removal of ammonia nitrogen and surfactants. (Author)
EPRI-USDOE COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT: COFIRING BIOMASS WITH COAL
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
The entire Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) cofiring program has been in existence of some 9 years. This report presents a summary of the major elements of that program, focusing upon the following questions: (1) In pursuit of increased use of renewable energy in the US economy, why was electricity generation considered the most promising target, and why was cofiring pursued as the most effective near-term technology to use in broadening the use of biomass within the electricity generating arena? (2) What were the unique accomplishments of EPRI before the development of the Cooperative Agreement, which made developing the partnership with EPRI a highly cost-effective approach for USDOE? (3) What were the key accomplishments of the Cooperative Agreement in the development and execution of test and demonstration programs-accomplishments which significantly furthered the process of commercializing cofiring?
2001-09-01
Die Umsetzung von Studienergebnissen in die klinische Praxis - Beispiel Kardiologie
British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)
Summary A prospective and randomized trial design is of utmost interest when it comes to evaluating new developments in the management of cardiovascular medicine. By defining the primary end point and a profound related statistic new therapeutic options can be tested with an adequate number of patients. The course of the trial is supervised by a Clinical Events Committee and a Data and Safety Monitoring Board. Registries are promising tools for describing how the results of clinical trials are translated into daily practice. Their drawbacks include lack of control of the clinical endpoints and their uniform definition and lack of a control group. There are numerous examples from cardiology of the limited usefulness of data obtained from registry studies with their often unexpected results ...
2009-01-01
Development of titanium diboride coatings deposited by PACVD
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
TiB{sub 2} appears to be a promising material for the wear protection in various tribological systems, e.g. the diecasting of Al. This study focuses on the development of titanium boride coatings deposited by PACVD, a deposition method which is most suitable for the coating of substrates with complex shapes. All layers analysed are very smooth and exhibit a quasi-amorphous fracture surface. XRD and TEM analysis indicate a nanocrystalline structure with grain sizes in the order of 2 nm. The diffraction patterns can well be correlated to titanium diboride. WDS reveals an over stoichiometric B/Ti ratio. The layer hardness reaches the value of 33 GPa and the critical load in scratch tests rises to 35 N. Neither 100Cr6 nor Al as a counterpart in pin-on-disk tests leads to wear of the coating. (orig.)
2000-09-01
Development of nanocomposites for anode materials in Li-ion batteries
British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)
Abstract Nanocomposites based on SnO2 with carbon scaffold were used as highly porous anode films on Ni substrates. The films were obtained by in situ deposition of the particles without any binder or excess carbon black avoiding any secondary treatment. Compared to similarly prepared uncoated SnO2 nanoparticles as well as conventionally prepared powder samples the capacity loss of the in situ deposited nanocomposite films is significantly reduced. Thus, this newly developed anode material combined with in situ film formation is a promising approach for high capacity anodes in Li-ion batteries. SEM-micrograph of a SnO2/C nanoparticle film.
2011-01-01
Development of a robotics system for automated chemical analysis of sediment, sludges, and soils
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
The introduction of automation technology into the analytical laboratory holds the promise of higher efficiency, improved productivity, and lower costs. However, the conventional ''laboratory robot'' widely used today may not offer the work envelope or reliability required in a high workload laboratory performing quality control or environmental analytical services. To address this need, a demonstration workcell was assembled utilizing an industrial-class robotics system to automate a standard EPA acid digestion protocol. With further development of graphical user interfaces and error recovery software, the technology will significantly enhance the ability of laboratories to meet increasingly complex environmental demands. 7 refs., 2 figs., 1 tab.
1989-11-26
Development and Preliminary Validation of a New Measure to Assess Shame: The Shame Inventory
British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)
Research on the emotion of shame has increased significantly in recent years. However, there remains a need for more psychometrically sound measures of shame, including measures of shame in response to specific, idiographic experiences. The Shame Inventory was developed in order to assess both global feelings of shame as well as shame in response to specific life events or personal characteristics. Two studies were conducted to determine the preliminary psychometric properties of the Shame Inventory. Across both studies, results indicate that the inventory has high internal consistency, test-retest reliability, construct validity, and predictive validity. The Shame Inventory holds promise as a new measure designed to assess both global feelings of shame as well as specific shame-eliciting ...
2010-01-01
Developing defined culture systems for human pluripotent stem cells
British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)
Human pluripotent stem cells hold promising potential in many therapeutics applications including regenerative medicine and drug discovery. Over the past three decades, embryonic stem cell research has illustrated that embryonic stem cells possess two important and distinct properties: the ability to continuously self-renew and the ability to differentiate into all specialized cell types. In this article, we will discuss the continuing evolution of human pluripotent stem cell culture by examining requirements needed for the maintenance of self-renewal in vitro. We will also elaborate on the future direction of the field toward generating a robust and completely defined culture system, which has brought forth collaborations amongst biologists and engineers. As human pluripotent stem cell re...
2011-01-01
Cosmological Questions for the European Southern Observatory Very Large Telescope
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 ...
1996-01-01
Cathode materials for lithium rocking chair batteries
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Cathode materials for rechargeable rocking chair or lithium-ion batteries, are reviewed. The emphasis is placed on the comparison between specific capacities and rechargeability of lithium-containing high voltage cathode materials such as manganese oxides and LiMO{sub 2} compounds, where M is Co or Ni. It is generally found that the maximum reversible capacities for the most promising materials fall in the range 100-120 mAh/g, and decaying to around 75 mAh/g after several hundred cycles. The rechargeability is similar for the most commonly considered materials: LiMn{sub 2}O{sub 4}, LiCoO{sub 2} and LiNiO{sub 2}. No improvements in capacity or rechargeability, beyond what have been found for these materials, is observed by substitution of other elements into these compounds
1996-03-29
Catalytic oxidative conversion of alkanes to olefines and oxygenates
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
All of the direct reaction schemes described and the corresponding process schemes are still in an exploratory state. Ethylene by oxidative coupling of methane could become competitive if process schemes are developed with significantly less expenditures for separation of the product from unconverted feed. No encouragement for formaldehyde from methane can be presently derived from the existing knowledge. Liquid-phase oxidation of methane to methanol appears to be attractive but no final judgement is possible at present. Oxidative dehydrogenation of ethylene and propane look promising although further catalyst improvement is required. Acetic acid from ethane and acrylonitrile from propane have a certain potential as an alternative to present technology. The outlook for acrolein and acrylic acid from propane is less favourable; new concepts for catalyst design are necessary. (orig.)
1998-12-31
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
The need to increase efficiency of volumetric receivers for use in solar power plants by reducing reradiation losses and increasing the ``volumetric effect`` has promoted the idea of a receiver with tapered ducts. These seems to be very promising since higher efficiency and considerable saving of material can be achieved, as compared to conventional receivers perforated with ducts of constant cross-section. A finite element program is being developed to calculate stationary heat transfer in the tapered ducts by free and forced convection in the gas flow, conduction in walls and in the gas, and solar and thermal radiation. Gas and wall temperatures are considered to be varying only in the flow direction. In order to perform the highly nonlinear calculations of radiative exchange, the exact knowledge of the view factors is necessary. The aim of the present work is to evaluate analytically the view factors in tapered ducts.
1995-02-01
Bonding and microstructural stability in Ni55Ti45 studied by experimental and theoretical methods
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Spiral orbit tribometry friction tests performed on Ni-rich Ni55Ti45 titanium ball bearings indicate that this alloy is a promising candidate for future aerospace bearing applications. Microstructural characterization of the bearing specimens was performed using transmission electron microscopy and energy dispersive spectroscopy, with NiTi, Ni4Ti3, Ni3Ti, and Ni2Ti4Ox phases identified within the microstructure of the alloy. Density functional theory was applied to predict the electronic structure of the NixTiy phases, including the band structure and site projected density of states. Ultraviolet photoemission spectroscopy was used to verify the density of states results from the density functional theory calculations, with good agreement observed between experiment and theory.
2010-11-25
Biopolymer system for permeability modification in porous media
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
New technologies are needed to reduce the current high rate of well abandonment. Improved sweep efficiency, reservoir conformance, and permeability modification can have a significant impact on oil recovery processes. Microorganisms can be used to selectively plug high-permeability zones to improve sweep efficiency and impart conformance control. Studies of a promising microbial system for polymer production were conducted to evaluate reservoir conditions in which this system would be effective. Factors which can affect microbial growth and polymer production include salinity, pH, temperature, divalent ions, presence of residual oil, and rock matrix. Flask tests and coreflooding experiments were conducted to optimize and evaluate the effectiveness of this system. Nuclear magnetic resonance imaging (NMRI) was used to visualize microbial polymer production in porous media. Changes in fluid distribution within the pore system of the core were detected.
1995-12-31
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Analyses of food-borne pathogens are of great importance in order to minimize the health risk for customers. Thus, very sensitive and rapid detection methods are required. Current conventional culture techniques are very time consuming. Modern immunoassays and biochemical analysis also require pre-enrichment steps resulting in a turnaround time of at least 24 h. Biomagnetic separation (BMS) is a promising more rapid method. In this study we describe the isolation of high affine and specific peptides from a phage-peptide library, which combined with BMS allows the detection of Salmonella spp. with a similar sensitivity as that of immunomagnetic separation using antibodies.
2007-04-15
An overview of field-specific designs of microbial EOR
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
The selection and design of an MEOR process for application in a specific field involves geological, reservoir, and biological characterization. Microbially mediated oil recovery mechanisms (bigenic gas, biopolymers, and biosurfactants) are defined by the types of microorganisms used. The engineering and biological character of a given reservoir must be understood to correctly select a microbial system to enhance oil recovery. This paper discusses the methods used to evaluate three fields with distinct characteristics and production problems for the applicability of MEOR would not be applicable in two of the three fields considered. The development of a microbial oil recovery process for the third field appeared promising. Development of a bacterial consortium capable of producing the desired metabolites was initiated, and field isolates were characterized.
1995-12-31
An integrated nuclear electro-thermal engine concept for geostationary missions
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
A preliminary design for a nuclear electric 'Space Tug' is proposed for use in conjunction with the American Space Shuttle for high energy missions. The vehicle would employ a SNAP 10A/2 or SNAP 8 nuclear reactor derivative for its power supply and slush hydrogen as the working fluid for the electrothermal thrusters. A thermodynamic conversion cycle would be employed for electrical power generation, for which the hydrogen working fluid would perform the duty of the heat sink. The cycle would eliminate the need for heavy waste radiators and improve the overall thermal efficiency. The vehicle promises a considerable payload advantage over a chemical recoverable Tug for geostationary missions. (orig.).
1974-10-14
Algorithms for Internal Validation Clustering Measures in the Post Genomic Era
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 ...
2011-01-01
In the Advance Coal Liquefaction Concept Proposal (ACLCP) carbon monoxide (CO) and water have been proposed as the primary reagents in the pretreatment process. The main objective of this project is to develop a methodology for pretreating coal under mild conditions based on a combination of existing processes which have shown great promise in liquefaction, extraction and pyrolysis studies. The aim of this pretreatment process is to partially depolymerise the coal, eliminate oxygen and diminish the propensity for retograde reactions during subsequent liquefaction. The desirable outcome of the CO pretreatment step should be: (1) enhanced liquefaction activity and/or selectivity toward products of higher quality due to chemical modification of the coal structure; (2) cleaner downstream products; (3) overall improvement in operability and process economics.
1992-04-01
Advanced direct liquefaction concepts for PETC generic units
In the Advance Coal Liquefaction Concept Proposal (ACLCP) carbon monoxide (CO) and water have been proposed as the primary reagents in the pretreatment process. The main objective of this project is to develop a methodology for pretreating coal under mild conditions based on a combination of existing processes which have shown great promise in liquefaction, extraction and pyrolysis studies. The aim of this pretreatment process is to partially depolymerise the coal, eliminate oxygen and diminish the propensity for retograde reactions during subsequent liquefaction. The desirable outcome of the CO pretreatment step should be: (1) enhanced liquefaction activity and/or selectivity toward products of higher quality due to chemical modification of the coal structure; (2) cleaner downstream products; (3) overall improvement in operability and process economics.
1992-04-01
Adsorption of hexavalent chromium from aqueous solution by using activated red mud
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Adsorption by activated red mud (ARM) is investigated as a possible alternative to the conventional methods of Cr(VI) removal from aqueous synthetic solutions and industrial effluents. Adsorption characteristics suggest the heterogenous nature of the adsorbent surface sites with respect to the energy of adsorption. Various factors such as pH, contact time, Cr(VI) concentration, amount of adsorbent, and temperature are taken into account, and promising results are obtained. The applicability of the Langmuir as well as Freundlich adsorption isotherms for the present system is tested. The loading factor (i.e., milligrams Cr(VI) adsorbed per gram of ARM) increased with initial Cr(VI) concentration, whereas a negative trend was observed with increasing temperature. The influence of the addition of anions on the adsorption of Cr(VI) depends on the relative affinity of the anions for the surface and the relative concentrations of the anions.
1999-09-01
British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)
Abstract Micronutrient deficiencies are a public health concern among young children in low-income countries, and novel strategies are needed to improve the nutritional status of children at risk. One promising approach is the use of lipid-based nutrient supplements (LNS), which can be added to complementary food at the time of consumption. The optimal amount of zinc to include in LNS is uncertain, and concerns have been expressed about possible adverse effects of zinc on sensory characteristics of LNS. We conducted a series of acceptability studies of LNS containing either 0 or 10-mg of zinc per daily 20-g LNS dose among Burkinabe children 9-15 months old and their mothers. These acceptability studies included observations of children's consumption, maternal and child sensory reaction to ...
2011-01-01
A comparison of flue gas desulfurization processes
As coal becomes more and more important as a power plant fuel in this time of energy shortage and the combustion of high-sulfur coals that would impair air quality, efforts have been made to devise efficient processes to control sulfur dioxide emission. Besides desulfurization before combustion, flue gas desulfurization is considered the most promising method that could also be applicable to all other fossil fuels. In this article, the flue gas desulfurization processes are briefly reviewed, and processes with highest use and with high potential for future use are compared from technical and economical points of view. In the selection of a desulfurization process, it is very important to consider the capacity of the plant, fuel type and fuel-to-sulfur ratio, availability and price of the reagent to be used, type, price, and market of side products, disposal problems of wastes, and environmental factors.
2000-04-01
A chirped-pulse regenerative-amplifier FEL for the gamma-gamma collider
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
During a Workshop on Gamma-Gamma Colliders in Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory, it was pointed out that an 1-#mu#m laser that can produce 1-J, 1-ps pulses at a few hundred hertz is required. With high-power scalability and ease of formatting, an FEL can be a promising candidate for such a laser. The authors propose an FEL scheme based on chirped-pulsed regenerative amplification to achieve this high peak-power laser. The 1-ps pulse of a solid-state laser will be stretched, amplified, and recompressed to achieve the high peak power. The system is relatively simple and consists of mostly components that have already been demonstrated. This paper will describe the proposal and the important issues of such a scheme.
1995-05-01
A chirped-pulse regenerative-amplifier FEL for the gamma-gamma collider
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
During a Workshop on Gamma-Gamma Colliders in Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory, it was pointed out that an 1-{mu}m laser that can produce 1-J, 1-ps pulses at a few hundred hertz is required. With high-power scalability and ease of formatting, an FEL can be a promising candidate for such a laser. The authors propose an FEL scheme based on chirped-pulsed regenerative amplification to achieve this high peak-power laser. The 1-ps pulse of a solid-state laser will be stretched, amplified, and recompressed to achieve the high peak power. The system is relatively simple and consists of mostly components that have already been demonstrated. This paper will describe the proposal and the important issues of such a scheme.
1995-05-01
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