KoreaScience (Korea)

Full Text Available

Science.gov (United States)

... and operation of marine structures and to estimate coastal sediment transport. While the timely collection and report of high ... ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The idle speed of an internal combustion engine is controlled in response to a variable ignition timing control signal from a microcomputer. The microcomputer derives this control signal as a function of the magnitude of engine speed variation which occurs during engine idle periods to cause the ignition timing to vary quickly in response to a transitory engine load variation. An auxiliary air delivery system may be advantageously incorporated in the idle speed control system to cooperate with the ignition timing control in response to the engine speed variation.

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

Abstract Mammalian teeth exhibit incremental structures representing successive forming fronts of enamel at varying time scales, including a short daily increment called a cross striation and a long period called a stria of Retzius, the latter of which, in humans, occurs on average every 8-9 days. The number of daily increments between striae is called the repeat interval, which is the same period as that required to form one increment of bone, i.e. the lamella, the fundamental - if not archetypal - unit of bone. Lamellae of known formation time nevertheless vary in width, and thus their measures provide time-calibrated growth rate variability. We measured growth rate variability for as many as 6 years of continuously forming primary incremental lamellar bone from midshaft femur histologic...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

A central composite design was employed to optimize the extraction of pectin with citric acid. The independent variables were citric acid concentration (0.086-2.91% w/v) and extraction time (17-102min). The combined effect of these variables on the degree of esterification was investigated. Results have shown that the generated regression models adequately explained the data variation and significantly represented the actual relationship between the independent variables and the responses. Besides that, the citric acid concentration was the most important factor to affect the degree of esterification, as it exerted a significant influence on the dependent variable. Lower citric acid concentration increased the pectin degree of esterification. The surface response showed the relationships b...

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

BackgroundMost analyses of spatial clustering of disease have been based on either residence at the time of diagnosis or current residence. An underlying assumption in these analyses...Full Text Available

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

The primary objective of batch data as trajectory alignment (or synchronization) is to standardize the data sampling per batch according to the evolution of the process, and secondarily to homogenize the samples per run. The use of an indicator variable performs both objectives well. Two examples from the pharmaceutical sector are discussed to illustrate the different ways to deal with uneven samples across batches and across variables in the same batch. Since trajectory alignment requires large time investment, a simple triage approach is proposed to assess the need to analyze the dynamics of a given process and hence perform alignment. The presented examples are representative of a broad variety of batch processes that are operated by recipe in the pharmaceutical sector. In our experienc...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

Experiments based on a 23 central composite full factorial design were carried out in 200-ml stainless-steel containers to study the pretreatment, with dilute sulfuric acid, of a sugarcane bagasse sample obtained from a local sugar?alcohol mill. The independent variables selected for study were temperature, varied from 112.5?C to 157.5?C, residence time, varied from 5.0 to 35.0 min, and sulfuric acid concentration, varied from 0.0% to 3.0% (w/v). Bagasse loading of 15% (w/w) was used in all experiments. Statistical analysis of the experimental results showed that all three independent variables significantly influenced the response variables, namely the bagasse solubilization, efficiency of xylose recovery in the hemicellulosic hydrolysate, efficiency of cellulose enzymatic saccharificatio...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Energy productivity and energy intensity within the industrial sector of the economy are examined. Results suggest that relative prices and other economic factors can explain much of the variation in both energy productivity and energy intensity for manufacturing and mining and for the industrial sector as a whole. Cyclical factors, seasonal factors and trend variables are also useful in explaining variation in these data, both for annual and monthly time series. Of the variables examined, it appears that the relative price of energy is a highly significant factor in accounting for the difference between actual industrial energy intensity and that which might have been expected had pre-1973 trends continued.

Science.gov (United States)

RP-1 is a long-established hydrocarbon fuel that continues to be widely used as the kerosene component in rocket propulsion systems. The desire in recent years to use rocket motors many times, rather than a single time, has led to reformulations of RP-1. ...

CERN Document Server

We investigate the existence of time-periodic solutions of the Dirac equation in the Kerr-Newman background metric. To this end, the solutions are expanded in a Fourier series with respect to the time variable $t$ and the Chandrasekhar separation ansatz is applied so that the question of existence of a time-periodic solution is reduced to the solvability of a certain coupled system of ordinary differential equations. First, we prove the already known result that there are no time-periodic solutions in the non-extreme case. Then it is shown that in the extreme case for fixed black hole data there is a sequence of particle masses $(m_N)_{N\\in\\mathbb N}$ for which a time-periodic solution of the Dirac equation does exist. The period of the solution depends only on the data of the black hole described by the Kerr-Newman metric.

Science.gov (United States)

The real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) quantification of several vaginal bacterial groups in healthy women and patients developing asymptomatic bacterial vaginosis (BV) and candidiasis (CA) was performed. Statistical analysis revealed that the BV condition is characterised by a great variability among subjects and that it is associated with a significant increase of Prevotella, Atopobium, Veillonella and Gardnerella vaginalis, and a drop in Lactobacillus. On the contrary, the vaginal microflora of healthy women and patients developing CA was found to be homogeneous and stable over time. PMID:18762999

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

A pre-stack migration algorithm for elastic waves in two-dimensional variable-velocity media is developed, implemented, and tested. The algorithm operates in the time-space domain and is based on reverse-time finite-difference extrapolation of elastic waves. The algorithm is explained and demonstrated in the context of imaging of elastic vertical seismic profile data, but is applicable to any source-recorder geometry. Synthetic test examples include a point diffractor, laterally homogeneous layers, and the flank of a salt dome.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The catalytic liquefaction of a Chinese bituminous coal was simulated by artificial neural network. Three liquefaction variables, catalyst loading, reaction temperature and reaction time were used as inputs and tetrohydrofuran (THF) conversion and toluene (T) conversion were used as outputs. The artificial neural network, trained by the experimental data, could represent the liquefaction process, with a mean squared deviation of less than 0.025. 7 refs.,1 fig., 3 tabs.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Time-odd parton distribution functions in a Drell-Yan process are here studied by examining the evolution of the internal statistical properties of the interacting hadrons. Time-odd functions are shown to be a signature of the irreversible process in which a hadronic state characterized by long range correlation properties (hadronic phase) decays to produce a cloud of independent partons (partonic phase) because of initial/final state interactions. The relevant considered variable is the rate of increase of the entropy of the hadronic system. This quantity is shown to be roughly equal to the decay rate of the hadronic state. Conditions for getting a leading twist time-odd effect are established on this basis. Last, the relevant case of a large entropy increase associated with transverse-dominated initial/final state interactions is analyzed.

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

Because the state of a free-floating space robot model is uncertain and sudden changes in the model parameters might undermine the stability of the system, this paper proposes a control strategy based on a variable structure neural integrated controller. This scheme does not need a precise space robot model, making use of the radial basis function neural network ability approach to learn about an uncertain model. The network weights are adjusted online in real-time. During the early period of the control phase and parameter changes, the variable structure controller compensates for the uncertain model which the neural network could not learn well. It also creates global asymptotic stability for the whole closed-loop system. Simulation results show that the controller can handle bad changea...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

In this study, ethanol organosolv pretreatment was investigated and optimized for the pretreatment of empty palm fruit bunch using (1) response surface methodology based on three-variable central composite design and (2) the combined severity parameters. The reaction parameters studied were sulfuric acid concentration (0.5-2.0%), reaction temperature (160-200^oC) and residence time (45-90min). Both models provide valuable and complementary informations: using combined severity parameters, very good predictions were obtained concerning xylan and lignin extraction whereas central composite design is the best model for glucose production. The optimal values of the variables were as the followings: sulfuric acid 2.0% w/w, 160^oC, 78min and the experimental values (96.0%) concerning glucose and...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

A contamination event in a water distribution system can result in adverse health impacts to individuals consuming contaminated water from the system. Assessing impacts to such consumers requires accounting for the timing of exposures of individuals to tap-water contaminants that have time-varying concentrations. Here we present a probabilistic model for the timing of ingestion of tap water that we developed for use in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Threat Ensemble Vulnerability Assessment and Sensor Placement Tool, which is designed to perform consequence assessments for contamination events in water distribution systems. We also present a statistical analysis of the timing of ingestion activity using data collected by the American Time Use Survey. The results of the analysis provide the basis for our model, which accounts for individual ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Automated, variable volume unloaders provide the ability to smoothly load/unload reciprocating compressors to maintain ideal operations in ever-changing environments. Potential advantages provided by this load control system include: maximizing unit capacity, optimizing power economy, maintaining low exhaust emissions, and maintaining process suction and discharge pressures. Obstacles foreseen include: reliability, stability, serviceability and automation integration. Results desired include: increased productivity for the compressor and its operators, increased up time, and more stable process control. This presentation covers: system design features with descriptions of how different types of the devices were developed, initial test data, and how they can be effectively operated; three actual-case studies detailing the reasons why automated, hydraulically controlled, variable volume, head-end unloaders were chosen over ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

A stochastic-convective reactive (SCR) transport method is developed for one-dimensional steady transport in physically heterogeneous media with nonlinear degradation. The method is free of perturbation amplitude limitations and circumvents the difficulty of scale dependence of phenomenological parameters by avoiding volume-averaged specifications of diffusive/dispersive fluxes. The transport system is conceptualized as an ensemble of independent convective-reactive streamlines, each characterized by a randomized convective velocity (or travel time). Dispersive effects are treated as a component of the randomness in the streamline velocity ensemble, so no explicit expression for hydrodynamic dispersive flux is written in the streamline transport equation. The expected value of the transport over the stream tube ensemble is obtained as an average of solutions to the reactive convection equation according to the stream tube (travel time) ...

CERN Document Server

We consider the exact path sampling of the squared Bessel process and some other continuous-time Markov processes, such as the CIR model, constant elasticity of variance diffusion model, and hypergeometric diffusions, which can all be obtained from a squared Bessel process by using a change of variable, time and scale transformation, and/or change of measure. All these diffusions are broadly used in mathematical finance for modelling asset prices, market indices, and interest rates. We show how the probability distributions of a squared Bessel bridge and a squared Bessel process with or without absorption at zero are reduced to randomized gamma distributions. Moreover, for absorbing stochastic processes, we develop a new bridge sampling technique based on conditioning on the first hitting time at zero. Such an approach allows us to simplify simulation schemes. New methods are illustrated with pricing ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

SYVAC3 (Systems Variability Analysis Code, generation 3) is a computer program that implements a method called systems variability analysis to analyze the behaviour of a system in the presence of uncertainty. This method is based on simulating the system many times to determine the variation in behaviour it can exhibit. SYVAC3 specializes in systems representing the transport of contaminants, and has several features to simplify the modelling of such systems. It provides a general tool for estimating environmental impacts from the dispersal of contaminants. This report describes the use and structure of SYVAC3. It is intended for modellers, programmers, operators and reviewers who deal with simulation codes based on SYVAC3. From this manual they can learn how to link a model with SYVAC3, how to set up an input file, and how to extract results from output files. The manual lists the subroutines of SYVAC3 that are available ...

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Udgivelsesdato: 1995-Nov

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

A new approach for the selection of best PSS locations in multimachine power systems is proposed in this paper. Study shows that the right-eigenvector measures the activity of state variables and the left-eigenvector measures the control effect of control signals. Based on the right and left eigenvector the concept of sensitivity of PSS effect (SPE) is presented and used to identify the best PSS locations. The proposed method is used to identify the best PSS location in a 13-machine system to increase the damping of an interarea mode. The time-domain simulation results confirm that the prediction of best PSS location by SPE method is correct and accurate.

Science.gov (United States)

In the present work we introduce a novel multi-agent model with the aim to reproduce the dynamics of a double auction market at microscopic time scale through a faithful simulation of the matching mechanics in the limit order book. The agents follow a noise decision making process where their actions are related to a stochastic variable, the market sentiment, which we define as a mixture of public and private information. The model, despite making just few basic assumptions over the trading strategies of the agents, is able to reproduce several empirical features of the high-frequency dynamics of the market microstructure not only related to the price movements but also to the deposition of the orders in the book.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The characteristic space-time scales of surface solar radiation fields measured by the 111-instrument ME-SONET in Oklahoma are estimated after removal of the diurnal cycle. These estimates of {open_quotes}within-day{close_quotes} are used to deduce the representativeness of surface solar radiation measurements measurement site as a function of time-averaging interval. Nomograms of the relation between point measurements and area averages are given for different space-time-averaging intervals. Examples from the nomograms show, for instance, that under conditions of low mean radiation (cloudy days), the central site point measurements are representative of a spatial area the size of a T42 GCM grid box (280 km X 280 km) if one uses hourly averages and is willing to accept a correlation of 0.45 between area average and point measurement. The point data represent a 60 km X 60 km region at a 0.90 correlation level if a 5-min ...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

Abstract Acid-treated cobia (Rachycentron canadum) skin was extracted in a retort (121C) to obtain retorted skin gelatin hydrolysates (RSGHs) containing antioxidant peptides with noticeable antioxidant properties. To improve the antioxidant activity of cobia RSGHs, five processing factors including alkali concentration, alkali pretreatment time, phosphoric acid concentration (PC), water/skin ratio (WS) and retorting time (RT) in RSGH production were screened using a fractional factorial design to identify critical factors. It indicated that PC, WS and RT had significant effects on ,-diphenyl--picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) scavenging by RSGHs. Subsequently, the optimization of PC, WS and RT on the DPPH scavenging of RSGHs was studied using a central composite design to collect data that resulted in...

CERN Document Server

Numerical results on the translocation of long biopolymers through mid-sized and wide pores are presented. The simulations are based on a novel methodology which couples molecular motion to a mesoscopic fluid solvent. Thousands of events of long polymers (up to 8000 monomers) are monitored as they pass through nanopores. Comparison between the different pore sizes shows that wide pores can host a larger number of multiple biopolymer segments, as compared to smaller pores. The simulations provide clear evidence of folding quantization in the translocation process as the biopolymers undertake multi-folded configurations, characterized by a well-defined integer number of folds. Accordingly, the translocation time is no longer represented by a single-exponent power law dependence on the length, as it is the case for single-file translocation through narrow pores. The folding quantization increases with the biopolymer length, while the rate of translocated beads at each ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Excitation of low temperature helium or helium/water plasma and subsequent exposure to air of polyacrylonitrile (PAN) ultrafiltration membranes was used to hydrophilize the surface of these materials. We analyzed the effectiveness of this approach as a function of plasma operating variables including gas phase composition, plasma power, treatment time and system pressure. Following the changes in physical and chemical composition of the PAN surface resulting from these modifications was a major aspect of this work. Techniques such as the captive bubble contact angle method, ellipsometry, ESCA, and FTIR-ATR were all used. In addition, the formation and life-time of peroxides during these processes were determined. At low powers (<25W) and short treatment periods ({<=}30 sec), the main chemical conversion of PAN surfaces was simultaneous hydrophilization and stabilization via PAN cyclization. Relatively small water ...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

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

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

There have been a number of studies considering the possibility of removing and recovering heavy metals from diluted solutions. These are due, principally, because of the commercial value of some metals as well as in the environmental impact caused by them. The traditional methods for removing have several disadvantages when metals are present in concentrations lower than 100 mg/l. Biosorption, which uses biological materials as adsorbents, has been considered as an alternative method. In this work, variables like pH and biomass chemical pretreatment have been studied for its effect on the capacity for zinc biosorption by Thiobacillus ferrooxidans. Also, studies to determinate the time for zinc adsorption were carried out. Results indicate that a capacity as high as 82.61 mg of Zn(II)/g of dry biomass can be obtained at a temperature of 25 C and that the biosorption process occurs in a time of 30 min. (orig.)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The solid particle movement in a rotary drum plays an important role in drying processes. The solid distribution in the drum affects the amount of contact surface between the solid and the gas. The retention time of solids influences the time particles can stay in contact with the gas in order to transfer heat and mass. Any heat and mass transfer model for a solid particle dryer must be able to predict solid flowrate and solid hold-up. There have been several reports in the literature regarding the modeling aspects of solid transport in dryers. If the model is developed for model-based control, it must be simple and yet represent dynamics of the system accurately. This paper addresses solid motion modeling and the effects of different variables involved in solid transport phenomena.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The use of jojoba methyl ester as a pilot fuel was investigated for almost the first time as a way to improve the performance of dual fuel engine running on natural gas or liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) at part load. The dual fuel engine used was Ricardo E6 variable compression diesel engine and it used either compressed natural gas (CNG) or LPG as the main fuel and jojoba methyl ester as a pilot fuel. Diesel fuel was used as a reference fuel for the dual fuel engine results. During the experimental tests, the following have been measured: engine efficiency in terms of specific fuel consumption, brake power output, combustion noise in terms of maximum pressure rise rate and maximum pressure, exhaust emissions in terms of carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons, knocking limits in terms of maximum torque at onset of knocking, and cyclic variability data of 100 engine cycles in terms of maximum pressure and its pressure rise rate ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

A newly developed discrete-time adaptive sliding mode power system stabilizer (PSS) is proposed in this paper. Because the proposed PSS is developed in the pure discrete-time domain it is able to maintain the stability with the rather slower smapling frequency compared to discretized conventional continuous-time sliding mode PSS. The proposed PSS has the three main superiorities to the conventional PSS. First, because the proposed PSS utilizes the sliding mode control method, it has the strong robustness to the variations of the system parameters. Hence, it can overcome the minor disturbances such as identification errors, modeling errors, etc. Second, the proposed PSS needs only input/output measurements as feedback signals. Hence, it does not need the measurements of the state variables as the conventional sliding mode PSS or PSS based on the linear quadratic control method does. Finally, because the ...

Science.gov (United States)

A butterfly valve is a type of flow control device, typically used to regulate a fluid flowing. Currently, FEA is often used to predict the safety in the design of valve disc. Also, the study about the affection of butterfly valve's disc to the valve flow characteristics by using CFD has been done by many researchers. Along with the development of computer technique, design and analysis of computer experiments has becoming more and more important in engineering design and optimization. Hereinto Kriging model is one popular analysis approach for the purpose of creating a cheap ``meta-model'' as a surrogate to a computationally expensive simulation model. In this paper, the numerical analysis considered the strength, pressure loss coefficient and weight of valve disc simultaneously is investigated to improve the shape of a traditional butterfly valve disc. Firstly, an initial model of butterfly valve is made to evaluate the performance of the valve disc by using CFD and FEM. Then several ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Staggered arrays of dimples printed on opposite surfaces of a cooling channel is formulated numerically and optimized with hybrid multi-objective evolutionary algorithm and Pareto optimal front. As Pareto optimal front produces a set of optimal solutions, the trends of objective functions with design variables are predicted by hybrid multi-objective evolutionary algorithm. The problem is defined by three non-dimensional geometric design variables composed of dimpled channel height, dimple print diameter, dimple spacing, and dimple depth, to maximize heat transfer rate compromising with pressure drop. Twenty designs generated by Latin hypercube sampling were evaluated by Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes solver and the evaluated objectives were used to construct Pareto optimal front through hybrid multi-objective evolutionary algorithm. The optimum designs were grouped by k-means clustering technique and some of the clustered points were evaluated ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

This report introduces a microprocessor system composed of a Z-80 single-board computer controlling a gas-carburizing process. The system has 7 analogical input and output signals 24 switch signal-input and 12 switch signal-output signals, which are applicable for temperature, carbon potential, and mechanical-movement control of multipurpose sealed furnaces, or for mutiple-zone temperature, carbon potential, and mechanical-movement control of continuous gas carburizing furnaces; or for distributed control of pit-type carburizing furnaces. The setpoints of variables, such as treating time, temperature, carbon potential of carburizing period, carbon potential of diffusion period, depth of carburizing layer, P.I.D. etc., are entered by keyboard and stored into memories, and actual values are displayed by digital tubes. Furthermore, the fault of thermocouple, oxygen probe, or infrared CO/sub 2/ analyzer; carbon potential, or temperature exceeding ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The application of neural networks, alone or in conjunction with other advanced technologies (expert systems, fuzzy logic, and/or genetic algorithms), to some of the problems of complex engineering systems has the potential to enhance the safety, reliability, and operability of these systems. Typically, the measured variables from the systems are analog variables that must be sampled and normalized to expected peak values before they are introduced into neural networks. Often data must be processed to put it into a form more acceptable to the neural network (e.g., a fast Fourier transformation of the time-series data to produce a spectral plot of the data). Specific applications described include: (1) Diagnostics: State of the Plant (2) Hybrid System for Transient Identification, (3) Sensor Validation, (4) Plant-Wide Monitoring, (5) Monitoring of Performance and Efficiency, and (6) Analysis of Vibrations. Although specific ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

We revisit our original papers on the burst mode of accretion by incorporating a detailed energy balance equation into a thin-disk model for the formation and evolution of circumstellar disks around low-mass protostars. Our model includes the effect of radiative cooling, viscous and shock heating, and heating due to stellar and background irradiation. Following the collapse from the prestellar phase allows us to model the early embedded phase of disk formation and evolution. During this time, the disk is susceptible to fragmentation, depending upon the properties of the initial prestellar core. Globally, we find that higher initial core angular momentum and mass content favors more fragmentation, but higher levels of background radiation can moderate the tendency to fragment. A higher rate of mass infall onto the disk than that onto the star is a necessary but not a sufficient condition for disk fragmentation. More locally, both the Toomre Q-parameter needs to be ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The ECOTEC is a mass-efficient gasoline DOHC 4-valve per cylinder engine with balance shafts, chain driven camshafts and roller finger followers with hydraulic lash adjusters for valve actuation. It has lightweight aluminium components such as camcover, cylinder head, cylinder block, lower crankcase and structural oil pan. Other features include composite intake manifold and a coil-on-plug ignition cassette. The ECOTEC combustion system and engine architecture are optimized for low engine out and tail pipe emissions. It also includes several designed-in 'green' features for environmental benefits. The product design, development and validation process drew upon the best knowledge and practices available worldwide both inside and outside General Motor. The manufacturing systems were also designed by leveraging the best available knowledge around the world resulting in implementation of world class processes and error proofing to achieve the ...

Science.gov (United States)

Because hydrogenation of coal to liquid products (oils) is accompanied by distributions of complex by-product mixtures (IOM, preasphaltenes, asphaltenes and gases) which change as a function of reaction variables (time, temperature and pressure) and reactor configuration, the determination of selectivity relationships for coal liquefaction catalysts has been a difficult and time-consuming task involving numerous experiments to adequately describe catalyst performance over a range of conditions. This paper describes a method for analyzing the experimental results of coal liquefaction reactions which may be applied to a number of aspects of coal liquefaction research and process control, including: rapid selectivity and performance screening for catalysts; correlation of laboratory results with process parameters; and optimization of product yield for plant process conditions. Catalyst selectivity and performance screening ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The infrastructure of the Mexican southeastern coastal zone is affected by corrosion problems which are due, mainly, to the construction bad practices and to the aggressive environmental agents (temp., Relative Humidity, chlorides). The first actions for knowing and controlling them have been taken on the coast of Progreso, Yucatan. Cylinders of solid concrete and others with an embedded rebar were constructed and exposed to the marine environment studying different variables like w/c ratio, time of curing, coated and uncoated rebars, chlorides and CO{sub 2} penetration and place of exposure with respect to the seashore. The cylinders were tested through corrosion potential and polarization resistance measurements in order to detect, in a first stage, the onset and propagation stages of the corrosion processes and to correlate the apparent corrosion current density (Icorr.) with the chloride concentration in the rebar surface. These results are ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

We present a proof-of-concept analysis of the measurement of the health damage of ozone (O_3) produced from nitrogen oxides (NO_x=NO+NO_2) emitted by individual large point sources in the eastern United States. We use a regional atmospheric model of the eastern United States, the Comprehensive Air quality Model with Extensions (CAMx), to quantify the variable impact that a fixed quantity of NO_x emitted from individual sources can have on the downwind concentration of surface O_3, depending on temperature and local biogenic hydrocarbon emissions. We also examine the dependence of resulting O_3-related health damages on the size of the exposed population. The investigation is relevant to the increasingly widely used 'cap and trade' approach to NO_x regulation, which presumes that shifts of emission over time and space, holding the total fixed over the course of the summer O_3 season, will have minimal effect on the environmental outcome. By ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

A nonlinear mathematical model is presented of a WWER-440 nuclear power plant horizontal steam generator. On the proposed model is based a computer program for investigating transients in steam generators during loss of coolant accidents. Processes taking place at the primary side of the steam generator are described by a set of partial differential equations while those at the secondary side of the steam generator are described by plain differential equations with the variables being complex time functions. The model takes account of the coolant as both a single- and two-phase medium, of changes in the direction of the primary coolant flow and of changes in the direction of heat transfer. Heat transfer through the wall is based on a simple model of heat transfer through a thin-walled tube and includes a correction for the heat resistance of the wall. (author).

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The specific goals of this research are to (1) determine daily and seasonal variability of seawater pCO{sub 2} partial pressure of CO{sub 2} and NO{sub 3} in Middle Atlantic Bight (MAB) waters; (2) estimate seasonal CO{sub 2} fluxes between the MAB shelf and the atmosphere; and (3) determine the primary controls of surface seawater pCO{sub 2} in this coastal system. During the first phase of the DOE-OMP (1992-1995) we developed the Submersible Autonomous Moored Instrument for CO{sub 2} (SAMI-CO{sub 2}) which is designed to measure seawater CO{sub 2} on ocean moorings for extended periods.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reliable and consistent characterization of the stable isotope composition of atmospheric water vapour and its temporal variability are important prerequisites to the wider application of isotope mass balance methods in atmospheric and water balance studies. A new approach is proposed which utilizes standard class-A evaporation pans, which have sufficient volume to buffer short-term transient variations in atmospheric conditions, justifying the assumption of constant kinetic isotopic fractionation effects in concert with precisely measured temperature and relative humidity to derive vapour isotopic composition. The results of the studies suggest that isotopic sampling of existing, conventionally operated class-A evaporation pans could offer a straightforward and cost-effective solution to the problem of documenting the shifting isotopic distribution in atmospheric moisture

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

In this article, the authors analyzed the effect of thermal conductivity on unsteady magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) free convection in a micro-polar fluid past a semi-infinite vertical porous plate. The fluid thermal conductivity is assumed to vary as a linear function of temperature. By using the Chebyshev collocation method in the spatial direction and the Crank-Nicolson method in the time direction, the boundary layer equations are transformed into a linear algebraic system. There are several material parameters whose affect on the flow have been studied, for instance, thermal conductivity, radiation, magnetic, micro-polar, suction (or injection) parameters, and Prandtl number. Boundary layer and Boussineq approximations have been introduced together to describe the flow field. The domain of...

CERN Document Server

We present mid-infrared spectro-imagery and high-resolution spectroscopy ofthe Orion bar and of a region in the Orion nebula. These observations have beenobtained in the Guaranteed Time with the Circular Variable Filters of the ISOcamera (CAM-CVF) and with the Short Wavelength Spectrometer (SWS), on board theEuropean Infrared Space Observatory (ISO). Our data shows emission fromamorphous silicate grains from the entire HII region and around the isolatedO9.5V star Theta2 Ori A. The observed spectra can be reproduced by a mixture ofinterstellar silicate and carbon grains heated by the radiation of the hotstars present in the region. Crystalline silicates are also observed in theOrion nebula and suspected around Theta2 Ori A. They are probably ofinterstellar origin. The ionization structure and the distribution of thecarriers of the Aromatic Infrared Bands (AIBs) are briefly discussed on thebasis of the ISO observations.

CERN Document Server

Mining association rules is a popular and well researched method for discovering interesting relations between variables in large databases. A practical problem is that at medium to low support values often a large number of frequent itemsets and an even larger number of association rules are found in a database. A widely used approach is to gradually increase minimum support and minimum confidence or to filter the found rules using increasingly strict constraints on additional measures of interestingness until the set of rules found is reduced to a manageable size. In this paper we describe a different approach which is based on the idea to first define a set of ``interesting'' itemsets (e.g., by a mixture of mining and expert knowledge) and then, in a second step to selectively generate rules for only these itemsets. The main advantage of this approach over increasing thresholds or filtering rules is that the number of rules found is significantly reduced while ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Studies of CWF preparation at laboratory scale have been carried out using the type and amount of additives and coal content as process variables. Other factors such as particle size, time and rate of stirring were kept constant. CWF with 45 wt% of dry solids, heating value of 5,475 BTU/lb, and stable without the evidence of sedimentation for 9 weeks have been obtained using carboxy methyl cellulose (CMC) as the additive. Low coal content and low heating value can be increased by hydrothermal process on the elevated temperature and pressure. By this process, CWF with dry solid of 55 wt% and a heating value of 7,125 BTU/lb could be obtained. 6 refs., 8 figs., 2 tabs.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The influence of engine operating variables on the performance, emissions and heat release in a compression ignition engine operating in normal diesel and dual-fuel modes (with natural gas fuelling) was investigated. Substantial reductions in NO{sub x} emissions were obtained with dual-fuel engine operation. There was a corresponding increase in unburned hydrocarbon emissions as the substitution of natural gas was increased. Brake specific energy consumption decreased with natural gas substitution at high loads but increased at low loads. Experimental results at fixed pilot injection timing have also established the importance of intake manifold pressure and temperature in improving dual-fuel performance and emissions at part load. (Author)

Science.gov (United States)

Generally the photonic band gap (PBG) is a multi-variable function of several parameters related to the shape and size of the dielectric columns of photonic crystals (PhCs), and a time-consuming step-by-step scanning process for each parameter has to be used to find their best combination yielding maximum PBG. In this letter, the widely used Nelder-Mead simplex algorithm is introduced to optimize these parameters simultaneously to find a larger PBG for a new kind of two-dimensional (2D) hexagonal GaAs-Air PhC. This structure can be conveniently produced by the single-exposure holographic lithography, and the specific holographic design is also systematically investigated. This study reveals that the band gaps of PhCs made by holographic lithography may be widened by introducing irregularity of the columns and lowering the symmetry of the structure.

CERN Document Server

We study a stochastic gossip model of continuous opinion dynamics in a society consisting of two types of agents: regular agents, who update their beliefs according to information that they receive from their social neighbors; and stubborn agents, who never update their opinions and might represent leaders, political parties or media sources attempting to influence the beliefs in the rest of the society. When the society contains stubborn agents with different opinions, opinion dynamics never lead to a consensus (among the regular agents). Instead, beliefs in the society almost surely fail to converge, and the belief of each regular agent converges in law to a non-degenerate random variable. The model thus generates long-run disagreement and continuous opinion fluctuations. The structure of the social network and the location of stubborn agents within it shape opinion dynamics. When the society is ``highly fluid'', meaning that the mixing time ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

A method of modeling freeze-thaw cycles of naturally deposited snowpacks is presented. The model involves the Stefan condition as an independent governing equation on the exterior moving boundary to calculate snowpack thinning, flow of water through a variably saturated layered porous medium as described by the Richards equation, and heat conduction with a phase change. The heat conduction problem was treated in two ways. Local heat conduction between a snow grain and its surrounding water film was treated by using a simple energy balance. Global heat conduction with a phase change (the Stefan problem) was introduced to calculate the space-time temperature distribution. In order to handle multiple interior moving boundaries, a specific form of the enthalpy formulation was used for heat conduction with a phase change. Changing material properties were considered according to the calculated meltwater refreezing. 48 refs., 11 figs., 2 tabs.

CERN Document Server

Entanglement is the essential quantum resource for a potential speed-up of information processing, as well as for sophisticated quantum communication. Quantum information networks will be required to convey information from one place to another, by using entangled light beams. Many physical systems are under consideration as building blocks, with different merits and faults, so that hybrid systems are likely to be developed. Here we present an important tool for connecting systems that share no common resonance frequencies: we demonstrate the first direct generation of entanglement among more than two bright beams of light, all of different wavelengths (532.251 nm, 1062.102 nm, and 1066.915 nm). We also observe, for the first time, disentanglement for finite channel losses, the continuous variable counterpart to entanglement sudden death.

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

Summary 1. A primary goal of evolutionary ecology is to understand factors selecting for the diversity of life histories. Life-history components, such as time-to-reproduction, adult survivorship and fecundity, might differ among species because of variation in direct and indirect benefits of these life histories in different environments or might have lower-than-expected variability because of phylogenetic constraints. Here, we present a phylogenetic examination of demography and life histories using a data base of 204 terrestrial plant species. 2. Overall, statistical models without phylogeny were preferred to models with phylogeny for vital rates and elasticities, suggesting that they lacked phylogenetic signal and are evolutionarily labile. However, the effect of phylogeny was signific...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

Quantitative Real-Time PCR (qRT-PCR) is a widely used tool to study host responses against parasites. A crucial step in the gene quantification process is the normalization of the expression data against stable housekeeping genes (HKGs). However, in recent years, several reports have showed that the transcriptional levels of such HKGs can change dramatically, especially when cellular changes appear in the tissues investigated. The aim of the current study was to assess the variability of 11 putative HKGs in bovine abomasal tissue during an infection with the parasitic nematode Ostertagia ostertagi. Gene transcription levels of selected potential HKGs were measured by qRT-PCR and the expression stabilities evaluated using geNorm, NormFinder, and The Mann-Whitney-U test. The analysis showed ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

An algorithm for solving the extended security constrained economic dispatch (ESCED) problem with real-time economic dispatch grade speed and reliability is presented. The ESCED problem is formulated by adding regulating margin and ramp rate constraints to the network security constrained economic dispatch problem previously solved by the CEDC algorithm. Starting with Newton`s method to optimize the Lagrangian, the ESCED is developed by superimposing on Newton`s method eight major components called Tracking Start Initialization, Hessian Pre-Elimination, Implicit Dual Variable Calculations, Regulating Margin Sensitivity Coefficient Calculations, Traumatic Event Evaluation, Constraint Relaxation, Implicit Ramp Rate Constraint Implementation, and Relaxed Incremental Cost Calculations. Test results are also presented.

CERN Document Server

The lowest-mass stars, brown dwarfs and extrasolar planets present challenges and opportunities for understanding dynamics and cloud formation processes in low-temperature atmospheres. For brown dwarfs, the formation, variation and rapid depletion of photospheric clouds in L- and T-type dwarfs, and spectroscopic evidence for non-equilibrium chemistry associated with vertical mixing, all point to a fundamental role for dynamics in vertical abundance distributions and cloud/grain formation cycles. For exoplanets, azimuthal heat variations and the detection of stratospheric and exospheric layers indicate multi-layered, asymmetric atmospheres that may also be time-variable (particularly for systems with highly elliptical orbits). Dust and clouds may also play an important role in the thermal energy balance of exoplanets through albedo effects. For all of these cases, 3D atmosphere models are becoming an increasingly essential tool for understanding spectral and ...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

The battery size of a Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV) is decisive for the electrical range of the vehicle and crucial for the cost-effectiveness of this particular vehicle concept. Based on the energy consumption of a conventional reference car and a PHEV, we introduce a comprehensive total cost of ownership model for the average car user in Germany for both vehicle types. The model takes into account the purchase price, fixed annual costs and variable operating costs. The amortization time of a PHEV also depends on the recharging strategy (once a day, once a night, after each trip), the battery size, and the battery costs. We find that PHEVs with a 4kWh battery and at current lithium-ion battery prices reach the break-even point after about 6 years (5 years when using the lower nig...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

This research aims to develop a simulation approach based on system dynamics modelling (SDM) and adaptive network based fuzzy inference system (ANFIS) for quantifying and reducing the bullwhip effect in a multi-product, multi-stage supply chain. The proposed model is comprised of three groups of variables influencing the bullwhip effect, namely the structure of a supply chain network, supply chain contributions (ordering process in regular situation or when a supplier has a promotion or shortage gaming) and supply chain performances (the number of defects and ordering lead time). As a result, a two layer simulation model is developed with three generic models. The flexibility of this proposed approach is its ability to model various types of ordering policies which are basic inventory poli...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

In the present work, the process of carbon dioxide absorption is analyzed at high partial pressures, in aqueous solutions of 1-amino-2-propanol (monoisopropanolamine (MIPA)), in relation to the thermal effects involved. All experiments were made in a stirred-tank reactor with a plane unbroken gas-liquid interface. The variables considered were the MIPA concentration within the range 0.1--2.0 M and the temperature within the interval 288--308 K. From the results, the authors deduce that the absorption process takes place in the nonisothermal instantaneous regime and propose an equation which not only relates the experimental results of flow density with the initial concentration of amine but at the same time enables the evaluation of the rise in temperature in the gas-liquid interface.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The formation and evolution of the circumstellar disk in unmagnetized molecular clouds is investigated using three-dimensional hydrodynamic simulations from the prestellar core until the end of the main accretion phase. In collapsing cloud cores, the first (adiabatic) core with a size of #approx#>3 AU forms prior to the formation of the protostar. At its formation, the first core has a thick disk-like structure and is mainly supported by the thermal pressure. After the protostar formation, it decreases the thickness gradually and becomes supported by the centrifugal force. We found that the first core is a precursor of the circumstellar disk with a size of >3 AU. This means that unmagnetized protoplanetary disk smaller than <3 AU does not exist. Reflecting the thermodynamics of the collapsing gas, at the protostar formation epoch, the first core (or the circumstellar disk) has a mass of #approx#0.005-0.1 M_s_u_n, while the protostar has a mass of #approx#10"-"3 M_s_u_n. Thus, ...

KoreaScience (Korea)

Full Text Available

KoreaScience (Korea)

Full Text Available

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

... biological variability body distribution kidneys labelled compounds lead 203

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

From long-term real-time radon and radon progeny measurements taken in a relatively large retail store, cyclical patterns were evident, which were found to relate to the overriding influence of the timed air-conditioning system. Concentration of radon, radon progeny and the variability of F factor were found to depend significantly on the intermittent operation of this ventilation-air-conditioning system. After pressure equalisation remedial measures proved ineffective, the air-movement system was utilised to reduce the levels of radon and radon progeny to well within established norms applicable during working hours. It is demonstrated that the average levels for radon and radon progeny are reduced in absolute terms. This amounted to less than 12% of the general level, during designated work periods. Where air movement systems are already installed, as well as other circumstances, their regulation provides an economical ...

CERN Document Server

Kepler Mission results are rapidly contributing to fundamentally new discoveries in both the exoplanet and asteroseismology fields. The data returned from Kepler are unique in terms of the number of stars observed, precision of photometry for time series observations, and the temporal extent of high duty cycle observations. As the first mission to provide extensive time series measurements on thousands of stars over months to years at a level hitherto possible only for the Sun, the results from Kepler will vastly increase our knowledge of stellar variability for quiet solar-type stars. Here we report on the stellar noise inferred on the timescale of a few hours of most interest for detection of exoplanets via transits. By design the data from moderately bright Kepler stars are expected to have roughly comparable levels of noise intrinsic to the stars and arising from a combination of fundamental limitations such as Poisson ...

Science.gov (United States)

The behavior of a small power system consisting of two interconnected generators is simulated in real-time by a prototype Digital Transient Network Analyzer (TNA). The prototype Digital TNA consists of two Computational Modules and one I/O Module. The Modules communicate with each other through ribbon cables. Each Computational Module simulates one Turbo-Generator, its Transformer, its Governor, Exciter, and Power System Stabilizer Systems. The numerical integration is shared by two TMS320C30 DSPs at a step-size of 100 microseconds in real-time. The I/O module post-processes the state variables and presents selected information for analog display. The paper presents oscillograms from a test program which includes symmetry checks and behavioral checks against well known waveforms of hunting oscillations, synchronization out-of-phase torques, and subsynchronous resonance phenomena. The success of the Digital TNA depends on: ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The atmosphere and the biosphere are inherently coupled to one another. Atmospheric surface state variables such as temperature, winds, water vapor, precipitation, and radiation control biophysical, biogeochemical, and ecological processes at the surface and subsurface. At the same time, surface fluxes of momentum, moisture, heat, and trace gases act as time-dependent boundary conditions providing feedback on atmospheric processes. To understand such phenomena, a coupled set of interactive models is required. Costs are still prohibitive for computing surface/subsurface fluxes directly for medium-resolution atmospheric general circulation models (AGCMs), but a technique has been developed for testing large-scale homogeneity and accessing surface parameterizations and models to reduce this computational cost and maintain accuracy. This modeling system potentially bridges the observed spatial and temporal ranges yet allows the ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Attention is given to the folowing topics: population I and II variable stars; LP variables, the sun, and mass determination; and predegenerate and degenerate variables. Particular papers are presented on alternative evolutionary approaches to the absolute magnitude of the RR Lyrae variables; the evolution of the Cepheid stars; nonradial pulsations in rapidly rotating Delta Scuti stars; dynamical models of dust shells around Mira variables; and pulsations of central stars of planetary nebulae.

Science.gov (United States)

Si and Si/P ion implantation doping of In{sub 0.5}Ga{sub 0.5}P and In{sub 0.5}Al{sub 0.5}P has been studied for several Si and P doses at energies of 90 and 100 keV, respectively. For single Si implants in InGaP a maximum Hall sheet electron concentration of 1.33{times}10{sup 13} cm{sup {minus}2} is achieved for a Si dose of 5{times}10{sup 13} cm{sup {minus}2}. When an optimum dose (2.5{times}10{sup 13} cm{sup {minus}2}) P coimplant is performed this electron concentration is increased by 65{percent}. The same dose Si implants in InAlP show a maximum effective activation of 3.9{percent} with no P coimplantation and 5.2{percent} with a P-implant dose 1.5 times the silicon dose. The apparent donor ionization energies are estimated from variable temperature Hall measurements to be 2{endash}5 meV for InGaP and {approximately}80 meV for InAlP. The deeper level in InAlP is attributed to ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Perspectives from industry, academe, and the NRC are brought together in this report and used to develop a logical framework that links management and organization factors and safety in nuclear power plant performance. The framework focuses on intermediate outcomes which can be predicted by organizational and management factors, and which are subsequently linked to safety. The intermediate outcomes are efficiency, compliance, quality, and innovation. The organization and management factors can be classified in terms of environment, context, organizational governance, organizational design, and emergent processes. Initial empirical analyses were conducted on a limited set of hypotheses derived from the framework. One set of hypotheses concerned the relationships between one of the intermediate outcome variables, efficiency, as measured by critical hours and outage rate, and safety, as measured by 5 NRC indicators. Results of the analysis suggest that critical hours ...

Science.gov (United States)

Aluminum, due to its low density and low cost, is a key material for future lightweight applications. However, like other structural materials, aluminum is subject to various forms of corrosion damage that annually costs the United States approximately 5% of its GNP [1]. The main goal is to investigate the effects of various solution anions on aluminum surfaces, and specifically probe pit initiation and inhibition. Using surface analysis techniques including X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Auger electron spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy, results have been correlated with those obtained from electrochemical methods and a radiolabeling technique developed in the Wieckowski laboratory. Analysis of data has indicated that important variables include type of anion, solution pH, and applied electrode potential. While aggressive anions such as chloride are usually studied to elucidate corrosion processes to work ultimately toward inhibition, its corrosive ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

MAGMA is a FORTRAN computer code designed to viscous flow in in situ vitrification melt pools. It models three-dimensional, incompressible, viscous flow and heat transfer. The momentum equation is coupled to the temperature field through the buoyancy force terms arising from the Boussinesq approximation. All fluid properties, except density, are assumed variable. Density is assumed constant except in the buoyancy force terms in the momentum equation. A simple melting model based on the enthalpy method allows the study of the melt front progression and latent heat effects. An indirect addressing scheme used in the numerical solution of the momentum equation voids unnecessary calculations in cells devoid of liquid. Two-dimensional calculations can be performed using either rectangular or cylindrical coordinates, while three-dimensional calculations use rectangular coordinates. All derivatives are approximated by finite differences. The incompressible Navier-Stokes ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

This work presents a comparative study of low-alloy steel nitriding for different possible techniques. Active screen plasma nitriding (ASPN) is a successful surface modification method that has many advantages over the conventional DC plasma nitriding (CPN). The corrosion behavior of 30CrNiMo8 low-alloy steel has been examined using anodic polarization tests in 3.5% NaCl solution under varying conditions of ASPN and CPN processes. The process variables included active screen setup parameters, treatment temperature (550 and 580 deg. C), gas mixture (25/75 and 75/25 of N{sub 2}/H{sub 2}) and treatment time (5 and 10 h) in 500 Pa pressure. The structure and phases composition of the compound layer was studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD), microhardness tests, optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). It was observed that ASPN treated samples surface enhanced corrosion resistance while the temperature and/or hole size of screen setup ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The functioning of animal as well as human societies fundamentally relies on cooperation. Yet, defection is often favorable for the selfish individual, and social dilemmas arise. Selection by individuals' fitness, usually the basic driving force of evolution, quickly eliminates cooperators. However, evolution is also governed by fluctuations that can be of greater importance than fitness differences, and can render evolution effectively neutral. Here, we investigate the effects of selection versus fluctuations in social dilemmas. By studying the mean extinction times of cooperators and defectors, a variable sensitive to fluctuations, we are able to identify and quantify an emerging 'edge of neutral evolution' that delineates regimes of neutral and Darwinian evolution. Our results reveal that cooperation is significantly maintained in the neutral regimes. In contrast, the classical predictions of evolutionary game ...

Science.gov (United States)

One of the least understood regions of the upper atmosphere is the thermosphere, principally due to the difficulty of making observations. The neutral atmosphere is known to be highly variable, and its composition and density varies by several orders of magnitude due to solar activity, diurnal cycles, latitude, geomagnetic activity, and gravity waves. In the past, most in-situ measurements of the neutral atmosphere have utilized detectors that are dependent on arrival angle and energy accommodation of incoming species, so that information related to nascent velocity distribution and reactive species abundances is often masked. This paper will review design concepts and laboratory tests related to the development of a novel open-ionizer, neutral particle detector for space environment measurements which can overcome these limitations. The sensor features a very large field-of-view suitable for sounding rocket missions. This time-of-flight ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Silicon nitride-based ceramics behavior is strongly influenced by microstructural parameters, which, in turn are determined by chosen densification method. Highly covalent Si-N bond hind are the silicon nitride densification. Therefore, metal oxides are used in order to get high density. However, such oxides must be carefully selected, because they affect the general macroscopic properties of sintered bodies. In the present work, the viability of rare earth concentrate use to produce #beta#--Si_6_-_xAl_xO_xN_8_-_x and its effect on mechanical properties of the sintering ceramics are studied. Additive composition, heating rate, soaking time and sintering temperature were took as variables. Hardness, fracture toughness, Young's modulus and flexural strength were investigated. Lattice parameter compositional dependence and secondary phases crystallized after past-sintering heat treatment were also determined. The results show that rare earth ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Until the concerns about indoor air quality (IAQ) reached a peak in the last five years, interior zones of office buildings were traditionally served with cooling-only shut-off variable air volume (VAV) boxes. Heat gains from lighting and equipment, in addition to those from occupants themselves, caused supply air quantities of 13 C to 15 C (55 F to 60 F) air to be sustained at rates on the order of 2.5 L/s per square meter (0.5 cfm per square feet), a rate that most designers at the time felt would provide a comfortable and well ventilated environment. More recently, the reduction in lighting loads, the use of cold air systems, and, most importantly, the concern that acceptable indoor air quality may not be maintained at low air flow rates, has led to a different solution in interior zones: the series fan-powered mixing box.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Magnetically driven non-stationary acceleration of jets in active galactic nuclei results in the leading parts of the flow being accelerated to much higher Lorentz factors than in the case of steady-state acceleration with the same parameters. The higher Doppler-boosted parts of the flow may dominate the high-energy emission of blazar jets. We suggest that highly variable GeV and TeV emission in blazars is produced by the faster moving leading edges of highly magnetized non-stationary ejection blobs, while the radio data trace the slower-moving bulk flow. Thus, the radio and gamma-ray emission regions have different, but correlated, Doppler factors. High-energy emission is generated, typically within the optically thick core, in the outer parts of the broad-line emission region, avoiding the radiative drag on the faster parts of the flow. The radio emission should correlate with the gamma-ray emission, delayed with frequency-dependent time lag ...

CERN Document Server

We examine patterns of variation of 32 primarily main sequence stars, extending our previous 7-12 year time series to 13-20 years by combining b, y data from Lowell Observatory with similar data from Fairborn Observatory. Parallel chromospheric Ca II H and K emission data from the Mount Wilson Observatory span the entire interval. The extended data strengthen the relationship between chromospheric and photometric variation derived previously. Twenty-seven stars are deemed variable. On a year-to-year timescale young active stars become fainter when their Ca II emission increases while older less active stars such as the Sun become brighter when their Ca II emission increases. The Sun's total irradiance variation, scaled to the b and y filter photometry, still appears to be somewhat smaller than stars in our limited sample with similar mean chromospheric activity, but we now regard this discrepancy as probably due mainly to our limited stellar ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

A major problem in the maintenance and rehabilitation of pipelines is the removal of the original coating system, particularly in cases where the coating contains sticky components or adhesives. It has been found that such coatings can be removed by use of a cleaning machine with a plurality of counter-rotating carbide-tipped tools mounted to an oscillating head embracing the pipe, and which is operable at the same time to travel along the length of the pipe. Such a machine can be designed to effect a positive, gentle milling operation on the pipe surface to remove the coating efficiently and at relatively low power consumption. A particular advantage of the pipe cleaning machine of the invention is that its design and manner of operation allows it to be used in the field to clean an uncovered section of pipeline, for example a natural gas pipeline, without the requirement of removing the pipeline section from the ditch in which it is seated. The machine of the ...

CERN Document Server

In this paper we will report on the operation and the performance of the ATLAS data-flow system during the 2010 physics run of the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at 7 TeV. The data-flow system is responsible for reading out, formatting and conveying the event data, eventually saving the selected events into the mass storage. By the second quarter of 2010, for the first time, the system will be capable of the full event building capacity and improved data-logging throughput. We will in particular detail the tools put in place to predict and track the system working point, with the aim of optimizing the bandwidth and the computing resource sharing, and anticipate possible limits. Naturally, the LHC duty cycle, the trigger performance, and the detector configuration influence the system working point. Therefore, numerical studies of the data-flow system capabilities have been performed considering different scenarios. This is crucial for the first phase of the LHC ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Moving out of the scientific community research laboratories, computational fluid dynamics (CFD) software packages are now allowing industrials to analyse and optimize industrial processes involving the use of gases, liquids and even some two-phase fluids. Their attractiveness and their impact stems out from the opportunity they offer to bring insight into an existing unit, or even at the design stage, by displaying the spatial distribution of process relevant variables such as temperature, concentration. The filling of the spacing in between a two-layer window is a simple example. This new opportunity of visualisation is at times an unique way, when the process environment is an opaque one, such as liquid metal flowing into a tundish or when measurements of flows may be a long and tedious work, such as flows within water treatment basins. This environment we are to investigate in order to optimize can also be a harsh one, due to its high ...

Science.gov (United States)

The in-flight wavelength calibration for the Ozone Monitoring Instrument is discussed. The observed variability in the wavelength scale is two orders of magnitude larger than caused by temperature changes in the instrument. These wavelength variations are the result of rapid changes in time in the radiance levels during an individual observation in the presence of clouds or snow and ice. We have developed a data processing method to account and correct for these changes. In February 2005 this correction was implemented in the official data processing stream. We explain in detail how and how accurately this method works. Before correction, the error in the wavelength scale can be as much as a few tenths of a pixel; after correction it is mostly less than 1/100th of a pixel, which is the required preflight accuracy. This means that higher-level products such as the total column amounts of ozone, NO2, and SO2 are not significantly affected. It is ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

A large temperature differential (10K) thermal storage system in a small (4400 m{sup 2}) 8-storey office building is discussed and the monitoring results are analyzed in comparison with computer simulations. Requirements were a comfortable indoor environment and system cost effectiveness. Out of four potential system concepts, the Large Temperature Differential System was chosen. It comprises a flat-type thermal stratification heat storage tank in the under floor pit of the building as the heat source for a variable flow heat pump chiller. The heat sink is a set of serially connected air handling and fan coil units. The tank`s capacity is sized for one day operation and is made as large as possible to shift the electricity demand to night time. To avoid a large size and high cost, the water temperature differential was enlarged. The role of Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) was to develop the chiller and its control system. It is concluded ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

An analysis on landscape level was performed to investigate the growth of Scots pine stands (Pinus sylvestris L.) in the research area of 'Duebener Heide' under the impact of rapidly changing pollution loads and to evaluate their further development. Central to the work was a spatial database, installed using a geographic information system (GIS). This database enabled the statistical analysis of relationships and correlations between the growth of the pine stands, the influence of pollution impacts and the natural site characteristics. The results of emission and immission modelling gave detailed evaluation of the pollution load over the investigated area. The spatial information database was linked with a process-based growth model called FORSANA. The resulting regional model was used to simulate forest growth on stand level for variable time periods. The plausibility of the simulation results of the model was checked for ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

To significantly improve the simulation of climate by general circulation models (GCMs), systematic errors in representations of relevant processes must first be identified, and then reduced. This endeavor demands that the GCM parameterizations of unresolved processes, in particular, should be tested over a wide range of time scales, not just in climate simulations. Thus, a numerical weather prediction (NWP) methodology for evaluating model parameterizations and gaining insights into their behavior may prove useful, provided that suitable adaptations are made for implementation in climate GCMs. This method entails the generation of short-range weather forecasts by a realistically initialized climate GCM, and the application of six-hourly NWP analyses and observations of parameterized variables to evaluate these forecasts. The behavior of the parameterizations in such a weather-forecasting framework can provide insights on how these schemes ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nineteen-day-old dwarf sunflower plants (Helianthus annuus, variety NK894) received a variable dose (0-40 Gy) from a cobalt-60 gamma source. A very sensitive stem monitoring device, developed at Battelle's Pacific Northwest Laboratories, Richland, Washington was used to measure real-time changes in stem diameter. Exposure of plants caused a significant reduction in stem growth and root biomass. Doses as low as 5 Gy resulted in a significant increase in leaf density, suggesting that nonreversible morphological growth changes could be induced by very low doses of radiation. Carbohydrate analysis of 40-Gy irradiated plants demonstrated significantly more starch content in leaves and significantly less starch content in stems 18 days after exposure than did control plants. In contrast, the carbohydrate content in roots of 40-Gy irradiated plants were not significantly different from unirradiated plants 18 days after exposure. These results ...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

Synthesis of highly anisotropic rod-like b-Si3N4 particles with different morphological characteristics was accomplished using commercial a-Si3N4. A number of powder mixtures were prepared with additions of various oxides (Al2O3+RE2O3, being RE=Y, La or Yb) that were subsequently heat treated in a loose powder state in the temperature range of 1750-1950degreeC and dwell times from 10 to 180min under high pressure of N2 (60MPa) in a hot isostatic press. The obtained aggregated porous bodies were lightly crushed by hand using an alumina mortar and pestle and subsequently subjected to sequential chemical treatments to eliminate the glassy phases and possible residual crystalline compounds, and to separate the synthesized b-Si3N4 particles. Resulting b-Si3N4 particles were characterized by X-r...

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

When postpartum cervical biopsy specimens were compared with biopsy specimens from nonpregnant women, they revealed a 12-fold decrease in mechanical strength, a 50% reduction in the concentrations of collagen and sulfated glycosaminoglycans, a 35% reduction in hyaluronic acid, an increase in collagen extractability, and a fivefold increase in collagenolytic activity. Primiparas with relatively high concentrations of collagen and hyaluronic acid had relatively long cervical dilatation times during established labor, suggesting a physiologic importance to these variables. This correlation was not found in multiparas, even though the mean values of the biochemical parameters tested were similar to those in primiparas. Second-trimester biopsy specimens taken from patients with cervical incompetence contained normal collagen concentrations, but relatively high collagen extractabilities and collagenolytic activities, exceeding normal postpartum ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

We derive a full Bern-Kosower-type rule for scalar QED starting from quantum field theory: we derive a set of rules for calculating S-matrix elements for any processes at any order of the coupling constant. A gauge-invariant set of diagrams in general is first written in the world line path-integral expression. Then we integrate over x(#tau#), and the resulting expression is given in terms of a correlation function on the world line left-angle x(#tau#)x(#tau#"')right-angle. Simple rules to decompose the correlation function into basic elements are obtained. A gauge transformation known as the integration by parts technique can be used to reduce the number of independent terms before integration over proper-time variables. The surface terms can be omitted provided the external scalars are on shell. Also, we clarify correspondence to the conventional Feynman rule, which enabled us to avoid any ambiguity coming from the infinite dimensionality of ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The onshore Potiguar basin has nowadays around 5.000 artificial lifting petroleum wells, distributed into 80 fields located on the states of Rio Grande do Norte and Ceara, representing approximately 8% of the national oil production. For that, well maintenance service, realized by Workover Rigs, is essential to preserve the oil productivity of the reservoirs on these fields. However, as the number of rigs is lower than to the number of wells needing maintenance, the task of administrating the management of such equipment according to the demand created by the wells, generates an optimization problem. The decision for a rig intervention on a well depends on parameters such as flow rate, depth, wasted time on intervention, distance from the rig to the next well, type of operation, rig capacity, environmental risks, etc. The objective of this paper is to present an interactive Computational System for Support Decision to the optimized management of the wells attended ...

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

A common property of aging in all animals is that chronologically and genetically identical individuals age at different rates. To unveil mechanisms that influence aging variability, we identified markers...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

BackgroundDue to the increased accuracy of Copy Number Variable region (CNV) break point mapping, it is now possible to say with a reasonable degree of confidence whether a gene...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

Background/AimsTo explore different definitions of intra-individual variability (IIV) to summarize performance on commonly utilized cognitive tests (Mini Mental State Exam; Clock...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

BackgroundVariable platelet response to clopidogrel has been widely observed. Studies have shown that the mean aggregation response to clopidogrel can be changed...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

A common approach used to fuse simultaneously recorded EEG and fMRI is to correlate trial-by-trial variability in the EEG, or variability of components derived therefrom, with the blood oxygenation...Full Text Available

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Recent developments in the analysis of Mira atmosphere, the determination of the pulsation mode, the problem of mass loss, and the evolution of the Mira variables are covered. Model atmospheres for Mira variables, including the opacities of the molecules expected in very late M-type atmospheres are discussed. The pulsation constant for Omicron Ceti is evaluated using T(eff) = 2900 + or - 200 K, and it is concluded that Miras are fundamental mode pulsators. The importance of molecular opacity to the driving of mass loss is evaluated, and it is pointed out that the radiation pressure on molecules is not a major factor in driving mass loss from Mira. Mass loss is considered as a factor in the calculations of the periods for Mira variables. 30 refs.

Science.gov (United States)

... AIR TRAFFIC, TERMINAL FLIGHT ... FLIGHT, RANDOM VARIABLES, STOCHASTIC PROCESSES ... COMPUTER PROGRAMS, QUEUEING THEORY. ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Based on proposed models for the tidal spin-up and magnetic braking of stars with a convective outer envelope, it is suggested that the rotation of secondaries in cataclysmic variables is not necessarily synchronized with the orbital revolution. This may provide an explanation for the observed large range in the mass transfer rate (at the same orbital period) of cataclysmic variables above the period gap. (author).

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

This paper examines how robust economic, political, and demographic variables are related to water and air pollution. Employing Bayesian Averaging of Classical Estimates (BACE) for a cross section of 47 countries, 34 variables and 3 proxies for air and water pollution over a period from 1980 to 2000 we confirm the environmental Kuznets curve hypothesis and highlight the relevance of variables that are not directly related to production.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The authors summarize EUVE's contribution to the study of the boundary layer emission of high accretion-rate nonmagnetic cataclysmic variables, especially the dwarf novae SS Cyg, U Gem, VW Hyi, and OY Car in outburst. They discuss the optical and EUV light curves of dwarf nova outbursts, the quasi-coherent oscillations of the EUV flux of SS Cyg, the EUV spectra of dwarf novae, and the future of EUV observations of cataclysmic variables.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The temporal evolution of linear toroidal ion temperature gradient (ITG) modes is studied based on a kinetic integral equation including an initial condition. It is shown how to evaluate the analytic continuation of the integral kernel as a function of a complex-valued frequency, which is useful for analytical and numerical calculations of the asymptotic damping behavior of the ITG mode. In the presence of the toroidal {nabla}B-curvature drift, the temporal dependence of the density and potential perturbations consists of normal modes and a continuum mode, which correspond to contributions from poles and from an integral along a branch cut, respectively, of the Laplace-transformed potential function of the complex-valued frequency. The normal modes have exponential time dependence with frequencies and growth rates determined by the dispersion relation while the continuum mode, which has a ballooning structure, shows a power law decay {proportional_to} t{sup -2} in ...

Science.gov (United States)

A methodology and hypothetical case study are presented for incorporation of uncertainty and variability into calculations of human health risk appropriate for regional, or basin-scale, groundwater management problems. Uncertainty in well water concentration is introduced through complex contaminant migration patterns in the subsurface. Variability is considered in parameters related to individual behavior patterns and biological effects and to groundwater extraction and distribution networks. A joint uncertainty and variability (JUV) analysis is used to generate a two-dimensional distribution or risk surface that spans both transport uncertainty as well as individual variability. Cuts in this distributional surface (fractiles of variability and percentiles of uncertainty) are presented and discussed. Comparisons with alternative approaches based upon deterministic transport models ...

Science.gov (United States)

PURPOSE: To investigate differences in cost of endovenous laser therapy (EVLT) using a top-down approach derived from the Annual Report versus a clinically orientated, bottom-up approach at a single hospital. METHODS: Information was obtained from: the day-case activity Service Line Report (SLR) income statement for general surgery, comparative data from the National Audit Commission, reference costs from the hospital finance department on 69 patients and calculations on individual treatment times and session slots (2 EVLT's per 3.5 hr session) on 37 consecutive patients. Duration of treatment, consumables (over #3) and staff pay were also recorded. Overheads were estimated at 15% and adjustments were made based on location and length of stay. RESULTS: Using a top-down approach with SLR data the total cost of EVLT was estimated at #963.78 per treatment after adjustments for services and consumables. This compares with #1,073.34 using national data. The hospital ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Seasonal traffic on intercity corridors often creates severe congestion at various bottlenecks, such as land-drops and drawbridges. A Traffic Simulation And Optimization model (TSAO) has been developed in order to 1) evaluate traffic impacts (including travel time, vehicle operating costs, accidents, air pollution and fuel consumption) of a given routing pattern on a network, and 2) determine the optimal flow pattern. In its latest version, the TSAO model uses: 1) a macroscopic simulation approach to trace vehicle platoons through a network; 2) Greenshield's equation to represent volume-speed relationship on freeways and multi-lane highways, and Highway Capacity Manual method for two-lane rural highways; 3) Lighthill's shockwave function to simulate queue propagation; 4) event-scan time management for simulation; 5) variable link capacity for two-lane rural highways or to stimulate incidents; 6) AASHTO ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

In this paper, we report on a comparative study of active screen plasma nitriding (ASPN) and conventional dc plasma nitriding (CPN) behavior of 30CrNiMo8 low-alloy steel that has been examined under various process conditions. The process variables included active screen setup parameters (screen and iron plate top lids placed on the screen setup with 8 mm of hole size), treatment temperature (550 and 580 deg. C), gas mixture (75/25 and 25/75 of N{sub 2}/H{sub 2}) and treatment time (5 and 10 h) in 500 Pa pressure. The structure and phases composition of the diffusion zone and compound layer were studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD), microhardness tests, light optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). It was observed that treated sample surfaces in both CPN and ASPN methods consist of {gamma}' and {epsilon} phases, and while the nitriding time and/or temperature increases, the intensity of {epsilon} ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

As part of studies into the siting of a deep repository for nuclear waste, Swedish Nuclear Fuel and Waste Management Company (SKB) has commissioned the Alternative Models Project (AMP). The AMP is a comparison of three alternative modeling approaches for geosphere performance assessment for a single hypothetical site. The hypothetical site, arbitrarily named Aberg is based on parameters from the Aespoe Hard Rock Laboratory in southern Sweden. The Aberg model domain, boundary conditions and canister locations are defined as a common reference case to facilitate comparisons between approaches. This report presents the results of a discrete fracture pathways analysis of the Aberg site, within the context of the SR 97 performance assessment exercise. The Aberg discrete fracture network (DFN) site model is based on consensus Aberg parameters related to the Aespoe HRL site. Discrete fracture pathways are identified from canister locations in a prototype repository design to the surface of ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The hydroelectric industry's recognition of the importance of avoiding unexpected failure, or forced outages, led to the development of probabilistic, or risk-based, methods in order to attempt to quantify exposures. Traditionally, such analysis has been carried out by qualitative assessments, relying on experience and sound engineering judgment to determine the optimum time to maintain, repair or replace a part or system. Depending on the nature of the problem, however, and the level of experience of those included in the decision making process, it is difficult to find a balance between acting proactively and accepting some amount of risk. The development of a practical means for establishing the probability of failure of any part or system, based on the determination of the statistical distribution of engineering properties such as acting stresses, is discussed. The capacity-demand analysis methodology, coupled with probablistic, risk-based analysis, ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The purpose was to develop a simplified and reliable method of separating free from antibody-bound ligand using a precipitating antibody linked to a cellulose derivative. Dose-response curves and control sera were set up in parallel for various pituitary and placental polypeptides, steroid hormones, insulin, glucagon, triiodothyronine, thyroxine, angiotensin I, calcitonin, gastrin, cyclic AMP, and digoxin. After first-antibody reactions had reached equilibrium, free and bound ligand were separated using a double-antibody solid-phase system in parallel with conventional methods, including dextran-coated charcoal, double-antibody precipitation, single-antibody solid phase, organic solvents, salt precipitation, and anion-exchange resins. The effect of variations in temperature, incubation time, protein content, pH, and amount of separating material added were studied. The results showed that separation was complete within 1 hr for small ligand molecules and within 2 ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

In order to predict or to evaluate the structural reliability of a variety of nuclear components under actual changing operating conditions, it is necessary to take the detailed geometrical features of components into consideration on one hand, and thermo-mechanical loading conditions with space and time variations during the lifetime, on the other hand. This consideration leads the authors to develop a super large-scale structural analysis program based on a parallel computational FEM with a variable scale of PC cluster architecture, whose prototype system is presented in a companion paper in this Symposium. Development of the PC cluster technology is one of the most important subjects in large-scale structural simulation, reducing computer costs and thus making simulation more acceptable to the engineering community. This paper presents the developmental status of the parallel FEM solver, demonstrating computational capabilities with three ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mass shift of accelerated charges-sources of a massive vector and massive scalar fields, are considered in an approximation which is classical with respect to the charge motion but quantum with respect to their interaction with their proper field. For uniformly accelerated charges the mass shifts are expressed in terms of cylindrical functions of the quantum parameter ..mu..c/sup 3//h/2..pi..w/sub 0/ which is the ratio of the mass ..mu.. of the proper field quanta to the charge acceleration w/sub 0/. For finite positive values of the parameter both the imaginary and real parts of the shifts are nonvanishing and negative. For ..mu -->..0 the real part of the mass shift of a vector charge tends to the classical value -..cap alpha..h/2..pi..w/sub 0//2c/sup 3/ obtained earlier, thereas that of the scalar charge tends to zero. These and other properties of the shifts as functions of ..mu.. are studied by taking into account the locality of interaction, unitarity and causality. Dispersion ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dimensional variability studies and published dimensional variability standards have been used by the foundry industry for years as an indicator of the casting process` ability to produce uniform parts. These studies are an extremely useful tool in the continuous ``dimensional dialogue`` between foundries and customers. The nature of these studies, and of the current tolerancing systems used by casting designers, leaves room for some misinterpretation and misuse of these study results. This paper contains two important discussions. The first part explains exactly what these studies represent. Following this is a brief explanation on dimensional and geometric tolerances and how they communicate dimensional requirements.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

In this talk, we explore the feasibility of quantum computation using continuous-variable systems by means of local measurements only. In the first part of the talk, we will identify crucial limitations that arise when starting from Gaussian cluster states. This is done by resorting to a Gaussian projected entangled pair picture as well as to notions of continuous-variable quantum repeater networks. In the second part, we look at instances in which these limitations can be overcome, and how suitable encodings of qubits in oscillators and feasible non-Gaussian resource states give rise to universal schemes for quantum computing.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

This interim technical report presented a summary of results obtained from Pit Lake models developed from different simulation models. The models were used to predict stratification in a hypothetical Pit Lake. Predictions were used to assess the hydrodynamic similarities and differences between the 2 models and to determine if the models would produce similar stratification profiles for the Pit Lakes to previous models. Results showed that the models produced similar results for both temperatures and salinities. The main difference between the RMA10 and CE-QUAL-W2 model used in a previous study was found to be run time. A sensitivity analysis of the RMA10 and CE-QUAL-W2 model predictions was completed to assess the effects of segmentation; time step; lake surface area; lake orientation; and model coefficients or parameters. Results showed that the selected time step and model segmentation were appropriate, as both led to ...

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

The proteolytic activities of a disintegrin and metalloproteinase (ADAM); a disintegrin and metalloproteinase with thrombospondin motifs (ADAMTS), and matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) families play important...Full Text Available

Science.gov (United States)

the southern Arabian Gulf region left its signature on the heterogeneous aerosol .... Arabian Gulf region, since large differences in ? may be caused by ...

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

Brains are usually described as input/output systems: they transform sensory input into motor output. However, the motor output of brains (behavior) is notoriously variable, even under identical sensory...Full Text Available

Science.gov (United States)

Worldwide century-long forest hydrologic research has documented that deforestation and forestation (i.e. reforestation and afforestation) can have variable ...

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

According to classical concepts of physiologic control, healthy systems are self-regulated to reduce variability and maintain physiologic constancy. Contrary to the predictions of homeostasis, however,...Full Text Available

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

Statistically based experimental designs were applied to screen and optimize the bioleaching of spent hydrocracking catalyst by Penicillium simplicissimum. Eleven factors were examined for their significance on bioleaching using a Plackett-Burman factorial design. Four significant variables (pulp density, sucrose, NaNO"3, and yeast extract concentrations) were selected for the optimization studies. The combined effect of these variables on metal bioleaching was studied using a central composite design (CCD). Second-order polynomials were established to identify the relationship between the recovery percent of the metals and the four significant variables. The optimal values of the variables for maximum metals bioleaching were as follows: pulp density (4.0%, w/v), sucrose (90g/L), NaNO"3 (2...

Science.gov (United States)

Wildlife Refuge, CA Rare and endangered endemic plants Diana Anderson Northern Arizona University Geomorphology Kathryn Thomas USGS, Flagstaff, AZ Vegetation dynamics John...

Science.gov (United States)

pedel preo,ure. (_PD). VSO may be developed by nor_:el epeed-o-_eter means at the output. ,haft or it may be derived ...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

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

CERN Document Server

We construct the Baxter Q-operator and the representation of the Separated Variables (SoV) for the homogeneous open SL(2,R) spin chain. Applying the diagrammatical approach, we calculate Sklyanin's integration measure in the separated variables and obtain the solution to the spectral problem for the model in terms of the eigenvalues of the Q-operator. We show that the transition kernel to the SoV representation is factorized into the product of certain operators each depending on a single separated variable. As a consequence, it has a universal pyramid-like form that has been already observed for various quantum integrable models such as periodic Toda chain, closed SL(2,R) and SL(2,C) spin chains.

CERN Document Server

We obtain an elegant and useful description of the dynamics of Szekeres dust models (in their full generality) by means of "quasi--local" scalar variables constructed by suitable integral distributions that can be interpreted as weighed proper volume averages of the local covariant scalars. In terms of these variables, the field equations and basic physical and geometric quantities are formally identical to their corresponding expressions in the spherically symmetric LTB dust models. Since we can map every Szekeres model to a unique LTB model, rigorous results valid for the latter models can be readily generalized to a non--spherical Szekeres geometry. The new variables lead naturally to an initial value formulation in which all scalars are expressed as scaling laws in terms of their values at an arbitrary initial space slice. These variables also yield a significant simplification of numerical work, ...

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

B vitamins and polymorphisms in genes coding for enzymes involved in one-carbon metabolism may affect DNA synthesis and methylation and thereby be implicated in carcinogenesis. Previous data on vitamins B2 and B6 and genetic polymorphisms other than those involving MTHFR as risk factors for gastric cancer (GC) are sparse and inconsistent. In this case-control study nested within the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition cohort, cases (n = 235) and controls (n = 601) were matched for study center, age, sex, and time of blood sampling. B2 and B6 species were measured in plasma, and the sum of riboflavin and flavin mononucleotide was used as the main exposure variable for vitamin B2 status, whereas the sum of pyridoxal 5'-phosphate, pyridoxal, and 4-pyridoxic acid was used to define vitamin B6 status. In addition, we determined eight polymorphisms related to one-carbon metabolism. Relative risks for GC risk were calculated ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Conventional eddy current bobbin probes are known to be ineffectual in detecting circumferential cracks in tubing. Multi-pancake and/or rotating pancake probes are required to detect circumferential cracks. It has recently been demonstrated in CANDU steam generator tubes, with deformation, ferromagnetic deposits, and copper deposits, that multi-channel probes with transmit-receive (T/R) coils are superior to those using surface impedance coils. Unlike rotating probes, the design of a new probe denoted as C3 permits fast, single-scan inspection of a full-length tube at inspection speeds comparable to conventional bobbin probes. Since 1992, the probe has been used routinely for steam generator in-service inspection at 4 CANDU plants. Defective tubes have been plugged and the units returned to service, and they continue to operate without leaks. This paper describes the basic features of T/R surface probes. Two-dimensional voltage diagrams showing computer-derived probe response to ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The mechanisms involved in the glacial inception are still poorly constrained due to a lack of high resolution and cross-dated climate records at various locations. Using air isotopic measurements in the recently drilled NorthGRIP ice core, we show that no evidence exists for stratigraphic disturbance of the climate record of the last glacial inception ({proportional_to}123-100 kyears BP) encompassing Dansgaard-Oeschger events (DO) 25, 24 and 23, even if we lack sufficient resolution to completely rule out disturbance over DO 25. We quantify the rapid surface temperature variability over DO 23 and 24 with associated warmings of 10{+-}2.5 and 16{+-}2.5 C, amplitudes which mimic those observed in full glacial conditions. We use records of {delta}{sup 18}O of O{sub 2} to propose a common timescale for the NorthGRIP and the Antarctic Vostok ice cores, with a maximum uncertainty of 2,500 years, and to examine the interhemispheric sequence of events over this period. ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Analytical means have been developed to predict scour and accretion in sub-sea structures. Such structures can be very large and can have a large density of piping and structural members. They introduce a blocking and a shielding in the flow at the sea bottom leading to variable velocities and turbulence in the interior of the structure. This changes the transport capacity of the flow and result in general erosion where the transport capacity is increased and in accretion where the transport capacity is decreased. In addition there may occur the so-called tunnel erosion for structures built on concrete mats or similar. This type of erosion undermines the foundation of the sub-sea structure. Analytical models are developed and programmed to analyse the above phenomena. The internal flow variations are found by means of the LICengineering shielding programme and these are coupled to the transport formulae. The methodology is unstable if the starting conditions are ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Purpose: Efficacy and safety of the own single-center experience with moderately dosed radiosurgery (SRS) for limited (one to four) brain metastases were analyzed and correlated with patient- and treatment-related variables. Patients and Methods: Between 05/1998 and 10/2006, 93 patients received SRS for a total of 142 brain metastases. The median number of brain metastases treated per patient was one (range, one to four). 46 patients (49%) received initial SRS alone, 13 patients (14%) SRS with up-front whole-brain radiotherapy (WBRT), and 34 patients (37%) SRS for recurrent metastases after WBRT. Median dose was 16 Gy (range, 10-20 Gy). Results: Median overall survival (OS) was 7.5 months. The actuarial 6- and 12-month data for OS were 60% and 35%, for local brain control (LBC) 87% and 79%, and for distant brain control (DBC) 48% and 37%, respectively. Only ten of 46 patients (22%) with initial SRS alone ultimately received WBRT. Ten patients suffered from seizures ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The chemical composition and evolution of produced waters associated with gas production in the Palm Valley gas field, Northern Territory, has important implications for issues such as gas reserve calculations, reservoir management and saline water disposal. The occurrence of saline formation water in the Palm Valley field has been the subject of considerable debate. There were no occurrences of mobile water early in the development of the field and only after gas production had reduced the reservoir pressure, was saline formation water produced. Initially this was in small quantities but has increased dramatically with time, particularly after the initiation of compression in November 1996. The produced waters range from highly saline (up to 300,000 mg/L TDS), with unusual enrichments in Ca, Ba and Sr, to low salinity fluids that may represent condensate waters. The Sr isotopic compositions of the waters ("8"7Sr/"8"6Sr = 0.7041-0.7172) are also ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Research highlights: ? Mathematical model represents a power system which consists of synchronous machine connected to infinite bus through transmission line. ? Power system stabilizer was designed based on optimal pole shifting controller. ? The system performances was tested through load disturbances at different operating conditions. ? The system performance with the proposed optimal pole shifting controller is compared with the conventional pole placement controller. ? The digital simulation results indicated that the proposed controller has a superior performance. -- Abstract: Power system stabilizer based on optimal pole shifting is proposed. An approach for shifting the real parts of the open-loop poles to any desired positions while preserving the imaginary parts is presented. In each step of this approach, it is required to solve a first-order or a second-order linear matrix Lyapunov equation for shifting one real pole or two complex conjugate poles, respectively. This ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The primary objective of this project is to investigate the effects of global change on the biodiversity of aphid communities in Western Europe. Biodiversity has been examined at 3 levels: total number of species, phenology and reproductive strategy. Data were provided by EXAMINE, the European suction traps network which has been now operating for 35 years. 392 different species have been identified. At each location, total number of species has been regularly increasing, one additional species being caught every 1 or 2 years depending on location. This is due to introduced species but also to warming which favours rare species. No general trend of increasing density has been detected, but phenological earliness of almost all species (annual date of first appearance in suction traps) is strongly correlated with temperature and especially with mean daily temperature (during more or less long periods of time lying principally in February and March) or number of days ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Background and Purpose: In an earlier phase II study, irradiation together with razoxane was shown to improve local control in recurrent rectal cancer. Therefore, the Austrian Society of Radiooncology (OeGRO) initiated a randomized controlled trial in 1992 to compare this combined treatment versus radiation therapy alone. Patients and Methods: Between 1992 and 1999, 36 patients with localized recurrences of rectal cancer were randomized to receive radiotherapy without (group A) or with razoxane (group B). The prognostic variables of the two groups were similar except for a longer median latency period from initial surgery to local recurrence in group A. High-energy photons with daily fractions between 170 and 200 cGy were used. The median total radiation dose was 60 Gy in each group. The patients in group B received a median razoxane dose of 9.6 g (range, 5-12 g). Main outcome measures were local control, overall survival, and toxicity. Results: The combined ...

Science.gov (United States)

Twenty autopsy cases with 2009 pandemic influenza A (2009 H1N1) virus infection, performed between August 2009 and February 2010, were histopathologically analyzed. Hematoxylin-eosin staining, immunohistochemistry for type A influenza nucleoprotein antigen, and real-time reverse transcription-PCR assay for viral RNA were performed on formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded specimens. In addition, the D222G amino acid substitution in influenza virus hemagglutinin, which binds to specific cell receptors, was analyzed in formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded trachea and lung sections by direct sequencing of PCR-amplified products. There were several histopathological patterns in the lung according to the most remarkable findings in each case: acute diffuse alveolar damage (DAD) with a hyaline membrane (four cases), organized DAD (one case), acute massive intra-alveolar edema with variable degrees of hemorrhage (three cases), neutrophilic ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Martin Marietta Energy Systems, Inc. (Energy Systems) manages a closed hazardous waste disposal unit, Chestnut Ridge Security Pits (CRSP), in the form of two trenches and several auger-holes, located on top of the eastern portion of Chestnut Ridge at the Department of Energy (DOE) Oak Ridge Y-12 Plant in Tennessee. The groundwater monitoring system for the unit presently consists of a network of upgradient and downgradient monitor wells. To investigate the discharge of groundwater to springs and streams. An initial dye-tracer study was conducted during the driest part of 1990. The dye was detected at some of the monitoring sites, but verification was necessary due to the proximity of some sites to extraneous dye sources. A second dye-tracer was conducted during the wet weather season. The actual test commenced during the first week of February 1992 with a 4-week baseline monitoring period to determine the inherent variability of the emission spectra within the ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The processes of lung growth, injury, and repair are characterized by alterations in fibroblast synthesis and interstitial distribution of extracellular matrix components. Transforming growth factor beta (TGF-beta), which is postulated to play a role in modulating lung repair, alters the distribution of several matrix components such as collagen and fibronectin. We studied the effect of TGF-beta on the synthesis and distribution of the various glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) and whether these effects may explain its role in lung repair. Human diploid lung fibroblasts (IMR-90) were exposed to various concentrations of TGF-beta (0-5 nM) for variable periods of time (0-18 h). Newly synthesized GAGs were labeled with either (3H)glucosamine or (35S)sulfate. Individual GAGs were separated by size exclusion chromatography after serial enzymatic and chemical digestions and quantitated using scintillation counting. There was a dose-dependent increase in total ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

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

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The Demand 80/81 forecasts cover each sector of the economy and are conditional upon alternative assumptions concerning national economic growth, energy prices, other prices, and conservation policy. The forecasts also include forms of energy other than electricity to provide a comprehensive energy picture. Although the forecasts proceed through time in one-year increments, their primary focus is on the period from 1985 to 2000. The forecasts are based on twelve sets of alternative assumptions, or scenarios. A forecast of economic growth and nonenergy variables is used to drive the model to 12 different conditional forecasts. These represent four sets of price assumptions and three sets of non-price conservation assumptions. The price assumptions are: high, baseline, low and constant 1976, which - because of the inverse relationship between prices and consumption - represent low consumption, baseline consumption, high consumption, and extra ...

Science.gov (United States)

A 2009 paper considered possibilities for applying a common display suite to various front-line bubble canopy fighters, whereas further research suggests the cost savings, post Milestone C production/deployment, might not be advantageous. The situation for military cargo and tanker aircraft, may offer a different paradigm. The primary objective of Defense acquisition is to acquire quality products that satisfy user needs with measurable improvements to mission capability and operational support, in a timely manner, and at a fair and reasonable price. DODD 5000.01 specifies that all participants in the acquisition system shall recognize the reality of fiscal constraints, viewing cost as an independent variable. DoD Components must therefore plan programs based on realistic projections of the dollars and manpower likely to be available in future years and also identify the total costs of ownership, as well as the major drivers of total ownership ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tectonically active basins may host a spectrum of sequence stratigraphic expressions previously considered to be spatially mutually exclusive. In low accommodation areas with high sediment supply, fourth order eustatic cyclicity results in high frequency sequence sets while within rapidly subsiding areas, time-equivalent Type-2 sequences are expressed by highly asymmetrical coarsening upward successions, resembling large parasequences. In the shallow marine Fulmar Formation, of the U.K. North Sea Central Graben a sequence boundary and overlying lowstand deposits, which illustrate the effects of laterally variable subsidence rate and intrabasinal topography on the expression of a eustatic sea-level fall, lie between the Glosense and Serratum (J54a and J54b) maximum flooding surfaces. The syn-rift physiography comprises major tilted fault blocks, with the Central Graben dipping parallel to the major faults, simulating a ramp setting. Where the ...

Science.gov (United States)

The purpose of this study was to develop a simple motion measurement system with magnetic resonance (MR) compatibility and safety. The motion measurement system proposed here can measure 5-DoF motion signals without deteriorating the MR images, and it has no effect on the intense and homogeneous main magnetic field, the temporal-gradient magnetic field (which varies rapidly with time), the transceiver radio frequency (RF) coil, and the RF pulse during MR data acquisition. A three-axis accelerometer and a two-axis gyroscope were used to measure 5-DoF motion signals, and Velcro was used to attach a sensor module to a finger or wrist. To minimize the interference between the MR imaging system and the motion measurement system, nonmagnetic materials were used for all electric circuit components in an MR shield room. To remove the effect of RF pulse, an amplifier, modulation circuit, and power supply were located in a shielded case, which was made of copper and ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

In the case of large capacity steam turbines the conventional nozzle group control is, for mechanical and thermodynamic reasons, diminishing more and more in importance in favour of variable pressure control. A design for constant-pressure operation as an alternative to nozzle group control is described; this demonstrates a series of important advantages compared with the latter. (orig.).

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

This book contains the Proceedings of the Conference on Climate and Water under the following groupings: Impacts of climatic variability and change-resulting from the changes in hydrological variables; Aquatic environment; Terrestrial environment; Coastal zones and navigation; Urban and industrial water supply and drainage; Energy production; Intropogenic changes of climate and water management problems; Flood potential; Irrigation and land drainage.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The effect of fetal distress on the neonatal brain was investigated by neonatal CT brain scan, FHR monitoring and mode of delivery. This study involved 11 cases of full term vertex delivery in which FHR was recorded by fetal direct ECG during the second stage labor. All infants weighed 2,500 g or more. FHR monitoring was evaluated by Hon's classification. Neonatal brain edema was evaluated by cranial CT histgraphic analysis (Nakada's method). 1) Subdural hemorrhage was noted in 6 of 7 infants delivered by vacuum extraction or fundal pressure (Kristeller's method). 2) Intracranial hemorrhage was demonstrated in all of 3 infants with 5-min. Apgar score 7 or less. 3) Two cases with prolonged bradycardia and no variability had intraventricular or intracerebral hemorrhage which resulted in severe central nervous system damage. 4) The degree of neonatal brain edema correlated with 5-min. Apgar score. 5) One case with prolonged bradycardia and ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Interest to thin film of metals' silicides first of all is conditioned intrinsic al them unique physical properties. On their basis of it is possible to produce extremely sophisticated devices of solid-state electronics, production which needs the controlled change of physics, chemical and electrical properties with high-level of accuracy. On the present time most are in detail investigated composition, structure and properties of three-dimensional samples of metals' silicides. In the last years the intensive are led to researches in the direction of creation and study of physical-chemical properties thin (500-1000 Angstroms) and ultrafine (100-120 Angstroms) films silicides. It has information about composition, morphology of surface and emission of properties of thin film of silicides of barium, of cobalt and of palladium, was obtained in conditions of ultra-high vacuum. Low energy ion implantation and further annealing on composition, electronic and crystalline ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Installation of new Shortwave Spectrometer for permanent operation at SGP - In May 2006 the new ShortWave Spectrometer (SWS) was installed in the Optical Trailer at the Southern Great Plains Central Facility SGP on 27 April 2006. The SWS began full operation 28 April 2006 and has run continuously to the present. Over 25 GB of spectra has been collected, calibrated and archived. 3-D radiative transfer simulations - Retrieved fields of cloud optical thickness and effective radius to from the MODIS Airborne Simulator were used to reproduce 3D cloud fields that were used a input to 3D radiative transfer simulations and then compared with simultaneous Solar Spectral Flux Radiometer (SSFR) spectral irradiance measurements. The influence of both horizontal and vertical cloud structure, using accurate versus approximated optical properties in the radiative transfer model on the modeled irradiance was examined, as was the influence of using the full phase function versus using approximations of ...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

In this article, we studied the effects of variable viscosity and thermal conductivity on an unsteady two-dimensional laminar flow of a viscous incompressible conducting fluid past a semi-infinite vertical porous moving plate taking into account the effect of a magnetic field in the presence of variable suction. The fluid viscosity is assumed to vary as an inverse linear function of temperature but the thermal conductivity is assumed to vary as a linear function of temperature. It is assumed that the porous plate moves with a constant velocity in the direction of fluid flow, and the free stream velocity follows the exponentially increasing small perturbation law. The governing equations for the flow are transformed into a system of nonlinear ordinary differential equations by perturbation ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

An automotive powertrain includes a conventional piston engine, a continuously variable ratio transmission, an engine speed sensor and a feedback control system. The control system adjusts both the transmission ratio and the throttle valve in the engine carburetor or fuel metering system in response to the position of the accelerator pedal and in response to the crankshaft speed as measured by the engine sensor. The transmission provides extreme overdrive gear ratios which allow the engine to be operated at wide open throttle even during moderate cruising, and, in addition, the engine carburetor or fuel metering system is calibrated to deliver to the engine a stoichiometric air-fuel mixture which is combined, before combustion, with a special proportion of recirculated exhaust gas. As a result of extensive wide open throttle engine operation with the above mentioned intake charge composition, combustion variables are optimized to produce ...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

This paper analyses Italian interregional migration flows. The approach taken is to decompose labour mobility flows into short distance and long distance migration and to model the effects of economic variables, social capital and quality of life variables, and amenity variables, on the mobility behaviour of individuals. We estimate these different types of migration flows using a negative binomial model, augmented with instruments to control for potential endogeneity issues. Our findings demonstrate that long distance migration reflects a disequilibrium model of migration whereas short distance migration largely reflects an equilibrium model of migration. As such, attempts to model interregional migration in general will be mis-specified as the simultaneously-operating underlying mobility...

CERN Document Server

An interesting line of research is the investigation of the laws of random variables known as Dirichlet means. However, there is not much information on interrelationships between different Dirichlet means. Here, we introduce two distributional operations, one of which consists of multiplying a mean functional by an independent beta random variable, the other being an operation involving an exponential change of measure. These operations identify relationships between different means and their densities. This allows one to use the often considerable analytic work on obtaining results for one Dirichlet mean to obtain results for an entire family of otherwise seemingly unrelated Dirichlet means. Additionally, it allows one to obtain explicit densities for the related class of random variables that have generalized gamma convolution distributions and the finite-dimensional distribution of their associated L\\'{e}vy processes. ...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

Multi-millennial climate changes were relatively minor over the mid-late Holocene in the British Isles, because orbitally forced insolation changes were smaller than those at higher latitudes. Centennial climate variability is thus likely to have exerted a greater influence on the environment and human society of the region. Proxy-climate records from the British Isles covering the last 4500years are assembled and re-evaluated with the aim of identifying centennial climate variability reflected by multi-proxy indicators. The proxies include bog oak populations, peatland surface wetness, flooding episodes from fluvial deposits, speleothem annual band width and oxygen isotopes, chironomids from lake sediments and sand and dune deposition. Most proxies reflect water balance rather than temper...

Science.gov (United States)

This paper focuses on a factorial-based design strategy. The approach provides an efficient and statistically reliable means for assessing the influence of multivariable effects. It is applied to the detection and evaluation of damage in impacted composite sandwich panels. The experimental results obtained from this test strategy are utilized to form an empirical response function. The resulting polynomial relates damage area to residual compression strength at values of independent variables for which testing did not occur. The response function also identifies nonlinear interaction effects of key variabes that cannot be easily ascertained by traditional single-variable test strategies. Independent variables evaluated include core thickness, number of face sheet plys and impact energy. The methodology presented allows the designer to predict with more confidence the damage tolerance of a composite material component, and ...

Science.gov (United States)

The Real Time Specification for Java (RTSJ) is an augmentation of Java for real time applications of

Science.gov (United States)

Not Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

Effector proteins expressed in the esophageal gland cells of cyst nematodes are delivered into plant cells through a hollow, protrusible stylet. Although evidence indicates that effector proteins function...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

Activation-induced deaminase (AID) initiates somatic hypermutation, gene conversion and class switch recombination by deaminating variable and switch region DNA cytidines to uridines. AID is predominantly...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

A previous report of high levels of members of the domain Archaea in Antarctic coastal waters prompted us to investigate the ecology of Antarctic planktonic prokaryotes. rRNA hybridization...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

Dependent variables in research on problem behavior typically are based on measures of response repetition, but these measures may be problematic when behavior poses high risk or when its occurrence...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

Information from the Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ) is used to identify which variables measured in 1981 successfully predict the severity of disease in 1989 and the eight year change in severity...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

BackgroundAn earlier study showed that a week of yoga practice was useful in stress management after a natural calamity. Due to heavy rain and a rift on the banks of the Kosi river,...Full Text Available

CERN Document Server

Using the POLISH instrument, I am unable to reproduce the large-amplitude polarimetric observations of Berdyugina et al. (2008) to the >99.99% confidence level. I observe no significant polarimetric variability in the HD 189733 system, and the upper limit to variability from the exoplanet is Delta_P < 7.9 x 10^(-5) with 99% confidence in the 400 nm to 675 nm wavelength range. Berdyugina et al. (2008) report polarized, scattered light from the atmosphere of the HD 189733b hot Jupiter with an amplitude of two parts in 10^4. Such a large amplitude is over an order of magnitude larger than expected given a geometric albedo similar to other hot Jupiters. However, my non-detection of polarimetric variability phase-locked to the orbital period of the exoplanet, and the lack of any significant variability, shows that the polarimetric modulation reported by Berdyugina et al. (2008) cannot be due to the ...

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

The sequence-dependent structural variability and conformational dynamics of DNA play pivotal roles in many biological milieus, such as in the site-specific binding of transcription factors to target...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

Despite the demonstrated clinical efficacy of CD20 monoclonal antibody (mAb) for lymphoma therapy, the in vivo mechanisms of tumor depletion remain controversial and variable. To identify the molecular...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

Simulations with a regional chemical transport model show that anthropogenic emissions of volatile organic compounds and nitrogen oxides (NO_x = NO + NO₂) lead to a dramatic diurnal...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

Random forest (RF) analysis of genetic data does not require specification of the mode of inheritance, and provides measures of variable importance that incorporate interaction effects. In this paper...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

In this review we attempt to reconstruct the evolutionary history of hominin life history from extant and fossil evidence. We utilize demographic life history theory and distinguish life history variables,...Full Text Available

Science.gov (United States)

High speed experimental tests provided data on six parametric cylindrical roller bearings. Four bearing variables were evaluated and the results were correlated with the analytical model developed under Naval Air Propulsion Center Contract N00140-76-C-038...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The systems for which the algebra of gauge transformations in the lagrangian formalism is closed, are considered. The hamiltonian BRST charge and the BRST-invariant hamiltonian are found explicitly. Their expansions in powers of the ghost variables contain, in general, an infinite number of terms. (orig.).

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

The torque-velocity relationship is known to be affected by ageing, decreasing its protective role in the prevention of falls. Interindividual variability in this torque-velocity relationship is partly...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

Exercise is essential for health, yet the amount, duration, and intensity that individuals engage in are strikingly variable, even under prescription. Our focus was to identify the locations and effects...Full Text Available

Science.gov (United States)

The aim of the present study focuses on experimentally demonstrating the efficacy of using angularly-variable fiber geometry to achieve the desired tissue-layer selection and probing depths with the further objective of enhancing the sensitivity and specificity of spectral diagnosis in stratified architectures that resemble human cervical epithelia. The morphological and biochemical features of epithelial tissue vary in accordance with tissue depths; consequently, the accuracy of spectroscopic diagnosis of epithelial dysplasia may be enhanced by probing the optical properties of this tissue. When correlated to cellular dysplasia, layer-specific changes in tissue optical properties may be deciphered by reflectance spectroscopy coupled with angularly-variable fiber geometry. This study addresses the utility of using such angularly-variable fiber geometry for resolving spatially-specific spectral signatures of tissue ...

Science.gov (United States)

... 1984; Martin-Mora et al., 1995), and parasitism (Rothschild and Rothschild, 1939; Pesigan et al., 1958; Moose, 1963; Pan, ... effects of digeneans are variable; they may enhance (Rothschild and Rothschild...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Energy confinement in W7-AS has been analyzed in terms of dimensionally exact form free functions employing Bayesian probability theory. The confinement function was set up as a linear combination of dimensionally exact power law terms as already proposed very early by Connor and Taylor. Generation of this expansion basis is dictated by the basic plasma model which one assumes. Based upon data accumulated in W7-AS, which contains the energy content for a wide variety of variable settings, predictions for single variable scans are made. The scaling functions for density and power scans, respectively, are in quantitative agreement with data collected in W7-AS. The result of a single variable scan is therefore already hidden in the data obtained for arbitrary variable choices and can be extracted from the latter by a proper data analysis. Furthermore, the optimal model for the description of the global ...

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

Certain structural and environmental factors other than technical combination of resources and firm size are hypothesized to affect medical practice output. Four groups of variables related to physician...Full Text Available

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

In recent years the modelling of interannual climate variability has been studied, the atmospheric energy and water cycles, and climate simulations with the ECHAM3 model. In addition, the climate simulations of several models have been compared with special emphasis in the area of northern Europe

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

In this report, the main emphasis is given to (1) the problems associated with the basic calibration of the spectroradiometer and (2) the year-to-year variability of the calibrations of the solar UV network radiometers. Also, the results from intercomparisons of the Brewer and OL 742 spectroradiometers are included

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

An elliptic equation in a rectangle with coefficients depending on a fast variable and with its period being a small parameter is considered. An asymptotic expansion of the solution up to an arbitrary degree of the small parameter is constructed and substantiated by applying the two-scale expansion method.

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

Visual assessment of the degree of renal artery stenosis on renal arteriography has a large inter- and intraobserver variability. This degree is usually estimated by the ratio between the most narrowed...Full Text Available

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

In the case wherein nonlinear seismic response analyses are carried out, the response values vary due to the variations in materials and modeling. In this paper, nonlinear analyses of several random variables are carried out using: i. a conventional method; ii. a two-point estimation method (i. and ii. are simplified methods); and iii. Monte Carlo simulation (detailed method) to examine the variability of the response in the excessive nonlinear range for seismic responses of shear walls. The analyses are performed to a PWR-3 loop type reactor building which is one of the most typical reactor buildings in Japan. The variations are considered in specified compressive strength of concrete, concrete damping factor, shear wave velocity of soil and shapes of shear stress-strain relation curves of shear walls. As the results by the two simplified methods closely matched the Monte Carlo simulation results, the appropriateness for applying the ...

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

The distribution of 20 variable regions resulting from insertion-deletion events in the genomes of the tubercle bacilli has been evaluated in a total of 100 strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis,...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

BackgroundWith the explosion in data generated using microarray technology by different investigators working on similar experiments, it is of interest to combine results across...Full Text Available

Science.gov (United States)

Abstract Anesthetics affect outcomes from central nervous system (CNS) injuries differently. This is the first study to show how two commonly used anesthetics affect continuously recorded hemodynamic parameters and locomotor recovery during a 2-week period after two levels of contusion spinal cord injury (SCI) in rats. We hypothesized that the level of cardiovascular depression and recovery of locomotor function would be dependent upon the anesthetic used during SCI. Thirty-two adult female rats were subjected to a sham, 25-mm or 50-mm SCI at T3-4 under pentobarbital or isoflurane anesthesia. Mean arterial pressure (MAP) and heart rate (HR) were telemetrically recorded before, during, and after SCI. Locomotor function recovered best in the 25-mm-injured isoflurane-anesthetized animals. There was no significant difference in locomotor recovery between the 25-mm-injured pentobarbital-anesthetized animals and the 50-mm-injured isoflurane-anesthetized animals. White matter sparing and ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The Fermi National Laboratory (Fermilab) operates the Tevatron proton-antiproton collider at a center-of-mass energy of {radical}s = 1.96 TeV, the is therefore the only collider which is today able to produce the heaviest known particle, the top quark. The top quark was discovered at the Tevatron by the CDF and D0 collaborations in 1995. At the Tevatron, most top quarks are produced via the strong interaction, whereby quark-antiquark annihilation dominates with 85%, and gluon fusion contributes with 15%. Considering next-to-leading order (NLO) contributions in the cross section of top-antitop quark production, leads to a slight positive asymmetry in the differential distribution of the production angle {alpha} of the top quarks. This asymmetry is due to the interference of certain NLO contributions. The charge asymmetry A in the cosine of {alpha} is predicted [14] to amount to 4-6%. Information about the partonic rest frame, necessary for a measurement of A in the observable cos ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

One of the refinements of modern Nuclear Medicine is the capacity of providing dynamic and kinetics images of the administered radiopharmaceutical, reproducing its transport mechanism, action sites, receptor binding and excretion route. With the continues technological advances new radiopharmaceuticals have been developed in order to express higher specificity and with higher characters of affinity between receptor/complex. One radiopharmaceutical is formed by a reagent or bio molecule that has in its structure a radioisotope, that has the objectives of carrying it to the organs of affinity or to benign or malign tumoral process. Somatostatin inhibits the growing and proliferation of several tumoral cells. Somatostatin analogs bind to somatostatic receptors that are expressed in different kind of neoplasia DOTA-LANREOTIDE (DOTALAN) is an octapeptide analog to somatostatin. The interest of labeling the bio conjugate with gallium-67 in Nuclear Medicine comes from its physical, chemical ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The data center in this study had a total floor area of 3,024 square feet (ft{sup 2}) with one-foot raised-floors. It was a rack lab with 147 racks, and was located in a 96,000 ft{sup 2} multi-story office building in San Jose, California. Since the data center was used only for testing equipment, it was not configured as a critical facility in terms of electrical and cooling supply. It did not have a dedicated chiller system but was served by the main building chiller plant and make-up air system. Additionally it was served by only a single electrical supply with no provision for backup power in the event of a power outage. The Data Center operated on a 24 hour per day, year-round cycle, and users had full-hour access to the data center facility. The study found that data center computer load accounted for 15% of the overall building electrical load, while the total power consumption attributable to the data center including allocated cooling load and lighting was 22% of the total ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Direct injection diesel engines power most of the heavy-duty vehicles. Due to their superior fuel economy, high power density and low carbon dioxide emissions, turbocharged, small bore, high speed, direct injection diesel engines are being considered to power light duty vehicles. Such vehicles have to meet stringent emission standards. However, it is difficult to meet these standards by modifying the in-cylinder thermodynamic and combustion processes to reduce engine-out emissions. After-treatment devices will be needed to achieve even lower emission targets required in the production engines to account for the anticipated deterioration after long periods of operation in the field. To reduce the size, mass and cost of the after-treatment devices, there is a need to reduce engine-out emissions and optimize both the engine and the aftertreatment devices as one integrated system. For example, the trade-off between engine-out NOx and PM, suggests that one of these species can be minimized ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

A variable-dispersion electron spectrometer is being installed for use by the Stanford Superconducting Accelerator in conjunction with its Free Electron Laser program. The system has been designed to operate with electron beam energies from 20 MeV to 200 MeV, with a maximum energy resolution of 0.01% FWHM. The maximum energy acceptance is approximately #+-# 5%, as determined by the bending magnet aperture. Resolution is controlled by adjusting the focal conditions at the entrance to a 90 degree bending magnet, while the dispersion is controlled by changing the magnitude and polarity of the field in a quadrupole magnet which immediately follows the bending magnet. 4 refs., 5 figs.

Science.gov (United States)