The need for safe food products has motivated food scientists and industry to find novel technologies for antimicrobial delivery for improving food safety and quality. Controlledrelease packaging is a novel technology that uses the package to deliver antimicrobials in a controlled manner and sustain antimicrobial stress on the targeted microorganism over the required shelf life. This work studied the effect of controlledrelease of nisin to inhibit growth of Micrococcus luteus (a model microorganism) using a computerized syringe pump system to mimic the release of nisin from packaging films which was characterized by an initially fast rate and a slower rate as time progressed. The results show that controlledrelease of nisin was strikingly more effective than instantly added (?formulated...
To capitalize on the response of tumor cells to ionizing radiation, we developed a controlled-release nanoparticle drug delivery system using a targeting peptide that recognizes a radiation-induced...Full Text Available
The electroless nickel plating/poly(dl-lactide-co-glycolide) composite coating (EN-plating/PLGA composite coating) was fabricated on the surface of the micro-arc oxidation (MAO) film of the magnesium alloy AZ81 to double control the corrosion and drug release in the hanks' solution. The EN-plating was fabricated on the MAO coating to improve the corrosion resistance by overlaying most pores and micro-cracks on the surface of the MAO film. Meanwhile, a double layered organic poly(dl-lactide-co-glycolide)/paclitaxel (PLGA/PTX) drug releasing coating with a top layered PLGA drug controlledreleasing coating on EN plating was prepared to control the drug release rate by adjusting the different lactide: glycolide (LA:GA) ratio of PLGA. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and the X-ray powder dif...
the environment, with the 2006 release of a GM pink bollworm moth (a pest of cotton), ...Use of Genetically Engineered Fruit Fly and Pink Bollworm in APHIS Plant Pest Control Programs 6 Gould,
Purpose: To enable safety reactor shut down upon occurrence of an abnormal excess pressure in a hydraulic control unit. Constitution: The actuation pressure for a pressure switch that generates a scram signal is set lower than the release pressure set to a pressure release valve. Thus, if the pressure of nitrogen gas in a nitrogen container increases such as upon exposure of the hydraulic control unit to a high temperature, the pressure switch is actuated at first to generate the scram signal and a scram valve is opened to supply water at high pressure to control rod drives under the driving force of the nitrogen gas at high pressure to rapidly insert the control element into the reactor and shut down it. If the pressure of the nitrogen gas still increases after the scram, the pressure release valve is opened to release ...
The need is substantiated for using remote control of technological processes on blowout dangerous beds. A method is proposed for this control based on recording with the help of AGZ apparatus for gas release into the roadway. Distinguishing features are indicated for the change in methane concentration in the roadway with normal occurrence of the process and in the case of blowout of coal and gas.
The purpose of this study was to prepare recombinant human epidermal growth factor (rhEGF) collagen sponges for topical applications and investigate the effects of different types of crosslinked collagen sponges as platforms for the controlledrelease of rhEGF. The microstructure and the drug release rates of collagen sponges were modified through treatment with different types (glutaraldehyde (GTA), genipin and 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)carbodiimide (EDC)), different concentrations of crosslinking agents and various preparation conditions. A controlledrelease profile was observed for the crosslinked collagen sponges as compared to the non-crosslinked ones. The results indicated that the GTA crosslinked sponges have the most potent controlling effect. As the amount of GTA increased, a greater rigidity of the collagen sponge structure combined with a ...
Soluble starch?based biodegradable and microporous microspheres (SDM-Ms) were prepared by emulsion chemical cross-linking technique using trisodium trimetaphosphate (TSTP) as the cross-linker. The resultant amorphous SDM-Ms were excellently identified by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). The internal rupture and surface-controlled erosion were the predominant degradation mechanisms for SDM-Ms. The obtained SDM-Ms were applied to adsorb coix seed oil (CSO) by immersing method. The adsorption capacity of CSO within SDM-Ms was determined, namely 0.5238?g/g, and the thermal stability was shown higher than that of the free CSO. A burst release appeared in the second hour, followed by controlledrelease. Diffusion, d...
A controlled field pilot has been developed in Bozeman, Montana, USA, to study near surface CO2 transport and detection technologies. A slotted horizontal well divided into six zones was installed in the shallow subsurface. The scale and CO2 release rates were chosen to be relevant to developing monitoring strategies for geological carbon storage. The field site was characterized before injection, and CO2 transport and concentrations in saturated soil and the vadose zone were modeled. Controlledreleases of CO2 from the horizontal well were performed in the summers of 2007 and 2008, and collaborators from six national labs, three universities, and the U.S. Geological Survey investigated movement of CO2 through the soil, water, plants, and air with a wide range of near surface detection techniques. An overview of these results will be presented.
This paper aims to provide a comprehensive review of the various models or simulations for predicting drug release from bulk-degrading systems. A brief description of bulk degradation processes and factors affecting the degradation rate, and consequently the release kinetics, is presented first. Next, several important classical models, often used as the basis for subsequent model development, are discussed. Both mathematical models and Monte-Carlo based simulations have been developed for controlledrelease from bulk-degrading systems. The mathematical models can be further subdivided into two categories. First, the diffusion-based models whose transport mechanism is mainly governed by diffusion, but with degradation-dependent diffusion coefficients. These are generally simpler and easier...
After lifestyle and behavioral measures to control overactive bladder, the mainstay of pharmacological treatment is the use of antimuscarinic therapy. Overactive bladder predominantly affects older...Full Text Available
Feedback controls of estrogen in LHRH-1 neurons play a pivotal role in reproductive function. However, the mechanism of estrogen action in LHRH-1 neurons is still unclear. In the present study, the...Full Text Available
Purpose: To improve the reliability of control rod drive mechanisms for use in BWR type reactors by preventing erroneous insertion of control rods caused by the increase in the coolant pressure. Constitution: A pressure-releaf valve mechanism is provided which opens its valve when a detected difference between the pressure of the coolants flowing through coolant pipeways and the reactor pressure exceeds a predetermined pressure difference. If the coolant pressure increases abnormally, coolants in the coolant pipeway are released to lower the pressure. (Aizawa, K.).
In a prior study, we demonstrated that certain disposable coils are contaminated with zinc and release substantial quantities of Zn during hemodialysis, producing high post-dialysis plasma Zn concentrations. The present investigation was designed to monitor plasma and dialysis fluid Zn and copper throughout dialysis and to estimate patient Zn and Cu uptake. Venous plasma, arterial plasma and coil chamber fluid were sampled periodically throughout dialysis; trace metal concentrations were determined by flame atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Release of considerable quantities of Zn from the coils into the dialysis fluid, with uptake into the patient's plasma, was found. Approximately one-half of the plasma Zn uptake occurred in the first 45 minutes. Coils from different lots released significantly different quantities of Zn. Patient uptake of Zn ranged from 3.2 mg-23.0 mg, with a mean of 15.0 +- 6.1 mg. Copper ...
A study was made of the actions of the excitant neurotoxin, kainic acid, on the uptake and the release of D-(2,3-3H)aspartate (D-ASP) in slices of guinea pig cerebral neocortex and striatum. The slices took up D-ASP, reaching concentrations of the amino acid in the tissue which were 14-23 times that in the medium. Subsequently, electrical stimulation of the slices evoked a Ca2+-dependent release of a portion of the D-ASP. Kainic acid (10(-5)-10(-3) M) produced a dose-dependent inhibition of D-ASP uptake. The electrically evoked release of D-ASP was increased 1.6-2.0 fold by 10(-5) and 10(-4)M kainic acid. The kainate-enlarged release was Ca2+-dependent. Dihydrokainic acid, an analogue of kainic acid with little excitatory or toxic action, did not increase D-ASP release but depressed D-ASP uptake. Attempts were made to block the action of kainic acid with baclofen and pentobarbital, ...
An effective procedure for removing _3H, Xe and Kr from irradiated fuels was demonstrated using Shippingport UO"2 fuel. The release characteristics of _3H, Kr, Xe, and I from irradiated nuclear fuel have been determined as a function of temperature and gaseous environment. Vacuum outgassing and a flowing gas stream have been used to vary the gaseous environment. Vacuum outgassing released about 99% of the _3H and 20% of both Kr and Xe within a 3 h at 1500_0C. Similar results were obtained using a carrier gas of He containing 6% H"2. However, a carrier gas containing only He resulted in the release of approximately 80% of the _3H and 99% of both Kr and Xe. These results indicate that the release of these volatile fission products from irradiated nuclear fuel is a function of the chemical composition of the gaseous environment. The rate of tritium release increased with increasing ...
The HIPAA privacy rule (HIPAA) has had both positive and negative effects on the release of patient information by healthcare facilities. Although the intention of HIPAA was to protect patient privacy and to promote security and confidentiality of patient information, it has had unintended consequences for facilities. To identify some of these unintended effects, two expert panels of health information management directors from healthcare facilities participated in the nominal group technique meetings. They identified 70 barriers related to release of patient information associated with the implementation of HIPAA. The perceived biggest barriers were increases in the public's misunderstanding about release of patient information, lack of an umbrella policy or regulation defining infractions and enforcement that allows individual institutions to make their own interpretations, and challenges to health information management ...
This paper introduces the radioactive effluent monitoring systems, measurement and quality control methods used in Daya Bay Nuclear Power Station from its commercial operation in 1994. The main work and experiences for the management of effluent release are discussed and analyzed. The radwaste data appear declining trend and are far blow the annual limit approved by the national Environmental Protection Bureau since 1995. The normalized release (unit GBq/GWa) of 9 years is as follows: liquid nuclides (except tritium) 11.1, liquid tritium 1.91 x 10"4, noble gas 2.03 x 10"4, halogen 0.13, aerosol 7.57 x 10"-"3. For "1"1"0"mAg, the average release from 1998 to 2002 has been reduced to 1/7 of the quantity in 1997
Introduction The objective of this study was to investigate the in-vitro fluoride release from a glass ionomer orthodontic bonding system (Fuji I, GC Corporation, Tokyo, Japan) over a 2-month period and the in-vivo enamel fluoride uptake after 6 months. Methods Ten metal brackets were bonded with either glass ionomer or composite resin (Transbond XT, 3M Unitek, Monrovia, Calif; Light Cure), which served as controls, to recently extracted molars. The bonded teeth, cut at the level of their roots, were stored in distilled water that was renewed after every fluoride measurement at 1, 3, 7, 30, and 60 days. The in-vitro fluoride release was measured by using a fluoride ion-selective electrode, connected to an ion analyzer. Fifteen pairs of premolars were bonded with metal brackets with either ...
A process is disclosed for the preparation of liquid, storage-stable, polyisocyanate compositions containing a release agent formed in situ which compositions are useful, for example, as binder resins in the formation of particle boards which latter, because of the presence of the release agent, show no tendency to adhere to the face of metal platens used in their formation. The process comprises heating an organic polyisocyanate (polymethylene polyphenyl polyisocyanate preferred) with an acid phosphate (e.g. a mixture of mono-and di-alkyl acid phosphates) under conditions controlled as to time and temperature so as to yield a product which is storage stable and shows no tendency to deposit solid or to separate into two liquid phases.
Upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) with unique multi-photon excitation photoluminescence properties have recently been intensively explored as novel contrast agents for low-backgroundbiomedical imaging. In this work, we functionalize UCNPs with a polyethylene glycol (PEG) grafted amphiphilic polymer. The PEGylated UCNPs are loaded with a commonly used chemotherapy molecule, doxorubicin (DOX), by simple physical adsorption via a supramolecular chemistry approach for intracellular drug delivery. The loading and releasing of DOX from UCNPs are controlled by varying pH, with an increased drug dissociation rate in acidic environment, favorable for controlled drug release. Upconversion luminescence (UCL) imaging by a modified laser scanning confocal microscope reveals the time course of intracel...
The report presents the results of the study carried out to estimate the accident risk involved in the transport of spent fuel from Rajasthan Atomic Power Station near Kota to the fuel reprocessing plant at Tarapur. The technique of probabilistic safety analysis is used. The fuel considered is the Indian pressurised heavy water reactor fuel with a minimum cooling period of 485 days. The spent fuel is transported in a cuboidal, naturally-cooled shipping cask over a distance of 822 km by rail. The Indian rail accident statistics are used to estimate the basic rail accident frequency. The possible ways in which a release of radioactive material can occur from the spent fuel cask are identified by the fault tree analysis technique. The release sequences identified are classified into eight accident severity categories, and release fractions are assigned to each. The consequences resulting from the release ...
The processes controlling total carbon (C) storage and release from the terrestrial biosphere are still poorly quantified. We conclude from analysis of paleodata and climatebiome model output that terrestrial C exchanges since the last glacial maximum (LGM) were dominated by slow processes of C sequestration in soils, possibly modified by C starvation and reduced water use efficiency of trees during the LGM. In contrast, future C cycling will be dominated by human activities, not only from increasing C release with burning of fossil fuels, and but also from indirect effects which increase C storage in the terrestrial biosphere and decrease C storage in the biosphere. Comparison of the positive and negative C flux processes involved suggests that if the C sequestration processes are important, they likely will be so during the next few decades, gradually being counteracted by the C release processes. ...
The BEATRIX-II irradiation experiment is an in-situ tritium release experiment being carried out in the Fast Flux Test Facility (FFTF) reactor to evaluate the tritium release characteristics of fusion solid breeder materials. A sophisticated tritium gas handling system has been developed to continuously monitor the tritium recovery from the specimens and facilitate tritium removal from the experiment's sweep gas flow stream. The in-situ recovery experiment accommodates two different in-reactor specimen canisters with individual gas streams and temperature monitoring/control. Ionization chambers have been specifically designed to respond to the rapid changes in the tritium release rate at the anticipated tritium concentrations. Two ceramic electrolysis cells have proved effective in reducing the moisture in the gas streams to hydrogen/tritium. A tritium getter system, capable of reducing the ...
The release of any potential radioactive pollutant to the environment during routine operation of a Nuclear Power Plant should be the subject of appropriate controls and assessments. It is impossible to monitor directly the dose contribution of normal releases because the environmental radioactivity levels are very small but source monitoring provides a means of assessing the radiation exposure of population groups, critical groups and individual members of the public. Derived emissions limits ( DELs ) are used to quantify the relationship between releases of radioactivity and doses to public - critical groups. CNE Cernavoda DELs are based on a pathway analysis conducted for Cernavoda site specific conditions and they were computed using a compartment transfer model. Annual air and water emissions for the most significant radionuclides between 1997 and 2008 are presented in terms of doses and can be ...
A good knowledge of medfly population dynamics is necessary to control it. Population dynamics are being studied by means of the Jackson trap with trimedlure attractant (male, sex-pheromone). Weekly sampling of wild medfly populations was started in June at Aabde and in August at Sour and Jbeil. Trap surveys of medfly density will be carried for at least one year before sterile males releases are started against a long-established infestation. Since populations can vary with season and in different parts of an infested area. Knowledge of this variation is needede to determine when releases should start, because they should begin, just after or during a population decline. Field evaluation will include, ecological data on medfly population distribution number, host preference, and medfly overwintering. Surveys of medfly adults and larvae, host species, and phenology, temperature and medfly history, all will be used to guide ...
Abstract Salmonella Typhimurium and Listeria monocytogenes are major bacterial pathogens associated with poultry products. A controlledreleased ClO2 sachet applied with modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) was evaluated for its ability to control the growth of S. Typhimurium and L. monocytogenes on raw chicken breast during refrigerated storage. The fresh chicken samples were inoculated with one or the other of the pathogens at 104-cfu/g, and the packages (with and without ClO2 sachet) were flushed with ambient air or 30% CO2/70% N2 before sealing, and then stored at 4C for up to 21 days. The maximum reduction in MAP plus ClO2 (compared with MAP alone) was 0.68-log-cfu/g for S. Typhimurium and 1.87-log-cfu/g for L. monocytogenes. Color and pH changes of the chicken breast were observed at ...
Analysis of the coke gas combustion porcess is presented. Standard kinetic relationships were utilized. Calculations were performed for coke gas with high and low content of H/sub 2/ and for blasting air 20 and 100/sup 0/C. Temperature relationships, composition of gas combustion products and release of nitrogen oxides were determined. Results are analyzed which will make it possible to control the composition of combustion products.
... The male GM mosquitoes mate with normal females to produce larvae that die unless the antibiotic tetracycline is present. In tetracycline's absence an enzyme accumulates to a toxic level, killing the larvae. The developers hope the strategy could be combined with other mosquito control methods to reduce transmission in dengue-prone areas. Ricarda Steinbrecher, a geneticist and co-director of EcoNexus -a UK-based non-profit research organisation -expressed surprise ...
... The male GM mosquitoes mate with normal females to produce larvae that die unless the antibiotic tetracycline is present. In tetracycline's absence an enzyme accumulates to a toxic level, killing the larvae. The developers hope the strategy could be combined with other mosquito control methods to reduce transmission in dengue-prone areas. Ricarda Steinbrecher, a geneticist and co-director of EcoNexus - a UK-based non-profit research organization - ...
According to biological and chemical control strategy for pest control, we investigate the dynamics of a predator-prey food chain with impulsive effect, periodic releasing natural enemies and spraying pesticide at different fixed times, by using impulsive differential equation. Choose pest birth rate r{sub 2} as control parameter, we show that there exists a stable pest-eradication periodic solution when r{sub 2} is less than some critical value r{sub 2}* and the system is permanence when r{sub 2} is larger than the critical value r{sub 2}*. By use of standard techniques of bifurcation theory, we prove that above this threshold there are periodic oscillations in prey, middle-predator and top predator. Furthermore, bifurcation diagrams have shown that there exists complexity for the pulsed system including periodic doubling cascade.
In order to investigate the behaviour of the turbine control system during strong pendulum motions, an analysis is carried out using a digital computer program by which the reactor, the turbine, the generator and, in a simplified way, the network can be simulated to the necessary degree. Plotter pictures can show the main physical quantities. In all cases, the turbine control system should be able to distinguish between strong pendulum amplitude with acceleration of the rotational angles and sudden release criteria. This demand can be satisfied by a simple adjustment in the Kraftwerk Union turbine control system. Only a few seconds after shut-off of a severe network failure, the turbines are back to their rated power, thus contributing to reliability of supply in this critical network situation. (orig.).
This paper presents a rationale for and a summary of tasks and missions to which mobile and stationary robots and other teleoperator-controlled devices could be assigned in response to the accidental release of radioactive and other hazardous/toxic materials to the environment. Many of these vehicles and devices currently support operation and maintenance of nuclear power plants and other nuclear industry facilities. This paper also discusses specific missions for these devices at the Three Mile Island and Chernobyl nuclear power plant sites at the time of the accidents. Also discussed is the status of devices under development for future applications, as well as research on robotics.
With the compensator-series equipment put into operation in 1992 - giving a performance of 330 Mvar - it was made possible for high-performance electronics to use a continuously variable, fully loaded power transmission line and to regulate the energy flow and minimise overcurrent losses. As well as these technical qualities, this system could offer environmental advantages for European implementation. This would avoid the need to plan and construct new high voltage transmission lines in order to meet increased demand. (orig.)
Extracellular matrix (ECM) comprises a rich meshwork of proteins and proteoglycans, which not only contains biological cues for cell behavior, but is also a reservoir for binding growth factors and controlling their release. Here we aimed to create a suitable bony microenvironment with cell-derived ECM and biodegradable ?-tricalcium phosphate (?-TCP). More specifically, we investigated whether the ECM produced by bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hBMSC) on a ?-TCP scaffold can bind bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP-2) and control its release in a sustained manner, and further examined the effect of ECM and the BMP-2 released from ECM on cell behaviors. The ECM was obtained through culturing the hBMSC on a ?-TCP porous scaffold and performing decellularization and sterilization. SEM, XPS, FTIR, and immunofluorescent staining results indicated the presence of ECM on the ...
Serotonin is an important signaling molecule involved in the control of feeding in flies and other animals. In this study, a potential neurohemal release site for serotonin and the effects of exogenous serotonin on protein feeding were examined in the black blow fly, Phormia regina. A dense network of varicose neural processes exhibiting serotonin-like immunoreactivity was identified on the dorsal region of the thoracico-abdominal ganglion in P. regina. This dorsal region of the central nervous system is a likely site for the release of serotonin into the hemolymph. Circulating serotonin may have multiple systemic effects on fly physiology, including modulating or regulating feeding related processes and diuresis. Injections of exogenous serotonin reduced protein meal size in female flies ...
ABSTRACT Aim The study aimed to test simultaneously our understanding of the effects of bupropion sustained-release (SR) treatment on putative mediators and our understanding of determinants of post-quit abstinence, including withdrawal distress, cigarette craving, positive affect and subjective reactions to cigarettes smoked during a lapse. The specificity of bupropion SR effects was also tested in exploratory analyses. Design Data from a randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial of bupropion SR were submitted to mediation analyses. Setting Center for Tobacco Research and Intervention, Madison, WI, USA. Participants A total of 403 adult, daily smokers without contraindications to bupropion SR use. Intervention Participants were assigned randomly to receive a 9-week course of bupropion...
The cephalosporin class antibacterial agent, cefazolin, was intercalated into layered double hydroxides (LDHs) in order to improve the drug efficiency as well as to achieve the controlledrelease property. Cefazolin molecules were incorporated into LDH through conventional ion exchange reaction. X-ray diffraction pattern analyses confirmed that cefazolin molecules were intercalated between the interlayer spaces of LDH. Fourier-transform infrared spectra and high performance liquid chromatographs clearly showed that the drug molecules were stabilized in LDH lattice through electrostatic interaction and released without any changes in their chemical integrity. Antibacterial activity of the cefazolin-LDH nanohybrid was also examined by an in vitro test, such as the minimal inhibitory concentr...
Field cage studies were carried out to evaluate the F_1 sterility technique for population suppression of the pink bollworm, Pectinophora gossypiella (Saunders), in cotton. For this purpose, six field cages (1.8 m x 1.8 m x 1.8 m) were placed over cotton seedlings in the field. Five pairs of laboratory reared, untreated adult moths were released in all six cages during the first week of August. In addition, on the same data 100 pairs of adults, following irradiation of the mature pupae at 100 Gy, were released in two cages and 250 such pairs of irradiated adults in two other cages in ratios of 20:1 and 50:1 (irradiated:normal), respectively. The results of per cent larval infestation in the rosette blooms in different field cages indicated that larval infestation in the flowers was significantly lower (4.93%) in cages where the moths were released at the 50:1 ratio than in cages where moths were ...
Gold-coated iron nanoparticles (NPs) selectively and significantly (P <0.0001) inhibit proliferation of oral- and colorectal-cancer cells in vitro at doses as low as 5 mg/mL, but have little adverse effect on normal healthy control cells. The particle treatment caused delay in cell-cycle progression, especially in the S-phase. There was no significant difference in the NP uptake between cancer and control cells, and cytotoxicity resulted primarily from the iron core, before oxidation, rather than from the Fe ions released from the core. In contrast with magnetic NPs that usually serve as drug carriers, diagnostic probes or hyperthermia media, the iron, before oxidation, in the NPs selectively suppressed cancer cell growth and left healthy control cells unaffected in vitro and in vivo. This...
Glucose homeostasis requires the tight regulation of glucose utilization by liver, muscle and white or brown fat, and glucose production and release in the blood by liver. The major goal of maintaining glycemia at -5 mM is to ensure a sufficient flux of glucose to the brain, which depends mostly on this nutrient as a source of metabolic energy. This homeostatic process is controlled by hormones, mainly glucagon and insulin, and by autonomic nervous activities that control the metabolic state of liver, muscle and fat tissue but also the secretory activity of the endocrine pancreas. Activation or inhibition of the sympathetic or parasympathetic branches of the autonomic nervous systems are controlled by glucose-excited or glucose-inhibited neurons located at different anatomical sites, mainl...
Full text: Pink bollworm (PBW), Pectinophora gossypiella (Saunders), an introduced pest from Mexico, first occurred in United States cotton production in Texas in 1917. Unacceptable economic losses have occurred. The development of PBW sterile moth release technology, gossyplure sex pheromone behavioral control, cotton plant cultural control to reduce overwintered PBW populations, and the transfer of the insect toxin protein gene into cotton from Bacillus thuringiensis kurstaki (Berliner) have provided an effective integrated pest management (IPM) system with PBW eradication potential. Sterile insect release was considered a potential option for PBW population suppression in the early 1960s. Research on the isolated island of St. Croix, (US Virgin Islands) demonstrated its validity. Reductions of larval infestations in bolls following sterile moth releases began when ratios of ...
Geologic sequestration is currently being practiced and scientifically evaluated as a critical component in a broad strategy, comprising new practices and technologies, for mitigating global climate change due to anthropogenic emissions of CO2. Demonstrating that geologic sequestration of CO2 is safe and effective, and gaining public acceptance of sequestration technologies are critically important in meeting these global climate change challenges. Monitored field-scale demonstrations of geologic sequestration of carbon dioxide will contribute greatly toward growing trust and confidence in the technology; however, pilot demonstrations ultimately will not be the norm for new geological sequestration deployments. Instead, scientists, engineers, regulators, and ultimately the public will rely on numerical simulations to predict the performance of geologic repositories for carbon dioxide sequestration. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), through the National Environmental Technology ...
The Chuetsu-oki Earthquake strongly shook the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa Nuclear Power Station with the ground motions exceeding the design values. The incidents include a fire breakout of the Unit 3 transformer, a release of spilled water containing small amount of radioactive materials to the non-radiation control area and subsequently to the environment at Unit 6, and a release of radioactive material from the main turbine condenser through the main stack of Unit 7 due to the delay stooping the turbine gland steam ventilator by the operator in manually, while every unit in operation was safety shutdown in the automatic mode ensuring the three fundamental safety functions of (a) reactivity control, (b) removal of heat from the core and (c) confinement of radioactive materials. Following integrity evaluation and performance testing of the overall plant, seismic safety of buildings, structures, equipment and ...
A novel drug delivery system for the treatment of brain tumors was formulated by methotrexate (MTX)-loaded polymeric nanoparticles (NPs) based on Glycol chitosan (GCS) and Dextran sulfate (DS). The physicochemical properties of resulting particles were investigated, evidencing the contribution of these nanoparticles for brain targeting. In vitro release of MTX was also evaluated. The GCS-DS nanoparticles have been developed based on the modulation of ratio show promise as a system for controlled delivery of the drug to the brain. PMID:21782844
The Meteorological Information System (MIS) comprising the meteorological instruments, the computers, and the software for data processing and recording, is part of the KfK safety and control system. In 1982 is was equipped with an independent data processing system. The report explains the arrangement and the operation of the sensors and thw two process computers. For selected meteorological situations the ability of the system is demonstrated, i.e., the presentation of the vertical profiles of wind, temperature and turbulence in the lower atmospheric boundary layer as well as the calculation and graphical representation of the transport and dispersion into the KfK environment of radioactive pollutants being released by the nuclear installations of the KfK into the atmosphere.
The Fast Flux Test Facility (FFTF) is a liquid-metal-cooled, fast neutron test reactor located on the Hanford Site. A dual computer system has been developed to monitor the reactor cover gas to detect and characterize any fuel or test pin fission gas releases. The system acquires gamma spectra data, identifies isotopes, calculates specific isotope and overall cover gas activity, presents control room alarms and displays, and records and prints data and analysis reports. The Fission Gas Monitor System (FGMS) integrates commercially available hardware and software, providing a reliable and easily maintained system. The design provides extensive automation of previous manual operations, reducing the need for operator training and minimizing the potential for operator error. The dual nature of the system allows either system A or B to be taken out of service for periodic tests or maintenance without interrupting the overall system performance. A ...
To address lithium-ion cell safety issues in demanding power applications, electrical and thermal abuse tests were performed on 18650 sized cells. Video and electrically monitored abuse tests in air included short circuit, forced overcharge, forced reversal, and controlled overheating (thermal) modes. Controlled overheating tests to 200 C were performed in a sealed chamber under a helium atmosphere and the gases released from the cell during thermal runaway were analyzed at regular intervals using gas chromatography and mass spectrometry. In addition to alkane and alkene solvent breakdown fragments, significant H{sub 2} was detected and evidence that HF was evolved was also found.
A nanosuspension of magnetically tagged metronidazole was developed by the solvent displacement method coupled with ultrasonication and was evaluated for its physicochemical properties. The drug release from metronidazole magnetic nanosuspension at pH 1.2 and 7.0 shows maximum correlation coefficient for zero order and Higuchi model, respectively. The anthelmintic activity of the formulated metronidazole magnetic nanosuspension was evaluated on Indian earthworms (Pheretima poi). Metronidazole magnetic nanosuspension at a dose of 10 and 50 mg/ml shortened by 31% and 34%, respectively, the mean time to death of the earthworms when compared against a non-magnetic metronidazole suspension. Thus, the developed metronidazole magnetic nanosuspension showed potent, controlled and targeted drug action and might be a good therapeutic avenue in combating infectious GI disorders.
This report is to present the progress made on the project ''Establishment of an Environmental Control Technology Laboratory (ECTL) with a Circulating Fluidized-Bed Combustion (CFBC) System'' during the period July 1, 2004 through September 30, 2004. The following tasks have been completed. First, renovation of the new Combustion Laboratory and the construction of the Circulating Fluidized-Bed (CFB) Combustor Building have started. Second, the design if the component parts of the CFBC system have been reviewed and finalized so that the drawings may be released to the manufacturers during the next quarter. Third, the experiments for solid waste (chicken litter) incineration have been conducted using a Thermogravimetric Analyzer (TGA). This is in preparation for testing in the simulated fluidized-bed combustor. The experimental results from this study are presented in this report. Finally, the proposed work for ...
The synapsin III gene, SYN3, which belongs to the family of synaptic vesicle-associated proteins, has been implicated in the modulation of neurotransmitter release and in synaptogenesis, suggesting a potential role in several neuropsychiatric diseases. The human SYN3 gene is located on chromosome 22q12-13, a candidate region implicated in previous linkage studies of schizophrenia. However, association studies of SYN3 and schizophrenia have produced inconsistent results. In this study, four SYN3 SNPs (rs133945 (-631 C>G), rs133946 (-196 G>A), rs9862 and rs1056484) were tested in three sets of totally 3759 samples that comprise 655 affected subjects and 626 controls in the Irish Case-Control Study of Schizophrenia (ICCSS), 1350 samples incorporating 273 pedigrees in the Irish Study of High D...
Several challenges currently exist for rational design of functional tissue engineering constructs within the host, which include appropriate cellular integration, avoidance of bacterial infections, and low inflammatory stimulation. This work describes a novel class of biodegradable, amphiphilic polyanhydrides with many desirable protein-material and cell-material attributes capable of confronting these challenges. The biocompatible amphiphilic polymer films were shown to release laminin in a stable and controlled manner, promote neural cell adhesion and differentiation, and evade inflammatory responses of the immune system. Using high-throughput approaches, it was shown that polymer chemistry plays an integral role in controlling cell?film interactions, which suggests that these polyanhyd...
Sida rhomboidea. Roxb leaf extract (SRLE) is being used by the populace of North-East India to alleviate symptoms of diabetes and obesity. We have previously reported its hypolipidemic and anti-diabetic properties. In this study, we report the effect of SRLE on (i) in vivo modulation of genes controlling high fat diet (HFD) induced obesity and (ii) in vitro 3T3L1 pre-adipocyte differentiation and leptin release. Supplementation with SRLE significantly prevented HFD induced increment in bodyweight, plasma lipids and leptin, visceral adiposity and adipocyte hypertrophy. Also, SRLE supplementation reduced food intake, down regulated PPAR?2, SREBP1c, FAS and LEP expressions and up-regulated CPT-1 in epididymal adipose tissue compared to obese mice. In vitro adipogenesis of 3T3L1 pre-adipocytes was significantly retarded in the presence of SRLE extract. Also decreased triglyceride accumulation, leptin release and ...
Arsenic in soils from the Asarco lead smelter in East Helena, Montana was characterized by X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS). Arsenic oxidation state and geochemical speciation were analyzed as a function of depth (two sampling sites) and surface distribution. These results were compared with intensive desorption/dissolution experiments performed in a pH stat reactor for samples from the site with the highest degree of As heterogeneity. The objectives of the study were to investigate the solid-phase geochemical As speciation, assess the speciation of As in solutions equilibrated with the solids under controlled pH (pH=4 or 6) and Eh (using hydrogen or air) environments, observe the effects of phosphate on the release of As into solution, and examine the effects of phosphate on metal mobility in the systems. Arsenic was predominantly found in the As(V) valence state, though there was evidence that As(III) and As(0) were present also. The ...
The project involved several studies of vesicles and micelles and their constituent surfactants. The primary objective of the project was an elucidation of factors involved in the stabilization and destabilization of vesicles and micelles. Work was performed on seven individual studies. Several different types of novel cleavable surfactants were synthesized, including systems with two chains and two head groups, and their aqueous micelles and vesicles were characterized by methods including dynamic laser light scattering (to give aggregate sizes) and differential scanning calorimetry (to give vesicle bilayer phase transition temperatures). A cleavable surfactant is stable under certain conditions but liable under other conditions with respect to cleavage to give nonsurfactant products and/or other surfactants with different properties. The destruction of several cleavable surfactant-derived aggregates was demonstrated, indicating that they have potential as entrapment and ...
The RADionuclide Transport, Removal, And Dose (RAD-TRAD) code is designed for U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (USNRC) use to calculate the radiological consequences to the off-site population and to control room operators following a design-basis accident at light water reactor (LWR) power plants. This code utilizes updated reactor accident source terms published in draft NUREG-1465. The code will track the transport of radionuclides as they are released from the reactor pressure vessel, travel through the primary containment and other buildings, and are released to the environment. As the radioactive material is transported through the primary containment and other buildings, credit for several removal mechanisms may be taken, including sprays, suppression pools, overlying pools, filters, and natural deposition. Simple models are available for these different removal mechanisms that use, as input, information about the ...
The RADionuclide Transport, Removal, And Dose (RADTRAD) code is designed for US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (USNRC) use to calculate the radiological consequences to the offsite population and to control room operators following a design-basis accident at Light Water Reactor (LWR) power plants. This code utilizes updated reactor accident source terms published in draft NUREG-1465, ``Accident Source Terms for Light-Water Nuclear Power Plants.`` The code will track the transport of radionuclides as they are released from the reactor pressure vessel, travel through the primary containment and other buildings, and are released to the environment. As the radioactive material is transported through the primary containment and other buildings, credit for several removal mechanisms may be taken including sprays, suppression pools, overlying pools, filters, and natural deposition. Simple models are available for these different ...
Experimental investigations are being conducted on a single-cylinder direct-injection diesel engine to examine the effects of combustion chamber specifications and swirl ratios on the heat release and transient heat transfer characteristics. Heat rejection was examined on the basis of heat release calculations using cylinder pressure time histories. Transient surface temperature data obtained from stationary locations in the piston and cylinder head were used as the basis for determining the transient heat flux rates. The results showed good agreement with the heat rejection calculated from cylinder pressure data and that transient heat flux in a piston cavity was reduced with the larger cavity diameter and a higher swirl ratio. On the other hand, a transient heat flux in a piston head was not changed by the cavity diameter and swirl ratio. 5 refs., 19 figs.
Downregulation of anterior pituitary GnRH-receptors by application of a slow release GnRH-implant offers an effective and reversible alternative to surgical castration of the male dog. Aim of the present study was to test the efficacy and the underlying mechanisms of a new non-biodegradable controlled-release device implant (Gonazon, Intervet, containing 18.5mg of the GnRH-agonist Azagly-Nafarelin). Eight male beagle dogs were implanted s.c. at the para-umbilical region. In four dogs implant removal was after 180 days (group 1), in the other four dogs after 365 days (group 2). Eleven weeks after implantation availability of LH was reduced (p<0.0001) by 70%. After an initial increase lasting for about 4 days, testosterone (T) and estradiol (E2) concentrations decreased (p<0.0001) to basal l...
Magnetic particles have become very promising materials for drug delivery. However, preparation of magnetite particles with high surface area, biocompatibility, strong magnetic response, and suitable particle size still remains a major challenge. In this report, magnetite nanocrystal clusters with high surface areas were fabricated through a solvothermal process by introducing ammonium acetate as a porogen and trisodium citrate as a surface modification agent. The porosity, which was controlled by the reactant concentration, has been investigated in detail. The surface area of the nanocrystal clusters was as high as 141?m(2) g(-1) . Ibuprofen, as a model drug, was entrapped into the magnetite carriers. The interfacial interaction between the carboxylic groups on the drug molecules and the carboxylate groups on the carriers enhanced the loading efficiency. Low cytotoxicity in MCF-7 cell and in vitro constant drug release behavior combined with ...
Combustion characteristics and engine performances of a two-stage injection DI diesel engine were experimentally investigated. Two-stage injection was achieved by using two injection pumps. Injection timing and fuel allocation ratio between first and second injection were widely controlled, Engine performance of a two-stage injection diesel engine was compared with that of a single injection diesel engine with early timing injection. The heat release rate was analyzed to understand the combustion phenomena in a two-stage injection diesel engine. As a result, NO emission of two-stage injection diesel engine was improved when the first injection timing is early. The various pattern of heat release rate appeared with the change of a fuel allocation ratio. It was greatly affected by the first injection spray impinged on the cylinder wall or the piston top. The trade-off tendency between NO and smoke was influenced by the fuel ...
Biosorption of the heavy metal ion Cd{sup 2+} by protonated nonliving brown alga Sargassum fluitans biomass was accompanied by the release of hydrogen protons from the biomass. The uptake of cadmium and the release of proton matched each other throughout the biosorption process. The end-point titration methodology was used to maintain the constant pH 4.0 for developing the dynamic sorption rate. The sorption isotherm could be well represented by the Langmuir sorption model. A mass transfer model assuming the intraparticle diffusion in a one-dimensional thin plate as a controlling step was developed to describe the overall biosorption rate of cadmium ions in flat seaweed biomass particles. The overall biosorption mathematical model equations were solved numerically yielding the effective diffusion coefficient D{sub e} about 3.5 {times} 10{sup {minus}6} cm{sup 2}/s. This value matches that obtained for the desorption process ...
SummaryNanoparticles are increasingly being used in industry. Their potential to cause adverse health effects is due to their very small particles size (less than 100nm). A review is to be carried out to explore a) the use/release of nanoparticles in industry, b) current practices to control exposure and c) the potential levels of workplace exposure. The report will contain a discussion of what is current best practice to control exposure to nanoparticles. It will also indicate where the gaps in kn [continued...]ObjectivesA written report that draws upon disparate sources of available information and uses competent occupational hygiene expertise to form expert opinion on the implications. Key measures will the demonstration reasoned arguments supported by data from both current deliberate manufacturing of nanoparticles and incident nanoparticle production. The report will include all viable occupational exposure ...
This paper overviews the general features of computer program 'HEC-5, Simulation of Flood Control and Conservation Systems', with emphasis on the capabilities of the most recent release of HEC-5, Version 7.2, dated March 1991. HEC-5 can simulate the essential features and operation goals and constraints of simple or complex systems with simulation intervals ranging from minutes to one month. Single event flood analysis and period of record conservation analysis may be accomplished with the model. Flood control analysis includes balanced system operation for downstream damage centers with consideration of forecasted local flows and hydrologic routing. In addition, induced surcharge operation based on spillway gate regulation schedules can be simulated. Hydropower analysis may include run-of-river, peaking, and pumped storage plants as well as system power operation. Water supply simulation can include ...
In this paper, we investigate the dynamic behaviors of a Holling II two-prey one-predator system with impulsive effect concerning biological control and chemical control strategies-periodic releasing natural enemies and spraying pesticide (or harvesting pests) at fixed time. By using the Floquet theory of linear periodic impulsive equation and small-amplitude perturbation we show that there exists a globally asymptotically stable two-prey eradication periodic solution when the impulsive period is less than some critical value. Further, we prove that the system is permanent if the impulsive period is larger than some critical value, and meanwhile the conditions for the extinction of one of the two prey and permanence of the remaining two species are given. Finally, numerical simulation shows that there exists a stable positive periodic solution with a maximum value no larger than a given level. Thus, we can use the stability ...
Processing in the Defense Waste Processing Facility (DWPF) is controlled by constraints on predicted properties of the product glass. One of these properties is chemical durability, which is measured as the response of various glass constituents to the seven-day Product Consistency Test (PCT) [1]. As currently implemented into the DWPF`s Product Composition Control System (PCCS) the response of boron is taken as representative of all of the constituent responses, and control is in terms of the boron response. This response, in normalized units and in log scale, is taken to be a linear function of the glass`s free energy of hydration, {Delta}G. {Delta}G is a parameter which represents the sum of influences on durability of the various glass oxide components. A generalized relationship between these two variables is documented in [2]. This relationship appears to underpredict releases for glasses in the ...
In this paper, we investigate the dynamic behaviors of a two-prey two-predator system with impulsive effect concerning biological and chemical control strategy-periodic releasing natural enemies and spraying pesticide at different fixed time. By applying the Floquet theory of linear periodic impulsive equation and small amplitude perturbation method, we prove that there exists a globally asymptotically stable two-prey-eradication periodic solution when the impulsive period is less than some critical value. The conditions for the permanence of the system are given, and meanwhile the conditions for the extinction of one of the two prey species and permanence of the remaining three species are given. Our results suggest a new approach in pest control. The target pest population can be driven to extinction and the non-target pest can be permanent by choosing impulsive period. With the increasing of the predation rate for the ...
Liquid Zone Control (LZC) System is a 'first-of-its-kind' reactivity control device, designed and implemented at TAPP-3 and 4. The system provides zonal and bulk power control. The system consists of fourteen Zone Control Compartments (ZCCs) containing demineralised light water as neutron absorber. Reactivity control is achieved by varying the level of water in the compartments bi-directionally. Six in-core zircaloy assemblies, housing the fourteen ZCCs and an elaborate process system constitute the LZC system. Measurement of water levels in the ZCCs is done using helium bubbler method. Reliability of ZCC water level measurement is of paramount importance. Commissioning and operating the new system trouble free was a challenge, considering the complex nature of the system. While commissioning the system, level measurement of one of the ZCCs (ZCC - 1) was found erratic and ...
This journal contains the following articles (1) The Grand Challenge of Thermonuclear Ignition--Commentary by Edward I. Moses; (2) Orchestrating the World's Most Powerful Laser--The computer control system for the National Ignition Facility will soon have about 1.4-million lines of code running on more than 750 computers; (3) A Randon Walk through Time and Space--Albert einstein's 1905 papers on Brownian motion, random fluctuations, and statistical mechanics are fundamental to many Livermore research projects; (4) The Search for Methane in Earth's Mantle--Scientists are discovering that Earth's mantle may have untapped reserves of methane; and (5) Testing the Physics of Nuclear Isomers--Results from a tri-laboratory project contradict claims of accelerated release of energy from the nuclear isomer hafnium-178.
SCDAP/RELAP5 code has been developed in US for best-estimate simulation of light water reactors transients during nuclear accidents. The code models the coupled behaviour of the cooling system, reactor core and fission products release during the accident. It is the result of the coupling between RELAP5, modelling thermal hydraulic, control system, reactor kinetics and the transport of noncondensable gases, and SCDAP code modelling the behaviour of the reactor core during severe accidents. The paper briefly presents the application of SCDAP/RELAP5 code to CANDU severe accident analysis. Also, the paper proposes a summary of the needs for development that could enhance the quality of the severe accidents related predictions in CANDU reactors. (authors)
The release of {sup 222}Radon to the atmosphere is controlled by the rate of its gas transport through earthen materials. Of the many soil-related parameters, radon diffusion coefficient is the key parameter that characterizes this transport. We compared the radon diffusion coefficients measured at the laboratories for the UMTRA Project with simple empirical correlations developed by others. The empirical correlations predict the radon diffusion coefficient based on the fraction of moisture saturation and porosity. One of the more recent correlations agrees reasonably well with the measurements. In addition, by using a series of correlation curves, we studied the empirical relationships of the. radon diffusion coefficient with the saturated hydraulic conductivity, the fines content, and the moisture saturation in soil. The results reveal that a reliable determination of the long-term moisture and porosity is essential in the design of an ...
The incidence of hilar cholangiocarcinoma is very rare worldwide. Radical resection is the only prognostic factor for long survival in patients with hilar cholangiocarcinoma. Postoperative radiation therapy can improve local control and survival rates for patients with palliative resection, but it remains controversial in patients with radical resection. Biliary drainage can effectively release bile duct obstruction for the majority of patients with locally advanced disease, and may even prolong survival when combined with radiation therapy. Radiation therapy includes extrernal beam therapy alone, external beam therapy with intraluminal brachytheapy and new radiation technique, such as three dimentional conformal therapy and intensity modulated radiation therapy. The propective randomized clinical study is needed for further investigation in the role of combined modality therapy especially for hilar cholangiocarcinoma. (authors)
The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Nutrient Data Laboratory (NDL) develops and maintains the USDA National Nutrient Databank System (NDBS). Data are released from the NDBS for scientific and public use through the USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference (SR) ( http://www.ars.usda.gov/ba/bhnrc/ndl ). In 1997 the NDL initiated the National Food and Nutrient Analysis Program (NFNAP) to update and expand its food-composition data. The program included: 1) nationwide probability-based sampling of foods; 2) central processing and archiving of food samples; 3) analysis of food components at commercial, government, and university laboratories; 4) incorporation of new analytical data into the NDBS; and 5) dissemination of these data to the scientific community. A key feature and...
The cotton aphid, Aphis gossypii (Homoptera: Aphididae), is increasing in importance as a pest worldwide since the introduction of Bt-cotton, which controls lepidopteran but not homopteran pests. The chemical ecology of interactions between cotton, Gossypium hirsutum (Malvaceae), A. gossypii, and the predatory lacewing Chrysoperla lucasina (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae), was investigated with a view to providing new pest management strategies. Behavioral tests using a four-arm (Pettersson) olfactometer showed that alate A. gossypii spent significantly more time in the presence of odor from uninfested cotton seedlings compared to clean air, but significantly less time in the presence of odor from A. gossypii infested plants. A. gossypii also spent significantly more time in the presence of heads...
The growth response, total hemocyte count (THC), respiratory burst (release of superoxide anion), phenoloxidase (PO) activity, superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, nitric oxide synthase (NOS) activity as well as resistance to the pathogen Vibrio alginolyticus were measured in Litopenaeus vannamei, which had been fed diets supplemented with glycyrrhizin (the aqueous extract of licorice, Glycyrrhiza glabra, roots) at 0, 50, 100, 150, and 200 mg/kg of feed for 8 wk. In the feeding trial, there was no significant difference in survival rate (P > 0.05). Significant higher specific growth rate was observed in treatments with dietary glycyrrhizin than that in the control group (P < 0.05). Shrimp fed a diet with 200 mg/kg of glycyrrhizin had significant higher THC, PO activity, respiratory burst a...
The benchmark calculations have been performed for MCNP-4B code using the measurement data of Wolsong nuclear power plant 2. In this study, the benchmark calculations have been performed for the criticality, boron worth, reactivity device worth, reactivity coefficient, and flux scan. Cross-section libraries were newly generated from ENDF/B-VI release 3 through NJOY97.114 data processing system and a three-dimensional full core model was developed for MCNP calculation. The simulation results have shown that the criticality is estimated within 4 mkn and the estimated reactivity worth of the control devices are generally consistent with the measurement data. In certain cases, the simulation results have shown large discrepancies against the measurement data, which will be sturdied further in the near future.
Known since ancient times, the phenomenon of allelopathy has recently received greater attention from researchers and farmers worldwide. Crop failures and low yields caused by the reseeding, overseeding, crop rotation and replanting of fruit trees in orchards are believed to be caused by allelopathic activity. Moreover, the expensive and environmentally impacting herbicides for weed control have motivated studies directed at developing cheaper, environmentally-friendly alternatives. Despite the difficulties in separating chemical interference from other mechanisms, more modern approaches have produced consistent and conclusive data on this topic. The release and dynamics of allelochemicals in the soil are discussed herein. Examples of allelopathic crops, the allelochemicals produced and th...
Following a referendum in Italy in 1987, the four Nuclear Power Plants (NPPs) owned and operated by the state utility ENEL were closed. After closing the NPPs, ENEL selected a ''safestore'' decommissioning strategy; anticipating a safestore period of some 40-50 years. This approach was consistent with the funds collected during plant operation, and was reinforced by the lack of both a waste repository and a set of national free release limits for contaminated materials in Italy. During 1999, twin decisions were made to privatize ENEL and to transform the nuclear division into a separate subsidiary of the ENEL group. This group was renamed Sogin and during the following year, ownership of the company was transferred to the Italian Treasury. On formation, Sogin was asked by the Italian government to review the national decommissioning strategy. The objective of the review was to move from a safestore strategy to a prompt ...
The synapsin III gene, SYN3, which belongs to the family of synaptic vesicle-associated proteins, has been implicated in the modulation of neurotransmitter release and in synaptogenesis, suggesting a potential role in several neuropsychiatric diseases. The human SYN3 gene is located on chromosome 22q12-13, a candidate region implicated in previous linkage studies of schizophrenia. However, association studies of SYN3 and schizophrenia have produced inconsistent results. In this study, four SYN3 SNPs (rs133945 (-631 C>G), rs133946 (-196 G>A), rs9862 and rs1056484) were tested in three sets of totally 3759 samples that comprise 655 affected subjects and 626 controls in the Irish Case-Control Study of Schizophrenia (ICCSS), 1350 samples incorporating 273 pedigrees in the Irish Study of High Density Schizophrenia Families (ISHDSF), and 564 unrelated schizophrenia patients and 564 healthy individuals in a Chinese ...
This study investigated the feasibility of a slow-release inoculation approach as a bioaugmentation strategy for the degradation of lindane (γ-hexachlorocyclohexane [γ-HCH]). Slow-release...Full Text Available
A sustained increase in pulsatile release of gonadotrophin releasing hormone (GnRH) from the hypothalamus is an essential, final event that defines the initiation of mammalian puberty. This...Full Text Available
BACKGROUNDOpen carpal tunnel release (OCTR) is the standard procedure for the surgical treatment of carpal tunnel syndrome. With the advent of minimally invasive surgery, endoscopic...Full Text Available
A new area-wide pest control strategy using the pink bollworm, Pectinophora gossypiella (Saunders) (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae), genetically transformed with a conditionally lethal gene, is under development. Conditional lethality of several transgenic pink bollworm strains was demonstrated in a series of laboratory rearing experiments. Pink bollworms were transformed with genetic constructs using the RIDL technology (Release of Insects with a Dominant Lethal gene) for development of an autocidal biological control system for possible supplement or replacement of radiation based sterile insect release. LA1124 is a lethal construct controlled by a tetracycline repressible transactivator protein (tTA), in which binding of tTA to its specific target sequence tetO drives production of more tTA. In the absence of tetracycline, this leads to lethality by high expression of tTA. When ...
The SCDAP/RELAP5 code has been developed for best estimate transient simulation of light water reactor coolant systems during a severe accident. The code models the coupled behavior of the reactor coolant system, core, fission product released during a severe accident transient as well as large and small break loss of coolant accidents, operational transients such as anticipated transient without SCRAM, loss of off-site power, loss of feedwater, and loss of flow. A generic modeling approach is used that permits as much of a particular system to be modeled as necessary. Control system and secondary system components are included to permit modeling of plant controls, turbines, condensers, and secondary feedwater conditioning systems. This volume describes the organization and manner of the interface between severe accident models which are resident in the SCDAP portion of the code and hydrodynamic models which are resident in ...
The Fast Flux Test Facility (FFTF) is a liquid-metal-cooled test reactor located on the Hanford site. A dual computer system has been developed to monitor the reactor cover gas to detect and characterize any fuel or test pin fission gas releases. The system acquires gamma spectra data, identifies isotopes, calculates specific isotope and overall cover gas activity, presents control room alarms and displays, and records and prints data and analysis reports. The fission gas monitor system makes extensive use of commercially available hardware and software, providing a reliable and easily maintained system. The design provides extensive automation of previous manual operations, reducing the need for operator training and minimizing the potential for operator error. The dual nature of the system allows one monitor to be taken out of service for periodic tests or maintenance without interrupting the overall system functions. A built-in calibrated ...
... The larvae's only hope for survival is if the antibiotic tetracycline is present -because it mops up the enzyme. The developers hope male GM mosquitoes will compete with normal males for females so that repeated releases cut numbers of A. aegypti in dengue-prone areas. The mosquitoes will be released in the inland districts of Bentong in the state of Pahang, and Alor Gajah and Melaka in the state of Malacca, according to the National Biosafety Board. Each location will have two release phases: the first at a site ...
The helium releases were investigated in FBR fuel pins irradiated to high burn-up. The released amounts increased with the increase of burn-up, but no burn-up dependence of their release fraction to total amounts generated was seen. The contents of "2"4"1Am in fuel pellets affected the released amounts. The effect of released helium on the internal pressure in fuel pins was smaller in FBR fuel pins than in LWR fuel pins, but released helium in fuel pins containing increased amounts of "2"4"1Am, which are anticipated in future FBRs, is expected to affect the internal pressure.
Diethyldithiocarbamate (DDTC), a chelating agent, is an active metabolite of disulfiram (Antabus) and is used in the rubber industry. The effect of DDTC on the tissue distribution of "2"0"3Pb was studied in rats. Two groups of rats were given an i.v. injection of 100 #mu#Ci "2"0"3Pb (28.6 nmol/kg b.wt.) as lead acetate. After 10 min one group received 2 mmol/kg b.wt. of DDTC as an i.p. injection. Rats were killed 4 and 72 h after injection of "2"0"3Pb and tissue concentration and excretion of "2"0"3Pb was determined by gamma counting. The brain concentration of "2"0"3Pb in DDTC-treated rats was nine times higher than in controls after 4 h and 14 times higher after 72 h. Treatment with DDTC also increased the lead concentration in fat about seven times at both survival intervals. On the other hand, uptake of "2"0"3Pb in bone was reduced by treatment with DDTC and at 4 h also kidney and blood had a lower concentration of "2"0"3Pb in DDTC-treated rats compared to ...
In the VEGA program on radionuclide release from irradiated fuel under severe accident conditions, 10 tests in total were performed at JAEA from 1999 to 2004 under inert and steam atmospheres including the highest pressure or temperature conditions. These tests showed the increase in release rate above 2,800 K or at the fuel liquefaction and the decrease in release rate under elevated pressure, which was a first observation in the world. The data on low-volatility radionuclide release, release from MOX fuel, effect of fuel oxidation, and eutectic reaction with cladding on release were obtained from the tests. The mechanism of pressure effect on release was examined and a new release model with pressure effect was proposed. In addition, the pressure effect on source term evaluation and effectiveness of accident management ...
ABSTRACT-Here we identify release of annexin A2 into the culture medium in response to low dose X-ray radiation exposure and establish functional linkages to an established paracrine factor-mediated anchorage-independent growth response. Using a standard bicameral coculture model, we observe that annexin A2 levels associated with non-irradiated neighboring cells seeded in the lower chamber (annexin A2 silenced [shRNA] JB6 cells) are increased upon coculture with irradiated (10-50 cGy) JB6 cells seeded in the upper chamber, relative to coculture with sham exposed JB6 cells seeded in the upper chamber, suggesting that annexin A2 released into the medium is capable of communicating in a paracrine fashion. Using a previously established coculture model, we observed that the paracrine factor-mediated anchorage-independent growth response to low dose X-ray radiation is markedly reduced when irradiated annexin A2 silenced (shRNA) JB6 cells are used, ...
Plutonium and minor actinides produced as by-products of the UO_2 nuclear cycle could be considered as waste or energy source depending on the strategy selected in the nuclear energy programme. Considering Pu and Minor Actinides as a source, they can be burned in existing water reactor for diminishing the radiotoxicity of the spent fuel, it is necessary to use 'inactive' materials as matrix like ThO_2. ThO_2 matrix has demonstrated its Pu burning efficiency and higher corrosion resistance than UO_2. Uranium-plutonium mixed oxide (MOX) fuel efficiency is low because the presence of U in MOX results in the creation of some new Pu under irradiation. The dissolution behaviour of irradiated (Th,Pu)O_2 pellets with burn-up of 38.8 MWd/kg Th has been studied in carbonated (20 mM HCO_3"-), deionised and granite ground water solution in a hot cell. The dissolution behaviour of Th, Pu, U and Np was studied in order to find out whether radionuclides release is depending on ...
Since 1945, more than 1.8 x 10"2"1 Bq of artificial radionuclides have been released into the atmosphere. Approximately 2.04 x 10"1"8B, i.e. approx. 0.11%, are the result of accidents at nuclear industrial facilities. This percentage is causing increased interest among researchers. This is due to the fact that in the wake of accidental release radionuclides become distributed unevenly across the Earth's surface, and the associated exposures, fluctuating from background level to several grays, an induce both stochastic and deterministic effects in the irradiated population. A comparative analysis of the medical consequences of the twentieth century's most serious nuclear events, namely the authorized dumping of high level radioactive waste into the river Techa in 1950, the explosion of a storage tank containing long lived radioactive waste in the Southern Urals in 1957, the fire at Sellafield in 1957 and the accident at the Chernobyl nuclear ...
This fourteenth quarterly technical progress report of the MHD Integrated Topping Cycle Project presents the accomplishments during the period November 1, 1990 to January 31, 1991. Testing of the High Pressure Cooling Subsystem electrical isolator was completed. The PEEK material successfully passed the high temperature, high pressure duration tests (50 hours). The Combustion Subsystem drawings were CADAM released. The procurement process is in progress. An equipment specification and RFP were prepared for the new Low Pressure Cooling System (LPCS) and released for quotation. Work has been conducted on confirmation tests leading to final gas-side designs and studies to assist in channel fabrication.The final cathode gas-side design and the proposed gas-side designs of the anode and sidewall are presented. Anode confirmation tests and related analyses of anode wear mechanisms used in the selection of the proposed anode design are presented. ...
This fourteenth quarterly technical progress report of the MHD Integrated Topping Cycle Project presents the accomplishments during the period November 1, 1990 to January 31, 1991. Testing of the High Pressure Cooling Subsystem electrical isolator was completed. The PEEK material successfully passed the high temperature, high pressure duration tests (50 hours). The Combustion Subsystem drawings were CADAM released. The procurement process is in progress. An equipment specification and RFP were prepared for the new Low Pressure Cooling System (LPCS) and released for quotation. Work has been conducted on confirmation tests leading to final gas-side designs and studies to assist in channel fabrication.The final cathode gas-side design and the proposed gas-side designs of the anode and sidewall are presented. Anode confirmation tests and related analyses of anode wear mechanisms used in the selection of the proposed anode design are presented. ...
Culex mosquitoes introduce the pathogens responsible for filariasis, West Nile virus, St. Louis encephalitis, and other diseases into humans. Currently, traps baited with oviposition semiochemicals play an important role in detection efforts and could provide an environmentally friendly approach to controlling their populations. The odorant binding proteins (OBPs) in the female's antenna play a crucial, if yet imperfectly understood, role in sensing oviposition cues. Here, we report the X-ray crystallography and NMR 3D structures of OBP1 for Culex quinquefasciatus (CquiOBP1) bound to an oviposition pheromone (5R,6S)-6-acetoxy-5-hexadecanolide (MOP). In both studies, CquiOBP1 had the same overall six-helix structure seen in other insect OBPs, but a detailed analysis revealed an important previously undescribed feature. There are two models for OBP-mediated signal transduction: (i) direct release of the pheromone from an internal binding ...
This work showed the formation of phospholipid vesicle coating on inorganic sericite surface with characterization by combining electron microscopy of FE-SEM, TEM, AFM, and qualitatively evaluated the coated phospholipid vesicle by XPS as a function of etching time. The possibility of phospholipid vesicle mobility on the surface was restrained by the chelation effect of magnesium cation. The stabilization properties of phospholipid vesicles on sericite surface were demonstrated by the various concentration of magnesium cation. The presence of magnesium was found to have a much more pronounced influence on the lipid deposition process. The Mg cation plays an important role for attaching the phospholipids with optimum concentration of 7 mM. Totally, the phospholipid vesicles coating on inorganic powder could be useful for bio-related fields such as cosmetics and drug delivery system as the key functional compounds. We hope this basic result lead to a general and simple approach to ...
Under Section 5 of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), manufacturers must notify the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) 90 days before manufacturing, processing, or importing a new chemical substance. This is referred to as a premanufacture notice (PMN). The PMN must contain certain information including chemical identity, production volume, proposed uses, estimates of exposure and release, and any health or environmental test data that are available to the submitter. Because there is no explicit statutory authority that requires testing of new chemicals prior to their entry into the market, most PMNs are submitted with little or no data. As a result, EPA has developed special techniques for hazard assessment of PMN chemicals. These include (1) evaluation of available data on the chemical itself, (2) evaluation of data on analogues of the PMN, or evaluation of data on metabolites or analogues of metabolites of the PMN, (3) use of ...
Urea-formaldehyde resin bonded particle board, medium density fiberboard and plywood paneling are used as flooring, wall paneling, for cabinet work and in furniture, and are present in almost every office, home and public building. If large quantities of these products are used in poorly ventilated spaces, high manufacturing quality control is necessary to avoid problems of latent formaldehyde release. Indoor air formaldehyde concentrations depend on the nature of the product, the product surface to air volume (loading) factor, temperature, humidity, age and product emission rates. Standard test methods are now available for measuring product emission rates that make it possible to predict the performance of UF-bonded pressed wood materials if use conditions and environmental parameters are known. Recent modifications in adhesive and board manufacturing parameters have made it possible to reduce formaldehyde emission significantly, and ...
In the San Joaquin River Basin, California, a realtime water quality forecasting model was developed to help improve the management of saline agricultural and wetland drainage to meet water quality objectives. Predicted salt loads from the water quality forecasting model, SJRIODAY, were consistently within +- 11 percent of actual, within +- 14 percent for seven-day forecasts, and with in +- 26 percent for 14-day forecasts for the 16-month trial period. When the 48 days dominated by rainfall/runoff events were eliminated from the data set, the error bar decreased to +- 9 percent for the model and +- 11 percent and +- 17 percent for the seven-day and 14-day forecasts, respectively. Constraints on the use of the model for salinity management on the San Joaquin River include the number of entities that control or influence water quality and the lack of a centralized authority to direct their activities. The lack of real-time monitoring sensors for other primary ...
A nation-wide survey of natural radioactivity in building materials was conducted during 1982-1984. Samples including industrial wastes, by-products and common building materials were collected from main building material manufactories in 29 provinces except Taiwan. The results of exposure rates, specific activities and release rate for "2"2"2Rn are presented. The specific activities of common materials are listed in declining order as follows: clay bricks > common concrete and sandstones > limes and ordinary cement. The highest level was found in breeze bricks made of stone coal, phosphogypsum and red mud with high intrinsic radioactivity. Therefore, these raw materials should be strictly controlled in manufacturing building materials. The measurement results also showed that the typical specific activities of common building materials in our country were "2"2"6Ra 50 Bq/kg, "2"3"2Th 50 Bq/kg and "4"0K 500 Bq/kg. Based on the surveyed ...
The fusion materials program has little irradiation effects data at temperatures from 100 to 350 degree C. Near-term machines such as the International Thermonuclear Engineering Reactor (ITER) will expose materials to neutron doses of 38 to 50 dpa at 150 degree C or less. The data base for structural materials must be extended into this range. Also, lower temperatures are needed to investigate the lower bound for tritium release from solid breeder materials. A low temperature test vehicle is proposed for the Fast Flux Test Facility (FFTF), which will provide test temperatures of 100 to 350 degree C. An 8.5-cm dia. by 100-cm test volume will be instrumented to collect temperature data and provide feedback for control. The spectrum and flux will provide accelerated damage accumulation for structural materials testing and the best available approximation of fusion reactor conditions for solid breeder materials testing. Breeder samples can be ...
In isolated rat adipocytes, insulin inhibits lipolysis to a greater extent than would be predicted by the decrease in (-/+)cAMP activity ratio of cAMP-dependent protein kinase (A-kinase), from which it was speculated that insulin promotes the dephosphorylation of hormone-sensitive lipase. They have examined the phosphorylation state of cellular proteins under conditions of varying A-kinase activities in the presence and absence of insulin. Protein phosphorylation was determined by SDS-PAGE electrophoresis of extracts from /sup 32/P-loaded cells; glycerol and A-kinase activity ratios were measured in the cytosolic extracts from control, non-radioactive cells. Increased protein phosphorylation in general occurred over the same range of A-kinase activity ratios, 0.1-0.3, associated with increased glycerol release. The insulin-induced decrease in lipolysis was associated with a decrease in the /sup 32/P content of several proteins, an effect not ...
Work at Institutt for energiteknikk (IFE) comprises both nuclear and non-nuclear activities. The main nuclear program is centered on the Halden Reactor Project. In 1958, the first Halden Reactor Project Agreement was signed by organisations representing 12 European countries. During 1994 France became a full member and associate membership was established with Russia. Accordingly, 16 countries were participating in the Project by the end of the year. The objectives have evolved from being simply a demonstration of the operation of a boiling heavy-water reactor to becoming a substantial research and development programme covering the domains of human-machine interaction, fuel behaviour, materials testing, water chemistry, and instrumentation. In 1994, significant progress was achieved in all of the areas addressed by the project, including the re-instrumentation of irradiated fuel rods, fission gas release, irradiation-assisted stress corrosion cracking, a ...
In field O{sub 3}-enrichment experiments increased herbivore densities have been reported, which could be due to negatively affected host location behavior of natural enemies. We addressed the impact of doubling background O{sub 3} on the host location of the parasitoid Cotesia plutellae by conducting 24-h trials in an open-air O{sub 3}-fumigation system during two consecutive years. Two circles (radii 1.40 and 4.00 m) of Plutella xylostella-infested potted cabbage plants were placed in the O{sub 3} and ambient plots. Female wasps were released into each plot from the center, and observed 5 times over a 24-h period to assess their host location capability. Thereafter, plants were kept in laboratory conditions until larvae pupation to determine parasitism rates. No significant differences were detected between ambient and O{sub 3}-enriched environments either in the number of wasps found in the field, or in the percentages of parasitized larvae. This suggests that ...
Establishment of a continuous population has been prevented over a 24 year period in the San Joaquin Valley, USA, through continuous, daily in-season release of sterile pink bollworms based on an extensive trap monitoring programme. A post-harvest crop destruction ordinance and occasional use of pheromones as disruptants were the only other factors used by programme management, except in 1990. In 1990, the programme used a conventional insecticide on 280 acres (113 ha) out of 1.18 million acres (477,546 ha) of cotton. During the four year period 1986-1989, a management system was explored using a high rate pheromone disruption system and sterile insects. Major reductions in conventional insecticide usage, while maintaining extremely low populations, were evident in this semi-isolated valley of southern California. It is hoped that this will provide a model for a future large scale test on up to 20,000 acres (8100 ha) of cotton. (author). 11 refs, 1 fig., 7 tabs.
Full text of publication follows: Hydrogen release and distribution in nuclear power plant containment is an important safety issue. Selection of a proper turbulence model is important for accurate estimation of the mixing process. The selection of turbulence model is dictated by the best compromise between accuracy and computational efforts. For this, three different turbulence models, viz. Standard k-{epsilon}, RNG k-{epsilon} and Reynolds Stress Model, based on Reynolds averaged Navier Stokes equations (RANS) approach, were used. The computations were done using the CFD code FLUENT, which is based on the control volume methodology. The computational results were compared with the experimental results of HYMIS test facility, where helium was used to simulate hydrogen. The processes of helium plume rise, multiple plume merging, distribution and mixing were studied. Based on these computations, a simple analytical/empirical zone based model was ...
Full text of publication follows: Hydrogen release and distribution in nuclear power plant containment is an important safety issue. Selection of a proper turbulence model is important for accurate estimation of the mixing process. The selection of turbulence model is dictated by the best compromise between accuracy and computational efforts. For this, three different turbulence models, viz. Standard k-#epsilon#, RNG k-#epsilon# and Reynolds Stress Model, based on Reynolds averaged Navier Stokes equations (RANS) approach, were used. The computations were done using the CFD code FLUENT, which is based on the control volume methodology. The computational results were compared with the experimental results of HYMIS test facility, where helium was used to simulate hydrogen. The processes of helium plume rise, multiple plume merging, distribution and mixing were studied. Based on these computations, a simple analytical/empirical zone based model was ...
Although the Federal Facility Agreement (FFA) addresses the entire Oak Ridge Reservation, specific requirements are set forth for the liquid low-level radioactive waste (LLLW) storage tanks and their associated piping and equipment, tank systems, at ORNL. The stated objected of the FFA as it relates to these tank systems is to ensure that structural integrity, containment and detection of releases, and source control are maintained pending final remedial action at the site. The FFA requires that leaking LLLW tank systems be immediately removed from service. It also requires the LLLW tank systems that do not meet the design and performance requirements established for secondary containment and leak detection be either upgraded or replaced. The FFA establishes a procedural framework for implementing the environmental laws. For the LLLW tank systems, this framework requires the specified plans and schedules be submitted to EPA and TDEC for ...
The evolution of the technology of waste combustion, energy recovery and flue gas treatment allows to redefine the role of the incineration plant as a basic component of integrated waste management systems. Starting with an overview of the evaluation of emission limits and of the new Best Available Techniques (BAT) approach, strongly recommended by the European Union, the paper reports an overview of the stack emission concentrations measured in recent plants in Italy compared to older ones, with special attention to the dioxin issue. Concerning this topic, it is demonstrated that BAT-equipped plants can act as actual dioxin destroyer rather than producers, even when all the fluxes released in the environment (gaseous, solid and liquid residues) are taken into account. The second part of the paper deals with the evolution of the flue gas control technologies of the last 20 years, pointing out the major trends and the future perspectives for ...
Live cores were obtained from five reservoirs using special precautions to prevent contamination by exogenous microorganisms and minimize exposure to oxygen. The depths from which the cores were obtained ranged from 2,705 ft to 6,568 ft. Core plugs were cut radially from live cores, encased in heat-shrink plastic tubes, placed in core holders, and fitted with inlets and outlets. Nutrient additions stimulated the in-situ microbial population to increase, dissolve stratal material, produce gases, and release oil. Reduction in flow through the core plugs was observed in some cases, while in other cases flow was increased, probably due to the dissolution of carbonates in the formation. A field demonstration of the ability of the in-situ microbial population to increase oil recovery by blocking the more permeable zones of the reservoir is currently underway. This demonstration is being conducted in the North Blowhorn Creek Unit situated in Lamar County, Alabama. Live ...
Blood flow changes in the periodontal ligament (PDL) were measured indirectly by monitoring the local clearance of /sup 125/I/sup -/ during electric sympathetic nerve stimulation or close intra-arterial infusions of either noradrenaline (NA) or adrenaline (ADR) before and after administration of phentolamine (PA), phenoxybenzamine (PBZ) or Idazoxan (RX). At the doses used in the present study, PA was the only antagonist that significantly reduced the blood flow decrease seen on activation of sympathetic fibers, although PBZ also reduced this response. Idazoxan, however, did not induce the consistent effect on blood flow decreases seen on sympathetic activation. All three ..cap alpha..-adrenoceptor antagonists almost abolished the effects of exogenously administered NA and ADR. The results suggest the presence of functional post-junctional adrenoceptors of both the ..cap alpha.. 1 and ..cap alpha.. 2 subtypes in the sympathetic regulation of the blood flow in the PDL of the cat. A ...
Effects of cell concentrations on the survival and repopulation of haemopoietic stem cells after irradiation were studied in the long-term culture of mouse bone marrow cells in vitro. No difference was observed in the survival of the stem cells among cultures in which 0 - 10/sup 7/ cells were re-inoculated on the adherent cell colonies in the culture flask. Stem cells showed a significant proliferation within 1 week and the number of the stem cells exceeded the control in 3 weeks after irradiation in the cultures with less than 10/sup 6/ re-inoculated cells per flask. In contrast, there was a considerable delay in the onset of stem cell proliferation after irradiation in the culture with 10/sup 7/ cells per flask. Based on these results, a possibility that a stimulator of stem cell proliferation, released from irradiated stromal cells, is cancelled by an inhibitory factor produced by irradiated or unirradiated haemopoietic cells is postulated.
In this paper, we consider the prey-dependent consumption predator-prey (natural enemy-pest) models with age structure for the predator, immature and mature natural enemies are released and pesticide is applied impulsively. We prove that, when the impulsive period is no longer than some threshold, the pest-eradication solution is globally asymptotically stable, or say, the pest population can be eradicated totally. But from the point of ecological balance and saving resources, we only need to control the pest population under the economic threshold level instead of eradicating it totally, so we further prove that, when the impulsive period is longer than the threshold, pest population and natural enemy population can coexist, i.e., the system is uniformly permanent. Considering population communities always are imbedded in periodically varying environments, and the parameters in ecosystem models may oscillate simultaneously with the ...
There may be circumstances when a sector has to be partially or totally warmed-up to temperatures above 80 K, that is when thermal dilatation starts to play a role. Some equipment have been identify as presenting a risk, like the non-conform "plug-in" modules in the arcs. Because of motion induced by thermal dilatation, the electrical (ElQA) quality control may also have to be done again after cool-down. The main reason identified so far for partial warm-up is the required maintenance of the cooling towers and the cryogenics plants. There is also the request from the vacuum group to periodically warm-up the beam screen to temperatures in the 100 K region to release and pump-out the gas crysorbed on the surface of the beam screen. Observed and expected temperature conditions and statistics on failures of PIMs in sectors which have been warmed-up will be presented in this contribution. Methods to detect buckled PIMs will be described, as well as ...
Acid mine drainage is a serious environmental problem caused by the oxidation of sulfide minerals that releases highly acidic, sulfate, and metals-rich drainage. In this study, alkaline industrial wastes were mixed with acid mine tailings in order to obtain neutral conditions. A series of column leaching tests were performed to evaluate the behavior of reactive mine tailings amended with alkaline-additions under dynamic conditions. Column tests were conducted of oxidized mine tailings combined with cement kiln dust, red mud bauxite, and mixtures of cement kiln dust with red mud bauxite. The pH results show the addition of 10% of alkaline materials permits the maintenance of near neutral conditions. In the presence of 10% alkaline material, the concentration of toxic metals such as Al, Cu, Fe, Zn are significantly reduced as well as the number of viable cells (Thiobacillus ferrooxidans) compared to control samples.
The present study sought a biochemical explanation for retarded brain development in the heterozygous offspring of the phenylketonuric (PKU) mother. Two rat models of simulated maternal PKU, one induced by p-chloropheylalanine and phenylalanine and the other by phenylacetate, were employed in this investigation. Maternal PKU had no influence on cerebral concentrations of DNA, protein, and cholesterol, which were normal in the 2 d old pup. However, there was a noticeable disruption of the normal ganglioside pattern and a significant reduction of sialoglycoproteins. Concomitant with a delayed drop in the gangliosides Q/sub 1b/ and D_3, was a slower rise in M_1 and D/sub 1a/. At least 66% of sialoglycoproteins located on SDS-PAGE gel chromatograms, by radioactivity incorporated in vivo from radiolabeled N-acetylmannosamine and by ("3H) sialic acid released by neuraminidase from periodate-("3H) borohydride labeled glycoproteins, have mobilites of the cell adhesion ...
Postresection villus hyperplasia is a major compensatory mechanism in the short-bowel patient. Substances capable of augmenting postresection mucosal hyperplasia could have therapeutic implications. Human growth hormone (hGH) and human growth hormone releasing factor (hGHRF) stimulate growth of the gastrointestinal tract; however, the diabetogenic actions of growth hormone limit its usefulness in clinical practice. Plerocercoid larvae of the tapeworm Spirometra mansonoides produce an analog of hGH void of diabetogenic side effects. We assessed effects of plerocercoid growth factor (PGF) on mucosal adaptation following 70% proximal jejunoileal resection in young rats. Mucosal weight, DNA, protein, and total sucrase activity per centimeter of bowel were increased in resected PGF-treated animals compared to resected controls. We conclude PGF augments intrinsic postresection mucosal hyperplasia following extensive intestinal resection. PMID:3665682
The focus of the present Great Lakes water quality agreement between Canada and the United States is on transboundary pollution and particularly the injury to health and property from exposures to persistent toxic substances. Several scientists and policy advisors have suggested, on the basis of the Ecosystem Approach and systems theory, that the agenda should move on to other demanding topics, such as the introduction of exotic species, biodiversity, habitat restoration, fisheries management, sustainable development, and governance of the Great Lakes basin. None of these issues, however, poses the same scale of threat to national sovereignty and bilateral interests as does transboundary pollution. Thus, none warrants the degree of attention that has been and should be paid, despite declining budgets, to assessing and controllingreleases of persistent toxic substances that continue to injure fish, wildlife, and human health. Instead, it is ...
The report contains an overall frame for transformation of knowledge and experience from risk analysis to emergency education. An accident model has been developed to describe the emergency situation. A key concept of this model is uncontrolled flow of energy (UFOE), essential elements are the state, location and movement of the energy (and mass). A UFOE can be considered as the driving force of an accident, e.g., an explosion, a fire, a release of heavy gases. As long as the energy is confined, i.e. the location and movement of the energy are under control, the situation is safe, but loss of confinement will create a hazardous situation that may develop into an accident. A domain model has been developed for representing accident and emergency scenarios occurring in society. The domain model uses three main categories: status, context and objectives. A domain is a group of activities with allied goals and elements and ten specific domains have ...
Organic waste, as a main constituent of municipal solid waste, has as well as solid biomass a high potential for biogas generation. Despite the importance of biogas generation from these materials, the availability of large-scale biogas processes lacks behind the demand. A newly developed double-stage solid-liquid biogas process, consisting of an open hydrolysis stage and a fixed-bed methane reactor, allows the biogas production from almost all biodegradable solid waste and renewable resources like maize, grass, sugar cane, etc. Furthermore, residues from industrial processes, like the glycerine waste water from biodiesel production, can also be converted into biogas successfully. Due to the strong separation of hydrolysis and methanation, the process is extremely stable. No malfunction has been detected so far. The open hydrolysis releases CO_2 and allows oxidation of sulfur. Consequently, the biogas has a high methane (>72%) and low H_2S concentration (<100 ...
The IAEA attaches great importance to the dissemination of information that can assist Member States with the development, implementation, maintenance and continuous improvement of systems, programmes and activities that support the nuclear fuel cycle and nuclear applications, including management of the legacy of past practices and accidents. In this connection, the IAEA has initiated a comprehensive programme of work covering all aspects of environmental remediation: - Technical and non-technical factors, including costs, that influence environmental remediation strategies and pertinent decision making; - Site characterization techniques and strategies; - Assessment of remediation technologies; - Techniques and strategies for post-remediation compliance monitoring; - Special issues such as the remediation of sites with dispersed radioactive contamination or mixed contamination by hazardous and radioactive substances. Experience in Member States has shown that sites with radiation ...
At the Savannah River Site (SRS), nuclear production reactors used de-ionizers to control the chemistry of the reactor moderator during their operation to produce nuclear materials primarily for the weapons program. These de-ionizers were removed from the reactors and stored as a legacy waste with no path to disposal due to the relatively high 14C contamination (i.e., on the order of 20 curies per de-ionizer for 48-50 de-ionizers) and the low disposal limit of 4.2 Ci previously established for the Intermediate Level Vault (ILV). The ILV is considered most appropriate facility within which to dispose these items due to the method of solidifying waste items with cementitious material inside concrete vaults. In previous analyses the 14C ILV disposal limit was established at 4.2 Ci resulting from the use of a very conservative method to analyze the dose received from atmospheric releases of gaseous 14C. This investigation implemented a more ...
Alkylphenols are widely used as plastic additives and surfactants. We report the identification of an alkylphenol, nonylphenol, as an estrogenic substance released from plastic centrifuge tubes. This...Full Text Available
Secondary caries and restoration fracture remain the two most common problems in restorative dentistry. Release of fluoride ions (F) could be a substantial benefit because F could enrich neighboring...Full Text Available
The oxytocin and prolactin responses to suckling were measured in 10 women in early (n = 5) and established lactation (n = 5). Oxytocin was released in a pulsatile manner during suckling in all women,...Full Text Available
ObjectiveThe primary objective of this study was to assess whether pentagastrin-induced panic symptoms are associated with release of free fatty acids (FFAs) in a manner that could...Full Text Available
Human skin is a local source of corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) and expresses CRH and CRH receptors (CRH-R) at mRNA and protein levels. Epidermal melanocytes respond to CRH by induction...Full Text Available
The effects of gonadotrophin releasing hormone (GnRH) on the reproductive performance of dairy cows with retained placenta were studied. Three hundred and seventy-eight cows diagnosed as having retained...Full Text Available
Tetherin (BST2/CD317) has been recently recognized as a potent interferon-induced antiviral molecule that inhibits the release of diverse mammalian enveloped virus particles from infected cells. By...Full Text Available
BackgroundAntibodies against gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) and gastrointestinal dysmotility have been found after treatment with GnRH analogues. The aim of this study was...Full Text Available
To study the effect of agonist on the TRH (thyrotrophin-releasing hormone) receptor protein, an epitope-tagged receptor was stably expressed in HEK-293 cells (human embryonic kidney 293 cells) and receptor...Full Text Available
T-type calcium channels are responsible for generating low-threshold spikes that facilitate burst firing and neurotransmitter release in neurons. GnRH neurons exhibit burst firing, but the underlying...Full Text Available
... sensitive and classified US Government information, a notable recent example being the unlawful release of classified US documents by WikiLeaks ...
... Deepwater Horizon leak in the Gulf of Mexico, the Haitian earthquake and subsequent response, release of information by WikiLeaks, the Icelandic ...
Studies have shown that CCl_4 administration to rats inhibits endoplasmic reticulum calcium pump activity and reduces the amount of calcium associated with subsequently isolated microsomal subcellular fractions. This report confirms that exposure of isolated hepatocytes to CCl_4 rapidly produces these effects in isolated parenchymal cells and demonstrates that when isolated hepacytes are exposed to CCl_4 calcium is rapidly released from cells. This release can be detected with a calcium ion-selective electrode when cells are incubated in a medium with low extracellular calcium. Calcium released from an intracellular pool(s) may initiate hepatotoxic changes in liver. (author).
... and airborne sensors to track incoming ICBMs. The experiment was designed to determine how the intentional release of rocket propellants from an incoming ...
The food ingestion consequences due to radioactive particulates of an accidental release, scenario 1-RD-3, are evaluated for Savannah River Technology Center. The sizes of land areas requiring the protective action of food interdiction are calculated. The consequences of the particulate portion of the release are evaluated with the HOTSPOT model and an EXCEL spreadsheet for particulates.
A collection of neurons in the upper lumbar spinal cord of male rats projects to the lower lumbar spinal cord, releasing gastrin-releasing peptide (GRP) onto somatic and autonomic centers known to regulate...Full Text Available
Under the repository storage conditions of Eram and Konrad, waste packages designed for permanent storage must not contain or release freely mobile liquids, except for the minimum residues attainable by reasonable efforts or unavoidable. In accordance with a directive issued by the German Federal Ministry for the Environment (BMU), waste conditioning must be carried out so as to minimize waste volumes and, if possible, on the site where the waste arises. Liquid waste is conditioned most effectively by drying. At the present time, various different processes for drying liquid waste are employed as reflected by the state of the art: The Robe process; roller drying; the RDA process; Favorit; in-drum drying; and HPA liquid waste drying with make-up feed. The HPA process offers these advantages: Drying under atmospheric conditions, which means high level of dryness (freely mobile and releasable water is removed); the residual water content is 10%; ...
This work plan has been prepared to document the scoping and planning process performed by the US Department of Energy (DOE) to support remedial action activities at the Colonie site. The site is located in eastern New York State in the town of Colonie near the city of Albany. Remedial action of the Colonie site is being planned as part of DOE's Formerly Utilized Sites Remedial Action Program. The DOE is responsible for controlling the release of all radioactive and chemical contaminants from the site. Under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), a remedial investigation/feasibility study (RI/FS) must be prepared to support the decision-making process for evaluating remedial action alternatives. This work plan contains a summary of information known about the site as of January 1988, presents a conceptual site model that identifies potential routes of human exposure to site containments, ...
The structure of newly synthesized proteoglycans from explant cultures of cartilage from joints subjected to transection of the anterior cruciate ligament (osteoarthritic) and from normal (non- or sham-operated) joints was examined. The structure of the products of proteoglycan turnover was also examined using explants of normal and osteoarthritic cartilage maintained in culture for a 48 h chase period. The findings were as follows: Newly synthesized (/sup 35/S)-proteoglycans extracted from cartilage explants from osteoarthritic joints whether examined 3 weeks, 3 months, or 6 months after surgery were larger than those from corresponding normal cartilage. This can be explained by the synthesis in osteoarthritic cartilage of abnormally long chondroitin sulfate chains on newly synthesised proteoglycans. The extracts also contained a newly formed small proteoglycan species that was unable to interact with hyaluronic acid. The proportion of this species was higher in osteoarthritic ...
PETROBRAS/TRANSPETRO Pipelines and Terminals has 500 regular employees and 5.064 out sourced workers in its Southeast Division. The out sourced employees work through 125 contracts involving a wide range of activities such as maintenance, operational, pipeline launching , engineering, administrative and auxiliary services. Among these workers, 200 people are subjected to benzene occupational exposure, which might be present in the products we transport in our pipelines. Benzene is recognized as a carcinogen according to ACGIH and Brazilian Ministry of Labour regulation NR- 15. Exposure to benzene in an uncontrolled way, be it chronic or sharp, may affect the worker's health such as: hematological alterations, neoplasys, neurobehavior alterations. Our program PPEOB (acronym in Portuguese for benzene occupational exposure prevention program) involved the work force and fosters health by anticipation, recognition, evaluation and control of the situations that ...
Despite extensive clinical use of thallium-201 (/sup 201/Tl) for myocardial imaging, the effect of ischemia on myocardial accumulation and release of /sup 201/Tl independent of flow has not been fully defined. Therefore, myocardial accumulation of /sup 201/Tl in response to ischemic-like myocardial injury was assessed in vitro using the cultured fetal mouse heart preparation. Cultured fetal mouse hearts (n . 311) were subjected to injury simulating ischemia by deprivation of oxygen and oxidizable substrates for periods ranging from 15 minutes to 10 hours. The extent of irreversible injury was determined by the percentage of lactic dehydrogenase (LDH) lost from the hearts to the culture medium during recovery from injury. Injury was essentially reversible at 1 hour of insult. The fraction of /sup 201/Tl content in injured compared with control hearts was not significantly lower after 1 hour of insult. By 3 hours of insult, irreversible injury as ...
The adipocytokine adiponectin is released by adipocytes upon activation of the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPAR gamma). PPAR gamma has binding sites for thiazolidinediones and free fatty acids (FFAs). To evaluate if adiponectin serum concentrations are synergistically regulated by FFAs and thiazolidinediones IN VIVO plasma FFAs were acutely elevated in healthy subjects pre-treated with rosiglitazone or placebo. Sixteen healthy male subjects (23-37 years) were included in this double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled parallel-group study. Rosiglitazone 8 mg or placebo was administered daily for 21 days. On the last day plasma FFA concentrations were increased by an intravenous triglyceride/heparin infusion. Blood for determination of adiponectin, C-reactive protein (CRP), leptin, resistin, FFAs, glucose, and insulin was drawn at baseline and on day 21 before and after 5 hours of triglyceride/heparin infusion. ...
At Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), a recent effort in waste minimization has focused on scrap metal from radiological controlled areas (RCAs). In particular, scrap metal from RCAs needs to be dispositioned in a reasonable and cost effective manner. Recycling of DOE scrap metals from RCAs is currently under a self-imposed moratorium. Since recycling is not available and reuse is difficult, often metal waste from RCAs, which could otherwise be recycled, is disposed of as low-level waste. Estimates at LANL put the cost of low-level waste disposal at $550 to $4000 per cubic meter, depending on the type of waste and the disposal site. If the waste is mixed, the cost for treatment and disposal can be as high as $50,000 per cubic meter. Disposal of scrap metal as low-level waste uses up valuable space in the low-level waste disposal areas and requires transportation to the disposal site under Department of Transportation (DOT) regulations for low-level waste. In ...
It has been reported by the present authors that behavior of tritium release from solid breeder grain is consisted of diffusion in grain, tritium transfer at surface layer and surface reactions on grain surface such as adsorption or isotope exchange reactions. Tritium release curves estimated using the tritium release model gave good agreement with observed tritium release curves from Li{sub 4}SiO{sub 4}, Li{sub 2}ZrO{sub 3} or LiAlO{sub 2}. Tritium release behavior from Li{sub 2}TiO{sub 3} under humid purge gas, dry purge gas and dry purge gas with hydrogen conditions is discussed in this study, tritium release curves using the release model that we proposed previously give a good agreements with experimental tritium release curves. Tritium effective diffusivity in the crystal grain of Li{sub 2}TiO{sub 3} is also ...
It has been reported by the present authors that behavior of tritium release from solid breeder grain is consisted of diffusion in grain, tritium transfer at surface layer and surface reactions on grain surface such as adsorption or isotope exchange reactions. Tritium release curves estimated using the tritium release model gave good agreement with observed tritium release curves from Li_4SiO_4, Li_2ZrO_3 or LiAlO_2. Tritium release behavior from Li_2TiO_3 under humid purge gas, dry purge gas and dry purge gas with hydrogen conditions is discussed in this study, tritium release curves using the release model that we proposed previously give a good agreements with experimental tritium release curves. Tritium effective diffusivity in the crystal grain of Li_2TiO_3 is also estimated in this study using a curve-fitting ...
The Phebus FP project in an international reactor safety project. Its main objective is to study the release, transport and retention of fission products in a severe accident of a Light Water Reactor (LWR). The FPT4 test was performed with a fuel debris bed geometry, to look at late phase core degradation and the releases of low volatile fission products and actinides. Post Test Analyses results indicate that releases of noble gases (Xe, Kr) and high-volatile fission products (Cs, I) were nearly complete and comparable to those obtained during Phebus tests performed with a fuel bundle geometry (FPT1, FPT2). Volatile fission products such as Mo, Te, Rb, Sb were released significantly as in previous tests. Ba integral release was greater than that observed during FPT1. Release of Ru was comparable to that observed during FPT1 and FPT2. As in other Phebus tests, ...
After several years of planning and workshop meetings, a decision was reached in late 2008 to organize PICMG xTCA for Physics Technical Subcommittees to extend the ATCA and MTCA telecom standards for enhanced system performance, availability and interoperability for physics controls and applications hardware and software. Since formation in May-June 2009, the Hardware Technical Subcommittee has developed a number of ATCA, ARTM, AMC, MTCA and RTM extensions to be completed in mid-to-late 2010. The Software Technical Subcommittee is developing guidelines to promote interoperability of modules designed by industry and laboratories, in particular focusing on middleware and generic application interfaces such as Standard Process Model, Standard Device Model and Standard Hardware API. The paper describes the prototype design work completed by the lab-industry partners to date, the timeline for hardware releases to PICMG for approval, and the status ...
A.C.R.O. (Association pour le Controle de la Radioactivite dans l Ouest) is a French non governmental organisation that operates a laboratory for radioactivity analysis. It was created in 1986 as a response to people demands for information and reliable, independent testing. The organisation mainly carries out missions of information and training for its correspondents and more generally for a wide audience, particularly for people who worry about problems of environment, health, management of radioactive waste and emissions. Thanks to its structure, it enables citizens to involve themselves together with scientists so as to gain access to information that was hither to reserved to specialists. The organisation can vouchsafe its independence from the diversity of its members and volunteers, as well as from the diversity of its money resources. Besides its headquarters situated on the city of Caen area (Normandy), three branches situated in North Normandy, in ...
This study follows previous experimental work showing that the shrinking-core model applies to the pyrolysis (i.e., heating in the absence of oxygen) of particles (diam.{approx}14 mm) of a bituminous coal or a lignite in a fluidized bed at 700-950 {sup o}C. These experimental facts are in accord with the production of volatile matter being endothermic and not thermoneutral, as often assumed. Also, the rate at which volatile matter is produced in the presence of oxygen (i.e., devolatilization) or in its absence (pyrolysis) is demonstrated here to be controlled not at all by mass transfer, but by heat conduction to a moving reaction front inside a coal particle, provided its diameter exceeds {approx}3 mm. The resulting steady-state model of devolatilization indicates that six dimensionless groups are required to describe the rate of(I)coal->char+volatile matter for a nonfragmenting and nonswelling coal. This reaction occurs for a total time of c{sub 1}r{sub ...
This paper proposes a model to explain tritium release behavior of an irradiated Li_4SiO_4 sample made by Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe. The release curves were obtained in a series of experiments carried out using out-pile temperature programmed desorption techniques in the Kyoto University Reactor (KUR). Tritium release curves obtained for different purge gas compositions (N_2, N_2 + H_2, N_2 + H_2O) were compared for selection of suitable conditions to determine the apparent diffusivity of tritium in a crystal grain of Li_4SiO_4.In the model formation, some mass transfer steps in the bulk of the crystal grain and those on the surface of the grain were taken into account, which were diffusion of tritium in the grain, adsorption and desorption of water on the surface of the grain, two types of isotope exchange reactions, and water formation reaction by the addition of hydrogen to the purge gas.Diffusivities of tritium in the ...
The decommissioning of windscale Pile 2 Chimney resulted in the removal of one of most historically significant and prominent features of the Sellafield site. The project was the first large scale concrete ''free release'' operation to be undertaken on the Sellafield nuclear site, producing 4500 tons of concrete of which 3000 tons was demonstrated to be ''free release''. The paper describes the radiometric techniques employed in the characterisation and segregation of the concrete into low level waste (LLW), very low level waste (VLLW) and free release categories. It examines the robust solutions that were developed to meet the technical and regulatory challenges of the project, which included the definition of free release, the selection of averaging volumes, the testing and validation of the monitoring systems employed for ton quantities of concrete and the identification and removal of small numbers ...
The super simulator 'SAMPSON' has been developed to show that there exist certain safety margins for light water reactors under hypothetical severe accidents and to investigate realistic measures of accident management by simulating accidents with a parallel computer. Heat-up of fuel rods and release of fission products from fuels are important factors to evaluate source terms. Models for fuel rod heat-up, hydrogen production due to cladding oxidation and cladding deformation and failure in the core region have been developed in the fuel rod heat-up analysis module. Fuel temperatures were calculated by solving the heat conduction equation. The calculated results for fuel temperature and hydrogen production were compared with CORA-13 experiment results. The comparisons showed prediction capability for the heat-up of fuel rods. The fission product release analysis module incorporates with models for fission product transport within fuel pellets, ...
According to enactment of reduced dose limit based on ICRP-60, the calculation of Derived Release Limits(DRL) on Wolsung NPPs was carried out. There are two methods of determination on DRL; that is MPC(Maximum Permissible Concentration) method and system analysis method. In order to use the system analysis method, lots of environmental data are necessary and complicated exposure pathway are considered. So we intend to apply MPC method that is sort of simple. In addition the calculated results were compared with derived release limit on Canadian nuclear power plant.
Modelling the behaviour of fission product (FP) in a nuclear reactor coolant system (RCS) undergoing a hypothetical severe accident is an important step in the evaluation of radioactive release outside a nuclear power plant. This paper scrutinize Small Break LOCA sequence for WWER1000 reactor in order to investigate the possible paths for release of FP from fuel pallets to the reactor containment. Contemporaneous computer code for simulation of RCS will be use for the analysis. The results from analysis of fuel damage and release of FP trough the break of cold leg are present. (author)
The brochure contains information about the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act. This law establishes a structure at the state and local levels to assist communities in planning for chemical emergencies and requires facilities to provide information on various chemicals present in the community. The Act requires that this information be made available to the public. One of the requirements concerns the reporting of annual releases of toxic chemicals to the air, water, and land. These provisions are outlined in Section 313 which mandates annual release reporting for over 300 chemicals.
A semi-mechanistic model for calculating solid radionuclide release rates from bubbling pools of sodium was developed. The influence of particle spacial and size distributions on the decontamination of the releases was analysed and found significant. Decontamination factors are shown as a function of pool depth, bubbling characteristics and particle size distribution. The calculation of a decontamination factor for estimating the source term of large scale hypothetical core disruptive accidents is presented. The decontamination factor for a large scale accident was found to be two orders of magnitude greater than results obtained from small scale experiments conducted with uniform particle distributions.
A semi-mechanistic model for calculating solid radionuclide release rates from bubbling pools of sodium was developed. The influence of particle spacial and size distributions on the decontamination of the releases was analysed and found significant. Decontamination factors are shown as a function of pool depth, bubbling characteristics and particle size distribution. The calculation of a decontamination factor for estimating the source term of large scale hypothetical core disruptive accidents is presented. The decontamination factor for a large scale accident was found to be two orders of magnitude greater than results obtained from small scale experiments conducted with uniform particle distributions. (orig.).
Challenges of robotic cars, sponsored by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) of the U.S. Defense Department. Carroll Cordes, recently retired USGS branch chief,...
... Abstract : Small metallic fragments can be trapped in combustible cartridge cases during manufacture and released into the interior-ballistic flow ...
ContextCorticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH), through the hypothalamic pituitary adrenal (HPA) axis and other brain stress systems, is involved in the emotional dysregulation...Full Text Available
The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) is a public health agency with responsibility for assessing the public health implications associated with uncontrolled releases of hazardous...Full Text Available
Evolution in Space Radio Telescopes Reveal Youngest Stellar Corpse Gas Clouds in Whirlpool Galaxy Yield Important Clues Supporting Theory on Spiral Arms Starbust-driven Winds...
The Bantam System Technology Project is one element of the Advanced Space Transportation Program -- a NASA initiative to reduce the cost of space launch and ...
... Society Physics Press Release 05-175Korea Joins International Computing Infrastructure ... connectivity with Korea in a ceremony last month. Facilitated by the Korea Institute for Science and ...
... in the body. PTH is made by the parathyroid glands -- four small glands located in the neck behind ... is due to excess PTH release by the parathyroid glands. This excess occurs due to an enlargement of ...
... accidentally released from a Soviet military laboratory (Meselson ... Robert Koch and Louis Pasteur worked to introduce ... species (eg, rat, mouse, dog, monkey) for ...
Proceedings of the 11th IWGS Proceedings of the 8th IOC TREP, Release 10 Barley QTL Community Curation Workbook CIMMYT International Nursery Data Brachypodium website Rye...
Source term release characteristics are analyzed for the severe SGTR (Steam Generator Tube Rupture) sequences beyond the design basis accidents in Wolsong 2/3/4 plants which are of CANDU6 type reactor. In PWRs, SGTR sequences have long been recognized to be important and are distinctly different from the non-bypass sequences since there is a direct fission product release path from the primary system to the environment bypassing the containment gas volume. Meanwhile, a SGTR in a CANDU reactor is analyzed not to provide a complete and direct path into the environment for the source term resulting from a severe accident. This is because the majority of the fission product released arises from heatup and interactions of the disassembled fuel channel segments and debris in the calandria tank rather than from fuel heatup in the fuel channel. These fission products are released from the calandria tank into ...
The pleiotropic actions of neuromodulators on pre- and postsynaptic targets present challenges to disentangling the mechanisms underlying regulation of synaptic transmission. Within the striatum,...Full Text Available
18 months service for FERS; 60 months service for CSRS employees. the period covered by your accrued, donated, and advanced sick leave & accrued and ...
for cyber issues? Did you decide to establish this position because of the WikiLeaks incident? DR. SLAUGHTER: No. No, that decision was actually taken nearly a year ago,...
from a military fuel storage facility released about 80,000 gallons of kerosine-based jet fuel. Immediate and extensive recovery measures managed to contain the spill, but...
from a military fuel storage facility released about 80,000 gallons of kerosine-based jet fuel. Immediate and extensive recovery measures managed to contain the spill, but...
Zinn, John;. Hoerlin,. Herman; and Petschek,. Albert. G.: The Motion of Bomb. Debris. Following the Starfish. Test. Radiation. Trapped in the Earth's ...
DC -11/29/10 Remarks to the Press on Release of Purportedly Confidential Documents by Wikileaks; Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton; Treaty Room; Washington, DC -11/29/10...
The principle aim of the program was to produce a novel, non-leaching antimicrobial surface for commercial development and future use in the liquid food packaging industry. Antimicrobial surfaces which exist presently have been produced to combat the growth of prokaryotic organisms and usually function as slow release systems. A system which could inhibit eukaryotic growth without contaminating the surrounding 'environment' with the inhibitor was considered of great commercial importance. The remit of this study was concerned with creating a surface which could control the growth of eukaryotic organisms found in fruit juice with particular interest in the yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Putative antimicrobial surfaces were created by the chemical modification of the test substrate polymers; nylon and ethylvinyl alcohol (EVOH). Surfaces were chemically modified by the covalent coupling of antimicrobial agents known to be ...
Abstract in english BACKGROUND: Severe pathogenic infection triggers excessive release of cytokines as part of the massive inflammatory response associated with septic shock. OBJECTIVES: To investigate the protective effect of caffeic acid phenethye ester (CAPE) against lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induced endotoxemia, hepatic and neuronal damage and the associated systemic inflammatory response (SIR). METHODS: Fifty male Wister rats were divided into: control, LPS, and CAPE+LPS groups. Plasma c (more) oncentrations of various cytokines, including TNF-?, IL-1?, IL-1?, IL-6, IL-4, IL-10, and sICAM-1 were evaluated. In addition, the histopathological changes in the hepatic and neural cells were assessed. RESULTS: The LPS group showed high inflammatory cytokines and sICAM-1 levels reflecting the presence of SIR. Hepatocyte necrosis, apoptosis, extensive hemorrhage and inflammatory cellular infiltration together with brain astrocytes swelling, early ...
The purpose of the workshop was to determine the status of the field, to define instrumental and computational requirements, and to establish minimum specifications required by possible users. The most important message sent by implementers was the remainder that CMT is a tool. It solves a wide spectrum of scientific problems and is complementary to other microscopy techniques, with certain important advantages that the other methods do not have. High-resolution CMT can be used non-invasively and non-destructively to study a variety of hierarchical three-dimensional microstructures, which in turn control body function. X-ray computed microtomography can also be used at the frontiers of physics, in the study of granular systems, for example. With high-resolution CMT, for example, three-dimensional pore geometries and topologies of soils and rocks can be obtained readily and implemented directly in transport models. In turn, these geometries can be used to calculate ...
Field data for validating plume models were collected in and around the Bull Run Steam Plant during two four-week periods between July and October, 1982. The field measurements were the second phase of the Plume Model Validation and Development (PMV and D) program. The Bull Run Steam Plant is located near Oak Ridge, Tennessee, and the area is described as the ''Moderately Complex Site'' to distinguish it from the ''Plains Site'' in eastern Illinois, which was the scene of the first phase of the PMV and D study conducted in 1980-81. The measurement program consisted of a set of meteorological, source, aerometric, and tracer measurements to track and characterize the plume. The tracer measurements constituted the largest portion of the total effort, and it involved the release of SF/sub 6/ tracer gas from the stack, and the sampling and analysis of nearly 64,000 air samples collected over a test ...
PPARgamma agonists have been proposed to exert more than metabolic benefits, particularly by anti-inflammatory mechanisms. We hypothesized that pioglitazone might modulate inflammatory and vascular responses to lipopolysaccharide (LPS). In a placebo-controlled parallel-group study in 18 healthy male subjects, the E. coli endotoxin model of inflammation (20 IU/kg i. v.) was employed to test the effect of 60 mg pioglitazone over nine days on inflammatory cytokines. Macrovascular function and microvascular blood flow were assessed by brachial artery ultrasound and retinal blood flow parameters, respectively. Pioglitazone increased brachial artery diameter by 5.6% but had no effect on other outcome parameters under resting conditions. LPS increased cytokine levels to peak concentrations of 91.3+/-22.5 ng/ml (IL-6), 261.4+/-60.0 ng/ml (TNFalpha), and 524.5+/-15.3 ng/ml (VCAM-1). The endotoxin caused microvascular vasodilation and increased retinal white blood cell flux, ...
A performance assessment analysis was completed for the 200 East Area Low-Level Burial Grounds (LLBG) to satisfy compliance requirements in DOE Order 5820.2A. In the analysis, scenarios of radionuclide release from the 200 East Area Low-Level waste facility was evaluated. The analysis focused on two primary scenarios leading to exposure. The first was inadvertent intrusion. In this scenario, it was assumed that institutional control of the site and knowledge of the disposal facility has been lost. Waste is subsequently exhumed and dose from exposure is received. The second scenario was groundwater contamination.In this scenario, radionuclides are leached from the waste by infiltrating precipitation and transported through the soil column to the underlying unconfined aquifer. The contaminated water is pumped from a well 100 m downstream and consumed,causing dose. Estimates of potential contamination of the surrounding environment were developed ...
After periodic testing of a large-scale spray calciner/ceramic melter vitrification system over a 2-yr period, sufficient corrosion was noted on various parts of the vitrification system to warrant its disassembly and inspection. A majority of the 316 SS sintered metal filters on the spray calciner were damaged by chemical corrosion and/or high temperature oxidation. Inconel-601 portions of the melter lid were attacked by chlorides and sulfates which volatilized from the molten glass. The refractory blocks, making up the walls of the melter, were attacked by the waste glass. This attack was occurring when operating temperatures were >1200/sup 0/C. The melter floor was protected by a sludge layer and showed no corrosion. Corrosion to the Inconel-690 electrodes was minimal, and no corrosion was noted in the offgas treatment system downstream of the sintered metal filters. It is believed that most of the melter corrosion occurred during one specific operating period when the melter was ...
The cytotoxicity of 15-nm and 46-nm silica nanoparticles was investigated by using crystalline silica (Min-U-Sil 5) as a positive control in cultured human bronchoalveolar carcinoma-derived cells. Exposure to 15-nm or 46-nm SiO_2 nanoparticles for 48 h at dosage levels between 10 and 100 #mu#g/ml decreased cell viability in a dose-dependent manner. Both SiO_2 nanoparticles were more cytotoxic than Min-U-Sil 5; however, the cytotoxicities of 15-nm and 46-nm silica nanoparticles were not significantly different. The 15-nm SiO_2 nanoparticles were used to determine time-dependent cytotoxicity and oxidative stress responses. Cell viability decreased significantly as a function of both nanoparticle dosage (10-100 #mu#g/ml) and exposure time (24 h, 48 h, and 72 h). Indicators of oxidative stress and cytotoxicity, including total reactive oxygen species (ROS), glutathione, malondialdehyde, and lactate dehydrogenase, were quantitatively assessed. Exposure to SiO_2 ...
In this study, considering that Hg(2+) in wet flue gas desulfurization (FGD) systems can easily be reduced and then released into atmosphere, causing secondary pollution, the researches about Hg(2+) reduction and Hg(0) re-emission mechanism were carried out. The effects of several experimental parameters on the reduction were studied, including initial pH, temperature, and concentrations of Cl(-) and S(IV). Our experimental results indicated that Cl(-) had a restraining effect on the Hg(2+) reduction and Hg(0) re-emission, after 24h reaction, only 20.5% of Hg(2+) was reduced with 100mM Cl(-) in simulated desulfurization solution. Cl(-) can slow Hg(2+) reduction and Hg(0) re-emissions dramatically through changing reaction mechanism, with formation of new intermediate: ClHgSO(3)(-), which can decompose to Hg(0), but much more slowly than Hg(SO(3))(2)(2-) or HgSO(3). Simulating the conditions of the practical application (initial pH 5, T=50 degrees C, S(IV)=5 mM, ...
Increasing prosperity and population-growth in many developing countries are resulting in accelerated growth in population of vehicles and vehicle-kilometers traveled. In Pakistan also, the number of vehicles has jumped from 0.8 million to about 4.0 million within 20 years, showing an overall increase of more than 400%. Accordingly, the consumption of petrol (motor spirit) has increased from 828,670 metric tons to 1,189,042 metric tons. The high content of lead in petrol is a serious issue, as the end- product is the release of lead into the environment. In Pakistan, prior to July 2001, lead-content in petrol was reported to be as high as 0.35-0.84 gram per liter. The reported lead-levels in air (micrograms/cubic centimeter) in different cities of Pakistan are: Karachi (1980-81) 0.13-0.24; Peshawar (1994-95) 0.21-0.79; Lahore (1993-94) 0.15-8.36 and (1999-2000) 0.89-7.85 and Rawalpindi (1999-2000) 0.71-10.00, indicating the very alarming increase and high levels of ...
Mercury is an element which, with its compounds, is hazardous and is found in hazardous wastes. In Order to develop suitable diagnostic and therapeutic agents for mercury exposure, we have sought alternative test systems. We have used the chelating agent 2,3-dimercaptopropane-1-sulfonate (DMPS, DIMAVAL{reg_sign}) for estimating the body burden of mercury in normal humans and in dental personnel in a developing country, and for detoxifying humans with mercurous chloride exposure. Use of the DMPS-mercury challenge test has shown that two-thirds of the mercury excreted in the urine of volunteers with dental amalgams appears to be derived from the mercury vapor released from their amalgams. The DMPS challenge test (300 mg, by mouth, after an 11 hr fast) was useful for monitoring dental personnel for mercury vapor exposure. The DMPS challenge test was given to 11 factory workers who make a skin lotion that contains mercurous chloride, 8 users of the skin lotion, and 9 ...
The major effect of immobilization during growth is a smaller bone mass induced by either an increased bone resorption or a decreased bone formation. Using a method of analyzing radioisotopic loss of (/sup 3/H)tetracycline and (/sup 3/H)collagen from bone prelabeled in vivo, we compared the amount of bone resorption due to immobilization with bone resorption induced by growth. One hind limb was denervated in growing male rats, 6 weeks of age, that had been chronically prelabeled with (/sup 3/H)tetracycline, /sup 45/calcium, and (/sup 3/H)proline. The total radioactivity of the whole femur and tibia/fibula from the denervated limb was compared with that from bones of the control limb at 0, 1, 2, 4, and 8 weeks after denervation. The effect of growth on bone formation was measured by net increases in bone length, volume, and mass of matrix and mineral. Experimental bones had a significantly smaller volume and mass. Bone resorption was much greater during growth ...
Biosorption using activated sludge biomass (ASB) as a potentially sustainable technology for the treatment of wastewater containing different metal ions (Cd(II), Pb(II) and Zn(II)) was investigated. ASB metal uptake clearly competed with protons consumed by microbial biomass compared with control tests with non-activated sludge biomass. Biosorption tests confirmed maximum exchange between metal ions and protons at pH 2.0-4.5. It was revealed by the study that the amount of metal ions released from the biomass increased with biomass sludge concentration. The result showed that maximum absorption of metal ions was observed for Cd(II) at pH 3.5, Pb(II) at pH 4.0, and pH 4.5 for Zn(II) ions. The maximum absorption capacities of ASB for Cd(II), Pb(II) and Zn(II) were determined to be 59.3, 68.5 and 86.5%, respectively. The biosorption of heavy metals was directly proportional to ASB stabilization corresponding to a reduction in heavy metals in the ...
A cryocondensation pump was designed for the baffle chamber of General Atomics DIII-D tokamak and will be installed in the fall of 1992. The purpose of the pump is to study plasma density control by pumping the divertor. The pump is toroidally continuous, approximately 10 m long and located in the lower outer corner of the vacuum chamber of the machine. It consists of a 1 m{sup 2} liquid helium-cooled surface surrounded by a liquid nitrogen-cooled shield to limit the heat load on the helium-cooled surface. The liquid nitrogen-cooled surface is surrounded by a radiation/particle shield to prevent energetic particles from impacting and releasing condensed water molecules. A thermal enhancement coating was applied to the nitrogen shell to lower the maximum temperature of the shell. The coating is non-continuous to keep the toroidal electrical resistance high. The whole pump is supported off the water-cooled vacuum vessel wall. Supports for the ...
Abstract Clonidine Extended Release Augmentation of Psychostimulants in ADHD ADHD a Risk Factor for Substance Abuse; Cognitive Deficits Not a Predictor Commentary on Kollins et al.; Clonidine XR Augmentation for ADHD Pharmacologic Treatment of Childhood Insomnias Effects of Guanfacine Extended Release on Alertness in ADHD Long Term ADHD Drug Treatment Bipolar Disorder Rates Similar Across Selected Countries Group CBT Alone or Group CBT Plus SSRIs in Childhood Anxiety Resolution of Quetiapine-Induced Oral Dyskinesia From the FDA
To make a quantitative comparison of risks between the SNR 300 and a modern PWR (Biblis B), the consequences of an accident or the extent of damage of a release of radionuclides to the environment due to an accident are estimated by computer programs for accident consequence models. The accident analysis includes an analysis of events for Bethe-Tait accidents with failure of the outer containment. The FGSB release rates are compared with those of the Society for Reactor Safety (GRS). (HP).
The U. S. Department of Energy (DOE) is required by Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 regulations to develop a conceptual understanding of potential contaminant releases from the Hanford Site based on an evaluation of existing data and known historical practices. Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are one environmental contaminant potentially released through leaks, spills, or disposal. This document presents a summary of selected relevant existing information, including environmental studies and Hanford Site analytical data.
Mechanisms underlying the release of paclitaxel (PTX) from poly(ethylene glycol)/poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PEG/PLGA) blends were investigated by coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering (CARS)...Full Text Available
Metastable nuclear isomers are central to the study of nuclear structure and their energy storage capability has suggested a variety of applications. The feasibility of applications depends sensitively on the efficiency of any process that can deplete an isomer upon demand. This work surveys how State-of-the-art in nuclear level and transition data impacts the search for induced energy release from isomers using recent advances in experimental techniques.
A mathematical model describing the behavior of a gas of any density released into a turbulent atmosphere was developed. A numerical treatment was established for two dimensional flow. An understanding of the effects of accidental or continuous release wa...
In monocytes, sulfatide, a lipid from Mycobacterium tuberculosis, blocked priming for enhanced release of superoxide (O2-) by the macrophage activating factors lipopolysaccharide, gamma interferon,...Full Text Available
The gastrin releasing peptide (GRP) receptor is becoming an increasingly attractive target for development of new radiolabeled peptides with diagnostic and therapeutic potential. The attractiveness of the GRP receptor as a target is based upon the functional expression of GRP receptors in several tumors of neuroendocrine origin including prostate, breast, and small cell lung cancer. This concise review outlines some of the efforts currently underway to develop new GRP receptor specific radiopharmaceuticals by employing a variety of radiometal chelation systems.
The modification of a turbocharged diesel engine to a dual-fuel engine using methane as the supplementary fuel has been carried out. The effect of the gaseous fuel in a turbo-charged diesel engine has been investigated by means of a heat release study and a computer program already developed at Leicester Polytechnic. It is used in order to examine the rate of heat released under any operational condition.
In the isolated rat mesenteric bed, the 1 min perfusion with 100 nm anandamide, a concentration that did not evoke vasorelaxation, elicited an acute release of 165.1 ± 9.2 pmol nitric...Full Text Available
Gonadotropin–releasing hormone (GnRH) neurons are the central regulators of reproduction. GABAergic transmission plays a critical role in pubertal activation of pulsatile GnRH secretion....Full Text Available
In superior cervical ganglion (SCG) neurons calcium-induced calcium release (CICR), mediated by ryanodine receptors (RyRs), contributes to stimulation-evoked intracellular calcium ([Ca2+]i)...Full Text Available
This is an executive summary of a final subcontract report that describes the successful completion of a closed-loop demonstration of a regenerative thermoelectromechanical device using solar heat input for the production of electricity. The full report, which contains a detailed description of the two-year effort, is currently subject to a government secrecy order which precludes public release of the information. Copies of the full report will be made available for general release whenever the secrecy order is lifted.
DescriptionNanotechnology is rapidly expanding, and is forecast to become a trillion dollar industry in the near future. It is inevitable that as nanotechnology applications increase, increasing amounts of manufactured nanoparticles (mNPs) will be released into the environment. The environmental and human health implications of the release of most of the huge range of possible particle types are as yet largely unknown, but in the context of groundwaters, apart from implications for the drinking of contam [continued...
The rates of hydrogen release from simulated high-level liquid waste (SHLLW) during irradiation of {sup 60}Co {gamma}-rays have been studied using a laboratory-scale apparatus. The SHLLW used was made up of 28 different metal elements, the concentrations of which were determined from a computed data (ORIGEN-2) for a Purex spent fuel (burn-up of 4.5 GWd/t, cooling time of 4 years) except for those of corrosion products (Fe, Cr and Ni) and of chemical process additive (P). The nitrate ion concentration of the SHLLW was 4.97 M. The G-value of hydrogen release was 0.0164 for stirred conditions, but for nonstirred conditions with dose rate : 2.8 kGy/h and with the SHLLW solution height more than 8 cm, the following relation was found between the G-value and the solution height (d cm); G(H{sub 2}) = 0.100 d{sup -1.6}. The G-values of oxygen and nitrogen releases were also determined. (author)
The rates of hydrogen release from simulated high-level liquid waste (SHLLW) during irradiation of "6"0Co #gamma#-rays have been studied using a laboratory-scale apparatus. The SHLLW used was made up of 28 different metal elements, the concentrations of which were determined from a computed data (ORIGEN-2) for a Purex spent fuel (burn-up of 4.5 GWd/t, cooling time of 4 years) except for those of corrosion products (Fe, Cr and Ni) and of chemical process additive (P). The nitrate ion concentration of the SHLLW was 4.97 M. The G-value of hydrogen release was 0.0164 for stirred conditions, but for nonstirred conditions with dose rate : 2.8 kGy/h and with the SHLLW solution height more than 8 cm, the following relation was found between the G-value and the solution height (d cm); G(H_2) = 0.100 d"-"1"."6. The G-values of oxygen and nitrogen releases were also determined. (author).
Design improvements are being incorporated into the heavy water management systems at Wolsong 2,3 and 4 to reduce the load on the vapour recovery driers and upgraders and the heavy water losses via the stack. There will also be improvements to monitor heavy water and tritium releases. This paper describes the improvements, gives background on heavy water balance mechanism, the historical trends for heavy water recovery/losses and estimated dose to the member of the public critical group resulting from the airborne and waterborne releases. The measured tritium activity levels in the heat transport system (HTS) and moderator system at Wolsong 1 are given. Using these activity levels and heavy water loss data, tritium losses from the dried and ventilated areas are estimated. A qualitative assessment of expected heavy water and tritium releases has been performed for Wolsong 2, 3 and 4. CANDU 6 plants continue to perform well ...
Deforestation in Brazilian Amazonia in 1990 was releasing approximately 281--282 X 10{sup 6} metric tons (MT) of carbon on conversion to a landscape of agriculture, productive pasture, degraded pasture, secondary forest and regenerated forest in the proportions corresponding to the equilibrium condition implied by current land-use patterns. Emissions are expressed as committed carbon,'' or the carbon released over a period of years as the carbon stock in each hectare deforested approaches a new equilibrium in the landscape that replaces the original forest. To the extent that deforestation rates have remained constant, current releases from the areas deforested in previous years will be equal to the future releases from the areas being cleared now. Considering the quantities of carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, methane, nitrous oxide, NO{sub x} and non-methane hydrocarbons ...
Basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) exhibits specific binding to the extracellular matrix (ECM) produced by cultured endothelial cells. Binding was saturable as a function both of time and of concentration of {sup 125}I-bFGF. Scatchard analysis of FGF binding revealed the presence of about 1.5 x 10{sup 12} binding sites/mm{sup 2} ECM with an apparent k{sub D} of 610 nM. FGF binds to heparan sulfate (HS) in ECM as evidenced by (i) inhibition of binding in the presence of heparin or HS at 0.1-1 {mu}g/mL, but not by chondroitin sulfate, keratan sulfate, or hyaluronic acid at 10 {mu}g/mL, (ii) lack of binding to ECM pretreated with heparitinase, but not with chondroitinase ABC, and (iii) rapid release of up to 90% of ECM-bound FGF by exposure to heparin, HS, or heparitinase, but not to chondroitin sulfate, keratan sulfate, hyaluronic acid, or chondroitinase ABC. Oligosaccharides derived from depolymerized heparin, and as small as the tetrasaccharide, ...
In this paper, we propose a new cooperative control method for multiple robotic systems that eliminates several issues in the discentralized control method. The proposed control method is constructed by extending a Passive Velocity Field Control (PVFC). It is easy to guarantee the stability in control, because the PVFC can keep the passivity of the controlled system. In this study, the cooperative control method is proposed and then it`s stability is proven. Moreover, it is extended so as to control an internal force and to control a virtual time. Finally, the efficiency of the proposed cooperative control method are examined by computer simulations for cooperation tasks with two manipulators. 11 refs., 7 figs., 1 tab.
This report presents and discusses results from Task 5 of the study ''Fate of Mercury in Synthetic Gypsum Used for Wallboard Production,'' performed at a full-scale commercial wallboard plant. Synthetic gypsum produced by wet flue gas desulfurization (FGD) systems on coal-fired power plants is commonly used in the manufacture of wallboard. The FGD process is used to control the sulfur dioxide emissions which would result in acid rain if not controlled. This practice has long benefited the environment by recycling the FGD gypsum byproduct, which is becoming available in increasing quantities, decreasing the need to landfill this material, and increasing the sustainable design of the wallboard product. However, new concerns have arisen as recent mercury control strategies developed for power plants involve the capture of mercury in FGD systems. The objective of this study is to determine ...
Biodiesel is produced from vegetable oils that have been chemically modified by esterification; an example is rapeseed oil methyl ester (RME), made by treating rapeseed oil with methanol. Biodiesel can be burned directly in diesel engines. Oil from the rapeseed variety known as 00 was the first type of vegetable oil used for transesterification to produce biodiesel. Many other oils have been used successfully as biodiesel feedstock including sunflower oil in Southern France and Italy, soybean oil in the USA, and palm oil in Malaysia. Biodiesel can be made from a wide range of feedstock and multi-feedstock blends. Compared to conventional diesel biodiesel has some environmentally friendly advantages, e.g. biodiesel is reported to release fewer solid particles. Potentially even more important is the low level of carbon dioxide generation associated with biodiesel, at a time when CO{sub 2} emissions are falling in every industrial sector except transport. Life-cycle ...
In acute liver failure following hepatitis, toxic insults, or after major liver surgery, there is an increased bacterial translocation from the gut. This may explain some of the infectious complications seen in these conditions. To elucidate mechanisms and find possible preventive measures, we investigated the effect of rectal administration of arginine and probiotic bacteria (Lactobacillus spp.) on bacterial translocation and the extent of liver failure. Sprague-Dawley rats were used and five different Lactobacillus strains (Lb. reuteri R2LC, Lb. rhamnosus DSM 6594 (= strain 271), Lb. plantarum DSM 9843 (= strain 299v), Lb. fermentum 8704:3 (= strain 245), and Lb. reuteri (= strain 108) were administered rectally once daily for 8 days with and without 2% arginine. Acute liver injury (ALI) was induced on the eighth day by intraperitoneal injection of D-galactosamine (1.1 g/kg body weight), and samples were collected after 24 and 48 hours. Bacterial translocation was evaluated by ...
Purpose/Objective: With the advent of computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging, the three dimensional representation of the patient anatomy has become an invaluable resource for better diagnosis and delineation of the target volume and sensitive structures in radiation therapy. Although the therapeutic linear accelerator industry has made available highly sophisticated equipment, the aggressiveness in dose prescription and delivery has to be complimented by accurate dose computation methods. We have adopted a convolution/superposition algorithm for the calculation of absolute dose that fully accounts for the external shape and internal structure of the patient for photon treatment radiotherapy. In this paper, we will discuss the principles of the convolution algorithm and we will show how the computed dose compares to clinically relevant treatment techniques. Materials and Methods: A computer controlled data acquisition system and a water tank where used ...
During the normal operation of a Nuclear Power Plant (NPP), radioactive releases into the atmosphere will be in small quantities. During major accidental situations, though the probability is extremely small, there may be significant release of radioactivity to the environment through the stack or at ground level. To study the external radiation exposure, if any, to the members of public due to releases during the normal operation of a nuclear power plant (NPP) and also to meet the requirement of emergency preparedness for the NPP site, continuous recording and analysis of environmental dose rate data is essential. This paper presents analysis of the gamma dose rates recorded by the Environmental Dose Logging Systems (EDLS) installed around the site during the last six years in the Emergency Planning Zone (EPZ) of Tarapur Atomic Power Station (TAPS). (author)
Soil acidification via acid precipitation is recognized to have detrimental impacts on forest ecosystems, which is in part associated with the function of ethylene released from the soil. However, the impacts of acidification on the cycling of ethylene in forest soils have not been fully taken into consideration in global change studies. Forest topsoils (0?5 cm) under four temperate forest stands were sampled to study the effects of a pH change on the emissions of ethylene and carbon dioxide from the soils and concentrations of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) released into the soils. Increasing acidification or alkalinization of forest soils could increase concentrations of DOC released into the soils under anoxic and oxic conditions. The ethylene emission from these forest topsoils could s...
In order to evaluate postclosure off-site doses from low-level radioactive waste disposal facilities, a computer code was developed to simulate the radionuclide released from waste form, transport through vadose zone and transport in the saturated zone. This paper describes the methodology used to model these process. The radionuclide released from the waste is calculated using a model based on first order kinetics and the transport through porous media was determined using semi-analytical solution of the mass transport equation, considering the limiting case of unidirectional convective transport with three-dimensional dispersion in an isotropic medium. The results obtained in this work were compared with other codes, showing good agreement. (author)
Abstract Root exudates play a major role in the mobilization of sparingly soluble nutrients in the rhizosphere. Since the amount and composition of major metabolites in root exudates from one plant species have not yet been systematically compared under different nutrient deficiencies, relations between exudation patterns and the type of nutrient being deficient remain poorly understood. Comparing root exudates from axenically grown maize plants exposed to N, K, P, or Fe deficiency showed a higher release of glutamate, glucose, ribitol, and citrate from Fe-deficient plants, while P deficiency stimulated the release of -aminobutyric acid and carbohydrates. Potassium-starved plants released less sugars, in particular glycerol, ribitol, fructose, and maltose, while under N deficiency lower am...
The aim of the risk assessment consists of a comparative security evaluation for the SNR-300 and the PWR Biblis B. The failure analysis focusses on the reactor core; in addition, possible fission product release from the spent fuel pits is examined. By reliability analyses, the frequency of events leading to incidents is determined together with the probability of core destruction. In the accident analysis, the kind and frequency of failure of the activity barriers, i.e., primary system (reactorvessel) and inner and outer containment are investigated for the various incident sequences. The radionuclide release into the environment is classified into five different release categories. Besides internal failures, external causes (especially earthquakes and plane crashes) are considered under the aspect of their risk contribution. (RF).
To make a quantitative comparison of risks between the SNR-300 and a modern PWR (Biblis B), the consequences of an accident or the extent of damage of a release of radionuclides to the environment due to an accident are estimated by computer programs for accident consequence models. The accident analysis includes an analysis of events for Bethe-Tait accidents with failure of the outer containment. The FGSB release rates are compared with those of the Society for Reactor Safety (GRS).
Precocious puberty is a significant child health problem, especially in girls, because 95% of cases are idiopathic. Our earlier studies demonstrated that low-dose levels of manganese (Mn) caused precocious puberty via stimulating the secretion of luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH). Because glial-neuronal communications are important for the activation of LHRH secretion at puberty, we investigated the effects of prepubertal Mn exposure on specific glial-derived puberty-related genes known to affect neuronal LHRH release. Animals were supplemented with MnCl2 (10 mg/kg) or saline by gastric gavage from day 12 until day 22 or day 29, then decapitated, and brains removed. The site of LHRH release is the medial basal hypothalamus (MBH), and tissues from this area were analyzed by real-...
Bags of explosive are loaded rapidly into deep wellbores by suspending a rigid positioning tube partway into the wellbore, and loading the bags into the tube, the bags being prevented from dropping through the open bottom end of the tube by a cord attached to the lowermost bag and secured at the upper end of the tube when the tube-suspending cable is in tension by a cordsecuring/releasing means, E.G., a pivotable bar having a hook on one end. When the bag-laden tube is lowered to the bottom of the wellbore, or to a column of bags previously placed therein, the tension on the cable is relaxed and the cord is released, allowing the positioning tube thereafter to be raised to the surface for re-use, leaving the cord and bags in the wellbore. Freedom of the bag-supporting cord to move with respect to the positioning tube when the latter is raised to the surface is assured by threading the cord through plastic tubing mounted to the wall of the ...
"Pillar pain" is a relatively frequent complication after surgical release of the median nerve at the wrist. Its etiology still remains unknown although several studies highlight a neurogenic inflammation as a possible cause. Pillar pain treatment usually includes rest, bracing and physiotherapy, although a significant number of patients still complain of painful symptoms two or even three years after surgery. The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy of low-energy, flux density-focused extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT) in the treatment of pillar pain. We treated 40 consecutive patients with ESWT who had pillar pain for at least six months after carpal tunnel release surgery, and to our knowledge, this is the first study that describes the use of ESWT for treating this c...
Containment is considered as ultimate safety system and is designed to enclose whole reactor system and prevent the spread of active air-borne fission products. For Pressure and Temperature calculation, Design Basis Accident (Dba) is double ended break of reactor inlet header or main steam line break but activity release studies are done to access its performance following limiting design basis accident i.e. Loss of Coolant Accident (LOCA) and Emergency Core Cooling System (ECCS). In such accident scenario, the core is severely damaged and results in production of steam and hydrogen along with release of activity to containment environment. Containment functions are maintained in such accident, and radiological consequences are within the prescribed limits. (author)
Possible accident scenarios for a fusion reactor include breaches in the vacuum or cooling system. Intruding air or steam could react with structural or plasma facing materials, possibly mobilizing radioactive isotopes. Safety assessments must consider the early dose at the site boundary from the release of these activated materials. Previous calculations have indicated that cobalt isotopes dominate dose calculations for designs using stainless steel. Values used in these calculations, however, had been largely determined by the measurement limits of the chemical analysis methodology instead of measured releases. The purpose of the current study was to refine the analytical method to reduce the limit for detecting cobalt, and then test PCA steel in air and steam between 973 and 1473 K. Goals were to obtain more accurate measurements of cobalt mobilization in terms of g/m{sup 2}{center_dot}h and insight into the mobilization mechanisms.
Many aspects of cellular motility and mechanics are cyclic in nature such as the extension and retraction of lamellipodia or filopodia. Inherent to the cycles of extension and retraction that test the environment is the production of mechano-chemical signals that can alter long-term cell behavior, transcription patterns, and cell fate. We are just starting to define such cycles in several aspects of cell motility, including periodic contractions, integrin cycles of binding and release as well as the normal oscillations in motile activity. Cycles of local cell contraction and release are directly coupled to cycles of stressing and releasing extracellular contacts (matrix or cells) as well as cytoplasmic mechanotransducers. Stretching can alter external physical properties or sites exposed b...
An outline of the instrumentation and control systems associated with fuelling machines is given. The control systems such as hydraulic system, oil hydraulic system, electric control system and the remote control systems have been discussed in detail. The difference between RAPP and MAPP fuel handling control systems has been explained. A computer based system for the Narora fuel handling control system is also discussed. (S.K.K.).
This article presents a decentralized control scheme for the complex problem of simultaneous position and internal force control in cooperative multiple manipulator systems. The proposed controller is composed of a sliding mode control term and a force robustifying term to simultaneously control the payloads position/orientation as well as the internal forces induced in the system. This is accomplished independently of the manipulators dynamics. Unlike most controllers that do not require prior knowledge of the manipulators dynamics, the suggested controller does not use fuzzy logic inferencing and is computationally inexpensive. Using a Lyapunov stability approach, the controller is proven to be robust in the face of varying systems dynamics. The payloads position/orientation and the inte...
Purpose: To secure the reactor operation safety by the provision of a fluid pressure detecting section for control rod driving fluid and a control rod interlock at the midway of the flow pass for supplying driving fluid to the control rod drives. Constitution: Between a driving line and a direction control valve are provided a pressure detecting portion, an alarm generating device, and a control rod inhibition interlock. The driving fluid from a driving fluid source is discharged by way of a pump and a manual valve into the reactor in which the control rods and reactor fuels are contained. In addition, when the direction control valve is switched and the control rods are inserted and extracted by the control rod drives, the pressure in the driving line is always detected by the pressure detection ...
The goal of this project is to provide materials engineers, chemical engineers and plant operators with a software tool that will enable them to predict localized corrosion of process equipment including fabricated components as well as base alloys. For design and revamp purposes, the software predicts the occurrence of localized corrosion as a function of environment chemistry and assists the user in selecting the optimum alloy for a given environment. For the operation of existing plants, the software enables the users to predict the remaining life of equipment and help in scheduling maintenance activities. This project combined fundamental understanding of mechanisms of corrosion with focused experimental results to predict the corrosion of advanced, base or fabricated, alloys in real-world environments encountered in the chemical industry. At the heart of this approach is the development of models that predict the fundamental parameters that control the ...
The phosphatidylinositol pathway is implicated in the regulation of numerous cellular functions and responses to extracellular signals. An important branching point in the pathway is the phosphorylation...Full Text Available
BackgroundChanges in ionic concentration have a fundamental effect on numerous physiological processes. For example, IP3-gated thapsigargin sensitive intracellular calcium...Full Text Available
The activated charcoal is very appreciates for the water treatment. It do not generate by-product of treatment. In return it is saturated after some time and may releases pollutant compounds. When and how to get to its regeneration?.
In this study the technical and economical possibilities of burning carbon monoxide (CO) of the flue gas and utilizing of the released heat in hot air cupola furnace used for melting have been studied. As basis for examining was burning of cleaned furnace...
Plastics debris in the marine environment, including resin pellets, fragments and microscopic plastic fragments, contain organic contaminants, including polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polycyclic...Full Text Available
The rolC gene of Agrobacterium rhizogenes, which drastically affects growth and development of transgenic plants, codes for a cytokinin-beta-glucosidase. Indeed, rolC protein expressed in Escherichia...Full Text Available
1. The antihypertensive efficacy and tolerability of a low dose combination of the angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor ramipril (2.5 mg) and the extended release formulation of the dihydropyridine...Full Text Available
BackgroundFree nitric oxide (NO) reacts with sulphydryl residues to form S-nitrosothiols, which act as NO reservoirs. We sought to determine whether thiol-preserving...Full Text Available
The Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) started a new phase in August 2008, with new instrumentation and new surveys focused on Galactic structure and chemical evolution, measurements of the baryon oscillation feature in the clustering of galaxies and the quasar Ly{alpha} forest, and a radial velocity search for planets around {approx}8000 stars. This paper describes the first data release of SDSS-III (and the eighth counting from the beginning of the SDSS). The release includes 5-band imaging of roughly 5200 deg{sup 2} in the Southern Galactic Cap, bringing the total footprint of the SDSS imaging to 14,555 deg{sup 2}, or over a third of the Celestial Sphere. All the imaging data have been reprocessed with an improved sky-subtraction algorithm and a final, self-consistent recalibration and flat-field determination. This release also includes all data from the second phase of the Sloan Extension for Galactic Understanding and ...
Small metallic fragments can be trapped in combustible cartridge cases during manufacture and released into the interior-ballistic flow upon combustion of the case. Such particles may survive the interior-ballistic cycle and pose an ignition threat to the...
The role of IGF-I in the negative regulation of GH expression and release is demonstrated by in vitro and in vivo models; however, the targets and mechanisms of IGF-I...Full Text Available
The production of an intramuscular (IM) injection of natural progesterone would provide a safer solution than using semi synthetic progesterone. However, disadvantages such as low solubility and a short...Full Text Available
Sugar release from the pedicel tissue of maize (Zea mays L.) kernels was studied by removing the distal portion of the kernel and the lower endosperm, followed by replacement of the...Full Text Available
1. Miniature end-plate potentials (m.e.p.p.s) were intra- and extracellularly recorded from neuromuscular junctions in rat phrenic nerve—diaphragm preparations in vitro....Full Text Available
Chlamydia trachomatis serovars release a glycolipid antigen (GLXA) into the culture supernatant during the infective cycle. This antigen is recognized by IgG isolated from humans with a natural chlamydial...Full Text Available
The present study treats only the collective risk of ex-utero leukaemia associated with the routine releases of the nuclear industrial installations of the North Cotentin (0.0009 cases over the considered period) the uncertainty on the contribution to the collective risk of the incidents and the accidents of the nuclear installations (notably the drilling of the pipe of release in sea arisen in 1979-1980 and the fire of the waste silo on January 6. 1981, for the reprocessing plant of La Hague has not been considered. Only 45% of the risk are taken into account by the study. Every calculated value remains very inferior to the number of leukemia cases observed (4 cases observed for two expected cases) and to the risk of radioinduced leukemia any merged exposure sources, that is to say 0.84 cases. It appears thus not very probable that the nuclear installations of the North - Cotentin can explain the tendency to the excess of observed leukaemia. ...
Interleukin 12 (IL-12) activates natural killer (NK) and T cells with the secondary synthesis and release of interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) and other cytokines. IL-12-induced organ alterations are reported...Full Text Available
In this research, first, event and process relevant to the key words (or scenario initiator) such as volcanism have been identified and, especially a middle-scale eruption scenario including pyroclastic flows has been analyzed as the catastrophic scenario, which inspires ordinary people to have tremendous concern. Secondly, based upon the characteristic events and processes of each scenario considered in the above and through the research of existing model of such risk, quantitative concept (release amount magnitude, release mode, release form, frequency of release, probability etc.) and impact on repository system, facility and environment have been analyzed, defended and defined. Model which can assess and analyze such impact has been built. Using these models, risks directly or indirectly caused by HLW repository have been calculated. Finally, the process for assessing the consequence of volcanism ...
Subjects covered in this section are: (1) PCAST panel promotes energy research cooperation; (2) Letter issued by ANS urges funding balance in FFTF restart consideration and (3) FESAC panel releases report on priorities and balance.
IntroductionAcute lung injury (ALI) may arise both after sepsis and non-septic inflammatory conditions and is often associated with the release of fatty acids, including oleic acid...Full Text Available
In a scenario of aqueous transport from a high-level radioactive waste repository, the concentration of radionuclides in water in contact with the waste constitutes the source term for transport models, and as such represents a fundamental component of all performance assessment models. Many laboratory experiments have been done to characterize release rates and understand processes influencing radionuclide release rates from irradiated nuclear fuel. Natural analogues of these waste forms have been studied to obtain information regarding the long-term stability of potential waste forms in complex natural systems. This information from diverse sources must be brought together to develop and defend methods used to define source terms for performance assessment models. In this manuscript examples of measures of radionuclide release rates from spent nuclear fuel or analogues of nuclear fuel are presented. Each example ...
BackgroundGlucocorticoids down-regulate cytokine synthesis and suppress inflammatory responses. The glucocorticoid receptor (GR) antagonist RU486 may exacerbate the inflammatory...Full Text Available
US Department of Energy (DOE) facilities are required to be in full compliance with all federal and state regulations. In response to this requirement, the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) has established a Remedial Action Program (RAP) to provide comprehensive management of areas where past and current research, development, and waste management activities have resulted in residual contamination of facilities or the environment. This report presents the RCRA Facility Assessment (RFA) required to meet the requirements of RCRA Section 3004(u). Included in the RFA are (1) a listing of all sites identified at ORNL that could be considered sources of releases or potential releases; (2) background information on each of these sites, including location, type, size, period of operation, current operational status, and information on observed or potential releases (as required in Section II.A.1 of the RCRA permit); (3) ...
The cells of the endosperm of castor bean seeds (Ricinus communis) undergo programmed cell death during germination, after their oil and protein reserves have been mobilized. Nuclear...Full Text Available
Buccal bioadhesive films, releasing topical drugs in the oral cavity at a slow and predetermined rate, provide distinct advantages over traditional dosage forms. The aim of present study was to prepare...Full Text Available
Postulated impacts of large energy releases were examined in the light of existing technical information. The magnitudes of direct atmospheric modifications were estimated, and the ecological and economic implications of the modifications were explored. Energy releases from energy centers (10 to 40 power plants at a single site) and individual power plant clusters (1 to 4 power plants) were considered. In the atmosphere the energy will exist initially as increased temperature (sensible heat), moisture (latent heat), and air motion (kinetic energy). Addition of energy could result in increased cloudiness and fog, and changed precipitation patterns. A framework for economic analysis of the impacts of the postulated atmospheric modifications was established on the basis of costs and benefits. Willingness-to-pay was selected as the appropriate measure for valuing each impact. The primary and secondary atmospheric modifications may affect ...
Cleavage of membrane-associated proteins with the release of biologically active macromolecules is an emerging theme in biology. However, little is known about the nature and regulation of the involved...Full Text Available
The global problem concerning contamination of the environment because of human activities is increasing. Most of the environmental contaminants are chemical by-products and heavy metals such as lead (Pb). Lead released into the environment makes its way into the air, soil and water. Lead contribute...
For aerodynamic force measurement in the ISL shock tunnel, the authors have developed a novel measurement technique. Its key feature is a mounting support, which releases the test model and tightens it again after a free flight duration of 10 to 15 millis...
Chemoprevention, especially through the use of naturally occurring phytochemicals capable of impeding the process of carcinogenesis at one or more steps, is an ideal approach for cancer management....Full Text Available
A high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) procedure suitable for the simultaneous determination of the molecular size and concentration of macromolecular hyaluronate and proteoglycans in synovial...Full Text Available
ER niacin combined with simvastatin provides an additional option for achieving LDL-C and non-HDL-C goals for cardiovascular prevention, with greater efficacy in those with triglyceride levels >200...Full Text Available
Nitric oxide (NO) and related reactive nitrogen species (RNS) play a major role in the pathophysiology of stroke and other neurodegenerative diseases. One of the poorly understood consequences...Full Text Available
Oct 13, 2000 ... The Air Force plans to use the Medevac Oxygen System on existing C-141 aircraft and future C-130J and C-130X aircraft equipped with a LOX ...
Gastrin-releasing peptide receptor (GRPR), a member of the G protein-coupled receptor superfamily, has been utilized for receptor-mediated targeting of imaging and therapeutic agents; here we extend...Full Text Available
Path analysis was used to determine the interrelationships between postpartum administration of gonadotrophin releasing hormone and cloprostenol and the occurrence of reproductive disease and reproductive...Full Text Available
Late last year the Wolsung Candu in Korea suffered an incident which resulted in heavy water being released from the primary system into the containment. With the unit now back at full power, this article examines the causes of the incident and the action which is being taken to prevent it happening again.
Exposure of animals to hyperoxia decreases lung VEGF mRNA expression concomitant with an acute increase in VEGF protein within the epithelial lining fluid (ELF). The VEGF concentration in ELF...Full Text Available
Objective: To investigate the efficacy, safety, and clinical benefit of a once-daily formulation of trazodone (Trazodone Contramid® OAD) in the treatment of major depressive...Full Text Available
The transmissible gastroenteritis coronavirus (TGEV) infects the epithelial cells of the intestinal tract of pigs, resulting in a high mortality rate in piglets. This study shows the interaction of...Full Text Available
AbstractSevere pediatric traumatic brain injury (TBI) is associated with unfavorable outcomes secondary to injury from activation of the inflammatory cascade, the release of excitotoxic...Full Text Available
BackgroundElevated cardiac troponin I (cTnI) is frequently observed in patients with severe sepsis and septic shock. However, the mechanisms underlying cTnI release in these patients...Full Text Available
Both deficiency and excess of growth hormone (GH) are associated with increased mortality and morbidity. GH replacement in otherwise healthy subjects leads to complications, whereas individuals with...Full Text Available
SummaryHuman skin expresses elements of the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis including pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC), corticotropin releasing hormone (CRH), the CRH receptor-1...Full Text Available
This report describes mathematical predictions for the migration of radionuclides from an emplaced radioactive waste container. The model assumes a spherical-equivalent waste solid surrounded by backfill but neglects the effect of decay heat. 7 refs., 2 tabs. (TEM)
...Corps' tunnel 'expands' understanding of Permafrost Program News Home Warfighter Support Installations Environment Water Resources Information Technology About Us Partnering Opportunities About Us ...News Releases Program News Corps' tunnel 'expands' understanding of Permafrost Corps' tunnel \\
Requirements for food packaging materials include whether there is any interaction between the food and the package during or after the irradiation, and whether as a result of the irradiation, volatile or leachable substances are released from the pack into the food. The performance of cellulose-based materials and plastic films under irradiation are discussed.
BackgroundIn mammals, vasopressin (AVP) is released from magnocellular neurons of the hypothalamus when osmotic pressure exceeds a fixed set-point. AVP participates to the hydromineral...Full Text Available
Clostridium perfringens produces numerous toxins, which are responsible for severe diseases in man and animals. Delta toxin is one of the three hemolysins released by a number of C....Full Text Available
Recently, there have been multiple high-profile incidents involving the release of classified government information. Perhaps most prominent was Wikileaks.org's unauthorized publication of more than 600,000 classified Department of Defense documents. Such...
The neurotransmitter glutamate is released by excitatory projection neurons throughout the brain. However, non-glutamatergic cells, including cholinergic and monoaminergic neurons, express markers that...Full Text Available
A balanced application of chemiosmosis to plant mitochondria is presented. Electron transport carriers are sequenced to achieve proton translocation across the inner membrane. The processes of proton translocation, use, and release are integrated to yield a description of the effective proton gradient available for metabolite transport and ATP synthesis. 27 references, 6 figures.
Short-lived fission gas release from fuel pellets during irradiation was investigated based on the experimental results of the gas-flow rigs irradiated in the Halden Heavy Water Reactor (HBWR). The release-to-birth (R/B) rates of short-lived fission gas were measured by means of gas-flow measurement during the irradiation experiments. Surface-to-volume (S/V) ratios of fuel pellets and diffusion coefficients of short-lived fission gas release were evaluated from the obtained (R/B) values. The increase of (S/V) ratio agreed well with the point where the fuel temperature exceeded the threshold of 1% fission gas release. This indicates that the interlinkage of fission gas bubbles occurred there. The evaluated diffusion coefficients scattered in the range between 10"-"2"3 and 10"-"1"7 m"2/s, and the effects of fuel type (UO_2 or MOX) were not clearly observed. In addition, it is likely that the restructuring ...
1. The effect of capsaicin pre-treatment on adrenal catecholamine (CA) secretion in response to stress is controversial. In earlier experiments performed under pentobarbitone anaesthesia, the release...Full Text Available
Recent evidence suggests a role for corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) in the regulation of pair bonding in prairie voles. We have previously shown that monogamous and non-monogamous vole...Full Text Available
Several isolates of bacteria and fungi from soil, together with cells released directly from soil, were studied with respect to buoyant density and dry weight. The specific volume (cubic centimeters...Full Text Available
The honeybee has been the most important insect species for study of social behavior. The recently released draft genomic sequence for the bee will accelerate honeybee behavioral genetics. Although...Full Text Available
The main objective of Phase I of this SBIR project was to demonstrate the feasibility for successful development of an antimicrobial wound dressing based on a hydrogel sustained release matrix. This goal has been achieved. In vitro studies of drug diffusi...
Uranium Hexafluoride is a material used in the various processes which comprise the front end of the nuclear fuel cycle (conversion, enrichment and fuel fabrication). Confinement of UF6 is a very important safety requirement since this material is highly reactive and presents safety hazards to humans. The present paper discusses the safety relevant aspects of accidental releases of UF6 inside process confinement buildings. Postulated accidental scenarios are analyzed and their consequences evaluated. Implant releases rates are estimated using computer code predictions. A time dependent homogeneous compartment model is used to predict concentrations of UF6, hydrogen fluoride and uranyl fluoride inside a confinement building, as well as to evaluate source terms released to the atmosphere. These source terms can be used as input to atmospheric dispersion models to evaluate consequences to the environment. The results can also ...
Calcium ions represent universal second messengers within neuronal cells integrating multiple cellular functions, such as release of neurotransmitters, gene expression, proliferation, excitability,...Full Text Available
Platelet Factor VIII-related antigen (VIIIR:Ag) represents a significant proportion of the total circulating VIIIR:Ag pool. However, its participation in the events of primary hemostasis has not been...Full Text Available
BACKGROUND--Interstitial lung diseases are characterised by the recruitment of mononuclear cells to disease sites where maturation occurs and activation products, including lysozyme (LZM), are released....Full Text Available
Endogenous immune complexes present in sera from 10 different patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in an active phase were allowed to bind to Raji cells; the ability of intact complement...Full Text Available
Amyloid precursor protein (APP), implicated in Alzheimer's disease, is a transmembrane protein of undetermined function. APP is cleaved by gamma-secretase that releases the APP intracellular domain...Full Text Available
The primary method for neuronal communication involves the extracellular release of small molecules that are packaged in secretory vesicles. We have developed a platform to separate, lyse, and...Full Text Available
... (4) MP club. (5) MP working dogs. (6) Deadly force. (§ 632...security duties. (e) Use MP working dogs in accordance with the provisions...dog. (2) Before releasing a military dog for attack, give a...
This report is a compilation of worksheets from the waste management units of Savannah River Plant. Information is presented on the following: Solid Waste Management Units having received hazardous waste or hazardous constituents with a known release to the environment; Solid Waste Management Units having received hazardous waste or hazardous constituents with no known release to the environment; Solid Waste Management Units having received no hazardous waste or hazardous constituents; Waste Management Units having received source; and special nuclear, or byproduct material only.
In the safety assessment of a potential repository for spent nuclear fuel, it is important to assess the consequences of a hypothetical leak of radionuclides through the seabed and into a waterborne transport phase. Radionuclides adsorbed to sediment particles may be transported great distances through the processes of sedimentation and resuspension. This study investigates the transport patterns of sediment particles of two different sizes, released in the Forsmark and Laxemar area. The results show that the closed waters around Forsmark to a higher degree makes the particles stay in the area close to the release points
An improved process is disclosed for reducing the water content of coal containing bound water by releasing at least a portion of the bound water by maintaining the coal at a temperature from about 220/sup 0/ to about 500/sup 0/ F. in the presence of water at a pressure sufficient to maintain at least portion of the water in a liquid phase for a time sufficient to release at least a portion of the bound water wherein the improvement comprises contacting the coal during such treatment with an active material selected from the group consisting of carboxylic organic acids containing up to about 6 carbon atoms, phenol, phenolic acids and inorganic acids.
The Fast On-Orbit Recording of Transient Events (FORTE) satellite being built by Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) and Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) has as its most prominent feature a large deployable (11 m by 5 m) log periodic antenna to monitor emissions from electrical storms on the Earth. This paper describes the antenna and the design for the long elements and explains the dynamics of their deployment and the damping system employed. It also describes the unique paraffin-actuated reusable tie-down and release mechanism employed in the system.
Problem areas in BWRs, PWRs and PHWRs, from the viewpoint of chemistry, and the problem of fission product release in nuclear reactors are discussed. These problem areas are : fuel performance, off-normal water chemistry due to condenser leaks, the transport and deposition of the activated corrosion and fission products, denting in steam generators (in the case of PWRs), ingress of air in the cover gas helium and consequent radiolysis of D_2O in the moderator circuit (in the case of PHWRs). (M.G.B.).
In 1996, the National Marine Fisheries Service and the University of Washington completed the fourth year of a multi-year study to estimate survival of juvenile salmonids (Oncorhynchus spp.) passing through dams and reservoirs on the Snake River. Actively migrating smolts were collected near the head of Lower Granite Reservoir and at Lower Granite Dam, tagged with passive integrated transponder (PIT) tags, and released to continue their downstream migration. Individual smolts were subsequently detected at PIT-tag detection facilities at Lower Granite, Little Goose, Lower Monumental, McNary, John Day and Bonneville Dams. Survival estimates were calculated using the Single-Release (SR) and Paired-Release (PR) Models. Timing of releases of tagged hatchery steelhead (O. mykiss) from the head of Lower Granite Reservoir and yearling chinook salmon (O. tshawytscha) from Lower Granite Dam in 1996 spanned the ...
The Screening Risk Evaluation (SRE) guidance document is a set of guidelines provided for the uniform implementation of SREs performed on decontamination and decommissioning (D&D) facilities. Although this method has been developed for D&D facilities, it can be used for transition (EM-60) facilities as well. The SRE guidance produces screening risk scores reflecting levels of risk through the use of risk ranking indices. Five types of possible risk are calculated from the SRE: current releases, worker exposures, future releases, physical hazards, and criticality. The Current Release Index (CRI) calculates the current risk to human health and the environment, exterior to the building, from ongoing or probable releases within a one-year time period. The Worker Exposure Index (WEI) calculates the current risk to workers, occupants and visitors inside contaminated D&D facilities due to ...
Feasibility of using combined release of sterile males and sterile females for population suppression of Earias vittella (Fabricius) was evaluated on okra in two ways. In one study, a combined release of sterile males and sterile females was evaluated under simulated conditions in laboratory, a 10: 10: 1: 1 (sterile male: sterile female: normal female: normal male) ratio effected > 99% sterility. In the second study, in a field cage experiment, a combined release of sterile males and sterile females was evaluated using normal males and tethered normal females. In this experiment, the release of sterile males and sterile females in 10: 10: 1: 1 ratio caused complete 'shut off' of mating of normal females for first 2 days and indicated>93% reduction in the larval progeny in the next generation. The tethered females were allowed to mate only once. E. vittella females mate multiply and so with ...
The Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) initiated the Augmented Fish Health Monitoring project in 1986. This project was a five year interagency project involving fish rearing agencies in the Columbia Basin. Participating agencies included: Washington Department of Fisheries (WDF), Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, Idaho Department of Fish and Game, and the US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). This is the final data report for the Augmented Fish Health Monitoring project. Data collected and sampling results for 1990 and 1991 are presented within this report. An evaluation of this project can be found in Augmented Fish Health Monitoring, Volume 1, Completion Report.'' May, 1991. Pathogen detection methods remained the same from methods described in Augmented Fish Health Monitoring, Annual Report 1989,'' May, 1990. From January 1, 1990 to June 30, 1991 fish health monitoring sampling was conducted. In 1990 21 returning adult stocks were ...
operating at the maximal setting of speed control dials used to control their ...evaluates their energy performance when the speed control dial used ...FFUs when the speed control dial used for adjusting fan wheel speeds in each FFU was
... 65th AGARD Fluid Dynamics Symposium, Madrid, Spain, October ... of research programs on flow control ... separation, and delta wing flows formed the ...
The heavy water reactor such as Wolsung No.1 and No.2 has a purification system to purify the reactor coolant. The control system regulates the coolant temperature to protect the ion exchanger. After the fuel exchanges of operating plant, the increase of the coolant pressure makes the purification temperature control difficult. In this paper, the controllability of the control dynamics of the purification system was analysed and the optimal parameters were proposed. To reduce the effects of the flow disturbance, the feedforward control structure was proposed and analysed.
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) has implemented a computer control system for operation of an FN tandem accelerator. The control software utilized is the Thaumaturgic Automated Control Logic (TACL) written by the Continuous Electron Beam Accelerator Facility and co-developed with LLNL. Details of the design philosophy, hardware configuration, control software, and special control algorithms will be presented. 2 refs., 4 figs.
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.).
Families of regimes for discrete control systems are studied possessing a special quasi-controllability property that is similar to the Kalman controllability property. A new approach is proposed to estimate the amplitudes of transient regimes in quasi-controllable systems. Its essence is in obtaining of constructive a priori bounds for degree of overshooting in terms of the quasi-controllability measure. The results are applicable for analysis of transients, classical absolute stability problem and, especially, for stability problem for desynchronized (asynchronous, switching) systems.
This paper discusses the concept of controllable subspace for open quantum dynamical systems. It is constructively demonstrated that combining structural features of decoherence-free subspaces with the ability to perform open-loop coherent control on open quantum systems will allow decoherence-free subspaces to be controllable. This is in contrast to the observation that open quantum dynamical systems are not open-loop controllable. To a certain extent, this paper gives an alternative control theoretical interpretation on why decoherence-free subspaces can be useful for quantum computation.
The French office for technical studies and control of big dams (BETCGB), has recently reedited the `guidebook for the control of dams in exploitation`. The aim of this document is to provide to the regional directions of industry, research and environment (DRIRE) a methodological help for their control actions of hydroelectric dams granted for exploitation. It comprises 6 chapters dealing with: the different type of dams, the inspection, the surveillance, the floods evacuation, the flood instructions, and the particular emergency plans. (J.S.)
This article deals with the need for control strategies and control systems in buildings with hybrid ventilation. In this respect, control strategies are methods of keeping certain parameters like temperature, air quality etc within specified limits. A control system is automatic and includes sensors, motors, dampers etc. The article also discusses consequences with respect to thermal comfort, air quality and energy use following selection of control parameters for controlling air masses.
Amino acids other than those that serve as ligands have been found to influence the chemical properties of transferrin iron. The catalytic ability of pyrophosphate to mediate transferrin iron release to a terminal acceptor is largely quenched by modification non-liganded histine groups on the protein. The first order rate constants of iron release for several partially histidine modified protein samples were measured. A statistical method was employed to establish that one non-liganded histidine per metal binding domain was responsible for the reduction in rate constant. These results imply that the iron mediated chelator, pyrophosphate, binds directly to a histidine residue on the protein during the iron release process. EPR spectroscopic results are consistent with this interpretation. Kinetic and amino acid sequence studies of ovotransferrin and lactoferrin, in addition to human serum transferrin, have allowed the ...
The herbicide atrazine is a known immunotoxicant and an inhibitor of human natural killer (NK) cell lytic function. The precise changes in NK cell lytic function following atrazine exposure have not been fully elucidated. The current study identifies the point at which atrazine exerts its affect on the stepwise process of human NK cell-mediated lyses of the K562 target cell line. Using intracellular staining of human peripheral blood lymphocytes, it was determined that a 24-h in vitro exposure to atrazine did not decrease the level of NK cell lytic proteins granzyme A, granzyme B or perforin. Thus, it was hypothesized that atrazine exposure was inhibiting the ability of the NK cells to bind to the target cell and subsequently inhibit the release of lytic protein from the NK cell. To test this hypothesis, flow cytometry and fluorescent microscopy were employed to analyze NK cell-target cell co-cultures following atrazine exposure. These assays demonstrated no ...
It is planned to use the tritium dose model, DCART (Doses from Chronic Atmospheric Releases of Tritium), to reconstruct dose to the hypothetical maximally exposed individual from annual routine releases of tritiated water (HTO) and tritiated hydrogen gas (HT) from all Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) facilities and from the Sandia National (SNL) Laboratory's Tritium Research Laboratory over the last fifty years. DCART has been described in Part 1 of ''Historical Doses From Tritiated Water And Tritiated Hydrogen Gas Released To The Atmosphere from Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL)'' (UCRL-TR-205083). This report (Part 2) summarizes information about annual routine releases of tritium from LLNL (and SNL) since 1953. Historical records were used to derive facility-specific annual data (e.g., source terms, dilution factors, ambient air ...
The physicochemical forms and partitioning of corrosion products released from stainless steel upon exposure to selected environmental conditions is the subject of this investigation. This report describes the influence of calcareous sediment on the rate of release and fate of corrosion products produced when neutron-activated stainless steel specimens were exposed to a Globigerina ooze taken from the Northeast Pacific Ocean. The calcareous ooze used in this study consists largely of planktonic formanifera tests and was found to be about 90% CaCO_3. The trace metal content of this sediment was typical of average deep-sea carbonate sediments, and the ratios of trace elements to Ti were not remarkably different from a coastal clayey silt or a Northeast Pacific pelagic red clay. Most (>80%) of the trace metals extracted by sequential chemical treatment were associated with reductant-soluble materials, i.e., amorphous Mn and Fe oxides, or were ...
The release of {sup 14}C as {sup 14}CO{sub 2} from partly failed spent fuel containers has been analyzed by the flow of gases into and out of the containers. This flow of gases is driven by pressure differences, which are in turn caused by heating by the spent fuel. In this analysis, the timing and size of holes in the containers are assumed to be given. A better means of predicting the time distribution and sizes of penetrations in nuclear waste containers is needed. For the purposes of far-field transport calculations, we have adopted release rates that are shown to be bonding for the large range of hole sizes studied. The transport of released {sup 14}CO{sub 2} has been analyzed by transport in equivalent porous medium. The peak {sup 14}CO{sub 2} concentration in pore gas at 350 m above the repository does not depend on the time of hole occurrence, although the time of penetration obviously affects the arrival and ...
Backgrund: Interleukin-1, tumornecrosisfactor-{alpha} and interferon-{gamma} endogenously provide protection of the hematopoietic system against radiation. Thiols have already been used successfully as radioprotective agents. In this study the effect von N-acetylcysteine (NAC) on the release of interleukin-1{alpha} and {beta} (IL-1), interleukin-2 (IL-2), interferon-{gamma} (IFN-{gamma}) and tumornecrosisfactor-{alpha} (TNF-{alpha}) was assessed in an in vitro assay. Patients and Methods: Whole blood samples from 8 healthy volunteers were stimulated with 7.5 {mu}m/ml PHA. NAC was added at concentrations of 0.6, 6, 12 and 24 mmol/l. Subsequently the samples were irradiated with a dose of 18 Gy according to preceding validation experiments. Results: IL-1{alpha}, IL-1{beta} and IL-2: In comparison to simulation and radiation alone the addition of 0.6 and 6 mmol/l with IL-2 also 12 mmol/l, NAC resulted in a significant increase of the cytokine-concentrations. The ...
Fuji Electric has realized highly reliable and functional control systems by the dispersion type control system FOCUS, which uses the controller (ICS-2000) enjoying good reputation in controlling industrial plants for a long time and a personal computer with high windows operability, the former for controlling and the latter for MHI responsible for monitoring. The smelting process in a steel-making plant needs a highly reliable system for advanced control to ensure continuous operation. Fuji Electric delivered the FOCUS system to Kubota in 1998, as the smelting furnace instrumentation/control system for the cupola furnace. The system has been in service smoothly. Moreover, a total of four control systems have been delivered, 2 for steel-making furnaces and the other 2 for continuous casting. (NEDO)
Studies continued on organic tracers for use as hydrologic tracers as part of the Yucca Mountain Site Characterization project. This subject report for the quarter 01/01/93 through 03/31/93 discusses the following issues: project organization and responsibilities; quality assurance program; design control; procurement document control; instructions, procedures, and drawings; document control; control of purchased items and services; identification and control of items; control of processes; inspection; test control; control of measuring and test equipment; handling, storage, and shipping; inspection, test, and operating status; control of nonconforming items and conditions; corrective action; quality assurance records; audits; software quality assurance; and scientific investigation.
Purpose: To stably control the reactor water level so as not to cause excess water feeding in a BWR type reactor. Constitution: A flow control valve is disposed to the exit of a feedwater pump for a nuclear reactor and the valve is controlled by a flow regulator to maintain the water level constant in the reactor. A signal from a water level controller is inputted to the flow regulator to thereby control the flow rate control valve. In this case, the flow regulator remains in a saturated state just after the starting of the feedwater pump, in which the pump flowrate is at 100% to result in an excess water feeding condition. In view of the above, a feedback circuit is provided to the flow regulator so that the saturated state is eliminated and the water feeding can be controlled directly from the water level controller. ...
A scheme for controlling multimanipulator systems is presented. The control objective is to coordinate the manipulators to perform parts-matching tasks such as screwing a nut onto a bolt. The task of moving a rigid object can be treated as a special case. Two secondary control objectives internal force control and load distribution can be accomplished within the structure of the control law. The internal force control mechanism keeps the internal forces on the object being manipulated at a desirable level. The load distribution mechanism distributes control effort to each manipulator according to a weighting factor. It is also shown that the control algorithm has a modular structure which facilitates its implementation on a multiprocessor computer. The scheme was tested on a planar scara type dual-manipulator system. A ...
This paper deals with the control of an electromechanical valves engine. The control uses neural networks in order to build a non-linear model of engine filing which depends on the driven inlets. The aim is to build this real-time model and to integrate this model to a control system which performs an iterative inversion. (J.S.)
We present a modification of the closed-loop state space model for AO control which allows delays that are a non-integer multiple of the system frame rate. We derive the new forms of the Predictive Fourier Control Kalman filters for arbitrary delays and show that they are linear combinations of the whole-frame delay terms. This structure of the controller is independent of the delay. System stability margins and residual error variance both transition gracefully between integer-frame delays.
Experience and technical innovations in power plant engineering have resulted in continuous improvements of operation control, availability and safety of pumped storage plants. Process control is constantly improved as new developments are made in equipment and systems engineering. Plant control concepts with increasingly complex automation hierarchy are described by which pumped storage processes can be controlled optimally, reliably, and automatically.
University research group with research areas: * Land based and submersible autonomous robots, (UUVs: AUVs and ROVs); * Controllers, electronics, sensor design and fusion, motion control; * Guidance and navigation of underwater vehicles; * AI, neural networks, fuzzy logic, subsumption control, behaviour based control; * Optical fibre and ultrasonic sensors for proximal object detection; * Robot arm control, visual servoing; * Imaging sonar applications; * Simulator development: UUV simulator; imaging sonar simulator; Aircraft/flight simulator.
The technology status of the dynamics and controls discipline as it applies to energy storage wheel systems was evaluated. No problems were identified for which an adequate solution could not be proposed. Design issues that influence control were addressed. The dynamics and control aspects associated with the energy storage system concept and its various constituent parts, and the control tasks attendant to large, manned spacecraft are discussed.
Under drought conditions, sucrose distribution (osmotic adjustment vs. export) may be regulated at the mesophyll plasmalemma/tonoplast. Leaves were given {sup 14}CO{sub 2} for a 30/30 min pulse/chase. Peeled leaf discs were put in low or high osmotic solutions to monitor release of labeled solutes. High turgor increased efflux rates double those at low turgor. About 30% and 55% of the released label was in the sugar (sucrose + hexose) fractions at low and high turgor, respectively. Response to changes in cell turgor was rapid and reversible. PCMBS had no effect on efflux. NEM and CCCP enhanced efflux at high turgor. Presence of unlabeled sucrose in the wash solutions greatly enhanced sucrose efflux in a turgor-dependent manner; suggesting the presence of a sucrose exchange system, which appeared to be at the tonoplast. Turgor-regulated efflux involved both the tonoplast and plasmalemma. However, efflux across the plasmalemma was not ...
This paper presents an overview of issues related to surface water contamination arising from uranium mining activities in the Alligator Rivers Region (ARR) of northern Australia, and a program of research and monitoring that must assess the potential and actual effects on ecosystem and human health. The program of assessing effects on aquatic ecosystems involves a four-tiered approach including the derivation of local water quality guideline trigger values, direct toxicity assessment of mine waters prior to their release, creekside or in situ monitoring for early warning of adverse effects during mine water release, and longer-term monitoring of macroinvertebrate and fish communities. Bioaccumulation in aquatic biota is also assessed, and is an issue of importance not only to ecosystem health, but also to the health of local Aboriginal people. The aquatic animals they consume represent potential sources of radiological dose, and as a result, a ...
Calcium (Ca) plays an important role in regulating various cellular processes. In a variety of cell types, Ca signaling occurs within microdomains where channels deliver localized pulses of Ca which activate a nearby collection of Ca-sensitive receptors. The small number of channels involved ensures that the signaling process is stochastic. The aggregate response of several thousand of these microdomains yields a whole-cell response which dictates the cell behavior. Here, we study analytically the statistical properties of a population of these microdomains in response to a trigger signal. We apply these results to understand the relationship between Ca influx and Ca release in cardiac cells. In this context, we use a first passage time approach to show analytically how Ca release in the whole cell depends on the single channel kinetics of Ca channels and the properties of microdomains. Using these results, we explain the underlying mechanism ...
The purpose of this document is to provide a framework for developing protective strategies in the longer term following an accidental release of radionuclides to the offsite environment. This advice covers all forms and scales of accidental release, including releases from nuclear sites and reactors, weapons accidents, and damaged industrial or medical sealed sources. The countermeasures considered are those intended to protect the public from external irradiation from radionuclides deposited in the environment, from the inhalation of resuspended radionuclides, and from inadvertent ingestion of radionuclides resulting from contact with contaminated surfaces. The Board terms these recovery countermeasures. They can be broadly grouped as either decontamination measures (ie measures that deal directly with the radionuclides, whether by removing them, shielding them or physically or chemically bonding them) or as restricted ...
Eight patients, one male and seven females, with no pre-existing hypothalamic-pituitary disease, who developed symptoms of hypopituitarism following cranial irradiation for nasopharyngeal carcinoma were studied 5 years or more after radiotherapy. All were GH deficient. Four of the patients with no GH response during insulin tolerance tests (ITT) showed increased GH in response to synthetic human growth hormone releasing factor (GRF-44). Four patients had impaired cortisol responses to ITT, and gradual but diminished cortisol responses to ovine corticotrophin releasing factor (CRF-41). There was no significant difference between mean peak increments in response to ITT and those in response to CRF-41. TSH responses to TRH were delayed in five and absent in two patients; four of these had low free T4 index. Prolactin was raised in all seven women and increased further in response to TRH. Two patients had impaired gonadotrophin responses to LHRH. ...
Two important greenhouse gases, CO{sub 2} and CH{sub 4}, are closely connected to the carbon cycling of wetlands. Although virgin wetlands are mostly carbon accumulating ecosystems, major proportion of the CO{sub 2} bound annually in photosynthesis is released back to the atmosphere. Main portion of the carbon cycling in wetlands is quite fast while a small proportion of carbon diffusing from soil is released from organic matter, which may be ten thousand years old. Methane is formed in the anaerobic layers of wetlands, from where it is released gradually to the atmosphere. The decomposition in anaerobic conditions is very slow, which means that usually only a few percent of the annual carbon cycling takes place as methane. Research on CO{sub 2} fluxes of different virgin and managed peatlands was the main topic of this project during the first phase of SILMU. The measurements were made during two seasons in varying ...
Molecular genetic markers can be used to identify quantitative trait loci (QTL) for thermal resistance and this has allowed characterization of a major QTL for knockdown resistance to high temperature in Drosophila melanogaster. The QTL showed trade-off associations with cold resistance under laboratory conditions. However, assays of thermal tolerance conducted in the laboratory may not necessarily reflect performance at varying temperatures in the field. Here we tested if lines with different genotypes in this QTL show different thermal performance under high and low temperatures in the field using a release recapture assay. We found that lines carrying the QTL genotype for high thermal tolerance were significantly better at locating resources in the field releases under hot temperatures while the QTL line carrying the contrasting genotype were superior at cold temperatures. Further, we studied copulatory success between the different QTL ...
Current regulations guiding technical aspects of natural resource damage assessments combine source, exposure pathway, resource injury, and monetary damage components. In order to associate any observed injury to the uncontrolled release of chemicals (e.g. oil spills, contaminated sediments, in-place toxics, etc.), it is important to link the chemical ''release'' to the injured resource. In complex environmental settings where multiple sources of similar chemicals are combined, multicomponent chemical methods must be used to link the release to the environmental distribution of chemicals. Three examples of the utility of multicomponent organic chemical analyses linked to comprehensive and representative sampling strategies will be discussed--the Shell Martinez Refinery oil spill, the Exxon Valdez oil spill, and a contaminated sediment assessment. These NRDA-based source identifications are based on use of polycyclic ...
This paper investigated the effect of hydrogen (H{sub 2}) addition on the combustion process of a heavy-duty diesel engine. The addition of a small amount of H{sub 2} was shown to have a mild effect on the cylinder pressure and combustion process. When operated at high load, the addition of a relatively large amount of H{sub 2} substantially increased the peak cylinder pressure and the peak heat release rate. Compared to the two-stage combustion process of diesel engines, a featured three-stage combustion process of the H{sub 2}-diesel dual fuel engine was observed. The extremely high peak heat release rate represented a combination of diesel diffusion combustion and the premixed combustion of H{sub 2} consumed by multiple turbulent flames, which substantially enhanced the combustion process of H{sub 2}-diesel dual fuel engine. However, the addition of a relatively large amount of H{sub 2} at low load did not change the two-stage heat ...
Evaluates geodetic surveys of rock strata in the Szombirki black coal mine with coal seams prone to rock bursts. Rock bursts are associated with accumulation of energy in the 60 m thick sandstone layers situated in the coal seam roofs. Two stages of energy release are analyzed: brittle fracture of the sandstone layer, and energy transfer (dynamic load transfer) to underlying rock strata. Effects of energy accumulation and its release on rock strata displacement were measured in mine workings. The measuring points were situated in the roofs of mine roadways influenced by advancing longwall faces. Two types of vertical displacements are comparatively evaluated: uplift before a rock burst, and subsidence after a rock burst. 5 refs.
A study was made of the uncoupling action of polychlorinated biphenyls (Kanechlor-400) on oxidative phosphorylation in rat liver mitochondria. Kanechlor-400 (KC-400) at 20 ..mu..g/ml stimulated state 4 respiration of rat liver mitochondria more than 4-fold with ..cap alpha..-ketoglutarate/malate as a substrate, and released the oligomycin-inhibited state 3 respiration. KC-400 also dissipated the membrane potential across the mitochondrial membranes; thus, it acts as an uncoupler of oxidative phosphorylation in rat liver mitochondria. KC-400 altered the permeability properties of mitochondrial membranes as evidenced by the release of endogenous K/sup +/ and the oxidation of exogenously supplied NADH. It is concluded that KC-400 produces a nonspecific increase in mitochondrial ion permeability, thereby dissipating membrane potential, which leads to the uncoupling.
MRI (Magnetic resonance imaging) has been widely used in the diagnosis of primary carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). However, it has had limited clinical application in diagnosing persistent or recurrent CTS. We aimed to investigate the efficacy of this imaging modality in patients who had previously undergone open carpal tunnel release without relief of symptoms, and assess the correlation of MRI with intra-operative findings upon re-exploration. MRI studies were performed on 17 wrists (16 patients) presenting with recurrent/persistent symptoms and signs of CTS in whom repeat nerve conduction studies were also performed. Surgical re-exploration was undertaken on 16 wrists in which a 100% correlation was noted between MRI and intra-operative findings of an incompletely released or re-grown tran...
Objective: To develop software for assessment of dose to thyroid gland in emergencies resulting in the release of radioiodine. Methods: Based on procedures for thyroid monitoring and dose assessment introduced in IAEA publications (IAEA-TECDOC-1092 and EPR-MEDICAL-2005), a software was developed with Visual Basic 6.0 program to computerized the methods of thyroid dose estimation. Results: The intake of radioiodine and committed equivalent dose to thyroid could be estimated rapidly and accurately with the present software. Conclusion: The present software provide a practical and rapid tool for estimating thyroid doses received in emergencies resulting in the release of radioiodine by emergency workers and members of public, which is necessary for recommendation of further actions. (authors)
a-Dystroglycan is an extracellular adhesion protein that is known to interact with different ligands. The interaction is thought to stabilize the integrity of the plasma membrane. The N-terminal part of a-dystroglycan may be proteolytically processed to generate a small 38kDa protein (a-DG-N). The physiological significance of a-DG-N is unclear but has been suggested to be involved in nerve regeneration and myelination and to function as a potential biomarker for neurodegenerative and neuromuscular diseases. In this report we show that a-DG-N is released into different body fluids, such as lachrimal fluid, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), urine and plasma. To investigate the significance of a-DG-N in CSF we examined the levels of a-DG-N and known neurodegenerative markers in CSF from patients di...
When Congress passed the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act of 1986 (EPCRA), it created a number of new reporting requirements for companies that handle toxic chemicals and products containing toxic chemicals. Section 313 of EPCRA requires that certain manufacturers report annual releases to the environment of listed toxic chemicals and chemical categories. Because these manufacturers must know the toxic chemical composition of the products they use to be able to calculate releases accurately, EPA requires some suppliers of mixtures or trade name products containing one or more of the listed section 313 toxic chemicals to notify their customers. The pamphlet explains which suppliers must notify their customers, who must be notified, what form the notice must take, and when it must be sent.
Purpose The mangroves of New Caledonia, in the south Pacific, act as a buffer between a lagoon of more than 20,000?km2 and the island, which is characterized by ultramafic rocks and lateritic soils that are exploited for their richness in heavy metals. We will provide a better understanding of the redox conditions, and of heavy metal distributions in mangroves receiving shrimp farm effluents. Materials and methods Samples were collected from four areas defined in terms of vegetation composition: a salt flat, an Avicennia marina forest, in which effluents are released; a Rhizophora stylosa forest, and a dead Rhizophora forest. They were collected during times of maximum effluent release. Some measurements on pore water were also done during a period without effluent. Cores (70?cm deep) were...
Abstract Entrapping inclusion complexes in liposomes has been proposed to increase the entrapment efficiency (EE) and stability of liposomes compared with conventional liposomes. In the present study, a stable honokiol-in-hydroxypropyl--cyclodextrin-in-liposome (honokiol-in-HP--CD-in-liposome) was developed as honokiol delivery system by a novel method. The final molar ratio of honokiol/HP--CD/lipid was selected as 1:2:2. The mean particle size was 123.5 nm, the zeta potential was -25.6 mV, and the EE was 91.09 2.76%. The release profile in vitro demonstrated that honokiol is released from honokiol-in-HP--CD-in-liposome with a sustained and slow speed. Crystallographic study indicated that honokiol was first bound within HP--CD and then the inclusion complex was encapsulated within liposom...
The present study was carried out to exploit the feasibility of using polymeric nanosponges as an alternative carrier for targeting econazole nitrate (EN) to the skin through topical hydrogel formulation. Nanosponges prepared by emulsion solvent diffusion method were evaluated for various physicochemical parameters and in vitro drug release. The nanosponges of EN were discrete free flowing nanosized particles with perforated orange peel like morphology as visualized by SEM. The nanosponge formulated using PVA:EC (3:2) displayed highest in vitro release after 12 ?h in phosphate buffer (pH 6.8) that fitted matrix model. Selected nanosponge was formulated as Carbopol 934 NF hydrogel using varying concentrations of permeation enhancers propylene glycol and N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone. The EN nanosp...
This paper investigates the phase change behavior of 65 mol% capric acid and 35 mol% lauric acid, calcium chloride hexahydrate, n-octadecane, n-hexadecane, and n-eicosane inside spherical enclosures to identify a suitable heat storage material. Analytical models are developed for solidification and melting of sphere with conduction, natural convection, and heat generation. Both the models are validated with previous experimental studies. Good agreement was found between the analytical predictions and experimental study and the deviations were lesser than 20%. Heat flux release at the wall, cumulative energy release to the external fluid, are revealed for the best PCM. The influence of the size of encapsulation, initial temperature of the PCM, the external fluid temperature on solidified and molten mass fraction, and the total phase change time are also investigated. (author)
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)
The characteristic rich shifting of the maximum adiabatic flame temperature from the stoichiometric value for mixtures of hydrocarbon and air is demonstrated to be caused by product dissociation and hence reduced amount of heat release. Since the extent of dissociation is greater on the lean side as a result of the stoichiometry of dissociated products, the peaking occurs on the rich side. The specific heat per unit mass of the mixture is shown to increase monotonically with increasing fuel concentration, and as such tends to shift the peak toward the lean side. It is further shown that this is the cause for the lean shifting of the adiabatic flame temperature of oxidizer-enriched mixtures of N{sub m}H{sub n} and F{sub 2} and of NH{sub 3} and O{sub 2}, with various amounts of inert dilution, even though their maximum heat release still peaks on the rich side. (author)
Since it was introduced in the early 1940's, mutation breeding has been tested on many crops as modern plant breeding. Until now, more than seven hundred varieties have been developed by means of induced mutation, and many of them officially released and approved for registration. Hundreds of papers report the results of mutation breeding, and the characteristics of induced mutation in different kinds of crops were discussed for review purposes (Blixt and Gottschalk 1975, Gottschalk and Wolff 1983). Considering the results already obtained, it can be concluded that the kinds of induced mutation and their utilization vary from crop to crop. This paper summarizes and discusses the mutation characteristics and kinds on the induced mutants of leguminous plants that have been released.
Leaf litterfall, litter decomposition and nutrient return through litterfall of three dominant species, i.e. Quercus serrata, Schima wallichi and Lithocarpus dealbata were studied in different months throughout the year to assess the input and release of nutrient in the forest soil of a sub-tropical mixed oak forest of Manipur, northeastern India. Oaks in northeastern region of India are economically important species for the production of Tasar silk. The monthly litterfall ranged from 25.6 g?m?2 (July) to 198.0 g?m?2 (February) and annual litterfall was 1093.8g?m?2 in the forest site. At initial month (on November 3), the concentrations of N and C were the highest in L. dealbata, followed by Q. serrata and lowest in S. wallichi, whereas lignin and cellulose concentrations at initial month...
The herbicide atrazine is a known immunotoxicant and an inhibitor of human natural killer (NK) cell lytic function. The precise changes in NK cell lytic function following atrazine exposure have not been fully elucidated. The current study identifies the point at which atrazine exerts its affect on the stepwise process of human NK cell-mediated lyses of the K562 target cell line. Using intracellular staining of human peripheral blood lymphocytes, it was determined that a 24-h in vitro exposure to atrazine did not decrease the level of NK cell lytic proteins granzyme A, granzyme B or perforin. Thus, it was hypothesized that atrazine exposure was inhibiting the ability of the NK cells to bind to the target cell and subsequently inhibit the release of lytic protein from the NK cell. To test t...
The possibility of employing a number of adsorbents (polyphenylquinoxaline, Tenax GC, Carbopak C, graphitized thermal carbon black, silica gels modified with pyrocarbon or hexamethyldisilazane) for the trapping of organic traces from air has been investigated. Adsorption capacities of these adsorbents with respect to a number of volatiles released from certain plastics used as building material (polyvinylchloride, Relin, Acronal, etc.) have been measured. A number of the volatiles were identified by gas chromatography - mass-spectrometry after trapping on the adsorbents investigated. Chromatographic separation after trapping on the adsorbents was carried out on wall-coated open-tubular capillary columns as well as in capillary columns packed with graphitized thermal carbon black.
Summary Metabotropic GABAB receptors play a fundamental role in modulating the excitability of neurons and circuits throughout the brain. These receptors influence synaptic transmission by inhibiting presynaptic release or activating postsynaptic potassium channels. However, their ability to directly influence different types of postsynaptic glutamate receptors remains unresolved. Here we examine GABAB receptor modulation in layer 2/3 pyramidal neurons from the mouse prefrontal cortex. We use two-photon laser-scanning microscopy to study synaptic modulation at individual dendritic spines. Using two-photon optical quantal analysis, we first demonstrate robust presynaptic modulation of multivesicular release at single synapses. Using two-photon glutamate uncaging, we then reveal that GABAB r...
In this paper compression and power stroke cycles for a 4 stroke cycle spark ignition engine modified by extending the connecting rod to simulate purely sinusoidal piston motion are analyzed over a range of operating speeds and are compared with those of a similar conventional engine. Heat release rate is estimated for both engines using a simple Wiebe function with the functional parameters found via a simplex curve fitting method is used in conjunction with experimental pressure curves. It is shown that the functional parameters which represent the combustion and duration of fuel burn are slightly larger over the range of operation in the sinusoidal engine while the shape factor remains largely the same.
The nuclear complex in Tarapur, Maharashtra is a multi facility nuclear site comprising of power reactors and research facilities. Each facility has independent liquid effluent discharge line to Arabian Sea. Experimental studies were conducted to evaluate dilution factors in the aquatic environment using liquid effluent releases as tracer from one of the facilities. 3H and 137Cs radioisotopes present in the routine releases were used as simulated tracer nuclides. The dilution factors(D.F) observed for tritium were in the range of 20-20000 in a distance range of 10 m to 1500 m respectively and for 137Cs the D.F. were in the range of 50 to 900 over a distance range of 10-200 m. The paper describes the analytical methodology and sampling scenarios and the results of dilution factors obtained for Tarapur aquatic environment. (author)
The primary objective of this study was to evaluate the potential environmental effects (both adverse and beneficials) of aquifer thermal energy storage (ATES) technology pertaining to microbial communities indigenous to subsurface environments (i.e., aquifers) and the propagation, movement, and potential release of pathogenic microorganisms (specifically, Legionella) within ATES systems. Seasonal storage of thermal energy in aquifers shows great promise to reduce peak demand; reduce electric utility load problems; contribute to establishing favorable economics for district heating and cooling systems; and reduce pollution from extraction, refining, and combustion of fossil fuels. However, concerns that the widespread implementation of this technology may have adverse effects on biological systems indigeneous to aquifers, as well as help to propagate and release pathogenic organisms that enter thee environments need to be resolved. 101 refs., 2 ...
During the recrystallization by solid-phase-epitaxial (SPE) growth of supersaturated silicon alloys, a high concentration of interstitials is trapped. These are released by subsequent heating causing a transient (greatly enhanced) diffusion of the substitutional dopant by an interstitialcy mechanism. The enhancement may be as much as five orders of magnitude over tracer values, and shows an activation energy of only 1.8 +- 0.2 eV. Following the transient, the interstitials condense into loops, allowing an independent estimate to be made of their concentration. From these observations, we propose that during ion implantation, a fraction of the implanted dopants can acquire their natural valency, and retain it as the crystallization interface passes. For group V dopants this creates the trapped interstitials, giving transient enhanced diffusion when they are released by subsequent annealing.
During the recrystallization by solid-phase-expitaxial (SPE) growth of supersaturated silicon alloys, a high concentration of interstitials is trapped. These are released by subsequent heating causing a transient (greatly enhanced) diffusion of the substitutional dopant by an interstitialcy mechanism. The enhancement may be as much as five orders of magnitude over tracer values, and shows an activation energy of only 1.8 +/- 0.2 eV. Following the transient, the interstitials condense into loops, allowing an independent estimate to be made of their concentration. From these observations, it is proposed that during ion implantation, a fraction of the implanted dopants can acquire their natural valency, and retain it as the crystallization interface passes. For group V dopants this creates the trapped interstitials, giving transient enhanced diffusion when they are released by subsequent annealing. 12 references, 6 figures.
Rapid administration of stable iodine is essential for the saturation and subsequent protection of the thyroid gland against the potential harm caused by radioiodines. This paper proposes the Dutch risk analysis that uses an atmospheric dispersion model to calculate the size of the zones around nuclear power plants where radiological thyroid doses for children might be sufficiently high to warrant iodine administration. Dose calculations for possible releases from the nuclear power plants of Borssele (The Netherlands), Doel (Belgium) and Emsland (Germany) are based on two scenarios in combination with a 1-y set of authentic, high-resolution meteorological data. The dimensions of the circular zones were defined for each nuclear power plant. In these zones, with a radius up to 50 km, distribution of stable iodine tablets is advised. PMID:20332130
Rapid administration of stable iodine is essential for the saturation and subsequent protection of the thyroid gland against the potential harm caused by radioiodines. This paper proposes the Dutch risk analysis that uses an atmospheric dispersion model to calculate the size of the zones around nuclear power plants where radiological thyroid doses for children might be sufficiently high to warrant iodine administration. Dose calculations for possible releases from the nuclear power plants of Borssele (The Netherlands), Doel (Belgium) and Emsland (Germany) are based on two scenarios in combination with a 1-y set of authentic, high-resolution meteorological data. The dimensions of the circular zones were defined for each nuclear power plant. In these zones, with a radius up to 50 km, distrib...
The present paper describes the development of a radon standard source for use in establishing the traceability of radon concentration measurements in air. Previously, radon generated by bubbling air through a radium salt solution was widely used for calibration of radon measurement equipment; however, the handling of a solid-phase radon source is easier. In the present study, the radioactivity of radon released in a vapor phase was determined from the difference between the radioactivity of the radium and the residual radon progenies in the source. A germanium detector, calibrated using gamma reference sources, was used for these radioactivity measurements. Under equilibrium conditions the radioactivity of the radon released from the radium source was found to be 988 Bq. The source was sealed in a stainless-steel container having a nominal capacity of 6 l to produce a radon standard source of density of 167.5 [Bq/l].
Two lines of mouse tumor cells were shown to be capable of aggregating mouse and rabbit platelets in vitro. This process required higher Mg/sup 2 +/ concentrations than were needed by other commonly used platelet-aggregating agents. Platelet-aggregating activity was also found in tumor cell membrane fragments. This membrane-bound platelet-aggregating material contained protein, lipid, and carbohydrate moieties. The presence of all three appeared to be essential for stimulating platelet aggregation. Destruction of any component abolished its activity. Platelet aggregation induced by tumor cell membrane fragments was associated with a secretory release reaction. In this process, growth-promoting activity for tumor cells was also released from platelets. These results underline the importance of platelets in establishing tumor metastases.
Several proposals have been made on the method of calculating generation of formaldehyde released from plywood. In calculating generation per hour of a volatile organic compound of adhesives or coatings using a chamber method, such models are frequently used that the generation is largest when the specimen is exposed in the chamber and that the generation attenuates with lapse of time. In the meantime, a number of studies for calculating formaldehyde generation from construction materials are often those determining a specific quantity of generation in a stationary state, while few studies are the observation of time series variation from immediately after the exposure into the chamber. Accordingly, the subject studies used lauan plywood as the samples and examined the method of calculating the change with lapse of time of the formaldehyde generation. (translated by NEDO)
In case of a severe nuclear accident at a PWR plant, countermeasures will be initiated in the short term by authorities to reduce the consequences of the atmospheric radioactive releases on the neighbouring population. Various factors influence the level of protection afforded by countermeasures. For instance, a too late intervention would lead to a Jack of efficiency in terms of dose reduction if the actual evolution of the accident is not considered. Thus, implementation of countermeasures should be optimized. In general, the projected doses (those without countermeasure) are compared with those expected when a particular countermeasure or strategy is implemented. In this paper, an in-depth analysis associates the kinetics of the release with the corresponding evolution of the dosimetric efficiency of countermeasures. This is done at different times in the short term of the accident and for various distances from the plant. Results are ...
In 2001, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA/NSO) remediated six areas associated with Amchitka mud pit release sites located on Amchitka Island, Alaska. This included the construction of seven closure caps. To ensure the integrity and effectiveness of remedial action, the mud pit sites are to be inspected every five years as part of DOE's long-term monitoring and surveillance program. In August of 2006, the closure caps were inspected in accordance with the ''Post-Closure Monitoring and Inspection Plan for Amchitka Island Mud Pit Release Sites'' (Rev. 0, November 2005). This post-closure monitoring report provides the 2006 cap inspection results.
A three dimensional sea-land breeze model and lagrangian particle dispersion model have been employed for the study on the mesoscale atmospheric dispersion of radioactive materials released from Wolsung NPPs. In this study, atmospheric dispersion simulations are carried out under two synoptic weather conditions: the geostrophic flow is a weak northerly wind (CASE 1) and a strong northerly wind (CASE 2) on a clear day in spring. The results show that atmospheric dispersion is affected by sea-land breeze and the recirculation of particles by the change of wind direction between sea breeze and land breeze plays an important role in atmospheric concentration distribution of radioactive materials.
Use of an adaptive optimal control algorithm for two realtime control applications, optimal excitation control of a synchronous generator (OEC) and power system stabilizer (PSS) is described in this paper. Experimental studies on a physical model of a power system show that the proposed OEC and PSS can track the controlled system by parameter identification at different operating conditions. The proposed control algorithm is based on the linear optimal control theory and a special 5th order discrete Riccati equation is solved in each sampling period. The proposed OEC and PSS can always guarantee that in closed loop the controlled system is stable based on the identified parameters. As the actual output of the controlled system and control are directly used in the controller, no ...
How sensory organization for postural control matures in children is not clear at this time. The present study examined, in children aged 7 to 11 and in adults, the postural control modifications in...Full Text Available
This article reviews briefly a range of the latest monitoring and controlling equipment for use in coal mines. This includes pressure transmitters, shale/coal discriminator, nucleonic bunker level indicator, automatic steering and monitoring system, oscilloscope/multimeter, and microprocessor based digital display controllers. 1 fig.
The article describes control and monitoring concepts in which the delegation of responsibility is becoming more decisive than ever (automation hierarchy), and which are capable of optimized, automatic control of process events in pumped storage plants. 8 refs.
The highly variable and intermittent pollutant concentrations and flowrates associated with wet-weather events in combined sewersheds necessitates the use of storage-treatment systems to control pollution.An optimized combined-sewer-overflow (CSO) control system requires a manage...
Studies have shown that the nervous system may adopt a control scheme in which synergistic muscle groups are controlled by common excitation patters, or modules, to simplify the coordination...Full Text Available
This work considers the problem of controlling multiple nonholonomic vehicles so that they converge to a scent source without colliding with each other. Since the control is to be implemented on simple 8-bit microcontrollers, fuzzy control rules are used to simplify a linear quadratic regulator control design. The inputs to the fuzzy controllers for each vehicle are the (noisy) direction to the source, the distance to the closest neighbor vehicle, and the direction to the closest vehicle. These directions are discretized into four values: Forward, Behind, Left, and Right, and the distance into three values: Near, Far, Gone. The values of the control at these discrete values are obtained based on the collision-avoidance repulsive forces and the change of variables that reduces the motion control problem of each nonholonomic vehicle to a ...
A controlled bidirectional quantum secret direct communication scheme is proposed by using a Greenberger-Horne-Zeilinger (GHZ) state. In the scheme, two users can exchange their secret messages simultaneously with a set of devices under the control of a third party. The security of the scheme is analysed and confirmed.
The objective of this project is to reduce energy consumption in 203 buildings by providing a new EMCS (Energy Monitoring Control System) to control and monitor systems.
A closed loop control process assures that a system performs within control limits. In closed loop control, the system's output feeds back directly to change the system's inputs. We describe an approach...Full Text Available
A retrospective case-control study tested the hypothesis that exposure to hydrocarbon combustion products is associated with the development of renal cell carcinoma. One control per case, matched for...Full Text Available
...Department of Environmental Control to ASARCO Incorporated. (B) Amended Administrative...Department of Environmental Control to ASARCO Incorporated. (C) Second Amended...Department of Environmental Control to ASARCO Incorporated. (ii) Additional...
Purpose/Objective: The role of programmed cell death (apoptosis) as a cellular response to cancer therapy such as radiation or chemotherapy is the subject of much study, and manipulation of the apoptotic response in tumor cells may be valuable in the treatment of a variety of cancers. Both p53 dependent and independent apoptotic pathways have been identified; p53 is mutated in at least 50 % of human cancers and a majority of radiation resistant tumors contain p53 mutations. This study is designed to examine the induction of programmed cell death in a human colon carcinoma cell line that possesses two mutated p53 alleles. Ionizing radiation alone, or in combination with the chemotherapeutic drug 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), were used to elicit the apoptotic response. This study will focus on whether these treatments can induce a significant apoptotic response in cells that have mutated p53 alleles. Materials and Methods: HT-29 cells were assessed for clonogenic survival after being plated at ...
This paper has the objective of presenting the philosophy of Static Var Compensator (SVC) Control as well the necessary adjustments in the project of control system to guarantee suitable performance under different operating conditions. The verification on the performance of the SVC control has been done by Transient Network Analyzer (TNA/CEPEL) studies, commissioning tests and a factory tests. The SVC is the type of Thyristor Controlled Reactor (TCR) and Thyristor Switched Capacitor (TSC). (author) 3 refs., 12 figs.
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.
A dual fuel engine control system for controlling the power output of a dual fuel compression ignition engine. The engine includes mixing means for combining an oxidizer and a primary fuel at a substantially constant ratio of oxidizer to primary fuel. The power output of the engine is controlled through the use of a throttle valve controlling the quantity of combustible mixture delivered to the combustion chamber. The fuel control system minimizes the quantity of ignition fuel required by controlling the quantity of combustible mixture rather than the fuel of air ratio. (author) figs.
The control valve for a large steam turbine must be operated linearly to be run by an automatic control system in a power plant. It is, however, found that the flow increase is much greater for a given valve position change near the closed end of travel than it is near the open end. Accordingly, the desired linearization will be achieved if the valve is opened less near the closed end of travel and greater near the open end. The previous way for linearization was to utilize the cams, which is called the mechanical hydraulic control (MHC). The MHC was afterward improved by producing the nonlinear electric compensation to the nonlinear system of control valves, viz. the electro hydraulic control (EHC)
The control valve for a large steam turbine must be operated linearly to be run by an automatic control system in a power plant. It is, however, found that the flow increase is much greater for a given valve position change near the closed end of travel than it is near the open end. Accordingly, the desired linearization will be achieved if the valve is opened less near the closed end of travel and greater near the open end. The previous way for linearization was to utilize the cams, which is called the mechanical hydraulic control (MHC). The MHC was afterward improved by producing the nonlinear electric compensation to the nonlinear system of control valves, viz. the electro hydraulic control (EHC)
There is an urgent need in aquaculture to develop microbial control strategies, since disease outbreaks are recognized as important constraints to aquaculture production and trade and since the development...Full Text Available
A stable power system stabilizer (PSS) based on the inverse dynamics of the controlled system using an artificial neural network (ANN) is suggested to enhance the dynamic performances of a power system. First, an output feedback control law is driven with some conditions satisfied, which guarantees the internal stability and robustness against the asymptotically stable external disturbances. Then the control law is implemented using the inverse dynamics of the controlled plant. The inverse dynamics of the controlled plant is identified by an ANN, inverse dynamics neural network (IDNN), off-line. The pole-shifting technique and a scaling factor are introduced for the control system to meet the conditions for internal stability and robustness. The proposed controller is applied to a typical single-machine infinite-bus power system. Simulation ...
While substantial research has examined the control of information systems (IS) projects, most studies in this area have only examined how one controller manages a single group of controllees. However, many IS projects, especially enterprise systems projects (often initiated by an organization's corporate headquarters, and involving business unit users and consultants), have multiple stakeholders. The corporate headquarters (the project's principal controller) must simultaneously ensure that the various stakeholders are aligned with the project's goals despite their diverse motivations, and that the stakeholders collaborate with each other to achieve project success. Behavior control theory argues that the controller enacts a control portfolio of formal and informal controls. However, the ...
Despite the existence of effective analgesic drugs, many cancer patients live and die with ineffective pain control. The control of cancer pain is largely achievable with the appropriate use of available...Full Text Available
Models can be useful at many different levels when considering complex issues such as biological control of mosquitoes. At an early stage, exploratory models are valuable in exploring the characteristics...Full Text Available
[9] Rysdyk, R. T., and Calise, A. J., Fault Tolerant Flight control via Adaptive Neural Augmentation, AIAA. Guidance, Navigation, and Control Conference, Aug. ...
Several studies of facilitated communication have demonstrated that the facilitators were controlling and directing the typing, although they appeared to be unaware of doing so. Such results shift...Full Text Available
The management of risks of explosives are described. Administrative and procedural controls are considered. The safety management plan involves hazard identification, risk analysis, assessment and control. The current position of explosives safety is considered. 4 tabs.
In this study, usage of a variable speed refrigeration system in latent heat thermal energy storage (LHTES) system is investigated to increase energy storage efficiency. Four different compressor speed control cases are compared to obtain a constant heat transfer fluid (HTF) temperature at the inlet of the energy storage tank. These control cases are (i) control with evaporation temperature, (ii) control with ethylene glycol temperature at the outlet section of evaporator, (iii) control with suction pressure of the compressor and (iv) on/off control. By means of the experimental analysis the best control strategy is obtained as control with Case (ii), in terms of stability of inlet temperature of heat transfer fluid, variations of energy efficiency of LHTES and coefficient of performance (...
AbstractThe efficacy of tilmicosin administered in the feed to control Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae infections in pigs was evaluated through a multisite, multitrial...Full Text Available
In order to suppress resonance vibrations of a rotor-shaft of rotating machinery, a rotor-shaft system elastically supported by ball bearings which are installed in electromagnetic actuators are proposed and the design method of some compensatory circuits in the controller to control the electromagnetic actuators in the system are explained. These actuators are controlled by the analog PID (proportional, integral, and derivative) controller. The compensation for nonlinearity of electromagnetic force, the negative stiffness of electromagnet, and the time lag of the coil current are discussed and the effective control circuits are proposed. The rotor-shaft system is replaced by the equivalent two-degree-of-freedom system and both impulse and frequency responses are numerically simulated for several parameters of PD-controller gain. By applying the principle of ...
Intelligent and decision aiding systems as support to operators are becoming increasingly a necessity in nuclear installations and in nuclear reactors in particular, specially after the Tree Mile Island. Development of new technologies based on linguistic approaches such as fuzzy logic has given rise to much interest during the last years. Fuzzy logic controller (FLC) has many advantage compared to conventional controllers using classical techniques. The aim of the present work is to use a fuzzy logic controller in parallel to actual semi-automatic controller in order to supervise in real time the operation of the research nuclear reactor. The principal of this controller is based on rules which are established previous from experiment using the semi-automatic controller and from the knowledge of the operators. (authors)
Purpose: To remove excessive driving pressure applied to an unisolated control rod drive by returning excessive coolant to a condensed water storage tank or to the inlet side of a drive water pump using a coolant flow rate control pipe of a control rod driving hydraulic system. Constitution: Excessive water is returned to a condensed water tank while controlling the excessive coolant by a flow control valve in response to variations in the pressure difference between the reactor pressure and the driving water line when the control rods are isolated using a pipe from the outlet side of the drive water pump to the condensed water storage tank. Thus, the control rod to be isolated is prevented form being dropped. (Sekiya, K.).
Phosphorylation is one of the most frequent modifications in intracellular signaling and is implicated in many processes ranging from transcriptional control to signal transduction in innate immunity....Full Text Available
Disclosed in this proposal are plans to construct a patent pending wrist module with computer control, configurable to form high-dexerity telerobotic arms ...
The biosynthesis of insect juvenile hormone (JH) and its neuroendocrine control are attractive targets for chemical control of insect pests and vectors of disease. To facilitate the molecular...Full Text Available
Externally powered prostheses have been studied for many years, to provide more effective rehabilitation of amputees. To take advantage of the benefits offered by external power in prostheses, however, the mode of control of the prosthesis by the amputee ...
Sep 1, 2011 ... Title: Application of chloropicrin to Douglas-fir stumps to control laminated root rot does not affect infection or growth of regeneration 16 growing ...
Hypertension affects most hemodialysis patients and is often poorly controlled. Adequate control of blood pressure is difficult with conventional hemodialysis alone but is important to improve...Full Text Available
Abstract A control framework was developed for real time implementation of optimal control of emulsion polymerization with multiple monomers by integrating model based algorithms with software engines. The developed system was applied for controlling conversion, particle size, molar mass, and polymer composition using model predictive control (MPC) based on mechanistic models for emulsion polymerization. The control formulation was extended to account for existing process constraints on the input, input moves, and solids content. On experimental testing, the developed control scheme was found to achieve the desired objectives without violating the process constraints and showed good robustness in rejecting disturbances. Improvements in the process operation and polymer property control wer...
A power system stabilizer based on GMV (Generalized Minimum Variance), one of the adaptive control techniques, is developed to enhance the dynamic performances of a power system using an Artificial Neural Network (ANN). The stabilizer consists of two parts. One part is Inverse Dynamics Neural Networks (IDNN), which is trained to identify the inverse dynamics of controlled plant and used as a one-step ahead controller, or inverse controller. The other part is Adaptive Reference Model (ARM), which prevents excessive controller output. The ARM produces the modified reference value by minimizing a cost function recursively on the assumption that the IDNN perfectly identifies the controlled plant. The IDNN is used in the minimization procedure to calculate the sensitivities. The proposed controller is simulated in a typical ...
The control of gas activity and process technology has developed tremendously over the past two decades. While once considered to be primitive control systems using simple PID loops with thermocouples that were suspect and unable to perform repeatedly and consistently during the arduous process of plasma nitriding and processing, developments in recent years have elevated the control of the process into what might be considered one of the most controllable processes of the latter part of this century. The advent of plasma processing technology has improved control methods by observing and harnessing each of the various process parameters into many different combinations of control systems. Some of these control systems can control the complete function of the process, thus freeing the operator entirely for other duties, ...
We used fast absorbance spectroscopy to investigate in vivo binding dynamics and electron transfer between plastocyanin (pc) and photosystem I (PSI), and cytochrome (cyt) f...Full Text Available
The fission gas xenon bonded in bubbles, in pore, and in the lattice of mixed carbide fuels is measured by electron-probe microanalysis. Radial xenon distribution and release curves are determined and are calibrated by gas chromatography of the bonded fission gas and by burnup analysis in the respective pin sections of the irradiation experiments FR2 6A and 6C, Mol 11/K 2, and DFR 330/1. The results are correlated to the microstructure of the fuel, bonding medium, temperature, and burnup. (Auth.).
Any transport of nuclear material is associated with the risk of contamination after release into working areas or environment. stationary installed safe geometry vessels with pneumatic transfer between them offer unique safety features and reduce operating costs. The article describes the case of HTR fuel spheres, where a specially designed conveying system has been developed and the prototype conveyor has been tested.
Phthalate esters (PE's) are plasticizers used to soften PVC-based medical devices. PE's are the most abundant man-made pollutants and increase the risk of developing an allergic respiratory disease...Full Text Available
We reported a relevant activity of the combination between sorafenib and octreotide long-acting release (LAR) in advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients. In this work, we have studied if oxidative...Full Text Available
The Phase I feasibility study has focused on determining the availability of information for estimating exposures of the public to chemicals and radionuclides released as a result of historical operation of the facilities at the Oak Ridge Reservation (ORR). The estimation of such past exposures is frequently called dose reconstruction. The initial project tasks, Tasks 1 and 2 were designed to identify and collect information that documents the history of activities at the ORR that resulted in the release of contamination and to characterize the availability of data that could be used to estimate the magnitude of the contaminant releases or public exposures. A history of operations that are likely to have generated off-site releases has been documented as a result of Task 1 activities. The activities required to perform this task involved the extensive review of historical operation records and ...
Possible causes of forest damage are discussed. Mapping of affected areas by various workers resulted in dissimilar pictures. Release of radioactive rare gases, aerosols, tritium and carbon-14 seems unlikely to have a significant influence on forest damage. Influence of radioactive fallout, ozone formation by high-voltage transmission lines and synergistic effects is also found to be negligible.
During protein synthesis, aminoacyl-tRNA (aa-tRNA) and release factors 1 and 2 (RF1 and RF2) have to bind at the catalytic center of the ribosome on the 50S subunit where they take part in peptide bond...Full Text Available
Proper estimation of shipping emissions is essential for an impact assessment of shipping on air quality and health in port cities and coastal regions. In the Netherlands shipping is an important source of particulate matter. This report provides an internationally accessible and transparent summary and description of the methodologies used in the Netherlands Pollutant Release and Transfer Register (PRTR) to estimate PM emissions from shipping, including recently implemented updates.
Epididymal adipocytes, isolated from rats pretreated with (/sup 14/C)-2,4,5,2',4',5'-hexachlorobiphenyl (6-CB), were utilized to examine the relationship between the mobilization of lipid and 6-CB and to determine whether 6-CB was differentially associated with subcellular organelles over time as has been demonstrated for newly synthesized lipid. Lipolysis, depleted approximately 1% of total cellular triacylglycerols (TG) regardless of time from treatment with 6-CB. The percentage of cellular 6-CB released from adipocytes to incubation buffer infranatants was not correlated with the magnitude of lipolysis produced over the 50-min incubation period; nor was the percentage of 6-CB released to the buffers correlated with the length of the incubation period, regardless of the presence of ISO. Although adipocytes responded similarly to lipolytic stimuli independent of time (days) since 6-CB treatment, significant decreases ...
This product provides detailed data and graphics on airborne and liquid effluent releases, fuel oil consumption, and water usage for the calendar year 1990. It summarizes industrial waste data records compiled since 1971 for the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory (INEL). The data presented are from the INEL Industrial Waste Management Information System (IWMIS).
This document provides detailed data and graphics on airborne and liquid effluent releases, fuel oil and coal consumption, water usage, and hazardous and mixed waste generated for calendar year 1992. This report summarizes industrial waste data records compiled since 1971 for the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory (INEL). The data presented are from the INEL Nonradiological Waste Management Information System.
Space HVAC systems are to provide hygienical room air. Air change is necessary because of pollutants released from materials or production processes but also because of the presence of humans or animals who consume oxygen. Poor room climate and/or poor air hygiene do not only reduce the felt comfort but may also result in a loss or profitability and higher sickness rates. (orig.)
Mutation breeding in one of the cultigens TMV-5 in Sesamum is undertaken with 5 kr, 10 kr, 15 kr, 20 kr, 60 kr and 80 kr, dosages of gamma-rays. 60 kr and 80 kr dosages were found to be lethal from the complete failure of seed germination. The mutagen had a heterotic effect on the different characters and the promising variants obtained in this programme are proposed to be maintained by pureline breeding for their possible release as new varieties. (author).
General corrosion behavior of ALLOY 800 in high temperature water was studied in relation to its surface film structure. The surface film formed in water was found to decrease the corrosion rate of ALLOY 800. This film is composed of Ni ferrite, and can be obtained by oxidation in air or steam. Based on these results, air or steam oxidation treatment to inhibit Ni and Co release of ALLOY 800 into high temperature water is proposed. (author).
General corrosion behavior of ALLOY 800 in high temperature water was studied in relation to its surface film structure. The surface film formed in water was found to decrease the corrosion rate of ALLOY 800. This film is composed of Ni ferrite, and can be obtained by oxidation in air or steam. Based on these results, air or steam oxidation treatment to inhibit Ni and Co release of ALLOY 800 into high temperature water is proposed. (author).
In the case of a release of residual power and fragmenting following a hypothetical accident the applied powers are small. The boiling in the fluid in the bed promotes leveling and the angles of repose obtained are very small. For a specific power in water of 3.1 W/cm_3 a limiting angle of repose of less than 2 degrees is obtained after a time interval of between 1 and 3 hours. EDULCOREE-and ETABUL-research programs are carried out. (DG).
The explosive known under the name Saletrol (mixture of ammonium nitrate and hydrocarbon fuel or a mixture of ammonium nitrate, hydrocarbon fuel and aluminum powder) is characterized by the absence of physical stability during storage (the oily fluid flows from the upper layers of the explosive downward) and as a consequence of this, decrease in the required effectiveness of blasting and increased release of toxic gaseous blasting products. In order to eliminate this shortcoming, lightening clay is added to Saletrol in a quantity of 3-12% by weight of the total explosive mass.
The technical rule intends to maintain the function of the safety facilities in case of explosion hazards resulting from materials capable of generating explosive atmospheres or forming explosive mixtures if such materials are brought or released into the nuclear facility or are generated on site. (orig.).
The technical rule intends to maintain the function of the safety facilities in case of explosion hazards resulting from materials capable of generating explosive atmospheres or forming explosive mixtures if such materials are brought or released into the nuclear facility or are generated on site. (orig.).
This report fulfills the annual environmental release reporting requirements of US Department of Energy (DOE) Order 5400.1. This report provides supplemental information to the Hanford Site Environmental Report (PNNL-11795). The Hanford Site Environmental Report provides an update on the environmental status of the Hanford Site. The sitewide annual report summarizes the degree of compliance with applicable environmental regulations and informs the public concerning the impact of Hanford Site operations on the surrounding environment. Like the Hanford Site Environmental Report, this annual report presents a summary of the environmental releases from facilities and activities managed by the Fluor Daniel Hanford, Incorporated (FDH), and Bechtel Hanford, Incorporated (BHI). In addition to the summary data, this report also includes detailed data on air emissions, liquid effluents, and hazardous substances released to the ...
The presynaptic Ca2+ signal, which triggers vesicle release, disperses to a broadly distributed residual [Ca2+] ([Ca2+]res) that plays an important...Full Text Available
The metabolism of organic matter in the coastal regions of the ocean may significantly affect the oceanic carbon budget. This paper describes the high percentage (30%) of oceanic oxidation that occurs in coastal areas and the impact of this metabolism on the carbon cycle and climate of earth. Organic metabolism in the ocean appears to be a source of carbon dioxide release into the atmosphere. Oxidation in the coastal zone is of special interest, as it is likely influenced by anthropogenic activity. Recommendations for future research on this topic are proposed. 129 refs., 2 figs., 6 tabs.
The catecholamine release-inhibitory catestatin [Cts; human chromogranin (Cg) A352-372, bovine CgA344-364] is a vasoreactive and anti-hypertensive peptide derived...Full Text Available
Bcl-2 homologues (such as Bcl-xL) promote survival in part through sequestration of “activator” BH3-only proteins (such as Puma), preventing them from directly activating...Full Text Available
T-cell activation requires the influx of extracellular calcium, although mechanistic details regarding such activation are not fully defined. Here, we show that P2X7 receptors play a key...Full Text Available
Positioning of release factor eRF1 toward adenines and the ribose-phosphate backbone of the UAAA stop signal in the ribosomal decoding site was studied using messenger RNA (mRNA) analogs containing...Full Text Available
A model has been developed to predict the chemical composition of lakes that form in pyrite-bearing open-pit mines. Pyrite oxidation in wall rock releases sulfuric acid and metals, which mix with ground waters in the lake. Aqueous metal concentrations are calculated using MINTEQA2.