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Sample records for ec environment programme

  1. The EC-ASEAN COGEN programme

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Pennington, M.; Lacrosse, L. [Asian Institute of Technology (Thailand); Schenkel, Y. [Centre de Recherches Agronomiques (Belgium)

    1996-12-31

    The EC-ASEAN COGEN Programme is a co-operation programme between the European Commission (EC) and the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) co-ordinated by the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT), Bangkok, Thailand. Its aim is to accelerate the implementation of proven technologies generating heat and/or power from wood and agroindustrial residues through partnerships between European and ASEAN companies. (orig.)

  2. The EC-ASEAN COGEN programme

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Pennington, M; Lacrosse, L [Asian Institute of Technology (Thailand); Schenkel, Y [Centre de Recherches Agronomiques (Belgium)

    1997-12-31

    The EC-ASEAN COGEN Programme is a co-operation programme between the European Commission (EC) and the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) co-ordinated by the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT), Bangkok, Thailand. Its aim is to accelerate the implementation of proven technologies generating heat and/or power from wood and agroindustrial residues through partnerships between European and ASEAN companies. (orig.)

  3. Research and development programme of the EC in the field of raw materials 1982 to 1985

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Anon.

    1982-01-01

    Brussels: The EC Cabinet Council was presented a research and development programme in the field of raw materials for the years 1982 to 1985 which covers programmes already running and new actions as an overlapping raw material research programme of the EC. The new programme is divided up into 7 subprogrammes: I) metals and minerals (formerly: primary raw materials, II) uranium, III) ceramics, IV) wood as a renewable raw material, V) recycling of wastes (house and industry, VI) regaining of non-iron metals, VII) substitution. For the continuing of running actions and for beginning new projects in the 4 years plan, a total of 17 million ECU are to be allocated in the budget of the EC which will be used in cost sharing contracts or for coordinative projects. (orig./UA) [de

  4. Activities of the Sofia EC Energy Center in the framework of the THERMIE programme

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Latinski, K.

    1993-01-01

    The European Community Energy Center in Sofia is responsible for the EC implementation of the THERMIE programme. The programme's activities are promotion and dissemination of existing European technologies leading to better energy management and covering the fields of rational use of hydrocarbons, solid fuels and renewable energy sources. Application of these technologies would lead to substantial energy savings resulting in significant financial and environmental benefits. During its one-year operation the EC Energy Centre has organized and performed specific action as energy audits (food and beverage industrial units and buildings), demonstration projects (local heating control in buildings, diesel engine regulation of buses), training courses and seminars (in energy management and in space heating measuring and regulation), workshops (energy conservation in buildings, the bricks and clays sector and the food and beverage sector) and studies (wind energy potential, 'clean' coal technologies potential). Some of these actions have had very encouraging results showing potential energy savings of the order of 10-20% just by application of simple measures and with small additional investment. The activities of the EC Energy Centre in the coming year aimed at electricity savings along the entire line of electricity generation, transmission and consumption are outlined. (author)

  5. GPM GROUND VALIDATION ENVIRONMENT CANADA (EC) RADIOSONDE GCPEX V1

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Aeronautics and Space Administration — The GPM Ground Validation Environment Canada (EC) Radiosonde GCPEx dataset provides measurements of pressure, temperature, humidity, and winds collected by Vaisala...

  6. GPM GROUND VALIDATION ENVIRONMENT CANADA (EC) VAISALA CEILOMETER GCPEX V1

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Aeronautics and Space Administration — The GPM Ground Validation Environment Canada (EC) VAISALA Ceilometer GCPEx dataset was collected during the GPM Cold-season Precipitation Experiment (GCPEx) in...

  7. GPM GROUND VALIDATION ENVIRONMENT CANADA (EC) MANUAL PRECIPITATION MEASUREMENTS GCPEX V1

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Aeronautics and Space Administration — The GPM Ground Validation Environment Canada (EC) Manual Precipitation Measurements GCPEx dataset was collected during the GPM Cold-season Precipitation Experiment...

  8. GPM GROUND VALIDATION ENVIRONMENT CANADA (EC) MICRO RAIN RADAR (MRR) GCPEX V1

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Aeronautics and Space Administration — Environment Canada (EC) collected data from the Micro Rain Radar (MRR) during the GPM Cold-season Precipitation Experiment (GCPEx) in Ontario, Canada during the...

  9. Capability and limits of EC policy and instruments for protection of the environment

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jarass, H.D.; Neumann, L.F.; Pastowski, A.; Ruhr, H.J. von der; Schreiber, F.

    1994-01-01

    The authors who contributed to this compilation of studies start from different points of view in their approaches towards describing the existing (or desirable) balance between centralised and decentralised frameworks and instruments of the EC policy for protection of the environment: A total harmonisation of environmental protection standards would be inconsistent with the principles of competition and, in terms of environmental protection, would rather foster a climate tending to be hostile to innovation. The impetus given by the EC in support of free mobility in the transport sector of the internal market on the other hand ought to be flanked by mandatory ecological standards. Adhering to the economic theory of federalism would mean to decide for a high degree of decentralisation, which in turn does not seem to be altogether appropriate in view of the large scope of impact of environmental damage and the mutual ecological dependence of EC member states. A more centralised regulatory competence has to be accompanied by correspondingly strong, democratic institutions in order to fulfill the principles of constitutional law. The priority given to the principle of subsidiarity in the compromise laid down in the Treaty of Maastricht needs to be given concrete shape [de

  10. Activities of the Sofia EC Energy Center in the framework of the THERMIE programme. Dejnost na centyra po energetika na EO v Sofia v ramkite na programata TERMIE

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Latinski, K

    1993-01-01

    The European Community Energy Center in Sofia is responsible for the EC implementation of the THERMIE programme. The programme's activities are promotion and dissemination of existing European technologies leading to better energy management and covering the fields of rational use of hydrocarbons, solid fuels and renewable energy sources. Application of these technologies would lead to substantial energy savings resulting in significant financial and environmental benefits. During its one-year operation the EC Energy Centre has organized and performed specific action as energy audits (food and beverage industrial units and buildings), demonstration projects (local heating control in buildings, diesel engine regulation of buses), training courses and seminars (in energy management and in space heating measuring and regulation), workshops (energy conservation in buildings, the bricks and clays sector and the food and beverage sector) and studies (wind energy potential, 'clean' coal technologies potential). Some of these actions have had very encouraging results showing potential energy savings of the order of 10-20% just by application of simple measures and with small additional investment. The activities of the EC Energy Centre in the coming year aimed at electricity savings along the entire line of electricity generation, transmission and consumption are outlined. (author).

  11. Risk assesment in the context of EC directives on genetically modified organisms

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Meer, P.J. van der [Ministry for the Environment (Netherlands)

    1992-07-01

    The introduction of these new molecular technologies initiated an international discussion on the safety in biotechnology. In 1974 one of the pioneers of this new technology, Paul Berg, expressed his view on the potential risks of recombinant DNA applications in the famous 'Berg letter', leading to a self-imposed moratorium on certain experiments. Following the Berg letter and the Asilomar convention, much international attention has been given to the question of safety in biotechnology. This attention resulted in hundreds of documents, research programmes, guidelines and regulations. This resulted, among others, in two EC Directives on genetically modified organisms: the EC Directive 90/219/EEC on the contained use of genetically modified micro-organisms, and Directive 90/220/EEC on the release of genetically modified organisms. These directives lay down a system for harmonization of risk assessment and risk management with regard to the safety for human health and the environment.

  12. Risk assesment in the context of EC directives on genetically modified organisms

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Meer, P.J. van der

    1992-01-01

    The introduction of these new molecular technologies initiated an international discussion on the safety in biotechnology. In 1974 one of the pioneers of this new technology, Paul Berg, expressed his view on the potential risks of recombinant DNA applications in the famous 'Berg letter', leading to a self-imposed moratorium on certain experiments. Following the Berg letter and the Asilomar convention, much international attention has been given to the question of safety in biotechnology. This attention resulted in hundreds of documents, research programmes, guidelines and regulations. This resulted, among others, in two EC Directives on genetically modified organisms: the EC Directive 90/219/EEC on the contained use of genetically modified micro-organisms, and Directive 90/220/EEC on the release of genetically modified organisms. These directives lay down a system for harmonization of risk assessment and risk management with regard to the safety for human health and the environment

  13. Energy conservation in the EC glass industry

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Waal, H. de [TNO Institute of Applied Physics, Delft (Netherlands)

    1994-12-31

    The data presented in this survey are based mainly on a recent study, performed by the Energy Technology Support Unit ETSU. Harwell Laboratory, United Kingdom, in the context of the EC-Thermie programme. Also, use has been made of a paper `Glass Manufacture, energy and CO{sub 2}-emissions`, presented by G.J. Copley of the British Glass Manufacturers Confederation, Sheffield, United Kingdom, presented at the Thermie Seminar in Wiesbaden, 1992. A third source of information has been the data collected by the CPIV, the European Glass Manufacturers Federation on the present and future economic situation of the EC Glass Industry. (orig.)

  14. NOVANA - National Monitoring and Assessment Programme for the Aquatic and Terrestrial Environment

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Svendsen, L. M.

    This report is Part 1 of the Programme Description of NOVANA - the Nationwide Monitoring and Assessment Programme for the Aquatic and Terrestrial Environments. Part 1 comprises a general description of the background for the programme, including the international obliga-tions and requirements...... for monitoring of nature and the environment. The overall objective and the scientific and strategic background for the priorities upon which NOVANA pro-gramme is based are described, as are the organization of the programme, the overall economy and the technical assumptions made. Finally the scientific content...

  15. NOVANA. National Monitering and Assessment Programme for the Aquatic and Terrestrial Environments

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Svendsen, L. M.; Bijl, L. van der; Boutrup, S.

    This report is Part 2 of the Programme Description of NOVANA - the National Monitoring and Assessment Programme for the Aquatic and Terrestrial Environments. Part 2 comprises a de-tailed description of the nine NOVANA subprogrammes: Background monitoring of air......This report is Part 2 of the Programme Description of NOVANA - the National Monitoring and Assessment Programme for the Aquatic and Terrestrial Environments. Part 2 comprises a de-tailed description of the nine NOVANA subprogrammes: Background monitoring of air...

  16. Students’ perception of the learning environment in a distributed medical programme

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kiran Veerapen

    2010-09-01

    Full Text Available Background : The learning environment of a medical school has a significant impact on students’ achievements and learning outcomes. The importance of equitable learning environments across programme sites is implicit in distributed undergraduate medical programmes being developed and implemented. Purpose : To study the learning environment and its equity across two classes and three geographically separate sites of a distributed medical programme at the University of British Columbia Medical School that commenced in 2004. Method : The validated Dundee Ready Educational Environment Survey was sent to all students in their 2nd and 3rd year (classes graduating in 2009 and 2008 of the programme. The domains of the learning environment surveyed were: students’ perceptions of learning, students’ perceptions of teachers, students’ academic self-perceptions, students’ perceptions of the atmosphere, and students’ social self-perceptions. Mean scores, frequency distribution of responses, and inter- and intrasite differences were calculated. Results : The perception of the global learning environment at all sites was more positive than negative. It was characterised by a strongly positive perception of teachers. The work load and emphasis on factual learning were perceived negatively. Intersite differences within domains of the learning environment were more evident in the pioneer class (2008 of the programme. Intersite differences consistent across classes were largely related to on-site support for students. Conclusions : Shared strengths and weaknesses in the learning environment at UBC sites were evident in areas that were managed by the parent institution, such as the attributes of shared faculty and curriculum. A greater divergence in the perception of the learning environment was found in domains dependent on local arrangements and social factors that are less amenable to central regulation. This study underlines the need for ongoing

  17. Students' perception of the learning environment in a distributed medical programme.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Veerapen, Kiran; McAleer, Sean

    2010-09-24

    The learning environment of a medical school has a significant impact on students' achievements and learning outcomes. The importance of equitable learning environments across programme sites is implicit in distributed undergraduate medical programmes being developed and implemented. To study the learning environment and its equity across two classes and three geographically separate sites of a distributed medical programme at the University of British Columbia Medical School that commenced in 2004. The validated Dundee Ready Educational Environment Survey was sent to all students in their 2nd and 3rd year (classes graduating in 2009 and 2008) of the programme. The domains of the learning environment surveyed were: students' perceptions of learning, students' perceptions of teachers, students' academic self-perceptions, students' perceptions of the atmosphere, and students' social self-perceptions. Mean scores, frequency distribution of responses, and inter- and intrasite differences were calculated. The perception of the global learning environment at all sites was more positive than negative. It was characterised by a strongly positive perception of teachers. The work load and emphasis on factual learning were perceived negatively. Intersite differences within domains of the learning environment were more evident in the pioneer class (2008) of the programme. Intersite differences consistent across classes were largely related to on-site support for students. Shared strengths and weaknesses in the learning environment at UBC sites were evident in areas that were managed by the parent institution, such as the attributes of shared faculty and curriculum. A greater divergence in the perception of the learning environment was found in domains dependent on local arrangements and social factors that are less amenable to central regulation. This study underlines the need for ongoing comparative evaluation of the learning environment at the distributed sites and

  18. The competitive advantage of nations: the importance of the national environment for strategic management in the EC

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    F.A.J. van den Bosch (Frans); T. Elfring (Tom); P. de Wolf (Peter)

    1991-01-01

    textabstractSummary: In this paper we investigate the usefulness for strategic management of Porter's framework of analysis of the competitive advantage of nations in particular regarding the importance of the changing national environment within the EC. It appears that Porter's framework

  19. THEODORE, a two-step heating system for the EC/OC determination of radiocarbon (14C) in the environment

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Szidat, S.; Jenk, T.M.; Gaeggeler, H.W.; Synal, H.-A.; Hajdas, I.; Bonani, G.; Saurer, M.

    2004-01-01

    Measurements of 14 C in the organic carbon (OC) and elemental carbon (EC) fractions, respectively, of fine aerosol particles bear the potential to apportion anthropogenic and biogenic emission sources. For this purpose, the system THEODORE (two-step heating system for the EC/OC determination of radiocarbon in the environment) was developed. In this device, OC and EC are transformed into carbon dioxide in a stream of oxygen at 340 and 650 deg. C, respectively, and reduced to filamentous carbon. This is the target material for subsequent accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) 14 C measurements, which were performed on sub-milligram carbon samples at the PSI/ETH compact 500 kV AMS system. Quality assurance measurements of SRM 1649a, Urban Dust, yielded a fraction of modern f M in total carbon (TC) of 0.522 ± 0.018 (n=5, 95% confidence level) in agreement with reported values. The results for OC and EC are 0.70 ± 0.05 (n=3) and 0.066 ± 0.020 (n=4), respectively

  20. The State of the World Environment, 1987. United Nations Environment Programme.

    Science.gov (United States)

    United Nations Environment Programme, Nairobi (Kenya).

    One of the main activities assigned to the Governing Council of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is to review the world environmental situation to insure that emerging environmental problems of wide international significance receive appropriate and adequate consideration by governments. Accordingly, UNEP has assessed the state of…

  1. United Nations Environment Programme. Annual Review 1981.

    Science.gov (United States)

    United Nations Environment Programme, Nairobi (Kenya).

    This edition of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) annual report is structured in three parts. Part 1 focuses on three contemporary problems (ground water, toxic chemicals and human food chains and environmental economics) and attempts to solve them. Also included is a modified extract of "The Annual State of the Environment…

  2. Employee assistance programme in the offshore environment

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cooper, J.R.B.

    1991-01-01

    This paper reports on an Employee Assistance Programme that has a lot to offer in the offshore environment, and represents excellent value for money. To be successful though it must be thoroughly explained to the workforce as a beneficial resource for their own use, and be supported by a committed Management group

  3. EC6 safety design improvements

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yu, S.; Lee, A.G.; Soulard, M. [Candu Energy Inc., Mississauga, ON (Canada)

    2014-07-01

    The Enhanced CANDU 6 (EC6) builds on the proven high performance design such as the Qinshan CANDU 6 reactor, and has made improvements to safety, operational performance, and has incorporated extensive operational feedback. Completion of all three phases of the pre-licensing design review by the Canadian Regulator - the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission has provided a higher level of assurance that the EC6 reference design has taken modern regulatory requirements and expectations into account and further confirmed that there are no fundamental barriers to licensing the EC6 design in Canada. The EC6 design is based on the defence-in-depth principles in INSAG-10 and provides further safety features that address the lessons learned from Fukushima. With these safety features, the EC6 design has strengthened accident prevention as the first priority in the defence-in-depth strategy, as outlined in INSAG-10. As well, the EC6 design has incorporated further mitigation measures to provide additional protection of the public and the environment if the preventive measures fail. The EC6 design has an appropriate combination of inherent, passive safety characteristics, engineered features and administrative safety measures to effectively prevent and mitigate severe accident progressions. A strong contributor to the robustness and redundancy of CANDU design is the two-group separation philosophy. This ensures a high degree of independence between safety systems as well as physical separation and functional independence in how fundamental safety functions are provided. This paper will describe the following safety features based on the application of defence-in-depth and design approach to prevent beyond design basis events progressing to severe accidents and to mitigate the consequences if it occurs: Improved steam generator heat sink via a more reliable emergency heat removal system; Increased time before manual field actions are required via enhanced capacity of

  4. Biomonitoring of human population exposed to petroleum fuels with special consideration of the role of benzene as a genotoxic component. Report of the EC Environment programme. Project EV5V-CT

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Carere, A; Crebelli, R [ed.; Istituto Superiore di Sanita` , Rome (Italy). Lab. di Tossicologia Comparata ed Ecotossicologia

    1997-12-01

    In the framework of an EC research programme on the health risks of environmental chemicals, the Istituto Superiore di Sanita` co-ordinated, in 1993-1996, a project on the biological effects of benzene and petroleum fuels. Seven laboratories from six European countries collaborated in the biological monitoring of selected population with occupational exposure to petrochemicals. Several markers of early biological effect were applied together with environmental and personal exposure monitoring techniques. An epidemiological retrospective mortality study was also carried out on Italian filling station attendants. The results obtained highlighted an excess of genetic damage in some of the study populations, compared to matched unexposed controls. Even though these results do not allow a reliable risk estimation, the possible prognostic significance of cytogenetic damage for future cancer onset, together with some alerting findings from the mortality study, suggest that low dose exposures to benzene and petroleum fuels may retain some toxicological significance.

  5. Perspectives on the Eco-Schools Programme: An Environment ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Perspectives on the Eco-Schools Programme: An Environment/Education Dialogue. K Ward, K Schnack. Abstract. No Abstract. Full Text: EMAIL FREE FULL TEXT EMAIL FREE FULL TEXT · DOWNLOAD FULL TEXT DOWNLOAD FULL TEXT · Creative Commons License This work is licensed under a Creative Commons ...

  6. Survey of environment related monitoring programmes of international organizations and their contribution to international monitoring programmes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1986-12-01

    The report is a summary of environment-related monitoring programmes of international governmental organizations and their contribution to international monitoring programmes. it presents the situation as of November 1986: This survey has been prepared by a consultant for the Secretariat as a background document for the second meeting of the Environment Experts, Economic Summit in Munich, November 1986. It serves information purposes only. No claim for completeness is intended. This report may also prove to be helpful for administrators and the scientific community as regards gaining knowledge on present arrangements, approaches and environmental activities in the framework of international organizations. In this light, the present report could facilitate communication and progress in solving pressing environmental problems on the international level. (orig.)

  7. Protection of the Environment: Current ICRP Work and EC-Funded Research

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Larsson, C.M.; Holm, L.E.

    2003-01-01

    The requirement for assessments of the environmental effects of radiation, i.e. effects on non-human biota, is increasing due to growing public concern for environmental protection issues and integration of environmental impact assessments into the regulatory process. Thus, there is a strong need to establish a framework for the assessment of environmental impact of ionising radiation, as well as a system for protection of the environment from ionising radiation. These ambitions are reflected in a number of international efforts and various 'systems' have been proposed or are under development. This paper considers the current discussions on environmental protection within the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP), as part of the Commission's ongoing revision of its recommendations as laid out in Publication 60. Furthermore, the paper reviews work within the EC-funded FASSET (Framework for ASSessment of Environmental impacT) project. The concepts developed both by ICRP and FASSET are similar, and the FASSET approach and results may illustrate how forthcoming ICRP recommendations could be turned into practical application. (orig.)

  8. Rare earth materials research in European Community R and D programmes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gavigan, J.P.

    1992-01-01

    The level of involvement of EC research programmes in rare earth materials research is quite high. A total of 65 projects have been identified representing an involvement of 283 partners from all over Europe. This corresponds to a budget a 63.3 MECU (76MDollars) of which the EC contributes 40.7 MECU (49MDollars). In this paper, the various research activities will be discussed under the main themes of rare earth permanent magnets, high Tc superconductors, optical and other materials, with specific reference to the three main programmes involved, BRITE/EURAM, SCIENCE and ESPRIT. Two other programmes currently involved in rare earth research are RAW MATERIALS and JOULE. (orig.)

  9. socio-ec(h)o: Ambient Intelligence and Gameplay

    OpenAIRE

    Wakkary, Ron

    2005-01-01

    The socio-ec(h)o project aims to research a generalized ambient intelligent software platform and design models for responsive environments based on the concept of ambient intelligent "ecologies" and group gameplay. The benefits of the research include a software-architecture, ambient intelligence inference engine, and interaction design models for gameplay and responsive environments. The paper will discuss the results of our prototypes for games in responsive environments. These prototypes ...

  10. Q and A. Why the EC's PINC has failed Europe's nuclear industry

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kraev, Kamen [NucNet, Brussels (Belgium)

    2016-12-15

    The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) has called for a more comprehensive strategy to be incorporated in a revised version of the European Commission's (EC) Illustrative Programme for Nuclear Energy (PINC). EESC member Brian Curtis tells NucNet why the PINC has failed to address key issues for nuclear and why he believes the EC has become side-tracked by renewables. The EESC is a consultative body which represents the interests of civil society organisations and stakeholders at the EU. Its opinions are forwarded to the EC, the European Council, and the European Parliament and are considered in the EU's decision-making process. Brian Curtis was rapporteur on the committee's opinion paper.

  11. Final Report A Multi-Language Environment For Programmable Code Optimization and Empirical Tuning

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yi, Qing [Univ. of Colorado, Colorado Springs, CO (United States); Whaley, Richard Clint [Univ. of Texas, San Antonio, TX (United States); Qasem, Apan [Texas State Univ., San Marcos, TX (United States); Quinlan, Daniel [Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)

    2013-11-23

    This report summarizes our effort and results of building an integrated optimization environment to effectively combine the programmable control and the empirical tuning of source-to-source compiler optimizations within the framework of multiple existing languages, specifically C, C++, and Fortran. The environment contains two main components: the ROSE analysis engine, which is based on the ROSE C/C++/Fortran2003 source-to-source compiler developed by Co-PI Dr.Quinlan et. al at DOE/LLNL, and the POET transformation engine, which is based on an interpreted program transformation language developed by Dr. Yi at University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA). The ROSE analysis engine performs advanced compiler analysis, identifies profitable code transformations, and then produces output in POET, a language designed to provide programmable control of compiler optimizations to application developers and to support the parameterization of architecture-sensitive optimizations so that their configurations can be empirically tuned later. This POET output can then be ported to different machines together with the user application, where a POET-based search engine empirically reconfigures the parameterized optimizations until satisfactory performance is found. Computational specialists can write POET scripts to directly control the optimization of their code. Application developers can interact with ROSE to obtain optimization feedback as well as provide domain-specific knowledge and high-level optimization strategies. The optimization environment is expected to support different levels of automation and programmer intervention, from fully-automated tuning to semi-automated development and to manual programmable control.

  12. Appropriating the Environment

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Meyer, Jan-Henrik

    2011-01-01

    Environmental policy has become an important area of European Union (EU) policy making, even though it had not originally been foreseen in the Treaty of Rome. Its emergence in the early 1970s can be understood as a result of a transfer of the novel policy idea of the environment to the European...... of the environment as a political concept emerging in the context of international organizations at the time. Secondly, an analysis of the first Environmental Action Programme of 1973 will be used to show how the EC conceptualized the environment, including the definition of problems and potential remedies. Thirdly...... level. This paper thus inquires into the emergence of a European environmental policy from a diffusion of ideas perspective. Rather than focusing on multi-level policy making it seeks to trace the diffusion of environmental ideas from the level of international organizations to the European Communities...

  13. Monitoring of radioactivity in the UK environment. An annotated bibliography of current programmes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2001-01-01

    With the continuing use of radioactive materials in industry, research and medicine, the public's awareness about the potential impact on human health and safety of any enhanced levels of radiation in the environment has heightened. All those involved recognise this concern and there has developed over the years a network of comprehensive monitoring systems designed to determine the levels of radiation to which members of the public are exposed. In the UK, many organisations carry out regular radioactivity monitoring programmes, and summaries of these programmes have been published in 1983, 1988 and 1992. The number of organisations carrying out monitoring, particularly in the local authority sector, increased rapidly following the Chernobyl incident in 1986 and later levelled off. This report updates those previous summaries, giving synopses of regular UK programmes whose results are published in report form, and of which the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions is currently aware

  14. Collection and sharing of data and experience from EC-funded decommissioning projects

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pflugrad, K.; Colquhoun, A.P.; Schreck, G.; Huske, M.; Petrasch, P.; Tuenckens, L.R.J.

    1999-01-01

    The European Commission's Fourth Framework Programme (1994-1998) on Nuclear Fission Safety includes the funding of projects relevant to the decommissioning of nuclear installations. The objectives of the programme for decommissioning are to continue the development of technology (a) to collect and analyse relevant data (b) to test and evaluate strategies and techniques and to stimulate the exchange of information and experience. Objective (b) involves related projects aimed at collecting and analysing data from past, current and future EC programmes and making them understandable and readily available in databases as well as studying how these and other databases might be integrated in a decommissioning strategic planning tool (SPT). This aims to assist EU organizations in making strategic choices for optimizing decommissioning programmes. This paper gives an update on database work, a progress report on the development of an EU access network and work on the standardization of cost item definitions. Progress on the SPT study is reviewed. (author)

  15. Programmable applications in a heterogeneous and concurrent environment

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dubois, P.F.

    1995-01-01

    Equipe Basis (EB) is a new system for programmable applications which is under development at Lawrence Livermore Laboratory. EB is designed to permit user control of teams of interconnecting processes in a heterogeneous environment. Current systems work with programs written in Fortran or C on a single processor. The programs of the future will be in many languages and distributed over many processors. The object-oriented kernel can communicate data and commands between processes that are unaware of each other's inner structure. The programming language, Eiffel, is described. This document consists of extensive viewgraphs

  16. VisComposer: A Visual Programmable Composition Environment for Information Visualization

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Honghui Mei

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available As the amount of data being collected has increased, the need for tools that can enable the visual exploration of data has also grown. This has led to the development of a variety of widely used programming frameworks for information visualization. Unfortunately, such frameworks demand comprehensive visualization and coding skills and require users to develop visualization from scratch. An alternative is to create interactive visualization design environments that require little to no programming. However, these tools only supports a small portion of visual forms.We present a programmable integrated development environment (IDE, VisComposer, that supports the development of expressive visualization using a drag-and-drop visual interface. VisComposer exposes the programmability by customizing desired components within a modularized visualization composition pipeline, effectively balancing the capability gap between expert coders and visualization artists. The implemented system empowers users to compose comprehensive visualizations with real-time preview and optimization features, and supports prototyping, sharing and reuse of the effects by means of an intuitive visual composer. Visual programming and textual programming integrated in our system allow users to compose more complex visual effects while retaining the simplicity of use. We demonstrate the performance of VisComposer with a variety of examples and an informal user evaluation. Keywords: Information Visualization, Visualization authoring, Interactive development environment

  17. EC-fans and fan control systems; EC-ventilatoren en ventilatorregelsystemen

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Havenaar, D.

    2011-07-15

    Saving of energy can be achieved by the design and application of energy efficient components such as EC-fans (EC stands for Electronically Commutated technology), which are used in different types of cooling-refrigeration and air conditioning systems. In this article attention is paid to two products of Ziehl-Abigg: the Icontrol and the Fcontrol frequency converters. [Dutch] Het beperken van het energiegebruik en het verminderen van de uitstoot van het broeikasgas CO2 is voor de sector een belangrijke opgave. Door het ontwerpen en toepassen van energie-efficiente componenten zoals EC-ventilatoren (EC staat voor Electronically Commutated technologie) in allerlei koel-, vries- en luchtbehandelingsinstallaties kan veel bespaard worden in het energiegebruik. In dit artikel wordt aandacht besteed aan 2 producten van Ziehl-Abigg: de Icontrol en de Fcontrol frequentie omvormers.

  18. Annual report 1991. Environment Institute

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1992-01-01

    This is the annual report of the Environment Institute of the Joint Research Centre - Ispra Site - of the Commission of the European Communities. The report summarizes the progress accomplished in the course of 1991 - i.e. the last of the four year (1988-91) Specific Research Programme of the Joint Research Centre - in the projects tackled by the Institute. The activities were mainly focused on the areas of environmental chemicals, air pollution, water pollution, chemical waste and food and drug analysis, included in the programme Environmental Protection, and of safety assessment of nuclear waste disposal in geological formation as a part of the Radioactive Waste Management programme. The scientific support provided to different Commission Services is also described, proper emphasis being given to that provided to the Directorate General Xl (Environment, Nuclear Safety and Civil Protection) in the field of chemicals, air pollution, water pollution, chemical waste and radioactive environmental monitoring (REM). The above activities are aimed at the implementation of EC directives in the related fields. The work for third parties and the contribution of the Institute to various EUREKA and COST projects are also shortly described. Lastly the report provides essential data concerning the Institute structure and the human and financial resources

  19. Accelerator-Driven Systems - the iThEC strategy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Revol, Jean-Pierre

    2015-01-01

    The International Thorium Energy Committee (iThEC) created in Geneva in 2012 is concerned about the energetic future of our society, which is totally organized on the basis of a fossil fuel economy. This has to change because of obvious geopolitical reasons, because of the impact this economy has on the environment, and because of the rather short time on the human time scale, it will take for fossil fuels to run out. One of the main goals of iThEC is to work on reversing the current negative perception of nuclear energy in Europe, which is the main hurdle to a more serious R and D effort in this field. iThEC provides better information to the public on thorium possibilities, supports thorium ADS technology developments, any R and D regarding thorium, and actively engages the scientific, political and business leadership on the subject

  20. A synopsis of the Joint Environment and Human Health Programme in the UK.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moore, Michael N; Kempton, Pamela D

    2009-12-21

    The Joint Environment and Human Health (E&HH) Programme has explored how both man-made and natural changes to the environment can influence human health. Scientists have tackled the complicated mix of environmental, social and economic factors that influence health, particularly focusing on naturally occurring toxins, man-made pollutants, nanoparticles and pathogens to see:* how they spread within the environment* how their properties change as they interact with other substances or organisms* how we become exposed to them, and* their impact on human health.The Programme has not only succeeded in bringing together scientists from a broad range of environmental, social and biomedical backgrounds, but also fostered new relationships with end users and policy makers. This new community is helping to provide the multidisciplinary capacity able to respond in an interdisciplinary way to resolve problems that are intrinsically interfacial in character. Many of these questions relate to complex issues such as the environmental biology and geochemistry of soils and how these influence the transport, accessibility and bioavailability of chemical pollutants and infectivity of pathogens. The dispersion of harmful particles in the atmosphere is another area of major concern where the E&HH Programme has broken new ground by showing how the chemical and physical properties of such particles influence their environmental behaviour and may govern their toxicity and resultant pathological reactions induced following inhalation. Working groups and networks have identified potential health problems concerning the transport and emergence of human pathogens associated with food, soil, air and water. The consequence(s) of global and regional climate change for the environmental behaviours of pollutants and pathogens have been considered by a number of the projects supported by the E&HH programme.The selection of articles in this supplement reflect the broad scope of the E&HH programme

  1. EC infuses Serbian nuclear relic cleanup with critical donation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2008-01-01

    . In addition to the radiological legacy at Vinca, security had long been a source of concern. The reactor has been offline since 1984, and much of the dangerous material and facilities were inadequately protected. Thanks to funding and other support activities provided by the Serbian government and the USA for security upgrades and police support, overall site security has been substantially improved over the past two years. Yet more needs to be done, and time is running out. Along with the EC's recent donation, an additional $25 million must be raised by 2010 to meet a crucial deadline. The fuel needs to be shipped back to Russia by the end of 2010 or the job falls off the shipping schedule, and potential funding for VIND would also dry up should the 2010 target date be missed. VIND is the largest one-house programme within the IAEA, and the EC contribution is the largest single contribution ever received for a Technical Cooperation (TC) national project. 'The EC support was absolutely crucial to the life of the programme, but we have quite a way to go to find the remaining $25 million for the project,' said Kelly. 'The EC contribution serves as a great example and encourages other potential donors to invest in an important and successful project.' Background: Located on the outskirts of Belgrade, the 'Institute for Nuclear Sciences (Vinca)' was set up as a research centre in the former Yugoslavia in the 1950s. A civilian nuclear research reactor loaded with high-enriched uranium was housed at the site. The area was also a central radioactive waste collection and consolidation centre for the former Yugoslavia. The grounds at Vinca accumulated all the former country's dangerous radioactive waste and other radioactive sources for nearly 45 years, and though the reactor went offline in 1984, the radioactive waste and sources received from around the country continued to pile up. International concern about Vinca mushroomed in the 1990s after the break-up of the former

  2. The EC TACIS project 'Social impact of closing Chornobyl NPP' objectives, tasks and intended outcomes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Schoen, A.

    2001-01-01

    Being part of the common activities of Slavutich and ChNPP, our EC TACIS project representatives already actively participated in the elaboration of the state programme aimed to ensure the social security of the ChNPP personnel and the population of Slavutich in the result of the final shut down of ChNPP

  3. United Nations Environment Programme. Annual Report of the Executive Director, 1985.

    Science.gov (United States)

    United Nations Environment Programme, Nairobi (Kenya).

    This report to the Governing Council of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) was prepared to provide the governments of member nations with information on what UNEP had done during 1985, and to serve as a communications mechanism to replace the usual meeting of the Governing Council in 1986. It contains chapters on: (1) the year in…

  4. United Nations Environment Programme. Annual Report of the Executive Director, 1983.

    Science.gov (United States)

    United Nations Environment Programme, Nairobi (Kenya).

    This report provides a comprehensive overview of the major activities, programs, events, and developments within the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) in 1983. Its purpose is to provide a broad understanding of what UNEP is, how it functions, and what it does with the money it has at its disposal. Chapter I summarizes 1983 in terms of…

  5. Computer programmes development for environment variables setting for use with C compiler

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sriyotha, P.; Prasertchiewcharn, N.; Yamkate, P.

    1994-01-01

    Compilers generally need special environment variables that operating system has not given at the beginning. Such an environment variables as COMSPEC, PATH, TMP, LIB, INCLUDE can be used as data exchange among programmes.Those variables normally occupy memories and, in some cases, an 'Out of Environment Space' error message frequently occurs when the user set a new environment variable. We would hate to give up in such a situation that just one variable has gotten too large as well as destroying all environment variables. In order to bring everything down to an earth, we try to save an old environment setting, clear and set a new one. Later on, a new setting shall have been cleared and an old one from a saved setting shall have been restored

  6. The value of the pre-hospital learning environment as part of the emergency nursing programme

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sonett van Wyk

    2015-10-01

    Objective: The study explored the views of the emergency nurse students regarding the value of rotating through the pre-hospital learning environment during an emergency nursing programme. Methods: A qualitative, explorative, descriptive and contextual research design using an Appreciative Inquiry approach was used to collect the data. Through purposive sampling a total of 45 emergency nursing students participated. Data was collected by means of selfreported Appreciative Inquiry interview guides and individual Appreciative Inquiry interviews.The data was analysed using content analysis. Results: Four major themes were identified: an unpredictable environment, role players in emergency medical services, team work, and competencies. Conclusion: The research findings support the value and continuation of utilising the prehospital clinical learning environment for placing post-basic emergency nursing students when enrolled in the emergency nursing programme.

  7. Rapid procedure to calibrate EC-10 and EC-20 capacitance sensors ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    A rapid calibration procedure for EC-10 and EC-20 sensors is introduced to promote the commercial use of these sensors for hydroponic irrigation management in coir. The method is comprised of taking one sensor reading, by a sensor installed under hydroponic crop production conditions, and one gravimetric sample, ...

  8. AHP Expert Programme As A Tool For Unsealed Sources Contamination Control Of The Environment

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Amin, E.T.; Ibrahim, M.S.; Hussein, A.Z.

    2007-01-01

    Unsealed sources of radionuclides are widely used in hot laboratories of medical centers and hospitals which can be easily dispersed and may be taken undue into the body. The presence of radioactive substances inside the human body generates risk of internal intakes of radionuclides and organ's tissue retention. In order to make control for any contamination occurring from unsealed sources, an AHP programme (PC programme) has been developed so that it includes all data of most unsealed sources used in the hot laboratories of nuclear medicine units at hospitals/medical centers. Sequence of questions are retrieved by the programme in relevance to the place address, uses, activity and half life of the unsealed radioisotopes that may cause contamination. The programme will also give information output about the hospital that use the unsealed source and its location which facilitate emergency planning and contamination control to the environment

  9. Determination of primary combustion source organic carbon-to-elemental carbon (OC / EC ratio using ambient OC and EC measurements: secondary OC-EC correlation minimization method

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    C. Wu

    2016-05-01

    Full Text Available Elemental carbon (EC has been widely used as a tracer to track the portion of co-emitted primary organic carbon (OC and, by extension, to estimate secondary OC (SOC from ambient observations of EC and OC. Key to this EC tracer method is to determine an appropriate OC / EC ratio that represents primary combustion emission sources (i.e., (OC / ECpri at the observation site. The conventional approaches include regressing OC against EC within a fixed percentile of the lowest (OC / EC ratio data (usually 5–20 % or relying on a subset of sampling days with low photochemical activity and dominated by local emissions. The drawback of these approaches is rooted in its empirical nature, i.e., a lack of clear quantitative criteria in the selection of data subsets for the (OC / ECpri determination. We examine here a method that derives (OC / ECpri through calculating a hypothetical set of (OC / ECpri and SOC followed by seeking the minimum of the coefficient of correlation (R2 between SOC and EC. The hypothetical (OC / ECpri that generates the minimum R2(SOC,EC then represents the actual (OC / ECpri ratio if variations of EC and SOC are independent and (OC / ECpri is relatively constant in the study period. This Minimum R Squared (MRS method has a clear quantitative criterion for the (OC / ECpri calculation. This work uses numerically simulated data to evaluate the accuracy of SOC estimation by the MRS method and to compare with two commonly used methods: minimum OC / EC (OC / ECmin and OC / EC percentile (OC / EC10 %. Log-normally distributed EC and OC concentrations with known proportion of SOC are numerically produced through a pseudorandom number generator. Three scenarios are considered, including a single primary source, two independent primary sources, and two correlated primary sources. The MRS method consistently yields the most accurate SOC estimation. Unbiased SOC estimation by OC

  10. Effect of a physical activity programme in the aquatic environment on haemodynamic constants in pregnant women.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vázquez-Lara, Juana María; Ruiz-Frutos, Carlos; Rodríguez-Díaz, Luciano; Ramírez-Rodrigo, Jesús; Villaverde-Gutiérrez, Carmen; Torres-Luque, Gema

    2017-09-20

    To evaluate the effect of a physical activity programme in the aquatic environment with immersion up to the neck, of six weeks duration, on haemodynamic constants in pregnant women. A six-week physical activity programme in the aquatic environment was carried out with a total of 46 pregnant women, who were distributed into an experimental group (n = 18), which participated in the programme, and a control group (n = 28), which followed routine care. In both groups different haemodynamic measurements were evaluated before and after the program. At the beginning of the programme the mean systolic blood pressure was similar between groups, but diastolic blood pressure was slightly higher in the experimental group. When the measurements at the last session were compared, arterial pressures (systolic, diastolic and mean) were significantly higher in the control group (p <.050). Similarly, the initial plasma volume values did not differ between groups, but after the intervention, the control group women showed a higher mean (p <.010). The fraction of sodium excretion (FENa) increased significantly in the experimental group, after the programme, with a mean three times higher (p <.050). Aldosterone plasma levels did not show significant differences between the groups in the different measurements. A programme of swimming and immersion exercises in pregnant women contributes to hydrosaline balance, preventing an excessive increase in usual plasma volume during pregnancy and in the activity of the renin-aldosterone axis. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

  11. Environment Canada's Children's UV Index Sun Awareness Programme

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fergusson, A.

    2000-01-01

    In 1992, Canada introduced the UV Index forecast programme to increase public awareness of UV radiation, to support health agencies in educating the public about UV risks, and to assist individuals in making healthy lifestyle decisions. A national sun health survey in 1997 indicated that about half of adults reported taking extra precautions to protect themselves from the sun on days when the UV Index was rated 'high'. In response to this concern in 1998, Environment Canada produced an UN Index poster that was sent to 3000 elementary schools across Canada. The poster targeted children between the ages of 8 and 15 and provided information to minimise the risk to their health from solar UV radiation without spoiling their outdoor fun. Based on this experience Environment Canada produced in 1999, the Daily UV Index and Calendar Poster that was sent to 14,000 elementary schools across Canada. An UV Index website has been created to provide information to students and teachers on the science of UV radiation and the UV Index. (author)

  12. Overview of the Belgian programme for the surveillance of the territory and the implications of the international recommendations or directives on the monitoring programme

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sombre, L.; Lambotte, J.M.

    2004-01-01

    The Royal Decree of 20 th July has entrusted the Federal Agency for Nuclear Control (FANC) with the task of controlling the territorial radioactivity and the doses received by the population. Within this agenda, a monitoring programme has been developed over many years, in order to follow the main potential exposure pathways of the population. In practice, several potential vectors of contamination are controlled: air (and rain), surface water (including sediments and biota), soils around nuclear installations, food chain, drinking water etc. To carry out such work, the FANC has collaborated with public or private reputable organisations: The Centre of Nuclear Energy Studies of Mol, The National Institute of Radionuclides of Fleurus, and The Louis Pasteur Public Health Institute of Brussels. A synthesis of this monitoring programme will be presented and the most important deductions will be pointed out. For many years, the tendency has been for tighter control of artificial and natural radioactivity in the environment. This has been achieved by increasingly stringent regulations, regarding environmental monitoring efforts, from international organisations (EC, OSPAR, IAEA). In this context, the FANC in Belgium, is involved in a process that will lead to the adaptation of the Belgian monitoring programme. Different aspects of these adaptations and of their consequences will be presented for illustrative purposes

  13. The value of the pre-hospital learning environment as part of the emergency nursing programme

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sonett van Wyk

    2015-06-01

    Conclusion: The research findings support the value and continuation of utilising the pre-hospital clinical learning environment for placing post-basic emergency nursing students when enrolled in the emergency nursing programme.

  14. The final report of the state scientific programme 'Ignalina NPP and the Environment'

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1998-03-01

    The final report of the State Scientific Programme 'Ignalina NPP and the Environment' includes the generalised research material on the after effects of Ignalina NPP operation upon natural environment and social processes. The data on changes of thermal state and water balance of lake Drukshiai; the effect of permanent thermal and chemical pollution on the water chemical composition and hydrochemical regime; the geochemical - contaminated state; the condition, dynamics and changes of hydrobiont communities in lake Drukshiai; the bio indication of ecological effects; the toxic and genotoxic influence of Ignalina NPP waste waters and lake Drukshiai water as well as bottom sediments; the state and dynamic of landscape ecosystem components of Ignalina NPP region; the radionuclides in Ignalina NPP area, the medical and biological studies in the Ignalina NPP influence population zone; the impact of Ignalina NPP on social territorial processes in the region are presented. Radioecological and ecotoxilogical state of Ignalina NPP region and lake Drukshiai is estimated as well as changes in lake Drukshiai and Ignalina NPP surrounding area ecosystems under the combine anthropogenic of the plant influence are elucidated. The final report contains the results of final report by the executors of the tasks and themes of the Programme which have been obtained since the beginning of the implementation of the Programme as well as generalising conclusions and recommendations. (author)

  15. Provisional acceptance of installations and online data submission of PV and Hybrid kits in remote areas of Latin-America under the EC's EURO-SOLAR Programme

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Cendagorta, M.; Rodriguez, J.; Lopez-Manzanares, L.; Linares, A. [Instituto Tecnologico y de Energias Renovables, S.A. (ITER), Granadilla de Abona (Spain)

    2010-07-01

    The EURO-SOLAR Programme is providing 600 isolated and rural communities in the 8 lesser developed countries in Latin America, with an electricity production facility based on both PV or Hybrid (PV and Wind) RE technologies. These installations are meant to provide this energy for community uses, rather than home and private usage, with these uses (computing, telecommunications, lighting, water purification, etc.) aimed to increase the degree of development within the communities. Two different companies were awarded the installation of these systems, after an international tender procedure, where ITER played a technical advisor role for the EC's DG EuropeAid. In the present phase of the project, where the systems are being installed, ITER has designed a provisional acceptance procedure (PA), in which both remote and in-situ verifications are carried out. This procedure has been developed in conjunction with a web application in order to ensure both transparency and traceability either of all actions and all actors involved in the process (Companies, ITER, Technical Assistance, EC, Communities). This application is also meant to act as a central repository where all the technical and administrative information of each one of the 600 systems could be found. This paper describes in detail this procedure, how it has been designed and what are the outcomes of all the processes aimed to guarantee the technical quality and the sustainability of the systems. (orig.)

  16. Curriculum Assessment as a Direct Tool in ABET Outcomes Assessment in a Chemical Engineering Programme

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abu-Jdayil, Basim; Al-Attar, Hazim

    2010-01-01

    The chemical engineering programme at the United Arab Emirates University is designed to fulfil the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) (A-K) EC2000 criteria. The Department of Chemical & Petroleum Engineering has established a well-defined process for outcomes assessment for the chemical engineering programme in order to…

  17. Application of ECS to a hybrid automobile; `ECS` no hybrid jidosha eno tekiyo

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Shimizu, M.; Okamura, T.

    1997-01-30

    This paper describes a simulation for a case when an energy capacitor system (ECS) is mounted in a hybrid electric vehicle in place of secondary batteries. The ECS is electric power storage equipment consisted of capacitors and electronic circuits, and capable of quick charge and discharge at high efficiency. Its energy density per unit weight is about the same as lead-acid batteries, but its output density is greater than any type of batteries. Being free of deterioration due to charge and discharge, its cycle life is almost limitless. In order to suppress heat generation, a switching converter is used to control the output to about 300W. However, internal resistance of an ECS is smaller than in an equivalent secondary battery, and internal loss and heat generation stay as low as 1/5 to 1/10. Discussions have been given on cases of using the ECS in small passenger cars, small buses/trucks, and large buses. Since the ECS can use the stored power to about 94% of the capacity, and its cycle life is sufficiently long, it can operate with charge capacity as small as 1/4 of a lead-acid battery. The weight can also be reduced largely. Regenerative power storage efficiency is high, fuel consumption can be improved, heat generation is less, and no forced cooling is required. 9 refs., 4 figs., 1 tab.

  18. A Study on Partnering Mechanism in B to B EC Server for Global Supply Chain Management

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kaihara, Toshiya

    B to B Electronic Commerce (EC) technology is now in progress and regarded as an information infrastructure for global business. As the number and diversity of EC participants grows at the agile environment, the complexity of purchasing from a vast and dynamic array of goods and services needs to be hidden from the end user. Putting the complexity into the EC system instead means providing flexible auction server for enabling commerce within different business units. Market mechanism could solve the product distribution problem in the auction server by allocating the scheduled resources according to market prices. In this paper, we propose a partnering mechanism for B to B EC with market-oriented programming that mediates amongst unspecified various companies in the trade, and demonstrate the applicability of the economic analysis to this framework after constructing a primitive EC server. The proposed mechanism facilitates sophisticated B to B EC, which conducts a Pareto optimal solution for all the participating business units in the coming agile era.

  19. Exploiting Genomic Knowledge in Optimising Molecular Breeding Programmes: Algorithms from Evolutionary Computing

    Science.gov (United States)

    O'Hagan, Steve; Knowles, Joshua; Kell, Douglas B.

    2012-01-01

    Comparatively few studies have addressed directly the question of quantifying the benefits to be had from using molecular genetic markers in experimental breeding programmes (e.g. for improved crops and livestock), nor the question of which organisms should be mated with each other to best effect. We argue that this requires in silico modelling, an approach for which there is a large literature in the field of evolutionary computation (EC), but which has not really been applied in this way to experimental breeding programmes. EC seeks to optimise measurable outcomes (phenotypic fitnesses) by optimising in silico the mutation, recombination and selection regimes that are used. We review some of the approaches from EC, and compare experimentally, using a biologically relevant in silico landscape, some algorithms that have knowledge of where they are in the (genotypic) search space (G-algorithms) with some (albeit well-tuned ones) that do not (F-algorithms). For the present kinds of landscapes, F- and G-algorithms were broadly comparable in quality and effectiveness, although we recognise that the G-algorithms were not equipped with any ‘prior knowledge’ of epistatic pathway interactions. This use of algorithms based on machine learning has important implications for the optimisation of experimental breeding programmes in the post-genomic era when we shall potentially have access to the full genome sequence of every organism in a breeding population. The non-proprietary code that we have used is made freely available (via Supplementary information). PMID:23185279

  20. Teaching Social Research Methods on an International, Collaborative Environment & Sustainability Degree Programme: Exploring plagiarism, group work, and formative feedback

    OpenAIRE

    Laycock, R

    2017-01-01

    International collaboration is central to the Sustainable Development agenda given environmental challenges that span national boundaries. Education for Sustainability therefore needs to account for international/intercultural understandings, such as though international collaborative degree programmes in Higher Education. This paper evaluates a module taught on an international collaborative Bachelor’s degree programme in Environment & Sustainability taught between Nanjing Xiaozhuang Univers...

  1. Radioactivity in the environment. A summary and radiological assessment of the Environment Agency's monitoring programmes; report for 1997

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1997-01-01

    The Radioactive Substances Act 1993 provides for controls to be exercised over the keeping and use of radioactive materials and, in particular, on the accumulation and disposal of radioactive wastes. The Environment Agency is responsible for administration and enforcement of the Act in England and Wales. In support of these regulatory functions and as part of the UK Government's arrangements for providing information to the European Commission under the Euratom Treaty, the Agency commissions independent monitoring of radioactive waste disposals and their impact on the environment, and monitoring of radioactivity in air, rainwater and drinking water sources. This report presents the data from these monitoring programmes and provides a commentary on their radiological significance. It includes assessments of radiation exposure of members of the public for compliance with the annual dose limit recommended by the International Commission on Radiological Protection. Concentrations of radioactivity in water are also assessed in relation to the guidelines on drinking water quality recommended by the World Health Organisation. This report for 1997 is one of an annual series published by the Agency. It is being distributed to local authorities as part of the arrangements under the Radioactive Substances Act 1993 for provision of access to environmental information. The monitoring programmes and preparation of this report are managed by the Agency's National Compliance Assessment Service. (author)

  2. Overview of EU research activities in transmutation and innovative reactor systems within the Euratom framework programmes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bhatnagar, V.

    2009-01-01

    European Community (EC) (currently 27 Member States) shared-cost research has been organised in Framework Programmes (FP) of durations of 4 - 5 years since 1984. The 6th European Atomic Energy Community (EURATOM) Framework Programme (2002 - 06) and the current 7th FP (2007 - 11) have been allocated a fission research budget respectively of 209 and 287 Million Euro from the EC. There are 10 projects (total budget 70 M Euro, EC contribution 38 M Euro) in all aspects of transmutation ranging from road-mapping exercise to large integrated projects on accelerator driven systems, lead-cooled fast critical systems for waste transmutation, technology, fuel, accelerator facilities for nuclear data etc. In Innovative Reactor concepts, there are about half-a-dozen projects (total budget 30 M Euro, EC contribution 16 M Euro) including High Temperature Reactors, Gas-cooled Fast reactors, road-mapping exercise on sodium fast reactors etc. The main research and training activities in FP7 are: management of radioactive waste, reactor systems, radiation protection, infrastructures, human resources and mobility and training. In the two call for proposals (2007 and 2008) in FP7, 8 projects have been accepted in transmutation and innovative reactor concepts (total budget 53 M Euro, EC contribution 32 M Euro). These research projects cover activities ranging from materials, fuels, treatment of irradiated graphite waste, European sodium fast reactor to the establishment of a Central Design Team of a fast-spectrum transmutation device in Europe. The third call for proposals is underway requesting proposals on nuclear data, thermal hydraulics, gas and lead-cooled fast reactor systems with a total EC budget of 20 M Euro. International collaboration is an important element of the EU research policy. This overview paper will present elements of the strategy of EURATOM research and training in waste management including accelerator driven transmutation systems and Innovative reactor concepts

  3. Creating an effective learning environment through an E-Learning Instructional Programme (ELIP

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Maria Jakovljevic

    2009-12-01

    Full Text Available Though numerous research reports have provided a body of information about benefits of e-learning there are barriers such as, asynchronous communication channels, lack of personalisation, which decrease the level of interaction between the learner and instructor [13].The aim of this paper is to discuss and outline a framework on e-learning pedagogical and technology issues which provide a basis for the creation of an e-learning instructional programme (ELIP. The Phase I of this research start with the creation of a framework for an e-learning environment and derivation of the e-learning instructional programme (ELIP; Phase II is aimed to implement a popular audio playback device (iPod and VoIP. In this phase 40 learners, one instructor and three tutors will be observed and their experiences will be evaluated through focus group interviews and documents analysis. This research was based on a qualitative research approach [78],[44].

  4. Improving Quality of the Child Care Environment through a Consultancy Programme for Centre Directors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Helmerhorst, Katrien O. W.; Fukkink, Ruben G.; Riksen-Walraven, J. Marianne A.; Gevers Deynoot-Schaub, Mirjam J. J. M.; Tavecchio, Louis W. C.

    2017-01-01

    This study examined the effects of a newly developed on-site consultancy programme to improve global quality of the child care environment in non-parental child care centres for 0- to 4-year-old children as measured with the ITERS-R/ECERS-R. Using a randomised controlled trial with a pretest, posttest, and follow-up test, we compared 35…

  5. Integration of IC/EC systems in ITER

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gassmann, T.; Beaumont, B.; Baruah, U.K.; Bonicelli, T.; Chiocchio, S.; Cox, D.; Darbos, C.; Decamps, H.; Denisov, G.; Henderson, M.; Kazarian, F.; Lamalle, P.U.; Mukherjee, A.; Rasmussen, D.; Saibene, G.; Sartori, R.; Sakamoto, K.; Tanga, A.

    2010-01-01

    The RF heating and current drive (H and CD) systems that are to be installed in ITER during the construction phase, are the electron cyclotron (EC) and ion cyclotron (IC) systems. They are complex assemblies of high voltage power supplies (HVPS), RF generators, transmission lines and antennas. Their design and integration are constrained by many interfaces, both internal, between the subsystems, and external, with the other ITER systems. In addition, some components must be compatible with a nuclear environment and are classified as Safety Important Component. This paper describes the processes implemented in ITER to ensure proper integration.

  6. Developmental regulation of ecdysone receptor (EcR and EcR-controlled gene expression during pharate-adult development of honeybees (Apis mellifera.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tathyana Rachel Palo Mello

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available Major developmental transitions in multicellular organisms are driven by steroid hormones. In insects, these, together with juvenile hormone (JH, control development, metamorphosis, reproduction and aging, and are also suggested to play an important role in caste differentiation of social insects. Here, we aimed to determine how EcR transcription and ecdysteroid titers are related during honeybee postembryonic development and what may actually be the role of EcR in caste development of this social insect. In addition, we expected that knocking-down EcR gene expression would give us information on the participation of the respective protein in regulating downstream targets of EcR. We found that in Apis mellifera females, EcR-A is the predominantly expressed variant in postembryonic development, while EcR-B transcript levels are higher in embryos, indicating an early developmental switch in EcR function. During larval and pupal stages, EcR-B expression levels are very low, while EcR-A transcripts are more variable and abundant in workers compared to queens. Strikingly, these transcript levels are opposite to the ecdysteroid titer profile. 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E application experiments revealed that low 20E levels induce EcR expression during development, whereas high ecdysteroid titers seem to be repressive. By means of RNAi-mediated knockdown (KD of both EcR transcript variants we detected the differential expression of 234 poly-A+ transcripts encoding genes such as CYPs, MRJPs and certain hormone response genes (Kr-h1 and ftz-f1. EcR-KD also promoted the differential expression of 70 miRNAs, including highly conserved ones (e.g. miR-133 and miR-375, as well honeybee-specific ones (e.g. miR-3745 and miR-3761. Our results put in evidence a broad spectrum of EcR-controlled gene expression during postembryonic development of honeybees, revealing new facets of EcR biology in this social insect.

  7. THE ACTIONS PROGRAMMES IN THE FIELD OF ENVIRONMENT AND THE INTEGRATED PRODUCT POLICY

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Duduială Popescu Lorena

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available One of the most important strategies to achieve the objectives of sustainable development is to promote a coherent legal system in the European Union. The trends and priorities are mapped and monitored under the Programme of Action on the environment. The environmental Action Programmes are documents underpinning EU environmental policy. The first of these programs was adopted by the European Council in 1972 and was followed by five others. These action programs are actually a combination of medium-term programs, coupled with a strategic approach and is characterized by a vertical and sectoral environmental problems. Since 1973, the European Community action program in the field of environment have become an increasingly important role. The European Community Treaty of 1986 is the legal basis of EU environmental policy. The Article 174 outlines environmental policy objectives and defines its purpose - ensuring a high level of environmental protection taking into account the diversity of situations in different regions of the European Union. The underlying objectives of EU environmental policy, under Article 174, are: • the preserve, protect and improve the environment; • the protection of human health; •the rational use of natural resources; •a promoting measures at international level to treat regional environmental issues. The Article 175 identifies the appropriate legislative procedures to this end and establishes the decisionmaking in environmental policy. The Article 176 allows Member States to adopt and stricter standards if it is deemed important and if it is justified. The "Sustainable development" is mentioned early in Art. 2 of the Treaty of Amsterdam Treaty which underlies the formation of the European Community. The Article 6 promotes sustainable development as a cross-cutting policy of the European Union, highlighting the need to integrate environmental protection requirements into the definition and implementation of EU

  8. The SEDIBUD (Sediment Budgets in Cold Environments) Programme: Current activities and future key tasks

    Science.gov (United States)

    Beylich, A. A.; Lamoureux, S. F.; Decaulne, A.

    2012-04-01

    Projected climate change in cold regions is expected to alter melt season duration and intensity, along with the number of extreme rainfall events, total annual precipitation and the balance between snowfall and rainfall. Similarly, changes to the thermal balance are expected to reduce the extent of permafrost and seasonal ground frost and increase active layer depths. These effects will undoubtedly change surface environments in cold regions and alter the fluxes of sediments, nutrients and solutes, but the absence of quantitative data and coordinated process monitoring and analysis to understand the sensitivity of the Earth surface environment is acute in cold climate environments. The International Association of Geomorphologists (I.A.G./A.I.G.)SEDIBUD (Sediment Budgets in Cold Environments) Programme was formed in 2005 to address this existing key knowledge gap. SEDIBUD currently has about 400 members worldwide and the Steering Committee of this international programme is composed of ten scientists from eight different countries: Achim A. Beylich (Chair) (Norway), Armelle Decaulne (Secretary) (France), John C. Dixon (USA), Scott F. Lamoureux (Vice-Chair) (Canada), John F. Orwin (Canada), Jan-Christoph Otto (Austria), Irina Overeem (USA), Thorsteinn Saemundsson (Iceland), Jeff Warburton (UK), Zbigniew Zwolinski (Poland). The central research question of this global group of scientists is to: Assess and model the contemporary sedimentary fluxes in cold climates, with emphasis on both particulate and dissolved components. Initially formed as European Science Foundation (ESF) Network SEDIFLUX (2004-2006), SEDIBUD has further expanded to a global group of researchers with field research sites located in polar and alpine regions in the northern and southern hemisphere. Research carried out at each of the close to 50 defined SEDIBUD key test sites varies by programme, logistics and available resources, but typically represent interdisciplinary collaborations of

  9. Exploring Horizon 2020: opportunities for CERN under the new EU Framework Programme

    CERN Multimedia

    Agnes Szeberenyi

    2014-01-01

    December marked the end of the EU Framework Programme 7 (FP7), which ran between 2007 and 2013. During these seven years, CERN's involvement was very fruitful. The Organization participated in 87 EU projects - out of which CERN was the coordinating institute for 36 projects - with a corresponding European Commission (EC) funding of more than €110 million. This ranked CERN in the top 50 out of more than 15,000 FP7 participants.   CERN's involvement in FP7 projects. CERN was primarily involved in the FP7 pillars: Research Infrastructures (14 projects), e-Infrastructures (20 projects), Marie Curie actions (28 projects) and ERC grants (9 projects). In terms of proposal success rate and received EU funding, CERN's involvement in the Marie Curie actions programme was the most successful. Half of the total EC funding received at CERN was obtained through Marie Curie actions to train and improve the mobility of scientists and engineers at different stages of their ca...

  10. Evaluation of the size segregation of elemental carbon (EC emission in Europe: influence on the simulation of EC long-range transportation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Y. Chen

    2016-02-01

    Full Text Available Elemental Carbon (EC has a significant impact on human health and climate change. In order to evaluate the size segregation of EC emission in the EUCAARI inventory and investigate its influence on the simulation of EC long-range transportation in Europe, we used the fully coupled online Weather Research and Forecasting/Chemistry model (WRF-Chem at a resolution of 2 km focusing on a region in Germany, in conjunction with a high-resolution EC emission inventory. The ground meteorology conditions, vertical structure and wind pattern were well reproduced by the model. The simulations of particle number and/or mass size distributions were evaluated with observations at the central European background site Melpitz. The fine mode particle concentration was reasonably well simulated, but the coarse mode was substantially overestimated by the model mainly due to the plume with high EC concentration in coarse mode emitted by a nearby point source. The comparisons between simulated EC and Multi-angle Absorption Photometers (MAAP measurements at Melpitz, Leipzig-TROPOS and Bösel indicated that the coarse mode EC (ECc emitted from the nearby point sources might be overestimated by a factor of 2–10. The fraction of ECc was overestimated in the emission inventory by about 10–30 % for Russia and 5–10 % for Eastern Europe (e.g., Poland and Belarus. This incorrect size-dependent EC emission results in a shorter atmospheric life time of EC particles and inhibits the long-range transport of EC. A case study showed that this effect caused an underestimation of 20–40 % in the EC mass concentration in Germany under eastern wind pattern.

  11. Annual report 90 Environment Institute

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1991-01-01

    This is the second annual report of the Environment Institute of the Joint Research Centre, Ispra Site, of the Commission of the European Communities. The report summarizes the progress accomplished in the course of 1990 in the various projects included in the multiannual (1988-91) Specific Research Programmes tackled by the Institute i.e. Environment Protection and Radioactive Waste Management, the former being focused on environmental chemicals, air pollution and pollutant transport, water pollution, chemical waste, food and drug analysis, the latter on safety assessment for waste disposal in geological formations. The scientific support given to the Commission Services for the implementation of EC directives dealing with chemicals, air pollution, water pollution, chemical waste and radioactive environmental monitoring (REM) is also described. Lastly the outcome of various activities related to work for third parties and to the participation of the Institute in EUREKA and COST projects is shortly outlined. The report includes data on the Institute Structure, human and budget resources and large installations operated by the Institute

  12. Roles of major organizations in EC for decision making. EC no ishi kettei ni okeru shuyo kikan no yakuwari

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kodama, M.

    1992-12-01

    This paper considers authorization powers held by the major organizations in the EC, with the Maastricht Treaty kept in mind. One of the objectives of establishing the EC is to harmonize and develop the economic activities in the community on the whole, and promote making closer the relations among the member nations. The EC's supernationality has two aspects: finances (using financial sources from externally common tariffs as the EC's independent financial resources) and legislations (member nations delegating their own powers to the international organization). Organizations involving in the EC legislations are the European Assembly, the board of ministers, and the EC Committee. The Assembly has deciding powers at high levels on the EC budget decision, as well as vetoing power on the budget. The board of ministers is provided with deciding powers to assure achievement of the objectives defined in the official requirements. The Committee has a supernational character that each committee member can act independently free from being subjected to orders from his or her native country. Practically, however, the authorization relationship among the organizations has confrontations over the interests of the organizations and member nations. There have been such movements in this situation as the Luxemburg compromises, actions at the agricultural ministers meeting, and preparation of the unified European protocol. 2 figs., 4 tabs.

  13. Public Availability to ECS Collected Datasets

    Science.gov (United States)

    Henderson, J. F.; Warnken, R.; McLean, S. J.; Lim, E.; Varner, J. D.

    2013-12-01

    Coastal nations have spent considerable resources exploring the limits of their extended continental shelf (ECS) beyond 200 nm. Although these studies are funded to fulfill requirements of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, the investments are producing new data sets in frontier areas of Earth's oceans that will be used to understand, explore, and manage the seafloor and sub-seafloor for decades to come. Although many of these datasets are considered proprietary until a nation's potential ECS has become 'final and binding' an increasing amount of data are being released and utilized by the public. Data sets include multibeam, seismic reflection/refraction, bottom sampling, and geophysical data. The U.S. ECS Project, a multi-agency collaboration whose mission is to establish the full extent of the continental shelf of the United States consistent with international law, relies heavily on data and accurate, standard metadata. The United States has made it a priority to make available to the public all data collected with ECS-funding as quickly as possible. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) National Geophysical Data Center (NGDC) supports this objective by partnering with academia and other federal government mapping agencies to archive, inventory, and deliver marine mapping data in a coordinated, consistent manner. This includes ensuring quality, standard metadata and developing and maintaining data delivery capabilities built on modern digital data archives. Other countries, such as Ireland, have submitted their ECS data for public availability and many others have made pledges to participate in the future. The data services provided by NGDC support the U.S. ECS effort as well as many developing nation's ECS effort through the U.N. Environmental Program. Modern discovery, visualization, and delivery of scientific data and derived products that span national and international sources of data ensure the greatest re-use of data and

  14. Dual EC : a standardized back door

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Bernstein, D.J.; Lange, T.; Niederhagen, R.F.

    2015-01-01

    Dual EC is an algorithm to compute pseudorandom numbers starting from some random input. Dual EC was standardized by NIST, ANSI, and ISO among other algorithms to generate pseudorandom numbers. For a long time this algorithm was considered suspicious -- the entity designing the algorithm could have

  15. Programming Amazon EC2

    CERN Document Server

    Vliet, Jurg

    2011-01-01

    If you plan to use Amazon Web Services to run applications in the cloud, the end-to-end approach in this book will save you needless trial and error. You'll find practical guidelines for designing and building applications with Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2) and a host of supporting AWS tools, with a focus on critical issues such as load balancing, monitoring, and automation. How do you move an existing application to AWS, or design your application so that it scales effectively? How much storage will you require? Programming Amazon EC2 not only helps you get started, it will also keep y

  16. United Nations Environment Programme Capacity Building Pilot Project - Training on persistent organic pollutant analysis under the Stockholm Convention

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    de Boer, J.; Leslie, H.A.; van Leeuwen, S.P.J.; Wegener, J.W.M.; van Bavel, B; Lindstrom, G.; Lahoutifard, N.; Fiedler, H.

    2008-01-01

    Within the framework of a United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Capacity Building Project for training of laboratory staff in developing countries on persistent organic pollutant (POP) analysis, an interlaboratory study was organised following an initial evaluation of the performance of

  17. Environmental Shortcourse Final report [Joint US-EC Short Course on Environmental Biotechnology: Microbial Catalysts for the Environment

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zylstra, Gerben; van der Meer, Jan Roelof

    2013-03-05

    The Joint US-EC Short Course on Environmental Biotechnology is designed for several purposes. One of the central tenets is to bring together young scientists (at the late Ph.D. or early postdoctoral stages of their careers) in a forum that will set the groundwork for future overseas collaborative interactions. The course is also designed to give the scientists hands-on experience in modern, up-to-date biotechnological methods for the analysis of microbes and their activities pertinent to the remediation of pollutants in the environment. The 2011 course covered multiple theoretical and practical topics in environmental biotechnology. The practical part was centered around a full concise experiment to demonstrate the possibility for targeted remediation of contaminated soil. Experiments included chemical, microbiological, and molecular analyses of sediments and/or waters, contaminant bioavailability assessment, seeded bioremediation, gene probing, PCR amplification, microbial community analysis based on 16S rRNA gene diversity, and microarray analyses. Each of these topics is explained in detail. The practical part of the course was complemented with two lectures per day, given by distinguished scientists from the US and from Europe, covering a research area related to what the students are doing in the course.

  18. Evaluation of the size segregation of elemental carbon (EC) emission in Europe: Influence on the simulation of EC long-range transportation

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Chen, Y.; Cheng, Y.F.; Nordmann, S.; Birmili, W.; Denier Van Der Gon, H.A.C.; Ma, N.; Wolke, R.; Wehner, B.; Sun, J.; Spindler, G.; Mu, Q.; Pöschl, U.; Su, H.; Wiedensohler, A.

    2016-01-01

    Elemental Carbon (EC) has a significant impact on human health and climate change. In order to evaluate the size segregation of EC emission in the EUCAARI inventory and investigate its influence on the simulation of EC long-range transportation in Europe, we used the fully coupled online Weather

  19. How to use programme theory to evaluate the effectiveness of schemes designed to improve the work environment in small businesses.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Olsen, Kirsten; Legg, Stephen; Hasle, Peter

    2012-01-01

    Due to the many constraints that small businesses (SBs) face in meeting legislative requirements, occupational health and safety (OHS) regulatory authorities and other OSH actors have developed programmes which can reach out to SBs and motivate and assist them in improving the work environment. A number of conceptual models help to enhance our understanding of OHS interventions in SBs and their effectiveness. However, they have mainly been evaluated on output rather than the process relating to the change theory underlying the intervention, and hence have seldom been rigorously evaluated. Thus little is known about how particular features of SBs can be taken into account when designing and implementing national programmes. This paper shows how realist analysis and programme theory may be used as a framework for evaluating, developing and improving national intervention programmes for the improvement of the work environment and reducing injuries in SBs. It illustrates this for a specific New Zealand intervention: the Workplace Safety Discount scheme and its implementation in the agriculture sector. In practice, realist analysis should be performed during the planning, implementation and management stages so that ongoing findings can be fed back to the participant social actors to help them make appropriate changes to enhance the likelihood of success.

  20. Emerging Contaminants in the Environment

    Science.gov (United States)

    This chapter explores the use of mass spectrometry and its application to emerging contaminants (ECs) in the environment; such classes of compounds as organometallics, pharmaceuticals/drugs, nanomaterials, and dispersants (surfactants). Table 1 shows the variety of ECs that are...

  1. Translation, data quality, reliability, validity and responsiveness of the Norwegian version of the Effective Musculoskeletal Consumer Scale (EC-17

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kristjansson Elizabeth

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The Effective Musculoskeletal Consumer Scale (EC-17 is a self-administered questionnaire for evaluating self-management interventions that empower and educate people with rheumatic conditions. The aim of the study was to translate and evaluate the Norwegian version of EC-17 against the necessary criteria for a patient-reported outcome measure, including responsiveness to change. Methods Data quality, reliability, validity and responsiveness were assessed in two groups. One group comprising 103 patients received a questionnaire before and at the end of a self-management programme. The second group comprising 96 patients' received the questionnaire two weeks before and on arrival of the program. Internal consistency and test-retest reliability were assessed. Construct validity was assessed through comparisons with the Brief Approach/Avoidance Coping Questionnaire, (BACQ, the Emotional Approach Coping Scale (EAC and the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-20. Responsiveness was assessed with the Standardised Response Mean (SRM. Results Respondents included 66 (64% and 52 (54% patients from the first and second groups respectively. Levels of missing data were low for all items. There was good evidence for unidimensionality, item-total correlations ranged from 0.59 to 0.82 and Cronbach's Alpha and test-retest correlations were over 0.90. As hypothesised EC-17 scores had statistically significant low to moderate correlations with the BACQ, EAC and GHQ-20 in the range 0.26 to 0.42. Following the self-management program, EC-17 scores showed a significant improvement with an SRM of 0.48. Conclusion The Norwegian version of the EC-17 has evidence for data quality, internal consistency and test-retest reliability, construct validity and responsiveness to change. The EC-17 seems promising as an outcome measure for evaluating self-management interventions for people with rheumatic conditions, but further studies are needed.

  2. Translation, data quality, reliability, validity and responsiveness of the Norwegian version of the Effective Musculoskeletal Consumer Scale (EC-17).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hamnes, Bente; Garratt, Andrew; Kjeken, Ingvild; Kristjansson, Elizabeth; Hagen, Kåre B

    2010-01-29

    The Effective Musculoskeletal Consumer Scale (EC-17) is a self-administered questionnaire for evaluating self-management interventions that empower and educate people with rheumatic conditions. The aim of the study was to translate and evaluate the Norwegian version of EC-17 against the necessary criteria for a patient-reported outcome measure, including responsiveness to change. Data quality, reliability, validity and responsiveness were assessed in two groups. One group comprising 103 patients received a questionnaire before and at the end of a self-management programme. The second group comprising 96 patients' received the questionnaire two weeks before and on arrival of the program. Internal consistency and test-retest reliability were assessed. Construct validity was assessed through comparisons with the Brief Approach/Avoidance Coping Questionnaire, (BACQ), the Emotional Approach Coping Scale (EAC) and the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-20). Responsiveness was assessed with the Standardised Response Mean (SRM). Respondents included 66 (64%) and 52 (54%) patients from the first and second groups respectively. Levels of missing data were low for all items. There was good evidence for unidimensionality, item-total correlations ranged from 0.59 to 0.82 and Cronbach's Alpha and test-retest correlations were over 0.90. As hypothesised EC-17 scores had statistically significant low to moderate correlations with the BACQ, EAC and GHQ-20 in the range 0.26 to 0.42. Following the self-management program, EC-17 scores showed a significant improvement with an SRM of 0.48. The Norwegian version of the EC-17 has evidence for data quality, internal consistency and test-retest reliability, construct validity and responsiveness to change. The EC-17 seems promising as an outcome measure for evaluating self-management interventions for people with rheumatic conditions, but further studies are needed.

  3. The EC discourse on vocational training

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Cort, Pia

    2009-01-01

    This article traces the EC vocational training policy historically and describes the discursive alignments which brought the policy from a ‘common vocational training policy' as laid down in Article 128, in the Treaty of Rome to the Lisbon Lifelong Learning strategy. The argument is that vocational...... EC vocational training policy (Ball, What is policy? Texts, trajectories and toolboxes. Discourse, 13(2), 1993)....

  4. Finite impulse testing (FIT) system for Emergency Cooling System (ECS) in Dhruva

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Punekar, Parag; Ramkumar, N.; Kulkarni, U.S.; Darbhea, M.D.; Bharadhwaj, G; Jangra, L.R.; Geetha, Patil; Das, Shantanu; Sonnis, S.T.; Trevedi, P.; Patil, M.B.; Biswas, B.B.

    2006-01-01

    Finite Impulse Testing (FIT) system for Emergency Cooling System (ECS) is used to check healthiness of ECS logic circuits in an online mode. The ECS is an important safety system that ensures the cooling of reactor core during shutdown state of Main Coolant Pumps (MCPs), and hence FIT-ECS that monitors the health of ECS logic circuits in an online (real time) mode is an important part of it. Based on a Safety Related Unusual Occurrence in ECS system due to the malfunction of its earlier single channel FIT system, the new FIT-ECS system has been designed with new features and is commissioned. The FIT-ECS system feeds the simulated input signals (fine impulses of nominal width 575 μS) to the ECS logic circuits and read the outputs. These output (predicted) signals from ECS logic circuit are processed in the FIT-ECS system and in event of any discrepancy, the FIT-ECS system displays fault signature on local panel, detailed information of the fault on Operator Console (OC), and generates an alarm 'ECS logic Fail' in the control room. FIT-ECS also monitors the inputs and outputs of ECS logic circuit. All the information required is stored as a database that can be subsequently displayed in various formats. ECS system is designated as Category I-A system and is a hardwired system and FIT-ECS monitors the healthiness of the logics of the ECS System is a computerized system. As per IEC 1226, FIT-ECS is categorized as Category I-B system. This paper provides technical information on FIT-ECS system design, its important features, the testing carried on the FIT-ECS system, interconnections of FIT-ECS and ECS and the commissioning experience of FIT-ECS system. (author)

  5. Natural hazards education in global environment leaders education programme for designing a low-carbon society

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Han Soo; Yamashita, Takao; Fujiwara, Akimasa

    2010-05-01

    Global environmental leader (GEL) education programme at graduate school for international development and cooperation (IDEC) in Hiroshima University is an education and training programme for graduate students especially from developing countries in Asian region to build and enhance their ability to become international environmental leaders. Through this programme, they will participate in regular course works and other activities to learn how to cope with the various environment and resource management issues from global to regional scales toward a low-carbon society via multi-disciplinary approaches considering sustainable development and climate change. Under this GEL programme, there are five different research sub-groups as follows assuming a cause-effect relationship among interacting components of social, economic, and environmental systems; 1) urban system design to prevent global warming, 2) wise use of biomass resources, 3) environmental impact assessment, 4) policy and institutional design, and 5) development of environmental education programs. Candidate students of GEL programme belong to one of the five research sub-groups, perform their researches and participate in many activities under the cross-supervisions from faculty members of different sub-groups. Under the third research group for environmental impact assessment, we use numerical models named as regional environment simulator (RES) as a tool for research and education for assessing the environmental impacts due to natural hazards. Developed at IDEC, Hiroshima University, RES is a meso-scale numerical model system that can be used for regional simulation of natural disasters and environmental problems caused by water and heat circulation in the atmosphere, hydrosphere, and biosphere. RES has three components: i) atmosphere-surface waves-ocean part, ii) atmosphere-land surface process-hydrologic part, and iii) coastal and estuarine part. Each part is constructed with state-of-the-art public

  6. Everyone talk about EC technology - What's about this technology? AC versus AC technology; Alle reden von EC-Technologie - was bringt sie wirklich? AC- versus EC-Motorentechnik

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Anon.

    2010-12-15

    Meanwhile, the EC motor technology is the state of the art in fans. In the consciousness of a possible energy conservation, the EC motor technology is demanded to a large extent with the new installations of the customers. But how high are the possible savings actually? A comparative measurement at a condenser of Guentner AG (Fuerstenfeldbruck, Federal Republic of Germany) supports information.

  7. LiPF{sub 6}. Synthesis and stability in EC/DMC and PC/DMC mixtures; LiPF{sub 6}. Synthese et stabilite dans les melanges EC/DMC et PC/DMC

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Naejus, R.; Coudert, R.; Lemordant, D. [Laboratoire P.I.M.I.R. EA, Sciences et Techniques, 37 - Tours (France); Willmann, P. [CNES, 31 - Toulouse (France)

    1996-12-31

    Lithium hexa-fluoro-phosphate LiPF{sub 6} is recommended for the replacement of the toxic LiAsF{sub 6} and the explosive perchlorates (like LiClO{sub 4}) in rechargeable lithium electrochemical generators. The aim of this work is to develop a new method of synthesis of this salt and to check its stability with respect to carbonated solvents: ethylene carbonate (EC), propylene carbonate (PC) and dimethyl-carbonate (DMC) in already optimized EC/DMC and PC/DMC binary mixtures. Two methods using HPF{sub 6} are proposed: the first one uses the direct neutralization of this commercial acid by LiOH in aqueous, alcoholic or acetonitrile environment, while in the second one LiPF{sub 6} is obtained from pyridinium hexa-fluoro-phosphate synthesized from HPF{sub 6} using a new and simple protocol. (J.S.) 24 refs.

  8. LiPF{sub 6}. Synthesis and stability in EC/DMC and PC/DMC mixtures; LiPF{sub 6}. Synthese et stabilite dans les melanges EC/DMC et PC/DMC

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Naejus, R; Coudert, R; Lemordant, D [Laboratoire P.I.M.I.R. EA, Sciences et Techniques, 37 - Tours (France); Willmann, P [CNES, 31 - Toulouse (France)

    1997-12-31

    Lithium hexa-fluoro-phosphate LiPF{sub 6} is recommended for the replacement of the toxic LiAsF{sub 6} and the explosive perchlorates (like LiClO{sub 4}) in rechargeable lithium electrochemical generators. The aim of this work is to develop a new method of synthesis of this salt and to check its stability with respect to carbonated solvents: ethylene carbonate (EC), propylene carbonate (PC) and dimethyl-carbonate (DMC) in already optimized EC/DMC and PC/DMC binary mixtures. Two methods using HPF{sub 6} are proposed: the first one uses the direct neutralization of this commercial acid by LiOH in aqueous, alcoholic or acetonitrile environment, while in the second one LiPF{sub 6} is obtained from pyridinium hexa-fluoro-phosphate synthesized from HPF{sub 6} using a new and simple protocol. (J.S.) 24 refs.

  9. NRPA. Radioactivity in the marine environment 2008 and 2009. Results from the Norwegian national monitoring programme (RAME)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gaefvert, T.; Heldal, H. E.; Brungot, A. L.; Gwynn, J.; Svaeren, I.; Kolstad, A. K.; Moeller, B.; Straalberg, E.; Christensen, G. C.; Drefvelin, J.; Dowdall, M.; Lind, B.; Rudjord, A. L.

    2011-04-01

    The issue of present and potential radioactive contamination in the marine environment has received considerable attention in Norway. In the late 1980s several accidents and incidents involving nuclear-powered submarines,demonstrated that the risk of the release of radionuclides into the Barents Sea should be considered more carefully. In particular, it became evident that better documentation concerning the radioactivity levels in fish and other seafood was important for the seafood export industries. Furthermore, in the early 1990s, information concerning the dumping of nuclear waste emerged through bilateral environmental cooperation between Norway and Russia. In the years that followed, concern grew regarding the safety of military and civil nuclear installations in the northwest of Russia. This concern was associated not only with possible reactor accidents, but also with the prolonged or sudden release of radio-nuclides from radioactive waste facilities.In addition to the potential threats outlined above, radionuclides originating from nuclear weapons fallout, the Chernobyl accident and waste discharged from European reprocessing facilities have been detected in the Norwegian marine environment. In 1994 and 1995, the discharge of 99Tc from the reprocessing facility at Sellafield in the UK increased sharply, and although this discharge has been reduced, it continued at a high level up to 2003. There has been much public concern about the consequences of such kinds of release, as the radionuclides discharged to the Irish Sea are transported by ocean currents via the North Sea into the Norwegian coastal current and to the Barents Sea. In response to this concern, programmes for the monitoring of radioactivity in the marine environment have been established. Due to the economic importance of the fishing industry and its vulnerability to contamination, as well as any rumours of radioactive contamination, one of the main objectives of these programmes is to

  10. BioVLAB-MMIA: a cloud environment for microRNA and mRNA integrated analysis (MMIA) on Amazon EC2.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Hyungro; Yang, Youngik; Chae, Heejoon; Nam, Seungyoon; Choi, Donghoon; Tangchaisin, Patanachai; Herath, Chathura; Marru, Suresh; Nephew, Kenneth P; Kim, Sun

    2012-09-01

    MicroRNAs, by regulating the expression of hundreds of target genes, play critical roles in developmental biology and the etiology of numerous diseases, including cancer. As a vast amount of microRNA expression profile data are now publicly available, the integration of microRNA expression data sets with gene expression profiles is a key research problem in life science research. However, the ability to conduct genome-wide microRNA-mRNA (gene) integration currently requires sophisticated, high-end informatics tools, significant expertise in bioinformatics and computer science to carry out the complex integration analysis. In addition, increased computing infrastructure capabilities are essential in order to accommodate large data sets. In this study, we have extended the BioVLAB cloud workbench to develop an environment for the integrated analysis of microRNA and mRNA expression data, named BioVLAB-MMIA. The workbench facilitates computations on the Amazon EC2 and S3 resources orchestrated by the XBaya Workflow Suite. The advantages of BioVLAB-MMIA over the web-based MMIA system include: 1) readily expanded as new computational tools become available; 2) easily modifiable by re-configuring graphic icons in the workflow; 3) on-demand cloud computing resources can be used on an "as needed" basis; 4) distributed orchestration supports complex and long running workflows asynchronously. We believe that BioVLAB-MMIA will be an easy-to-use computing environment for researchers who plan to perform genome-wide microRNA-mRNA (gene) integrated analysis tasks.

  11. Developing and implementing an anti-corruption ethics and compliance programme in the African environment

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alain Ndedi

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available This article discusses the development and implementation of anti-corruption ethics and compliance programme in the African business environment. In the past decade, an international legal framework has been developed to tackle corruption both in public and private sectors. This framework includes the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC, which entered into force in 2005, and the Convention on Combating Bribery of Foreign Public Officials in International Business Transactions, which entered into force in 1999. These instruments mandate that State Parties must criminalise and punish a variety of corrupt practices. Relevant domestic laws have a direct impact on business, especially in States Parties instruments that require the establishment of liability of legal persons for corrupt acts. The African Union Convention also requires States Parties to establish mechanisms to encourage participation by the private sector in the fight against unfair competition, respect of the tender procedures and property rights. The paper details various steps needed to efficiently and effectively implement anti-corruption ethics and compliance programme in the African context. The first part of the paper develops the primary objective of the corruption risk assessment which is to better understand the risk exposure so that informed risk management decisions may be taken. A structured approach for how enterprises could conduct an anti-corruption risk assessment will be outlined in this first section. The author argued in this same first section that each enterprise’s own risk assessment exercise is unique, depending on that enterprise’s industry, size, location, and other factors inherent to that organisation. The second part of the paper drafts the development and the implementation of an anti-corruption programme. The paper concludes by stating that an anti-corruption and compliance programme is not a panacea for fighting all the ills on

  12. Results of a monitoring programme in the environs of Berkeley aimed at collecting Chernobyl data for foodchain model validation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nair, S.; Darley, P.J.; Shaer, J.

    1989-03-01

    The results of a fallout measurement programme which was carried out in the environs of Berkeley Nuclear Laboratory in the United Kingdom following the Chernobyl reactor accident in April 1986 are presented in this report. The programme was aimed at establishing a time-dependent data base of concentrations of Chernobyl fallout radionuclides in selected agricultural products. Results were obtained for milk, grass, silage, soil and wheat over an eighteen month period from May 1986. It is intended to use the data to validate the CEGB's dynamic foodchain model, which is incorporated in the FOODWEB module of the NECTAR environmental code. (author)

  13. Qualification, monitoring, and integration into a production environment of the world's first fully programmable illuminator

    Science.gov (United States)

    McIntyre, Gregory; Corliss, Daniel; Groenendijk, Remco; Carpaij, Rene; van Niftrik, Ton; Landie, Guillaume; Tamura, Takao; Pepin, Thomas; Waddell, James; Woods, Jerry; Robinson, Chris; Tian, Kehan; Johnson, Richard; Halle, Scott; Kim, Ryoung-Han; Mclellan, Erin; Kato, Hirokazu; Scaduto, Anthony; Maier, Carl; Colburn, Matt

    2011-04-01

    This paper will describe the development, qualification, monitoring, and integration into a production environment of the world's first fully programmable illuminator for optical lithography. FlexRay TM, a programmable illuminator based on a MEMs multi-mirror array that was developed for TWINSCAN XT:19x0i and TWINSCAN NXT series ASML immersion scanners, was first installed in January 2010 at Albany Nanotech, with subsequent tools installed in IBM's East Fishkill Manufacturing facility. After a brief overview of the concept and benefits of FlexRay, this paper will provide a comprehensive assessment of its reliability and imaging performance. A CD-based pupil qualification (CDPQ) procedure will be introduced and shown to be an efficient and effective way to monitor pupil performance. Various CDPQ and in-resist measurement results will be described, offering convincing evidence that FlexRay reliably generates high-quality pupils and is well suited for high volume manufacturing at lithography's leading edge.

  14. Integrated project 'fundamental processes of radionuclide migration (FUNMIG)', within EC 6. framework programme

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Buckau, G.

    2005-01-01

    Full text of publication follows: The FUNMIG project is an integrated project within the 6. Framework Programme of the European Commissions. It started 1 January 2005 and has a duration of 4 years. The project deals with all aspects of radionuclide migration in the far-field of a high level nuclear waste repository. It is structured into seven components. Two components are on fundamental processes applicable to all nuclear waste disposal concepts and host-rock types. They are divided into processes that are conceptually well understood and one component dealing with processes where not only trustworthy data are scarce, but conceptualization is at an infant state. Three components address processes specific for host rock types presently under discussion for high level waste disposal in the EU, namely clay rich, crystalline and salt rock. One component is on integration of processes and abstraction to performance assessment. Finally, one component deals with a broad spectrum of activities on knowledge transfer and training. There are 51 contractors from 15 European countries involved. In addition, a special instrument is used for groups interested in participation as Associated Groups. There are presently about 15 such Associated Groups increasing the number of countries involved to 17. Among these Associated Groups, presently 8 national regulatory bodies are represented, promoting communication between the scientific-technical and regulatory communities. There is no specific deadline for joining the FUNMIG project as an Associated Group and negotiations with further groups/organizations is ongoing. Information about the FUNMIG project can be found under www.funmig.com. The present project is one out of four dealing with disposal of radioactive waste within the European Commissions 6. Framework Programme. The other ones are on the basis for waste disposal techniques, near field processes, and a project expected within the next future dealing with performance

  15. Protection of human research participants: accreditation of programmes in the Indian context.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bhosale, Neelambari; Nigar, Shagoofa; Das, Soma; Divate, Uma; Divate, Pathik

    2014-01-01

    The recent negative media reports on the status of participants in clinical trials in India, together with the concerns expressed by the regulatory bodies, have raised questions regarding India's credibility in the conduct of clinical research. Even though the regulations require the registration of trials with the Clinical Trial Registry-India and despite the recently mandated registration of ethics committees (ECs) with the Drugs Controller General of India, the lack of governmental audit and accreditation procedures and bodies has resulted in inadequate protection of human participants in clinical research. Institutions and research sites would benefit by implementing a human research protection programme, which would safeguard the rights, safety and wellbeing of participants in clinical trials, in addition to improving the processes and procedures for the conduct of the trial. The Jehangir Clinical Development Centre, Pune has received accreditation from the Association for the Accreditation of Human Research Protection Programme (AAHRPP). A unique feature of the AAHRPP is the integrative nature of the programme, wherein the sponsors of the trial, investigators, EC members and institution work towards the common goal of protecting research participants. Here, we discuss the improvement needed in the quality standards of institutions for them to be able to meet the requirements of the AAHRPP. We also suggest the need for a governmental accreditation body, which will be required for the future promotion of and improvement in the standards for clinical practice in India.

  16. Practical assessment of the SWMM programme

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hlustik, P.

    2017-10-01

    The article describes the advantages and disadvantages of the SWMM programme user environment when working with it. The Storm Water Management Model (SWMM) is a programme developed by the U.S. EPA (United States Environmental Protection Agency). The SWMM programme is used worldwide to plan, analyse and design rainfall-runoff, combined and separate sanitary sewage systems and other drainage systems in urban areas [1]. The programme is freely available to download from the U.S. EPA website [2].

  17. Emerging contaminants in the environment: Risk-based analysis for better management.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Naidu, Ravi; Arias Espana, Victor Andres; Liu, Yanju; Jit, Joytishna

    2016-07-01

    Emerging contaminants (ECs) are chemicals of a synthetic origin or deriving from a natural source that has recently been discovered and for which environmental or public health risks are yet to be established. This is due to limited available information on their interaction and toxicological impacts on receptors. Several types of ECs exist such as antibiotics, pesticides, pharmaceuticals, personal care products, effluents, certain naturally occurring contaminants and more recently nanomaterials. ECs may derive from a known source, for example released directly to the aquatic environment from direct discharges such as those from wastewater treatment plants. Although in most instances the direct source cannot be identified, ECs have been detected in virtually every country's natural environment and as a consequence they represent a global problem. There is very limited information on the fate and transport of ECs in the environment and their toxicological impact. This lack of information can be attributed to limited financial resources and the lack of analytical techniques for detecting their effects on ecosystems and human health on their own or as mixture. We do not know how ECs interact with each other or various contaminants. This paper presents an overview of existing knowledge on ECs, their fate and transport and a risk-based analysis for ECs management and complementary strategies. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. Radioactivity in the environment. A summary and radiological assessment of the Environment Ageny's monitoring programmes. Report for 1996

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1996-01-01

    This report presents the results from the Environment Agency's monitoring of radioactivity in the environment during 1996. Monitoring programmes were carried out in support of the Agency's regulatory functions under the Radioactive Substances Act 1993 and as part of the UK Government's obligations under the Euratom Treaty. The programmes included: effluent monitoring; the quality checking of solid waste disposals; environmental monitoring; the monitoring of radioactivity in air and rainwater; the monitoring of radioactivity in drinking water sources. A total of 160 effluent samples were analysed for nearly 900 determinants, two consignments of solid radioactive waste destined for disposal at British Nuclear Fuels' site at Drigg were checked, direct instrumental monitoring was carried out at ISO locations within the vicinity of nuclear sites, and 532 environmental samples were analysed for over 2,000 determinants. Effluent monitoring: The Agency requires operators of certain sites to provide samples of their liquid effluents for independent analysis. The results are compared with reports submitted by site operators. The majority of results showed satisfactory agreement; operators' values were frequently higher than the Agency's measurements indicating that they were not under-reporting. However, some discrepancies were found and are being investigated. Quality checking of solid waste disposals: Consignments of solid low level radioactive waste are seized by inspectors for examination at the Agency's Waste Quality Checking Laboratory. Sophisticated non-destructive and destructive analytical techniques are used at the laboratory to check the radioactive content and description of the wastes. Consignments of waste from the Atomic Weapons Establishment at Aldermaston and Amersham International at Amersham were examined. In both cases the operators reported higher activity than the Agency's laboratory. The consignments also conformed with the operators' disposal

  19. UST-IDRC national symposium on the mining industry and the environment: programme and abstracts

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1997-04-01

    The National Symposium on the mining industry and the environment was organized by the UST/IDRC Environmental Research Group in the Department of Chemistry of the University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana. The symposium generally covered strategies for the development of the mining industry as well as solutions to the environmental problems associated with the industry in Ghana. The publication contains the programme and abstracts of scientific sessions of the Symposium. The abstracts covered the following topics among others: multi-element analysis of mineral ores samples, review of environmental studies related to gold mining in Ghana, local sulphooxidizing bacteria for environmentally friendly gold mining, arsenic pollution in streams and sediments, rainfall erositivity and soil loss from degraded lands and mine spoils, the impact of surface mining on forest structure and environment, current environmental practices in the mining industry, and the role of the mining industry in the economy of Ghana

  20. On the isolation of elemental carbon (EC) for micro-molar 14C accelerator mass spectrometry: development of a hybrid reference material for 14C-EC accuracy assurance, and a critical evaluation of the thermal optical kinetic (TOK) EC isolation procedure

    Science.gov (United States)

    Currie, L. A.; Kessler, J. D.

    2005-10-01

    The primary objective of the research reported here has been the development of a hybrid reference material (RM) to serve as a test of accuracy for elemental carbon (EC) isotopic (14C) speciation measurements. Such measurements are vital for the quantitative apportionment of fossil and biomass sources of "soot" (EC), the tracer of fire that has profound effects on health, atmospheric visibility, and climate. Previous studies of 14C-EC measurement quality, carried out with NIST SRM 1649a (Urban Dust), showed a range of results, but since the "truth" was not known for this natural matrix RM, one had to rely on isotopic-chemical consistency evidence (14C in PAH, EC) of measurement validity (Currie et al., 2002). Components of the new Hybrid RM (DiesApple), however, have known 14C and EC composition, and they are nearly orthogonal (isotopically and chemically). NIST SRM 2975 (Forklift Diesel Soot) has little or no 14C, and its major compositional component is EC; SRM 1515 (Apple Leaves) has the 14C content of biomass-C, and it has little or no EC. Thus, the Hybrid RM can serve as an absolute isotopic test for the absence of EC-mimicking pyrolysis-C (char) from SRM 1515 in the EC isolate of the Hybrid RM, as well as a test for conservation of its dominant soot fraction throughout the isolation procedure. The secondary objective was to employ the Hybrid RM for the comparative evaluation of the thermal optical kinetic (TOK) and thermal optical transmission (TOT) methods for the isolation of EC for micro-molar carbon accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS). As part of this process, the relatively new TOK method was subjected to a critical evaluation and significant development. Key findings of our study are: (1) both methods exhibited biomass-C "leakage"; for TOT, the EC fraction isolated for AMS contained about 8% of the original biomass-C; for TOK, the refractory carbon (RC) isolated contained about 3% of the original biomass-C.; (2) the initial isothermal oxidation stage of

  1. On the isolation of elemental carbon (EC for micro-molar 14C accelerator mass spectrometry: development of a hybrid reference material for 14C-EC accuracy assurance, and a critical evaluation of the thermal optical kinetic (TOK EC isolation procedure

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    L. A. Currie

    2005-01-01

    Full Text Available The primary objective of the research reported here has been the development of a hybrid reference material (RM to serve as a test of accuracy for elemental carbon (EC isotopic (14C speciation measurements. Such measurements are vital for the quantitative apportionment of fossil and biomass sources of 'soot' (EC, the tracer of fire that has profound effects on health, atmospheric visibility, and climate. Previous studies of 14C-EC measurement quality, carried out with NIST SRM 1649a (Urban Dust, showed a range of results, but since the 'truth' was not known for this natural matrix RM, one had to rely on isotopic-chemical consistency evidence (14C in PAH, EC of measurement validity (Currie et al., 2002. Components of the new Hybrid RM (DiesApple, however, have known 14C and EC composition, and they are nearly orthogonal (isotopically and chemically. NIST SRM 2975 (Forklift Diesel Soot has little or no 14C, and its major compositional component is EC; SRM 1515 (Apple Leaves has the 14C content of biomass-C, and it has little or no EC. Thus, the Hybrid RM can serve as an absolute isotopic test for the absence of EC-mimicking pyrolysis-C (char from SRM 1515 in the EC isolate of the Hybrid RM, as well as a test for conservation of its dominant soot fraction throughout the isolation procedure. The secondary objective was to employ the Hybrid RM for the comparative evaluation of the thermal optical kinetic (TOK and thermal optical transmission (TOT methods for the isolation of EC for micro-molar carbon accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS. As part of this process, the relatively new TOK method was subjected to a critical evaluation and significant development. Key findings of our study are: (1 both methods exhibited biomass-C 'leakage'; for TOT, the EC fraction isolated for AMS contained about 8% of the original biomass-C; for TOK, the refractory carbon (RC isolated contained about 3% of the original biomass-C.; (2 the initial isothermal oxidation stage

  2. EC-construction product guideline 89/106/EEC and EC-pressure equipement guideline 97/23/EC; EG-Bauproduktenrichtlinie 89/106/EWG und EG-Druckgeraeterichtlinie 97/23/EG

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Dupin, F. [DVGW Deutscher Verein des Gas- und Wasserfaches e.V., Bonn (Germany)

    1998-08-01

    For now nearly ten years the EC-directive 90/396/EEC is well established in the gas field. In the meantime other EC-directives are playing a role which cannot be left out of consideration. Particularly the EC-Construction Product Directive (89/106/EEC) and the Pressure Equipment Directive (97/23/EG) constitute a focal point as many key-issues (e.g. scope) are still open, causing thus hotly debated discussions. The present contribution reflects the current consultations at the national and European level, pointing out then the gas-specific features. (orig.) [Deutsch] Seit nahezu zehn Jahren hat sich die EG-Richtlinie 90/396/EWG fuer Gasverbrauchseinrichtungen im europaeischen Gasfach fest etabliert. Inzwischen sind andere EG-Richtlinien ins Spiel gekommen, deren Einfluss nicht ausser Acht gelassen werden kann. Besonders die EG-Bauproduktenrichtlinie (89/106/EWG) und die EG-Druckgeraeterichtlinie (97/23/EG) stehen z.Z. im Mittelpunkt, da viele Schluesselfragen (z.B. Geltungsbereich) noch offen sind und heftige Debatten mit sich bringen. Der vorliegende Beitrag gibt den Stand der auf nationaler und europaeischer Ebene gefuehrten Beratungen wieder und stellt dabei die gasspezifischen Gegebenheiten heraus. (orig.)

  3. The I.A.G. / A.I.G. SEDIBUD (Sediment Budgets in Cold Environments) Programme: Current and future activities

    Science.gov (United States)

    Beylich, Achim A.; Lamoureux, Scott; Decaulne, Armelle

    2013-04-01

    Projected climate change in cold regions is expected to alter melt season duration and intensity, along with the number of extreme rainfall events, total annual precipitation and the balance between snowfall and rainfall. Similarly, changes to the thermal balance are expected to reduce the extent of permafrost and seasonal ground frost and increase active layer depths. These effects will undoubtedly change surface environments in cold regions and alter the fluxes of sediments, nutrients and solutes, but the absence of quantitative data and coordinated geomorphic process monitoring and analysis to understand the sensitivity of the Earth surface environment is acute in cold climate environments. The International Association of Geomorphologists (I.A.G. / A.I.G. ) SEDIBUD (Sediment Budgets in Cold Environments) Programme was formed in 2005 to address this existing key knowledge gap. SEDIBUD currently has about 400 members worldwide and the Steering Committee of this international programme is composed of ten scientists from eight different countries: Achim A. Beylich (Chair) (Norway), Armelle Decaulne (Secretary) (France), John C. Dixon (USA), Scott F. Lamoureux (Vice-Chair) (Canada), John F. Orwin (Canada), Jan-Christoph Otto (Austria), Irina Overeem (USA), Thorsteinn Sæmundsson (Iceland), Jeff Warburton (UK) and Zbigniew Zwolinski (Poland). The central research question of this global group of scientists is to: Assess and model the contemporary sedimentary fluxes in cold climates, with emphasis on both particulate and dissolved components. Initially formed as European Science Foundation (ESF) Network SEDIFLUX (Sedimentary Source-to-Sink Fluxes in Cold Environments) (2004 - ), SEDIBUD has further expanded to a global group of researchers with field research sites located in polar and alpine regions in the northern and southern hemisphere. Research carried out at each of the close to 50 defined SEDIBUD key test sites varies by programme, logistics and available

  4. "We Are Family": Maori Success in Foundation Programmes

    Science.gov (United States)

    McMurchy-Pilkington, Colleen

    2013-01-01

    This paper considers the question: What constitutes an optimal learning environment for Maori learners in foundation programmes? Using Kaupapa Maori methodology, nearly 100 adult Maori (Indigenous) students in Aotearoa/New Zealand were interviewed from a range of tertiary providers of foundation programmes. State-funded foundation programmes that…

  5. Radiation and nuclear safety included in the environmental health programme

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Salomaa, S.

    1996-01-01

    Finland is currently preparing a national environmental health programme, the objective of which is to chart the main environmental health problems in Finland, to identify means for securing a healthy environment, and to draw up a practical action programme for preventing and rectifying problems pertaining to environmental health. Radiation and nuclear safety form an essential part of preventive health care. The action programme is based on decisions and programmes approved at the WHO Conference on the Environment and Health, held in Helsinki in June 1994. In addition to the state of the Finnish environment and the health of the Finnish population, the programme addresses the relevant international issues, in particular in areas adjacent to Finland. The Committee on Environmental Health is expected to complete its work by the end of the year. A wide range of representatives from various branches of administration have contributed to the preparation of the programme. Besides physical, biological and chemical factors, the environmental factors affecting health also include the physical environment and the psychological, social and aesthetic features of the environment. Similarly, environmental factors that have an impact on the health of present or future generations, on the essential preconditions of life and on the quality of life are investigated. The serious risk to nature caused by human actions is also considered as a potential risk to human health. (orig.)

  6. Special Issue: Selected papers from ECS'97

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    1999-01-01

    This Special Issue of Analog Integrated Circuits and Signal Processing presents extended versions of selected papers from the First Electronic Circuits and Systems Conference (ECS'97) which was held on September 4-5, 1997, in Bratislava, Slovakia.......This Special Issue of Analog Integrated Circuits and Signal Processing presents extended versions of selected papers from the First Electronic Circuits and Systems Conference (ECS'97) which was held on September 4-5, 1997, in Bratislava, Slovakia....

  7. Compressed air system best practice programmes: What needs to change to secure long-term energy savings for New Zealand?

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Neale, James R.; Kamp, Peter J.J.

    2009-01-01

    The establishment of a compressed air system (CAS) best practice programme is a key component of one of the initial industrial energy efficiency programmes being driven by New Zealand government ministries and agencies. In a global context this is not a new initiative in that existing programmes have been functioning in Europe and USA, yet in each of these cases the impact ten years-on has been patchy with limited long-term improvements in overall energy efficiency. The New Zealand CAS best practice programme currently under development is sponsored by the Electricity Commission (EC) and the Energy Efficiency Conservation Authority (EECA). It takes a new approach in policy direction, with variations from those used in other international programmes. A significant level of electricity levy money is to be committed to this programme and it is timely to highlight its merits and potential weaknesses, and what is required to generate long-term energy savings beyond the levels achieved by more mature overseas programmes.

  8. Spent Fuel Challenges Facing Small and New Nuclear Programmes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    McCombie, C.

    2015-01-01

    In order to ensure that the radioactive wastes in any country are managed safely, it is necessary to have an established legislative and regulatory framework and also to create the necessary organizations for implementation and for oversight of waste management operations and facility development. Guidance on these issues is given in the Joint Convention and a number of other IAEA documents. The IAEA, and also the EC, have in addition published key overarching strategic advisory documents for new nuclear programmes. These tend to imply that all nuclear programmes, however large or small, should be pressing ahead urgently towards early implementation of geological repositories. In practice, however, in small programmes there are neither economic nor technical drivers for early implementation of deep geological repositories; constructing simpler facilities for the disposal of the larger volume of low-level waste has higher priority. Nevertheless, in all countries political decisions have to be taken and policies set in place to ensure that geological disposal will implemented without unjustified delay. This paper distils out a set of key messages for small programmes. Amongst the most critical are the following. Even if disposal is far off, planning and organization should begin at the initiation of the programme; this can help with technical and economic optimization and (importantly) also with public and political acceptance. Important lessons can be learned from advanced programmes — but these must be adapted to allow for the different boundary conditions of new and small programmes. The key differences relate to the timescales involved, and the resources available. There is a range of waste management and waste disposal options open to new programmes. It is not necessary to choose definitive solutions at the outset; options can be kept open, but a minimum level of engagement is required for all open options. (author)

  9. Quality of Life Programme – Food, Nuntrition, and Health – Projects Promotion

    OpenAIRE

    Boenke, Achim

    2001-01-01

    The EC Quality of Life Programme (QoL), Key Action 1 – Food, Nutrition & Health aims at providing a healthy, safe, and high-quality food supply leading to reinforced consumer’s confidence in the safety of the European food. Key Action 1 is currently supporting several European projects investigating analytical methods for food control including sensors, risk analysis, and food safety standardisation. Their objectives range from the development and validation of prevention strategies for mycot...

  10. Changing the restaurant food environment to improve cardiovascular health in a rural community: implementation and evaluation of the Heart of New Ulm restaurant programme.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lindberg, Rebecca; Sidebottom, Abbey C; McCool, Brigitte; Pereira, Raquel F; Sillah, Arthur; Boucher, Jackie L

    2018-04-01

    The goals of the present study were to: (i) describe the implementation of a programme to improve the restaurant food environment in a rural community; and (ii) describe how practices changed in community restaurants. The intervention included a baseline assessment of all community restaurants (n 32) and a report on how they could increase the availability and promotion of healthful options. The assessment focused on sixteen healthy practices (HP) derived from the Nutrition Environment Measures Survey for Restaurants. Restaurants were invited to participate at gold, silver or bronze levels based on the number of HP attained. Participating restaurants received dietitian consultation, staff training and promotion of the restaurant. All community restaurants were reassessed 1·5 years after baseline. The restaurant programme was part of the Heart of New Ulm Project, a community-based CVD prevention programme in a rural community. All community restaurants (n 32) were included in the study. Over one-third (38 %) of community restaurants participated in the programme. At baseline, 22 % achieved at least a bronze level. This increased to 38 % at follow-up with most of the improvement among participating restaurants that were independently owned. Across all restaurants in the community, the HP showing the most improvement included availability of non-fried vegetables (63-84 %), fruits (41-53 %), smaller portions and whole grains. Findings demonstrate successes and challenges of improving healthful food availability and promotion in a community-wide restaurant programme.

  11. EC6 design features and pre-project licensing review

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yu, S.; Lee, A.G.; Dinh, N.B.; Soulard, M. [CANDU Energy Inc., Mississauga, Ontario, (Canada)

    2013-07-01

    The Enhanced CANDU 6 (EC6) is the new Generation III CANDU reactor design that meets the most up to date Canadian regulatory requirements and customer expectations. Candu Energy Inc. is finalizing development of the EC6 which incorporates the CANDU 6's well-proven features, and adds enhancements that strengthened reactor safety margin and improved operability. The EC6 builds on the proven high performance design and the defence-in-depth features of CANDU 6 units, and has incorporated extensive operational feedback including lessons learned from Fukushima. This paper will provide status of the engineering program including progress on the pre-licensing review of the EC6 design by the Canadian Regulator, CNSC, and will also highlight the design and safety enhancements incorporated in the EC6 product. Safety enhancements to meet safety goals and to improve robustness of systems to respond to design basis accidents and beyond design basis accidents include: new severe accident recovery and heat removal system; improved emergency heat removal system; faster shutoff rods with improved safety margins; mechanical guaranteed shutdown rods; daily load cycling capability; robust containment with containment filter venting system; and improved backed-up electrical supply and cooling services. (author)

  12. Do Decision 2003/54/EC and Decision no. 1229/2003/EC result in a European market for electricity?

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wenting, F.

    2004-01-01

    In the summer of 2003 the European Parliament and the European Council issued a new Directive with respect to the internal market for electricity (Directive 2003/54/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 26 June 2003 concerning common rules for the internal market in electricity) and Guidelines for trans-European networks in the energy sector (Decision no. 1229/2003/EC). The question is whether these decisions will lead to a European and free market for electricity. It is concluded that this is not yet the case [nl

  13. Annual report on radioactive discharges and monitoring of the environment 1993. V. 2: Certificates of authorisation and environmental monitoring programmes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1994-01-01

    British Nuclear Fuels plc's Certificates of Authorisation, under which it operates, are reproduced in the second volume of the 1993 Annual Report on Radioactive Discharges and Monitoring of the Environment. The report also includes environmental monitoring programmes relating to discharge authorisation for each of the Sellafield, Drigg, Chapelcross, Springfields and Capenhurst sites. (UK)

  14. Inter-comparison of NIOSH and IMPROVE protocols for OC and EC determination: implications for inter-protocol data conversion

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Cheng; Huang, X. H. Hilda; Ng, Wai Man; Griffith, Stephen M.; Zhen Yu, Jian

    2016-09-01

    Organic carbon (OC) and elemental carbon (EC) are operationally defined by analytical methods. As a result, OC and EC measurements are protocol dependent, leading to uncertainties in their quantification. In this study, more than 1300 Hong Kong samples were analyzed using both National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) thermal optical transmittance (TOT) and Interagency Monitoring of Protected Visual Environment (IMPROVE) thermal optical reflectance (TOR) protocols to explore the cause of EC disagreement between the two protocols. EC discrepancy mainly (83 %) arises from a difference in peak inert mode temperature, which determines the allocation of OC4NSH, while the rest (17 %) is attributed to a difference in the optical method (transmittance vs. reflectance) applied for the charring correction. Evidence shows that the magnitude of the EC discrepancy is positively correlated with the intensity of the biomass burning signal, whereby biomass burning increases the fraction of OC4NSH and widens the disagreement in the inter-protocol EC determination. It is also found that the EC discrepancy is positively correlated with the abundance of metal oxide in the samples. Two approaches (M1 and M2) that translate NIOSH TOT OC and EC data into IMPROVE TOR OC and EC data are proposed. M1 uses direct relationship between ECNSH_TOT and ECIMP_TOR for reconstruction: M1 : ECIMP_TOR = a × ECNSH_TOT + b; while M2 deconstructs ECIMP_TOR into several terms based on analysis principles and applies regression only on the unknown terms: M2 : ECIMP_TOR = AECNSH + OC4NSH - (a × PCNSH_TOR + b), where AECNSH, apparent EC by the NIOSH protocol, is the carbon that evolves in the He-O2 analysis stage, OC4NSH is the carbon that evolves at the fourth temperature step of the pure helium analysis stage of NIOSH, and PCNSH_TOR is the pyrolyzed carbon as determined by the NIOSH protocol. The implementation of M1 to all urban site data (without considering seasonal specificity

  15. Seizure threshold to lidocaine is decreased following repeated ECS (electroconvulsive shock)

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kragh, J; Seidelin, J; Bolwig, T G

    1993-01-01

    Seizure susceptibility to lidocaine was investigated in rats which had received repeated ECS (electroconvulsive shock). In the first experiment three groups of rats received an ECS daily for 18 days, an ECS weekly for 18 weeks, and 18 sham treatments, respectively. Twelve weeks after the last ECS...... all rats received a lidocaine challenge (LC) in the form of an intraperitoneal (IP) injection of lidocaine (65 mg/kg). After the injection the animals were observed for occurrence of motor seizures. A total of 67% (10/15), 47% (7/15), and 0% (0/18) of the daily, weekly, and sham groups, respectively......, had motor seizures in response to the LC. In the second experiment five groups of rats received an ECS daily for 0, 1, 6, 18, and 36 days, respectively. Eighteen weeks after the last ECS all rats received an LC and 0% (0/15), 13% (2/15), 20% (3/15), 53% (8/15), and 58% (7/12), respectively, developed...

  16. Role of the ADS from the perspective of the International Thorium Energy Committee iThEC

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kadi, Y.

    2015-01-01

    The international Thorium Energy Committee (iThEC) in Geneva has been established to investigate the ADS (accelerator-driven subcritical reactor) fuelled by thorium. The committee, formed by prominent members of the scientific community of CERN also comprises business leaders and members acquainted with public relations in an effort aimed at broadening the appeal of the ADS concept. The use of thorium in a subcritical fast reactor configuration driven by an accelerator and cooled by natural convection of liquid metal offers significant advantages in terms of resource abundance, security, non-proliferation and drastic reduction of existing and future waste. Switzerland has unique strengths in a number of areas directly related to the basic elements of an ADS system for the destruction of nuclear waste. First, the Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI) in Villigen has developed a cyclotron with a proton beam whose characteristics and power have the capacity to drive a nuclear waste incinerator. Secondly, the presence of CERN in Switzerland is also an important asset because it is at CERN that the founding experiments of an ADS were performed. iThEC proposes that Switzerland undertakes, along with other interested parties, a programme on the elimination of nuclear waste through the thorium-ADS concept

  17. The regional seas programme of UNEP

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bliss-Guest, P.A. (United Nations Environment Programme, Geneva, Switzerland); Keckes, S.

    1982-04-01

    The 1972 United Nations Conference on the Human Environment (Stockholm) outlined a ''master plan'' for protecting the world's environment which linked environmental assessment, environmental management, and supporting measures, as basic and inseparable elements - also recognizing the advantages of a regional approach in contributing to the solution of global problems. The development of UNEP's Regional Seas Programme, since the Action Plan for the Mediterranean was adopted in 1975, demonstrates that the basic concepts formulated at Stockholm can effectively foster regional cooperation among interested States, and that such cooperation can and does benefit greatly from the support of the United Nations as a whole. The viability of any long-term regional programme lies with the political and financial commitment of the Governments concerned. Within the UNEP Regional Seas Programme this commitment is usually formalized through binding regional legal agreements, and is manifested concretely through an agreed set of activities that are revised periodically by the Governments involved. It is expected that these activities will be adquately supported by financial resources put at the disposal of each of the regional programmes primarily by the Governments concerned.

  18. Ketone EC50 values in the Microtox test.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, H F; Hee, S S

    1995-03-01

    The Microtox EC50 values for the following ketones are reported in the following homologous series: straight chain methyl ketones (acetone, 2-butanone, 2-pentanone, 2-hepatonone, 2-octanone, 2-decanone, and 2-tridecanone); methyl ketones substituted at one alpha carbon (3-methyl-2-butanone; 3,3-dimethyl-2-butanone); methyl substituted at two alpha carbons (2,4-dimethyl-3-pentanone; 2,2,4,4-tetramethyl-3-pentanone); phenyl groups replacing methyl in acetone (acetophenone; benzophenone); methyl groups substituted at the alpha carbons of cyclohexanone; and 2,3- 2,4-, and 2,5-hexanediones, most for the first time. While there were linear relationships between log EC50 and MW for the straight chain methyl ketones, and for methyl substitution at the alpha carbon for methyl ketones, there were no other linear relationships. As molecular weight increased, the EC50 values of soluble ketones decreased; as distance between two carbonyl groups decreased so too did EC50 values. Thus, for the ketones the geometry around the carbonyl group is an important determinant of toxicity as well as MW, water solubility, and octanol/water coefficient.

  19. Nuclear power plant performance in the EC in 1978

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Anon.

    1979-01-01

    According to the report presented by the Statistical Office of the Ec, nuclear electricity generation in the nine EC countries has been increased in 1978 by 11% to a net value of 115 TWh as compared to the year before. Installed capacity went up by 18.6% to a net value of 24. 000 MWe at the end of the year. The mean availability period has been close to the hitherto best value of 6000 h/a. The share of nuclear energy in total electricity generation in the EC rose by 0.5% to 10.5%. (orig.) [de

  20. Radioactivity in the environment. Report for 1999. A summary and radiological assessment of the Environment Ageny's monitoring programmes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1999-01-01

    The Environment Agency has wide-ranging responsibilities and powers to protect and, where necessary, improve the environment in England and Wales. The Agency also has a duty to protect the environment in a way that works towards sustainable development. In 1998, the Oslo and Paris Commission (OSPAR) strategy for radioactive substances was agreed by Ministers at Sintra, Portugal, to prevent pollution of the North East Atlantic maritime area through progressive and substantial reductions in discharges, emissions and losses of radioactive substances. In June 2000, the UK Government published for consultation the draft UK Strategy for Radioactive Discharges 2001-2020 which sets out the UK's plans to implement the OSPAR strategy. The Government will be issuing statutory guidance to the Environment Agency which will provide the vehicle through which the UK Strategy will be implemented. Radiological monitoring programmes are carried out in support of the Agency's regulatory functions under RSA 93 and as part of the UK Government's obligations under the Euratom Treaty. This report presents the results of the Agency's regular monitoring of radioactivity in the environment during 1999 and an assessment of the radiological impact. The main findings of the regular monitoring programme during 1999 were as follows: (i) The majority of operator declarations of the radioactive content of wastes discharges and disposals had been assessed accurately or were over estimated. (ii) Radiation dose-rates above sediments and concentrations of radionuclides in water, sediment, soil and grass were generally consistent with those reported in previous years, with no clear trend over the last 10 years. Enhanced levels of artificial radionuclides continue to be found in coastal sediments in the vicinity of Sellafield, which decline with increasing distance from the site. Radioactivity levels around other major sites were mostly low or not detectable. (iii) As in previous years, concentrations of

  1. Cost analysis of bluetongue virus serotype 8 surveillance and vaccination programmes in Austria from 2005 to 2013.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pinior, Beate; Lebl, Karin; Firth, Clair; Rubel, Franz; Fuchs, Reinhard; Stockreiter, Simon; Loitsch, Angelika; Köfer, Josef

    2015-11-01

    This study was designed to evaluate the costs between 2005 and 2013 of the national bluetongue virus (BTV) surveillance and vaccination programmes before, during and after the BTV serotype 8 (BTV-8) outbreak in Austria commencing in 2008. In addition to an assessment of the temporal development of costs, a spatial cost analysis was performed. Within the context of this study, the term 'costs' refers to actual financial expenditure and imputed monetary costs for contributions in-kind. Costs were financed directly by the private-public sectors, by the European Commission (EC), and (in-kind) by responsible national institutions and individuals (e.g. blood sampling by veterinarians). The total net cost of the BTV-8 surveillance and vaccination programmes arising from the outbreak amounted to €22.8 million (0.86% of the national agricultural Gross Value Added), of which 32% was allocated to surveillance and 68% to the vaccination programme. Of the total programme costs, the EC supplied €4.9 million, while the remaining costs (€18 million) were directly financed from national resources. Of the latter, €14.5 million was classed as public costs, including €2 million contributions in-kind, and €3.4 million as private costs. The assessment of the costs revealed heterogeneous temporal and spatial distributions. The methodology of this analysis might assist decision makers in calculating costs for other surveillance and intervention programmes. The assessment of contributions in-kind is of importance to public authorities as it increases visibility of the available resources and shows how they have been employed. This study also demonstrates the importance of tracking changing costs per payer over time. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

  2. Hardware and software architecture for the integration of the new EC waves launcher in FTU control system

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Boncagni, L. [Associazione EURATOM-ENEA sulla Fusione – ENEA, Via Enrico Fermi, 45 00045 Frascati (RM) (Italy); Centioli, C., E-mail: cristina.centioli@enea.it [Associazione EURATOM-ENEA sulla Fusione – ENEA, Via Enrico Fermi, 45 00045 Frascati (RM) (Italy); Galperti, C.; Alessi, E.; Granucci, G. [Associazione EURATOM-ENEA-CNR sulla Fusione – IFP-CNR, Via Roberto Cozzi, 53 20125 Milano (Italy); Grosso, L.A. [Associazione EURATOM-ENEA sulla Fusione – ENEA, Via Enrico Fermi, 45 00045 Frascati (RM) (Italy); Marchetto, C. [Associazione EURATOM-ENEA-CNR sulla Fusione – IFP-CNR, Via Roberto Cozzi, 53 20125 Milano (Italy); Napolitano, M. [Associazione EURATOM-ENEA sulla Fusione – ENEA, Via Enrico Fermi, 45 00045 Frascati (RM) (Italy); Nowak, S. [Associazione EURATOM-ENEA-CNR sulla Fusione – IFP-CNR, Via Roberto Cozzi, 53 20125 Milano (Italy); Panella, M. [Associazione EURATOM-ENEA sulla Fusione – ENEA, Via Enrico Fermi, 45 00045 Frascati (RM) (Italy); Sozzi, C. [Associazione EURATOM-ENEA-CNR sulla Fusione – IFP-CNR, Via Roberto Cozzi, 53 20125 Milano (Italy); Tilia, B.; Vitale, V. [Associazione EURATOM-ENEA sulla Fusione – ENEA, Via Enrico Fermi, 45 00045 Frascati (RM) (Italy)

    2013-10-15

    Highlights: ► The integration of a new ECRH launcher to FTU legacy control system is reported. ► Fast control has been developed with a three-node RT cluster within MARTe framework. ► Slow control was implemented with a Simatic S7 PLC and an EPICS IOC-CA application. ► The first results have assessed the feasibility of the launcher control architecture. -- Abstract: The role of high power electron cyclotron (EC) waves in controlling magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) instabilities in tokamaks has been assessed in several experiments, exploiting the physical effects induced by resonant heating and current drive. Recently a new EC launcher, whose main goal is controlling tearing modes and possibly preventing their onset, is being implemented on FTU. So far most of the components of the launcher control strategy have been realized and successfully tested on plasma experiments. Nevertheless the operations of the new launcher must be completely integrated into the existing one, and to FTU control system. This work deals with this final step, proposing a hardware and software architecture implementing up to date technologies, to achieve a modular and effective control strategy well integrated into a legacy system. The slow control system of the new EC launcher is based on a Siemens S7 Programmable Logic Controller (PLC), integrated into FTU control system supervisor through an EPICS input output controller (IOC) and an in-house developed Channel Access client application creating an abstraction layer that decouples the IOC and the PLC from the FTU Supervisor software. This architecture could enable a smooth migration to an EPICS-only supervisory control system. The real time component of the control system is based on the open source MARTe framework relying on a Linux real time cluster, devoted to the detection of MHD instabilities and the calculation of the injection angles and the time reference for the radiofrequency power enable commands for the EC launcher.

  3. Environmental and climate research programme 1988/89

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1987-01-01

    The Study Group of the Large-scale Research Institutes (AGF) has been reporting on these projects since 1972, in its programme for 'Environmental and Climate Research'. The programme, which is worked out by the AGF's Coordination Office for Environmental Research, is closely connected with the programmes of the Federal Government; it is revised and updated periodically by the AGF's Coordination Committees for 'Environmental Research' and 'Climate Research'. The 1988/89 programme gives an up-to-date overview of research projects in the field of 'Research and Technology for Health, Nutrition and the Environment' financed with the AGF programme budget of 1988. At the same time, however, it also documents projects of other areas of the programme concerned with environmental issues. Development trends are also discernible in the specification of the goals for 1989. The figures mentioned in the present programme are not comparable with those of earlier programmes, owing to inclusion of the programme section concerned with issues of climate, and to structural changes. (orig./KW) [de

  4. EC4 European Syllabus for Post-Graduate Training in Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine: version 3 - 2005.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zerah, Simone; McMurray, Janet; Bousquet, Bernard; Baum, Hannsjorg; Beastall, Graham H; Blaton, Vic; Cals, Marie-Josèphe; Duchassaing, Danielle; Gaudeau-Toussaint, Marie-Françoise; Harmoinen, Aimo; Hoffmann, Hans; Jansen, Rob T; Kenny, Desmond; Kohse, Klaus P; Köller, Ursula; Gobert, Jean-Gérard; Linget, Christine; Lund, Erik; Nubile, Giuseppe; Opp, Matthias; Pazzagli, Mario; Pinon, Georges; Queralto, José M; Reguengo, Henrique; Rizos, Demetrios; Szekeres, Thomas; Vidaud, Michel; Wallinder, Hans

    2006-01-01

    The EC4 Syllabus for Postgraduate Training is the basis for the European Register of Specialists in Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine. The syllabus: Indicates the level of requirements in postgraduate training to harmonise the postgraduate education in the European Union (EU); Indicates the level of content of national training programmes to obtain adequate knowledge and experience; Is approved by all EU societies for clinical chemistry and laboratory medicine. The syllabus is not primarily meant to be a training guide, but on the basis of the overview given (common minimal programme), national societies should formulate programmes that indicate where knowledge and experience is needed. The main points of this programme are: Indicates the level of requirements in postgraduate training to harmonise the postgraduate education in the European Union (EU); Indicates the level of content of national training programmes to obtain adequate knowledge and experience; Is approved by all EU societies for clinical chemistry and laboratory medicine. Knowledge in biochemistry, haematology, immunology, etc.; Pre-analytical conditions; Evaluation of results; Interpretations (post-analytical phase); Laboratory management; and Quality insurance management. The aim of this version of the syllabus is to be in accordance with the Directive of Professional Qualifications published on 30 September 2005. To prepare the common platforms planned in this directive, the disciplines are divided into four categories: Indicates the level of requirements in postgraduate training to harmonise the postgraduate education in the European Union (EU); Indicates the level of content of national training programmes to obtain adequate knowledge and experience; Is approved by all EU societies for clinical chemistry and laboratory medicine. Knowledge in biochemistry, haematology, immunology, etc.; Pre-analytical conditions; Evaluation of results; Interpretations (post-analytical phase); Laboratory

  5. The TELEMAN programme

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nordwall, H.J. de

    1990-01-01

    The TELEMAN programme is a five year cost-shared research programme covering remote handling in hazardous and disordered nuclear environments. TELEMAN's objective is to strengthen the scientific and engineering bases upon which the design of teleoperators for use throughout the nuclear industry rests. This will be done by providing new solutions to problems of manipulation, material transport and mobile surveillance in nuclear environments and by demonstrating their feasibility. The Commission's motivations lie in the potential teleoperators have to improve the separation of workers from radioactive equipment. The same technology will also enable plant operators and public authorities to deal more effectively with nuclear accidents. Finally, gains in productivity, particularly in the repair and maintenance area can be expected. Community support is justified by the cost of the reliability and autonomy required for the nuclear teleoperator, the need to rationalise R and D investment in an area of increasing industrial potential and a common interest in coherent responses to emergencies. (author)

  6. JRC/IE support activities to PHARE nuclear safety programmes. Dissemination of PHARE project results

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ranguelova, V.; Pla, P.; Rieg, C.; Bieth, M.

    2005-01-01

    Nuclear safety in Europe is one of European Union's primary concerns, therefore the European Union decided to take a prominent role to help the New Independent States and countries of Central and Eastern Europe to ensure the safety of their nuclear reactors. The European Union TACIS and PHARE programmes in nuclear safety have been undertaken since 1990. The European Commission's Directorate General External Relations (EC DG RELEX) and, Directorate General Europe Aid Co-operation Office (EC DG AIDCO), are responsible for programming and management of implementation of TACIS projects. Directorate General Enlargement (EC DG ELARG) is responsible for programming PHARE programmes, but implementation of most projects has been decentralised since 1999 budget year to the Beneficiary countries. DG ELARG acts as backstopping for the relevant EC Delegations. In these activities, the TSSTP Unit at the JRC/IE in Petten, The Netherlands, is a technical and scientific adviser of DG RELEX and DG AIDCO and provides support to DG ELARG for very specific technical issues. Several PHARE projects aiming at improving nuclear safety have been successfully implemented for a number of plants from Central and Eastern Europe. In some cases major safety issues have been addressed by means of multi-country projects and results have been disseminated to the rest of the nuclear community. Although a lot of information has been exchanged at a bilateral level, further effort is needed to collect the project results in a systematic way and make them available by means of the internet. At present the TSSTP Unit is implementing two projects for dissemination of PHARE project results. This activity will take a better advantage of today's communication technologies and ensure the management of the acquired knowledge through preservation and user-friendly access and retrieval of the project results. The paper provides an outline of the TSSTP Unit relevant knowledge preservation initiative, a description

  7. Predicting volunteer commitment in environmental stewardship programmes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Robert L. Ryan; Rachel Kaplan; Robert E. Grese

    2001-01-01

    The natural environment benefits greatly from the work of volunteers in environmental stewardship programmes. However, little is known about volunteers' motivations for continued participation in these programmes. This study looked at the relationship between volunteer commitment and motivation, as well as the effect that volunteering has on participants'...

  8. Oskarshamn site investigation. Programme for further investigations of bedrock, soil, water and environment in Laxemar subarea

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2006-03-01

    SKB (the Swedish Nuclear Fuel and Waste Management Co), has been conducting a site investigation at Simpevarp and Laxemar in Oskarshamn for siting of a final repository for spent nuclear fuel. An equivalent investigation is being conducted in Forsmark in Ohmmeter's. The initial part of the site investigations had been completed for the both of the subareas Simpevarp and Laxemar in the autumn of 2004. Based on the results of these investigations, SKB preliminarily prioritized the Laxemar subarea for further investigations. A programme was presented for the first stage of the complete site investigation in the Laxemar subarea, along with the main features of the remainder of the site investigation. The programme included investigations up until the summer of 2005 and was particularly aimed at obtaining answers to several vital questions so that the subsequent investigations could be focused on the rock areas judged to be most suitable for a final repository. These investigations have now been completed. This report presents the programme for the remainder of the site investigation. The points of departure are the general goals for the Deep Repository Project during the site investigation phase, analyses and evaluations of data from completed investigations, and the needs for additional data to be able to evaluate the site as a siting alternative for the final repository. The account mainly covers the investigations on the site. All other work - analyses, site descriptive modelling, facility design, safety assessments and studies and assessments of consequences for the environment, human health and society - are only mentioned to the extent necessary in order to place the investigations in their context. The direction of the site investigation in Oskarshamn and the investigation programme presented in this report is based on SKB's preliminary decision to prioritize the Laxemar subarea for further investigations. A final decision on the direction of the site

  9. and alanine (EC. 2.6.1.2) transaminases, and alkaline phosphatase

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The activities of aspartate (E.C. 2.6.1.1) and alanine (E.C. 2.6.1.2) transaminases (AST and ALT, respectively), and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) (E.C. 3.1.3.1) were determined in erythrocytes obtained from 20 HbAA, 15 HbAS and 12 HbSS human subjects. The results showed that the three enzymes had different levels of ...

  10. A Water Quality Monitoring Programme for Schools and Communities

    Science.gov (United States)

    Spellerberg, Ian; Ward, Jonet; Smith, Fiona

    2004-01-01

    A water quality monitoring programme for schools is described. The purpose of the programme is to introduce school children to the concept of reporting on the "state of the environment" by raising the awareness of water quality issues and providing skills to monitor water quality. The programme is assessed and its relevance in the…

  11. Canada files WTO complaint against EC.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2000-01-01

    In December 1998, Canada filed a complaint alleging that the European Communities (EC) had adopted regulations that amounted to a scheme to extend patent terms, limited to pharmaceutical and agricultural chemical products.

  12. NASA FACTS: E. coli AntiMicrobial Satellite (EcAMSat)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Spremo, Stevan; Cappuccio, Gelsomina; Tomko, David

    2013-01-01

    The E. coli AntiMicrobial Satellite(EcAMSat) mission will investigate space microgravity affects on the antibiotic resistance of E. coli, a bacterial pathogen responsible for urinary tract infection in humans and animals. EcAMSat is being developed through a partnership between NASAs Ames Research Center and the Stanford University School of Medicine. Dr. A.C. Matin is the Stanford University Principal Investigator. EcAMSat will investigate spaceflight effects on bacterial antibiotic resistance and its genetic basis. Bacterial antibiotic resistance may pose a danger to astronauts in microgravity, where the immune response is weakened. Scientists believe that the results of this experiment could help design effective countermeasures to protect astronauts health during long duration human space missions.

  13. Monitoring of radioactivity in the UK environment: an annotated bibliography of current programmes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cotter, A.J.R.; Hunt, G.J.

    1992-01-01

    In the UK, many organisations carry out regular radioactivity monitoring programmes, and summaries of these programmes have been published in 1983 and 1988. The number of organisations carrying out radioactivity monitoring has increased rapidly in recent years, particularly in the local authority sector. The present report updates the previous summarises in the form of an annotated bibliography, giving synopses of all regular UK programmes whose results are published in report form. (author)

  14. Reflect before you act: providing structure to the evaluation of rehabilitation programmes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Velema, Johan P; Cornielje, Huib

    2003-11-18

    This paper is concerned with understanding and evaluating potentially diverse rehabilitation programmes. It helps evaluators and programme managers to focus attention on specific aspects of the rehabilitation process and select evaluation questions relevant to each. Distinction is made between the rehabilitation programme itself, the programme environment and the relationships between the two. For each of these areas, evaluation questions have been formulated. For services offered to individual clients, questions address whether the status of clients has improved, what interventions are offered and who benefit from them, the relationships between the service providers and the clients, and who may be involved in the rehabilitation process besides the client. To assess the programme environment, questions address the epidemiology of disability, the resources available to persons with disabilities, the inclusiveness of education and employment and a number of eco-social variables. Relationships between the programme and its environment concern the support of the community for the programme, the way the programme seeks to influence the community, the referral of clients to other services available in the community and the extent to which the programme is a learning organization. Lists of evaluation questions are presented from which the evaluator can select those most relevant to the programme to be evaluated. This provides a framework for the evaluation and for the information to be gathered. Rather than providing a blue print, this framework permits flexibility to adapt to the specific situation of the programme to be evaluated. This paper presents a useful guideline that stimulates the thinking of those preparing for the evaluation of rehabilitation programmes.

  15. EC MoDeRn Project: In-situ Demonstration of Innovative Monitoring Technologies for Geological Disposal - 12053

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Breen, B.J. [NDA, Herdus House, Westlakes Science and Technology Park, Moor Row, Cumbria, CA24 3HU (United Kingdom); Garcia-Sineriz, J.L. [AITEMIN, c/Margarita Salas 14-Parque Leganes Tecnologico-Leganes, ES-28918, Madrid (Spain); Maurer, H. [ETH Zurich, ETH Honggerberg, CH-8093, Zurich (Switzerland); Mayer, S. [ANDRA, 1-7 rue Jean-Monnet, F-92298 Chatenay-Malabry cedex (France); Schroeder, T.J. [NRG, P.O. Box 25, NL-1755 ZG Petten (Netherlands); Verstricht, J. [EURIDICE EIG, c/o SCK.CEN, Boeretang 200, BE-2400 Mol (Belgium)

    2012-07-01

    Monitoring to provide information on the evolution of geological disposal presents several challenges. The 4-year, euros M 5, EC MoDeRn Project (http://www.modern-fp7.eu/), which commenced in 2009, addresses monitoring processes, state-of-the-art technology and innovative research and development of monitoring techniques. This paper discusses some of the key drivers for the development of innovative monitoring techniques and provides outlines of the demonstration programmes being conducted within MoDeRn. The aim is to develop these innovative monitoring techniques and to demonstrate them under realistic conditions present in underground laboratories. These demonstration projects, applying a range of different monitoring techniques, are being carried out at underground research facilities in different geological environments at HADES URL in Belgium (plastic clay), Bure in France (indurated clay) and at Grimsel Test Site (granite) in Switzerland. These are either built upon existing infrastructure (EC ESDRED Low pH shotcrete and TEM experiments at Grimsel; and PRACLAY experiment and underground galleries in HADES) or will be attached to infrastructure that is being developed and financed by resources outside of this project (mock-up disposal cell in Bure). At Grimsel Test Site, cross-hole and hole-to-tunnel seismic methods are being employed as a means to monitor induced changes in an artificially saturated bentonite wall confined behind a shotcrete plug. Recognising the limitations for travel-time tomography for monitoring a disposal cell, full waveform inversion techniques are being employed to enhance the capacity to monitor remote from the excavation. At the same Grimsel location, an investigation will be conducted of the potential for using a high frequency wireless (HFW) sensor network embedded within the barrier system; this will include the possibility of providing energy remotely to isolated sensors. At the HADES URL, the monitoring programme will utilise

  16. Effect of Dursban 480 EC (chlorpyrifos) and Talstar 10 EC (bifenthrin) on the physiological and genetic diversity of microorganisms in soil.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Medo, Juraj; Maková, Jana; Kovácsová, Silvia; Majerčíková, Kamila; Javoreková, Soňa

    2015-01-01

    This investigation was undertaken to determine the impact of the insecticides Dursban 480 EC (with organophosphate compound chlorpyrifos as the active ingredient) and Talstar 10 EC (with pyrethroid bifenthrin as the active ingredient) on the respiration activity and microbial diversity in a sandy loam luvisol soil. The insecticides were applied in two doses: the maximum recommended dose for field application (15 mg kg(-1) for Dursban 480 EC and 6 mg kg(-1) for Talstar 10 EC) and a 100-fold higher dose for extrapolation of their effect. Bacterial and fungal genetic diversity was analysed in soil samples using PCR DGGE and the functional diversity (catabolic potential) was studied using BIOLOG EcoPlates at 1, 3, 7, 14, 28, 56 and 112 days after insecticide application. Five bacterial groups (α, β, γ proteobacteria, firmibacteria and actinomycetes) and five groups of fungi or fungus-like microorganisms (Ascomycota, Basidiomycota, Chytridiomycota, Oomycota and Zygomycota) were analysed using specific primer sets. This approach provides high resolution of the analysis covering majority of microorganisms in the soil. Only the high-dose Dursban 480 EC significantly changed the community of microorganisms. We observed its negative effect on α- and γ-proteobacteria, as the number of OTUs (operational taxonomic units) decreased until the end of incubation. In the β-proteobacteria group, initial increase of OTUs was followed by strong decrease. Diversity in the firmibacteria, actinomycetes and Zygomycota groups was minimally disturbed by the insecticide application. Dursban 480 EC, however, both positively and negatively affected certain species. Among negatively affected species Sphingomonas, Flavobacterium or Penicillium were detected, but Achromobacter, Luteibacter or Aspergillus were supported by applied insecticide. The analysis of BIOLOG plates using AWCD values indicated a significant increase in metabolic potential of microorganisms in the soil after the high

  17. The Vaalputs radiological environmental monitoring programme

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Van As, D.; Posnik, S.J.; Bain, C.A.R.

    1986-01-01

    An environmental monitoring programme was initiated two years before radioactive waste was due to be disposed of at the Vaalputs site. During this time a database was established against which future changes in the radiation levels of the environment could be measured. The monitoring network included the measurement of radiation doses, radioactivity levels in soil, vegetation, groundwater, and agricultural produce. A natural radiation dose to the average individual of 2,2 mSv per annum was established. Meteorological parameters were collected and used to assess the potential release and transport of radioactivity through the environment. A survey of the habits of the surrounding population was conducted to identify the principal food chains. In addition to complying with the licensing requirements for the waste disposal site, the environmental monitoring programme is contributing valuable scientific information on evapotranspiration and percolation in semi-arid environments

  18. Nuclear power in the EC

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Charrault, J.C.

    1991-01-01

    Nuclear power accounts for some 35% of electricity production in the European Community (EC). Using a mathematical analysis, based on different scenarios, i.e. low/high electricity demand and nuclear moratorium/revival, various demand forecasts are made. A pragmatic approach, considering conventional power generation pollution problems, forecasts a revival of nuclear power

  19. Mathematical modeling improves EC50 estimations from classical dose-response curves.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nyman, Elin; Lindgren, Isa; Lövfors, William; Lundengård, Karin; Cervin, Ida; Sjöström, Theresia Arbring; Altimiras, Jordi; Cedersund, Gunnar

    2015-03-01

    The β-adrenergic response is impaired in failing hearts. When studying β-adrenergic function in vitro, the half-maximal effective concentration (EC50 ) is an important measure of ligand response. We previously measured the in vitro contraction force response of chicken heart tissue to increasing concentrations of adrenaline, and observed a decreasing response at high concentrations. The classical interpretation of such data is to assume a maximal response before the decrease, and to fit a sigmoid curve to the remaining data to determine EC50 . Instead, we have applied a mathematical modeling approach to interpret the full dose-response curve in a new way. The developed model predicts a non-steady-state caused by a short resting time between increased concentrations of agonist, which affect the dose-response characterization. Therefore, an improved estimate of EC50 may be calculated using steady-state simulations of the model. The model-based estimation of EC50 is further refined using additional time-resolved data to decrease the uncertainty of the prediction. The resulting model-based EC50 (180-525 nm) is higher than the classically interpreted EC50 (46-191 nm). Mathematical modeling thus makes it possible to re-interpret previously obtained datasets, and to make accurate estimates of EC50 even when steady-state measurements are not experimentally feasible. The mathematical models described here have been submitted to the JWS Online Cellular Systems Modelling Database, and may be accessed at http://jjj.bio.vu.nl/database/nyman. © 2015 FEBS.

  20. ST ECS error handling and detector safety

    CERN Document Server

    Esperante Pereira, D

    2010-01-01

    This note describes the automatic operation sequences that the ECS implements in order to operate the ST detector in a safe and reliable way. First, the start-up sequences to set the detector in a well known state are described. In addition the possible ST detector states based on the status of the different detector elements will be defined. The states are of crucial interest for the safe operation of the detector when the LHC beam is ready. Besides, the ECS automatic actions taken in case of abnormal status of any of the detector elements are reported. Next, the operational alarm ranges and the error recovery mechanisms are mentioned.

  1. EC Transmission Line Risk Identification and Analysis

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bigelow, Tim S [ORNL

    2012-04-01

    The purpose of this document is to assist in evaluating and planning for the cost, schedule, and technical project risks associated with the delivery and operation of the EC (Electron cyclotron) transmission line system. In general, the major risks that are anticipated to be encountered during the project delivery phase associated with the implementation of the Procurement Arrangement for the EC transmission line system are associated with: (1) Undefined or changing requirements (e.g., functional or regulatory requirements) (2) Underperformance of prototype, first unit, or production components during testing (3) Unavailability of qualified vendors for critical components Technical risks associated with the design and operation of the system are also identified.

  2. Radioactivity in the environment. Report for 2001 : a summary and radiological assessment of the Environment Agency's monitoring programmes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2003-01-01

    RSA 93 authorisations. Radiological monitoring programmes are carried out in support of the Agency's regulatory functions under RSA 93 and as part of the UK Government's obligations under the Euratom Treaty. This report presents the results of the Agency's regular monitoring of radioactivity in the environment during 2001 and an assessment of the radiological impact. The main findings of the regular monitoring programme during 2001 were as follows: The majority of operator declarations of the radioactive content of waste discharges and disposals had been assessed accurately or were over-estimate; Radiation dose rates above sediments and concentrations of radionuclides in water, sediment, soil and grass were generally consistent with those reported in previous years. Enhanced levels of artificial radionuclides continue to be found in coastal sediments in the vicinity of Sellafield, which decline with increasing distance from the site. Radioactivity levels around other major sites were mostly low or not detectable; As in previous years, concentrations of radionuclides in samples of airborne dust and rainwater from seven locations in the UK were very low or undetectable; Water from all 31 monitored sources of drinking water in England and Wales, except one in Derbyshire, were consistently below the World Health Organisation (WHO) drinking water screening levels. The enhanced level of uranium in the Derbyshire water is due to the natural levels of uranium in the local geology, and is insignificant from a radiological point of view. Assessments of doses that might be received by members of the public from drinking water and occupation of beaches, inter-tidal areas and river banks around nuclear and major non-nuclear sites were made. In all cases, doses were less than the annual dose limit for members of the public of 1000 microsieverts (1000 μSv). Houseboat dwellers on the Ribble Estuary in Lancashire received the highest total annual dose of 142 μSv. This is due to

  3. EcPV2 DNA in equine genital squamous cell carcinomas and normal genital mucosa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bogaert, Lies; Willemsen, Anouk; Vanderstraeten, Eva; Bracho, Maria A; De Baere, Cindy; Bravo, Ignacio G; Martens, Ann

    2012-07-06

    Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) represents the most common genital malignant tumor in horses. Similar to humans, papillomaviruses (PVs) have been proposed as etiological agents and recently Equine papillomavirus type 2 (EcPV2) has been identified in a subset of genital SCCs. The goals of this study were (1) to determine the prevalence of EcPV2 DNA in tissue samples from equine genital SCCs, penile intraepithelial neoplasia (PIN) and penile papillomas, using EcPV2-specific PCR, (2) to examine the prevalence of latent EcPV2 infection in healthy genital mucosa and (3) to determine genetic variability within EcPV2 and to disentangle phylogenetic relationships of EcPV2 among PVs. EcPV2 DNA was detected in all but one penile SCC (15/16), in all PIN lesions (8/8) and penile papillomas (4/4). Additionally, EcPV2 DNA was demonstrated in one of two metastasized lymph nodes, one contact metastasis in the mouth, two vaginal and one anal lesion. In healthy horses, EcPV2 DNA was detected in 10% (4/39) of penile swabs but in none of vulvovaginal swabs (0/20). This study confirms the presence of EcPV2 DNA in equine genital SCCs and shows its involvement in anal lesions, a lymph node and contact metastases. Latent EcPV2 presence was also shown in normal male genital mucosa. We found that different EcPV2 variants cocirculate among horses and that EcPV2 is related to the Delta+Zeta PVs and is only a very distant relative of high-risk human PVs causing genital cancer. Thus, similar viral tropism and similar malignant outcome of the infection do not imply close evolutionary relationship. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  4. Customized Peptide Biomaterial Synthesis via an Environment-Reliant Auto-Programmer Stigmergic Approach

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ravindra V. Badhe

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available Stigmergy, a form of self-organization, was employed here to engineer a self-organizing peptide capable of forming a nano- or micro-structure and that can potentially be used in various drug delivery and biomedical applications. These self-assembling peptides exhibit several desirable qualities for drug delivery, tissue engineering, cosmetics, antibiotics, food science, and biomedical surface engineering. In this study, peptide biomaterial synthesis was carried out using an environment-reliant auto-programmer stigmergic approach. A model protein, α-gliadin (31, 36, and 38 kD, was forced to attain a primary structure with free –SH groups and broken down enzymatically into smaller fragments using chymotrypsin. This breakdown was carried out at different environment conditions (37 and 50 °C, and the fragments were allowed to self-organize at these temperatures. The new peptides so formed diverged according to the environmental conditions. Interestingly, two peptides (with molecular weights of 13.8 and 11.8 kD were isolated when the reaction temperature was maintained at 50 °C, while four peptides with molecular weights of 54, 51, 13.8, and 12.8 kD were obtained when the reaction was conducted at 37 °C. Thus, at a higher temperature (50 °C, the peptides formed, compared to the original protein, had lower molecular weights, whereas, at a lower temperature (37 °C, two peptides had higher molecular weights and two had lower molecular weights.

  5. The Programmer's Guide to iSeries Navigator

    CERN Document Server

    Touhy, Paul

    2012-01-01

    iSeries Navigator is a favorite tool of operators and administrators-who use it with great success-but many programmers have missed the great programming tools that is provides! This book introduces you to iSeries Navigator along with all the powerful tools and interfaces that will expand your programming horizons. As iSeries applications continue to move toward a graphical user interface (GUI), so does the development environment. Programs such as CODE and WDSC may fill the need for the programming environment, but iSeries Navigator fills the programmer's need for general system access as wel

  6. The EC6 - an enhanced mid-sized reactor with fuel cycle applications

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Soulard, M.; Yu, S.; Hopwood, J.; Hastings, I.J.

    2011-01-01

    Atomic Energy of Canada Limited (AECL) has two CANDU reactor products matched to markets: the Enhanced CANDU 6 (EC6), a modern 700 MWe-class design, and the Advanced CANDU Reactor (ACR-1000), a 1200 MWe-class Gen III+ design. Both reactor types are designed to meet both market-, and customer-driven needs; the ACR-1000 design is 90% complete and market-ready. The EC6 incorporates the CANDU 6's well-proven features, and adds enhancements that make the reactor even safer and easier to operate. The EC6 is the only mid-sized reactor with a proven pedigree that meets modern reactor expectations and regulatory standards. It is sized for smaller grids and also has outstanding fuel-cycle capability. The EC6 has domestic and offshore market pull and is the current focus of AECL's development program; market interest in the ACR-1000 is anticipated in the longer term. Some of the key features incorporated into the EC6 include upgrading containment and seismic capability to meet modern standards, shortening the overall project schedule, addressing obsolescence issues, optimizing maintenance outages and incorporating lessons learnt through feedback obtained from the operating plants. The EC6 utilizes modern computers and a distributed control system housed in an advanced control room which, along with automated testing and on-line diagnostics, make the plant easier and safer to operate, with minimal operator intervention. The first deployment of the EC6 is anticipated in Canada; off-shore markets are also being pursued. The EC6 burns natural uranium as standard. But, high neutron economy, on-power refuelling, a simple fuel bundle, and the fundamental CANDU fuel channel design provide the EC6 with the flexibility to accommodate a range of advanced fuels. (author)

  7. Oskarshamn site investigation. Programme for further investigations of bedrock, soil, water and environment in Laxemar subarea

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    2006-03-15

    SKB (the Swedish Nuclear Fuel and Waste Management Co), has been conducting a site investigation at Simpevarp and Laxemar in Oskarshamn for siting of a final repository for spent nuclear fuel. An equivalent investigation is being conducted in Forsmark in Ohmmeter's. The initial part of the site investigations had been completed for the both of the subareas Simpevarp and Laxemar in the autumn of 2004. Based on the results of these investigations, SKB preliminarily prioritized the Laxemar subarea for further investigations. A programme was presented for the first stage of the complete site investigation in the Laxemar subarea, along with the main features of the remainder of the site investigation. The programme included investigations up until the summer of 2005 and was particularly aimed at obtaining answers to several vital questions so that the subsequent investigations could be focused on the rock areas judged to be most suitable for a final repository. These investigations have now been completed. This report presents the programme for the remainder of the site investigation. The points of departure are the general goals for the Deep Repository Project during the site investigation phase, analyses and evaluations of data from completed investigations, and the needs for additional data to be able to evaluate the site as a siting alternative for the final repository. The account mainly covers the investigations on the site. All other work - analyses, site descriptive modelling, facility design, safety assessments and studies and assessments of consequences for the environment, human health and society - are only mentioned to the extent necessary in order to place the investigations in their context. The direction of the site investigation in Oskarshamn and the investigation programme presented in this report is based on SKB's preliminary decision to prioritize the Laxemar subarea for further investigations. A final decision on the direction of the site

  8. ICECAP: an integrated, general-purpose, automation-assisted IC50/EC50 assay platform.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Ming; Chou, Judy; King, Kristopher W; Jing, Jing; Wei, Dong; Yang, Liyu

    2015-02-01

    IC50 and EC50 values are commonly used to evaluate drug potency. Mass spectrometry (MS)-centric bioanalytical and biomarker labs are now conducting IC50/EC50 assays, which, if done manually, are tedious and error-prone. Existing bioanalytical sample preparation automation systems cannot meet IC50/EC50 assay throughput demand. A general-purpose, automation-assisted IC50/EC50 assay platform was developed to automate the calculations of spiking solutions and the matrix solutions preparation scheme, the actual spiking and matrix solutions preparations, as well as the flexible sample extraction procedures after incubation. In addition, the platform also automates the data extraction, nonlinear regression curve fitting, computation of IC50/EC50 values, graphing, and reporting. The automation-assisted IC50/EC50 assay platform can process the whole class of assays of varying assay conditions. In each run, the system can handle up to 32 compounds and up to 10 concentration levels per compound, and it greatly improves IC50/EC50 assay experimental productivity and data processing efficiency. © 2014 Society for Laboratory Automation and Screening.

  9. Environmental monitoring programme

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1991-08-01

    During 1989 there were about 1000 premises in England and Wales authorised to discharge radioactive wastes. The majority of these premises consisted of hospitals, universities and industrial, research or manufacturing centres. Discharges from these premises when made in accordance with the strict conditions specified in their authorisations will have been of little radiological significance. In the case of nuclear sites authorisations or approvals are issued jointly by the DoE and the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAFF) known collectively as the Authorising Departments. In Wales these functions are undertaken by the Welsh Office with the support of HMIP and MAFF. The Authorising Departments specify numerical limits on the amounts of radioactivity which operators may discharge to the environment. In addition operators are required to demonstrate that the best practicable means (BPM) to minimise discharges is undertaken. Operators are also required to carry out appropriate environmental monitoring to demonstrate the effectiveness of BPM. As part of their regulatory functions the Authorising Departments undertake their own environmental monitoring programmes to act as both a check on site operator's returns and to provide independent data on the exposure of the public. HM Inspectorate of Pollution has monitored levels of radioactivity in drinking water sources for many years and published results annually. MAFF undertakes two programmes to monitor radioactivity in the aquatic environment and in terrestrial foodstuffs and publishes annual reports. Environmental monitoring programmes undertaken by both nuclear site operators and government departments are summarised. (author)

  10. Lymphocyte adhesion to endothelial cell (EC) is stimulated by phorbol esters

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Haskard, D.; Cavender, D.; Ziff, M.

    1986-01-01

    The effect of phorbol esters on T cell adhesion to EC has been studied. The phorbol esters 12-0-tetradecanoyl-phorbol-13-acetate and 4-beta-phorbol-12-13-dibutyrate, but not the biologically inert 4-0-methyl-phorbol-12-13-didecanoate strongly increased the binding of 51 Cr-labeled T cells to human umbilical vein EC monolayers in microtiter wells. Increase in binding was observed at 0.3 ng/ml with maximal enhancement at 50 ng/ml. Both unstimulated and phorbol ester activated T cells displayed a substantially greater binding affinity for EC than for fibroblasts or plastic. Binding enhancement occurred within one minute, with maximal increase after 15 min. Preincubation studies showed that binding enhancement was entirely attributable to an effect on T cells, with no action on EC. Additive binding enhancement was seen when phorbol esters and reagents that increase adhesion by actions on EC (LPS, IL-1 and IFN-γ) were used together. Increase in adhesion of activated T lymphocytes to EC may explain the greater emigration of activated T cells than small resting T cells into inflammatory foci in vivo. The rapid onset of the phorbol effect suggests that this may be an important mechanism for immediate localization of circulating T cells in the cellular immune response, activated, perhaps, at the endothelial blood-tissue interface

  11. On the practical exploitability of dual EC in TLS implementations

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Checkoway, S.; Fredrikson, M.; Niederhagen, R.F.; Everspaugh, A.; Green, M.; Lange, T.; Ristenpart, T.; Bernstein, D.J.; Maskiewicz, J,; Shacham, H.

    2014-01-01

    This paper analyzes the actual cost of attacking TLS implementations that use NIST’s Dual EC pseudorandom number generator, assuming that the attacker generated the constants used in Dual EC. It has been known for several years that an attacker generating these constants and seeing a long enough

  12. Research activities on high temperature gas-cooled rectors (HTRs) in the fifth EURATOM RTD framework programme

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Martin-Bermejo, J.; Hugon, M.

    2001-01-01

    One of the areas of research of the nuclear fission key action of the Fifth EURATOM RTD Framework Programme (FP5) is safety and efficiency of future systems, which has as an objective to investigate and evaluate new or revisited concepts for nuclear energy that offer potential longer-term benefits in terms of cost, safety, waste management, use of fissile material, less risk of diversion and sustainability. After the first call for proposals of FP5, several projects related to high temperature gas-cooled reactors (HTRs) were retained by the European Commission (EC) services. They address important issues such as HTR fuel technology, HTR fuel cycle and HTR materials. In the next call for proposals (deadline January 2001) the EC expects other important HTR-related items not covered by the first call (e.g. power conversion systems and system analysis) to be addressed. The EC also expects proposals for strategy studies and/or thematic networks on the assessment of applications of nuclear energy other than generation of electricity via hydrogen production. (authors)

  13. Operational Programme Health 2007-2013

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Anon

    2007-08-01

    The Operational Programme Health (OPH) is a programming document of the Slovak Republic (SR) for drawing assistance from funds of the European Union (EU) for the healthcare sector for the 2007 - 2013 period. It contains the strategy, aims and also defines years-long measures to attain them, which are to be carried out with the help of national funds and of the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). On the basis of Government Resolution of the SR No. 832/2006 of 8 October 2006, the Managing Authority for the OPH is the Ministry of Health of the Slovak Republic. The OPH has been elaborated on the basis of Council Regulation (EC) No 1083/2006 laying down general provisions on the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), the European Social Fund (ESF) and the Cohesion Fund (CF) and repealing Regulation (EC) No 1260/1999, and of Regulation (EC) No 1080/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council on the ERDF and repealing Regulation (EC) No 1783/1999. Under the 'Convergence' objective, supported can be on the level NUTS II, i. e. their 2000 - 2002 gross domestic product (hereinafter referred to as 'GDP') per capita measured by purchasing power parity is less than 75% of the Community average. All regions of NUTS II of the Slovak Republic (Western, Central and Eastern Slovakia) except for the Bratislava region fulfil this condition. The West Slovak region consists of the following self-governing regions (NUTS III): Trnava region (TT), Trencin region (TN), Nitra region (NR); The Central Slovak Region consists of the following self-governing regions (NUTS III): Banska Bystrica region and Zilina region; The East Slovak Region consists of the following self-governing regions (NUTS III): Presov region and Kosice region. The OPH strategy creates conditions for the convergence of the SR towards the EU level in the area of healthcare. Concurrently, it helps considerably to keep the overall SR economy convergence to the EU-15 average in line with sustainable

  14. EC6 safety enhancement - including impact of Fukushima lessons learned

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yu, S.; Zemdegs, R.; Boyle, S.; Soulard, M., E-mail: stephen.yu@candu.com [Candu Energy Inc., Mississauga, Ontario (Canada)

    2012-09-15

    The Enhanced CANDU 6 (EC6) is the new Generation III CANDU reactor design that meets the most up to date regulatory requirements and customer expectations. EC6 builds on the proven high performance design inch as the Qinshan CANDU 6 units and has made improvements to safety and operational performance, and has incorporated extensive operational feedback including Fukushima. The Fukushima Dai-ichi March 11, 2011 event has demonstrated the importance of defence-in-depth considerations for beyond-design basis events, including severe accidents. The EC6 design is based on the defence-in-depth principles and provides further design features that address the lessons learned from Fukushima. (author)

  15. Economic Factors for Televison Programme Rating in Slovenia

    OpenAIRE

    Matjaz Dodic; Bojan Nastav

    2011-01-01

    Factors that influence televison programme rating can be divided into environment, outer factors and internal factors of televison programmes. In this paper we apply the regression analysis to study the influence of the number of unemployed, inflation rate, average salary, consumers’ trust, households’ financial status in the past 12 months and the economic state in Slovenia on rating of national, commercial and other televison programmes in Slovenia in the 2000–2009 period. The results show ...

  16. The Communities R and D Programme: radioactive waste management and storage

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1977-01-01

    The European Community's programme is the first and to this date the only joint international action dealing with those issues, which might well become decisive for the future of nuclear energy -the management and storage of radioactive waste. The first Annual Progress Report describes the scope and the state of advancement of this indirect action programme. At present 24 research contracts with research institutes in almost every member country of the EC are either signed or in the final stages of negociation. The objective of the R and D actions to be achieved by 1980 is the demonstration of either the technical potential or, for further advanced projects, the feasibility and even the industrial availability of methods for treating and stoping radwaste. The following aspects are investigated: processing of solid waste from reactors, reprocessing plants and the plutonium manufacture; intermediate and terminal storage of high activity and alpha wastes; advanced waste management methods as the storage of gaseous waste and the separation and transmutation of actinides. In addition to the scientific-technical R and D actions, a survey of the legal, administrative and financial problems encountered in radwaste management and storage is an essential part of the Communities' programme

  17. Modernization programme at Dukovany NPP

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Trnka, M.

    2000-01-01

    The main goal of each NPP is to produce electricity safely, economically and without influence to environment. For Dukovany NPP it means to upgrade all documentation and perform the Equipment Upgrading Programme. All these activities are time and money consuming and therefore the determination of priority of all items was necessary. In the presentation there are mentioned some important changes in documentation, results of PSA studies and reason for Equipment Upgrading Programme performance. It was selected the most important item from the list of Equipment Upgrading Programme the I and C upgrading. Management has decided that Dukovany NPP will become among the best NPPs with WWER type of reactor. It seems this decision is the best way how to extend lifetime of the NPP. (author)

  18. A spectroscopic survey of EC4, an extended cluster in Andromeda's halo

    Science.gov (United States)

    Collins, M. L. M.; Chapman, S. C.; Irwin, M.; Ibata, R.; Martin, N. F.; Ferguson, A. M. N.; Huxor, A.; Lewis, G. F.; Mackey, A. D.; McConnachie, A. W.; Tanvir, N.

    2009-07-01

    We present a spectroscopic survey of candidate red giant branch stars in the extended star cluster, EC4, discovered in the halo of M31 from our Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope/MegaCam survey, overlapping the tidal streams, Streams`Cp' and `Cr'. These observations used the DEep Imaging Multi-Object Spectrograph mounted on the Keck II telescope to obtain spectra around the CaII triplet region with ~1.3 Å resolution. Six stars lying on the red giant branch within two core radii of the centre of EC4 are found to have an average vr = -287.9+1.9-2.4kms-1 and σv,corr = 2.7+4.2-2.7kms-1, taking instrumental errors into account. The resulting mass-to-light ratio for EC4 is M/L = 6.7+15-6.7Msolar/Lsolar, a value that is consistent with a globular cluster within the 1σ errors we derive. From the summed spectra of our member stars, we find EC4 to be metal-poor, with [Fe/H] = -1.6 +/- 0.15. We discuss several formation and evolution scenarios which could account for our kinematic and metallicity constraints on EC4, and conclude that EC4 is most comparable with an extended globular cluster. We also compare the kinematics and metallicity of EC4 with Streams `Cp' and`Cr', and find that EC4 bears a striking resemblance to Stream`Cp' in terms of velocity, and that the two structures are identical in terms of both their spectroscopic and photometric metallicities. From this, we conclude that EC4 is likely related to Stream`Cp'. The data presented herein were obtained at the W.M. Keck Observatory, which is operated as a scientific partnership among the California Institute of Technology, the University of California and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. The Observatory was made possible by the generous financial support of the W.M. Keck Foundation. E-mail: mlmc2@ast.cam.ac.uk

  19. The public principle of the EC environmental law. Das Oeffentlichkeitsprinzip des EG-Umweltrechts

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Schwanenfluegel, M von

    1991-01-15

    The author discusses questions concerning the significance of the Directive on Free Access to Information Concerning the Environment approved by the European Council of Ministers on 7 June 1990 and first considers the relative importance of free access to information. Further sections deal with the right to information in the member states, EC environmental law and the information of the public. The essential regulations of the directive are presented in detail: the prehistory of the directive, aims, definition of 'information concerning the environment' and public authority, exceptions and procedures. In an outlook consequences for individual regulations of the Law on Administrative Procedures and the Rules of the Administrative Courts are addressed and the urgency of a corresponding ruling for the institutions of the Community themselves is pointed out; the Commission has already announced such a proposal. (RST).

  20. Precision Security: Integrating Video Surveillance with Surrounding Environment Changes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wenfeng Wang

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Video surveillance plays a vital role in maintaining the social security although, until now, large uncertainty still exists in danger understanding and recognition, which can be partly attributed to intractable environment changes in the backgrounds. This article presents a brain-inspired computing of attention value of surrounding environment changes (EC with a processes-based cognition model by introducing a ratio value λ of EC-implications within considered periods. Theoretical models for computation of warning level of EC-implications to the universal video recognition efficiency (quantified as time cost of implication-ratio variations from λk to λk+1, k=1,2,… are further established. Imbedding proposed models into the online algorithms is suggested as a future research priority towards precision security for critical applications and, furthermore, schemes for a practical implementation of such integration are also preliminarily discussed.

  1. Influence of a Non-formal Environmental Education Programme on Junior High-School Students' Environmental Literacy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Goldman, Daphne; Ben Zvi Assaraf, Orit; Shaharabani, Dina

    2013-02-01

    One of the solutions implemented by schools for conducting value-based environmental education (EE) is outsourcing: allocating external environmental organizations that develop and conduct EE programmes. This study addressed such a programme-the Green Council Programme (GCP)-developed and implemented in schools by the Israeli Society for Protection of Nature. A pre-test/post-test design was used to investigate the influence of participation in the GCP on components of junior high-school students' environmental literacy. Conceptualizations of 'environment', environmental attitudes and sense of ability to act on environmental issues were studied employing quantitative and qualitative tools. Contribution of the programme to the cognitive domain, in developing a systemic understanding of the environment, was limited. On the other hand, participating in this programme heightened students' sensitivity to human-environment interrelationships and developed a more ecological worldview. After the programme, students demonstrated greater perception of humans as part of the environment, an increased sensitivity to human impact on the environment and their value for non-human nature moved from an anthropocentric to a more ecocentric orientation. While students' internal locus-of-control increased, when environmental protection entailed personal economic trade-offs, their support was limited and remained unchanged. The article concludes with recommendations, based on the findings, regarding supplementing the school (science) curriculum with external EE enrichment programmes.

  2. Acute toxicity of heavy metals to acetate-utilizing mixed cultures of sulfate-reducing bacteria: EC100 and EC50.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Utgikar, V P; Chen, B Y; Chaudhary, N; Tabak, H H; Haines, J R; Govind, R

    2001-12-01

    Acid mine drainage from abandoned mines and acid mine pit lakes is an important environmental concern and usually contains appreciable concentrations of heavy metals. Because sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) are involved in the treatment of acid mine drainage, knowledge of acute metal toxicity levels for SRB is essential for the proper functioning of the treatment system for acid mine drainage. Quantification of heavy metal toxicity to mixed cultures of SRB is complicated by the confounding effects of metal hydroxide and sulfide precipitation, biosorption, and complexation with the constituents of the reaction matrix. The objective of this paper was to demonstrate that measurements of dissolved metal concentrations could be used to determine the toxicity parameters for mixed cultures of sulfate-reducing bacteria. The effective concentration, 100% (EC100), the lowest initial dissolved metal concentrations at which no sulfate reduction is observed, and the effective concentration, 50% (EC50), the initial dissolved metal concentrations resulting in a 50% decrease in sulfate reduction, for copper and zinc were determined in the present study by means of nondestructive, rapid physical and chemical analytical techniques. The reaction medium used in the experiments was designed specifically (in terms of pH and chemical composition) to provide the nutrients necessary for the sulfidogenic activity of the SRB and to preclude chemical precipitation of the metals under investigation. The toxicity-mitigating effects of biosorption of dissolved metals were also quantified. Anaerobic Hungate tubes were set up (at least in triplicate) and monitored for sulfate-reduction activity. The onset of SRB activity was detected by the blackening of the reaction mixture because of formation of insoluble ferrous sulfide. The EC100 values were found to be 12 mg/L for copper and 20 mg/L for zinc. The dissolved metal concentration measurements were effective as the indicators of the effect of the

  3. Effects of a one week multidisciplinary inpatient self-management programme for patients with fibromyalgia: a randomised controlled trial

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hamnes Bente

    2012-09-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Self-management programmes (SMP are recommended for patients with fibromyalgia. The purpose of this study was to evaluate effects of a one week multidisciplinary inpatient self-management programme on psychological distress, skills as a consumer of health services, self-efficacy, and functional and symptomatic consequences of fibromyalgia (FM. Methods A randomised controlled two-armed, assessor-blinded trial with three-week follow-up to evaluate SMP. Primary outcomes were the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-20 and the Effective Musculoskeletal Consumer Scale (EC-17, while secondary outcomes included the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ and Self-efficacy scales for pain, function and symptoms (ASES. Results 150 patients with FM were randomised to one week one SMP (n = 75 or to a waiting list control group (n = 75. Of these, 58 participants in the treatment group and 60 in the control group completed the study. At three weeks’ follow up there was a significant difference in EC-17 (0-100 in favour of the treatment group (mean difference 4.26, 95 CI 0.8 to 7.7, p = 0.02. There were no differences between the groups for any of the other outcomes. Conclusion This study shows that in patients with FM the SMP had no effect on psychological distress, functional and symptomatic consequences and self-efficacy, except for a small short-term effect on skills and behaviour that are important for managing and participating in health care (EC-17. Clinical Trials.gov Id: NCT01035125. Trial registration Clinical Trials.gov Id: NCT01035125

  4. Microbial rRNA sequencing analysis of evaporative cooler indoor environments located in the Great Basin Desert region of the United States†

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lemons, Angela R.; Hogan, Mary Beth; Gault, Ruth A.; Holland, Kathleen; Sobek, Edward; Olsen-Wilson, Kimberly A.; Park, Yeonmi; Park, Ju-Hyeong; Gu, Ja Kook; Kashon, Michael L.; Green, Brett J.

    2017-01-01

    Recent studies conducted in the Great Basin Desert region of the United States have shown that skin test reactivity to fungal and dust mite allergens are increased in children with asthma or allergy living in homes with evaporative coolers (EC). The objective of this study was to determine if the increased humidity previously reported in EC homes leads to varying microbial populations compared to homes with air conditioners (AC). Children with physician-diagnosed allergic rhinitis living in EC or AC environments were recruited into the study. Air samples were collected from the child's bedroom for genomic DNA extraction and metagenomic analysis of bacteria and fungi using the Illumina MiSeq sequencing platform. The analysis of bacterial populations revealed no major differences between EC and AC sampling environments. The fungal populations observed in EC homes differed from AC homes. The most prevalent species discovered in AC environments belonged to the genera Cryptococcus (20%) and Aspergillus (20%). In contrast, the most common fungi identified in EC homes belonged to the order Pleosporales and included Alternaria alternata (32%) and Phoma spp. (22%). The variations in fungal populations provide preliminary evidence of the microbial burden children may be exposed to within EC environments in this region. PMID:28091681

  5. EC environmental legislation and the European oil industry

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Luding, W.G.

    1993-01-01

    EUROPIA has 32 ordinary member companies which own and operate more than 95% of EC refining capacity, plus three associate member companies from EFTA countries. A large part of EUROPIA's efforts is devoted to environmental issues. Among its initial actions, EUROPIA developed Guiding Principles for environmental management which have been adopted by all member companies. This article can only highlight some of the key areas of EC environmental policy of interest to the oil industry. Most of the comments will refer to air pollution issues but, of course, water and ground pollution and waste are equally important subjects. (orig./HS)

  6. Radioactivity in the Norwegian Marine Environment

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2002-01-01

    The national monitoring programme for radioactivity in the marine environment was established in 1999. The programme is coordinated by the Norwegian Radiation Protection Authority (NRPA) in cooperation with the Institute of Marine Research (IMR). The principal objective of the programme is to document levels, distributions and trends of radionuclides in the marine environment. Data regarding discharges of radionuclides from both Norwegian and other sources are collected, and assessments of the resulting radiation exposures of humans and biota will be carried out. Results from the analysis of environmental samples collected in 1999 are presented in a new NRPA report (NRPA, 2001:9 ''Radioactivity in the Marine Environment 1999''. Some results from the monitoring programme in 1999 are summarised below along with more recent data concerning concentrations of the radionuclide technetium-99. (author)

  7. New nuclear programmes must not neglect waste management - 59077

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    McCombie, Charles

    2012-01-01

    Many established nuclear power programmes have learned to their dismay that waste management and disposal are not tasks that can be postponed at will if public and political acceptance is a prerequisite for progress. In fact, some programmes that recognised this back in the 1970's and 1980's moved into leading positions in repository development. This happened, for example, in Sweden and Switzerland where already in the 1970's Laws were passed specifying that safe disposal must be demonstrated before new nuclear plants could operate. In recent years, it has become recognised that, in order to ensure that the radioactive wastes in any country are managed safely, it is necessary to have an established legislative and regulatory framework and also to create the necessary organizations for implementation and for oversight of waste management operations and facility development. Guidance on these issues is given in the Joint Convention and a number of other IAEA documents. The IAEA, and also the EC, have in addition published key overarching advisory documents for new nuclear programmes. These are useful for strategic planning but, when it comes to actual implementation projects, the advice tends to imply that all nuclear programmes, however large or small, should be pressing ahead urgently towards early operation of geological repositories. In practice, however, in small programmes there are neither economic nor technical drivers for early implementation of deep geological repositories. Constructing simpler facilities for the disposal of the larger volume of low-level wastes has higher priority. Nevertheless, in all countries political decisions have to be taken and policies set in place to ensure that geological disposal will implemented without unjustified delay. This paper distils out a set of key messages for new programmes. Amongst the most critical are the following. Even if disposal is far off, planning and organization should begin at the initiation of the

  8. Kinetic study on ligand exchange reaction between EC and 99mTc-GH

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wu Chunying; Luo Shineng; Fang Ping; Huang Heyun; Xie Minhao; Meng Hong

    1995-01-01

    The ligand exchange reaction between EC and 99m Tc-GH and its influence factors such as concentrations of EC and pH were described. The concentration of EC has no influence on the exchange reaction rate constant, while pH is the most important influence factor. The rate constants of ligand exchange reaction at different pH values were determined. The results showed that in order to make the labelling yield of 99m Tc-EC higher than 90%, pH of the reaction must be higher than 8

  9. GPM GROUND VALIDATION ENVIRONMENT CANADA (EC) SNOW SURVEYS GCPEX V1

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Aeronautics and Space Administration — The GPM Ground Validation Environment Canada Snow Surveys GCPEx dataset was manually collected during the GPM Cold-season Precipitation Experiment (GCPEx), which...

  10. Deposition of HgTe by electrochemical atomic layer epitaxy (EC-ALE)

    CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

    Venkatasamy, V

    2006-04-01

    Full Text Available This paper describes the first instance of HgTe growth by electrochemical atomic layer epitaxy (EC-ALE). EC-ALE is the electrochemical analog of atomic layer epitaxy (ALE) and atomic layer deposition (ALD), all of which are based on the growth...

  11. Analysis of ATLAS FLB-EC6 Experiment using SPACE Code

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lee, Donghyuk; Kim, Yohan; Kim, Seyun

    2013-01-01

    The new code is named SPACE(Safety and Performance Analysis Code for Nuclear Power Plant). As a part of code validation effort, simulation of ATLAS FLB(Feedwater Line Break) experiment using SPACE code has been performed. The FLB-EC6 experiment is economizer break of a main feedwater line. The calculated results using the SPACE code are compared with those from the experiment. The ATLAS FLB-EC6 experiment, which is economizer feedwater line break, was simulated using the SPACE code. The calculated results were compared with those from the experiment. The comparisons of break flow rate and steam generator water level show good agreement with the experiment. The SPACE code is capable of predicting physical phenomena occurring during ATLAS FLB-EC6 experiment

  12. BLT-EC (Breach, Leach Transport, and Equilibrium Chemistry), a finite-element model for assessing the release of radionuclides from low-level waste disposal units: Background, theory, and model description

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    MacKinnon, R.J.; Sullivan, T.M.; Simonson, S.A.; Suen, C.J.

    1995-08-01

    Performance assessment models typically account for the processes of sorption and dissolution-precipitation by using an empirical distribution coefficient, commonly referred to as K d that combines the effects of all chemical reactions between solid and aqueous phases. In recent years, however, there has been an increasing awareness that performance assessments based solely on empirically based K d models may be incomplete, particularly for applications involving radionuclides having sorption and solubility properties that are sensitive to variations in the in-situ chemical environment. To accommodate variations in the in-situ chemical environment, and to assess its impact on radionuclide mobility, it is necessary to model radionuclide release, transport, and chemical processes in a coupled fashion. This modeling has been done and incorporated into the two-dimensional, finite-element, computer code BLT-EC (Breach, Leach, Transport, Equilibrium Chemistry). BLT-EC is capable of predicting container degradation, waste-form leaching, and advective-dispersive, multispecies, solute transport. BLT-EC accounts for retardation directly by modeling the chemical processes of complexation, sorption, dissolution-precipitation, ion-exchange, and oxidation-reduction reactions. In this report we: (1) present a detailed description of the various physical and chemical processes that control the release and migration of radionuclides from shallow land LLW disposal facilities; (2) formulate the mathematical models that represent these processes; (3) outline how these models are incorporated and implemented in BLT-EC; and (4) demonstrate the application of BLT-EC on a set of example problems

  13. Research Trends in Emerging Contaminants on the Aquatic Environments of Tanzania

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    H. Miraji

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available The continuity for discovery and production of new chemicals, allied products, and uses has currently resulted into generation of recent form of contaminants known as Emerging Contaminants (ECs. Once in the aquatic environment ECs are carcinogenic and cause other threats to both human’s and animals’ health. Due to their effects this study was aimed at investigating research trends of ECs in Tanzania. Findings revealed that USA and EU countries were leading in ECs researches, little followed by Asia, South Africa, and then Zambia. Only few guidelines from USA-EPA, WHO, Canada, and Australia existed. Neither published guidelines nor regulations for ECs existed in Tanzania; rather only the occurrence of some disinfection by-products and antibiotics was, respectively, reported in Arusha and Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. As these reports had a limited coverage of ECs, henceforth, these findings constitute the first-line reference materials for ECs research in Tanzania which shall be useful for future monitoring and regulation planning.

  14. Research Trends in Emerging Contaminants on the Aquatic Environments of Tanzania

    Science.gov (United States)

    Miraji, H.; Othman, O. C.; Ngassapa, F. N.; Mureithi, E. W.

    2016-01-01

    The continuity for discovery and production of new chemicals, allied products, and uses has currently resulted into generation of recent form of contaminants known as Emerging Contaminants (ECs). Once in the aquatic environment ECs are carcinogenic and cause other threats to both human's and animals' health. Due to their effects this study was aimed at investigating research trends of ECs in Tanzania. Findings revealed that USA and EU countries were leading in ECs researches, little followed by Asia, South Africa, and then Zambia. Only few guidelines from USA-EPA, WHO, Canada, and Australia existed. Neither published guidelines nor regulations for ECs existed in Tanzania; rather only the occurrence of some disinfection by-products and antibiotics was, respectively, reported in Arusha and Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. As these reports had a limited coverage of ECs, henceforth, these findings constitute the first-line reference materials for ECs research in Tanzania which shall be useful for future monitoring and regulation planning. PMID:26998381

  15. The hazardous priority substances in Italy: National rules and environmental quality standard in marine environment

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Maggi, Chiara; Onorati, Fulvio; Lamberti, Claudia Virno; Cicero, Anna Maria

    2008-01-01

    Article number 16 of the Water Framework Directive (Directive 2000/60/EC) lays down the community strategy for establishment of harmonised quality standards for the priority substances and other substances posing a significant risk to the aquatic environment. In order to achieve the protection objectives of the Directive 2000/60/EC, the Italian Ministry of the Environment proposed the quality standards for surface water, sediments and biota related to the priority substances listed in the decision No. 2455/2001/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of November 20 (2001) [Decision N. 2455/2001/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 November 2001. The list of priority substances in the field of water policy and amending Directive 2000/60/EC. Official Journal of the European Communities, 15.12.2001, p. 5]. Particularly, for the protection of the marine environment, the proposed Italian rules state that, from 1 January 2021, the concentrations of the hazardous priority substances in Italian marine and lagoon waters must be near the natural background for natural substances, like metals, and near zero for the anthropogenic one. According to Directive 2000/60/EC, the Italian Ministry of Environment issued in 2003 Decree 367 in which has derived 160 Environmental Quality Standard (EQS) for water and 27 Environmental Quality Objective (EQO) for sediment of marine coastal area, lagoons and coastal ponds. Biota quality standards have still to be fixed. The paper illustrates the criteria applied for the definition of the quality standards and some comments are presented

  16. DOD Electronic Commerce (EC)/Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) in contracting report

    Science.gov (United States)

    1993-12-01

    Use of Electronic Commerce (EC)/Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) to support Department of Defense (DoD) procurement processes has been under consideration for some time. A 1988 Deputy Secretary of Defense memo calls for maximum use of EDI, based on 10 years of DoD EDI investigation and experiments. In 1990, Defense Management Review Decision 941 stated, 'The strategic goal of DoD's current efforts is to provide the department with the capability to initiate, conduct, and maintain its external business related transactions and internal logistics, contracting, and financial activities without requiring the use of hard copy media.' The EC in Contracting PAT membership reflected a broad cross section of Military Services and Defense Agencies working on a full-time basis for 60 days. The diversity of the EC in Contracting PAT ensured that the needs and concerns of all DoD components were addressed during the creation of the report. The resultant plan, therefore, represents a comprehensive approach for implementing EC throughout the DoD.

  17. ECS: Efficient Communication Scheduling for Underwater Sensor Networks

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lu Hong

    2011-03-01

    Full Text Available TDMA protocols have attracted a lot of attention for underwater acoustic sensor networks (UWSNs, because of the unique characteristics of acoustic signal propagation such as great energy consumption in transmission, long propagation delay and long communication range. Previous TDMA protocols all allocated transmission time to nodes based on discrete time slots. This paper proposes an efficient continuous time scheduling TDMA protocol (ECS for UWSNs, including the continuous time based and sender oriented conflict analysis model, the transmission moment allocation algorithm and the distributed topology maintenance algorithm. Simulation results confirm that ECS improves network throughput by 20% on average, compared to existing MAC protocols.

  18. A global inventory of aircraft NO{sub x} emissions (ANCAT/EC 2). A revised inventory (1996) by the ECAC/ANCAT and EC working group

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Gardner, R M [Great Minister House, London (United Kingdom). Dept. of Transfert London

    1998-12-31

    Results of the ANCAT/EC 2 inventory produced by the European ANCAT/EC emissions inventory group is reported. The base year inventory has been completed and is currently being written up for report publication. The ANCAT/EC 2 inventory in the base year, 1991/92, has accounted for a total fuel burn of 132.5 Tg/yr and a NO{sub x} mass of 1.82 Tg/yr. The civil subsonic fleet average emissions index is EI NO{sub x} 13.9. The inventory has accounted for 80% of the IEA refined jet fuel total for 1992. The forecast 2015 inventory accounts for 289.4 Tg/yr fuel and 3.48 Tg/yr NO{sub x}, increases of 118% and 91% respectively. Both datasets will be reported fully in the next few months. (author) 5 refs.

  19. A global inventory of aircraft NO{sub x} emissions (ANCAT/EC 2). A revised inventory (1996) by the ECAC/ANCAT and EC working group

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Gardner, R.M. [Great Minister House, London (United Kingdom). Dept. of Transfert London

    1997-12-31

    Results of the ANCAT/EC 2 inventory produced by the European ANCAT/EC emissions inventory group is reported. The base year inventory has been completed and is currently being written up for report publication. The ANCAT/EC 2 inventory in the base year, 1991/92, has accounted for a total fuel burn of 132.5 Tg/yr and a NO{sub x} mass of 1.82 Tg/yr. The civil subsonic fleet average emissions index is EI NO{sub x} 13.9. The inventory has accounted for 80% of the IEA refined jet fuel total for 1992. The forecast 2015 inventory accounts for 289.4 Tg/yr fuel and 3.48 Tg/yr NO{sub x}, increases of 118% and 91% respectively. Both datasets will be reported fully in the next few months. (author) 5 refs.

  20. RTE - Assessment of the R and D programme for 2014

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2015-01-01

    After a synthetic overview (R and D context, brief presentations of R and D programmes, programme progress indicators, financial assessment for 2014, evolution of expenses for each programme from 2013 to 2016, highlights for each programme during 2014), this report first describes R and D projects associated with the different R and D programmes (tomorrow's grid, asset management, electric power system, environment, smart grids). It gives a list of current and future projects with their expected results for 2015 and 2016. It presents financial aspects for 2014 (expenses, subsidies, expense evolution), and presents the different indicators used for the follow-up of the R and D assessment of each programme

  1. The EC thematic network on the analysis of thorium and its isotopes in workplace materials

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Howe, A.M.; Bernot, C.; Woods, M.J.

    2001-01-01

    Accurate measurements of workplace exposure to 232 Th and its progeny are required to estimate internal radiation doses received by persons working with thorium-containing materials. However, a small intercomparison carried out in the mid-nineteen nineties raised doubts about the reliability of results obtained by methods available for measurement of thorium. An EC-funded thematic network was therefore established to bring together experts in the field of thorium analysis in order to coordinate research activity and identify best analytical practice, requirements for reference materials, etc. This network has now successfully completed its work programme, which included a survey to determine future research needs; a series of intercomparisons to test the performance of methods for measuring thorium in workplace materials, and a workshop held to promote best practice and transfer information to regulatory authorities and industry. Results of the work have been used to make various recommendations concerning future needs in this field. (author)

  2. KROTOS FCI experimental programme at CEA Cadarache: new features and status

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bonnet, J.M.; Bullado, Y.; Journeau, C.; Fouquart, P.; Piluso, P.; Sergeant, C.; Magallon, D.

    2005-01-01

    Full text of publication follows: KROTOS facility has been operated by the European Commission at JRC-Ispra for many years until 1999 as part of the FARO/KROTOS programme. The programme had to be stopped at JRC due to new EC priorities, and an agreement was concluded with CEA to transfer the KROTOS facility and know-how to Cadarache to continue investigating the pending FCI issues. By this agreement, CEA became owner of the facility. The main objective of the KROTOS programme at CEA Cadarache is understanding the role of melt properties in steam explosion propagation and energetics and, in particular, steam explosion behaviour of prototypical corium melts. Possible influence of physicochemical processes on explosiveness will also be explored. Actually, analysis of alumina debris produced at Ispra have shown that formation of metastable phases and chemical reaction with water at high temperature may play a significant role in enhancing heat transfer to water in the explosion phase. In order to reach the objective, steam explosion experiments are performed in well characterised conditions for a large spectrum of conditions and melt compositions of interest for both in- and ex-vessel situations. A trigger is applied as a rule. Advanced technology and instrumentation is used to reduce uncertainties on initial conditions and characterise the various phases of an explosion, with emphasis on high energy X-ray cinematography to qualify pre-mixing. This advanced instrumentation will enable the measurement of detailed variables to consolidate the qualification of the FCI codes. The use of high energy X-rays made it necessary to construct a new building to house the facility and its components. The facility should newly become operative early 2005. Main improvements with respect to Ispra concern melt delivery, hydrogen measurement and X-ray imaging. Preliminary studies have demonstrated that identification of the pre-mixture-water interface and coherent melt jet core, and

  3. KROTOS FCI experimental programme at CEA Cadarache: new features and status

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bonnet, J.M.; Bullado, Y.; Journeau, C.; Fouquart, P.; Piluso, P.; Sergeant, C.; Magallon, D. [CEA-Cadarache, DTN/STRI/LMA, Bat 708, BP1, 13108 Saint Paul lez Durance cedex (France)

    2005-07-01

    Full text of publication follows: KROTOS facility has been operated by the European Commission at JRC-Ispra for many years until 1999 as part of the FARO/KROTOS programme. The programme had to be stopped at JRC due to new EC priorities, and an agreement was concluded with CEA to transfer the KROTOS facility and know-how to Cadarache to continue investigating the pending FCI issues. By this agreement, CEA became owner of the facility. The main objective of the KROTOS programme at CEA Cadarache is understanding the role of melt properties in steam explosion propagation and energetics and, in particular, steam explosion behaviour of prototypical corium melts. Possible influence of physicochemical processes on explosiveness will also be explored. Actually, analysis of alumina debris produced at Ispra have shown that formation of metastable phases and chemical reaction with water at high temperature may play a significant role in enhancing heat transfer to water in the explosion phase. In order to reach the objective, steam explosion experiments are performed in well characterised conditions for a large spectrum of conditions and melt compositions of interest for both in- and ex-vessel situations. A trigger is applied as a rule. Advanced technology and instrumentation is used to reduce uncertainties on initial conditions and characterise the various phases of an explosion, with emphasis on high energy X-ray cinematography to qualify pre-mixing. This advanced instrumentation will enable the measurement of detailed variables to consolidate the qualification of the FCI codes. The use of high energy X-rays made it necessary to construct a new building to house the facility and its components. The facility should newly become operative early 2005. Main improvements with respect to Ispra concern melt delivery, hydrogen measurement and X-ray imaging. Preliminary studies have demonstrated that identification of the pre-mixture-water interface and coherent melt jet core, and

  4. EC6 for Darlington - a managed-enhancements replication project

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Soulard, M.R.

    2011-01-01

    CANDU 6 design has a well-deserved reputation for lifetime performance and on-time, on-schedule construction. Candu Energy is finalizing development of an upgraded reactor product, the Enhanced CANDU 6 (EC6), which incorporates the CANDU 6's well-proven features, and adds enhancements that make the reactor even more safe and easier to operate. The EC6 is the only mid-sized reactor (700 MWe class) with a proven pedigree that meets modern reactor expectations and regulatory standards. It is sized for smaller grids and also has outstanding fuel-cycle capability. Some of the key features incorporated into the EC6 include increasing the plant's power output, shortening the overall project schedule, addressing obsolescence issues, optimizing maintenance outages and incorporating lessons learnt through feedback obtained from the operating plants. The EC6 utilizes modern computers and a distributed control system housed in an advanced control room which, along with automated testing and on-line diagnostics, make the plant easier and safer to operate, with minimal operator intervention. An array of health monitoring equipment are also installed to foretell impending equipment problems, which can be acted upon, avoiding complications that could result in forced shutdowns. Improvements to the fire protection system and enhanced security features will further protect the assets. Containment and seismic capability are upgraded to meet modern standards. The first deployment of the EC6 is anticipated in Canada; other markets are also being pursued. The EC6 reactor is designed for a target lifetime capacity factor of 92% including 94% year-to-year and a 1% Forced Loss Rate. Since the number and duration of maintenance outages impact plant capacity factors, periodic short duration maintenance outages of less than a month once every 36 months is a key target of the EC6 reactor. This objective is achieved by automating a number of tasks such as shutdown systems testing. The majority

  5. Translation and validation of the Dutch version of the Effective Consumer Scale (EC-17)

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    ten Klooster, Peter M.; Taal, Erik; Tjin-Kam-Jet-Siemons, Liseth; Oostveen, J.C.M.; Oostveen, Johanna C.M.; Harmsen, Etelka J.; Tugwell, Peter S.; Rader, Tamara; Lyddiatt, Anne; van de Laar, Mart A F J

    2013-01-01

    PURPOSE: The Effective Consumer Scale (EC-17) measures the skills of musculoskeletal patients in managing their own healthcare. The objectives of this study were to translate the EC-17 into Dutch and to further evaluate its psychometric properties. METHODS: The EC-17 was translated and cognitively

  6. Requirements for laboratory animals in health programmes*

    OpenAIRE

    Held, J. R.

    1981-01-01

    Laboratory animals are essential for the successful execution of many health programmes. A wide variety of animal models is used in the worldwide efforts to improve the control of various diseases, and in the basic research needed to improve health care. Biomedical programmes require specially-bred animals reared under controlled conditions, with close attention given to such factors as physical environment, nutrition, microbiological status, and genetic background. The need for a regular sup...

  7. Does the Regulatory Environment for E-Cigarettes Influence the Effectiveness of E-Cigarettes for Smoking Cessation?: Longitudinal Findings From the ITC Four Country Survey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yong, Hua-Hie; Hitchman, Sara C; Cummings, K Michael; Borland, Ron; Gravely, Shannon M L; McNeill, Ann; Fong, Geoffrey T

    2017-11-01

    To date, no studies have explored how different regulatory environments may influence the effectiveness of electronic cigarettes (ECs) as a smoking cessation aid. This study compares the real-world effectiveness of adult smokers using ECs for quitting compared with quitting unassisted or quitting with nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) and/or prescription medications in two countries with restrictive policies towards ECs (ie, Canada and Australia) versus two countries with less restrictive policies (ie, United States and United Kingdom). Data were drawn from the International Tobacco Control Four Country surveys, from the United States and Canada (2 waves, n = 318 and 380, respectively), the United Kingdom (3 waves, n = 439) and Australia (4 waves, n = 662), collected 2010-2014. Smokers at baseline wave who reported making a quit attempt at follow-up were included. The primary outcome was self-reported abstinence for at least 30 days regardless of smoking status at follow-up assessment. Data across waves were combined and analyzed using generalized estimating equations. Compared to unassisted quitting (ie, no medications or ECs), smokers who used ECs for quitting from countries with less restrictive EC policy environments were more likely (OR = 1.95, 95%CI = 1.19-3.20, p cessation are likely highly dependent on the regulatory environment. What this study adds: This is the first study to examine the impact of regulatory environment for ECs on their real-world effectiveness for smoking cessation. This study shows that in a less restrictive EC regulatory environment, use of ECs during a quit attempt facilitates, but in a more restrictive environment, it inhibits, short-term sustained abstinence. The findings underscore the need for careful consideration on how best to regulate this emerging product so that EC benefits for smoking cessation are maximized and its risks to public health are minimized. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of

  8. The representation of tropical upper tropospheric water in EC Earth V2

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Johnston, M.S. [Chalmers University of Technology, Department of Earth and Space Sciences, Goeteburg (Sweden); Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute (SMHI), Norrkoeping (Sweden); Eriksson, P.; Murtagh, D.P. [Chalmers University of Technology, Department of Earth and Space Sciences, Goeteburg (Sweden); Eliasson, S. [Luleaa University of Technology, Department of Computer Science, Electrical and Space Engineering, Kiruna (Sweden); Jones, C.G. [Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute (SMHI), Norrkoeping (Sweden); Forbes, R.M. [ECMWF, Reading, Berkshire (United Kingdom)

    2012-12-15

    Tropical upper tropospheric humidity, clouds, and ice water content, as well as outgoing longwave radiation (OLR), are evaluated in the climate model EC Earth with the aid of satellite retrievals. The Atmospheric Infrared Sounder and Microwave Limb Sounder together provide good coverage of relative humidity. EC Earth's relative humidity is in fair agreement with these observations. CloudSat and CALIPSO data are combined to provide cloud fractions estimates throughout the altitude region considered (500-100 hPa). EC Earth is found to overestimate the degree of cloud cover above 200 hPa and underestimate it below. Precipitating and non-precipitating EC Earth ice definitions are combined to form a complete ice water content. EC Earth's ice water content is below the uncertainty range of CloudSat above 250 hPa, but can be twice as high as CloudSat's estimate in the melting layer. CERES data show that the model underestimates the impact of clouds on OLR, on average with about 9 W m{sup -2}. Regionally, EC Earth's outgoing longwave radiation can be {proportional_to}20 W m{sup -2} higher than the observation. A comparison to ERA-Interim provides further perspectives on the model's performance. Limitations of the satellite observations are emphasised and their uncertainties are, throughout, considered in the analysis. Evaluating multiple model variables in parallel is a more ambitious approach than is customary. (orig.)

  9. Egg cell-secreted EC1 triggers sperm cell activation during double fertilization.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sprunck, Stefanie; Rademacher, Svenja; Vogler, Frank; Gheyselinck, Jacqueline; Grossniklaus, Ueli; Dresselhaus, Thomas

    2012-11-23

    Double fertilization is the defining characteristic of flowering plants. However, the molecular mechanisms regulating the fusion of one sperm with the egg and the second sperm with the central cell are largely unknown. We show that gamete interactions in Arabidopsis depend on small cysteine-rich EC1 (EGG CELL 1) proteins accumulating in storage vesicles of the egg cell. Upon sperm arrival, EC1-containing vesicles are exocytosed. The sperm endomembrane system responds to exogenously applied EC1 peptides by redistributing the potential gamete fusogen HAP2/GCS1 (HAPLESS 2/GENERATIVE CELL SPECIFIC 1) to the cell surface. Furthermore, fertilization studies with ec1 quintuple mutants show that successful male-female gamete interactions are necessary to prevent multiple-sperm cell delivery. Our findings provide evidence that mutual gamete activation, regulated exocytosis, and sperm plasma membrane modifications govern flowering plant gamete interactions.

  10. EC4IT - A Guide to European Commission Projects for CERN/IT department

    CERN Document Server

    Jones, R

    2012-01-01

    European Commission (EC) projects represent an important source of external funding for a number of activities in which IT department is involved. The EC has a set of procedures and formalities for the preparation, negotiation, execution and completion of projects that are different to those normally used at CERN. This document gives an overview of the administrative, financial, reporting and managerial steps involved in participating in an EC project.

  11. Thematic Network on The role of Monitoring in a Phased Approach to Disposal - EUR 21025, 2004. Conclusions of the EC Thematic Network on The role of Monitoring in a Phased Approach to Geological Disposal of Radioactive Waste

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Barlow, Stephen

    2005-01-01

    The EC thematic network on the role of monitoring in a phased approach to the geological disposal of radioactive waste brought together expertise from twelve organisations from ten countries. It was started in 2001 following on from an earlier EC study of retrievability and reversibility (EUR 19145 EN), and completed in 2004 with publication of the final report (EUR 21025 EN). The project mainly aimed to: - Understand the approaches to monitoring in each national programme and their dependency on concepts and approaches. - Distil consensus views and recognise alternative approaches to monitoring. - Share technical knowledge and experience. - Communicate views and experiences. Participants from the projects looked at various definitions of monitoring in relation to a phased approach to disposal, and achieved a consensus on the following: 'Continuous or periodic observations and measurements of engineering, environmental, radiological or other parameters and indicators/characteristics, to help evaluate the behaviour of components of the repository system, or the impacts of the repository and its operation on the environment, and to help in making decisions on the implementation of successive phases of the disposal concept'. That definition is mainly based on an IAEA definition with a few modifications and, in particular, by adding the fact that monitoring has a role in making decisions. Various alternative approaches to make decisions and achieve goals were analysed and the need was stressed for a flexible schedule with a degree of concept flexibility. The project achieved a consensus on the following principles: (i) monitoring has a role in underpinning and verification of operational safety (compliance monitoring); (ii) long-term (post-closure) safety must be assured by design - it cannot rely on monitoring, although monitoring may be implemented for other reasons - monitoring must not be detrimental to long-term (post-closure) safety (iii) monitoring

  12. Present status of developing petroleum-substituting energy (EC)

    Science.gov (United States)

    1993-03-01

    The EC has had approximately 50% of its total energy demand supplied by imports from the exterior of the Community. Hence, it is getting important to develop oil-substituting renewable energy as well as to curtail the emission of carbon dioxide. In consideration of these situations, the results of investigation on the energy policy of the European Community are described. The policy comprises three courses: European Energy Charter, formation of an open European Community energy market, and environmental conservation. Particularly, concerning the reduction of carbon dioxide emission, the EC Council has decided to introduce carbon dioxide taxation so as to suppress the carbon dioxide emission in the year 2000 to the 1990 level. The arrangement for its introduction, however, encountered with difficulties because of the opposition of various countries other than the European Community and the industrial world of the European Community. Legislation of the investment promotion law for energy saving and the construction of infrastructure footing and an information network are ineffective due to the sluggish fuel price and economic recession. A plurality of EC member countries are advancing a comprehensive activity within the framework of the joint programs of research, development, and demonstration set for the renewable energy policy ensuring energy supply and environmental harmonization.

  13. Programme of research and development on plutonium recycling in light-water reactors; indirect nuclear action

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1982-01-01

    This report is a summary of the results obtained during the five-year programme 'Plutonium recycle in LWRs' (1975-79) which has been made possible after the completion of the synthesis studies on 'Control and Safety' and on the 'Environmental impact'. The work performed during the programme is reported; the contracts concluded and their main results and conclusions are summarized. The activity was devoted to studies of general interest and to R and D in order to improve the scientific and technical knowledge of plutonium recycling. General studies included an assessment of the environmental impact of plutonium recycling in the EC as well as research aimed at reducing this impact. Improvements were achieved on neutron-physics parameters of the actinides, on neutron computer codes for plutonium-fuelled LWRs, on control and safety and on the in-pile behaviour of mixed-oxide fuels. The conclusions state that, while fostering a fruitful exchange of information in the Community, the programme has contributed to demonstrating the feasibility of plutonium recycling in LWRs

  14. Technology transfer on long-term radioactive waste management - a feasible option for small nuclear programmes?

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mele, I.; Mathieson, J.

    2007-01-01

    The EU project CATT - Co-operation and technology transfer on long-term radioactive waste management for Member States with small nuclear programmes investigated the feasibility of countries with small nuclear programmes implementing long-term radioactive waste management solutions within their national borders, through collaboration on technology transfer with those countries with advanced disposal concepts. The main project objective was to analyse the existing capabilities of technology owning Member States and the corresponding requirements of potential technology acquiring Member States and, based on the findings, to develop a number of possible collaboration models and scenarios that could be used in a technology transfer scheme. The project CATT was performed as a specific support action under the EU sixth framework programme and it brought together waste management organisations from six EU Member States: UK, Bulgaria, Germany, Lithuania, Slovenia and Sweden. In addition, the EC Joint Research Centre from the Netherlands also participated as a full partner. The paper summarises the analyses performed and the results obtained within the project. (author)

  15. Cooperative Fuzzy Games Approach to Setting Target Levels of ECs in Quality Function Deployment

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zhihui Yang

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Quality function deployment (QFD can provide a means of translating customer requirements (CRs into engineering characteristics (ECs for each stage of product development and production. The main objective of QFD-based product planning is to determine the target levels of ECs for a new product or service. QFD is a breakthrough tool which can effectively reduce the gap between CRs and a new product/service. Even though there are conflicts among some ECs, the objective of developing new product is to maximize the overall customer satisfaction. Therefore, there may be room for cooperation among ECs. A cooperative game framework combined with fuzzy set theory is developed to determine the target levels of the ECs in QFD. The key to develop the model is the formulation of the bargaining function. In the proposed methodology, the players are viewed as the membership functions of ECs to formulate the bargaining function. The solution for the proposed model is Pareto-optimal. An illustrated example is cited to demonstrate the application and performance of the proposed approach.

  16. Cooperative fuzzy games approach to setting target levels of ECs in quality function deployment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Zhihui; Chen, Yizeng; Yin, Yunqiang

    2014-01-01

    Quality function deployment (QFD) can provide a means of translating customer requirements (CRs) into engineering characteristics (ECs) for each stage of product development and production. The main objective of QFD-based product planning is to determine the target levels of ECs for a new product or service. QFD is a breakthrough tool which can effectively reduce the gap between CRs and a new product/service. Even though there are conflicts among some ECs, the objective of developing new product is to maximize the overall customer satisfaction. Therefore, there may be room for cooperation among ECs. A cooperative game framework combined with fuzzy set theory is developed to determine the target levels of the ECs in QFD. The key to develop the model is the formulation of the bargaining function. In the proposed methodology, the players are viewed as the membership functions of ECs to formulate the bargaining function. The solution for the proposed model is Pareto-optimal. An illustrated example is cited to demonstrate the application and performance of the proposed approach.

  17. EC-LEDS Mexico: Advancing Clean Energy Goals

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    2016-07-01

    EC-LEDS works with the government of Mexico to help meet its goals of reducing greenhouse gas emissions from the energy sector. The program targets specific, highly technical areas where Mexico has indicated the program can add value and make an impact.

  18. EC-LEDS Supports the Low-Carbon Transition

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    2016-09-01

    EC-LEDS is a flagship U.S. government-led effort that assists countries to create and implement low emission development strategies, or LEDS -- development frameworks that promote sustainable social and economic development while reducing greenhouse gas emissions over the medium to long term.

  19. Indian programme on radioactive waste management

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wattal, P.K.

    2013-01-01

    The primary objective of radioactive waste management is protection of human health, environment and future generation. This article describes, briefly, the Indian programme on management of different radioactive wastes arising in the entire nuclear fuel cycle adhering to this objective. (author)

  20. Environmental radioactivity surveillance programme 1988-89

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sequeira, S.; Pollard, D.; Hayden, E.; Dunne, B.; Colgan, P.A.; Cunningham, J.D.

    1990-06-01

    The Nuclear Energy Board measures radionuclides in air, rainwater, total fallout, drinking water supplies and milk as part of its programme to monitor radioactivity in the Irish environment. The report presents the results of measurements made during 1988 and 1989

  1. Overview of the ITER EC H and CD system and its capabilities

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Omori, T., E-mail: toshimichi.omori@iter.org [ITER Organization, CS 90 046, 13067 St Paul Lez Durance Cedex (France); Henderson, M.A. [ITER Organization, CS 90 046, 13067 St Paul Lez Durance Cedex (France); Albajar, F. [Fusion for Energy, C/Josep Pla 2, Torres Diagonal Litoral-B3, E-08019 Barcelona (Spain); Alberti, S. [CRPP-Association EURATOM-Confederation Suisse, EPFL Ecublens, CH-1015 Lausanne (Switzerland); Baruah, U. [Institute for Plasma Research, Near Indira Bridge, Bhat, Gandhinagar 382428 (India); Bigelow, T.S. [US ITER Project Office, ORNL, 055 Commerce Park, PO Box 2008, Oak Ridge, TN 37831 (United States); Beckett, B. [ITER Organization, CS 90 046, 13067 St Paul Lez Durance Cedex (France); Bertizzolo, R. [CRPP-Association EURATOM-Confederation Suisse, EPFL Ecublens, CH-1015 Lausanne (Switzerland); Bonicelli, T. [Fusion for Energy, C/Josep Pla 2, Torres Diagonal Litoral-B3, E-08019 Barcelona (Spain); Bruschi, A. [Istituto di Fisica del Plasma, Association EURATOM-ENEA-CNR, Milano (Italy); Caughman, J.B. [US ITER Project Office, ORNL, 055 Commerce Park, PO Box 2008, Oak Ridge, TN 37831 (United States); Chavan, R. [CRPP-Association EURATOM-Confederation Suisse, EPFL Ecublens, CH-1015 Lausanne (Switzerland); Cirant, S. [Istituto di Fisica del Plasma, Association EURATOM-ENEA-CNR, Milano (Italy); Collazos, A. [CRPP-Association EURATOM-Confederation Suisse, EPFL Ecublens, CH-1015 Lausanne (Switzerland); Cox, D.; Darbos, C. [ITER Organization, CS 90 046, 13067 St Paul Lez Durance Cedex (France); Baar, M.R. de [Association EURATOM-FOM, 3430 BE Nieuwegein (Netherlands); Denisov, G. [Institute of Applied Physics, 46 Ulyanov Street, Nizhny Novgorod 603950 (Russian Federation); Farina, D. [Istituto di Fisica del Plasma, Association EURATOM-ENEA-CNR, Milano (Italy); Gandini, F. [ITER Organization, CS 90 046, 13067 St Paul Lez Durance Cedex (France)

    2011-10-15

    The Electron Cyclotron (EC) system for the ITER tokamak is designed to inject {>=}20 MW RF power into the plasma for Heating and Current Drive (H and CD) applications. The EC system consists of up to 26 gyrotrons (between 1 and 2 MW each), the associated power supplies, 24 transmission lines and 5 launchers. The EC system has a diverse range of applications including central heating and current drive, current profile tailoring and control of plasma magneto-hydrodynamic (MHD) instabilities such as the sawtooth and neoclassical tearing modes (NTMs). This diverse range of applications requires the launchers to be capable of depositing the EC power across nearly the entire plasma cross section. This is achieved by two types of antennas: an equatorial port launcher (capable of injecting up to 20 MW from the plasma axis to mid-radius) and four upper port launchers providing access from inside of mid radius to near the plasma edge. The equatorial launcher design is optimized for central heating, current drive and profile tailoring, while the upper launcher should provide a very focused and peaked current density profile to control the plasma instabilities. The overall EC system has been modified during the past 3 years taking into account the issues identified in the ITER design review from 2007 and 2008 as well as integrating new technologies. This paper will review the principal objectives of the EC system, modifications made during the past 2 years and how the design is compliant with the principal objectives.

  2. Overview of the ITER EC H and CD system and its capabilities

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Omori, T.; Henderson, M.A.; Albajar, F.; Alberti, S.; Baruah, U.; Bigelow, T.S.; Beckett, B.; Bertizzolo, R.; Bonicelli, T.; Bruschi, A.; Caughman, J.B.; Chavan, R.; Cirant, S.; Collazos, A.; Cox, D.; Darbos, C.; Baar, M.R. de; Denisov, G.; Farina, D.; Gandini, F.

    2011-01-01

    The Electron Cyclotron (EC) system for the ITER tokamak is designed to inject ≥20 MW RF power into the plasma for Heating and Current Drive (H and CD) applications. The EC system consists of up to 26 gyrotrons (between 1 and 2 MW each), the associated power supplies, 24 transmission lines and 5 launchers. The EC system has a diverse range of applications including central heating and current drive, current profile tailoring and control of plasma magneto-hydrodynamic (MHD) instabilities such as the sawtooth and neoclassical tearing modes (NTMs). This diverse range of applications requires the launchers to be capable of depositing the EC power across nearly the entire plasma cross section. This is achieved by two types of antennas: an equatorial port launcher (capable of injecting up to 20 MW from the plasma axis to mid-radius) and four upper port launchers providing access from inside of mid radius to near the plasma edge. The equatorial launcher design is optimized for central heating, current drive and profile tailoring, while the upper launcher should provide a very focused and peaked current density profile to control the plasma instabilities. The overall EC system has been modified during the past 3 years taking into account the issues identified in the ITER design review from 2007 and 2008 as well as integrating new technologies. This paper will review the principal objectives of the EC system, modifications made during the past 2 years and how the design is compliant with the principal objectives.

  3. Belle monte-carlo production on the Amazon EC2 cloud

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sevior, Martin; Fifield, Tom; Katayama, Nobuhiko

    2010-01-01

    The Belle II experiment which aims to increase the Luminosity of the KEKB collider by a factor of 50 will search for physics beyond the Standard Model through precision measurements and the investigation of rare processes in Flavour physics. The expected data rate is comparable to a current era LHC experiment with commensurate computing needs. Incorporating commercial cloud computing, such as that provided by the Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2) into the Belle II computing model may provide a lower Total Cost of Ownership for the Belle II computing solution. To investigate this possibility, we have created a system to conduct the complete Belle Monte Carlo simulation chain on EC2 to benchmark the cost and performance of the service. This paper will describe how this was achieved in addition to the drawbacks and costs of large-scale Monte Carlo production on EC2.

  4. Belle monte-carlo production on the Amazon EC2 cloud

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sevior, Martin; Fifield, Tom [University of Melbourne, School of Physics, Victoria 3010 Australia (Australia); Katayama, Nobuhiko, E-mail: msevior@gmail.co, E-mail: fifieldt@unimelb.edu.a, E-mail: nobu.katayama@kek.j [High Energy Accelerator Research Organisation (KEK), Tsukuba (Japan)

    2010-04-01

    The Belle II experiment which aims to increase the Luminosity of the KEKB collider by a factor of 50 will search for physics beyond the Standard Model through precision measurements and the investigation of rare processes in Flavour physics. The expected data rate is comparable to a current era LHC experiment with commensurate computing needs. Incorporating commercial cloud computing, such as that provided by the Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2) into the Belle II computing model may provide a lower Total Cost of Ownership for the Belle II computing solution. To investigate this possibility, we have created a system to conduct the complete Belle Monte Carlo simulation chain on EC2 to benchmark the cost and performance of the service. This paper will describe how this was achieved in addition to the drawbacks and costs of large-scale Monte Carlo production on EC2.

  5. Genes and proteins of Escherichia coli (GenProtEc).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Riley, M; Space, D B

    1996-01-01

    GenProtEc is a database of Escherichia coli genes and their gene products, classified by type of function and physiological role and with citations to the literature for each. Also present are data on sequence similarities among E.coli proteins with PAM values, percent identity of amino acids, length of alignment and percent aligned. The database is available as a PKZip file by ftp from mbl.edu/pub/ecoli.exe. The program runs under MS-DOS on IMB-compatible machines. GenProtEc can also be accessed through the World Wide Web at URL http://mbl.edu/html/ecoli.html.

  6. Permeation of Telone EC through protective gloves.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zainal, Hanaa; Que Hee, Shane S

    2005-09-30

    Telone is a potent fumigant that is based on the chlorinated unsaturated hydrocarbon, 1,3-dichloropropene (1,3-DCP). It is often applied without dilution and so poses severe inhalation and air pollution threats. Urinary metabolites of 1,3-DCP have been detected after Telone skin exposure, so that preventing dermal exposure is also important. The objective of the study was to assess if nitrile and multi-layer ("laminated") gloves provide adequate protection against Telone EC formulation. To accomplish this, disposable (Safeskin) and chemically resistant (Sol-Vex) nitrile and laminated (Barrier mark and Silver Shield) glove materials were challenged by Telone EC with hexane liquid collection in an ASTM-type I-PTC-600 permeation cell. Analyses of cis- and trans-1,3-DCP in the collection fluid at specified times were performed on a moderately polar capillary column by gas chromatography-electron capture detection. Telone EC caused microholes in both nitrile materials, though the chemically protective material was degraded slower than the disposable nitrile. The laminated gloves offered limited protection. Silver Shield protected best because 1.5-2.3 mg 1,3-DCP permeated by 8 h relative to 2.5-7.6 mg for Barrier, implying about 2.5 times more protection for 8 h. Even for Silver Shield, the extent of protection was inadequate as illustrated by a risk assessment of the skin exposure situation. The normalized breakthrough times for both types of laminated gloves varied between 27 and 60 min. It is recommended that Viton gloves still be worn for protection.

  7. SPINSMEDE: a transnational taining experience on soil protection

    OpenAIRE

    Figueiredo, Tomás de; Graaff, Jan de; Evelpidou, Niki; Martínez-Casasnovas, José António; Merino, Agustín

    2010-01-01

    SPinSMEDE, acronym of Soil Protection in Sloping Mediterranean Agri- Environments, an Erasmus Intensive Programme, funded by the EC Lifelong Learning Programme, was designed and implemented following the policy context of the Thematic Strategy for Soil Protection in Europe. This document announced expectable demand for technical competences to meet increased requirements on the issue, most needed to cope with the specific soil degradation problems of Mediterranean hill-slopes. ...

  8. Regulatory competences of the EC in the energy sector; Regelungszustaendigkeiten der EG im Bereich Energie

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Baur, J.F.; Blask, H. [Koeln Univ. (Germany). Inst. fuer das Recht der Europaeischen Gemeinschaften und Inst. fuer Energierecht

    2002-09-01

    In the light of necessary amendments of the Internal Electricity Market Directive and the Internal Gas Market Directive, a debate has evolved within the European Community about lawmaking powers for the energy sector. Whereas the Member States refer to the EC Treaty and deny any lawmaking powers of the EC for the energy sector, the EC defends its position that the EC should have and can derive lawmaking competence for energy policy decisions from the EC Treaty. The author reviews the situation from the legal point of view based on existing provisions and gives an outlook on a possible outcome of the ''constitutional convention'' of the EC which is to meet for discussing a revision of the EC Treaty. (orig./CB) [German] In Bezug auf die geplanten Aenderungen der Binnenmarktrichtlinien fuer Elektrizitaet und Gas werden moegliche Kompetenzen der EG im Bereich der Energiepolitik und ihre Grenzen eroertert. In einer Schlussbetrachtung werden die Ergebnisse zusammengefasst und ein kurzer Ausblick auf die Arbeit des 'Verfassungskonvents' der EU und die anstehende Vertragsrevision geworfen, in deren Rahmen die Implikation einer eigenstaendigen Spezialkompetenz im Bereich Energie erneut thematisiert werden koennte. (orig./CB)

  9. Prioritizing research for trace pollutants and emerging contaminants in the freshwater environment

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Murray, Kyle E., E-mail: Kyle.Murray@utsa.ed [Center for Water Research, University of Texas at San Antonio, One UTSA Circle, San Antonio, TX 78249-0663 (United States); Thomas, Sheeba M [San Antonio River Authority, San Antonio, TX (United States); Bodour, Adria A [Air Force Center for Engineering and the Environment (AFCEE), Brooks City-Base, TX (United States)

    2010-12-15

    Organic chemicals have been detected at trace concentrations in the freshwater environment for decades. Though the term trace pollutant indicates low concentrations normally in the nanogram or microgram per liter range, many of these pollutants can exceed an acceptable daily intake (ADI) for humans. Trace pollutants referred to as emerging contaminants (ECs) have recently been detected in the freshwater environment and may have adverse human health effects. Analytical techniques continue to improve; therefore, the number and frequency of detections of ECs are increasing. It is difficult for regulators to restrict use of pollutants that are a human health hazard; scientists to improve treatment techniques for higher priority pollutants; and the public to modify consumption patterns due to the vast number of ECs and the breadth of literature on the occurrence, use, and toxicity. Hence, this paper examines literature containing occurrence and toxicity data for three broad classes of trace pollutants and ECs (industrials, pesticides, and pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs)), and assesses the relevance of 71 individual compounds. The evaluation indicates that widely used industrials (BPF) and PPCPs (AHTN, HHCB, ibuprofen, and estriol) occur frequently in samples from the freshwater environment but toxicity data were not available; thus, it is important to establish their ADI. Other widely used industrials (BDE-47, BDE-99) and pesticides (benomyl, carbendazim, aldrin, endrin, ethion, malathion, biphenthrin, and cypermethrin) have established ADI values but occurrence in the freshwater environment was not well documented. The highest priority pollutants for regulation and treatment should include industrials (PFOA, PFOS and DEHP), pesticides (diazinon, methoxychlor, and dieldrin), and PPCPs (EE2, carbamazepine, {beta}E2, DEET, triclosan, acetaminophen, and E1) because they occur frequently in the freshwater environment and pose a human health hazard at

  10. Prioritizing research for trace pollutants and emerging contaminants in the freshwater environment

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Murray, Kyle E.; Thomas, Sheeba M.; Bodour, Adria A.

    2010-01-01

    Organic chemicals have been detected at trace concentrations in the freshwater environment for decades. Though the term trace pollutant indicates low concentrations normally in the nanogram or microgram per liter range, many of these pollutants can exceed an acceptable daily intake (ADI) for humans. Trace pollutants referred to as emerging contaminants (ECs) have recently been detected in the freshwater environment and may have adverse human health effects. Analytical techniques continue to improve; therefore, the number and frequency of detections of ECs are increasing. It is difficult for regulators to restrict use of pollutants that are a human health hazard; scientists to improve treatment techniques for higher priority pollutants; and the public to modify consumption patterns due to the vast number of ECs and the breadth of literature on the occurrence, use, and toxicity. Hence, this paper examines literature containing occurrence and toxicity data for three broad classes of trace pollutants and ECs (industrials, pesticides, and pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs)), and assesses the relevance of 71 individual compounds. The evaluation indicates that widely used industrials (BPF) and PPCPs (AHTN, HHCB, ibuprofen, and estriol) occur frequently in samples from the freshwater environment but toxicity data were not available; thus, it is important to establish their ADI. Other widely used industrials (BDE-47, BDE-99) and pesticides (benomyl, carbendazim, aldrin, endrin, ethion, malathion, biphenthrin, and cypermethrin) have established ADI values but occurrence in the freshwater environment was not well documented. The highest priority pollutants for regulation and treatment should include industrials (PFOA, PFOS and DEHP), pesticides (diazinon, methoxychlor, and dieldrin), and PPCPs (EE2, carbamazepine, βE2, DEET, triclosan, acetaminophen, and E1) because they occur frequently in the freshwater environment and pose a human health hazard at

  11. Radiation protection research and training programme review radiation protection programme 1960-89 synopsis of results 1985-89

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1990-01-01

    This document aims to trace the evolution of the CEC radiation protection programme over its 30 years of existence. During this time, research carried out in the framework of the Community programme has made major contributions to the scientific understanding of the action of ionizing radiation and the protection of man and his environment. This information was crucial for developing better radiation protection management for existing and new technologies and for providing the scientific basis for the regulatory activities of the Commission. One important feature of the programme was the success of bringing together scientists from different Member States to cooperate in the various fields of radiation protection and to integrate different areas of radiation protection research into a coherent approach. The structures thus developed within the programme have enabled research in radiation protection to be conducted in a cost-effective manner on behalf of the Member States. This document aims also to give a synopsis of the most important results of the 1985-89 radiation protection programme. This period was characterized by two challenges, the integration of two Member States into Community research and the impact of the Chernobyl accident. The programme has, in spite of reduced funding, continued to provide a high degree of expertise for the Community in the context of the needs in radiation protection. This has been explicity acknowledged in the evaluation of the 1980-89 programmes carried out by an independent panel

  12. The analysis of results received from the programme for calculating the concentration of pollutants from vehicles with internal combustion engines on the crossroads in urban environments

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tashevski, Done; Dimitrovski, Mile

    1995-01-01

    The analysis of results and influence of specified factors on the concentration of pollutants on the crossroads with chosen characteristic conditions has been made, on the basis of the programme for calculating the concentration of pollutants from vehicles with internal combustion engines on the crossroads in urban environments. (author)

  13. The shift of energy regulatory powers under the framework of Directive 2009/72/EC

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Grimm, N. S.

    2011-01-01

    The paper examines the powers of Member States' national regulatory authorities under the framework of Directive 2009/72/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 July 2009 concerning common rules for the internal market in electricity and repealing Directive 2003/54/EC (OJEU L 176/37) and analyses the implications of framework of Directive 2009/72/EC on the national laws of the Member States, in particular on the Austrian and German constitutional, administrative and energy laws. The Introductory Part gives a historical overview of the development of national energy regulators under European energy legislation. This Part shows that the national regulatory authorities attract increased attention and that their regulatory powers are on a constant rise. In order to understand the huge impact of the framework of Directive 2009/72/EC on the regulatory regimes of the Member States, this Part briefly examines the former and current powers of the national energy regulators under Austrian and German law. Part Two analyses whether the powers conferred upon national energy regulators under the framework of Directive 2009/72/EC have been enhanced in comparison to those established under the framework of Directive 2003/54/EC. The main focus lies thereby on the propositions made by the European Commission in its Proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Directive 2003/54/EC concerning common rules for the internal market in electricity (COM (2007) 528 final, 2.1) and laid down in Directive 2009/72/EC. Part Two comes to the conclusion that the powers of the national energy regulators under the framework of Directive 2009/72/EC have indeed been enhanced in comparison to former regime of Directive 2003/54/EC. Part Three demonstrates that the enhancement of national energy regulators' powers does not benefit the Member States. On the contrary, they lose considerable powers of control over their own national energy regulators. While

  14. Pengaruh Tingkat EC (Electrical Conductivity terhadap Pertumbuhan Tanaman Sawi (Brassica juncea L. pada Sistem Instalasi Aeroponik Vertikal

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pusdima Rahma Pratiwi

    2015-07-01

    Full Text Available Kebutuhan akan tanaman sawi semakin meningkat, sehingga diperlukan teknologi yang dapat memaksimalkan hasil serta memperbaiki teknik budidaya, salah satunya teknik budidaya aeroponik vertikal. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui respon pertumbuhan tanaman sawi yang terbaik terhadap pengaruh tingkat EC pada larutan nutrisi. Penelitian ini dilaksanakan di daerah Bekasi Timur dengan ketinggian 25 m di atas permukaan laut, dimulai pada bulan April 2014 sampai Juli 2014. Rancangan yang digunakan adalah Rancangan Acak Kelompok dengan 4 perlakuan yaitu A (Tingkat EC 1 mS cm-1, B (Tingkat EC 1,5 mS cm-1, C (Tingkat EC 2 mS cm-1, dan D (Tingkat EC 2,5 mS cm-1 dengan diulang sebanyak 4 kali. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa tingkat EC berpengaruh terhadap tinggi tanaman sawi pada umur 14 dan 18 hst, luas daun pada umur 26 dan 30 hst, panjang akar pada umur 30 hst, dan bobot basah pada umur 30 hst. Tingkat EC 2,5 mS cm-1 memberikan pengaruh baik terhadap bobot basah. The increasing need of mustard require technologies that can maximize result and improve cultivation, one of them is aeroponic vertical cultivation technique. This research aimed to know the best response of mustard growth on influence of nutrient EC level. This research was carried out in Bekasi Timur with altitude of 25 m above sea level, form April 2014 to July 2014. The design used was Randomized Block Design with 4 treatments that A (EC level 1 mS cm-1, B (EC level 1,5 mS cm-1, C (EC level 2 mS cm-1, and D (EC level  2,5 mS cm-1 with 4 replications. The results showed that EC level affected on plant height at 14 and 18 dap, leaf area at 26 and 30 dap, root length at 30 dap, and wet weight at the age of 30 dap. The EC level 2,5 mS cm-1had better effect on wet weight.

  15. Terrestrial radioactivity monitoring programme (TRAMP) report for 1986

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1988-01-01

    The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAFF) undertakes a comprehensive independent monitoring programme for radioactivity in terrestrial foodstuffs in England and Wales, this report presents the results from the first full year of operation of this programme and complements the data published annually by the Ministry's Directorate of Fisheries Research in respect of the aquatic environment. This work is undertaken in Wales on behalf of the Secretary of State. The Terrestrial Radioactivity Monitoring Programme (TRAMP) concentrates on samples of agricultural produce (milk, crops, meat) collected from the vicinity of the major nuclear sites in England and Wales and is independent of monitoring undertaken for various purposes by site operators. (author)

  16. Research in the field of energy: the priorities of framework programme V and the main trends of the new framework programme

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pilavachi, P.

    2001-01-01

    The features and priorities of the 5th European Framework Programme are discussed. The first action include quality of life and management of living resources; user friendly information society; competitive and sustainable growth and energy, environment and sustainable development (environment, energy and nuclear energy). The key actions are as follows: for environment - sustainable management and quality of water, global change, climate and biodiversity, sustainable marine ecosystems; for energy - cleaner energy systems, including renewable, economic efficient energy; for nuclear energy - controlled thermonuclear fusion, nuclear fission. The priorities of strategic importance to the EU are management of greenhouse gases emissions and climate change; exploiting of the potential of new ICTs in energy RTD including e-science issues; socio-economic research related to energy technologies and their impact; international co-operation, co-ordination with MS research programmes and EU wide research networks; pre-normative research of interest at EU level

  17. Graduate nuclear engineering programmes motivate educational and research activities

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mavko, B.

    2000-01-01

    Some fifteen years ago the University of Ljubljana, Faculty for Mathematics and Physics together with the national research organisation the J. Stefan jointly established a Graduate programme of Nuclear Engineering. From the onset, the programme focused on nuclear technology, nuclear safety, and reactor physics and environment protection. Over the years this graduate programme has became the focal point of nuclear related, research and educational activities in Slovenia. It has grown into a meeting ground for recognised national and distinguished foreign educators and experienced professionals from the industry. In conjunction with an important national project, supported by the Slovenian government, entitled 'Jung Researcher' it also enhances the knowledge transfer to the next generation. Since the programme was introduced, the interest for this programme has been steadily growing. Accordingly, a number of PhD and MS degrees in NE have been awarded. The graduates of this programme have encountered very good job opportunities in nuclear as well as in non-nuclear sector. (author)

  18. Adaptation of the Emotional Contagion Scale (ECS and gender differences within the Greek cultural context

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Damigos Dimitris

    2008-08-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The Emotional Contagion Scale (ECS is a self-report scale used to measure individual differences in susceptibility to converge towards the emotions expressed by others. The main aim of the present paper was to examine the psychometric properties of the Greek translation of the scale. Methods The Greek ECS was completed by 691 undergraduate students (312 males and 379 females. To investigate the factor structure of the ECS, principal components analysis (PCA was used. Results The results showed that a four-factor model was tenable. Regarding homogeneity, the Greek ECS version showed acceptable results for the full scale (α = 0.74 but not for all subscales. Gender differences were also identified concerning the susceptibility to emotional contagion between men and women. Women score significantly higher than men for all the different emotions described by the ECS (love, happiness, sadness except the anger emotion, where there was no significant difference. Conclusion The Greek version of the ECS showed good psychometric properties. It can be used to assess susceptibility to emotional contagion in correlation with psychopathological processes, mood and anxiety disorders primarily. The usefulness of the ECS in the fields of group psychotherapy and health psychology is also under consideration. Further investigation is needed in all these areas.

  19. The upgrade of the DIII-D EC system using 120 GHz ITER gyrotrons

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Callis, R.W.; Lohr, J.; Gorelov, I.A.; Ponce, D.; Kajiwara, K.; Tooker, J.F.

    2005-01-01

    The planned growth in the EC system on DIII-D over the next few years requires the installation of two depressed collector gyrotrons, a high voltage power supply, two low loss transmission lines, and the required support equipment. This new DIII-D EC equipment could be made identical to the ITER EC system requirements. By building the DIII-D hardware to the ITER specifications, it will allow ITER to gain beneficial prototyping experience on a working tokamak, prior to committing to building the hardware for delivery to ITER

  20. Revisiting the EC/CMB model for extragalactic large scale jets

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lucchini, M.; Tavecchio, F.; Ghisellini, G.

    2017-04-01

    One of the most outstanding results of the Chandra X-ray Observatory was the discovery that AGN jets are bright X-ray emitters on very large scales, up to hundreds of kpc. Of these, the powerful and beamed jets of flat-spectrum radio quasars are particularly interesting, as the X-ray emission cannot be explained by an extrapolation of the lower frequency synchrotron spectrum. Instead, the most common model invokes inverse Compton scattering of photons of the cosmic microwave background (EC/CMB) as the mechanism responsible for the high-energy emission. The EC/CMB model has recently come under criticism, particularly because it should predict a significant steady flux in the MeV-GeV band which has not been detected by the Fermi/LAT telescope for two of the best studied jets (PKS 0637-752 and 3C273). In this work, we revisit some aspects of the EC/CMB model and show that electron cooling plays an important part in shaping the spectrum. This can solve the overproduction of γ-rays by suppressing the high-energy end of the emitting particle population. Furthermore, we show that cooling in the EC/CMB model predicts a new class of extended jets that are bright in X-rays but silent in the radio and optical bands. These jets are more likely to lie at intermediate redshifts and would have been missed in all previous X-ray surveys due to selection effects.

  1. Austria's environmental law in comparison with the environmental law of the EC

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jantscher, S.H.

    1991-11-01

    The thesis describes and compares the environmental legislation in Austria and the EC. A short introduction into structure and organization of EC-institutions and EC-legislation in followed by an examination of the constitutional foundations of environmental policy in Austria and the EC respectively. After the adoption for the Single European Act, the EEC-Treaty provides for objectives, orientation criteria and instruments regarding environmental protection. These provisions constitute a valid basis for environmental action. The adoption of a constitutional law does equally declare environmental protection as an objective of the state in Austria, however, its significance is regarded as rather controversial. Some provinces ('Laender') have shown a higher degree of sensitivity in their constitutions . The distribution of powers between the EC and its member stated in the field of environmental protection is of particular interests. It is shown, that the principle of subsidiarity and the safeguard-clauses leave discretion to the member states. Much will be determined by the European Court of Justice (ECJ) . Main emphasis has been placed on the description and comparison of Austria's and the EEC-environmental legislation. Environmental legislation of Austria as well as the EC is outlined sector by sector (i.e. water, air, chemicals, waste, soil, fauna and flora) and subsequently the object of a detailed comparison. Criteria, such as - preventiveness -stringency - focus, depth and comprehensiveness - clearness and legal force of the regulations have been applied. For most of the mentioned sectors it is correct to state, that Austria's legislation is more preventive, advanced, comprehensive and stringent (especially regulations related to water, waste, chemicals, also air) . However, there are particular areas (e.g. air quality objectives, noise limits for construction plants) where Austria' s legislation may well get a fresh impetus

  2. Demonstration of sawtooth period control with EC waves in KSTAR plasma

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jeong J. H.

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available The sawtooth period control in tokamak is important issue in recent years because the sawtooth crash can trigger TM/NTM instabilities and drive plasmas unstable. The control of sawtooth period by the modification of local current profile near the q=1 surface using ECCD has been demonstrated in a number of tokamaks [1, 2] including KSTAR. As a result, developing techniques to control the sawtooth period as a way of controlling the onset of NTM has been an important area of research in recent years [3]. In 2012 KSTAR plasma campaign, the sawtooth period control is carried out by the different deposition position of EC waves across the q=1 surface. The sawtooth period is shortened by on-axis co-ECCD (destabilization, and the stabilization of the sawtooth is also observed by off-axis co-ECCD at outside q=1 surface. In 2013 KSTAR plasma campaign, the sawtooth locking experiment with periodic forcing of 170 GHz EC wave is carried out to control the sawtooth period. The optimal target position which lengthens the sawtooth period is investigated by performing a scan of EC beam deposition position nearby q=1 surface at the toroidal magnetic field of 2.9 T and plasma current of 0.7 MA. The sawtooth locking by the modulated EC beam is successfully demonstrated as in [3-5] with the scan of modulation-frequency and duty-ratio at the low beta (βN~0.5 plasma. In this paper, the sawteeth behavior by the location of EC beam and the preliminary result of the sawtooth locking experiments in KSTAR will be presented.

  3. Radiation protection programme progress report 1988

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1988-01-01

    The progress report of the radiation protection programme outlines the research work carried out in 1988 under contracts between the Commission of the European Communities and research groups in the Member States. Results of more than 350 projects are reported. They are grouped into six sectors: Radiation dosimetry and its interpretation; Behaviour and control of radionuclides in the environment; Nonstochastic effects of ionizing radiation; Radiation carcinogenesis; Genetic effects of ionizing radiation; Evaluation of radiation risks and optimization of protection. Within the framework programme, the aim of this scientific research is to improve the conditions of life with respect to work and protection of man and his environment and to assure a safe production of energy, i.e.: (i) to improve methods necessary to protect workers and the population by updating the scientific basis for appropriate standards; (ii) to prevent and counteract harmful effects of radiation; (iii) to assess radiation risks and provide methods to cope with the consequences of radiation accidents

  4. Process-engineering control valves under the EC codes; Steuerventile fuer die Prozesstechnik im Geltungsbereich der EG-Richtlinien

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Gohlke, B. [IMI Norgren Herion Fluidtronic GmbH und Co. KG, Fellbach (Germany)

    2003-09-01

    The European Parliament and European Council have enacted special codes in order to implement uniform conditions in all countries of the European Community. The manufacturers of technical and commercial products are obliged to adhere to these codes. Harmonized standards, which are to be used as a tool for the implementation of the codes, are embedded at another level of the overall 'European reference literature'. Two EC codes, in particular, are definitive for fluids engineering: On the one hand, the EC Machinery Code, 98/37/EC and, on the other hand, the EC Pressurized Equipment Code, 97/23/EC. These EC codes cover, inter alia, machinery and chemical process-engineering plants, and conventional power generating plants. Norgren-Herion, a manufacturer of fluid engineering components, perceived a necessity for positioning its control valves in the scope of applicability of the EC codes. This article describes experience with the EC codes from the control valve manufacturer's point of view and examines the various qualification procedures for control valves. (orig.)

  5. Genes and proteins of Escherichia coli K-12 (GenProtEC).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Riley, M

    1997-01-01

    GenProtEC is a database of Escherichia coli genes and their gene products, classified by type of function and physiological role and with citations to the literature for each. Also present are data on sequence similarities amongE.coliproteins with PAM values, percent identity of amino acids, length of alignment and percent aligned. GenProtEC can also be accessed through the World Wide Web at URL http://mbl.edu/html/ecoli.html .

  6. Nitrogen Research Programme STOP

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Erisman, J.W.; Van der Eerden, L.

    2000-01-01

    Nitrogen pollution is one of the main threats to the environment now in the Netherlands as well as other parts of Europe. In order to address the main gaps on the issues of nitrogen pollution related to the local scale, the Ministries of Housing, Physical Planning and Environment (VROM) and of Agriculture, Nature Management and Fisheries (LNV) have initiated a research programme, the Dutch Nitrogen Research Programme (STOP), which aims to provide a scientific basis to develop and implement policy on a local scale for the realisation and conservation of the EHS ('Dutch Mainframe of Natural Landscapes'). The results of the programme show that the description of emissions from manure in the field is difficult to describe and show large uncertainties. On the contrary, emissions from housings could be modelled well, if local actual data were available. The OPS model to describe the dispersion and deposition was evaluated with the measurements and the limitations were quantified. It appears that the model works well on the long term, whereas on the short term (hours) and short distance (tenths of meters) there is large uncertainty, especially in complex terrain. Critical loads for nitrogen for ecosystems were evaluated. Furthermore, the effect of management options was quantified. A method to determine critical loads as a function of soil conditions, such as acidification and water availability was derived. This resulted in a combination of the soil model SMART and the so-called 'nature planner' (Natuurplanner). It was concluded that the combination of SMART, the nature planner and OPS provide a good tool to develop and support policy on the local scale. 4 refs

  7. Technology Programme

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Batistoni, Paola; De Marco, Francesco; Pieroni, Leonardo [ed.

    2005-07-01

    The technology activities carried out by the Euratom-ENEA Association in the framework of the European Fusion Development Agreement concern the Next Step (International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor - ITER), the Long-Term Programme (breeder blanket, materials, International Fusion Materials Irradiation Facility - IFMIF), Power Plant Conceptual Studies and Socio-Economic Studies. The Underlying Technology Programme was set up to complement the fusion activities as well to develop technologies with a wider range of interest. The Technology Programme mainly involves staff from the Frascati laboratories of the Fusion Technical and Scientific Unit and from the Brasimone laboratories of the Advanced Physics Technologies Unit. Other ENEA units also provide valuable contributions to the programme. ENEA is heavily engaged in component development/testing and in design and safety activities for the European Fusion Technology Programme. Although the work documented in the following covers a large range of topics that differ considerably because they concern the development of extremely complex systems, the high level of integration and coordination ensures the capability to cover the fusion system as a whole. In 2004 the most significant testing activities concerned the ITER primary beryllium-coated first wall. In the field of high-heat-flux components, an important achievement was the qualification of the process for depositing a copper liner on carbon fibre composite (CFC) hollow tiles. This new process, pre-brazed casting (PBC), allows the hot radial pressing (HRP) joining procedure to be used also for CFC-based armour monoblock divertor components. The PBC and HRP processes are candidates for the construction of the ITER divertor. In the materials field an important milestone was the commissioning of a new facility for chemical vapour infiltration/deposition, used for optimising silicon carbide composite (SiCf/SiC) components. Eight patents were deposited during 2004

  8. Technology Programme

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Batistoni, Paola; De Marco, Francesco; Pieroni, Leonardo

    2005-01-01

    The technology activities carried out by the Euratom-ENEA Association in the framework of the European Fusion Development Agreement concern the Next Step (International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor - ITER), the Long-Term Programme (breeder blanket, materials, International Fusion Materials Irradiation Facility - IFMIF), Power Plant Conceptual Studies and Socio-Economic Studies. The Underlying Technology Programme was set up to complement the fusion activities as well to develop technologies with a wider range of interest. The Technology Programme mainly involves staff from the Frascati laboratories of the Fusion Technical and Scientific Unit and from the Brasimone laboratories of the Advanced Physics Technologies Unit. Other ENEA units also provide valuable contributions to the programme. ENEA is heavily engaged in component development/testing and in design and safety activities for the European Fusion Technology Programme. Although the work documented in the following covers a large range of topics that differ considerably because they concern the development of extremely complex systems, the high level of integration and coordination ensures the capability to cover the fusion system as a whole. In 2004 the most significant testing activities concerned the ITER primary beryllium-coated first wall. In the field of high-heat-flux components, an important achievement was the qualification of the process for depositing a copper liner on carbon fibre composite (CFC) hollow tiles. This new process, pre-brazed casting (PBC), allows the hot radial pressing (HRP) joining procedure to be used also for CFC-based armour monoblock divertor components. The PBC and HRP processes are candidates for the construction of the ITER divertor. In the materials field an important milestone was the commissioning of a new facility for chemical vapour infiltration/deposition, used for optimising silicon carbide composite (SiCf/SiC) components. Eight patents were deposited during 2004

  9. Spreading of Excellence in SARNET Network on Severe Accidents: The Education and Training Programme

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sandro Paci

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available The SARNET2 (severe accidents Research NETwork of Excellence project started in April 2009 for 4 years in the 7th Framework Programme (FP7 of the European Commission (EC, following a similar first project in FP6. Forty-seven organisations from 24 countries network their capacities of research in the severe accident (SA field inside SARNET to resolve the most important remaining uncertainties and safety issues on SA in water-cooled nuclear power plants (NPPs. The network includes a large majority of the European actors involved in SA research plus a few non-European relevant ones. The “Education and Training” programme in SARNET is a series of actions foreseen in this network for the “spreading of excellence.” It is focused on raising the competence level of Master and Ph.D. students and young researchers engaged in SA research and on organizing information/training courses for NPP staff or regulatory authorities (but also for researchers interested in SA management procedures.

  10. EC Competition law and environmental protection

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Rantala, M.

    1996-12-31

    Due to the increasing attention paid on environmental protection, by the European Community, the Member States and the consumers, undertakings are forced to adjust their policies to meet the new demands posed by public authorities and the market. This has an inevitable impact on competition. No matter how acceptable the goals were, the means are to be assessed also from the competition law point of view. The objective of this study is to analyze the situations where conflicts may take place, the main sources of research being the principles of law relating to the Treaty ,the judgements of the European Court of Justice, the Commission Decisions and other official documents of the Community as well as legal literature. This study classifies the Community and Member State instruments which are used for environmental protection into four categories. These are legislative, market-based, horizontal and financial supporting instruments. Undertakings` environmental practices, which are capable of affecting competition, are examined under Articles 85 and 86 EC, some attention being paid also to Article 90 EC. The touching points of competition policy and environmental protection in such cases are scrutinized under three headings. These are the two, in this case, most relevant public instruments, ie. legislative and market-based measures, and the voluntary actions of undertakings. (42 refs.)

  11. Enhanced CANDU 6 (EC6): a proven mid-sized reactor with fuel cycle capability

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hopwood, J.; Soulard, M.; Hastings, I.J.

    2011-01-01

    Atomic Energy of Canada (AECL) is finalizing development of the Enhanced CANDU 6 (EC6), which incorporates the CANDU 6's well-proven features, and adds enhancements that make the reactor even more safe and easier to operate. The EC6 is the only mid-sized reactor (700 MWe class) with a proven pedigree that meets modern reactor expectations and regulatory standards. It is sized for smaller grids and also has outstanding fuel-cycle capability. Changes are incremental and consistent with the CANDU 6 project approach. The EC6 utilizes modern computers and a distributed control system housed in an advanced control room which, along with automated testing and on-line diagnostics, make the plant easier and safer to operate, with minimal operator intervention. Containment and seismic capability are upgraded to meet modern standards. The first deployment of the EC6 is anticipated in Canada; international markets are also being pursued. AECL is performing a comprehensive review of the EC6 design in the wake of the Fukushima accident, will review lessons learned, and incorporate any necessary improvements into new build design. (author)

  12. Enhanced CANDU 6 (EC6): a proven mid-sized reactor with fuel cycle capability

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hopwood, J.; Soulard, M.; Hastings, I.J.

    2011-01-01

    Atomic Energy of Canada (AECL) is finalizing development of the Enhanced CANDU 6 (EC6), which incorporates the CANDU 6's well-proven features, and enhancements that make the reactor even more safe and easier to operate. The EC6 is the only mid-sized reactor (700 MWe class) with a proven pedigree that meets modern reactor expectations and regulatory standards. It is sized for smaller grids and also has outstanding fuel-cycle capability. Changes are incremental and consistent with the CANDU 6 project approach. The EC6 utilizes modern computers and a distributed control system housed in an advanced control room which, along with automated testing and on-line diagnostics, make the plant easier and safer to operate, with minimal operator intervention. Containment and seismic capability are upgraded to meet modern standards. The first deployment of the EC6 is anticipated in Canada; international markets are also being pursued. AECL is performing a comprehensive review of the EC6 design in the wake of the Fukushima accident, will review lessons learned, and incorporate any necessary improvements into new build design. (author)

  13. Present activities of the Danube environmental Programme

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Botterweg, T.; Turcan, J.

    1997-01-01

    The international character of the Danube river basin reflects among other aspects also the importance and the need of international co-operation at various levels. The response of this need has been expressed by the formation of different international commissions and organisations in the basin, covering mainly technical but in the recent time also the environmental interests of the riparian states. The Danube countries, several G-24 governments, as well as international and non governmental organisations decided in the autumn of 1991 to start the Environmental Programme for the Danube River Basin (EPDRB) and form the Danube Task Force. A joint Programme work plan was agreed by the Task Force in February 1992, thereby launching a series of priority projects designed to built environmental co-operation among the Danube countries. The main objective was to establish an operational basis for strategic and integrated management of the Danube river basin environment. The planning and working documents, which were outlining the activities within the EPDRB are the Strategic Action Plan (SAP-1994) and the Strategic Action Plan Implementation Programme (SIP-1996). These documents frame the works of the 13 Tasks of the Applied Research Programme, Sub-Groups of the Accident Emergency Warning System, Monitoring, Laboratories and Information Management and Data Management as well as the major areas of work, divided in Groups and Clusters, each of which will involve projects to be carried out in a number of Danube countries. All activities are oriented to the improvement of the environment, however special attention is paid to task dealing with biodiversity, wetlands restoration, water and soil protection. The main funding, which is secured until the year 2000 comes from the Danube countries, the EU Phare and Tacis programmes, the UN GEF, international banks and foundations. (author)

  14. Expression of Finger Millet EcDehydrin7 in Transgenic Tobacco Confers Tolerance to Drought Stress.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Singh, Rajiv Kumar; Singh, Vivek Kumar; Raghavendrarao, Sanagala; Phanindra, Mullapudi Lakshmi Venkata; Venkat Raman, K; Solanke, Amolkumar U; Kumar, Polumetla Ananda; Sharma, Tilak Raj

    2015-09-01

    One of the critical alarming constraints for agriculture is water scarcity. In the current scenario, global warming due to climate change and unpredictable rainfall, drought is going to be a master player and possess a big threat to stagnating gene pool of staple food crops. So it is necessary to understand the mechanisms that enable the plants to cope with drought stress. In this study, effort was made to prospect the role of EcDehydrin7 protein from normalized cDNA library of drought tolerance finger millet in transgenic tobacco. Biochemical and molecular analyses of T0 transgenic plants were done for stress tolerance. Leaf disc assay, seed germination test, dehydration assay, and chlorophyll estimation showed EcDehydrin7 protein directly link to drought tolerance. Northern and qRT PCR analyses shows relatively high expression of EcDehydrin7 protein compare to wild type. T0 transgenic lines EcDehydrin7(11) and EcDehydrin7(15) shows superior expression among all lines under study. In summary, all results suggest that EcDehydrin7 protein has a remarkable role in drought tolerance and may be used for sustainable crop breeding program in other food crops.

  15. The Nuclear Safeguards and Security Activities under Euratom Research and Training Programme

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Abousahl, S.; Palajova, Z.; Janssens, W.A.M.; Luetzenkirchen, K.; Goncalves, J.G.M.; Aregbe, Y.; )

    2015-01-01

    Nuclear safeguards and security are absolute priorities for the EU. At technical level, the Joint Research Centre (JRC) as the European Commission's in-house science service plays an important role in the field of nuclear research, training and education that include nuclear safety, safeguards and security. The JRC's nuclear research activities are defined in a Council Regulation on the research and training programme of the European Atomic Energy Community. The JRC works closely with EC safeguards authority, whose mission is to ensure that nuclear material within the EU is not diverted from its intended use according to Euratom treaty. Technologies, methodologies and trainings are developed according to the Euratom Safeguards inspectorate's needs. In the area of nuclear security, the JRC contributes to the development of specific expertise in the field of nuclear forensics and border security detection as well as related training efforts for first front-line responders and national experts. The JRC provides its expert support for the implementation of internal EU action plans mainly in the field of radiological and nuclear security. At an international level, the JRC cooperates with the IAEA mainly through the EC support programme on the control of nuclear materials and facilities in order to avoid proliferation or diversion. Close cooperation with IAEA nuclear security is developed through the recent signature of a dedicated practical arrangement. Key partnerships have also been developed in the field of safeguards and security with the US-DoE, Russia, Japan and China. In addition, JRC contributes significantly to the EU nuclear safeguards and security outreach activities implemented under the Instrument for Nuclear Safety Cooperation and Instrument contributing to Stability and Peace. In this paper we will highlight some of the JRC contributions to the enhancement of nuclear safeguards and security at EU and international levels. (author)

  16. Ecological audits under EC regulations: background and impact in practice

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Walther, T.

    1995-01-01

    There are publications discussing the practical aspects of the implementation of the EC Directive on ecological audits, but little has been published yet on the theoretical background of the directive. The contribution in hand is intended to elucidate the theoretical basis of this instrument in the context of the system of law, explains the term of ''sustainable development'' as a key term, and reveals problems encountered in the evaluation of environmental performance. This information will contribute to a better understanding of the meaning and purposes of the EC Directive, and will thus point out ways and means for direct implementation. (orig.) [de

  17. Studies on absorption of EC waves in assisted startup experiment on FTU

    Science.gov (United States)

    Granucci, G.; Ricci, D.; Farina, D.; Figini, L.; Iraji, D.; Tudisco, O.; Ramponi, G.; Bin, W.

    2012-09-01

    Assistance of EC wave for plasma breakdown and current ramp up is the proposed scenario for the ITER case, characterized by low toroidal electric field. The experimental results on many tokamaks clearly indicate the capabilities of the proposed scheme to have a robust breakdown in ITER. The key aspect of this technique is the EC power required, strongly related to the absorption of the wave in the initial stage of plasma formation. This aspect is generally neglected due to the diagnostics difficulties in the plasma formation phase. As a consequence a multi-pass absorption scheme is usually considered reasonable, leading to a strong absorption after many reflections on the walls. The present study exploits the high temporal and spatial resolution of the fast scanning interferometer of FTU together with the measure of residual power obtained by a sniffer probe. The absorbed EC power is calculated considering also the polarization rotation and the subsequent mode conversion after incidence on the internal wall and compared with that derived from experimental data. The resulting EC power distribution can explain differences observed between perpendicular and oblique injection results, indicating future investigations to define ITER power requirements.

  18. Studies on absorption of EC waves in assisted startup experiment on FTU

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ramponi G.

    2012-09-01

    Full Text Available Assistance of EC wave for plasma breakdown and current ramp up is the proposed scenario for the ITER case, characterized by low toroidal electric field. The experimental results on many tokamaks clearly indicate the capabilities of the proposed scheme to have a robust breakdown in ITER. The key aspect of this technique is the EC power required, strongly related to the absorption of the wave in the initial stage of plasma formation. This aspect is generally neglected due to the diagnostics difficulties in the plasma formation phase. As a consequence a multi-pass absorption scheme is usually considered reasonable, leading to a strong absorption after many reflections on the walls. The present study exploits the high temporal and spatial resolution of the fast scanning interferometer of FTU together with the measure of residual power obtained by a sniffer probe. The absorbed EC power is calculated considering also the polarization rotation and the subsequent mode conversion after incidence on the internal wall and compared with that derived from experimental data. The resulting EC power distribution can explain differences observed between perpendicular and oblique injection results, indicating future investigations to define ITER power requirements.

  19. Upgrading from the Dicon Wiring Management system to IntEC at the Gentilly 2 station

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Theoret, P.A.

    1995-01-01

    The General Electric DICON Wiring Management system supplied to HQ during the construction of G2 is currently being replaced by the stand-alone version of the IntEC software developed by AECL. The reasons for replacing DICON and choosing lntEC are discussed. The different aspects of the two year DICON data conversion project are presented with the problems encountered and the means that were taken to resolve the problems. lntEC has shown our DICON data to be considerably more deficient than we had thought. This has increased the cost and the duration of the conversion process. However, correcting the errors during the conversion process provides us with much more accurate data. This should be viewed as an investment in configuration management. Many potential causes of future errors and potentially critical path delays have been removed. We have chosen to document the detailed procedures for the use of lntEC in our plant using a Windows Help File compiler. This also has been found to be extremely useful as a training tool as well as providing on-line help. The DICON data conversion into lntEC will not be completed until 1996. lntEC is not perfect. However, from what we have up to now, we are satisfied with the conviviality and efficiency of lntEC and with AECL's diligence in constantly aspiring in making it a better product. (author)

  20. Comparison and implications of PM2.5 carbon fractions in different environments

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhu, Chong-Shu; Cao, Jun-Ji; Tsai, Chuen-Jinn; Shen, Zhen-Xing; Han, Yong-Ming; Liu, Sui-Xin; Zhao, Zhu-Zi

    2014-01-01

    The concentrations of PM 2.5 carbon fractions in rural, urban, tunnel and remote environments were measured using the IMPROVE thermal optical reflectance (TOR) method. The highest OC1 and EC1 concentrations were found for tunnel samples, while the highest OC2, OC3, and OC4 concentrations were observed for urban winter samples, respectively. The lowest levels of most carbon fractions were found for remote samples. The percentage contributions of carbon fractions to total carbon (TC) were characterized by one peak (at rural and remote sites) and two peaks (at urban and tunnel sites) with different carbon fractions, respectively. The abundance of char in tunnel and urban environments was observed, which might partly be due to traffic-related tire-wear. Various percentages of optically scattering OC and absorbing EC fractions to TC were found in the four different environments. In addition, the contribution of heating carbon fractions (char and soot) indicated various warming effects per unit mass of TC. The ratios of OC/EC and char/soot at the sites were shown to be source indicators. The investigation of carbon fractions at different sites may provide some information for improving model parameters in estimating their radiative effects. - Highlights: •The eight carbon fractions, char and soot at rural, urban, tunnel and remote sites were compared. •OC/EC and char/soot among four sites were elucidated as effective source indicator. •The results might give implications for models in estimating their climate effects

  1. Policies and programmes on new and renewable energy in the Philippines

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Elauria, J.C.

    1995-01-01

    The New and Renewable Energy Programme aims at accelerating the promotion and commercialization of new and renewable energy systems. In pursuit of this goal, the Programme has the following policies: (a) pursue the large-scale use of new and renewable energy sources (NRSE), (b) enhance energy self-sufficiency through continuous exploration, development and exploitation of indigenous energy sources and (c) encourage greater private sector investment and participation in all energy activities. The strategies to be implemented include the intensification of R and D and the demonstration of technologically feasible and socio-environmentally acceptable NRSE; the institutionalization of area-based energy planning and management for NRSE; the encouragement of a favourable market environment for manufacturers, suppliers and users of NRSE; the promotion of commercially viable energy sources such as solar and wind energy, and continuing applied R and D for less-advanced technologies such as ocean thermal and wave energy conversion, fuel cells and municipal wastes. The sub programmes of the New and Renewable Energy Program are as follows: The technology sub programme aims at developing economically viable NRSE to levels of technical maturity at which NRSE can compete commercially with conventional energy; The commercialization sub programme envisages the creation of a favourable market environment to encourage private sector investment and participation in NRSE projects and activities; The promotion sub programme attempts to heighten public awareness of NRSE; The area-based energy sub programme is a mechanism for accelerating the promotion and commercialization of new and renewable energy systems at the regional and subregional levels using a decentralized, area-based approach. (author)

  2. MoisturEC: a new R program for moisture content estimation from electrical conductivity data

    Science.gov (United States)

    Terry, Neil; Day-Lewis, Frederick D.; Werkema, Dale D.; Lane, John W.

    2018-01-01

    Noninvasive geophysical estimation of soil moisture has potential to improve understanding of flow in the unsaturated zone for problems involving agricultural management, aquifer recharge, and optimization of landfill design and operations. In principle, several geophysical techniques (e.g., electrical resistivity, electromagnetic induction, and nuclear magnetic resonance) offer insight into soil moisture, but data‐analysis tools are needed to “translate” geophysical results into estimates of soil moisture, consistent with (1) the uncertainty of this translation and (2) direct measurements of moisture. Although geostatistical frameworks exist for this purpose, straightforward and user‐friendly tools are required to fully capitalize on the potential of geophysical information for soil‐moisture estimation. Here, we present MoisturEC, a simple R program with a graphical user interface to convert measurements or images of electrical conductivity (EC) to soil moisture. Input includes EC values, point moisture estimates, and definition of either Archie parameters (based on experimental or literature values) or empirical data of moisture vs. EC. The program produces two‐ and three‐dimensional images of moisture based on available EC and direct measurements of moisture, interpolating between measurement locations using a Tikhonov regularization approach.

  3. Radiation protection programme progress report 1985-89. Volume 1

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1991-01-01

    The final report of the 1985-89 radiation protection programme outlines the research work carried out during the whole contractual period under all contracts between the Commission of the European Communities and research groups in the Member States. More than 700 scientists collaborated on this programme. Results of more than 440 projects are reported. They are grouped into six sectors: radiation dosimetry and its interpretation; behaviour and control of radionuclides in the environment; non-stochastic effects of ionizing radiation; radiation carcinogenesis; genetic effects of ionizing radiation; evaluation of radiation risks and optimization of protection. Within the framework programme, the aim of this scientific research is to improve the conditions of life with respect to work and protection of man and his environment and to assure safe production of energy, i.e.: (i) to improve methods necessary to protect workers and the population by updating the scientific basis for appropriate standards; (ii) to prevent and counteract harmful effects of radiation; (iii) to assess radiation risks and provide methods to cope with the consequences of radiation accidents

  4. Radiation protection programme progress report 1985-89. Volume 3

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1991-01-01

    The final report of the 1985-89 radiation protection programme outlines the research work carried out during the whole contractual period under all contracts between the Commission of the European Communities and research groups in the Member States. More than 700 scientists collaborated on this programme. Results of more than 440 projects are reported. They are grouped into six sectors: radiation dosimetry and its interpretation; behaviour and control of radionuclides in the environment; non-stochastic effects of ionizing radiation; radiation carcinogenesis; genetic effects of ionizing radiation; evaluation of radiation risks and optimization of protection. Within the framework programme, the aim of this scientific research is to improve the conditions of life with respect to work and protection of man and his environment and to assure safe production of energy, i.e.: (i) to improve methods necessary to protect workers and the population by updating the scientific basis for appropriate standards; (ii) to prevent and counteract harmful effects of radiation; (iii) to assess radiation risks and provide methods to cope with the consequences of radiation accidents

  5. Radiation protection programme progress report 1985-89. Volume 2

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1991-01-01

    The final report of the 1985-89 radiation protection programme outlines the research work carried out during the whole contractual period under all contracts between the Commission of the European Communities and research groups in the Member States. More than 700 scientists collaborated on this programme. Results of more than 440 projects are reported. They are grouped into six sectors: radiation dosimetry and its interpretation; behaviour and control of radionuclides in the environment; non-stochastic effects of ionizing radiation; radiation carcinogenesis; genetic effects of ionizing radiation; evaluation of radiation risks and optimization of protection. Within the framework programme, the aim of this scientific research is to improve the conditions of life with respect to work and protection of man and his environment and to assure safe production of energy, i.e.: (i) to improve methods necessary to protect workers and the population by updating the scientific basis for appropriate standards; (ii) to prevent and counteract harmful effects of radiation; (iii) to assess radiation risks and provide methods to cope with the consequences of radiation accidents

  6. Radiation protection programme for nuclear gauges

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Muzongomerwa, A.

    2014-04-01

    Ionizing radiation including the use of nuclear gauges can be very hazardous to humans and steps must be taken to minimize the risks so as to prevent deterministic effects and limiting chances for stochastic effects. The availability of a Radiation Protection Programme and its effective implementation ensures appropriate safety and security provisions for sealed radiation sources and promotes a safety culture within a facility that utilizes these sources. This study aims at establishing a guide on the radiation protection programme in nuclear gauges that comply with national requirements derived from current international recommendations. Elements that form part of a radiation protection programme are covered in detail as well as recommendations. The overall objective is to protect people (operators and the public) and the environment from the harmful effects of these sources if they are not properly controlled. Nuclear gauges for well logging and X-ray based gauges are outside the scope of this study. (au)

  7. Education and training in medical imaging for conventional and particle radiation therapy through the EC funded envision and entervision

    CERN Document Server

    Cirilli, M

    2014-01-01

    A key challenge in particle therapy today is quality assurance during treatment, which needs advanced medical imaging techniques. This issue is tackled by the EC funded project ENVISION, an R\\&D consortium of sixteen leading European research centres and one industrial partner, co-ordinated by CERN. ENVISION covers developments in Time Of Flight in-beam PET, in-beam single particle tomography, organ motion monitoring techniques, simulation, and treatment planning. Additionally, ENVISION serves as a training platform for the ENTERVISION project, a Marie-Curie Initial Training Network aimed at educating young researchers in online 3D digital imaging for hadron therapy. ENTERVISION brings together ten academic institutes and research centres of excellence and a leading European company in particle therapy, and is coordinated by CERN. Its multi-disciplinary training programme of ENTERVISION includes a diversified portfolio of scientific courses, complemented by specific courses aimed at developing soft skills...

  8. The Return Home: Transitioning from a 28-Day Remote Outdoor Education Programme

    Science.gov (United States)

    McNatty, Shannon

    2016-01-01

    This article addresses the challenges for students transitioning from the remote Te Kahu (pseudonym) outdoor education programme back into their home and school city environments. Students must develop methods of coping and readjust to society to continue the personal growth and process the learning affected through the 28-day programme. The…

  9. Application of the EC eco-audit regulation in the energy industry

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Schulz, J.

    1994-01-01

    The eco-audit regulation isolates the precision of goals to improve operational environmental protection for observation, particularly with a view to the industrial energy economy. It is not wise without an investigation into the possible repercussions with other EU and national regulatory laws. Keywords here are: design of a heat application regulation according to the BImSchG, discussion over the introduction of an EC CO 2 Energy tax as well as the EC guidelines on reducing CO 2 emissions (SAVE). (orig./HP) [de

  10. Outlook for the IAEA's technical co-operation programme

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Samiei, Massoud

    1998-01-01

    This is a slide presentation dealing with the following subjects: - the IAEA's programmes; - the technical co-operation programme; - past trends in the TC programme; - new initiatives in TC; - TC programme profile; - perspectives for the future. The major programmes conducted by IAEA are concerning: - nuclear power and fuel cycle; - nuclear applications; - nuclear, radiation and waste safety, nuclear verification and security material; - management of technical co-operation; - policy making, coordination and support. In relation with the IAEA role in development process the author presents the legal framework for TC, the programme structure, and programme areas, resources, budgets, cycle, approval and implementation. Two plots regarding the recipients with and without NPP's are displayed for the period 1980-1994. Also, according to the status of the member states (without and with nuclear power programme) the programme priorities are presented. For the first case these are: radiation and waste safety, food and agriculture, water resources management human health and nutrition, human resources development, environmental protection and industrial applications. For the second case there are mentioned: radiation and nuclear safety, nuclear power operation and maintenance management, radioactive waste management, environment protection and sustainable energy options. Concerning the regional distribution the following figures are given for 1997: West Asia, 9%; Europe, 18%; Inter-regional, 11%; Africa, 24%; Latin America, 21%; East Asia and Pacific, 17%. In conclusion, the hope is expressed that the value of Technical Co-operation Programme would be seen not only in the successful transfer of technology but also, in the way that the nuclear technologies may satisfy demands for sustainable development by having a lasting impact on the life of the majority in a cost effective and environmentally sound manner

  11. Quality of Life Programme--food, nutrition, and health--projects promotion.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boenke, A

    2001-03-01

    The EC Quality of Life Programme (QoL), Key Action 1--Food, Nutrition & Health aims at providing a healthy, safe, and high-quality food supply leading to reinforced consumer's confidence in the safety of the European food. Key Action 1 is currently supporting several European projects investigating analytical methods for food control including sensors, risk analysis, and food safety standardisation. Their objectives range from the development and validation of prevention strategies for mycotoxin formation via the development of a communication platform for Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO), validation and standardisation of diagnostic Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) for food-borne pathogens, up to the evaluation of the potential cancer-preventing activity of pro- and pre-biotic ("SYNBIOTIC") combinations in human volunteers. This paper also informs on future research needs in food safety.

  12. GMES Space Component: Programme overview

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aschbacher, J.; Milagro-Perez, M. P.

    2012-04-01

    The European Union (EU) and the European Space Agency (ESA) have developed the Global Monitoring for Environment and Security (GMES) programme as Europe's answer to the vital need for joined-up data about our climate, environment and security. Through a unique combination of satellite, atmospheric and Earth-based monitoring systems, the initiative will provide new insight into the state of the land, sea and air, providing policymakers, scientists, businesses and the public with accurate and timely information. GMES capabilities include monitoring and forecasting of climatic change, flood risks, soil and coastal erosion, crop and fish resources, air pollution, greenhouse gases, iceberg distribution and snow cover, among others. To accomplish this, GMES has been divided into three main components: Space, In-situ and Services. The Space Component, led by ESA, comprises five types of new satellites called Sentinels that are being developed by ESA specifically to meet the needs of GMES, the first of which to be launched in 2013. These missions carry a range of technologies, such as radar and multi-spectral imaging instruments for land, ocean and atmospheric monitoring. In addition, access to data from the so-called Contributing Missions guarantees that European space infrastructure is fully used for GMES. An integrated Ground Segment ensures access to Sentinels and Contributing Missions data. The in-situ component, under the coordination of the European Environment Agency (EEA), is composed of atmospheric and Earth based monitoring systems, and based on established networks and programmes at European and international levels. The European Commission is in charge of implementing the services component of GMES and of leading GMES overall. GMES services, fed with data from the Space and In-situ components, will provide essential information in five main domains, atmosphere, ocean and land monitoring as well as emergency response and security. Climate change has been added

  13. Characterization of low and medium-level radioactive waste forms. Final report - 2nd Programme 1980-84

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pottier, P.E.; Glasser, F.P.

    1986-01-01

    The European Communities Second R and D Programme 1980-84 'Management and Disposal of Radioactive Waste (Shared cost action)' included a closely coordinated research activity for the 'Characterization of low and medium-level radioactive waste forms'. This report summarizes the main results obtained during the five years of the programme by laboratories in seven European countries participating in the coordinated RandD efforts. Ten reference waste forms have been selected, based on the most important types of low and medium-level waste arisings and the three commonly used immobilization matrices: cement, bitumen and polymers. The investigated properties were mainly: waste-matrix compatibility, radiation effects, leaching behaviour, leached radionuclides speciation, microbiological resistance and thermal as well as mechanical properties. Extensive experimental results relevant for the qualification of waste products and for application in performance analysis are presented in this final report. The main conclusions are drawn for the confinement properties of these different waste forms. These conclusions have also shown the necessity of selecting several other reference waste forms for the continuation of this RandD action now being launched in the Third EC Programme 1985-89

  14. A programmable artificial retina

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bernard, T.M.; Zavidovique, B.Y.; Devos, F.J.

    1993-01-01

    An artificial retina is a device that intimately associates an imager with processing facilities on a monolithic circuit. Yet, except for simple environments and applications, analog hardware will not suffice to process and compact the raw image flow from the photosensitive array. To solve this output problem, an on-chip array of bare Boolean processors with halftoning facilities might be used, providing versatility from programmability. By setting the pixel memory size to 3 b, the authors have demonstrated both the technological practicality and the computational efficiency of this programmable Boolean retina concept. Using semi-static shifting structures together with some interaction circuitry, a minimal retina Boolean processor can be built with less than 30 transistors and controlled by as few as 6 global clock signals. The successful design, integration, and test of such a 65x76 Boolean retina on a 50-mm 2 CMOS 2-μm circuit are presented

  15. Energy technology programmes 1993-1998. Evaluation report

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    1999-09-01

    In the late 1980s Finland`s Ministry of Trade and Industry (KTM) initiated a series of research and development (R and D) programmes in the field of energy technology. Subsequently, in 1993, it launched a further suite of eleven Energy Technology Programmes scheduled to run over the period 1993-1998. Aimed at the development of efficient and environmentally sound energy technologies intended to be competitive in the international marketplace, the programmes sought to involve the research, industrial and public sectors in some FIM 1.2 billion of research and development activity. The technology areas spanned: Combustion and gasification techniques Bioenergy, Advanced energy systems and technologies (e.g. wind, solar energy), Fusion, Energy and environmental technology, Energy and the environment in transportation, Energy use in buildings, Energy in steel and metal production, Energy in paper and board production, District heating, Electricity distribution automation. In early 1995, the Technology Development Centre of Finland (Tekes) assumed responsibility for the funding, management and administration of the programmes. As the final year of activities began, Tekes commissioned Technopolis to assemble a team to conduct a major review of all eleven programmes over the course of 1998. The broad aim of the exercise was to review the experience of the eleven technology R and D programmes and to make suggestions for the future. In particular, the intention was to cover a number of distinct levels. Most important were the Programme and Portfolio levels. At the individual Programme level, the review was to comment on the relevance, calibre and impact of programmes, concentrating in particular on the following: Relevance - were programme and project level goals in line with Finnish interests and comparable agendas in other countries; Efficiency - how well were the programmes implemented and managed; Quality - how did the scientific and technological quality of the work

  16. A draft of guidance from the scientific Research Programme GEOTECHNOLOGIEN to underpin the implementation of the CCS Directive in Germany

    Science.gov (United States)

    Streibel, Martin; Schoebel, Birgit

    2015-04-01

    In 2004 the Federal Ministry of Education and Research of Germany launched the programme GEOTECHNOLOGIEN with one key aspect being the development of technologies for sustainable storage of carbon dioxide in geological formations. Within this research field more than 30 projects in three consecutive programme phases have been funded up to the end of 2014. In order to benefit from the gathered knowledge and use the experiences for the policy/law making process the umbrella project AUGE has been launched in October 2012 with a life time of three years. The aim of the project is to review and compile all results of projects funded during the three phases to underpin the appendices of the German transposition of the EC Directive 2009/31/EC the "Carbon Dioxide Storage Law" (KSpG). The results of the projects have been structured along the lines of the two appendices of the KSpG which are similar to the ones of the EC Directive. The detailed structure follows the CSA Z741, Canada's first CCS standard for the geological storage of carbon emissions deep underground. This document also serves as the draft version for the ISO Technical Committee 265 "Carbon dioxide capture, transportation, and geological storage". From the risk management perspective, according to ISO 31000, most of the research performed in the above mentioned scientific programme dealt with contextual background of geological CO2 storage asking the question which physical, chemical and biological interactions of CO2 are most important to understand to evaluate if CO2 storage in general is feasible. This lead to risk identification, risk analysis and risk evaluation. Major topics of the scientific programme were • site characterisation with development and optimisation of laboratory procedures and implementation amongst other activities at the pilot site at Ketzin; • optimization of seismic procedures for site characterisation and the detection of injected CO2; • physical, chemical and microbiological

  17. Inactivation of the Ecs ABC transporter of Staphylococcus aureus attenuates virulence by altering composition and function of bacterial wall.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ing-Marie Jonsson

    2010-12-01

    Full Text Available Ecs is an ATP-binding cassette (ABC transporter present in aerobic and facultative anaerobic gram-positive Firmicutes. Inactivation of Bacillus subtilis Ecs causes pleiotropic changes in the bacterial phenotype including inhibition of intramembrane proteolysis. The molecule(s transported by Ecs is (are still unknown.In this study we mutated the ecsAB operon in two Staphylococcus aureus strains, Newman and LS-1. Phenotypic and functional characterization of these Ecs deficient mutants revealed a defect in growth, increased autolysis and lysostaphin sensitivity, altered composition of cell wall proteins including the precursor form of staphylokinase and an altered bacterial surface texture. DNA microarray analysis indicated that the Ecs deficiency changed expression of the virulence factor regulator protein Rot accompanied by differential expression of membrane transport proteins, particularly ABC transporters and phosphate-specific transport systems, protein A, adhesins and capsular polysaccharide biosynthesis proteins. Virulence of the ecs mutants was studied in a mouse model of hematogenous S. aureus infection. Mice inoculated with the ecs mutant strains developed markedly milder infections than those inoculated with the wild-type strains and had consequently lower mortality, less weight loss, milder arthritis and decreased persistence of staphylococci in the kidneys. The ecs mutants had higher susceptibility to ribosomal antibiotics and plant alkaloids chelerythrine and sanguinarine.Our results show that Ecs is essential for staphylococcal virulence and antimicrobial resistance probably since the transport function of Ecs is essential for the normal structure and function of the cell wall. Thus targeting Ecs may be a new approach in combating staphylococcal infection.

  18. Inactivation of the Ecs ABC transporter of Staphylococcus aureus attenuates virulence by altering composition and function of bacterial wall.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jonsson, Ing-Marie; Juuti, Jarmo T; François, Patrice; AlMajidi, Rana; Pietiäinen, Milla; Girard, Myriam; Lindholm, Catharina; Saller, Manfred J; Driessen, Arnold J M; Kuusela, Pentti; Bokarewa, Maria; Schrenzel, Jacques; Kontinen, Vesa P

    2010-12-02

    Ecs is an ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporter present in aerobic and facultative anaerobic gram-positive Firmicutes. Inactivation of Bacillus subtilis Ecs causes pleiotropic changes in the bacterial phenotype including inhibition of intramembrane proteolysis. The molecule(s) transported by Ecs is (are) still unknown. In this study we mutated the ecsAB operon in two Staphylococcus aureus strains, Newman and LS-1. Phenotypic and functional characterization of these Ecs deficient mutants revealed a defect in growth, increased autolysis and lysostaphin sensitivity, altered composition of cell wall proteins including the precursor form of staphylokinase and an altered bacterial surface texture. DNA microarray analysis indicated that the Ecs deficiency changed expression of the virulence factor regulator protein Rot accompanied by differential expression of membrane transport proteins, particularly ABC transporters and phosphate-specific transport systems, protein A, adhesins and capsular polysaccharide biosynthesis proteins. Virulence of the ecs mutants was studied in a mouse model of hematogenous S. aureus infection. Mice inoculated with the ecs mutant strains developed markedly milder infections than those inoculated with the wild-type strains and had consequently lower mortality, less weight loss, milder arthritis and decreased persistence of staphylococci in the kidneys. The ecs mutants had higher susceptibility to ribosomal antibiotics and plant alkaloids chelerythrine and sanguinarine. Our results show that Ecs is essential for staphylococcal virulence and antimicrobial resistance probably since the transport function of Ecs is essential for the normal structure and function of the cell wall. Thus targeting Ecs may be a new approach in combating staphylococcal infection.

  19. Programmes and Systems for Source and Environmental Radiation Monitoring

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2010-01-01

    The discharge of radionuclides to the atmosphere and aquatic environments is a legitimate practice in the nuclear and other industries, hospitals and research. Where appropriate, monitoring of the discharges and of relevant environmental media is an essential regulatory requirement in order to ensure appropriate radiation protection of the public. Such monitoring provides information on the actual amounts of radioactive material discharged and the radionuclide concentrations in the environment, and is needed to demonstrate compliance with authorized limits, to assess the radiation exposure of members of the public and to provide data to aid in the optimization of radiation protection. Uncontrolled releases of radionuclides to the atmosphere and aquatic environments may occur as a result of a nuclear or radiological accident. Again, monitoring at the source of the release and of the environment is necessary. In this case, monitoring is used both to assess the radiation exposure of members of the public and to determine the actions necessary for public protection, including longer term countermeasures. Source and environmental monitoring associated with the release of radionuclides to the environment is the subject of a number of IAEA Safety Standards, particularly IAEA Safety Standard RS-G-1.8 (Environmental and Source Monitoring for Purposes of Radiation Protection). This publication is intended to complement this Safety Guide and, by so doing, replaces Safety Series No. 41 (Objectives and Design of Environmental Monitoring Programmes for Radioactive Contaminants) and Safety Series No. 46 (Monitoring of Airborne and Liquid Radioactive Releases from Nuclear Facilities to the Environment). Like Safety Standard RS-G-1.8, this Safety Report deals with monitoring at the source and in the environment associated with authorized releases of radionuclides to the environment. It also deals with the general issues of emergency monitoring during and in the aftermath of an

  20. Radioactivity in the Marine Environment 1999

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Rudjord, A.L.; Foeyn, L.; Brungot, A.L.; Kolstad, A.K.; Helldal, H.E.; Brown, J.; Iosjpe, M.; Christensen, G.

    2001-07-01

    A new, comprehensive national programme for monitoring of Radioactivity in the Marine Environment (RAME) was established in 1999. This program is based on a proposal developed by the Norwegian Radiation Protection Authority (NRPA), the Institute of Marine Research (IMR), the Directorate for Nature Conservation (DN) and the State pollution authorities (SFT) on behalf of the Ministry of Environment. NRPA, as the responsible authority on radiation protection, co-ordinates the programme whilst sampling at sea is conducted in close co-operation with IMR as part of the regular monitoring of the marine environment and its living resources. The principal objective of the programme is to document levels, distributions and trends of anthropogenic and naturally occurring radionuclides in the North Sea, the Norwegian Sea, the Barents Sea and along the Norwegian coast. The programme also collects updated information on both Norwegian and other sources of radioactive contamination, and carries out assessments of radiation exposures of humans and biota. This new national monitoring programme has been co-ordinated with existing programmes funded by the Ministry of Fisheries. The monitoring programme for Marine Fish and Seafood was established in 1994. In previous reports from the programme established in 1994, (Sickel et al, 1995; Brungot et al, 1997, 1999) information regarding radioactivity in sea water, sediments and seaweed was included. However, the main purpose of this program is to document levels of anthropogenic radionuclides in fish and other seafood caught in Norwegian waters. This information is then made available to the relevant authorities, fishing industries and the general public as documentation regarding the quality of the marine products. The work in this programme is performed as a co-operation between the NRPA and the Directorate of Fisheries. In addition, results from the monitoring program conducted by the National Food Control Authority are also included

  1. Radioactivity in the Marine Environment 1999

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rudjord, A.L.; Foeyn, L.; Brungot, A.L.; Kolstad, A.K.; Helldal, H.E.; Brown, J.; Iosjpe, M.; Christensen, G.

    2001-01-01

    A new, comprehensive national programme for monitoring of Radioactivity in the Marine Environment (RAME) was established in 1999. This program is based on a proposal developed by the Norwegian Radiation Protection Authority (NRPA), the Institute of Marine Research (IMR), the Directorate for Nature Conservation (DN) and the State pollution authorities (SFT) on behalf of the Ministry of Environment. NRPA, as the responsible authority on radiation protection, co-ordinates the programme whilst sampling at sea is conducted in close co-operation with IMR as part of the regular monitoring of the marine environment and its living resources. The principal objective of the programme is to document levels, distributions and trends of anthropogenic and naturally occurring radionuclides in the North Sea, the Norwegian Sea, the Barents Sea and along the Norwegian coast. The programme also collects updated information on both Norwegian and other sources of radioactive contamination, and carries out assessments of radiation exposures of humans and biota. This new national monitoring programme has been co-ordinated with existing programmes funded by the Ministry of Fisheries. The monitoring programme for Marine Fish and Seafood was established in 1994. In previous reports from the programme established in 1994, (Sickel et al, 1995; Brungot et al, 1997, 1999) information regarding radioactivity in sea water, sediments and seaweed was included. However, the main purpose of this program is to document levels of anthropogenic radionuclides in fish and other seafood caught in Norwegian waters. This information is then made available to the relevant authorities, fishing industries and the general public as documentation regarding the quality of the marine products. The work in this programme is performed as a co-operation between the NRPA and the Directorate of Fisheries. In addition, results from the monitoring program conducted by the National Food Control Authority are also included

  2. Programmes of measures under the water framework directive – a comparative case study

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Baaner, Lasse

    2011-01-01

    The water framework directive requires programmes of measures composed by the Member States, in order to achieve its environmental objectives. This article examines three programmes of measures for river basins in Denmark, Sweden, and Norway, with a focus on the differences in how the programmes...... direct the authorities’ activities with regard to water management. It concludes that there are major differences in the precision of the measures, the range of legal instruments used, and in the focus on active and direct management of the aquatic environment. The Danish programme seems to facilitate...

  3. Reshaping Text Data for Efficient Processing on Amazon EC2

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gabriela Turcu

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Text analysis tools are nowadays required to process increasingly large corpora which are often organized as small files (abstracts, news articles, etc.. Cloud computing offers a convenient, on-demand, pay-as-you-go computing environment for solving such problems. We investigate provisioning on the Amazon EC2 cloud from the user perspective, attempting to provide a scheduling strategy that is both timely and cost effective. We derive an execution plan using an empirically determined application performance model. A first goal of our performance measurements is to determine an optimal file size for our application to consume. Using the subset-sum first fit heuristic we reshape the input data by merging files in order to match as closely as possible the desired file size. This also speeds up the task of retrieving the results of our application, by having the output be less segmented. Using predictions of the performance of our application based on measurements on small data sets, we devise an execution plan that meets a user specified deadline while minimizing cost.

  4. Transfer of Tritium in the Environment after Accidental Releases from Nuclear Facilities. Report of Working Group 7 Tritium Accidents of EMRAS II Topical Heading Approaches for Assessing Emergency Situations. Environmental Modelling for Radiation Safety (Emras II) Programme

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2014-07-01

    Environmental assessment models are used for evaluating the radiological impact of actual and potential releases of radionuclides to the environment. They are essential tools for use in the regulatory control of routine discharges to the environment and also in planning measures to be taken in the event of accidental releases. They are also used for predicting the impact of releases which may occur far into the future, for example, from underground radioactive waste repositories. It is important to verify, to the extent possible, the reliability of the predictions of such models by a comparison with measured values in the environment or with predictions of other models. The IAEA has been organizing programmes of international model testing since the 1980s. These programmes have contributed to a general improvement in models, in the transfer of data and in the capabilities of modellers in Member States. IAEA publications on this subject over the past three decades demonstrate the comprehensive nature of the programmes and record the associated advances which have been made. From 2009 to 2011, the IAEA organized a programme entitled Environmental Modelling for RAdiation Safety (EMRAS II), which concentrated on the improvement of environmental transfer models and the development of reference approaches to estimate the radiological impacts on humans, as well as on flora and fauna, arising from radionuclides in the environment. Different aspects were addressed by nine working groups covering three themes: reference approaches for human dose assessment, reference approaches for biota dose assessment and approaches for assessing emergency situations. This publication describes the work of the Tritium Accidents Working Group

  5. Monitoring the Environments We Depend On

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Madsen, Michael

    2013-01-01

    Our overuse of natural resources, pollution and climate change are weakening natural systems’ ability to adapt to ever more sources of stress. The varied environments of our planet are interconnected and the pollution of one has ramifications across all. It is thus important to monitor the health of our environment to ensure a sustainable future. The IAEA, through its Environment Laboratories, Water Resource Programme, and technical cooperation programme, applies unique, versatile and cost-effective isotopic and nuclear techniques to understand many of the key environmental mechanisms needed to ensure a sustainable future. These monitoring systems help Member States make ecologically-responsible and scientifically-grounded development decisions

  6. Usefulness of L,L-ethylenedicysteine - 99mTc complex (EC-99mTc) for the kidney investigations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Surma, M.J.; Wiewiora, J.; Kapuscinksi, J.; Liniecki, J.

    1992-01-01

    To assess the usefulness of own EC- 99m Tc complex for the kidney function examination, the renoscintigraphy with EC- 99m Tc and clearance determinations were performed. During renoscintigraphy the kidney images were of superb quality, with overlaying organs (liver, spleen) not visualized. Renograms showed typical shapes, their TMAX and T1/2 values being insignificantly different from the obtained with other radiopharmaceuticals, used in renoscintigraphy (MAG 3 , hippuran). Very strict correlations were found between values of EC- 99m Tc and OIH- 131 I clearances (r=0.91) and excretion rate constants (r=0.92) of both radiopharmaceuticals. The correlation enabled formulation of an equation by which ERPF could be established from EC- 99m Tc clearance: ERPF OIH =1.245 x Cl EC +51.52. On the basis of this equation a lower boundary of the normal EC- 99m Tc clearance was established; it amounts to 300 ml/min/1.73 m 2 . (author). 17 refs, 5 figs, 1 tab

  7. Spatial and Temporal Variations of EC and OC Aerosol Combustion Sources in a Polluted Metropolitan Area

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mouteva, G.; Randerson, J. T.; Fahrni, S.; Santos, G.; Bush, S. E.; Ehleringer, J. R.; Czimczik, C. I.

    2015-12-01

    Anthropogenic emissions of carbonaceous aerosols are a major component of fine air particulate matter (PM2.5) in polluted metropolitan areas and in the global atmosphere. Elemental (EC) and organic carbon (OC) aerosols influence Earth's energy balance by means of direct and indirect pathways and EC has been suggested as a better indicator of public health impacts from combustion-related sources than PM mass. Quantifying the contribution of fossil fuel and biomass combustion to the EC and OC emissions and their temporal and spatial variations is critical for developing efficient legislative air pollution control measures and successful climate mitigation strategies. In this study, we used radiocarbon (14C) to separate and quantify fossil and biomass contributions to a time series of EC and OC collected at 3 locations in Salt Lake City (SLC). Aerosol samples were collected on quartz fiber filters and a modified OC/EC analyzer was used with the Swiss_4S protocol to isolate and trap the EC fraction. Together with the total carbon (TC) content of the samples, the EC was analyzed for its 14C content with accelerator mass spectrometry. The 14C of OC was derived as a mass balance difference between TC and EC. EC had an annual average fraction modern of 0.13±0.06 and did not vary significantly across seasons. OC had an annual average FM of 0.49±0.13, with the winter mean (0.43±0.11) lower than the summer mean (0.64±0.13) at the 5% significance level. While the 3 stations were chosen to represent a variety of environmental conditions within SLC, no major differences in this source partitioning were observed between stations. During winter, the major sources of air pollutants in SLC are motor vehicles and wood stove combustion and determining their relative contributions has been the subject of debate. Our results indicated that fossil fuels were the dominant source of carbonaceous aerosols during winter, contributing 87% or more of the total EC mass and 40-75% of the OC

  8. MoisturEC: A New R Program for Moisture Content Estimation from Electrical Conductivity Data.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Terry, Neil; Day-Lewis, Frederick D; Werkema, Dale; Lane, John W

    2018-03-06

    Noninvasive geophysical estimation of soil moisture has potential to improve understanding of flow in the unsaturated zone for problems involving agricultural management, aquifer recharge, and optimization of landfill design and operations. In principle, several geophysical techniques (e.g., electrical resistivity, electromagnetic induction, and nuclear magnetic resonance) offer insight into soil moisture, but data-analysis tools are needed to "translate" geophysical results into estimates of soil moisture, consistent with (1) the uncertainty of this translation and (2) direct measurements of moisture. Although geostatistical frameworks exist for this purpose, straightforward and user-friendly tools are required to fully capitalize on the potential of geophysical information for soil-moisture estimation. Here, we present MoisturEC, a simple R program with a graphical user interface to convert measurements or images of electrical conductivity (EC) to soil moisture. Input includes EC values, point moisture estimates, and definition of either Archie parameters (based on experimental or literature values) or empirical data of moisture vs. EC. The program produces two- and three-dimensional images of moisture based on available EC and direct measurements of moisture, interpolating between measurement locations using a Tikhonov regularization approach. Published 2018. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.

  9. Policies and programmes on new and renewable energy in the Philippines

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Elauria, J C [Department of Energy, Energy Utilization Management Bureau, Metro Manila (Philippines)

    1995-12-01

    The New and Renewable Energy Programme aims at accelerating the promotion and commercialization of new and renewable energy systems. In pursuit of this goal, the Programme has the following policies: (a) pursue the large-scale use of new and renewable energy sources (NRSE), (b) enhance energy self-sufficiency through continuous exploration, development and exploitation of indigenous energy sources and (c) encourage greater private sector investment and participation in all energy activities. The strategies to be implemented include the intensification of R and D and the demonstration of technologically feasible and socio-environmentally acceptable NRSE; the institutionalization of area-based energy planning and management for NRSE; the encouragement of a favourable market environment for manufacturers, suppliers and users of NRSE; the promotion of commercially viable energy sources such as solar and wind energy, and continuing applied R and D for less-advanced technologies such as ocean thermal and wave energy conversion, fuel cells and municipal wastes. The sub programmes of the New and Renewable Energy Program are as follows: The technology sub programme aims at developing economically viable NRSE to levels of technical maturity at which NRSE can compete commercially with conventional energy; The commercialization sub programme envisages the creation of a favourable market environment to encourage private sector investment and participation in NRSE projects and activities; The promotion sub programme attempts to heighten public awareness of NRSE; The area-based energy sub programme is a mechanism for accelerating the promotion and commercialization of new and renewable energy systems at the regional and subregional levels using a decentralized, area-based approach. (author) 9 figs, 2 tabs

  10. QUALITY OF AN ACADEMIC STUDY PROGRAMME - EVALUATION MODEL

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mirna Macur

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Quality of an academic study programme is evaluated by many: employees (internal evaluation and by external evaluators: experts, agencies and organisations. Internal and external evaluation of an academic programme follow written structure that resembles on one of the quality models. We believe the quality models (mostly derived from EFQM excellence model don’t fit very well into non-profit activities, policies and programmes, because they are much more complex than environment, from which quality models derive from (for example assembly line. Quality of an academic study programme is very complex and understood differently by various stakeholders, so we present dimensional evaluation in the article. Dimensional evaluation, as opposed to component and holistic evaluation, is a form of analytical evaluation in which the quality of value of the evaluand is determined by looking at its performance on multiple dimensions of merit or evaluation criteria. First stakeholders of a study programme and their views, expectations and interests are presented, followed by evaluation criteria. They are both joined into the evaluation model revealing which evaluation criteria can and should be evaluated by which stakeholder. Main research questions are posed and research method for each dimension listed.

  11. Awareness for Contextualized Digital Contents in Ubiquitous Learning Environments

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Börner, Dirk

    2010-01-01

    Börner, D. (2009). Awareness for Contextualized Digital Contents in Ubiquitous Learning Environments. Presented at the Doctoral Consortium of the Fourth European Conference on Technology Enhanced Learning (EC-TEL 2009). September, 29-October, 2, 2009, Nice, France.

  12. Review of programmable systems associated with Fermilab experiments

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nash, T.

    1981-05-01

    The design and application of programmable systems for Fermilab experiments are reviewed. The high luminosity fixed target environment at Fermilab has been a very fertile ground for the development of sophisticated, powerful triggering systems. A few of these are integrated systems designed to be flexible and to have broad application. Many are dedicated triggers taking advantage of large scale integrated circuits to focus on the specific needs of one experiment. In addition, the data acquisition requirements of large detectors, existing and planned, are being met with programmable systems to process the data. Offline reconstruction of data places a very heavy load on large general purpose computers. This offers a potentially very fruitful area for new developments involving programmable dedicated systems. Some of the present thinking at Fermilab regarding offline reconstruction processors will be described

  13. Effects of Sludge Compost on EC value of Saline Soil and Plant Height of Medicago

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sun, Chongyang; Zhao, Ke; Chen, Xing; Wang, Xiaohui

    2017-12-01

    In this study, the effects of sludge composting on the EC value of saline soil and the response to Medicago plant height were studied by planting Medicago with pots for 45 days in different proportions as sludge composting with saline soil. The results showed that the EC value of saline soil did not change obviously with the increase of fertilization ratio,which indicated that the EC value of saline soil was close to that of the original soil. The EC decreased by 31.45% at fertilization ratio of 40%. The height of Medicago reached the highest at 40% fertilization ratio, and that was close to 60% fertilization ratio, and the difference was significant with other treatments. By comprehensive analyse and compare,the optimum application rate of sludge compost was 40% under this test condition.

  14. Embodied carbon mitigation and reduction in the built environment - What does the evidence say?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pomponi, Francesco; Moncaster, Alice

    2016-10-01

    Of all industrial sectors, the built environment puts the most pressure on the natural environment, and in spite of significant efforts the International Energy Agency suggests that buildings-related emissions are on track to double by 2050. Whilst operational energy efficiency continues to receive significant attention by researchers, a less well-researched area is the assessment of embodied carbon in the built environment in order to understand where the greatest opportunities for its mitigation and reduction lie. This article approaches the body of academic knowledge on strategies to tackle embodied carbon (EC) and uses a systematic review of the available evidence to answer the following research question: how should we mitigate and reduce EC in the built environment? 102 journal articles have been reviewed systematically in the fields of embodied carbon mitigation and reduction, and life cycle assessment. In total, 17 mitigation strategies have been identified from within the existing literature which have been discussed through a meta-analysis on available data. Results reveal that no single mitigation strategy alone seems able to tackle the problem; rather, a pluralistic approach is necessary. The use of materials with lower EC, better design, an increased reuse of EC-intensive materials, and stronger policy drivers all emerged as key elements for a quicker transition to a low carbon built environment. The meta-analysis on 77 LCAs also shows an extremely incomplete and short-sighted approach to life cycle studies. Most studies only assess the manufacturing stages, often completely overlooking impacts occurring during the occupancy stage and at the end of life of the building. The LCA research community have the responsibility to address such shortcomings and work towards more complete and meaningful assessments. Crown Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  15. Plant Life Management of the EC6 Concrete Containment Structure

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Abrishami, Homayoun; Ricciuti, Rick; Khan, Azhar [CANDU Energy Inc., Mississauga (Canada)

    2012-03-15

    Aging of reinforced concrete structures due to service conditions, aggressive environments, or accidents may cause their strength, serviceability and durability to decrease over time. Due to the complex nature of safety-related structures in nuclear power plants in comparison to other structures, they possess a number of characteristics that make them comparison to other structures, they possess a number of characteristics that make them unique. These characteristics are: thick concrete cross-sections, heavy reinforcement, often one-side access only, subjected to such ageing stresses as irradiation and elevated temperature, in addition to other typical ageing mechanisms (i. e., exposure to freeze/thaw cycles, aggressive chemicals, etc.) that typically affects other types of non-nuclear structures. For a new plant, the Plant Life Management Program (PLiM) should start in the design process and then continues through construction, plant operation and decommissioning. Hence PLiM must provide not only Ageing Management program (AMP) but also provide requirements on material characteristic and the design criteria as well. The purpose of this paper is to present the Plant Life Management (PLiM) strategy for the concrete containment structure of EC6 (Enhanced CANDU 6) Nuclear Power Plant designed by CANDU Energy Inc. The EC6 is designed for 100-year plant life including a 60-year operating life and an additional 40-year decommissioning period of time. The approach adopted for the PLiM strategy of the concrete containment structure is a preventive one, key areas being: 1) design methodology, 2) material performance and 3) life cycle management and ageing management program. In addition to strength and serviceability, durability is a major consideration during the design phase, service life and up to the completion of decommissioning. Factors affecting durability design include: a) concrete performance, b) structural application, and c) consideration of environmental

  16. Plant Life Management of the EC6 Concrete Containment Structure

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Abrishami, Homayoun; Ricciuti, Rick; Khan, Azhar

    2012-01-01

    Aging of reinforced concrete structures due to service conditions, aggressive environments, or accidents may cause their strength, serviceability and durability to decrease over time. Due to the complex nature of safety-related structures in nuclear power plants in comparison to other structures, they possess a number of characteristics that make them comparison to other structures, they possess a number of characteristics that make them unique. These characteristics are: thick concrete cross-sections, heavy reinforcement, often one-side access only, subjected to such ageing stresses as irradiation and elevated temperature, in addition to other typical ageing mechanisms (i. e., exposure to freeze/thaw cycles, aggressive chemicals, etc.) that typically affects other types of non-nuclear structures. For a new plant, the Plant Life Management Program (PLiM) should start in the design process and then continues through construction, plant operation and decommissioning. Hence PLiM must provide not only Ageing Management program (AMP) but also provide requirements on material characteristic and the design criteria as well. The purpose of this paper is to present the Plant Life Management (PLiM) strategy for the concrete containment structure of EC6 (Enhanced CANDU 6) Nuclear Power Plant designed by CANDU Energy Inc. The EC6 is designed for 100-year plant life including a 60-year operating life and an additional 40-year decommissioning period of time. The approach adopted for the PLiM strategy of the concrete containment structure is a preventive one, key areas being: 1) design methodology, 2) material performance and 3) life cycle management and ageing management program. In addition to strength and serviceability, durability is a major consideration during the design phase, service life and up to the completion of decommissioning. Factors affecting durability design include: a) concrete performance, b) structural application, and c) consideration of environmental

  17. On the robustness of EC-PC spike detection method for online neural recording.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhou, Yin; Wu, Tong; Rastegarnia, Amir; Guan, Cuntai; Keefer, Edward; Yang, Zhi

    2014-09-30

    Online spike detection is an important step to compress neural data and perform real-time neural information decoding. An unsupervised, automatic, yet robust signal processing is strongly desired, thus it can support a wide range of applications. We have developed a novel spike detection algorithm called "exponential component-polynomial component" (EC-PC) spike detection. We firstly evaluate the robustness of the EC-PC spike detector under different firing rates and SNRs. Secondly, we show that the detection Precision can be quantitatively derived without requiring additional user input parameters. We have realized the algorithm (including training) into a 0.13 μm CMOS chip, where an unsupervised, nonparametric operation has been demonstrated. Both simulated data and real data are used to evaluate the method under different firing rates (FRs), SNRs. The results show that the EC-PC spike detector is the most robust in comparison with some popular detectors. Moreover, the EC-PC detector can track changes in the background noise due to the ability to re-estimate the neural data distribution. Both real and synthesized data have been used for testing the proposed algorithm in comparison with other methods, including the absolute thresholding detector (AT), median absolute deviation detector (MAD), nonlinear energy operator detector (NEO), and continuous wavelet detector (CWD). Comparative testing results reveals that the EP-PC detection algorithm performs better than the other algorithms regardless of recording conditions. The EC-PC spike detector can be considered as an unsupervised and robust online spike detection. It is also suitable for hardware implementation. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  18. Damage Detection Response Characteristics of Open Circuit Resonant (SansEC) Sensors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dudley, Kenneth L.; Szatkowski, George N.; Smith, Laura J.; Koppen, Sandra V.; Ely, Jay J.; Nguyen, Truong X.; Wang, Chuantong; Ticatch, Larry A.; Mielnik, John J.

    2013-01-01

    The capability to assess the current or future state of the health of an aircraft to improve safety, availability, and reliability while reducing maintenance costs has been a continuous goal for decades. Many companies, commercial entities, and academic institutions have become interested in Integrated Vehicle Health Management (IVHM) and a growing effort of research into "smart" vehicle sensing systems has emerged. Methods to detect damage to aircraft materials and structures have historically relied on visual inspection during pre-flight or post-flight operations by flight and ground crews. More quantitative non-destructive investigations with various instruments and sensors have traditionally been performed when the aircraft is out of operational service during major scheduled maintenance. Through the use of reliable sensors coupled with data monitoring, data mining, and data analysis techniques, the health state of a vehicle can be detected in-situ. NASA Langley Research Center (LaRC) is developing a composite aircraft skin damage detection method and system based on open circuit SansEC (Sans Electric Connection) sensor technology. Composite materials are increasingly used in modern aircraft for reducing weight, improving fuel efficiency, and enhancing the overall design, performance, and manufacturability of airborne vehicles. Materials such as fiberglass reinforced composites (FRC) and carbon-fiber-reinforced polymers (CFRP) are being used to great advantage in airframes, wings, engine nacelles, turbine blades, fairings, fuselage structures, empennage structures, control surfaces and aircraft skins. SansEC sensor technology is a new technical framework for designing, powering, and interrogating sensors to detect various types of damage in composite materials. The source cause of the in-service damage (lightning strike, impact damage, material fatigue, etc.) to the aircraft composite is not relevant. The sensor will detect damage independent of the cause

  19. Archive of Geosample Data and Information from the U.S. Extended Continental Shelf (ECS) Project.

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Geological samples collected as part of the U.S. Extended Continental Shelf (ECS) Project are curated by the U.S. Geological Survey, a partner in the ECS Project. To...

  20. Engaging with Leadership Development in Irish Academic Libraries: Some Reflections of the Future Leaders Programme (FLP)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fallon, Helen; Maxwell, Jane; McCaffrey, Ciara; McMahon, Seamus

    2011-01-01

    Four librarians from Irish university libraries completed the U.K. Future Leaders Programme (FLP) in 2010. In this article they recount their experience and assess the effect of the programme on their professional practice and the value for their institutions. The programme is explored in the context of the Irish higher education environment,…

  1. ESCAPE: an integrated climate model for the EC

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rotmans, J.

    1992-01-01

    A framework has been developed for the evaluation of policy options for climate change, called ESCAPE (Evaluation of Strategies to address Climate change by Adapting to and Preventing Emissions). ESCAPE consists of a suite of linked models which enables scenarios of greenhouse gas emissions to be constructed and their impact on global and regional climate and sea level and sectors of the European economy to be assessed. Conclusions resulting from simulations with the ESCAPE 1.1 model include: the major problem of a climate change for the EC is a sea level rise; Greece, Italy, Portugal and Spain will be faced with higher costs in the agricultural sector; worldwide implementation of an EC carbon tax leads to about 12% lower worldwide CO 2 emissions; to stabilize CO 2 emissions an Ecotax of 18 dollars per barrel would be required; and in all cases the rate of global temperature increase will be above the rate of 0.1 degree C per decade for the coming 40 years. 2 figs

  2. Business-to-business electronic commerce systems and services. Smart EC solution; Kigyoka nrenkei system solution system. Smart EC solution

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Setoguchi, T.; Manchu, Y.; Katsumata, M. [Toshiba Corp., Tokyo (Japan)

    2000-04-01

    Toshiba provides a range of information technology (IT) solutions called SmartEC Solution, which includes business-to-business electronic commerce systems and services based on international standards and industrial know-how, especially our electronic data interchange (EDI) know-how as a manufacturer. These IT solutions are supplied as services covering strategy planning, system integration, and application service provider based on five types of business-to-business electronic commerce. (author)

  3. Biennial activity report of Metallurgy Programme - 1985 and 1986

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mallika, C.; Sreenivasan, P.R.; Muraleedharan, P.; Shyamsunder, M.T.; Kuppuswami, P.; Sampath, N.; Bhaduri, A.K.; Sreedharan, O.M.

    1988-01-01

    The biennial activity report of the Metallurgy Programme of the Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research covers the period of the years 1985 and 1986. Along with NDT, welding metallurgy, low cycle fatigue, creep and creep fatigue interactions, structure-property correlations, thermodynamics and corrosion metallurgy of alloy steels with respect to their compatibility with aqueous and liquid sodium environments continue to be the major thrust areas of the Programme. Some of the basic research contributions of the Programme are: the observation of uniform and homogeneous distribution of voids in cyclically deformed 304 SS, the role of grain boundaries and precipitation in dynamic strain ageing of 316 SS and the determination of the activities of component metals in 316 and 304 SS by metastable EMF method. (author)

  4. The joint FAO and IAEA programme

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fried, M.; Lamm, C.G.

    1981-01-01

    In 1964 the FAO and IAEA decided to establish a joint programme for the specific purpose of assisting Member States in applying nuclear techniques to develop their food and agriculture. As a result, the Joint FAO/IAEA Division of Isotope and Radiation Applications of Atomic Energy and Agriculture Development was established. The objectives of this joint FAO/IAEA programme are to exploit the potential of isotopes and radiation applications in research and development to increase and stabilize agriculture production, to reduce production costs, to improve the quality of food, to protect agricultural products from spoilage and losses, and to minimize pollution of food and agricultural environment. The activities of the joint programme, which are briefly described, can be grouped under three main headings: co-ordination and support of research; technical assistance including training; and dissemination of information. Tables are shown giving a breakdown of 311 research contracts and agreements held with institutes in Member States and 86 technical assistance projects in 46 developing countries, providing training, expertise and specialized equipment

  5. Awareness for Contextualized Digital Contents in Ubiquitous Learning Environments

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Börner, Dirk; Specht, Marcus

    2010-01-01

    Börner, D., & Specht, M. (2009). Awareness for Contextualized Digital Contents in Ubiquitous Learning Environments. Proceedings of the Doctoral Consortium of the Fourth European Conference on Technology Enhanced Learning (EC-TEL 2009). September, 29-October, 2, 2009, Nice, France. [unpublished

  6. Retrofit electrochromic glazing in a UK office

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ruth Kelly Waskett

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available Electrochromic (EC glazing is now considered a viable alternative to fixed transmittance glazing. It has the potential to enable occupants to control daylight glare and solar heat gain without the use of blinds or external shading devices, giving users more access to daylight with all its inherent benefits. Furthermore, EC glazing can reduce energy consumption by decreasing cooling loads and electric lighting usage. Most research to date has studied the effects of EC glazing in scale models, computer simulations and full scale test rooms, and some of these studies have included human participants. However, there is a general lack of understanding regarding the performance and suitability of EC glazing in real-world working environments. A case study of the first UK retrofit application of EC glazing is being conducted in two adjacent offices in a university campus building. The offices are occupied by administration staff and have large southeastfacing windows. The existing double glazed units were replaced with commercially-available EC glazed units in 2012. Over a period of more than 18 months, the rooms were monitored intensively to record the effect of the EC glazing on both the physical room environment and the occupants themselves. A large amount of data from the monitoring programme is currently undergoing detailed analysis. Initial findings emerging from the installation and post-installation period are described in this paper.

  7. Lunar Module ECS (Environmental Control System) - Design Considerations and Failure Modes. Part 1

    Science.gov (United States)

    Interbartolo, Michael

    2009-01-01

    Design considerations and failure modes for the Lunar Module (LM) Environmental Control System (ECS) are described. An overview of the the oxygen supply and cabin pressurization, atmosphere revitalization, water management and heat transport systems are provided. Design considerations including reliability, flight instrumentation, modularization and the change to the use of batteries instead of fuel cells are discussed. A summary is provided for the LM ECS general testing regime.

  8. Working Environment and Technological Development

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Clausen, Christian; Nielsen, Klaus T.; Jensen, Per Langaa

    1997-01-01

    and their and their concept of working environment2) Technology renewal, which considers the role of the working environment in connection with the development and use of concrete technologies3) Working environment planning, which considers the existing efforts to place the working environment in a planning process.......The paper describes the purpose, themes, overarching research questions and specific projects of the programme: Working Environment and Technological Development. The major research themes are:1) Management concepts and the working environment, which considers the visions...

  9. FGI - Programme 2: RADIOECOLOGY

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Deville-Cavelin, G. [Institut de Radioprotection et de Surete Nucleaire, IRSN, B.P. 17, F - 92262 Fontenay-aux-Roses Cedex (France); Biesold, H. [Gesellschaft fuer Anlagen- und Reaktorsicherheit mbH, GRS, Schwertnergasse 1, D - 50667 Koeln (Germany); Chabanyuk, V. [Radioactive Waste and Radioecology, Department Chernobyl Center for Nuclear Safety, Chernobylsk (Ukraine)

    2003-07-01

    The main purpose of the RADIOECOLOGY Program focuses on studying the radioecological consequences of the accident mainly in the Kyiv, Zhytomyr regions of Ukraine, Gomel, Mogilev regions of Belarus and Bryansk, Kaluga regions of Russia. The results of solutions of tasks presented below are integrated into the geographic and technical Radio Ecological Database After Chernobyl, REDAC. This database we be used for the subsequent study of the impacts, for modeling, and for the development of strategies for the waste control and counter measures. The following task of the programme are highlighted: ecological portrait; contamination; wastes dumps and operational database; radionuclide transfers from soil to plants, by surfaces run off, in aquatic environment and from plants to animals; urban environment, implying modeling transfers and countermeasures; countermeasures in natural and agricultural areas.

  10. Human pericyte-endothelial cell interactions in co-culture models mimicking the diabetic retinal microvascular environment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tarallo, Sonia; Beltramo, Elena; Berrone, Elena; Porta, Massimo

    2012-12-01

    Pericytes regulate vascular tone, perfusion pressure and endothelial cell (EC) proliferation in capillaries. Thiamine and benfotiamine counteract high glucose-induced damage in vascular cells. We standardized two human retinal pericyte (HRP)/EC co-culture models to mimic the diabetic retinal microvascular environment. We aimed at evaluating the interactions between co-cultured HRP and EC in terms of proliferation/apoptosis and the possible protective role of thiamine and benfotiamine against high glucose-induced damage. EC and HRP were co-cultured in physiological glucose and stable or intermittent high glucose, with or without thiamine/benfotiamine. No-contact model: EC were plated on a porous membrane suspended into the medium and HRP on the bottom of the same well. Cell-to-cell contact model: EC and HRP were plated on the opposite sides of the same membrane. Proliferation (cell counts and DNA synthesis), apoptosis and tubule formation in Matrigel were assessed. In the no-contact model, stable high glucose reduced proliferation of co-cultured EC/HRP and EC alone and increased co-cultured EC/HRP apoptosis. In the contact model, both stable and intermittent high glucose reduced co-cultured EC/HRP proliferation and increased apoptosis. Stable high glucose had no effects on HRP in separate cultures. Both EC and HRP proliferated better when co-cultured. Thiamine and benfotiamine reversed high glucose-induced damage in all cases. HRP are sensitive to soluble factors released by EC when cultured in high glucose conditions, as suggested by conditioned media assays. In the Matrigel models, addition of thiamine and benfotiamine re-established the high glucose-damaged interactions between EC/HRP and stabilized microtubules.

  11. Experimental Study on Performance of EC-120 Wet-mixing Modified Asphalt Cementing Materials%EC-120温拌改性沥青胶结料性能试验研究

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    周刚; 唐江; 谭昆华; 谭巍

    2012-01-01

    This paper carries out experimental study on rotational viscosity, normal performance indices and rheological properties, etc. of EC-120 organic viscosity reducing and wet-mixing modified asphalt, the experiment shows that EC-120 as an organic additive with the melting point at approximate 100 t is well compatible with asphalt and easy to prepare without problem of isolation. The experiment also shows EC-120 in wet-mixing modified asphalt can reduce high-temperature viscosity and increase medium and low-temperature viscosity of asphalt so as to decrease mixing and compacting temperature of asphalt mixtures; can reduce needle penetration and increase softening point and anti-rutting factor so as to improve high-temperature stability of asphalt remarkably; and will enable reduction of ductility, increase of fatigue factor, increase of creepage stiffness and reduction of deformation rate of wet-mixing modified asphalt, which slightly have negative influence on anti-fatigue and low-temperature cracking properties of asphalt.%对EC-120有机降粘温拌改性沥青进行旋转粘度、常规性能指标、流变特性等试验研究,试验表明,EC- 120作为一种熔点在100℃左右的有机添加剂,与沥青相容性好,制备容易,不存在离析问题.试验还表明在温拌改性沥青中,EC-120可降低沥青的高温粘度,提高中低温粘度,从而降低沥青混合料的拌和和压实温度;可降低沥青针入度,提高软化点和抗车辙因子,从而大幅改善沥青的高温稳定性;会使温拌改性沥青的延度降低,疲劳因子增大,蠕变劲度增大,变形速率减小,对沥青的抗疲劳和低温抗开裂性能略有消极影响.

  12. Normal human serum (HS) prevents oxidant-induced lysis of cultured endothelial cells (ECs)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Callahan, K.S.; Harlan, J.M.

    1986-01-01

    Most studies demonstrating oxidant lysis of cultured ECs are performed in serum-free media or media containing low concentrations of bovine serum. The authors found that HS protects human and bovine ECs from lysis caused by reagent H 2 O 2 or glucose/glucose oxidase (GO)-generated H 2 O 2 . EC injury was assessed by 51 Cr release, cell detachment, or trypan blue dye exclusion. Protective HS activity was dose-dependent with concentrations greater than or equal to 25% preventing lethal injury. Cytotoxicity at 24 hrs, induced by 20 mU/ml GO, was 90.1 +/- 5.2% without HS vs 1.7 +/- 4.6% with 25% HS present (20 exp). Similar protection was observed with heparinized plasma. Of note, comparable concentrations of bovine serum were devoid of protective activity. Addition of fatty acid-free albumin to the media was also without protective effect. Preliminary characterization showed HS activity was stable to 60 0 C for 30 min, non-dialyzable at 25,000 MW cutoff, and retained in delipidated serum. The HS protection was not merely due to scavenging of exogenous H 2 O 2 as A23187-induced EC lysis was also prevented by HS. Protective activity was not reproduced by purified cerruloplasmin or transferrin. In conclusion, unidentified factor(s) present in HS protect cultured ECs from oxidant-induced lysis. Since endothelium is normally exposed to 100% plasma, the authors suggest that in vitro studies of oxidant-mediated injury be performed in the presence of HS. Factor(s) in HS may play an important role in modulating oxidant-induced vascular injury in vivo

  13. A Systems Thinking Approach To The Sustainability Of Quality Improvement Programmes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Van Dyk, Dirk Johannes

    2014-05-01

    Full Text Available The challenge for organisations to continually provide the best return on investment for their shareholders has become increasingly difficult through globalisation of the market place. There are many responses a company could make to these challenges for example, new product development, increased market capitalisation, cost reduction initiatives, and quality management. This last response focuses on, but is not restricted to, customer satisfaction, continuous improvement, and environmental impact. Continuous improvement addresses waste in the business design and manufacturing processes, which could lead to improved profit margins. The sustainability of quality improvement programmes remains a challenge. Causality can be studied, using Six Sigma tools, to relate cause and effect. But these tools do not always allow the user to study and understand feedback from other factors, such as soft human issues, in the improvement process system, typically referred to as feedback causality. System dynamics may improve this understanding. Quality improvement programmes in the heavy engineering manufacturing environment are not researched to the same degree as those in the automotive manufacturing environment. The purpose of this paper is to share results from research into the sustainability of quality improvement programmes, and the development of an appropriate system dynamics model, using qualitative case study data gathered and coded in a heavy engineering manufacturing environment.

  14. The Community's R and D programme on the management and storage of radioactive waste. Shared-cost action programmes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    McMenamin, T.

    1993-01-01

    Since 1975 the Commission of the European Communities (CEC) has been operating a series of shared-cost action programmes in the field of radioactive waste management with the primary objective of developing methods to protect the public and the environment against the potential hazards of radioactive waste. Member States with small, as well as sizeable, nuclear programmes have been taking part. The choice and type of topics for the programme have depended largely on the work being carried out nationally by these countries with the programmes acting as a support and extension to national projects. To this end they have acted as a catalyst in encouraging and promoting cross-border cooperation and have provided a unique opportunity to compare results and ideas leading to improved quality and efficiency. The list of publications covers reports, proceedings, communications and information leaflets produced and published in the framework of the cost-sharing research programmes of the Commission of the European Communities on radioactive waste management and disposal. The list, which is regularly updated, includes: reports of contractors on research supported by the Commission; reports on research in coordinated actions, assembled and edited by the Commission staff or on behalf of the Commission; proceedings of meetings, conferences and workshops organized and edited by the Commission staff; scientific reports, communications, annual progress reports and information leaflets produced and edited by the Commission staff. Not included are contributions of contractors and staff to national or international meetings, workshops, conferences and expert groups

  15. The current wind energy programme in Italy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ambrosini, G.; Foli, U.; Sesto, E.; Vigotti, R.

    1991-01-01

    In Italy, the main activities in the field of wind energy are carried out by two state-owned organizations, ENEA (Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and the Environment) and ENEL (Italian National Electricity Board), and two major wind turbine generator manufacturers, Alenia/WEST and Riva Calzoni, within the framework of a national programme which is supervized by the Ministry of Industry and Commerce. The work currently under way concerns both wind power plant siting and the development and testing of Italian-made wind turbine generators ranging from 5 to 1500 kW in power. In addition, programmes aimed at constructing wind-farms made up of medium-sized machines (200-400 kW) have recently been launched

  16. EDF decommissioning programme: A global commitment to safety, environment and cost efficiency of nuclear energy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chatry, Jean-Paul

    2002-01-01

    Nowadays, decommissioning of nuclear power plants has become a key issue for nuclear industry in Europe. The phasing out of nuclear energy in Germany, Belgium and Sweden, as well as the early closure of nuclear units in applicant countries in the frame of EU enlargement, has largely contributed to consider decommissioning as the next challenge to face. The situation is slightly different in France: nuclear energy is still considered as a safe, cost-effective and environment friendly energy source and EDF is still working on the development of a new generation of reactor to replace the existing one. Nevertheless, to achieve this objective, it will be necessary to get the support of political decision-makers and the acceptance of public opinion. The increasing mobilisation of EDF for the decommissioning of its already shutdown NPPs shows its willingness to demonstrate its capacity to control the nuclear life cycle from end to end. The successful implementation of its decommissioning programme will not mean the end of nuclear energy as an efficient way to generate electricity but it will constitute a prerequisite for the erection of new nuclear power plants in France

  17. Nutrition of monogastrics: A summary of research conducted under the German Federal Programme for Organic Agriculture and other forms of Sustainable Agriculture

    OpenAIRE

    ANON, AN

    2012-01-01

    The thematic focus of monogastric nutrition runs very regularly through the entire federal programme. A strong focus was on the use of feed made from 100% organic origin (EC Eco-Regulation). In experiments in 2006 on the use of roughage in outdoor rearing pigs, for example, it was shown that Jerusalem artichoke can lead to significantly higher weight gains, compared to the control, while weight gain decreased significantly in some cases using other roughages. In another project in 2007, the v...

  18. Overview of programmes for the assessment of risks to the environment from ionising radiation and hazardous chemicals

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jones, C; Gilek, M

    2004-01-01

    Within the FASSET project, a review of existing programmes for the assessment of environmental risks from radioactive or hazardous substances was carried out in order to identify appropriate aspects that could be incorporated into the FASSET framework. The review revealed a number of different approaches, arising from the need to balance the information value of the assessment against the availability of data and the need to keep the assessment manageable. Most of the existing assessment programmes fit into a three-phase approach to environmental risk assessment: problem formulation, assessment and risk characterisation. However, the emphasis on particular assessment phases varies between programmes. The main differences between the different programmes are: the degree of specificity to a particular site, the level of detail of the assessment, the point at which a comparison is made between a criterion intended to represent 'what is acceptable' and a measured or predicted quantity, the choice of end-point for the assessment and the relationship between measurement end-points and assessment end-points. The existing assessment programmes are based on a similar general structure, which is suitable for use as a basis for the FASSET framework. However, certain aspects of the assessment of exposure and effects of ionising contaminants, e.g. dosimetry, require further development before incorporation into such a framework

  19. SURFACE WATER POLLUTION WITH HEAVY METALS IN THE LOWER CATCHMENT OF JIU RIVER BASIN, ACCORDING TO THE WATER FRAMEWORK DIRECTIVE (2000/60/EC

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    ADINA SANDA ŞERBAN

    2011-03-01

    Full Text Available Surface water pollution with heavy metals in the lower catchment of Jiu river basin, according to the Water Framework Directive (2000/60/EC. The Water Framework Directive establishes a single transparent, effective and coherent water policy by defining a strategy to combat pollution by requiring specific action programs.Chemical pollution of surface water presents a threat to the aquatic environment with acute and chronic toxicity to aquatic organisms, accumulation in the ecosystem and losses of habitats and biodiversity, as well as a threat to human health (art.1 from Directive 2008/105/EC regarding the environmental quality standards for water policy.The purpose of this study is to evaluate the chemical status for surface water bodies in the lower catchment of Jiu river basin. The assessment was made taking into account the water impact of four heavy metals: cadmium (Cd, nickel (Ni, mercury (Hg and lead (Pb.

  20. Development of EC technology in JAERI

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sakamoto, Keishi; Takahashi, Koji; Kasugai, Atsushi; Hayashi, Kenichi; Ikeda, Yoshitaka; Kajiwara, Ken; Fujii, Tsuneyuki; Imai, Tsuyoshi; Kariya, Tsuyoshi; Mitsunaka, Yoshika

    2003-01-01

    Recent progress of electron cyclotron (EC) heating and current drive technologies in JAERI is reported. In 170 GHz gyrotron development, 0.9 MW/9.2 sec (efficiency: 43%), 0.5 MW/30 sec (46%), etc, have been demonstrated. As for 110 GHz gyrotron, 1 MW/5 sec and 1.2 MW/4.1 sec were obtained. Using four 110 GHz gyrotrons, a 3 MW power injection into JT- 60U plasma was carried out. In parallel, a launcher design and its development that includes neutron irradiation of the launcher components and a remote steering launcher are underway for ITER application. (authors)

  1. Quality assurance for the measurements and monitoring of radioactivity in the environment

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Betti, Maria; Aldave de las Heras, Laura

    2004-01-01

    During the Fifth Framework Programme (FP5) of the European Commission--according to an institutional programme in support to the policy of the European Commission for the implementation of Art. 35 and 36 of the Euratom Treaty as well as in the framework of the OSPAR Convention for the protection of marine environment of the north-east Atlantic--at the Institute for Transuranium Elements (ITU-General Directorate Joint Research Centre-European Commission), a reference laboratory for the measurement of radioactivity in the environment (MaRE laboratory) has been set up. In this paper, the principles and philosophy in order to improve the quality and reliability of analytical data for the measurement and monitoring of radioactivity in the environment under a quality assurance (QA) programme are presented. Examples of how a QA programme at the MaRE laboratory is developed and applied are given. Internal and external quality control (QC) programmes are also discussed

  2. The Nirex safety assessment research programme for 1987/88

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cooper, M.J.; Tasker, P.W.

    1987-10-01

    This report outlines the work of the Nirex Safety Assessment Research Programme during the period 1st April 1987 to 31st March 1988. The research programme has the specific objective of providing the information requirements of the post-emplacement radiological safety case for the disposal of low-level and intermediate-level radioactive waste in underground repositories. For convenience the programme has been divided into seven areas: physical containment, near-field radionuclide chemistry, evolution of the near-field aqueous environment, mass transfer in the geosphere, the biosphere, gas evolution and migration, and integrated studies. The near-field includes the waste, its immobilising medium, its container, the engineered structure in which the container is emplaced and the immediately adjacent geological formation disturbed by the construction of the repository. (author)

  3. SerpinE2, a poor biomarker of endometrial cancer, promotes the proliferation and mobility of EC cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shen, Yuan; Wang, Xiaoyu; Xu, Jianping; Lu, Lin

    2017-07-04

    The SerpinE2 pathway is evolutionarily conserved and plays an important role in tumorigenesis. SerpinE2 (a small ubiquitin-related modifier), like ubiquitin, conjugates SerpinE2 proteins onto lysine residues of target proteins. SerpinE2 over-expression has been found in several tumors. Here, we detected the level of SerpinE2 in 72 samples of EC tissue using immunohistochemistry to assess the role of SerpinE2 in EC prognosis. Meanwhile, we knocked down SerpinE2 by siRNA in the HTB-111 and Ishikawa EC cell lines and analyzed the viability and mobility change using an MTT assay, an annexin V/PI apoptosis assay, a wound scratch test and a transwell assay. A Kaplan-Meier analysis indicated a negative correlation between the level of SerpinE2 and the EC prognosis. Silencing SerpinE2 induced cell apoptosis and reduced the migration ability. Our data suggest SerpinE2 works as an oncogene in EC.

  4. UK surplus source disposal programme - 16097

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    John, Gordon H.; Reeves, Nigel; Nisbet, Amy C.; Garnett, Andrew; Williams, Clive R.

    2009-01-01

    The UK Surplus Source Disposal Programme (SSDP), managed by the Environment Agency, was designed to remove redundant radioactive sources from the public domain. The UK Government Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) was concerned that disused sources were being retained by hospitals, universities and businesses, posing a risk to public health and the environment. AMEC provided a range of technical and administrative services to support the SSDP. A questionnaire was issued to registered source holders and the submitted returns compiled to assess the scale of the project. A member of AMEC staff was seconded to the Environment Agency to provide technical support and liaise directly with source holders during funding applications, which would cover disposal costs. Funding for disposal of different sources was partially based on a sliding scale of risk as determined by the IAEA hazard categorisation system. This funding was also sector dependent. The SSDP was subsequently expanded to include the disposal of luminised aircraft instruments from aviation museums across the UK. These museums often hold significant radiological inventories, with many items being unused and in a poor state of repair. These instruments were fully characterised on site by assessing surface dose rate, dimensions, source integrity and potential contamination issues. Calculations using the Microshield computer code allowed gamma radiation measurements to be converted into total activity estimates for each source. More than 11,000 sources were disposed of under the programme from across the medical, industrial, museum and academic sectors. The total activity disposed of was more than 8.5 E+14 Bq, and the project was delivered under budget. (authors)

  5. Employers’ Perception on Internship Programme

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mohaidin Nur Jannah

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Internship program is compulsory for Bachelor in Accounting (BIA students in University Kuala Lumpur (UniKL. We believed internship program is useful to facilitate students learning opportunities outside classroom. These experiences provide the opportunity to apply classroom theory into real working environment thus enhancing students’ academic and career goals. Constructive comments from supervisor will give us indicator that we must prepare the students with all aspects of accounting wide knowledge. Employer’s feedback is important in preparing the students for the industry by developing a better programme structure and subjects offered. It is indirectly improves the lecturers’ teaching methods and skills. Therefore, this paper explores the employers’ perception towards internship programme for accounting students in Universiti Kuala Lumpur. Data was collected from employer’s feedback form using five point-likert scales distributed to employers of the participating companies from Semester January 2013 to Semester January 2015. The evaluation form is used to evaluate the students’ performance throughout their 6 months internship period. The statistical results found that student’s score is positively associated with employer’s feedback. The results also indicate that the employers’ perception is important for the students in preparing themselves for the industry and for the university in developing proper programme structure.

  6. PRODUCTION OF BACTERIOCIN EC2 AND ITS INTERFERENCE IN THE GROWTH OF SALMONELLA TYPHI IN A MILK MATRIX

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yuri de Jesus Lopes de Abreu

    2013-08-01

    Full Text Available Bacterial interference can occur through various mechanisms, including the production of peroxides, acids, ammonia, bacteriolytic enzymes or bacteriocins. The strain Escherichia coli EC2 produces the antimicrobial substance (AMS EC2, able to inhibit different strains of Gram-negative bacteria isolated from food, as E. coli and Salmonella sp. The activity of AMS EC2 was lost after treatment with proteolytic enzymes, indicating the presence of an active proteinaceous compound, suggesting that it is a bacteriocin. The substance, renamed bacteriocin EC2, has its better production when the producer strain is grown on Casoy medium, at 37ºC and pH 6.0, without NaCl addition, but it is also able to be produced in milk. When co-cultivated in UHT milk with the producer strain E. coli EC2, the growth of the indicator strain Salmonella Typhi is totally inhibited within the first 4 hours of incubation, suggesting a potential application of bacteriocin EC2 in the control of Salmonella sp. e.g. in foods.

  7. USE Efficiency: an innovative educational programme for energy efficiency in buildings

    Science.gov (United States)

    Papadopoulos, Theofilos A.; Christoforidis, Georgios C.; Papagiannis, Grigoris K.

    2017-10-01

    Power engineers are expected to play a pivotal role in transforming buildings into smart and energy-efficient structures, which is necessary since buildings are responsible for a considerable amount of the total energy consumption. To fulfil this role, a holistic approach in education is required, tackling subjects traditionally related to other engineering disciplines. In this context, USE Efficiency is an inter-institutional and interdisciplinary educational programme implemented in nine European Universities targeting energy efficiency in buildings. The educational programme effectively links professors, students, engineers and industry experts, creating a unique learning environment. The scope of the paper is to present the methodology and the general framework followed in the USE Efficiency programme. The proposed methodology can be adopted for the design and implementation of educational programmes on energy efficiency and sustainable development in higher education. End-of-course survey results showed positive feedback from the participating students, indicating the success of the programme.

  8. Focus Cities : Improving the Living Environment in Underserved ...

    International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

    Papers. Urban Poverty and Environment Programme : Colombo; monitoring and evaluation component; monitoring findings as of December 2008 - April 2009; outcome mapping no. 2. 129292.pdf. Papers. Statistical handbook on baseline survey : part 1; data tables; (Focus City Programme : Community based Assessment ...

  9. Clinical comparison of technetium-99m-EC, technetium-99-m-MAG3 and Iodine-131-OIH in renal disorders

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kabasakal, L.; Turoglu, T.; Oensel, C.

    1995-01-01

    Technetium-99m-ethylenedicysteine has recently been developed for renal function studies. The pharmacokinetics of 99m Tc-EC were studied by constant infusion technique and compared with 99m Tc-MAG3 and 131 I-OIH in 11 patients with various renal disorders. After giving a 7.4 MBq 131 I-OIH and 90-110 MBq 99m Tc-EC or 99m Tc-MAG3 bolus, a constant infusion (MBq/ml) 99m Tc--agent and 0.07 MBq/m 131 I-OIH was started. Sixteen blood and five urine samples were obtained over three hr. The renal clearance of 99m Tc-EC was higher than than of 99m Tc-MAG3. The 99m Tc-EC/OIH and 99m Tc-MAG3/OIH ratios were 0.75 ± 0.05 and 0.55 ± 0.10 (p=0.00087), respectively. The distribution volume of 99m Tc-EC was also higher than that of 99m Tc-MAG3 (15722 ± 4644 and 9509 ± 2788 ml/1.73m 2 , respectively; p=0.072). The 99m Tc-EC/OIH and 99m Tc-MAG/OIH distribution volume ratios were 1.03 ± 0.14 and 0.55 ± 0.10, respectively (p = 0.0003). The 60-min excretion values of 99m Tc-EC and 99m Tc-MAG3 were compared to that of OIH. The 99m Tc-EC/OIH and 99m Tc-MAG3/OIH excretion ratios were 0.96 ± 0.06 and 1.07 ± 0.10, respectively (p=0.162). The protein binding of 99m -EC and OIH were found to be 34% ±4 and 66% ±5, respectively (p 99m Tc-EC was negligible (3% ±1.2) in comparison to OIH (27% ±3; p 99m Tc-EC. This agent has good potential for renal function evaluation. 32 refs., 5 tabs

  10. Achievements and bottlenecks in humanitarian demining EU-funded research: final results from the EC DELVE project

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sahli, Hichem; Bruschini, Claudio; Van Kempen, Luc; Schleijpen, Ric; den Breejen, Eric

    2008-04-01

    The EC DELVE Support Action project has analyzed the bottlenecks in the transfer of Humanitarian Demining (HD) technology from technology development to the use in the field, and drawn some lessons learned, basing itself on the assessment of the European Humanitarian Demining Research and Technology Development (RTD) situation from early 1990 until 2006. The situation at the European level was analyzed with emphasis on activities sponsored by the European Commission (EC). This was also done for four European countries and Japan, with emphasis on national activities. The developments in HD during the last 10 years underline the fact that in a number of cases demining related developments have been terminated or at least put on hold. The study also showed that the funding provided by the EC under the Framework Program for RTD has led directly to the creation of an extensive portfolio of Humanitarian Demining technology development projects. The latter provided a range of research and supporting measures addressing the critical issues identified as a result of the regulatory policies developed in the field of Humanitarian Demining over the last ten years. However, the range of instruments available to the EC to finance the necessary research and development were limited, to pre-competitive research. The EC had no tools or programs to directly fund actual product development. As a first consequence, the EC funding program for development of technology for Humanitarian Demining unfortunately proved to be largely unsuitable for the small-scale development needed in a field where there is only a very limited market. As a second consequence, most of the research has been demonstrator-oriented. Moreover, the timeframe for RTD in Humanitarian Demining has not been sufficiently synchronized with the timeframe of the EC policies and regulations. The separation of the Mine Action and RTD funding streams in the EC did also negatively affect the take-up of new technologies. As a

  11. The biodistribution and radiation dosimetry of 99Tcmm-EC-DG in normal volunteers

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tang Jun; Yang Yi; Liu Zengli; Shi Yizhen

    2010-01-01

    The objective of this study is to evaluate the biodistribution of technetium-99m labeled ethylenedicysteine-deoxyglucose ( 99 Tc m -EC-DG) and to calculate its internal radiation absorbed dose in normal volunteers. 740 MBq 99 Tc m -EC-DG was injected into the antecubital vein. 2 ml blood were sampled from the contralateral antecubital vein at different time after the injection, and its radioactivity was measured. The bi-exponential curve of time-radioactivity of blood and the dynamic parameters were obtained by using ORIGIN 5.0. Urine was collected in 24 hours after the injection and the percentage of Radioactivity excreted by urine to the total injected radioactivity was calculated. The anterior and posterior whole body imaging were acquired at different time after the injection of 740 MBq 99 Tc m -EC-DG. The region of interest of these referring organs and tissues was drawn, their radioactivity at different time was calculated. The bi-exponential curve of time-radioactivity of every organ was obtained by using ORIGIN 5.0, and then cumulated radioactivity and retaining time of 99 Tcm-EC-DG were calculated and input into the software MIRDOSE 3.0 to obtain the radiation absorbed dose of every organ and tissue. The heart rate, blood pressure and breathing frequency is normal after the injection. The male volunteer's T1/2α is 39 seconds, T1/2β is 59 minutes and that of female volunteer is 21 seconds and 61 minutes. 99 Tc m -EC-DG imaging is safe, and its characteristic of biodistribution in normal volunteer makes it easy to accumulate in tumor. Brain is not imaged, the uptake of muscle is low. The absorbed dose of every organ is far lower than that of the public annual average limitation. (authors)

  12. The Italian hydrogen programme

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Raffaele Vellone

    2001-01-01

    Hydrogen could become an important option in the new millennium. It provides the potential for a sustainable energy system as it can be used to meet most energy needs without harming the environment. In fact, hydrogen has the potential for contributing to the reduction of climate-changing emissions and other air pollutants as it exhibits clean combustion with no carbon or sulphur oxide emissions and very low nitrogen oxide emissions. Furthermore, it is capable of direct conversion to electricity in systems such as fuel cells without generating pollution. However, widespread use of hydrogen is not feasible today because of economic and technological barriers. In Italy, there is an ongoing national programme to facilitate the introduction of hydrogen as an energy carrier. This programme aims to promote, in an organic frame, a series of actions regarding the whole hydrogen cycle. It foresees the development of technologies in the areas of production, storage, transport and utilisation. Research addresses the development of technologies for separation and sequestration of CO 2 , The programme is shared by public organisations (research institutions and universities) and national industry (oil companies, electric and gas utilities and research institutions). Hydrogen can be used as a fuel, with significant advantages, both for electric energy generation/ co-generation (thermo-dynamic cycles and fuel cells) and transportation (internal combustion engine and fuel cells). One focus of research will be the development of fuel cell technologies. Fuel cells possess all necessary characteristics to be a key technology in a future economy based on hydrogen. During the initial phase of the project, hydrogen will be derived from fossil sources (natural gas), and in the second phase it will be generated from renewable electricity or nuclear energy. The presentation will provide a review of the hydrogen programme and highlight future goals. (author)

  13. Expression of a finger millet transcription factor, EcNAC1, in tobacco confers abiotic stress-tolerance.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Venkategowda Ramegowda

    Full Text Available NAC (NAM, ATAF1-2, and CUC2 proteins constitute one of the largest families of plant-specific transcription factors and have been shown to be involved in diverse plant processes including plant growth, development, and stress-tolerance. In this study, a stress-responsive NAC gene, EcNAC1, was isolated from the subtracted stress cDNA library generated from a drought adapted crop, finger millet, and characterized for its role in stress-tolerance. The expression analysis showed that EcNAC1 was highly induced during water-deficit and salt stress. EcNAC1 shares high amino acid similarity with rice genes that have been phylogenetically classified into stress-related NAC genes. Our results demonstrated that tobacco transgenic plants expressing EcNAC1 exhibit tolerance to various abiotic stresses like simulated osmotic stress, by polyethylene glycol (PEG and mannitol, and salinity stress. The transgenic plants also showed enhanced tolerance to methyl-viologen (MV induced oxidative stress. Reduced levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS and ROS-induced damage were noticed in pot grown transgenic lines under water-deficit and natural high light conditions. Root growth under stress and recovery growth after stress alleviation was more in transgenic plants. Many stress-responsive genes were found to be up-regulated in transgenic lines expressing EcNAC1. Our results suggest that EcNAC1 overexpression confers tolerance against abiotic stress in susceptible species, tobacco.

  14. US DoE clean-up programme: an update

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Whitfield, R.P.

    1993-01-01

    The Office of Environmental Restoration and Waste Management (EM) was established in 1989, when the US DoE's priority changed from nuclear weapons production to environmental clean-up. Both the decreased need for nuclear weapons due to global changes and decreasing threats from the Cold War, and the increased emphasis on environmental stewardship contributed to this change. The Environmental Restoration (ER) programme within EM was tasked to ensure that risks to human health and the environment posed by the DoE's past operations at its nuclear facilities and sites are eliminated or reduced to prescribed, safe levels. This article is a progress report on the programme. (author)

  15. Final report. The Watercourse Management Programme; Sluttrapport. Vassdragsdriftprogrammet

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Skarboevik, Eva; Berg, Gry; Faugli, Per Einar

    1997-10-01

    In Norway, there was a need to provide quick answers to questions related to the management and use of river systems. To this end, the Norwegian Water Resources and Energy Administration (NVE) in 1988-1994 conducted the research and development programme described in this report. In the mid-eighties, river management came into focus. The importance of coordination, multi-use planning and multi-use assessments was constantly being stressed and the natural environment, recreation and health were incorporated into the decision-making processes. The programme has contributed to the Norwegian section of the UNESCO project Flow Regimes from International Experimental and Network Data (FRIEND). 4 figs., 1 tab.

  16. Phebus FP. An international severe accident research programme

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hardt, P.; Tattegrain, A.

    1995-01-01

    The main hazard during a hypothetical severe nuclear reactor accident resides in its fission product (FP) inventory. For this reason, the behaviour of FPs has been extensively studied, with the aim of determining the potential source to the environment. The Phebus FP programme proposes a novel, integral approach to this research. After 5 years of construction and of analytical preparation the Phebus FP programme has been supplying a large volume of new experimental data. Their processing by code calculations is presently a major challenge to all partners. The intense collaboration of 25 organizations from 15 countries has proven to be a major asset of Phebus FP. (author). 6 refs., 2 figs

  17. Energy and environment at a crossroads - perspectives from the social studies of the SAMRAM research programme

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Roevik, Arne Oe.

    2001-01-01

    Leading abstract. The research programme SAMRAM was carried out by the Research Council of Norway in 1996-2000. The present book contains twelve articles based on the results of the programme. The articles are grouped in three main sections: (1) The energy markets - environmental effects, innovation and consumption, (2) Energy and environmental policy - international relations and national instruments, (3) Instruments of the energy- and environmental policy - motivation and behaviour

  18. Modulation of biosynthesis and regulatory action of 24(S),25-epoxycholesterol (S-EC) in cultured cells by progesterone (PG)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Panini, S.R.; Gupta, A.K.; Sexton, R.C.; Parish, E.J.; Rudney, H.

    1987-01-01

    Treatment of IEC-6 cells with PG caused a strong inhibition of cholesterol biosynthesis at the level of desmosterol reductase. In addition, two new products were observed in PG-treated cells. The first compound was designated as cholesta-5,7,24-trien-3β-ol based on its HPLC chromatographic properties. The second compound was identified as S-EC based on (1) a comparison of its chromatographic properties with those of authentic EC and (2) by its conversion to 25-hydroxycholesterol (HC) upon reduction with LiAlH 4 . In spite of cellular accumulation of S-EC in the presence of PG, the activity of HMG-CoA reductase (HMGR) which is known to be sensitive to oxysterols, was elevated rather than suppressed. On the other hand, when PG-treated cells were refed fresh medium without PG, HMGR activity was suppressed. Exogenous S-EC was a potent suppressor of HMGR in untreated IEC-6 cells. Suppression of HMGR by S-EC but not by HC could be prevented by progesterone. Exogenous [ 3 H]S-EC was not metabolized by IEC-6 cells. These results support the hypothesis that S-EC plays a normal regulatory role in sterol biosynthesis and indicate that enhanced S-EC synthesis observed in the presence of PG may be due to interference with this regulatory action

  19. Directions of U.S. Farm Programmes under a Freer Trade Environment

    OpenAIRE

    Luther G. Tweeten

    2001-01-01

    For the new round of WTO multilateral trade liberalisation negotiations to be successful, the world will need to be more enthusiastic and flexible about opening markets. Partisans will need to submerge their self-interests, and the U.S. will need to take the initiative for more open markets. This paper makes the case that only modest changes in the U.S. domestic grain, oilseed, and cotton programmes are needed for compatibility with global free trade. The Federal Agricultural Improvement and ...

  20. EC tells Bonn let in UK coal

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    1992-06-23

    The European Commission has told the German federal government to open the door for coal imports from other EC member countries. As an initial step, the Commission is suggesting that some of the power station coal which was to be sourced from German stockpiles under the November 1991 agreement between Rurhkohle AG, the state mining company and the generators, be supplied by other member states such as the UK. The implications of this move for the German coal industry are discussed. 2 tabs.

  1. Programme

    OpenAIRE

    Hobday, E, fl. 1905, artist

    2003-01-01

    A photograph of an illustrated programme listing dances. The illustration shows a snake charmer playing to a snake while another man watches. Buildings and trees can be seen behind a wall in the distance. In the lower right-hand corner of the programme is the signature 'E. Hobday'. The programme is almost certainly related to the Punjab Ball, Lahore. It is placed next to the Punjab Ball Menu in the album and the Menu is also illustrated by 'E. Hobday'.

  2. MAFF monitoring of the terrestrial environment

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sherlock, J.C.

    1991-01-01

    This paper addresses the MAFF food surveillance programme, in particular our Terrestrial Radioactivity Monitoring Programme (TRAMP), and the estimation of dietary intake of radionuclides. The MAFF programme exists primarily to demonstrate that authorized discharges of radioactivity to the environment do not result in individuals receiving doses of radiation in excess of accepted limits. The estimation radionuclide intake ensures over estimation rather than underestimation of dose. Improvements in detection limits and absorption level research could lower the calculated dose to man from radionuclides in food without losing their validity. (author)

  3. Technique charts for EC film: direct optical measurements to account for the effects of X-ray scatter

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Munro, Peter; Jordan, Kevin; Lewis, Craig; Heerema, Tim

    2001-01-01

    Purpose: To develop a method of measuring technique charts for enhanced contrast (EC) film, to demonstrate how X-ray scatter changes the response of EC film, and to generate technique charts for general use. Methods and Materials: We have developed a 'digital cassette' - consisting of a metal plate/phosphor screen, a light guide, a photodiode sensor, and an electrometer - that can be used to measure the light generated in the phosphor screen of the film cassette. In turn, these measurements can be used to generate technique charts for EC film. The digital cassette has been used to measure technique charts for 4-MV and 6-MV X-ray beams for a variety of different phantom thicknesses, field sizes, and phantom-to-cassette air gaps. Results and Discussion: We have observed that the signals generated in an ionization chamber located 9.4 cm behind a 30-cm-thick water-equivalent phantom increase by a factor of 1.9 when the field size is increased from 4x4 cm 2 to 40x40 cm 2 when irradiated by a 6-MV X-ray beam. However, the change in EC film response is a factor of 3.5 under the same conditions. Irradiations to optimally expose the EC film predicted by the digital cassette differ by up to 82% compared to those predicted by ion chamber measurements. Nevertheless, the technique charts measured using the digital cassette predict the response of the EC film to ±0.2 optical density. The overresponse of the EC film is most likely due to low-energy scattered photons, which interact with the high atomic number (Z=64) phosphor screen of the enhanced contrast localization cassette. Therefore, simple solutions, such as placing a high atomic number material above the enhanced contrast localization cassette, can reduce this contribution by scattered photons to the signal generated in the cassettes. Conclusions: We have developed a digital cassette that can make more accurate measurements of the technique charts for EC films. Our measurements show that under some conditions, X

  4. Crispv programme

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Marinkovicj, N.

    CRISPV (Criticality and Spectrum code) is a multigroup neutron spectrum code for homogeneous reactor cores and is actually a somewhat modified version of the original CRISP programme. It is a combination of DATAPREP-II and BIGG-II programmes. It is assumed that the reactor cell is a cylindrical fuel rod in the light or heavy water moderator. DATEPREP-II CODE forms the multigroup data for homogeneous reactor and prepares the input parameters for the BIGG-II code. It has its own nuclear data library on a separate tape in binary mode. BIGG-II code is a multigroup neutron spectrum and criticality code for a homogenized medium. It has as well its own separate data library. In the CRISPV programme the overlay structure enables automatic handling of data calculated in the DATAPREP-II programme and needed in the BIGG-II core. Both programmes are written in FORTRAN for CDC 3600. Using the programme is very efficient and simple

  5. Uncertainty in CH4 and N2O emission estimates from a managed fen meadow using EC measurements

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kroon, P.S.; Hensen, A.; Van 't Veen, W.H.; Vermeulen, A.T.; Jonker, H.

    2009-02-01

    The overall uncertainty in annual flux estimates derived from chamber measurements may be as high as 50% due to the temporal and spatial variability in the fluxes. As even a large number of chamber plots still cover typically less than 1% of the total field area, the field-scale integrated emission necessarily remains a matter of speculation. High frequency micrometeorological methods are a good option for obtaining integrated estimates on a hectare scale with a continuous coverage in time. Instrumentation is now becoming available that meets the requirements for CH4 and N2O eddy covariance (EC) measurements. A system consisting of a quantum cascade laser (QCL) spectrometer and a sonic anemometer has recently been proven to be suitable for performing EC measurements. This study analyses the EC flux measurements of CH4 and N2O and its corrections, like calibration, Webb-correction, and corrections for high and low frequency losses, and assesses the magnitude of the uncertainties associated with the precision of the measurement instruments, measurement set-up and the methodology. The uncertainty of one single EC flux measurement, a daily, monthly and 3-monthly average EC flux is estimated. In addition, the cumulative emission of C-CH4 and N-N2O and their uncertainties are determined over several fertilizing events at a dairy farm site in the Netherlands. These fertilizing events are selected from the continuously EC flux measurements from August 2006 to September 2008. The EC flux uncertainties are compared by the overall uncertainty in annual flux estimates derived from chamber measurements. It will be shown that EC flux measurements can decrease the overall uncertainty in annual flux estimates

  6. Uncertainty in CH4 and N2O emission estimates from a managed fen meadow using EC measurements

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kroon, P.S.; Hensen, A.; Van ' t Veen, W.H.; Vermeulen, A.T. [ECN Biomass, Coal and Environment, Petten (Netherlands); Jonker, H. [Delft University of Technology, Delft (Netherlands)

    2009-02-15

    The overall uncertainty in annual flux estimates derived from chamber measurements may be as high as 50% due to the temporal and spatial variability in the fluxes. As even a large number of chamber plots still cover typically less than 1% of the total field area, the field-scale integrated emission necessarily remains a matter of speculation. High frequency micrometeorological methods are a good option for obtaining integrated estimates on a hectare scale with a continuous coverage in time. Instrumentation is now becoming available that meets the requirements for CH4 and N2O eddy covariance (EC) measurements. A system consisting of a quantum cascade laser (QCL) spectrometer and a sonic anemometer has recently been proven to be suitable for performing EC measurements. This study analyses the EC flux measurements of CH4 and N2O and its corrections, like calibration, Webb-correction, and corrections for high and low frequency losses, and assesses the magnitude of the uncertainties associated with the precision of the measurement instruments, measurement set-up and the methodology. The uncertainty of one single EC flux measurement, a daily, monthly and 3-monthly average EC flux is estimated. In addition, the cumulative emission of C-CH4 and N-N2O and their uncertainties are determined over several fertilizing events at a dairy farm site in the Netherlands. These fertilizing events are selected from the continuously EC flux measurements from August 2006 to September 2008. The EC flux uncertainties are compared by the overall uncertainty in annual flux estimates derived from chamber measurements. It will be shown that EC flux measurements can decrease the overall uncertainty in annual flux estimates.

  7. Mussels as bioindicators of diclofenac contamination in coastal environments.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cunha, S C; Pena, A; Fernandes, J O

    2017-06-01

    Diclofenac a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) has been confirmed as an emerging contaminant in the aquatic environment. Toxicology studies have revealed that harmful effects may emerge from diclofenac presence not only for human health, but also for marine organisms, which implies its monitoring. To overcome the demanding challenges of diclofenac quantification in biotic aquatic species, a novel method for the determination of diclofenac in mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis and Mytilus edulis) and macroalgae (Laminaria digitata) using high performance liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry was developed and validated according to the EC Decision 2002/657/EC. Additionally, a study was done about diclofenac contamination in mussels collected from 8 sites along the 1115 miles of coastline in Portugal in 2015. The results suggested that levels in mussels are closely related to the environmental contamination. Therefore, mussels can be a potential bioindicator of diclofenac contamination in the coastal environment. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. National programme: Finland

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Forsten, J.

    1986-01-01

    Finland's programmes in the field of reactor pressure components are presented in this paper. The following information on each of these programmes is given: the brief description of the programme; the programme's schedule and duration; the name of the project manager

  9. A review of programmable systems associated with Fermilab experiments

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nash, T.

    1981-01-01

    In this paper we review the design and application of programmable systems for Fermilab experiments. The high luminosity fixed target environment at Fermilab has been a very fertile ground for the development of sophisticated, powerful triggering systems. A few of these are integrated systems designed to be flexible and to have broad application. Many are dedicated triggers taking advantage of large scale integrated circuits to focus on the specific needs of one experiment. In addition, the data acquisition requirements of large detectors, existing and planned, are being met with programmable systems to process the data. Offline reconstruction of data places a very heavy load on large general purpose computers. This offers a potentially very fruitful area for new developments involving programmable dedicated systems. Some of the present thinking at Fermilab regarding offline reconstruction processors will be described. (orig.)

  10. The European Community ITER Home Team Organization: January 1993

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Spears, W.R.

    1994-01-01

    The European Community (EC) Fusion Programme embraces all work carried out in the field of thermonuclear fusion by magnetic confinement in the 12 Member States and in two extra-Community countries, Sweden and Switzerland (which are fully associated with this Programme). The long-term objective of the EC Fusion Programme is the joint creation of safe, environmentally sound prototype reactors. This Programme presents itself as a single body in its relation with other Fusion Programmes in the world

  11. Nuclear power and the environment

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Matthews, R.R.

    1976-01-01

    A brief statement is presented of the nuclear power reactor programme in the United Kingdom and of the statutory and other organisations for ensuring reactor safety. The possible effects of the programme on the environment are dealt with under three heads: (1) discharge of radioactive effluents during normal operation of the power plants; (2) storage and disposal of radioactive waste; (3) reactor safety. Radiological protection of operating staff is also described briefly. (U.K.)

  12. Research on nuclear energy within the European Commission Research Framework Programme

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Forsstroem, H.

    2000-01-01

    The strategic goal of the 5 th EURATOM RTD Framework Programme (FP5) is to help exploit the full potential of nuclear energy in a sustainable manner, by making current technologies even safer and more economical and by exploring promising new concepts. The programme covers nuclear fusion, nuclear fission and radiation protection. Part of the programme on nuclear fission and radiation protection is being implemented through ''indirect actions'', i.e. research co-sponsored (up to 50% of total costs) and co-ordinated by DG RESEARCH of the European Commission (EC) but carried out by external public and private organisations as multi-partner projects. The budget available for these indirect actions during FP5 (1998-2002) is 191 MEuro. The programme covers four different areas: safety of existing reactors, including plant life management, severe accident management and development of evolutionary systems; safety of the fuel cycle, including radioactive waste management and disposal, partitioning and transmutation and decommissioning of nuclear installation; safety of future systems, including new or revisited reactor or fuel cycle concepts; radiation protection and radiological sciences, including both basic radiobiology and radiophysics and issues connected to the application of radiation protection. After the first calls for proposals of FP5, which were evaluated in 1999 about 140 research projects have been selected for funding and is now in the process of starting. In parallel the research projects that were supported in the 4th Framework Programme (1994 - 1998) are coming to an end, and being reported, at the same time as the first thoughts on the 6 t h FP are discussed.An important new component for the future research in Europe is the concept of a European Research Area (ERA). The purpose of ERA is to create better overall framework conditions for research in Europe. Some of the concepts being discussed in this context are networking of centres of excellence, a

  13. The role of the IGF-1 Ec in myoskeletal system and osteosarcoma pathophysiology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Armakolas, Nikolaos; Armakolas, Athanasios; Antonopoulos, Athanasios; Dimakakos, Andreas; Stathaki, Martha; Koutsilieris, Michael

    2016-12-01

    Growth hormone (GH) regulated mainly liver-produced insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) is a key molecule in embryonic & post embryonic development that is also involved in cancer biology. Herein we review new insights of the role of igf-1 gene products and of the IGF-1Ec isoform in muscle and bone development/repair and its role in osteosarcoma pathophysiology, underlying the possible role of the Ec peptide as a future therapeutic target. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. Radiation protection research and training programme, radiation protection programme revision 1988-89, post-Chernobyl actions executive summaries

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1990-01-01

    The CEC radiation protection research programme has taken several important initiatives to address the scientific problems created by the Chernobyl accident. It has defined additional research requirements, reoriented some existing research contracts and strategically placed some new contracts. It also asked for a revision of the current 1985-89 programme to deal with some particularly urgent issues: evaluation of data on the transfer of radionuclides in the food chain; improvement of reliable long-distance atmospheric transport models; radiological aspects of nuclear accident scenarios: (a) real-time emergency response systems, (b) the RADE-AID system; monitoring and surveillance in accident situations; underlying data for derived emergency reference levels; improvement of practical countermeasures against nuclear contamination in the agricultural environment; improvement of practical countermeasures against nuclear contamination in the urban environment; improvement of practical countermeasures: preventive medication; treatment and biological dosimetry of exposed persons; feasibility of studies on health effects due to the reactor accident at Chernobyl. This synopsis aims to present, in an easily understandable way, the rationale for and the principal results of the research undertaken in this area. As a whole, this research has considerably improved Community ability to handle such emergency situations and has developed the cohesion of Community science

  15. [Characteristics and sources apportionment of OC and EC in PM1.1 from Nanjing].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jiang, Wen-juan; Guo, Zhao-bing; Liu, Feng-ling; Rui, Mao-ling; Shi, Lei; Zeng, Gang; Guo, Zi-yan

    2015-03-01

    The concentrations of OC and EC in PM1.1 collected from Nanshi (NS) and Nanhua (NH) in 2011 were analyzed using DRI Model 2001A Thermal Optical Carbon Analyzer. In addition, source apportionment was simultaneously evaluated. The results showed that the annual average concentrations of OC and EC in PM1.1 were 10. 10 μg x m(-3) and 2.52 μg x m(-3) in NS area, and 11.22 μg x m(-3) and 3.12 μg x m(-3) in NH area, respectively. This result indicated that OC and EC pollution in NH was more serious than that in NS area. Meanwhile, the concentrations of OC and EC in winter and spring were obviously higher compared to those in summer in these two sampling sites, which was mainly ascribed to the increased coal combustion and the unfavorable emission condition of air pollutants in summer and spring. We noted that the SOC/TOC value was the highest in summer and the lowest in winter. In addition, the SOC concentration was observed to show a positive correlation with ozone concentrations, which indicated that the photochemical reaction was a main way of SOC formation in autumn.

  16. NASCAP programmer's reference manual

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mandell, M. J.; Stannard, P. R.; Katz, I.

    1993-05-01

    The NASA Charging Analyzer Program (NASCAP) is a computer program designed to model the electrostatic charging of complicated three-dimensional objects, both in a test tank and at geosynchronous altitudes. This document is a programmer's reference manual and user's guide. It is designed as a reference to experienced users of the code, as well as an introduction to its use for beginners. All of the many capabilities of NASCAP are covered in detail, together with examples of their use. These include the definition of objects, plasma environments, potential calculations, particle emission and detection simulations, and charging analysis.

  17. A Network Model to Explore the Effect of the Micro-environment on Endothelial Cell Behavior during Angiogenesis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nathan Weinstein

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available Angiogenesis is an important adaptation mechanism of the blood vessels to the changing requirements of the body during development, aging, and wound healing. Angiogenesis allows existing blood vessels to form new connections or to reabsorb existing ones. Blood vessels are composed of a layer of endothelial cells (ECs covered by one or more layers of mural cells (smooth muscle cells or pericytes. We constructed a computational Boolean model of the molecular regulatory network involved in the control of angiogenesis. Our model includes the ANG/TIE, HIF, AMPK/mTOR, VEGF, IGF, FGF, PLCγ/Calcium, PI3K/AKT, NO, NOTCH, and WNT signaling pathways, as well as the mechanosensory components of the cytoskeleton. The dynamical behavior of our model recovers the patterns of molecular activation observed in Phalanx, Tip, and Stalk ECs. Furthermore, our model is able to describe the modulation of EC behavior due to extracellular micro-environments, as well as the effect due to loss- and gain-of-function mutations. These properties make our model a suitable platform for the understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying some pathologies. For example, it is possible to follow the changes in the activation patterns caused by mutations that promote Tip EC behavior and inhibit Phalanx EC behavior, that lead to the conditions associated with retinal vascular disorders and tumor vascularization. Moreover, the model describes how mutations that promote Phalanx EC behavior are associated with the development of arteriovenous and venous malformations. These results suggest that the network model that we propose has the potential to be used in the study of how the modulation of the EC extracellular micro-environment may improve the outcome of vascular disease treatments.

  18. Acute and repeated ECS treatment increases CRF, POMC and PENK gene expression in selected regions of the rat hypothalamus.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Garcia-Garcia, L; Llewellyn-Jones, V; Fernandez Fernandez, I; Fuentes, J A; Manzanares, J

    1998-01-05

    The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of acute and repeated electroconvulsive shock (ECS) on corticotropin releasing factor (CRF), proopiomelanocortin (POMC) and proenkephalin (PENK) gene expression in selected regions of the brain and pituitary of the rat. Acute ECS increased CRF gene expression in the paraventricular nucleus (PVN) by 20%, an effect that was further enhanced to 38% when rats received repeated ECS treatment. Acute and repeated ECS increased POMC gene expression in the arcuate nucleus (ARC) by 49-59% but failed to alter these mRNA levels in the anterior lobe (AL) of the pituitary gland. PENK gene expression was increased by 35% in the nucleus accumbens (NA) and by 180% the ventromedial nucleus (VMN) after acute or repeated ECS treatment but no significant changes were found in the PVN or striatum (ST). Taken together, these results indicate a differential CRF and opioid gene expression regulation after acute or repeated ECS treatment that may be relevant to their therapeutic or side effects in depression.

  19. Radiation protection programme for planned medical exposure situation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hanciles, Milford

    2016-04-01

    Radiation protection programme for planned medical exposure situation which involved diagnostic and interventional radiology was discussed. The radiation protection programme (RPP) should reflect the management’s commitment to radiation protection and safety through the management structure, policies, procedures and organizational arrangement commensurate with the nature and extent of the risk. Registrants and licensees should use the RPP as a tool for the development of a safety culture in diagnostic and interventional radiology departments .Recommendations are provided which when implemented in the education and training of radiographers, referral physician and all those involved in the use of ionizing radiation for diagnosis purposes will improve protection and safety of the occupationally exposed worker, the patient, the public and the environment. (au)

  20. Britain's Nuclear Electric pursues a major programme to enhance safety

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Anon.

    1991-01-01

    The UK state-owned nuclear utility, Nuclear Electric, is actively pursuing a major initiative inherited from its predecessor the Central Electricity Generating Board, known as the Station Enhancement Programme. The Enhancement Programme is a multi-million pound project and covers all Nuclear Electric's stations (including relevant aspects of the de-commissioning site at Berkeley). Its fundamental objective is to enhance the arrangements, practices and attitudes on the power stations to create an overall environment likely to promote ever safer and more reliable operation, and to take full account of the best international practices. The four year programme started in the spring of 1989, and is expected to be completed in 1993. Key elements of the programme include quality assurance based management systems; improvements to site and plant material conditions; a more formal approach to training; additional resources and controls to aid the management of maintenance defects; higher profile for the feedback of operational experience; management targets; a station evaluation programme; and formal feedback of lessons learned from the IAEA operational and safety review team visit to the Oldbury-on-Severn station in 1989. (author)

  1. Long-term observation of the geological environment: needs and techniques

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1993-01-01

    For site characterization programmes aimed at determining the suitability of sites for the disposal of radioactive waste, attention must be given to collecting data over long periods of time for adequate understanding of certain processes in the geological environment (hydrologic conditions, seismicity etc.). It is important for all national projects to carefully plan and implement programmes to observe the long-term behaviour of the geological environment in order to secure high-quality, reliable data for use in safety assessments. These proceedings present the results of a workshop organized to discuss the needs and techniques related to the planning and implementation of such programmes. 13 papers have been presented

  2. Screening of newborns for congenital hypothyroidism. Guidance for developing programmes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2005-12-01

    Congenital hypothyroidism is a condition that, if left untreated, can cause lifelong human suffering as a result of severe mental retardation and deficiency of growth. With the involvement of the IAEA, screening programmes to detect congenital hypothyroidism in newborn infants have been introduced successfully in a large number of countries. The cornerstone of these programmes is accurate and reliable screening methods involving isotope techniques and simple medical treatment. The suffering - and heavy social and economic burden - caused by congenital hypothyroidism prompted many countries to institute a formalized screening programme directed at newborns, just as a vaccination programme has become an integral part of child health care. In many other countries however, this type of formalized service has not yet been established. For these countries, the implementation of a neonatal screening programme will bring about a considerable improvement in child health care. It is hoped that the guidance in this publication will be especially useful to the signatories of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. Several factors that prevail in a country - the climate, political environment, economic development, level of health care and the transportation system - have an influence on the overall operational systems, design and implementation of a screening programme. As such, the design of such a programme will differ greatly from country to country. Nevertheless, neonatal screening programmes have many elements in common. This book draws on the IAEA's experience in this area over more than a decade, and on the results of a regional technical cooperation programme on neonatal screening for congenital hypothyroidism in East Asia (IAEA Project RAS6032). This publication provides guidance aimed specifically at implementing and sustaining programmes for the screening of newborn infants

  3. Cancer cells cause vascular endothelial cell (vEC) retraction via 12(S)HETE secretion; the possible role of cancer cell derived microparticle.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Uchide, Keiji; Sakon, Masato; Ariyoshi, Hideo; Nakamori, Syouji; Tokunaga, Masaru; Monden, Morito

    2007-02-01

    Cancer cell mediated vascular endothelial cell (vEC) retraction plays a pivotal role in cancer metastasis. The aim of this study is to clarify the biochemical character of vEC retraction factor derived from human breast cancer cell line, MCF-7. In order to estimate vEC retracting activity, transwell chamber assay system was employed. We first tested the effects of trypsin digestion as well as lipid extraction of culture medium (CM). Trypsin digestion of CM resulted in approximately 40% loss of vEC retracting activity and lipid extraction of CM by Brigh and Dyer methods recovered approximately 60% of vEC retracting activity, suggesting that approximately 60% of vEC retracting activity in MCF-7 derived CM is due to lipid. Although Nordihydroguaiaretic acid (NDGA), the specific lipoxygenase inhibitor, suppressed vEC retracting activity in CM, Acetyl salicylic acid (ASA), a specific cyclooxygenase inhibitor, did not affect the activity, suggesting that lipid exerting vEC retracting activity in CM belongs to lipoxygenase mediated arachidonate metabolites. Thin layer chromatography clearly demonstrated that Rf value of lipid vEC retracting factor in CM is identical to 12HETE. Authentic 12(S)HETE, but not 12(R)HETE, showed vEC retracting activity. After the ultracentrifugation of CM, most lipid vEC retracting activity was recovered from the pellet fraction, and flow cytometric analysis using specific antibody against 12(S)HETE clearly showed the association of 12(S)HETE with small particle in CM. These findings suggested the principal involvement of 12(S)HETE in cancer cell derived microparticles in cancer cell mediated vEC retraction.

  4. 哈氏弧菌EcGY020401优化培养%Optimization Culture of Vibrio harveyi EcGY020401

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    陶家发; 赖迎迢; 潘厚军; 石存斌; 吴淑勤

    2010-01-01

    目的:为规模化制备弧菌疫苗提供相关数据.方法:利用摇瓶和小型发酵罐培养,通过平板计数测定培养菌液的活菌数.结果:哈氏弧菌(Vibrio harveyi)EcGY020401株最适盐度为20~25g/L,合适的pH为7.5~7.7,葡萄糖浓度最适浓度为2~5g/L,用TSB优化培养基:胰蛋白胨5g/L、蛋白胨15g/L、大豆蛋白胨3g/L、酵母膏1g/L、葡萄糖4g/L、磷酸氢二钾5g/L、氯化钠15g/L、pH 7.5,培养EcGY020401菌株,可达2.95×1010 cfu/mL;小型发酵罐培养,10h可达到生长最大值,菌液浓度为3.46×1010cfu/mL 结论:用优化TSB培养基,采用发酵罐培养弧菌,可降低成本,提搞培养效率.

  5. Consumption of food in EC countries

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ven-Breken, T.J. van de; Brenot, J.; Bonnefous, S.; Noordijk, H.; Leenhouts, H.P.

    1990-08-01

    Annual consumption of 10 classes of food and drink is reported for the total population of each EC-country. National food consumption data are generalized by distinguishing groups of countries with similar diet. Group 1: UK and Ireland (low consumption of fruit, high consumption of potatoes and fresh dairy products). Group 2: Italy and Greece (high consumption of cereals, vegetables and fruit, low consumption of fresh dairy products). Group 3: France, Belgium, Luxembourg, Netherlands, FRG and Spain (intermediate consumption of most foodstuffs). Portugal and Denmark could not be classified in any group. Changes in food consumption related to differences in age, sex, social class, regional habits and level of urbanisation are reported.In some cases, variation of annual food consumption over the different seasons on the relative contribution of food from local origin to the total diet, could be estimated. Differences of region, age and level of urbanisation appear to have the largest influence on consumed amounts. As for age, the values for the different age-groups range from 50 to 80 percent of the adult diet. Regional consumption may diverge from 70-130 percent of the average national consumption, with values of 200 percent for potatoes and fruit. Consumption in urban areas compared with the entire country diverges from 70-100 percent. In rural areas the values diverge from 100-140 percent. Self-support of vegetables and milk seems to be important for most countries. Of the other products, self-support of wheat and cheese is only of importance in the south of the EC. When combining the effects of the different factors, a range of consumed amounts for specific population groups of 50 to 200 percent of the average national consumption was determined. (author). 38 refs.; 13 figs.; 75 tabs

  6. Positive health effects of the natural outdoor environment in typical populations in different regions in Europe (PHENOTYPE): a study programme protocol.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nieuwenhuijsen, Mark J; Kruize, Hanneke; Gidlow, Christopher; Andrusaityte, Sandra; Antó, Josep Maria; Basagaña, Xavier; Cirach, Marta; Dadvand, Payam; Danileviciute, Asta; Donaire-Gonzalez, David; Garcia, Judith; Jerrett, Michael; Jones, Marc; Julvez, Jordi; van Kempen, Elise; van Kamp, Irene; Maas, Jolanda; Seto, Edmund; Smith, Graham; Triguero, Margarita; Wendel-Vos, Wanda; Wright, John; Zufferey, Joris; van den Hazel, Peter Jan; Lawrence, Roderick; Grazuleviciene, Regina

    2014-04-16

    Growing evidence suggests that close contact with nature brings benefits to human health and well-being, but the proposed mechanisms are still not well understood and the associations with health remain uncertain. The Positive Health Effects of the Natural Outdoor environment in Typical Populations in different regions in Europe (PHENOTYPE) project investigates the interconnections between natural outdoor environments and better human health and well-being. The PHENOTYPE project explores the proposed underlying mechanisms at work (stress reduction/restorative function, physical activity, social interaction, exposure to environmental hazards) and examines the associations with health outcomes for different population groups. It implements conventional and new innovative high-tech methods to characterise the natural environment in terms of quality and quantity. Preventive as well as therapeutic effects of contact with the natural environment are being covered. PHENOTYPE further addresses implications for land-use planning and green space management. The main innovative part of the study is the evaluation of possible short-term and long-term associations of green space and health and the possible underlying mechanisms in four different countries (each with quite a different type of green space and a different use), using the same methodology, in one research programme. This type of holistic approach has not been undertaken before. Furthermore there are technological innovations such as the use of remote sensing and smartphones in the assessment of green space. The project will produce a more robust evidence base on links between exposure to natural outdoor environment and human health and well-being, in addition to a better integration of human health needs into land-use planning and green space management in rural as well as urban areas.

  7. annot8r: GO, EC and KEGG annotation of EST datasets

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Schmid Ralf

    2008-04-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The expressed sequence tag (EST methodology is an attractive option for the generation of sequence data for species for which no completely sequenced genome is available. The annotation and comparative analysis of such datasets poses a formidable challenge for research groups that do not have the bioinformatics infrastructure of major genome sequencing centres. Therefore, there is a need for user-friendly tools to facilitate the annotation of non-model species EST datasets with well-defined ontologies that enable meaningful cross-species comparisons. To address this, we have developed annot8r, a platform for the rapid annotation of EST datasets with GO-terms, EC-numbers and KEGG-pathways. Results annot8r automatically downloads all files relevant for the annotation process and generates a reference database that stores UniProt entries, their associated Gene Ontology (GO, Enzyme Commission (EC and Kyoto Encyclopaedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG annotation and additional relevant data. For each of GO, EC and KEGG, annot8r extracts a specific sequence subset from the UniProt dataset based on the information stored in the reference database. These three subsets are then formatted for BLAST searches. The user provides the protein or nucleotide sequences to be annotated and annot8r runs BLAST searches against these three subsets. The BLAST results are parsed and the corresponding annotations retrieved from the reference database. The annotations are saved both as flat files and also in a relational postgreSQL results database to facilitate more advanced searches within the results. annot8r is integrated with the PartiGene suite of EST analysis tools. Conclusion annot8r is a tool that assigns GO, EC and KEGG annotations for data sets resulting from EST sequencing projects both rapidly and efficiently. The benefits of an underlying relational database, flexibility and the ease of use of the program make it ideally suited for non

  8. Developing a public information programme in France

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tissot-Colle, Catherine

    1991-01-01

    In today's world, companies must initiate their own communications programmes or else they will be overtaken by others under circumstances and at times that are both generally unfavourable and not of their choosing. The development of a corporate communications programme is good for a company's commercial activities, for its management, and for its integration into its operating environment, as well as for its internal harmony. This is true for any company, regardless of its business sector. However, for companies in the nuclear field, such as the Cogema Group, do special considerations need to be taken into account? What is the communications track record of this industry? Should the overall communications strategy of a company be challenged based on this record? The questions are addressed in this paper. (author)

  9. An exercise on clean-up actions in an urban environment after a nuclear accident. Report of the NKS EKO 4 programme

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    French, S.; Haemaelaeinen, R.; Naadland, E.; Roed, J.; Salo, A.; Sinkko, K.

    1996-03-01

    The EKO 4/c working group of the environmental effects and emergency preparedness programme (EKO) of the Nordic Nuclear Safety Research (NKS) organised a decision conference on August 30th and 31st, 1995 in Stockholm, Sweden. The meeting was designed to be attended by those responsible for planning and deciding on protective actions in the Nordic countries after a nuclear accident. Issues concerning clean-up strategies in an urban environment after a hypothetical and very severe reactor accident were discussed at the meeting. The objectives of the meeting were to provide a shared understanding between the decision makers and the radiation protection community on concerns and issues related to decision on protective actions after a nuclear accident. (6 refs., 2 figs., 3 tabs.)

  10. An exercise on clean-up actions in an urban environment after a nuclear accident. Report of the NKS EKO 4 programme

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    French, S. [ed.] [Leeds Univ. (United Kingdom). School of Computer Studies; Finck, R. [ed.] [Swedish Radiation Protection Inst., Stockholm (Sweden); Haemaelaeinen, R. [ed.] [Helsinki Univ. of Technology, Espoo (Finland); Naadland, E. [ed.] [Norwegian Radiation Protection Authority, Oesteraas (Norway); Roed, J. [ed.] [Risoe National Lab., Roskilde (Denmark); Salo, A. [ed.] [Helsinki (Finland); Sinkko, K. [ed.] [Finnish Centre for Radiation and Nuclear Safety, Helsinki (Finland)

    1996-03-01

    The EKO 4/c working group of the environmental effects and emergency preparedness programme (EKO) of the Nordic Nuclear Safety Research (NKS) organised a decision conference on August 30th and 31st, 1995 in Stockholm, Sweden. The meeting was designed to be attended by those responsible for planning and deciding on protective actions in the Nordic countries after a nuclear accident. Issues concerning clean-up strategies in an urban environment after a hypothetical and very severe reactor accident were discussed at the meeting. The objectives of the meeting were to provide a shared understanding between the decision makers and the radiation protection community on concerns and issues related to decision on protective actions after a nuclear accident. (6 refs., 2 figs., 3 tabs.).

  11. What promotes sustainability in Safe Community programmes?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nordqvist, Cecilia; Timpka, Toomas; Lindqvist, Kent

    2009-01-08

    The theory and practice of safety promotion has traditionally focused on the safety of individuals. This study also includes systems, environments, and organizations. Safety promotion programmes are designed to support community health initiatives taking a bottom-up approach. This is a long-term and complex process. The aim of this study was to try to empirically identify factors that promote sustainability in the structures of programmes that are managed and coordinated by the local government. Four focus group sessions with local government politicians and administrators in designated Safe Communities were conducted and analyzed using qualitative content analysis. Collaboration was found to be the basis for sustainability. Networks, enabling municipalities to exchange ideas, were reported to positively influence the programmes. Personal contacts rather than organizations themselves, determine whether collaboration is sustained. Participants reported an increase in cross-disciplinary collaboration among staff categories. Administrators and politicians were reported to collaborate well, which was perceived to speed up decision-making and thus to facilitate the programme work. Support from the politicians and the county council was seen as a prerequisite. Participants reported an increased willingness to share information between units, which, in their view, supports sustainability. A structure in which all local authorities' offices were located in close proximity to one another was considered to support collaboration. Appointing a public health coordinator responsible for the programme was seen as a way to strengthen the relational resources of the programme. With a public health coordinator, the 'external' negotiating power was concentrated in one person. Also, the 'internal' programme strength increased when the coordination was based on a bureaucratic function rather than on one individual. Increased relational resources facilitated the transfer of information

  12. What promotes sustainability in Safe Community programmes?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lindqvist Kent

    2009-01-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The theory and practice of safety promotion has traditionally focused on the safety of individuals. This study also includes systems, environments, and organizations. Safety promotion programmes are designed to support community health initiatives taking a bottom-up approach. This is a long-term and complex process. The aim of this study was to try to empirically identify factors that promote sustainability in the structures of programmes that are managed and coordinated by the local government. Methods Four focus group sessions with local government politicians and administrators in designated Safe Communities were conducted and analyzed using qualitative content analysis. Results Collaboration was found to be the basis for sustainability. Networks, enabling municipalities to exchange ideas, were reported to positively influence the programmes. Personal contacts rather than organizations themselves, determine whether collaboration is sustained. Participants reported an increase in cross-disciplinary collaboration among staff categories. Administrators and politicians were reported to collaborate well, which was perceived to speed up decision-making and thus to facilitate the programme work. Support from the politicians and the county council was seen as a prerequisite. Participants reported an increased willingness to share information between units, which, in their view, supports sustainability. A structure in which all local authorities' offices were located in close proximity to one another was considered to support collaboration. Appointing a public health coordinator responsible for the programme was seen as a way to strengthen the relational resources of the programme. Conclusion With a public health coordinator, the 'external' negotiating power was concentrated in one person. Also, the 'internal' programme strength increased when the coordination was based on a bureaucratic function rather than on one individual

  13. A new verification film system for routine quality control of radiation fields: Kodak EC-L.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hermann, A; Bratengeier, K; Priske, A; Flentje, M

    2000-06-01

    The use of modern irradiation techniques requires better verification films for determining set-up deviations and patient movements during the course of radiation treatment. This is an investigation of the image quality and time requirement of a new verification film system compared to a conventional portal film system. For conventional verifications we used Agfa Curix HT 1000 films which were compared to the new Kodak EC-L film system. 344 Agfa Curix HT 1000 and 381 Kodak EC-L portal films of different tumor sites (prostate, rectum, head and neck) were visually judged on a light box by 2 experienced physicians. Subjective judgement of image quality, masking of films and time requirement were checked. In this investigation 68% of 175 Kodak EC-L ap/pa-films were judged "good", only 18% were classified "moderate" or "poor" 14%, but only 22% of 173 conventional ap/pa verification films (Agfa Curix HT 1000) were judged to be "good". The image quality, detail perception and time required for film inspection of the new Kodak EC-L film system was significantly improved when compared with standard portal films. They could be read more accurately and the detection of set-up deviation was facilitated.

  14. Radiation protection programmes in Australia and the USA - similarities and differences

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Haski, R.

    1996-01-01

    Full text: The aims of a comprehensive radiation protection programme in many working environments, including the Australian states and territories and the United States of America, are similar. However, the means by which the final programme objectives are achieved, may differ. In many cases, this is dictated by specific statutory requirements of the country in question. An opportunity to work in the USA has provided insights into the similarities and differences that exist between the two countries, as they relate to organisational planning and deployment of radiation protection programmes. Examples of variances include: statutory requirements, an organisation's relationship with regulatory authorities, licensing requirements, surveys and monitoring, procedures for receiving and opening packages, waste management, record keeping, role of radiation safety/protection officer, radiation protection training. The importance of the exchange of information, general approach to safety and specific methods in addressing radiation protection can be of significant benefit to both the Australian and the US working environments. Fostering this kind of international collaboration and communication has enormous potential by sharing information and facilitating workplaces in both countries to utilise the most appropriate risk management processes

  15. Diversity Programme Activity Report 2012-2015

    CERN Document Server

    Guinot, Genevieve; CERN. Geneva. HR Department

    2016-01-01

    CERN’s Diversity programme was launched in 2012 and is now firmly established as one of the pillars of the Organization’s Human Resources strategy. This report provides information on the actions undertaken in pursuit of the seven diversity strategic objectives set for the period from 2012 to 2015 in the priority areas identified for actions of recruitment, career development and work environment. The report highlights the progress made in anchoring the diversity principles in policies, procedures and practices within the Organization, as well as the persistent difficulties for the Organization to improve the representation of some nationalities and to attract female applicants in science and engineering. It shows a constant increase of female representation in managerial positions and encouraging results in building a diverse talent pool of scientists and engineers through the various student and graduate programmes. The report also outlines how the Diversity Office contributed through several actions,...

  16. Labour Market Programmes and the Equity-Efficiency Trade-off

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Filges, Trine; Kennes, John; Larsen, Birthe

    This paper studies labour market policy in a society where differently gifted individuals can invest in training to further increase their labour market productivity and where the government seeks both effiency and equity. Frictions in the matching process create unemployment and differently...... skilled workers face different unemployment risks. We show that in such an environment, training programmes that are targeted to the unemployed complement passive transfers (UI benefits), unlike a general training subsidy. Combining passive subsidies with a training subsidy conditioned on the individual...... being unemployed (for a while) - the typical Active Labour Market Programme - implies a favorable trade-off between equity and efficiency which encourages high spending on training....

  17. Labour Market Programmes and the Equity-Efficiency Trade-off

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kennes, John; Larsen, Birthe; Tranæs, Torben

    2005-01-01

    This paper studies labour market policy in a society where differently gifted individuals can invest in training to further increase their labour market productivity and where the government seeks both effiency and equity. Frictions in the matching process create unemployment and differently...... skilled workers face different unemployment risks. We show that in such an environment, training programmes that are targeted to the unemployed complement passive transfers (UI benefits), unlike a general training subsidy. Combining passive subsidies with a training subsidy conditioned on the individual...... being unemployed (for a while) - the typical Active Labour Market Programme - implies a favorable trade-off between equity and efficiency which encourages high spending on training....

  18. Major cultural-compatibility complex: considerations on cross-cultural dissemination of patient safety programmes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jeong, Heon-Jae; Pham, Julius C; Kim, Minji; Engineer, Cyrus; Pronovost, Peter J

    2012-07-01

    As the importance of patient safety has been broadly acknowledged, various improvement programmes have been developed. Many of the programmes with proven efficacy have been disseminated internationally. However, some of those attempts may encounter unexpected cross-cultural obstacles and may fail to harvest the expected success. Each country has different cultural background that has shaped the behavior of the constituents for centuries. It is crucial to take into account these cultural differences in effectively disseminating these programmes. As an organ transplantation requires tissue-compatibility between the donor and the recipient, there needs to be compatibility between the country where the program was originally developed and the nation implementing the program. Though no detailed guidelines exist to predict success, small-scale pilot tests can help evaluate whether a safety programme will work in a new cultural environment. Furthermore, a pilot programme helps reveal the source of potential conflict, so we can modify the original programme accordingly to better suit the culture to which it is to be applied. In addition to programme protocols, information about the cultural context of the disseminated programme should be conveyed during dissemination. Original programme designers should work closely with partnering countries to ensure that modifications do not jeopardise the original intention of the programme. By following this approach, we might limit barriers originating from cultural differences and increase the likelihood of success in cross-cultural dissemination.

  19. Studies with the EC-Earth seamless Earth system prediction model

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Hazeleger, W.; Bintanja, R.

    2012-01-01

    EC-Earth is a new Earth System Model (ESM) based on the operational seasonal forecast system of the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF). Climate and weather forecasting applications share a common ancestry and are build on the same physical principles. The emerging concept of

  20. Effects of Cultivar and Maternal Environment on Seed Quality in Vicia sativa

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Rong; Chen, Lijun; Wu, Yanpei; Zhang, Rui; Baskin, Carol C.; Baskin, Jerry M.; Hu, Xiaowen

    2017-01-01

    Production of high quality seeds is of fundamental importance for successful crop production. However, knowledge of the effects of increased temperature resulting from global warming on seed quality of alpine species is limited. We investigated the effect of maternal environment on seed quality of three cultivars of the leguminous forage species Vicia sativa, giving particular attention to temperature. Plants of each cultivar were grown at 1700 and 3000 m a.s.l., and mass, germination, electrical conductivity (EC) of leakage and longevity were determined for mature seeds. Seeds of all three cultivars produced at the low elevation had a significantly lower mass and longevity but higher EC of leachate than those produced at the high elevation, suggesting that increased temperatures decreased seed quality. However, seed viability did not differ between elevations. The effects of maternal environment on seed germination strongly depended on cultivar and germination temperature. At 10 and 15°C, seeds of “Lanjian 3” produced at high elevation germinated to higher percentages and rates than those produced at low elevation, but the opposite trend was observed at 20°C. However, for seeds of “Lanjian 1” and “Lanjian 2,” no significant effect of elevation was observed in germination percentage. Our results indicate that the best environment for the production of high quality seeds (e.g., high seed mass, low EC, high seed longevity) of V. sativa is one in which temperatures are relatively low during seed development. PMID:28861096

  1. Impurity analysis in EC-99mTC radiotracer using chromatographic techniques

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Almeida, E.V.; Fukumori, N.T.O.; Mengatti, J.; Silva, C.P.G.; Matsuda, M.M.N.

    2008-01-01

    The objective of this study was to develop two chromatographic methods of impurity analysis in radiotracer 99m Tc-EC: the Thin Layer Chromatography (TLC) and the High Performance Liquid Chromatography Reversed Phase (HPLC-RP)

  2. Nuclear techniques for a cleaner environment

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1995-01-01

    Highlights of the major IAEA programme for nuclear techniques and research which have direct contribution towards improvement of the environment are presented. These include topics in the areas of food and agriculture, hydrology, environmental monitoring, and marine sciences. Joint IAEA and FAO programmes in food and agriculture covers topics such as: control of insects and pests, monitoring of pesticides in ecosystem and food irradiation. In hydrology, development and management of water resources, water pollution assessment, cleaning of flue gases and sewage sludge, etc are being undertaken primarily in developing countries. Environmental monitoring is conducted with particular emphasis to when there is an accidental release of radioactivity into the environment, as happened to the Chernobyl accident

  3. Serum antibodies and DNA indicate a high prevalence of equine papillomavirus 2 (EcPV2) among horses in Switzerland.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fischer, Nina M; Favrot, Claude; Birkmann, Katharina; Jackson, Michele; Schwarzwald, Colin C; Müller, Martin; Tobler, Kurt; Geisseler, Marco; Lange, Christian E

    2014-06-01

    The DNA of equine papillomavirus type 2 (EcPV2) is consistently found in equine papillomas and squamous cell carcinomas, indicating a causal association of EcPV2 in the pathogenesis of these tumours; however, little is known about the prevalence of this virus. The aim of this study was to determine the geno- and seroprevalence of EcPV2 in clinically healthy horses in Switzerland. Fifty horses presented to the equine department of the university clinic, displaying no skin or mucous membrane lesions or severe signs of other diseases, were sampled. Cytobrush samples from the penis or vulva and serum samples were collected. To determine the genoprevalence of EcPV2, DNA was extracted from cytobrush samples and tested for viral DNA with a PCR assay amplifying a 338 bp fragment of the E7/E1 region of the viral genome. Seroprevalence was tested using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay aimed to detect antibodies against the major capsid protein (L1) of EcPV2. In five of 50 horses (10%), EcPV2-specific DNA was amplified but no antibodies could be detected, whereas in 14 of 50 horses (28%), antibodies against EcPV2 but no DNA were demonstrated. Both antibodies and viral DNA were detected in four of 50 horses (8%). Neither antibodies nor viral DNA were found in 27 of 50 horses (54%). The seroprevalence suggests that EcPV2 is prevalent in the Swiss equine population, while the genoprevalence indicates that currently ongoing infections are less common. The discrepancy between geno- and seroprevalence probably indicates different stages of infection in the tested cohort. © 2014 ESVD and ACVD.

  4. Radiation protection programme at Krsko nuclear power plant

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Breznik, B.

    1996-01-01

    Krsko NPP, a Westinghouse two-loop PWR of 632 M We power, is in commercial operation since 1982. Reduction of radioactive releases to the environment and the reduction of doses to workers is the basic goal in the plant radiological protection. The radiation protection programme is established to ensure that the radiation exposures to workers and members of the public are minimized according to the As Low As Reasonably Achievable approach and controlled in accordance with international safety standards and Slovenian regulations. The basis for the operational and technical measures has been provided according to the industrial good practice. The effluent control is based on the Standard Radioactive Effluent Technical Specifications, and environmental surveillance is established according to the programme defined by the regulations. The dose constraints and performance indicators are used to assure the effectiveness of the radiation protection programme and provide a convenient follow-up tool. The monitoring programme results of each year show that there is no measurable dose to the public due to radioactive releases. The commitment to the dose burden of any member of a critical group is assessed to be below the dose constraint. Individual and collective doses of the workers are within a range typical for the PWRs of a similar type. (author)

  5. Review on available Information on Flora, Fauna and Environment (DanWEC Vaekstforum 2011)

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Azzellino, Arianna; Margheritini, Lucia; Pedersen, Morten Lauge

    Marine Environmental Data are collected as a part of the routine monitoring programme of the marine environment. The programme includes a physical / chemical component and a biological programme. The biological and the physical / chemical parameters are not necessarily sampled at the same station...

  6. Operational programs for national radioactive waste and spent fuel management programme in Slovenia

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zeleznik, Nadja; Kralj, Metka; Mele, Irena

    2007-01-01

    The first separate National Radioactive Waste and Spent Fuel Management Programme (National Programme) was prepared in Slovenia in 2005 as a supplementary part of the National Environmental Action Programme and was adopted in February 2006 by the Slovenian Parliament. The new National Programme includes all topics being relevant for the management of the radioactive waste and spent fuel which are produced in Slovenia, from the legislation and identification of different waste streams, to the management of radioactive waste and spent fuel, the decommissioning of nuclear facilities and management of (TE)NORM in the near future from 2006 up to the 2015. The National Programme identified the existing and possible future problems and proposed the technical solutions and action plans for two distinctive periods: 2006-2009 and 2010- 2015. According to the requirement of Act on Protection against Ionising Radiation and Nuclear Safety the national Agency for Radwaste Management (ARAO) prepared the operational programmes for the four year period with technical details on implementation of the National programme. ARAO gained the detailed plans of different involved holders and proposed 9 operational programmes with aims, measures, individual organizations in charge, expenses and resources for each of the programmes. The Operational programmes were already reviewed by the Ministry of Environment and Physical Planning and are under acceptance. The orientation of the radioactive waste management according to the National Programme and operational activities within additional limitations based on the strategical decisions of Slovenian Government is presented in the paper. (authors)

  7. Radiation Protection of the Public and the Environment. Overcoming Environmental Monitoring Inertia

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Parker, T.G.; Desmond, J.A.; Stevens, A.K.

    2006-01-01

    The first nuclear reactors at Sellafield went critical in 1951 and fuel reprocessing commenced shortly afterwards. As the nuclear programme expanded, reprocessing increased and there was an associated increase in discharges to the environment. An initial environmental monitoring programme was formulated on the basis of research and assessment of the likely behaviour of radionuclides. In addition to the routine process sources there were also incidents that gave rise to acute releases of radioactivity to the environment. Of key significance were: the Windscale fire, 1957; short-cooled fuel reprocessing, 1981; and discharge of contaminated solvent, 1983. All of these incidents added to the requirements for environments for environmental monitoring. The monitoring programme has evolved over a period of more than 50 years. (N.C.)

  8. Radiation Protection of the Public and the Environment. Overcoming Environmental Monitoring Inertia

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Parker, T.G.; Desmond, J.A. [British Nuclear Group Sellafield Ltd. (United Kingdom); Stevens, A.K. [Westlakes Scientific Consulting (United Kingdom)

    2006-07-01

    The first nuclear reactors at Sellafield went critical in 1951 and fuel reprocessing commenced shortly afterwards. As the nuclear programme expanded, reprocessing increased and there was an associated increase in discharges to the environment. An initial environmental monitoring programme was formulated on the basis of research and assessment of the likely behaviour of radionuclides. In addition to the routine process sources there were also incidents that gave rise to acute releases of radioactivity to the environment. Of key significance were: the Windscale fire, 1957; short-cooled fuel reprocessing, 1981; and discharge of contaminated solvent, 1983. All of these incidents added to the requirements for environments for environmental monitoring. The monitoring programme has evolved over a period of more than 50 years. (N.C.)

  9. Integrating eHealth in HIV/AIDS intervention programmes in South Africa

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Babasile D. Osunyomi

    2015-03-01

    Objective: The key aim of this article is to explore the status quo of the implementation of information and communication technologies (ICTs in selected intervention programmes in the South African HIV/AIDS care delivery value chain. The contribution of this article is the mapping of key intervention activities along an HIV care value chain and to suggest a roadmap towards the integration of ICTs in service delivery programmes. Method: 20 managers of HIV/AIDS intervention programmes were surveyed, followed by semi-structured in-depth interviews with these respondents. A further five in-depth interviews were conducted with experts in the ICT area for exploring the uses of and barriers to integrating ICTs in the HIV/AIDS care delivery value chain. Results: The researchers mapped the barriers to implementation and ICT tools utilised within the HIV/AIDS care delivery value chain, which proves to be a useful tool to explore the status quo of technology in such service delivery programmes. The researchers then considered the wider policy environment and provided a roadmap based on the analysis and the South Africa eHealth strategy for driving development in this sector. Conclusion: The authors found that South Africa’s eHealth environment is still nascent and that the South African eHealth strategy does not place enough emphasis on systems integration and stakeholder engagement or the planning and process of uptake of ICTs by target audiences.

  10. Gardening with Huntington's disease clients--creating a programme of winter activities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Spring, Josephine Anne; Baker, Mark; Dauya, Loreane; Ewemade, Ivie; Marsh, Nicola; Patel, Prina; Scott, Adrienne; Stoy, Nicholas; Turner, Hannah; Viera, Marc; Will, Diana

    2011-01-01

    A programme of garden-related indoor activities was developed to sustain a gardening group for people with mid to late stage Huntington's disease during the winter. The activities were devised by the horticulturist, working empirically, involving the services occupational therapist, physiotherapist, occupational therapy art technician, computer room, recreation and leisure staff. The programme was strongly supported by the nursing and care staff. Feedback on the effectiveness of the activities was sought from the clients, team members and unit staff. The clients' interest in gardening was sustained by a multidisciplinary programme of indoor growing and using plant products in creative activities, computing and group projects. The clients enjoyed all activities except one that they said lacked contact with plants. The inexpensive programme of activities enabled creativity and self-expression, stimulated social contact and helped with therapeutic goals of the clients. In addition, it engaged the multi-disciplinary team and the unit staff, was practical and enhanced the environment.

  11. System and method for programmable bank selection for banked memory subsystems

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Blumrich, Matthias A. (Ridgefield, CT); Chen, Dong (Croton on Hudson, NY); Gara, Alan G. (Mount Kisco, NY); Giampapa, Mark E. (Irvington, NY); Hoenicke, Dirk (Seebruck-Seeon, DE); Ohmacht, Martin (Yorktown Heights, NY); Salapura, Valentina (Chappaqua, NY); Sugavanam, Krishnan (Mahopac, NY)

    2010-09-07

    A programmable memory system and method for enabling one or more processor devices access to shared memory in a computing environment, the shared memory including one or more memory storage structures having addressable locations for storing data. The system comprises: one or more first logic devices associated with a respective one or more processor devices, each first logic device for receiving physical memory address signals and programmable for generating a respective memory storage structure select signal upon receipt of pre-determined address bit values at selected physical memory address bit locations; and, a second logic device responsive to each of the respective select signal for generating an address signal used for selecting a memory storage structure for processor access. The system thus enables each processor device of a computing environment memory storage access distributed across the one or more memory storage structures.

  12. ECONOMIC AND LEGAL ASPECTS OF THE PLANNED DAMAGES ACTIONS FOR THE BREACHES OF EC ANTITRUST LAW

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Elena Isac

    2010-09-01

    Full Text Available This paper investigates the planned damages actions for breaches of EC antitrust law in order to assess their impact on consumer welfare. It first examines the current legal situation and concurs that the European Union needs to regulate damages actions for breaches of EC antitrust law so that a higher number of consumers could be compensated for their losses. This paper then discusses the main legal provisions proposed by the Commission in the Green and in the White paper on damages actions for breaches of EC antitrust law. The analysis of these proposed legal provisions is done using arguments specific to the economic analysis of law. It is demonstrated that most of these proposed legal provisions will enhance consumer welfare but that there are also proposed legal provisions which will damage consumer welfare. The paper concludes that the planned damages actions for breaches of the EC law will be an improvement compared to the current situation. However, the Commission should amend some of the proposed legal provisions in order to help consumers further.

  13. International conference on the protection of the environment from the effects of ionizing radiation. Contributed papers

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    2003-09-01

    An International Conference on the Protection of the Environment from the Effects of Ionizing Radiation, organized by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in co-operation with the United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation (UNSCEAR), the European Commission (EC) and the International Union of Radioecology (IUR), will be held in Stockholm, Sweden, from 6-10 October 2003. This Conference will be hosted by the Government of Sweden through the Swedish Radiation Protection Authority (SSI). This publication contains contributed papers submitted on issues within the scope of the conference, which were accepted following a review by the Conference Programme Committee. The primary objective of this Conference is to foster information exchange, with the aim of promoting the development of a coherent international policy on the protection of the environment from effects attributable to ionizing radiation. This Conference is one in a series of meetings organized by, or held in co-operation with, the IAEA on this subject. It will include a review of recent developments in this area, and consideration of their implications for future work at national and international levels. The topics on which contributed papers were requested are as follows: Existing environmental protection approaches; Development of an international assessment framework; The scientific basis for environmental radiation assessment; Development of management approaches.

  14. French wind power generation programme EOLE 2005 - first results

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Laali, A.R. [Electricite de France (EDF), Chatou (France); Benard, M. [Electricite de France (EDF), Paris (France)

    1997-12-31

    EOLE 2005 has been launched in July 1996 by the French Ministry of Industry, Electricite de France and ADEME (Agency for Environment and Energy Management). The Ministries of Research and Environment are participating also in this programme. The purpose is to create an initial market in France for wind power generation in order to evaluate the cost-effectiveness and the competitiveness of the wind energy compared to other energy sources by 2005. The installed capacity will reach at least 250 MW and possibly 500 MW.

  15. Outlines of RTE's R and D programme for 2017-2020

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2017-01-01

    RTE is publishing the outlines of its R and D programme for the 2017-2020 period. The programme is aimed at strengthening RTE's capacity for anticipating the major disruptive transformations with which it will be confronted. RTE is therefore pursuing the efforts initiated during the first roadmap over the 2013-2016 period and is embarking on new efforts. Thus, RTE's R and D efforts for the 2017-2020 period will be structured into six programmes: - The 'asset management' programme. This programme continues on with activities undertaken to reach the use phase for research initiated during the first roadmap. - The 'grid infrastructure evolution' programme. This programme continues the efforts initiated under the 'Grid of the future' programme with a reinforcement of the equipments' eco-design dimension and increased use of digital technologies to implement the equipments' control systems, protection devices and associated defence plans. - The 'environment and society' programme. This programme will be strengthened in relation to the existing programme, particularly as regards the eco-design and biodiversity dimensions. - The 'power system functioning and operation' programme. Firstly, this programme continues on from a large part of the 'Power system' programme with the dual objective of ensuring that the system remains secure with all the major physical transformations leading to a true power system 2.0 (i.e. based on power electronics) and, secondly, it aims to substantially upgrade the system's operating tools through the integration of big data processing and visualisation capabilities. - The 'optimal grid development for the energy transition' programme. This programme is aimed at rethinking grid development study methods and tools in the context of the energy, societal and digital transitions currently underway, with a view to: better integrating cross-functionality with respect to operation / maintenance and asset management / development, and to proposing the

  16. Poverty Reduction Programme in Nigeria: An Assessment of its Implementation in Enugu State

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dilichukwu A. Omemma

    2014-03-01

    Full Text Available The study has as its main thrust the evaluation of the implementation of the national poverty reduction programme in Enugu State of Nigeria. Using cross-sectional and exploratory methods of data collection and analysis, the study discovered that, compared to most states in other parts of the country, Enugu State has a low poverty profile owing to the relative positive impact of the implementation of poverty alleviation programme. Nevertheless, policy inconsistency and mismanagement deny the programme from becoming a total success; hence the existence of a larger number of citizens that are in absolute poverty. It is therefore suggested that the way out of the ineffective poverty reduction programme in Enugu State is the effective monitoring mechanism and the creation of an enabling environment for wealth creation and employment generation.

  17. Motivation and degree completion in a university-based teacher education programme

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Fokkens-Bruinsma, Marjon; Canrinus, Esther Tamara

    2015-01-01

    This study investigated which factors determine degree completion in a Dutch university-based teacher education programme. We assumed that both student characteristics and characteristics of the learning environment affected degree completion. We included the following factors in our study:

  18. Building a successful archival programme a practical approach

    CERN Document Server

    Ramos, Marisol

    2006-01-01

    This valuable resource provides information on best practices and solutions to successfully establish an archival programme; it uses a practical approach, without the use of technical or theoretical jargon. Additionally it serves as a companion text in a theoretical archival course. The book provides easy-to-follow advice on how to assess the information needs of any institution and the greater community for which the archives were created to serve. Guidelines for achievable goals are provided for starting an archives programme in an environment where a small budget or even a 'no budget' can threaten the future of the archives. First book that attempts to de-mystify archives Practical approaches without the use of technical jargon Easy to follow Plans of Action.

  19. Towards Coleoptera-specific high-throughput screening systems for compounds with ecdysone activity: development of EcR reporter assays using weevil (Anthonomus grandis)-derived cell lines and in silico analysis of ligand binding to A. grandis EcR ligand-binding pocket.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Soin, Thomas; Iga, Masatoshi; Swevers, Luc; Rougé, Pierre; Janssen, Colin R; Smagghe, Guy

    2009-08-01

    Molting in insects is regulated by ecdysteroids and juvenile hormones. Several synthetic non-steroidal ecdysone agonists are on the market as insecticides. These ecdysone agonists are dibenzoylhydrazine (DBH) analogue compounds that manifest their toxicity via interaction with the ecdysone receptor (EcR). Of the four commercial available ecdysone agonists, three (tebufenozide, methoxyfenozide and chromafenozide) are highly lepidopteran specific, one (halofenozide) is used to control coleopteran and lepidopteran insects in turf and ornamentals. However, compared to the very high binding affinity of these DBH analogues to lepidopteran EcRs, halofenozide has a low binding affinity for coleopteran EcRs. For the discovery of ecdysone agonists that target non-lepidopteran insect groups, efficient screening systems that are based on the activation of the EcR are needed. We report here the development and evaluation of two coleopteran-specific reporter-based screening systems to discover and evaluate ecdysone agonists. The screening systems are based on the cell lines BRL-AG-3A and BRL-AG-3C that are derived from the weevil Anthonomus grandis, which can be efficiently transduced with an EcR reporter cassette for evaluation of induction of reporter activity by ecdysone agonists. We also cloned the almost full length coding sequence of EcR expressed in the cell line BRL-AG-3C and used it to make an initial in silico 3D-model of its ligand-binding pocket docked with ponasterone A and tebufenozide.

  20. Renewables in Transport: Directive 2009/28/EC - Devils in its Details

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wilkin, S.

    2009-01-01

    As part of the 3*20 targets reached in December 2008, the EC decided that the EU should, by 2020, source 20% of its Final Energy Consumption (FEC) renewably. Working towards this aim should in general contribute to the primary objective of reducing emissions, but there are two major issues with the implementation of the target in the Transport sector which run the risk of being irrelevant or even counterproductive. Firstly, the constraining stipulation that all Member States should source 10% of their Transport sector FEC renewably will be a struggle for some Member States to achieve, forcing them to invest large amounts of money which would be better spent elsewhere. Secondly, the relevant legislation gives unrepresentative weight to the benefits of Electric Vehicles (EVs), meaning that Member States which invest in EVs may give the illusion of having reached their national renewable targets without actually having done so. This paper is based on EC Directive 2009/28/EC (henceforth referred to as 'the Directive') and the National Renewable Energy Action Plans of Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and the UK which were submitted in response. Each EU Member State has an individual target for the proportion of its FEC which is to come from renewable sources in 2020. The targets are based on the countries? existing renewable shares (as shown in Table 1 below) and their supposed capacity for improvement. Together, they give an average EU-wide target of 20% across the 27 Member States. (author)

  1. Programme Biology - Health protection

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1975-01-01

    The scientific results for 1975, of the five-year Biology-Health Protection programme adopted in 1971, are presented in two volumes. In volume one, Research in Radiation Protection are developed exclusively, including the following topics: measurement and interpretation of radiation (dosimetry); transfer of radioactive nuclides in the constituents of the environment; hereditary effects of radiation; short-term effects (acute irradiation syndrome and its treatment); long-term effects and toxicology of radioactive elements. In volume, two Research on applications in Agriculture and Medicine are developed. It includes: mutagenesis; soil-plant relations; radiation analysis; food conservation; cell culture; radioentomology. Research on applications in Medicine include: Nuclear Medicine and Neutron Dosimetry

  2. Evaluation of a Health Education Programme about Traumatic Brain Injury

    Science.gov (United States)

    Garcia, Jane Mertz; Sellers, Debra M.; Hilgendorf, Amy E.; Burnett, Debra L.

    2014-01-01

    Objective: Our aim was to evaluate a health education programme (TBIoptions: Promoting Knowledge) designed to increase public awareness and understanding about traumatic brain injury (TBI) through in-person (classroom) and computer-based (electronic) learning environments. Design: We used a pre-post survey design with randomization of participants…

  3. New opportunities for EU projects at CERN

    CERN Multimedia

    2009-01-01

    In July 2009 the European Commission (EC) finalised how it will spend research funding for 2010, within its Framework Programme 7 (FP7). On 31 July the EC is expected to publish new calls for European project proposals, many of which are relevant to CERN. In the first two and a half years of Framework Programme 7 (2007-2013), CERN has been very successful – the Organization is participating in around 30 EU projects, with total EC contribution of nearly 35 million Euros. The now finalised 2010 Work Programmes for FP7 outline how the EC will allocate budgets within each research field. From these Work Programmes, a series of calls for proposals are published so researchers can apply for targeted funding within given deadlines. The first calls are expected to be launched on 31 July and closed later in the year. The web-site of the CERN EU Projects Office contains a list of all new calls of potential interest to CERN, as well as the relevant Work Programmes and Guide for A...

  4. [Knockdown of NEDD9 inhibits the proliferation, invasion and migration of esophageal carcinoma EC109 cells].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Wen; Li, Shaojun; Zhao, Yunlong; Guo, Nannan; Li, Yingjie

    2016-12-01

    Objective To observe the expression of the neural precursor cell expressed, developmentally down-regulated 9 (NEDD9) in esophageal cancer, to investigate the impact of decreased expression of NEDD9 on invasion and migration, and to explicit the function of NEDD9 in EC109 human esophageal cancer cell line. Methods Immunohistochemical staining was used to detect the expression of NEDD9 in human esophageal cancer tissues and paracancerous normal tissues. RNA interfering (RNAi) was used to knockdown NEDD9 in EC109 cells. The interference efficiency was detected by reverse transcription PCR (RT-PCR) and Western blot analysis. Cell proliferation was determined by MTT assay and the invasion and migration abilities of EC109 cells were monitored by Transwell TM assay. The protein levels of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), Bax and Bcl-2 were tested by Western blotting. Results The positive expression rate of NEDD9 in esophageal carcinoma tissues was significantly higher compared with that in the paracancerous tissues. After NEDD9 expression was successfully downregulated in EC109 cells by siRNA, the proliferation, invasion and migration rates in transfection group were significantly lower than those in control group; meanwhile, the expression of Bcl-2 was reduced and Bax expression was enhanced. Conclusion The protein expression level of NEDD9 is higher in esophageal carcinoma tissues than that in adjacent normal tissues. Knockdown of NEDD9 expression can restrain the proliferation, invasion and migration of EC109 cells.

  5. The EC BIOCLIM Project (2000-2003), 5. Euratom Framework Programme - Modelling sequential biosphere systems under climate change for radioactive waste disposal

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Calvez, Marianne

    2002-01-01

    Marianne Calvez (ANDRA, France) presented the new EC BIOCLIM project that started in 2001. Its main objective is to provide a scientific basis and practical methodology for assessing the possible long-term impacts on the safety of radioactive waste repositories in deep formations due to climate driven changes. She explained that BIOCLIM objective is not to predict what will be the future but will correspond to an illustration of how people could use the knowledge. The BIOCLIM project will use the outcomes from the Biomass project. Where Biomass considered discrete biospheres, the BIOCLIM project will consider the evolution of climate with a focus on the European climate for three regions in the United Kingdom, France and Spain. The consortium of BIOCLIM participants consists of various experts in climate modelling and various experts and organisations in performance assessment. The intent is to build an integrated dynamic climate model that represents all the important mechanisms for long-term climate evolution. The modelling will primarily address the next 200000 years. The final outcome will be an enhancement of the state-of-the-art treatment of biosphere system change over long periods of time through the use of a number of innovative climate modelling approaches and the application of the climate model outputs in performance assessments

  6. (EC+β+) decay of 130Ce

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Xu Shuwei; Zhang Tianmei; Xie Yuanxiang; Ma Ruichang; Ge Yuanxiu; Guo Yingxiang; Wang Chunfang; Li Zhankui; Guo Bing; Xing Jianping; Guo Tianrui; Zhu Shaofei; Xu Wang; Du Jinzhou

    1996-01-01

    The nuclide 130 Ce was produced by a ( 16 O, 4n) reaction on an enriched 118 Sn target. Reaction products were transported to a shielded location by using a helium-jet tape transport system. A 22.9 min activity in chemically separated cerium sample was identified as 130 Ce. The (EC+β + ) decay scheme of 130 Ce was proposed for the first time. This scheme includes 108 γ-lines, 107 γ-lines among them being new. More than 13 1 + low-lying states of 130 La are populated in the decay of 130 Ce. Two new isomers with half-life of 77±10 ns and 17±5 ns were observed by means of delayed γ-γ coincidence measurements. (orig.). With 5 figs., 3 tabs

  7. The need for theory evaluation in global citizenship programmes: The case of the GCSA programme.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Goodier, Sarah; Field, Carren; Goodman, Suki

    2018-02-01

    Many education programmes lack a documented programme theory. This is a problem for programme planners and evaluators as the ability to measure programme success is grounded in the plausibility of the programme's underlying causal logic. Where the programme theory has not been documented, conducting a theory evaluation offers a foundational evaluation step as it gives an indication of whether the theory behind a programme is sound. This paper presents a case of a theory evaluation of a Global Citizenship programme at a top-ranking university in South Africa, subsequently called the GCSA Programme. This evaluation highlights the need for documented programme theory in global citizenship-type programmes for future programme development. An articulated programme theory produced for the GCSA Programme, analysed against the available social science literature, indicated it is comparable to other such programmes in terms of its overarching framework. What the research found is that most other global citizenship programmes do not have an articulated programme theory. These programmes also do not explicitly link their specific activities to their intended outcomes, making demonstrating impact impossible. In conclusion, we argue that taking a theory-based approach can strengthen and enable outcome evaluations in global citizenship programmes. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  8. A new verification film system for routine quality control of radiation fields: Kodak EC-L

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hermann, A.; Bratengeier, K.; Priske, A.; Flentje, M.

    2000-01-01

    Background: The use of modern irradiation techniques requires better verification films for determining set-up deviations and patient movements during the course of radiation treatment. This is an investigation of the image quality and time requirement of a new verification film system compared to a conventional portal film system. Material and Methods: For conventional verifications we used Agfa Curix HT 1000 films which were compared to the new Kodak EC-L film system. 344 Agfa Curix HT 1000 and 381 Kodak EC-L portal films of different tumor sites (prostate, rectum, head and neck) were visually judged on a light box by 2 experienced physicians. Subjective judgement of image quality, masking of films and time requirement were checked. Results: In this investigation 68% of 175 Kodak EC-L ap/pa-films were judged 'good', only 18% were classified 'moderate' or 'poor' 14%, but only 22% of 173 conventional ap/pa verification films (Agfa Curix HT 1000) were judged to be 'good'. Conclusions: The image quality, detail perception and time required for film inspection of the new Kodak EC-L film system was significantly improved when compared with standard portal films. They could be read more accurately and the detection of set-up deviation was facilitated. (orig.) [de

  9. Programme documentation to control programme for Solar-tracker; Programdokumentation til styringsprogram til Solar-tracker

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Rudbeck, C.

    1995-07-01

    The report contains the programme documentation partly for a programme to control of a tracking system and partly a programme, which uses this programme to make measurements of transmittance for covering layer. Both the transmittance measurement programme and the programme is built in Borland Pascal v7.0, and is compiled in Real mode for the use on a processor of the 80X86-family. The source code for the programme for transmittance measurements and the programmes (the positioning routines) are described in Appendix B. (EHS)

  10. 620 ASSESSMENT OF HEAVY METALS, pH AND EC IN EFFLUENT ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Osondu

    evaluated metals were Cu, Fe, Ni, Mn, Cr, Zn, Cd, Co, and Ag. The pH, EC, TDS, DO ... heavy metals, but the high heavy metal concentrations in the soil could seriously ... Key words: Heavy metals, AAS, contamination, floriculture and effluents.

  11. Analysis of Well ER-EC-7 Testing, Western Pahute Mesa - Oasis Valley FY 2000 Testing Program

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    None

    2002-09-30

    This report documents the analysis of the data collected for Well ER-EC-7 during the Western Pahute Mesa - Oasis Valley (WPM-OV) well development and testing program that was conducted during fiscal year (FY) 2000. The data collection for that program was documented in Appendix A, Western Pahute Mesa - Oasis Valley, Well ER-EC-7 Data Report for Development and Hydraulic Testing.

  12. Analysis of Well ER-EC-8 testing, Western Pahute Mesa-Oasis Valley FY 2000 testing program

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    None

    2002-09-30

    This report documents the analysis of the data collected for Well ER-EC-8 during the Western Pahute Mesa - Oasis Valley (WPM-OV) well development and testing program that was conducted during fiscal year (FY) 2000. The data collection for that program is documented in Appendix A, Western Pahute Mesa-Oasis Valley, Well ER-EC-8 Data Report for development and Hydraulic Testing.

  13. Analysis of Well ER-EC-4 Testing, Western Pahute Mesa-Oasis Valley FY 2000 Testing Program

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    None

    2002-09-30

    This report documents the analysis of the data collected for Well ER-EC-4 during the Western Pahute Mesa-Oasis Valley (WPM-OV) well development and testing program that was conducted during fiscal year (FY) 2000. The data collection for that program is documented in Appendix A, Western Pahute Mesa - Oasis Valley, Well ER-EC-4 Data Report for Development and Hydraulic Testing.

  14. Analysis of Well ER-EC-5 Testing, Western Pahute Mesa-Oasis Valley FY 2000 Testing Program

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    None

    2002-09-30

    This report documents the analysis of the data collected for Well ER-EC-5 during the Western Pahute Mesa - Oasis Valley (WPM-OV) well development and testing program that was conducted during fiscal year (FY) 2000. The data collection for that program is documented in Appendix A, Western Pahute Mesa - Oasis Valley, Well ER-EC-5 Data Report for Development and Hydraulic Testing.

  15. Analysis of Well ER-EC-6 Testing, Western Pahute Mesa - Oasis Valley FY 2000 Testing Program

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    None

    2002-09-30

    This report documents the analysis of the data collected for Well ER-EC-6 during the Western Pahute Mesa-Oasis Valley (WPM-OV) well development and testing program that was conducted during fiscal year (FY) 2000. The data collection for that program is documented in Appendix A, Western Pahute Mesa-Oasis Valley, Well ER-EC-6 Data Report for Development and Hydraulic Testing.

  16. Analysis of Well ER-EC-1 Testing, Western Pahute Mesa-Oasis Valley FY 2000 Testing Program

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    None

    2002-09-30

    This report documents the analysis of the data collected for Well ER-EC-1 during the Western Pahute Mesa - Oasis Valley (WPM-OV) well development and testing program that was conducted during fiscal year (FY) 2000. The data collection for that program is documented in Appendix A, Western Pahute Mesa - Oasis Valley, Well ER-EC-1 Data Report for Development and Hydraulic Testing.

  17. Labour Market Programmes and the Equity-Efficiency Trade-Off

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Filges, Trine; Kennes, John; Larsen, Birthe

    2011-01-01

    This paper studies optimal labour market policy in a society where differently gifted individuals can invest in training to further increase their labour market productivity and where the government seeks both efficiency and equity. Frictions in the matching process create unemployment...... and differently skilled workers face different levels of risk of unemployment. We show that in such an environment, training programmes that are targeted at the disadvantaged workers complement passive transfers (UI benefits), unlike general training subsidies. Combining passive subsidies with a training subsidy...... conditioned on the individual being unemployed (for a period) – the typical Active Labour Market Programme – creates a favourable trade-off between equity and efficiency and this encourages high spending on training...

  18. Excitant and depressant drugs modulate effects of environment on brain weight and cholinesterases

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bennett, E.L.; Rosenzweig, M.R.; Wu, S.Y.C.

    1973-01-01

    Certain excitant drugs can enhance the effects of enriched experience on weights of brain sections and on the activities of acetylcholinesterase and cholinesterase in the brain, and certain depressants can lessen the brain weight effects. Most experiments were performed with prepubertal male rats. Some rats were exposed in groups of 12 to an enriched environmental condition (EC), usually for 2 h per day and over a 30-day period; others remained in their individual home cages (HC) throughout. Some received a drug injection and others received a saline injection before the daily EC period; HC controls received similar injections. The drug injections had no significant effects on brain values of HC rats, but they altered effects of EC, probably by influencing the animals' reactions to the environment. Methamphetamine and d-amphetamine enhanced the EC effects; metrazol had small positive effects; and strychnine was without effects. Phenobarbital depressed the brain weight effects but increased the enzymatic effects. Use of methamphetamine made it possible to find EC effects with short daily periods (30 min) or with a shortened experimental duration (15 days). In experiments with adult rats, methamphetamine did not modulate the brain weight effects. The results of this study may bear on the use of stimulants to promote recovery from brain damage.

  19. Geological aspects of the high level waste and spent fuel disposal programme in Slovakia

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Matej, Gedeon; Milos, Kovacik; Jozef, Hok [Geological Survey of Slovak Republic, Bratislava (Slovakia)

    2001-07-01

    An autonomous programme for development of a deep geological high level waste and spent fuel disposal began in 1996. One of the most important parts in the programme is siting of the future deep seated disposal. Geological conditions in Slovakia are complex due to the Alpine type tectonics that formed the geological environment during Tertiary. Prospective areas include both crystalline complexes (tonalites, granites, granodiorites) and Neogene (Miocene) argillaceous complexes. (author)

  20. De-Radicalising Prisoners in Nigeria: developing a basic prison based de-radicalisation programme

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Atta Barkindo

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available The Nigerian Counter Terrorism Strategy recognised that force alone was not enough to combat violent extremist elements in Nigeria and that a multi-faceted approach was required to counter the threat of violent extremism. The Office of the National Security Advisor (ONSA was tasked with developing an ambitious countering violent extremism (CVE programme consisting of three elements: community-based counter radicalisation; strategic communications; and de-radicalisation. The de-radicalisation element of the CVE programme included establishing a prison based de-radicalisation programme for sentenced and pre-trial prisoners. The challenge facing ONSA and the Nigerian Prisons Service (NPS in setting up the de-radicalisation programme was considerable. Prison conditions were basic; there were no existing offending behaviour programmes on which to build; risk assessment was rudimentary and focussed on escape risk; awareness among staff at all levels of de-radicalisation programmes, their content and how they should be managed, was minimal; specialist staff were in short supply and had no training in running interventions; and resources, both physical and financial, were limited. This paper sets out how ONSA and NPS went about establishing the de-radicalisation programme and describes key elements of that programme, including: creating a supportive operating environment; risk and needs assessment; types of intervention; and programme management and staffing. It highlights the challenges and lessons that can be drawn from the operation of the programme during its first 18 months, which will be of particular interest to low resource, post-conflict and fragile states that are seeking to establish their own basic de-radicalisation programmes.

  1. Environmental Sensitivity in Nuclear Emergencies in Rural and Semi-natural Environments. Report of Working Group 8, Environmental Sensitivity of EMRAS II Topical Heading Approaches for Assessing Emergency Situations. Environmental Modelling for RAdiation Safety (EMRAS II) Programme

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2013-11-01

    Environmental assessment models are used for evaluating the radiological impact of actual and potential releases of radionuclides to the environment. They are essential tools for use in the regulatory control of routine discharges to the environment and also in planning measures to be taken in the event of accidental releases. They are also used for predicting the impact of releases which may occur far into the future, for example, from underground radioactive waste repositories. It is important to verify, to the extent possible, the reliability of the predictions of such models by comparison with measured values in the environment or by comparing them with the predictions of other models. The IAEA has been organizing programmes of international model testing since the 1980s. The programmes have contributed to a general improvement in models, in transfer data and in the capabilities of modellers in Member States. IAEA publications on this subject over the past three decades demonstrate the comprehensive nature of the programmes and record the associated advances which have been made. From 2009 to 2011, the IAEA organized a programme entitled Environmental Modelling for RAdiation Safety (EMRAS II), which concentrated on the improvement of environmental transfer models and the development of reference approaches to estimate the radiological impacts on humans, as well as on flora and fauna, arising from radionuclides in the environment. The following topics were addressed in nine working groups: Reference Approaches for Human Dose Assessment - Working Group 1: Reference Methodologies for Controlling Discharges of Routine Releases; - Working Group 2: Reference Approaches to Modelling for Management and Remediation at NORM and Legacy Sites; - Working Group 3: Reference Models for Waste Disposal Reference Approaches for Biota Dose Assessment; - Working Group 4: Biota Modelling; - Working Group 5: Wildlife Transfer Coefficient Handbook; - Working Group 6: Biota Dose

  2. Estrutura de comunidades em transições ambientais : lagartos no ecótono Cerrado-Amazônia

    OpenAIRE

    Dantas, Pedro Tourinho

    2014-01-01

    Os limites ecológicos desempenham um papel crucial no fluxo de espécies, de genes e 2 nutrientes entre áreas adjacentes. Os limites não apenas separam, mas também conectam 3 estas áreas, agindo como filtros de permeabilidade variável. A estrutura das comunidades 4 varia com a proximidade do ecótono e a riqueza de espécies no ecótono pode ser maior que, 5 menor que, ou intermediária entre as áreas adjacentes. Aqui, eu investigo como o ecótono 6 isola a Amazônia e o Cerrado, atuando como um fil...

  3. Stability of the Gel Electrolyte PAN : EC : PC : LICF3SO3 towards Lithium

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Perera, Kumudu; Dissanayake, M.A.K.L.; Skaarup, Steen

    2006-01-01

    The stability of the gel electrolyte consisting of polyacrylonitrile (PAN), ethylene carbonate (EC), propylene carbonate (PC) and lithium trifluoromethanesulfonate (LiCF3SO3 – LiTF) towards metallic lithium was investigated using the time evolution of impedance plots. Symmetric cells of the form Li...... / PAN : EC : PC: LiTF / Li were assembled and impedance data were collected at room temperature for one week. A clear indication of growth of a resistive layer could be seen. The electrolyte resistance remained constant. The growth of the passivation layer became constant after first two days...

  4. 76 FR 30987 - Termination of Action and Further Monitoring in Connection With the EC-Beef Hormones Dispute

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-05-27

    ... Connection With the EC-Beef Hormones Dispute AGENCY: Office of the United States Trade Representative. ACTION... Hormones dispute. In January 2009, the Trade Representative announced a determination to modify the list of...) in the EC-Beef Hormones dispute. The MOU provides for the EU to make phased increases in market...

  5. Geotechnical aspects of the UK DOE-sponsored radioactive waste disposal research programme

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cooling, C.M.; Hudson, J.A.

    1987-01-01

    One of the crucial factors for underground repository design is understanding the engineering properties and behaviour of the host rock. To develop this understanding, the Department of the Environment has sponsored a continuing programme of geotechnical research from 1979 to the present day. The authors describe the structure of the research programme, highlight some of the individual projects, indicate the most important conclusions and provide an overview of both the current state of knowledge and 'the way ahead'. 9 refs.; 9 figs.; 1 table

  6. Molecular characterization of EcCIPK24 gene of finger millet (Eleusine coracana) for investigating its regulatory role in calcium transport.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chinchole, Mahadev; Pathak, Rajesh Kumar; Singh, Uma M; Kumar, Anil

    2017-08-01

    Finger millet grains contain exceptionally high levels of calcium which is much higher compared to other cereals and millets. Since calcium is an important macronutrient in human diet, it is necessary to explore the molecular basis of calcium accumulation in the seeds of finger millet. CIPK is a calcium sensor gene, having role in activating Ca 2+ exchanger protein by interaction with CBL proteins. To know the role of EcCIPK24 gene in seed Ca 2+ accumulation, sequence is retrieved from the transcriptome data of two finger millet genotypes GP1 (low Ca 2+ ) and GP45 (high Ca 2+ ), and the expression was determined through qRT-PCR. The higher expression was found in root, shoot, leaf and developing spike tissue of GP45 compared to GP1; structural analysis showed difference of nine SNPs and one extra beta sheet domain as well as differences in vacuolar localization was predicted; besides, the variation in amino acid composition among both the genotypes was also investigated. Molecular modeling and docking studies revealed that both EcCBL4 and EcCBL10 showed strong binding affinity with EcCIPK24 (GP1) compared to EcCIPK24 (GP45). It indicates a genotypic structural variation, which not only affects the affinity but also calcium transport efficiency after interaction of CIPK-CBL with calcium exchanger ( Ec CAX1b) to pull calcium in the vacuole. Based on the expression and in silico study, it can be suggested that by activating EcCAX1b protein, EcCIPK24 plays an important role in high seed Ca 2+ accumulation.

  7. Effect of Graphene-EC on Ag NW-Based Transparent Film Heaters: Optimizing the Stability and Heat Dispersion of Films.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cao, Minghui; Wang, Minqiang; Li, Le; Qiu, Hengwei; Yang, Zhi

    2018-01-10

    To optimize the performance of silver nanowire (Ag NW) film heaters and explore the effect of graphene on a film, we introduced poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(4-styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) and graphene modified with ethyl cellulose (graphene-EC) into the film. The high-quality and well-dispersed graphene-EC was synthesized from graphene obtained by electrochemical exfoliation as a precursor. The transparent film heaters were fabricated via spin-coating. With the assistance of graphene-EC, the stability of film heaters was greatly improved, and the conductivity was optimized by adjusting the Ag NW concentration. The film heaters exhibited a fast and accurate response to voltage, accompanied by excellent environmental endurance, and there was no significant performance degradation after being operated for a long period of time. These results indicate that graphene-EC plays a crucial role in optimizing film stability and heat dispersion in the film. The Ag NW/PEDOT:PSS-doped graphene-EC film heaters show a great potential in low-cost indium-tin-oxide-free flexible transparent electrodes, heating systems, and transparent film heaters.

  8. Effect of condensed tannins in hulls of faba beans (Vivia faba L.) on the activities of trypsin (EC 2.4.21.4) and chymotrypsin (EC 2.4.21.1) in digesta collected from the small intestine of pigs

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Jansman, A.J.M.; Enting, H.; Verstegen, M.W.A.; Huisman, J.

    1994-01-01

    The effects of condensed tannins in hulls of faba beans (Vicia faba L.) on the activities of trypsin (EC 3.4.21.4) and chymotrypsin (EC 3.4.21.1) in digesta obtained from the small intestine of pigs were studied. Using four castrated male pigs (mean body weight 83 kg) fitted with both a simple

  9. Lowering the Barriers to Programming: A Survey of Programming Environments and Languages for Novice Programmers

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Kelleher, Caitlin; Pausch, Randy

    2003-01-01

    .... The systems are organized by their primary goal, either to teach programming or to use programming to empower their users, and then by the authors' approach to making learning to program easier for novice programmers...

  10. A look at the ocean in the EC-Earth climate model

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sterl, Andreas; Bintanja, Richard; Severijns, Camiel [Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute (KNMI), P.O. Box 201, De Bilt (Netherlands); Brodeau, Laurent [Stockholm University, Department of Meteorology, Stockholm (Sweden); Gleeson, Emily; Semmler, Tido [Met Eireann, Dublin (Ireland); Koenigk, Torben; Wyser, Klaus [Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute (SMHI), Norrkoeping (Sweden); Schmith, Torben; Yang, Shuting [Danish Meteorological Institute (DMI), Copenhagen (Denmark)

    2012-12-15

    EC-Earth is a newly developed global climate system model. Its core components are the Integrated Forecast System (IFS) of the European Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) as the atmosphere component and the Nucleus for European Modelling of the Ocean (NEMO) developed by Institute Pierre Simon Laplace (IPSL) as the ocean component. Both components are used with a horizontal resolution of roughly one degree. In this paper we describe the performance of NEMO in the coupled system by comparing model output with ocean observations. We concentrate on the surface ocean and mass transports. It appears that in general the model has a cold and fresh bias, but a much too warm Southern Ocean. While sea ice concentration and extent have realistic values, the ice tends to be too thick along the Siberian coast. Transports through important straits have realistic values, but generally are at the lower end of the range of observational estimates. Exceptions are very narrow straits (Gibraltar, Bering) which are too wide due to the limited resolution. Consequently the modelled transports through them are too high. The strength of the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation is also at the lower end of observational estimates. The interannual variability of key variables and correlations between them are realistic in size and pattern. This is especially true for the variability of surface temperature in the tropical Pacific (El Nino). Overall the ocean component of EC-Earth performs well and helps making EC-Earth a reliable climate model. (orig.)

  11. The waste isolation safety assessment programme

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Brandstetter, A.; Harwell, M.A.

    1980-01-01

    Associated with commercial nuclear power production in the USA is the generation of potentially hazardous radioactive wastes. The Department of Energy (DOE), through the National Waste Terminal Storage (NWTS) Programme, is seeking to develop nuclear waste isolation systems in geologic formations that will preclude contact with the biosphere of waste radionuclides in concentrations which are sufficient to cause deleterious impact on humans or their environments. Comprehensive analyses of specific isolation systems are needed to assess the expectations of meeting that objective. The Waste Isolation Safety Assessment Programme (WISAP) has been established at the Pacific Northwest Laboratory (operated by Battelle Memorial Institute) for developing the capability of making those analyses. Among the analyses required for isolation system evaluation is the detailed assessment of the post-closure performance of nuclear waste repositories in geologic formations. This assessment is essential, since it is concerned with aspects of the nuclear power programme which previously have not been addressed. Specifically, the nature of the isolation systems (e.g. involving breach scenarios and transport through the geosphere), and the time-scales necessary for isolation, dictate the development, demonstration and application of novel assessment capabilities. The assessment methodology needs to be thorough, flexible, objective, and scientifically defensible. Further, the data utilized must be accurate, documented, reproducible, and based on sound scientific principles. (author)

  12. HMIP monitoring programme: radioactive substances report for 1990

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1992-03-01

    Discharges of radioactive wastes to the environment can only be made under authorisation from government bodies. The main potential sources of environmental contamination in England are nuclear sites (power stations, fuel fabrication and reprocessing plants), some industrial premises such as metal smelters, and landfill sites. As well as the environmental monitoring programmes undertaken by the operators of such sites various government bodies also undertake monitoring. In January 1988 Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Pollution (HMIP) initiated a programme to monitor exposure of the public from non-food pathways such as could occur from occupation of beaches, river banks etc. Radiation levels and radiochemical and gamma spectra of samples collected at specified locations near nuclear sites and industrial premises have been monitored every quarter since then. The results for 1990 are presented and discussed. (UK)

  13. Aquatic and Terrestrial Environment 2004

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Andersen, J. M.; Boutrup, S.; Bijl, L. van der

    This report presents the 2004 results of the Danish National Monitoring and Assess-ment Programme for the Aquatic and Terrestrial Environments (NOVANA). 2004 was the first year in which terrestrial nature was included in the monitoring pro-gramme. The report reviews the state of the groundwater......, watercourses, lakes and marine waters and the pressures upon them and reviews the monitoring of terrestrial natural habitats and selected plants and animals. The report is based on the annual reports prepared for each subprogramme by the Topic Centres. The latter reports are mainly based on data collected...

  14. A miniature integrated multimodal sensor for measuring pH, EC and temperature for precision agriculture.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Futagawa, Masato; Iwasaki, Taichi; Murata, Hiroaki; Ishida, Makoto; Sawada, Kazuaki

    2012-01-01

    Making several simultaneous measurements with different kinds of sensors at the same location in a solution is difficult because of crosstalk between the sensors. In addition, because the conditions at different locations in plant beds differ, in situ measurements in agriculture need to be done in small localized areas. We have fabricated a multimodal sensor on a small Si chip in which a pH sensor was integrated with electrical conductivity (EC) and temperature sensors. An ISFET with a Si(3)N(4) membrane was used for the pH sensor. For the EC sensor, the electrical conductivity between platinum electrodes was measured, and the temperature sensor was a p-n junction diode. These are some of the most important measurements required for controlling the conditions in plant beds. The multimodal sensor can be inserted into a plant bed for in situ monitoring. To confirm the absence of crosstalk between the sensors, we made simultaneous measurements of pH, EC, and temperature of a pH buffer solution in a plant bed. When the solution was diluted with hot or cold water, the real time measurements showed changes to the EC and temperature, but no change in pH. We also demonstrated that our sensor was capable of simultaneous in situ measurements in rock wool without being affected by crosstalk.

  15. RNA of Enterococcus faecalis Strain EC-12 Is a Major Component Inducing Interleukin-12 Production from Human Monocytic Cells.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ryoichiro Nishibayashi

    Full Text Available Interleukin-12 (IL-12 is an important cytokine for the immunomodulatory effects of lactic acid bacteria (LAB. Using murine immune cells, we previously reported that the RNA of Enterococcus faecalis EC-12, a LAB strain exerting probiotic-like beneficial effects, is the major IL-12-inducing immunogenic component. However, it was recently revealed that bacterial RNA can be a ligand for Toll-like receptor (TLR 13, which is only expressed in mice. Because TLR13 is not expressed in humans, the immuno-stimulatory and -modulatory effects of LAB RNA in human cells should be augmented excluding TLR13 contribution. In experiment 1 of this study, the role of LAB RNA in IL-12 induction in human immune cells was studied using three LAB strains, E.faecalis EC-12, Lactobacillus gasseri JCM5344, and Bifidobacterium breve JCM1192. RNase A treatment of heat-killed LAB significantly decreased the IL-12 production of human peripheral blood mononuclear cells on stimulation, while RNase III treatment revealed virtually no effects. Further, IL-12 production against heat-killed E. faecalis EC-12 was abolished by depleting monocytes. These results demonstrated that single stranded RNA (ssRNA of LAB is a strong inducer of IL-12 production from human monocytes. In experiment 2, major receptor for ssRNA of E. faecalis EC-12 was identified using THP-1 cells, a human monocytic cell line. The type of RNA molecules of E. faecalis EC-12 responsible for IL-12 induction was also identified. IL-12 production induced by the total RNA of E. faecalis EC-12 was significantly reduced by the treatment of siRNA for TLR8 but not for TLR7. Furthermore, both 23S and 16S rRNA, but not mRNA, of E. faecalis EC-12 markedly induced IL-12 production from THP-1 cells. These results suggested that the recognition of ssRNA of E. faecalis EC-12 was mediated by TLR8 and that rRNA was the RNA molecule that exhibited IL-12-inducing ability in human cells.

  16. Art, music, story: The evaluation of a person-centred arts in health programme in an acute care older persons' unit.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ford, Karen; Tesch, Leigh; Dawborn, Jacqueline; Courtney-Pratt, Helen

    2018-06-01

    To evaluate the impact of an arts in health programme delivered by a specialised artist within an acute older person's unit. Acute hospitals must meet the increasingly complex needs of older people who experience multiple comorbidities, often including cognitive impairment, either directly related to their admission or longer term conditions, including dementia. A focus on physical illness, efficiency and tasks within an acute care environment can all divert attention from the psychosocial well-being of patients. This focus also decreases capacity for person-centred approaches that acknowledge and value the older person, their life story, relationships and the care context. The importance of arts for health and wellness, including responsiveness to individual need, is well established: however, there is little evidence about its effectiveness for older people in acute hospital settings. We report on a collaborative arts in health programme on an acute medical ward for older people. The qualitative study used collaborative enquiry underpinned by a constructivist approach to evaluate an arts programme that involved participatory art-making activities, customised music, song and illustration work, and enlivening the unit environment. Data sources included observation of art activities, semi-structured interviews with patients and family members, and focus groups with staff. Data were transcribed and thematically analysed using a line by line approach. The programme had positive impacts for the environment, patients, families and staff. The environment exhibited changes as a result of programme outputs; patients and families were engaged and enjoyed activities that aided recovery from illness; and staff also enjoyed activities and importantly learnt new ways of working with patients. An acute care arts in health programme is a carefully nuanced programme where the skills of the arts health worker are critical to success. Utilising such skill, continued focus on person

  17. Nuclear programme in Indonesia

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ahimsa, Djali

    1994-01-01

    Implementation of the energy policy covers several aspects such as issuance of regulations, standards, energy pricing incentives and disincentives, and the application of appropriate technologies. The policies and implementation of the technologies can fully be supported by the use of nuclear technology, especially toward the now popular issue concerning the environment. In view of these policies and the need to implement these policies. i.e. for the diversification of energy and environmental concern, the Department of Mines and Energy has established an Indonesian Energy Coordination Board (BAKOREN). This board has realised the importance of considering nuclear as a source of energy, which has led to a decision in September 1989, for The National Atomic Energy Agency (BATAN) to conduct a feasibility study to introduce nuclear power plants in Indonesia. The establishment of an authority for the construction and operation of Nuclear Power Plants in Indonesia, which is primarily related to the safe and efficient operation of nuclear power plants, must also be prepared. This authority is still under considerations by the Indonesian Government. In implementing the Indonesia Nuclear Programme, it is important that cooperation exists among countries of the world, Korea, in this respect, as learning from experiences of other countries are very necessary to plan for a successful Nuclear Programme

  18. The Development and Evaluation of a Life Skills Programme for Young Adult Offenders.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jordaan, Jacques; Beukes, Roelf; Esterhuyse, Karel

    2017-10-01

    The purpose of this research project was to develop, implement, and evaluate a Life Skills programme for young adult male long-term offenders with the aim of improving their life skills that, in turn, could enable them to adjust more effectively in the correctional environment. Experimental research was used to investigate the effectiveness of the programme. In this study, 96 literate young adult male offenders between the ages of 21 and 25 years, with long sentences, were selected randomly. The participants were assigned randomly into an experimental and a control group. The Solomon four-group design was utilized to control for the effect of pretest sensitization. The measurements of the effectiveness of the programme were conducted before the programme commenced, directly (short term) after, 3 months (medium term) after, and 6 months (long term) after. The findings indicated that the programme had limited success in equipping the offenders with the necessary skills crucial to their survival in a correctional centre. The programme did, however, have significant effects, especially on problem solving and anger management in the short and medium term. These improvements were not long lived.

  19. Applicability of Non-Modular Assessment in Construction Management and Allied Undergraduate Programmes: Perspective of the Academics Involved

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wedawatta, Gayan

    2018-01-01

    Undergraduate programmes on construction management and other closely related built environment disciplines are currently taught and assessed on a modular basis. This is the case in the UK and in many other countries globally. However, it can be argued that professionally oriented programmes like these are better assessed on a non-modular basis,…

  20. EUTEMPE-RX, an EC supported FP7 project for the training and education of medical physics experts in radiology

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bosmans, H.; Van Peteghem, N.; Bliznakova, K.; Vassileva, J.; Padovani, R.; Christofides, S.; Tsapaki, V.; Caruana, C.J.

    2015-01-01

    The core activity of the medical physics expert (MPE) is to ensure optimal use of ionising radiation in health care. It is essential that these health care professionals are trained to the highest level, defined as European Qualifications Framework for Lifelong Learning (EQF) level 8 by the European Commission's Radiation Protection Report 174 'Guidelines on the MPE'. The main objective of the EUTEMPE-RX project is to provide a model training scheme that allows the medical physicist in diagnostic and interventional radiology (D and IR) to reach this high level. A European network of partners was brought together in this FP7 EC project to ensure sufficient expertise in all aspects of the subject and to create a harmonised course programme. Targeted participants are medical physicists in D and IR in hospitals, engineers and scientists in medical device industries and officers working in regulatory authorities. Twelve course modules will be developed at EQF level 8, with radiation safety and diagnostic effectiveness being prevalent subjects. The modules will combine online with face-to-face teaching using a blended learning approach. (authors)

  1. Auditing emergency management programmes: Measuring leading indicators of programme performance.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tomsic, Heather

    Emergency Management Programmes benefit from review and measurement against established criteria. By measuring current vs required programme elements for their actual currency, completeness and effectiveness, the resulting timely reports of achievements and documentation of identified gaps can effectively be used to rationally support prioritised improvement. Audits, with their detailed, triangulated and objectively weighted processes, are the ultimate approach in terms of programme content measurement. Although Emergency Management is often presented as a wholly separate operational mechanism, distinct and functionally different from the organisation's usual management structure, this characterisation is only completely accurate while managing an emergency itself. Otherwise, an organisation's Emergency Management Programme is embedded within that organisation and dependent upon it. Therefore, the organisation's culture and structure of management, accountability and measurement must be engaged for the programme to exist, much less improve. A wise and successful Emergency Management Coordinator does not let the separate and distinct nature of managing an emergency obscure their realisation of the need for an organisation to understand and manage all of the other programme components as part of its regular business practices. This includes its measurement. Not all organisations are sufficiently large or capable of supporting the use of an audit. This paper proposes that alternate, less formal, yet effective mechanisms can be explored, as long as they reflect and support organisational management norms, including a process of relatively informal measurement focused on the organisation's own perception of key Emergency Management Programme performance indicators.

  2. The planned EC Directive on 'Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control' (IPC)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sellner, D.; Schnutenhaus, J.

    1993-01-01

    This EC Directive is intended to incorporate integrated pollution control as a mandatory obligation in the legal provisions governing industrial installations licensing within the EC. The article in hand presents an assessment of the Directive and discusses some possible impacts on the German national law in the field of pollution control, which hitherto has been defined on the basis of a preferably medium-oriented approach. A serious point of deviation from the German approach is seen in the fact that the draft's provisions relating to the licensing of industrial installations defines certain pre-conditions allowing a plant in a low-polluted area to be licensed, although the pollution control systems of the plant do not them come up to the state-of-the-art in pollution abatement technology. This is seen as a fact jeopardizing the principle of precantionary measures which has been firmly established in German pollution control law. (orig./HP) [de

  3. Radioactive particles in the environment: sources, particle characterization and analytical techniques

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2011-08-01

    Over the years, radioactive particles have been released to the environment from nuclear weapons testing and nuclear fuel cycle operations. However, measurements of environmental radioactivity and any associated assessments are often based on the average bulk mass or surface concentration, assuming that radionuclides are homogeneously distributed as simple ionic species. It has generally not been recognised that radioactive particles present in the environment often contain a significant fraction of the bulk sample activity, leading to sample heterogeneity problems and false and/or erratic measurement data. Moreover, the inherent differences in the transport and bioavailability of particle bound radionuclides compared with those existing as molecules or ions have largely been ignored in dose assessments. To date, most studies regarding radionuclide behaviour in the soil-plant system have dealt with soluble forms of radionuclides. When radionuclides are deposited in a less mobile form, or in case of a superposition of different physico-chemical forms, the behaviour of radionuclides becomes much more complicated and extra efforts are required to provide information about environmental status and behaviour of radioactive particles. There are currently no documents or international guides covering this aspect of environmental impact assessments. To fill this gap, between 2001 and 2008 the IAEA performed a Coordinated Research Programme (CRP- G4.10.03) on the 'Radiochemical, Chemical and Physical Characterization of Radioactive Particles in the Environment' with the objective of development, adoption and application of standardized analytical techniques for the comprehensive study of radioactive particles. The CRP was in line with the IAEA project intended to assist the Member States in building capacity for improving environmental assessments and for management of sites contaminated with radioactive particles. This IAEA-TECDOC presents the findings and achievements of

  4. How Programme Teams Progress Agricultural Innovation in the Australian Dairy Industry

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nettle, Ruth; Brightling, Pauline; Hope, Anne

    2013-01-01

    Purpose: This article outlines the emergence of programme teams in the Australian dairy farm sector as a response to counter weaknesses in the institutional environment for agricultural innovation which favours technology adoption/diffusion approaches. Design/methodology/approach: The strengths, weaknesses and risks of different approaches to…

  5. STRENGTHEN AND UPGRADE REGIONAL CAPABILITIES (REGIONAL UNIVERSITY KNOWLEDGE CENTRE PROGRAMME IN HUNGARY

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Annamária INZELT

    2008-06-01

    Full Text Available The emerging vision of the modern, innovative Hungarian economy, which can compete successfully in the global arena, made it absolutely necessary to encourage business firms to be innovation-oriented and to encourage universities to develop, beyond their traditional teaching mission, also their research performance and their capabilities to transfer research results and new knowledge to convert them into commercially relevant innovations. The role of government was to create a suitable legal environment and proper incentives to stimulate and support change and to enable collaborations between Public and Private Sector actors. Despite all efforts in launching relevant programmes, the competency and attractiveness of universities for strategic research partnerships with the private sector remained heterogeneous and partially unsatisfactory because of shortcomings in their knowledge base and their capability to act as well-performing research partners in collaborative projects. In 2004 Hungary established a new complementary programme which addressed particularly these shortcomings, the Pázmány Péter – Regional University Knowledge Centre programme. This paper describes shortly the programme and then investigates the experiences of two initial calls. This Public-Private-Partnership model, where the state is not the single supporter of the programme, the participating Private Sector actors provide complementary funding. In addition, the centres can also attract external funding from various other sources. In addition, Private Sector enterprises make advanced technical equipment available for use by members and non-members. By the first experiences this programme is a good frame to support overcoming on one of the failure of the system, weak knowledge distribution capability. This initiative, the Pázmány Péter programme provides a potentially transferable example for other countries with shortcomings similar to those of Hungary’s National

  6. Effectiveness of comprehensive tobacco control programmes in reducing teenage smoking in the USA.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wakefield, M; Chaloupka, F

    2000-06-01

    To describe the extent to which comprehensive statewide tobacco control programmes in the USA have made progress toward reducing teenage smoking. Literature search of Medline for reviews of effectiveness of programme and policy elements, plus journal articles and personal request for copies of publicly released reports and working papers from evaluation staff in each of the state programmes of California, Massachusetts, Arizona, Oregon, and Florida. All studies, reports, and commentaries that provided information on aspects of programme implementation and evaluation. Statewide comprehensive programmes show high levels of advertising recall and generally positive improvement in smoking related beliefs and attitudes among teenagers. More fully funded programmes lead to increased mass media campaign advertising and community initiatives; a greater capacity to implement school based smoking prevention programmes; and an increase in the passage of local ordinances that create smoke free indoor environments and reduce cigarette sales to youth. The combination of programme activity and increased tobacco tax reduce cigarette consumption more than expected as a result of price increases alone, and these effects seem to apply to adolescents as well as adults. Programmes are associated with a decline in adult smoking prevalence, with these effects observed to date in California, Massachusetts, and Oregon. Arizona and Florida have yet to examine change in adult prevalence associated with programme exposure. California and Massachusetts have demonstrated relative beneficial effects in teenage smoking prevalence, and Florida has reported promising indications of reduced prevalence. Arizona has yet to report follow up data, and Oregon has found no change in teenage smoking, but has only two years of follow up available. One of the most critical factors in programme success is the extent of programme funding, and consequent level of programme implementation, and the degree to

  7. Dependable Design Flow for Protection Systems using Programmable Logic Devices

    CERN Document Server

    Kwiatkowski, M

    2011-01-01

    Programmable Logic Devices (PLD) such as Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGA) are becoming more prevalent in protection and safety-related electronic systems. When employing such programmable logic devices, extra care and attention needs to be taken. The final synthesis result, used to generate the bit-stream to program the device, must be shown to meet the design’s requirements. This paper describes how to maximize confidence using techniques such as Formal Methods, exhaustive Hardware Description Language (HDL) code simulation and hardware testing. An example is given for one of the critical functions of the Safe Machine Parameters (SMP) system, used in the protection of the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at CERN. CERN is also working towards an adaptation of the IEC- 61508 lifecycle designed for Machine Protection Systems (MPS), and the High Energy Physics environment, implementation of a protection function in FPGA code is only one small step of this lifecycle. The ultimate aim of this project is to cre...

  8. Inactivation of the Ecs ABC Transporter of Staphylococcus aureus Attenuates Virulence by Altering Composition and Function of Bacterial Wall

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Jonsson, Ing-Marie; Juuti, Jarmo T.; Francois, Patrice; AlMajidi, Rana; Pietiainen, Milla; Girard, Myriam; Lindholm, Catharina; Saller, Manfred J.; Driessen, Arnold J. M.; Kuusela, Pentti; Bokarewa, Maria; Schrenzel, Jacques; Kontinen, Vesa P.

    2010-01-01

    Background: Ecs is an ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporter present in aerobic and facultative anaerobic Gram-positive Firmicutes. Inactivation of Bacillus subtilis Ecs causes pleiotropic changes in the bacterial phenotype including inhibition of intramembrane proteolysis. The molecule(s)

  9. Completion Report for Well ER-EC-1

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Townsend, M.J.

    2000-01-01

    Well ER-EC-1 was drilled for the U.S. Department of Energy, Nevada Operations Office in support of the Nevada Environmental Restoration Project at the Nevada Test Site, Nye County, Nevada. This well was drilled in the spring of 1999 as part of the U.S. Department of Energy's hydrogeologic investigation well program in the Western Pahute Mesa - Oasis Valley region just west of the Test Site. A 44.5-centimeter surface hole was drilled and cased off to the depth 675.1 meters below the surface. The hole diameter was then decreased to 31.1 centimeters for drilling to a total depth of 1,524.0 meters. A preliminary composite, static, water level was measured at the depth of approximately 566.3 meters prior to installation of the completion string. One completion string with three isolated, slotted intervals was installed in the well. Detailed lithologic descriptions with preliminary stratigraphic assignments are included in the report. These are based on composite drill cuttings collected every 3 meters and 31 sidewall samples taken at various depths below 680 meters, supplemented by geophysical log data. Detailed chemical and mineralogical studies of rock samples are in progress. The well penetrated Tertiary-age lava and tuff of the Timber Mountain Group, the Paintbrush Group, the Calico Hills Formation, the Crater Flat Group, and the Volcanics of Quartz Mountain. The preliminary geologic interpretation of data from Well ER-EC-1 indicates the presence of a structural trough or bench filled with a thick section of post-Rainier Mesa lava. These data also suggest that this site is located on a buried structural ridge that may separate the Silent Canyon and Timber Mountain caldera complexes

  10. The international ISOE programme. ISOE European technical centre activities

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ascenzo, L. d'; Crouail, P.; Levy, F.; Livolsi, P.; Schieber, C.; Lefaure, C.

    1996-01-01

    The CEPN has been involved from the beginning in the NEA Information System on Occupational Exposure (ISOE). As ISOE European Technical Centre, the CEPN is responsible for the collection and distribution of European data to the various ISOE partners, the collection of data from the other regional technical centres, and the custodianship of the full ISOE data base. This full data base is updated annually and distributed to all the European participating utilities and to other Regional Technical Centres. The European data are also sent to the European Commission (EC) as a contribution to their own occupational exposure data base. In addition to these activities, the CEPN has developed two computer programmes under Windows to facilitate the management of ISOE data bases. The first software, called ASPIC, allows participating utilities to electronically complete NEA1 and NEA3 questionnaires, as well as to consult the NEA3 data base using key words search routine. This software is available in six different languages. The second programme is a relational data base for the performance of statistical analyses using data from NEA1. The CEPN also contributes significantly to the efficient flow of information through the ISOE Network. This includes participation in the preparation and distribution of the ISOE Annual Report (which presents and analyses NEAI data), ISOE Information Sheets (providing short synthesis using NEA1 and NEA3 data), and Technical Reports. Participating Authorities and Utilities have each made information requests to the CEPN concerning dosimetric data, radiation protection experiences, policies and practices. Some examples of these requests, and of the types of data provided, will be presented. (author)

  11. Ferro-based derivatizing agents for LC/MS an LC/EC/MS

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Seiwert, Bettina

    2007-01-01

    Within this thesis, the development and application of ferrocene-based derivatizing agents for LC/MS and LC/EC/MS is presented. The advantages of derivatization by ferrocenes are the similtaneous introduction of a mass tag and an electroactive group, which make them ideally suited for LC/MS and

  12. Netherlands contribution to the EC project: Benchmark exercise on dose estimation in a regulatory context

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Stolk, D.J.

    1987-04-01

    On request of the Netherlands government FEL-TNO is developing a decision support system with the acronym RAMBOS for the assessment of the off-site consequences of an accident with hazardous materials. This is a user friendly interactive computer program, which uses very sophisticated graphical means. RAMBOS supports the emergency planning organization in two ways. Firstly, the risk to the residents in the surroundings of the accident is quantified in terms of severity and magnitude (number of casualties, etc.). Secondly, the consequences of countermeasures, such as sheltering and evacuation, are predicted. By evaluating several countermeasures the user can determine an optimum policy to reduce the impact of the accident. Within the framework of the EC project 'Benchmark exercise on dose estimation in a regulatory context' on request of the Ministry of Housing, Physical Planning and Environment calculations were carried out with the RAMBOS system. This report contains the results of these calculations. 3 refs.; 2 figs.; 10 tabs

  13. Importance of adaptation and genotype × environment interactions in tropical beef breeding systems.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Burrow, H M

    2012-05-01

    This paper examines the relative importance of productive and adaptive traits in beef breeding systems based on Bos taurus and tropically adapted breeds across temperate and (sub)tropical environments. In the (sub)tropics, differences that exist between breeds in temperate environments are masked by the effects of environmental stressors. Hence in tropical environments, breeds are best categorised into breed types to compare their performance across environments. Because of the presence of environmental stressors, there are more sources of genetic variation in tropical breeding programmes. It is therefore necessary to examine the genetic basis of productive and adaptive traits for breeding programmes in those environments. This paper reviews the heritabilities and genetic relationships between economically important productive and adaptive traits relevant to (sub)tropical breeding programmes. It is concluded that it is possible to simultaneously genetically improve productive and adaptive traits in tropically adapted breeds of beef cattle grazed in tropical environments without serious detrimental consequences for either adaptation or production. However, breed-specific parameters are required for genetic evaluations. The paper also reviews the magnitude of genotype × environment (G × E) interactions impacting on production and adaptation of cattle, where 'genotype' is defined as breed (within a crossbreeding system), sire within breed (in a within-breed selection programme) or associations between economically important traits and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs - within a marker-assisted selection programme). It is concluded that re-ranking of breeds across environments is best managed by the use of the breed type(s) best suited to the particular production environment. Re-ranking of sires across environments is apparent in poorly adapted breed types across extreme tropical and temperate environments or where breeding animals are selected in a temperate

  14. Running climate model on a commercial cloud computing environment: A case study using Community Earth System Model (CESM) on Amazon AWS

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Xiuhong; Huang, Xianglei; Jiao, Chaoyi; Flanner, Mark G.; Raeker, Todd; Palen, Brock

    2017-01-01

    The suites of numerical models used for simulating climate of our planet are usually run on dedicated high-performance computing (HPC) resources. This study investigates an alternative to the usual approach, i.e. carrying out climate model simulations on commercially available cloud computing environment. We test the performance and reliability of running the CESM (Community Earth System Model), a flagship climate model in the United States developed by the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR), on Amazon Web Service (AWS) EC2, the cloud computing environment by Amazon.com, Inc. StarCluster is used to create virtual computing cluster on the AWS EC2 for the CESM simulations. The wall-clock time for one year of CESM simulation on the AWS EC2 virtual cluster is comparable to the time spent for the same simulation on a local dedicated high-performance computing cluster with InfiniBand connections. The CESM simulation can be efficiently scaled with the number of CPU cores on the AWS EC2 virtual cluster environment up to 64 cores. For the standard configuration of the CESM at a spatial resolution of 1.9° latitude by 2.5° longitude, increasing the number of cores from 16 to 64 reduces the wall-clock running time by more than 50% and the scaling is nearly linear. Beyond 64 cores, the communication latency starts to outweigh the benefit of distributed computing and the parallel speedup becomes nearly unchanged.

  15. Qualitative evaluation of a physical activity health promotion programme for people with intellectual disabilities in a group home setting.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dixon-Ibarra, A; Driver, S; Nery-Hurwit, M; VanVolkenburg, H

    2018-01-01

    There is a lack of health promotion programming designed to change the physical activity environment of the group home setting. The Menu-Choice programme assists staff in creating physical activity goals alongside residents with intellectual disabilities and provides strategies to incorporate activity into the group home schedule. The purpose of this study was to complete a process evaluation of Menu-Choice utilizing qualitative methods. Twelve participants, who completed a 10-week pilot intervention (n = 7 staff, mean age 42; n = 5 residents, mean age 52), participated in face-to-face interviews. Participants represented five group home sites involved in the intervention. Meta-themes included: (i) Programme training, (ii) Programme implementation, (iii) Programme physical activity, (iv) Programme barriers, (v) Programme facilitators and (vi) Programme feedback. Changes in programme training and simplified programme materials are needed to accommodate identified barriers for implementation. The importance of obtaining increased agency support and policy change is highlighted. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  16. Multiprocessor programming environment

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Smith, M.B.; Fornaro, R.

    1988-12-01

    Programming tools and techniques have been well developed for traditional uniprocessor computer systems. The focus of this research project is on the development of a programming environment for a high speed real time heterogeneous multiprocessor system, with special emphasis on languages and compilers. The new tools and techniques will allow a smooth transition for programmers with experience only on single processor systems.

  17. A Miniature Integrated Multimodal Sensor for Measuring pH, EC and Temperature for Precision Agriculture

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hiroaki Murata

    2012-06-01

    Full Text Available Making several simultaneous measurements with different kinds of sensors at the same location in a solution is difficult because of crosstalk between the sensors. In addition, because the conditions at different locations in plant beds differ, in situ measurements in agriculture need to be done in small localized areas. We have fabricated a multimodal sensor on a small Si chip in which a pH sensor was integrated with electrical conductivity (EC and temperature sensors. An ISFET with a Si3N4 membrane was used for the pH sensor. For the EC sensor, the electrical conductivity between platinum electrodes was measured, and the temperature sensor was a p-n junction diode. These are some of the most important measurements required for controlling the conditions in plant beds. The multimodal sensor can be inserted into a plant bed for in situ monitoring. To confirm the absence of crosstalk between the sensors, we made simultaneous measurements of pH, EC, and temperature of a pH buffer solution in a plant bed. When the solution was diluted with hot or cold water, the real time measurements showed changes to the EC and temperature, but no change in pH. We also demonstrated that our sensor was capable of simultaneous in situ measurements in rock wool without being affected by crosstalk.

  18. Focused training programmes for solving growth problems of very small businesses

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    S. Perks

    2008-12-01

    Full Text Available Purpose and objectives: The purpose of the study is to investigate the various types of focused training programmes that should be designed for eliminating or preventing small business growth problems. To help achieve this main objective, the following secondary goals are identified : • To highlight the role and nature of entrepreneurial training. • To identify possible focused training programmes for solving very small business problems. • To determine how training programmes should be structured to target very small business growth problems. • To explore which other method(s, besides training programmes could be uitilised for solving very small black business entrepreneurs' growth problems. • To provide trainers with guidelines in designing focused training programmes for solving very small business problems. Problem investigated: South African entrepreneurs have a poor skills record, which inhibits small business growth. The needs of a business changes as the business grows, resulting in growing pains for the very small business entrepreneur. Successful entrepreneurs are not necessarily academically inclined and often learn in a more dynamic, non-linear environment, therefore various specific focused training programmes need to be designed that can assist very small business entrepreneurs in eliminating or preventing small business growth problems. Methodology: A qualitative study was done, in which an empirical survey was conducted by means of a series of in-depth interviews with ten very small black business entrepreneurs. Findings: The empirical results identified seven types of training programmes focusing on financial management computer training, operations management, people management, marketing management, management and investment management. Other training programmes indicated were stress management, time management and security management. Within each of these types of training programmes specific focus areas were

  19. EC FP6 Siberia-focused Enviro-RISKS Project and its Outcomes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baklanov, A. A.; Gordov, E. P.

    2009-04-01

    The FP6 Project "Man-induced Environmental Risks: Monitoring, Management and Remediation of Man-made Changes in Siberia" (Enviro-RISKS) strategic objective is to facilitate elaboration of solid scientific background and understanding of man-made associated environmental risks, their influence on all aspects of regional environment and optimal ways for it remediation by means of coordinated initiatives of a range of relevant RTD projects as well as to achieve their improved integration thus giving the projects additional synergy in current activities and potential for practical applications. List of Partners includes 3 leading European research organizations, 6 leading Russian research organizations (5 - located in Siberia) and 1 organization from Kazakhstan. Additionally several Russian and European research organizations joined to the Project as Associated Partners. Scientific background and foundation for the project performance is formed by a number of different levels RTD projects carried out by Partners and devoted to near all aspects of the theme. The set comprise coordinated/performed by partners EC funded thematic international projects, Russian national projects and other projects performed by NIS partners. Project outcomes include, in particular, development and support of the bilingual Enviro-RISKS web portal (http://risks.scert.ru/) as the major tool for disseminations of environmental information and project results; achieved level of development of Siberia Integrated Regional Study (SIRS, http://sirs.scert.ru/), which is the Siberia-focused NEESPI Environmental Mega-Project ongoing under the auspices of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences. The main Project outcome are Memorandum on the state of the art of environmental RTD activity in Siberia and Recommendations on future environmental RTD activity in Siberia elaborated by four Working Experts Groups working in most important for Siberia Thematic Focuses. Three Thematic Focuses

  20. Remediation of the low-level radioactive waste tailing pond at Kowary, Poland

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Goerner, R.; Hartsch, J.; Koszela, J.; Krzyskow, A.; Machniewicz, B.; Sennewald, R.; Sowa, J.

    2002-03-01

    The last remaining uranium mining tailing pond in Poland, situated at Kowary, was the subject of the Kowary Tailing Pond Remediation Programme financed by Polish public bodies (70%) and by the European Commission (30%) within the framework of its programme of co-operation on radioactive waste issues with candidate countries. The EC-part of the project comprised investigations of the site, project management duties and large-scale civil works following the initial remediation planning performed by the Wroclaw University of Technology (WUT) in 1998-2000. The EC-part was contracted to G.E.O.S. Freiberg Ingenieurgesellschaft mbH following an Open Call for Tender launched by the European Commission in 1999. The following general tasks were performed in close co-operation with WUT, with the construction works subcontracted to local companies, as proposed in the Terms of Reference (TOR) of the EC-part: review of General Remediation Plan (GRP), technical design of the pond cover, construction work: internal drainage system, pond cover and site reclamation. From the information in the TOR, the following aims of remediation were defined: minimise the detrimental impact of the tailing pond on the environment, provide long-term stability of the slopes surrounding the pond, ensure the remediated site is in harmony with the surrounding natural scenery. Based on the experience gathered in similar projects, which had been running under PHARE-MCE or which belonged to the WISMUT-remediation programme in Germany, cost efficient remediation solutions were designed in close co-operation with all involved parties. They were delineated in the detailed planning documents approved in the overall remediation programme managed by WUT. The planned remediation works were prepared and performed successfully according to Polish law and in agreement with the competent local authorities. The aims of remediation were met. However, some additional tasks have been recommended in zones adjacent to the

  1. The Inter-Agency programme on marine pollution

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Carvalho, F.P.

    1998-01-01

    The Global Programme of Action (GPA) for the Protection of the Marine Environment from Land-based Activities - as well as a number of international conventions (e.g., United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, the Oslo and Paris Conventions) and regional agreements - are addressing the needs, The GPA sets the obligations for, and aims at assisting the States to undertake, the monitoring of contaminants in the marine environment and to control and abate pollution sources. Included among the contaminants of major concern are persistent organic pollutants (e.g., pesticides and PCBs), heavy metals, petroleum hydrocarbons, radioactive substances, nutrients, swage, and litter. Effective surveillance of contaminants of the marine environment and control of pollution depend upon a number of factors, including appropriate institutional capacity in the countries. In recent years, many countries displayed increased attention to environmental issues and, gradually, infrastructures were developed and environmental protection regulations were put into place. This article reviews the global framework for assisting countries to upgrade their capabilities for analysing data related to the marine environment, and particularly focuses on services being provided by the IAEA's Marine Environment Laboratory (MEL) in Monaco

  2. Are Cloud Environments Ready for Scientific Applications?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mehrotra, P.; Shackleford, K.

    2011-12-01

    Cloud computing environments are becoming widely available both in the commercial and government sectors. They provide flexibility to rapidly provision resources in order to meet dynamic and changing computational needs without the customers incurring capital expenses and/or requiring technical expertise. Clouds also provide reliable access to resources even though the end-user may not have in-house expertise for acquiring or operating such resources. Consolidation and pooling in a cloud environment allow organizations to achieve economies of scale in provisioning or procuring computing resources and services. Because of these and other benefits, many businesses and organizations are migrating their business applications (e.g., websites, social media, and business processes) to cloud environments-evidenced by the commercial success of offerings such as the Amazon EC2. In this paper, we focus on the feasibility of utilizing cloud environments for scientific workloads and workflows particularly of interest to NASA scientists and engineers. There is a wide spectrum of such technical computations. These applications range from small workstation-level computations to mid-range computing requiring small clusters to high-performance simulations requiring supercomputing systems with high bandwidth/low latency interconnects. Data-centric applications manage and manipulate large data sets such as satellite observational data and/or data previously produced by high-fidelity modeling and simulation computations. Most of the applications are run in batch mode with static resource requirements. However, there do exist situations that have dynamic demands, particularly ones with public-facing interfaces providing information to the general public, collaborators and partners, as well as to internal NASA users. In the last few months we have been studying the suitability of cloud environments for NASA's technical and scientific workloads. We have ported several applications to

  3. Nigeria nuclear power generation programme: Suggested way forward

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Adesanmi, C.A.

    2007-01-01

    It has now been established worldwide that nuclear power generation is needed to meet growing energy demands. The gases emitted from fossil fuel have serious adverse effects on the environment. The message from the 50th Annual General Conference of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) held in Vienna, September 2006 was very clear on this issue. There was a unanimous support for more nuclear power generation to meet the world energy demand. All the member states that can afford the nuclear power technology and willing to abide by the international regulations and safeguards were encouraged to do so. The requirements to participate in the nuclear power generation programme are political will and organized diplomacy, legislative and statutory framework, international safety obligations, institutional framework, public acceptability, capacity building and technology transfer, environmental concern , waste management and financing. Nigeria's performance on all the criteria was evaluated and found satisfactory. All these coupled with Nigeria's dire need for more power and better energy mix, are sufficient and undisputable reasons for the whole world to support Nigeria nuclear power generation programme. Definitely the programme poses serious challenges to the Nigerian Physicists. Therefore, Departments of Physics should endeavour to include nuclear physics option in their programme and work in collaboration with the faculty of Engineering in their various tertiary institutions in order to attain the necessary critical human capacity that will be needed to man the nuclear power industry within the next 10 years

  4. Some aspects of design and analysis of selection programmes in aquaculture species.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Y; Ponzoni, R W

    2015-04-01

    The aquaculture industry is one of the fastest growing animal food-producing sectors in the world, largely driven by an increasing demand for high-quality protein from developing countries. However, the majority of cultured production of aquatic species currently relies heavily on the collection of wild animals for use as broodstock. Aquatic animal domestication and genetic selection programmes in controlled environments are essential to enable the provision of a continued supply of high-quality food for an ever-expanding world population. Professor John James' significant contributions to the genetic improvement of conventional livestock species are well known. By contrast, his contributions to the aquaculture industry are less well known, especially in the areas of design and conduct of selective breeding programmes in aquatic animal species. In this study, we focus on a few aspects of aquaculture genetics to which Professor James made substantial contributions. His outstanding ability to comprehend, clarify and simplify complex problems with easy-to-understand mathematical derivations is clearly demonstrated in the areas of large-scale strain comparisons, genotype-by-environment interactions (GxE), transformations and interpretation of selection response, as well as in the treatment of economic aspects of designing breeding programmes. © 2015 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

  5. In-situ measurements of the secondary electron yield in an accelerator environment: Instrumentation and methods

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hartung, W.H.; Asner, D.M.; Conway, J.V.; Dennett, C.A.; Greenwald, S.; Kim, J.-S.; Li, Y.; Moore, T.P.; Omanovic, V.; Palmer, M.A.; Strohman, C.R.

    2015-01-01

    The performance of a particle accelerator can be limited by the build-up of an electron cloud (EC) in the vacuum chamber. Secondary electron emission from the chamber walls can contribute to EC growth. An apparatus for in-situ measurements of the secondary electron yield (SEY) in the Cornell Electron Storage Ring (CESR) was developed in connection with EC studies for the CESR Test Accelerator program. The CESR in-situ system, in operation since 2010, allows for SEY measurements as a function of incident electron energy and angle on samples that are exposed to the accelerator environment, typically 5.3 GeV counter-rotating beams of electrons and positrons. The system was designed for periodic measurements to observe beam conditioning of the SEY with discrimination between exposure to direct photons from synchrotron radiation versus scattered photons and cloud electrons. The samples can be exchanged without venting the CESR vacuum chamber. Measurements have been done on metal surfaces and EC-mitigation coatings. The in-situ SEY apparatus and improvements to the measurement tools and techniques are described

  6. In-situ measurements of the secondary electron yield in an accelerator environment: Instrumentation and methods

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hartung, W.H., E-mail: wh29@cornell.edu; Asner, D.M.; Conway, J.V.; Dennett, C.A.; Greenwald, S.; Kim, J.-S.; Li, Y.; Moore, T.P.; Omanovic, V.; Palmer, M.A.; Strohman, C.R.

    2015-05-21

    The performance of a particle accelerator can be limited by the build-up of an electron cloud (EC) in the vacuum chamber. Secondary electron emission from the chamber walls can contribute to EC growth. An apparatus for in-situ measurements of the secondary electron yield (SEY) in the Cornell Electron Storage Ring (CESR) was developed in connection with EC studies for the CESR Test Accelerator program. The CESR in-situ system, in operation since 2010, allows for SEY measurements as a function of incident electron energy and angle on samples that are exposed to the accelerator environment, typically 5.3 GeV counter-rotating beams of electrons and positrons. The system was designed for periodic measurements to observe beam conditioning of the SEY with discrimination between exposure to direct photons from synchrotron radiation versus scattered photons and cloud electrons. The samples can be exchanged without venting the CESR vacuum chamber. Measurements have been done on metal surfaces and EC-mitigation coatings. The in-situ SEY apparatus and improvements to the measurement tools and techniques are described.

  7. Programmable Automated Welding System (PAWS)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kline, Martin D.

    1994-01-01

    An ambitious project to develop an advanced, automated welding system is being funded as part of the Navy Joining Center with Babcock & Wilcox as the prime integrator. This program, the Programmable Automated Welding System (PAWS), involves the integration of both planning and real-time control activities. Planning functions include the development of a graphical decision support system within a standard, portable environment. Real-time control functions include the development of a modular, intelligent, real-time control system and the integration of a number of welding process sensors. This paper presents each of these components of the PAWS and discusses how they can be utilized to automate the welding operation.

  8. Promoting Safety Environment for School Sports | Aluko | AFRREV ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The purpose of this study was to examine the safety environment under which school sports programme is organized in Nigeria schools. The paper noted that poor environment under which PES is administered militated against smooth attainment of physical education and sports in schools. In this regard the paper explored ...

  9. Do they practice what we teach? Follow-up evaluation of a Schema Therapy training programme

    OpenAIRE

    Kingston, Deborah; Moghaddam, Nima; Beckley, Kerry

    2014-01-01

    This study evaluated a three-day Schema Therapy training programme for trainee clinical psychologists. The training used an experiential model of learning, which was intended to encourage the transfer of knowledge and techniques from the learning environment into clinical practice. Using a mixed-methods approach, the training programme was evaluated in terms of: (1) self-reported changes in knowledge, confidence and willingness to use Schema Therapy-informed techniques; (2) whether the tra...

  10. Analysis of Well ER-EC-2a Testing, Western Pahute Mesa-Oasis Valley FY 2000 Testing Program

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    None

    2002-09-30

    This report documents the analysis of the data collected for Well ER-EC-2a during the Western Pahute Mesa - Oasis Valley (WPM-OV) well development and testing program that was conducted during fiscal year (FY) 2000. The data collection for that program is documented in Appendix A, Western Pahute Mesa - Oasis Valley, Well ER-EC-2a Data Report for Development and Hydraulic Testing.

  11. Fossil and non-fossil sources of organic carbon (OC and elemental carbon (EC in Göteborg, Sweden

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    S. Szidat

    2009-03-01

    Full Text Available Particulate matter was collected at an urban site in Göteborg (Sweden in February/March 2005 and in June/July 2006. Additional samples were collected at a rural site for the winter period. Total carbon (TC concentrations were 2.1–3.6 μg m−3, 1.8–1.9 μg m−3, and 2.2–3.0 μg m−3 for urban/winter, rural/winter, and urban/summer conditions, respectively. Elemental carbon (EC, organic carbon (OC, water-insoluble OC (WINSOC, and water-soluble OC (WSOC were analyzed for 14C in order to distinguish fossil from non-fossil emissions. As wood burning is the single major source of non-fossil EC, its contribution can be quantified directly. For non-fossil OC, the wood-burning fraction was determined independently by levoglucosan and 14C analysis and combined using Latin-hypercube sampling (LHS. For the winter period, the relative contribution of EC from wood burning to the total EC was >3 times higher at the rural site compared to the urban site, whereas the absolute concentrations of EC from wood burning were elevated only moderately at the rural compared to the urban site. Thus, the urban site is substantially more influenced by fossil EC emissions. For summer, biogenic emissions dominated OC concentrations most likely due to secondary organic aerosol (SOA formation. During both seasons, a more pronounced fossil signal was observed for Göteborg than has previously been reported for Zurich, Switzerland. Analysis of air mass origin using back trajectories suggests that the fossil impact was larger when local sources dominated, whereas long-range transport caused an enhanced non-fossil signal. In comparison to other European locations, concentrations of levoglucosan and other monosaccharide anhydrides were low for the urban and the rural site in the area of Göteborg during winter.

  12. Fusion technology programme

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Finken, D.

    1984-04-01

    KfK participates to the Fusion Technology Programme of the European Community. Most of the work in progress addresses the Next European Torus (NET) and the long term technology aspects as defined in the 82/86 programme. A minor part serves to preparation of future contributions and to design studies on fusion concepts in a wider perspective. The Fusion Technology Programme of Euratom covers mainly aspects of nuclear engineering. Plasma engineering, heating, refueling and vacuum technology are at present part of the Physics Programme. In view of NET, integration of the different areas of work will be mandatory. KfK is therefore prepared to address technical aspects beyond the actual scope of the physics experiments. The technology tasks are reported project wise under title and code of the Euratom programme. Most of the projects described here are shared with other European fusion laboratories as indicated in the table annexed to this report. (orig./GG)

  13. A BLUEPRINT FOR IMPLEMENTING GRAND CHALLENGE SCHOLARS’ PROGRAMME: A CASE STUDY OF TAYLOR’S UNIVERSITY

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    MUSHTAK AL-ATABI

    2013-04-01

    Full Text Available The National Academy for Engineering announced 14 Grand Challenges for the 21st Century engineers to address in order to ensure a sustainable future for the generations to come. These grand challenges are in four broad areas, namely, energy and environment, health, security and learning and computation. This paper reports on a Grand Challenges Scholars’ Programme that is developed to prepare the engineering students to be able to address the grand challenges using the CDIO framework and focusing on five components; research experience, interdisciplinary curriculum, entrepreneurship, global dimension and service learning. The programme is voluntary and the candidates are expected to commit additional learning time. The programme was launched with 16 participants who are expected to graduate in 2016. A preliminary assessment of the programs shows that the participants found the programme useful in developing an array of CDIO skills. The School intends to continue offering this programme with the intention of integrating it with a holistic education approach.

  14. Development of novel antibacterial active, HaCaT biocompatible and biodegradable CA-g-P(3HB-EC biocomposites with caffeic acid as a functional entity

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    H. M. N. Iqbal

    2015-09-01

    Full Text Available We have developed novel composites by grafting caffeic acid (CA onto the P(3HB-EC based material and laccase from Trametes versicolor was used for grafting purposes. The resulting composites were designated as CA-g-P(3HB-EC i.e., P(3HB-EC (control, 5CA-g-P(3HB-EC, 10CA-g-P(3HB-EC, 15CA-g-P(3HB-EC and 20CA-g-P(3HB-EC. FT-IR (Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy was used to examine the functional and elemental groups of the control and laccase-assisted graft composites. Evidently, 15CA-g-P(3HB-EC composite exhibited resilient antibacterial activity against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacterial strains. Moreover, a significant level of biocompatibility and biodegradability of the CA-g-P(3HB-EC composites was also achieved with the human keratinocytes-like HaCaT cells and soil burial evaluation, respectively. In conclusion, the newly developed novel composites with multi characteristics could well represent the new wave of biomaterials for medical applications, and more specifically have promising future in the infection free would dressings, burn and/or skin regeneration field due to their sophisticated characteristics.

  15. Molecular Biology for the Environment: an EC-US hands-on Course in Environmental Biotechnology

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Victor de Lorenzo; Juan Luis Ramos; Jerome Kukor; Gerben J. Zylstra

    2004-02-15

    One of the central goals of this activity is to bring together young scientists (at the late Ph.D. or early postdoctoral stages of their careers) in a forum that should result in future collaborations. The course is designed to give scientists hands-on experience in modern, up-to-date biotechnological methods at the interface between molecular biology and environmental biotechnology for the analysis of microorganisms and their activities with regard to the remediation of pollutants in the environment.

  16. The National Coordinated Research Programme for Air Quality. Another choice for clean air

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Van Giezen, M.; Havinga, A.; De Boer, H.

    2009-01-01

    On August 1st 2009 the National Coordinated Research Programme for Air quality (NSL in Dutch) entered into operation. This programme must help improve air quality such that it meets the European standards. At the same time the deadlock between environment and space is also solved. A special approach has been chosen for this purpose, which is based on a common interest of the State, provinces and local authorities. It was an intensive and interesting process. The annual monitoring will have to show whether or not the NSL will meet its objectives. [nl

  17. Finnish bioenergy research programme

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Asplund, D. [VTT Energy, Jyvaeskylae (Finland)

    1996-12-31

    Finland is a leading country in the use of biofuels and has excellent opportunities to increase the use of biofuels by up to 25-30 %. The Finnish Government has set an objective for the promotion of bioenergy. The aim is to increase the use of bioenergy by about 25 % from the present level by 2005, and the increment corresponds to 1.5 million tonnes of oil equivalent (toe) per year. The R and D work has been considered as an important factor to achieve this ambitious goal. Energy research was organised into a series of research programmes in 1988 in accordance with the proposal of Finnish Energy Research Committee. The object of the research programmes is to enhance research activities and to bundle individual projects together into larger research packages. The common target of the Finnish energy research programmes is to proceed from basic and applied research to product development and pilot operation, and after that to the first commercial applications, e.g. demonstrations. As the organisation of energy research to programmes has led to good results, the Finnish Ministry of Trade and Industry decided to go on with this practice by launching new six-year programmes in 1993-1998. One of these programmes is the Bioenergy Research Programme and the co-ordination of this programme is carried out by VTT Energy. Besides VTT Energy the Finnish Forest Research Institute, Work Efficiency Institute, Metsaeteho and University of Joensuu are participating in the programme 7 refs.

  18. Finnish bioenergy research programme

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Asplund, D [VTT Energy, Jyvaeskylae (Finland)

    1997-12-31

    Finland is a leading country in the use of biofuels and has excellent opportunities to increase the use of biofuels by up to 25-30 %. The Finnish Government has set an objective for the promotion of bioenergy. The aim is to increase the use of bioenergy by about 25 % from the present level by 2005, and the increment corresponds to 1.5 million tonnes of oil equivalent (toe) per year. The R and D work has been considered as an important factor to achieve this ambitious goal. Energy research was organised into a series of research programmes in 1988 in accordance with the proposal of Finnish Energy Research Committee. The object of the research programmes is to enhance research activities and to bundle individual projects together into larger research packages. The common target of the Finnish energy research programmes is to proceed from basic and applied research to product development and pilot operation, and after that to the first commercial applications, e.g. demonstrations. As the organisation of energy research to programmes has led to good results, the Finnish Ministry of Trade and Industry decided to go on with this practice by launching new six-year programmes in 1993-1998. One of these programmes is the Bioenergy Research Programme and the co-ordination of this programme is carried out by VTT Energy. Besides VTT Energy the Finnish Forest Research Institute, Work Efficiency Institute, Metsaeteho and University of Joensuu are participating in the programme 7 refs.

  19. Combgap Promotes Ovarian Niche Development and Chromatin Association of EcR-Binding Regions in BR-C.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hitrik, Anna; Popliker, Malka; Gancz, Dana; Mukamel, Zohar; Lifshitz, Aviezer; Schwartzman, Omer; Tanay, Amos; Gilboa, Lilach

    2016-11-01

    The development of niches for tissue-specific stem cells is an important aspect of stem cell biology. Determination of niche size and niche numbers during organogenesis involves precise control of gene expression. How this is achieved in the context of a complex chromatin landscape is largely unknown. Here we show that the nuclear protein Combgap (Cg) supports correct ovarian niche formation in Drosophila by controlling ecdysone-Receptor (EcR)- mediated transcription and long-range chromatin contacts in the broad locus (BR-C). Both cg and BR-C promote ovarian growth and the development of niches for germ line stem cells. BR-C levels were lower when Combgap was either reduced or over-expressed, indicating an intricate regulation of the BR-C locus by Combgap. Polytene chromosome stains showed that Cg co-localizes with EcR, the major regulator of BR-C, at the BR-C locus and that EcR binding to chromatin was sensitive to changes in Cg levels. Proximity ligation assay indicated that the two proteins could reside in the same complex. Finally, chromatin conformation analysis revealed that EcR-bound regions within BR-C, which span ~30 KBs, contacted each other. Significantly, these contacts were stabilized in an ecdysone- and Combgap-dependent manner. Together, these results highlight Combgap as a novel regulator of chromatin structure that promotes transcription of ecdysone target genes and ovarian niche formation.

  20. Energy policy and the scope of action of the EC; Die energiepolitischen Handlungsmoeglichkeiten der EG

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Brand, E. [Universitaet Lueneburg, Lueneburg (Germany); Witthohn, A. [IHK Hannover (Germany)

    2002-04-01

    This contribution examines the legal basis of authorization and the scope of action of the European legislator with respect to legislation on the energy policy of the EC. The analysis starts with summarising the evolution of the primary law, looking inter alia at the constitutent treaties of the ECSC, EURATOM, and the EEC, and discusses further developments and treaties, as there is no specific, uniform basis of legislative power of the EC in the energy sector of EC. Subsequently, the basis for and secondary law making is discussed, the concluding part of the article giving an outlook on the future. (orig./CB) [German] Zentrale Frage des folgenden Beitrags ist, woraus der europaeische Gesetzgeber seine Kompetenz im Energiebereich ableitet und wie weit seine Regelungen in dem Bereich gehen duerfen. Um diese Fragen zu beantworten, wird zunaechst die Entwicklung des europaeischen Primaerrechts bzw. der Gruendungsvertraege im Energiebereich beleuchtet und werden die einschlaegigen Ermaechtigungsgrundlagen dargestellt. Im Anschluss daran stehen dann die wichtigsten sekundaerrechtlichen Regelungen im Mittelpunkt. Abschliessend wird ein Ausblick auf die weitere Entwicklung gegeben. (orig./CB)

  1. Executive control systems in the engineering design environment. M.S. Thesis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hurst, P. W.

    1985-01-01

    An executive control system (ECS) is a software structure for unifying various applications codes into a comprehensive system. It provides a library of applications, a uniform access method through a cental user interface, and a data management facility. A survey of twenty-four executive control systems designed to unify various CAD/CAE applications for use in diverse engineering design environments within government and industry was conducted. The goals of this research were to establish system requirements to survey state-of-the-art architectural design approaches, and to provide an overview of the historical evolution of these systems. Foundations for design are presented and include environmental settings, system requirements, major architectural components, and a system classification scheme based on knowledge of the supported engineering domain(s). An overview of the design approaches used in developing the major architectural components of an ECS is presented with examples taken from the surveyed systems. Attention is drawn to four major areas of ECS development: interdisciplinary usage; standardization; knowledge utilization; and computer science technology transfer.

  2. Learning Environment as Correlates of Chemistry Students ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    gold

    2012-07-26

    Jul 26, 2012 ... The study aimed at assessing how 13 learning environment variables taken ... chemistry education programmes for optimum achievement of students in ... The contribution of chemistry and chemists to social, industrial and.

  3. Agricultural price and income policy in the EC : alternative policies and their implications

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Meester, G.

    1980-01-01

    Alternative forms of income policy without direct supply control. Alternative forms of income policy with direct supply control: quota arrangements. The influence of EC policy on the world market prices of agricultural produce

  4. MicroRNA-281 regulates the expression of ecdysone receptor (EcR) isoform B in the silkworm, Bombyx mori

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hundreds of Bombyx mori miRNAs had been identified in recent years, but their function in vivo remains poorly understood. The silkworm EcR gene (BmEcR) has three transcriptional isoforms, A, B1 and B2. Isoform sequences are different in the 3’UTR region of the gene, which is the case only in insects...

  5. SIPSMetGen: It's Not Just For Aircraft Data and ECS Anymore.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schwab, M.

    2015-12-01

    The SIPSMetGen utility, developed for the NASA EOSDIS project, under the EED contract, simplified the creation of file level metadata for the ECS System. The utility has been enhanced for ease of use, efficiency, speed and increased flexibility. The SIPSMetGen utility was originally created as a means of generating file level spatial metadata for Operation IceBridge. The first version created only ODL metadata, specific for ingest into ECS. The core strength of the utility was, and continues to be, its ability to take complex shapes and patterns of data collection point clouds from aircraft flights and simplify them to a relatively simple concave hull geo-polygon. It has been found to be a useful and easy to use tool for creating file level metadata for many other missions, both aircraft and satellite. While the original version was useful it had its limitations. In 2014 Raytheon was tasked to make enhancements to SIPSMetGen, this resulted a new version of SIPSMetGen which can create ISO Compliant XML metadata; provides optimization and streamlining of the algorithm for creating the spatial metadata; a quicker runtime with more consistent results; a utility that can be configured to run multi-threaded on systems with multiple processors. The utility comes with a java based graphical user interface to aid in configuration and running of the utility. The enhanced SIPSMetGen allows more diverse data sets to be archived with file level metadata. The advantage of archiving data with file level metadata is that it makes it easier for data users, and scientists to find relevant data. File level metadata unlocks the power of existing archives and metadata repositories such as ECS and CMR and search and discovery utilities like Reverb and Earth Data Search. Current missions now using SIPSMetGen include: Aquarius, Measures, ARISE, and Nimbus.

  6. Framework programmable platform for the advanced software development workstation. Integration mechanism design document

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mayer, Richard J.; Blinn, Thomas M.; Mayer, Paula S. D.; Reddy, Uday; Ackley, Keith; Futrell, Mike

    1991-01-01

    The Framework Programmable Software Development Platform (FPP) is a project aimed at combining effective tool and data integration mechanisms with a model of the software development process in an intelligent integrated software development environment. Guided by this model, this system development framework will take advantage of an integrated operating environment to automate effectively the management of the software development process so that costly mistakes during the development phase can be eliminated.

  7. The Cockcroft difference: an analysis of the impact of a nursing leadership development programme.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chappell, Kate K; Willis, Leah

    2013-03-01

    Identifying impact areas of nursing leadership development programmes is needed to determine if there are measureable effects on participants. These impact areas help to identify measures to substantiate the benefits of nursing leadership programmes for organization leaders making decisions about support and implementation of such opportunities for their emerging leaders. Using mixed qualitative/quantitative methods, the impact of a nursing leadership development programme, the Amy V. Cockcroft Fellowship, is examined to determine if there are measureable influences. Themes of four areas of impact: improved conflict resolution/negotiation skills, communication skills, personal development and career action or change were identified through content analysis. These themes provide the basis for creating measureable indicators for nursing organizations to use in determining the value of nursing leadership development programmes such as the Amy V. Cockcroft Fellowship. Based on the findings established in this research article, nurse managers can focus on developing themselves and their peer groups through nursing leadership development programmes to prepare for leading in the present and future healthcare environment. © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

  8. Analysis of the pelE promoter in Erwinia chrysanthemi EC16.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gold, S; Nishio, S; Tsuyumu, S; Keen, N T

    1992-01-01

    The pelE gene of Erwinia chrysanthemi strain EC16 encodes an extracellular pectate lyase protein that is important in virulence on plants. Control of pelE expression is complex, because the gene is regulated by catabolite repression, substrate induction, and growth-phase inhibition. A Tn7-lux reporter gene system was employed to define DNA sequences comprising the pelE promoter. When EC16 cells were grown on medium containing sodium polypectate, pelE transcriptional start sites were observed only at 95 and 96 bases upstream of the translational start site. However, DNA sequences required for pelE expression were also shown by deletion analysis to reside between 196 and 215 base pairs upstream of the translational start site. In addition to these upstream elements, two putative operator sequences that interact with negative regulatory factors occurred downstream of the transcriptional start. Finally, deletion of three bases from a putative catabolite gene activator protein binding site in the pelE promoter eliminated activity. The data demonstrate that the pelE promoter is complex and suggest that it interacts with several regulatory proteins.

  9. Marine environment news. Vol. 1, no. 1

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2003-09-01

    This is the first issue of the IAEA's Marine Environment Newsletter which is hoped to inform Member States, research partners, visitors and other stakeholders of highlights of the marine projects, surveys, hot issues, discoveries and training programmes being delivered by the IAEA's Marine Environment Laboratory (MEL) in Monaco. In this issue the mission of the MEL and its various activities are presented

  10. Working Environment and Technological Development - An Introduction

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Clausen, Christian; Nielsen, Klaus T.

    1997-01-01

    The chapter is concerned with the different departures, research questions, positions and controversies that is identified in the research programme: Working Environment and Technological Environment. The chapter counterposes positions from six different chapters and raises four themes for debate...... and further research. 1) Whast is planning? 2) Organisational change - learning or political processes? 3) Transformations of technology. 4) Strategies for considering working conditions....

  11. The complete sequence and comparative analysis of a multidrug- resistance and virulence multireplicon IncFII plasmid pEC302/04 from an extraintestinal pathogenic Escherichia coli EC302/04 indicate extensive diversity of IncFII plasmids

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wing Sze eHo

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Extraintestinal pathogenic Escherichia coli (ExPEC that causes extraintestinal infections often harbor plasmids encoding fitness traits such as resistance and virulence determinants that are of clinical importance. We determined the complete nucleotide sequence of plasmid pEC302/04 from a multidrug-resistant E. coli EC302/04 which was isolated from the tracheal aspirate of a patient in Malaysia. In addition, we also performed comparative sequence analyses of 18 related IncFIIA plasmids to determine the phylogenetic relationship and diversity of these plasmids. The 140,232 bp pEC302/04 is a multireplicon plasmid that bears three replication systems (FII, FIA and FIB with subtype of F2:A1:B1. The plasmid is self-transmissible with a complete transfer region. pEC302/04 also carries antibiotic resistance genes such as blaTEM-1 and a class I integron containing sul1, cml and aadA resistance genes, conferring multidrug resistance (MDR to its host, E. coli EC302/04. Besides, two iron acquisition systems (SitABCD and IutA-IucABCD which are the conserved virulence determinants of ExPEC-colicin V or B and M (ColV/ColBM-producing plasmids were identified in pEC302/04. Multiple toxin-antitoxin (TA-based addiction systems (i.e., PemI/PemK, VagC/VagD, CcdA/CcdB, and Hok/Sok and a plasmid partitioning system, ParAB and PsiAB, which are important for plasmid maintenance were also found.Comparative plasmid analysis revealed only one conserved gene, the repA1 as the core genome, showing that there is an extensive diversity among the IncFIIA plasmids. The phylogenetic relationship of 18 IncF plasmids based on the core regions revealed that ColV/ColBM-plasmids and non-ColV/ColBM plasmids were separated into two distinct groups. These plasmids, which carry highly diverse genetic contents, are also mosaic in nature. The atypical combination of genetic materials, i.e., the MDR- and ColV/ColBM-plasmid-virulence encoding regions in a single ExPEC plasmid is rare but of

  12. The Complete Sequence and Comparative Analysis of a Multidrug-Resistance and Virulence Multireplicon IncFII Plasmid pEC302/04 from an Extraintestinal Pathogenic Escherichia coli EC302/04 Indicate Extensive Diversity of IncFII Plasmids.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ho, Wing Sze; Yap, Kien-Pong; Yeo, Chew Chieng; Rajasekaram, Ganeswrie; Thong, Kwai Lin

    2015-01-01

    Extraintestinal pathogenic Escherichia coli (ExPEC) that causes extraintestinal infections often harbor plasmids encoding fitness traits such as resistance and virulence determinants that are of clinical importance. We determined the complete nucleotide sequence of plasmid pEC302/04 from a multidrug-resistant E. coli EC302/04 which was isolated from the tracheal aspirate of a patient in Malaysia. In addition, we also performed comparative sequence analyses of 18 related IncFIIA plasmids to determine the phylogenetic relationship and diversity of these plasmids. The 140,232 bp pEC302/04 is a multireplicon plasmid that bears three replication systems (FII, FIA, and FIB) with subtype of F2:A1:B1. The plasmid is self-transmissible with a complete transfer region. pEC302/04 also carries antibiotic resistance genes such as bla TEM-1 and a class I integron containing sul1, cml and aadA resistance genes, conferring multidrug resistance (MDR) to its host, E. coli EC302/04. Besides, two iron acquisition systems (SitABCD and IutA-IucABCD) which are the conserved virulence determinants of ExPEC-colicin V or B and M (ColV/ColBM)-producing plasmids were identified in pEC302/04. Multiple toxin-antitoxin (TA)-based addiction systems (i.e., PemI/PemK, VagC/VagD, CcdA/CcdB, and Hok/Sok) and a plasmid partitioning system, ParAB, and PsiAB, which are important for plasmid maintenance were also found. Comparative plasmid analysis revealed only one conserved gene, the repA1 as the core genome, showing that there is an extensive diversity among the IncFIIA plasmids. The phylogenetic relationship of 18 IncF plasmids based on the core regions revealed that ColV/ColBM-plasmids and non-ColV/ColBM plasmids were separated into two distinct groups. These plasmids, which carry highly diverse genetic contents, are also mosaic in nature. The atypical combination of genetic materials, i.e., the MDR- and ColV/ColBM-plasmid-virulence encoding regions in a single ExPEC plasmid is rare but of clinical

  13. Long-term behaviour of radioactive nuclides in the environment

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Brechignac, F.; Moberg, L.; Suomela, M.

    1999-01-01

    Report of recent advances in Europe, regarding the long-term development of radioactive nuclides in the environment. The corresponding scientific findings from three projects - Peace, Landscape and Epora (involving 18 European laboratories) - have been collected together. These projects were managed by the IPSN for the European Commission (DG XII) in the framework of the programme 'Surete de la fission nucleaire' (Nuclear fission safety programme). (author)

  14. Artificial intelligence in process control: Knowledge base for the shuttle ECS model

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stiffler, A. Kent

    1989-01-01

    The general operation of KATE, an artificial intelligence controller, is outlined. A shuttle environmental control system (ECS) demonstration system for KATE is explained. The knowledge base model for this system is derived. An experimental test procedure is given to verify parameters in the model.

  15. EC + LH current drive efficiency in the presence of an internal transport barrier

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rosa, P.R. da S; Ziebell, L.F.

    2002-01-01

    In this paper we study the effects of the presence of an internal transport barrier (ITB) on the current drive efficiency and power deposition profiles in the case of electron cyclotron waves interacting with an extended tail generated by lower hybrid (LH) waves. We study the subject by numerically solving the Fokker-Planck equation, with temperature and density profiles corrected along the time evolution at each collision time, based on the actual time-evolving electron distribution function. The results obtained show that the LH and electron cyclotron (EC) power absorption profiles and the current driven by the combined action of both types of waves are weakly dependent on the depth of the ITB, slightly more dependent on the level of magnetic turbulence and much more dependent on the level of EC wave power. (author)

  16. Integration of the market of the European Community and the change of the industrial structure; EC shijo togo to sangyo kozo no henka

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Nakamura, T; Uno, K; Tanimoto, T; Yamashita, T [Osaka Sangyo University, Osaka (Japan). Institute for Industrial Research

    1994-11-22

    This paper describes progress of the cooperation as to the integration of EC market and the change of industrial structure. For the structural change in the industry and economy accompanied by the integration of EC, effects of the Maastricht Treaty on the economic structure of EC are described. It is considered that the EC countries are affected by the political and economical restrictions due to the agreement of this treaty. For the change in the distribution structure accompanied by the integration of EC, obstruction factors of the deregulation of EC transportation market are especially investigated. Differences in the distribution capacity, various regulations and standards, and labor condition among individual countries are pointed out as the obstruction factors. For the unity of Germany and its economical and administrative influence, various problems are pointed out as to the economical confusion, progress in the de-nationalization of enterprises, management of real estate and land, etc. For the structural change in the road freight market in the member nations of EC, the structure of road freight market is made clear for the previous West Germany before the integration of European market. It is confirmed that the internationalization of the German domestic market is being promoted.

  17. Bolsa Família (Family Grant Programme: an analysis of Brazilian income transfer programme

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Luciana Mourão

    2012-06-01

    Full Text Available Income transfer programmes are common in various countries and play an important role in combating poverty. This article presents a review of the results of the Bolsa Família (Family Grant Programme, implemented in Brazil by the government of Lula da Silva in 2004. Over the last seven years many evaluations of the programme have been conducted, allowing an overview of its results and its strong and weak points to be mapped. Five central aspects relating to the programme are discussed in article five: (1 programme access, (2 hunger fighting results, (3 programme financial impacts, (4 conditioning factors of education and health, (5 supplementary programs and social mobility. The results of scientific research were presented for each of these aspects, and any of these believed to be convergent or divergent were discussed. As a general result it was concluded that the programme has generated significant results for the country, but there are still some issues that need to be reviewed, such as conditioning factors and the integrated management of the programme.

  18. Water and environment news. No. 1

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1997-09-01

    This news bulletin will brief the reader on news related to isotope applications in the water and environment sector. It will bring the reader up to date on what is going on in the various projects constituting the IAEA sub programme entitled D evelopment and Management of Water Resources , and will highlight new results and achievements made in implementing the programme activities, including those jointly carried out with other organizations and institutes. Furthermore, the news bulletin will serve as an international open forum for the exchange of information in isotope hydrology and related fields. The first issue will make readers acquainted with general aspects of the Agency's sub-programme mentioned above, give an overview on past activities and achievements, and highlight current ones. The Agency's staff involved in all these activities is briefly introduced

  19. Search for EC-decayed neutron-deficient actinide isotopes using gas-jet coupled JAERI-ISOL

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Tsukada, Kazuaki [Japan Atomic Energy Research Inst., Tokai, Ibaraki (Japan). Tokai Research Establishment

    1997-07-01

    To study the nuclear properties of unknown neutron deficient actinide isotopes which decay mainly via orbital electron capture (EC), we have developed a composite system consisting of a gas-jet transport apparatus and a thermal ion-source at the JAERI-ISOL. With this system, search for {sup 236}Am produced in the {sup 235}U({sup 6}Li, 5n) reaction has been performed. Pu KX-rays associated with the EC decay of {sup 236}Am are observed at the mass-236 fraction. The half-life of {sup 236}Am is evaluated to be 4.4min. The outline of the gas-jet coupled JAERI-ISOL system and typical performance are given. (author)

  20. The Winfrith DSN programme

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Francescon, S [General Reactor Physics Division, Atomic Energy Establishment, Winfrith, Dorchester, Dorset (United Kingdom)

    1963-05-15

    The programme, which is written in the Fortran language, solves the Carlson discrete S{sub n} approximation to the Boltzmann transport equation in cylindrical geometry. This report describes the input and output facilities of the WINFRITH DSN programme and the associated editing programme WED. (author)

  1. The Winfrith DSN programme

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Francescon, S.

    1963-05-01

    The programme, which is written in the Fortran language, solves the Carlson discrete S n approximation to the Boltzmann transport equation in cylindrical geometry. This report describes the input and output facilities of the WINFRITH DSN programme and the associated editing programme WED. (author)

  2. UNESCO's Ethics Education Programme.

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Have, H.A.M.J. ten

    2008-01-01

    Unesco initiated the Ethics Education Programme in 2004 at the request of member states to reinforce and increase the capacities in the area of ethics teaching. The programme is focused on providing detailed information about existing teaching programmes. It also develops and promotes teaching

  3. Inr training programme in nuclear research

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cretu, I.; Ionila, M.; Gyongyosi, E.; Dragan, E.; Petra, M.

    2013-01-01

    The field of scientific research goes through rapid changes to which organizations must dinamically and efficiently adapt, which leads to the need to develop a continuous learning process that should be the basis for a long-term operational performance. Thus, human resource management systems and continuous learning should be perfectly correlated/alligned with the organizational strategy and knowledge. The research institutes through the nature of their activity are constantly undergoing a transformation process by exploring new research areas which presumes ensuring competent human resources who have to continuously learn and improve. The «learning organization » concept represents a metaphor rooted in the search of a strategy for promoting the personal development of the individual within an organization through a continuous transformation. Learning is associated with the idea of continuous transformation based on the individual and organizational development. Within « learning organizations » the human development strategy occupies a central role in management strategies. It was learned that organizations which perform excellently depend on the employees committment, especially in the budget constraints environment. For this, the human resources have to be used at maximum capacity but this is possible only with an increased committment of the employee towards the organization. The purpose of this paper is to present the basic training programme for the new employees which is part of the training strategy which carry out activities in the nuclear field of SCN Pitesti. With the majority of the research personnel aged between 45 and 60 years old there is the risk of loosing the knowledge gained in this domain. The expertise gained by experienced experts in the institute nationally and internationally can be exploited through the knowledge transfer to the new employees by organizing training programmes. The knowledge transfer between generations is one of the

  4. Appendix: Data management and data archive for the HYREX Programme

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    A. M. Roberts

    2000-01-01

    Full Text Available Since the mid 1980s, changes in political imperatives plus technological changes in computer hardware and software have heightened the awareness of the economic value and importance of quality datasets to scientific research. The Natural Environment Research Council’s (NERC interdisciplinary Thematic and Special Topic Programmes have highlighted the need for a coherent data management policy to provide and preserve these quality datasets for posterity. The Hydrological Radar EXperiment (HYREX Special Topic Programme brought together multi-disciplinary researchers from UK public sector laboratories and universities. In this paper, the HYREX data management strategy, its problems and its solutions are discussed. The HYREX data archive, situated at NERC’s British Atmospheric Data Centre, is described. Keywords: radar, data, archive, web, storm, flood

  5. TELEMAN - an European community research and development programme on robotics in the nuclear industry

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tolley, B.; Robertson, B.

    1991-01-01

    The TELEMAN Programme is a five year cost-shared research programme covering remote handling in hazardous and disordered nuclear environments. It is supported within the current research and development of the European Communities. TELEMAN's strategic objective is to develop advanced teleoperators that respond to the needs of the nuclear industry. Its technical objective is to strengthen the scientific and engineering bases upon which the design of teleoperators for use throughout the nuclear industry rests. This will be done by providing new solutions to problems of manipulation, material transport and mobile surveillance in nuclear environments and by demonstrating their feasibility. Motivation for such a programme lies in the potential teleoperators have to improve the separation of workers from radioactive equipment. This technology will also enable plant operators and public authorities to deal more effectively with nuclear abnormal incidents and increase gains in productivity, mainly in the repair and maintenance area. Community support is justified by the cost of the reliability and autonomy required for the nuclear teleoperator, the need to rationalise R and D investment in an area of increasing industrial potential and a common interest in coherent responses to emergencies. (author)

  6. Radioactivity in food and the environment, 1998

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1999-09-01

    The safety of food and protection of the environment continue to be important issues on the Government's agenda. Radioactivity in food and the environment, a source of potential harm, therefore receives continuous surveillance to ensure that public safety targets and international commitments are met and ensure that the environment is effectively protected. The Government makes the results of such surveillance widely available through publication of this report and through regular updates on the MAFF Web site. This technical report presents the scope and results of our radiological surveillance programmes for 1998. It is complemented in England and Wales by the Environment Agency's surveillance report on non-food pathways. Sponsored by the Joint Food Safety and Standards Group of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency, measurements of radioactivity have been carried out in a wide range of foodstuffs and in the environment around nuclear sites and other potential sources of elevated radioactivity throughout the United Kingdom, and also at locations remote from these sources. This report demonstrates that the public is being protected against unacceptable contamination of the food chain and that the UK is fully meeting public safety targets. We remain committed to ensuring that a proper and rigorous surveillance programme is continued to ensure that this remains the case. (author)

  7. Nuclear Engineering Education in Support of Thailand’s Nuclear Power Programme

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chanyotha, S.; Pengvanich, P.; Nilsuwankosit, S.

    2015-01-01

    This paper aims to introduce the nuclear engineering education at the Department of Nuclear Engineering, Chulalongkon University, Bangkok Thailand. The department has been offering curriculum in nuclear engineering to support the national nuclear power programme since 1970s. It is the oldest established nuclear engineering educational programme in the South East Asia region. Nevertheless, since the nuclear power programme has been postponed several times due to various reasons, the educational programme at the department has been continuously adapted to meet the nation’s needs. Several areas of study have been introduced, including nuclear power engineering, industrial applications of radioisotope, nuclear instrumentation, radioisotope production, radiation processing, environment and safety, nuclear materials, as well as the newly created nuclear security and non-proliferation. With the renewed interest in using nuclear power in Thailand in 2007, the department has been actively assisting both the government and the electric utility in preparing human resources to support the nuclear power programme through various educational and training modules. Realizing the importance of establishing and balancing all 3 aspects of the nuclear 3S (safety, security and safeguard) in Thailand and in the Southeast Asian region. The new curriculum of nuclear security and safeguard programme has been offered since 2013. Since the establishment, the department has produced hundreds of graduates (Diploma, Master’s, and Ph.D. levels) to feed the continuously expanding Thai nuclear industry. The full paper will provide detailed information of the curriculum, the challenges and obstacles that the department has encountered, as well as the national and international linkages which have been established over the years. (author)

  8. 40 CFR Table 3 to Subpart Ec of... - Operating Parameters To Be Monitored and Minimum Measurement and Recording Frequencies

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... Which Construction is Commenced After June 20, 1996 Pt. 60, Subpt. Ec, Table 3 Table 3 to Subpart Ec of... Operating parameters to be monitored Minimum frequency Data measurement Data recording Control system Dry scrubber followed by fabric filter Wet scrubber Dry scrubber followed by fabric filter and wet scrubber...

  9. The INTEGRAL Core Observing Programme

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Winkler, C.; Gehrels, N.; Lund, Niels

    1999-01-01

    The Core Programme of the INTEGRAL mission is defined as the portion of the scientific programme covering the guaranteed time observations for the INTEGRAL Science Working Team. This paper describes the current status of the Core Programme preparations and summarizes the key elements...... of the observing programme....

  10. The Community's R and D programme on management and storage of radioactive waste

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    McMenamin, T.

    1990-05-01

    This list of publications covers reports, proceedings, communications and information leaflets produced and published in the frame of the cost-sharing research programme of the Commission of the European Communities on radioactive waste management and disposal. The list, which is regularly updated, includes: (i) reports of contractors on research supported by the Commission; (ii) reports on research in coordinated actions, assembled and edited by the Commission staff or on behalf of the Commission; (iii) proceedings of meetings, conferences and workshops organized and edited by the Commission staff; (iv) scientific reports, communications, annual progress reports and information leaflets produced and edited by the Commission staff. Not included are contributions of contractors and staff to national or international meetings, workshops, conferences and expert groups. Work performed by the Commission's Joint Research Centre (JRC) in the field of radioactive waste management is not mentioned here - information on the JRC activities and publications may be found in the annual JRC progress reports and the bi-annual information leaflet EC-Focus

  11. Evaluation of an early childhood parenting programme in rural Bangladesh.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aboud, Frances E

    2007-03-01

    To promote physical and mental development of children, parenting education programmes in developing countries focus on specific practices such as age-appropriate responsive stimulation and feeding. A programme delivered to groups of poor mothers of children, aged less than three years, in rural Bangladesh was evaluated using an intervention-control post-test design. Mothers (n=170) who had attended a year of educational sessions and their children were compared with those (n=159) from neighbouring villages who did not have access to such a programme. After covariates were controlled, the parenting mothers obtained higher scores on a test of child-rearing knowledge and on the Home Observation for Measurement of the Environment (HOME) inventory of stimulation. The parenting mothers did not communicate differently with their children while doing a picture-talking task, and children did not show benefits in nutritional status or language comprehension. Parenting sessions offered by peer educators were informative and participatory, yet they need to include more practice, problem-solving, and peer-support if information is to be translated into behaviour.

  12. Peer-Assisted Learning Programme: Supporting Students in High-Risk Subjects at the Mechanical Engineering Department at Walter Sisulu University

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Makala Qonda

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available The majority of the students who enroll at the Walter Sisulu University (WSU in South Africa are not equipped with the necessary academic/learning skills to cope with the university environment, especially in Mechanical Engineering. The Department of Higher Education and Training (2013, p. 17, further states that “students’ support is crucial to ensure that students adapt to the demands of college life and that they can meet the demands of college programmes”. Particularly in South Africa, the school environment might also contribute to poor student performance as a result of insufficient student support, and a lack of facilities and resources. In order to address this gap, a Peer-Assisted Learning (PAL programme was implemented to provide support targeting high-risk subjects for at-risk students in Mechanical Engineering at WSU. The programme therefore is pro-active and student-driven in that senior students assist junior students with their academic work and learning processes. The programme is designed to encourage collaborative and cooperative learning approaches during group sessions and active student engagement to support student learning (Laal & Laal, 2012. The programme requires substantial resources and time commitments. It is important from an operational, learning, and student perspective to understand in what ways the PAL programme assists students (if at all. Eliciting the experiences of students also helps the department to design interventions from a student-centred perspective using the lens of learning theories.  This qualitative case study explores the student experience of the Peer-Assisted Learning (PAL programme. Open-ended questionnaires/survey from 20 first-year students elicited their perceptions and experiences of the PAL programme. Responses were analysed thematically. Findings indicated that the students had useful insights that may contribute to revising the programme. Aspects mentioned were improved study

  13. Open Circuit Resonant (SansEC) Sensor Technology for Lightning Mitigation and Damage Detection and Diagnosis for Composite Aircraft Applications

    Science.gov (United States)

    Szatkowski, George N.; Dudley, Kenneth L.; Smith, Laura J.; Wang, Chuantong; Ticatch, Larry A.

    2014-01-01

    Traditional methods to protect composite aircraft from lightning strike damage rely on a conductive layer embedded on or within the surface of the aircraft composite skin. This method is effective at preventing major direct effect damage and minimizes indirect effects to aircraft systems from lightning strike attachment, but provides no additional benefit for the added parasitic weight from the conductive layer. When a known lightning strike occurs, the points of attachment and detachment on the aircraft surface are visually inspected and checked for damage by maintenance personnel to ensure continued safe flight operations. A new multi-functional lightning strike protection (LSP) method has been developed to provide aircraft lightning strike protection, damage detection and diagnosis for composite aircraft surfaces. The method incorporates a SansEC sensor array on the aircraft exterior surfaces forming a "Smart skin" surface for aircraft lightning zones certified to withstand strikes up to 100 kiloamperes peak current. SansEC sensors are open-circuit devices comprised of conductive trace spiral patterns sans (without) electrical connections. The SansEC sensor is an electromagnetic resonator having specific resonant parameters (frequency, amplitude, bandwidth & phase) which when electromagnetically coupled with a composite substrate will indicate the electrical impedance of the composite through a change in its resonant response. Any measureable shift in the resonant characteristics can be an indication of damage to the composite caused by a lightning strike or from other means. The SansEC sensor method is intended to diagnose damage for both in-situ health monitoring or ground inspections. In this paper, the theoretical mathematical framework is established for the use of open circuit sensors to perform damage detection and diagnosis on carbon fiber composites. Both computational and experimental analyses were conducted to validate this new method and system for

  14. Two investigations concerning the release of tritium. I. Tritium leakage from 3H(Sc) EC-detectors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bergman, C.; Wesslen, E.

    1977-01-01

    Recently the manufacturers of EC-detectors for gas chromatographs introduced a new type of 3 H EC-detector where the tritium is bound to scandium instead of to titanium and has an activity up to 1 Ci. It is expected that the scandium-based detector will take a great part of the Swedish EC-detector market. The Swedish National Institute of Radiation Protection is anxious to make sure that the introduction of the new detector, which will be used at higher temperature, will not give rise to any increased risk of tritium intake to the personnel handling the chromatographs. The leakage of tritium from commercially available 3 H(Sc) EC-detectors containing 1 Ci of tritium was measured as a function of the detector temperature. Tritium appears both in the form of tritium gas dissolved in the scandium and in the form of tritide. The gas evaporates rather easily with increasing temperature while the dissociation of the tritide is a slower process. The evaporation of tritium due to the dissociation of the tritide was found to be negligible, less than 0.2 μCi/h at temperatures less than 100 0 C, but rises rapidly with temperature. The study also showed that even when the detector is stored at room temperature, a re-distribution of the tritium occures, from the tritide to the dissolved tritium gas, which then easily evaporates even at moderately elevated temperatures

  15. Specimen environments in thermal neutron scattering experiments

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cebula, D.J.

    1980-11-01

    This report is an attempt to collect into one place outline information concerning the techniques used and basic design of sample environment apparatus employed in neutron scattering experiments. Preliminary recommendations for the specimen environment programme of the SNS are presented. The general conclusion reached is that effort should be devoted towards improving reliability and efficiency of operation of specimen environment apparatus and developing systems which are robust and easy to use, rather than achieving performance at the limits of technology. (author)

  16. Technology Transfer Bottlenecks and Lessons Learned in Humanitarian Demining EU-funded Research: Analysis and Results from the EC DELVE Project

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bruschini, C.; Sahli, H.; Van Kempen, L.; Schleijpen, R.; Breejen, E. den

    2010-01-01

    The EC DELVE Support Action (www.delve.vub.ac.be) has analyzed the bottlenecks in the transfer of Humanitarian Demining (HD) technology from technology development to the use in the field, basing itself on the assessment of the European HD Research and Technology Development (RTD) situation from early 1990 until 2006. The developments in HD during the last 10 years underline the fact that in a number of cases demining related developments have been terminated or at least put on hold. A number of lessons learned were drawn, bottlenecks identified and broadly classified as either Confidence, Cost, or Communication related. The study also showed that the funding provided by the European Commission (EC) has led directly to the creation of an extensive portfolio of HD technology development projects. However, the range of instruments available to the EC to finance the necessary R and D was limited to pre-competitive research. The EC had no tools or programs to fund actual product development. The corresponding consequences are detailed in the study. The separation of the Mine Action and RTD funding streams in the EC did also negatively affect the take-up of new technologies. As a main conclusion, creating coherence between: (1) the EC policy based on political decisions, (2) RTD, testing and industrialization of equipment, and (3) timely deployment, requires a new way of coordinated thinking: 'end-to-end planning' has to be supported by a well organized and coordinated organizational structure involving different DGs (Directorate General) and even extending beyond the EU. This was not the case for Mine Action. (author)

  17. Judicial Protection in the Field of Public Procurement: The Transposition into Dutch Law of Directive 2007/66/EC Amending the Remedies Directives

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wouter-Jan Berends

    2010-08-01

    Full Text Available Public procurement procedures in the EU are coordinated by Directives 2004/17/EC and 2004/18/EC. The acquis communautaire provides minimum requirements for review procedures against public procurement decisions in order to ensure access to effective remedies for economic operators. These minimum requirements are established in Directives 89/665/ EEC and 92/13/EEC and recently amended by Directive 2007/66/EC. The Helby report identified several substantive concerns over the Dutch proposal on the implementation the of the Remedies Directive; Wet implementatie rechtsbeschermingsrichtlijnen. Although the transposition target date has not been met, the Dutch legislature has succeeded to transpose Directive 2007/66/EC into Dutch law while addressing the concerns of the Helby report.

  18. Swedish healthcare providers' perceptions of preconception expanded carrier screening (ECS)-a qualitative study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Matar, A; Kihlbom, U; Höglund, A T

    2016-07-01

    Reproductive autonomy, medicalization, and discrimination against disabled and parental responsibility are the main ongoing ethical debates concerning reproductive genetic screening. To examine Swedish healthcare professionals' views on preconception expanded carrier screening (ECS), a qualitative study involving academic and clinical institutions in Sweden was conducted in September 2014 to February 2015. Eleven healthcare professionals including clinicians, geneticists, a midwife, and a genetic counselor were interviewed in depth using a semi-structured interview guide. The questionnaire was constructed after reviewing the main literature and meetings with relevant healthcare providers. The interviews were recorded, transcribed verbatim, and content analyzed for categories and subcategories. Participants nurtured many ethical and non-ethical concerns regarding preconception ECS. Among the ethical concerns were the potential for discrimination, medicalization, concerns with prioritization of healthcare resources, and effects on reproductive freedom. The effects of implementation of preconception ECS, its stakeholders, regulations, and motivation are some of non-ethical concerns. These concerns, if not addressed, may affect the uptake and usage of carrier screening within Swedish healthcare system. As this is a qualitative study with a small non-random sample size, the findings cannot be generalized. The participants had little to no working experience with expanded screening panels. Moreover, the interviews were conducted in English, a second language for the participants, which might have limited the expression of their views. However, the authors claim that the findings may be pertinent to similar settings in other Scandinavian countries.

  19. Promoting interdisciplinary education - the Vienna Doctoral Programme on Water Resource Systems

    Science.gov (United States)

    Blöschl, G.; Carr, G.; Bucher, C.; Farnleitner, A. H.; Rechberger, H.; Wagner, W.; Zessner, M.

    2012-02-01

    The Vienna Doctoral Programme on Water Resource Systems (DK-WRS) is a programme that aims to educate students in interdisciplinary water science through cutting edge research at an international level. It is funded by the Austrian Science Fund and designed to run over a period of 12 yr during which 80 doctoral students are anticipated to graduate. This paper reports on our experiences of setting up and implementing the Programme. We identify three challenges: integrating the disciplines, maintaining depth in an interdisciplinary programme, and teaching subjects remote to each student's core expertise. To address these challenges we adopt a number of approaches. We use three levels of instruments to foster integration across the disciplines: joint groups (e.g. a joint study programme), joint science questions (e.g. developed in annual symposia), and joint study sites. To maintain depth we apply a system of quality control including regular feedback sessions, theses by journal publications and international study exchange. For simultaneously teaching students from civil and environmental engineering, biology, geology, chemistry, mathematics we use visually explicit teaching, learning by doing, extra mentoring and by cross relating associated subjects. Our initial assessment of the Programme shows some very positive outcomes. Joint science questions formed between students from various disciplines indicate integration is being achieved. The number of successful publications in top journals suggests that depth is maintained. Positive feedback from the students on the variety and clarity of the courses indicates the teaching strategy is working well. Our experiences have shown that implementing and running an interdisciplinary doctoral programme has its challenges and is demanding in terms of time and human resources but seeing interactions progress and watching people grow and develop their way of thinking in an interdisciplinary environment is a valuable reward.

  20. Environmental Quality Standards in the EC-Water Framework Directive

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jirka, Gerhard H.; Burrows, Richard; Larsen, Torben

    2004-01-01

    The "combined approach" in the new EC-Water Framework Directive(WFD) consisting of environmental quality standards in addition to emission limit values promises improvements in the quality characteristics of surface water. However, the specification of where in the water body the environmental...... quality standards apply is missing in the WFD. The omission will limit its administrative implementation. A clear mixing zone regulation is needed so that the quality objectives of the WFD are not jeopardized. This need is demonstrated using the examples of point source discharges into rivers and coastal...