ANT tuner retrofit for LEB cavity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Walling, L.; Goren, Y.; Kwiatkowski, S.

1994-03-01

This report describes a ferrite tuner design for the LEB cavity that utilizes techniques for bonding ferrite to metallic cooling plates that is utilized in the high-power rf and microwave industry. A test tuner was designed to fit into the existing LEB-built magnet and onto the Grimm LEB Cavity. It will require a new vacuum window in order to attain maximal tuning range and high voltage capability and a new center conductor of longer length and a different vacuum window connection than the Grimm center conductor. However, the new center conductor will be essentially identical to the Grimm center conductor in its basic construction and in the way it connects to the stand for support. The tuner is mechanically very similar to high-power stacked circulators built by ANT of Germany and was designed according to ANT's established engineering and design criteria and SSC LEB tuning and power requirements. The tuner design incorporates thin tiles of ferrite glued using a high-radiation-resistance epoxy to copper-plated stainless steel cooling plates of thickness 6.5 mm with water cooling channels inside the plates. The cooling plates constitute 16 pie-shaped segments arranged in a disk. They are electrically isolated from each other to suppress eddy currents. Five of these disks are arranged in parallel with high-pressure rf contacts between the plates at the outer radius. The end walls are slotted copper-plated stainless steel of thickness 3 mm

A self-adaption compensation control for hysteresis nonlinearity in piezo-actuated stages based on Pi-sigma fuzzy neural network

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Rui; Zhou, Miaolei

2018-04-01

Piezo-actuated stages are widely applied in the high-precision positioning field nowadays. However, the inherent hysteresis nonlinearity in piezo-actuated stages greatly deteriorates the positioning accuracy of piezo-actuated stages. This paper first utilizes a nonlinear autoregressive moving average with exogenous inputs (NARMAX) model based on the Pi-sigma fuzzy neural network (PSFNN) to construct an online rate-dependent hysteresis model for describing the hysteresis nonlinearity in piezo-actuated stages. In order to improve the convergence rate of PSFNN and modeling precision, we adopt the gradient descent algorithm featuring three different learning factors to update the model parameters. The convergence of the NARMAX model based on the PSFNN is analyzed effectively. To ensure that the parameters can converge to the true values, the persistent excitation condition is considered. Then, a self-adaption compensation controller is designed for eliminating the hysteresis nonlinearity in piezo-actuated stages. A merit of the proposed controller is that it can directly eliminate the complex hysteresis nonlinearity in piezo-actuated stages without any inverse dynamic models. To demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed model and control methods, a set of comparative experiments are performed on piezo-actuated stages. Experimental results show that the proposed modeling and control methods have excellent performance.

Wheel Slip Control of Vehicle ABS Using Piezoactuator-Based Valve System

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Juncheol Jeon

2014-04-01

Full Text Available This paper presents a novel piezoactuator-based valve for vehicle ABS. The piezoactuator located in one side of a rigid beam makes a displacement required to control the pressure at a flapper-nozzle of the pneumatic valve. In order to obtain the wide control range of the pressure, a pressure modulator comprised of dual-type cylinder and piston is proposed. The governing equation of the piezovalve system which consists of the proposed piezoactuator-based valve and the pressure modulator is obtained. The longitudinal vehicle dynamics and the wheel slip condition are then formulated. In order to evaluate the performance of the proposed piezovalve system from the viewpoint of the vehicle ABS, a sliding mode controller is designed for wheel slip control. The tracking control performances for the desired wheel slip rate are evaluated and the braking performances in terms of braking distance are then presented on different road conditions (dry asphalt, wet asphalt, and wet jennite. It is clearly shown that the desired wheel slip rate is well achieved and the braking distance and braking time can be significantly reduced by using the proposed piezovalve system associated with the slip rate controller.

Active vibrations control of journal bearings with the use of piezoactuators

Science.gov (United States)

Tůma, Jiří; Šimek, Jiří; Škuta, Jaromír; Los, Jaroslav

2013-04-01

Rotor instability is one of the most serious problems of high-speed rotors supported by sliding bearings. With constantly increasing parameters, new machines problems with rotor instability are encountered more and more often. Even though there are many solutions based on passive improvement of the bearing geometry to enlarge the operational speed range of the journal bearing, the paper deals with a working prototype of a system for the active vibration control of journal bearings with the use of piezoactuators. The controllable journal bearing is a part of a test rig, which consists of a rotor driven by an inductive motor up to 23,000 rpm. The actively controlled journal bearing consists of a movable bushing, which is actuated by two piezoactuators. The journal vibration is measured by a pair of proximity probes. The control system enables run-up, coast-down and steady-state rotation. A real-time simulator dSpace encloses the control loop. Force produced by piezoactuators and acting at the bushing is controlled according to error signals derived from the proximity probe output signals. As it was proved by experiments the active vibration control extends considerably the range of the operational speed.

Design and simulation of advanced charge recovery piezoactuator drivers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Biancuzzi, G; Lemke, T; Woias, P; Goldschmidtboeing, F; Ruthmann, O; Schrag, H J; Vodermayer, B; Schmid, T

2010-01-01

The German Artificial Sphincter System project aims at the development of an implantable sphincter prosthesis driven by a piezoelectrically actuated micropump. The system has been designed to be fully implantable, i.e. the power supply is provided by a rechargeable lithium polymer battery. In order to provide sufficient battery duration and to limit battery dimensions, special effort has to be made to minimize power consumption of the whole system and, in particular, of the piezoactuator driver circuitry. Inductive charge recovery can be used to recover part of the charge stored within the actuator. We are going to present a simplified inductor-based circuit capable of voltage inversion across the actuator without the need of an additional negative voltage source. The dimension of the inductors required for such a concept is nevertheless significant. We therefore present a novel alternative concept, called direct switching, where the equivalent capacitance of the actuator is charged directly by a step-up converter and discharged by a step-down converter. We achieved superior performance compared to a simple inductor-based driver with the advantage of using small-size chip inductors. As a term of comparison, the performance of the aforementioned drivers is compared to a conventional driver that does not implement any charge recovery technique. With our design we have been able to achieve more than 50% reduction in power consumption compared to the simplest conventional driver. The new direct switching driver performs 15% better than an inductor-based driver. A novel, whole-system SPICE simulation is presented, where both the driving circuit and the piezoactuator are modeled making use of advanced nonlinear models. Such a simulation is a precious tool to design and optimize piezoactuator drivers

Inductive tuners for microwave driven discharge lamps

Science.gov (United States)

Simpson, James E.

1999-01-01

An RF powered electrodeless lamp utilizing an inductive tuner in the waveguide which couples the RF power to the lamp cavity, for reducing reflected RF power and causing the lamp to operate efficiently.

Tuner control system of Spoke012 SRF cavity for C-ADS injector I

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Na; Sun, Yi; Wang, Guang-Wei; Mi, Zheng-Hui; Lin, Hai-Ying; Wang, Qun-Yao; Liu, Rong; Ma, Xin-Peng

2016-09-01

A new tuner control system for spoke superconducting radio frequency (SRF) cavities has been developed and applied to cryomodule I of the C-ADS injector I at the Institute of High Energy Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences. We have successfully implemented the tuner controller based on Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) for the first time and achieved a cavity tuning phase error of ±0.7° (about ±4 Hz peak to peak) in the presence of electromechanical coupled resonance. This paper presents preliminary experimental results based on the PLC tuner controller under proton beam commissioning. Supported by Proton linac accelerator I of China Accelerator Driven sub-critical System (Y12C32W129)

Piezoelectric Tuner Compensation of Lorentz Detuning in Superconducting Cavities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jean Delayen; Davis, G.

2003-01-01

Pulsed operation of superconducting cavities can induce large variations of the resonant frequency through excitation of the mechanical modes by the radiation pressure. The phase and amplitude control system must be able to accommodate this frequency variation; this can be accomplished by increasing the capability of the rf power source. Alternatively, a piezo electric tuner can be activated at the same repetition rate as the rf to counteract the effect of the radiation pressure. We have demonstrated such a system on the prototype medium beta SNS cryomodule with a reduction of the dynamic Lorentz detuning during the rf pulse by a factor of 3. Piezo electric tuners can also be used to reduce the level of microphonics in low-current cw accelerators. We have measured the amplitude and phase of the transfer function of the piezo control system (from input voltage to cavity frequency) up to several kHz

Development of a movable plunger tuner for the high-power RF cavity for the PEP-II B-factory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schwarz, H.D.; Fant, K.; Judkins, J.G.

1997-05-01

A 10 cm diameter by 5 cm travel plunger tuner was developed for the PEP-II RF copper cavity system. The single cell cavity including the tuner is designed to operate up to 150 kW of dissipated RF power are specially placed 8.5 cm away from the inside wall of the cavity to avoid fundamental and higher order mode resonances. The spring fingers are made of dispersion-strengthened copper to accommodate relatively high heating. The design, alignment, testing and performance of the tuner is described

Mechanical study of the Saclay piezo tuner PTS (piezo tuning system) Care-SRF-WP8

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bosland, P.; Wu, B.

2005-03-01

The present tuner is working inside Tesla test facility's cryo-modules without any piezo actuator. Thus the Lorentz force detuning in the pulsed mode of the accelerator is limiting the maximum accelerating field of cavity at about 25 MV/m. Previous studies and tests have demonstrated that the integration of piezo actuators in the tuner can lead to the compensation of the Lorentz force detuning at field higher than 35 MV/m. Our goal is now to develop and optimize a new tuner integrating piezo actuators. The mechanical studies are now finished and fabrication is in progress. This report presents the principle of this new system, its design and reviews the cavity frequency shifts during preparation process and assesses the forces applied by the cavity on the piezo actuators. (A.C.)

Testing of Piezo-Actuated Glass Micro-Membranes by Optical Low-Coherence Reflectometry.

Science.gov (United States)

Merlo, Sabina; Poma, Paolo; Crisà, Eleonora; Faralli, Dino; Soldo, Marco

2017-02-25

In this work, we have applied optical low-coherence reflectometry (OLCR), implemented with infra-red light propagating in fiberoptic paths, to perform static and dynamic analyses on piezo-actuated glass micro-membranes. The actuator was fabricated by means of thin-film piezoelectric MEMS technology and was employed for modifying the micro-membrane curvature, in view of its application in micro-optic devices, such as variable focus micro-lenses. We are here showing that OLCR incorporating a near-infrared superluminescent light emitting diode as the read-out source is suitable for measuring various parameters such as the micro-membrane optical path-length, the membrane displacement as a function of the applied voltage (yielding the piezo-actuator hysteresis) as well as the resonance curve of the fundamental vibration mode. The use of an optical source with short coherence-time allows performing interferometric measurements without spurious resonance effects due to multiple parallel interfaces of highly planar slabs, furthermore selecting the plane/layer to be monitored. We demonstrate that the same compact and flexible setup can be successfully employed to perform spot optical measurements for static and dynamic characterization of piezo-MEMS in real time.

Tunable biasing magnetic field design of ferrite tuner for ICRF heating system in EAST

Science.gov (United States)

Manman, XU; Yuntao, SONG; Gen, CHEN; Yanping, ZHAO; Yuzhou, MAO; Guang, LIU; Zhen, PENG

2017-11-01

Ion cyclotron range of frequency (ICRF) heating has been used in tokamaks as one of the most successful auxiliary heating tools and has been adopted in the EAST. However, the antenna load will fluctuate with the change of plasma parameters in the ICRF heating process. To ensure the steady operation of the ICRF heating system in the EAST, fast ferrite tuner (FFT) has been carried out to achieve real-time impedance matching. For the requirements of the FFT impedance matching system, the magnet system of the ferrite tuner (FT) was designed by numerical simulations and experimental analysis, where the biasing magnetic circuit and alternating magnetic circuit were the key researched parts of the ferrite magnet. The integral design goal of the FT magnetic circuit is that DC bias magnetic field is 2000 Gs and alternating magnetic field is ±400 Gs. In the FTT, E-type magnetic circuit was adopted. Ferrite material is NdFeB with a thickness of 30 mm by setting the working point of NdFeB, and the ampere turn of excitation coil is 25 through the theoretical calculation and simulation analysis. The coil inductance to generate alternating magnetic field is about 7 mH. Eddy-current effect has been analyzed, while the magnetic field distribution has been measured by a Hall probe in the medium plane of the biasing magnet. Finally, the test results show the good performance of the biasing magnet satisfying the design and operating requirements of the FFT.

Dependence of ion beam current on position of mobile plate tuner in multi-frequencies microwaves electron cyclotron resonance ion source

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kurisu, Yosuke; Kiriyama, Ryutaro; Takenaka, Tomoya; Nozaki, Dai; Sato, Fuminobu; Kato, Yushi; Iida, Toshiyuki

2012-01-01

We are constructing a tandem-type electron cyclotron resonance ion source (ECRIS). The first stage of this can supply 2.45 GHz and 11-13 GHz microwaves to plasma chamber individually and simultaneously. We optimize the beam current I FC by the mobile plate tuner. The I FC is affected by the position of the mobile plate tuner in the chamber as like a circular cavity resonator. We aim to clarify the relation between the I FC and the ion saturation current in the ECRIS against the position of the mobile plate tuner. We obtained the result that the variation of the plasma density contributes largely to the variation of the I FC when we change the position of the mobile plate tuner.

RESULTS OF ACCELERATED LIFE TESTING OF LCLS-II CAVITY TUNER MOTOR

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Huque, Naeem [Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility (TJNAF), Newport News, VA (United States); Daly, Edward F. [Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility (TJNAF), Newport News, VA (United States); Pischalnikov, Yuriy [Fermi National Accelerator Lab. (FNAL), Batavia, IL (United States)

2018-04-01

An Accelerated Life Test (ALT) of the Phytron stepper motor used in the LCLS-II cavity tuner has been conducted at JLab. Since the motor will reside inside the cryomodule, any failure would lead to a very costly and arduous repair. As such, the motor was tested for the equivalent of 30 lifetimes before being approved for use in the production cryomodules. The 9-cell LCLS-II cavity is simulated by disc springs with an equivalent spring constant. Plots of the motor position vs. tuner position ' measured via an installed linear variable differential transformer (LVDT) ' are used to measure motor motion. The titanium spindle was inspected for loss of lubrication. The motor passed the ALT, and is set to be installed in the LCLS-II cryomodules.

Teaching Modules on Modeling and Control of Piezoactuators for System Dynamics, Controls, and Mechatronics Courses

Science.gov (United States)

Leang, K. K.; Zou, Q.; Pannozzo, G.

2010-01-01

Piezoelectric actuators (or piezoactuators) are known for their nanoresolution and high-speed positioning capabilities. Therefore, they are used in scanning probe microscopes and in the design of innovative surgical tools and biomedical devices. The expected growth of engineering jobs in the nano- and bio-related fields, in which piezoactuators…

Advanced impedance matching system for ICRF heating using innovative twin stub tuner and frequency variation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kumazawa, R.; Saito, K.; Kasahara, H.; Seki, T.; Mutoh, T.; Shimpo, F.; Nomura, G.; Kato, A.; Okada, H.; Zhao, Y.; Kwak, J.G.; Yoon, J.S.

2008-01-01

Ion cyclotron range of frequency (ICRF) heating has been a reliable tool for steady-state plasma heating with high RF power of several tens of megawatts. However, a sudden increase in the reflected RF power during ICRF heating experiments with ELMy H-mode plasmas is an issue which must be solved for future fusion experimental devices or fusion reactors. This paper describes an innovative ICRF heating system using a frequency feedback control to reduce the reflected power in response to the rapid change in the plasma impedance in the ELMy H-mode plasma. A twin stub tuner has been newly invented for this purpose. The feasibility of keeping the reflected RF power fraction at a low level, e.g. 1%, is demonstrated even with a large change in plasma resistance, e.g. 2 ∼ 8Ω. Calculated and experimental results are presented for the conventional double stub tuner impedance matching system equipped with the twin stub tuner.

Multipacting Simulations of Tuner-adjustable waveguide coupler (TaCo) with CST

CERN Document Server

Shafqat, Nuaman; Wegner, Rolf

2015-01-01

Tuner-adjustable waveguide couplers (TaCo) are used to feed microwave power to different RF structures of LINAC4. This paper studies the multipacting phenomenon for TaCo using PIC solver of CST PS. Simulations are performed for complete field sweeps and results are analysed.

Optimal Tuner Selection for Kalman Filter-Based Aircraft Engine Performance Estimation

Science.gov (United States)

Simon, Donald L.; Garg, Sanjay

2010-01-01

A linear point design methodology for minimizing the error in on-line Kalman filter-based aircraft engine performance estimation applications is presented. This technique specifically addresses the underdetermined estimation problem, where there are more unknown parameters than available sensor measurements. A systematic approach is applied to produce a model tuning parameter vector of appropriate dimension to enable estimation by a Kalman filter, while minimizing the estimation error in the parameters of interest. Tuning parameter selection is performed using a multi-variable iterative search routine which seeks to minimize the theoretical mean-squared estimation error. This paper derives theoretical Kalman filter estimation error bias and variance values at steady-state operating conditions, and presents the tuner selection routine applied to minimize these values. Results from the application of the technique to an aircraft engine simulation are presented and compared to the conventional approach of tuner selection. Experimental simulation results are found to be in agreement with theoretical predictions. The new methodology is shown to yield a significant improvement in on-line engine performance estimation accuracy

Single Piezo-Actuator Rotary-Hammering (SPaRH) Drill

Science.gov (United States)

Sherrit, Stewart (Inventor); Bao, Xiaoqi (Inventor); Badescu, Mircea (Inventor); Bar-Cohen, Yoseph (Inventor)

2014-01-01

A Single Piezo-Actuator Rotary-Hammering (SPaRH) Drill includes a horn actuator having high power piezoelectric materials and a flexure pre-stress to increase the actuators effectiveness. The drill is a low mass, low power, compact coring drill measuring 20-cm high by 7-cm diameter and having a total weight of 2 kg including drive electronics. Using an average power of 50-Watts, the drill basalt is expected to cut basalt at a rate of 0.2 cm/min down to depth of 10-cm and create cuttings and an intact core. The drill is expected to operate under different environments including Martian ambient (6 Torr and down to -50 degree C), and liquid nitrogen temperatures (77 K) and low pressure (<<1 Torr) to simulate lunar polar and Europa conditions. Materials expected to be sampled include Kaolinite, Saddleback Basalt, Limestone, Volcanic Breccia, Siltstone, ice, permafrost and layered rocks with different hardness.

Progress in the Development of SRF Cavity Tuners Based on Magnetic Smart Materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

C. Joshi; A. Pappo; D. Upham; J. Preble

2001-01-01

Energen, Inc. has developed and demonstrated an SRF cavity tuning mechanism based on magnetic smart materials. Magnetic ''smart'' materials change their shape in a reversible and repeatable manner when exposed to a small magnetic field. A fine-tuning mechanism with a 2 kHz tuning range on a nominal resonant frequency of 1.497 GHz. was successfully demonstrated in 1999 [1]. Since then, Energen has been developing a tuning mechanism based on its linear stepper motors. These stepper motors are designed to deliver high-force precision linear motion of tens of millimeters at cryogenic temperatures. A locking mechanism built into the stepper motor enables the tuner to be locked into position when the power is turned off. This new tuning technology will eliminate the mechanical feeds through the vacuum jacket and reduce the complexity of the cryostat design and assembly. Performance and capabilities of a prototype SRF cavity tuner will be reported

Multipacting Simulations of Tuner-adjustable waveguide coupler (TaCo) with CST Particle Studio®

CERN Document Server

Shafqat, N; Wegner, R

2014-01-01

Tuner-adjustable waveguide couplers (TaCo) are used to feed microwave power to different RF structures of LINAC4. This paper studies the multipacting phenomenon for TaCo using the PIC solver of CST PS. Simulations are performed for complete field sweeps and results are analysed.

Analysis of double stub tuner control stability in a phased array antenna with strong cross-coupling

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wallace, G.M., E-mail: wallaceg@mit.edu [MIT Plasma Science and Fusion Center, Cambridge, MA 02139 (United States); Hillairet, J. [CEA-IRFM, Saint-Paul-lez-Durance (France); Koert, P.; Lin, Y.; Shiraiwa, S.; Wukitch, S.J. [MIT Plasma Science and Fusion Center, Cambridge, MA 02139 (United States)

2014-11-15

Highlights: • A novel method for reducing reflection coefficients for LHCD launchers is proposed and evaluated. • Numerical models of antenna behavior with stub tuning are analyzed. • The system is found to be stable under most realistic operating conditions. - Abstract: Active stub tuning with a fast ferrite tuner (FFT) has greatly increased the effectiveness of fusion ion cyclotron range of frequency (ICRF) systems (50–100 MHz) by allowing for the antenna system to respond dynamically to changes in the plasma load impedance such as during the L–H transition or edge localized modes (ELMs). A high power waveguide double-stub tuner is under development for use with the Alcator C-Mod lower hybrid current drive (LHCD) system at 4.6 GHz. The amplitude and relative phase shift between adjacent columns of an LHCD antenna are critical for control of the launched n{sub ||} spectrum. Adding a double-stub tuning network will perturb the phase and amplitude of the forward wave particularly if the unmatched reflection coefficient is high. This effect can be compensated by adjusting the phase of the low power microwave drive for each klystron amplifier. Cross-coupling of the reflected power between columns of the launcher must also be considered. The problem is simulated by cascading a scattering matrix for the plasma provided by a linear coupling model with the measured launcher scattering matrix and that of the FFTs. The solution is advanced in an iterative manner similar to the time-dependent behavior of the real system. System performance is presented under a range of edge density conditions from under-dense to over-dense and a range of launched n{sub ||}. Simulations predict power reflection coefficients (Γ{sup 2}) of less than 1% with no contamination of the n{sub ||} spectrum. Instability of the FFT tuning network can be problematic for certain plasma conditions and relative phasings, but reducing the control gain of the FFT network stabilizes the system.

Improving Delay-Margin of Noncollocated Vibration Control of Piezo-Actuated Flexible Beams via a Fractional-Order Controller

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Teerawat Sangpet

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Noncollocated control of flexible structures results in nonminimum-phase systems because the separation between the actuator and the sensor creates an input-output delay. The delay can deteriorate stability of closed-loop systems. This paper presents a simple approach to improve the delay-margin of the noncollocated vibration control of piezo-actuated flexible beams using a fractional-order controller. Results of real life experiments illustrate efficiency of the controller and show that the fractional-order controller has better stability robustness than the integer-order controller.

The Influence of Tuners and Temperature on the Higher Order Mode Spectrum for 1.3 GHz SCRF Cavities

CERN Document Server

Ainsworth, R; Zhang, P; Grecki, M; Baboi, N; Wamsat, T; Eddy, N

2013-01-01

Higher Order Modes (HOMs) are of concern for superconducting cavities as they can drive instabilities and so are usually damped and monitored. With special dedicated electronics, HOMs can provide information on the position on the beam. It has been proposed that piezo tuners used to keep the cavities operating at 1.3 GHz could alter the HOM spectrum altering the calibration constants used to read out the beam position affecting long term stability of the system. Also, of interest is how the cavity reacts to the slow tuner. Detuning and the retuning the cavity may alter the HOM spectrum. This is of particular interest for future machines not planning to use dedicated HOM damping as the tuning procedure may shift the frequency of HOMs onto dangerous resonances. The effect of temperature on the HOM spectrum is also investigated. An investigation of these effects has been performed at FLASH and the results are presented.

Low-Level RF Control of Microphonics in Superconducting Spoke-Loaded Cavities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Conway, Z.A.; Kelly, M.P.; Sharamentov, S.I.; Shepard, K.W.; Davis, G.; Delayen, Jean; Doolittle, Lawrence

2007-01-01

This paper presents the results of cw RF frequency control and RF phase-stabilization experiments performed with a piezoelectric fast tuner mechanically coupled to a superconducting, 345 MHz, < = 0.5 triple-spoke-loaded cavity operating at 4.2K. The piezoelectric fast tuner damped low-frequency microphonic-noise by an order of magnitude. Two methods of RF phase-stabilization were characterized: overcoupling with negative phase feedback, and also fast mechanical tuner feedback. The = 0.5 triple-spoke-loaded cavity RF field amplitude and phase errors were controlled to ±0.5% and ±30 respectively.

Three-dimensional model of a liquid-cooled, low energy booster, radio-frequency cavity tuner at the superconducting super collider

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ranganathan, R.; Propp, A.; Campbell, B.; Dao, B.

1994-01-01

A three-dimensional computational heat transfer and fluid flow model was developed to analyze a forced-flow, liquid-cooled, low energy booster (LEB), radio-frequency (RF) cavity, tuner concept. The results for a commercial dielectric heat transfer fluid indicated safe temperatures in the ferrite

Three-dimensional model of a liquid-cooled, low energy booster radio- frequency cavity tuner at the Superconducting Super Collider

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ranganathan, R.; Propp, A.; Campbell, B.; Dao, B.

1993-04-01

A three-dimensional computational heat transfer and fluid flow model was developed to analyze a forced-flow, liquid-cooled, low energy booster (LEB) radio-frequency (RF) cavity tuner concept. The results for a commercial dielectric heat transfer fluid indicated safe temperatures in the ferrite.

Three-dimensional model of a liquid-cooled, low energy booster radio- frequency cavity tuner at the Superconducting Super Collider

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ranganathan, R.; Propp, A.; Campbell, B.; Dao, B.

1993-04-01

A three-dimensional computational heat transfer and fluid flow model was developed to analyze a forced-flow, liquid-cooled, low energy booster (LEB) radio-frequency (RF) cavity tuner concept. The results for a commercial dielectric heat transfer fluid indicated safe temperatures in the ferrite

A Magnetorestrictive Tuning System for Particle Accelerators

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chiu-Ying Tai; Jordan Cormier; William Espinola; Zhixiu Han; Chad Joshi; Anil Mavanur; Livia Racz; Kenneth Shepard; Edward Daly; Kirk Davis

2005-05-16

Energen, Inc. has designed, built, and demonstrated several fast and slow tuners based on its magnetostrictive actuators and stepper motor. These tuners are designed for Superconducting Radio Frequency (SRF) cavities, which are important structures in particle accelerators that support a wide spectrum of disciplines, including nuclear and high-energy physics and free electron lasers (FEL). In the past two years, Energen's work has focused on magnetostrictive fast tuners for microphonics and Lorentz detuning compensation on elliptical-cell and spoke-loaded cavities. These tuners were custom designed to meet specific requirements, which included a few to 100 micron stroke range, hundreds to kilohertz operation frequency, and cryogenic temperature operation in vacuum or liquid helium. These tuners have been tested in house and at different laboratories, such as DESY, Argonne National Lab, and Jefferson Lab. Some recent results are presented in this paper.

A Magnetostrictive Tuning System for Particle Accelerators

CERN Document Server

Tai, Chiu-Ying; Daly, Edward; Davis, Kirk; Espinola, William; Han, Zhixiu; Joshi, Chandrashekhar; Mavanur, Anil; Racz, Livia; Shepard, Kenneth

2005-01-01

Energen, Inc. has designed, built, and demonstrated several fast and slow tuners based on its magnetostrictive actuators and stepper motor. These tuners are designed for Superconducting Radio Frequency (SRF) cavities, which are important structures in particle accelerators that support a wide spectrum of disciplines, including nuclear and high-energy physics and free electron lasers (FEL). In the past two years, Energen's work has focused on magnetostrictive fast tuners for microphonics and Lorentz detuning compensation on elliptical-cell and spoke-loaded cavities, including the capability for real-time closed-loop control. These tuners were custom designed to meet specific requirements, which included a few to 100 micron stroke range, hundreds to kilohertz operation frequency, and cryogenic temperature operation in vacuum or liquid helium. These tuners have been tested in house and at different laboratories, such as DESY, Argonne National Lab, and Jefferson Lab. Some recent results are presented in this pape...

Study of piezo-actuators for the improvement of the frequency tuning and setup of a quench locating system for the accelerating structures of the S-DALINAC

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sievers, Sven Thorsten

2013-01-01

The intention of this doctoral thesis was to find a replacement for the magnetostrictive fine tuners of the superconducting accelerating cavities of the S-DALINAC and to enlarge the range of diagnostics for these cavities. For these purposes a vertical bath cryostat has been assembled and put into operation. Within the framework of this thesis that cryostat was used (i) to test stroke and reliability of modern piezo actuators in liquid helium at 4 and 2 K and (ii) to set up a newly developed system for the localization of quenches in superconducting cavities based on second sound in superfluid helium. The negative impact of magnetic fields on the quality factor of superconducting cavities make the operation of magnetostrictive tuners nearby the cavities disadvantageous. In order to avoid a decrease of the quality factor of the cavities the magnetostrictive tuners should be replaced by non-magnetic ones. For that purpose modern piezo actuators were tested within this doctoral thesis relating to their stroke at cryogenic temperatures, their compatibility with the RF-control system of the S-DALINAC and their operational reliability in superfluid helium. The results indicate the possibility of operation of these actuators. Because piezo actuators of the same stroke only have the seventh part of length of a magnetostrictive tuner, it is possible to operate several piezo actuators at every cavity. This increases not only the range of the tuning system but also its reliability. Already tiny defects at the inner surface of superconducting cavities can cause quenching before the designed field intensity is reached. A quench results in waves of second sound in superfluid helium. The second sound can be measured by special microphones, so called Oscillating Superleak Transducers (OST), and the location of quenching can be calculated via triangulation. Such a system has been built up and tested successfully in the context of this doctoral thesis. The visual examination of the

Design of 12-phase, 2-stage Harmonic Rejection Mixer for TV Tuners

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

D. Lee

2016-06-01

Full Text Available A two-stage 12-phase harmonic rejection mixer (HRM for TV tuners is proposed in order to reject the local oscillator (LO harmonics up to the ninth order. The proposed weighing scheme for 12-phase, 2-stage harmonic mixing can reduce the harmonic rejection (HR sensitivity to the amplitude error caused by irrational numbers such as . To verify this HR, the 2-stage HR circuit is designed with baseband gm weighting in order to save power and improve the HR ratios without calibration. The proposed HRM achieves the third to ninth worst HR ratios, more than 55 dB, according to Monte Carlo simulations. It consumes 6.5 mA under a 2.5 V supply voltage.

Control performances of a piezoactuator direct drive valve system at high temperatures with thermal insulation

Science.gov (United States)

Han, Yung-Min; Han, Chulhee; Kim, Wan Ho; Seong, Ho Yong; Choi, Seung-Bok

2016-09-01

This technical note presents control performances of a piezoactuator direct drive valve (PDDV) operated at high temperature environment. After briefly discussing operating principle and mechanical dimensions of the proposed PDDV, an appropriate size of the PDDV is manufactured. As a first step, the temperature effect on the valve performance is experimentally investigated by measuring the spool displacement at various temperatures. Subsequently, the PDDV is thermally insulated using aerogel and installed in a large-size heat chamber in which the pneumatic-hydraulic cylinders and sensors are equipped. A proportional-integral-derivative feedback controller is then designed and implemented to control the spool displacement of the valve system. In this work, the spool displacement is chosen as a control variable since it is directly related to the flow rate of the valve system. Three different sinusoidal displacements with different frequencies of 1, 10 and 50 Hz are used as reference spool displacement and tracking controls are undertaken up to 150 °C. It is shown that the proposed PDDV with the thermal insulation can provide favorable control responses without significant tracking errors at high temperatures.

A new rate-dependent model for high-frequency tracking performance enhancement of piezoactuator system

Science.gov (United States)

Tian, Lizhi; Xiong, Zhenhua; Wu, Jianhua; Ding, Han

2017-05-01

Feedforward-feedback control is widely used in motion control of piezoactuator systems. Due to the phase lag caused by incomplete dynamics compensation, the performance of the composite controller is greatly limited at high frequency. This paper proposes a new rate-dependent model to improve the high-frequency tracking performance by reducing dynamics compensation error. The rate-dependent model is designed as a function of the input and input variation rate to describe the input-output relationship of the residual system dynamics which mainly performs as phase lag in a wide frequency band. Then the direct inversion of the proposed rate-dependent model is used to compensate the residual system dynamics. Using the proposed rate-dependent model as feedforward term, the open loop performance can be improved significantly at medium-high frequency. Then, combining the with feedback controller, the composite controller can provide enhanced close loop performance from low frequency to high frequency. At the frequency of 1 Hz, the proposed controller presents the same performance as previous methods. However, at the frequency of 900 Hz, the tracking error is reduced to be 30.7% of the decoupled approach.

Design and Analysis of a Compact Precision Positioning Platform Integrating Strain Gauges and the Piezoactuator

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shunguang Wan

2012-07-01

Full Text Available Miniaturization precision positioning platforms are needed for in situ nanomechanical test applications. This paper proposes a compact precision positioning platform integrating strain gauges and the piezoactuator. Effects of geometric parameters of two parallel plates on Von Mises stress distribution as well as static and dynamic characteristics of the platform were studied by the finite element method. Results of the calibration experiment indicate that the strain gauge sensor has good linearity and its sensitivity is about 0.0468 mV/μm. A closed-loop control system was established to solve the problem of nonlinearity of the platform. Experimental results demonstrate that for the displacement control process, both the displacement increasing portion and the decreasing portion have good linearity, verifying that the control system is available. The developed platform has a compact structure but can realize displacement measurement with the embedded strain gauges, which is useful for the closed-loop control and structure miniaturization of piezo devices. It has potential applications in nanoindentation and nanoscratch tests, especially in the field of in situ nanomechanical testing which requires compact structures.

Upgraded phase control system for superconducting low-velocity accelerating structures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Added, N.

1992-01-01

Microphonic-induced fluctuations in the RF eigenfrequency of superconducting (SC) slow-wave structures must be compensated by a fast-tuning system in order to control the RF phase. The tuning system must handle a reactive power proportional to the product of the frequency range and the RF energy content of the Rf cavity. The fast tuner for the SC resonators in the ATLAS heavy-ion linac is a voltage-controlled reactance based on an array of PIN diodes operating immersed in liquid nitrogen. This paper discusses recent upgrades to the ATLAS fast tuner which can now provide as much as 30 KVA of reactive tuning capability with a real RF power loss of less than 300 watts. The design was guided by numerical modeling of all elements of the device. Also discussed is the RF coupler which can couple 30 KW from 77 K tuner to a 42 K resonant cavity with less than 2 W of RF loss into 4.2 K

Upgraded phase control system for superconducting low-velocity accelerating structures

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Added, N. (Sao Paulo Univ., SP (Brazil). Dept. de Fisica Nuclear); Clifft, B.E.; Shepard, K.W. (Argonne National Lab., IL (United States))

1992-01-01

Microphonic-induced fluctuations in the RF eigenfrequency of superconducting (SC) slow-wave structures must be compensated by a fast-tuning system in order to control the RF phase. The tuning system must handle a reactive power proportional to the product of the frequency range and the RF energy content of the Rf cavity. The fast tuner for the SC resonators in the ATLAS heavy-ion linac is a voltage-controlled reactance based on an array of PIN diodes operating immersed in liquid nitrogen. This paper discusses recent upgrades to the ATLAS fast tuner which can now provide as much as 30 KVA of reactive tuning capability with a real RF power loss of less than 300 watts. The design was guided by numerical modeling of all elements of the device. Also discussed is the RF coupler which can couple 30 KW from 77 K tuner to a 42 K resonant cavity with less than 2 W of RF loss into 4.2 K.

Upgraded phase control system for superconducting low-velocity accelerating structures

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Added, N. [Sao Paulo Univ., SP (Brazil). Dept. de Fisica Nuclear; Clifft, B.E.; Shepard, K.W. [Argonne National Lab., IL (United States)

1992-09-01

Microphonic-induced fluctuations in the RF eigenfrequency of superconducting (SC) slow-wave structures must be compensated by a fast-tuning system in order to control the RF phase. The tuning system must handle a reactive power proportional to the product of the frequency range and the RF energy content of the Rf cavity. The fast tuner for the SC resonators in the ATLAS heavy-ion linac is a voltage-controlled reactance based on an array of PIN diodes operating immersed in liquid nitrogen. This paper discusses recent upgrades to the ATLAS fast tuner which can now provide as much as 30 KVA of reactive tuning capability with a real RF power loss of less than 300 watts. The design was guided by numerical modeling of all elements of the device. Also discussed is the RF coupler which can couple 30 KW from 77 K tuner to a 42 K resonant cavity with less than 2 W of RF loss into 4.2 K.

Structural and thermal analysis of a solid-cooled, low energy booster, radio-frequency-cavity tuner at the Superconducting Super Collider

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ranganathan, R.; Propp, A.; Dao, B.; Campbell, B.

1993-04-01

A three-dimensional heat conduction and structural model was developed to analyze and optimize the design of a solid-cooled low energy booster (LEB) radio-frequency (RF) cavity tuner concept. Consideration was given to three cooling options: (1) using beryllium oxide (BeO) disks, (2) using aluminum nitride (A1N) disks and (3) using neither BeO nor AlN disks. The results indicate that solid cooling is feasible from thermal and structural viewpoints if a minimum of two BeO disks or four AlN disks are used

Structural and thermal analysis of a solid-cooled, low energy booster, radio-frequency-cavity tuner at the Superconducting Super Collider

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ranganathan, R.; Propp, A.; Dao, B.; Campbell, B.

1993-04-01

A three-dimensional heat conduction and structural model was developed to analyze and optimize the design of a solid-cooled low energy booster (LEB) radio-frequency (RF) cavity tuner concept. Consideration was given to three cooling options: (1) using beryllium oxide (BeO) disks, (2) using aluminum nitride (A1N) disks and (3) using neither BeO nor AlN disks. The results indicate that solid cooling is feasible from thermal and structural viewpoints if a minimum of two BeO disks or four AlN disks are used.

A wideband CMOS inductorless low noise amplifier employing noise cancellation for digital TV tuner applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang Jihong; Bai Xuefei; Huang Lu

2013-01-01

A wideband inductorless low noise amplifier for digital TV tuner applications is presented. The proposed LNA scheme uses a composite NMOS/PMOS cross-coupled transistor pair to provide partial cancellation of noise generated by the input transistors. The chip is implemented in SMIC 0.18 μm CMOS technology. Measurement shows that the proposed LNA achieves 12.2–15.2 dB voltage gain from 300 to 900 MHz, the noise figure is below 3.1 dB and has a minimum value of 2.3 dB, and the best input-referred 1-dB compression point (IP1dB) is − 17 dBm at 900 MHz. The core consumes 7 mA current with a supply voltage of 1.8 V and occupies an area of 0.5 × 0.35 mm 2 . (semiconductor integrated circuits)

Upgraded phase control system for superconducting low-velocity accelerating structures

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Added, N [Sao Paulo Univ., SP (Brazil); Clifft, B E; Shepard, K W [Argonne National Lab., IL (United States)

1992-11-01

Microphonic-induced fluctuations in the RF eigenfrequency of superconducting (SC) slow-wave structures must be compensated by a fast-tuning system in order to control the RF phase. The tuning system must handle a reactive power proportional to the product of the frequency range and the RF energy content of the RF cavity. The fast tuner for the SC resonators in the ATLAS heavy-ion linac is a voltage-controlled reactance based on an array of PIN diodes operating immersed in liquid nitrogen. This paper discusses recent upgrades to the ATLAS fast tuner which can now provide as much as 30 KVA of reactive tuning capability with a real RF power loss of less than 300 watts. The design was guided by numerical modeling of all elements of the device. Also discussed is the RF coupler which can couple 30 KW from 77 K tuner to a 4.2 K resonant cavity with less than 2 W of RF loss into 4.2 K. (Author) 6 refs., 2 figs.

Upgraded phase control system for superconducting low-velocity accelerating structures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Added, N.; Clifft, B.E.; Shepard, K.W.

1992-01-01

Microphonic-induced fluctuations in the RF eigenfrequency of superconducting (SC) slow-wave structures must be compensated by a fast-tuning system in order to control the RF phase. The tuning system must handle a reactive power proportional to the product of the frequency range and the RF energy content of the RF cavity. The fast tuner for the SC resonators in the ATLAS heavy-ion linac is a voltage-controlled reactance based on an array of PIN diodes operating immersed in liquid nitrogen. This paper discusses recent upgrades to the ATLAS fast tuner which can now provide as much as 30 KVA of reactive tuning capability with a real RF power loss of less than 300 watts. The design was guided by numerical modeling of all elements of the device. Also discussed is the RF coupler which can couple 30 KW from 77 K tuner to a 4.2 K resonant cavity with less than 2 W of RF loss into 4.2 K. (Author) 6 refs., 2 figs

Model-Based Control of an Aircraft Engine using an Optimal Tuner Approach

Science.gov (United States)

Connolly, Joseph W.; Chicatelli, Amy; Garg, Sanjay

2012-01-01

This paper covers the development of a model-based engine control (MBEC) method- ology applied to an aircraft turbofan engine. Here, a linear model extracted from the Commercial Modular Aero-Propulsion System Simulation 40,000 (CMAPSS40k) at a cruise operating point serves as the engine and the on-board model. The on-board model is up- dated using an optimal tuner Kalman Filter (OTKF) estimation routine, which enables the on-board model to self-tune to account for engine performance variations. The focus here is on developing a methodology for MBEC with direct control of estimated parameters of interest such as thrust and stall margins. MBEC provides the ability for a tighter control bound of thrust over the entire life cycle of the engine that is not achievable using traditional control feedback, which uses engine pressure ratio or fan speed. CMAPSS40k is capable of modeling realistic engine performance, allowing for a verification of the MBEC tighter thrust control. In addition, investigations of using the MBEC to provide a surge limit for the controller limit logic are presented that could provide benefits over a simple acceleration schedule that is currently used in engine control architectures.

A 0.18 μm CMOS inductorless complementary-noise-canceling-LNA for TV tuner applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yuan Haiquan; Lin Fujiang; Fu Zhongqian; Huang Lu

2010-01-01

This paper presents an inductorless complementary-noise-canceling LNA (CNCLNA) for TV tuners. The CNCLNA exploits single-to-differential topology, which consists of a common gate stage and a common source stage. The complementary topology can save power and improve the noise figure. Linearity is also enhanced by employing a multiple gated transistors technique. The chip is implemented in SMIC 0.18 μm CMOS technology. Measurement shows that the proposed CNCLNA achieves 13.5-16 dB voltage gain from 50 to 860 MHz, the noise figure is below 4.5 dB and has a minimum value of 2.9 dB, and the best P 1dB is -7.5 dBm at 860 MHz. The core consumes 6 mA current with a supply voltage of 1.8 V, while the core area is only 0.2 x 0.2 mm 2 . (semiconductor integrated circuits)

An experimental and theoretical investigation of a fuel system tuner for the suppression of combustion driven oscillations

Science.gov (United States)

Scarborough, David E.

Manufacturers of commercial, power-generating, gas turbine engines continue to develop combustors that produce lower emissions of nitrogen oxides (NO x) in order to meet the environmental standards of governments around the world. Lean, premixed combustion technology is one technique used to reduce NOx emissions in many current power and energy generating systems. However, lean, premixed combustors are susceptible to thermo-acoustic oscillations, which are pressure and heat-release fluctuations that occur because of a coupling between the combustion process and the natural acoustic modes of the system. These pressure oscillations lead to premature failure of system components, resulting in very costly maintenance and downtime. Therefore, a great deal of work has gone into developing methods to prevent or eliminate these combustion instabilities. This dissertation presents the results of a theoretical and experimental investigation of a novel Fuel System Tuner (FST) used to damp detrimental combustion oscillations in a gas turbine combustor by changing the fuel supply system impedance, which controls the amplitude and phase of the fuel flowrate. When the FST is properly tuned, the heat release oscillations resulting from the fuel-air ratio oscillations damp, rather than drive, the combustor acoustic pressure oscillations. A feasibility study was conducted to prove the validity of the basic idea and to develop some basic guidelines for designing the FST. Acoustic models for the subcomponents of the FST were developed, and these models were experimentally verified using a two-microphone impedance tube. Models useful for designing, analyzing, and predicting the performance of the FST were developed and used to demonstrate the effectiveness of the FST. Experimental tests showed that the FST reduced the acoustic pressure amplitude of an unstable, model, gas-turbine combustor over a wide range of operating conditions and combustor configurations. Finally, combustor

A fully variable, piezo-actuated research injection system as a tool in diesel engine combustion process development; Ein vollvariables, piezoaktuiertes Foschungs-Einspritzsystem als Werkzeug in der dieselmotorischen Brennverfahrensentwicklung

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Meyer, S.; Stegemann, J.; Seebode, J.; Merker, G.P. [Hannover Univ. (Germany). Inst. fuer Technische Verbrennung

2004-07-01

The injection process is a central optimisation approach for low-cost, low-emission diesel engines. An injection system is presented which comprises a pressure modulator and a research injector with piezo-actuated direct actuation of the nozzle. The high flexibility of the system enables systematic investigations of different combustion processes. (orig.) [German] Die Einspritzverlaufsformung als Mittel zur Minimierung von Rohemissionen bleibt auch im heutigen, von Diskussionen und Partikelfilter und Entstickungstechnologien gepraegten Umfeld ein zentraler Optimierungsansatz fuer kostenguenstige und emissionsarme Dieselmotoren. Das hier vorgestellte Einspritzsystem, bestehend aus einer Druckmodulationseinheit und einem Forschungsinjektor mit piezogesteuerter Direktansteuerung der Duesennadel, dient zur Potenzialanalyse einer freien Einspritzverlaufsformung als Mittel zur innermotorischen Brennverfahrensoptimierung. Dank der hohen Flexibilitaet des Systems sind systematische Untersuchungen in Bezug auf unterschiedliche Brennverfahren moeglich. (orig.)

Model-Based Control of a Nonlinear Aircraft Engine Simulation using an Optimal Tuner Kalman Filter Approach

Science.gov (United States)

Connolly, Joseph W.; Csank, Jeffrey Thomas; Chicatelli, Amy; Kilver, Jacob

2013-01-01

This paper covers the development of a model-based engine control (MBEC) methodology featuring a self tuning on-board model applied to an aircraft turbofan engine simulation. Here, the Commercial Modular Aero-Propulsion System Simulation 40,000 (CMAPSS40k) serves as the MBEC application engine. CMAPSS40k is capable of modeling realistic engine performance, allowing for a verification of the MBEC over a wide range of operating points. The on-board model is a piece-wise linear model derived from CMAPSS40k and updated using an optimal tuner Kalman Filter (OTKF) estimation routine, which enables the on-board model to self-tune to account for engine performance variations. The focus here is on developing a methodology for MBEC with direct control of estimated parameters of interest such as thrust and stall margins. Investigations using the MBEC to provide a stall margin limit for the controller protection logic are presented that could provide benefits over a simple acceleration schedule that is currently used in traditional engine control architectures.

Some design considerations for perpendicular biased ferrite tuners

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Enchevich, I.B.; Poirier, R.L.

1994-10-01

Recently remarkable progress has been achieved in the development of perpendicular biased ferrite tuned rf resonators for fast cycled synchrotrons. Compared with the broadly used parallel biased rf cavities they provide higher resonator quality factor Q. However when designing perpendicular biased cavities, special attention should be paid to the methods to provide eddy current suppression in the resonator walls, the ferrite nonlinearity influence, the generated heat removal, the fast self resonant frequency control. The prospective of a faster additional biasing system are discussed and conclusions are drawn. (author). 8 refs., 6 figs

Performance of the AC perpendicular biased ferrite tuned cavity for the TRIUMF KAON factory booster synchrotron

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Poirier, R.L.; Enchevich, I.B.; Mitra, A.K.; Fong, K.; Blaker, G.C.; Fang, S.

1992-11-01

The rf cavity for the Booster Synchrotron requires a frequency swing from 46 Mhz to 61 Mhz at a repetition rate of 50 Hz and a maximum accelerating voltage of 62.5 kV. These requirements were achieved on the prototype ferrite tuned cavity[1] for a short period of time and without any fast rf feedback or cavity tuning loops. Initially fast rf feedback and cavity tuning loops were closed at fixed frequencies (ferrite tuner dc biased ) to measure some of the response characteristics of the amplifier-cavity chain. Then a major effort was put into measuring the bandwidth response of the tuner in order to design the rf control loops for ac bias operation at 50 Hz. The performance of these control loops and results from long term running of the rf system are reported. (author) 3 refs., 5 figs

Optimal Tuner Selection for Kalman-Filter-Based Aircraft Engine Performance Estimation

Science.gov (United States)

Simon, Donald L.; Garg, Sanjay

2011-01-01

An emerging approach in the field of aircraft engine controls and system health management is the inclusion of real-time, onboard models for the inflight estimation of engine performance variations. This technology, typically based on Kalman-filter concepts, enables the estimation of unmeasured engine performance parameters that can be directly utilized by controls, prognostics, and health-management applications. A challenge that complicates this practice is the fact that an aircraft engine s performance is affected by its level of degradation, generally described in terms of unmeasurable health parameters such as efficiencies and flow capacities related to each major engine module. Through Kalman-filter-based estimation techniques, the level of engine performance degradation can be estimated, given that there are at least as many sensors as health parameters to be estimated. However, in an aircraft engine, the number of sensors available is typically less than the number of health parameters, presenting an under-determined estimation problem. A common approach to address this shortcoming is to estimate a subset of the health parameters, referred to as model tuning parameters. The problem/objective is to optimally select the model tuning parameters to minimize Kalman-filterbased estimation error. A tuner selection technique has been developed that specifically addresses the under-determined estimation problem, where there are more unknown parameters than available sensor measurements. A systematic approach is applied to produce a model tuning parameter vector of appropriate dimension to enable estimation by a Kalman filter, while minimizing the estimation error in the parameters of interest. Tuning parameter selection is performed using a multi-variable iterative search routine that seeks to minimize the theoretical mean-squared estimation error of the Kalman filter. This approach can significantly reduce the error in onboard aircraft engine parameter estimation

A Method for Low-Delay Pitch Tracking and Smoothing

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Christensen, Mads Græsbøll

2012-01-01

. In the second step, a Kalman filter is used to smooth the estimates and separate the pitch into a slowly varying component and a rapidly varying component. The former represents the mean pitch while the latter represents vibrato, slides and other fast changes. The method is intended for use in applica- tions...... that require fast and sample-by-sample estimates, like tuners for musical instruments, transcription tasks requiring details like vi- brato, and real-time tracking of voiced speech....

A prototype superconducting cavity for TRISTAN

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Furuya, T.; Hara, K.; Hosoyama, K.

1987-01-01

Following the feasibility study on the 3-cell superconducting cavity in the TRISTAN Accumulation Ring (TAR), a 5-cell 508 MHz Nb cavity was constructed and tested in the TAR. The cavity was equipped with a RF input coupler on a beam pipe, two HOM couplers on the other beam pipe and two additional HOM couplers on the equator of an end cell. The maximum accelerating field (Eaxx) was 4.5 MV/m with a Q value of about 1x10 9 at 4.2 deg K. The field was limited by the electron field emission and neither electron multipacting nor breakdown caused by couplers was observed. Damping of the HOM was sufficient and the input coupler was tested up to 82 KW in total reflection. A frequency tuning system consisted of two piezo electric and mechanical tuners. The piezo tuner was fast enough and the mechanical tuner covered wide range. In the beam test, the single bunch electron current of 29 mA was captured by the superconducting cavity alone and 13 mA was accelerated to 4.8 GeV. The maximum power transferred to the beam was 26 KW. The refrigeration system worked very stably

Commissioning of the long-pulse fast wave current drive antennas for DIII-D

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Baity, F.W.; Barber, G.C.; Goulding, R.H.; Hoffman, D.J.; DeGrassie, J.S.; Pinsker, R.I.; Petty, C.C.; Cary, W.

1995-01-01

Two new four-element fast wave current drive antennas have been installed on DIII-D. These antennas are designed for 10-s pulses at 2 MW each in the frequency range of 30 to 120 MHz. Each element comprises two poloidal segments fed in parallel in order to optimize plasma coupling at the upper end of the frequency range. The antennas are mounted on opposite sides of the vacuum vessel, in ports designated 0 degrees and 180 degrees after their toroidal angle. Each antenna array is fed by a single transmitter. The power is first split two ways by means of a 3-dB hybrid coupler, then each of these lines feeds a resonant loop connecting a pair of array elements. The power transfer during asymmetric phasing is shunted between resonant loops by a decoupler. The resonant loops are fitted with line stretchers so that multiple frequencies of operation are possible without reconfiguring the transmission line. Commissioning of these antennas has been underway since June 1994. Several deficiencies in the transmission line system were uncovered during initial vacuum conditioning, including problems with the transmission line insulators and with the drive rods for the variable elements. The former was solved by replacing the original alumina insulators, and the latter has been avoided during operation to date by positioning the tuners to avoid high voltage appearing on the drive rods. A modified design for the drive rods will be implemented before RF operations resume operation June 1995. New transmitters were procured from ABB for the new antennas and were installed in parallel with the antenna installation. During initial vacuum conditioning of the antenna in the 180 degree port a fast digital oscilloscope was used to try to pinpoint the location of arcing by a time-of-flight technique and to develop an understanding of the typical arc signature in the system

Radiation hardness tests of piezoelectric actuators with fast neutrons at liquid helium temperature

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fouaidy, M.; Martinet, G.; Hammoudi, N.; Chatelet, F.; Olivier, A.; Blivet, S.; Galet, F. [CNRS-IN2P3-IPN Orsay, Orsay (France)

2007-07-01

Piezoelectric actuators, which are integrated into the cold tuning system and used to compensate the small mechanical deformations of the cavity wall induced by Lorentz forces due to the high electromagnetic surface field, may be located in the radiation environment during particle accelerator operation. In order to provide for a reliable operation of the accelerator, the performance and life time of piezoelectric actuators ({approx}24.000 units for ILC) should not show any significant degradation for long periods (i.e. machine life duration: {approx}20 years), even when subjected to intense radiation (i.e. gamma rays and fast neutrons). An experimental program, aimed at investigating the effect of fast neutrons radiation on the characteristics of piezoelectric actuators at liquid helium temperature (i.e. T{approx}4.2 K), was proposed for the working package WPNo.8 devoted to tuners development in the frame of CARE project. A neutrons irradiation facility, already installed at the CERI cyclotron located at Orleans (France), was upgraded and adapted for actuators irradiations tests purpose. A deuterons beam (maximum energy and beam current: 25 MeV and 35{mu}A) collides with a thin (thickness: 3 mm) beryllium target producing a high neutrons flux with low gamma dose ({approx}20%): a neutrons fluence of more than 10{sup 14} n/cm{sup 2} is achieved in {approx}20 hours of exposure. A dedicated cryostat was developed at IPN Orsay and used previously for radiation hardness test of calibrated cryogenic thermometers and pressure transducers used in LHC superconducting magnets. This cryostat could be operated either with liquid helium or liquid argon. This irradiation facility was upgraded for allowing fast turn-over of experiments and a dedicated experimental set-up was designed, fabricated, installed at CERI and successfully operated for radiation hardness tests of several piezoelectric actuators at T{approx}4.2 K. This new apparatus allows on-line automatic measurements

Radiation hardness tests of piezoelectric actuators with fast neutrons at liquid helium temperature

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fouaidy, M.; Martinet, G.; Hammoudi, N.; Chatelet, F.; Olivier, A.; Blivet, S.; Galet, F.

2007-01-01

Piezoelectric actuators, which are integrated into the cold tuning system and used to compensate the small mechanical deformations of the cavity wall induced by Lorentz forces due to the high electromagnetic surface field, may be located in the radiation environment during particle accelerator operation. In order to provide for a reliable operation of the accelerator, the performance and life time of piezoelectric actuators (∼24.000 units for ILC) should not show any significant degradation for long periods (i.e. machine life duration: ∼20 years), even when subjected to intense radiation (i.e. gamma rays and fast neutrons). An experimental program, aimed at investigating the effect of fast neutrons radiation on the characteristics of piezoelectric actuators at liquid helium temperature (i.e. T∼4.2 K), was proposed for the working package WPNo.8 devoted to tuners development in the frame of CARE project. A neutrons irradiation facility, already installed at the CERI cyclotron located at Orleans (France), was upgraded and adapted for actuators irradiations tests purpose. A deuterons beam (maximum energy and beam current: 25 MeV and 35μA) collides with a thin (thickness: 3 mm) beryllium target producing a high neutrons flux with low gamma dose (∼20%): a neutrons fluence of more than 10 14 n/cm 2 is achieved in ∼20 hours of exposure. A dedicated cryostat was developed at IPN Orsay and used previously for radiation hardness test of calibrated cryogenic thermometers and pressure transducers used in LHC superconducting magnets. This cryostat could be operated either with liquid helium or liquid argon. This irradiation facility was upgraded for allowing fast turn-over of experiments and a dedicated experimental set-up was designed, fabricated, installed at CERI and successfully operated for radiation hardness tests of several piezoelectric actuators at T∼4.2 K. This new apparatus allows on-line automatic measurements of actuators characteristics and the

Enhanced production of electron cyclotron resonance plasma by exciting selective microwave mode on a large-bore electron cyclotron resonance ion source with permanent magnet.

Science.gov (United States)

Kimura, Daiju; Kurisu, Yosuke; Nozaki, Dai; Yano, Keisuke; Imai, Youta; Kumakura, Sho; Sato, Fuminobu; Kato, Yushi; Iida, Toshiyuki

2014-02-01

We are constructing a tandem type ECRIS. The first stage is large-bore with cylindrically comb-shaped magnet. We optimize the ion beam current and ion saturation current by a mobile plate tuner. They change by the position of the plate tuner for 2.45 GHz, 11-13 GHz, and multi-frequencies. The peak positions of them are close to the position where the microwave mode forms standing wave between the plate tuner and the extractor. The absorbed powers are estimated for each mode. We show a new guiding principle, which the number of efficient microwave mode should be selected to fit to that of multipole of the comb-shaped magnets. We obtained the excitation of the selective modes using new mobile plate tuner to enhance ECR efficiency.

Enhanced production of electron cyclotron resonance plasma by exciting selective microwave mode on a large-bore electron cyclotron resonance ion source with permanent magnet

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kimura, Daiju, E-mail: kimura@nf.eie.eng.osaka-u.ac.jp; Kurisu, Yosuke; Nozaki, Dai; Yano, Keisuke; Imai, Youta; Kumakura, Sho; Sato, Fuminobu; Kato, Yushi; Iida, Toshiyuki [Division of Electrical, Electronic and Information Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka University, 2-1 Yamada-oka, Suita-shi, Osaka 565-0871 (Japan)

2014-02-15

We are constructing a tandem type ECRIS. The first stage is large-bore with cylindrically comb-shaped magnet. We optimize the ion beam current and ion saturation current by a mobile plate tuner. They change by the position of the plate tuner for 2.45 GHz, 11–13 GHz, and multi-frequencies. The peak positions of them are close to the position where the microwave mode forms standing wave between the plate tuner and the extractor. The absorbed powers are estimated for each mode. We show a new guiding principle, which the number of efficient microwave mode should be selected to fit to that of multipole of the comb-shaped magnets. We obtained the excitation of the selective modes using new mobile plate tuner to enhance ECR efficiency.

FAST: FAST Analysis of Sequences Toolbox

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Travis J. Lawrence

2015-05-01

Full Text Available FAST (FAST Analysis of Sequences Toolbox provides simple, powerful open source command-line tools to filter, transform, annotate and analyze biological sequence data. Modeled after the GNU (GNU’s Not Unix Textutils such as grep, cut, and tr, FAST tools such as fasgrep, fascut, and fastr make it easy to rapidly prototype expressive bioinformatic workflows in a compact and generic command vocabulary. Compact combinatorial encoding of data workflows with FAST commands can simplify the documentation and reproducibility of bioinformatic protocols, supporting better transparency in biological data science. Interface self-consistency and conformity with conventions of GNU, Matlab, Perl, BioPerl, R and GenBank help make FAST easy and rewarding to learn. FAST automates numerical, taxonomic, and text-based sorting, selection and transformation of sequence records and alignment sites based on content, index ranges, descriptive tags, annotated features, and in-line calculated analytics, including composition and codon usage. Automated content- and feature-based extraction of sites and support for molecular population genetic statistics makes FAST useful for molecular evolutionary analysis. FAST is portable, easy to install and secure thanks to the relative maturity of its Perl and BioPerl foundations, with stable releases posted to CPAN. Development as well as a publicly accessible Cookbook and Wiki are available on the FAST GitHub repository at https://github.com/tlawrence3/FAST. The default data exchange format in FAST is Multi-FastA (specifically, a restriction of BioPerl FastA format. Sanger and Illumina 1.8+ FastQ formatted files are also supported. FAST makes it easier for non-programmer biologists to interactively investigate and control biological data at the speed of thought.

Compensating microphonics in SRF cavities to ensure beam stability for future free electron lasers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Neumann, Axel

2008-07-21

In seeded High-Gain-Harmonic-Generation free electron lasers or energy recovery linear accelerators the requirements for the bunch-to-bunch timing and energy jitter of the beam are in the femtosecond and per mill regime. This implies the ability to control the cavity radiofrequency (RF) field to an accuracy of 0.02 in phase and up to 1.10{sup -4} in amplitude. For the planned BESSY-FEL it is envisaged to operate 144 superconducting 1.3 GHz cavities of the 2.3 GeV driver linac in continuous wave mode and at a low beam current. The cavity resonance comprises a very narrow bandwidth of the order of tens of Hertz. Such cavities have been characterized under accelerator like conditions in the HoBiCaT test facility. It was possible to measure the error sources affecting the field stability in continuous wave (CW) operation. Microphonics, the main error source for a mechanical detuning of the cavities, lead to an average fluctuation of the cavity resonance of 1-5 Hz rms. Furthermore, the static and dynamic Lorentz force detuning and the helium pressure dependance of the cavity resonance have been measured. Single cavity RF control and linac bunch-to-bunch longitudinal phase space modeling containing the measured properties showed, that it is advisable to find means to minimize the microphonics detuning by mechanical tuning. Thus, several fast tuning systems have been tested for CW operation. These tuners consist of a motor driven lever for slow and coarse tuning and a piezo that is integrated into the tuner support for fast and fine tuning. Regarding the analysis of the detuning spectrum an adaptive feedforward method based on the least-mean-square filter algorithm has been developed for fast cavity tuning. A detuning compensation between a factor of two and up to a factor of seven has been achieved. Modeling the complete system including the fast tuning scheme, showed that the requirements of the BESSY-FEL are attainable. (orig.)

Compensating microphonics in SRF cavities to ensure beam stability for future free electron lasers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Neumann, Axel

2008-01-01

In seeded High-Gain-Harmonic-Generation free electron lasers or energy recovery linear accelerators the requirements for the bunch-to-bunch timing and energy jitter of the beam are in the femtosecond and per mill regime. This implies the ability to control the cavity radiofrequency (RF) field to an accuracy of 0.02 in phase and up to 1.10 -4 in amplitude. For the planned BESSY-FEL it is envisaged to operate 144 superconducting 1.3 GHz cavities of the 2.3 GeV driver linac in continuous wave mode and at a low beam current. The cavity resonance comprises a very narrow bandwidth of the order of tens of Hertz. Such cavities have been characterized under accelerator like conditions in the HoBiCaT test facility. It was possible to measure the error sources affecting the field stability in continuous wave (CW) operation. Microphonics, the main error source for a mechanical detuning of the cavities, lead to an average fluctuation of the cavity resonance of 1-5 Hz rms. Furthermore, the static and dynamic Lorentz force detuning and the helium pressure dependance of the cavity resonance have been measured. Single cavity RF control and linac bunch-to-bunch longitudinal phase space modeling containing the measured properties showed, that it is advisable to find means to minimize the microphonics detuning by mechanical tuning. Thus, several fast tuning systems have been tested for CW operation. These tuners consist of a motor driven lever for slow and coarse tuning and a piezo that is integrated into the tuner support for fast and fine tuning. Regarding the analysis of the detuning spectrum an adaptive feedforward method based on the least-mean-square filter algorithm has been developed for fast cavity tuning. A detuning compensation between a factor of two and up to a factor of seven has been achieved. Modeling the complete system including the fast tuning scheme, showed that the requirements of the BESSY-FEL are attainable. (orig.)

An improved phase-control system for superconducting low-velocity accelerating structures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bogaty, J.M.; Clifft, B.E.; Shepard, K.W.; Zinkann, G.P.

1989-01-01

Microphonic fluctuations in the rf eigenfrequency of superconducting (SC) slow-wave structures must be compensated by a fast-tuning system in order to control the rf phase. The tuning system must handle a reactive power proportional to the product of the tuning range and the rf energy content of the resonant cavity. The accelerating field level of many of the SC cavities forming the ATLAS linac has been limited by the rf power capacity of the presently used PIN-diode based fast-tuner. A new system has been developed, utilizing PIN diodes operating immersed in liquid nitrogen, with the diodes controlled by a high-voltage VMOS FET driver. The system has operated at reactive power levels above 20 KVA, a factor of four increase over an earlier design. 7 refs., 2 figs

An improved phase-controlled system for superconducting low-velocity accelerating structures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bogaty, J.M.; Clifft, B.E.; Shepard, K.W.; Zinkann, G.P.

1989-01-01

Microphonic fluctuations in the RF eigenfrequency of supeconducting (SC) slow-wave structures must be compensated by a fast-tuning system in order to control the RF phase. The tuning system must handle a reactive power proportional to the product of the tuning range and the RF energy content of the resonant cavity. The accelerating field level of many of the SC cavities forming the ATLAS linac has been limited by the RF power capacity of the presently used PIN-diode based fast-tuner. A new system has been developed, utilizing PIN diodes operating immersed in liquid nitrogen, with the diodes controlled by a high-voltage VMOS FET driver. The system has operated at reactive power levels above 20 KVA, a factor of four increase over an earlier design. 7 refs., 2 figs

An improved phase-control system for superconducting low-velocity accelerating structures

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bogaty, J.M.; Clifft, B.E.; Shepard, K.W.; Zinkann, G.P.

1989-01-01

Microphonic fluctuations in the rf eigenfrequency of superconducting (SC) slow-wave structures must be compensated by a fast-tuning system in order to control the rf phase. The tuning system must handle a reactive power proportional to the product of the tuning range and the rf energy content of the resonant cavity. The accelerating field level of many of the SC cavities forming the ATLAS linac has been limited by the rf power capacity of the presently used PIN-diode based fast-tuner. A new system has been developed, utilizing PIN diodes operating immersed in liquid nitrogen, with the diodes controlled by a high-voltage VMOS FET driver. The system has operated at reactive power levels above 20 KVA, a factor of four increase over an earlier design. 7 refs., 2 figs.

Active Vibration Control of Hydrodynamic Journal Bearings

Science.gov (United States)

Tůma, J.; Šimek, J.; Škuta, J.; Los, J.; Zavadil, J.

Rotor instability is one of the most serious problems of high-speed rotors supported by sliding bearings. With constantly increasing parameters, new machines problems with rotor instability are encountered more and more often. Even though there are many solutions based on passive improvement of the bearing geometry to enlarge the operational speed range of the journal bearing, the paper deals with a working prototype of a system for the active vibration control of journal bearings with the use of piezoactuators. The actively controlled journal bearing consists of a movable bushing, which is actuated by two piezoactuators. It is assumed that the journal vibration is measured by a pair of proximity probes. Force produced by piezoactuators and acting at the bushing is controlled according to error signals derived from the proximity probe output signals. The active vibration control was tested with the use of a test rig, which consists of a rotor supported by two controllable journal bearings and driven by an inductive motor up to 23,000 rpm. As it was proved by experiments the active vibration control extends considerably the range of the rotor operational speed.

Robust Comparison of the Linear Model Structures in Self-tuning Adaptive Control

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Zhou, Jianjun; Conrad, Finn

1989-01-01

The Generalized Predictive Controller (GPC) is extended to the systems with a generalized linear model structure which contains a number of choices of linear model structures. The Recursive Prediction Error Method (RPEM) is used to estimate the unknown parameters of the linear model structures...... to constitute a GPC self-tuner. Different linear model structures commonly used are compared and evaluated by applying them to the extended GPC self-tuner as well as to the special cases of the GPC, the GMV and MV self-tuners. The simulation results show how the choice of model structure affects the input......-output behaviour of self-tuning controllers....

Neighborhood fast food availability and fast food consumption.

Science.gov (United States)

Oexle, Nathalie; Barnes, Timothy L; Blake, Christine E; Bell, Bethany A; Liese, Angela D

2015-09-01

Recent nutritional and public health research has focused on how the availability of various types of food in a person's immediate area or neighborhood influences his or her food choices and eating habits. It has been theorized that people living in areas with a wealth of unhealthy fast-food options may show higher levels of fast-food consumption, a factor that often coincides with being overweight or obese. However, measuring food availability in a particular area is difficult to achieve consistently: there may be differences in the strict physical locations of food options as compared to how individuals perceive their personal food availability, and various studies may use either one or both of these measures. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between weekly fast-food consumption and both a person's perceived availability of fast-food and an objective measure of fast-food presence - Geographic Information Systems (GIS) - within that person's neighborhood. A randomly selected population-based sample of eight counties in South Carolina was used to conduct a cross-sectional telephone survey assessing self-report fast-food consumption and perceived availability of fast food. GIS was used to determine the actual number of fast-food outlets within each participant's neighborhood. Using multinomial logistic regression analyses, we found that neither perceived availability nor GIS-based presence of fast-food was significantly associated with weekly fast-food consumption. Our findings indicate that availability might not be the dominant factor influencing fast-food consumption. We recommend using subjective availability measures and considering individual characteristics that could influence both perceived availability of fast food and its impact on fast-food consumption. If replicated, our findings suggest that interventions aimed at reducing fast-food consumption by limiting neighborhood fast-food availability might not be completely effective

Serum Lipid Profile: Fasting or Non-fasting?

OpenAIRE

Nigam, P. K.

2010-01-01

Serum lipid profile has now become almost a routine test. It is usually done in fasting state due to certain limitations in non-fasting serum sample. In the recent past efforts have been made to simplify blood sampling by replacing fasting lipid profile with non-fasting lipid profile. However, fasting specimen is preferred if cardiovascular risk assessment is based on total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol or non-HDL cholesterol. A lot has yet to be done in this area. Till then we have to believe...

Mechanical design of 56 MHz superconducting RF cavity for RHIC collider

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pai, C.; Ben-Zvi, I.; Burrill, A.; Chang, X.; McIntyre, G.; Than, Y.; Tuozzolo, J.; Wu, Q.

2011-03-28

A 56 MHz Superconducting RF Cavity operating at 4.4K is being constructed for the RHIC collider. This cavity is a quarter wave resonator with beam transmission along the centerline. This cavity will increase collision luminosity by providing a large longitudinal bucket for stored bunches of RHIC ion beam. The major components of this assembly are the niobium cavity with the mechanical tuner, its titanium helium vessel and vacuum cryostat, the support system, and the ports for HOM and fundamental dampers. The cavity and its helium vessel must meet equivalent safety with the ASME pressure vessel code and it must not be sensitive to frequency shift due to pressure fluctuations from the helium supply system. Frequency tuning achieved by a two stage mechanical tuner is required to meet performance parameters. This tuner mechanism pushes and pulls the tuning plate in the gap of niobium cavity. The tuner mechanism has two separate drive systems to provide both coarse and fine tuning capabilities. This paper discusses the design detail and how the design requirements are met.

NASA Tech Briefs, March 2011

Science.gov (United States)

2011-01-01

Topics covered include: Optimal Tuner Selection for Kalman-Filter-Based Aircraft Engine Performance Estimation; Airborne Radar Interferometric Repeat-Pass Processing; Plug-and-Play Environmental Monitoring Spacecraft Subsystem; Power-Combined GaN Amplifier with 2.28-W Output Power at 87 GHz; Wallops Ship Surveillance System; Source Lines Counter (SLiC) Version 4.0; Guidance, Navigation, and Control Program; Single-Frame Terrain Mapping Software for Robotic Vehicles; Auto Draw from Excel Input Files; Observation Scheduling System; CFDP for Interplanetary Overlay Network; X-Windows Widget for Image Display; Binary-Signal Recovery; Volumetric 3D Display System with Static Screen; MMIC Replacement for Gunn Diode Oscillators; Feature Acquisition with Imbalanced Training Data; Mount Protects Thin-Walled Glass or Ceramic Tubes from Large Thermal and Vibration Loads; Carbon Nanotube-Based Structural Health Monitoring Sensors; Wireless Inductive Power Device Suppresses Blade Vibrations; Safe, Advanced, Adaptable Isolation System Eliminates the Need for Critical Lifts; Anti-Rotation Device Releasable by Insertion of a Tool; A Magnetically Coupled Cryogenic Pump; Single Piezo-Actuator Rotary-Hammering Drill; Fire-Retardant Polymeric Additives; Catalytic Generation of Lift Gases for Balloons; Ionic Liquids to Replace Hydrazine; Variable Emittance Electrochromics Using Ionic Electrolytes and Low Solar Absorptance Coatings; Spacecraft Radiator Freeze Protection Using a Regenerative Heat Exchanger; Multi-Mission Power Analysis Tool; Correction for Self-Heating When Using Thermometers as Heaters in Precision Control Applications; Gravitational Wave Detection with Single-Laser Atom Interferometers; Titanium Alloy Strong Back for IXO Mirror Segments; Improved Ambient Pressure Pyroelectric Ion Source; Multi-Modal Image Registration and Matching for Localization of a Balloon on Titan; Entanglement in Quantum-Classical Hybrid; Algorithm for Autonomous Landing; Quantum-Classical Hybrid

The Fast-Casual Conundrum: Fast-Casual Restaurant Entrées Are Higher in Calories than Fast Food.

Science.gov (United States)

Schoffman, Danielle E; Davidson, Charis R; Hales, Sarah B; Crimarco, Anthony E; Dahl, Alicia A; Turner-McGrievy, Gabrielle M

2016-10-01

Frequently eating fast food has been associated with consuming a diet high in calories, and there is a public perception that fast-casual restaurants (eg, Chipotle) are healthier than traditional fast food (eg, McDonald's). However, research has not examined whether fast-food entrées and fast-casual entrées differ in calorie content. The purpose of this study was to determine whether the caloric content of entrées at fast-food restaurants differed from that found at fast-casual restaurants. This study was a cross-sectional analysis of secondary data. Calorie information from 2014 for lunch and dinner entrées for fast-food and fast-casual restaurants was downloaded from the MenuStat database. Mean calories per entrée between fast-food restaurants and fast-casual restaurants and the proportion of restaurant entrées that fell into different calorie ranges were assessed. A t test was conducted to test the hypothesis that there was no difference between the average calories per entrée at fast-food and fast-casual restaurants. To examine the difference in distribution of entrées in different calorie ranges between fast-food and fast-casual restaurants, χ(2) tests were used. There were 34 fast-food and 28 fast-casual restaurants included in the analysis (n=3,193 entrées). Fast-casual entrées had significantly more calories per entrée (760±301 kcal) than fast-food entrées (561±268; Prestaurants to determine whether the energy content or nutrient density of full meals (ie, entrées with sides and drinks) differs between fast-casual restaurants and fast-food restaurants. Calorie-conscious consumers should consider the calorie content of entrée items before purchase, regardless of restaurant type. Copyright © 2016 Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Design Topics for Superconducting RF Cavities and Ancillaries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Padamsee, H

2014-01-01

RF superconductivity has become a major subfield of accelerator science. There has been an explosion in the number of accelerator applications and in the number of laboratories engaged. The first lecture at this meeting of the CAS presented a review of fundamental design principles to develop cavity geometries to accelerate velocity-of-light particles (β = v/c ~ 1), moving on to the corresponding design principles for medium-velocity (medium-β) and low-velocity (low-β) structures. The lecture included mechanical design topics. The second lecture dealt with input couplers, higher-order mode extraction couplers with absorbers, and tuners of both the slow and fast varieties

Design Topics for Superconducting RF Cavities and Ancillaries

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Padamsee, H [Cornell University, CLASSE (United States)

2014-07-01

RF superconductivity has become a major subfield of accelerator science. There has been an explosion in the number of accelerator applications and in the number of laboratories engaged. The first lecture at this meeting of the CAS presented a review of fundamental design principles to develop cavity geometries to accelerate velocity-of-light particles (β = v/c ~ 1), moving on to the corresponding design principles for medium-velocity (medium-β) and low-velocity (low-β) structures. The lecture included mechanical design topics. The second lecture dealt with input couplers, higher-order mode extraction couplers with absorbers, and tuners of both the slow and fast varieties.

Elastic properties of ultrathin diamond/AlN membranes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zuerbig, V.; Hees, J.; Pletschen, W.; Sah, R.E.; Wolfer, M.; Kirste, L.; Heidrich, N.; Nebel, C.E.; Ambacher, O.; Lebedev, V.

2014-01-01

Nanocrystalline diamond- (NCD) and AlN-based ultrathin single layer and bilayer membranes are investigated towards their mechanical properties. It is shown that chemo-mechanical polishing and heavy boron doping of NCD thin films do not impact the elastic properties of NCD layers as revealed by negligible variations of the NCD Young's modulus (E). In addition, it is demonstrated that the combination of NCD elastic layer and AlN piezo-actuator is highly suitable for the fabrication of mechanically stable ultrathin membranes in comparison to AlN single layer membranes. The elastic parameters of NCD/AlN heterostructures are mainly determined by the outstanding high Young's modulus of NCD (E = 1019 ± 19 GPa). Such ultrathin unimorph membranes allow for fabrication of piezo-actuated AlN/NCD microlenses with tunable focus length. - Highlights: • Mechanical properties of nanocrystalline diamond (NCD) and AlN circular membranes • No influence of polishing of NCD thin films on the mechanical properties of NCD • No influence of heavy boron-doping on the mechanical properties of NCD • Demonstration of mechanically stable piezo-actuated NCD/AlN membranes • Reported performance of AlN/NCD microlenses with adjustable focus length

Fast Convolution Module (Fast Convolution Module)

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Bierens, L

1997-01-01

This report describes the design and realisation of a real-time range azimuth compression module, the so-called 'Fast Convolution Module', based on the fast convolution algorithm developed at TNO-FEL...

ZettaBricks: A Language Compiler and Runtime System for Anyscale Computing

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Amarasinghe, Saman [Massachusetts Inst. of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, MA (United States)

2015-03-27

This grant supported the ZettaBricks and OpenTuner projects. ZettaBricks is a new implicitly parallel language and compiler where defining multiple implementations of multiple algorithms to solve a problem is the natural way of programming. ZettaBricks makes algorithmic choice a first class construct of the language. Choices are provided in a way that also allows our compiler to tune at a finer granularity. The ZettaBricks compiler autotunes programs by making both fine-grained as well as algorithmic choices. Choices also include different automatic parallelization techniques, data distributions, algorithmic parameters, transformations, and blocking. Additionally, ZettaBricks introduces novel techniques to autotune algorithms for different convergence criteria. When choosing between various direct and iterative methods, the ZettaBricks compiler is able to tune a program in such a way that delivers near-optimal efficiency for any desired level of accuracy. The compiler has the flexibility of utilizing different convergence criteria for the various components within a single algorithm, providing the user with accuracy choice alongside algorithmic choice. OpenTuner is a generalization of the experience gained in building an autotuner for ZettaBricks. OpenTuner is a new open source framework for building domain-specific multi-objective program autotuners. OpenTuner supports fully-customizable configuration representations, an extensible technique representation to allow for domain-specific techniques, and an easy to use interface for communicating with the program to be autotuned. A key capability inside OpenTuner is the use of ensembles of disparate search techniques simultaneously; techniques that perform well will dynamically be allocated a larger proportion of tests.

Tuning the LEDA RFQ 6.7 MeV accelerator

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Young, L.M.; Rybarcyk, L.

1998-01-01

This paper presents the results of tuning the 8 meter long Radio Frequency Quadrupole (RFQ) built for the Low Energy Demonstration Accelerator (LEDA). This 350-MHz RFQ is split into four 2-meter-long-RFQs. Then they are joined with resonant coupling to form an 8-meter-long RFQ. This improves both the longitudinal stability and the transverse stability of this long RFQ. The frequencies of the modes near the RFQ mode are measured. The authors show the effect on the RF fields of an error in the temperature of each one of the 2-meter-long-RFQs. Slug tuners distributed along the outer walls tune the RFQ. The program RFQTUNE is used to determine the length of the tuners. The tuners are machined to length when the final tuning is complete

RF Measurements and Tuning of the 750 MHz HF-RFQ

CERN Document Server

Koubek, Benjamin; Timmins, Marc; CERN. Geneva. ATS Department

2017-01-01

In the frame of the program on medical applications CERN has built a compact 750 MHz RFQ to be used as an injector for a hadron therapy linac. This RFQ was designed to accelerate protons to an energy of 5 {\\lambda} MeV within only 2 m length. It is divided into four segments and equipped with 32 tuners in total. The length of the RFQ corresponds to 5 which is considered to be close to the limit for field adjustment using only piston tuners. Moreover the high frequency, which is about double the frequency of existing RFQs, results in a sensitive structure and requires careful tuning by means of the alignment of the pumping ports and fixed tuners. This report summarises the tuning procedure, RF and bead pull measurements of the RFQ.

Prototype Control System for Compensation of Superconducting Cavities Detuning Using Piezoelectric Actuators

Science.gov (United States)

Przygoda, K.; Piotrowski, A.; Jablonski, G.; Makowski, D.; Pozniak, T.; Napieralski, A.

2009-08-01

Pulsed operation of high gradient superconducting radio frequency (SCRF) cavities results in dynamic Lorentz force detuning (LFD) approaching or exceeding the bandwidth of the cavity of order of a few hundreds of Hz. The resulting modulation of the resonance frequency of the cavity is leading to a perturbation of the amplitude and phase of the accelerating field, which can be controlled only at the expense of RF power. Presently, at various labs, a piezoelectric fast tuner based on an active compensation scheme for the resonance frequency control of the cavity is under study. The tests already performed in the Free Electron Laser in Hamburg (FLASH), proved the possibility of Lorentz force detuning compensation by the means of the piezo element excited with the single period of sine wave prior to the RF pulse. The X-Ray Free Electron Laser (X-FEL) accelerator, which is now under development in Deutsche Elektronen-Synchrotron (DESY), will consists of around 800 cavities with a fast tuner fixture including the actuator/sensor configuration. Therefore, it is necessary to design a distributed control system which would be able to supervise around 25 RF stations, each one comprised of 32 cavities. The Advanced Telecomunications Computing Architecture (ATCA) was chosen to design, develop, and build a Low Level Radio Frequency (LLRF) controller for X-FEL. The prototype control system for Lorentz force detuning compensation was designed and developed. The control applications applied in the system were fitted to the main framework of interfaces and communication protocols proposed for the ATCA-based LLRF control system. The paper presents the general view of a designed control system and shows the first experimental results from the tests carried out in FLASH facility. Moreover, the possibilities for integration of the piezo control system to the ATCA standards are discussed.

Miniaturized Low-Power Piezo Microvalve for NanoSat and CubeSat Propulsion, Phase II

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — In the Phase I effort, Busek developed a miniature precision piezo-actuated microvalve weighing 32g and occupying 4.5 cm^3. The valve demonstrated continuous flow...

A perpendicular AC biased ferrite tuned cavity for the TRIUMF KAON factory booster synchrotron

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Poirier, R.L.; Enegren, T.A.; Haddock, C.; Enchevich, I.

1990-06-01

The rf cavity for the booster synchrotron requires a frequency swing of 46 MHz at a repetition rate of 50 Hz. This will be accomplished using a tuner containing yttrium garnet ferrite where the bias field is perpendicular to the rf magnetic field. Conventional methods use parallel biased NiZn ferrite. Yttrium garnet ferrite possess a high electric quality factor. However the ac magnetizing circuit is much more complicated and special care must be taken to minimize the induced eddy current losses when designing the tuner. A dc biased prototype cavity was constructed and tested at Los Alamos. As part of the project definition study for the proposed KAON factory, this cavity has now been almost entirely rebuilt at TRIUMF with a completely redesigned tuner for ac bias operation. Measurements and test results will be reported. (Author) 2 refs., 8 figs

Neighborhood fast food restaurants and fast food consumption: a national study.

Science.gov (United States)

Richardson, Andrea S; Boone-Heinonen, Janne; Popkin, Barry M; Gordon-Larsen, Penny

2011-07-08

Recent studies suggest that neighborhood fast food restaurant availability is related to greater obesity, yet few studies have investigated whether neighborhood fast food restaurant availability promotes fast food consumption. Our aim was to estimate the effect of neighborhood fast food availability on frequency of fast food consumption in a national sample of young adults, a population at high risk for obesity. We used national data from U.S. young adults enrolled in wave III (2001-02; ages 18-28) of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (n = 13,150). Urbanicity-stratified multivariate negative binomial regression models were used to examine cross-sectional associations between neighborhood fast food availability and individual-level self-reported fast food consumption frequency, controlling for individual and neighborhood characteristics. In adjusted analysis, fast food availability was not associated with weekly frequency of fast food consumption in non-urban or low- or high-density urban areas. Policies aiming to reduce neighborhood availability as a means to reduce fast food consumption among young adults may be unsuccessful. Consideration of fast food outlets near school or workplace locations, factors specific to more or less urban settings, and the role of individual lifestyle attitudes and preferences are needed in future research.

Neighborhood fast food restaurants and fast food consumption: A national study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gordon-Larsen Penny

2011-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Recent studies suggest that neighborhood fast food restaurant availability is related to greater obesity, yet few studies have investigated whether neighborhood fast food restaurant availability promotes fast food consumption. Our aim was to estimate the effect of neighborhood fast food availability on frequency of fast food consumption in a national sample of young adults, a population at high risk for obesity. Methods We used national data from U.S. young adults enrolled in wave III (2001-02; ages 18-28 of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (n = 13,150. Urbanicity-stratified multivariate negative binomial regression models were used to examine cross-sectional associations between neighborhood fast food availability and individual-level self-reported fast food consumption frequency, controlling for individual and neighborhood characteristics. Results In adjusted analysis, fast food availability was not associated with weekly frequency of fast food consumption in non-urban or low- or high-density urban areas. Conclusions Policies aiming to reduce neighborhood availability as a means to reduce fast food consumption among young adults may be unsuccessful. Consideration of fast food outlets near school or workplace locations, factors specific to more or less urban settings, and the role of individual lifestyle attitudes and preferences are needed in future research.

Fundamental Frequency Tuning and Its Influence on LHC 200MHz ACN Cavity

CERN Document Server

Linnecar, Trevor Paul R; Tückmantel, Joachim; CERN. Geneva. SPS and LHC Division

2001-01-01

To study the influence of the tuner on the fundamental mode frequency, the Q factor as well as the shunt impedance of the LHC 200MHz ACN cavities, 3D simulations have been done in the frequency domain using MAFIA. Curves giving the variation of RF frequency and other RF parameters with tuner position relative to the inner surface of the cavity have been obtained for the fundamental mode. This paper details the simulation results.

FastChem: An ultra-fast equilibrium chemistry

Science.gov (United States)

Kitzmann, Daniel; Stock, Joachim

2018-04-01

FastChem is an equilibrium chemistry code that calculates the chemical composition of the gas phase for given temperatures and pressures. Written in C++, it is based on a semi-analytic approach, and is optimized for extremely fast and accurate calculations.

Neighborhood fast food restaurants and fast food consumption: A national study

OpenAIRE

Richardson, Andrea S; Boone-Heinonen, Janne; Popkin, Barry M; Gordon-Larsen, Penny

2011-01-01

Abstract Background Recent studies suggest that neighborhood fast food restaurant availability is related to greater obesity, yet few studies have investigated whether neighborhood fast food restaurant availability promotes fast food consumption. Our aim was to estimate the effect of neighborhood fast food availability on frequency of fast food consumption in a national sample of young adults, a population at high risk for obesity. Methods We used national data from U.S. young adults enrolled...

Comparison of Fast-Food and Non-Fast-Food Children's Menu Items

Science.gov (United States)

Serrano, Elena L.; Jedda, Virginia B.

2009-01-01

Objective: Compare the macronutrient content of children's meals sold by fast-food restaurants (FFR) and non-fast-food restaurants (NFF). Design: All restaurants within the designated city limits were surveyed. Non-fast-food children's meals were purchased, weighed, and analyzed using nutrition software. All fast-food children's meals were…

Validation of the superconducting 3.9 GHz cavity package for the European X-ray Free Electron Laser

Science.gov (United States)

Maiano, C. G.; Branlard, J.; Hüning, M.; Jensch, K.; Kostin, D.; Matheisen, A.; Möller, W.-D.; Sulimov, A.; Vogel, E.; Bosotti, A.; Chen, J. F.; Moretti, M.; Paparella, R.; Pierini, P.; Sertore, D.

2017-04-01

A full test of the cavity package concept under realistic operating condition was a necessary step before the assembly of the European XFEL (EXFEL) 3.9 GHz superconducting system and its installation in the accelerator. One cavity, equipped with magnetic shielding, power coupler and frequency tuner has been tested in a specially designed single cavity cryostat in one of the test benches of the DESY Accelerator Module Test Facility (AMTF). The cavity was operated at high pulsed power up to an accelerating field of 24 MV /m , above the quench accelerating field of 21 MV /m achieved during the continuous wave (CW) vertical qualification test and with a large margin with respect to the EXFEL maximum operating specification of 15 MV /m for the 3.9 GHz system. All subsystems under test—coupler, tuner, waveguide tuners, low level radio-frequency (LLRF) system—were qualified to their design performances.

Fast Food Jobs. National Study of Fast Food Employment.

Science.gov (United States)

Charner, Ivan; Fraser, Bryna Shore

A study examined employment in the fast-food industry. The national survey collected data from employees at 279 fast-food restaurants from seven companies. Female employees outnumbered males by two to one. The ages of those fast-food employees in the survey sample ranged from 14 to 71, with fully 70 percent being in the 16- to 20-year-old age…

The fast reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1980-02-01

The subject is discussed as follows: brief description of fast reactors; advantage in conserving uranium resources; experience, in UK and elsewhere, in fast reactor design, construction and operation; safety; production of plutonium, security aspects; consideration of future UK fast reactor programme. (U.K.)

Inorganic component of saliva during fasting and after fast break

OpenAIRE

Samad, Rasmidar

2016-01-01

Oral health is closely related to salivary components. Saliva consists of water, inorganic and organic materials. Fasting changes one???s meal and drinking time that in turn can affect the environment in oral cavity, including inorganic componenet of saliva. The purpose of this study is to determine the inorganic component of saliva during fasting and after fast break.

Validation of the superconducting 3.9 GHz cavity package for the European X-ray Free Electron Laser

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

C. G. Maiano

2017-04-01

Full Text Available A full test of the cavity package concept under realistic operating condition was a necessary step before the assembly of the European XFEL (EXFEL 3.9 GHz superconducting system and its installation in the accelerator. One cavity, equipped with magnetic shielding, power coupler and frequency tuner has been tested in a specially designed single cavity cryostat in one of the test benches of the DESY Accelerator Module Test Facility (AMTF. The cavity was operated at high pulsed power up to an accelerating field of 24  MV/m, above the quench accelerating field of 21  MV/m achieved during the continuous wave (CW vertical qualification test and with a large margin with respect to the EXFEL maximum operating specification of 15  MV/m for the 3.9 GHz system. All subsystems under test—coupler, tuner, waveguide tuners, low level radio-frequency (LLRF system—were qualified to their design performances.

Proximity to Fast-Food Outlets and Supermarkets as Predictors of Fast-Food Dining Frequency.

Science.gov (United States)

Athens, Jessica K; Duncan, Dustin T; Elbel, Brian

2016-08-01

This study used cross-sectional data to test the independent relationship of proximity to chain fast-food outlets and proximity to full-service supermarkets on the frequency of mealtime dining at fast-food outlets in two major urban areas, using three approaches to define access. Interactions between presence of a supermarket and presence of fast-food outlets as predictors of fast-food dining were also tested. Residential intersections for respondents in point-of-purchase and random-digit-dial telephone surveys of adults in Philadelphia, PA, and Baltimore, MD, were geocoded. The count of fast-food outlets and supermarkets within quarter-mile, half-mile, and 1-mile street network buffers around each respondent's intersection was calculated, as well as distance to the nearest fast-food outlet and supermarket. These variables were regressed on weekly fast-food dining frequency to determine whether proximity to fast food and supermarkets had independent and joint effects on fast-food dining. The effect of access to supermarkets and chain fast-food outlets varied by study population. Among telephone survey respondents, supermarket access was the only significant predictor of fast-food dining frequency. Point-of-purchase respondents were generally unaffected by proximity to either supermarkets or fast-food outlets. However, ≥1 fast-food outlet within a 1-mile buffer was an independent predictor of consuming more fast-food meals among point-of-purchase respondents. At the quarter-mile distance, ≥1 supermarket was predictive of fewer fast-food meals. Supermarket access was associated with less fast-food dining among telephone respondents, whereas access to fast-food outlets were associated with more fast-food visits among survey respondents identified at point-of-purchase. This study adds to the existing literature on geographic determinants of fast-food dining behavior among urban adults in the general population and those who regularly consume fast food. Copyright �

Fast-ion Dα measurements of the fast-ion distribution (invited)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Heidbrink, W. W.

2010-01-01

The fast-ion Dα (FIDA) diagnostic is an application of charge-exchange recombination spectroscopy. Fast ions that neutralize in an injected neutral beam emit Balmer-α light with a large Doppler shift. The spectral shift is exploited to distinguish the FIDA emission from other bright sources of Dα light. Background subtraction is the main technical challenge. A spectroscopic diagnostic typically achieves temporal, energy, and transverse spatial resolution of ∼1 ms, ∼10 keV, and ∼2 cm, respectively. Installations that use narrow-band filters achieve high spatial and temporal resolution at the expense of spectral information. For high temporal resolution, the bandpass-filtered light goes directly to a photomultiplier, allowing detection of ∼50 kHz oscillations in FIDA signal. For two-dimensional spatial profiles, the bandpass-filtered light goes to a charge-coupled device camera; detailed images of fast-ion redistribution at instabilities are obtained. Qualitative and quantitative models relate the measured FIDA signals to the fast-ion distribution function. The first quantitative comparisons between theory and experiment found excellent agreement in beam-heated magnetohydrodynamics (MHD)-quiescent plasmas. FIDA diagnostics are now in operation at magnetic-fusion facilities worldwide. They are used to study fast-ion acceleration by ion cyclotron heating, to detect fast-ion transport by MHD modes and microturbulence, and to study fast-ion driven instabilities.

Fasts, feasts and festivals in diabetes-1: Glycemic management during Hindu fasts

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sanjay Kalra

2015-01-01

Full Text Available This communication is the first of a series on South Asian fasts, festivals, and diabetes, designed to spread awareness and stimulate research on this aspect of diabetes and metabolic care. It describes the various fasts observed as part of Hindu religion and offers a classification scheme for them, labeling them as infrequent and frequent. The infrequent fasts are further sub-classified as brief and prolonged, to facilitate a scientific approach to glycemic management during these fasts. Pre-fast counseling, non-pharmacological therapy, pharmacological modification, and post-fast debriefing are discussed in detail. All available drug classes and molecules are covered in this article, which provides guidance about necessary changes in dosage and timing of administration. While in no way exhaustive, the brief review offers a basic framework which diabetes care professionals can use to counsel and manage persons in their care who wish to observe various Hindu fasts.

Preoperative fasting times: Prescribed and actual fasting times at ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The current international guidelines for preoperative fasting for elective surgery are 6 ... to determine whether this policy was being followed and patients were being starved ..... recommended fasting time, so that autonomous patients take care.

Association between proximity to and coverage of traditional fast-food restaurants and non-traditional fast-food outlets and fast-food consumption among rural adults

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Horel Scott A

2011-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Objective The objective of this study is to examine the relationship between residential exposure to fast-food entrées, using two measures of potential spatial access: proximity (distance to the nearest location and coverage (number of different locations, and weekly consumption of fast-food meals. Methods Traditional fast-food restaurants and non-traditional fast-food outlets, such as convenience stores, supermarkets, and grocery stores, from the 2006 Brazos Valley Food Environment Project were linked with individual participants (n = 1409 who completed the nutrition module in the 2006 Brazos Valley Community Health Assessment. Results Increased age, poverty, increased distance to the nearest fast food, and increased number of different traditional fast-food restaurants, non-traditional fast-food outlets, or fast-food opportunities were associated with less frequent weekly consumption of fast-food meals. The interaction of gender and proximity (distance or coverage (number indicated that the association of proximity to or coverage of fast-food locations on fast-food consumption was greater among women and opposite of independent effects. Conclusions Results provide impetus for identifying and understanding the complex relationship between access to all fast-food opportunities, rather than to traditional fast-food restaurants alone, and fast-food consumption. The results indicate the importance of further examining the complex interaction of gender and distance in rural areas and particularly in fast-food consumption. Furthermore, this study emphasizes the need for health promotion and policy efforts to consider all sources of fast-food as part of promoting healthful food choices.

Association between proximity to and coverage of traditional fast-food restaurants and non-traditional fast-food outlets and fast-food consumption among rural adults

Science.gov (United States)

2011-01-01

Objective The objective of this study is to examine the relationship between residential exposure to fast-food entrées, using two measures of potential spatial access: proximity (distance to the nearest location) and coverage (number of different locations), and weekly consumption of fast-food meals. Methods Traditional fast-food restaurants and non-traditional fast-food outlets, such as convenience stores, supermarkets, and grocery stores, from the 2006 Brazos Valley Food Environment Project were linked with individual participants (n = 1409) who completed the nutrition module in the 2006 Brazos Valley Community Health Assessment. Results Increased age, poverty, increased distance to the nearest fast food, and increased number of different traditional fast-food restaurants, non-traditional fast-food outlets, or fast-food opportunities were associated with less frequent weekly consumption of fast-food meals. The interaction of gender and proximity (distance) or coverage (number) indicated that the association of proximity to or coverage of fast-food locations on fast-food consumption was greater among women and opposite of independent effects. Conclusions Results provide impetus for identifying and understanding the complex relationship between access to all fast-food opportunities, rather than to traditional fast-food restaurants alone, and fast-food consumption. The results indicate the importance of further examining the complex interaction of gender and distance in rural areas and particularly in fast-food consumption. Furthermore, this study emphasizes the need for health promotion and policy efforts to consider all sources of fast-food as part of promoting healthful food choices. PMID:21599955

Fast ejendom III

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Munk-Hansen, Carsten

Bogen er det tredje bind af tre planlagte bind om fast ejendom: I Overdragelsen, II Bolighandlen og III Ejerbeføjelsen. Fremstillingens giver et grundigt overblik over centrale områder af en omfattende regulering af fast ejendom, med angivelse af litteratur, hvor læseren kan søge yderligere...... oplysning. En ejer af fast ejendom er på særdeles mange områder begrænset i sin råden sammenlignet med ejeren af et formuegode i almindelighed. Fremstillingen tager udgangspunkt i ejerens perspektiv (fremfor samfundets eller myndighedernes). Både den privatretlige og offentligretlige regulering behandles......, eksempelvis ejendomsdannelsen, servitutter, naboretten, hævd, zoneinddelingen, den fysiske planlægning, beskyttelse af natur, beskyttelse af kultur, forurening fra fast ejendom, erstatning for forurening, jordforurening, ekspropriation, byggeri og adgang til fast ejendom....

Fasting and rheumatic diseases

OpenAIRE

Mohammad Hassan Jokar

2015-01-01

Fasting is one of the important religious practices of Muslims, in which the individuals abstain from eating and drinking from dawn to sunset. Fasting is not obligatory or even not allowed, in case it causes health problems to the fasting individual. Rheumatic diseases are a major group of chronic diseases which can bring about numerous problems while fasting. The aim of this article is to review the impact of Islamic fasting on rheumatic patients, based on the scientific evidences.

Piezoelectric actuators in the active vibration control system of journal bearings

Science.gov (United States)

Tůma, J.; Šimek, J.; Mahdal, M.; Pawlenka, M.; Wagnerova, R.

2017-07-01

The advantage of journal hydrodynamic bearings is high radial load capacity and operation at high speeds. The disadvantage is the excitation of vibrations, called an oil whirl, after crossing a certain threshold of the rotational speed. The mentioned vibrations can be suppressed using the system of the active vibration control with piezoactuators which move the bearing bushing. The motion of the bearing bushing is controlled by a feedback controller, which responds to the change in position of the bearing journal which is sensed by a pair of capacitive sensors. Two stacked linear piezoactuators are used to actuate the position of the bearing journal. This new bearing enables not only to damp vibrations but also serves to maintain the desired bearing journal position with an accuracy of micrometers. The paper will focus on the effect of active vibration control on the performance characteristics of the journal bearing.

High power tests of dressed supconducting 1.3 GHz RF cavities

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hocker, A.; Harms, E.R.; Lunin, A.; Sukhanov, A.; /Fermilab

2011-03-01

A single-cavity test cryostat is used to conduct pulsed high power RF tests of superconducting 1.3 GHz RF cavities at 2 K. The cavities under test are welded inside individual helium vessels and are outfitted ('dressed') with a fundamental power coupler, higher-order mode couplers, magnetic shielding, a blade tuner, and piezoelectric tuners. The cavity performance is evaluated in terms of accelerating gradient, unloaded quality factor, and field emission, and the functionality of the auxiliary components is verified. Test results from the first set of dressed cavities are presented here.

Fast Spectrum Reactors

CERN Document Server

Todd, Donald; Tsvetkov, Pavel

2012-01-01

Fast Spectrum Reactors presents a detailed overview of world-wide technology contributing to the development of fast spectrum reactors. With a unique focus on the capabilities of fast spectrum reactors to address nuclear waste transmutation issues, in addition to the well-known capabilities of breeding new fuel, this volume describes how fast spectrum reactors contribute to the wide application of nuclear power systems to serve the global nuclear renaissance while minimizing nuclear proliferation concerns. Readers will find an introduction to the sustainable development of nuclear energy and the role of fast reactors, in addition to an economic analysis of nuclear reactors. A section devoted to neutronics offers the current trends in nuclear design, such as performance parameters and the optimization of advanced power systems. The latest findings on fuel management, partitioning and transmutation include the physics, efficiency and strategies of transmutation, homogeneous and heterogeneous recycling, in addit...

Air entrapment in piezo-driven inkjet printheads

NARCIS (Netherlands)

de Jong, J.; de Bruin, G.J.; de Bruin, Gerrit; Reinten, Hans; van den Berg, Marc; Wijshoff, Herman; Wijshoff, H.; Versluis, Michel; Lohse, Detlef

2006-01-01

The stability of inkjet printers is a major requirement for high-quality-printing. However, in piezo-driven inkjet printheads, air entrapment can lead to malfunctioning of the jet formation. The piezoactuator is employed to actively monitor the channel acoustics and to identify distortions at an

Micro-four-point probes in a UHV scanning electron microscope for in-situ surface-conductivity measurements

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Shiraki, I.; Nagao, T.; Hasegawa, S.

2000-01-01

For in-situ measurements of surface conductivity in ultrahigh vacuum (UHV), we have installed micro-four-point probes (probe spacings down to 4 mum) in a UHV scanning electron microscope (SEM) combined with scanning reflection-high-energy electron diffraction (RHEED). With the aid of piezoactuators...

Ramadan, fasting and pregnancy

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ahmed, Urfan Zahoor; Lykke, Jacob Alexander

2014-01-01

In Islam, the month of Ramadan is a period of fasting lasting 29 or 30 days. Epidemiological studies among Muslims in Denmark have not been conducted, but studies show, that fasting among pregnant Muslim women is common. Fasting does not increase the risk of growth restriction or preterm delivery......, but there are reports of decreased foetal movements. Furthermore, the fasting may have long-term health consequences for the offspring, especially when they reach their middle age. According to Islam and the interpretation, pregnant and breast-feeding women are allowed to postpone the fasting of the month of Ramadan...

Ramadan, faste og graviditet

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ahmed, Urfan Zahoor; Lykke, Jacob Alexander

2014-01-01

In Islam, the month of Ramadan is a period of fasting lasting 29 or 30 days. Epidemiological studies among Muslims in Denmark have not been conducted, but studies show, that fasting among pregnant Muslim women is common. Fasting does not increase the risk of growth restriction or preterm delivery......, but there are reports of decreased foetal movements. Furthermore, the fasting may have long-term health consequences for the offspring, especially when they reach their middle age. According to Islam and the interpretation, pregnant and breast-feeding women are allowed to postpone the fasting of the month of Ramadan...

Fast fission phenomena

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gregoire, Christian.

1982-03-01

Experimental studies of fast fission phenomena are presented. The paper is divided into three parts. In the first part, problems associated with fast fission processes are examined in terms of interaction potentials and a dynamic model is presented in which highly elastic collisions, the formation of compound nuclei and fast fission appear naturally. In the second part, a description is given of the experimental methods employed, the observations made and the preliminary interpretation of measurements suggesting the occurence of fast fission processes. In the third part, our dynamic model is incorporated in a general theory of the dissipative processes studied. This theory enables fluctuations associated with collective variables to be calculated. It is applied to highly inelastic collisions, to fast fission and to the fission dynamics of compound nuclei (for which a schematic representation is given). It is with these calculations that the main results of the second part can be interpreted [fr

Marketing fast food: impact of fast food restaurants in children's hospitals.

Science.gov (United States)

Sahud, Hannah B; Binns, Helen J; Meadow, William L; Tanz, Robert R

2006-12-01

The objectives of this study were (1) to determine fast food restaurant prevalence in hospitals with pediatric residencies and (2) to evaluate how hospital environment affects purchase and perception of fast food. We first surveyed pediatric residency programs regarding fast food restaurants in their hospitals to determine the prevalence of fast food restaurants in these hospitals. We then surveyed adults with children after pediatric outpatient visits at 3 hospitals: hospital M with an on-site McDonald's restaurant, hospital R without McDonald's on site but with McDonald's branding, and hospital X with neither on-site McDonald's nor branding. We sought to determine attitudes toward, consumption of, and influences on purchase of fast food and McDonald's food. Fifty-nine of 200 hospitals with pediatric residencies had fast food restaurants. A total of 386 outpatient surveys were analyzed. Fast food consumption on the survey day was most common among hospital M respondents (56%; hospital R: 29%; hospital X: 33%), as was the purchase of McDonald's food (hospital M: 53%; hospital R: 14%; hospital X: 22%). McDonald's accounted for 95% of fast food consumed by hospital M respondents, and 83% of them bought their food at the on-site McDonald's. Using logistic regression analysis, hospital M respondents were 4 times more likely than respondents at the other hospitals to have purchased McDonald's food on the survey day. Visitors to hospitals M and R were more likely than those at hospital X to believe that McDonald's supported the hospital financially. Respondents at hospital M rated McDonald's food healthier than did respondents at the other hospitals. Fast food restaurants are fairly common in hospitals that sponsor pediatric residency programs. A McDonald's restaurant in a children's hospital was associated with significantly increased purchase of McDonald's food by outpatients, belief that the McDonald's Corporation supported the hospital financially, and higher rating

Single Piezo-Actuator Rotary-Hammering Drill

Science.gov (United States)

Sherrit, Stewart; Bao, Xiaoqi; Badescu, Mircea; Bar-Cohen, Yoseph

2011-01-01

This innovation comprises a compact drill that uses low-axial preload, via vibrations, that fractures the rock under the bit kerf, and rotates the bit to remove the powdered cuttings while augmenting the rock fracture via shear forces. The vibrations fluidize the powered cuttings inside the flutes around the bit, reducing the friction with the auger surface. These combined actions reduce the consumed power and the heating of the drilled medium, helping to preserve the pristine content of the produced samples. The drill consists of an actuator that simultaneously impacts and rotates the bit by applying force and torque via a single piezoelectric stack actuator without the need for a gearbox or lever mechanism. This reduces the development/fabrication cost and complexity. The piezoelectric actuator impacts the surface and generates shear forces, fragmenting the drilled medium directly under the bit kerf by exceeding the tensile and/or shear strength of the struck surface. The percussive impact action of the actuator leads to penetration of the medium by producing a zone of finely crushed rock directly underneath the struck location. This fracturing process is highly enhanced by the shear forces from the rotation and twisting action. To remove the formed cuttings, the bit is constructed with an auger on its internal or external surface. One of the problems with pure hammering is that, as the teeth become embedded in the sample, the drilling efficiency drops unless the teeth are moved away from the specific footprint location. By rotating the teeth, they are moved to areas that were not fragmented, and thus the rock fracturing is enhanced via shear forces. The shear motion creates ripping or chiseling action to produce larger fragments to increase the drilling efficiency, and to reduce the required power. The actuator of the drill consists of a piezoelectric stack that vibrates the horn. The stack is compressed by a bolt between the backing and the horn in order to prevent it from being subjected to tensile stress that will cause it to fail. The backing is intended to transfer the generated mechanical vibrations towards the horn. In order to cause rotation, the horn is configured asymmetrically with helical segments and, upon impacting the bit, it introduces longitudinal along the axis of the actuator and tangential force causing twisting action that rotates the bit. The longitudinal component of the vibrations of the stack introduces percussion impulses between the bit and the rock to fracture it when the ultimate strain is exceeded under the bit.

Physiology of Ramadan fasting

OpenAIRE

Shokoufeh Bonakdaran

2016-01-01

Considering the emphasis of Islam on the importance of fasting, Muslims attempt to fast from dawn until sunset during the holy month of Ramadan. Fasting is associated with several benefits for normal and healthy individuals. However, it could pose high risks to the health of diabetic patients due to certain physiological changes. This study aimed to compare the physiological changes associated with fasting in healthy individuals and diabetic patients during Ramadan. Furthermore, we reviewed t...

Faraday anomalous dispersion optical tuners

Science.gov (United States)

Wanninger, P.; Valdez, E. C.; Shay, T. M.

1992-01-01

Common methods for frequency stabilizing diode lasers systems employ gratings, etalons, optical electric double feedback, atomic resonance, and a Faraday cell with low magnetic field. Our method, the Faraday Anomalous Dispersion Optical Transmitter (FADOT) laser locking, is much simpler than other schemes. The FADOT uses commercial laser diodes with no antireflection coatings, an atomic Faraday cell with a single polarizer, and an output coupler to form a compound cavity. This method is vibration insensitive, thermal expansion effects are minimal, and the system has a frequency pull in range of 443.2 GHz (9A). Our technique is based on the Faraday anomalous dispersion optical filter. This method has potential applications in optical communication, remote sensing, and pumping laser excited optical filters. We present the first theoretical model for the FADOT and compare the calculations to our experimental results.

Model-Based Engine Control Architecture with an Extended Kalman Filter

Science.gov (United States)

Csank, Jeffrey T.; Connolly, Joseph W.

2016-01-01

This paper discusses the design and implementation of an extended Kalman filter (EKF) for model-based engine control (MBEC). Previously proposed MBEC architectures feature an optimal tuner Kalman Filter (OTKF) to produce estimates of both unmeasured engine parameters and estimates for the health of the engine. The success of this approach relies on the accuracy of the linear model and the ability of the optimal tuner to update its tuner estimates based on only a few sensors. Advances in computer processing are making it possible to replace the piece-wise linear model, developed off-line, with an on-board nonlinear model running in real-time. This will reduce the estimation errors associated with the linearization process, and is typically referred to as an extended Kalman filter. The nonlinear extended Kalman filter approach is applied to the Commercial Modular Aero-Propulsion System Simulation 40,000 (C-MAPSS40k) and compared to the previously proposed MBEC architecture. The results show that the EKF reduces the estimation error, especially during transient operation.

Fast breeder reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Heinzel, V.

1975-01-01

The author gives a survey of 'fast breeder reactors'. In detail the process of breeding, the reasons for the development of fast breeders, the possible breeder reactors, the design criteria, fuels, cladding, coolant, and safety aspects are reported on. Design data of some experimental reactors already in operation are summarized in stabular form. 300 MWe Prototype-Reactors SNR-300 and PFR are explained in detail and data of KWU helium-cooled fast breeder reactors are given. (HR) [de

Fast reactors worldwide

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hall, R.S.; Vignon, D.

1985-01-01

The paper concerns the evolution of fast reactors over the past 30 years, and their present status. Fast reactor development in different countries is described, and the present position, with emphasis on cost reduction and collaboration, is examined. The French development of the fast breeder type reactor is reviewed, and includes: the acquisition of technical skills, the search for competitive costs and the spx2 project, and more advanced designs. Future prospects are also discussed. (U.K.)

Fast food (image)

Science.gov (United States)

Fast foods are quick, reasonably priced, and readily available alternatives to home cooking. While convenient and economical for a busy lifestyle, fast foods are typically high in calories, fat, saturated fat, ...

Superconducting Radio-Frequency Cavities for Low-Beta Particle Accelerators

Science.gov (United States)

Kelly, Michael

2012-01-01

High-power proton and ion linac projects based on superconducting accelerating cavities are driving a worldwide effort to develop and build superconducting cavities for beta < 1. Laboratories and institutions building quarter-wave, halfwave and single- or multi-spoke cavities continue to advance the state of the art for this class of cavities, and the common notion that low-beta SRF cavities fill a need in niche applications and have low performance is clearly no longer valid. This article reviews recent developments and results for SC cavity performance for cavities with beta up to approximately 0.5. The considerable ongoing effort on reduced beta elliptical cell cavities is not discussed. An overview of associated subsystems required to operate low-beta cavities, including rf power couplers and fast and slow tuners, is presented.

Electrical testing of the full-scale model of the NSTX HHFW antenna array

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ryan, P. M.; Swain, D. W.; Wilgen, J. B.; Fadnek, A.; Sparks, D. O.

1999-01-01

The 30 MHz high harmonic fast wave (HHFW) antenna array for NSTX consists of 12 current straps, evenly spaced in the toroidal direction. Each pair of straps is connected as a half-wave resonant loop and will be driven by one transmitter, allowing rapid phase shift between transmitters. A decoupling network using shunt stub tuners has been designed to compensate for the mutual inductive coupling between adjacent current straps, effectively isolating the six transmitters from one another. One half of the array, consisting of six full-scale current strap modules, three shunt stub decouplers, and powered by three phase-adjustable rf amplifiers had been built for electrical testing at ORNL. Low power testing includes electrical characterization of the straps, operation and performance of the decoupler system, and mapping of the rf fields in three dimensions

Islamic Fasting and Diabetes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fereidoun Azizi

2013-07-01

Full Text Available The aim of this article is to review health-related aspects of Ramadan fasting in normal individuals and diabetics. During fasting days of Ramadan, glucose homeostasis is maintained by meal taken bepore dawn and by liver glycogen stores. Changes in serum lipids are variable and defend on the quality and quantity of food consumption and changes in weight. Compliant, well controlled type 2 diabetics may observe Ramadan fasting; but fasting is not recommended for type 1, non complaint, poorly controlled and pregnant diabetics. Although Ramadan fasting is safe for all healthy individuals and well controlled diabetics, those with uncontrolled diabetics and diabetics with complications should consult physicians and follow scientific recommendations.

Fast reactor programme

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Plakman, J.C.

1982-01-01

This progress report summarizes the fast reactor research carried out by ECN during the period covering the year 1980. This research is mainly concerned with the cores of sodium-cooled breeders, in particular the SNR-300, and its related safety aspects. It comprises six items: A programme to determine relevant nuclear data of fission- and corrosion-products; A fuel performance programme comprising in-pile cladding failure experiments and a study of the consequences of loss-of-cooling and overpower; Basic research on fuel; Investigation of the changes in the mechanical properties of austenitic stainless steel DIN 1.4948 due to fast neutron doses, this material has been used in the manufacture of the reactor vessel and its internal components; Study of aerosols which could be formed at the time of a fast reactor accident and their progressive behaviour on leaking through cracks in the concrete containment; Studies on heat transfer in a sodium-cooled fast reactor core. As fast breeders operate at high power densities, an accurate knowledge of the heat transfer phenomena under single-phase and two-phase conditions is sought. (Auth.)

System control and data acquisition of the two new FWCD RF systems at DIII-D

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Harris, T.E.; Allen, J.C.; Cary, W.P. Petty, C.C.

1995-10-01

The Fast Wave Current Drive (FWCD) system at DIII-D has increased its available radio frequency (RF) power capabilities with the addition of two new high power transmitters along with their associated transmission line systems. A Sun Sparc-10 workstation, functioning as the FWCD operator console, is being used to control transmitter operating parameters and transmission line tuning parameters, along with acquiring data and making data available for integration into the DIII-D data acquisition system. Labview, a graphical user interface application, is used to manage and control the above processes. This paper will discuss the three primary branches of the FWCD computer control system: transmitter control, transmission line tuning control, and FWCD data acquisition. The main control program developed uses VXI, GPIB, CAMAC, Serial, and Ethernet protocols to blend the three branches together into one cohesive system. The control of the transmitters utilizes VXI technology to communicate with the transmitter's digital interface. A GPIB network allows for communication with various instruments and CAMAC crate controllers. CAMAC crates are located at each phase-shifter/stub-tuner station and are used to digitize transmission line parameters along with transmission line fault detection during RF transmission. The phase-shifter/stub-tuner stations are located through out the DIII-D facility and are controlled from the FWCD operator console via the workstation's Serial port. The Sun workstation has an Ethernet connection allowing for the utilization of the DIII-D data acquisition open-quotes Open Systemclose quotes architecture and of course providing communication with the rest of the world

HCUP Fast Stats

Data.gov (United States)

U.S. Department of Health & Human Services — HCUP Fast Stats provides easy access to the latest HCUP-based statistics for health information topics. HCUP Fast Stats uses visual statistical displays in...

Fast-prototyping of VLSI

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Saucier, G.; Read, E.

1987-01-01

Fast-prototyping will be a reality in the very near future if both straightforward design methods and fast manufacturing facilities are available. This book focuses, first, on the motivation for fast-prototyping. Economic aspects and market considerations are analysed by European and Japanese companies. In the second chapter, new design methods are identified, mainly for full custom circuits. Of course, silicon compilers play a key role and the introduction of artificial intelligence techniques sheds a new light on the subject. At present, fast-prototyping on gate arrays or on standard cells is the most conventional technique and the third chapter updates the state-of-the art in this area. The fourth chapter concentrates specifically on the e-beam direct-writing for submicron IC technologies. In the fifth chapter, a strategic point in fast-prototyping, namely the test problem is addressed. The design for testability and the interface to the test equipment are mandatory to fulfill the test requirement for fast-prototyping. Finally, the last chapter deals with the subject of education when many people complain about the lack of use of fast-prototyping in higher education for VLSI

A prospective audit of preprocedural fasting practices on a transplant ward: when fasting becomes starving.

Science.gov (United States)

Vidot, Helen; Teevan, Kate; Carey, Sharon; Strasser, Simone; Shackel, Nicholas

2016-03-01

To investigate the prevalence and duration of preprocedural medically ordered fasting during a period of hospitalisation in an Australian population of patients with hepatic cirrhosis or following liver transplantation and to identify potential solutions to reduce fasting times. Protein-energy malnutrition is a common finding in patients with hepatic cirrhosis and can impact significantly on survival and quality of life. Protein and energy requirements in patients with cirrhosis are higher than those of healthy individuals. A significant feature of cirrhosis is the induction of starvation metabolism following seven to eight hours of food deprivation. Many investigative and interventional procedures for patients with cirrhosis necessitate a period of fasting to comply with anaesthesia guidelines. An observational study of the fasting episodes for 34 hospitalised patients with hepatic cirrhosis or following liver transplantation. Nutritional status was estimated using subjective global assessment and handgrip strength. The prevalence and duration of fasting practices for diagnostic or investigational procedures were estimated using electronic records and patient notes. Thirty-three patients (97%) were malnourished. Twenty-two patients (65%) were fasted during the observation period. There were 43 occasions of fasting with a median fasting time of 13·5 hours. On 40 occasions fasting times exceeded the maximum six-hour guideline recommended prior to the administration of anaesthesia by the majority of Anaesthesiology Societies. The majority of procedures (77%) requiring fasting occurred after midday. Eating breakfast on the day of the procedure reduced fasting time by 45%. Medically ordered preprocedural fasting times almost always exceed existing guidelines in this nutritionally compromised group. Adherence to fasting guidelines and eating breakfast before the procedure can reduce fasting times significantly and avoid the potential induction of starvation metabolism

Navigating the auditory scene: an expert role for the hippocampus.

Science.gov (United States)

Teki, Sundeep; Kumar, Sukhbinder; von Kriegstein, Katharina; Stewart, Lauren; Lyness, C Rebecca; Moore, Brian C J; Capleton, Brian; Griffiths, Timothy D

2012-08-29

Over a typical career piano tuners spend tens of thousands of hours exploring a specialized acoustic environment. Tuning requires accurate perception and adjustment of beats in two-note chords that serve as a navigational device to move between points in previously learned acoustic scenes. It is a two-stage process that depends on the following: first, selective listening to beats within frequency windows, and, second, the subsequent use of those beats to navigate through a complex soundscape. The neuroanatomical substrates underlying brain specialization for such fundamental organization of sound scenes are unknown. Here, we demonstrate that professional piano tuners are significantly better than controls matched for age and musical ability on a psychophysical task simulating active listening to beats within frequency windows that is based on amplitude modulation rate discrimination. Tuners show a categorical increase in gray matter volume in the right frontal operculum and right superior temporal lobe. Tuners also show a striking enhancement of gray matter volume in the anterior hippocampus, parahippocampal gyrus, and superior temporal gyrus, and an increase in white matter volume in the posterior hippocampus as a function of years of tuning experience. The relationship with gray matter volume is sensitive to years of tuning experience and starting age but not actual age or level of musicality. Our findings support a role for a core set of regions in the hippocampus and superior temporal cortex in skilled exploration of complex sound scenes in which precise sound "templates" are encoded and consolidated into memory over time in an experience-dependent manner.

The fast breeder reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Collier, J.

1990-01-01

The arguments for and against the fast breeder reactor are debated. The case for the fast reactor is that the world energy demand will increase due to increasing population over the next forty years and that the damage to the global environment from burning fossil fuels which contribute to the greenhouse effect. Nuclear fission is the only large scale energy source which can achieve a cut in the use of carbon based fuels although energy conservation and renewable sources will also be important. Fast reactors produce more energy from uranium than other types of (thermal) reactors such as AGRs and PWRs. Fast reactors would be important from about 2020 onwards especially as by then many thermal reactors will need to be replaced. Fast reactors are also safer than normal reactors. The arguments against fast reactors are largely economic. The cost, especially the capital cost is very high. The viability of the technology is also questioned. (UK)

The fast breeder reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Davis, D.A.; Baker, M.A.W.; Hall, R.S.

1990-01-01

Following submission of written evidence, the Energy Committee members asked questions of three witnesses from the Central Electricity Generating Board and Nuclear Electric (which will be the government owned company running nuclear power stations after privatisation). Both questions and answers are reported verbatim. The points raised include where the responsibility for the future fast reactor programme should lie, with government only or with private enterprise or both and the viability of fast breeder reactors in the future. The case for the fast reactor was stated as essentially strategic not economic. This raised the issue of nuclear cost which has both a construction and a decommissioning element. There was considerable discussion as to the cost of building a European Fast reactor and the cost of the electricity it would generate compared with PWR type reactors. The likely demand for fast reactors will not arrive for 20-30 years and the need to build a fast reactor now is questioned. (UK)

The Adverse Effects and Treatment Results of Smoking Cessation Pharmacotherapy During Fasting/Non-Fasting State.

Science.gov (United States)

Iliaz, Sinem; Tural Onur, Seda; Uysal, Mehmet Atilla; Chousein, Efsun Gonca Uğur; Tanriverdi, Elif; Bagci, Belma Akbaba; Bahadir, Ayse; Hattatoglu, Didem Gorgun; Ortakoylu, Mediha Gonenc; Yurt, Sibel

2017-07-03

Cigarette smoking is one of the most common addictions worldwide. Muslim smokers reduce the number of cigarettes they smoke during Ramadan due to the long fasting hours. We aimed to share our experience in a smoking cessation clinic during Ramadan by analyzing the efficacy and adverse effects of once-daily dosing of bupropion or varenicline in a fasting group compared with conventional dosing in a non-fasting group. We analyzed 57 patients who attended our smoking cessation clinic during Ramadan of 2014 and 2015, and at least one follow-up visit. For the fasting patients, we prescribed bupropion or varenicline after dinner (once daily) as the maintenance therapy. We recorded demographic characteristics of the patients, fasting state, drugs taken for smoking cessation, and the dosage of the medication. At the first follow-up visit, adverse effects seen with the treatment were recorded. We conducted telephone interviews 6 months after the first visits of the patients to learn the current smoking status of the groups. Of the total 57 patients, 20 (35.1%) were fasting and 37 (64.9%) were not fasting. Fasting and non-fasting patients were similar for sex, age, smoking pack-years, marital status, educational status, and mean Fagerström scores (p >.05). Adverse effects and quit rates after 6 months of follow-up were similar between the fasting and non-fasting groups (p >.05). Although our sample size was small, we found no difference in the rates of adverse effects or smoking cessation using a single daily oral dose of bupropion or varenicline between a fasting group and a non-fasting group that received conventional dosing.

Ramadan, fasting and pregnancy

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ahmed, Urfan Zahoor; Lykke, Jacob Alexander

2014-01-01

In Islam, the month of Ramadan is a period of fasting lasting 29 or 30 days. Epidemiological studies among Muslims in Denmark have not been conducted, but studies show, that fasting among pregnant Muslim women is common. Fasting does not increase the risk of growth restriction or preterm delivery...

Fast reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vasile, A.

2001-01-01

Fast reactors have capacities to spare uranium natural resources by their breeding property and to propose solutions to the management of radioactive wastes by limiting the inventory of heavy nuclei. This article highlights the role that fast reactors could play for reducing the radiotoxicity of wastes. The conversion of 238 U into 239 Pu by neutron capture is more efficient in fast reactors than in light water reactors. In fast reactors multi-recycling of U + Pu leads to fissioning up to 95% of the initial fuel ( 238 U + 235 U). 2 strategies have been studied to burn actinides: - the multi-recycling of heavy nuclei is made inside the fuel element (homogeneous option); - the unique recycling is made in special irradiation targets placed inside the core or at its surroundings (heterogeneous option). Simulations have shown that, for the same amount of energy produced (400 TWhe), the mass of transuranium elements (Pu + Np + Am + Cm) sent to waste disposal is 60,9 Kg in the homogeneous option and 204.4 Kg in the heterogeneous option. Experimental programs are carried out in Phenix and BOR60 reactors in order to study the feasibility of such strategies. (A.C.)

Fast wave current drive

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Goree, J.; Ono, M.; Colestock, P.; Horton, R.; McNeill, D.; Park, H.

1985-07-01

Fast wave current drive is demonstrated in the Princeton ACT-I toroidal device. The fast Alfven wave, in the range of high ion-cyclotron harmonics, produced 40 A of current from 1 kW of rf power coupled into the plasma by fast wave loop antenna. This wave excites a steady current by damping on the energetic tail of the electron distribution function in the same way as lower-hybrid current drive, except that fast wave current drive is appropriate for higher plasma densities

Metabolic Effects of Intermittent Fasting.

Science.gov (United States)

Patterson, Ruth E; Sears, Dorothy D

2017-08-21

The objective of this review is to provide an overview of intermittent fasting regimens, summarize the evidence on the health benefits of intermittent fasting, and discuss physiological mechanisms by which intermittent fasting might lead to improved health outcomes. A MEDLINE search was performed using PubMed and the terms "intermittent fasting," "fasting," "time-restricted feeding," and "food timing." Modified fasting regimens appear to promote weight loss and may improve metabolic health. Several lines of evidence also support the hypothesis that eating patterns that reduce or eliminate nighttime eating and prolong nightly fasting intervals may result in sustained improvements in human health. Intermittent fasting regimens are hypothesized to influence metabolic regulation via effects on (a) circadian biology, (b) the gut microbiome, and (c) modifiable lifestyle behaviors, such as sleep. If proven to be efficacious, these eating regimens offer promising nonpharmacological approaches to improving health at the population level, with multiple public health benefits.

Fast track-hoftealloplastik

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hansen, Torben Bæk; Gromov, Kirill; Kristensen, Billy B

2017-01-01

Fast-track surgery implies a coordinated perioperative approach aimed at reducing surgical stress and facilitating post-operative recovery. The fast-track programme has reduced post-operative length of stay and has led to shorter convalescence with more rapid functional recovery and decreased...... morbidity and mortality in total hip arthroplasty. It should now be a standard total hip arthroplasty patient pathway, but fine tuning of the multiple factors in the fast-track pathway is still needed in patients with special needs or high comorbidity burden....

Fast Flux Watch: A mechanism for online detection of fast flux networks

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Basheer N. Al-Duwairi

2014-07-01

Full Text Available Fast flux networks represent a special type of botnets that are used to provide highly available web services to a backend server, which usually hosts malicious content. Detection of fast flux networks continues to be a challenging issue because of the similar behavior between these networks and other legitimate infrastructures, such as CDNs and server farms. This paper proposes Fast Flux Watch (FF-Watch, a mechanism for online detection of fast flux agents. FF-Watch is envisioned to exist as a software agent at leaf routers that connect stub networks to the Internet. The core mechanism of FF-Watch is based on the inherent feature of fast flux networks: flux agents within stub networks take the role of relaying client requests to point-of-sale websites of spam campaigns. The main idea of FF-Watch is to correlate incoming TCP connection requests to flux agents within a stub network with outgoing TCP connection requests from the same agents to the point-of-sale website. Theoretical and traffic trace driven analysis shows that the proposed mechanism can be utilized to efficiently detect fast flux agents within a stub network.

Tuning of External Q And Phase for The Cavities of A Superconducting Linear Accelerator

CERN Document Server

Katalev, V V

2004-01-01

The RF power required for a certain gradient of a superconducting cavity depends on the beam current and coupling between the cavity and waveguide. The coupling with the cavity may be changed by variation of Qext. Different devices can be used to adjust Qext or phase. In this paper three stub and E-H tuners are compared and their usability for the RF power distribution system for the superconducting accelerator of the European Xray laser and the TESLA linear collider is considered. The tuners were analyzed by using the scattering matrix. Advantages and limitations of the devices are presented.

Fast ultrasonic visualisation under sodium. Application to the fast neutron reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Imbert, Ch.

1997-01-01

The fast ultrasonic visualization under sodium is in the programme of research and development on the inspection inside the fast neutron reactors. This work is about the development of a such system of fast ultrasonic imaging under sodium, in order to improve the existing visualization systems. This system is based on the principle of orthogonal imaging, it uses two linear antennas with an important dephasing having 128 piezo-composite elements of central frequency equal to 1.6 MHz. (N.C.)

Study of the fast inversion recovery pulse sequence. With reference to fast fluid attenuated inversion recovery and fast short TI inversion recovery pulse sequence

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tsuchihashi, Toshio; Maki, Toshio; Suzuki, Takeshi

1997-01-01

The fast inversion recovery (fast IR) pulse sequence was evaluated. We compared the fast fluid attenuated inversion recovery (fast FLAIR) pulse sequence in which inversion time (TI) was established as equal to the water null point for the purpose of the water-suppressed T 2 -weighted image, with the fast short TI inversion recovery (fast STIR) pulse sequence in which TI was established as equal to the fat null point for purpose of fat suppression. In the fast FLAIR pulse sequence, the water null point was increased by making TR longer. In the FLAIR pulse sequence, the longitudinal magnetization contrast is determined by TI. If TI is increased, T 2 -weighted contrast improves in the same way as increasing TR for the SE pulse sequence. Therefore, images should be taken with long TR and long TI, which are longer than TR and longer than the water null point. On the other hand, the fat null point is not affected by TR in the fast STIR pulse sequence. However, effective TE was affected by variation of the null point. This increased in proportion to the increase in effective TE. Our evaluation indicated that the fast STIR pulse sequence can control the extensive signals from fat in a short time. (author)

Fast breeder reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Waltar, A.E.; Reynolds, A.B.

1981-01-01

This book describes the major design features of fast breeder reactors and the methods used for their design and analysis. The foremost objective of this book is to fulfill the need for a textbook on Fast Breeder Reactor (FBR) technology at the graduate level or the advanced undergraduate level. It is assumed that the reader has an introductory understanding of reactor theory, heat transfer, and fluid mechanics. The book is expected to be used most widely for a one-semester general course on fast breeder reactors, with the extent of material covered to vary according to the interest of the instructor. The book could also be used effectively for a two-quarter or a two-semester course. In addition, the book could serve as a text for a course on fast reactor safety since many topics other than those appearing in the safety chapters relate to FBR safety. Methodology in fast reactor design and analysis, together with physical descriptions of systems, is emphasized in this text more than numerical results. Analytical and design results continue to change with the ongoing evolution of FBR design whereas many design methods have remained fundamentally unchanged for a considerable time

Fast neutrons dosimetry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rzyski, B.M.

1977-01-01

A proton recoil technique has been developed for inducing thermoluminescence with incident fast neutrons. CaF 2 was used as the TL phosphor, and cane sugar and polyethylene were used as proton radiators. The phosphor and the hydrogeneous material powders were well mixed, encapsulated in glass tubes and exposed to Am-Be sources, resulting in recoils from incident fast neutrons of energy between 0,25 and 11,25 MeV. The intrinsic response of pure CaF 2 to fast neutrons without a hydrogeneous radiator was checked by using LiF (TLD-700). Glow curves were recorded from room temperature up to 350 0 C after different doses of neutrons and gamma rays of 60 Co. First collision dose due to fast neutrons in tissue like materials such as cane sugar and polyethylene was also calculated [pt

Fasting and Urinary Stones

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ali Shamsa

2013-11-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Fasting is considered as one of the most important practices of Islam, and according to Prophet Mohammad, fasting is obligatory upon Muslims. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effects of fasting on urinary stones. Materials and Methods: Very few studies have been carried out on urinary stones and the effect of Ramadan fasting. The sources of the present study are Medline and articles presented by local and Muslim researchers. Meanwhile, since we are acquainted with three well-known researchers in the field of urology, we contacted them via email and asked for their professional opinions. Results: The results of studies about the relationship of urinary stones and their incidence in Ramadan are not alike, and are even sometimes contradictory. Some believe that increased incidence of urinary stones in Ramadan is related not to fasting, but to the rise of weather temperature in hot months, and an increase in humidity. Conclusion: Numerous biological and behavioral changes occur in people who fast in Ramadan and some researchers believe that urinary stone increases during this month.

Fast reactors in nuclear power

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kazachkovskii, O

1981-02-01

The possible applications are discussed of fast reactor nuclear power plants. Basic differences are explained in fast and thermal reactors, mainly with a view to nuclear fuel utilization. Discussed in more detail are the problems of nuclear fuel reproduction and the nost important technical problems of fast reactors. Flow charts are shown of heat transfer for fast reactors BN-350 (loop design) and BN-600 (integral coolant circuit design). Main specifications are given for demonstration and power fast reactors in operation, under construction and in project-stage.

FastMag: Fast micromagnetic simulator for complex magnetic structures (invited)

Science.gov (United States)

Chang, R.; Li, S.; Lubarda, M. V.; Livshitz, B.; Lomakin, V.

2011-04-01

A fast micromagnetic simulator (FastMag) for general problems is presented. FastMag solves the Landau-Lifshitz-Gilbert equation and can handle multiscale problems with a high computational efficiency. The simulator derives its high performance from efficient methods for evaluating the effective field and from implementations on massively parallel graphics processing unit (GPU) architectures. FastMag discretizes the computational domain into tetrahedral elements and therefore is highly flexible for general problems. The magnetostatic field is computed via the superposition principle for both volume and surface parts of the computational domain. This is accomplished by implementing efficient quadrature rules and analytical integration for overlapping elements in which the integral kernel is singular. Thus, discretized superposition integrals are computed using a nonuniform grid interpolation method, which evaluates the field from N sources at N collocated observers in O(N) operations. This approach allows handling objects of arbitrary shape, allows easily calculating of the field outside the magnetized domains, does not require solving a linear system of equations, and requires little memory. FastMag is implemented on GPUs with ?> GPU-central processing unit speed-ups of 2 orders of magnitude. Simulations are shown of a large array of magnetic dots and a recording head fully discretized down to the exchange length, with over a hundred million tetrahedral elements on an inexpensive desktop computer.

Sistem Gesture Accelerometer dengan Metode Fast Dynamic Time Warping (FastDTW

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sam Farisa Chaerul Haviana

2016-01-01

Full Text Available In the modern environment, the interaction between humans and computers require a more natural form of interaction. Therefore, it is important to be able to build a system that can meet these demands, such as by building a hand gesture recognition system or gesture to create a more natural form of interaction. This study aims to design a smartphone’s accelerometer gesture system as human computer interaction interfaces using FastDTW (Fast Dynamic Time Warping.The result of this study is form of gesture interaction which implemented in a system that can make the process of recognition of the human hand movements based on a smartphone accelerometer which generates a command to run the media player application functions as a case study. FastDTW as the development of Dynamic Time Warping method (DTW is able to compute faster than DTW and have an accuracy approaching DTW. From the test results, FastDTW show a fairly high degree of accuracy reached 86% and showed a better computing speed compared to DTW   Keywords: Human and Computer Interaction, Accelerometer-based gesture, FastDTW, Media player application function

Fast spine echo and fast fluid attenuated inversion recovery sequences in multiple sclerosis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Paolillo, Andrea; Giugni, Elisabetta; Bozzao, Alessandro; Bastianello, Stefano

1997-01-01

Fast spin echo (FSE) and fast fluid attenuated inversion recovery (fast-FLAIR) sequences, were compared with conventional spin echo (CSE) in quantitating multiple sclerosis (MS) lesion burden. For each sequence, the total number and volume of MS lesions were calculated in 38 remitting multiple sclerosis patients using a semiautomated lesion detection program. Conventional spin echo, fast spin echo, and fast fluid attenuated inversion recovery image were reported on randomly and at different times by two expert observers. Interobserver differences, the time needed to quantitative multiple sclerosis lesions and lesion signal intensity (contrast-to-noise ratio and overall contrast) were considered. The lesions were classified by site into infratentorial, white matter and cortical/subcortical. A total of 2970 lesions with a volume of 961.7 cm 3 was calculated on conventional spin echo images. Fast spin echo images depicted fewer (16.6%; p < .005) and smaller (24.9%; p < .0001) lesions and the differences were statistically significant. Despite an overall nonsignificant reduction for fast-FLAIR images (-5% and 4.8% for lesion number and volume, respectively), significantly lower values (lesion number: p < 0.1; volume: p < .04)were observed for infratentorial lesions, while significantly higher values were seen for cortical/subcortical lesions (lesion number: p < .01; volume: p < .02). A higher lesion/white matter contrast (p < .002), a significant time saving for lesion burden quantitation (p < .05) and very low interobserver variability were found in favor of fast-FLAIR. Our data suggest that, despite the limitations regarding infratentorial lesions, fast-FLAIR sequences are indicated in R studies because of their good identification of cortical/subcortical lesions, almost complete interobserver agreement, higher contrast-to-noise ratio and limited time needed for semiautomated quantitation

Fast food purchasing and access to fast food restaurants: a multilevel analysis of VicLANES

Science.gov (United States)

Thornton, Lukar E; Bentley, Rebecca J; Kavanagh, Anne M

2009-01-01

Background While previous research on fast food access and purchasing has not found evidence of an association, these studies have had methodological problems including aggregation error, lack of specificity between the exposures and outcomes, and lack of adjustment for potential confounding. In this paper we attempt to address these methodological problems using data from the Victorian Lifestyle and Neighbourhood Environments Study (VicLANES) – a cross-sectional multilevel study conducted within metropolitan Melbourne, Australia in 2003. Methods The VicLANES data used in this analysis included 2547 participants from 49 census collector districts in metropolitan Melbourne, Australia. The outcome of interest was the total frequency of fast food purchased for consumption at home within the previous month (never, monthly and weekly) from five major fast food chains (Red Rooster, McDonalds, Kentucky Fried Chicken, Hungry Jacks and Pizza Hut). Three measures of fast food access were created: density and variety, defined as the number of fast food restaurants and the number of different fast food chains within 3 kilometres of road network distance respectively, and proximity defined as the road network distance to the closest fast food restaurant. Multilevel multinomial models were used to estimate the associations between fast food restaurant access and purchasing with never purchased as the reference category. Models were adjusted for confounders including determinants of demand (attitudes and tastes that influence food purchasing decisions) as well as individual and area socio-economic characteristics. Results Purchasing fast food on a monthly basis was related to the variety of fast food restaurants (odds ratio 1.13; 95% confidence interval 1.02 – 1.25) after adjusting for individual and area characteristics. Density and proximity were not found to be significant predictors of fast food purchasing after adjustment for individual socio-economic predictors

Fast food purchasing and access to fast food restaurants: a multilevel analysis of VicLANES.

Science.gov (United States)

Thornton, Lukar E; Bentley, Rebecca J; Kavanagh, Anne M

2009-05-27

While previous research on fast food access and purchasing has not found evidence of an association, these studies have had methodological problems including aggregation error, lack of specificity between the exposures and outcomes, and lack of adjustment for potential confounding. In this paper we attempt to address these methodological problems using data from the Victorian Lifestyle and Neighbourhood Environments Study (VicLANES) - a cross-sectional multilevel study conducted within metropolitan Melbourne, Australia in 2003. The VicLANES data used in this analysis included 2547 participants from 49 census collector districts in metropolitan Melbourne, Australia. The outcome of interest was the total frequency of fast food purchased for consumption at home within the previous month (never, monthly and weekly) from five major fast food chains (Red Rooster, McDonalds, Kentucky Fried Chicken, Hungry Jacks and Pizza Hut). Three measures of fast food access were created: density and variety, defined as the number of fast food restaurants and the number of different fast food chains within 3 kilometres of road network distance respectively, and proximity defined as the road network distance to the closest fast food restaurant.Multilevel multinomial models were used to estimate the associations between fast food restaurant access and purchasing with never purchased as the reference category. Models were adjusted for confounders including determinants of demand (attitudes and tastes that influence food purchasing decisions) as well as individual and area socio-economic characteristics. Purchasing fast food on a monthly basis was related to the variety of fast food restaurants (odds ratio 1.13; 95% confidence interval 1.02 - 1.25) after adjusting for individual and area characteristics. Density and proximity were not found to be significant predictors of fast food purchasing after adjustment for individual socio-economic predictors. Although we found an independent

Fast food purchasing and access to fast food restaurants: a multilevel analysis of VicLANES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kavanagh Anne M

2009-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background While previous research on fast food access and purchasing has not found evidence of an association, these studies have had methodological problems including aggregation error, lack of specificity between the exposures and outcomes, and lack of adjustment for potential confounding. In this paper we attempt to address these methodological problems using data from the Victorian Lifestyle and Neighbourhood Environments Study (VicLANES – a cross-sectional multilevel study conducted within metropolitan Melbourne, Australia in 2003. Methods The VicLANES data used in this analysis included 2547 participants from 49 census collector districts in metropolitan Melbourne, Australia. The outcome of interest was the total frequency of fast food purchased for consumption at home within the previous month (never, monthly and weekly from five major fast food chains (Red Rooster, McDonalds, Kentucky Fried Chicken, Hungry Jacks and Pizza Hut. Three measures of fast food access were created: density and variety, defined as the number of fast food restaurants and the number of different fast food chains within 3 kilometres of road network distance respectively, and proximity defined as the road network distance to the closest fast food restaurant. Multilevel multinomial models were used to estimate the associations between fast food restaurant access and purchasing with never purchased as the reference category. Models were adjusted for confounders including determinants of demand (attitudes and tastes that influence food purchasing decisions as well as individual and area socio-economic characteristics. Results Purchasing fast food on a monthly basis was related to the variety of fast food restaurants (odds ratio 1.13; 95% confidence interval 1.02 – 1.25 after adjusting for individual and area characteristics. Density and proximity were not found to be significant predictors of fast food purchasing after adjustment for individual socio

The prototype fast reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Broomfield, A.M.

1985-01-01

The paper concerns the Prototype Fast Reactor (PFR), which is a liquid metal cooled fast reactor power station, situated at Dounreay, Scotland. The principal design features of a Fast Reactor and the PFR are given, along with key points of operating history, and health and safety features. The role of the PFR in the development programme for commercial reactors is discussed. (U.K.)

FAST: An advanced code system for fast reactor transient analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mikityuk, Konstantin; Pelloni, Sandro; Coddington, Paul; Bubelis, Evaldas; Chawla, Rakesh

2005-01-01

One of the main goals of the FAST project at PSI is to establish a unique analytical code capability for the core and safety analysis of advanced critical (and sub-critical) fast-spectrum systems for a wide range of different coolants. Both static and transient core physics, as well as the behaviour and safety of the power plant as a whole, are studied. The paper discusses the structure of the code system, including the organisation of the interfaces and data exchange. Examples of validation and application of the individual programs, as well as of the complete code system, are provided using studies carried out within the context of designs for experimental accelerator-driven, fast-spectrum systems

Adhesion force imaging in air and liquid by adhesion mode atomic force microscopy

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van der Werf, Kees; Putman, C.A.J.; Putman, Constant A.; de Grooth, B.G.; Greve, Jan

1994-01-01

A new imaging mode for the atomic force microscope(AFM), yielding images mapping the adhesion force between tip and sample, is introduced. The adhesion mode AFM takes a force curve at each pixel by ramping a piezoactuator, moving the silicon‐nitride tip up and down towards the sample. During the

Islamic fasting and multiple sclerosis

Science.gov (United States)

2014-01-01

Background Month-long daytime Ramadan fasting pose s major challenges to multiple sclerosis (MS) patients in Muslim countries. Physicians should have practical knowledge on the implications of fasting on MS. We present a summary of database searches (Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, PubMed) and a mini-symposium on Ramadan fasting and MS. In this symposium, we aimed to review the effect of fasting on MS and suggest practical guidelines on management. Discussion In general, fasting is possible for most stable patients. Appropriate amendment of drug regimens, careful monitoring of symptoms, as well as providing patients with available evidence on fasting and MS are important parts of management. Evidence from experimental studies suggests that calorie restriction before disease induction reduces inflammation and subsequent demyelination and attenuates disease severity. Fasting does not appear to have unfavorable effects on disease course in patients with mild disability (Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) score ≤3). Most experts believed that during fasting (especially in summer), some MS symptoms (fatigue, fatigue perception, dizziness, spasticity, cognitive problems, weakness, vision, balance, gait) might worsen but return to normal levels during feasting. There was a general consensus that fasting is not safe for patients: on high doses of anti-convulsants, anti-spastics, and corticosteroids; with coagulopathy or active disease; during attacks; with EDSS score ≥7. Summary These data suggest that MS patients should have tailored care. Fasting in MS patients is a challenge that is directly associated with the spiritual belief of the patient. PMID:24655543

Dounreay fast reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Maclennan, R.; Eggar, T.; Skeet, T.

1992-01-01

The short debate which followed a private notice question asking for a statement on Government policy on the future of the European fast breeder nuclear research programme is reported verbatim. In response to the question, the Minister for Energy said that the Government had decided in 1988 that the Dounreay prototype fast reactor would close in 1994. That decision had been confirmed. Funding of fast breeder research and development beyond 1993 is not a priority as commercialization is not expected until well into the next century. Dounreay will be supported financially until 1994 and then for its subsequent decommissioning and reprocessing of spent fuel. The debate raised issues such as Britain losing its lead in fast breeder research, loss of jobs and the Government's nuclear policy in general. However, the Government's position was that the research had reached a stage where it could be left and returned to in the future. (UK)

Knowledge management in fast reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kuriakose, K.K.; Satya Murty, S.A.V.; Swaminathan, P.; Raj, Baldev

2010-01-01

This paper highlights the work that is being carried out in Knowledge Management of Fast Reactors at Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research (IGCAR) including a few examples of how the knowledge acquired because of various incidents in the initial years has been utilized for the successful operation of Fast Breeder Test Reactor. It also briefly refers to the features of the IAEA initiative on the preservation of Knowledge in the area of Fast Reactors in the form of 'Fast Reactor Knowledge Organization System' (FR-KOS), which is based on a taxonomy for storage and mining of Fast Reactor Knowledge. (author)

Association between proximity to and coverage of traditional fast-food restaurants and non-traditional fast-food outlets and fast-food consumption among rural adults

OpenAIRE

Sharkey, Joseph R; Johnson, Cassandra M; Dean, Wesley R; Horel, Scott A

2011-01-01

Abstract Objective The objective of this study is to examine the relationship between residential exposure to fast-food entrées, using two measures of potential spatial access: proximity (distance to the nearest location) and coverage (number of different locations), and weekly consumption of fast-food meals. Methods Traditional fast-food restaurants and non-traditional fast-food outlets, such as convenience stores, supermarkets, and grocery stores, from the 2006 Brazos Valley Food Environmen...

FastScatTM: An Object-Oriented Program for Fast Scattering Computation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lisa Hamilton

1993-01-01

Full Text Available FastScat is a state-of-the-art program for computing electromagnetic scattering and radiation. Its purpose is to support the study of recent algorithmic advancements, such as the fast multipole method, that promise speed-ups of several orders of magnitude over conventional algorithms. The complexity of these algorithms and their associated data structures led us to adopt an object-oriented methodology for FastScat. We discuss the program's design and several lessons learned from its C++ implementation including the appropriate level for object-orientedness in numeric software, maintainability benefits, interfacing to Fortran libraries such as LAPACK, and performance issues.

FAST and SAFE Passive Safety Devices for Sodium-cooled Fast Reactor

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hartanto, Donny; Kim, Chihyung; Kim, In-Hyung; Kim, Yonghee [KAIST, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2015-05-15

The major factor is the impact of the neutron spectral hardening. The second factor that affects the CVR is reduced capture by the coolant when the coolant voiding occurs. To improve the CVR, many ideas and concepts have been proposed, which include introduction of an internal blanket, spectrum softening, or increasing the neutron leakage. These ideas may reduce the CVR, but they deteriorate the neutron economy. Another potential solution is to adopt a passive safety injection device such as the ARC (autonomous reactivity control) system, which is still under development. In this paper, two new concepts of passive safety devices are proposed. The devices are called FAST (Floating Absorber for Safety at Transient) and SAFE (Static Absorber Feedback Equipment). Their purpose is to enhance the negative reactivity feedback originating from the coolant in fast reactors. SAFE is derived to balance the positive reactivity feedback due to sodium coolant temperature increases. It has been demonstrated that SAFE allows a low-leakage SFR to achieve a self-shutdown and self-controllability even though the generic coolant temperature coefficient is quite positive and the coolant void reactivity can be largely managed by the new FAST device. It is concluded that both FAST and SAFE devices will improve substantially the fast reactor safety and they deserve more detailed investigations.

CEBAF NEW DIGITAL LLRF SYSTEM EXTENDED FUNCTIONALITY

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

T. Allison; K. Davis; H. Dong; C. Hovater; L. King; J. Musson; T. Plawski

2007-01-01

The new digital LLRF system for the CEBAF 12GeV accelerator will perform a variety of tasks, beyond field control [1]. In this paper we present the superconducting cavity resonance control system designed to minimize RF power during gradient ramp and to minimize RF power during steady state operation. Based on the calculated detuning angle, which represents the difference between reference and cavity resonance frequency, the cavity length will be adjusted with a mechanical tuner. The tuner has two mechanical driving devices, a stepper motor and a piezo-tuner, to yield a combination of coarse and fine control. Although LLRF piezo processing speed can achieve 10 kHz bandwidth, only 10 Hz speed is needed for 12 GeV upgrade. There will be a number of additional functions within the LLRF system; heater controls to maintain cryomodule's heat load balance, ceramic window temperature monitoring, waveguide vacuum interlocks, ARC detector interlock and quench detection. The additional functions will be divided between the digital board, incorporating an Altera FPGA and an embedded EPICS IOC. This paper will also address hardware evolution and test results performed with different SC cavities

Causes And Effects Of Fast Food

OpenAIRE

Eman Al-Saad

2015-01-01

Fast food affects our life in many aspects. In fact There are many reasons that have been shown why people continuing eating fast food while they knew about its negative effects on their health and family because of eating fast food. The commercial advertisements play a major role in consuming fast food. In this research I will focus on causes and effects of eating fast food.

Experimental identification of piezo actuator characteristic

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ľ. Miková

2015-01-01

Full Text Available This paper deals with piezoelectric material, which can be used as actuator for conversion of electrical energy to mechanical work. Test equipment has been developed for experimental testing of the piezoactuators. Piezoactivity of this actuator has non-linear characteristic. This type of actuator is used for in-pipe mechanism design.

Fast breeder reactor research

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1975-01-01

Full text: The meeting was attended by 15 participants from seven countries and two international organizations. The Eighth Annual Meeting of the International Working Group on Fast Reactors (IWGFR) was attended by representatives from France, Fed. Rep. Germany, Italy, Japan, United Kingdom, Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and the United States of America - countries that have made significant progress in developing the technology and physics of sodium cooled fast reactors and have extensive national programmes in this field - as well as by representatives of the Commission of the European Communities and the IAEA. The design of fast-reactor power plants is a more difficult task than developing facilities with thermal reactors. Different reactor kinetics and dynamics, a hard neutron spectrum, larger integral doses of fuel and structural material irradiation, higher core temperatures, the use of an essentially novel coolant, and, as a result of all these factors, the additional reliability and safety requirements that are imposed on the planning and operation of sodium cooled fast reactors - all these factors pose problems that can be solved comprehensively only by countries with a high level of scientific and technical development. The exchange of experience between these countries and their combined efforts in solving the fundamental problems that arise in planning, constructing and operating fast reactors are promoting technical progress and reducing the relative expenditure required for various studies on developing and introducing commercial fast reactors. For this reason, the meeting concentrated on reviewing and discussing national fast reactor programmes. The situation with regard to planning, constructing and operating fast experimental and demonstration reactors in the countries concerned, the experience accumulated in operating them, the difficulties arising during operation and ways of over-coming them, the search for optimal designs for the power

Fast reactors: potential for power

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1983-02-01

The subject is discussed as follows: basic facts about conventional and fast reactors; uranium economy; plutonium and fast reactors; cooling systems; sodium coolant; safety engineering; handling and recycling plutonium; safeguards; development of fast reactors in Britain and abroad; future progress. (U.K.)

Tests on a mock-up of the feedback controlled matching options of the ITER ICRH system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Grine, D.; Vervier, M.; Messiaen, A.; Dumortier, P.

2009-01-01

Automatic control of the matching of the ITER ICRH antenna array on a reference load is presently developed and tested for optimization on a low-powered scaled (1:5) mock-up. Resilience to fast load variations is obtained either by 4 Conjugate-T (CT) or 4 quadrature hybrid circuits, the latter being the reference option. The main results are (i) for the CT option: successful implementation of the simultaneous feedback control of 11 actuators for the matching of the 4 CT and for the control of the array toroidal phasing; (ii) for the hybrid option: the matching and the array current control via feedback control of the decouplers and double stub tuners. This system is being progressively implemented and the simultaneous control of matching and antenna current has already been successfully tested on half of the array for heating and current drive phasings.

Causes And Effects Of Fast Food

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Eman Al-Saad

2015-08-01

Full Text Available Fast food affects our life in many aspects. In fact There are many reasons that have been shown why people continuing eating fast food while they knew about its negative effects on their health and family because of eating fast food. The commercial advertisements play a major role in consuming fast food. In this research I will focus on causes and effects of eating fast food.

Experimental and numerical studies of the fast ions confined in TFR 600 during fast neutrals injection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gagey, B.

1980-08-01

We present a comparison between experimental fast neutrals spectrum measured with a very simple electrostatic analyzer which has been absolutely calibrated, spectrum obtained during fast neutrals injection in TFR 600, and numerical fast neutrals spectrum obtained from a modified Monte-Carlo calculation code. This comparison allows us to draw important conclusions on the fast ions behavior in the plasma

Intermediate and fast neutron absorbed doses in fast neutron field at the RB reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sokcic-Kostic, M.; Pesic, M.; Antic, D.

1987-10-01

The experimental fuel channel EFC is created as one of the fast neutron fields at the RB reactor. The intermediate and fast neutron spectra in EFC are measured by activation technique. The intermediate and fast neutron absorbed doses are computed on the basis of these experimental results. At the end the obtained doses are compared. (author)

A fast-slow logic system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kawashima, Hideo.

1977-01-01

A fast-slow logic system has been made for use in multi-detector experiments in nuclear physics such as particle-gamma and particle-particle coincidence experiments. The system consists of a fast logic system and a slow logic system. The fast logic system has a function of fast coincidences and provides timing signals for the slow logic system. The slow logic system has a function of slow coincidences and a routing control of input analog signals to the ADCs. (auth.)

Predictors of Ramadan fasting during pregnancy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lily A. van Bilsen

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Although the health effects of Ramadan fasting during pregnancy are still unclear, it is important to identify the predictors and motivational factors involved in women’s decision to observe the fast. We investigated these factors in a cross sectional study of 187 pregnant Muslim women who attended antenatal care visits in the Budi Kemuliaan Hospital, Jakarta, Indonesia. The odds of adherence to fasting were reduced by 4% for every week increase in gestational age during Ramadan [odds ratio (OR 0.96; 95% confidence interval (CI 0.92, 1.00; p = 0.06] and increased by 10% for every one unit increase of women’s prepregnancy body mass index (BMI (OR 1.10; 95% CI 0.99, 1.23; p = 0.08. Nonparticipation was associated with opposition from husbands (OR 0.34; 95% CI 0.14, 0.82; p = 0.02 and with women’s fear of possible adverse effects of fasting on their own or the baby’s health (OR 0.47; 95% CI 0.22, 1.01; p = 0.05 and OR 0.43; 95% CI 0.21, 0.89; p = 0.02, respectively, although they were attenuated in multivariable analysis. Neither age, income, education, employment, parity, experience of morning sickness, nor fasting during pregnancy outside of Ramadan determined fasting during pregnancy. Linear regression analysis within women who fasted showed that the number of days fasted were inversely associated with women’s gestational age, fear of possible adverse effects of fasting on their own or the fetal health, and with opposition from husbands. In conclusion, earlier gestational age during Ramadan, husband’s opinion and possibly higher prepregnancy BMI, influence women’s adherence to Ramadan fasting during pregnancy. Fear of adverse health effects of Ramadan fasting is common in both fasting and non-fasting pregnant women.

Upgrading ATLAS Fast Calorimeter Simulation

CERN Document Server

Heath, Matthew Peter; The ATLAS collaboration

2017-01-01

Producing the very large samples of simulated events required by many physics and performance studies with the ATLAS detector using the full GEANT4 detector simulation is highly CPU intensive. Fast simulation tools are a useful way of reducing CPU requirements when detailed detector simulations are not needed. During the LHC Run-1, a fast calorimeter simulation (FastCaloSim) was successfully used in ATLAS. FastCaloSim provides a simulation of the particle energy response at the calorimeter read-out cell level, taking into account the detailed particle shower shapes and the correlations between the energy depositions in the various calorimeter layers. It is interfaced to the standard ATLAS digitization and reconstruction software, and it can be tuned to data more easily than Geant4. Now an improved version of FastCaloSim is in development, incorporating the experience with the version used during Run-1. The new FastCaloSim aims to overcome some limitations of the first version by improving the description of s...

The Fast Simulation Chain for ATLAS

CERN Document Server

Basalaev, Artem; The ATLAS collaboration

2016-01-01

In order to generate the huge number of Monte Carlo events that will be required by the ATLAS experiment over the next several runs, a very fast simulation is critical. Fast detector simulation alone, however, is insufficient: with very high numbers of simultaneous proton-proton collisions expected in Run 3 and beyond, the digitization (detector response emulation) and event reconstruction time quickly become comparable to the time required for detector simulation. The ATLAS Fast Chain simulation has been developed to solve this problem. Modules are implemented for fast simulation, fast digitization, and fast track reconstruction. The application is sufficiently fast -- several orders of magnitude faster than the standard simulation -- that the simultaneous proton-proton collisions can be generated during the simulation job, so Pythia8 also runs concurrently with the rest of the algorithms. The Fast Chain has been built to be extremely modular and flexible, so that each sample can be custom-tailored to match ...

Fast-track totalknæalloplastik

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gromov, Kirill; Kristensen, Billy B; Jørgensen, Christoffer Calov

2017-01-01

patients are eligible for fast-track TKA, and hence the fast-track concept should be standard at all joint replacement facilities. Future challenges of fast-track TKA include safe introduction of outpatient protocols, acute and chronic pain after surgery and optimal utilization of post......Fast-track total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is a well-established concept including optimized logistics and evidence-based treatment, focusing on minimizing surgical stress and improved post-operative recovery, thus leading to lower mortality and morbidity as well as high patient satisfaction. All...

Overview of tritium fast-fission yields

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tanner, J.E.

1981-03-01

Tritium production rates are very important to the development of fast reactors because tritium may be produced at a greater rate in fast reactors than in light water reactors. This report focuses on tritium production and does not evaluate the transport and eventual release of the tritium in a fast reactor system. However, if an order-of-magnitude increase in fast fission yields for tritium is confirmed, fission will become the dominant production source of tritium in fast reactors

Fast Breeder Reactor studies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Till, C.E.; Chang, Y.I.; Kittel, J.H.; Fauske, H.K.; Lineberry, M.J.; Stevenson, M.G.; Amundson, P.I.; Dance, K.D.

1980-07-01

This report is a compilation of Fast Breeder Reactor (FBR) resource documents prepared to provide the technical basis for the US contribution to the International Nuclear Fuel Cycle Evaluation. The eight separate parts deal with the alternative fast breeder reactor fuel cycles in terms of energy demand, resource base, technical potential and current status, safety, proliferation resistance, deployment, and nuclear safeguards. An Annex compares the cost of decommissioning light-water and fast breeder reactors. Separate abstracts are included for each of the parts

Fast Breeder Reactor studies

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Till, C.E.; Chang, Y.I.; Kittel, J.H.; Fauske, H.K.; Lineberry, M.J.; Stevenson, M.G.; Amundson, P.I.; Dance, K.D.

1980-07-01

This report is a compilation of Fast Breeder Reactor (FBR) resource documents prepared to provide the technical basis for the US contribution to the International Nuclear Fuel Cycle Evaluation. The eight separate parts deal with the alternative fast breeder reactor fuel cycles in terms of energy demand, resource base, technical potential and current status, safety, proliferation resistance, deployment, and nuclear safeguards. An Annex compares the cost of decommissioning light-water and fast breeder reactors. Separate abstracts are included for each of the parts.

Fast multichannel analyser

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Berry, A; Przybylski, M M; Sumner, I [Science Research Council, Daresbury (UK). Daresbury Lab.

1982-10-01

A fast multichannel analyser (MCA) capable of sampling at a rate of 10/sup 7/ s/sup -1/ has been developed. The instrument is based on an 8 bit parallel encoding analogue to digital converter (ADC) reading into a fast histogramming random access memory (RAM) system, giving 256 channels of 64 k count capacity. The prototype unit is in CAMAC format.

Fast food tips (image)

Science.gov (United States)

... challenge to eat healthy when going to a fast food place. In general, avoiding items that are deep ... challenge to eat healthy when going to a fast food place. In general, avoiding items that are deep ...

A fast charge-integrating sample-and-hold circuit for fast decision-making with calorimeter arrays

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schuler, G.

1982-01-01

This paper describes a fast charge-integrating sample-and-hold circuit, particularly suited to the fast trigger electronics used with large arrays of photomultipliers in total-energy measurements of high-energy particles interactions. During a gate logic pulse, the circuit charges a capacitor with the current fed into the signal input. The output voltage is equal to the voltage developed across the capacitor, which is held until a fast clear discharges the capacitor. The main characteristics of the fast-charge-integrating sample-and-hold circuit are: i) a conversion factor of 1 V/220 pC; ii) a droop rate of 4 mV/μs for a 50 Ω load; and iii) a 1 μs fast-clear time. (orig.)

Fasting and Fast Food Diet Play an Opposite Role in Mice Brain Aging.

Science.gov (United States)

Castrogiovanni, Paola; Li Volti, Giovanni; Sanfilippo, Cristina; Tibullo, Daniele; Galvano, Fabio; Vecchio, Michele; Avola, Roberto; Barbagallo, Ignazio; Malaguarnera, Lucia; Castorina, Sergio; Musumeci, Giuseppe; Imbesi, Rosa; Di Rosa, Michelino

2018-01-20

Fasting may be exploited as a possible strategy for prevention and treatment of several diseases such as diabetes, obesity, and aging. On the other hand, high-fat diet (HFD) represents a risk factor for several diseases and increased mortality. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the impact of fasting on mouse brain aging transcriptome and how HFD regulates such pathways. We used the NCBI Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database, in order to identify suitable microarray datasets comparing mouse brain transcriptome under fasting or HFD vs aged mouse brain transcriptome. Three microarray datasets were selected for this study, GSE24504, GSE6285, and GSE8150, and the principal molecular mechanisms involved in this process were evaluated. This analysis showed that, regardless of fasting duration, mouse brain significantly expressed 21 and 30 upregulated and downregulated genes, respectively. The involved biological processes were related to cell cycle arrest, cell death inhibition, and regulation of cellular metabolism. Comparing mouse brain transcriptome under fasting and aged conditions, we found out that the number of genes in common increased with the duration of fasting (222 genes), peaking at 72 h. In addition, mouse brain transcriptome under HFD resembles for the 30% the one of the aged mice. Furthermore, several molecular processes were found to be shared between HFD and aging. In conclusion, we suggest that fasting and HFD play an opposite role in brain transcriptome of aged mice. Therefore, an intermittent diet could represent a possible clinical strategy to counteract aging, loss of memory, and neuroinflammation. Furthermore, low-fat diet leads to the inactivation of brain degenerative processes triggered by aging.

FAST goes underground

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fridlund, P.S.

1985-01-01

The FAST-M Cost Estimating Model is a parametric model designed to determine the costs associated with mining and subterranean operations. It is part of the FAST (Freiman Analysis of Systems Techniques) series of parametric models developed by Freiman Parametric Systems, Inc. The rising cost of fossil fuels has created a need for a method which could be used to determine and control costs in mining and subterranean operations. FAST-M fills this need and also provides scheduling information. The model works equally well for a variety of situations including underground vaults for hazardous waste storage, highway tunnels, and mass transit tunnels. In addition, costs for above ground structures and equipment can be calculated. The input for the model may be on a macro or a micro level. This allows the model to be used at various stages in a project. On the macro level, only general conditions and specifications need to be known. On the micro level, the smallest details may be included. As with other FAST models, reference cases are used to more accurately predict costs and scheduling. This paper will address how the model can be used for a variety of subterranean purposes

Fast Calorimeter Simulation in ATLAS

CERN Document Server

Schaarschmidt, Jana; The ATLAS collaboration

2017-01-01

Producing the very large samples of simulated events required by many physics and performance studies with the ATLAS detector using the full GEANT4 detector simulation is highly CPU intensive. Fast simulation tools are a useful way of reducing CPU requirements when detailed detector simulations are not needed. During the LHC Run-1, a fast calorimeter simulation (FastCaloSim) was successfully used in ATLAS. FastCaloSim provides a simulation of the particle energy response at the calorimeter read-out cell level, taking into account the detailed particle shower shapes and the correlations between the energy depositions in the various calorimeter layers. It is interfaced to the standard ATLAS digitization and reconstruction software, and it can be tuned to data more easily than GEANT4. It is 500 times faster than full simulation in the calorimeter system. Now an improved version of FastCaloSim is in development, incorporating the experience with the version used during Run-1. The new FastCaloSim makes use of mach...

Direct Fast-Neutron Detection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

DC Stromswold; AJ Peurrung; RR Hansen; PL Reeder

2000-01-01

Direct fast-neutron detection is the detection of fast neutrons before they are moderated to thermal energy. We have investigated two approaches for using proton-recoil in plastic scintillators to detect fast neutrons and distinguish them from gamma-ray interactions. Both approaches use the difference in travel speed between neutrons and gamma rays as the basis for separating the types of events. In the first method, we examined the pulses generated during scattering in a plastic scintillator to see if they provide a means for distinguishing fast-neutron events from gamma-ray events. The slower speed of neutrons compared to gamma rays results in the production of broader pulses when neutrons scatter several times within a plastic scintillator. In contrast, gamma-ray interactions should produce narrow pulses, even if multiple scattering takes place, because the time between successive scattering is small. Experiments using a fast scintillator confirmed the presence of broader pulses from neutrons than from gamma rays. However, the difference in pulse widths between neutrons and gamma rays using the best commercially available scintillators was not sufficiently large to provide a practical means for distinguishing fast neutrons and gamma rays on a pulse-by-pulse basis. A faster scintillator is needed, and that scintillator might become available in the literature. Results of the pulse-width studies were presented in a previous report (peurrung et al. 1998), and they are only summarized here

FastStats: Child Health

Science.gov (United States)

... Women’s Health State and Territorial Data Reproductive Health Contraceptive Use Infertility Reproductive Health Notice Regarding FastStats Mobile ... table 6 [PDF – 2.7 MB] Related FastStats Adolescent Health ADHD Asthma Infant Health More data: reports ...

Effects of fasting and feeding on the fast-start swimming performance of southern catfish Silurus meridionalis.

Science.gov (United States)

Yan, G J; He, X K; Cao, Z D; Fu, S J

2015-01-21

This study investigated the effects of fasting and feeding on the fast-start escape swimming performance of juvenile southern catfish Silurus meridionalis, a sit-and-wait forager that encounters extreme fasting and famine frequently during its lifespan. Ten to 30 days of fasting resulted in no significant change in most of the variables measured in the fast-start response except a 20-30% decrease in the escape distance during the first 120 ms (D 120ms ) relative to the control group (48 h after feeding). The ratio of the single-bend (SB) response (lower energetic expenditure) to the double-bend (DB) response increased significantly from 0% in the control group to 75 and 82·5% in the 20 and 30 day fasting groups, respectively. Satiated feeding (25% of body mass) resulted in a significantly lower (36·6%) maximum linear velocity (V max ) and a significantly lower (43·3%) D 120ms than in non-fed fish (control group, 48 h after feeding). Half-satiated feeding (12·5% of body mass), however, showed no significant effects on any of the measured variables of the fast-start response relative to control fish. It is suggested that the increase in the ratio of SB:DB responses with fasting in S. meridionalis may reflect a trade-off between energy conservation and maintaining high V max , while variables of fast-start performance were more sensitive to feeding than fasting might be an adaptive strategy to their foraging mode and food availability in their habitat. © 2015 The Fisheries Society of the British Isles.

Hispanics in Fast Food Jobs.

Science.gov (United States)

Charner, Ivan; Fraser, Bryna Shore

A study examined the employment of Hispanics in the fast-food industry. Data were obtained from a national survey of employees at 279 fast-food restaurants from seven companies in which 194 (4.2 percent) of the 4,660 respondents reported being Hispanic. Compared with the total sample, Hispanic fast-food employees were slightly less likely to be…

The fast code

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Freeman, L.N.; Wilson, R.E. [Oregon State Univ., Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, Corvallis, OR (United States)

1996-09-01

The FAST Code which is capable of determining structural loads on a flexible, teetering, horizontal axis wind turbine is described and comparisons of calculated loads with test data are given at two wind speeds for the ESI-80. The FAST Code models a two-bladed HAWT with degrees of freedom for blade bending, teeter, drive train flexibility, yaw, and windwise and crosswind tower motion. The code allows blade dimensions, stiffnesses, and weights to differ and models tower shadow, wind shear, and turbulence. Additionally, dynamic stall is included as are delta-3 and an underslung rotor. Load comparisons are made with ESI-80 test data in the form of power spectral density, rainflow counting, occurrence histograms, and azimuth averaged bin plots. It is concluded that agreement between the FAST Code and test results is good. (au)

Fasting Lipoprotein Lipase Protein Levels Can Predict a Postmeal Increment of Triglyceride Levels in Fasting Normohypertriglyceridemic Subjects.

Science.gov (United States)

Tsuzaki, Kokoro; Kotani, Kazuhiko; Yamada, Kazunori; Sakane, Naoki

2016-09-01

Although a postprandial increment in triglyceride (TG) levels is considered to be a risk factor for atherogenesis, tests (e.g., fat load) to assess postprandial changes in TG levels cannot be easily applied to clinical practice. Therefore, fasting markers that predict postprandial TG states are needed to be developed. One current candidate is lipoprotein lipase (LPL) protein, a molecule that hydrides TGs. This study investigated whether fasting LPL levels could predict postprandial TG levels. A total of 17 subjects (11 men, 6 women, mean age 52 ± 11 years) with normotriglyceridemia during fasting underwent the meal test. Several fasting parameters, including LPL, were measured for the area under the curve of postprandial TGs (AUC-TG). The subjects' mean fasting TG level was 1.30 mmol/l, and their mean LPL level was 41.6 ng/ml. The subjects' TG levels increased after loading (they peaked after two postprandial hours). Stepwise multiple regression analysis demonstrated that fasting TG levels were a predictor of the AUC-TG. In addition, fasting LPL mass levels were found to be a predictor of the AUC-TG (β = 0.65, P fasting TG levels. Fasting LPL levels may be useful to predict postprandial TG increment in this population. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The Fast Simulation Chain for ATLAS

CERN Document Server

AUTHOR|(INSPIRE)INSPIRE-00399337; The ATLAS collaboration; Marshall, Zach

2017-01-01

In order to generate the huge number of Monte Carlo events that will be required by the ATLAS experiment over the next several runs, a very fast simulation is critical. Fast detector simulation alone, however, is insufficient: with very high numbers of simultaneous proton-proton collisions expected in Run 3 and beyond, the digitization (detector response emulation) and event reconstruction time quickly become comparable to the time required for detector simulation. The ATLAS Fast Chain simulation has been developed to solve this problem. Modules are implemented for fast simulation, fast digitization, and fast track reconstruction. The application is sufficiently fast—several orders of magnitude faster than the standard simulation—that the simultaneous proton-proton collisions can be generated during the simulation job, so Pythia8 also runs concurrently with the rest of the algorithms. The Fast Chain has been built to be extremely modular and flexible, so that each sample can be custom-tailored to match th...

Fast food: unfriendly and unhealthy.

Science.gov (United States)

Stender, S; Dyerberg, J; Astrup, A

2007-06-01

Although nutrition experts might be able to navigate the menus of fast-food restaurant chains, and based on the nutritional information, compose apparently 'healthy' meals, there are still many reasons why frequent fast-food consumption at most chains is unhealthy and contributes to weight gain, obesity, type 2 diabetes and coronary artery disease. Fast food generally has a high-energy density, which, together with large portion sizes, induces over consumption of calories. In addition, we have found it to be a myth that the typical fast-food meal is the same worldwide. Chemical analyses of 74 samples of fast-food menus consisting of French fries and fried chicken (nuggets/hot wings) bought in McDonalds and KFC outlets in 35 countries in 2005-2006 showed that the total fat content of the same menu varies from 41 to 65 g at McDonalds and from 42 to 74 g at KFC. In addition, fast food from major chains in most countries still contains unacceptably high levels of industrially produced trans-fatty acids (IP-TFA). IP-TFA have powerful biological effects and may contribute to increased weight gain, abdominal obesity, type 2 diabetes and coronary artery disease. The food quality and portion size need to be improved before it is safe to eat frequently at most fast-food chains.

FAST MRI breast screening revisited

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jain, Manish; Jain, Arushi; Hyzy, Marek D.; Werth, Graziella

2017-01-01

Screening for breast cancer in high-risk women takes about 40 minutes to acquire an MRI scan and is time-intensive to report. There is recent interest in the performance of an abbreviated MRI protocol (FAST) in the screening setting. FAST scans have a reported negative predictive value of 99.8%. This study evaluates the false positive rates (FPR) and recall rates for FAST scans as compared to full diagnostic studies (FD). A database of all screening breast MRI scans performed at our institution between 30 June 2013 and 1 July 2014 (n = 591) was created by one of the researchers, who did not subsequently analyse the MRI scans. The T1W and first post-contrast and subtracted images from each of these scans (FAST protocol) were assessed by experienced breast MRI radiologists, blinded to the final diagnosis. The findings were then compared with the FD result. The recall rates were 6.6% for FAST scans and 5.8% for FD scans. FPR rates were 4.7% and 3.9% respectively. There is no statistically significant difference in the recall rates or FPR of FAST scans in comparison with full diagnostic studies. Given the absence of statistically significant difference in the FPR and recall rates in comparison with FD, FAST scans can replace FD for screening of breast cancer.

Interactive effects of reward sensitivity and residential fast-food restaurant exposure on fast-food consumption.

Science.gov (United States)

Paquet, Catherine; Daniel, Mark; Knäuper, Bärbel; Gauvin, Lise; Kestens, Yan; Dubé, Laurette

2010-03-01

Local fast-food environments have been increasingly linked to obesity and related outcomes. Individuals who are more sensitive to reward-related cues might be more responsive to such environments. This study aimed to assess the moderating role of sensitivity to reward on the relation between residential fast-food restaurant exposure and fast-food consumption. Four hundred fifteen individuals (49.6% men; mean age: 34.7 y) were sampled from 7 Montreal census tracts stratified by socioeconomic status and French/English language. The frequency of fast-food restaurant visits in the previous week was self-reported. Sensitivity to reward was self-reported by using the Behavioral Activation System (BAS) scale. Fast-food restaurant exposure within 500 m of the participants' residence was determined by using a Geographic Information System. Main and interactive effects of the BAS and fast-food restaurant exposure on fast-food consumption were tested with logistic regression models that accounted for clustering of observations and participants' age, sex, education, and household income. Regression results showed a significant interaction between BAS and fast-food restaurant exposure (P food restaurant exposure and consumption was positive for the highest tertile (odds ratio: 1.49; 95% CI: 1.20, 1.84; P < 0.001) but null for the intermediate (odds ratio: 1.03; 95% CI: 0.80, 1.34; P = 0.81) and lowest (odds ratio: 0.84; 95% CI: 0.51, 1.37; P = 0.49) tertiles. Reward-sensitive individuals may be more responsive to unhealthful cues in their immediate environment.

Fast-food intake and perceived and objective measures of the local fast-food environment in adolescents.

Science.gov (United States)

Svastisalee, Chalida; Pagh Pedersen, Trine; Schipperijn, Jasper; Jørgensen, Sanne Ellegaard; Holstein, Bjørn E; Krølner, Rikke

2016-02-01

We examined associations between fast-food intake and perceived and objective fast-food outlet exposure. Information from the Health Behaviours in School-aged Children Study was linked to fast-food outlets in seventy-five school neighbourhoods. We used multivariate multilevel logistic regression analyses to examine associations between at least weekly fast-food intake and perceived and objective fast-food outlet measures. Data represent 4642 adolescents (aged 11-15 years) in Denmark. Boys reporting two or more fast-food outlets had 34% higher odds consuming fast food at least weekly. We detected higher odds of at least weekly fast-food intake among 15-year-old 9th graders (ORall=1.74; 95% CI 1.40, 2.18; ORboys=2.20; 95% CI 1.66, 2.91; ORgirls=1.41; 95% CI 1.03, 1.92), Danish speakers (ORall=2.32; 95% CI 1.68, 3.19; ORboys=2.58; 95% CI 1.69, 3.93; ORgirls=2.37; 95% CI 1.46, 3.84) and those travelling 15 min or less to school (ORall=1.21; 95% CI 1.00, 1.46; ORgirls=1.44; 95% CI 1.08, 1.93) compared with 11-year-old 5th graders, non-Danish speakers and those with longer travel times. Boys from middle- (OR=1.28; 95% CI 1.00, 1.65) and girls from low-income families (OR=1.46; 95% CI 1.05, 2.04) had higher odds of at least weekly fast-food intake compared with those from high-income backgrounds. Girls attending schools with canteens (OR=1.47; 95% CI 1.00, 2.15) had higher odds of at least weekly fast-food intake than girls at schools without canteens. The present study demonstrates that perceived food outlets may impact fast-food intake in boys while proximity impacts intake in girls. Public health planning could target food environments that emphasize a better understanding of how adolescents use local resources.

FAST

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Zuidmeer-Jongejan, Laurian; Fernandez-Rivas, Montserrat; Poulsen, Lars K.

2012-01-01

ABSTRACT: The FAST project (Food Allergy Specific Immunotherapy) aims at the development of safe and effective treatment of food allergies, targeting prevalent, persistent and severe allergy to fish and peach. Classical allergen-specific immunotherapy (SIT), using subcutaneous injections with aqu...

Comparation of the impact of selected technical gases on properties of a pneumatic flexible coupling

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Grega Robert

2018-01-01

Full Text Available An important part of the oscillating mechanical drives are flexible shaft couplings. The special use of the pneumatic flexible coupling is possibility to serve as mechanical drives tuners. Being examined in tuners mechanical drives there is also a research focus on the impact of industrial gases on the change of dynamic characteristics of pneumatic couplings. The paper investigates five different industrial gases, namely: air, helium (He-4.6, a mixture of propane and butane gas (C3H8+C4H10, argon (Ar and nitrogen (N2 to see how these gases affect the dynamic characteristics of pneumatic flexible shaft coupling with marking 4-2/70 T-C.

An updated overview of the LEB RF system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rogers, J.D.; Ferrell, J.H.; Curbow, J.E.; Friedrichs, C.

1992-01-01

Each of the Low Energy Booster (LEB) rf systems consists of the following major subsystems: a vacuum tube final rf amplifier driven by a solid state rf amplifier, a ferrite-tuned rf cavity used to bunch and accelerate the beam, a low-level rf system including rf feedback systems, a computer-based supervisory control system, and associated power supplies. The LEB rf system is broadband with the exception of the rf cavity, which is electronically tuned from approximately 47.5 MHz to 59.7 MHz in 50 ms. The design and development status of the LEB rf system is presented, with particular emphasis on the cavity and tuner, and the tuner bias power supply

Fast-slow asymptotics for a Markov chain model of fast sodium current

Science.gov (United States)

Starý, Tomáš; Biktashev, Vadim N.

2017-09-01

We explore the feasibility of using fast-slow asymptotics to eliminate the computational stiffness of discrete-state, continuous-time deterministic Markov chain models of ionic channels underlying cardiac excitability. We focus on a Markov chain model of fast sodium current, and investigate its asymptotic behaviour with respect to small parameters identified in different ways.

Effect of Fast Neutron to MA/PU Burning/Transmutation Characteristic Using a Fast Reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Marsodi; Lasman, As Natio; Kimamoto, A.; Marsongkohadi; Zaki, S.

2003-01-01

MA/Pu burning/transmutation has been studied and evaluated using fast neutrons. Generally, neutron density at this fast burner reactor and transmutation has spectrum energy level around 0.2 MeV with wide enough variation, i.e. from low neutron spectrum to its peak is 0.2 MeV. This neutron spectrum energy level depends on the kind of cooler material or fuel used. Neutron spectrum higher than fast power reactor neutron spectrum is found by means of changing oxide fuel by metallic fuel and changing natrium cooler material by metallic or gas cooler material. This evaluation is conducted by various variations in accordance with the kind of fuel or cooler, MA/Pu fractions and fuel comparison fraction with respect to its cooler in order to get better neutron usage and MA/Pu burning speed. Reactor calculation evaluation in this paper was conducted with 26-group nuclear data cross section energy spectrum. The main purpose of the discussion is to know the effect of fast neutrons to burning/transmutation MA/Pu using fast neutrons

Distraction, not hunger, is associated with lower mood and lower perceived work performance on fast compared to non-fast days during intermittent fasting.

Science.gov (United States)

Appleton, Katherine M; Baker, Stephanie

2015-06-01

Using a repeated measures design, 16 females recorded hunger, distraction, mood and perceived work performance on two consecutive fast days, on two earlier and on two subsequent consecutive non-fast days, during intermittent fasting. Using regression analyses, low positive mood was associated with higher distraction (β = -0.38, p < 0.01), and lower perceived work performance was associated with higher distraction (β = -0.50, p < 0.01) and lower positive mood (β = 0.59, p = 0.01). No associations were found with hunger (largest β = -0.11, p = 0.15). Associations between mood, perceived work performance and distraction but not hunger mirror those found in traditional dieting and suggest no benefit for attention from intermittent fasting-type regimes. © The Author(s) 2015.

Is fasting safe? A chart review of adverse events during medically supervised, water-only fasting.

Science.gov (United States)

Finnell, John S; Saul, Bradley C; Goldhamer, Alan C; Myers, Toshia R

2018-02-20

Evidence suggests that fasting, during which only water is consumed, results in potentially health promoting physiological effects. However, peer-reviewed research assessing the safety of water-only fasting is lacking. To address this, we conducted a chart review to describe adverse events (AEs) that occurred during medically supervised, water-only fasting. Electronic charts from patient visits to a residential medical facility from 2006 to 2011 were reviewed. Patients who were at least 21 years of age and water-only fasted for ≥2 consecutive days with a refeeding period equal to half of the fast length were included. Out of 2539 charts, 768 visits met our inclusion and exclusion criteria. AEs were abstracted from chart notes and classified according to CTCAE (v4.03) and MedDRA (v12.1) terminology. Descriptive analysis of AEs is reported. During the protocol period, the highest grade AE (HGAE) in 555 visits was a grade 2 event or lower, in 212 visits it was a grade 3 event, in 1 visit it was a grade 4 event, and there were no grade 5 events. There were 2 (0.002%) visits with a serious adverse event (SAE). The majority of AEs identified were mild (n = 4490, 75%) in nature and known reactions to fasting. To our knowledge, this is the most comprehensive analysis of AEs experienced during medically supervised, water-only fasting conducted to date. Overall, our data indicate that the majority of AEs experienced were mild to moderate and known reactions to fasting. This suggests that the protocol used in this study can be safely implemented in a medical setting with minimal risk of a SAE.

Analytical model for fast-shock ignition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ghasemi, S. A.; Farahbod, A. H.; Sobhanian, S.

2014-01-01

A model and its improvements are introduced for a recently proposed approach to inertial confinement fusion, called fast-shock ignition (FSI). The analysis is based upon the gain models of fast ignition, shock ignition and considerations for the fast electrons penetration into the pre-compressed fuel to examine the formation of an effective central hot spot. Calculations of fast electrons penetration into the dense fuel show that if the initial electron kinetic energy is of the order ∼4.5 MeV, the electrons effectively reach the central part of the fuel. To evaluate more realistically the performance of FSI approach, we have used a quasi-two temperature electron energy distribution function of Strozzi (2012) and fast ignitor energy formula of Bellei (2013) that are consistent with 3D PIC simulations for different values of fast ignitor laser wavelength and coupling efficiency. The general advantages of fast-shock ignition in comparison with the shock ignition can be estimated to be better than 1.3 and it is seen that the best results can be obtained for the fuel mass around 1.5 mg, fast ignitor laser wavelength ∼0.3  micron and the shock ignitor energy weight factor about 0.25

Power from plutonium: fast reactor fuel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bishop, J.F.W.

1981-01-01

Points of similarity and of difference between fast reactor fuel and fuels for AGR and PWR plants are established. The flow of uranium and plutonium in fast and thermal systems is also mentioned, establishing the role of the fast reactor as a plutonium burner. A historical perspective of fast reactors is given in which the substantial experience accumulated in test and prototype is indicated and it is noted that fast reactors have now entered the commercial phase. The relevance of the data obtained in the test and prototype reactors to the behaviour of commercial fast reactor fuel is considered. The design concepts employed in fuel are reviewed, including sections on core support styles, pin support and pin detail. This is followed by a discussion of current issues under the headings of manufacture, performance and reprocessing. This section includes a consideration of gel fuel, achievable burn-up, irradiation induced distortions and material choices, fuel form, and fuel failure mechanisms. Future development possibilities are also discussed and the Paper concludes with a view on the logic of a UK fast reactor strategy. (U.K.)

Preoperative fasting time in children.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Adeel, S

2012-02-01

The aim of preoperative fasting is to prevent regurgitation and pulmonary aspiration while limiting potential problems of thirst, dehydration and hypoglycaemia. The American Society of Anaesthesiologists (ASA) has suggested guidelines for preoperative fasting for children undergoing elective surgery. We did a postal survey to determine the current practice regarding these guidelines amongst all specialist registrars in anaesthesia in Ireland. A questionnaire was sent to all specialist registrars in anaesthesia (90 in total), 60 (67%) were returned and analysed. The question asked was how long children should be kept fasting before elective surgery. The results of our survey suggest that most of the respondents are following the ASA guidelines for clear fluids and solids however there were differing opinion regarding the duration of fasting for formula milk and breast milk. In conclusion, we would recommend greater awareness and collaboration between anaesthetists, nurses and surgeons to ensure that fasting instructions are consistent with the ASA guidelines and that patient and their parents understand these directives as well.

Fast reactor database. 2006 update

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2006-12-01

Liquid metal cooled fast reactors (LMFRs) have been under development for about 50 years. Ten experimental fast reactors and six prototype and commercial size fast reactor plants have been constructed and operated. In many cases, the overall experience with LMFRs has been rather good, with the reactors themselves and also the various components showing remarkable performances, well in accordance with the design expectations. The fast reactor system has also been shown to have very attractive safety characteristics, resulting to a large extent from the fact that the fast reactor is a low pressure system with large thermal inertia and negative power and temperature coefficients. In addition to the LMFRs that have been constructed and operated, more than ten advanced LMFR projects have been developed, and the latest designs are now close to achieving economic competitivity with other reactor types. In the current world economic climate, the introduction of a new nuclear energy system based on the LMFR may not be considered by utilities as a near future option when compared to other potential power plants. However, there is a strong agreement between experts in the nuclear energy field that, for sustainability reasons, long term development of nuclear power as a part of the world's future energy mix will require the fast reactor technology, and that, given the decline in fast reactor development projects, data retrieval and knowledge preservation efforts in this area are of particular importance. This publication contains detailed design data and main operational data on experimental, prototype, demonstration, and commercial size LMFRs. Each LMFR plant is characterized by about 500 parameters: physics, thermohydraulics, thermomechanics, by design and technical data, and by relevant sketches. The focus is on practical issues that are useful to engineers, scientists, managers, university students and professors with complete technical information of a total of 37 LMFR

Impact of intermittent fasting on glucose homeostasis.

Science.gov (United States)

Varady, Krista A

2016-07-01

This article provides an overview of the most recent human trials that have examined the impact of intermittent fasting on glucose homeostasis. Our literature search retrieved one human trial of alternate day fasting, and three trials of Ramadan fasting published in the past 12 months. Current evidence suggests that 8 weeks of alternate day fasting that produces mild weight loss (4% from baseline) has no effect on glucose homeostasis. As for Ramadan fasting, decreases in fasting glucose, insulin, and insulin resistance have been noted after 4 weeks in healthy normal weight individuals with mild weight loss (1-2% from baseline). However, Ramadan fasting may have little impact on glucoregulatory parameters in women with polycystic ovarian syndrome who failed to observe weight loss. Whether intermittent fasting is an effective means of regulating glucose homeostasis remains unclear because of the scarcity of studies in this area. Large-scale, longer-term randomized controlled trials will be required before the use of fasting can be recommended for the prevention and treatment of metabolic diseases.

Fast Weight Long Short-Term Memory

OpenAIRE

Keller, T. Anderson; Sridhar, Sharath Nittur; Wang, Xin

2018-01-01

Associative memory using fast weights is a short-term memory mechanism that substantially improves the memory capacity and time scale of recurrent neural networks (RNNs). As recent studies introduced fast weights only to regular RNNs, it is unknown whether fast weight memory is beneficial to gated RNNs. In this work, we report a significant synergy between long short-term memory (LSTM) networks and fast weight associative memories. We show that this combination, in learning associative retrie...

Instrumentation for the Development of Reconfigurable Microwave/MM-Wave FGC Passive Elements Using MEMS Switches for 'Smart' Systems on a Chip

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Papapolymerou, Ioannis

2001-01-01

.... These projects are of major significance to the Department of Defense and include topics such as reconfigurable tuners and band-stop filters using MEMS switches, micromachined cavity diplexers...

New fast reactor installation concept

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1976-01-01

The large size and complexity of fast reactor installations are emphasised and these difficulties will be increased with the advent of fast reactors of higher power. In this connection a new concept of fast reactor installation is described with a view to reducing the size of the installation and enabling most components, including even the primary vessel, to be constructed within the confines of a workshop. Full constructional details are given. (U.K.)

Status of national programmes on fast reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1994-04-01

Based on the International Working Group on Fast reactors (IWGFR) members' request, the IAEA organized a special meeting on Fast Reactor Development and the Role of the IAEA in May 1993. The purpose of the meeting was to review and discuss the status and recent development, to present major changes in fast reactor programmes and to recommend future activities on fast reactors. The IWGFR took note that in some Member States large prototypes have been built or are under construction. However, some countries, due to their current budget constraints, have reduced the level of funding for research and development programmes on fast reactors. The IWGFR noted that in this situation the international exchange of information and cooperation on the development of fast reactors is highly desirable and stressed the importance of the IAEA's programme on fast reactors. These proceedings contain important and useful information on national programmes and new developments in sodium cooled fast reactors in Member States. Refs, figs and tabs

Fast Cycled Superconducting Magnet - Connecting hydraulically the Fast Cycled magnet to the cryogenic feed box.

CERN Multimedia

Maximilien Brice

2012-01-01

Photo 1 : Connecting hydraulically the Fast Cycled magnet to the cryogenic feed box. Patrck Viret and Guy Deferne technicians of TE-MSC-TF in SM18. - Photo 2 : Installation of the Fast Cycled Superconducting Magnet (FCM) to the new cold feed box in Sm18. - Photo 3 : Connecting the powering cables of the FCM to the feed box. - Photo 5/6 : The connections of the Fast Cycled Magnet. Intermediate pieces. - Photo 7 : Hydraulic connections of the Fast Cycle Magnet cable to allow the cooling of the magnet’s conductor ( Cable in conduit type) with supercritical helium. - Photo 8 : Verification of the connection: design versus reality. Guy Deferne and Frederick Rougemont, technicians of TE-MSC-TE in SM18.

Concept and canons of fasting in Ayurveda

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

H Shripathi Adiga

2013-03-01

Full Text Available Ayurveda, manoeuvres mankind to head a healthy life in order to pursue four-fold bliss. With a view to combat physical and mental annoyances, classics have explicated two-fold therapeutic modalities; langhana/depletion and brihmana/nourishing. Upavasa /fasting is one among ten depletion therapies explained. It is envisioned at all three levels of Ayurvedic therapies- rational/objectively planned, psychological, and spiritual. Fasting is reckoned to be refraining from all forms of food intake for a given period, under supervision of a qualified physician. Acharya Charaka advocates fasting in diseases of milder intensity, in those due to aama (metabolic toxin, after purificatory procedures. Fasting person should avoid beautifying oneself, day sleep, sexual acts, and feasting prior and ulterior to fasting. Fasting is contraindicated in very young, elderly, emaciated, pregnant lady, and shortly after strenuous exercise. The principle avers that fasting kindles metabolic/digestive fire which, in absence of food, brings about paachana of vitiated doshas, thereby riposting health. Sound fasting ensues proper elimination of excretory wastes, clear belch, sweat, and taste for food. Benefits of fasting include lucidity of sense organs, lightness of body and mind, control of diseases, and enthusiasm. Yoga Shastra describes fasting with respect to three levels of food: physical, impressions, and associations and a means to unite three bodies: astral, physical, and causal. Ayurveda thus advocates fasting depending upon the dosha, agni, vaya, kala, and bala of the individual, as a preventive as well as therapeutic modality.

The oxidative debt of fasting: evidence for short- to medium-term costs of advanced fasting in adult king penguins.

Science.gov (United States)

Schull, Quentin; Viblanc, Vincent A; Stier, Antoine; Saadaoui, Hédi; Lefol, Emilie; Criscuolo, François; Bize, Pierre; Robin, Jean-Patrice

2016-10-15

In response to prolonged periods of fasting, animals have evolved metabolic adaptations helping to mobilize body reserves and/or reduce metabolic rate to ensure a longer usage of reserves. However, those metabolic changes can be associated with higher exposure to oxidative stress, raising the question of how species that naturally fast during their life cycle avoid an accumulation of oxidative damage over time. King penguins repeatedly cope with fasting periods of up to several weeks. Here, we investigated how adult male penguins deal with oxidative stress after an experimentally induced moderate fasting period (PII) or an advanced fasting period (PIII). After fasting in captivity, birds were released to forage at sea. We measured plasmatic oxidative stress on the same individuals at the start and end of the fasting period and when they returned from foraging at sea. We found an increase in activity of the antioxidant enzyme superoxide dismutase along with fasting. However, PIII individuals showed higher oxidative damage at the end of the fast compared with PII individuals. When they returned from re-feeding at sea, all birds had recovered their initial body mass and exhibited low levels of oxidative damage. Notably, levels of oxidative damage after the foraging trip were correlated to the rate of mass gain at sea in PIII individuals but not in PII individuals. Altogether, our results suggest that fasting induces a transitory exposure to oxidative stress and that effort to recover in body mass after an advanced fasting period may be a neglected carryover cost of fasting. © 2016. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

Percentage of Fast-Track Receipts

Data.gov (United States)

Social Security Administration — The dataset provides the percentage of fast-track receipts by state during the reporting fiscal year. Fast-tracked cases consist of those cases identified as Quick...

The new ATLAS Fast Calorimeter Simulation

CERN Document Server

Hasib, Ahmed; The ATLAS collaboration

2017-01-01

Producing the very large samples of simulated events required by many physics and performance studies with the ATLAS detector using the full GEANT4 detector simulation is highly CPU intensive. Fast simulation tools are a useful way of reducing CPU requirements when detailed detector simulations are not needed. During the LHC Run-1, a fast calorimeter simulation (FastCaloSim) was successfully used in ATLAS. FastCaloSim provides a simulation of the particle energy response at the calorimeter read-out cell level, taking into account the detailed particle shower shapes and the correlations between the energy depositions in the various calorimeter layers. It is interfaced to the standard ATLAS digitization and reconstruction software, and it can be tuned to data more easily than GEANT4. Now an improved version of FastCaloSim is in development, incorporating the experience with the version used during Run-1. The new FastCaloSim makes use of statistical techniques such as principal component analysis, and a neural n...

The New ATLAS Fast Calorimeter Simulation

CERN Document Server

Heath, Matthew Peter; The ATLAS collaboration

2017-01-01

Producing the large samples of simulated events required by many physics and performance studies with the ATLAS detector using the full GEANT4 detector simulation is highly CPU intensive. Fast simulation tools are a useful way of reducing the CPU requirements when detailed detector simulations are not needed. During Run-1 of the LHC, a fast calorimeter simulation (FastCaloSim) was successfully used in ATLAS. FastCaloSim provides a simulation of the particle energy response at the calorimeter read-out cell level, taking into account the detailed particle shower shapes and the correlations between the energy depositions in the various calorimeter layers. It is interfaced to the standard ATLAS digitisation and reconstruction software, and it can be tuned to data more easily than Geant4. Now an improved version of FastCaloSim is in development, incorporating the experience with the version used during Run-1. The new FastCaloSim aims to overcome some limitations of the first version by improving the description of...

Calcium, nutrient and food intake of Greek Orthodox Christian monks during a fasting and non-fasting week.

Science.gov (United States)

Papadaki, Angeliki; Vardavas, Constantine; Hatzis, Christos; Kafatos, Anthony

2008-10-01

To assess the Ca, nutrient and food intake of Greek Orthodox Christian monks during a vegetarian-type fasting week, compared with their normal diet. Dietary data collection (using 7 d weighed food records), anthropometric and blood pressure measurements, as well as serum glucose and lipid analyses, were performed during Palm Sunday week (fasting) and the week following Pentecost Sunday (non-fasting). Mean daily nutrient and food (g/d) intakes were calculated from the food records. The study took place in two monasteries in the Municipality of Heraklion, Crete. The study involved ten healthy monks aged 25-65 years, with BMI > 30 kg/m2, who had been performing fasts for the last 24.4 (SD 10.4) years and lived in monasteries in Crete during April-June 2005. Nutrient and food intake profiles were more favourable during the fasting week, when participants had lower intakes of total and saturated fat and trans-fatty acids, and higher intakes of dietary fibre, Fe, folate, legumes and fish/seafood. Ca intake was lower when participants fasted, whereas consumption of dairy products, meat and eggs increased significantly in the non-fasting week. Systolic blood pressure was significantly higher, whereas blood lipid levels were more favourable during the fasting week. The periodic vegetarianism recommended by the Greek Orthodox Church contributes to the favourable profiles of several biomarkers of health among this sample of monks. The fasting rituals described are an important component of the traditional diet of Crete and should be emphasised in nutrition education programmes promoting this Mediterranean eating pattern.

Promotion and Fast Food Demand

OpenAIRE

Timothy J. Richards; Luis Padilla

2009-01-01

Many believe that fast food promotion is a significant cause of the obesity epidemic in North America. Industry members argue that promotion only reallocates brand shares and does not increase overall demand. We study the effect of fast food promotion on market share and total demand by estimating a discrete / continuous model of fast food restaurant choice and food expenditure that explicitly accounts for both spatial and temporal determinants of demand. Estimates are obtained using a unique...

Fast mixed spectrum reactor concept

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kouts, H.J.C.; Fischer, G.J.; Cerbone, R.J.

1979-04-01

The Fast Mixed Spectrum Reactor is a highly promising concept for a fast reactor with improved features of proliferation resistance, and excellent utilization of uranium resources. In technology, it can be considered to be a branch of fast breeder development, though its operation and implications are different from those of FBR'S in important respects. Successful development programs are required in several areas to bring FMSR to reality, but the payoff from a successful program can be high

Do GIS-derived measures of fast food retailers convey perceived fast food opportunities? Implications for food environment assessment

Science.gov (United States)

Barnes, Timothy L.; Colabianchi, Natalie; Freedman, Darcy A.; Bell, Bethany A.; Liese, Angela D.

2018-01-01

Purpose Geographic information systems (GISs) have been used to define fast food availability, with higher availability perhaps promoting poorer quality diets. Alternative measures involve perceptions; however, few studies have examined associations between GIS-derived and perceived measures of the food environment. Methods Telephone surveys of 705 participants within an eight-county region in South Carolina were analyzed using logistic regression to examine relationships between geographic presence of and distance to various types of food retailers and perceived fast food availability. Results The mean distance to the nearest fast food restaurant was 6.1 miles, with 16% of participants having a fast food restaurant within 1 mile of home. The geographic presence of and distance to all food retailer types were significantly associated with perceived availability of fast food in unadjusted models. After adjustment, only the presence of a fast food restaurant or pharmacy was significantly associated with greater odds of higher perceived availability of fast food. Greater odds of lower perceived availability of fast food were observed with the presence of a dollar store and increasing distance to the nearest supermarket or pharmacy. Conclusions Measures of fast food availability, whether objective or perceived, may not be interchangeable. Researchers should carefully decide on the appropriate measurement tool—GIS-derived or perceived—in food environment studies. PMID:27617371

Do GIS-derived measures of fast food retailers convey perceived fast food opportunities? Implications for food environment assessment.

Science.gov (United States)

Barnes, Timothy L; Colabianchi, Natalie; Freedman, Darcy A; Bell, Bethany A; Liese, Angela D

2017-01-01

Geographic information systems (GISs) have been used to define fast food availability, with higher availability perhaps promoting poorer quality diets. Alternative measures involve perceptions; however, few studies have examined associations between GIS-derived and perceived measures of the food environment. Telephone surveys of 705 participants within an eight-county region in South Carolina were analyzed using logistic regression to examine relationships between geographic presence of and distance to various types of food retailers and perceived fast food availability. The mean distance to the nearest fast food restaurant was 6.1 miles, with 16% of participants having a fast food restaurant within 1 mile of home. The geographic presence of and distance to all food retailer types were significantly associated with perceived availability of fast food in unadjusted models. After adjustment, only the presence of a fast food restaurant or pharmacy was significantly associated with greater odds of higher perceived availability of fast food. Greater odds of lower perceived availability of fast food were observed with the presence of a dollar store and increasing distance to the nearest supermarket or pharmacy. Measures of fast food availability, whether objective or perceived, may not be interchangeable. Researchers should carefully decide on the appropriate measurement tool-GIS-derived or perceived-in food environment studies. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Review of fast reactor activities in India

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Paranjpe, S.R.

1982-01-01

A review of fast reactor activities in India is introduced. One stage of construction of the Fast Breeder Test Reactor (FBTR) and design studies for 500MWe Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR) are briefly summarized. The emphasis is on fast reactor physics, materials studies, radiochemistry, and the safety and fuel reprocessing programme

Fast Foods, Organic Foods, Fad Diets

Science.gov (United States)

There is no standard definition of fast food. Generally, fast food is eaten without cutlery, and fast-food restaurants have no wait staff. Failure to have a standardized definition makes it difficult to compare studies. Foods available outside the home tend to be high in energy and fat compared w...

Adaptasi Fisiologis Selama Puasa (Physiological Adaptation During Fasting)

OpenAIRE

Fauziyati, Ana

2009-01-01

Fasting is an activity that has been done by people for long time. It is believed that fasting is good for health. During fasting people restrict food and water intake. How fasting makes body healthy and how body maintains the balance of energy and fluid during fasting are very interesting to learn. The objective of this review essay is to describe how the body maintain the balance of energy and fluid during fasting. During fasting, body lacks of food or energy intake, that means there is a r...

Fast breeder reactors an engineering introduction

CERN Document Server

Judd, A M

1981-01-01

Fast Breeder Reactors: An Engineering Introduction is an introductory text to fast breeder reactors and covers topics ranging from reactor physics and design to engineering and safety considerations. Reactor fuels, coolant circuits, steam plants, and control systems are also discussed. This book is comprised of five chapters and opens with a brief summary of the history of fast reactors, with emphasis on international and the prospect of making accessible enormous reserves of energy. The next chapter deals with the physics of fast reactors and considers calculation methods, flux distribution,

Fast electron transport in shaped solid targets

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anle Lei; Cao, L.H.; He, X.T.; Zhang, W.Y.; Tanaka, K.A.; Kodama, R.; Mima, K.; Nakamura, T.; Normatsu, T.; Yu, W.

2010-01-01

Complete text of publication follows. The scheme of fast ignition fusion energy relies on the ultra-intense ultra-short (UIUS) laser energy transport into the compressed core plasma. One solution is to insert a hollow cone in the fuel shell to block the UIUS laser from the coronal plasma, thus allowing it to reach the core plasma. The cone not only can guide the UIUS laser to its tip, but can play important roles in the specific cone-in-shell target designed for FI. It was found in a PIC simulation that the cone can guide the fast electrons generated at the inner wall to propagate along the wall surface toward its tip, which would increase the energy density at the tip and might enhance the heating of the core plasma. Surface guiding of fast electrons with planar foil targets has been demonstrated experimentally. However, the guided fast electrons will mix the electrons generated ahead by the laser light with a planar target, and hence one cannot experimentally quantitatively validate the guide of the fast electrons. We investigate the cone guiding of fast electrons with an inverse cone target. We found a novel surface current of fast electrons propagating along the cone wall. The fast electrons generated at the planar outer tip of the inverse cone are guided and confined to propagate along the inverse cone wall to form a surface current by induced transient electric and magnetic fields associated with the current itself. Once departing from the source at the outer tip, this surface current of fast electrons is 'clean', neither experiencing the interacting laser light nor mixing fast electrons ahead, unlike those in cone or planar targets. This surface current in the inverse cone may explicitly give the capability of the guide of fast electron energy by the cone wall. The guiding and confinement of fast electrons is of important for fast ignition in inertial confinement fusion and several applications in high energy density science.

The fast ratio: A rapid measure for testing the dominance of the fast component in the initial OSL signal from quartz

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Durcan, Julie A.; Duller, Geoff A.T.

2011-01-01

The signal from the fast component is usually considered preferable for quartz optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating, however its presence in a continuous wave (CW) OSL signal is often assumed, rather than verified. This paper presents an objective measure (termed the fast ratio) for testing the dominance of the fast component in the initial part of a quartz OSL signal. The ratio is based upon the photo ionisation cross-sections of the fast and medium components and the power of the measurement equipment used to record the OSL signal, and it compares parts of the OSL signal selected to represent the fast and medium components. The ability of the fast ratio to distinguish between samples whose CW-OSL signal is dominated by the fast and non-fast components is demonstrated by comparing the fast ratio with the contribution of the fast component calculated from curve deconvolution of measured OSL signals and from simulated data. The ratio offers a rapid method for screening a large number of OSL signals obtained for individual equivalent dose estimates, it can be calculated and applied as easily as other routine screening methods, and is transferrable between different aliquots, samples and measurement equipment. - Highlights: → Fast ratio is a measure which tests dominance of fast component in quartz OSL signals. → A fast ratio above 20 implies a CW-OSL signal is dominated by fast component. → Fast ratio can be easily and rapidly applied to a large number of OSL signals. → Uses include signal comparison, data screening, identify need for further analysis.

Fast Reactor Physics. Vol. II. Proceedings of a Symposium on Fast Reactor Physics and Related Safety Problems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1968-01-01

Proceedings of a Symposium organized by the IAEA and held in Karlsruhe, 30 October - 3 November 1967. The meeting was attended by 183 scientists from 23 countries and three international organizations. Contents: (Vol.1) Review of national programmes (5 papers); Nuclear data for fast reactors (12 papers); Experimental methods (3 papers); Zoned systems (7 papers); Kinetics (7 papers). (Vol.11) Fast critical experiments (8 papers); Heterogeneity in fast critical experiments (5 papers); Fast power reactors (13 papers); Fast pulsed reactors (3 papers); Panel discussion. Each paper is in its original language (50 English, 11 French and 3 Russian) and is preceded by an abstract in English with a second one in the original language if this is not English. Discussions are in English. (author)

Development of fast ignition integrated interconnecting code (FI3) for fast ignition scheme

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nagatomo, H.; Johzaki, T.; Mima, K.; Sunahara, A.; Nishihara, K.; Izawa, Y.; Sakagami, H.; Nakao, Y.; Yokota, T.; Taguchi, T.

2005-01-01

The numerical simulation plays an important role in estimating the feasibility and performance of the fast ignition. There are two key issues in numerical analysis for the fast ignition. One is the controlling the implosion dynamics to form a high density core plasma in non-spherical implosion, and the other is heating core plasma efficiency by the short pulse high intense laser. From initial laser irradiation to final fusion burning, all the physics are coupling strongly in any phase, and they must be solved consistently in computational simulation. However, in general, it is impossible to simulate laser plasma interaction and radiation hydrodynamics in a single computational code, without any numerical dissipation, special assumption or conditional treatment. Recently, we have developed 'Fast Ignition Integrated Interconnecting code' (FI 3 ) which consists of collective Particle-in-Cell code, Relativistic Fokker-Planck hydro code, and 2-dimensional radiation hydrodynamics code. And those codes are connecting with each other in data-flow bases. In this paper, we will present detail feature of the FI 3 code, and numerical results of whole process of fast ignition. (author)

Studies of fast-ion transport induced by energetic particle modes using fast-particle diagnostics with high time resolution in CHS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Isobe, M.; Toi, K.; Suzuki, C.; Nagaoka, K.; Matsushita, H.; Goto, K.

2006-01-01

The purpose of this work is to reveal the effects of the energetic particle mode (EPM) on fast-ion transport and consequent fast-ion loss in the Compact Helical System (CHS). For this purpose, fast particle diagnostics capable of following fast events originating from the EPM (f -5 Tesla at the magnetic probe position. The lost fast-ion probe (LIP) located at the outboard side of the torus indicates that bursting EPMs lead to periodically enhanced losses of co-going fast ions having smaller pitch angles in addition to losses of marginally co-passing fast ions. Coinciding with EPM bursts, the H- light detector viewing the peripheral region at the outboard side also shows large pulsed increases similar to that of the LIP whereas the detector viewing the peripheral region at the inboard side does not. This is also evidence that fast ions are expelled to the outboard side due to the EPM. The charge-exchange neutral particle analyzer indicates that only fast ions whose energy is close to the beam injection energy E b are strongly affected by EPM, suggesting in turn that observed EPMs are excited by fast ions having energy close to E b . (author)

rf measurements and tuning of the 750 MHz radio frequency quadrupole

Science.gov (United States)

Koubek, Benjamin; Grudiev, Alexej; Timmins, Marc

2017-08-01

In the framework of the program on medical applications a compact 750 MHz RFQ has been designed and built to be used as an injector for a hadron therapy linac. This RFQ was designed to accelerate protons to an energy of 5 MeV within only 2 m length. It is divided into four segments and equipped with 32 tuners in total. The length of the RFQ corresponds to 5 λ which is considered to be close to the limit for field adjustment using only piston tuners. Moreover the high frequency, which is about double the frequency of existing RFQs, results in a sensitive structure and requires careful tuning. In this paper we present the tuning algorithm, the tuning procedure and rf measurements of the RFQ.

Profiles of fast ions that are accelerated by high harmonic fast waves in the National Spherical Torus Experiment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu, D; Heidbrink, W W; Podesta, M; Ruskov, E; Bell, R E; Fredrickson, E D; Medley, S S; Harvey, R W

2010-01-01

Combined neutral beam injection and high-harmonic fast-wave (HHFW) heating accelerate deuterium fast ions in the National Spherical Torus Experiment (NSTX). With 1.1 MW of HHFW power, the neutron emission rate is about three times larger than in the comparison discharge without HHFW heating. Acceleration of fast ions above the beam injection energy is evident on an E||B type neutral particle analyzer (NPA), a 4-chord solid state neutral particle analyzer (SSNPA) array and a 16-channel fast-ion D-alpha (FIDA) diagnostic. The accelerated fast ions observed by the NPA and SSNPA diagnostics mainly come from passive charge exchange reactions at the edge due to the NPA/SSNPA localization in phase space. The spatial profile of accelerated fast ions that is measured by the FIDA diagnostic is much broader than in conventional tokamaks because of the multiple resonance layers and large orbits in NSTX. The fast-ion distribution function calculated by the CQL3D Fokker-Planck code differs from the measured spatial profile, presumably because the current version of CQL3D uses a zero-banana-width model. In addition, compressional Alfven eigenmode activity is stronger during the HHFW heating and it may affect the fast-ion spatial profile.

Do Adolescents Who Live or Go to School Near Fast Food Restaurants Eat More Frequently From Fast Food Restaurants?

Science.gov (United States)

Forsyth, Ann; Wall, Melanie; Larson, Nicole; Story, Mary; Neumark-Sztainer, Dianne

2012-01-01

This population-based study examined whether residential or school neighborhood access to fast food restaurants is related to adolescents’ eating frequency of fast food. A classroom-based survey of racially/ethnically diverse adolescents (n=2,724) in 20 secondary schools in Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota was used to assess eating frequency at five types of fast food restaurants. Black, Hispanic, and Native American adolescents lived near more fast food restaurants than white and Asian adolescents and also ate at fast food restaurants more often. After controlling for individual-level socio-demographics, adolescent males living near high numbers fast food restaurants ate more frequently from these venues compared to their peers. PMID:23064515

A fast multichannel analyser

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Berry, A.; Przybylski, M.M.; Sumner, I.

1982-01-01

A fast multichannel analyser (MCA) capable of sampling at a rate of 10 7 s -1 has been developed. The instrument is based on an 8 bit parallel encoding analogue to digital converter (ADC) reading into a fast histogramming random access memory (RAM) system, giving 256 channels of 64 k count capacity. The prototype unit is in CAMAC format. (orig.)

Proton Fast Ignition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Key, M H; Freeman, R R; Hatchett, S P; MacKinnon, A J; Patel, P K; Snavely, R A; Stephens, R B

2006-04-01

Fast ignition (FI) by a laser generated ballistically focused proton beam is a more recently proposed alternative to the original concept of FI by a laser generated beam of relativistic electrons. It has potential advantages in less complex energy transport into dense plasma. Recent successful target heating experiments motivate further investigation of the feasibility of proton fast ignition. The concept, the physics and characteristics of the proton beams, the recent experimental work on focusing of the beams and heating of solid targets and the overall prospects for proton FI are discussed

Fast ejendom II

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Munk-Hansen, Carsten

Fremstillingen påviser, at lov om forbrugerbeskyttelse ved erhvervelse af fast ejendom mv. lider af en række svagheder og at ankenævnspraksis bevæger sig væk fra retspraksis på en række områder.......Fremstillingen påviser, at lov om forbrugerbeskyttelse ved erhvervelse af fast ejendom mv. lider af en række svagheder og at ankenævnspraksis bevæger sig væk fra retspraksis på en række områder....

Adopting preoperative fasting guidelines.

Science.gov (United States)

Anderson, Megan; Comrie, Rhonda

2009-07-01

In 1999, the American Society of Anesthesiologists adopted preoperative fasting guidelines to enhance the quality and efficiency of patient care. Guidelines suggest that healthy, non-pregnant patients should fast six hours from solids and two hours from liquids. Although these guidelines are in place, studies suggest that providers are still using the blanket statement "NPO after midnight" without regard to patient characteristics, the procedure, or the time of the procedure. Using theory to help change provider's beliefs may help make change more successful. Rogers' Theory of Diffusion of Innovations can assist in changing long-time practice by laying the groundwork for an analysis of the benefits and disadvantages of proposed changes, such as changes to fasting orders, while helping initiate local protocols instead of additional national guidelines.

Fasting: Molecular Mechanisms and Clinical Applications

Science.gov (United States)

Longo, Valter D.; Mattson, Mark P.

2014-01-01

Fasting has been practiced for millennia, but only recently studies have shed light on its role in adaptive cellular responses that reduce oxidative damage and inflammation, optimize energy metabolism and bolster cellular protection. In lower eukaryotes, chronic fasting extends longevity in part by reprogramming metabolic and stress resistance pathways. In rodents intermittent or periodic fasting protects against diabetes, cancers, heart disease and neurodegeneration, while in humans it helps reduce obesity, hypertension, asthma and rheumatoid arthritis. Thus, fasting has the potential to delay aging and help prevent and treat diseases while minimizing the side effects caused by chronic dietary interventions. PMID:24440038

New Software for the Fast Estimation of Population Recombination Rates (FastEPRR in the Genomic Era

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Feng Gao

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Genetic recombination is a very important evolutionary mechanism that mixes parental haplotypes and produces new raw material for organismal evolution. As a result, information on recombination rates is critical for biological research. In this paper, we introduce a new extremely fast open-source software package (FastEPRR that uses machine learning to estimate recombination rate ρ (=4Ner from intraspecific DNA polymorphism data. When ρ>10 and the number of sampled diploid individuals is large enough (≥50, the variance of ρFastEPRR remains slightly smaller than that of ρLDhat. The new estimate ρcomb (calculated by averaging ρFastEPRR and ρLDhat has the smallest variance of all cases. When estimating ρFastEPRR, the finite-site model was employed to analyze cases with a high rate of recurrent mutations, and an additional method is proposed to consider the effect of variable recombination rates within windows. Simulations encompassing a wide range of parameters demonstrate that different evolutionary factors, such as demography and selection, may not increase the false positive rate of recombination hotspots. Overall, accuracy of FastEPRR is similar to the well-known method, LDhat, but requires far less computation time. Genetic maps for each human population (YRI, CEU, and CHB extracted from the 1000 Genomes OMNI data set were obtained in less than 3 d using just a single CPU core. The Pearson Pairwise correlation coefficient between the ρFastEPRR and ρLDhat maps is very high, ranging between 0.929 and 0.987 at a 5-Mb scale. Considering that sample sizes for these kinds of data are increasing dramatically with advances in next-generation sequencing technologies, FastEPRR (freely available at http://www.picb.ac.cn/evolgen/ is expected to become a widely used tool for establishing genetic maps and studying recombination hotspots in the population genomic era.

Fast-track hip and knee arthroplasty

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Husted, Henrik

2012-01-01

Fast-track hip and knee arthroplasty aims at giving the patients the best available treatment at all times, being a dynamic entity. Fast-track combines evidence-based, clinical features with organizational optimization including a revision of traditions resulting in a streamlined pathway from...... on clinical and organizational aspects of fast-track hip and knee arthroplasty (I–IX). A detailed description of the fast-track set-up and its components is provided. Major results include identification of patient characteristics to predict length of stay and satisfaction with different aspects...... of the hospital stay (I); how to optimize analgesia by using a compression bandage in total knee arthroplasty (II); the clinical and organizational set-up facilitating or acting as barriers for early discharge (III); safety aspects following fast-track in the form of few readmissions in general (IV) and few...

Fast-ion stabilization of tokamak plasma turbulence

Science.gov (United States)

Di Siena, A.; Görler, T.; Doerk, H.; Poli, E.; Bilato, R.

2018-05-01

A significant reduction of the turbulence-induced anomalous heat transport has been observed in recent studies of magnetically confined plasmas in the presence of a significant fast-ion fractions. Therefore, the control of fast-ion populations with external heating might open the way to more optimistic scenarios for future fusion devices. However, little is known about the parameter range of relevance of these fast-ion effects which are often only highlighted in correlation with substantial electromagnetic fluctuations. Here, a significant fast ion induced stabilization is also found in both linear and nonlinear electrostatic gyrokinetic simulations which cannot be explained with the conventional assumptions based on pressure profile and dilution effects. Strong wave-fast particle resonant interactions are observed for realistic parameters where the fast particle trace approximation clearly failed and explained with the help of a reduced Vlasov model. In contrast to previous interpretations, fast particles can actively modify the Poisson field equation—even at low fast particle densities where dilution tends to be negligible and at relatively high temperatures, i.e. T  <  30T e . Further key parameters controlling the role of the fast ions are identified in the following and various ways of further optimizing their beneficial impact are explored. Finally, possible extensions into the electromagnetic regime are briefly discussed and the relevance of these findings for ITER standard scenarios is highlighted.

Fast-track revision knee arthroplasty

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Husted, Henrik; Otte, Niels Kristian Stahl; Kristensen, Billy B

2011-01-01

Abstract Background and purpose Fast-track surgery has reduced the length of hospital stay (LOS), morbidity, and convalescence in primary hip and knee arthroplasty (TKA). We assessed whether patients undergoing revision TKA for non-septic indications might also benefit from fast-track surgery....... Methods 29 patients were operated with 30 revision arthroplasties. Median age was 67 (34-84) years. All patients followed a standardized fast-track set-up designed for primary TKA. We determined the outcome regarding LOS, morbidity, mortality, and satisfaction. Results Median LOS was 2 (1-4) days...

Fast reactor physics - an overview

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, S.M.

2004-01-01

An introduction to the basic features of fast neutron reactors is made, highlighting the differences from the more conventional thermal neutron reactors. A discussion of important feedback reactivity mechanisms is given. Then an overview is presented of the methods of fast reactor physics, which play an important role in the successful design and operation of fast reactors. The methods are based on three main elements, namely (i) nuclear data bases, (ii) numerical methods and computer codes, and (iii) critical experiments. These elements are reviewed and the present status and future trends are summarized. (author)

LTFR-4, Library Generated for Fast Reactor Design Program from JAERI Fast-Set Multigroup Constant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Suzuki, Tomoo

1971-01-01

Nature of physical problem solved: The program processes JAERI-Fast group constants sets of less than 30-group and prepares a binary library tape for efficient usage by a series of related fast reactor design calculation programmes

Reliability of Serum Metabolites over a Two-Year Period: A Targeted Metabolomic Approach in Fasting and Non-Fasting Samples from EPIC

Science.gov (United States)

Achaintre, David; Sacerdote, Carlotta; Vineis, Paolo; Key, Timothy J.; Onland Moret, N. Charlotte; Scalbert, Augustin; Rinaldi, Sabina; Ferrari, Pietro

2015-01-01

Objective Although metabolic profiles have been associated with chronic disease risk, lack of temporal stability of metabolite levels could limit their use in epidemiological investigations. The present study aims to evaluate the reliability over a two-year period of 158 metabolites and compare reliability over time in fasting and non-fasting serum samples. Methods Metabolites were measured with the AbsolueIDQp180 kit (Biocrates, Innsbruck, Austria) by mass spectrometry and included acylcarnitines, amino acids, biogenic amines, hexoses, phosphatidylcholines and sphingomyelins. Measurements were performed on repeat serum samples collected two years apart in 27 fasting men from Turin, Italy, and 39 non-fasting women from Utrecht, The Netherlands, all participating in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) study. Reproducibility was assessed by estimating intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) in multivariable mixed models. Results In fasting samples, a median ICC of 0.70 was observed. ICC values were fasting samples, the median ICC was 0.54. ICC values were fasting as compared to fasting samples, with a statistically significant difference for 19–36% of acylcarnitines, phosphatidylcholines and sphingomyelins. Conclusion A single measurement per individual may be sufficient for the study of 73% and 52% of the metabolites showing ICCs >0.50 in fasting and non-fasting samples, respectively. ICCs were higher in fasting samples that are preferable to non-fasting. PMID:26274920

A fast and flexible reactor physics model for simulating neutron spectra and depletion in fast reactors - 202

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Recktenwald, G.D.; Bronk, L.A.; Deinert, M.R.

2010-01-01

Determining the time dependent concentration of isotopes within a nuclear reactor core is central to the analysis of nuclear fuel cycles. We present a fast, flexible tool for determining the time dependent neutron spectrum within fast reactors. The code (VBUDS: visualization, burnup, depletion and spectra) uses a two region, multigroup collision probability model to simulate the energy dependent neutron flux and tracks the buildup and burnout of 24 actinides, as well as fission products. While originally developed for LWR simulations, the model is shown to produce fast reactor spectra that show high degree of fidelity to available fast reactor benchmarks. (authors)

The fast breeder reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Patterson, W.

1990-01-01

The author criticises the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority's fast breeder reactor programme in his evidence to the House of Commons Select Committee on Energy in January 1990. He argues for power generation by renewable means and greater efficiency in the use rather than in the generation of electricity. He refutes the arguments for nuclear power on the basis of reduced global warming as he claims support technology produces significant amounts of carbon dioxide in any case. Serious doubts are raised about the costs of a fast breeder reactor programme compared to, say, generation by pressurised water reactors. The idea of a uranium scarcity in several decades is also refuted. The reliability of fast breeder reactor technology is called into question. He argues against reprocessing plutonium for economic, health and safety reasons. (UK)

Uranium and the fast reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Price, T.

1982-01-01

The influence of uranium availability upon the future of the fast reactor is reviewed. The important issues considered are uranium reserves and resources, uranium market prices, fast reactor economics and the political availability of uranium to customers in other countries. (U.K.)

Fast-track revision knee arthroplasty

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Husted, Henrik; Otte, Niels Kristian Stahl; Kristensen, Billy B

2011-01-01

Abstract Background and purpose Fast-track surgery has reduced the length of hospital stay (LOS), morbidity, and convalescence in primary hip and knee arthroplasty (TKA). We assessed whether patients undergoing revision TKA for non-septic indications might also benefit from fast-track surgery...

Fast facts: The availability and accessibility of nutrition information in fast food chains.

Science.gov (United States)

Wellard, Lyndal; Glasson, Colleen; Chapman, Kathy; Miller, Caroline

2011-12-01

Nutrition information at the point-of-sale assists consumers to make informed fast food choices. This study provides a baseline measure of the availability and accessibility of nutrition information in fast food outlets in Australia, filling a gap in the literature. An in-store observational survey was conducted in 222 outlets of five fast food chains in five states. The Australian websites for each chain were surveyed for nutrition information. At least some nutrition information was available in 66% of outlets. The availability of information was higher in lower socioeconomic areas. Significantly less information was available in signatory chains of the self-regulatory marketing code. Information provided was generally incomplete; only one outlet (0.5%) provided information for all food and beverage items. In some instances information was old. Information was more available for 'healthier' products and less available for meal combinations. Information was provided on all chains' websites, however it was sometimes difficult to locate. While most outlets surveyed made some nutrition information available to consumers, it was generally incomplete. Fast food chains should provide comprehensive, up-to-date information for all menu items. Chains should also ensure their staff members are adequately trained in providing nutrition information.

Fast generation of dendritic cells

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kvistborg, P; Bøgh, Marie; Pedersen, A W

2009-01-01

we have developed fast DC protocol by comparing two different fast DC protocols with SDDC. DC were evaluated by FACS analysis, and the optimal profile was considered: CD14(low), CD80(high), CD83(high), CD86(high), CCR7(high), HLA class I and II(high). FACS profiles were used as the selection criteria...... together with yield and morphology. Two fast DC protocols fulfilled these criteria and were selected for functional analysis. Our results demonstrate that DC generated within 5days or 48h are comparable with SDDC both phenotypically and functionally. However, we found that 48h DC were more susceptible than...... SDDC to the IL-10 inducing stimulus of TLR ligands (R848 and LPS). Thus to determine the clinical relevance of fast DC protocols in cancer settings, small phase I trials should be conducted monitoring regulatory T cells carefully....

The new ATLAS Fast Calorimeter Simulation

CERN Document Server

AUTHOR|(INSPIRE)INSPIRE-00223142; The ATLAS collaboration

2017-01-01

Current and future need for large scale simulated samples motivate the development of reliable fast simulation techniques. The new Fast Calorimeter Simulation is an improved parameterized response of single particles in the ATLAS calorimeter that aims to accurately emulate the key features of the detailed calorimeter response as simulated with Geant4, yet approximately ten times faster. Principal component analysis and machine learning techniques are used to improve the performance and decrease the memory need compared to the current version of the ATLAS Fast Calorimeter Simulation. A prototype of this new Fast Calorimeter Simulation is in development and its integration into the ATLAS simulation infrastructure is ongoing.

The new ATLAS Fast Calorimeter Simulation

Science.gov (United States)

Schaarschmidt, J.; ATLAS Collaboration

2017-10-01

Current and future need for large scale simulated samples motivate the development of reliable fast simulation techniques. The new Fast Calorimeter Simulation is an improved parameterized response of single particles in the ATLAS calorimeter that aims to accurately emulate the key features of the detailed calorimeter response as simulated with Geant4, yet approximately ten times faster. Principal component analysis and machine learning techniques are used to improve the performance and decrease the memory need compared to the current version of the ATLAS Fast Calorimeter Simulation. A prototype of this new Fast Calorimeter Simulation is in development and its integration into the ATLAS simulation infrastructure is ongoing.

Fasting: molecular mechanisms and clinical applications.

Science.gov (United States)

Longo, Valter D; Mattson, Mark P

2014-02-04

Fasting has been practiced for millennia, but, only recently, studies have shed light on its role in adaptive cellular responses that reduce oxidative damage and inflammation, optimize energy metabolism, and bolster cellular protection. In lower eukaryotes, chronic fasting extends longevity, in part, by reprogramming metabolic and stress resistance pathways. In rodents intermittent or periodic fasting protects against diabetes, cancers, heart disease, and neurodegeneration, while in humans it helps reduce obesity, hypertension, asthma, and rheumatoid arthritis. Thus, fasting has the potential to delay aging and help prevent and treat diseases while minimizing the side effects caused by chronic dietary interventions. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Fasting plasma glucose levels and coronary artery calcification in subjects with impaired fasting glucose.

Science.gov (United States)

Eun, Young-Mi; Kang, Sung-Goo; Song, Sang-Wook

2016-01-01

Prediabetes is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). While the association of impaired glucose tolerance with CVD has been shown in many studies, the relationship between impaired fasting glucose (IFG) and CVD remains unclear. The purpose of this study was to compare the coronary artery calcium (CAC) scores of participants with normal fasting glucose versus those with IFG, according to fasting plasma glucose (FPG) levels, and to assess whether differences in CAC scores were independent of important confounders. Retrospective study. Health Promotion Center of the University Hospital (Gyeonggi-do, South Korea), during the period 2010-2014. Participants were enrolled from the general population who visited for a medical check-up. CAC was assessed in asymptomatic individuals by multidetector computed tomography. Anthropometric parameters and metabolic profiles were also recorded. Subjects were divided into four fasting glucose groups. Participants with a history of CVD or diabetes mellitus were excluded. Correlation between FPG and CAC scores, CAC score categories, and association between CAC score and FPG categories. Of 1112 participants, 346 (34.2%) had a CAC score > 0. FPG values in the IFG patients were positively but weakly correlated with CAC scores (r=0.099, P=.001). The incidence of CAC differed according to FPG level (P =110 mg/dL had a significantly higher risk of CAC than did subjects with normal fasting glucose (110.

The impact of religious fasting on human health

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bloomer Richard J

2010-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract The past two decades have seen a rise in the number of investigations examining the health-related effects of religiously motivated fasts. Islamic Ramadan is a 28 - 30 day fast in which food and drink are prohibited during the daylight hours. The majority of health-specific findings related to Ramadan fasting are mixed. The likely causes for these heterogeneous findings are the differences between studies in the following: 1 the amount of daily fasting time; 2 the percentage of subjects who smoke, take oral medications, and/or receive intravenous fluids; and 3 the subjects' typical food choices and eating habits. Greek Orthodox Christians fast for a total of 180 - 200 days each year, and their main fasting periods are the Nativity Fast (40 days prior to Christmas, Lent (48 days prior to Easter, and the Assumption (15 days in August. The fasting periods are more similar than dissimilar, and they can each be described as a variant of vegetarianism. Some of the more favorable effects of these fasts include the lowering of body mass, total cholesterol, LDL-C, and the LDL-C/HDL-C ratio. The Biblical-based Daniel Fast prohibits the consumption of animal products, refined carbohydrates, food additives, preservatives, sweeteners, flavorings, caffeine, and alcohol. It is most commonly partaken for 21 days, although fasts of 10 and 40 days have been observed. Our initial investigation of the Daniel Fast noted favorable effects on several health-related outcomes, including: blood pressure, blood lipids, insulin sensitivity, and biomarkers of oxidative stress. This review summarizes the health-specific effects of these fasts and provides suggestions for future research.

The impact of religious fasting on human health.

Science.gov (United States)

Trepanowski, John F; Bloomer, Richard J

2010-11-22

The past two decades have seen a rise in the number of investigations examining the health-related effects of religiously motivated fasts. Islamic Ramadan is a 28 - 30 day fast in which food and drink are prohibited during the daylight hours. The majority of health-specific findings related to Ramadan fasting are mixed. The likely causes for these heterogeneous findings are the differences between studies in the following: 1) the amount of daily fasting time; 2) the percentage of subjects who smoke, take oral medications, and/or receive intravenous fluids; and 3) the subjects' typical food choices and eating habits. Greek Orthodox Christians fast for a total of 180 - 200 days each year, and their main fasting periods are the Nativity Fast (40 days prior to Christmas), Lent (48 days prior to Easter), and the Assumption (15 days in August). The fasting periods are more similar than dissimilar, and they can each be described as a variant of vegetarianism. Some of the more favorable effects of these fasts include the lowering of body mass, total cholesterol, LDL-C, and the LDL-C/HDL-C ratio. The Biblical-based Daniel Fast prohibits the consumption of animal products, refined carbohydrates, food additives, preservatives, sweeteners, flavorings, caffeine, and alcohol. It is most commonly partaken for 21 days, although fasts of 10 and 40 days have been observed. Our initial investigation of the Daniel Fast noted favorable effects on several health-related outcomes, including: blood pressure, blood lipids, insulin sensitivity, and biomarkers of oxidative stress. This review summarizes the health-specific effects of these fasts and provides suggestions for future research.

Fasting does not induce gastric emptying in rats.

Science.gov (United States)

Brito, Marcus Vinicius Henriques; Yasojima, Edson Yuzur; Teixeira, Renan Kleber Costa; Houat, Abdallah de Paula; Yamaki, Vitor Nagai; Costa, Felipe Lobato da Silva

2015-03-01

To evaluate the effect of fasting on gastric emptying in mice. Twenty-eight mice were distributed into three study groups: a normal group (N=4): normal standard animals; a total fasting group (N=12): subjected to food and water deprivation and a partial fasting group (N=12): subjected to food deprivation only. The fasting groups were subdivided into three subgroups of four animals each, according to the date of euthanasia: 24, 48 and 72 hours. Was analyzed: the gastric volume, degree of the gastric wall distention and the presence of food debris in gastrointestinal tract. The mean gastric volume was 1601 mm3 in the normal group, 847 mm3 in total fasting group and 997 mm3 in partial fasting group. There was difference between the fasting groups in any analyzed period (pfasting (p>0.05). Total fasting or only-solids deprivation does not induce gastric emptying in mice.

Fast breeder reactors--lecture 4

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Marshall, W.; Davies, L.M.

1986-01-01

This paper discusses the economics of fast breeder reactors. An algebraic background is presented which represents the various views expressed by different nations regarding the cost of fast breeder reactors and their associated fuel cycle services, the timescale by which they might be available, and the simultaneous variations in the price of uranium. Actual presentations made by individual countries in recent discussions serve to verify the general nature of this present discussion. It is assumed that if nuclear power is to make a long term contribution to the needs of the world, the introduction of fast breeder reactors is both essential and necessary

Fast neutron dosimeter with wide base silicon diode

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ma Lu

1986-01-01

This paper briefly introduces a wide base silicon diode fast neutron dosimeter with wide measuring range and good energy response to fast neutron. It is suitable to be used to detect fast neutrons in the mixed field of γ-ray, thermal neutrons and fast neutrons

Upgrading the ATLAS Fast Calorimeter Simulation

CERN Document Server

Hubacek, Zdenek; The ATLAS collaboration

2016-01-01

Many physics and performance studies with the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider require very large samples of simulated events, and producing these using the full GEANT4 detector simulation is highly CPU intensive. Often, a very detailed detector simulation is not needed, and in these cases fast simulation tools can be used to reduce the calorimeter simulation time by a few orders of magnitude. In ATLAS, a fast simulation of the calorimeter systems was developed, called Fast Calorimeter Simulation (FastCaloSim). It provides a parametrized simulation of the particle energy response at the calorimeter read-out cell level. It is interfaced to the standard ATLAS digitization and reconstruction software, and can be tuned to data more easily than with GEANT4. The original version of FastCaloSim has been very important in the LHC Run-1, with several billion events simulated. An improved parametrisation is being developed, to eventually address shortcomings of the original version. It incorporates developme...

The new ATLAS Fast Calorimeter Simulation

CERN Document Server

Dias, Flavia; The ATLAS collaboration

2016-01-01

A very large number of simulated events is required for physics and performance studies with the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider. Producing these with the full GEANT4 detector simulation is highly CPU intensive. As a very detailed detector simulation is not always required, fast simulation tools have been developed to reduce the calorimeter simulation time by a few orders of magnitude. The fast simulation of ATLAS for the calorimeter systems used in Run 1, called Fast Calorimeter Simulation (FastCaloSim), provides a parameterized simulation of the particle energy response at the calorimeter read-out cell level. It is then interfaced to the ATLAS digitization and reconstruction software. In Run 1, about 13 billion events were simulated in ATLAS, out of which 50% were produced using fast simulation. For Run 2, a new parameterisation is being developed to improve the original version: It incorporates developments in geometry and physics lists of the last five years and benefits from knowledge acquire...

Effects of sex, age, and fasting conditions on plasma lipidomic profiles of fasted Sprague-Dawley rats.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kosuke Saito

Full Text Available Circulating lipid molecules reflect biological processes in the body and, thus, are useful tools for preclinical estimation of the efficacy and safety of newly developed drugs. However, background information on profiles of circulating lipid molecules in preclinical animal models is limited. Therefore, we examined the effects of multiple factors such as sex (fasted male vs. female, age (fasted 10 vs. 30 weeks old, and feeding conditions (feeding vs. fasting, 16 vs. 22 hr fasting, 10 AM vs. 4 PM blood collection, on the global profiles of lipid molecules in plasma from Sprague-Dawley rats by using a lipidomic approach. Our assay platform determined 262 lipid molecules (68 phospholipids, 20 sphingolipids, 138 neutral lipids, and 36 polyunsaturated fatty acids and their metabolites in rat plasma. Multivariate discriminant analysis (orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis and heat maps of statistically significant lipid molecules revealed that the plasma lipid profiles in rats are predominantly influenced by feeding conditions, followed by sex and age. In addition, the fasting duration (16 vs. 22 hr fasting or the time of blood collection (10 AM vs. 4 PM blood collection has limited or no contribution on the profiles of lipid molecules in rat plasma. Our results provide useful, fundamental information for exploring and validating biomarkers in future preclinical studies and may help to establish regulatory standards for such studies.

Intermittent fasting during Ramadan: does it affect sleep?

Science.gov (United States)

Bahammam, Ahmed S; Almushailhi, Khalid; Pandi-Perumal, Seithikurippu R; Sharif, Munir M

2014-02-01

Islamic intermittent fasting is distinct from regular voluntary or experimental fasting. We hypothesised that if a regimen of a fixed sleep-wake schedule and a fixed caloric intake is followed during intermittent fasting, the effects of fasting on sleep architecture and daytime sleepiness will be minimal. Therefore, we designed this study to objectively assess the effects of Islamic intermittent fasting on sleep architecture and daytime sleepiness. Eight healthy volunteers reported to the Sleep Disorders Centre on five occasions for polysomnography and multiple sleep latency tests: (1) during adaptation; (2) 3 weeks before Ramadan, after having performed Islamic fasting for 1 week (baseline fasting); (3) 1 week before Ramadan (non-fasting baseline); (4) 2 weeks into Ramadan (Ramadan); and (5) 2 weeks after Ramadan (non-fasting; Recovery). Daytime sleepiness was assessed using the Epworth Sleepiness Scale and the multiple sleep latency test. The participants had a mean age of 26.6 ± 4.9 years, a body mass index of 23.7 ± 3.5 kg m(-2) and an Epworth Sleepiness Scale score of 7.3 ± 2.7. There was no change in weight or the Epworth Sleepiness Scale in the four study periods. The rapid eye movement sleep percentage was significantly lower during fasting. There was no difference in sleep latency, non-rapid eye movement sleep percentage, arousal index and sleep efficiency. The multiple sleep latency test analysis revealed no difference in the sleep latency between the 'non-fasting baseline', 'baseline fasting', 'Ramadan' and 'Recovery' time points. Under conditions of a fixed sleep-wake schedule and a fixed caloric intake, Islamic intermittent fasting results in decreased rapid eye movement sleep with no impact on other sleep stages, the arousal index or daytime sleepiness. © 2013 European Sleep Research Society.

Fasting: Molecular Mechanisms and Clinical Applications

OpenAIRE

Longo, Valter D.; Mattson, Mark P.

2014-01-01

Fasting has been practiced for millennia, but only recently studies have shed light on its role in adaptive cellular responses that reduce oxidative damage and inflammation, optimize energy metabolism and bolster cellular protection. In lower eukaryotes, chronic fasting extends longevity in part by reprogramming metabolic and stress resistance pathways. In rodents intermittent or periodic fasting protects against diabetes, cancers, heart disease and neurodegeneration, while in humans it helps...

Oil Analysis by Fast DSC

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Wetten, I.A.; Herwaarden, A.W.; Splinter, R.; Ruth, van S.M.

2014-01-01

Thermal analysis of Olive and Sunflower Oil is done by Fast DSC to evaluate its potential to replace DSC for adulteration detection. DSC measurements take hours, Fast DSC minutes. Peak temperatures of the crystallisation peak in cooling for different Olive and Sunflower Oils are both comparable to

The safety of fast reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Justin, F.

1976-01-01

A response is made to the main questions that a man in the street may arise concerning fast breeder reactors, in particular: the advantages of this line, dangerous materials contained in fast breeder reactors, containment shells protecting the environment from radiations, main studies now in progress [fr

Focusing on fast food restaurants alone underestimates the relationship between neighborhood deprivation and exposure to fast food in a large rural area.

Science.gov (United States)

Sharkey, Joseph R; Johnson, Cassandra M; Dean, Wesley R; Horel, Scott A

2011-01-25

Individuals and families are relying more on food prepared outside the home as a source for at-home and away-from-home consumption. Restricting the estimation of fast-food access to fast-food restaurants alone may underestimate potential spatial access to fast food. The study used data from the 2006 Brazos Valley Food Environment Project (BVFEP) and the 2000 U.S. Census Summary File 3 for six rural counties in the Texas Brazos Valley region. BVFEP ground-truthed data included identification and geocoding of all fast-food restaurants, convenience stores, supermarkets, and grocery stores in study area and on-site assessment of the availability and variety of fast-food lunch/dinner entrées and side dishes. Network distance was calculated from the population-weighted centroid of each census block group to all retail locations that marketed fast food (n = 205 fast-food opportunities). Spatial access to fast-food opportunities (FFO) was significantly better than to traditional fast-food restaurants (FFR). The median distance to the nearest FFO was 2.7 miles, compared with 4.5 miles to the nearest FFR. Residents of high deprivation neighborhoods had better spatial access to a variety of healthier fast-food entrée and side dish options than residents of low deprivation neighborhoods. Our analyses revealed that identifying fast-food restaurants as the sole source of fast-food entrées and side dishes underestimated neighborhood exposure to fast food, in terms of both neighborhood proximity and coverage. Potential interventions must consider all retail opportunities for fast food, and not just traditional FFR.

[Preoperative fasting. An update].

Science.gov (United States)

Spies, C D; Breuer, J P; Gust, R; Wichmann, M; Adolph, M; Senkal, M; Kampa, U; Weissauer, W; Schleppers, A; Soreide, E; Martin, E; Kaisers, U; Falke, K J; Haas, N; Kox, W J

2003-11-01

In Germany the predominant standard of preoperative care for elective surgery is fasting after midnight, with the aim of reducing the risk of pulmonary aspiration. However, for the past several years the scientific evidence supporting such a practice has been challenged. Experimental and clinical studies prove a reliable gastric emptying within 2 h suggesting that, particularly for limited intake of clear fluids up to 2 h preoperatively, there would be no increased risk for the patient. In addition, the general incidence of pulmonary aspiration during general anaesthesia (before induction, during surgery and during recovery) is extremely low, has a good prognosis and is more a consequence of insufficient airway protection and/or inadequate anaesthetic depth rather than due to the patient's fasting state. Therefore, primarily to decrease perioperative discomfort for patients, several national anaesthesia societies have changed their guidelines for preoperative fasting. They recommend a more liberal policy regarding per os intake of both liquid and solid food, with consideration of certain conditions and contraindications. The following article reviews the literature and gives an overview of the scientific background on which the national guidelines are based. The intention of this review is to propose recommendations for preoperative fasting regarding clear fluids for Germany as well.

A toy story: Association between young children's knowledge of fast food toy premiums and their fast food consumption.

Science.gov (United States)

Longacre, Meghan R; Drake, Keith M; Titus, Linda J; Cleveland, Lauren P; Langeloh, Gail; Hendricks, Kristy; Dalton, Madeline A

2016-01-01

Fast food restaurants spend millions of dollars annually on child-targeted marketing, a substantial portion of which is allocated to toy premiums for kids' meals. The objectives of this study were to describe fast food toy premiums, and examine whether young children's knowledge of fast food toy premiums was associated with their fast food consumption. Parents of 3- to 5-year old children were recruited from pediatric and WIC clinics in Southern New Hampshire, and completed a cross-sectional survey between April 2013-March 2014. Parents reported whether their children usually knew what toys were being offered at fast food restaurants, and whether children had eaten at any of four restaurants that offer toy premiums with kids' meals (McDonald's, Burger King, Subway, Wendy's) during the 7 days preceding the survey. Seventy-one percent of eligible parents participated (N = 583); 48.4% did not receive any education beyond high school, and 27.1% of children were non-white. Half (49.7%) the children had eaten at one or more of the four fast food restaurants in the past week; one-third (33.9%) had eaten at McDonald's. The four restaurants released 49 unique toy premiums during the survey period; McDonald's released half of these. Even after controlling for parent fast food consumption and sociodemographics, children were 1.38 (95% CI = 1.04, 1.82) times more likely to have consumed McDonald's if they usually knew what toys were offered by fast food restaurants. We did not detect a relationship between children's toy knowledge and their intake of fast food from the other restaurants. In this community-based sample, young children's knowledge of fast food toys was associated with a greater frequency of eating at McDonald's, providing evidence in support of regulating child-directed marketing of unhealthy foods using toys. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

FastBit: Interactively Searching Massive Data

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wu, Kesheng; Ahern, Sean; Bethel, E. Wes; Chen, Jacqueline; Childs, Hank; Cormier-Michel, Estelle; Geddes, Cameron; Gu, Junmin; Hagen, Hans; Hamann, Bernd; Koegler, Wendy; Lauret, Jerome; Meredith, Jeremy; Messmer, Peter; Otoo, Ekow; Perevoztchikov, Victor; Poskanzer, Arthur; Prabhat,; Rubel, Oliver; Shoshani, Arie; Sim, Alexander; Stockinger, Kurt; Weber, Gunther; Zhang, Wei-Ming

2009-06-23

As scientific instruments and computer simulations produce more and more data, the task of locating the essential information to gain insight becomes increasingly difficult. FastBit is an efficient software tool to address this challenge. In this article, we present a summary of the key underlying technologies, namely bitmap compression, encoding, and binning. Together these techniques enable FastBit to answer structured (SQL) queries orders of magnitude faster than popular database systems. To illustrate how FastBit is used in applications, we present three examples involving a high-energy physics experiment, a combustion simulation, and an accelerator simulation. In each case, FastBit significantly reduces the response time and enables interactive exploration on terabytes of data.

Safeguards challenges of Fast Breeder Reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ko, H. S.

2010-01-01

Although the safeguards system of Sodium Fast Reactor (SFR) seems similar to that of Light Water Reactor (LWR), it was raised safeguards challenges of SFR that resulted from the visual opacity of liquid sodium, chemical reactivity of sodium and other characteristics of fast reactor. As it is the basic concept stage of the safeguards of SFR in Korea, this study tried to analyze the latest similar study of safeguards issues of the Fast Breeder Reactor (FBR) at Joyo and Monju in Japan. For this reason, this study is to introduce some potential safeguards challenges of Fast Breeder Reactor. With this analysis, future study could be to address the safeguards challenges of SFR in Korea

The fast breeder reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Keck, O.

1984-01-01

Nowadays the fast-breeder reactor is a negative symbol of advanced technology which is getting out of control and, due to its complexity, is incomprehensible for politicians and therefore by-passes the established order. The author lists the most important decisions over state aid to the fast-breeder-reactors up until the mid-seventies and uses documents from the appropriate advisory bodies as reference. He was also aided by interviews with those directly involved with the project. The empirical facts forces us to discard our traditional view of the relationship between state and industry with regard to advanced technology. The author explains that it is impossible to find any economic value in the fast-breeder reactor. The insight gained through this project allows him to draw conclusions which apply to all aspects of state aid to advanced technology. (orig.) [de

Fast harmonic field mapper

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Au, R.; Fowler, M.; Hanawa, H.; Riedel, J.; Qua, Z.G.

1984-01-01

In early 1983 it was decided to mount coils on arms separated by 120 degrees and buck them out so that the third harmonic dphi/dt component would be cancelled and thus the first and second field harmonics could be very accurately measured. The original intention was to do as others had done, namely, use fast ADC's to read the voltages, and computer process the result to get the Fourier components. However, because of the 100 to 1 dynamic range of the fast ADC's and the likelihood that noise would be a problem, the authors decided to do things differently. Using a fast Fourier transform analyzer was considered, but this instrument is very expensive, so they decided to use a completely electronic analog approach: The authors decided to use active bandpass filters to render the harmonic components

The energy gap and the fast reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hill, J.

1977-01-01

The background to the development of fast reactors is summarized. In Britain, the results of the many experiments performed, the operation of the Dounreay Fast Reactor for the past 18 years and the first year's operation of the larger Prototype Fast Reactor have all been very encouraging, in that they demonstrated that the performance corresponded well with predictions, breeding is possible, and the system is exceptionally stable in operation. The next step in fast reactor engineering is to build a full-scale fast reactor power station. There would seem to be little reason to expect more trouble than could reasonably be expected in constructing any large project of this general nature. However, from an engineering point of view continuity of experience is required. If a decision to build a commercial fast reactor were taken today there would be a 14-year gap between strating this and the start of the Prototype Fast Reactor. This is already much too long. From an environmental standpoint we have to demonstrate that we can manufacture and reprocess fast reacctor fuel for a substantial programme in a way that does not lead to pollution of the environment, and that plutonium-containing fuel can be transported in the quantities required in safety and in a way that does not attract terrorists or require a private army to ensure its security. Finally, we have to find a way to allow many countries to obtain the energy they need from fast reactors, without leading to the proliferation of nuclear weapons or weapons capability. (author)

Advanced Safeguards Approaches for New Fast Reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Durst, Philip C.; Therios, Ike; Bean, Robert; Dougan, A.; Boyer, Brian; Wallace, Rick L.; Ehinger, Michael H.; Kovacic, Don N.; Tolk, K.

2007-01-01

This third report in the series reviews possible safeguards approaches for new fast reactors in general, and the ABR in particular. Fast-neutron spectrum reactors have been used since the early 1960s on an experimental and developmental level, generally with fertile blanket fuels to 'breed' nuclear fuel such as plutonium. Whether the reactor is designed to breed plutonium, or transmute and 'burn' actinides depends mainly on the design of the reactor neutron reflector and the whether the blanket fuel is 'fertile' or suitable for transmutation. However, the safeguards issues are very similar, since they pertain mainly to the receipt, shipment and storage of fresh and spent plutonium and actinide-bearing 'TRU'-fuel. For these reasons, the design of existing fast reactors and details concerning how they have been safeguarded were studied in developing advanced safeguards approaches for the new fast reactors. In this regard, the design of the Experimental Breeder Reactor-II 'EBR-II' at the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) was of interest, because it was designed as a collocated fast reactor with a pyrometallurgical reprocessing and fuel fabrication line--a design option being considered for the ABR. Similarly, the design of the Fast Flux Facility (FFTF) on the Hanford Site was studied, because it was a successful prototype fast reactor that ran for two decades to evaluate fuels and the design for commercial-scale fast reactors

Is fasting necessary for elective cerebral angiography?

Science.gov (United States)

Kwon, O-K; Oh, C W; Park, H; Bang, J S; Bae, H-J; Han, M K; Park, S-H; Han, M H; Kang, H-S; Park, S-K; Whang, G; Kim, B-C; Jin, S-C

2011-05-01

In order to prevent unexpected events such as aspiration pneumonia, cerebral angiography has been performed under fasting in most cases. We investigated prospectively the necessity of fasting before elective cerebral angiography. The study is an open-labeled clinical trial without random allocation. In total, 2554 patients who underwent elective cerebral angiography were evaluated on development of nausea, vomiting, and pulmonary aspiration during and after angiography. Potential risks and benefits associated with fasting were provided in written documents and through personal counseling to patients before the procedure. The patients chose their fasting or nonfasting option. No restriction in diet was given after angiography. The patients were observed for 24 hours. Nausea and vomiting during and within 1 hour after angiography was considered as a positive event associated with cerebral angiography. The overall incidence of nausea and vomiting during and within 1 hour after angiography was 1.05% (27/2554 patients). There was no patient with pulmonary aspiration. No statistical difference in nausea and vomiting development between the fasting and the diet groups was found. The incidence of nausea and vomiting associated with cerebral angiography is low and not affected by diet or fasting. Pulmonary aspiration had no difference between the diet and the fasting group. Our study suggests that fasting may not be necessary for patients who undergo elective cerebral angiography.

Does short-term fasting promote pathological eating patterns?

Science.gov (United States)

Schaumberg, Katherine; Anderson, Drew A; Reilly, Erin E; Anderson, Lisa M

2015-12-01

Fasting, or going a significant amount of time without eating, has been identified as a risk factor for the development of pathological eating patterns. Findings from several studies examining the impact of fasting on subsequent eating behaviors have been mixed. The current study recruited college students to record food intake, episodes of binge eating, and use of compensatory behaviors before, throughout, and following a 24-hour fast. Participants attended an initial appointment in which they completed measures of dietary restraint and disinhibition and received instructions on self-monitoring and fasting. Participants (N=122) self-monitored their eating behaviors for 96 h, including a 24-hour fasting period. Participants did not demonstrate significant increases in disordered eating behaviors following the fast (e.g., objective binge episodes, self-defined excessive eating or compensatory behavior use). Baseline disinhibition predicted excessive eating as well as objective binge episodes both before and after fasting. Altogether, findings have implications for research seeking to further understand how fasting may contribute to the development of pathological eating patterns; specifically, it seems that the ED risk associated with fasting is derived from the behavior's interaction with other individual difference variables. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Experimental possibilities and fast neutron dose map of the fast neutron fields at the RB reactor facility

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sokcic-Kostic, M.; Pesic, M.; Antic, D.; Ninkovic, M.

1993-01-01

The RB is an unshielded, zero power nuclear facility with natural and enriched uranium fuel (2% and 80%) and D 2 O as moderator. It is possible to create different configurations of non-reflected and partially reflected critical systems and to make experiments in the fields of thermal neutrons. The fields of fast neutrons with 'softened' fission spectrum are made by modifying the system: modified experimental fuel channel EFC, coupled fast-thermal system in two configurations CFTS-1 and CFTS-2, coupled fast-thermal core HERBE. The intermediate and fast neutron absorbed doses in fast neutron fields are given. In first configuration of RB reactor it was almost impossible to perform dosimetric and other experiments. By creating these fields, with in our circumstances available fuel elements, the possibilities for different experiments are greatly improved. Now we can irradiate food samples, soil samples, electronic devices, study material properties, perform various dosimetry experiments, etc. (1 tab.)

Comparison of fasting and non-fasting lipid profiles in a large cohort of patients presenting at a community hospital.

Science.gov (United States)

Cartier, Louis-Jacques; Collins, Charlene; Lagacé, Mathieu; Douville, Pierre

2018-02-01

To compare the fasting and non-fasting lipid profile including ApoB in a cohort of patients from a community setting. Our purpose was to determine the proportion of results that could be explained by the known biological variation in the fasting state and to examine the additional impact of non-fasting on these same lipid parameters. 1093 adult outpatients with fasting lipid requests were recruited from February to September 2016 at the blood collection sites of the Moncton Hospital. Participants were asked to come back in the next 3-4days after having eaten a regular breakfast to have their blood drawn for a non-fasting lipid profile. 91.6% of patients in this study had a change in total cholesterol that fell within the biological variation expected for this parameter. Similar results were seen for HDL-C (94.3%) non-HDL-C (88.8%) and ApoB (93.0%). A smaller number of patients fell within the biological variation expected for TG (78.8%) and LDL-C (74.6%). An average TG increase of 0.3mmol/L was observed in fed patients no matter the level of fasting TG. A gradual widening in the range of change in TG concentration was observed as fasting TG increased. Similar results were seen in diabetic patients. Outside of LDL-C and TG, little changes were seen in lipid parameters in the postprandial state. A large part of these changes could be explained by the biological variation. We observed a gradual widening in the range of increase in TG for patients with higher fasting TG. Non-HDL-C and ApoB should be the treatment target of choice for patients in the non-fasting state. Copyright © 2017 The Canadian Society of Clinical Chemists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Focusing on fast food restaurants alone underestimates the relationship between neighborhood deprivation and exposure to fast food in a large rural area

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dean Wesley R

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Individuals and families are relying more on food prepared outside the home as a source for at-home and away-from-home consumption. Restricting the estimation of fast-food access to fast-food restaurants alone may underestimate potential spatial access to fast food. Methods The study used data from the 2006 Brazos Valley Food Environment Project (BVFEP and the 2000 U.S. Census Summary File 3 for six rural counties in the Texas Brazos Valley region. BVFEP ground-truthed data included identification and geocoding of all fast-food restaurants, convenience stores, supermarkets, and grocery stores in study area and on-site assessment of the availability and variety of fast-food lunch/dinner entrées and side dishes. Network distance was calculated from the population-weighted centroid of each census block group to all retail locations that marketed fast food (n = 205 fast-food opportunities. Results Spatial access to fast-food opportunities (FFO was significantly better than to traditional fast-food restaurants (FFR. The median distance to the nearest FFO was 2.7 miles, compared with 4.5 miles to the nearest FFR. Residents of high deprivation neighborhoods had better spatial access to a variety of healthier fast-food entrée and side dish options than residents of low deprivation neighborhoods. Conclusions Our analyses revealed that identifying fast-food restaurants as the sole source of fast-food entrées and side dishes underestimated neighborhood exposure to fast food, in terms of both neighborhood proximity and coverage. Potential interventions must consider all retail opportunities for fast food, and not just traditional FFR.

Status of National Programmes on Fast Breeder Reactors. International Working Group on Fast Reactors Twenty-First Annual Meeting, Seattle, USA, 9-12 May 1988

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1988-11-01

The following papers on the status of national programmes on fast breeder reactors are presented in this report: Fast breeder reactor development in France during 1987; Status of fast breeder reactor development in the Federal Republic of Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands; A review of the Indian fast reactor programme; A review of the Italian fast reactor programme; A review of the fast reactor programme in Japan; Status of fast reactor activities in the USSR; A review of the United Kingdom fast reactor programme; Status of liquid metal reactor development in the United States of America; Review of activities of the Commission of European Communities relating to fast reactors in 1987; European co-operation in the field of fast reactor research and development — 1987 progress report; A review of fast reactor activities in Switzerland

Should Type 1 diabetics fast in Ramadan.

Science.gov (United States)

Mohsin, Fauzia; Azad, Kishwar; Zabeen, Bedowra; Tayyeb, Samin; Baki, Abdul; Nahar, Nazmun

2015-05-01

Fasting during the holy month of Ramadan is obligatory for all healthy adult and adolescent Muslims from the age of 12 years. This involves abstaining from eating or drinking from early dawn (Suhur/Sehri) till sunset (Iftar).Fasting is not meant to create excessive hardships or impart any adverse effect to the Muslim individual. As such, Islam has exempted certain categories of people from fasting including young children, travelers, the sick, the elderly,and pregnant and lactating women. According to expert opinion, people with type 1 diabetes who fast during Ramadan are at very high risk of metabolic deterioration. However, some recent studies have demonstrated that individuals with type 1 diabetes who are otherwise healthy and stable, can fast during Ramadan provided they comply with the Ramadan focused management plan and are under close professional supervision. This article discusses how to assess, counsel, monitor and manage people with type 1 diabetes who wish to fast during Ramadan.

Physical studies of fast ignition in China

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

He, X T; Cai, Hong-bo; Wu, Si-zhong; Cao, Li-hua; Zhang, Hua; He, Ming-qing; Chen, Mo; Wu, Jun-feng; Zhou, Cang-tao; Zhou, Wei-Min; Shan, Lian-qiang; Wang, Wei-wu; Zhang, Feng; Bi, Bi; Zhao, Zong-qing; Gu, Yu-qiu; Zhang, Bao-han; Wang, Wei; Fang, Zhi-heng; Lei, An-le

2015-01-01

Fast ignition approach to inertial confinement fusion is one of the important goals today, in addition to central hot spot ignition in China. The SG-IIU and PW laser facilities are coupled to investigate the hot spot formation for fast ignition. The SG-III laser facility is almost completed and will be coupled with tens kJ PW lasers for the demonstration of fast ignition. In recent years, for physical studies of fast ignition, we have been focusing on the experimental study of implosion symmetry, M-band radiation preheating and mixing, advanced fast ignition target design, and so on. In addition, the modeling capabilities and code developments enhanced our ability to perform the hydro-simulation of the compression implosion, and the particle-in-cell (PIC) and hybrid-PIC simulation of the generation, transport and deposition of relativistic electron beams. Considerable progress has been achieved in understanding the critical issues of fast ignition. (paper)

[Fast food promotes weight gain].

Science.gov (United States)

Stender, Steen; Dyerberg, Jørn; Astrup, Arne V

2007-05-07

The total amounts of fat in a fast food menu consisting of French fries and fried Chicken Nuggets from McDonald's and KFC, respectively, bought in 35 different countries vary from 41 to 71 gram. In most countries the menu contained unacceptably high amounts of industrially-produced trans fat which contributes to an increased risk of ischaemic heart disease, weight gain, abdominal fat accumulation and type 2 diabetes. The quality of the ingredients in fast food ought to be better and the size of the portions smaller and less energy-dense so that frequent fast food meals do not increase the risk of obesity and diseases among customers.

Fast neutron dosimetry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

DeLuca, P.M. Jr.; Pearson, D.W.

1993-01-01

Research concentrated on three major areas during the last twelve months: (1) investigations of energy fluence and absorbed dose measurements using crystalline and hot pressed TLD materials exposes to ultrasoft beams of photons, (2) fast neutron kerma factor measurements for several important elements as well as NE-213 scintillation material response function determinations at the intense ''white'' source available at the WNR facility at LAMPF, and (3) kerma factor ratio determinations for carbon and oxygen to A-150 tissue equivalent plastic at the clinical fast neutron radiation facility at Harper Hospital, Detroit, MI. Progress summary reports of these efforts are given in this report

rf measurements and tuning of the 750 MHz radio frequency quadrupole

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Benjamin Koubek

2017-08-01

Full Text Available In the framework of the program on medical applications a compact 750 MHz RFQ has been designed and built to be used as an injector for a hadron therapy linac. This RFQ was designed to accelerate protons to an energy of 5 MeV within only 2 m length. It is divided into four segments and equipped with 32 tuners in total. The length of the RFQ corresponds to 5λ which is considered to be close to the limit for field adjustment using only piston tuners. Moreover the high frequency, which is about double the frequency of existing RFQs, results in a sensitive structure and requires careful tuning. In this paper we present the tuning algorithm, the tuning procedure and rf measurements of the RFQ.

Fast-food consumption and obesity among Michigan adults.

Science.gov (United States)

Anderson, Beth; Rafferty, Ann P; Lyon-Callo, Sarah; Fussman, Christopher; Imes, Gwendoline

2011-07-01

Consumption of meals eaten away from home, especially from fast-food restaurants, has increased in the United States since the 1970s. The main objective of this study was to examine the frequency and characteristics of fast-food consumption among adults in Michigan and obesity prevalence. We analyzed data from 12 questions about fast-food consumption that were included on the 2005 Michigan Behavioral Risk Factor Survey, a population-based telephone survey of Michigan adults, using univariate and bivariate analyses and multivariate logistic regression, and compared these data with data on Michigan obesity prevalence. Approximately 80% of Michigan adults went to fast-food restaurants at least once per month and 28% went regularly (≥2 times/wk). Regular fast-food consumption was higher among younger adults (mostly men) but was not significantly associated with household income, education, race, or urbanicity (in a multivariate framework). The prevalence of obesity increased consistently with frequenting fast-food restaurants, from 24% of those going less than once a week to 33% of those going 3 or more times per week. The predominant reason for choosing fast food was convenience. Although hypothetically 68% of adults who go to fast-food restaurants would choose healthier fast-food items when available, only 16% said they ever use nutritional information when ordering. The prevalence of fast-food consumption is high in Michigan across education, income, and racial groups and is strongly associated with obesity. Making nutritional information at fast-food restaurants more readily available and easier to use may help consumers to order more healthful or lower-calorie items.

Fast decoding algorithms for coded aperture systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Byard, Kevin

2014-01-01

Fast decoding algorithms are described for a number of established coded aperture systems. The fast decoding algorithms for all these systems offer significant reductions in the number of calculations required when reconstructing images formed by a coded aperture system and hence require less computation time to produce the images. The algorithms may therefore be of use in applications that require fast image reconstruction, such as near real-time nuclear medicine and location of hazardous radioactive spillage. Experimental tests confirm the efficacy of the fast decoding techniques

Economic Issues of Fast Reactor in China

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yang Hongyi

2013-01-01

Conclusions: 1. More and more fast reactors could be appearing in the world currently and near future. 2. China gets little experience and practice about the economics issues of sodium cooled fast reactors. 3. The economic issues become more and more important for the deplot of fast reactors. Suggestions: 1. An authoritative economic evaluation solution for fast reactor and related fuel cycles facilities is necessary. The solution may be developed by the interested country in order to share the few data, experience and methodology. 2. A new initiative to help to share the economic information for fast reactor and related fuel cycle facilities is necessary. A meeting like TM-44899 organized by the IAEA is very beneficial for this topic and hopefully will continue

The fast reactor and energy supply

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1979-01-01

The progress made with fast reactor development in many countries is summarised showing that the aim is to provide to the nation concerned an ability to instal fast reactor power stations at the end of this century or early in the next one. Accepting the importance of fast reactors as a potential independent source of energy, problems concerning economics, industrial capability, technical factors, public acceptibility and in particular plutonium management, are discussed. It is concluded that although fast reactors have reached a comparatively advanced stage of development, a number of factors make it likely that their introduction for electricity generation will be a gradual process. Nevertheless it is necessary to complete demonstration and development phases in good time. (U.K.)

Fast reactor fuel reprocessing in the UK

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Allardice, R.H.; Williams, J.; Buck, C.

1977-01-01

Enriched uranium metal fuel irradiated in the Dounreay Fast Reactor has been reprocessed and refabricated in plants specifically designed for the purpose in the U.K. since 1961. Efficient and reliable fuel recycle is essential to the development of a plutonium based fast reactor system and the importance of establishing at an early stage fast reactor fuel reprocessing has been reinforced by current world difficulties in reprocessing high burn-up thermal reactor oxide fuel. In consequence, the U.K. has decided to reprocess irradiated fuel from the 250 MW(E) Prototype Fast Reactor as an integral part of the fast reactor development programme. Flowsheet and equipment development work for the small scale fully active demonstration plant have been carried out over the past 5 years and the plant will be commissioned and ready for active operation during 1977. In parallel, a comprehensive waste management system has been developed and installed. Based on this development work and the information which will arise from active operation of the plant a parallel development programme has been initiated to provide the basis for the design of a large scale fast reactor fuel reprocessing plant to come into operation in the late 1980s to support the projected U.K. fast reactor installation programme. The paper identifies the important differences between fast reactor and thermal reactor fuel reprocessing technologies and describes some of the development work carried out in these areas for the small scale P.F.R. fuel reprocessing operation. In addition, the development programme in aid of the design of a larger scale fast reactor fuel reprocessing plant is outlined and the current design philosophy is discussed

Hydrogenic fast-ion diagnostic using Balmer-alpha light

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Heidbrink, W W; Burrell, K H; Luo, Y; Pablant, N A; Ruskov, E

2004-01-01

Hydrogenic fast-ion populations are common in toroidal magnetic fusion devices, especially in devices with neutral beam injection. As the fast ions orbit around the device and pass through a neutral beam, some fast ions neutralize and emit Balmer-alpha light. The intensity of this emission is weak compared with the signals from the injected neutrals, the warm (halo) neutrals and the cold edge neutrals, but, for a favourable viewing geometry, the emission is Doppler shifted away from these bright interfering signals. Signals from fast ions are detected in the DIII-D tokamak. When the electron density exceeds ∼7 x 10 19 m -3 , visible bremsstrahlung obscures the fast-ion signal. The intrinsic spatial resolution of the diagnostic is ∼5 cm for 40 keV amu -1 fast ions. The technique is well suited for diagnosis of fast-ion populations in devices with fast-ion energies (∼30 keV amu -1 ), minor radii (∼0.6 m) and plasma densities (∼ 20 m -3 ) that are similar to those of DIII-D

Fast beam radiofrequency spectroscopy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pipkin, F.M.

1983-01-01

The combination of a fast atom or ion beam derived from a small accelerator with radiofrequency spectroscopy methods provides a powerful method for measuring the fine structure of atomic and molecular systems. The fast beam makes possible measurements in which two separated oscillatory fields are used to obtain resonance lines whose widths are less than the natural line width due to the lifetimes of the states. The separated oscillatory field lines have, in addition, a number of features which make possible measurements with greater precision and less sensitivity to systematic errors. The fast beam also makes accessible multiple photon radiofrequency transitions whose line width is intrinsically narrower than that of the single photon transitions and which offer great potential for high precision measurements. This report focuses on the techniques and their promise. Recent measurements of the fine structure of H and He + are used as illustrations

Effect of HCV on fasting glucose, fasting insulin and peripheral insulin resistance in first 5 years of infection.

Science.gov (United States)

Ahmed, Naeema; Rashid, Amir; Naveed, Abdul Khaliq; Bashir, Qudsia

2016-02-01

To assess the effects of hepatitis C virus infection in the first 5 years on fasting glucose, fasting insulin and peripheral insulin resistance. The case-control study was conducted at the Army Medical College, Rawalpindi, from December 2011 to November 2012, and comprised subjects recruited from a government hospital in Rawalpindi. The subjects included known cases of hepatitis C virus infection for at least 5 years, and normal healthy controls. Fasting blood samples of all the subjects were collected and analysed for serum fasting insulin and serum fasting glucose levels. Homeostatic model assessment-Insulin resistance was calculated SPSS 11 was used for statistical analysis. Of the 30 subjects, 20(66.6%) were cases, while 10(33.3%) were controls. Serum fasting glucose mean level in cases was 89.55±9.53 compared to 84.40±9.80 in the controls (p=0.188). The mean serum fasting insulin in controls was 7.52±3.23 and 6.79±3.30 in cases (p=0.567). Homeostatic model assessment-Insulin resistance level in controls was 1.60±0.76 and In the cases it was 1.49±0.74 (p=0.695). Peripheral insulin resistance and development of type 2 diabetes as a complication of hepatitis C virus infection was not likely at least within the first five years of infection.

The polarization of fast neutrons

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Talov, V.V.

2000-01-01

The present work is the review of polarization of fast neutrons and methods of polarization analysis. This also includes information about polarization of fast neutrons from first papers, which described polarization in the D(d,n) 3 He, 7 Li(p,n) 7 Be, and T(p,n) 3 He reactions. (authors)

Fast feedback in classroom practice

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Emmett, K.M.; Klaassen, K.; Eijkelhof, H.

2009-01-01

In this article we describe one application of the fast feedback method (see Berg 2003 Aust. Sci. Teach. J. 28–34) in secondary mechanics education. Two teachers tried out a particular sequence twice, in consecutive years, once with and once without the use of fast feedback. We found the method to

Role of therapeutic fasting in women's health: An overview

OpenAIRE

Pradeep M.K Nair; Pranav G Khawale

2016-01-01

Fasting is a therapeutic tool practiced since millennia by different cultures and medical systems heterogeneously. PubMed and Google Scholar search engines were searched using the keywords ?fasting,? ?intermittent fasting,? ?calorie restriction,? ?women?s health,? ?women?s disorders,? ?fasting and aging,? and ?fasting and health.? All the animal and human studies which address women?s health and disorders were included in the review. Fasting has shown to improve the reproductive and mental he...

ECONOMIC APPROACH ON FAST-FOOD UNITS - CASE STUDY

OpenAIRE

Cristiana TINDECHE; Liliana POPESCU

2012-01-01

The globalization phenomenon that characterizes the century we are living in includes even the food we consume which is mostly fast-food products. Fast-foods are internationally expanding at an amazing pace. In the century of speed, when the modern man is in a permanent rush for confirmation, success, money and the time is passing unbelievably fast, the fast-food is a perfect alternative for having a meal out in the city or for preparing dinner at home [5]. Because fast-food products are del...

Upgrade of ICRF heating system on EAST

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen Gen; Zhao Yanpin; Mao Yuzhou

2013-01-01

ICRF (Ion Cyclotron Range of Frequency) heating is an essential heating and current drive tool on EAST (Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak). The high-power steady-state transmitters were designed as a part of research and development of ICRF heating system which aimed at output power of 1.5 MW for 1000 s in a frequency range of 25 to 70 MHz. There are 3 stage power amplifiers for each transmitter. Tube TH525A and TH535 were chosen for drive power amplifier (DPA) and final power amplifier (FPA), respectively. The power supply system of DPA and FPA were upgraded by using reliable PSM high voltage sources, whose response time is less than 5 μs. The ICRF system, which consists of 8 transmitters, will give out more than 10 MW total output power in the future. Four of them have been already fabricated, and another four are under construction. Three liquid stub tuners are used for impedance matching between antennas and transmitters, which can be only tuned shot to shot. There are two fast wave heating antennas which are assembled at I port and B port on EAST. Several projects are in progress including fast response impedance matching, distributed data acquisition and control system and so on for EAST ICRF heating system. (author)

Introduction of the experimental fast reactor JOYO

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Matsuba, Ken-ichi; Kawahara, Hirotaka; Aoyama, Takafumi

2006-01-01

The experimental fast reactor JOYO at O-arai Engineering Center of Japan Nuclear Cycle Development Institute is the first liquid metal cooled fast reactor in Japan. This paper describes the plant outline, experiences on the fast reactor technology and test results accumulated through twenty eight years successful operation of JOYO. (author)

Advanced Safeguards Approaches for New Fast Reactors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Durst, Philip C.; Therios, Ike; Bean, Robert; Dougan, A.; Boyer, Brian; Wallace, Rick L.; Ehinger, Michael H.; Kovacic, Don N.; Tolk, K.

2007-12-15

This third report in the series reviews possible safeguards approaches for new fast reactors in general, and the ABR in particular. Fast-neutron spectrum reactors have been used since the early 1960s on an experimental and developmental level, generally with fertile blanket fuels to “breed” nuclear fuel such as plutonium. Whether the reactor is designed to breed plutonium, or transmute and “burn” actinides depends mainly on the design of the reactor neutron reflector and the whether the blanket fuel is “fertile” or suitable for transmutation. However, the safeguards issues are very similar, since they pertain mainly to the receipt, shipment and storage of fresh and spent plutonium and actinide-bearing “TRU”-fuel. For these reasons, the design of existing fast reactors and details concerning how they have been safeguarded were studied in developing advanced safeguards approaches for the new fast reactors. In this regard, the design of the Experimental Breeder Reactor-II “EBR-II” at the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) was of interest, because it was designed as a collocated fast reactor with a pyrometallurgical reprocessing and fuel fabrication line – a design option being considered for the ABR. Similarly, the design of the Fast Flux Facility (FFTF) on the Hanford Site was studied, because it was a successful prototype fast reactor that ran for two decades to evaluate fuels and the design for commercial-scale fast reactors.

Fast optical measurements and imaging of flow mixing

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Clausen, Sønnik; Fateev, Alexander; Nielsen, Karsten Lindorff

Project is focused on fast time-resolved infrared measurements of gas temperature and fast IR-imagining of flames in various combustion environments. The infrared spectrometer system was developed in the project for fast infrared spectral measurements on industrial scale using IR-fibre- optics. F...... engine and visualisation of gas flow behaviour in cylinder.......Project is focused on fast time-resolved infrared measurements of gas temperature and fast IR-imagining of flames in various combustion environments. The infrared spectrometer system was developed in the project for fast infrared spectral measurements on industrial scale using IR-fibre- optics....... Fast time-and spectral-resolved measurements in 1.5-5.1 μm spectral range give information about flame characteristics like gas and particle temperatures, eddies and turbulent gas mixing. Time-resolved gas composition in that spectral range (H2O, CH4, CO2, CO) which is one of the key parameters...

Fasting glycaemia to simplify screening for gestational diabetes.

Science.gov (United States)

Ryser Rüetschi, J; Jornayvaz, F R; Rivest, R; Huhn, E A; Irion, O; Boulvain, M

2016-12-01

Recommendations in Switzerland on screening for gestational diabetes endorse the International Association of Diabetes in Pregnancy Study Group consensus. As universal testing is time consuming and glucose loading is unpleasant, the recommendations include a simplification, not performing the glucose loading in women with fasting glycaemia fasting glycaemia was fasting glycaemia. The prevalence of gestational diabetes was 10.9% in our population. Among 251 women with gestational diabetes, fasting glycaemia was ≥5.1 mmol/l in 119 women (47.4%), between 4.4 and fasting glycaemia between 4.4 and fasting glycaemia is an attractive alternative to universal screening with the complete 75-g glucose tolerance test. This strategy is, however, slightly less sensitive than previously reported in higher-risk populations. Fasting glycaemia can be considered as an alternative to the complete test for gestational diabetes screening. © 2016 Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists.

Fast reactors - Dounreay and the future

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jordan, G.

1988-01-01

In 1960 at Dounreay, the Dounreay Fast Reactor (DFR) supplied the world's first fast reactor grid electricity, and went on to a highly successful career as a test facility, as fuel designs advanced. In the 1960s, the Prototype Fast Reactor (PFR) was designed and built, beginning operation in 1974. The PFR was built to provide a sound technical and experienced base to support the UK's future Fast Reactor development and design. The in-vessel fuel handling facilities have demonstrated the flexibility of the pool design and a considerable body of in-core fuel handling experience is available. A key issue for further Fast Reactor application is the performance of fuel and, because PFR was designed to take full-scale fuel assemblies, the fuel performance experience is directly relevant to commercial designs. The original PFR design irradiation target of 60000 MWd/t U (equivalent to 7.5 % burn-up) has already been exceeded by a factor of more than two and a 15.9 % burn-up sub-assembly has been discharged and reprocessed without difficulty. Soon a 20 % sub-assembly will follow. Also the PFR reprocessing plant has demonstrated the safety and efficiency of this essential adjunct to Fast Reactor operation. The safety and the environmental protection features of both the PFR and its fuel reprocessing plant have been demonstrated over the last 14 years. 2 refs., 3 figs

The effect of fasting on surgical performance

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Schefte, David Fenger; Rosenstock, Steffen Jais

2016-01-01

BACKGROUND: It is unknown whether fasting has any impact on surgical performance. This simulator-based study investigates whether fasting affects surgical performance. METHODS: Twelve healthy medical students [seven women, mean age 26.5 years (range 23-34)] with no prior experience with surgical...... simulators underwent a short course introduction to the LapSim(®) simulator. After having reached a predefined level, the participants performed five simulated salpingectomies on the LapSim(®) simulator 5-30 days after the initial introduction. The procedures took place at 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. after fasting...... in the longitudinal axis with the left hand. CONCLUSION: The simulator-based study suggests that 17 h of fasting does not deteriorate surgical performance. Further studies on the effect of fasting on surgical performance are needed....

Observations of fast variable objects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alekseev, G.N.

1978-01-01

A problem on studying fast variable astronomic objects is considered. The basis of the method used in the experiment is a detailed photoelectric study of a fast variableness along with spectroscopy of a high time resolution. Power spectrum of the SS Cyg brightness oscillations and autocorrelation function of the AX Mon brightness are analyzed as an example. To provide a reliable identification of parameters of star active regions responsible for the fast variableness, an experiment is proposed, the ''synchronous spectroscopy'' method being used. The method is based on the supposition about temporary stationarity of occasional processes within the limits of the time scale of several hours. The block diagram of the experiment is described

Future Assets, Student Talent (FAST)

Science.gov (United States)

1992-01-01

Future Assets, Student Talent (FAST) motivates and prepares talented students with disabilities to further their education and achieve High Tech and professional employment. The FAST program is managed by local professionals, business, and industry leaders; it is modeled after High School High Tech project TAKE CHARGE started in Los Angeles in 1983. Through cooperative efforts of Alabama Department of Education, Vocational Rehabilitation, Adult and Children Services, and the President's Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities, north central Alabama was chosen as the second site for a High School High Tech project. In 1986 local business, industry, education, government agencies, and rehabilitation representatives started FAST. The program objectives and goals, results and accomplishments, and survey results are included.

Review of fast reactor activities

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Balz, W [Commission of the European Communities, Brussels (Belgium)

1978-07-01

The Commission of the European Communities continued its activities on the following lines: activities aimed at preparing for commercialization of fast breeder reactors which are essentially performed in the frame of Fast Reactor Coordinating Committee (FRCC); the execution of its own research program in the Joint Research Center. The report covers activities of the FRCC, of the Safety Working Group (SWG), the Whole Core Accident Code (WAC) subgroup, Containment (CONT) subgroup, Codes and Standards Working Group (CSWG). Research and development activities are concerned with LMFBR safety, subassembly thermal hydraulics, fuel-coolant interactions, post-accident heat removal, dynamic load response, safety related material properties, utilization limits of fast breeder fuels, plutonium and actinide aspects of nuclear fuel cycle.

Review of fast reactor activities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Balz, W.

1978-01-01

The Commission of the European Communities continued its activities on the following lines: activities aimed at preparing for commercialization of fast breeder reactors which are essentially performed in the frame of Fast Reactor Coordinating Committee (FRCC); the execution of its own research program in the Joint Research Center. The report covers activities of the FRCC, of the Safety Working Group (SWG), the Whole Core Accident Code (WAC) subgroup, Containment (CONT) subgroup, Codes and Standards Working Group (CSWG). Research and development activities are concerned with LMFBR safety, subassembly thermal hydraulics, fuel-coolant interactions, post-accident heat removal, dynamic load response, safety related material properties, utilization limits of fast breeder fuels, plutonium and actinide aspects of nuclear fuel cycle

Fast breeder project (PSB)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1976-07-01

Activities performed during the 1st quarter of 1976 at or on behalf of the Gesellschaft fuer Kernforschung mbH, Karlsruhe, within the framework of the Fast Breeder Project are given a survey. The following project subdivisions are dealt with: Fuel rod development; materials testing and developments; corrosion studies and coolant analyses; physical experiments; reactor theory; safety of fast breeders; instrumentation and signal processing for core monitoring; effects on the environment; sodium technology tests; thermodynamic and fluid flow tests in gas. (HR) [de

Ramadan and diabetes: As-Saum (The fasting

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mohammed Abdul Jaleel

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Ramadan, the ninth month of Islamic lunar calendar, is marked by religious ritual of fasting from early dawn till sunset by Muslims. Islam has allowed many categories of people to be exempt totally or temporarily from fasting. Patients with uncontrolled diabetes face possible major metabolic risks including hypoglycemia, hyperglycemia with or without the risk of impending ketosis, dehydration, and thrombosis. Diabetics can be stratified into four categories based on their level of risk associated with fasting. The recommended ruling for persons in categories 1 and 2 is that they are prohibited from fasting to prevent harming themselves based on the certainty or the preponderance of probability that harm will occur, whereas the recommended ruling for those in categories 3 and 4 is that they should fast. The strategies to ensure safety of diabetics who are planning to fast include Ramadan-focused patient education, pre-Ramadan medical assessment, following a healthy diet and physical activity pattern, physician-recommended modifications in medication protocol and therapeutic recommendations and checking blood glucose as and when required.

Accessibility of fast food outlets is associated with fast food intake. A study in the Capital Region of Denmark

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bernsdorf, Kamille Almer; Lau, Cathrine Juel; Andreasen, Anne Helms

2017-01-01

Literature suggests that people living in areas with a wealth of unhealthy fast food options may show higher levels of fast food intake. Multilevel logistic regression analyses were applied to examine the association between GIS-located fast food outlets (FFOs) and self-reported fast food intake...... density and decreased significantly with increasing distance to the nearest FFO for distances ≤ 4km. For long distances (>4km), odds increased with increasing distance, although this applied only for car owners. Results suggest that Danish health promotion strategies need to consider the contribution...

Täna õhtul esinevad Tallinnas intellektuaalse rock'i tähed / Keidi Niitsoo

Index Scriptorium Estoniae

Niitsoo, Keidi

2007-01-01

Briti laulja-helilooja ja näitleja Toyah Willcox ning Bill Rieflin ansamblist R.E.M. ja Pat Mastelotto King Krimsonist esinevad koos ansamblitega The Humans ja Tuner 25. okt. Tallinnas Rock Cafés, esinejatest

A Toy Story: Association between Young Children’s Knowledge of Fast Food Toy Premiums and their Fast Food Consumption

Science.gov (United States)

Longacre, Meghan R.; Drake, Keith M.; Titus, Linda J.; Cleveland, Lauren P.; Langeloh, Gail; Hendricks, Kristy; Dalton, Madeline A.

2015-01-01

Fast food restaurants spend millions of dollars annually on child-targeted marketing, a substantial portion of which is allocated to toy premiums for kids’ meals. The objectives of this study were to describe fast food toy premiums, and examine whether young children’s knowledge of fast food toy premiums was associated with their fast food consumption. Parents of 3- to 5-year old children were recruited from pediatric and WIC clinics in Southern New Hampshire, and completed a cross-sectional survey between April 2013–March 2014. Parents reported whether their children usually knew what toys were being offered at fast food restaurants, and whether children had eaten at any of four restaurants that offer toy premiums with kids’ meals (McDonald’s, Burger King, Subway, Wendy’s) during the 7 days preceding the survey. Seventy-one percent of eligible parents participated (N=583); 48.4% did not receive any education beyond high school, and 27.1% of children were non-white. Half (49.7%) the children had eaten at one or more of the four fast food restaurants in the past week; one-third (33.9%) had eaten at McDonald’s. The four restaurants released 49 unique toy premiums during the survey period; McDonald’s released half of these. Even after controlling for parent fast food consumption and sociodemographics, children were 1.38 (95% CI=1.04, 1.82) times more likely to have consumed McDonald’s if they usually knew what toys were offered by fast food restaurants. We did not detect a relationship between children’s toy knowledge and their intake of fast food from the other restaurants. In this community-based sample, young children’s knowledge of fast food toys was associated with a greater frequency of eating at McDonald’s, providing evidence in support of regulating child-directed marketing of unhealthy foods using toys. PMID:26471803

Fast reactor fuel reprocessing. An Indian perspective

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Natarajan, R.; Raj, Baldev

2005-01-01

The Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) envisioned the introduction of Plutonium fuelled fast reactors as the intermediate stage, between Pressurized Heavy Water Reactors and Thorium-Uranium-233 based reactors for the Indian Nuclear Power Programme. This necessitated the closing of the fast reactor fuel cycle with Plutonium rich fuel. Aiming to develop a Fast Reactor Fuel Reprocessing (FRFR) technology with low out of pile inventory, the DAE, with over four decades of operating experience in Thermal Reactor Fuel Reprocessing (TRFR), had set up at the India Gandhi Center for Atomic Research (IGCAR), Kalpakkam, R and D facilities for fast reactor fuel reprocessing. After two decades of R and D in all the facets, a Pilot Plant for demonstrating FRFR had been set up for reprocessing the FBTR (Fast Breeder Test Reactor) spent mixed carbide fuel. Recently in this plant, mixed carbide fuel with 100 GWd/t burnup fuel with short cooling period had been successfully reprocessed for the first time in the world. All the challenging problems encountered had been successfully overcome. This experience helped in fine tuning the designs of various equipments and processes for the future plants which are under construction and design, namely, the DFRP (Demonstration Fast reactor fuel Reprocessing Plant) and the FRP (Fast reactor fuel Reprocessing Plant). In this paper, a comprehensive review of the experiences in reprocessing the fast reactor fuel of different burnup is presented. Also a brief account of the various developmental activities and strategies for the DFRP and FRP are given. (author)

Status of Fast Reactor Research and Technology Development

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2012-01-01

In 1985, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) published a report titled 'Status of Liquid Metal Cooled Fast Breeder Reactors' (Technical Reports Series No. 246). The report was a general review of the status of fast reactor development at that time, covering some aspects of design and operation and reviewing experience from the earliest days. It summarized the programmes and plans in all countries which were pursuing the development of fast reactors. In 1999, the IAEA published a follow-up report titled 'Status of Liquid Metal Cooled Fast Reactor Technology' (IAEA-TECDOC-1083), necessitated by the substantial advances in fast reactor technology development and changes in the economic and regulatory environment which took place during the period of 1985-1998. Chief among these were the demonstration of reliable operation by several prototypes and experimental reactors, the reliable operation of fuel at a high burnup and the launch of new fast reactor programmes by some additional Member States. In 2006, the Technical Working Group on Fast Reactors (TWG-FR) identified the need to update its past publications and recommended the preparation of a new status report on fast reactor technology. The present status report intends to provide comprehensive and detailed information on the technology of fast neutron reactors. The focus is on practical issues that are useful to engineers, scientists, managers, university students and professors, on the following topics: experience in construction, operation and decommissioning; various areas of research and development; engineering; safety; and national strategies and public acceptance of fast reactors.

Status of Fast Reactor Research and Technology Development

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2013-04-01

In 1985, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) published a report titled 'Status of Liquid Metal Cooled Fast Breeder Reactors' (Technical Reports Series No. 246). The report was a general review of the status of fast reactor development at that time, covering some aspects of design and operation and reviewing experience from the earliest days. It summarized the programmes and plans in all countries which were pursuing the development of fast reactors. In 1999, the IAEA published a follow-up report titled 'Status of Liquid Metal Cooled Fast Reactor Technology' (IAEA-TECDOC-1083), necessitated by the substantial advances in fast reactor technology development and changes in the economic and regulatory environment which took place during the period of 1985-1998. Chief among these were the demonstration of reliable operation by several prototypes and experimental reactors, the reliable operation of fuel at a high burnup and the launch of new fast reactor programmes by some additional Member States. In 2006, the Technical Working Group on Fast Reactors (TWG-FR) identified the need to update its past publications and recommended the preparation of a new status report on fast reactor technology. The present status report intends to provide comprehensive and detailed information on the technology of fast neutron reactors. The focus is on practical issues that are useful to engineers, scientists, managers, university students and professors, on the following topics: experience in construction, operation and decommissioning; various areas of research and development; engineering; safety; and national strategies and public acceptance of fast reactors.

Status of Fast Reactor Research and Technology Development

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2012-07-01

In 1985, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) published a report titled 'Status of Liquid Metal Cooled Fast Breeder Reactors' (Technical Reports Series No. 246). The report was a general review of the status of fast reactor development at that time, covering some aspects of design and operation and reviewing experience from the earliest days. It summarized the programmes and plans in all countries which were pursuing the development of fast reactors. In 1999, the IAEA published a follow-up report titled 'Status of Liquid Metal Cooled Fast Reactor Technology' (IAEA-TECDOC-1083), necessitated by the substantial advances in fast reactor technology development and changes in the economic and regulatory environment which took place during the period of 1985-1998. Chief among these were the demonstration of reliable operation by several prototypes and experimental reactors, the reliable operation of fuel at a high burnup and the launch of new fast reactor programmes by some additional Member States. In 2006, the Technical Working Group on Fast Reactors (TWG-FR) identified the need to update its past publications and recommended the preparation of a new status report on fast reactor technology. The present status report intends to provide comprehensive and detailed information on the technology of fast neutron reactors. The focus is on practical issues that are useful to engineers, scientists, managers, university students and professors, on the following topics: experience in construction, operation and decommissioning; various areas of research and development; engineering; safety; and national strategies and public acceptance of fast reactors.

Fast-food exposure around schools in urban Adelaide.

Science.gov (United States)

Coffee, Neil T; Kennedy, Hannah P; Niyonsenga, Theo

2016-12-01

To assess whether exposure to fast-food outlets around schools differed depending on socio-economic status (SES). Binary logistic regression was used to investigate the presence and zero-inflated Poisson regression was used for the count (due to the excess of zeroes) of fast food within 1000 m and 15000 m road network buffers around schools. The low and middle SES tertiles were combined due to a lack of significant variation as the 'disadvantaged' group and compared with the high SES tertile as the 'advantaged' group. School SES was expressed using the 2011 Australian Bureau of Statistics, socio-economic indices for areas, index of relative socio-economic disadvantage. Fast-food data included independent takeaway food outlets and major fast-food chains. Metropolitan Adelaide, South Australia. A total of 459 schools were geocoded to the street address and 1000 m and 1500 m road network distance buffers calculated. There was a 1·6 times greater risk of exposure to fast food within 1000 m (OR=1·634; 95 % 1·017, 2·625) and a 9·5 times greater risk of exposure to a fast food within 1500 m (OR=9·524; 95 % CI 3·497, 25·641) around disadvantaged schools compared with advantaged schools. Disadvantaged schools were exposed to more fast food, with more than twice the number of disadvantaged schools exposed to fast food. The higher exposure to fast food near more disadvantaged schools may reflect lower commercial land cost in low-SES areas, potentially creating more financially desirable investments for fast-food developers.

Status of Fast Reactor Research and Technology Development

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2013-01-01

In 1985, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) published a report titled 'Status of Liquid Metal Cooled Fast Breeder Reactors' (Technical Reports Series No. 246). The report was a general review of the status of fast reactor development at that time, covering some aspects of design and operation and reviewing experience from the earliest days. It summarized the programmes and plans in all countries which were pursuing the development of fast reactors. In 1999, the IAEA published a follow-up report titled 'Status of Liquid Metal Cooled Fast Reactor Technology' (IAEA-TECDOC-1083), necessitated by the substantial advances in fast reactor technology development and changes in the economic and regulatory environment which took place during the period of 1985-1998. Chief among these were the demonstration of reliable operation by several prototypes and experimental reactors, the reliable operation of fuel at a high burnup and the launch of new fast reactor programmes by some additional Member States. In 2006, the Technical Working Group on Fast Reactors (TWG-FR) identified the need to update its past publications and recommended the preparation of a new status report on fast reactor technology. The present status report intends to provide comprehensive and detailed information on the technology of fast neutron reactors. The focus is on practical issues that are useful to engineers, scientists, managers, university students and professors, on the following topics: experience in construction, operation and decommissioning; various areas of research and development; engineering; safety; and national strategies and public acceptance of fast reactors.

Controlling Buffeting Loads by Rudder and Piezo-Actuation

Science.gov (United States)

Moses, Robert W.; Pototzky, Anthony S.; Henderson, Douglas A.; Galea, Stephen C.; Manokaran, Donald S.; Zimcik, David G.; Wickramasinghe, Viresh; Pitt, Dale M.; Gamble, Michael A.

2005-01-01

High performance aircraft, especially those with twin vertical tails, encounter unsteady buffet loads when flying at high angles of attack. These stochastic loads result in significant stresses, which may cause fatigue damage leading to restricted capabilities and availability of the aircraft. An international collaborative research activity among Australia, Canada and the United States, conducted under the auspices of The Technical Cooperation Program (TTCP) contributed resources toward a program that coalesced a broad range of technical knowledge and expertise into a single investigation to demonstrate the enhanced performance and capability of the advanced active Buffet Load Alleviation ( ) control system in preparation for a flight test demonstration. The research team investigated the use of active structural control to alleviate the damaging structural response to these loads by applying advanced directional piezoelectric actuators, the aircraft rudder, switch mode amplifiers, and advanced control strategies on an F/A-18 aircraft empennage. Some results of the full-scale investigation are presented herein.

Partial fast-to-slow conversion of regenerating rat fast-twitch muscle by chronic low-frequency stimulation.

Science.gov (United States)

Pette, Dirk; Sketelj, Janez; Skorjanc, Dejan; Leisner, Elmi; Traub, Irmtrud; Bajrović, Fajko

2002-01-01

Chronic low-frequency stimulation (CLFS) of rat fast-twitch muscles induces sequential transitions in myosin heavy chain (MHC) expression from MHCIIb --> MHCIId/x --> MHCIIa. However, the 'final' step of the fast-to-slow transition, i.e., the upregulation of MHCI, has been observed only after extremely long stimulation periods. Assuming that fibre degeneration/regeneration might be involved in the upregulation of slow myosin, we investigated the effects of CLFS on extensor digitorum longus (EDL) muscles regenerating after bupivacaine-induced fibre necrosis. Normal, non-regenerating muscles responded to both 30- and 60-day CLFS with fast MHC isoform transitions (MHCIIb --> MHCIId --> MHCIIa) and only slight increases in MHCI. CLFS of regenerating EDL muscles caused similar transitions among the fast isoforms but, in addition, caused significant increases in MHCI (to approximately 30% relative concentration). Stimulation periods of 30 and 60 days induced similar changes in the regenerating bupivacaine-treated muscles, indicating that the upregulation of slow myosin was restricted to regenerating fibres, but only during an early stage of regeneration. These results suggest that satellite cells and/or regenerating fast rat muscle fibres are capable of switching directly to a slow program under the influence of CLFS and, therefore, appear to be more malleable than adult fibres.

Magnetically Assisted Fast Ignition

OpenAIRE

Wang, W.-M.; Gibbon, P.; Sheng, Z.-M.; Li, Y.-T.

2015-01-01

Fast ignition (FI) is investigated via integrated particle-in-cell simulation including both generation andtransport of fast electrons, where petawatt ignition lasers of 2 ps and compressed targets of a peak density of300 g cm−3 and areal density of 0.49 g cm−2 at the core are taken. When a 20 MG static magnetic field isimposed across a conventional cone-free target, the energy coupling from the laser to the core is enhancedby sevenfold and reaches 14%. This value even exceeds that obtained u...

Experimental study of fast electron transport in the framework of fast ignition for inertial fusion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vauzour, B.

2012-01-01

The framework of this PhD thesis is the validation of the fast ignition scheme for the nuclear fusion by inertial confinement. It consists in the experimental study of the various processes involved in fast electron beams propagation, produced by intense laser pulses (10 19 W.cm -2 ), through dense matter either solid or compressed. In this work we present the results of three experiments carried out on different laser facilities in order to generate fast electron beams in various conditions and study their propagation in different states of matter, from the cold solid to the warm and dense plasma.The first experiment was performed with a high intensity contrast on the UHI100 laser facility (CEA Saclay). The study of fast electron energy deposition inside thin aluminium targets highlights a strong target heating at shallow depths, where the collective effects are predominant, thus producing a steep temperature profile between front (300 eV) and rear (20 eV) sides over 20μm thickness. A numerical simulation of the experiment shows that this temperature gradient induces the formation of a shock wave, breaking through the rear side of the target and thus leading to increase the thermal emission. The experimental chronometry of the shock breakthrough allowed validating the model of the collective transport of electrons.Two other experiments were dedicated to the study of fast electron beam propagation inside compressed targets. In the first experiment on the LULI2000 laser facility, the plane compression geometry allowed to precisely dissociate the energy losses due to resistive effects from those due to the collisional ones. By comparing our experimental results with simulations, we observed a significative increase of the fast electron beam energy losses with the compression and the target heating to temperatures close to the Fermi temperature. The second experiment, performed in a cylindrical geometry, demonstrated a fast electron beam guiding phenomenon due to

Fast Physics Testbed for the FASTER Project

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lin, W.; Liu, Y.; Hogan, R.; Neggers, R.; Jensen, M.; Fridlind, A.; Lin, Y.; Wolf, A.

2010-03-15

This poster describes the Fast Physics Testbed for the new FAst-physics System Testbed and Research (FASTER) project. The overall objective is to provide a convenient and comprehensive platform for fast turn-around model evaluation against ARM observations and to facilitate development of parameterizations for cloud-related fast processes represented in global climate models. The testbed features three major components: a single column model (SCM) testbed, an NWP-Testbed, and high-resolution modeling (HRM). The web-based SCM-Testbed features multiple SCMs from major climate modeling centers and aims to maximize the potential of SCM approach to enhance and accelerate the evaluation and improvement of fast physics parameterizations through continuous evaluation of existing and evolving models against historical as well as new/improved ARM and other complementary measurements. The NWP-Testbed aims to capitalize on the large pool of operational numerical weather prediction products. Continuous evaluations of NWP forecasts against observations at ARM sites are carried out to systematically identify the biases and skills of physical parameterizations under all weather conditions. The highresolution modeling (HRM) activities aim to simulate the fast processes at high resolution to aid in the understanding of the fast processes and their parameterizations. A four-tier HRM framework is established to augment the SCM- and NWP-Testbeds towards eventual improvement of the parameterizations.

The future of the Fast Breeder

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lefevre, J.C.

1990-01-01

Fast Breeder Reactors (FBRs) can produce more fissile nuclei than they consume whilst, at the same time, generating energy using fast neutrons. By conversion of uranium isotope 238 into a fissionable fuel, FBRs provide over 60 times more energy than can be extracted from the uranium reserves by thermal reactors. Their development is therefore an essential objective in the next century, particularly for those industrialised countries that have little or no energy resources of their own. The European countries which have been engaged in the development of FBRs for more than 25 years have decided to collaborate in an advanced design, the European Fast Reactor (EFR) which uses the best of previous national projects and draws on extensive operating experience from FBR plants in Europe. The naturally safe characteristics and technological features of sodium-cooled Fast Reactors will be fully utilised in an EFR design which meets the same safety level as the Light Water Reactors (LWRs). Owing to technical progress and series construction effect, the EFR is expected to achieve competitiveness with contemporary LWRs with the higher capital cost of the Fast Reactor offset by its markedly lower fuel cycle cost. (author)

The effect of fast-food availability on fast-food consumption and obesity among rural residents: an analysis by race/ethnicity.

Science.gov (United States)

Dunn, Richard A; Sharkey, Joseph R; Horel, Scott

2012-01-01

Rural areas of the United States tend to have higher obesity rates than urban areas, particularly in regions with high proportions of non-white residents. This paper analyzes the effect of fast-food availability on the level of fast-food consumption and obesity risk among both white and non-white residents of central Texas. Potential endogeneity of fast-food availability is addressed through instrumental variables regression using distance to the nearest major highway as an instrument. We find that non-whites tend to exhibit higher obesity rates, greater access to fast-food establishments and higher consumption of fast-food meals compared to their white counterparts. In addition, we found that whites and non-whites respond differently to the availability of fast-food in rural environments. Greater availability is not associated with either greater consumption of fast-food meals or a higher obesity risk among the sample of whites. In contrast, greater availability of fast-food is positively associated with both the number of meals consumed for non-white rural residents and their obesity. While our results are robust to specification, the effect of availability on weight outcomes is notably weaker when indirectly calculated from the implied relationship between consumption and caloric intake. This highlights the importance of directly examining the proposed mechanism through which an environmental factor influences weight outcomes. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Sociodemographic differences in fast food price sensitivity

Science.gov (United States)

Meyer, Katie A.; Guilkey, David K.; Ng, Shu Wen; Duffey, Kiyah J.; Popkin, Barry M.; Kiefe, Catarina I.; Steffen, Lyn M.; Shikany, James M.; Gordon-Larsen, Penny

2014-01-01

Importance Fiscal food policies (e.g., taxation) are increasingly proposed to improve population-level health, but their impact on health disparities is unknown. Objective We estimated subgroup-specific effects of fast food price changes on fast food consumption and cardio-metabolic outcomes, hypothesizing inverse associations between fast food price with fast food consumption, BMI, and insulin resistance and stronger associations among blacks (vs. whites) and participants with relatively lower education or income. Design 20-year follow-up (5 exams) in a biracial U.S. prospective cohort: Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) (1985/86–2005/06, baseline n=5,115). Participants Aged 18–30 at baseline; designed for equal recruitment by race (black/white), educational attainment, age, and gender. Exposures Community-level price data from the Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER) temporally- and geographically-linked to study participants’ home address at each exam. Main outcome and measures Participant-reported number of fast food eating occasions per week; BMI (kg/m2) from clinical assessment of weight and height; homeostatic model assessment insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) from fasting glucose and insulin. Covariates included individual- and community-level social and demographic factors. Results In repeated measures regression, multivariable-adjusted associations between fast food price and consumption were non-linear (quadratic, pconsumption at higher prices; estimates varied according to race (interaction term p=0.04), income (p=0.07), and education (p=0.03). For example, at the 10th percentile of price ($1.25/serving), blacks and whites had mean fast food consumption (times/week) of 2.2 (95% CI: 2.1–2.3) and 1.6 (1.5–1.7), respectively, while at the 90th percentile of price ($1.53/serving), respective mean consumption estimates were 1.9 (1.8–2.0) and 1.5 (1.4–1.6). We observed differential price effects on HOMA

Measurement of the fast electron distribution in laser-plasma experiments in the context of the 'fast ignition' approach to inertial confinement fusion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Batani, Dimitri; Morace, Alessio

2010-01-01

The recent 'fast ignition approach' to ICF relies on the presence of fast electrons to provide the 'external' ignition spark triggering the nuclear fusion reaction in the compressed core of a thermonuclear target. Such fast electron beam is produced by the interaction of a short-pulse high-intensity laser with the target itself. In this context, it becomes essential to characterize the density of fast electrons and their average energy (i.e. the 'laser to fast electron' energy conversion efficiency) but also the finer details of the velocity and angular distribution. In this work we will discuss several techniques used to determine the fast electron distribution function.

Fasting and nonfasting lipid levels

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Langsted, Anne; Freiberg, Jacob J; Nordestgaard, Børge G

2008-01-01

Lipid profiles are usually measured after fasting. We tested the hypotheses that these levels change only minimally in response to normal food intake and that nonfasting levels predict cardiovascular events.......Lipid profiles are usually measured after fasting. We tested the hypotheses that these levels change only minimally in response to normal food intake and that nonfasting levels predict cardiovascular events....

Fast plunges into Kerr black holes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hadar, Shahar [Racah Institute of Physics, Hebrew University,Jerusalem 91904 (Israel); Porfyriadis, Achilleas P.; Strominger, Andrew [Center for the Fundamental Laws of Nature, Harvard University,Cambridge, MA 02138 (United States)

2015-07-15

Most extreme-mass-ratio-inspirals of small compact objects into supermassive black holes end with a fast plunge from an eccentric last stable orbit. For rapidly rotating black holes such fast plunges may be studied in the context of the Kerr/CFT correspondence because they occur in the near-horizon region where dynamics are governed by the infinite dimensional conformal symmetry. In this paper we use conformal transformations to analytically solve for the radiation emitted from fast plunges into near-extreme Kerr black holes. We find perfect agreement between the gravity and CFT computations.

Influence of Ramadan fasting on physiological and performance variables in football players: summary of the F-MARC 2006 Ramadan fasting study.

Science.gov (United States)

Zerguini, Yacine; Dvorak, Jiri; Maughan, Ronald J; Leiper, John B; Bartagi, Zakia; Kirkendall, Donald T; Al-Riyami, Masoud; Junge, Astrid

2008-12-01

The timing of food and liquid intake depends on the times of sunset and sunrise during the month of Ramadan. The current body of knowledge presents contradicting results as to the effect of Ramadan fasting on body mass, body composition and metabolic changes. The main objective of the present investigation was to gain additional information and scientific data in conformity with the philosophical background of Islam to allow optimisation of the daily training and dietary regimen in relation to the mental and physical performance of football players. The four teams, along with their coaches and trainers, attended a residential training camp at training centre 3 weeks before the start of Ramadan and throughout the study. Energy intake was relatively stable in the fasting group, but there was a small, albeit significant, decrease of approximately 0.7 kg in body mass. Water intake increased on average by 1.3 l/day in line with the greater energy intake in the non-fasting group in Ramadan. Daily sodium intake fell during Ramadan in the fasting players but increased slightly in the non-fasting group. Fasting players trained on average 11 h after their last food and drink, and reported that they felt slightly less ready to train during the Ramadan fast. None of the assessed performance variables was negatively affected by fasting while nearly all variables showed significant improvement at the third test session, indicating a training effect. Heart rate measurements in one training session during the third week of Ramadan appeared to suggest that the training load during training was marginally greater for the fasting than for the non-fasting players. However, the overall exercise load measures indicated that there was no biologically significant difference between the fasting and non-fasting groups. In the present study, biochemical, nutritional, subjective well-being and performance variables were not adversely affected in young male football players who followed

Fast ejendom

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pagh, Peter

Bogen omfatter en gennemgang af lovgivning, praksis og teori vedrørende køb af fast ejendom og offentligretlig og privatretlig regulering. Bogen belyser bl.a. de privatretlige emner: købers misligholdelsesbeføjelser, servitutter, naboret, hævd og erstatningsansvar for miljøskader samt den...

MHD induced fast-ion losses on ASDEX Upgrade

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

GarcIa-Munoz, M.; Fahrbach, H.-U.; Bobkov, V.; Bruedgam, M.; Guenter, S.; Igochine, V.; Lauber, Ph.; Mantsinen, M.J.; Maraschek, M.; Poli, E.; Sassenberg, K.; Tardini, G.; Zohm, H.; Pinches, S.D.; Gobbin, M.; Marrelli, L.; Martin, P.; Piovesan, P.

2009-01-01

A detailed knowledge of the interplay between MHD instabilities and energetic particles has been gained from direct measurements of fast-ion losses (FILs). Time-resolved energy and pitch angle measurements of FIL caused by neoclassical tearing modes (NTMs) and toroidicity-induced Alfven eigenmodes (TAEs) have been obtained using a scintillator based FIL detector. The study of FIL due to TAEs has revealed the existence of a new core-localized MHD fluctuation, the Sierpes mode. The Sierpes mode is a non-pure Alfvenic fluctuation which appears in the acoustic branch, dominating the transport of fast-ions in ICRF heated discharges. The internal structure of both TAEs and Sierpes mode has been reconstructed by means of highly resolved multichord soft x-ray measurements. A spatial overlapping of their eigenfunctions leads to a FIL coupling, showing the strong influence that a core-localized fast-ion driven MHD instability may have on the fast-ion transport. We have identified the FIL mechanisms due to NTMs as well as due to TAEs. Drift islands formed by fast-ions in particle phase space are responsible for the loss of NBI fast-ions due to NTMs. In ICRF heated plasmas, a resonance condition fulfilled by the characteristic trapped fast-ion orbit frequencies leads to a phase matching between fast-ion orbit and NTM or TAE magnetic fluctuation. The banana tips of a resonant trapped fast-ion bounce radially due to an E x B drift in the TAE case. The NTM radial bounce of the fast-ion banana tips is caused by the radial component of the perturbed magnetic field lines.

Gluconeogenesis and fasting in cerebral malaria

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Thien, H.; Ackermans, M. T.; Weverling, G. J.; Dang Vinh, T.; Endert, E.; Kager, P. A.; Sauerwein, H. P.

2004-01-01

BACKGROUND: In healthy subjects after an overnight fast, glucose production is for approximately 50% derived from glycogenolysis. If the fast is prolonged, glucose production decreases due to a decline in glycogenolysis, while gluconeogenesis remains stable. In cerebral malaria, glucose production

A review of Ramadan fasting and diabetes mellitus: Controversies regarding the effects of Ramadan fasting on diabetic patients

OpenAIRE

Zhaleh Shadman; Mahdieh Akhoundan; Mohsen Khoshniat Nikoo

2014-01-01

Although several studies have investigated the effects of Ramadan fasting on diabetic patients, the exact impacts on diabetes control have not been well elucidated yet. There are neither precise quantitative criteria nor clear guidelines regarding Ramadan fasting for diabetic patients. This review aimed to discuss the results of previous studies. The neglected points in performed studies should be considered in the design and interpretation of future research related to Ramadan fasting in dia...

Fasting guidelines for diabetic children and adolescents

Science.gov (United States)

Azad, Kiswhar; Mohsin, Fauzia; Zargar, Abdul Hamid; Zabeen, Bedowra; Ahmad, Jamal; Raza, Syed Abbas; Tayyeb, Samin; Bajaj, Sarita; Ishtiaq, Osama; Kalra, Sanjay

2012-01-01

Fasting during the month of Ramadan, the ninth month of Islamic lunar calendar, is obligatory for all healthy adult and adolescent Muslims from the age of 12 years. Fasting starts from early dawn (Sohur/Sehri) till sunset (Iftar). During this period one has to abstain from eating and drinking. Islam has allowed many categories of people to be exempted from fasting, for example, young children, travelers, the sick, the elderly, pregnant, and lactating women. According to expert opinion, patients with type 1 diabetes (type 1 DM) who fast during Ramadan are at a very high risk to develop adverse events. However, some experienced physicians are of the opinion that fasting during Ramadan is safe for type 1 DM patients, including adolescents and older children, with good glycemic control who do regular self-monitoring and are under close professional supervision. The strategies to ensure safety of type 1 diabetic adolescents who are planning to fast include the following: Ramadan-focused medical education, pre-Ramadan medical assessment, following a healthy diet and physical activity pattern, modification in insulin regimen, and blood glucose monitoring as advised by the physician. PMID:22837907

Fasting guidelines for diabetic children and adolescents

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kiswhar Azad

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Fasting during the month of Ramadan, the ninth month of Islamic lunar calendar, is obligatory for all healthy adult and adolescent Muslims from the age of 12 years. Fasting starts from early dawn (Sohur/Sehri till sunset (Iftar. During this period one has to abstain from eating and drinking. Islam has allowed many categories of people to be exempted from fasting, for example, young children, travelers, the sick, the elderly, pregnant, and lactating women. According to expert opinion, patients with type 1 diabetes (type 1 DM who fast during Ramadan are at a very high risk to develop adverse events. However, some experienced physicians are of the opinion that fasting during Ramadan is safe for type 1 DM patients, including adolescents and older children, with good glycemic control who do regular self-monitoring and are under close professional supervision. The strategies to ensure safety of type 1 diabetic adolescents who are planning to fast include the following: Ramadan-focused medical education, pre-Ramadan medical assessment, following a healthy diet and physical activity pattern, modification in insulin regimen, and blood glucose monitoring as advised by the physician.

The fast fission effect in a cylindrical fuel element

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Carlvik, I; Pershagen, B

1959-06-15

A new formula for the fast fission factor is derived, which takes proper account to fast capture. The fission neutron spectrum is divided into two groups with constant fission cross section in one group and zero fission cross section in the other. The average total, elastic, inelastic and capture cross sections in the two groups are calculated. Different assumptions regarding anisotropic and inelastic scattering are investigated. The effects of backscattering from the moderator and fast fission in neighbouring fuel elements are pointed out. Formulas for the fast fission ratio and for the fast conversion ratio are derived. The calculated fast fission ratios are compared with experimental values. Curves are given for the fast fission factor in uranium metal and uranium oxide.

Practical Management of Diabetes during Ramadan Fast

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sherif IH

2007-01-01

Full Text Available Fasting in Ramadan is obligatory for all healthy Muslim adults. No food or drink may be consumed between dawn and sunset [1]. Strictly speaking, the fast of Ramadan is a period of “intermittent fasting” or daily cycles of “alternating” fasting and feeding periods. The periods of the fasting and feeding vary by the geographical locations and by time of the year. During the month of Ramadan, there are two main meals in most Moslem communities. These are commonly referred to by their Arabic origin, namely the “Iftar” (i.e. break of fast immediately after sunset and “Sohur or Suhoor” (i.e. pre-dawn meal. As the Islamic calendar year is lunar, Ramadan (the ninth month therefore starts approximately 10 days earlier each year on the Gregorian calendar. This year, 2007, Ramadan is likely to start between 12th and 14th September.

Ramadan fasting and dental treatment considerations: a review.

Science.gov (United States)

Shaeesta, Khaleelahmed Bhavikatti; Prabhuji, M Lv; Shruthi, J R

2015-01-01

During the sacred month of Ramadan, Muslims abstain from the consumption of food from dawn until dusk. Extended fasting hours produce changes in the body's metabolism during this period. A majority of the population who fast also restrict themselves from undergoing dental treatments due to a fear of breaking the fast. Even among health professionals, a certain amount of uncertainty prevails about the implications of treating a patient who is fasting. To help clinicians carry out safe and effective treatment without hampering a patient's religious beliefs, the present article focuses on the effect of Ramadan fasting on the body's metabolism and the ramifications for treatment aspects, including medications and dental procedures.

Fast neutron therapy in advanced malignant tumour treatment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Avinc, A.

1998-01-01

In this report the fast neutron therapy applications were examined by thoroughly consideration of the fast neutron sources and the interactions of the fast neutron by the medium. The efficacy of fast neutron radiotherapy with that of patients with locally advanced tumours were compared. Radiological data indicate that fast neutrons could bring benefit in the treatment of some tumour types especially salivary glands, paranasal sinuses, soft tissue sarcomas, prostatic adenocarcinomas, palliative treatment of melanoma and rectum. There is a significant improvement in local/regional control for the neutron group, but no improvement in the survival. The neutron therapy is suggested through which this benefit could be achieved

Moms og fast ejendom

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Edlund, Hans Henrik

1999-01-01

I artiklen gives et overblik over, hvorledes fast ejendom behandles momsmæssigt. Derfor findes en kort skitsering af reglerne for moms på byggearbejder, afgrænsningen mellem momspligtig og momsfri udlejning, muligheden for frivillig registrering af udlejning samt opgørelse af reguleringsforpligte......I artiklen gives et overblik over, hvorledes fast ejendom behandles momsmæssigt. Derfor findes en kort skitsering af reglerne for moms på byggearbejder, afgrænsningen mellem momspligtig og momsfri udlejning, muligheden for frivillig registrering af udlejning samt opgørelse af...

A Fast-Starting Robotic Fish

Science.gov (United States)

Modarres-Sadeghi, Yahya; Watts, Matthew; Conte, Joe; Hover, Franz; Triantafyllou, Michael

2009-11-01

We have built a simple mechanical system to emulate the fast-start performance of fish. The system consisted of a thin metal beam covered by a urethane rubber fish body. The body form of the mechanical fish in this work was modeled from a pike species, which is the most successfully studied fast-start specialist species. The mechanical fish was held in curvature and hung in water by two restraining lines, which were simultaneously released by pneumatic cutting mechanisms. The potential energy in the beam was transferred into the fluid, thereby accelerating the fish, similar to a pike. We measured the resulting velocity and acceleration, as well as the efficiency of propulsion for the mechanical fish model and also ran a series of flow visualization tests to observe the resulting flow pattern. We also studied the influence of stiffness and geometry of the tail on the efficiency of propulsion and flow pattern. The hydrodynamic efficiency of the fish, calculated by the transfer of energy, was around 10%. Flow visualization of the mechanical fast-start wake was also analyzed, showing that the acceleration is associated with the fast movement of an intense vortex in a near-lateral direction.

Fast reactor database

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1996-02-01

This publication contains detailed data on liquid metal cooled fast reactors (LMFRs), specifically plant parameters and design details. Each LMFR power plant is characterized by about 400 parameters, by design data and by relevant materials. The report provides general and detailed design characteristics including structural materials, data on experimental, demonstration, prototype and commercial size LMFRs. The focus is on practical issues that are useful to engineers, scientists, managers and university students and professors. The report includes updated information contained in IAEA previous publications on LMFR plant parameters: IWGRF/51 (1985) and IWGFR/80 (1991) and reflects experience gained from two consultants meetings held in Vienna (1993,1994). This compilation of data was produced by members of the IAEA International Working Group on Fast Reactors (IWGFR)

Room temperature quarter wave resonator re-buncher development for a high power heavy-ion linear accelerator

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Hye-Jin; Choi, B. H.; Han, Jaeeun; Hyun, Myung Ook; Park, Bum-Sik; Choi, Ohryoung; Lee, Doyoon; Son, Kitaek

2018-03-01

In the medium energy beam transport (MEBT) line system of the RAON which consists of several quadrupole magnets, three normal-conducting re-bunchers, and several diagnostic devices, a quarter wave resonator type re-buncher was chosen for minimizing longitudinal emittance growth and manipulating a longitudinal phase ellipse into the longitudinal acceptance of the low energy linac. The re-buncher has a resonant frequency of 81.25 MHz, geometrical beta (βg) of 0.049, and physical length of 24 cm. Based on the result of numerical calculations of electromagnetic field using CST-MWS and mechanical analysis of the heat distribution and deformation, an internal structure of the re-buncher was optimized to increase the effective voltage and to reduce power losses in the wall. The criteria of the multipacting effect was estimated and it was confirmed by the experiment. The position and specification of cooling channels are designed to recover a heat load up to 15 kW with reasonable margin of 25%. The coaxial and loop type RF power coupler are positioned on the high magnetic field region and two slug tuners are installed perpendicularly to the beam axis. The frequency sensitivity as a function of the tuner depth and cooling water temperature is measured and the frequency shift is in all cases within the provided tuner range. The test with a high power of 10 kW and the continuous wave is performed and the reflection power is observed less than 450 W.

Sociodemographic differences in fast food price sensitivity.

Science.gov (United States)

Meyer, Katie A; Guilkey, David K; Ng, Shu Wen; Duffey, Kiyah J; Popkin, Barry M; Kiefe, Catarina I; Steffen, Lyn M; Shikany, James M; Gordon-Larsen, Penny

2014-03-01

Fiscal food policies (eg, taxation) are increasingly proposed to improve population-level health, but their impact on health disparities is unknown. To estimate subgroup-specific effects of fast food price changes on fast food consumption and cardiometabolic outcomes. Twenty-year follow-up (5 examinations) in a biracial US prospective cohort: Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) (1985/1986-2005/2006, baseline N = 5115). Participants were aged 18 to 30 years at baseline; design indicated equal recruitment by race (black vs white), educational attainment, age, and sex. Community-level price data from the Council for Community and Economic Research were temporally and geographically linked to study participants' home address at each examination. Participant-reported number of fast food eating occasions per week, body mass index (BMI), and homeostasis model assessment insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) from fasting glucose and insulin concentrations. Covariates included individual-level and community-level social and demographic factors. In repeated measures regression analysis, multivariable-adjusted associations between fast food price and consumption were nonlinear (quadratic, P fast food consumption frequency of 2.20 (95% CI, 2.07-2.33) and 1.55 (1.45-1.65) times/wk, respectively, whereas at the 90th percentile of price ($1.53/serving), respective mean consumption estimates were 1.86 (1.75-1.97) and 1.50 (1.41-1.59) times/wk. We observed differential price effects on HOMA-IR (inverse for lower educational status only [interaction P = .005] and at middle income only [interaction P = .02]) and BMI (inverse for blacks, less education, and middle income; positive for whites, more education, and high income [all interaction P fast food price sensitivity on fast food consumption and insulin resistance among sociodemographic groups that have a disproportionate burden of chronic disease. Our findings have implications for fiscal policy, particularly with

A review of the UK fast reactor programme. March 1977

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Smith, R.D.

1977-01-01

This paper reports on the Fast Reactor Programme of United Kingdom. These are the main lines: Dounreay Fast Reactor; Prototype Fast Reactor; Commercial Fast Reactor; engineering development; materials development; chemical engineering/sodium technology; fast reactor fuel; fuel cycle; safety; reactor performance study

Fast pulse beam generation systems for electron accelerators

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Koontz, R.F.

1977-01-01

The fast pulse beam generation system to supply the SLAC storage ring, SPEAR, by the two one nanosecond bunch electron beam pulses is described. Generation of these pulses is accomplished with a combination of a fast pulsed grided gun and a synchronized transverse beam chopper. Fast gun based on spherical cathode-grid assembly has output current up to 2As. Fast pulse amplifier system can handle trains of short pulses with repetition rates up to 40 MHz during the 1.6 μs normal accelerating time. Chopping deflector system consists of a resonant coaxial line with the deflecting plates. The resonator frequency is 39.667 MHz. A schematic diagram of the resonant system is shown. The fast beam pickup system has a one hundred picosecond rise time overrall. Fast beam generation and chopper systems permit to generate almost any short or single bunch beam profile needed for experiments

The effect of Ramadan fasting on fetal development.

Science.gov (United States)

Karateke, Atilla; Kaplanoglu, Mustafa; Avci, Fazil; Kurt, Raziye Keskin; Baloglu, Ali

2015-01-01

To evaluate the effects of Ramadan fasting on fetal development and outcomes of pregnancy. We performed this study in Antakya State Hospital of Obstetrics and Child Care, between 28 June 2014 and 27 July 2014 (during the month of Ramadan). A total of two hundred forty healthy pregnant women who were fasting during Ramadan, were included in the groups. The three groups were divided according to the trimesters. The each group was consisted of 40 healthy pregnant women with fasting and 40 healthy pregnant women without fasting. For evaluating the effects of Ramadan on fetus, ultrasonography was performed on all pregnant women in the beginning and the end of Ramadan. We used the essential parameters for the following measurements: increase of fetal biparietal diameter (BPD), increase of fetal femur length (FL), increase of estimated fetal body weight (EFBW), fetal biophysical profile (BPP), amniotic fluid index (AFI), and umbilical artery systole/diastole (S/D) ratio. No significant difference was found between the two groups for the fetal age, maternal weight gain (kilogram), estimated fetal weight gain (EFWG), fetal BPP, AFI, and umbilical artery S/D ratio. On the other hand, a statistically significant increase was observed in maternal weight in the second and third trimesters and a significant increase was observed in the amniotic fluid index in second trimester. In Ramadan there was no bad fetal outcome between pregnant women with fasting and pregnant women without fasting. Pregnant women who want to be with fast, should be examined by doctors, adequately get breakfast before starting to fast and after the fasting take essential calori and hydration. More comprehensive randomized studies are needed to explain the effects of fasting on the pregnancy and fetal outcomes.

Metabolic Profiles in Children During Fasting

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Veen, Merel R.; van Hasselt, Peter M.; de Sain-van der Velden, Monique G. M.; Verhoeven, Nanda; Hofstede, Floris C.; de Koning, Tom J.; Visser, Gepke

BACKGROUND: Hypoglycemia is one of the most common metabolic derangements in childhood. To establish the cause of hypoglycemia, fasting tolerance tests can be used. Currently available reference values for fasting tolerance tests have limitations in their use in daily practice. OBJECTIVE: The aim of

Development and operation of fast protection for KSTAR

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hong, Jaesic, E-mail: hjaesic@nfri.re.kr; Lee, Woongryol; Lee, Taegu; Han, Hyunsun; Han, Sang-Hee; Park, Kaprai

2016-11-15

Highlights: • The evolution of KSTAR machine interlock system. • The evolution of KSTAR fast interlock. • The fast interlock interface. • The operation results of the fast interlock. - Abstract: Protection for the Korea superconducting tokamak advanced research (KSTAR) is somewhat more complicated than for the previous tokomak generation. External reasons for this increased complexity are the initial and maintenance costs, and internal reasons relate to various characteristics of the tokamak and long pulse operation. KSTAR has two protection mechanisms: the device protection system protects damage to superconducting coils etc. from events within the other systems, and the fast protection system protects the internal vacuum vessel components against damage from heating and the long pulse plasma. The fast protection system initially contained the plasma control system (PCS), central control system (CCS), and the heating devices. In 2012, a fast interlock interface was implemented for PCS fail-safe. This detected the absence of plasma current using the diagnostic signals and discharge operation gate windows of the timing synchronized system (TSS), and activates the operation gates and heating stop from the CCS. Additional fast interlock logic was implemented to reduce damage to the plasma facing components (PFC) and other materials by overheating and improper operational state of heating systems after starting the discharge sequence. However, the fast interlock interface system has failed to protect the heating during PCS malfunctions since 2013. This paper introduces the KSTAR protection system, and describes the fast protection interface, with testing and operational results, then discusses future plans for a more effective and safer protection system.

ADT fast losses MD

CERN Document Server

Priebe, A; Dehning, B; Redaelli, S; Salvachua Ferrando, BM; Sapinski, M; Solfaroli Camillocci, M; Valuch, D

2013-01-01

The fast beam losses in the order of 1 ms are expected to be a potential major luminosity limitation for higher beam energies after the LHC long shutdown (LS1). Therefore a Quench Test is planned in the winter 2013 to estimate the quench limit in this timescale and revise the current models. This experiment was devoted to determination the LHC Transverse Damper (ADT) as a system for fast losses induction. A non-standard operation of the ADT was used to develop the beam oscillation instead of suppressing them. The sign flip method had allowed us to create the fast losses within several LHC turns at 450 GeV during the previous test (26th March 2012). Thus, the ADT could be potentially used for the studies of the UFO ("Unidentied Falling Object") impact on the cold magnets. Verification of the system capability and investigations of the disturbed beam properties were the main objectives of this MD. During the experiment, the pilot bunches of proton beam were excited independently in the horizontal and vertical ...

A review of the UK fast reactor programme

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Picker, C.; Ainsworth, K.F.

1998-01-01

The general position with regard to nuclear power and fast reactors in the UK during 1996 is described. The main UK Government-funded fast reactor research and development programme was concluded in 1993, to be replaced by a smaller programme which is mainly funded and managed by British Nuclear Fuels plc. The main focus of this programme sustains the UK participation in the European Fast Reactor (EFR) collaboration and the broader international links built-up over the previous decades. The status of fast reactor studies made in the UK in 1996 is outlined and, with respect to the Prototype Fast Reactor at Dounreay, a report of progress with the closure studies, fuel reprocessing and decommissioning activities is provided. (author)

Decommissioning of fast reactors after sodium draining

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2009-11-01

Acknowledging the importance of passing on knowledge and experience, as well mentoring the next generation of scientists and engineers, and in response to expressed needs by Member States, the IAEA has undertaken concrete steps towards the implementation of a fast reactor data retrieval and knowledge preservation initiative. Decommissioning of fast reactors and other sodium bearing facilities is a domain in which considerable experience has been accumulated. Within the framework and drawing on the wide expertise of the Technical Working Group on Fast Reactors (TWG-FR), the IAEA has initiated activities aiming at preserving the feedback (lessons learned) from this experience and condensing those to technical recommendations on fast reactor design features that would ease their decommissioning. Following a recommendation by the TWG-FR, the IAEA had convened a topical Technical Meeting (TM) on 'Operational and Decommissioning Experience with Fast Reactors', hosted by CEA, Centre d'Etudes de Cadarache, France, from 11 to 15 March 2002 (IAEA-TECDOC- 1405). The participants in that TM exchanged detailed technical information on fast reactor operation and decommissioning experience with various sodium cooled fast reactors, and, in particular, reviewed the status of the various decommissioning programmes. The TM concluded that the decommissioning of fast reactors to reach safe enclosure presented no major difficulties, and that this had been accomplished mainly through judicious adaptation of processes and procedures implemented during the reactor operation phase, and the development of safe sodium waste treatment processes. However, the TM also concluded that, on the path to achieving total dismantling, challenges remain with regard to the decommissioning of components after sodium draining, and suggested that a follow-on TM be convened, that would provide a forum for in-depth scientific and technical exchange on this topic. This publication constitutes the Proceedings of

The physics of fast Z pinches

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ryutov, D.D.; Derzon, M.S.; Matzen, M.K.

1998-07-01

The spectacular progress made during the last few years in reaching high energy densities in fast implosions of annular current sheaths (fast Z pinches) opens new possibilities for a broad spectrum of experiments, from x-ray generation to controlled thermonuclear fusion and astrophysics. Presently Z pinches are the most intense laboratory X ray sources (1.8 MJ in 5 ns from a volume 2 mm in diameter and 2 cm tall). Powers in excess of 200 TW have been obtained. This warrants summarizes the present knowledge of physics that governs the behavior of radiating current-carrying plasma in fast Z-pinches. This survey covers essentially all aspects of the physics of fast Z pinches: initiation, instabilities of the early stage, magnetic Rayleigh-Taylor instability in the implosion phase, formation of a transient quasi-equilibrium near the stagnation point, and rebound. Considerable attention is paid to the analysis of hydrodynamic instabilities governing the implosion symmetry. Possible ways of mitigating these instabilities are discussed. Non-magnetohydrodynamic effects (anomalous resistivity, generation of particle beams, etc.) are summarized. Various applications of fast Z pinches are briefly described. Scaling laws governing development of more powerful Z pinches are presented. The survey contains 52 figures and nearly 300 references

The Physics of Fast Z Pinches

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

RYUTOV,D.D.; DERZON,MARK S.; MATZEN,M. KEITH

1999-10-25

The spectacular progress made during the last few years in reaching high energy densities in fast implosions of annular current sheaths (fast Z pinches) opens new possibilities for a broad spectrum of experiments, from x-ray generation to controlled thermonuclear fusion and astrophysics. Presently Z pinches are the most intense laboratory X ray sources (1.8 MJ in 5 ns from a volume 2 mm in diameter and 2 cm tall). Powers in excess of 200 TW have been obtained. This warrants summarizing the present knowledge of physics that governs the behavior of radiating current-carrying plasma in fast Z pinches. This survey covers essentially all aspects of the physics of fast Z pinches: initiation, instabilities of the early stage, magnetic Rayleigh-Taylor instability in the implosion phase, formation of a transient quasi-equilibrium near the stagnation point, and rebound. Considerable attention is paid to the analysis of hydrodynamic instabilities governing the implosion symmetry. Possible ways of mitigating these instabilities are discussed. Non-magnetohydrodynamic effects (anomalous resistivity, generation of particle beams, etc.) are summarized. Various applications of fast Z pinches are briefly described. Scaling laws governing development of more powerful Z pinches are presented. The survey contains 36 figures and more than 300 references.

Fast ion loss diagnostic plans for NSTX

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Darrow, D. S.; Bell, R.; Johnson, R.; Kugel, H.; Wilson, J. R.; Cecil, F. E.; Maingi, R.; Krasilnikov, A.; Alekseyev, A.

2000-01-01

The prompt loss of neutral beam ions from the National Spherical Torus Experiment (NSTX) is expected to be between 12% and 42% of the total 5 MW of beam power. There may, in addition, be losses of fast ions arising from high harmonic fast wave (HHFW) heating. Most of the lost ions will strike the HHFW antenna or the neutral beam dump. To measure these losses in the 2000 experimental campaign, thermocouples in the antenna, several infrared camera views, and a Faraday cup lost ion probe will be employed. The probe will measure loss of fast ions with E > 1 keV at three radial locations, giving the scrape-off length of the fast ions

CMS Fast Facts

Data.gov (United States)

U.S. Department of Health & Human Services — CMS has developed a new quick reference statistical summary on annual CMS program and financial data. CMS Fast Facts includes summary information on total program...

Calorie labeling, fast food purchasing and restaurant visits.

Science.gov (United States)

Elbel, Brian; Mijanovich, Tod; Dixon, L Beth; Abrams, Courtney; Weitzman, Beth; Kersh, Rogan; Auchincloss, Amy H; Ogedegbe, Gbenga

2013-11-01

Obesity is a pressing public health problem without proven population-wide solutions. Researchers sought to determine whether a city-mandated policy requiring calorie labeling at fast food restaurants was associated with consumer awareness of labels, calories purchased and fast food restaurant visits. Difference-in-differences design, with data collected from consumers outside fast food restaurants and via a random digit dial telephone survey, before (December 2009) and after (June 2010) labeling in Philadelphia (which implemented mandatory labeling) and Baltimore (matched comparison city). Measures included: self-reported use of calorie information, calories purchased determined via fast food receipts, and self-reported weekly fast-food visits. The consumer sample was predominantly Black (71%), and high school educated (62%). Postlabeling, 38% of Philadelphia consumers noticed the calorie labels for a 33% point (P < 0.001) increase relative to Baltimore. Calories purchased and number of fast food visits did not change in either city over time. While some consumers report noticing and using calorie information, no population level changes were noted in calories purchased or fast food visits. Other controlled studies are needed to examine the longer term impact of labeling as it becomes national law. Copyright © 2013 The Obesity Society.

Fasting ramadan in kidney transplant patients is safe

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Boobes Yousef

2009-01-01

Full Text Available Muslims with renal transplant often ask their doctors whether fasting Ramadan is safe. Scanty studies have addressed this question. This prospective study was undertaken to identify any clinical or biological changes with Muslim fasting. 22 kidney transplant patients with stable kidney functions, who were transplanted for more than one year, and voluntarily chose to fast during Ramadan in 1425 H (October-November 2004, were studied. Total of 22 subjects (10 men and 12 women with a mean age of 47 ± 11.6 years were studied. Full clinical and biological assessment was done before during and after the month of Ramadan fasting. Medications were taken in two divided doses at sunset (time of breaking the fast and pre dawn (before the fast. None of the patients experienced any undue fatigue, or symptoms. Body weight, blood pressure, kidney function tests, blood sugar, lipid profile, and cyclosporine levels remained stable. In conclusion it is safe for renal transplant recipients of more than one year and having stable graft function to fast during the month of Ramadan; however caution is advised for moderate to severe impaired renal function.

The impact of religious fasting on human health

OpenAIRE

Trepanowski, John F; Bloomer, Richard J

2010-01-01

Abstract The past two decades have seen a rise in the number of investigations examining the health-related effects of religiously motivated fasts. Islamic Ramadan is a 28 - 30 day fast in which food and drink are prohibited during the daylight hours. The majority of health-specific findings related to Ramadan fasting are mixed. The likely causes for these heterogeneous findings are the differences between studies in the following: 1) the amount of daily fasting time; 2) the percentage of sub...

Fasting does not induce gastric emptying in rats

OpenAIRE

Brito,Marcus Vinicius Henriques; Yasojima,Edson Yuzur; Teixeira,Renan Kleber Costa; Houat,Abdallah de Paula; Yamaki,Vitor Nagai; Costa,Felipe Lobato da Silva

2015-01-01

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effect of fasting on gastric emptying in mice.METHODS:Twenty-eight mice were distributed into three study groups: a normal group (N=4): normal standard animals; a total fasting group (N=12): subjected to food and water deprivation and a partial fasting group (N=12): subjected to food deprivation only. The fasting groups were subdivided into three subgroups of four animals each, according to the date of euthanasia: 24, 48 and 72 hours. Was analyzed: the gastric volume,...

A Neuro-Fuzzy Multi Swarm FastSLAM Framework

OpenAIRE

Havangi, R.; Teshnehlab, M.; Nekoui, M. A.

2010-01-01

FastSLAM is a framework for simultaneous localization using a Rao-Blackwellized particle filter. In FastSLAM, particle filter is used for the mobile robot pose (position and orientation) estimation, and an Extended Kalman Filter (EKF) is used for the feature location's estimation. However, FastSLAM degenerates over time. This degeneracy is due to the fact that a particle set estimating the pose of the robot loses its diversity. One of the main reasons for loosing particle diversity in FastSLA...

Analytical design model for a piezo-composite unimorph actuator and its verification using lightweight piezo-composite curved actuators

Science.gov (United States)

Yoon, K. J.; Park, K. H.; Lee, S. K.; Goo, N. S.; Park, H. C.

2004-06-01

This paper describes an analytical design model for a layered piezo-composite unimorph actuator and its numerical and experimental verification using a LIPCA (lightweight piezo-composite curved actuator) that is lighter than other conventional piezo-composite type actuators. The LIPCA is composed of top fiber composite layers with high modulus and low CTE (coefficient of thermal expansion), a middle PZT ceramic wafer, and base layers with low modulus and high CTE. The advantages of the LIPCA design are to replace the heavy metal layer of THUNDER by lightweight fiber-reinforced plastic layers without compromising the generation of high force and large displacement and to have design flexibility by selecting the fiber direction and the number of prepreg layers. In addition to the lightweight advantage and design flexibility, the proposed device can be manufactured without adhesive layers when we use a resin prepreg system. A piezo-actuation model for a laminate with piezo-electric material layers and fiber composite layers is proposed to predict the curvature and residual stress of the LIPCA. To predict the actuation displacement of the LIPCA with curvature, a finite element analysis method using the proposed piezo-actuation model is introduced. The predicted deformations are in good agreement with the experimental ones.

Faste vendinger med en bestemt betydning

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bergenholtz, Henning; Bjærge, Esben

2012-01-01

Ordbogen giver oplysnnger om ca. 17.000 idiomer, ordsprog, bevingede ord og andre faste vendinger, som kan findes og er ordnet efter betydningen.......Ordbogen giver oplysnnger om ca. 17.000 idiomer, ordsprog, bevingede ord og andre faste vendinger, som kan findes og er ordnet efter betydningen....

Predictors of Ramadan fasting during pregnancy

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Bilsen, Lily A.; Savitri, Ary I.; Amelia, Dwirani; Baharuddin, Mohammad; Grobbee, Diederick E.; Uiterwaal, Cuno S P M

2016-01-01

Although the health effects of Ramadan fasting during pregnancy are still unclear, it is important to identify the predictors and motivational factors involved in women's decision to observe the fast. We investigated these factors in a cross sectional study of 187 pregnant Muslim women who attended

Fast reactor fuel design and development

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bishop, J.F.W.; Chamberlain, A.; Holmes, J.A.G.

1977-01-01

Fuel design parameters for oxide and carbide fast reactor fuels are reviewed in the context of minimising the total uranium demands for a combined thermal and fast reactor system. The major physical phenomena conditioning fast reactor fuel design, with a target of high burn-up, good breeding and reliable operation, are characterised. These include neutron induced void swelling, irradiation creep, pin failure modes, sub-assembly structural behaviour, behaviour of defect fuel, behaviour of alternative fuel forms. The salient considerations in the commercial scale fabrication and reprocessing of the fuels are reviewed, leading to the delineation of possible routes for the manufacture and reprocessing of Commercial Reactor fuel. From the desiderata and restraints arising from Surveys, Performance and Manufacture, the problems posed to the Designer are considered, and a narrow range of design alternatives is proposed. The paper concludes with a consideration of the development areas and the conceptual problems for fast reactors associated with those areas

The new ATLAS Fast Calorimeter Simulation

CERN Document Server

AUTHOR|(INSPIRE)INSPIRE-00223142; The ATLAS collaboration

2016-01-01

Many physics and performance studies with the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider require very large samples of simulated events, and producing these using the full GEANT4 detector simulation is highly CPU intensive. Often, a very detailed detector simulation is not needed, and in these cases fast simulation tools can be used to reduce the calorimeter simulation time by a few orders of magnitude. The new ATLAS Fast Calorimeter Simulation (FastCaloSim) is an improved parametrisation compared to the one used in the LHC Run-1. It provides a simulation of the particle energy response at the calorimeter read-out cell level, taking into account the detailed particle shower shapes and the correlations between the energy depositions in the various calorimeter layers. It is interfaced to the standard ATLAS digitization and reconstruction software, and can be tuned to data more easily than with GEANT4. The new FastCaloSim incorporates developments in geometry and physics lists of the last five years and benefit...

The new ATLAS Fast Calorimeter Simulation

CERN Document Server

AUTHOR|(INSPIRE)INSPIRE-00176100; The ATLAS collaboration

2016-01-01

The physics and performance studies of the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider re- quire a large number of simulated events. A GEANT4 based detailed simulation of the ATLAS calorimeter systems is highly CPU intensive and such resolution is often unnecessary. To reduce the calorimeter simulation time by a few orders of magnitude, fast simulation tools have been developed. The Fast Calorimeter Simulation (FastCaloSim) provides a parameterised simulation of the particle energy response at the calorimeter read-out cell level. In Run 1, about 13 billion events were simulated in ATLAS, out of which 50% were produced using fast simulation. For Run 2, a new parameterisation is being developed to improve the original version: it incorporates developments in geometry and physics lists during the last five years and benefits from the knowledge acquired from the Run 1 data. The algorithm uses machine learning techniques to improve the parameterisations and to optimise the amount of information to be stored in the...

Accessibility of fast food outlets is associated with fast food intake. A study in the Capital Region of Denmark.

Science.gov (United States)

Bernsdorf, Kamille Almer; Lau, Cathrine Juel; Andreasen, Anne Helms; Toft, Ulla; Lykke, Maja; Glümer, Charlotte

2017-11-01

Literature suggests that people living in areas with a wealth of unhealthy fast food options may show higher levels of fast food intake. Multilevel logistic regression analyses were applied to examine the association between GIS-located fast food outlets (FFOs) and self-reported fast food intake among adults (+ 16 years) in the Capital Region of Denmark (N = 48,305). Accessibility of FFOs was measured both as proximity (distance to nearest FFO) and density (number of FFOs within a 1km network buffer around home). Odds of fast food intake ≥ 1/week increased significantly with increasing FFO density and decreased significantly with increasing distance to the nearest FFO for distances ≤ 4km. For long distances (>4km), odds increased with increasing distance, although this applied only for car owners. Results suggest that Danish health promotion strategies need to consider the contribution of the built environment to unhealthy eating. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Fast spin-echo MR imaging of the eye

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hosten, N.; Lemke, A.J.; Bornfeld, N.; Wassmuth, R.; Schweiger, U.; Terstegge, K.; Felix, R.

1996-01-01

Magnetic resonance imaging of the eye usually includes T2-weighted images both for screening purposes and for characterization of melanoma. Conventional T2-weighted spin-echo (SE) imaging suffers both from long acquisition times and incomplete recovery of the virteous' signal. A fast SE sequence was therefore compared prospectively with conventional sequences in 29 consecutive patients with lesions of the eye. Fast SE images delineated melanoma and other lesions of the eye from vitreous better than conventional T2-weighted images. Image quality and lesion conspicuity were improved on the fast sequence. Whereas melanoma appeared hypointense to vitreous on both types of images, subretinal effusion was hypointense on fast images and hyperintense on conventional T2-weighted images. Ghosting of the globe, which, however, did not decrease diagnostic value, was more pronounced on fast images. Conventional T2-weighted images may be replaced by fast SE images in MR studies of the eye with a gain in lesion conspicuity and significant time saving. (orig.)

Heavy ion fusion targets; issues for fast ignition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bangerter, Roger O.

2014-01-01

During the last 36 years researchers have suggested and evaluated a large number of target designs for heavy ion inertial fusion. The different target designs can be classified according to their mode of ignition, their method of implosion, and their size. Ignition modes include hot-spot ignition and fast ignition. Methods of implosion include direct drive and indirect drive. Historically there has been significant work on indirectly driven targets with hot-spot ignition. Recently there has been increasing interest in directly driven targets with ion driven fast ignition. In principle, fast ignition might lead to improved target performance. On the other hand, fast ignition imposes stringent requirements on accelerators and beam physics. Furthermore, fast ignition magnifies the importance of a number of traditional target physics issues associated with ion beam energy deposition and fuel preheat. This paper will discuss the advantages and disadvantages of the various classes of targets. It will also discuss some issues that must be resolved to assess the feasibility of ion fast ignition

Development of a fast agglutination screening test (FAST) for the detection of anti-Leishmania antibodies in dogs

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Schallig, H. D. F. H.; Schoone, G. J.; Beijer, E. G. M.; Kroon, C. C. M.; Hommers, M.; Ozbel, Y.; Ozensoy, S.; da Silva, E. S.; Cardoso, L. M.; da Silva, E. D.

2002-01-01

A fast agglutination screening test (FAST) for the detection of anti-Leishinania antibodies in serum samples from dogs with visceral leishmamosis was developed. The test is based on the direct agglutination test (DAT), but combines a higher parasite concentration with a smaller test volume. In

Fast foods perception among adolescents by gender and weight status.

Science.gov (United States)

Allehdan, Sabika S; Tayyem, Reema F; Bawadi, Hiba A; Al-Awwad, Narmeen J; Al-Mannai, Mariam; Musaiger, Abdulrahman O

2017-03-01

Fast food restaurants have become widespread in both developed and developing countries due to nutritional and economic transitions. The frequency of fast food intake is relatively high among adolescents; however, fast food consumption is positively associated with total energy intake and obesity in adolescents. This study aimed to examine the perception of Jordanian adolescents towards fast foods relative to gender and obesity. A cross-sectional survey was conducted on 400 boys and 395 girls, aged 15-18 years. The adolescents completed a validated questionnaire to measure the perception of adolescents towards fast foods during the year 2013-2014. Weight and height were measured. Numbers who were non-overweight, overweight, and obese were calculated for each age and sex using the International Obesity Task Force (IOTF) standard. The majority of participants perceived foods which are eaten as sandwiches as fast foods. A significant difference between boy and girl adolescents was reported regarding perception of French fries ( p fast foods. Girls were significantly more enthusiastic than boys to consider cuscusi plate ( p foods ( p foods ( p foods ( p foods ( p fast foods. The difference between obese and non-obese regarding the perception of fast foods was only significant among boy participants. Western or non-Arab foods, food prepared fast and eaten fast in self-service outlets, and food rich in calories were significantly perceived as fast food by Jordanian adolescents ( p foods as fast foods or non-fast foods was significantly different between both genders as well as in obese and non-obese male Jordanian adolescents.

Effects of Intermittent Fasting, Caloric Restriction, and Ramadan Intermittent Fasting on Cognitive Performance at Rest and During Exercise in Adults.

Science.gov (United States)

Cherif, Anissa; Roelands, Bart; Meeusen, Romain; Chamari, Karim

2016-01-01

The aim of this review was to highlight the potent effects of intermittent fasting on the cognitive performance of athletes at rest and during exercise. Exercise interacts with dietary factors and has a positive effect on brain functioning. Furthermore, physical activity and exercise can favorably influence brain plasticity. Mounting evidence indicates that exercise, in combination with diet, affects the management of energy metabolism and synaptic plasticity by affecting molecular mechanisms through brain-derived neurotrophic factor, an essential neurotrophin that acts at the interface of metabolism and plasticity. The literature has also shown that certain aspects of physical performance and mental health, such as coping and decision-making strategies, can be negatively affected by daylight fasting. However, there are several types of intermittent fasting. These include caloric restriction, which is distinct from fasting and allows subjects to drink water ad libitum while consuming a very low-calorie food intake. Another type is Ramadan intermittent fasting, which is a religious practice of Islam, where healthy adult Muslims do not eat or drink during daylight hours for 1 month. Other religious practices in Islam (Sunna) also encourage Muslims to practice intermittent fasting outside the month of Ramadan. Several cross-sectional and longitudinal studies have shown that intermittent fasting has crucial effects on physical and intellectual performance by affecting various aspects of bodily physiology and biochemistry that could be important for athletic success. Moreover, recent findings revealed that immunological variables are also involved in cognitive functioning and that intermittent fasting might impact the relationship between cytokine expression in the brain and cognitive deficits, including memory deficits.

Role of therapeutic fasting in women's health: An overview

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pradeep M.K Nair

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Fasting is a therapeutic tool practiced since millennia by different cultures and medical systems heterogeneously. PubMed and Google Scholar search engines were searched using the keywords “fasting,” “intermittent fasting,” “calorie restriction,” “women's health,” “women's disorders,” “fasting and aging,” and “fasting and health.” All the animal and human studies which address women's health and disorders were included in the review. Fasting has shown to improve the reproductive and mental health. It also prevents as well as ameliorates cancers and musculoskeletal disorders which are common in middle-aged and elderly women. The present studies available have limitations such as majority of the studies are preclinical studies and human studies are with lesser sample size. Future studies should address this gap by designing medically supervised fasting techniques to extract better evidence. Nevertheless, fasting can be prescribed as a safe medical intervention as well as a lifestyle regimen which can improve women's health in many folds.

Reducing preoperative fasting time: A trend based on evidence.

Science.gov (United States)

de Aguilar-Nascimento, José Eduardo; Dock-Nascimento, Diana Borges

2010-03-27

Preoperative fasting is mandatory before anesthesia to reduce the risk of aspiration. However, the prescribed 6-8 h of fasting is usually prolonged to 12-16 h for various reasons. Prolonged fasting triggers a metabolic response that precipitates gluconeogenesis and increases the organic response to trauma. Various randomized trials and meta-analyses have consistently shown that is safe to reduce the preoperative fasting time with a carbohydrate-rich drink up to 2 h before surgery. Benefits related to this shorter preoperative fasting include the reduction of postoperative gastrointestinal discomfort and insulin resistance. New formulas containing amino acids such as glutamine and other peptides are being studied and are promising candidates to be used to reduce preoperative fasting time.

Fast-reactor fuel reprocessing in the United Kingdom

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Allardice, R.H.; Buck, C.; Williams, J.

1977-01-01

Enriched uranium metal fuel irradiated in the Dounreay Fast Reactor has been reprocessed and refabricated in plants specifically designed for the purpose in the United Kingdom since 1961. Efficient and reliable fuel recycle is essential to the development of a plutonium-based fast-reactor system, and the importance of establishing at an early stage fast-reactor fuel reprocessing has been reinforced by current world difficulties in reprocessing high-burnup thermal-reactor oxide fuel. The United Kingdom therefore decided to reprocess irradiated fuel from the 250MW(e) Prototype Fast Reactor (PFR) as an integral part of the fast reactor development programme. Flowsheet and equipment development work for the small-scale fully active demonstration plant has been carried out since 1972, and the plant will be commissioned and ready for active operation during 1977. In parallel, a comprehensive waste-management system has been developed and installed. Based on this development work and the information which will arise from active operation of the plant, a parallel development programme has been initiated to provide the basis for the design of a large-scale fast-reactor fuel-reprocessing plant to come into operation in the late 1980s to support the projected UK fast-reactor installation programme. The paper identifies the important differences between fast-reactor and thermal-reactor fuel-reprocessing technologies and describes some of the development work carried out in these areas for the small-scale PFR fuel-reprocessing operation. In addition, the development programme in aid of the design of a larger scale fast-reactor fuel-reprocessing plant is outlined and the current design philosophy discussed. (author)

Fast reactor collaboration in Europe

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Smith, G.E.I.

1987-01-01

Fast reactors have been developed in several European countries, the United Kingdom, France, Germany and Italy. A suggestion to collaborate on fast reactor research and development resulted in an Intergovernmental Memorandum of Understanding signed in 1984 by the UK, France, Germany, Italy and Belgium. Holland was expected to join later. This provided for co-operation between electric utilities, reactor design, research and development companies and fuel cycle companies. Three steering committees have so far been set up, the European fast reactor utilities Group, the European research and development and the European fuel cycle steering committees. Progress on these is detailed. The main areas of technology exchange are listed in the Appendix. The possibility exists for a series of three large demonstration plants to be built in Europe and a fuel reprocessing plant to confirm the reactor system. (U.K.)

Effect of space allowance during transport and fasting or non-fasting during lairage on welfare indicators in Merino lambs

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cozar, A.; Rodriguez, A.I.; Garijo, P.; Calvo, L.; Vergara, H.

2016-11-01

A total of 72 male lambs of Merina breed were sampled in a 3×2 factorial design, testing three different space allowances treatment (SA) during transport [0.16 m2/animal (SAL; n=24); 0.20 m2/animal (SAM; n=24) and 0.30 m2/animal (SAH; n=24)] and two lairage treatments (TL) during 18 h previous slaughter [fasting (FAST; n=36) vs feeding (FEED; n=36)] on welfare physiological indicators. After transport, glucose and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) were highest in SAM group and lowest in SAH one (p<0.05). SAL showed intermediate values for both parameters. SA did not affect the rest of the blood parameters studied. TL-FAST treatment decreased glucose values (p<0.001) while increased LDH (p<0.001). Fasting caused an increase (p<0.05) of Red Blood Cell Count values in SAM group. Feed deprivation did not affect cortisol or adrenaline values. Noradrenaline value was higher (p<0.001) in TL-FAST groups than in TL-FEED. In conclusion, under the conditions of this study, a range of space allowance during transport between 0.16 and 0.30 m2/lamb could be recommended without showing major changes on welfare physiological indicators; and feeding could be more appropriate than fasting during lairage. (Author)

Cardiac surgery fast-track treatment in a postanesthetic care unit: six-month results of the Leipzig fast-track concept.

Science.gov (United States)

Ender, Joerg; Borger, Michael Andrew; Scholz, Markus; Funkat, Anne-Kathrin; Anwar, Nadeem; Sommer, Marcus; Mohr, Friedrich Wilhelm; Fassl, Jens

2008-07-01

The authors compared the safety and efficacy of a newly developed fast-track concept at their center, including implementation of a direct admission postanesthetic care unit, to standard perioperative management. All fast-track patients treated within the first 6 months of implementation of our direct admission postanesthetic care unit were matched via propensity scores and compared with a historical control group of patients who underwent cardiac surgery prior to fast-track implementation. A total of 421 fast-track patients were matched successfully to 421 control patients. The two groups of patients had a similar age (64 +/- 13 vs. 64 +/- 12 yr for fast-track vs. control, P = 0.45) and European System for Cardiac Operative Risk Evaluation-predicted risk of mortality (4.8 +/- 6.1% vs. 4.6 +/- 5.1%, P = 0.97). Fast-track patients had significantly shorter times to extubation (75 min [45-110] vs. 900 min [600-1140]), as well as shorter lengths of stay in the postanesthetic or intensive care unit (4 h [3.0-5] vs. 20 h [16-25]), intermediate care unit (21 h [17-39] vs. 26 h [19-49]), and hospital (10 days [8-12] vs. 11 days [9-14]) (expressed as median and interquartile range, all P operations.

Fleet Assistance and Support Team (FAST) Lab

Data.gov (United States)

Federal Laboratory Consortium — The FAST team was established by PMA-264 for introduction of multistatic ASW systems into the Fleet.FAST provides Air ASW mission planning, tactics/tactical sensor...

Intellektuaalne rock

Index Scriptorium Estoniae

2007-01-01

Briti laulja-helilooja ja näitleja Toyah Willcox ning Bill Rieflin ansamblist R.E.M. ja Pat Mastelotto King Krimsonist esinevad koos ansamblitega The Humans ja Tuner 25. okt. Tallinnas Rock Cafés ja 27. okt Tartu Jaani kirikus

methyl methacrylate

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Unknown

1. Introduction. In recent times polymers are finding an important place ... Supply. Ferrite. Isolator. Movable. Short. Slide Screw. Tuner. Attenuator ... problems and thus yield real material parameters. The .... polymer chain at the amorphous or crystalline boundaries .... (Amsterdam: Elsevier Scientific Publishing Company).

The Field Assessment Stroke Triage for Emergency Destination (FAST-ED): a Simple and Accurate Pre-Hospital Scale to Detect Large Vessel Occlusion Strokes

Science.gov (United States)

Lima, Fabricio O.; Silva, Gisele S.; Furie, Karen L.; Frankel, Michael R.; Lev, Michael H.; Camargo, Érica CS; Haussen, Diogo C.; Singhal, Aneesh B.; Koroshetz, Walter J.; Smith, Wade S.; Nogueira, Raul G.

2016-01-01

Background and Purpose Patients with large vessel occlusion strokes (LVOS) may be better served by direct transfer to endovascular capable centers avoiding hazardous delays between primary and comprehensive stroke centers. However, accurate stroke field triage remains challenging. We aimed to develop a simple field scale to identify LVOS. Methods The FAST-ED scale was based on items of the NIHSS with higher predictive value for LVOS and tested in the STOPStroke cohort, in which patients underwent CT angiography within the first 24 hours of stroke onset. LVOS were defined by total occlusions involving the intracranial-ICA, MCA-M1, MCA-2, or basilar arteries. Patients with partial, bi-hemispheric, and/or anterior + posterior circulation occlusions were excluded. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, sensitivity, specificity, positive (PPV) and negative predictive values (NPV) of FAST-ED were compared with the NIHSS, Rapid Arterial oCclusion Evaluation (RACE) scale and Cincinnati Prehospital Stroke Severity Scale (CPSSS). Results LVO was detected in 240 of the 727 qualifying patients (33%). FAST-ED had comparable accuracy to predict LVO to the NIHSS and higher accuracy than RACE and CPSS (area under the ROC curve: FAST-ED=0.81 as reference; NIHSS=0.80, p=0.28; RACE=0.77, p=0.02; and CPSS=0.75, p=0.002). A FAST-ED ≥4 had sensitivity of 0.60, specificity 0.89, PPV 0.72, and NPV 0.82 versus RACE ≥5 of 0.55, 0.87, 0.68, 0.79 and CPSS ≥2 of 0.56, 0.85, 0.65, 0.78, respectively. Conclusions FAST-ED is a simple scale that if successfully validated in the field may be used by medical emergency professionals to identify LVOS in the pre-hospital setting enabling rapid triage of patients. PMID:27364531

Review of fast reactor activities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1982-01-01

A description of some highlights of the activities performed by the Commission of the European Communities in the field of fast reactors is given. They fall into two categories: coordinating and harmonizing activities and research activities. The former are essentially performed in the frame of the Fast Reactor Coordinating Committee (FRCC), the latter in the Commission's Joint Research Center and to some extent under contract in research centers of the Member States

Economic evaluation of fast reactor fuel cycling

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hu Ping; Zhao Fuyu; Yan Zhou; Li Chong

2012-01-01

Economic calculation and analysis of two kinds of nuclear fuel cycle are conducted by check off method, based on the nuclear fuel cycling process and model for fast reactor power plant, and comparison is carried out for the economy of fast reactor fuel cycle and PWR once-through fuel cycle. Calculated based on the current price level, the economy of PWR one-through fuel cycle is better than that of the fast reactor fuel cycle. However, in the long term considering the rising of the natural uranium's price and the development of the post treatment technology for nuclear fuels, the cost of the fast reactor fuel cycle is expected to match or lower than that of the PWR once-through fuel cycle. (authors)

FastStats: Measles

Science.gov (United States)

... Women’s Health State and Territorial Data Reproductive Health Contraceptive Use Infertility Reproductive Health Notice Regarding FastStats Mobile ... measles, mumps, rubella: 91.9% (2015) Percent of adolescents aged 13-17 years vaccinated against measles, mumps, ...

Psychology into economics: fast and frugal heuristics

OpenAIRE

Schilirò, Daniele

2015-01-01

The present essay focuses on the fast and frugal heuristics program set forth by Gerd Gigerenzer and his fellows. In particular it examines the contribution of Gigerenzer and Goldstein (1996) ‘Reasoning the Fast and Frugal Way: Models of Bounded Rationality’. This essay, following the theoretical propositions and the empirical evidence of Gigerenzer and Goldstein, points out that simple cognitive mechanisms such as fast and frugal heuristics can be capable of successful performance in real wo...

Fasting guidelines for diabetic children and adolescents

OpenAIRE

Azad, Kiswhar; Mohsin, Fauzia; Zargar, Abdul Hamid; Zabeen, Bedowra; Ahmad, Jamal; Raza, Syed Abbas; Tayyeb, Samin; Bajaj, Sarita; Ishtiaq, Osama; Kalra, Sanjay

2012-01-01

Fasting during the month of Ramadan, the ninth month of Islamic lunar calendar, is obligatory for all healthy adult and adolescent Muslims from the age of 12 years. Fasting starts from early dawn (Sohur/Sehri) till sunset (Iftar). During this period one has to abstain from eating and drinking. Islam has allowed many categories of people to be exempted from fasting, for example, young children, travelers, the sick, the elderly, pregnant, and lactating women. According to expert opinion, patien...

The Effect of Fast Food Restaurants on Obesity

OpenAIRE

Currie, Janet; DellaVigna, Stefano; Moretti, Enrico; Pathania, Vikram

2009-01-01

We investigate the health consequences of changes in the supply of fast food using the exact geographical location of fast food restaurants. Specifically, we ask how the supply of fast food affects the obesity rates of 3 million school children and the weight gain of over 1 million pregnant women. We find that among 9th grade children, a fast food restaurant within a tenth of a mile of a school is associated with at least a 5.2 percent increase in obesity rates. There is no discernable effect...

A review of the UK fast reactor programme

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Picker, C.; Ainsworth, K.F.

1996-01-01

The general position with regard to nuclear power and fast reactors in UK during 1995 is described. The status of fast reactor studies made in UK is outlined and a description and statement regarding the conclusions of the programme of studies associated with the closure of the Prototype Fast Reactor is included. (author)

A review of the UK fast reactor programme

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Picker, C [AEA Technolgy plc, Risley, Warrington, Cheshire (United Kingdom); Ainsworth, K F [British Nuclear Fuels plc, Sellafield, Cumbria (United Kingdom)

1996-07-01

The general position with regard to nuclear power and fast reactors in UK during 1995 is described. The status of fast reactor studies made in UK is outlined and a description and statement regarding the conclusions of the programme of studies associated with the closure of the Prototype Fast Reactor is included. (author)

Effects of different ways of fasting in experimental animals

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zari Naderi Ghalenoie

2015-12-01

Full Text Available While fasting has been practiced for centuries, its beneficial effects was unknown until recently. This review tries to analyze the current literature of how fasting and intermittent fasting (IF could affect clinical pathological parameters, learning, mood and brain plasticity. The effects of different ways of fasting on metabolism and stress were also explored. Animal experiments have elucidated fasting and IF could exert positive effects on learning, mood and brain, plus metabolic functions such lowering plasma glucose and insulin level and improvement in lipid metabolism (reduced visceral fat tissue and increased plasma adiponectin level, and an increased resistance to stress. Thus, more clinical studies are necessary to test the effectiveness of fasting and IF in preventing different diseases.

FastStats: Immunization

Science.gov (United States)

... Women’s Health State and Territorial Data Reproductive Health Contraceptive Use Infertility Reproductive Health Notice Regarding FastStats Mobile ... 69 [PDF – 9.8 MB] Vaccination coverage among adolescents 13-17 years of age Health, United States, ...

Adverse health effects associated with Islamic fasting -A literature review

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nania Mohamed Pakkir Maideen

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Millions of Muslims across the world observe Islamic fasting during the holy month of Ramadan, as well as the other specific dates in the lunar calendar year. While fasting during this month, Muslims refrain from eating or drinking from dawn to dusk. Islamic fasting is similar to alternate day fasting (ADF since it incorporates an average of 12 hours of fasting and 12 hours of feasting periods. This present review study is aimed to find out the common adverse health effects associated with Islamic fasting and the preventive measures to be followed to avoid them. Methods: The literature was reviewed through searching in databases such as PubMed, Google Scholar, and reference lists to identify the related articles. Results: Many health benefits have been attributed to Islamic fasting, including the reduced risk of cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, cancer, hypertension, and asthma. On the other hand, some studies have mentioned a few health problems associated with Islamic fasting, such as headaches, heartburn, constipation, dehydration, decreased sleep quality, and anemia, which may occur in some fasting individuals during Ramadan. Conclusion: Islamic fasting could be beneficial for health if it is performed correctly. During Ramadan, fasting individuals are advised to adhere to a balanced diet that contains sufficient portions of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, pulses, meat, fish, milk, and dairy products. Moreover, fasting individuals must drink adequate fluids, such as water, fresh fruit juices, and soups, in order to prevent the possible adverse health effects associated with Islamic fasting.

Review of fast reactor activities in India

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Paranjpe, S R [Reactor Research Centre, Kalpakkam, Tamil Nadu (India)

1981-05-01

It may be recalled that In the presentation at the last meeting of the IWGFR (13th Annual meeting), a broad outline of India's nuclear energy programme and the role of fast breeders in the programme has been provided. The steps taken to enable the fast breeders to fulfil their role have also been described. In brief, fast breeder reactors are considered as an essential and integral part of the programme of nuclear energy and constitute the second step in the programme, the first being the construction of natural uranium heavy water moderated reactors which will consume natural uranium but will produce plutonium to fuel fast breeder reactors. This basic position has remained unchanged and the Government is now taking steps to build a large number of heavy water reactors, say 10 million Kw capacity in the next 20 years. This defines the time frame for developing the fast breeder technology in the country. It has therefore been decided to mobilise the efforts towards design, construction and operation of a medium sized (about 500 M We) reactor by mid-nineties. Thus, the climate for fast breeder reactors is good and there is a good deal of enthusiasm amongst the scientists and engineers working in the field although the actual implementation of the programme during the year had to face certain difficulties.

Review of fast reactor activities in India

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Paranjpe, S.R.

1981-01-01

It may be recalled that In the presentation at the last meeting of the IWGFR (13th Annual meeting), a broad outline of India's nuclear energy programme and the role of fast breeders in the programme has been provided. The steps taken to enable the fast breeders to fulfil their role have also been described. In brief, fast breeder reactors are considered as an essential and integral part of the programme of nuclear energy and constitute the second step in the programme, the first being the construction of natural uranium heavy water moderated reactors which will consume natural uranium but will produce plutonium to fuel fast breeder reactors. This basic position has remained unchanged and the Government is now taking steps to build a large number of heavy water reactors, say 10 million Kw capacity in the next 20 years. This defines the time frame for developing the fast breeder technology in the country. It has therefore been decided to mobilise the efforts towards design, construction and operation of a medium sized (about 500 M We) reactor by mid-nineties. Thus, the climate for fast breeder reactors is good and there is a good deal of enthusiasm amongst the scientists and engineers working in the field although the actual implementation of the programme during the year had to face certain difficulties

Mass spectrometric studies of fast pyrolysis of cellulose

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Degenstein, John; Hurt, Matt; Murria, Priya; Easton, McKay; Choudhari, Harshavardhan; Yang, Linan; Riedeman, James; Carlsen, Mark; Nash, John; Agrawal, Rakesh; Delgass, W.; Ribeiro, Fabio; Kenttämaa, Hilkka

2015-01-01

A fast pyrolysis probe/linear quadrupole ion trap mass spectrometer combination was used to study the primary fast pyrolysis products (those that first leave the hot pyrolysis surface) of cellulose, cellobiose, cellotriose, cellotetraose, cellopentaose, and cellohexaose, as well as of cellobiosan, cellotriosan, and cellopentosan, at 600°C. Similar products with different branching ratios were found for the oligosaccharides and cellulose, as reported previously. However, identical products (with the exception of two) with similar branching ratios were measured for cellotriosan (and cellopentosan) and cellulose. This result demonstrates that cellotriosan is an excellent small-molecule surrogate for studies of the fast pyrolysis of cellulose and also that most fast pyrolysis products of cellulose do not originate from the reducing end. Based on several observations, the fast pyrolysis of cellulose is suggested to initiate predominantly via two competing processes: the formation of anhydro-oligosaccharides, such as cellobiosan, cellotriosan, and cellopentosan (major route), and the elimination of glycolaldehyde (or isomeric) units from the reducing end of oligosaccharides formed from cellulose during fast pyrolysis.

Linear induction accelerator requirements for ion fast ignition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Logan, G.

1998-01-01

Fast ignition (fast heating of DT cores afief compression) reduces driver energy (by 10 X or more) by reducing the implosion velocity and energy for a given fuel compression ratio. For any type of driver that can deliver the ignition energy fast enough, fast ignition increases the target gain compared to targets using fast implosions for central ignition, as long as the energy to heat the core after compression is comparable to or less than the slow compression energy, and as long as the coupling efficiency of the fast ignitor beam to heat the core is comparable to the overall efficiency of compressing the core (in terms of beam energy-to-DT-efficiency). Ion driven fast ignition, compared to laser-driven fast ignition, has the advantage of direct (dE/dx) deposition of beam energy to the DT, eliminating inefficiencies for conversion into hot electrons, and direct ion heating also has a more favorable deposition profile with the Bragg-peak near the end of an ion range chosen to be deep inside a compressed DT core. While Petawatt laser experiments at LLNL have demonstrated adequate light-to-hot-electron conversion efficiency, it is not yet known if light and hot electrons can channel deeply enough to heat a small portion of a IOOOxLD compressed DT core to ignition. On the other hand, lasers with chirped-pulse amplification giving thousand-fold pulse compressions have been demonstrated to produce the short pulses, small focal spots and Petawatt peak powers approaching those required for fast ignition, whereas ion accelerators that can produce sufficient beam quality for similar compression ratios and focal spot sizes of ion bunches have not yet been demonstrated, where an imposed coherent velocity tilt plays the analogous role for beam compression as does frequency chirp with lasers. Accordingly, it is the driver technology, not the target coupling physics, that poses the main challenge to ion-driven fast ignition. As the mainline HIF program is concentrating on

International Experience with Fast Reactor Operation & Testing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sackett, John I.; Grandy, C.

2013-01-01

Conclusion: • Worldwide experience with fast reactors has demonstrated the robustness of the technology and it stands ready for worldwide deployment. • The lessons learned are many and there is danger that what has been learned will be forgotten given that there is little activity in fast reactor development at the present time. • For this reason it is essential that knowledge of fast reactor technology be preserved, an activity supported in the U.S. as well as other countries

Euratom contributions in Fast Reactor research programmes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fanghänel, Th.; Somers, J.

2013-01-01

The Sustainable Nuclear Initiative: • demonstrate long-term sustainability of nuclear energy; • demonstration reactors of Gen IV: •more efficient use of resources; • closed fuel cycle; • reduced proliferation risks; • enhanced safety features. • Systems pursued in Europe: • Sodium-cooled fast reactor SFR; • Lead-cooled fast reactor LFR; • Gas-cooled fast reactor GFR. Sustainable Nuclear Energy Technology Platform SNE-TP promotes research, development and demonstration of the nuclear fission technologies necessary to achieve the SET-Plan goals

Fasting - the ultimate diet?

Science.gov (United States)

Johnstone, A M

2007-05-01

Adult humans often undertake acute fasts for cosmetic, religious or medical reasons. For example, an estimated 14% of US adults have reported using fasting as a means to control body weight and this approach has long been advocated as an intermittent treatment for gross refractory obesity. There are unique historical data sets on extreme forms of food restriction that give insight into the consequences of starvation or semi-starvation in previously healthy, but usually non-obese subjects. These include documented medical reports on victims of hunger strike, famine and prisoners of war. Such data provide a detailed account on how the body adapts to prolonged starvation. It has previously been shown that fasting for the biblical period of 40 days and 40 nights is well within the overall physiological capabilities of a healthy adult. However, the specific effects on the human body and mind are less clearly documented, either in the short term (hours) or in the longer term (days). This review asks the following three questions, pertinent to any weight-loss therapy, (i) how effective is the regime in achieving weight loss, (ii) what impact does it have on psychology? and finally, (iii) does it work long-term?

Contraband detection with fast neutrons

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Buffler, Andy E-mail: abuffler@science.uct.ac.za

2004-11-01

Recent terror events and the increase in the trade of illicit drugs have fuelled the exploration of the use of fast neutrons as probes for the detection of hidden contraband, especially explosives, in packages ranging in size from small mail items to cargo containers. The various approaches using fast neutrons for contraband detection, presently under development, are reviewed. The role that a neutron system might play in the non-intrusive interrogation of airline luggage is discussed.

Fast timing discriminator

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lo, C.C.

1977-01-01

The processing of pulses with very fast risetimes for timing purposes involves many problems because of the large equivalent bandwidths involved. For pulses with risetimes in the 150 ps range (and full widths at half maximum (FWHM) of 400 ps) bandwidths in excess of 1GHz are required. Furthermore, these very narrow pulses with current amplitudes as small as 1 mA carry very small charges ( -12 coulomb), therefore, requiring very sensitive trigger circuits. The difficulty increases when timing characteristics in the picosecond range are sought especially when a wide input signal amplitude range causes a time-walk problem. The fast timing discriminator described has a time-walk of approximately +-75 ps over the input signal range from 80 mV to 3V. A schematic of the discriminator is included, and operation and performance are discussed

Fast reactor knowledge preservation system: Taxonomy and basic requirements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2008-01-01

The IAEA has taken the initiative to coordinate efforts of Member States in the preservation of knowledge in the area of fast reactors. In the framework of this initiative, the IAEA intends to create an international database compiling information from different Member States on fast reactors through a web portal. Other activities related to this initiative are being designed to accumulate and exchange information on the fast reactor area, to facilitate access to this information by users in different countries and to assist Member States in preserving the experience gained in their countries. The purpose of this publication is to develop a taxonomy of the Fast Reactor Knowledge Preservation System (FRKPS) that will facilitate the preservation of the world's fast reactor knowledge base, to identify basic requirements of this taxonomy on the basis of the experience gained in the fast reactor area, as well as results of previous IAEA activities on fast reactor knowledge preservation. The need for such taxonomy arises from the fact that during the past 15 years there has been stagnation in the development of fast reactors in the industrialized countries that were involved, earlier, in intensive development of this area. All studies on fast reactors have been stopped in countries such as Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom and the United States of America and the only work being carried out is related to the decommissioning of fast reactors. Many specialists who were involved in the studies and development work in this area in these countries have already retired or are close to retirement. In countries such as France, Japan and the Russian Federation that are still actively pursuing the evolution of fast reactor technology, the situation is aggravated by the lack of young scientists and engineers moving into this branch of nuclear power

Fast ions and momentum transport in JET tokamak plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Salmi, A.

2012-01-01

Fast ions are an inseparable part of fusion plasmas. They can be generated using electromagnetic waves or injected into plasmas as neutrals to heat the bulk plasma and to drive toroidal rotation and current. In future power plants fusion born fast ions deliver the main heating into the plasma. Understanding and controlling the fast ions is of crucial importance for the operation of a power plant. Furthermore, fast ions provide ways to probe the properties of the thermal plasma and get insight of its confinement properties. In this thesis, numerical code packages are used and developed to simulate JET experiments for a range of physics issues related to fast ions. Namely, the clamping fast ion distribution at high energies with RF heating, fast ion ripple torque generation and the toroidal momentum transport properties using NBI modulation technique are investigated. Through a comparison of numerical simulations and the JET experimental data it is shown that the finite Larmor radius effects in ion cyclotron resonance heating are important and that they can prevent fast ion tail formation beyond certain energy. The identified mechanism could be used for tailoring the fast ion distribution in future experiments. Secondly, ASCOT simulations of NBI ions in a ripple field showed that most of the reduction of the toroidal rotation that has been observed in the JET enhanced ripple experiments could be attributed to fast ion ripple torque. Finally, fast ion torque calculations together with momentum transport analysis have led to the conclusion that momentum transport in not purely diffusive but that a convective component, which increases monotonically in radius, exists in a wide range of JET plasmas. Using parameter scans, the convective transport has been shown to be insensitive to collisionality and q-profile but to increase strongly against density gradient. (orig.)

Fast ions and momentum transport in JET tokamak plasmas

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Salmi, A.

2012-07-01

Fast ions are an inseparable part of fusion plasmas. They can be generated using electromagnetic waves or injected into plasmas as neutrals to heat the bulk plasma and to drive toroidal rotation and current. In future power plants fusion born fast ions deliver the main heating into the plasma. Understanding and controlling the fast ions is of crucial importance for the operation of a power plant. Furthermore, fast ions provide ways to probe the properties of the thermal plasma and get insight of its confinement properties. In this thesis, numerical code packages are used and developed to simulate JET experiments for a range of physics issues related to fast ions. Namely, the clamping fast ion distribution at high energies with RF heating, fast ion ripple torque generation and the toroidal momentum transport properties using NBI modulation technique are investigated. Through a comparison of numerical simulations and the JET experimental data it is shown that the finite Larmor radius effects in ion cyclotron resonance heating are important and that they can prevent fast ion tail formation beyond certain energy. The identified mechanism could be used for tailoring the fast ion distribution in future experiments. Secondly, ASCOT simulations of NBI ions in a ripple field showed that most of the reduction of the toroidal rotation that has been observed in the JET enhanced ripple experiments could be attributed to fast ion ripple torque. Finally, fast ion torque calculations together with momentum transport analysis have led to the conclusion that momentum transport in not purely diffusive but that a convective component, which increases monotonically in radius, exists in a wide range of JET plasmas. Using parameter scans, the convective transport has been shown to be insensitive to collisionality and q-profile but to increase strongly against density gradient. (orig.)

Fast neutron radiography using photoluminescent imaging plates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rant, J.; Kristof, E.; Balasko, M.; Stade, J.

1999-01-01

Fast neutron radiography (FNR) and resonance neutron radiography (RNR) are complementary to the conventional radiography with high energy gamma-rays or brems-strahlung radiation used for the inspection of thick metal objects. In both non-destructive methods, the contrast sensitivity and the penetration power can be improved by using higher energy neutrons. At present direct techniques based either n Solid State Nuclear Track detectors (SSNTDs) or scintillating screens and transfer techniques using activation threshold detectors and radiographic films are applied for the detection of fast neutron images. Rather low detection sensitivity of film and SSNTD based fast neutron imaging methods and also rather poor inherent image contrast of SSNTD pose a problem for FNR in the fast neutron energy region 1-15 MeV interesting for NDT. For more efficient detection of fast neutron images the use of novel highly sensitive photoluminescent imaging plates (IP) in combination with threshold at the KFKI research reactor. The conventional IP produced by FUJI Photo Film Co. for the detection of beta and X-ray radiation were used. The threshold activation detectors were the reactions 115 In(n, n') 115m In, 64 Zn(n,p) 64 Cu, 56 Fe(n, p) 56 Mn, 24 Mg(n, p) 24 Na and 27 Al(n, α) 24 Na. These threshold reactions cover the fast neutron energy region between 0,7 MeV and 12 MeV. Pure, commercially available metals 0,1 mm to 0,25 mm thick made of In, Zn, Fe, Mg and Al were used as converter screens. The very high sensitivity of IP, the linearity of their response over 5 decades of exposure dose and the high dynamic digitalisation latitude enabled fast neutron radiography of image quality comparable to the quality of thermal NR. In our experimental conditions (φ n ∼ 10 8 n/cm 2 s, R Cd ∼ 2) the neutron exposure and IP exposure periods were still practical and comparable to the half life of the corresponding reaction products (half an hour to several hours). Even with the 27 Al(n.α) 24

Fast breeder reactor safety : a perspective

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kale, R.D.

1992-01-01

Taking into consideration India's limited reserves of natural and vast reserves of thorium, the fast reactor route holds a great promise for India's energy supply in future. The fast reactor fueled with 239 Pu/ 238 U (unused or depleted) produces (breeds) more fissionable fuel material 239 Pu than it consumes. Calculations show that a fast breeder reactor (FBR) increases energy potential of natural uranium by about 60 times. As the fast reactor can also convert 232 Th into 233 U which is a fissionable material, it can make India's thorium reserves a source of almost inexhaustible energy supply for a long time to come. Significant advantage of FBR plants cooled by sodium and their world-wide operating experience are reviewed. There are two main safety issues of FBR, one nuclear and the other non-nuclear. The nuclear issue concerns core disruptive accident and the non-nuclear one concerns the high chemical energy potential of sodium. These two issues are analysed and it is pointed that they are manageable by current design, construction and operational practices. Main findings of safety research during the last six to eight years in West European Countries and United States of America (US) are summarised. Three stage engineered safety provision incorporated into the design of the sodium cooled Fast Breeder Test Reactor (FBTR) commissioned at Kalpakkam are explained. The important design safety features of FBTR such as primary system containment, emergency core cooling, plant protection system, inherent safety features achieved through reactivity coefficients, and natural convection cooling are discussed. Theoretical analysis and experimental research in fast reactor safety carried out at the Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research during the past some years are reviewed. (M.G.B.)

The safety of the fast reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Matthews, R.R.

1977-01-01

Verbatim of an address by R.R. Matthews, Chief Nuclear Health and Safety Officer, UK Central Electricity Generating Board given on January 15th 1977. The object of this address was to give some opinions on the safety issues of fast reactors as seen from an operational point of view. An outline of the basic responsibilities for nuclear safety is first given, and it is emphasized that the Central Electricity Generating Board has a statutory responsibility for the safe operation of its nuclear plant. The Nuclear Installations Act places absolute responsibility on the operator for ensuring that injury to persons and damage to property do not occur, and the new Health and Safety at Work Act does likewise. In addition the Board has a Nuclear Health and Safety Department that has to ensure that adequate provision for safety is made in the design, construction, and operation of nuclear plant, and safety at operational stations is monitored continuously by inspectors. In addition the requirements of the Nuclear Installations Inspectorate, laid down in the site licence conditions, must be satisfied. All these requirements are here discussed in the light of application to commercial fast reactors. It is considered that the hazards to fast reactor operating personnel are small and little different from those of other types of reactor, and in some respects the fast reactor has advantages, particularly in regard to the use of a Na coolant. The possibility of various types of accident is considered. Radioactive effluent discharge is also considered. The fast reactor as an international problem is discussed, including security matters. The extensive experience gained in operation of the experimental and prototype fast reactors at Dounreay is emphasized. (U.K.)

Probing Photoinduced Structural Phase Transitions by Fast or Ultra-Fast Time-Resolved X-Ray Diffraction

Science.gov (United States)

Cailleau, Hervé Collet, Eric; Buron-Le Cointe, Marylise; Lemée-Cailleau, Marie-Hélène Koshihara, Shin-Ya

A new frontier in the field of structural science is the emergence of the fast and ultra-fast X-ray science. Recent developments in time-resolved X-ray diffraction promise direct access to the dynamics of electronic, atomic and molecular motions in condensed matter triggered by a pulsed laser irradiation, i.e. to record "molecular movies" during the transformation of matter initiated by light pulse. These laser pump and X-ray probe techniques now provide an outstanding opportunity for the direct observation of a photoinduced structural phase transition as it takes place. The use of X-ray short-pulse of about 100ps around third-generation synchrotron sources allows structural investigations of fast photoinduced processes. Other new X-ray sources, such as laser-produced plasma ones, generate ultra-short pulses down to 100 fs. This opens the way to femtosecond X-ray crystallography, but with rather low X-ray intensities and more limited experimental possibilities at present. However this new ultra-fast science rapidly progresses around these sources and new large-scale projects exist. It is the aim of this contribution to overview the state of art and the perspectives of fast and ultra-fast X-ray scattering techniques to study photoinduced phase transitions (here, the word ultra-fast is used for sub-picosecond time resolution). In particular we would like to largely present the contribution of crystallographic methods in comparison with optical methods, such as pump-probe reflectivity measurements, the reader being not necessary familiar with X-ray scattering. Thus we want to present which type of physical information can be obtained from the positions of the Bragg peaks, their intensity and their shape, as well as from the diffuse scattering beyond Bragg peaks. An important physical feature is to take into consideration the difference in nature between a photoinduced phase transition and conventional homogeneous photoinduced chemical or biochemical processes where

Islamic fasting and oral health and diseases

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A Javadzadeh Blouri

2014-12-01

Full Text Available Fasting is a religious obligation, which can be challenging for individuals with oral conditions due to its stringent code of conduct. Moreover, food abstinence during fasting can restrict oral feeding even further in patients whose nutrition has been already compromised. Previous research has mainly concentrated on oral hygiene and gum health, disregarding orodental conditions and diseases. This highlights the importance of further research in this regard. In this paper, we intended to clarify the correlation between fasting and oral injections, bleeding following tooth extraction, and brushing to overcome common misconceptions which indicate the breach of religious disciplines under such circumstances. We also aimed to determine the grave effects of fasting on health in case of severe immunological deficiencies, chronic oral ulcers and certain drug administration protocols for those with rigid religious beliefs.

Upgrading the Fast Calorimeter Simulation in ATLAS

CERN Document Server

Schaarschmidt, Jana; The ATLAS collaboration

2017-01-01

The tremendous need for simulated samples now and even more so in the future, encourage the development of fast simulation techniques. The Fast Calorimeter Simulation is a faster though less accurate alternative to the full calorimeter simulation with Geant4. It is based on parametrizing the longitudunal and lateral energy deposits of single particles in the ATLAS calorimeter. Principal component analysis and machine learning techniques are used to improve the performance and decrease the memory need compared to the current version of the ATLAS Fast Calorimeter Simulation. The parametrizations are expanded to cover very high energies and very forward detector regions, to increase the applicability of the tool. A prototype of this upgraded Fast Calorimeter Simulation has been developed and first validations with single particles show substantial improvements over the previous version.

A review of the UK fast reactor programme

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Smith, R.D.

1982-01-01

A review of the United Kingdom Fast Reactor Programme is introduced. Operational experience with the Prototype Fast Reactor (PFR) is briefly summarized. The design concept of the Commercial Demonstration Fast Reactor (CDFR) is given in some detail. The emphasis is on materials development, chemical engineering/sodium technology, fuel reprocessing and fuel cycle, engineering component development and reactor safety

FastBLAST: homology relationships for millions of proteins.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Morgan N Price

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: All-versus-all BLAST, which searches for homologous pairs of sequences in a database of proteins, is used to identify potential orthologs, to find new protein families, and to provide rapid access to these homology relationships. As DNA sequencing accelerates and data sets grow, all-versus-all BLAST has become computationally demanding. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We present FastBLAST, a heuristic replacement for all-versus-all BLAST that relies on alignments of proteins to known families, obtained from tools such as PSI-BLAST and HMMer. FastBLAST avoids most of the work of all-versus-all BLAST by taking advantage of these alignments and by clustering similar sequences. FastBLAST runs in two stages: the first stage identifies additional families and aligns them, and the second stage quickly identifies the homologs of a query sequence, based on the alignments of the families, before generating pairwise alignments. On 6.53 million proteins from the non-redundant Genbank database ("NR", FastBLAST identifies new families 25 times faster than all-versus-all BLAST. Once the first stage is completed, FastBLAST identifies homologs for the average query in less than 5 seconds (8.6 times faster than BLAST and gives nearly identical results. For hits above 70 bits, FastBLAST identifies 98% of the top 3,250 hits per query. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: FastBLAST enables research groups that do not have supercomputers to analyze large protein sequence data sets. FastBLAST is open source software and is available at http://microbesonline.org/fastblast.

Effect of Ramadan fasting during pregnancy on neonatal birth weight

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nahid Sarafraz

2014-03-01

Full Text Available Aim &Background: Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset during Ramadan, the 9th lunar month. The duration of fasting varies from 13 to 18 hrs per day. Fasting individuals abstain from drinking liquids and eating foods. Manypregnant women and gynecologists are concerned about the possible complicationsassociated with fasting and effects on fetal health. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of Ramadan fasting on neonatalbirth weight.Materials and Methods: The current historical cohort study was performed on pregnant women attending maternity hospitals in Kashan in 2008. Twofasting and non-fasting groups were compared. Multiple pregnancies and gestational age less than 37 weeks were considered as the exclusion criteria. In fasting and non-fasting groups, age, parity, gestational age, body mass index (BMI, mother's occupation, prenatal care attendance and intended or unintended pregnancy were matched. For the statistical analysis of the data, covariance analysis and SPSS v16.0 were used. Results: In this study, 293 cases were evaluated among whom 31.7% did notfast. In the two groups, the mean age, gestational age, parity and weight gain during pregnancy were not significantly different. The mean birth weight was 3338 g (±498 g and 3343 g (± 339 g in fasting and non-fasting groups respectively. The results showed that the mean birth weight of the neonates in fasting and non-fasting groups was not significantly different (p=0. 931 Conclusion: The results of this study indicated that there is no significant relationship between the neonatal birth weight and maternal fasting during pregnancy. Therefore we declare thatfasting for pregnant women who receive prenatal care has no effects on neonatal birth weight.

ITER Fast Ion Collective Thomson Scattering

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bindslev, Henrik; Larsen, Axel Wright; Meo, Fernando

2005-01-01

The EFDA Contract 04-1213 with Risø National Laboratory concerning a detailed integrated design of a Fast Ion Collective Thomson Scattering (CTS) diagnostic for ITER was signed on 31 December 2004. In 2003 the Risø CTS group finished a feasibility study and a conceptual design of an ITER Fast Ion...... Collective Thomson Scattering System (Contract 01.654) [1, 2]. The purpose of the CTS diagnostic is to measure the distribution function of fast ions in the plasma. The feasibility study demonstrated that the only system that can fully meet the ITER measurement requirements for confined fusion alphas is a 60...... the blanket gap, and calculations of diagnosing fuel ion ratio and rotation velocity by CTS....

Enhanced Model for Fast Ignition

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mason, Rodney J. [Research Applications Corporation, Los Alamos, NM (United States)

2010-10-12

Laser Fusion is a prime candidate for alternate energy production, capable of serving a major portion of the nation's energy needs, once fusion fuel can be readily ignited. Fast Ignition may well speed achievement of this goal, by reducing net demands on laser pulse energy and timing precision. However, Fast Ignition has presented a major challenge to modeling. This project has enhanced the computer code ePLAS for the simulation of the many specialized phenomena, which arise with Fast Ignition. The improved code has helped researchers to understand better the consequences of laser absorption, energy transport, and laser target hydrodynamics. ePLAS uses efficient implicit methods to acquire solutions for the electromagnetic fields that govern the accelerations of electrons and ions in targets. In many cases, the code implements fluid modeling for these components. These combined features, "implicitness and fluid modeling," can greatly facilitate calculations, permitting the rapid scoping and evaluation of experiments. ePLAS can be used on PCs, Macs and Linux machines, providing researchers and students with rapid results. This project has improved the treatment of electromagnetics, hydrodynamics, and atomic physics in the code. It has simplified output graphics, and provided new input that avoids the need for source code access by users. The improved code can now aid university, business and national laboratory users in pursuit of an early path to success with Fast Ignition.

Determinants of fast food consumption in Kampala, Uganda | Ayo ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Consumption of fast-food in Uganda is becoming an increasingly important ... to study the consumption and expenditure behaviour of consumers of fast-food in ... to restaurant negatively influenced the probability of fast-food consumption and ...

Fast reactors and problems in their development. Chapter 6

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dombey, N.

1980-01-01

The main differences between fast reactors, in particular the liquid-metal fast breeder reactor (LMFBR), and thermal reactors are discussed. The view is taken, based on the intrinsic physics of the systems, that fast reactors should be considered as a different genus from thermal reactors. Some conclusions are drawn for fast reactor development generally and for the British programme in particular. Physics, economics and safety aspects are covered. (U.K.)

Fasting the Microbiota to Improve Metabolism?

Science.gov (United States)

Haas, Joel T; Staels, Bart

2017-10-03

While intermittent or periodic fasting provides a variety of favorable health benefits, the molecular mediators of these effects are poorly understood. In this issue of Cell Metabolism, Li and colleagues (2017) highlight the role of gut microbiota in mediating benefits of intermittent fasting through activation of adipose tissue beiging. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Fast-food Culture and Americans’Outlooks on Life

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

易婧

2014-01-01

Fast-food is always the one of the main culture in America just like it has been known. It is not only very important in Americans’lives, but can reflect some of their outlooks on life. This thesis gives an analysis of reflection of Americans ’out-looks on life in fast-food culture. Five types of Americans’outlooks on life have been surveyed:working hard and playing hard, optimism and open-mindedness, treating the time as the life, self-independence and believing the equality. Beginning with the introduction of the emergence and development of fast-food culture in America, the thesis brings why the fast-food can be pop-ularized among Americans to light. Consequently, we can find that some of the Americans ’outlooks on life can be consistent with their fast-food culture.This thesis will be divided into four parts. The first part is the introduction and the last conclusion. The focus of this thesis is laid on the two middle parts which first display the five types of Americans ’outlooks on life, then give the analysis of the reflection in fast-food culture. This thesis attempts to explore the Americans ’outlooks on life. Although by the thesis we can not learn about a nation completely, we still know some aspects of their outlooks on life from fast-food culture.

Status of national programmes on fast reactors 1997/98. 31. annual meeting of the International Working Group on Fast Reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1998-01-01

The objective of the meeting was to co-ordinate the exchange of information on the status of fast reactor development and operational experience, including experience with experimental types of reactor; to consider meeting arrangements for 1998 and 1999; and to review the IAEA co-ordinated research activities in the field of fast reactor, as well as co-ordination of the International Working Group on Fast Reactors activities with other organizations

On the Conductive Loss of High-Q Frequency Reconfigurable Antennas for LTE Frequencies

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Barrio, Samantha Caporal Del

2018-01-01

Intrinsically narrowband and highly tunable systems are a promising way to address the bandwidth challenge of LTE. However, narrowband antennas exhibit low efficiencies. This paper details the loss mechanism of narrowband antennas by investigating the contribution of the resistance of the tuner...

The association of fast food consumption with poor dietary outcomes and obesity among children: is it the fast food or the remainder of the diet?

Science.gov (United States)

Poti, Jennifer M; Duffey, Kiyah J; Popkin, Barry M

2014-01-01

Although fast food consumption has been linked to adverse health outcomes, the relative contribution of fast food itself compared with the rest of the diet to these associations remains unclear. Our objective was to compare the independent associations with overweight/obesity or dietary outcomes for fast food consumption compared with dietary pattern for the remainder of intake. This cross-sectional analysis studied 4466 US children aged 2-18 y from NHANES 2007-2010. Cluster analysis identified 2 dietary patterns for the non-fast food remainder of intake: Western (50.3%) and Prudent. Multivariable-adjusted linear and logistic regression models examined the association between fast food consumption and dietary pattern for the remainder of intake and estimated their independent associations with overweight/obesity and dietary outcomes. Half of US children consumed fast food: 39.5% low-consumers (≤30% of energy from fast food) and 10.5% high-consumers (>30% of energy). Consuming a Western dietary pattern for the remainder of intake was more likely among fast food low-consumers (OR: 1.51; 95% CI: 1.24, 1.85) and high-consumers (OR: 2.21; 95% CI: 1.60, 3.05) than among nonconsumers. The remainder of diet was independently associated with overweight/obesity (β: 5.9; 95% CI: 1.3, 10.5), whereas fast food consumption was not, and the remainder of diet had stronger associations with poor total intake than did fast food consumption. Outside the fast food restaurant, fast food consumers ate Western diets, which might have stronger associations with overweight/obesity and poor dietary outcomes than fast food consumption itself. Our findings support the need for prospective studies and randomized trials to confirm these hypotheses.

Sero-epidemiological assessment and diagnosis of visceral leishmaniasis in an endemic locality using Fast Agglutination Screening Test (FAST)

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hailu, A.; Kroon, C. C. M.; Schoone, G. J.; Berhe, N.; Schallig, H. D. F. H.; Kager, P. A.

2002-01-01

The Fast Agglutination Screening Test (FAST) was employed on sera obtained from an endemic area of visceral leishmaniasis in southwestern Ethiopia, in February 2000. The study involved (i) active case detection among 1575 residents of two villages; and (ii) passive case detection in an outpatient

What is the future for fast reactor technology?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kraev, Kamen

2017-01-01

NucNet spoke to Vladimir Kriventsev, team leader for fast reactor technology development at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), about the possibilities and challenges of technology development in the fast reactor sector. Today, the field of fast reactors is vibrant and full of fascinating developments, some which will have an impact in the nearer term and others in the longer term.

What is the future for fast reactor technology?

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kraev, Kamen [NucNet, Brussels (Belgium). The Independent Global Nuclear News Agency

2017-08-15

NucNet spoke to Vladimir Kriventsev, team leader for fast reactor technology development at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), about the possibilities and challenges of technology development in the fast reactor sector. Today, the field of fast reactors is vibrant and full of fascinating developments, some which will have an impact in the nearer term and others in the longer term.

Fast method and ultra fast screening for determination of 90Sr in milk and dairy products

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kabai, E.; Hornung, L.; Savkin, B.T.; Poppitz-Spuhler, A.; Hiersche, L.

2011-01-01

In emergency situation or in case of defence against nuclear hazards, the rapid analysis of radioisotopes in food products is essential. Radiostrontium is one of the most interesting isotopes in case of emergency. The determination of radiostrontium in milk and dairy products plays an important role especially for infants. The procedures described here were tested for fast determination of 90 Sr. The typical chemical recovery of the proposed fast procedure for determination of strontium from milk and dairy products was 90% and the time needed for analysis was one working day. The achieved detection limit for milk is 0.8 Bq/l. An ultra fast screening method allows the determination of radiostrontium with quantitative recovery within 1 hour. The minimum detectable activity in this case is 230 Bq/l.

Development of Optical Fiber Detector for Measurement of Fast Neutron

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

YAGI, Takahiro; KAWAGUCHI, Shinichi; MISAWA, Tsuyoshi; PYEON, Cheol Ho; UNESAKI, Hironobu; SHIROYA, Seiji; OKAJIMA, Shigeaki; TANI, Kazuhiro

2008-01-01

Measurement of fast neutron flux is important for investigation of characteristic of fast reactors. In order to insert a neutron detector in a narrow space such as a gap of between fuel plates and measure the fast neutrons in real time, a neutron detector with an optical fiber has been developed. This detector consists of an optical fiber whose tip is covered with mixture of neutron converter material and scintillator such as ZnS(Ag). The detector for fast neutrons uses ThO 2 as converter material because 232 Th makes fission reaction with fast neutrons. The place where 232 Th can be used is limited by regulations because 232 Th is nuclear fuel material. The purpose of this research is to develop a new optical fiber detector to measure fast neutrons without 232 Th and to investigate the characteristic of the detector. These detectors were used to measure a D-T neutron generator and fast neutron flux distribution at Fast Critical Assembly. The results showed that the fast neutron flux distribution of the new optical fiber detector with ZnS(Ag) was the same as it of the activation method, and the detector are effective for measurement of fast neutrons. (authors)

Chemical reactions induced by fast neutron irradiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Katsumura, Y.

1989-01-01

Here, several studies on fast neutron irradiation effects carried out at the reactor 'YAYOI' are presented. Some indicate a significant difference in the effect from those by γ-ray irradiation but others do not, and the difference changes from subject to subject which we observed. In general, chemical reactions induced by fast neutron irradiation expand in space and time, and there are many aspects. In the time region just after the deposition of neutron energy in the system, intermediates are formed densely and locally reflecting high LET of fast neutrons and, with time, successive reactions proceed parallel to dissipation of localized energy and to diffusion of the intermediates. Finally the reactions are completed in longer time region. If we pick up the effects which reserve the locality of the initial processes, a significant different effect between in fast neutron radiolysis and in γ-ray radiolysis would be derived. If we observe the products generated after dissipation and diffusion in longer time region, a clear difference would not be observed. Therefore, in order to understand the fast neutron irradiation effects, it is necessary to know the fundamental processes of the reactions induced by radiations. (author)

When fast atom diffraction turns 3D

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zugarramurdi, Asier; Borisov, Andrei G.

2013-01-01

Fast atom diffraction at surfaces (FAD) in grazing incidence geometry is characterized by the slow motion in the direction perpendicular to the surface and fast motion parallel to the surface plane along a low index direction. It is established experimentally that for the typical surfaces the FAD reveals the 2D diffraction patterns associated with exchange of the reciprocal lattice vector perpendicular to the direction of fast motion. The reciprocal lattice vector exchange along the direction of fast motion is negligible. The usual approximation made in the description of the experimental data is then to assume that the effective potential leading to the diffraction results from the averaging of the 3D surface potential along the atomic strings forming the axial channel. In this work we use full quantum wave packet propagation calculations to study theoretically the possibility to observe the 3D diffraction in FAD experiments. We show that for the surfaces with large unit cell, such as can be the case for reconstructed or vicinal surfaces, the 3D diffraction can be observed. The reciprocal lattice vector exchange along the direction of fast motion leads to several Laue circles in the diffraction pattern

Fast-electron self-collimation in a plasma density gradient

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yang, X. H.; Borghesi, M.; Robinson, A. P. L.

2012-01-01

A theoretical and numerical study of fast electron transport in solid and compressed fast ignition relevant targets is presented. The principal aim of the study is to assess how localized increases in the target density (e.g., by engineering of the density profile) can enhance magnetic field generation and thus pinching of the fast electron beam through reducing the rate of temperature rise. The extent to which this might benefit fast ignition is discussed.

Fast reactors: the industrial perspective

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vaughan, R.D.

1986-01-01

Industrial participation in the development of the fast reactor is reviewed, from the construction of PFR at Dounreay to the initial steps towards collaboration in Europe. The optimum design of the fast reactor has changed considerably from the days when it was needed urgently to forestall a shortage of uranium to today when uranium is abundant and cheap. The evolution of the reactor design over this period is described. Collaboration in Europe is shown to be the only answer to high development costs and the search for a reactor which will compete with thermal reactors in today's environment. The partner countries in this collaboration are all motivated differently, and this is leading to some delays in concluding the necessary agreements. The objective on the industrial front is now to participate in the two or three demonstration fast reactors that will be built in Europe during the remainder of the century leading, it is hoped, to a competitive reactor design by the year 2000. (author)

ATLAS Fast Physics Monitoring: TADA

CERN Document Server

AUTHOR|(INSPIRE)INSPIRE-00375930; The ATLAS collaboration; Elsing, Markus

2017-01-01

The ATLAS experiment at the LHC is recording data from proton-proton collisions with 13 TeV center-of-mass energy since spring 2015. The collaboration is using a fast physics monitoring framework (TADA) to automatically perform a broad range of fast searches for early signs of new physics and to monitor the data quality across the year with the full analysis level calibrations applied to the rapidly growing data.TADA is designed to provide fast feedback directly after the collected data has been fully calibrated and processed at the Tier-0, the CERN Data Center. The system can monitor a large range of physics channels, offline data quality and physics performance quantities nearly final analysis level object calibrations. TADA output is available on a website accessible by the whole collaboration that gets updated twice a day with the data from newly processed runs. Hints of potentially interesting physics signals or performance issues identified in this way are reported to be followed up by physics or combin...

ATLAS Fast Physics Monitoring: TADA

CERN Document Server

Elsing, Markus; The ATLAS collaboration; Sabato, Gabriele; Kamioka, Shusei; Nairz, Armin Michael; Moyse, Edward; Gumpert, Christian

2016-01-01

The ATLAS Experiment at the LHC is recording data from proton-proton collisions with 13 TeV center-of-mass energy since spring 2015. The collaboration is using a fast physics monitoring framework (TADA) to automatically perform a broad range of fast searches for early signs of new physics and to monitor the data quality across the year with the full analysis level calibrations applied to the rapidly growing data. TADA is designed to provide fast feedback directly after the collected data has been fully calibrated and processed at the Tier-0. The system can monitor a large range of physics channels, offline data quality and physics performance quantities nearly final analysis level object calibrations. TADA output is available on a website accessible by the whole collaboration that gets updated twice a day with the data from newly processed runs. Hints of potentially interesting physics signals or performance issues identified in this way are reported to be followed up by physics or combined performance groups...

The polarization of fast neutrons

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Talov, V.V.

2001-01-01

It is insufficient to know coordinates and momentum to describe a state of a neutron. It is necessary to define a spin orientation. As far as it is known from quantum mechanics, a half spin has a projection in the positive direction or in the negative direction. The probability of both projections in an unpolarized beam is equal. If a direction exists, in which the projection is more probably then beam is called polarized in this direction. It is essential to know polarization of neutrons for characteristics of a neutron source, which is emitting it. The question of polarization of fast neutrons came up in 50's. The present work is the review of polarization of fast neutrons and methods of polarization analysis. This also includes information about polarization of fast neutrons from first papers, which described polarization in the D(d,n) 3 He, 7 Li (p,n) 7 Be, T(p,n) 3 He reactions. (authors)

fastBMA: scalable network inference and transitive reduction.

Science.gov (United States)

Hung, Ling-Hong; Shi, Kaiyuan; Wu, Migao; Young, William Chad; Raftery, Adrian E; Yeung, Ka Yee

2017-10-01

Inferring genetic networks from genome-wide expression data is extremely demanding computationally. We have developed fastBMA, a distributed, parallel, and scalable implementation of Bayesian model averaging (BMA) for this purpose. fastBMA also includes a computationally efficient module for eliminating redundant indirect edges in the network by mapping the transitive reduction to an easily solved shortest-path problem. We evaluated the performance of fastBMA on synthetic data and experimental genome-wide time series yeast and human datasets. When using a single CPU core, fastBMA is up to 100 times faster than the next fastest method, LASSO, with increased accuracy. It is a memory-efficient, parallel, and distributed application that scales to human genome-wide expression data. A 10 000-gene regulation network can be obtained in a matter of hours using a 32-core cloud cluster (2 nodes of 16 cores). fastBMA is a significant improvement over its predecessor ScanBMA. It is more accurate and orders of magnitude faster than other fast network inference methods such as the 1 based on LASSO. The improved scalability allows it to calculate networks from genome scale data in a reasonable time frame. The transitive reduction method can improve accuracy in denser networks. fastBMA is available as code (M.I.T. license) from GitHub (https://github.com/lhhunghimself/fastBMA), as part of the updated networkBMA Bioconductor package (https://www.bioconductor.org/packages/release/bioc/html/networkBMA.html) and as ready-to-deploy Docker images (https://hub.docker.com/r/biodepot/fastbma/). © The Authors 2017. Published by Oxford University Press.

Japanese experience with clinical trails of fast neutrons

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tsunemoto, H.; Arai, T.; Morita, S.; Ishikawa, T.; Aoki, Y.; Takada, N.; Kamata, S.

1982-01-01

Between November, 1975 and November, 1981, 825 patients were treated with 30 MeV (d-Be) neutrons at the National Institute of Radiological Sciences, Chiba. At the Institute of Medical Science, Tokyo, 302 patients were referred to the Radiation Therapy department and were treated with 16 MeV (d-Be) neutrons. The emphasis of these clinical trials with fast neutrons was placed on the estimation of the effect of fast neutrons for locally advanced cancers or radioresistant cancers, and on evaluation of the rate of complication of normal tissues following irradiaton with fast neutrons. Results were evaluated for patients with previously untreated cancer; local control of the tumor was observed in 59.1%. Complications requiring medical care developed in only 32 patients. Patients who had received pre- or postoperative irradiation were excluded from this evaluation. Late reaction of soft tissue seemed to be more severe than that observed with photon beams. The results also suggest that for carcinoma of the larynx, esophagus, uterine cervix, Pancoasts's tumor of the lung and osteosarcoma, fast neutrons were considered to be effectively applied in this randomized clinical trial. For carcinoma of the larynx, a fast nuetron boost was effectively delivered, although an interstitial implant was necessarily combined with fast neutrons for carcinoma of the tongue. The cumulative survival rate of the patients with carcinoma of the esophagus treated with fast neutrons was 26% compared to the survival rate of 10.5% obtained using photons. This was supported by evidence from the pathological studies that showed that the tumor cells which had deeply invaded into the esophagus were effectively destroyed when fast neutrons were applied

Fasting, circadian rhythms, and time restricted feeding in healthy lifespan

Science.gov (United States)

Longo, Valter D.; Panda, Satchidananda

2016-01-01

Summary Feeding in most animals is confined to a defined period, leaving short periods of fasting that coincide with sleep. Fasting enables organisms to enter alternative metabolic phases, which rely less on glucose and more on ketone body-like carbon sources. Both intermittent and periodic fasting result in benefits ranging from prevention to the enhanced treatment of diseases. Similarly, time-restricted feeding (TRF), in which feeding time is restricted to certain hours of the day, allows the daily fasting period to last >12 h, thus imparting pleiotropic benefits in multiple organisms. Understanding the mechanistic link between nutrients and the fasting benefits is leading to the identification of fasting mimicking diets (FMDs) that achieve changes similar to those caused by fasting. Given the pleiotropic and sustained benefits of TRF and FMD, both basic science and translational research are warranted to develop fasting-associated interventions into effective and inexpensive treatments with the potential to improve healthspan. PMID:27304506

Some questions and answers concerning fast reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Marshall, W.

1980-01-01

The theme of the lecture is the place of the fast reactor in an evolving nuclear programme. The whole question of plutonium is first considered, ie its method of production and the ways in which it can be used in the fast reactor fuel cycle. Whether fast reactors are necessary is then discussed. Their safety is examined with particular attention to those design features which are most criticised ie high volumetric power density of the core, and the use of liquid sodium as coolant. Attention is then paid to environmental and safeguard aspects. (U.K.)

A Hardware Fast Tracker for the ATLAS Trigger: The Fast TracKer (FTK) Project.

CERN Document Server

Asbah, Nedaa; The ATLAS collaboration

2015-01-01

The trigger system of the ATLAS experiment is designed to reduce the event rate from the LHC nominal bunch crossing at 40 MHz to about 1 kHz, at the design luminosity of 10^{34} cm^{-2} s{-1}. After a successful period of data taking from 2010 to early 2013, the LHC is restarting in 2015 with much higher instantaneous luminosity and this will increase the load on High Level Trigger system, the second stage of the selection based on software algorithms. More sophisticated algorithms will be needed to achieve higher background rejection while maintaining good efficiency for interesting physics signals. The Fast TracKer is part of the ATLAS trigger upgrade project; it is a hardware processor that will provide, at every level-1 accept (100 kHz) and within 100 microseconds, full tracking information for tracks with momentum as low as 1 GeV. Providing fast extensive access to tracking information, with resolution comparable to the offline reconstruction, the Fast Tracker will for example help the High Level Trigger...

Fast electrochemical actuator

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Uvarov, I V; Postnikov, A V; Svetovoy, V B

2016-01-01

Lack of fast and strong microactuators is a well-recognized problem in MEMS community. Electrochemical actuators can develop high pressure but they are notoriously slow. Water electrolysis produced by short voltage pulses of alternating polarity can overcome the problem of slow gas termination. Here we demonstrate an actuation regime, for which the gas pressure is relaxed just for 10 μs or so. The actuator consists of a microchamber filled with the electrolyte and covered with a flexible membrane. The membrane bends outward when the pressure in the chamber increases. Fast termination of gas and high pressure developed in the chamber are related to a high density of nanobubbles in the chamber. The physical processes happening in the chamber are discussed so as problems that have to be resolved for practical applications of this actuation regime. The actuator can be used as a driving engine for microfluidics. (paper)

Surgery simulation using fast finite elements

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bro-Nielsen, Morten

1996-01-01

This paper describes our recent work on real-time surgery simulation using fast finite element models of linear elasticity. In addition, we discuss various improvements in terms of speed and realism......This paper describes our recent work on real-time surgery simulation using fast finite element models of linear elasticity. In addition, we discuss various improvements in terms of speed and realism...

Open Probe fast GC-MS - combining ambient sampling ultra-fast separation and in-vacuum ionization for real-time analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Keshet, U; Alon, T; Fialkov, A B; Amirav, A

2017-07-01

An Open Probe inlet was combined with a low thermal mass ultra-fast gas chromatograph (GC), in-vacuum electron ionization ion source and a mass spectrometer (MS) of GC-MS for obtaining real-time analysis with separation. The Open Probe enables ambient sampling via sample vaporization in an oven that is open to room air, and the ultra-fast GC provides ~30-s separation, while if no separation is required, it can act as a transfer line with 2 to 3-s sample transfer time. Sample analysis is as simple as touching the sample, pushing the sample holder into the Open Probe oven and obtaining the results in 30 s. The Open Probe fast GC was mounted on a standard Agilent 7890 GC that was coupled with an Agilent 5977A MS. Open Probe fast GC-MS provides real-time analysis combined with GC separation and library identification, and it uses the low-cost MS of GC-MS. The operation of Open Probe fast GC-MS is demonstrated in the 30-s separation and 50-s full analysis cycle time of tetrahydrocannabinol and cannabinol in Cannabis flower, sub 1-min analysis of trace trinitrotoluene transferred from a finger onto a glass surface, vitamin E in canola oil, sterols in olive oil, polybrominated flame retardants in plastics, alprazolam in Xanax drug pill and free fatty acids and cholesterol in human blood. The extrapolated limit of detection for pyrene is Open Probe fast GC-MS is demonstrated in the analysis of heroin in its street drug powder. The use of Open Probe with the fast GC acting as a transfer line is demonstrated in <10-s analysis without separation of ibuprofen and estradiol. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Ramadan Fasting Exerts Immunomodulatory Effects: Insights from a Systematic Review.

Science.gov (United States)

Adawi, Mohammad; Watad, Abdulla; Brown, Stav; Aazza, Khadija; Aazza, Hicham; Zouhir, Mohamed; Sharif, Kassem; Ghanayem, Khaled; Farah, Raymond; Mahagna, Hussein; Fiordoro, Stefano; Sukkar, Samir Giuseppe; Bragazzi, Nicola Luigi; Mahroum, Naim

2017-01-01

Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar and is observed by Muslims as a month of fasting. All Muslim adults are expected to fast; nevertheless certain subgroups, including sick, frail subjects, and pregnant women, among others, are exempted. Ramadan fasting has been shown to impact on body systems in different manners. The influence of Ramadan fasting on immune system regulation remains elusive; however, immune system changes, such as the modulation of body response to various infectious, stressful, and other harmful events, are of great interest during fasting. In this paper, we performed an extensive systematic literature review of different scholarly databases (ISI/Web of Science, Scopus, PubMed,/MEDLINE, Google Scholar, Directory of Open Access Journals, EbscoHOST, Scirus, Science Direct, the Cochrane Library, and ProQuest), using the following key words: "fasting," "Ramadan," "Islam," and "immunity." Conclusions drawn from these findings included: (1) Ramadan fasting has been shown to only mildly influence the immune system and the alterations induced are transient, returning to basal pre-Ramadan status shortly afterward. (2) Ramadan fasting during the second trimester of pregnancy was shown to be safe and did not result in negative fetal outcomes, or maternal oxidative status alterations. (3) In cardiac patients, Ramadan fasting can have beneficial effects including lipid profile improvement and alleviation of oxidative stress. (4) In asthmatic patients as well as in patients with human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome and autoimmune disorders, fasting was safe. (5) In psychiatric patients, such as those suffering from schizophrenia, fasting could increase immunologic markers. (6) Fasting Muslim athletes who maintain intensive training schedule during Ramadan showed fluctuations of immunologic markers.

Fasting Is Not Routinely Required for Determination of a Lipid Profile

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nordestgaard, Børge Grønne; Langsted, Anne; Mora, Samia

2016-01-01

AIMS: To critically evaluate the clinical implications of the use of non-fasting rather than fasting lipid profiles and to provide guidance for the laboratory reporting of abnormal non-fasting or fasting lipid profiles. METHODS AND RESULTS: Extensive observational data, in which random non-fasting...... lipid profiles have been compared with those determined under fasting conditions, indicate that the maximal mean changes at 1-6 h after habitual meals are not clinically significant [+0.3 mmol/L (26 mg/dL) for triglycerides; -0.2 mmol/L (8 mg/dL) for total cholesterol; -0.2 mmol/L (8 mg/dL) for LDL...... cholesterol; +0.2 mmol/L (8 mg/dL) for calculated remnant cholesterol; -0.2 mmol/L (8 mg/dL) for calculated non-HDL cholesterol]; concentrations of HDL cholesterol, apolipoprotein A1, apolipoprotein B, and lipoprotein(a) are not affected by fasting/non-fasting status. In addition, non-fasting and fasting...

Are fast food restaurants an environmental risk factor for obesity?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Linde Jennifer

2006-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Objective Eating at "fast food" restaurants has increased and is linked to obesity. This study examined whether living or working near "fast food" restaurants is associated with body weight. Methods A telephone survey of 1033 Minnesota residents assessed body height and weight, frequency of eating at restaurants, and work and home addresses. Proximity of home and work to restaurants was assessed by Global Index System (GIS methodology. Results Eating at "fast food" restaurants was positively associated with having children, a high fat diet and Body Mass Index (BMI. It was negatively associated with vegetable consumption and physical activity. Proximity of "fast food" restaurants to home or work was not associated with eating at "fast food" restaurants or with BMI. Proximity of "non-fast food" restaurants was not associated with BMI, but was associated with frequency of eating at those restaurants. Conclusion Failure to find relationships between proximity to "fast food" restaurants and obesity may be due to methodological weaknesses, e.g. the operational definition of "fast food" or "proximity", or homogeneity of restaurant proximity. Alternatively, the proliferation of "fast food" restaurants may not be a strong unique cause of obesity.

Effects of Ramadan Fasting on Lipid Profile: A Narrative Review

OpenAIRE

Mohsen Mazidi; Peyman Rezaie; Ehsan Karimi; Mohsen Nematy

2014-01-01

Ramadan Fasting during the month of Ramadan is a religious obligation, practiced by millions of people around the world. Ramadan fasting is essentially a fundamental change in lifestyle for one lunar month. This type of fasting may have significant effects on lipid profile. Although there is no scientific consensus about the effects of fasting on cardiovascular risks such as changes in lipid profile, some studies have revealed the positive effects of Ramadan fasting (and similar religious fas...

The ELETTRA fast magnets

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tommasini, D.

1992-01-01

The design of the fast magnets to be used to inject the electron beam into the 2 GeV storage ring Elettra is presented and discussed. Injection makes use of two types of fast magnets: the septa and the kickers. There are two identical septa magnets of the so called 'eddy current' type, which will be housed in a vacuum tank. The orbit bump is generated by four identical kicker magnets symmetrically placed around the mid-point of a single straight section: they will be in air with an internal vacuum chamber. Extensive electric and magnetic tests have been performed on prototypes, and the relevant results are presented and discussed. (author) 6 refs.; 6 figs.; 2 tabs

Reducing preoperative fasting time: A trend based on evidence